{Happy Holidays!!}

Sweet Treats wishes everybody a safe and happy holiday season!

And don't forget to leave cookies for Santa!!

{Sweet Treats Takes a Sweet Vacation}

Ahhhh....there's just nothing like escaping to a beautiful tropical paradise smack dab in the middle of winter.  A place where the heat knocks the chill off your bones, the sun basks away the stress and tension that has built up over the course of the year,  the view of nice tall palm trees replace concrete buildings and street lights, and the sounds of horns honking and office gib gab is substituted with the smooth, calming sounds of ocean waves lapping with the current.


                                                                   {view from our balcony}

Or as we called it for a week...the good life. 

For seven days and seven nights, our biggest concern was whether we wanted to go to the pool, then the beach...or the beach, then the pool.  Or how to say "one more daquiri" en Español.  (WHEW that Spanish 1 recall came in handy!)

We spent time reading, reflecting, catching up, dancing, laughing, and just plain old vegging out.  It was good for the soul...and also good for our tan...as most of it was done pool side or on the beach.  Nothing beats good old fashioned girl time, and we had plenty of it.

We thoroughly enjoyed the people and the scenery of the Dominican Republic.  There were tears on the way back to the airport...for real...But most of all we enjoyed each other.  And we brought back with us a lot of sweet memories.

{It's Cyber Monday}

We at DC Sweet Treats hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday!  Did you do any shopping on Black Friday??  Well now that we've stuffed ourselves silly, and shopped til we dropped, we are back at our desks trying to get ourselves together to face the work week.  **yaaaaawn**

Hear that sound...?  That's the sounds of millions of mice (mouses??...whatever) clicking around the globe.  What better way to ease back into the work week than by starting off checking out a few Cyber Monday deals??  Yay!  More shopping!

Cyber Monday made its debut in 2005 on shop.org, and is coined to mean the Monday following Thanksgiving, which has turned into one of the biggest shopping days of the year.  If you're like me and hate crowds, Cyber Monday is my way of participating in Black Friday sales without getting pepper sprayed or trampled...or having to get out of my pj's and bunny slippers after a full day of stuffing myself with turkey and candied yams.

Whether you are getting a jump on gift shopping or just indulging your own selfish desires, Cyber Monday is the ticket for today!  As a way to help shoppers out, shop.org created the website cybermonday.com, which lists the deals being offered by tons of retailers from Avon to Bath and Body Works to Lands End to Kohls.  More deals and coupon codes for Cyber Monday can be found at Cybermonday2011.com, which shows you where to find the latest deals on everything from Uggs to laptops.  And Retail Me Not pulls through as always with the coupon codes for deals and steals around the web.

Workchic.com gives us working women a list of resources for some great deals on work apparel.  Chic-steals.com also helps us out by offering some websites with deals on women's fashions.

Here are a few things I have my eye on...

1.  Body Shop - 3 items for $30...I love their Dream fragrance:  Body Shop 3 for $30

2.  EasyCanvasPrints - 25% off canvas prints...these make awesome gifts!:  Easy Canvas Prints 25% Off

3.  Pantech Tablet - $99...because I just don't have ipad money:  cybermondayonlinedeals.com

Let us know if you got any amazing deals for Black Friday or Cyber Monday that we should be completely jealous about!

{Clock is Ticking for Thanksgiving Orders}

Place your Thanksgiving orders with Sweet Treats by Sunday, November 20th to ensure delivery by Wednesday, November 23rd!

{"I Brought the Green Bean Casserole!"}

Lol...I'll be the first to admit I'm a total goof.  Everytime I hear the words green bean casserole, I giggle, thanks to the commercial where every holiday guest arrives with a casserole dish claiming that they "brought the green bean casserole!"  My cousin showed up one year and said that at the door, and I needed five minutes to get myself together...and I still chuckle out loud upon reminiscing.  I'm so silly, yes I know. 

Well anyways, with Thanksgiving around the corner, it's time to start assigning out menu items.  If you're the lucky one that gets to bring the green beans, here are a few recipes that may be of interest to you.  And yes...some are green bean casseroles.  Tee hee hee (It gets me every time!)

Blue Cheese Green Bean Casserole from Closet Cooking 

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion (sliced)
1 tablespoon butter
1 8 ounce package crimini mushrooms (sliced or quartered)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 teaspoon thyme (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste
1 splash sherry (or white wine)
1 pound green beans (trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup blue cheese (crumbled)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 handful french fried onions (home made or canned)

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a pan.

2. Add the onions and slowly cook until they caramelize, about 20-30 minutes.

3. Add the butter and let it melt.

4. Add the mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms start to caramelize, about 10-15 minutes.

5. Add the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and saute until fragrant, about a minute.

6. Add the sherry and deglaze the pan.

7. Add the green beans and saute until bright green and just starting to turn tender but still crisp, about 5 minutes.

8. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan.

9. Add the flour and stir until lightly golden brown.

10. Add the milk and simmer until it thickens.

11. Add the blue cheese and simmer until it melts.

12. Add the green beans and mushrooms and toss to coat.

13. Pour the mixture into an 8x8 inch baking dish.

14. Top with the panko bread crumbs and french fried onions.

15. Bake in a preheated 400F oven until the sides are bubbling and the top is golden brown, about 5-10 minutes.

Green Bean Bacon Casserole from SheKnows.com

Ingredients:

• 2 (16 ounce) cans whole green beans, drained
• 1/2 cup French dressing
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 6-9 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the first three ingredients. Spread into a casserole dish and sprinkle the bacon on top.
2. Bake for 30 minutes.

