Friday, October 21, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
new icing!
i made these cookies this weekend.
pumpkin cookies with brown butter icing.
they taste just like pumpkin cookies should. moist, tender, light with the perfect amount of pumpkin.
too often pumpkin baked goods (cookies, muffins, bread, even pie!) are thick, chewy, dense and stick to the roof of your mouth.
and i love that you have to pipe the dough on the cookie sheets since it is like a mousse.
however, without this particular icing, these cookies would be just another cookie. they work together beautifully, but the icing steals the show. mercy.
the browning of the butter brings a caramely flavor to the forefront and the evaporated milk kicks the richness up a notch. i love that it isn't a cream cheese base since i am not a fan! i believe i will be using this icing for my cinnamon rolls from now on. a true winner!
make it soon!
brown butter icing
4 C powdered sugar
10 T unsalted butter
1/4 C, plus 1 T evaporated milk
2 t vanilla extract
Put confectioners' sugar in a large bowl; set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add butter to confectioners' sugar, scraping any browned bits from sides and bottom of pan. Add evaporated milk and vanilla; stir until smooth.
pure magic. i kid you not. this will woo all your friends!
pumpkin cookies with brown butter icing.they taste just like pumpkin cookies should. moist, tender, light with the perfect amount of pumpkin.
too often pumpkin baked goods (cookies, muffins, bread, even pie!) are thick, chewy, dense and stick to the roof of your mouth.
and i love that you have to pipe the dough on the cookie sheets since it is like a mousse.
however, without this particular icing, these cookies would be just another cookie. they work together beautifully, but the icing steals the show. mercy.
the browning of the butter brings a caramely flavor to the forefront and the evaporated milk kicks the richness up a notch. i love that it isn't a cream cheese base since i am not a fan! i believe i will be using this icing for my cinnamon rolls from now on. a true winner!
make it soon!
brown butter icing
4 C powdered sugar
10 T unsalted butter
1/4 C, plus 1 T evaporated milk
2 t vanilla extract
Put confectioners' sugar in a large bowl; set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add butter to confectioners' sugar, scraping any browned bits from sides and bottom of pan. Add evaporated milk and vanilla; stir until smooth.
pure magic. i kid you not. this will woo all your friends!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
machines for everything
today i tried a new restaurant for lunch.
sushi freak.
the concept is genius.
it's a build your own sushi bar.
you can order one of their pre-made rolls: california, philadelphia, spicy tuna, etc... or you can pick and choose your own. you pick a wrap, seaweed or soy, pick your meat fillings (everything from krab to salmon to tofu to tempura, it's all there), pick 2 veggies and add any toppings or sauce you'd like.
it's like subway for sushi. you watch them make it in front of you and you're out the door in less than 5 minutes. very tasty, too.
it might be helpful to share with you that i love sushi. love, love it. i don't go for the wild kinds, but stick with fish i recognize, like tuna. most of the time i don't even have real fish and get a california roll. but, man, that california roll hits the spot.
a few years ago i developed the crazy notion that i wanted to learn how to make sushi, so i got a copy of sushi for dummies (highly recommend it) and made my own! i would love to make it regularly, but if you're not in the habit, it sure is a lot of work.
not for the kids at sushi freak!! they have these awesome machines. i couldn't believe my eyes. my favorite was a machine that put rice on the paper! that was the hardest part for me. you lay the mat down, cover it in plastic wrap, slap some rice evenly on seaweed paper then quickly flip it rice side down on the plastic wrapped mat, fill, roll up the mat, take off the mat, the gently remove the plastic wrap and hope your rice stays put. whew. check out this beauty.
sushi freak.
the concept is genius.
it's a build your own sushi bar.
you can order one of their pre-made rolls: california, philadelphia, spicy tuna, etc... or you can pick and choose your own. you pick a wrap, seaweed or soy, pick your meat fillings (everything from krab to salmon to tofu to tempura, it's all there), pick 2 veggies and add any toppings or sauce you'd like.
