Baking In the Beach - Pumpkin Pie Cookies

Hello Friendships!

Thanksgiving is just a few days away and I am so excited for friends, family, and food! This is right up there on my favorite holidays list next to Christmas and Fourth of July. Brian's family came down to celebrate the holiday with us this year. Besides showing them around and letting them do the whole "tourist" thing, they came over for Sunday football and his little sister Samantha helped me bake these totally delicious pumpkin pie cookies! It was very fun, and really easy for her to help out. This recipe makes 24 cookies.

Mmm!! So delicious!

Here's the ingredients:

I always have my basics on hand: flours, sugars, and seasonings. 

Pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice can be used in so many fall favorites!

For the cookie base and topping

• 1 pouch (1 lb. 1.5 oz) of sugar cookie mix (we used Betty Crocker)
• 1/4 cup cold butter
• 4 oz cold cream cheese

For the pumpkin filling

• 3 oz softened cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 3 tablespoons of canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix!!!)
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Here's what you'll need:

Don't let your utensils gather dust; bring them out, grab a friend and bake something today!

• muffins tins
• mixing bowls
• spatula
• measuring utensils
• fork/spoon for mixing
• pastry blender or fork
• can opener
• non-stick spray

Here's how to do it:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees
• Generously spray the muffin tins with the non-stick cooking spray. Make sure to cover everything or else the cookies will be harder to pop out
• In a large bowl, add cookie mix, butter and cream cheese. Combine them by using a pastry blender (or fork) until the mixture is crumbly. Don't over mix! *I got my pastry blender from Bed Bath and Beyond, and I absolutely love it. It makes baking easier and it was less than $5!
• Save a cup of the mixture for the topping
• Firmly press 2 tablespoons of the mixture evenly into the bottom of each muffin cup. We used a small glass to help. I think it is easier for children to get the mixture even and firm.

It's fun baking with kids. Teach them some of your favorite recipes today! They'll surprise you with what they can do in the kitchen!

• Now onto the filling: In a small bowl, stir the softened cream cheese until smooth
• Add the sugar, pumpkin, flour and pumpkin pie spice and stir until well incorporated
• Place 1 rounded teaspoon of filling to the center of each cookie
• Sprinkle about two teaspoons of the cookie topping over each cookie 

Sammy stirring up our batch. Check out that awesome technique!

• Bake 18-20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. (We did 18 minutes, but they were darker than I like, so keep an eye on them starting around 15 minutes)
• Let the cookies cool completely in their pans, about 30 minutes or so
• Run a metal spatula around the edge of each cookie to loosen them up. They will kind of "pop" out of the tins

Mouthwatering aromas fill the air when these puppies come out of the oven!

These cookies made the house smell amazing! They have the sugary crunch from the classic sugar cookie, with a smooth filling that tastes just like pumpkin pie. These cookies are great for people (like myself) who love pumpkin pie, but can't eat too much because it is so heavy. 

It was great fun baking with Samantha! I love getting children involved in the kitchen. It helps teach about measurements, following directions, working hard, and enjoying the delicious results! 

I hope you all have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving. May it be a day filled with peace and love. I am thankful for everything I have been able to achieve this year, my family and friends, my awesome career (even if I have to work the night shift this Thanksgiving) and of course.. all of you! 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING Friendships!

xoxo

Nicole

Brunch In The Beach

Hello Friendships!

There is nothing I love more on a Sunday morning than getting together with my friends for brunch. There are three couples: myself and Brian, Alex and AJ, and Amber and Vinny. The six of us are all actually friends from back home in Bethel CT. Through the years, each couple has made their way down to The Beach and its pretty cool having that kind of relationship with people when you're that far away from home. So once a month, we gather at Amber and Vinny’s house to enjoy all sorts of delicious breakfast food, and friendship.

Amber is pretty creative when she cooks and always comes up with something new. This last Sunday when we got together we had Pumpkin Butter Pancakes and Jack Daniel’s French Toast Bake. Both were absolutely amazing. I tend to like pancakes more than french toast, but anything Amber makes is always scrumptious and worth trying.

Amber and I enjoying our drinks while we finish cooking.

Since they are so delicious and look pretty amazing, Amber agreed to share her recipes for my blog.

(She’s so nice, isn't she?!)

