Dec
18
Alcoholidays
Bourbon Chai – Saveur // Charred Cherry Cocktail – Style Me Pretty // Cherry Whiskey Smash – How Sweet It Is // Cider Punch – Not Without Salt // Classic Mulled Wine – Style Me Pretty
Cranberry Ginger Spritzer – The SoHo // Gingersnap – The Best Remedy // Honey Sage Gin Fizz – How Sweet It Is // Hot Buttered Rum & Cider – Joy the Baker // Meyer Maple Leaf Cocktail – Quitokeeto
Midnight Milk Punch – Snippet & Ink // Mulled Beer – Magda’s Cauldron // Peppermint White Russian – A Beautiful Mess // Persimmon Margarita – Santa Barbara Chic // Pomegranate Margarita – How Sweet It Is
Pomegranate & Basil Gin Smash – Bakers Royale // Sparkling Ginger Prosecco – Front & Main // Spiced Pear Collins – Saveur // Spicy Ginger Man – Single Minded Women // The Happy John – Taste Buds
The Mint Icicle – Intoxicology 101 // The Snowball – The Boys Club // West Hollywood Punch – Ministry of Alcohol // Winter Sun Cocktail – Two Tarts // Winter White Cosmo – The Clever Carrot
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Dec
14
Holiday Cookie Extravaganza
1. Chocolate Coated Peppermint Cookies – Clockwork Lemon
2. Double Dark Chocolate Shortbread Cookies – The View From Great Island
3. The Perfect Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookie – Sweetapolita
4. Chew Lemon Snowdrops – Bake Sale Week
5. Vanilla Almond Orange Cloud Cookies – Joy the Baker
6. Molten Chocolate Cookies with Sea Salt, Rosemary & Orange Zest – reading my tea leaves
7. Tangerine butter Cookies – Better Homes & Gardens
8. Chai Shortbread Cookies with Sea Salt – foodiecrush
9. Chocolate-Caramel Tartlets – David Lebovitz
10. Pumpkin Pie Cookies – Betty Crocker Recipes
11. Nutella Waffle Sandwich Cookies – Just a Taste
12. Cinnamon Puff Pastry Bites – Noshing With the Nolands
13. Cranberry, Walnut and Feta Shortbread Cookies – Kitchen Tested
14. Brownie Cookies with Maple Bourbon Buttercream – spicy icecream
15. Marshmallow Biscuits – Ginger Fig
16. Soft Almond Sugar Cookies – Confections from the Cody Kitchen
17. Apple Pie Cookies – Food Pusher
18. Brown Sugar Cinnamon Coconut Cookies – Chocolate Moosey
19. Chewy Chocolate Ginger-Molasses Cookies – Martha Stewart
20. Salted Chocolate Brownie Cookies – Seasons and Suppers
21. Chocolate Gingersnap Cookies – Jen’s Favorite Cookies
22. Coconut Thumbprint Cookies with Salted Caramel – Martha Stewart
23. Cream Cheese Cocoa Nib Cookies – rachel cooks
24. Orange Butter Cookies with Grand Marnier Glaze – Find Cooking
25. Dark Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons – Barefeet In the Kitchen
26. Eggnog Cookies – Savory Simple
27. Fruit Cake Cookies – A Spicy Perspective
28. Brown Butter Ginger Cookies with Mascarpone Cream – Not Without Salt
29. Chocolate Peppermint Cookies – Fueling Endurance Performance
30. Cranberry White Chocolate Oat Cookies – Fabtastic Eats
31. White Chocolate Apricot Oatmeal Cookies – Provecho Peru
32. Peppermint Crinkle Cookies – Bakers Royale
33. Pumpkin Cookies – My Baking Addiction
34. Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies – The Novice Chef
35. Salted Caramel Shortbread Bites – She Knows
36. Satsuma Cranberry Sables – Brooklyn Supper
Dec
13
Baked Cider Donuts
For my birthday last month I received something I’d been wanting for months, a donut pan! It’s no secret that I looove donuts, like a lot. But yeah, they’re not all that great for you to eat. And that’s where the baked version comes in, it’s kind of like a muffin/cake donut and will satisfy your donut craving (it might take three, ahem, but it will). For my first foray into donut baking I went with some simple cider donuts that remind me of leaves falling and the market at Union Square where I always used to buy them.
Bake Cider Donuts
• 2 T butter (room temperature)
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 1/4 C granulated sugar
• 1/2 tspn salt
• 1 tspn ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tspn ground nutneg
• 1/8 tspn ground cloves
• 2 Tbsp apple cider
• 1 egg
• 1/8 tspn baking soda
• 1 tspn baking powder
• 1 1/4 C whole wheat flour
• 1/2 C milk
For the Glaze
• 1 C powdered sugar
• 1/2 tspn ground cinnamon
• 4 Tbsp apple cider
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat donut pan(s) with cooking spray. With a mixer combine softened butter, oil, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. Add in the cider and egg. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Add milk. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet and mix in between. Using either a piping bag with large tip or medium-sized storage baggie, pipe the batter into the donut forms. Bake mini donuts for 4 minutes, large donuts for 6. Place baked donuts on rack to cool entirely. Make the glaze by whisking powdered sugar, ground cinnamon, and apple cider until smooth. Once donuts are cool, dip either the tops or the entire donut into the glaze. Place on cooling rack over cookie sheet to drip and dry. Makes 24 mini or 12 large donuts.
