Let the countdown begin! I know it's Halloween today, but this week marks another momentous occasion worth celebrating. The Starbucks Christmas cups return this week and some speculate in as soon as 2 days from now! Being that Christmas is my favorite Holiday, I'm overly excited for the return of the red cups every year. Looks like this week will turn out to be a great one! Keep on the lookout! xx
Happy Halloween weekend everyone! Over the last month, my friends and I were definitely in the spirit of all things fall and Halloween. Our chili and pumpkin carving night was a HUGE success, but note to self for next year: carve pumpkins closer to Halloween! After a couple days of adorning our apartments, the cute jack-o-lanterns turned nasty with mold! The chili was delicious though and made the rainy night so cozy. Such a great vegetarian recipe from In the Small Kitchen. The only little addition we made was ground turkey, since we were amongst meat lovers. I also finally made the pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies and wow, were they to die for. I had coworkers and friends asking for the recipe and for good reason, because they were definitely a delightful fall treat. Looking forward to Halloween festivities this weekend and the Farmer's Market! Hope you all get creative with costumes and enjoy the company you keep! xx
Ingredients 2 15.5 oz cans kidney beans 1 15.5 oz can black beans 1 15.5 oz can pinto beans 2 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced 1 yellow squash 2 large sweet onions 1 red pepper 1 yellow pepper 1 orange pepper (if unavailable, double up on red) 3 14.5 oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes (I used Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes in Adobo) ½ quart veggie stock 1 7oz can mild green chilies ½ 7oz can whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce 2 tablespoons chili powder 2 tablespoons cumin 1 tbsp oregano 3 cloves garlic 1 bottle dark Mexican beer, Negra Moderno if they have it 1 bunch cilantro stems (leaves to be used for garnish and salad dressing)
Garnish Handful cilantro leaves Shredded Monterey Jack cheese 2 limes, cut into thin wedges (12 total) Crushed tortilla chips Diced avocado (not pictured, but a necessary element!)
I've never really felt too old to dress up for Halloween, but it's definitely getting harder to stay creative with costumes! Last Halloween I had just moved to the city and finding a costume was the least of my worries. Unfortunately I felt extremely pathetic venturing out on the town without the appropriate attire, so I'm desperately trying to redeem myself this year. Since I don't want to spend my life's savings on a ridiculous outfit that I'll never wear again, I've tried to think up some creative options with items I may already own or could borrow from a friend. Here's what I've come up with so far:
Somehow I know I'll be explaining my outfit all night long, but these are some classic flicks with wardrobes that I hope will be somewhat recognizable. What are your thoughts on Halloween costumes and my picks? Would love some input! I always struggle in this department :) Happy Thursday! xx
It's funny how our taste preferences change over time. When I was growing up, we didn't eat a lot of brussels sprouts in my household, so maybe that's why I never had an affinity for them. When I saw that Trader Joe's stocked up on this fall vegetable, I was intrigued and had to test them out again. Luckily there are a million ways to cook this sprout. Each of the recipes I tried this week were delicious, but Eat, Live, Run's Caramelized Brussels Sprouts definitely won me over. Sweet yet savory, this dish is a great side to any type of entree. You could even saute a protein along with it and make it a main dish! Here's the recipe:
Caramelized Brussels Sprouts serves 2-4 as a side-dish adapted from 101 cookbooks
Ingredients: 12-14 large brussels sprouts 1 tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced pinch sea salt 2 tbsp brown sugar 1/4 cup roughly chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted
Directions: Slice each brussels sprout very thin until you have a mound of feathery brussels sprout ribbons. Heat the olive oil over medium high in a large skillet and saute the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the brussels sprouts and continue sauteing for another 4-5 minutes, until bright green and tender. Add the sea salt and brown sugar and toss together. Finish by adding the toasted nuts.
Time: 20 minutes
{a la mode} PS: The base recipe for this is great, but of course, everyone's tastes are a little different. Next time I would probably use a little less brown sugar. I also added a pinch of cayenne to spice it up, and I would probably add a bit more, but that is because my tastes have changed as well. I can't get enough of the kick! I used pecans and they definitely rounded out the sweet flavor, but I can see how any nut would work well with this recipe.
I also followed this recipe for roasted brussels sprouts this week and was very pleased. I loved the combination of sprouts and apples drizzled with balsamic. I even added some roasted butternut squash into the mix and served it over quinoa. A great fall dinner. Here is the recipe:
2 cups trimmed fresh Brussels sprouts, cut in half 1 large honeycrisp apple, cubed 1 tablespoon olive oil Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Toss Brussels sprouts, apple, olive oil, salt and pepeper in a large bowl; place in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment (be sure to spread pieces apart). Roast at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes or until just tender. Remove from oven and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar; return to oven and roast an additional 5 minutes or until tender.
