Brown Butter Caramel Pretzel Cookies

These cookies are probably my all time favorite homemade ones.. That’s a big statement being that I love to bake so much, but I’m pretty sure they can hold up the pressure of it! They have all the tastes with the salt, the sweet, and the crunch! So good that the hubby even agrees with me! You may think he’s just being nice because he is my husband. He is sweet.. but he would never lie about my cooking to save face! If I ever need to know if a recipe is good enough to share online.. I call on him and my mom. They both without a doubt will give me their honest opinions no matter what!

Now that I hyped these cookies up.. I have to tell you the bad news. They do take a few hours to make!! (Sorry!!) However the hours that it takes are mostly spent with them in the fridge cooling. So in reality its not too bad and it just means you get more done during that time!

Let’s Get Cooking!

Recipe:

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 large eggs

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 package of chocolate covered caramels

1 cup crushed pretzels + more to add in later

Sea Salt

Directions:

1. Making brown butter! You want to melt the 2 sticks of butter in a pan until they boil, change in color and start to smell a nutty delicious flavor! The entire house will smell like this and its heavenly. Once the butter gets brown in color and is a yummy nutty smell put into a bowl and let sit cool 5 min. Next, put that bowl into the fridge for 1 hour. I suggest to stir at the 30 min mark just to make sure its cooling evenly and as fast as possible. Once the butter is more like butter and not melted you are ready!

2. While the butter is in the fridge this is the perfect time to get the goodies ready for the end. The chocolate covered caramels I typically use are the Dove brand (if you are a fan of another kind any will work). Unwrap and cut each candy into 4 pieces. Fill a plastic bag with 1 cup of pretzels and crush them!

3. Blend in both sugars and vanilla completely

4. Add in eggs, one at a time

5. Slowly add in all dry ingredients a little at a time until well blended.

6. Now the dough is all ready add in the chocolate caramels and pretzels. Don’t over blend of the chocolate and caramel will over mix and not be in whole chunks.

7. Roll into dough balls, sprinkle with sea salt and add extra pieces of pretzel on corners for extra crunch!

8. Bake at 375 for 9-11 min.

9. Let cool and enjoy!

Unveiling the Feast: A Warm Welcome to My Thanksgiving Table

Welcome, lovely readers! As we approach that wondrous time of year when we gather around the table, sharing laughter, stories, and, of course, a bounty of delicious food, I can't help but share my excitement with you all. Thanksgiving is more than just a holiday; it's a sentiment, a feeling of warmth and gratitude. So pull up a chair, pour yourself a cup of hot apple cider, and join me as we prepare to celebrate. Welcome to my Thanksgiving table — a place where food meets tradition, love, and gratitude.

Creating the table decor for the Holidays has always been such a special hobby for me. I can remember being a young girl and loving helping my mom set the table for a regular weeknight dinner. It was so important to me to have a dinner for our family at the table. It helped me feel all grown-up and explore my creativity in decorating skills! So now that I officially am a grown-up I put a lot more thought and energy into my table settings, and I still love every single moment of it! This year I had the pleasure of hosting our Friendsgiving, so of course I decided to make a real production of it. I got to work with a few of my favorite companies to showcase all the amazing work they do.

Here is a list of Vendors I was so blessed to work with! Feel free to click on their Instagram handles to see more of their amazing work along with how to get in touch with them for your next event this year!

Rentals by @stockroom_picks

Floral arrangements by @floraflowercart

Photos by Lauren Westra

Leaf Logo Design by @willemina_typography

Pans by @360cookware (use code Amanda20 for 20% off the entire website!)

Meat by @exeter_meats & @westsidelockers

Cheese by @adutchmasterpiececheese & @parranocheese

Wine by @roberthallwinery

Pumpkins from @avilavalleybarn

The Charcuterie Table

A charcuterie board or table is such a fun element to add to any party! It adds a relaxed vibe to any elegant event and makes for a great meeting point. The foods you can get creative with and can range from anything like traditional cheeses & salamis to veggies and fruit. Anything in season goes so well here! A board also makes for fun textures and color schemes. There should be plenty of options for even the pickiest of eaters! I love using everything that is in season for this because provides the freshest of ingredients and gives a great vibe to your table, board or plate!

