Brown Butter Zucchini Cornbread

Ahem, not to brag or anything, but I've managed to get THREE posts out this week. Why, yes, I am patting myself on the back. ;)

Where the last few weeks felt like a complete waste of perfectly good time, this week has felt uber-productive. Isn't that a nice feeling? Not only have I been able to wrap up a bunch of loose ends I've had nagging at my task list, but I've also been able to help a friend who is getting married in just a few short weeks as she crosses some things off her "To Do Before I Do" list.

Being a part of wedding planning madness {several times over the past year} has made me think about how awesome it is when two people who are right for each other come together. In my friend's case, she and her fiance balance one another in lots of ways: She is high speed/high voltage, energetic, scattered and passionate; he is deliberate, calming, organized and logical. Watching them do things together can be somewhat of a comedy show, but only because it's sort of magical how she makes up for where he lacks and vice versa.

I find the same in my own relationship with my husband. When I'm up in arms and all in a tizzy, he talks me back down to reality and calms my irrational fears. When his head is in the clouds and he's having a hard time putting dreams into action, I help him think realistically. I keep us organized, and he keeps me from labeling everything in the house and living in an OCD wonderland. It takes a little bit of him and a little bit of me keep things balanced in our household. We're a good team, as are the newlyweds-to-be.

Some things just work well together. Like this:

Know what it is?

No, you don't. You probably think you know what it is. "It's cornbread!" "It's zucchini bread!" ...

It's both!

It's Zucchini Cornbread. The result of a harmonious union of two common favorites, with the added flavor of brown butter.

What's brown butter, you ask? Well, it's butter that's cooked until it's brown. {Um, you asked.} Why is that special? Because when you cook butter until its brown, it gets this interesting, nutty smell and flavor that makes things taste even better than when you're using regular butter... if you can believe it.

I love regular ol' cornbread, but there have been times when certain recipes have left something to be desired because they're too dry or crumbly. But guess what? When you add in shredded zucchini, the moisture from the veggie refuses to allow anything but incredibly perfect bread to happen. Add in that amped up flavor from brown butter, and you've got yourself a pretty above average loaf of yumminess.

Basically, it's a marriage made in heaven. And who can't appreciate one of those?

Brown Butter Zucchini Cornbread
Barely adapted from Epicurious

1/2 cup {1 stick} unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup cornmeal, medium-grind
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large zucchini, coarsely grated

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan by spraying with cooking spray or coating in butter. Set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Once melted completely, reduce the heat slightly and allow to simmer until it becomes a golden-brown color and smells nutty and fragrant. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cornmeal until uniformly mixed.

4. To the cooled butter, add the buttermilk and eggs and whisk together until well combined. {I just did this right in the saucepan as not to have to dirty another bowl.} Mix in the shredded zucchini.

5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together until there are no more dry spots, but try not to overmix. The batter is going to be very thick; it should be.

6. Scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it as evenly as possible. Bake for about 55 minutes to 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. {It's a moist bread so it may have some sticky crumbs, just make sure that it's not uncooked batter and you should be fine.}

Remove from oven and cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before removing and slicing.

Food Blog Forum Orlando {Part 1}

I'm back from my weekend in Orlando for Food Blog Forum {well, I've been back since Sunday. I've just been too paralyzed by an excess of things to share to actually post anything}, and I'm just going to warn you: I am on a sugar/Disney/learning/foodie high.

That's kind of what happens when you're surrounded by food blog superstars and spoiled rotten at The Happiest Place on Earth. And you know I'm going to tell you all.about.it.

What you will not see in this series of posts: Pictures of people posing with oversized Disney characters, small children watching the parade with a dreamy look in their eye, fanny packs.

What you WILL see: Obscene amounts of food, pictures of me posing with food bloggers with a dreamy look in my eye, the occasional Mickey-shaped dessert.

Warning given... now for the good stuff!

