Visions of Sugar Plums and Cookies and Candy

Christmas is less than a week away, so let's cut to the chase and get baking. Whether you are making cookies for Santa, creating something to give as gifts or just wanting another excuse to eat all the Christmas treats possible, let me be your guide to some of my fave seasonal sweets.

My Signature Sugar Cookies were the first thing I remember learning how to bake. They get made for various events throughout the year, but always get made on Christmas Eve and set out for Santa. 

White Chocolate & Cranberry Christmas Cookies need I say more? Mom made these a couple weeks ago for a cookie exchange party and I'll go out on a limb and guess they were a hit;)

Peppermint Bark is so Christamsy and what I have made the past two years for co-worker gifts!

Cookie Butter Rice Krispies get a festive flair added to them by using red and green sprinkles to decorate. Also great for co-worker gifts or work pot-luck parties.

This post has me questioning why I haven't made my White Chocolate Dipped Oatmeal Ginger Cookies this season yet? These suckers are BOMB for lack of a better word.

Christmas Crack courtesy of my blogger bestie Molly! Need a last minute gift idea? Here you go, and yes it's crack. "Say crack again."

Dreaming of a white Christmas? These Snowball Cookies help make dreams come true!

Homemade Turtles are the least scary homemade candy you can make. Because when else, but at Christmas do you make homemade candy?

Merry Berry Scones are perfect for Christmas morning.

Lastly, Perfect CCCs - Christmafied! I made a massive batch this year to give as gifts! Packaged them in Chinese take-out boxes, and tied with a red bow! 

Merry Christmas from Take A Bite!

Annie

Bites of My Life

One week 'till Christmas! I've really loved this Christmas season. It seems to me the older you get the more holiday parties and Christmas celebrations there are. I must mention that all the events can sometimes be exhausting, but I've really enjoyed all the reasons to be together with various groups of people who mean the most to me. This past week including various meals in bowls (LOL, but really see below), a concert, a catering(!!!), a floral arranging class, best friends Christmas party, a visit to see my sweet Gaga, a visit from cousins I haven't seen in forever, precious time with my Elle girl and playing Mrs. Claus delivering fresh baked cookies to my besties. 

-Turmeric smoothie bowl made with the help of these and this.
-Robert Earl Keen with my Fam-O-Lee made for my 4th time seeing REK, but this time at The Jones Assembly!
-While battling a nasty cold at the beginning of the week, I had a major craving for some healing oatmeal. I made a big batch of steel-cut oats and ate them various ways through the week. Seen here as a savory version served with a sunny-side up egg and avo for lunch. 
-Bowls, bowls, all type of bowls. I prefer to eat smoothies and protein shakes from a bowl.
-Oats appearing again with cinnamon apples!
-Peppermint Mocha Protein Shake, bowl style.
-Take A Bite caters! Loved getting ask to make the food for a friend's company Christmas party! 
-Donut dreams came true thanks to Holey Rollers. 
-What breakfast looks like most days. Shoveled in to my mouth with one hand while applying mascara with the other. 
-Dancer, Prancer, Comet, Cupid, Elle and Annie!
-Special day at Elle's baptism. 
-Perfect CCCs decked for Christmas made for the best edible gift for my besties.

Bites of My Life

Currently sitting on the floor of my living with a tissue stuffed in each nostril (TMI?) watching the new episode of KUWTK. Christmas cold you are not invited and can leave now. My head is in a fog so enough of this, keep scrolling for more interesting life happenings!

