this week i… {part vi}

October 14, 2011

{photo from Flickr}

1. Got stuck in Helena airport after my plane broke down and ended up trying to get home for 15 hours. Not my favourite.

2. Ate half a rack of ribs in approximately 4 minutes flat.

3. Was inspired by Olivia’s travels and especially the food styling and photography workshop she took part in in Dordogne. Sigh face.

4. Decided that chocolate mousse needs to happen. Soon.

5. Got mightily engrossed in The Last Werewolf {for our next book club!}…so unexpected and so…awesome

6. Welcomed the return of hot oatmeal.

7. Had book club at my house and decided (to no-one’s surprise) to go with a full-on cheese fest. {If you need help creating the perfect cheese plate this handy guide from Joanna Goddard is pretty awesome.}

8. Officially started a really fun new writing venture contributing restaurant reviews to Twin Cities Metromix. My first review (on newly opened Pat’s Tap) is now live!

Read Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, and Part V.


2 comments     posted in:   Food Experience, How-To


pumpkin pie spice french toast

October 12, 2011

So, I know that this isn’t going to blow your mind or anything. I get it. It’s french toast. But I also know that Dan made this while I was away in Montana and then told me about how good it was. Naturally I was jealous so we made it my first morning back. And it was indeed really, really good.

So just in case you haven’t tried adding these particular spices to your french toast before (heck, I never even make french toast so to me it was doubly exciting) here’s a little suggestion.

A splash of vanilla, a dash of pumpkin pie spice and you might have yourself a pretty rocking little breakfast. AND it’s autumnal. Especially if you serve it with sliced apples and maple syrup. Am I right? I am.

Pumpkin Pie Spice French Toast

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 4 slices sourdough bread
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 an apple, sliced, to serve
  • maple syrup, to serve

Directions

  1. Whisk first four ingredients together in a square or rectangular baking tin/dish. Lay two slices of bread in the mixture to soak for two minutes on each side.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a frying pan and when hot add soaked bread to pan and cook for a few minutes on each side or until very slightly browned. Repeat process with other two slices of sourdough.
  3. Serve with maple syrup and slices of apple.

8 comments     posted in:   Recipe


scenes from helena, montana

October 10, 2011

Helena, Montana. Wide open spaces, warm with smiles, vast, historic. I loved spending my weekend here. I am extremely fortunate to be able to travel as part of my job and I look forward to these opportunities to explore strange corners of the country and reflect on the work I do.

I only wish I could have captured the mountains and the sky in these photos. Honestly, the big sky cliche? True. True! Something about the way the land, hills, and mountains stretch out and roll makes the sky and the clouds seem huge, convex, rolling. Here are some pictures of my weekend. Hope you enjoy!


5 comments     posted in:   Travel


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