Kale Lemonade

I talk about drinks a fair amount on the blog, but usually they're the kind that involve tequila. Today we're going to mix it up, and talk about making it heathy! Juicing is The Thing lately, and while I'm usually hesitant to get into diet(ish) trends, getting regularly dragged by The Littles to the Whole Foods smoothie/juice bar has managed to make a green juice lover out of me.

Kale Lemonade 

Makes about 2.5 cups

Ingredients 
   1 bunch kale
   1/2 cup lemon juice
   1 Tablespoon agave (or to taste)
   2 cups carbonated water

Directions

1. Juice the kale. Set the (meager) yield aside. It won't seem like much, but the flavor is powerful.
2. Juice lemons until yielding 1/2 cup. Combine the kale and lemon juice. Add the agave. 
3. Just before drinking, add carbonated water to fill your glasses. Enjoy your veggies! 

Brown Butter Toffee Blondies

I have a brown butter problem. Seriously. I made these for school. As in, elementary school. Where the [little] kids go. Brown butter for kids? Well, I know that I didn't hear any complaints.

See, there are some significant (dis)advantages to sharing kids with the PTO President. I means that I often get roped into making cookies for school events. Like, all of them? Sometimes that's a pain--a lot of times, like this time in particular, I've been able to use it to test out new recipes that I'm jonesing for. Meet the Teacher Night? Definitely requires tasty treats.

I ate two of these before they made it to school. Don't tell the kids.

Brown Butter Toffee Blondies

from Martha Stewart's Cookies
makes about one dozen

Ingredients  
   1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
   2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
   1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
   1 1/2 teaspoons salt
   2 cups packed light-brown sugar
   1/2 cup granulated sugar
   3 large eggs
   2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
   1 cup toffee bits






 
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; butter and flour parchment paper.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the butter until it turns golden brown; remove from heat, and let cool. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine browned butter and both sugars; stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Attach bowl to mixer; add eggs. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla, and beat to combine. Add flour mixture and toffee bits. Mix until thoroughly combined, and pour into prepared pan.
4. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes (do not overbake). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before turning out of pan onto a cutting board. Peel off parchment paper; cut blondies into 3-inch squares.

Friday Five

I decided to theme this week out on Friday Five to ladies from Instagram. Yes, I'm totally addicted--and I've made a few new friends (and found some new blogs to follow!) along the way. These ladies make up this week's Friday Five; thanks for the inspiration!

1. Kathleen's tea leaf reading guides are the most original idea I've seen lately (and that's saying something)
2. Sugar & Cloth was an (Texan!) Instagram discovery. 
3. Amanda has been keeping me inspired since we met online, like, 7 years ago? She makes me wish that I could make things like this amazing bag.  
4. I found Freutcake via Instagram too--and I'm so glad, because Leah keeps the LA sunshine pretty in my feed. 
5. Mari's craft space (and life) is perfect (and I'm jealous)

Toasted S'more Pie

Have you noticed my particular fondness for combining lots of good things into even better [humble brag] things--"good things" of the baked good persuasion, to be precise. This pie is basically just that. I mean, s'mores are great; pies are great. What could be better than a s'more pie?

As it turns out, nothing really. Well, at least, I don't think there's anything better than this pie. Let's stop and look at the components, it has all of the essentials for greatness: chocolate, brown butter, [modified] Italian meringue, and (wait for it) whiskey. Good whiskey is often an essential for greatness, just ask any great writer. Seriously. Any great writer.

...you could also ask this sub-par writer about the essentialness of whiskey. I am a fan. I'm also a fan of a perfectly silken ganache and the crazy combination of flavors in this pie. In fact, I could write a book on the subject (if I could write). It's definitely deserving of some praise.