Sloane {from Life, Food, & Beer} and I headed up to Orlando bright and early on Friday in hopes of getting some park time in before the reception they were holding for us that evening to kick off the conference weekend.

We arrived at The Grand Floridian Resort and got settled in so we could spend some time at the park before the welcome reception that had been planned for us by the lovely folks who put together FBF.



The last time I stayed at the Grand Floridian, I was about 8 years old. So you can imagine how thrilled I was to be spending a few days in this Victorian-themed beauty.

In true Disney fashion, no detail is ever overlooked. From the verandas to the patterned wallpapers to chandeliers and the gingerbread trims, The Grand Floridian promptly takes you back to a time and place where elegance and luxury reigned supreme.

Sloane and I decided it would be best to visit Epcot that afternoon since we weren't sure if we'd have time to get back to the park throughout the rest of the weekend, so we hopped the monorail which is conveniently located on the second level of the hotel {erm, AFTER we waited 15 minutes for a bus that would never arrive. Oops.} and immediately made our way to the World Showcase for some snacks & drinks!

We happened to be there during one of the last weeks of their 20th Annual Flower & Garden Festival, so the park was even more expertly landscaped than usual. Because of the festival, we got to see some really beautiful floral masterpieces which, of course, all had Disney themes.

There were also special food kiosks set up where you could sample small plates of global fare, and we knew we definitely wanted to hit up a few of those. But first... cold drinks! Did I mention it was a sweltering 91 degrees that day?

Our first stop was the Mexico pavilion, and though we had only been at the park for a few minutes, we were already glad to go inside to get out of the heat and cool down with a cocktail.

In doing a little Disney digging on the internet before the conference, I discovered that the Mexico pavilion houses a hidden gem of a spot that serves some pretty spectacular drinks: La Cava del Tequila.



Did I say "hidden"? Because it was pretty packed when we stopped in for a visit. Sloane opted for a beer {sticking with the theme of her blog and all} but I had my eye on the Blood Orange Margarita with Berry Foam. It was a bit too sweet for my taste, but the interesting combination of blood orange, hibiscus syrup, and of course, tequila {and LOTS of it!} balanced with a Chili-Salt rim kept me coming back for another sip as we continued our stroll through the park.

About 3 sips later, I was already feeling kinda loopy! I am here to tell you that when you drink a margarita before you eat a solid lunch, you get pictures like this:

And let strangers convince you to have your picture taken like this:

And decide to "Gator Chomp" next to a landscaped crocodile: 

You also think it's cute to do the obligatory totem photo op in Canada:

And stop to pose with faux donkeys because.... well, why not?

Thank goodness for a nearby food kiosk in China selling Vegetable Buns... had I not started to get a little food in my belly, things could have gotten real ugly, real fast. We also tried some Lasagna Primavera {pictured over at Sloane's recap post} at the Italy kiosk, and of course, I asked to stop for dessert in France where we picked up a pretty Raspberry-Lemon Curd Macaron.

As much fun as we were having, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for the evening's festivities because after a day spent walking "'round the world" in the hot Florida sunshine, freshening up was definitely necessary!

In my next post, I'll be sharing more about meeting some of my all-time favorite bloggers {and some new faves, too} and our adventures in some more of the parks.

Plus, I'll be sharing more pics of food. Always more food.

Meanwhile, here's a little easy to make snack, inspired by my {potent} margarita!

Juicy orange segments are dipped in dark chocolate, then sprinkled with a mixture of salt and chili for the perfect combination of sweet, salty, and spicy. And since it's fruit, there's no need to feel guilty about indulging in a few slices! {At least that's what I'm telling myself.}

Chocolate Dipped Orange Segments with Chili-Salt

1-2 oranges, peeled, segments carefully separated
3-4 ounces favorite dark chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon chili powder*
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt*

1. Prepare a sheet pan or plate by lining with a sheet of parchment paper.

2. Place peeled orange segments on a paper towel to soak up excess juiciness. This will help the melted chocolate adhere better to the slices.

