big things

hello lovely readers.  i know i have been lacking on the blog post front but we've just been having a busy couple of weeks here.  there are big things coming our way in the next month!  ok, maybe not like big, life events.  but definitely something that is going to help me develop bohemeyum a little more, and make life overall, a little brighter.  it doesn't feel right divulging details just yet (a bit premature for now) but progress is being made as i type.  enjoy the tail end of your work week friends, you're so close!

x x
alicia

easter

a little more than a week ago, my family got together for an easter brunch.  my dad and stepmom had recently come back from a three week long trip to taiwan and easter sunday was a perfectly timed holiday/homecoming celebration.

my brother and i never really celebrated easter growing up so i had no idea it was such a gift giving holiday.  we usually just dyed eggs with my mom and had an egg hunt with my cousins at our grandparent's house.  the easter bunny never made an appearance.  this year though, was the first that i really noticed how kid centered the holiday could be and it made me excited to do fun stuff with my kiddos someday.

anyways, i love pretty much all holidays and birthdays because they give you a reason to get together with loved ones.  needing to find reasons to get together makes me sad, though life is often so busy that it's hard to commit without a reason.  i get it.  my friend caroline talks about how she wants to take more pictures of people, not food and i totally understand that!  like i want to spend more time doing things with the people i care about and connecting in person.  i'm sure this is a common goal held by our generation since we're always "plugged-in".  but one of my favorite ways to "unplug" that really satisfies my soul is preparing a meal for people i love.  so on easter, i was so happy that my family agreed to cramp themselves into our tiny apartment and spend some time together.

we had:
spinach mushroom egg bake
tomato basil mozzarella salad
biscuits with jam, honey, & butter
citrus & berries salad
spicy pickled cucumbers

grapefruit & blackberry spritzers

creme brulee for dessert

 

the creme brulee was uh-mazing! even though i had to broil it to get the shell because home girl doesn't own a blow torch.  maybe now that i've proved myself, someone will invest in me..ha!

x x alicia

spring: white chocolate macadamia nut cookies

my mom loves macadamia nuts.  nut trend alert.  anyways along with the pumpkin bread, i also always send along a bunch of white chocolate macadamia nut cookies with cranberries.  for her though it is always less white chocolate, more nuts.  try these with that dried fruit blend i was telling you about (also what we used in the hearty pumpkin bread recipe) from trader joe's.  it results in a multitude of tastes just in one cookie.  for instance, when andrew had his cookie he said it tasted like a blueberry muffin cookie (from the dried blueberries) & when jesse ate his he said it tasted like a carrot cake-ish cookie (from the golden raisins, mixed with nuts & white chocolate).  all good things to me.

white chocolate macadamia nut (& dried fruit) cookies

(adapted from a peanut butter cup cookie recipe from Real Simple Magazine)  

preheat oven to 375 degrees

1 ½ cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ cup butter, room temperature

¾ cup dark brown sugar

½ cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla

desired amount of white chocolate chips, chopped macadamia nuts, & dried fruit (not to exceed 1 1/2 cup in total)

in a large bowl whisk together flour, soda, and salt.

beat the butter and sugars until creamy.  add the egg and vanilla, beat to combine.  gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated.  fold in mix-ins.

scoop out dough with a spoon and roll between palms to form a ball.  place on a greased cookie sheet.

bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.

 

this is my go-to cookie recipe.  it's good with everything.

x x alicia

spring: beach finale

happy easter!  it was such a gorgeous day right?  i'll be posting more about our laid back easter brunch & also do one on some spring decor i made for the place.

last post on cali (seems like a million years ago now).  on our last day, we went out with a bang & drove 2 hours to newport beach.  we usually make a visit every time but were being extra lazy this trip.  so just decided on a whim that we should make our last day count & dip our feetsies into the pacific.  i'm so glad we did because there's something about the salty air & salty water that is so therapeutic, at least for me.

x x alicia