Dec
10
Dream Christmas Dinner
Every December I fly back to Pennsylvania to celebrate Christmas with my dad’s side of the family. And while I love getting to see friends and family in my hometown, it’s always a bit hectic and I naturally wonder what it would be like if lots of things were different and I were hosting Christmas dinner at my house. It would (obviously) be amazing and no doubt tons of work, and maybe someday I’ll get the chance to find out. But for now here’s how the dream evening would go down, enjoy!
THE APPETIZERS
Ricotta Flatbread with Pomegranate Salsa – Family Style Food
Herb and Mozzarella Mushrooms with Garlic Toasts – Donna Hay
Bourbon Maple Toasted Pistachios – Lemons & Anchovies
THE BEVERAGES
Mulled Cranberry Apple Cider – the kitchn
Ginger Pear Cocktail – The Boys Club
Lemon Thyme Eggnog – The Kitchen Finesse
THE TABLE
Mono A Edition in Black – Peter Raacke
Mud Plates – Mud Australia
Cross Dye Basic Napkins – West Elm
Lempi Glass – littala
Evergreen Placecards – via Bloom
Raw Wood Placemat Set – West Elm
Spun Vinyl Runner – Chilewich
Mercury Votive Holders – West Elm
Numi Candle Holders – CB2
THE EATS
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lemon – Real Simple
Roasted Cabbage Slaw with Hazelnuts and Lemon – the kitchn
Orange and Pomegranate Salad – Brooklyn Supper
Domino Roast Sweet Potatoes – Brooklyn Supper
Corn and Potato Casserole with Gruyere – Some the Wiser
Quinoa, Sweet Potato and Dried Cranberry Stuffing – With Style & Grace
THE DESSERTS
Pumpkin Icebox Pie – Martha Stewart
Brown Sugar Custard Cranberry Tart – The Galley Gourmet
Spiced Persimmon Cake with Brown Sugar – The Kitchy Kitchen
THE DETAILS
Crackers – Toast UK
Wreath – IKEA
Votive Candles – House Doctor
Strasburg Tree Candles – Wisteria
Zinc Star Wreath Garland – Father Rabbit
DIY Holiday Gift Box Backdrop – Studio DIY
Mod Brass Trees – Jayson Home
DIY Wax Paper Candle Holders – Design*Sponge
Winter Playlist – Kinfolk Magazine
Dec
07
Happy Weekend
01/ Loving these driftwood horse sculptures.
02/ How to stock the perfect winter pantry.
03/ I never finish a bottle of nail polish, DOSE minis are perfect.
04/ I wish I had a big mug of this lavender hot chocolate in front of my right now.
05/ Lollipops in grownup flavors.
06/ It’s a little late, but you can still make a DIY Beer Advent Calendar.
07/ Oh my gosh, I want to hide a gift in this confetti surprise jar so bad!
08/ This Is a Memory, audio recordings of strangers’ memories.
09/ I’ll be eating more of these now that I know how to easily seed a pomegranate!
10/ Beautiful macro photos of snowflakes and ice structures.
Dec
03
Cranberry Curd
I’ve been wanting to make curd for a few years now, I even compiled a big roundup awhile back hoping to get myself into gear to cook up a batch. No dice. Then a few weeks ago I found myself with some cranberries and a little procrastination running through my system. Turns out making curd (such an awful word for such a delicious thing) is really quite easy. I’ve been eating it on everything from flatbreads to toast, literally dipping right into the jar. YUM.
Cranberry Curd
• 1/2 lb. fresh cranberries (a little over 2 cups)
• 1/2 C water
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 3/4 C sugar
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries and water over medium heat. Cook until the cranberries pop and start to bubble. Pass the liquid through a strainer into a bowl, using the underside of a spoon to press. Allow to cool to room temperature and return to saucepan. Whisk together the egg yolks and egg, then pour in sugar and whisk some more until combined. Add the egg mixture to the cranberry puree in the saucepan, and continue whisking until combined. Place over medium heat and whisk constantly until the custard thickens and can coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, one Tbsp at a time. Pour curd into a covered bowl or jar and chill for at least an hour. Keep refrigerated.
Nov
21
Creamy Pumpkin Bisque
This slightly spicy, super comforting Creamy Pumpkin Bisque has been my go-to autumn soup for the past several years. As soon as the temps drop just the slightest and the leaves start to turn, I have a pot of this easy to make crowd pleaser on the stove. It’s basically the equivalent of my own personal pumpkin spice latte, welcoming in the cooler half of the year!
