Happy Birthday Ladies

Happy birthday to two of my favorite ladies, Lindsey & Allison! May your 26th's be great!

Melissa Blackburn

Melissa Blackburn is one of the most talented women I know. Her dresses are stunning, and I was lucky enough to have her make my wedding dress! Melissa is not only a brilliant seamstress she is an absolute delight to work with. My wedding was of course incredibly memorable, but the process of designing this dress with Melissa was one of the best parts of the whole wedding experience, and something I will never forget. She is the best, check her out here.

$2,000 short

I would love to go to this.

the grammy's

I just have a few thoughts about the Grammy's. First, Miley Cyrus is absolutely frightening. Second, did MIA really bump and grind in polka dots? Yeah, I like her. And finally, as much as I love you Robert Plant (and I do love you.) Radiohead with out a doubt should have won album of the year.

eat well

Buttermilk Fantails
Recipe courtesy Gourmet Magazine
For more recipes visit NOSH

1 stick plus 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted, divided
2 tsp active dry yeast (from a 1/4oz package)
1/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F)
1 Tbsp mild honey or sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for kneading and dusting
11/2 tsp salt
3/4 c well shaken buttermilk

a muffin pan with 12 cups

Butter muffin cups with 1 Tbsp melted butter.
Stir together yeast, warm water, and honey in a large bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, start over with new yeast.)
Mix flour, salt, buttermilk, and 6 Tbsp melted butter into yeast mixture with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until a soft dough forms. Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface and knead, dusting surface and your hands with just enough flour to keep dough from sticking, until dough is elastic and smooth, 6 to 8 minutes. Form dough into a ball.
Put dough in an oiled large bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Punch down dough (do not knead), then halve. Roll out half of dough on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 12-inch square (about 1/8 inch thick; keep remaining half covered with plastic wrap). Brush dough with 1/2 Tbsp butter and cut into 6 equal strips. Stack strips, buttered sides up, and cut crosswise into 6 equal pieces. Turn each piece on a side and put into a muffin cup. Make more rolls with remaining dough in same manner. Separate outer layers of each roll to fan outward. Cover rolls with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled and dough fills cups, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle. Bake rolls until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Brush tops with remaining 2 Tbsp butter, then transfer rolls to a rack and cool at least 20 minutes.

Cooks’ note: Rolls are best the day they’re made but can be frozen (cool completely, then wrap well) 1 month. Thaw, then reheat on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven until warmed through, 5 to 10 minutes.

Recipe & photo v. Gourmet Magazine. Photographer Romulo Yanes



Hands-Free Raspberry Jam
Recipe courtesy Nigella Lawson

1 C or 1/2 pint raspberries
1 C sugar

1 8oz jar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Put the raspberries and sugar into two separate bowls; I use pie plates, so the fruit will be spread out rather than piled up. Put the bowls into the oven for 20-25 minutes until they are really hot. Take them out of the oven carefully, and add the sugar to the raspberries. As you do so you'll find the fruit turns into a molten, ruby-red river. Pour this into the cleaned and waiting jar. Fasten it, and leave to cool before storing in the fridge. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

Recipe & photo v. How To Be A Domestic Goddess. Photographer Petrina Tinslay

new york & the gift show

Another successful buying trip to NYC! We found so much great stuff, and had several amazing meals. I love New York.

a valentine I can get behind

I do not like Valentines day. Never have, I just don't get it and I refuse to celebrate it. And then when I became a florist, I really didn't get it because they pretty much quadruple prices on flowers and take advantage of the situation (seriously, never buy flowers on Valentines or Mother's day, you are getting ripped off.) However, while I was in New York at the gift show, I came across these delightful valentines by Yee-Haw that I really would be pleased to receive. Get them here.

Also, I feel that I should elaborate on my dislike of Valentines. This is not a result of not being 'recognized' on valentines day, my darling husband always remembers what is important. I just think Valentines day has gotten way out of hand, and now its like as long as a gentlemen takes his lady out on Valentines then all of his sins are forgiven. And some of the lady folk have taken this to the ridiculous, and put some seriously unreal expectations on this supposed day of love. I guess I just don't think you need a sanctioned day of love to show the ones you love how much you love them.

good to be home

Jaleo

I just had one of the best meals I have ever had. If you ever go to DC, you must go to this delicious tapas bar, it is life changing. Check it out here.

Mrs. Reece goes to Washington

Trains, I believe Are the most civilized way to travel. Comfortable seats, ample leg room and of
course no hurtleing through space at 600 plus miles an hour. This will be my first trip to our nations Capitol and I am quite giddy! However I am still annoyed that I can't post pictures until my return. I would love some recomendations of what I should see, do, eat and of course where to shop.

New York

So here I am in new York having a grand time, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to post the pictures I have from this I phone. So I guess you will have to enjoy my quick wit instead! I love it here and hopefully I can get some pictures up soon! In the mean time anyone have any good shopping tips while I am here in the big apple?

eat well

All this nasty weather we have been having here in Utah has made me want to stay indoors, eat and read. This cake lends itself perfectly for an afternoon of 1 or a party of 10. It is hands down my favorite chocolate cake.



Chocolate Fudge Cake
Recipe courtesy Nigella Lawson
My changes & additions in italics.

For the cake:
2 2/3 C All Purpose Flour (sifted)
3/4 C plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/3 c light brown sugar
1/4 c best quality cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/2 c plus two tablespoons sour cream
you can substitute applesauce, I think it is better.
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 C unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 vegetable oil
1 1/3 C chilled water

For the fudge icing:
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids
1 C plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
1 3/4 C confectioners sugar sifted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Butter or spray and flour two 8 in cake pans.
In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl whisk together eggs, sour cream (or applesauce) and vanilla until blended. Using a standing or hand-held mixer; beat together the the melted butter and vegetable oil until just blended, then beat in the water. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix together on a slow speed. Add the egg mixture, and mix again until everything is blended and then pour into the prepared tins.

Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes, or until a cake-tester comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes,and then turn the cakes out onto the rack to cool completely.

To make the icing, melt the chocolate in the microwave, 2-3 minutes on medium should do it. In another bowl beat the butter until it's soft and creamy. Add the sifted confectioners sugar and beat again until everything is light and fluffy. Gently add the vanilla and chocolate and mix together until everything is glossy and smooth. Sandwich the middle of the cake with about a quarter of the icing, and then ice the top and sides as well.
Serves 10, or 1 with a broken heart.

Recipe & photo v. Nigella Bites. Photographer Francesca Yorke

Yulia Brodskaya

is a magician with paper. See her phenomenal graphic designs here.
image v. oh joy

l.o.v.e. these

enamel alphabet, get them here.

lunch

Mr. Reece & I had a lovely lunch at Bangkok Grill. It was nice to spend a quiet afternoon with my favorite person.

richard avedon

Richard Avedon's portraits are amazing. I really can't describe how much I love them, see for your self here.

Images by Richard Avedon v. Google imaging.

Mr. President

Congratulations Mr. President, sorry that the Chief Justice bungled your oath. But you could just have him removed right?