Cheers! It's a Time to Celebrate!

To my wonderful readers, thank you for starting this blogging journey with me. I'm excited to let you know that the "Things Are Lookin' Up!" explorations and inspirations will be centered around a new home in 2011: San Francisco! So I hope you come with me on this new adventure as I plan to document new finds and inspirations in the City by the Bay.

Hand Embellished Serigraph on Canvas, by Vadik Suljakov

For now, here's an inspiration for a new mixed drink (or 2, 3, 4) that you should introduce at your family or friend gathering this Christmas or New Years. Thank you NYTimes for another fabulous visual graphic/interactive unit.

NYTimes Interactive Holiday Drink Feature
Enjoy and Merry Christmas!
Jill

Apple Smash, yum.

Auld Lang, now that's something to sing about

Magazines Past & Present: One is Silver & The Other Gold

Do you miss Domino like I do?


There's just nothing like flipping through a wonderful glossy of glorious photos, fabulous tips on finding the perfect little something for your home, updating your wardrobe for a new season, discovering a new recipe, etc... and while Sunset, House Beautiful, Cooking Light and Elle Decor are wonderful - Domino just had that something extra...and relevant to the 20-something demo. Unfortunately too few of us felt that way, so the magazine went by the wayside.

However, many of the editors/writers/photographers who used to keep Domino on the newsstand have developed a wonderful online magazine quite similar the beloved Domino. It's called rue, and if you haven't checked it out yet. DO IT! Turn it to full screen and pretend for a second that you have an iPad, because the formatting of this display is slick!


Edition #2 is out and it's definitely a source of inspirations worth sharing. Enjoy ~ Jill

Make It Personal

No one likes a recession. However, I will say that reading about increased saving patterns among Americans and a decrease in excess spending leads me to believe that we're getting back to a more healthy balance of wonderful little splurges & daily habits of practicality. Which leads me to the topic of... homemade gifts!

Peppermint Hot Fudge? Yes, please! Definitely looking into that recipe...

Apartment Therapy, a favorite blog of mine, has an extension called: The Kitchn - which sends out a wonderful weekly email containing fun "must-have" kitchen tools, cooking trends, tips for entertaining, remodeling, etc... Well, this week's email had such a great topic that I thought it would be a perfect inspiration for those of you who follow my blog. It's a compilation of 40 homemade oils, granola, cocktail concoctions and more... so perfect for a hostess gift or to batch-prep for a group of girlfriends. (I'd include the recipe so they can enjoy making the refill when your present runs out!)

Chocolate Balsamic, an absolute must-try. I've never combined those two....

Skillet Toffee, always a winner w/ the Imig family...

Enjoy! And keep an eye on The Kitchn for fabulous kitchen how-to's throughout the year.
Happy December ~Jill

A Chocolate Chip Cookie infused with Fall

Now why didn't I think of this before? Take all that is good about every fall/Thanksgiving dessert you've ever had... cinnamon, spices, citrus, oats, pecans.... and throw them into a chocolate chip cookie. This cookie really just made me happy. It felt like fall. Now, I might have had football on and it might be a dark, cool Sunday here in LA (rare, so I'm relishing the moment) - but nonetheless, the holidays just seem that much closer w/ this cookie in hand.


Easily the best tasting dough I've ever had. Come on, you know you eat more of the dough than you should too. But if you can force yourself to bake a few cookies, pure bliss. Now, I've got a new knack for freezing things, and what I'm loving about this recipe is that you can freeze the dough balls and throw them in the oven when you're craving a bit of fall over the next few weeks. Good for elongating the joy of fall, and not the waistline ;)
Enjoy! ~Jill

Spiced Oatmeal, Pecan & Chocolate Chip Cookie
adapted from SmittenKitchen

Based on reviews and my personal preference, I upped the spices, lessened the white sugar, evened out the pecan/chocolate ratio and was cautious of the orange zest. Note: the dough is so good, you're going to have trouble actually making the cookies, just saying... (it's kinda like one of those fancy dark chocolate morsels infused w/ orange) aka: real good.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground all-spice
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment or a Silpat (nonstick baking mat). Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla, and beat until well mixed, about three minutes. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove in a separate bowl. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter with the mixer on low speed. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the second half. Stir in the oats, pecans, orange zest, and chocolate chips. Chill dough for 10-20 min. Drop the dough, by the tablespoon, onto the cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on a rack. Store at room temperature in a cookie jar or other airtight container. (or flash-freeze dough balls on a tray and then store for fresh cookies later!)

