Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments

A few weeks ago Maximiliano and I made some salt dough ornaments together and it was so much fun! He really enjoyed rolling out the dough and pressing his hands and feet in it. I gave him his own piece of salt dough and some cookie cutters and toys he could press into it and it kept him entertained for ever! I loved how the ornaments turned out and they were really fast and simple to make but overall it was a great activity to do with my bb. 

I am aware that there are lots of different salt dough recipes out there but I'll share the one I used anyway. One tip my blogger buddy told me was to keep these in ziploc bags or they will mold! 

Salt Dough Recipe

- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup flour
-1/4 - 1/2 cup water

1. Mix all three ingredients until you get a manageable dough. Not too dry not too sticky.
2. Roll into ball then roll out. Remember to do this on a floured surface so your dough won't stick.
3. Make as many hand/foot prints as you want then simply cut out with a knife. Make a hole so you can thread your string through the ornament.
4. Bake at 215 degrees for 2 hours.

Let dry overnight and paint them using acrylic paints.

XOXO

Lidia

Last Minute Christmas Gift Guide

Hello! Hope all is well with you guys. I made this quick little gift guide for all you last minute Christmas shoppers. If you're anything like me, you are waaay behind on this. I simply put together some of my favorite things and I hope this helps you out. Don't mind the quality of it for I made this on paint. Yes you read right!

Kitchen | Hurom juicer, for all those weight loss/health new year resolutions coming up. | Sheet Pan Suppers, this book is amazing, every recipe is made in your oven using a sheet pan! perfect for the foodie in your life. | Market toaster, umm is this not the chicest toaster you ever did see? Comes in two sizes. You pick.

Home | Campfire soy candle. A candle that smells of camping and s'mores, what else could be greater? | Fujifilm Instax  instant smart phone printer, possibly the coolest thing I've seen and I want to print out all my instagram feed with this. | Crosley portable turntable. I want to gift this thing to myself. 

Style | Naty Hat from Brandy Melville. You can wear this with anything in your closet, I love it. | Druzy Drop Bracelet from fresh tangerine. The bracelet of my dreams. | Velvetine from limecrime. This is my favorite lip product ever. It is so perfectly matte and lasts forever. It comes in various shades, my favorite being Red Velvet. These thing are almost always sold out so you have to be lucky to get your hands on one! | Mulder Platform Boot from Jeffrey Campbell. These beauties have been on my list for a veryyy long time. | Super Black nail polish in Switch. They have so many awesome shades, you'll want them all. 

Littles | Vtech Kidizoom Camera. This is kind of awesome, it's a real camera for kids! They can also take videos and play games on it and you don't have to worry about them breaking it! | Leather Ankle Boot  for boys from Zara. | Bug Bingo. I kinda' want this for myself! | Do Good Print from Help Ink. Not only do they have awesome prints that your little one will love but with each print you buy you can provide people in need with meals, clean water, medical supplies, trees and books. So you will be double gifting with this one! I have a few prints on my list. | Balloon Modeling Kit. This just looks like so much fun, It will for sure keep little ones busy all day.

Hope this was of some help for you.

XOXO

Lidia

Pinterest Inspo // Christmas

{ home // cozy throws + small pine tree via stylemepretty }

{ this would be the cutest Christmas cake, could add small pine trees. }

{ I would love to host a hot chocolate party and this one is just adorable! via williams-sonoma.com }

{ hot coco on a stick! you could make to gift or to serve at above hot chocolate party via makeandtakes }

{ these cookies are so simple yet completely adorable. }

{ for kids // this diy gingerbread play dough is an awesome holiday activity via sweetsugarbelle }

{ this would be the perfect Christmas breakfast for any kid, I'm in love via kidskubby }

{ I'm kinds of obsessed with this simple advent calendar via lapinblu }

Christmas is right around the corner and I haven't gotten any Christmas shopping done! I am not looking forward to crowded malls. We just got our tree up yesterday and it finally feels like Christmas, It's so cozy around here. I love Christmas lights and just put some in our room too, Christmas lights make anything magical. Have you done all your Holiday shopping? Is your tree up?

