move.learn.eat.

These are amazing! I had to re-post after I saw them! (via Cup of J0!)

"3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage...all to turn 3 ambitious linear concepts based on movement, learning and food...into 3 beautiful and hopefully compelling short films = a trip of a lifetime."

Yowza. I'll now be researching plane tickets for the next few days. Have a nice weekend!

'french' granola with coconut & chocolate

Recipe courtesy Orangette (This is also a wonderful Paris post--I completely share her sentiments about Chez Hanna!) This goes great with milk or on its own. Consider melting the chocolate with the granola to give you some granola clusters. :)

You'll need:
3 cups rolled oats
½ cup untoasted almond slivers
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup, or more, finely chopped bittersweet chocolate



Preheat the oven to 300°F. Combine & stir the oats, almonds, coconut, sugar, salt, and set aside.


In a small saucepan, heat the honey and oil over low heat, whisking occasionally, until honey is thinned out (watch out for splatter!)



Pour honey mixture over the oats and stir to combine.




Bake on a rimmed baking sheet for 10 minutes. Remove and toss to make sure granola cooks evenly and prevents from burning. Bake for another 10 minutes or until golden. Let cool.

After granola has cooled completely, add chocolate, toss, and enjoy.

{an evening}

garlic potato roast

I am an amateur cook if you haven't noticed. I gravitate towards simple recipes and when I saw this one on Smitten Kitchen, I had to try it. I read through her comments and modified it a bit to give it a little sumthin sumthin (i.e.: garlic). I was actually hesitant to post it because Deb's version looks so amazing... and my unevenly chopped potatoes looked so sad next to hers.

But then I remembered the wise words of my mother who reminded me that no good comes from comparing...and the old adage that the proof is in the pudding! So I will hold my chin up high, call my potatoes 'rustic,' and proudly present you with this recipe. :)

p.s: this pudding proves delicious.

You'll need:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. of small white potatoes (I liked these--the size was perfect and no peeling required)
1-2 Korean sweet potatoes (this is the key ingredient! It blends in with the white potatoes but adds a unexpected "depth of flavor."--(Thank you Padma & Tom for that one)
Garlic...lots of it. I used 1 whole bulb, minced. Jarred crushed garlic works great too (about 3 tablespoons).
S+P (you can be a little heavy handed with the salt)

You can modify the proportions depending on how big of a baking dish you use. The measurements above are for a 8"x8'' baking dish

*Cut the potatoes in thin, even slices. (A mandolin is perfect for this recipe...and will cut your prep time significantly!) Set aside.

*Spread a thin layer of mixture inside and on the sides of your baking pan. Toss potatoes in remaining garlic butter/oil mixture.

*You can also add thin slices of garlic in between your potatoes here. Brush any leftover garlic oil on top and in between potatoes.

umami burger

Have you guys heard of Umami Burger?
I had only heard rumors of how good it was, till a few weeks back when I payed a visit to one of their locations. I ordered the Umami burger and sweet potato fries. Wasn't crazy about the fries, but this burger was kind of amazing. It's in a different category than and any other burger I've had...but right up there in the ranks with In-N-Out, Shake Shack, and recently Father's Office (my top three in no particular order). It literally left me savoring every last bite. Each location's menu looks slightly different...the one off Cahuenga didn't have cheese tots, but I've heard they're great too. Check it out if you're in L.A.! **Update: Umami is Orange County-- Anaheim, inside the Camp in Costa Mesa, and Laguna Beach.  Check out all the locations here.

{*Umami Burger: shitake mushroom, caramelized onions, roasted tomato, parmesan crisp, umami ketchup}

get your wellies

 

Hunter Boots on Gilt are going fast! I got a pair last season and absolutely love them. Wet socks are a thing of the past, as are trying to avoid puddles. They run large so I'd recommend going a full size down.

*Update: If you missed the Gilt sale, this website has select colors for cheaper than any other place I've seen.

no two clouds alike

Do you guys ever notice how crazy the clouds look? All huge, massive, and intense on hot days. Or even on the days following that aren't as hot, they are wispy or cottonball-y...and there is usually that loner massive cloud drifting around somewhere.

Soooo, I'm going to get real vulnerable with you guys and tell you that I carry around one of these.
 

A "cloud diagram" proves useful on weeks like these. (Yup, proof to you that my inner nerd and secret science and archeology loving self lives loud and proud...and in a not so deep down place) It's handy... if only to increase your random trivia knowledge...and to not have to reference clouds as "cottonball-y" when you get into those conversations about clouds. (......)
Anyway, weren't those Cirrocumulus clouds the other day were awesome? (Did I just sound like Joey Tribbiani when he got the letter "V" Encyclopedia?)

Monday night::Tuesday morning

{cloud diagram source}

!

I picked this card up a few years ago...makes me laugh. Live your dreams! and have a nice week. :)

eggplant caponata

You'll need:

¾ lb. eggplant, left unpeeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice

1 medium onion, chopped (I omitted the onions (by accident) but really liked how it came out! I've tried it with; both ways are delicious.)

3-4 slices of Roasted Bell Peppers (or you can roast your own with the eggplant)

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

¾ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil plus extra for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Toss eggplant with oil, salt, and pepper and spread in a large shallow baking pan. Roast vegetables in middle of oven, stirring occasionally, until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan; toss in diced bell peppers and basil.

Note: Vegetables can be roasted and m 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature, then stir in basil just before serving.

{recipe via Karena via Gourmet Magazine :)}

crostini bar

Do I talk about my boss a lot? I'm going to talk about her some more. I stole this idea (as well as a few of the recipes) from her for my friend, Genie's, bridal shower a few weeks back. I am loving the idea of 'bars' more and more...dessert bar, parfait bar (thanks for the idea Joanna!), crostini bar, etc. Maybe it's the variety, the freedom to choose and 'cook up' something on your own, or purely aesthetics. The beauty of this one is that you can make it as homemade or store bought as you want.

You can find the recipes for the above here:
Balsamic Onion Dip

Bruschetta

Eggplant Caponata

I bought my Spinach Dip and Roasted Peppers (in a jar) from Trader Joe for the sake of time (actually the bruschetta that's pictured as well). It's best to use a Spinach Dip that can be served cold for this...recipe to come!

Herb Ricotta...my favorite! (below)

Combine:
2 cups ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons minced scallions (about 2 scallions, white and green parts)
2 tablespoons minced dill
1 tablespoon minced chives
1 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp pepper (more to taste)

(recipe via Karena via Costco Connection)

Serve alongside crostinis and/or crackers. Enjoy!

To make crostini:
Thinly slice french baguette. Brush with olive oil and season with salt + pepper. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.