bouffe e bambini: October 2011

Chai Apple Pie and last minuet Thanksgiving LINKY party

After making that {Pumpkin Chai Bread}. I got to thinking, what else could I make with this fantatic Chai flavored Latte mix and I thought APPLES!!!! SO here you have it my friends! The flavor combinations are amazing! Truely, this adds a whole new spin pn the tradition favorite. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! P*E*R*F*E*C*T for Thanksgiving!!!!

This recipe will yield 6 Giant Muffin cup size pies or one 9" pie!

Please so not be intimidated by the miniature pies. I am obsessed with everything miniature but this recipe will make a beautiful 9 inch pie as well

Ingredients for the pie:

3 granny smith apples, peeled and cubed

3 gala or fuji apple peeled and cubed

3/4 cups of sugar

3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 heaping tablespoons of corn starch

1 cup concentrated Chai Tea Latte (you can buy this at whole foods or Starbucks)

5 teaspoons butter

1 egg beaten with 3 tablespoons water (egg wash)

Ingredients For the Dough

(or use store bought dough to make it easier!!!)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening, chilled
3 tablespoons ice water

Directions for Dough

Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium size bowl. With a pastry blender, cut in the cold shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water over flour. Toss mixture with a fork to moisten, adding more water a few drops at a time until the dough comes together.
Gently gather dough particles together into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
Roll out dough, and put in a pie plate. Fill with desired filling and bake

Directions for Pie Filling:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Place cubed apples, sugar, Cinnamon and Chai in a large mixing bowl and mix well.

3. If making individual pies, Break your dough ball in half. Once in half, cut each half into 6 small dough balls. You will need 6 for your bottoms and g for your lattice tops. They may seem very small but will stretch to just the right size.

4. Spray your GIANT muffin pan with non-stick spray.

5. Roll out your bottoms and place in the GIANT muffin pan

6. Fill with the apple filling. Place a small butter pat on top of each.

7. Roll out your last 6 circles, cut into trips and lay your lattice.

8. Brush with egg wash and bake for 35 minuets. (if making a 9" pie bake for 45 -50 minuets)

9. Serve warm with fresh whip cream or ice cream!!!

I L*O*V*E the Holidays!!!!! Happy Baking my friends!

Please join me and link up ANYTHING handmade or homemade. I would love to see recipes, DIY projects, party planning, and craft projects of all kinds!!!

And if you didn't make anything this week, no worries, link up an old favorite!!!

There are no rules! Feel free to grab the Handmade Hog button and place it in your post or on your sidebar but it is absolutely NOT required!! EVERYONE is welcome to participate!!! This is just supposed to be a fun way to share your ideas and pick up some new ones !!

So, please join me! LINK UP!!! I can't wait to see what you have in store!!!

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Shabby Apple Dress Giveaway

Hi all!!!!

Well Happy Day to you because your getting the chance to win the gorgeous dress below in any size you want?

White and Navy nautical stripes!!! I AM IN LOVE!!!!

classic. simple. elegant. My favorite combo.

Every girl deserves a gorgeous new dress, For NO REASON WHATSOEVER; JUST BECAUSE.................COME ENTER!

Shabby Apple makes dresses, skirts, blouses and more! If you want to look fabulous and comfortable, Shabby Apple is the place to go. This online boutique specializes in well-designed, flattering dresses for women, adolescents, little girls, and babies. Dresses are sized for all body types (including petite, plus, maternity) and are perfect on their own…no need to wear a tank top, cardigan, or slip! Shabby Apple also features a feminine fitness and swimwear line as well as shoes, handbags, and jewelry.

If you would like to participate in the giveaway please visit {shabbyapple} and let us know what your favorite item is.

For Extra Entries you may:

1+ Like Shabby Apple on {FACEBOOK}

1+ Like Bouffe e Bambini on {FACEBOOK}

1+ Tweet, blog or Facebook about this giveaway including the link.

Giveaway will be open 2 weeks closing Monday Dec. 5th @ midnight. Open USA

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What I Wore Black and Brown

Whoever said black and brown didn't go together obviously had no business sharing their opinion because this combo is G*O*R*G*E*O*U*S and one of my absolute favorites!!!!