The Drinks

No party is complete without a drinking station!! I try to put the drinks in a different area than the food just so people will move around and not stick to one place or corner at a party. It's always best to fully utilize the space you have and spread things out! For most of our events, I have a mix of beer, wine and one signature cocktail. Doing one signature cocktail cuts down on the waste of alcohol along with the cost (as well as the tipsy guests haha!!) I loved using all Robert Hall wine varieties so that everyone had a wine they would enjoy! No two people or wines are alike so the variety made sure everyone had something that they could enjoy!

The Tablescape

This might be the most memorable thing for your guests if they are visual people! I always love a table that is functional as well as gorgeous! I try to keep room for glasses in the center and my centerpiece below or above eye level so people can see across the table. Since this was a Thanksgiving gathering I wanted to use a Fall color scheme, but I of course wanted to incorporate my all-time favorite color of pink on this table as well. I am always keeping colors on the lighter side because that is the vibe I love and they looked nice against the wood tones in the tables and chairs. I added a mix of different collections of chairs to add a home/family element to the table and give an instant feeling of warmth. They are all from Stockroom Picks, a local vendor, along with the glasses and candlesticks that gave an eclectic style and charm. The beautiful flower centerpiece fits in just perfectly with these elements from Floral Flower Cart! The dishes and place settings are my everyday dishes that added a light touch to the darker table, and I LOVE how they turned out together! I finished off the place settings with a personalized leaf place card that was handwritten. This added a decorative piece to the autumnal place setting and was a perfect special touch.

The linens I used here are cheesecloth that I ordered on Amazon and died myself with Ritdye. I ordered it all on Amazon and shared them on my Instagram stories of how the dyeing process went. To get the light color I suggest using VERY little dye and following the instructions exactly. I ended up dyeing mine twice. The first time the pinkness came out too bright and I washed them with hot water several times to get it a little lighter and used those inside on the charcuterie board and drink station. I wanted them lighter on the table so I did it again and used very little dye! I used a mix of the petal pink color and tan, linking them both below for you. For the napkins, I used the same process and cut the tablecloth into the amount of napkins I needed. Tied them in a knot and they were good to go.

The Food

After about 7 years of hosting events as a married gal, I’ve learned a few tricks on how to manage my time and not have a meltdown in the kitchen. Two tips of advice are to know what your strengths are and how to simplify. I know that my strengths are as a baker and although I cook meat fairly well, if someone can do it better I’m all for it! So this Thanksgiving I gladly handed off the task to my friends at Exeter Meats. They smoked the turkey for our Friendsgiving (and are making one for our family Thanksgiving) to perfection!! It was so moist and delicious that I don’t think I will ever go back to cooking turkey myself! Another helpful hint when planning for a party is when you can do something the day before, do it! This always helps too in the case of something unexpected coming up. I made most of the dishes the day before and left a little time off of each recipe to finish cooking the day of right before it was time to eat! Last note on the food, having good high-quality pans that cook food well helps to ensure each dish will always be the best. I will link my favorites I used for this Thanksgiving below from my friends at 360 Cookware.

Thank you for having a seat at my table where you are always welcome! I hope this Thanksgiving is one that you enjoy with the people you love most. Let the times we have with our love ones remind us of what we are most thankful for. I am so thankful to share my life with you and hope I am always here to bring joy and helpful tips that will simplify your life and add just a little more beauty to it!

Have A Very Blessed Day, Amanda Warren

Everything I could link for you is below and things I couldn’t I found similar items.

Wrapping Up Christmas With Clevermade

If your new around here you may not know how obsessed I am with Clevermade products. I love everything about their products and how they make my life so much easier. When Christmas is sadly over this year and your boxing up those ornaments and gorgeous Christmas decor, you’ll want Clevermade by your side.

With every snap of a box it makes storing just as easy as stacking them away! Whether you are storing them under your bed or in a closet there is a Clevermade package that will work for you. In our house, we love using the crates for perfect storage in our spare bedroom closet or our attic. The storage containers stack on top of each other making them super sturdy and perfect for ornaments and breakable items. Click -here- for crates.

The collapsible 44 liter soft storage is perfect to store under my bed as well as to put Winter and holiday sweaters in and store in my closet. The steel frame gives this storage a sturdy frame so that you can stack them but the soft edges makes it perfect for the holiday decor that is oddly shaped. Click -here- for soft storage.

The last item I can’t do without this holiday season is Clevermade’s new package theft and weather protection. This helps all my Christmas gifts to stay safe after being delivered. Holiday season is the biggest time of year for porch pirates to strike, and they don’t deserve to take away our gifts. This package protection gives me peace of mind when i’m not home but are having packages delivered. Click -here- for Parcel Lockbox.

