Are you getting back into the swing of things after the holidays? It always amazes me how much of a struggle it is to get back into work-mode after several days away from my computer, I have such trouble regaining my focus. But I do have some goodies up my sleeve this week, like pictures from my New Years Eve party, my birthday plans, and even a calendar giveaway to help you keep those New Years resolutions to stay organized!

Speaking of resolutions, did you make any this year? I’m notorious for writing a long list of unattainable and contradictory goals like “Stick to a budget, save money” and “Be more stylish, buy bolder accessories.” Last year was the first year I actually stuck to a resolution, I pledged to grow my hair out for Locks of Love. I haven’t cut it yet, but boy is it getting long! I think the key was that it was a reasonable goal, so I need to mull over what a solid, attainable goal can be for myself to work on this year.  I’d love to hear what your resolutions are!

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It’s an all-carb day here at DomestiKatedLife… first bread, now sweet treats! I took my new Flour Bakery cookbook for a test run today and made milk chocolate hazelnut cookies for my New Years Eve party on Friday. The taste as good as they look, and they smell even better.

I definitely recommend picking up a copy of the book, it’s a little complicated but with some precision and patience, the results are very, very worth it. I have to try out the infamous sticky-bun recipe next!

I was hoping to post pictures of my New Years Eve decorations this morning, but they just need a little more tweaking tonight (and by tweaking I mean my boyfriend drove me to the craft store at 9:00 last night so I could buy more glitter — he is a saint).

In lieu of glittery decorations this morning, you will have to subside on a recipe I threw together for dinner this week. I think every issue of the Rachel Ray magazine has some variation of her peas and ricotta cheese pasta dish. I adapted it by tossing in some of my own ingredients, it’s simple, quick, and deliciously rewarding.

Start by boiling a box of pasta of your choice (I used shells, because they trap the cheese and peas quite nicely).  While the pasta is boiling, chop and brown 2-3 links of sausage in a small pan (I used sun tried tomato chicken sausage). If you’re truly talented at multi-tasking and can boil water, brown sausage, and take on an additional step… put some frozen peas in the microwave to warm them up. Next, empty half a small container of ricotta cheese into a bowl (about a cup) and toss it with some garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. When the peas are warmed they can be mixed into the ricotta cheese (reserve a few to sprinkle on the top). When the sausage is fully browned, add a handful of pine nuts to the pan and let them toast for just about a minute (they burn easily, so keep them moving around the pan). Drain the pasta and reserve a dash of the pasta water (if you’re using shells you can really just quickly drain them and throw them back into the pot, they’ll hold some water naturally because of their shape). Finally, mix the ricotta and peas in with the pasta. Spoon the sausage and nut mixture, and any reserved peas on top of the pasta and finish with some parmesan cheese. Eat and enjoy!

I’m getting really excited for New Years Eve; I’m hosting a party at my apartment for a few of my friends and I’ve been scouring online for ideas. I’m on a budget so I have a few DIY decorations that I will share once they’re in place. In the meantime, here are some of the images that inspired me…

The silverware and pink combination is so classic.

The ConfettiSystem from Urban Outfitters has that punch of 80’s glam that a NYE party needs.

It’s no Times Square, but this faux chandelier would certainly set the mood for the countdown to midnight! (And its on sale!)

I’ve been toiling away at this recap of our wintry Christmas road trip up to Quebec City all week because I have so many fun details to share (and because I got so many questions about it while we were there)! This trip was a bit of a full circle moment for my husband and I, because we had started this tradition of spending a few days in Quebec to take in all the festive holiday decorations back when first were dating. Then 12 years ago on a frigid snowy night a few days before Christmas we got engaged in front of the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec. This was our first trip back since that engagement weekend, and it felt so special to be visiting after all these years and experiencing this magical winter city as a family. read more

We kicked off summer with a fun long weekend trip down to Washington, DC! I hadn’t been to DC since before we were married, so exploring the city with a kid and through new eyes was a fun adventure – it felt like we were there for the first time. We packed our trip with lots of kid-friendly museums and experiences, so I thought I’d share our itinerary and some travel wins for future planning!  read more

Since the new year is time all about updating our routines and making healthy choices, I thought it was the perfect time to update my favorite clean beauty products list. In past years I’ve shared all of my favorite Beautycounter products – being a consultant, I get a great discount and tend to use mostly their products. But this time I expanded the list to include several products from other clean beauty brands that I’ve tested this year. I’m all about finding more affordable and accessible options. See all my favorite clean beauty products and clean beauty brands to kick off 2023 below: read more

Sharing my last partner post of the year today, and it’s one I’m so grateful for! My friends at Christmas Tree Shops and I have had so much fun this year collaborating on tons of festive tablescapes and entertaining ideas. When it came time to brainstorm an idea for how to end our year of holiday celebrations, I shared with them one of my favorite traditions we started a few years ago – taking my daughter with me to Christmas Tree Shops with a wish list from local organizations and filling up our cart with toys, bedding, and wrapping supplies to help those that need some extra support during the holiday season. read more

 
 
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