Crew sweatshirt | Candy cane sleep leggings | Slippers (similar here and here) | Joy mug | Magnolia cookie plate

If you’ve never made your chocolate from scratch, I’m about to change your life. You’ll be amazed at the rich chocolatey flavor of this homemade hot chocolate! And believe me, you’ll never go back once you see how simple it is to make. Not to mention all the additives you’ll be avoiding with just a few simple ingredients! Read on for the recipe!

I adapted a few different recipes but there are tons on Pinterest. This recipe makes 2 to 3 servings so multiply it to make as many servings as you want! You can play around with the ingredients for just the right amount of sweet, chocolatey-ness, and creaminess you like.

My homemade hot chocolate recipe

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup of sugar
• 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder (or 2 tablespoons of cacao powder)
• a pinch of salt
• ½ cup of water
• 3½ cups of whole milk
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Mix sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a pot and add water. (For a creamier hot chocolate, you can use all milk instead of water.)
2. Heat on the stove until well mixed.
3. Add milk and keep over medium heat until heated through.
4. Stir in the vanilla extract before serving.
5. Serve hot and top with whipped cream or marshmallows!

*Makes 2 – 3 servings.

Like I mentioned before, my favorite thing is chowing down on some homemade sugar cookies and drinking hot chocolate while wrapping presents by the tree. Put on some Michael Bublé and I’m basically walkin’ in a winter wonderland!

I usually end up wrapping everything the week before Christmas, and if I’m being totally honest I haven’t bought a single gift yet… but that’s what I’m doing today! My goal is to knock out everyone on my list in one shopping trip!

In case you’re in the same boat and need some last minute gift ideas, I put together a gift guide with 30 great gift ideas under $30 for both him and her! And there’s actually a lot more than 30 ideas on there so be sure to check it out.

Hope you’re enjoying the season with the ones you love! Be sure to leave a comment and let me know how you liked this homemade hot chocolate!

Xo,

Becka

P.S. – My homemade apple pie recipe, and some tips for setting good goals for the new year.

The post Homemade Hot Chocolate & Cozy Christmas Pajamas appeared first on Live It Lovely.

Just kidding. I only eat like 6 or 7. Or 10. Whatever who’s counting!

Which is why I’m so excited to share with you my favorite ever recipe for homemade sugar cookies that turn out amazing every year!

My go-to recipe

My go-to sugar cookie recipe every year is adapted from this amazing one by kittencal. Keep scrolling for the full recipe, or feel free to use the original by clicking the above link. They turn out perfect every time!

The best homemade sugar cookies ever

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine butter with sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer on high until light and fluffy.
2. In another bowl combine flour with baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually stir into butter mixture until well blended.
3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 375° F.
5. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (don’t grease the cookie sheets).
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into about ¼ inch thickness.
7. Use cookie cutters to cut into cute + festive shapes!
8. Place cookies at least 1 inch apart on cookie sheets.
9. Bake 6 – 8 minutes.
10. Place cookies on wire racks and allow to cool completely before frosting.

*Makes 35 – 40 cookies.

Keep scrolling for some tips on frosting your cookies!

Frosting the cookies

I don’t use the frosting recipe that goes with the cookie recipe, because my mom makes vanilla frosting and doesn’t really measure so it’s a little different every time (haha)! But you can use any you like (this frosting recipe looks good)!

My favorite decorating trick

Last year one of my fave bloggers (Julia from Gal Meets Glam) inspired me to put crushed candy canes on top of the frosted cookies, and lemme tell you it was a game changer – seriously, try it!! I love that it saves time with frosting since you don’t need multiple colors, and even if your frosting is a little sloppy the cookies still turn out beautiful. And they taste amazing!

So what about you? Are you a baker or just an eater? If you try out these homemade sugar cookies, be sure to come back and let me know how you liked them! Merry Christmas!

Xo,

Becka

P.S. – Check out the next post for the best homemade hot chocolate recipe to go with your sugar cookies, along with details on this cozy outfit I’m wearing!

The post The Best Homemade Sugar Cookies appeared first on Live It Lovely.

Homemade apple pie

This pie always turns out amazing, and now I know it’ll be a tradition to make every year. But I have to say, making a pie from scratch isn’t exactly a quick and easy task. In fact this will take you a good 2 hours total. But it’s totally worth it! Store-bought pies just don’t compare.

I suppose you could cheat and use a pre-made pie dough, and still consider it a homemade apple pie, but remember to take a look at the ingredients before you do (they might scare you!).

If you decide to do that, you can just skip the dough recipe and go straight to the pie filling.

I also gotta mention that this is not in any way a healthy recipe! But I think for holidays, which only come once a year, taking the time to make a delicious and unhealthy pie and then enjoying it to the fullest is totally acceptable. Now ON TO THE RECIPE!

Homemade pie crust

Note: this recipe makes a double batch of dough for the top and bottom crust of the pie. I used a 9.5 inch round pie dish.

