Juice Time!

Those who know me well are accustomed to my international food collection. My curiosity knows no boundaries so long as there are no raisins or dried meat involved. Most recently I have been collecting juices and sodas from around the world. I think this has to do with the nostalgic appeal of childhood juice boxes and a general distate for American soda, although I do love a cherry Coke when at the movies. Overall this new experience has been a success, although some versions were a bit too sweet, there were new favorites from fruit that I never even heard of.  Plus the packaging is incredibly bright and inspiring. I now find myself coming home from class with a bowl of yogurt pretzels and juice, watching re-runs on tv - just like the good 'ol days. 

From top left: orange juice, Elderflower and Lingonberry juice from Sweden, South American Peach concentrate, Hawaiian guava nectar, Mexican strawberry soda, European Coca Cola, Italian Chinotto soda.  

Gingerbread Cake Bars

Some flavors such as peppermint and gingerbread have a distinct Christmas-y mood. The holiday season is saturated in everything peppermint flavored that sometimes I feel like I am living inside a candy cane for the month of December  However, gingerbread is one of my personal favorites and even though it is the end of January I am not sick of it. Yet.

Gingerbread has a distinct spicy flavor that is perfectly heavy and comforting in the deep dark days of winter. Every year Trader Joe's brings back their gingerbread cake mix and every year I stock my shelves. It is very rare to see me succumb to the "rookie" realm of mix baked goods but living in a dorm kitchen and with a college student has caused me to abandon my pride. This does not mean that my creativity must suffer the same fate.

I have come to see mixes as more of a secret weapon, like having a dutiful baking intern to do the dirty work of measuring and mixing. They leave me more time to work on fillings and frostings, which are also easier for my current situation. And the time spent washing bowls and measuring spoons is significantly shorter. 

 For this recipe I was inspired by my favorite treat at the Christkrindlmarket in Chicago. I left the cake base alone, but added my own glaze for the filling/top. The glaze is super easy; simply mix powdered sugar, milk and BAM. Sugary goodness has been created. Normally I add vanilla extract for flavor but since oranges are deliciously in season right now and orange-ginger is a classic combo, I added fresh orange juice.

I followed the directions on the box, but placed the mix in a larger pan than they suggested and decreased the cooking time. This created a very thin, moist cake. If you wanted more bars, you could make two boxes this way, but I am trying to be somewhat healthy this year so I restrained. Once the cake has cooled cover the whole pan with a layer of glaze. Let the glaze harden a few minutes and cut into even squares. If you make two cakes, simply layer one on top of the other. Finish with another generous topping of glaze

These soft bars are perfect for an afternoon snack with a hot cup of coffee and travel well, so bring some for a friend ;)

Hey Little Fishy

I forgot how calming it is to watch fish swim around in a tank. There is something about their graceful movements and the clear, blue water. Not to mention those adorable fishy lips. Perhaps I will invest in a tank for my dorm room. And put it on my desk for more homework distractions ;) 

Vintage Shopping

In the midst of crazy Christmas shopping I found these vintage treasures for my kitchen.

Beautiful gold decoration on the edges and the detailed images...

 As pretty as a postcard...

I love the red and black color combo on this little cup which is perfect for my morning Keifer yogurt. The plain glasses are perfect for a casual glass of wine, I just feel wrong drinking wine out of plastic cups - keep it classy!

Better Together

Buttercream Snickerdoodle Sandwiches 

For my birthday, I decided to make one of my favorite recipes from the past year (seen here). Good news is they were as fantastic as I remember. Except afterwards I found myself with an extra tub of frosting (I am always very worried about having skimpily frosted anything). To keep myself from consuming the enture container with a spoon, more baking needed to be done ASAP. Feeling a bit lazy and confined by my dorm room kitchen, the search was on for a recipe that involved minimal work and mess. Snickerdoodle cookies to the rescue! 

Snickerdoodles are one of the easiest cookies to make, other than the classic chocolate chip. Their cinnamon flavor also feels very fitting for a crisp autumn day. I found a recipe here, but if you find yourself in a time crisis, Betty Crocker also has a box mix that will work. 

Now for the frosting. Let me please take a few line to profess my deep love for this confection. It is everything that you would hope and dream for; smooth consistency that won't drip or dry out. Soft, creamy color that resembles a perfect cloud. The flavors of real vanilla, butter and cream, merged together, none of that artificial deception. Be warned, this is not low-fat, healthy or even remotely good for your caloric intake. But it will make you happy. 

Like bacon and eggs, both the cookies and frosting are great on their own. Together, however, they are a dangerously delicious combination. 

p.s. don't forget about the sprinkles!!! 

Basic French Toast

Yesterday I moved back into college (senior year!). Moving is by far one of my least favorite things, so to make it more bearable I made french toast for breakfast. What better way to enjoy my last meal at my home kitchen than a sweet sugar and carb combination. Plus it's one of my brother's favorites and since he was left to help me haul all my stuff back and forth, he deserved it.

After much researching and testing, I found that this recipe from Alton Brown is my favorite. The honey gives it some sweetness without all the extra sugar (if you are like me, you already drown it syrup anyway). I follow his 2-3 min suggestion on the pan and it ends up perfect. If you make several rounds, however, make sure you keep a close eye on it because as the pan gets hotter, the cooking time decreases.

Another nice thing about this recipe is it's versatility. I made this the day after a holiday weekend, which meant the fridge was pretty bare, meaning no milk (we should have a cow in the backyard with all the milk my family consumes). We did however, have some vanilla coconut milk. After about 5 minutes of deliberation, seriously staring into the fridge, I decided that I really, really wanted - no needed- french toast.

My risk was a success! My brother didn't even notice until I pressed him to tell me if it tasted strange, he silently shook his head no while continuing to eat. This makes a great non-dairy option for those who are allergic. For my mom and sister who can't have gluten, this batter also works with any sort of gluten-free bread you like. More options:

• Substitute regular milk for half and half (or coconut milk like I did)
• Add a little cinnamon sugar on top just before putting into pan
• Fresh fuit tastes amazing on top, especially strawberries, raspberries and orange slices
• Can't go wrong with a healthy serving of whipped cream
• Experiment with different breads (I avoid anything whole wheat/whole grain). Good 'ol Wonder white bread and Butternut are good, cheap options. 

Life's Simple Pleasures

Enjoying a Sprinkles cupcake on the train home from the city.

(Thankfully no one was sitting next to me seeing as how I managed to look like a 5-year old trying not to make a mess while eating it.)