Our Holly Days

By Holly Sosa

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CapturingTraditions #CollectiveBias

When the weather starts to cool off even the slightest bit here in the desert, I turn into a walking talking meme. I pull out my sweaters, fall boots, decorative gourds, and start baking anything and everything flavored with apples or pumpkins. Friends, it’s finally starting to cool off and my boots have already been worn in. My kitchen smells like pumpkin spice, apple cinnamon, and every other possible fall cliche. Last week, I made a loaf of this Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bread and it’s my official welcoming ode to fall.

I started by adding some flour, oats, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder to a large bowl and mixing it together.

In a separate bowl I added some sugar, oil, eggs, yogurt, applesauce, and vanilla and combined them together

Next I added the wet ingredients to the dry and stirred until just combined.

I transferred the batter into a loaf pan that I had greased ahead of time and baked it in a 350F degree oven for about 45 minutes.

Once the bread was done baking, I let it cool for several minutes and then made a glaze. I added some applesauce and powdered sugar to a small bowl and whisked it together before pouring it over the top of the Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bread. The glaze trickled down into the cracks of the bread adding a little extra sweetness.

When the bread cooled completely, I served it with a dollop of Gold n Soft smeared over a slice. It’s got a perfectly buttery taste, but it’s easier to spread over super moist bread and baked treats. Gold n Soft contains no cholesterol or hydrogenated oils and has zero trans fats per serving. The small 15 ounce tub makes it the perfect size to keep on hand for my fall breads. Just look at how smooth that Gold n Soft goes on over my Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bread, getting into every nook and cranny!

For more Gold n Soft recipe inspiration from bloggers like me, be sure to visit the Gold n Soft social hub.

The post Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bread appeared first on Our Holly Days.

Source::

By Holly Sosa

The new 2017-2018 Erin Condren Life Planner features a handy monthly notes page at the beginning of every month. When I first received my new planner, I was unsure of how to best use this space. It wasn’t long before I realized how having this monthly snapshot would help me in my goal getting. I’ve shared before how my planner is actually my goal planner and not just somewhere I keep track of appointments. Once I remembered my planner was my goal planner, it became obvious that the monthly notes were the best place to track my yearly goals and break them down into smaller steps to help me achieve them.

For instance, one of my goals for 2017 is to have 100,000 monthly views here on Our Holly Days. Setting attainable monthly goals will help me to take smaller steps towards my overall goal. For the month of September, one of my goals is to have 50,000 monthly views (halfway to my goal for the year!). I use the left column to write out all of my goals and major monthly events like a baby shower I hosted or the first day back to school. Everything goes in that left column from work to personal to family goals. It’s a great reference for me to check on my progress throughout the month and helps me to stay on track for my larger yearlong goals.

Since my planner is also a media journal of sorts, I use the right column to track the little things happening currently. What I’m reading, watching, and even eating. I also believe everyone should have something to look forward to every month, so I add a little about what I’m excited about. At the small area at the bottom of the monthly notes page is where I like to write about my favorite memory for the month. I’ve only been doing this for a few months and it’s one of my favorite parts about my planner.

At the top of the monthly notes page are four circles and I put those to use for my goal planning by helping me to celebrate goals I attacked and achieved along with highlights from the month. For August, I had set a goal of 17,000 unique monthly views on Our Holly Days and I kicked that goal’s rear end with an end of month number of 31,000 unique monthly views. I use the circles at the top to shout my achievements to myself and help motivate me for the upcoming month. The circles are also a great place to jot down monthly highlights. For me, August was a big month since my youngest started preschool. We also hosted the big fight in our home and it was such a fun time for us with our friends.

I know many in the planner community have struggled with how to best utilize this space. I know I did, at first. But since I figured out how to make it work for me, it’s actually my favorite part of my planner. It’s been helpful for tracking my goals, keeping me on task, and letting me celebrate when I kick butt!

Love my planner? Use my referral code to get $10 off your first Erin Condren purchase and start your own goal planner.

