Sequoia + Kings Canyon

This weekend it was Sir's 29th birthday.  We took a little trip up to Sequoia National Park.  I was looking to see some green since I'm getting sick of the brown dirt and rocks around San Diego, and I was not disappointed.  Everything was so beautiful and there was still snow (quote from me: "what's all that white stuff?").

First off we stopped off at the General Grant Tree in Sequoia's Grant Grove.  The General Grant tree is named after Ulysses S. Grant and is the third largest sequoia tree in the world and is estimated to be over 3,000 years old.  That's one huge old tree.

Upon arriving at our destination, Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon, we hiked the Mist Falls trail, which was 8 miles, round trip.  Along the way we saw this deer having a little snack in the middle of the trail.  We stopped and hung around until she was done and then continued on our way.  We saw many deer on our trip.  I'm glad it was deer we saw and not bears or cats as it very well could have been.

Our final destination:  Mist Falls.

Aside from driving through the depressing dairy farm-town on the way there and the less than luxurious lodge we stayed in, it was a great trip and I'm really glad we got out to experience something new.

I Earned My Angel Wings

These cookies are light and buttery and remind me of the cookies you would find in a tin at Christmas time.  Not only were they super delicious, but they are also really easy to make.  Only four ingredients!  There are a few steps involved, which is kind of annoying (I hate waiting!), but they are definitely worth it.  Here's what you'll need:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup cold butter

1/2 cup sour cream

sugar (lots, just keep the canister out)

Place flour in a large bowl; cut in butter (I used a pastry blender) until mixture is crumbly.  Stir in sour cream until completely blended.  Place dough on a piece of plastic wrap and form into a square block.  Wrap up the block in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Cut dough into four even sections, and working one section at a time (keep remaining sections refrigerated) place dough on a piece of wax paper sprinkled with sugar.  Sprinkle dough with some sugar and place another piece of wax paper on top.  Roll out dough in wax paper until you get a rectangle, adding sugar as needed.  (Roughly 10-in x 5-in)  Roll up each side lengthwise until you reach they meet in the middle.  Wrap log in plastic wrap and refrigerate.  Repeat with remaining 3 sections.  Chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375-degrees.  Unwrap dough and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Gently dip each side into sugar and place on a foil-lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 14 minutes, or until a light golden brown.  Turn cookies over and bake an additional 5 minutes.  Cool on wire rack. Enjoy the buttery goodness!

Torrey Pines State Beach

Last week I received two emails from different people with pictures of lovely flower fields:  one of the Antelope Valley Poppy Fields and the other of the California Goldfields near Lake Henshaw.  Well I decided I wanted to see some lovely flowers myself.  We decided to go to the  flower fields in Carlsbad.  Well once we got there, I promptly decided it looked pretty lame from the street.  Having driven all the way up there we decided we needed to do something, so we stopped at Torrey Pines State Beach on the way back and wandered around for a while.

I guess a place where you can take a short drive to somewhere like this isn't so bad.  I feel like I take the ocean for granted and I should visit it more.  It's weird to think some people have never seen the ocean. Like  I've never seen falling snow.  I think I might be missing out on something.  But I still want to see some flowers.

Show Off

Just how awesome is my new bike?  Pretty awesome, I must say.  My mere and grand-pere bought it for me for my birthday.  It was just one of the surprises at my New Moon-themed 29th birthday dinner that my wonderful family threw me.  They even watched all of the movie and endured my tears when Bella asks Edward "you. don't. want. me?"  Anyway, back to the bike.  I fell in love with it the first time I saw it and I said "that bike will be mine."  Aaron blew me off of course.  Now look who's got a new bike!  My old cruiser is great, and I had fun pedaling up those hills in Banker's Hill with Sir pushing my seat, but now it's time to shift gears and push myself up the hills.  I'm a big girl now.  I have lots of plans for my new bike and I'm going to make a promise not to let her down.  A Sunday ride to Anthropologie for a little shopping sounds appropriate, doesn't it?

