Candy Spelling's Blog, page 10

3 Easy Weekday Meals

I love the convenience of meal delivery services at my fingertips thanks to apps but also enjoy a quick and easy home cooked meal.  Here are a few of my favorite easy meals to get you through the day!

Breakfast

Steel Cut Oats are loaded with fiber which makes oatmeal a breakfast of champions. This recipe is great for someone with a busy schedule, since you can make it in advance and put jars/tupperware and refrigerate. The best part of this breakfast is that you can change it up with different toppings. Some days, I love to add fresh berries and honey. Other days I like to top it off with dried fruit and nuts! Once you add the toppings, you’ll be ready to conquer the day!

Here’s the recipe from The Kitchn:

What You’ll Need:

1 2/3 cups steel-cut oats
4 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 pint-sized Mason jars with lids
Large saucepan
Ladle

Let’s Make Breakfast:

Collect your jars and other equipment.
Cook the oats for 3 minutes: Bring the oats, water, and salt to a boil. Simmer for about 3 minutes then turn off the heat.
Let the jars stand at room temperature, then refrigerate: Divide the oatmeal among the jars. Let stand, uncovered, at room temperature for about an hour or until cool to the touch, then cap and refrigerate.
Reheat the oatmeal in the microwave: Take the cap off one jar and stir up the oatmeal inside. Microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, or until quite hot. Add milk and toppings. Enjoy!

Lunch

2016 appears to be the year of the bowl! There are so many creative and simple lunch bowl ideas that are both healthy and easy to assemble  Here’s a recipe for light and refreshing Quinoa, Mozzarella, Tomato, Basil salad from Averie Cooks. (P.S. Cut down on the cook time by buying Trader Joe’s microwavable quinoa!)

Here’s the recipe from Averie Cooks:

What You’ll Need:

2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
8 ounces (about 1 cup) mini fresh mozzarella cheese balls
about 10 to 15 torn basil leaves, or to taste
3 to 4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Pinch sugar, optional and to taste (brings out the flavor of the tomatoes and balances the vinegar)

Let’s Make Lunch:

Cook quinoa according to package directions and place cooked quinoa in a large bowl.
Add all remaining ingredients and toss very well to combine. Taste and see if salad needs more vinegar, salt, etc. and season or tweak accordingly. I found it needed a fairly generous amount of salt and a pinch of sugar to balance the flavors for my taste preferences.
Salad can be served immediately or transfer to an airtight container, refrigerate, and allow flavors to marry for up to 24 hours before serving. Salad will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days, noting that vegetables will release water as time passes.

Dinner

After a long day I know that sometimes my food choices for dinner may not be the best.  Here’s a handy recipe to have that is easy, tasty, and even healthy!. You’ll be hard pressed to order delivery after trying this incredible salmon and zucchini  “en papillote” (a fancy-sounding method, that is actually very simple!) recipe from Martha Stewart; a perfect summer dinner!

Here’s the recipe from Martha Stewart:

What You’ll Need:

1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter, cut into pieces
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 lemon slice, halved, plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 skinless salmon fillet (6 to 8 ounces)

Let’s Make Dinner:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fold a large piece of parchment paper (about 15 by 16 inches) in half to crease it; open, and lay it flat.
On one side of crease, mound zucchini; top with shallot, butter, dill, and lemon slices. Season with salt and pepper. Place salmon on top; drizzle with lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.
To close, fold parchment over salmon; make small overlapping pleats to seal the open sides and create a half-moon-shaped packet. Place on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until salmon is opaque throughout, 15 to 17 minutes. Serve the meal on a plate with the parchment paper open or remove the parchment paper.

I hope these recipes enrich your diet and simplify your weekly menu. Enjoy these dishes  in good health!

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A Dessert Bar at Home

A dessert bar is a great way to add a visually stunning touch to a party of any size! From showers to potlucks, a dessert bar is always a welcome addition, and with a few simple steps you can turn yours from basic to brilliant.

The Theme

The first step is to choose the theme of your dessert bar. If it’s for a baby or wedding shower, you should consider colors, animals and fonts. You should start with the invitation and incorporate your theme in the design. From there you can start planning your décor. Here a few ideas below: all blue sweets for a boy’s baby shower or an ice cream sandwich bar!

