Jon's four-cheese lasagna

As much as I love cooking, I just as much love being cooked for. Why does it always taste better when someone else makes it?! Fact. And even if by ‘cooking’ I just mean being poured a bowl of cereal...it’s still the best! Whether it’s a hearty dinner or something simple and thrown together, it just always feels special. It sounds strange, but I so look forward to a day of having little munchkins running around my house who might one day decide to make me breakfast or something special for Mother’s Day—I think I’ll find it the absolute sweetest thing on earth.

Anyway, Jon makes a great lasagna, and it’s one of my very favorite home-cooked, indulgent comfort foods...

FoodThe PasticheDecember 29, 2015lasagna, winter, fall, spring, pasta, tomatoes, cheese, four cheese lasagna, make-ahead, dinner2015Comment

Christmas traditions

One of my very favorite things is hearing about other people's traditions, especially those related to Christmas. I love hearing how other people do things for the holidays with the hope that I'll be inspired in different ways to incorporate some ideas into my own family's traditions someday.

I asked all of my friends to share some of their favorite holiday traditions with me, and just as I suspected would happen, there is such a fantastic range of sweet/unique/funny ideas and events and memories.

May your Christmas be merry and bright and full of joy, and may these stories get you in the Christmas spirit and help drum up some of your own warm and cheery Christmas memories!

ThoughtsThe PasticheDecember 24, 2015Christmas, traditions, Christmas traditions, friends, family Comments

Pulling myself out of a funk

I am someone who, with too much time on my hands, can quite easily fall into what is most accurately described as a funk. A day can start off with a lot of promise, and yet it seems if I don’t attack it with enough purpose or direction, I begin “bumbling” aimlessly and my mood can spiral downward pretty quickly. And I find myself so envious of those who love to lounge all day, never leaving the house, etc. I WANT to love it, and I crave it and look forward to it when I’m busy or after a week full of work, but when it actually comes around to it, I go a little bit insane doing it. And with enough sitting or lounging, I get into a kind of funk that can be difficult to pull myself out of. Do you relate at all to this?...

ThoughtsThe PasticheDecember 22, 2015self improvement, anxiety, life, thoughts Comments

Crudités with green goddess dip

Done right, this is an appetizer that holds its own among the greats. The green goddess dip is key here with its seriously zesty zip from garlic, green onion, lemon juice, and lots and lots of fresh basil. It is a perfect appetizer to throw together at a moment’s notice during this party-filled time of year. Because it is relatively simple in nature, I really like to focus on a pretty presentation, which is no more work but results in a slightly classier finished product.

My gift arsenal

When wandering around the mall or browsing stores online just doesn't seem to be cutting it, this my go-to gift arsenal. Many focus on experiences rather than things, and a large part relies on tailoring your thoughtfulness to the specific person in mind to give a fitting gift, and one the person will surely, surely love.

HomeThe PasticheDecember 18, 2015gift guide, Christmas gift ideas, ChristmasComment

Worthy Reads

PeriodicalsThe PasticheDecember 17, 2015science, cognitive science, brain, Roald Dahl, life, self improvement, makeup, inspiration, articles, worthy reads, links Comment

Raspberry linzer torte

I couldn’t possibly talk about raspberry linzer torte without using the circumstances to exploit my mom in regards to what was one of the funniest experiences of our lives to date.

Linzer torte has been a specialty of my mom’s for a long, long time. It’s always been her go-to dish for any sort of festivity. I’ve seen her make it countless times, have eaten the leftover raw batter until I felt sick, and have heard people rave about it.

But all that aside, the best thing that linzer torte has given me is this one story.

FoodThe PasticheDecember 15, 2015linzer torte, Christmas, holidays, entertaining, party foods, pie, tart, torte, raspberry, winter, fall, spring, summer, baking, sweets2015 Comments

Fair Isle

And shades of green...

StyleThe PasticheDecember 14, 2015neon, fair isle sweater, J. Crew, style, outfit of the day, sam edelman, winter, Christmas Comment

Holiday punch

Punch is such a communal way to drink a cocktail. I love it! It's the ultimate party drink, and it has been since childhood days.

Looking back at chorus concerts and band concerts in 4th grade, the best part (probably for all involved) was the mini reception afterward that undoubtedly served either lemonade or punch the old school way—with sherbet in it. This remained true for birthday parties throughout childhood, as well as in college for my sorority's events: punch was always a no brainer.

And now in adulthood, the idea of punch has had a bit of a rebirth, especially due to the recent cocktail Renaissance that I've been closely exposed to through Jon. His bar/restaurant, Ox & Stone, serves "Punch with friends" which is quite literally a big punch bowl with customized spirits for the group of friends who orders it. It's my favorite way to imbibe at Ox!

