St. Patrick's Day Cocktails for Non-Beer Drinkers

St. Patrick's Day is Monday--what are you drinking? If you're not into the celebratory green beer, order one of these cocktails when you head out to your local watering hole, or make them at home and bring the party to your place. 

Irish Coffee

You don't want to sip this in the morning (or maybe you do; I'm not judging) but this makes the perfect after-dinner drink.

 

 St. Patrick's Day Grasshopper

A boozy take on the shamrock shake.

 

 Shamrock-tini

Possibly better than mint chocolate chip ice cream.

 

Lucky Leprechaun

A fruity cocktail for anyone who's not into the standard minty drinks or pints of Guinness.

 

 Irish Mojito

A shot of creme de menthe turns this Cuban classic into an Irish refreshment.

 Baby Guinness

Looks like Guinness stout but tastes like coffee thanks to Kahlua and Bailey's.

Sparkling Shamrock

Something sparkly and fruity for the champagne drinkers.

Friday Favorites

This was one of those weeks when I made a ton of plans (visit this friend, then that friend, take my little girl to the movies, then meet up with a different friend, etc) and none of them ended up happening. Instead, I got to spend a lot of time with family, which is always a good thing, and actually relax a little. I even got myself a pair of new shoes--the tip of the proverbial iceberg though, because I want to do a huge closet overhaul for spring. What are your weekend plans? I hope you have a good one. God bless!

A tasty-looking use for any leftover Girl Scout cookies (should you happen to have any).

Free printable bow tie drink markers...just because.

The most adorable shoes by Sophia Webster.

A cool photo series by Russian photographer Murad Ossman that has me longing to travel the world.

Collecting ideas for decorating our Easter eggs this year. Yes, already.

Be Bold

Have an amazing day!


image via

Must Have: Sugar Paper Polka Dot Journal

 Sugar Paper Polka Dot Journal, $16

 
One of my favorite things in the world is a brand new journal or notebook; its emptiness represents to me infinite possibilities and the chance to make something brilliant happen. I love to keep a notebook of some sort on hand at all times because I never know when an idea will strike, or when I'll get a bit of pertinent info for a piece I'm working on. This one is small enough to fit right in my bag so I'll never miss an opportunity to capture my thoughts on paper. The fact that it's so darn cute is merely the icing!

Chocolate and Walnut Scones

I don't typically keep buttermilk in my fridge; I buy it when a new recipe I'd like to try calls for it, but then I've got this leftover buttermilk that I'm never really sure what to do with. When I found myself with an almost full bottle of buttermilk recently, I decided to forgo the pancakes I was going to make in favor of these scones. They were so good with coffee (like, really good!), and as much as I love chocolate, I think it was the toasted walnuts that made these so special. They were the perfect way to use up leftover buttermilk...but also a really good reason to go out and buy a bottle.

Chocolate and Walnut Scones
1¾ cups all-purpose flour 
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
¾ cup coarsely broken walnuts, toasted
½ cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

To toast walnuts: Spread walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 350° for 5 to 8 minutes. 
Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, then, using your fingers, crumble the cold butter into the dry mixture until it becomes a rough crumb. Add chocolate and walnuts and stir until mixed. 

In a medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg, and vanilla, then slowly add to the flour mixture. Stir lightly just until dough comes together (you can use your hands). Use a large mixing spoon or your hands to drop dough (about 2 to 3 tablespoons worth) onto ungreased baking sheet. Alternatively, you can press dough on a lightly floured surface and use a biscuit cutter or drinking glass to cut out rounds of dough. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.

photos by Angelica Golden