Chalkboard Everything

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Since my recent move I've been trying to upgrade/only keep my nice things. I don't want any more items that were 'college acceptable' since I've moved into my new nice apartment!

I went on a crazy organizing spree last week and realized that the 'organization' of my bathroom items was a complete chaotic mess. I have had these UGLY orange wicker bins forever and just had them full of old stuff and duplicates of the things I actually use. Its surprising that a person (me) wouldn't notice they had 7 broken old nail files - that's how bad I needed to rearrange.

Just to give you an idea of how awful the bins actually were here are the same ones I had except these are round and mine were rectangular (as you can see above)

So I decided it was time for an upgrade. Purchasing bins seemed like a huge hassle so instead I wen't to the hardware store and bought cream spray paint. As soon as I got back to my house I began thinking of all the reasons cream was the worst choice. Bathroom things in cream containers? Hair products spill. Nail polish spills. Cream gets dirty and the whole point of painting was to make them more attractive not less! I went poking around in my arts and crafts box and came across my Chalk Board spray paint that I used to make some jars with chalkboard labels as gifts last year. Just so crazy it just might work? I remembered pinning these a few months ago and envisioned them as my final product.

After much anticipation while they were drying, and SO much hoping my roommates wouldn't be pissed that I did this inside our apartment, it was an awesome success :)

 

Finished Product!

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Sleep is for Weenies.

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I have extreme insomnia, and I hate drinking the same exact black coffee every day to stay awake. THIS is my favorite new way to enjoy coffee! It tastes like the best cookies you've ever eaten. plus coffee.

I am fortunate enough to have an espresso machine, but this could just as easily be done with heated milk and regular coffee.

Ingredients:
1 part coffee (I used 2 espresso shots)
1 part steamed milk
1/2 teaspoon of almond (vanilla works also)
1 teaspoon of brown sugar (or less if you don't like sweet coffee, I used about half of this)

Also, this week I bought a thermos. I mean obviously a thermos would keep coffee really really hot. Why have I never owned one before!?

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I wanted to tell you why I run - sometimes ride - away from things.

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Happy Valentines Day.

I have so many boxes blocking my doorway that it is physically difficult to get into my room. I can't find any clothes for work. I can't figure out how to set up the internet and TV(which I have done at every other place I've lived). But I made cupcakes for valentines day.

I decided the only way to channel my moving anxiety was to dig my electric mixer out of a box, buy only the baking essentials from the grocery store, and make some dark chocolate cupcakes with strawberry buttercream frosting - It was the correct choice.


Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Cupcake Ingredients:
1 stick of Butter
Sugar
Vanilla
Eggs
Flour
Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of boiling water

Frosting Ingredients:
2 sticks of butter
5 cups of confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
A handful of strawberries, washed and cut in halves

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat butter and sugar together in mixing bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
3. In separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, cocoa)
4. Slowly add dry ingredients mixture into butter/sugar mixture in VERY small portions (especially if you did a double batch)
5. Alternate pouring boiling water and dry ingredients until they are both mixed in well.
6. Pour cupcakes into muffin tin filled with cupcake liners (or an oiled and floured tin).
7. Bake for 13-15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Now for frosting..
8. Beat butter, vanilla, and confectioners sugar together in large mixing bowl. Add sugar in small portions so that it does not fly out at your face.
9. Blend strawberries together to make strawberry puree (I did this in a magic bullet but any food processor/blender would work fine). Then add puree to frosting and mix well.
10. After cupcakes cool, frost them with pink frosting and eat all of them. Or share them with your friends so they love you more.

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Everyone always leaves; sometimes its me.

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I am moving. I hate moving. I stopped counting the number of homes I've lived in after it exceeded 12.
But this time I am moving to the warm, sunny, happy Washington DC to start my first real job. So this time I am excited.

My dad and I went on a house-hunting trip to DC last weekend and went to some really great restaurants/bakeries/coffee places.

Baked & Wired (in Georgetown)
My favorite coffee place/Bakery I've ever been to. No lie, I would even consider this as good as the tiny coffee places in Italy where you wait in line to get your espresso behind a priest. I also stand by the fact that their cupcakes are better than Georgetown cupcake. Yep, I said it. In addition to their cupcakes I tried a sausage and cilantro biscuit that was to die for, and recreated them with my dad when we got back! (recipe later)

PAUL Bakery (in Georgetown)
My dad's favorite bakery dating back to our London days. With good reason, its fantastic. Get the almond chocolate croissant. I don't even like chocolate in my croissants, except here. Just do it.