FoodThe PasticheDecember 11, 2015punch, holidays, entertaining, party foods, make-ahead, cocktails, beverages, alcohol, Christmas, party, parties, drinks Comment

Worthy Reads

PeriodicalsThe PasticheDecember 10, 2015sleep, humor, self improvement, relational intelligence, parenting, politics, worthy reads, links, articlesComment

DIY: Retro bottle brush snow globes

How cute are bottle brush trees? After seeing so many evergreen colored varieties, I was thrilled to find these retro inspired ones a few months ago. I had to temporarily transport myself into Christmas mode to purchase them out of season for fear I’d never see them again. I also had to remind myself daily that I owned them for fear they’d end up in a random craft drawer or box, never to be seen again.

Alas, it’s Christmas time and my little DIY bottle brush snow globes are constructed and all is right with the world.

Sausage and spinach egg strata with sautéed cherry tomatoes

I feel like brunch is one of those meals that is supposed to be relaxed. It’s a Sunday morning, or even Christmas morning, and it’s cold and quiet and snowy outside, and I'm with my favorite people. In my mind’s eye, I see myself floating around effortlessly, sipping on a cup of coffee, chatting with my friends or family, and serving up a casual but delicious meal. But in my actual eye, I see myself juggling the timing of each dish, handling hot pans dripping with grease and making a mess everywhere I go, and trying to tackle the salty-sweet dilemma that everyone faces at breakfast time.

This dish is the answer to this real struggle—it’s the perfect meal to serve comfortably, unrushed, and still with that hint of decadence that brunch always begs for—i.e. it can rise to the Bloody Mary and mimosa occasion.

Oh and it also makes the best leftovers for lunch and dinner!

FoodThe PasticheDecember 8, 2015eggs, baked eggs, make-ahead, entertaining, sausage, spinach, cherry tomatoes, fall, winter, spring, summer, brunch2015 Comments

Winter whites

And some variety in the details...

StyleThe PasticheDecember 7, 2015winter, white sweater, utility blouse, style, outfit of the day, outfits, LOFT, Zara Comment

Holiday Gift Guide: Installment #1

For the person you're friendly with but don't know super well yet, but still want to gift with something thoughtful without spending a ton of money.

Your new boyfriend's parents, your co-worker for Secret Santa, etc. We've all been there and it can sometimes be the toughest gift to shop for.

I've crafted this affordable gift guide of less taste-specific, more palatable items that may feel more thoughtful than your go-to gift certificate.

Worthy Reads

PeriodicalsThe PasticheDecember 3, 2015worthy reads, articles, links, psychology, cooking tips, etsy, gift guide, podcast, NPR Comment

Making a perfect French omelette

Several months ago, Jon got in a wormhole of sorts watching YouTube videos of the late Julia Child’s The French Chef.

If you’ve never seen it, take a minute sometime and watch her. She is such an inspirational figure to me—a phenomenal chef with absolutely no fuss about her. And her show isn’t filmed with a thousand cuts and takes like today’s cooking shows. You get to experience every step, every funny moment, every lost word, every everything and she is delightful.

FoodThe PasticheDecember 2, 2015omelette, Julia Child, instructions, eggs, cheese, summer, fall, spring, winter, brunch2015 Comments

My favorite Christmas playlist

December is here! December is far and away the best (read here as the only acceptable) month of the winter. There is a crispness about the freezing cold air, an extra bit of warmth to every light that brightens the dark night sky, a certain magic in the stillness. The smells, sights, and sounds of Christmastime are nostalgic and exciting, whether you're five years old or fifty, and I love that.

I have been looking forward to this month since the beginning of The Pastiche because of all the holiday-oriented content I couldn't wait to talk about.

One of my very favorite things about the first days of December is slowly reintroducing Christmas music into my daily listening when cooking, cleaning, or having people over.

Home, PeriodicalsThe PasticheDecember 1, 2015music, holidays, Christmas, songs, playlist, traditional, indie, party Comments

Quinoa with beets, fennel, goat cheese, and curry vinaigrette

Me and everyone else after Thanksgiving: diet starts tomorrow
Me and everyone else after the weekend following Thanskgiving: diet starts Monday
Me and everyone else Monday: diet starts January 2nd

The. struggle….

FoodThe PasticheNovember 30, 2015quinoa, beets, fennel, goat cheese, curry, salad, sides, make-ahead, fall, winter, lunch2015, salad2015Comment

Worthy Reads

PeriodicalsThe PasticheNovember 27, 2015articles, links, worthy reads, love, funny, Thanksgiving, psychology, family, parenting, travelComment

The PasticheNovember 26, 2015holidays, Thanksgiving, familyComment

Good Food, Good People, New Places