Super-Quick Cream Drop Biscuits

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I’ve had an annoying cold for a little over a week now.

I’m finally on the upswing, off the Robutussin and Vicks VapoRub, but I am still getting coughing fits every now and then.

Like last night. At 3AM. When Brad finally came to bed, I immediately got out of bed and hit the couch.  Because no one deserves to have to sleep next to this hacking cough.  No one could even pretend to be asleep next to me during one of my fits.  It’s probably the worst sounding cough ever. In the history of the world.

Ok, it’s really not that bad.  But I finally drifted off to sleep again last night, and when I woke up there was a gray light shining through the living room windows.  I hadn’t brought my phone with me, so I figured it was just past dawn.  I stumbled back into the bedroom, where the shades were down and it was still nice and sleepy dark.  Just for good measure before I zonked out again, I checked the time…

It was already 9:30! What was that crazy gray dawn light? Where was the hot summer sun that had been blazing in on us for what seemed like weeks and weeks?

Hidden, I guess. That melting hot sun was hidden behind a cool, foggy mist. And for some I-can’t-wait-until-fall reason, I jumped right out of bed, made myself a cup of tea, and got to baking.

Because baking during the day is completely out of the question when your apartment is a balmy 82 degrees before you’ve even turned the oven on.  But when the high is 73 and the sun is nowhere to be seen?  I preheated all the way up to 400°F.

I was making biscuits.

And not the difficult, layers of butter, rolled out, cut with biscuit cutter biscuits. Nope – I had been up half the night coughing. I hadn’t drank anything but herbal tea and orange juice and good old H2O for a week straight. This was going to be a quick, simple breakfast biscuit.  I was going to whip up some scrambled eggs with ham and have a nice, hearty, foggy morning breakfast.

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Thirty minutes later, as I sat down with my sleepy husband, my room temperature cup of tea (I’m really bad at tea), and my fluffy drop biscuits with eggs, the sun was shining bright through those front windows.  The fog had already burnt off and the white hot sun was pouring in on us like every other sunny summer morning before this one.

But I had won breakfast. The 400° oven was already off, and the thermostat only read a cool 75.  Plus, I had yummy, yummy just-baked biscuits.

xoxo

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Super Quick Cream Drop Biscuits

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cold and cubed
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp butter, melted
turbinado sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Mix the first four ingredients in a food processor or stand mixer until just combined.  Drop the dough in six equal parts (about 3/4 cups each) and drop onto a greased baking sheet.  The less perfectly round, the better.  Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.  Bake for 18-20 minutes.  Eat them piping hot right out of the oven.

Be still.

Be still

Way back in the beginning of July when i first got back from our glorious summer vacation (it seems like forever ago), I vowed to myself that I was going to come back recharged and ready to push forward on getting my new business up and running.

And push I did. Drive forward I did. I have made so many advances towards getting my pastry business (oh, I haven’t told you about that yet? oops…) legally running, and I’m so very proud of what I’ve accomplished even this far.

But today? Today I don’t want to make any business calls. I don’t want to take any notes or do any research. I don’t even want to fill any orders or come up with fun new ways to package things.

Today, I slept in until ten. I laid in bed on Instagram until eleven. Then I got up, put on a funky playlist, and whipped up some pancakes from scratch.

Today, I’m going to take Gibson on a couple of long walks. I’m going to bake myself something that I can put in my cake stand. I’m going to freeze cookie dough balls to eat randomly throughout the last of the hot summer days. And I’m going to go out and buy myself a nice bottle of wine to have with dinner.

Because every now and then it’s important to take a step backward from your two jobs and your non-stop life. It’s important to just sit. Be still. Be silent. Listen. Just look around and what you’re creating and where you’re going. Because creating a business and a life for yourself takes a lot of hard work, but it’s supposed to be a lot of fun, too.  I’m creating memories and friendships and learning a lot of lessons along the way.  Today is my day to just relax, soak it all in, appreciate myself for the good work I’ve done, and maybe go outside and get a little bit of sun while I’m at it.

