Nutella Panna Cotta

Oh Nutella, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways: I love to eat you on a spoon, on bread, with a banana, on my french toast, in brownies, and basically with anything and on everything. This chocolaty hazelnut spread is a real treat and perfect for satisfying the sweet tooth when regular chocolate won't do it.

I made this Nutella Panna Cotta recipe to celebrate World Nutella Day. I didn't get to participate in last year's celebration so I wanted to make sure to participate this year. I completely agree with World Nutella Day creators Sara of Ms Adventures in Italy and Michelle of Bleeding Espresso that Nutella is so amazing it deserves a day to itself. This panna cotta is so easy to make that it's reason enough for everyone to indulge in a little Nutella celebration today. It is creamy and silky and full of that hazelnut flavor that makes Nutella so amazing.

Nutella Panna Cotta
Source: Technicolor Kitchen
Serves 8

1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
1 cup Nutella
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups (360ml) heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (240ml) whole milk

In a medium bowl, whisk together the gelatin and 3 tablespoons cold water.

Put the Nutella and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring the cream and vanilla to a boil. Pour 1/3 of the hot cream mixture over the gelatin and whisk it well. Then pour the gelatin mixture back into the remaining cream.

Pour about 1/3 of the cream mixture over the Nutella. Whisk well to form a smooth paste. Add the remaining cream mixture and whisk well to combine. Whisk in the milk.

Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, then divide it among eight ramekins, glasses or cups. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours – the panna cotta can be kept, loosely covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

They can be served in the ramekins or dipped in hot water and unmolded onto a serving plate.

Stylish Blogger Award

I'm very excited about this post. If there's ever a compliment to a blogger it's receiving an award from another blogger. And that's exactly what the wonderful Desi of SteakNPotatoesKindaGurl did. The award is the Stylish Blogger Award and this is why Desi passed it on to me:

Stephanie at Confessions of a City Eater deserves this award because she is a great mommy to a gorgeous baby girl, and I love reading about her journeys as a new mommy. She also has some delish recipes to share!

Thank you so much Desi!

Now to accept the award I must do the following:

1. Thank and link back to the wonderful blogger who awarded me with the award. Done!

2. Share 7 things about myself.

• I recently discovered red lipstick and I wear it every time I go out. 
• Although I consider myself a Miami native, I was actually born in Illinois.
• I have a really short temper.
• I love to dance but never get to do it because Alex hates dancing.
• I would pick a hamburger over a filet mignon or porterhouse steak any day.
• I don't like strawberry as a fruit on its own, but I love strawberry jelly, sauce, and shakes.
• I secretly wish I could make some of Cati's clothes bigger so I could wear them.

3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers.

• Armelle Blog: Home to some of the most beautiful and feminine jewelry I have ever laid eyes on. 
•  Bakingdom: Desserts have never looked so beautiful. 
•  Blush Printables: So many lovely things and inspiration for all kinds of events.
• Diaper Style Memoirs: Written by toddler Sasha, this blog is fun to read and clothing inspiration that is truly drool-worthy. 
•  Hip Hip Hooray: Latest obsession for the party-planning obsessed mommy. 
• i am baker: Just look at this Christmas Tree Cake, ok? Don't get it? Then look at these Valentine's Crossword Cookies. 
• Katie Cakes: A woman after my own heart, especially after these Cameo Cupcakes. 
• little.lovely...lovely ideas for little people: There is so much on this blog that inspires me and so much I would love to see Cati in, like these sparkle beauties.\
• Oh, Joy!: This blog makes me want to be a more stylish woman. Love. Example, feeling dandelion & blush.
• One Charming Party: Another party-planning blog for the party-planning obsessed mommy. 
• Pearl Street Interiors (Little Green Notebook): This blog inspires me to make make my home more beautiful.
• Spearmint Baby: Love the photos of the day and nursery pictures.
• Sugarlaws: From the foods to the outfits, there's a whole lot of pretty going on around here.
• Sweetopia: For making baking look too good to eat.
• Your Home Based Mom: This Sweet Sweater Heart Tutorial says it all. 

