Our friend Robin, of Robin Cain Photography, was ...]]> One of the great things about living in Colorado is the great access to farm-fresh produce during the summer.  From fresh corn to fragrant tomatoes, everything seems to be in season right now, so we decided to take advantage of the abundance of wonderful food at a summer “Farm to Table” dinner party last weekend.  The meal featured local, organic produce and flowers, and herbs and other goodies right out of the garden!

Our friend Robin, of Robin Cain Photography, was able to come and photograph the festivities.  She’s such a talented photographer–check out her blog or site if you’re looking for a Colorado wedding or portrait photographer!

It’s such a great feeling to work with farm-grown produce, especially when you know where it came from.  It doesn’t have to be fancy (as you’ll see here), but be inspired by the flavors of the season!

Above: Salami, figs, and a goat cheese spread.

Warmed goat cheese spread:
Simply combine equal parts cream cheese, marinated feta, and goat cheese; add whatever herbs you have on hand (I used chives and thyme; but rosemary would be a wonderful addition!) and bake in dishes at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.  Serve with crusty baguettes or crackers.

Our cat, Butters, had a great time with all those savory smells!

Above: These wonderful fingerlings came from a local farm and were seasoned with garlic and rosemary, roasted in olive oil.

Roasted Fingerlings:
Slice fingerlings thinly. Drizzle with olive oil, fresh diced garlic, and thyme, rosemary, or other favorite herbs.  Roast at 400 degrees, in a single layer on a  baking sheet for about 25 minutes, or until browned and slightly crispy. Finish with a dusting of sea salt.

We finished off the meal with a delicious dessert of lemon curd cakes, drizzled with lemon syrup and dolloped with a creme fraiche whipped cream, poppy seeds, and a sprinkling of pistachios.  The best combination of salty, sweet, and tangy–and a perfect end to a summer meal!  Recipe via Food & Wine.

What recipes are you enjoying this summer?

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Posted in: Cooking and Food, Entertaining, Real Parties

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Now that we’re married, despite all the caramel white chocolate pancakes, stuffed french toast, and ...]]> When Dr. Dave and I were first dating, one of the things we enjoyed doing together the most was cooking.  From shrimp scampi to chicken wraps, we experimented with new dishes as we got to know one another in the kitchen.  When we realized that we both had a passion for making (and eating!) sushi, we put our heads together and busted out our sushi mats.

Now that we’re married, despite all the caramel white chocolate pancakes, stuffed french toast, and croque montagnard, our favorite food is actually quite healthy.  Whenever we are looking for a celebratory meal for birthdays, anniversaries, or holidays, we usually turn to sushi.  However, as ex-grad students with loan debt, we can’t afford the high expense of sushi restaurants…luckily, over the years, we’ve refined our sushi-making abilities to near restaurant quality.  I thought I’d take today to show you all how easy it is to make sushi at home! Don’t be intimidated; it’s really much easier than it seems.  And much cheaper…the entire platter of sushi below cost less than $40.

{all photos from author’s personal collection}

The most important aspect of good sushi is, obviously, good fish. Make sure you purchase “sushi-grade” fish from your fishmonger.  We find Whole Foods carries good salmon, tuna, unagi (smoked eel), crab, and octopus.  However, a fishmonger would be another good option if you have one close by.  Keep it very cold until you’re ready to make your sushi.  You will also need:

-Nori (the seaweed wrap for sushi rolls, which you can find in the Asian section of your supermarket)
-Short-grain white sushi rice
-Fish of your choice (unagi, tuna, salmon, crab, octopus, etc.)
-Filler vegetables (green onions, avocado, cucumber, carrots, whatever you’d like!)
-Rice vinegar
-Cream cheese if desired, soy sauce, ginger, wasabi (optional)
-Sushi mats

Look at the color on that salmon! Just beautiful.  We find it helpful at the beginning of a sushi-making session to lay everything out on the counter, buffet-style, so we can grab from a variety of things when building a roll.  We’ve also experimented with a homemade eel sauce, a slightly-sweet vinegar sauce (see recipe below).  Line it all up, with room enough for your sushi mats, which you can purchase at most grocery stores or specialty food stores.

