Happy Eating!

If you are new to this blog and unfamiliar with my propensity towards sarcasm, cynicism and self-bashing, well then let me refresh your memory about a few Thanksgivings, oh, and in this one I talk about ball scratching.  I never claimed to be a classy lady!  However, I am thankful for many things and YOU are one of them.  That's right, thank you for reading my silly blog and putting up with my siriously odd behavior.  Happy Thanksgiving!  xoxo  

Brown Butter Salted Sugar Cookies

Apparently I'm a huge fan of brown butter (see below), so when I found this recipe, well, you know the drill.  Basically, I started browning the butter before checking to see if I had any of the other ingredients.  Oh, but who am I kidding.  Am I ever out of cookie ingredients?  I currently have 7 bags of chocolate chips, so... yeah.  These are UNREAL.  The nutty brown butter paired with the sea salt is something else, and the cookie itself is perfectly chewy with a crisp exterior.  I rolled my dough into balls and then flattened them with a soup can to make them look PERFECT.  Because they should look how they taste, don't you think?  More brown butter...  

Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown Butter and Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Brown Butter Peanut Butter Cookies

Banana Bars with Brown Butter Icing

and...

Fried Pumpkin Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce

Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Shallots

You would think I was pregnant (I'm not, I'M NOT) due to the weird ass craving I've had lately for Green Bean Casserole.  You know the kind, with the cream of mushroom soup and the fried onions.  Or maybe you don't know the kind, because you're like Carson and you were born and raised in Santa Monica and you don't even know what casserole is.  If you need to familiarize yourself with the dish, click here.  I made it (for myself because no one else in my family is down with casserole) in all of it's original glory with one slight adjustment: fried shallots vs. the canned onion version.  I could eat those all, day, long.  And they were a delightful addition to the casserole.  I felt like a gourmet Midwesterner.  

What are you guys cooking up for Turkey Day?        

*More crispy shallots here.

*More casseroles here and here.

Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Butternut Squash

Thank you for your recipe suggestions the other day.  You all gave excellent ones (except for whoever suggested Pumpkin Pie, no no no no NO).  But the winner, or I should say the one that sent me running to the market for ingredients, was this recipe for a Skillet Chicken Pot Pie.  It sounded simple, and relatively healthy (no cream, no butter).  It also sounded unique, as kale and butternut squash are not classic pot pie ingredients.  This is comfort food at it's finest, people... a hearty meal that doesn't leave you feeling ridiculously full and fat.  I swapped chicken for turkey, because I found a roasted breast where I usually find rotisserie chickens and, 'tis the season after all.  If you're looking for a crowd pleaser this weekend - make this!  Later gators.     

*Photos by Katy at Chasing You Photo

Review: Dr. Praeger's

I was recently sent some products from Dr. Praeger's, a line of nutritious, all-natural frozen foods that the whole family will enjoy!  It sounds like they told me to write that but they didn't, honestly.  My whole family has become addicted to their broccoli, sweet potato and spinach nuggets.  Which is not an easy feat, by the way, considering my son won't touch a green vegetable (other than frozen peas).  The other night he asked for 15 broccoli nuggets.  And, like I said, you will enjoy them too.  You can tell that they're fresh, almost like you made them yourself.  Look for them the next time you're out!

And stay tuned for a homemade meal later on today...    

**Quick note: earth to Julie who won the Cake Stand Giveaway, if I don't hear from you over the weekend I am going to pick another winner so please email me soon : )

Milly & Grace Winner

Here is a horrible photo of me, because I am horrible. I haven't cooked or blogged in far too long. HELP! Tell me something delicious to make for dinner. (Also I chopped my hair off.)

I do have some good news though. The winner of the cake stand is Julie (the Julie who liked the ceramic berry basket). Julie, please email me your contact info! 

I will be back soon with some yummy food, once you tell me what that yummy food will be. GO...

Mini Pecan Cake with Maple Buttercream Frosting

Hello People!  The Milly & Grace Giveaway is off to a great start.  I'm loving all of your comments about what you would purchase, and now I want everything that you want.  Thanks for that.  You should know, by the way, that all clothing is 30% off right now with free shipping... get on that.   

So I promised you I would display something on my new cake stand.  Well, remember the gloriousness of this mini cake?  Yesterday I followed the same recipe, but threw in a tablespoon of toasted, chopped pecans.  Then I made a simple buttercream consisting of 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 3 T softened butter, a splash of cream and a splash of maple syrup.  A perfect individual cake for an autumn evening.  You should put on some sweats, cuddle with your cat, and eat it slowly while staring softly into space...   

Milly & Grace: Pink Cake Stand Giveaway!

Hello Gorgeous.

Before we begin, I have been missing.  Travel, sickness, broken computer, mom-of-two, do I need more commas?  You get it.  Even if you don't get it just say, Siri, I get it.  Say it to your iPhone, and she'll be like, whaa?  (That idiot gets nothing.)  But anyway, I woke up early to bake a little cake.  And once I bake my little cake, I'm going to display it on my new little cake stand:

Is there anything more gorgeous than that?!  Yes.  And I'll tell you what it, this entire website.  A dear friend of mine from college, Tim, recently moved to Nantucket and found himself working at Milly & Grace: a lovely inspired clothing and home decor boutique on the island.  The owner, Emily, named the shop after her two grandmothers, Milly and Grace.  As someone who named her daughter after her own grandmother, I find that very sweet.  If you peruse the online store ("peruse" makes you sound smart), you will find all sorts of items you suddenly "NEED" like I just did.  I mean, this woven plate with glass dome??  I need that.  This is the perfect online shop for unique holiday gifts, my friends.  Check out their Christmas Shop and Gift sections, and you will understand why.

Are you ready for the best news?  Emily is giving away a 10-inch pink cake stand to one of YOU!  All you need to do to win is 'like' Milly & Grace on Facebook and comment below, letting me know what else you love on their site.  I will pick a winner on Monday, 11/18 at 8am PST.  (Only residents of US and Canada eligible to win.)  Good luck and thanks, Milly & Grace!    

Brown Sugar Apple Cookies

I have been ignoring you.  I'm sorry, you don't need to yell!  Listen up, my little brother is GETTING MARRIED this weekend!  The little brother of Sirious Sips, by the way, whatever happened to those?  Anyway, my focus has been elsewhere.  But yesterday, my focus was on making a scrumptious fall cookie, and you should totally use the word "scrumptious" more often.  No seriously, try saying it out loud, right now.  Scrumptious!  Doesn't it make you feel joyful?  I found this recipe for Brown Sugar Cookies and I thought, why not add some apples?!  Two peeled, diced Honeycrisp apples to be specific.  I also added 1/2 tsp of vanilla to the recipe and a cup of oatmeal.  I had EVERY intention of drizzling caramel on top and sprinkling them with sea salt (Salted Caramel Apple Cookie anyone??) but my focus faltered.  YOU'RE YELLING AT ME AGAIN.  They were delicious on their own.  

Scrumptious!