A Year of Books 2016

I love to read.
I love to read A LOT!
And so this year I decided that I would keep track of my books in monthly posts.  On average I'd say I read anywheres between 50 and 75 books a year.  So my ambitious goal is to read 100 books in a year! That's right, 100 books!

You can probably guess that I'd be broke if I bought that many books every year.  So unless I win the lottery I won't be planning on any big personal library anytime soon.  As much as I love the physical copy of the book with its cover art and page smell, I've really depended on borrowing books from the library on my kindle and in person when I get that itch to hold a book.

Since I read so many it's been hard to share them on the blog and this way I can list them all, but really feature those worth reading.  If you have any recommendations for reads I always make a TBR (to be read) list and am continually adding to it.  When I took job placement surveys back in high school they always came back that I should be a librarian, no surprise since I love books, discussing books and organization.  This is my way to satisfy that desire of mine to bring books to the forefront of my life.  Listed in order by favorites here is my book tally for January and half February.

Orphan Queen Series - Jodi Meadows

* 1 : The Orphan Queen
  1.5 : Novellas: 1) The Hidden Prince 2) The Glowing Knight 3) The Burning Hand 4) The Black Knife
  2 : The Mirror King

A fantasy world of intrigue, magic, romance, and dangerous liaisons I was hooked from the start.  Wilhelmina is an escaped princess hiding amongst her enemies, and she's become the perfect spy.  Determined to regain her kingdom she must tread carefully and hide her identity, but there are many key people in play, the Prince,  the vigilante Black Knife, her fellow fallen nobility named the Ospreys, and of course a growing threat of wraith.

Young Elites Series - Marie Lu

* 1 : Young Elites
* 2 : Rose Society

This newest series by Marie Lu is being commonly disputed against her well known Legend trilogy.  I read the Legend series last year, and in my opinion the Young Elites shows great growth and character development in her writing.  Reminded me of X-men, where the children all have a variety of powers and of course are perceived as threats to the general good of society. 

Jewel Series - Amy Ewing

* 1 : The Jewel
   1.5 : The House of the Stone
* 2 : The White Rose

If you enjoyed the Selection Series, haven't heard of anyone yet who read it that didn't like it, this has some similarities.  The Jewel is the wealthy inner circle, of whom the elite are dependent on the poor to bear their children due to a genetic rarity they offer.  Violet is sold into the hands of a duchess and ends up in the middle of political intrigue and a play for power.  Subjected to a life of servitude she falls for the one boy she cannot, and must make the decision about whether he is worth risking everything. 

The Darkest Minds Series : Alexandra Bracken

* 1 : The Darkest Minds
   1.5 : In Time
   2: Never Fade
   2.5 : Sparks Rise
   3 : In the After Light
   3.5 : Through the Dark ( In Time, Sparks Rise, Beyond the Night)

Another series on genetic mutations, the darkest minds tells the tale of a society that underwent severe losses in children lives after a epidemic wipes out portions of the U.S. population.  Those children who survived are rounded up, as their powers are a threat.  Given a color based on their skill, they're either killed or forced to work in camps, the truth of it all hidden from society.  Ruby has kept herself alive by flying under the radar, but eventually must escape in order to live, and along the way meets a group of misfits also with frightening abilities.

After Series :  Anna Todd  (4/5)

* 1 : After
* 2 : After We Collided
* 3 : After We Fell
   4 : After Ever Happy
   5 :  Before

A series about a college romance, it's gained lots of attention and remains a popular read amongst young adult females, especially fangirls.  Due to the graphic descriptions and situations the characters find themselves in, especially those regarding drinking, sexual acts and language, readers should minimally be college aged.  It may be a realistic telling of college experiences for some students, but the drama and rollercoaster of this volatile story relationship is definitely not for everyone.

Newsoul Series - Jodi Meadows (3/5)

* 1 :  Incarnate
* 2 : Asunder
   2.5 : Phoenix Overture
* 3 : Infinite

 This series is based on the premise of reincarnation.  For thousands of years the same souls have continued to be always be reborn, able to keep their previous lives memories intact even when starting a new life.  Everyone knows everyone.   Until one day a new soul appeared, Ana.  She replaced another one, and no one knows the reason.  Was she a mistake?  Would new souls continue to replace the old ones? And if so, how, and why? On the search to figure out her life's meaning Ana meets Sam, he's different, and for the first time maybe someone actually sees Ana for who she is and who she could be. 