Brown Butter Graham Crust

adapted from Southern Pies

Ingredients 

   1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 15 squares)

   3 tablespoons sugar

   1/3 cup butter, browned 

Directions 

1. Cook 1/3 butter in a light saucepan until nutty and golden brown. Set aside. 
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar and stir with a fork to mix them well. Add the butter and stir to mix into crumbs evenly and well.
3. Press the buttery crumbs into a 9-inch pie pan, distributing the mixture evenly, and pressing firmly with your hands.
4. Place the crust in the center shelf of the oven. Bake until the crust is heated through and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Allow to cool to room temperature before adding the filling. 

Whiskey Ganache 

adapted from La Mia Vita Dolce

Ingredients 

   12 oz good-quality chocolate

   10 oz heavy cream

   1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

   3 tablespoons quality whiskey (I used Jameson) 

Directions

1. Place chocolate into heatproof bowl.
2. In small saucepan, bring cream, whiskey, vanilla bean paste to a light boil.
3. Remove from heat and pour the cream mixture over the chocolate. Let stand, 2 minutes.
4. Using flexible rubber spatula, stir the chocolate mixture, beginning in the center of the bowl and working your way to the edges, pulling in as much chocolate as possible until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
5. Let stand, stirring occasionally until thickened but still pourable, about 20 minutes.
6. Pour the ganache into the cooled crust. Let stand, at room temperature, until completely cooled.
7. Cover with plastic wrap, transfer to the refrigerator, and chill until set, at least 3 hours and up to overnight.

Marshmallow Meringue

Ingredients 

   4 large egg whites, room temperature

   3/4 cup sugar

   1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

   1/4 cup water

   Pinch of salt

   1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

   1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Place egg whites in bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. 
2. To prepare sugar syrup, combine sugar, corn syrup and water in small saucepan. Cook over high heat, stirring continuously until sugar is dissolved.
3. Continue to cook, without stirring, occasionally swirling the pan over the heat and, brushing down the sides of the pan with pastry brush dipped in water, until the sugar syrup reaches temperature of 249 degrees 
4. When sugar syrup reaches temperature of 239 degrees begin beating the egg whites at low speed until foamy. Add salt and cream of tartar, increase mixer speed to medium-high and, beat until soft peaks form (should reach soft peak stage at the same time the sugar syrup temperature of 249 degrees. 
5. Decrease mixer speed to medium and with mixer running, carefully pour the sugar syrup in a steady stream down the side of the bowl into the egg white foam (make sure syrup does not come in contact with the whip attachment). Add the vanilla, increase mixer speed to high and continue to beat until the egg foam is cool (place hand on the underside of the bowl and make sure bowl is no longer hot) thick, glossy and, stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes.

Cover the chilled pie with the marshmallow meringue. Toast the meringue using a kitchen blowtorch, being careful to not scorch the meringue. Serve pie chilled.  

PS: Get more of your s'mores fix with Kathleen over at Snowdrop & Co--she is doing an entire week of s'mores-themed projects! 

DIY Business Card Case

Recently I found myself a party full of lovely ladies and lovely networking opportunities. It was the most ideal of times to pass out business cards--which I did!--but I quickly realized that something was missing from my business card game. Having redesigned my business cards earlier this year, and having just ordered spanking new cards from MOO (that's a referral link! Get 10% off of your first order!), I knew it wasn't my card game that was slacking.

Nope. It was my complete lack of a snazzy case to carry those cards in. Granted, when you order from MOO, they send your cards to you in a nice carrying case--but there was something about a lady claiming to be a stylish blogger gal, rocking her business cards in naught by the case they came in. It feel a little lazy. So I decided to find a nice card carrying case to order online, but nothing seemed right.

There are lots of business card case options online, but none were exactly what I was looking for--too dull, too huge, too small, or, in a few cases, too sold out. I eventually decided to make a case, using some polka dotted (yes!) vinyl that I found a local craft store. Martha's template became my base, and I added a little Texas flair by using pearl snaps instead of the button-stud that Martha used. Martha has many things, but Texas flair just isn't one of them. Pearl snaps are also crazy easy to find here--that may have been a contributing factor (always). 

