long distance love

(meaningofpie)

every year during the holidays 

i make a few famous signature dishes.

(ok, maybe they're only "famous" in my mind, but still.)

last night i made my favorite spiced sugared pecans, and today i packed them up and sent them off for my family to enjoy over thanksgiving. 

i'm not even kidding when i tell you these suckers are addictive. 

and i know nuts. 

put 'em on a salad, with cheese, in my cereal, on a dessert...

i love nuts. 

these are particularly good as an app at parties; i like to serve them in a pretty silver bowl, or on a modern, rectangular platter. or off of the baking sheet. it really doesn't matter. 

if you make them correctly, i promise you they will all be gone. 

and people will want more!

i've made them for a favor at bridal showers--packaged in little bags or boxes, they're simply divine!--or to go into a foodie gift basket with some homemade caramel sauce (put them both on vanilla ice cream. i dare you.), you get the idea.

but really, there's no need to pair them with anything. 

they hold their own just fine. 

recipe:

Molly's Sugared Spiced Pecans

(double or quadruple as needed)

*8oz bag pecans

*1 egg white

*1 T water

*1/2 tsp good vanilla

*1/2 c sugar

*1 tsp cinnamon

*3/4 tsp salt (i prefer kosher salt or fleur de sel)

*1/4 tsp ground cloves

*1/4 tsp nutmeg

preheat oven to 375.

line a baking sheet with parchment or foil 

and nonstick cooking spray. 

(you could use a silpat, but its much easier to throw away the paper/foil instead of cleaning off a silpat)

mix egg white and remaining ingredients in a bowl, then add pecans to coat. pour out on the baking sheet, spread out with spatula.

bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on oven temp and amount; i usually double this recipe. keep a close eye on them! you do NOT want them to burn. you'll need to stir them a few times to loosen them, and make sure all the sides are covered. 

they should taste crunchy, not soft, and the sugar and spices should have caramelized. 

once they are cooled, break them up and put them in whatever serving dish you wish! 

 i have a crazy amount of mason jars at home 

(obsession with serving summer cocktails in them)

so i decided to use them as packaging to send some goodies home.

yum.

i've spent the last few years building 

an immunity to iocane powder... 

but no matter how strong my willpower is in that arena, 

i still can't seem to avoid these spiced pecans. 

*(if you missed that joke, i feel sorry for you. 

do yourself a favor and don't miss these pecans. 

then go rent the princess bride.)

xo

leftovers

when you find yourself kind of over all of 
the pre-packaged sweets, 
but still desire some kind of treat...

xo

does this kale make my ass look big?

...hint: the answer is no.

feeling very "la" as i write this. 

smileyfaceohmahgahlol!

anyway.

i'm always on the lookout for easy, healthy snacks;

most especially ones that the girls will eat. 

so when my fabulous girlfriend sonya told me about these "chips" yesterday, i knew i had to try them.

turns out i had the ingredients already in the kitch, so i whipped some up this morning. 

not only did the girls enjoy them, we wolfed down two batches between the three of us! 

y-u-m! go getcha some. 

kale chips

*1 bunch of kale (dinosaur is my fave, but really whatever you can find fresh & in season!)

*kosher, sea, or your fave salt

*extra virgin olive oil

1. preheat your oven to 350. line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. remove the leaves from the thick stems with kitchen scissors or a pairing knife; tear into bite-sized pieces. 

3. wash really well, and spin dry in a salad spinner. 

4. put the kale on your baking sheet, give it a drizzle of olive oil & a sprinkling of salt. i also put some freshly ground black pepper on my second batch for a little heat.

5. bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges of your kale are brown but not burned. 

6. try not to eat them all at once. just try. 

these babies are my new go-to! can't wait to pack some up in a picnic lunch or put some out as a dinner party app sometime soon! plus, i started with the basics on my first go-round; i can't wait to try some new flavor combinations! 

*literally as i'm writing this, a girlfriend just texted me 

about using lime zest & kosher salt... 

mmmm, now i want margaritas with it! 

hey, with all the calories i'm saving 

by eating this healthy snack vs some other alternatives

--there are about 58 calories in this recipe!--

i think i can afford one. 

salud!

xo

ps. let me know if you try this; 

i'd love to get some more ideas for flavor combos!

blackberry crisp!

so because my mind is buried in piles of cardboard boxes, baby wipes, dirty laundry, and topped with that singular kate spade snakeskin heel i could have sworn was lost forever (its found! oh happy day!!!), i forgot to include the recipe from yesterday's awesome interview with tanya ryno. 

shame.

so!

here 'tis.

go make it. 

i'm gonna.