3. In a small dish, mix together chili powder & salt.

4. Dip peeled orange segments in melted chocolate, then place on parchment paper.

5. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle with a pinch of chili-salt.
*The measurements above are, of course, optional. You can put as much or as little chili and salt as you'd like. I found a pinch of the mixture to be just enough for a light dusting.

6. Allow chocolate to set {for faster setting, place in freezer for 6-8 minutes}.

Enjoy!

Tasty Travels: NYC {Part 1} & Nutella Gelato

 

When I travel, I love to take note of the places to go and things to eat so I can come back and be a good recommendation resource for anyone who might be visiting the same place. I've done a few travel recaps for you guys from my trips to Key West {Parts 1 and 2}, and Chicago {Parts 1, 2, and Bakery Edition}, and while it certainly took me a while to put them together, I managed to get them posted in a reasonable amount of time.

And then I went to New York City. Like, 4 years ago {and then again twice at the end of last year}. And I was SO excited about it, and did SO much stuff, and was SO overwhelmed by the city {in a good way} that I never sat down to write about my experiences. {I did do a little photo essay type thing here, but that barely breaks the surface!}

Well, my friends, the time has come for me to finally tell you a bit about my adventures in NYC. We'll call this segment, Prep in the City. :)

But, before we go back to the end of last year {one of my best NYC trips yet}, we're going to rewind way, way back to 2009, when I took my very first foray into the Big Apple. Steve and I were visiting his family in Ossining, and planned to spend some time in the city during our stay. So, after a few days in Westchester, we ventured into The Bronx to check out a place that I could only describe as a mecca to his family: Arthur Avenue.

I had heard of this elusive food-lover's paradise for years from Steve's relatives {they lived in New York until the 70's when they moved down to South Florida}. Whenever they'd talk about it, they'd get this dreamy, distant look in their eyes... like they were being transported back to a time and place they were trying to recapture. Whenever they had the chance to visit, they would come back bearing plastic bags filled with gifts from this magical place: loaves of crusty artisan bread wrapped in butcher paper and tied with red and white striped bakers' twine, hunks of Parmgiano Reggiano the size of my head, and links of sweet and hot sausage with a smell so potent it could knock your socks off.

These gifts were highly treasured: They might as well have been blocks of gold excavated from King Tut's tomb.

Anyway, you can imagine how excited Steve and I both were to see this with our own eyes. What we found was definitely a site to behold.

Sausage drying overhead at the Calabria Pork Store

Very quickly, I formed an opinion about this incredible place. Arthur Avenue is a beautiful assault to the senses: smells, tastes, textures, sights that take you back to a place in history where food was a craft that took time and patience and know-how. They do things old school. They are legit. There's no showboating, glossy exteriors, or false facade -- what you see is what you get. And that's exactly what makes Arthur Avenue, Arthur Avenue. 

 

{Steve's little cousin wasn't as charmed as we were by all this... she held her nose pretty much the entire time we were there. I don't know how the kid didn't asphyxiate herself. I'm not gonna lie, though, that pork store was pretty stinky.}

 

This spot, Addeo's Bakery, was much more our speed!

 

So, armed with an understanding of why Arthur Avenue is referred to as "the REAL Little Italy" {and about $100 worth of bread, cheese, and cured meats}, we went along our merry way and continued our New York adventure. {But not before stuffing our faces, of course.}

 

 

Feasting.

The next day, we took a train into the city to meet up with some friends. The plan was to spend the day exploring while everyone was at work, then enjoy an evening out, and possibly gain a tour guide to help us see the sights the following day. Luckily, our friends were ready for us and took us to a great spot for a Korean barbecue lunch.

 

Now, this was pre-foodie/blogger days, so these are the only two pictures I have. And I don't know the name of the restaurant. I also have no idea what we ate. My, my... how times have changed! What I do know is that I was completely enamoured with the experience. The little dishes of sauces, the "barbecue pit" in the middle of the table, the way the food just kept on coming... and eventually covered then entire table. It was magical.