The unagi is a beautiful fish. If you’ve never had it, it is slightly sweet, a little smoky, and has a great tender texture. It’s wonderful with cream cheese. :) Pop it in a warm oven (170 degrees) for about 10 minutes before using to heat it up; then peel the thick fatty skin off before slicing and eating.

To prep your ingredients, slice the veggies into long thin strips.  We like to cut our fish into thicker sections for a higher ratio of fish in a roll, but you can slice yours as thick or thin as you’d like.  If you like sashimi, reserve some wider slices for this.

While cutting and prepping your ingredients, start cooking your rice.  You will need short-grain white sushi rice.  Rinse the rise several times through a mesh strainer until the water runs clear: this is how the rice becomes sticky after cooked.  See Dr. Dave’s perfect sushi rice recipe below.

Once the rice is done, put it into a chilled bowl and fan while stirring, to cool it.  Add rice vinegar to taste, and continue to stir and fan until cool enough to handle.  We also like to add some sesame seeds to the rice for a delicious, nutty flavor.

Next, take a piece of nori out of the package and lay down on your sushi mat (shiny side down).  Using a flat, wide wooden spoon, spread a thin layer of rice onto the nori, leaving about an inch of nori uncovered by rice at the top (you’ll need this section to seal the roll).

Once your rice is spread, place your roll ingredients in a line near the bottom of the nori. This roll (my favorite!) is filled with unagi, cream cheese, avocado, and eel sauce.

Start rolling away from you, from the bottom of the nori, using the sushi mat to squeeze the roll firmly as you go.

When you’re done rolling, give one final squeeze and remove the mat. You’ll be left with a neat tidy little roll!  Now dip your finger in the water/rice vinegar mix and run it along the inch of nori you left uncovered. Press it against the roll to seal it closed; slice with a very sharp knife dipped in the water/rice vinegar mixture to keep the rice from sticking to the knife.

Making sushi is a fun way to spend some time together in the kitchen, trying something new, and ending with something delicious!  Don’t worry if your first rolls don’t turn out looking as well as planned: they will still taste delicious!

RECIPES:

Homemade Eel Sauce: Combine 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, and 1/4 cup white sugar in a saucepan.  Simmer over low heat until thickened.  Drizzle over rolls or use as a dip. Store leftover sauce in fridge for up to a month.

Dr. Dave’s Perfect Sushi Rice: Place rinsed rice into heavy-bottomed pot.  Fill with water until a finger inserted into the pot just touches the rice and the water comes to the base of your fingernail (sounds strange, I know, but it just works!).  Bring to a full boil, uncovered, until the level of the water reaches the level of the rice, then reduce the heat as low as possible. Cover and cook until no water remains (keep a close eye on it).  Or, use a rice cooker. ;)

Roll combination ideas:
-salmon, avocado, and cream cheese
-tuna, cucumber, and green onion
-crab meat, carrot, cucumber, avocado
-anything that tickles your fancy

© Elizabeth Anne Designs, 2011 · Permalink · 6 comments · StumbleUpon It!
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A delicious open-faced sandwich fancy enough to serve for dinner guests.

All things that, until last week, I thought were figments of my wishful-thinking based imagination…and then. I discovered Croque Montagnarde.

“What are you serving for dinner tonight, Briana?” “Croque Montagnarde.” ::insert stunned silence here::.

That’s how I picture that conversation going.  To sum up this “sandwich,” found in Martha ...]]> Unicorns. Easter Bunnies.  Instant hangover cures.  Stilletos that I can wear all night (and all day).  A camera that doesn’t make me look 10 pounds heavier.

A delicious open-faced sandwich fancy enough to serve for dinner guests.

All things that, until last week, I thought were figments of my wishful-thinking based imagination…and then. I discovered Croque Montagnarde.

“What are you serving for dinner tonight, Briana?”
“Croque Montagnarde.”
::insert stunned silence here::.

