Very Vanilla Pudding

Lately I've been reading a lot about feminism and being judged/put in a box. I always felt guilty for loving Real Housewives of Atlanta and enjoying singing along to cheesy boy band songs while simultaneously keeping up with current politics/news, listening to NPR and enjoying shows like 'Cosmos'. I can rap along to most hip-hop and appreciate Iron & Wine just as much. And there's no way I'm the only one out there...right?!

I used to just hide one side or the other depending on the company I was in, but the older I get, the less I care what anyone thinks. I used to think I could only be one type of person, but I can be all of those things! These are little perks of growing up, I guess.

Beer & Pretzel Caramels

Hello, friends! 

It's the polar vortex over here and I'm writing this with cold hands and warm feet. I've been setting up our new home--so many things are yet to be done but it's coming along nicely. I'm rather proud of ourselves, especially since I was never that good at decorating/knowing what colors go with what. But after poring over endless articles on Houzz and looking at photos on Pinterest, arguing over duvet covers and wall art, I needed to take a break for a bit. 

Giant Macaron Cake

This could be a cake decorated with macarons. It could be a layer of macarons inside a cake (definitely something I want to try sometime), but it’s not. It’s a giant macaron. A giant, delicious cake-sized macaron. When my friend requested this for his birthday, I was excited to try it, but didn’t expect it to be as tasty as it actually turned out. I ended up making it twice in two days because we couldn’t get enough.

Red Wine Chocolate Cake w/Cherry Lavender Compote

Well, it's been a while! In the interim, we have moved to a larger home and I've been dealing with all the responsibilities of being an adult. I guess it had to happen sometime. Figuring out loans, getting through a ton of paperwork to close on our place (as Joe said by the 20th page of signing, we could be signing over our first child at this point, we wouldn't even know it), dealing with movers, transferring all our services, changing addresses with all our accounts, I've felt exhausted every day and in bed by 10pm like an old lady.

Orange Black Sesame Biscotti

It's finally about to be fall again, which makes me giddily happy.

And this particular fall, we get to move into our first real home, which makes it even better!

But mostly, I think I'm done with summer.

I used to love summers in India because of my birthday being in the middle of July and the monsoon (few things are better than summer rain), but in the US it just means most people are out of town and it's grossly hot. Oh, and the bugs. I say this as both legs burn fiercely from about eight mosquito bites I acquired from a warm summer night last week.

Heirloom Tomato Galette

I love this so much. So much. I made this for pie month at Sauce Mag, and I've been eagerly waiting for them to post it so I can re-post it here. 

Pie’s not just for dessert; the flaky buttery crust goes perfectly with your entrée, too. This is a savory explosion in your mouth, and you will likely be fighting off others for the last bite, if you even decide to share.

Use aaalllll them fresh tomatoes, and if you can't get heirlooms, grape or cherry will do just fine.

It’s got corn to add a crunch, softened/browned onions to add another dimension of flavor, and two kinds of cheese. It's also easily adaptable with whatever you have on hand. Got mushrooms or zucchini? Toss 'em in! Got a favorite cheese? You can't go wrong.

Black Tea Pops (swirled with Blackberry Jam)

A couple of months have gone by but I still can't get over the crazy wonderful adventure Joe and I had in India. One of my favorite places there that I didn't even know existed until the planning stages was Bir. If you guys ever visit India, I highly recommend making a trip to Bir while it's still fairly undiscovered. The experience left us refreshed and enlightened and I think of our three days there fondly.

Sloppy Joe's

I used to love sloppy joes when I was in school. I still remember the tangy taste and the soft burger buns it was slapped between. I didn't eat much meat in India but damn did I made up for it when I moved to the US.

I've been making this sloppy joe recipe for a few months now. It's ridiculously fast for a weeknight and it lasts a while, unless of course my not-as-sloppy-Joe is the one sharing it with me. We particularly love it on a pretzel bun but literally any bread will do. 
And it actually tastes better than the school version (as if that's so surprising). I find it looks more appetizing than the original too. 
You can adjust flavors as necessary but it's got just the right hint of tangy and seasoning that I love. We've also eaten this on pasta and it's delicious.
And believe me when I say the leftovers are even tastier. I love putting a fried egg on top and eating it with a slice of toast in the morning.

Caramel Croissant Bread Pudding

I feel like most of my posts this year are going to start with 'I haven't written in so long...' or some variation of that, so I'll skip it this time.

If you haven't been following me on Instragram, then boy, do I have updates for you.

Since my last post, Joe and I drove to Atlanta, where he had set up a romantic and unbelievably sweet proposal, and now we're engaged! Yes, that's right--Joe is about to become MR. THE SWEET ART, teehee.

