RECIPE || SWISS MUESLI

I can't believe it's been just over a year since mitch and I returned from europe. we hope to someday make that an annual thing, but with his current med school schedule, it's tough to get away. while we were there, we fell in love with how the swiss ate: small portions, fresh from the source produce, simple food. seeing the way they eat was a little like finding out something we already knew--new and familiar all at the same time. 

I call this recipe swiss muesli, but I think that's just because I started eating muesli because of our breakfasts in switzerland, which for me always included muesli and yogurt. it's got all of my favorite components (when I don't burn the almonds). it's a little bit of sweet mixed with a little bit of smoky and a little bit of savory. lately, I've been eating this along with my greek yogurt for second breakfast. it's so crazy how much this baby can convince me to eat! so hungry. all the time.

SWISS MUESLI

ingredients

2 cups oats 
1/3 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/3 cup raisins, chopped
1/3 dried apples, chopped
3/4 cup nuts of your choice, toasted (I used half hazelnuts, half almonds)
1 cup wheat or corn flakes

method

this recipe is pretty straight forward.
one :: chop dried fruit. crush wheat or corn flakes.

two :: toast nuts no more than a minute or two. burnt nuts smell the worst.

three :: combine in bowl and mix.

you can store this in an airtight container for about six months, which is a total guess. but I'm pretty sure the airtight tip would be important. and you can also interchange any of the dried fruit for your favorites. I just equal all of mine to a cup.

in baby news, she is doing just fine! she kicks whenever we ask her to just so we know she's okay and all she ever wants me to eat is summer fruit, which has led to many a watermelon bought and devoured in less than a day. thank goodness it's finally watermelon season. and I've officially started shopping for maternity clothes because none of my pre-maternity stuff has a hope of fitting anymore. where are your favorite places to buy maternity stuff that doesn't make you feel like you're enormous?

hope everyone has a happy tuesday!

love, arielle

RECIPE || SUMMER BERRY PIE & THE GBBO

in honor of great british bake off's return, I thought we'd make pie. berry pie. who's excited? this girl!

I actually made this pie for july fourth, which admittedly, was so many weeks ago, but I don't think pie is any less relevant now. in all honesty, when is pie ever really irrelevant? especially when talking about gbbo. this show became a fast favorite last year after rosie's recommendation and I've been waiting not-so-patiently for august to roll 'round again. it has everything--comedy, drama, suspense, and the most polite group of people you could ever imagine baking together under one tent. 

back to pie. my favorite part about this pie is that I used frozen berries, so the cost was relatively low. berries are in season in so many places right now, but the caribbean isn't one of them. in fact, fresh berries are horrendously expensive here. that doesn't necessarily keep me from purchasing them--they are to be savored with greek yogurt and honey--but it does keep me from baking them, you know? and before we start, can I just say..this crust recipe. amazing. I've never had better. I found it via pinterest and am seriously considering having it engraved on a plaque in my kitchen to refer to daily. be sure you give it a go this summer. now, aprons on. rolling pins at the ready. go!

ingredients

for the crust :: 

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter (not margarine), very cold

10 tbsp ice water

1 egg white, lightly beaten

for the filling ::

3 cups berries (I used a six berry blend from the freezer section)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

3 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp butter

 

method

for the crust ::

preheat your oven to 425° fahrenheit, then just do exactly what this lady says, here --> elizabeth stark via food52.

for the filling ::

combine all of the listed ingredients into a dye-proof bowl then spoon into your readied crust. create whatever top you desire. I'm sort of in love with the wide lattice that elizabeth used, but there's a gorgeous braided top crust wandering around the blogosphere that is equally as darling (yes, I said darling). after all of the rolling and cutting is finished, simply brush an eggwash over top, sprinkle on some cinnamon sugar, and pop that sweetheart in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

and there you have it. the perfect summer treat to utilize all of those fresh or frozen berries you might have on hand. though, I wouldn't mind putting them on a shopping list, either, if you know what I mean. we took our pie out to the beach with some friends for the fourth and ate sans plates, with our hands. it felt a little barbaric, but that's just how we forgetfuls roll.

