Happy National Coffee Day!

I don't really know who makes up these days, but this is a day I can celebrate!  David and I LOVE coffee....we are maybe slightly obsessed.  All that said, here are our favorite ways to make coffee and some of our favorite places to get coffee.

David and I received this coffee maker as a wedding gift and we love it!  It is so simple to use; all you do is place grounds in the cone-shaped filter at the top and pour hot water over them.  This drip style of coffee is so smooth and tastes so much better than our automatic coffee maker.   Go to Williams-Sonoma and pick one up today!  (Click here to see more info) 



The French Press is also another wonderful way to make smooth coffee without using a coffee maker.  David and I love ours. (Click here to see more info) 


Here are a few of our favorite coffee spots in Dallas: 
Crooked Tree Coffeehouse: Uptown
Espumoso: Bishop Arts District 
Cafe Brazil: Various locations around Dallas 


Go out today and celebrate!
Happy National Coffee Day!


XOXO
-E

Restaurant Spotlight: Oddfellows

The Bishop Arts district is one of David and my favorite places to eat.  It is such a fun place to have dinner with friends and family;  this area is a "Dallas Must See".  Oddfellows is a new restaurant to this area but has quickly become a favorite for many.  They have traditional american fare with a twist, and they use fresh, in-season ingredients.  I have only been for dinner, but David raves about their breakfast as well.  They also have some of the best coffee in Dallas!  Check out the menu here .  I promise if you go you will not be disappointed.

Here are my suggestions if you go for dinner:
Appetizer:  Crispy Pickles or Asian Carnitas Tacos ( I have never tried them but I have heard the Texas Poutine, their version of amped up cheese fries, are amazing)
Dinner:  Buffalo Chicken Mac N' Cheese, Fried Chicken and Honey Butter Biscuits, 'Shroom Burger and Fries
Dessert:  The Cast Iron Cobbler is a must try, a la mode of course

Classic Roast Chicken

Last night I made Classic Roast Chicken-a recipe I found in my new cookbook "The Weeknight Chef" by Williams-Sonoma .  It turned out so tender and delicious, and, best of all, there were a ton of leftovers for sandwiches for the week.  Here is the recipe:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Classic Roast Chicken
1 4 lb. Whole Chicken
2 T  Rosemary
3/4 Cup Chicken Broth
1/4 Cup Dry White Wine or Chicken broth ( I just used 1 Cup of chicken stock)
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 450*F.  Place the chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan.  Rub with olive oil, rosemary, and generous amounts of salt and pepper.  Roast for 20 minutes.  Reduce the oven temperature to 400*F and continue to roast about 40-50 minutes longer.  Transfer to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes.

While the chicken is resting, use the juices to make the pan sauce.  I almost skipped this step, but it really did add good flavor to the chicken.  Pour off all but about 1 1/2 teaspoons fat from the roasting pan. Place over medium-high heat and add the broth and wine.  Bring to a boil and stir, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.  Cook until slightly reduced, about 1 minute.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Carve the chicken , top with the sauce and serve.
* I served my chicken with roasted brussel sprouts.

*Here is a great video on How to Carve a Whole Chicken 

Fall Trend: The Cape

I am OBSESSED with this fabulous fall trend.   Now that Fall is in sight, I plan on buying a versatile cape that I will pair with my J.Crew pixie pant or skinny jeans, turtleneck, and riding boots.  Here are some great Capes that I adore:

* The One

*Mad for Plaid

*The Capelet (the collar is to die for)

*Stella McCartney - great for work or play

*Tweed + Beautiful Gold Hardware

*Classic, Wool, and Black

What's On the Menu Monday

I want to start this blog off right....with some recipes!  My passion is cooking.....I love to cook for David, for friends, and for no reason at all.  Who knows maybe I will go to culinary school someday.  But for now, the skills passed on to me from my grandmothers and mother will have to do.  Since it has been a cool 80 degrees in Dallas (it really does feel cool compared to 70+ days in the 100's), I have been craving homemade bread.  Last week I made Pumpkin Bread and Zucchini Bread.....David said "they were the best he has ever tasted", and I have to say they were pretty good. I also made a recipe I found in the Williams-Sonoma catalog, and, tonight, I am making Classic Roast Chicken-a recipe I found in The Weeknight Cook cookbook by Williams-Sonoma.  (I will post about the Roast Chicken after we taste it)

I hope you enjoy these recipes!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zucchini Bread-a recipe from my Great-Grandmother, Effie

(Yields 2 regular size loaves or 4 mini loaves)

3 eggs

1 Cup Vegetable Oil

1 1/2 Cups Sugar

3 Medium Zucchini or 2 Cups, grated

2 t. Vanilla

2 Cups Flour

1/4 t. baking powder

2 t. baking soda

3 t. cinnamon

1 t. salt

1 Cup nuts, chopped ( I use walnuts)

*Preheat oven to 350* F.  Beat eggs lightly in a large bowl.  Stir in oil, sugar, zucchini, and vanilla.  Sift Flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; stir into egg mixture until well blended.  Stir in nuts.  Spoon batter into 2 well greased 8x5x3 loaf pans or 4 mini loaf pans.  Bake in a 350* oven for 25-30 minutes.  (less for mini loaves)  Insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf--if it comes out clean remove the pans from the oven.  Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Then remove the bread from the pans and cool completely on the wire rack.  

*Pumpkin Bread Recipe Here

*Williams-Sonoma Roman Style Meatballs

Enjoy!

Welcome to the blog!  I am creating this blog to write about all things food, fashion, and traveling (especially exploring the city of Dallas).  I hope you read this blog and find new restaurants and recipes to try, new fashion trends to wear, and new places to explore.  Please leave comments as we go on this journey together.

XOXO E