Pumpkin Butter Pancakes

Ingredients:

• Pancake mix
• Pumpkin butter (or any variation of) 
• **You can find pumpkin butter at specialty stores such as Trader Joe’s, Le Gourmet Chef, Kitchen Collection, and even some stores like Home Goods, TJ Maxx, and Bed Bath and Beyond in their specialty items sections.
• Pumpkin spice seasoning (McCormick sells this with their other spices)

Directions:

1. Grab your favorite pancake mix and make as instructed on the box.
2. For every 4 pancakes, add in 1 tablespoon of pumpkin butter to the mixture.
3. (example: 4 pancakes, 1tbs, 8 pancakes, 2tbs, and so on)
4. Sprinkle in pumpkin spice. This will be to taste, but Amber recommends about 1/2 teaspoon to every 4 pancakes. 
5. Follow the directions on the pancake box for cooking directions.

French Toast Bake (Jack Daniel’s, or other liquors optional)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cup milk **IF using liquor, use 1 cup milk, and 1/2 cup liquor)
• 1 loaf Texas toast (thick sliced bread)
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Cinnamon for dusting
• Powdered sugar for dusting
• Maple syrup

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl, or in a small sauce pan and add brown sugar and stir until mixed.
2. Pour butter/sugar mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 pan and spread evenly
3. Beat eggs, milk, and vanilla (and liquor if you're using it, and are of legal age, by the way!)
4. Lay a single layer of toast in the pan and spoon 1/2 of the egg mixture on top
5. Add a second layer of bread and spoon on remainder of the egg mixture
6. Sprinkle top with cinnamon
7. Cover and chill overnight 
8. Bake at 350 degrees, covered with tin foil, for about 30 minutes
9. Remove tin foil and continue to bake for another 15 minutes or so until the top gets crispy
10. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup

Along with these we cook sausage and bacon, (lots of bacon. I’m talking about 4 pounds of bacon between 6 people because each man gets a pound to himself, and us ladies share a pound between the three of us.) 

Mmmmm... Bacon! Sausage too!

We also can’t forget the most important part to any brunch. The glorious liquid to help wash down a tremendous meal. Of course I am talking about Mimosas! (and Bloody Mary’s too, but I personally do not like them.) What makes orange juice better is mixing it with that bubbly, crisp, chilled champagne.

Here's to great food, strong drinks, and stronger friendships!

After we eat our feast, we settle in the den to watch some football (the Jets game, to be precise)  or a movie if its not football season, and we catch up with each other and all the going ons of The Beach. I love getting together with friendship and being able to cook together and drink and eat. It really brings our little family from Bethel together!

If you try any of these recipes let me know how they came out!

I hope you all have a fantastic day Friendships!

xoxo

Nicole

Candles In The Beach - Autumn

Hello Friendships!

I absolutely adore candles. They smell good, they're pretty to look at, they can set the mood for a romantic dinner, and they can shine some light when the power goes out in a storm. I always have candles lit in my home because I like the subtle way their scent fills up a room. 

I am a little candle crazy however. Candles can be quite pricey, especially when you buy the large jar candles. So what I do is I buy when there is a sale. My go-to brand is Yankee Candle. I feel like they have the biggest variety of scents, styles, sizes, accessories, and holiday themes. Usually the sale that I wait for is the buy one get one on large jars because you save the most money, and you can use the coupon up to three times. 

The candle that I am absolutely obsessed with right now is Soft Blanket from Yankee Candle. It smells so good! It is a really pretty white, kind of pearlescent colored candle. The picture is of a cozy blanket with a teddy bear snuggled up in it. You know, the kind of teddy bear that reminds you of childhood. It's scent is hard to pinpoint, but I do get a slight hint of vanilla. To me, it smells like that old family blanket draped over the couch in the den that everyone fights over when it's chilly. It's fragrance is very relaxing, soft and subtle, so I have it in a two wick candle so that it fills my whole bedroom. I have it lit whenever I am just lounging around in my bedroom, and always when I am getting ready for sleep. It calms my day and helps me get ready for some peaceful dreaming.

My favorite bedside candle! Is there any better way to end a day than with the perfect scent?

