Aww, wee Gabriela, many moons ago. Eyeing up that frosting, as usual.

Truth be told, I’m not a big birthday person. I don’t like being the center of attention, so going out to dinner with family or friends is way more my style than a big bash- tonight my parents are taking Lauren and me to dinner at their favorite restaurant. Should be fun! I still can’t really wrap my head around the fact that I’m 22, though.

I have an elephantine memory, so last night lying in bed I thought back to some earlier memorable birthdays:

• In 2008, I took an accepted students tour and ate in the dining hall at Carnegie Mellon, where I went for my freshman year of college. Nerd out extraordinaire.
• In 2006, my parents and friends threw me a surprise Sweet Sixteen party a few weeks after my birthday, even though I told them not to. I figured it out the day before and was mortified as I walked in, but it ended up being a really fun night that my parents worked very hard to put together. The cake was awesome.
• In 2004, my parents let me watch Thirteen, which was rated R. FYI, don’t show your fourteen year old that movie. Awkward discussions.
• In 2002, I saw A Walk To Remember in theaters with my mom, then threw a hissy fit when she made me go to cotillion that evening. My refusal wasn’t about my birthday- I was way taller than all the boys and still scared of them.
• In 2000, my family went to The City Tavern, a colonial-themed restaurant in Philadelphia where the waitstaff dresses up in period costumes. I was going through my American Revolution phase. Such a special, special child.
• In 1998, I had a Titanic-themed party, complete with a miniature Rose costume from my grandparents. My parents dressed up like waiters and served us “fancy” foods, and then I subjected everyone to looking at my ridiculous collection of Titanic books. Again, so special.
• In 1995, I had a pink-themed birthday party, where the invitation explicitly asked everyone to wear pink. One of my friends showed up in a dark green taffeta dress. I was so cross.
• In 1993, I had a Beauty and the Beast-themed party that all my cousins came to. My grandparents gave me a Beauty Barbie in a wedding dress, which I actually still have.
• In 1992, we were skiing in Breckenridge, Colorado. Or rather, my parents were skiing, while I was in daycare. Yup, I very vaguely remember this- the room’s walls were brownish yellow with a big red stripe in the middle, and everyone had a red cubby for their things, and it smelled like plastic ski boots.
• In 1990, I was born! On Super Bowl Sunday, no less. Hope you didn’t want to watch that game, dad…

The best thing about this birthday? The job search is over! Yesterday I was offered a full time internship with an awesome PR agency near Philly. Everyone there is so welcoming, and I have a feeling I’m going to learn a ton- I start on Monday! Best birthday present ever.

What are some of your most memorable birthdays? Did you have any fun-themed parties growing up? A close friend of mine had an American Girl themed party one year. Coolest birthday on the block.

Still, as I’ve said before, really don’t like dressing for the cold. I’ve been reorganizing my closet to add all the clothes that were at my apartment, and I noticed I have about three times as many warm weather clothes as cold weather ones. And of the cold weather ones, I only regularly wear about half- I have sensitive skin and I get cold easily, so most knit sweaters are really itchy and I end up wearing fleeces 24/7. Here’s a few of this week’s ensembles!

Brown cords- J.Crew 2008; cable knit sweater- J.Crew 2009; striped button down- Ralph Lauren Outlet 2010; flats- Tory Burch; headband- Goody; earrings- gift; bangles- Kate Spade

Jeans- Seven for All Mankind 2009; sweatshirt- J.Crew 2007; long-sleeved t-shirt- J.Crew 2006; boots- Hunter; headband- J.Crew 2009; watch- gift

Jeans- Abercrombie & Fitch 2010; sweater- J.Crew this year; argyle socks- TJ Maxx 2007; riding boots- J.Crew 2007; necklace- combination of gifted and thrifted charms

As you can see, I find what I love and keep it a long time! My taste hasn’t changed much since early high school (excepting the fact that I no longer wear hair ribbons or those ruffly micro-minis that were so popular circa 2003), so I’ve kept all the classic stuff that fits and go to places like Forever21 for trendy stuff. One of my favorite items in my closet is a gorgeous pink silk skirt I got in Princeton in 2004.

(If I didn’t remember what year I bought all my clothes, I’d probably finally be able to recite my times tables.)

Are you more of a trendy shopper or a classic one? How long do you typically keep clothes? I’ve always wished I had the edge to put together fashion magazine outfits, but I end up looking like a fool so I stick with what I know!

"Sometimes she starts calling me a pretty pretty princess in a baby voice, and then I know it's time for her to get out of the house..."

