Autumn Amelia

Hello everyone!

Happy Mother's Day!

Erik and I recently tried Reese Witherspoon's recipe for Sun Tea from her book Whiskey In A Tea Cup.

It's actually her grandmother Dorothea's recipe.

I thought it would be the perfect post in honor of Mother's Day!

You will need:

8 Black Tea Bags

1 Gallon of Water

Place the tea bags in a gallon-sized jar with a lid and fill with water, letting the tags hang over the lip of the jar.

Top with the lid and secure.

Set the jar in a sunny spot outdoors.

Let brew for 4 hours.

While the tea brews, prepare the simple syrup.


You will need:

Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.

Remove from heat and let cool.

Serve the syrup on the side so guests can sweeten their tea to taste.
The syrup may be stored in the refrigerator, tightly sealed for up to 1 month.
Enjoy!


It was a lot of fun to make tea in a unique way.
Brewing it in the sun made it feel more rustic.
We brewed ours over the weekend and enjoyed it with some barbecue.
It definitely got us in the summertime mood.
What is your favorite summertime drink?

All my love,
Autumn

Hello everyone!

We are in the final countdown to Thanksgiving and I am excited to share this set up with you!

I have had this vision in my head for almost a year now and am so happy I was able to bring it to life.
Inspired by Ariana Grande's hit song Thank U, Next, I wanted this setup to be femme and fun.
I incorporated a lot of glam through amping up typical Thanksgiving elements with color.

It would be perfect to display at a laid back Friendsgiving or to fill with your favorite elegant desserts for Thanksgiving dinner!

The Backdrop

The focal point of this festive setup.

I used gold letter balloons to spell out the phrase "I'm so -ing grateful", a lyric from the song, and used a turkey balloon to bleep out the F word so I could take it to family gatherings without being a bad influence on my nieces and nephews.

The turkey balloon was originally a cartoon turkey but I needed to make it fit in with this fab set up so, I quickly applied a few coats of gold spray paint and let it dry before putting it up.

I think it worked out nicely, don't you?

The Bar Cart

I wanted the "tablescape" to match the glam feeling of the gold backdrop.

I thought a gold bar cart was the perfect touch.

I centered it underneath the backdrop and covered it with the goods.

The Food

Dessert!
I made three fall-themed finger foods to nibble on.

Mini pumpkin pies, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and mini caramel apples.

All easy to make and fun to eat!

Mini Pumpkin Pies

Instead of using pie dough for the crust, I used sugar cookie dough.

You can find my Grandma's famous sugar cookie recipe here.

I rolled out the dough, cut out circles using a scalloped three-inch round cookie cutter and gently pushed the dough into a greased mini muffin tin.

I filled the center with one tablespoon of  Lauren Conrad's pumpkin pie filling.

Baked at 350o for 20 - 25 minutes.

Removed from the oven and let cool.

Once cooled I added a dollop of whip cream and sprinkled with nutmeg.

I served these on a white rectangular serving tray.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I whipped up a batch of my other Grandma's famous pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

I have never found a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie that beats hers.

I might be a little biased though...

Find the recipe for the cookies here.

I served the cookies on a white cake stand with metallic gold lining to add some height.

Mini Caramel Apples

Using a melon baller, I scooped out mini apples from a regular-sized Granny Smith apple.

I carefully placed a gold paper straw through the center of the mini apples and dipped them in melted caramel.

I added red, orange and pink sprinkles immediately to the wet caramel and let set.

I served the mini caramel apples on a second white rectangular serving tray.

The Drink

I wanted the drink to match the color scheme of the layout so we went with some non-alcoholic rosé.

I don't want to be a bad influence, remember?

I added pomegranate seeds to the champagne flutes to elevate the drink instead of serving it on its own.

The Pumpkins

To add more color to the display I spray painted craft pumpkins in three different colors,

Burgandy, coral and orange.

Yes, I spray painted an orange pumpkin orange...

I needed it to have a sheen like the others and cover the stem!

I spray painted the pumpkins until my desired coverage was reached making sure to let them completely dry between coats.

Once the pumpkins were dry I placed them around the bottom of the bar cart for a fun twist on classic Thanksgiving pumpkins.

How fun is that?!

I love how the overall look turned out and it was all very easy to execute.

It's such a fun trendy theme and you can use the pieces for years to come!

What's your favorite part of the display?

All my love,

Autumn

Hello everyone!

Halloween time is officially upon us and I couldn't be happier!

I love Halloween and all that it brings.

Today I am sharing a quick and simple drink recipe that you can make all month long. 

Witches Brew!

Make it for a Halloween party, ghouls night in, movie night, whatever you have going on!