In the near future, I’m looking forward to writing more.  I’m looking forward to sharing more challenges and recipes and stories. I’m looking forward to sharing my successes and my struggles. Because this blog has been one of my favorite projects I’ve ever taken on, and I’m ready to see it grow. I’m excited to keep it evolving and changing alongside of me.

But for now, I’ve got a sun to bathe in. I’ll see you very soon.

xoxo

Bring Your Produce Back To Life!

Brad has all kinds of fun kitchen tricks.

Maybe one of my favorites is when there is a bunch of basil – or a bag of spinach, or some carrots or herbs or whatever – that looks limp and sad.  Maybe it wasn’t in the crisper in the refrigerator.  Maybe we went to lunch after the market and left them in the car a little too long.  Maybe I took something out of a bag that it would have been better off left in…

Whatever happened, the produce looks withered and faded.

(hopefully this is not how you feel after that glorious memorial day weekend.  if it is, then use this same trick on yourself.  plus maybe a pastry or two.  i guarantee the holiday weekend hangover will be over in no time.  and – cheer up!  it’s “officially” summer!)

Just looking at those sad, limp, green leaves, you think you should probably just throw them away.

limp kale key of kels

Like this kale, for example.  I have no excuse, I just didn’t get to it fast enough and it sat in the bottom of the crisper out of a bag just a little too long.

But wait!!

I tried Brad’s magic trick.

limp kale key of kels I stuck the kale in a jar with a good amount of water.  I set it in a sunny spot, but not one that got direct sunlight.

And I – once again – forgot about it.
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Seems this week I’m just really not good at kale.

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But a few hours later, I happened to walk by the arrangement, and I noticed that the leaves were no longer touching the tabletop I’d set them on.

kind of limp kale key of kels kind of limp kale key of kelsThe leaves felt a little stronger to the touch.  A little more rigid and tough. kind of limp kale key of kels kind of limp kale key of kelsSo I left them a little while longer.  Just to see what would happen.kind of limp kale key of kels

24 hours later, the kale was pretty much 100% back to it’s natural kale-like state.

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I was really amazed at how it had transformed from being limp, soft, and inedible right back to being tough, thick, crunchy kale.back to life kale with the key of kels back to life kale with the key of kels back to life kale with the key of kels

I will admit, it looked so pretty in the jar that I kept it on my desk for a day next to the gorgeous protea flowers I picked up at the farmer’s market.

Kale arrangement with protea

Now I’ve had both kale and artichokes as floral arrangements.  This is either multitasking or a giant waste of food.

Kale arrangement with proteaAnd I just keep thinking of what I can do with all this kale…

So, I’m off to make lunch.

xoxo

Brad Turns 30!!

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I’ll tell you what.  The crazy kids wearing brown in that picture never ever thought they’d be living the life we live today.

They never thought they’d be living in Los Angeles.  They never thought they would be making a career in the food industry.  They never thought they’d have the plans and dreams in mind that we have today.  They never thought they’d be wearing such skinny jeans or such fancy sunglasses.  They never thought they’d live in such a fancy apartment.  They never thought that they would think 85 degrees at the beach was way too hot.

And they never never thought they’d be married.  They actually discussed how neither believed in marriage or ever wanted to get married.

Um…things change?

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Those two probably also thought 30 was insanely far away.  Or old.  Yea, they probably thought 30 was old.

But here we are.  Brad joins me at 30 today, and as he drives off to go into work to do inventory I’m about to embark on a crazy baking afternoon so he gets home to as many baked goods as a newly 30 year old can possibly handle.

And then we will celebrate all day tomorrow.  Because we have so much to celebrate.

