The Unblogged Files: August

Woah, August has just flown by! There was that little Sydney trip, which I'm still in the process of blogging. Apart from that, I'm happily back to working full time after having taken a much needed and very welcome eight month break. This means I haven't been going out as much (Mama needs her beauty sleep!), but I've still been eating and cooking up a storm.

A few Nigella recipes, of course. I was very proud of this Toad in the Hole (from Kitchen). It's basically a Yorkshire pudding dough with the added deliciousness of sausages. Look how high it rose!

Toad in the Hole

Also from Kitchen, another night I made Nigella's Asian-Braised Shin of Beef with a Hot and Sour Shredded Salad, (recipe here!)

Asian-braised beef shin with a hot and sour shredded salad and chilli radishes

It was the meal I made for my parents the first time they came over to my new place and we all loved it! My mum in particular wolfed down the salad. Yay! I also made Fuchsia Dunlop's chilli radishes as a spicy-crunchy accompaniment (from her new book, Every Grain of Rice, which I can't wait to get!). 

I was invited to the "Dogustation" event at Phat Brats, which was super fun and a lot of yum! It was a degustation of hot dogs, with matching Southern Bay Brew Co. beers. My favourites were the "corn pup" (little sausages dipped in corn batter and deep fried)...

Corn Pup with Beer

 ...and the insane dessert dog: a hotdog "sundae" in a donut bun with double-choc ice-cream, toasted coconut, berry coulis, vanilla bean double cream and pistachios. Zomg! It was matched with a Metal Head Robust Porter (a dark beer) - a winning combination. I love dark beers with chocolate desserts!

Hotdog Sundae: Donut bun, double-choc ice-cream, toasted coconut, berry coulis, vanilla bean double cream and pistachios

This month I made a batch of David Lebovitz' Salted Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, which were incredible! They're basically his ordinary chocolate chip cookies, but made with salted butter and a little extra fleur de sel. The salt really brings out all the other flavours. AMAZEBALLS! (I shared these with my new coworkers for some brownie points...or should that be "cookie points"?)

David Lebovitz' salted butter choc chip cookies

Speaking of baking cookies, I also made a batch of double-matcha matcha sablés, (from the book Okashi) which I made as a gift for the lovely Catty when she came down to Melbourne for a visit. (Full blogpost on the sablés to come!)

Matcha sablés

I passed the cookies to Cat over hotdogs at Snag Stand. (Really Sarah, more hot dogs?).

Swiss Bratwurst - grilled and served on a poppy seed roll w/ sauteed onions, house made sauerkraut & sweet Bavarian mustard

Chilli fries with cheese and beef chilli

I wasn't a huge fan of the Swiss Bratwurst, finding the overall taste a bit plain. (The Currywurst is way better!) But I have to say I liked the fact that their house made Sauerkraut had tiny bits of bacon in it. Very echt und lecker. The chilli fries were totally delicious and were surprisingly spicy.

After the hot dogs, we went to Cupcake Central, because, you know, I had to be a good host to our out-of-town visitor.

Left: Cookie dough
Right: Salted caramel

These cupcakes were both very good, but I especially loved the salted caramel! I actually love Cupcake Central's cupcakes in general - the cake part is always so moist and light, and their icings are soft, smooth and creamy, with none of that unpleasantly hard, sugary texture that you get at lesser cupcake bakeries. (And just to make it super clear, I say this totally independently, as a paying customer!)

I bought some extra cupcakes to bring home - their passionfruit flavour is insanely good, and my favourite out of all the ones that I've tried. (So far!)

Bottom to top: Devils Food Chocolate, Passionfruit, Salted Caramel, Red Velvet

A good thing about working in the city - apart from proximity to cupcake bakeries, of course - is going out for drinks in the city! As I've mentioned before, I'm not a huge fan of just getting smashed with your colleagues of a Friday evening, but I've really enjoyed catching up with my lovely cousin Catherine (also a CBD-worker!) for Friday night drinks! Last week we hit up Tony Starr's Kitten Club for espresso martinis and chicken "satays". I'd never been to the Kitten Club before, but the whole vibe and menu reminded me very much of the venues I used to visit when I was twenty (back in '04) and just discovering Melbourne's bar scene. A little blast from the past!

Left: Espresso Martini
Right: Chicken Satay

Judge me all you want for the espresso martini - they taste amazing and I frikkin love them!

We visited Porgie and Mr Jones for the first time this month, a great cafe from the same people who brought you Snow Pony (Balwyn) and Friends of Mine (Richmond) - despite being crazy busy on the weekends, P&MJ's service is friendly, and the food seems to come out within a reasonable time frame. (I've only been there once on a weekend, but don't worry - I'll go back to confirm!)

Top Left: Smashed avocado with poached egg - w/ thyme-buttered mushrooms, marinated feta & torn basil on wholegrain toast - $19.90
Top Right: "Porgie Parma" - parmesan crumbed happy chicken, smoked & roasted tomato, ham hock, three cheese gratin - $21.90
Bottom Centre: Mr Jones' golden 'folded' scrambles - w/ fresh herbs & holy goat's cheese on wholegrain toast - $12.90

It's a little pricey, but that seems expected given the area, and the portions are huge! As per April's enthusiastic suggestion, I tried their house-smoked salmon, and it really is fabulous.

A little further from home - actually, right on the other end of town - is my new favourite cafe: Beatrix in North Melbourne. After drooling over their Facebook page and tweets for months, we finally visited earlier this month, and swiftly returned the next week with my parents in tow because it was that awesome. They're rightly famous for their amazing cakes, but I like their crazy-good ciabattas even better! (Full blogpost on Beatrix to come!)

Beatrix goodies: Ricotta cannoli, coconut layer cake, grapefruit chiffon cake

This month I've also been drinking heaps of bubble tea.

ChaTime Bubble Tea

I was invited on a 'behind the scenes' tour of ChaTime back in July, and was given a whole lot of vouchers to try out their range. I've finally used them all up, and tried a good cross section of their (huge and bewildering!) menu. I'm pretty sure I've figured out how the menu works and will be blogging about it shortly. In the meantime, my tip for you is to just order "Peach QQ, regular size, with ice, half sugar". So good!

Peach QQ, regular size, with ice, half sugar - $5

And that was August! For September I'm planning to take it pretty easy: a little weekend away, some lunch/dinner parties, that sort of thing. I'm so excited for spring and summer! I'm very much over the cold weather and looking forward to longer days, drinks in the sun, picnics, the beach...

Woah, August has just flown by! There was that little Sydney trip, which I'm still in the process of blogging. Apart from that, I'm happily back to working full time after having taken a much needed and very welcome eight month break. This means I haven't been going out as much (Mama needs her beauty sleep!), but I've still been eating and cooking up a storm.

A few Nigella recipes, of course. I was very proud of this Toad in the Hole (from Kitchen). It's basically a Yorkshire pudding dough with the added deliciousness of sausages. Look how high it rose!

