Monday, November 26, 2012

That's Clutch



Remember when people used to say that?

I do.

Good thing I've grown up so much since then.

Packing is proving more complicated than I anticipated. Why does everything always take longer than you want it to? Oh. Right.

Procrastination:
















Top to bottom:

Collina Strada Nico
Madewell Camera Clutch
J. Crew Invitation Clutch
Top Shop Clean Zip Front Clutch


Images: Collina Strada, Madewell, JCrew, Top Shop




Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Doughnuts!



Check out cutie (& friend) Alex aka the Breakfast Bachelor and his adorable video!

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Everything that...



I don't know where or when was the first time I saw the Sabre Glitter teaspoons, but since then I've been drooling. I watched them sell out at LEIF and then on GILT. I know shame on me. I just couldn't justifying buying home goods for a home I don't have... Plus, I've now officially joined the ranks of the unemployed college educated (To be fair, I am applying for things like mad, but it's really hard to interview for immediate openings from 6,000 miles away!). Never the less, the glitter teaspoons are back at LEIF (though they raised the price by $4, ridiculous) but I won't be buying them there. I'm just hoping and praying that GILT has them again!

Seriously, these are golden and glittery and wonderful and I want them!

I did manage to get my little paws on the tart server. One day I'll post pictures of something delectable I make and serve with the server. And I'm seriously considering the cake knife...

Well. Ta ta for now.


Image via Leif Shop

Better than a Chewy Bar




In order to stay sane, and make sure the man is eating properly (no more Jack in the Box!!!) I've made some (healthy) granola bars. Not that over-sweetened crap from the grocery store.

At this point in my cooking career, I'm feeling like a bit or a rebel. Recipes? Who needs those! Rogue cook in the house!

Anyways, I browsed a bunch of recipes last night in my election insomnia. (Well, I did shut the computer around 9:30, so maybe not exactly insomnia, but I did get ready and into bed at at 8:00 sharp!)

After looking at (of course) Smitten Kitchen and also Alexandria's Kitchen  I still felt like those recipes weren't quite what I wanted... In my head I was thinking, chewy, fruity but not too sweet (sugar still has the same dreaded effects on some adults, just like little kids).

Also, we love ginger and I thought it would add a nice touch.

Here's what I came up with:

Grown-Up Granola Bars

2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cup shredded coconut (if you want less sweet use unsweetened)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup slivered almonds*
1/4 cup candied ginger minced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried tart cherries
1/4 cup dried apricots diced
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/3 cup almond butter**
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup brown rice syrup***
1 T vanilla extract
1/4 t salt

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Tear a pice of parchment about 12" wide. Combine the oats, sunflower seeds and almonds spread into a 13x19" baking pan and toast, stirring half way about 20 minutes.

While the oats are toasting chop your apricots and candied ginger. In a large bowl combine the ginger and apricots with the shredded coconut, cherries, cranberries, sesame seeds and flax meal, toss together.

In a small sauce pan on low heat the almond butter, vanilla, brown rice syrup and honey. Wisk to form a homogenous caramel looking syrup (it should be rather viscous). Do not let it boil! Just mix until it's uniform.

By now your oats should be toasty, dump the oat nut mixture into the dried fruit mixture, toss together. Take a quick moment to grease your 13x19" pan and then line it with the parchment (think of the parchment and pan making a cross shape, the parchment is meant to hang off the longer side of the pan it is really just a sling so you can pull the bars out easier at the end).

Dump your (still warm) sweetener syrup into the oat-fruit mixture and mix! Make sure all the oats and fruit and evenly coated. Press evenly into your lined, greased baking pan.

Bake in your oven for 10 minutes, then turn your oven off and let the pan sit in there for 20 minutes more. Remove, let cool and cut into bars, squares whatever the heck you like!

Enjoy!


PS. My cousin asked if these could be nut free and I say DUH!!! (Let's not go into how many diet restricted friends I have.)

Here would be my substitutions:
*Instead of almonds use more sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds or dried fruit! Or really, anything! Mini choco chips?
**for almond butter I would use 3T coconut oil or another soil shortening (margarine, Earth Balance... gasp, even... butter) and then add another 1/2 cup flax meal, wheat bran or oat flour (just whizz some oats in the food processor).

*** In an effort to move away from corn products I favor brown rice syrup. But regular old Karo Light will work here too.

Remember cooking is really about ratios, so keep the amount of filling:fats:sugar the same and you'll be golden!


<3

Saturday, November 3, 2012

East



I know. I am still failing to keep this updated. Try having a sister who's about to get married and a blog. I'm sure you can guess who won my attention.



But in all seriousness, I'm back east and boy is it cold. With that much said, I am also making a major purge of cold weather clothes so check out what is for sale on my threadflip.



We've been busy. I'm experimenting with French macarons... it's been challenging. Lots of hand sewing.... A bit of candy making. Some bread... And hopefully soon some knitting. Oh, right and packing.


My goal is to post about the macarons this week, so keep an eye out!

Thursday, October 11, 2012

HELLO AGAIN!



Hello again!

Or should I say, 

Aloha!

It has been a few months since I've had a moment to catch my breath and keep up here.

Wait. I don't really have a good excuse for not updating, in fact it's probably a shame I haven't been posting about all my farming and food adventures.

So here's the three month scoop: farming, cooking, cruising in Hawai'i. No but really it's been some hard work.  Anyways, for the past ten weeks I've been eating, sleeping and working at NaloLicious Farm check them out here or on their Facebook.

We're not producing yet-- still building and experimenting.

