FYI: I obviously created this cocktail for Patriots fans. Because, I mean, I’ve spent my entire life in New England and am obviously rooting for the Patriots hardcore this Super Bowl Sunday. But then. I realized this cocktail actually represents Giants fans, too. Darn it. At first this made me upset. But then I remembered I don’t like to discriminate and Cocktail Friday should be for everyone. So, no matter who you’re cheering for this Super Bowl Sunday, you can whip up a cocktail that will represent your team’s colors. But really. Cheer for the Patriots. Thank you.

This drink was born partly out of the fact that I have a HUGE bottle of blue curaçao leftover from a Sierra Mist post and I wanted to make something with it. While it’s not my favorite liquor, the color is stunning and it’s fun for something like this. Plus I just learned it’s actually made from a fruit similar to an orange, which makes me like it a little better. But still… it’s not actually supposed to be blue. Oh well. You should also know this is totally a novelty party-time cocktail. It’s seriously sweet (and really strong!) and definitely a “sipper.” I thought it was pretty and perfect for a party, but it definitely wasn’t my all-time favorite cocktail. But Go Patriots!

Super Bowl Sipper (makes 1 drink):
Print this recipe!

• 1 oz. grenadine
• 2 oz. cranberry juice
• 1.5 oz. vodka
• 3 oz. blue curaçao
• 5 oz. Sierra Mist Natural
• Pomegranate arils for garnish (optional)

For as cool as it looks, it’s totally simple and quick to make!

Just add grenadine and cranberry juice to a shaker and shake up. Pour into a glass filled with ice. Then add vodka and blue curaçao to shaker and shake up. Slowly pour the blue mixture over the red and watch how cool it is as it floats. Top off with Sierra Mist Natural or similar soda and pomegranate arils if desired. I might have added blueberries, too, if I had them.

I told you this was the easiest drink ever to make. And it’s super pretty… If you like blue drinks

So, maybe this isn’t an every day drink, but for the Super bowl it’s definitely fun! No matter who you’re cheering for. But seriously. GO PATRIOTS!! I don’t even want to know what Boston will be like on Monday if the Patriots don’t win. I still remember last year.

Enjoy your Cocktail Friday and Super Bowl weekend! In addition to the BIG GAME (and commercials!!! and food!!!), I’m looking forward to actually cleaning my apartment this weekend (OK, that sounded sad… But it’s true!). Also? Seeing Jack’s Mannequin tonight and going to pick out wedding flowers tomorrow. Yay!

Who are you cheering for during Sunday’s Super Bowl?

[Sues]

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Wings. Oh, delicious wings. Put a pile in front of me and they’ll be gone in a matter of minutes. Especially while watching football. And with the Super Bowl right around the corner (GO PATS!), what better time to share this finger-lickin-good recipe for some spicy wings? This recipe combines all of the key elements to create the perfect wing: crispy, spicy, sticky, and the kick of ginger provides just the right amount of uniqueness from the other, more traditional, party wings.

Spicy Ginger-Honey Wings
Print this Recipe!
Adapted from Food & Wine

• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 pounds party wings (wingettes and drumettes), patted dry
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Frank’s Red Hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tablespoons scallions, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with vegetable oil.

In a medium bowl, start by combining your dry ingredients: flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Now, add the chicken to the bowl the the flour mixture and toss to coat.

Arrange the chicken on the baking sheet in a single layer and spray with vegetable oil. This part really helps with getting the chicken nice and crispy, so don’t skip this step!

Bake the chicken for 45 minutes, turning twice, until browned and crispy. Since the oven is at 500 degrees, things can get kind of smoky in the oven, so just keep an eye on them

While the wings are in the oven, begin preparing the sauce. In a medium bowl, add the hot sauce with the butter, soy sauce, honey, and ginger.

Lightly whisk the sauce together to combine all of the ingredients.

When the chicken is finished baking, using tongs, dip the wings into the sauce to coat each. As you take each wing out of the sauce, arrange it on a platter.

Garnish with scallions and serve piping hot with plenty o’ napkins!

It was actually kind of frightening how good these were. I even started to question my level of self control as I kept going back for more.

So, what I’m trying to say is, if you make these for the Super Bowl, and you’re watching the game with more than one person (yourself), definitely make a couple batches, because they’ll go very, very quickly!

