baci's baking - An Entire Thanksgiving Dinner!

Image by Momma C

This Thanksgiving was not our first time hosting the holiday - we hosted our families the second year we lived in Charlotte and a few of our friends the following year because we didn't make the trek back to Ohio. However, this was our first holiday meal in this home and it was certainly the biggest at 17 dinner guests. We've held a larger sit-down meal once before, but there is just something so intimidating about a cooking a turkey. . . stupid turkey! Anyway, more on that later - here's a sneak peek into our first Ohio Home Thanksgiving, complete with lessons learned and general tips on entertaining a large group of people.

This is what my grocery list looked like - Krieger's is a local Health Foods Market here in Cuyahoga Falls where I prefer to get my fresh fruits and vegetables (they offer a lot of locally grown produce, which is always my preference), Giant Eagle is our local grocery store chain and GFS is Gordon Food Service - I wrote prices down from their most recent flier so I could ensure I was getting the proper deals. It really pays to be organized before going to the grocery store, it cuts down on the extra trips back to pick up stuff you missed. Although, I wouldn't know anything about that because Ilario always heads back out for me since I always seem to be in the middle of making something before I realize I'm out! I am so lucky to have such a wonderful hubby!!

This is what our menu looked like, complete with the items other people were bringing and the serveware we needed to clean/locate. I promise you this is the only way to keep your sanity those few days before and the day of your party. I keep an Excel document, titled with the type of party/holiday and the year, so I can see what I did the years prior - it makes prepping the next time around so much more simple. I also print this out and bring it into the kitchen with me so I can cross stuff off and make notes as I go along.

Here are Five Basic Tips I have for hosting large parties:

1. Start preparing several weeks ahead. The earlier you plan, the less extra stress you'll have to deal with the week of. It's just like wedding planning :o)

2. This one is Holiday specific - when purchasing a frozen turkey, be sure to allow ample time for it to thaw. A frozen turkey requires about 24 hours of thaw time for every 4 pounds of meat. Do not count the roasting day as thaw time. All this means is that you need to buy your turkey and put it in your fridge several days before you plan to cook it. Proper planning should make this no problem at all.

3. Go through the list of serveware you will need and actually count the pieces you think you have. This will prevent any unneeded freakouts on the day of when you realize you only have 16 sets of silver instead of 18 like you though. A day or two before get it all out, make sure it's clean and sit it somewhere covered with a tablecloth - this way you're not having to locate, clean and dry dishes just to put something on them right away.

4. Be sure to allow time for yourself to get ready the day of your event. Nothing is worse than a hostess who is still in the shower when guests are arriving. I learned this the hard way the first time we held our Annual New Year's Eve Party. . . I was upstairs still curling my hair while poor Ilario had to greet our guests and take things out of the oven. Get ready early, or at least partially (I usually shower, dry my hair and put a makeup base on then I finish my hair/makeup and get dressed about 45 minutes before people are to arrive) - trust me.

5. Have a glass of wine while you cook. No matter how well you prepare and plan, something will go wrong (take this Thanksgiving as an example, I put the turkey in the oven an entire hour early than it needed to be for us to eat at 1:30 pm and it still wasn't done until an hour after we were supposed to eat. . . stupid turkey!) and the booze will help calm your nerves. I don't mean get drunk, but a little drink never hurt anyone ;o)

Here is a glimpse of the table set up and ready to go! Please forgive my crappy point and shoot photos.

Image by baci

My favorite element of the tablescape was the fruit place cards. Oh, and the fact that I got to break out my Vera Wang Wedgewood China and our Recycled Wine Bottle Glasses!

Images by baci

Ilario's Mom took a photo of me amongst the hungry madness :o) Look at all that food - it barely fit on the table!!

Image by Momma C

Ok, I know you all are reading all this looking for the recipes, so here are some of the favorites from the day! First off, you must know that Ilario's Mom made a double recipe of the awesome Corn Casserole I've previously given you a recipe for and it was nearly licked clean - we may start calling it Corn Crackerole.

As an appetizer I made Foolproof Mushrooms from a Taste of Home recipe - super simple and so tasty!

Image from Taste of Home

I had to incorporate Martha into the holiday, after all, she is my idol :o) I made Big Martha's Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese using Yukon Gold potatoes. I used fat free cream cheese, but it didn't make much a difference with the whole milk, sticks of butter and heavy cream - lol! Next time around I'll use skim milk and Earth Balance to cut back on the calories a bit.