You will need:

2 Liter Bottle of Sprite

1 Quart of Lime Sherbert, Softened

12 Ounce Can of Lemonade Concentrate

Plastic Eyeballs, Optional

Plastic Spiders, Optional

Pour 1 liter of Sprite into a large bowl.

Add the softened sherbert to the bowl.

To soften the sherbert, remove from the freezer and set out for at least 10 minutes.

Or if you are like me and forget and don't have time to wait, remove the lid from the carton and place the carton in the microwave.

Heat in 10-second intervals until the sherbert is soft. 

Add the can of frozen lemonade to the bowl and use a spoon to stir and break the lemonade into the mixture. 

Add the remaining liter of Sprite and stir until just combined.

For a few fun details add some plastic eyeballs and spiders to make it feel like a real witches brew!

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

This is such a simple recipe and truly puts you in the Halloween spirit.

I like to serve mine out of a black cauldron or in beakers and flasks with a decorated rim.

What is your favorite Halloween recipe?

All my love,

Autumn

Hello everyone!

While Erik and I were in California we made a stop at Black Tap Craft Burgers and Shakes.

They opened earlier this year in Downtown Disney and I was dying to try one of their famed Crazy Shakes.

Erik was even more excited!

During the countdown to our trip, I would say "9 days to Disneyland!"
His response was always "You mean 9 days to crazy shakes..."

Since we were both SO excited we made it our first meal and it did not disappoint. 

To enter the resteraunt you wait in line to place your order at a counter.

To the left of the counter, you can watch the Crazy Shakes come to life!

Definitely watch one or two be made.

It is mesmerizing...

Once your order is placed your waiter seats you and your food follows soon after.
Erik and I were lucky enough to score a table on the outdoor patio.

Erik ordered the Cake Shake.

 A cake batter shake with a vanilla frosted rim with rainbow sprinkles topped with a Funfetti cake slice, whipped cream, rainbow sprinkles and a cherry.

Yes. You read that right. The milkshake is topped with a slice of cake.

Did I mention they were crazy?

I ordered the Cookies 'N Cream Supreme.

An Oreo shake with a vanilla frosted rim with crushed Oreo topped with a cookies and cream ice cream sandwich, crumbled Oreo, whipped cream and chocolate drizzle.

We also split an order of fries with their special sauce on the side.
The special sauce reminded us of the Campfire Sauce served at Red Robin.
It's similar to fry sauce (for us Utah folk) but has a smokey flavor to it.

The shakes were delicious and so fun!

We each wanted to try our own shake so we decided to make them our dinner.

Erik and I have few regrets about our recent vacation but, not stopping at Black Tap a second time is the biggest...

The shakes were so tasty that we wanted to see how their food compared.

I have heard great things!

I would highly recommend making a stop here the next time you are in Disneyland. 

Just a fair warning the shakes run on the expensive side...

They range from $15 - $17.

Split one and thank me later!

Black Tap originated in New York and I am hoping I can convince Erik to take a trip there just by mentioning a shake trip.

Think it will work?

Have you been to Black Tap?

What did you think?

All my love,

Autumn

Hello everyone!

While Erik and I were in Disneyland we tried to eat as many seasonal food items as we could.

Some of the items were for Halloween Time and others were in honor of the Haunted Mansion's 50th Anniversary.

I have more of a savory tooth while Erik has more of a sweet tooth.

Since we have different tastes, we thought it would be fun to have Erik contribute to this post and give his opinions as well.
We are here to give you our honest reviews on the SIXTEEN items we were able to try.
We gave ourselves a rating scale of 1 out of 5 with no half scores.

Here is where the food landed with us.

Blackberry Midnight Julep

A Haunted Mansion 50th Special.
Blackberry, Citrus and Mint with Lychee "Moon." Found in Disneyland at the Mint Julep Bar in New Orleans Square.

Autumn: "The blackberry julep was seriously lacking in blackberry flavor... I am not sure if it was just the one we ordered but, I was disappointed. All in all, it tasted like a regular mint julep which is still a win in my book. I give it a 3/5."

Erik: "Aside from a homemade mint julep made by Autumn, this was my first julep experience. Overall I'm not a fan, all I could taste was mint and not much else. I was really hoping for more of a fruity zing in there, oh well. There are plenty of better drink options in the park. 2/5"

Pumpkin Spice Beignet

A Halloween Time Special.
Sweet Beignets topped with Pumpkin Spice Powdered Sugar. Found at the Mint Julep Bar in Disneyland at New Orleans Square.

Autumn: "The pumpkin spice beignets were good. I expected a lot more fall flavor but it was really subtle. I would rather have a regular beignet than a slightly pumpkin beignet. I give them 3/5."