Toad in the Hole

Also from Kitchen, another night I made Nigella's Asian-Braised Shin of Beef with a Hot and Sour Shredded Salad, (recipe here!)

Asian-braised beef shin with a hot and sour shredded salad and chilli radishes

It was the meal I made for my parents the first time they came over to my new place and we all loved it! My mum in particular wolfed down the salad. Yay! I also made Fuchsia Dunlop's chilli radishes as a spicy-crunchy accompaniment (from her new book, Every Grain of Rice, which I can't wait to get!). 

I was invited to the "Dogustation" event at Phat Brats, which was super fun and a lot of yum! It was a degustation of hot dogs, with matching Southern Bay Brew Co. beers. My favourites were the "corn pup" (little sausages dipped in corn batter and deep fried)...

Corn Pup with Beer

 ...and the insane dessert dog: a hotdog "sundae" in a donut bun with double-choc ice-cream, toasted coconut, berry coulis, vanilla bean double cream and pistachios. Zomg! It was matched with a Metal Head Robust Porter (a dark beer) - a winning combination. I love dark beers with chocolate desserts!

Hotdog Sundae: Donut bun, double-choc ice-cream, toasted coconut, berry coulis, vanilla bean double cream and pistachios

This month I made a batch of David Lebovitz' Salted Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, which were incredible! They're basically his ordinary chocolate chip cookies, but made with salted butter and a little extra fleur de sel. The salt really brings out all the other flavours. AMAZEBALLS! (I shared these with my new coworkers for some brownie points...or should that be "cookie points"?)

David Lebovitz' salted butter choc chip cookies

Speaking of baking cookies, I also made a batch of double-matcha matcha sablés, (from the book Okashi) which I made as a gift for the lovely Catty when she came down to Melbourne for a visit. (Full blogpost on the sablés to come!)

Matcha sablés

I passed the cookies to Cat over hotdogs at Snag Stand. (Really Sarah, more hot dogs?).

Swiss Bratwurst - grilled and served on a poppy seed roll w/ sauteed onions, house made sauerkraut & sweet Bavarian mustard

Chilli fries with cheese and beef chilli

I wasn't a huge fan of the Swiss Bratwurst, finding the overall taste a bit plain. (The Currywurst is way better!) But I have to say I liked the fact that their house made Sauerkraut had tiny bits of bacon in it. Very echt und lecker. The chilli fries were totally delicious and were surprisingly spicy.

After the hot dogs, we went to Cupcake Central, because, you know, I had to be a good host to our out-of-town visitor.

Left: Cookie dough
Right: Salted caramel

These cupcakes were both very good, but I especially loved the salted caramel! I actually love Cupcake Central's cupcakes in general - the cake part is always so moist and light, and their icings are soft, smooth and creamy, with none of that unpleasantly hard, sugary texture that you get at lesser cupcake bakeries. (And just to make it super clear, I say this totally independently, as a paying customer!)

I bought some extra cupcakes to bring home - their passionfruit flavour is insanely good, and my favourite out of all the ones that I've tried. (So far!)

Bottom to top: Devils Food Chocolate, Passionfruit, Salted Caramel, Red Velvet

A good thing about working in the city - apart from proximity to cupcake bakeries, of course - is going out for drinks in the city! As I've mentioned before, I'm not a huge fan of just getting smashed with your colleagues of a Friday evening, but I've really enjoyed catching up with my lovely cousin Catherine (also a CBD-worker!) for Friday night drinks! Last week we hit up Tony Starr's Kitten Club for espresso martinis and chicken "satays". I'd never been to the Kitten Club before, but the whole vibe and menu reminded me very much of the venues I used to visit when I was twenty (back in '04) and just discovering Melbourne's bar scene. A little blast from the past!

Left: Espresso Martini
Right: Chicken Satay

Judge me all you want for the espresso martini - they taste amazing and I frikkin love them!

We visited Porgie and Mr Jones for the first time this month, a great cafe from the same people who brought you Snow Pony (Balwyn) and Friends of Mine (Richmond) - despite being crazy busy on the weekends, P&MJ's service is friendly, and the food seems to come out within a reasonable time frame. (I've only been there once on a weekend, but don't worry - I'll go back to confirm!)

Top Left: Smashed avocado with poached egg - w/ thyme-buttered mushrooms, marinated feta & torn basil on wholegrain toast - $19.90
Top Right: "Porgie Parma" - parmesan crumbed happy chicken, smoked & roasted tomato, ham hock, three cheese gratin - $21.90
Bottom Centre: Mr Jones' golden 'folded' scrambles - w/ fresh herbs & holy goat's cheese on wholegrain toast - $12.90

It's a little pricey, but that seems expected given the area, and the portions are huge! As per April's enthusiastic suggestion, I tried their house-smoked salmon, and it really is fabulous.

A little further from home - actually, right on the other end of town - is my new favourite cafe: Beatrix in North Melbourne. After drooling over their Facebook page and tweets for months, we finally visited earlier this month, and swiftly returned the next week with my parents in tow because it was that awesome. They're rightly famous for their amazing cakes, but I like their crazy-good ciabattas even better! (Full blogpost on Beatrix to come!)

Beatrix goodies: Ricotta cannoli, coconut layer cake, grapefruit chiffon cake

This month I've also been drinking heaps of bubble tea.

ChaTime Bubble Tea

I was invited on a 'behind the scenes' tour of ChaTime back in July, and was given a whole lot of vouchers to try out their range. I've finally used them all up, and tried a good cross section of their (huge and bewildering!) menu. I'm pretty sure I've figured out how the menu works and will be blogging about it shortly. In the meantime, my tip for you is to just order "Peach QQ, regular size, with ice, half sugar". So good!

Peach QQ, regular size, with ice, half sugar - $5

And that was August! For September I'm planning to take it pretty easy: a little weekend away, some lunch/dinner parties, that sort of thing. I'm so excited for spring and summer! I'm very much over the cold weather and looking forward to longer days, drinks in the sun, picnics, the beach...

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Lemon Almond Crinkle Cookies

I may be in a bit of a hurry for the summer to end. I am already in cookie baking mode. I couldn't help myself. I don't usually get into cookie baking until end of summer. But Munchkin is in a hurry for Santa to come already and that makes me think of cookies. Ok, let me back up a bit. Yes, Munchkin is in a hurry for santa... A few weeks ago we were at Costco. I decided to walk through their newly placed Christmas section. I was perusing the toys and all of a sudden she spotted a toddler size drum set. She totally flipped with excitement. I thought the best course of action to avoid a scene in the middle of Costco was to say "If you are a good girl maybe Santa will bring it for Christmas".