The Sweet Stuff

Now that you have chosen your theme, it’s time to pick out the good stuff… the sweets! Since your dessert bar will include lots of choices, you can cut back on the amount of each item. A good ratio is 3-4 small desserts per person from a selection of 5-6 different items. For instance, if you are expecting a group of 15, you’ll want to have about 75 items. I know it sounds like a lot but think about it this way — it’s roughly 2 dozen small cookies (2 different flavors), 2 dozen small cupcakes (2 different flavors) and 2 dozen candies. Remember – not all of these needs to be baked at home, you can purchase the items and display them nicely!

Set The Mood

Now that you’ve picked your theme and sweets, let’s make it look special! Decorating the bar is almost as important as the desserts themselves. From the plates to the flowers, each item adds to the décor.  It’s fun to mix it up with platters of various sizes and heights so everything will be in view. If you do not have tabletop risers, simply use a box or stack of books covered by a tablecloth! Balloons & streamers are an easy and budget friendly way to add big decor without the cost. Don’t forget to label each item – you can print these at home on cardstock.

Here are a few dessert recipes that I love!

P.S. – you can turn my Red Velvet Cake recipe into mini cupcakes at home.

Bedroom Organization Hacks

I absolutely love the feeling of walking into a tidy, organized bedroom! Few things keep me from a good night’s rest more than a messy bedroom. It’s taken me awhile to find the best ways to stay organized and I thought it would be fun to share a few. Let me know if you have any good tips for bedroom organization!

Highly Functional Furniture is KEY.

Choose furniture that serves multiple purposes. Do you need a bed that has storage space built in? How many drawers does the side table have? Assess your space and your furniture and decide if your furniture helps keep you organized or if it is preventing you from being neat!
If space allows, adding a vanity to your room can provide you with some additional storage and organization.
Shelving and bookcases can make a huge difference in your room. Both of these provide you with additional storage and opportunities for you to show off your style.

Nightstand Organization

Manage the cords! Having our devices within reach can be very unsightly with tangled cords sticking out of the wall. Grabbing a simple cord clip from Command can help- they stick onto the back of your nightstand and keep your cords organized and untangled.


The Bare Necessities: Don’t jam pack your nightstand with items that are unnecessary. Limit your nightstand to a couple style elements: a lamp, jewelry dish, framed photo, stack of books, and a vase of fresh flowers/candle. Less is more!

Clean Closet

A shoe drawer would make an excellent addition to your closet. This is especially helpful to see all your shoes in one tidy place!
Visit my blog for more tips to declutter your closet! 

  

Under the Bed

Utilize every inch of storage that is provided underneath your bed and at the foot of your bed. I love the convenience a storage bench at the foot of the bed provides. Not only do you have an additional space to sit, but also to store bedding inside. Look at these great options for additional storage:

 

Put a System in Place

Make sure that you know what belongs in each drawer you have in your room and stick with it. No junk drawers allowed!
Select a hamper that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. No need to hide it away in a closet, just make sure that it is cohesive with the aesthetic of your room.

Do you have more tips for your bedroom? Let me know in the comments section below!

Xoxo,

Candy

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Candy’s Pick: The Bouqs

There’s nothing I love more than fresh cut flowers in my home. When I’m too busy to cut and arrange my own flowers, I look to a service like The Bouqs to take the reigns. The Bouqs is an online flower delivery service that has beautifully curated bouquets for so many different occasions. They have a wide array of sustainably grown farm direct bouquets and handcrafted, custom designs by local artisan florists.

How it works: You can set up weekly, monthly, and quarterly deliveries. They also do same day delivery for last minute gifts. You pick the size and type of the arrangement, and then it is delivered to you! They cut the flowers the day you order them, ensuring that you will receive the freshest bouquet possible.

I love that you can see actual photos of the bouquet, unlike other flower sites. The Bouqs has a Happiness Guarantee, which covers quality, late delivery, and short vase life, so you are always guaranteed a beautiful bouquet. I noticed that they have a lot of customer submitted images of bouquets, which indicates a lot of satisfied customers!

Happy Flower Shopping!

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Travel Tips: Carry-On Must Haves

YAY!  It’s vacation time! Don’t you just love it? Whether you are going someplace new or to one of your favorite spots, it’s the best escape from the day-to-day. Getting there can be challenging if you have a long flight ahead.  Since lots of people are traveling now, I want to share a few of my tried and true tips on travel essentials to have in your carry-on.

Valuables (Jewelry!)

Make sure to keep your valuables in your-carry on in case the airline loses your luggage! I love this pouch that will keep your valuables secure, last a lifetime and allows for your personal monogram (which makes it even more special)!

