24/52

Tomorrow is June 19th. Lucy’s due date. Of course, she decided to stay inside me for almost another week (and now that we know our daughter one year later…this decision of hers makes perfect sense). But her due date will always hold a special place in my heart. Her due date came after years of loss, of fear, of uncertainty. Her due date was received as this incredible promise of new life and hope.

And one year later, she brims with all the emotions that were first tangled up in that special date given to me by my doctor. Joy. Laughter. Love.

Lucy is almost one year old and decided to start walking this week. She’s tentative but clearly capable. Yesterday, she took a solid eight steps. Of course, this happened in our kitchen. It’s the place Lucy and I spend the most time during the day. I imagine it will stay like that for quite a few years.

We’re in a flurry of activity as we get ready for her birthday party on Sunday. I can’t wait to see my plans come together because right now our house is a small disaster. Thankfully, Lucy doesn’t seem to mind.

Little One in Houston

I was born in Houston, TX, and I’ll be the first to admit that it isn’t on the top of many “must-visit” lists. When I tell someone in Colorado that I’m going down to Houston, I often get a grimace and a statement about either the humidity or the traffic. But….if you do Houston right…you’ll find an eclectic and vibrant city, full of culture, good food, and community. Ryan, Lucy, and I spent a few days there earlier this month, and we’re happy to share another Little One Travel Guide.

Blacksmith. Ryan and I look for good, third-wave coffee everywhere we go. Blacksmith happens to offer some of the best coffee in town, along with a simple but well-executed menu. Not only do they make precise and delicious cappuccinos, but they also serve their homemade square scratch biscuits. Ryan’s favorite way to eat them is with an egg, while I prefer their jam and mascarpone cheese. Lucy loves watching the people filter in and out of this bustling coffee shop in Montrose. And yes, while she doesn’t drink coffee, she certainly eats biscuits.

Neighborhoods. If you stay in the suburbs of Houston, expect traffic, chain restaurants, and big box stores. So we suggest moving inward and exploring the eclectic neighborhoods that give Houston it’s food and cultural prowess. Montrose and the Heights are favorites in our book, but there are several others that you might want to visit. Despite the heat (and yes, it’s hot), I enjoyed wearing Lucy as we walked down oak-lined streets. She fell asleep quickly and easily, which allowed for me to get exercise and for her to get a much needed nap. You will find locally owned boutiques and restaurants. Good food, great shopping, and beautiful homes to look at too.

The Pass & Provisions. This pair was listed as one of Bon Appetit’s Best New Restaurants, and it’s easy to see why. Take an old Houston landmark (an Italian deli and import company) and turn it into an expertly run kitchen with a wood burning stove and you’ve got a clear winner. We enjoyed brunch late on a Saturday afternoon. By far the “fanciest” restaurant we visited, Provisions made us feel at home. Lucy enjoyed a beautiful berry smoothie and a melt-in-your-mouth baguette. Because we ate brunch at the tail end of their serving hours, the restaurant wasn’t nearly as crowded (which allowed for a much more relaxed mom and dad).

Catalina Coffee. Another Houston coffee institution. Catalina coffee was packed on Sunday morning with a line going out the door. We sampled one of their fresh fruit danishes (made by a local baker in the Heights). Once again, our little one loved people-watching (and there were a lot of people to watch in this small coffee shop downtown).

Down House. Coffee shop. Bar. Restaurant. Down House does it all, and does it all well. We came here for brunch on Sunday morning and enjoyed two big plates of food. Local ingredients and pastured eggs made for a delicious (albeit greasy) start to the day. In typical baby form: one of us took Lucy outside while we waited for our food. This often makes all the difference in a peaceful restaurant meal. It worked for us at Down House, and I have no doubt we’ll use this method in Portland and Pittsburgh later this summer.

Al Aseel. Houston has amazing food from all over the world. On a rainy Sunday afternoon, we visited Al Aseel in a small strip center near my grandparent’s house. (For really good and authentic ethnic food, you often need to leave the city center). We were warmly greeted by the owner, an elderly Palestinian man. We were seated right away and ordered some of the best hummus I’ve had since traveling to Jordan and Egypt. And the chicken kebobs? Well, they were delicious too. Some of the best food we’ve had in quite a while. The only downside? In the back, they offer hookah. The odor wasn’t terribly strong, but it wasn’t somewhere I’d want to take Lu (or a child with sensitive lungs).