-Pressed stop instead of snooze on my alarm for sister's early morning Barre3 class, but woke up late/just early enough to make it to Beyond pilates as self redemption. #mondays.
-Cherry Vanilla Almond shake to kick off the week. Frozen cherries, vanilla Arbonne protein, almond extract, ice and almond milk. 
-6:00 AM flow to celebrate my favorite studio's 6th year! Congrats Soul!
-Verde Turkey Chili on repeat last week. Loved seeing so many others doing the same. (here's looking at you Lexie, Madeline, Whitney and sis).
-Golden Milk and not pictured, copious amounts of chocolate chips (my current dessert of choice) were Wednesday's "bite while I watched" during Riverdale. Did you see last week's post??
-Too close for comfort one-on-one time with #GabetheBabe this weekend. 
-Yolk porn atop a smashed avo on rice cake for Saturday brekkie. 
-New yoga find this weekend. Come flow with me at 405 Yoga, it's the real deal! 
-Made Rachael's Good Eats raw chocolate bark to have as a dessert option this week instead of my current chocolate chip obsession. 

Annie

Bites While you Watch: TV Binge Edition

'Tis the season for binge watching TV shows. I think it has to do with the weather change and the feeling of winter's arrival that suddenly makes you not want to leave the couch. I also attest binge watching to happening during the busier seasons of life. Anyone else? I used to be notorious for starting a new TV show during finals week. Scandal - finals week 2013, One Tree Hill - finals week 2014. Life is crazy, but sure I'll binge 5 hour long episodes in one night...

I've done two different installations of "Bites While You Watch" seen here and here. Today's install is all about what to eat while binging TV shows on Netflix. Because what is binge watching without snacks.

And yes this post is 100% inspired by my recent obsession with all things Riverdale. If you aren't watching it jump. on. board. 

Riverdale -- diner style milkshakes
My mouth instantly waters every-time they show the cast at Pop's sipping shakes. I'll take strawberry just like my #1 Jughead. 

Big Little Lies -- latte
With only 6 episodes, BLL is the ultimate/easiest binge watching show. Anyone else covet over the foamy lattes Jane, Madeleine and Celeste sip on at the ocean side cafe? Had me craving one during each episode. 

Gilmore Girls -- Chinese take-out, coffee and Mallomars
Basically just all the junk food + coffee. Rory and Lorelai are known for their outrageous eating habits of take out, burgers and copious amounts of coffee. Also Mallomars. They always remind me of Lorelai's birthday episode when Rory spells out Happy Birthday in Mallomars. 

This Is Us -- comfort food
Despite making you cry every episode, This Is Us also gives you the best warm fuzzy feelings the same way comfort food makes you feel. A cozy dinner like this is perfect for curling up on the couch with an episode of This is Us. 

Scandal -- red wine and popcorn
It's not an episode of Scandal if Olivia isn't pouring herself a glass of vino in her iconic long stemmed wine glasses. 

Binge, bite and enjoy!
Annie

Bites of My Life

Four blog posts in one week, who am I?? Gift guide, dinner recipe and cookie recipe all went live last week. Can you not agree that sometimes you get more done when you are busier? The rush of the holidays are real, but if that means being more active on the blog side so be it! Can't say four posts will get rolled out this week...

Feeling festive with all the Christmas decorations up, gift guide out, shopping (almost) done, cookies made etc! A festive weekend for the Sooners too, cheering on our team with my best friends in Dallas! 'Tis the season!

-The Jones Assembly decked their halls last week! Love having this festive place to work from.
-Apple nachos inspired by my insta girl crush @rachelsgoodeats.
-A few of my favorite things from my gift guide. Who else is a sucker for gift guides??
-Crock-Pot Pork Chops and Sweet Potatoes was a recipe my mom would often make growing up and I've loved fixing it recently for an easy but nostalgic dinner. I used these mini purple sweet potatoes from Trader Joe's and loved them! 
-Last week's cookie recipe doubled as an OU game day treat and a festive Christmas cookie! 
-Went in, went out for a quick dinner on the road and Taylor's first In-N-Out experience! 
-Mimosas, coffee, Baileys and a Chick-Fil-A breakfast spread to get the game day started!
-12 big cheers for a winning weekend and being with my favorite crew.
-Verde Turkey Chili made whole 30 // sans beans, topped with just avo and plantain chips. 

Annie