My Favorite Kind of Breakfast

I take my brown butter blueberry muffins with a mountain of flour-sugar clumps, a heap of lemon zest, and a dream.

When You're Having a Dinner Party...

It would be wrong of me to ignore the hospitality gene that has been passed down to me from my parents and grandparents. You just can't ignore the need to entertain forever, and I've just decided to give in, once and for all.

On Saturday night, Anna made the trek all the way across town to my apartment, for a nice, gluten-free gourmet dinner! To spruce the place up, I stopped by Kabloom in Coolidge Corner for some gorgeous, vibrant carnations. (And Anna brought some GORGEOUS pinkish, purplish tulips that are thriving nicely.)  Since I'm big on black and white dish and tableware, I like to add eye-catching pops of color to the table any way I can.

On the menu? California-style BLTs, with a little twist. Instead of bacon, I used proscuitto. I added avocado. AND, for the piece de resistance, I added basil mayonnaise. Believe me when I say, basil mayonnaise can take any good sandwich to an entirely different level.

Side note: shout out to Crate and Barrel for the super cute plates! I paid $5.95 for each, but it looks like I paid much, much more! (When is it appropriate to call myself a Bargain Princess?)

And for dessert? Flourless Chocolate Cake, with a generous dollop of buttercream frosting in the center.

So...I feel like no matter what I write, it actually won't do this cake proper justice. Never in my life have I made something so decadent, so rich, and yet so pleasantly light and airy. With every spoonful you get that sweet choclately taste, which is complimented by the slightly salted, very creamy buttercream frosting. It's like eating a fudgey brownie, but one that's made from chocolate clouds. I may or may not have had one for lunch today. (I did.)

Summertime means more free time, more of my favorite foods, and more dishes to be made and served. BRING ON THE WARM WEATHER THAT BRINGS ME AND MY FRIENDS TOGETHER.

You HAVE to try this basil mayonnaise recipe from The Kitchn, and of course, the Flourless Chocolate Cake from What's Gaby Cooking. But not in that order...unless that's the kind of food combining you're into.

Happy Tuesday!

Liebster Award!

My nice friend, and former classmate, Olivia (this is her blog, Lively Liv, and it is AWESOME) nominated me for a Liebster Award, and I'm super stoked!

The Liebster awards are a neat way for bloggers to get to know other bloggers. It's because of Olivia that I started trying to step up my blogging game, so it's pretty awesome that she thought of me!

Here are the questions Liv asked me:

1. When did you start your blog and why did you decide to start?

I started my blog about two years ago as a way to document my interests, and also stay creative. Initially this was going to be a blog about interior design appreciation, but then I discovered my love for food, and it morphed from there.

2. What is your favorite place that you've EVER visited?

Cairo. Hands down. There is no other city like it in this world. I bought some of the most beautiful textiles I've ever seen, and when I look at them, I'm taken back to the mornings exploring, and the afternoons lying in the sun, constantly reapplying sunscreen.

3. What are your top 3 favorite blogs?

JUST THREE?

Joy the Baker (she taught me how to bake!), Smitten Kitchen, and as of two days ago RachelKhoo.com (Have you seen her cooking show? I want her life!!)

4. Describe your perfect Sunday.

Brunch with the perfect cup of coffee, afternoon services, then a stroll downtown, popping into Marshall's and Crate and Barrel to see what's new / on sale.

5. What is your secret talent or skill? Spill!

I don't think I have any secret talents, actually! I'm pretty good at predicting a character's pregnancy on television shows before they announce it...Is that weird?

6. What is your favorite thing about blogging?

I like that blogs are your own little diaries. Sure, you post for others, but it's so nice to be able to look back through the archives, and say, "Oh man, I remember that. THAT WAS DELICIOUS." Or, "Oh my gosh, I miss my friends so much, I'm glad that I wrote about it so that I can remember it always."

7. What's the best meal you've ever had?

I don't think I can answer this! Too many choices! It's a tie between the three-course meal me and my work chums had at The Liberty Hotel for Restaurant Week, or the wonderful french cuisine my family had at Lake Park Bistro in Milwaukee. After that meal, I remembered how much I love french food. Bring on the butter and sugar!

8. Fashion dos & don'ts?

Never wear white socks with dark pants. Do be bold and wear red lipstick. It looks good on everyone, trust me.

9. What movie can you watch over and over again and not get sick of it?

You've Got Mail. I LOVE YOU, TOM HANKS.

10. What are your blogging goals for 2014?

Make a schedule and stick to it! Blogging is hard work, but if you set a schedule and stick to it, you'll reap the rewards.