4. Contact the bloggers and inform them of the award. This is my task for the night!

Indulgence: Chocolate Beer Truffles

When I saw these Chocolate Beer Truffles on Baker's Royale I knew I had to make them. We had just bought Terrapin Beer's Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout and I wanted to make a dessert appropriate for the football festivities this weekend. The truffles were easy to make, but very messy! I had to use every ounce of strength to not lick my hands after I rolled each truffle and I did a whole lot of hand-washing and wiping between.

The truffles themselves were simply luxurious. They were smooth, rich, and decadently dark chocolaty. To make them really Super Bowl-friendly I rolled them in pretzel crumbs. The pretzel crumbs added both a taste (salty) and texture (crunchy) contrast.

Chocolate Beer Truffles
Source:Adapted from Sweet Fiend on Endless Simmer
Yields 12 tablespoon-sized truffles

1 oz unsweetened chocolate
3.5 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp chocolate beer
~1/3 cup pretzel crumbs (about 1/2 cup of pretzels)

Place chocolate and heavy cream in a heat-proof bowl over (not on) simmering water. Let chocolate and cream heat up for 3 minutes untouched. After 3 minutes whisk mixture until fully incorporated.

Remove bowl from heat and let cool for 20-30 minutes. To cool the chocolate even faster, place over a bowl of ice filled water. Once cooled, slowly and gently stir in beer.

Cover the surface with plastic wrap and place in freezer for about 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Meanwhile, crush the pretzels until all big pieces are broken down.

Remove truffle mixture from the freezer. Using a spoon or a melon-baller, scoop out chocolate rounds. Finish forming truffles by hand and then roll in the pretzel crumbs. Make sure to work quickly because the chocolate begins to melt the longer it is held. Place truffles on a covered baking sheet or on a plate if being served immediately. If being served later, place in refrigerator.

Enjoy!

A Little Birthday Chatter, Part 3

Have I told you about my mini freak outs every day since February 1st? Well, every day I have moments of "holy crap my baby turns one this month" and "I can't believe I was pregnant a year ago." These moments always occur when I'm either doing something party-related or thinking about how the party is NEXT week. While this party is to celebrate Cati's milestone I know full well that the party is more for me than her. She won't remember all the details but I still want this party to be beautiful and fantastic so that when she looks back at this date she'll know how much we celebrated her life. To that end I have a theme (ballerinas), a color palette (pink, aqua, white), and lots of creative DIY projects (tutu wreath and name banner).

Helping me achieve my vision for Cati's birthday is one of my favorite bloggers, Sarah of Growing On Gettysburg. I'll admit that the main reason she is one of my favorites is because of her son Liam. I honestly believe he is the cutest little boy around and I totally think of him as Cati's online boyfriend. Seriously, look at him HERE and tell me he and Cati would not make the cutest baby couple. Go ahead and give it a try. See what I mean? Other than being a mom to ultra cute Liam, Sarah really inspires me because she oozes creativity and has decided to share her creativity with the world through her Aspire to Be shop (Facebook and Etsy).

Oh and to really top it off,  she is incredibly sweet. After seeing my Birthday Chatter post she emailed me and asked me about toppers. I said "of course I want them!" and was really happy I wasn't going to have to attempt this project myself.  Sarah came up with a few designs, I picked my favorites, and I got the toppers in the mail today. You'll have to wait and see what I do with them though because they are not going on cupcakes.

Aren't they stunning? I'm so in love with them and even more so because they were made by someone I consider a blogging friend. This blog has helped connect me to people I would never know and I am so thankful for that. Even Cati was thankful to count Sarah and Liam as friends.

So the birthday just got better and right now, at this very second I am fighting the urge to yell, "OMG I AM A MOTHER TO A TODDLER, WHEN THE HECK DID I GET OLD ENOUGH FOR THAT?!?!?!"