Make this holiday a little bit easier with Clevermade.

Xo, Amanda Warren

Bed Bath and Beyond Gift Guide

Christmas tends to be the most hectic and stressful time of year. You get pulled in a million directions, with extra work, endless parties, and a 100 different gifts to buy for family, friends and coworkers. The easiest way to calm things down at Christmas is to have one stop where you’ll be able to find something for everyone on your list! Bed Bath and Beyond’s website is the perfect place to go. Their shipping is free, and you can find some of their best hidden discounts and merchandise online!

A GIFT FOR EVERYONE:

I got this Nespresso machine as a gift to treat our guests when they visit our house. I think it ended up being more of a gift for myself, but all the holiday visitors are going to enjoy the warm and yummy tastes that i’m currently in love with! The machine makes such a great gift for everyone on our list. Coffee is such a universal necessity and I think every avid drinker will love the one we got! Even if you don’t like Espresso, the Nespresso® by De'Longhi Evoluo Coffee and Espresso Maker makes amazing coffee and gives more than just one option! Another perfect gift if your family member already has a Nespresso or Keurig is the pods to drink their coffee. I love going to Bed Bath and Beyond for those pods all year round! They have the biggest selection and best prices! Nespresso linked -HERE- My favorite pods are linked -HERE-

A GIFT FOR THE BEER DRINKERS:

Our dads are always pretty hard to buy for. I thought this was the perfect gift for them! Fun, practical, and something they can enjoy for years to come! I filled the beer caddy will different types of beers they might not always buy to give them something fun to drink. The caddy can also be used in many other ways as well. One way in particular that comes to mind is as a silverware holder at BBQ’s or parties. You can place mason jars inside to hold forks, knives and spoons. Who doesn’t love a personalized gift? There is always something prideful about seeing your last name engraved on things and the men in our family love that little personalized touch! The beer caddy is linked -HERE-

THE TEA LOVER:

My mother in law is the biggest tea fan! Every time we go out to eat or choose to stay in she has to have a cup of tea and she loves to try different flavors of it. Knowing this I had to try and come up with a creative gift that fit her love of tea. I found her the cutest wood tea chest made by Fulton St. She will love the look of this gift! Another gift option idea would be to add a tea kettle to the chest, and BBB has so many amazing options for this as well! Tea Box linked -HERE-

THE NEW HOME OWNER:

For the new home owner or room renovator. My mom happens to be redecorating, painting and giving my old bedroom a face lift. I thought it was only fitting I found a perfect pink bedspread to help her finish up the final touches! I knew the color she wanted and the theme she was going for so it was pretty easy to pick something out I knew she would love. Bed Bath has so many options and you’ll be able to find the perfect bedding for every style.

THE TRAVELER:

My brother in law is always traveling to visit us and going to fun places with his baseball group so I thought it would be fun and cute to get him a personalized toiletry case. I went with a grey canvas one that was very minimal and clean. This way he can travel in style and think of us when he does! I filled it will some fun beard oils and body washes! Travel case linked -HERE-

THE PERSON YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT TO BUY:

Even though I offered up some great gift ideas, you may still be hung up on the perfect gift for the people that have everything. Maybe you have the white elephant gift exchange at work, the newly engaged couple in the family, or the mother in law that is just too picky! Fear not, the new Bed Bath and Beyond, BEYOND+ is always a great gift option! It gives you 20% off everything all year long and free shipping! That means no more hunting for a coupon or trying to spend more so you wont have to pay to ship! This gift is perfect for everyone, and if you need to spend more then 29$ you can always add on a gift card! DOUBLE win!

THE FAMILY PUP:
Before you finish up shopping don’t forget the lovable family dog. We don’t have kids at our small family Christmas brunch, so our pup Amore provides the most entertaining gift opening excitement. She gets so overjoyed by everything we get her and it puts the biggest smile on everyones faces! This year it was so easy finding toys and bones for her at Bed Bath and Beyond. Ranging in gifts for small to large dogs, hyper to mellow. I may have even given her one bone early (Just for photo purposes!)

Shop All Items Below By Clicking On Them

I hope these ideas help calm down the craziness of the Christmas season and give you the perfect ideas for everyone on your list! Treat yourself, your family, friends, and don;t forget your doggies at Bed Bath and Beyond’s one stop shop! Happy Holidays and Happy Shopping!!

Xo, Amanda