11. What advice would you give to someone who is just starting (or who is thinking about starting) to blog?

Go for it! There's room for everyone. If you can inspire even one person, then you've already won.

I nominate:

Anna from Anna Travels the World

1. What first got you blogging?

2. What's your favorite place to visit?

3. Any hidden talents?

4. Favorite childhood memory?

5. Top 5 favorite musicians...and GO.

6. What is the one thing that you never leave the house without?

7. If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would you invite?

8. Coffee or tea?

9. Any blogging goals for 2014?

10. What's one piece of advice that you would give to a blogger that's just starting out?

Ladies' Brunch!

 

I'd been itching to have a party for a while, so when my friend Grace mentioned an article she'd seen solely devoted to french toast recipes, I knew that a Ladies' Brunch was definitely in order.

As much as I love cooking and baking, I almost never do it for myself. Cooking for one can be a little depressing, so when given the chance to cook for others, I dive head first. All the bases were covered: a cheese plate, (a chalkboard plate I got on sale at Crate and Barrel!) a Florentine Fritata (I got the recipe from Breakfast for Dinner),  delicious and crispy brioche french toast with baked berries and maple syrup (curtesy of Grace!), and last but certainly not least, fresh and giggle-inducing grapefruit mimosas! At my house, you go big with brunch, or you go home.

A good brunch always needs fresh flowers. It brightens up any room, and reminds you that Spring has sprung, and you must embrace it.

Trader Joe's actually has a great selection of cheeses from all over the place, for excellent prices. My local grocery store was trying to charge me almost double, for less product. I don't think so!

It took me 20 minutes to make the mimosas, and I had the best time doing it. Cutting up those grapefruits made the house smell so wonderfully citrusy.

I thank my lucky stars everyday that I decided to keep the champagne glasses I impulse bought at Goodwill last year. I hardly ever use them, but when the time comes, these beauties come in absolute handy.

I've caught the entertaining bug, and I'm thinking a nice, classic dinner party is next!

Grapefruit Mimosas

What You'll Need:

1 750 ml bottle of Prosecco, chilled

4 large grapefruits (should make 3-3.5 cups of grapefruit juice)

Optional Sweetener or Simple Syrup

1. Fill a large pitcher with your freshly squeezed and chilled grapefruit juice, then add the prosecco. (Make sure your pitcher is big enough to handle both the juice, and the contents of the bottle, plus the foam. The foam is what ties it all together!)

2. Add sweetener to taste. (I added a couple spoonfuls of granulated sugar)

Yields about six servings

Source: Jason and Shawnda

If loving brunch is wrong, then I just don't want to be right.

Happy First Day of Spring!

Last week I flew to Nashville to see Oscar and my family, and it was amazing. I needed it, and I also needed the 60+ degree weather. I got so used to the nice weather that now I've refused to accept that the temperature is in the 40s here. I will not switch back to my winter coat, I just won't.

It's officially Springtime, and I'm diving in head first!

Shopping Wish List

"Jade Green" Hunter Boots // Eaton Shoulder Bag from Madewell // Two-Tone Sunnies from Kate Spade Saturday // Keds Champion Seasonal Solid in "Bright Green" // The A Satchel from Kate Spade Saturday  Guys, I just want it to be spring so badly. On Saturday it was light jacket weather, and now we're back to gray skies. And as someone who is actually quite a fan of snowy winters, I have had enough. This shopping wish list is meant to remind me that there will come a day (hopefully soon) where there won't be a cloud in the sky. And when that day comes, I will be dressed in all kinds of colors.

I can't wait.

Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats

I spend a lot of time looking up really complicated recipes, because I want to challenge myself. But lately, I haven't felt like doing really involved recipes. Maybe it's because  the single-digit temperatures have left me craving comfort over complication. Or maybe, I just have too much cereal in the house.

It's been two weeks since I've made anything for my work chums, which means it's been two weeks since I've practiced my baking. Life has kept me a little busy, and by the time I get a free moment, it's time for bed. But honestly, when you're really passionate about something, you'll find the time. So I carved a few hours out to get myself back into the swing of things. And what better way to get more practice in, than with yummy, crunchy rice krispie treats? But oh no, not just those standard treats you find the recipe for on the back of the cereal box, no. Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats are a much-needed twist on an old classic. They're like your cool first cousins from Chicago with the same last name as you, but they're way more popular, even with your group of friends.

