Good Food

this past saturday i had the night free and a bottle of wine, so i decided to open the windows and do some summer cooking.  i made three of the recipes from 101 cookbooks {a new source of healthy food inspiration for me}, but this one was by far the winner:

sun-dried tomato cottage cheese muffins.

oh. so. good!  {and good for you!}

click on the title above for the recipe.  you won't be disappointed!

my personal substitutions:  i didn't have many almonds or any almond meal, so i simply substituted an appropriate amount of wheat flour.  i also used egg whites in the equivalent of 4 eggs.  i found the muffins stuck to the paper cups, so i'll be sure to just stick them right in the muffin tin next time. 

oh yes, there will definitely be a "next time."

{^}

Dinner Spinner

i absolutely love this idea.  

what a fun and helpful way to deal with indecisiveness! 

a brilliant DIY from dionne of the blog city of dionne.

Eating Seasonably

these charts were found on chasing delicious, a fantastic site chock full of 

recipes and helpful information for the kitchen.

a homemade holiday

have you flipped through the adorable holiday magazine from ruche yet?

in addition to a few of their pretty dresses, this online magazine is full of beautiful decorating ideas, delicious recipes, and other cute DIY projects perfect for the upcoming holidays.  check it out:  

                             Open publication - Free publishing - More arts

cinnamon roll cookies

last week i mentioned baking cinnamon roll cookies, which were delicious! 

several of you asked for the recipe, and since i just so happen to think sharing is nice... 

{borrowed from bakers royale}

cinnamon roll cookies

{i adapted the cookie portion from this bakers royale recipe. the recipe below is exactly what i did.}

yield: about 2 dozen

1. combine the following dry ingredients and set aside:

1 cup + 1 Tbsp flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

2. in a separate, large bowl, combine the following and beat well:

1/4 cup butter

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

2 Tbsp brown sugar

3. add the following to your sugar mixture, continuing to mix thoroughly:

1 1/2 Tbsp egg whites

2 Tbsp applesauce

1/2 tsp vanilla

4. fold in the flour mixture from step 1 {note: do NOT over mix}.  roll the dough through enough flour to dust the outside, wrap in wax paper, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

5. while your dough is chilling, mix the following:

1/2 Tbsp cinnamon

1/4 cup brown sugar

6. once your dough is chilled, flour two pieces of wax paper and roll the dough out between them until it is about 1/4 inch thick.

7.  melt 1 1/2 Tbsp butter, remove the top wax paper, and coat the top of the dough thoroughly with the butter.

8. sprinkle the cinnamon/brown sugar mixture from step 5 over the buttered dough {you may not need to use all of this, depending on how rich you want your cinnamon roll cookies to be}.

9. roll the dough into one long, tight, roll. wrap it in wax paper and chill for another 30-40 minutes.

10.  after your dough is chilled, cut 1/2 inch slices out of your roll with dental floss. place each slice on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 F for 10 minutes {or until lightly browned}.

11.  optional - slather with chai cream cheese frosting.

chai cream cheese frosting

 {this is the same ole recipe i've used for years, but this time, i added a bit of chai tea concentrate. yum!}

1. soften about 1.5 oz cream cheese and 2 Tbsp butter.

2. mix in the following to your cream cheese/butter mixture:

3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp chai tea concentrate {tazo or oregon}

pinch of salt {if you feel like it}

3. beat until your mixture is smooth and creamy.