Have fun watching the BIG game while watching (and rooting for!) this pretty little thing:

and eating these spicy little things:

What are you planning on making for this year’s Super Bowl?

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[Chels]

Sometimes I like to go back and read old posts on We are not Martha. We’ve had this little blog for over 4 years now (!!) and I think it’s safe to say we’ve come a long way. My first food post? I blogged about a cake that, yes, I made myself (my first from-scratch cake!), but that I didn’t even provide a recipe for on the blog. And that I took a photo of with my camera phone. And, no, I didn’t have an iPhone… I had a flip phone. Yup. I mean, I think it’s really just plain safe to say food blogging has come a long way. Because 4 years ago, this didn’t really seem strange to me at all. Nowadays? I would never. Also, I frosted that cake when I returned home from the bar at 2 a.m. These days, I can barely remember what it’s like to stay at a bar until 2 a.m. Yes, a lot has changed in 4 years.

My point is, I’m noticing that while I used to post recipes all adapted from somewhere else, lately I’ve mainly been coming up with recipes all on my own, utilizing what I’ve learned over the years. And while it’s a whole lot more work (especially if you’re not trained in all things culinary), it’s also a whole lot more gratifying. Because at the end of the day, I feel like the recipes are mine and I’m creating something special… And from my heart. Awww. But gosh, sometimes I miss just staring at a recipe and mechanically going through the steps with awesome results. Because when you make up your own recipes? You never really know how they’re going to turn out. And when you have a food blog + a full-time job + an upcoming wedding + a life to live, you find yourself really hoping those recipes will turn out because you really want to post about them. Though this Mango Scallop with Pomegranate Wild Rice dish didn’t turn out exactly how I had it pictured in my head, I ended up loving the results and will definitely be making it again and again. Don’t you love when that happens?

And unlike 4 years ago, I will provide a recipe for you. And a photo taken with a camera that is a wee-bit higher quality than a flip phone. I can’t help but wonder where we’ll be another 4 years from now!

Mango Scallops with Pomegranate Wild Rice (serves about 4):
Print this recipe!

• 2 mangos
• 1 lb. sea scallops
• Salt and pepper
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T lime
• 1 T honey
• 1 T chopped parsley
• 1 batch pomegranate wild rice (see recipe below)

Pomegranate Wild Rice:

• 1 C wild rice
• 3 C low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 t olive oil
• 1/2 C slivered almonds
• 1 C pomegranate arils
• 1 bunch spinach (not pictured)
• 2 T chopped parsley

Start by bringing chicken broth a boil and cooking wild rice according to directions. It should take about 25-30 minutes.

Make sure to remove those little muscles from the scallops, rinsing them, and patting them dry.

Then peel and chop your mangos into 1-2 inch pieces.

And blend them up in a food processor or blender, along with the lime juice and honey. I chose to use my Vitamix because I use my Vitamix at every chance I get and it works beautifully.

Generously salt and pepper the scallops and heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the scallops to the pan without letting them touch each other. You may have to do this in a couple batches, depending on how large your pan is.

Sear for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until scallops are a bit golden.

And remove to a separate plate. Keep warm by tenting with foil.

At this point, your rice should be close to being done.

Wipe out the pan you used to cook the scallops in and add a little bit more oil in. Put almonds in pan.

And cook for just a minute or so until almonds are nice and toasted.

Now add the almonds, pomegranates, cup of spinach, and parsley to the rice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir it up.

Now, when I originally thought up this recipe, I pictured the mango as more of a sauce, a thin sauce. Not sure why I thought pureeing mangos would accomplish this and it briefly crossed my mind that I should purchase mango nectar and make a reduction, but I really wanted to use real fresh mango, so I never ended up buying it.

Not that there’s anything wrong with mango puree, I just knew it wouldn’t be as pretty when it came to drizzling it over the scallops. But I did it anyway.

And it didn’t really matter how it looked because it was so darn delicious. Seriously. All my favorite flavors joined together. This dish is perfect for a chilly evening, when you need to add a little brightness to your life but still get some good old fashioned comfort food.

I do love scallops plain, but though the mango added a nice touch of fresh sweetness without overpowering the flavor.

Even if you don’t enjoy scallops, I implore you to at least make this rice. It’s awesome and filling and you should stir in some mango puree, as well.

