Is That Your Grandma's Coat?

I'm not really hip, or cool for that matter, which is why I just found out about Macklemore and Ryan Lewis's song Thrift Shop. This song is effin awesome. So hilarious. Had to share, but chances are you've already heard it. Oh well.

XO.

[An Unpoetic] Ode To My Grandparents

This here is an ode to my grandparents (Mama and Poppy), the most perfect people on the planet. My grandparents, like most I assume, played a huge role in my upbringing. When I say huge, I really mean gigantic. They are the most selfless people I know. They would do anything for their grandchildren. And I mean anything. They picked us up from school, drove us to our various activities, made us extra special breakfasts when we slept at their house (which was EVERY Friday, mind you). They would draw our baths, and take us back-to-school shopping. Oh and the trips to DISNEY, how could I forget. We went to Disney ALL. THE. TIME. They patiently waited for us to go on our rides, made sure that we always had our virgin strawberry daiquiris (a vacation specialty) and let us have the times of our lives. I don't have a single childhood memory that doesn't involve them in some way. They are my life, and I love them so dearly it's ridiculous.

Here's to you, Mama and Poppy, for making my childhood so damn special. I love you from the bottom of my heart. I hope with all of my everything, that I can be like you when I'm older.

XO.

Me

From our last trip to Disney!

My Mom, Mama and Poppy

Chicago Bound I Am

Sometimes I like to talk like Yoda, I do. Well, I'm off to Chicago this weekend. And I'm pretty freakin' excited. My sisters live there and I just can't wait for a girls weekend. We don't have that much planned, in fact our agenda mostly consists of eating, drinking and yoga (my weak attempt to be healthy). And I can't wait. For some reason we always manage to laugh so hard that we topple over onto the floor like total freaks. It's the purest form of happiness and I just adore it. I want to bottle that ish up and keep it in my pocket always.

XO.

Asparagus Tart

My friend Nicole had a baby shower this weekend (yey baby!) and I was tasked with making the oh-so-easy and oh-so-delicious asparagus tart. It's a combination of few of my favorite things: cheese, puff pastry and asparagus. Oh, ok, asparagus isn't really one of my favorite things. But cheese and puff pastry definitely are.

I followed my girl Martha's recipe.

What you need:

- 1 sheet of puff pastry thawed (I thawed mine in the fridge the night before!)
- 2c gruyere cheese (or swiss if you're in a pinch)
- 1 1/2 lb of asparagus, cleaned and trimmed
- 1 tb good olive oil
- Salt and pepper

What you do:

Preheat your fantabulous oven to a whopping 400F

Roll out puff pastry to make a 11"x16" rectangle (mine was smaller)



Trim away excess puff pastry to make a purdy rectangle

With a pairing knife, score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. And then prick center of puff-pastry with a fork (like a bake potato!)

Put into oven (on a parchment lined baking sheet) and cook for 10-15 (or until lightly golden).

Ok, now that your puff gorgeousness is in the oven, grate your cheese/trim your asparagus. 

Lay your cheese onto baked puff pastry and arrange your asparagus on top

Drizzle top with olive oil. Season with salt-n-peper.

Should look something like this! Pop it into the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes (or until asparagus is tender!)

I would suggest checking it at the 18 min mark--cause puff pastry burns easy.

Enjoy as an appetizer, light dinner, or a snack!

XO.

Its ineveitable, whenever winter rolls around I miss summer. I miss it so bad it hurts. Thanks to our boy Nemo, I find myself wishing for beaches, sun and pina coladas. Anything but this white snow stuff. When will you get here summer? Katie wants to see you, baddd.

Pics from my last trip to Narragansett Beach, RI

Cooking Your Way Into The Hearts Of Many

I'm not against baking your way into the hearts of others. In fact, I relish in baking my way into the hearts of others. And with Valentine's Day coming on up, what's a better way to show your love than a massive batch of home made cookies? Answer: there is no better way. 

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart:

What you need:

• - 3 c old-fashioned rolled oats

• - 1 c all-purpose flour 
• - 1 ts fine sea salt

• - 1/4 ts baking soda

• - 3/4 c unsalted butter, room temperature

• - 1 c packed light brown sugar

• - 1/2 c granulated sugar

• - 1/4 c maple syrup

• - 1 egg

• - 1 1/2 ts vanilla extract
• - 1 c chocolate chip cookies

What you do:

Preheat that oven to 350 F

In a large bow mix together your rolled oats, flour, salt and baking soda. Set that sucker aside.

 

In your mixer, cream your sugar and butter. Add egg, maple syrup and vanilla extract and mix, mix, mix.

Slowly add your dry ingredients to the wet. Fold in your chocolate chips.

It should look something like this:

The dough tastes amazing, not that I tried any or anything. 

Use your scooper to create uniform little dough balls 

Bake for 11 minutes. You have to rotate the cookies half way through so that they don't burn. 

Let them cool and then watch them disappear!!!

Enjoy!

 I found Nemo tonight.

And have to say that he's not very cool.

In fact, he's kinda boring.

I'm off to bake cookies, cause I want something to do.

xo.

PARTY TIME, EXCELLENT

 Party time!

Excellent!

The rest of the party time pictures came out juuussttt right. I can't wait to use my mustache camera next.