A Good Quote and Fudge

{Image via vmac+cheese}

Fell in love with this quote and image today on vmac+cheese. It's easy to get lost in the holiday hoopla and I know I forget to truly enjoy the things that make me... well me. Take a second today, to appreciate who you are, because it is the greatest privilege of all. Halfway through the week now! It's all downhill from there! Hoping to make this peppermint fudge this weekend... Enjoy! xx

Peppermint Fudge

Via A Spicy Perspective

Ingredients
1 – 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 Tb. butter + extra for buttering the dish
1 lb. dark chocolate chips/chunks
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup Andes Peppermint Chunks

Instructions
Grease a 8 X 8 or 8 X 11 baking dish. Sprinkle half the peppermint chunks in the bottom of the dish and set aside.
Place a medium sauce pot over medium heat with 2 inches of water. Place a glass bowl over the top–making sure the glass doesn’t touch the water.
Pour the condensed milk and butter in the bowl and heat.
Add the chocolate chips and salt in the bowl. Stir the chocolate and watch as it melts and thickens–about 5 minutes.
The mixture should thicken to a THICK cake batter consistency–almost too thick to pour.
Add both extracts and mix well.
Pour the mixture into the dish. Gently tap the dish on the counter for at least a minute to allow air bubbles to rise to the surface and to smooth the surface.
Sprinkle the remaining peppermint chips over the top and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, maybe longer, to set.
To cut, dip a sharp knife in hot tap water, wipe and cut quickly. Dip and wipe the knife between cuts. Cut into 1 inch squares.

Preparation time: 3 minute(s)

Cooking time: 10 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 12+ (up to 64 pieces)

Comfort Food Change Up

{Image via Pinterest}

It's been windy and pretty chilly in San Francisco the last couple weeks. Definitely feels like winter has hit the city. On these colder nights, I've been craving comfort foods: pasta, soup, mac and cheese, basically anything warm and not entirely great for you. I bought a sweet potato a few weeks back at the Farmer's Market and last night I finally put it to use. I've seen several recipes for stuffed sweet potatoes, much like the photo above, but I decided to wing it and was pleasantly surprised with my creation. Here is a very rough estimate of what I through into this concoction:

1 medium sweet potato

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 carrot chopped

1/2 cup kale, chopped into smaller pieces

1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Red Pepper Flakes for a kick

Balsamic (optional)

Heat oven to 350. Pierce several holes into the Sweet Potato. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Place warmed Sweet Potato on baking sheet and bake for another 15-50 minutes or until soft in the center. While Baking, saute garlic and onions in olive oil. Add carrots and kale and saute for another 3 minutes. Finally add tomatoes until flavors combine. Add red pepper flakes if you like. Season with salt and Pepper. 

After sweet potato is done baking, let cool and cut a slit down the middle. Place the saute mixture inside the sweet potato and drizzle balsamic on top. Top it off with shaved Parmesan or Pecorino cheese for an added taste.

This meal was incredibly easy, filling and comforting all at the same time. It's a great twist on the common baked potato and twice as good for you. I'm always on the hunt for creative ways to spice up my meals. Do you guys have any favorite comfort food recipes I need to try? Hope your weekends were full of Holiday fun! Happy Tuesday! xx

'Tis the Season!

{Image via Pinterest}

December 1st is finally here, and while the Christmas season begins, for me, the day after Thanksgiving, there's something pretty special about the first of December. November came to a close in the best way possible, as I spent my Thanksgiving Holiday with family and friends. I celebrated my sister's and best friend's birthday all in the same week, in the midst of a cooking marathon for the Thanksgiving feast. Since this was my first year joining the chefs of my household, I was glad to be able to learn from the best, and we successfully roasted a 27lb turkey! I love Thanksgiving, but Christmas will always be my favorite. While we won't get snow in San Francisco, I definitely would love to have one White Christmas within my lifetime (preferably in a home like the above photo.) I think any Christmas celebration is made better with a little snow. My roommate and I decorated our apartment this week, and I must say, I think we topped last year's decor. I wouldn't usually be thrilled about a fake Christmas tree, but ours is definitely my favorite. It fits perfectly in the corner of our living room, is topped with a red bow, and best of all, no maintenance! Sparing the money to buy and keep up a real tree each year is definitely beneficial at this point in my life. The major downfall is the absence of the most amazing pine scent, but I've found the best fix for this problem. This Thymes Frasier Fir Candle does the trick! I had the diffuser a while back, which lasts much longer, but the candles are also great buys. Would definitely recommend them as holiday hostess gifts as well! I'm looking forward to 25 days of Holiday fun and excitement and can't wait to share them with you! No Christmas is complete without a little gingerbread, so here is the first of several recipes (thank you mom!) that I'll be sharing with you over the holidays! xx

{Image vie Pinterest}

Melissa's Gingerbread Cookies

By Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

1 cup dark molasses

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 teaspoons ground ginger

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

6 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Royal icing

Ingredients:

1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

1 large egg white

Food coloring

Directions:

Place the molasses, sugar, ginger and cinnamon in a double boiler over medium heat. When the sugar has melted, add the baking soda and stir. When the mixture bubbles up, remove from heat. Place butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the hot molasses mixture and stir well. Let mixture cool to about 90 degrees Fahrenheit, then add the eggs. Gradually add the flour, 1 cup at a time, while beating. (This is best done in an electric mixer, but you can use a wooden spoon.) Chill dough in flat rectangles. Wrap in plastic wrap. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line thick baking sheets with parchment paper. Place chilled dough on a well-floured board and roll out until 1/4 to 1/8-inch thick. Cut into shapes, place shapes on the parchment-covered baking sheets and bake 15 to 20 minutes or until firm to the touch. While cookies are still hot on tray, use a bamboo skewer to make small holes in tops of cookies (1/2 inch from edge). This will enable you to hang the cookies on your tree. Let cool on racks before icing. To make icing, beat sugar with egg white until thick and smooth. Use food colorings sparingly, adding bit by bit until desired color is attained. Icing decorations can be simple piping or dots, or complex lines atop a shiny undercoat of a softly or brightly tinted hue.

Makes 3 to 4 dozen