Garlic-Roasted Green Beans Recipe with Shallots and Almonds from KalynsKitchen.com

Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh green beans (thin beans preferred, but any type will work)
6 shallots, peeled, and cut into thin slivers
5 large cloves garlic, peeled and cut into thin slices
2 T olive oil (original recipe called for 3, but I thought 2 was plenty)
1 tsp. salt (or less)
fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, very finely chopped
1/4 cup almonds, chopped (I used sliced almonds and only slightly chopped them)
1 tsp. lemon zest

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 F. (If you're cooking other things you can use a slightly lower temperature, just increase the time a little.)

Trim ends from green beans. If using thin, long beans, cut in half crosswise into pieces about 2 inches long. Peel and cut shallots and garlic, then place with beans in plastic bowl. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper, and use a wooden spoon to toss until beans, shallots, and garlic are well coated with oil.

Spray roasting pan with nonstick spray or mist with olive oil, then arrange the vegetables in a single layer. (I like to cover the pan with foil, then spray the foil for even easier clean-up.) Roast 12-15 minutes for thin beans, or slightly longer for regular beans, until beans are slightly shriveled, and shallots and garlic are lightly browned.

While beans cook, toss together chopped parsley, chopped almonds and lemon zest. When beans are done, toss hot beans with parsley/lemon/almond mixture and serve immediately.

Sesame Soy Glazed Green Beans from Pen & Fork

Ingredients:
For the beans
1 pound green beans
2 teaspoons peanut (or vegetable oil)
1/2  to 1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon red chile pepper flakes
1 cup sliced red bell pepper (about 1/2 of a large pepper)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds*

For the glaze
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch whisked together with 1 tablespoon cold water (slurry)

Instructions:
Make the beans
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and set up a large bowl of ice water. Drop the beans into the boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 4 minutes. Remove beans with tongs or a slotted spoon and plunge into the ice water.
2. Remove the beans from the ice water after a few minutes, when the beans are cool. Pat dry. Slice the beans, at an angle, into 2-inch, bite-size pieces.

Make the glaze
1. Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat for several minutes. Pour in soy sauce (it will sizzle furiously). Stir in honey and vinegar. Stir in slurry. The mixture should quickly thicken, probably in less than a minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the green beans and stir to coat with the oil. Stir in the garlic, ginger and pepper flakes. Saute for another minute or two. Stir in the glaze, tossing to coat and cook just until heated through. Remove from heat.
3. Place the beans on a serving platter and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.
* To toast sesame seeds, heat a small, dry skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the sesame seeds. Shake the pan occasionally to prevent burning the seeds. The seeds are toasted when they turn a shade darker and smell nutty. It should take about 5 minutes, give or take.

Fried Green Beans from naturallyella.com 

Ingredients:

• 2 dozen green beans
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup panko
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 tablespoon oregano
• Enough oil to fry beans

Instructions:

1. Set-up a breading station ( 1/2 flour, milk, and 1/2 panko.) I pulsed the panko, garlic powder, and oregano together in a food processor so that the panko was fine.
2. Start by rolling the bean in flour, dip it in the milk, and roll it in the panko mixture. Place in a bowl. Once all the green beans are through, repeat so that each bean is double breaded.
3. Heat oil to 350˚. Place green beans in oil without crowding. Let fry until breading is golden- 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with tongs and place on sheets of paper towels.

Notes:

Would also work to bake.

{B.O.L.O: Girl Scout Cookie Lip Gloss}

For those that are unfamiliar with CSI, SVU, Criminal Minds, and other crime show drama / real life cop lingo...B.O.L.O  means Be on the Look-Out.  And we at DC Sweet Treats are putting you on notice Lip Smackers is introducing a line of Girl Scout Cookie-inspired lipgloss.

Stylist.com reports that the lipgloss will be available in your local drugstores and beauty aisles for the holiday season.  This is great news!  You can enjoy Thin Mints for hours, and not worry about your waist line.  Personally, I'm a Samoa girl...but I also enjoy being able to fit into my jeans.  So maybe just using the lipgloss will satisfy my appetite for an entire box of cookies.  My guess is probably not. 

The gift set includes Girl Scout favorites Chocolate Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter, Thin Mints, Trefoils, and Coconut Caramel Stripes.  The set will be in stores such as Walmart and Claire's for as low as $5.  And if you're like me and prefer a lot of shine, the liquid glosses will be hitting the shelves in early 2012.

{Squash Cupcakes}



{omg i feel like i could just dip my finger right into that cream cheese icing! }                                          


Though this is a recipe for Summer Squash Cupcakes, squash makes me think of pumpkins, which make me think of fall, which makes me think of Thanksgiving.  And this recipe sounds like it'd be perfect for your Thanksgiving festivities or for a sweet treat that won't make you feel completely guilty.

This recipe, from Garden Betty is simple, and most of the ingredients are probably already in your kitchen.  And if you're a gardner, you may be able to stroll out to your garden and grab the perfect squash for this recipe.

Sweet Summer Squash Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:
Dry ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Wet ingredients
2 eggs
1/3 cup olive oil
1 3/4 cups grated summer squash

Cream cheese frosting
4 tablespoons butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar

Method:

1.     Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.     In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and set aside.

3.     In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and olive oil together. Add the grated summer squash and mix well.

4.     Add the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until the batter is evenly mixed.

5.     Using a spoon, divide the batter evenly among a lined muffin pan. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

6.     Meanwhile, make the cream cheese frosting. In a small bowl, combine the butter and cream cheese using a pastry blender, electric mixer, or good ol’ fashioned fork.

7.     Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Take the cupcakes out of the pan and arrange on a wire rack to let them cool down.

8.     Add the powdered sugar and mix it all together until the consistency is smooth and even.

9.     Spread the frosting over the cooled cupcakes using a small spatula.

For illustrations that accompany this recipe, visit Garden Betty's Blog.