Sweet Potato Rounds

This gluten-free recipe for Sweet Potato Rounds from Martha Stewart Living Magazine have the perfect mix of autumn and mexican flair.  Quite a few people in my life need to eat gluten free or eat gluten free by choice and these are a great cocktail appetizer that everyone may enjoy.

Ingredients

• Unpeeled sweet potatoes
• Spicy black beans
• Crumbled cotija cheese
• Cilantro leaves
• Cheese (optional)
• Chutney, salsa, or pesto (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice sweet potatoes 1/2 inch thick, and place in a single layer on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Roast until browned on bottoms, 30 to 35 minutes. We topped these with spicy black beans, crumbled cotija cheese, and cilantro leaves. You can also try them with the cheese of your choice and chutney, salsa, or pesto.

Yum Yum! Have a lovely weekend.

xo, Alicia

 

Recipe via Martha Stewart Living, October 2012

Photo: Kate Mathis 

Dior Inspired

Simply adore Olivia Palermo's outfit when she attended Christian Dior's fashion show recently:

After doing a bit of research I discovered a few pieces that create a similar look.  Take a peek:

Dress and Blazer/Jacket: Topshop
Sunglasses: Forever 21
Shoes: Steve Madden
Belt and Handbag: J. Crew/Crewcuts

PIP

Otherwise known as "Pretty in Pink", you know that classic cult movie from the 80's?  I'm probably dating myself by admitting that my adolescence was partially consumed by watching this movie at least twice in a row most days.  I loved and still love everything about it: the soundtrack, the cast (Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy, Jon Cryer), the plot, and who can forget Andie's handmade pink prom dress...probably my favorite scene aside from the ending!  I chuckled when I saw this article about a 'secret' from the film that was posted on Yahoo recently.

Hopefully you won't let this article keep you from making it your duty this week/weekend to watch or re-watch this movie.  It's a classic for a reason!  In the meantime, I hope you'll join me for a trip down memory lane:

{via}

{via}

{via}

Hope you're having a lovely week...

xo, Alicia



Pumpkin Cream Puffs

Though I'm not a huge fan of pumpkin pie, I do like the flavor of sweetened spiced pumpkin in small doses.  This super quick and simple filling for Pumpkin Cream Puffs should do just the trick...

{via bonappetit}

Pumpkin Cream Puffs

 

Whisk together heavy cream, confectioners sugar and pure vanilla extract until stiff peaks form; fold into canned pumpkin. Pipe the pumpkin cream into store-bought donut holes.

These would be a great quick party treat or easy weeknight dessert.  I'm planning to make them this weekend with a steamy mug of spiked hot cider!

 

 

 

Recipe by Teri Tsang Barrett

Photograph by Ashley Rodriguez

Weekend Snapshots

A weekend filled with shopping, good food (beet salad with S.C. yum!), and new beauty finds it seems...




{Testing out Snappi dry shampoo. Cute packaging}

{Bridesmaids shoes that finally arrived. Surprisingly really like them!}

 

 

 

{A gift from the Coach store...sadly not for moi!}

 

 

 

{Visit to the Chanel counter for an event. LOVE the Vitalumier Aqua Compact sample I received}

 

 

 Hope you had a lovely weekend.  Wednesday brings a jewelry giveaway announcement but check in tomorrow for my inspiration for the giveaway!
xo,
Alicia

photos by:  Belle Maison Et Moi

"So Long Sweet Summer...

I stumbled upon you and gratefully basked in your rays..."
                                                                -Dashboard Confessional

{My solitary bubblegum ice cream cone of the summer. Delicious! Gigi thought so too..sneaky girl}

 

 

{A stormy summer sky...}

 

 

 

{To water our plants}

 

 

{Hot summer hikes with Gigi...}

 

 

{Followed by sunny afternoon cat naps with Piglet}

 

 

Although I'm sad to see summer officially end, cheers to the beginning of Autumn tomorrow...what better way to kick off my favorite season than with a jewelry giveaway which I will be announcing next week.

 

Have a great weekend!

xo, Alicia

 

 

 

 

 

Godiva Cake Truffles, Oh My!

I spotted Godiva's limited edition Cake Truffles by Duff Goldman while shopping recently and regretting that I didn't scoop a bunch up for multiple upcoming fall/winter birthdays! 

Love the packaging! 

Here is a closer look at the flavors and fillings:

{I don't much care for cake but the Birthday Cake Truffle is so pretty and looks delectable!}

If you're looking for an indulgent last minute birthday gift idea (or just want to treat yourself), you might want to order some of these online or head to your nearest Godiva retailer.

Here's to the sweet life!

xo, Alicia 

Table Service: French Style

Late this spring while reading Lessons from Madame Chic by Jennifer L. Scott, there was a passage which described 'Madame Chic' wheeling to the table a cart with the family meal she had prepared:

What a lovely formality for daily dining and quite practical and efficient as well.  I have an affinity for bar carts however my husband and I do not drink much, so to use one for it's intended purpose would be impractical.  To use a bar cart for table service would be a chic addition to meals any time of day.  Here are a few of my favorites:

{Gold Faux Bamboo via Ebay}

{Colin Cowie for HSN}

{Williams Sonoma}

{Makes me laugh because it looks like a stroller! Still love it though. via Etsy}

Would you consider a bar cart to elevate your daily dining? 

xo, Alicia

Weekend Snapshots

Happy Monday! Hope you had a lovely weekend.  Here are a few snapshots of what my weekend consisted of:

{On Friday evening, I came home to find my new necklace had arrived!}

 

 

 

{Followed by a pedicure in Essie's Licorice shade}

 

 

 

{Saturday consisted of catching up on a stack of mags dropped off by oldest bestie!}

 

 

{Saturday night was Oktoberfest. 1st pitcher of the night!}

 

 

 

{Sunday I decided it was time to pick my homegrown produce..tiniest green pepper ever, right?  Remember what I told you about my non-existent green thumb in this post?  Celebrating their beauty with my German flag from Oktoberfest which was served in our apple strudel...yum!}

 

What did you do over the weekend?

xo,

Alicia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coming up Roses

Rose gold jewelry that is.  It's the hottest thing since sliced bread, quite difficult to find at times, but utterly gorgeous, especially with lingering summery bronze skin.  My mother recently gave me this necklace and I have been wearing it endlessly with everything.  Oh how I love thee...

{A delicate, rose gold sparkling disc necklace} 

This necklace inspired me to purchase a few more to layer with it or in other various combinations:

{via etsy}

{via etsy}

Mmm Mmm Marshmallow

A neat little story about the fashionable resurgence of marshmallows in France along with two recipes for homemade marshmallows.  Yum Yum!

AFP © A Paris shop displays jars with marshmallows. Sweet or salty, flavoured with fruit, flowers, vegetables - even fish - classic versions and novel takes on the puffy pastel-coloured cubes are winning a new fan base in the country that invented the treats.

Click below for the full article:

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/lifestyle/a/-/article/14749132/france-melts-for-marshmallow-treats/

For fancy (and more labor-intensive) marshmallows, here is a recipe from Clotilde Dusoulier, author of the popular cookbook and blog Chocolate and Zucchini.  This is a picture of her Guimauve a la Rose et au Chocolat:

{photo via Chocolate & Zucchini}

For a simple, 6 ingredient recipe, here is one from Ina Garten, a.k.a. Barefoot Contessa:

{photo via foodnetwork}



Enjoy! 

xo, Alicia