holidays

Wordless Wednesday: Christmas Music

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I’m officially on winter vacation! Despite a few loose ends from work I’m tying up, I’m back home in New York trying to work as little as possible, spend as much time with family and friends, and get into the holiday spirit. To help get in the mood for Christmas (while it’s 40 degrees out), I’m sharing some of my favorite holiday tunes for today’s (semi)Wordless Wednesday post. Warning – these may not be the traditional tunes you listen to year in and out. A playlist with a few of these songs, and some more, can be found here.

All I Want for Christmas Is You (Love Actually version … my favorite!)

One of my favorites from The Nutcracker – Pas De Deux  

Michael Buble – Baby Please Come Home

Last Christmas (The Glee version … only version worth listening to in my opinion)

Straight No Chaser – 12 Days of Christmas

Blues Traveler – Christmas

Transiberian Orchestra – Christmas Eve in Sarajevo (Carol of the Bells) (one of B’s favorite Christmas songs)

March of the Wooden Soldiers (from one of my dad’s favorite Christmas movies, Babes in Toyland)

Baby It’s Cold Outside (Colbie Caillat and Gavin DeGraw) 

It Feels Like Christmas (from the Muppet Christmas Carol)

The Chieftains – Il Est Ne (we would listen to this album each year when putting up our tree…  I swear hearing this song makes me smell pine needles!)

Weezer – We Wish You a Merry Christmas 

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Even more holiday fun in the CLE!

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I’m officially off to celebrate the holidays and get some rest after a few super crazy busy weeks – but before I jet off to New York, I wanted to share with you a few other ways I’ve been celebrating the holiday time in Cleveland.

The Tremont Santa Shuffle

This past weekend, B, a few friends, and I participated in the Santa Shuffle – the annual running of the Santas and bar crawl in Tremont.  What a great event! It was my first year doing it (B had to convince me – I told him a 1-mile fun run wasn’t a race and I’d rather run a real Santa Race) and I think we’ll definitely be participating again in the future. Now that I live downtown, I hardly make it to the neighboring areas, including Tremont – so it was great to check out a ton of the local bars, enjoy a few cocktails with some Santas, and dress up in our holiday best.

20121215_160212 20121215_164332 great holiday sweaters and sweater vests

Decorating!

I love everything about Christmas decorations. And now, with Pinterest, I have even more decorating ideas (that I don’t actually do) at my fingertips. B and I aren’t allowed a real tree in our apartment, and since I head to NY so soon, we decided just to put up a few decorations this year. SO, when B’s parents invited us over for their annual tree decorating evening, I immediately said yes. Decorating a tree, plus tons of yummy appetizers for our dinner? I was in. And this is my first year in B’s Christmas family photo – check it out:

carney family

Playing Dress Up

Just because you don’t have an ugly sweater party to go to this year (or you’re missing it because of your travel schedules), doesn’t mean you shouldn’t find an excuse to parade around in it one Saturday … whether it’s in a bar crawl, or just for when you’re sitting around your fire, it’s one great way to get in the mood for the holiday spirit.

Holiday Happy Hours, Parties and Tweetups

The past few weeks have included a holiday happy hour/bar crawl through Ohio City with B’s coworkers, more than a handful of holiday themed happy hours and parties, and even a recent tweetup. There may be too many to share details with you, but here are a few shots of my faves.

cari and me at tweetup

Cari and me at the Channel 5 Meet & Tweet at Hodges

BC alumni at our holiday party at one of my fave restaurants - TAZA!

BC alumni at our holiday party at one of my fave restaurants – TAZA!

Enjoying A Surprise Lunchtime Performance 

Last week, B decided to meet me for lunch and we headed over to the Ameritrust Rotunda on E 9th and Euclid to check out not only the gorgeous building, but also some holiday music. Are you around tomorrow for lunch? If so, I encourage you to check out what they’re calling Circle In The City. B and I caught a great Christmas Brass Quintet featuring musicians of The Cleveland Orchestra. Not only was the music great, but it was so cool to see the inside of a building I walk by nearly every day. It’s beautiful –  definitely a hidden Cleveland gem! They also had food trucks outside on 9th and Euclid serving up some food for those visiting.

Ameritrust Rotunda

Holiday Traditions

For the past few years, B and I make sure to take the time to enjoy a quiet meal on our couch and watch Love Actually. This year has been so much busier than usual that we almost didn’t get there – but B made sure we did! Even after a night of a holiday happy hour and a different holiday party (we made both!), he found time to make us pepperoni bread and queue up Love Actually.

