Easter treats

GonePinning

Somehow it’s April and Easter is already this weekend. We’re not religious, but we are looking forward to celebrating with baskets of candy, great company and a wonderful meal.

Setting the tone for a day full of sweets, we’ll start the day with these festive cinnamon rolls:

Easter breakfast of champions

Easter breakfast of champions

We’ve been assigned dessert for the main meal and I can’t decide what to make! There are too many great ideas! Maybe I’ll make a smorgasbord of items! Yes, that sounds like a great idea. Here are the front runners:

A platter of chocolate-covered strawberries

A platter of chocolate-covered strawberries

Bunny butt cookies 

Bunny butt cookies 

Cookie fruit cups

Cookie fruit cups

Coconut bunnies-- How cute would candy eyes be on these!?

Coconut bunnies– How cute would candy eyes be on these!?

Oreos pudding cups with chocolate-covered strawberries, err, carrots

Oreos pudding cups with chocolate-covered strawberries, err, carrots

Nest cookies with eggs (and maybe Peeps?!)

Nest cookies with eggs (and maybe Peeps?!)

I’ve compiled a lot of great Easter ideas over on Pinterest. Check them all out here. And have a wonderful weekend, however you plan to celebrate it!

{Gone Pinning} Leather anniversary gifts

GonePinning

Woah. It’s already mid-September. Where did the time go!? Brandon and I are getting ready to celebrate our THIRD wedding anniversary on September 24 and it’s past time for me to get a gift for my beloved. We’ve already celebrated our cotton and paper anniversaries by giving one another gifts to fit the traditional anniversary themes. Again this year, I’m on the hunt for great, “traditional” gift ideas. This time, I’m looking for leather gifts.

Here are some fun ideas, courtesy of Etsy and Pinterest.

A romantic leather rose, perhaps?

A romantic leather rose, perhaps?

This leather BBQ mitt is pretty fun...

This leather BBQ mitt is pretty fun…

A personalized scrapbook? Scrapbook

A personalized scrapbook?

Or a leather key chain?

Or a leather key chain?

We like to travel, maybe this leather luggage tag?

We like to travel, maybe this leather luggage tag?

I almost like this one more...

I almost like this one more…

This make-up/whiskey/miscellaneous leather bag is nice...

This make-up/whiskey/miscellaneous leather bag is nice…

A wallet card is a fun idea... and so affordable!

A wallet card is a fun idea… and so affordable!

A leather flash? Maybe...

A leather flask? Maybe…

I may or may not have one (or more!) of these already in mind for Brandon. I also may or may not have already bought something not listed here. It’s a secret for a few more weeks!

Have a great weekend!

{Wine Wednesday} Girl Scout cookie + wine pairings

WineWednesday

Yes, you read that right: Girl Scout cookie and wine pairings! A few of my favorite things coming together. 

I found this gem on Pinterest with a blog post with some great pairings:

Girl Scout Cookie and wine parings

From JDomb’s Travels:

Thin Mints

Ah, Thin Mints. I think those are just about everyone’s favorite. What’s not to love? Dark chocolate enveloping a mint flavored cookie. The great news is that wine and chocolate is a kick-ass pairing! Because of the mocha flavors and complex layers of spice in Syrah, it was made for pairing with dark chocolate.

Try 2009 Fable BOBBEJAAN Syrah $48 per bottle.

Samoas

Sweet and little bit salty, samoas are so addictive with the gooey caramel, toasted coconut, and of course chocolate. The slightly carbonated and lightly sweet Lambrusco compliments the rich Samoa very nicely. With earthy notes and flavors of red and black fruits, the mix of sweet and bubbly brings out the salinity of the Samoas.

Most Lambruscos cost less than $20. The best come from the Emilia Romagna region of Italy.

Trefoils

Not everyone’s favorite, but I love the buttery shortbread Trefoils. And a serving size is five cookies compared to just two Samoas for about the same amount of calories. Just saying… Sparkling wines and champagne cuts through the rich buttery flavor of the cookie. True champagnes can be expensive, but a fizzy Italian Prosecco is a match made in heaven with the Trefoil.

Try Ca’ Salina Rivete Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut $12 per bottle.

Tagalongs

Tagalongs, or Peanut Butter Patties, are the Girl Scouts’ version of the Reese Peanut Butter Cup. Like Samoas, they are a sweet and salty flavor combination. But is there a wine with a taste complexity that can handle peanut butter? A port from Portugal is the perfect pairing with peanut butter. Say that five times fast!

Try a 10-year old Tawny Port from Portugal’s Duoro Valley. You’ll find them for around $20 per bottle.

#WinewednesdayIn case you haven’t bought your cookies yet, you can find them in front of pretty much any grocery store, or you can visit the “find cookies” site or download the app. (My favorites are thin mints and tagalongs.)

You can also cook with Girl Scout cookies. Don’t believe it? Check out these posts from 2012, when “Girl Scout cookies” were an ingredient of the week:

Happy eating… and drinking! And most of all, happy Wine Wednesday!