I spend a good chunk of my day scouring the internet for job listings and writing cover letters, but I’ve found that getting out of the house at least once really helps me stay sane. I’ll go grocery shopping for my family, browse stores and force myself not to buy anything, or get a tea at Barnes & Noble and read magazines. If I’m feeling really crazy, I’ll go see a movie. Wild life over here. I’m thinking that if the search continues to drag on I’ll find a part-time job for some structure, but for now I’m keeping my fingers crossed that something pops up sooner than later.

 Thank goodness for my friend Lauren. She’s living at home this year as well, which is conveniently located about a mile away. Her parents are super nice too, so I’m always over there in the evening. We sit around and pretend to watch TV while really having intense/ridiculous conversations. It’s lovely.

Plus, she shares my love for Cosi, enjoys baking and has a stash of bridal magazines. It’s a winning situation. Did I mention that I get to be a bridesmaid in her wedding? YAY!

What’s your go-to boredom activity? Do you have a friend that you can always count on to hang out with?

Today, my dad, brother and I all piled into a U-Haul to move everything out of my NYC apartment. (For a little bit of added excitement, he actually sideswiped the wall of the Holland Tunnel in our mammoth truck. Geez, dad!)

I’ve gotten lots of questions about my place over the last 1.5 years, but haven’t answered them for safety reasons. Now that my lease is just about over, though, I can finally share! My little studio was on Sullivan Street, right beneath Houston. It was the perfect spot- right between the charm of the West Village, the convenience of the NYU campus and the cool vibe of Soho.

I love New York. Manhattan was an absolutely incredible place to go to college, and I’m so thankful to my parents for the opportunity I had to live here. This was the first apartment I ever had on my own, and it was juuuust right.

So long, 146. I hope your next tenant treats you as well as I did. Especially for the planned $600 rent increase…only in New York.

I’ve lived in the same house my entire life.

My parents and brother moved into this place in 1989, and I arrived a few months later. It’s a beautiful Victorian house, built in the 1860s, and as anyone with a home that old will tell you, they’re somewhat of the lemons of real estate. My closet door doesn’t close, our basement is the creepiest place ever, and only the kitchen and family room are air conditioned. But I absolutely, 100% love it.

Over the years, no matter what sort of teenage (or collegiate) drama was going on with my family, I’ve always wanted to come home. There’s lots of things I don’t like about the weather here, but no matter what tropical destination I could move to, no place will ever quite match the way I can watch the sky turn from black to blue to pink to orange to sunny from my bed. The way my cat got stuck in a wall one time and my dad had to use a sledgehammer to break him out. The way we used to tie parachutes on little plastic army men and throw them over the third floor banister. Or the way I can go through a drawer and find stuff from 1997, because we’ve never been forced to move and weed out all the junk. My brother and I have both talked about buying it from our parents one day- that’s how much we love it.

It’s weird to think that this is probably the last time I’ll actually be living at my parents’ for any decent amount of time. I know it’s a part of growing up, and a lot of people feel this the same, but I’ve always thought that my childhood was truly special because of this place. I’m really excited and ready for what comes next, no matter where it takes me, but I will miss this house. A lot. No matter where I go, I think until I have my own family and my own kids, this will be my home.

Where do you consider “home”? Do your parents still live in the house you grew up in? What’s your best/funniest memory in your childhood home?

First things first: this isn’t one of those no-bake Oreo pies with cream cheese and Cool Whip. Those are good and all, but nowhere near this…

Oreos are the most Amurrican cookie out there. There’s just something about those crumbly, chocolatey cookies stuffed with that unidentifiable creamy filling that turns anyone, in any situation, into a kid again. Even better: unlike Lunchables and Gushers, Oreos are still socially acceptable to eat past middle school. I’ve yet to find a person who doesn’t like Oreos, but there are some people who love them. You know what I’m talking about. It’s like the Cult of Cookies ‘n’ Cream.

This pie is for those people. Those people who ate sleeves of Oreos as a kid, those people who will take the blue package over the entire candy aisle, those people stuffing their self-serve froyo cups with the crushed cookies. It’s basically a gigantic Oreo cookie, but with the soft, decadent texture of a Toll House pie. Sounds good, right?