That’s how I picture that conversation going.  To sum up this “sandwich,” found in Martha Stewart’s feature on San Francisco’s Tartine Bakery… it is an ooey gooey combination of all things wonderful.

Toasted ham, creamy stinky gruyere, perfectly textured potato, some sassy sourdough, and a mild bechamel to pull everything together.  It is a thing of beauty. I highly recommend you make it immediately.

Croque Montagnarde
from Tartine Bakery & Cafe, as featured in Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

For the bechamel:

• 2 T unsalted butter
• 2 T all-purpose flour
• 1.25 C whole milk, warmed
• course salt and freshly ground pepper

For the croque montagnarde:

• 12 small fingerling potatoes (or 4-5 ounces other small, waxy potatoes), cooked until tender and smashed
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 4 slices thick, day-old Tartine Country Bread or other good quality sourdough
• 4 thick slices smoked ham (get the good stuff. Or prosciutto would be a nice twist.)
• 8 slices Gruyere cheese ( 4 oz.)

Directions:

1. Make the bechamel: melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Add flour, and whisk until mixture bubbles slightly, but has not started to brown, about 2 minutes.  Whisk in milk.  Bring to a boil to thicken. Season with salt and pepper as desired (but don’t over-salt, remember the ham is a bit salty). Remove from heat.  Can make 3 days ahead: press plastic wrap directly onto surface to prevent skin from forming; reheat before using.
2. Make the croque montagnarde: Preheat oven to 425.  Toss potatoes with oil. Spread 1/4 cup bechamel onto each slice of bread, top with 1 slice of ham, some potatoes (don’t be shy), and 2 slices of cheese. Bake on a baking sheet until cheese is golden and bubbling, about 12-14 minutes (start checking often after 8 minutes, and rotate sheet as needed for even browning).

Please, please, please try this. Please.

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These aren’t just pancakes. They’re not just pancakes with a handful of blueberries, or a handful of chocolate chips, or a handful of anything “tossed in.”  These are premeditated, first-degree-murder-on-your-waistline pancakes.

AND THEY ARE AMAZING.

{all images courtesy of author’s personal collection}

These pancakes have pretzels.  They have a sweet topping and a salty crunchy bite.  They have a white chocolate and a caramel ...]]> Remember that post a while back about the Black Swan Diet? Forget all of that information.  It’s time to talk about…pancakes.

These aren’t just pancakes. They’re not just pancakes with a handful of blueberries, or a handful of chocolate chips, or a handful of anything “tossed in.”  These are premeditated, first-degree-murder-on-your-waistline pancakes.

AND THEY ARE AMAZING.

{all images courtesy of author’s personal collection}

These pancakes have pretzels.  They have a sweet topping and a salty crunchy bite.  They have a white chocolate and a caramel topping that swim together in a beautiful breast stroke of sugary goodness until they’ve melded in your mouth amidst a sea of saliva (gross.).  They are. AMAZING. I’ll say it again.

I’ve dubbed these “Match Day Pancakes.”  You see, medical students like Dr. Dave really get screwed.  Not only do they have to go through years of schooling, wear stupid-looking clothing, lose any semblance of a life, and tie their left ankle to a stack of heavy books for 4 years,  but there is also a fun little experience they like to call “The Match.”

Despite its sounding like a fun activity done by a woman named Yentl, “The Match” essentially is a way of determining the fate of our lives.  Dr. Dave first has to apply to dozens of programs. From there, the programs choose to interview select students who applied. Following the interview process, the programs rank all of the students in order of who they’d like to come to their program, and the students to the same for the programs.  Then some big, magical computer that knows what’s best for us and our future matches the program with the student.

Whatever the result is, it is a binding contract.  No waffling (mmm, waffles), no backing out.  So on Thursday, March 17, we will find out where we will live for the next 4 years.  It could be anywhere, from Seattle to Rochester, NY.  Needless to say, this is a slightly stressful situation…and if you ask me, there is no better way to cope, than with pancakes.

