This Year I'm Going to #ReadMyOwnDamnBooks | My Challenge Log

Being a gastronome and a bibliophile can be dangerous to one's living space. Stacks of books piled precariously on tables and floors, shelves sagging under the weight of "too many" books, plastic storage tubs so heavy that it takes all your might just to scoot them a few inches either way...yeah, it's like that. And while many of these books are beloved favorites that I'd never be able to part with, I'm guessing that at least 1/3 of them are ones that I haven't gotten around to reading yet.

I tend to save certain books to read later because they're mine. "Oh, I'll just read this review book or this library book or this new release in a favorite series first. That's mine, so I can get to it any time." Only I rarely do. So I've decided that I need to crack those perfect spines and get to reading. This way, I can start clearing out our already small living space. If I read it and love it, I will keep it. If not, I will pass it on to somebody who I think will love it, I'll donate it, or I'll add it to my paperback swap shelf.

'Karma Effect' Upcycled Carafe and Glasses, a NOVICA review

I have a thing for recycled glass water carafes—I always have. The funkier and more original, the better. Which brings me to the one you see featured here today. When I shared my thoughts and past experience shopping at the online global retailer NOVICA in November, I mentioned that I'd be back with a review of another of their beautiful handcrafted products. After much browsing and saving of items, I decided that this fun Recycled glass carafe and glasses set titled 'Karma Effect' was what I needed in my life right now.

The carafe and drinking glasses are crafted by upcycling sparkling water bottles that would otherwise pollute Bali. The artist/shop that it comes from within NOVICA is Peduli Bali, or Bali Recycling, founded by Olivier Pouillon (born and raised in Washington D.C.) and his Indonesian business partners. As a firm believer in karma, the names etched into the set and fact that contributing to the preservation of the environment were a big factor in my choice.

15 "Would Be" Blog Posts of 2015

While many people are looking back and sharing their favorite or most popular posts from the past year, I like to look back and scoop some of the things up from the cutting room floor instead. Sometimes they wound up on the cutting room floor because the recipe didn't work out like I wanted it too and I need to revisit it later. Sometimes I just got too busy to share it with you. Other times I just thought the photos weren't good enough.

I dusted off 15 ideas from the past 12 months that I thought would be worth looking back at. I hope you enjoy a little peek at these outtakes!

The Ultimate Beginner's Photography Bundle Giveaway!

I'm so excited to bring you this amazing giveaway today! Have you had an interest in getting into Photography? Or maybe you want to up your photography game to help your blog or small business grow.  Whichever way you look at it, this beginner photography giveaway is just the ticket for you!

Today I have teamed up with some awesome ladies to be able to offer it to you - this package has roughly a value of  $550 (or more, since we found some killer steals on what is included). You definitely do not want to miss it.

Banana Streusel Muffins

For the past couple of years, my oldest has requested that I bring muffins to a Christmas Eve breakfast for the swim team. The team swims 100/100's first thing in the morning and get out of the pool famished. Most of the parents bring something from casseroles to biscuits and gravy to fruit to chocolate milk. I've brought other things over the years, but apparently I make the best muffins. How can I refuse?

This year I brought a dozen each of three different kinds. My Brown Butter Blueberry Crumb Muffins (which I always promise you the recipe for and still haven't shared) and Cinnamon-Sugar Donut Muffins are "required", but I wanted to throw in another kind this year. My swimmer loves banana bread and muffins, so I decided that these Banana Streusel Muffins were the way to go.

Orange Currant Scones inspired by The Jane Austen Book Club | #FoodnFlix

Our December Food 'n Flix pick happens to be a movie that I love (and own), but haven't watched in a while. It's not really a foodie movie, but upon watching it again, I actually noticed a ton of food—in the background. The Jane Austen Book Club is based on the novel by the same name. I haven't read it, but it's on my list...though I have heard that aside from the names of the main characters, they are dramatically different.

But, today we're talking about the movie. I suppose you could call it a chick-flick. But I love chick-flicks, so that's okay with me. It's about a group of women who form a book club as a way of helping another friend through a rough spot in her life. There are four of them, but they find another woman and a guy to join them, so that they have 6 members.

(Almost) Nigella's Mini Cranberry Mince Pies | #FridayPieDay

We're having pie for Christmas—it's #FridayPieDay! Can I tell you something? I've never tried a traditional mincemeat pie. I don't know why. It wasn't something I grew up on, and apparently it's just another thing I've been "saving for later" for the twenty-plus years since I started making my own pie. I figured since it's a very traditional Christmas offering (um, in the UK), now would be the perfect time to give it a go.

Although I admit that I didn't go very traditional. I didn't use the really old-school variety that actually contained lamb or beef and I didn't make the traditional dark, currant-filled mince, either. Instead, I tried Nigella's cranberry mince—because cranberries!

But first, a little glimpse into the history of mincemeat. I mentioned that it was originally made with meat, but according to Why Christmas? it was also oval-shaped to represent the manger that Jesus slept in, the top crust representing his swaddling clothes.

