Tag Archives: Shopping

Key West Part Three

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More Key West! I promise, this is my final installment of the Key West saga. I am back home now, but I just had to share with your guys the rest so you would be able to have as much fun as I did if you ever get the opportunity to get down here.

Key West | Beautiful Disasters

We went to the iconic Sloppy Joe’s, which is also known as Hemingway‘s bar. Yes, it is where Hemingway used to hang out “back in the day”. My mom and I just went there for an appetizer at around lunch time one day (I think Wednesday) and ordered an appetizer that came with a few onion rings, a few conch fritters, some mozzarella sticks, and wings.

Key West | Beautiful Disasters

Nothing in the appetizer really did much for me. Fried food doesn’t usually lift my skirt, unless it’s something like fish and chips, but it was decent and we were mostly there for the historical reasons.

Hemingway's skis!

Hemingway’s skis!

Key West | Beautiful Disasters

It was still a cool experience and I really enjoyed the key limeade I had there!

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One last thing I would like to share with you guys is Kermit’s Key West Lime Shoppe.

Me and Kermit!

It’s this cute little bakery/candy/key lime-everything shop on the corner by where our shuttle from the hotel would pick us up and drop us off. We went in DAILY! One of my favorite parts of this little shop is that the guy who owns it (Kermit) is there basically everyday!!

Key West | Beautiful Disasters

I love it when owners of small businesses take pride and put in that kind of effort into their business. His shop sells every key lime thing you could possibly think of. His products have been featured on TV, like on Food Network, and in many other notable media outlets. He sure has made quite a name for himself.

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His pie is sold all around Key West in many restaurants, and his products are sold in many Key West shops. He REALLY has it figured out! He has samples all over his store where you can basically sample everything from lotion to barbecue sauce to truffles.

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You can also buy his products on-line. I bought a shirt, his key lime juice, key lime jelly beans, and key lime hard candies.

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I was absolutely shocked at how much I loved the key lime candies. I think I may be addicted!

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There certainly are a bunch of interesting things to see and experience on Key West. If you can ever make it down here, I totally recommend it with my whole heart. I love it here, and seriously, I have never eaten a bad meal here. Ever. How often can you say that?!?

Example of interesting things around Key West

Example of interesting things around Key West

Random Fact of the Day: In the year 2000, Pope John Paul II was named an ‘Honorary Harlem Globetrotter.’”

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Cinnamon Coffee Cake Quick Bread

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I’m all about quick breads.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake Quick Bread | Beautiful Disasters

Especially during these painful days of Lent. My parents always give up treats for Lent, which I used to always do too, but now that I have completely given up meat, treats are fair game. However, baking a full batch of brownies, cupcakes, or cookies is basically asking for a heart attack since I am the only one available to consume said brownies, cupcakes, and cookies.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake Quick Bread | Beautiful Disasters

Enough about me. Quick breads are great and super easy to whip up. Having a loaf of banana bread, pumpkin bread, or this fabulous coffee cake bread, are all awesome to have on your counter ready to take a slice out of for a quick snack or easy breakfast on the go. My dad is a huge coffee cake fan, so I knew this would be a big hit with him. I had a hard time keeping him from devouring it before I got pictures.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake Quick Bread | Beautiful Disasters

Even though the swirls may seem like they’d be an extra step, everything is super easy where you just layer and layer the batter and cinnamon-sugar mixture. Enjoy and happy Friday everyone! :)

Cinnamon Coffee Cake Quick Bread

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a little less than 1 cup of skim milk mixed with 1 Tablespoon white vinegar  (or 1 cup buttermilk)
1 cup brown sugar
2 heaping tablespoons ground cinnamon

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. I used a silicone loaf pan, but I still sprayed mine just in case.
  2. Whisk the flours, baking soda, and baking powder together in a bowl and set aside. Mix the milk-white vinegar mixture and vanilla in a small bowl and set aside. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl and set aside.
  3. Using the mixer, cream the butter and white sugar together. Mix in the eggs. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix to combine, then add 1/2 of the milk mixture. Repeat this and end with the flour. Pour 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan and top with 1/3 of the cinnamon mixture, repeat so that the final layer of cinnamon mixture is the topping on the bread. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake Quick Bread | Beautiful Disasters

Random Fact of the Day: Cow is a Japanese brand of shaving foam.

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Merry Christmas!

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Merry Christmas everyone!

