The Tartine

I've been learning a lot lately, in and out of the kitchen. I've been trying new things, stretching myself and just trying to DO. In these endeavors, I've been most inspired by methods that aren't informed by a "quick fix" mentality. I don't think that many great things in life happen over night; they are cultivated, pruned & refined over and over again. 

One of my biggest sources of inspiration has been baking bread without the use of store-bought yeast, by cultivating a starter & prepping dough by hand. It is an "old world" technique that makes me feel more in touch with food and, to be honest, speaks to my soul. Through this process, Tartine has been my biggest influence through its vivid story telling and beautifully illustrated techniques that make my hands want to work.

And so, to officially unveil a brand new and very big chapter of this blog, I introduce The Tartine, a beautiful apron that is the result of the slow process of being inspired, of learning, and of doing. 

The Tartine Apron goes into production in early next month, and will be available for purchase mid-late April. I'm indebted to EA, owner of Arrowroot Clothing for taking the time to walk me through the process, create samples, and point me in the right direction.

Purchase the Tartine Here.

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Three Tiered Lemon Cake

Last year I posted a recipe for olive oil cake, which is perfect when baked in a bundt pan and minimally topped with a little powdered sugar or whipped cream. UNLESS you decide you want to make an actual cake out of it. I mean why not? It's a dense cake with light flavors, and who wouldn't want 3 tiers of that in their mouth? 

This repurposed recipe is what I love about cooking. Once you have a few recipes in your tool belt, the possibilities are endless; you can mix, match, change, and repurpose. Oh ya, and meet Tuck. Yes, he has blue claws and no, he's not mine. He's the rescue we got EB for her birthday , and let's just say he makes life a touch more interesting.

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Citrus Olive Oil Cake

One batch of this recipe is perfect for three 6" cake rounds. Fill the rounds up 2/3 of the way because these puppies rise. 

Ingredients

4 Large Eggs (beaten)
1 1/4 c Sugar
2/3 c Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 c Milk
1 t Vanilla
Zest from 1 Orange
Zest from 1 Lemon
2 2/3 c Flour
3/4 t Baking Soda
3/4 t Baking Powder
1 t Sea Salt
Powdered Sugar for Garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees & butter 3 6-inch baking pan (or one bundt pan.)
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs & sugar until pale yellow and thick, about 3-4 minutes. (I did all of my mixing in a kitchen aid.)
3. Slowly add in the olive oil until well combined.
4. Add in the vanilla, orange zest & lemon zest until combined.
5. Alternately add in the flour mixture & milk, beginning and ending with flour. (I added in half of the flour mixture until combined, then all of the milk, then the other half of the flour.)
6. Finally, mix in baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt.
7. Pour mixture into your buttered pan(s).
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes. (In my pan, it needed to bake for about 30-35 minutes.)
9. Place on a rack to cool.
10. Stack and ice like a pro.

Meringue Cookies

Dispersed throughout bouts of blustery, snow-filled days, 70 degree temps have graced us with sunshine and warmth. I tend to gravitate towards citrus in winter; its zesty scents and bright flavors can uplift even the dampest of moods. But the grapefruit vibes in this recipe are more of a celebration of the past few weeks of spring-like warmth than a yearning for what season has not yet come. We've gone outside without coats! We've opened up windows! We've even biked for hangs under out door patios ... gasp! And yet, as I type this, the snow has returned and is collecting in swirls on our doorstep. We enjoyed the February warmth while we could. 

And so, a bright citrus tang and light flavors collide in these crunchy cookies that harken spring. I can think of no better recipe pairing to preview these two pieces from Arrowroot's spring line. EA just moved into a new home, with natural light galore, and warm, cozy tones in every corner. Its perpetually summer inside that house. May winter sports continue (but if spring came early you wouldn't hear me complaining)!

The dresses in this post will be available online at shoparrowroot.com just in time for spring. Sign up for her emails to get notified. Find their descriptions below.

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Meringue Cookies

These are perfectly crunchy on the outside, and slightly chewy on the inside. Cream of tartar is a must to keep your egg whites stable.

