Apple Pie

Here is the apple pie I made for Thanksgiving dinner!

Peppermint Meringues

Buttermilk Pancakes

I found this recipe in a the recent issue of Cook's Illustrated. Cook's Illustrated is a great publication that tests recipes and gives tips and tricks on how to best prepare the recipes. The recipe was simple and easy to follow and the pancakes turned out great!

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1-2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. In a second bowl whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, eggs, and melted butter (make sure that it is cool or it will reharden and not work properly). Combine wet and dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined (its okay if the batter is a little lumpy). Let the batter sit for 10 minutes before cooking.
2. Grease pan or griddle with oil or cooking spray and then scoop batter onto surface. Cook until edges are set, first side is golden brown, and bubbles on surface are just beginning to break (about 2-3 minutes) then flip. Serve immediately.

Citrus Coasters

I found these Citrus Coasters on one of my favorite craft blogs, Purl Bee. Purl Bee is the blog for a sewing/knitting store in SoHo in Manhattan called Purl Soho that I visited last winter. The store is absolutely adorable and the blog always has really cute ideas for craft projects! As part of our annual family trip down to the Outer Banks we always do a craft night. This year I found these coasters and thought that they would be a fun summertime addition to everyone's coffee tables.. The actual process is relatively easy albeit a little time consuming if you decide to hand stitch everything like we did (you could probably assemble the coasters with fabric glue and it would be faster but it wouldn't have the charming detail of the stitching ). I think that the coasters turned out great, each one really has its own character which I love about handmade crafts!!

Pleated Skirt #2

Emily modeling her skirt!

After I had made my pleated skirt in my workshop my sister, Emily, decided that she wanted one too! We went to the fabric store and she picked out the fabric she wanted and then I got to sewing. It was nice to do the two skirts back to back because it let me review and practice all of the techniques that I had learned in my class. It was a lot easier the second time around to read the pattern and see how everything fit together. The zipper this time was much easier and came out a lot neater. I am really pleased overall with how this came out, I'm glad that I'll be able to borrow it from my sister!!

Pleated Skirt

I made this skirt at a sewing workshop I took at the Bernina store down in Chesapeake. The woman who taught the class was really great, she went to design school up in Boston. The class was about 5 hours long which was great because I was able to almost finish my skirt. The only thing I wasn't able to finish was the hem. In the class I learned how to make pleats, put in a zipper, and in general follow the pattern. I think I had the most fun making the pleats. Its a little tough to get them all lined up, but sewing them fun and it makes the skirt a lot more interesting than just having it be straight. By far the hardest part was putting in the zipper! It was pretty tricky because you have to get it perfectly lined up with the seam and then make sure that it doesn't get bunched up or anything. The zipper came out a little less than perfect, but its in the back so its not like you can really tell!

Madeleines

While shopping at William's Sonoma one day I came across a madeleine pan that was on sale. I had always wanted to try and make madeleines, so I knew I had to get it! The salesman at William's Sonoma was very helpful and recommended that I try out David Leibowitz's recipe for lemon glaze madeleines. I have since become a huge David Leibowitz fan-- having read his book The Sweet Life in Paris and his blog about living in Paris. His writing is witty and gives a fun view of an American living abroad in France.

Here is the recipe! Bon appetit!

Lemon-Glazed Madeleines 24 cookies

Adapted from The Sweet Life In Paris by David Lebovitz

If you use baking powder, they may take another minute or so to bake since the batter will rise higher. They’re done when the cakes feel just set if you poke them with your finger. Avoid overbaking them. There’s nothing better than a fresh, buttery madeleine.

I also prefer to bake these in the upper-third of my oven, so the tops get slightly-browned. I love the lemon glaze. There are also some other varieties of Madeleines that I've been wanting to try!

3 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup four zest of one small lemon
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature, plus extra melted butter for preparing the molds
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons water

 1. Brush the indentations of a madeleine mold with melted butter. Dust with flour, tap off any excess, and place in the fridge or freezer.

 2. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, whip the eggs, granulated sugar, and salt for 5 minutes until frothy and thickened.

 3. Spoon the flour and baking powder, if using, into a sifter or mesh strainer and use a spatula to fold in the flour as you sift it over the batter. (Rest the bowl on a damp towel to help steady it for you.)

 4. Add the lemon zest to the cooled butter, then dribble the butter into the batter, a few spoonfuls at a time, while simultaneously folding to incorporate the butter. Fold just until all the butter is incorporated.

5. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (Batter can be chilled for up to 12 hours.)

6. To bake the madeleines, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

7. Plop enough batter in the center of each indentation with enough batter which you think will fill it by 3/4′s (you’ll have to eyeball it, but it’s not brain-surgery so don’t worry if you’re not exact.) Do not spread it.

8. Bake for 8-9 minutes or until the cakes just feel set. While the cakes are baking, make a glaze in a small mixing bowl by stirring together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and water until smooth.

9. Remove from the oven and tilt the madeleines out onto a cooling rack. The moment they’re cool enough to handle, dip each cake in the glaze, turning them over to make sure both sides are coated and scrape off any excess with a dull knife. After dipping, rest each one back on the cooking rack, scalloped side up, until the cakes are cool and the glaze has firmed up.

Storage: Glazed madeleines are best left uncovered, or not tightly-wrapped; they’re best eaten the day they’re made. They can be kept in a container for up to three days after baking, if necessary. I don’t recommend freezing them since the glaze will melt.