Prep time: 45 minutes*

*Prep takes 15 minutes, refrigeration takes 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3 sticks of butter, cold
• ¼ cup ice water

Directions:

1. Mix flour and sugar together in a large bowl.
2. Grate the butter into the flour & sugar using a large-holed cheese grater, stirring it in as you go to prevent the butter from clumping together. You should end up with a course crumb consistency.
3. Add ice water a little at a time and mix until dough forms into a ball. If it doesn’t form just add a few more drops of water until it does.
4. Once the dough is formed into a ball, split it in half and flatten it into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Crust recipe adapted from: https://audreysapron.wordpress.com/2013/09/19/one-minute-homemade-pie-crust/

Apple pie filling

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour*

*Could take a bit longer depending on your oven and if you bake over a cookie sheet. Mine usually ends up taking a few minutes longer than 1 hour!

Ingredients:

• 8 small granny smith apples (or 7 medium)
• 1 stick of butter
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ cup water* (*optional: the recipe I followed calls for water, but my filling came out a bit runny. I would just add a few drops unless your filling is too thick to pour!)

Directions

1. Peel, core, and slice the apples into small pieces, and set aside in a large bowl.
2. Preheat oven to 425° F.
3. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan on medium heat. Stir in flour to make a thick paste. Add sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and water, mixing well. Bring the mixture to a boil for about a minute. Lower to a simmer and leave on for another minute, then set aside to cool.
4. Take dough out of refrigerator and roll the first half into a large circle (should be about ⅛ inch thick). Lay in pie dish and flatten out any air bubbles.
5. When pie filling has cooled a bit, set aside about ¼ of mixture for the top of the pie. Pour the rest over apple slices and mix until the apples are well coated. Pour the coated apples into the prepared pie dish, mounding slightly.
6. Roll out the second half of dough and cut into ½ to 1-inch strips to make a lattice pattern, or any pattern you like. Cover the top of the pie.
7. With the last bit of filling, brush the top of the pie so it will get crispy while baking.
8. Cover pie with foil and put into the oven (put on a cookie sheet if you want to catch any drips – may take a few minutes longer for the pie to bake all the way through!)
9. Bake at 425° F for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 350° F and bake for another 45-50 minutes or until done*. Remove foil for last 10 minutes so the top of the pie can get crispy. *Pie is done when the crust is golden-brown, and the apples are soft when pierced with a fork.
10. Allow to cool before serving, and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top for the best dessert ever!

Serves: 8-10 people.

Pie recipe adapted from: https://audreysapron.wordpress.com/2013/12/20/the-best-apple-pie-ever/

I hope you love this pie! It’s now one of my favorite desserts of all time. If you try the recipe for Thanksgiving, let me know how it turns out! What’s your favorite holiday recipe? Leave a comment so I’ll know what to try and make next!

Xo,

Becka

P.S. – A last minute Thanksgiving outfit idea, and the best homemade sugar cookie recipe!

The post Homemade Apple Pie For Thanksgiving appeared first on Live It Lovely.

I’ve never really been a fan of protein powder, so I just use nut butter for my protein (either peanut or almond, and always natural & unsweetened. The flavor of this shake doesn’t change much with either one). And I try to keep bananas stocked up in the freezer so I can make a shake any time. I like to wait until they start to brown before I peel, slice, and freeze them – for optimal sweetness, of course!

Easy chocolate peanut butter protein shake

Ingredients:

•  1 & 1/2 to 2 large frozen bananas
• 1 big scoop of peanut or almond butter (around 2 tablespoons)
• 1 heaping tablespoon of cocoa
• 3-4 ice cubes (optional – for extra frothiness)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup of milk (any kind – I use either whole milk or almond milk)

Directions:

Put ingredients into the blender and mix until smooth. If you like your shakes thicker and creamier (like ice cream texture), just up your ratio of bananas to milk!

*Makes about 1 serving.

The shake pictured had less bananas and more milk, so it turned out more liquidy. My shakes are never perfect because I don’t usually measure. I just throw things in the blender and see what happens! This is totally a recipe you can play around with until it’s exactly how you like it!

Sometimes I get fancy and add some extra ingredients (listed below) to boost the nutritional value – it depends on what I have on hand at the time

For an added health boost, add any of the following:

• A handful of fresh or frozen spinach or kale
• 1 tablespoon of chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon of flax seeds
• 2 tablespoons of plain grass-fed yogurt or kefir
• A scoop of collagen peptides

Then pour into a glass – or cute mason jar – and enjoy!

If you give this easy chocolate peanut butter protein shake a try, let me know how you like it! What’s your favorite healthy protein shake? Do you use protein powder, or do you prefer nuts or other natural sources of protein?

Until next time, friends!

Xo,

Becka

P.S. – Some tips for more peace & joy in everyday life, and my everyday makeup using natural products.

The post Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake appeared first on Live It Lovely.