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Gift Guide for the Fashionista

November 25, 2015

Looking for a gift for that special lady in your life? Take a peek at this Gift Guide on clothing and accessories that is sure to be on any fashionista’s wish list!

It’s the season of giving, and today’s post is from a guest blogger that is near and dear to my heart – my sister, KB. She is my fashion guru, and oftentimes gets pictures texted to her for input when I am out shopping. Hope you enjoy this gift guide round-up and be sure to check out her blog as well – Peonies and Pearls.

Happy Thanksgiving week!

I’m Katie, blogger of Peonies and Pearls, and have been so kindly asked by L&C to give some recommendations of gifts for the ladies in your life for this upcoming holiday season. If you’re like me and are drawn to clothes, shoes, and fashion accessories in any store, you’ll love these options and prices too!

First up are some selections of clothes:
It’s sweater weather here, so I love to snuggle up in over-sized, soft sweaters and cardigans.

1. Lou & Grey Cocoon Sweater. One of my favorite brands these days. They have such a relaxed vibe.

2. Hinge Marled Long Open Front Cardigan

3. J.Crew Tunic Sweater – always a winner.

Splurge:

Club Monaco Cristina Cashmere Wrap. (It’s on sale!!)

For those ladies who love sparkle:

1. Bauble Bar Tundra Stud. Love the structured look

2. J.Crew Crystal Venus Flytrap Earrings. So dainty and feminine.

3. Kate Spade Bourgeois Bow Stud. Perfect for all your holiday parties and best part is they’re on sale!

Splurge:

Dana Rebecca – Sylvie Rose Diamond Bar Earrings. Diamonds really are a girls best friend!

For the shoe queens:

1. Sole Society Angie Booties. Pair with skinny jeans and a long cardigan for day or night.

2. Nordstrom BP Trolley Booties

3. TOMS Leila Booties in castle rock grey suede. So excited Toms made these!

Splurge:

Frye Reina Bootie. This brand is tried and true and will get better with time.

Hope you enjoy some of my gift giving suggestions. Happy ‘Black Friday’ and ‘Cyber Monday’ shopping!

– Katie

Until next time,

LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Easy, Delicious and Stress-Free Holidays with @WholeFoods

November 21, 2015

Whole Foods has delicious options and can help take the stress out of holidays.

I was recently invited by my local Whole Foods to a Holiday Tasting. The spread was amazing, and they featured various items for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas. You can even order everything online! There are two more days to order, so don’t hesitate. They have everything from Appetizers, Main Course, Sides, Desserts, and even beautiful Flowers for table decorations. Even if you already have your Thanksgiving meal planned, Whole Foods can help with all your holiday events!

I was able to taste a few appetizers, like their Smoked Salmon Platter and Blini with Caviar. Whole Foods also has a Cranberry, Walnut and Fig Stuffed Brie that was my favorite item of the night – it was absolutely delicious and will be making its way to my holidays this year! They also have Cheese Platters and Crudités, which are also perfect starters.

Turkey, Ham, Standing Rib Roasts, and even Turduckens are some options from the butcher. A variety of sides are also available, including the traditional Green Bean Casserole, Herb Stuffing, and Mashed Potatoes. Some other options are Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Macaroni & Cheese, Butternut Squash Risotto, Roasted Harvest Vegetables, Cranberry Orange Relish and Whipped Maple Sweet Potatoes.

Even though we get “stuffed” from Thanksgiving dinner, there is always room for dessert, and Whole Foods has that covered too. Apple, Pecan and Pumpkin Pies, Pumpkin Cheesecake and Tiramisu are among a few delectable options from the Bakery. The Bakery also has Sweet and Savory Breads – like their Cranberry Walnut Hearth Bread.

All-in-all, Whole Foods is definitely the place to go when you need a delicious holiday meal. Don’t forget, you can order online for two more days! Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Disclaimer: I was invited by Whole Foods Orlando to a Holiday Tasting where they featured a sampling of their Holiday Menu items. All opinions are my own. Unless noted, images provided by Whole Foods Orlando.