Styling C: 01.31.11 to 02.02.11

Monday, 01.31.11

The Look: Sneaker Chic

The Outfit:The Children's Place white top, Crazy8 black and pink polka dot skirt
Carter's pink socks, Converse pink sneakers

Tuesday, 02.01.11

The Look: Gingham Sweet
The Outfit: First Impressions pink gingham dress/top, Gap jeans, 
Carter's pink socks

Wednesday, 02.02.11

The Look: Mod Baby

The Outfit: Gap pink floral dress, Me Too silver shoes

A Little Birthday Chatter, Part 2

Birthday plans are going. Kind of. A birthday party involves a lot less planning than a wedding, baby shower, and baptism. I thought I would be overwhelmed with planning and the reality is that I am underwhelmed. I'll have plenty to do next week (!!!!!!!!) but there isn't really anything I can do this week to make next week any better. As far as I can tell things are coming together nicely. There will be a dessert table and I'm going to be doing a lot of baking for that. There will be sandwiches and lots of appetizers/finger foods. There will be a bounce house and cotton candy machine. There will NOT be dinosaurs (sorry Josie!) and there will not be a mommy meltdown that day (fingers crossed). I'm still working on Cati's outfit for the day and I know I want her to be dressed casually. Is it sad that I have decided on my outfit but not hers?

Anyway, the party is coming along. I haven't shared any updates with you so I thought I would share the invitation I went with. I absolutely love it and I can't thank Louisa of FLIPAWOO Designs enough. I was thisclose to purchasing another invitation when I stumbled upon this one. This invitation had, in my eyes, the perfect balance of vintage and girly.

The colors are perfect and match the colors I'm using throughout the party. I nearly flipped for joy when I saw the printed invitation and I almost cried when I put them in the mail because I realized there was no turning back.

Catarina will be one in 14 days and her party is in 12 days. Please help me make it through the next two weeks!

For more on FLIPAWOO Designs visit the blog and Etsy shop.

Styling C: 01.27.11 to 01.30.11

Thursday, 01.27.11

The Look: Winter Casual
The Outfit: Gap white star top, Old Navy jeans, Jazzy Toes socks

Friday, 01.28.11

The Look: Winter Preppy

The Outfit: Greendog Kids ivory top, Janie & Jack teal bunny sweater, 
Grap brown jeans, Old Navy brown socks


Saturday, 01.29.11

The Look: Sweet & Chic

The Outfit: The Children's Place white top, Crochet dress made by my friend Lauren, 
Old Navy blue jeans and khaki socks

Sunday, 01.30.11

The Look: Little Lady

The Outfit: The Children's Place pink top, Crazy8 brown dress, 
Old Navy ivory tights

 

This Week in Mommyhood

Cati is becoming such a big girl. It really struck me this week as my baby girl is mastering modeling (mimicking). I was cleaning the bathroom one day and wiping things down with a paper towel and Cati grabbed a paper towel and started wiping down the surface as well. Then another day we were at the park and Cati was playing with the mulch. I grabbed the mulch and dropped it in front of her and she did the same right back! I was so happy and impressed.

Cati is getting so well at comprehending my requests. If she's playing with something and I say "can mommy see that?" she will give me whatever is in her hand. Likewise, if she's playing with something she doesn't quite understand or she finds something on the floor she calls my attention by going "ahh" (kind of like her saying "huh?") and then she gives me the item. The funniest word, however, is "dormir" (sleep). At the end of the day if I say "a dormir" she knows to go to her room for bedtime. During the day when I say it she cries because she doesn't want to go down for a nap. It's so cute!

Cati has been saying mama and dada for a while but she's not really consistent with who she says it to. She'll say mama when she is crying, complaining or upset, and she says dada every other time. The one word she is consistent with is "agua." She says it just like we do (!!!) whenever she wants something to drink. Before she would say "gua" but now she actually says "agua." The sound of her voice feels so differently when she's saying something I know to be a word versus when she's best babbling.