The next day, we hopped on a plane to London for a day, and then on another plane to India to see my family. We had an unbelievably memorable trip, and a lot of credit for that has to go to my aunt who has her own travel company called India Adventure Curry--they arranged a wonderful itinerary for us. We went to the beaches of Goa, stayed on top of a mountain in Kashmir, walked through the Taj Mahal and ancient forts, visited the home of the Dalai Lama, slept among tea plantations, and traversed the streets of Cochin. We didn't get to go east, but we managed to do about ten cities in a month. Yup. TEN!

Profiteroles and Ice cream

"Only cook and eat food with people you like - life's too short for bad food and bad company."-Rocco Dispirito

I love a good dinner party. And I especially love throwing dinner parties--in fact, I think I would like to be remembered for them. I'm a total introvert so it's no surprise that I would shy away from large gatherings, but small, intimate ones? Totally my jam. It combines two of my favorite things--hanging out in the comfort of my own home, and treating my friends to delicious food and drink--plus, I think it's the best way to get to know people, in a relaxed and warm setting. I rather enjoy gathering ingredients, putting together a themed meal, arranging my space, setting up a playlist, and, yes, even the clean up. 

This past weekend we had a few of our friends over for a meal. It was probably one of our most successful parties. We were much smarter this time than before. We cleaned a good bit the night before so that we could focus on cooking on the day of the dinner. We also started cooking earlier and took turns making our dishes, helping each other only when one of us needed it.

Jasmine Tea White Chocolate Ice Cream

I haven't written in a while but that's because many things have been happening!
Last weekend, I was in New Orleans for my friend HLi's bachelor party. I'm honored to be his groomswoman and the 8 of us had a blast celebrating in a city we'd never been in. We ate and drank everything that represented NOLA and it was fattening and rich and awesome. 

Rum Punch Cake

I returned last week from a weeklong trip to Turks and Caicos with my family. Turks and Caicos is a set of islands in the Caribbean where the water is literally turquoise and gorgeous. The sand in some parts feels like stepping in powdered sugar, and the skies are the bluest of blues. It's a haven for taking photos--we actually came across many photo shoots on the beach.

Vegan Beet Muffins

I haven't been very good about keeping up with my blogging. Every time I sit down to write, there seems to be something or the other to distract me. And yet, it's not even like I'm that busy. We did have friends visit back-to-back but that was great, and more like a fun culinary trip through StL with good conversations. 
The days have been chilling to the bone, and I'm so not used to this weather. I miss my long walks in Forest Park, but Mila gets muscle cramps being outside for too long. And then there was that whole debacle in Atlanta over two inches of snow. My niece was almost stranded at her elementary school and 150 students there spent the night! And baby was born on the highway, so...'nuff said. I love my hometown but, yeesh.

Shrikhand (Shree-kund) Indian Dessert

The best part of not living close to home is getting the chance to miss and appreciate your family when you do come home. And a close second is getting to eat all my favorite childhood meals that I know my mom will make for me since I've returned. I'm so lucky to have a mom who immediately asks "what would you like me to make?" as soon as I get home :D

Earl Grey Cake Balls, and a Recap

My last post of the year! 

I made these cake balls out of scraps from my kitchen--it seemed fitting to have it as my last post, since this was the year I discovered the awesomeness of Earl Grey. For years, I wondered what the big hype was but now I totally get it and I'm so sorry it took me this long.
Additionally, I've become a total tea addict like never before...Luckily, I live in a city that has some of the best choices in tea, like The London Tea Room and Smalls.

Chocolate Cups, Many Ways

This week I've baked over fifteen different flavors of cookies and macarons for friends, family, and Joe's attendings. I'm pooped. And yet, I still have ideas for more.

This is my favorite, most magical time of year. Chilly days filled with warm drinks and minty things and sparkly lights. And for the first time, we've even put up a Xmas tree, donated by our friend who moved away earlier this year. It was my first time ever assembling and decorating a tree. I can now appreciate coming home to my sister's perfectly adorned tree every December much more. I'm already dreading having to take it down in a couple of months, but I do love the holiday cheer it's added to our apartment.

Speculoos Cupcakes and 4 Years of Blogging

Four years ago, today, I started a little 'ol blog and had no idea what to do after creating the name. After some thought and a lot of staring at a blank 'new post' screen, I foraged for ingredients I had in my house and made sweet potato falafel. (Interestingly enough, I never made it again but it was very delicious!)

Fast forward four years--changing jobs, then changing careers, moving to a new city, and a ton of other life changes for the better or worse--somehow, this blog has prevailed. It's been the one constant thing that I've kept up with and I'm proud of myself for that. I love sharing recipes and the online community but the blog has also provided a way for me to gather my thoughts and reflect on life. And for that, I'm grateful.
Thanks for reading, friends!

