little angel, little devils

hello everyone! i let my weekend sneak into this week and am playing a bit of catch up - sam and i were in california this past weekend for my grandma's funeral. . . and to meet my nephew, pete! pretty amazing the way the circle of life lassos you sometimes. i think everyone in my family found quite a bit of comfort in this newest member of our family - he is such a cutie pie, and so patient with a grabby family passing him around. i snapped a few photos of him just before we left (unfortunately, after i'd slept on my updo and right before i got on an airplane.)




in truth, i have always kept my distance from babies, especially little ones. of course i ooh and awww when i see them, but i am so clumsy and inexperienced with them it seems best to stay away. well, i can honestly say that i don't have the baby bug myself, but i am one enthusiastic aunt. or as emily would like me to call myself, tante audrey.

and to go along with this little cutie, i made mini deviled eggs today! we'd picked up some quail eggs a week or two ago, and they were nearing their expiration date - so i decided to whip up some deviled eggs with them to see how they turn out. i like deviled eggs in full size, but more than one bite is just too much of them for me. these babies are dangerously perfect - about the size of a popcorn kernel, and with soooo much more flavor than a regular chicken egg. i highly recommend them.



need - 12 quail eggs
about 2 - 3 T mayonnaise (i used about 1 T mayo and 2 T artichoke garlic cream, a spread that i needed to use up in the fridge.)
1/2 t dry mustard
1 t paprika, plus more for sprinkling
sea salt

i highly recommend this paprika. my sister got me a bunch of spices for christmas (and i immediately broke into them like an impatient 7 year old) and the paprika she included is soooo good - lots of flavor, very smokey and earthy and amazing. far better than any i've gotten at a grocery store.

so - put the eggs in a pot with half vinegar (any kind - i used white wine) and half water. (the vinegar helps the shell peel off a bit easier.) once the water boils, time 5 minutes, then take the eggs out and put them in an ice bath; once cool, peel, slice in half, and empty the yolks into a bowl. add the above ingredients (reserve some salt to sprinkle atop) and mix until smooth; it helps if you have a little piping bag, since the whites are so tiny and delicate. pipe into the shells, sprinkle with paprika and salt, and bam! a great holiday party appetizer - adorable and packed full of flavor. and vegetarian!

xo audrey

tart

hello everyone! happy monday! i hope your weekend was lovely, long, and less headache-filled than mine. i've felt on the verge of a big sick for a few days now and i'm hoping that getting enough sleep and eating my fruits and veggies will stave it off for at least a little while longer, as sam and i are heading to the beach this weekend in hopes of some fresh fish and sunshine.

i have been cooking and baking up a storm, as per usual; this week was a big one because. . . drumroll please. . . sam started eating meat after 8 years of vegetarianism. before the hate mail starts, i did NOT coerce him to switch over to the dark side in any way. i was vegetarian for many years and i have an immense amount of respect for those who chose not to eat meat; as a chef, i just like to have all my options open. i've always been a very adventurous eater and i never want to have to say no to anything because of dietary restrictions (so here's hoping all the sugar i eat doesn't turn me into a diabetic one day.) after months of watching me scarf bacon like it's my job, sam decided he was ready for some of that action. this is actually what i wore to the grocery store for the momentous occasion of picking up a rack of lamb to cook for dinner one night.



shirt: thrifted
brooch: thrifted (shoe clip)
skirt: dress from h&m
socks: american apparel
shoes: thrifted
belt: anthropologie

and now for a of recipe! no meat just yet, just seafood. i have a huge backlog of stuff to post; my days seem to be very formulaic. wake up. work until 3. come home, go for a jog, and start dinner; start movie while eating; finish movie in bed and go to sleep. yep, i've basically fast-forwarded to my late 60s, but i rather like it.

crab deviled eggs




6 hard cooked eggs
1 T sour cream
T dijon mustard
2 t garlic, crushed
zest of one lemon
1/4 cup celery, julienned
1 cup king crab meat, sauteed in butter
1 t ground fennel
salt and pepper to taste
sesame seeds

first: hard boil the eggs. put them in a pot with at least an inch of water over the top and bring it up to a boil over medium high heat; then take off heat, cover with a lid, and let 'em sit for 12 minutes. julienne your celery, prep your other items, sautee your crab and let it cool. take the eggs out of the hot water and put them in an ice bath to let 'em cool down. once they're cool, peel off the shell and don't slice them horizontally like you usually do - slice a little bit off the smaller end of the egg, height-wise. then cut about a half inch down on the other side and take out the yolk carefully. mix it up with all the other stuff and stuff it back in there; top with salt, pepper and sesame seeds.




so delicious, and pretty impressive as a nice appetizer for guests that you can prep hours in advance.

more soon. thanks for all the kind comments!

xo audrey