One of the most popular emails I get is “I’m working on a wedding registry, can you tell me what essentials I should put on it?” So here you go! The SHUTTERBEAN kitchen could not operate without these items:
My Everyday Life: Week 7
Here’s what this past week looked like:
This license plate says MWUHAHA. I was thoroughly amused by this on my commute to work.
I love lists, Friday!
- Ron Swanson Embroidery! Does it need an explanation?!
- Katie’s photography inspires me to no end.
- I could watch/have watched these gorgeous videos ALL DAY LONG.
- 1 shirt, styled 5 ways! I heart numero uno!
- Mini cakes made in cans. BRILLIANT!
- I love that this post starts with Let’s fry our breakfast. Umm OK!
- This muffin and this pudding make me want hazelnuts SO BAD.
- Gonna make something special with this Freezer Paper Stencil HOW TO!
- The trouble with working from home…
- This is how I see the world. Finally! A representation of how my brain works.
- Nothing prettier than cut open citrus. Seriously.
- I love listening to the latest Turntable Kitchen mix at work.
- How to look like Ryan Gosling. WHOA.
- My hair is no where near long enough to make curls, yet I watched this whole video.
- What a tasty looking Soup Roundup!
- This Spin Doctors song will always conjure up this scene for me. Always.
On the Joy the Baker Podcast this week, it’s Real Life Real Talk. We catch up on what’s going on in our lives and we overuse (we meaning ME) the word SHUCK.
This week on High Straightenence, I sort out & organize Cooper’s toys! It’s a fun mess.
Highlights from the Alt Summit:
It’s been almost a month since I was at the Alt Summit in Salt Lake City…. Yeah, I’m a little behind. I finally carved out a little time to go over my notes from the trip and now I’m ready to digest them! Even though this conference wasn’t a Food Blog conference, it left me with PLENTY of food for thought. See what I did there?
Here are a few of my highlights:
Be proactive instead of reactive. Think of this is in terms of getting organized & getting things done. Instead of hanging out on twitter & facebook first thing in the morning, get to work! Wasting time being apart of someone else’s conversation doesn’t help you with starting your own. You will have more to show for your hard work if you’re actually working.
Don’t think of balance as a seesaw. Balance isn’t a straight line. Think of balance as if you are juggling balls. Each ball in your life has a different weight. Through the process of elimination, you can decide which balls to let go of and which to hold on to dear life for. You must constantly evaluate and weigh the importance of each new thing you plan on inviting into your life. It is also important to take a step back and evaluate how to make things better so you can continue to juggle the biggest balls in your life (get your head out of the gutter).
Guilt. If it won’t motivate you to do something, then it’s a waste of your time.
Baked Artichoke Squares
My parents entertained A LOT when we were growing up. It was pretty exciting because it meant a few things. 1. We could play video games without my parents getting into our business. 2. We could steal cans of Coca-Cola from underneath the card table and make our own soda concoctions in the backyard 3. My mom would have certain special things for us to eat like Baked Artichoke Squares & DESSERT. We only had dessert when company was over.
The thing about these Baked Artichoke Squares is that they’re not the prettiest looking appetizer. What they lack in beauty, they make up in taste. Me and my brothers always got into them before our parent’s guests arrived and my mom would chase us around the house totally peeved. Flash forward a few decades and I’m in my own kitchen, making them for company. I always have a difficult time not polishing off the batch before I put them out on a plate for guests. Old habits die hard.
My friend Jessica put it best by describing them as being like “portable artichoke dip!” She’s totally right. It’s like artichoke dip met quiche and had a baby. And the baby was the most perfect baby EVER!
Warm Pear-Raspberry Bruschetta
ENTERTAINING 101: If you’re planning on having a slumber party involving LOTS OF WINE, make sure breakfast the next morning is SIMPLE.
Toasting bread, caramelizing pears and spreading cinnamon sugar & mascarpone on top is child’s play.
Adding a side of scrambled eggs with truffle salt & bacon? That’s where things get a little more complicated.
Photographing a brand new recipe in front of 4 people who are waiting to eat breakfast? Crazy idea!
Especially when you forget to drink coffee.
This one is definitely going in my I DRANK TOO MUCH LAST NIGHT BUT HAVE TO FEED SOMETHING AWESOME TO GUESTS, folder. It’s super scrumptious & simple!