Erik: "A nice, warm treat with a slight hint of pumpkin. However, I'm not the biggest fan of bread and could have done with a little more sweetness or pumpkin spice. Overall it felt like I was eating a roll and I was a little bored with it. 3/5"

Pumpkin Spice Churro with Caramel Dipping Sauce

A Halloween Time Special.
Churro rolled in Pumpkin Spice Sugar with Caramel Dipping Sauce add on. Found in Disneyland at the Churro Cart near Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters in Tomorrowland.

Autumn: "The churro itself wasn't that great... A little chewy. The dipping sauce bumped it up a score for me. Definitely splurge for the sauce if you give it a try. It's what made the churro. 3/5"

Erik: "My favorite churro of the trip. Although the churro itself was a bit chewy, the spices covering it really hit the spot and got me in the mood for Fall. Spring for the caramel sauce, you won't regret it. 3/5 without sauce, 4/5 with."

Pickwick Ghost Punch

A Haunted Mansion 50th Special.
A lively concoction of Fruit, Citrus Juices and Sherbert. Found in Disneyland at Royal Street Veranda in New Orleans Square.

Autumn: "This was a delightful surprise! The drink holds a lot of delicious citrus flavor. It reminded me of an Orange Julius! The perfect refreshing drink to quench your thirst on a hot day at the parks. 4/5"

Erik: "Very refreshing and sweet, the fruit flavors really came through and the texture of the beverage was thick and creamy, it was almost like I was drinking a melted orange creamsicle, which I'm not complaining about.  4/5"

Professor Phineas Plump's Cure-All Fritters

A Haunted Mansion 50th Special.
Pimento Cheese Fritters with Ghost Pepper Ranch Dressing. Found in Disneyland at Royal Street Veranda in New Orleans Square.

Autumn: "Yes, yes and did I mention, YES! These are a must-have for me. I was a little hesitant to try them because of the ghost pepper ranch... But it was the perfect amount of heat. A deep-fried cheese ball is exactly what I never knew I needed! 5/5"

Erik: "These were simply amazing. It was like eating deep-fried, spicy, mac and cheese balls. The ghost pepper ranch was a savory concoction that I could (and did...) lick up on its own. Don't worry, these aren't as spicy as they might sound, just enough to add a very nice kick. Autumn and I split everything in the park, and this was the only thing I wish I had all to myself. 5/5"

Mummy Macaron

A Halloween Time Special.
Two Vanilla Macaroons with Cookies and Cream Filling, drizzled with White Chocolate and topped with Chocolate Candy Eyes. Found in Disneyland on Main Street at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe.

Autumn: "I have learned you cannot go wrong with a macaron at Disneyland. This macaron is no exception! It is deliciously sweet and the perfect Halloween treat in my book. Another must-have for me. 5/5"

Erik: "I've learned why people go crazy for Disneyland Macarons. The crust was light and crispy while the interior was a doughy delight. I absolutely loved the cookies and cream filling, it was dense, thick, and very, very sweet. For me, it was a perfect treat, but I could see someone with a low sugar tolerance being turned away from it. 5/5"

Graveyard Cupcake

A Halloween Time Special.
Chocolate Cupcake with Cherry Filling, Dark Chocolate Mousse, Halloween Sprinkles and a Tombstone Chocolate Piece. Found in Disneyland on Main Street at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe.

Autumn: "I really enjoyed the cake part of this cupcake. It was just the right amount of chocolate, super moist and the mousse was the perfect touch. The cherry filling, however, was not my favorite... 3/5"

Erik: "The chocolate cake was good but, only as good as an average chocolate cake I would eat at any birthday party, almost like it was store-bought. The only thing that really made it stand out was the cherry filling, and I wish that it had more of it. 3/5"

Autumn: "This was honestly just another brownie to me... It wasn't that special even with the different mousses. It was a fun treat but not my favorite. 2/5"

Erik: "The brownie tasted exactly how I like my brownies, thick, soft, and chocolatey. The mousses also struck a chord with me and I loved the huge amount I got on top. It isn't game-breaking by any means, but it will definitely satiate any chocolate lover's cravings. 4/5"

Autumn: "This donut is more fun in theory... A cronut stuffed with peanut butter and jelly and decorated to look like a mummy. Sounds fun right?  But the execution fell flat for me... It just tasted like an overly sweet peanut butter and jelly sandwich... 3/5"

Erik: "If there's one thing I know, it's donuts. I was looking forward to this one and was very disappointed. The bread was a croissant, but it didn't pass as a cronut either because it didn't even taste like it was deep-fried. If anything it just tasted like a large pb&j croissant with frosting on top. The filling was very inconsistent and I would often get globs of just jelly or just peanut butter. 2/5"

Maleficent Frappuccino

A Halloween Time Special.
Blueberry and Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuccino blended with Diced Dragon Fruit, topped with Matcha Tea Whipped Cream. Found in both parks! In Disneyland on Main Street at the Market House and in California Adventure on Buena Vista Street at Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe.

