Sweet Treats From Lady Antoinette's!

I had the special treat a few weeks ago of trying one of Columbia's newest bakeries, Lady Antoinette's!

They had TONS of fresh desserts, and y'all know that's right up my alley. For those of you who may not know, I have a HUGE sweet tooth! I also had never had a macaron before. I feel like they're the favorite food of most bloggers you talk to. Now I know why!

Lady Antoinette's is nestled inside a bridal salon actually. I got the grand tour by a friend of mine who works as a consultant in the bridal shop. It's beautiful, full of gold leaf wallpapered rooms and beautiful decor. There are marble floors, grand staircases and dresses galore! After making my way around Bella Vista, I made my way into Lady Antoinette's, the real reason for my visit.

I chatted with the friendly staff and they made their recommendations and told me what had been popular. Beignets and macarons were the hot ticket so I ordered a beignet and 2 vanilla and 2 lemon macarons. I couldn't help myself but to eat a vanilla macaron the MINUTE I got into my car!

These macarons are different than most because they're kinda big, but MAN OH MAN are they delicious. (As I type this, I'm thinking to myself about my next trip back...) I at the pink vanilla one first, naturally, and loved it! They're not too sweet and the cream inside is light and fluffy. I then ate the lemon one. To. Die. For. That was actually my favorite thing that I got! It was yellow, but not scary-highlighter-yellow. It was GREAT!

For those of you who are in Columbia, be sure to make your way down to Lady Antoinette's soon! 

xxKatie

Dessert to Impress: Pecan Pie Bars

I don't really like cooking from scratch. I cook from a box more often than not, and I enjoy recipes along the lines of "semi-homemade", like the show, instead of baking from scratch. This dessert recipe is one of those "semi-homemade" recipes, but not from the show, and I've been making it since Christmas!

If you like pecan pie, you will LOVE these! (And even if you don't really like pecan pie, or thought you didn't like me, you'll probably STILL like these too!)

This recipe sincerely couldn't be easier! This is what the finished product looks like!

Ingredients:

1 Tube of sugar cookie dough

1 cup light brown sugar

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

2 eggs

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2. SPRAY YOUR PAN! THIS IS SO IMPORTANT!

3. Spread the cookie dough out in your pan:

(All the finger prints will bake away!)

4. Bake until it is BARELY golden brown, it will finish cooking with the filling! You want it very light still!

5. Mix all other ingredients to make filling. It will be gritty and a little runny, these are both good!

6. Put filling into hot crust. You can flatten the crust a little before you add the filling, but the weight of the filling will help flatten it too!

7. Bake until the middle doesn't jiggle anymore. You want it to be solid! That's usually about 15 minutes when I make it, give or take, depending on  your oven:

It will look like that! You can see the crust has like almost NO color on it, like I said, just barely golden brown!

8. Let it cool completely! This is the hardest part!! I've cut into it before it's cooled all the way and it's really not as good! Be patient, this can sometimes take up to 2 hours!

9. Cut into cookie bars and enjoy:

This recipe is seriously SO easy and SO yummy! It's fun to bring to potlucks or to impress the in-laws! Plus it won't last long wherever you take it!

xxKatie

Weekly Gratitude

1. I am thankful for the outpouring of love that I got on the day of my birthday. My family is the bomb and my friends--y'all know who you are--made my 21st the best birthday I've had!

2. I am thankful for sweet people who constantly think about me and my well-being. Whether that's my parents, God-parents, older fabulous Manhattan mentor, or close friends, knowing that you all have my back is the biggest gift.

3. I am thankful for Great American Cookies--never underestimate the power of a GOOD snickerdoodle, or 5. 

4. I am thankful for a trip to Raleigh that I just finally planned officially last night!! Can't wait for that weekend in February!!

5. I am thankful for my new major. Economics is very hard, but I did my first homework assignment successfully and I have a new-found confidence in that class! Intermediate Microeconomic Theory, GAME ON!

6. I am thankful for the closet organization that I did on Sunday. I'll be posting pictures of the way it turned out, and I am so happy!! I even used a Pinterest idea in part of it!! Where's that "Done It" button on Pinterest now?

7. I am thankful for the direction that this semester seems to be going in. It makes me happy to feel like this since it's only the second week of the semester!

8. I am thankful for Twitter. Sometimes I wonder where all my random thoughts/annoyances/etc. went before Twitter existed. So thanks to everyone who reads them and doesn't get too sick of me!

9. I am thankful that spring time is right around the corner! I am so ready for shorts weather!!

10. I am thankful for long drives (or more typically, the 5 mile drive to/from campus to my house) that I can sing at the top of my lungs. Fellow drivers, I'm not offended if you laugh, I probably would too!

xxKatie

My Exam Friends

TI 84 (painted with glitter nail polish, mind you)

The Hot Zone (I highly recommend this book!)

Principles of Finance, 4th Edition (I highly do NOT recommend this book!)

Snickerdoodles from the Great American Cookies are my study FAVORITE, couldn't have gotten through this week without them!

Under Armour Leggings (Judge away; my excuse this week is the time I'd usually spend picking out my clothes, I am utilizing better to study)

Management, 10th Edition

I've spent much more time with these folks than I'd have liked, but hey it is after all, exam season! I will be heading home Monday after a brief stop in Charlotte on Sunday. I cannot be more excited to be home with my family. The latter half of the semester has been nothing but (unforeseen) stress and I can't wait to take a break from studying!! I know I'm not the only one who is in that boat!!

Sending big, huge, all-consuming exam hugs out to all my readers who are in exam season!

Thoughts and prayers are appreciated!

xxKatie

Girl Scout Cookies!

It is finally (almost) time for Girl Scout Cookies!! A big billboard was put up by my neighborhood on my way to campus and it put one heck of a smile on my face! I am a HUGE Thin Mints fan no matter what you say about Tagalongs, Do-Si-Do's, or Samoas, this girl eat Thin Mints and Thin Mints only! I always look forward to the beginning of Girl Scout season and that billboard told me that it must be right around the corner! Secret: a Medium Longchamp can hold 2 standard boxes easily with anything else that might already be in your purse #noshame. I can't wait to enjoy my two sleeves in my pretty green box! 

On this website, you can plug in your area code to find out when girl scout cookie season starts. I'm lucky enough that mine starts...TOMORROW! YES! 

What's your favorite flavor? Anyone else a Thin Mint fiend?

xxKatie

Monograms + Cookies

My birthday isn't remotely close to November, but how much fun would these be for a fun birthday celebration? I think I have a theme for my 20th birthday party (to be revealed at a later date...but it's good. I've leaked it to a few people...shh!) and this would be a fun addition! I might try to customize them with green or better yet, try to print my own. 

I love these cookies and they're so inspiring for more projects! 

I love the green with yellow! 

Look at how delicate these ones are!!

I'm not a big purple girl, but with that beautiful shade of blue I'm all about it!!

These ones are my favorites! I've love to find some way to personalize them with pink too!! They're so sweet! I would love to find a place that would print out the sheets on edible paper with edible dye and then try to make them myself!!

Has anyone ever personalized cupcakes or cookies like this? I'd love to know! Was it hard? I have some friends who's birthdays are coming up that these would be fun to make!!

xxKatie