No Big Dill has a great tutorial about this easy snap-setting method--the snaps I purchased also had an exceedingly useful set of graphic instructions on the back. I'm still attempting to figure out this whole snap-setting thing. Apparently they have tools for this sort of thing? 

Supplies
   Patterned vinyl
   Peal snaps
   Scissors
   Hammer
   Spool of thread
   Template (I used this one by Martha)

Directions

1. Print or trace the Martha template onto a sheet of plain paper. Cut out template, and lay over a piece of patterned vinyl. Cut vinyl fabric into card shape.
2. Fold the leather into an envelope shape: Bring the bottom triangle up, hold down with your finger. Bring the left and right flaps inward (slightly overlapping the points). Secure flaps with the bottom half of your snap. Hammer into place to set.
3. Attach peal snap and closure to the top point of your card case. Hammer into place to set. 

Baked Sunday Mornings: Oopsy Daisy Cake

It still scandalizes me to no end that there are people in the world (actually, large parts of the world) that don't consume peanut butter. It's not often that I say things like that 'oh thank goodness I'm American'--but I can make an exception for the perfect combination of peanut butter and chocolate (which, obviously, would not be possible without our cultural fixation on peanut butter). I'm a fiend for that combination, even to the point of eating spoonfuls of peanut butter and Nutella mixed when under emotional duress (ladies, I think you know what I mean). There's really nothing better.

This is where this post gets weird. I like to be able to taste everything before I post it here, but because of posting deadlines for Baked Sunday Mornings/my sister's birthday being today, this cake is still sitting in my fridge. We'll be cutting into tonight at my sister's birthday dinner, so wish me luck!  Note: don't worry, we made a cupcake to share to make sure that the batter and buttercream weren't poisonous (delicious!), so we're all good there.

Friday Five

1. I need this super cute ice cream party in my life 
2. "don't save things for a special occasion, every day of your life is a special occasion" 
3. Jewelry with a heart? Nothing could be better
4. ...without ice cream, there would be darkness and chaos. This print is my life. 
5. This make-your-own robot kit is the stuff of childhood dreams (maybe even some grown-up dreams too)

Honeydew Frozen Margarita

Hey blog! Sorry I've been a little missing in action this week (everyone in my life can attest to that fact, this week--even me--where am I?) It's been a bit crazy around here, but I have just the cure for craziness: a frozen cocktail.

Yes, I know it's another take on a margarita. So shoot me. My name is Chloë, and I love margaritas. It's like, 9000 degrees in Texas right now, and since it has been raining, we're basically living in a giant steamy, yet sunny, shower. It's gross, and probably not an image that inspires envy in many of you, but I digress. Margaritas. Y'all (yes, y'all). It's flipping steamy, and there's little better cure for "flipping steamy" than frozen beverages (extra points for frozen adult beverages).

This honeydew marg is the brainchild of, as usual, what I have left over from another project. In this case, the leftover honeydew puree from last week's pie gets a second chance at happiness, this time with less dairy.

Tangy, sweet, frozen party in your mouth. I think I just felt myself cool down a bit.

Honeydew Frozen Margarita 

Ingredients 
   2 oz tequila
   1 oz Grand Marnier 
   juice of 1 lime
   1 teaspoon agave syrup
   3 Tablespoons honeydew puree 
   ice

Directions 

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender, bled until ice is slushy in texture.
2. If desired, use a lime to coat the rim of the glass, roll the rim in sugar (not salt). Pour margarita into glass. Enjoy! 

Banana Bread Scones with Brown Sugar Glaze

I don't think it's any real secret that I'll happily take advantage of an opportunity to bake, well, anything. So when the very sweet Jamie of C.R.A.F.T. blog invited a group of us blogging ladies over for brunch, I knew it was time to try our a new breakfast recipe. By the way, it was my first blogger brunch--it's crazy to be able to discuss things like readership and content with a straight face, usually I gloss over my interest inn blogging when talking to strangers (sad but true). Blog ladies are my new favorites. New recipe, new friends, an excuse to dress-up, AND mimosas? Yes, yes, yes, yes and duh!