Ingredients

3 egg whites
3/4c super fine sugar
1/4 t cream of tartar
(learn about it here)
small pinch of salt
1" vanilla bean, seeded
1/2t vanilla extract
1 grapefruit, for zest
gallon ziplock
piping tip (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. Whip egg whites in mixer on medium low until frothy.
3. Add in cream of tartar & slowly incorporate sugar a tablespoon at a time.
4. Continue to mix on medium high until stiff peaks form, and mixture is no longer gritty between your fingers (this means the sugar has dissolved). Briefly mix in salt, vanilla bean & extract.
5. Cut the tip off of a ziploc bag and insert your piping tip (optional). If you don't have a piping tip, you can just squeeze the meringue out of the end of the bag.
6. Pipe out meringue in about an inch and a half sized rounds onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
7. Bake at 200 for 60-80 minutes.

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The Maya dress

This is the perfect sundress. Handwoven Guatemalan fabric does all the talking, with a slight notch in the scooped neckline for a hint of extra detail.

the indigo shift dress

This versatile beauty is embellished with handwoven fabric from Maya Traditions in Guatemala. Make the Indigo Shift your Spring go to and support not one but two female artisans!

Pumpkin Bread with Arrowroot Clothing

This pumpkin bread recipe is so near and dear to my heart, that during the holidays of my college years, my mom sent me loaves in the mail. I’m not entirely sure where it originally came from; for all I know it could have come off the back of a can of pumpkin (que Friends Episode of Phoebe’s grandma’s famous chocolate chip cookies).

I teamed up with Arrowroot to bring you a recipe pairing to go with this infamously addictive pumpkin creation. Topped with maple whipped cream and served with warm apple cider, this is not meant for the faint of sugar-heart. As a bonus, both of these beautiful featured dresses are up on her shop and are perfect for the holidays, whether you’re baking or heading out to a holiday party.

Pumpkin Bread

You can bake these in a standard loaf or mini loaf pan. Baking time is about the same, but I always do a test about 45 minutes into baking time. You can pair this with any of your favorite apple cider recipes. And I’ll never blame you if you put a little extra somethin somethin in there.

Ingredients

3c flour
2t baking soda
1 1/2t salt
3c sugar
1t cinnamon
1t nutmeg
1c oil
2/3c water
4 eggs
2c pumpkin

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
- Combine wet ingredients into standing mixture on medium low setting (or mix thoroughly by hand) until well mixed and smooth.
- Sift dry ingredients together in a large bowl and stir.
With mixer running on medium low, combine dry ingredients into wet ingredients one cup at a time until well combined and no lumps remain.
- Pour into greased & floured loaf pans until 2/3 full. Bake at 350 for one hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- When cool, slice and serve with a dollop of whipped cream, sprinkled with a touch of nutmeg.

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Maple Whipped Cream

Whipped cream is one of the easiest things to make, and a touch of maple in here makes it perfect to top anything with. 

Ingredients

2c whipped cream
2T maple syrup
1t maple extract
1/2t vanilla extract
pinch of cinnamon

Instructions

Whip in stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle with nutmeg and you are set.

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Dream Table

This post has been months in the making (literally). Back in the early warmth of summer, Heather came to me with an idea, as she often does, about creating a space for the women in our lives to come together and discuss a rather amorphous concept in our culture: dreams. Not the sleepy, night time kind of dreams, but the aspirations that bud and grow out of our hearts.

What hold us back from them? How do they tie into the Kingdom? How do we pursue them, knowing that we are already living the dream as God’s own children? How can we share them with others who can encourage us? How do we push against the fear that keeps us from pursuing them?

And so, The Dream Table was born. The morning centered around food and drink, as we shared our thoughts on the subject, busying our hands with making of dream catchers. The brunch menu consisted of autumnal mimosas, sweet scones, and savory quiches. Keep scrolling for the recipes to each.

Special thanks to EA of Arrowroot Clothing for opening her home, Liz of Siloh Floral for the amazing floral spread and styling oomph, and EB of eb+jc for the extra photo help.

*Side note* Although I feel rather behind on actually getting this onto the web (it occurred on Oct 24th), it comes at the perfect time. Thanksgiving is just days away, and the women in this post are so much of the reason why I am thankful to live in this community every year

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Pomegranate & Lemon Scones

For the Lemon Scones, follow the below recipe, but replace lemon zest from one lemon and 1T lemon juice for the pomegranate seeds. Skip the cinnamon sugar step, and add in 1T lemon juice to your glaze mixture and top with additional zest instead of pomegranate seeds.

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 stick of butter (cut into small cubes)
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 large  egg
1/4 c cinnamon sugar
1/4c milk
1c powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400F. 30 minutes before you want to make these, cut a stick of butter into cubes, cover and place in the freezer.

Pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and butter in a food processor until it resembles a coarse meal. Gently stir in pomegranate seeds.

