Learning to Stand

Photo via Mario Mitsis

They were kissing. Put like that, and you could be forgiven for presuming that this was a normal kiss, all lips and skin and possibly even a little tongue. You’d miss how he smiled, how his eyes glowed. And then, after the kiss was done, how he stood, like a man who had just discovered the art of standing and had figured out how to do it better than anyone else who would ever come along. Neil Gaiman

This is so beautiful... I can't stop re-reading.

Come Fly With Me

We went flying...

(For the full experience, go here first.)

We started here.  (No, not the RV...  Thankfully.)

I feel like something out of Casablanca.  Jarrett feels like something out of Borat. ("Verrry niiice!")

Amping up.

Here we go.

"Does it always make that sound?"

Griffith Observatory.

You've never seen LA like this.

Vampire Baker

"You are a vampire baker.  You come out at night." -Andrea

When I heard my friend Sean's birthday was coming up, I knew no ordinary cake would do.  He and his wife Melissa are some of the new friends I've made at church, and while Sean may not be the first guy you notice when you walk in a room, his wisdom and kindness are coupled with a wicked sense of humor and killer skills on the dance floor.  (No joke.  Here's a video of the HILARIOUS first dance at their wedding.)

I've loved getting to know him and his wife because it's been like finding a $20 bill in your jacket pocket-- an unexpected treat. So when I was talking to Melissa and asking about his favorite dessert and she mentioned his penchant for pizookies-- those giant warm, oozing cookies baked a pizza pan and covered in melting ice cream-- I  knew I had found my inspiration.

Instead of making a giant cookie and topping it with ice cream, I decided to make five giant cookies and pile each high with whipped cream cheese frosting.  The components are simple-- chocolate chip cookies and cream cheese frosting lightened with a bit of whipped cream-- but add them together, turn up the volume a bit, and you've got one show-stopping celebratory confection.  

It just seemed like the right thing to do.

The night before the party I flicked on the kitchen lights around 9 and set to work creaming the butter and sugar, shaping the dough into five 9" discs (a process made infinitely easier by using a the ring of a springform pan as a mold, natch), whipping the cream... And by about 2am I had finally assembled it all into one colossal tower of simple nostalgia.  It's like your favorite after-school snack stacked into the perfect birthday treat.

Happy birthday, Sean. 

Like a giant cookie cutter.

Homemade whipped cream, step 1.

Cool Whip? What's that?

Assembly station.

Layer 1.

Looking good.

And then there were two!

It's like magic.

Oh momma.

Now we're getting somewhere.

Vampire baker.

We've arrived.

Do yourself a favor: make this cake as soon as possible.

Giant Cookie Cake 

(Adapted from a recipe by Martha Stewart)

Cookie

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups milk chocolate chips

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Put butter and brown and granulated sugars into mixer bowl; mix on medium until pale and fluffy. Mix in vanilla, eggs, and yolks. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the cream. Stir in chocolate chips.

For each of the 5 layers, drop 1 level cup batter onto center of a greased baking sheet. Using the ring of a 9" springform pan, press dough down into an even disc.  Remove springform ring and bake until edges are pale golden brown, about 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Frosting

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

2 tsp. vanilla

16 oz. powdered sugar

Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form.  Set aside.  Beat cream cheese and butter together, then slowly add vanilla and powdered sugar.  Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture in 3 parts until fully incorporated.

Assembly

When cookies are fully cooled, spread a small amount of frosting in the middle of a cake plate.  Place a cookie on top and spread with about 1 cup of frosting.  Use a long spatula to create an even layer of frosting before topping with another cookie.  Repeat for the next three layers, and then top with the final cookie. 

Cover and chill until ready to serve.  Can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

(Note: I refrigerated mine overnight before serving to allow the frosting to soften the cookies a little bit so they were easier to slice.  I recommend you do the same.)

It's That Day in May

Happy Mother's Day.

Rundown

Currently loving:

• Soft and stolen v-neck tees.

• "Strawberry Swing" by Coldplay.
  
• Carrots and hummus for dinner. (Followed by cookies and milk. Obviously.)
  
• Smooth and silky summer legs.
  
• My new snakeskin sandals.
  
• How shiny and whole and wonderful the world looks after I talk to my best friend.

[This new smile.]

Never stood a chance:

• Stirring the oil into the peanut butter.
  
• How long my hair is getting. ("WHAT is touching my NECK?!")
  
• The Check Engine light in my car.
  
• Standing in the middle of Trader Joe's and having no idea what I want to eat for the rest of the week but Caramel Nut Brownie LUNA bars and Ranchero Egg White Salad.
  
• Being out of flour and sugar. Sad story.
  

