LIME BOARD

My brother charlie and I picked up this adorable, tiny cutting board for my dad when we were wandering around Brooklyn last spring.  It's made just for limes but I use it all the time for mini food prep work in the kitchen.  Avocados*, cherry tomatoes, lemons, berries, etc etc.  So convenient, so cute....I just love having it around!

*I don't normally cut my avocados like this, I swear.

WHOLE WHEAT ROSEMARY

Today was perfect (in all it's imperfection, much like the shape of my loaf of bread).  I was so excited to make bread on my own for the first time.  I love the excitement of waiting for the dough to rise and find myself doing relaxing things while I wait - enjoying my new book, going for a run, indulging in a cup of tea.  I made my first loaf of bread (ever) last weekend when my grandparents were still in town and it was such a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon.  My grandad loves making bread and the smell wafting through the house always brings back childhood memories of visiting them in Arizona.  Every loaf he makes has the perfect amount of crispiness surrounding a soft, warm, doughy inside.  He is a true baker (when he's not busy being a lawyer) and I was thrilled when he agreed to teach me his ways.  I only hoped I could inherit his patience and perfection when working with the dough.  So today was my test.  There were moments I didn't think I would pull through but I ended up impressed and satisfied.  Using whole wheat flour (instead of enriched white) was a little different but I'm pleased and I sprinkled some rosemary in the dough before leaving it to rise, the perfect finishing touch.

GALLERY IN THE SUN

^^DeGrazia's home^^

Earlier this week I visited DeGrazia's Gallery in the Sun, nestled comfortably in the Catalina Foothills of Tucson.  DeGrazia is a well loved local artist who turned his beautiful home studio into a gallery so his work could be shared long after his passing.  The moment you step foot in the space, you can feel the calming presence of DeGrazia and his breathtaking work.  My grandmother loves his art so I have always known of his sweet paintings of children and visiting his gallery was more inspirational than I could have imagined.  I left feeling relaxed and enlightened with hopes of rekindling my love for creating art.

^^a few of my favorite pieces. the movement is stunning, i could stare all day.^^

SUPERBOWL COOKIES

I don't care much for either of the teams in the superbowl this year (I really only care about football when the Packers are involved) but I'm still joining the rest of the country in eating good food and enjoying the commercials.  We're heading over to my grandparents where my grandma is making her famous three bean chili.  We're bringing some brats to boil in beer (so wisco of us, I know) and I'll recreate this guacamole I made last summer.  I scoured pinterest for a fun dessert and wasn't satisfied with anything I was seeing.  So, I used this recipe to make some flour less peanut butter cookies and got creative with decorating myself.  These are the best peanut butter cookies I have ever had.  I think I ate over half the batter before I even got them in the oven....

*

Preheat oven - 350. 

Beat half cup peanut butter, half cup maple almond butter, one teaspoon vanilla, one egg, and three fourths cup of sugar with a hand mixer until crumbly.  

Make into balls and put one inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 ish minutes.

 

**

Let cookie sheet cool before taking cookies off.

Then, decorate!  I just melted ghirardelli chocolate chips (vegan by nature!), put the melted chocolate into a plastic baggie and cut the corner.  I spread the chocolate into a football shape.  I used the same method with vanilla frosting to make the laces.

I'm so excited to find such a simple cookie that is gluten free.  I'll be making these again (without the footballs) very soon!

*adorable measuring cups were a birthday gift from my parents from anthropologie

**I'll be doing a diy post on my at home-manicure and the stacked chevron rings I'm wearing soon!