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I may be in a bit of a hurry for the summer to end. I am already in cookie baking mode. I couldn't help myself. I don't usually get into cookie baking until end of summer. But Munchkin is in a hurry for Santa to come already and that makes me think of cookies. Ok, let me back up a bit. Yes, Munchkin is in a hurry for santa... A few weeks ago we were at Costco. I decided to walk through their newly placed Christmas section. I was perusing the toys and all of a sudden she spotted a toddler size drum set. She totally flipped with excitement. I thought the best course of action to avoid a scene in the middle of Costco was to say "If you are a good girl maybe Santa will bring it for Christmas".

Continue Reading »

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

August Book Club - Between The Lines

Thanks for joining Mrs. Jones and I for our monthly book club!  We are both so happy when we see that you read along and linked up with us.  :-)  Remember to vote for our September book in the upper left corner!  We'll be making the announcement on Monday. 

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.

And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale.

1. Did you like the book? Why/why not?
I love Jodi Picoult!  She has written some truly heart wrenching books.  This...was not one of them.  It was a great freshman effort by her daughter, with the backing of Jodi.

I like the book.  It was an entertaining and quick read!  It's interesting to think of the characters in a book as actors playing a role over and over again as each person reads a book. But it wasn't what I had expected.  I knew going into this that Between the Lines was a YA book.  However, I didn't expect that it would feel so targeted to a pre-teen audience. 

2. Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to them/ do they remind you of people you know?
This book is set going back and forth between a fairytale, so there's an a lot that you really shouldn't believe is "real".  I think that all girls feel the teen angst that Delilah does - it's just part of growing up.  It's easy to identify with feeling like an outsider or "uncool".

3. Is the ending satisfying? If so, why? If not, why not...and how would you change it?
I hate to say this...but I really didn't like the end.  I won't spoil it for you, but the prospect of releasing Oliver from the book should not happen like that.  Even though they don't spell it out - I think the ending would have been heartbreaking and unfair to another character.

4. If you could ask the author a question, what would you ask?
I just want to know what else she's working on.  I can't wait to read her next book, and I'd probably read her daughter's next book too...just to see if she's as talented as her mom.

5. How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? If so, how/why?
There really isn't much character evolution through the book.  The characters stay true to themselves from start to finish.  I wish that there had been some character growth, it might have made certain parts more engaging.

Thanks for joining Mrs. Jones and I for our monthly book club!  We are both so happy when we see that you read along and linked up with us.  :-)  Remember to vote for our September book in the upper left corner!  We'll be making the announcement on Monday. 

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.

And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale.

1. Did you like the book? Why/why not?
I love Jodi Picoult!  She has written some truly heart wrenching books.  This...was not one of them.  It was a great freshman effort by her daughter, with the backing of Jodi.

I like the book.  It was an entertaining and quick read!  It's interesting to think of the characters in a book as actors playing a role over and over again as each person reads a book. But it wasn't what I had expected.  I knew going into this that Between the Lines was a YA book.  However, I didn't expect that it would feel so targeted to a pre-teen audience. 

2. Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to them/ do they remind you of people you know?
This book is set going back and forth between a fairytale, so there's an a lot that you really shouldn't believe is "real".  I think that all girls feel the teen angst that Delilah does - it's just part of growing up.  It's easy to identify with feeling like an outsider or "uncool".

3. Is the ending satisfying? If so, why? If not, why not...and how would you change it?
I hate to say this...but I really didn't like the end.  I won't spoil it for you, but the prospect of releasing Oliver from the book should not happen like that.  Even though they don't spell it out - I think the ending would have been heartbreaking and unfair to another character.

4. If you could ask the author a question, what would you ask?
I just want to know what else she's working on.  I can't wait to read her next book, and I'd probably read her daughter's next book too...just to see if she's as talented as her mom.

5. How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? If so, how/why?
There really isn't much character evolution through the book.  The characters stay true to themselves from start to finish.  I wish that there had been some character growth, it might have made certain parts more engaging.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

32 Perfect Treats for your Memorial / Labor Day Party: Cocktails, Desserts and Ice Pops

Choosing the perfect treats for your Labor Day get-together can be the most challenging part of your party. Here are 32 of our favorite summer treats, cocktails, desserts and ice pops to make your job easier!

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Choosing the perfect treats for your Labor Day get-together can be the most challenging part of your party. Here are 32 of our favorite summer treats, cocktails, desserts and ice pops to make your job easier!

Continue Reading »

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7-Layer Cookie Ice Cream & a Sweet 16

Sixteen years ago, we were married.  Sixteen years ago, I made the best decision I've ever made.  Sixteen years ago, I started a life with my love and my best friend.

{Sixteen years ago, I was having a size 8 wedding dress taken IN. *what happened?*}

For sixteen years, here are 16 reasons I love this man I married.  

Dear Mr. E,

1. I love that you love my family.
2. I love that you calm my tendency to be *slightly* overemotional.
3. I love your corny puns (even if I roll my eyes).
4. I love that you're my own personal combination of Don Draper/Phil Dunphy/Mike Rowe, only better.
5. I love that you are the first person I want to share news with, good or bad.
6. I love that you're an even better dad than I imagined you would be.
7. I love that you read my friends' blogs (and love them as much as I do).
8. I love that you take the question, "does this cookie look better with or without sanding sugar" as seriously as I do. 
9. I love that you bring home Starbucks.
10. I love that you provide for us, even when it means extra work or long hours.
11. I love that being in the same room with you makes me instantly secure.
12. I love that you finish all of the crazy projects I dream up, like say, buying a 100-year-old piano at Goodwill and painting it yellow.
13. I love that you fill up the gas tank in my car.
14. I love that you have the courage of your convictions.
15. I love that you wash the dishes...even the icing tips.
16. I love that you picked me. ♥

Also, I love that you love ice cream.  

When my uncle was in town over the summer, we talked about the big issues...like this flavor of Ben & Jerry's ice cream not sold in stores.  It's 7-layer cookie ice cream...and while I've never had it, my uncle did a pretty great job of describing it in a way that made me slightly obsessed.

So, rather than fly out to Vermont to try it myself, I made up a little version right here at home.  You know all those flavors in 7-layer cookies...the graham cracker crumbs, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, pecans, sweetened condensed milk, butter?!?  They're all in here.

Bottom line: you need this in your life.  Just ask Mr. E. 

7-Layer Cookie Ice Cream

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) salted butter, melted
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/3 cup finely chopped pecan pieces, lightly toasted
2 cups whipping cream
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk, chilled

Stir together the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs in a small bowl. Place in the refrigerator to chill.

In another bowl, stir together the coconut, chips and pecans.  Place in the refrigerator to chill.

Whisk the cream and sweetened condensed milk together until well combined.  Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions, about 25-30 minutes.

Five minutes before the ice cream cycle is complete, add in the chilled coconut, chips and nuts, and continue to process for the remaining five minutes.

Scoop out the finished, soft ice cream into a freezer container, adding in bits of the graham cracker mixture, trying to keep some of it in chunks.

Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down onto the ice cream and freeze for several hours until hardened and scoopable.

Happy anniversary, sweetie. ♥ 

Here's to many more years of eating ice cream together.

Sixteen years ago, we were married.  Sixteen years ago, I made the best decision I've ever made.  Sixteen years ago, I started a life with my love and my best friend.

{Sixteen years ago, I was having a size 8 wedding dress taken IN. *what happened?*}

For sixteen years, here are 16 reasons I love this man I married.  

Dear Mr. E,

1. I love that you love my family.
2. I love that you calm my tendency to be *slightly* overemotional.
3. I love your corny puns (even if I roll my eyes).
4. I love that you're my own personal combination of Don Draper/Phil Dunphy/Mike Rowe, only better.
5. I love that you are the first person I want to share news with, good or bad.
6. I love that you're an even better dad than I imagined you would be.
7. I love that you read my friends' blogs (and love them as much as I do).
8. I love that you take the question, "does this cookie look better with or without sanding sugar" as seriously as I do. 
9. I love that you bring home Starbucks.
10. I love that you provide for us, even when it means extra work or long hours.
11. I love that being in the same room with you makes me instantly secure.
12. I love that you finish all of the crazy projects I dream up, like say, buying a 100-year-old piano at Goodwill and painting it yellow.
13. I love that you fill up the gas tank in my car.
14. I love that you have the courage of your convictions.
15. I love that you wash the dishes...even the icing tips.
16. I love that you picked me. ♥

Also, I love that you love ice cream.  

When my uncle was in town over the summer, we talked about the big issues...like this flavor of Ben & Jerry's ice cream not sold in stores.  It's 7-layer cookie ice cream...and while I've never had it, my uncle did a pretty great job of describing it in a way that made me slightly obsessed.

So, rather than fly out to Vermont to try it myself, I made up a little version right here at home.  You know all those flavors in 7-layer cookies...the graham cracker crumbs, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, pecans, sweetened condensed milk, butter?!?  They're all in here.

Bottom line: you need this in your life.  Just ask Mr. E. 

7-Layer Cookie Ice Cream

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) salted butter, melted
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/3 cup finely chopped pecan pieces, lightly toasted
2 cups whipping cream
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk, chilled

Stir together the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs in a small bowl. Place in the refrigerator to chill.

In another bowl, stir together the coconut, chips and pecans.  Place in the refrigerator to chill.

Whisk the cream and sweetened condensed milk together until well combined.  Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions, about 25-30 minutes.

Five minutes before the ice cream cycle is complete, add in the chilled coconut, chips and nuts, and continue to process for the remaining five minutes.

Scoop out the finished, soft ice cream into a freezer container, adding in bits of the graham cracker mixture, trying to keep some of it in chunks.

Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down onto the ice cream and freeze for several hours until hardened and scoopable.

Happy anniversary, sweetie. ♥ 

Here's to many more years of eating ice cream together.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Updates, Bullet Points and Whatnot...

I'm hauling out the bullet points...hang on, it's going to be a random post!

• Meadow is getting better!  She's still on an assortment of meds, but I'm weaning off the pain pills.  Fingers crossed - she continues to get better and we don't have to battle the IVDD monster again for a long, long time.
• Are mushrooms growing in your yard?  They are in mine!  Brady found one last Thursday and got really sick really quickly.  We went to our regular vet, who diagnosed him with mushroom toxicity and made me rush him to the emergency vet.  Lots of tests, pukies and a large vet bill later - I brought him home.  The boy is back to normal, just has a few more days of meds to protect his liver and kidneys from any residual side effects. {See...I knew fungus was bad!!}
• Please tell me that I'm not the only one that can't wait until the election is over.  People are getting NASTY on Twitter and FaceBook!  I respect people's opinions...just wish that certain people thought before they spoke. Know where your candidate stands on issues that are important to you before you start the virtual mudslinging.  Or better yet - PLAY NICE!  Neither candidate is perfect.  You choose the one that you think will screw up the country the least... In related news - if you don't vote on election day, I don't want to hear you bitch for the next four years.
• I've started trying to plan my fall TV viewing schedule.  Yikes, my TV/DVR is going to hate me!
• Someone please remind me that leaving my knitting down where the twin terrors (aka Brady and Paisley) can reach it is a dumb idea.  :-)  I've only started the same cowl four times now!
• My brother is winging his way down to Atlanta to see one of his Army buddies.  I'm so happy he's getting to go away for the weekend...but a little jealous.  I love his friend and wish I could see him (and his new puppy) too.
• Time to start choosing September's book club selection.  The poll is in the top left corner... Vote please!  Oh, and if you read this month's book, link up with Mrs. Jones and I tomorrow!
• Lack of responsiveness seems to be spreading like wildfire lately.  I have a handful of people that I keep following up with and they don't seem to like to respond to emails and/or voicemail.  How frustrating!  Has anyone else been experiencing this?!

OK...if you've made it to the end, you deserve a puppy picture! {Yep, these were already shared on Instagram, but you forgive me, right?!}

Paisley is learning how to drink from a straw.  Seriously.  Meadow does it all the time and is teaching her... Don't come to my house and think your drink is safe.

 

Brady, Paisley and Beckett are waiting for my parents to walk in the door.  Sure, they look calm...but this was taken about 30 seconds before they started barking and full-body wagging!

I'm hauling out the bullet points...hang on, it's going to be a random post!

• Meadow is getting better!  She's still on an assortment of meds, but I'm weaning off the pain pills.  Fingers crossed - she continues to get better and we don't have to battle the IVDD monster again for a long, long time.
• Are mushrooms growing in your yard?  They are in mine!  Brady found one last Thursday and got really sick really quickly.  We went to our regular vet, who diagnosed him with mushroom toxicity and made me rush him to the emergency vet.  Lots of tests, pukies and a large vet bill later - I brought him home.  The boy is back to normal, just has a few more days of meds to protect his liver and kidneys from any residual side effects. {See...I knew fungus was bad!!}
• Please tell me that I'm not the only one that can't wait until the election is over.  People are getting NASTY on Twitter and FaceBook!  I respect people's opinions...just wish that certain people thought before they spoke. Know where your candidate stands on issues that are important to you before you start the virtual mudslinging.  Or better yet - PLAY NICE!  Neither candidate is perfect.  You choose the one that you think will screw up the country the least... In related news - if you don't vote on election day, I don't want to hear you bitch for the next four years.
• I've started trying to plan my fall TV viewing schedule.  Yikes, my TV/DVR is going to hate me!
• Someone please remind me that leaving my knitting down where the twin terrors (aka Brady and Paisley) can reach it is a dumb idea.  :-)  I've only started the same cowl four times now!
• My brother is winging his way down to Atlanta to see one of his Army buddies.  I'm so happy he's getting to go away for the weekend...but a little jealous.  I love his friend and wish I could see him (and his new puppy) too.
• Time to start choosing September's book club selection.  The poll is in the top left corner... Vote please!  Oh, and if you read this month's book, link up with Mrs. Jones and I tomorrow!
• Lack of responsiveness seems to be spreading like wildfire lately.  I have a handful of people that I keep following up with and they don't seem to like to respond to emails and/or voicemail.  How frustrating!  Has anyone else been experiencing this?!

