All posts by hannahviolin

I am a violinist. I also enjoy running, working out, reading, and hanging with my friends and cat.
Christmas

Holiday entertaining is delightful

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The past few years I’ve been hosting a “Cookie Swap Party” but this year I figured, you know, I’ve got enough on my plate with Thanksgiving, I don’t think I’m going to host a party.  Plus I shouldn’t have all those cookies around the house anyway, what with my constant complaining of wanting to lose 10 (now 20) pounds. 

But yet…

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This was so much fun.

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And I love making these guys to snack on…

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Tri-color cookies.  I made these last year for Chris…I may make them again because I think I’m starting to love them as much as he does and my mouth is watering just looking at them.

I like making cookies.  And more to the point, Chris and I LOVE eating cookies.  I can also be fairly reasonable with cookies, and just because I’ll have some on hand this year, it doesn’t mean I have to eat a whole bunch of them everyday.  I am an adult and I have self control.

Besides, I’ve finally jumped on the “Pinterest” bandwagon, and I was pinning recipes and holiday party ideas like a madman last night (Come follow me!!!) 

That’s right, I’ve definitely decided to throw the Cookie Swap Party in about two weeks.  After all, it’s not hard to throw together (for someone awesome like me who really does love entertaining even with all the stress) and I know I’m going to make cookies ANYWAY so I might as well do the swap and get a bunch of great cookies from friends. 

After all, Thanksgiving is over, and I’ve finally caught up on my sleep. (I may have been having trouble sleeping for a few days due to the stress.) There’s four more weeks till Christmas (give or take) and that seems like a long time.  Plus this year I finally have a great house for entertaining and I want to show it off.

Here’s one of my favorite Christmas cookies recipes.  In case you didn’t get enough butter on Thanksgiving.  (Oh, and yes, of course, the fridge is still packed full of leftovers.)

Jam Filled Butter Cookies (from allrecipes.com, modified), pictured in the background behind the Hershey Kiss Cookies.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

4 egg yolks

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup fruit preserves, any flavor

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar, and egg yolks. Mix in flour a little bit at a time until a soft dough forms. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. If dough is too soft, refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes. Place balls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Use your finger or an instrument of similar size to make a well in the center of each cookie. Fill the hole with ½ teaspoon of preserves (I usually use a ziploc bag and cut off the corner to make this easier).

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

(If you make these, you are welcome to send me a batch for Christmas.)

What’s your favorite cookie to make?

Did you enter my giveaway for a free book?  I think you’ll enjoy it—go sign up!

Product Reviews

Vitacost Cyber weekend sale!

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As you all know I’ve been “selling out,” or at least, “selling”, on my blog a bit lately.  I’d make the argument that everybody else is doing it, but as a violinist, you know I don’t care what everybody else is doing.  The fact is, I love blogging and I love having people read my blog, and doing product reviews seems like something that will help bring more people to my awesome blog, and hopefully a few of them will stay and comment and return again to see what I’m up to later.  Plus it’s the season for shopping and trying to get the best bang for your buck, right?

Anyway, no giveaways today (you can still enter yesterday’s) but there’s a great deal for a company I learned about recently:

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Vitacost.com:

I recently learned from another local blogger about a pretty cool online store that sells a bunch of different health, beauty, and wellness products.  In the words from the store–

“With Vitacost.com, you don’t have to choose between stores that sell products you don’t really want at super-low prices, and stores that sell the better health and wellness products you want at crazy-high prices. We offer over 2,000 of the top, most-trusted natural brands, diet foods and healthy living essentials-the very best nutritional supplements, whole foods and sports nutrition-at discount prices, up to 50% off. And we’ll deliver them right to your door for FREE if your order totals $49 or more. Otherwise, shipping is just a small, flat-rate fee of $4.99, no matter how big the box.”

Now here’s the fun part.  In addition to the regular savings (I looked at  a few products I use, like protein powder, and the prices seem really good) there is a great sale happening NOW (Today, 11/24 8 am CST through 11/26 10:59 CST)

15 percent off EVERYTHING!  So go check it out.  ‘Tis the season to spend a lot of money, right?

And there will be a giveaway coming soon, so stay tuned–if 15% off isn’t quite enough for you, perhaps free will work better?

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Do you like shopping online or in stores more?

Product Reviews

Some cool product designs from zazzle.com

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As the holidays approach, two things are happening on this blog.  First, I’m becoming more sappy and sentimental.  You know how that is—holidays make you think of family and being a child and all the things you’re left behind as you make your move into adulthood.  Secondly, I’m becoming more commercial 😉  I’m in my pajamas, eating stuffing and corn pudding, and debating a run.  And going through my email inbox trying to respond to various people and their bids for my time, money, or attention.  (I’ve got another one of these kind of posts coming up tomorrow.  I’ll try to counter it by talking about pie in between, and maybe telling you how awesome the run I have yet to take was.)