The post Using the Monthly Notes in the Erin Condren Life Planner appeared first on Our Holly Days.

Source::

By Holly Sosa

This post was sponsored by S&W Beans and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Is there even a more lovely string of words than Brown Sugar Bacon Baked Beans? As far as I’m concerned there is not. Three of my favorite foods in one dish that marry into a perfect blend of savory sweet flavors. These beans are the perfect cookout food, but I need no such excuse to whip these up any night of the week. One of my favorite times to serve them is during sporting events like football games and fight nights during the fall season. With the chilly weather, a warm bowl of hearty beans fills the belly and offers warm, comforting flavors. These Brown Sugar Bacon Beans offer all the flavors of fall and are simple to throw together for any fall evening.

To start I fry up some bacon pieces over the stove. Once the bacon is crisp and ready, I remove it to a plate lined with paper towels and set it aside to cool. Once cooled, I cover it and place it in the fridge for later.

Then I finely dice up an onion and a green pepper and sautè it in the same skillet with some of the leftover bacon grease until softened.

Next I add several cans of S&W Pinto Beans to my slow cooker. Nobody does beans better, and this choosy cook knows it! S&W Beans has the highest standards in the industry, delivering my family premium quality while offering a convenient way to enjoy our favorite bean recipes. They also offer a wide variety, even organic or lower sodium options, to cover all of my family’s preferences.

Next I add in some molasses, brown sugar, cider vinegar, dry mustard, and liquid smoke.

I toss in the sautéed onion and green pepper and give everything a good stir.

I cook the beans on low for about four hours. Once they’re finished cooking, I grab the bacon from the fridge, microwave it for a few seconds, and add it to the pot.

Before serving to my friends, I garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

I made a giant batch of these Brown Sugar Bacon Baked Beans for the recent crossover fight. My husband and I hosted the evening in our house and fed our friends yummy food (like these beans!) while we watched. I’m not going to lie though, for me the knockout winner was these beans!

Now through 12/31/2017, S&W Beans is offering $1 off two cans of S&W Beans. Get (and print) your coupon from the S&W Beans website to start making your own bean recipe!

The post Brown Sugar Bacon Baked Beans appeared first on Our Holly Days.

Source::

By Holly Sosa

This post was sponsored by Crisco® Coconut Oil as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Fudgy brownies are one of my favorite indulgences. I love a warm gooey chocolate brownie fresh from the oven. There are several tricks for getting the perfect balance of fudge and gooey texture, but I’ve found the simplest way is to use coconut oil. These Fudgy Coconut Oil Brownies are an indulgent treat that will satisfy the chocolate-iest of sweet tooth cravings.

I start by adding some bittersweet chocolate and Crisco® Unrefined Organic Coconut Oil to a microwave safe bowl. The coconut oil is a great substitute for butter and other oils.

I’ve found Crisco® Refined Organic Coconut Oil to be the perfect secret ingredient since it doesn’t have the smell or taste of coconut; so it doesn’t alter the flavor of the chocolate in the brownies (unrefined still has the flavor and aroma of coconut). However, I happen to love the taste of coconut so I used unrefined for this recipe to add just a hint of coconut flavor.

Shop at Target and use Cartwheel to take advantage of 25% off on Crisco Refined Organic Coconut Oil in store from September 3rd through the 30th.

In thirty second increments, I melt the chocolate and coconut oil until they’re completely combined.

I add in some white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and an egg yolk and combine everything together.

Then I add in some flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda and stir until just combined.

I transfer the dough to a baking dish lined with parchment paper and bake for about 35 minutes until the batter is cooked through.

Before cutting into the brownies, I let them cool completely and then stick them in the fridge for a bit. They’re incredibly gooey so this helps them cut cleanly into squares.

For more information on Crisco® Coconut Oil, both refined and unrefined, be sure to visit the Crisco® page on Facebook. Use the Target store locator to find out where you can purchase either of the Crisco® Coconut Oil varieties.

The post Fudgy Coconut Oil Brownies appeared first on Our Holly Days.

