A DINNER STORY.

If you know me at all, you must know that I love to cook.  Yes, I love food...and I am always hungry...but there's just something so personal, and mostly gratifying, I guess, found in the process of transforming pure, raw ingredients into a wholesome, palatable meal. And perhaps it relates to what I love most about design, in that I find so much creative satisfaction in combining relatively simple things, but in new, intriguing ways...ending with a result that's distinguished, and perhaps never-before-thought-of.

Anyway, we have these friends. They are married. And awesome. And I love them...for a million and one reasons...but partly (like, a huge part) because we share the same passion for food. And the simple art of cooking: the desire to prepare your food so that you enhance its best offerings versus disguising them with too many flavors. Anyway, they tell me what to cook...a lot...and I do it. Because it's always the most delicious thing I've ever put in my mouth. Like, what I made last night:

Browned chicken thighs (my fav cut), brushed with *really good* honey, covered with an inquisitive blend of cinnamon, cumin, coriander, black pepper, and cardamom, and roasted atop parboiled sweet potato slices. 


Simple. Perfect. And well-accompanied by roasted brussel sprouts with bartlett pair slices, shallot wedges, thyme, and a drizzle of fresh lemon juice:

I love this part. 

Bitter brussels and sweet pears. Brilliant.

Easy-peasy pretty chicken.

Scraps are pretty, I think.

Happiness on a plate.

Enjoyed, of course, with a crisp Sierra Nevada IPA, Maxine Nightingale's pandora station...and candles. There's always candles.

Now, off to eat those leftovers...
HAPPY THURS.

HOMEMADE VANILLA SUGAR SCRUB:

A confectionery shower treat.

Not only is it:

Super easy.
Super cheap.
It's super delicious smelling, and is sure to scrub away that scary, winter-dry skin til it's buttery smooth.
Or, perhaps sugary smooth. Either way...it's ahhh-mazing.

MAKE IT:

3/4 C white sugar

3/4 C brown sugar

1/3 C olive oil

1 tsp vanilla extract
a few drops of honey

THEN:

Throw it in a mason jar...hop in the shower...and TREAT YO SELF. (Parks & Rec, anyone?? Only my fav...)

Or, wrap some pretty ribbon around it, stick a jingle bell on there, print out a nifty, thrifty cute label, and stuff it in a stocking. You'll be sure to delight whoever's so lucky to receive it.

Speaking of homemade gifts, did you see Cupcakes and Cashmere's holiday bottled spirits? So incredibly cute. I want to make me some!

HAPPY SCRUBBING.

Eggplant parmigiana.

I tried a new recipe from a lovely cookbook the other night and felt obliged to share it's ease and simplicity with you. I've been vying for eggplant parmigiana ever since I spotted those deep purple beauties at the farmer's market, and this dish was simply delicious. The recipe can be found amongst the pages of Jame's Beards American Cookery, a book that should be a staple in the kitchen, so I strongly urge that you give it a try. It surely won't disappoint. :)
(Recipe details listed at the bottom of the post).

...in 1/2 to 1 inch slices.

...with just a dusting on each side.

...in olive oil. When both sides are nearly browned, add two finely chopped garlic cloves to the mix.

Cover the bottom of a baking dish( I used a round dutch oven) with a layer of eggplant. Top that layer with a little bit of tomato sauce and sliced mozzarella. Continue to layer in this manner. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the entire dish and sprinkle liberally with parmesan cheese. Add sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Isn't this table just lovely for a rustic dish like eggplant parmigiana?

For this dish you will need:

2 medium or 1 large eggplant
2 chopped garlic cloves
Olive oil
1 lb mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
grated Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper

Mmm...i hope you delight in it as much as I did.

The Freshest.

Yay!! So we finally have our internet up and running again! Whoever would've thought you could suffer from internet withdrawals. I mean, unhealthy...right? At the very least I was awakened to other glorious activities...such as gardening. I'm so excited to say that I got my hands a little dirty and planted some herbs. No more buying a huge packet of herbs at the grocery and only using one measly leaf! I can't wait til they start sprouting and I can watch them grow....and furthermore...I really can't wait til I can throw a few fresh sprigs in with my culinary concoctions. Hmm...this maybe has been the best day ever :)

Monday Funday.

I'm so excited for this Monday afternoon, simply because it's beautiful outside. Somewhat on the chilly side still, but the skies are so blue, and I'm finally being reminded why I love Kentucky so much in the springtime. C and I spent the weekend out in Paris, which is 30 minutes north of Lexington, with our best of friends Grant and Kendall. G & K bought this amazing old gem in beautiful Paris, which is this quaint horse-farm town scattered with really cool antique stores and mom-and-pop restaurants. Anyway, our friends are in the process of renovating this gorgeous house, so C and I gave them our time and hands this weekend and had so much fun in return (I mean, what gets much better than skate boarding at midnight after painting and eating the best-ever mexican food?). And, I can't wait to show you pictures of the projects we've been working on. Kendall has this amazing style that combines every decorating aspect I love, so eye candy for the blog is sure to come. Hope you all had just as much fun this weekend!


I'm also pretty excited to share that the stuffed red velvet cookies turned out just as delicous (or maybe even more) than the recipe sounded. They were a little on the time consuming side, but glorious none-the-less. They're a pretty brilliant concoction--I mean, why didn't I ever think of this? Not too sweet, until you bight into the cream cheese pocket that's so cleverly tucked into the center of such chocolatey goodness. And there's even a bonus: they look pretty darn cute piled high on a cake plate. If you have the time, or really want to impress, these are a must, and can be found here.

Cloudy Day, Sunny Kitchen

Today's been one of those busy days filled with not-so-fun things that you're obligated to get done...like...taxes. Although it's chilly and gloomy outdoors, the gorgeous shade of pink peeking from the petals of a tree outside my window gives me hope that spring is on the brink. Which...makes me want to bake. So, I'm going to make quite the inevitable mess in my cozy little kitchen and whip up this new recipe passed along from my friend/fellow cooking connoisseur Kendall.

The only thing that could make this afternoon a teenie bit more indulgent is if I was baking away in this lovely kitchen, found via Set Design Thinking.


And hopefully, if all goes well in that kitchen of mine, I'll have some lovely pictures of my new confections to show on Monday. Happy Weekend!!