You gotta try this: Asparagus + Baked Eggs

Photo via The Kitchy Kitchen

If I'm at a restaurant and asparagus and baked eggs is on the menu, there's no question asked, I'm ordering it! And one of my favorite spots to order it from is Bacaro. But I've been tempted to recreate the delicious dish at home, so I finally tried a recipe found on The Kitchy Kitchen. And the result was so good! For all my fellow egg addicts, I higly suggest trying this one out. :)

You gotta try this: Rosemary + Lemon Chicken

 

On Golden Globes night, I took on the challenge of making my very first whole chicken. I was intimidated by the idea because I've only been eating meat for a little over a year, and sometimes I struggle with making chicken, uh, not dry. But we bought a whole chicken at Trader Joes, so I finally decided to give it a go. And woah -- it was the most amazing chicken I've made (thankfully!) I went with a lemon and rosemary recipe found on Food & Wine, with just a side of roasted potatoes. And we devoured every last part of it! And the cool thing which I never knew you were suppose to do is add a cup of water to the pan so the chicken is taking a little bath :) That way you can use the juices to keep it moist with tons of flavor.

 

Check out my chicken...

No-Knead Homemade Bread

Liz, Charlie's Mom, recently sent us a dutch oven and shared the most amazing recipe for homemade bread. The ingredients and recipe are incredibly simple and fool proof (trust me, I am no baker -- believe me when I say anyone can master this recipe.) I made two loafs over the weekend, first round got crispier than I intended, but the second round was perfect. Charlie and I just poured some extra virgin olive oil with a little salt into a dish and dipped away! 

All you need is...

A cast iron dutch oven like this one

And this recipe...

NYTimes recipe for No-Knead Bread 

If you need a little visual reference, this video is helpful, but follow recipe. 

You will be addicted! 

(photos by Karina)

Game Day Recipes

(30-minute Chili)

(All-American Buffalo Chicken Tenders)

(Spicy-Sweet Chicken Wings)

(Onion Rings)

(Hot Spinach Dip)

Alex and I are having a few friends over for the Super Bowl this upcoming Sunday so I've been looking for some fun recipes to make. Don't these Martha Stewart recipes look yummy?

What are you plans for the Super Bowl? Will you be hosting, going to someone's house or tuning out and watching Top Chef reruns? :)

P.S. Have you seen this hilarious Super Bowl ad going viral? Fun fact: It features the star of our upcoming film!

Pantry Staples

I found this list in my new Alice Waters book, The Art of Simple Cooking (thank you, Liz!). Printing this cute drawing out found on Dear Friend and putting it on my fridge so I know when to re-stock. :)

(photo via Dear Friend)

Homemade Holiday Treat Idea

We absolutely love Claire Thomas' website, The Kitchy Kitchen, and today, she's giving us a good idea. Homemade treats for the holidays! We are so doing this.

Salmon Sandwiches

If you're anything like me, deciding what to eat everyday for lunch can be really boring. Yes, I live in New York and I should have a plethora of amazing eating options but my office is in a weird location and not much delivers to us. And on top of that, ordering lunch everyday is expensive! So starting now, I am making a commitment to be better about packing my own lunch. And with recipes this delicious, I think I can really have fun with it. Yum, yum.

Images and recipe via Big Girls Small Kitchen.

Evening Snack: Lychees

Have you tried Lychees before? Until recently I had only had them in martinis, but they're quite yummy on their own. Native to China, lychees can occasionally be found here in the U.S. as they are also harvested in places like South Florida. Refreshing and sweet, they make a great snack. I bought some in a market in Chinatown, but you can also buy them here. xo

(Photo via Steamy Kitchen)

Supper Clubs

One of my favorite things about living in New York is the plethora of foodies here. And when foodies get together, wonderful things happen. Take for instance, this supper club called apt4 food & wine. Every once in awhile, they organize these very elaborate and intimate five course meals in different homes around the city. They only take reservations for six people at a time, so you can either get a group of friends to go, or delight yourself in dining with strangers. (I did the dining with strangers thing a few years with a different supper club and it was so fun. There's something about sharing a really well prepared meal with people over several glasses of wine that make the whole experience so much more than just about the food.)