Tips and Tricks for a Sick Day with a Toddler #FightFever

November 17, 2015

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FightFever #CollectiveBias

Sick days are no fun, especially when you are nearly two years old. Here are some tips and tricks to brighten up a sick day with a toddler.

November has definitely been a month to remember. #ToddlerLnC got Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease while we were visiting my Mom for Halloween. She had some little red spots on her hands and when we checked, she had spots and blisters in her mouth and on her feet too. As soon as we got home, I took her to the pediatrician who confirmed it was HFMD. She told me to give her Children’s Advil® for discomfort and fever.

What I didn’t realize is how contagious Hand, Foot and Mouth is. A few days later, I showed signs of it as well. I think (and hope) that it is worse in adults than children, because I was miserable and wouldn’t want her to go through that. The Toddler was on the mend, thankfully, and I just needed to take care of myself too.

Whenever she is sick, I try and keep her comfortable and happy. I have a little checklist of items and activities that we do, so she can have fun, even while not feeling good. Children’s Advil® from Walgreens is always in our medicine cabinet. The Toddler loves Grape flavor, but I’m sure when she is older she might like some of the other tasty Sugar-free Dye-free flavors, like Berry, Bubble Gum, Blue Raspberry, Fruit Punch and Dye-Free White Grape. I remember, as a kid, having the Children’s Advil® Grape Chewables easy-to-swallow tablets, because I liked them better than liquid at that point. When my toddler has a fever, I want effective relief that I can count on. Children’s Advil® helps bring her fevers down, keeps them down longer with less medicine than Children’s Tylenol®, and gives relief, for both her and me.*

Sick Day Activities for a Happy Toddler:

Forts/Tents – we love building forts and the toddler loves playing hide-and-seek in them.
Coloring – crayons and coloring books are one of our favorite activities. It helps her learn the color names and fine motor skills
Puzzles & Books – these are two of her favorite things. She is so smart and loves her shape puzzles. She has her very own bookshelf with her favorite books, so she can grab them anytime and look through them – or bring one to Mommy or Daddy to read to her.
Bath Time – sometimes a little extra bath time makes her feel better, especially when we have fun bath toys to play with like foam alphabet letters.
Make Music – we make music with everything. She has some musical instrument toys, like bells, drums, and a piano, but we also use bowls, spoons, and anything else she can find. She loves listening to and making music.
Busy Books, Sensory Bins, and Crafts – a great resource and one of my favorite blogs is The Educators Spin On It, run by my friends Amanda and Kim. They have so many great ideas for children of all ages on their blog.
Cuddles – a necessity when sick, because cuddles make everything better!

Tips & Tricks

Rest, rest, rest – she normally has a set sleep/nap schedule, but when the Toddler is sick, that goes out the window. She needs rest to get better, so she naps and sleeps a bit more, and doesn’t do any strenuous activities.
Food – a lot of times, she doesn’t want to eat much, or at all, when she isn’t feeling good. I make sure we have some fruit and veggie pouches because I know she loves them and can get good nutrients from them too. Depending on her illness and what her pediatrician says, I also make her smoothies. She loves all kinds of smoothies and it cheers her up when I pull the blender out
Hydrate – I make sure she has a sippy cup of water available at all times. Depending on her illness and what the pediatrician says, sometimes she can have milk or juice mixed with water.
Ice Pops – if she has a sore throat, she loves Ice Pops. Homemade Ice Pops are great, but if you don’t have the molds or time, store bought is okay – I try and get the 100% fruit with no added sugar ones.
Humidifier – if needed, we plug in her humidifier at night, to help her sleep better.
Children’s Advil® – we always keep Children’s Advil® on hand in case of a fever, teething, or cold.