Blue Duck Tavern (Foggy Bottom-ish)
My dad and I decided to get a bunch of different appetizer plates. I wish I had taken pictures of the food  (the lobster rolls especially) but we devoured it in a matter of minutes. I do however have pictures of our desert - a homemade Fig and Cognac Ice Cream covered in Goat's Milk Caramel Sauce. By the end I was actually skipping the ice cream and eating the caramel with a spoon.

Old Ebbitt Grill
Our favorite touristy place to get dinner in the heart of DC. Their seafood salad is my absolute favorite, I get it every time. It appears that they are known for their oysters, but oysters still make me queasy after a food poisoning incident in Paris so I'll leave that decision up to you.

Househunting
The not-so-wonderful part of our trip. We spent most of the time running around the city trying to find a new place for me to live. But we finally settled on a beautiful one with an amazing kitchen, gym, roof pool, and reasonable commute to work. (Below: me and my dad in front of my new apartment!)

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Christmas and Final Holiday Efforts!

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Christmas!

So for christmas this year I bought my parents a few things, but decided food gifts were the best gifts. My parents LOVE chocolate covered orange peels so I decided to make my own! I also made chocolate covered cherries (not pictured) and my own dark chocolate peppermint bark because bark is insanely easy and widely appreciated.

My Birthday

My brother and I nearly share a birthday so we got together with family to celebrate - my favorite photo of our celebration. My grandparents tried a new bakery and purchased us a really pretty cake. Cake was not the best I've had, but I'm picky.

 Chocolate Covered Gifts

Bacon, Gruyere, and Onion Bread Pudding
I made this savory bread pudding once before at a large event and stupidly overcooked it while trying to keep warm! I also had to watch out for other people's eating preferences and only put bacon in one of them. But when I made it for my family for our Christmas meal I added plenty of bacon and had it cooked perfectly. I want to make this again for a brunch situation, it was awesome.

Bread Pudding Recipe

Some Family moments
Me and my brother grilling salmon, me trying to show off my beautiful borrowed pearl necklace, and me and my cousin Jessica sipping eggnog.

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A very very late Holiday post

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Catching you up on my holiday season:

Turkey
I finally *successfully* made my own turkey! I had a giant potluck for my favorite holiday and supplied turkey, chocolate pecan pie, and some fried chicken appetizers. I have made one turkey before but this time it was perfectly golden on the outside and tender on the inside. Proud!

Brine Recipe Here

Me holding my beautiful, brining turkey.

Finished Product!

Chocolate Pecan Pie
Silly me, I didn't get a photo of the after! This is the before. I'll post the recipe under the photo - I definitely recommend this recipe! I actually am not the biggest fan of pecan pie, but this one with chocolate changed my entire view on the subject.

Christmas Cookies for decorating & Ornament Making
My friends and I had a cookie decorating and ornament making party right before our school break. Made delicious sugar cookies to have everyone decorate themselves and bought ornaments and paint at Michaels. Not exactly professional looking ornaments but we were "creative".

Sugar Cookie Recipe Here

Onion Gruyere Tart
These next couple of things happened at my family's thanksgiving! My dad and I made an onion tart that was the most fabulous tart in the world. I probably ate more calories than should be consumed in a year in the tart alone, but it was amazing. It had caramelized onions, gruyere cheese, and fresh thyme, all on a mustard glazed crust. It has inspired a few more recipes since then including a Onion Gruyere Savory Bread Pudding that I will share later on.

 

Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake
This was inspired by my lovely Roomie and best friend, Jamie. She made an awesome pumpkin cheesecake for our potluck and then I stole the idea and made a layered one for my family! (Mostly because I love regular cheesecake and pumpkin cheesecake and couldn't decide on which)

Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

Mom's Raspberry Tart
My mom went out on a limb and made an entirely new recipe and it turned out so great I need to post about it! Below is her Raspberry Tart with chocolate crust and glaze.

Raspberry Tart Recipe

Up North Michigan Things
Going to Northern Michigan after the holidays is one of my favorite things in the world. I knit my brother a scarf, had an accidental non-alcoholic beer (didn't realize until I'd consumed half), and went snowboarding with my family.

Our view of Burt Lake (backyard)

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