****

so there you have it.  i almost always modify my recipes and play around with things until they feel right.  this recipe is just what i did, but feel free to make changes however you see fit.  my philosophy on baking and sharing recipes is pretty much the same as my philosophy about life in general - we all have our own path and we should each do what is right for ourselves.

happy baking friends!

chai tea s'mores

oh yes, you read that right, today i'm sharing with you the recipe for chai tea s'mores.  i came across this
 on design*sponge over the weekend and jumped up and down in my living room i was so excited!
and when you're that excited about something, you want to share it with the world.  

so world - in case you missed it, click here for the chai tea s'mores recipe!

the recipe looks a teensy overwhelming at first, but totally worth it if you have an afternoon free to do nothing but listen to records and bake {which just so happens to be one of my favorite ways to spend my
 alone time}.  in this recipe, the chai tea is infused with the graham crackers and they recommend using whimsy & spice cardamom marshmallows, although i'm sure it wouldn't be terrible if you used
regular marshmallows either.  seriously, can you really go wrong when making s'mores?

i can only imagine how magical these treats taste.
who doesn't love chai? and chocolate? and melty goodness?
plus, they look like fun home baked gift ideas, or a fall party contribution sure to wow the masses.
i think this needs to be next on the list for a lazy day baking extravaganza.
so friends... who wants one?

free recipe cards

well we have officially entered into the holiday season, and you know what that means? it's time to dust off your kitchen appliances, pull on those aprons, and get to cooking, baking, and mixing those drinks!  and what's a great way to make the process more fun? having a box full of cute recipe cards of course!  

if i'm going to be completely honest here, i have to admit that up until now, i've jotted recipes down on everything from scraps of printer paper, to the backs of receipts, to old worn out napkins.  historically, i tend to grab the closest thing resembling any form of paper product, which doesn't always fit nicely into a little wooden box, but i think i've finally come to an age where i'm ready for all that to change.  

so i took to the interweb on a search for sweet recipe cards and found these 

clean, modern, free printables {yay, i love free!} from a place for twiggs:

{download: cover}

{download: cards}

if those aren't quite your style, check out these links for a couple other free recipe card printables:

cute and whimsical owl cards on my owl barn, and fun flag buntings with divider cards on heartmade.

and if you have the spare pennies, might i suggest checking out some that aren't free? 

like these gorgeous wooden recipe cards from in haus press,

these cross stitch cards from mink letterpress,

or any of the recipe cards by rifle paper co.

recipe cards full of favorite recipes also make pretty incredible gifts!  i've seen stacks of recipes given as housewarming gifts, wedding gifts, and i'm thinking they'd make fabulous holiday gifts as well.
it's easy on your budget but has all the warmth necessary for a perfect heartfelt gift
{just go ahead and file that away for the upcoming months}.  

so how about you?  

have any favorite recipe cards to share?

{all photos from a place for twiggs}

gratitude

truth be told, it has been tough to get back in the swing of things after our getaway.  it was just so awesome to relax and explore and not work even a little bit.  but i have a full weekend of therapy to do starting today, so i'll be diving back into life full force.  to give honor to the past couple weeks of
vacation, i've been sitting with a great sense of gratitude.

here's what i'm thankful for:

beginning our week deep in the woods above santa cruz, supporting some friends as they made life-long commitments to each other.  one of my dream wedding ideas was to rent a camp and spend an entire weekend with our loved ones doing all sorts of fun wedding events out in nature.  that didn't work out for us, but it was precisely what our friends did.  it was beautiful! every moment was overflowing with love, more than i've witnessed at most other weddings.  leave it to two creative writing majors to make you laugh and cry,
through vows and toasts and goodbyes. sigh...

{btw, those fabulous earrings were a birthday gift from brandi, from the shop branchbound.}

this nutella sandwich cookie recipe. i tried for days to experiment with cookies, but made multiple batches of substances to which even dogs would reply "um... no thanks."  i just found this nutella cookie recipe though and i'm hoping to redeem myself.  when i told the mister of my plan he replied "more cookies?!
i am completely fine with that." fingers crossed!

and a few other things...

sleeping in late, reading in bed, and new magazine day.

a clean house, freshly folded laundry, and a record on the record player.

daydreaming about the future, epiphanies when you least expect them, and deep conversations about life.

and all the great new music out there {feist, st. vincent, gotye, beirut, zee avi - so much!}.

this weekend is the eagle rock music festival. sadly, i have to work and won't be able to go. blerg! i have such fun memories from last year.  we had literally just arrived home from our honeymoon in thailand.  we were exhausted but decided to head back out for the awesome free concerts and it was quite the crazy night!
if you're an eastsider, go enjoy the festival for me will you?

have a great weekend everyone!
goodbye september and hello october!

spoke too soon

okay, well it waaas feeling cooler when i wrote yesterday's post, but as it turns out,
summer is still going strong.  gah! i guess i'll have to be patient for a little while longer.

