Weekly Links I Love (Feb. 1)

I come across a LOT of articles and recipes throughout the week that I inevitably end up posting on Facebook, and clogging up everyone's news feeds. And while one posting of delicious food is appreciated by the masses, twelve by the end of the day doesn't always go over so well.

I believe that in order to be a good blogger and build a community, you have to share the love. There are so many people and things that inspire me, just as I hope to inspire at least one other person.

So here we go, the links I loved this week:

1. Potter Frances Palmer's 5 Kitchen Essentials from the Hand and Heart

I love everything on The Kitchn, but this particular article spoke to me this week. Frances Palmer is a really well known ceramist (her pieces are unbelievably gorgeous, and I want them all) who truly believes in the beauty of handmade products. In this article, she talks about the importance of finding good kitchen/studio tools, and sticking with them. You don't always need the latest and the greatest when you have tools that you cherish and keep coming back to.

2. Tuesday was National Pancake Day, so in honor of NPD (The nickname will catch on, just wait.) here's a recipe for Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes. They're healthy, so you can use as much maple syrup as you want. (Right? That's how that works, right?)

3. Joy the Baker (aka Joy Wilson) is one of my favorite bloggers of all time. This week she took a trip to Uganda, and wrote a series of posts about her work there. This particular one, What it Means to Boil Water, really stuck out. It's a must-read for sure.

4. While I could lie and say that I spend my days reading really complex pieces in the Economist, the truth is, I spend an unhealthy amount of my day on Buzzfeed. What can I say? Most articles are short and sweet, and a daily dose of "Laugh out Loud" laughter is good for the soul. I'm really missing my best friend Emily, and Ways Long Distance Bffs Survive is perfect.

5. Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee is an online series hosted by Jerry Seinfeld. It is clever, funny, and SO entertaining. Plus, he's introduced me to some really great places to both get a cup of coffee, and delicious pastries. I can't believe I hadn't started watching this sooner. This week Jerry met up with Tina Fey, a personal funny lady hero of mine. This show makes you feel like you're there with them, and I just can't say enough good things about it. Here's a great article to go along with it from  Gothamist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHiCOIjpp-4

What're you up to this weekend?

Be My Valentine?

In all honesty, I've never really been a fan of Valentine's Day. I think it puts too much pressure on us,  and if you're single, it'll make you feel a teeny bit lonely if you let it. But the one thing I've always loved  is all the cute things you can buy to celebrate the day. It's also one of those holidays that fully embraces novelty. You want those salt and pepper shakers that make a heart when you put them together? Go for it. You want that tea set with a million hearts painted and heart-shaped handles that would be useless and tacky any other time of the year? Throw it in the cart. And the most delicious part of all: the candy you can buy at half the price the day after the holiday.

So thank you, Valentine's Day, for inspiring my favorite shops to make adorable products that I can't resist. And for making it so my beloved Dove Dark Chocolates come in the shape of hearts, and in bulk.

Sweetly Sipping Tea Set, ModCloth // Heart Knee Cableknit Over-the-Knee Sock, Urban Outfitters // 'Love' Hand-Carved Book Shelf Art, Nordstrom // Valentine Spatulart, Williams-Sonoma // Coming Up Rosy-Cheeked Rouge in Crimson, ModCloth // Mast Brothers Chocolate: A Family Cookbook, bookstores

Go on, get shopping!

Book Review: Mrs. Lilien's Cocktail Swatchbook

I buy a lot of cookbooks. You know this about me already. You know that it's somewhat of an addiction, but I'm proud to say that I've got it somewhat under control. (The bookshelf that I bought to house them all is already looking a bit cramped...)

So, instead of buying more, I decided to take a little breather and dive into the ones I already own. My wallet, which up until now I didn't think could speak, just loudly whispered "Thank You" from my purse. Don't get too comfy, wallet, for there will come a time when I will need to fuel my CA (cookbook addiction. It's a thing) again.

This weekend, my best friend Anna held a cocktail party that was inspired by her recent trip to Peru, and it reminded me of this beyond AWESOME book I found once called Mrs. Lilien's Cocktail Swatchbook. I am obsessed with it, and after this post, you better be too so that we can talk about it together.

