Vader Cakes & Hot Leia Buns

Happy Star Wars Day! May the Fourth be with you (and also with you).

Last year I partied on with these boozy lightsaber pops and this year I have a couple of tasty treats for you to easily whip up and enjoy. The first will surely have you succumbing to the dark side, and the second will have you praising the greatest assets of the hottest princess in galactic history. 

First up, Vader cakes! Evil red velvet cake on the outside, filled with a dark and chewy, fudge brownie center. These bad boys are so deliciously addicting. Each bite fill have you forgetting all about your diet and surrendering to its irresistible dark side.  

For these you'll need: 
4 eggs
 ⅔ cup of vegetable oil
1 ½ water
Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake Mix
Duncan Hines Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix

Make batter according to instructions found on the box and pour into a cupcake pan lined with wrappers. 

Now the secret to getting the brownie mix in the center of the cupcake (and not falling to the bottom) is to pour your red velvet batter into each cup about ¾ of the way full and drop a dollop of brownie mix (about half a tablespoon) on top. While it's baking, the brownie mix will sink perfectly into the middle of the cupcake and you'll see a little bit of the brownie peaking out the top. 

Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick is poked in the center and comes out clean. 

Grab your lightsaber, throw the cupcake up in the air and use the force to chop that sucker in half. Devour with an evil grin. 

After Vader Cakes, I didn't think anything could bring me back to the light! Until a vision of the gorgeous, golden goddess known as Princess Leia popped into my head. Oh baby! Let's take a second to honor the sexiest feature on this fine woman - dem buns. 

Delicious Nutella slathered on a cinnamon roll, rolled up tight, enjoyed warm and fresh out of the oven. So easy, it's hardly considered a recipe, but the taste of sugary cinnamon and rich hazelnut, chocolate spread is out of this world. Who knew? 

May the force be strong with all you as your enjoy this beautiful weekend! Happy Day!

♥

J.J. Watt Charity Classic

Last week I received an email for an exciting opportunity to volunteer at J.J. Watt's Charity Classic softball game at Constellation Field in Sugarland. 

His foundation would be raising money for more after-school athletics programs for kids in the area.  As soon as I read "Would you be interested in participating?", I sat straight up in my chair  and typed "Yes!!" as fast as I could.

I may not be the biggest sports aficionado, but any event involving crowds and having a good time all for the sake of charity is right up my alley. And after seeing all the heart-melting generosity from the Houston Texans around town (Exhibit A & B), I was thrilled to volunteer. Not to metion it was a sold out event with famous football players...I had to go!  

Saturday morning came and I awoke with adrenalin pumping through my veins. I was ecstatic to meet my first professional football player. After a bit of traffic I arrived at the stadium with just enough time to race around the venue, across the freshly mowed grass, up to home plate and jump in the group photo.

The serious...

And the silly...

By mid-morning the day was shaping up to be a warm and sticky one (typical Houston). I was assigned to work the concession stand and there was no way in hell I was going to make greasy chili dogs and nachos under a bunch of heat lamps for 5 hours. Instead, I  cleverly sneaked down to the end of the stand where ice cream and beers would be served. My day transformed into hours filled with adorable kids, drunk adults, and a much cooler environment. 

It was sheer pandemonium during the game and the lines never ceased to slow down. But I was a maniac behind the counter, serving huge waffle cones filled with swirls of sweet ice cream, filling pints to the brim with refreshing chilled beer like a champ. Just look at this satisfied customer!

I also managed to sneak away and grab a few pics of the game.

Moichandising! 

The slogan for the J.J. Watt Foundation is "Dream Big Work Hard" which fits perfectly because that day he and his teammates successfully raised $300,000 toward his cause! So awesome!

In appreciation for our efforts, we our pictures taken with J.J. after the game. He wasn't signing autographs but I managed to find a way to get a moment with him and this cute onesie for my friend Jackie who's due in July. 

♥

Greekamole

Mmmm...avocados and feta. Two of my very favorite foods whipped into a dip that's so ridiculously addicting, thick, and utterly delicious, I couldn't stop myself from scooping this blend of heaven onto soft pita slices, sighing contently with each bite. 

This Cinco de Mayo, I say everyone busts out of their usual guacamole/queso/salsa routine and blow some minds with this bright green bowl of Greekamole. I mean come on, it's 2013, there's a dong doodle on Mars, the times they are a changin'. Plus how could you possibly go wrong with a bowl of rich, creamy avocados, smothered in salty feta with a spicy kick of jalapeño? You can't. Everybody knows that feta makes it betta, yo!