Source::

By Holly Sosa

This post is sponsored by TRP PinkEye Relief. All thoughts, opinions, and ideas are my own. Thank you to TRP for partnering with me. And thank you readers for supporting the brands that support this blog and my family.

With kids back in school, preparation for the inevitable spread of germs is on parents minds. Back to school season is an excellent time to prepare your medicine cabinet for the unavoidable bugs your kids will contract from their friends. Pink eye is one of the more common ailments parents and teachers see since children often forget to wash their hands or cover their mouths when coughing and sneezing. This guide to things you should know about pink eye will be a handy reference throughout the school year.

What is pink eye?

Pink eye (conjunctivitis) is an inflammation of the thin clear covering of the white of the eye and inside the eyelid. Pink eye is a condition caused by one of three things: a virus (like the common cold), a bacterial infection, or an allergy. The viral version is extremely contagious (can be spread by coughing or sneezing), but with at home treatment will typically clear up on it’s own within several days. The bacterial version, which is also contagious (spread through direct contact) should be treated immediately and can cause damage if left untreated. The allergen version is caused by typical seasonal changes like pollen or dander and can also easily be treated at home.

What are the symptoms of pink eye?

Not surprisingly, a symptom of conjunctivitis is a pink appearance in the eye itself. A viral pink eye usually results in watery, itchy eyes that are sensitive to light. Bacterial conjunctivitis will often result in a greenish yellow discharge in the corner of the eye and often causes the eyelids to stick together after waking up. Allergic conjunctivitis usually manifests itself with watery, burning, and itchy eyes usually accompanied by a stuffy nose.

How do I treat pink eye at home?

TRP PinkEye Relief is homeopathic medicine that brings temporary relief for the redness, burning, watering, and overnight crusting of conjunctivitis. The eye drops can be used throughout the day for relief as needed and use 100% natural ingredients that are safe and gentle. TRP PinkEye Relief has no known side effects or interactions with other medications and can be used in children and adults ages two and up. The product is the recipient of the 2017 Women’s Choice Award for America’s most recommended pink eye relief product and is readily available at major retailers like Walmart, Target, CVS, RiteAid, Kroger, and Walgreens.

While anyone can get conjunctivitis, preschoolers, schoolchildren, college students, teachers and daycare workers are particularly at risk for the contagious types of pink eye because they work closely with others in the classroom. This makes back to school season a prime opportunity to stock up on pink eye treatments for your children and family.

To learn more about pink eye, it’s causes, and how you can prevent conjunctivitis, TRP PinkEye Relief. You can also enter for a chance to win a backpack filled with back to school supplies and a TRP bundle (sweepstakes ends September 30th, 2017).

The post 3 Things You Should Know About Pink Eye appeared first on Our Holly Days.

Source::

By Holly Sosa

I’m a big believer in goal setting and mapping. I firmly believe that when I write down a goal and take the time to map out the steps I need to take to get me there, that I’ve essentially created a road map for success. It’s why I’m passionate about using a paper planner. My planner is my goal achieving tool and whether that means I’m tackling my larger goals here on the blog or smaller goals like getting my house organized, its helps me to see them through to completion.

Planner users all have their own style. I love my stickers and washi tape while others like to keep things minimal. I prefer to make my planner visually pleasing for me so that I’m excited to dive into my tasks each day. Where some see too many stickers and fluff, I see a joyful road map for my week ahead that keeps me motivated and on task.

Shop My Planner

• Erin Condren Life Planner, Hourly version (use my referral link for $10 off your first Erin Condren purchase)
• Erin Condren paper tape
• Erin Condren customizable event stickers
• me and my BIG ideas Fitness Stickers
• grocery bag stickers, Planner Press via Etsy
• laundry stickers, similar
• mailbox stickers, similar

Planners and handwriting tasks have proven time and again to be a habit of successful people. I know for me that writing things down helps me to unlock something in my brain that translates to physically going after my goals. Any time I’ve wanted to achieve something, it started with writing it down. This blog and my freelance writing career are proof that being mindful and writing things down is beneficial. I can’t recommend enough the usefulness of creating a paper planner that not only helps to organize your thoughts and life, but helps you to unlock the successful steps to achieving your goals.

