baby, it's cold outside.

It's supposed to be a chilly, windy and rainy 49 degrees in our neighbourhood this weekend.   I feel the need to stay under the covers with a toque and mittens for weather under 60 (how I survived 20 years of icy Canadian winters, I don't know) so I was ecstatic when my husband suggested we pick out a couple bottles of wine, hop on the couch and stay warm under the blankets for the weekend. 

Whatever your plans, wherever you are ... keep warm!

dinner for two.

Just a simple Tuesday night dinner for two, inspired by Elizabeth Bard.  I had no idea what I wanted for dinner when I stopped by the market after work so I picked up these ingredients intent on making shrimp tacos, spent a few minutes talking to my favorite market friend (I see him on a daily basis, sometimes twice) and headed home. At the last minute I switched out the tortillas for lettuce wrap, and served the dish with a side of Mexican rice. It's definitely a refreshing, tasty dinner that's easy to prepare on a weeknight, I highly recommend it!

btw... I have to admit that I switched out the corn tortillas I originally planned to make in favor of the lettuce wrap because I also made chocolate chip cookies and I wanted as much room as possible to enjoy a couple with a giant glass of milk.  I'm so full now they might have to wait until tomorrow, but at least I was thinking ahead. Right? 

cookie monster.

This is exactly how I feel today, all I want is a delicious cookie (or two) and a giant glass of milk.    Did you see the Muppets on Top Chef last week? Instantly one of my favorite quickfires because I love the Muppets, and as Anthony Bourdain (who I also love) said, it was fun watching "Angry Dale" being challenged by Cookie Monster.

sweet hearts.

I baked these cookies for Valentine's Day, but I'm always in the mood for a little love and sweetness so it's never too late to share these little cuties with you.  I was cooking for a group of preschoolers with a variety of food allergies, so I made these dairy & gluten free cookies using Cherrybrook Kitchen's gluten free sugar cookie mix, rice milk and vegan butter spread.  Using a smaller cookie cutter, I cut out a smaller heart in the middle of the cookie and filled it with a red dough I prepared and let sit for 30-40 minutes beforehand (The colored dough was easier to work with after sitting). I usually don't bake dairy free and I thought the results were pretty spectacular, almost reminiscent of my favorite Pillsbury sugar cookies. The texture was SO similar, you couldn't even tell it was food allergy friendly. I'm definitely going to try this mix again with a classic sugar cookie (including my favorite danish creamery butter, milk and a little bit of sugar sprinkled on top).  

Happy Friday :)

roasted beet salad.

Looking for a quick and simple salad to compliment your dinner?

Wrap 4 small beets in aluminum foil, roast in oven for 45 minutes at 400F. Sprinkle sugar over walnuts in a small skillet, stirring constantly until sugar begins to caramelize. Take beets out of the oven and allow to steam in the foil for 10 minutes before removing skins and slice beets into bite size pieces. Add goat cheese and candied walnuts to taste. 

An extra treat that's always fun? Using a mandoline, slice one of the beets into thin pieces and place at the bottom of the serving dish.

black swan.

I'm seriously tempted by these Alexander McQueen feather sandals I saw on gilt today, they're very black swan. What do you think?

image via gilt

bhldn.

Anthropologie launched their new bridal site BHDLN yesterday, and among the many things I've fallen in love with already (exhibits one, two, three and four), this necklace is on the top of my crush list.  I think I've found a new sweet spot and it makes me want to get married all over again. 

Will you marry me, again?

image via BHLDN