Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
college!
All my friends are leaving! It hasn't quite hit me yet, but I'm sure it will once I realize I have no one to call to hang out with.
10 days!
10 days!
the policee
Yesterday may have been one of the scariest days of my life.
Four cop cars, eight semis pointed at us, and one helicopter.
Yeah I know... so freaking bad ass.
Basically this is how it went down:
Madi and I were driving home in her convertible and cop car starts to follow us, so we pull over. Suddenly they are shouting orders at us, telling us to put our hands in the air and not speak while they pull their guns out, aimed at our heads. Three more cop cars pull up and an LAPD helicopter starts to circle up ahead.
By that point the entire neighborhood was out on the street and one guy was even snapping shots. We had to get out out of the car with our hands up, side step to the left, step back, step forwards slowly, sit down in the street -- all with our hands shaking above our heads.
Sitting on the scalding ground in our bikinis they handcuffed us and led me into the back of one of the cop cars where they questioned me. (Did you know that the back of cop cars are plastic?... like there is no seat. Just cold hard really really uncomfortable plastic.)
Turns out, Madi's mom had reported the car stolen earlier that month and had never cancelled it... so we were driving a stolen car.
I think I kept my cool throughout the whole thing, but it was pretty intense.
My dad (who was two houses down) told me later that he came out of the house when he heard the helicopter and saw two teenagers handcuffed in the street but didn't recognize me. So when the cops told everyone to go back into their house... he did. Nice dad (its ok I still love you). Oh and when my mom and dad figured out it was me, my mom started running towards us even though the cops were all yelling at her to get back (she said "no").
Epic. Straight out of a movie.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
if you don't have this, get it!
spotify has changed my music world entirely (and now its WAY more awesome).
(if you go to spotify.com and click the facebook link you only have to invite like 2 friends to get the free versions)
its almost too good to be true
(if you go to spotify.com and click the facebook link you only have to invite like 2 friends to get the free versions)
its almost too good to be true
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
mad men
"Now I am quietly waiting for
the catastrophe of my personality
to seem beautiful again,
and interesting, and modern.
The country is grey and
brown and white in trees,
snows and skies of laughter
always diminishing, less funny
not just darker, not just grey.
It may be the coldest day of
the year, what does he think of
that? I mean, what do I? And if I do,
perhaps I am myself again."
-Frank O'Hara Mayakovsky
Mad Men not only has an amazingly crafted, intelligent script, but it features some utterly beautiful poetry.
damn.
the catastrophe of my personality
to seem beautiful again,
and interesting, and modern.
The country is grey and
brown and white in trees,
snows and skies of laughter
always diminishing, less funny
not just darker, not just grey.
It may be the coldest day of
the year, what does he think of
that? I mean, what do I? And if I do,
perhaps I am myself again."
-Frank O'Hara Mayakovsky
Mad Men not only has an amazingly crafted, intelligent script, but it features some utterly beautiful poetry.
damn.
Friday, August 5, 2011
chocolate mouse cream bites with graham cracker crust and bananas
This recipe is my baby. I invented it about a year ago, and every time I ask my brother what I should bake he suggests these. They are pretty easy to make, they look really cute, they are fun to decorate, and they are like an explosion of deliciousness in each bite. Perfect for so many occasions!
Ingredients:
graham cracker crust-
12 graham crackers
1/4 cup sugar
6 tbsp melted butter
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
mouse-
1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cream
2 bananas
Handful of blueberries
handful of strawberries
(or any combination of the three)
How to make them:
First make the crust:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In a food processor grind the graham crackers and sugar until all the pieces are made into fine crumbs. Next melt the butter and add the chocolate chips and butter (when still hot so the chips can melt a bit) to the crumbs and process until combined. The crust is ready when a bit of crust holds its shape when you press it in the palm of your hand.
Press the crust (with your thumb) into either a pam'ed or muffin cup paper lined mini muffin pan. Make sure there is enough crust on the sides or bottom so that they will hold their shape when cooled.
Bake for 13 min until the crust is golden brown (without chocolate) or a deeper brown (with chocolate).
Set them aside to cool and harden.
