Here is the low down to help you sound über knowledgeable and have everyone commending you on your fine bottle of bubbly at your New Years Eve celebrations. In trying to impress a larger crowd…know that champagnes and sparkling wines are classified by how dry they are. The most popular is “brut.” Which also happens to be my favorite.

My favorites…

I am sure these are not the best out there….just the best in my experience. I am including the label pictures to help.

The difference between Champagne and Sparkling Wine

The difference is simple. Champagne is from the Champagne region of France. Any other bottle from the US, Italy, whatever…are all “sparkling wines.” Enough said.

How to best serve

The best temperture to serve is 45 degrees. Easy enough. Place it in the fridge for about 3 hours before serving.

What causes the bubbles in your bubbly?

As part of the fermentation process the winemaker adds yeast and sugar….they combine to create carbon dioxide…which makes the bubbles and a lot of pressure when trapped in a small space!

Enjoy your New Years Eve celebrations! Happy 2013 to all!

It is super easy and turns out such a beautiful result.

1. Get a bunch of lemons and slice them thin
2. Add a few lemons to a jar, sprinkle some salt
3. Add more lemons, push down to get let the juice run
4. Add more salt
5. Top with layer of olive oil

According to the recipe if you want to eat them sooner than later, put them on a sunny windowsill for 2-3 days. In our case, we were shipping them out as part of “made with love” Christmas gifts so we sealed them up using a traditional canning method.

I can’t wait to pop open the jar of lemons in a few days and use them to add flavor to salads, pastas, soups, and crusty bread to share with my friends at a winter supper as we reminisce about our summer memories and make plans for when the sunny days return.

“The hiiillls are a-liiive with the sound of muuuu-siiic …”

The movie, of course, tells the story of the Von Trapp family of Salzburg, Austria – and how they later fled to Switzerland. Again, at the closing scene, the children are hiking across a the Swiss Alps, surrounded by flowers, waterfalls, trees and natural beauty, all as a choir sings a final rendition of “Climb Every Mountain.”

I knew I had to visit the Alps one day. With or without a choir backup.

PLANNING WITH ALPINE HIKERS

Fast forward 17 years later, when my husband Jeb and I snagged a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to wander aimlessly for 3 months.  So what did we do? We put together our “wish list” of travel adventures.  Hiking the Swiss Alps was the top pick.

After a few Google searches for “Hiking in the Alps,” the search results pointed me toward  Alpine Hikers.com. It’s a small company based in Prescott, AZ, founded veteran hiker and tour guide Troy Haines. He’s trekked across Switzerland dozens of times and knows all the best routes -especially through the country’s gorgeous Bernese Oberland region. What caught our eye was the self-guided tour option. This means no tour guide. Just you, a map, some additional tips, and a guaranteed inn/hotel/hostel waiting for you at the end of each day.

We touched base with Troy via email. He meticulously created a customized tour for us, and even knocked off a few hundred bucks off the price. When all was said and done, I received a FedEx packet complete with detailed maps, train tickets and other travel documents for an 8-day, 7-night self-guided tour.

One of our cozy, comfortable hostels. Perfection.

RIIII-CO-LAAAAAH!

In mid-June 2012, we took off from Orlando, FL, connected in Atlanta and flew 10 hours to Zurich. Then the next day, a bunch of trains up to our first real stop in Grindelwald. That first evening of our arrival, before dinner at our hostel, Naturfreundhaus (“Nature Friend House”), we heard a low, gentle bellowing of sorts and soon realized it was a Swiss horn! Coming from right next door! I swear it was just like a Ricola commercial!

The horn continued to play through dinner. There we were, dining outdoors, enjoying our Roschi (think hashbrowns with amazing sauce and meat on top), while the stunning view of snow-capped Mount Eiger towered before us. A soft breeze blew by. Some birds sang from a tree nearby. I was in HEAVEN, and we had only just arrived!

SWISS BLISS

The week that followed was simply breathtaking. We learned a lot about Switzerland’s landscape, culture and its people.  A few highlights:

Switzerland is quiet. Think of the soft murmur you hear in a library, but translate that to almost anywhere you go in the country. It’s soft. Almost muted. Your ears will take a vacation.

• Outdoors, you’ll hear the standard wind in the trees and birds chirping, but the list grows to include clanging cow bells, a few “moos” here and there, the pitter patter of a light rain, the gentle babble of a nearby stream, or the rolling thunder from an oncoming summer shower. Even the air itself seems soft somehow.
• Indoors, things are quiet, too. Not quite like a “churchy quiet” per se …just a “please respect” kind of volume. People are  soft-spoken. They don’t command attention with loud, booming voices or big hearty laughs. They keep to themselves a bit but are still very pleasant. Restaurants and bars are not loud, either. Things are just low. It’s as if anywhere you go is a perfect place to study or read a book.

