Category Archives: food

About that Homemade Ice Cream…

Posted on by

For Christmas I got an ice cream maker attachment for my KitchenAid and boy is it dangerous! Last night I made mint chocolate chip and it was super easy and delicious.

photo

 Easy Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream:

2 cups of 2% milk
2 cups of half & half
1 cup of sugar (I used a little less)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 tsp of peppermint extract (I had this left over from the peppermint bark)
1 cup of semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
A few drops of green food coloring (optional)

Stir together all the ingredients, except the chocolate chips, and add to the machine. About 10 minutes later, add the chocolate chips.  If you can’t find the mini’s then chop up the regular sized morsels. Serve over a warm brownie.

photo2


 
 

xoxo

Posted on by

I hope you had a lovely Valentine’s Day! Jeff and I celebrated by going to an amazing chocolate party.

YEE_8743_8x12

As a fundraiser for the co-op, Chef Chad Durkin gave a pastry demonstration on how to make whoopie pies and adult chocolate milk.  As you can see, there was a table full of chocolate and one of the best moments was when I found the most perfect chocolate – a german chocolate “brute” at 67% cocoa. It is the perfect bitterness for me and needless to say, I happily went into a chocolate coma after eating several pieces.

YEE_8802_8x12

YEE_8854_8x12
 

Photography credit: Albert Yee. For more of his photos, click here.

Going back in time where community reigns

Posted on by

While we were visiting friends in Durham, North Carolina over New Years weekend, we went to an Intentional Living Community about an hour from Chapel Hill called Blue Heron Farm.  Jeff and I kept checking in with each other while we were there with glances and smiles and it was clear we were both intrigued. As we toured a small portion of the 64 acres and a few of the homes on the property, we learned that the farm started about 15 years ago.  The house where we had lunch was saved from being knocked down from highway development – it was purchased for $5000 and moved for $7000! Jeff and I have talked about prefab homes before but we never knew about being able to move houses.  Learning about that alone made the trip worthwhile and being surrounded by like-minded people, babies, nature, food and lots of love was icing on the cake.

“True community is not simply an aggregate of people… but people which have made a commitment to communicate more authentically, more intimately, more vulnerably.” – M. Scott Peck, A Different Drum

A weekend in Baltimore

Posted on by

How was your weekend?  We went to Baltimore to visit my family and had a blast with my adorable cousins, Cole and Abigail.

After several emails with links of recipes and craft ideas, me and my Aunt Rachel came up with a game plan (she is my kind of gal!) We settled on sun prints, a butternut squash lasagna and an upside down pear cake. Perfect for a mid-November weekend, don’t you think?

At the last minute, Cole left me a voicemail asking if we could bring Hugo. We had planned for him to stay with my mother-in-law but after the cutest request, we said of course we can bring him!  They became fast friends.

Good morning beautiful!

Posted on by

Have you heard about The Clean Program?  A colleague tried it and loved it.  She told me that you have to drink a morning and evening shake everyday – which reminded me how much I love an icy smoothie for breakfast in the summer.  Here’s what I did this morning.

Protein Shake with Berries
Organic Non-Fat Milk
Plain yogurt
Frozen Berries
1 scoop of vanilla whey protein powder
Freshly ground flax seeds
Ice

Homemade Pizza

Posted on by

I hope you are enjoying the start of a happy Memorial Day weekend! I have a long list of things I hope to do, including going to see Bridesmaids, researching our trip, going shopping (I have been inspired by these ladies) and making homemade pizza.

But I can cross the last one off my list since last night we enjoyed some homemade pizza with a good friend over a few beers.  “Porch drinking” as he called it – gosh I love summer.