Granted, I had no clue what I was putting in my mouth at the time. Soon after I discovered that this was where I had my first taste of kimchi {which, since then, has become a wildly popular condiment} and my first experience with haemul pajeon. {"Is that a tentacle in my pancake??"} One thing was certain, if Arthur Avenue hadn't already done it, this sealed the deal: I was in love with New York City.

 

With full bellies and our curiosity piqued, we parted with our friends and decided to take on the city, tourist style. To say 'we walked' is a gross understatement. Steve and I, and our friend Ryan who was also visiting that weekend, covered an immense amount of ground in just a handful of hours. We saw Times Square. The Statue of Liberty {from Battery Park}. Wall Street. We payed our respects at Ground Zero. Saw the Empire State Building {though we didn't go up to the top}. An artsy little underground market heaven knows where. We navigated the subways {inefficiently, but still}. Walked Chinatown. And finally, made it to the "other" Little Italy.

 

 

This, dear friends, is where I had the absolute best gelato of my entire existence. I don't know if it was the exhaustion that made it taste so good. Or the fact that I was love-drunk with the city. Or the copious amounts of Nutella that swirled throughout the sweet, creamy treat. Right there, standing in the middle of Mulberry Street, I took a little bite of heaven. {And it came from Ferrara Bakery.} 

 

Steve literally asked me if I was ok because, for the duration of my gelato experience, I didn't speak one word. Which is rare for me, y'all.

 

I am still amazed when I think back to how many miles we must have trekked that day.

 

As spent as we were, there was no way were were going to get away with laying low for the night. Nope, not with our friends. They were raring to go and ready to show us a good time. And they definitely followed through with their plans.

We arrived at McSorley's Ale House, and I wondered what in the world they were thinking. When I pictured "going out" in NYC, I envisioned swanky lounges and sleek bars. McSorely's was the polar opposite. But, never being opposed to new experience and a good bar {which is more my style than a pulsing night club, anyway}, I willingly went along for the ride and, as a result, has one of the most entertaining evenings of my life.

 

McSorley's is the oldest continuously run bar in New York City. Within its walls is one big, drunken history lesson. When we visited, there was a layer of dust about 3 inches thick covering just about ever surface that was out of arms reach. Dust that had been accumulating since its opening in 1854. The walls were plastered with historic memorabilia, the floors sprinkled with sawdust, and the tables full of patrons sipping light or dark beer {that's all they serve, folks} out of miniature beer mugs. {Since then, McSorley's was bullied into "cleaning" up, which oddly made me very sad.} P.S. Please do yourself a favor and read their History Page & Timeline.

 

Anyway, I could go on about this place because there truly is so much to talk about, but I will suffice it to say that what transpired that night was something out of a movie: a drinking game that had each of us doubled over in side-splitting laughter various times throughout the night, "challenges" that consisted of cramming McSorley's famous saltine cracker appetizer into one's mouth in record time, and an impromptu performance of The Star Spangled Banner that roused the entire bar to its feet.

 

I can't tell you too much about the rest of the night... there were lots of laughs, a stop at a hipstery lounge {pre-hipster mania}, and some late night ramen. I can tell you that the next morning was rough. And that were were awakened bright and early and informed that we were heading to The Hamptons.

 

Wait... what???

 

TO BE CONTINUED...

Until we pick up where we left off, here's a recipe for Nutella Gelato, inspired by my delicious snack in Little Italy. I can't say it's as good as the one I had from Ferrara, but as far as I'm concerned, you just can't go wrong when the words "Nutella" and "Gelato" are uttered anywhere near each other. I think you'll agree.

Nutella Gelato
Adapted from Food Network

1 cup heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup Nutella
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Mix cream, milk, and 1/2 cup of sugar together in a saucepan and warm over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile,  add 1/4 cup of sugar to the egg yolks. Using a hand held mixer, beat the sugar & yolks until it's thick and pale yellow. It'll take about 5 minutes. You can do this in a medium bowl or whip it {whip it good! ha!} in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment if you're feeling lazy.

