The Good Girl Gone Blog: Food

Photo Diary: Homemade Ravioli

Jan 3, 2012

The above photos were taken on Christmas eve as we prepared ravioli completely from scratch. It was a family effort- Dotti made the pasta and passed it to Eric. Eric stuffed, folded over and cut the long pasta noodle into ravioli and passed them to Matt. Matt pressed the edges of the ravioli with a fork before handing them off to me. I used a pizza cutter to round the edges of the noodles and voila, they were ready to be cooked.

The final product was super yummy, but my favorite part was definitely the assembly line process. We figured out "best practices" along the way, joked around and had a great time.

These ravioli were definitely made with love.

More photos here.

Serve Review and Giveaway!

Dec 19, 2011

This post is sponsored by Serve from American Express. Sign up for Serve and receive $10 credit towards your first use. Comment below within the next 7 days for your chance to win an extra $100 credit to your account!

Last week, I had the INCREDIBLE opportunity to go out to a lavish dinner with good friends, c/o Serve, a new way to settle bills between friends. It's a great way to split the bill without driving the waiter crazy!

Amy, Stew, Eric and I met at UpStairs on the Square and were seated at a table in the Monday Bar. The decor was out of this world- bright colored walls, zebra carpeting and and exquisite lighting. Because we weren't worrying about the bill (thanks Serve), we ordered an expensive and delicious bottle of wine, two appetizers (oysters and a mozzarella dish), entrees AND four different desserts.

Believe me, after that meal, I think we were all ready to burst! Though the food and atmosphere were both fantastic, the best aspect of the evening was definitely the great company. We've been wanting to go out with Amy and Stew for a while now and finally did it. We talked about everything from travel to TV and even began brainstorming a really cool blogger event (stay tuned, Boston!).

When it was time to pay the check, Amy paid the physical bill and I reimbursed her via the Serve mobile app. It was as simple as signing in, answering a security question and then inputting Amy's email and the bill amount. She received a confirmation email soon after and we were all set. We were happy and full and left the restaurant already trying to come up with a location for our next double date.

Would I use Serve again? Probably! I really hate having to get separate checks when dining out and this eliminated the need for that. Plus, the handy app includes fun features like a calculator for splitting bills, a Quick Pay button where you can calculate hourly rates and a (somewhat silly) Pizza Party button!

Remember to sign up for Serve and receive $10 credit towards your first use. Comment below within the next 7 days for your chance to win an extra $100 credit to your account! Official sweepstakes rules and regulations may be found by clicking here. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

Fabulous Drink and Dessert Pairings

Dec 14, 2011

Thanks to Duncan Hines for sponsoring my writing. There's no limit to the baking possibilities, so grab your favorite Duncan Hines mix and Comstock or Wilderness fruit fillings and Bake On! www.duncanhines.com.

image from farm6.staticflickr.com

Drinks and dessert are definitely two of the most fun parts of a festive meal, whether you enjoy them with or without the actual meal. Not sure what combo to try? No problem! Fortunately, the winter is the perfect time to experiment with drink/dessert combinations right at home. Can you say fancy spiked hot chocolate paired with smores by a warm fire?

The dessert/drink pairing I'm really loving right now is drinks as dessert, especially when it comes to champagne! The photo above shows off our fabulous champagne punch from last year's holiday party, complete with frozen rubber ducky. It was a huge hit and was practically gone half way through the party.

Now, about a year later, I'm loving whipping out champagne or any sparkling white for non-special occasions, you know, like a Wednesday. Plop some blueberries into your champagne flute and that Wednesday becomes a special occasion! (Thank you Dale for the inspiration to celebrate the everyday with bubbles!)

Looking for an actual dessert/drink pairing recommendation? I like champagne and creme brulee, partly because it makes me feel fancy. It's actually what Eric and I enjoyed at Top of the Hub on our one year anniversary.

I took the liberty of polling my friends/Twitter followers on their favorite pairings. What do you think?

Rachel: Appletastic- spiked cider and apple pie.

Dale: I'm a big fan of "high brow/low brow". Try this: Pair Sauternes (many consider it the finest dessert wine in the world) with Twinkies.

Gwen: Red velvet cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting paired with spiked apple cider.

Tracy: Dark Chocolate (72%) with any red wine! That always works :-)

Nicole: What about Butterbeet? It's a dessert IN a drink!

