Copenhagen!

Off to Denmark to visit my brother in Copenhagen!!

Hey Jealousy

If you have yet to pay a visit to The Coveteur then stop reading and go now! It is a fashion, shopaholic, décor, organizational, photo lover heaven. The blog takes celebrities, trend setters and the like and photographs their clothes, shoes, accessories etc. These aren’t just any closets; these are the closets of shoe whores, collectors and fashionistas.

Interior designer and fashion designer Kelly Wearstler is the subject of this coveted closet, jealousy doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel about this closet.

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls



I have never come across a baked apple good that I haven’t loved and I am currently in full apple mode! The leaves are falling and weather has started getting much cooler over the last week. All I want to do is eat warm, comforting foods and nothing says comfort food like a hot cinnamon bun! Add apples and a caramel sauce and you’ve got me hooked!

I made these caramel apple cinnamon buns for an after dinner treat but they are perfect for a cold Sunday morning breakfast (or for any time of day really). Enjoy them straight from the oven or heat them up in the microwave.

Ingredients

1 cup warm 1% milk (105 - 115 degrees F)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour

1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened
4 small apples, peeled and diced (I used McIntosh)

1/2 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, or until the top of the mixture is foamy. Mix in the eggs, melted butter, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. Slowly add in the flour, one cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. If using a stand mixer, switch out the paddle attachment for the dough hook, add any remaining flour, and knead on medium speed for 6-8 minutes. Otherwise, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, add any remaining flour, and knead for 8-10 minutes, or until dough is slightly tacky and elastic.

2. Coat a large bowl with cooking spray. Shape the dough into a ball, then transfer to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place bowl in a warm, draft-free area and let dough rise until doubled, 1-2 hours.

3. While the dough is rising, combine 1 cup brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. Once the dough has doubled in size, turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Punch down, then let cover and rest for 10 minutes.

4. Roll dough out into a 16 x 21 inch rectangle. Spread 1/3 cup butter evenly across the dough leaving a 1/4-inch margin on the shorter sides. Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture evenly across the butter. Spread diced apples across the dough, making sure they are evenly spaced. Starting from a short side, roll dough up, pressing the final 1/4-inch margin of dough gently into the roll to seal. Cut dough with a serrated knife into 12 slices. Coat a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Transfer the rolls to the pan. Cover pan with a towel and let the rolls rise until they have about doubled, 30 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake rolls for 15 minutes, or until tops are golden brown. Let cool slightly.

6. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine whipping cream, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon butter. Cook until the butter is completely melted and sugars have dissolved.

7. Drizzle tops of warm rolls with caramel sauce.

Serves: 12

Adapted from: Allrecipes.com

Election Day!

Go Vote!

Happy Halloween!

Here are some very cool, creepy and weird pumpkins to admire on this all hallows eve. If only I were this artistic, or had the patience to attempt some of these!

 

Apocalypse Now

Regrouping post-Sandy. Be back tomorrow!

My New Favorite Pizza!

I have been on a complete fried eggplant kick these days. I think it has stemmed from recently visiting Tod English’s restaurant Figs in Boston where they have an eggplant pizza. This pizza is so amazing I had to use all my will power not to eat the entire thing. Since then I have tried time and time again to recreate the perfect fried eggplant pizza. This recipe comes pretty close and is absolutely heavenly!

Ingredients

• For the Eggplant:
• 3 TBS Canola Oil
• 1 medium eggplant – cubed into 3/4 inch pieces (roughly 4 cups)
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 TBS flour
• 1 egg plus 2 egg whites
• For the Eggplant Coating:
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup regular bread crumbs
• 1 TBS garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• Other:
• 1 pizza dough
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 cup Italian 6 cheese blend
• 3-4 Basil leaves, chiffonaded
• Corn Meal
• For Basic Pizza Sauce (makes enough for 3 pizzas):
• 28oz Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400º F or heat grill. I like doing my pizzas on the grill.
2. Placed cubed Eggplant into a collander and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt (toss to coat well). Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over eggplant one TBS at a time and toss until coated.
3. Beat one egg plus 2 egg whites in a medium bowl. Add the eggplant to the egg wash and gently toss until coated. Remove making sure to shake off any excess eggwash.
4. In a 3rd bowl, mix together eggplant coating ingredients (Panko, bread crumbs, garlic powder, pepper, and dried basil). Add the eggplant that has been coated in egg wash and gently toss until coated..
5. Coat pan with oil and fry eggplant until crispy on either side. (for a healthier version coat the bottom of a baking sheet with oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes flipping halfway through. Eggplant should be nice and crisp, and beginning to brown. Remove from oven and set aside.)
6. Move pizza stone to middle rack and turn heat up to 450º. Roll out or hand toss the pizza dough (we hand tossed it to make a nice thick crust). Sprinkle some corn meal onto pizza stone right before putting dough on it (this helps prevent sticking). Poke the center of the pizza dough with a fork to prevent it from bubbling up. Close oven and bake dough for 3-5 minutes. Remove dough from oven with a pizza peel (It should be firm and puffy, but not browning).
7. Add desired amount of pizza sauce  Next, add cheese and eggplant. Bake for another 5-7 minutes. Last, turn oven on broil and allow crust to brown (only about a minute or so). Keep a close eye on it while it is broiling! Remove from oven, sprinkle with fresh basil, slice with a pizza wheel, and serve.