Make the ganache:
Heat the butter and 2 tbsp cream to a boil and add them to to chocolate chips until melted completely. If the mixture is too thick (not smooth and glossy) add another tablespoon of boiling cream and mix until combined.
Take the crust out of the muffin pan (by flipping upside down and tapping gently). Spoon about 1/2 tsp of the ganache into the bottom of each mini crust.
Make the mouse:
With an electric mixture combine the 1 1/2 cups of whipping cream, vanilla and sugar. Whip the cream on high until it thickens and the peaks formed when you lift the mixer out of the cream hold their shape.
Set aside about 1/2 cup of cream.
With the rest of the cream: Fold a bit of the remaining cream into the rest of the cooled ganache (really make sure its cooled) to loosed it up a bit more. Then fold the loosened ganache into the whipped cream in 3 parts folding until combined.
Using a small spoon, put about 1 tsp of the mouse into each crust (which also has to be completely cooled) so that the mouse fills the cup until the top.
Now for the fun part -- decorating!
Use the 1/2 cup of cream you set aside and the fruit you chose (cut into slices) to decorate the little cups and voilá!
Ingredients:
graham cracker crust-
12 graham crackers
1/4 cup sugar
6 tbsp melted butter
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
mouse-
1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cream
2 bananas
Handful of blueberries
handful of strawberries
(or any combination of the three)
How to make them:
First make the crust:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In a food processor grind the graham crackers and sugar until all the pieces are made into fine crumbs. Next melt the butter and add the chocolate chips and butter (when still hot so the chips can melt a bit) to the crumbs and process until combined. The crust is ready when a bit of crust holds its shape when you press it in the palm of your hand.
Press the crust (with your thumb) into either a pam'ed or muffin cup paper lined mini muffin pan. Make sure there is enough crust on the sides or bottom so that they will hold their shape when cooled.
Bake for 13 min until the crust is golden brown (without chocolate) or a deeper brown (with chocolate).
Set them aside to cool and harden.
Make the ganache:
Heat the butter and 2 tbsp cream to a boil and add them to to chocolate chips until melted completely. If the mixture is too thick (not smooth and glossy) add another tablespoon of boiling cream and mix until combined.
Take the crust out of the muffin pan (by flipping upside down and tapping gently). Spoon about 1/2 tsp of the ganache into the bottom of each mini crust.
Make the mouse:
With an electric mixture combine the 1 1/2 cups of whipping cream, vanilla and sugar. Whip the cream on high until it thickens and the peaks formed when you lift the mixer out of the cream hold their shape.
Set aside about 1/2 cup of cream.
With the rest of the cream: Fold a bit of the remaining cream into the rest of the cooled ganache (really make sure its cooled) to loosed it up a bit more. Then fold the loosened ganache into the whipped cream in 3 parts folding until combined.
Using a small spoon, put about 1 tsp of the mouse into each crust (which also has to be completely cooled) so that the mouse fills the cup until the top.
Now for the fun part -- decorating!
Use the 1/2 cup of cream you set aside and the fruit you chose (cut into slices) to decorate the little cups and voilá!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
chocolate croissant bread pudding with salted caramel sauce
and the baking continues....
With sho (my brothers friend from Japan) in the house nothing I make lasts long, so I have been cooking/baking like nonstop. But this is one recipe I had to post on here (I was trying to copy the bread pudding from Chaya Venice and not gonna lie. . . I think I succeeded).
Ingredients:
6 or 7 chocolate croissants (if you aren't into chocolate or just don't have chocolate croissants just use plain)
2 cups of whole milk
1 cup of cream (I put 1 cup half and half on the lighter side)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
6 egg yolks (yeah I know. . . what do you do with 6 egg whites? try this)
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz bittersweet chocolate chips (depending on how chocolately your croissants are)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F (up it to 375 and bake for about 40 min if you like it toastier and crispier) and lightly butter an 8 inch square baking dish or something similar (I actually skipped the butter all together this time, and it turned out fine!).
In a big bowl whisk together the milk, cream, egg yolks, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon and salt.
Next, cut the croissants (either homemade like mine or store bought) into little 1 inch pieces and try really hard not to eat them (I had to hide my pieces from my brother/friends/brother's friends).