...and these scones, well, these are definitely the boys' new favorite breakfast treat! Bananas, a heavy hand with the cinnamon (because that's how we roll), and a sugar glaze make these scones the perfect treat for sophisticated, grown-up blog ladies or for rascally almost 8 year-old boys. Anything that can please those diverse crowds is a winner in my book!

Banana Bread Scones with Brown Sugar Glaze

from The Kitchn
Makes 8 scones (or more, if you cut them slightly smaller)

Ingredients 
   2 very ripe bananas (about 8 oz or 1 cup once mashed)
   2-4 tablespoons milk, whole or 2%
   1/2 cup (4 oz) plain yogurt, whole or 2%
   2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
   4 tablespoons granulated sugar
   2 teaspoons baking powder
   1/2 teaspoons salt
   1 teaspoon cinnamon
   4 tablespoons unsalted butter
   1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

For the glaze:
   1 tablespoons salted butter
   2 tablespoons milk, whole or 2%
   1/4 cup packed brown sugar
   1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
   1/4-1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

Directions

1. Mash the bananas and then add enough milk to make one total cup (if necessary). Stir in the yogurt and set aside.
2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Cut the butter into several pieces. Work it into the dry ingredients using a fork, pastry cutter, or your finger tips until there are no pieces of butter larger than a pea.
3. Pour the banana-yogurt mixture into the bowl with the flour and stir just enough to incorporate all of the flour. Fold in the walnuts, if using. This will make a fairly wet dough.
4. Line a dinner plate with a piece of wax paper and turn the dough out on top. Pat it into a disk about 1-inch thick and cover with another piece of wax paper. Freeze the scone dough for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
6. Peel off the top layer of wax paper and invert the scones onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Peel off the second layer of wax paper. Slice the scones into eight wedges and pull them apart a little to give them some room to expand. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the scones are firm to the touch and turning golden-brown on the edges. Cool completely and cut apart any scones that baked together with a sharp knife.
7. To make the glaze, melt the butter and the milk in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar and vanilla, and stir until the sugar has melted (heat for an additional 30 seconds in the microwave if necessary). Whisk in the confectioner's sugar, starting with 1/4 cup. Add more confectioner's sugar if desired to make a thicker glaze.
8. Just before serving, drizzle the glaze over the scones. The glaze will harden after setting for a minute or two, and can be served right away or packed for a later snack. The glaze can make the scones a bit sticky if kept for longer than a few hours, so store any scones to be eaten later un-glazed. Extra un-glazed scones can also be frozen and re-heated in a microwave or toaster oven.

Friday Five

I've done something certifiably crazy, and decided to enter a pie-baking contest. In honor (and terrified anticipation) of that event, I present to you, an all pie Friday Five!

1. Martha's Strawberry Ice Box Pie
2. Bittersweet Chocolate Tartlets with Flaky Spelt Crust + Crème Fraîche
3. Fresh Peach Tartlets
4. S'more Pie
5. Deep Dish Banoffee Pie 

Wish me luck! 

Summer Honey(dew) Pie

It all started with a challenge. Or it all started with Waitress. The challenge was to make something (anything) with melon during the month of July. Not an arduous challenge, if you're fond of melons--I often find most melons a little too sweet for my liking--but a challenge nevertheless. I obsess over "challenges", I'm just a little too type-A for some (many) things. I had been daydreaming (obsessing) about ways to incorporate melon into pie, when I felt myself overcome with the need to watch Waitress (for the 1,534th time), because, well, pie. So much pie eye candy in that movie, I can't even handle it. Also, Nathan Fillion... but, um, we can talk about him another day. (Pretty)

