Oatmeal Add-ins

What's better than warm oatmeal on a cold morning?

Oatmeal is one of my favorite things to make for breakfast, but I like to make it "fancy." By that, I mean adding fruit, nuts and other delicious add-ins. If you have 3 minutes and a microwave, you can easily transform regular 'ol oatmeal into the "fancy" kind that you'll pay $4+ for at your coffee shop.

TO MAKE ONE SERVING OF OATMEAL
1/2 cup of old fashioned oats in a microwave safe bowl
Add 3/4 cup of your choice of milk (cow's, almond, flax, coconut, whatever) 
Microwave for 3 minutes
Carefully remove from microwave (it's HOT) 
Add in your choice of toppings, stir and enjoy! 

Here are some delicious combinations that I like:

- Dried cranberries, sliced apple, chopped walnuts, agave

- Chopped walnuts, blueberries, juice of half a lemon, honey

- Pumpkin seeds, sliced banana, pecans, maple syrup

Use whatever you like and whatever you have! Cheers to better breakfasts.

Housewarming Gift Basket

Our friends recently moved into a new home and I wanted to bring them a little housewarming gift. I was trying to think of something clever and simple that I haven't done before. After consulting Pinterest, I came across various versions of a "It's a Wonderful Life" inspired baskets. I really like the three wishes each ingredients sends. 

Bread, that this house may never know hunger. 
I picked up a rustic looking country loaf from the grocery store. If I had more time I would have baked it myself. 

Salt, that this life may always have flavor. 
I found a rather large gourmet sea salt grinder at Marshall's (my favorite store, of course). 

Wine, that joy and prosperity may reign forever.
Any bottle of wine or sparking grape juice is perfect. I wrapped it in a pretty tea towel to add color. 

All you need is a cute basket to hold them all and your gift is pretty much done.

FREE PRINTABLE TAGS
I designed my own tags, printed them on white card stock, cut them out and attached them with white baking string. Simply save and print the above page if you'd like to use them! Or you can hand write your own for a more personal touch.

Any new homeowner will be blessed by a sweet basket like this. 

Art Direction and Food Styling

Over the past two years in my career as a designer, I've had the opportunity to grow my skills in art direction and food styling. I've worked in the food and grocery industry for 16 years and food photography has become a favorite part of my job. I have worked on many different shots for food packaging as well as for ads and various marketing materials.

The most recent project at the top of my dream-job list was working on photography for Wegmans MENU magazine, winter 2015 issue. This was such an exciting opportunity for me because I've always wanted to work on a magazine.

Most people don't realize the amount of planning, preparation, equipment, time and intense attention to detail goes into one beautiful finished photograph. You definitely have to have patience and an eye for looking at details, noticing flaws and finding ways to make the subject look even more appealing. An absolute must when it comes to photography, especially food photography. My brain is wired for that type of work. It's actually more fun to me than work. I really enjoyed handpicking each green bean, looking for the most beautiful mushrooms, and selecting every garlic clove and herb in order to carefully compose the recipe setups. Not to mention selecting the perfect vessels, plates and surfaces. It really is an art! 

The theme of the winter issue is primarily colorful and flavorful Asian dishes with some really unique and beautiful ingredients. I learned a lot about Asian vegetables, some of which I had never used in cooking before. 

There are also sections showcasing products and other new recipes. I love the variety of both templated shots and beauty shots that allow more creativity.

Who wouldn't enjoy working with amazing cheeses and indulgent desserts? 

And everyone's favorite, pizza.

When the magazine is released, the pages are filled with appetizing images that make it look "simple." But it really takes an army, working behind the scenes (and camera) for everything to come together. Chefs, meal planners, photographers, designers, art directors, shoppers, editors - too many to name. It takes an entire team with a serious amount of teamwork. I was grateful to have people guiding me and teaching me throughout the project. I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to be involved in the creative process and part of this amazing team. I learned a tremendous amount about food, food styling, art direction and photography.

If you haven't looked at a copy of MENU yet, I highly recommend you do. I am inspired with each issue. There are recipes for every type of home cook - don't be intimidated. You may even surprise yourself when you try a new recipe!
 

Easy Homemade Crusty Bread

You guys, I can make homemade bread. I don't even have a bread maker. And it's pretty easy to do! You just have to think ahead the day before. It literally has 4 ingredients and you don't need some fancy machine, just an oven-safe pot with a lid.

