I’ve got a pretty bad sweet tooth and I’m at the point where it’s time to do something about it. I crave sugar like a drug and often carry a bit of candy around “just in case.” So in an effort to curb my addiction I’ve decided to dedicate Thursdays for posting a healthy recipe. It can get tough seeing so many beautiful treats and cakes all over blogs, but I hope to not only keep myself accountable but to encourage others to eat healthier as well.
Brussels sprouts have gotten pretty popular over the last few years but I’d yet to eat them any way other than roasted. As I was flipping through the Power Foods cook book for inspiration, shredded sprouts piqued my interest and I promptly stopped by the grocery store for ingredients. Part skimming through various recipes and part making things up along the way, I courageously/foolishly decided to experiment. I am not known for dishes that require tasting and seasoning along the way. Instead, I love measuring flour and sugar down the the ounce, plop it in the oven, and hope for the best.
I know I shouldn’t go around tooting my own horn, but this salad surpassed my expectations. I could go on about the combination of texture and flavors but instead I hope you try making it yourself. It was incredibly quick to throw together (20 minutes or less!) and surprisingly filling. My recipe measurements are approximate, so feel free to add whatever else you’d like, such a paprika, cumin, or even pomegranate seeds. Brussels Sprouts Salad Recipe
clockwise: blue bottle cappuccino , Napa, wine tasting, tunnel of trees
tartine croissant, chinese new year dinner, cowgirl creamery mac & cheese, bi rite popsicle
on the drive home
I’m having a hard time summarizing our trip to San Francisco, so instead here’s a list of highlights from the weekend:
+ best meal of the weekend, hands down, from Chez Panisse Cafe.
+ wine tasting for the first time in Napa
+ exploring Berkeley Bowl; buying imported French butter
+ Tartine lemon tart
+ stuffing ourselves silly at the Ferry Plaza (again)
+ double rainbow sighting on the drive home
*
I’ll be honest, thinking about our little trip makes me kind of sad. When can I move up?
What better to cheer myself up than a little cake? It’s sort of amusing in the way it makes you feel like a giant. Sometimes it’s just one of those days, and those days turn into weeks. But I’m slowly getting back into the swing of things and this mini treat might have done the trick. It’s my new favorite recipe, a lemon olive oil chiffon cake with frosted with plain whipped cream. I wanted to see what it would like covered in frosting, but a more simple and rustic approach is best for this type of cake. The way the top pillows and sparkles with turbinado sugar is too pretty to cover up with cream!
Tomorrow morning we will be on our way to San Francisco to celebrate Chinese new year with my mom. And when I get back, I promise to reveal a few ideas I have planned for the blog. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Happy new year! I’ve had a restful weekend but I’m so excited to jump back into work. Over the past couple of weeks I’ve done a lot of thinking of where I’d like this blog to go, how I’m planning to grow my baking business, and about a million other projects I want to start. Although this blog is called Matchbox Kitchen I’ve realized that don’t want it to be a food/baking blog. What I’m most passionate about is combining style and sustainability; food is just one of the ways of bringing them together. I want to teach others that it’s possible to be kind to the environment without giving up life’s pleasures, without having to look like a hippie, and that it’s not a drastic lifestyle change. And while I’m not quite an expert at this I hope I can at least share my own experiences. I will still be doing plenty of baking and definitely more cooking but the last thing I want is sugar burn out (which happens about every 3-4 weeks).
Besides the blog, I have a whole slew of ideas and projects I can’t wait to work on. I have about 25 goals on my list this year but here are some big ones to keep me accountable:
In 2012 I will…
+ quit my day job
+ improve photography
+ wholesale matchbox kitchen baked goods
+ spend more time blogging
+ take better care of my appearance
+ live a beautiful life
+ host a party
+ try making videos
+ build a real/cohesive website for my business
+ create a newsletter
PS: I just got a new iphone and am now even more addicted to instagram! My username is matchbox kitchen but you can always go here to check out my photos.
In 2011 I…
+ started Matchbox Kitchen blog
+ jogged for 30 minutes straight (first time in my life, seriously.)
+ went to Chicago
+ baked a LOT
+ was featured in NEET magazine
+ learned how to use my camera in full manual
+ went to San Francisco
+ moved out!
+ was featured on Refinery 29
+ started Matchbox Kitchen bakery
+ participated in Unique LA’s holiday show
+ made amazing new friends
+ met a slew of inspiring artists/designers/makers
Looking back on the past twelve months I can’t help but feel a little sappy over how much I’ve grown and accomplished. I’m forever thankful for everyone that’s supported me along the way, for the new friendships I’ve gained this year, for my family for putting up with me, and most of all to Gary who’s been by my side the whole time. I’m amazed at where life has taken me this year and can’t wait for more adventures in 2012!
