Being Vegan in L.A.

...is the best. When I was vegan on the East Coast, I got those weird looks when someone found out. San Diego is pretty vegan-friendly (Thanks, California) so I love that servers in restaurants actually give me awesome vegan substitutes and suggestions when ordering off their menus. But L.A. has a plethora of straight up vegan restaurants. On Saturday, I decided on only two after doing some extensive research and Yelping.

For lunch, we went to M Cafe de Chaya off Melrose. Awesome, clean, bright vibe immediately upon entering as I was greeted with a smile, which is always nice! I had looked at the menu already online so I had a general idea of what I might order. I decided to take a gander at what they had behind the display glass. And let me tell you... I saw vegan sushi and desserts galore. Hold me back!

After asking for a recommendation (and seeing those Yelp pictures) I went with the Macro Burger which also came with the freshest, most delicious sweet potato fries I have ever had. Ever. And that sauce? My mouth is watering. Here's the description of the delicious burger in case you're not already hungry: house-made whole grain brown rice & vegetable patty, special sauce, lettuce, soy mozzarella, tomato, pickles, onion, and alfalfa sprouts on a toasted whole wheat bun. I've had a lot of veggie burgers in my day and this was... the best! Hands down.

To top it off, I also had the choice of which green tea or lemonade I wanted. I went with the most popular choice, the watermelon mint lemonade! Are you kidding me? Talk about refreshing! Angels were singing after my first sip. I wanted so badly to try one of their green juices but I had plans for later... And I was pretty full after that meal!

After spending the afternoon in Hollywood, there was one more vegan stop I had to make before heading Downtown for Dane's show. Ladies and gentlemen, Cafe Gratitude! I had seen this place all over Instagram thanks to some of my fellow green juice junkies and enough was enough, I had to try it for myself! There are four locations in California and we went to the L.A. location, on Larchmont Blvd. This building is absolutely gorgeous. I didn't get a photo of the entire outside, but I was able to find a beautiful image that a photographer captured.

[photo credit]

We were seated out on the eclectic deck where our server greeted us with the "Question of the Day." I was in love already. Another reason why vegan, raw foodies put the biggest smile on my face. So, the question for us to ponder was:

"What are you overcoming?"

I wish you could have seen how bright-eyed I got in that moment. My mind was flooded with thoughts and ideas of things that I was currently (and still am) overcoming, as life had quickly taken a turn recently.

After we ordered, I just started to take it all in. I looked inside where I saw the chalkboard with the question written on it. I looked at the other patrons on the deck; some with their dogs, some with friends, some with dates. I noticed the pretty lipstick shades the two ladies next to me were rocking and the fun outfit of another girl nearby. There I was, in the middle of the City of Angels. A city so large with people from all walks of life. There's truly something for everyone there and I found my place. In those moments, as the sun sunk down into the California horizon and I excitedly anticipated my order, I felt at home.

It's crazy how you can find "home" in so many different cities. But not every city.

Certain cities speak to certain souls.

Finally, the drink I had been talking about for days arrived for me at my table. And again, angels sang. He got the Marvelous (I think) and I got the Cool. (The way the menu works is that each item is named a different adjective and it starts with I Am... So, when you order you say: "I Am Cool.") Pretty fancy, huh? :)

This delicious treat that I had been dreaming about was a mint chocolate chip milkshake with Vitamineral green and raw cacao nibs (100% raw, vegan, and delicious of course!) I loved how the mint was REAL mint, not the mint syrup you get at most other places. It was so absolutely tasty that I tried my best not to inhale it but, well, you know how that goes...

Sigh. I am grateful for Cafe Gratitude and their positive vibes all around. Even their vintage milk jars filled with water with the words "Love & Gratitude" etched into them were a beautiful added touch.

Moral of the story: I can't wait to live in Los Angeles. Job well done.

40 Days and One Recipe

Welp, today is the start of Lent for those of us who observe it. I must admit, I'm pretty darn excited. It's been a while since I've had the ashes placed on my forehead and it certainly symbolizes a lot to me this year. I love periods of time that challenge me to become better.