Despite all the hustle and bustle, and nonstop rush and craziness of this time of year – I love it more and more each year! What’s your favorite thing about the holidays? Do you have any holiday traditions you just can’t miss?

A wonderful Cleveland holiday

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I love the holidays. The lights everywhere. The baked goods. The cookies. The music. The Christmas Ale. The overall warmth and jolliness that everyone seems to espouse (especially after a few cookies and Christmas Ale!). And even though it’s not even the middle of December yet,  I’m already in full blown holiday spirit!

Cleveland public square at night - all lit up

Cleveland during the holiday times is great. Public Square is lit up and there’s so much going on! In addition to a few holiday parties (not mentioned below), here’s how I’ve been celebrating  – with 15 days left until Christmas!

Baking … and more baking!  

Yes, as if I need an excuse for baking … but so far this year I’ve made Oatmeal Scotchies, Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies and Cherry Almond Chocolate Kisses.  When I get back to NY, I’ll likely make some more – probably some lemon bars, thumbprint jam cookies, peanut blossoms, Tuxedo Cookies, and much much more.

Some of the holiday cookies we baked for our office potluck/cookie exchange party

Some of the holiday cookies baked for our office potluck/cookie exchange party

Rocking it at the Cleveland Rocks! Awards

Each year, before the holidays, the Cleveland PRSA Chapter celebrates the best in the year’s programs and invites local PR pros to celebrate as well. This year, projects I worked on won several awards, including Best in Show! Plus, the Silent Auction I helped coordinate garnered a record number of funds to support the chapter’s scholarship fund. It was a great night and definitely wonderful to celebrate with my other coworkers and friends in the business.

Coworkers Goofing Off At Our Photo Booth at the Awards

Coworkers Goofing Off At Our Photo Booth at the Awards

Best In Show winners with our award - a guitar!

Best In Show winners with our award – a guitar!

Enjoying the Cleveland Orchestra’s Holiday Performance

Each year, the  Cleveland Orchestra puts on a performance for St. Ignatius as a fundraiser for student scholarships during the holidays – and it’s amazing! They play holiday concerts during the entire holiday season for the public, but I love the Ignatius concert tradition. We get dinner in Little Italy with B’s entire family (parents, siblings, aunt, uncles, grandma, cousin, etc.), then enjoy a performance in Severance Hall by the Cleveland Orchestra. It’s a great way to get in the holiday spirit – and I love it!

third row at the Cleveland Orchestra!

third row at the Cleveland Orchestra!

Watching A Christmas Carol at Playhouse Square

This weekend, B and I got tickets (THANKS CHRIS!) to see A Christmas Carol, put on by Great Lakes Theater. We made the evening into a date, and got drinks with his brother and parents before, saw the show, and then enjoyed dinner at Cowell & Hubbard. It was a great way to spend a wintry evening  – the show was great (although it made me really want to watch A Muppet Christmas Carol) and dinner was awesome. We enjoyed some beef ceviche, escargot, fois gras donuts and seafood dumplings — all food that I don’t normally order.

Escargot, beef ceviche, seafood dumplings and fois gras doughnuts @ Cowell & Hubbard

Escargot, beef ceviche, seafood dumplings and fois gras doughnuts @ Cowell & Hubbard

Giving Back with Caring Cubs

This weekend, B and I took ourniece and nephew to the zoo! Not only were we there to see some of the animals, but we were there for a Caring Cubs event. Caring Cubs is an organization I became introduced to through Bridge Builders- they hold monthly events for young children, ages 2 to 7, designed to teach various lessons of social responsibility.  We took Oliver and Sofia to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, brought some new and gently used toys that were in turn donated to the Department of Child and Family Services, and then got to enjoy an animal show plus tour of the zoo afterwords. We finished up the afternoon in Little Italy, enjoying some pizza and dessert at  some of our favorites – Mama Santas and Presti’s.

caring cubs

Caring Cubs collected more than 500 toys!

sofia touching armadillo

zooo with children

hmm ... which cookies to choose?

hmm … which cookies to choose?

What about you? What have you been doing to get into the holiday spirit?

Peanut Butter + Chocolate = Homemade Buckeyes

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Each year for B’s  birthday I make him a favorite treat, Buckeyes.

What are Buckeyes?

If you had asked me a few years ago, I would’ve just looked at you crazily. Buckeyes? I have no idea? I would’ve said.

