eat drink repeat

Well Christmas came and went and Miles and I ate our way through some very delicious meals. 

This year was my first year not at home to help my mom prepare Christmas Eve dinner.  I didn't care at first I mean less work for me but as December went on and the holiday grew closer I had a few moments of melt down.  Tears filled my eyes when I saw a friends advent calendar, that's right tears.  I was a little nervous I may not make it to Christmas without a total breakdown.

Not to fear everything turned out just fine.  I finished classes just in time to have a very glorious day of Christmas shopping in Manhattan filled yummy treats I couldn't pass up and a very exciting run in with a very famous person.  Christmas Eve started with a very delicious and slightly tipsy lunch and was followed but more shopping, a long car ride with 3 hungry people and 2 dogs, and coming home to loads of hugs from the family and really amazing food.  I think I have have been eating every second I have been awake straight though till this moment (coffee and butter cookies are next to me as I type this).

For our post Christmas dinner I was given the task of using up about 16 left over egg whites from the very unbelievably delicious ice cream my mom made for Christmas day dinner, it was the best chocolate ice cream of my life.  The very first thing that came to mind was a pavlova.  Light and fluffy pillows of meringue crisp on the outside chewy on the inside.  We had fresh berries and way to much cream for one house so it was a perfect way to use up the left over ingredients from a very dairy rich holiday. 

 This was my first time making a pavlova but I will be making them all the time this was maybe the easiest dessert I have ever made and one of the most delicious.  I used a combination of recipes I found on the web picking and choosing what I liked from each.  Nigella, Martha, Ina, and one of my favorite blogs ever, all had recipes for chocolate pavlova and chocolate is the way to my heart so its what I went with.  

 I am truly not lying this is the easiest dessert I have EVER made and it was very much enjoyed by all including Miles. If you don't like chocolate add a little vanilla or almond extract to the egg whites instead. No berries no problem add whip cream and cocoa powder still just as delicious. 

 Chocolate Pavlova adapted from here, here, and here.
 serves 8 to 10


12 tablespoons egg whites (egg whites from 6 large eggs)
1 1/2 cups super fine sugar (grind up regular sugar if you don't have super fine)
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 oz. good dark chocolate finely chopped
1 teaspoon balsamic
12 oz berries (I used black berries and blueberries)
a squeeze of lemon 
1 tablespoon or so of sugar
2 cups cream
1 teaspoon vanilla


preheat over to 350 degrees F
trace a 9 inch circle on parchment and place upside down on a rimmed cookie sheet
mix in a a bowl a squeeze of lemon and 1 tablespoon sugar with the berries put aside
mix egg whites in a stand mixer until they have formed silky peaks. 
Slowly mix in sugar one tablespoon at a time until all sugar is mix in and the mixture is stiff and shiny.  This will take about 8 minutes
sprinkle cocoa, chocolate and balsamic vinegar on top of egg whites and sugar fold in very gently until cocoa is evenly mixed in
scoop out into cookie sheet using spatula to form a nice circular disk of meringue 9 inches round.
Place in hot oven and turn temperature down to 300 degrees
Baking for 45 minutes then check outside should be crisp and dry but when pushed in the center there is a bit of give. Turn off oven and let cool in the oven with door ajar.
Whip cream and vanilla 
pile whipped cream on top of the pavlova and top with the berries. 

I'm BACK!!!

Hello!  welcome back its been so so long since I last posted.  Life sort of got in the way. 

When I say life got in the way I mean like threw me to the curb and then said get up move on and keeping going and I did just that.  I was in a new city starting a graduate program and found myself homeless.  Not exactly what I had envisioned for my big move to New York but you get what you get.  Lucky for me I had three gentlemen (two human one furry) to take me in for  a few weeks ....err months while I got back on my feet and found myself a  place to call home.  

One of these gents was Miles' cousin Midas they get along like two peas in a pod

Things are now running smoothly and as I come to the close of my first semester of grad school I am happy to report that I have a little teeny tiny small cool contest worthy apartment that I love. It is just the right size to fit me and miles, once its not a disaster I will post before and after photos.  The kitchen is lacking cause well there isn't one, its a sink and a stove but I am making do and have still managed to be able to bake.  My first venture in this little kitchen was a disaster and I thought my baking days were number, but then I made these little bundles of joy known as pumpkin whoopie pies and my confidence in the kitchen was back!

This recipe came from the Baked cookbook which I love.  The recipe are easy and really good and I also like the bakery which I had the pleasure of visiting with this fine lady. The bakery is adorable and has a great selection of treats to chose from.  I didn't have a whoopie pie there but I hear they are delicious.  I know these little gems of pumpkin and cream where amazing.  I probably would have ate every last one of them if I didn't love sharing so much.  I mean really whats the point of baking if you don't share that's the best part. 

PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon ground cloves

2 cups firmly packed dark-brown sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 cups pumpkin puree, chilled

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

CREAM-CHEESE FILLING

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; set aside. 

In another large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil until well combined. 

Add pumpkin puree and whisk until combined. 

Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined. 

