cozy

While it does this outside...

We're doing this inside...

Today, I don't mind the snow so much.

the little can that could

See this can?

Not to be dramatic, but it might be the single greatest thing I've ever tasted. It's a red pesto with truffles made by Urbani. Anders brought it back for me from Eataly when he was in New York last year. We put this little sauce on pasta, but I also spread in on toast to make veggie sandwiches that were so good I teared up every time I took a bite. When it was gone, I pouted and complained so much that Anders had our local Italian shop special order me another can for Christmas! I ate it happily until a few days ago when I used it all up. So, I decided the only thing to do was to try to recreate it on my own. I found this tomato pesto recipe online and followed it exactly except I swapped out one of the tablespoons of olive oil for truffle oil. I wouldn't say it was exact match for my beloved can of pesto, but it would work in a pinch. We ate it over pasta with vegetables and homemade meatballs!

Turns out, I didn't need to go to all that work because you can buy the tomato pesto online! I'm pretty excited. If you are in a tomato-y mood, I fully recommend either version.

* Urbani is not paying me to promote their product, but I will happily except free cans of pesto if they feel so inclined...

don't be jealous

Date night at El Camion taco truck...

...in the Home Depot parking lot.

(I promise it really does rock the house!)

maggie in action

Ready...

Set...

wait...I wasn't ready...

GO!!!

Phew...got it.

backyard dance party

Last year I got my first sewing machine, and my Mom has been teaching me how to sew. This, of course, is a bit hard since she lives 2,000 miles away, but we have been making it work. I usually save a ton of questions for when she comes to visit, but she also talks me through things over the phone. She has also been known to send detailed, hand-written instructions with diagrams made out of real fabric. This may or may not have happened on multiple occasions. So, last year, with my Mom's help (and Maggie's), I worked on my very first quilt and had it almost completed. Since one of my New Year's goals is to finish all old projects, I made this quilt my first priority. I really love how it came out. It's bright and colorful, and I have this vision of using it for summer picnics.

Or...maybe I'll just hang it up in the backyard for impromptu dance party photo shoots.

spiced almond milk and a thought process

I've been making regular nut milk for awhile now. I was making a standard batch when I thought to myself, I should really mix this up a bit. So, I started pulling spices and ingredients, and, as I'm doing this, I started thinking about how this would make a great gift. Of course, then I began to think that maybe a nut milk gift is kind of weird, and maybe I'm the only person out there who would like to receive it. However, this made me then think of my friend, Dina. Dina would also appreciate homemade nut milk! She is fun and unique and likes homemade goods. I mean, she was totally on board with putting bacon in caramel, so she would definitely be into spiced milk. Thinking about Dina made me think of her 29 days of soup project and how she gave Anders and I the most delicious tomato basil soup. Then, I started thinking about how even though I did thank her, I always meant to return the kindness. And then I thought...I know just the thing to give her!

And that, my friends, is how Dina got some almond milk.

Spiced chocolate almond milk

Ingredients:

2 cups of raw almonds, soaked in water overnight

5 soft dates (if your dates aren't soft, just soak them in warm water for 5 minutes)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder 

2 tablespoons cacao powder

Directions:

Drain and rinse the soaked almonds very well. Add them to a blender with 4 cups of water and all the other ingredients. Blend on high until well mixed. Strain milk through a milk nut bag into a pitcher and squeeze the pulp to make sure you get out all the milk. If you don't have a nut bag, you can strain it through a regular strainer and use your fist to squeeze the excess out of the pulp. Pour milk from pitcher into a clean jar. It will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

It tastes great by itself, in granola or as a smoothie base!

helpers

Now that I have a new sewing room, Maggie likes to invite her friend over and, together, they help
me with my current project. 

And by help, I mean lay on top of it.