Sunday, February 26, 2012

Back to school, back to school...

Sigh.  Last time I stopped by here I was gearing up for vacation, and now it's already come and gone!  Fortunately I got to spend it on the Cape with my sister, my brother-in-law, my niece, and their loveable black lab.  We took lots of long walks, cooked and baked to our hearts content, and spent many, many hours snuggling with this little monkey (I mean, how could you not?!).


I miss them already!

Saturday, February 25, 2012

One sad fridge

The status of my fridge is embarrassing. Yet here I am, showing you a picture.


We've got half of a banana, a few tablespoons of homemade salted caramel sauce, and four eggs. Really, really embarrassing. On the top shelf we have some coffee and in the bottom drawers a few beers, but that's about it.

But I wanted you to know that I have big plans. Tomorrow I will head to the farmers' market (and likely have to supplement my finds with our neighborhood grocery store), and I will come home with sweet potatoes and white beans and avocados and I will make these:

Via Healthy. Happy. Life.

And then I will need something sweet. So I will pull out some bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder and sweetened condensed milk and I will make this (no ice cream maker needed!):

Via Cup of Jo

And once I am done with the ice cream, I will pull out my new waffle maker (which I received today as a hand-me-down from a neighbor who is downsizing) and stock the freezer with these buckwheat, oatmeal, ginger power waffles for the week ahead.

Via 101 Cookbooks

And waffles are no good without coffee. Even though it's still chilly out, I might make a batch of iced coffee concentrate. According to The Pioneer Woman, her iced coffee concentrate makes the perfect iced coffee and lasts three to four weeks!

Via The Pioneer Woman

Don't worry, I'm not going to eat it all at once.

Happy weekend :)

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Catching my eye

Just wanted to stop in and share a few things that have caught my eye lately...

1) Hudson Bay Knit Blanket Tutorial, by The Purl Bee

Via The Purl Bee




 

Via Pink Basil
3) A new Kate Spade satchel that I may or may not have bought myself as a half birthday present (What, you guys don't celebrate half birthdays?)

Via Zappos Couture

Friday, February 17, 2012

Happy Weekend!

It's the weekend!  Today marks the beginning of a much-needed week's vacation for me, and I'm hoping I can squeeze in some fun in between studying and catching up on reading.  Tonight I'm going to see Andy and his band play at a bar downtown.  Here's a little preview:


Then I'll be spending the rest of the week snuggling a my favorite little munchkin.  If you want a preview of what that will look like, check out the cute pictures on Elspeth's blog.  :)

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Baby lettuces

Many people have an aversion to Brussels sprouts. I get it, I get it, I really do - if undercooked they are hard and bitter, if overcooked they are mushy and bitter. But if cooked just right, they are awesome. Ask my friend Jenn. I brought them to a pre-Thanksgiving party this past fall, and she cringed. (Yes, I am the lame friend who brings Brussels sprouts to parties.) But little did she know, I had sauteed them in bacon fat (not just any bacon, but thick slabs from the Whole Foods deli counter) and sprinkled them with sea salt and pepper and they were rich and flavorful and crunchy. And as a result of me force-feeding her the sprouts, she now makes them all the time.

I also like Jenny and Andy's approach to making Brussels sprouts enticing: just rename them "baby lettuces!" Nobody cringes when you mention "lettuce," right? And the recipe on their blog, Dinner: A Love Story, looks even better that the baby lettuces that I usually make.

"Baby lettuces" via Dinner: A Love Story

For the full recipe, head over to Dinner: A Love Story.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Hearts

Valentine's Day is upon us!  What better way to celebrate than curling up with someone you love with a glass of wine and some sort of chocolate-y dessert?  Unfortunately, as a full-time student, nice wine is a little out of my price range.  Luckily, my dad is constantly on the hunt for good but reasonably priced wine, and he fills me in on his finds.  Last year I posted about PKNT, which sells for $7.  More recently I've discovered Tavernello, which retails for about $4.


I've only seen it in two varieties - red and white - but it's the number one wine in Italy.  If it's good enough for the Italians, it's good enough for me (and my Valentine)!

*image via Tavernello

Monday, February 13, 2012

Happy Galentine's Day

According to Leslie Knope, today is Galentine's Day.  Oh, you're not familiar?


It's kind of an awesome idea.

*video via movieweb

Follow us on Pinterest!

Is everyone else as obsessed with Pinterest as I am?  I like to use it as a way to bookmark things, especially meal and outfit inspiration.  Plus, I'm always stumbling across new fun blogs to read.


Check out the "Pinterest" buttons to the right and you can follow our boards!

P.S.  Happy Valentine's Eve!  I know it's an overly hyped-up, commercialized holiday but it makes me feel all lovey-dovey.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

A new recipe

As Anna mentioned, you should check out our new "good reads" page, because it is full of blogs we want to share with you. One of those blogs is The Wednesday Chef. Luisa (the Wednesday Chef) tested out a delicious recipe from the cookbook Ancient Grains for Modern Meals. She made an artichoke tart with goat cheese and Greek yogurt instead of cream and butter. The crust is made of polenta instead of wheat flour. I took one look at the recipe and had to make that night. It is light and healthy, but filling and creamy. I highly recommend it.


Saturday, February 11, 2012

Back on the horse

As Liz said, we're back on the blogging horse.


We decided to give the blog some new life, too.  We even expanded the list of our favorite blogs and made a separate page dedicated to our favorite reads.  Next week I'll be back here to fill you in on where I've been since...er...December.


*image via sharon montrose's animal print shop, with which I have a slight obsession

Friday, February 10, 2012

The Friday Find: Vintage Book DIY

Photos and tutorial via Design*Sponge

What a cool way to take an old book and turn it into a useful organizer for your modern gadgets. Find the tutorial and more photos here.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Food patterns

My mom recently told me that I take photographs of foods in patterns. I never noticed it before but it is so true! Should I make a calendar? Anybody want one?

In case you can't tell, I'm getting back on the blogging horse. Anna doesn't know it but she's coming too.

Homemade granola (January?)
Valentine's Day sweets (February?)
Oatmeal chocolate chip banana cookies
Hasselback potatoes
Homemade pickles
Donuts in Seattle's Pike's Place Market
Fresh farmer's market carrots
Farmer's market tomatoes
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