Image from Martha Stewart

I took a leap with a Sweet Potato Bourbon Mash, which was super tasty, but I don't think we'll be making it again - everyone seems to love the old reliable Sweet Potato Casserole better. I will, however, be making the Spicy Praline Pecan Topping over and over again. It was insanely delicious - we snacked on them the entire day and it ended up being one of the only things we didn't have leftovers of! Here's the recipe:

Spicy Praline Pecans

(Recipe by Elizabeth Karmel)

1/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup sugar

1 t. kosher salt

pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 pound pecan halves

1 egg white, room temperature

1 T. water

1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2) Mix together sugars, salt, cayenne and cinnamon; set aside.

3) Beat egg white until frothy, but not stiff, add water and stir until combined.

4) Add pecans and stir to coat evenly.

5) Sprinkle nuts with sugar mixture and stir until evenly coated.

6) Spread sugared nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet fitted with a SilPat liner or Parment Paper ( this is SO important - you will never get your pan clean if you don't line it).

7) Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally as needed.

8) Remove from oven and separate nuts as they cool. Let cool for at least an hour before storing them in a tightly closed container.

Another huge favorite of the day, were the Vegan Snickerdoodles that I made - the kids devoured them! I got the recipe from VeganYumYum and they seriously rocked!!! I don't even like regular Snickerdoodles, but these were delicious. These were the other no-leftovers recipe of the day :o)

Image from VeganYumYum

The final thing I will leave you with today is this: if you're going to host a holiday or a large party, you are going to have leftovers GALORE! So be prepared to eat the same thing over and over again for several days or to get creative like I am. With the leftover Peas and Mushrooms (a specialty that Ilario's Aunt makes and everyone loves) I made Tortellini with Mushrooms and Peas. With the leftover turkey, I simply substituted it in place of the chicken in the delicious Chicken Tetrazzini recipe. I also was able to use up the heavy and whipping creams in these which was super helpful in getting things cleared out of the fridge before they go bad. You could also replace the chicken with turkey in the Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas recipe - I'm going to do this tonight with the leftover mushrooms I have that didn't get put into the gravy on the big day. Ilario and I aren't much for leftovers, so this is the perfect solution to use up the rest of the food in the fridge. Bonus: we don't have to go grocery shopping this week :o)

I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I look forward to taking you through the rest of the holiday season with some of my favorite seasonal recipes!

The Engagement

My Wedding

I will be taking you through a journey to my BIG day!

My name is Jami (The Baci Designer's sister) and she thought it would be a good idea to share my wedding journey with all of you.

My fiancé, Eric, asked me to marry him on November 14^th (which happened to be his mom’s birthday). The story is sweet. We were at my sister’s house and while my sister and her husband were cooking lunch, Eric suggested taking our bags out to the car. As we were walking back into the house, he stopped me in the breezeway. I was attempting to get into the house because I was cold, but Eric was refusing and finally said, “I have to ask you something,” and if you knew me, you know I said, “Whatever,” and continued trying to get into the house. He said “No, I have to ask you something. You know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You know I love you.” Then he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him (shaking and freaking out of course J). At first I thought he was kidding, as soon as I realized he was completely serious—I kissed him and said, “Of course!”

Eric and I in my sister's breezeway right after we got engaged!

Step 1 was to tell EVERYONE!!

Eric and I will be getting married on October 8th, 2011 - both of our parents' anniversaries.

Be on the lookout for more updates from me, the bride-to-be. Feel free to contact me: jami {at} bacidesigner {dot} com

Cyber Monday - shirley | edith SPECIAL

Cyber Monday calls for a deal and a deal we'll give you :o) Today only get FREE SHIPPING (even on international orders!) on every item in the shirley | edith couture kraft occasions line! Offer expires at midnight tonight.

You can even save on the just released 2010 Holiday Cards.

Happy shopping!!

Introducing New Designing Woman Personalities

I am oh-so-happy to announce that two new authors will be contributing posts on Designing Woman - my husband, Ilario, will be taking on a few posts here and there concerning technology and my sister, Jami Lee, will be posting on a regular basis about her journey through "engagement-hood"!

Ilario is always an immense help to have around when technology issues or questions arise at baci so we'll be putting his expertise to work to explain the different technology options baci has to offer and maybe we'll even convince him to test something out every so often. If you have any baci-specific technology questions, feel free to contact him: ilario {at} bacidesigner {dot} com.

