Hi everyone!

Today, I wanted to share a cherished recipe that I first stumbled upon in my junior year of college. It was a Sunday morning, and I was the first one up in the little house I shared with three friends. I knew I wanted to treat myself for breakfast, preferably to something dessert-like, like pancakes or muffins, but didn’t have too many ingredients in the pantry. Luckily, we had a few basics, along with a massive Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook I could refer to for inspiration. I had no idea what these “nun’s puffs” were supposed to be, or how they would turn out, and I certainly didn’t think that they would become a tradition years later. I’ve made these so many times, I’ve memorized the recipe!

Photo c/o Brooke Perisho

All you need is:

• 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
• 3/4 cup flour
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• A few tablespoons of sugar to taste

Preheat your oven to 375º, and grease a muffin tin. Fully melt your stick of butter in a saucepan, and then add 1 cup milk. When the mixture comes to a boil, add flour, and stir quickly over heat until dough forms a ball. Take mixture off the stovetop, and let cool for five minutes. Stir in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Spoon egg batter into muffin cups, 2/3rds full. Sprinkle sugar over each puff and bake for 30 minutes. Done! (Best enjoyed fresh out of the oven. Especially delicious with honey.)

….

My girlfriends and I had planned to whip these together for breakfast during our San Diego adventures, but, alas, the condo we were staying in had no muffin tins. So, we improvised. Turns out, four ramekins are all you need to make a mighty impressive looking breakfast souffle-like thing. They’re something we’ve enjoyed together for years- we even made some for my friend Brooke’s bridal shower! They’re simple enough to whip up at a moments notice, and almost foolproof. Also, it’s a great little recipe to have up your sleeve if you’re looking to impress someone.

So, next time you find yourself with a little extra time on your hands in the morning, try whipping up a batch of nun puffs. Share them with your significant other (ick, yes, I just used that term), friends, or even your neighbors. No one can resist the puffs! And, as to why they’re called “nun’s puffs,” I have no idea. Flying nun reference, anyone?

EVA♥

Hi everyone!

 For almost a year now, my Tuesdays have become “Taco Tuesdays.” It’s turned into so much of a tradition that, when skipped, I am beset with strong cravings for Mexican food. Yes, I must now have weekly tacos. As most of you know, tacos are best paired with a cold cerveza or a margarita, but I decided to get a little creative and whip together a sangria for the latest get-together with my girlfriends. It’s an impressive addition to any party, but also quite simple to put together!

Yes, those are my polka dot boxer shorts in the corner. Who gets all dressed up to make a mess in the kitchen?

Going off of the assumption that sangria is primarily made of wine, fruit, and some sort of liqueur, I threw together a big pot of the stuff one morning, and let it “marinate” until dinnertime. It was totally experimental, and luckily turned out to be delicious! All you need is:

• 1 orange, slightly crushed to release juices
• 1 apple
• Any seasonal fruit you would like! I used a nectarine
• 1 bottle of red wine
• 1 can of delicious bubbly something (i.e Hansen’s mandarin lime soda, or flavored San Pellegrino)
• 1/4 cup of Triple Sec
• 1/4 cup of citrus-flavored vodka (optional)

Chop up all fruit into bite size pieces, cover with wine and liqueur; stir, refrigerate, and let rest for 2+hours. When ready to serve, top with soda or sparkling water and enjoy! I know, it’s incredibly high-tech. It’s also foolproof as long as you taste as you go. Should you prefer a stronger sangria, you’re welcome to edit the recipe to your liking. You could also easily make a non-alcoholic sangria with a grape juice, or, even better, lots of kombucha! And, let’s not forget: it’s an easy way to make your after work cocktail count as a serving of fruit.

Adulthood is basically a bunch of life-hacks in disguise. Oh, and sangria.

EVA♥

Hello everyone!

I’m sure many of you remember the Frankenstein-of-cupcakes I created in my kitchen a while back. (Hello, weird watermelon frosting!) Today’s recipe is quite a bit different, but somehow turned out equally as strange. Luckily, the taste makes up for its questionable appearance. I’ve made a cherry clafoutis before, although using an entirely different recipe that I was unable to find this go-around. Although, it was significantly more cake-like, I believe this squishier pancake dough is perhaps more authentic. I used an amended recipe I found from Garrett McCord on Simply Recipes, and, as the name would indicate, it was quite simple. For my version, you’ll need:

• 2 cups of pitted cherries
• 1 tablespoon almond extract, or almond flavored syrup
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 pinches of salt
• 1 cup milk
• a splash of vanilla extract

Cherries in their still-frozen state. They got a lot uglier once defrosted, I’m afraid…

While the cherries defrosted, I practiced my one-handed egg cracking skills. Which is why all of the egg yolks look so destroyed in this photo. Whoops!

Batter’s done and cherries are ready to go in the bottom of my favorite Le Creuset baking dish.

After 1 hour of baking at 350 degrees, I was left with the below masterpiece.

It’s a little cherry-heavy, and forgive the missing chunk on the side. It’s where I sampled it before taking a picture. And, as the original recipe said, it did fall quite a bit while cooling down.

In hindsight, though I’ve previously used frozen cherries, I wish I had used fresh cherries despite the extra work of removing the pits. I’d also like to use a tad more flour to up it’s density. It’s awfully squishy, this one. If you don’t mind the funny texture, it’s quite sweet and delicious. I’m hoping to slice it up this evening and serve it alongside some ice cream. A pretty good accomplishment for a Thursday, if you ask me.

EVA♥