Scallops are SO SO easy to cook, especially when you’re simply searing them. And I do think they can be pretty impressive when being served to company, so keep that in mind. There’s really nothing complicated about this dish and the wait time on the rice is the worst of it. And wild rice is always worth it.

On another topic, as many of you know, I entered my Sweet Tea Vodka Cupcakes into Celebrations.com Cupcake Crown contest. Thank you SO much to everyone who’s voted (and to Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka for the tweets!)- I’m somehow in first place right now and would love love love your votes if you have a second (literally, it takes a second!). The voting runs until February 12 and you can vote once a day and the prizes are pretty fabulous. Thank you to our awesome readers for always being so supportive!!

[Sues]

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I’m probably the only kid who would lie to my parents about not feeling well because I didn’t want to miss school. I would try SO hard to fake feeling well, but when I’d come home from school and fall fast asleep on my parents’ bed, they’d know. Then they’d take my temperature and tell me I couldn’t go to school the next day. I’d cry. I absolutely hated missing school because I felt like I would miss something important and never ever be able to catch up. I would obsess over it. I’ve carried that same fear over to my adult life and there’s nothing I hate more than getting sick and being forced to miss stuff.

Lucky for me, I don’t get sick very often (knock on wood), but when I do, it comes on strong. And after working from home for 4 years, I knew coming back to the work world would do a number on my immune system at some point. Not only am I around people all day every day instead of all by my lonesome in my safe and sterile little apartment, but I take the yucky MBTA to and from work. Germ central. It’s actually kind of amazing it took me 4 months of working before I got sick. But now I have a nasty cold and have felt miserable all weekend. Boo hoo.

I definitely wasn’t going to miss celebrating my sister’s birthday, though. So, I pulled myself together and headed to my parents’ house with Chris on Saturday afternoon. Oh, and we brought Mitzi along for the evening, too.

The cutest.

My mom ordered a cake from Brookline’s Party Favors and I decided to whip up some frozen yogurt. It was a total experiment as I’ve never made frozen yogurt with actual Greek yogurt. It was super duper easy. Unfortunately, most of my family didn’t love the tartness of it (though I tried to counter it with some extra sugar!), so be sure you enjoy tart yogurt if you’re planning on making this. And ginger, too. You really need to love ginger.

Ginger Honey Frozen Yogurt (makes about 1 1/2 pints):
Print this recipe!

• 16 oz. Greek yogurt (I used whole, but 2% might work, too)
• 1/3 C honey
• 1/4 C grated ginger
• 1 T sugar

Ginger is weird to grate. But smells amazing.

All you gots to do is mix everything together: The yogurt, honey, grated ginger, and sugar.

I used whole Greek yogurt (Chobani!) because I wanted to make sure it would be creamy enough to turn to ice cream, but I think 2% would probably work, too, and would cut out some of the fat.

And then chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.

When you’re ready to freeze the yogurt, pour into your ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s directions.

I spun mine for about 30 minutes until it got nice and creamy.

And then I transferred it to a separate container and put in the freezer for about 6 more hours. The longer you can freeze, the better. It had kind of a soft serve-like consistency.

My parents made an absolutely scrumptious dinner, including curry mussels for an appetizer.

And the most delicious salmon atop mashed potatoes, with a side of asparagus for an entree.

There’s really nothing better than finishing a celebratory meal with a cake from Party Favors. It’s where Chris and I are planning to get our wedding cake from and it’s some seriously amazing cake. I’ve been dreaming of having it as a wedding cake since I moved to Brookline almost 7 years ago.

I topped the frozen yogurt with a little bit of crystallized ginger, as well. Because you can never have too much ginger!

I thought the lightness of the ginger honey frozen yogurt complemented the sweetness of the cake well.

And I was super impressed by how creamy and ice cream-like it was. I definitely want to try this with a lighter yogurt to see if it would be as creamy. If so, then this is an awesome way to enjoy a low-cal frozen treat. Again, this is a tart dessert, so when I say frozen yogurt, I mean frozen yogurt.

Then we had a great big photoshoot as per usual. I actually went a while majorly slacking on picture taking… It felt nice because I could just relax… But I also kinda missed having photos, which I know I’ll really appreciate having in the future. Plus, sometimes it’s fun.

I just love this photo.

Most photogenic dog ever.

Basically, the entire time we’re at the dinner table, Mitzi tries to get one of us to pick her up. Not because she begs for food or anything like that. She just really wants to be on our level and can’t stand to miss out on anything.

