RED VINES FOR BREAKFAST

Slow Cooker Carnitas

2012-04-22T13:14:00.001-07:00

Since Brady's been born, I've relied heavily on the slow cooker. I've been branching out and trying new recipes and this is a new favorite in our house. It's simple to prepare, makes enough for plenty of leftovers, is so delicious. I use the carnitas for tacos, but you could also do burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, etc.

Slow Cooker Carnitas (adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

3 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoon garlic powder
3 teaspoon ground cumin
1.5 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
1.5 teaspoon ground coriander
1 (4 pound) boneless pork shoulder roast
2 bay leaves
3 cups chicken broth

Directions

Mix together salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, and coriander in a bowl. Coat pork with the spice mixture. Place the bay leaves in the bottom of a slow cooker and place the pork on top. Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the pork, being careful not to rinse off the spice mixture.
Cover and cook on Low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 10 hours. When the pork is tender, remove from slow cooker, and shred with two forks. Use cooking liquid as needed to moisten the meat.

Gooey Butter Cookies

2012-01-24T06:29:00.000-08:00

I made these cookies for Christmas and they were absolutely divine. They were a bit sweet as well as a bit savory and light and fluffy (so you can eat 25 before feeling ill- I know this from experience).

Gooey Butter Cookies (recipe by Mathew Rice of Nightwood Restaurant)

4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound cream cheese
2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped (optional (Tim thinks it is optional, but important))
3 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioner’s sugar for rolling and dusting

Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese, butter, vanilla bean seeds, and sugar together until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract.

Incorporate the flour mixture. Chill for at least 30 minutes. Scoop roughly 1-ounce balls and toss in the confectioner’s sugar. Place on a baking sheet, lined with parchment, a couple of inches apart. Bake at 325° F until they spread and puff slightly, about 12-16 minutes. They will be really soft in the center. If they start to brown, they’ve gone too far. Cool to room temperature.

The recipe recommended refrigerating them from here and I was skeptical but decided to try it and they were even better cold! Try them both ways and see which you prefer.

Brady Taylor

2012-01-18T10:59:00.000-08:00

at the hospital

dressed up for Christmas dinner

bath time

checking himself out in the mirror

Almost 8 weeks ago, we welcomed Brady Taylor into the world at 7 pounds 1 ounce, 19.5 inches long. It's incredible how much love and joy this tiny little guy has brought to our lives. The instant we met him, we felt like he filled a space in our hearts we didn't even know was there and we suddenly couldn't imagine how we ever lived without him. He's growing and changing every day and now weighs in at 11 pounds! His current interests are smiling, cooing, cuddling, and checking himself out in the mirror. These photos represent his first 8 weeks, in chronological order.

Salted Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

2011-10-31T06:37:00.000-07:00

I have less than 4 weeks left until my due date and my sweet cravings are in full effect. I'm definitely starting to get a bit uncomfortable and sugar cures everything, right? I've always loved traditional shortbread cookies so I decided to try making a chocolate version and they were glorious. The mixture of salty and sweet was perfectly balanced and my only complaint was that I couldn't stop eating them.

Salted Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup light brown sugar
¼ granulated sugar
½ teaspoon fleur de sel or ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Whisk together the flour, cocoa and baking soda in a small bowl; set aside.

2. Beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add both sugars, the salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.

3. With the mixer off, add the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer on and off low speed (pulse) for a second or two about 5 times so that the flour mixture gets incorporated. Then mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, just until the flour disappears into the dough (the dough will look crumbly).

4. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide it in two. Shape each half into a 9-inch log. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. (The dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If you’ve frozen the dough, you don’t need to defrost before baking – just slice the logs into cookies and baking the cookies 1 minute longer.)

5. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

6. Using a sharp thin knife, slice the logs into rounds that are ½-inch thick. Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them. Sprinkle a small amount of extra salt on top of each round.

7. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 minutes – they won’t look done, and won’t be firm, but that’s how they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are only just warm, at which point you can serve them or let them reach room temperature. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Fettuccine with Turkey Meatballs

2011-10-24T03:31:00.000-07:00

I can't get enough comfort food these days and have been trying lots of new pasta recipes. Gabe loves meatballs so I tried this recipe for Turkey Meatballs in marinara sauce recently and it was fantastic. Although the sauce took some time, it was absolutely worth it in the end and as you can see, we had lots of leftovers for the next few days.