...but hopefully not too much longer, okay seasons? okay?  

i think maybe it might help if i start setting my boundaries.

...ahem...

dear summer:

i don't mean to sound harsh, but sheesh! get a clue. it's over between us okay? maybe in a year we can be friends again, but for now, i just need my space.  it's not you, it's me.  i'd like to try spending time with other seasons.  i mean, we're both still so young... or at least i am... compared to you and your billions of years on this planet.  there are just so many things i want to do in life, and i just feel like i can't do them if you're still in the picture. sweaters? mulled cider? roasting things in a fire?!  i know, this may hurt, but i just don't want to beat around the bush anymore.  it's not fair to either one of us.  so summer, please move on.  maybe you can look up that australia country?  she always seemed so into you.

best wishes,

kim

****

on the bright side, if you're looking for something delicious to do with those end-of-summer blueberries in your fridge, how about an open faced blueberry, arugula, ricotta sesame baguette with olive oil
drizzled on top?  oh my heavens!  you can always count on sunday suppers to offer the
most beautiful food inspiration. if you've never read it, go have a look. 

have any final summer plans?

tartlets

earlier this year brandi, dyan and i got together for a picnic brunch in the park.  we each brought a selection of food to share {oh boy was it a delicious spread!} and my contribution was savory tartlets.  they turned out well and i've wanted to make them again ever since.  I'm now thinking of making some to take up to the cabin for our romantic getaway in a couple weeks, and as promised, i'm delighted to share my recipe for the tartlets with you all {i modified this recipe from one i found online, but i don't remember where i found it now. whoops! but this is what i did...}.

{nope, these aren't mine, but they do look pretty similar.}

savory breakfast tartlets

ingredients
~ phyllo dough
~ 1 egg
~ 1/3 cup + 3 Tbls egg whites
~ 2 Tbls milk
~ feta cheese
~ mushrooms
~ onions
~ spinach
~ 1/4 tsp salt
~ seasonings to taste: basil, oregano, garlic powder

recipe
1.  thaw 6 sheets of phyllo dough at room temperature for 1-2 hours {no longer! or they will dry out}. freeze the remaining dough.
2.  dice mushrooms and onions into tiny pieces {i ended up using about 1/4 cup of each, maybe slightly more}.
3. shred about 4 handfuls of spinach and lightly fry {just enough until the spinach shrinks}.
4. in a medium bowl, whisk together 1 egg, 1/3c + 3 Tbls egg whites, and 2 Tbls milk.
5. add 1/4 tsp salt, additional seasonings to taste, vegetables, and spinach.  mix well.
6.  layer the phyllo sheets with a layer of pam or light brushing of oil between each sheet.
7.  after the phyllo sheets are layered, cut 3 long strips lengthwise {4 1/4 inches wide}, then cut 4 strips {4 1/2 inches wide}, so you have 12 squares total.
8. mold each square into a baking tin {if you use cupcake cups, make sure you spray them with oil so the dough doesn't stick to the paper}.
9. pour egg/veggie mixture evenly into the 12 cups.
10. bake at 375 for about 15 minutes.
11. sprinkle each top with feta cheese, loosely cover the pan with foil, and bake an additional 3-5 minutes.
12. cool and enjoy!!


modification:
if you want yummy dessert tartlets instead, simply replace the veggies and savory spices with a little cinnamon, nutmeg, and a drizzle of honey.  pure heaven!

