a new year, a new particularity

As 2011 comes to an end, particularity received a new look thanks to Kelly at Fabulous K design. What a great way to start off a new year with a makeover. Although my first year seminar in college was on blogging, I definitely could not have created anything as polished and uniform as Kelly. She was fantastic to work with and did an incredible job implementing my ideas.

 I am off to Colorado to ski for the rest of 2011 but will be back in January. Hope everyone had a great holiday and cheers to 2012!

Roasted Stuffed Pears

I decided to make this recipe after my friend Julie served roasted pears with dinner a few weekends ago. The recipe is adapted from Ina Garten's Roasted Pears with Blue Cheese and is delicious yet simple. I made the recipe with 4 pears but the ingredients can be changed and adjusted depending on how many pears you are looking to make.

Ingredients:

4 Anjou pears
3 Lemons
Gorgonzola cheese
Dried cranberries
Walnuts
1/2 cup apple cider
3 tablespoons port (ruby)
1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Peel the pears and slice lengthwise into halves. Make a small round hole to hold the filling with a melon baller or knife. Be sure that any of the core and seeds are removed. Trim a small slice of the pear away from the backside of each half so that it lays flat on the baking dish {9" by 13" pan used}. Drizzle the pears with the juice of one lemon to prevent them from browning.

Toss an even proportion of the gorgonzola, walnuts and dried cranberries in a small bowl. Divide the mixture amongst the pears to fill each crevice. 

Mix together the brown sugar, apple cider and port, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the mixture over the pears and bake for 30 minutes, or until tender. Let cool to a warm or room temperature before serving. 

You can serve the pears alone or on a salad. I chose to serve it warm on top of a bibb lettuce salad with radicchio and endive. For the dressing I combined the juice of the remaining 2 fresh lemons, 1/4 cup olive oil and the basting liquid mixture of port, brown sugar and apple cider. This recipe is quick to make and the stuffing can be changed based upon preferences. Enjoy!

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

I hope Santa was good to everyone this year! Although it is not snowing on the east coast this year, the last picture above is another take on a white Christmas. Enjoy the rest of the holiday season with friends and family, cheers!

Happy {Santa} Friday!

When I think of Christmas the first image that comes to mind is Santa Claus. Whether he embodies the threat that parents use to keep their children on their best behavior, or that it is better to give than to receive, Santa is the iconic representation of the Christmas season. The most classic Santa I can think of? The Coca-Cola Santa that has been used in holiday commercials since 1936. Here are some of my favorite representations.

Do you have a favorite Santa advertisement? 2 more days until Christmas!!

Mom's Homemade Leek & Potato Soup

This is one of the most simple and easy recipes, but it is delicious, filling and perfect for a cold winter day. My Mom has been making this soup since I can remember and everyone in my family, even my little brother who used to only eat bacon and chicken teriyaki, loves it. 

Ingredients:

3 Leeks {I use 4 since I love leeks}

6 Tablespoons butter {non-dairy butter can also be used}

4 to 5 potatoes {size varies}, peeled and sliced

5 cups chicken broth {check for gluten!}

Salt & Pepper

The recipe my Mom originally used called for milk, heavy cream and bacon. She cut all of this out of her recipe to make it healthier and more fresh tasting. Who wants to eat soup filled with bacon and cream? The ingredients above serve about 6 people. If you are making it for  yourself it is perfect to bring to the office for lunch and the soup freezes easily.

Step 1. Cut off all but 1” of the greens from the leek tops. A lot of grocery stores will have pre-cleaned leeks which makes life a lot easier. If they are not pre-cleaned, be sure to wash them well and get all of the dirt off. Trader Joe's has pre-cleaned and pre-cut leeks which is ideal.

Step 2. Slice thinly

Step 3. Add to butter in a large pot and cook until limp

Step 4. Slice peeled potatoes into small pieces

Step 5. Add the potatoes and chicken broth to the leeks. I use the chicken broth packets where you add water since it is heavy to carry chicken broth from the grocery store in NYC. It tastes the exact same so it depends on preferences. Add salt and pepper to taste and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let it cook slowly for about 30 minutes.

