Snow!

To say we got a little snow would be an understatement. We got DUMPED on with over a foot of snow. It took Ryan a good hour to shovel the drive.

Creme Brulee

Last year we gave my mom crème brulee for Christmas. We bought her the kitchen torch from Williams-Sonoma and a delicious mix from a food boutique by our house (you can also find it here on Amazon.)  Well, almost exactly a year later she finally put that thing to use; I think the idea of a blue flame blowing out of a hand held torch is a little intimidating for her. The crème brulee turned out perfect! Thick and creamy with a crunchy sugar coating. Mmmmm

Colorado Ballet

The Nutcracker

We joined some friends to see the The Nutcracker at the Denver Performing Arts Center.  It was lovely. The costumes, and the performances were both enchanting. I was thinking back to the last time I saw The Nutcracker and I believe it was when my little cousin Katelin would perform in it. She is now in college, so it has been awhile. Ryan and I both loved it.

4 years and counting...

Minnie Jackson's Fried Chicken

When we left Texas we also left the best fried chicken.  Have you read or seen the Help? The next best thing to our favorite spot in Texas is Minnie Jackson's fried chicken. Minnie fries up this chicken in the movie and so did we. It was well worth the calories!

1. Soak chicken in buttermilk.
2. In a double paper bag pour flour, salt, more salt, pepper, paprika, and a pinch of cayenne.
3. Put the chicken in the bag and shake it.
4. Fry in crisco in a cast iron skillet.

Gingerbread Lane

Gingerbread houses are a favorite tradition.  We do them every year, and year after year there is always a new technique, a new “material” used.  This year was no different.  The candy loot was exceptional to years past.  My friend Laura brought the cutest pearl balls, ornate cookies, and chocolate galore. I am pretty impressed with our handy work.

Thanksgiving

I completely skipped over Thanksgiving, and not because we are not thankful. We have so much to be thankful for!  For ONE, I am thankful we were able to spend the holiday with family. We all live so far apart and getting together doesn’t happen often enough. For TWO, I am thankful for the feast we enjoyed, it was superb! Everything was made from scratch, right down to the cranberry sauce. Ok so the marshmallows weren’t, but that just may be the only exception. For THREE, I am thankful for my wonderful husband, he is truly the best.  

Felt Wreath

Over the Thanksgiving holiday my sisters and I had to get our hands on something- in the means of a craft.  While the boys filled their time with shooting guns and watching football, us ladies shopped and worked away rolling felt into pretty little rosettes. The result: a lovely wreath to hang on my front door. Now our door looks a little more inviting. The how to on making these lovelies.

422: Deck the Halls

[so proud of myself, I made the pine wreath from our tree trimmings]

Parade of Lights

It is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas…. The tree is decorated, the roof is twinkling with lights, and the festivities have begun. The streets downtown filled with spectators tonight.  We all froze together to watch the parade of lights sweep through the streets. The parade was an impressive hour long show of piping bands and festive floats.  

The Count Down Begins

 I love advent calendars! All types, from the paper chains to the victorian mansion the Griswold’s so adoringly counted down the last days until Christmas. In years past I've purchased the cheap candy ones sold at the super market. They are fun but the chocolate never really did it for me.  On a recent trip to Hobby Lobby I found this DIY advent calendar that you can fully stock with whatever treats you choose. It only seemed appropriate to pick up a box of hand-selected See’s Candies.   

Kimball Kitchen: Perfect Scrambled Eggs

I am by no means an egg lover; in fact they often gross me out with their slimy texture, odd smell, and sometimes questionable “funnies.” But after eating these eggs they only have me coming back for more! Ryan watched this video on how Gordon Ramsay cooks scrambled eggs and they are seriously delicious! You will never want to scramble eggs any other way. 

Christmas Ornaments

I can hardly wait to decorate the Christmas tree! I know, I know, Thanksgiving hasn't even got here, but I just got around to putting away Halloween decorations and since I don't have anything for Thanksgiving; that leaves CHRISTMAS.  Ryan and I decided to do the old school blown glass ornaments for our Christmas tree.  They are all so unique and fun.  I can’t wait to see what we collect over the years.  Our collection so far (in addition to some plain colored balls):

422: Kitchen Open Shelving

We have a serious lack of top shelving in our kitchen due to a large window. The big window is nice and provides lots of light, but the compromise has left us wishing for more accessible storage for everyday items.  Our go to home solution source aka Ikea came through yet again for a perfect solution.  I was able to find shelving that matches the stain of our cabinets perfectly, along with some cool metal hardware. What once was an awkward gap from the cabinets to the window is now open shelving. 

Design*Sponge: Book Signing

I was so excited when I opened my inbox to see Grace Bonney would be visiting Denver on her book tour. She is the founder of the popular blog Design*Sponge and just published her first book, Design*Sponge at Home.   I knew I had to go and get my copy signed! If you do buy the book, I recommend getting it at Anthropologie. They are selling an exclusive edition with 16 extra pages!  

Slave Labor

My friend Laura and I volunteered our hands for a night of crafting at Anthropologie. It was so fun to be behind the scenes of their fabulous holiday décor and mingle with inspiring local ladies. We chitchatted about our love for crafts and all things anthro, a perfect girl’s night out.

Kimball Kitchen: Fried Pickles

Fried pickles and homemade ranch for dipping are a perfect snack for some college football. I used the Paula Deen recipe as follows:

1 24-ounce Jar Kosher dill pickle spears or slices

1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup Louisiana hot sauce (I like Texas Pete)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 gal peanut oil
2 cups Uncle Bubba’s Fry Mix

Drain the juice from the pickle jar and refill the jar with the garlic powder, hot sauce, and buttermilk. Marinate the pickles for at least 30 minutes.

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the oil to 350 degrees F. Drain the pickles. Put the fry mix in a large mixing bowl, and toss the pickles to coat thoroughly. Shake off the excess mix by tossing lightly in a strainer and deep fry the pickles in batches for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size of the spears.

When golden brown, remove the pickles from the oil with a clean strainer or slotted metal spoon and place on paper towels to drain off any excess oil. Serve immediately.

422: Guest Room

Remember over a year ago when I purchased that beautiful gray birdcage wallpaper? Well it made it on the walls, barely. I would definitely recommend calling in the professionals when it comes to hanging wallpaper. We had several booboos to work around and camouflage, luckily the paper is so busy they aren’t too noticeable. So our guest room is complete, and I love it. Now accepting reservations!

So excited...

... for Thanksgiving when we will all be together! I love my sisters.

Happy Halloween! Zombie Style

Winter Wonderland

Snow, snow, and more snow. Our poor newly planted aspens are heavily weighed down with 6+ inches of snow, even our pine trees are looking pretty droopy. Ryan tried shaking a good portion of the snow off all the plants so hopefully there is no permanent damage. It is winter wonderland here in Colorado!

80 to 30

Just the other day it was 80 degrees, we were outside roasting while we carved our pumpkins. Tonight it is freezing and we are getting dumped on with snow! I guess it is officially winter.

What is everyone going to be for Halloween?