We obviously decided to take some family photos with her. With the birthday girl and Adam!

And me and Chris! Please excuse my pale, sickly complexion.

This one made me laugh.

Happy Birthday to my most fabulous sister!! I’m so lucky to have a sister and a best friend all in one and it’s such a great feeling to know we’ll be able to share the rest of our lives together and all that they bring!

Hope you all had fabulous weekends and are ready for the week ahead. I’m just hoping I start to feel better and can make it through the week because I have a busy weekend planned (yes, I’m already thinking about the weekend), including the Super Bowl!!

Do you like tart fro-yos or prefer sweet?

[Sues]

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You know those commercials for the cookie diet? You see them and you’re like “Oh, hell no. There is no way I can eat all cookies all day every day and lose weight. Liars!” So, you laugh at the gimmick and then laugh a little harder when you see the lovely straight-from-Jersey-Shore Snooki promoting the product. But then, then, you see Snookie again and she’s lost like a million pounds and you’re like “Huh?! But I thought she was only eating cookies…” And then you maybe start to believe in the cookie diet a little bit. Right? I don’t know where I’m going with this because I’m not trying to lose weight. And I’d never buy a cookie diet that has commercials on television that Snooki is promoting. But I do strongly believe in a world where we can eat as many cookies as we want and not gain one billion pounds. And I’m pretty sure I found it. A world that contains a cookie diet that works.

I spotted a version of these cookies in Shape magazine and was astounded. I mean, there is no flour or granulated sugar in these cookies. No baking soda or baking powder. They’re made from bananas. And oats. And applesauce. Basically. I changed up the recipe, but followed the banana oats rule and discovered a cookie that’s actually good for me. Bananas, oats, ground flax, and dried cranberries. You can eat these all day every day and will probably lose weight. But uh, don’t take my word on it. They don’t involve kale, after all… But now my mind is working over-time.

Banana Maple Cranberry Cookies (makes about 24):
Print this recipe!

• 3 very ripe bananas
• 2 C rolled oats
• 1/3 C unsweetened applesauce
• 2 T real maple syrup
• 1 T ground flaxseed meal
• 1/2 C dried cranberries

(heat oven to 350 degrees)

Also, this is the easiest recipe ever. I was literally IN BED when I started craving cookies. And I decided to hop out of bed and make these. They needed to bake for 20 minutes, but they only required about 10 minutes of work from me. Easy AND healthy are not two words you hear together very often.

Start by mashing your bananas all together in a bowl with a fork.

Then, mix all the other ingredients together with the banana. The oats, applesauce, maple syrup, flaxseed meal, and dried cranberries.

I’ve never had flaxseed meal, but found it at Market Basket and thought I’d check it out. All I know is that flax has lots of vitamins and healthy stuff in it… And it’s really filling, too.

Drop dough on a parchment-lined cookie sheet by the tablespoon. This is how I dropped the dough down.

And bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. I realized that my cookies weren’t very cookie-like, so for my second tray, I pushed the dough down with my palm to flatten them a bit.

A little more cookie-like.

I know, I know. You’re probably thinking: THIS IS NOT A COOKIE. This is a banana covered in oats and applesauce. Woo hoo. But they’re delicious. Really, they are. Kind of like a nice and chewy granola bar.

Obviously, you have to like bananas to enjoy these because there is a strong banana flavor involved.

But there’s also a delicious maple touch and a nice chewy oat texture. I swear they’re cookies. Really, they are. I had a few after lunch today and was completely satisfied and happy.

Of course, I couldn’t help but wonder what these would be like if I added chocolate chips instead of dried cranberries. Because you never know. And coconut maybe? But I AM a Craisins lover, so these totally hit the spot for me.

And since I rarely post about healthy desserts, I feel like you have to trust me on this one. After all, I’m the first person to down a package of Fudge Stripes or Keebler’s Chewy Choclate Chip Cookies (Soft Batch!), but sometimes I want to feel a little better about my choices. Not often, but sometimes. I do, after all, have to fit into a wedding dress in 4.5 months (eek!). And I’m sure as heck not giving up cookies. Nor do I plan on befriending Snooki.

What’s your favorite healthy-ish dessert?