Cati totally gets peek-a-boo! If I ask "where's the baby?" she covers her face with either her hands or her towel or clothes then she removes her hands and reveals a face that's expecting me to say "peek-a-boo I see you!" The giggles that ensue are the BEST.

As a stay-at-home mom the hardest thing for me is figuring out what to do with Cati on a day-to-day basis that is free. I think our problem is partially solved! We go to the library on a weekly basis but it's usually to pick up books I have put on hold so I don't go into the children's area. This week I wanted to look through the children's books and I discovered that they made over the children's area and now it has a ton of great toys and activities for the kids. All the toys are tactile and auditory and they make me wish we had more room at home so I could buy her the exact same toys. We easily spent an hour at the library playing.

Milk switch is going so well. Cati now drinks cow's milk with her cereal in the morning and her first bottle of the day is all cow's milk.  Her appetite has also seemed to have return and she is eating more solids. I'm assuming this return of appetite means there are no new teeth on the horizon. That's fine with me because I think she looks breathtakingly adorable with her two little teeth.

Music class went so well this week. Alex got to go and I somehow suckered him into doing the dancing circle activity. It was so funny to see how awkward he was especially since he was the only dad participating in that activity. Just like last week, Cati understood what she had to do with the instruments but she just wasn't interested. I don't blame her either seeing as the other babies are a million times more interesting than wooden sticks. The teacher called Cati a social butterfly because of how obsessed she was with following the other kids around the class, petting them and trying to give them kisses. I love how Cati is so gentle and undemanding of other babies. As Alex said later that day she treats other babies like she treats Perla.

Cati's birthday is in 15 days and her party is in 13 days. I can't believe we are so close!

Eat Your Heart Out Bennigan's

Do you remember Bennigan's? There used to be a few locations here in Miami and all but one have closed down. We used to have one fairly close to us in Boston and that one closed down unexpectedly. I remember walking by it one day and seeing it open and lively and then walking by it the following night and seeing it closed and boarded up. I remember the drinks being good and the desserts scandalous, but the one thing I really miss is their baked potato soup. I was in the mood for this soup and came across this recipe that made me relive the satisfaction I used to get from that Bennigan's soup. Because I was giving some of the soup to Cati, my soup wasn't as chunky but it was still perfection. The pictures do not do this soup justice, so you are just going to have to try it for yourself.

 

Edit: I completely forgot I wanted to dedicate this post to our 15.5 year old poodle, Perla. Branny Boils Over is having a Charity Souper Bowl and for every entry she receives she'll donate $1 to the ASPCA. Here the most recent picture of Perla being tormented by the littlest human:

Baked Potato Soup
Source: Sherry Haupt on AllRecipes.com

6 slices bacon
1/3 cup margarine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3-1/2 cups milk
2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 green onions, chopped (I omitted)
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain, crumble, and set aside.

In a stock pot or Dutch oven, melt the margarine over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes and onions. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted.

Little Earthquakes

Life is made up of moments. Moments that excite, enrage, and shock. Moments that take your breath away for reasons both good and bad. Moments that make you feel the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Moments full of happy tears and sad tears. Moments to remember and moments you wish you could forget.

We are all walking universes. We each have a world that revolves around us. I don't mean this in the sense that the world must stop at our request, I mean it in the sense that we are all a part of a system. In us lies relationships and connections to others. Most of the times those connections are seamless, but every now and then, those connections crash against each other.

This past week my own little universe has collided into the universe of others in ways that make moments feel like earthquakes: pieces of knowledge of coming together in a way that causes a friction so intense everything is shaken; the memory of when it all happened completely changing the landscape of your mind. I have been rocked to my core, shaken up, and turned upside down. How do you move forward without looking back? How do you incorporate the new mental creases and dents? How do you forget?

The year has gotten to the most interesting start. Here's hoping the rest of 2011 is full of moments that make your heart flutter and your smile radiate so brightly the sun becomes envious.