Breathe

Breathe by veperez124 featuring silver shoes

Romantic Jewels

Romantic Jewels by veperez124 featuring a night out dress

Punchy-Classic

Punchy-Classic by veperez124 featuring chains watches

Dark-Glam

Dark-Glam by veperez124 featuring vintage style jewelry

My Favorite Color Is Shiny

Here is a look into just a few of the things I am obsessed with at the moment:

1. Gold
I tend to go through phases between wearing silver and gold... phases that last months. Right now I obsessed with anything gold and shiny, in particular menswear watches. I think they are the perfect way to balance out a feminine outfit or dress and make it look extra put together and not too "girly". Here is one I am loving that I think I need in my life. The sparkes on each hour are an added touch. I haven't worn a watch in years (since I got my first cell phone actually), but this one might be the one to get me over my dry spell.

2. Wellies
Being able to wear these often is almost worth moving to a place with a colder climate. Seriously, I wish it rained more in Austin just because of these boots. I like the shiny gray version best (on left), but check out how this girl rocks a green pair.

3. Polka dot tights
So cute and unexpected, but not too over the top the way some tights can be. If you know me, you know I like understated simple, so these tights are a must for me this fall. I think I'm on the hunt for a purple dress to pair mine with. Check them out on Jennifer Connelly.

4. Gray nail polish
Ok, so gray is my actual favorite color (can't you tell)?. Last season I was into it for about 2 weeks and then I needed some color back on my nails. This season I am loving the trend once more. I like that it goes with everything and is a nice change from the dark blues and blacks I typically wear on my nails in the fall and winter.

5. Grape juice inspired accessories
Patent is my absolute favorite for handbags and wallets, but right now I find myself drawn to anything purple. It's such a rich beautiful color for fall. I'm loving the color of this wallet and the gold hardware detail.

My Blogging Debut

Hi Everyone! I'm very excited to begin sharing my favorite recipes and latest fashion & decorating inspirations with all of you. Yay! Let's get right to it!

The past few weekends have been spent surrounded by beautiful fall colors.. in Boston and then in the Texas hill country. But for me, yesterday was the first day that felt like the holiday season had begun. Maybe it was the fact that the office was empty, but actually I think I felt that way from the get go. I woke up bright and early with one thing and one thing only on my mind: cookies! I leapt out of bed (literally) and straight into the kitchen where I promptly spun my wheels thinking about what yumminess I could make using all these pecans and peach preserves I picked up in Fredericksburg. And then it came to me: thumbprint cookies! They're sort of a basic sugar cookie but better because they're dipped in pecans and filled with oozey peach deliciousness.. and best of all, you get to poke them! Wrapped with a bow or in a cute tin, they'd make the perfect gift.


Peachey Thumbprint Cookies

• 1/2 c. light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3/4 c. butter (room temperature)
  
• 2 eggs, separated (room temperature)
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 c. finely chopped pecans
• peach preserves (or substitute your favorite flavor)
  

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream together brown sugar and butter; beat in egg yolks and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, adding 1/3 at a time. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Beat egg white slightly; dip balls into egg white; roll in finely chopped pecans. Place cookies about 1 inch apart on parchment paper or ungreased baking sheet; press thumb deeply in center of each. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and fill thumbprints with peach preserves. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; cool thoroughly on wire rack.


After work I immediately got back to it. I'm going home to Sugar Land tomorrow for Thanksgiving and I promised mom I'd bring the dessert. What to bring? Why pumpkin cheesecake, or course! I've made it three years in a row, and it's the perfect balance between rich cheesecake and creamy pumpkin pie. This year I was hell-bent on making sure the darn thing didn't crack, and sure enough it didn't.. although it took over 2 hours to bake. This is a simple Kraft recipe, so they get all of the credit.

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

• 30 crushed gingersnap cookies (about 1 1/2 c.)
  
• 1/2 c. finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 c. butter, melted
• 4 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese (room temperature)
  
• 1 c. sugar, divided
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 eggs (room temperature)
• 1 c. canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• dash of cloves
  

Preheat oven to 325F. Mix cookie crumbs, pecans and butter; press onto bottom of a 9" spring form pan.
Beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each just until blended. Remove 1-1/2 cups batter. Stir remaining sugar, pumpkin and spices into remaining batter.
Spoon half the pumpkin batter into crust; top with spoonfuls of half the plain batter. Repeat layers; swirl with knife. Place a water bath in the oven one rack below the cheesecake. *Bake 55 min. or until center is almost set.

*I altered the baking schedule in order to prevent cracking. I baked it for 25 mins at 325F, reduced the heat to 275F for 10 mins, then reduced to 225F for 10 mins, and finally reduced to 200F until the center was almost set (barely jiggly). Then I opened the oven and let it cool in there for about a half hour before letting it sit on the counter.

Also, be sure to refrigerate cheesecake at least a half day before you eat it so it can set properly. The baking process took a little over 2 hours but in my opinion was well worth it... beautiful swirls and no cracks as in previous years!