In previous years, I've always taken a different approach to Lent - a time of self-examination, self-denial, and amendment of life. Instead of giving up a food or sweet something, I always decided to pray more. I wanted that period of self-reflection. So, in addition to praying every night, for the next 40 days [and hopefully after that], I will be starting every morning off with a meditation, a prayer of thanks, a prayer for peace.

Prior to this Ash Wednesday, I also decided there were some things I wanted to give up. Things that, with time, had lost a lot of importance in my life. I knew that what little time I was being spent with those things could be spent somewhere much more worthy of my time. So, those things have been gone from my life and I haven't looked back since :)

Now, where were we? Ah, yes... speaking of becoming better. Since the move to San Diego, I've been challenging myself to try a bunch of new recipes. When I went home for Christmas, one of the appetizer dishes I decided to make was stuffed celery. 

Here's what you'll need:

[This makes 16 servings]

+ 1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened

+ 2 tablespoons sour cream

+ 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

+ 20 green olives with pimento, chopped

+ 1 bunch celery, cut into bite-size pieces

And here's all you have to do:

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and sour cream. Stir in the walnuts and chopped olives. Spread filling onto the celery pieces. It's also good on crackers.

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I found the recipe over here while scouring the boards for tasty treats. My sister-in-law who doesn't love olives even liked the stuffed celery. Shoot, I'd even spread that stuff on sliced cucumbers. Yum! Super easy to make and just the perfect finger food! Last Christmas, I made spinach balls and they were a hit as well!

In the spirit of Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras earlier this week, I made Shrimp Jambalaya and, I must say, aside from my chocolate chip cookies, it is THE greatest dish I've made! Hungry now? Go make some stuffed celery ;)

I can't wait to see what positive changes will take place in these next 40 days and all the fantastic new recipes I've yet to try :)

After Christmas/Bday Favorites

I've been making note of a few favorites I want to share with you [hair products and kitchen trinkets] so be on the look-out for those. Today, I'm just sharing some random favorites!


Favorite Scent
I know I haven't even mentioned how my Christmas was or what Santa brought me but every year I like to ask for a new perfume [or a refill] and this year, Lola by Marc Jacobs was on the list! Lola was the runner-up last year so this Christmas was her year :) I am in love.

Favorite Food
Sushi. You guys, I may or may not sometimes eat sushi more than once a week. Let's just say that in the less than one month that I've lived in San Diego, I've had more sushi than I ever had in Virginia. And I lived there for over twenty years. Oops? I blame it on the West Coast...

Favorite Entertainment
Thanks to my sweet neighbors, I had free tickets to go see a wonderful play on its opening weekend here in San Diego. Not only do I love getting dressed up for the theatre but I love being surrounded by the arts. The show was called An American Story, written and performed by Hershey Felder. It's the true story of Dr. Charles Augustus Leale who was the doctor that tended to President Lincoln when he was shot. It was truly remarkable and a completely genius performance. It's playing at the Birch North Park Theatre until the start of February!

Favorite Fashion Line
LC Lauren Conrad for Kohl's is one of my go-to lines, especially since everything at Kohl's is on sale so often. I picked up this blouse in lime yellow a few weeks ago and finally chose to wear it on my birthday. I paired it with my teal skinnies because I can never get enough color.

I spent my birthday in Laguna Beach [more on that next week!] and while shopping in some of the boutiques, some of the girls complimented my outfit saying they would never have thought to pair two "greens" together like that but that they loved it! I never considered that my outfit consists of two "greens", but then I realized the yellow does have a hint of pale lime and yes, I guess teal is a blue-green :)

Favorite Home Goodie
Like that play on words there? I L-O-V-E Home Goods for anything and everything home-related. I also love Bath & Body Works and their semi-annual sale. Lucky for me, my gym is in the same shopping center as a little outdoor mall so I took it upon myself to walk around in my shorts and a t-shirt [jealous, yet?] and check out that sale.