It's one part retro, one part boozy, and one part extra colorful, and it's the exact read you need when you want to become your own bartender. Ever wondered exactly what goes into that whiskey sour you always order? This little book's got you covered. (P.S. I'm just curious: when you hear that a cocktail has egg whites in it, what's your reaction? To me, it's fine, it adds a little foam and body. For others, it's all they can talk about.)

There's a drink for every occasion, every taste, and I'd say every budget. And if you really want to cut a corner or two, there's always the option of making your own simple syrup!

I know Christmas is over, but this makes the perfect stocking stuffer. Buy it now, save it, don't forget about it, and you're set for next Christmas. You're welcome.

Happy cocktail mixing!

My Holiday in Pictures

Boston is snowed in, but this isn't my first rodeo. I come from a place that MADE us go out to recess in this kind of weather, but Boston just isn't handling it like the pros of the Midwest. Single digit temperatures make you tough, so embrace it, Northeast! Since the city has decided to take a break and stay inside, I figured now would be a good time to share a few pictures from my trip home to Wisconsin. I miss it dearly, and being snowed in without a cuddly miniature schnauzer to keep me company isn't helping.

Usually, I stay with my family for Christmas and New Year's, but since I had to get back to work right after the holidays, I decided to spend New Year's with some of my favorite people.

That's Melyssa and Caitlin. I've known them for two years, but it really feels like longer. They're two of the weirdest people you'll meet, but also the funniest, and the best.

Our friendship can be completely summed up in two pictures:

We don't always get to see each other, but when we do, it feels like we're sisters.

Noticeably missing: My best friend, Emily. But you'll meet her soon enough.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Stay cool, wherever you are.

Guacamole: A Game Day Essential

College Bowls and the Playoffs are in full swing, and I'm PUMPED. The Wisconsin Badgers play in the Capitol One Bowl tomorrow, and THE PACKERS MADE THE PLAYOFFS. It's been a fantastic week so far.

There are two things that you need when watching football: Hope (and lots of it sometimes!), and good food. And what is more essential for a fun game--watching experience than a bowl of fresh, homemade guacamole? It is an absolute staple in my household, and I think it should be a staple in yours! I've been working on the perfect guacamole recipe for a while and, according my father, mouth full of guac, "Oh yeah, this is it. Don't change a THING," I may have found a winner!

Now, if you're fancy and have a pestle to grind up your ingredients, more power to you! But for me, it's all about the forks, baby. (Until I get a pestle. Then I'm jumping ship.) It takes time to properly mash up guacamole to the consistency that you'd like, but once you've got your rhythm, it's smooth sailing. 

There is one very important thing to remember when making guacamole:

There is never a wrong way to make it.

Some people make it a little spicier, some people use red onions, some use yellow, some add carrots, some think that's a crazy idea. But there's never a wrong way. With avocado as your anchor, many things taste amazing together. Add a little cilantro, a squirt of lime juice, and you're on your way.

So...LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, I GIVE YOU: Sydney's very first original recipe!

May your bowl overfloweth with guacamole for all eternity.

Sydney's GAMEDAY GUACAMOLE

What You'll Need:

• 2 Avocados (I used jumbo)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• About 1/4 cup red onions, diced
• 1 tomato (your choice of tomato!)
• The juice and zest of one lime
• Cilantro (I used about a teaspoon of Cilantro, chopped)
• Coarse Sea Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS 

Split, then remove contents of two avocados. Mash to desired consistency in a large bowl, using forks.

Mince two cloves of garlic, add to the mixture.

Cut one red onion in half, then in thirds. Dice until you've got just about 1/4 cup. Do the same to your tomato. Add to mixture.

Split one lime in half, then squeeze the juice out of each half into the mixture. Once each half has been firmly squeezed, zest them, and add to the mixture.

Chop up the leaves of your cilantro. I used about a teaspoon, but do what you feel! A little cilantro can go a long way. Add to the mixture.

Sprinkle coarse sea salt into the mixture. Once again, do what you feel! Sea salt helps to bring out the other flavors, so add as little, or as much as you want!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

GO BADGERS.

