Refinery 29

I'm going directly to Refinery 29 and hitting the buy button...Happy V-day to me!

Free Valentine's Printables

Sometimes life gets in the way and we forget to slow down and just appreciate things. That’s why I like Valentine’s Day because it reminds you to do just that. Some people feel it is a greeting card and chocolate company holiday. But I think every once in awhile a special date on the calendar is just what we need to remind us to be grateful for the ones we love.

That being said, last year was a great Valentine’s day. The hubby and I made a romantic dinner of surf and turf together and then talked for hours over a fantastic bottle of wine. I will admit that the surf and turf and wine came together as I flew around Brooklyn a little panicked.

This year I am going to be fully prepared and enjoy the whole day instead of just the evening. That’s why I thought it was perfect when I ran across Kiki’s creations printable cards. They are adorable and with the series of 8, I’m going to hide them around the apartment to surprise my husband in the morning.

Peanut-less Noodles

Food.

With so many people having severe nut allergies, it is very important to have some good recipes in your back pocket that are safe for our peanut-challenged friends.

Recently, we had a client request an Asian-inspired menu with a noodle salad...but absolutely no nuts could be in the mix. That can be a tough one, because most Asian Noodle salads call for at least a bit peanut butter. Luckily, I was able to find this recipe in a 2001 issue of Epicurious that was absolutely perfect. On-theme and absolutely nut free **. And pretty tasty too!!

Asian Noodle Salad

Serves 6

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

1 garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger

3/4 lb thin linguine

1 cup coarsely shredded carrot

3 scallions, cut crosswise into thirds and thinly sliced lengthwise

2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

6 radishes, halved and thinly sliced

Stir together soy sauce, vinegar, oil, red pepper flakes, garlic, and ginger.

Cook linguine in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, then drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool. Toss with dressing, carrot, scallions, sesame seeds, and radishes in a large bowl.

** It is rare, but some people with nut allergies have sensitivity to sesame as well. Be sure to ask before serving.

Link Love

Portugese Girl Cooks
Salted Caramel Pudding...woot woot.



Sweet Paul
Love these personalized photo gift tags.


Created By Diane
A tutorial on how to ice cookies the easy way.


Rebecca Thuss
Great tablescape for Valentine's Day.

Snarky Valentines

Etsy.

My husband and I have happily been together for many years, however we are not big on Valentine's Day. I buy fresh flowers for our apartment on a regular basis and we go to dinner all of the time. I don't need to fight the crowds and pay heavily for both just because it is a holiday. So I'll make a nice dinner and then plan out what candy I can buy at the store the next day for half off. Romantic, huh? :)

And it looks like we're not the only ones that take a bit of a cynical look at the big V-Day. I am just loving the assortment of snarky Valentines on Etsy. My hubby might just get one of these with a home-cooked meal this year.

Peppery Pasta

Recipe.

My aunt recently had the great fortune of having the head chef of Maialino in NYC, Nick Anderer, teach a cooking class in her apartment. #greenwithenvy

Thankfully, she took great notes and shared her newly learned recipes with me this weekend. And there is one recipe that you MUST add to your weekday recipe reportoire, Tonnarelli a Caccio e Pepe. Or as I like to call it, Peppery Cheesy Pasta Perfection. (Yes...I am cheesy)

photo courtesy of diario di una passione

The entire dish takes about 15 minutes from start to finish...but it tastes like it should have taken SO much longer. Tag this recipe, folks. You're going to want to employ it often.

Tonnarelli a Cacio e Pepe

(serves 4)

1 Tbsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper
3 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

2 Cups Reserved Pasta Water
1.5 Cups Grated Pecorino Cheese (preferably from the Fulvi region) plus more for table

1 1/2 lbs Tonnarelli Pasta ***

1. Bring large pot of salted water to boil.

2. Heat 1 Tbsp of the butter in a 14" sautee pan over medium heat and add the pepper.

3. Once the pepper has started to sizzle and become quite fragrant, add 1.5 cups of the salted boiling water. Set aside off heat.

4. Cook pasta according to package instructions or 4-5 minutes if fresh pasta. It should be slightly chewy like Udon noodles. Remove pasta with a slotted spoon and reserve the water.

5. Toss the cooked noodles in the sautee pan and return to a medium high heat. Add remaining butter and cook for 1 minute until the buttery water coats all of the pasta.

6. Remove pan from heat and mix in the grated pecorino cheese until the water thickens around the noodles. If the cheese sauce is too sticky, add a little of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up a bit.

Enjoy!!

*** We had the benefit of using the chef's delicious homemade pasta noodles. But you can definitely use dried as well...Mancini or Rustichella d'Abruzzo being the best if you can find them (check local specialty foods stores).

Junami Apples

There is a new apple in town called the Junami. It originates from Switzerland and is only available in late January and early February. I’m told it looks amazing, because it is a bold red and very round. But basically tastes like a really good apple but a little juicier. The truth is that I need every excuse I can get to add more fresh fruit into my diet and a brand new product taste test is just the incentive that can get it done! I’ll be visiting Chelsea Market today and leaving with a bag of Jumani’s.

Fantastic Flors

Home Decor.

I am a big fan of Flor carpet tiles. There are so many interesting combinations that you can do to create a custom rug of almost any size. And if you have pets or kids, the ability to be able to change out tiles if a stain is just too much to clean is absolutely priceless.

The most recent additions to the Flor collection are really fabulous . Some are quite funky and some really play with texture. Now I just need to find some spare floor space for another rug...

Link Love

Tuesday Inspiration.

Seven Spoons
I am definitely going to try this Kentucky Hot Brown on a Biscuit for brunch very soon.

Oh Joy!
The colorful pom poms in the grass and the crepe paper globes hanging from the tree are just two reasons why this wedding is so cheery.

How About Orange
DIY heart garland that you might just need before Valentine’s Day.

Apartment Therapy
If I had a wine cellar that was this cool, I’d want to be able to look at it from my living room too!

Momofuku cookies in a box!

If you don’t live anywhere near one of David Chang’s Momofuku locations then this is your lucky day. They have taken their coveted cookies and put together a mix that you can make in your own home. Now granted these little boxes are a bit pricey, but all the more reason to break them out at a get-together or special occasion. The three flavors offered are blueberry & cream, corn (kinda like biscotti) and the best cookie ever the compost cookie.

It’s a very easy way to create a little excitement with a fun taste test and it will still be cheaper than a plane ticket to NY.