The Big 3-0

Today's the day, peeps.  I'm 30.  3-0.  Dirty thirty.  And I'm PUMPED.

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I'm also currently scooting back to Florida from Toronto.  If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you'll know I'm traveling all over the place, but I'm doing my best to keep up the posts.

Have a happy Cookin' in Heels birthday, everyone!

Happy Fourth!

As a total fireworks junkie, I am taking the day off from EVERYTHING so that I can watch some comedy, listen to some music, and enjoy BIG SPARKLY THINGS IN THE SKY.

Stay safe, peeps, and enjoy your independence day!

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Remembering Easter: The Ham

Does anybody remember that little holiday, Easter, that happened so many months ago?  I can't believe I still have recipes to share from our Easter feast, but I do!  The damn wedding just got in the way.

So, basically, I bought an 8 pound spiral-sliced, pre-cooked ham for Easter.  I rubbed it down with salt, pepper, and rosemary, and let it sit while I prepared a glaze.  The glaze (which didn't photograph well) contained a couple of cups of dry white wine, about 1/4 cup of honey, and a Tablespoon of mustard.  I simmered that for about half an hour until it reduced by half.

I baked the ham, covered, at 300 degrees for one hour, then reduced the heat to 200 degrees and let it bake for another two hours.  Every 15 minutes, for the entire 3 hours, I opened that bad boy up and poured glaze over the top of it.  And lemme tell you, it was the most tender, delicious ham I've ever had.  The H (then-F) loved it, and he hates ham.

The H would also hate these:

B Brian Atwood via Saks

But I kind of feel like they're Easter on your feet.  And as only someone who is currently wearing bright pink shoes can attest, that is never a bad thing.

Happy Love Day

We don't celebrate Valentine's day in our house, but I know a lot of you do so . . .

Happy Valentine's Day!  From my wiener to yours!

French Onion Soup

In the grand scheme of re-blogging recipes that I've blogged before, I bring you French Onion soup.  The previous version was delish, don't get me wrong, but this version was better.  Much better.

Mind you I didn't change the recipe.  No siree, I used the same recipe as my original post.  I just put more love into it.

And more love means better pictures.  Obviously.

I also sprung for really good gruyere this time around, which I believe made a big difference, as well.  The melting, flavor, everything were just . . . better.  Second time's a charm?

The F and I had this on New Year's Day and it was a perfect bonjour to 2013.

Bonjour . . . French onion soup . . . are we sensing a theme?

Saint Laurent via Saks

I am really hoping for a Parisian honeymoon, and I am quite certain that a Parisian honeymoon can't happen unless I own these shoes.  Just think, I can say Bonjour to France while wearing my Saint Laurent's and eating this soup.  Oui?

Quickie Friday: Caesar Salad

There is something deliciously simple, yet complex, about caesar salad, particularly when the dressing and croutons are made from scratch (using this recipe).

I think it goes without saying, but the F was none too thrilled when I cracked open a can of anchovies.  But the results were worth it.

The freshly-shaved parmesan was just right, too.  Salad never tasted so good . . .

It is in the spirit of salad that I bring you sneakers.

Puma via

These are my favorite sneakers, not for working out, but for everything else.  They are freakishly lightweight (and great for travel) and super comfortable.  And cute!  Let's not forget cute.  A sneaker never looked so good . . .

Brioche Rolls

To say that the culinary undertaking for Christmas this year was extensive would be an understatement.  (Prime rib with bacon porcini sauce, truffle brownies, and homemade ice cream if you're out of the loop, thus far.)

I figured that my go-big-or-go-home mentality shouldn't get in my way, so we had brioche rolls and caesar salad (more on that on Friday) too.  I had never made brioche before, in any form, but this recipe from my collection of Bon Appetit mags (going on 3 years worth) seemed like a good place to start.

I have never dealt with such sticky, buttery dough in my life; it was challenging.  And time consuming.  But like any good wannabe chef, I soldiered on.