French Macaroons

Say the word macaroon and you'll see me stick my tongue out.  Add the word French in front of it and it's a different story altogether.  Honestly, when I first saw the recipe on marthastewart.com I didn't care what they tasted like.  I thought they were the cutest little things and I had to make them.  However, I was pleasantly surprised when I told Sir to eat one and he said they were actually good.  I couldn't eat one because I had my Invisalign in and it's a pain to take it out just to have a treat.  I was so happy they were edible and I shared them with my family who opined on their goodness.  Martha stated that the possibilities for the filling are endless.  I made my fillings out of a simple buttercream frosting; I filled some with just the plain buttercream and the rest with a mixture of buttercream and blackberry preserves.  They were equally yummy.  I can't wait to make them again - I know they will come out better the second time now that I know what I'm doing - and I'm thinking Nutella.

French Macaroons

* 1 cup confectioners' sugar

* 3/4 cup almond flour

* 2 large egg whites, room temperature

* Pinch of cream of tartar

* 1/4 cup superfine sugar

*Filling of your choice {see recipe}

Directions

1. Pulse confectioners' sugar and almond flour in a food processor until combined. Sift mixture 2 times.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and whisk until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low, then add superfine sugar. Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Sift flour mixture over whites, and fold until mixture is smooth and shiny.

3. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip, and pipe 3/4-inch rounds 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, dragging pastry tip to the side of rounds rather than forming peaks. Tap bottom of each sheet on work surface to release trapped air. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macaroons are crisp and firm, about 10 minutes. After each batch, increase oven temperature to 375 degrees, heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees.

4. Let macaroons cool on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. (If macaroons stick, spray water underneath parchment on hot sheet. The steam will help release macaroons.)

5. Sandwich 2 same-size macaroons with 1 teaspoon jam. Serve immediately, or stack between layers of parchment, wrap in plastic, and freeze for up to 3 months.

{Recipe from Martha Stewart Living}

Palm Springs

Since we are too poor to take a real vacation, Sir and I took a little jaunt {a short journey for pleasure or excitement} to sunny Palm Springs. Oh how we love and hate Palm Springs. We hate it because we love it. We drive around looking at all the mid-century houses and furnishings, green with envy, dreaming of the day when we are well-to-do and can afford such things. "There are our people," Sir says. "Where we can throw around words like Bertoia and people will know what we are talking about." Perhaps someday. But for know we will just have to do with our one Herman Miller Eames rocker.

This time around we stayed at the Horizon Hotel, which was pretty cool, and authentically mid-century. It was nice, clean, and quiet. And who doesn't love listening to Frank Sinatra while lounging by the pool?

Cranberry-Apple Crumble

It was a great weekend: I saw Julian Plenti live and the Chargers beat the Eagles! You can't ask for much more. Well besides dessert of course. I made this dessert a few weeks ago when I had my Mom and Grandpa over for dinner and it was a big hit so I decided to make it again. First of all, I love crumbles, cobblers, crisps; whatever you want to call them, and I love fruit! My husband does too, so we gobbled half of this thing up in no time. It was a sweet end to a sweet weekend - and there are more sweet weekends to come! Next weekend is the New Moon premier and then Thanksgiving! Life is good.

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds apples (about 3 medium), peeled and cored

1/2 cup fresh or frozen (unthawed) cranberries, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Coarse salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for dish

1/2 cup pecan halves (2 ounces), coarsely chopped

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

3 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Quarter apples lengthwise, then thinly slice. Toss in a large bowl with cranberries, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until evenly coated.

Butter an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish. Mix pecans, flour, oats, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl until combined. Work in butter with your fingertips until topping is crumbly, with pea-size chunks.

Spread apple mixture in prepared dish; sprinkle with topping. Bake until filling is bubbling and topping is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

(From Martha Stewart Living, October 2009)