Classic Chocolate Pie

Nathan is a chocolate maniac. I know the way to his heart: chocolate chip cookies, brownies, chocolate cake, and most importantly chocolate pie. During the day, whenever I am baking, I love sending him pictures of the stuff he gets to come home to; his reactions are the best. To this pie it was, "OH HOLY NIGHT." I knew how excited he would be and that makes me excited. This chocolate pie is a good old classic - simple, no frills, just the good stuff.

You will need for pie: 

• 1-1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/4 cup Cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 3 cups Whole Milk
• 4 whole Egg Yolks
• 6-1/2 ounces, weight Bittersweet Chocolate, Chopped Finely
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tablespoons Butter

For whipped cream

• 2 cups whipped cream
• 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1. For the crust I use the BEST crust I've ever made. Recipe found here.
2. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir or whisk together. 
3. Pour in milk and egg yolks, and whisk together.
4. Stir over medium heat until the mixture just barely comes to a boil and becomes thick, about 6-8 minutes (maybe more) The second it starts to bubble and thicken (note: It should be thick like pudding!) remove it from the heat. Add the chocolate, vanilla, and butter, and stir until everything is beautifully combined. Warning: this feels like it takes forever and feels like you're probably doing it wrong. Do not loose hope! I think this every time I make it.
5. Pour the pudding into the pie crust.
6. Whip the whipped cream in a mixer fitted with a whisk until soft peaks form. Once the peaks have formed add 3/4 cups powdered sugar and beat until texture you prefer. Spread on top of your pie!

Christmas Traditions

It is no secret that I am obsessed with Christmas. Thanksgiving has not even come, yet I cannot help but celebrate the holiday that comes far after it. One of my favorite parts of Christmas is all the cards we get in the mail. I love seeing families and how their children have grown since last year. I love ooing and awing over the different creative designs and just the excitement of something besides bills in the mail! Nathan and I's first Christmas card, here, was a picture from our wedding. This is the first year we get to take true Christmas pictures! I can't wait untill 10 years from now when we can lay out all of our own cards together and see how we have grown and changed. Enjoy a few pictures!

Dress: ZARA Boots: TORY BURCH

Homemade Hamburger Buns

During college I missed my Mom like crazy. I missed her so bad my freshman year I would sit on the phone crying to her all week begging her to drive 3 hours to pick me up on Friday. She, missing me equal amounts, would without fail pick me up every Friday and drive me home on Sunday night. When I got my car sophomore year the trend continued. I drove home every weekend all four years of college because my Mom is my best friend. Part of my weekend tradition was baking for Nathan. Every Sunday I baked him loads of treats and on my drive back to school I dropped him off with goodies to feed him and his friends for the entire week. He went to college 30 minutes north of my school so he was a stop on my way back.

Junior year I started making him loaves of bread. Every Sunday along with the usual, cake, cookie, croissant, soup, (seriously I used to go nuts), there would always be a loaf of bread. Making bread is one of my favorite things in the world. Why? The answer is simple: it is so easy and so rewarding. Every time I make a loaf of bread I feel satisfied and the way Nathan devours it gives me reassurance I'm doing it right. All this brings me to making these hamburger buns! Nathan lives for a good burger. Since we aren't doing much meat these days, I decided to make a veggie burger more special by home making the buns. The buns, combined with The Pioneer Woman's black bean burger, were amazing. Treat a special person in your life with these for dinner. You - and they - won't regret it! 

For the buns:

• 1 cup warm water
• 3 tablespoons warm milk
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3 cups of bread flour (if you're like me and did not have bread flour on hand you can use the regular 3 cups of flour plus 4 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda and 3/4 teaspoons of salt. Mix it all together and you have bread flour!)
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
• 1/4 cup of butter
• a few sprinkles of dry oregano 

Directions:

1. Pour the 3 tablespoons of warm milk into the 1 cup warm water. Add 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Add 2 teaspoons of dry yeast. Stir to dissolve the sugar and yeast.  Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a food processor add 3 cups bread flour and 1/3 cup all-purpose flour. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.  Pulse the flour ingredients together until combined. Cut up the 1/4 cup butter and add to the flour. Pulse until the mixture resembles sand. Whisk 1 egg and add to the mixture. While still mixing, slowly add in the yeast milk mixture. Pulse until smooth dough forms. 

