I want to talk a few minutes about my new favorite cheese. Humboldt Fog has been making an appearance in my grocery cart on a regular basis since moving to Cincinnati (it was even the star ingredient to our low-key Superbowl snacking). Our local big-box grocery store has an AMAZING cheese counter. It rivals what I could get at Trader Joe’s back in Boston.

Due to my lactose intolerance, I love trying new goat and sheep milk cheeses, and this Humboldt Fog cheese has become my favorite. It paired so nicely with the other flavors in this sandwich. Hubby was definitely jealous that I made this one night when he was working late. But have no fear, this sandwich has been made a couple more times since then!

One Year Ago: Homemade Granola and Rhubarb Coffee Cake
Two Years Ago: Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies and New York Style Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce
Three Years Ago: Oreo Pretzel Fudge and Oreo Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies
Four Years Ago: Brownie Pops
Five Years Ago: Baked Eggplant Chips

Continue reading: Strawberry, Avocado, Goat Cheese Sandwich

If you haven’t ever browned butter, it’s quite simple, although it does take some patience. Just melt the butter on low. Once the butter starts to foam, I start whisking. From here things can be tricky, although I’ve never had any issues. My secret? Using my nose. I stir the butter constantly until it smells nutty and almost caramely. That’s it.

I only have dark bottomed pans, so I can’t follow the instructions about when you see flecks vs when you don’t. But my nose has yet to fail me. Believe me, you’ll know when it’s ready. Once cooled to room temperature, browned butter can be used in just about anything.

Since my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe has browned butter in it, I was not at all surprised that I loved these snickerdoodles. Don’t get me wrong, I like regular snickerdoodles enough (in cookie or bar format), but with browned butter, they were downright addictive!

One Year Ago: Roasted Blueberry Cupcakes and Two-Berry Coconut Macaroons
Two Years Ago: Hummingbird Cupcakes with Pineapple Flowers
Three Years Ago: Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and Meal Idea for New Parents (or Anyone else you want to take a meal to)
Four Years Ago: Roasted Red Pepper Dip and Samoas Bars

Continue reading: Browned Butter Snickerdoodles

But soon enough, I decided to make some vanilla ice cream. I threw in more vanilla than the recipe called for because I wanted it to be really vanilla-ey and have the signature speckles that can only come from using fresh vanilla beans.

For this ice cream, I used coconut milk again, but I used half low fat and half full fat. I knew that the low fat coconut milk might affect the texture of the ice cream. Since it has more water in it, it can produce a more icy texture since the water crystals turn to ice.

While the texture was a bit icy, the ice cream was Hubby approved as delicious dairy free vanilla bean ice cream. I enjoyed it with sprinkles on top because I love sprinkles.

One Year Ago: Blackberry Cheesecake Swirled Brownies and Purple Potato, Tomato, and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
Two Years Ago: Cranberry Raisin Almond Banana Bread and Cinnamon Chip Scones
Three Years Ago: Not So Newlywed Map and Black Bean and Bell Pepper Cous Cous Salad
Four Years Ago: Spicey Orange Shrimp and Alton Brown’s The Puffy
Five Years Ago: Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and Shrimp Scampi with Mushrooms and Asparagus

Continue reading: Dairy Free Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

I kicked off the weekend with a bright pink manicure and wore a bright pink blazer to work on Friday. It got me in the mood for the sheer overload of pink coming over the next couple of days.

Hubby and I had a rough start to the weekend. First our flight was delayed, then it was delayed again. When it was finally time to leave for the airport, I cut the heel of my foot on the front door as we were walking out of it.

Kicking off the walk at the Washington Monument

Luckily, we were able to make it to the Avon Walk host hotel just in time for check-in on Friday night. After grabbing my alumni pin (a 5 this time!), we headed up to our room to get ready for the weekend. I packed my backpack, laid out my clothes, and set my alarm for 4:30 am. Man, that’s early.

For whatever reason, I was under-prepared for this walk. I think it’s because this was my 4th time walking and I underestimated how much my over-prepared-ness has helped in the past.

Jefferson Monument

While I had checked the weather multiple times before packing, I forgot about how cold it is at 5am. I just kept thinking about how perfect 60 degree weather is for a long walk. It was in the 40s when we left the hotel Saturday morning. That’s cold. And I didn’t pack my usual hot pink fleece gloves and ear warmers. And the only jacket I brought was a dry-fit jacket, so the wind went right through it. I was downright COLD while waiting for the opening ceremonies.