I applied ample amounts of butter to my stone muffin pan, to be sure that the brioche rolls wouldn't stick.  As it turns out, the rolls themselves were so buttery I needn't have worried.  Better safe than sorry, though!

A little egg wash and a sprinkling of course kosher salt made all the difference.  These rolls were buttery, sweet, salty, and AMAZING.  If this is the reason I gained weight over the holidays, then I'm not mad at 'em.

What's not to love?!

Valentino via Bergdorf Goodman

I'll say it again . . . what's not to love.  If sweet, salty, and buttery applied to a flat, these would be them.  Valentino may call them Rockstud flats, but they will be known forever in my heart as brioche flats.

The Easiest Prime Rib

Way back in 2010, I attempted a prime rib for the first time, for Christmas dinner.  It was fine.  I overcooked it.  But it was fine.  This year (or, now, last year!) I was determined to do better.

The first step, of course, was to make a rub.  I used the following recipe (originally found here):

2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

While the recipe said to only use a couple of tablespoons for a five pound roast, I used all of it (on my five and a half pound roast, which sat for about an hour until it was room temperature).

I had my butcher cut the roast off of the bone, then tie it back on, for optimal flavor.  I also decided to roast my prime rib in the big ass turkey roaster I bought for Thanksgiving.  It worked quite nicely!  

First, I put the prime rib in the roaster (preheated to 375) and let it roast for one hour.  Then I turned it off, and let it sit for 3 hours.  As the instructions indicated, I DID NOT OPEN THE LID!  When we were getting ready for the big feast, I turned the roaster back on to 375 and let it cook for another half an hour.  I let it stand while I finished up the sides and that was that!

It turned out much better than the first time, for sure.

I served the roast with this porcini and bacon sauce.  Please forgive the lack of pictures of the sauce, they weren't blog-worthy.  I honestly don't know that this could have turned out any better.  It was rich and flavorful, and perfect for Christmas!

When I see a prime rib, with its dark brown exterior and warm, reddish-pink center, it's hard not to think of chocolate brown Louboutins.

via Saks

The fact that these are also suede is not lost on me.  Meaty.

Truffle Brownies

The F had two choices, this year, for Christmas dessert:  caramel custard with homemade whipped cream or truffle brownies with homemade ice cream.  Obviously you know which one he chose, based on my inability to blog in order.

And despite the fact that there are no pictures or personal details of the F on this blog, I think we all know he's a chocoholic.  I used this recipe, from the July 2010 issue of Bon Appetit (foregoing the walnuts because I do not care for walnuts in my brownies).

These brownies are RICH, peeps.  A chocolate force to be reckoned with.

I chose to bake my brownies in a pie plate and invert them onto make cake stand, because I liked the presentation.  The ganache slid down the edges like slime on the head of a celebrity at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

I was thrilled that my new camera seemed to capture the rich fudginess.  Too bad these pictures aren't scratch and sniff.

A warm, gooey brownie calls for warm (gooey?) boots.

Golden Goose via Barneys

If these aren't the shoe equivalent to a decadent brownie, I don't know a pair exists!

New Year, New Direction

Hey Peeps, happy 2013!

I am so thrilled to be back to blogging in the new year, and hope to have big things in store for the blog (as well as personally and professionally)!  One big change you're going to notice right away is that my pictures are better . . . why, you might ask?!

Because the F got me a new DSLR camera!  (The Nikon D3100 14.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens, to be exact).  I took TONS of pictures during my holiday forays into cooking WAY TOO MUCH, and I can't wait to share them with you!

In the mean time, I have a couple of old dishes to share, then it's off to the races.

I can't wait to share this year with you!

-ash

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas . . .

To you and yours, from me and mine . . . basking in the light of our tree. 

The Aftermath - Bean Style

Who's still full from Thanksgiving?

*Slowly and shamefully raises hand*

But I have a good reason:

This photo doesn't do justice to the amount of food that I cooked for Thanksgiving.  For two people.  We had a 15 pound turkey, peeps.  For two people.