Sprinkle flour mixture over pumpkin mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.

Using a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism, drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. 

Transfer to oven and bake until cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cookie comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on pan.

Sift confectioner' sugar into a medium bowl; set aside. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. 

Add cream cheese and beat until well combined. 

Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla, beat just until smooth. (Filling can be made up to a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate; let stand at room temperature to soften before using.)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Transfer filling to a disposable pastry bag or ziploc bag and snip the end. When cookies have cooled completely, pipe a large dollop of filling on the flat side of half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edge of the cookies. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate cookies at least 30 minutes before serving and up to 3 days.

Miles is happy we are back to blogging too!

morning muffin!

A little sunshine some coffee and a fresh baked muffin is a perfect morning in my book!

These muffins were supposed to be made last week for my little cousin who it turns out has a lot of power in the family when it comes to food.  She says she wants peach pie and poof my Mimi makes peach pie! Mimi was supposed to make her muffins but I ate all the blueberries so here we are a a full week later and I finally got my act together and got in the kitchen.  

Blueberry Muffins adapted from Martha Stewart

makes 12 

Makes 1 dozen
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg


preheat oven to 375,  line muffin pan or butter and flour muffin pan. combine flour salt and baking soda and nutmeg.  mix 2 tablespoon of the flour mixture with the blueberries just to coat. 
In a mixer combine butter and sugar until fluffy about 3 minutes then add eggs one at the time also add in the vanilla. slowly mix in flour until just combined then add in the milk.  get a spatula or large spoon and mix in the berries careful not to mush them.
evenly full the muffin pan and then pop in the oven for about 30 minutes rotating half way through.  the tops should be nice and brown and when a toothpick comes out clean they are done.
I did sprinkle them with a few tablespoons sugar before baking but you don't have too.

have a lovely weekend!

down by the sea shore

Have you ever remembered something by its smell?  I am sure you have sometimes you don't even realize a place or a person has a certain smell and then the second your noise gets a whiff you are filled fast with memories.  Well that is the shore for me I always think I am not a beach person and to be honest i'm not but the smell of the beach and the smell of my PopPop's house has a weird comforting effect on me.  There is a sticky salty flavor stuck to your lips and everything always feels damp but I love it all the same.  So instead of baked goods I bring you the shore well a rainy long weekend at the shore but the shore none the less.  I promise the next post really will be back to food.

what once was lost

I can't explain how excited I was to find this Polaroid in my old room stuffed into a drawer of bits and bobs. It was from a few years ago of my baby cousin Molli who is not a baby at all anymore but will forever be a baby in my mind. I can remember her as a little mushy infant and like all babies she was fat and cute and I wanted to eat her right up.  Now she is an ever growing young lady who I can no longer pick up and hold.  I thought it was gone forever never to be seen again but there is was mixed in with loads of things I never really need.  It filled my heart with happiness and put a smile on my face so I thought it must be shared

have a very happy weekend 

ko

pack move repeat

I know my blog has been neglected and you want yummy baked treats and I have not provided.  This week now that I am relocated for a few weeks I will find time to whip up some treats I'm not gonna lie its probably gonna be a pie which I feel like I make a lot but its summer and the fruits so good once the fall comes get ready it gonna be muffin and quick breads galore and like a million and one pumpkin sweets.  

This past week started with a lovely brunch in Brooklyn with two lovely ladies that I intend to brunch with on a very regular basis in my new apartment! It was everything I want in breakfast soft boiled egg with toast soldiers, fresh ripe fruit, Stumptown coffee, and boys in denim with suspenders. I would love to say this was a start to a great week but it wasn't it was the start to a very high stress high anxiety week which I thought would end with me catching on fire and exploding causing harm to those around (thanks Mom and Mimi and Pop your the best!) below are the photos of my week.

Lucky for me I am still in one piece and have moved all of my possessions back to my moms with the help of awesome movers and I have an apartment in Brooklyn to call home!  Is it everything I ever dreamed it would be? no its not but with the help of my roommate we will make it the cutest apartment ever to been seen.  

where did you go summertime??

August is here which always puts my stomach in a knot.  It is total carryover from childhood and my fear of the school year and being apart from my momma.  I think I was in at least the 5th grade before I finally could get through the first day of school without making myself physically sick with nerves.  Somehow my clock has never adjusted and come August my body thinks its going to school.  This year my body is right though, big changes are a brewing and I am going back to school and packing and moving and my anxiety level is so high that I feel like I have had 8 cups of coffee when really its just been one.  

I have been trying to cherish the little moments where I feel lazy and relaxed.  For me this feeling happens when I am with my family enjoy good food and the occasional summer storm power outage.  I know as september approaches it will get harder to find these moments so for now I try to keep my thoughts on ripe doughnut peaches and and fresh whipped cream.  

I don't have time to post the recipe now since I am in the middle of packing up my apartment but I promise this is not from a bisquik mix as my very wise guy uncle asked right after proclaiming he prefers chocolate.  For the record he had seconds so it must have tasted just fine!  

Miles and I must get back to work 

more recipes to come once my life resume some sort of structure