{recipe: herb roasted baby potatoes}

{delish}

We had some friends over for steaks awhile ago and I thought potatoes would make a perfect accompaniment. I’m not a huge fan of large potatoes though---too heavy, but I love baby potatoes. They’re bite size, can be cooked in many ways, and are the perfect side if you’re craving some starchy goodness but are watching your waistline. I added a few basic seasonings, tossed them in the oven, went for a quick run (don’t worry Jesse was at home watching the oven), then returned to the delicious smells of roasted potatoes. Enjoy!

{a perfectly light addition}

herb roasted baby potatoes:

Servings: 3-4

Source: jkrabbits kitchen

Ingredients:

·         1 pound of new baby potatoes

·         1 tablespoon of herbs du provence

·         2 tablespoons of olive oil

·         4 cloves of minced garlic (you can add more or less depending on your affinity with garlic)

·         Salt & Pepper

How To:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Step 2: Mix herbs du provence, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium sized bowl.

Step 3: Toss and coat potatoes in herb/oil mix.

Step 4: Spread potatoes evenly apart on a baking pan and drizzle any remaining herb/oil mixture over them.

Step 5: Roast potatoes for about 40 minutes.

Step 6: Display potatoes on a nice plate and serve warm.

And that’s all there is! An easy and light side for your next dinner party.

So long for now!

The Mrs.

{fun finds: the plaid barn}

Calling all craft lovers!

I recently discovered the coolest site on one of my favorite blogs (a beautiful mess) and I wanted to share. It’s called The Plaid Barn, a daily deal site for craft lovers everywhere. Every day the showcase a new deal at a much discounted price, but you have to act quickly as they have limited quantities. Below are some pictures of their recent deals. Click here to sign-up for their daily deal emails!

{spring minipackaging kit}

{washi tape}

{rose dangle earring kit}

{muslin bags}

{scrapbook chipboard & rings kit}

{a-town adventures: st. patty’s weekend fun}

Hello friends!

How was your St. Patty’s Day weekend? Ours was pretty crazy. My cousin and her husband came to town so we made sure they had an extra special stay. We started out our Saturday at the Georgia Aquarium, one of the nicest and biggest aquariums in our region. We had a blast! The aquarium was divided into different themed sections and hosted fish and creatures from all over the world. My favorite part may have been the big ocean viewing room. It had this humongous glass wall and behind it, all these different sea creatures from whale sharks to tiny schools of fish. Another favorite was probably the dolphin show. All the dolphins were incredibly well trained performing all kinds of fun tricks. I decided dolphin trainer should be in the top five list of coolest jobs!

{scenes from the georgia aquarium}

{so much fun!}

After the aquarium, we headed over to our friends’ place for nighttime St. Patty’s Day adventures. They took us over to this place called Flip Flops, a little beach house themed bar in Midtown. Their specialty appeared to be these alcoholic slushies---yum! I got the Jet Fuel which was soooo good! Downstairs there was a live band (w/a bongo drum) playing covers of some classic songs. Upstairs there was a live dj playing great mixes, a large open dance floor, another bar with the liveliest bar tender I have ever seen, and a roof top patio. When we had first arrived the place wasn’t very full so we had plenty of space to get our dance groove on, however as soon as we were comfortable, the dance floor quickly filled up. We had so much fun there I think we will definitely be heading back!

{good times @ flip flops}

We ended our night at the Hudson Grill with wings and queso then took a nice upbeat stroll back home.

We had such an amazing time---it was definitely the best St. Patty’s Day we’ve ever celebrated!

I hope you all had a great St. Patty’s Day. It is one of the most fun holidays of the year!

What are your plans for this weekend? Anything fun?

So long for now,

The Mrs.

{recipe: irish i had a car bomb cupcake}

{boozie cupcake anyone?}

Why is she posting St. Patty’s day recipes, after St. Patty’s day you might ask? Well…all last week I had technical difficulties (worst week ever!) which equaled to no internet access outside of my iphone, thus, no blog posts. Bummer! But I’m back and you definitely don’t want to miss out on this recipe. I found it last year around this time at the Brown Eyed Baker’s blog and it intrigued me. I’ve never been a huge fan of the drink since my 22^nd birthday disaster (haha), but I figured it would be much more tolerable in cupcake form.