IN YOUR FACE

 Last night I attended the opening of photographer Mario Testino’s show “In Your Face” at the MFA. The exhibit is composed of his works over the last 30 years which include some of the most notable fashion photographs as well as the Royal Portraits. Flipping through the pages of Vogue you would most likely come across an ad campaign or editorial done by Testino as his images are littered through all notable fashion magazines. Testino is one of my favorite photographers and it was hard to choose which of his images to include in this post. He has captured the careers of Kate Moss and Giselle from the beginning which include some of my favorite images. In your face truly describes the style of Testino, his photos are loud, bright and exciting. If you are in Boston I highly recommend a visit to the MFA, seeing these images in person is definitely worth it!

Images via Thecut.com and Pintrest.com

Tasty Tuesday: Moroccan Quinoa Salad

During the week I try to eat as healthy as possible so I can splurge on yummy baked goods on the weekends. I have been experimenting a lot with quinoa over the last few weeks to see what kind of healthy, but still delicious, meals I can whip up. This salad has such a fresh taste and the combination of the feta and apricots gives it a great flavor!

For Salad:
1 cup of Quinoa, cook as directed
Arugula
¼ dried apricots
Feta cheese
Mint
Scallions
Sliced Almonds
For Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1 shallot
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 pinch salt
1/3 - 2/3 cup excellent olive oil

1. Cook quinoa as directed. Refrigerate for half hour until cool or at room temperature.
2. Dice mint, scallions and apricots.
3. In a medium sized bowl combine quinoa, arugula, apricots, mint, scallions, feta and almonds.
4. To make vinaigrette peel the shallot, dice them very finely and mix with the vinegar and salt for about half an hour. Whisk in the olive oil and pour over salad. Toss to combine and enjoy!

 

From Paris With Love

Sadly the month of fashion has come to a close but here are some of my favorite looks from the Paris shows!

Pumpkin Time!

I rarely make snickerdoodles when I have the urge to really bake something. They are such a simple and easy cookie that they are generally reserved for a quick fix kind of situation. Not to say they aren’t delicious, but their simplicity just has a lack of appeal to me when I really want to get my hands dirty. However, I came across a photo of pumpkin snickerdoodles on Pintrest the other day and my mouth began to water. I started to grow excited for that sugary pumpkin taste that one craves during fall and that was that, I was hooked.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg and beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin puree and beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon for rolling in a shallow bowl. Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a 1½-inch ball, roll the ball in the sugar mixture, and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls about 2 inches apart
Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and just beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets about 5 minutes; using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Hello Fall

Today it officially feels like fall! Although I am missing summer more and more each day I starting to embrace fall and all it has to offer. Specifically cozy sweaters, scarves and leather pants! Leather is definitely everywhere these days and I have been searching high and low for the perfect pair of leather pants. I finally found some from Zara this weekend and I cannot wait to wear them!

London Fashion Week Recap: Runway Favorites

I am a bit behind on my Fashion Week recap but here are some of my favorite looks from the London shows!

 Alice Temperley

Caramelized Onion and Pancetta Pizza

Fall is officially here! Fall foods include some of my favorite things to make and I am definitely looking forward to baking with fresh apples, pumpkins and squash! The temperatures are beginning to drop and there is nothing better than a warm meal. Although I tend to make this pizza year round it has a certain fall/winter feel to it that warms your belly up!

Pizza Dough

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling (Chef's Note: Using bread flour will give you a much crisper crust. If you can't find bread flour, you can substitute it with all-purpose flour which will give you a chewier crust.)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 envelope instant dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups water, 110 degrees F
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons

Directions

Combine the bread flour, sugar, yeast and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and combine. While the mixer is running, add the water and 2 tablespoons of the oil and beat until the dough forms into a ball. If the dough is sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in a solid ball. If the dough is too dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth, firm ball.

Grease a large bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, add the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm area to let it double in size, about 1 hour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Cover each with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rest for 10 minutes.

Pizza

Ingredients

• Olive Oil, For Drizzling
• 1 whole Large Red Onion, Halved And Thinly Sliced
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Kosher Salt To Taste
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated
• 1/2 cup Goat Cheese, crumbled
• 8 slices cooked Pancetta

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions, brown sugar and balsamic and toss/stir for several minutes, or until onions are brown and cooked. Set aside.