I walked out with some goodies including the White Barn No. 2 Chestnut & Clove Wallflower. Currently on sale for $3. I think it's a great transition scent from Christmas into the remainder of the Winter season :)

Favorite Funny
Every time I see this, I can't stop laughing. Cat lovers unite! [Did I really just say that?]
The caption on Pinterest was, "Photo Bomb." :)

[via]

And, with that, I shall bid you farewell and happy weekending!

Sunday Social | Food

It's Sunday Social time again and I'm pretty friggin' hungry so this week's topic is perfecto.

Comida aka food. I always find it interesting to see what other people love/hate to eat because we all have such different appetites! Go link up with Neely and Ashley!

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Sushi. Hands down.

Yes, I took that picture and yes, that sushi was all mine/ours. Four different rolls to be exact and I even titled a blog post with the word "sushi" in it. [The tempura rolls are so bad yet so good.]
What's your guilty pleasure/comfort food?
Does chocolate count? Because I no longer even feel guilty admitting my complete tooth full of sweetness. Chocolate makes everything better. 

[via]
What's the weirdest/craziest thing you've ever eaten?
I just realized that it's kind of weird how I go to the Mexican restaurant and have started ordering the shrimp and scallop enchilada. I mean, shrimp and scallops, wrapped in a tortilla and drenched in a Mexican cheese sauce? Really? Whatever. I love my seafood that much... apparently.
What foods do you avoid at all costs?
Anything sweet potato/yam related. The thought alone is enough to make me nauseous. I don't know what it is, friends but I just cannot handle that taste/consistency. Oh, and I LOVE bananas but only when they're still greenish-yellow. If I see bananas at the store that are just yellow I will not be buying them because the next day I'll see a freckle. No bueno.

[via]
What meal reminds you of your childhood?
Chili from our grocery store, Giant, with Saltine crackers. Mmm, my mom and I used to eat that when I got home from preschool while we watched "our soaps" on TV :)
Share one of your favorite recipes and the story behind it.
My mom's spaghetti. It was our all-time favorite meal growing up and all throughout the years. When we'd come home from college, Mom had it on the stove. When I came home for a visit from Utah, Mom had that spaghetti waiting when I got home from the airport. 
Since my Mom passed away, that recipe has become even more special to me and because it's kind of a family tradition, I'll be keeping it a secret for now :)
I am SO looking forward to next week's Sunday Social post because it's about THROWBACKS and we all know how much I love the 90's!

Lace Shirts, Banzai, and Summer Lovin'

I would say Happy Monday but I'm really not feelin' it. So, let's just look back on the weekend, shall we?

I've found a new fashion love. Lace shirts. I find them to be quite flattering on me while also being super lightweight which is always a nice thing in this East Coast humidity.

I will tell you right now if you want some... go to Kohl's! I have found four of my favorite lace shirts there and they are always on sale. Double score!

For 10% off until August 24, use the code UBLOGTEN :)

I also picked up my first official Fall piece of clothing. It's "back to school shopping" time so I could justify it even if a) I'm not a student anymore and b) Virginia will still be hot for the next month or two. A light lime green pencil skirt was also purchased. It was the last one on the rack and fit me perfectly. I had to get it, right? ;)

This weekend I also finally got to go to Red Robin. I'm pretty sure it was the first time in four or five years. I'm not much of a burger girl [after all, I was a vegan for two years] but I was craving that Banzai Burger! What's a Banzai Burger, you ask?

It is Heaven on Earth. It's a burger with the usual lettuce, tomato, and all that PLUS pineapple and delicious teriyaki sauce. Ohhh. Myyy. Goodness. I love it so much even if I took one bite, took this picture, and then the whole thing fell apart. I still ate every last bite.

The other awesome thing about the Banzai Burger is that it's named after my favorite beach - Banzai Beach on the North Shore of Oahu. So, just for fun... here I am at Banzai :)

Oh, and the other thing Red Robin is famous for - their Freckled Lemonades. Yum!

