Coconut Cream Heaven

It was a dreary weekend here in Chicago. To combat some of the gloom, on Sunday I tried my hand at my favorite dessert of all-time – coconut cream pie. I mostly followed this recipe here, but made a few slight adjustments, namely a store-bought crust and coconut milk instead of whole milk.

The result was pure perfection and rivaled some of the best coconut cream pies I’ve ever had. If you are a fan of this heavenly dessert I highly recommend this recipe. Enjoy!

Coconut Cream Pie

Crust

• 1 store-bought crust, blind baked and cooled ahead of time

Filling

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon coconut extract

Topping

• 2/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 1/4 cups chilled whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon coconut extract

For filling:
Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, egg yolk, and flour in medium bowl. Bring milk and coconut to simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add hot milk mixture to egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return to same saucepan; cook until pastry cream thickens and boils, stirring constantly, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in vanilla and coconut extracts. Transfer pastry cream to medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface to prevent formation of skin. Chill until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Transfer filling to crust. Cover; chill overnight.

For topping:
Toast coconut in heavy small skillet over medium heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Cool completely.

Using electric mixer, beat cream, sugar, and coconut extract in medium bowl until peaks form. Spread whipped cream all over top of filling. Sprinkle evenly with toasted coconut. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Serve cold.

Who's that in the April Crate & Barrel catalog...?

If you can get your hands on this month’s Crate and Barrel catalog flip to page 58 where I’m making a guest appearance and stirring a Le Creuset and wearing a very cute apron! My very cool aunt was in need of models for their April issue and seeing as how I love cooking and I love Crate and Barrel I guess I was the perfect fit!  

In honor of my spread I thought I’d share my very favorite special occasion recipe (based off of this recipe here) that I made for The Boyfriend a week or so back for his birthday dinner. Beware: this incredible sauce simmers for FOUR hours so make sure you set aside enough time to babysit it. But the end result is the most mouthwatering dish I’ve ever made and rivals any Bolognese sauce I’ve had at any Italian restaurant.

Bon Appetite! And pick up the April issue of C&B!

Very Special Occasion Bolognese Sauce

Makes about 8 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter

1 large yellow onion, diced
4 small carrots, finely diced
2 large celery stalks, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, very finely diced
¼ lb diced pancetta (1/4 to ½-inch cubes) (bacon is a good substitute if you can’t find in your grocery store)

Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ lb lean ground meat (blend of veal, pork and beef)

1 cup dry white wine
2 cups milk
1 28-oz can diced San Marzano tomatoes

1 cup beef stock

Directions:

1.     Place a large saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter in the oil. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic with a good pinch of salt (about ½ teaspoon) and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the diced pancetta and cook for a further 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened and pancetta is golden.

2.     Increase the heat to high and add the meat a third at a time, stirring and breaking lumps with a spoon between each addition. Adding the meat gradually allows the water to evaporate – which is key if you want to brown your meat and not boil it. After the last addition, when no pink can be spotted in the meat and no lumps remain, set a timer to 15 minutes. You want your meat to caramelize and even become crispy in spots. More water will evaporate and flavors will concentrate. You want golden bits of meat to stick to the bottom of your pan – this flavorful crust will then be deglazed with white wine. Watch over your pan as you don’t want your meat to burn. When you see some serious caramelization action happening, lower heat to medium to each the end of your 15-minute sautéing time (on my stove, that’s after about 8-9 minutes).

3.     Over medium heat, pour the white wine into the sauce pan. With a wooden spoon, scrape all the brown bits stuck to the bottom of your pan. Push the meat all around to make sure you scrape it all off. By the time you’re finished, the wine will be evaporated (2-3 minutes). Be careful not to let the meat stick again (lower the heat if necessary).

4.     Add milk, diced tomatoes (with liquid), beef stock, 1 teaspoon salt and a good grinding of pepper. Bring to a boil and then lower to the lowest heat and let simmer very slowly, half-covered, for 4 hours. Stir once in a while. If your sauce starts sticking before the end of your cooking time, lower the heat (if possible) and/or add a bit of stock or water. In the end, the sauce should be thick, more oil- than water-based and thick like oatmeal. Adjust the seasoning one last time – don’t be afraid of adding more salt (tasting each time you add some), it is this recipe’s key seasoning.

5.     Serve in bowls over cooked pasta and garnished with fresh grated parmesan and basil.

Easter Weekend Recap

Ever since I was little I have loved Easter. It’s the perfect excuse to wear pastels, spend time with those you love and eat delicious things. With my family currently spread out across the country (and world) this year was a little different, but special nonetheless. The boyfriend and I spent the weekend here in Chicago taking in the beautiful spring weather and playing host to our friend’s French bulldog Stanley.

