The Perfect Rice Crispy Treat

I have had multiple people comment about my ability to make rice crispy treats that actually stay gooey instead of turning into dried out, flavorless little bricks. I never gave it much thought until a recent pot-luck luncheon and it was overrun with these tasteless treats that, even though not refrigerated, were still hard as rocks.

Crab Cake Eggs Benedict

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
                  ~Confucius

I have never understood why people insist on making things so much more difficult on themselves. This is especially true when it comes to my coworkers. Nothing can just be. Everything has to be twisted, overdone, or a dozen steps have to be added to a simple task. What a week it has been!

What better way to welcome the weekend than to create an elegant brunch?

Lemon Blueberry Sticky Buns

Let's start this week with a smile and a delicious sticky roll!

It is Monday and Monday's require an extra dose of motivation to get up and get the week started. My motivation today happens to be Lemon Blueberry Sticky Buns. Let me tell you, these little rolls are absolutely AMAZING.

I am not typically a fan of making any kind of rolls just because I can never get my dough to rise properly (mostly because I am impatient), but this dough was fool proof. It came out perfectly with little work.

Salted Caramel Chai Tea Latte

They say that wisdom comes with age. At 31 I still do not feel wise enough to make life altering decisions on my own.

The biggest decision I feel confident in making today is adding salted caramel and steamed milk to my chai tea. This was an amazing decision, by the way. Sweet. Salty. Creamy. Smooth. Foamy. Absolute Bliss. Oh yeah, and crazy simple if you have the caramel sauce already on hand.

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes

There is a whole lot of NOPE going on in my house today. I am an extremely lazy bum who hasn't found any other motivation than to make dessert. There is always tomorrow to create a fantastic, multi-course meal. Today it's all about laying out, getting a little sun, and relaxing with a good book.

Pineapple, Lime, & Mascarpone Baked Pancake with Dulce de Leche

Happy Sunday.

This morning has been one of those peaceful mornings where all I can do is sit back, sip a hot cup of peppermint tea, and reflect on a million different and completely irrelevant thoughts.

The main thing going through my mind lately is how complicated we have made our daily lives. I remember Sunday mornings when I was little that only allowed for family breakfasts, a relaxing day around the house, and a big Sunday dinner. Stores, if even open at all, opened late and closed by 6pm. There were no 24-hour mega marts. No 24-hour movie rentals. You didn't have a choice but to stay home and focus on your family.

What ever happened to those days?

I've decided today is going to be a stress-free, relaxing Sunday. This delicious breakfast is a great way to start a stress-free Sunday. Trust me. It really is.

Apricot Galette with Almonds

I spent my Saturday exploring Biltmore House, downtown Asheville, NC, and driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was an absolutely gorgeous setting and an amazing day to just walk around and enjoy the scenery. I also got to spend this time with an amazing man who has recently come into my life.

Is a 3rd date too early to be ready to marry somebody? He's just that perfect.

It's hard to top a romantic, peaceful day spent with great company, but this Apricot Galette comes close.