In another bowl, whisk the milk and egg until smooth.

Combine the egg mixture into dry ingredients until the dough holds together.

Empty onto a floured surface and briefly knead until the dough becomes cohesive. Separate dough into two portions, and flatten into discs about 1” thick. Cut like a pizza to create wedges.

Dip one end of each scone in milk, and then coat that end with cinnamon sugar so that it sticks well to the dough. 

Place scones (spaced apart) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Bake at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

While scones are baking, whisk together 1c powdered sugar with milk, adding it in in small portions, until you have a thick, yet flow-y consistency.

After baking, let scones cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Drizzle the other end of the scone with glaze, and sprinkle with additional pomegranate seeds. 

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Crust

Since I had two quiches to make, I did a double batch of crust. The key to the crust keeping its shape when baking is to throw it in the fridge for an hour after you form it in your pie pan. If you only need one crust, you can freeze the spare for later use.

Ingredients

2.5c flour
1t salt
1t sugar
2 sticks butter, chilled and cut into cubes
ice water

Instructions

Pulse flour, salt, sugar, and butter in a food processor until a coarse meal is achieved.
Pulse in ice water in small batches until the dough comes together.
Place dough on well-floured surface and divide & form into two round discs.
Wrap in plastic wrap and store in fridge for at least an hour.

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Quiche Lorraine

The second quiche I made was similar to this recipe, but I replaced the bacon with breakfast sausage, added sautéed mushrooms to the mix, and added in a few more teaspoons of fresh thyme and herbs.

Ingredients

1 chilled crust
6 strips of bacon, cut into 1/4″ strips
4 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1c half & half
4 cloves garlic, minced
1t fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4t salt
1/4t white pepper
1/4t black pepper
1/4t red pepper flakes
pinch of nutmeg
1c grated mozzarella cheese

Instructions

An hour before you are planning on starting your quiche, roll out your pie crust on a well, floured surface, transfer & form into your pie pan. Poke holes in the bottom & store in the fridge for an hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and bake the pie crust for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside and let cool slightly.
Cook bacon in a large skillet until crispy, then set aside and let cool.
Whisk together eggs, yolks, half & half garlic, rosemary, salt, white & black pepper, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg until well combined. Mix in cheese.
Sprinkle pie crust with bacon, and fill with your egg mixture. Bake at 375 for about 35 minutes checking regularly for doneness.
Be sure to let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

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You can find the frittata recipe here. I used this recipe from the Glitter Guide for Pear- Thyme Mimosa Recipe (using the batching method), and this recipe for the pear nectar.

Pear Smash Cocktail with Arrowroot Clothing

October has nearly come to a close, but the crispness that is so characteristic of this season has yet to settle in. Bright, warm days and cool nights are a sign that summer days are not so quick to abandon us. I teamed up with EA (founder, designer and owner of Arrowroot Clothing) to bring you an autumnal cocktail with the perfect combination of fall flavors and freshness to compliment the slowly fading warm weather.

Today, Arrowroot is releasing the long anticipated Megan Dress, worn by the beautiful Sabrina in this post. Taking inspiration from Megan Draper herself, the dress is inspired by the mod fashion of the 1960’s. Fun bell sleeves meet a classy little-black-dress vibe for fall a day-to-night look you can’t beat. In keeping with the Mad Men theme, we named the cocktail after the beautiful fall dress. This seasonal twist on a Whiskey Peach Smash is the first cocktail to debut on the blog and is quite the tasty treat.

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Pear Sage Whiskey Smash

An autumnal twist on a classic Whiskey Smash, this cocktail combines the warmth of whiskey with the crispness of fresh pear.  

Ingredients

1 lemon wedge (rind included)
1/2 pear
.75oz sage simple syrup
2 oz bourbon
ice

Instructions

Muddle the lemon and pear in cocktail shaker. The back of a wooden spoon works great for this.

Add remaining ingredients to cocktail shaker, fill with ice, shake thoroughly and double strain into a coup glass.

Garnish with sage leaf.

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DeStena Trenta

Heather just recently turned 30, and threw a party under a glowing summer sky. She provided all of the … well … everything. How she used her own day of birth to love and serve others is just a small glimpse into her giant heart. Her labor of love included hours over the stove crafting up the Destena secret family recipe for eggplant parmesan and in the back yard setting a table for the people that she loves. No recipes here. I was just an observer in this glorious feast. Kudos, Heather!

