Drinks / Recipes

Blood Orange Vanilla Soda

03.04.15

Blood Orange Vanilla-7

I've been drinking these all week.  

Because they're just SO good.

And they're boyfriend approved! Blood Orange Vanilla

That's right!  This is the first recipe that I wrote, tested, and photographed all in our little upper east side apartment!  It's so cute.  So cute I'm swooning.

Swooning over the apartment and THE COLORS of those blood oranges.  I basically can't even. 

Blood Orange Vanilla-4

I'm obsessed with all things blood orange.  I think it's mainly because they remind me of Florence.  Blood orange juice is a big thing there.  And also blood orange slices in your coke when you're getting late night burritos at Eby's!  And guac!  Eby's taught me that I love guac and blood oranges!  

Take me backkkkk. or at least get me a kebab from Star Kebab! 

Blood Orange Vanilla-3
Okay FINE, I'll settle for some fresh blood orange juice.  

I actually feel bad.  Let me tell you a story quick.  On Sunday morning after I went to yoga, I knew I had a small window of opportunity to get this recipe done.  The idiot that I am, though, didn't let Frankie sleep while I did this… I apparently needed to wake him up.  

So I'm all “GET UPPPP, GET UPPP I'M BORED.”  Like I do every morning.  And he's miserable and hating me.  Like he does every morning.  I'm trying to bribe him with bagels and coffee because I think it'd be the absolute cutest thing ever if we have a Sunday tradition of “running out to get bagels.”  Because I'm a psycho.

Blood Orange Vanilla-2

Eventually I give up and go into the kitchen and start cutting up the oranges.  Naturally, my loving boyfriend gets up once I leave him alone.  He comes into the kitchen and grabs some TROPICANA orange juice.  And I'm all like “UM. HELLO.  I'm making FRESH blood orange juice over here.  If you just wait a minute.”

Thinking that my four oranges will give me more than enough for the recipe and him.

Stupid.  I ended up giving him like maybe half a glass?  Poor thing.  and then WE DIDN'T EVEN GO GET BAGELS.  I was like, “I don't really feel like going out now…um, do you want toast?”  Epic Sunday morning fail. Blood Orange Vanilla 1

 Good news is that he didn't leave me and he tried the soda and kept saying “it's really good!”

As if he was shocked.  How rude.  [probably shocked he still has feeling in his mouth after the whole ancho/chile pepper debacle.] 

We both decided we think the vanilla almost makes it taste like an ice cream float.  Is that a thing if there's no ice cream?  I don't know.  But that's what it reminds me of.  So it's sort of… indulgent.  Indulgent without actually being bad.  

Blood Orange Vanilla-5

But yeah.  this is how I'm surviving since I gave up soda cold turkey in 2015.  I've never been more obsessed with my soda stream.  Obviously I don't use the syrups with it (since I'm defining soda as any carbonated drink that contains high fructose corn syrup or things that I can't pronounce), but I use it almost daily to make sparkling water.  

If you don't have a soda stream don't sweat it!  Just pick up a bottle of sparkling water and you're good to go!  

I will say though, this method of making your own sparkling beverages can be a huge money saver.  I'm OBSESSED with La Croix but it's soooo expensive.  I love just doing it at home and saving the money.

Blood Orange Vanilla 4

Print

Blood Orange Vanilla Soda

  • Author: Ashley Renee
Scale

Ingredients

For the soda mix

  • 1/2 cup blood orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the soda

  • 1 tablespoon soda mix
  • 1 cup sparkling water
  • ice

Instructions

  1. If you're using freshly squeezed blood orange juice [which you totally should], juice the fruit by hand or using a juicer and measure out 1/2 cup.
  2. Mix the vanilla extract into the blood orange juice.
  3. Pour a tablespoon of the blood orange vanilla mix in a glass over ice. Add a cup of sparkling water, stir, and enjoy.

Notes

  • The recipe makes enough soda mix for 8 glasses of soda. Mix can be stored [separately from the sparkling water] in a refrigerator for up to 3 days and used as desired.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 8
  • Calories: 9
  • Sugar: 1
  • Sodium: 474
  • Fat: 0
  • Saturated Fat: 0
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 2
  • Protein: 0
  • Cholesterol: 0

Blood Orange Vanilla-8

Sub a shot of vanilla vodka for the vanilla extract and we'll instantly become best friends.  for. ever.