I've always wanted to make bread but never tried because I thought it was super complicated and it involved yeast, which for some reason intimidate me. I have to thank my friend Alyssa, for introducing me to this wonder. She pulled a beautiful crusty artisan loaf out of her oven and I had to know her secret. The recipe can be found here. You can add all sorts of ingredients to it to jazz it up if you like.

Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon Instant or Rapid-rise yeast

1 1/2 cups water

 

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast. Add water and mix until a sticky  dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 - 18 hours. Heat oven to 450 degrees. When the oven has reached 450, place a cast iron pot with a lid (or you can use Corningware like I did) in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, pour the dough onto a well floured surface and shape into a ball. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating. Remove hot pot from the oven (using potholders!) and drop in the dough. Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove bread from oven and cool. 

 

Here's what the dough looked like after 15 hours. Please forgive my photography skills. I've been slacking lately.

 

This is the dough formed into a ball, waiting to go in the oven.

 

 Here it is, hot out of the oven all its crusty fresh-baked goodness!

Doesn't it look beautiful and delicious? I chopped up some rosemary and added it to the dough in the beginning. Impressive. 

And then we made panini's with it. So. Good. My favorite sandwich is caprese. Spread some basil pesto on each slice of bread, add a few slices of tomato, fresh mozzarella and chopped fresh basil. It's the best. Try it.

If I can make homemade bread, you can, too. You'll love it! This would be perfect with a batch of homemade soup.

 

Bacon Egg and Cheese Crescent Roll

My husband and I both like breakfast foods. But we really only get to enjoy them on the weekends. Usually, it's some form of eggs, breakfast sandwiches or an occasional quiche. I like trying new breakfast recipes. This one combines our favorites - bacon, eggs and cheese, all wrapped up in a crescent roll. And it couldn't be easier. I found the recipe via Pinterest here.

Ingredients:

1 can of crescent rolls
5 eggs, scrambled
1 cup of shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
5-8 slices of cooked bacon (I used turkey bacon)
Salt and pepper to taste
 
Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Scramble eggs on stove top. Lay out crescent roll dough in a star formation, on a parchment lined baking sheet (the longer sides of each crescent on the inside with the pointed ends pointing out.)

2. Place cooked bacon around the inside center of the ring. Top with about 1/3 of the cheese, scrambled eggs, salt and pepper, and remaining cheese.

3. Fold pointed tips of each crescent over the filling and join in the center. Press points together to seal.

4. Place in oven and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown. Slice in between each crescent to make 8 individual pieces.

This breakfast was so delicious, even reheated the next day. It's perfect for a brunch or a lazy Sunday afternoon. Enjoy!
 

  

Easy Artichoke Dip

If you're hosting or attending a party, this artichoke dip is one of my all-time favorite appetizers. My sister usually makes this around Thanksgiving and Christmas, but you could have it any time. There's only 3 ingredients, and it's SO simple! Always a crowd pleaser. 

Ingredients:
1 14oz. can of sliced artichokes (in water, not oil), drained and chopped (be sure to trim off any tough edges/leaves)
1 cup of Parmesan cheese (the good kind)
1 cup of Hellmans REAL Mayonnaise (I'm a stickler for real mayo, none of that miracle nonsense)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and pour into in an oven-safe baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned. Serve with sliced bread, crackers or vegetables. 

You can mix everything ahead (or the day before) and refrigerate until ready to bake. Recipe easily doubles for a larger crowd. Enjoy! 

Strawberry Romaine Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

This is one of my favorite salads. It's pretty easy to make too. The recipe is from Wegmans. It's perfect if you have some strawberries laying around. The dressing is what makes it so delicious! 

You'll need 1 container of strawberries, hulled and sliced.

One 10oz package of chopped Romaine lettuce - or I like to use two Romaine hearts and chop them myself.

I use a serrated plastic knife which keeps the lettuce from rusting. Genius.

Dressing ingredients: plain yogurt, white vinegar, mayonnaise (I only use real Hellmann's. End of story), poppy seeds, red or white onion, and sugar (not pictured).

Whisk the sugar an vinegar until sugar is dissolved. Add remaining ingredients and stir until combined.