Oreo Cookie Pie

Inspired by smitten kitchen’s homemade oreos and Toll House Pie

Yields one 9″ pie

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 25 Oreos
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
•  pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup room temperature unsalted butter
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 12 ounce package white chocolate chips

• 1/4 cup room temperature unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk
• extra Oreos, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 375*F.
2. In a food processor, pulse the Oreos until they’re ground to a fine meal. Stir in the melted butter, then press the mixture into the bottom of a 9″ pie pan.
3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.Beat in the butter and egg, then add the milk a few tablespoons at a time. Stir in the white chocolate chips. The batter will be thick, like a very sticky cookie dough.
4. Spoon the batter into your prepared cookie crust, being careful not to unsettle the cookie crust.
5. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a test comes out nearly clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely
6. Meanwhile, beat together the butter and shortening, then add the powdered sugar in 1/4 cup increments until an Oreo filling consistency is reached. Beat in the vanilla and add milk to achieve the desired consistency.
7. Once the pie is completely cool, add a thick layer of the frosting to the top. Garnish with crushed Oreos and serve!

Okay, so looking over my last few recipes, I really owe you guys something healthy…or at least savory. (The world of baked goods just provides infinite creativity when you’re bored, and even the flops still taste good.) Suggestions/requests?

Jeans- Abercrombie & Fitch; Fleece sweater- J.Crew; Flats- Tory Burch; Necklace- Forever 21; Bangles- Kate Spade; Earrings- gift; Nail polish- Essie Candy Apple Mint.

The fleece sweater and necklace are my two favorite things I’ve bought recently- the sweater was only $23 with multiple discounts, and it’s soooo soft and warm and cozy. And the necklace was about $7 at Forever 21. Can’t beat that.

Jeans- Seven for All Mankind; Shirt- J.Crew Factory; Boots- Hunter wellies; Necklace- Forever 21.

Lots of people have asked me if the Hunter boots are worth the splurge, and I love mine. I’m guilty of wearing them when the sky is perfectly clear, and they’re warm, classic, durable and comfortable. I wish I’d gotten the classic Hunter green, but I went with navy because I wear so much of it- in case you can’t tell!

Jeans- Seven for All Mankind; Tank top- J.Crew; Sweater- J.Crew Men’s; Flats- Steve Madden from DSW; Scarf- gift; Bangles- Kate Spade.

Please excuse my half-asleep face. I’m always torn on scarves- I love that they’re warm and make things look more pulled together with a burst of color, but every time I wear one I get food all over it. Messy eater.

What color is a staple in your wardrobe? I love navy because it’s classic and versatile but a little less harsh than black…though I do wear a good bit of that, too. I also love really bright colors like coral, aqua and kelly green.

Last night, my dad brought some “scones” home from work with him.

“Hey Gab, there’s some scones in the cabinet for you that someone brought me at work.”

“You mean these things? These biscotti?”

“No, they’re scones.”

“They taste and look like biscotti.”

“I think they’re scones.”

“…okay, dad.”

He’d also brought home the recipe, which did, in fact, label them to be biscotti. I win.

Surprisingly, I’d never made biscotti until I went to NGI, but once I learned the method, I realized that they’re pretty uncomplicated. They take some time and work, but the end result feels a little fancier and more special than your average drop cookie. Though I haven’t made this recipe myself, it made such a perfect biscotto (according to my mom, that’s the singular of biscotti) that I just needed to share! Studded with dried apricots, toasted almonds and white chocolate, they pair perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee.

Almond-Apricot Biscotti

Adapted by a family friend from Bon Appetit

Yields about three dozen slices

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup stick cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 ounces chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips
• 1 2/3 cups almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped*
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 + 1 tablespoon apricot brandy
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 6 ounces diced apricots

*Toast almonds at 450*F for about 7 minutes

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F. Line an 18×12 sheet pan with foil, then butter and flour.
2. Mix the flour, sugar, butter, baking powder, salt and ginger in the food processor until a fine meal forms. Add the white chocolate and almonds and pulse until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, brandy and almond extract. Add the flour mixture and chopped apricots, then stir until a moist dough forms.
4. Use a large spoon to drop the dough by the spoonful into three even logs on the prepared sheet pan. Wet your fingertips to shape each log- they should be about 12 inches long and 2 inches wide. Refrigerate the dough until firm, at least a half an hour but ideally an hour or more.
5. Place the pan on the center rack and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the logs are golden. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the logs to cool completely.
6. Reduce the oven heat to 300*F. Remove the logs from the pan, and using a sharp knife, cut each log into 3/4 inch slices. Arrange cookies on the same baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, turning them over halfway through.
7. Cool the cookies completely before serving, and store in an airtight container.

Bursting with sweet flavor from the apricots and chocolate, with a whole buncha crunch from the almonds and toasted cookie, these are the perfect biscotti. I’ve found that homemade biscotti tend to have a way better texture than commercial ones, which are generally really dry and just too hard.