Liz's Birthday Bash

Menu

Charcuterie  |  Wedge Salad w/ Green Goddess Dressing  |  Toasted Israeli Couscous  |  Lamb Meat Balls with Yogurt and Cucumber  |  Vanilla, Peach Bourbon, and Spicy Chocolate Semifreddo

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I met Liz Freshman year of college. The year where you meet and hang out with more people than you know what to do with. Well almost 10 years later, this girl stuck. For her 27th Birthday I teamed up with Megan to peruse cooking mags and create a killer Mediterranean inspired menu. KJ, Megan and I spent many hours in the kitchen, prepping lamb meat balls, mixing semifreddo, and toasting couscous. Carolyn hosted in her beautiful backyard, and with the help of Bethany’s floral magic, set the perfect table. Laboring with my hands alongside these lovely ladies to celebrate this beautiful human made this night one of my absolute faves.

Wedge Salad & Green Goddess Dressing

This recipe serves 8 and this dressing from Bon Appétit is magnificent.

Ingredients

2 heads of iceberg lettuce
2 slices of bacon
feta
2 scallions, chopped
1/4c tarragon leaves w/ tender stems
2 T chopped fresh chives
2 T cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup olive oil
2T white wine vinegar
2T plain yogurt
1 avocado, cut into quarters
salt + pepper

Instructions

1. Cut heads of lettuce into quarters. Cut bacon into 1/4" strips and cook over medium heat until crispy. Let cool and set aside.
2. While bacon is cooking, combine dressing ingredients in food processor or high powered blender. Blend until smooth and add a few tablespoons of water slowly to thin slightly.
3.  
4. Plate the iceberg wedges and drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with bacon + feta and serve.

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Peach Bourbon Semifreddo

Talk about the epitome of summer, this delectable treat was the perfect homage to warm adventurous months.

Ingredients

1 batch Vanilla Semifreddo
1/5c chopped peaches
2T sugar
4oz bourbon

Instructions

Heat 1.5c chopped peaches and 2T sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until bubbly and liquid has reduced slightly. Add 1-2 shots of bourbon and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Let cool slightly and fold into 1/2 batch of Vanilla Semifreddo Recipe.
Pour into loaf pan and freeze for at least 4 hours.

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Spicy Chocolate Semifreddo

If you want this to have less of a kick, replace a couple of ounces of chili chocolate with regular dark chocolate. 

Ingredients

40z dark chocolate with chili
3T powdered sugar
2 eggs, separated
8oz heavy cream

Instructions

Melt the chocolate over the stove with a double boiler, or in a heat proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Add a tablespoon of cream if too thick.
As the chocolate is melting, whip the egg whites in a medium size bowl until medium peaks form. Set aside and whip the cream to soft peaks in another bowl.
Whip the sugar and egg yolks in a bowl until pale. Add chocolate and whip for several minutes until the mixture is thick and smooth.
Fold the egg whites and then the cream into the chocolate mixture.
Scrape the mixture into a cake pan, loaf pan or individual molds and freeze for at least 4 hours.

Basil Peach Galette

Let me tell you about my good friend, the galette. If you’re not an avid baker, this magical creation is the key to people thinking that you ARE one. They’re quick, easy, and best of all, the messier the better. Just roll out the dough, pile your choice of fruit in the middle, fold the edges over, and bake. 

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Galette Dough

This recipe yields a nutty, crumbly dough, which paired perfectly with the soft warm peaches.

Ingredients

1/4 c walnuts
3/4c  flour
3/4t sugar
3T unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
1/4c chilled water

Instructions

Pulse walnuts in food processor and combine with flour and sugar in a medium sized bowl.
Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Mix in the water until thoroughly combined.
Flatten dough into a small disk and refrigerate.

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Basil Peach Filling

Ingredients

2c peaches, sliced thin
sugar
1T lemon juice
2 basil leaves, sliced
1 egg, whisked

Instructions

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Toss peaches, sugar, lemon juice, and most of basil in bowl, set aside.
Roll out dough mixture until about 10″ in diameter.
Arrange peaches in the middle of the dough, leaving about 1.5″ around the edge. Top with remaining basil.
Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Apply egg wash to the outside crust and bake for 30-40 minutes.

Summer Gathering 2015

Menu

Basil Sweet Tea Cocktails - Marinated Grilled Shrimp Pineapple summer Salad - Mango Jalapeño Polenta
 Key Lime Cookie Butter Pops

I can’t believe it’s been a year since the first Fond Life Gathering. So many lovely faces have been involved in this little blog since then. Chad and I have a little apartment nestled in Denver, and I wanted to use the Summer Gathering as an excuse to get to know our neighbors a little better. 