Pretzel Pancakes with White Chocolate & Caramel sauce
Recipe adapted from Cuisine at Home

Pancake Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. crushed pretzels, divided
• 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 T sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 egg, separated
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/4 c. buttermilk
• vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a bowl; set aside.
2. Using a hand mixer, whip egg white in a bowl to soft peaks (see photo below), set aside.
3. Whisk together egg yolk, milk, and buttermilk in a bowl until frothy.  Stir into dry ingredients only until moistened (small lumps are your friend).
4. Let batter stand for 10 minutes to get happy.
5. Fold in whipped egg white, stopping when thin, white streaks still remain in the batter.
6. Heat a griddle or nonstick over medium heat; brush with vegetable oil.  For each pancake, use 1/3 to 1/4 cup of batter; sprinkle each with some of remaining crushed pretzels.
7. Cook until bubbles form on surface of pancake, about 2 minutes.
8. Flip pancakes, cook until golden, about 2 minutes more.

Yum! And now for the sauces…

White Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 c. heavy cream
• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 4 oz. white chocolate, chopped (or chips if you’re lazy, like me)

Directions:

1. Bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Whisk a little of the hot cream into the yolks, then return yolk mixture to simmering cream.  WHISK RIGHT AWAY or else you’ll have little chunks of scrambled yolk in your sauce. Not that I did that.
3. Continue cooking and whisking until sauce thickens and can coat the back of the spoon.
4. Lick the spoon.
5. Remove sauce from heat.
6. Stir in white chocolate until melted.
7. Lick spoon.
8. Set sauce aside, keep warm.

Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
• 2 T water
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1 T unsalted butter

Directions:

1. Boil brown sugar and water in a small saucepan 5 minutes, gently swirling occasionally to prevent scorching.
2. Whisk in cream. (mixture will bubble furiously and begin to harden like candy.  Freak out, keep whisking, and it will melt again.)
3. Boil mixture 2 more minutes, then whisk in butter until melted.
4. Set sauce aside; keep it warm.

To assemble the pancakes, stack a couple on a plate. Drizzle (or dump, if you’re me) caramel sauce on pancakes.  Then do the same with the white chocolate. Scatter remaining pretzel pieces on top.

Eat. Drool. Die.

If anyone needs me, I’ll be in a closet eating pancakes!

© Elizabeth Anne Designs, 2011 · Permalink · 10 comments · StumbleUpon It!
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You know those people you meet and instantaneously can’t imagine your life without?  The ones who you have graduation parties with, who cry with you over that jerk ex-boyfriend, bring you chocolate ice cream by the gallon, and do cartwheels with you on the beach?

That’s Lisa.  And I’ll tell you what: the only thing that ...]]> Please excuse the cheesy post title.   Nothing else would suit. There are few people in this world who make me more happy than my best friend Lisa.

You know those people you meet and instantaneously can’t imagine your life without?  The ones who you have graduation parties with, who cry with you over that jerk ex-boyfriend, bring you chocolate ice cream by the gallon, and do cartwheels with you on the beach?

That’s Lisa.  And I’ll tell you what: the only thing that could make me happier than marrying her myself, living in a beach cottage with 8 cats and eating chocolate until we’re fat, was for her to marry her now-husband, Eric. They had the most gorgeous, down-to-earth, fun, and meaningful wedding I’ve ever had the pleasure to be a part of. They pinky swore their vows and skipped down the aisle to that great song from Juno. Oh, and they had the Dinosaur reading. Have you heard it yet? Read ithere.

I was also lucky enough for Lisa and Eric to be SO laid back that I had full creative control over the flowers…and boy was it a blast! We hit the San Francisco Flower Mart for all of these…and what a bargain. All of the flowers (bouquets, corsages, bouts, centerpieces…the works…) were less than $400.

Naturally, with a whole flower mart to choose from, my co-bridesmaid (Kyle! Rockstar!) and I grabbed some delightful varietals and got hopping. The wedding was held in the backyard of a family member in Walnut Creek, California, backing up to a vineyard.  Seriously people, if you have access to a yard like this, get married in it. Now.

Lisa kept it vineyard rustic with burlap tables, mason jar candles, and centerpieces in the groom’s mom’s heirloom sterling silver.

