You need to know...

...how to make the perfect s'more.

Had an interesting conversation with a friend the other day.  It started with vegemite and ended with s'mores.  Go figure.

Nutella also played a key role.

Get ready, this is my s'more recipe.  It was passed on to me by my friend P, and now I'm passing it on to you.  Really, there's not a better s'more out there, if you ask me.

You need:

Nutella

graham crackers

large marshmellows

roaring campfire/living room fireplace/ microwave or, if you really want to cheat: a jar of Fluff.

Spread Nutella on 1 graham cracker.

Heat/roast marshmellow in your preferred method.

It should be slightly golden, warm but still holding it's shape.

Place a marshmellow on top of your Nutella smeared graham cracker and then top with another cracker.

this is your finished product:

http://laurarebeccaskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/05/nutella-smores.html


Such good campfire food!

If you ask me, why waste time fussing with chocolate chips or buying chocolate bars.  Nutella is way easier and I think it tastes better.

Warning: these are addictive.

Holiday Festivities

 Greetings from me and the pets of my family.

Don't you think the paradoxal polish compliments Emma's fur nicely?

In the foreground is my mum's dog Sophie.  As you can see, she loves the antlers.

In the background is my sister's dog Bmer.

There was a little appliance theme going this year with my family's gifts...but for some reason it didn't apply to me...

Dad got a snazzy coffee machine from mum

My sis got a Kitchen Aid mixer from mum & dad.

And then mum handed me a little box and said "this is your kitchen aid"

they know me so well.

It's a sterling silver cuff with red coral.

now, to give me some credit, I can bake up a storm (sans mixer):

but given the choice between a kitchen appliance and jewellery....I'll take jewellery every time.

P.S.

the neighbour's cat would like to wish you the joys of the season.

Trimming the Tree with Rachel Zoe & Faux Fuchsia...kind of...

My dad decided to have a good old fashioned tree trimming party.  So today hubby and I, my sis and her hubby all decorated mum and dad's tree with them.

Organized Chaos...sure thing.

We arrived to Dad putting Christmas lights up on the barn.

We are hoping this doesn't care the poor horse to death.  She's a little nervous.

The Tree.  Not prelit.  I'm not saying anyone's cheap.

Dad and hubby trying to figure out why half the strand of lights doesn't work...

they gave up and put a different strand of lights on the tree.

my sis with, what I think, is the best Rachel Zoe smile I've ever seen.

I think reindeer antlers would change Rachel Zoe's life.

I digress.

Mum & Dad trimming their tree.

Well, actually dad is just rearranging already placed ornaments.  He's a little ornament OCD.

Hubby and sis

mum needed hubby to place the high ones.  He's the only one who could reach.  

I married him strategically, being only 5'2" I needed someone tall to do all the reaching and dusting of high places.

placing the peacock.  She can actually smile like a normal person, she was just making fun of my constant picture taking.

mum finding the perfect spot.

they have quite a collection of bird ornaments.  I love them!

our helpers!

Behold the Magnificence 

lemme 'splain.  

Trying to get a nice picture of mum is not an easy task.  She always looks mad, it's the same problem her mum had.  The funny thing is, she's never mad, she's always laughing or moving or talking.

This was my favourite!

Me doing some serious tree gazing a la Faux Fuchsia

She finds it very soothing.

I must say I agree.

Do you stop and behold the magnificence of your tree?

perks

Sometimes I get very tired of working in the retail world.

I'm sure I do not need to explain why.

But then, somedays, I love my job.  I see favourite customers, fun new products come out,  my boss is extra lovely (like today she brought me a jar of her home-made grape jelly!)

Also, I like coming home to this:

who wouldn't love to get mail from CHANEL?!

And Christmas when you work for CHANEL is fun too!

(shout out to my rep: you rock! I love everything in here!)

AND

working in the 'fashion industry' I get to wear crazy feather hat whatsies!

Today I channelled Will's gal Kate Middleton with my black feather fascinator.

see, we're practically twins!

While walking through the drugstore on my break I heard a little girl exclaim "Mom, look at her!".  I suppose people in North America are not used to such European fashions...or looking like a muppet is on ones head...either way, I thought it was funny. 

What do you love/hate about your job?

Would you wear feathers in some capacity?

Christmas Blooper Reel

So I, in my infinite wisdom, decided that hubby and I should include a picture of us in the holiday cards I sent out to my family.  This is the first year I'm sending cards to my dad's side of the family, and I thought it would be a good idea because we're not very good at getting together and I'm sure no one even knows what my husband looks like.

Being on a budget we decided to just do the pics ourselves.  We bought a new ink cartridge (not budget friendly!) and set up my camera with the self-timer on a tri pod.  

Living in a small apartment we realized that we had no decent backdrop for a nice holiday photo... so we set up camp at hubby's brother's house next door.  See those stockings? Not mine!  See the tree, actually, it's not even theirs!  They were storing some things for friends who are moving, so my sis-in-law decided to set up their pre-lit fake rather then getting a real tree of her own.  Something borrowed, something green....whatevs.

The following are the bloopers.

 

this was the first test.

 second test...I have no explanation

 

Whoops!  And it would've been a nice picture too!

Merry Christmas from us, our family, and their friends!

 

Oh What A Night

Last Saturday night was my work Christmas Party.

Every year we look forward to when our boss treats us to the holiday buffet at a local hotel.

We like to get all gussied up and have a good time.

This year we got all gussied up, ate all the yummy food and delicious sweets, and then got sick!

This photo was taken appox 1minute before I puked.

I'm on the far right...notice that I'm leaning on the table.  I was about to pass-out!

And there was no way I was opening my mouth for a big smile.

After the waiter put down the camera I bee-lined for the bathroom and barely made it to the stall before being sick!

And I swear I didn't stuff myself sick!

 My boss was sick all night and one co-worker had an unsettled stomach the next day, the other two were fine.  

weird.

Merry Christmas?

head trauma

Hot Tip:

When changing any type of engine liquid in your vehicle, be it coolant, oil, what have you, try to do it when not experiencing a full blown wind storm.

Christmas Baking

I love the holidays.

I love to eat.

I like to bake.

Mum actioning some peanut butter balls.

messy work, but so good

I made over 3 dozen raspberry tarts!

This year I used "seedless jam" which I'm assuming is just a rebranding of jelly.

They're in the freezer, waiting to be iced.

I might share, we'll see.

Christmas Decorations and my Christmas Music Preferences

This is the new home I created for my Christmas tree.

Hubby is glad it is no longer sitting on top of his computer.

Here it is at night, you can really see the candle glow.

Last night I found what can only be called, a true Christmas treasure.

As I recently confessed to Shannon I am somewhat of a Grinch when it comes to Christmas music.  I really don't like it. With the exception of some Christmas Hymns (What Child Is This is my ultimate fav), I really find it annoying.

If you like Little Drummer Boy, we simply can't be friends....unless it's the Joan Jett version.  I have a weakness for Christmas Rock Songs.  One of my favourites is 'Taking Care of Christmas' by BTO.  They recorded this Christmas version of their own classic rock hit 'Taking Care of Business'.  

It warms my heart.  

And last night at the grocery store I found: Taking Care of Christmas - A Randy Bachman Christmas CD

for $9.99!!

Hubby and I listened to it the whole way home, and I listened to it all day at work too.

Am I going to listen to it tomorrow at work?  You bet!