****

these yummy, bite-sized goodies are perfect for sharing, and super easy to modify if you like other sorts of flavors.  as long as you have the egg and milk mixture down, you can really add whatever you want to change the flavor to your liking.  mmmm!!!

the answer to all life's problems

the answer to all of life's problems {other than duct tape and a hot glue gun of course} is definitely ice cream.  please, feel free to include gelato in this category.  i'm happy with all of it so long as it's
creamy, flavorful, and life-changingly delicious!

earlier this week i had one of those days - the kind of day that was filled with a giant happy surprise, but the sort of surprise that will bring with it lots of busyness and challenges.  i was promoted this week at my job which is a huge compliment for being at such an early point in my employment {hooray!}.  my boss sees something in me that she likes, and values the work i do with our patients.  it feels so great to experience this, especially since i've been doubting my talents as a therapist in the post-graduate school world.  it's definitely something to be celebrated.  at the same time, i will no longer have work-free weekends.  gone are the days of meeting up with friends on friday and saturday nights to hang out {unless of course people want to hang out with me after midnight. remember those youthful late night adventures? oh to be in my early 20's again.}.
so as happy as i am to get this promotion, i'm also grieving a bit of a loss.

what's a girl to do?  why take her handsome hubby out to the record store and ice cream shop of course!
 i don't know about you, but i tend to think that ice cream on a hot august day is exactly the right kind of
self-care for a crazy week!  in just two scoops of madagascar vanilla with almond espresso
chip goodness the emotional rollercoaster seemed a little less stressful.
ah, sweet ice cream!


photos are of carmela's ice cream, which you can find in pasadena or the hollywood farmer's market.  
i went there a few weeks ago and the brown sugar vanilla bean with honey lavender ice cream was phenomenal!

{1, 2}

romantic food

scones, with fresh preserves and clotted cream.

fresh baguettes with herbed goat cheese, {fake} meat, and veggies.

savory breakfast tartlets.

fruit, crackers, and various fancy cheeses.

quinoa with grilled veggies, feta, & tofu.

tea, lemonade, and a bottle of wine.

if you follow me on twitter, you may remember my call for romantic food ideas.  for our getaway up the coast in a few weeks, the mister and i will be fairly secluded from civilization.  we won't be eating out at restaurants, but we also won't have a full kitchen to work with in the cabin.  that means we'll need to take food with us which is easy to prepare and i don't want just any ole boring food.  no, i'm determined to make our
menu just as romantic as stargazing over the ocean {which we will definitely be enjoying!}.

any other favorite romantic foods?

ps - i just so happen to have a delicious recipe for the savory breakfast tartlets,
which i will share here in the coming week.


{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}

summer sips

last summer the mister and i experimented a lot with some sweet concoctions to serve at our wedding.  since we had a picnic wedding out in the sunshine, we wanted to be sure to provide a variety of refreshing, celebratory, and beautiful drinks.  here are a couple of the recipes we came up with.  please note that these recipes are to make several pitchers at a time, perfect for sharing at your next gathering.

{photo}

~ K+D's summer wedding drinks ~

passion tea lemonade

ingredients:

+ tazo passion tea

+ lemonade 

+ sugar

1. brew 8 cups passion tea {using 7-8 tea bags} for about 3-5 minutes {as you usually would with tea}.

2. remove tea bags and set aside to cool.

3. mix in 16 cups lemonade.

4. add 1 Tbsp sugar and stir.

5. refrigerate until cold & enjoy!

for two servings, brew 1 mug of tea w/ one tea bag for a few minutes. remove bag and split into two glasses of lemonade. refrigerate until cold. {the ratio is 2:1 lemonade to tea, plus a bit of sugar to taste.}

****

ginger limeade  

ingredients:

+ 2-3 whole ginger roots

+ limeade

+ sugar

1. cut off all the branches of your ginger and line up until you have about 12" of ginger end to end.

2. slice all 12" of ginger and add it to a pot of 11 cups of water.

