Oscar Party Treats!

March 1, 2014 By 2 Comments

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The Oscars are tomorrow!  Are you having a viewing party??  The Milly & Grace Girls love any excuse to throw a little party… and an Oscars Party is one of my favorites.  So I put together a few must have treats and traditions that would be perfect for an Oscar Party.

First up, Caramel Corn… When I think of popcorn, I think of the movies.  An easy way to fancy up this classic movie treat for an Oscar Party is to cover it with sweet caramel and edible gold stars!  I think Caramel Corn is going to be my newest Oscar Party Tradition…

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This was my first time making caramel corn… it was really easy!  I used this recipe but doubled the vanilla (I always double the vanilla in every recipe… especially my cookie recipes).  I sprinkled the Edible Gold Stars (available at Michael’s) after I took the popcorn out from the oven!

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You can easily make customized popcorn bags!  All you need are these little white bags, letter stamps and a ink pad!  All available at Michael’s.

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Red Licorice is a classic movie theater treat from the 1920’s.  I was reading up on Bon Appetit’s History of Movie Theater Treats that the war between Twizzler and Red Vine started in the early 20th century.  Fun Fact:  Twizzlers were born in the mid 1800’s and Red Vines were born in 1920.  I know I am not the only one that always thought that Red Vines were the original red licorice!  I used to be a Twizzler girl back in the day but now I LOVE Red Vines more! (Who knew I could write so much about red licorice?)

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Chocolate Covered Strawberries are an Ott Oscar Party Tradition… I decided to fancy them up too with a sprinkle of gold! I might have gone a little crazy with the Edible Gold Stars!  That little tube of stars goes a long way.

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And finally, every party has to have a signature drink!  In honor of Shirley Temple, I decided to try out a new cocktail.  Everyone knows the “Dirty Shirley” which is a Shirley Temple with Vodka.  But I thought I needed to keep it classy…

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A Champagne Shirley Temple Cocktail was born!  Grenadine, Champagne, finished with Sprite and of course…. a cherry on top!

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And there you have it!  A few sweet treats for your Oscar Party!  If you need something savory, you can always do a cheese plate or these amazing Chipotle and Rosemary Spiced Nuts.

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That little Oscar in all those pictures above is from my 13th Birthday party!  Maybe one day… I’ll be able to replace it with a real one?!  A girl can dream!

Filed Under: Allison, Party 2 Comments

My Go To Healthy (and Easy) Snacks

February 24, 2014 By 2 Comments

I love food.  When I was younger, I would go to bed thinking about what I was going to have for breakfast the next morning, and then when I woke up, I would bug Patty about what we were going to have for dinner that night.  I also love to cook!  There is a home video of me (when I was 5) making an english muffin pizza and talking to the camera like I was filming a cooking show. Obsessed much? I think so.

As I have gotten older, and especially with the career path I have chosen (acting), I have had to learn how to make easy and healthy meals and snacks for myself.  I can’t make Macaroni and Cheese and English Muffin Pizzas every night.

What I have learned is that you have to really be prepared and have these easy snacks in your fridge, so that it’s easier for you to make good choices! (Yeah, Yeah, easier said than done.  I know.  It just has to become a habit.)

Inspired by Emily’s Easy Tips to Stay Healthy… Here are my 5 favorite “go to” snacks that I make sure to keep on hand!

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First, this is going to sound crazy and not a “snack”, but it is a can of flavored sparkling water. What I’ve realized is that most of the times when I start to feel peckish, I really am just thirsty!  So before I grab food, I grab one of these and drink it straight from the can! There is something about popping open that can and throwing back that sparkling water that really hits the spot. I have tried all the flavors, but Lime is my favorite.  I sometimes have 2-3 a day!

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Simple.  Don’t have to explain.  When they are really good, it’s like eating candy.

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Easy.  120 calories.  0% fat.  Tastes like dessert.  I love the Cherry Pomegranate and Raspberry flavors.

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First, I don’t know what is going on with my thumb in this picture.  Does this thin apple make my thumb look fat?

Moving on.  I only kinda like apples.  They aren’t my fave.  BUT when I slice them up thinly, I love them!  I don’t know why but it really makes a difference.  And if I am really hungry, I have this with a little scoop of peanut butter (duh, who doesn’t love apples and PB)!

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Finally, this Sweet and Salty treat!  It’s Gluten Free!  110 calories per bag!  AND Guilt Free!  I love that it is already portioned out for you.  If they sold this in a big bag, I would eat the whole bag in one sitting.  These are good if you need a little bit more than healthy fruit or want to be a little more naughty ;)

And that’s it for now…  I will probably come up with some more ideas when I get bored with these!

  Until then, Happy Snacking!

Filed Under: Allison, Food, health 2 Comments

Red Carpet Worthy Arms

February 22, 2014 By Leave a Comment

When the stars at the gym start amping up their arm work outs… I know there is a red carpet event around the corner.  That’s right!  The Oscars are a week and a day away!!  In honor of the them, I bring you my favorite arm work out.  Tracy Anderson Standing Arms!

In this first video, Tracy really explains each move and goes through them slowly.  This is rare for her!  The last video in this post is more her style… but try this one out first!

This is my favorite!  This video is from her original Mat DVD that I used to do in my dorm room! It is killer. I dare you all to try it. Even the men!

“And you’re done with those!” The Ott girls (including Patty) know this one by heart… including what she says.

And this final video is more like what we do in class!  No explanations. Just going for it!  Try it for fun!

I hope you like them just as much as I do!  And Summer is just around the corner too…  You can use these videos to get ready for all those cute sleeveless dresses and tops that Milly & Grace will have this summer!  You can set a goal and say…I am going to do one of these videos (especially the middle one) every night before I go to bed.  I know you will start seeing results right away!

Filed Under: Allison, Fitness, health, Red Carpet Tagged With: , , Leave a Comment