Flash-freeze for a few minutes so you can throw the dough balls into a freezer bag for later! See to the right, I wasn't joking about this new freezing leftovers "phenomenon" I've taken on... chili, corn bread, meat, coffee in ice cube trays for non-watered down iced coffee... really just learning how to take advantage of my freezer, I do realize this... but better late than never!

Then chop open that orange and relish in some quality Vitamin C while you bake these bad boys ;)

Mastering the Cheese Platter

There's just nothing so elegant, sophisticated and downright delicious as a first-class cheese platter. Living out here in California, I've grown to appreciate the wine culture and one thing they love just about as much as their wines... an ensemble of cheese. 


Slightly intimidated by some of the platters I've encountered and as a newbie to the kitchen, I've been on the quest for tips on assembling the perfect selection of cheese, crackers, fruits, condiments, etc... all in hopes of mastering the craft as well... and I'm not talking about the store-bought cubed collection of tasteless cheeses w/ Ritz ;)


I'll share as I find the gems of information, here's the first great little video I've found, it's from Matt Bites, a wonderful food blogger/photographer that I check in on here and there. Followed by tips from The Barefoot Contessa. Enjoy! ~ Jill

MattBites.com/Cheese-Plate-Tips

The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, by Ina Garten also shares a few tips for assembling the platter:
Barefoot Tip #1: Choose an interesting assortment of cheeses—hard sharp cheeses, soft creamy ones and pungent blue cheeses. Look for an interesting mix of flavors, textures and colors. Most experts suggest limiting your number of cheeses (choose three to five) and picking a theme (i.e. Spanish cheeses, French cheeses, one cow’s milk/one goat’s milk/one sheep’s milk), but it’s still easy to get overwhelmed with the options. 

Barefoot Tip #2: Be sure to have a platter or wooden board large enough to hold the cheeses without crowding them. Arrange the cheeses with the cut sides facing out and with several small cheese knives. But before you plate the cheeses, you’ll want to unwrap them and let them come to room temperature. This should take about an hour.

Barefoot Tip #3: To finish the platter, add sliced breads or crackers and green leaves. Whether you choose plain, multigrain or otherwise flavored breads or crackers is up to you. Many cheese experts recommend plain crusty breads and crackers, so they don’t interfere with the taste of the cheese. But if you can’t imagine eating cheese without a stack of Breton Multigrain crackers, by all means, bring the crackers hither.

Barefoot Tip #4: Overall, the simpler the design, the better the platter looks. Group each kind of cheese together and add one large bunch of green or red grapes in the center to create a visual focal point. Fill in the spaces with lots of crackers or small slices of bread. 

Other popular accompaniments include nuts, figs (fresh, preserved or baked in a cake), apple or pear slices, olives, quince paste, fruit preserves and honey.

'Tis the Season for Figs

Holy Moly. So I'd never had a fig pre-California, post-collegiate life. Over the last few years, the introduction has happened numerous times via anti-pasta platters - served as a delicate accompaniment to cheese and fresh bread. Have I enjoyed this new intricate fruit? Yes. Have I bought them myself? No.


Not until this week. I just couldn't pass them up at the farmer's market. Fig season is ending, so I decided it was time to tackle a new recipe and master... the fig.


Pizza just comes as a natural solution to incorporate new foods into my cooking repertoire these days, so pizza it was. If you have figs around, buy them, now. This was WONDERFUL. Perfect for Sunday night girls dinner.

Fig, Goat Cheese, Prosciutto & Arugula Pizza

Pizza dough for 1 pizza (Whole Wheat from Trader Joe's/or from Whole Foods pizza counter)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, sliced

6 pieces of thinly sliced prosciutto
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup arugula leaves, packed
8 dried figs, sliced
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 475 F degrees. Let dough rest at room temp, then spread to fit floured baking pan. Heat oil and sauté onions until brown (15ish min). Put dough in oven for 5 min to set crust, then pull out. Spread olive oil, prosciutto and onions over dough, leaving an edge for the crust. Top with sliced figs, and crumbled cheese. Place in oven for 8-10 minutes or until crust is golden. Meanwhile, toss arugula with balsalmic vinegar and olive oil. Remove pizza from oven. Top with dressed arugula. Slice, serve and enjoy! ~Jill

A Welcome Back

Hello Friends!
Long rays of sunshine, weekend getaways, destination weddings, time with family and trying to take in every moment of summer possible has kept me from this lovely blog that I had been so excited to start - my apologies! No excuse. Picking up the slack and jumping right back in the game, starting with a most wonderful Ceviche recipe that my aunt shared with me this summer. It's too good to not pass along. I made a few tweaks based on my palate, but feel free to adjust as you see fit. Enjoy and share, it's a good one!

