August 6, 2014

Brown Butter Kettle Corn

New post: Brown Butter Kettle Corn!

Thoughts while driving home from work:

Why don’t people use turn signals? Will they stop making them in cars one day because they’re deemed unnecessary? I have all that butter in the fridge. Thank heavens they sell Kerrygold at Costco. There isn’t enough browned butter in my life. Wait. When was the last time I had kettle corn? Does that mean I haven’t been to a Farmer’s Market in a while? Can I have popcorn for dinner? Why is that guy brushing his teeth while driving? How can you not text but you can brush your teeth while driving? Another person not using a turn signal. WHAT IS UP, PEOPLE?!! Is it time to listen to Marky Mark yet? I think it’s been an hour. Popcorn in my future. Please and thank you.

Popcorn kernels get popped. A nutty brown butter mixture gets a brown sugar treatment and coats the hot popcorn. Sea salt makes an appearance and we have the most lovely salty sweet crunchy combination.

Just when you think you think there hasn’t been enough sweetness in a handful or popcorn, a caramelized crunchy bit makes its way into your mouth. There it is. Just what you’ve been looking for. Then you get a bite of a salty buttery popcorn kernel and all is right with the world. Back and forth…forever…

Inspiration, Outfitting

August 4, 2014

OUTFITTING: SUMMER CASUAL

ONE/TWO/THREE/FOUR/FIVE/SIX/SEVEN/EIGHT/NINE

Hello hello! A few weeks ago I bought a pair of boyfriend jeans (the GAP ones are my favorite so far) and am slowly working them into my everyday wardrobe. I really love how you can see a hint of ankle (the smallest part of my legs!) with a boyfriend jean. I also love that they are a bit baggy because…really…who likes tight pants?

In this look, I channeled the “hippie” vibe that I’m currently loving. You can see that mostly in the accessories I picked. I wanted to keep the clothing part a little more neutral so there was a good base to play off of. If I was going for a more polished look, I’d pick that white tunic top and for something casual (hanging out with friends, kids, etc.) I’d pick that graphic tee (isn’t it cute??!). Since it’s summer, I also included my favorite blush- Dallas by Benefit. The only drawback to always slathering sunblock on my face is that the skin on my face is lighter than the rest of my body. That’s why I like this bronzer/blush. It gives you a good bronzed/I just hung out on a beach all day glow. Try it and watch the “Whoa! You got some color! You’re glowing!” comments flow.

my everyday life, Photography

August 3, 2014

My Everyday Life: Week 31

Here’s what this past week in TAHOE (!!) looked like:

Happy hour at our rental house.

August 1, 2014

I love lists, Friday!

When You’re in a Good Relationship, You Learn These Things.
What I want from a restaurant website. YES.
Man-ternity photos.
I want ALL OF THIS CAKE.
Airplane passengers as described by their pants (HILARIOUS)
Rice Krispie Treats 5 WAYS!!
One of my mottos.
Putting these on the TO MAKE list. This too! Oh and THIS!
Currently Reading: Beautiful Ruins: A Novel
When you want to cry….
Doctors talk about their dumbest patients (ooof)
How to get rich being a blogger!
Putting this top on my birthday wish list.
This cheesecake made my brain explode….in a good way!
Are you fluent in Emoji? (I’m an emoji whisperer)
One of my kitchen hacks is on Buzzfeed this week. Boom!
I’ll take two, please.
Thank you for your kind words, Tess! I appreciate you.
I’m looking forward to listening to this.
10 Rules of Writing. YES.

There’s a new Joy the Baker Podcast! On Daily Afflecktions, we talk about How to Stay Positive, Ben Affleck, Real World & other general randomness. Enjoy!

Three Meals and a Cookie adapted my Thai Corn Coconut Soup

recipes

July 31, 2014

Bananas + Peanut Butter + Chocolate

When I’m looking for a sweet/satisfying snack, THIS IS IT. If you’re looking for justifications for this indulgent snack, peanut butter has protein, banana is a fruit and chocolate has antioxidants. I may or may not use a bowl when I’m having this snack….a spoon is all you need.

recipes

July 30, 2014

Raspberry Mango Ice Cream Cake

Oops, I did it again. I got lost in the {ice cream cake} game.

They’re just so darn easy, I couldn’t resist.

This time I went for COLOR. I wanted the ice cream cake to be fruity and have a topping instead of fun stuffed inside. So, I went with mango sorbet, raspberry sorbet and topped it with vanilla ice cream and a big handful of toasted coconut.

Oh my word, what a glorious combination! Just that little bit of vanilla ice cream in there makes it feel super decadent. The mango & raspberry are tart so it’s a nice balance. Then you have the crispy coconut! It’s dangerous how simple it is to make…

recipes

July 28, 2014

Fresh Spring Rolls

When I was young I absolutely loved Taco Night and Hamburger Night. You know why? It was all about customizing and getting EXACTLY what I wanted for dinner. I’ve learned that as a parent, these types of dinners are so nice when you have picky eaters to feed. Fresh Spring Rolls to the rescue!

Not into shrimp on your spring roll? Don’t worry, I’ll make you one with out.

Want a lot of mint? I’ve got you covered. Noodles only? Let’s try that. And weird!

I’m the one that goes for the avocado in my spring roll. Casey goes classic and Cooper does it all sans avocado & shrimp. We all get exactly what we want. There’s so much comfort in that.