3. steep for about an hour, until the water has simmered down to about 9-10 cups.

4. remove from heat and mix in 1/3 cup sugar until dissolved.

5. add 5 cups of limeade for every 3 cups of ginger tea/sugar mix. 

6. refrigerate until cold and enjoy!

for single servings, follow the ratio 5:3 limeade to ginger brew tea, plus a bit of sugar to taste.


****

oh so good!
and we all have that fabulous mister of
mine to thank for coming up with these blends.  yum!!!

kinfolk

thanks to a very helpful reader the other day, i was finally able to relocate kinfolk, the most beautiful food magazine ever {although i still don't remember who's blog i originally discovered it on - sorry!}.

kinfolk is a grand source of inspiration for the art of building connections and creating meaningful experiences around food.  there are ideas for small gatherings, sweet food dates for two, and even for when you're on your own.  everything involves food and meals, but the focus is very much on the bigger picture of life - beauty, reflection, intentionality, growth.

oh and the pictures -- {The Pictures!!} -- just gorgeous.

as someone who longs to rush through every meal, it has been a big deal for me to connect with this magazine.  now that i work at a residential facility for eating disorders, i've been making the extra effort to get to know food in a whole new way.  thankfully, kinfolk came at the perfect time to make things just a little easier for me.  i may still hate to cook, but maybe, just maybe, i can find ways to use food as an excuse to spend time with loved ones, practice mindfulness and gratitude, and get to know myself a little bit better.

the busy girl's guide to staying healthy

as most of you know i have a fairly new job where i'm teaching mommy & me classes, and oh boy! is it ever exhausting.  it's 6 nonstop hours of singing, shouting instructions, running, playing, and dancing.  i can barely catch my breath for the 2 minutes between each class.  so with my new busy bee life, i've had to find better ways to stay healthy.  and by "healthy" i don't just mean combatting all the germs one can catch from leaky kiddies {aaah! germs!}, but more so in finding good ways to maintain my sanity.

here are some of the things keeping me healthy in every area of my life.
maybe some of the things that work for me will work for you too?

mentally

when you spend the day singing with a
hand puppet, it's important to take time to
challenge the mind and feel like a grown up.
i try to read psychology journals, engage
in deep debates with the mister {we love
good ole fiery debates!}, or listen to npr.
that way i make sure to continue
 expanding my knowledge outside of
singing and dancing with the little ones.

other ways to feel mentally sound are
journaling, continuing your education
through workshops and classes {i hope to
start sign language classes this fall}, or take up
a new hobby {there are so many things i
want to learn how to do!}.

emotionally

i've found that it's essential to give myself a transition between work and anything else. we do this with kids in a classroom setting, but as adults, we tend to forget this important practice. when i get home i take an hour to do something that helps shut off my "work" brain and gets me ready to fully devote my attention to my personal life. some people like going for a run, cooking, rocking out on their commute home, or reading a good book.  i like to have uninterrupted quiet alone time that involves some sort of entertainment - arrested development, reading hyperbole and a half, or scrolling through beautiful photos on pinterest.  during this time i focus on letting go of everything that happened through the day and laugh as
much as possible so i can feel recharged and
move on to other things.

socially

i really hate schedules, especially when it comes
to things {or in this case, people} that i love.
but penciling in a date with the mister or coffee
with a friend is the only way i can spend
quality time with my loved ones now that i'm
working all sorts of weird hours.  i keep
these dates as i would any other appointment or
work schedule - once it's in the planner, it's not
going to get bumped, because being with
loved ones is probably the most important
way i can spend my time.  some of you suggested
protecting your "people" time by setting aside a
weekly date, like movie nights every monday
or family dinners every friday.
what a fabulous idea!