OK...if you've made it to the end, you deserve a puppy picture! {Yep, these were already shared on Instagram, but you forgive me, right?!}

Paisley is learning how to drink from a straw.  Seriously.  Meadow does it all the time and is teaching her... Don't come to my house and think your drink is safe.

 

Brady, Paisley and Beckett are waiting for my parents to walk in the door.  Sure, they look calm...but this was taken about 30 seconds before they started barking and full-body wagging!

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Stars and Stripes - Red, White and Blue Layered Shot

Happy Thursday Slow Roasters! It has been a fabulous summer so far. Sadly it is coming to a close and many of us will be hosting our last summer party this weekend. We really need to blow it out and go out with a bang. With Labor Day just around the corner, it seems a patriotic inspired cocktail is in order.

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Happy Thursday Slow Roasters! It has been a fabulous summer so far. Sadly it is coming to a close and many of us will be hosting our last summer party this weekend. We really need to blow it out and go out with a bang. With Labor Day just around the corner, it seems a patriotic inspired cocktail is in order.

Continue Reading »

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50 Perfect Dishes for your Memorial Day / Labor Day Party

September is almost here. I can hardly believe it. It has been such an amazing summer. Our Summer Grilling Celebration was a huge success. So, Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer for most of us. The last blast. Well, if it has to end... Let's make it spectacular!!!

Here are 50 ideas for your perfect Labor Day Party. Burger, chicken, steak, fries, sides, condiments and salads are all included. We are going to start you out with 10 of our favorite TSRI burgers and ten Grilled Chicken recipes. There is something for every barbecue! Check back for more ideas for your party. We will be sharing fabulous cocktail and dessert idea tomorrow.

Continue Reading »

September is almost here. I can hardly believe it. It has been such an amazing summer. Our Summer Grilling Celebration was a huge success. So, Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer for most of us. The last blast. Well, if it has to end... Let's make it spectacular!!!

Here are 50 ideas for your perfect Labor Day Party. Burger, chicken, steak, fries, sides, condiments and salads are all included. We are going to start you out with 10 of our favorite TSRI burgers and ten Grilled Chicken recipes. There is something for every barbecue! Check back for more ideas for your party. We will be sharing fabulous cocktail and dessert idea tomorrow.

Continue Reading »

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Marshmallow crunch brownie bars

Well, we finally sold our old house. The buyers closed on it successfully, so we no longer own two homes. It's a bit sad and exciting at the same time. We made some great memories in the old house, including bringing our daughter there after she was born, and it was also the first place my husband and I lived in after we got married. We have 7 years of great memories in our former home.

Now that we are in a new house, it's time to make new memories - and a new recipe! I had bought a bag of mini marshmallows and used part of them to make S'mores bars. I had no idea what to do with the remaining marshmallows and stumbled upon this recipe on Brown Eyed Baker.  Since it contained peanut butter in the topping, I knew that my husband and coworkers would really enjoy this recipe. And because I'm not a fan of peanut butter, I wouldn't get tempted to snack on this either.

Although my husband really enjoyed these bars, I have to admit that the top layer of the chocolate peanut butter with crispy rice was really hard to spread. You may or may not be able to tell that I had to swirl the marshmallow and top layer together. I don't think that detracted from the taste though!

I only made half the recipe since I only had two eggs remaining and didn't want to make a trip to the grocery store to buy another dozen. My CSA delivery would be arriving on the same day with a dozen organic eggs, so it wasn't worth the trip. The full recipe for the brownies is below.

Ingredients

Brownie layer

• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Toppings

• 1 bag (10½ ounces) miniature marshmallows
• 1½ cups milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter (don’t use natural peanut butter)
• 1 TBSP unsalted butter
• 1½ cups crispy rice cereal

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan.

To make the brownie layer: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsweetened chocolate, butter and ¾ cup of the semisweet chocolate chips. Stir occasionally while melting. Set the mixture aside and let it cool for 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs. Gradually add the sugar and vanilla and whisk until it is well mixed. Slowly incorporate the melted ingredients into the egg mixture, and mix well. Then add in the dry sifted ingredients and mix. Finally, fold in the remaining ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and even out the top with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. If you poke a toothpick into the corner of of the pan, you should see moist crumbs.

Remove the brownies from the oven and immediately top them with the marshmallows. Bake the pan for an additional 3 minutes and remove from the oven to let it cool slightly.

While the brownies are baking once more, melt the milk chocolate chips, peanut butter, and tablespoon of butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Keep stirring until it is completely melted. Remove the mixture from the from heat, add the crispy rice cereal and mix well. Allow to cool for 3 minutes.

Spread the mixture evenly over the marshmallow layer. Refrigerate until chilled before cutting.

Yield: About 32 bars

Source:  Brown Eyed Baker, who adapted it from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody; originally from Buttercup Bakes at Home by Jennifer Appel

Well, we finally sold our old house. The buyers closed on it successfully, so we no longer own two homes. It's a bit sad and exciting at the same time. We made some great memories in the old house, including bringing our daughter there after she was born, and it was also the first place my husband and I lived in after we got married. We have 7 years of great memories in our former home.

Now that we are in a new house, it's time to make new memories - and a new recipe! I had bought a bag of mini marshmallows and used part of them to make S'mores bars. I had no idea what to do with the remaining marshmallows and stumbled upon this recipe on Brown Eyed Baker.  Since it contained peanut butter in the topping, I knew that my husband and coworkers would really enjoy this recipe. And because I'm not a fan of peanut butter, I wouldn't get tempted to snack on this either.

Although my husband really enjoyed these bars, I have to admit that the top layer of the chocolate peanut butter with crispy rice was really hard to spread. You may or may not be able to tell that I had to swirl the marshmallow and top layer together. I don't think that detracted from the taste though!

I only made half the recipe since I only had two eggs remaining and didn't want to make a trip to the grocery store to buy another dozen. My CSA delivery would be arriving on the same day with a dozen organic eggs, so it wasn't worth the trip. The full recipe for the brownies is below.

Ingredients

Brownie layer

• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Toppings

• 1 bag (10½ ounces) miniature marshmallows
• 1½ cups milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter (don’t use natural peanut butter)
• 1 TBSP unsalted butter
• 1½ cups crispy rice cereal

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan.

