Sweetest Love Letter Cake
By Bee | Published February 4th, 2010
Photo courtesy of Giver’s Log
The folks at Giver’s Log have found possibly the best use for wafer paper ever – as wrapping for a Valentine’s cake! Break out your brushes and some food coloring and write someone a letter about how you really feel, for any occasion! All that’s left to do is wrap it over your favorite cake, and voila – a sweet new way to communicate!
Four Cheese Spinach Soup
By Bee | Published February 2nd, 2010
Photo and recipe courtesy of Sunshine’s Kitchen
This rich spinach soup sounds so tasty to curl up with on a cold night, but what really struck us was the beautiful presentation this cook created! Amaze your family with this simple trick of using a patterned bowl, and continuing the design in the soup itself by piping on a little diluted sour cream on top! It’s a wonderful garnish on almost all soups, so don’t hold back!
Ingredients
- 250 grams of canned spinach
- 100 grams leeks
- 40 grams butter
- 100ml fresh milk
- 700ml water
- 50 grams Brie
- 50 gram Gorgonzola
- 50 grams Gouda
- 50 grams Cheddar
- Salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste
Directions
- Wash and cut leeks into rings and drain water from spinach.
- Melt the butter in a pot and put the onions to choke.
- Add the spinach stew, and even 3-4 minutes.
- Pour milk and water and leave to cook over low heat about 15 minutes.
- Add the chopped cheese and let them melt, finishing with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Puree.
- Serve with sour cream and crushed walnuts.
Bookworms Unite!
By Bee | Published February 1st, 2010
Photos courtesy of Bookbook
Remember when we had to lug books around, with their dusty jackets, misplaced bookmarks, and dog-eared pages? We do, and have fallen in love with this clever way to bring back the bygone days of the printed word! These beautiful laptop covers, called Bookbooks, create the optical illusion that you’re carrying around an ancient tome. The zippers even look like bookmarks at first glance! They are made of hand-crafted thick leather to protect your belongings, and can stay on your laptop while you’re working on it for ease of use. No bibliophile will be able to resist!
Easy Espresso Truffles From Your Microwave!
By Bee | Published January 28th, 2010
Photo and recipe courtesy of Cookthink
The best thing about truffles is that they look fancy but are easier to make than most other candy! You’ll want to make a batch of these sweets for both your sweetie and yourself when you discover how fast and versatile they can be. This French chocolate is simply a piece of ganache, named after the original delicacy found buried in the ground. To create the naturally irregular shapes of real truffles use a scoop pieces with a small spoon and roll it spontaneously in your palm. You can also experiment with flavoring them with jasmine, vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, or cognac and rolling them in nuts, sprinkles, shaved chocolate, coconut or anything else that strikes you as a good textural contrast. Package them in a sleek box for a delicious gift that will make anyone swoon!
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
- 10 ounces semisweet chocolate (best quality possible), grated
- 3 tablespoons coffee liqueur
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
Directions
- Place cream, sugar and butter in a 4-cup glass measure. Cook, uncovered, at 100 percent power in a high power oven for 2 minutes 30 seconds. (If using a conventional stovetop, cook over medium-high heat for 4 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Add chocolate and stir until melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in liqueur. Transfer mixture to a metal bowl. Chill until very firm.
- Sift remaining ingredients onto a sheet of wax paper. Line a baking sheet that will fit in your refrigerator with wax paper. Rinse a 1-inch melon baller in hot water. Scoop out one truffle, using the tip of a small knife to help release it if necessary.
- Drop the truffle into the cocoa mixture. Coat it with the mixture, touching it as little as possible. Transfer to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chocolate, rinsing melon baller with hot water each time. If chocolate becomes too soft, chill until firm before continuing.
- Chill truffles until firm. Sprinkle with remaining cocoa mixture. Store in layers separated with wax paper, tightly covered and refrigerated.
Valentines for Foodies
By Bee | Published January 27th, 2010
Photos courtesy of uccellocurioso
Ever want to tell your sweetie just how much you love him or her, but can’t find the right words? Consider a different approach with these hand-painted cards that will be sure to get your point across! If you’ve ever gone weak at the knees for the perfect avocado or fish tacos, you know what we’re talking about. We suggest pairing these cute and appetizing cards with their favorite food, for best results.
5-Minute Log Buttons!
By Bee | Published January 26th, 2010
Photo and directions courtesy of Design*Sponge
Here’s a last minute idea for wrapping your gifts or cards that will add that extra touch! You can easily crank out dozens of these log slice buttons if you have a saw and drill handy. We think they’d also look adorable on clothing or accessories, for a nice organic touch.