Although, I have yet to go to one of apt4's dinners, it is always on my radar. And after taking a look at these food photos, I am definitely adding it to my to-do list.

(Photos by Melissa Hom.)

Cold Treats for Cold Weather

Yes, I know it is still unbearably cold here in New York, but sometimes this weather makes me really crave ice cream. Is that crazy? Maybe... but I swear once you try this amazing Talenti Gelato I just discovered, you will want it year round. I was introduced to this yummy delicacy by my friend, Kim who swore it was her new favorite food. So when I was at Whole Foods getting groceries last night and saw it on display, I decided to pick some up (I tried the Caribbean Coconut flavor.) And I swear to you, after having it for dessert last night, I am almost tempted to enjoy it this morning for breakfast. Almost. (You wouldn't judge me, would you?)

(Photos via Notcot.)

Vegetarian Winter Melon Soup

Over the harsh winter, I've pretty much managed to escape the seasonal flu except for the occasional sniffle here and there. But yesterday, my luck sadly changed. The achy feeling, back to back sneezing, and puffy eyes took hold of me. But after overdosing on sleepy time meds, I woke up feeling much better and craving homemade soup like this Winter Melon Soup found on The Kitchn. Maybe feeling under the weather is just a good excuse to make this tasty treat. :)

What are some of your fave home remedies?

(Photos via The Kitchn)

Edible Selby: Tartine Bakery

Oh my goodness, how did I just realize that Todd Selby is starting a new feature for the New York Times Magazine's T Magazine called Edible Selby? This is so awesome and I'm thrilled to see that the first feature is of Tartine, quite possibly my favorite bakery in the world. More mouth-watering pictures can be found here. ♥

Fun + New Vegan Recipes

Pumpkin Tortilla Soup

Tempeh Deli Salad

Khara Bath

Nutty Farro Pasta with Edamame Pesto

Although I am not an official vegan, or even vegetarian for that matter, I do often love trying more veggie-based dishes. It's obviously healthier and I have fun trying out new creative ways to take what are typical ordinary vegetable side dishes up a notch to create full and tasty meals. So I was thrilled to see that this week is Vegan Week over at the kitchn! Check out their very delicious sounding dinner recipes here. I can't wait to make the Pumpkin Tortilla Soup!

All recipes and images via the kitchn.

Homemade Nutella (You Heard Right)

(image via Bon Vivant)

In our household, Nutella lasts about a week. It's literally schmeared on everything from bananas to toast! That's why I'm ecstatic to try this homemade Nutella recipe, via Bon Vivant. In my opinion, everything tastes better homemade, and Nutella spread is no exception. :)

Nutella Recipe
10 oz/ 300 grams hazelnuts, toasted and skins removed
2 oz/ 60 grams cocoa nibs
1/2 to 2/3 cup/ 60-70 grams powdered sugar
7 teaspoons unrefined hazelnut oil
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder

To toast the hazelnuts, preheat your oven to 300F and spread the nuts on one layer on a large baking sheet. Toast the nuts for about 15 minutes until golden brown, then rub their skins off with a clean cloth. Set aside.

Toast the cocoa nibs by placing them in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until they darken and are slightly shiny. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place the nuts and cocoa nibs in a food processor and chop them until they liquefy. Your processor will sound as if it’s throwing a hissy fit and about to implode, but keep your finger on the pulse button until you get a thick, lovely dark chocolate hazelnut butter. The nuts and nibs will first gather into a ball before turning into butter. To help move things along, you may need to scrape down the sides of the processor bowl to ensure that everything is pulverized.

Add the sugar, oil and espresso powder and pulse again, scraping down as needed until everything is well incorporated into a lusciously thick sauce. There will still be chunks of nibs remaining which will give a slight crunch to each spoonful.

