What's Hot this Holiday

No...I haven't decorated my home for Christmas yet - I'm all about that late fall look for Thanksgiving. I just wanted to share some of the photos and holiday trend tips that I put together for an article in our local December Boomers and Beyond newspaper. One nice thing about writing a blog is that I can share the photos that didn't make it into the paper due to space limitations.

All of the photos in this piece were taken at Cottage on the River, a home decor boutique in Grand Rapids, Ohio. A special thanks to my friends, Karen and Erika, for opening their shop up for pre-open house photos. 

And, as I mentioned, here is what's trending in decorating this holiday season. 

Faux fur. From stockings and table runners to robes and slippers, faux fur will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy.

Personalization. Anything can be customized these days with initials, monograms and phrases that say – this is our home. 

Look for ornaments, tags and banners coated in chalkboard paint and fill your abode with expression.

Plaid! Pillows, garlands, wrapping paper and ribbons are showing their Scottish side in tartans, hounds tooth, checks and window pane plaids. 

Traditional green and red, bright, or pastel patterns are in abundance this season.

No Cords. No need to play the extension cord game. Unplug with cordless wreaths, garlands, swags and greenery for your outdoor decorating needs. 

Many come with remote controls so no more running outdoors to light up your display.

Non-traditional Color Combos. Mix it up with a new color combination. Try cranberry and mocha, mixed metals, or silver and frost.

Flocked Trees. Bring the outdoors in with a flocked Christmas tree that exudes that freshly fallen snow effect.

Let the countdown begin! Showcase your family's individuality and style, and create an unforgettable holiday and memories that last well into 2016.

Easy as Pie - Grand Traverse Pie Co.

On any given Saturday, or in this case Sunday, you can find me and my husband tooling around Ann Arbor, MI. While it’s not too far away, it’s just far enough to give us that get the heck out of dodge feeling. 

Each time we visit, we look for new spots to explore – the most important place, of course, is where to have lunch. In a city known as a culinary epicenter, finding something fresh and interesting is as easy as pie.

Our 45 minute drive north gives me the opportunity to peruse through my handy Ann Arbor and vicinity visitor’s guide to investigate our final dining destination. 

This week’s find was the Grand Traverse Pie Company, which has 15 locations throughout Michigan including: Traverse City, Petoskey, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and lucky for us, Ann Arbor.

Pie is their specialty, and special they are, all created from fruits grown in Michigan. 

The usual flavors looked lovely, but it was the combo pies that looked the most delightful – strawberry rhubarb; cherry peach; and the ABC pie or apple, blueberry and cherry. 

Most are available with a traditional pie crust or with a buttery crumb topping. 

And then there were the fruit bars…

Oh wait, we did go there for lunch. 

The selection of quiche, pot pies, sandwiches and salads looked almost as scrumptious as the pies, almost... 

Have a great day!

Cowgirl Up

It is with great pleasure that I report that Cowgirl Couture is cropping up all around us. From fashion magazines and shopping malls to online and local retailers, southwestern-inspired clothing is in abundance this fall.

Layers of turquoise from the pages of Cowgirl magazine - December 2015

Designers such as Ralph Lauren, Dolce & Gabbana and Chanel have been ramping up the trend on the runways for a few years now by blending equestrian, Native American and Ranch wear features into a wild west meets urban cowgirl panache.

Velvet jacket, broomstick skirt and Gaucho hat - Cowgirl magazine Dec. 2015

Even O.P.I. entered the game by offering its Texas line of nail polishes.

Lucky for us, these haute couture designs have brought leather, cowhide, fringe and ruffles into mainstream cowgirl chic. Just lasso some boots, broomstick skirts, shawls or ponchos, and blanket coats and you’re set for the season. The horse is optional.

Cashmere cape, cardigan and felt hat - Cowgirl magazine - Oct/Nov 2015

2 Cowgirls Cook Cherry Chicken Enchiladas

It’s not every day that you get an offer from a friend who has a great enchilada recipe and wants to come over and make it for you. No argument here – sounded like a great way to spice up a ho-hum Monday evening to me.

Indeed it was! Gail brought over homemade Cowboy Caviar, which was chock full of fresh veggies, beans and black-eyed peas, plus all of the ingredients for Cherry Chicken Enchiladas. My only contribution was a hunk of my 30-pound stash of Hatch green chiles and a little vino.

The recipe she brought over is from Cherry Republic, a company that creates wonderful salsas, preserves and sauces from Michigan cherries.

Alas I couldn’t possibly have let Gail do all of the work in my kitchen, so I made sure that I chopped a few things and did my best to drive her crazy by taking step-by-step pictures. All worth it – here is the recipe we used. We Cowgirls highly recommend it.

Cherry Chicken Enchiladas
16 ounces light sour cream
7 ounces diced, green chiles
1 green onion, chopped
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 ½ teaspoons cumin
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups diced cooked chicken breast
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8, 8-inch flour tortillas
8 ounces cream cheese, sliced into 8 pieces
24 ounces of Cherry Salsa (Cherry Republic Original, if possible)

Heat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish. In a large bowl, mix sour cream, chiles, onion, cilantro and cumin.

Mix in chicken and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon about ½ cup of filling in the center of each tortilla.

Top with a slice of cream cheese. Roll up and place in pan.

Pour cherry salsa over enchiladas. Cover with foil and bake approximately 45 minutes. 

Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake until cheese melts.
(Recipe adapted from cherryrepublic.com)

Here’s to cooking with friends!

Día de los Muertos - a celebration of life

Often referred to as the Mexican version of Halloween, Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead is anything but scary or morose. It is instead a lively and festive occasion, one in which families and friends celebrate the lives of their loved ones who have passed and help support their spiritual journey.

While researching for an article that I wrote about the holiday for a local community newspaper, I learned about the many traditions of Día de los Muertos and some of the wonderful foods which are sometimes prepared for the celebration.

Tres Leches Cake

  


Pan de Muerto is a slightly sweet loaf bread shaped into a round usually decorated with more dough in the shape of bones.

Sugar Skull Cookies are simple cut-out cookies often decorated with colorful frosting by children.

Tres Leches Cake is an incredibly moist and delicious cake made with three milks for many celebrations, including birthdays.

Here is a simple Tres Leches Cake recipe that I used for the photos.

    

Fanciful Sugar Skull Cookies

Those who celebrate Día de los Muertos believe that death is not the end but a beginning of a journey to a final resting place. 


The holiday is sacred and very personal, but it’s kept light and jovial with images of happy and fanciful skulls (calaveras) and skeletons (calacas) as if to tell death, I'm not afraid of you.

Buenos Días!