4 Easy Appetizer Recipes for a Cocktail Party

I love hosting parties and cooking; I also like having lots of time to prepare for those. However for those times you want to celebrate on short notice, a simple cocktail party is the perfect way to spend an evening with friends.

Today I am sharing 4 of my go to cocktail party recipes that you can make with very little prep time - links to recipes included!

Bruschetta 

Spicy Cauliflower

Baked Edamame

Smoked Salmon Crostini

What are you go to  appetizers?

OOTD - Sweater Weather

Winter is in full swing and I have been wearing sweaters on repeat. Lately I have loved this black-grey color scheme more than usual. El recently said that if she had a blog it would be "Black, White and sometime Grey" she could showcase her entire wardrobe. I love neutrals and especially grey during the fall and winter season. This sweater from Asos is perfect blend of feminine and edgy. I paired it with black pant and a necklace for work.

 

pant: RW & Co.

shoes: Christian Louboutin

sweater: Asos

purse: Chanel

necklace: Box of Style

Fun Stocking Stuffers Under $50

The stockings were hung on the chimney with care, in hopes that fun finds would be there. We rounded up our favorite tiny treasures that will make your loved ones happy on Christmas morning.

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Luxury soaps || Candles || Lip Balm / Lip Gloss || Hot Sauce

 

Organic Maple Syrup || Personalized Travel Tags || Business Card Holder

 

Leather Journal || Nut Cracker || Phone Photography Kit

 

Humidifier  || Books (few ideas here) || Fun Socks || Bookend Holders

 

Daily (Inspiration) Calendar || Magazine (Subscription) || Hat and Mittens

Phone Case || Wine and Wine Glasses || Moscow Mule

 

 

We linked some of our favorites, hope you enjoy :) You can find our ultimate Christmas Gift Guide here and all previous gift guide ideas are here.

 

 

 

 

OOTD - All Black

More often than not, I am wearing all black. It makes me feel confident and kind of sexy plus it's so easy! I usually throw on a black blouse, denim, a leather jacket and I am ready to go! I picked up this high neck and lace body suit while back, I was not so sure about it being flattering on me but paired with high wasted denim it creates the illusion of a slimmer body. And who doesn't want that? 

I paired this outfit with this amazing denim jacket. My sister picked this one up for me for my birthday and I absolutely love it.  I don't know how I ever went for so long without a good denim jacket.

body suit: Urban Outfitters

pants: Reitmans

shoes: Bamboo Ballroom

purse: Marshalls

jacket: Brandy Melville

Ultimate Gift Guide for Her and Him

Yes, it's only November but Christmas will be here before you know it, so today we are sharing our Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide. Few items to get you through this holiday shopping season because we want to make your life easier. You'll thank us later.

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Make up - Beauty products are something we all love; regardless if you know how to apply make up properly or not, there is something about a great palette or product that we all get excited about. We recommend Tarte Limited-Edition Treasure Box Collector's Set for her $78 and Jack Black It's All About Him Set $54

Fragrances Sampler - Perfumes and colognes are very personal so it can be hard to just pick up one for people on your list. A fragrance sampler is a great way to go, they get to test out 10 fragrances and redeem a certificate for a full bottle of their favorite scent. We recommend Fragrance Sampler & Certificate For Him and Fragrance Sampler & Certificate For Her $85

Fitbit - With Christmas comes New Years, and with that comes New Year Resolutions where most of us want to be a little more healthier, a little more fit so why not get a gift that will help encourage them reach that goal. It tracks our activities, sleep and the interactive app lets you track your food and water intake. We recommend Fitbit Iconic $299 or  Fitbit Flex 2 $59.


Watch - Watches are one of those gifts that are perfect for birthdays, graduations, and Christmas. A watch can be a timeless piece. We recommend Cluse La Bohème Mesh Rose Gold/White for her $114 and Jord Frankie Series for him $118.

Monthly subscriptions - If you are looking for a gift that keeps on giving showing up each month after Christmas subscription boxes are perfect. You can try out new clothes, beauty products, wine or beer, and even books every month. Best part you can custom order them or let the recipient choose their selection.  We recommend Muse Monthly a books subscription; Wine Collective for well, wine subscription; Craft Beer for a monthly beer delivery; Glossybox for a beauty subscription.

Leather Jacket - Regardless of personal style, age etc everyone can rock a leather jacket. This is 100% an investment so do research. We recommend Bano eeMee lather jackets Dryden or Florence for her $480+ and AKL X Bano eeMee for him $678

(Blanket) Scarf - one of my favorite gifts was an oversized scarf. Its super soft, comfortable, great year round, and you can style it with pretty much any outfit. We recommend Aritiza scarves in birch/light grey or vert/aqua. $85

Mittens - What better way than to keep  we your loved ones warm and stylish than with a great pair of  mittens. We recommend Aritzia TNA Eger mitten or Hudson's bay CANADIAN OLYMPIC TEAM COLLECTION Adult Red Mittens $15+

Activities - A lot of the time, the best gift is a gift of time; time you get to spend with people in your life. Taking a class together, going snowboarding, going on vacations... you get the idea. These are some of the best gifts, and memories one can get. You can look up most of these in your local area but here are few suggestions to get you started. We recommend a cooking class at Sorrentinos; A Photography Class; Ski and Snowboarding passes; Pottery Classes or Paint Night; Yoga or Rock Climbing Classes; Photography Sessions; Hockey Game; Night at the Local Theater.