mitch and I are undergoing the moving process right now and it is incredibly daunting. I don't know why that surprises me. each of our moves has been daunting, but each time it catches me off guard all over again. we have sold so many things--rolling pin included--so as not to have to haul it all back to america that I'm really rather ready for a lackadaisical beach day. can I have it? please?

thanks for reading, you guys! and seriously, go bake some pie and then watch great british bake off tonight. you're welcome.

love, arielle 

FOR THE LOVE OF BEIGNETS

like any other reason to celebrate, I love valentine's day. not because of the candy or the flowers or the presents. goodness knows we all got spoiled enough at christmas to at least last until mother's day, wouldn't you say? no, but because the holiday itself celebrates romanticism and kindness and, well, the kind of lovey dovey nonsense that I am super fond of. and in honor of our heart-filled holiday, I thought I whip up a festive batch of beignets. why beignets? it could be because mardi gras is just around the corner or perhaps it's because they're a deep fried ball of dough smothered in powdered sugar. either way, I have been really craving them lately and they're one of mitch's favorites, so I set to work.

I have only made these twice before and this is, by far, the best batch I have ever made. the trick to any good yeasty dough is patience (in the form of letting it rest long enough), which is terribly hard for someone who's waiting on deep fried balls of dough smothered in powdered sugar. I adapted my own measurements from this recipe, which is sure to make you feel like you're hanging back at cafe du monde or somewhere wearing all black and a beret or something equally moody and worldly whilst nibbling on their amazing beignets. and I'd just like to mention, these are nowhere near as delicious as theirs! but I'm cool with it because I don't believe in setting unrealistic expectations.

the ingredients

3/4 cup warm water

4 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tbsp active dry yeast

1 large egg

1 egg white

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1 tsp salt

4 cups all purpose flour

2 tbsp butter

vegetable oil

powdered sugar to preference

the method

step one :: combine the warm water, granulated sugar, and yeast to a large bowl and stir. wait about ten minutes or until your mixture is wet and bubbly.

step two :: combine the egg, egg white, evaporated milk, and salt in a separate bowl and then stir into the yeast mixture.

step three :: add two cups of flour stirring in gradually until the mixture looks like too-thick pancake batter. add in the butter whilst still solid and mix until smooth.

step four :: add the remaining two cups of flour. when dough starts to pull together, turn out onto a heavily floured surface and begin to knead. this can take anywhere from five to ten minutes depending on how vigorous your kneading style is. then, place in the fridge overnight if you're planning on these for breakfast or let rise in a warmish place for two hours if you're kneading them done asap (pun intended).

step five :: if you placed your dough in the refrigerator, remove and let sit at room temperature for a half hour or so, or until you can poke it with your finger and it doesn't spring back at you. then you're ready to turn dough out onto a floured surface and, using a rolling pin, roll out until it's about a 1/2-inch thick. 

step six :: traditionally, beignets are cut into squares, but in light of the romantic holiday coming up, I opted to shape them into hearts with the cookie cutters my mom sent in my care package last week. once you've cut through all of your dough, cover with a clean tea towel and let prove (that is to say, give them a second rise) for about 45 minutes or until they've doubled in thickness. that part is crucial because otherwise your dough won't cook all the way through once in the fryer.

step seven :: heat a vat of oil to 350-365 degrees fahrenheit. you might need to measure via a candy thermometer several times throughout the frying process to insure that the temperature stays constant. then, begin frying those little beauties. mine took about 30 seconds on each side or until they turned a beautiful golden brown color. remove from oil with a spatula and let cool on paper towel.

step eight :: place seven-eight beignets and a handful of powdered sugar in a paper grocery bag. fold the top over a couple of times and shake over the sink until beignets are coated. if you have a few that just aren't cooperating, sprinkle a little powdered sugar over them yourself. and voila--a valentine's treat worth breaking your resolutions for! this recipe yields about 36 medium beignets.