Claire V Pouch

In-Flight Entertainment

This one may seem obvious but I’m always shocked at the amount of people who leave these behind! Being on a plane is the perfect time to step away from the internet and dive into a book, magazine or game on your device.  If you’re like me, you live off your iPad so you’ll want to keep it charged in flight with something like this adorable charger!

Kate Spade Charger

 

 

Scarf/Blanket

A large scarf is absolutely essential for me. I love it because it adds style at the airport and keeps you warm in-flight. Fold it up and it doubles as a pillow or unfold it and use it as a blanket. Try it and I’ll bet you will never leave it at home again! 

Nordstrom Large Scarf

Skin Care

One of my least favorite things about flying is getting off the airplane and having puffy, dry skin. I’ve found with a little extra effort, you can arrive fresh and flawless at your destination. This Kiehl’s facial mist fits any budget and gives you a fresh-faced feeling.

Kiehl’s In-Flight Facial Mist

Hand lotion is also key! Keep your hands looking good with this great cream I found on Amazon.

Supergoop Hand Cream

Do you have any carry-on ‘must haves’ of your own? Please let me know in the comments section below!

Xoxo,

Candy

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DIY Dog Treats

Did someone say treat?  I believe I just heard Madison run from the other side the house when I said that word.

If you own a dog, you probably would agree on these few facts about treats:

1.  You should always keep them on hand;

2.  You know your dog’s favorite brand;

3.  Some are healthier than others, and they can get a bit expensive!

I did a bit of research to find treats that would keep Madison healthy and strong and was delighted to see there were lots of recipes for DIY dog treats!  Here are some of my favorites below:

It’s Bacon!

Nope, not Beggin’, these Bacon Cookies will leave your dog drooling and you smiling. Make sure you use uncured bacon & low-sodium broth to keep the ingredients healthy for pups! Get the full recipe here: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/bacon-cookies

The Birthday Especial

Yes, we love celebrating Madison’s birthday around here. If you like doing something special for your dog’s birthday, you might enjoy these pretzel candles! They are easy to make and can actually light up.  Be sure to remove the wick before you give it Fido to enjoy:  http://asubtlerevelry.com/dog-treat-birthday-candles

The Classic: Peanut Butter Bones

Newsflash – dogs love peanut butter! These bones will have your dog wondering what they did right to receive such a delicious reward.  You will be jumping for joy over the simplicity of these  4-ingredient treats.   http://damndelicious.net/2015/01/07/homemade-peanut-butter-dog-treats/

Level Up Sweetness

These treats are a bit further down on the sweet scale. With 11 ingredients, the Cinnamon Bun Bites will take a bit longer to make but your dog will jump for joy!  They also are a great gift idea for a dog lover. https://www.babble.com/best-recipes/homemade-treats-national-dog-day/

The Easy-Peasy Evergreen

Want to know a secret? You can make any dog treat with whole wheat flour and the baby food (without onions or onion powder) of your choice! You can get incredibly creative with this fun and budget friendly trick. Use different cookie cutters and shapes to steer away from your average bone or even try a custom one for your dog like these on Etsy! 

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Adding Greenery To Your Space

Plants are our friends for so many reasons. They release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide, which purifies the air we breathe. Some studies even show that having plants in your home can boost healing from certain conditions, reduce stress, and sharpen focus. I love the added health benefits that plants bring to our lives, yet I find that the most compelling reason to bring greenery into your space is the life and texture it adds to your home!

Here are a few ways you can liven up your space with plants and flowers.

Visit your local nursery and talk to the EXPERTS! They will suggest plants that will prosper in your space and teach you how to properly care for them.


Join a Flower CSA: If you love having fresh blooms in your home but don’t have time to plant and maintain your own garden  a flower CSA might be a great solution. A CSA (community supported agriculture) is a program in which members typically purchase a share of fresh produce grown locally by regional farmers. Flower CSA’s are becoming increasingly popular in LA, especially because they cut back on the use of pesticides and minimize your carbon footprint. 


Enhance your decor: Bring in a potted plant or a simple arrangement to add life to any space in your home. The plant container you choose will also bring a design element in your space. Colorful vases and pots will add pizzazz to a neutral room.


