TV Dinner {The Mindy Project}

Here’s another episode of my TV Dinner series. This one is dedicated to one of my ultimate feel-good shows The Mindy Project. It’s snarky, it’s sparkly and super fabulous. I’m a devoted fan of Mindy Kaling (read her book if you haven’t already) and the other actors in the cast, especially Chris Messina and Ike Barinholtz make the show what it is.

I love that Mindy is a strong woman who’s not afraid of coming across as aggressive or superficial or incredibly smart. She’s also a woman who’s not shy about eating.

grown up chocolate chip cookie sandwiches

Let’s face it, Father’s Day is often the forgotten parents’ appreciation holiday. Mother’s Day always steals its thunder with its flowers and chocolates and breakfast-in-beds. By the time Father’s Day rolls around, people have already Instagrammed their cutest picture with Mom and are much too busy in summer mode to fuss over what to get Dad. Another tie? A hammer to replace the one he lost or maybe some grilling utensils? You know… MANLY things!

But you know what, men like chocolate too. So here’s a dessert that I’m pretty sure will knock your dad’s socks off (those socks you got him because you couldn’t think of what else to buy). These grown up chocolate chip cookie sandwiches are sprinkled with smoked sea salt and filled with a whiskey frosting. To be honest men, women, and children (over the age of 21) can all enjoy this delicious treat! Cause GAH dad, why does it always have to be about you??

New Year, New York

Hope you all had a wonderful New Year’s Eve. Whether you welcomed the year with friends, family, or with some tipsy strangers– I hope your 2014 proves to be the best yet! By that I mean, I hope this year is full of inspiration and innovation. Trust yourself to take that adventure, push your boundaries, love the person you’ve grown into. Much better than starting that no-carb diet, right?

Throw out your ridiculous resolutions. It’ll be ok, I promise. This first post of the year is dedicated to the most iconic New Year’s Eve city… New York, NEW YORK. I wanted to showcase this magical time of year as well as pair that with a dessert that I feel best represents N.Y.C.! I’m so incredibly grateful for all of you and for the constant challenge and growth this blog continues brings to me. Cheers to 2014 and here’s to another year!

{pretzel at Tiffany’s}

Momofuku Milk Bar Exam no. 16 {chocolate chip layer cake}

This dessert is a long overdue post. A really fantastic, fun recipe that is apparently Christina Tosi’s favorite cake in the Milk Bar cookbook. Hence, you can imagine how nervous I was to make it! Like a samurai assistant forging a sword for his master (except this sword is edible). Yet it turned out to be as great as I could have imagined. 

As the name entails, the base of this recipe is a chocolate chip cake yet of course as with any Milk Bar recipe there’s always a twist. This one includes a passion fruit curd, chocolate crumbs, and coffee frosting. It all comes together to create an incredibly unique cake. One that I am glad to have checked off my Milk Bar Exam list!

TV dinner {Downton Abbey}

I’ve had my heart broken many times… by Julian Fellowes. After the last season of Downton Abbey, I vowed I was done with the show. No more Downton. No more Lady Mary. Not even the Dowager Countess.

After Sybil, there was just too much of this…

and last year’s season finale that aired on freakin’ CHRISTMAS caused even more of this…

I was too frustrated and exhausted to continue. But now that I’ve had almost a full year to recover, the scars are slowly starting to heal. Now for us non-UKers, the new season has yet to premiere in the States. Yet somehow I’ve been watching the new episodes online (don’t worry, I’ll watch them when they air on PBS too!) and of course I find myself, once again, wrapped up in the storylines of Carson and Branson and wily Thomas… even Edith! I will not give away any spoilers for my fellow American fans. Instead I’ll provide you with a delicious recipe!

National Dessert Day

Today, October 14 is National Dessert Day!

Who decides these things… fat people. Fat, happy, power-hungry people. If it’s excuse to add just a little something sweet to your life… then why not! Here’s some delicious inspiration of just some of my favorite dessert recipes. Make them to celebrate this glorious made-up holiday and spread some sweet sweet love!

While I am currently in Nashville, you know I will CERTAINLY be indulging in National Dessert Day today.

Oktoberfest

As a celebration of the last day of Oktoberfest, I thought I would conclude with this recipe. Don’t worry, it’s not as complicated as that candy bar pie monstrosity I created last week. This recipe is very easy to make and a crowd pleaser– German hot potato salad.

To be honest I’m not sure how ‘German’ this potato salad really is. Perhaps it was inspired by a traditional German dish or perhaps a group of Southern church ladies just decided serving it next to some hotdogs was enough to verify it as German. Regardless, it’s delicious and a good alternative to a mayonnaise potato salad (which I also adore).

If you know me at all, you also know that I LOVE potatoes. It verges on complete obsession. My motto is : I never met a potato I didn’t like. And this German potato salad is one of my favorite side dishes/meals. As I made this many, many times in middle school, this recipe has a lot of fond memories to me. In this version, I decided to jazz it up with a medley of different potatoes. You can use all red new potatoes (as is usually used) but the mix of colors from these red, Yukon gold, and purple potatoes just makes the dish so much more appealing.

momofuku milk bar exam no. 15 {candy bar pie}

In the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook, Christina Tosi describes this pie as being “a little bit of a bitch to make.” So of course, I had to try it!

And I have to say, she was not lying. This is certainly the most difficult recipe I’ve made from this cookbook, if not ever. There are a lot of moving parts and everything has to be well orchestrated before you begin. So please please please read the directions carefully and then reread them. Picture them in your mind. Carve them into your soul. Because trust me, this pie may be a bit of a bitch to make but it is so unbelievably worth it.