We had a quick but great trip to Houston…and we’re excited that Portland is just around the corner. If you’d like in-the-moment updates, follow me on instagram. You can find us here: @cakestand.

Yogurt Chicken Salad and 23/52

Hot summer days are being met with afternoon storms here in Colorado. Thunder, lightning, and even a few tornadoes have given this summer a dramatic flair. The storms have also thrown our routine (in a good way). Instead of an afternoon walk, we crawl and play in our living room, pull out baking supplies from kitchen cabinets, and read through the books that rest in Lucy’s nursery.

We also make food like this yogurt chicken salad. Although we’re months, maybe even years, away from thinking about baby number two, it’s still important that I eat a nutrient-dense diet (especially since we’re still breastfeeding six to eight times a day too!) This chicken salad is made with organic whole milk Greek yogurt, toasted almonds, celery, grapes, and chicken (of course). It’s light and refreshing and packed with so many good things for big and little bodies. We served these alongside some whole wheat pitas, but the salad is perfectly filling enough to be enjoyed entirely on its own.

Ryan and I are shooting a wedding tomorrow, so send the happy couple good wishes and prayers for no afternoon storms. See you on Monday!

Yogurt Chicken Salad

1/2 cup whole milk Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1 pound grilled or roasted chicken breast (thighs would work equally as well)

1 cup grapes, cut in half

1 cup celery, chopped

1/4 cup toasted almonds

Salt and Pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, and honey. Set aside. Roughly chop chicken and add to a large bowl along with grapes and celery. Pour dressing over top and mix well with two wooden spoons. Sprinkle generously with almonds. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or cover and allow to chill in refrigerator.

Honey Wheat Pull Apart Rolls

Over the weekend, we watched a nephew and a cousin receive diplomas. We got back from Houston LATE on Monday night. The next morning, I flew to the hospital to capture the first few hours of a new baby’s life. Today, we’re visiting an old friend in Denver. On Saturday, Ryan and I are photographing a wedding. In other words: we’re busy.

And yet it’s early morning here, so the sky is still soft and everyone is sleeping except me. These moments of stillness are a much needed reprieve, and I find myself craving them more in recent weeks. Balancing motherhood with my creative work is a challenge, and on many days, I feel like there isn’t enough time to just sit and be. But when I do carve out the space for silence and contemplation, I find myself in a much more grounded place. I feel more connected to my inner life and to the pains and joys of those around me.

I also crave bread. Sourdough with a thick slather of butter. These honey wheat pull-apart rolls straight from the oven. There are some meals that just don’t seem complete without a yeasty accompaniment. These honey pull apart rolls are easy to make, and they rise beautifully. The smell of sweet bread will fill your kitchen and home as they go from pale to golden brown in the oven. And then, you’ll have the pleasure of pulling one away from the rest of batch, breaking it open, and spreading butter or jam across its steaming surface. You won’t regret the time it took to make homemade bread. I promise.

Honey Wheat Pull Apart Rolls

1 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons potato flour or 1/4 cup instant potato flakes
3 tablespoons Baker’s Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons soft butter
2/3 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
2 tablespoons melted butter (for after baking)

Combine all of the dough ingredients in a large bowl, and mix and knead — using your hands, a stand mixer, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle — to make a soft, smooth dough. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until it’s just about doubled in bulk.

Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. Round each piece into a smooth ball. Lightly grease two 8″ round cake pans. Space 8 buns in each pan. Cover the pans, and allow the buns to rise till they’re crowded against one another and quite puffy, about 60 to 90 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Uncover the buns, and bake them for 22 to 24 minutes, until they’re golden brown on top and the edges of the center bun spring back lightly when you touch it. Remove the buns from the oven, and brush with the melted butter. After a couple of minutes, turn them out of the pan onto a cooling rack. Serve warm. Store leftovers well-wrapped, at room temperature.