XOXO

Lidia

I couldn't find the source to some pictures, If you see a picture that belongs to you and want it taken down, I will do so immediately.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Hi! Hope you guys all had a wonderful thanksgiving with all your loved ones and lots of yummy food! My thanksgiving was very simple, other than two close friends, we didn't have anyone over this year since the original plan was for my mom and sister to go spend thanksgiving at my dads. Everyone ended up staying though! My sister and I did all the cooking this year and everything came out great. We had turkey, garlic-parmesan mashed potatoes, bacon corn bread stuffing, broccoli casserole, rolls and ham. For dessert I baked these bars the night before.

These pumpkin cheesecake bars were seriously too easy to make. I love love love a recipe that is effortless but amazing. They do take a bit too bake and you have to cool for at least 3 hours but if you make them a night or two in advance you are good to go!

I know that pumpkin season is over and now it's peppermint everything but if you're like me and love incorporating pumpkin in your baking then you might want to try this recipe out. Or you can pin this and make for next thanksgiving, I can assure this will be a hit at your gathering. 

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

makes 12 large squares or 24 small squares

recipe slightly adapted from roxanashomebaking

crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 

1/4 melted butter

filling:

4 packages (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened 

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 teaspoons cinnamon 

Heat oven to 300 degrees.

Line a 13x9" baking dish with parchment paper or foil, leaving about an inch hanging on the sides.

Pour the crumbs and butter right in your prepared baking dish and mix it all very well. Press mixture into the bottom of the pan as packed and even as you can. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar on low speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time just until incorporated. Spoon half of the mixture on top of crust and spread evenly.

Add pumpkin puree and cinnamon to remaining cream cheese mixture, whisk until smooth and spoon over plain cream cheese mixture in pan as evenly as possible.

Bake for 50 minutes until set. Turn off the oven and let the oven door open with the cheesecake still inside. This way allowing it to cool down inside the oven for an hour. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Cut bars into desired size. Garnish with whipped cream and cinnamon!

Enjoy!

XOXO

Lidia

Zoo + Park

{ family portrait at the zoo }

{ this was how he decided to pose for the picture }

{ I asked if he wanted a picture with the crocodile }

{ he climbed on the rock and said cheese }

{ the whole time we were there Maximiliano was asking for "turtol" }

{ feeding the goats }

{ "monkeeeyyy" }

{ flying }

{ looking for spiders under the tree bark, have to watch him very closely because he's pretty good at finding "spidemen" }

Maximiliano's vocabulary is expanding so much. Also his vocabulary is 80 % animal names haha. Monkey, Cheetah, Dinonu (dinosaur), puppy, meow (cat), spidemen (spider), batman (bat), gecko, crocodile, butterfly, bird, monster (gila monster) and of course his favorites eagle! and ultimate favorite, all water animals. Sharky, fishy, loster (lobster), ocapus (octopus), stiray (stingray) and more!

"Watch out!" And "fly!" while running and opening his arms is also a favorite. Those are just a few to mention.

I'm kind of upset about the fact that he is picking up english way faster than spanish although he does say words in spanish too and he understands absolutely everything. My husbands spanish is terrible so that doesn't help. But I'm not too worried, I'll find a way to incorporate more spanish into his learning as he is growing. Maximiliano being bilingual is something that is super important to me, being able to communicate with non-english speaking family and speaking the language of your ancestors is worth gold.

XOXO

Lidia

Pinterest Inspo (Thanksgiving)

{ handy dandy chart, how much of what for each person via whole foods }

{ this mushroom and mash via joy the baker }

{ timeline for prepping your thanksgiving dinner via william-sonoma }

{ pomegranate champagne punch via martha stewart }

{ adorable mini pie place cards via the merry thought }

{ setting the table with these diy thankful tags via almost makes perfect }

{ and for the day after, thanksgiving leftover biscuit sandwich bar via betty crocker }

A few more days until thanksgiving, as cliche as this is going to sound, I just can't believe how fast this year has gone by! This year I will be making my fav broccoli mushroom casserole and pumpkin cheesecake bars. I bought a salad kit and pre-made rolls, I usually am all for diy or die, homemade, out of scratch but this year I decided to be a little laid back about things. Giving myself a well deserved break because Maximiliano is living out his terrible twos to the max. My sister is making the stuffing and mashed potatoes, I think she's making some fuit tarts or maybe mushroom tarts as well. Mom, her and I are all working on the turkey and ham. I asked my two youngest sisters what they were making just for fun. The 18 year old college student said "nothing". The 15 year old said "an extra stomach so I can fit all the food".