Now, being an Ohioan for five years (can you believe that?) – of course I know what Buckeyes are! Not only do I know what they are – but I LOVE eating them and making them! Peanut butter? PLUS chocolate? How could they go wrong? So to all my East Coast and West Coast friends  and family – Buckeyes are basically a glorified and homemade peanut butter cup that are made to look like the state tree of Ohio’s “fruit/nut” and are super delicious. You know Reese’s peanut butter cups and how you always wish there was more peanut butter? Well, these are what you need. Check out that peanut butter to chocolate ratio:

actual homemade buckeyes

So each year, sometime around September 13 (B’s birthday) … or a month later if I’ve been busy … I cook (without the oven, of course) up some Buckeyes and B is a happy camper. And now, you too, can make some perfect Buckeyes – oven free – with this recipe:

Perfect Homemade Buckeyes

Here’s what you need:

For the amazing peanut butter filling:

  • 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (approx. 390 grams)
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 tbs vanilla extract
  • 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (480 grams)

For the chocolate outer coating:

  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2ish tablespoons of Crisco or shortening

Here’s what you do:

    1. Line a baking sheet with foil or waxed paper
    2. In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar. Mix well (I use my KitchenAid) until it forms a stiff dough.
    3. Shape dough into balls, about one inch or 2 tsp wide.
    4. Place on prepared pan, and place peanut butter dough balls in refrigerator for 1 hour, or freezer for 30 minutes.
    5. Now it’s time to make the chocolate coating! Melt shortening and chocolate together in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Stir occasionally until smooth.
    6. Time to coat the Buckeyes! Remove  peanut butter balls from freezer. Insert a toothpick into a ball, and dip into the melted chocolate chip/Crisco mixture. Return to wax paper or aluminum foil chocolate side down, and remove toothpick. Repeat with remaining balls.
    7. Refrigerate chocolate coated peanut butter balls (or Buckeyes!) for 30 min to 1 hour to set.

peanut butter chocolate buckeyes

Murphy’s Chocolate Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Ganache & Bailey’s Buttercream Frosting

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Two weeks ago, I got an email from my bff Jane. All that it said, was, “Have you made these yet? http://www.wearenotmartha.com/2011/03/chocolate-stout-cupcakes-with-irish-whiskey-filling-and-baileys-frosting/

they look AMAZING.”

I clicked on the link. Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Irish Whiskey Filling and Bailey’s Frosting? Oh my goodness. No – I had not made these. But now I was on a mission to make them for St. Patrick’s Day!

SO this afternoon, I did it. No, I didn’t do the recipe exactly (I didn’t have Irish Whiskey. Woops! AND Brian’s drink of choice is Murphy’s, not Guinness)- but they still came out wonderful!

Murphy’s Chocolate Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Ganache and Bailey’s Buttercream Frosting

(adapted from We Are Not Martha and Brown Eyed Baker)

Here’s what you need:

For the Murphy’s cupcakes:

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 1 cup Murphy’s Irish Stout
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1½ tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cup sour cream

For the dark chocolate ganache:

  • 1.5 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream OR milk
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • 1 tbsp. Bailey’s Irish cream

For the Bailey’s buttercream frosting:

  • 1 stick of unsalted butter
  • 3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • ½ cup Bailey’s Irish cream

Here’s what you do:

For the cupcakes:

  • Heat the butter and Murphy’s in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once butter is melted, add cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and cool.
  •  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In your mixer, beat eggs with sour cream. Add the cooled beer-butter-cocoa mixture and fold in with a spatula. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed – don’t overmix.
  • Pour batter into a muffin pan, prepared with cupcake liners. Bake, at 350 degrees, until done, about 17-20 minutes. Cool.

For the ganache filling:

  • Place chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl.
  • Warm the cream in a small saucepan until simmering, then pour it over the chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Add the butter and Bailey’s and stir until smooth.
  • Set aside until it is cool/thickened.

Cut out a portion from the center of the cupcake to insert filling. I used the cone method (GREAT how-to, here) but the other recipes, above, core the cupcake. You could use a piping bag to fill the cupcakes; I used a small spoon to insert the filling.

For the frosting:

  • Beat butter until fluffy.
  • Slowly add in powdered sugar.
  • Mix in the Bailey’s.
  • Frost the cupcakes and adorn with green sugar or other festive decorations!

Sweets for your Sweetie – Valentine’s Desserts

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Three days until Valentine’s Day! I’ve never been one of those girls that’s been obsessed by or goes overboard  the holiday – some flowers and a nice dinner and I’m all set. BUT how can you not get excited by all the girly, sparkly things there are out there – clothes, food, cards, more.

Are you planning on baking anything special for your loved one? Or to share with friends? Here are a few recipes that look delicious that I’ve recently pinned – I haven’t made any of these yet, but I hope to try at least one out! Which looks the best to you? I’m going to let B take a look and see which sounds good to him.

