Hedi Slimane

Hedi Slimane –  Vogue, September 2013

 

Cookie Dough Cream Cheese Frosting

Oh Pinterest… how I simultaneously love and loathe thee.

Love because I’ve found countless inspirations for my baking (among other things). Loathe because I can’t believe the countless hours I’ve wasted on that damn website. But in all honesty, should I even say it’s a waste?

Not with THIS pin that I found only a week ago, and have since made twice. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough frosting. Dear lord, how it’s even made it out of the mixing bowl and onto the cupcake without first being completely devoured by my face is beyond me. It tastes pretty much exactly like raw, gooey, delicious cookie dough, only it’s very safe to eat as there are no raw eggs!

Because I don’t like anything that’s overly sweet, I made quite a few adjustments to the recipe. But feel free to try both versions! I can guarantee you will be making this more than once… this week.

Cookie Dough Cream Cheese Frosting
(adapted from Chef in Training)

Ingredients:
-8 oz. cream cheese, softened
-1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
-2/3 cup brown sugar
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 packet Dream Whip
-2 tbsp milk
-1 cup AP flour
-2 cups powdered sugar
-2/3 cup chocolate chips

1. In a large bowl or bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter.

2. Add brown sugar, vanilla, and Dream Whip and beat evenly together.

3. Add the milk, flour and powdered sugar (I like to add the flour and powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and mix before adding another 1/2 cup, just so it doesn’t go flying EVERYWHERE). If you’d like to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes, add a little more milk, 1 tbsp at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. I piped it the first time and I think ended up with 4-5 tbsp milk total. Tonight I just plopped it on top of the cupcakes with a cookie dough scoop (derp) and personally, I think it looks better when you just scoop it on like it’s actually cookie dough.

4. Fold in the chocolate chips.

5. Devour (cupcakes not necessary).

 

Chilled Soba Noodles with Kimchi Slaw and Homemade Sweet & Sour

 

Another incredibly simple lunch to take to work – especially if you’re like me and currently in a job where you are basically chained to your desk all day. Again, there’s not much of a recipe for this one, except for the homemade sweet and sour sauce, which in my opinion, is a hundred times better than any store-bought version (fresher too!)

One day I will attempt the homemade kimchi again, but for now I am content with Market District’s version you can find in their deli/prepare foods counter. It’s a delicious mixture of cabbage, onions, carrots and radishes, with a spicy tang that I just HAVE NOT mastered yet. (Kimchi = 1; Emily = 0)

Chilled Soba Noodles with Kimchi Slaw and Homemade Sweet & Sour Sauce

Ingredients:
– 1/2 bundle of soba noodles
– 3 – 4 qt water
– sea salt (to taste)
– kimchi slaw
– sweet and sour sauce (recipe follows)

1. Bring water and salt to boil, and add soba noodles. Cook until al dente, according to package instructions (about 4-5 minutes). Strain through a colander and rinse twice with cold water.

2. Combine noodles, kimchi and sweet and sour. Enjoy like there’s no tomorrow.

For the Sweet & Sour Sauce – adapted from A Family Feast

Ingredients:
– 1/4 cup brown sugar
– 1/4 cup granulated sugar
– 1/4 cup agave nectar or light corn syrup
– 1/3 cup rice vinegar
– 1 6-oz can pineapple juice
– 1/4 cup soy sauce
– 1/2 – 1 tsp chili flakes (to taste)
– 1 tbsp ketchup
– 1 tbsp cornstarch

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir to dissolve the corn starch. Cook over medium heat until thick and delicious. Cool slightly before serving or storing. (Can be stored for about a week in the refrigerator).

 

Hat Obsession

Thanks to Pinterest, I have a crazy hat obsession right now. Anything with a wise-ish brim, in either cream or solid black, looks amazing with a monotone ensemble, and gives that perfect elusive je ne sais quois quality to any outfit.

Will I be rocking this look in France next year? You can bet your ass I will be.

Photos: Not mine, but from various links across Pinterest :)

 

Banana Cinnamon Pancakes with Blueberry Compote

One of the best things about moving home has been cooking for my family – even though sometimes they don’t sympathize with my adventurous palate. Luckily, my mom has embraced everything I’ve cooked (so far). My love of cooking for other people has helped me realize that I need to make a career change.

This morning I woke up, and made my coffee, and decided it was a banana – blueberry pancake kind of day. Honestly I’m not a huge fan of blueberry pancakes, and I hate when the blueberries are added to the batter, but we had a ton of organic blueberries that were begging to be used so I decided to instead make a compote that could be spooned on top of the pancakes.

