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

Crazy November!

The last couple weeks have been jam packed, but in the best way possible. Every week I find myself desperately counting down the days until the weekend, because there have been so many fun things to look forward to! I have so many posts to write, and while I keep putting them off, I promise that will change after this weekend! We have the 114th annual Big Game on Saturday with Cal playing Stanford down in Palo Alto. I can't wait to enjoy game day festivities with friends and family! Until I finally get my act together here are some instagrams from the past couple weeks to give you a taste of some posts to come! Happy Wednesday!

Cottage of Sweets in Carmel, Ca

Carmel, Ca

My amazing Turkey carvers! Our Pre-Thanksgiving dinner was quite the feast!

Shake It Out

"Shake It Out" - Florence + The Machine

Florence's second album, Ceremonials, is beyond amazing. I heard it for the first time last night during my pilates session at the lovely studio, Le Petit Atelier Pilates. Florence's voice is mesmerizing and her new compilation should be able to capture any emotional experience you may face. I just want to sing and dance around the room to "Shake It Out," and "Never Let Me Go" is another one on repeat. If you can, download the album. You'll thank me for it. It will definitely be playing during our car ride to Monterey this weekend. Hope you enjoy dancing around and simply having fun with this album. Happy Thursday! xx

Let the Countdown Begin!

{Image via Pinterest}

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!

{Photo via Big Girls Small Kitchen}

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

Smoky Chipotle Vegetarian Chili
Makes 10 – 15 servings

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!)

In a large pot over medium heat, sauté onions and peppers until beginning to caramelize, 8 minutes. Add the zucchini and the squash and sauté until tender, 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and continue to simmer. Meanwhile, add garlic cloves, cilantro stems, green chilies, and chipotle peppers to a small food processor (see tip at bottom). Puree mixture. Add ½ cup of stock, and pulse to combine. Pour mixture into pot of simmering vegetables. Rinse beans thoroughly in a colander to get rid of the canning liquids, then add to the pot. Add salt, chili powder, cumin, oregano, beer, and the remaining stock.

Simmer with the lid off, stirring frequently until the liquids begin to thicken and the vegetables have begun to break down.

The chili is best if made the night before, and can keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Costume Inspiration

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:

Margot Tenenbaum from The Royal Tenenbaums

Holy Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's 

Mrs. Robinson from The Graduate

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

Recipe of the Week

{Image via Eat, Live, Run}

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. 

{Image via The Professional Palate}

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:

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Apples

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

Currently Reading...

{Image via Pinterest}

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