I ♥ Canning

Is winter over yet?? That seems to be a sentiment I’m hearing from a lot of people, and I’m afraid I have to concur. I know that technically we just had the first day of spring, but in my neck of the woods it feels like the sun will never shine again. Ok, so maybe that’s being a little dramatic, but I can’t help it, I’m ready for some sun! That’s why today I’m going to talk about canning, because those jars up there are like bottled sunshine to me.
Sounds silly I know, but that’s just how much joy this little hobby has brought me over the past year. My first venture into the world of canning and preserving was when I canned some apricot and strawberry jams for a special little party last summer. Unfortunately for the recipients, the jams could have used a little bit of work. Sorry guys! It was only my first attempt! But I at least learned the canning process, and after one time I was hooked. I quickly started getting my hands on as much fresh produce as I could and became a canning fool. Every trip to the farmer’s market was an exciting adventure into what I could can next. What could I put-up with fruits such as these?
And what tasty creations would come from these beautiful veggies?

Stuff I love!

It's been that kind of evening...  The mushrooms I was counting on for tonight's dinner have vanished from the refrigerator, my homemade pesto tastes more like pumpkin seeds than basil, and sharing my yoga mat with a pug and his chew toy was not exactly relaxing. Oh, and my UCLA Bruins are down 16 points in the second half.

I've decided not to fight the forces that be.  Instead, I'm going to share some of the lovely things that have caught my attention recently, in the hopes that sharing some positive energy will turn my night around.  So without further delay, here is some stuff I love:

My juicer!  A birthday gift to myself, this baby has changed my morning routine forever.  I'm such a picky eater when it comes to breakfast.  I don't like anything too sweet, too heavy, or too rich, and cereal has never really rocked my world.   To make my princess tiara a little bigger, I'll add that I don't like fruit that's bruised, or eating fruit that's on a core (i.e. a whole apple or pear) while at work.  And I find smoothies too thick and heavy.  But none of that matters anymore, because I just juice every piece of fruit, no matter how decrepit, and the end result is delicious.  My fruit bowl used to languish in the corner, and now I can't get back to the farmers' market fast enough.  It's also been an amazing way to crank up my veggie intake, as carrots, beets, celery, and cucumber are all delicious when juiced and mixed with fruit.  So go get a juicer!

Quantum Wellness by Kathy Freston.  Kathy is hot and blonde, and she's BFFs with Oprah.  She's also a vegan and a wellness guru, and I have a big life crush on her.  When I went vegan a few months ago, it really motivated me to make other little life tweaks to tap into more energy and happiness.  This book is great for anyone who is inspired to live with more mindfulness and purpose, but doesn't quite know how to make it happen.  The book isn't perfect (at one point she encourages her drug addict readers to "cook an organic meal for friends" instead of smoking crack), but it's a refreshing and motivating read.

Photo from goveganmeow.blogspot.com

Native Foods Culver City -  This is not your kooky aunt's vegan restaurant.  Right now Native Foods is my favorite place to eat in LA, period.  It's withing walking distance from my house, but absolutely worth a trek across town if you have to.  Chef Tanya has a full menu of apps, salads, and rice bowls, but in my humble meatless opinion, it's her sandwiches and wraps that steal the show.  The Ruben sandwich is to DIE for.  Oh, and all you readers who are lactose intolerant should go buy some of the dairy-free ranch dressing.  I am a ranch enthusiast, and would not be able to tell in a million years that theirs doesn't have any sour cream or buttermilk.

ApartmentTherapy.com -  Holy time suck Batman!  I could get lost in this website for hours.  We're refreshing our place, and Apartment Therapy is a never ending source of inspiration.  While we can all dream about Viking ranges and marble backsplashes, it's just as fun to watch couples in Chicago master their DIY projects, or New Yorkers make it work in their tiny studios.