Angela: Pimm's Cup is one tasty alcoholic bev I'm trying to bring back to life.

Miriam: Best drink ever is the Houdini from Eastern Standard. It's made with Bols Genever, Cocchi Americano and Benedictine.

Now I want to know, what are your favorite drink/dessert pairings?

Remember to check out Duncan Hines' website www.duncanhines.com to find some great recipes for your holiday get-together! I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective.

Our First Boston Brunchers Event

Dec 13, 2011

On Sunday, Eric and I attended our first Boston Brunchers event, which was hosted by Harvard Common Press in their spectacular 5th floor office in the South End. When we first walked into the building, I was amazed by the ancient elevator and the fact that I had no idea anything worth visiting actually existed in this part of my neighborhood.

We were greeted warmly with drinks, smiles and lots of Mexican art. Everyone was extremely friendly, especially the HCP staff, who had whipped up some delicious treats based off of recipes in some of the cookbooks they'd published.

Nancy, HCP's head of marketing, took me around and answered all of my questions about the company, their office space (an old piano factory, now covered in gorgeous rugs that the company's president, Bruce, brought back from Mexico) and the books they publish (mostly cookbooks, but some parenting books as well).

Brunch included lots of yummy muffins and cakes (I'm assuming they were all yummy, most contained nuts so I stayed away) and some sort of egg/cheese/spinach bake. Oh, and there was wine, lots of wine.

It was nice to meet so many of the local foodies (like Beth, Liz, Taryn and Audrey) whom I've been emailing with on behalf of HipHost and to finally put faces to email addresses and Twitter handles.

One of the coolest parts of the experience was the discussion about how to go from blog to book, specifically in the cooking world. Apparently, most publishers require you to come up with 100% original recipes, meaning you can't use anything you've already posted on your blog. So, in addition to having a real job and maintaining a blog, you also have to come up with 100-150 completely new recipes. It sounds like a ton of work and I applaud any food blogger who takes on the challenge.

A special thank you to the Boston Brunchers (Renee specifically) for putting together this event, and to all of the amazing staff at HCP who made us feel at home. Also, thanks to HCP for sending us home with lots of fun cookbooks. I can't wait to make a bunch of things in Gourmet Gifts!

Photo Diary: Yum! by Becky

Nov 29, 2011

My mom (Becky) recently started selling her baked goods to friends and family in the Baltimore area. She makes all kinds of cookies, brownies and cakes that people go crazy for.

I volunteered to help with her marketing efforts and took these pictures over Thanksgiving to include in her December email blast. Don't they look yummy? All of the desserts above (except for the Snickers Cookie Pops) come on pretty plates, so they make great hostess gifts!

If you're in the Baltimore area and are interested in ordering something for the holidays, I'd be happy to add you to the email list- just let me know!

Pictured above: Tres Leches Cake with bananas, Tres Leches Cake with raspberries, Honey Peanut Butter Brownies, Fat Raisin Cookies, Cranberry Orange Cookies, Snickers Pop.

Photo Diary + Recipe: Spicy Parsnip Soup

Oct 26, 2011

Step 1: Peel parsnips.

Step 2: Cut parsnips into disks.

Step 3: Cut onions, celery and garlic.

Step 4: Measure out turmeric, chili powder, cumin and coriander.

Step 5: Sauté vegetables.

Step 6: Add garlic and spices. Sauté.

Step 7: Add broth and parsnips.

Step 8: Bring to a boil, then simmer until parsnips are soft.

Step 9: Liquify.*

Step 10: Garnish (we used spicy paprika).

Step 11: Enjoy!

For the full recipe, check out Jane Spice.

*We used an immersion blender to do this. You should be able to do it in the original sauce pan, but ours was too small. Thus the pot.

Photo Diary: Chicken Fajitas and Mole

Apr 28, 2011

image from farm6.static.flickr.com
1. Taking photos and cooking at the same time is really difficult.

2. We ended up with waaaay too much mole.

3. Cornbread tastes best when made with the original JIFFY mix + a can of corn.

That is all.

