Take Me Home, Country Roads

This weekend my posse and I decided to get in touch with our country-side. While the tourists continued to infiltrate our fair city, we packed up and headed west to the mountains (at least by my Oklahoma-bred standards) of West Virginia to become one with nature. 

As is the case with many of my life experiences, this one was not without incident. On the way to the cabin we hit (ran over an already dead) deer. I was nothing short of hysterical. 

There was lots of fun once we got to the cabin though...it was the land of old timey wonders

And an indoor treehouse. Whatthewhat?!

Nothing like a good hike to greet the day

Amid the exploring and soaking in the gorgeous spring weather, there was also a fair amount of eating and drinking. By now, if you've read this blog with any regularity, it's likely you know where this story is going....and yes, I did break out a new recipe for the trip. 

Since I had to take into account the traveling and pseudo-rough atmosphere I didn't want to make anything needing too much care (ie: nothing with icing or that requires refrigeration/must be served warm). Enter, cookies. And not just any cookies. Instagram-find-courtesy-of-Sally's-Baking-Addiction cookies. Yes, they were wonderful. Sally hasn't failed me yet! 

Inside Out Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

Courtesy of Sally's Baking Addiction

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsps dark chocolate cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsps milk (I used almond milk)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

 Preparation

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, on medium speed, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy
2. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined
3. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt). Whisk together, then add in 1/3 increments to the mixer bowl
4. By hand, stir in milk and folk in white chocolate chips. Dough should be sticky, but chill for at least 2 hours before baking. [I chilled mine overnight]
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F and cover cookie sheet with parchment paper
6. Scoop out dough using a Tbsp, roll into a ball and place on cookie sheet about an inch apart
7. Bake for 10 minutes. Cookies will be soft, but allow to cool for at least 5 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to cooling rack

Similar to camping, I miss these cookies already

Lemony Goodness

Oh sweet blog how I've missed thee. Life has been running me ragged lately. I blame two things for this: 1) work is insanely crazy and 2) spring is here(ish)....I say "ish" because today I wore a scarf to work. For the most part, the weather has been absolutely divine and I'm working desperately to spend as many free moments outside soaking it in before wretched summer rears its ugly head. The only downside to this little game is that I have become terribly delinquent on my blogging. Blogger fail.  

Aussie loves spring too...and that we live so close to the park

I hate on the District a lot, but spring here is gorgeous

And with extra walks and park time comes and increase in nap time as well

For now I'm back for a brief moment before heading to the mountains of West Virginia for some fun away from the District this weekend. And, what better way to usher in Spring than with this recipe, based on the baking equivalent of spring..lemon and sugar. Light, fluffy, and delicious!

Lemon Burst Cookies

Ingredients

Adapted from Crunchy Creamy Sweet

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• Juice and zest from 1 medium lemon
• 1 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 F

2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour and baking powder) + lemon zest

3. In stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy

4. Next add eggs, one at a time and vanilla extract

5. With mixer on low speed, mix in dry ingredient until combined

6. Chill dough for at least 30 minutes then, using a tablespoon, scoop and roll the dough into balls. Roll in powdered sugar until fully covered

Dressed and sugar and ready for baking

7. Place on baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between them

8. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until puffed and bottoms just golden brown. Cool on sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer onto a cooling rack

These were super easy, so get baking quickly before summer comes and it's too hot to do anything!

Kickin' It in Kansas City

Long time no see! April is flying by in a crazy blur and I can barely keep up. One day it's Easter and the next thing I know the month is nearly half over. Whatthewhat?! 

I've never been much of a fan of April. I enjoy spring, I really do, but I also know what's lurking just over the horizon...the dreaded summer, which we got a little preview of with some near 90 degree days this week. Color me not amused and enter the return of my overwhelming desire to move to Colorado. That aside, so far April is my favorite month this year?! I blame this almost entirely on the slew of fun activities that abound for me this month. 

Backtracking for a moment, after spending Easter weekend at home with the fam, I was Kansas City bound during the first week of April. Because it would just be way too simple for TF and I to actually live/work in the same city [note sarcastic tone], he recently moved from OKC and started a new job in KC. Being the wonderful girlfriend that I am, I dropped in for a bit to help him get unpacked and settled in his new abode. The visit was not without isn't fun though, which included me getting to do what I love: practice my craft in the kitchen and a trip to my favorite KC dining establishment [see photos below]. 

