Wednesday, February 9, 2011

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Birthday Zone

The party is this week! Cati's first birthday party is just a few days away. I have made so many trips to Costco, Michael's, BJ's, and Publix in the last few days that I'm starting to think I work there. I have been so busy with prep work and a ton of last minute decisions that I haven't even had time to register how I'm feeling emotionally about this milestone. I just know that it will hit me after the party: after we have celebrated with our loved ones and I'm once again reminded of how much people love Cati. The big weekend bet will be at what point will I cry: after the party, on her actual birthday, or as I'm putting my baby to sleep for the last time as a baby. All I can say is that I'm thankful Alex is on vacation so he can give me a little talk when my emotions get the better on me.

Anyway, enough about emotions. The party is this week! True to myself, the one thing I am really excited about when it comes to the party (other than celebrating Cati herself) is the dessert table. I have layouts drawn out and I even set-up the table just to get a feel for how everything would fit and look. I'm not so concerned with other aspects of the party but, for some reason, I am obsessing over this dessert table. There will be ten items on the table and I am making six of those items. Today was Day One of my mini baking marathon and it was a huge success. I'm already ahead of schedule and am so proud of how everything came out. My kitchen is a disaster but I guess that's the price you pay for baking heaven.

Here's the current state of affairs in our kitchen and a sneak peek into my highly anticipated and planned dessert table:
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Stephanie
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Styling C: 02.07.11 to 02.09.11

Monday, 02.07.11
The Look: Casual Cutie
The Outfit: Junk Food for Gap purple Belle top, Old Navy jeans, Gap jelly shoes
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Tuesday, 02.08.11
The Look: Miami Casual
The Outfit: La Ideal pink bow, Bonnie Baby floral top, Crazy8 jeans, Me Too silver shoes
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Wednesday, 02.09.11
The Look: Sweet & Girly
The Outfit: First Impressions pink floral dress
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Stephanie

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

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TWD: Bourbon Bread Pudding

Bourbon Bread Pudding
I never thought I would be a bread pudding fan but Dorie has turned me into one. Alex and I both enjoyed this week's Bourbon Bread Pudding selection. I will admit, however, that I cheated a bit because I wasn't in the mood to wait around while the pudding sat for an hour. Instead, I stuck the pudding in the oven right after I pour the liquid over the bread without a water bath and baked for about 25 minutes. The pudding looked gorgeous right when it was taken out of the oven because it was all puffed up like a soufflé. The pudding itself was delicious and I thought the bourbon actually gave the pudding a bit of a coconut flavor.
Bourbon Bread Pudding
Thanks to Sharon of Simply Southern for a fantastic selection. Make sure to stop by her blog for the recipe and the TWD site to read what everyone else thought about this pudding.
Stephanie

Sunday, February 6, 2011

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Styling C: 02.03.11 to 02.06.11

Thursday, 02.03.11
The Look: Cupcake Cutie
The Outfit: Bonnie Baby green plaid cupcake top and pants
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Friday, 02.04.11
The Look: Gingham Baby
The Outfit: Crazy8 blue gingham top, Garaminals jean leggings , Jazzy Toes socks
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Saturday, 02.05.11
The Look: Sweet & Chic
The Outfit: Ten purple peasant top, Gap skinny jeans, Carter's white socks
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Sunday, 02.06.11
The Look: Miami Casual
The Outfit: Gymboree white watermelon top, Old Navy jeans and brown socks
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 Stephanie
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This Week in Mommyhood