Leigh Bardugo (2 / 5)

* 1 : Six of Crows
   2 : Crooked Kingdom (Sept 2016)

Gaining huge momentum amongst readers lately, I thought this was one book worth skipping.  I fought the entire way through to finish it.  I enjoy a little more focus on character relationships and their development, which was extremely lacking. Also, the book didn't have any "surprises", it was pretty easy to see where it was going next.  The premise had potential, 6 outcasts with their only purpose being to survive in a world of magic, but unlike the Young Elites or Darkest Minds series this rag tag group just didn't work.

TOTAL BOOKS READ : 13 / 100

Pink Valentine's Day Drink

This gorgeous drink is perfect for Valentine's Day!! Just a simple recipe of champagne and a rock candy stick that makes a quick and delicious libation. Not to mention, who can resist a glass of bubbly with crystal sugars?!

I found rock candy on Amazon and ordered a box of 12.  It isn't the cheapest candy but it is the prettiest stir stick I have found yet!

You could use a craft soda (Belvoir is my personal favorite!) or something inexpensive (Sprite or Ginger Ale would work great!) instead of champagne if you are avoiding alcohol or serving kiddos who want in on the fun.

You could serve these drinks at any party, holiday gathering, bridal shower, wedding day or even a baby shower. Just pick your preferred color of rock candy and add a little bubbly!

I am so excited to add this drink to the menu this Valentine's Day weekend. I hope your weekend is full of love!! Cheers!

Fruit Sugar Cookie Dessert Pizza

Throwback to this Sugar Cookie Fruit Dessert that I made for a Superbowl Party! With all the hot and spicy apps, cheesy dips, and meaty dishes, a sweet sugar cookie with fruit topping serves as the perfect offset.  Plus, anytime there's fresh fruit on a dish people are all to willing to accept the illusion that they're eating healthier, myself included.

There's a lot of options with this dish. You can make mini sugar cookie pizzas or a large one.  I chose only three fruits, but you could just have easily added more.  Making a deep dish fruit pizza is always an option too.

If making mini fruit pizzas I'd go with different fruit combos on each to give everyone more options!  Next time I plan on doing Mixed Berries, Red Fruit, Rainbow, Team Colors, etc

How to make:

1. Use your favorite sugar cookie dough recipe, a bag of cookie mix, or already made cookie dough. Bake the dough in the oven according to the package directions, just don't overcook. You don't want the cookie to crumble.

2. Whisk marshmallow cream and cream cheese together for the topping and spread it on the cookie.

3. Decorate the top of the pizza with your choice of sliced fruit.

            Other GAME DAY food options:
Apps:
Cheesy Buffalo Dip
Veggie Crescent Pizza
Pizza Bites
Homemade Mozzarella Bites 
Caprese Bacon Skewers 

Meat:
Frito Chili  (popular)
Chipotle Chicken Chili
Braised Lamb Meatballs
Mini Meatball Sandwiches 

Desserts:
Buckeyes
Chocolate Peanut Krispies 
Banana Split Bites 
Nutella Sandwich Cookies

Chicken Taco Salad

Me encanta tacos! Tacos are the best! But to make it "seem" healthier I love me some tacos....on a salad. Halfway through the winter months I'm getting that appetite for salads, and fewer heavy meals. Specifically I've been craving a taco salad. And my go to taco salad is a Pioneer Woman recipe, no surprise there.

I made it previous to her cookbook release, but after receiving it as a Christmas gift I knew this was the opportunity to make it again.  If this sounds like something you'd appreciate too for dinnertime, I'd suggest Ree Drummond's Dinnertime Cookbook, which is chalk full of good dinner recipes.

Whether you're like me and want a taco salad in the dead of winter, or want to store it away for the summer months, keep this!