On Saturday we scored some amazing tickets to the Cubs game and got a bit burned from sitting in the sun all afternoon. Then on Sunday we joined my aunt and cousins at my dear friend Peter’s house in Wicker Park and had one of the most incredible meals I’ve ever tasted. An amazing chef and entertainer, Peter is one of the best cooks I have ever met and we felt so lucky to be invited. I contributed to the feast by making a tray of my Grandfather’s famous Deviled Eggs and baking my mother’s famous chocolate cake, which I topped with festive Easter egg candies and toasted coconut (recipe below).

Even though I missed my family it felt as if we were creating some traditions of our own this weekend here in Chicago. Hope your weekends were just as wonderful!  

(clockwise: Peter's Standard Poodle, Big Daddy; me and Peter; Mr. Stanley; tray of deviled eggs; at the ballpark; a festive Easter cake; me and Jered)

Bessie's Chocolate Cake

2 c. sugar
1 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. boiling water
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend well. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add dry mixture to creamed mixture alternating with the buttermilk.  Add boiling water and beat well for two minutes.

Pour into greased and floured pans.  Bake at 350  until toothpick comes out clean (about 20 minutes or so depending on the pans used).   You can make this a 2 layer with 9" pans, a 3 layer with 8" pans or a 9x13" sheet cake. 

Chocolate Icing

1 c. butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbl cocoa
5-5 Tbl whole milk

Cream together butter and vanilla.  Sift together sugar, salt and cocoa. Gradually beat into creamed mixture. Add milk, 1 Tbl. at a time until icing is a creamy consistency.

Spring has sprung

Somehow, despite the fact that winter typically sticks around until May in Chicago, spring has sprung a few months early this year. This past weekend, thanks to St. Patrick’s Day, it seemed that the whole city came outside to embrace the 80-degree weather, the budding trees and flowers and the excuse to drink on their patios and sidewalks.

The Boyfriend and I were no exception. We wore green, drank greyhounds on a friend’s patio, made corned beef and cabbage, took a very long walk and had our first frozen yogurt of the season. Life just seems better when the weather is good.

Happy Monday!

Home is where your heart (and favorite Vietnamese restaurant) is...

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This weekend The Boyfriend and I are off to my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri to spend some much-anticipated time with family and friends and to catch a Radiohead show this evening.

I remember that in high school, the time between me and graduation, and getting out of my hometown and onto college living couldn’t pass quickly enough. It’s so funny how your perspective changes. Now I find myself looking so forward to visits home – I don’t think I know any place that is more comforting or relaxing than my parents’ house.

Now a tourist in my home city, on visits I like to take advantage of some of the places and activities I took for granted when I lived there full time. Dinner at my favorite Vietnamese restaurant, brunch with my parents and shopping with my sister are all on the agenda. And I’m looking really forward to it.  

Here’s to a great weekend wherever you’ll be!

Neon for Spring

A few weeks back, during a catch-up with one of my chicest friends who lives in LA, she asked me “So how fun is neon for spring?”

I have to admit, I was out of the loop at first and asked her what she meant. To which she replied that neon is all the rage this season and I better get on board.

Since then, neon seems to be everywhere I look. From the toes of other ladies at the salon this past weekend, to boards all over Pinterest, fashion week runways and the window at the Gap, Liz was right, neon is all the rage this season and I’m dying to get on board.

Here are few pops of color I’d love to work into my wardrobe/everyday world. How fun is it? Have you jumped on the neon bandwagon yet?

1.    Playful Neon Animals from Etsy | 2. MK Watch |

2.    Polish for Neon Nails | 4. The Perfect Pink Satchel | 5. Via

6. Chiffon Skirt | 7. Crochet Toms | 8. Via

Wishful Wednesday... Taylor Tomasi Hill's NYC Digs

Hate to be redundant, but while creating my crush list over the weekend (as seen here) I stumbled upon a Vogue profile piece on Moda Operandi’s artistic director, Taylor Tomasi Hill's NYC apartment. 

Located in Chelsea, Tomasi Hill's apartment, which she shares with her high school sweetheart turned husband (cute!), is IN-SANE. I can't get over all the color and her abundance of incredibly cool things. And I thought I was jealous of her clothing and impeccable wardrobe. Some ladies have it all. 

I invite you to take a gander and wish along with me. Sigh.

Weekend Recap and a Crush List

Still recovering from a wonderful weekend filled with food, appointments and catching up on sleep to try and kick the sickness that I'm worried will never leave... 

