My Faves This Week

Let’s start with some fashion, shall we?  I bought these today on-line from H&M.  They are having a RIDICULOUS sale and I just can’t stop myself when the prices are this good… This adorbs dress is from Zulily.  I didn’t buy it, but I love it: Again, wish I had jumped on these bracelet at …

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Fool

I fooled myself into thinking that I had a stomach bug this weekend.  I didn’t.  The truth is that I ate bad foods.  Today I ate good foods and guess what?  I felt good and I had energy.  I’ve learned that when I eat processed, super sugary, high carb foods, I don’t feel good.  And …

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Play Time at Polyvore

I’m having so much fun playing with my closet over at Polyvore.  I’ve added a few more of the pieces that I own and I’ve put together some outfits. I’ve learned a few things while I’ve been working on this project.  I’ve learned that I probably have way more clothing than I will ever need. …

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Spring Mantel

I have a confession to make.  In between Christmas and, well Christmas, my mantel is bare.  Like, really bare.  For one, I am a big believer in things serving a purpose or being beautiful or special if they are going to have a place in the home.  Especially a place that is front and center …

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What I Made This Week

I didn’t make much, truthfully.  A touch of a stomach bug made me not very interested in food this weekend.  What I was interested in, was feeding my children with as little fuss as possible.  That’s when I remembered a little trick from I don’t even know when. Did you know that you can make …

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My Faves This Week

Today I’m pulling favorites from some of my early pins.  And a few newbies, too! Favorite Fashion Finds When I first saw this pin, I assumed it meant each item was under $100.  It’s actually in total under $100.  I love the idea of looking great but still sticking to a budget. This is what …

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Hutchington Post

I have an adorable little hutch in the ahh, the room that is nameless because it used to be the dining room and now is a den? living room?  Anyway, the hutch is colonial looking and natural wood at the moment.  Same as it was, I’m sure when it was erected in 1964. I’m definitely …

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Fail!

Ok, so, I’m a little panicky.  I had what was supposed to be a quick impromptu post yesterday to accept my Liebster Award (still basking in the glow!).  So, I put off my little project I had planned til today.  Remember this from My Fave’s this Week? It’s so fresh and personalized.  I just loved it.  …

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What I Made this Week

I found an amazing new blog this weekend.  I had promised in My Faves This Week on Friday that I would try a recipe from this pin with fifty paleo cookie recipes.  In that pin, was a link to a recipe for Hazelnut Meringue Cookies on the Paleo site,  Against All Grain.  There are some amazing recipes and gorgeous photography.  Please check it out.  And, if you’ve never made meringue cookies they are very easy (this recipe in particular is a little bit more complicated, but if you google other meringue recipes, you’ll find easier ones). Here are the details:

Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Meringue Cookies - Against All Grain

Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Meringue Cookies

AUTHOR: Danielle Walker – AgainstAllGrain.com

Ingredients:
  • 2 large egg whites, about 4 tablespoons
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ice water
  • 3/4 cup raw hazelnuts, toasted and finely chopped
  • 4 ounces dark chocolate, melted

Instructions:

  1. Bring 2 inches of water to a simmer in a saucepan.
  2. In a heatproof mixing bowl, combine the egg whites, honey, and pinch of salt.
  3. Place the bowl over the simmering water, careful not to let it touch the water. Whisk the egg whites constantly for 3-5 minutes, until they are warm to the touch.
  4. Remove from the heat, then transfer the mixing bowl to your stand mixer. Immediately begin whipping on high.
  5. Pour in the teaspoon of ice water, then keep beating on high until thick and glossy, about 5 minutes.
  6. Fold in 1/2 cup of the hazelnuts, keeping the remaining 1/4 cup for dipping at the end.
  7. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, or pipe with a pastry tip.

To Bake (note: the cookies will get a little darker in color in the oven)
Bake at 175 for 1.5 hours until the meringues are dry to the touch but not brown, then turn the oven off and let them cool with the oven door closed for another hour.

These came out delicious and pretty.  They will quiet your sweet tooth and they are rich enough that you won’t want to eat all of them in one sitting.

I also made a preview to St. Patrick’s Day recipe that also happens to be Paleo.  The name of the recipe from Nom Nom Paleo is the World’s Best Braised Green Cabbage.  I make it a point to try anything with World’s Best in the title.

World's Best Braised Green Cabbage

World’s Best Braised Green Cabbage

Here’s what to gather to feed 4-6 people:

  • 2 tablespoons melted lard, ghee, or bacon grease for coating the baking dish
  • 1 medium head green cabbage (about 2 pounds)
  • 1 large red or yellow onion, peeled and thickly sliced
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and cut in 1/4-inch coins
  • 1/4 cup bone broth or water
  • 1/4 cup melted lard, ghee, or bacon grease
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Aleppo pepper (optional)
  • Aged balsamic vinegar
Here’s what to do:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F with the rack in the middle. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with the melted fat.

2. Lop off the tough stem end of the cabbage and divide it into 6-8 wedges. Keep the core attached so the wedges stay intact after the long cooking time. Don’t worry: The tough core will get super tender, too.

3. Place the cabbage pieces in a single layer in the greased dish — a little overlap is okay. Toss on the onions and carrots and drizzle with broth and the melted fat. Season well with salt, pepper and Aleppo pepper (if using). Cover tightly with foil and place in the oven.

4. Cook the cabbage undisturbed for 1 hour. Crack open the foil cover and carefully flip the wedges over. Reseal the dish tightly and braise for another hour or until fork-tender.

5. At this point, you can remove the cabbage to cool and store in the fridge until you’re ready to eat it (up to 4 days). When you’re ready to serve, crank the oven up to 425 F and bake until browned (about 15 minutes).

6. Drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar and serve immediately.

This cabbage was soooooo flavorful.  I grew up on boiled cabbage and was never really a fan.  This cabbage with the vinegar is yummy.  Cooking in serious fat was fun, too.  I don’t know why.  It just was.  I’m sure you could replace it with something less, well, fat.  I didn’t.  But you probably could.

What have you been cooking?