Baking Season! It’s here. And any baker worth his/her salt knows that organization makes for a smoother operation. I’m all about these Labeled Kitchen Storage Canisters from West Elm. I love the little spouts for easy pouring and the notched wooden lids for fast opening.
I’ve been writing out and sending Christmas cards since my early teens. What can I say, I love sending mail! In all those years I’ve never once ordered pre-printed cards, but I thought this might be the perfect year for it with how busy I’ve been. I immediately knew that Minted was my destination, their extensive collection of holidays cards is always top notch.
I chose this clean, modern design by Kelli Hall, I love the sentiment. Minted also offers an amazing triple thick paper as an option, it makes your cards feel like a million bucks!
The address wrap and kraft paper envelope option gave my cards just the feeling I was looking for. My only regret was not ordering an extra 25, seems I completely underestimated my mailing list!
I’m really excited about a new monthly feature I’m introducing to you this morning – Taste Tour! The premise behind it all? To highlight incredible eating establishments, starting with those in my current town of Oklahoma City. The only requirement is tasty food and a great environment where you wouldn’t mind whiling away an hour or two with family, friends, or a hot date.
First up is Red PrimeSteak, or Red Prime as it’s commonly called. It lives in the elegant 1911 Buick Building, making the incredible neon red interior that much more of a standout. Eighteen foot ceilings and skylights add even more to the modern, airy ambiance.
As you might have guessed from the name, red plays a major role at Red Prime. A cement walkway lined in floor to ceiling neon tube lighting bisects the interior, creating two main dining spaces and a focal point for their eighteen foot tall wall of wine.
As you can see, wine is just as much a part of the Red Prime culture as steak. In fact, I was so excited about it that I forgot to take my jacket off for all of dinner, whoops! I tried a lovely Pinot Noir and an equally delicious Riesling.
Red Prime’s wine collection is very impressive, so much so that when deciding which wine I’d like with my dinner I had the waiter choose for me. Always a great idea when you’re somewhere with such a vast knowledge and an overwhelming list.
My dinner date and I both settled upon the Prix Fixe. We had our choice from a sizable selection of salads, main courses, sides, and desserts. We both had the Chop House Salad as a starter. And with the first bite I think I made an audible YUM noise. Spinach, roasted corn, marinated tomatoes, cous cous, bacon, pepitas, asiago, cranberry, and buttermilk-pesto dressing. A combination I never would have thought of – which is why I’m not a chef – that totally made my taste buds sing.
For my dinner I selected the Beef Tenderloin Strogranoff, featuring exotic mushrooms and crispy onions. It was so precariously stacked upon arrival at the table that I didn’t want to mess it up! But that didn’t last long, and I’m pretty sure my eyes rolled back in my head a few times as I devoured it bite after bite. I also had a delicious side of fresh seared green beans that were so garlicky they burned (just like I like). My date ordered the 7 oz. filet and green-chili mac and it received rave reviews as well.
There wasn’t a lot of room left for dessert (part of my Strogranoff and green beans went home for lunch the next day), but in the name of Design Crush I forged on. To Pumpkin Brioche Bread Pudding. It wasn’t overly sweet, the ideal dessert after such a decadent meal. My date tried the Warm Chocolate Spoon Cake, which was also delicious.
Red PrimeSteak is a restaurant I’ve enjoyed several times, and I can’t recommend it enough. Delicious food, a fantastic selection of wine, attentive service. The atmosphere is dark and moody, perfect for date night or their exceptional Happy Hour. And during warmer months their sidewalk patio is a great place for people watching and enjoying the weather. Obviously I’m a fan, I’m willing to bet you would be too.
Luke Twyman‘s latest illustrations remind me of Antarctica, research grants, and scientific experiments. And I love that. Snowy wildernesses mixed with just a hint of humanity on a muted palette of color. I find myself wishing these were all available as prints! (via The Fox Is Black)
I recently had a chance to pair up with Scandinavian design shop Son+Dotter to do a little styling with two Danish trays from Johansen & Faurschou. The trays are simple and perfect and I played around with arranging them for the holiday as well as every day. Pop over to Son+Dotter to read more about it and shop Sabrina’s beautiful collection of pieces!
Happy Thanksgiving, America! How are you spending your day? It never feels like Thanksgiving until I’ve watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, so that’s first up. Then later I’ll be heading over to my mom and stepdad’s for a feast (my mom’s sage stuffing is out of this world). I hope whatever you’re doing and wherever you are there’s lots of love, food, and thankfulness all around you.
This slightly spicy, super comforting Creamy Pumpkin Bisque has been my go-to autumn soup for the past several years. As soon as the temps drop just the slightest and the leaves start to turn, I have a pot of this easy to make crowd pleaser on the stove. It’s basically the equivalent of my own personal pumpkin spice latte, welcoming in the cooler half of the year!
Creamy Pumpkin Bisque
• 1 stalk celery, halved
• 1 carrot, quartered
• 1 yellow onion, quartered
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp pepper flakes (adjust for level of heat)
• 1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 C pumpkin puree (2 cans)
• 4 C chicken or vegetable broth (2 cans)
• 1 C heavy cream (or half and half)
Add celery, carrot, onion, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick to a large saucepan set to medium-high heat. Sautee until fragrant, roughly 5 minutes. Add pumpkin, broth, and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and remove vegetables, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. Incorporate cream. Allow to cool slightly before serving. So good with thick sliced bread or rolls!