Pour the milk mixture into the pan and then put the croissant pieces in the mixture. Make sure everything gets soaked in the custard, but you don't want every piece totally submerged, so the top of the bread pudding should be pieces of croissant sticking out of the liquid (so you get that nice buttery crunchy croissant layer). Finally press the chocolate pieces in between the croissant pieces and on top of the croissant pieces and stick the whole thing in the oven. Bake for about 45-50 minutes until the liquid is gone and the top is nice and toasty. (While it bakes make the caramel sauce.)
Let cool for about 10 minutes and serve hot with salted caramel sauce (just a little), vanilla ice cream, salted caramel ice cream (I recommend the one from Sweet Rose Creamery if you are in LA - SO DELICIOUS) or any combination of those three actually. I just wouldn't add any strongly flavored ice creams because the flavors of the pudding itself are awesome.
Salted Caramel Sauce from Zoe Nathan (Huckleberry owner/chef/master baker/awesome person)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tbs light corn syrup
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 tbs unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp sea salt (crushed)
In a sauce pan, bring the sugar water and corn syrup to a boil. Boil over high heat until the mixture becomes a deep amber caramel (about 6 min - dont let it burn though so make sure you keep an eye on it). Remove from the heat and slowly and carefully whisk the butter and cream into the caramel (not the other way. . . trust me, its not pretty). Finally, whisk in the salt. Let the caramel sauce cool while the bread pudding is baking.
Enjoy!!
With sho (my brothers friend from Japan) in the house nothing I make lasts long, so I have been cooking/baking like nonstop. But this is one recipe I had to post on here (I was trying to copy the bread pudding from Chaya Venice and not gonna lie. . . I think I succeeded).
I added banana slices on top of this one, and one mushed banana inside the custard part. |
Ingredients:
6 or 7 chocolate croissants (if you aren't into chocolate or just don't have chocolate croissants just use plain)
2 cups of whole milk
1 cup of cream (I put 1 cup half and half on the lighter side)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
6 egg yolks (yeah I know. . . what do you do with 6 egg whites? try this)
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz bittersweet chocolate chips (depending on how chocolately your croissants are)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F (up it to 375 and bake for about 40 min if you like it toastier and crispier) and lightly butter an 8 inch square baking dish or something similar (I actually skipped the butter all together this time, and it turned out fine!).
In a big bowl whisk together the milk, cream, egg yolks, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon and salt.
Next, cut the croissants (either homemade like mine or store bought) into little 1 inch pieces and try really hard not to eat them (I had to hide my pieces from my brother/friends/brother's friends).
Pour the milk mixture into the pan and then put the croissant pieces in the mixture. Make sure everything gets soaked in the custard, but you don't want every piece totally submerged, so the top of the bread pudding should be pieces of croissant sticking out of the liquid (so you get that nice buttery crunchy croissant layer). Finally press the chocolate pieces in between the croissant pieces and on top of the croissant pieces and stick the whole thing in the oven. Bake for about 45-50 minutes until the liquid is gone and the top is nice and toasty. (While it bakes make the caramel sauce.)
Let cool for about 10 minutes and serve hot with salted caramel sauce (just a little), vanilla ice cream, salted caramel ice cream (I recommend the one from Sweet Rose Creamery if you are in LA - SO DELICIOUS) or any combination of those three actually. I just wouldn't add any strongly flavored ice creams because the flavors of the pudding itself are awesome.
Salted Caramel Sauce from Zoe Nathan (Huckleberry owner/chef/master baker/awesome person)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tbs light corn syrup
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 tbs unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp sea salt (crushed)
In a sauce pan, bring the sugar water and corn syrup to a boil. Boil over high heat until the mixture becomes a deep amber caramel (about 6 min - dont let it burn though so make sure you keep an eye on it). Remove from the heat and slowly and carefully whisk the butter and cream into the caramel (not the other way. . . trust me, its not pretty). Finally, whisk in the salt. Let the caramel sauce cool while the bread pudding is baking.
Enjoy!!
Monday, July 25, 2011
"better than starbucks coffee cake"
Its official. I'm a stress baker (basically, I bake when I'm stressed instead of exercising, or eating, or cleaning, for example).
