Apples and Eggplants
No, not a new recipe...I just packaged up and sent off two sets of dress cards that were custom orders from my shop. Apple green and eggplant! Thought you might enjoy a peek.![[dresscards2.jpg]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oo3m0MlEz1w/S4La3ye1qiI/AAAAAAAAA9E/1chy6i-6sfw/s1600/dresscards2.jpg)
A Box of Chocolates: You Never Know What You're Gonna Get
I love samples. Paper samples, art material samples...food samples. Yes, I love the sample stand at our neighborhood Trader Joe's and the bakery samples at Whole Foods...and the Farmer's Market--olive bread, and clementines and walnut oil, oh my! For a short time in college I worked at a grocery store and on my Sunday shift instead of taking a lunch I would peruse the store for Sunday samples...Perhaps it's the lingering college kid in me that still has a place in her heart for free food. Anyway, my love for sampling things has translated into this:
This is what a box of chocolates looks like in our house...each beautiful little chocolate cut into little pieces. This happens to be a box-o-chocolates from See's Candy (from my Valentine), and See's doesn't include a "menu" of what's inside, so in order to figure out what flavors you have--without committing to the entire chocolate--we sample instead. Although, I think even if it did come with a menu, our chocolates would still look like this.
Hope you had a happy Valentine's Day!
Because Baking is Creative: Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
It's almost the weekend! That means that you get your weekly dose of sweetness from Lilly & Louise (and a photo, so then you'll really want to make it)! I had a hankering to bake (surprise!) and after taking inventory of the ingredients at hand, I happened to have enough of each to make these yummy chocolaty chocolate things. Please note: you'll need a cold glass of milk with which to consume this goodness--and even better if you consume said goodness when warm!
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
from Real Simple
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk-chocolate chips
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preparation
Heat oven to 350° F.
Cream the butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed. Lower to medium speed and add the egg and vanilla. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. On low speed, add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Beat until fully incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Form the dough into approximately 1 1/2-inch balls. Place on parchment- or foil-lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until centers are just set, about 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.
1 year, whew!
Happy Superbowl Sunday! And happy birthday Lilly & Louise blog!
Yep, it was one year ago today that I ventured into the blogosphere armed with my Apple, Nikon, KitchenAid, Xacto, and bare hands. It's been a fun year! Thanks to all of YOU who have sent e-mails, posted comments or subscribed! I love hearing what you have to say, and it certainly keeps me motivated to share the things that inspire me and make me happy...and, honestly, it's nice to know there's someone out there reading...thank you!
To celebrate (always a good excuse to bake, right?), I made these hearty, healthy muffins. They're delicious in a hearty, healthy kind of way. They'd be a good snack for a hike or trail ride (thanks Mrs. Pickett!), or a great breakfast to start off the day. Being the chocolate lover that I am, I dropped a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips into the last three muffins it was a nice addition!
Whole Wheat, Oatmeal, and Raisin Muffins
from Cooking Light
Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour (about 4 3/4 ounces)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons untoasted wheat germ
2 tablespoons wheat bran
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/3 cup chopped pitted dates
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup boiling water
Cooking spray
Preparation
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 7 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in oats, dates, raisins, and cranberries. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and egg; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Stir in boiling water. Let batter stand 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pans immediately; place on a wire rack.
Peachy's New Necklace
Peachy's old collar finally bit the dust, so I replaced it with a new one from A Tail We Could Wag. A good family friend (who visits Guatemala often) introduced us to this company. All of their dog (and people) accessories are made by Mayan artisans with whom they've developed a partnership that creates an opportunity for the artisans to earn an income from their weaving skills while building community development and helping to increase self confidence and hope for themselves, their families and their village.
I've always loved the shapes and intricacies found in Guatemalan hand-woven textiles. This new collar is a nice burst of color against black and white Peachy.
Visit A Tail We Could Wag on the web at www.tailwags.com. They're having a 15% off sale until February 15!
Wedding Wednesday: Kelly & TJ
Today I'm delighted to share the wedding of Kelly and TJ. I was fortunate enough to work with the fabulous bride and groom on their Save-the-Dates and wedding invitations, and a few other wedding-related projects in between. While working with the couple, we designed a lovely monogram that the coupled carried into many elements of the wedding and reception. I'm blown away to see the photos and how it all came together!
Kelly and TJ were married on a cool, crisp, Fall day in St. Paul, Minnesota. After a snowy day prior to the wedding, the newlyweds-to-be were excited to wake up to a clear, sunny day. Their sophisticated color palette of ivory, black and silver was complimented by the city's Fall colors.
The ceremony was held at the historic St. Paul Cathedral. The bride carried a bouquet of ivory roses, cream miniature cymbidium orchids, and stephanotis blooms with pearl centers. A keepsake monogrammed charm hung from her bouquet. The bridesmaids carried simple rose clusters in whites and greens. Each bouquet had a monogrammed charm with their first initial.
After the ceremony, guests arrived at 317 on Rice Park to welcome the newlyweds at a cocktail hour and reception. During cocktail hour, a jazz quartet played while Kelly and TJ's signature drinks, South Sides and Kelly Old-Fashioneds, were passed. Post cocktail hour, guests were seated for dinner at lovely place settings personalized with a votive that displayed each guest's name. 
After dinner guests danced the night away to the tunes of a 9-piece band. And, to top of the night, after hours of dancing and drinking, Kelly and TJ surprised their guests with a Minnesota-themed State Fair bar. Everyone enjoyed Minnesota cheese curds, mini donuts, chocolate chip cookies, corn dogs, pretzels with different assortment of dips, chicken strips and popcorn. 
What beautiful celebration of love! Thanks, TJ and Kelly, for sharing!
Photographer: Andrew Vick, Vick Photography
Florist: Russell Toscano, Wisteria Design Studio
Invitations and menu: Lilly & Louise
L is for Love this Book
My friend Margaret and I have swapped some art/design books recently and in her latest pile for me to peruse was Alphabeasties and other Amazing Types, by Sharon Werner and Sarah Forss. This book is so great! Perfect for inquisitive young minds learning their ABC's, and adults (design/type nerds or not) who love some delightful eye candy...there's even a few fold out pages for those of us experience seekers. I think I may pick up a copy for my own library!
