5 Ways to Get Over the Holidays (Yes, 10 days later)

Christmas seems to start in October these days. All the decor is displayed in the stores as if the North Pole itself threw up by October 15th. Let’s not forget the Hallmark movies beginning the weekend before Halloween this year. I am 100% a “start celebrating on November 1st” kind of Christmas person but for all the anticipation and excitement, it always feels like it was over to soon come January 2nd. People are taking down their Christmas decorations and here I am still absorbing all the nostalgia with the few houses still lit up and my tree. It may be January 10th, but I am still not over Christmas. It’s a new year though. 2019 is full of amazing things that have yet to come and I am genuinely excited. Yet, I need a little help moving past the festive season and felt that some of you might as well…

LifestyleChristine RoskoJanuary 10, 2019Lifestyle, Life, Winter, Holiday, Christmas, Organization, Planning, Morning

Apple Cinnamon French Toast Bake | Holiday Recipes: Brunch

Tis the week before Christmas and all through the house, not a counter was empty...well, maybe not that dramatic. Truth is, everything is stored nice and neat as of right now. This weekend was the first big prep for Christmas Eve and Day. It was exhausting but incredibly productive. I’ve got four pounds of meatballs, cooked and in the freezer. Nearly 12 gallons of gravy (pasta sauce if you’re new around here) packed up and also in the freezer. And somewhere around 500 cookies packed in airtight containers waiting to be decorated next weekend…

FoodChristine RoskoDecember 17, 2018Food, Food Blogger, Foodie, Comfort Food, Brunch, Breakfast, French Toast, Casserole, Recipe, Christmas, Holiday

5 Things to Do in Chicago This Holiday Season

It’s the most wonderful time to visit Chicago. Christmas in the city is nothing short of spectacular. The streets are lined with lit trees, decorations are everywhere, and there’s an undeniable spark in the air that you don’t get any other time of year. With so many things to do, I’ve put together five things not to miss this holiday season. I started this round up last year and it felt right to do it once again. With Christmas on the brain, why not?! Next week, I have two Christmas dinners with friends, one at the Walnut Room (pictures for sure coming) and one at Eataly because no one knows how to celebrate Christmas like the Italians...

Butternut Squash & Bacon Frittata | Holiday Recipes: Brunch

Well hello there! It’s been a hot minute. To say December is a month of insanity is the understatement of the century. It’s the busiest time of year for my day job and the busiest time of year for my personal life which means I have about zero moments to myself most days. I hope your December has been going swimmingly. Even though it can be stressful, it’s also a wonderful time of year where you can feel the excitement in the air. There’s a spark that’s undeniable. From the Christmas music to the movies and the smell of cookies in the air, there’s nothing better than knowing a break is on the horizon. We have two weeks until Christmas and since I’ve been a bit absent these last few weeks, I have a ton of recipes…

FoodChristine RoskoDecember 10, 2018Food, Food Blogger, foodie, Foodie, Comfort Food, Brunch, Breakfast, Eggs, Holiday, Christmas, Cooking, Recipe

Italian-Style Pigs in a Blanket | Holiday Recipes: Make Ahead

Holy November! You guys, this month went out with a serious attitude. We had Winter Storm Brian come through Sunday night and around 5am Monday morning the power went out. During this power outage, there is a small chance my laptop got fried but it’s oddly the only thing in the house effected and it was on a surge protector. So chances are it just decided to die on me for no reason. So when the power finally came back on in the late morning, which also happens to be the time I found out about my dead computer, I had to dive into new laptop research…

What to Bring to Holiday Gatherings

Happy almost Thanksgiving! The laziness kicked in big time this week which is why this post is a few days late. Monday was productive but it all started to go downhill yesterday when I realized that the week was halfway over. I’m ready for overindulgence (again), Gilmore Girls marathons and the Broadway performances in the Macy’s parade tomorrow. Anyone else? On another note, do you ever notice that many of the people that host holidays are often the hardest to shop for? Unless your family goes potluck style with their holidays, it can be tricky to figure out what to bring to contribute or at least to thank the host…

LifestyleChristine RoskoNovember 21, 2018Lifestyle, Life, Holiday, Entertaining, Christmas, Thanksgiving

Chocolate Strawberry Pie Squares | Holiday Recipes: Desserts for Non-Bakers

Happy Sunday! It’s the week. The week where the holiday season officially kicks off with the first holiday...Thanksgiving! I celebrated Friendsgiving with my group of girlfriends from college this weekend and let’s just say I don’t want to eat for five days. Hopefully I’ll have deflated by the time Thursday comes around. We’re not doing any entertaining for Thanksgiving, our job is 100% Christmas. However, I can understand the need for quick and easy recipes this week. Lucky for you, we have our second Easy Dessert for Non-Bakers and coincidentally, it’s another that uses the amazing store-bought pie dough. These whip up pretty easy, although a little messy, and they’re super addictive. I wasn’t sure how this recipe would turn out while it was still an idea but man was it a hit…

FoodChristine RoskoNovember 18, 2018Food, Food Blogger, Foodie, Dessert, Chocolate, Strawberry, Holiday, Recipe, Entertaining, Christmas, Thanksgiving

Herby Apple Stuffing | Holiday Recipes: Make Ahead

Happy Friday! Thanksgiving is less than one week away which means that Christmas is 5 weeks away. It’s the countdown of the year and I seem to get a little bit more excited every day. We already have one Christmas tree up and the kitchen is decorated all festive. I have my schedule pretty much in place for the rest of the year unless, of course, something comes up which isn’t uncommon. Many people who are entertaining for Thanksgiving have already been preparing for next week. Any groceries that can be bought are sitting on their own shelf in the pantry and freezer. Decorations are bought and ready for display…

Tips to Be a Gracious Host & Guest During the Holidays

The holidays are some of the busiest travel times of the year. It’s rare that families end up in the same area where everyone can go back to their own beds each night. With that said, it’s not uncommon for people to stay with friends or family members during the season. I have yet to host a guest that I didn’t want back but I have heard horror stories from other people. It inspired today’s post sharing tips to be a gracious guest AND host. Why host, you ask? I am sure most of us have experienced at least one home we’ve stayed in that was super uncomfortable. Not everyone is a great guest and not everyone is a great host. We could all use reminders on how to be better at both, especially during a time of year that’s more stressful than usual. Don’t worry, though. I’m not here to lecture on what not to do. I’m here mostly to encourage positive interactions and experiences so that everyone has a wonderful holiday…

LifestyleChristine RoskoNovember 6, 2018Lifestyle, Life, Holiday, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Travel, Travel Tips, Entertaining

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