I’ve only recently become a weird morning person. I used to seriously turn off my alarm and then sleep the most anxious-ridden extra 15 minutes ever, knowing very well that I had to get up a few minutes later. Not a pleasant sleep but I’d still do it! WHY? So dumb. But now I set no alarm, and every single morning I miraculously wake up a little bit after 7am. (It also helps that I have a little beast of an animal I live with who whimpers at my face until my eyes finally open. So, I guess I do have an alarm clock, just not a traditional one.)
In college I had late night film classes and super early morning classes, which meant I was an awful person to be around before 10am. The one thing that would get me through the drudge of early morning stuff was the local coffee shop which had terrible coffee BUT an awesome marble loaf. It was seriously the only thing that kept me from sleeping through the first day’s class.
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Whoa! Hai! Hello! I’m nervous.
I wrote a cookbook. It happened. I haven’t spoken about it much because sometimes I’m shy. But today is the day when I scream it from the rooftops, text you to tell you about it, using lots of emojis and exclamations points, nudge you to maybe, only if you want to, pre-order it from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
My lil’ ol’ humble cookbook is being published by St. Martin’s Press and the release date is coming soon (eeeek!), May 28th!
This cookbook, like all cookbooks, was a labor of love with the help of my awesome literary agent, Danielle and super smart and fellow food-lover of an editor, BJ. The pretty pictures and styling was done by my friends, Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park. The cookbook is about my favorite breakfast food ever invented: pancakes. There are 72 recipes of breakfast pancakes, dinner pancakes, nerdy pancake information and even some savory and sweet toppings.
Before I show you a bunch of pictures of the cookbook, I feel like we should talk about these Banana Bourbon Pancakes because they’re pretty major. I know I’m not supposed to have favorites in the book but I do. I just do. These are one of them.
The bananas are caramelized in a bit of bourbon, butter, brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon. They’re cooked until golden brown and then added to a bourbon-spiked pancake batter. Holy moly. They’re fluffy and boozy and slightly sweet and oh so very delicious. I love. Just love.
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This post is all about overcoming adversity, cake decorating adversity. I came thisclose to having a cake worthy of a spot on Cake Wrecks. It all started when Martha’s people were super nice enough to send me an advance copy of their issue of Cakes & Cupcakes. There was a technique in the magazine that caught my eye; it was technique using acetate strips to create a pretty striped pattern. The pictures in the magazine showed glittery pink stripes and bright yellow stripes. I had dreams of creating a cake inspired by my favorite French shirt, the breton. White frosting and navy blue stripes. How spring and easy!
It didn’t go so well, guys. Not at all. So this is a story, not about making a pretty cake, but rather about saving a cake from decoration disaster. It’s a story about how I panicked, looked at the wilting roses on my bedside table and improvised the shiz out of the next move. Ready?
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Sometimes I want to love what everyone else loves…but don’t. Like, harem pants (my thighs don’t need help looking larger – thanks) or frappuchinos (real coffee, please) or sparkly shoe clips or Mad Men (boring). Peanut butter and chocolate is one of those things that the entire world LOVES. And I do, too.
It’s the classic of classic combos. And there’s good reason. Something magical occurs when chocolate and peanut butter come together. The clouds open, the symphony sounds, a Lisa Frank rainbow appears in the sky and smiles appear.
This cookie has chocolate, peanut butter, oatmeal and a good amount of salt all mixed into one.
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Sometimes I just get the urge for crazy and drastic change. Like, maybe chopping my hair all off and having a pixie cut like Michelle Williams or marching into Barney’s and buying a dream bag or moving to a new city where I know no one.
Dreaming about moving to a new city has been doing it for me lately. I’ve been thinking about how awesome it would be to eat in new-to-me restaurants, visit new parks, museums and just create a whole new routine for life. And even the prospect of making new friends in this very new town makes me really excited. Of course Amelia and my dude would come along, too. I have a feeling that Amelia would aide greatly in the whole making new friends department.
This is probably a pipe-dream. I mean, I love Los Angeles, but I’ve been a-dreamin’ lately, hard. And it’s fun.
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Some recipes have no real story, no history or emotional meaning. My grandmama didnt make this cake for us while we sat on the porch and listened to her hum. My mom didn’t make this for us when we came home from school. And this cake doesn’t compliment an upcoming holiday.
This cake came into my life because Trader Joe’s always makes me buy more than I want/need. Yes.
I wanted to make this drank BADLY, so I went to the store to buy ruby red grapefruits because I was envisioning a blush colored drink. I drink in colors! So, I walk in and the yellow (less cuter) grapefruits were sold individually, while the ruby red grapefruits were sold in a big bundle. Ugh. I bought the big bag of cuter, pinker grapefruits. After I made the drink, I found myself with three pretty grapefruits that had no home.
So, I baked ‘em.
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I decided in the month of January that this year I’d do a look back on each month. But January ended up being all about my dog and eating healthy, so I figured I’d skip it. Also, I sort of forgot. Ooops! But February, oh February was fun. No luxurious vacations, or crazy, expensive eating, just doing life. Going with the flow. Just livin’.
February started with me getting a new iPhone. I usually get new technology when the old version dies. The old version was 2 1/2 years old and cracked all over.
The first photo I took was of my pretty cappuccino from Intelligentsia. Designs in foam never get old to me. Never. Also, I’m very determined for a barista to make a corgi in my capp.
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This is a story of how I turn three super ugly, sad (do you see what I did below?) bananas into something interesting, comforting and delicious! I went on a short road trip this past weekend and when I returned the three bananas I bought for a healthy granola breakfast had turned into a hideous, dark brownish sight.
I think banana bread is the go-to thing to make when you’re dealing with unattractive, super ripe bananas. This version has a few unexpected yet delicious twists that I’m really into.
The banana bread starts in normal fashion: ugly bananas being mashed up. I added a few splashes of milk, a generous drizzle of honey and a flew glugs of orange blossom water.
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Pardon me while I get all bossy on you, BUT you must make this cake.
When I was lil’ Adrianna, I always dreamed about having a big sister. I wanted someone to steal clothes from, teach me how to French braid, paint my nails all gloopy and gross-like, steal my boyfriends (do sisters do this? I watch a lot of romantic comedies) and most importantly, I wanted someone to boss me around. I thought that bossy/bratty dichotomy between elder sister and younger sister seemed so fun.
Instead, I was born the older sister to a younger brother who was victim to a few non-requested beauty “makeovers” and a healthy dose of bossy-Adrianna.
Right now, I’m taking this big sister role seriously and being super bossy and telling you to make this G.D. cake!
(Do not worry! I will paint your nails later.)
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Whenever I thumb through a Martha Stewart Living Magazine or take a trip to the Container Store, it makes me feel like there might be a really crazy, OCD housewife living in me. It excites me. Scares me a little.
But mostly makes me pumped about getting organized, menu planning, labeling everything (with a label maker, of course) and making sure my kids have awesome afternoon snacks post-school day.
This coffee cake situation is what I’d make for those late mornings/early afternoons when I want to invite other ladies (and dudes, too!) over to talk parenting, pro-tips and just talk to another adult for once.
Medjhool dates right now are super dreamy.
If you’ve never had one, I will admit that they can run a little pricey (about $5 a container) but they go A LONG way. I bought a container three days ago and have already used it three ways.
Dates are amber (duh) in color, soft in texture, have almost a caramel-like flavor to them and are loaded with fiber and energy.
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