Since none of us have much space, we carted Amy’s table outside into our “yard” which is really just the space between the sidewalk and the street. It’s all about the company, right? Special thanks to Chase + Amy for the genius mixology, help in the kitchen, and for providing a table that could actually accommodate more than 4 people.

Chili Lime Sweet Tea Cocktail

I let Chase know the meal game plan early on in the week, and he developed the perfect batch cocktail to pair with the light and fresh flavors. This recipe comes straight from the man himself. 

Ingredients

1 750ml bottle of deep eddy’s sweet tea vodka
1 full bottle of limeade
15-20 basil leaves (bigger the better)
chipotle chili powder
sugar
limes
strainer

Instructions

1. Pour a small amount of the sweet tea vodka into a sturdy cup. A pint glass works well.
2. Add 10-12 basil leaves and muddle together extensively. This creates a concentrate that will flavor the rest of the drink.
3. Strain the concentrate to remove the mashed up basil leaves to be left with deliciousness only.
4. In a presentable container, combine the concentrate, 1/2 sweet tea vodka and 1/2 limeade. (You can always make it more boozy if you like.)
5. Stir together and add a few basil leaves to the big container for presentation.

TO SERVE

1. Combine chipotle chili powder with sugar to make a garnish for the rim. You can make this as spicy or as sweet as you like.
2. Put the chili & sugar onto a small, shallow plate.
3. Cut up the limes into wedges and use an extra to “wet” the rim of the glass all the way around.
4. With a wet rim, roll the rim of the glass in the chili/sugar mix until the whole thing is covered.
5. Fill the glass with ice & 1 basil leaf
6. Pour drink into glass
7. Garnish with a lime wedge

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Basil-Lime Grilled Shrimp

This recipe used about 1.5lbs jumbo shrimp, but the marinade could stretch farther to cover more if you’re feeding more people. To avoid burning your skewers, you can soak them in water before skewering your shrimp. You can also forego the grill, and cook these marinated babies on the stove top. 

Ingredients

1-2 lbs shrimp
1/2c olive oil
juice from 2 limes
1t lime zest
1t salt
3T fresh basil, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
grilling skewers

Instructions

1. Mix together olive oil, lime juice & zest, salt, basil, and garlic in a large bowl. Add shrimp and stir to combine.
2. Place shrimp mixture in a large bag to let marinate in the refrigerator for 1-8 hours.
3. After marinated, place 4-5 shrimp on each grilling skewer. Heat grill to high and place skewers on grill, cooking 2 minutes on each side until bright pink.

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Pineapple Summer Salad

This recipe just screams summer and is perfect for a picnic. The textures and light flavors are perfect to accompany any dish on a hot day. 

Ingredients

1 can black beans
1/2c pineapple, diced
1 small white onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, minced
1/2 green bell pepper, minced
1/4c parsley, chopped course
1c grape tomatoes, halved
1/2c olive oil
1/4c red wine vinegar
1T lime juice
alt + pepper

Instructions

1. Combine black beans, pineapple, onion, red pepper, parsley, and tomato in serving bowl.
2. Whisk rest of ingredients together and thoroughly combine into bean mixture.
3. Chill until ready to serve.

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Mango Jalapeño Polenta

Base your quantity on the packaged instructions for how many people you are serving, substituting half of the water for mango puree. 

Ingredients

3-4 mangos
polenta
1  jalapeño, de-seeded and minced
2T butter

Ingredients

1. Cut the flesh out of your mangos and puree in food process or blender, to make between 1-2 cups, depending on how much polenta you are making.
2. Follow the cooking instructions on your polenta package, but substitute half of the water with the mango puree.
3. When cooked, fold in butter and minced jalapeño. Keep warm until ready to serve.

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Key Lime Cookie Butter Pops

This recipe is based off of a Smitten Kitchen recipe. The cookie butter is a great addition to these tart pops, and the cayenne adds a subtle kick to the mix.

Ingredients

2/3 c key lime juice
1t lime zest
1c half and half
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/4t cayenne pepper
cookie butter
gram crackers, crushed

Instructions

Combine lime juice, zest, half and half, condensed milk and cayenne. Mix well.
Pour popsicle molds 2/3 full. Dollop a few scoops cookie butter into each popsicle mold, and top off with additional key lime filling.
Insert pop sticks and freeze for at least 4 hours.
Spread crushed gram crackers on a flat surface, coating the pops before serving.