I hope Santa was good to you all :) My family will be doing what we love to do every year, opening presents, relaxing, watching football and movies, and looking at Christmas lights. Today is a great day to appreciate all your blessings, family, and friends. Also, remember those who are less fortunate, keep them in your prayers, and try to do something for someone else today.

Thank you all for being such kind readers, I am so appreciative of all the comments and feedback I get from everyone of you. Once again, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

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Random Fact of the Day: A cow gives nearly 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime.

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Christmas Chocolate Dipped Brownie Pops

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What could possible be better than a chewy, fudgey, chocolatey brownie you ask?

Xmaschocoaltecoveredbrownies

One covered in chocolate.

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Garnished with sprinkles.

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And placed on a stick for easy eating, that’s what.

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These are just about as easy as those chocolate covered oreos, I posted on Friday. These are perfect if you want to make something pretty simple yet delicious and festive! You could easily wrap these up with a little cellophane and tie a ribbon and call it a day and give them to teachers, neighbors, friends, or yourself!

Christmas Chocolate Dipped Brownie Pops

one batch of baked brownies, I used my favorite brownie recipe but if you don’t feel like making them from scratch feel free to use a box mix or already-made store bought brownies

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate (white chocolate, dark chocolate, or milk chocolate would be great too)

1 Tablespoon butter or margarine

sprinkles and additional desired toppings  (like crumbled up cookies, a drizzle of a different type of chocolate, M&M’s, etc.)

popsicle sticks

  1. Bake and prepare brownies as recipe directs. Let cool and cut into individual bars, whatever size you want.
  2. When brownies are completely cut and cooled, melt the chocolate and butter (or margarine) together in a double boiler or microwave, until smooth. I prefer to use a double boiler when I’m dipping things because once the chocolate is completely melted, I can keep it over the lowest heat and it stays smooth and melted, perfect for dipping.
  3. First dip popsicle stick in melted chocolate, then stick popsicle stick in the bottom of brownie, about halfway in. Place brownie on stick on wire rack, with parchment paper or silpat-lined rimmed baking sheet underneath. Repeat with all brownie pieces. Place in fridge for at least 30 minutes, or until chocolate is hardened
  4. Once chocolate is hardened on sticks, take brownies out of fridge and dip whole brownie in melted chocolate. Right after each brownie is dipped in chocolate, apply toppings (sprinkles, cookie crumbs, etc.) Once all brownies have been completely dipped and decorated, place in fridge until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.
  5. Once chocolate is set, remove brownie pops from wire racks and place in tupperware container. I store mine in the fridge, but they would be fine sitting at room temperature as long as your house and environment aren’t too warm. Enjoy!

Christmas Chocolate Dipped Brownies

Random Fact of the Day: In the U.S., more than 10% of lottery prizes go unclaimed

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Chocolate Covered Oreos

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Can we just all put our Christmas decorations up and never take them down?

I hate how dark and dreary the neighborhoods get when the lights go down, and the lights just put me in such a cheery mood. I mean how can you look at all the cute decorations and stay upset? You can’t, that’s how.

Everything about Christmas is fabulous. Lights, trees, holiday baking, decorations, hot cocoa, fires crackling in the fireplace, snuggled up INSIDE and looking (keywords: inside and looking) at the fluffy white snow, and of course giving and receiving fun gifts.

I used Chocolate Joe-Joe’s with chocolate creme, but these would obviously be great with any Oreo or Joe-Joe. Peppermint Joe-Joe’s would be totally up my alley but then again, regular Oreos are always a classic. It’s all in your own ball field.

Then of course different types of chocolate are a fun way to mix it up. I used basic semi-sweet chocolate chips. Almond bark is great for melting and coating. White chocolate could be good if that is your thing (not exactly a big thing in our house), dark chocolate would be fabulous, and of course milk chocolate is always a safe route.

And the last piece that you can have fun with on these super easy (yet super tasty) treats to make them unique and your own, is the toppings. I wanted to make mine pretty Christmasy so I used some Christmas-colored non perils, but some other ideas of toppings are things like crushed Oreos (or Joe-Joe’s), more chocolate drizzled on top, or crushed candy canes.

There’s not really much of a recipe for these. Basically, just take your Oreos or Joe-Joe’s, cover them in melted chocolate and let the chocolate harden on parchment paper-lined baking sheet or you can use a silpat instead of parchment paper. Then decorate with whatever your heart desires! I keep mine in the fridge to keep the chocolate hardened and that is just the way I happen to like them, but I think they would be fine stored at room temperature once the chocolate has hardened.

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