I need to

do a better job of posting on my blog. Especially if I want any followers! ;)

I have been working my little butt of at my job, school, and getting stuff sent to Middleton, Wisconsin for their sweet little craft markets!

Still cooking...but not as much. :(

Here are a few new earrings I've made in the past week.


'Green with Envy' earrings.
made with vintage findings. So sweet. I love them.


'An apple a day' earrings.
Again, so sweet.


Blue and White dangle earrings.
Love them! So summery!

It's hot here...summer in the city.

xoxo

Browned Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I went to Trader Joe's this afternoon with my daughter. I told her to grab a banana to eat on the subway. When we got home, I realized that when she grabbed her banana she some how managed to tear apart the rest of the bananas. I needed to make something FAST!

Muffins are easy and come on who doesn't love muffins? I have been seeing tons of recipes lately for baked goods with browned butter. Let's just say I am now in love with browned butter!


Look at this delicious nutty yumminess!

The recipe I used didn't call for brown butter or chocolate chips but oh well, I mixed it up!

Mmmmmm raw batter.


I let my daughter have a lick of the bowl she told me it tastes like heaven! She's sweet.

Yum Yum Yum the final product. By the way...totally not waiting for breakfast to eat them. Is it awful to eat muffins for dinner?


The recipe...
Ingredients

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used a 1/2 cup of Whole Wheat flour)
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 large bananas, mashed
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1 egg
* 1/3 cup butter, melted (I browned mine)
* Throw in some chocolate chips if you want!

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. Combine bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter in a large bowl. Fold in flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Scoop into muffin pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven. Bake mini muffins for 10 to 15 minutes, and large muffins for 25 to 30 minutes. Muffins will spring back when lightly tapped.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies.

My 'inlaw' came to visit the other week. He bought this organic peanut butter that is as runny as water! It's kinda gross! I thought to myself what can I do with this?! Why not make peanut butter cookies!

I tried my hand for the first time at making some flourless cookies...they turned out yum!

I dipped them in dark chocolate and the yum factor doubled!



Thank you Pastry Affair for the recipe!

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
Adapted from Gluten-Free Girl

Yields about 12 cookies

1 cup peanut butter (I used extra-chunky for more texture)
2/3 cup sugar, plus extra for rolling
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
Chocolate, for drizzling (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the peanut butter and sugar. It is much easier to do it by hand than to use a machine; just use a tough spatula. Mix in the baking powder and egg until evenly combined.

Form small balls and roll cookie dough in extra sugar. Place evenly on a baking sheet and flatten slightly with a fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 5-10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely. The cookies will be very fragile and need to harden before they can be moved. Drizzle with chocolate, if desired

Make them! You won't be disappointed!

Boho Collection

So...I moved to NYC in December. The people here are amazing, all the different styles of dressing inspired this collection. I will be adding more to the collection as inspiration hits. Right now I started another collection of flower...Garden Party collection.

1973


1971


Boho Chic


1975



1979


Back to Nature




xoxo
J.

Grapefruit Yogurt Cake

I love citrus. All of it. I found this recipe on the Smitten Kitchen website. It is yum. Really yum.

I even painted my nails orange the morning before making it! :)


Eggs, yogurt, sugar, grapfruit zest, and vanilla. Yum. I wanted to lick the bowl, it smelled heavenly.


Juiced!


The finished product!

BREAKFAST!


Thank you Smitten Kitchen! This bread is soooo good!

Grapefruit Yogurt Cake
Adapted loosely from Ina Garten

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 extra-large eggs
3 teaspoons grated grapefruit zest (approximately one large grapefruit)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

For the glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
(I skipped the glaze and just loaded up on fresh fruit for breakfast!)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, grapefruit zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it’s all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup grapefruit juice and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the grapefruit-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and grapefruit juice and pour over the cake

P.S. I really need to find my camera or buy a new one.

xoxo

One week till V Day...

OMG...Valentines Day is in one week.



This will be the first time since being back together with Travis that we get to spend the day together. I am thinking a nice dinner maybe some champange?



Maybe I will make some paper heart garland, or something. I haven't started working so don't really have any money to spend on a gift. So I think a nice romantic night is in order.

What do you think?

xoxo

Roasted Acorn Squash and Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

I love squash. I really love acorn squash.


My house smelled great with the roasted squash and garlic.


Yum.

Seriously Yummy. That's really all I can say about this soup. Creamy deliciousness in a bowl. My four year old even liked it.

Thank you Jamie and Bobby Dean!
Here's the recipe (with some changes to make it vegetarian!)
Ingredients
1 2-pound acorn squash
1 large garlic bulb
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided (I used veggie broth)
1 14.5-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (didn't have this on hand...so skipped!)
1.5 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cracked black pepper
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Cut squash in half and discard the seeds. Place squash, cut sides down, on prepared baking sheet.

Cut 0.25 inch off of the pointed end of garlic bulb, keeping cloves intact. Place garlic, cut side up, on a small sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Wrap garlic in foil and place on the baking sheet with squash.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until squash and garlic are very tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop squash pulp from peel into a small bowl; discard peels. Squeeze garlic pulp into bowl.

In the container of a blender, combine squash, garlic pulp, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1 cup broth, and tomatoes; process until smooth. Pour mixture into a medium saucepan, and pepper. Cook over medium heat until warm. Spoon into small serving cups;Garnish with cracked black pepper if desired.