I’ve always been a fan of a great at-home bar. I strongly believe it’s a must-learn life skill to mix up classic cocktails, and as an avid host, it’s important to provide an array...
Looking back on Easter as a child, I remember how excited I was to dig through my Easter basket. Full of chocolate bunnies, malt ball Easter eggs, Peeps, golden coins, and my favorite Cadbury...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
Yesterday was Earth Day (just in case you missed the memo). Earth Day, to me, always serves as a great reminder to think of ways I can go green. And yes, not just for a day, but every day. It’s that gentle kick in the behind to consider better habits during my normal routine.
In the slideshow above, I’ve rounded up nine easy ways to go green, and believe me…they’re super simple. But if you’re like me, sometimes you forget and/or get lazy about these little steps to a greener community (it’s okay, let’s just work on it!). What would you add to the list? Cheers, Kat
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Use Dish Towels
Stop buying paper towels and instead use dish towels to dry hands, clean up messes and keep things tidy. It's amazing how many paper towels we go through without realizing it!
It's all too easy to keep the water on while you brush your teeth, but it's also just as easy to turn it off! Train yourself to flip the knob and brush without the waste.
The U.S. is the # 1 trash producing country in the world (!) and that's just gross. Designate a recycling bin at home, and consider composting when growing your own plants and veggies.
Washing your clothes in cold water keeps your utility bill down, takes better care of your clothes, AND is better for the planet. About 90 percent of energy used when washing your clothes is just to heat the water (costing you $100 or more every year).
Running the dishwasher actually uses a lot less water than washing dishes by hand (like HALF less). The continuous stream of running water adds up, so consider the dishwasher your friend for this household chore.
Think about ways you can enjoy seasonal fruits and vegetables, and always consider if you can buy local. Not only will you be supporting small business farmers, you will be using little to no plastic packaging.
An easy switch, but convenient to ignore too...changing out your lightbulbs for more energy-efficient options will lower your bill and help you live greener every day.
Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksgiving without the star dessert, pumpkin pie. And the truly beautiful thing about pumpkin pie is it really is one of the easier pies to make plus you can make it the day before which means one less thing for you to stress about day of. Below is my recipe, including my festive pie crust leaf cut outs to add a little extra flare to the day and make sure you check out all of my other Turkey day recipes plus my tablescape here. Gobble, gobble. truly, MKR
1 can (15 ounces) Libby’s 100 percent pure pumpkin
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
Whipped cream, for serving (optional)
...For the crust
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
**If you’re going to make cut outs double this recipe to create two crusts
Instructions
Mix 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a medium-size bowl.
Cut 2 sticks chilled unsalted butter into pieces. With a pastry blender, cut in butter, working until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add 4 tablespoons ice water; work with hands until dough comes together. If dough is still crumbly, add more ice water a tablespoon at a time (up to 4 more tablespoons). Do not overwork.
Divide dough in half, and flatten halves into disks. Wrap disks separately in plastic; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
To form the pie shell, roll the dough on a floured surface into a 14-inch round. Carefully place unroll over a 9-inch pie plate and fit gently into bottom and side of plate. Use kitchen shears to trim dough to a 1-inch overhang; fold under, and seal to form a rim. Prick the bottom of dough with a fork and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together, sugar,cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, salt, ginger, and cloves.
In a separate large bowl beat together eggs together, add sugar mixture and pumpkin; mix to combine. Stir in evaporated milk until well combined.
Pour mixture into pie shell and bake for 20 minutes at 425. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees; bake until filling is set, 30 to 40 minutes. To tell the filling is set it will not jiggle at all in the middle and will likely begin to crack just a tad around the edges. **If at any point your pie crust begins to get too brown, which is very possible, cover with tin foil or pie shields and continue to bake**
Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 2 hours.
Serve with whipped cream, if desired, or transfer to a refrigerator until ready to serve.
...For the Crust Cut Outs
Roll out additional crust and use cookie cutters to create shapes. I got my fall cookie cutters at Williams and Sonoma.
Lay cut outs on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes. Watch them as they will burn fast.
Remove from the oven and add to completed pie for a festive look!
I’m definitely guilty of waking up on the wrong side of the bed some days. Other days, I wake up and practically sing a song as I draw back my blackout curtains to start my day. So lately I’ve wondered, what’s the secret to becoming a better morning person?
I read up on secrets morning people swear by and learned about the morning routines of ten of our favorite GIRLBOSSES (I’m currently following after goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow and trying to start my day with a glass of hot water and lemon), and think I’m onto something. The key is choosing a morning task that you enjoy, so that you’ll look forward to starting your day. Currently, I look forward to sipping on my hot lemon water because I know I’m doing something good for my body by rehydrating and resetting my digestive system (I’m on a bit of a wellness kick if you haven’t noticed). I’ve also started to get myself to 6 am barre classes that aren’t incredibly cardio-focused…I’ve found that I enjoy this slow but steady wakeup for my muscles. Now if I had a Barry’s Bootcamp class planned at 6 am…well, that’s a different story if I’d ever make it there or not.
What would you enjoy doing in the morning? Hearing your favorite tunes? Reading a few pages of your devotional or your current book club recommendation? Taking a few minutes to yourself to meditate or journal? Consider a few simple tasks that could help you get out of bed in the morning with a pep in your step and welcome the day with a positive outlook. But also remember to start slow; the odds of becoming a better morning person with five new tasks before you set foot in the office are pretty slim. Check out the slideshow above to find seven ideas to become a better morning person, and be sure to tell me any others in the comments below! Cheers, Kat
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