Whole Roasted Duck

Aside from my love of cooking, do you want to know two things that inspire me in the kitchen? Beautiful ingredients and beautiful cookware. Today I'm sharing a recipe that is special enough to grace any holiday table, yet simple enough to prepare on any given Sunday. Plus, when it's in the oven, it fills your house with scents of warmth and comfort. I had to run to the store while it was in the oven and opening the door to the scent of this and freshly cut pine was intoxicating.

Let's start with the ingredients. I've been in the mood for duck lately. I used some duck sausage to make sausage rolls a few days ago, but I had a Maple Leaf Farms All-Natural duck raised without antibiotics just calling to me from the fridge. The duck, some sunny orange clementines and some fresh green herbs were just the ingredients that I needed to inspire me.

Gluten-Free Chia Seed Peanut Butter Oat Cookies

I don't know much about gluten-free baking. It's one of those "one day I should figure this out" kind of things...I just haven't figured out which day yet. So, when Carrington Farms asked me if I'd be interested in sharing their delicious and healthy cookie recipe that also happens to be gluten-free, I thought it was something I should try out for myself first (and then share the results with you if I liked it).

Guess what? I liked it. I liked it alot, actually. I stayed pretty true to their recipe, which can be found on the back of the current packaging for their chia seeds, I did add a little salt to the recipe (as I do 99% of the time in sweet baked goods) because it enhances the flavors. Their recipe calls for optional chocolate chips, which I considered leaving out entirely since I'm not usually one to add chocolate to my peanut butter cookies...but I figured I was already adding oats and chia seeds, so why not give it a go. But I also wanted to try them without, so I added mini chocolate chips to half of the batch.

Rosemary Yuzu Gin Fizz

Two things that inevitably speak to me of winter are citrus and evergreens. I know that winter is still a couple of days away, but when you wake up daily to find everything outside of your front door covered in soft white frost, it kind of puts you in the mindset a little bit early. Therefore, it just feels timely to sip this this winter-inspired fizzy gin cocktail featuring the flavors of yuzu (a citrus fruit) and rosemary (an evergreen).

I recently tried a bottle of Yuzu Liqueur (made by iichiko Bar Liqueur) for the first time, and thought that the lightly sweetened citrus liqueur would be perfect in cocktails of all sorts for the holiday season. The fresh, piney scent of rosemary seemed like a natural accompaniment to the base yuzu citrus flavor, and combined, they just beckoned for the addition of a botanical gin.

DIY Star Wars T-Shirt Tote Bag

It's that time of month again when the Blockbuster Bloggers get together to make food and crafts inspired by the release of a new movie to theaters. This month's choice was easy since today marks the release of one of the most anticipated movies ever, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. I grew up with the original trilogy and now my kids have grown up with all six episodes, so the whole family is pretty psyched to get to theaters (though we'll be waiting a week or two...because no matter how big a fan I am, I despise packed theaters - I lied, we totally went and saw it today!! Loved it.).

Originally I intended to make some really fun Star Wars Mod Podge shoes, but the fabric I ordered online didn't make it to me in time (it's also holiday postal madness out there), so I switched course. A while ago I saw a really simple tutorial for making a t-shirt tote bag in a really cool book called DIY T-Shirt Crafts by Adrianne Surian, and thought it would be the perfect project to take the place of the shoes.

Mixed Seafood Risotto and a #FeastoftheSevenFishes Menu

I don't remember exactly when I first read about the Feast of the Seven Fishes, but this Christmas Eve tradition with roots in Southern Italy has been on my mind for a few years now. Served in Italian households on Christmas Eve (or La Vigilia), the meal typically consists of seven seafood dishes. Although nothing I've read has given the exact reason for there being seven dishes, it is said to stem from the seven being the most repeated number in the Bible, appearing over 700 times.

Other theories are that it represents the seventh day (when God rested), that the number represents the seven hills of Rome, or the seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic church. But then, there are also families who tend to serve upwards of twelve or thirteen dishes or courses, which could represent the twelve apostles (or the twelve apostles plus Jesus).

Roasted Maple Vanilla Cranberry Sauce

Although my family has their preferred cranberry sauce for the Thanksgiving table every year, I like slipping in a new one every now and again just to see how it's received. I always hear people raving about homemade and then following that sentiment saying that they wish they could make it. I immediately tell them that they can and that homemade cranberry sauce is actually THE EASIEST dish on the whole holiday table to make.

Seriously, it doesn't get easier than 5 to 8 minutes on the stovetop. But this batch takes it one step further and roasts the cranberries. The time commitment isn't much more, you just need to wait for the oven to preheat. And the coolest thing about it is that roasting actually concentrates the flavor of the tart cranberries by removing some of their natural water via the process of evaporation.

Garlicky Duck Sausage Rolls

I often hear people dismiss British food as boring, but I've always been fascinated by it. Of course, I'm fascinated by the food of all cultures, so maybe that's not very surprising. But with names like Toad in the Hole, Bubble and Squeak, Spotted Dick, Cullen Skink, and Welsh Rarebit, how could one not be intrigued? And it's not just the names, I've tried all but spotted dick...and each is tasty.

One thing that I hadn't tried making myself until yesterday was a simple sausage roll. The name may not be exciting, but I don't know why I waited so long to actually try them. How could sausage baked inside a pastry crust be anything but delicious? And while it's anything but boring, I did shake things up a bit and use duck sausage in place of pork sausage.