Baking 101: Secrets of a Home Baker (Joy the Baker)

Joy the Baker has done a series of baking posts, and this is by far the best, so I just had to share! If you're like me, you started baking sort of blindly. I didn't know the secrets, I didn't have nearly enough mixing bowls, and I thought I was the only baker in the world with the most inadequate kitchen. But every kitchen has its limitations, unless you're a professional bakery (but sometimes limitations apply there as well!). What makes a good baker is recognizing those limitations, and working around them to succeed.

Check out the full post here.

Happy baking!

Cookie Party!

First, I have to apologize for my brief absence. The second I was seated next to a coughing, sneezing, sniffling gentleman on my plane ride back to Boston from Wisconsin, I knew that I was a goner. It took maybe an hour or two for the sickness to sink in, and I was out of commission for a full week. I'm just now starting to feel like myself, and if I ever see my row-mate again, I'm going to cough all over him.

Being sick for ages and ages limited my activity, and the one thing that I wanted the most while I was sick, was the one thing I was too exhausted to make: a cookie. I have a sweet tooth that cannot be denied, and because I refuse to buy anything from bakeries that I can't make myself, I was fresh out of luck. But now, now that I'm feeling better, I set out to complete my mission. And just in time as well, because my co-worker and I decided to throw an impromptu cookie party for the office! Fair, it'll just be us bringing cookies, but there will be cookies, and that's really all that matters.

If there's anything you know about me thus far, it's that I collect a lot of recipes, but I hardly ever do anything with them but stick them in my "Recipes" folder. I've got so many that my fingers start to get tired after a while from scrolling through. But today, as I searched and searched for a recipe that was simple enough to make, but still totally impressive, there was one special cookie that screamed out to me: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip S'Mores Cookies. YEAH, S'MORE. I've tasted a s'mores cupcake, but never a s'mores cookie. And today was the day.

And for real, I can't believe how simple these cookies were to make, but also how INSANE THEY TASTED. There are few things better in this world than a toasted marshmallow, and I did it using the broiler on my oven. I tell you, my mind was blown. And I'm going to blow the minds of all my work chums tomorrow, mark my words.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip S'Mores Cookies: totally into it.

What You'll Need:

• 1 cup softened salted butter
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar
• ¾ cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup graham cracker crumbs
• 2½ cups quick oats
• 2 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips
• 12 giant marshmallows, sliced into thirds

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Using a stand mixer fi tted with the beater attachment, cream the butter and sugars at medium-low speed until well combined.  Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add in the vanilla; combine well.

In a separate bowl, combine the fl our, baking soda, salt, and graham cracker crumbs.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet batter. Mix on low until just combined. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips.

Scoop rounded balls of batter onto the prepared sheets. The batter will spread, so be sure to leave ample space between.  Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until the edges are very lightly browned.

Remove from the oven, and immediately top with a slice of marshmallow.  Allow to cool on baking sheets.  Before serving, place the pan under the oven broiler or use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallows.

SOURCE: The Cake Blog

The cookies are safely tucked in their tin foil, and ready for a trip to the office tomorrow, and I'm snuggled in my blankets becaause it is positively freezing. And I'm totally slacking on my holiday movie-viewing, so if you'll excuse me, I've got a date with The Santa Clause before bed.

HAPPY BAKING!!

Making My Dad's Favorite: Pecan Pie

Thanksgiving is all about tradition, whether it be old or new. And while I was planning on starting a new tradition at my house (one that included delicious pumpkin pie because there is literally nothing better in this entire world), I was overruled by a standing pie tradition: Southern-style Pecan Pie.

Apparently it's been a staple at our table since I was born, but I never noticed because my grandmothers have been making stellar sweet potato pies, and caramel pies with homemade icings for as long as I can remember. But this year, I spent Thanksgiving with just my immediate family in Wisconsin, and there could only be room for one dessert. And while I was hoping that dessert would be delicious, fall-appropriate pumpkin pie, a dad that only periodically ventured into the kitchen (probably to stay out of the crossfire of my mother and I both being in the kitchen), had other plans. But it's fine, because  when you love to bake, it doesn't always really matter what it is.

And anyway, I was just happy that I:

1) Finally got to contribute to the Thanksgiving Meal

2) Got to practice my pie-making skills!