and I don't think I can express, in words, how excited I am that it is almost friday! this week has been a long one and I am super excited about the r&r this weekend has to offer. I hope all of your weeks are going a little smoother and that you're getting pumped for your own valentine's day festivities even if it is to 'just stay home,' which is one of my favorite activities! happy frying, everyone!

love, arielle

HOLIDAY NEIGHBOR GIFTS

it's only tuesday and this week is already proving to be a hectic one. what with all the holiday baking, online christmas shopping, mitch's final taking, and packing and moving our apartment, this house has spun into one seriously chaotic web. however, there is one holiday tradition that can't be overlooked despite all of our current chaos. a tradition that my grandma did and mom did and I have sort of done the past few years. and that's the tradition of holiday neighbor gifts. this year, I picked things that were somewhat traditional, sweet and tasty, and that needed ingredients that I could get my hands on here on our little island. and the best part is? they can all be baked at 350 degrees fahrenheit, which if you're needing to multitask your oven, is super convenient.

here's what I included in mine ::

sugar cookies via vintage revival

some chocolate covered pretzel rods (fairly self explanatory)

and these magic bars ::

the recipe

1/2 cup of butter or margarine

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 bag chocolate chips

(I used semi-sweet)

1 bag butterscotch chips

1 cup shredded coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup nuts

(left out because of allergies)

the method

step one :: preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. melt butter or margarine in the bottom of the pan. I usually just stick it in the preheating oven for a few minutes.

step two :: if you put pan in the oven, remove it and spread graham cracker crumbs evenly throughout the bottom of the pan.

step three :: spread a layer of chocolate chips, a layer of butterscotch chips, and a layer of coconut on top of the graham cracker crust. drizzle sweetened condensed milk evenly on top.

step four :: stick in the oven for 30 minutes or until sweetened condensed milk is no longer visible and coconut is toasted.

step five :: remove from oven and cool. cut into 1'' squares. then, share the love!

and that's just about as simple as neighbor gifts get! perfect if your holiday season is as crazy as mine. those magic squares were my absolute childhood favorite and I used to get so frustrated that my mom would, basically, give them all away! sad to say, I pretty much did the same thing to mitch this year. with the promise I would make him another pan when we get to the states in two days! I hope you are all having a wonderful tuesday and thanks for reading!

love, arielle

RECIPE :: APPLE CIDER CRANBERRY SCONES

you've heard me say it before, and I'll say it again--everything british is better. the only time I've ever actually set foot in britain was exploring the scottish countryside for a week with my mom several years ago. but within that week, I fell in love with the jargon, the manners, and the obsession with teatime. and maybe it's just my perception of britain, but what is more british or teatime-worthy than a scone. now, mitch's idea of a scone is yeasty and deep-fried and smothered in confectioners' sugar and in my house, we called that a beignet. my idea of a scone is something akin to an american biscuit, but much sweeter and way more moist. and honestly, you gotta throw some goods in there, if you know what I mean (ie :: cranberries). admittedly, I've crashed and burned a few times with scone creation, but I've tinkered around with it quite a bit and I think I've pretty much got it down to a science. though, I'm not sure it's british-teatime-worthy just yet. I'll let you decide. here's what you gotta do ::

ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp of salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup (8 tbsp) butter

1/2 cup chilled apple cider

(I used homemade but only for the lack of store bought)

1 egg

method

one :: in a large bowl, combine flour, sugars, salt, and rising agents. 

two :: cut in butter. I used a pastry cutter to combine until the result looks like a "coarse meal," which you have most likely heard in every scone recipe you've ever read, but I can't think of any other way to describe it. be careful not to overmix, unless you're actually craving cookies because that's what you'll end up with.

three :: whisk together the egg and the chilled apple cider. pour over meal and, using your hands, scoop it into a ball. cover or wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for at least a half hour or overnight if you are making dough ahead of time. in the meantime, preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.