it's like subway for sushi. you watch them make it in front of you and you're out the door in less than 5 minutes. very tasty, too.
it might be helpful to share with you that i love sushi. love, love it. i don't go for the wild kinds, but stick with fish i recognize, like tuna. most of the time i don't even have real fish and get a california roll. but, man, that california roll hits the spot.
a few years ago i developed the crazy notion that i wanted to learn how to make sushi, so i got a copy of sushi for dummies (highly recommend it) and made my own! i would love to make it regularly, but if you're not in the habit, it sure is a lot of work.
not for the kids at sushi freak!! they have these awesome machines. i couldn't believe my eyes. my favorite was a machine that put rice on the paper! that was the hardest part for me. you lay the mat down, cover it in plastic wrap, slap some rice evenly on seaweed paper then quickly flip it rice side down on the plastic wrapped mat, fill, roll up the mat, take off the mat, the gently remove the plastic wrap and hope your rice stays put. whew. check out this beauty.
the sushi man put the paper on the belt, pushed a button, the paper went in and quickly came back out perfectly covered in beautiful rice. my eyes were like saucers.
i must mention the rest of my roll was completely made my hand, lest you think i was at a short circuit sushi bar. but, how exciting! i want one. the website says it has a hopper capacity of 7.5 kgs of cooked rice. i have no idea how much that is, but i want a hopper!
i think i would start the tradition of sushi sunday at my house.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
outliers
i love this book.
absolutely love it.
everything i've read by malcolm gladwell i've loved.
outliers takes a much harder and wider look at success; how people who we think are lucky or wildly successful had many factors go into their achievement. factors that could have happened to you or i.
to me, it is a wildly motivating book that teaches you to look at the whole picture.
his research is fascinating and thorough. i couldn't tear myself away from the book.
here is malcom's take on the book.
read it today!
absolutely love it.
everything i've read by malcolm gladwell i've loved.
outliers takes a much harder and wider look at success; how people who we think are lucky or wildly successful had many factors go into their achievement. factors that could have happened to you or i. to me, it is a wildly motivating book that teaches you to look at the whole picture.
his research is fascinating and thorough. i couldn't tear myself away from the book.
here is malcom's take on the book.
read it today!
Monday, October 10, 2011
a new fave
there has been a restaurant in sd i've always wanted to try.
charming does not begin to describe the atmosphere.
it is located in old town, on the same plot of land as the historic, haunted whaley house.
quaint old street lamps, brick laid pathways, creaky wooden floorboards - i eat it up.
charming does not begin to describe the atmosphere.
it is located in old town, on the same plot of land as the historic, haunted whaley house.
quaint old street lamps, brick laid pathways, creaky wooden floorboards - i eat it up.
plus, i haven't found a good cajun restaurant since santa barbara and i was itching for some creole dinning.
we're currently seizing the day and crossing items off our bucket list, so we gave it a try.
oh mama. it was so delicious! one of those meals where you wonder how it could be this good. you eat slowly because you know each bite brings you closer to an empty plate and you don't want to think about the horror.
the two owners run the place. literally. one cooks and the other serves. -side note: the cook had a straw fedora on and a tommy bahama shirt. i kid you not. - it is a very small restaurant and the service is slow (hey, there's only one guy), but why would you want to leave? historic pictures and plaques adorn the walls and the smell is delicious! the price is a bit of a deterrent, so we won't be going weekly, but it was amazing food and i'm so glad we had the experience!
media fast
the week before conference, our ward was challenged to participate in a media fast.
give up all non-essential media.
tv.
internet.
email.
music.
you get the picture.
after the media fast was over i still kind of forgot about most media.
but, i'm back.
give up all non-essential media.
tv.
internet.
email.
music.
you get the picture.
after the media fast was over i still kind of forgot about most media.
but, i'm back.
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