3. Butter the bottom of a large bowl. Form the dough into a smooth ball and put in the buttered bowl. Cover the bowl with saran wrap and let rise for 1 to 2 hours. 

4. Once the dough has risen, remove from the bowl. You may need to flour your surface. Cut the dough into 8 even pieces and form into ball shapes. Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I do no more than 6 a baking sheet. Flatten the balls a bit by pressing them down with your hands. 

5. To glaze the buns you will need to whisk 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of cold water. Brush each bun with this mixture then sprinkle each bun with oregano. Cover the dough on the baking sheet once more with saran wrap and let rise an additional 30 minutes. 

6. Preheat your oven to 400˚. Bake until golden brown! 

My Thanksgiving Table

The holidays feel different this year. Nathan and I moved from home so it is up to us to create our own traditions together. I loved Thanksgiving growing up; my Mom made the BEST food, always played this weird Latin music CD, and my Pop cracked way too many jokes. In hindsight, those are the best days of my life. Since I moved and my family did as well, my Mom gave me all of her dishes. I am so sentimental about them it is silly. So, true to my Mother, I created a predominately white Thanksgiving tablescape with pops of green and gold. I am naturally drawn to whites so it made sense, but I also have an aversion to all fall, burnt colors.                                                             

To make this feel special, I water colored name tags for each place setting along with a spring of seeded eucalyptus.

One of my biggest obsessions is lighting; lighting is EVERYTHING. Nothing kills a killer vibe faster then bad lighting. So I added lots of votives to assure a glowy evening.

I also decided to throw in how to formally set an informal table. I say informal because not every proper table setting will be included on my table. However this is the PROPER set up for forks, glasses, etc. It is hard to remember which side things go on!

Paris in the Fall

I wrote this post the day before the horrific events took place in Paris. I love this city so much and am praying for supernatural peace for everyone suffering right now. 

Nathan and I spent last November and October in Paris. It is safe to say it is our favorite city in the world. I am constantly scheming reasons and ways to get back over there! We had the best food and stayed in the most magnificent hotels. 

For the most magnificent and luxurious garden hideaway - Hotel Particulier Montmartre

For the best ravioli of ALL TIME - Cafe Charlot 

For the tastiest burger and side dishes ever - Ferdi

For the best cafe au lait and chocolate tart I have had to date - Le Cafe Marlette 

For cool vibes and great books - Le Rocketship

For mind altering Italian - L'etage de Pastavino 

Afternoon Blush

This camel coat is my favorite thing I own right now. I bought it last year for Nathan and I's honeymoon but never wore it because it was actually freezing in Europe at that time. I love that a neutral coat like this can be dressed up or down. Here, I wore it with a casual sweater and distressed jean for a laid back night out with Nathan!

Similar coat found here, here, here, and here.

Fall Leaf Garland

Something magical I have noticed about Texas is the way the leaves fall. I sometimes sit in my backyard amazed by the movement of all the trees and the way they shower our backyard with their greenery. Our backyard looks like a forest from some angles, and all these trees bring an abundance of leaves. Being that it is Fall, I decided to put all the leaves to use and make a simple festive garland! This little cutie took all of 10 minutes and I loved the way she turned out. 

You will need:

• Needle
• Thread
• Leaves
• Ribbon

Needle the thread through the thickest part of the leaves stem. Once you have strung your thread through all the leaves, secure your ribbon to each end. You're done! 

Spiced Cranberry Bundt Cake

I love Christmas baking; it warms my heart with the best memories of my childhood. Around this time of year, my Mom and I attended tons of different Christmas bazaars and church events - all which included baked sweets. Each year she impressed others with her famous noel balls, pink pigs, and pies. I love the way my Mom bakes; she has an intuition about good food, especially baked goods. When baking, I always remember her advice: "Look at the ingredients, only use recipes with the best." This may seem obvious, but her love of heavy whipping cream always makes her stuff a cut above the rest. I have a feeling my Mom would love this cake. I love a good bundt cake - they are so very festive. I got this beautiful bundt pan last year at Williams-Sonoma; I love its impressive shape. This spiced cranberry cake matches its impressive appearance in an even more impressive flavor. Seriously this is SO good. 