This was one of the first times I branched out and tried a more complex baking recipe. Luckily I had my trusty friend Giselle by my side (who is an excellent baker in my opinion). Our first batch came out ahhhmazzzing. Our second batch---not so much---that’s when we learned the dutch process cocoa could NOT be substituted and you can’t overbeat the frosting. Every batch since then has turned out wonderful (we got a lot of requests)! This year I was on my own as Giselle is all the way in a land I use to know---Chitown. They were as delicious as I remembered and the perfect treat to celebrate this fun holiday! This time around I found a very good (and slightly pricey) dutch process cocoa, and I could really tell the difference. It’s true what they say---better ingredients = better flavors.

No more talking now. Time for the good stuff!

{i followed the rainbow and found some gold!}

irish i had a car bomb cupcake:

Servings: 10 - 15

Source: brown eyed baker

Ingredients for the cupcakes:

·         1 cup Guinness stout

·         1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

·         3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

·         2 cups all-purpose flour

·         2 cups granulated sugar

·         1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

·         3/4 teaspoons salt

·         2 eggs

·         2/3 cup sour cream

Ingredients for the whiskey ganache filling (oh yes!):

·         8 ounces bittersweet chocolate

·         2/3 cup heavy cream

·         2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

·         2 teaspoons Irish whiskey

Ingredients for the bailey’s frosting:

·         2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature

·         5 cups powdered sugar

·         6 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream

Cupcake How To:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2: Line 24 cupcake cups with liners.

Step 3: Bring the Guinness and butter to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Step 4: Add the cocoa powder to the Guinness and butter and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Step 5: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and, salt in a large bowl to combine.

Step 6: Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until combined.

Step 7: Add the Guinness-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine.

Step 8: Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat briefly.

Step 9: Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined.

Step 10: Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool the cupcakes (completely) on a rack.

Ganache How To:

Step 1: Finely chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl.

Step 2: Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate.

Step 3: Let the cream sit for one minute and then, using a rubber spatula, stir it from the center outward until smooth.

Step 4: Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined.

Step 5: Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped.

Step 6: Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter (or the bottom of a large decorating tip), cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes, going about two-thirds of the way down.

Step 7: Transfer the ganache to a piping bag with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

Frosting How To:

Step 1: Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.

Step 2: Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar until all of it is incorporated.

Step 3: Add the Baileys, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy. BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERBEAT!!!

Step 4: Using your favorite decorating tip, or an offset spatula, frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container.

{happy st. patty’s day}

Not the simplest recipe in the world but it definitely tops the list in terms of best chocolate cake recipes. Well, I’m off to eat another one!

See you later alligators!

The Mrs.

{recipe: creamy bacon carbonara}

{all the yummiest ingredients}

I’m changing up the format of my recipe posts. I was spending so much time taking pictures along the process that my cooking time was almost doubled every time (Jesse was not happy with our 9 p.m. dinnertimes). It also took a bit of joy out of the process for me and by the time I was done, I would forget to compose a nice shot of my finished product. Editing was also a big hassle as I would have a million pictures to sort through. No more. Now I will spend more time on a few well composed photos of my final product and more time enjoying what I love to do—cook! Now onto what you really came here for---bacon and pasta!

I was really hungry the other day and in the mood for bacon so I hopped onto the World Wide Web for some ideas. That’s when I came across several recipes for bacon carbonara. It certainly peaked my interests and inspired me to experiment a little. Most of the recipes I found called for an oily sauce, but personally I’m a cream sauce kind of girl. I decided to look up a few cream sauce recipes and combined some methods to get the perfect sauce. What I ended up with was…well you tell me ;)

{bacon!}

creamy bacon carbonara:

Servings: 5 - 6

Source: jkrabbits inc. kitchen

Ingredients:

·         3 cups of rigatoni pasta (you can also use cavatappi)

·         8 strips of thick cut bacon (or more if you really love it)

·         1 1/4 cup of heavy cream

·         2 eggs

·         1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

·         3 tablespoons of dry white wine

·         2 tablespoons of butter

·         3 cloves of garlic (minced)

·         2 roma tomatoes (chopped---roma tomatoes are best for this recipe as they are firm and will retain their shape during cooking)

·         salt & pepper to taste

How To:

Step 1: Whisk together the eggs and parmesan; set aside.