I’ve obviously been cooking and baking more ever since I realized my potential career as a pastry chef, and so I find it very difficult to use pre-made cake, bread, and pancake mixes. It’s just as easy whipping up a homemade batch as it is opening up a box and adding water or milk. But when I found this boxed “flapjack” and waffle mix I couldn’t resist – there’s a fucking bear on the box, after all.

COME ONNNNNN! <– and if you read that like G.O.B. Bluth, you earn 100 points.

My sous chef/baking assistant – Velvet. She’s my baby and always accompanies me in the kitchen.

Banana Cinnamon Pancakes with Blueberry Compote

For the pancakes (yields 15-18 medium sized pancakes)

Ingredients:
– 3 cups Kodiak Cakes whole grain pancake mix (if you’d rather not use a boxed pancake mix, follow this recipe by Williams-Sonoma. It’s delicious!)
– 3 cups water
– 1/2 tsp cinnamon
– 2 very ripe bananas

1. Preheat your griddle to 350 and grease with unsalted butter or cooking spray.

2. Combine the pancake mix, water, and cinnamon. Mash the bananas and fold into the pancake batter.

3. Using a ladle or measuring cup, pour your batter onto the hot griddle. Cook until bubbles begin to form and the edges are starting to crisp and flip. Yadda yadda, you know how to make pancakes. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

Yummdelicious pancake batter with bananas!

The beginnings of blueberry compote deliciousness.

For the compote (yields 1/2 cup) – adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:
– 2 cups blueberries
– 1/4 cup water
– 1/4 cup sugar
– 2 tsp lemon juice

1. Combine 1 cup of the blueberries, sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the rest of the blueberries and cook for about 5-8 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Serve warm over your pancakes.

 

 

 

Keeping It Simple

Sometimes the best meals are the simplest ones.

I am not a vegetarian, and have no desire to be one, however I do eat a lot of vegetarian and vegan foods, for no other reason than I just enjoy meatless meals. I must admit that when I do cut meat and dairy (especially dairy) from my diet that I physically feel a lot better, and I am aware of the health benefits of a vegetarian diet, but to cut these out completely? I don’t have the willpower or the desire to do that.

About a month ago I made a firm goal for myself to start bringing my lunch to work; for a number of reasons – for one, most days I don’t even have time to actually take a lunch, and eating out all the time is expensive. But most importantly, the selection of eating establishments within reasonable distance from my work is limited to fast food, so obviously the health benefits of bringing lunch to work is exponential.

This is what I had for lunch a few days ago, and in its simplicity, it was one of the tastiest.

Brown Rice with Garlic, Italian Herbs, and Avocado

Ingredients:
-1/2 cup brown rice
-1 1/2 cups water
-1 tbsp butter
-1 – 2 cloves garlic, minced (or if you are in a hurry, a sprinkling of garlic powder works fine)
-dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley or just an Italian Spice blend
-1 avocado
-salt and pepper

There is really no recipe to this meal. I cooked the brown rice with 1 1/2 cups of water, fluffed it with a fork, and then added a tbsp (give or take) of butter and mixed it in while the rice was still warm. Then I added the garlic and herbs to taste. When lunchtime rolled around at work, I chopped up an avocado while waiting for the rice to re-heat in the microwave, and added it to the rice along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Amazeballs.

Denim Obsession – Vol. 2

I realize I get pretty obsessive about things rather quickly, particularly about simple things, like jeans and tee shirts (or a plain ol’ chocolate cupcake). There’s just something about classics done right – so very right.

Enter the G-Star Raw Arc 3D tapered jean. Everything about these jeans is sheer perfection – from the nearly bleached acid wash of the soft Alpine denim to the subtle drop crotch. I’m really big into boyfriend/boy-fit jeans right now (umm, hello, my favorite pair happens to be a pair of MENS jeans from Abercrombie & Fitch), and so I like how while these taper from the knee down to the ankle, they are relaxed in the hips and thigh.

So yeah. OB-sessed.

G-Star Raw Arc 3D Tapered Jean; $200.00

Currently Spinning: Ghost Wave

Peach Cupcakes with Pistachios and Dark Chocolate

For those who reside in the midwest, such as myself, you are probably aware of a grocery store chain called Giant Eagle. They have begun launching their Market District stores, which is basically Whole Foods, Earth Fare, and Giant Eagle rolled into one and on steroids/crack. On Thursday the Cleveland area Market District opened – with a special appearance by Michael Symon! – and you would have thought the entire city of Solon shut down. The store, parking lot, and surrounding areas were packed. I was crazy enough to attempt to stop by on opening day (I missed Chef Symon, of course) but barely managed to navigate the labyrinthine store for more than 10 minutes. Seriously though; the crowd was crazier than the pit at Ozzfest, and a lot hungrier.