Creamy Pumpkin Bisque
• 1 stalk celery, halved
• 1 carrot, quartered
• 1 yellow onion, quartered
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp pepper flakes (adjust for level of heat)
• 1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 C pumpkin puree (2 cans)
• 4 C chicken or vegetable broth (2 cans)
• 1 C heavy cream (or half and half)
Add celery, carrot, onion, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick to a large saucepan set to medium-high heat. Sautee until fragrant, roughly 5 minutes. Add pumpkin, broth, and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and remove vegetables, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. Incorporate cream. Allow to cool slightly before serving. So good with thick sliced bread or rolls!
Serves 4.
Nov
16
Happy Weekend
01/ A Banoffee Pie Milkshake – YUM.
02/ Baby Vincent’s Daydreams, illustrated!
03/ My favorite free printable 2013 calendar.
04/ Pretty handmade floral wallpaper.
05/ Adorable wooden breadboard cat.
06/ The Infinite Jukebox, turn any song into an infinite remix.
07/ This poster is such a great Christmas tree alternative.
08/ These panoramas of New York churches are stunners.
09/ These soap stones would make great stocking stuffers, right?
10/ Love this gold cat ears ring!
Nov
12
Dream Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving planning is in full swing! Notes are being made, grocery lists compiled, and the stress is building. We all know there’s no such thing as a stress-free holiday. But all of this got me thinking, if I had a group of fairies or elves or something magical that could cook, this is the sort of Thanksgiving I would like. Nothing terribly fancy, just a lot of good food and good company and a little decor to keep things festive. In other words, my dream Thanksgiving. (Links follow at the end.)
THE APPETIZERS
Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Roll – Boulder Locavore
Orange Sweet Potato Baked Chips with Thyme – Cooking Melangery
Cranberry Cream Cheese Crostini – What’s Cooking With Ruthie
THE COCKTAILS
Bomb Collins – The Boys’ Club
Autumn Apple Cider & Champagne Sangria – Kiran Tarun
Honeycrisp Bourbon Spiced Cider – Spoon Fork Bacon
THE TABLE
Aero Flatware – Crate & Barrel
Hand-Drawn Menus – Chris Silas Neal
Metallic Diamond Napkins – West Elm
DIY Neon Pinecone Placecard Holder – Camille Styles
Sarjaton Glasses – Verket Interior
Blueprint Paper Placemats – West Elm
THE EATS
Parmesan Polenta – GOOP
Clementine Ginger Almond Rice – Tasty Yummies
Spicy Honey Cranberry Sauce – Boulder Locavore
Maple Bacon Braised Brussels Sprouts – Authentic Suburban Gourmet
Kale Dressing – Bon Appetit
Nikki’s Sweet Potatoes – 101 Cookbooks
Sweet Tea & Citrus Brined Turkey – Confections of a Foodie Bride
THE DESSERTS
Warm Apple Pie Pots – Roost
Top Secret Chocolate Mousse – French Fridays With Dorie
Sweet Potato Souffles – A Spicy Perspective
THE DETAILS
DIY Bottle Hurricanes – Apartment Therapy
Give Thanks Banner – House of Earnest
Contemporary Wheat – Create Like Crazy
OTHER TIPS FOR A FABULOUS DAY
5 Tips For Setting a Tabletop Feast – A Subtle Revelry
Tips For Autumn Floral Arrangements – A Beautiful Mess
7 Secrets to the Juiciest Thanksgiving Turkey – Design Mom
Nov
08
Pumpkin Marshmallow Pie
Your head just exploded a little, didn’t it? It’s okay, hearing about this pie tends to do that to people. I mean pumpkin, marshmallow, graham cracker crust – COME ON! It’s almost too much to handle. Almost. This pie is totally unexpected, yet tastes a lot like pumpkin pie with the whipped cream/Cool Whip/what have you already mixed in.
Pumpkin Marshmallow Pie
• 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
• 14 oz mini marshmallows
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 pt. whipping cream
• 2 – 9″ graham cracker pie crusts
Using a teflon saucepan or skillet, combine pumpkin, marshmallows, and cinnamon over medium low heat. Stir continuously until marshmallows are melted completely. Chill mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator (about an hour). Once nearly chilled, whip whipping cream (a chilled metal bowl yields the best results) with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form (around 5 minutes). Set aside. Remove pumpkin and marshmallow mixture from refrigerator and beat with mixer until slightly fluffy (about a minute), then fold in whipped cream in increments. Divide mixture between both graham crackers crusts. Cover and chill until firm, roughly 2-3 hours. Serves 16.
Sidenotes: This pie is sweet. I’d love to mess around with the pumpkin-to-marshmallow ratio a bit or use a traditional pie crust in place of graham cracker.
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