four :: pull ball of dough out of the fridge and simply press down until it makes a 3" thick disk that is probably 8" across in every direction. then, taking a knife or scraper, score into eight equal triangles. roll some parchment paper out onto your baking sheet and place evenly apart.

five :: place sheet in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until scones are just slightly brown on top. when finished, remove and enjoy warm. or, store in an airtight container. ours are still pretty good even after two days.

mitch and I were both pretty surprised at how long these little guys stayed moist. especially after experiencing several of my failed scone adventures in the past. and not to toot my own horn, but I don't know if it's the brown sugar, the egg, or the overnight rest time that I gave mine, but these are the moistest scones I have ever had. and with my british obsession, I've had quite a few scones in my day. can I just say again how moist they are?

and how has your week been? ours has been kind of wonderful, thus far. I talked to such an inspiring lady yesterday who made me question every outlook on life I've ever had and it has me feeling invigorated and empowered. we talked about how short these little moments are, when life seems hard. and in a few years, we'll look back and realize that these are the moments we draw upon. it really left me yearning to be more optimistic. have a great thursday and have I said thank you lately for reading this little blog? well, thanks.

love, arielle

DESSERT APPLE CIDER

I set out to make a homemade, healthier, run-of-the-mill hot apple cider, but this concoction is anything but run-of-the-mill and anything but healthy. I set out to flavor it naturally with apples and honey, but partway through decided that, in the name of thanksgiving, this hot apple cider needed something a little more festive. an occasion like this calls for sugar! in fact, I don't mean to brag or anything, but this libation turned out something akin to starbucks' hot caramel apple cider. totally by accident. and being about 1000 miles from the nearest red cup, I am definitely in need of one (or five) of these. however, I will say this is really more of a decadent dessert option than it is a variation of apple juice. I think the thing that shocked me the most about this recipe is how much water boiled off. I am guessing that this is what allows the substance to taste caramelly without actually containing caramel. drizzle it with creamer or whipped cream and you've pretty much solved the 1000-miles-away-from-the-nearest-starbucks problem.

ingredients

4 mix-and-match apples 

(I used 2 fuji and 2 braeburn)

6 cups of water

1/2 medium orange

(about 5 slices)

1/3 white sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

3 cinnamon sticks

1/4 tsp ground allspice

creamer as desired

method

one :: to create the sachet, take a coffee filter and fill it with cinnamon sticks and allspice. for a stronger flavor, use a square of cheesecloth.

two :: wash apples and cut into quarters. place in large saucepan and cover with water. add orange slices, sugar, and vanilla extract. tie the sachet to the handle of the saucepan keeping it upright.

three :: stir and set onto boil. let it be for about 30 minutes.

four :: then, reduce heat and let simmer for 30 more minutes. when finished, remove from heat.

five :: remove sachet and discard. with a potato masher, mash up apples and oranges until it looks something like applesauce.

six :: strain liquid thoroughly into a bowl squishing all of the liquid out of the fruit with a wooden spoon. discard extra fruit pieces.

seven :: top with creamer or whipped cream and enjoy! 

warm, this beverage tastes seriously so similar to starbucks' caramel hot apple cider. chilled, this tastes remarkably like a cool slice of apple pie. perfect for this holiday season! if you try this at home, I'd love to see how yours pans out or if you think like I do--that this tastes like a red cup concoction. use the hashtag #bakewithelegance because I would love to see!

yesterday evening, mitch officially passed his third set of blocks, which is extremely impressive since the third block seems to be the toughest of every semester. we are spending the day getting reacquainted since it is as though we haven't seen each other in forever and this afternoon, we are welcoming his parents to our beautiful, little island. it's always so wonderful when family comes to town. it feels more like a vacation than it does the humdrum of every day life. I hope all of you are keeping warm with many a hot beverage and that you're all having a wonderful tuesday!

love, arielle