But, you know, I guess that’s what happens when you bake scones…

PS- I need to announce the winner of my Holstee giveaway!! And the winner is…

Number 5, Emily! Congrats, girl! Send me your shipping info to uneviesaine at gmail.com and I’ll get it out to you ASAP. Thanks to everyone who entered!

My freshman year of college, long before I discovered the world of blogging, I developed a procrastinatory obsession with Foodgawker. Whenever Facebook stalking got boring, I’d sit at the little dark desk underneath my lofted bed and go through pages and pages of pretty dessert pictures, bookmarking them for the day when I didn’t share a tiny kitchen with 300 other people.

Over spring break of that year, my parents had a dinner party, and I volunteered to make a dessert from the dozens of recipes I’d collected. I chose a three-ingredient bittersweet chocolate cake from the Tuesdays with Dorie recipe group. It turned out fantastic- more chocolatey than sweet, almost like biting into a fudgy, cakey chocolate bar.

Stupidly, however, I didn’t think to save the recipe afterwards, and every once in awhile since then, I’ve searched for the original to no avail. The other day I thought of that cake, and decided that with my ridiculous memory and recent culinary skills, I should just go ahead and try to remake it sans guide. I dug up this post  that listed the ingredients and cook time, added some extra flavor, then got to work!

Flourless Orange & Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Cake

Inspired by Tuesdays with Dorie

Yields one 9″ cake

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 16 ounces good-quality dark chocolate, broken into small pieces (I used half Lindt 70%, half Guittard 72% wafers)
• 1 stick + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
• 1 teaspoon good-quality sea salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest (about 1 large orange worth)
• 5 eggs, separated

1. Preheat the oven to 375*F. Thoroughly grease a 9″ cake or tart pan with butter, then dust it evenly with cocoa powder. Line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment or wax paper.
2. In a double boiler over low heat, melt together the chocolate and butter until it’s completely smooth. Stir in the salt and zest, making sure no clumps of either are left. Set the chocolate mixture aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, use an electric mixer to beat the egg yolks together, then separately beat the whites until soft peaks form. Don’t overdo it!
4. Add the yolks to the cooled chocolate mixture, and stir until they’re well incorporated. Next, fold in 1/4 of the whites at a time. Make sure no more white is visible.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, then bake for about 25 minutes, or until a test comes out just clean. Keep an eye on the oven, and don’t over bake it!
6. Allow the cake to cool down until it’s just warm to the touch, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a wire cooling rack.

Holy moly. This cake is a bit more time intensive and complicated than the recipes I usually post, but it’s still very doable by just about anyone and comes out incredible. Rich, fudgy, and so chocolatey that even Augustus Gloop would be satisfied with just one slice. It’s definitely more of a sophisticated dessert, with a pretty bitter chocolate taste, so it would make an excellent dessert for a fancy dinner party. Serve it with vanilla bean ice cream or fresh whipped cream for a pretty presentation!

I love the orange & sea salt combination, but you could play around with the flavors for a different taste. I’m thinking lavender, mint, rose, cinnamon, chili powder…open up the spice cabinet and go crazy.

I seriously cannot believe I’ve been blogging for two years now- it’s taught me so much and introduced me to so many great people. I actually started UVS in October 2009, but ended up deleting all those posts and starting over fresh on January 13, 2010. Reading those posts now is kind of painful…horrendous photography and awkward “Hi, here’s what I ate today, bye!” writing abound. I’d like to think I’ve improved. This blog isn’t the biggest, best or most popular, but I love writing it, and I’m so thankful to all the people who have continued to read as stuff has changed. Without everyone’s support, Une Vie Saine would never have gotten to where it is today…and I wouldn’t have, either. In order to celebrate my second year of blogging, I wanted to show my appreciation for you all with a giveaway!

A few weeks ago, I blogged about my new Holstee Manifesto poster and how much I love the words on it. I think it’s a really powerful, non-corny message, and reading it each day gives me a little burst of positivity. So, I thought it would be appropriate to give away an 18×24 Holstee Manifesto poster to one randomly chosen winner! There are three ways to enter:

1. Leave me a comment telling me something you’d like to see more/less of on Une Vie Saine
2. Follow Une Vie Saine on Twitter
3. Like the Une Vie Saine Facebook page

If you’ve already followed/liked, that certainly counts too! Please leave a separate comment for each entry; I’ll choose a random winner on Tuesday, January 17. Good luck, and as always, thank you all for reading!

Holstee is not sponsoring this giveaway in any way; I just wanted to share something I love with you guys personally