Katharine Hepburn Brownies and a phone date with a far away friend

"What you see before you, my friend, is the result of a lifetime of chocolate."- Katherine Hepburn

Getting older has more benefits then it has downfalls. I have more money to spend on things I love, I get to set my own schedule and do things by my own rules, and I can eat brownies for dinner just because I want to.

However, getting older also means busier schedules, distance between friends and family and a lack of time for anything more than work, the grocery store and a trip to the gym.

Tonight I declined the offer to go out with drinks with some co-works because I really just wanted a quiet night at home baking and reading the new Food and Wine issue.

While at home hunkering down, the phone rang, it was my dear friend Emily. A friend who I share a birthday, hair color and love for finding humor in the small things in life. Chatting on the phone for hours with her was blissfully relaxing and made me realize how great it is to see how a friendship can survive distance and time. We had a blast catching up and I am so lucky to have so many talented friends. (Emily runs a restaurant and has a dual degree in culinary arts and business.)

After hanging up with Em I started thinking about friendship, laughter and chocolate. This led me to bake Katharine Hepburn's famous brownies recipe to celebrate the small things that get knocked out of the way in our busy lives: friends, laughter, and chocolate.

“Life can be wildly tragic at times, and I've had my share. But whatever happens to you, you have to keep a slightly comic attitude. In the final analysis, you have got not to forget to laugh.” ― Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Hepburn's Brownie's

Perfect Texture! I ate two in a sitting.

1 stick unsalted butter,
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate (I used Ghiradelli 100% cacao)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract
1⁄4 cup flour
1⁄4 tsp. fine salt

Heat oven to 325°. Grease an 8" x 8" baking pan with butter. Line the pan with parchment paper; grease the paper. Set the pan aside.

Melt the butter and the chocolate together in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir to make a smooth batter. Add the flour, and salt; stir until incorporated. Pour the batter into the baking pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40–45 minutes. Let cool on a rack. Cut and serve.

(I added walnuts to the top of my batter) Enjoy warm with a cup of tea or some milk. Mmm!

Welcoming Fall with Apple Cider Donuts

Hello, dear friend Fall. In honor to celebrate your arrival I baked these guys for you. Please, help yourself.

These are my finished product before J and I gobbled them up.

After a visit to Sur La Table by way of the Farmer's Market at the Ferry Building I had acquired a new donut pan.

So, what better way to break it in then with apple cider donuts?

I adapted my recipe from the smitten kitchen.

1 cup apple cider
2 cups flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup lowfat milk

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease donut pan. Mix up all your ingredients. (I had to rhyme or reason to my mixing, just dumped everything in the bowl.) Add batter to donuts pan but only fill them half way up or else they will come out looking like muffins with a hole only on the bottom. Bake about 12-15 min. Take out of oven and let cool for about 3-5 minutes. Pour one cup of cider in a bowl and prepare another bowl with cinnamon sugar mixture.

Dip donuts in apple cider. 

Roll in bowl mixed with cinnamon and sugar.

Arrange on plate and enjoy!!

(my recipe made 3 dozen mini donuts)

These were so good we ate two dozen in about an hour with some coffee. 

You’ve been warned...

Fall, my love.

Something about the fall makes me want to buy everyone a copy of an Emily Bronte novel, a great candle and a cozy throw blanket.

Growing up in Boston I was accustom to the most lovely New England falls. It was punctuated perfectly by the Topsfield Fair, some new mittens, and apple cider.

Once we moved to Phoenix fall was no longer. In the desert fall doesn't really exist. However, once I went to college I embraced the four seasons again and welcomed fall with open arms.

Aspen Tree's, something that truly makes northern Arizona special

Leaving Flagstaff I knew San Francisco wouldn't have too much of a fall, but so far I am holding out some hope. Due to the fact it never really gets hot here the temps are actually very fall-esque.

Tonight I baked my first pumpkin snack of the season. It was too easy. One box of cake mix and one can of pumpkin puree. Mix it together, stick it in the oven at 350 degrees and bake for 20 min. (I made muffins with the batter.)

I have to say for their simplicity they are pretty yummy. Definitely not as good as my go to pumpkin muffin recipe, but so easy for a weeknight. 

Saturday will be my first pumpkin spice of the season, a tradition my best friend and I have had since high school. We wait until the first day of fall to get our PSL on at Starbucks. J said he wants to join me after we work out in the morning.

Tonight I will resume my fall activity with a glass of wine, delivery pizza from our fav spot, and re-watching some How I Met Your Mother before the new season starts Monday!!

Other fall things I look forward to: picking out a pumpkin with J, rocking my new booties all over town, warm apple cider, watching The Great Pumpkin, shopping for a winter coat, and best of all going home for Thanksgiving to see my family.

What do you love most about fall?

Back in Business!

After eight very long weeks of not running I am happy to announce I have made my (not so triumphant) return!!!

Sunday J and I headed down to our favorite long run route and I managed to get in two whole miles. Woo hoo! I felt surprisingly good and had no ankle pain. I took three stretch breaks just to be sure but I think I am back to my regular ol' self. I couldn't be happier.

After 8 weeks of only doing yoga and some light weight lifting it feels great to get back to my normal routine. I actually started a new boot camp class tonight to get to where I was on my fitness scale and to be ready for a very special occasion.

Fitting into my new Lululemon bikini during our trip to Hawaii in 5 weeks!

My new swim suit! (Can I order those abs, too, please?)

Basically, I am obsessed with Lululemon. I love everything they make and would own everything in their store if it wasn't so crazy expensive. I have a rule to only buy their stuff if it's on sale. I scored this steal of a two piece online recently. It was under $45 for both pieces. I love it. However, I can totally see the aftermath of eight weeks off from fat burning workouts like jumping, running, lunges, etc. My love handles are totally feeling the love, and I am totally not.

Hopefully my new routine of 3-4 bootcamps a week mixed with running and yoga will have me ready to hit the beach before our trip with the only love going on being me admiring my cute reversible suit.

Here's to doing hard work and appreciating how awesome it is to be able to run again and thankful for the body's amazing ability to heal.

Have you ever bought anything to motivate you to reach a fitness goal?

PDX

I went to Portland for the three day weekend to visit my family. I love how short my flight to go see them is now! 

Some highlights from the weekend

Donuts from my favorite donut stand at the Farmer's Market

Picked up two gorgeous bouquets. My Mom loves flowers.

The sweetest (literally and figuratively) little bake cart at the market.

Took my brother's out for ice cream after we had dinner in the Pearl with my parents. I had the salted caramel, of course.

FINALLY got to meet the new addition to the family. My parent's new pup Lilly. She's SO cute and SO spoiled.

No trip to PDX is complete without spending some time outdoors.

Nor is it complete without drinking some microbrews

Sunset and a BBQ on my parent's back deck overlooking Portland and the Columbia river. 

 Ready for a busy work week and helping to cover the DNC. Next week I start running again!!! GASP! I am nervous and excited. More on that later.

How was your long weekend?