Finally, I got my weekend back and don't have to come into the office. I will definitely be attending the farmer's market tomorrow and seriously can't wait. I can't believe I've gone this long without going to the Ferry Building market! Other than that, I'll be listening to great music at the Bridge School Benefit Concert in Mountain View and celebrating a friend's birthday! Hope you all have fabulous weekends! xx
I'm almost finished with The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain, and have become infatuated with Hemingway and the slew of novelists who accompanied him all over Europe in the 1920's. While he's no perfect man, he leads the most intriguing life and surrounds himself with the most brilliant and fascinating people. He follows what inspires him at any cost. If you're at all interested in classic literature, read The Paris Wife. Mclain takes you into the lives of these brilliant writers, and you won't want to escape. Next up: Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises. Happy Thursday! xx
Autumn in New York - Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
There's something about the Fall season that makes me want to cuddle up to Nora Ephron films and listen to Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong all night long. Add candles and a nice glass of wine to that mix, and you've got the perfect Fall night. I crave comforting things around the changing of the seasons, and right now these Pumpkin Snickerdoodle cookies are screaming fall comfort to me. I can't wait to try this recipe! Hope you've gotten through half the week without too much turmoil! I know I'm already looking forward to the weekend! xx
Ingredients: 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1 3/4 cups sugar, divided 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 1 large egg 3/4 cup pumpkin puree 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Directions:
Adjust the oven racks to the upper-and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg and beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin puree and beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon for rolling in a shallow bowl. Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a 1½-inch ball, roll the ball in the sugar mixture, and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls about 2 inches apart
Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and just beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets about 5 minutes; using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
Working Saturdays has really thrown off my weekend routine. While I'm extremely happy to help out wherever I can, I look forward to a couple things I do almost every weekend: the Farmer's Market, baking, hanging out with friends and usually some relaxing "me time." I won't be working on Saturdays for much longer, but it's been difficult to try and squeeze everything into my Sundays. 3 of my favorite things got me through this weekend:
1. Sunflowers from the Sunday Fort Mason Farmer's Market now adorn my kitchen and living room! We added a couple pumpkins and gourds to really bring out Fall in our apartment.
2. I also purchased this amazing Volupsa Laguna candle! The scent is so refreshing and not overpowering at all. Candle's always seem to put me in a better mood, and I definitely needed it yesterday.
3. It wasn't until Book Club came around Sunday afternoon that I started to snap out of my funk. It might have had something to do with the amazing company and this little treat! I whipped up some Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread from In the Small Kitchen. I know I seem completely biased, and you must think I'm being paid to promote this cookbook, but it's honestly just that good! I left out the pecans, because my friend is allergic, but I'm sure they make this bread even better! Here is the recipe:
Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Chip Bread
Makes 1 loaf
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 can pureed pumpkin
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and soda. In another bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar, vanilla, and vegetable oil until thick. Fold the dry ingredients into the beaten mixture until well blended. Stir in the pumpkin and the nuts. Pour into the prepared loaf pan or pans and bake 1 hour, until it tests done. Remove from the pan and cool on a rack.
Hope your Monday's were a bit peppier than mine! Looking forward to chili and pumpkin carving tonight! Stay tuned... xx
For as long as I can remember, I ranked summer #1, but after living in San Francisco for the past year, fall has taken the cake. Unfortunately summers in the city just don't quite feel like summers. Fall on the other hand couldn't be more perfect. Here are some of my favorite things about the autumn season that make this time of year so enjoyable.
1. Soy Chai Latte's... it's like your sipping on the fall season.
2. Everything pumpkin... from carving to cooking to baking, pumpkins make this time of year magical. I can't wait to try this recipe for Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Chip Bread from Big Girls, Small Kitchen.
3. School supplies... even after being out of school for over a year, sharpened pencils and fresh binders still make the list.
4. Rainy nights with a good book and a cozy blanket... self explanatory. Can't wait to get home and do exactly that with The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain.
5. Last, but not least, the changing of colors and the crispness in the air make autumn look and feel as if something special has just begun.
Not to mention, everything great about fall is just the precursor to the best holiday of all... Christmas! My list for that holiday will be much longer :) Hope you are all having wonderful Tuesday's! Enjoy the season with a cup of tea or coffee and a nice piece of pumpkin bread! xx