Lisa and Eric chose olive branches to be the continuing theme of their wedding, as a symbol of peace.  Peace describes their souls, their lives, and their love for one another: a peaceful, content, poetic love.

In this spirit, they decorated the altar with garlands of olive branches, made by Lisa’s mom.  The altar was made out of reclaimed wood and recycled windows (how creative are these people?).  Lisa was all about a sustainable wedding, and bought a bunch of used linens (which were then washed and ironed), and came up with the idea to wrap them in raffia accented with an olive branch.

We lined the aisle with lavender plants, wrapped in burlap.  There were little hints of herbs all over this wedding: in the bouquets, the boutonnieres, even in the cocktails…we snuck around the neighborhood before the wedding gathering rosemary for our rosemary lemon martinis.  I wish I had a picture; whew, they were good!  They also trusted me enough to make the wedding cake.  It turned out less than perfect (despite the architectural help from her expert baker brother-in-law), but yummy nonetheless…the chocolate peanut butter cake from Smitten Kitchen.  Beautiful? No.  Delicious? Check.

This little guy held the rings and was passed around from guest to guest to “warm”…

Oh, and I definitely teared up as she walked down the aisle.  Partly because she looked so gorgeous, partly because she was marrying a wonderful man…but 100% because I love her.

Congratulations to a wonderful couple, and some amazing friends.

Much love!

*images courtesy of Shannon Rutherford Photography, Floral by Petaling in Tandem

© Elizabeth Anne Designs, 2011 · Permalink · 3 comments · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: Real Parties, Weddings

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{Image courtesy of Author’s Personal Collection}

Well hello.  I’d like to introduce you ...]]> Ok. If you are looking for a figure-friendly way to start your new year, a nutritious start to your activity-filled day, or a low-fat egg-white protein smoothie recipe…this post is not for you.  However, if you happen to be snowed in, feeling a bit indulgent, having a rough day, or just craving something wonderful, delectable, creamy, slightly crunchy, and a bit sweet…. buckle up, darlings.  You’ve hit the jackpot.

{Image courtesy of Author’s Personal Collection}

Well hello.  I’d like to introduce you to my new best friend…cream cheese and banana-stuffed french toast.  Try not to drool on your computer screen, now.

Dr. Dave and I stumbled across this little creation on a recent snowy Sunday.  You know those mornings where you shuffle around in slippers with the heater on until you decide to eat something naughty for breakfast? Yes, it was one of those days.

This is not just any ordinary french toast.  It is french toast if it were from heaven.  It is eating french toast on a cloud.  It is the essence of french toast.  Had enough description? Ready to make it? Let’s go!

Cream Cheese and Banana-Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients:

• 4 pieces of thickly sliced bread (I prefer a multi-grain for a bit of texture, Dr. Dave prefers Texas toast).
• 1 ripe banana (or other fruit: apricots, peaches, etc. would be wonderful)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 oz cream cheese, softened (neufchatel is fine, too)
• 1/8 tsp. vanilla, or a bit more if you like vanilla-ey things like I do
• 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. softened butter
• vegetable oil

In a bowl, mix cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and confectioner’s sugar until smooth.  Spread a thin layer on each slice, top 2 of the slices with banana.  Top with the other 2 slices.  In a baking dish, whisk milk and eggs, add cinnamon.  Carefully place stuffed french toast into dish for about one minute on each side of the “sandwich.”

Now, I want you to listen carefully.  There is no benefit to going “light” with the grease in the pan here.  Throw those cautions to the wind, and pour a good hearty slick of oil into a wide, flat pan.  I mean, you want a good 1/4-inch of oil in the pan.  We’re getting serious here.  Heat oil over medium-high heat.  Carefully slide french toast in and cook until both sides are a crispy golden brown.  The cream cheese will get all melty-gooey and the bananas will be warmed.

I serve with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar.  Apple butter is another wonderful side with this.  It is highly recommended to eat this snuggled with your hubby on the couch with a warm cup of coffee.

