I just got my first purchase from Bauble Bar and I absolutely love it! My plan is to pair it with a mint top and some boyfriend jeans to head out to dinner this evening. If you haven’t had a chance to check out Bauble Bar, please do. Lot’s of Baubles to choose from, you probably will not be able to hold yourself back. Everything they have isn’t going to break the bank either, which is always nice.  My beautiful necklace got here quickly and with a great sample to throw in my purse. Go to: http://www.baublebar.com or follow them on twitter @Baublebar

It is such a gross day in Boston, why not bake a 5 lb chocolate cake? I just made this slice of chocolate heaven yesterday and I had no idea that is was going to weigh as much as it does! Yes, I baked it from scratch and I really think I have shocked a few friends who had no idea that, I do bake and I can use an oven from time to time when the mood moves me. And, I was in the mood for some serious chocolate indulgence. I absolutely love easy recipes and this one is very easy to whip up. Give it a try and head to the nearest gym soon after.

Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake from Williams-Sonoma

For the cake:
1 cup cocoa powder, sifted, plus more for dusting pan
7 1/2 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped ( I used Ghirardelli)
1 cup boiling water
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
20 Tbsp. (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
5 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips ( I used  Ghirardelli)
For the ganache:

6 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
Have all the ingredients at room temperature.

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F. Grease the Anniversary Bundt Cake Pan and dust with cocoa powder; tap out the excess.

To make the cake, in a bowl, combine the 1 cup cocoa powder and the chocolate. Add the boiling water and whisk until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth and blended. Set aside.

Over a sheet of parchment, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 30 to 45 seconds. Reduce the speed to low, add the brown sugar and beat until blended. Increase the speed to medium and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating until incorporated before adding more and stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla until incorporated, about 1 minute.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour, beating just until blended and no lumps of flour remain. Slowly pour in the chocolate-cocoa mixture and beat until no white streaks are visible, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter so the sides are about 1 inch higher than the center. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached to it, 60 to 65 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool upright in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Let the cake cool completely, at least 1 hour.

Return the cooled cake to the pan. Using a serrated knife, gently saw off any excess cake that extends over the edge of the pan. Set the wire rack on a parchment paper lines baking sheet. Invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. (I skipped this step).

Meanwhile make the ganache: In a heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream just to a boil. Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate and butter. Whisk until the melt and the mixture is smooth.

Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, allowing the ganache, to drip down the sides. Let the cake stand until the ganache is set, at least 15 minutes.

Louboutin has to be one of my most favorite designers! They never seem to disappoint and are a classy, comfy and fabulous pump with their signature red sole that screams Vogue.

I am dying to get my feet in these before the summer is over!! Don’t you think these are just FAB! The bright summer colors with the multi colored spikes…an eye catcher.

I also got a sneak peek at a few of the fall shoes from my shoe guru in Chicago. Here is what is coming in stores soon for fall by Louboutin. I am loving the nude pointed toe pumps. You can’t go wrong with nude pumps. I am in need of a new pair soon! 

I am also loving the Fall boots! This pair is a great color to go with jeans and or black leggings. These are a must have for the fall this year.

Here are a few more of my favorites! And enjoy the week…summer is coming to an end soon! Fall is just around the corner. 

I have continued my island hopping for the summer and ended up in Martha’s Vineyard for the week with friends. We all had an amazing time and great beach weather. My girlfriend rented an amazing house on the island for entertaining on the water in Oak Bluffs. It was really, a great week!

If you haven’t had a chance to try Pimm’s , please do! It’s a gin-based liquor that has spices and fruit juices. The Pimm’s cocktail was one of my favorite drinks made by our in house mixologist in MV. Pimm’s cocktail: fresh muddled fruit and ginger ale. Great for aperitivo after the beach.

We ended up on the way back from South Beach, Bad Martha’s. Its a brand new brewery on the island that offers a variety of beers. Summer Shandy’s and fresh pretzels! You can’t go wrong. This is a must go to on your next trip to MV.