Waitress tought me a number of valuable life lessons, like, embrace the unexpected and don't marry an asshole--but perhaps most importantly, you can put anything in a pie dish! Even melons! This pie is actually a riff on a pie recipe that my mom perfected years ago. My mom's sour cream & lime pie is the stuff of legends--and Bon Appetit write-ups!--and this pie plays dessert homage to it, with a twist. Instead of the traditional sour cream, I used (homemade) crème fraîche to top this pie. You could buy your crème fraîche, instead of making your own, but I'm a newly converted cream culture-r, because (A) so easy! (B) so inexpensive! Mix in a little puréed melon to that crème, and you have a perfectly summery dessert.

So what about this silly pie name? Well, you could blame it on Keri Russell OR you could attribute it to the fact that this pie tastes like summer in a dish. It taste like water fights in freshly cut grass, and Popsicles from the ice cream man. It tastes like sleepy mornings and late nights. It tastes like Summer, honey. 

Homemade Crème Fraîche

from Food52
Ingredients 
   1 cup pasteurized heavy cream
   2 tablespoons buttermilk

Directions 

1. To start, pour 1 cup of heavy cream into a non-reactive container with a tight-fitting lid (you can use pretty much anything that isn't made from iron or aluminum).
2. Next, add 2 tablespoons of buttermilk to the heavy cream. Cover the container tightly and shake until everything is thoroughly combined. 
3. Loosely cover the container with parchment or a slightly damp paper towel and allow it to sit on your kitchen counter for 12 to 24 hours. For the best results, the temperature in your kitchen should be between 72 and 78 degrees F. 
4. Once it's at the consistency you want it (thick and creamy, but not stiff), transfer it to your fridge. The creme fraiche will last up to 2 weeks.

Graham Cracker Crust

from Southern Pies
Ingredients 
   1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 15 squares)
   3 tablespoons sugar
   1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar and stir with a fork to mix them well. Add the butter and stir to mix into crumbs evenly and well.
2. Press the buttery crumbs into a 9-inch pie pan, distributing the mixture evenly, and pressing firmly with your hands.
3. Place the crust in the center shelf of the oven. Bake until the crust is heated through and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Allow to cool to room temperature before adding the filling. 

Key Lime Pie Filling

from Southern Pies
Ingredients 
   4 egg yolks
   One 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk (go full fat, you’ll thank me)
   1/2c key lime juice (10-12 limes if they’re not too cottony, 15 if they are)
   1/4tsp salt

Directions

1. (If not already done, preheat the oven to 350 degrees) 
2. In a medium bowl, combine the yolks and the milk. Use a whisk to mix them well. Add the lime juice and salt, and stir until you have a smooth, thick filling. 
3. Spoon the filling into the cooled crust. Place the pie on the middle shelf of the 350 degree oven and bake 15 minutes until the filling is set. 
4. Place on a cooling rack and cool to room temperature. Cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or as long as overnight. 

Honeydew Crème Topping

Ingredients 

   2 cups chopped honeydew

   1 cup crème fraîche

   1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Directions

1. Puree honeydew melon pieces in a blender until almost liquid. (My honeydew wasn't particularly sweet, so I added 2 tsp of agave. This step is completely dependent on your melon's sweetness). Set aside.
2. In the chilled bowl of a stand mixer, whip the crème fraîche and vanilla bean paste until soft peaks form. Gently fold in 1 cup of pureed honeydew (or more to taste). Generously cover the lime pie with the honeydew creme. Refrigerate another two hours or until the crème is set. 

How to Brew Your Own Kombucha

I'm a huge fan of brewing my own kombucha, so this was a post that was bound to happen eventually. Being a homebrew kombucha evangelist means that I get a lot of questions about the process, so here, I'm writing it all down for you.