What are your go-to sick day activities and what is your child’s favorite Children’s Advil® flavor?

Until next time,

LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

*Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Please, always, consult your child’s pediatrician with concerns and questions. Always read and keep the cartons for complete warnings and dosing information on Children’s Advil®. Refer to and only use the dosing device and information that comes packaged with Children’s Advil®. If known, dose child based on weight, as this is the most appropriate method. If weight is not known, use age.

Feast of the Seven Fishes

November 11, 2015

The holidays are just around the corner and I am sharing one of my favorite holiday traditions with you today – our Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes with insights for this post provided by GE Cafe™ Series. All opinions are my own.

Feast of the Seven Fishes from LoveandConfections.com

One of my favorite holiday traditions is the Italian-American Feast of the Seven Fishes. As long as I can remember, my mother or grandmother have hosted Christmas Eve dinner and carried on this tradition. I grew up with the kitchen being the heart of our home. Not only did I learn to cook there, but my sister and I also did our homework at the kitchen table, we ate family meals together, and had parties where everyone gathered in the kitchen.

For the past few years, I have helped my mom with the preparation and cooking, and I even hosted Christmas Eve at my house last year. We prepare and gather food days before and plan out a detailed menu. Christmas Eve is no small celebration and we usually have between 12 and 30 family and friends joining us for the Feast of the Seven Fishes. When there is that many mouths to feed, every burner on the stove, both ovens and the microwave are constantly going.

My dream kitchen would have the GE Cafe™ Series of appliances, so I could create a wonderful Christmas Eve Feast for my family and friends. I love the look and design of the restaurant quality appliances made for the home cook. GE Café™ Series Cooktops have each burner specialized for precise boiling, simmering and searing, which is key in making meals with maximum flavor. There is even a griddle system for grilling, searing or stir-frying. I can see myself using that for Christmas morning French toast.

Our Christmas Eve menu usually consists of an Antipasto, Shrimp Cocktail, Stuffed Calamari, Lobster Ravioli, Crab Legs, Clams Oreganata, Mussels Marinara, and Tilapia – for anyone who doesn’t want shellfish. Of course, there is also Spaghetti and my grandmother’s Sauce recipe, because those cannot be left out. It is a true feast and everyone raves about our Christmas Eve dinner.

My mom has hosted her fair share of parties and has passed on a few tips throughout the years. One of the best tips that I learned from my mom, and still use for every party that I host, is to label my platters and dishes. I gather all the platters, bowl, serving utensils, pots and pans that I will be using and label them with sticky notes. By doing that, I won’t be scrambling last minute to figure out what goes where and what pot to use.

After the feast comes dessert. In addition to cookies and sfogliatelle, my dad and I have a tradition of baking Italian Cheesecakes on December 23rd. These cheesecakes are different than regular cheesecakes, because they use ricotta and are more dense and less sweet. In the past, we have gone a bit overboard with the cheesecakes and made 3-4 of them. This wouldn’t normally be a problem, but they have to bake, then sit overnight in the oven without opening the door. If I had a GE Café™ Series double oven I would jump for joy when needing to bake our cheesecakes, because I wouldn’t have to worry about needing the oven for something while the cheesecakes are resting.

The GE Café™ Series French-Door Oven is on my Christmas wish list. Did you know their refrigerator has a K-Cup brewing system too? What GE Café™ Series of appliances would you want in your kitchen? Also, take a peek at the GE Café™ Pinterest Board for more ideas and holiday tips. Have a good holiday season and I hope you are inspired to take food further and create your own Feast of the Seven Fishes with the power of GE Café appliances.

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Insight for this post was provided by GE Cafe™ Series. All opinions are my own.

One-Pot Pasta Party #HolidayPairings

November 10, 2015

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HolidayPairings #CollectiveBias The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older.