By the way, I didn't actually wear this anywhere I just wish I had. Have I mentioned my husband and I have been one ONE MEASLY date in 2 years? No I'm not kidding. Anyway, if we ever went on a date, I would totally wear this!!!! '

Dress: Bump

Boots: J Crew

Bag: Tano

I ADORE this bag. We lived in New York CIty for a couple years and this is one of the greatest things I purchased there at a small boutiqur in Brooklyn. I can't remember the exact name but I'm pretty sure it was on 9th Avenue between 14th and 9th streets. This brand is not sold online or in large department stores which makes it even greater. It's s boutique item only. L*O*V*E it!

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Pessimist NO MORE!!! and a BIG new Goal!

{via} About 5 years ago I trained for a marathon. I was 2 weeks from running the full 26 miles in Austin when I got a stress fracture in my foot after an 18 mile training run. TOTAL DEVASTATION! I Mean this was dooms day for me, after months and months of vigorous training. I was so disappointed. I cried and cried! It hurt so bad emotionally I never picked it up again.
To run a full marathon has been a life long goal of mine and I KNOW I AM CAPABLE OF IT!!! There are many attributes that I surely lack but sheer will power is not one of them. So my friends I have decided that in 2012 I WILL run a full marathon!!!

Crazy? Probably!!! But that's how I like to live my life. I've got a pretty bad adrenaline streak and all you have to do is dare me, and I'm there!!! And I will bring you right along with me, through the cold and tears and sweat and pain. It's going to be FANTASTIC!!!!! One of my favorite joys in life is a GOOD CHALLENGE!!! The adrenalin rush you experience on the other side is earth shattering!!!! It's like your soul just opens up and accepts the world. God plays a big part in this too. Running 26 miles is no small feat and the ability to work with God on such an intimate level to get you through each agonizing moment when your sure you can't take one more step is AMAZING! I had the pleasure to experience this when I trained previously. I can remember after my long 15, 16, 17 mile runs I would just CRY. Not because of the physical pain but becuase of the sheer will power it took to push myself that hard for that long. The mind and body are so amazing and when put together at their finest, you are literally unstoppable. I LOVE IT!
I've just started running this week and I can already 2 miles to my surprise but I have to tell you it feels so good to not be carrying around100 extra pounds of flapping rolls while trying to run!!! I feel FREE. LIKE I CAN FINALLY MOVE AGAIN!!!! YES!!!! What this post is really about it the fact that I am delighting in the fact that my pecimistic attitude is gone for good. I am a true optimist now!!! I can't believe it, after 30 years of being the grinch, I finally have my time to shine! To say "YES" and "LOVE" and "JOY" and "CAN" and "WILL"

{via} LIFE IS GOOD. GOD IS GOOD.

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Chocolate Hazelnut Torts with Shortbread Crust

I thought these would be a G*R*E*A*T little addition to the Thanksgiving dessert table. You all know I am obsessed with Nutella so any chance I get I'm whipping up something it.

These came out so, so cute and EXTRA delicious!!! I really hope you'll give them a try! They are definitely on the easier side!

WILL YIELD ABOUT 8-10 Tartlettes

or one 9" pie

For The Crust-

12 T. unsalted butter (1-1/2 sticks)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For The Filling-

1 T. cornstarch

1 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup Nutella or use my Homemade Nutella {{RECIPE}

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

Toasted hazelnuts and homemade whip cream for garnish

NOTE: If you so not wish to make tartlettes and would rather make a whole pie simply keep the crust recipe exactly the same and double the filling recipe. It will come out perfectly.

Preheat oven to 325^oF with rack in the middle. Melt butter for the crust in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Off heat, stir in sugar, vanilla and salt until dissolved.

Blend butter mixture into flour with a rubber spatula. Press dough into 8-12 greased GIANT muffin cups in a GIANT muffin pan. Simply fill as many as you can with the amount of short bread you have. Bake these ahead of time for 20 minuets and set aside.

To make the filling, whisk cornstarch into 1/4 cup cream in a bowl. Combine the remaining 3/4 cups cream, Nutella, vanilla and salt in a saucepan. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Once boiling, stir until thickened, about 1 minute. Pour into the little crust sand smooth the top. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

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Red and WHite Pinwheels and a Handmade Holiday 2011!!!!!

Hi Friends!!!! I'm S*U*P*E*R* excited because today I am guest blogging and sharing an AMAZING Red and White Holiday Pinwheel Recipe and Tutorial on the inspiring blog {SHINE}

If you liked Tuesday's post, your going L*O*V*E these red and white sugar cookie pinwheels.