Much love,

-B

© Elizabeth Anne Designs, 2011 · Permalink · 8 comments · StumbleUpon It!
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Saw the movie. Loved it. It scared the crap out of me. But that’s beside the point, as this post is not a movie review. The movie itself is based on the ballet world, which is awesome, because ballet hasn’t gotten this attention since Center Stage came out over ...]]> There’s a little film out right now called “Black Swan,” with Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. You miiiiiiiiiight have heard of it. It’s getting some well-deserved (in my opinion!) attention right now.

Saw the movie. Loved it. It scared the crap out of me. But that’s beside the point, as this post is not a movie review. The movie itself is based on the ballet world, which is awesome, because ballet hasn’t gotten this attention since Center Stage came out over a decade ago.  Now, this is both a good and a bad thing…it’s great because the ballet world as a whole is struggling right now.  The arts are having a tough time, and the stereotype of ballet as being “boring” doesn’t help ticket sales.  So, if this movie results in a revenue boost for ballet companies, I’m all for it!  (For those of you who don’t know, I’ve been doing ballet for 20-some years and dance in a company…please go to the ballet, friends!)

{Briana rehearsing for Snow Queen in Nutcracker}

So, how could this publicity be bad? Welllllll…..

Portman and Kunis were both very vocal about the extreme dieting, weight loss, and exercise they had to do in order to “look like ballerinas” for this movie.  These girls were already very thin, and then talking about losing another 20 pounds…NOT the best impression to make on the world about our profession!

While it is true that professional dancers have a certain pressure to maintain trim, lean figures, most of them maintain weight in a healthy way.  After all, ballet is extremely athletic and requires lots of strength and stamina…difficult when malnourished.  So with that rant, I did think people might be interested in what an actual ballerina eats on a day of class and rehearsals.  We’ll call it the Black Swan Diet for kicks, and if any of you have health-related resolutions this year…I hope this helps!

**Please note that I am not a nutritionist, a dietician, or any type of diet expert.  These are just my experiences and means of staying trim and healthy.  Consult your doctor before starting any diet or fitness regimen. The end.**

8 a.m.: Breakfast
My breakfasts are usually pretty light.  Because I have class in the morning, eating a meal that’s too heavy first thing weighs me down.  So I usually start the day with coffee and milk and a banana cut up into some nonfat greek yogurt.
(Calories: about 250)

9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Class
Ballet class starts slowly with a warmup at the barre, slowly getting more intense, and then working our way to the center and across the floor. It’s a great 90-minute workout and gets me sweating every time.  If you’ve never tried ballet before, I recommend checking out an adult beginner’s class in your city. I guarantee you can find one.

11:30 a.m.: Lunch
Lunch is something a bit more substantial. There is usually some form of salad (spinach, romaine, cabbage) with a balsamic vinegar/olive oil dressing, topped with a fillet of salmon or a chicken breast.  Just make an extra at dinner the night before and throw the protein bit on top of a salad–no need to get complicated!
Will also have some tea or a diet soda.  Because we’re not perfect. ;)
(calories: 300)

12 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Rehearsal
Depending on the role I’m playing and the act we’re rehearsing, this could either be very aerobic or very slow, depending on the day. If we’re doing a lot of exercise, I eat something a bit heavier than if we’re marking through things.

3 p.m.: Snack
Usually some nuts and dried fruit.  Add a string cheese or apple if extra hungry!
(Calories: 250 to 300)

3 p.m.-6 p.m.: More Rehearsal
I snack on fruit on the way home so I’m not ravenous for dinner.
(Calories: 100)

6:30 p.m.: Dinnertime!
Dinner is usually when I get to experiment with different meals. Dr. Dave and I try to eat pretty healthy, but that isn’t true 100% of the time.  If we’re tired or feeling lazy, we’ll make macaroni and cheese from scratch.  But usually we’ll do brown rice or farro (some type of whole grain), a protein like chicken or fish sauteed or baked, and an apple or whatever we have around the house sliced up.  Dessert is frozen berries or frozen yogurt.
(Calories: about 700)

Total calories: 1650.

So there you have it.  The Black Swan Diet.  There are no crazy gimmicks, no cayenne water, no cabbage soup, NO STARVING!