Pistachio Caramel Ice Cream Cake

As I mentioned, Ryan’s birthday fell on Wednesday this week. We spent the evening with a few friends and family, eating well and enjoying a cool summer’s night. And like with most good celebrations, Ryan’s face was illuminated by the light of birthday candles and an enthusiastic round of Happy Birthday.

Growing up, Ryan requested an ice cream cake for his birthday most every year. So naturally, for his 30th, I wanted to make him something that was both nostalgic and sophisticated. When I found this recipe in a recent Kinfolk issue, I knew I’d hit upon the winner. Pistachio and salted caramel ice cream were natural choices for my husband’s taste buds, but this recipe can easily be adapted to suit your ice cream needs.

As you can see from the recipe instructions, this ice cream cake takes time. If you have it, it’s well worth the hours spent. Ryan’s Pistachio Caramel Ice Cream Cake turned out beautifully….and it tasted even better.

Pistachio Caramel Ice Cream Cake

*From Kinfolk

1 quart/1 liter (32 fluid ounces/945 milliliters) salted caramel ice cream
1 recipe Snappy Chocolate (see recipe below)
9 ounces/255 grams chocolate wafer cookies, crushed
1 quart/1 liter (32 fluid ounces/945 milliliters) pistachio ice cream
1 recipe Chocolate Ripple (see recipe below)
1 recipe Cream Frosting (see recipe below)

Chopped Pistachios and Caramel Bar for topping

The morning before serving, place a 9-inch cake ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Working quickly, tear the container off the vanilla ice cream. Use a large, sturdy knife to cut the ice cream into thick but manageable slices, the broader the better. Without letting the ice cream soften, firmly pack it into the prepared metal ring in an even layer. Try not to leave air pockets. Freeze ice cream in its ring until completely hard, around 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

In a medium bowl, stir the wafer crumbs into the Snappy Chocolate topping until the crumbs are uniformly damp. Again working quickly, pull the cake ring from the freezer. Spread the soft Chocolate Ripple mixture over the vanilla ice cream, and then press the coated crumbs over the chocolate. Freeze for another hour to set.

As before, remove the second ice cream flavor from its packaging. Cut it into slices and fit these into an even layer on top of the crumb layer. Freeze the cake in its pan, covered with plastic wrap, at least overnight (or up to a few days).

The day of serving, unmold the cake by warming the metal ring with a cooking torch (a hair dryer can also be used), then slipping it up and off the cake. Refreeze the cake for 30 minutes to set the surface. Decorate the cake as desired with Cream Frosting. If piping any decorations, first coat the cake with a base layer that covers the ice cream. Let this firm up in the freezer, and then pipe. This way all the frills and swags will have better footing upon which to adhere. Adorn generously with chopped pistachios and caramel bar. Use a warm knife to cut the cake.

Snappy Chocolate

5 1/4 ounces (150 grams) high-quality dark chocolate, chopped
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 1/2 ounces (100 milliliters) refined coconut oil

Melt the chocolate, coconut oil and salt in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring often until glossy. Set aside at room temperature until needed (it should be pourable, but not at all hot when used).

Note: Using refined coconut oil means the finished topping will have less of a coconut taste, making it more accommodating in regards to flavor pairings and use. If that’s not a concern, feel free to use virgin instead.

Makes about 1 cup

Recipe: Chocolate Ripple

2 1/2 ounces (70 grams) high-quality dark chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) light corn syrup
2 1/2 ounces (75 milliliters) heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the chocolate and corn syrup in a heatproof bowl. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the cream to barely below simmering. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the vanilla. Starting from the center, stir the cream into the chocolate until the mixture is smooth. Let stand at room temperature, stirring regularly, until thick and spreadable.

Makes enough for a 9-inch (23-centimeter) cake

Recipe: Cream Frosting

1 1/2 cups (360 milliliters) heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons (30 grams) superfine sugar
1 teaspoon powdered gelatin
2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) milk

Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla in a chilled bowl and beat to firm peaks with a large wire whisk or electric mixer. In a small saucepan, soak the gelatin in the milk. Once the milk has been absorbed, heat the gelatin over low heat until it melts. Quickly but gently, fold the gelatin into the whipped cream. Use immediately as is, or tint it with a food coloring of your choice.

Note: This recipe may be doubled for more elaborate decorating.

Makes about 3 cups