What's great about these is that the taste is not different, but rather enhanced. Brown butter is a sneakily powerful ingredient. Sure, it's the same as butter, but with a slight twist that takes something basic, and gives it the depth that it's always deserved. And to top that all off, sea salt helps to bring the flavors out even more. If you're a sweet and salty type of person, then this is for you. I will not tell you how many I've had for fear that your jaw will fly open and never close. I'm just glad I have hungry co-workers, because the few that I saved for the house, did not last in the house for very long.

What You'll Need:

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 8-inch square cake pan
• 1 10 ounce bag of marshmallows
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt (plus more for sprinkling!!)
• 6 cups of Rice Krispie cereal (buy on 12 oz box)

Butter (or coat with cooking spray) the bottom and sides of the cake pan. Lay a piece of wax or parchment paper on top, making sure that it properly sticks to the corners and edges.

In  a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. It will melt, then start to foam, and crackle. Once the crackling has subsided, the butter will start to turn a golden color. After a few moments, your butter will start to brown, and should give off a wonderful, nutty aroma. Stir frequently, scraping up any brown bits that are hanging out at the bottom. Do not leave your butter unattended. Brown butter will turn to burned butter in very little time. And no one likes burned butter.

As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.

Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Quickly spread into prepared pan. If you're like me, you love the salty-sweet contrast. Evenly sprinkle on as much extra sea salt as you please.

Let cool, then cut into squares, or whatever shape you're feelin'.

SOURCE: Smitten Kitchen 

HAPPY BAKING!

Saturdays in the South End: My Weekend in Pictures

This weekend, one of my very best friends, Tori, came to town, and we, along with my other friend Grace, had the ultimate blast. After we met up at the train station (and I engulfed them both in a powerful three-way bear hug), Grace declared herself more than a little famished, so we headed over to the South End Buttery, a cafe and restaurant combo that I've been meaning to return to since stopping by this summer. Since Saturdays and Sundays are optimal Brunch days, the line was, understandably, pretty long. But it was no matter really; Tori and I decided to wait outside on a bench while Grace waited for her food.

There's something you really have to know about Grace and Tori: they are die-hard dog lovers. And when I'm with them, I become just as die-hard. If we so much as hear the possibility of a clinking dog tag, our heads swivel around so quickly, frantically searching for our next doggy encounter. And this weekend, I think I met the man of my dreams.

 I'm speaking of course about the bulldog.

It's a weird/interesting/funny story, I suppose. There we were, perched on a bench, admiring all the sights and sounds that go along with typical Saturdays in the South End, when all of a sudden we spotted him: Rocky, a 19 month old bulldog, happily trotting along with his owner. But the two were all the way across the street, and by the looks of the half-full basket of clothes in his owner's hand, it looked like the pair was right in the middle of Laundry Day. And I'm not sure of this, but either the man saw us eyeing his adorable puppy, or Tori and my uncontrollable cooing was more audible than usual.Whatever the case, Rocky and his owner made a beeline for our bench. And before I knew it, his owner had picked Rocky's front half up, walked him on his hind legs, and literally wrapped the dog's arms around my waist. I instinctively hugged him because, honestly, what does one do in this situation? But one look into those beautiful eyes, and I was a goner. Rocky is a rescue originally from Texas, and is featured in this great local book, Dogs in Thought. 

After meeting him, I totally want a bulldog. And he'll have a cool name like T-Bone, and wear muscle tees all the time. Or I'll name him Herbie, and he'll be a sensitive soul who wears sweater vests.

Welcome to my mind.

What's really cool about the South End Buttery, is that there are actually two locations. The first, is the traditional cafe, but the second, located just down the block, is a totally awesome little market. On the shelves are imported loose leaf teas, and locally made ice creams, and in the cases are the most delicious looking treats like cupcakes, quiches, and specialty cookies. Honestly, have you ever seen anything cuter than those Oscar cookies? Now I wish that I'd gotten one.

Finally. FINALLY after WEEKS of wanting to check this place out, I FINALLY made it Farm and Fable. If you haven't heard of it, it's this charming, freshly renovated, cooking boutique. It's got everything from vintage cookbooks, to antique copper pots, to adorable, independently made recipe and greeting cards. And that's just the upstairs! The lower level of the shop is equipped with a full demonstration kitchen, which is home to tons of events from a Cookbook of the Month Club where members each make a recipe out of the featured cookbook, to private cooking lessons.  I feel like I'm not doing this place enough justice, so here's a write-up about it in the Globe. 

We found ourselves feeling a bit peckish after the trip to Farm and Fable, and though the initial plan was to grab some Vietnamese food, Grace's breakfast sandwich looked way too good to pass up. I never say "no" to breakfast food, no matter the hour. So guess where we ended up?