spiritually


i make the extra effort to wake up crazy early {5am!!}
so i can sip tea and write out my morning pages
{a type of journalling}.  i absolutely hate mornings, but
taking that time to get all those thoughts out of my head,
focus on my deeper life goals, and dedicate my day to
doing good is so necessary for my overall attitude
throughout the day.  i always feel so much better after
i've chosen to be quiet and listen to my inner voice.
i also try to write out what i'm grateful for at the end
of the day, so no matter what has happened i am
reminded of my blessings.  problems have a way of
seeming a little less troublesome afterward.
other ways to be spiritually healthy are exploring
different religious practices, meditating, or
volunteering for a good cause.

physically

to keep my energy up and avoid getting sick i make
sure i sweat for 30 minutes at least 4 days a week.
i also always get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night. this is hard for me because i have to wake up
in the wee hours of the morning, but i'm a total night owl!  so in order to fall asleep on the early side i end
my day with a hot shower and some relaxing yoga.
i use my yoga online to experience guided yoga
and meditation on the cheap in the comforts of
my own living room {they offer pilates, ballet,
and belly dancing too!}.  they have all sorts of
styles, levels, and time limits so you can find a
practice that's right for you in each moment of
the day. other people i know like to fit in an early morning run before work, join an exercise class
at the gym, or take family walks and bike
 rides in the evenings.

nutritionally

a few weeks ago i confessed how little i like to cook or
stop to eat in my busy day.  as i'm sure you can imagine
eating at my new job is especially difficult for me.  i don't have much time between teaching classes to eat, but i need more energy there than any other time in the day, so finding something healthy and easy was vital. right before i got hired, i was sent some samples of rush bowls.  thank heavens!   they're ridiculously healthy frozen smoothies, packed full of vitamins, protein, and fiber.  plus they have a great selection of flavors.  i pretty much live off smoothies at home, but i can't exactly cart my blender and freezer full of frozen fruit to work, so these little bowls have become my power-boosting snacks. go go gadget energy!  they come with packs of granola {or crispy rice, depending on the bowl}, and are ready to eat after a couple hours thawing in the fridge. they're perfect for grabbing a
few spoonfuls of energy whenever i get a free moment.
you can order them here, or you can find them
 at select whole foods.

so how about you?
how do you stay healthy and sane during your busy days?

{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8}

confessions on food

there was a time when i would go over to dannon's house, peer into his cupboards, and ask "where's all your food?!" sure his cupboards would be packed full, but none of it looked like actual food to me - it was all just ingredients.

you see, my relationship with food has always been fairly nonexistent.  of course i ate and of course there are foods that i'm excited to eat, but i never saw food as an experience.  in my home, we all just took care of ourselves.  we ate whatever we needed to, whenever we needed to, and it wasn't a special event that we shared together.  to be honest, i'm perfectly happy with having grown up this way, because i could really care less about food {gasp!}.  i know this is one of those things which makes me a black sheep of blogland, but there it is.  often i feel like food is just this thing that i have to do during the day, and when it's over, i can get back to life.  what a bother!  if i could get all of my nutrients, protein, etc. in a little pill that i took once a day, i would be in heaven.

so as you can imagine, i am not a fan of cooking.*  part of it has to do with the fact that i don't care about food enough to think all that work is worth it, but another part of me is just way too lazy.  i also often don't realize i'm hungry until i'm STARVING {read: i turn green, grow giant muscles, and am not responsible for the wake of destruction in my low-blood sugar path}, so to take 30 minutes at the point of hunger isn't a very good idea for my loved ones {or the breakables in our home}.  

okay, so before you quit reading this post in your disgust, let me get to the point.  i do like to be healthy, and since i must eat but don't like cooking, i often eat incredibly simple meals:
+ pitas & hummus with a small salad
+ yogurt & granola with a side of fruit
+ butternut squash & wild rice with some whole grain bread
+ fruit/veggie smoothie with popcorn

eating these sorts of meals, without the pressure of cooking or meal planning, actually makes the whole eating process a lot more fun for me.  and isn't that important when it comes to something you do 7-8 times a day {or is that number just for me?}?