This past week was an interesting week for Cati. We had been doing so well with the milk switch when, all of a sudden, Cati started having loose poops (not diarrhea) and got a nasty diaper rash. I called the pediatrician but never heard back so I did what every mother should never do: I googled. Turns out loose poops and diaper rash are signs of a milk sensitivity. It also turns out that this could just be her body adjusting to all the sugars in the whole cow's milk. I was freaked out by the diaper rash because it was so bad that it hurt Cati to sit on her bum in the bath and it hurt when we wiped her down. So, based on handy Google,  I had two options, (1) stop giving her cow's milk and try giving her 2% or (2) keep on giving her the milk until her body adjusted. I want with a modified option (1) and stopped the cow's milk for a day so the rash could clear up. I made sure to keep everything else in her diet the same just to completely rule out a milk sensitivity.
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The diaper rash got better, but then I was faced with another problem. The frozen milk was dwindling down and I didn't want to throw her into something new without her being eased in first. After a day of breast milk only, I went to the store and bought her organic whole milk and 2% milk. I started off with the organic whole milk because I know whole milk is better for her. And would you believe it that she is taking the organic milk like a champ? No diaper rash, no loose poop diapers, nothing! Now I'm wondering if she is reacting better to the organic milk because it is less processed? Either way, I'm glad she is reacting so well because there is literally 20-something ounces of breast milk left in the house.
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Other than the milk setback, Cati has been doing wonderfully this week. She's still being a fickle eater and, unfortunately, she seems to eat better when other people feed her. She definitely associates me with playtime and takes me feeding her a game of "here mommy, eat this!"
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Cati loves to drink out of a straw so I thought I would try giving her a sippy cup with a straw to drink out. I know these are such normal things but when my daughter does them I think they are the cutest things on the planet. She looks absolutely adorable walking around with her cup.
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Last week Cati learned how to say "woof" when she saw Perla but this week she's learned how to say "woof" whenever she sees a dog! I can't believe how quickly babies make connections like this. Another example has to do with bubbles. We showed her bubbles for the first time last week and this week she knows you have to blow to get the bubbles to come out. She also knows grown-ups are better at bubble blowing and she's constantly bringing us the bubbles so we can blow her bubbles.
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The cutest moment this week was when Alex was leaving and she waved at him and blew him kisses. Talk about melting your heart. I will miss certain parts of the baby stage but it's moments like this that remind me there is so much to look forward to with Cati growing up.
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Cati has eight more days left of babyhood and this week was spent pouring over her newborn pictures and being amazed at the change and rate of growth.
Stephanie

Saturday, February 5, 2011

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Nutella Panna Cotta

Nutella Panna Cotta
Oh Nutella, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways: I love to eat you on a spoon, on bread, with a banana, on my french toast, in brownies, and basically with anything and on everything. This chocolaty hazelnut spread is a real treat and perfect for satisfying the sweet tooth when regular chocolate won't do it.
I made this Nutella Panna Cotta recipe to celebrate World Nutella Day. I didn't get to participate in last year's celebration so I wanted to make sure to participate this year. I completely agree with World Nutella Day creators Sara of Ms Adventures in Italy and Michelle of Bleeding Espresso that Nutella is so amazing it deserves a day to itself. This panna cotta is so easy to make that it's reason enough for everyone to indulge in a little Nutella celebration today. It is creamy and silky and full of that hazelnut flavor that makes Nutella so amazing.
Nutella Panna Cotta

Nutella Panna Cotta
Source: Technicolor Kitchen
Serves 8

1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
1 cup Nutella
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups (360ml) heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (240ml) whole milk

In a medium bowl, whisk together the gelatin and 3 tablespoons cold water.

Put the Nutella and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring the cream and vanilla to a boil. Pour 1/3 of the hot cream mixture over the gelatin and whisk it well. Then pour the gelatin mixture back into the remaining cream.

Pour about 1/3 of the cream mixture over the Nutella. Whisk well to form a smooth paste. Add the remaining cream mixture and whisk well to combine. Whisk in the milk.

Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, then divide it among eight ramekins, glasses or cups. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours – the panna cotta can be kept, loosely covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

They can be served in the ramekins or dipped in hot water and unmolded onto a serving plate.
Stephanie

Friday, February 4, 2011

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Stylish Blogger Award

I'm very excited about this post. If there's ever a compliment to a blogger it's receiving an award from another blogger. And that's exactly what the wonderful Desi of SteakNPotatoesKindaGurl did. The award is the Stylish Blogger Award and this is why Desi passed it on to me:

Stephanie at Confessions of a City Eater deserves this award because she is a great mommy to a gorgeous baby girl, and I love reading about her journeys as a new mommy. She also has some delish recipes to share!
Thank you so much Desi!


Now to accept the award I must do the following:

1. Thank and link back to the wonderful blogger who awarded me with the award. Done!

2. Share 7 things about myself.
  • I recently discovered red lipstick and I wear it every time I go out. 
  • Although I consider myself a Miami native, I was actually born in Illinois.
  • I have a really short temper.
  • I love to dance but never get to do it because Alex hates dancing.
  • I would pick a hamburger over a filet mignon or porterhouse steak any day.
  • I don't like strawberry as a fruit on its own, but I love strawberry jelly, sauce, and shakes.
  • I secretly wish I could make some of Cati's clothes bigger so I could wear them.
3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers.