This was the first time Hubby was able to stay for the opening ceremonies with me. It’s always very emotional, but the best part this year was the stretching. The instructor was a cute guys with an accent who was dancing around on stage and just having a good time with it. He was awesome and really got the crowd pumped up. Then we were off!

Since I was walking alone for the first time ever, I set out to get lost in my thoughts and take in the sites. We started at the Washington Monument (which is under construction from damage due to an earthquake last year) and headed towards the Jefferson Monument. Next up, we headed to the National Mall straight towards the Capital building.

After leaving the monuments, we headed through some other parts of DC and went to Georgetown. I am not really sure where all we walked, but after lunch on Saturday, we ended up in some very nice neighborhoods with cute houses.

Me and Moo Cow Guy! He goes to all the walks and was very encouraging every time I saw him!

Along the way, I found myself running into people I had seen before and would strike up a conversation here and there to help pass the miles. I met up with one woman from Alabama before lunch. We ended up eating lunch together and walking for about 8 miles together before she called it a day.

The Capital Building

My favorite part of Day 1 happened around mile 19. I took my tennis shoes off and put them in my bag. The rest of my miles would be in flip flops. I get a lot of comments when people see me in flip flops. Some people say they’re jealous. Others ask if I walk the whole 26 miles in them. But a lot of people are just curious about it.

My biggest issue with walking the 20+ miles is that my toes start to cramp at some point. They just want fresh air. So I always take my socks and shoes off at lunchtime to let them air out, then at mile 20 I change to flip flops. I have really comfortable flip flops (Teva Mush) and I train that way. So it works for me.

A mile or so after changing into flip flops, I started to fade. I was slowing down and starting to hurt. So I turned on my iPod. I had bought a little speaker case for my iPod and filled it with upbeat music. I learned last year in Boston that having music can really energize you. So I blared my music and kept on trucking.

When I got to Rest Stop 6, at mile 25, another one of my favorite moments of the walk happened. Hubby met me with a giant hug and walked the rest of the way with me. He had been assigned to Rest Stop 6 for his crew assignment. He had told his whole team about how I was walking alone so they were all high-fiving me and encouraging me to continue.

Old Post Office

When we made it to the Wellness Village, I headed straight for medical to get my blisters re-treated. As I mentioned, I hadn’t trained like I usually do for the walk. The good news was that all of the blisters I got were in places that I normally have issues. But when I train more, those spots become caliced and I don’t get blisters during the actual walk.

After medical, I went to get a foot massage and back massage before heading to physical therapy to get my hips stretched out. Then we headed to the bus back to the hotel where I scarfed down a burger and a beer (my Avon Walk tradition). After a long shower and more stretching, I was in bed by around 9.

National Cathedral

Sunday I was up at 4:30 again to head over to the Wellness Village. I headed back to medical to get my blisters wrapped up for the walk. And remember how I said it was COLD Saturday morning? It was even colder on Sunday. They were handing out mylar blankets and am so glad I took one.

This cop was riding around on his motorcycle blaring music for us and high-fiving everyone. Even his gun was pink!

I was more than a little sore on Sunday because of my lack of training, so even though I was at the beginning of the pack at the start of the day, I was definitely getting passed left and right. The day was kind of a blur of walking, wishing I had trained more, stretching, and more walking.

Hubby had made a rule for the weekend – No Whining – which I tried whole-heartedly to stick to. He wasn’t trying to be mean. He was trying to remind me that I was there to have fun and celebrate the inspirational nature of the walk weekend.

SO CLOSE!

Along the walk, there are always people selling pins to add to your backpack or hat. I have quite the collection of pins, including one with the year and city of each walk I’ve done. When I saw the pin with No Whining on it, I just had to get it. The other pin I got was one that said Keep Calm and Walk On.

Even though I was in more pain than usual during this walk, I had a blast. Not once did I feel alone on the route because the other walkers, crew, and staff are all so friendly, supporting, and talkative.

All smiles while waiting for the Closing Ceremony

I did re-learn a few things this time around. As I mentioned in my Tips for Walking an Avon Walk, training is important. I didn’t do nearly enough training this time around. I kept making excuses because we had just moved or the weather wasn’t nice or whatever and I paid for it this weekend. I was in a decent amount of pain, got more blisters than I have had in my previous 3 walks combined, and just overall had a harder time with the physical challenge this time.

Survivors walking in to Closing Ceremony

I also need to remember to bring more layers. I was wondering why my backpack seemed so empty when I packed it… It’s because I didn’t pack enough clothes. Sure, when it was 64 and sunny, I was comfortable, but when it was dark, windy, and 48, I was freezing.