For more planning tips, favorite supplies, and hacks be sure to follow the Our Holly Days page on Facebook where I update daily.

The post Goal Planner + Shop My Faves appeared first on Our Holly Days.

Source::

By Holly Sosa

Breakfast is a favorite here at Casa de Sosa. We love all the breakfast foods. Give us your bacon, your ham, your sausage. We’ll also take all of your eggs, omelets, and waffles. In fact, we love breakfast so much that we often enjoy it for dinner on occasion. Breakfast for dinner (brinner? dinfast?) is where it’s at! One of my husband’s breakfast favorites are these Ham and Cheese Scones which are so flaky, buttery, and savory that they’re practically perfect. They’re loaded with cheddar cheese, ham, and zesty scallions for a mouthwatering breakfast experience.

To make these delicious slices of breakfast joy, we start off by adding flour, salt, pepper, baking powder, baking soda, and brown sugar to a large bowl and mixing it all together.

Next we add in plenty of cold butter (the colder the butter, the better the flaky layers) that we cut into tiny pieces and work it into the flour mixture with our hands until it becomes a crumb-like texture.

Setting aside the flour butter mixture, we grab another bowl and add an egg, some yogurt, and milk, whisking it all together until it’s well combined.

Then we add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, a little at a time, using a fork to mix and press it together.

In goes plenty of ham, scallions, and cheese which we fold in gently using a spatula.

From here we transfer the dough to our counter, which we floured ahead of time, and roughly mold the dough into about an eight inch circle.

Then we cut it into eighths and transfer the slices to a parchment lines baking sheet.

And just because we take breakfast seriously around here, we top each scone slice with additional ham, cheese, and scallions.

The Ham and Cheese Scones bake in a 400F oven for about twenty minutes until golden brown.

We remove them once they’re finished baking and let them cool for several minutes before enjoying them while still warm, the best (read: only) way to enjoy them. If we’re having people over or serving them for brunch, we usually transfer them into a basket with dish towels covering them so they retain some of their warmth. We enjoy making these Ham and Cheese Scones on holidays like Easter, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, and special occasions like my husband’s birthday since they’re so indulgent… but so delicious!

For more delicious recipes like these Ham and Cheese Scones be sure to follow Our Holly Days on Facebook where I share daily.

The post Ham and Cheese Scones appeared first on Our Holly Days.

Source::

By Holly Sosa

As an essential oils junkie, I’m always searching and experimenting with ways I can utilize my collection of oils in my home (this DIY Creamsicle Lip Scrub is still one of my favorites). I already love to diffuse my oils in areas of my home to refresh the space and tap into their aromatherapy benefits, so I thought I’d create a room spray to help freshen up fabrics and pillows. While I love using a variety of oils to create different scents, I loved the bright and cheerful scent this DIY Citrus Room Spray added to my linens.

I started by adding some mandarin peels to a glass spray bottle.

Then I added about half a cup of vodka (the vodka helps the water and oil to mix) over the peels.

And then about half a cup of distilled water.

Lastly I added about 15 drops of lemongrass essential oil and 25 drops of wild orange essential oil.

I covered the spray bottle with the spray lid and gave it all a gentle few shakes before spraying it over my sheets and in bedrooms.

This DIY Citrus Room Spray has such a cheery scent and makes my bed feel like it’s just been washed (which I never do enough, let’s be real). The spray is also great for refreshing rugs and carpets. I love using it on my dog’s bed and even shower curtains to give it an extra few days before washing. I’m looking forward to experimenting with more scent combinations like oranges and cloves, green tea and cucumber, or lavender and lemon.

For more essential oil tips, DIYS, and uses be sure to follow the Our Holly Days page on Facebook where I update daily throughout the week.

The post DIY Citrus Room Spray appeared first on Our Holly Days.