In fact I'm pretty sure we're already kindred spirits.

Make it? Lemme see it! Hashtag it: #thepikeplacekitchen

Insty. Twittah. Lovingzeblogs. Pinnypins

 

 

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Toppings

my life as a new yorker: week 4

03.03.15

In case you haven't caught yourself up, here's: week 1, week 2, & week 3!

um.  WHAT?  it's been a month?!  That's not possibly a thing.  It just can't be.

I talked about this on Sunday, but time is seriously FLYING by.  Or maybe I'm just constantly hyped up on coffee so it seems like it's flying by.  BUT IT'S MARCH.

IMG_1292 I've never been a daily coffee drinker.  And truthfully I've never really NEEDED caffeine.  Once I'm up, I'm generally up – I can't fall back to sleep and I can never, ever nap (much to Frankie's annoyance).  So I don't know what's happening to me, but every morning when I go to work I stop and pick up a coffee.  Does it make me feel cool?  Do I like the taste?  Do I just need a pick-me-up in the morning?  I have literally no clue.  But I know that Dunkin is currently taking up far too much of my paycheck and I need to get this under control.  Keep me accountable people!

So, you all know I'm IN LOVE with the apartment.  Like I want to marry it, love.  There is one bad thing though: it doesn't have a dishwasher (I'm cringing as I type this).  

It's not a HUGE deal, but… it's sort of a food blogger's worst nightmare.  In all seriousness, it hasn't been too awful so far.  I just really have to keep up with the dishes every day (which I guess is a good thing?) in order for my kitchen to not look like a murder scene.

IMG_1289 1

It will come as no shock to anyone who knows us in real life, but Frankie has been such a good recipe taster.  And, no, he doesn't just tell me everything I make is good… well he does… but it's pretty clear when something shouldn't go on the blog.  He'll say something like, “thanks!  It was really good.  I'll talk to you in a week when I get feeling back in my mouth because I'm 90% sure you tried to burn it off with that chipotle/ancho pepper.”  

Who am I kidding… Frankie doesn't know how to spell ancho pepper.  (he can PROBABLY spell chipotle.. but that's just because… BURRITOS)

Obviously, you know what this means… I've been recipe testing!  In the new apartment.  Which honestly has kind of been a disaster because (a) there's still a really small window of nice natural light to use, (b) I'm still getting acquainted with my new kitchen, and (c) I've been running around the apartment trying to figure out where the best place to take pictures is going to be… naturally I think the bedroom gets the most light…. of course. 

The benefit of it all?  I have a nice new hand model!  That's right, get ready… Frankie is making a new career out of holding things for me to photograph.  I'd love to say he's a natural… but I won't.  He did learn how to use a juicer this weekend [that ladies and gentlemen is most definitely foreshadowing for tomorrow… subtle]! 

IMG_1284 1 Those coasters though.  My best friends KILLED it at Christmas gifts this year.  These babies were a gift from LJ and they just fueled my copper obsession.  The coasters kind of spiraled into an obsession with copper and gold and all things metallic and rustic throughout the apartment.  I'm still on the hunt for copper measuring cups and spoons… so if you find any LET ME KNOW.  I'm thinking my best bet is probably anthropology.  but it's sooooo expensive.  ugh.

Let's talk about life!  Now that I'm pretty settled in [which will all change in a couple weeks when Frankie fully moves in] all I want to do is get out and about and see things.  I'm DYING to go check this out.  Maybe this weekend when Brittany and LJ visit?  If not I'll have  to put it on a shelf for date night [more foreshadowing?!?!… who knowssss…]. 

Butttt the snow is killing me.  I obviously LOVE snuggling up on the couch and watching Netflix until my heart's desire… but I need it to stop being cold so I can go seeeee things.  and do thingssss. 

IMG_1291 This weekend I did join the gym across the street!  I don't know if that counts at all, but it seems like a step in the right direction… at least it gets me out of the house a few days a week.  I went to yoga on Sunday and it. kicked. my. butt.  like dead.  dead, dead.  I didn't realize how out of shape I was. 

Frankie's cousin posted a picture on instagram about her success with Kayla's guides and so I decided to try those.  I started yesterday!  um and it's hard.  like I wanted to cry every time I had to do a squat (and it was only the pre-training week 1!).  Maybe I'm just way more out of shape than I thought…

Keep me accountable puh-leaseeee.  Maybe I'll make a commitment to check back in each month and tell you how I'm feeling.  I don't know.  tell me what you think!