One-Pot Pastas are an easy approach to holiday entertaining. Even though it is one-pot, every guest can customize their add-ins, so vegetarians, meat-lovers and every body in between will love their dish. Add a great Antipasto display with Pepperidge Farm Crackers, Pepperidge Farm Cookies and a variety of wine to create the perfect party.

One-Pot Pasta Party from Loveandconfections.com #HolidayPairings

The holidays are approaching fast and everyone is getting in the spirit. Thanksgiving is just around the corner and quickly after that, Christmas. I love being able to spend time with my girlfriends around the holidays, but since we each have families and other activities, it sometimes becomes difficult to get together.

I decided to throw a Pasta Party for my friends as a holiday celebration. Growing up, my Mom would prepare a pasta buffet, with different sauces, proteins, and veggies. Then, we would pick and choose what we wanted in our pasta and she would saute it for us. A Pasta Party is great to feed a crowd, and even better that each pasta dish can be personalized.

Barilla Pronto Pasta made it even easier because I was able to cook the pasta and sauce in one pot and cut my time in half. Barilla Pronto Pasta does not need to wait for the water to boil and there is also no need for draining. With the add-ins prepared in advance, this Pasta Party was a breeze and everyone enjoyed themselves. It comes in 5 delicious shapes – Penne, Spaghetti, Linguini, Rotini and Elbow. I can’t wait to make more one-pot dishes and have so many ideas for easy weeknight meals.

When hosting a party, I usually have appetizers as well. My Antipasto Tray is always a hit. Genoa Salami, Bocconcini (Mozzarella Pearls), cubed Havarti, Marinated Mushrooms, Marinated Artichoke Hearts and Olives were on this specific tray. You could also use Giardiniera, Roasted Peppers, and a variety of other meats and cheeses. The Pepperidge Farm Cracker Trio is a great accompaniment to the Antipasto Tray, especially since it is a variety of crackers that everyone is sure to love.

Antipasto tips:

have a variety, but keep it simple
marinated vegetables, meats, seafood and cheeses are good choices
appearance and fragrance is important so have a variety of flavors and colors on the plate
antipasto plates can be vegetarian too
roll or fold sliced meat for an interesting presentation
be careful of olives with pits, I prefer pitted olives for my trays
pair with Pepperidge Farm Cracker Trio or some crusty Italian bread
have fun creating it!

Having a variety of wine on hand is key for a party. For this pasta party, I chose two Constellation Brand Wines – Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Noir and The Dreaming Tree Crush Red Blend. Walmart has a good selection of premium wines at a great price.

If you are interested in more holiday tips as well as wine tastings, and Barilla and Pepperidge Farm demos at your local Walmart during November and December, visit Simple Entertaining for details and more delicious ideas. Don’t forget to head to Walmart as your go-to place for holiday prep and entertaining. The pasta dishes and mix-in dish sets seen in my photos are from Walmart too, and perfect for parties.

Dessert cannot be forgotten, and I used Pepperidge Farm Classic Cookie Collection as our end of meal treat. My great-grandmother always had a variety of Pepperidge Farm cookies on hand and every time I have some, it brings back such wonderful memories that I am able to share with family and friends. Since I grew up eating Pepperidge Farm cookies, the variety in the Classic Cookie Collection was the perfect, delicious and easy choice for my holiday party.

I hope you have a great holiday season. Be sure to check out more holiday entertaining ideas on Simple Entertaining. What are your favorite holiday recipes, tips and tricks?

