Happy Friday! I got such good feedback on last week's stocking stuffer gift guide that I decided to put together another one, this time for the Megan in your life (i.e. homebodies and the hygge obsessed). Everything in this gift guide is soft, relatively neutral in color and style, and perfect for cozying up with a hot beverage to watch Love Actually.

I'm also giving away some Rewined Candles this week--if you haven't heard of Rewined, they are a company that's local to Charleston and they make some of the most incredible candles--I first discovered them this summer when I was walking around the City Market with Rob. They were kind enough to supply us with candles for our La Crema event last month, and now they're offering up a candle to three lucky Freckled Italian readers! (Scroll all the way down to enter.)

But first, the gift guide (you can click the images to go to the product page, but I talk a bit about each one below, as well):

• I love the look of these blankets! We have a big faux fur comforter on our bed and I'm obsessed with it. So is Ender--he goes upstairs every night way before bed time and naps on it by himself. We call it his "alone time."
• I would wear these slippers around the house every single day. 
• How great does this scarf look? I'm a big fan of plaid accessories on an otherwise neutral outfit, and I love a blanket scarf.
• Just some good old-fashioned thick socks. It's a cliché Christmas gift for a reason!
• Really feeling this poncho sweater, and for $40? Not bad at all.
• Okay, I know $100 is a lot for a hat, but look at this one! It's cashmere and I bet it doesn't itch your forehead at all. I wear hats so frequently that I know I'd definitely get my money's worth.

That's all for now! And, as promised, the giveaway--there are quite a few ways to enter, so pick one or go for them all! I'm so excited to send three of you one of my very favorite (cozy!) candles soon. Thank you, Rewined!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Candle photo credit: Olivia Rae Photography

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I always get super excited about holiday baking. In the fall, before Thanksgiving, I want pumpkin everything, and then as December approaches I almost always go in the direction of salted caramel. This year, though, I've really been feeling the combination of peppermint and chocolate.

Last month, Bob's Red Mill sent me some of their flours and asked me to bake something holiday-inspired, so I dusted off the ol' donut pan and got to work. I love their almond flour and use it all the time in my kitchen--I love that it's naturally gluten-free and low in carbs, which is especially great when you plan to dip your finished product in chocolate and then dust everything with crushed candy canes. Balance, right?

It's kind of great, though--I always associate almond flour with strictly Paleo recipes, but it works just as well when you're using conventional baking ingredients like sugar and white chocolate. So, I suppose now is a good time for this disclaimer: the following donuts are definitely grain-free, but they are in no way Paleo-friendly. Because sugar. Hey, it's the most wonderful time of the year.

Grain-Free Chocolate Peppermint Baked Donuts (adapted from this Bob's Red Mill Almond Cake recipe)

Ingredients: 

For the donuts:

• 1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour (grab a coupon here)
• 1/2 cup coconut flour (I used Bob's Red Mill for this, too)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 3/4 cup softened butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk (I kept it dairy-free with the coconut creamer I sometimes put in my coffee)
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

For the white chocolate glaze and toppings:

• 12 ounces white chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 6-8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1-2 candy canes, crushed
• Red and/or green sprinkles (optional)

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each until it's combined.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt together. 
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ones. Mix until incorporated. Add the cocoa powder and peppermint extract.
5. Pipe batter into a donut pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until you can poke one of the donuts with a knife and it comes out clean. (If you don't have a piping bag you can easily use a plastic freezer bag. To keep the batter from getting all over my hands, I like to put the bag in a big glass, then fold the edges over the side of glass before spooning the batter into the bag. Remove the bag, twist the top to secure the batter, and use a pair of scissors to cut the corner off the bag and voila! A homemade piping bag.)
6. When the donuts are done baking, remove from oven and allow to cool. Sometimes they pop right out of the donut pan, other times they need to cool completely, then you can transfer them to a cooling rack.
7. To make the white chocolate glaze, melt the white chocolate chips on low in a small saucepan. Add peppermint extract and continually stir until liquid. While that's going, you can melt semi-sweet chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave. Remove the white chocolate from heat and working quickly, dip one side of each donut in the melted white chocolate. Drizzle semi-sweet chocolate, if desired, and top with crushed candy canes and/or sprinkles.

Happy holidays, and happy baking!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Happy Friday! I've had such a productive week--Ender tried out a new daycare on Wednesday so it gave me a chance to clean the house (he hates the vacuum and the mop), I did lots of reading and writing, and I have a couple exciting projects in the pipeline that I'm pumped to get started on!

This weekend we're laying low, but on Saturday we're going to head to San Francisco and then further north to Santa Rosa--Russian River Brewing Co. is one of our favorite places and it's been a while since we had a pint of Pliny the Elder! 

To Read: 

• Gilmore Girls' final words change everything we believe about Rory and Stars Hollow. I really enjoyed this piece. I felt like the revival did an amazing job playing into our nostalgia and love of the show, but overall I felt disappointed (don't get me wrong though, I'm still Team Logan all the way). I'd love to hear what you thought! 
• This made me laugh so hard.
• I had the pleasure of meeting Emily at our last La Crema event and her recent news has touched me so deeply. Wishing you a speedy recovery and good health in the months to come, Emily! And then we can finally schedule that brunch date. (If you don't read her blog, you should--she's talented and hilarious.)
• I'm reading Modern Lovers for my book club next weekend and really enjoying it.

Wish List/Shopping:

• I want to live in this sweater. (Here's a similarly cozy-looking one for less.)
• How beautiful is this dress?
• I accidentally bought this night cream for post-menopausal skin but dammit if it doesn't feel amazing!
• I had a pair of shoes that looked just like this (except they were waaaay cheaper, haha) and I have no idea where they went.
• My curling iron pooped out on me and now I'm looking for a new one. I'm tempted to splurge and buy this one (I love DryBar)--does anyone have a recommendation? I don't know how to use the wands so it needs to be an old-fashioned curling iron with a clamp and everything.
• What do you think, does Ender need this sweater?

Stocking Stuffer Gift Guide:

Rob and I (and our brothers) aren't big on Christmas gifts, but sometimes it's nice to gift a friend or family member with one or two smaller goodies like the ones I've included below. I've never done a gift guide like this so let me know what you think! I could definitely put together a few more in the next couple of weeks. Everything is under $50 and most of the items are things I use and love already. The image below is clickable but I've linked to everything underneath it, as well!

• I have this Bobbi Brown shimmer brick and use it not only for blush, but also to highlight (the light strip at the top is perfect for that).
• This little initial ring is so sweet and the perfect way to give something more personalized.
• I've never experienced a Diptyque candle because I think they're way too expensive, but the price of the mini size is a bit easier to justify.
• I'm obsessed with this Mario Badescu face spray. I keep it in my bag or on my desk and use it all the time when I'm running errands or at my computer for too long. So refreshing.
• See's Candies have been part of every holiday I can remember since I was a kid! My mom and I always got the Nuts & Chews. Now that we're in California, I'll have to stop by one of the stores and stock up to bring them back before every trip!
• I've linked to this dry shampoo before, but I have to do it again--it's seriously one of the best I've ever tried. My friends and I are all very oddly proud of how rarely we wash our hair, so I may be gifting a few this holiday season.

That's all for now! I'd love to know what you have on your holiday list this year. Also please feel free to dish about Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life!

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