Ingredients:
Chicken
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp taco seasoning
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Dressing
3/4 cup ranch dressing
1/4 cup salsa
3 tbsp chopped cilantro
Salad
2 ears fresh corn, cleaned
1 large head lettuce, shredded
3 roma tomatoes diced
1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
tortilla chips, crushed
3 green onions, sliced

Directions:

1) First make the dressing by combining the three ingredients together, and store in refrigerator.

2) For the chicken, season the breasts, heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook on both sides until brown, which is approximately 4 minutes per side. Remove and cool for 10 minutes, then cut into pieces for salad.

3) Grill the corn cobs in the still heated skillet, then slice off kernels. Can also use freezer corn and grill it in the skillet, I thought it was still incredibly tasty.

4) Assemble the salad: on a bed of shredded lettuce add the chicken, tomatoes, cheese, corn, avocado, green onions, cilantro and chips. Drizzle the dressing on top, reserving some for additional use.

Other great salads to whet your salad appetite on the blog:
Strawberry Chicken Salad
Watermelon Arugula Salad 
Broccoli Salad 
Pioneer Pasta Salad
Buffalo Chicken Salad
Avocado Corn Salad

Kickin Tater Tot Hotdish

Minnesota is known for their hotdish.  Most Minnesotans L-O-V-E it!  It's one of those meals that's perfect for the chilly MN weather; and whether it's served in school cafeterias or at the dinner table there's rarely leftovers. I've had my share of tater-tot hotdish,but it's never been a fave for me like it has been for my fellow Minnesotans.  That is until making a more flavorful version that had my taste buds dancing.

I'd been looking for a spin off of a typical meal, when this recipe found me. This "Kicked-Up Tater Tot Hotdish" was featured on the Pioneer Woman website, which I visit frequently, and can be found there under the cooking with friends tab or on www.afarmgirldabbles.com. Her pictures make this dish look as mouthwatering as it tastes, and the step by step instructions made it doable for a weeknight meal. Make it for the family, because there is plenty to go around, and leftovers are just as good!

What makes this version better than the original? With peppers, an upgrade of steak, cheese cubes and of course the crispy tater tots it'd be hard not to love. It's not the quickest  or easiest dish, and the richness means I wouldn't serve it often, but I'd cook it once or twice for sure.  And those fearful of "too hot" or "too spicy" dishes don't be scared, this has some flavorful but in one way is a palate scorcher.

Servings 8  Prep 30 minutes  Cook 1 hour

Ingredients

* 1 1/4lb beef top sirloin
*1/2 tsp salt
*1/4 tsp black pepper
* 6 tbsp unsalted butter
* 1 cup diced yellow onion
*1 cup diced red bell pepper ( can reserve extra for garnish)
*1 cup diced poblano pepper ( can reserve extra for garnish)
*2 tbsp minced jalapeno pepper ( can reserve extra for garnish)
*8oz chopped fresh mushrooms
*4 cloves garlic, minced
*1/3 cup flour
*2 tsp soy sauce
*1 tsp tabasco
*1 tsp worcestershire sauce
*2 cups whole milk
*1/4 cup sour cream
*4 tbsp chopped cilantro
*2 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
*8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, cut in cubes
*4 oz pepper jack cheese, cut in cubes
*2 lbs frozen tater tots

Directions
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.

2. Slice beef against grain into thin strips. Chop into 1 inch or smaller pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat large cast iron skillet (12 inch) over medium to medium-high heat. Add beef and brown. Remove beef to a plate. Discard all but 2 tbsp fat, add 2 tbsp butter to pan. Add onion, peppers, mushrooms, and garlic.  Stir. Cook about 10 - 12 minutes.

4. Slide ingredients in skillet to one side. Tilt juices to empty side of pan. Add 4 tbsp butter, and melt. Then sprinkle flour, whisking the juices the whole time for a minute or two.  Cook til the mixture is browned and fragrant.

5. Add soy sauce, tabasco, worcestershire to gravy. Cook 1 minute. Slowly add milk and whisk. Once smooth bring together the veggie mixture and gravy. Stir and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Then stir in sour cream plus 2 tbsp of cilantro.  Add corn and half of each cheese, stirring together. Adjust seasoning. Level out the skillet and top with frozen tater tots.