Materials
- logs
- drill with small bit
- chop saw (or saw with mitre box)
- safety goggles and dust mask
- scrap piece of wood
Directions
- Slice the logs in thicknesses between .5″ and 2″.
- Drill four holes evenly spaced from the center of each slice.
- Brush off all the sawdust and use a BBQ skewer or chopstick to poke out the sawdust from inside the holes.
- If you want to, you can paint these with a couple coats of clear sealant to prevent dampness or staining.
Oysters with Cocoa Nibs, Ginger and Green Apple
By Bee | Published January 25th, 2010
Photo courtesy of Peace Love and Chocolate
Valentine’s Day is near, but you don’t have to gorge on Hershey’s to satisfy those chocolate cravings! These chocolate oysters are savory aphrodisiacs that are both healthy and set the mood for a special day with your sweetie! This no-cook treat is easier than ever, relying only on the freshness and tastes of the ingredients. The cocoa nibs, ginger, and green apple lend layers of flavor to the pungent complexity of fresh oysters. Each variety of oyster has its own unique flavor, but these Kumamotos from Northern California are the preferred choice for capturing the essence of the sweet Atlantic ocean.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon cocoa nibs
- 4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon tamari
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon granny smith apple brunoise
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
Directions
- Clean and shuck oysters. Find step by step instructions here.
- Mix all above ingredients together and let it sit for ten minutes.
- Spoon onto a perfectly plump and sumptuous oyster and enjoy!
Floral Fascinator Hairpieces in Five Minutes!
By Bee | Published January 22nd, 2010
Photo and instructions courtesy of Design Sponge
It’s not yet Spring but this project sure gets us excited! We’ve recently fallen head over heels for these gorgeous headpieces, brought to you by the madly creative team at Design*Sponge! Also known as fascinators, these are detailed, handmade accessories that clip or tie to your head and can truly hypnotize anyone who catches a glimpse! They are all simple enough for even the most clumsy of craftsters to make, and range from understated to show-stopping. Many incorporate live plants, and are sure to give your hairdo that wow factor by bringing a piece of nature into your everyday attire. Here are two of our favorites!
The Headband is the easiest to master, but one of the most lovely, in our opinion. You could wear it with nearly any outfit to any occasion, and it will make you smell like you’ve just rolled in a field of flowers!
Materials
- A small bunch of hyacinths
- Floral wire
- Ribbon
Directions
- Use floral wire to string each flower, nesting one flower inside the next so no wire is revealed.
- When you reach a good length, loop the wire at both ends and attach some ribbon color-coordinated to your outfit. Hyacinths have a long life on dry land, so this headband won’t be wilting for a long time. After two days, ours still looked fresh as a daisy.
And we can’t forget the pièce de résistance: the Nest! The little details like the robin and egg make this fascinator hard to ignore. The best part is, you can tailor every detail to fit your aesthetic and make completely unique versions!
Materials
- nest, feathers, birds and eggs (available at craft stores)
- small comb
- thread
Directions
hand stitch the comb to the back of the nest and feathers and glue on your details, like newly hatched babies, little feathers and a proud mama to top it off. The comb holds the whole family perfectly, so place it in your hair at a jaunty angle and wait for the compliments (and questions) to start flying.
Easy Korean BBQ Tacos!
By Bee | Published January 21st, 2010
Photo and recipe courtesy of The Food Addicts
Food that evolves and constantly incorporates the ingredients and techniques of different countries – that’s what’s most exciting about fusion cuisine! By this time, we’ve probably all tasted some, whether its California rolls or carne asada fries. The obsession with fusion is here to stay, as more cooks begin to experiment with food from around the world. We’ve been drooling over these Korean bulgogi tacos for some time now – most famously sold from Kogi Korean BBQ Taco Trucks in Los Angeles. How can you go wrong with tender marinated Korean ribs piled upon soft Mexican tacos, with all the fixings? If you’re not in the area, or can’t stand waiting over an hour in those long lines, you can get a taste right from your kitchen!
Ingredients
Marinade
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup rice wine (sake)
- ½ cup pear juice
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/3 cup green onions
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- Pepper to taste
- 2 lbs beef short ribs
- Corn tortillas
- Kimchi
- Cilantro
- Lime
Directions
- Marinate beef short ribs in marinade mixture of all the above ingredients overnight, or up to 2 days
- Grill until brown on both sides, or put in single layer under broiler until brown.
- Assemble grilled beef on corn tortillas with kimchi, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
- Don’t hesitate to add more of your favorite taco ingredients like avocado, cabbage, or corn!
