Happy friday & Minni Recap

I was just scrolling through the blog and correct me if I am wrong but I haven’t shared any photos from my trip to Minneapolis!! I can not believe this to be honest because we had a fantastic tine and by the way it was a freezing (weather was -5). Spring is fast approaching and I think this is my last chance to show pictures of us frolicking in the snow.

I am so excited for the weekend on another note. I have a few shots to share of Mexico still! I guess tho can wait till next week. Enjoy your days off!

Blueberry Crisps

Blueberry Crisps! …probably one of the easiest and most flavorful yet simple dishes I have made in a while {ok maybe ever}. They are tart, buttery crumbly and soft all at once. What more does a girl {or guy} need? I find that you can eat it for almost every meal: breakfast, lunch and dinner..its all purpose dish. I think we finished it in a single day.

Ingredients

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup butter

3 cups blueberries

1 tablespoons lemon juice

Mix together the flour, 1/2 cup of the sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and milk. Cut the butter into the mix, and knead into the flour until it begins to look like course crumbs. Squeeze some of the mixture in your hand, it should stay intact and form a ball, but should break apart easily with your fingers. If it won’t stay together, add more butter. If it won’t come apart, add more flour. Pour half of the mix into a greased 9×13 baking dish. Press down firmly until it forms a crust.

Toss the blueberries, 1/4 cup sugar and lemon juice together. Pour the berries over the crust and spread evenly along the first layer. Sprinkle the rest of the crust mixture over top and lightly press into another layer.

Bake in the oven at 350º 30-40 minutes, or until the crust begins to brown. Allow to cool, and then cutheck out the Cozy Kitchen for the recipe.

Little Luxuries {A Piece of Toast}

Good Morning friends! I have a feeling today is going to be a good day, don’t you?  And today is the first day of our Little Luxuries feature! Somehow, I can not recall, I stumbled upon the most glorious blog called A Piece of Toast and they have been kind enough to share.  Ok, enough from me – meet Molly and Sally!

(Images 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

 

First and foremost, we would like to thank Maya for inviting us to do this guest post.  We have truly loved guest posting and getting to know other bloggers.  The blog world has been an incredible creative outlet for us and we love that.

When Maya gave us the topic of “Little Luxuries” we really had to think about this one.  Both Molly and I agreed that our little luxuries week in and week out is GOOD food.  (Does that qualify as a little luxury?!) A ridiculously good meal is something we both constantly love to indulge in, but at the same time we know that it is a luxury.  Growing up our mom made a point to have home cooked meals around the dinner table five nights a week.  Which, in this day in age is a total rarity.  Still to this day when we make the trip home to Kansas City we most look forward to our moms home cooked meals.  She is an AMAZING cook (think Ina Garten reincarnated).  Our family shows their love for each other by making a yummy meal – we always got to pick our favorite meal of our moms on our birthdays.  Or baking a birthday cake for each other – our mom makes a famous chocolate birthday cake and has been making it since 1987 for each of our birthdays.  Molly even made Sally a red velvet cake from scratch on her birthday this past summer!  Meals are a time to unwind, eat food that wants to make you scream it’s so good, and spend much needed time with good friends and family.  What is more luxurious than that!?

With our blog being called “A Piece of Toast” and our little luxury being “food” can you tell that we’re sort of obsessed with yummy food!?

Little Luxuries

Friends, guess what?! I have rounded up some blogger friends to participate in a blogger series called “Little Luxuries” and I am so excited to see their answers. In this feature, we will be discussing the splurges in life whether it be tasty treats, expensive shoes, lavish vacations, movie night,…get the idea? I thought it would be fun to start the series with what I consider my little luxuries…so now onto the good stuff!

{Number 1} and most favorite purchase usually is a Swatch watch. They are so cute + unique. Just perfect for me and any outfit.

{Number two} on list is my surroundings. My home is my sanctuary and I must surround myself with inspiration and a comfortable environment.

{Number 3} Ahhh, my latest luxury purchase which is not yet purchased but I am saving up for a Mac Book Air!! So excited to have a new gadget.

{Number 4} Zuni Cafe!!! Have you been? It is in my top 5 favorite restaurants in SF. They have the best burger, caesar salad, fries and Bloody Mary!