Fact: a homemade pie crust always tastes better. It just does. Store-bought pie crusts are okay, but there is just no comparison when you taste the love (and butter!!!) that goes into a crust made especially for that pie, completely from scratch. And I have to say: for this being only the third time that I've made the pie crust, things went pretty smoothly.

Joy the Baker first taught me how to make a pie crust (and my first pie). Instead of rolling out the dough, she uses a "press-in" technique where she presses the dough into the pie plate. It's incredibly easy, and eliminates a few steps. But in the rest of my pie cookbooks, it's essential that you roll out the dough, then use the rolling pin as a tool to get it into the pie plate. And you know, the people on Food Network always make it look so insanely easy. Like, the dough always perfectly rolls up onto the rolling pin, and they simply and gracefully place the delicate crust into the plate. Well, I'm here to tell you that it's not that easy, I dropped the pie crust into the plate very ungracefully, and I actually had to flip a section of it that refused to stay on its side of the plate. But I made it without having to take it out and re-roll it, and all was well in the kitchen.

This time around, I even got to take a stab at decorating the crust, something I hadn't tried before. And I loved it! Sure, the balls were all different sizes, and I left fingerprints in the dough, but isn't that what makes homemade crusts charming? Store-bought crusts lack a certain something, and I think that something is charm and character. Maybe even a little personality. That pie crust is totally unique, and I never, ever, will buy a store-bought crust again.

Okay, apparently this post has turned into a love letter for homemade pie crusts...sorry, I'm not sorry.

Pecan Pie is actually really easy to make. You just mix the butter and the sugar together, then literally throw the rest of the ingredients in the mixing bowl, and you're done.

And this pie was a big hit, if I do say so myself.

PECAN PIE:

What You'll Need:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon  flour
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust (Preferably homemade!)

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

-Cream sugar and butter

-Add remaining ingredients

-Bake for 40 minutes

Each recipe serves 6-8 people

SOURCE: Recipes from Miss Daisy's

I hope you all had a fantastic holiday, and that you're recovering from your food comas well!!

Saturdays Downtown

There are always perks to living in a city. This weekend, after five years of living in Boston, I finally made it to the Boston Public Library (BPL). Well, let me rephrase that: I finally got the chance to look around without being restricted to the rooms my professors mapped out for class trips.  While I think that I've been there at least three times before, this was a trip that I got to take just for me.

I have to say, it is getting CHILLY here on the East Coast! But I run with Midwestern blood in my veins, and a higher tolerance for cold weather. In fact, sometimes I actually get excited when I see the temperature, because it means that I get to wear my warm boots and coat. The other day, it was 39 degrees and I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face. I don't know what's wrong with me. 

I didn't take my trip downtown alone. At Copley, I met up with my best friend Anna (this is her blog!), and we practically ran inside because the wind had picked up so much that I wondered why I even bothered combing my hair in the first place. 

And while the wind was blowing, and it had to have been close to 48 degrees, we braved the weather to visit the one part of the library that I've only seen from above: the courtyard. It's true what they say: the courtyard is the true jewel of this place. It's huge, it's peaceful, and if you visit at the right time of year, you can get little lunches from the cafe, and just lounge. It really is quite fantastic, and definitely worth a few minutes of shivering.

Though the BPL is huge and historic, and there are things to look at in every room, it is, after all, a library. So unless you're there to study, or check out books, your visit will be rather short-lived.  But it was no matter. Anna and I had tons of catching up to do (we hadn't seen each other in weeks!). It was time for some hot chocolate in a quiet cafe, but before we could make it, Anna suggested we visit a place that should never be refused:

How can you ever say "no" to visiting a chocolate shop? I'll be honest, the things I knew about Lindt before our visit were limited to the commercials I see during the holiday season; presumably their busiest. So to actually go inside a shop was pretty interesting...and delicious. WOW, there is a reason that people can't get over those chocolates! Within the first five minutes of our visit, a nice sales associate approached us and offered a sample of their seasonal chocolate: milk chocolate with white chocolate inside. Heavenly. Those are little balls of Heaven wrapped up in some shiny, blue foil. After that, I was hooked, and kind of sort of impulse-bought a number of chocolates that might be too embarrassing to admit. But it's FINE because I'm totally planning on taking them home and sharing with my family! You know, if they make it home without getting eaten.

