3rd Blog Birthday + Raspberry-Ricotta Cake

It’s March 12th again, how can that be? That means HeatherOMade is three!!! Sometimes I can’t imagine my life without this blog & you guys my loyal readers who check in to see what I’m making or posting on the daily (or maybe not so daily). I’m still trying to find the balance between blogging, my full time job, being a wife, a sister, a daughter, an aunt, a grand daughter & a friend but thanks for letting me be me & allowing me to focus on whatever it is I choose to be each day.

To celebrate I made this cake I found in the pages of this month’s Bon Appetit. It’s super moist (even if you don’t like that word it is!) & flavorful. The raspberries are the perfect balance of sweet & tart. I even ate a piece for breakfast because why not it’s my blog birthday :) (Yes, sometimes I eat cake for breakfast even though my Instagram feed would make you believe I only eat smoothie bowls)

I think this would be a great cake to make for Easter or just this spring in general, or just breakfast.
Super huge thanks again for reading these past three years! Cheers to you all (especially my biggest fan,  best friend, main taste-tester, oh & best husband, Chris)! xx Heather

2nd Blog Birthday

It’s that time again - it’s the HeatherOMade Birthday! She’s 2 to be exact. Yep two years ago today I posted my very first blog here & haven’t really stopped since. It’s definitely become part of my regular routine & pushed me to make more things out of my comfort zone like this boston cream crepe cake I decided to conquer for the celebration of this special second birthday. I added sprinkles & candles to further the celebration & I even made Chris sing while I blew out the candles & made a wish for the up coming year, but more on that tomorrow. Today -  let's celebrate!

Cheers & thanks for all of the love & support you show by checking in to see what I’m whipping up & to letting me know when you recreate things I've posted - I love that!! If you’d like to see anything in particular just comment below & I’ll try my best.

Thanks again! You guys (especially my ever supportive husband, Chris) are the best! xx Heather

1st Blog Birthday!

A year ago today I posted my first ever blog post . It's so odd to think that I've only been blogging for a year because I feel like I've been doing it forever.  It's become a true creative outlet for me & a significant part of my daily routine that pushes me to be experimental & to get inspired even when I'm tired & cranky.

Thank you so much for reading & stopping by to see what I'm cooking up. You're support is immeasurable. I appreciate each of you!

Cheers!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Today I'm celebrating my Grandma Anna & dedicating this blog to her.  Today is her birthday!

Don't let the tiny frame of this birthday gal deceive you, she is tiny yet very mighty! She teaches & inspires me continuously.  She is the one who told me that shoes make the outfit so I credit her for my shoe addiction.  She has taught me to believe in angels.  She loves unconditionally & gives so much of herself to those in need while putting herself last.  She makes a mean meatball & has taught me how to express love through cooking for my family. She is forever whipping up something either in the kitchen or her sewing room.  She's the best. Happy Birthday Grandma! I love you!

Time to Celebrate My Mom

Today is my mom's birthday. It's a super special birthday because she's 60 years old today! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

My mom is made from that super star stuff that the uber creative minds have.  At 60 years old today she is still reinventing herself and learning new things.  After studying fashion apparel and design at FIT in NYC and nutrition at Cornell it's safe to say she's more than Betty Crocker with a degree.  She is now getting her masters in the technology world - that's right my mom knows how to build a website.  She's Cyber Betty (Crocker) now! 

She's a dedicated wife, a proud mama of three (grown) children and an even prouder grandmama to five grandchildren.

Cheers to the woman who forever inspires me.  She taught me how to make things from a young age.  So because of her this blog is possible. Thanks mom!  I love you!

Smitten Kitchen's Carrot Cake with Maple-Cream Cheese Frosting

Spring is in the air with all lovely things I'm allergic to, to boot. In any event, sorry for lack there of posts. Truth be told I started this post before Chris & I took a long weekend in Florida last week, more on that later. Right now I'm writing in between gulps of hot water with lemon & honey (which sounds oh so Samantha from Sex & the City but when you're drinking it because you have a sore throat &  a bit of a bark (cough) it suddenly is a little less sexy).

Nevertheless, I'd rather go to a happy place - cupcakes!

