Mmm...breakfast...

This fall I tried a few recipes from one of my favorite blogs: Smitten Kitchen. I love her writing style, photography, and so far, every recipes we've tried. The Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Sauteed Apples were no exception. Head over to her site for the recipe, and while you're there, search through the archives. I'm sure you'll find many recipes to try out. In fact, there are so many to try out, you may be overwhelmed and unsure of where to start. I'd recommend starting with these :)

As for these, they will definitely be making a reappearance at our breakfast table. My husband keeps mentioning how we should make them again. Mmm...yum...

Daring Cooks Challenge 3: Soufail

Dave and Linda from Monkeyshines in the Kitchen chose Soufflés as our November 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge! Dave and Linda provided two of their own delicious recipes plus a sinfully decadent chocolate soufflé recipe adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s recipe found at the BBC Good Food website.

I guess the point of The Daring Cooks is to challenge yourself. Otherwise why bother? Right? Unfortunately my soufflés didn't have the height that I was anticipating, and the tops burned before the insides managed to cook all the way. So, they ended up going in the trash :(
I chose to use this recipe for the challenge as it was recommended by another Daring Cook. I don't believe it was the recipe that was to blame for the not so edible results. I hadn't been feeling well, and cut a few corners to avoid creating dirty dishes, and I don't think it worked :(

Just a word of warning soufflés...this isn't that last you'll see of me...

Signs of Fall

Despite the unseasonably warm weather Minnesotans have been enjoying lately, it is in fact fall, and for us, nothing signals fall quite like whipping up a big batch of chili.

I use my mom's recipe (not sure exactly where it came from before her) and generally make some modifications to the amount of spice depending on how much I like the company how spicy my company can take it. This time I added a little bit of Penzey's Black and Red spice, and it was really tasty!

When I am too lazy to make cornbread (add to that the fact I haven't found a cornbread recipe I love yet) I fall back on the cornbread VitaTop.

Mom's Famous (Now) Chili

1 Onion, chopped
2lbs. lean ground beef
2 cans dark red kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 can chili beans
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 large can petite diced tomatoes
1 small can diced chili pepper
Red pepper flakes and Cayenne pepper (to taste)

Cook the beef with the onion. Then combine everything in your slow cooker. Turn it on and leave. Come home to a wonderful smelling kitchen and a tasty dinner :)

What could be easier than that???

The only thing that could make being sick bearable...

is coming home to this in your mailbox. Real Simple always manages to bring a smile to my face.

Nightstand Dilemma Solved

You may remember from this post that my bedroom was missing matching nightstands, and you might be interested to know that I have driven EVERYONE nuts trying to find the right set. Quizzing my more design savvy friends (do they have to match? what would "just go" vs. match? do they have to be the same color wood? do they have to be wood?) and multiple shopping trips to pick out exactly the right nightstands for the price and the feel of the room.

Mainly my qualifications were that I wanted them to be under $100 (ideally quite a bit less, but apparently quality furniture is more expensive than I had realized) and have a drawer (specific and random I know).

Last weekend, after much thought, we purchased these. My husband put them together while I handed out candy to trick-or-treaters. He was impressed with the quality (not top of the line, but not our usual particle board furniture) and I LOVE how they look in our bedroom!! I think they really add a cohesion that was missing before. AND I can now go purchase the Anthropologie handles that I want (which may have been the whole reason behind demanding that they had a drawer) :)

Photos to come...eventually...

Twenty-seven

What is it about birthdays that make us focus on the negative? I have to admit, 27 may have been my "scary age". You know that age that when you were younger you were sure that you would have it all figured out by, but as the age approached you realized that you probably weren't going to be where you thought you should be. Well, that's where I am today, and I have to admit, it might be easier to complain about the fact that I'm not in the career I had imagined I would be in by now, and we're still in an apartment instead of owning our own house, and we aren't really in the position to have a puppy or a baby, and unlike last year I am not in Italy...okay...maybe that's just me...and maybe last year's birthday was a little special (we were on our honeymoon after all!).