Honey, I'm Home!

ne·glect (nĭ-glěkt')
1. to pay no attention or too little attention to; disregard or slight
2. to be remiss in the care or treatment of
3. to omit, through indifference or carelessness
4. to fail to carry out or perform (orders, duties, etc.)
5. to fail to take or use

So, um, yeah.  Sorry about that.

Things have been a little crazy around here lately.  Crazy wonderful and just crazy crazy...  Sweet new friends who make life a whole lot sweeter, late night dinner dates, long afternoon hikes, banana pancakes, car mechanic wrangling, ruthless job searching...  There's been a lot going on.

You may have noticed that the "Latest Celebrity Sighting" feature on the right side toolbar has been replaced with a slideshow/ link to my Tumblr profile.  I've been giving that little extra attention-- it's where I'll upload a picture I think is pretty, or jot out a thought or quote that's been circulating in my head all day.  Much more spontaneous and rapid-fire than this here blog which actually requires coherent thought...  Check it out every once in a while for a little tidbit of what's going on in my brain that day.

But now that we've got that covered, let's get down to business.  I baked you cupcakes.  What can I say?  I'm sorry it's been so long.  And I'm here to woo you back with frilly, festive, frothy cupcakes.  Pink and blue, purple and yellow...  Sprinkles and swirls of homemade buttercream sit atop moist vanilla cake.  

I'm glad you're here.  I'm sorry I was gone so long.  Please stay.

Perfect Spring Cupcakes

The best cupcakes I've ever had or made.  A tight, moist crumb with just the right amount of sweetness, topped with a creamy twist on traditional buttercream.  This is a recipe I go back to time and again, and am never, ever disappointed.

Cake

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 3/4 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.

In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, making sure they become fully incorporated.  Then add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.

Fill muffin cups 1/2 to 2/3 full and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Frosting

1 1/2 sticks (12 oz.) unsalted butter, softened

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 box (16 oz.) powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

liquid or gel food coloring (optional)

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese together until combined.  Slowly add the powdered sugar until fully absorbed, then add vanilla.

Frost cupcakes when fully cooled and decorate with the cutest sprinkles you can find.

** For colored frosting: separate frosting into small bowls and stir in a few drops of the food coloring of your choice.  Have fun and go slowly-- you can always add more.  But don't be afraid of color either!

Here and There

I've been busy.

Gone Too Long

Justwokeupfromanapface.

This just about how I feel every day.  Happysweetsmileypeacefulrested.  Be back soon.

New Friends

I've made some new friends lately. And they're incredible. Seriously, legitimately awesome. They welcomed me instantly and wholeheartedly... And they're freaking COOL! None of this weird/ tentative/ "I'm going to be nice to you and we'll talk awkwardly in public settings, and then wave from across the room the next time I see you" crap. We were basically family from day one. And I like it.

This is Daniela.

She's got a gorgeous smile and I told her the minute we met.  Which, incidentally, was on a Sunday.  By a stroke of fate, I ended up at her small group on Tuesday, and by Saturday night I was singing "Happy Birthday" at her party as she blew out her candles.  She's just that awesome.  (Oh, and did I mention she's married?!  I LOVE married people!)

Speaking of birthdays and awesome, Daniela shares a b-day with her best friend Tiffany whom I have come to love and adore. 

She's smart, beautiful, and wise with this incredibly big heart that cares deeply without a hint of mush.  In other words, a badass.

Tiffany and Daniela on their birthday trip to Disneyland.

I don't know when or where this is, but they look hot.

(Sidenote: most of these pictures are from Tiffany's rad blog. Yup. Rad. I don't even say that word.)

Next, I'd like to introduce Zoë.  She's incredible and incandescent, fun, HILARIOUS and has a big beautiful heart.  Oh, and she's six feet tall, British/ South African, gorgeous, and used to model.  No big deal.

We go on hikes and get banana pancakes and generally can't stop yammering each others' ears off.  I really, really love her.

Yup, all three amazing, Jesus-loving hotties were at the Bible study I stopped in on with a friend just a few Tuesdays ago.  

It's led by Evan:

Whom I've actually known for a little bit, and who is also, for the record, actually as tall as this picture makes him out to be: 6'7, or as he is fond of saying, 5'19.  He does a seriously awesome job.

I wish I had more pictures of the rest of the crew: Josie and Peter, Melissa and Sean...  Some incredible people are in this Bible study, and I'm so glad I know them.

Blog roundup!

Daniela: All I'm Sayin' Is...

Zoë: Confessions of a Wanderholic

And Tiffany: DailyJunkLA

... ie: my latest obsession, ie: I really love it, ie: I check it multiple times every day and have created a bookmark on my homepage because I love seeing what sassy little tidbits she posts throughout the day.  It's fine.