I was reminded yesterday in a conversation with my mom how truly lucky I am to be in such a balanced, healthy, strong and loving relationship.  Brad is my rock.  He is my best friend.  I see how much love he deals out into the world, through his interactions with people and through the passion he puts into his food and his work, and I just feel lucky that I get such a big part of that love.

Happy, happy, happy birthday to my wonderful Brad.  Can’t wait until you’ve counted all the things and we can really start partying like a couple of 30 somethings.

xoxo

(these photos were taken in 2008 by a regular i thought was a little nuts at the restaurant where brad and i first met and worked together.  larry gave me these prints the day before we left orlando for new york, and i just loved them so i held onto them… i found them last spring at my parents’ house, and brought them home with me because they still make me so very happy to look at.  our journey has taken us all over the country and to so many different restaurants, but we were so young and so carefree in orlando.  the crew at citrus was a really special group of people, and that restaurant brought some of our favorite people into the world.  plus, it brought my very favorite person into my world 🙂 )

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Love You, Mom!

I was fishing around for some photos for a post recently and I came across a few gems that I had somehow skipped over.

My favorite of the bunch was a group of pictures that I had taken when my parents were in town back in February.  I was lucky enough to get off from work most of the week they were here and we spent some good quality time together.  This is a rarity, as when we are together it is usually non-stop planning and visiting and eating and everything else…

Not this time.  We actually got to relax and take our time and sleep in and just sit around and cook a casual dinner together.  You might even remember, we cooked some pizzas and tasted some wine.

And although I found enough photos from the day to put together a post, doesn’t this picture just speak volumes?

mom making cheeseI know the exact feeling!  Your first mozzarella ball!  There’s nothing like it!

My mom stayed at home with us three kids for most of our childhoods, and made us a home cooked meal most every single night.  She is a wonderful cook and I owe my love of cooking and being in the kitchen mostly to her.  (The cookie making part is all my dad…)

She can usually be seen dancing to Motown or Bruce Springsteen while she’s stirring pots or checking on meats in the oven.  And the things she makes in her slow cookers – although she always says they are the easiest recipes ever – are the best comfort food a girl could ever ask for.  They make the whole house smell like roast-y heaven all. day. long.  So by the time dinner comes around you are literally ravenous for whatever is in that pot.

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As I’ve become an adult, it’s been so exciting to share kitchen tips and dig up old recipes that she made for us when we were kids.  Her meatloaf recipe is still my number one (seriously, this recipe will make you love meatloaf), and she always puts out an amazing spread when entertaining people at the house.DSC_0174Love you to bits, Mom.  I am so very thankful to have you as an inspiration, a shoulder to lean on and – most importantly – one of my best friends.

Happy Mothers Day to all of the moms out there today, especially the ones who have loved and raised me. I wish you all a relaxing day full of love!

xoxo

 

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Music To Cook To: Ribs & Black Keys “Turn Blue”

It’s no secret that Brad and I are big Black Keys fans.

Brad’s been a fan for years and years.  He introduced me to them back when we first started dating, and I was drawn toward the bluesy rock, the grittiness but soul that they brought to the table.  I liked the simplicity of their first albums, with just guitar and drums.

Plus, Brad was really hot – so I probably would have liked any music he brought me.

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Since then, we have seen them in three very different venues.  We’ve been front row, just a few feet away at the Hollywood Palladium.  We’ve been underneath the stars in Liberty State Park with the Statue of Liberty practically behind the guys.  And then we saw them with my family at the Verizon Center in DC.

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But we most often listen to the Keys while we are whipping up something delicious for dinner, or driving down to the market, or over to Hollywood…

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Or just anytime, really…

DSC_0135The Black Keys aren’t just good music to cook to, they are good all the time music.

But if you’re throwing together some dinner tonight and need a pumped up, bluesy-rocking, but slightly chill soundtrack – throw on iTunes and stream their new album Turn Blue, out May 13th.

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Because it goes just so nicely with a rack of ribs and a glass of rose on a weeknight.

xoxo