Autumn: "I was SO surprised by how much I enjoyed this! I am not a coffee fan so I was sure I would not like it but, it has a vanilla bean creme base instead of a coffee base! I am not sure if it is because I had such low expectations from it but it turned out to be one of my favorites! I wish I got one for myself! 5/5"

Erik: "The colors were really fun, it tasted good, and I felt hip drinking out of my Starbucks cup, doesn't get much better than that! This was an awesome drink that tasted fruity and unique. It was very refreshing, especially on a hot day. Not necessarily my favorite treat this trip, but certainly my favorite beverage. 5/5"

Green Apple Spell Lemonade

A Halloween Time Special.
Green Apple Lemonade with Cherry Popping Pearls. Found in California Adventure in Grizzly Peak at Smokejumpers Grill.

Autumn: "Another treat that looked more enjoyable than it tasted. The cherry drizzle gives it an eerie Halloween feel and the popping pearls are a fun addition but the drink fell flat in flavor. 2/5"

Erik: "This drink looks neat with the blood effect, but that's all it really had going for it. It tasted like it was made from a lemonade drink mix and I would have been just as happy buying a cup of lemonade at a stand run by a 10-year-old. 2/5"

Horchata Churro

A Halloween Time Special.
Horchata Churro with Condensed Milk. Found in California Adventure in Paradise Gardens at the Churro Cart near Goofy's Sky School.

Autumn: "This was my favorite churro of the trip! I felt that the churro itself had a good amount of flavor and the sweetened condensed milk was the frosting on the cake! So to speak. 4/5"

Erik: "Not a bad churro by any means, but only a little better than average. The condensed milk didn't add much to my horchata churro eating experience. I wish more of the horchata flavors came through as I'm usually a big fan of the stuff. 3/5"

"Spoke-y" Cone Macaron

A Halloween Time Special.
Filled with Marshmallow Buttercream and Candy Corn. Found in California Adventure in Cars Land at the Cozy Cone, Cone Number 4.

Erik: "As I stated earlier, I found that I love Disneyland macarons, and this was no exception. I'm a big fan of candy corn and this really hit the sweet spot. Again, it may be overly sweet for some. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the marshmallow buttercream, which tasted a little too buttery and didn't mix well with the candy pieces. 4/5"

The Wedding Cake

A Haunted Mansion 50th Special.
Buttercream Frosting, Cherries, Cream Cheese Filling, finished with a splatter of Cherry Sauce. Found in Disneyland in New Orleans Square at French Market Restaurant.

Autumn: "The cake itself had a lot less flavor than I was expecting. Not in a bad way! It reminded me of strawberry shortcake. The flavor comes mainly from the cherries and cream cheese filling. Not the best treat we ate but, it wasn't the worst. 3/5"

Erik: "I love the blood splatters on the cake, and I wish it had more of it. On the first bite, it tasted like a delicious cake but as I dived deeper into our slice all I could taste was the buttercream that coated my mouth and really ruined it for me. The cream cheese filling wasn't doing much for me either. It would have benefitted from more acidity of the cherry sauce but for the most part, it was just for decoration. You're best looking elsewhere for cake. 2/5"

Autumn: "Not a bad churro but, nothing really set it apart. It was pretty vanilla. Get it? Because it's actually a vanilla-flavored churro? 3/5"

Erik: "Like the horchata churro, it was a middling treat. I wish that it had a little more flavor to it, or maybe it would have benefitted from some sort of dipping sauce. 3/5"

Autumn: "The worst treat we tried at Disneyland by far. When I first bit into the churro it was so dry that I actually thought I bit into the wrapper. Nope! It was just the churro. The churro didn't really hold much flavor. Maybe I couldn't taste it because my tongue was coated in cocoa powder? Definitely skip this one. 1/5"

Erik: "I actually have the recipe for this one, simply dump 1/4 cup of baking cocoa in your mouth. Easily the worst thing I tried this trip and it was so dry it was difficult to finish. (Don't worry we still did because we are who we are...) Do yourself a favor and steer clear of this one. 1/5"

Just a quick recap!
Our Three Must-Haves: Professor Phineas Plump's Cure-All Fritters, Mummy Macaron and Maleficent Frappuccino.

All in all, we had an amazing time eating our way through Disneyland and enjoying some fun themed treats.

We would give the experience a 5/5!
Will you be visiting the parks this Halloweentime season?

All our love,
Autumn and Erik