loving love.
happy valentine’s day!!
brown tank, target / skirt, h&m (old) / shoes, jessica simpson /anatomical
heart necklace, lost apostle on etsy / tiered necklace, they roared vintage on etsy
the long of it.
sometimes a maxi skirt with a bit of leg is just the thing. and sometimes tuesdays needs a thing.
tunic, forever 21 (old) / denim shirt, it’s vintageous on etsy / boots, guess / vest, zara (old)
back in the game.
i have not been in the kitchen for what feels like weeks – i had the flu & was useless. but now i am on the mend & yesterday morning someone had a craving for shrimp & grits. ask & you shall receive.
shrimp & cheese grits with poached eggs(serves 2)
2 C water
½ C stone-ground grits*
1 C sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
¾ lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 slices bacon, chopped
3 tsp. lemon juice
3 T parsley, chopped
½ C scallions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 poached eggs, yolks still runny**
bring water to a boil. add grits & cook until water is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. remove from heat & stir in cheese. season with salt & pepper to taste.
rinse shrimp & pat dry. fry the bacon in a large skillet until browned; drain well. add shrimp to skillet with bacon grease. cook just until shrimp turn pink. add lemon juice, bacon, parsley, scallions & garlic. saute for 3 minutes. season to taste with salt & pepper.
spoon grits into a shallow bowl. top with shrimp & two poached eggs
*i like stone-ground grits as they have a coarser texture than instant but use what you prefer. if you use instant, follow cooking directions on the box
**to poach an egg: bring 2 – 3″ water to a simmer in a wide saucepan. gently crack each egg into the simmering water and cook until just set, 4 to 5 minutes. remove with a slotted spoon to a clean, dry dishtowel.
brown gets down.
happy sunday to you!! my east coast people are buried under snow while here i am sleeveless & open-toed.
tank, target / cords, star stampede vintage on etsy / vest, the industry vintage on etsy
shoes, jessica simpson / body chain, alapop jewelry on etsy / bracelet, naturewear jewelry on etsy
aloha.
someday i will see hawaii. until then, this hibiscus-esque dress will have to do.
dress, charlialana on etsy / vest (old), zara / boots, guess
computer love & clafoutis.
for those of you who know me & especially for those of you who have known me since high school, you know that computers are my nemeses not my passion. i am more of a pen & paper-type girl & creating – what i cooked what i wore – has involved a steep learning curve. that said, it has been infinitely rewarding to create something that, everyday, looks a bit more like the picture in my mind’s eye. and speaking of rewards, make this. you will feel like you did something really special even if you didn’t.
clafoutis *see note (serves 6 – 8)
butter for greasing the pan
½ lb blueberries
½ lb raspberries
4 large eggs
¾ C sugar
1 C whole milk
1 T. cognac
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. pure almond extract
¾ C all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
powdered sugar, for dusting
preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
butter an iron skillet & distribute the cherries over the bottom.
in a blender, blend the eggs & sugar until frothy, about 2 minutes. add the milk, cognac, vanilla & almond; blend until smooth. stir in the flour & salt. pour the batter over the berries & place the skillet on a baking sheet in the oven.
bake the clafoutis for 10 minutes. reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees & bake until the top has puffed (it will sink on cooling) and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out just barely clean (it will continue to set-up as it cools), about 30 minutes more. transfer to a rack and cool for about 20 minutes.
dust generously with powdered sugar & slice into wedges.
*clafoutis – (claw-foo-tea) clafoutis looks like a cake but has a custardy texture similar to, but different than, a flan. was that helpful? traditionally this not-too sweet french dessert is made with pit-in cherries as it is said that the pits impart a depth of flavor to the dessert. i can go either way but since this is one of my boy’s favorite desserts to make, we usually go for no pits because then he can eat it faster. for the clafoutis pictured, we used a combination of blueberries & raspberries because we were lucky enough to have just picked them – it is a flexible recipe.
eye of the tiger.
still working on bettering the photos but the tiger is the star of this show & i think he looks handsome.
tiger sweater, once vintage on etsy / skirt, thrifted / boots, guess / sunnies, therapy
back to basics.
my go-to uniform of jeans, a brown tank & boots, a fair amount of gold jewelry & usually some sort of fur.
fur, vintage yard sale score / tank, mossimo for target / jeans, h&m / boots, guess
anatomical heart necklace, lost apostle on etsy / tiered necklace on etsy / custom ring
sunnies from the ashbury flea market
buena suerte.
i don’t know whether this flatbread was the good luck charm the niners needed to win the game last sunday, but you should probably make it if you want something good to happen.
flatbread with melted leeks, prosciutto & cambozola (makes 8 slices, more if you are cutting them smaller, as an appetizer)
1 ball of pizza dough (you can buy from the market, your favorite pizzeria or make your own)
olive oil
2 leeks, thinly sliced – white & pale green parts only
1 sprig thyme
1C mozzarella, coarsely grated
½ C parmigiano-reggiano, finely grated
¼ lb prosciutto, thinly sliced & torn into 2-inch pieces
3 ounces cambozola, cut into silver dollar-sized pieces
chili flakes
in a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. add the leeks & cook over moderately high heat until softened, 5 minutes; add thyme. reduce the heat & cook, stirring, until very soft and lightly caramelized, 15 minutes. transfer the leeks to a bowl & let cool slightly.
preheat the oven to 500°. on a lightly floured work surface, shape dough into a 13-by-15-inch oval-rectangle-round shape 1/4 inch thick. transfer the dough to a baking sheet & with your hands or a pastry brush, cover with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. sprinkle the mozzarella & parmesan evenly over the dough, followed by the leeks, prosciutto & cambozola. bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden & crispy. slide the flatbread onto a work surface, sprinkle with chili flakes, cut into wedges & serve.
the buddy system.
i so lack the motivation needed to get myself to pilates that it’s almost embarrassing. truly. i need the instruction of a class because without it, as louis ck says, “i’m just standing there in shorts” (except for the shorts part – i don’t do that either). tonight i have a friend coming over for cocktails & in the spirit of lightening up, i made these – very simple, very delicious. i am also hoping that said friend will agree to be my exercise police. partner.
endive & lox (figure about 5 leaves per person)
endive leaves
crème fraiche or cream cheese
lox (i like wild nova smoked from trader joe’s)
separate endive leaves & place a small dollop (about the size of a nickle) on the bottom of each leaf. top with a slice of lox. garnish with freshly snipped chives.
whaticookedwhatiwore 