March 28, 2012

Mom’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I’m starting to realize that life is short. I mean..I already know this but every now and then this thought enters my consciousness and I feel the need to SEIZE THE DAY. Then I get back to my routine and forget about it all, until I’m rudely awakened into remembering how precious life is.

Like this cake…I have this cake once a year. It’s really a shame that it’s only once a year. My mom makes it for Christmas day and she’s been making it for as long as I can remember. Us kids LOVE this cake. It’s apart of our holiday tradition and it tastes spectacular because it’s made with so much love. But why wait til Christmas day to eat this cake? Why not make it on a rainy afternoon in March when I’ve got the house to myself? I can certainly do that now that my mom gave me the recipe.

Do you know why it’s my most favorite coffee cake EVER? The outside is crispy while the inside is soft, moist and studded with a ridiculous amount of cinnamony walnuts. Did I mention that there’s a few caramelized patches on the outside? It kinda reminds me of a cross between an apple fritter & coffee cake. Yeah. You’re welcome. Wait. Thank my mom for this.

Life is short. SEIZE THE CAKE.

recipes, Uncategorized

March 26, 2012

Carrot Ginger Elixir

Cooper has been in preschool since August which means we’ve had ten million thousand gazillion germs enter our household. In this past six months I feel like we’ve been sick more than we haven’t been sick.

Needless to say I’m ready for it to be over!

I spied this recipe in the latest Bon Appetit and had to jump right on it. I suppose the word ELIXIR sealed the deal. I’m really hoping this helps keeps that pesky scratch in my throat at bay. Ginger, lime & carrots, do your MAGIC.

And if it doesn’t, I still have a tasty beverage to add to my repertoire. This carrot ginger elixir is spicy/sweet and will be soooo good in an afternoon cocktail this summer. I’d better be well by then!

my everyday life, Photography, Uncategorized

March 24, 2012

My Everyday Life: Week 12

Here’s what this past week looked like:

A week ago I was looking at this in Seattle. OMG. Look at those clouds.

Uncategorized

March 23, 2012

I love lists, Friday!

Bubble Top Brioches, be still my heart!
I’m totally obsessed with this song. The acoustic version is way better. Except when his voice cracks.
An important, well written post on Accepting Feminism. Go, Rebecca GO!
The raddest coffee shop. I totally agree.
I could eat a whole stack of these sweet & salty bars or maybe these ones…
I love really good pattern play.
A word on travel. It’s about letting go & enjoying the process of discovering something new when you’re traveling.
When life gives you lemons, you clean your kitchen with them! (love this, Becky!)
Pretty excited about the COOKIE CRAVINGS E-Book! Cookies are my weakness.
Is it bad that I really really like all of these hipster brands?
Thank you Sam for sharing your Casselberry Biscuit recipe with the rest of the world! (these are SO GOOD, people!)
I love love LOVE Nicole’s new style feature. She has such great taste.
The first rule of pricing- MAKE NO ASSUMPTIONS! Such good advice.
How to Find True Freedom with Food. I thought of this while I was stuffing coconut shreds into my mouth today.

This week on High Straightenence, I get started on organizing my Kitchen drawers!

Would You Rather? Or would you prefer? Check out the new Joy the Baker podcast. We play the would you rather game!

Did you get to check out Joy’s first Book Tour video?? Remember when I was at the French Laundry a few weeks ago? This is why!

Also! I’m on Instagram now. You can follow me @tracyshutterbean. Guess who is already obsessed….

around the home, Inspiration

March 22, 2012

My Top 20 Favorite Movie Soundtracks:

FACT: Most of my favorite songs come from movie soundtracks. I love how music can enhance a movie’s enjoyment and how after overdosing on a soundtrack, you can re-watch a movie and see things differently because you now know a song by heart. I think it’s also pretty interesting how you can find a song you wouldn’t normally like and enjoy it because it reminds you of a scene in a movie. Win-win!

