plum cake

June 24, 2015

Easy Plum CakeIt’s been a good 4 years since I first made Smitten Kitchen’s strawberry summer cake and fell in easy, breezy cake recipe love. Back then it never dawned on me that turning on the oven and baking a cake could end up in such a refreshing treat. But it does…and for that my family is extremely grateful.

Easy Plum CakePlums are one of Jettie’s favorite fruits. While shopping the other day she asked “Mommy, are the plums on sale?” She said it so sweetly with a mountain of hope in her big, beautiful eyes – I really didn’t give a darn if they were on sale. Jeannie was getting her plums.

As we turned the corner she saw the big red sign and said “I think they are!!!” 3 seconds later I had a bag full of plums busting at the seams. She was happy, I was happy – it was a warm fuzzy moment for the memory bank.

Of course now we had an overload of plums. And cake sounded like a really good place for some of them to end up in. Typically she eats hers fresh, but she seemed more than okay with this way after one bite.

Easy Plum CakeThis cake is beautiful and delicious as is – out of the oven and cooled. The powdered sugar though, it does make everything a little sweeter, and prettier…and just more fun.

Easy Plum CakeLight and fluffy cake surrounding slightly tart yet perfectly sweet plums. This. Is. Good.

Easy Plum Cake Easy Plum Cake Easy Plum CakeHere is the thing about me and summer cake – I love, love, love it cold. Any cake straight out of the fridge makes my heart happy – but fruit cake in particular really gets me going. I may also throw a little extra powdered sugar on top, but we don’t need to talk about that.

Enjoy!

brandyjsig

 

 

 

plum cake
 
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Author:
Serves: 9
Ingredients
  • 2 large eggs, room temp
  • ½cup sugar
  • ¾cup flour
  • ¼tsp baking powder
  • ¼tsp salt
  • ¼cup vegetable oil
  • 1tsp vanilla
  • 3 plums, sliced
  • powdered sugar (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven 350degrees. Grease an 8X8 inch pan and line with parchment paper (leaving excess paper over the sides).
  2. Place eggs and sugar in a mixer attached with a paddle and mix on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
  3. Once eggs and sugar have reached their pale, fluffy consistency, turn mixer down to medium and slowly add oil and vanilla. Turn mixer to low and add flour mixture. Mix until incorporated (being careful not to over mix).
  4. Fold plum slices into batter and pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in pan before serving. Dust with powdered sugar for a little extra sweetness if desired. Enjoy!

Plum Cake
Posted in recipes, something sweet | Tagged | 3 Comments

a little bit patriotic

June 23, 2015

If you run into me this week be warned that I am in psycho birthday party mode. Something about these 1st birthdays make me a little nutty. (I’ll never forget the look on the cake guy’s face when I ordered a very specific design for Jettie’s birthday – and came back a week later for reassurance that we were on all the same page. Yeah, they hated me.) I honestly thought Bing’s would be on the less crazy side, since I have already done this once before. But no…I am a planning, crafting, let’s make this the most fabulous NYC theme birthday party wacko the world ever did see. Thank goodness my man and the rest of family put up with me. The really do love me…clearly.

Not gonna lie, it has totally slipped my mind that the 4th is coming up (or as Sticky now refers to…party recovery). But our favorite red, white and blue holiday is less than 2 weeks away. Here are a few simple ways to show your patriotism on America’s birthday:

Red White and Beauty1Formula X Liberty & Glory Top Coat/2Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick/3Forever 21 American Flag Aviators/4Splat Hair Chalk Midnight Blue/5Forever 21 American Flag Scarf

Back to skyscraper building…

xo,

brandyjsig

 

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sneaky sneaks

June 22, 2015

There was a time in my life that the thought of throwing on sneakers over heels or flats was absolutely not going to happen. (Exercise excluded of course.) That’s one of the amazing things about fashion though – it opens our minds to things we never thought we’d say yes to. Not only am I saying yes to sneakers but I am drooling over…can’t believe I am saying this…slip-on sneakers. Between those and culottes I don’t even know who I am anymore, and that can be a good thing.