Keep your thumb green: Make sure you know how to care for your plants. Here are some things to consider:



Pot size: Choose a pot that is one size larger in diameter than the pot the plant comes in. If the pot is too small, the plant will dry out and become root-bound because there is no room to grow. If the pot is too large, the roots may rot.
Drainage: Make sure there is a hole at the bottom of your pot so water can drain. otherwise, your plant’s roots will rot. Be sure to put a saucer under your planter so that the draining water will not damage your floors.  If you purchase a post without a drainage hole, add rocks underneath the soil to help soak up the excess water.
Wipe down the leaves: It will remove dust and make your plants shine and help them absorb air particles and toxins.
Hints to make your arrangements last longer: They do require a bit of maintenance. Snip a 1/2” off the stems at a 90 degree angle to allow for more of the surface area to absorb the water. Fill the vase with cool, clean water and try to change the water daily (or as often as you can).

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Easy Ways to Update Your Living Room

Do you ever look around your living room and think there is something that you would like to change but you are not quite sure what to do?  I know that I get overwhelmed when I’m thinking about big updates so I find small changes can sometimes make a bigger impact than large changes. With that in mind, here are a few of my favorite ways to do a quick refresh on your most used space – the living room.

Rearrange the Furniture

Sometimes moving the couch to the other side of the room is all you need to hit reset.. A few rules to follow: keep your entryways clear, keep all your furniture either on the rug or off (don’t mix- furniture will wobble), and try to have 3 feet of space around large pieces so you can move around with ease.

Throw in New Pillows

New pillows can really freshen up the look of your sofa.   Be sure to use new colors and don’t be afraid to mix patterns. Remember, there are no rules so have fun and get creative. It’s easy to experiment with pillows on a display sofa or chair when you’re in a store like Pottery Barn, West Elm or World Market. Check out the mix of similar, yet completely different colored and patterned pillows on this pink couch.

 

Add Color

Whether it’s with a bucket of paint, a new adhesive wallpaper or small accents, adding color to your living room will completely change the space. Painting a single accent wall is an easy way to change the mood and vibe in just one afternoon. Get samples to make sure the color works well in your room before diving into a whole bucket!

Go Green

Plants and flowers are a great way to bring life into your home. They will help clear the air and give your living room a fresh feel. Make sure you get plants that go well with the lighting in your room. This helpful guide from The Jungalow will give plant newbies a hand.

Try a New Scent

Just like trying a new perfume, a new scent can freshen up your environment.  I love adding a new candle or diffuser as a finishing touch on a revamped space. Go for one that goes with your color scheme to add visual interest!

Good luck with your updates! Try these and post your photos to my Facebook page, I’d love to see what you come up with.

xo,

Candy

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My Famous Red Velvet Cake

As many of you know, my love for cooking & baking is real. There’s something about starting from scratch and making something (hopefully) delicious and sharing it with your loved ones! I’m often asked to bring the dessert to dinners with friends and one of my favorite crowd pleasers is Red Velvet Cake.

Here is my oh-so-delectable recipe below! 

CAKE

What you’ll need:

1/2 cup shortening (like Crisco)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 ounce red food dye (fill a glass measuring cup with 2 1/2 ounces of water to make 3 ounces)
2 tbs unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp salt
2 3/4 cups flour, unsifted
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbs white vinegar
1 tsp baking soda

Are your ingredients ready? Good. Let’s bake!

Preheat oven to 350
Cream shortening and sugar (here’s a how to), and add eggs.
In a separate bowl make a paste of the food coloring, water and cocoa. Add this to the creamed mixture.
Add salt to the flour and stir into the creamed mixture, alternating with buttermilk.
Add the vanilla.
In a separate container, mix the vinegar and baking soda together. Let fizz then blend into the other ingredients.
Pour into two 8-inch-layer pans that have been greased and floured.
Bake for 30 minutes

Got it in the oven? Wipe some of the sweat of your brow, we’re almost done! But now… it’s time for the icing on the cake.

5 Summer Party Essentials

The sun in shining (mostly), we’re starting to glisten in the sun and the SPF is out… summer is HERE! It’s a wonderful time of the year in Los Angeles.   Of course it does get a little warm sometimes but usually only lasts a few weeks.   Everyone wants to be outdoors as often as possible and you can find lots of pool parties and barbecues all around the city.

Knowing that there will always be a special occasion in the summer, I liked to get prepared early… Here are 5 of my must-have summer party essentials!

1. Plasticware

Since a lot of entertaining will be near the pool or the ocean you have to be sure to choose plastic tableware over glass.  So many stores carry outdoor tabletop collections and one of my favorites is this cheerful set from Crate & Barrel.

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2. Beach towels

Since you will be spending time around the water, you’re going to need to dry off at some point!  It’s a great idea to have extra beach towels around and you can find great quality and good prices at . stores like HomeGoods or Ross! I love this one from Anthropologie, it has me dreaming of just that…