Today I put a list of all of my favorite soundtracks (I just HAD to throw Dirty Dancing in there!) When I’m working, I like to put on a full soundtrack so I can be transported into movie land. I also listed some of my favorite tracks from each soundtrack. ENJOY!

Almost Famous Favorite Songs: Tiny Dancer, The Wind & Simple Man
Amelie From Montmartre Favorite Songs: Comptine D’Un Austre eTe & La Redecouverte
Boogie Nights Favorite Songs: Jungle Fever, Brand New Key & Livin’ Thing
Dirty Dancing Favorite Songs: Be My Baby, Hungry Eyes, Love is Strange, Stay & The Time of My Life
Drive Favorite Songs: Under Your Spell, A Real Hero & Tick of the Clock
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Favorite Songs: Mr. Blue Sky & Theme
Garden State Favorite Songs: New Slang, Fair & Such Great Heights
Juno Favorite Songs: All I Want Is You, Vampire, Sea of Love & Anyone Else But You
Little Miss Sunshine Favorite Songs:Til the End of Time, The Winner Is, Chicago & No One Gets Left Behind
Lost in Translation Favorite Songs: Too Young, On the Subway, Just Like Honey & Alone Kyoto
Magnolia Favorite Songs: One, Momentum, Nothing is Good Enough & Save Me
Pretty In Pink Favorite Songs: If You Leave, Pretty In Pink, Round Round, Bring on the Dancing Horses & Please Please Let me Get What I Want
Reality Bites Favorite Songs: My Sharona, Stay, Spin the Bottle, All I Want Is You & Locked Out.
Romy & Michele’s High school Reunion Favorite Songs: Our Lips Are Sealed, I Want Candy & Heave Is a Place on Earth
Rushmore Favorite Songs: Hardest Geometry Problem, Blinuet, Oh Yoko & Here Comes My Baby
Stealing Beauty Favorite Songs: 2 Wicky, Glory Box, My Baby Just Cares for Me & Superstition
The Life Aquatic Favorite Songs: Gut Feeling, The Way I Feel Inside & Ping Island Lighting Strike Rescue Op
The Royal Tenenbaums Favorite Songs: Need in the Hay, These Days, Stephanie Says & Christmas Time Is Here
The Squid & The Whale Favorite Songs: Courting Blues, Hey You, The Swimming Song & Street Hassle
The Virgin Suicides Favorite Songs: Magic Man, How Can you Mend a Broken Heart, Crazy On You & Come Sail Away

Runners up include: Good Will Hunting, Dazed & Confused, Run Lola Run & Trainspotting.

Now…you tell me what movie soundtracks you love! GO!

recipes, Uncategorized

March 21, 2012

Brussels Sprouts & Bacon Pizza

Sometimes when I’m leaving town on a trip, I scatter little post-its around the house for Casey to find while I’m gone. I might also make something special as a little send off, so he can eat something and think of me while I’m away..

Last week I flew up to Seattle to join Joy on her Book Tour and an hour before I left for the airport, I pulled this Brussels Sprouts & Bacon pizza out of the oven. This is one of those special somethings.

I figured I’d give him something delicious & hearty to eat while he was busy missing me. I think it worked.

This pizza is ridiculously good. The Brussels sprouts get sweet, soft and semi crunchy while the bacon, cheddar, feta add a nice salty bite. You could totally put an egg on it and call it breakfast. I should have used slices of this pizza as post-its.

recipes, Uncategorized

March 19, 2012

Strawberry Malted Milkshake

Last week I was plagued with strawberry malted milkshake fantasies and had no ice cream to make my dreams come true. With a little teamwork from my pantry and freezer I was able to quench my cravings.

By borrowing the base of my Raw Chocolate Milk and adding frozen strawberries as well as malted milk powder, I was able to come up with this deliciously smooth & creamy strawberry malted milkshake that’s almost dairy free…

One sip and I’m suddenly transported back to my childhood…fighting over a strawberry milkshake with my brothers in the back seat of my mom’s old green station wagon we referred to as The Pickle Mobile.