House slippers. Perfect for tired feet.

Switzerland is clean. One thing that the Swiss pride themselves on (other than keeping time) is cleanliness.

• For example, upon arriving at our hostel/inn one evening, we were kindly asked to remove our hiking boots and wear special house slippers instead. This, of course, was to avoid tracking in dirt and mud from outside. It’s a genius idea, though, one I don’t see much here in the U.S.
• Almost every single bathroom stall (even public ones) have a toilet scrubber brush  … to clean up your “marks.” Let’s be honest here, everyone has needed a toilet scrubber brush at some point! Here in Switzerland they make sure everything is nice and tidy for the next person in line for the loo.

Switzerland is comfortable. All of the hostels and inns exceeded our expectations, offering hearty meals, stunning views and spectacular service.  It’s the little things that made our stay so much fun.

• Big fluffy comforters and pillows – folded in the special European way – are a welcome sight after a long day of hiking.
• A balcony or a porch is the perfect place to watch the sunset with fellow travelers.
• Panoramic views take your mind off of everything. There are no obligations. No meetings. No emails to tend to. You’re just there — and it’s nice.

Then, the strangest thing happened. After twenty-eight years, and many on-purpose botched attempts, I felt the urge to start cooking. Ok, ok, that’s not ENTIRELY accurate, but I’m going to make a long story short. While eating my delicious Lean Cuisine dinner (I hope you’re catching the sarcasm there), I flipped through the channels and found myself watching Julie & Julia. After finishing the movie, I felt inspired. I could do that! And by that, I mean follow a recipe. Let’s be honest, I definitely wasn’t down to master the art of French cooking, but I wanted to start somewhere.

“The strangest thing happened. After 28 years, and many on-purpose botched attempts, I felt the urge to start cooking.”

I grabbed the closest cookbook. I felt like the ultimate fatty when I realized it was the Weight Watchers Eat Smart cookbook my mother had bought me as a joke. Whatever. Cooking something healthy wouldn’t kill me. It might balance out that McDonald’s run earlier in the week. I started out with a simple stuffed mushrooms recipe. A few chops, whisks, and timer dings later my mushrooms were done. Since I was cooking on my own free will, nothing was burnt, no ingredients were left out, and they actually looked pretty decent. When the moment of truth arrived, and I actually had to try one, I was pleasantly surprised. They were delicious! They even got the nod of approval from my honey.

I’m no top chef, and by no means am I applying to le cordon bleu program, but I’ve been successfully cooking healthy meals (all from my WW cookbook), get this, at least four days a week and ENJOYING it. I find myself no longer shopping for clothes, shoes, purses, and jewelry. Instead, I’ve been stocking up on my kitchen supplies, fresh foods, serving dishes, and an apron that looks like a dress with matching potholders (hot pink, of course). The thing is, I truly like it. It makes me happy knowing that I fed my family a nutritious meal that will fill them up but won’t clog their arteries.

I’m not saying that I’m writing off microwavable meals and fast food forever, and I’ll still feign ignorance when confronted with something I’d rather not do, but when it comes to cooking I can’t fool anyone anymore. Let’s just say someone new is in charge of Thanksgiving dinner this year.

My creations in the top image, from left to right: Baked Ziti w/ Sausage, Spaghetti Pizza, Flank Steak & Zucchini Fries, Mexican Pizza, Chocolate Zucchini Cake, Panko Crusted Fish w/ Stuffed Mushrooms, Greek Spinach Pie, Mexican Lasagna, Pecan Pie Bar.

Want to cook your way through the same books? I used Weight Watchers Ultimate Five Star Recipes and Weight Watchers Our Best Quick and Easy Meals. 

After a day of being quarantined inside a conference room for a series of digital strategy meetings, we broke out of the office and booked it to nearby San Elijo State Beach. After calming my nerves with a quick beer and suiting up with a rash guard, I propped my pink longboard atop my head and made the long descent down the cliff-side stairs to the beach.

I looked the part (aside from my sun-reflecting ultra-pale skin), but could I actually manage to do it? Our instructor (who by day is the publisher of a major surf magazine) did a quick demo on the beach, prompting us first-timers to “paddle” and pop up on the board in one swift move. Get this… All those burpees in PiYo classes finally paid off! As the only girl in the bunch, this lifted a few eyebrows in surprise. That left me wondering… As one of the most clumsy people around, could I manage to pull this surfing thing off?

“I was laughing on the inside while picturing the inevitable embarrassing wipeout that was about to occur.”

We each teamed up with an experienced surfer from the magazine and headed out into the water. Conditions were perfect for us newbies (or so they told me; how would I know??) — something like 3′ waves. We paddled out past the second break, I sat atop my board, and we patiently waited.

At this point, I was laughing on the inside while picturing the inevitable embarrassing wipeout that was about to occur. And then my partner called out, “Here comes a good one. You ready?” I laid down, he moved my board into perfect position, and at just the right moment directed me to start paddling.