Let's start by talking about SCOBYs and where mine came from. Without a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. YUM) fermentation doesn't take place, kombucha doesn't happen, and you're left with little more than a gallon of sweet tea. SCOBYs are important. They're also kind of gross-looking. Mine is named Velma (seriously). I love Velma, and I grew her all by myself, from a bottle of my favorite local kombucha brew. I simply made a scant batch of tea (more on that later), doubled the recommended amount of sugar and left Velma alone for a few weeks to grow.

...and she did! See below (Velma has also been separated into Velma AND Thelma, who also brews excellent kombucha)

Ingredients 
   1 gallon purified water (not unfiltered tap water)
   1 cup white sugar
   6 tea bags (I rotate between green, black and oolong teas--avoid artificially flavors)
   SCOBY + approximately 1 cup of leftover kombucha

Supplies
   1 gallon glass jar (not plastic)
   fabric to cover the jar's opening

Directions

1. Make sure that everything you are planning to use for this project is well-cleaned. 
2. Bring purified water to a boil in a pot or kettle, then pour into your large glass container. Add sugar and tea bags. Steep the tea between 5 to 15 minutes. Do not allow to steep too long. Allow your tea to cool to room temperature before continuing--failure to do so could kill your SCOBY *sadface*. Cooling a large volume of tea takes an exceptionally long time, usually overnight.
3. Once your tea is fully cooled, drop your SCOBY and left over kombucha into the tea mixture. Cover with fabric, and store somewhere warm. Forget about your kombucha for a week. 
4. After a week or so (longer if you're beginning the process from a bottle of kombucha. Be patient  check on your kombucha. If it smells like kombucha, you're ready to bottle. You can also taste the brew, but I find that simply sniffing works perfectly well to determine whether it's finished. 

I bottle my kombucha in clean mason jars. I simply ladle the brew into the jars, passing it through a small handheld mesh strainer to catch some of the wayward cultures (a funnel is also helpful). Make sure that you're leaving enough kombucha in your large container to keep your SCOBY covered; it can dry out and die otherwise. This is also the point at which you can add fruits or other flavors (my favorite is slices of fresh ginger). 

After I've bottled and put lids on, I leave my kombucha out overnight to get nice and fizzy. Kombucha is naturally carbonated, but it won't get super fizzy in the fridge. Once you've reached your desired level of bubbliness, store your brew in the fridge and enjoy! 

Having said all of that, feel free to ask any questions! I've been brewing for two (or more?) years now, so I have a fair amount of experience and am happy to help convert you to a kombucha homebrewer too!

Baked Sunday Mornings: Malted Vanilla Milk Shakes

You need to know something about milkshakes (and me). I can count the number of fast-food shakes I've had in my life on both hands (maybe even one hand?). My parents, sneaky as they are, convinced me at a very young age, that the only place in the entire world that one could purchase a chocolate milk shake was from a spot called Dirty Martin's near the University of Texas campus. We didn't live near the campus, so it was always an exceptional treat when my mom would drive me down to Dirty's to get The Only Chocolate Milkshake in Existence. 

The ruse was kept up until a friend's parent took me to a McDonald's (something we didn't do) and offered to get me a chocolate shake. I was nine. My parents are weirdly good at keeping secrets. They were also weirdly good at keeping McDonald's "food" out of my mouth. Go parents! 

My mom still justifies this deception by claiming that Dirty's made the only real chocolate milkshake (just vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup and milk) in town. Don't worry Mom, this milkshake is as real of a deal as Dirty's. AND it's made with Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams recipe for vanilla ice cream. AND it's topped with homemade, vanilla bean paste whipped cream. 

It's the real-ist of the real. Even if I may have added too many crushed malt balls. 