Shrimp Ceviche "Cocktail"
adapted from Ann Grasmick, my aunt, and a phenomenal hostess/chef 
4 generous servings
1 generous pound fresh unpeeled cooked shrimp from your grocer's seafood counter (remove tails) 
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (save a few springs for garnish)
1/2 cup ketchup
1 to 2 tablespoons vinegary Mexican bottled hot sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil (I used a garlic olive oil, added an extra finish)
1 cup diced peeled cucumber
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
Salt
2 - 3 limes (I like a ton of lime juice, add to your preference, use at least 1 whole lime's juice)
Tabasco sauce
Tortilla or pita chips for serving


1. Toss peeled shrimp w/ lime juice and chill for an hour
2. Rinse onion in a small strainer, shake off excess water. Add to shrimp bowl, along with cilantro, cucumber and avocado. In a separate bowl mix hot sauce, olive oil and ketchup. Pour liquid mix over shrimp bowl and toss. Taste and season with salt, lime juice and a few drops of Tabasco to taste (definitely add Tobasco and/or Lime to raise acidity and kick flavor to the back of the tongue where your better taste buds live.) 
3. Chill for a bit. Spoon Ceviche into martini glasses or glass bowls. Garnish with cilantro and/or lime wedges. Serve with pita or tortilla chips to enjoy alongside.


Ceviche is best made the day it is served. Can be made, chilled and eaten a few hours after preparation. It's perfect for a picnic, and if you're in LA... dinner at the Bowl :) Enjoy! ~ Jill

Play Me, I'm Yours

Ah, art for art's sake. Wonderful thought, yes. However art that can give back to a community, revitalize a street corner, give the gift of music, encourage spontaneity... now that is art for a much stronger purpose.

Currently in New York, and incredible art project called, "Play Me, I'm Yours" is taking place across the city. An artist from across the pond, has decided to bless America with the gift of art and music. Read below and explore the continually-expanding blog documenting the project.

Enjoy! ~Jill

http://www.streetpianos.com/nyc2010/

“Play Me, I’m Yours” is an artwork by British artist Luke Jerram who has been touring the project globally since 2008. From 9am-10pm each day, 60 pianos will be available to play across New York City. Presented by Sing for Hope they are located in public parks, streets and plazas the pianos will be available until 5th July for any member of the public to play and engage with. See more info on the logistics of the campaign at: NYTimes Blog

Thinking Vertically.

"Gosh, I need more sunshine." 

This would be the phrase that I proclaim to anyone I'm with (or to myself) every time I come across cool new ways to grow succulents & containers made for blooming floral goodness.

Today I'm captivated by the works of art/vertical garden panels that PlantsOnWalls has created, and since I can't take on this project currently (due to a lack of sun on my patio), the ideas from their collection below will join my blog of inspirations - hopefully one day becoming a part of my personal outdoor space. Enjoy! ~ Jill

PlantsOnWalls.com

The Dream Dollhouse

My 2-story bubble gum pink Barbie house was pretty sweet, but it doesn't even come close to this! How fun! Can I have one in real size? Enjoy a Happy Memorial Day Weekend- get outside and catch some sunshine! ~ Jill
Brincadada.com

Test Kitchen vs. Your Kitchen

If you're not familiar with America's Test Kitchen/the makers of Cook's Illustrated, they're phenomenal. Cooking is a precise science to these guys and every variable within a recipe is challenged in order to create the "Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie" or the "Best Way to Fry Chicken" etc... 
Then there is Food52, a blogging community of home-based cooks and bakers who challenge recipes for the love of the craft. Both methods over the years have provided outstanding recipes, whether it's tested to perfection first and then distributed (America's Test Kitchen) or it's an amateur cook distributing an okay recipe, and then the bloggers of the world test it, critique it and a great recipe is developed over time (Food52).

So why does all of this matter? Well... Slate has set up a competition between the two sites to see who has the best recipe for (1) a sugar cookie (2) a pork shoulder. Check out the recipes here and decide for yourself! 
Recipe critiques are due May 17th (tomorrow) so give one a try and tell the world what method you feel is best. Enjoy ~ Jill

Why Would You Ever Eat Inside?

Enticing outdoor dining environments easily find a place within the upper echelon of inspirations in my book. There's just something so romantic, alluring and peaceful about sharing a meal with great friends and family outdoors. Here are a few alfresco inspirations worth sharing. Enjoy! ~Jill

Who said it has to be pricey? Here is an IKEA chandelier that would be divine and check out the homemade version below! Love it!