The remainder of the weekend was spent either poolside, watching Vampire Diaries, or with that "someone quite special to me." We enjoyed a nice dinner with his mom and spent some time in the city with friends. With all the changes and losses this past year, it is so unbelievably comforting to spend time with someone who's been a huge anchor in my life for years and years. Blessed that we've both been in the same place at the same time again.

Maybe I'll post those pictures someday ;)

P.S. I wonder if anyone has ever used the word "Banzai" as many times in one post as I have...

Green Smoothie Machine

It's time to talk about food. I don't love the word "diet." I do love the idea of changing the way you eat. I'm all for trying new things and finding what works for you!

This year, I'm starting a new nutrition discipline. Nothing crazy, but I've just decided to be more mindful of what I'm putting into my body. I'll go out to eat a meal on the weekends but always pack a healthy lunch for work and eat rather healthy dinners too. My weakness has always been sweets. More specifically, chocolate. Sigh...

So, all of that is changing - starting now! Byebye chocolate :( Hello healthy lifestyle!

I'm filling my "diet" with even more fruits and veggies and protein. AND, the best part of it all, I'll be having one green smoothie a day!

[via]

The first green smoothie I made about a year ago was a disaster. I accidentally bought mustard greens at the store instead of kale. Not recommended. Talk about a spicy smoothie! 

Green Smoothies

Great source of vitamins and minerals!

You'll have more energy!

Rich in fiber and easy to digest!

Low in calories but high in awesome nutrients!

Cleanses and detoxifies!

Boosts your immune system and mental performance!

And those are just a few of the benefits! I started my green smoothie-ing yesterday and I'll be keeping track of how I'm feeling all week. While eating super healthy, I'll also be making more of a constant effort to drink as much water as I can! 

I have this Thermos Intak water bottle that I've adored ever since the day I bought it. I love the way the water flows out of it AND the little notch on the side allows me to keep track of how many times I've filled up. I admit, I've challenged myself many times to see how often I could fill it up. It keeps things fun :)

[Thermos Intak via Target]

If you're trying to drink more water throughout the day, I highly recommend getting a water bottle to keep with you at work to refill throughout the day. Plus, it's better than using regular plastic water bottles! Keep the Earth clean, my friends :)

So, here's a recap:

No more sweets

More water

Fruits and veggies galore

Protein via Greek yogurt, egg whites, etc.

Green Smoothie Machine!

Have you been on a green smoothie kick before? Send me your yummy recipes! There are so many and I want to know your favorites!

The Weekend Wore Me Out

You're supposed to feel refreshed after the weekend, right? Well, I don't. I feel the exact opposite actually. Worn-out, tired, drained, blah. Hardly had a moment to just breathe and right now, breathing is what I need most. Lesson learned.

The weekend started off by leaving straight from work to meet up with a friend. We had dinner and then headed to the movies to see 21 Jump Street. Well, when we went to get tickets, the movie had been "cancelled" so we had to wait another hour to see it. Luckily, the weather was nice so we walked around and explored some new shops including a designer consignment store. Awesome! Still walked away empty-handed.

After the movie, we walked over to Pinkberry because I was craving fro-yo. Like Georgetown Cupcake, the line at Pinkberry in the DC area also wraps around the building. We waited for about 20 minutes before I got my yummy blood orange fro-yo with strawberries and blueberries! 

Saturday day was spent getting miscellaneous things done [because isn’t that what every Saturday is for?] I had to make a trip to my storage unit to pick up a few things. I do not enjoy going there. Would you enjoy this horror movie-esque place?

Saturday night was spent in DC with Raquel for dinner at Matchbox Vintage Pizza Bistro in Chinatown. We had tried to go there just over a month ago before catching a movie but the wait had been too long. This time, they told us the wait would be an hour. Fiiiine. So, about fifteen minutes into our wait, we're chatting and taking pictures of the pretty bonfire outside and Raquel smacks the "pager" and says something along the lines of, "hurry up already!" Well, guess what - the pager goes off right then! Go figure!