For those of you who have not been following my Avon Walk journey, check out my other recap posts from previous walks:
Boston 2009 – crew
San Francisco 2010 – walker
NYC 2011 – walker
Boston 2012 – walker

I have already signed up to walk Charlotte this fall and Chicago in June 2014. Then I’ll have 2 more walks to complete my goal to walk all of the Avon Walk cities! I did meet some other women last weekend who are walking all of the Avon Walk cities. The two I ate lunch with on Sunday only have two cities left!

I was excited about the theme because it’s been AGES since I’ve made cupcakes. And with our recent move, I was reminded at just how many different cupcake liners I have in my cabinet. So this was the perfect excuse to browse some cupcake recipes. I looked through recipes in cookbooks and online before deciding on these chocolate nutella cupcakes.

And what a great way to re-introduce myself to cupcake baking than with my go-to chocolate cupcake that I know and love with a new amazingly delicious frosting. The frosting’s name is Nutella Cloud Frosting and I can’t think of a better way to describe it. Whether the cloud in the name is referring to the dreaminess of the frosting or the light-airiness is still up for debate, but it’s the perfect name for this frosting.

And if you’re not a fan of Nutella, you can just leave it out and make yourself some chocolate cloud frosting. Either way, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. I decorated these cupcakes quite simply, using multi-colored liners and some sprinkles on top. They the perfect addition to any shower menu, virtual or not.

So join me in congratulating Krystal and her hubby Eric on their upcoming arrival. To see all of the cupcakes, check out the round up on Eva’s blog. And, you might remember Krystal’s first virtual baby shower, where I made these delicious Cuban Sandwich Eggs Benedict. YUM!

One Year Ago: Caramelized Red Onion Tart and Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Two Years Ago: Roasted Banana Soft Serve and Fudgey Banana Brownies
Three Years Ago: Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake
Five Years Ago: Perfect Summer Salsa and Dairy Free Cheesecake Pops

Continue reading: Chocolate Nutella Cupcakes

I can’t even explain to you guys how good these cookies are. Honestly. You are going to want to make these the next time you need a chocolate fix. Or you want to impress your friends. Or you just want to do something for yourself.

I made these on a whim because we were having friends over. I was glad I broke my own rule about always using my cupcake scoop for cookies. These were very rich and indulgent – I mean look at that batter, it looks just like ganache!

You know, Hubby keeps telling people that he’s not a chocolate guy. I think he’s lying through his teeth. Maybe I’ve converted him and he’s still in denial about it. I watched him gobble up quite a few of these without thinking twice. They were so good I had to get them out of the house so I sent a dozen home with our friends. I was glad I did it and then sad the next day when we didn’t have any cookies in the house. You win some and you lose some I guess…

One Year Ago: Purple Ombre Cake and How to Pipe a Rose (with Video)
Two Years Ago: Cinnamon Banana Bread
Three Years Ago: Cornish Hens with Garlic and Rosemary
Four Years Ago: Homemade Oreos
Five Years Ago: Mini chocolate-chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry and Caramel Filling and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Continue reading: Salted Dark Chocolate Truffle Cookies

I have to confess that when I found out about the job, Hubby and I did play the SNL short “Like A Boss” on the TV, blaring through the speakers, pointing to me when it said “Like a boss”. Which is quite frequently if you recall… (If you haven’t seen the skit, Google it sometime when you’re home. It’s somewhat inappropriate but pretty funny).

So now that I’m a boss, I get to make some of the rules at work which has been fun. One thing I changed was how birthdays are celebrated in the group. You see, birthdays are a big deal in my world. I love celebrating other people’s birthdays *almost* as much as my own.

Since the previous manager was doing nothing to celebrate birthdays, I had a blank slate to start with. I decided that we’d celebrate at the last staff meeting of the month with some homemade baked good. For the first time since making that executive decision, it was time to celebrate April birthdays at staff meeting.

I decided on this Kentucky Butter Cake because one of the reviews online said it tasted like a glazed doughnut. Enough said, I’m in. Since staff meeting is in the morning, I figured this was a nice bridge between breakfast and dessert.

This bundt was a HUGE success. The cake itself is a nice sturdy cake with a bit of tang from the buttermilk. And the glaze is to.die.for. It’s a butter syrup that’s poured over the hot bundt (after piercing holes throughout). And then the whole thing is cooled in the pan. So that glaze gets soaked throughout the cake and forms a nice crust on the outside edges.

My team loved the new tradition of celebrating birthdays once a month at staff meeting (and the coworkers who got leftovers approve as well). Although I’ve set the bar pretty high with this cake. It’s going to be a tough act to follow next month.

