The Gaither Kitchen: Cinnamon Toast

We have been under the weather here at The Gaither House for the past week.  It honestly seems like everyone has had their turn at this nasty head cold that is going around.  Yuck!

This past weekend I was on the the tail end of my cold, but Scott was just really starting to feel bad.  On Friday night he started to reminisce about when his mom would make him cinnamon toast.

So, I started asking questions because I could tell immediately this was a childhood fave.  Basically, "Mama Gaither" would take a piece of toast, cover it with butter and sprinkle with a cinnamon and sugar mixture.  Then pop the toast in the oven under the broiler, where Scott said they would then stare at the oven to make sure it wouldn't burn! So cute! 

As Scott was taking in some much needed extra sleep Saturday morning, Fiona and I were up with the birds for playtime.  Then it hit me, I can totally make cinnamon toast and hopefully make the husband feel a little better.  Now, if you know me, I always have to mix things up a bit.  So, I of course turned to Pinterest to check out a couple different variations of this much talked about Cinnamon Toast.  I decided to go with a variation from my fave Ree Drummand of The Pioneer Woman.  She's pretty amazing in my book!

Here's what you'll need!

2 Sticks of Butter

3 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1 cup Sugar

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

16 Slices of Bread

Now, let make some yummy Cinnamon Toast!

First, soften your butter!  I just popped the two sticks of butter into the microwave for about 15 seconds.

Then just helped the melting process a little with a fork. 

Next, mix in your sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.

Once you have all your ingredients in your mixing bowl, give them a good stir until all are blended. 

Next, you guessed it! Lather those pieces of toast up! 

Once you have your toast covered in this sweet goodness, pop into your oven to bake on 350 for 10 minutes.  Then turn the broiler on to really toast it up for about a minute.

This recipe yields 16 pieces of Cinnamon Toast.  We did over indulge, but there was NO WAY just the two of us could devour all 16 slices.  So, we saved the leftover mixture for Sunday morning.  Just pop it back into the microwave for 15 seconds and give it a good stir.

And there you have it!  A super simple and crowd pleaser recipe to cure the childhood craving and help get over the yucky sick blues!

Gifts for Him

I don't know about your family, but in our family, it's the men that are the absolute hardest to shop for.  Even as I sit here racking my brain on gifts for the guys in my family I am still kinda clueless.  What I do know are these timeless gift ideas are always a sure win.

Kiehl's Men's Starter Kit

Braided Belt

Timex Watch

J. Crew Robe

Cuff Links

Ugg Slippers

T. Anthony Duffel 

Sauvage by Dior

Fun Socks

What are your go to items when shopping for the fellas in your family?

Leave your gift ideas in the comments below and HELP ME OUT!

Happy Thursday and Happy Shopping!

DIY: The Perfect {Inexpensive} Bookshelf

A few months back I was on the hunt for a simple gold bookshelf.  I found that so many I loved were around $250 and up!  This just seemed a little crazy to me.  So I decided this gold bookshelf I was on the hunt for was now going to turn into a DIY.

After removing the gold element from my search I started to find several reasonably priced shelves that a can of gold spray paint would do wonders with.  I ended up purchasing the Vittsjo Shelf from Ikea in white for just $49.  

Next to dress this plain Jane up to her full potential.

A trip to Lowes for a few supplies and we were ready.

Shelf * Contact Paper * Pretty Scissors * Gold Spray Paint * Primer

Now that we have all the items, it's time to make this doll come to life.

I think it's totally up to you if you want to assemble before or after you paint.  I decided to assemble first, then spray.  Once I had the shelf together I started with the primer.  Even though the shelf was white, I still like to prime as it helps your paint adhere better.  Once the primer was dry, it was time to paint this beauty gold.  In the end I used almost 2 cans of paint.  It never ceases to amaze me what a can of paint can do for a lifeless piece.

The three middle shelves are glass, but the top and bottom are solid, some type of faux wood.

I decided to dress this piece up just a touch more by wrapping the top and bottom shelves in marble contact paper.  Seriously, this made the entire look of the bookshelf!

And...there you have it!  

I couldn't be happier with the end result.  Sometimes I find it's the DIY pieces in our home I adore the most.  They just feel a little bit more special to me.

Gifts For The Hostess

Our calendars tend to fill up fast over the holidays with casual family dinners, intimate parties with our closest friends, and large lavish soirees.  No matter the size of the gathering you will attend this holiday season, it is always a good idea to have a hostess gift on hand.

1. West Elm Diffuser

2. Animal Wine Stoppers

3. Monogram Wine Stopper

4. Mark and GrahamWine Tote

5. Coaster Set

6. Anthropologie Cheese Board

Remember, your hostess put a lot of time and energy into creating a memorable evening.  

Spoil her (or him) a little and you're sure to be the first wine glass topped off! ;) 

Cheers! 

Hello Old Friends and Happy December

Well hello there friends!  It's been a while.  Far too long if you ask me!  Blogging with a little one has been almost next to impossible while also working full-time! However, I am still extremely determined to figure out the whole work-life, mom-life, blog-life balance.  So let's not waste another second.

December has always been one of my favorite months to blog simply because I get to share so many pretty things with you all and dream a little.

Today I'm sharing 3 items I'd love to see under the Christmas tree this year with my name on them.

First up, the Crosley Turntable.  Honestly, I don't care what color it is or any real specific features.  I just want to drop the needle in the grove and hear amazing music.

Next on the lists, what good is a record player without the vinyl?

Albums on the left can be found at Crate and Barrel.  Pick up my faves on the right from Urban Outfitters.

Last on the list...a new wallet! I have this black Coach wristlet that somehow turned into my permanent wallet and it makes NO SENSE at all!  Ok, pre Fiona it made perfect sense (to me that is), but now I need easy access when paying for things and juggling Miss Fi.  

The Henri Bendel Organizer Wallet would be a dream!

What's on your list this year?

Looking for more Delightfully Chic?  

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