Blueberry Crumb Bars by Smitten Kitchen

Smitten Kitchen strikes again! It is blueberry season, so go make yourself some blueberry crumb bars. I think TEB busted these lovelies out the very day they were posted. They are delicious and better fresh, as opposed to frozen and then defrosted. The defrost made them soggy but there were still none left after a group picnic the other week.

70s Party: Photobooth

I was inspired by Oh Happy Day's photobooth tradition to include both a thank you slide in my defense talk that was filled with photobooth photos and to have a photobooth corner set up at the post-defense 70s party.

For the thank you slide, I had my immediate family and close friends take sepia-toned pictures of themselves using the mac Photo Booth application (comes standard on all macs now). I did a test series of myself and found that low, adjustable lighting works best. I used those pictures, a free download from Sugar Plum Paperie, and photoshop to create the strip you see to the left.

Find a photobooth near you, by searching via zip code, using this website and check out Cindy Ferguson's photobooth invitation, found via Oh Happy Day. The photobooth idea clearly is pretty popular for weddings, as I found a few different versions on Snippet & Ink: indoors and outdoors. There is also this great idea for a guest book that features photobooth pictures, from With This Ring.

For the 70s post-defense party my friend DD painted a canvas based on the fabric I posted on the 70s inspiration page here. TEB set up his camera on a tripod. I ordered fake mustaches and classic aviator glasses for guests to use at props. After a few sangrias people went wild and over 80 pictures were taken by the end of the night. I did not have to run around with a camera during my party and I still have very memorable pictures.

photo credit: Bob Dylan photobooth; self-portrait by CNC

70s Party: Sangria

My good friend mt flew in for my defense and the big after-party. I am forever grateful for the friendship we have had over the past couple of years and it meant a lot to me that she was able to be there for my defense. We met 3 years ago and since then my life has been filled with fabulously late nights, copious amounts of boba, excellent parties, and laughter. The laughter, now that is an important one because it is present during the best of times and also the worst. Thank you, MT! Now onto the sangria recipe from MT's friend in Utah (wish I could give more credit here. sorry.). Sangria was popular during the 70s and thus was our theme drink.

2 oranges
2 apples
2 limes
2 lemons
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 cup triple sec
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brandy
2 bottles of cheap 2 buck chuck (Trader Joe's 2$ merlot)
Lemon-lime soda to taste
sugar to taste

Cut all the fruit into round slices. Marinate with the triple sec, brandy, sugar, and cinnamon stick for at least 1 hour (though as the night wore on no one seemed to notice that we eliminated the marinating step altogether). In a large pitcher add 2 bottles of wine, some fruit, and all the marinating juice. Pour in some lemon-lime soda and add sugar to taste. Add ice and serve.

I love the cold beverage jar made from recycled glass at Crate and Barrel. We used super large plastic pitchers and those worked just fine.

photo credit: I just met a girl named sangria by Jkonig; Scriptina font from DaFont.com

70s Party: Inspiration

The brainstorming for my defense party went like this: hmmm. party, eh? I've got this dress I've been wanting to wear. It is a bright orange shift dress that I bought at a vintage shop 10 years ago in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Fransisco's (okay, I'll admit I was a senior in high school). PERFECT. Let's make it a 70s party costume party.

I suggest checking out the list here for vintage shops in San Diego. Flashbacks definitely is sorta a one-stop-shopping experience for different decades. Go there if you are tight on time and want some help from the knowledgeable sales people. Flashbacks 3847 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest , San Diego, CA. (619) 291-4200. M.-Fr. 10 AM - 8 PM; Sat. 10 AM - 7 PM; Sun. 11 AM - 6 PM.

I used the inspiration below to create a yellow and orange theme in our apartment's community room. Upcoming posts on the photo booth, 70s finger foods, and the recipe for the sangria we made by the gallons.
photos: (top) I'm Not There. 2007 film where 6 different characters portray bob dylan. picture from jim emerson's scanners::blog. (middle) looped-spice fabric from repro depot. (bottom) retro logo from computer arts. click here to get detailed instructions on creating your own retro logo from computer arts.