One of my most favorite parts of Martha’s Vineyard is Edgartown. It’s a very nice part of the island with great shopping and some really great restaurants. We were in the mood for more of a lounge on our last night, so we headed to Alchemy on Main Street in Edgartown. The menu is great, you can’t go wrong with anything you get. We ended up with Burgers and a mash potaoto salad. Everything was fantastic!

If you haven’t had a chance to get over to MV for a day or two, you should. Rent a bike, go to a few of the beaches and try some of the great restaurants. It’s really an easy ride on the ferry to get to a fun and great vacation spot. Enjoy the rest of the week!

If you are looking for a great summer read pick up Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. This book is not only an inspirational read, you may even get motivated to get up and RUN! McDougall talks about the Tarahumara Indians and how they are able to run hundreds of miles without injury. McDougall who also is an elite runner is searching for the Tarahumara Indians running secrets.

Could Chia seeds be one of the secrets?

Chia is one of the nutritional packed foods that the Aztecs and Tarahumara Indians ate regurarly to keep them strong and injury free. Chia has become increasingly popular in America for its fiber, nutrients and protein.

I came across these really delicious Health Warrior Chia Bars. They come in a variety of flavors. Apple Cinnamon is my favorite. They are a great pre and post workout snack. I even grab a bunch for the beach if I get hungry! You can get them online at Amazon.com and shipped next day! Give them a try!

I’m always looking for a great headband to wear while I am working out or even as a nice accessory on a hot summer day to pull my locks back. I absolutely love Higgy’s Headbands. They are backed with velvet so they don’t slip off your head while working out. Perfect! Higgy’s Headbands will also make custom headbands for birthday parties, bachelorette parties, work events etc. Take a look at their Facebook page: Higgy’s Headbands, and reach out to them to get yours. Enjoy!

This is one of my favorite recipes for summer. It’s both a colorful and light dish to serve on these hot summer nights. You can add some of your favorite veggies to make it your own. I like to add broccoli and omit the olives. I’m not the biggest fan of the olive. Try it out! I hope you enjoy.

Mediterranean Boneless Pork Chops

Ingredients:

16 oz (8) thin sliced center cut boneless pork chops
3/4 tsp of McCormick Montreal Chicken Seasoning (25% Less Sodium)
1 small (6 oz) zucchini, ends trimmed off
1 small (6 oz) yellow squash, ends trimmed off
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
¼ teaspoon oregano
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
cooking spray
1/4 cup of pitted and sliced Kalamata olives
1/4 cup of crumbled Feta cheese
fresh juice from 1/2 large lemon
1 tsp grated Lemon rind

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season the pork chops with Montreal seasoning (or any seasoned salt you like).

To Julienne the Zucchini and Yellow Squash: Use a mandolin fitted with a julienne blade, or slice the zucchini into 1/8-inch thick slices. Cut the slices lengthwise into 1/8-inch thick strips.

Toss the tomatoes with 1/2 tbsp of the olive oil, 1/8 tsp salt, pepper, and oregano. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with cooking spray; roast for 10 minutes. Add sliced garlic and roast for another 5 minutes (this will prevent the garlic from burning). Transfer to a large work bowl and set aside. Reduce oven to 200°F.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and zucchini with 1/8 tsp salt and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add to bowl with tomatoes and place in the warm oven.

Working in two batches, spray the skillet with cooking spray and cook half of the the pork chops on medium-high heat for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side. The pork chops are thin so you don’t want to over cook them or they will be tough. Set aside on a platter.

Remove the vegetables from the oven toss with Kalamata olives, juice of lemon and lemon rind. Serve the vegetables over the pork chops and top with Feta cheese.

skinnytaste.com

I have been MIA for quite some time. Looking for a house, living on Nantucket and Boston, and having lots of fun with friends on the weekends has taken me away from blogging. Well, I am back and hopefully will have lots of fun things to share.

We just got back on Friday from Nantucket once again. If you are planning a trip over this year, revisit my blog. I think we have almost eaten at every restaurant. Not good on the waist line, but so yummy! So far our top three are Le Languedoc Inn and Bistro, Straight Wharf (dining room) and Cru, they have a great warm lobster roll and blue crab cocktail.