Source::

By Holly Sosa

Insanely shocking peel off charcoal masks are a huge trend in the beauty world. They promise ultra clean pores and exfoliated skin, but I’ve seen countless Facebook posts from friends who painfully rip the black mud from their faces. I love a good face mask, but is this one worth the pain? I decided to try for myself to find out.

I ordered my charcoal mask from this website, which seemed legit? I’m not quite sure where to find (or even if you can locate) the particular brand that started the trend, but this version promised all the same peely satisfaction, so I bit the bullet and ordered.

The mask arrived about a week later and when I opened it, the first thing I noticed was the smell. It wasn’t stinky, but it wasn’t pleasant either. Almost spicy? It’s hard to describe, but it made me concerned enough to wonder if I could leave it on my face long enough for it to set with it being as off putting as it was.

The mask went on very gooey and thick.

It felt cool on my face and no worse or better than any other peel off mask I’ve ever used.

Following the instructions, I left the mask on for twenty to thirty minutes before trying to peel it off.

It was about as painful as the viral Facebook videos make it seem. It clung to all my little baby hairs on my face and I was hoping that they’d pull out with the mask, but they didn’t. The mask has all the pain of waxing without any of the benefit. While the peeling was weirdly satisfying, my face didn’t feel or look any cleaner than before. My pores still seemed like they were full of grime and dirt, which was disappointing.

Several pieces of the mask stayed behind on my skin despite my cleaning my face before applying the black layer, but it washed off easily with water and a wash cloth.

I was hoping that I’d at least see some gunk from my pores left behind in the pieces of the mask I pulled from my face, but nothing.

I was hopeful for this product because I do struggle with baby facial hairs on my upper lip and chin. I was hoping it would work as not only a pore cleaner, but also to help remove the facial hairs at the same time, No luck with either. I’m not sure if I just ordered a bad version of the mask or what, but I will likely never buy a charcoal mask again. My verdict: pass on this and buy a soothing facial mask or sugar wax kit instead.

For more beauty tests, tips, and faves be sure to follow the Our Holly Days page on Facebook where I update daily throughout the week.

The post Beauty Test: Peel Off Charcoal Mask appeared first on Our Holly Days.

Source::

By Holly Sosa

I’ll admit it: I have zero chill. I’m about as basic as basic gets and fall is my jam. I’ve already lit my pumpkin candle and bookmarked over a dozen apple and pumpkin recipes. No. Chill. No. Shame. While I’ve been able to resist the urge to pull out all of my fall decorations, I haven’t been able to say the same for whipping up those apple based recipes. I just can’t help it, you guys. It’s a sickness. I made these delicious Apple Fries and Vanilla Cream last week and they’re the perfect transitional treat.

I started by peeling, coring, and slicing several apples into wedges.

I coated the apples with some cornstarch.

And prepped a shallow bowl with an apple cinnamon mixture.

I warmed a pan filled with oil up until the oil was hot (sizzles when I sprinkle some flour in it). Once the oil was hot enough, I dropped the apples into the oil, allowing them to cook and soften for several minutes on each side.

Once the apples were done, I removed them and dropped them directly into the cinnamon mixture, coating them completely before removing them to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to rest.

While the apples cooled down enough to eat, I worked on the vanilla cream by adding some whipping cream to a mixing bowl.

Then I added in some powdered sugar and plenty of vanilla before placing the bowl in my mixer.

I used a medium high setting on my mixer for several minutes until stiff peaks formed from the whipping cream.

By the time the vanilla cream was ready, the apples were cool enough to eat.

I served the Apple Fries and Vanilla Cream to my community group that visits once a week in my home. I sprinkled a little extra cinnamon over the cream for dipping and set out small plates for my friends to serve themselves. The apples were delicious all my themselves (plus, they made my house smell so good!), but with the slightly sweet vanilla cream, they were… just. So. Yum.

For more of my favorite fall recipes like this one be sure to follow the Our Holly Days page on Facebook where I share daily.

The post Apple Fries & Vanilla Cream appeared first on Our Holly Days.

Source::