[Sues]

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There’s nothing I love more than waking up in the morning knowing that I have something delicious waiting in the kitchen for breakfast. After a week filled with oatmeal and cereal, I wanted something else to start my day. I decided to make a Blueberry-Lemon Bread figuring it was just what I needed. Simple, tasty, slather it with some melted butter and enjoy a cup of tea and it’s the perfect start to any day, in my book. Plus, I just love the blueberry/lemon combo!

Blueberry-Lemon Bread (makes 1 loaf)

Print this Recipe!

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• zest from 1 medium lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1.5 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 packet of Sugar in the Raw (for topping, optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) combine eggs and sugar. Add the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice and lemon zest and whisk gently until all ingredients are nicely incorporated.

In separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Now, in batches, slowly begin to incorporate the flour mixture into the egg mixture, making sure to blend between each pour.

Lightly toss the blueberries in flour to prevent them from sinking while they bread bakes.

And carefully fold them, using a spatula, into the batter.

Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan (5×12 works). I topped the batter with a packet of raw sugar just to add some extra crunch and texture to the top of the bread.

Bake for an hour or until the bread is nicely browned or until a toothpick comes out clean.

I love a simple baked good, especially for breakfast. And this would also be a great bread to wrap up all pretty to bring if you’re someone’s house guest or to just have around your own house if you have people visiting. It’s so quick. It took only about 15 minutes to prep, then just baking time. Plus, my apartment smelled like pure delight. I couldn’t help myself and had three slices with butter right when it came out of the oven. Ooof.

Speaking of delicious baked goods. A couple weeks ago, while I was at Paper Source, I met a gentleman named Carltaro, the owner of Baby Sistah Cookies. This chance encounter pretty much happened based on the simple fact that I’m just nosy. I saw Carltaro and his wife looking at treat bags and ribbon, so naturally I asked what they were working on. He ended up telling me all about his company, how people can order them from his website, what types of cookies he bakes, etc.

The next part of the conversation is where I obviously got excited. He asked me if he could bring me some of these special treats to try out. Long story short, I was out to dinner with my friend Rebecca last weekend, when I saw that he emailed me about dropping the cookies off. I wrote back, said I was at dinner in Washington Square, and about 40 minutes later, he appeared at the restaurant with a bag filled with cookies. Definitely a “You know you’re a food blogger when…” kind of moment. He baked me a special nut-free batch and another batch for Sues. He even made us each our own sweet potato cookie that had a delicious frosting on top. It was more like a cake. And I loved it. It reminded me of my grandmother’s sweet potato pie, which struck a cord and brought back all kinds of memories

There was also a lemon glazed shortbread cookie with a creamy lemon icing that I couldn’t walk away from and the ginger molasses cookies are my new everything!

The “motto” of the company is “gourmet taste with a family touch”. These cookies aren’t pretentious. They taste real but fantastically homemade which, to me, is the whole appeal!

For the Boston readers, word on the street is these cookies are on sale at the newish Render Coffee Bar in the South End! For all of you out-of-towners, you can purchase the cookies online at www.babysistahcookies.com.

[Chels]

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I’m pretty sure you know by now that you can do ANYTHING (and everything) with risotto. And that I most definitely do. I’m pretty sure I come up with a new risotto plan every single evening and I actually have a few brewing in my head as we speak. I actually just posted about a Mushroom Feta Quinoa Risotto for the Mushroom Channel because yes, you can make risotto with quinoa. And yes, you should. But you can also make a seemingly typical risotto with arborio rice. And then jam pack it full of blue cheese, kale, and pine nuts. And call it a day. Or a dinner. And a lunch the next day. Because let’s face it, I barely have enough time to get dinner on the table at night, much less lunch in my work bag.

And this truly is one of my favorite things about risotto. It’s so versatile, I feel like I’m eating a completely new dish every time I make it. But I am able to make risotto with my eyes shut. And that means a lot to me right now. Trust me, a lot.

Plus, there’s wine involved. But only 3/4 C. Which means there’s still almost a whole bottle left to enjoy with your meal. How can you not love a recipe like that?

Blue Cheese Risotto with Kale (serves about 4-6):
Print this recipe! 

• 4 C low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 T olive oil
• 3 shallots, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1.5 C arborio rice
• 3/4 C dry white wine
• 4-6 oz. blue cheese
• half bunch of kale
• 1/4 C pine nuts, toasted

And now I will commence typing this recipe with my eyes closed. I’m kidding, but I actually probably could. I know the technique so well by now. And I did take PAWS for Typing in second grade.