Hanging out with Anna is always the most fun. In the six years that we've known each other, there has never been a point when we weren't laughing, or exploring, or even sitting around watching movies. True friendship is when you can do absolutely nothing, but still enjoy every minute of it. That's when you know you'll always be best friends. 

 The start of the holiday season is upon us! Tonight, I've got some speed-packing to do, and speed-collecting my recipes! THIS IS THE YEAR THAT I GET TO HELP COOK THANKSGIVING DINNER. I'm TOO pumped!! 

I want to hear all about what you've got planned for Thanksgiving!!

Happy Tuesday, and STAY WARM!

Learning How to Get to Nature Valley

I love granola bars. Love, love, love them. You can find them in my lunch bag as my 3:00 snack, my purse (to stave off the hungry and angry "Bear," that I become when I go shopping), and sometimes as a cereal substitute when I've run out of Cheerios. But stocking up on granola bars can get expensive (unless you're an Extreme Couponer. Seriously, I've been marathoning this show on Netflix, and I CANNOT get over how much these people save on their shopping trips. It's very tempting, but I have neither the time, nor the basement full of floor-to-ceiling shelving units it takes.). And while I'll never quit buying my Nature Valley bars cold turkey, I thought it best to at least give my wallet a rest, and learn to make them on my own for a while. Enter this recipe: Pumpkin Granola Bars. Maybe I chose this recipe because I  can't get enough of Pumpkin...Or maybe it's  because I had a can in the fridge with the perfect amount left...Who knows, it's a mystery of life! (It's because I had a can of pumpkin left. Mystery solved.)

About a month back, our grocery store was having a sale on those big bags of Domino Brown sugar that I couldn't pass up. And in the moment, I was too BLINDED BY A GOOD DEAL, to read the label, and picked up two bags of DARK Brown Sugar, instead of LIGHT Brown Sugar. But by the time I set to work on making these granola bars, and realized my mistake, I had neither the strength, nor desire to walk the 2 minutes back over to the grocery store to buy a box. And anyway, I think my local grocery store is starting to see a little too much of me. So, I decided to substitute dark brown sugar instead, and see what happened. Not bad, I gotta say it.

It was really interesting to learn some of the elements that go into granola bars. I'm not exactly sure what I thought it was that was holding them together, but I didn't realize what a huge part honey plays. It's the glue that binds the whole operation together and without it, you've got mushy, uncooked oatmeal with pieces of fruit in it. Also interesting, this recipe called for 1/4 cup applesauce. It helps keep some of the moisture during baking, and it makes all the difference.

I liked that this recipe called for white chocolate chips for three reasons:

1. White chocolate chips were on sale today for $0.79

2. I don't think I've ever baked with white chocolate before.

3. I like white chocolate a lot. White Chocolate + Granola Mix= A really great idea!

And while the chocolate chip pieces melt away, their memory, and taste, are not forgotten. They add such a special sweetness to the mixture.

I could not stop eating this once it was finished. As a result, I don't really have granola "bars" per se, but instead granola "chunks" or granola "weirdly shaped, unevenly sized pieces." No regrets, it's not for sharing. The only person that will be appreciating this first batch is me, and my taste buds are in no way picky when it comes to presentation.

These granola bars are delicious, were easy to make, and now probably a new staple in my pantry. But bakers beware: this granola is addicting, so keep your wit's about you!

Give it a try!

PUMPKIN GRANOLA BARS:

What You'll Need:

• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (or try dark brown sugar! It made things a lot sweeter!)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

To Make:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet (9x9 is suggested, but I think my sheet is 9x11, and it turned out fine. Use what you have!) with foil allowing for 1 inch to hang on the sides of the pan. Spray foil with Pam, or another non-stick cooking spray, and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine oats, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, honey, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour over oats and stir until oats are moistened. Stir in the cranberries and white chocolate chips.

4. Evenly press oat mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Be sure not to under bake. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

5. Use a sharp knife to cut into bars. (Or just, eat it while you're impatiently waiting for it to cool, and make it into fun, unexpected shapes of granola like I did! Yeah!)

Source: Very minimally adapted from My Baking Addiction

Happy baking!