lissac2412's Profile

Just....swoon! I cannot get enough of the mix of colors, textures, and natural elements. This is a seriously cool, chic, New England at its best apartment.

hey, contrieved or not, those desserts are delicious! and it is absolutely the right amount for something sweet after dinner. i really like Seasons 52, because they give enough food without making you feel like you're over-indulging.

you don't need a special whoopie pie pan...save your money and just get some extra cookie/baking sheets at Marshall's or TJ Maxx! the consistency of the batter lends itself to baking up into wonderful little round cakelettes. also, good call on making whoopie pies for a wedding. super cute, cheap(er), and you can do ANY kind of cake flavor imaginable!

you can always use coffee grinds as a fertilizer for acid-loving plants, like azaeleas and calla lilies.

peanut butter with sliced fresh strawberries (a kind of deconstructed strawberry jam) on whole wheat breat is delicious.

OR my absolute favorite indulgence- peanut butter on toaster waffels, with sliced banana, sprinkled with chocolate chips. AMAZING!

and who can forget the classic...just a spoonful of peanut butter!

When I was younger, my mom always made us kids give something up and try to do something that was either good for us or good for others (though usually those are one and the same). This year, I'm giving up my unfortunate swearing habit (and this includes using replacements like "fudge" for, erm, you know...), and I'm trying to be more patient.

And I'm not just talking about waiting in line without getting huffy patience; I'm trying to really be mindful of what gets me upset or frustrated, and decide if it really is an external factor or if it's something I can control. Should make for an interesting 40 days.

i love love LOVE red velvet! i'm making these red velvet whoopie pies to send out to my loves :)

http://www.foodbuzz.com/recipes/360300-red-velvet-whoopie-pies

My boyfriend and I moved into our own space this past August, and we brought with us a mishmash of Ikea furniture, hand-me-downs, and very few ideas for how we wanted to decorate. Since moving in, we've bought very few items together, as we're saving to buy some pieces that will stay with us for a long time.

His idea of a good buy? Anything Ikea. I am literally thinking about re-naming items from other retailers with Swedish-sounding names in order to get him on board! He also feels squeamish about buying used furniture- something on which I am working with him.

What we've found to be helpful is that we point things out that we see that each of us like. A couch at this store, maybe a bed spread at that store, and we try to find some common ground. If I don't like the pattern, maybe I'll like the color. Slowly we're finding a common design asthetic, and I think our next move this coming summer will usher in an era of an apartment that looks less post-grad, and a bit more sophisticated.

Yeah, I really think we need to back off the fake tree users. I'm a bit suspicious of the term "most people," as in "most people recycle their real tree," and "most people toss their fake tree after a few years."

First, I lived in suburbia almost my entire life, and "most people" around there trashed their real trees. If your town/county doesn't provide a tree pick-up service, there is a very slim chance that Joe Average is going to go out of his way to find a recycling center. And even if he does, he is probably hauling the tree many miles away, by himself, in an SUV. Environmentally friendly? I think not.

Secondly, who can afford to buy a new fake tree every year?? They're usually at least twice as expensive as a real tree (when not on sale), and honestly, the newer models aren't that much greater than the old ones.

We've had our fake tree in my family for nearly 23 years. So yes, we've achieved carbon neutral status (yay!). But we got a fake in the first place due to severe conifer allergies in the family.

So ease up on the fakies. If they're not "doing their part" for the environment here, I'm sure they're picking up slack elsewhere!

a sharp knife is a must. also, chew a piece of mint gum, or suck on a mint, while chopping. not only will it diminish the tears, it also keeps you from snacking as you cook!