Those are the things that are making my world go round this week...  What about you all?  Have a great weekend!  xoxo, M

Vegucating Robin

I'm not a regular listener of the Howard Stern show, but I have a growing girl crush on his news woman Robin Quivers.  First she ran the NYC Marathon the same year I did, and now she's doing a web-based cooking series called Vegucating Robin.  Robin has been a vegan for the last four years, but nearly set her house on fire trying to boil water.  She and chef Gavan Murphy created Vegucating Robin as a way to share her cooking journey with her fans.  Robin's sense of humor in the kitchen is infectious, and their food looks amazing.  As someone who's flirting with going fully plant-based, I can't wait to see what other recipes Chef Gavan comes up with.  For now, check out their cannelini bean concerto.  White beans and kale?  Yeah, I can get down with that.

The Napa Town & Country Fair Part 2

Well folks, it's a tad belated but today I bring you Part 2 of our epic Napa Fair experience.  But first, a programming note.  You've probably noticed that it's been a while since we've posted a new recipe.  I wish I had something new to share with you every day, or at least every week, but I also think it's important to keep it real.  And the reality is that all of our cooking and baking that we post here takes place in our day to day lives, and my life right now is taking a lot out of me.  I think even the most passionate cooks can relate to those days (or weeks or months) when the best thing you can do for yourself is heat up a frozen pizza and pour yourself a big glass of two-buck Chuck.  So I hope you forgive and bear with us, and I promise that we will have lots of great recipes in the future.

For now, please enjoy these baked goods that someone else created!  Today's photos come to you from the Home Arts Exhibition at the Napa Fair.  These were all made by amateurs like us and judged by some really sweet looking old ladies in matching yellow shirts. 

The Napa Town & Country Fair Part 1

When I was a kid, the Napa fair was the highlight of my summer.  My sister and I would get a week-long pass and wristbands for unlimited rides.  We'd wait outside the gates before they opened, and then spend hours running from the giant slide to the tilt-a-whirl, taking breaks for curly fries and sno cones.  Today I have a weak inner ear and an aversion to crowds, but I was dead set on making a night at the fair happen.

Before this weekend, I hadn't been in years.  While I was certain that it would still have that summer magic I grew up loving, John and Allison were slightly more dubious.  Think about the first time you went to Disneyland as an adult.  When I went in college, everything was a little smaller, a little more crowded, and a little more wooden than I remembered.  When we drove down one of Napa's main streets on Friday and saw a few lonely ferris wheel cars sticking out above a two-story building, I started to get a little nervous.

I had been hyping up the fair to John for weeks, and I badgered Allison and her boyfriend Nick into joining us.  Luckily, the night exceeded our lowered expectations, and we had a blast.  Let's start with the really good stuff, the fried food.

Corn dogs...  You had me at hello.  I never eat corn dogs because they render me powerless.  Had I not been in public and under the expectation that I would behave like a normal human, I may have inhaled 5 to 6 corn dogs.

Vegetable Gardens

Hi there! It may have been absent last week, but “Stuff We Love” is back with a vengeance. This week were talking about vegetable gardens. Just take a look at all this green. This is good good stuff. The site of all of this green makes me feel happy and healthy and alive. Because there’s nothing better for you then vegetables grown out of the ground, especially when they’re in your own backyard.
When I moved into my place last December, the one thing I was most excited about was having enough space for a garden. I was giddy with anticipation over all of the things I could grow. And so over the past couple of months I have been slowly planting my garden with vegetables that I can't wait to eat.
I don't have children, and I don't have pets, so my garden has become my baby. I feel like a proud parent, watching over their kids while they sleep. Every morning without fail, I hurry outside to survey my plants for any signs of growth, excitedly hoping that something has magically grown by leaps and bounds overnight.

Cinco de Mayo!

