Kale Salad

Cooking:

It's been a month since I posted (and during that post I told you peeps that I suck), and I still suck.  My camera is broken and, since I've gotten used to the new camera, I haven't wanted to take pictures with my stupid camera phone.  So I've been slacking.

 

I read Andee's blog regularly and when she posted this kale salad I knew I had to try it.  Since the first time I made this salad, I've been incorporating kale into all of my salads.  I actually like it best with some spinach, red onions, tomatoes, parmesan, and a lite raspberry vinaigrette.  But I go back to this recipe regularly, too!

Reading:

With the Season 4 premier upon us (April 6!) it would be wrong of me to not include George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series on this blog.  I am a bit of a sci-fi/fantasy geek, and these books (which I finished last summer but the H is reading now) scratch every itch I have in that genre.  Just don't get too attached to the characters.

Wearing:

T Tahari via Neiman Marcus

The H bought me this dress for Valentine's day, and I'm having it altered in preparation for a conference I'm attending next week.  I'm presenting, too, and even though I'm crazy nervous, this dress will help me look the part!

Layered Bean Dip

Cooking:

So, last weekend, law school besty texted me with a simple question:  what's a fun thing to bring to a Super Bowl party that's not too intense as far as cooking?  That's right up my alley, of course.  When I told her about this bean dip, she asked if it was on the blog.

The answer, of course, was NO because I have been remiss in my blogging.  I suck.

This dip doesn't.  And it's easy.  A layer of beans.  A layer of salsa.  A layer of corn and onions, then a layer of cheese.  You could add more layers, I don't care, but put the beans on the bottom and the cheese on the top to seal in the goodness, and you'll be good to go.

I like this hot, because everything sort of oozes together and gets all creamy.  I've topped this with avocado and sour cream, in the past, and it's wonderful.  And I haven't, still wonderful.  And perfect for the Super Bowl.

Reading:

I am becoming well-versed in the snark of Simon Doonan, and I love every minute of it.  His latest, The Asylum, is no exception.  He is funny, he tells great stories about himself and the wonderful world of fashion, and he seems to know EVERYBODY which I love.  It's like having a best friend who's friends with famous people but with whom you are not actually friends.  For someone like me, who is actually a friend of the friendless, this is perfect.

Wearing:

The H and I are going to the South Beach Wine and Food Festival in a couple of weeks, and I need these:

Christian Louboutin via Neiman Marcus

These will be perfect for meeting my NEW best friend, Alex Guarnaschelli, and brunching at Tongue & Cheek.  I can't wait.  The countdown is on (14 days, for those who are counting).

Cookie Swap Time! Coconut Oatmeal Crisps

Cooking:

 As I announced previously, this year I decided to join the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap.  It was with some trepidation that I made this decision, as I normally only try out new recipes on people that HAVE to like what I make (ie the H or other immediate family members).  But I went out on a limb nonetheless and made some Coconut Oatmeal Crisps

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Oatmeal Crisps (adapted from BHG):

• 1 3/4  cups  quick-cooking rolled oats
• 3/4  cup  sugar
• 3/4  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes, plus more for sprinkling 
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking powder
• 3/4  cup  butter, melted
• 1/4  cup  light-colored corn syrup
• 1/4  cup  whipping cream
• 1 1/2  cups  bittersweet chocolate pieces
• 3  tablespoons  shortening

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and get out a big cookie sheet to line with foil.  (I am normally hard core about using my baking stones for cookies, but they didn't work well with this recipe.)  Then combine your dry ingredients, including the coconut flakes.

In another bowl combine your butter, corn syrup, and whipping cream, and stir that into your dry mixture.  Drop the dough onto your foil by rounded teaspoons and bake for about 11 minutes.  The cookies will start to brown around the edges.  Remove the foil from the cookie sheet, replace with a new sheet, and start it all over again, allowing your cookies to cool completely on the foil (I had about 4 sheets of foil going during the process).

After all of your cookies are completely cooled, heat the chocolate and shortening in a double boiler, stirring occasionally, and then dip your cookies in the chocolate.  I then laid my cookies on a cooling rack with foil below, and sprinkled them with coconut before placing them in the fridge to harden a bit.  

I sent my cookies to three bloggers in totally different parts of the country (Shanna, Annakate, and Chrystal), and I hope that they enjoyed them!  I received cookies from two other bloggers, Erica and Lisa and dang, these people know how to make cookies.  They put me to shame! 

Reading:

 

I bought The Shining Girls months ago (in April, I believe?) and it just arrived.  I haven't had a chance to crack it yet (it's on my agenda for the weekend) but I can't WAIT.  Word is it was slated for a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio before it was even released to the public.  I hope it lives up to the hype!

Wearing: 

 Scuba Leggings via Express

I purchased these leggings (at the recommendation of a friend) for Thanksgiving and they didn't disappoint.  They wipe clean and they stretch, and they kept me warm in the below-freezing Minnesota temps.  I require nothing more of holiday eating attire.

Corn Casserole and The Book Thief

Cooking:

Literally years ago, I asked my sister for the corn casserole that she makes nearly every time I come home.  Instead of scanning it and sending it to me, like a normal person, she took a picture of the recipe with her phone and emailed it to me.

The best part about this, though, is that she wrote down the recipe, then took the photo and sent it.  And the recipe was a little loosey goosey on the details:

Who's ever heard of a CAN of sour cream?!  Anyway, I revised this and made my own (more exact) recipe.

Jalapeno Corn Casserole

2 stick of butter, room temperature
2 eggs
16 oz sour cream
2 boxes Jif Corn Muffin Mix
2 cans sweet corn
2 cans cream style corn
1/2 cup diced jalapenos

Mix the ingredients together, then pour in a 9x13 baker and bake at 350 for approximately 60 minutes, or until brown and set.  (My recipe is bigger than the original, and obviously packs a bit more of a punch).

Reading:

 

I'm currently immersed in The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and anxiously awaiting the release of the movie.  I'm already bracing myself for the fact that the movie will be a let-down compared to the book, primarily for two reasons:  (1)  the actress they chose to play Liesel has blue eyes and the author is VERY careful to point out that she has brown eyes (not insignificant in a book about WWII); and (2)  the book is narrated by death, which is effective and startling in a way that I wasn't expecting to enjoy, but that I'm afraid will come off as cheesy in the movie.  I guess we'll see!

Wearing:

I am, literally, wearing these jammies as I type:

via Hanna Andersson

These were a must have in my wardrobe for two reasons.  First, they look like prison stripes (the bottoms are also black and gray striped) which is hilarious in my family for a couple of reasons that I won't discuss here.  Second, the H and I walked down the aisle after we were married to the Imperial March from Star Wars.  We are dorks, and my dork status is even more solidified now that I own Darth Vader prison jams.  Expect a pic on instagram of me rocking these sometime soon.