2011 October | Life Tastes Like Food

Salted Nutella Cookies

Baking, Dessert, Food, Friendship, Life, Recipe 10 Responses »

Oct 302011

Nutella. The most amazing spread ever. EVER. Hazelnut. Chocolate. PERFECTION. So what’s a great way to get your fix with this crack-like substance? 6-ingredient-nutella-cookies. These cookies are a lot thinner than normal cookies…so I debated on calling them “crisps” or “thins” but then when I asked a friend what comes to mind when someone says “salted nutella crisps” he said “apple chips dipped in nutella.” Um, no. So I stuck with “cookies” for the title. Anyway, these are very thin because I added a tiny bit of butter to the recipe which thins the batter out. Nonetheless, I still think they are terrific. If you’re looking for your average cookie though, look elsewhere. These are different. And better. They have a nice crunch on the outside but as you bite deeper into your cookie, they becomes chewy and soft. Not to mention the corse sea salt that is sprinkled over [Continue Reading...]

Game Day Recipe Round-Up and Giveaway Winners!

Cooking, Food, Friendship, Giveaway, Life, Recipe, Side Dishes, Snacks No Responses »

Oct 242011

Football all day Saturdays, Sundays, and Monday nights, basketball (when there’s not a lockout), soccer, the World Series for baseball, and most importantly, San Jose Sharks hockey games… There are so many games going on this time of the year and not enough time to watch everything! But we make time. Because watching sports is fun. Unfortunately, I never really watch basketball though (sorry to disappoint all you basketball fans and my best friend). But no matter which sport, what I love more is the company you’re with when you watch the games. And what I love almost just as much are the snacks and food made to sustain you through the 2 plus hours of the game. Ok, ok, I may like the food more than the games. Except Sharks games. But in any case, whether you are a die-hard super sports fan or a I-have-no-idea-what-is-going-on-during-this-play viewer, here is a round [Continue Reading...]

Pumpkin Muffins with Pecan Streusel

Baking, Breakfast, Dessert, Food, Health, Holiday, Life, Recipe, Snacks 9 Responses »

Oct 222011

Alright, alright. I know I’m going a little overboard with all the pumpkin lately, but when you get giant cans of pumpkin and don’t have to use all of it for one recipe, you make something else. Then you need to get a small can because the leftovers from the first recipe weren’t enough but you don’t need the ENTIRE second can, so there are leftovers again. And so it goes…c’est la vie. These muffins are awesome. Moist, full of pumpkin and fall spices, and easy to make. The pecan streusel topped everything off and made the muffin spectacular. Plus, this recipe taught me how to spell streusel! S-T-R-E-U-S-E-L. Round of applause for me. Really though, enjoy these muffins with a nice cup of tea or coffee and you won’t be sorry. They make me want to look outside my window and see fallen leaves raked into piles, people apple picking in the [Continue Reading...]

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles and a Fall Giveaway!

Baking, Dessert, Food, Giveaway, Life, Recipe 46 Responses »

Oct 182011

Have I mentioned how much I love Fall? And my affinity for pumpkin-flavored things? Oh, I haveee? Well, here’s one more for the list: pumpkin snickerdoodles! The subtle pumpkin flavor adds a nice spin to your everyday snickerdoodle, and the cookie comes out so soft and chewy! It’s a great dessert to bring to a potluck, party or just to have around the house on a Sunday afternoon. Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Recipe (only slightly adapted from Sweet Pea’s Kitchen) 2 3/4 Cups all-purpose flour 2 Teaspoons cream of tartar 1 Teaspoon baking soda 1/2 Teaspoon salt 1/2 Teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1 1/2 Cups sugar plus another 1/4 cup 2 Sticks unsalted butter, softened 1 Large egg 3/4 Cup pumpkin puree 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and [Continue Reading...]

Veggie Pesto Panini

Cooking, Dinner, Food, Health, Lunch, Recipe 2 Responses »

Oct 172011

A couple weeks ago, I was sitting in a little coffee shop and I ordered a veryy delicious veggie panini! It was made with sundried tomatoes, onion, pesto, and swiss cheese…yum! Being on a crazy schedule lately, my eating habits have been increasingly unhealthy and scattered so I decided to take some time out of my day to recreate a version of this veggie panini for lunch. For this panini, I decided to use: whole wheat sourdough bread, pesto, sliced red onions, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and feta cheese. I didn’t regret the decision at all. It only took about 15 minutes total to prepare and cook, start to finish, plus it was delicious and cheap! Win-win. It’s also healthy–something that’s hard to come by when you’re looking for a quick meal. I bet this would taste even better dipped in some creamy tomato soup too!! :) Veggie Pesto Panini [Continue Reading...]

Vegan and Gluten Free Pumpkin Butter

Food, Life, Recipe, Side Dishes, Snacks 14 Responses »

Oct 142011

It’s officially Fall, and I love this season! Bursts of sunny weather are still lingering to tease us, random rainstorms keep us on our toes, and the autumn leaves are truly a beautiful sight. There’s something about it that I just adore. It’s that time of the year that allows us to curl up under a blanket with some hot chocolate and read a good book, an opportunity to start buying the unnecessary winter clothes that we must have, and, for all the sports fans out there, the beginning of football, basketball, and hockey season (Go Sharks!). And it’s pumpkin season! Pumpkin pie, baked pumpkin seeds, pumpkin carving—the whole she-bang. Glorious! So, let’s kick this fall season off with a little pumpkin butter. The name is a little deceiving since there’s actually no butter in the recipe, but you use it like a spread (or like jam). It’s like a [Continue Reading...]

Recap and New Beginnings

Food, Friendship, Life, Travel 7 Responses »

Oct 132011

Woo, what an adventurous, crazy, frantic, happy, busy, and fun last month and a half it has been since I picked up and moved out of Davis. From apartment hunting, to spontaneous trips and daily adjustments, to a week-long vacation basking in the warm sun, it has been non-stop! I have also gone to some events that I have not had time/been too lazy to share with you, but here they are (better late than never)! Eat Real Festival – Oakland, CA This food festival and street fair was created to promote all of the stages of where food comes from, who makes it, and how it gets to our table for us to eat. From endless rows of food trucks, to live demonstrations, to a youth cook-off (the cutest thing ever), this festival was a huge hit! My friend and I got to spend a couple hours there on [Continue Reading...]

A Taste of Hawaii

Dinner, Food, Health, Life, Travel 4 Responses »

Oct 062011

I’ve been back for about a two weeks now and am already missing the sunny weather and tropical atmosphere. However, it is nice to be back in California! Did you know that some of the highway speed limits in Maui are like 20 miles per hour? 20!!! It took my family and I a while to get use to driving on a highway going that speed (on the windy, one-lane highways this made sense, but not on a highway that has 2 lanes and looks like people should be going at about 60 mph!) But oh, Maui is so beautiful… We even got to go to a luau! It was such a fun experience. You get to see them unbury the imu baked kaluha pig. Along with the pig, the luau provided a buffet feast to all its guests including shoyu chicken, Hawaiian baked sweet potatoes, sauteed fish, poi, lomi [Continue Reading...]