There are a few cornerstones to remember about a ballerina’s diet:
1) Drink lots of water. Stay hydrated, both for the sake of the sweat you’re losing and to keep hunger at bay (which can often be caused by thirst).
2) Eat enough calcium.  True for ANYONE.  Can be found in many sources other than dairy.
3) Eat frequent small snacks.  If this doesn’t work for your schedule, try to eat your biggest meal in the morning and smallest at night.
4) Get exercise. Enough exercise to make you sweaty and yes, even a bit tired.  Exercise should be invigorating, but for weight loss, it shouldn’t feel “easy.”
5) STRETCH! Stretch stretch stretch.  Stretch only after a workout, when you’re warm.  Regardless of “data,” our personal experience tells us that stretching after exercise keeps us long and lean.

{Photo via Roslyn Sulcas from the New York Times}

Much love,

-B

© Elizabeth Anne Designs, 2011 · Permalink · 4 comments · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: Fitness, Health, Motivation

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And now, complete:

It has been one heck of a DIY journey, and we’re so thankful for my dad, mom, and sister, who were able to put in significant amounts of time helping to get this ...]]> We are finally. FINALLY! Done with our kitchen!  With the last of the hinges put on our cabinets today, we can sit back and enjoy our comfy little kitchen.  As a reminder, here is what the kitchen looked like before, when the old tenants lived here:

And now, complete:

It has been one heck of a DIY journey, and we’re so thankful for my dad, mom, and sister, who were able to put in significant amounts of time helping to get this house put back together.

Here’s a list of what we did in the kitchen:
-Dr. Dave and his brother Matty installed the soapstone counter tops and did a pretty bang-up job, I think!
-Dr. Dave and my dad cut and installed the subway tile back splash
-New windows
-Pulled up 3 old layers of linoleum and had original pine sub-floors refinished
-We stripped, sanded, and refinished the original custom cabinetry
-Refurbished the chrome hinges and hardware
-Stripped and repainted all trimwork
-Removed outcropping portion of countertop (which was cute and vintage, but not original to the 1941 home)
-New light fixtures

The only item we hired out was the floor refinishing, but we did strip the linoleum ourselves.  We’ve learned so much about remodeling and home upkeep during these projects, it’s truly an amazing thing and an incredible transformation.

Thanks to you, EADL readers, for all your tips, commiserating, and help throughout this process!

Much love,

-B

{Photos from author’s personal collection}

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The cake was a bit tricky, and definitely time consuming.  There were moments when I thought I’d have to scrap the whole thing, ...]]> I have been wanting to make this cake for roughly forever.  It’s called a crepe cake, and to me, it brings to mind images of elegant, exotic european tea parties.  This weekend, I finally got the chance to whip this baby up.  Be prepared, it utilizes 1 dozen eggs, so have a dozen handy (preferably cage-free, local, organic eggs).

The cake was a bit tricky, and definitely time consuming.  There were moments when I thought I’d have to scrap the whole thing, but thankfully, it pulled together and the result was just amazing!  Cutting into it made for a dramatic presentation, and the taste was not at all like I expected.  I was thinking it would be like biting into completely separate layers of hard crepes, but no…this just melted into the fork, and left a lightly sweet, milky, nutty flavor on my tongue.  Love.

The recipe is below. Now, a couple of warnings:

1)  This cake requires at least an hour and a half to assemble the day of, especially if you are inexperienced in making crepes.
2) You have to make the batter for the crepes and the pastry cream the evening before and chill it overnight.
3) The crepe batter may have a hard skin on top when you take it out in the morning. That’s ok, just take a whisk and gently mix it back into the batter before making the crepes.
4) The batter will seem very thin. Trust the recipe. :)
5) DO NOT overcook the pastry cream.  Literally, the second you see it start to boil (continue to whisk as you bring it to the boiling point), take it off the heat and whisk like crazy. Transfer to ice bath ASAP.  If you happen to overcook and turn this into tapioca, it’ll be incredibly difficult to ice the cake.

Ok, go!