If you're ready to eat, pour all of the dressing on and toss with the lettuce and strawberries. Or, you can make it ahead or to go, by pouring the dressing in to a jar for later (refrigerate) and layering the strawberries on the bottom of the bowl, until you're ready to toss and serve.

This salad is sooo good! And it makes a large potion - perfect for a gathering or family dinner.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp sugar
1-1/2 Tbsp white vinegar
1/4 cup minced white or red onion
1 tsp poppyseed
1/4 cup mayonnaise (or light mayo if you prefer)
1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 pkg (10oz) chopped Romaine lettuce (or two Romaine hearts chopped)
1 pkg (16oz) strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced

Directions:

1. Whisk sugar and vinegar in large bowl, until sugar is dissolved. Stir in onion, poppy seeds, mayo and yogurt until well combined. 

2. Add dressing to romaine and strawberries and toss until evenly coated.

DIY Salad Dressing

I've been enjoying salads lately, and the dressing makes all the difference. Sometimes you don't want the stuff that's been sitting in your refrigerator for a year or two, if you're like us, and never finish an entire bottle. Sometimes I like to make my own dressing. It's quicker than you think, and you probably have the ingredients in your pantry.

If you have a mason jar (or any jar), it's even easier - you mix and store it all in one container. I learned that from Giada de Laurentiis.

Ingredients:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (good olive oil)
Balsamic Vinegar or Red Wine Vinegar
1 Fresh Lemon
Salt
Pepper 


Directions:
Pour olive oil and vinegar of choice into jar. I use a ratio of about 1:1 or maybe a little more olive oil than vinegar. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice (keep out the seeds). Add a semi-generous amount of fresh black pepper and salt to taste. Shake it up and pour over salad. 

I love balsamic vinegar. Sometimes I use red wine vinegar. If you store it in the refrigerator, be sure to take it out ahead of time, because the olive oil will solidify. Give it a good shake once it comes to room temperature. 

Summer is the perfect time to dress farm market and garden vegetables with your own freshly made dressing! 

Delicious!

Things I Like

I've been diggin' a few things lately, so I thought I'd share them with you. First, a very tasty salad from Panera Bread - Fuji Apple Chicken. Or you can get the new Roasted Turkey Fuji Apple. It's got all-natural, antibiotic-free chicken (or roasted turkey), mixed field greens, romaine lettuce, vine-ripened tomatoes, red onions, pecans, Gorgonzola, apple chips and white balsamic apple vinaigrette. Sooo good. And that dressing - yum. 

JCPenny or JCP, has given their brand a complete makeover, including the look and feel of their stores, pricing structure and products. No more coupons needed, midnight madness sales or door busters. They have lowered their prices and they offer month-long values. 

I like their new "fair and square" positioning and revamped marketing. Their commercials, direct mail pieces and store signage are cute and clever. I'm also impressed with their clothing and merchandise. Each time I stop in, I seem to find something I like, and the prices are great. While browsing the sale/clearance rack, I found shirts for $4, dresses for $7 and sweaters for $6. I've even been pleasantly surprised upon checkout to learn that my items were even less than they were marked. Score! Well done JCP. I hardly used to shop there, now you can't keep me away. 

Conair You Curl XL Hair Styling Iron. I bought this curling "wand" a few months ago (from Ulta, when it was on sale) and I really like it. It did take a while to get the hang of using it. There's no clamp like a regular curling iron, so I had to learn to wrap and hold my hair without burning my fingers! It does come with a partial "glove" which I found difficult to maneuver with. 

It helps me get curls/waves like this. Some days are better than others. It does take a bit longer to curl all my hair, especially since my hair is so long. What's great though, is that the heat (up to 400 degrees F!) holds my hair for a long time. I usually still have nice loose waves through the next day. Definitely worth the effort. 

Ulta eye shadow in "Seashell." This is a really nice eye shadow. It goes on silky smooth and comes in over 90 shades! I used my free reward coupon last month to try this color. It's very pretty and perfect for spring/summer.

Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato. I think the chilled version of the caramel macchiato has been around for a while, but I only recently tried it. And fell in love with it. Of course. It's got espresso, vanilla syrup, milk and buttery caramel sauce. Hello! Certainly not an every-day treat, but a once-in-a-while-need-to-indulge treat. Thanks to my gift card.