This used to be my favorite Holiday and now I just can't decide. Christmas is pretty great too. Especially after having kids, it just gets that much funner. Anyway, hope you guys have a spectacular Thanksgiving day/ dinner with family or/and friends.

These are some things that I am tremendously thankful for: 

My son, he's a handful at times, a little troublemaker at it's best but overall he is the light of my life and the happiness to my days. The unconditional love that he shows for me is the greatest thing I've ever experienced. 

My husband. Although we had a lot of rough times this year, he has changed so much to make things good for us and each and every day he tries to be better and better. 

My mom. For always being there for us and not asking anything in return.

For life and for the little everyday pleasures that make it beautiful.

XOXO

Lidia

Taking Stock // Part 2

Taking Stock

Making : haven't been very crafty lately.

Cooking : Fridays I don't cook! but I cooked chiles rellenos yesterday!

Drinking : coffee as always.

Reading: just finished reading a monster calls. also currently working on the catcher in the rye.

Wanting: a back massage. 

Listening: Serial Podcast! So good.

Wishing: For more hours to the day...

Enjoying: cool weather and weekends with the family.

Wondering: where we'll go out for dinner tonight.

Hoping: for time to move slower.

Marveling: at just about everything around me right now.

Needing: to cherish the little moments more.

Smelling: mint.

Wearing: shiny black leggings, long black sweater and leopard print boots.

Thinking: about Thanksgiving!

Feeling: happy, it's the weekend!

XOXO

Lidia

Best Banana Bread

Hi. Today I want to talk about banana bread. Specifically this banana bread: Julia's best banana bread.  

I had been searching for a perfect banana bread recipe for a while and I finally found it! I have tried so many different recipes and it's safe to say that this is the one I will be baking for my future grandchildren. I sometimes picture my future self as a grandma, is that weird? I want to be that grandma. The one that bakes, knits and does grandma things with you. I never had that, my moms mom passed away a little after I was born. My dads mom passed away a little over a year ago but she wasn't very close to us.

This bread is perfectly moist, beautifully speckled with banana and full of rich banana flavor. The only thing I changed In this recipe is the amount of sugar, I used half a cup less because bananas are very sweet already and I sprinkled some sugar on top so it would get a nice caramelized crust on top.

I found this recipe via Bon Appetit's website, apparently it was featured in one of their issues last year. This recipe is from Julia's banana bread tree house in Hawaii. Now, if I ever go to Hawaii, I'll make sure to stop by and try the real deal.

Julia's Best Banana Bread

slightly adapted from here.

makes one loaf.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups of flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 cup of sugar + 2 teaspoons 

1 cup of very ripe mashed bananas 

3/4 cup of veggie oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your loaf pan either by buttering or using parchment paper.

Whisk flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, 1 cup of sugar, mashed bananas and oil in a large bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined. Pour into loaf pan and sprinkle the two teaspoons of sugar on top.

Bake for 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes and enjoy! And trust me you will enjoy!

P.S. some people just can't have banana bread without nuts, if that's you, stir in 1/2 a cup of walnuts or pecans into batter before pouring in mold.

P.P.S. If you're wondering why that little gap/dent at the top of my banana bread slice. Maximiliano just couldn't wait until after the picture.

XOXO

Lidia

Lately // Fall

{ early october, pumpkin patch visit } 

{ stealing mommy's chocolate }

{ testing banana bread recipes }

{ daily bubbles }

{ weekday library trips }

{ morning reads and hot chocolate }

{ churro cupcakes }

    

{ Maximiliano's very first pony ride }

{ first thing he wanted to do in the morning }

{ framing Maxi's art to hang on the wall }

{ weekend things }

XOXO

Lidia