Store the spread in clean and dry airtight containers/jars and refrigerate. Bring the spread to room temperature before using.

Yum: Danish Open-Faced Sandwiches

(image via NPR.com)

I rarely eat sandwiches, but when I do, it totally reminds me of being a kid and taking bagged lunch to school (I loved guessing what my mom made me before lunchtime!) But as an adult, I think I'm ready to transition to a more sophisticated sandwich. ;) Enter: Danish open-faced sandwiches, like the ones pictured above, via NPR (recipes included).

Perfect for yourself, or to share with your friends, elementary style. &hearts

Have A Dreamy Thanksgiving Weekend!

(Image via Smitten Kitchen)

Get your drawstring pants ready because we are officially one day away from Thanksgiving!

Claudia, Lisa Michelle and I will be heading to our parent's house in Queens to mark the holiday with a lavish dinner cooked by our Mom. The girls and I plan on bringing a few hors d'oeuvres to get the party started, and I think I finally found what I will make: sweet potatoes with pecans and goat cheese (pictured above). Don't they look drool worthy? I'm sure the festivities will be followed by food coma and great conversation, my favorite part of holiday dinners. ;)

How will you celebrate your Thanksgiving? We would love to know!

This will be our last post for the weekend. We hope you all have a lovely holiday and can't wait to see you again Monday!

And! as always, link time...

You still have time! Last minute Thanksgiving recipes (c/o Martha Stewart)

Seven Black Friday sales. Best of luck to those brave enough! (c/o NY Mag)

For those unruly hair days, 6 great hairstyles for hats (c/o Refinery 29)

Gift ideas from ten tastemakers (c/o Style.com)

I want these! Embroidered Silk Hot Pants (c/o Polyvore)

Happy Thanksgiving! xoxo

Pretty Plates

With Thanksgiving next week, I've been thinking about dinnerware + decor. I'm loving these West Elm metallic leaf plates. Seasonal yet affordable. xo

(Via West Elm)

Cooking With Miriam

(Photos by Ben McIntire)

It gives me pleasure beyond pleasure to share with you our Mom's new company, Cooking With Miriam, where she will teach private + group cooking classes, specializing in South and Central American cuisine, in her home in Forest Hills, New York.

Since we were little girls, our Mom has always spoiled us with the most amazing meals. So much so that we didn't feel the need to learn to cook until we were in our twenties, left to fend for ourselves in college (I don't miss those cereal-for-dinner days!)

So now, after much pleading from friends and family, she will finally share her culinary secrets. Ceviche, Homemade Empanadas, Chilaquilas, Tacquitos -- these are just some of the delicious recipes that she will be sharing in her interactive cooking classes.

If you live in New York, or will be visiting some time soon, and want a unique culinary experience, while learning how to make great tacos for your next dinner party, definitely check it out! xo! | If you'd like to learn more, visit: Cooking With Miriam

How to Pick Your Seasonal Veggies

Just found this cute new Etsy shop where you can buy original paper cut designs, including this awesome seasonal vegetable calendar. There are so many things I love about this, mostly because it's original, handmade and it makes a great gift. Love!

Have a dreamy weekend!

It's Friday! Don't you just love the 4-day week? After an action-packed Labor Day weekend I'm looking forward to spending this weekend in a romper, and catching up on Mad Men + True Blood -- I'm shamefully behind. And checking out Mario Batali's new Italian gourmet market heaven, Eataly. What are your plans?

Have a dreamy weekend, everyone! xo!

Oh, and here are some fun, totally random links..... :)

Hilarious dancing babies (via I Heart You)

Cute marriage proposal!

Funny Black Tie Beach Party

Sweet e-stationery iphone app

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe - Yum!

Insanely cute hedgehog

Alexa Chung for Madewell has finally arrived!

Twitters to follow this Fashion Week

(Beautiful photo by Jill Greenberg)