02 Tuesday Jan 2018
Posted in what's ringin' our belle
Tags
a beautiful mess, A Positive Prescription, apartment therapy, cookies, earrings, Intermix, lizzie fortunato, sallys baking addiction
We knew there was a reason to love paper bags…..
How to make your wardrobe look expensive…
Via A beautiful mess
Feather light and oh-so-right…
Ring-a-ling!
a&a
09 Tuesday May 2017
Posted in what's ringin' our belle
Tags
amazon, bath, champagne, cookies, eat with james, float, girl scout, raft, refinery 29, wardrobe hacks
As we are bathing belles, we couldn’t resist this PSA
A cousin of ours has started a new website! Yum!!!! Check it out Here
Via Eatwithjames
We like Champagne in all its forms
Via Amazon
How to fix those pesky problems in your wardrobe…
Via refinery29
Omg. You can buy Girl Scout cookies on Amazon!!
Via Amazon! Dangerous!
26 Thursday Mar 2015
Posted in what's ringin' our belle
Tags
Anthropologie, cookies, Easter, egg hunt, eggs, Eleni's, gifts, Terrain, Williams Sonoma
Focusing on the eggs…because Easter decor and egg hunts would be a bit lame without them…our gift options today are eggs-tra special!
For table decor that will be used year after year…
…these alabaster eggs from Williams Sonoma are deemed totally belle-worthy!
For the powder room…attention to detail, belles…
…these robin’s egg soaps from Terrain are just the ticket!
And for an edible treat…also from Williams Sonoma, we are thinking these Speckled Egg Petit Fours would be extra-belleicious…
This next item can be used year-round, but wouldn’t it help display those colorful eggs in style? We think you and yours need these colorful crates from Anthropologie…
then you can hide ’em with some little “hints” for the kiddos with this egg hunt kit…
from Terrain
…and to occupy the little ones while the egg-hiding happens…
…aren’t these coloring egg cookies perfect?? Order from Eleni’s New York, and everyone’s happy!!
Well, belles…we hope you have gotten some great ideas this week, and hope you are well on your way to having the Easter baskets filled. We’ve done our best!!
a&a
18 Thursday Dec 2014
Posted in belle-icious
Okay…butter, sugar, flour…now, dear belles, how can this combination NOT be amazingly belle-icious?!
These simple ingredients marry-up to create one of our very favorite creations…shortbread in all it’s glory. We have long held a fascination for this divine little nibble, but our interest was recently piqued by a fellow belle who has created quite a stir with her tea cookies in two unusual, yet belle-icious flavors…Lavender and Orange-Cardamom. They are 100% to die for! One might purchase them at Savvy (among other retail establishments)…or one might check out her website, Carolina Girl Cooks, to place an order online. Either way…these are a must-try!
Now, being curious little belles, and having a constant hankering to do some experimenting in our own kitchens, we decided to try our own hands at some creative shortbread. We must say…it was totally worth the effort!! Here’s what we created…
Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 c powdered
1 tbsp lavender buds
Zest of 1 lemon
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 t vanilla extract
2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 t kosher salt
Course sugar for garnish
In food processor, combine powdered sugar, lavender, and lemon zest. Pulse to combine and break up Lavender buds…
Add butter and vanilla. Process until well-combined. Then add salt and flour. Process just until combined…don’t over-process.
Turn dough out onto parchment or waxed paper and roll into a log. At this point, we roll the dough up in the paper and usually cut in half or thirds to store in a zip-loc bag. Refrigerate several hours…or even a couple of days.
When ready to bake, cut into 1/4 inch cookies, place on ungreased cookie sheet, and sprinkle each cookie with just a bit of the course sugar
Bake at 375 degrees for 13 minutes.
Allow to cool completely on a rack, then devour…or package them up for friends…
Savory, crispy, buttery, slightly sweet perfection!
a&a
13 Saturday Dec 2014
Posted in belle-icious
Imagine, if you will, coming home one afternoon, dog-tired, running low on sense and steam…when, lo and behold, wafting from the kitchen…could it be the smell of fresh-baked cookies? An aroma mirage, surely!
To the delight of tall, blonde belle, it was actually a reality just the other day when one of our beloved junior belles decided to try Janice’s Mountain Top Chocolate Cookies from Glamour magazine.
Well, it couldn’t have been better timing! This belle propped right up with a hot cup of coffee and a warm cookie…with a rolo in it!! Shut the front door and give us just the sugar rush we need to make it through the rest of the day.
Junior belle earned extra points that day, at least enough for us to forgive the mess in the kitchen. She is still a work in progress, bless her heart.
Behold the best cookie recipe for a cold day….oh, who are we kidding?? Any day, really!!
Janice’s Mountain Top Chocolate Cookies
5 oz. salted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 bag mini Rolos
2 tbsp coarse salt
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together butter and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla; beat until smooth.
2. Add flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; beat on low until just combined.
3. Pour powdered sugar into a small bowl. Using your hands, scoop about a tablespoon of dough and press a Rolo candy into the middle. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on top, and roll dough into a ball in your hands, then coat in powdered sugar until completely covered.
4. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between each cookie. Bake until tops begin to crack and cookies are firm, about 10 minutes. Let cool on a rack.
Makes about 10-15 cookies. Store in airtight container.
So go tell it on the mountain…and, hint, hint…Santa might just enjoy this little nibble as he sets about his work. Just sayin’…
a&a
the RARE belle 