3. Stream about a half cup of the warm milk mixture into the eggs, whisking the whole time. Add the entire milk/egg mixture back into the saucepan. Continuing to whisk often, cook it on medium-low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until it's thickened. {You should be able to coat the back of a wooden spoon, draw a line down the middle with your finger and have the line stay visible. Careful not to make scrambled egg custard!}

4. Combine the Nutella and vanilla extract in a medium bowl and pour the warm mixure into the bowl, whisking together until it's uniform and well-mixed.

5. Refrigerate the mixture for a few  hours to cool it down. If you're in a rush, you can speed up the process by placing the bowl with the custard over another bowl filled with ice and a little water {an ice bath}, and whisking it in there for a while, but honestly, it's kind of a pain.

6. When the mixture is cooled, pour it into the canister of an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions. Churn it until it's a soft serve consistency, then transfer it into a freezer safe container {if you haven't eaten it all at this point}, and freeze to achieve a scoopable consistency.

 

 

Behind the Screen: Central Florida Bloggers Conference

Ok.... I’m about to get all blogger-nerdy on you and I feel that I should warn you that I’m on a bit of a high after spending Saturday in Orlando at the Central Florida Bloggers Conference. I don’t usually talk blog ON the blog, so I hope you’ll give me a pass just this once to geek out on you and talk shop because I have far too much excitement to contain myself at this moment.

Are we good, then? Ok, great! ;)

The conference was held at the Orlando Science Center, which happened to be a pretty cool {and HUGE} venue. {Um, when was the last time you had a conference in a place with a mini-forest sprouting from the center of the building??}

I couldn’t help but notice that this conference might be just a tiny bit different than others I’ve attended for work when a flash mob popped out of their seats and began to dance to Michael Jackson’s "Man in the Mirror" within the first few minutes of the beginning {in a planetarium-type theater, no less}…

{Well, we were in Orlando… land of magical mice… what did you expect?}

The day was broken up into 8 thirty minute sessions covering topics from getting the most out of your social media, to working with brands, to piracy and plagiarism.It was a whirlwind of information with some exceptional speakers.

The "J" of J's Everyday Fashion

All of the presenters did a fantastic job at sharing their experiences, tips and tricks, and excitement for blogging. No lie. They found a super talented bunch to spread the blog-love! My favorite speaker highlights were:

Rachelle Lucas’ {The Travel Bite} session on all things Twitter. She is adorable and so knowledgeable!

Kyle Menard’s {Brink Magazine} palpable enthusiasm and humor about turning content into print. {Not to mention his outfit, which, as we all know is key in capturing my attention. Ha!}

Julie Deily’s {The Little Kitchen} useful info about working with brands. The girl knows her stuff and is so sweet!

Jeanette Scott’s {J’s Everyday Fashion} presentation on using Facebook as an important tool to success. I'm not even going to pretend I wasn't just a little bit starstruck to be sitting in front of the girl whose fabulous fashions are all over my Pinterest!

Mark Baratelli's {The Daily City} irreverent and slightly R-Rated {yet hilarious} talk on his personal tips to blogging success. If you have not heard the man speak somewhere, do yourself a favor and change that today!

I could go on and on about all the fabulousness I encountered, but I'll stop here since I am grateful that those of you who are not bloggers are still awake.

But seriously, if you didn't already gather this from all my spouting, it was a great first conference to attend.

From left to right: Inspiration by Lou Mongello, Steel drum tunes to eat by,
 Lunch by Bahama Breeze, Wrap up party prehistoric style.

 

One of the best parts was getting to meet other bloggers in person and not just tweeting at them or looking them in their avatar's eyes. Such a treat!

 

Because I'm not stingy with my friends and want you to be exposed to their awesomeness {even though you won't get to meet them in person like I did}, I'm listing the sites belonging to some of these fabulous people and hope that you'll hop over and visit!

