As Promised...Sweet Tooth Recipes

Chocolate Covered Popcorn w. Sea Salt

3 tbs veggie oil

1/2 cup of unpopped popcorn kernals

2 - 3 tbs of butter (or to taste)

12 oz dark chocolate

1 tbs kosher salt

Heat the veggie oil in a medium sized sauce pan. Once hot throw in the popcorn kernels and cover with lid. Once the kernels start popping make sure the hold the lid down and continuously lift the pot up and shake.

You want to be sure that all the kernals are touching the bottom of the pot so that none of them burn. Same as you would in a microwave, once the kernals stop popping (i.e. about 15 seconds of no-poppage) take off the heat. In a separate pan, or in a double broiler, melt the chocolate and butter together. Pour over the popcorn until evenly covered. Place the popcorn on a tray and sprinkle with sea salt. Let it cool (or throw in fridge). Finito!

Chocolate Peppermint Bark Sugar Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter,
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 ounces dark chocolate chips
6 crumbled candy canes
1/4 cup white chocolate

1. Line a cookie tray with wax paper and preheat oven to 325°F (convection).

2. Whisk flour and salt in medium bowl. 

3. Beat butter in medium bow until smooth and then gradually beat in sugar. Continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Next, beat in vanilla, then egg yolk. 

4. Gradually add the flour and salt mixture, just until blended.

5. Drop dough by spoonfuls into the cookie tray and space them as evenly as possible. Use water to wet the tips of your fingers and press dough to form even layer over bottom of pan. Pierce dough all over with fork.

6. Bake the sugar cookie base until light golden brown - this took about 18 minutes, but will vary based on your oven.

7. Once finished, take the tray out and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Once you see that the chocolate is starting to melt, spread it into an even layer using a spatula. Then, sprinkle the chopped candy canes over the top.

8. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler, or over boiling water until smooth. Using fork, drizzle white chocolate all over cookies. Chill until white chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

9. Once the cookie is cooled, you can easily take it off the wax paper and break it up into as big or small pieces as you want! 

Christmas In Connecticut

So Santa made a nice little pit stop in Connecticut last week! It was so nice to be home and to see my dogs, and my family, and the tree (not in that order..). I have been appreciating the country life and my house in Connecticut so much more now that I live in the most hectic city in the US. It's amazing what a little fresh farmland air can do for the psyche ;)

And Santa left me a large package of Angela's Oh She Glows! bars. Seriously they are soo good! 

I also had my first interaction with a real pomegranate. It was a lot easier to tackle than I had been expecting, and they were gorgeous to boot! Of course the seeds ended up making a beautiful addition to my oatmeal that (and most) morning/s of my holiday break. There were plenty of other food concoctions that came about..but those were more for satisfying my sweet tooth - and I'll post the recipes later ;)

Now if only I could get my family to eat oatmeal and organic skim milk for bfast with me...instead of whole milk and dunkin' donuts....I think it's a lost cause ;)

The Photo Elf!!

Although I have been away from the ol' blogosphere for about a week (sorry!) it did not go undocumented. Here are a few Christmas photos for your viewing pleasure:

Snowshoes

It's officially winter out :) The blizzard that roared through the North East this weekend certainly did not put a damper on my spirits. Although I was, at first, dreading the thought of trampling around New York in slush and flurries, the white flakes brought nothing but smiles to my face this weekend. I was able to get out on Saturday, pre-snow, and return to the last farmers market in Union Square. I really love this and all of the fresh produce, organic products, and local farm support that this market embodies. Not only was I able to pick up some Pink Lady apples and a Carrot Raisin Vegan cookie that I had been eyeing from last week's market trip, I also finished up my Christmas Shopping. In the rare event that my mom/dad/brother actually read this blog, I'm not going to divulge where/what I bought. Gotta keep 'em guessing! Let's just say that this weekend is not a cheap one ;) Not to mention I have to tip my door men (all four of them) plus the super, handyman, and relief doorman (?). I don't even know who some of these people are to be honest...and I'm not sure it's such a relief to me to shell out all this [nonexistant] cash. But it's Christmas and everyone deserves a little love! 

Do you have to tip your doormen? What is the protocol on this? Roomie and I weren't quite sure...

Saturday night, during the snow storm, I headed to the upper east side to have a little get-together with some old high school friends who were visiting for the weekend. To make a long story short, I was a little disheartened by the weather and the fact that my boots had ZERO traction (there was some intense sliding/falling going on), but by the end of the night I can honestly say that it was one of the best I've had in a while.  How many people can say they have made a snow angel in the middle of First Avenue. Or had a snowball fight in between passing cabs on 76th street. It was such a silly fun night of piggy back rides, pathetic snowball making, slipping and sliding. All in all ... :) 

A little photo-op when I managed to walk around today:

I hope everyone had the change to get out and have a little fun in the snow this weekend. I think the snow brings out the kid in a lot of people, and that is never a bad thing. Maybe it'll even make us New Yorkers a little less unhappy... ;)

Scrooge??