Zazzle contacted me to see if I would let you guys know about some of their products.  I’ve ordered mugs and tote bags from them before, so I definitely don’t mind sharing some ideas with you guys.  Here are some cool products I picked out, and I invite you to visit the site and mess around a bit.  You might find some great gift ideas, and naturally they have some good Black Friday sales going on.

 
 

I should mention that Zazzle provided me with a gift certificate in exchange for my time.  Blogging isn’t free you know 🙂  Maybe I’ll buy my favorite reader a gift with the gift certificate!  Who wants what? And what makes you think you’re my favorite reader?

Giveaways

One good friend deserves another (Giveaway closed!)

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I am a sucker for a good “chick-lit” book.  I’m partial to those with plots that take place in London, but New York is acceptable, and I will consider other cities.  Some of my absolute favorite authors include Elizabeth Young, Marian Keyes, and Anna Maxted.

I was recently given the opportunity to read and review a book by Lisa Verge Higgins called “One good friend deserves another.”

(From the back):

“Dhara, Kelly, Marta, and Wendy have been the closest of friends since college.  So close, that after a series of romantic disasters, they bond together to create Rules of Relationships to keep their hearts safe.

Years later, the rules seem to have worked…until Marta discovers that her hot boyfriend is married, Kelly begins a risky love affair, Wendy inches closer to a pre-marital infidelity, and most shocking of all, Indian-American Dhara suddenly agrees to an arranged marriage.

Hearts are about to be broken and the bonds of friendship are tested.  Is it possible to find true love, when you’re breaking all the rules?”

 

I thought the book was a good read.  It’s not overly dramatic or emotional but it’s fun and the characters are generally likeable and relatable.  I especially appreciated that the author kept us up on all the characters by using the third person rather than the oh-so-popular-and-gimmicky FIRST PERSON with different chapters for each person.  (Just finished the most recent Emily Giffin and was totally annoyed by that—am I alone in this?)  I don’t want to spoil the plot or anything, but I enjoyed the book and will likely re-read it.  The characters were fairly well-fleshed and the ending wrapped up nicely and believably.

The author has another book coming out in March called “Friendship makes the heart grow fonder.”  In fact she has written 15 novels according to her facebook page, so I will have to read some more of them!

Okay, giveaway time (perfect for Black Friday, right?):  One lucky reader will win a free copy of the book “One good friend deserves another.”  Open to US/Canada residents only.  Contest runs through Tuesday night 11/27 at 10 pm CST.  Winner will be notified via email.

Three ways to enter (leave a separate comment for each, up to three chances): (Edited:  Contest is closed.  Winner announced soon!)

(You must leave a comment here on the blog!)

1. (Mandatory) Leave a comment and tell me what genre or author you love to read.  (Bonus points for sending me a copy of your favorite book for Christmas…just kidding…)

2.  “Like” Lisa Verge Higgins (the author) on facebook and leave a comment telling me you did.

3.  “Like” Hannahviolin on facebook and leave a comment telling me you did.

I was provided a review copy of the book free of charge, but all opinions are my own. 

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all a good night!

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How pretty is our table?

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I just spent the last three straight days preparing for Thanksgiving dinner.  Shopping and cleaning for one day, then practically two straight days cooking.  We had a garbage disposal mishap last night which thankfully Chris was able to fix, and today’s biggest mishap was when I cut my thumb wrangling with my food processor.  I meant to take tons of pictures today, and I absolutely FORGOT.  I was so stressed and so busy that I just didn’t.  Blogger fail.  But it was a wonderful day.  The food was amazing and plentiful.  The company was wonderful.  Chris and I worked together to do something challenging and really pulled it off.  I love that feeling.

Tomorrow I’m sleeping in, finishing cleaning up, running about 400 miles, and probably eating corn casserole, turkey, and pie.  I can’t wait.

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Don’t judge my pie crust. 

Food

Sour Cream Apple Pie

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Since one person asked, I thought I’d share my grandmother’s recipe for Sour Cream Apple Pie.  I’m making one of these tomorrow and can’t wait (I like to lick the bowl after I make the sour cream mixture.  This is why I’m fat.) I don’t think I’ve ever had one made BY my grandmother but it is from the recipe box and it’s just delicious.  You should probably add it to your menu.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 cup sugar

6 Tbsp flour, divided

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

3 cups chopped peeled cooking apples

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

3 Tbsp cold butter or margarine

1 pie crust—8 to 10 inches

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs.  Add the sour cream.  Stir in the sugar, 2 Tbsp of the flour, vanilla, and salt—mix well.  Stir in the apples.  Pour into a pie crust.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, make the topping: combine brown sugar and the remaining 4 Tbsp of flour; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.  Sprinkle over the top of the pie.  Return to the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the filling is set. 

Cool completely on a wire rack.  Serve right away,  or cover and refrigerate.

Not pretty, but delicious!