Stylist. Photographer. Artist. Graphic Designer. Foodie. Fancy Pants.
Posts in Food and Recipes
Every year I love making our neighbors homemade baked goods and delivering them to celebrate the week of Christmas. In years past, I've made them sugar cookies, pound cakes, and even sourdough bread. It's just a little token to say thanks for being our neighbor and Merry Christmas! All of our neighbors happen to be elderly so I think receiving a homemade treat can be extra special ... they deserve something extra special!
My dad's birthday was today and his very favorite dessert is chocolate chip cookies. So, when I was put to the task to make him a birthday cake, I thought ... why not make a chocolate chip cookie cake? No, not one of those that you pick up at the mall ... I'm talking the essence of a chocolate chip cookie baked into a birthday cake. Behold, a creation of epic dessert proportions.
Lately I have been snacking on pretzels dipped in Nutella. Sweet and salty. A dangerous combination. One afternoon while scraping the bottle of the Nutella jar with the very last pretzel (don't you dare judge me), I had a thought ... a brilliant thought. Why not make Nutella brownies with a pretzel crust? I didn't know just how brilliant this idea was until I made them. And ate them. All.
As summer slides into fall, I find myself savoring the flavors of the sunny season. I am truly enjoying the last of the peaches, squash and corn until they come again next June. Late summer tomatoes, fresh herbs and citrus fill the final hot weeks. As the days get shorter, I am craving quick and easy meals that are not only light and fresh but feel special and celebratory as we say goodbye to summer.
I can not get enough of The Peach Truck's peaches! They have a tent sent up across the street from our house and you can bet that E and I are there every single week grabbing a bag.
Strawberry Shortcake is the quintessential summer dessert. It's light and fresh and perfect this time of year when fresh local strawberries are available at the Farmers' Market.
I'm so thrilled to be featured in the June issue of Martha Stewart Living. Ok ... so I guess one might say "mentioned" in the June issue of Martha Stewart Living. Either way, there's my name ... in Martha.
I made a huge batch of homemade granola for the bridesmaid's brunch we recently hosted (check it out here) and had a couple of jars left over. I have been finding all kinds of ways to use it including these incredible Banana Crunch Muffins.
Last weekend I helped my mom and sister host a bridesmaids' brunch for our beautiful cousin, Julianna. I was so excited that they had decided on a brunch because I LOVE breakfast/brunch food and think it is so much easier to design a menu around brunch favorites.
These are not only the cutest Easter bunny cupcakes, but they are also the best coconut cupcakes ever. And I really mean it.
It's hard for me to believe that our little angel turns one month old today. In celebration, I made sugar cookies ... because every one month old loves sugar cookies ... well at least I know one mommy that does. Happy Birthday E!
The weather has been beyond frigid here in Nashville. An ice storm, snow and negative temperatures have shut down the city and locked this little family (with a newborn) in at home. There's only one thing to do ... make soup.
This past Valentine's Day we celebrated my grandmother's 93rd birthday. I wanted to make her a very special birthday cake. She usually gets a Red Velvet Cake since her birthday falls on Valentines. I personally don't love Red Velvet Cake though (and you know it's all about me! haha). All that food coloring ... is it chocolate, is it not? ... no thanks. I wanted to make something that celebrated the "red" holiday, a very special birthday and (most importantly) was knock-your-socks-off delicious.
With Valentine's Day this weekend I wanted to make something special for my love but needed it to be doable during nap time. Now that our little one has arrived—days are filled with feedings, diapers and lots of rocking. Yes, our lives have changed forever (and we are over the moon) but my passion for cooking and creating has not, so somehow I found the time to make these Oreo and Red Velvet Truffles for Jacobs as a little Valentine's treat.
Christmas morning breakfast should be special, but it should also be super simple to throw together. No one wants to be trapped in the kitchen cooking while everyone else is opening presents! I'm always sure to make something ahead of time that can just be thrown in the oven so I can join in the real fun with the rest of the family.
Sean Brock of Husk Nashville recently came out with a brand new cookbook, Heritage. It's my favorite Christmas gift to give this year and before I wrapped it up, I decided to try a couple of the recipes (is that allowed? Does that make it a re-gift? Hope not!).
Yep. This is how I roll on Fridays. Warm Banana Cake topped with vanilla ice cream, warm caramel, almond toffee and toasted pecans. BOOM. You're welcome.
Plunging fall/winter temperatures make me want to stay inside and bundle up with a warm homemade supper by the fire. It's comfort food season and soups, strews and pot pies are top of mind. Comfort food can be, well, heavy, and it can be easy to pack on those extra winter pounds if you're not careful.
During my pie book endeavor, I became an expert in pie crusts. I recently tried my hand at biscuits. Where in the past I got flat rocks, this time they were fluffy, flakey and totally fabulous. I blame all that pie dough practice. It taught me how not to overwork the dough and to work quickly with cold ingredients.
Tis the season for bowls of warm soup dressed with fresh herbs and topped with homemade biscuits. Cool evenings call for huge pots of hearty stew filled with meats and veggies and this Chicken and Bacon Corn Chowder hits the spot.