If you all have not had the chance to meet Ashley and check out her blog {SHINE} please do so. You will truly enjoy her. Plus she has a heart of gold. She is raising money for inner city kids to have the opportunity to go to college. WOW. I mean when I say she has a heart of gold, I really mean it!!!!
Isn't she gorgeous?

Here's a sneek peek at the A*M*A*Z*I*N*G recipe I shared as part of Ashley's Handmade Holiday!!!!

All week long she has featured guest bloggers sharing economical Holiday gift ideas and tomorrow, FRIDAY, she is going to have a HUGE link up party so be sure to stop by and link up any holiday ideas in your bank!!!

You can grab the button over on Ashley's {BLOG}

YAY!!! This is so fun! Let's all get in the spirit!!!!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FRIENDS!!!!!

Meet Alycia and Her Inspiring story!!!!

I'm so excited to have Alycia here from {Crowley Party}today!!!!! She is G*O*R*G*E*O*U*S inside and out . I'm so glad I have gotten the opportunity to meet her and share her wonderful, positive outlook on life with you all!!!! I truly think you will enjoy Alycia and her blog a lot!!!! Hop on over there and say Hi!!

********************
Hey everyone! My name is Alycia from Crowley Party.
I recently stumbled across Hanna's blog and loved reading about her weight loss journey, as I am sure all of you have enjoyed as well.
I loved it so much I wanted her to share it over at my blog, and since we decided to do a guest post, I have been wondering what I could write to you all, that falls within the same topic.
Every person, yes even men, have all had some insecurities about their bodies. It almost seems human nature to compare ourselves to others, and then we have society heavily bombarding us with images and ideas of what we are supposed to look like. Besides being as healthy as we can be (which we all know we could eat less cupcakes) at the end of the day, you CAN'T change your body!
The only thing you can do, is change your attitude.

We have all heard the phrase, "You always want, what you can't have." How many of us have been in situations where we pin point areas of our body that we don't like, and then see that "ideal" part on someone else and say... "I would die to have your hair!" or "I would kill for her legs!" I know I am guilty of this. My biggest complaint about my body has always been my hips. Yup, my doctor actually refereed to them once as "birthing hips." I will never forget one day when I was hanging out with my one sister-in-law who was cutting the hair of my other sister-in-law (haha) and we were all doing the typical girl talk, and we somehow segwayed into talking about the things we didn't like about our bodies (a ritual girls have been doing for way too long) When my turn came up to self bash myself I stood up, you know to emphasize the point, and showed them how large my hips looked from the front angle and how much it bothered me. I was angry with how much bigger I thought they made me look. To my shock my sister-in-laws told me that they would love to have that shape, my hips, and bottom. I was so confused... how could my sister-in-law want MY butt.... I mean, I wanted HER butt, her butt was perfect! Yet she thought mine was. This realization just hit home with me... there is beauty in all of us, and there are people out there who see that, so why not see it for ourselves?!

(yes these are the jeans people!)

A lot of times women decide to focus on the things they do love about their bodies and not focus on the parts they don't. Let me tell you, I have tried that, and I decided that I didn't want to ignore it anymore... I wanted to just love ALL OF IT. For years I avoided clothing items that would extenuate my hips. I am the typical pear shape and no matter how much weight I loose, no matter how fit I am, my hips will always be dramatically wider then my waist. It is the way my BONES are shaped! You can't change your bones ladies, you just can't. So I did what good pears should do... you know, extenuate the waist, don't bring attention to the parts of the body you don't like. Well I agree it is good to dress for your body type, I found myself one day very sad. I decided I loved the trend of high waisted pants that have come back into fashion. However, these would indeed extenuate, even scream, LOOK AT MY HIPS! So of course this meant I couldn't get them.... but guess what? I decided not to care anymore, and not let my body dictate the fashions I like and want to wear... and so I bought them. I even bought them online with out trying them on, so this was going to be a big surprise to see how they looked. Well guess what folks? I love them!

Yes, I still have those days where I am not in love with every part of my body, but it is a daily effort for all of us! I just remind myself that I am healthy and beautiful, and that someone out there would LOVE to have my hips! &I should too!

