The Better S'morkie

 

 

The Better Crepe Cake

I have pondered the creation of a crepe cake before, but the process continued to scare me away from attempting to make one. Since I’m on break for the holidays, I have many hours to enjoy however I please, and decided I needed to stop putting this project off. My OCD nature wouldn’t allow me to just stack crepes because of the messy edges it would create. So after chilling the crepes in the freezer for a few minutes, I used a large circular cookie cutter to create a stack with sharp edges. In between each crepe I put a thin layer of fresh whipped cocoa creme. It was delicious!

The Better Room of the Week

Image via Decor Pad

The Better Christmas Wish List

1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7

I remember the days when my Christmas list would be made around the time people were getting ready for 4th of July barbeques. Lately there hasn’t been much I want that I can’t purchase for myself. With the exception of the 295 dollar Alexander McQueen scarf, no item I desire is over 160 dollars. Mr. Santa probably won’t be making a stop at my house this year, but still cookies are being made, the lights are being strung, and holiday music is being played. This time of year just can’t possibly get any more delightful.

The Better DIY Wand Curler

This process literally took me ten minutes (including the time required to find the screwdriver). Curler wands are great because they are much easier to use, and they do not leave clamp marks in my hair. Plus it was a great way to get the product I want without tossing my Hot Tools curlers. 

The Better Way to Bring in Adulthood

This past weekend was my big 18th birthday. I’m officially an adult! I chose to keep things simple this year; on Friday night I enjoyed an iHop dinner with friends. Although my parents offered to take us to a nice restaurant, I preferred the simplicity of great company and delicious pancakes. Plus, you can’t play games of charades in the middle of Ruth Chris the way you can when you are at the International House of Pancakes. 

{Mackenzie helps Mimi put on her birthday hat}

 

{JCrew birthday bag}

 

{Olivia gave me this glam sleep mask. I feel like Beyonce in my slumber}

{Cook books I received!}

{Home made birthday brownie cake}

The Better Sights and Sounds of Christmas

Today we put up a few decorations while listening to upbeat, jazzy carols. Here are some pictures and list of songs for the holiday season.

MY CURRENT PLAYLIST OF CHRISTMAS MUSIC

JAZZ

Sleigh Ride…Ella Fitzgerald

What Are you Doing New Year’s Eve?…Ella Fitzgerald 

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow…Michael Buble

The Christmas Song…Ella Fitzgerald 

The Man With the Bag…Kay Starr

White Christmas…Bing Crosby

I’ll Be Home for Christmas…Kelly Clarkson

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas…Michael Buble

POP

Wonderful Christmastime…Kelly Rowland

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas…Christina Aguilera

O Holy Night…Kelly Clarkson

Drummer Boy…Sean Kingston

All I Want for Christmas Is You…Mariah Carey

My Grown-Up Christmas List…Kelly Clarkson

This Gift (Pop Version)…98 Degrees (a classic blast to 90s boy band past)

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town…the Cheetah Girls (don’t hate, it’s a fun song)

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing… Mariah Carey

Baby, It’s Cold Outside…Jessica Simpson duet with Nick Lachey 

Oh Santa!…Mariah Carey

Last Christmas…Glee Cast

OTHER

Auld Lang Syne… Mairi Campbell & Dave Francis 

Santa Baby…Eartha Kitt & Henri Rene

Ave Maria…Josh Groban

The Better Monkey Bread

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 tube Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits
• 3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
• 1/2 C. syrup
• 1/3 C. packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp. white sugar & 2 tsp cinnamon combined

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon 
2. In separate bowl combine melted butter and syrup
3. Pour 1/2 syrup mixture and 1/2 of brown sugar mixture in bunt cake pan
4. Coat each Pillsbury grand dough roll in cinnamon sugar mixture
5. Lay coated dough rolls in bottom of pan (slightly overlapping each other)
6. Pour rest of syrup mixture over rolls
7. Sprinkle rest of brown sugar over rolls
8. Bake in over for 20 minutes at 375 degrees
9. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 2 minutes
10. Flip onto serving plate

The Better Midnight Breakfast

Usually I never resort to a batter mix for anything. I’m a firm believer that there is no food that tastes better from a box than it does freshly made with at home ingredients. However, when you and your friends get a hankering for crepes at 11:45p.m., all reservations about powder mix gets tossed out the window.

The Better Room of the Week

Image via decorpad 

The Better Artillery

These right here are the perfect example of why I consider myself to be the better Martha. Yes Miss Stewart can cook, clean, and iron perfectly, but I don’t recall her ever sashaying around the farmers market in shoes like these. Keds and capris are always appropriate, but sometimes it’s fun to spice things up. I have been told the shoes pictured below resembles weaponry more than it does footwear.

The Better Infinity Scarf

To all you east coasters and cold climate creatures, I salute you. Your ability to deal with frozen toes astounds me. It’s a freezing 59 degrees today in Los Angeles and I’m ready to give up all activities for the sake of staying under my down comforter. I’m only able to go out because this weather lends itself to a certain kind of attire—coats, boots, and gloves! While this may seem like old potatoes to some of you, this is a rare experience for me.  I even got to break out the infinity scarf my sister crocheted for me!

Oh how my neck is toasty warm! The infinity scarf is much more practical than a normal scarf. As I run through the rain to get to my car, I don’t have to worry about it being swept away by an angry gust of wind. 

The Better Way to Say Thank You

Right now I’m in the middle of the college application process. For those of you have been in my shoes, I’m sure you know that life is a flurry of essays, stress, and of course teacher recommendations. I’m lucky enough to have two really great teachers supporting me, so it only seems natural that I say thanks, right? Of course. And The Better Martha can never can show her gratitude with just a simple, “thank you.” Cookies and a personalized note are musts!

{The Baking Process}

{Packaging}

The Better Way to Devour a Book

Audible books are the most wonderful thing since individually sliced cheese. Anytime I am procrastinating, and there is a buildup of work that needs to be done, an audio book is the best way to get me moving. I know it sounds very lazy-American of me, but sometimes I just don’t want to hold an actual book and make my eyes scan across the page. If my room needs to be vacuumed or I need to organize my desk, I can consume a great book and get my chores done at the same time. It’s genius.

Audible.com

My iTunes Library 

The Better Way to Do Cape Cod

This week I’m spending time with my best friend Olivia and her adorable family in Cape Cod. Yesterday was spent at this amazing beach where the tide pulls back so far you can walk for miles in the sand that was covered by the ocean hours ago. Here are some pictures.

{We took plenty of photos of ourselves}

{Nature gave us pedicures with her natural exfoliant}

{We ate more ice cream than any two girls should}

{We revisited youth and built sandcastles}

{We even went out into the water...until I saw there were snails and left}