So out of my stress, I made a ton of coffee cake from the lovely vanilla sugar blog in the middle of the night, and now, 12 hours later all the coffee cake is gone.
This recipe isn't really that difficult, but there are a bunch of steps so its better if you actually do the whole thing the right way (so actually sift the flour... don't get lazy on me).
Ingredients:
topping-
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup golden brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup melted, warm unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
optional- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
cake-
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
12 tbsp softened unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup fat free greek yogurt
1/2 cup cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
optional- 2 cups fresh blueberries (or chocolate chips... or both!)
First preheat the oven to 350 F (with the rack in the center of the oven). Butter the sides of a 9 by 13 inch glass pan (or slightly larger)
Make the really delicious crumbly topping-
In a big bowl, whisk together the three types of sugar, salt and cinnamon. Once combined, add the melted butter and whisk that some more. Finally, fold in the flour (I folded mine in 3rds). Then set that to the side. (Add chopped walnuts if you'd like at this point!)
Make the super awesome moist cake-
In a little bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.
In another little bowl mix together the greek yogurt and cream until smooth (I probably went a little more yogurt than cream so closer to a cup of yogurt and 1/4 cup cream). Next, in a big bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until its nice and smooth. Then add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Next, beat the eggs into the batter one by one. Finally, blend in the yogurt mixture and vanilla. Add the flour in 3rds, beating until incorporated before adding the next third.
Assemble your cake!
Pour the batter in the cake pan spread it evenly with a spatula or spoon or whatever you fancy. Then, if you choose to add blueberries (I did half and half) press 1 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries into the batter (or 3/4 cup on half the pan if you do half and half like I did). Use your fist to create big chunks of topping and break those chunks into smaller chunks over your cake until all you see are chunks of topping. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of blueberries over the crumb topping if you are making a blueberry version (just squeeze them in between chunks). Don't worry if your topping looks thick! It should be!
Stick the whole thing in the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes (rotating the whole pan every 15 minutes or so) or until a knife comes out clean and the pieces of cake that rose through the topping are golden brown.
Let it cool for about 30 minutes and enjoy!
And now all your stress should be gone :)
So out of my stress, I made a ton of coffee cake from the lovely vanilla sugar blog in the middle of the night, and now, 12 hours later all the coffee cake is gone.
This recipe isn't really that difficult, but there are a bunch of steps so its better if you actually do the whole thing the right way (so actually sift the flour... don't get lazy on me).
Ingredients:
topping-
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup golden brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup melted, warm unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
optional- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
cake-
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
12 tbsp softened unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup fat free greek yogurt
1/2 cup cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
optional- 2 cups fresh blueberries (or chocolate chips... or both!)
First preheat the oven to 350 F (with the rack in the center of the oven). Butter the sides of a 9 by 13 inch glass pan (or slightly larger)
Make the really delicious crumbly topping-
In a big bowl, whisk together the three types of sugar, salt and cinnamon. Once combined, add the melted butter and whisk that some more. Finally, fold in the flour (I folded mine in 3rds). Then set that to the side. (Add chopped walnuts if you'd like at this point!)
Make the super awesome moist cake-
In a little bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.
In another little bowl mix together the greek yogurt and cream until smooth (I probably went a little more yogurt than cream so closer to a cup of yogurt and 1/4 cup cream). Next, in a big bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until its nice and smooth. Then add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Next, beat the eggs into the batter one by one. Finally, blend in the yogurt mixture and vanilla. Add the flour in 3rds, beating until incorporated before adding the next third.
Assemble your cake!
Pour the batter in the cake pan spread it evenly with a spatula or spoon or whatever you fancy. Then, if you choose to add blueberries (I did half and half) press 1 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries into the batter (or 3/4 cup on half the pan if you do half and half like I did). Use your fist to create big chunks of topping and break those chunks into smaller chunks over your cake until all you see are chunks of topping. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of blueberries over the crumb topping if you are making a blueberry version (just squeeze them in between chunks). Don't worry if your topping looks thick! It should be!
Stick the whole thing in the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes (rotating the whole pan every 15 minutes or so) or until a knife comes out clean and the pieces of cake that rose through the topping are golden brown.