We are all unique and beautiful in our own ways, if we were all the same, it would be boring. God made you exactly how you should be, so STOP comparing your beauty to someone elses. It is like comparing apples and oranges, no pun intended :)

THANK YOU ALYCIA FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL. INSPIRING POST!!!!Pin It

Dark Chocolate Mint Pinwheels and Linky Party

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup cocoa powder ( I used Hershey's special dark)
1 cup chocolate chips melted
1 tablespoon gel green food coloring or 1 small bottle of the water based kind.( I highly recommend the gel variety. You can buy it at any craft store. It is much brighter and you can use less)
Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

Directions

Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar together in another large bowl. Add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Gradually add the dry mixture, beating until combined. It will be in little tiny balls. It won't be creamy yet,this is normal.

Remove half of the mixture from the bowl. Add green food coloring, 3 tablespoons milk and peppermint extract beating until fully combined. You may have to knead the colored dough a bit to get it mixed thoroughly. On a sheet of waxed paper or Saran wrap, roll out dough to form a large rectangle, about 1/4-inch thick. Set aside.

Take the cocoa powder and whisk it in a small bowl with the 1/2 cup milk until well combined. Add it to the white dough. Now add the melted chocolate and beat until combined. Now knead dough until completely combined and easy to work with. Place on a sheet of waxed paper or saran wrap and roll out into a similar sized rectangle as your green dough.

Now very carefully, slide or flip the green dough on top of the chocolate dough. Trim edges if uneven and patch if necessary. Roll dough into a log, creating a swirl effect. NOTE: do not worry if the dough starts to tear a little when you are rolling it. This is normal. Simply mend it with your fingers as you go along.

Now place a generous amount of sprinkles in a shallow dish and roll the cookie dough log firmly over the sprinkles until they stick and its covered. Wrap tightly with saran wrap and place the dough back in the refrigerator and let chill for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Slice the dough into 1/2-inch slices and place on a parchment lined sheet tray about 1-inch apart. Bake for 10-15 minuets depending on how thick you sliced the cookies.

Here's the best part!!! If you only wan to bake 6 cookies, wrap it up tightly in saran wrap and freeze until ready to use again!!!

If you like this recipe your going L*O*V*E Thursday's SO STAY TUNED!!!!

Please join me and link up ANYTHING handmade or homemade. I would love to see recipes, DIY projects, party planning, and craft projects of all kinds!!!

And if you didn't make anything this week, no worries, link up an old favorite!!!

So, please join me! LINK UP!!! I can't wait to see what you have in store!!!

Please grab the button from sidebar!!!!

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A Deeper Look Inside My Weight Loss Journey

I'm sure most of you know that I recently lost over 100 pounds. You can read all about how I did it and see before and after photos {HERE} Obviously there are many sides to any story, especially a journey like loosing 100 pounds. I didn't just accidentally gain 100+ pounds. I'm sure occasionally it does happen but there are reasons why I ended up the way I did and I wanted to share a little bit more of an intimate look into my life and the struggles I have had with weight and self esteem. Whether over weight or under weight I know this is a topic that touches so many woman's lives.

