Crispy Cheddar Chicken

Crispy is right...I used Rice Krispies with sharp cheddar cheese and this was deeelish.

What You'll Need:
4 chicken breasts, cut in half
6 cups rice krispies cereal
3 cups grated sharp cheddar
3 eggs, whisked
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbsp butter, unsalted
chopped fresh parsley

What You'll Do:
Set up three dishes to dredge your chicken.
1. whisked eggs
2. grated cheese
3. rice krispies

Dredge each chicken breast in the three bowls and fill a greased baking dish.

Bake covered with foil on 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes at 400 degrees being careful not to burn it.

While the chicken is finishing off in the last ten minutes uncovered, in a small sauce pan, mix the chicken soup, sour cream and butter and mix thoroughly until warmed.  Serve a spoonful of the sauce over the chicken and top with fresh chopped parsley.

Serve with rice pilaf and veggie of your choice.

Play Pasta

This is one of those projects that I started aaaaages ago and for some reason took forever to finish.  Now, I'm glad I did.  I made some little felt pasta (bow tie and ravioli) for my goddaughter for her play kitchen.  She loves pasta and so I thought she might enjoy this.  I even tried to package it similar to what you might see in the store (minus the ribbon but I thought that touch was cute).

Hope she cooks up something yummy in her play kitchen with this!

Little Poncho

This was a little something different than what I'm used to knitting...

My friend Michaela's daughter Amelia is turning one soon and is having a Mexican themed birthday (I think her parents just really wanted an excuse to drink margaritas...).  Michaela asked me if I could knit her a sombrero.  While I can appreciate a good challenge, I couldn't figure out how I could knit a sombrero since the rim of the hat needed to be sturdy and the yarn was inevitably gonna be floppy.

So, instead I decided to knit her a little poncho for her party.  The nice thing about this is that hopefully she can wear all winter long.

It was a free pattern on Ravelry that I used and also modified.  Pattern found here.

Mayme Baher - House of Fifty

I know that the last issue of House of Fifty came out weeks ago.  But, I work full time and can barely keep up with work and home, much less all of the fun decorating blogs, magazines, etc. that I WANT to read. 

Anyway, if you haven't seen it, check it out.  But, I am going to show you some pictures from decorator Mayme Baher's house that was featured in it.  I am obsessed with everything about her style.

Count down 'til Christmas and 10 Great Gift Ideas

I'm sure many of you are groaning at me that it isn't even Halloween yet and how dare I start writing a post with the word Christmas in it.  Stick with me, ya'll.  I mean, it's gonna be here before you know it.  No, really.  Did you know it is only 63 days away??? (I won't admit that I MAY have already incorporated a Christmas song or two into my go to work playlist...)

Everybody always makes fun of me for starting my shopping so early but I have a rationale behind it:

1. You don't get socked with those bills all at once.  Space it out and you don't feel the pain of the money you are spending nearly as badly.

2. You are not rushed to purchase something for someone just because you need to get them a gift.  You can actually put thought into it.

3. Who doesn't like a year round excuse to shop??

I create an excel spreadsheet to organize my gifting that houses the following info:

1. Everyone I need to purchase a gift for.
2. Wish List/Gift Ideas I have for them (in case I don't stumble across something perfect on my shopping quests)
3.  A column to list what I have purchased for them.
4. A checkbox when they are complete (some people get more than one gift like my husband or sometimes someone might get a couple of smaller things)
5. A column to check off if I have sent their Christmas card.  I also lengthen my list to include everyone I need to send a card to that may not receive a gift if we don't exchange presents.

I love Google documents because you can access it anywhere in case I need to see what I've already bought for someone.

I've found that Pinterest (which anyone who follows me clearly knows I am obsessed with) is a great way to store gift ideas to come back to later.  I've created a board that lets me store any ideas I have as I see them.  Here are some of my favorites to get your Christmas inspiration juices flowing...

Beautifully bound classic books...

Jonathan Adler Matches...

Gemstone fridge magnets...

Lavender ikat sachets...

Travel coasters...

Monogrammed soaps...

Personalized stadium cups...

Personalized notepads...

Mini-initial necklace...

Return address stamp...

Rock soap (great stocking stuffers!)...

Beach Themed Dish Towels

My Gan Gan has a beach house in Topsail, NC. One of our favorite places to go - only wish it was closer! Last year I made her some dish towels with fun prints and sea creatures on them. She liked them so much that she requested more for Christmas this year. Ask and ye shall receive!

Super easy to make.  I get the nice sturdy dish towels from Crate and Barrel and then cut out the design I want on paper.  Trace onto applique paper, then trace the fabric and iron on according to the applique instructions.  If I could sew, I would do that on top BUT, I made these before and they held up pretty well even in the wash afterwards.

These would make a fun housewarming or hostess gift as well cause you can change up the themes to anything you want!

Halloween Housewarming

On a beautiful Saturday in late October we hosted a little Halloween get together.  The weather couldn't have been more perfect and it was a wonderful way to spend time with friends and neighbors.  Halloween themed food, a few great costumes, corn hole and a pumpkin carving contest were on the agenda.  Here are some snapshots from the day.

Halloween spread...only got bigger as friends brought things to share!

The inside was decorated with cobwebs and spiders.

I carved out little sugar pumpkins (and roasted the seeds, of course!) to serve dips.  (Notice the dogs strategically placed themselves at eye level of the food.)

Eyeball cookies.  Oreos dipped in white chocolate and topped with a gummy lifesaver and a chocolate chip.

Witches broomsticks.

Skeleton bones.

The drink station.

Bucket of beer with a basket of coozies.

I got so distracted talking and hostessing that I didn't get too many pictures of the action but here are a few.  The cutest bunny and little pumpkin you ever did see made appearances...

We are so lucky to have a great park right across the street - plenty of room for pumpkin carving and corn holing!