caramelized brussels sprouts + pancetta

 

this weekend i am going to be painting just about every room in the new home! i am quite excited to see how all the colours i picked will look. i stuck with warm grey paint tone's from farrow + ball's line of estate emulsion paints! but since getting the home ready will be keeping me quite busy over the next few weeks, i decided to get my thanksgiving menu ready early! so i have teamed up with wayfair to share with you one of my all time favourite thanksgiving side dishes. i mean, pancetta!? it really doesn't get much better then that. i never grew up eating brussles sprouts, so i never had any negative feelings towards these little guys. i actually love them. there is so much you can do with them! cook them in chicken stock, toss them in browned butter or go the sweet route & use apple cider. this is such a quick & easy one pot side dish to put together which is very important when preparing a whole thanksgiving feast! the less dishes to wash in the end, the better.

you can find some fun thanksgiving decor, tablescape ideas & serving bowls, up on wayfair!, i even got a few items for the house too. okay, a few is an understatement.. i am starting to become best friends with the UPS guys. anyways, wish me ALL the luck with painting! i am sure going to need it once i finish one wall & see there is three more to go.

ingredients

  • 2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed & halved
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 pound pancetta, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • 2 medium shallots, sliced
  • 2 teaspoons quality balsamic vinegar
  • sea salt & cracked black pepper, to taste

directions

  • in a large pot of salted boiling water, add brussels sprouts. blanch them for two minutes & immediately submerge them into an ice bath. this will keep those sprouts bright & vibrant throughout the rest of the cooking process. set aside.
  • in a sauce pan over medium heat add the olive oil & pancetta. cook until the pancetta is browned & crispy. remove pancetta but leave the fat to cook with.
  • add the garlic & shallot, cook until translucent. about 5 minutes.
  • toss in the blanched brussels sprouts with the balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper. cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
  • add the pancetta back in & pour into desired serving dish.

this post was created in partnership with wayfair.ca for the pass the dish campaign! you can see the rest of the menu here: appetizer | main | side dish | dessert. 

PUMPKIN SPICE MATCHA LATTE

 

FALL IS HERE! like, for reals fall & we no longer have to pretend. i know most of us have been celebrating fall since the first of september, but now we can drink those pumpkin spice lattes judgement free. no more haters saying "um, you know it's still summer right?". so let us celebrate the arrival of the best season ever with a matcha twist on a classic pumpkin spice latte. because we all love green tea lattes & we all love pumpkin lattes, i took this as the perfect opportunity to create a mash up of the two. i am all about creating not so basic pumpkin spiced drinks & treats this season. this drink contains aiya matcha's cooking grade matcha powder which helps the matcha stand out even when combined with other flours. also, this drink includes real pumpkin puree because i know some pumpkin spiced lattes cough starbucks don't actually contain any pumpkin. the matcha creates a gorgeous earthy green hue colour & i even topped it with some matcha infused whipped cream. i hope you enjoy this all season long cozied up at home in sweaters & blankets galore. happy first day of fall friends!

ohhh right & about that exciting news... WE BOUGHT A HOUSE! yay for being a homeowner. a new season & a new home makes for the best month ever. it is a gorgeous centry home in a small town that reminds me of starshallow. i can't wait to show you guys it once i am done painting & decorating! i've already picked out some gorgeous farrow + ball paint & wallpaper, beautiful delta brass faucets, modern cedar + moss lighting & the funkiest bathroom wallpaper from trustworth studios. okay, i don't wanna give all my designs away so you will have to wait a few more weeks! i hope you are as excited as i am:)

xo

ingredients

for the matcha pumpkin spice latte
(makes two servings)

  • 2 1/2 cups of whole milk (can substitute almond, soy or rice milk)
  • 1/4 cup of pure pumpkin puree
  • 3 tablespoons raw sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 ounce espresso
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons aiya matcha powder (cooking grade blend)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

for the matcha whipped cream

directions

for the matcha pumpkin spice latte

  • in a saucepan over medium heat add the milk, pumpkin puree, raw sugar, vanilla, espresso, aiya matcha powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg & cloves.
  • bring to a simmer, whisking constantly to froth the milk.
  • pour into mugs & top with fresh matcha whipped cream + a dash of cinnamon.

for the matcha whipped cream

  • in a cold mixing bowl add the whipping cream, aiya matcha powder, sugar & vanilla.
  • whisk until stiff peaks are formed & set aside in the fridge until ready to use.

like what you see? get it here. mauviel copper sauce pan | ramekins | mugs | flatware | linen | wooden spoon

this post was created in partnership with aiya matcha you can find the cooking grade matcha powder that i used here. thank you for supporting the brands that help  me do what i love! 

chocolate + sea salt tart

 

taking photographs of chocolate is possibly one of my favourite things to do (is that sad? lol), so i was quite excited to shoot this chocolate + sea salt tart. i may or may not have gotten a little carried away with the process shots, but what are you gonna do. a chocolate tart is a perfect year round dessert to make for any gathering because chocolate is ALWAYS in season. this smooth & silky tart is slightly on the richer side of things, but the hint of sea salt helps offset the rich & creamy dark chocolate flavour. if you wanted to whip this up within minutes, you could use store bought tart crust & just add the filling. however, this gorgeous matte grey porcelain tart pan from REVOL makes for such a gorgeous presentation.

REVOL is a french made porcelain company who makes everything handmade (literally everything.. the clay, the molds, the designs + the colours) & produces the highest quality bakeware, cookware & dinnerware. they want to make cooking easier & presentation beautiful. i love all the grey & white pieces they create because i can't turn away anything in those two tones. it is such a soft & pretty neutral colour. i hope you enjoy this sea salt chocolate tart as much as i did! for best results, serve it cold because the chocolate filling gets a bit soft at room temperature & makes slicing/serving a little more messy.

p.s. how cute is that cow creamer?! perfect for a country kitchen with open shelving.

ingredients

for the tart dough

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold & cubed
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons ice cold water
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for the salted chocolate filling

  • 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon + 1/4 teaspoon for sprinkles flaked sea salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold & cubed
  • 200 grams high quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped

directions

for the tart dough

  • preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • in a large mixing bowl add the flour, sugar & salt. stir.
  • cut in the butter until a crumb like mixture is formed.
  • in a separate bowl whisk together the egg yolk, water & vanilla. add to the dough & shape into a disk. if dough seems dry, add more water a tablespoon at a time.
  • let dough chill for 30 minutes. roll out to desired thickness or press gently into the tart pan.
  • bake for 15-20 minutes, using pie beads to stop crust from rising. if you do not have pie beads, use foil wrapped rice or dried beans. anything to help create weight in the center.
  • remove from oven & let cool before you make the filling.

for the salted chocolate filling

  • in a saucepan over medium heat add the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla & salt. stir occasionally & bring to a boil.
  • immediately remove pan from heat & add the butter cubes + chopped chocolate. stir vigorously until the mixture is silky & smooth.
  • pour into the pre-baked crust & place in fridge.
  • chill tart for two hours to set. sprinkle with remaining sea salt & serve.

this post was created in partnership with REVOL USA. they create the most gorgeous porcelain bakeware in all my favouite matte white + grey tones. featured in this post are the tart pan | espresso mugs | cow creamer & salad/dessert plate. you can find REVOL on facebook, instagram & youtube. thank you for supporting the brands that allow me to do what i love most.