One Year Ago: Red Cabbage Slaw with Cilantro and Lime Dressing and Pulled Pork Sliders with Red Cabbage Slaw
Two Years Ago: Homemade Peeps and Hot Cross Buns
Three Years Ago: Raspberry Curd
Four Years Ago: Raspberry Cheesecake Swirl Brownies
Five Years Ago: Plum Rolls (Zwetschgenschnecken)

Continue reading: Kentucky Butter Cake

Cilantro, cumin, and avocado just scream Mexican flavors and they’re very prevalent in this salad. Add in a crispy crunch from the bell peppers and the familiarity of black beans, and you can see why I was drawn to this recipe. I only wish I had made this when we had a grill so I could have grilled the shrimp instead of cooking them on the stovetop.

I made this when we were living in our apartment. Along with a grill, we didn’t have a blender or food processor. So my dressing was a bit chunkier than it would be if I had one of those appliances to make it in. Instead, I just chopped the ingredients and whisked them together.

Hubby and I really enjoyed this salad. Actually, that’s an understatement. We loved it. And it made a HUGE amount of salad. So we were eating leftovers for a few days. For the leftovers, I put the shrimp in one container, the dressing in another, and the rest of the fixins in a third. Then you could nuke the shrimp for a bit to heat it up and stir everything together without dealing with a wilted gross leftover salad.

One Year Ago: Homemade Yeast Doughnuts and My 1000th Post
Two Years Ago: Frito Cupcakes
Three Years Ago: Oreo Cupcakes and Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownie Cupcakes
Four Years Ago: Creme Brulee Cupcakes
Five Years Ago: More cheese I can eat!

Continue reading: Mexican Shrimp Cobb Salad

Lemon, pepper, and asparagus salad is one of those ways. This salad really highlights the fresh in-season asparagus. Since it cooked for a few minutes on the stovetop, it keeps a nice crunch and vibrant color.

The lemon juice and freshly ground pepper just enhance those flavors. I threw in some heirloom cherry tomatoes to add some color and texture to the dish. You could make it with or without the tomatoes.

One note about fresh tomatoes. I ALWAYS season them with coursely ground sea salt and freshly ground pepper. No matter what I’m doing with them, they always get seasoned. And don’t be afraid to use some salt on tomatoes. I remember watching an episode of Barefoot Contessa years ago where she talked about how the flavor of a tomato can really be enhanced by some salt, and how it’s hard to over-salt a tomato. I took those words to heart and firmly agree with her.

One Year Ago: Marbled Chocolate Chip Bundt and Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Two Years Ago: Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken and Carrot Cake and Cheesecake Cake
Three Years Ago: Spring M&M Pretzel Treats and Vanilla Buttercream
Four Years Ago: Fauxstess Cupcakes and Spinach Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Mushrooms, Goat Cheese and Tomato

Continue reading: Lemon, Pepper, and Asparagus Salad

And the result of this minimal effort is a beautifully curvy and round cake that always impresses. Add a drizzle of frosting and you’re good to go.

Oh and another thing about bundts, nine times out of ten, they taste better the next day. So they’re the perfect dessert for making ahead of time instead of running around during the day when you’re having people over, trying to do too many things at once.

That also makes them perfect to bring along to potlucks or dinner at a friends house. I haven’t tried shipping a bundt before, but I’d be inclined to guess that they travel well through the postal system as well. Hmm… That gives me an idea for Mother’s Day which is coming right around the corner…

My mom and Hubby’s mom might just be getting this bundt in their mailbox for Mother’s Day. Shh – it’s our little secret…

Speaking of this bundt, it’s a keeper. The cream cheese in the batter makes it rich and thick. And vanilla beans are just plain awesome. They’re added to the frosting for a maximum impact on the visual appeal and the taste.

I served this bundt cake when we had friends over for dinner. I made it a couple days in advance and forgot about dessert that day while I was taking care of other things. There were obviously leftovers, which I froze. Hubby and I enjoyed those frozen pieces over the next couple of weeks.

One Year Ago: Rustic Walnut Tart with Bourbon Whipped Cream and Banana Nutella Muffins
Two Years Ago: French Toast Bread Pudding and a Giveaway and Coconut Layer Cake Filled with Lemon Curd
Three Years Ago: Make Ahead Breakfast Burritos and White Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream
Four Years Ago: Sugar Cookie Bars and Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomato Appetizers
Five Years Ago: Summer Sqaush

Continue reading: Cream Cheese Pound Cake Bundt