Photo Diary: Brunch at 94 Mass Ave

Apr 26, 2011

A few weeks ago, my friend Sean tweeted about a brunch event he'd won on Twitter from 94 Mass Ave, a new hot spot in Back Bay. Because I love brunch...and Sean, I knew I wanted to be there. Sean and I first met at a tweetup hosted by Style Boston and became fast friends. He dresses extremely well, likes good food and is super friendly. Plus, he has a really funny tumblr that features some pretty epic fashion faux pas shots from around the city. What's not to like?

How cute is Sean? I love that he and Eric shop at many of the same stores. It was one of the first things we talked about when we met!

Brunch was super fun. I got to hang out with Shanna and met a new Boston blogger friend, Jess. Drinks were endless and the miniature brunch offerings were adorable.

A special thanks to 94 Mass Ave and Sean for hosting the event. Eric and I will definitely be back soon!

Guest Post: Lani's Pecan Pie

Mar 3, 2011

Bonjour, I am Noelani of Mon Petit Chou Chou and I am so excited to be sharing a recipe on Alana's blog, Good Girl Gone Blog (of which I am a huge fan).

When I initially proposed a recipe feature, our hostess was totally game....and then we dished details and I learned she was utterly allergic to pecans. Why mention pecans and our Good Girl Gone Blog's allergy? Because my recipe is for pecan pie of course, oh the irony. So while I doubt she will have the pleasure of trying this out herself, she assures me that her boyfriend loves pecan pie. Maybe he'll be so taken with the recipe as to make one himself!This recipe comes from Joann Chang's Flour Cookbook, which has quickly become my go-to baking bible. Make sure to order while you can at Amazon. The first print quickly sold out and was sadly unavailable for a short time!Chef Chang has altered the typical pecan pie recipe (made basically with Karo, sugar and little else) and turned it into a gooey, buttery, delight for the senses. Her recipe is so inspiring I even deviated from my usual lazy pie move, turning to store bought crust and instead made her pate brisee for the crust. I am proud to report this pie is entirely homemade, kit and caboodle (recipe for the pate brisee available here). The recipe is briefly outlined below but I highly encourage you to get the book and work your way through. Each recipe includes a plethora of tips and personal stories that make cooking each item a total experience. I think the pictures speak for themselves.

PS: I will never use a store bought crust again!

Ingredients:

Pate Brisee
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 eggs
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 cups pecan halves

Prepare:

-Roll dough on well floured surface until 12".Transfer to pie dish. Press into pan and pleat overhanging dough into edge or trim. Refrigerate crust 30 minutes.
-Position rack in center and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Line crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake about 30 minutes.
-While crust is baking, in medium saucepan, combine sugar and water until dissolved. Place over high heat and boil. Make sure not to move pan until it turns a pale brown and caramelizes (about 3-4.5 minutes).
-Turn heat to medium and whisk in corn syrup until there are no lumps.
-Remove from heat and add butter.
-In medium (heatproof) bowl, whisk eggs, lemon juice, salt and vanilla.
-Slowly pour hot ingredients into egg mixture, constantly whisking.
-Next add pecans and coat in mixture.
-Pour pecan mixture into baked shell and bake for 35-40 minutes.

Triumphs and Struggles

Feb 22, 2011

Triumph: Coming up with some really awesome partnership campaigns for G3B.

Struggle: Getting a little too focused on losing a few lbs before Mexico.

Triumph: My 6 month anniversary with Eric is today- it's my longest and most "real" relationship yet.

Struggle: The bone chilling cold is back in Boston and it's brutal.

Triumph: Coming home to a Trader Joe's stocked fridge complete with blueberries, yogurt and tamales (c/o Eric).

Struggle: Feeling faint after not eating enough today- I need to eat more tomorrow!

Triumph: The bouquet of fresh flowers on my shelf - lilies, Gerbera daisies, etc (c/o Eric). I was hoping there'd be a surprise bouquet waiting for me when I got back to Boston, but I wasn't sure.

Struggle: I'm pretty sure the right click on my Mac is now broken. Add it to the list of ailments. Time to get a new one?

Triumph: It's supposed to be 80+ degrees in Mexico, which means swimming, sundresses and sandals!

Struggle: Feeling unmotivated to work out.

Triumph: Seeing videos of my Mom telling bedtime stories to my new nephew in Israel. I still haven't met him yet, so the videos were particularly meaningful to me.

Sigh. I'm off to relax and watch some TV. Oh, and treat myself with a cookie...or 2.

PS- how funny is that picture? Way to go, wind!