As the resident cook I had so much fun working with what we grow to cook everyone healthy, hearty meals. It's a shame I didn't take pictures, but seriously by the end of the day I was ready to collapse in my tent.




If anyone is indeed reading, don't stop! So many exciting things are to come!

But please, be patient with me, moving across the continent and then the Pacific is oh, so daunting.



Tuesday, July 17, 2012

LR


I've been crushing on these all season. I'm a 7.5 please.



Loeffler Randall Nadia Espadrielle here

Cut Out







OK. I don't know who else is with me on this one but...

I am seriously in love with the cut out trend.

And it's trendy but I just love it!
A subtle triangle of skin peeking from a maxi.  (Shakuhachi Luxe Utility Cut Out Dress)
Or Natalie Wood's sneaky moon shaped bits.  (Something Else Denim Floral Dress)
What a more subtle, artful, may I even say, tasteful way to show some skin.
Or even a perplexing bit of shoe missing.  (Alexander Wang Anouck Chelsea Boots)




Images via mltd, pixiemarket and shop bop.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Made in Paradise

         

         

There are so few local designers and as an aspiring designer, I know,
hype and word of mouth are the best promoters.

So even though I'm not a true local (but as an extended visitor)
I thought I'd share a great local line from Hawai'i.

Founded in 2003, Fighting Eel
has been designing and producing sophisticated but comfortable pieces.
And as they say, "easily worn with either high heels or flip-flops."

Here are a few pieces that caught my eye from the Summer 2012 collection.

---

So support your local designers!! It may be pricier, but it's worth it.
These days we put so much emphasis on cheap trendy clothes that fall apart and we toss.

But I urge everyone to reconsider than more expensive, locally or even domestically (made in the USA)  clothes are worth it. You are putting your hard earned dollars in another American's pocket, who most likely (and hopefully!) has some kind of health and other benefits.

Smaller clothing labels use the hight quality materials and
because their productions are smaller there is better quality control.
So if you're between buying 3 new cheap trendy dresses at Forever21
or a classic silhouette from dusendusen, you know which one I'd talk you into buying. 



Vaca pics to come ;)


Images via Fighting Eel

Liberty Lifestyle



     









These prints have me squirming to make something!
Available for pre-order at Purl Soho.

Images via Purl Soho

Pen & Ink




Check out this neat tumbler chronicling tattoos and their stories, with great illustrations. Brought to you by Isaac Fitzgerald and Wendy MacNaughton.

A good reminder not to take anything too seriously.

:)

Images via Pen & Ink

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Blow me!




Check out these fantastic perfume atomizers from Rebecca Wilson Ceramics.
They are non functional but what a cool twist on a kitchy collectable.


Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Lavender Lust


I'm in love with this Versace Versus dress from Opening Ceremony.

It reminds me of Roman armour. I've really been digging
the Romantic soldier inspired pieces.

It's about time for a new pair of gladiators
I've just about worn through mine.

Images via Opening Ceremony

Monday, June 11, 2012

Mango Key Lime Cheesecake with Coconut Graham Crust


In my last few weeks of college, the lack of food options were killing me. So my friends and I decided to make the trek to the nice outdoor mall Crocker Park. There's a Cheesecake Factory there. Now, I know, some people think the Cheesecake Factory is expensive or overrated. But I'll tell you this: in the middle of NE Ohio, where your other options are well, close to none, it's gourmet. The portions are HUGE and let's be honest for a second, the gigantuine, available-in-every-flavor-imaginable slices of cheesecake are delicious.

This led to a cheesecake craving. Specifically the Mango Key Lime variation I had devoured weeks ago.  So I set out to make my own.  Now, I've only made cheesecake once before this, for my birthday this year, and I really didn't find it all that challenging.  I looked at several just key lime cheesecake recipes and went from there adapting the ingredients as I went along. I would say it was a success! However, I used frozen mango because I made this at like 11pm and obviously the grocery store wasn't open.  But I would suggest using fresh mangos specifically one of the stronger flavored varieties because the Key Lime can be very over powering.


Mango Key Lime Cheesecake with Coconut Graham Crust

Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup unsweetened dehydrated coconut
3 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

Filling:
2 (8oz) packages cream cheese (I used one low-fat, one regular)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh squeezed key lime juice
3/4 cup mango, pureed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
salt
3 eggs

Whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine graham cracker crumbs, coconut, sugar with a fork stir in melted butter.  Press evenly into a 9x3" spring form pan and slightly up the sides. Bake in middle rack for 8-10 minutes or until browned, remove and cool.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Beat cream cheese in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment at medium speed until fluffy. Then beat in sugar, lime juice, mango puree, vanilla. Beat until smooth, scraping sides.  At low speed add the flour and salt and then the eggs and mix until just incorporated.

Pour filling into crust. Bake in the middle of oven until set in center for an hour, turning half way if you're oven is a bit uneven like mine.

Cool completely and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. (I left mine overnight.) Run a thin utensil around before removing side of pan.  Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.





Sunday, June 10, 2012

cherry cherry pop!


So it's been a while.

First there was my art show, then graduation and moving,
and sleeping, more sleeping, so much sleeping.

And now 13lbs and a little over 4 pints later we have jam.

It's tart cherry.

Nom.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Ceramics






Check out these amazing ceramic vessels by Ben Fiess.

He uses a 4 part construction and beautiful custom glazes.

Images via LEIF

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

paper bodies






Fantastic. I cringed at the thought of taking Anatomy four years ago my senior year of High School.
But ended up loving every minute of every dissection!
Now I've come full circle weaving my way through, science and now finally back to art.




Images from Visual News via bestbookmarks.net