Red Velvet Heart Whoopie Pies (from Annie Eats)

 

UPDATE: I made a version of these, here.

 

Valentine Cookie Pops (from the Idea Room)

Seriously, the most amazing cake ever – Heart Cake (from I am Baker)

Valentine Hug Cookies (from Life is Sweets)

Chocolate Dipped Heart Cookies (from Martha Stewart)

AND just for fun …

Unicorn Poop Cookies! Because what says love more than unicorn poop? (from Squidoo)

Which looks best to you? Do you have any Valentine’s recipes you plan on trying out?

Holidaze!

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Sorry, couldn’t come up with a more original title for this post. You’re probably wondering where in the world I’ve been these past few weeks … no? Well it’s really been a daze of food, fun and family. I somehow ended up with waaay more time off than should be legally allowed and my last day in the office before January 3 was December 16. What have I been up to in the meantime?

My vacation started off with dropping off food and gifts for the Boston College Adopt a Family program – B and I coordinated the program this year and our local alumni chapter was able to adopt 5 families and provide food and gifts for 37 people this year!

After the drop off, gathering with some of the volunteers

After the drop off, B and I headed to NY to spend Christmas with my family. Not before spending a few days in NYC first to visit friends and family and sightsee! As you may know, most of my family (grandmother, aunts, cousin, brother, uncles) all live in NYC so each visit I tend to spend time with family, and not have time to visit the sights. So B and I decided to take the train down and spend a few days walking around Manhattan, stopping by Brooklyn to get an amazing dinner with my uncle (SO mad I didn’t get a picture of my awesome Italian meal of grilled octopus and calamari!), getting lunch with my great-aunt at a Mexican restaurant in Murray Hill, visiting my brother at Columbia, and doing touristy thing like eating tons of bagels with lox cream cheese (my fave!), walking by Rockerfeller Center (but not touristy enough to take a photo of the tree), checking out Eataly, walking around Central Park, running through Riverside Park, window shopping at the outdoor Christmas markets, and checking out the window displays on 5th Avenue.

NYC at dusk

Visiting my Grandma's Sister, Aunt Glad

In addition to our fun times in the city, we got to spend Christmas with my family. Never a dull moment in the Koski household, this year’s Christmas festivities included:

  • Lots of cookies
  • Even more tissues and cold meds as I had the longest and stuffiest cold of my adult life
  • Walking Queenie … and then scarily witnessing her have a seizure a few days later
  • Decorating the tree … and then it falling down, leaving me to hold it up while B and my dad attempted to trim some branches off the bottom so it’d better fit in the tree stand
  • Seeing two movies (Sherlock Holmes AND the new Mission Impossible) in the theater and watching Love Actually with the family for their first time (possibly my 10th)
  • Lighting the menorah for Chanukah and going to Christmas morning mass
  • One clogged toilet and a Christmas-day call to a plumber so we could once again use the water in our house … which has become a sad tradition
  • Impromptu dance parties to All I Want for Christmas Is You with my aunt and mom
  • Reconnecting with one of my bffs, Jane, and recounting who from our high school was pregnant, who was divorced, who had bought a house, and how old we are getting
  • Lots of reading (almost made my way through the awesome book Cutting for Stone)
  • Getting lots of amazing Christmas and early-birthday gifts from my wishlist! My favorites being my new Hunter boots (thanks B!), my new awesome laptop  bag/carry all purse (thanks Mom/Dad!) and new running shoes (which already have about 20 or so miles on them 🙂 )

You should be seriously jealous of these hot Christmas sweatshirts

holding the tree while B and my dad cut the branches

The Menorah on Christmas Eve

All in all, it was a great time with my family and of course I was sad to leave and drive back to Ohio. How did you spend your holidays?

Super Easy Peasy Tuxedo Cookies

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Growing up, the week before Christmas meant 3 things – baking, baking and more baking! In our house each year my mom went crazy before the Koskis all arrived (my dad’s family comes up to Albany for a visit each Christmas and spends 3-4 days/nights sleeping and eating in my parents’ house…yup, that’s about all that we do), baking sugar cookies, butter cookies with jam, rugelah, oatmeal butterscotch cookies, peanut butter blossoms, almond snowball cookies, banana and zucchini bread, shortbread cookies, ricotta cookies and cheesecake, lemon cake, and so on. As the years have passed, some cookies have lasted longer than others (sadly, the ricotta cheesecake lost its spot in our home a few years ago) but one cookie that has stayed since its inauguration in the Koski household is the Tuxedo Hug Cookie. Why? Three reasons. 1- It’s  a tradition for my brother and me to make together (though lately his involvement has dwindled to the placement of the Hugs), 2 – My grandmother, a chocoholic, loves them and 3 – They are SO easy.