Start by bringing your chicken broth to a boil and then lowering the temperature to a simmer. Leave on burner.

Add olive oil to a different medium sized saucepan and stir in shallots and onion over medium heat. Cook for about 3 minutes, until onion is translucent.

Add arborio rice to pot and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring gently.

Pour in your lovely white wine and stir. Let rice absorb all of the liquid.

Then begin adding chicken broth to the mixture one cup at a time, stirring in between each addition and waiting for liquid to absorb. Remember, you don’t have to stir risotto non-stop, but make sure you keep an eye on it or all the liquid could absorb and rice will stick to the pot.

While you’re waiting for the chicken broth to be absorbed by the rice, crumble up some blue cheese. Blue cheese has ALWAYS been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. I am a huge fan of stinky cheese and the more flavorful the better.

Toast up your pine nuts, too. But you may have to open up your eyes for this one. I clearly didn’t and ended up burning mine a bit. Most of them were still fine and I certainly wasn’t going to start over after considering how much pine nuts cost (what is with that?). But next time I will keep my eyes open for this part.

Stir in your cheese and your kale leaves. Letting kale wilt a little bit. I still wanted mine to have some crunch, though.

 =

Mix in the pine nuts and serve! With a few more pine nuts sprinkled on top.

This was everything I wanted it to be. Simple to make, packed with blue cheese flavor with a nutty touch, and filled with a bit of green goodness, too. It was also, pure, pure comfort. Which is another thing I really truly need this week.

And I promise I’ll stop writing about risotto now and start trying to get more creative again.

But I know I won’t be able to stay away for long. There are simply too many fantastic risotto recipes swimming around in my head. Risotto, I just can’t quite you.

Do you have a recipe you could make over and over again with different variations and be happy?

[Sues]

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First of all, happy Cocktail Friday! It’s been quite the week and I’m just glad we made it here. Seriously. Well, technically, we still have to get through the day, but let’s just cross our fingers and push through it. It actually might not be too tough if this is drink on the other end. It finally snowed in Boston last night. So, obviously I decided to make a drink that made me feel like it was summer.

But really, gin is one of my favorite warm-me-up drinks and I feel like this cocktail is absolutely perfect any time of year. Even if you’re not a gin lover, I still vote you should try this. Because it may just convert you. Which is reason enough. And at the very least, it can help you forget all the horrible parts of your week, so you can focus on weekend. My weekend will consist of (hopefully) crossing lots more off the wedding to-do list (we’ve already had a wonderfully productive wedding get stuff done week!) and checking out bridesmaid dresses for Katie’s October wedding (Chels and I are both in it and it’s going to be SOO much fun!). A very wedding weekend… With a Patriots game thrown in, of course (we’ll just ignore the 500 hours of work I need to get done)!

Blackberry Lemon Gin Fizz (makes 2 drinks):
Print this recipe!

• 6 oz. blackberries
• 1 T sugar
• 1 T water
• Ice
• 1 T mint, chopped finely
• 2 T lemon
• 5 oz. gin
• 1/2-3/4 C club soda

Start by putting the blackberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan and turning the heat to medium.

While the berries are warming up, take a fork and mash them up as much as you can. The warmer they get, the easier this will be.

Once you have a nice puree going, push the mixture through a strainer into a bowl. I decided to spoon in some of the remaining puree after I had extracted all the liquid. I LOVE pulp in my drinks and wanted a little something-something extra. If you hate pulp, just take the liquid and leave the rest! Chill the blackberry juice for about 10-15 minutes.

Chop up your mint as finely as you can.

In a shaker filled with ice, add the mint and lemon juice.

Then add the gin and blackberry puree.

Shake it all up and divide between 2 glasses. Since I left some pulp in my puree, I had to take the cover off my shaker and pour the drink in. Which means I also got lots of little mint bits in my drink. Fine with me!

Fill glasses the rest of the way with soda water and top with a lemon twist and some extra blackberries.

Oh man. I really didn’t think there was much that could make a Friday night better (I mean, couch and Dateline? Come’on). But here it is, right?

While this drink may look a whole lot like a summery concoction, I actually felt like it fit perfectly with the falling snow and chilly air. Who says we need to nix the idea of berries in the winter? We’ve been trying to get our grocery shopping done at Market Basket lately (best ever), where blackberries are frequently $1. And where we frequently buy 6 packs of them at a time.

