I'm a big fan of greek yogurt. I love the texture, the richness and the way it instantly fills me up. But it's also versatile and can be used in baking and cooking alike. So when my friend Jessica recommended a greek yogurt pancake recipe, I was immediately sold.
And this recipe is truly a testament to how a simple ingredient swap can change everything.
They're surprisingly healthy and provide that all-important protein in the morning to keep you full all the way to lunch and beyond. I had a few pomegranates handy and thought they would make a yummy addition to the batter. I was right. 
Here's how it's (so easily) done: Greek Yogurt Pancakes with Pomegranates 1/2 Cup all-purpose (or whole wheat) flour
1 Tablespoon sugar or Splenda (I used sugar)
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 Cup Greek Yogurt
2 Large eggs
1/2 Teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons milk
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
Mix together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, soda and salt) and then add the greek yogurt until blended. In a separate bowl, add the wet ingredients (eggs, vanilla extract, and milk) and whisk. Once blended, pour the wet ingredients into the batter and mix all together.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over low heat and spray with cooking spray. I made 1/4 cup pancakes and got about 8 out of the batch (if you make bigger plate-sized pancakes, expect to get around 4 or 5). The ones I made ended up being sand dollar sized.
Pour batter and wait until the top starts to bubble and flip (these pancakes burn easily, so keep a watchful eye and keep that heat low). Serve immediately with a little maple syrup and fresh fruit.
The Burning House project by Foster Huntington asks what you would reach for and run with if your house was on fire.
This is my submission, which just so happened to appear on his site this week.
- Trusty brown leather purse
- My grandmother’s necklace and mother’s earrings
- The Book of Garden Flowers
- Thrifted Cake Serving Knife
- My favorite shirt and belt
- Copper Bundt Pan
- Well-worn Converse sneaks
- Favorite hand-painted plates and keys
- My camera
- My Macbook and iPhone
- Full hard drive with all my photographs
- Measuring Spoons
- My Passport and favorite leather cardholder
- Cigar box that holds treasures
- Handmade candlesticks from Uganda gifted from dear friend Lindsey
Go peruse the site and ask yourself the same question. It's freeing and revealing to see a visual representation of your valuable possessions.
Each year around the holidays, my mom transforms our home in Pittsburgh into a warm, rustic, ribbon-and-raffia-flowing wonderland. It feels warm and all-encompassing in the most welcoming and festive way.
This year I'll be in my Philadelphia home for a majority of the holidays, so I'm embarking on creating some my own holiday decorations to spark the spirit. The first of the season are Orange-Clove Pomanders. 
Grab between six and eight oranges and a bag full of whole cloves. Take their general color, shape and sturdiness into consideration (i.e. the cloves are actually whole and the oranges are round and unbruised). 
Plan out your designs and begin sticking the cloves directly into the oranges. Try to avoid putting too much pressure directly on the top of the cloves. You can use a toothpick to create holes beforehand if you prefer.
As you go along, pause every once in a while and smell the aromas the skin on your fingers takes on. It's better than any hand lotion you'll ever find in a store.
After all of the cloves are inserted, roll in a mixture of spices (I used cinnamon, cloves, ginger and ginger). Then set aside for a few weeks until completely dry. Once dry, you can use as an ornament on a Pine, Wreath or Garland.
Lured by November warmth, deepening hues of foliage, and new sights to see, we have been exploring parks around our neighborhood.
We're beyond belief spoiled.
Our favorite park so far has to be Pastorius in Chestnut Hill. If live in Philly and own a dog, or just live in Philly, you need to check out this gorgeous space before snow hits the ground.
In preparation for the holiday season, I've been trying to brainstorm reasonable gifts for neighbors. Holiday dark chocolate bark seems the perfect choice...impressive-looking, decadent and seasonal.
Grab a few bars of your favorite dark chocolate (I hit my local Trader Joes and picked up the Dark Chocolate One Pounder). Melt the chocolate down using a double boiler and spread evenly across a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let cool for several minutes and proceed to sprinkle with any toppings you see fit. I went with dried apples, dried cranberries and pistachios (all from Trader Joes as well). Let cool completely and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Once completely cooled, go ahead and break the chocolate apart. Be careful, the chocolate melts quickly when touched, so don't spend too much time worrying about the perfect breaks or if you're a perfectionist, use a wooden utensil.
Once it's all broken up, throw back in the refrigerator to firm up again.
And finally, dress it up and package for friends. I'll be perusing thrift stores over the next few weeks for antique tins to line with parchment or brown tissue paper and wrap a red ribbon and some bakers twine around for a near-effortless holiday treat.
