Each year I try to do at least one winter themed shoot. This year I know I did more than one, but I saw this really cute cranberry cake listed in Real Simple Magazine and these almond cookies in Food & Wine and wanted to try them out. I will say this, the cranberry cake was really good and pretty easy to make. The almond cookies however, I substituted the almond flour with coconut flour which didn’t really work, so I added eggs & rolled them out and cut them into the cute star shapes you see. I am not quite sure you could roll the dough with the recipe they list, so you might not want to try it. 😉 Also, what was I thinking baking two things and shooting them before I had to go to a baby shower. Good one Amy! It worked out though and I had plenty of cake to share.
I really do love winter, and as I sit here typing looking out the window I can see snow! I am doing another winter/christmas/gifting project/shoot tomorrow which should be pretty fun. I am going to try my hand at pickling with some friends. I haven’t done it before but found some great recipes in a few of the cookbooks I have. I will be sure to do a post on how it works out. Then we are going to look at lights, an annual tradition. We usually go to to Olympic Manor and Candy Cane Lane. I can’t wait. This definitely is the time of year to get cozy and watch some netflix, drink some hot cocoa, relax and stay indoors. Since I love what you would call “non-traditional” Christmas movies like Die Hard & Gremlins, here is a list of fun x-mas movies to watch and get you in the spirit! Another list here. And if you don’t want to stay indoors, well snowboarding season is here. Just as soon as my ankles fully heal from a little spill I took a month ago I will be headed up too.
As far as work goes, I have been doing a lot of shooting for Prime Now, which is Amazon’s food delivery service from restaurants around Seattle. It’s been a lot of fun, I get to meet people from all over, and I get to try tons of different kinds of food. Plus I get to change locations all the time and that keeps it interesting.
I went to Phoenix for Thanksgiving, that was so nice to see my brother and family and get a little sunshine in while I could. I think my niece and nephew are the cutest things ever, and I know everyone says that, but it really is true about them. And now I keep thinking of where I will be off to next. I think it might be for my annual sister trip. We might go to Mexico in February this year. Seriously, just look at this place in Sayulita! And then I am thinking about a road trip in the south with a some friends, from North Carolina to New Orleans. I have never been to the south, but my Grandma’s side of the family was from there. I swear that’s why I love southern food so much. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the picture and are having nice holidays so far too.