Good luck getting through your Friday work week and happy Cocktail Friday to you! In case you haven’t noticed, I’m just a little excited about the weekend. Let’s make it a good one!

And if all else fails, at least Monday brings The Bachelor. Yes, this is the way my thought process works.

What will you be sipping on this weekend?

[Sues]

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Things that make winter in Boston a little more bearable:

• A daily cup of hot tea
• Lots and lots of blankets and flannel sheets
• Candles lit in every room
• The possibility of a snow day
• Stacks and stacks of books and nowhere to go
• Leggings worn under pants
• Furry Cole Haan earmuffs and furry Sorel boots
• Ugg Slippers
• An excuse to drink hot cocoa

I mean, you never see people drinking hot cocoa in the summer, do you? Hot tea and hot coffee sure, but hot cocoa is mostly reserved for cold snowy days when you need a fast warm up and a little bit of cheer, too. Or when you’ve just come in from sledding and can’t feel your fingers and have snow down your pants. Not that I know what that’s like anymore. Anyway, the only thing that makes hot chocolate better is marshmallows. And maybe a couch piled with blankets and the heat set to 75.

These cookies involve all the components of hot cocoa, including the marshmallow. At first I was going to put the marshmallow inside the cookie, but since I decided to use fluff, I realized it would be a bit too liquid-y. Also, because I know someone will ask, of course you can use store-bought Fluff for these cookies. But I PROMISE making your own fluff is basically the easiest thing ever. If you have a stand mixer, you can do it in about 8 minutes, just throwing a few ingredients into the bowl. You’ll do it once and then want to make it every week. I do. And I do. Nope, not dangerous at all.

Hot Cocoa Cookies (makes about 3 dozen):
Print this recipe!

• 1 C butter
• 3/4 C granulated sugar
• 3/4 C light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 2 C all-purpose flour
• 3/4 t baking soda
• 1/4 t salt
• 2/3 C hot chocolate mix
• 1/2 batch homemade fluff (it’s easy!)
• 3/4 C dark chocolate chips

(pre-heat oven to 350 degrees)

Start by creaming together the butter and sugars in an electric mixer or with a hand mixer, until light and fluffy.

Then mix in the eggs and vanilla until well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and hot cocoa powder. I chose to use Ghiradelli Cocoa, but you can use any brand you want… Even Swiss Miss!

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients on low-speed, being sure not to over mix.

Add about 1/4 C of fluff into the bowl. Yummmm.

And 3/4 C dark chocolate chips. If you don’t want to use dark, you can use semisweet, but I wanted to get that extra depth from the dark chocolate. Mix together with a spatula or wooden spoon.

At this point, I would chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. I didn’t do this and my cookies were a tad flat, so I think chilling the dough would have helped.

On baking sheets covered with parchment paper, drop down teaspoonfuls of batter.

Bake for about10 minutes at 350 degrees, until the cookies are set, just like you like them. I like them a little bit soft.

Cool the cookies on racks and when completely cool, drop a dollop of fluff on top. Let cool again until the fluff sets.

Serve with a mug full of hot cocoa because you can never have too much hot cocoa. Plus, bonus points if it’s snowing out: you get to eat an extra cookie. I know. You gotta keep yourself going somehow in the winter.

I am absolutely obsessed with how much these cookies tasted like a nice mug of hot coca. They were rich and chocolatey, but you could definitely tell it wasn’t from cocoa powder. I think this would be even more prominent if you used a milder hot cocoa mix, like Swiss Miss. While I’m sure the cookies would be fabulous without the marshmallow on top, you really should add it. Because what’s a cup of cocoa without a nice fistful of marshmallows? Everybody knows that’s the best part.

Something tells me these cookies would be even better if enjoyed on a snow day. But it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting any of those in Boston any time soon.

Are you a hot cocoa drinker?

[Sues]

Sierra Mist Giveaway Winner!

I’m so sorry it took me so long to announce our Sierra Mist giveaway winner! But better late than never, right? After all, it is a pretty lovely price. And the big winner is Mami2jcn with her holiday sangria recipe! It sounded SO good, I’m pretty sure I’ll be making it despite the fact that the holidays are long over (though out Christmas tree is still up… What? It’s fake and the box is at my parents’ house. We legit have no place to put it, so we may as well keep it up!). Anyway, congrats, Mami2jcn! I’ll email you right away to get your shipping information.