One-Pot Pasta Party
A Love and Confections original recipe
Serves 4-6

One-Pot Pasta Ingredients:
– 1 box Barilla Pronto Penne Pasta
– 3 cups Water
– 1 & 1/2 cups Barilla Traditional Sauce
– Diced Chicken
– Sweet Italian Sausage, sliced
– Roasted Broccoli
– Steamed Sugar Snap Peas
– Sauteed Mushrooms
– Sauteed Zucchini
– Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

One-Pot Pasta Directions:
1. Prepare the add-ins in advance, so your party is a breeze. Once it is time to make the pasta, place mix-ins in bowls or ramekins, so your guests can easily add them.
2. Following the instructions on the back of the Barilla Pronto Penne Pasta box, place Penne and Water in a 12-inch saucepan and cook on high for 10 minutes.
3. Add in Barilla Traditional Sauce and cook another 1-2 minutes.
4. Have everyone in the party add their mix-ins to each of their dinner bowls, so it’s easier to keep track of who chose what mix-ins. One by one, saute the mix-ins with a portion of prepared pasta, in a small skillet. Place back into each of their bowls for individualized one-pot pasta dishes. Top with Parmesan. Enjoy!

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS

Wanderlust Wednesday – Paris, France

November 4, 2015

Wanderlust Wednesday – places I have visited or on my travel wish list.

I have never been to Europe and Paris, France is definitely on my travel wish list. I want to explore everything the city has to offer – both touristy and local gems.

Picture from here

Biscuits Cookbook

November 4, 2015

Biscuits are a Southern staple, and this cookbook has you covered!

I received a copy of Jackie Garvin’s cookbook, Biscuits: Sweet and Savory Southern Recipes for the All-American Kitchen, from Skyhorse Publishing to review. Jackie’s book has me salivating. I absolutely love all kinds of biscuits and she has everything in this book – from traditional Southern Biscuits to Biscuit Doughnuts, Scones, Sandwiches and even Gravy Recipes.

Sausage Gravy is my BFF, but hold the phone, she has a Bacon Tomato Gravy that I cannot wait to try. I am hoping to share a couple recipes with you during this month for NaBloPoMo, but if you can’t wait to see them here, go and grab yourself a copy (or one to gift) – perfect any time of the year, and especially now for Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations!

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this cookbook for review from Skyhorse Publishing. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Lemon Blueberry Water

November 1, 2015

Lemon Blueberry Water is a refreshing way to stay hydrated. Lemon and Blueberries are a match made in Heaven and this infused water is sure to become your drink of choice.

Lemon Blueberry Water from LoveandConfections.com

Lemon and Blueberry is one of my favorite flavor combinations! I love starting my morning with a Lemon Blueberry Parfait, enjoying a cold glass of Lemon Blueberry Iced Tea for an afternoon treat, or indulging with Lemon Blueberry Crepes for dessert.

I still have a good amount of frozen blueberries from when we went picking earlier in the year. I use them in everything like muffins and pancakes, smoothies, and to flavor water. The weather here is still a bit warm and I cannot wait for the cooler Fall weather to arrive. Until then, I am enjoying some refreshing glasses of infused water on warm days. I also created a Cucumber Mint Water that you should have a look at too!

Lemon Blueberry Water
A Love and Confections original recipe

Lemon Blueberry Water Ingredients:
– 1/2 cup frozen Blueberries
– 1/2 Lemon, sliced plus more for garnish
– Ice
– Water

Lemon Blueberry Water Directions:
1. In 2 tall glasses, divide the Blueberries and Lemon Slices and place them in each glass. Top with Ice and Water. You can drink right away, or store in the refrigerator for a few hours so the flavors meld. enjoy!

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Farro Breakfast Parfait #StonyfieldBlogger

October 30, 2015

A Farro Breakfast Parfait with Pumpkin Flax Granola, Qi’a Cereal, Stonyfield Yogurt, and a touch of Maple Syrup is sure to make your morning delicious!

Farro Parfait from LoveandConfections.com

This post is sponsored by Stonyfield and Nature’s Path Organic. All opinions are my own.

Sometimes breakfasts don’t always go as planned. I oftentimes find my morning cup of coffee, untouched and cooled, next to my brewer, and needing ice for an afternoon pick-me-up. I am always looking easy, fast, and healthy breakfast ideas.Since I have been using a lot of different grains in our meals lately, like Farro, I decided to create a breakfast recipe with it.