Away I went. And just like he said I would, I could feel exactly when to pop up. And get this… I did so successfully on the first try! Granted, I was only up about 3 seconds, but I stood up! Go me!

With my adrenaline now pumping full throttle, I paddled back out past the breaks and waited for another wave. Something like seven more times I managed to stand up and ride the wave to the shoreline (or close enough).

Only one blunder to report: I lost my balance once and fell flat on my back on the board before sliding off into the water. Then I cut my toe on the rocky ocean floor. Much to the amusement of my partner, I just rubbed some dirt in the cut when walking back to the campsite. No time to waste; my next adventure awaited…

Photo by Flickr’s Djibouti.

So when my work contract in Washington, D.C. approached an end in late May 2012 (I had been living and working there for 8 months)– and my husband’s job as a high school teacher in Orlando, FL was beginning to wrap up for the summer – the perfect little opportunity presented itself:

• We were (about to be) in between jobs.
  

  Gearing Up for Adventure

• It was summertime.
• No kids. No pets. No obligations.
• The lease on our small 1-bed/1 bath apartment was coming to an end.
• Did I mention my husband and I were apart for 8 months? We really needed some quality time together.

These were the ingredients for a grand getaway. Not a one- or two-week vacation. Not a one-month escape. This trip would be one for the history books, a life-changing THREE MONTH journey together. This trip would tap into savings, and that’s OK, because that’s what savings are for. And finally, this trip would be loosely planned, but most of it would be made up as we traveled along – just like a choose-your-own-adventure book!

That’s why, even before we left, we named our future travels the “Not All Who Wander Are Lost Tour Summer 2012.”

In mid-June, we moved out of our 1bed/1bath apartment, put all of our possessions in a 10 x 10 storage unit, and left our cars with friends in Orlando, Florida. I had one backpack and one piece of luggage to my name, as did Jeb. We had passports in hand and a thirst for adventure. And best of all, we had each other. (Awwww …)

We were headed on a three-month journey that would take us hiking, biking and couch-surfing across Europe and the Western U.S. Things were about to take a big turn in a BIG way.

Limited on time with our “after 4 pm” passes, we didn’t have the chance to experience every detail of Fantasyland. However, I did play the part of “extremely annoying and inquisitive theme park girl” and had way too many questions for Disney cast members. (I’m sure my face is on a list somewhere.) I’ve also been getting the inside scoop from local Orlando friends. The official Grand Opening was yesterday, December 6th.

And now, I present to you my Top 10 insider tips for Disney’s new Fantasyland!

1. Meet Ariel on her turf. The girls were ecstatic to meet Ariel in her Grotto. The line (on a busy holiday weekend) was only 20 minutes and moved quickly. The girls enjoyed toying around with the seashells embedded in the walls during our wait. The photographers let us take our time once we reached Ariel too. Bonus!
2. Join the Circus. Don’t pass up Storybook Circus. It’s full of fun and home to the classic Dumbo ride and the Barnstormer kiddie roller coaster, an all-time Magic Kingdom favorite. Luckily, Barnstormer made the transition over to Fantasyland from the former Toon Town. Casey Jr. Splash & Soak Station looks like it would be tons of fun on a hot Orlando day.
3. Have fun waiting for Dumbo. Much to my surprise the Dumbo line dumped us into a play area complete with activities for little ones and older kids. The adult receives a pager when the group enters the play area and the pager goes off when it’s near time to ride. The play area was a little hectic, but genius for avoiding typical line waiting meltdowns.
4. See Disney friends up close and in one place. At Pete’s Silly Sideshow in Storybook Circus, Goofy, Donald, Daisy and Minnie are circus stars and ready to meet guests. We were limited on time so our meet and greet was with Ariel, but this is on the list for next visit. Always good to know where you can find all of the characters in one place instead of meeting by chance on a park walkway!
5. Go Under The Sea. The ride itself is built into Prince Eric’s castle. No worries on meltdowns in this line either! Kids are entertained with Scuttle’s scavenger hunt and the chance for little ones to sort Ariel’s whosits and whatsits. Fun things to do in line means sanity for parents. Thank you Disney. Guests board a giant clam shell and ride through musical scenes from The Little Mermaid.
6. Be a Guest. Beast’s castle is actually Be Our Guest, a quick service food by day and fine dining by night restaurant. This is one of the most touted attractions in Fantasyland! I’m going to go ahead and recommend making a dinner reservation for the next, um, forever if you plan on dining there. Be Our Guest might be on your list as a parent spending the day in busy Disney for multiple reasons, but important to note it is the ONLY place in Magic Kingdom that serves beer and wine… Just sayin’.
7. Live the story. Enchanted Tales with Belle lets you step into the actual story reliving the “tale as old as time” with recognizable characters leading the way. The journey begins in Maurice’s workshop. The actual “story telling” lasts around 20-30 minutes so be prepared if you have, say… a two-year-old who doesn’t like to cooperate or be confined. However, if they are obsessed with princesses and Belle, like my little one, you are good to go.
8. More than just a tavern. Gaston’s Tavern is more than just a quick-service food spot. Go inside, take a seat in Gatson’s chair and have a delicious A LeFou’s Brew. Brew is made up of no-sugar added frozen apple juice with a hint of toasted marshmallow, topped with all-natural passion fruit-mango foam. Yum! The tavern is an attraction in itself and my girls ran into Gaston right outside.
9. If you’re wondering why there’s still some construction going on, it’s because there’s more to come! Princess Fairy Tale Hall will be home to the Disney Princess meet and greet and is scheduled to open in 2013. The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will open in 2014.
10. There will be a wait. Lastly, it’s inevitable there will be a line and there will be a wait. I think as a parent once you put yourself in that mindset, your day will be a lot better. There’s always Fast Pass, if it’s available. Pack snacks and drinks to save money on in-between meal hunger and don’t forget that Mickey Mouse and princess costume from home. This will save you on souvenir purchases!