The menu had a little bit of everything but since we were at this fancy-schmancy pizza bistro, we both went with pizza. We may or may not have finished every piece AND ordered their chocolate chip bread pudding. It's tough to say :)

Sunday was a pretty typical Sunday with church, family, and visiting my Mom's grave. It was the latest I have probably ever visited a cemetery. The sun was almost completely gone but, you know what? It still wasn’t creepy. I just feel a calmness whenever I’m there.

There’s my little niecey being all fascinated with the old rocking chair. She can put a smile on anyone’s face :)

So, looking back on that busy weekend makes me even more exhausted than I already am. I really need to start setting aside time to just regroup and recharge [didn’t I JUST write a Journey Forward post about this?] Come Friday at 3:00, the weekend always sounds refreshing and much-needed but when you jam-pack your schedule, it ends up being just as hectic as the work week :( I’m working on that. What did you do this weekend?

Inspi{red}

I couldn’t pass up Friday’s Fancies today because of the cause. Yesterday was World AIDS Day and in honor of it, today’s outfit is dedicated to RED! Before I get into the outfit, I just want to take a moment to talk about AIDS. I get a little choked up every time I think about it. I personally get so saddened by people’s ignorant comments and jokes about the virus. We are talking about something that terribly claims the lives of millions of people every year not only in Africa but in communities where you and I both live. If we all come together, one day {hopefully in the next few years} we will finally see the beginning of the end of AIDS.

As far as the outfit goes, this is a common casual look for me. I love the long, fitted cardigans with a dark pair of skinnies and some boots :) Add a big statement necklace and some earrings to dress it up a bit, and an animal print purse {because animal print always goes with red!} and you’re set!

In other news, I’ve been thinking lately about how much I love non-chain restaurants. I love places that have their own character, or specials that they’re known for. I love the stories they have about how the restaurant has been passed down in the family for generations or the two old men who come in every morning for their cup of coffee. Whitney and I found a new Salvadoran restaurant last night and we’ll definitely be going back again.

 

The food was tasty {I tried papusas for the first time!}, the service was awesome, and the atmosphere was super laid back. Oh, and the prices were better than what you’d find at any ole Chevy’s or Chipotle. Great success! DC people, if you want some Salvadoran food, hop on over to La Union in Arlington. Yum. I really ought to write reviews on Yelp again.

That’s all for this week! I hope everyone has a great first weekend of the last month of 2011! Remember, let’s raise AIDS awareness, not just this week, but every week and start to really bring upon the change that this WORLD of ours needs.

A NY Deli Kind of Menu

I’m sure that ever since you read yesterday about me having a slice of one of the most delicious cheesecakes ever made, your mouth has been watering. Lucky for you, I’m sharing some of my favorite eats recently – cheesecake included.

There’s a little traditional N.Y. deli nearby. Chutzpah Deli is the name. The service is fabulous and the food is phenomenal.

Let’s start with the cole slaw because the cole slaw alone could make this place famous. Growing up, I feel like cole slaw was always the random “yucky” side you got with your chicken tenders or grilled cheese sandwich when you had to pay extra for fries. Well, now cole slaw is the cool adult side dish that you ask for extra of. Especially at this place. Yummo!

Behind the cole slaw in this picture is your traditional Reuben sandwich. How could you go wrong with that? Okay, unless you’re like me and don’t eat corned beef. In that case, turkey Reubens are just as tasty.

Here enters the Moishe Sandwich {described as Reuben’s brother} The only differences in this sandwich are turkey instead of corned beef and cole slaw on the sandwich instead of sauerkraut. Side of potato salad.

If you’re Polish {like me} the below may look similar to Gołąbki {pronounced go-wumpki} It’s stuffed cabbage so it’s pretty close but, it’s just not as delish.

Lastly, the moment we’ve all been waiting for…

Devil’s Food Double Chocolate Cheesecake. After a ton of food, this slice obviously had to be put in a to-go box and was thoroughly enjoyed in two parts. Let’s not even talk about calories right now. It was SO tasty and is just what a girl who has been going through a tough time needs! :) However, the fact that I tend to have an allergic reaction whenever I eat cheese or rich chocolate didn’t help. Ah well. You’ve got to make sacrifices sometimes, right?

