This past weekend was Walt's "Dirty Thirty," so we celebrated with Big Green Egg pulled pork, macaroni & cheese, "yucky" beans, and cake. Coconut cake that is. It took two attempts to get it right, but let's just say the second cake's results were well worth the tears from the collapse of the first. I will remake and repost the recipe here soon—it's too delicious not to share! Until then...
Here's my latest
— Yes, you read that right: I made buttery popcorn ice cream! Served with caramel sauce and homemade Cracker Jack, it may just be the best new flavor combination since RC Cola's and Moonpies! It's Ice Cream week at The Kitchn, so hop on over to see what else is churning. (via The Kitchn)
— In keeping with my "Ultimate Snack Bar" theme (see Nutty Bars and Cracker Jack), I devised a recipe for the famous Wendy's frosty. It was inspired by a dessert I enjoyed at a recent family reunion, and it's a dead ringer for the real thing! (via The Kitchn)
— Texas sheet cake is a much-loved favorite of the Dozier family. It was introduced to us by my Aunt Sylvie during an epic summer vacation to the Chesapeake Bay, and has been cherished all the years since. An oldie but a goodie. (via Cooking Channel)
And elsewhere around the web
— I don't use Instagram on my iPhone as much as I'd like (I am the worst about taking pictures), but I bet if I had this super awesome Instagram camera that I would be a memory-making machine! Unfortunately it's still in the development phase—fingers crossed it makes its way to the mass population soon.
— Do you have trouble accepting a compliment? My biggest issue is that I rarely believe the kind words people give to me, especially when they are focused towards my writing or cooking (which also happen to be my two greatest passions. Coincidence?). I always feel the need to dilute the compliment, for example, by explaining all of the things that could be better about a recipe instead of just saying thank you and moving on. Many thanks to Kate for sharing her thoughts about such an innocent yet on-point subject. (via Southern Belle Simple)
— What do you define as a grownup house? I've been guilty of "home envy" many times before, but it wasn't until I got engaged that I started channeling that negative energy into positive by focusing instead on just making our house our home. Decorating can be a huge investment, but I'm learning if you choose quality over quantity, and make the bigger purchases over an extended period of time, it will all eventually come together as it should. I adore where we are now (both in home and in life), and I look forward to reflecting back one day on how far we've come since our single days in a rickety Venice beach shack. (via Apartment Therapy)
— How fascinating it is to catch a glimpse beyond the culinary curtain of the Playboy Mansion, but I found it even more fascinating to learn about Hugh Hefner's strict daily meal regimine. I laughed out loud when I learned he eats the same breakfast every single day—a Winchell's jelly donut and half a grapefruit. That man is full of surprises! (via Gourmet Live)
— My body clock has always been about two hours out of sync with Walt's—he goes to sleep before me and gets up before me, too. This is a perfect example of how I feel when he tries to wake me up in the mornings! (via WhatShouldWeCallMe)
— Here's a really interesting look at the conceptualization process of a cookbook—in this instance it took many months for cookbook author Andrew Friedman and Top Chef winner Harold Dieterle to hash out a marketable book idea. The follow up post is just as enlightening, revealing how the two work together to take Harold's recipes from Michelin-starred to mainstream. (via Toqueland)