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Friday evening I went to my friend and former co-worker Melanie’s birthday party. Melanie lives in Jamaica Plain and has the most wonderful and thoughtfully decorated condo. I’m trying to convince her to snap some pictures and submit them to Apartment Therapy. If she doesn’t do it I’ll take matters into my own hands and, at the very least, write a blog post about her home on We are not Martha so you can all see it She also made the above ombre cake. The recipe can be found here. If you’re wondering how the cake tastes, well, let’s just say I took my piece home and it was my breakfast Saturday morning.

Oh, and this is Melanie:

Isn’t she fancy and fabulous?

Saturday afternoon I surprised my mom at her hair salon. We grabbed an impromptu and delicious lunch at my favorite local bakery, Treats on Washington.

Saturday evening I took a stroll through my neighborhood and met up with my friend Becca.

We grabbed dinner at Jimmy’s Bar and Oven, a newer restaurant in the ‘hood. They have fried pickles so you better believe I’ve been there multiple times. They’re the best fried pickles I’ve had so far in Boston and the closest to the originals I’ve had down south. So, that’s saying something.

Jimmy’s is a really sweet space with high whitewashed ceilings, and a window-filled garage door that opens up in the summer. It’s the perfect addition to the neighborhood.

After dinner, Becca and I walked up to Emack and Bolio’s for some ice cream, even though it was freezing out. It’s never too cold for ice cream in my book My most favorite flavor from Emack’s is Deep Purple Cow which is black raspberry ice cream with white and dark chocolate chips and blueberries. I get cravings for this like you wouldn’t believe!

After ice cream I watched the Patriots WIN. Woop.

Sunday I worked at Paper Source for a few hours. I pretty much get paid to craft, have fun, and help people design fun things like wedding invitations. No complaints

On Monday I did a bunch of running around and finally checked things off my to-do list. Like dropping off proofs to a client for Save the Dates. Here they are all packaged up. Well, in the box

And meeting up for a frozen yogurt date with my friend, Judith. Yes, spending time with friends is often an item on my to-do list In the fro-yo mix: blueberry and plain tart yogurt, kiwi, strawberries, skittles (!!!!!!!), rainbow jimmies, and white chocolate chips. This was lunch.

After “lunch” I dropped bags of old clothes off. One of my friends, who’s moving to San Francisco next month, told me she sold clothes at Buffalo Exchange and got cash on the spot for them. I was intrigued. I brought in two big bags, not knowing at all what to expect. They ended up buying about a bag’s worth of clothes and accessories and I made about $50. It was definitely an interesting experience having someone pick through my old clothes but it felt good to make some money off of everything! If you’re looking to sell clothes here the girl who worked there gave me some tips. Plus, I thought it was a good idea to ask questions since I’ll probably be doing this more often! But they look for more “current” pieces like darker washes of denim. I had a brand new Vera Bradley bag and a pair of Paige jeans that she didn’t take and it was because, while the bag was new, it was from a few seasons ago. And the jeans were in great condition but they weren’t dark denim. I probably could have tried to consign the purse and jeans at another store but I ended up giving them to my roommate and her friend, haha. Sometimes it’s not worth the hassle!

Monday night I went to dinner and the Celitcs game with my dad. Stunk that they lost but it’s always nice spending time with my parents

I also started reading a new book. I was so oddly interested by the Clark Rockefeller case that when my friend Tarryn told me she bought this book, I just about demanded she let me borrow it when she finished reading it. Don’t ask why I’m so weird.

And finally, my new jeans arrived this weekend! Before the holidays Sues and I attended an event at Bloomingale’s put on by Blogger’s Night Out and J Brand Jeans. Each guest entered a raffle for a free pair of J Brand Jeans when we first arrived. Right when we were about to scoot out, one of the PR girls caught us and told us to stick around for a few minutes since they were about to pull the names of the winners. Thankfully we did because my name was pulled. I legit screamed “I NEVER WIN ANYTHING” as if I had won an Oscar. Very dramatic. But very appropriate. Girl loves her denim. I ended up ordering the Love Story style in Pure. Fun fact? I might sleep in them.

Hope you all had happy long weekends, too

[Chels]