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Escargot Wontons: My Failed Attempt at Lollipops




So do you ever try something & it fails?
But in the process something wonderful emerges?

So it is that I'm posting the birth of the Escargot Wonton.

It is the lovechild of my failed attempt at escargot lollipops.
Turns out I'm not Spencer on the Go, not a part of Foodnetwork's Great Foodtruck Race, not a decorated chef.

I am however a pretty dang decent home cook.

Please try these. Don't be scared by the fact that they are snails. Or that they come from a can. Or the indecent amount of butter you have to use.

JUST. TRY. THEM. You won't regret it.
*little warning though, don't put as much of the butter sauce into the cups as it calls for or you. . . and your arteries. . . might regret it.*

 Escargots Vol-au-Vent from Allrecipes

Ingredients

  • 12 helix snails, without shells
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 green onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons dry white wine
  • 12 puff pastry shells
  • 12 mushroom caps

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Drain escargots; rinse in cold water and drain again.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, garlic, green onion, parsley, pepper, nutmeg and wine. Mix thoroughly. Place 1 teaspoon of butter mixture into each pastry shell. Top each with 1 escargot, cover with another teaspoon of butter mixture and place mushroom cap on top.
  3. Arrange pastry shells on a 10x15 inch baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. 
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All I Want for XMAS is. . .

Does anyone else remember that song "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth. . ."
A.K.A. every parents worst nightmare?
Seriously when I think back on it, I don't know how my mother didn't kill me.
Singing & lisping at the top of my lungs.
**Shudder**
I will make sure that my child never learns of this song.
The things our parents put up with.
But then again, one day your kid grows up, and buys you sweet things for Xmas. . .

So the song I'm currently singing (self-written) is "All I want for Christmas from my unborn children is. . ."

Hansel from Basel Bag

Encyclopedia of the Exquisite


Venokado Gift Basket with Rose Sparkling Wine & Butter London Nail Lacquer
Dubost Laguiole Cheese Knife Set
Marionette Bootie
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Happy Hump Day!

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Freebie Printable Part Deux : A French Bulldog in Paris!

Hellooo. So apologies are in order for the fact that my posts (and blog visits) have been few & far between.
I could make a million excuses, but I know I'm not the only busy one, so I wont! :)
Hope the the beginning of your holiday season is great. I will be stuffing myself with everything (but stuffing--yuk!) this year. All hail the glorious food coma!

Just wanted to share a little card I made below. It's not for class, I was just trying to practice my clipping masks in Photoshop. Not perfect by far, but getting sooo much better.

Both images were provided by stockxchng (here & here) and are greatly appreciated!
Please feel free to print this for personal use :)
You can find the download HERE

Top is the outside, bottom is the inside! I wanted it to say From Paris with Love, but thought if I left it blank you could fill it in wherever you are!







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Sometimes, on Your Birthday. . .



you feel a little sad.
Because you can't believe that another year has already passed.
It feels like just yesterday you were heading out into the world
Completely carefree
Ah so much has changed.
Maybe I'm just an old soul.
but I'm finding that I find many days to be much more exciting than my birthday

Which my childhood self would find impossible to believe.

But then I get something small in the mail.
That traveled from a long ways away.
A little drawing of a big fat cat. He looks familiar. Maybe an old acquaintance?
A twisted note, that only a friend would find sweet
and I think that maybe I'm not so old after all.
Maybe birthdays are still worth celebrating. 

Did I mention I recently turned 24?
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It's The Most Beautiful Time of the Year

It's the holiday season, which can only mean two things:

1. I will struggle not to consume all the baked goods and carb filled treats put in my face both day and night.
2. I will be on a socially acceptable spending spree, spending hours purchasing *gifts* for *other people* (really on a search to find pretty things for myself to wear to Christmas parties!)

Of course I will also be recording every claymation Christmas special, perusing recipes to find the next big "tradition" in our house, and hopefully getting sloshed at a few fabulous soirees.
At the very least I will be sitting in front of the tube sipping some bubbly watching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, oh and can't forget every girl's favorite White Christmas!

Back to my original point. The next few months I will be trying to A. stay skinny (or get skinny, whichever) and B. get pretty (or stay pretty). In this wonderful spirit I wanted to share a few preemptive purchases I've made to make my season just a little bit brighter (also, my face).

I've been trying to build my make-up collection to cater to my skin tone & hair color, instead of just grabbing the newest color that doesn't really flatter me. I'm loving my new Lorac Blush in Flaunt. Nice cool pink for my super white skin! Its really bright, which at first scared me. But it goes on pretty sheer, allowing you to choose the intensity you want.

Best color ever. Bright pink with blue undertones you would think its shocking based on the intensity but its so flattering! I love it. Thanks to Diamonds & Tulle who turned me on to this stuff :)


I really like this brand for multiple reasons. For one, I love the art deco packaging! But more importantly I like her "saint/sinner" lines. "Saint" is a more sheer version of the color, while "Sinner" is more robust. I bought the Saint "Wine" color and it's so nice. Goes on like lipstick but the color is very soft, perfect for work. I think she describes it as 20% color. If you love the color but want more, just purchase the sinner counterpart!


Ok this is an oldie but a goodie.  This is the first eye shadow I was ever allowed to wear, when I was 13 my mom took me to the Clinique counter and said "only something that looks natural" which of course I was so mad about because I wanted every color in the rainbow. Now I can appreciate (some) simpler things in life and this is definitely one of them! I also buy the Dark Chocolate liner from them to pair with this.



All my new holiday make up really needs a pretty container. . .


So want to fill this with make up, or  just display it at my house!

Ok so now you know my beauty *secrets* for the holidays. What are yours?