As you know, Jami got engaged a few weeks ago, so I asked her if she'd like to start blogging as a voice of the bride-to-be and she quickly said yes. . . she's getting good at that - lol! I have always dreamed of having my sister work with me and blogging for Designing Woman is the perfect first step! You've seen her mentioned here, over and over again, whether it be about something I'm designing for her or gorgeous photographs she's taken. Now you can hear directly from her about the trials and tribulations (and the super fun stuff, too) she's experiencing as an engaged woman. If you have any bride-to-be specific questions, feel free to contact her: jami {at} bacidesigner {dot} com.

I am thrilled to welcome both Ilario and Jami to Designing Woman and I can't wait to hear what they have to say!

shirley | edith holiday cards - available now!

Yet another weekend post from me. . . you can tell things have been busy here at baci :o)

I just wanted to announce that baci's shirley | edith 2010 holiday cards are available now in the Etsy Shop! Sold in packages of 10, the new holiday card reads "happy holly days" with a simple message of ". . . to you and yours" inside.

So hurry and order yours so you'll have plenty of time to mail them out for the holidays!!

Small Business Saturday - shirley | edith SPECIAL

I don't generally post on the weekends, but today is a very special day - the first ever Small Business Saturday! Small Business Saturday is "a day to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country. Small Business Saturday is a national movement to drive shoppers to local merchants across the U.S." (quote taken from the Small Business Saturday Facebook Page - while you're clicking the link, why not "Like" it!) Not only are you rewarding your community by shopping local, American Express has teamed up with several small businesses to literally pay you back - simply register your American Express Card, shop at the participating small businesses and you'll receive a $25 statement credit when you spend $25 or more. Hurry because enrollment is limited!

Still not quite sure what all the hype is, go here for four great reasons to support small businesses.

Sooo. . . there is one more little bonus for you all from baci - today only you can buy a package of six recycled brown bag cards from baci's shirley | edith couture kraft occasions line, regularly $20, at the whole sale price of only $12!!! That's a 40% savings on what could be a wonderful Christmas gift. So, run, don't walk, to baci's Etsy shop because the offer ends tonight at midnight. What are you still reading this for, go, go, go!!

baci's baking - Pot of S'Mores

Yep, you read right - a recipe for an entire pot of s'mores!! The original recipe, from Taste of Home, is for cooking over camp fires. . . so I tweaked it a bit to work in your home oven so you can have s'mores all year round. Enjoy!

Pot of S'Mores

1 package (14-½oz) whole graham crackers, crushed
½ cup butter, melted
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 (12oz.) cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
2 cups miniature marshmallows

1) Combine cracker crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of greased Dutch oven.

2) Pour milk over crust and sprinkle with chocolate and butterscotch chips.

3) Top with marshmallows.
4) Cover Dutch oven and heat on low in oven for 15 minutes or until chips are melted.

5) To brown marshmallows place under broiler, uncovered, for a few minutes.

Wedding Friday | 10 Wedding Blunders to Avoid

My original intention was to post this on Wednesday, but since that didn't happen I thought we'd have a Wedding Friday instead of a Wedding Wednesday ;o)

Since my sister is getting married I took the liberty of buying literally every worthwhile wedding magazine available at both Target and Borders. While flipping through The Knot Ohio, I found what is quite possibly the best list of "rules" to follow when planning your wedding. I absolutely had to share because a) these are things that every bride should know, but most likely won't be aware of since they're never planned a wedding and b) I reiterated several of them when speaking to my sister just the other day (she's already experienced almost half of the "issues" on the list and she's only been engaged six days)! So, read this, re-read this, share it with your friends and know that it will truly help you avoid stress while planning your big day!

10 Wedding Blunders to Avoid

From blowing your budget on your dress to hiring friends instead of pros, here's a heads up on 10 wedding headaches you can definitely do without.

Written By Meredith Bodgas, Original Article in The Knot Ohio

1. Try not to get attached to your flower choices.
When you book your florist a year before your wedding day, he can only guess which blooms will be available for your wedding. If you have to have, say, asters, you could be disappointed. Instead, choose backups to your main blooms and add them to your contract. Think in terms of colors and shapes instead of specific flowers.