Now before we get ahead of ourselves, I need to put it out there that besides my running shoes I only own one pair of “fashion sneakers”. It took me a long time to find just the right sneak. Low profiles and a swoosh were requirements. (I have been wearing Nikes since my first grade school track meet. It’s a loyal relationship.) I also wanted something that would go with everything and of course, there needed to be a deal had. Enter those cute little 80’s inspired Nikes below. They make me and my tootsies very happy. A classic shoe that goes with literally everything (because you can wear sneaks with skirts and dresses right now and look pretty darn cool).

My favorite pair and a few others worth checking out (those navy New Balances, oh my…):

fashion sneakers 20151Steve Madden Ecentrcq/2Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Low Top Sneaker/3Nike Genicco/4New Balance 420 Vintage Sneakers/5Adidas Original Adistar

What brand fashion sneaks are you rocking this summer?

xo,

brandyjsig

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the best old man

June 21, 2015

The first night that Sticky and I met he said to me “Let’s get married and have kids.” Granted there may have been an abundance of homemade wine involved when he said it, but he said it nonetheless. And wouldn’t you know 3 years later we were married…4 years after that we had a Jettie Jean. Throw in a Bing and we are one happy little family.

I should of bought a lottery ticket that night…but then again I had already won and didn’t even know it yet.

Fathers DayI have always been proud to be Sticky’s wife. From his genuine heart to his magnetic energy, he is everything I had ever hoped to have in a man and everything I never knew was missing. Grateful does not begin to describe what it means to have him in my life.

There was never a doubt that he would be amazing at the role of dad…he kills it in fact. The kids feel lucky to call him dad (or da-da-da-da in Bing’s case) and I don’t know how it’s possible, but that alone makes me love him even more. Watching him at this role is a beautiful gift. They just don’t stop coming with this man.

Fathers Day

Thank you for being who you are and what you are to our kids, Sticky. “Let’s get married and have kids” was your best plan ever.

We love you!

brandyjsig

 

 

 

Posted in father's day, personal, the rammels | Tagged | Leave a comment

avocado toast with cherry tomatoes

June 18, 2015

Avocado Toast with Cherry TomatoesIn the last couple of years social media has been blowing up with everyone’s favorite way to eat toast. We are not talking butter and jam here…(which is a perfectly acceptable way to throw down some toasted bread – let’s just make that clear). We are talking about slices topped with everything from radishes to  marinated cucumbers to prosciutto – all setting on a bed of creamy avocado. You can get super fancy by roasting or keep it to the minimum but simply topping your avocado with a little sea salt. Bottom line is that toast, it’s yum. Avocado, it’s really yum. Put the two together – best idea ever.

Avocado Toast with Cherry Tomatoes Avocado Toast with Cherry TomatoesThere’s literally a million ways you can prepare avocado toast. All good and all delicious. I don’t necessarily have a favorite but acid (such as lemon juice), sea salt and red pepper flake are always involved. This pretty little number involves said items with some chopped fresh parsley and halved cherry tomatoes. (Looking at them I am realizing those are actually grape tomatoes but I already made the text on my first image so we need to pretend they are cherry.)

Crispy bread topped with creamy avocado topped with itty bitty tomato bursts. Yeah, I want some now too.

Avocado Toast with Cherry TomatoesThis is one of the recipes you can go even simpler with by only slicing the avocado and sprinkling with sea salt and red pepper flake. Or get fancy but roasting the tomatoes before piling on top. As for bread use whatever you have on hand – bagel, croissant, rye – all fine choices. Mostly have fun with your avocado toast and enjoy it for what it is meant to be. Easy. Unassuming. And satisfying.

Enjoy!

brandyjsig

 

 

 

avocado toast with cherry tomatoes
 
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Prep time
Total time
 
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 slices toasted bread of choice
  • 1 small avocado - halved, pit removed and flesh scooped out
  • ¼tsp crushed red pepper flake
  • pinch of sea salt
  • pinch of pepper
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 1tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 4 to 6 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
Instructions
  1. Place the avocado flesh in a bowl. Mash with a fork. Add pepper flake, salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley. Stir until combined.
  2. Place half the mixture on each piece of toast. Top with halved cherry tomatoes (cut side down). Enjoy!

 

Posted in breakfast, brunch, healthy eats, recipes, vegetarian | Tagged | Leave a comment