In order to fully celebrate the first birthday of this here blog, I deemed it only proper to make cupcakes to share with the class (aka my office) & my number one supporter, Chris, of course.  So I searched for what is now my favorite carrot cake recipe: Smitten Kitchen's Carrot Cake with Maple-Cream Cheese Frosting.

The cake is really moist & yes your classmates will be reaching for the ones with the most icing because it traditionally just so good & this one's made with maple syrup (double good). Plus, there's carrots, raisins & walnuts in them - that makes it healthy right? Yes, let's call these health muffins - now it's ok if you eat ten.

Get the full recipe here  & click through for my (20+) photo story on making these yummy treats.

PS: Happy friday & happy (early) birthday to my gal Alexis!

Braised Brussel Sprouts

I've been reading My Berlin Kitchen (as you now if you read Monday's blog).  I was transfixed by Luisa's description of braised endive & was eager to try it.  Alas, no endive at our house but I did have an awkward little pint of brussel sprouts. 

I've always had a weird relationship with these little cabbage patch heads, that's what I used to think they were when I was a little girl.  I liked them then because they were novel in my ten year old eyes.  I was eating toys after all & that was werid cool.  I didn't particularly like the taste but I was able to day dream past that.

Then I rediscovered brussel sprouts when Chris & I hosted his family at our apartment for the first time as a couple.  My father-in-law, John, loves them, so I figured I'd make them for his birthday that we were celebrating. Roasted brussel sprouts are a rookie mistake when cooking for a big family who is also very hungry.  After what seemed like forever they were finally cooked enough to serve. They were tasty but the center was still pretty al dente & the outside was very well done. Not an epic fail but not a complete win either.

I recently read a recipe somewhere (maybe Whole Living) that instructs to remove the core of the brussel sprout before cooking them - GENIUS!!!  It goes under my growing mental why-didn't-I-think-of-that list. Then I got to thinking Luisa instructs to remove the core of endives when she braises them. And then the wheels in my brain started to turn.

Next thing I knew I had conjured up the best tasting brussel sprouts I've ever had. Maybe I was just hungry (so anything would taste good) but I'm definitely going to make these again.

Click though to view the complete recipe.
PS: there's still time to win a bottle of Sheswai Lacquer.  Enter to win now!

Photo GIft Ideas

Cameras are everywhere in all shapes & sizes. Mine (the best Christmas gift ever! from the hubs) is never too far away to capture goofy moments or yummy dishes.  If I don't have it with me I rely on my phone camera.

I have tons of photos on my hard drive that, well, sit on my hard drive. I did a quick search for giftable items to make with my photos & was thrilled at the results.

Aside from the classic photo album, these are my new top three faves!

1. Smartphone Case: gelskins.com has virtually every kind of case you can customize & put fun photos on of your loved ones... like this one of Chris! (suprise, you're on the blog today!)
2. Memory Game: (most possibly my favorite of the bunch) pinholepress.com allows you to make a classic card game your own with photos of loved ones or whatever you choose! This would make a great birthday gift of housewarming gift for homes with children or adults wanting to sharpen their memory skills.
3. Christmas Ornament: decorate your tree with your favorite photos with these great ornaments from shutterfly.com. Also, a great housewarming gift for new homeowners.

What other customizable gifts are you giving this holiday season? Please share!

Better Home Cooking Basics: #4 Take Time to Prep Your Ingredients

The French (& the culinary world) refer to my 4th tip as mise en place which translates to "putting in place." When you first read a recipe or even when you're making something from memory take the time to prep all your ingredients ahead of time. Pretend you're on a cooking show or taking photos for a blog (whatever gets your through) & you need all of your ingredients ready to use before you even turn the stove on.

Chop your veggies. Measure out flour. Zest & juice your citrus. Crack your eggs.

I like to separate mine into small ramekins to organize them. Even if I'm creating an herb mixture I like to add them in a small bowl first & then to add them to what I'm cooking. This also serves as a good checks & balance system especially when following a new recipe then you can cross check to see if you're missing anything.

Check out more of my better home cooking basics here.

PS: Happy Birthday to my Dad! I love you!