To make the brownie layer: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsweetened chocolate, butter and ¾ cup of the semisweet chocolate chips. Stir occasionally while melting. Set the mixture aside and let it cool for 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs. Gradually add the sugar and vanilla and whisk until it is well mixed. Slowly incorporate the melted ingredients into the egg mixture, and mix well. Then add in the dry sifted ingredients and mix. Finally, fold in the remaining ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and even out the top with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. If you poke a toothpick into the corner of of the pan, you should see moist crumbs.

Remove the brownies from the oven and immediately top them with the marshmallows. Bake the pan for an additional 3 minutes and remove from the oven to let it cool slightly.

While the brownies are baking once more, melt the milk chocolate chips, peanut butter, and tablespoon of butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Keep stirring until it is completely melted. Remove the mixture from the from heat, add the crispy rice cereal and mix well. Allow to cool for 3 minutes.

Spread the mixture evenly over the marshmallow layer. Refrigerate until chilled before cutting.

Yield: About 32 bars

Source:  Brown Eyed Baker, who adapted it from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody; originally from Buttercup Bakes at Home by Jennifer Appel

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Baked Pasta with Eggplant, Beef and Cheese

Can you believe it's almost September?! Where has the year gone? Whilst the first, tentative, signs of Spring seem to be on their way - the nights don't come quite so quickly now, the flowers have started to bloom - the nights can still be bitingly cold, and comfort food is still very much on the menu.

I made this baked pasta dish for dinner the other night, when I wanted something that would provide leftovers for the next few days of work. I actually made it on a weeknight, but it does take quite a while, so I'd suggest making it on the weekend, or when you have a bit of extra time on your hands.

I was inspired, in structure, by Nigella's delicious pasta al forno from Feast - think lasagne, but with penne instead of lasagne sheets. I changed it up to suit my tastes, and used my own recipes for the different components. I made a beef bolognese sauce (I think all the cool kids are calling this a 'ragu' these days), stirred through some cooked penne, layered it in a baking dish with cubes of roasted eggplant, and topped it with lashings of cheesy béchamel sauce. So many of my favourite things, in the one dish. Dee-licious!

Enough words, it's picture time!

Here's the eggplant! Before:

Eggplant Cubes

And after!

Roasted eggplant cubes

Mmm.. I love roasted eggplant, and they're so nice in little cubes, with their squidgy soft interior and slightly burnt, crunchy edges. I kept picking at these as I was making the rest of dinner - so addictive! Eggplants are like sponges, and you can definitely taste the oil that you roast them in, so use an olive oil that you really like.

Beef Ragu, Penne in the background

I. Love. Béchamel. Even more so when you chuck in a handful of grated cheddar cheese!

Béchamel

Phew - busy working area!

So, as I said above, I stirred the penne and meat sauce together, then layered it in a baking dish with the eggplant cubes. You probably could just stir the eggplant pieces through the pasta as well, but I didn't want them to break up or disintegrate.

To finish it off, I just poured over the béchamel, grated some parmesan over and chucked it in a hot oven until it was browned and bubbling and blistering. (I was very hungry by this point, and found myself staring at the dish in the oven, yelling "cook, damn you, cook!", hehehe).

This recipe is quite labour intensive, with all the different components you need to prepare. However, no individual part is too difficult - and it tastes absolutely awesome. Once you bite into that gorgeous tomato-meat-eggplant-cheesy goodness, all that effort and time (and dirty pots & pans!) fade into the distance.

Baked Pasta with Eggplant, Beef and Cheese
An original Sarah Cooks recipe, inspired in structure by Nigella's rigatoni al forno from Feast

Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper
1 eggplant
250g short pasta (e.g. penne, penne rigate, macaroni, rigatoni)
For the Tomato Meat Sauce
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
500g minced beef
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
For the Béchamel
40 grams butter
40 grams plain flour
700 millilitres milk
1 handful grated cheddar or tasty cheese
Parmesan cheese, for topping

Method
Preheat the oven to 200C. Cut the eggplant into approx 1cm cubes. Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil and toss to coat. Spread the eggplant pieces in an even layer onto a tray, and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned and soft. Season generously with salt and pepper, and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to packet directions. Drain and set aside.
For the tomato meat sauce, heat some oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onions, garlic and a pinch of salt, and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the minced beef, stirring to break it up. Once the meat is browned, add in the chopped tomatoes. Bring to the boil, turn down to a robust simmer and allow to cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
For the béchamel, melt the butter in a wide frying pan. (Any saucepan will do, but a wide and shallow cooking vessel means the sauce will cook faster). Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring all the while. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened and creamy. Off the heat, throw in the grated cheddar cheese, and stir to combine.
Now, you are ready to assemble! Tip the cooked pasta into the tomato and meat sauce, and stir to mix evenly. Layer the saucy pasta with the eggplants in a large baking dish. Pour over the béchamel. Grate the parmesan cheese over the top. Bake for 10 minutes or so, until the entire thing is heated through and the top has browned in places. (Put it under the grill to speed things up a bit!) Allow to sit for 5 minutes before digging in.

Serves 6

Can you believe it's almost September?! Where has the year gone? Whilst the first, tentative, signs of Spring seem to be on their way - the nights don't come quite so quickly now, the flowers have started to bloom - the nights can still be bitingly cold, and comfort food is still very much on the menu.

I made this baked pasta dish for dinner the other night, when I wanted something that would provide leftovers for the next few days of work. I actually made it on a weeknight, but it does take quite a while, so I'd suggest making it on the weekend, or when you have a bit of extra time on your hands.

I was inspired, in structure, by Nigella's delicious pasta al forno from Feast - think lasagne, but with penne instead of lasagne sheets. I changed it up to suit my tastes, and used my own recipes for the different components. I made a beef bolognese sauce (I think all the cool kids are calling this a 'ragu' these days), stirred through some cooked penne, layered it in a baking dish with cubes of roasted eggplant, and topped it with lashings of cheesy béchamel sauce. So many of my favourite things, in the one dish. Dee-licious!

Enough words, it's picture time!

Here's the eggplant! Before:

Eggplant Cubes

And after!

Roasted eggplant cubes

Mmm.. I love roasted eggplant, and they're so nice in little cubes, with their squidgy soft interior and slightly burnt, crunchy edges. I kept picking at these as I was making the rest of dinner - so addictive! Eggplants are like sponges, and you can definitely taste the oil that you roast them in, so use an olive oil that you really like.

Beef Ragu, Penne in the background

I. Love. Béchamel. Even more so when you chuck in a handful of grated cheddar cheese!

Béchamel

Phew - busy working area!

So, as I said above, I stirred the penne and meat sauce together, then layered it in a baking dish with the eggplant cubes. You probably could just stir the eggplant pieces through the pasta as well, but I didn't want them to break up or disintegrate.

To finish it off, I just poured over the béchamel, grated some parmesan over and chucked it in a hot oven until it was browned and bubbling and blistering. (I was very hungry by this point, and found myself staring at the dish in the oven, yelling "cook, damn you, cook!", hehehe).