The Real Crepe Cake
(adapted from the NYT)

For the crêpes batter:
6 tablespoons butter
3 cups milk
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
7 tbsp. sugar
Pinch salt
vegetable oil

The day before you will be having the cake, make the crepe batter and the pastry cream. For the batter, cook the butter in a small pan until browned (but not burned). Set aside. In another small pan, heat the milk until steaming; allow to cool for 10 minutes. In a mixer on medium-low speed, beat together the eggs, flour, sugar and salt. Slowly add the hot milk and browned butter. Pour into a container with a spout, cover and refrigerate overnight.

For the vanilla pastry cream:
2 cups milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract plus 1 scraped vanilla bean (or 1 tbsp. vanilla extract if you don’t have the bean)
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted
3 1/2 tbsp. butter

Bring the milk to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract then set aside for 10 minutes. Fill a large bowl with ice or ice packs and set aside a small bowl that can hold the finished pastry cream and be placed in this ice bath.

In a medium heavy-bottomed pan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, then place pan over high heat and bring just to a boil, whisking vigorously, then immediately remove from heat.  Set the bowl in the ice bath and stir until the temperature reaches 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Stir in the butter. When completely cool, cover and refrigerate overnight.

To assemble the cake:
First, make the crepes. Bring the batter to room temperature. Place a nonstick or seasoned 9-inch crepe pan over medium heat. Swab the surface with the oil, then add about 3 tablespoons batter and swirl to cover the surface. Cook until the bottom just begins to brown, about 1 minute, then carefully lift an edge and flip the crepe with your fingers (be careful, the crepe will be HOT!). Cook on the other side for no longer than 5 seconds. Flip the crepe onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Repeat until you have 20 perfect crepes or have used up the batter (having extra is OK. I came up with about 24 crepes and used all of them).   Keep in fridge while you whip the cream.

2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
icing sugar (optional) for bruleeing the top

Freeze bowl you will be using to whip cream in, then whip the heavy cream with the tablespoon sugar and the extract in the cold bowl.  Fold it into the pastry cream gently. Keep it in an ice bath as above while you put together the cake.

Lay 1 crepe on a cake plate. Using an icing spatula, completely cover with a thin layer of pastry cream (about 1/4 cup). Cover with a crepe and repeat to stack all of your crepes, saving the best-looking crepe for the top. Chill for at least 2 hours. Set out for 30 minutes before serving. If you have a blowtorch for creme brulee, sprinkle the top crepe with 2 tablespoons sugar and caramelize with the torch; otherwise, dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with a good raspberry, lingonberry, or other preserve for depth of flavor.  Slice like a cake.

Batter adapted from ”Joy of Cooking.” Pastry cream adapted from ”Desserts,” by Pierre Herme and Dorie Greenspan. Serves 12.

Much love,

-B

© Elizabeth Anne Designs, 2010 · Permalink · 7 comments · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: Recipes

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It was a beautiful backyard wedding: elegant, sweet, and thoughtful.  I had the pleasure of debuting my new floral company, Petaling in Tandem, and I am so thrilled with the photos that I had to share them all with you!

All photos courtesy of Jason Long Photography.

Bride’s bouquet, wrapped with lace from mom’s wedding dress

Centerpieces and decor

Bridesmaid ...]]> A couple of weeks ago, my family had the joyous occasion of watching my sister and her fiancee be married at my parent’s home in Golden, Colorado.

It was a beautiful backyard wedding: elegant, sweet, and thoughtful.  I had the pleasure of debuting my new floral company, Petaling in Tandem, and I am so thrilled with the photos that I had to share them all with you!

All photos courtesy of Jason Long Photography.

Bride’s bouquet, wrapped with lace from mom’s wedding dress

Centerpieces and decor

Bridesmaid bouquet

Mason jars full of hydrangea lined the aisles

Peonies still blooming in August: it was meant to be!

Vases filled with green apples

Beautiful stacked china

Chinese lanterns filled the living room

Congratulations, Korinna and Josh!

Much love,

-B

© Elizabeth Anne Designs, 2010 · Permalink · 5 comments · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: Beautiful Things

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