Anyway - I have decided to focus on the 27 things I love about where I am right now :)

1) While I may not be in the career I had imagined when I was 12 (though I suppose the only careers I knew about were doctors and lawyers) I work at a great company, and have the most amazing group of coworkers I could have ever imagined.
2) I married my high school sweetheart, and after 1 year of marriage we are as happy as ever.
3) Just because of some of those things I don't have right now, such as the lack of a house payment, and minimal responsibilities (no children or pets) gives my husband and I the freedom to travel. Las Vegas in December? Chicago in February? Somewhere hot in March? Sure!
4) I love that I have the room in my kitchen and the tools to really experiment with cooking and baking. Also, starting this experimentation in an apartment has allowed me to come up with what might be really important to me when the time comes to buy a house.
5) I have an amazing family - and not just the family I was born with, but also the family I inherited through marriage.
6) I love living in Minnesota. Although it is pretty much the only place I have every lived, except a brief stint in Michigan, I absolutely love it. I love the culture, the variety of things to do, the people, and even the four seasons.
7) I love being able to go to bed when I want and sleep uninterrupted until my alarm goes off. Apparently you lose that with puppies and children...as any parent will quickly tell you.
8) I love that I live a short drive to all the restaurants and entertainment the Twin Cities have to offer, but there is a wooded path outside my back door. And having a balcony that looks out on the trees isn't bad either.
9) I love that I know there is still so much out there to learn.
10) And it is great to have the support to try all those new things.
11) I love the things that I have gotten to experience in these last 27 years. Those things have all shaped who I am now.
12) I love that I have been able to cut out a little bit of room in our apartment to be able to create. The sewing machine and easel have a permanent home and I can use them whenever I am inspired.
13) My husband and I have great friends. Some are couple friends, and some are our own, but they are all wonderful. We can always find something great to do.
14) I live in walking distance to a wine shop...that's attached to an ice cream shop. I don't think you can get much better than that!
15) Even though I don't have children right now, there are plenty of them in my life. I love being able to borrow kids for the day and then returning them when they're tired (or more realistically when I'm tired).
16) I don't feel finished.
17) I love having time to myself...to read a book, to watch my favorite show, to page through a magazine.
18) Most people don't look at me like I'm 12 anymore.
19) My husband and I both have fairly stable jobs in an economy where that isn't necessarily the norm.
20) I love daydreaming about where I am going to travel next, and knowing that the dream can become a reality.
21) That I am much closer to embracing myself than when I was younger.
22) That we live close enough to family to see everyone on a regular basis (but not so close that the regular basis is daily).
23) That I'm in a place where I can start to determine what my decorating style really is...without too much commitment.
24) That I have finally watched Dirty Dancing though it may have taken 27 years.
25) That my husband doesn't mind doing the dishes...seriously...I lucked out on that one.
26) Today I love that even though it is Wednesday - I'm at home. Nobody should have to work on their birthday.
27) Did you know 27 really isn't old? And neither is 30. Frankly I've heard 30 is the new 20...so I guess that makes me 17...except without the braces.

Well, there we have it. And I have to say, I feel a lot better about this getting another year older thing after that exercise.

I'm excited to start out my 27th year from where I am right now.

Daring Bakers Challenge 2

The October 2010 Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up. Lori chose to challenge DBers to make doughnuts. She used several sources for her recipes including Alton Brown, Nancy Silverton, Kate Neumann and Epicurious.

The Daring Kitchen must be a mind reader. I've been wanting to make my own donuts (or doughnuts) forever. Interesting fact: donuts might just be my favorite food, and sometimes I dream about owning a bakery...though I may need some practice before making that dream a reality. (and to workout quite a bit more). My husband loved the results, but I would like to experiment a little more with different recipes/glazes.

I chose to use the Alton Brown recipe that can be found here.
This was my first shot at deep frying anything, so I was a little nervous, but overall it went very well. I did have a little difficulty keeping the oil at the correct temperature. For some it was too hot, causing them to fry too quickly, and others it dropped to low, allowing the donuts to absorb too much oil. I'll have to keep a better eye on the thermometer next time!
I rolled some in cinnamon and sugar and topped others with chocolate. I found the chocolate glaze recipe with a quick Google search here, but I think I will try a different recipe next time. It tasted fine, but not amazing.
Here is the yummy inside:
It was a great way to spend a lazy day. Next time, however, I'll invite a few people over, because this recipe makes WAY too many donuts for two people to eat.