(via papertastebuds)

tanya ryno's blackberry crisp

Topping:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 5 cups blackberries (three 5.6- to 6-ounce packages)
• 1/4 cup sugar

For topping: 

Whisk flour, golden brown sugar, lemon peel, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add melted butter and vanilla; stir until evenly moistened but crumbly. DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

For filling:

Whisk eggs in large bowl to blend. Whisk in crème fraîche and vanilla. Add 1 tablespoon flour; whisk to blend. do ahead Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Rewhisk before continuing.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 8x10- inch oval ceramic dish. Place berries in large bowl. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup flour and sugar over; toss to coat. Transfer to prepared dish. Pour egg mixture evenly over fruit. Using fingers, crumble topping over fruit, distributing evenly.

Bake crisp until custard is set and topping is golden brown, about 55 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour before serving.

Scoop crisp into bowls. 

Can be served with vanilla ice cream.

(HELL YES it can!)
this sounds so amazing, and i can't wait to make it. 

thanks again, tanya!!!

xo

saturday at the zoo

happy weekending!  

(via inhouserecpies)

having a one of my all-time fave brekkies this morning; you absolutely must try it! 

i make this almost once a week, and it saves beautifully in the fridge so you can enjoy it again--if there are any leftovers. 

(via amateurgourmet)

i have a major infatuation with ina garten, aka the barefoot contessa, & this recipe, like many of my favorites, is hers. i change it up, add or sub things here & there depending on what i have on hand, or what i feel like that day.  its delicious, easy, & healthy! its the perfect dish for houseguests, or for a long weekend at the lake. or the mountains. 

or anywhere. enjoy!

ina's sunday morning oatmeal

(recipe courtesy of ina garten via food network)

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups quick oats

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 banana, sliced

1/2 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup golden raisin

2 tablespoons maple syrup 

or 2 tablespoons brown sugar, to taste

1 Heat milk plus 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan until it starts to simmer. Add oatmeal and salt, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.

2 Remove from heat. Add your stir-ins: banana slices, cherries, raisins, or whatever you are using. Cover, and let stand 2 minutes. Serve hot with a drizzle of maple syrup or sprinkle of brown sugar to taste, cinnamon if desired. You may also add extra milk to taste.

3 Suggestions for stir-ins: chopped walnuts, slivered almonds, minced dried apricot, chopped apple (dried or fresh) etc.

taking my girls to the zoo later to see the cloud leopards. my 5 year old has been waiting for the new exhibit to open for over a month now, and has been marking the days on her calendar. so sweet. the weather in atlanta has been shite all week, so i'm really looking forward to getting out in the sunshine! 

 movie reviews (2!), more recipes, & possible recipe for disaster comin your way soon!  have a fabulous weekend. 

xo

ps... who else is excited about THIS?!

guess who's coming to dinner?

anyone who knows me knows 

that i love to entertain. 

(via pinkofperfection)

being surrounded by my family & friends is my favorite way to be. i truly believe, almost always, that the more, the merrier!

last night, though, i had an intimate little dinner party with my brother and his wife, 

and it was just right.

soundtrack: my adele/ray lamontagne 

Pandora station

(images via idolator & lastfm)

candle: 

(via anthro)

i put together one of my all-time fave, quick as two shakes of a lambs' tail salad:

fresh, organic spinach; organic strawberries; toasted pecans (or walnuts, whatever you have--i often candy mine, too, using the same recipe i do for making huge batches during the holidays. they are ridic; i'll have to share that in another post!); gorgonzola; & poppy seed dressing. it is so good. 

then i cooked up some delish lemon chicken & roasted asparagus with parmigiano-reggiano (i add the cheese 5 mins before its done cooking so it will melt perfectly). it was super simple; cooked in the kitchen while we caught up over a couple glasses of wine (and of course munched on a little app platter i threw together with what i had on hand: hummus, crackers, cherry tomatoes & baby carrots).  

(images via foodnetwork)

don't worry, i didn't stop there. 

for a little something fun for dessert, i made 

these amazing chocolate almond milkshakes. 

damn, they were good!

(kellikanophotography)

you must try them.

it was awesome. 

just the dose of grown-up conversation i needed. and of course the wine. there's always that.

tonight i'm going to be watching a movie that i'll be sure and fill you in on tomorrow. 

i haven't decided what yet, but i want to make this whole movie review thing a staple 

round these parts... 

there may or may not be excessive amounts of wine involved.

any film faves?

have a fabulous day, darlings! 

xo