Tomato and White Bean Quinoa Soup

2011-10-17T05:47:00.000-07:00

I love soup this time of year and I'm always looking for new recipes. I generally prefer broth based soups that have lots of vegetables and thought this Tomato and White Bean Quinoa Soup looked interesting. I'm so glad I tried it because it's now my new favorite soup. It was rich and hearty, but super healthy and made a huge pot so we had lots of leftovers. In fact, I think it was more flavorful the next day.

Tomato and White Bean Soup with Quinoa (Adapted from The First Mess)

1 cup dry beans soaked overnight and drained (I used navy beans)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 sprigs thyme, leaves chopped fine
1 sprig rosemary, leaves chopped fine
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
2 quarts vegetable stock
2 cups diced vegetables (I used zucchini, green beans, and more celery)
1/2 cup quinoa, soaked (or rice or millet or small pasta etc etc)
5 sprigs of parsley, leaves chopped fine
salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a big soup pot over medium. Add the onions and cook until they soften up just a bit, about 5 minutes. I kind of like to stew the onion in the oil for a while so that it gets really soft and blends right in with the soup. Add the celery and bay leaf and cook until the celery softens, another 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and rosemary. Cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir continuously until paste is broken up and its flavour is cooked out, about 5-7 minutes. Add the beans and tomatoes and stir to coat in the tomato paste mixture. Add about 1/2 cup of the stock and scrape the bottom of the pot to get any browned bits up. Add the rest of the stock and bring to a boil. Simmer until the beans soften but still have some bite, about 2-3 hours or more. Add the quinoa and stir. Cook for 10-15 minutes and serve.

Smores Cookies

2011-10-10T03:00:00.000-07:00

These smores cookies are the perfect example of a creative twist on an old favorite (my last smores dessert can be found here). I made them over the weekend to take to a friend's house and they were a huge hit. They were rich, sweet, and gooey (all things I look for in a dessert). I'm already looking for an excuse to make them again.

Smores Cookies (adapted from Cookie Madness)

1 3/4 cups flour

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup/ 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups miniature chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

3 regular Hershey bars, roughly chopped

In a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugars and mix until fluffy. Mix in the eggs and vanilla until combined. Add the flour, graham crackers, salt and baking soda and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips then cover and refrigerate the dough for about one hour.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Take a tablespoon of the dough, roll into a ball, and drop onto a greased baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of dough, leaving about 2 inches between each to allow it to spread. Bake for 6 minutes, then remove from the oven. Push a 3 - 5 marshmallows and a few pieces of a Hershey's bar into each cookie. Return to oven and bake for another 2 - 3 minutes until golden brown and the marshmallows are a bit toasted. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

2011-10-02T07:56:00.000-07:00

We've had a cold, rainy week here with temperatures down to 40 degrees. Gabe and I are scrambling to get gloves, hats, warm sweaters, and coats in order to prepare ourselves for a Michigan winter. Comfort food is also at the top of my list of cold weather necessities and I'm planning on getting the most out of my slow cooker this year. Pot Roast is one of my favorite slow cooker meals and this one really hit the spot. I loved the addition of portobello mushrooms and eggplant. I'll definitely be making it again soon.

Pot Roast (adapted from allrecipes and about.com)

Ingredients

4 pounds chuck roast

salt and pepper to taste

3 cloves garlic

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 cup red wine

1 cup beef broth (add more if necessary)

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 packet dry onion soup mix

8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed

1 small eggplant, chopped into large pieces

3 carrots, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 stalk celery, chopped

Directions

Take the chuck roast and season with salt and pepper to taste. Brown on all sides in a large skillet over high heat. Remove from pan and add onions and chopped garlic. Sauté until soft. Add tomato paste and cook down for about 5-8 minutes.

Place roast, onions, and garlic in the slow cooker and add the soup mix, broth, Worcestershire sauce, wine.

Add mushrooms, eggplant, carrots, potatoes, celery. I add them after about 4-5 hours because I like them a bit more firm.

Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours, add salt and pepper if necessary.

