Lisa and Nikki's Friday Finds!

Hi Friends:

What has inspired and delighted us this week? Here they are - the sights, sounds, tastes and one-of-a-kinds we loved!

What's in Tennessee, Nashville. What's in Nashville, a good time. There's a reason why Southern Living magazine calls it "Nash-vegas!" Pop in and out of bars (no cover) where bands perform everything from George Strait to ZZ Top and dance the night away. Indulge in a Goo Goo Cluster - a milk chocolate, peanuts, caramel and marshmallow nougat confection made in Nashville since 1912. Buy Western boots! And, most importantly, shop vintage!

Garlic Crusted Chicken Nuggets from Dr. Junger's Clean Blog! This quick and simple recipe developed for his new Gut Cleanse program is out of this world. Dr. Junger and his team are devoted to improving health through clean eating!

Vintage pins! We love them. Wear them on everything from jackets and shawls to sweaters and shirt cuffs. Love, love the idea of clipping one on a strand of pearls!  

Animal Cookie Cutters and Animal Cookie Recipe from King Arthur Flour! How cute are these? For a real authentic taste, order the Princess Cake and Cookie Flavor; it will make a difference. 

Spring is just around the corner so we're taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of winter!

Have a great weekend!

Christmas Cookies!

Hi Friends:

It's that time again. Christmas cookie time! Everyone at one point or another gets in on the act. We bake with our kids, exchange with our friends and neighbors, bring them to the office, and package them for gifts. Maybe it's the pastry chef in me, but I'm a sucker for all those magazines featuring the "best-ever cookies!" I pour over the recipes analyzing ingredients, technique and appearance in an effort to come up with my choices for the year. This is no small task. Chocolate must figure into the mix along with interesting variations of shortbread, spritz, sugar and icebox. Texture and shape factor in - balls, bars, rolls, drops and wedges are all possibilities. Should I include a bark or a toffee? Most importantly, will the cookie be flavorful. How many times have you been seduced by a beautiful cookie only to find it dry and tasteless! Every year, it seems, I up the ante. Sure, I have my tried and true favorites, but I'm always looking for the next "best" cookie. You can relate, right? 

Well, take a look at a few products that I'm using this year to help create the perfect cookie:  

Fiori Di Sicilia is so aromatic! This citrus and vanilla flavoring is a King Arthur Flour exclusive.

Vietnamese cinnamon! Sweeter and stronger, it offers the intense cinnamon flavor you're looking for. Available everywhere.

Brigitte-Keks Message on a Cookie Cutter set lets you create cookies with a personal message. Simply slide the individual letters into the holder, place into the cutter and press! Available at Amazon and Fancy Flours.

Fred Letter Pressed is a combination cookie cutter and stamp. First you punch out the letter shape and then flip over the punch and stamp the letter. The set includes all 26 letters allowing you to spell out anything you like!

Stretch-Tite Plastic Wrap is the absolute best. This premium wrap, preferred by professionals, stretches and seals reliably!

That's the way the cookie crumbles this year. If you're baking this Christmas, make it fun!