Cook Pancetta in a pan, I cook it until its crispy.

Roll out pizza dough to a rectangular shape. Drizzle on olive oil, sprinkle on a little salt, followed by a little Parmesan.

Spread onions and any liquid with the onions along the dough. Randomly sprinkle goat cheese and pancetta over the onions.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the lower half of the oven, or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and cut into squares. Serve immediately.

NYFW Recap: Street Style

I always get excited to see what the runway shows have in store each season I get just as giddy to see what those attending the shows are wearing! Here are some of my favorite off the runway looks from New York Fashion Week.

NYFW Recap: Tory Burch

Tory Burch’s Spring 2013 runway show last week brought a mix of Palm Beach chic meets Polynesian tribal flare. Burch's clothing always excites as it mixes bright colors with eye popping prints, and this season is no different. Not only were her clothes a big hit, the models were perfectly accessorized and I love the fishtail braids these girls are flaunting. I will be anxiously awaiting this collection to hit stores!

Goodbye Summer Pie

As promised I am back this week with a new recipe to share, and it is one of my all-time favorites! Although summer is officially gone I am salvaging what is left of juicy tomatoes and sweet corn. This tomato corn pie is definitely best in summer with the freshest ingredients but due to its tastiness I have found myself making it all year long.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons or 3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 teaspoons melted
3/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 3/4 pounds beefsteak tomatoes
1 1/2 cups corn (from about 3 ears), coarsely chopped by hand (my preference) or lightly puréed in a food processor, divided
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil, divided (skipped this, no harm was done)
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
7ounces coarsely grated sharp Cheddar (1 3/4 cups), divided

1.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 3/4 tsp salt in a bowl, then blend in cold butter (3/4 stick) with your fingertips or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Add milk, stirring until mixture just forms a dough, then gather into a ball.

2.  Divide dough in half and roll out one piece on a well-floured counter into a 12-inch round (1/8 inch thick). Lift the dough and carefully place it in the pie plate, pushing down the edges. Pat the dough in with your fingers trim any overhang.

3.  Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Whisk together mayonnaise and lemon juice.

4.  Cut an X in bottom of each tomato and blanch in a large pot of boiling water 10 seconds. Immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to cool. Peel tomatoes, then slice crosswise 1/4 inch thick and, gently remove seeds and extra juices (don’t skip this step otherwise  the pie will become soggy). Arrange half of tomatoes in crust, overlapping, and sprinkle with half of corn, one tablespoon basil, 1/2 tablespoon chives, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and one cup of grated cheese. Repeat layering with remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, chives, salt, and pepper. Pour lemon mayonnaise over filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

5.  Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch and place it over the filling, pressing down the edges with a fork. Cut 4 steam vents in top crust and brush crust with melted butter (2 teaspoons). Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes, then cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 8 servings

Adapted from Smittenkitchen.com

Hello!

It has been a while, despite my last post promising that I would be back, the last month has been crazy! Moving, vacations, and tons of events at work has not left much time for cooking or blogging. But this week I will be back with new recipes and fashion week recap!

I hate moving!!

Wild West

I have been M.I.A lately enjoying some much needed downtime and vacation. My last week was spent on a lake in Montana embracing all the west has to offer, including the fashion. I love being out west as it brings a much different kind of relaxation spending time in the open air. I also am a big fan of western  inspired style and was happy to finally don my chunky turqoise jewelry, layers, plaid, native inspired knits and last but not least, my cowboy boots.

 Images via Pintrest

Bohemian Summer

I love the feel of Valeria Boster's (Vogue's Bookings Editor) casual summer style. Boster's bohemian looks were captured in Vogue's "Five Days, Five Looks, One Girl".

Photos via Vogue.com

Just Peachy

It seems that summer is slipping through my finger tips and I can’t believe it is already the first week of August. I am franticly trying to hold on to every last bit of summer that I can which includes all of summer’s juicy fruits and vegetables. Although I have yet to whip up a blueberry pie (a summer staple in my family) I have been able to make some delicious blueberry peach muffins. Biting into a juicy berry or succulent peach with each bite makes these muffins a favorite!

Blueberry-Peach Muffins

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar (I used half white and half light brown)
1 tablespoon baking powder
pinch of salt
3 eggs
1 cup skim milk
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup blueberries
1 cup peaches, peeled and chopped

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs one at a time until combined. Add the dry ingredients alternating with the milk. Stir until blended. Gently stir in the fruit.

Fill prepared muffin tins with batter. If desired, sprinkle muffin tops with a little bit of sugar. Bake for about 16-18 minutes.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

Yield: Approximately 2 dozen muffins