Food Trivia: Guardian Literary Quiz and Foodie Trivia

Let me just say right now that I failed the Guardian Quiz on Foodie Literature. I did so badly that my performed yielded this response, " Your literary foodie credentials are thin and floppy. Are you sure your brain's not shrink-wrapped?" I feel slightly redeemed by the fact that The Kitch, where I originally found the post, did not do so well either.

If you are looking for more foodie trivia or some entertainment for your next party check out this game at Sur La Table.

photo credit: Mad hatter's tea party from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll found here.

Party: Super Duper Tuesday II

Last night we watch the TV coverage of the primaries and covered our U.S. map with the appropriate Barack or Clinton photo for each state voting on Super Tuesday. We also drank champagne and ate red, white, and blue starred cupcakes. It was a good night.

photo credit: TEB 02.05.08

Party: Super Duper Tuesday

Get ready...to Rock the VOTE. We are celebrating Super Duper Tuesday with Champagne & Cupcakes! Yes, they do go together - at least in my world.

Vegan gingerbread cupcakes with lemony buttercream frosting from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule by Isa Moskowitz and Terry Romero see inspiration here, and here.

Buy the book and check out the recipe there. Let me just share with you that these cupcakes have NO refined sugar and at least are healthier for you than the standard cupcake without the frosting (though the frosting is good and you won't believe that it is made without butter).

I still have to put the finishing touches on these cupcakes. I will post the final result later tonight.

photo credit: CNC 02.03.08

Quick Dinner: Zuchini Pasta and Manchego Cheese Salad

Back during August, September, and October we were inundated with zucchini in our organic food box. TEB made so much zucchini bread that the freezer was full of it. Angela over at Shelterrific posted Angela's Zucchini Pasta, just in time to save us from eating another loaf of zucchini bread.

Click on over to see her recipe.

I made a few adjustments based on what was in my pantry; I used pine nuts instead of pistacios for a thicker buttery flavor and I used a mix of hard cheeses instead of just parmeasan.

Pair the pasta with my favorite fresh salad (recipe below) and you have a quick 'n tasty dinner.

Manchego Cheese, Beet, and Toasted Walnut Salad
Quarter beets. Bring a pot of water to boil and add beets. Wash a bag full of salad greens or one head of lettuce. Cut a cucumber into bite size pieces, add to salad. Melt some butter in a small sauce pan, add ~1 cup walnuts, ~1 tbsp brown sugar, cayenne pepper, black pepper. Shake and stir until nuts are fragrant and sugar has melted. Peel the beets (cover your hands with plastic bags or wear gloves to avoid turning them bright pink). Add cooled beets and nuts to the salad. Add shavings of manchego cheese using a good vegetable peeler. Serve with a drizzling of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Cocktail Party: French 75

It is the season for many, many holiday parties. In fact we managed to attend a great party on Friday with some unbelievable food and to host a cocktail party on Saturday for our friends ANM and DJA who got married in September. This cocktail party was for those of us on the West coast who could not attend their East coast wedding. We drank French 75s, munched on rosemary and fennel sugar cookies and gougeres. Here is a toast to ANM and DJA who are starting on a great adventure.

French 75:
Basically this drink is a Tom Collins but with champagne instead of club soda.

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 ounces gin
3 ounces plus 1 tablespoon chilled Champagne
lemon peel for garnish
*festive addition of 4-5 fresh pomegranate seeds for extra garnish

In cocktail shaker, combine lemon juice, sugar, gin, and ice cubes and shake to chill. Strain cocktail into Champagne flute and top off with Champagne. Garnish with lemon peel and pomegranate seeds and serve.

For our 12 person cocktail party TEB and I juiced 12 lemons, premixed and chilled the lemon juice, sugar, and gin. Then we only had to pour the mix into glasses and add champagne, ~1:1 ratio.

If you are looking for a good champagne that won't blow your wallet try the Domaine Ste Michelle Brut or Extra Dry from Trader Joe's, ~8$.

photo credit: poster design by John Leth-Nissen http://PrintsLink.com