{Number 5} My major weakness aside from ice cream is shopping. I can’t help myself from buying new clothes sometimes..it is a bad habit that I am trying to work on..But now I shop with a new attitude – “If she can’t afford it, she won’t buy it. If it doesn’t fit (or make her feel good, or flaunt what she’s got), she won’t wear it. If she can’t find it, she won’t compromise. If she loves it, she won’t toss it. She reuses it, rethinks it, lets it age.“

Bon Weekend

…aren’t these double chocolate espresso pound cake with rose-scented cream cheese frosting cupcakes perfect? (the name is a mouthful!) Everything about these has me wishing for one right at this very moment. If you are feeling adventurous this weekend, here is the recipe. I just may give this a try

Gifts {Valentine’s Day}

I love the month of February – it is my birthday month and Valentine’s Day. It is so fun to give and receive gifts for really no reason. I thought I would lend my lovely readers a hand this month – behold WL’s gift/event guide for celebrating this holiday with friends or lovers.

a. Delish cookies from Miette in SF

b. Foodie event at the Ferry Building – Food for Heart

c. Organic body products by Weleda

d. Diptyque Candles

e. In God We Trust necklaces

f. Tokyo Bay Watch kit

g. Vacation at Indian Springs hotel in Calistoga

h. Brunch “festival” at Fort Mason – XOXO event

i. Vogue Living

j. DIY Valentine’s Day Cards

Year in Review: Food

Food has always such a big part of my life. I enjoy it and
find it is one of the many ways that brings me to the people I
love. I don’t mind going out or staying in as long as its delish
and I have my lovies around me. 2010 brought me to some wonderful
restaurants and taught me how to cook a bit better – I have yet to
poison anyone. One of my 2011 resolutions was to cook much
more often, this will hopefully lead to a more padded pocket-book
and even perhaps a slimmer waist (that is just a plus)! But I
wanted to share my fave photos of 2010 with you!

{homemade butternut squash soup with
cheese crisps}

{Burger
Joint in NYC}

{Flour +
Water}

{House – Mushroom
soup}

{Eggplant pizza from Pazzia}

{baby gelato cone – MLPS}

{probably the best cinnamon roll i
have ever had – made in Minneapolis}

{Valentine’s day dinner at a
restaurant that I can not remember the name}

{Coffee rubbed steak – Huntsville,
AL}

{Alameda Flea hot dog}

I must say I did enjoy
2010!

A Year in Review

sundried tomato stuffed mushrooms

I have been so busy over the last few weeks that the thought of creating a big Christmas dinner (rather help my mother) made me feel a bit anxious. Since it was just my parents, my brother and I, we decided to go simple and stick to appetizers. I wanted to create a dish that was simple and quick and had my heart set on stuffed mushrooms- well to be exact Sundried tomato stuffed mushrooms. Not to toot my own horn but I must say they were very delicious.

What you will need:
1/2 ounce dried tomatoes (about 5, not packed in oil)

2 tablespoons olive oil

18 white mushrooms, stems pulled out and chopped fine andcaps reserved

1/2 cup finely chopped shallots & 2 garlic cloves

minced 1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs & 1 large egg yolk, beatenlightly

1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, washed well, spun dry, minced 1/2 teaspoon dried basil & crumbled 2 tablespoons freshly
grated Parmesan

Be sure to pre-heat the oven to 400°F.

Lay mushroom caps, stems removed, face down on baking sheet either lightly sprayed with cooking spray or parchment paper. Bake them approximately 5 minutes, or until their liquid puddles underneath.

Remove from the oven. Carefully pour off liquid that has gathered in the bottom of the pan, and then again, carefully, turn mushroom caps over so they are ready to be filled. In a small skillet heat oil over moderate heat and cook finely chopped mushrooms stems, shallots and garlic, stirring until shallots are softened. In a bowl stir together mushrooms mixture, bread crumbs, tomatoes, reserved soaking liquid, yolk, parsley, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mound stuffing mushroom caps and arrange caps in a lightly greased shallow baking dish, or the same parchment-lined pan you’ve roasted your mushrooms in. Recipe says to sprinkle mushrooms with Parmesan but I added a bit of cheese to the cap bottom as well (next time I am going to try Goat Cheese)! Now bake for 15 minutes! This recipe should make roughly 18 bites of goodness.

A Day at Alemany

Did anyone enjoy the weather outside this weekend? It was absolutely wonderful. Summer in mid November? What more could I ask for right before the cold months ahead. I had to spend the day outside and head to the Alemany Flea for my very first time. Have any of you been? You have to really dig but you can find some great stuff and a lot of DIY projects. I was able to pick up a small metal globe as well as an Atlas dating back to 1960.

{Cash register – 1915 – made for a large store in Nevada}

{my lunch}

{my mini globe!}

{Atlas – 1960}

{I love Elvis}

The flea happens every Sunday! There is also a Farmer’s Market on Saturdays as well.

100 Alemany Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Bernal Heights