Step 2: Cut bacon into 1 inch pieces then fry in a large sauté pan over medium heat until cooked---not super crispy or burnt.  

Step 3: While your bacon is frying, toss pasta into a large pot of salted boiling water and cook until al dente.

Step 4: Once the bacon is finished cooking, add the salt, pepper, garlic, butter, cream, and white wine to the pan and simmer until you get a thick and creamy sauce.

Step 5: Add in roma tomatoes.

Step 6: Once the pasta is cooked, drain it completely then add it to your cream sauce and stir until the pasta is covered.

Step 7: Add the egg and parmesan mixture to the pan and stir it into the pasta and sauce.

Step 8: Serve immediately.

And that’s really all there is to it! I was surprised at how easy it was to make and how delicious it came out. This recipe will definitely be a repeat here in Casa de Ellis. Yum!

So long for now!

Mrs. E.

{a-town adventures: mardi gras weekend}

{mardi gras fun}

So I know Mardi Gras has passed but I just wanted to share a fun experience Jesse and I had here in A-town. Mardi Gras weekend we headed on over to Little 5 Points (right after showing up at the wrong event…oops!) and got our Abita beer and Hurricane drink on! The Front Page News restaurant celebrated their 5^th annual Mardi Gras festival with good beer, food, and music. We had a great time, met some new friends, and explored a new (well new to us) area in Atlanta. Little 5 Points reminded me a lot of NODA in Charlotte---very artsy with little boutiques and unique restaurants. After we enjoyed the festivities at the Front Page News we got to walk around the area some and our new friends introduced us to this neat little brewpub called Wrecking Bar. At first glance it looked like we were about to head into a funeral parlor but once inside we melted into the cozy atmosphere. The beer was delish and the food was amazing. I had the gooiest grilled cheese and beer & cheese soup. I think I could go back just for a few more bowls of that soup!!

All in all, it was a fun weekend and I think we’ll head back to the festival again next year! St. Patty’s day is upon us this weekend (my, how time flies) and we have some fun plans in store. My cousin and her husband will be coming down to celebrate with us and we will meet-up with our Mardi Gras friends for some more shenanigans.

Do you have anything fun planned for this green holiday?

Until next time!

The Mrs.

{a-town eats: three sheets}

Jesse and I ventured out again recently and checked out Three Sheets, this little tapas bar in Sandy Springs. I love tapas as they are basically just fancy appetizers. When I found this place I knew that we had to check it out. The menu was very appealing and it looked like it had a trendy atmosphere.

{three sheets}

In summary:

Atmosphere: For some reason I thought that Three Sheets was a restaurant, but in reality it is more of a social club. We went on a Wednesday night and it wasn’t very busy (although their website suggests they definitely have their share of packed nights). Walking in we saw a very cool piano on one side with candles dripping all over it, a large open dance floor, and lots of private lounge areas with unique lighting and large modern couches. We were sat in a private area in the back where the majority of our lighting came from the tiny tea light on our table (until Jesse blew it out). I wouldn’t say it’s the best choice for a dinner date, but a good pick for an after work meet-up with friends.

Service: When we walked in we were a little confused because we were expecting a restaurant, however someone immediately noticed and helped us find a comfortable spot. Our waitress was nice and came to check on us frequently. It did take awhile to get our check but that didn’t necessarily ruin our experience.

Food: The menu has very good variety and unique options. There didn’t seem to be anything I wasn’t interested in trying. Sometimes places like these tend to over complicate their menus and confuse customers; however Three Sheets kept things pretty simple, listing sauces and basic ingredients for each item. To start we ordered albondigas (filet meatballs) and the trio of french fries which came with ketchup, ranch, and a spicy sriracha aioli for dipping. I was a little disappointed that we only got three meatballs and they weren’t really that big. They tasted pretty good though. There were more than plenty of french fries for the two of us and the dipping sauces complimented them well. There was nothing really special about the fries---they were hot and crispy but that’s about it. I once had a great trio of fries in Sacramento at this place called Cafeteria---BBQ (which tasted just like BBQ chips), Sweet Potato, and Garlic Parmesan---and on top of variety in fries they had three different sauces to compliment them. Now that was a memorable trio.