4. Contact the bloggers and inform them of the award. This is my task for the night!
Stephanie
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    Indulgence: Chocolate Beer Truffles

    Chocolate Beer Truffles
    When I saw these Chocolate Beer Truffles on Baker's Royale I knew I had to make them. We had just bought Terrapin Beer's Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout and I wanted to make a dessert appropriate for the football festivities this weekend. The truffles were easy to make, but very messy! I had to use every ounce of strength to not lick my hands after I rolled each truffle and I did a whole lot of hand-washing and wiping between.
    Chocolate Beer Truffles
    The truffles themselves were simply luxurious. They were smooth, rich, and decadently dark chocolaty. To make them really Super Bowl-friendly I rolled them in pretzel crumbs. The pretzel crumbs added both a taste (salty) and texture (crunchy) contrast.
    Chocolate Beer Truffles

    Chocolate Beer Truffles
    Source:Adapted from Sweet Fiend on Endless Simmer
    Yields 12 tablespoon-sized truffles

    1 oz unsweetened chocolate
    3.5 oz semi-sweet chocolate
    1/4 cup heavy cream
    2 Tbsp chocolate beer
    ~1/3 cup pretzel crumbs (about 1/2 cup of pretzels)

    Place chocolate and heavy cream in a heat-proof bowl over (not on) simmering water. Let chocolate and cream heat up for 3 minutes untouched. After 3 minutes whisk mixture until fully incorporated.

    Remove bowl from heat and let cool for 20-30 minutes. To cool the chocolate even faster, place over a bowl of ice filled water. Once cooled, slowly and gently stir in beer.

    Cover the surface with plastic wrap and place in freezer for about 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Meanwhile, crush the pretzels until all big pieces are broken down.

    Remove truffle mixture from the freezer. Using a spoon or a melon-baller, scoop out chocolate rounds. Finish forming truffles by hand and then roll in the pretzel crumbs. Make sure to work quickly because the chocolate begins to melt the longer it is held. Place truffles on a covered baking sheet or on a plate if being served immediately. If being served later, place in refrigerator.

    Enjoy!
    Stephanie
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    A Little Birthday Chatter, Part 3

    Have I told you about my mini freak outs every day since February 1st? Well, every day I have moments of "holy crap my baby turns one this month" and "I can't believe I was pregnant a year ago." These moments always occur when I'm either doing something party-related or thinking about how the party is NEXT week. While this party is to celebrate Cati's milestone I know full well that the party is more for me than her. She won't remember all the details but I still want this party to be beautiful and fantastic so that when she looks back at this date she'll know how much we celebrated her life. To that end I have a theme (ballerinas), a color palette (pink, aqua, white), and lots of creative DIY projects (tutu wreath and name banner).
    Helping me achieve my vision for Cati's birthday is one of my favorite bloggers, Sarah of Growing On Gettysburg. I'll admit that the main reason she is one of my favorites is because of her son Liam. I honestly believe he is the cutest little boy around and I totally think of him as Cati's online boyfriend. Seriously, look at him HERE and tell me he and Cati would not make the cutest baby couple. Go ahead and give it a try. See what I mean? Other than being a mom to ultra cute Liam, Sarah really inspires me because she oozes creativity and has decided to share her creativity with the world through her Aspire to Be shop (Facebook and Etsy).

    Oh and to really top it off,  she is incredibly sweet. After seeing my Birthday Chatter post she emailed me and asked me about toppers. I said "of course I want them!" and was really happy I wasn't going to have to attempt this project myself.  Sarah came up with a few designs, I picked my favorites, and I got the toppers in the mail today. You'll have to wait and see what I do with them though because they are not going on cupcakes.
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    Aren't they stunning? I'm so in love with them and even more so because they were made by someone I consider a blogging friend. This blog has helped connect me to people I would never know and I am so thankful for that. Even Cati was thankful to count Sarah and Liam as friends.

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    So the birthday just got better and right now, at this very second I am fighting the urge to yell, "OMG I AM A MOTHER TO A TODDLER, WHEN THE HECK DID I GET OLD ENOUGH FOR THAT?!?!?!"
    Stephanie

    Thursday, February 3, 2011

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    Styling C: 01.31.11 to 02.02.11

    Monday, 01.31.11
    The Look: Sneaker Chic
    The Outfit:The Children's Place white top, Crazy8 black and pink polka dot skirt
    Carter's pink socks, Converse pink sneakers
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    Tuesday, 02.01.11
    The Look: Gingham Sweet
    The Outfit: First Impressions pink gingham dress/top, Gap jeans, 
    Carter's pink socks
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    Wednesday, 02.02.11
    The Look: Mod Baby
    The Outfit: Gap pink floral dress, Me Too silver shoes
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    Stephanie