Oh, and I also had cooked up some yummy shrimp scampi a while ago! I eat mine without noodles.

Other than these fun foods, my diet consists of mainly Greek yogurt, tomato sandwiches, and bananas. Just, not together. If I haven’t made you hungry by now, I have failed :)

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This weekend, I’m planning on taking a fun trip to the National ZOO with my baby niece! It’s been a couple years since I have gone and I couldn’t be more excited – especially since this is her first trip! Give me some picture requests so I don’t hang out at the cheetah exhibit the whole time!

Also, I’ve come across some older pictures – you know, back when I used to travel the world and stuff. I’m thinking about doing a few “back in the day” posts. Let me know if you’d like to see something like that! :)

Have a lovely weekend!! What are your plans?

Recipes Lately

Back when I lived in Virginia with my parents after college, I went on a huge baking streak. Up to that point, I had always baked the cake, brownies, and cupcakes from the box. One day on my lunch break at work I found some food website (don’t remember the name) that was actually quite similar to Pinterest except it was all for food. I could search for mint cupcakes and pictures linking to recipes for mint cupcakes would show up. (Or any type of food!) Gotta love it. So, I picked out recipes I wanted to try and with the help of my mom’s amazing Kitchen Aid, started baking up a storm.

Once I moved to Utah and had my very own gas stove, I continued to bake from scratch. I made some authentic Polish pastries, my “secret ingredient” chocolate chip cookies, and attempted my Candy Cane Cake. I was disappointed that, because of the elevation in Utah, my recipes didn’t always come out as perfectly as back in Virginia. Ah, well!

So, lately I wanted to find some recipes that wouldn’t break the bank. (Let’s be honest – some ingredients can be more expensive than others.) Today I’ll be sharing my latest recipes and what I thought of the final product. My 4th of July cupcakes from this post will be featured last :)

Vegetarian Enchiladas

This recipe is also referred to as “Cheater’s Enchiladas” because it’s in more of a casserole/lasagna format. What the recipe calls for:

• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
• 12 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 (20 ounce) can green enchilada sauce
• 18 (6 inch) corn tortillas
• 1 (2 ounce) can chopped black olives

Since this recipe calls for A LOT of sour cream, cheese, and tortillas, I decided to not use them all.

I used light sour cream and the container I got was a little bit less than 16 oz. I used probably about 1/4 of the cheese the recipe calls for. I also used 9 tortillas instead of 18. 18 just was not necessary if you ask me.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and 3/4 of the cheese.
3. Into a 9x13 inch pan, pour a small amount of enchilada sauce to coat bottom of pan. Layer 6 tortillas on bottom of pan. Layer half of the cheese-sour cream mixture and 1/3 of the olives over the tortillas. Repeat this layer once more. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the final layer of tortillas.
4. Bake for 20 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

The second time I made this recipe, I put some of the olives on top as well and less cheese on top and it was just as yummy! Also, I thought this recipe was even better the next day as leftovers because the sauce is a little less runny after being in the fridge! Again, this isn’t the healthiest of meals, but it’s easy to make, delicious, and gives you plenty of leftovers!

So, I don’t think I ever told you all about my disaster green smoothie recipe. Some other day. Let’s just say I had some leftover mustard greens and had NO idea what to do with them so I looked up recipes using these leafy, super healthy greens.

Penne with Green Olives and Feta

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

1 garlic clove, minced

1 large bunch greens (such as spinach, mustard greens, kale, or broccoli rabe; about 1 pound), thick stems removed, spinach left whole, other greens cut into 1-inch strips (about 10 cups packed)

12 ounces penne

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata green olives

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 3 ounces)

I didn’t have lemons so I scratched that ingredient and since Kalamata olives are a bitttt too pricey for my liking, I went with pitted green olives and chopped them up.