This recipe is quite labour intensive, with all the different components you need to prepare. However, no individual part is too difficult - and it tastes absolutely awesome. Once you bite into that gorgeous tomato-meat-eggplant-cheesy goodness, all that effort and time (and dirty pots & pans!) fade into the distance.

Baked Pasta with Eggplant, Beef and Cheese
An original Sarah Cooks recipe, inspired in structure by Nigella's rigatoni al forno from Feast

Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper
1 eggplant
250g short pasta (e.g. penne, penne rigate, macaroni, rigatoni)
For the Tomato Meat Sauce
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
500g minced beef
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
For the Béchamel
40 grams butter
40 grams plain flour
700 millilitres milk
1 handful grated cheddar or tasty cheese
Parmesan cheese, for topping

Method
Preheat the oven to 200C. Cut the eggplant into approx 1cm cubes. Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil and toss to coat. Spread the eggplant pieces in an even layer onto a tray, and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned and soft. Season generously with salt and pepper, and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to packet directions. Drain and set aside.
For the tomato meat sauce, heat some oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onions, garlic and a pinch of salt, and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the minced beef, stirring to break it up. Once the meat is browned, add in the chopped tomatoes. Bring to the boil, turn down to a robust simmer and allow to cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
For the béchamel, melt the butter in a wide frying pan. (Any saucepan will do, but a wide and shallow cooking vessel means the sauce will cook faster). Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring all the while. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened and creamy. Off the heat, throw in the grated cheddar cheese, and stir to combine.
Now, you are ready to assemble! Tip the cooked pasta into the tomato and meat sauce, and stir to mix evenly. Layer the saucy pasta with the eggplants in a large baking dish. Pour over the béchamel. Grate the parmesan cheese over the top. Bake for 10 minutes or so, until the entire thing is heated through and the top has browned in places. (Put it under the grill to speed things up a bit!) Allow to sit for 5 minutes before digging in.

Serves 6

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The Best Ever Simple Crockpot Pulled Pork Sandwich Recipe

Being married to a meat and potatoes Iowan there is a high standard for certain dishes. One of the high standards has been a pulled pork sandwich. A classic Iowa dish that has apparently been nearly perfected. In fact when we went back to Iowa for Chad's 20 year reunion we enjoyed some fabulous pulled pork sandwiches and out of this world sweet corn.

Continue Reading »

Being married to a meat and potatoes Iowan there is a high standard for certain dishes. One of the high standards has been a pulled pork sandwich. A classic Iowa dish that has apparently been nearly perfected. In fact when we went back to Iowa for Chad's 20 year reunion we enjoyed some fabulous pulled pork sandwiches and out of this world sweet corn.

Continue Reading »

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Easy One Skillet Meal: Hearty Italian Sausage and Potatoes

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

Some nights I struggle more than others to find the perfect dish that will please everyone's palates. Just when I think I have run out of ideas or don't have the ingredients on hand, this Easy One Skillet Meal comes into my life. In an effort to please Mr Meat and Potatoes and use some amazing produce and fresh herbs I developed this recipe. It was so good Chad asked me to make it again, immediately.

Made with all fresh ingredients from my garden and our produce superstore (Sprouts - although they call themselves a farmers market, I still think of them as a grocery store). Dinner truly brings the family together. This one is no exceptions. However, you may want to make a double batch if you are hoping for left overs. It is that good! Trust me. Click the link below to read more and get this must have recipe!

GET THE RECIPE HERE

Continue Reading »

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

Some nights I struggle more than others to find the perfect dish that will please everyone's palates. Just when I think I have run out of ideas or don't have the ingredients on hand, this Easy One Skillet Meal comes into my life. In an effort to please Mr Meat and Potatoes and use some amazing produce and fresh herbs I developed this recipe. It was so good Chad asked me to make it again, immediately.

Made with all fresh ingredients from my garden and our produce superstore (Sprouts - although they call themselves a farmers market, I still think of them as a grocery store). Dinner truly brings the family together. This one is no exceptions. However, you may want to make a double batch if you are hoping for left overs. It is that good! Trust me. Click the link below to read more and get this must have recipe!

GET THE RECIPE HERE

Continue Reading »

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KC Style Barbecue Sauce (Kansas City Style)

There is this barbecue restaurant around the corner, that is within smelling distance. I kid you not they send out subliminal smoke signals several times EVERY day. In the summer this isn't too bad, as you are rarely outside to smell it. But as the fall approaches and we are more frequently outdoors, this gets to be an issue. It usually works like this...
Continue Reading »

There is this barbecue restaurant around the corner, that is within smelling distance. I kid you not they send out subliminal smoke signals several times EVERY day. In the summer this isn't too bad, as you are rarely outside to smell it. But as the fall approaches and we are more frequently outdoors, this gets to be an issue. It usually works like this...
Continue Reading »

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Moose Munch Shortbread Cookies and a Trip to Harry & David

*alternate post title: Why I've gained 10 pounds in two weeks.*

This is a long "picture-heavy" post, but bear with me...I think you're gonna like it. 

Along with several other bloggers, I was invited to visit the Harry & David headquarters in Medford, Oregon. 

A. After seeing their catalogs for years, I've always secretly hoped that someone would send me a Harry & David gift basket (it never happened), so I was curious and knew this was a place I needed to visit.

B. Take a look at these other bloggers in attendance:  hello, bloggy rock stars!!!  (I'm not sure how I got thrown in with this bunch...they are the coolest.) I couldn't pass up seeing some familiar faces again AND meeting some bloggers I've been jonesing to meet for years now.

{back row: Rebecca, Kristen, Jenna, Lori, Heidi and moi.  

front row: Maria, Sandy, Rachel, Jessica, and Amy  photo credit: Sandy}

Here's my big takeaway from the trip... 
...the people at Harry & David LOVE food.  Love.  I had no idea that in the Rogue Valley of Oregon, Harry & David has over 700,000 pear trees.

They are famous for their Royal Riviera Pear; it's a Comice.  They don't grow it because it's the easiest to grow (it's not); they grow it because they feel they are the best.

I was so very impressed with their approach to growing, innovative pest management, and how they treat their harvesters by providing daily meals, medical care, and housing. 

Harry & David has a 3rd generation chocolatier who has been with the company for over 30 years...yes, as a matter of fact, his name IS Charlie.  The recipes are developed and made right there on site. May I recommend the coffee truffles?

This is a good place to talk about these Moose Munch Cookies.  They consist of a buttery, thick shortbread cookie, spread with a luscious, bittersweet chocolate glaze, and topped with a generous sprinkle of Harry & David's Moose Munch. 