TF "let me" unpack and organize the kitchen. It was actually pretty fun (I'm weird like that) because I got to find and play with all his fun kitchen gadgets, and the OCD person in me loves to organize. I'm fairly certain that if you combined my kitchen with his I would never stop cooking. It's like my version of a toy store...that and home depot (again, another weird quirk). Nonetheless, whilst unpacking I found some adorable little dishes with candles that you could light under them to keep the contents of the dish warm (like miniature buffet trays for one). I'd forgotten about making him get them during his Christmas raid of his mom's kitchen store and couldn't wait to try them out as part of my dinner concoction:

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Veggie Baked Burritos

Ingredients

Inspiration found here

• 6 whole wheat tortillas
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1/2 cup of diced white or yellow onion
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 3/4 cup shredded cheese (I used a Mexican blend, but any kind would work)
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil (for basting)
• tomatillo sauce for topping (see when TF and I made it last year)

The inside goodness pre-wrapping. It also works great to eat just like this if you want to skip the tortilla altogether (I did this on day 2 as this recipe clearly makes a ton)

Preparation

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 F
2. Poke a few holes in the sweet potato, wrap in a slightly damp paper towel, and microwave on high for about 6-8 minutes (this is probably my favorite trick for cooking a sweet potato quickly)
3. Meanwhile, combine corn, onion, black beans and spices in a large skillet or wok (you know I love to use a good wok) and warm through 
4. Once the sweet potato is done, peel and dice it before adding to the skillet/wok. Adjust spices as desired to make sure it has the right amount of flavor/spice 
5. Next, place the tortillas on a place and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave on high for about 30 seconds.This helps keep the tortillas from cracking when you roll them in a minute
6. Fill tortillas one at a time with veggies/beans, topping with a row of cheese. Then roll and place opening flap side down on a cookie sheet covered with foil. Top with a thin layer of olive oil. Repeat as necessary
7. Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes, turning half way through and topping the now top side with a thin layer of olive oil. At the end, broil on HIGH for just under a minute to crisp the tortillas into a perfectly golden, crunchy shell
8. Once done, plate and top with a layer of tomatillo sauce and serve with your favorite Mexican side item....naturally, we went with queso (which we are finally getting close to perfecting the recipe on, at which point there will be cheers of joy and I will share our masterpiece)

I conclude this post with some of my fav pics from my time in KC. Enjoy!

One of my instant favorite places, the City Market. HUGE farmers market + lots of homemade treats, all insanely cheap. My giant piece of baklava was $1

Since we didn't get to celebrate our birthdays together, TF and I did belated birthday meals. My choice: the Beer Kitchen, for their amazing fries [parm and truffle oil here, last time we got sweet potato]. Love this place.

And the best mac and cheese known to man. Did I mention that this place is within walking distance of TF's abode?! 

And just in time for the playoffs, part of my birthday present included this amazingly comfortable Thunder shirt

Lastly, because I remain proud of my handiwork, I present the bookcase/TV stand that I constructed on my own....although to be fair, I'm somewhat of a closeted craftswoman :)

Springing into Easter

Despite the constantly fluctuating temperatures, Easter time has come again. One day it's winter and the next it's spring. I know I'm going to regret thinking this come July, but sometimes I wonder if it will ever be warm again. Not only is winter refusing to leave, but Easter also decided to show its face early this year?! No wonder I never know what day it is!

After I decided to accept that Easter was coming whether it was warm or not, I then had to turn my attention to more important things...deciding what new treat would I make for Easter dinner?! Similar to my friends and co-workers, my family has developed certain expectations when it comes to my cooking. Thus, while part of me wants to go bigger and better than the time before, the other part of me doesn't want to fail. Ah the conundrums that come with being a pseudo-perfectionist. Putting fears of failure aside, I turned to my beloved Pinterest for inspiration. 

It didn't take long. Nothing says spring to me like lemon. It's cool, light, and refreshing. The perfect accompaniment to a warm spring day. I'd initially planned to make these, but I spent much of Saturday soaking in a rare spring day in the District with Mother and Sister and wasn't up to a task that grand. To compromise, I used the lemon and buttercream combo as inspiration for this:

Lemon Cake with Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

Cake [original found here]

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsps baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup plain greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsps zest lemon zest
• 2 Tbsps fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Frosting [original found here]

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• Extra lemon for zest and slices to top finished cake if (optional)

Preparation1. Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees and prepare two 8x8 square pans for baking

2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt 

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest and juice, vanilla extract and vegetable oil

4. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until evenly mixed but be careful not to over-mix

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 28-30 minutes, or until a fork comes out clean

6. Let cake cool completely before putting together with frosting

7. To prepare frosting, combine butter, sugar, and salt and beat until well -combined

8. Add lemon juice, zest, and vanilla and beat until creamy (approx 5 mins)

9. Once cake is frosted as desired, top with some additional lemon zest and 3-4 thin lemon slices

Now if only spring would hurry up and get here...