If you guessed the South End Buttery, then you're a great guesser. Two o'clock in the afternoon, and we tucked in at the bar for a spontaneous brunch. There are only a few things these days that remind me that I still live in a big city, and one of them is brunch. No matter where you go in Boston, you will find brunch, or it will find you. There's no escape, so you just have to give in to it. And just LOOK at how fluffy those pancakes are! I have to admit (maybe I shouldn't) that I'm a bit of a pancake snob (she said pretentiously). Not everyone can do it right, and the South End Buttery did it absolutely right.

Those pancakes, mixed with the wonderful feeling of being tucked away in the back portion of the restaurant, mixed with delicious coffee, mixed with amazing friends who make you laugh so hard and loud that you feel slightly embarassed made for the best Saturday.

T's back home now, and I miss her already. BUT, for my birthday, I'm planning a trip to New York to visit her, and I CAN'T WAIT.

What'd you do this weekend?

Shopping Wishlist

I have a complicated relationship with shopping. In real life, I subscribe to the "Fill up the cart!" philosophy. Especially at Target. ESPECIALLY if I have friends with me who'll say, "Why not? Get it!" That is very dangerous for me to hear. But online, if I find something I like, I very rarely purchase it. I pour over it for days, do as much research as I can, dissect the reviews, and then, after all of that, if I still want it, then I get it. Here are a few things I've been crushing on lately:

Red Flower Coasters from DecoyLab on Etsy // Quilted Picnic Blanket from Provisions by Food52 // Spiced Pomegranate Pear Molly Hatch from TeaGuys // Fairmount Park Telephone Salt and Pepper Shakers from Kate Spade New York

I just want them all.

I Heart Valentine's Day Cookies

I only really like Valentine's Day for the food, so let's get that out of the way now. This year, I decided to make a special surprise for my work chums, to show how much I love that they eat all the food I bring them. Super soft sugar cookies with a thick coating of buttercream frosting should do the trick!

I went to the store a few days ago to get the last of the ingredients for these cookies, and as I went to pick up some sprinkles, I stopped myself. I wanted these cookies to be 100% from scratch, which meant either making the sprinkles myself, or dying a second batch of buttercream, and frosting little designs. But when it came time to actually make the sprinkles, I realized that it might be a little too time-consuming for this go-around. But THEN I was left in a panic because Boston decided to have another snowstorm, and there was no way I was going to trudge in the snow to the market for one tiny package of red sprinkles. Luckily, I found not one, but TWO packages of sprinkles and Red Hots in the back of the cupboard, still good to eat. (I knew there was a reason that I save everything.) Thank goodness, because tan sugar cookies with boring white buttercream wouldn't exactly get everyone sprinting to the cookie tin.

There are a couple of things to note about these cookies. One, make sure you let that buttercream set for a while before you try to transfer these onto a plate, or into the travel carrier. Two, when baking, use your own discretion for the baking time. I have a gas oven, which cooks things much faster. For the first batch, I left them in for the suggested time of seven minutes, and the bottoms and edges were way too brown! I cut it down to five minutes, and even that was cutting it close. Also, make sure you roll out the dough as thin as you can, because these things puff up so much! They can't be tamed, these sugar cookies.

These Lofthouse style cookies are even better the next day, which is a relief, because I was worried that they would lose their pizazz. Although, nothing bad can ever really happen when there's buttercream frosting involved, am I right about it?

Super Soft Lofthouse Style Sugar Cookies

For the Cookies: 6 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 cups granulated sugar 3 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1½ cups sour cream

For the Buttercream Frosting: 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 cups powdered sugar Pinch of salt 6 tablespoons heavy cream

Food coloring, optional Sprinkles, optional

Directions:

1. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and sour cream and beat at low speed until combined.

3. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, scraping down the bowl as needed. Dough will be a little sticky and that is ok. Divide dough into two sections. Flatten into rectangles about 1½ inches thick, then wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator overnight or for at least two hours.

4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats; set aside.

5. Lightly flour the countertop and the top of the dough. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to ¼-inch thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut out the cookies and place on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 7 minutes, until cookies are slightly golden around the edges. Immediately transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Cook cookies completely before frosting.

6. To make the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and vanilla extract. Slowly beat in powdered sugar and the pinch of salt. Once smooth and creamy, add in heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, then beat at medium-high speed for a minute or two until light and fluffy. Add food coloring, if desired, and beat until combined.

7. Once cookies have cooled completely, frost and add sprinkles, if desired. Allow frosting to set, then store in an air-tight container.

SOURCE: Two Peas in Their Pod

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!