October 5, 2012

Pasta w/ Cauliflower & Brussels Sprouts

When Real Simple asks if you want to be apart of their Stress Free Month of Dinners Blog Relay you say YES, right?

Good. I thought so.

Here’s a little carb background for you: I like a little pasta with my vegetables. My husband likes a little vegetables with his pasta. That’s why I picked this recipe. Depending how you scoop out a serving, we both get exactly what we want.

I loved the roasted vegetables in this pasta dish. The tang of the Pecorino and the browned leaves of the Brussels sprouts were fantastic. The onions, cauliflower & thyme were pretty great too. The addition of a lemon spritz at the end woke it all up. I’m pretty sure I got my suggested daily serving of vegetables in this recipe and I can’t wait for leftovers.

Best part of it all is that it took me less than 25 minutes to make this whole dish. That in itself deserves an award.

You can follow along the Blog Relay by checking here. I can’t wait to see some of my favorite bloggers try out Real Simple recipes & share them on their blogs.

recipes, Uncategorized

October 4, 2012

Chocolate Pecan Cake

The only thing thing that makes me excited about football season is the FOOD. There, I said it.

When you’re feeding a bunch of crazy dudes huddled around a TV, food has to be fast, easy and hearty. I appreciate these three things. It appeals to my dude sensibilities.

Bonus points are given for wings, carbs & booze. Paper towels are a must. Leave the roll. Always.

And if you’re walking into a “man cave” with food, bring some ear plugs.

DUDES. Why must you scream at the players on TV? They can’t hear YOU. I don’t understand, dudes.

What about dessert?

A cake that’s made in a big rectangular pan, covered in chocolate frosting and roasted pecans? That will do the trick. No cupcakes. No cakes shaped like footballs or helmets. A cake with their player’s number might slide, but all you really need is a huge cake. The best part is that you can see how big of a helping they serve themselves. This cake serves 8…or maybe 4 dudes who are wearing their team’s jersey.

When it comes to men and cake slices, size matters.

around the home, my everyday life, Photography

October 2, 2012

Happy 4th Birthday, Cooper!

Today Cooper is 4. FOUR. YEARS. OLD.

I’ve been busy this afternoon making him a Batman birthday cake!

I decided to take a break and look through pictures of him. OMG WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?!

recipes, Uncategorized

October 1, 2012

Orange Ginger Toddy

TODDY TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIME!! (Oprah voice. Always.)

I made this Orange Ginger Toddy the other night and put it on Instagram (@tracyshutterbean if you’re into it).

A few people asked me for the recipe and here it is. It’s so easy. I could have just tweeted you, but whatever.

We’re here and we might as well….

This is my new favorite way to drink a hot toddy. It’s orange. It’s spiced. It’s sweet and there’s a touch of ginger in it.

Oranges & bourbon will be appearing on my grocery lists for months to come.

And when I’m feeling like changing it up, I’ll go with a classic or one with gin. Drink the warmth! CONTINUE READING

my everyday life, Photography

September 29, 2012

My Everyday Life: Week 39

Here’s what this past week looked like:

Afternoon light in Oakland.

Uncategorized

September 28, 2012

I love lists, Friday!

My name is Tracy and I’m obsessed with this song.
Let’s get drunk on these. It’s Friday. YOLO.
How solid is your password? It’s not 1234 is it?
Oh man. Aladdin. The bread…
How old are you? 29? hahahaha.
A banana slicer. Just read the comments.
Super Cheap Photo Studio Setup. I employ these tricks!
Must get myself to Heath. STAT.
Kids… They say the darnedest things.
A very good post about internet vacations.
33 Meticulous Cleaning Tricks for the OCD Person. YESSSSSS.
There’s always dinner. A great reminder & meditation for Fall
I’ve got my eye on this Carrot Apple Loaf!
Being sick never looked so cozy. Hope you’re better, Katie!
Why Women Should Stop Trying To Be perfect. YES.
This is the time of year when I start craving mushrooms.
One of my all time favorite blogs, Frecklewonder is saying goodbye. *I’M SO SAD*

RED FLAG, BING! We have another installment of Red Flags on the Joy The Baker Podcast.

I FINALLY cleaned out my car!!! You can see the whole process on Homefries. It’s apparently inspiring people to tackle their messy cars. Boom.

My Bites Around the Net

Kylie from The Baking Bird made my Fig & Olive Oil Cake.

Everyday Food Lovers adapted my Strawberry Clafouti.

Jessica from The Desert Abode made my Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls. Congrats to you!!

Rachel from The Little Cookbook did an excellent adaptation of my Peach Rosemary Spritzers

Katheryn from The Bakers Sheet adapted my Brown Butter Waffles.

Monique from Cooking & Hooking made my Coffee Chocolate Krispies Treats

Jen from Fidget Smile Wave made my Farm Stand Buttermilk Doughnuts.

Anna from Bashful Bao made her own version of my Freezer Breakfast Burritos.

out & about

September 27, 2012

Out to Eat: Momofuku Noodle Bar

Have you been to Momofuku Noodle Bar? It’s one of my favorite places to eat in NYC. Every time I visit my brother, we make a point to eat lunch here. This past July, I went with my brother & Joy. It was exceptional! But then again, I wouldn’t expect anything less. David Chang is one of my culinary heroes.