Step 6. Once the soup has cooked for about 30 minutes {potatoes will be soft}, purée the mixture in a blender and transfer to a new pan. Add any additional seasoning and you are done!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. I have shared it with a few friends already who have all found it easy to make. The only thing that could make it better would be if my Mom was always here to make it with me!

Stocking Stuffers

One of my favorite parts of opening presents on Christmas morning is opening the gifts in my stocking last. These gifts always seem to be the most fun {and often useful!} since they have to be small enough to fit in a stocking. Here are some stocking stuffer ideas all under $25 each!

1. Kate Spade Prize Ball Coasters $20: Colorful and stylish for any type of cocktail with fun sayings such as "Dance Till Dawn"
2. Béquet Caramels $9.95: The celtic sea salt flavor is incredible! My heart skips a beat everytime I see these caramels. My Mom always gets these for me when I am home and in my stocking
3. Emi-Jay Hair Ties $12.99: I cannot get enough of these hair ties! They don't rip your hair and come in a number of bright colors and patterns. The silver and gold glitter collections are perfect for the holidays
4. Williams Sonoma Set of 3 Mini Holiday Spatulas $11.99: When baking desserts for the holidays these are the perfect solution to spread holiday cheer
5. C. Wonder Big Ideas Notebook $14: Perfect notebook to put in your purse to jot down any ideas, to do lists or a quick reminder
6. Kate Spade Supercalifragilipstick $24: Perfect for a touch of color in a number of shades

I hope you can squeeze at least one of these items into your stocking this year. If not, perhaps a post-Christmas "just because" gift? Let me know if you have any other fun stocking stuffer ideas!

And the WINNER is...

Sara Taylor Moomey!!!

Sara, please send me your mailing address to particularityblog@gmail.com so I can send you your new beautiful ornament from Szal Design! Send me a picture of it on your tree or in your window once you receive it! Be on the lookout for more giveaways after the New Year!

Hostess Gift Giving Guide

It's the time of year for Christmas and New Year's parties and I never like to attend a celebration without a hostess gift. One of my biggest rules of hostess gifts? NEVER give anything personal unless you know the host or hostess extremely well. No one wants to end up with an ugly scarf or item that he or she feels pressured to wear when the gift giver is around. These 5 items above are some of my favorite gifts. They are neutral, useful and can be given at any point in the year.

1. Kate Spade Safari Suite Pads $15: This gift is useful and perfect for someone organized
2. Penhaligon Lily of the Valley Candle $55: This classic candle smells amazing. It is not too overpowering and it a scent that both men and women like
3. Mariposa Cocktail Napkin Holder $44: Useful and festive for the holidays
4. Le Creuset Jam Set $30: Great for the kitchen and perfect to set out for brunch and breakfast
5. Williams Sonoma Dish Towels $13.99 {set of 2}: Useful for the kitchen, you can never have too many dish towels

If all else fails a bottle of wine or food of sorts {peppermint bark, toffee, caramels etc.} always works and is appreciated. Happy Holidays!

Mouth-Blown Glass Ornament GIVEAWAY!

Don't forget to enter for this gorgeous mouth-blown glass ornament from Szal Design! It is perfect as a gift for the holidays and to add to any tree or window. 

How to enter:

1. "Like" Particularity's Facebook Page {link provided}

2. If you have done so, comment on the giveaway post

Good luck and be sure to look at Tim's etsy store!

Happy {Evergreen} Friday!

Not only do I love the smell of fresh evergreens, I love the way it looks when used as holiday decorations. From place settings to garlands on the banister to centerpieces to window boxes, the uses are endless. The look achieved when using evergreens is simple, yet timeless. I hope these pictures inspire some holiday decorating!

Have a great weekend! 9 more days until Christmas!