Jeni's Splendid Ugandan Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams 

Ingredients
   2 cups whole milk
   1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
   1 1/2 ounces cream cheese, softened (3 tablespoons)
   1 1/4 cups heavy cream
   2/3 cup sugar
   1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
   1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
   1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1. Fill a large bowl with ice water. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch. In another large bowl, whisk the cream cheese until smooth.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the remaining milk with the heavy cream, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla bean and seeds. Bring the milk mixture to a boil and cook over moderate heat until the sugar dissolves and the vanilla flavors the milk, about 4 minutes. Off the heat, gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
3. Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Whisk in the salt. Set the bowl in the ice water bath and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 20 minutes.
4. Strain the ice cream base into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Pack the ice cream into a plastic container.
5. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream and close with an airtight lid. Freeze the vanilla ice cream until firm, about 4 hours.

Friday Five

1. Apparently Scandinavian Sandwich Parties are a thing... a "wildly hip" thing. I'm so on board. 
2. Wayne White brings the lols with his modified thrift store typography pieces. 
3. Great advice at your desk. 
4. Let's all say "yes" to BBQ pizza this summer.
5. Bunting made with embellished vintage linens? LOVE IT.

Homemade Magic Shell

This is one of those projects that I've been wanting to try forever. Forever meaning, of course, since I found out that it is possible to make homemade "Magic Shell" from two ingredients--two ingredients that we always keep in our house, at that. Why did it take me so long?

The thing about Magic Shell is that, aside from being awesome, it was one of the illicit joys of my childhood. A treat to be had at birthday parties and school celebrations, but not purchased by the parents. In turn, it's the kind of thing that I love as an adult, but never purchase (my hippie upbringing has given me no taste for many "childhood staples" like Pop Tarts or sugar cereals. Eww). So sometimes I look longingly at products like Magic Shell in the grocery store, and pass them up because they cost more than I think they should/contain weird ingredients/etc.

It's such a joy to learn that something you crave is (A) not terribly bad for you (B) simple to make at home. With that, I present to you, the easiest recipe of all time:

Homemade Magic Shell

from Gimme Some Oven

Makes approximately 1 cup 

Ingredients
   1 cup chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate)

   2 tablespoons coconut oil 

Directions

1. Stir together chocolate chips and coconut oil in a large glass mason jar (or microwave-safe bowl). Place in microwave and cook on high for 30 seconds. Remove and stir. 
2. Continue microwaving and stirring in 15 second intervals until all of the chocolate is melted. Remove and let sit until the chocolate reaches room temperature.
3. Serve with ice cream, or cover and store at room temperature (not in a refrigerator) for up to 1 month.

Potato Print Polka Dot Towels

I've been wanting to try out potato printing for awhile. I have actually made a few attempts recently, but I wasn't able to create something that I really loved--until I started using colors that, well, I really loved. Oh, and until I simplified my design. I was going all out with cutting excessively detailed designs into my potatoes, without much success.

Excessive complication is my nemesis.

This project is extraordinarily simple; over-complication will be its ruin, I promise. To make polka dots, I sliced off the small end of a russet potato--but I've heard that slicing fingerling potatoes in half works well. Obviously you can carve more intricate designs into your potatoes, and I promise, I'll be there shortly (I hope). I happen to love these imperfect circles, I find their wonkiness charming. Don't get too perfectionistic with this project, because regardless of how many factors you account for, it won't come out perfect.

If you want perfect towels, go to Target. If you want perfectly handmade towels, with just a touch of whimsy, make these.

Supplies
   Flour sack towels (mine came from Target)
   Fabric paint
   Potato
   A very sharp knife

Directions

1. Slice a potato in half, cut your desired design into the cut edge of the potato. You can use small cookie cutters to make precise shapes; I opted to use the shape of the potato itself. Make sure that you are using a very sharp knife--using a dull knife makes you more likely to cut yourself.
2. Apply paint to the stamp surface of your potato with a paintbrush. Stamp design onto towel surface. Repeat as desired*. Allow to dry fully before using. 

*if you're feeling OCD you can use a ruler to grid out your pattern. I did this on my first attempt at potato pattern printing, but ultimately found it unnecessary.