Cookie Bites and Ottoman Covers, Oh My!

I posted this picture on Instagram recently, and a number of people asked me what exactly it was and if they could have the recipe.

I figured it would be easiest to share the recipe here, so here ya go!

Cookie Dough Pretzel Bites*

1/2 c. unsalted butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips
pretzels
8 oz. chocolate chips (about 1 c.)
1 tsp. coconut oil or shortening (for thinning the chocolate)

1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and sugar together on medium speed until light and creamy.  Add the milk and vanilla.  Mix.  Add the flour and salt all at once and slowly mix until everything is moist.  Add the mini chocolate chips and mix.

3. Roll the dough into balls, about 1 1/2-2 tsp. of dough per sandwich, depending on desired cookie size.  Sandwich balls between two pretzels and place on baking sheet.  Freeze for 20 mins.

4.  While the pretzel bites are chilling, melt the chocolate and the coconut oil or shortening in microwave for about 1 minute, stopping to stir every 20 seconds.  Dip the pretzel bites halfway into the melted chocolate and place back on the baking sheet.  Refrigerate the dipped bites for at least 15 minutes to allow the chocolate to set.  Cover and store pretzel bites in the fridge for up to five days.

*recipe found under my "Sweet Treats" Pinterest board.

It's an added bonus that this recipe is egg-free, which allows Wade to enjoy them!  And enjoy them he did.  I can't say that I blame him; they are quite tasty.

Switching gears, I just have to share a fun little project I just completed.  Remember when I shared pictures of our entryway last year?

I'd always planned to come up with some sort of slipcover for those ottomans because I knew that some fresh fabric could go a long way with their nice shape.  (I was originally inspired by what Emily A. Clark did with a similar pair of ottomans.) I finally did it, and I have to say, I am so proud of myself!

Seriously, it is a minor miracle that I somehow managed to pull this off.  I mean, I sewed these babies with minimal mistakes along the way and very little frustration.  I can hardly believe it.  I honestly find it challenging to even sew a straight line, so I really don't know how this happened.

After I completed the first one, I was so tickled with myself, I may have giggled out loud with delight.  (Let me be clear--I was also quite tired because I stayed up way too late getting these done.  But I say, sometimes all a mama needs is to enjoy a finished project in the midst of the chaos, and the satisfaction that is found makes up for some of that lost sleep!)

The fabric I used is by Nate Berkus.  I had pinned it and then quite fortuitously found it for a very discounted price on eBay.  I ordered it through this seller.

Gosh, I love the feeling when my vision for a project comes to fruition!

Inspired by Fall

Fall is probably my favorite season.  I love the crispness and the coziness of autumn, the sense of energy and renewal I feel with the return of routines (yay for preschool!), and the promise of the holidays to come. I'm a Virginia girl at heart, so I'm definitely missing the beauty of the changing leaves that I'm sure the great Commonwealth is beginning to show off.

Fall at Monticello

Philip and I just returned from a week in Banff, Canada where the weather was really more like winter. Needless to say, we got a good dose of chilly air to tide us over during these warm afternoons in Northern California.  I hope to share some photos from our trip soon, but in the meantime, here are some things that are inspiring me this Fall.

I'm obsessed with this image!  The combination of the earthy wood tones in the pinecones with that black door and the orange satin ribbon is making my heart sing!  This is a totally doable DIY, and a few easy changes could easily take this wreath through the Christmas season.

Keeping with the same colors, I love this one as well.  Also, a very doable DIY.  Would it be weird if I decided to spend a bunch of time trying to make one of these wreaths instead of actually unpacking boxes once we get in our new house?

source unknown

Last wreath.  But oh how I love her.  Kind of makes that one from TJMaxx look rather sad in comparison wouldn't you say?  The wildness of the branches mixed with real berries; you just can't beat it.

This image has been around in blogland for a couple years, but it's such a classic I think.  I long for the day when I might have a working fireplace in my home!



How cute are these little acorns?!  So perfect to take to a Fall gathering.

I've made this apple cake, and it's really yummy.  If you ask me, it could totally count for breakfast.

source

I love the rustic simplicity of this tablescape.  Leaves + pumpkins + candles = just right.

We've had this butternut squash pizza, and the crispy sage leaves are a perfect accompaniment to the squash and the cheese.

I love the bright pop of orange in this plaid scarf.

I spotted these side tables at Ross recently.  The warm metallic tones of the base and the black top are totally screaming Fall to me.

I would love to make this pumpkin and feta tart sometime this season...

If I were hosting a Fall dinner party, these personalized leaves would definitely make an appearance.  Even if you didn't use them to mark each guest's seat, you could identify the different dishes you were serving with this trick too!

Ok, so to be honest, I get these cookies from Trader Joe's year round.  But there's something about eating them in the Fall that just feels right.  (they're dairy free too!)

source unknown

Lastly, placing a few mini pumpkins in a clear vase and adding some branches for height is an easy way to bring a quick dose of Fall into your home.  Now I just need to actually move into my home, and I'll be set :)