Autumn panzanella salad

This is a salad I found in Saveur around this time last year, and I've kept it close to my heart ever since. It made me realize that you can get all the herbaceous and savoriness of fall flavors without making a big ol' casserole or roast chicken. I had never before thought to use thyme, rosemary, sautéed shallot, and crispy pancetta in a salad, combined with big hunks of toasted bread. And even though this salad might make its way onto a table alongside said glorious casserole or perfect roast chicken, it will seriously still hold its own—which is hard for any leafy green to do. Speaking of: baby arugula, I choose you all day / every day for my green of choice. Arugula is so packed with peppery flavor that it doesn't even taste like a form of lettuce. It takes dressing so well without losing its spice and crispness, and each piece is already in bite sized form, with such a pretty shape.

FoodThe PasticheNovember 9, 2015fall, salad, panzanella, arugula, sides, dinner2015, salad2015, sides2015 Comments

Staying cozy this fall and winter

PeriodicalsThe PasticheNovember 6, 2015cozy, guide, fall, winter, cold weather, cozy guide, scarves, pajamas, candle, blanket, slipper, J. Crew, Anthropologie, lights, West Elm, pumpkin spice Comments

Worthy Reads

PeriodicalsThe PasticheNovember 5, 2015Alaska, articles, links, floral, psychology, politics, self improvement, happiness, love, jenna lyons, cooking, worthy reads Comments

Smoked salmon spread with lemon and dill

As hard as I try to change it, I’m just not a huge fan of salmon. It’d be the last thing I’d order off a menu, and I’ve had too many bad versions of it to leave me very hopeful about having my mind changed. However, I can name a lot of people whose favorite fish is salmon! It’s just a divisive taste, I suppose. I absolutely love, though, all of the flavors that are so often served alongside of it—dill, lemon, creamy yogurt and sour cream, red onion, etc. And I’ve discovered a particular kind of smoked salmon that I really, really enjoy.

FoodThe PasticheNovember 4, 2015salmon, smoked salmon, dip, dill, lemon, appetizers, make-ahead, party foods, fish, seafood Comments

Having the courage to do what you know you have to do

If you’re at all like me, you’re cringing right now at that title alone. Maybe you even avoid articles of this nature because of the discomfort they cause you. I promise you, I get it, and I've been there, and I know I will be there again sometime. But without further ado, I thought about some concepts that have helped me and pushed me to be brave over the past several months, as difficult as they were to embrace. I think these truths are really relevant for anyone who might be in the same boat and is subconsciously looking for that boat to be rocked a little.

ThoughtsThe PasticheNovember 3, 2015courage, self improvement, change, honesty, relationships, life Comments

Croissant bread pudding with old fashioned lemon sauce

I love anything and everything that has to do with custard. And because I'm not a big chocolate fan, my weakness lies with custard desserts, and if they're combined with lemon—goodnight. This dessert is another inspired by my grandma, but with a twist. The lemon sauce is one she's been serving with her bread pudding forever, and it's divine. The sweet citrus is what takes the bread pudding to a whole other level. So, using her old fashioned lemon sauce, I'm upgrading Ina Garten's delicious croissant bread pudding. This is such a comforting dessert—perfect for fall and winter—and it's very, very easy to make.

FoodThe PasticheNovember 2, 2015bread pudding, lemon, pudding, Grandma, baking, croissants, make-ahead, brunch2015, sweets2015 Comments

Good Mornin' Granola hostess gift

One of my very favorite things about the holidays is the little displays of thoughtfulness that seem to be so much more prevalent: people hosting get-togethers, writing and sending holiday cards in the mail, giving away cookies, etc. I think it’s so fun being on both the giving and receiving end of these little gestures. Since so many people travel for Thanksgiving and Christmas, I thought it’d be a sweet and easy idea to feature a few DIY host/hostess gifts in the upcoming weeks.

Food, DIYThe PasticheOctober 30, 2015granola, hostess, hostess gift, mason jar, fall, vegetarian, snacks, brunch2015 Comments

Worthy Reads

PeriodicalsThe PasticheOctober 29, 2015worthy reads, links, articles, short stories, psychology, cupcakes and cashmere, bridesmaid, wedding, Halloween Comments

Lemony celery and parmesan salad

Sometimes simple is just the best, and sometimes healthy and light is what your body is craving (a weekend full of burgers and eggs Benedict and Indian takeout and wine and cocktails helps get you and your skinny jeans there real quick). Ina Garten’s celery salad is truly the answer, and every time I make it I’m amazed at how flavorful and refreshing it is. I had never thought of celery as an ingredient to shine in a dish (I usually eat it smothered in blue cheese—#health—or chopped up in soup), but the citrusy dressing and salty parmesan turn it into something wholly different and I am all about it. This salad is the perfect light side dish to chicken or grilled fish for dinner, and it makes a great lunch salad as well.