6. Bake in oven for 35 minutes, remove and sprinkle remaining cheese cubes and more black pepper. Bake another 10 minutes. Then underneath the broiler until the hot dish is bubbling and tater tots are browned to your preference. Remove.

7. This is the time if interested to garnish with reserved ingredients.  Serve piping hot!

Creating Beach Mementos

As the winter cold finally hits us here in Minnesota I find myself dreaming of a day at the beach, or even better, a whole week! Below zero temperatures make short weather seem so very far away. So with no ocean in sight here in the midwest, and all the lakes frozen over, I savor my beach memories and decor that I've collected over the years. Here are some of the very simple ideas to incorporate the beach into your home.

Beach Scene

A great way to recreate your time at the beach is by gathering an assortment of beach items and them placing them in a display.  Our best friend Charlie lived in the Bahamas for a year, and although we were unable to go visit him he brought the beach to us. 

Some great items to secure for the display:
-Seashell or glass platter
-Sand
-Seashell Candles (seashells filled with wax & wick)
-Seashell variety
-Capsule of the ocean water

Shadowbox with Sand Filler

Using a scenic picture from your trip, place it in a shadowbox.  Add the sand as filler from the beach you visited so that the real sand covers the sandy part of the picture. You'll get a really cool effect.

Shadowbox with Seashells & Sea glass

 Using shells and sea glass you've collected fill a small shadowbox. Perfect for a shelf or wall display.

Seashells with Candles

I've accumulated many shells from my visits around the country. An easy way for me to add them to my collection is toss them on a glass plate around a pair of candles.  Easy to clean if dusty, and allows anyone to pick up a shell and examine it if they're curious.

Bottle of Sand

A glass bottle to display the sand from our trip to Cape Cod became a fun honeymoon memento for us to remember all the time we spent at the beach.

Seashell Lamp

 
Growing up, Lisa and my grandparents lived in Florida for a good many years.  When they moved back to MN one decoration that always was a conversation starter was my grandma's seashell lamp.  The lamp base was glass and filled with seashells they'd collected.  Talk about a unique piece!

Lisa and her mother decided with our grandma's help to make one for themselves. The petite lamp really makes a statement.

Sand Dollar Ornament

Find your own sand dollar on the beach or find one in a nearby seashell store to hang on the Christmas tree.  Write the year and vacation spot on the sand dollar to forever spark memories of your trip.

They also make great gifts. Besides the created "Beach Scene", Charlie brought us back a sand dollar ornament from the Bahamas. It was a very thoughtful gift he gave to all our friends and reasonably priced too.

Collage of Beach Memories

My apartment is filled with photos, but I've been setting aside a plan for a beach collage wall for years.  And after 3 years I made the time to print our honeymoon photos and hang those beauties on the wall.  Our pictures from Cape Cod made the perfect arrangement in my new coastal frames! And to accompany them on a separate wall, I have other beachy items that make me smile every time I walk into the room.

I definitely see other beachy projects in my future, but for now, I'll have to wait until summer .
 

DIY Cone Christmas Trees

When you live in a small home or apartment, your TV can feel like the focal point in your living room. I wanted to create a more festive look and with some tinsel and DIY Christmas trees, I was able to make a simple holiday set up around our TV. All we had to do is throw a cracking fire on the screen!

Before packing away all of the holiday decor, I wanted to share this DIY cone Christmas trees that I created this year. These trees were less than $5 a tree which is a steal compared to the $15-25 cone trees that I was finding in stores. I plan on making even more variations next year with some holiday supplies that I got on-sale in the past few days.

Supplies:
- One package of poster paper
*Note: I found a package of 10 sheets for $5 at my local craft store.
- Hot glue and glue gun
- Ribbon or sequin string
*Note: This is where you can get creative: try feathers, beaded garland or tinsel!

Directions:
1. Start by measuring out your cone on the poster board. I experimented with different heights for my set of trees which means I cut my poster board at different measurements.

2. Cut out the cone and glue the ends to make your tree shape.

3. Take your sequin or ribbon and start gluing it from the top. One of my trees ended up having an ugly glue strip down the back due to the glue melting the mesh. But it looked great from the front.