DIY Gifts - Sometimes making a gift from the heart goes a long way. Home made gifts like a box of cookies or truffles,  DIY projects like this Scent Diffuser or this Colorful Cactus Vases are what people remember and appreciate more.   

Shoes/Trainers - You cant go wrong with shoes... maybe that's me. You cant go wrong if you buys me shoes.  We recommend Adidas mi Superstar 80s for him and Adidas Stan Smith's for her. $110+

Candles - Candles not only smell great but can set the mood or improve a mood if you are having one of those days. Great for stocking stuffers or gift for co-workers and teaches. We recommend Vermeil Mini Tin Candle Set $54 and Boys Smells Candles $29+

Personalized Gifts - One of a kind gifts are hard to come by now days, but personalization can make any gift unique. If you know someone who travels a lot, personalized travel tags are a perfect gift. We recommend Etsy personalized travel tags $20 and personalized camera leather strap $66+.

Gifts that give back - If you are a person who doesn't buy / exchange gifts there is always a need and opportunity to buy gift that gift back. There are lot of agencies that you can donate through, I have used Unicef survival gifts to make a difference in someone else's life. You can check out the list of items available for gifting via Unicef.  

Spa days, massage certificates, cleaning service, jewelry and gift certificates are always a good way to go if you are stuck and cant come up with anything. Making a donation in someone's name to a charity that is important to them is a great gift too.

Few gift guides from previous years are available here.

I would love to hear what you are getting your loved ones this year? Even more, what are you hoping to get this year?

OOTD - Suede

This past weekend the weather “warmed up” a bit, so I jumped on a chance to wear this suede mini skirt and suede boots. I love suede for this time of year and you can't go wrong with brown/tan color; there is something cool and beautiful about brown suede and green combination for winter days. These boots are from Vincent Camino and are the most comfortable pair I own.

skirt: Khols

shoes: Vincent Camino

shirt: Kit and Ace

jacket: Buffalo

purse: Rebecca Minkoff

Must Watch TV

There are a lot of shows that everyone seems to be talking about, myself included. When people ask me what i'm watching I name these shows with no hesitation.

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Stranger Things- Season Two was finally released and I am not embarrassed to say binge watching it was how I spent my Halloween, the show is so addictive I couldn't stop watching and then I was sad it was done.

The Voice- A new season has begun and a new judge has joined the cast, I love watching Jennifer Hudson. She isn't annoying like some of the other judges and you can tell how much she cares about her team and she knows exactly what they are going through.

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Superstore- I found this show by accident,I was bored and I saw it and I started watching. Once I started I couldn't stop I started at season 1 and have now made it to Season 3.

Saturday Night Live- This show has been on the air forever but it just wasn't as good as when the cast was packed with greats like Tina Fey, Amy Pholer, Jimmy Falon, Jason Sudakis. Let's just say the saviour for SNL is the current political environment, Mr. President sure is giving them a ton to work with, even Weekend Update has gotten much funnier. 

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The Daily Show With Trevor Noah- I love politics and there is nothing I love more than comedy and politics together. Trevor Noah takes all the shitty things happening today and makes me laugh, considering how scary and tense some of those things are that is not an easy feat and I just love watching him. 

What are you watching? What should we be watching?

OOTD - Over the Knee Boots and a Midi Skirt

Do you guys find its hard figuring out what to wear during winter can be pretty hard, especially when you want to look cute and stay warm at the same time? As soon as it's cold out I almost automatically turn to sweaters and pants. Yes, it’s cold out (well freezing in #YEG) but that doesn’t mean your outfit should be boring. OTK boots and midi skirts to the rescue – I paired this H&M skirt with a pair of over the knee boots and a sweater for work. I added jewelry and wore the same outfit for drinks with co-workers. What do you guys think? 

skirt: H&M

boots: Joe Fresh

sweater: Zara

Baked Spicy Cauliflower Bites

I have been attempting to eat healthier, but I don't love vegetables and I don't love salads so I have been on a mission to find delicious, easy but healthy food alternatives. Since I love spicy food and winger Wednesdays, queue my new favorite things: Spicy cauliflower bites and ranch. Its so good, you will forget you are eating vegetables.

Here is what you need:

head of cauliflower, cut into large florets

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 cup hot sauce (such as Franks)

1/4 cup of ranch sauce plus Ranch dressing, for serving

 

Directions:

1.         Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2.         To make batter: combine hot sauce , ranch, salt and pepper in a bowl.

3.         Dredge cauliflower in batter until evenly coated. Shake off excess batter and transfer cauliflower to the lined baking sheets.

4.         Bake until the cauliflower begins to turn golden around the edges, about 20-25 minutes.  

5.         Serve with ranch dressing and celery sticks, if desired.

 

 

 

What do you guys think? Would you try these spicy cauliflower bites?