Let it cool for about 30 minutes and enjoy!
And now all your stress should be gone :)
Saturday, July 23, 2011
rip
"British police say singer Amy Winehouse has been found dead at her home in London on Saturday, July 23, 2011. The singer was 27 years old."
Friday, July 22, 2011
summer so far
on a role
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
love.
and its all over....
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
cartagena beach :)
Beautiful days on the beach where carts full of mangos roll by, women give foot massages, fresh coconuts are cracked open with machetes, cold coconut lemonades are brought out to the cabanas, caramayonas (aka the best food ever) are sold for 30 cents, women walk dressed in bright reds and yellows with baskets of fruit balanced on their heads, and the ocean is clam and warm.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
I LOVE COLOMBIA
I love the people, I love the food, I love the weather, I love the spontaneity, I love the guys, I love the fruit, I love the ocean, I love Colombia.
Really though everything is better here.
It was a actually a little bit rough at first because, well, we were a bit stranded.
We couldn't get the key to the apartment we are now staying, so we were driving around, crammed into a tiny taxi with all of our luggage piled on top of us. It was crazy, but hey, its all part of the adventure! We actually ended up staying in a hotel in the beautiful old city, which I really wanted to do anyways... so its all good ;)
 |
| the old city buildings are so colorful! I love it. |
 |
| Street food! |
 |
| View from La Popa |
 |
| El Castillo de San Felipe |
Saturday, July 2, 2011
summer list
The only thing I hate about summer is the part where I sit around and try to think of something exciting (and free for the most part) to do. So I'm making a summer list.
1. write at least 10 songs
2. blog more recipes
3. save up for a camera, so basically make some bank
4. go to Thursdays at the pier
5. go to First Friday
6. go to LACMA
7. see the Tim Burton exhibit with Nicolio
8. go to the Getty Villa (bring a sketch pad)
9. start making paintings as college gifts for the besties
10. go to the Melrose Flea Market on Sundays
11. see a play
12. go to a comedy show
13. stop being so pale for a latina
14. buy more heels
15. bike to Hermosa/Redondo
16. learn how to longboard
17. be a beast surfer
18. get my license (lol what a joke)
19. read Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell
20. boba at Volcano Tea
21. go the Annenberg Community Beach House
22. go to Chinatown
23. see Watts Tower
24. go to Olvera Street (they have mariachi... why have I never heard of this)
25. see some movies with dead people! (movies at the forever cemetery)
26. night hike in Griffith Partk
27. go the Huntington Gardens
28. become an Archer (free archery lessons on Saturdays) more info
29. J.A.M. Sessions at the Ford Amphitheater (Monday Nights, 7 pm) more info
30. wine and jazz (minus the wine) at Hollywood and Highland Center (tuesdays 7-9 pm) more info
31. Also I Like to Rock (at the Hammer Museum, Thursdays 7pm)
hell yeah.
1. write at least 10 songs
2. blog more recipes
3. save up for a camera, so basically make some bank
4. go to Thursdays at the pier
5. go to First Friday
6. go to LACMA
7. see the Tim Burton exhibit with Nicolio
8. go to the Getty Villa (bring a sketch pad)
9. start making paintings as college gifts for the besties
10. go to the Melrose Flea Market on Sundays
11. see a play
12. go to a comedy show
13. stop being so pale for a latina
14. buy more heels
15. bike to Hermosa/Redondo
16. learn how to longboard
17. be a beast surfer
18. get my license (lol what a joke)
19. read Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell
20. boba at Volcano Tea
21. go the Annenberg Community Beach House
22. go to Chinatown
23. see Watts Tower
24. go to Olvera Street (they have mariachi... why have I never heard of this)
25. see some movies with dead people! (movies at the forever cemetery)
26. night hike in Griffith Partk
27. go the Huntington Gardens
28. become an Archer (free archery lessons on Saturdays) more info
29. J.A.M. Sessions at the Ford Amphitheater (Monday Nights, 7 pm) more info
30. wine and jazz (minus the wine) at Hollywood and Highland Center (tuesdays 7-9 pm) more info
31. Also I Like to Rock (at the Hammer Museum, Thursdays 7pm)
hell yeah.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)