They are honestly so easy that I feel guilty sharing these with you. But they look cute, and Grandma loves them – so hopefully you’ll be able to share them with your family someday as well!

easy tuxedo cookies = chocolate hug cookies

Tuxedo Hug Cookies

(stolen many years ago from the bag of the Hugs bag)

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • One box of brownie mix that includes fudge packet (the box should say it includes a fudge pack… i use Hershey’s Original Supreme Brownie Mix with Hershey’s Syrup pouch)
  • 1/4 c. vegetable oil (I always use Canola oil)
  • 1/4 c. water
  • 1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 egg
  • One package of Hugs! (the white chocolate / amazing version of Hershey’s Kisses)

Here’s what you’ll do:

  • Grease cookie sheet. I usually spray Pam and then lightlyscatter flour along the cookie sheet to prevent sticking.
  • Combine brownie mix & syrup pouch, cocoa, water, oil and egg in medium bowl until well blended. That’s it! Really! That’s your cookie dough!
  • Drop by teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet. They’ll look small, but beware- they spread!
  • Bake in 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 1 minute. Call your younger brother and have him press candy into center of each cookie. We ran out of Hugs this year, so we also used some of those those chocolate/regular chocolate swirled baking chips and they looked marvelous!

Holiday Gift Ideas for the PR Pro in Your Life (and you know you have one)

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It’s that time of year again – holiday shopping! In my quest to put together my holiday list/wishlist, I’ve put together a roundup of gift recommendations if you’re seeking ideas for the young PR pro. Again, these are just my recommendations* and many of them skew toward my (selfish) interests (and thus skew female as well), so take these with a grain of salt. Also, I’d love to hear if you have any others to add!

Gifts for the young PR Pro (in no order):

A gift certificate to Starbucks / McDonald’s or wherever your PRo purchases her caffeine of choice:  PR pros work long days, stay up late, and sometimes keep crazy hours. Also, a recent study showed PR is the second most caffeinated profession! You can’t go wrong with a gift card that you know will be used.

A reusable coffee thermos: To be used during said caffeine purchases. Everyone likes to be green/eco-friendly, and most coffee houses provide discounts for those using their own reusable mug.

A purse that can serve as a laptop bag: Is any explanation needed? Really, for travel, daily walking to and from work, and heading to business meetings – who can say no to a stylish, professional laptop bag that fits more than just your laptop (but also your iPad, phone, lunch money, notebook, extra pair of pantyhose, etc.)? Here are a few I like:

Business Card holders: For your desk or your purse, these are a must. I currently have a Vera Bradley one (no longer available, similar, here), but any that are functional and stylish and good for on the go (read: fits in above laptop bag) would be appreciated. Big spender? Check out this Tiffany one.

A portfolio: I got a “professional” portfolio a few years ago for Christmas and though I don’t use it daily (I prefer to use fun stationery for notes … see below), when I need it, I’m glad to have it. A good portfolio is professional, will last you through the years, and has pockets for back up documents, presentations, pens/pencils and business cards.

Cute, functional stationery: Whether it’s for thank you cards or for writing to-do lists, PR pros write a LOT and it’s not always on the computer. I’m a huge fan of fun note cards and fun stationery – it’s amazing what a bright colored piece of paper can do to your mood, even when making the most intense to-do list! Again, as a Vera Bradley fan, here are a few I like and may even own (yes, my mom may have gotten me some cool paper last year!):

Smartphone accessories: If the PR pro on your list doesn’t have a smartphone, then definitely add that onto this list as well. But, if she does, some fun accessories can’t hurt! It will vary phone by phone, but some practical items to consider include car dock and/or charger, Bluetooth headsets or extra memory cards.

A tablet AND accessories: I love my iPad. Well, it’s B’s, but if I didn’t have one for myself to borrow, I’d sure want one!  And while I’m at it, of course I’d want some accessories like these cool cases on Etsy: Monster iPad Sleeve, i-Sketch Sleeve (Below) or Polka Dot iPad Sleeve. Outside of Etsy (which has so many to choose from!) there’s the BookBook iPad Sleeve (below), AND for the big spender, there’s the Swarovski iPad case, which is likely worth more than the iPad itself.

What do you recommend? What’s on your gift list this year?

PS – Mom, if you’re reading this post (and you’re the only one who reads my blog), no need to go out and buy me everything here – please consult me first : )