You will need:

• 2 3/4 cupsall purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice seasoning
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 lemon's juice
• 3/4 cups milk
• 1 cup halved fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw)
• 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries

Icing

• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 4 teaspoons (about) orange juice

Preheat the oven to 350˚. Butter and flour your bundt pan. In a bowl whisk together the first 8 dry ingredients. In an electric mixer beat the butter until fluffy. Add both sugars to the butter and beat until fluffy, next adding the cream cheese . Add the eggs one at a time. Add 1/2 of a lemons juice followed by 3/4 cups of milk. Add dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Add the cranberries and gently mix by hand. Pour into greased bundt pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Once finished, let cool completely. For the icing, whisk the powder sugar and orange juice. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes then pour on cake. Enjoy! 

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetite. 

Holiday Boot Roundup

Buying new boots is a Christmas time tradition for me. Every year my style changes, last year I was open all about detailed buckles while this year I want simplicity. These are some of my favorite boots of the season! 

1. Sexy fringe Dolce Vita's 2. Classic suede in taupe 3. Classy and sharp

4. Simply point 5. Everyday open toe 6. Low key sexy boho

7. Firecracker flats 8. Classic 9. Spiced up class

Eucalyptus Wreaths

I regret to report that I do not have a mantle. For some reason, every time the holidays roll around, I am far more aware of one's absence in my house. Mantles are for Christmas decorations and garlands. Period. I decided it would be super fun to bring cheery greenery into my house in the form of wreaths. I want to hang these three together somehow for a Christmasy little wall. Wreaths are so beautiful and timeless; I am certain they will make just as much of an impact as a mantle would. Follow my steps bellow. 

You will need:

• Silver Dollar Eucalyptus
• seeded Eucalyptus
• scissors
• twine or string
• cotton balls (optional)

• I start out by cutting the good pieces of the branches in about the same length. 

• Cluster three or more pieces and secure together tightly. 

• Once you have all your little clusters, attach them by twine again into a garland! Then form into a circle and secure by twine one last time. Then, I added some torn up cotton balls to mimic snow. This is totally optional but I think its cute! 

Farmers Market with Thomas.

I woke up to a magical surprise Sunday morning, our heater was on! You have no idea how excited I was and just how good it felt. I have grown so used to sweltering heat I forgot how refreshing a chilly morning is. As the day went on the temp maxed out at a cool 70 degrees - perfect for this cozy poncho. Nathan and I piled in the car with our puppy Thomas and cruised the farmers market. What a Sunday well spent. 

Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes with Streusel

Since making a conscious effort to eliminate dairy, Nathan's sweet tooth has increased a million percent. On Saturday morning I decided to surprise him with a stack of SWEET pancakes that tasted anything but vegan. I'm not sure he chewed while consuming these…..I'll be saving this recipe for later. 

For the pancakes you will need:

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds, or flax
• 2.5 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon Earth Balance vegan butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup rice milk
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 3 tbs of dark chocolate chips

For the Streusel:

• 1 huge tablespoon of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 1 tablespoon of Earth Balance vegan butter

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚. To make the Streusel, combine the flour and sugar, mix well. Add the butter and crumble together with your fingers. Spread out mixture on a cooking sheet. Bake until the streusel is light brown then set aside.

2. In a bowl, add the mashed banana, baking soda, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract, chia seed and water. Whisk until well combined. Let set for a bit.

3. Add the melted butter and rice milk and whisk together. 

4. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Then, add the chocolate chips and lightly mix them in. Let the batter sit for a bit.

5. Grease a non stick pan with coconut oil or more vegan butter. The key to good pancakes for me is to make a trial pancake. The first pancake is never good. Rub the pancake all over the pan with a spatula. Maybe it's superstition, but I know for a fact that this makes the following pancakes better!

6. Finally, top with streusel and DROWN in syrup. ENJOY!!

Recipe adapted from the Minimalist Baker. 

Current Obsession: Copper Kitchen

As of late, I am obsessed with copper kitchen accessories. For some reason, copper reminds me of a wintery cottage; it's so classic but is making a major comeback. Its a fresh pop of unexpected color that I want to start incorporating in my kitchen! I pulled together some items I am wanting from my two favorite kitchen stores, Anthropologie and Williams-Sonoma. Enjoy! 