When I went to the gym this morning, the big TV's right above the treadmills blasted me a BIG disappointment! All I could see was the words underneath the newscaster saying "New Yorkers are the Most Unhappy People in Entire US". Whaaaat?! I mean, sure, we definitely definitely complain, and are hostile, and a little curt at times - in fact I even started this blog in an effort to be happier in New York. But in the whole country? pssssh I don't think I necessarily believe that.. here is the link to the video so you can see for yourself (I tried to upload it but haven't quite figured it out yet): http://news.yahoo.com/video/health-15749655/cdc-survey-new-yorkers-unhappiest-in-u-s-17194563

I was immediately determined to bring about some CHEER to the people of New York! So I opted for this holiday sweater to wear to work. 

See the reindeer! Not so sure this is business casual..but ehh I love it! 

On my way to work I thought about all the things I love that you could only get in New York...

First: The fact that I can walk to work at all! It's about twenty blocks (aka 1 mile) but I just listen to my ipod and shuffle down the streets...it's a nice way to clear my head in the morning and not be staring at a computer/tv screen :)

Second: HUGE, Sparkling, inspirational signs

  

on the side of Macy's nonetheless.

Third: The landmark Coffee&Bagel men who serve us "cranky/unhappy" new yorkers our daily dose of caffeine every morning for $.75!!

Fourth: Bryant Park :) I love this park in the Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer. Right now the fountain was still a-running (i looooove fountains) and this one had some icicles forming (ya it's about 20 degrees here!)
            

and ice skating!!!!

  

                      

Note to self: need to go ice skating at least ONCE this winter!!

Fifth: Daily Deals on anything and everything. Today, if you made a snowflake, you got a free coffee at Gregory's. No question, we sat and cut out snowflakes for those babies...

This was mine.

With a little help with a co-worker since apparently my snowflake making skills were below par (hmmph). I dont think the people at Gregory's minded however, and I got my free coffee (woohoo!!) and was able to add to the gorgeous art display

      

All in all a grrreat day - no scrooges here! 

Let's Backtrack Shall We?

So since I have seriously left any readers hanging on my activity since Friday here is a super-quick mini update:

Saturday: Tried out Sushi Samba for my friend's bf's bday. Two words: seabass appetizer (two words/three?) whatever it was unreal, melt in your mouth. So glad I finally made it down to this west village staple for food, and not drinks. Although the drinks are spectacular all their own and we definitely did our fair share of "classy" sake bombing :)

Sunday: in celebration of my slightly hungover self, I opted for a classic egg and sausage sandwich.

Totally hit the spot.

Mon-Wed has been nothing out of sorts. Just normal eats and workouts. The hardest part has been weathering this cold front that has hit NY like a ton of bricks! It's brutal out!

Today I finished off the last of my giant sized pack of spinach with another green monster!

(1 banana, some strawberry yogurt, 1 cup organic milk, 1/2 cup soy protein powder in chocolate - oh and spinach )

And a lunch of spinach, lentils, chicken and roasted butternut squash. mm mm good (as Campbells would say)

Dessert of Banana Bread Larabar (this might be my favorite flavor so far!! do I say that everytime?)

This afternoon I had a soy misto from Starbs and some leftover fruit from the pantry at work. best holiday platter I have seen in a while with figs and (da dada daaa) peppermint bark! this baby was gooood and definitely his my afternoon chocolate craving. yippee!

After work I'm heading with some co-workers to see Up In Air with George Clooney to revel in the life of a consultant...and then grabbing drinks with some "long-lost" high school friends which I am super excited about. I love catching up with people! TTYL ;)

Return of the Friday Lazy Nights

After a mini hiatus I have reinstated my 'lite' Friday nights. I have been traveling the past two days for work and it took 2 hours in bumper to bumper traffic to get back into the city tonight when the trip is 30 miles! By the time I pulled into Avis I was ready for a large, and very strong, shot. While I had been so dead set on going to happy hour with a few kids from work, I ended up going home and crashing on the sofa. Tonight was the first night of Hanukah, which my roommate celebrates, so I joined her in lighting the menorah!! I love that we have a menorah and a Christmas tree in the apartment...so festive! 

My roomie also made latkas and some cranberry applesauce [from scratch] my little chef! 

Instead of a shot I opted for a nice large glass of wine 

 in my holiday glasses :) and some sushi while watching, for the second time, The Jane Austen Book Club.  

Tomorrow I'm going to go and get Emma or Pride and Prejudice since I have never read either! I'll keep you posted on the progress..

For now, I'm laying in bad about the crash and downloading Amazon's 50 Free Christmas Songs (Thanks Amber for the rec!)