recently i discovered some great food inspiration over on angela hardison's blog.  she has taken on a challenge to eat at least 50% raw foods on a daily basis, and is chronicling her menus.  isn't that wonderful?!  i've been loving scrolling through her meals to get other easy and healthy food ideas for myself.  eating raw foods has so many benefits - it's the healthiest way to eat, requires no cooking{woohoo!}, is incredibly sustainable, and very affordable.  all you really need is a good farmers market {or your own garden?...} and preferably a trader joe's.  and in these hard economic times, we need all the nutrients we can get for the least amount of money possible, am i right?

what sort of meals do you like to eat?
any food ideas for a lazy girl like me?

* note: "cooking" is totally different from "baking" in my book.  on a quiet friday night, with some good music, i find baking to be incredibly relaxing.  i love it so!


{all photos borrowed from angela hardison's blog}

easy as pie!

every once in a while i'll see something amazing online and think "i must have that right now!" when that something just so happens to contain the words "easiest pie ever," and i just so happen to have all of the ingredients in my cupboard, i tend to make a dash for my kitchen whilst shouting "it's fate!"

 that's precisely what happened yesterday when i saw this beauty on pinterest.  

{the photo that inspired it all}

i based my recipe on "the easiest blackberry pie ever" recipe, making a few of my own changes.  i didn't exactly have all of the ingredients, but the recipe really is so incredibly easy that i was inspired to make it work.  after a quick peek in my fridge, i decided to sub in strawberries for blackberries and phyllo dough for pie dough {which were what i had on hand}. 

gather

+ berries of your choosing {i used blueberries & strawberries, fresh from the farmer's market}

+ pie dough or phyllo dough

+ 1 egg white {about 3 tblsp. worth}

+ 4 tblsp. butter

+ sugar to sprinkle

how to

+ allow the phyllo dough to thaw for 1-2 hours {no longer}.

+ once dough has thawed, layer about 8-10 sheets with a light coating of cooking spray between each.
+ cut down the middle of the phyllo sheets so you have two squares {about 9x7 inches},
or trim to desired size.  {if you're using pie dough, simply roll it out flat.}

+ pile the berries as high as you wish in the center of each.
+ fold edges up to the base of your berries and press.

+ melt about 4 tblsp. butter and mix in about 1 egg white {this was just an estimate for me}.
+ drizzle the butter/egg mixture over the berries and crust.

+ sprinkle with sugar.

+ place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.

+ bake at 425 F {218 C} for 15-20 minutes if using phyllo dough {25-30 minutes if using pie dough},
or until the edges are that perfect golden color.

+ heap with ice cream or whipped cream.
+ enjoy!

yup, the perfect treat at the end of a long day, if i do say so myself.

coolhaus ice cream sandwich truck

can we take a minute to talk about food trucks please? i'm not sure if you have them where you live, but here in los angeles they are all the rage.  you can find just about every type of food packed up in a clever truck, each with it's own unique twist. for example, there's a grilled cheese truck which offers a sandwich with caramelized cinnamon apples & candied walnuts mixed in the cheese.  oh heavens!  

there are a whole bunch of food trucks on my "places to try in LA" list, but i've already discovered
a few favorites.  at the top of my list is the amazing coolhaus ice cream sandwich truck.

{it's so cute!}

oh yes, tis the season for finding creative ways to stay cool, and you can be sure, once i get a job and have some spending money, that i'll be hopelessly devoted to this adorable truck.  coolhaus creates
ice cream sandwiches on the spot according to your specifications.  you get to choose the
type of ice cream AND the type of cookie out of a huge menu of selections.

here are a couple combos i'm excited to try:

rootbeer float ice cream + ginger molasses cookie

olive oil w/ rosemary ice cream + brioche cookie

nutella toasted almond ice cream + snickerdoodle cookie

YUM!

and let me tell you, these things are enormous!

plus, each ice cream sandwich comes in an edible wrapper {made from potatoes with soy ink}.

having lived in constant 60 degree weather for the past 6 years means i don't remember what it feels like to experience hot, summer weather.  i'll probably complain a lot over the coming months {"ew, why is my skin sticky?!"}, but you can be sure this little truck is one thing i am greatly looking
 forward to during the upcoming hot days.

what are you looking forward to this summer?

and for those of you who don't live in LA, there's still hope.
coolhaus also has ice cream sandwich trucks in austin, tx and new york, ny!