{Moose Munch is a delectable caramel popcorn (made with slabs of butter...I saw it), mixed with cashews and almonds and enrobed in chocolate.  Yep.  I used the Dark Chocolate variety here.}

Moose Munch Cookies 

{makes 15-18}

for the cookies:

3 & 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

3/4 pound (3 sticks) salted butter, cut into chunks

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla bean paste (or extract)

for the topping:

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, such as Ghiradelli

2 TBSP unsalted butter

Moose Munch

Whisk together the flour and salt.  Set aside.

Beat together the butter and sugars using an electric mixer until creamy.  Mix in the vanilla bean paste.  Add the the flour mixture in 3 additions, beating on low, just until combined.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, pressing the dough together and refrigerate 30 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Roll the chilled dough on a floured surface to 1/2" thick.  Cut with a 2 & 1/2" cutter and place the cut-outs on a cookie sheet.  Freeze for 10-15 minutes to prevent spreading.

Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden on the edges.  Remove immediately to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

To make the glaze, place the chocolate chips and butter in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water.  Stir until melted.

Dollop the melted chocolate onto the cooled cookies and spread with an offset spatula.  Sprinkle on the Moose Munch.

The chocolate will set after several minutes, but will not harden completely.

Optional:  if you're feeling festive, break out your gold disco dust (you have gold disco dust, right?) and add just a touch to the completed cookies. 

Can I show you just a few more peeks from the trip?

{Travel day: sparkly shoes, big airplane and tiny airplane rides with Rachel proved to be very memorable, Ashland Springs Hotel...gorgeous.}

Sandy & her darling hubby Paul hosted dinner at their home our first night.  Sandy has a long relationship with Harry & David...her mom and aunts all worked there.

Sandy may call herself the Reluctant Entertainer, but she sure pulls off entertaining with a calm, relaxed demeanor and knows how to put everyone at ease.  From the setting, to the food, to the conversation, the night was perfection.  Her lovely daughter even provided music.

Harry & David treated us like royalty...snacks in the fields overlooking the orchards, dinner at a vineyard, wine and cheese tasting.  Yes, I could get used to this.  (Somehow, my yogurt for lunch doesn't cut it anymore.)

Aaaand, hanging out with these ladies wasn't too shabby, either.
{from top: Jenna, Maria, Jessica...Jessica (me) and bottom: Jenna, (me), Rebecca, Lori, Rachel, Maria, Rachel, Heidi}
(photo credit, bottom 3:, Jenna, Lori & Kristen)

I was even able to hang out with a few of my fellow red-faced runners!
{Amy, Kristen, Lori, (me)}

Let's look at those gorgeous pears one more time.

 Thank you, Harry & David.  You have a customer for life.

*alternate post title: Why I've gained 10 pounds in two weeks.*

This is a long "picture-heavy" post, but bear with me...I think you're gonna like it. 

Along with several other bloggers, I was invited to visit the Harry & David headquarters in Medford, Oregon. 

A. After seeing their catalogs for years, I've always secretly hoped that someone would send me a Harry & David gift basket (it never happened), so I was curious and knew this was a place I needed to visit.

B. Take a look at these other bloggers in attendance:  hello, bloggy rock stars!!!  (I'm not sure how I got thrown in with this bunch...they are the coolest.) I couldn't pass up seeing some familiar faces again AND meeting some bloggers I've been jonesing to meet for years now.

{back row: Rebecca, Kristen, Jenna, Lori, Heidi and moi.  

front row: Maria, Sandy, Rachel, Jessica, and Amy  photo credit: Sandy}

Here's my big takeaway from the trip... 
...the people at Harry & David LOVE food.  Love.  I had no idea that in the Rogue Valley of Oregon, Harry & David has over 700,000 pear trees.

They are famous for their Royal Riviera Pear; it's a Comice.  They don't grow it because it's the easiest to grow (it's not); they grow it because they feel they are the best.

I was so very impressed with their approach to growing, innovative pest management, and how they treat their harvesters by providing daily meals, medical care, and housing. 

Harry & David has a 3rd generation chocolatier who has been with the company for over 30 years...yes, as a matter of fact, his name IS Charlie.  The recipes are developed and made right there on site. May I recommend the coffee truffles?

This is a good place to talk about these Moose Munch Cookies.  They consist of a buttery, thick shortbread cookie, spread with a luscious, bittersweet chocolate glaze, and topped with a generous sprinkle of Harry & David's Moose Munch. 

{Moose Munch is a delectable caramel popcorn (made with slabs of butter...I saw it), mixed with cashews and almonds and enrobed in chocolate.  Yep.  I used the Dark Chocolate variety here.}

Moose Munch Cookies 

{makes 15-18}

for the cookies:

3 & 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

3/4 pound (3 sticks) salted butter, cut into chunks

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla bean paste (or extract)

for the topping:

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, such as Ghiradelli

2 TBSP unsalted butter

Moose Munch

Whisk together the flour and salt.  Set aside.

Beat together the butter and sugars using an electric mixer until creamy.  Mix in the vanilla bean paste.  Add the the flour mixture in 3 additions, beating on low, just until combined.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, pressing the dough together and refrigerate 30 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Roll the chilled dough on a floured surface to 1/2" thick.  Cut with a 2 & 1/2" cutter and place the cut-outs on a cookie sheet.  Freeze for 10-15 minutes to prevent spreading.

Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden on the edges.  Remove immediately to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

To make the glaze, place the chocolate chips and butter in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water.  Stir until melted.

Dollop the melted chocolate onto the cooled cookies and spread with an offset spatula.  Sprinkle on the Moose Munch.

The chocolate will set after several minutes, but will not harden completely.

Optional:  if you're feeling festive, break out your gold disco dust (you have gold disco dust, right?) and add just a touch to the completed cookies. 

Can I show you just a few more peeks from the trip?

{Travel day: sparkly shoes, big airplane and tiny airplane rides with Rachel proved to be very memorable, Ashland Springs Hotel...gorgeous.}

Sandy & her darling hubby Paul hosted dinner at their home our first night.  Sandy has a long relationship with Harry & David...her mom and aunts all worked there.

Sandy may call herself the Reluctant Entertainer, but she sure pulls off entertaining with a calm, relaxed demeanor and knows how to put everyone at ease.  From the setting, to the food, to the conversation, the night was perfection.  Her lovely daughter even provided music.

Harry & David treated us like royalty...snacks in the fields overlooking the orchards, dinner at a vineyard, wine and cheese tasting.  Yes, I could get used to this.  (Somehow, my yogurt for lunch doesn't cut it anymore.)

Aaaand, hanging out with these ladies wasn't too shabby, either.
{from top: Jenna, Maria, Jessica...Jessica (me) and bottom: Jenna, (me), Rebecca, Lori, Rachel, Maria, Rachel, Heidi}
(photo credit, bottom 3:, Jenna, Lori & Kristen)

I was even able to hang out with a few of my fellow red-faced runners!
{Amy, Kristen, Lori, (me)}

Let's look at those gorgeous pears one more time.

 Thank you, Harry & David.  You have a customer for life.

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