grilled mexican corn

totally ridiculous question i've been wondering about.

is a ferris wheel a form of transportation?

i can see arguments on both sides...

on the one hand, you are being transported.... around and around.

but on the other hand, you aren't technically going anywhere.

deep thoughts. i know.

in other news... ben says this is his favorite thing he's eaten all summer long. outrageous claim? i don't think so. this corn was ridiculously good. i mean, of course it is, it's from my favorite cookbook, and has ingredients that would be hard not to love. it really took a classic corn on the cobb (which is already delicious) and takes it to a whole new level. like, 10 out of 10 in my book.

recipe via date night in

serves 2

ingredients

2 ears fresh corn, husks removed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus pinch

2 tablespoon mayo

2 tablespoon mexican crema or sour cream

i used sour cream

freshly grated zest of 1 lime

1 garlic clove minced

1/3 cup crumbled cotija cheese

i had to ask around to find this at the store.

the nice lady at PCC cut a huge wheel in half for me, 

so i didn't have to buy cotija to last a lifetime.

lime wedges, for serving

directions

1. drizzle each eat of corn with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

2. whisk together mayo, crema/sour cream, lime zest, garlic and salt in small bowl.

this can be made 1-3 days in advance and then refrigerated until ready to serve.

3. grill corn over high heat until charred in parts and tender throughout, about 10 minutes. 

rotating halfway through, or once charred on one side.

4. while the corn is warm, brush each ear generously with the lime crema mixture and then roll it on a large plate covered with cotija. serve the corn while still warm with plenty of lime wedges.

note: my cotija cheese didn't crumble as much as i thought it would, so i chopped it roughly.

just get the pieces small enough that they'll stick to your ear of corn!

messy but crazy good!

salted peanut butter brownies

hands down this is the nicest summer the pacific northwest has ever seen. never do i remember it being HOT at 10am, or being able to stay out past 9pm without a light jacket. past summers were bearable with no AC - hitting temps that only made my apartment unbearable about three days each summer. this summer has broken record after record for heat and sunshine in seattle. ridiculous. ridiculously amazing. i'm having a blast soaking it all in.

my only complaints are some challenges i've had baking in the kitchen. not only was the indoor temp at my house registering 90 degrees this past weekend, but add an afternoon of cooking and baking and i started wondering if it was possible for a person to melt!

needless to say, it probably wasn't the best day to bake my favorite brownies. but hello! when you're craving peanut butter + chocolate, i'm convinced there isn't a better combination than these brownies.

they are so incredibly decadent. rich and thick and gooey. 

you only need a small bite to satisfy the largest sweet tooth.

best brownie recipe around.

recipe from date night in

brownie ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter, plus more for pan

3oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)

i don't think i've ever included this in these brownies. fyi.

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup flour

frosting ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temp

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon flake salt

directions

1. preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. grease 8 inch square pan. line the pan with parchment paper so that 

a couple of inches hang over the edge. then, grease the parchment paper.

i've made this recipe multiple times, and trust me, these brownies are so gooey you'll definitely be glad you greased AND used the parchment paper. not doing so just makes for a huge mess!

also, i think i used my 9 inch square pan this time, 

but an 8 inch would produce a slightly thicker brownie.

3. place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium-high heat. 

allow the butter to cook until the milk solids bubble up and settle into the pan and caramelize. 

swirl the butter in the pan in order to see the color of the little bits on the bottom. as soon as 

the milk solids are folder and the butter smells nutty, 2-5 minutes, remove the pan from heat.

4. pour the browned butter into a medium bowl and add the hopped chocolate. 

let stand for 1 minute to melt and then whisk together.

5. whisk in the sugar and vanilla while the butter mixture is still warm. 

stir in the eggs, salt and espresso powder, if using, until well blended.

6. over the bowl with the chocolate mixture, sift cocoa powder and flour. 

fold the ingredients together until just combined using a spatula.

note: i've sifted my cocoa and flour 75% of the time i've made the recipe, 

and then sometimes i'm too lazy and skip this part all together. cocoa does clump easily, 

so if you're going to be lazy, just be sure no large clumps get in your brownies. 

i don't think there is a noticeable different in the outcome of the brownies.

7. pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until 

a toothpick inserted in the middle pulls out clean. let cool to room temp.

8. now for the frosting... with an electric mixer, whip together butter, peanut butter, 

and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. continue to mix until everything is 

well combined and the frosting has lightened in color.

9. frost the cooled brownies and finish with the flake salt.

if the brownies are too fudgy, feel free to pop them in the fridge for a while.

this was necessary on my 90 degree day!

my selection of cocoa powder

spiced watermelon wedges

i love good ideas. i love innovative solutions to problems i see in the world, big and small.

i love watching shows like shark tank, where people come up with the craziest concepts 

and make them become a reality. i also love finding, seeing and experiencing new things - 

and then wondering - why didn't i think of this??? am i the only one?

when i saw a recipe for a savory slice of watermelon, i stopped in my tracks.

either it was the worst idea ever, or one of those 'wait, why didn't i think of that???'

before you read any further - let me just tell you. it's definitely the latter. 

these were incredible. definitely different than biting into your classic slice of watermelon - 

 but so incredible refreshing - and savory!!! honestly, i thought these were genius.

so simple. such a crowd-pleaser. and immediately upgrades a super simple snack 

to be side-dish worthy. you have to try these. there are probably endless ways 

to vary this recipe, but i was pretty obsessed with this Mexican flavor profile. 

recipe via cooking light

serves 4

be sure to adjust this recipe to the size of your watermelon. i bought a smaller, 

personal size watermelon and had plenty of spice mix based on the below recipe.

ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoon grated lime rind

1/2 teaspoon chile powder

1/2 teaspoon ground coupon

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

4 watermelon wedges

or however many your heart desires

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

directions

1. preheat oven to 200 degrees

2. spread lime rind on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes until slightly dried.

3. combine dried rind, chile powder, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

4. arrange watermelon wedges on a platter, drizzle with oil 

and sprinkle evenly with spice mixture and cilantro (if using).

note - the drizzle of olive oil was delicious but not necessary. 

i ate my first plate of wedges with olive oil, and then finished the rest of my watermelon 

(don't judge me) sans olive oil - just sprinkling the spice mix strait on. 

also - i skipped the cilantro, but kept it in the recipe above for those of you who love it!

lipstick picks!

today i thought i'd do a round-up of my favorite lip sticks, glosses, balms, etc.

pic via

over the years i've definitely leaned more and more towards the look of a lip tint or stain, and yet still come back to old favorites - the glosses and chapsticks that keep your lips in top condition.

1. revlon, just bitten (liptstain + balm) color: victorian 055
this is an old fave. one side has a lip stain that looks like a little marker and the other just a clear lip balm. they are perfect to use together or alone. great color, and one that lasts all night. also cheap and something you can find at the drugstore.

2. mac, sheen supreme lipglass tint color: glorious intent
when i was prepping for my wedding, my make-up artist had me buy this lipgloss. even through we didn't end up using it for the day of my wedding, i still became obsessed with this product and was so glad she introduced me to it! it's got great shine and a color that shows up a bit lighter than it looks!

3. tarte, lip surgent (matte lip tint) color: hope
this is on regular rotation in my make-up bag. it looks like a large crayon and give great matte color. it stays put, especially when you don't use a gloss over it! want this in every color!!

4. l'oreal, color rich (wet shine strain) color: rose on and on
this is the color i wore on my wedding day. i love it so much that i've used it ever since. the tube and applicator seem a bit outdated, but i love the color and the price regardless!

5. bareMinerals, pop of passion color: punch pop
this was an impulse purchase from ulta a few months back, but i'm loving how bright and shiny this lip gloss is. it looks like a lipstick but adds such a bright shiny pop of color it's more like a lip gloss. kind of like that 'i just ate a strawberry popsicle look'. loving this and also wanting a handful of other colors.

6. tarte, butter lipstick color: pink peony
besides having the cutest lipstick tubes around, i'm also enjoying turning to a more classic lipstick every once in a while in a subtle peachy rose color. want more of these just because they are adorable!

7. neutrogena, moisture shine lip soother color: glaze 60. SPF 20
another classic. i swear i have one of these in the bottom of every single one of my purses. just a great, cheap go-to. plus, i love that it gives a cooling sensation on your lips AND has SPF!

8. aquaphor, lip repair
i keep this on my bedside table and hardly go a day without slathering it on my lips. as far as lip repair balms go - this is my favorite. it's flavorless, fragrance free, and doesn't feel too sticky. i also love that i don't have to use my fingers to apply it. i always throw this in my bag for a day of adventures (think hiking, boating, golfing, etc.)

9. maybelline baby lips color: 05 quenched. SPF 20
favorite basic chapstick on the market. love the the smell and the feel of how easy this glides on. they have tinted versions as well, but i always come back to the original! also have one of these in every bag!

10. lip smacker. color: cotton candy
don't judge! there's just something about these that make me so nostalgic! i love vanilla, cotton candy and strawberry. i don't readily admit i carry these, but they're great to have around as back-ups.

11. eos, smooth sphere lip balm
i must have one of these in every color (although my favorites are green, light blue and purple). i love that these are easy to find in a big back (thanks to the ball shape) and the best part? ben will use this too! costco frequently has packs with every color.

12. blistex DCT lip protectant/daily conditioning treatment SPF 20
this is my other favorite repair treatment. this one smells more like a medicated balm, but gives great shine, and that feeling like your lips are really being healed and repaired! also great for a day outside, with the extra SPF protection.

chickpea, avocado, feta salad

easy salads are totally my jam. 

avocados are also my jam.

ben makes fun of me because i have a lot of favorites,

but why not have a lot of favorites? 

i have a new favorite thing almost every week.

i mean sometimes they last for a while, and sometimes they fade away.

recent favorite things:

easy salads (see above)

avocados (see above)

marco polo beechers cheese

marcona almonds

gin and tonics

graham crackers

damages (the tv show)

this salad is seriously so simple. 

you might even have every single ingredient in your pantry as i type this.

ready in 5 minutes. HELLO!

recipe via two peas and their pod

modifications by me

makes 2 large salads or 4 small salads

ingredients

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 avocados, pitted and chopped

always lean towards an avocado that is still a tad firm to the touch if 

you're going to mix it into a salad. don't use one that's too soft! just trust me!

1/3 cup chopped basil

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

1/3 cup feta

juice of 2 limes

salt and pepper

directions

1. in a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except the avocado. mix until combined.

2. add avocado and mix gently.

3. serve chilled or at room temp.  try not to eat the whole bowl.

the green smoothie for people who don't like green smoothies

i've tried my fair share of green smoothies over the years,

and even though i love their nutritional value, i've never loved the taste!

they're either too thick, too pungent, or just packed with too many sugary fruits.

if you don't like green smoothies promise me you'll try just one more recipe!!!

this is the perfect green smoothie for you non-green-smoothie-lovers like me.

seriously. absolutely worth a try.

recipe via simply real health cookbook

makes 1 big servings, or 2 small servings

ingredients

1 cup frozen bluberries

1/2 avocado

1/2 banana

3 large handfuls spinach

directions

1. add banana, spinach, blueberries, avocado, and water to blender. 

blend first, then add ice and continue to blend until smooth.