Another candle that I am loving this autumn season is Welcome Harvest by Yankee Candle. It's a beautiful burnt orange candle with a strong fragrance. It pictures a bunch of pumpkins, all different sizes, shapes, and colors. It's scent is pumpkin, but not that overbearing pumpkin smell that gives you a headache. It has a hint of cinnamon and spice that I feel really fills the scent out. It reminds me of autumn back in Connecticut because it makes me feel warm and cozy when the air gets a little crisp and chilled. I keep this in the family room and light it constantly. I picked it up in the beginning of September, and it's already time to buy a new one since it is down to the very bottom.

My home smells like delicious pumpkin spice!

The last candle I want to talk about is our guest room candle. It is November Rain by (yep, you guessed it) Yankee Candle. I found this candle in the summer time and put off buying it until September because I just couldn't start autumn things when I was still going to the beach to tan. Since we don't usually use our guest room, I rarely light it. However, Brian's family is coming for Thanksgiving and his sister will be staying with us so it will finally be able to burn and be enjoyed. This candle is a very pretty blue. It is very strong, so I have it in a single wick. It sort of smells like men's cologne with a little bit of soap or lotion with it. Although it is strong, it's not overpowering to the senses. It's a very nice, clean scent. It pictures a beautiful path covered in fallen leaves from the surrounding trees and wet from the rain. If I could find this picture a lot bigger (or if I had any painting talent. Spoiler, I don't)  I would frame it and hang it on my wall.

Everything about this candle is amazing; color, scent, and picture!

I do buy candles from other shoppes also besides Yankee Candle. Bath and Body Works has some great scents like Fireside, Sweater Weather, and Leaves. Another great place to buy candles is Bass Pro Shop, believe it or not. And of course I do love a great bargain, so I always check out what Target has in their candle section, as well as TJ Maxx, Old Time Pottery, and Walmart. You never know when or where you'll find your next favorite candle!

What are some of your favorite go-to autumn scents? Let me know by sharing in the comments!

If you want to purchase these candles, go check out my Luvocracy page. You can view items I "luv" and buy them right from the website/app. Nicole's Luvocracy

Have an awesome day Friendships!

xoxo

Nicole

Life In The Beach

Hello Friendships!

My first visit to Myrtle Beach was back in the early spring of 2009 for a long weekend. Myself, Brian, and two of our friends took a nice 13 hour long car ride to visit friends who had just moved down. The weather was miserable that weekend. It was quite cold, windy, and rained almost the whole time. One morning while everyone was still asleep, Brian and I sneaked away to sip our coffee on the balcony. I closed my eyes, breathed in deep and smelt the cool, salty air. I looked at Brian and said, "this is the place. This is where I want to live". 

James, AJ, Amber, myself, and Vinny playing mini golf on a very gloomy day

I finally moved to Myrtle Beach January 1st 2013. And I love it here more than ever. What is my favorite thing about living in Myrtle Beach? Isn't it obvious? THE BEACH! I am still in awe that I can get in my car, drive 10 minutes down the road, and be laying in the sand listening to the waves crash.

I never get tired of this view!

I love Sunday morning walks on the beach. I love looking for seashells. I love to boogie board and splash in the waves, and then lay out to dry in the hot sun. Getting a nice tan is a plus, too! 

Finding the best seashells take the most time, but it's worth it when you find the most beautiful ones!

If you are a local, (which I can now proudly say I am), you know where to park to avoid the crowds and get some of the best beach spots. Closer towards the north end of Ocean Boulevard there are public beach access points with limited parking available. 

I always look for these signs. Sometimes they're tucked back and you really have to search.

The closer you get to the hotels and attractions, the more crowded it will be. However, down on Ocean Boulevard by the boardwalk is a place you just can't pass up hanging out by. There are tons of cute little souvenir shops, places to eat, bars, and arcades. The Sky Wheel is also at the boardwalk, and that is pretty cool to see at night. It lights up and changes colors and flashes as it turns. Day or night, the view from the Sky Wheel is amazing.

The Sky Wheel at night. It is a must see! And a must ride!

Besides the beach and Ocean Boulevard, there are numerous reason to come visit my beautiful new home town. I encourage you all to come down, up, or over to Myrtle Beach and enjoy everything it has to offer!

If you would like to see more posts on different attractions, shopping, restaurants, or bars, leave a comment letting me know. I would love to share more of my city with you!

Have a wonder day friendships!

xoxo

Nicole