But because Thanksgiving is my favorite of any holiday in the history of the universe, I knew I had to go big.  As such, I made this recipe for Haricots Verts with White Beans and Shallot Vinaigrette.  I couldn't find dried canellini beans, so I went with the canned variety and simmered both those AND the green beans in the thyme, onion, and bay leaf fashion.

I also used spicy brown mustard in my vinaigrette because I had it in the fridge and forgot to purchase dijon when we were doing our turkey shopping.  A turkey, almost literally, called to me during that trip to the grocery store, so I couldn't be bothered with mustards.

These beans were wonderful.  Crisp, flavorful, and a perfect light side to go with the cornucopia of brown foods that took over the rest of the table (turkey, rolls, cheesy vegetables, stuffing, gravy, and mashed potatoes for the F.  All brown.). 

I love brown foods.

And brown shoes.

Manolo Blahnik via Bergdorf Goodman

Honeymoon shoe, anyone?

Happy Turkey Day!

It's official (or more official, anyway).

I'm a dork.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving - regular posts return Monday!

Happy Turkey Day!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I bring you this quote from one of the F's favorite comedians, Mitch Hedberg:

"If you go to the grocery store and stand in front of the lunch meat section for too long, you start to get pissed off at turkeys. You see turkey ham, turkey pastrami, turkey bologna -- somebody needs to tell the turkeys, 'Man, just be yourself.' "

Also in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I give you a photo of Arnie pigging out, while wearing her coziest hoodie:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!  I am thankful for each and every one of my readers.  What you lack in numbers you make up for in enthusiasm!  Or something!  Now go forth and eat too much!



Happy 4th of July!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY, PEEPS!

via

Being my (second) favorite holiday, I will be spending the day with the BF and his sister,  sipping cocktails and listening to live music overlooking the waters of Tampa Bay.  Enjoy whatever festivities you have planned!

Valentine's Menu (Part One)

I made a rather extensive Valentine's meal for the BF and I, which included this and this, as well as this french onion soup.  Having never made french onion soup before, I was a little bit worried about how it would turn out, but it turned out AWESOME.

Soup bubbling in the front, toasty croutons in the back, messy stove-top ALL over.

I've had some great french onion soups in my day (the best EVER at Junior's in Times Square) but I was happy that mine almost measured up to the greats.

The (blurry) finished product.  Just enough crouton, just enough cheese, and plenty 'o' onion!  Loved it!  And so did the BF.  THAT is a Valentine's success, in my book.

Last Friday, my sister and her fiance decided to get married in The Vegas.  (Anybody who loves Sandy Cohen as much as I do can refer to it in no other way).  A wedding in The Vegas requires some SERIOUS foot fashion.

Christian Louboutin via Bergdorf Goodman

On any normal day of the week, these shoes would so NOT be my style . . . but for a wedding in The Vegas they're pretty much required.

Valentine's Day

I have never been one for Valentine's day.  Ever.  In high school I used to wear a necklace that actually said "I hate Valentine's Day."  Last year, the BF and I went to see The Wolfman.  That's how into Valentine's day I am.  And, 99% of the time, I forget that it's Valentine's Day because it is also (and MUCH more importantly) my BFF Erin's BIRTHDAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GIRL!  LOVE AND MISS YOU!

While I am not a huge fan of the holiday, I DID drag the BF to Gnomeo and Juliet this weekend (it was AWESOME . . . I don't think the BF enjoyed it but, then again, he's never even read Romeo and Juliet (or seen a film adaptation of it) so his opinion doesn't count) and I will be making a nice supper tonight (posts to come) so I thought I'd share a pic of my ideal table setting for this (stupid) holiday.

Love the black and white with the simple organic elements.  So chic.  And it could be used for ANY holiday.  I realize that black and white (on Valentine's day, especially) isn't everyone's taste, but it's mine, so too bad.  HA!

Another thing that would be great for the holiday (and any other day):

Report Signature via Bloomingdale's.

These suit my style perfectly, any day of the year.