We here at Butter + Cream just love to celebrate holidays. From the popular, to the more obscure, any holiday is the perfect excuse to cook, bake, celebrate and part-ay. And Cinco de Mayo has definitely been one of our favorites. During college we had some pretty kick-ass Cinco de Mayo parties if I do say so myself. Complete with Mexican flag cake:
Followed by Mexican flag cookies the year after:
That's my friend Erin and I. We are excellent Cinco de Mayo party planners, as you can obviously see by our Mexican flag themed desserts. Cinco de Mayo parties are also great because you get to have piñatas. Although I sincerely believe that piñatas should be a requirement of all parties. They just make things more fun. Because who doesn't love smashing into something with a baseball bat and having candy fly everywhere?
So hopefully you all share a little bit of love for this particularly holiday, because in the days leading up to it we will be sharing with you some of our favorite recipes and dishes that would be perfect for any Cinco de Mayo bash. Just make sure not to invite these two crazy fools.What are some of your favorite Cinco de Mayo dishes?

We Love Sushi!

Today's "stuff we love" post is on a cuisine near and dear to many an Angeleno.  If New Yorkers can brag about their pizza and Chicagoans have their hot dogs, then we here in LA can lay claim to some of the best sushi in the land.   I have to shamefully admit that I lived here for at least two years before a piece of raw fish passed my lips for the first time.  But once it did, I wondered where it had been all my life.  Buttery smooth in texture, and the perfect combination of sweet, tangy, and salty, a good sushi experience will stop you in your tracks.  And it's healthy to boot!

Iced Tea

I fear that I may have a bit of an iced tea addiction. My iced tea habit started off innocently enough; every other day or so I would grab one to go at lunchtime to take back with me to the office. Soon it became every day, and now, well now it’s a problem. Because now it’s a mug of hot tea in the morning at work, my after lunch iced tea, and possibly another glass or two from the pitcher that I brew at home.
But I can’t help it. There is just something so satisfying and refreshing about a tall glass of iced tea on a sunny afternoon. Especially when that sunny afternoon is spent in the office in front of a computer and the iced tea is all I have to keep me going. To answer your question, yes, I do feel a little silly talking about iced tea. But on Fridays were talking about stuff we love, and I just really happen to love iced tea. I like it in all variations; black or green, unsweetened or southern style sweet tea so sweet it will make your teeth hurt, home-brewed or from a powder, you name it and I’ll drink it. Currently I prefer it black, unsweetened, with lemon.
There’s a few different spots I frequent in St. Helena to get my fix. On days I can find a parking spot I’ll go to Model Bakery where they have a tropical tea that I really enjoy; if there’s no where to park I’ll continue on to Dean & Deluca where they have the best ice (shaved). But I don’t particularly enjoy spending just under 3 bucks a pop for some tea, and ever since I realized how easy it is to make at home, it seems there is always a pitcher of it hanging out in the fridge. Right now my favorite tea to use is this one:
I gotta admit I first picked out this particular tea because I thought the tin was so pretty. But I happen to love teas with a bit of fruit flavor to them, and this one has an awesome frutiness to it. With other teas I usually add a bit of lemon and some honey, but this one doesn’t need it. It’s good all on its lonesome.

If we’re talking bout tea, then I got to mention another favorite iced tea incarnation: Sweet Tea Vodka. I first heard about the stuff last summer while visiting family friends in Washington. We went out to dinner and I tried a cocktail which consisted of lemonade and sweet tea vodka, basically a spiked version of an Arnold Palmer.

What's New Cupcake?

Hello!  It's Friday!  I hope you have a super weekend planned, and that your boss lets you go home early this afternoon.

Allison and I have been walking around with stupid grins on our faces this week because of each and every one of you.  Whether you've found us through Joy or Food Gawker or good old fashioned web surfing, you're reading and writing comments and just saying the nicest things, and it makes us feel all warm and happy inside.  Please keep visiting, and we'll keep baking and sharing.  It's good stuff.

Speaking of good stuff...  We've decided to try something out.  It's called "stuff we love".  Each Friday Al and I will bring you something that inspires us, makes life easier, or just plain strikes our fancy.  Sometimes it'll be related to baking, and sometimes not.  No one's giving us freebies, so don't worry, it's all above board.

Which brings me to this moose.