1. Sauce pan 2.Copper flatware  3.Copper canisters 4.Copper beating bowl 5.Measuring cups 6.Colander

1 Year of Marriage and What I Have Learned

Nathan and I recently celebrated our first year of marriage! We have accomplished a lot in this year; we traveled through Europe, we visited St. Martin, moved to Austin, Texas, got new jobs, and finally got our first pet together - a puppy we named Thomas! These are the things I have found important to make our marriage good. 

Roles:

To me, this is the most important part of marriage. You must establish your roles from the get go! Nathan and I have been together for almost seven years, so we both understand each other's strengths and weaknesses. If you both do your part there is no room for resentment. For example, I love to cook, I make dinner mostly every night because it is my strength. Nathan always does the dishes without question, that is his role. He goes to work and I go to work, I come home and provide the meal while he cleans it. This creates balance and both of us provided for each other in ways we could! This should be the common theme in your relationship: selflessly providing what you can for the other. If you are both contributing, it makes you happy to do your part!

Traditions:

I love traditions! Nathan and I get coffee together every weekend morning, generally somewhere new each time. Having a tradition or routine together that is fun gets you excited when Saturday morning rolls around because you know you are going to do something fun TOGETHER! It is so important to have dates like this regularly. When the weather gets cold, Nathan and I love to grab coffee and browse Anthropologie; we have done this for years and it is so fun because it brings comforting familiarity and is an easy way to get out of the house. These little familiar routines are special things only you can do together and there is something sweet about that. 

Thoughtfulness:

It is crucial to do things for one another JUST BECAUSE! Whether it is a thoughtful note, flowers, baked goods, even just texts throughout the day - it doesn't matter what it is, it is the act that reminds the other they are special to you! Never stop doing these things! Nathan always texts me he loves me and why throughout the day. This makes my day that much more special and makes me excited to see him at the end of the day! 

All photos courtesy of Anna Joy!

Pumpkin Spice Latte

In the wise words of Lena Dunham: "The internet says you shouldn't like pumpkin spice lattes so drink them behind closed doors and enjoy them in private."

I have felt the shame of enjoying these seasonal drinks, however that is all they are - SEASONAL DRINKS! They don't define you as some wuss because you're not ordering hardcore black coffee or espresso shots. I love getting into every holiday's spirit, so for the month of November, pumpkin spice lattes it is! These are easy, fun, and festive! I am going to make a batch for Nathan and I tonight to drink while watching a movie!

You will need:
-2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
-2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
-1 tablespoon vanilla extract
-3 tablespoons sugar
-1 1/2 cup whole milk
-6 scoops of ground coffee
-cinnamon for garnish

In a sauce pan add 1 cup of milk 2 tablespoons of pumpkin puree,  2 tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of vanilla. Stir frequently until the mixture begins to thicken. Set aside and boil water to make your coffee, that is if you are using a french press! Pour the pumpkin spice mixture into your cup followed by desired amount of coffee and finally use the remaining milk as you desire. 

Loving this CC Skye ring I got in my Rocksbox this month!

Holidays in a pot

I love the holidays - mainly Christmas. When October is coming to a close I kind of start to panic because I am soooooo EXCITED about what is ahead of me! I love the smells, the cold weather, (which is extra welcome this year after my first southern summer), I love decorating, I love buying people gifts, I LOVE THE MUSIC, I LOVE it all. Today it is dumping rain, I got a tornado warning, our house is inches from being flooded but I am inside and warm; I am thankful. I decided no better day to sooth fears and relax by making my house smell cozy, Christmassy, and festive. I'm sitting here watching Top Chef, sipping coffee, listening to the rain and smelling heaven. I feel content. I hope everyone throws together this simple concoction! This isn't just a Christmas thing; it is perfect for Thanksgiving, too!

You will need:

4 cinnamon sticks

1 and a half oranges

1 1/2 cups of cranberries

1 tablespoons of cloves

drip of vanilla

 Combine all of the ingredients in a pot and fill 3/4 of the way with water. Cook until boiling then reduce to a simmer! You can let simmer for 4-5 hours adding water if you need it. Save overnight in fridge and bring it out the next day!