I also made one of the trees with a styrofoam crafting tree and ribbon. I used Christmas ribbon and wrapped it around the cone base. I used gold mini nails to secure the ribbon in place. To top it off, I glued a paper star to the top of the tree.

Marry Christmas Ornaments

If you have followed our blog for a little while, you will know that these ornaments are something that I will continue to make and post about every holiday season. It is a fun annual project and I just love gifting the ornaments to couples who are celebrating their first holiday season as newlyweds!

I created one of these for a friend a few Christmases ago after finding her wedding invitation in my desk. It was a simple, inexpensive project but more importantly, it was a personal and sentimental piece that her and her husband can enjoy every Christmas. It is also a nice surprise gift after all of the wedding madness has died down.

Supplies:

- Empty craft bulbs

Note: I buy a box of four or six on sale after Christmas each year. But you can also get them individually on sale throughout the holiday season.

- Paper cutter or scissors

- Wedding invite 

Note: Get creative! You could use a baby announcement, Christmas card or save the date. 

- Any other decorative objects that you desire

Note: I like to use a matching ribbon to tie on the top of the bulb.

Check out my previous post for full instructions on how to make these marry Christmas bulbs!

Last year, I even experimented with a few other ornament ideas including using dried petals from wedding day bouquets. See my previous post for more DIY ornament ideas!

Christmas Dinner Details

When it comes to a formal holiday family meal, Thanksgiving usually inspires beautiful tablescapes.  Christmas parties, on the other hand, tend to lean towards a more informal atmosphere where the focus isn't so much on the food but instead, families enjoy present exchanges and games.

But this year, we decided to step it up a notch and decorate for a more formal Christmas dinner. That means breaking out my family's beautiful wedgewood china, the fancy silverware and assembling a breath-taking centerpiece that would only enhance a dinner conversation.

Since we had so much fun with our Thanksgiving Tablescape, Lisa and I decided to make a go at a Christmas tablescape.  Using our combined pieces,we were able to pull together a really stunning dining table set up. With an air of formality, it is functional, beautiful and absolutely perfect for a family Christmas!

Place Settings

Supplies:
- Twine
- Baby's breath
- Arborvitae leaves

Directions:

1. Pick or buy some greenery. Lucky for us, we did not have to venture out farther than the backyard for the arborvitae leaves. They smell superb and provide a softer look than the typical evergreen needle branch used frequently this time of year.
2. Choose a small flower, such as babysbreath, that will pop against the greenery.
3. Secure the flowers and greenery together by tying a small twine bow.

It's that simple. That fresh. And that beautiful!

Place Cards

We chose to spruce up our place cards by attaching a mini bow in the corner. Adds that extra festivity!

Other place card ideas: bells, mini presents, ornaments or stockings.

Tablescape

For our holiday color palate, we relied on silver, reds and greens. These colors allowed the tablescape to be a dining room showpiece up until Christmas dinner.  If elegance is the goal, in lieu of the brighter reds and greens, go with deeper hues.  We leaned towards cranberry for our red but a wine color would be lovely too. And those forest and evergreen colors just shout, "Christmas time!"

For our Christmas centerpiece, we mixed various greenery, pine cones, ornaments, berries and candles.  The Cranberry Mason Jars can make up a centerpiece all their own, as arranged in a previous blog post, but here they blend in to pull the whole look together.

We posted two looks for the dinnerware arrangement. Three of the china plates were stacked together for one look. This works best if the china doesn't have much pattern. In the case of my parent's wedding china, the three tiers really make a statement.

The other arrangement is to tie in more of the red by placing a napkin between the largest plate and underneath the two smaller. That little pop of cranberry effectively pulls in the centerpiece, and solves the question of where to place a linen napkin.

Wishing you a very happy Christmas and holiday season to you all! 

~ Lisa and Marie ~

Sources:
Table Cloth//Tuesday Morning
Candle Holders//Tuesday Morning
Mason Jars//Target
Mini Christmas Bulbs//Target
Floating Candles//Michaels
Place Card Bows//Michaels
Evergreen Sprigs//Michaels