On Saturday my lovely aunt treated me to a pedicure at my favorite spot Juko and while Bridgette Jones' Diary played in the background and AJ (the boy who gives the most amazing foot massages in the world) rubbed my feet, we caught up on each other's lives. Just chatting with her is one of my most favorite things to do and getting to do so while having my feet rubbed was the ultimate guilty pleasure. 

Speaking of guilty pleasures... Here's a roundup of some items I'm crushing on after stumbling upon them during a virtual shopping trip on my couch this past weekend. Oh the joy of shopping in slippers! 

Hope you had lovely weekends! Happy Tuesday! xo 

I have such a crush on this crossbody

I have a crush on this vibrant watch

I have a crush on this patterned bedding

I have a crush on this tote

I have a serious crush on these leopard lady flats

I have a crush on this scarf

I have a crush on this bench

I have a crush on this band

I have a crush on this dress

I have a crush on this note

Weekend To-Dos

I don’t even know where to begin on where I’ve been for the past few weeks. I can definitely say that readjusting to “Chicago time” was not easy – and then right when I was starting to feel as if I was back on schedule, I came down with a bug and spent my evenings wallowing, watching Friday Night Lights and drinking tea under a big faux fur throw.

Sometimes you just need some time off, I suppose. A chance to slow down and readjust and reassess. I’m not sure why exactly that affected my blogging, most of the time this is such a therapeutic thing. But I’m back now and ready for a weekend. With lots to look forward to I’m sure it will be a good one… Happy Friday!

Tomorrow we're checking out Heritage Bicycles - a combination coffee/bike shop that sells our favorite Stumptown coffee in addition to bicycles. How fun is that?

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No Oscars viewing is complete without a really nice snack. Like these Mac and Cheese Muffins

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After the free photography workshop I took last week I'm hooked. I'm searching for another and planning to register. Suggestions welcome!

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It may not be spring yet, but my closet needs a cleaning. I think ebay is calling my name.

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Brazil and back to reality...

Two weeks since my last post and I’m back to blogging! I had originally planned to post a bit from Brazil, however, internet connection proved to be something we rarely had.

We returned on Sunday morning after nearly 24 hours of traveling and I’m not going to lie, getting back into a routine has been difficult. With Rio being 4 hours ahead I pass out almost every night at 8 pm, which is when I typically write my posts.

Difficulty adjusting aside, Brazil was an amazing adventure. It turned out to be everything we had hoped for and more. From the delicious Brazilian fare, to the white sand beaches on Ilha Grande, to the street art and culture in Santa Teresa, Rio.

Since my trip I’ve received a few email requests for suggestions and tips. As it turns out, more and more people are choosing Brazil as their vacation destination of choice and while I’m no means an expert, I do feel like I have some knowledge to share.

But that will come later—in the form of a few posts on how to see Brazil, specifically Rio, Ilha Grande and Santa Teresa—the three places we spent our vacation.

In the meantime I leave you with some of my most favorite shots from the trip. As you can see we had a fabulous time.

xoxox and Happy Valentine's Day

We celebrated Valentine's Day in Rio.

Guarana- the only excuse, in my opinion, to drink soda.

The deck at our hotel on Ilha Grande.

The Boyfriend, looking very cute in a fedora.

Mountains and sea on the way to Ilha Grande.

White sand beach after white sand beach. This one was 4km long.

Poolside at La Maison, our hotel in Rio.

Poolside at the Santa Teresa Hotel.

Our ridiculous view from one of our rooms in Rio.

A gorgeous home in Santa Teresa.

Brazilian street art.

View from the top of the sprawling city of Rio

Guest Post... {Super} Salads

I'm over at The White Ruffle today sharing some of my favorite recipes with Madison. Make sure you stop by to have a look!

xo

It may still be winter here... But spring has sprung in the new Anthro catalog

I am really, really digging the color combos in Anthro's February catalog. It was waiting for me when I got home last night and after flipping through I have to say I want just about every item in there. 


There's something I love about bright colors paired with contrasting neutrals. These clothes feel easy and energetic without being too over-the-top, not too mention extremely versatile.


And don't you just love the movement of this shoot? Where are all these ladies going? Somewhere fab I'm sure. 

Weekend Recap

Happy Monday! Hope your weekends were fab. Mine was spent working on lots of projects to be revealed soon, preparing for Brazil and meeting and dining with lots of friends who I hadn’t seen in far too long.

What is it about a long catch-up with a good friend that is so therapeutic? I always leave feeling refreshed, centered and as if I could conquer anything…

Here are a few photos I snapped over the weekend! Cheers to a great week ahead!

Coffe with friends...

Adorable owl glasses from my dear friend Katie

Dinner date with Jason and Jess at my favorite Thai place Silom12

Bundled up and repping The Boyfriend's Pendleton scarf... Not sure I'll give it back

Whole Foods Sushi for one