FoodThe PasticheOctober 28, 2015celery, salad, sides, parmesan, light, healthy, summer, fall, spring, vegetarian, lunch2015, salad2015 Comments

Lace and lace ups

And color blocking in oxblood and poppy red...

StyleThe PasticheOctober 27, 2015red lace up flats, flats, lace, blazer, fall, outfit of the day, style, fashion, Topshop, H&M, LOFT, Anthropologie Comments

Dijon and wine braised chicken thighs

It's a cow's world and chickens are just living in it. In fact, it's a world shared by cows, pigs, fish, even plants, and chickens are just living in it. That's how I tend to feel about it, anyway—I'd choose steak, a burger, pork, halibut, shrimp, scallops, etc. over chicken nearly any day of the week—unless, of course, we're talking about chicken thighs. "To me, you are perfect" - Love Actually, and also me talking to chicken thighs. A rose among thorns. A diamond in the rough. AKA chicken thighs.

FoodThe PasticheOctober 26, 2015chicken, chicken thighs, dinner, fall, winter, Dutch oven, mustard, thyme, braised, rosemary Comments

Shameless product plugs

I love finding the products and things of life that are just dependable, satisfying, and perfect; items that I want to stock up on, Y2K style, for fear they will stop being produced at some point. I often think I could so easily be a spokesperson for these products because I genuinely love them and practically want to shout it from the rooftops...

Worthy Reads

PeriodicalsThe PasticheOctober 22, 2015articles, links, worthy reads, sleep, ina garten, olsen, storing produce, self improvement, Halloween Comments

Baked eggs with blistered cherry tomatoes

This goes down in history as one of the prettiest dishes to photograph/serve/eat. It’s so colorful, silky, and multi dimensional—it looks gorgeous from every angle. It’s actually incredibly simple to make, too, and I don’t feel it’s very sensitive to such things as what ingredients you throw in (don't fret if you don't have exactly what my version calls for), what dish you cook it in, etc. The most important thing to keep in mind is seasoning! Eggs need proper seasoning—namely salt and pepper—but fresh herbs and sharp cheese go so, so well too.

FoodThe PasticheOctober 21, 2015eggs, cherry tomatoes, baked eggs, brunch2015Comment

Making friends after college

This is a topic that feels so relevant to people our age, and I've been asked to write about it. Many of us know all too well the struggle of making friends for the first time in several years, and now with the added difficulty of it being out there in the real world as opposed to at school. I've given a lot of thought and reflection to what has helped me, as well as other people I know, make friends in post grad life.

ThoughtsThe PasticheOctober 20, 2015friends, how to, how to make friends, post-grad life, twenties, friendship Comments

Roast beef sandwiches with caper-horseradish mayo and arugula - to go!

Jon is a man of many hats—one of the more common ones is workman. He has completely gutted and/or renovated and/or built out all three of his restaurants, and he really, really enjoys it. He is currently engaged in the overhaul of the kitchen at the bar, and on Sunday, he and two friends planned to work on it all day. I thought it would be nice to bring them over lunch, so I made what is my favorite deli meat sandwich, inspired by one from a local bakery that I can't get enough of: good white bread, roast beef, provolone, arugula, red onion, and caper mayo with a little bit of horseradish. Grilled. And served with kettle chips. It's perfection.

FoodThe PasticheOctober 19, 2015roast beef, sandwiches, arugula, summer, fall, winter, spring, lunch2015 Comments

DIY marbled clay jewelry dishes

When I first saw this DIY on Pinterest, I loved it, but I also sighed in disappointment at how involved and difficult it looked. Isn't that always how DIY projects go? One night at midnight you pin 13 projects that you're all jazzed up about, only to wake up the next day and wonder what came over you that you thought you'd actually pursue these crafts. That's a little how I felt with this one, inspired by A Beautiful Mess, but as it turns out, for no reason! This is not nearly as involved as it looks, and the materials were also inexpensive. Plus, the final product is stinkin' cute! Worth it.

DIYThe PasticheOctober 16, 2015home decor, jewelry, DIY, clay, gold leaf, pottery, dishes, paint, jewelry dish Comments

Worthy Reads

PeriodicalsThe PasticheOctober 15, 2015worthy reads, links, articles, sauce, finance, budget, cognitive science, event planner Comments

Pumpkin cookies with caramel brown butter frosting

My best friend has coined these things ‘pumpkin delights’ because they’re actually the most delightful and heavenly little cookies of all time. These are another of my grandma’s recipes, and certainly one of my favorites. They are soft and pillowy and cakey, with incredible frosting made by caramelizing brown sugar and butter. They are the perfect pumpkin cookie—with no fake pumpkin flavor or forced sweetness or too many spices. I can’t express how much I love them. If you’re going to bake anything this fall, bake these!

High-low marled gray

And put on a hat on it for fall...

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