MY BACKGROUND Ever since I can remember, I have been conscious of my weight.  That probably means around the age of 6. At that time I was not chubby but weight was something that was always openly discussed and frowned upon in my family. By the time I was 9 or so I started to be a little bit chubby. I was by no means deemed overweight by my doctor but because I was not tall and thin, I was not a waif, some of my family members thought I was fat.   I had been getting comments for years like "don't use so much butter", or "are sure you want to eat that?", or "maybe less jam on that honey"........whatever..........A LOT OF NEGATIVE FOOD TALK!!! Please, please don't talk to your children this way. It's HURTS us inside!!!! Lead by example. Don't give us broken tools and expect us to figure out how to use them. IT'S NOT FAIR.  Teach your children what to eat, show them, eat it with them. Don't tell them they have to be skinny and then feed them donuts. IT'S CRUEL!!!  By the time I was 12 my father had taken to me to Jenny Craig, which did have a program for OBESE children, not children who where slightly chubby at the awkward age of 12. They accepted me anyway advising caution.
I came from a broken home at an early age. I lived with my mother most of the year and only went to live with my father in the summers. Needless to say my mother was not happy when I flew home with an extra suitcase full of Jenny Craig food at the age of 12. I only stayed on it for a couple weeks. It was too difficult for a child of my age and my mother, rightfully so, thought it was ridiculous and unnecessary. She was right but it was too late. The damage was done.
This was the straw that broke the camels back. Jenny Craig at age 12? Really?   This is when my "issues with food" officially began.   By the time I was in Junior High I was CONSTANTLY worried about my weight. I was very conscious of what I wore but was too young to know how to control my food intake.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             By the time I was in high school I tried being bulimic for a little while but thankfully hated it so stopped that pretty quickly. I continued to worry and obsess about what I ate and how my clothes fit and couldn't understand why I wasn't rail thin like most of my 15 year old friends. At this time I weighed about 130 pounds. I just happened to have a C cup and hips but I thought I was fat.
So basically I've been on a diet since the age of 12!  THE WAY MY "ISSUES WITH FOOD" MANIFESTEDSo for most of my childhood and all of my adult life I have been obsessing about food in one way or another. It's constantly on my mind, hardly ever leaving my train of thought for a moment's time. It's kind of like being in prison.
For most of my twenties I hardly ate much of anything. I'd usually eat one meal a day and usually not a healthy one either. Then I would work out for an hour and a half 6 or 7 days a week. I was a complete nutritional and health disaster. I ate far too little calories and worked out WAY too much. I was a waitress for 12 years before I became a nurse and I can remember I would go to the gym between shifts when I worked doubles instead of resting and taking care of myself. I maintained about a size 8-10 doing this for most of my twenties but then every few years I would get really depressed (this is another topic I should write about at a later date) and I would use food as my comfort. I would just start eating and eating and eating everything in sight. I would usually gain 20-40 pounds, stay depressed and overweight for 6 months and then snap out of it, go on a crash diet and loose the weight again. This roller coaster cycle went on for years.
I can remember when my husband proposed to me I was heavy at the time and the very first thought that entered my mind was, "OH MY GOD. I'M SO FAT. I HAVE TOO BE SKINNY FOR MY WEDDING" How sad, now that I think back on that. Of all the wonderful blessings of joining my life with my husband's, what was I most worried about? My weight!!! sad. sad. sad. ******Well, my friends the wonderful news is I have changed. I am a new woman. I am no longer obsessed. I am not spending every waking moment worried about what I should or shouldn't be eating. I am enjoying my life, my children, my husband and I am thinner, healthier and happier than I have ever been. How did I manage to unravel a lifetime of damage in two years? I'm not exactly sure but what I do know is that with the birth of my children came the most incredible gift of all. A NEW OUTLOOK ON LIFE. I am a new woman. I wrote a post not too long ago called "Forever Changed." which expresses just how much my life has changed since I had my children. Honestly, every little tiny aspect of my life is different. All those years and years of therapy working on each and every tiny crevice that plagued me were gone in an instant, the single instant my son was born.
I can't explain it any other way but all of a sudden food did not have the power to control me any longer because IT WASN'T IMPORTANT!!!!. Not important like MY KIDS AND THEIR WELL BEING. Suddenly, I was given a real , hard reality check and all that truly mattered were my babies and their well being. Period!!! Anything else was trivial at best. Including most of my life long problems.
God works in very mysterious ways and this is nothing short of a miracle. I was able to loose 100+ pounds in a healthy way, truly healthy for my mind, body and spirit. I was kind, gentle and understanding with myself, which I never had been before. I stopped obsessing and just let it be and it worked! If I wanted a cupcake or two I ate them and moved on. Period. No guilt. No binging. No week long punishment. A miracle in my eyes.
The weight just fell off. I am in tears writing this because I never thought I would tackle this obstacle. I thought for the rest of my life I would be imprisoned by my own mind. Don't get me wrong, I am still critical and wish I could look this way or that, but the true obsession is GONE!!! Thank you God for giving me two beautiful, healthy children who not only bring me so much joy on a daily basis but have changed my life for the better in every way I can imagine. I am truly the woman I have always wanted to be. WOW!

Thank you. Thank you for listening. That journey was a long one and I am so happy I was able to share it with you. I truly appreciate each and every one of you for listening. Again, this is a subject I am passionate about so I would be happy to chat with you about it or share my story with your readers anytime. Simply shoot me an email at "www.bouffeebambini@hotmail.com" Be sure to include the www.

Pin It I'll leave you with this bit of inspiration