2. Think twice before you send save-the-dates to everyone.
Until you mail out invitations, your guest list isn't final. And it shouldn't be: Friends you're close with when you get engaged may be mere acquaintances by the time you get hitched. Reserve save-the-dates only for those guests you know will be invited, like your families. {I couldn't agree with this more - alway, always, always only send save the dates (and any other pre-wedding announcements/invites) to those people that will always, no matter what, be on your guest list. Start with the bridal party and immediate family members, people that you would never think of not inviting.}

3. You will regret it if you skip videography.
Photos only take you so far: Videos let you hear your voice tremble as you say your vows and watch your friends tear up the dance floor. With more people documenting your wedding, you'll see things you may have missed on the day. {This is honestly something I regret not doing for my own wedding - photography captures so many wonderful moments, but videography can almost make you feel as though you're reliving them.}

4. Be careful not to blow your fashion budget on your dress.
Maybe you have $1,500 set aside for your look. That doesn't mean you can buy a $1,500 gown! Tack on tax, and if you're not buying off the rack, you could get charged for shipping. You might need alterations, too. Consider your undergarments, shoes, hair accessories and jewelry when budgeting as well.

5. Avoid micromanaging your vendors.
You're choosing talented pros who understand your vision, so let them do their jobs! We know it's tempting to control every detail so you're guaranteed to love the results, but you won't have the time, and you certainly don't have the experience your vendors do. After your initial meetings, trust the pros to get it right. And, you know what? They almost always will. {One more piece of advice to add here, if you constantly feel that your vendors aren't doing their job maybe it's a good idea to change them. The last thing you want to keep telling yourself is, "On the actual wedding day they'll come through. Right?" You don't want to wait that long - if you're having issues with a vendor from the beginning, chances are they'll continue and you don't want to have to deal with a major issue the week of, or even worse, the day of your wedding. Always trust your instincts.}

6. Think hard before you pick your attendants.
Your bridesmaids should be your closest friends. Period. They can also be your sisters, cousins, aunts and even your mom, but they have to be people you'd trust to be there when you most need them. You don't know new friends well enough yet to be sure they'll support you in tough situations (every bride encounters one at some point), and picking people because a family member demands it or so you and your man will have an even number of attendants are also decisions you'll likely regret. {This is the first thing I told my sister - give your engagement a bit of time to settle in before you even think about choosing your attendants. See how people react when you tell them and really think, "Would this person be there to help me out when I'm in need?" and "Am I going to be friends with this person ten years down the road?" So many people, myself included, end up not even talking to someone that was in their bridal party, to avoid that think long and hard about why you're choosing people. Never worry about hurting feelings, there are so many other duties friends can do if you don't feel they're close enough to stand up with you on your big day.}

7. Please restrain yourself from telling everyone your plans.
It's so hard not to talk about your wedding. Try. The more you share, the more opinions you're going to get about your choices, whether or not you ask for them. Plus, part of wowing your guests is surprising them. If they already know that you're changing into a different dress for dancing or sending guests home with a batch of your grandma's cookies, they won't be quite as impressed on your wedding day. If that's not enough to deter you, talking about your plans means opening yourself up to copycats, who may actually be marrying before you do. The last thing you want is your friend stealing your idea for your surprise grand finale. {I've seen this time and time again. Friends that are engaged during the same time talking about the details of their big day only to have one say, "Well, I was going to do that. . ." and then feelings get hurt. When in doubt, keep your mouth shut :o) Rely on, "We haven't finalized that part of the wedding yet."}

8. Seriously, stop booking your salon appointments last.
We get it: You want as much beauty sleep as possible, and you don't want your 'do to fall out or your makeup to fade before you walk down the aisle. But guess what: Busy stylists will likely get to you late if you're last in the chair. Schedule your appointments in the middle of your attendants'. It's not a big deal for a bridesmaid to switch to a less complicated (read: quick) hairstyle if she's pressed for time. That's not an option for you.

9. Don't even think about speeding through photos.
Speaking of not having enough time, any less than an hour isn't enough for a portrait session; an hour-and-a-half is closer to ideal because you'll look more relaxed in your pictures (and those first few never come out as well as you hope). Squeezing photos into the first half-hour of your cocktail hour will make you anything but at ease. If you refuse to see your groom before the ceremony, take pictures separately beforehand so the only shots left to take after the ceremony include both of you.