I love breakfast parfaits and eat them a lot during Spring and Summer. Some favorites are my Berry Parfait, Cinnamon Apple and Sea Salt Caramel Granola Parfait, and Meyer Lemon & Strawberry Parfait. I received some Nature’s Path Organic Pumpkin Flax Granola and Qi’a Superfood Cereal to try. These two items are definitely great for topping oatmeal and mixing in parfaits, like what I am sharing today.

Farro Breakfast Parfait
A Love and Confection original recipe

Farro Breakfast Parfait Ingredients:
– 1/2 cup Farro
– 1 & 1/2 cup Water
– pinch of Salt
– 2 teaspoons Brown Sugar
– 2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
– 2 tablespoons Qi’a Superfood Cereal, plus more for garnish
– 1/4 cup Pumpkin Flax Granola, plus more for garnish
– Stonyfield Vanilla Green Yogurt

Farro Breakfast Parfait Directions:
1. Place Farro and Water in a medium saucepan. Bring it to a boil, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until cooked through. Drain any extra water, then place in a medium mixing bowl to cool.
2. Into the mixing bowl with Farro, add in the Brown Sugar, Maple Syrup, Qi’a and Pumpkin Flax Granola. Combine, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
3. The next morning, assemble by alternating layers of the Yogurt and the Farro mixture. Top with a garnish of Granola and Qi’a. Enjoy.
* The Farro mixture is enough for a few days of parfaits. You can use it immediately, but I find it easier to make ahead and refrigerate.

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Disclaimer: I have an ongoing relationship with Stonyfield as a member of the Clean Plate Club. I receive product, coupons and/or compensation for posts featuring their products. As always, all opinions are my own. #stonyfieldblogger #sponsored.

Taste of Dr. Phillips Preview

October 24, 2015

The 9th Annual Taste of Dr. Phillips is 2 weeks away and Mr. L&C and I will be joining in the fun!

Tickets for the event can be purchased HERE. Please be sure to get them as soon as possible, if you’d like to attend, because they sell out every year.

Sponsored by Park Square Homes and Dr. Phillips Hospital, the event is Sunday, November 8th from 1:00 pm-4:00 pm at the Dellagio Town Center. Tickets include food, wine, and beer, as well as entry into the silent auction with amazing items to bid on, including gift certificates, hotel stays and theme park admissions. This year’s wine sponsor is Cooper’s Hawk and Orlando Brewing is sponsoring the beer at this year’s event.

The list of 20 local restaurants is amazing. Bravo Cucina Italiana, Rocco’s Tacos, Morton’s The Steakhouse, Maggiano’s, Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion, Vines Grill and Wine Bar, Dragonfly Sushi, Ocean Prime, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, Pammie’s Sammies, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, Stefano’s Grill, Whole Foods, Bone Fish, The Whiskey, Dexter’s, Peperoncino Cucina, Big Fin Seafood Kitchen, Fusion 360 Grill & Bar, and The Melting Pot will all be showcasing their delicious creations.

100% of all funds raised from the Taste of Dr. Phillips goes back to the community for the following charities or organizations: A Gift for Teaching, Adopt a Precinct, Arnold Palmer Gold Invitational Tournament, Josh the Otter, Christmas for the Kids, Dr. Phillips High School Projects & Programs, Four Way Test Essay Contest, Give Kids the World, Dr. Phillips Library Author Series, Salvation Army Bell Ringing, YMCA of Dr. Phillips, Wine and Dine on the 9 (API), Birdies BBQ & U (API), and Dr. Phillips Little League.

DON’T FORGET TO BUY YOUR TICKETS! SEE YOU THERE!

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Disclaimer: I am being provided 2 media tickets in exchange for covering and promoting the event. Photographs from ATasteofDrPhillips.com. This event is for guests 21 years of age or older. Please remember to bring a government issued ID with you to enter this event.