29 Weeks

2011-09-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

As expected, my belly continues to grow. I'm now 29 weeks and feeling great! My energy level is slowly decreasing and I'm constantly hungry (big surprise). The weather's starting to change here and feel like Fall, which reintroduces the issue of finding clothes that fit. I've been working on getting the nursery together and buying all the gear we'll need. It's been a fun process, but who knew one little baby would need so much stuff? I'll post nursery pictures when it's finished.

Foolproof Blueberry Pie

2011-08-29T02:00:00.000-07:00

I made the dough the day before and let it chill overnight.

Cooking half the berries

As I've mentioned here, Gabe loves blueberry pie. Now that we live in Michigan, I didn't have the luxury of buying one from Sweet Lady Jane and had to actually try to make one. Let me defend myself by saying I've tried making them in the past and the crust never seems to come out quite right. This time I tried a new recipe that my dad told me about from America's Test Kitchen and it made all the difference. This recipe uses vodka in the crust to add extra moisture, making the crust more workable without making it tough. The alcohol vaporizes while cooking and the final crust turns out tender and flaky. And it was just that. The crust was perfect, easy to shape, and tasted amazing. The filling was an ideal consistency, full of plump berries that didn't run all over the place when we cut into it. All in all, I think the pie was a huge success, if I do say so myself. I'll definitely continue using this crust recipe for all my future pies.

Best Blueberry Pie with Foolproof Pie Dough

Recipe by: America’s Test Kitchen
Crust Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into 1/4-inch slices (I put the slices of butter and shortening in the freezer for about 30minutes before using)
1/2 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces (I use butter flavor)
1/4 cup vodka, cold
1/4 cup cold water
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Blueberry Filling Ingredients:
6 cups fresh blueberries (about 30 ounces)*
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated on large holes of box grater
2 teaspoons grated zest and 2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
3/4 cup sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca, ground*
Pinch table salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Directions:
1. For The Pie Dough: Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about two 1-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds; dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour. Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into 2 even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

3. Remove 1 disk of dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 12-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side. Working around circumference, ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Leave dough that overhangs plate in place; refrigerate while preparing filling until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.

4. For The Filling: Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on oven rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Place 3 cups berries in medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Using potato masher, mash berries several times to release juices. Continue to cook, stirring frequently and mashing occasionally, until about half of berries have broken down and mixture is thickened and reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly.

5. Place grated apple in clean kitchen towel and wring dry. Transfer apple to large bowl. Add cooked berries, remaining 3 cups uncooked berries, lemon zest, juice, sugar, tapioca, and salt; toss to combine. Transfer mixture to dough-lined pie plate and scatter butter pieces over filling.

6. Roll out second disk of dough on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 11-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Using 1 1/4-inch round biscuit cutter, cut round from center of dough. Cut another 6 rounds from dough, 1 1/2 inches from edge of center hole and equally spaced around center hole. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll over pie, leaving at least 1/2-inch overhang on each side.

7. Using kitchen shears, trim bottom layer of overhanging dough, leaving 1/2-inch overhang. Fold dough under itself so that edge of fold is flush with outer rim of pie plate. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with tines of fork to seal. Brush top and edges of pie with egg mixture. If dough is very soft, chill in freezer for 10 minutes.

8. Place pie on heated baking sheet and bake 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until juices bubble and crust is deep golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes longer. Transfer pie to wire rack; cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours. Cut into wedges and serve.

*This recipe was developed using fresh blueberries, but unthawed frozen blueberries (our favorite brands are Wyman’s and Cascadian Farm) will work as well. In step 4, cook half the frozen berries over medium-high heat, without mashing, until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, 12 to 15 minutes. Grind the tapioca to a powder in a spice grinder or mini food processor. If using pearl tapioca, reduce the amount to 5 teaspoons. Vodka is essential to the texture of the crust and imparts no flavor; do not substitute.

Happy Birthday to Gabe

2011-08-25T06:41:00.000-07:00

Enjoying a mojito at the Beach House in Kauai

Gabe's fellowship graduation, following the 5,000th liver transplant at UCLA.

Celebrating our last night in L.A.

Today is Gabe's birthday! We're planning on celebrating by going to dinner with friends tonight (fingers crossed Gabe doesn't get called into work). Happy Birthday to the best husband I can imagine. I'm so proud of you and all you've accomplished this year!