{photos borrowed from coolhaus' online photo gallery}

put a stick in it!

for our wedding, the mister made all the desserts himself, including hand rolling a few dozen cake pops! oh my yes, they were amazing.  at the time they weren't quite so popular, so it was a rather unique addition to our dessert menu.  now, you can find cake pops all over the place, even starbucks.  YUM!  recently i've been noticing all sorts of other variations of pops popping up.

here are some of the treats-on-a-stick that i've found:

clockwise from left:  macaroon pops, rice krispies treats pops, & gingerbread house pops

clockwise from bottom left:  oreo pops, pizza pops, smores pops, pie pops {eee!}, & cookie pops. 

aren't these foods so much more fun on a stick?!
oh! and this is what we'll have to do after eating all these delectable treats:

{photo}

i actually still have a whole bunch of sticks left over from our cake pops, which leaves me wondering, "what else can we put on a stick?..."  and "can i find something healthy to make into a bite-sized pop?"  how about salad pops? no...
cereal pops? that won't work...
{...and is cereal really considered "healthy?"}
asparagus pops? i guess they're sorta already stick-ish...
veggie omelet pops? i think we're getting closer!...  

tim tam slam

have you ever had a tim tam?  i was first introduced to these treats way back in college, when i first met the mister.  his family is from australia, so it was essential that i liked certain beloved australian foods.  first came marmite {YUM!!}, then came lamingtons {OM NOM NOM!!}, and then... my life was changed forever! the stars aligned, kittens fell from heaven, my world - rocked!

that was a tim tam slam.  it might sound like a drug to you, and in many ways, it totally is.  i certainly crave it like crack, and it's best to have assistance when you take a hit.  i'm warning you now, things are going to be different after i show you this.  stop reading right now if you're content with the way things are, if you enjoy that boring desk job, or if your favorite color is beige.  seriously, just move on to the next blog in your reader.

but! if you are ready to take the next step in life, by all means, draw open the curtain, and be exposed to the wonders that exist! 

hold your breath, make a wish, count to three...

come with me, 

and you'll be,

in a world of pure imagination!

{in another life i totally landed the job of the female willy wonka}

the tim tam slam

ingredients

you can use either coffee or hot chocolate, but the mister loves to use Milo, the australian version of hot chocolate.  it's sometimes hard to find, but it's out there.  we found ours at a thai market here in LA, but it was in the regular grocery stores up in san francisco.  

then of course, you'll need a package of tim tams.  these are becoming much easier to find in the US.  i know they sell them at world market, but you may be able to find them in your regular grocery store now too.

Step 1

mix the milo & milk* in a mug that has a wide opening.  heat according to directions until hot {as you would with any hot chocolate mix}.

Step 2

bite off the corners of two opposite ends, as shown here.

Step 3 

make sure any long hair is in a secured updo position.

Step 4

submerge one of the bitten ends into the milo and suck it through the other bitten off end, as you would with a straw.

Step 5

when you begin to feel the cookie get soft and melty beneath your fingers, stop drinking and eat the whole thing.

Step 6

try to enjoy the ride of pure bliss, otherwise known as a tim-tasm!

and that's all there is to it! enjoy kids!

* some people like to supplement bailey's irish cream for some of the milk. i have yet to try this, but it sounds amazing!

UPDATE - dear australians, i totally agree, vegemite is FAR superior to marmite.  however, in the US we sadly only have marmite to buy, so that's what we eat.  i'm sure my husband would be THRILLED if anyone living in australia would like to send us the real stuff.  :)