Mother's Day 2013 Gift Guide

Mother's Day is fast approaching, ladies and gentlemen. This year it falls on May 12th, which leaves you exactly 14 days to come up with the perfect gift for one of the most (presumably) important people in your life. This is my first official Mother's Day, and I must admit I'm looking forward to spending the day with Lili and S as a little family more than anything material. That is not to say that I am impervious to lovely things, and I have thus compiled a gift guide to help those of you who are struggling to come up with something to give your mama (or mother-in-law, or wife, or friend etc.)

1. Bella Picnic iPhone Case, 2. Flamingo Print Scarf, 3. Chantilly Lace Cuff, 

4. Geneve Lace Cuff, 5. Skinny Mini Bow Bangle, 6. Rose Gold Baguette Bezel Watch

7. Spring Blossom Journal, 8. Tiffany "I Love You" band, 9. Monthly Flower Delivery

If you prefer to do something special for your mama, or if you want to do a little extra (perhaps you've been a special breed of pill this year?) check back later on next week for my recommended Mother's Day Brunch menu and recipes! 

Happy Monday! 

Pink Lemonade Marshmallows

If you're a follower of Shauna Sever's blog Piece of Cake, then you probably already know that she published this beautiful book just over a year ago. When I first saw it, I knew it would be a life-changer for me. S'mores are a huge and important part of my life (and so they should be in everyone's in my opinion) and homemade marshmallows would take s'mores to a whole.nother.level. So naturally, I pinned it here and promptly forgot about it in my baby mania. When I happened upon it last week at my local library, I couldn't believe my luck! 

This book is absolutely incredible! With marshmallow recipes like Key Lime Pie, Sea Salt Caramel Swirl, Maple and Candied Bacon and Peanut Butter and Jelly as well as standard vanilla I was in heaven! It begins with a comprehensive overview of the marshmallow making process, which I found very helpful. The instructions are simple and clear and the recipes I tried turned out perfectly. Thus far I have made the basic Vanilla and the Sea Salt and Caramel Swirl and Pink Lemonade, which is an adapted version of the Key Lime Pie. Follow along with me for the process and the outcome.

Adapted from Shauna Sever's Marshmallow Madness

• INGREDIENTS:
• 
  
• THE BLOOM:
• 4 1/2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
• 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed key lime juice
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 
  
• THE SYRUP:
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup divided
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 
  
• THE MALLOWING:
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest 
• pink gel food coloring
• 
  
• CLASSIC COATING:
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup cornstarch or potato starch 
• 
  



^^Prepping Ingredients^^

• DIRECTIONS:
• 
  
• CLASSIC COATING: Sift the ingredients together in a large bowl or combine them in a food processor.
• 
  
• Lightly coat an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
• 
  
• WHISK TOGETHER the gelatin, lemon juice, and cold water in a small bowl. Let it soften for 5 minutes.


• STIR TOGETHER the sugar, 1/4 cup of the corn syrup, water, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 240°F. Meanwhile, pour the remaining 1/4 cup corn syrup into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Microwave the gelatin on high until completely melted, about 30 seconds, and pour it into the corn syrup. Set the mixer to low and keep it running.
• 
  
• WHEN THE SYRUP reaches 240°F, slowly pour it into the mixer bowl. Increase the speed to medium (four on your Kitchen Aid) and beat for 5 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high (six on your Kitchen Aid) and beat for 5 more minutes. Increase to the highest setting, add the vanilla, lemon zest and food coloring, and beat for 1 minute more. The finished marshmallow will be tripled in volume. Pour it into the prepared pan, using an offset spatula to smooth it into the corners. Sift classic coating evenly over top. Let it set for 6 hours in a cool, dry place.

Use a knife to loosen the marshmallow from the edges of the pan and invert the slab onto a work surface dusted with classic coating. Cut it into pieces and dip the sticky edges in more classic coating, patting off the excess.

^^My boss is a real slave driver, but at least she's cute!^^ 

The Outcome: These were sooooo delicious! They were light and fluffy and the perfect balance of sweet and sour. I'll be making them again and again. They would be PERFECT on a summer picnic or at a backyard barbecue. Try them yourself! 

The Best Lemon Bars

I am an unabashedly huge fan of lemon. In fact, I eat lemons like oranges, I love them so much. When asked the ever-important question, "Salty or sweet?" my response is always, "Sour." I feel, as a result, that I am a highly discerning candidate for picking "the best" lemon bars.

I have been making this particular recipe for several years, and have tweaked it only slightly at the behest of food blogger Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen. This recipe is the perfect balance of sweet and sour and it's absolutely bursting with lemon flavour. The filling is a beautiful, silky consistency, and the crust melts in your mouth.  

Recipe adapted from The Barefoot Contessa

Yield: About 20 large bars or 40 small bars


Ingredients

For the crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting


Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. For the crust: Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Combine the flour and salt with a whisk and add to the butter until just mixed. On a well-floured surface, gather the dough into a ball. With floured hands, press the dough into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

3. Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

4. For the filling: Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

5. Cut into squares and dust with confectioners' sugar.

This is the perfect recipe to round out a Mother's Day brunch or to finish off a Spring-inspired dinner party. Make it and enjoy!

Summer in the City

The weather outside has finally taken a turn for the better here in our fair city. Baby girl and I had a ladies lunch with some of our faves this afternoon at Stack before hitting up the big girl swings at Lawrence Park (first time ever!!)

^^Not *exactly thrilled here, as we're feeling a little under the weather today^^

All the lovely sunshine has me craving summer even more than usual, so to sate myself in the interim, I made a Summer in the City list. It's a bucket list of sorts, to plan all the lovely things I want to do as we spend our summer in the T-Dizz.

What's on your bucket list for this summer? Check out Pinterest for tons of great ideas.