chocolate covered gummy bears

One of my new favorite candy snacks are chocolate gummy bears! A friend opened my world when she told me to just try them. I did...and ever since I've found a new gummy chocolately love!

The other day at work I searched high and low for chocolate covered gummy bears...I checked whole foods...I checked cvs (pronounced ki-vis)...I checked everywhere...to no avail.

So what's a girl ta do...I made my own!!!

Ingredients:
2 packages of small gummy bears
1 large bar of baking chocolate of choice
1/4 cup milk

Directions:
1. Separate gummy bears to make sure they are individualized (not really grammatically correct). Chop up chocolate into smaller chunks and melt with 1/4 cup of milk in order to make smooth and melted.

 

2. Pour melted chocolate over gummy bears and stir to coat.
 

3. Spread out on parchment covered cookie sheet and put in fridge until hard and chilled.
 

 

   

Enjoy the hard chewiness and the perfect marriage of sweetness that will keep you busy and happy! Nom nom!

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diy lemon exfoliating scrub

There's nothing like a good exfoliating scrub in the summer. This combination of lemon, salt, and olive oil leave your skin glowing (and it only takes 3 minutes to whip up with everyday items)!


Items you will need (for 2 small jars-worth, 1 for you and 1 as a gift!):
1 cup sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp lemon juice (and zest)


Directions:
1. Mix olive oil and sea salt together bit by bit (may not need all of it, depending on consistency...no one wants a runny exfoliating scrub)

2. Add zest of lemon and lemon juice. Package in air-tight jar. 

 

Boom. Done. Wrap accordingly if you plan to share. Use towards end of shower for gleaming clear skin with a healthy smooth glow!
 

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monday: simple weekend recap edition 1

After a busy weekend of guests rotating in and out, it's back to normal. Went out to two dinners (Bistro du Midi and 80 Thoreau) but was a terrible photographer and did not do well with that aspect this weekend...oops! This is the first of the "monday: simple weekend recap"s. Easy peasy, no pressure Mondays.

 

 

 

 

 

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cold-brewed iced coffee

The technique of cold-brewing coffee has been around for a bit, but is picking up recently for home-brewers. The result of the extended brew time is a less acidic, smoother cup o' (iced) joe. The whole process takes about 17 hours...and you can purchase some pre-made cold-brewed coffee (for a price)...but a pro for cold-brewed coffee is the fact that it can stay for 2-4 weeks in your fridge!

  

Supplies needed:

12 oz. coarsely ground fresh coffee beans

7 cups of water

Directions:

1. Grind fresh coffee beans and place in a large container. Gradually add 7 cups of cold water. Stir to moisten all grounds. Cover with a layer of cheesecloth and let stand at room temperature for 12-16 hours.

  

 

2. After time has elapsed, remove cheesecloth. Line a fine-mesh sieve with a cheesecloth and set over a bowl or other large pitcher. Pour coffee through sieve, rinse jar, and set aside. Discard cheesecloth (and the end bits that look like molten lava chocolate cake).

3. Line save sieve with a large coffee filter and rest on pitcher or jar. Gradually pour liquid through filter (may take up to 45 minutes). Do not stir or coffee may become cloudy.

4. Cover and chill. Enjoy over ice with at least a 1/2 and 1/2 ratio for concentrate to milk (or water to dilute). *warning: very intense caffination due to ease of drinkage!*

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a calm july fourth

A calm 4th of July was filled with wandering around the yard, preparing for weekend guests, & installing the new curtains on the porch for a breezy easy feeling.

 

 

 

And of course....sparklers!

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pizzaaaa

A personal-size pizza that is handcrafted by you is easier than you think to create! All you really need is some flour, yeast, water, cheese, toppings of your choice, and an oven! This is T's father's recipe that he shared with T when we moved in together.

  
Ingredients (for 3 pizzas):
3.25 cups flour
1 cup water
1.5 teaspoon yeast
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions:
1. Dissolve yeast into a cup of warm water. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil.

2. Mix the salt into the flour.

3. Pour the water mixture into a hole in the flour.

 

4. Stir as much as you can until it gets to a point where you can pick it up and handle it.

5. Roll out onto a floured surface and continue to consolidate. Knead until no longer stick and is pretty pliable (about 5 minutes of kneading).

6. When done kneading, place back into a clean bread bowl with a little olive oil to lubricate, cover with plastic wrap or a wet towel and let rise until doubled in bulk (about 2 hours). Make sure to place covered bowl in a warm place in order for dough to rise properly. 

7. After 2 hours, when the dough is doubled, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Punch down dough and roll out. Top with toppings of choice and and finish with a drizzle of olive oil to ensure crispness.

8. Cover pizza paddle with a pinch of semolina flour. Place pizza onto paddle and shake off onto pizza stone in preheated oven. You can use a flipped over baking sheet if you don't have a pizza paddle or stone!

9. Bake for about 6 minutes (but keep your eye on it) or until bubbly and golden!

 

 

 

The best part of the recipe is the fact that you can make it so many different ways with so many different toppings! This time I made a white pizza with my garlic basil corn along with some grape tomatoes and ricotta&mozzarella cheese. T went for the usual pepperoni, mushroom, tomato and mozzarella. I made an extra pizza for lunches for the rest of the week. Easy peasy and delicious!
 

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summer chips

These are the naughtiest-tasting healthy veggie "chips" I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying.

Ingredients:

1 summer squash

1 zucchini
2 eggs
1 cup panko (or breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup shredded cheese of choice 
Herbs of choice (I kept it simple with some salt and pepper)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

2. Chop or slice up your veggies. Coat slices in whisked eggs.

3. Dredge veggie slices in a mixture of panko and shredded cheese (and herbs/spices of choice).

4. Arrange slices spaced out on a baking sheet.

   
5. Top each slice with extra bread-cheese mixture (for an extra crunch). Drizzle olive oil over all slices. Lightly sprinkle salt and pepper on tops of slices.

 6. Pop baking sheet into preheated oven for about 15 minutes.


7. Broil until crispy golden brown on top (about 7 minutes...but keep your eye on these bad boys, as they may burn easily!).

8. Divide among plates of those you really like (as these are not to be wasted on just anyone!) and enjoy!! Okay, so maybe this isn't a real step to some...but to me this is the most important one!

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