It’s been a few weeks already but I realized I never shared my purchases from Unique LA!
Here’s what I got: Paper & Type letterpress card, Pop Candy Co. rosemary almond crunch, Morning Glory Confections chai tea and cashew brittle, and SQIRL apricot jam. I didn’t get to do as much shopping as I wanted but that’s probably a good thing! No matter how small, I love everything I bought.
Victoria (of Paper & Type) had such a darling display set up! I got to take a few pictures which I’ll share soon. I met her recently and am happy to report that she is just as sweet as her stationery designs.
And if there is one treat Gary and I are absolutely obsessed with, it’s from Pop Candy Co.! I bought a 2 oz bag of their rosemary almond crunch and had a very hard time sharing. We then bought another bag from them at Renegade LA, and then another bag at the Hammer Museum! That’s three times in the span of 2 weeks. My two favorite flavors are rosemary almond and the thyme, walnut & cherries. Gary literally salivates just at the thought of it, haha.
Anyway, I can’t believe the year is coming to a close already. I have so many thoughts I’d like to sum up which should be coming sometime this weekend. Hope you all have a lovely holiday season!
I’m not quite sure how obvious it is but I spend a lot of time on the internet. Sometimes I don’t even know how or where I come across each site, but if it’s catches my attention I carefully file away each tidbit of knowledge for later use.
One recent discovery was Sqirl. I instantly became a fan once I read their tumblr, where the owner/jam maker, Jessica Koslow, would often write about sustainability and her passion for using locally and ethically sourced ingredients. Starting up Matchbox Kitchen, I’ve learned that it can be difficult to follow an environmentally friendly business path. It’s easy (and tempting) to choose a higher profit margin and compromise your product by using a cheaper, lesser quality ingredient.
As it says on their website, Sqirl only uses “produce from family-owned farms that practice sustainable, certified organic methods that are in close proximity to our kitchen in Los Angeles, California” (close proximity being within 200 miles). Even as I look at my own jar of apricot jam, the sugar is fair trade and organic, the lemon juice is organic, and it even lists where the apricots came from. Every step of Sqirl provides not only the best product for the consumer but for our environment and other businesses as well.
A few weekends ago at Unique LA I had the opportunity to meet Jessica and finally try some jam. Now, if you’ve ever met me in person you will know I can be shy and awkward at times, so approaching her was a bit nerve wracking! But of course she was totally nice (and didn’t seem to be weirded out by my awkwardness? haha) as I gushed about how much I admired her sustainable practices. And then I tried her jam. You guys, this stuff is amazing. I bought a jar of blenheim apricot jam and am savoring every bite. It’s like eating an actual apricot. There is nothing artificial or overly sweetened about it. Even if you don’t care about being nice to the planet (although I hope you do!), it is hands down the best jam I’ve ever tried.
If you’re looking for a nice holiday gift, you can order from their website by tomorrow and still get it in time for Christmas!
Sqirl’s Unique LA booth
Left: apricot jam on home made bread. Right: apricot jam on peanut butter shortbread and graham crackers.
I know this is terribly last minute, but if you happen to be in the LA area come out to the Hammer Museum tonight from 6-9 pm! They’re holding a little shopping event with a handful of artists and makers including Matchbox Kitchen! I’ll have my s’mores kits, marshmallows, graham crackers, and PB&J cookies.
Also, if you’re still unsure of what to give for Christmas, a s’mores kit would be the the perfect last minute gift. It comes with everything you need to make 6 delicious s’mores and is already boxed up for gift giving. Tomorrow is the last day to order to guarantee shipping by December 25.
I’ve wanted to make s’more cupcakes for a while now because I always have the ingredients on hand, but to be honest I’m not much of a cake/cupcake baker. (Eating them, on the other hand, is a different story.) One of my goals is to improve my cake making skills but the amount of butter in the cake and frosting combined is enough for me to look to another dessert to try. I think this might be the first time I’ve baked cupcakes for my blog!
I found several versions of s’more cupcakes online, but in the end just went with a more traditional take. I crushed graham crackers for the crust, baked them with a simple chocolate cake batter, then topped it off with one of my marshmallows and finished them in the broiler. Using house made graham crackers and marshmallows made a big difference in flavor and texture!
Although these were a lot of fun to try, I think sticking to a good old fashioned s’more is the way to go. I prefer the variety in texture (crisp graham cracker + chocolate + toasted marshmallow) where as the cake portion just gets in the way 
S’more Cupcakes Recipe
notes from the kitchen + sustainability + style + everything in between. Thank you for visiting!