smell the roses

I really should not be buying bouquets of flowers right now. The temperature outside is freezing, it's dark the majority of the time, and I'm hardly ever home in my apartment to stare at them. 

But maybe that's exactly why I should be buying flowers right now. Because it's freezing, and it's dark, and I'm hardly ever home. 

Plus, garden roses just grab me by the heart. How can you not love those va-va-voom petals?



And how can you not love that cute rosebud on the right, with the little wet nose, who just finished slurping from her water bowl to join the flower fest.
 


So I am going to sit in the warmth and artificial light of my apartment tonight and I am going to smell the roses. 

Almond Butters that will rock your world

Hi-o friends. I hope you're staying warm and happy this early November. I've been enjoying the company of my family and spending lots of time at in our new Shadyside neighborhood. The gift of a food processor (thanks, mom and dad!) has led to many homemade butter experiments. Almond butter, more specifically.

We tried a Candied Ginger and Honey combination.



And then we tried a Mexican Dark Chocolate, with cayenne and chili powder. YUM.



And lastly, our favorite, a Curry and Toasted Flaked Coconut. Do not knock until you try it, folks.



I'll be processing all these lovelies all winter long, so please make a suggestion if you have a great combination in mind.



We painted the tops of these Ball jars with chalkboard paint to serve as a temporary label. It makes a cute gift. And this batch went to Rich's rad sister Trish in New Orleans, because she is just awesome and we miss and love her :)

Almond Butter Base Recipe
4-6 ounces raw almonds
1 teaspoon walnut or almond oil (optional)
Food processor

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 4-6 ounces of raw almonds on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast almonds 12-15 minutes, turning every couple of minutes. Let almonds cool a few minutes. Place roasted almonds in food processor for 10-15 minutes, scraping down the sides every so often. If, after about 10 minutes, your mixture is still looking dry, feel free to add about a teaspoon of walnut or almond oil. Continue mixing until smooth texture is achieved. Let almond butter mixture cool a bit before adding your additions (especially chocolate). 

The Science of Baking

I have always loved the scientific absoluteness of baking. You get exactly what you put in. No beginner's luck, intuition, or gut feeling involved. Measure twice, mix once.

The temperature of the fats, eggs, and flour matters. The precision of each teaspoon matters. Every aspect of the process matters. And if you love the process of baking, getting a recipe just right can be one of most rewarding feelings. Baking is the opportunity for mastery at it's most sweetest.


In the journey to chocolate chip cookie perfection, I played with my favorite go-to recipe to visualize the differences between fats. The first batch was made of high-quality European butter. The second batch was pure lard. The third batch was butter-flavored Crisco. So, I have to ask...

Which cookie looks best to you?

Bite the bullet

I like to shoot food.



 
 © property of Erin Schubert Photography

happiest

of days to my dear Richard!





For your birthday, a poem inspired by Nathan Sims...







And a sneaky little birthday gift...



Watch closely...





Dark Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

• 1 box of Duncan Hines Butter Chocolate Cake mix
• 1 3oz chocolate fudge pudding box
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 c Kahlua or cooled brewed coffee
• 1/2 c of canola or vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1pkg of dark or semisweet chocolate chips

Add all ingredients except the chocolate chips, beat 4 minutes with mixer on med high. Pour 1/2 of the mix in greased and floured bundt or tube pan with removable bottom. Add 1/2 chips on batter and slightly swirl to coat. Add remaining batter And the remaining chips. Swirl to coat chips. Bake at 350 for about 1 hour. Let pan cool on rack for ten minutes then turn cake out to plate to finish cooling. Cake can be frosted with ganache or powdered with confectioners sugar.

Olive Oil Granola with Bing Cherries and Pistachios

I made my first batch of homemade granola a few years ago using a recipe I found on the New York Times. It was truly awesome. So awesome, in fact, that I thought it may be beginner's luck. So I made more and more batches, each as delicious as the last.



In my arrogant youth, I didn't know a good thing when it was right in the oven before me. I felt the urge to experiment. Maybe there were better granola recipes out there?

I had a few years of walking in the wilderness of baked oats. Nothing compared.

But I'm older and wiser now and learned the error of my ways. And I'm happy to say, I'm back together with my original granola recipe. I know we'll be together forever.





Olive Oil Granola with Dried Cherries and Pistachios

Originally adapted from the New York Times

Ingredients:

• 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup raw pistachios, hulled (if you can't find raw, use hulled roasted pistachios and mix them in at the end)
• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, hulled
• 1 cup coconut chips
• 3/4 cup raw agave syrup
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 cup dried bing cherries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, pumpkin seeds, pistachios (only if raw), coconut chips, salt, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well. Add agave syrup and olive oil and stir to coat entirely.

Spread mixture on a large rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake 45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and toasted. Transfer granola to a large bowl and mix with dried bing cherries and pistachios.

the grand 'hickon

We moved to Philadelphia this past year for a variety of reasons; we wanted to try out a new city, preferably somewhere on the East Coast, I loved living here in college, and my best friend is a resident (pretty high on my 'Reasons to Live Somewhere' list).



Philadelphia has exceeded our every expectation. One of the most welcome surprises of the city has been our access to the great outdoors. Although we're technically in city limits, our neighborhood borders Carpenter's Woods (the home to an incredible group of resident and migratory birds) and the Wissahickon Creek (has a real cult following.. no really, read the history).

I don't think people say this enough, but it's really beautiful here in Philly...