So today, my mother and I decided that after 3 days enough time had elapsed since the grand opening to tackle Market District again. It was still busy, but at least we were able to enjoy ourselves. They had enough food samples, wine samples, and cooking demonstrations to keep us occupied for over an hour. It was basically a side-show at a culinary circus.

Finally as we were about to leave, we headed over to the dairy section and stocked up on our favorite Chobani greek yogurt. There are these things called Chobani Flips that we are both totally obsessed with; flavors like Key Lime Crumble, Almond Coco Loco, and Peachy Pistachio, which served as an inspiration (knock off?) for the cupcakes I made today.

Today we celebrated my little sister’s 22nd birthday, so I thought it was a perfect occasion to try out a new cupcake flavor. They were a big success! The sweet/tartness of the peach went very nicely with the saltiness of the pistachios and the rich dark chocolate. I paired these with a crisp sauvignon blanc to offset the sweetness of the dessert.

My sister blows out her candles, while I try not to drop the glass layer tray full of flaming, peachy goodness. Notice how the last-minute baker is still totally scrubbing it in her bum clothes? That’s what I get for procrastinating.

Peach Cupcakes with Peach Cream Cheese Frosting, Pistachios and Dark Chocolate

For the cupcakes (yields 18 standard cupcakes)

Ingredients:
-2 cups AP flour
-1 1/2 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 stick unsalted butter
-1 cup granulated sugar
-2 large eggs
-1/4 cup vegetable oil
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1/2 cup buttermilk
-1/2 – 3/4 cup peach purée (recipe follows)

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and prepare your cupcake trays with paper liners. In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

2. In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, oil, and vanilla extract and beat to combine. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat until just combined, followed by the buttermilk. Add another 1/3 of the flour, followed by 1/2 cup of the peach purée. Add the final 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat to combine. Taste (yum!) and add more of the purée if you like a stronger peach flavor (like me).

3. Spoon batter into the prepared liners about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, but with soft crumbs. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

For the peach purée

-1 1/2 – 2 peaches, peeled and chopped, with pits removed
-1 tbsp of lemon juice
-1 tsp granulated sugar

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

For the frosting and toppings

-1 8-oz package cream cheese
-1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
-3-4 cups powdered sugar
-3-4 tbsp peach purée
-1/4 cup chopping pistachios (salted or unsalted, but I used salted)
-1 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

1. Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium high until fluffy. Added powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and beat until fluffy and you reach a good piping texture. Add peach purée and additional powdered sugar, if needed.

2. Fill a piping bag with your desired tip, and pipe a delicious peachy swirl onto each cupcake. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and dark chocolate. Take a bite of your cupcake, take a sip of your wine, sit back and savor.

Benny Gold X JanSport X Pendleton

For the love of all things Pendleton…

Image via: nylonmag.com/nylonblogs

It’s no secret, my undying love of all things Pendleton. There is just something about the rustic-luxurious quality and the Native American/Southwestern-inspired patterns that have always appealed to my festival-loving, tree-hugging, hippie girl self. My Pendleton X Anthro scarf/blanket/amazingness is still one of my favorite accessories – my go-to in the Cleveland polarbear weather.

AND NOW WE HAVE BENNY GOLD X JANSPORT X PENDLETON TO FURTHER FEED MY OBSESSION.
Dear god, the 90s child in me just freaked.

The small capsule collection features a few backpacks, a blanket, a laptop cover and iPad cover, which can be purchased here.

Oswego backpack & blanket set – $240.00

Saddle Blanket – $150.00

iPad Mag sleeve – $75.00

I may have to purchase an iPad just so I can have the cover. (No really, it’s that bad).

Also, can we please just look at the dog for a second? Love.

Sports Authority

I love getting my daily emails from WhoWhatWear, Net-A-Porter, Style.com and the like, even though sometimes their “trend reports” leave me scratching my head. For instance, no matter how hard I try, I just can’t get into the whole overalls thing. Sure it looks adorable on some people, but I can guarantee I’d look more farmer than fashionista if I were to ever try.

The sports fan in me, however, can totally get on board with the sports jersey trend, as seen here on Cara Delevingne (love her). I like her shrunken, cropped version of Scottie Pippen’s number, slightly different than the over sized jerseys we are used to seeing…

…but you have to admit the over sized jersey worn as evening wear is still pretty fantastic.

Especially when you combine two trends in one, like the fucking awesome exaggerated high-low hemline on this jersey dress!

Thoughts on sports jerseys making appearances off the court (or field)? I’m inspired to think of more elevated ways to wear my Baltimore Ravens apparel… ;)

Images:
whowhatwear.com,
reveal.co.uk
stylemoca.wordpress.com
theblondesalad.com