Mix parsley, lemon peel and garlic in small bowl; set aside.

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add greens and cook just until tender, 1 to 6 minutes, depending on type of greens. Using skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer greens to colander to drain. Return water to boil. Add pasta and cook just until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot; add greens and 3 tablespoons oil and toss. Stir in olives, feta, and enough reserved pasta cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with parsley mixture and serve.

The recipe tasted super healthy and wasn’t very heavy. If you like pasta dishes, this is definitely one to try and might even be tasty served cold for leftovers? I’m not the biggest pasta fan but still enjoyed this dish!

Now you’re probably wondering about those 4th of July Cupcakes. If you lived close by, I’d say we should meet up and I’ll bring you some because there are a TON still here!

4th of July Cupcakes

If you have a white cake recipe, go ahead and use that. Here’s the recipe I used via AllRecipes

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. (This is the point where you’ll want to divide the batter into three. I used Wilson Icing Colors to dye the batter red and blue respectively and left one bowl as is.) Pour or spoon batter (a little blue, a little red, a little white) into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.

Here’s the buttercream frosting recipe I used:

• 2 cups (230 grams) confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted
• 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature (I used salted because it’s what I had)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk or light cream

In an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter until smooth and well blended. Add the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add a little more milk or sugar, if needed.

I doubled the batter and frosting recipes because the more cupcakes, the merrier. Right?

Now, maybe it’s just me or perhaps the food coloring, but the first batch I put in the oven overflowed. I only filled the cupcake liners up 2/3 of the way, too!

Yeah, I don’t know. Luckily, the big cupcakes have been my favorite. Probably because they have an eensy bit more deliciousness to them, duh. But then I challenged myself to make perfect cupcakes and filled the cupcake liners umm halfway and they came out just right. Go figure.

I think this is one of the first times that my frosting has turned out looking decent after using a spatula. The trick? Take a generous amount of frosting, place it in the middle of the cupcake and smooth the frosting out toward the sides while rotating the cupcake. Sounds more complicated than it is. I promise. So, there you have it. My latest baking/cooking recipes!

If you try any of these, you’ll have to let me know what you think :) I love easy, budget-friendly recipes so if you have any, send them my way!

Sushi with a Side of Jazz

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! This past week was busy and luckily I got some great pictures of what went on! My friend Kate over at Kate Sullivan Blogs was here visiting Utah so it was great to spend time with her and enjoy the beauty of this part of the country! We had a great time catching up, talking about the differences of Utah versus Virginia, walking around until our feet hurt and we could barely move, and even saw a car with a Virginia license plate. This is a big deal, okay?

Thursday, as I’ve mentioned, was the 2011 NBA draft so the husby and I headed over to the big watch party at the arena! It was awesome and the adrenaline was surely pumping. The Utah Jazz had the #3 and #12 picks and ended up bringing on two awesome players! We are known to be the LOUDEST fans in the NBA and the crowd of 7,500 that night proved that :)

This weekend we went out for much needed sushi. Much needed. I’m talking, I needed this sushi so badly my mouth has been watering for weeks. We had been planning on going each weekend but for one reason or another, it didn’t happen. We went to a cute little place called Yellowfinn and enjoyed a plethora of rolls (four to be exact!)

After sushi, we drove around then watched the sun set at a park, being sure to avoid the million sprinklers that were on. Then it was time for dessert. Frozen yogurt to be exact. Let’s be honest and say that dessert is necessary on the weekend! I went with the coconut fro-yo with cheesecake pieces and pineapple. Talk about Heaven on Earth!

The only things I’m not including from this past week are the pictures of Kip plus the great fostering story I have and the details of a very important and exciting phone call that I received (and would LOVE all your thoughts and prayers until I know more!!!!)

Also, tomorrow is going to be an exciting day on Life is a Sunset because I’ll be sharing something NEW with you which I’m excited and nervous about at the same time! :)

Hope you enjoyed my smörgåsbord (I say this word all the time) of pictures and events! What did you do this weekend??