10. Avoid "hiring" a friend instead of a pro.
Sure, your pal was the king of the mix CD back in the day, but that doesn't mean he'll make a great wedding DJ. Same goes for your friend who won't leave home without her Flip — this doesn't make her a videographer! Even on a tight budget, you're much better off paying a vendor with experience to take care of the biggies, like the music and the food. Don't you want your friends to enjoy your wedding instead of having to work through it, anyway? {Amen! Every professional has to start somewhere, but your big day isn't the place. You hire a professional not only for their talent, but for their knowledge and that just isn't something a vendor comes with a lot of when they're starting out.}

baci's baking - Momma C's Tiramisu

I have another special family recipe for you all today!

My mother-in-law is an absolutely wonderful cook, but generally she doesn't write anything down therefore she doesn't have recipes. Well, every once in a while I am lucky enough to have a pen and paper handy as she tells me how she made something - this was one of those times :o)

I wish you could have seen the recipe card when I was finished writing, there were scribbles and arrows pointing all over it because she'd go back and remember something that you needed to do at the beginning. It was quite the funny experience that was totally worth it in the end. Needless to say, after I made it I rewrote the recipe card, in order, so I would actually be able to make it again sometime - lol!

Momma C's Tiramisu is so tasty and it's not nearly as awful for you as the typical recipes are that include mascarpone cheese. Enjoy!

Momma C's Tiramisu

¾ cup cold espresso
1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese
1 cup of milk
1 (4 oz.) package of vanilla instant pudding, prepared
2 - 3 packages of lady fingers
1 cup cold American coffee
vermouth or amaretto
unsweetened cocoa

1) Beat cold espresso and cream cheese together until creamy.

2) Whisk espresso mixture, milk and vanilla instant pudding together. Put in refrigerator.

3) Mix cold coffee with a desired amount of liquor. Dip bottom of lady fingers into coffee/liquor mixture.

4) Place a layer of drenched lady fingers into bottom of a baking dish and cover with cold mixture. Repeat layers until all cold mixture has been used.

5) Sprinkle with unsweetened cocoa.

My Sister Is Getting Married!!!!

As you can tell from the title - MY SISTER IS GETTING MARRIED!!!!

This past weekend, Jami and Eric visited since they hadn't had the time to since they first started dating over a year ago. The two had talked several times about getting married, but Jami told me on Saturday that she was convinced he just wasn't going to ask any time soon. . . well, boy was she wrong!!

The four of us went to church Sunday morning and decided to have a nice home cooked meal before they left. While Ilario and I were preparing dinner, they wanted to get the car packed up so they could easily head out once they were ready. On the way back inside the house, Eric stopped in the breezeway and told Jami that he had something to ask her then he got down on one knee and asked my baby sister to marry him :o)

I wish I could describe for you the joy and look of sheer happiness she had on her face as she literally skipped back into the kitchen. . . "Look! Look! Look what I got!!" she said with the biggest smile on her face I've ever seen, as she put her left hand out for me to see. The breathtaking, three-stoned engagement ring on her petite hand looked so perfect that I want to cry now just thinking about it!

The gushiness doesn't stop there though - the date they've chose to wed is truly amazing. . . the twenty-ninth anniversary of not only our mom and dad, but Eric's as well. Yes, you read right - both sets of parents were married on the exact same day and Jami and Eric will get to share that very special anniversary date with them as well.

A huge congratulations to the both of you - you mean the world to me and to Ilario. We love you and wish you the most blessed life together. You deserve nothing but the best!

Now on to my favorite part - PLANNING :o) YAY!!!

Wedding Wednesday | Final Project

My Wedding and Event Planning Certification Course is coming to an end next week so I've been working steadily on my final project - Combining two unique heritages into a wedding for a "client" (classmate) using the course's A6 Event Production Formula (stating how you'll incorporate Anticipation, Arrival, Atmosphere, Appetite, Amusement and Appreciation into the event). It's so much fun and I adore the gorgeous inspiration board I created for my in-class presentation so I thought I'd share :o)

Row One: Table Decor Image from Style Me Pretty; Bride Photo by Abi Q Photography

Row Two: Vera Wang Dress Photo from 100 Layer Cake; Floral by JL Designs; Signage and Ring Images from Style Me Pretty

Row Three: Uplighting Photo from Tara Guérard Soirée; Shoes Image by Sarah Yates Photography; Floral by JL Designs

