{Holiday Baking} .....yum

Merry Christmas All!! I hope you enjoy some of our favorite treats to make! 





Recipes:

Philadelphia sugar cookies
Prep time: 10 minutes plus refrigerating
Bake time: 15 minutes

1 package (8 ounces) PHILADELPHIA cream cheese, softened
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
colored sugar, sprinkles and colored gels

BEAT cream cheese, butter, 2/3 cup sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Mix in flour. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

ROLL dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes; sprinkle with colored sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheets.

BAKE at 350'F for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on wire racks. Decorate as desired with colored sugar, sprinkles and colored gels.

Makes 3 1/2 dozen

 



Philadelphia cheesecake brownies

Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 40 minutes

1 Package (19.8 ounces) brownie mix (do not use mix that includes syrup pouch)
1 package ( 8 ounces) PHILADELPHIA cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

PREPARE  brownie mix as directed on package.
Pour into greased 13x9-inch baking pan.

BEAT cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Mix in sugar until blended. Add egg and vanilla; mix just until blended. Pour cream cheese mixture over brownie batter; cut through batter with knife several times for marble effect.

BAKE at 350'F for 35 to 40 minutes or until cream cheese mixture is lightly browned. Cool. Cut into squares.

Makes 2 dozen

 


Double Delicious Cookie bars

Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 25-30 minutes

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE BRAND sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
2 cups (12 ounce)  semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup (6 ounces) peanut butter-flavored chips

*Butterscotch-flavored chips or white chocolate chips can be substituted for the semi-sweet chocolate chips and/or peanut butter flavored chips.

1. Preheat oven to 350'F (325'F for glass dish). In 13x9-inch baking pan, melt butter in oven.

2. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over butter; pour Eagle Brand evenly over crumbs. Top with remaining ingredients; press down firmly.

3. Bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars. Store covered at room temperature.  
Makes 2 to 3 dozen bars

They really do present quite nicely.. don't you agree :)

{Fashion Friday}

Here we are it's Friday again. I can't believe I haven't even been home for a whole week yet and it's already almost Christmas! Yikes. While the husband is off doing his last minute Christmas shopping. I get to get started on my holiday baking and relaxing. I'll post my pics and my tasty recipes tomorrow for you guys! This year has gone by so fast! I will definitely be starting on doing my new year plans soon too. 2013 is going to be a big year I think. Lot's of plans and ideas to execute. Hopefully traveling, new experiences and more new friends. I won't waste time on negative things, because life is too short. Can I get an AMEN!? 

Here's to having a positive attitude and achieving our goals/dreams this coming year!

Top: WetSeal, Necklace: Tillys, Jeans: WetSeal, Boots: Forever21

{Jetlag is unfortunate}

Well we are finally back from out "Vacation" as of Sunday night! It has literally taken us all week to recover. We aren't even completely recovered yet either. Our sleep schedules are still out of whack but at least the bags are unpacked and the laundry done! 

It was definitely an eventful trip. Constant family time, plus traveling and different time zones equals exhaustion for sure. We did so much stuff and I managed to get some work in too. A fancy styled shoot, a family session. We got to go the L.A Zoo and see the Big paintings in Glendale, Ca at Forest Lawn. Had Riley's early birthday party with all her cousins and friends (which I will blog on later)

We are happy to be home though in time for Christmas not to mention the cold weather again. Our house was sooo cold when we got home and the hard wood floors did not help. I MISS CARPET!

On a good note I am all done with shopping AND wrapping. Everything is under the tree and looking all pretty. Am I the only one who goes shopping early? I like to avoid the crowds as much as I can. Online shopping is also my friend, my very good friend. The husband likes to wait til the last minute as usual and he hasn't even started. He's just crazy in my opinion.

Here is a few highlights from the trip.

Me and my little grandma

Girls Night Out

Grandpa gets a nook tablet for his 75th birthday!

Cousin love

Photo shoot time!

Big paintings in Glendale, Ca

Nothing beats a desert sunset

Riley gets her haircut

Cousins

My favorite fast food with my favorite ladies!

Catching up with an old friend!

This prairie dog just makes me laugh every time I see it!

Movie Night

Getting dolled up for photo shoot!

Amazing view!

Here is where you can check out the family session I did Simply Beauty Photography

{on vacation................} :)

Taking a little break for some family vacation. I will be back to blogging soon enough so don't you worry!

xoxoxo Ashley

{Weekend Adventures}

Riley's Snow Angel

I'm actually really grateful that there has been very little snow here. Everyone had said it would be worse than Colorado. So far it's snowed like twice and not very much at all! Being a California girl snow was always pretty rare. When we moved to Colorado it was like all the time and so much of it. It's nice to finally have a little break. {Knock on wood} The snow has already melted by the way.

I also think it's funny and cute that whenever it snows, Evan always dresses Riley in random layers to go play outside. Every time, he always comes up with something different. This time she's in tights, leggings, pajama shirt, jacket and monster hat. They crack me up! I love my cute little family!

{DIY} Christmas Decor on a budget...

I've been hard at work all week making my own Christmas decorations this year. I have definitely been inspired by this side of the country. It's history and character etc. This is my first time doing the color scheme throughout the whole house. It's small enough that I can and it all works. First I wanted to make a banner for the fireplace mantle. I saw a few on pinterest and decided on this idea. I just searched printable letters and settled on this old typewriter font from Martha Stewart

cut out slightly larger circles from my own scrapbook party. I strung with curling ribbon that I already had too. Simple and cute and didn't cost anything.

 

 I had to take advantage of having this gorgeous fireplace mantle to work with this year. It's great to be living in middle of the woods practically. I just went outside grabbed a few twigs got some cheap white spray paint and put them in vases with fake snow I already had.
If you are planning on making any of your decor. I strongly suggest thrift stores like the Salvation Army or dollar stores. I got so much great stuff at the dollar tree. This wreath that I just wrapped with beaded garland that I already had. As well as these really cute stocking hooks, glass candlestick holders, fake flowers. I also just sprayed painted an old perrier bottle a friend left at my house.

 

Next I'm always doing some kind of creative centerpiece for the table. It's such a huge focal point during the holidays that I wanted something classic and elegant. As you can see I picked black, silver and white since I already had the ornaments and Miss Riley picked the purple.

During the week I went to the Salvation Army and found sooo much great stuff. I had to do my best to control myself and not buy the whole store! So much vintage glassware. I got these matching bowls as well as these silver trays. I just used ornaments and items from the Dollar Tree. I asked around my neighborhood for leftover wine bottles. I was going to paint them white but decided the green was pretty by itself. Oh the table runner was from the dollar tree too!

This gorgeous bowl I'm going to use for Christmas candy! Yum!