Bonuses - This dip so easy to make and takes no time at all. As long as you have a food processor (or blender) and 10 minutes to spare, you'll be enjoying this beautiful bowl of bliss with hardly any effort at all. And the lime juice keeps the avocados from turning brown so you can make it in advance! Just store in an air-tight container, hidden in the way back of fridge to resist that sweet temptation for one more bite. 

You'll need:

2 avocados, peeled and pit removed
½ cup feta cheese
¼ cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced jalapeño⅓ cup chopped cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
Pinch of salt and pepper
Pita chips, veggies, bread, crackers, etc.

1. Toss  avocados, feta, onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice into a food processor or blender.  Blitz until smooth and creamy, seasoning with salt and pepper until your taste buds cry, "Oh Baby!".

2. Spoon your magic into a bowl and serve with warm pita bread, sliced veggies, bread, or crackers.

♥

Water 4 Kids International

With so much bad and sad news going on over the past week, I haven't felt much like cooking or writing. Slowly I feel like I'm coming back to my senses, and I thought it'd be nice to get back in the swing of things with a sunshine-spreading good deed.

My amazing sister (Colleen) has partnered with Water 4 Kids International to raise funds for clean water wells in Africa and India. She's participating in a 4 mile walk, has a $500 goal to reach by this Saturday (April 27th), and she could really use your help!

Last year Colleen went on a mission trip to Uganda and saw first-hand what a difference clean water can make. Without these wells, women and kids have to walk 2-3 miles, through fields filled with poisonous snakes and barbaric, terrible men just for a few gallons of contaminated, disease-ridden water. (I'm talking about water that people bathe and go to the bathroom in. Gross.) It really puts things in perspective as to how fortunate we are to have clean water at the turn of a knob, don't you think?

My sister would appreciate anything you can give to this wonderful cause with all her heart - every little bit helps! Here's a link to Colleen's fundraising page (the tab says Maya Burckin - that's my niece). 

Going back to everything that happened last week, if you're looking for ways to help the city of Boston, I checked out the links below and they're legit. These amazing organizations could certainly use your help: 

Limbs for Life

Challenged Athletes Foundation

Amputee Coalition

American Red Cross - Eastern Massachusetts 

♥

Sunday Sparkler

I've been meaning to make these sparkling cocktails for months now. My first sip was way back in December at my dear friends Russ and Andie's wedding reception (such a blast), and ever since I kept randomly daydreaming about how good they were and their unique flavor combination, until I'd snap back to reality, popping my thought bubble into thin air. 

Last Sunday, I was on a mission to spend the day cooking my heart out and enjoying this cocktail. (No bubble bursting allowed.)

Mission accomplished, and this drink tasted as incredible as I remembered. 

I love this drink because it tastes like a blissful smashing of two seasons. The bright, energizing lemon and prosecco tastes like summer. The aromatic, savory rosemary with sweet honey syrup tastes like a mug of tea on a winter's day. Add a little sugar and vodka to the mix and these flavors are sure to get along just fine.

To be enjoyed lounging outside on a sunny, Spring day in mason jars  or your next swanky party at night in champagne flutes. It's a versatile drink that never fails to evoke a "wow". 

• Makes 4 - 6 drinks
• 3 lemons juiced (or ¾ of a cup of lemon juice)
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 bunch fresh rosemary
• 4 ounces vodka (or more)
• Chilled prosecco

1. In a small pot, bring lemon juice, water, sugar and honey to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and stir until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Add 2 stems of rosemary and simmer for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Take our the rosemary and allow mixture to cool in the fridge.

2. For 2 drinks, pour 1 cup of lemon liquid and 1 shot of vodka into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into glasses, until about ¾ full. Top with chilled prosecco. Garnish with rosemary and enjoy!  

♥

Sigur Rós at Bayou Music Center

Holy cannoli, last night was the most epic, mind-blowing concert I've ever seen! Looking back on past concerts I've been to, I think I've made a pretty good dent in my musical bucket list; The Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Madonna,  Radiohead, Lady Gaga, Local Natives, Fleet Foxes. But this show was so spiritual and special to me, when it was over I l felt completely reborn.

If Heaven had music playing when you arrived, it would definitely come from Sigur Rós. Their sound is so euphoric and transcendent. Every note and breath fills you up, completely cleansing your soul.

When I saw Heima a couple years ago (Which if you haven't seen, do yourself a favor. It's ah-mazing.), I was so envious of the Icelandic audience. The way they humbly pulled up a seat on a patch of grass in the middle of nowhere, with packed picnic baskets and loved ones close by, soaking up the show as their setlist unfolded. 

