happy new year!!

a little treat for our neighbors: maple cinnamon rolls. thanks to the pioneer woman!!

happy new year everyone!! it has been a busy last couple of weeks, from family gatherings to potlucks at work, and trips up to seattle i have been in a tizzy! since i can't go through all the different things i have eaten and write a single blog for each, i decided to take my co-worker, steven's advice and compile a catch-up blog^_^ thanks again steven!

i went up to seattle a few weeks ago since i had a few days off. i wanted to check out the city, see the sights, check out UW since i plan on going there one day, and of course EAT! my friend took me to a great thai place called Thai Tom, in the U District. we both got the pad thai, but there was some confusion when ordering, we both didn't want it too spicy. somehow the waitress thought we said spice x3 and x4! we were both sweating bullets. my poor friend doesn't like things too spicy, but they were so busy we didn't have a choice!! needless to say we survived the flushed cheeks and burning mouths before we tapped out. funny thing, i would go back! but, next time i am going to make it VERY clear spice x2!!!

after touring the UW campus a bit, and checking out the amazingly beautiful library we headed to Molly Moon's. i had heard of this place the last time i was in town but the line was out the door, so you know it had to be good!! thankfully, when my friend and i arrived at molly moon's there were only a few groups of parents with their kids. he and i both wanted to try the salted caramel, which was completely melt in your mouth perfect! the savory and sweet mixed so well with the cream from the ice cream! it was heaven. BUT, then the girl suggested i get it with the theo chocolate (a chocolate shop also in seattle) and it was like a fiesta in my mouth! no joke! the chocolate complimented the salted caramel so well! it was like eating a salted caramel brownie in ICEREAM FORM!!^_^

after my "healthy" start in the U District, i met up with another friend of mine who took me to El Gaucho, which is one of the northwest's best steak restaurants. i could easily see why after we first received our sides. to the left is a lobster mashed potato, main lobster in a delightful cream sauce over garlicy mashed goodness. just thinking about these potatoes makes my mouth water all over again! to the right is the roasted sweet corn with chipotle honey butter a healthier way to go, but nothing to write home about. out of the two, i would take the potatoes in an instant, they were THAT GOOD! 

this is my french rib chop, 18 oz. of beef. topped with a portobello mushroom. yummm!

and we finished it all off with banana fosters, the man who made it said that he has made about 150,000 in his life time. that's a lot of bananas!

on my second trip out to seattle, i went with my parents to the Seattle Art Museum to see the picasso exhibit. it made me realize picasso was very prolific, but that his work was usually all over the place. i'd like to think when it comes to baking i am kinda like he is, just have to keep doing the things you love^_^ well back to this amazing sandwich...after viewing the exhibit i met up with some friends and we headed down to pike's market to grab some chowda' (that's what we kept calling it) but we also found an italian place that served this beauty. its an italian meatball AND italian sausage sub, so basically heaven on french bread! all the ooey gooey cheese atop all that marinara sauce and meat. omg, i seriously want another! luckily it was also right next to one of my other favorite places to eat...

pike place chowder, the ONLY chowder place to go! the seafood bisque is to die for!

one of many holiday goodies i whipped up. peppermint schnapps truffles with some candy cane bits on top for a little extra^_^

monkey bubble bread (from the baked book my friend gave me for christmas) on christmas morning, completely delic!!

my lovely christmas dinner^_^ it was a wonderful day, spent with family.

brioche in the morning. i received a great book from my aunt, uncle, and cousin. its dorrie greenspan's "around my french table" and it is absolutely wonderful. i took this little beauty of a recipe from it and it was wonderfully light and airy brioche. i paired it with some earth balance butter and a dab of strawberry guava jelly, it was simply perfect.

my cousin came into town and my uncle and i were showing her family around. i had heard of the tin shed cafe before, but every time i had passed by it was ALWAYS really crowded. this time wasn't any different either. even though it was the monday after christmas, the makeshift garden style cafe was still crowded. we huddled close to the outdoor heaters and waited patiently for our names to be called. my cousin had also looked up the cafe on yelp and this yummy treat came up: sweet potato french toast. sounds kinda strange right? well i had to try it. it was a little on the dry side, but the hints of sweet potato were definitely present. i think the next time i go i will have to try another option, maybe a scramble.

after we headed to powell's to check out the array of books. we followed it up with a trip to cupcake jones. my cousin's daughter and i shared a wonderful truffle kind of cupcake with chocolate ganache in the center. it was the perfect little snack^_^

later in the week i felt a little inspired by going to the cupcake shop. so i decided to try my hand at making the chantilly cake for my sister's wedding. OMG chantilly is HARD! i love baking, and making all sorts of different kinds of goodies, but my oh my, was chantilly a difficulty. sadly my first attempt failed, the frosting came out too soupy. the recipe was supposed to be similar to liliha bakery's chantilly atop their lovely  cocoa puffs. however, i must devise a plan to infiltrate the bakery and learn the secret method they use to make such a wonderful version of chantilly! anyhoo, i decided to go to "martha" and seek a little frosting guidance. i landed on her mocha butter cream, which is PERFECT with her recipe of chocolate cake! so this is the result, a mocha butter cream chocolate cake.

after the first attempt at chantilly i decided to go to the america's test kitchen cookbook (also a christmas present, i received 4 baking books for christmas!!) to look up their german chocolate cake frosting, which is basically chantilly with pecans and coconut. this time around it worked! the flavor is still a little off, but i will keep working on that! seeing as i already made the cake i made little german chocolate cake cupcakes. my workers loved them!

one of my new year's resolutions is to keep blogging a little more consistently. so i will do my best (schedule permitting) to keep putting some delectable recipes up!!^_^ i hope everyone's holiday was filled with family, friends, and food!