Row Four: Cookie Bar Image by Cheyenne Schultz Photography; Wine Bottle Table Number by Joyful Bride Online; Designs by Lilmissi Etsy Shop Image from 100 Layer Cake

baci's baking - Mo's Chocolate and Butterscotch Chip Cookies

Several years ago when Ilario and I moved in together, I started the quest for the perfect (according to me) chocolate chip cookie recipe - it needed to be soft, but not too floury or fluffy and firm, but not so much it could break your teeth. I tried several recipes, including everyone's "old reliable" Nestle Toll House formula, with no such luck. So when I stumbled across the delicious combination of ingredients in my KitchenAid Stand Mixer's Recipe Book I added my own special ingredient and they became perfect (according to me, Mo)! Enjoy!!

Mo's Chocolate and Butterscotch Chip Cookies

adapted from KitchenAid recipe

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1½ t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
3 cup all-purpose flour
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 oz. butterscotch chips

1) Preheat oven to 375°F.

2) Place sugars, butter, eggs and vanilla in mixer bowl. Attach bowl and flat beater to mixer. Turn to Speed 2 and mix about 30 seconds. Stop and scrape bowl. Turn to Speed 4 and beat about 30 seconds. Stop and scrape bowl.

3) Turn to Stir Speed. Gradually add baking soda, salt and flour to sugar mixture and mix about two minutes. Turn to Speed 2 and mix about 30 seconds. Stop mixer and scrape bowl.

4) Add chocolate chips. Turn to Stir Speed and mix about 15 seconds.

5) Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.

6) Bake for 10-12 minutes.

7) Remove from baking sheets immediately and cool on wire racks.

* Photo ">Source

Handpicked - Ann Taylor LOFT New Arrivals

Ann Taylor LOFT is having such a wonderful sale right now that it's the perfect place to start us back with Handpicked Posts. If you spend $75 you get $20 off, $100 you get $30 and $150 you get $50 off. Incredibly enough there's more: you earn a $25 Savings Card for every $50 you spend! Oh and for a limited time you get Free Shipping on orders of $125 of more :o) Happy shopping!!

1) Kacy Suede Wedge Boot in Taupe - $168 - Wedges are seriously popular right now, so these are perfect to pick up for winter!!

2) Sensationally Soft Turtleneck in Dark Tranquil Blue - $49.50 - Love the button detail on the sleeves of this sweater!

3) Metallic Rolled Shorts in Fall Olive - $39.99 - I have a pair of shorts very similar to these and I must find the opportunity to wear them just like this :o)

4) Mini Cheetah Print Shell - $49.50 - The layering possibilities are endless with this top.

5) Braided Leather Belt with Tab - $39.50

6) Blanket Plaid Riding Jacket - $128 - Can someone pretty please put this under my Christmas tree ;o)

7) Pleated Tweed Sheath Dress - $79.50 - I may have just found my New Year's Eve dress!!

8) Cascading Flower Cardigan in Desert Mauve - $59.50

9) Flat Wool Pencil Skirt - $69.50 - A must have for all winter wardrobes!

Wedding Wednesday | Real New York Wedding Inspiration

Love!!! The only word to describe how I felt the moment I laid eyes on this gorgeous Real New York Wedding featured on Green Wedding Shoes! Held at The Bowery Hotel and shot by the amazing Susan Stripling Photography, the wedding is so wonderfully New York that I just had to create an inspiration board with the images :o)

Here is the list of all the incredible vendors that helped create this gorgeous wedding:
Photographer: Susan Stripling
Calligrapher: Love*Jenna
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Dress Designer: Ines di Santo
Reception Venue: The Bowery Hotel
Event Designer: Daughter of Design
Floral Designer: Antheia
Makeup Artist: Jason T Beers

baci's baking - Pumpkin Cake

During this time of year, I always get in the mood to bake seasonally - pumpkin, carrots, squash. . . anything that feels like fall! A few weeks ago, I set out to try a recipe I had found for Pumpkin Brownies. Well, they were absolutely delicious, but they definitely weren't brownies - lol! So, here is my recipe for Pumpkin Cake :o) Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cake

1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin

1 cup canola oil

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. salt

1 t. pumpkin pie spice

1) Stir pumpkin, oil, eggs and sugar together until well blended.

2) Mix dry ingredients together and stir into wet ingredients.

3) Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

4) Serve with whipped topping or cream cheese frosting.

Photo from McCormick