Le Languedoc, in my opinion had one of the best sautéed lobster and polenta dishes, as well as the best dessert. The Crunch sundae to die for! We also opted for the cheese soufflé. Delish!

It did end up pouring one of the days we were there. Not to worry, we made the best of our day and ended up trying Lola Burger. It was a good fast food kind of place! I would say its similar to Wahlburgers in Hingham, MA. Not as vast as a menu but very similiar. You can even spot some celebrities there as well. Drew Barrymore was enjoying one of Lola’s burgers as well.

As always, we hit up Surfside beach and the Childrens beach for an after dinner walk! Love the beach!

Happy Monday! Enjoy the week!

We had the best cocktails at the beach a few weekends ago and I wanted to make them again this past weekend to have with some friends that were coming over. Once again, the head of catering at Brix Wine Shop and a great friend of mine, Emily, never fails in this department. Thank goodness she let’s me use some of her wonderful cocktail ideas! Stop by Brix and she might even share some more of her yummy recipes. Here is one of my favorites!

Rose Sangria

1 bottle Rose
1 bottle sparkling wine
Watermelon, cubed
Strawberries, sliced
Mint leaves
Sweetener (Sugar/Splenda/Stevia)
Seltzer (optional)

Mix rose with some of the fruit and mint and let sit overnight to infuse flavor. Strain out fruit/mint when ready to serve. Sweeten to taste. (Note: real sugar won’t dissolve well, so make simple syrup if using sugar, see below). Add fresh fruit, mint, and chilled sparkling wine. Add a few splashes of seltzer for more bubbles.

And, we also made this fun Watermelon Jell-O Shots! They were super easy to make and very festive!

Watermelon Jell-O Shots

Recipe by Christine Byrne
Makes about 30 wedge shots
Ingredients
1 12–16 pound watermelon
4 cups vodka
4 3-ounce boxes red Jell-O mix
2 1-ounce boxes unflavored gelatin
Preparation
1. Using a large chef’s knife, cut the watermelon into two equal halves, lengthwise.
2. Use your knife to slice all the way around the perimeter of the watermelon flesh, about an inch from the rind. Be careful not to pierce through the skin, as this will lead to your Jell-O leaking out. Then use a kitchen spoon to scrape out the rest and create a smooth bowl with roughly 1/2-inch red watermelon flesh left on the rind.
3. Line two small, rimmed baking sheets with paper towels in a way that creates a bed for your watermelon bowls. The idea is to create enough support to keep the watermelon bowls from rolling at all while they’re in the fridge. Put one bowl in the center of each tray and set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the Jell-O mix and the unflavored gelatin. Add 4 cups of boiling water and whisk until the gelatin is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add the vodka all at once and whisk just to combine.
5. Pour the Jell-O mixture into the watermelon bowls, dividing evenly. Carefully place the Jell-O filled watermelon bowls in the fridge, and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.
6. When Jell-O is set, cut each half into 1-inch slices, crosswise, then cut each slice into 2–3 wedges, and serve.

So, we are nearing mid July shortly and we are still “homeless” and actually enjoying it. I know, the summer is going to come to an end and then reality is going to settle in and I will realize that we really need to make some big decisions. I have in fact come to the realization of where we need to go, now its just finding a place that we both can agree on. Easier said then done! I think we have been in about 50 homes already, looked at plans and land to build and we still haven’t come to any conclusions.

As many of you know, I don’t cook but one of the most important places in our new home is the kitchen. The kitchen is where everyone congregates, eats, talks and cooks. I love kitchens and I have promised to start cooking if I can find a magnificent one! Here are some of my inspirations. We are even considering a gut job in some homes just to build something amazing! I really love detail on the ceiling similar to the the last picture, not of a kitchen but of a living room, created and designed by my mother. I can see that ceiling in an all white kitchen. I love it! Wish me luck! I know we will find something soon, I hope!