Penne Bolognese

2011-08-24T08:48:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to feel settled here in Michigan and have been happily making myself at home in the kitchen. After Gabe's first liver transplant as an attending (which went well), I decided to try making one of his favorite meals to celebrate, Penne Bolognese. It was a first for me, so I was thankful it went well and Gabe and I both loved the results. It was hearty, comforting, and so delicious. I used this recipe, substituting the ground beef chuck for ground sirloin, which was a little leaner but still full of flavor. If you love Bolognese, this is definitely a great recipe that doesn't require hours in the kitchen.

Baby Shower Brunch

2011-08-18T03:26:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned here, you'll be seeing this dress a lot.

I'm still dreaming about this cake. It was glorious.

It's a boy!

Before I left for Michigan, Jessica and Whitney threw me the most beautiful baby shower. Every detail was thoughtfully arranged from the purple tulips (my favorite) and outdoor venue (Primitivo) to the delicious funfetti flavored cake from Susiecakes. We had the best time catching up, chatting about baby gear, eating delicious food, and listening to the acoustic live music playing on the Primitivo patio. The entire day was absolutely perfect and it was so much fun celebrating the upcoming addition to our family!

Hawaii Recap

2011-08-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

Gabe relaxing by the pool

Dinner at the Beach House

my virgin lava flow

You'll be seeing a lot of this dress, it's one of the only things that fits me right now.

my belly at 20 weeks

the view from our hotel room

We made it to Michigan and are working on getting organized and settled (pictures to come). The last few months have been so crazy, I haven't had a chance (or the internet) to upload any of my pictures until now. So as I upload my pictures, I'll try to catch everyone up on the move and everything else that's going on with us. I decided to start with our trip to Kauai in July (our last two trips seen here and here). We had so much to celebrate (Gabe graduating from fellowship and his new job, our 3 year wedding anniversary, and baby moon) and the trip couldn't have been better. It was so relaxing, beautiful and exactly what we needed. We came home feeling refreshed and ready for the big move.

Big News

2011-06-02T01:00:00.000-07:00

This was a few weeks ago, at 3 months pregnant.

After taking a much needed break from blogging, I'm happy to be back (albeit more sporadically) and excited to share our big news with everyone. Gabe and I are expecting a baby in November! We're overjoyed to be starting a family and aside from a ton of morning sickness, a little insomnia, and some serious nacho cravings, everything is going great.

And...we're moving to Michigan in July! Gabe accepted his ideal job at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and we'll be living in either Birmingham or Royal Oak. We're planning a visit there in a few weeks to decide on a place to live and can't wait to get acquainted with the area (our last visit seen here). Thank you to everyone who checked in on me when I wasn't posting. I really appreciated all the sweet messages I received from you.

Red Velvet Cheesecake

2011-04-25T01:00:00.001-07:00

I baked it in a water bath to avoid cracks.

I was trying to find something an interesting dessert to make for Easter and came across this Red Velvet Cheesecake that I couldn't turn down. As a huge fan of both red velvet and cheesecake (seen here and here), combining the two was genius. It was the perfect end to our Easter meal.

Almost Easter

2011-04-21T01:00:00.000-07:00

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As I mentioned here, there's something about Easter candy that's so much better than the sweets offered for other holidays. I can't seem to get enough of the huge Reese's pieces eggs, Cadbury caramel eggs, and the enormous Reese's peanut butter cups. And this year, Lindt has joined the club with their incredibly rich and delicious Lindor truffle eggs. I'm looking forward to a long weekend of splurging on candy, cooking some new recipes, time with friends, and dinners with Gabe. I'll be back on Monday to tell you about it. Have a great weekend!

Vegetable Challenge

2011-04-20T01:00:00.002-07:00

baby heirloom tomatoes

salads with lots of colors and texture

tofu stir fry

roasted brussel sprouts and zucchini

After watching Oprah's episode about the vegan challenge, I've been trying to incorporate more vegetables into my diet. I'm certainly not cutting out meat or seafood, but I do see the benefit of adding more greens to my meals ("leaning in" as Oprah calls it). I do love vegetables, but I generally eat the same ones over and over and get tired of them quickly. Here are a few ways I've been trying to mix it up with new varieties and recipes (as seen here with my spinach and mushroom enchiladas). What are your quick/delicious ways to prepare vegetables?