Food Bloggers

Amanda at Amanda's Apron
Carroll at Vanilla Lemonade
Catrell at The Wandering Coconut
Christine at Cook the Story
Julia at Live Pretty
Julius at Droolius
Katie at Katie's Cucina
Kristina at Love and Zest
Lacey at The Traveling Foodie
Robin at Simply Southern Baking

Miscellaneous Bloggers & Company Representatives

Adrianna at Military Money Chica
Amy at Better Sleep Coach
Beka at Rebecca Roams
Carol from Z 88.3FM {who might just have her own food blog soon!}
Dwight from Z88.3FM
Elizabeth from elizabethrissman.tumblr.com
Kimbra from Bitner Hennessy {who will be blogging at Detour Orlando}
Lauren from The Social Life
Leah from Trusted Source
Nick from Time Dog

It was a pleasure meeting all of you and I wish you each great success with your projects!

 

As for me, it's back to the kitchen!

 

Chocolate-Whiskey Cupcakes

This may shock you {as it tends to surprise most people}, but I - a self proclaimed frill wearing, Lilly Pulitzer loving, girlie girl - kinda sorta have a thing for whiskey.

Yep, it's true.

I discovered this affinity during a college football game many {many} years ago when a guy friend condescendingly offered me a sip of his whiskey and Coke, fully expecting me to hack and gag and carry on like a sissy. Much to his surprise, I took a gulp, handed back his plastic cup and said, "Mmm. What is that?" {Innocent little me.}

Ever since then, while the girls at happy hour were ordering Appletinis and Vodka Sodas, Whiskey & Coke became my signature drink. {I've since dabbled in Scotch, too, but that's another story.}

I have no idea why I enjoy the taste so much, but I do.

You can imagine my excitement when I had the opportunity to incorporate one of my favorite libations into a birthday dessert for my friend's hubby's 30th birthday. I almost squealed with delight when she told me that he loves chocolate {my hubs HATES chocolate} and thoroughly enjoys whiskey. I knew just what to make.

Chocolate-Whiskey Cupcakes

Yes.

I'm considering making this my go-to chocolate cake recipe {maybe subbing out the whiskey with something more family-friendly for other events. Maybe.} because they were so fluffy, chocolatey and delicious. The Chocolate-Whiskey Buttercream was the perfect way to enjoy the deep whiskey flavor without the burn. And the Chocolate-Marshmallow-Whiskey-Caramel-Bacon Brittle I added as a finishing touch?

Well that, my friends, will be getting it's own post.

I know wine and chocolate is the lady-like thing to enjoy, but I don't care. Put these in front of me and I will tear into them with wreckless abandon...and I don't care who sees it.

Some days you just need to say, "Keep the Pinot Grigio. Pass the Jack."

Chocolate-Whiskey Cupcakes
Adapted from Style Me Pretty and Originally from Fields of Cake
Makes 2 dozen cupcakes when filled just under 3/4 of the way

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
1/2 cup Jack Daniels {or your favorite} Whiskey
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 2 muffin tins with cupcake liners. Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together wet ingredients.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and whisk until just combined and mostly smooth. {Don't overdo it, it'll make for tough cupcakes.}

Scoop batter into cupcake liners, filling just under 3/4 of the way full. {These tend to rise a lot for me, so keeping them at just under 3/4 creates a nice dome without too much of a "muffin top".}

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.

Let cool completely before frosting.


Chocolate-Whiskey Buttercream

2 sticks butter, softened
3 tablespoons Jack Daniels {or your favorite} Whiskey
4-5 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat  butter and whiskey with the paddle attachment until light and creamy. Slowly add confectioners' sugar one cup at a time until fully incorporated, but not too dry. Beat in melted chocolate.

Add cream or milk one tablespoon at a time until frosting reaches desired consistency.

Fill a piping bag fitted with desired tip with frosting, and decorate cupcakes. Or just slather it on. No one will care if they're not pretty. ;)