Get more insider tips from my friend here in Orlando, The Suburban Mom, or visit Disney’s Fantasyland page.

Check out photos from our most recent Magic Kingdom visit on Instagram. (And be sure to follow me!)

A big thank you to Amanda for letting us borrow this article from her blog, Mamma Mia! Read the original post here.

With Easter is just around the corner, I figured my co-workers deserved a colorful treat. I didn’t test any new recipes – but instead just had a fun experiment in decorating a classic yellow cake with buttercream icing. While they may take you about an hour longer than usual to make, I don’t think you’ll hear any complaints.

Rainbow Cupcakes

Split the batter between 4 small bowls (or however many colors you choose to make). Stir in a small amount of coloring into each bowl until blended. Add more as needed. I made pastels: yellow, green, pink and blue. Purple would have been a great 5th color to add.

Using an ice cream scoop (I use this one) or spoon, start with your first color (I chose yellow) and add a small amount of batter to the bottom of each cup. It won’t look like there’s much there, but that’s okay. One note: It wasn’t important to me that they were perfectly stacked layers. So I didn’t worry about smoothing each layer out. I let it settle how it wanted to. Next, move on to your color #2 and follow the same pattern until all colors are added. The cups should be about 3/4 full. Bake 15-20 minutes or until cupcakes test done in center using a toothpick. Cool completely.

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the green coloring during this time as well. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth and in the refrigerator until ready to use. Rewhip just before using.

Using the Wilton Tip #233, start either in the center or the outside edge of the cupcake, and begin adding grass bit-by-bit. Hold the piping bag straight above the cake, begin piping – hold at cake and then lift up and release pressure on icing – stop once the “grass” is at the desired height. Repeat until top of cake is full. Situate three Cadbury Mini-Eggs on the top of the grass of each cupcake, and serve!

• I stumbled upon some adorable decorated egg baking cups at Jo-Ann’s. They were a real hit with everyone and I’ll highly recommend!
• I used Wilton gel icing colorings: Lemon Yellow, Kelly Green (also for icing), Pink, and Sky Blue
• I used Wilton’s Buttercream Icing recipe. You can find more details about modifying it here.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Orange Creamsicle Frosting

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. Bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly (it will still be warm when you add to mix below).

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, rotating them once front to back if your oven bakes unevenly, about 17 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack completely.

Chop the chocolate (if whole) and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir quickly until smooth. (If this has not sufficiently melted the chocolate, you can return it to a double-boiler to gently melt what remains. 20 seconds in the microwave, watching carefully, will also work.) Add the butter and whiskey (if you’re using it) and stir until combined.

Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped (the fridge will speed this along but you must stir it every 10 minutes). Meanwhile, using a 1-inch round cookie cutter, an apple corer or just a paring knife (which I used), cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes. NOTE: You want to go most of the way down the cupcake but not cut through the bottom — aim for 2/3 of the way. A slim spoon or grapefruit knife will help you get the center out. (And good news for you, these are perfect “tasters”.) Put the ganache into a piping bag or freezer zip lock bag (no tip needed) and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

Whip the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer for several minutes. You want to get it very light and fluffy. SLOWLY add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time.

When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, drizzle in the Baileys (or milk) and whip it until combined. If this has made the frosting too thin (it shouldn’t, but just in case) beat in another spoonful or two of powdered sugar. Add the food coloring until you reach a color you like.

I found that covering and refrigerating the frosting for about 10 minutes helped before moving on to frosting the cupcakes. Once you’re ready to frost, pick your favorite tip (I used #1M) and fill a pastry bag. After frosting, I topped the cupcakes with the pearls.