Favorite Product: The Microdelivery Peel

2011-04-19T01:00:00.001-07:00

A few years ago, I received a sample of this product with my Sephora order and have been hooked ever since. I've used countless masks/exfoliants in the past and nothing compares to Philosophy's Microdelivery Peel. It's simple to use, takes only a few minutes, and leaves my skin feeling soft, smooth, and instantly refreshed, as if I just had a professional facial. I use it weekly and have seen a noticeable difference in my skin. Stock up now through April 21st at Sephora and get 15% off by entering coupon code chic.

Scenes from the Weekend

2011-04-18T01:00:00.001-07:00

Our walks by the beach

Gabe's enjoying the view

a crystal light slurpee, my favorite

Taco night

Thai Spring rolls at Bangkok West

I had the most relaxing weekend, filled with long walks, beach side bike rides, Thai food, tacos, and a movie night at home (we finally saw The Fighter and loved it). It feels like Spring has finally arrived and we took full advantage of the 80 degree weather by spending most of our time outdoors. How was your weekend?

Map My Run

2011-04-15T01:00:00.000-07:00

via

Nicole introduced me to MapMyRun years ago and I've been hooked ever since. Running is one of my favorite ways to exercise and relieve stress and I'd usually prefer to be outside versus on a treadmill. But I also like knowing exactly how far I'm running and where I'm going before I get started. Enter MapMyRun. This site helps you find favorite running paths in your area, lets you create your own runs, log your workouts, and even find running groups in your city. They even have an iPhone app that I use when I'm on vacation. If you're a runner, you should definitely check this out. Have a great weekend!

Enjoli's Bridal Shower

2011-04-14T01:00:00.000-07:00

the beautiful bride-to-be

Becca and Enjoli

I had the best time celebrating Enjoli at her bridal shower on Sunday. The black and pink decor was so pretty (as was the bride-to-be), the food was excellent, and everyone was overjoyed to be there. I'm so happy for Enjoli and Mike and can't wait to celebrate again at their wedding in June!

Chicken, Spinach, and Mushroom Enchiladas

2011-04-13T01:00:00.000-07:00

Gabe and I are always scouting out new Mexican restaurants in our area and for some reason have continually been disappointed. The biggest problem is that Santa Monica tries to make Mexican food "fancy" which is not generally what we have in mind. Since I usually order enchiladas, I decided to try making them at home and they were surprisingly easy and so delicious. I added the spinach and mushrooms to my half and left Gabe's half with just chicken and cheese. He was happy about that.

Chicken, Spinach, and Mushroom Enchiladas
Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small white onion diced
2-3 cups cheese (I used cheddar and pepper jack)
1 10oz back fresh spinach
10oz chopped mushrooms
3 chicken breasts
10 tortillas (I used La Tortilla whole grain)
2 bottles enchilada sauce (I used Trader Joe's)

Directions:
-Place chicken breasts in boiling water for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Drain, cool, and shred with two forks. Pour about 1 cup of enchilada sauce over shredded chicken and mix until blended.
-Sauteé onions and garlic over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add spinach and mushrooms and sauteé for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain any liquid.
-Coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and a thin layer of enchilada sauce. Spoon a few teaspoons of chicken, spinach mixture, and cheese into each tortilla. Then roll and place seem side down. Continue until pan is filled then top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.

Michigan Recap

2011-04-12T01:00:00.000-07:00

downtown Birmingham

the lobby of our hotel (The Townsend)

On our way to dinner

breakfast biscotti at our hotel

Henry Ford Hospital

Gabe and I are back from Detroit and had a fantastic trip. We actually stayed in Birmingham, which is about 30 minutes outside the city. We checked out the suburban areas and were pleasantly surprised with how much we liked it there! Birmingham and its surrounding towns were charming and quaint with cute little downtown areas, neighborhoods with huge beautiful homes (and spacious yards), tree lined streets, great restaurants, and friendly people. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

2011-04-11T01:00:00.000-07:00

Strawberry shortcake is one of my all time favorite desserts, but until this weekend I had never heard of it coming in the form of a cookie. Once I came across this recipe, I had to make them right away. I used a mixture of dried strawberries, cherries, and blueberries because that's what I had so technically mine could be called "Berry Shortcake Cookies". They were chewy, fluffy, sweet, and a little salty. They were excellent.