I'm going to try to keep this up for as long as I possibly can, although my posts next year might be rather limited. I'm attending four weddings, two bachelor/ette parties (I'm a groomsman!), and going on a month long trip to India! This is not counting my small excursions with friends to other cities...But I will make it work, because I always do.

Taro Marshmallows

I've liked taro for a long time. I've known it mostly in the form of bubble tea, but there are also taro puddings, and taro cooked in a savory way (like taro chips!). It's similar to a purple potato--it's a tuber, a root vegetable. It's often paired with coconut in desserts.

Joe loves taro. When we get bubble tea, that's his go-to drink. For me, I usually go for lavender or jasmine, something a bit more tea-based. But when I'm introducing a friend to bubble tea for the first time, I usually tell them to order taro, it's the safest bet, and I've yet to find someone who dislikes it. It tastes like a very mild coconut, almost a floral-y coconut, mixed with fresh vanilla. It's hard to describe but it's so smooth and in a wonderful shade of natural purple.
My friend Kaylen says it sort of smells like buttered popcorn, like of the jellybean flavor variety! Go figure.
*StL peeps, try the taro bubble tea from St Louis Bubble Tea in the loop! Best taro tea I've ever had. 

Peach, Raspberry, and Basil Pie

"basically all i want to do is invite people over to my house and hear the pop of another bottle of wine and the sound of glasses clinking together and i want to bring out a pie from the oven and tell people i hope they saved room for dessert and put a big, melty scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of each piece as i hand it off on a little plate and no one ever once talks about how early they have to be up for work tomorrow"
Source 
--From one of my favorite online writers--I love what imagery this evokes.

I made this pie a couple months ago but never posted it on the blog. 
Actually, it's a funny story. I hate making pies. Mainly because I'm terrible with things that require a crust. I'm just no good at rolling out pie dough. I think it's because my hands are very warm, and I constantly have to put the dough back in the fridge to firm it up. It doesn't help that I keep my house pretty warm, too. I usually end up getting frustrated with the edges and so my pies tend to be scrumptiously ugly. 
But nevertheless, I made this pie in honor of my little trip to Hermann, MO. 

Earl Grey Cardamom Pound Cake

My mommy came to visit this past week! Joe was away in New Orleans for work so it was just her, me, and Mila. Although I missed him and the rest of my family, it was nice to spend some rare, quality time with just my mom. 

Apple Cider Eclairs (with a caramel glaze)

So... you probably won't see many pumpkin recipes on my blog. I did make a pumpkin risotto I enjoyed very much. But I don't get the pumpkin hype. I just don't. I'm sorry! I didn't grow up on pumpkin pie and it doesn't do much for me. Pumpkin desserts seem to just be a vehicle for warm "fall" spices, and those just don't need a vehicle. I'll just put those spices on any and everything--thanks but no thanks, pumpkin!
But hey, can my love for apples make up for my disdain of pumpkins?

Tiramisu Ice Cream Cake

"If you're between the ages of 8 and 16 and you are not a whiskey, you are annoying."
-Anonymous

That quote made me laugh, even though I don't actually drink whiskey. Joe has been slowly acquiring a taste for it and so I've been learning about the different brands. I still can't get into drinking alcohol much, although I'm finally starting to appreciate a good Malbec...

Oreo Ice Cream swirled with Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

The weather is gorgeous, business is booming, and I'm eating plenty of delicious fall foods. I don't have much to complain about. 
Joe recently bought a Fitbit on sale. At first, I had no idea what it was and didn't pay attention when he told me. But after the first day when he mentioned how many hours he slept and how many steps he walked, I decided I wanted one, too. Luckily, I was able to grab one on sale as well, and it. Is. Awesome.

It's definitely making me more fit because I want to hit my goal for the day, and being friends with Joe and my mom on it is bringing out the competitive side in me. Aaaand I'm pretty sure our downstairs neighbors probably hate us now because I'm randomly jumping in place at the end of the night to get some extra steps in. Hopefully they work wonky hours at the medical school and don't mind? I'm still waiting for an angry note on our door...
I was surprised to learn that I get plenty of good sleep, and I'm rather moderately active, just from baking all day long. Who knew? 

Post-Trip Banana Muffins

I recently returned from a long trip. I spent much time at home (Atlanta) followed by a two week trip on the east coast visiting all our old friends and making new ones along the way. I've been in St Louis for almost a week now but I feel like I'm still recovering, and going through a bit of a writer's block.

Summer Trifle

I made this using extra scraps of sponge cake from my Chili Chocolate Marquise. 

It was a happy surprise. The sour cream is tangy and sweetened, and it pairs well with soft, juicy raspberries. The chocolate sponge turns soft from the weight of the cream and adds another dimension of texture. You also can use any fruit you have on hand.