St. Tropez

St. Tropez is every bit dreamy as it is portrayed to be. The streets and intricacies at every corner feel magical and almost cartoon like. With perfectly draped bougainvillea and a soundtrack of crashing waves you just know you are somewhere special. Nathan and I love a funky hotel that matches in just enough luxury and quirky charm. We found that at Hotel Ermitage,  which was perfect. The hip, young desk guy, Anton, was honest and happy to talk about the town and led us to amazing coffee shops and food spots. The hotel boasted the most beautiful views and from the outside appeared to be some elite mansion fit for the 50's. I absolutely adore this hotel.  

We ate some of the best Italian food of my life at this charming little restaurant that brought us back three days in a row. St. Tropez holds a special place in my heart and Nathan and I have made a promise that we will most defiantly be back. 

Hotel deck.

Fun eclectic hotel lounge.

View from our hotel deck.

Pizza from the Italian place we fell in love with.

Potato Tatin

I have to admit, this kicked butt. Nathan told me if I made this every single day he would eat it all. I kind of agree with him. This is such a beautiful alternative dish to bring to a Thanksgiving dinner. It is easy to make, will wow your guests and look beautiful with your Thanksgiving spread. It is also a healthier (?) alternative to people who want to skip all the cream and butter of the classic mashed potatoes. I, however, do not care, and plan to serve this AND mashed potatoes at my Thanksgiving feast! 

You will need:

1 1/2 cups of cherry tomatoes

2 tbsp of olive oil 

fresh ground salt and pepper

1 lb of small potatoes with skin on

1 large onion

1 tbsp butter ( I used vegan butter from Trader Joes that is JUST as good in my opinion.)

3 springs of oregano or a couple dashes of dried oregano

dash of white wine

1 puff pastry sheet

For drizzling sauce

1 tbsp butter

2 green onions thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves

dash of chili flakes 

Preheat your oven to 275˚. Cut your cherry tomatoes in half and place on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil  and season with fresh ground salt and pepper. Cook for about 45 minutes. 

Boil a pot of salted water and cook potatoes till slightly soft, about 25 minutes. Once done, set aside and let cool. 

Sauté the onion with some olive oil, salt, and a dash of white wine. Cook until slightly browned. 

Cut a bit off of the top and the bottom of the potato so both sides are flat. 

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and oregano. 

Now that all the vegetables are ready, cover an 8 inch cake pan with oil and the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Place your potatoes carefully into the pan. Now press the tomatoes and onions into the gaps. Pour the butter oregano mixture over the potatoes and vegetables. Roll out your puff pastry. Cut into a slightly larger circle than your 8 inch cake pan. Lay the pastry over the tart and press the edges down around the potatoes inside the pan. 

Preheat the oven to 400˚ and cook the tart for 25 minutes. At 25 minutes, reduce the heat to 350˚ and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Once removed, let sit for 2 minutes. Hold a plate over the cake pan and turn it over so that the tart comes out. 

In a small pan, sauté 1 tbsp of butter, 2 chopped green onions, and 2 crushed garlic cloves with a dash of chili flakes. Drizzle on top of the tart. ( I added this step after the pictures where taken. Before serving to Nathan I decided it needed a little extra something; this took it to the next level!) 

Fall Wreath

I am obsessed with holiday wreaths, WHEN THEY ARE DONE RIGHT. Nothing worse than those million dollar wreaths behind the Michael's craft store checkout, but nothing is better than a rustic natural wreath.I was at Trader Joe's and found this grapevine wreath for $3.99, which is just an amazing deal. I got it and stuffed it with berries and leaves found in my yard. It took all of 15 minutes but turned out beautiful. Our current front door is a pretty funky orange which happens to be great match for this. I even toyed around with hanging it inside! You don't need a front door to make one of these, they are pretty anywhere! 

Guacamole, my favorite way.

Guacamole is in my top 5 favorite foods, so when H-E-B is selling avos for 39 cents, you buy 9 of them and make a super batch of guac for dinner. This is my personal favorite combination of ingredients. Enjoy.

Serves 3-4 people

-8-9 avocados

-juice of 2 lemons

-1 jalapeño, de-seeded and chopped

-1/2 red onion, chopped

-about 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro

-tabasco to taste

-salt to taste