I wanted a moment like that so badly. So instead of joining the masses standing in the crowd, I sneaked off by myself to a less crowded area to the left of the stage. I enjoyed the show sitting cross-legged on the floor, often closing my eyes and lowering my head to take in the feeling washing over me, releasing all my emotions and crying like a baby when Svefn-G-Englar played. A couple girls sat next to me on the floor, and we exchanged smiles. I wondered if they too had always dreamed of watching the show like this.

Here are a couple videos. The second clip is a bit short because I was a total ding-a-ling and forgot to charge my camera battery. Innocent blogging snafu.

♥

An Overnight Tart

Not that kind of tart, silly. The pastry kind! I know weekends at my place can get a little crazy, but a prostitute staying the night is never, ever going to happen. Well, unless she's one of those friendly hookers like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman...with mannish features..and I've had a lot of wine. Maybe then I'd consider it.

Anyway, I've titled this post as bluntly as possible (meaning that this in an overnight recipe) in an effort to diminish some confusion that really grinds my gears about a lot of online recipes. Sure, 99% of the problem is probably due to my laziness and overly-excited brain, but this is my blog, and here I'm always right.   

In the most ladylike way, I just have to say, "Darn you, online recipes!". Too many times you get me all excited about a fun, new dish to cook, letting me rush to the store without any makeup on, chasing the daylight hours to cook and photograph, only to get to the Finish Line and see those three dreaded words - "Let sit overnight".  It's not my fault I didn't read the recipe completely, you should have been nice and told me that in the beginning. 

Alright alright, enough about that. Lucky for me not all was lost and this golden mango curd could be refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to a week. That gave me just enough time let it chill for a bit before scooping into a ready made crust, calling it a day.  

Just don't tell the neighborhood this baby was refrigerated. I want them to think I'm that hip, old school girl who bakes pies on the weekends, leaving them on the windowsill to cool. 

Another bonus - This dessert is practically liquid sunshine. Not only is it light and citrusy (perfect for spring), but the tryptophan loaded mangoes are sure to boost your serotonin levels making you one bright and shiny superstar. 

I doubled the recipe below (from Bon Appetit's June 1998 issue) to make one deep dish tart:

• 1 15-ounce ripe mango, peeled, pitted, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Pinch of salt
• 4 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Puree first 4 ingredients in processor, scraping down sides of work bowl occasionally. Add yolks; puree 15 seconds longer. Strain through sieve set over large metal bowl, pressing on solids with back of spatula to release as much puree as possible. Discard solids in sieve.
Set metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water); whisk puree until thickened and thermometer registers 170°F., about 10 minutes. Remove from over water. Whisk in butter 1 piece at a time. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

See! That last step! *shakes fist* 

♥

Epic Friday: A Fairy Tale Wedding

Once upon a time, in the coolest city in the U.S., there lived a noble Sergeant named Matt Gaines. Matt was a real guy's guy. A medic in the Army, heroic crime-fighter, avid marathon runner, and could shotgun a beer faster than the most brutish ogre in the land!

Also living in Houston was the lovely Maid Jackie, who was simply amazing. She was radiant, and everyone loved her for her honesty, kindhearted and caring nature, positivity, and a smile that could light up the night like Gotham City's Bat-Signal.

One day, Sgt. Matt spotted Maid Jackie and knew in his heart and guts that she simply had to be his. She was everything he could have dreamed of, with an infinite knowledge of sports to boot! Their fate was written in the cosmos and these magnificent souls couldn't be happier.

 

On Good Friday (which will forever be known as Epic Friday), the dynamic duo held a quiet, private ceremony in the park surrounded by their closest friends. It was magical.

(Of course beer and champagne aren't their closest friends, ya crazy. I'm just setting the scene up!)

The townspeople were ecstatic about the celebration!

Even the tiniest of forest creatures had heard the big news!

Beneath the shaded trees in beautiful Rothko Chapel park, nestled between our homes and hearts, these single stars became a constellation, and a family. The love in the air was positively infectious, and anyone caught in the gentle breeze of their whispered "I Do"s was swept into a sheer state of euphoria and all consuming love. 

After a few moments of lovey-doveyness, it was time to do what we do best - PARTY ON!

Everyone drank, hula-hooped, danced, and laughed for hours until the sun couldn't take it anymore and was swallowed up by the night sky.

That day was theirs. That was the day that made them eternally so.

♥