Pile It On

A few details like piling on gold bracelets or stacking rings can transform your outfit. I generally wear a few pieces of jewelry but here are some fun ways to over accessorize a bit.

Currently Craving

Black Salt Caramel Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Messy goodness



I recently gave in to my cravings while in the grocery store checkout isle and purchased a Vosges Black Salt Caramel chocolate bar that I had been eying. I had almost wolfed the whole thing down before I had even paid and decided to grab another for a little experiment. I had been craving some extra special chocolate chip cookies and thought that adding this chocolate bar into the mix might be what I was looking for. And oh was it ever, the mix of dark chocolate, caramel and salt was too delicious to describe.

 

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 frozen Vosges Black Salt Caramel Chocolate Bar*

You can get these at Whole Foods or any gourmet grocery store. If you can’t find them substitute with your favorite chocolate bar.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Remove chocolate bar from the freezer and set aside. Grease baking sheets.

3. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.

4. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. 5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture.

6. Chop chocolate into small chunks, warning this gets a bit messy but just embrace the mess. Stir in the chunks and place a tablespoon of dough onto your greased cookie sheet.

7. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Mine were a little big and melted into one another but they were still absolutely scrumptious!

Peanut Butter Time

In my opinion there is nothing better than the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. When you combine those two ingredients with bananas it is heavenly. I love banana bread and this peanut butter chocolate chip version is my new favorite variation.   For an even more scrumptious treat add mini Reeses peanut butter cups in place of the chocolate chips, yummy!

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/4 cup unbleached flour
• 6 tablespoons white sugar
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed or whizzed in food-processor
• 1/3 cup peanut butter (crunchy peanut butter is yummy too!)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips tossed in 1 tablespoon flour  

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 9X5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray; add a strip of parchment paper to bottom of pan for easy removal.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl. 
3. In another bowl or bowl of mixer, mix bananas, peanut butter, butter, egg, vanilla, and oil. Fold in flour mixture until no streaks of flour remain, then gently fold in chocolate chips. 
4. Scrape batter into loaf pan. Bake 40-50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out with few moist crumbs. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes; carefully remove from pan and allow to cool completely on wire rack before slicing.
   
   
   
    
   

Desert Feelings

As my excitement for Coachella is starting to take over I have become enthralled with the music, the clothes and the desert. I love the modern architecture and style of these desert homes, serving as a Hollywood retreat in the 1960’s. I can definitely imagine myself sitting by a pool in the desert enjoying a cocktail come 5 o’clock, or earlier.

Images via Architectural Digest

Boston Baked

Mini Boston Cream Pies

Boston Cream Pie has a special place in my heart. Since I was born I have spent time each summer at my grandparent's home on Long Beach Island, NJ. Every morning my grandparents would return from their bike ride with doughnuts and during my vacations there I probably ate a Boston Cream doughnut every day. I still love them but now I try to keep my doughnut consumption to a minimum. Although it’s no Jersey doughnut these mini Boston Cream Pies certainly do the trick!

Fun fact, Boston Cream Pie is the official dessert of Massachusetts.

Ingredients:

Yellow Sponge Cake*:

·      1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour

·      2/3 cup sugar

·      1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

·      1/4 teaspoon salt

·      1/2 cup milk

·      1/4 cup cooking oil

·      2 egg yolks

·      1 teaspoon vanilla

·      2 egg whites

·      1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

*You can also use Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix

Chocolate Glaze:

·      1 cup heavy cream

·      ¼ cup light corn syrup

·      8 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped into small pieces

·      1 cup sugar

Cream Filling:

·      1 package JELLO Instant Vanilla Pudding

·      2 cups cold milk

Preparation:

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Fill muffin tins with liners (you can also do this as a cake in which case grease two 9-inch cake pans).

2.     Cupcakes: Combine the flours, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add milk, oil, egg yolks, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed until combined. Beat an additional 3 minutes on high speed and set aside.

3.     In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium to high speed until soft peaks form. Pour the egg yolk mixture over the egg white mixture and fold in. Gently pour the batter into muffin tins or a 9-inch greased cake pan.

4.     Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Let cupcakes cool before removing them from the pan. Place on wire rack until completely cooled. 

5.   Cream Filling: While cupcakes are baking make the cream filling. Combine 2 cups of cold milk and contents of pudding package. Whisk for 5 minutes or until pudding is thick. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

6.     Chocolate Glaze: For the glaze combine cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan and heat on low. Remove from heat once mixture starts to steam and add in the chocolate and sugar. Place a dishtowel over the saucepan (make sure your stove is off!) and let chocolate melt, about 8 minutes. If chocolate has not melted place back on the stove on simmer. Add in the vanilla and stir to combine. Let mixture cool, about 20 minutes (you can put it in the fridge if you’re impatient like me).

 

The Most Wonderful Time of Year

It’s that time of year again, that is music festival time! In 10 short days I will be frolicking in the desert at Coachella, some lucky ones will be heading there this weekend. I have been to Coachella once before and I can safely say it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. The music, the vibe, the people, the clothes, oh my! Coachella is known not only for its music but for its fashionable attendees. Here are some of my favorite Coachella looks from the past and some inspiration for this year.