For our main courses, Jesse got a trio of sliders---BBQ pulled pork, angus, and grilled chicken---and I ordered the grilled cheese w/tomato bisque. We shared of course! Of the sliders, the BBQ pulled pork was my favorite because it had a jalapeno coleslaw that gave it a nice kick. The grilled chicken was a little dry for my tastes, but the angus was pretty good. My grilled cheese was just okay---I was not a fan. It was very dry around the crust and didn’t exactly have the gooey middle I was looking for. The cheese used was applewood smoked cheddar, but I didn’t really get that smoky flavor. Smoked Gouda might’ve been a better choice. The bisque on the other hand was an unexpected surprise. I’m not usually a fan of many things tomato, but I couldn’t get enough of this bisque. It had a very light earthy flavor and was perfect for dipping my grilled cheese in. I consumed every last drop.

We didn’t have any dessert because we were stuffed by the end. They do have a nice selection to accommodate many different palates.       

Moola: All the food prices are very reasonable. You can try many different items without having to break into that piggy bank. If you add in several drinks though, you might want to think of splitting those tapas with friends.  

Additional Notes: The drink selection is extensive. They have their own specialty cocktails and plenty of beers and wines to choose from. I got a glass of the Dreaming Tree cabernet, which complimented my meal well. The drink prices are what you’d expect of a place like this.

They have a specific dress code and it is not exactly casual. It’s a nice place so pull out those dress shoes!

If you check out their website, you’ll notice that they post upcoming music acts as well as foodie events (which are very reasonably priced).

In the end, it was pretty good. We may not return by ourselves but will definitely consider taking some friends there. I’m curious to see what it’s like on a busy night.

{recipe: black magic chocolate cupcakes w/ vanilla whipped cream frosting}

{instant gratification}

For awhile I have been searching for the perfect chocolate cake recipe and I’m happy to report that I can finally end my search. I found this delicious recipe on Pinterest via My Baking Addiction (aren’t all good things found on Pinterest?). There is one ingredient that sets this cake apart from all of the other fail recipes I’ve attempted---one cup of hot coffee. It enriches the chocolate flavor and you can’t even taste the coffee in the cake. I made it two different ways---as a cake w/mint chocolate ganache (it tasted like a super moist thin mint…yum!!), and as cupcakes w/vanilla whipped cream frosting. My favorite was the cake as I’m a sucker for thin mints, but the cupcakes were also very yummy and super easy to make! Below are recipes for the cake and whipped frosting. This is a great recipe to pull out when you want to show off your baking skills!

{go ahead, lick that bowl}

Black Magic Cake w/modifications:

Servings: 10 - 12

Source: My Baking Addiction

Ingredients:

·         2 cups sugar

·         1 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

·         3/4 cup HERSHEY’S cocoa

·         2 teaspoons baking soda

·         1 teaspoon baking powder

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         2 eggs

·         1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (to make sour milk add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to 1 cup of milk)

·         1 cup strong black coffee OR 2 teaspoons powdered instant coffee plus 1 cup boiling water

·         1/2 cup vegetable oil

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

How To:

Step 1: Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans or two 12-cup cupcake pans.

Step 2: Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl.

Step 3: Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes (batter will be thin). Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

Step 4: Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 25 to 30 minutes for cupcake pans or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Step 5: Cool 10 minutes then remove from pans to wire cooling racks.

Step 6: Cool completely then frost as desired!

{so light you’ll forget about the calories}

Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting:

Servings: 2 cups

Source: JoyofBaking.com

Ingredients:

·         1 cup heavy whipping cream (35-45% butterfat content)

·         1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·         1 - 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar

How To:

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl place all the ingredients and stir to combine.

Step 2: Cover with plastic wrap and place the bowl and a wire whisk in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.

Step 3: Then beat the mixture until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat or else you will end up with a greasy lumpy mess.

Step 4: Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and refrigerate until you’re ready to eat. I added a few chocolate shavings on top for a little extra flair.

And that’s it really. Not too complicated and super delicious. If anyone is interested in the mint ganache recipe, just let me know! The word sounds fancy but don’t be intimidated, it is very easy to make.

Bye for now,

Mrs. E.