IMG_1285 1 OH OH OH.  on Sunday I did laundry for the first time!  It was…. an experience.  I've never been more thankful for purchasing my rolling target cart thingy.  It has really high wheels which navigated the snow perfectly. 

Foody things?  I've honestly been eating like CRAP.  I won't lie, I think there were at least two nights last week that I just ate bread and olive oil… for a meal… because that's a thing? [a delicious thing… but a very carb heavy and non-sustainable thing]  also, chicken nuggets were on sale so you know I HAD to have those… because I'm five years old.

IMG_1287 1 Yeahhh.  we're going to work on this.  this is something we will improve.  we will.

There is too much fresh, delicious produce out there for me to continue eating strawberry frosted donuts…. even if they are the cutest things and like a time warp back to my childhood. 

LAST THING and then I'll let you leave.  My skin has been SO SO SO DRY.  I don't know if it's the cold weather, the scalding hot showers, or just the climate in general but my skin has been crazy dry.  Know what's been helping?  Coconut oil!  I don't know why this came to mind but I thought I had read somewhere that it's a great moisturizer.  I did a quick google search which said: yes, you idiot this is a great moisturizer… put it on your skin stat!  So I did and it's changed EVERYTHING.  I may never go back to lotion again.  ever. IMG_1288 1

Okay, you can go on your merry way again!  love youssss.

Insty | Twittah | Lovingzeblogs | Pinnypins

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Sunday Sprinkles

03.01.15

 1. I actually can not believe it's March.  Time is FLYING by.  I don't know if it's because of the moving or new york or the new work or just being so happy to be around le boyfrienddd,  but whatever it is.  IT'S FLYING.  

2. I have a new surprise segment for the blog coming on Friday!  Be sure to check back for it (and in between as always for a New York update on Tuesday and a new recipe on Wednesday.)  

3. um, i have mixed feelings about the snow.  on one hand it makes me happy because i can snuggle up on my couch and love my life, and on the other hand i'm like ummmm you're cold GO AWAY.

4. I feel like I have to comment about “the dress.”  I originally saw gold and white, but over the course of the past few days I've noticed that every time I look at it, it changes between white and gold and black and blue.  Apparently other people have seen it change too.  I don't know, I've read all the science articles about it and I know it's actually black and blue but I do think its interesting that it's become such a huge deal.

5. YES THISSS.  YESSS. I need #11 in my life, STAT.

6. I need to find a good ice cream scooper and i'm in the market for a container to store homemade ice cream. any suggestions?

7.  | HTGAWM | um.  WHAT EVEN HAPPENED?  I don't even know.  I'm normally really good at predicting what's about to happen, it irritates Frankie to no end – because I never keep my ideas to myself.  But this week?  I was getting it all wrong, up until the very end. *cough* rebecca *cough*.  I'll try to stay away from spoilers up in here but WHATTTTT?!?!?  I was wondering how they were going to go into a new season after we found out who killed Lila (WHICH OMG I WASN'T EXPECTING IT TO BE THAT PERSON).  ugh.  what do i do without it?

8. And for my future TV binge, PUHlease send me recommendations for the best place to get ribs in NY.  

9. I want to make a cute little herb garden.  well not really a garden.  but like, I want to have fresh basil and mint.  and i want it to be super cute and instagram worthy.  yes, yes this is what i want.  do you have to water them daily?  what is the upkeep on basil and mint?  WHAT IS LIFE? 

10. I'm sure I've talked about the thug kitchen before and they are exactly who I imagined behind the blog.

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Appetizer / Recipes / Snacks

Roasted Zucchini Corn Salsa

02.25.15

Can we pretend it's sunny and 75?

Zucchini Corn Salsa-9

Can we pretend we're preparing for an afternoon summer picnic snack?  or a backyard barbecue?

Can we just melt the snow and banish the cold with our wishful thinking?

Is that a thing?                                 Zucchini Corn Salsa

I think it is.  I think all we need to do is close our eyes and click our heels together, with our fingers crossed, throw some floo powder over our shoulders, and scream: ROASTED ZUCCHINI CORN SALSA!

…

Or you could just pick up a zucchini and a bag of frozen corn… but that's not nearly as fun for me to watch. collage 2 So.  The trick with this recipe is to not be scared of your broiler.  (also, I have confirmation that it is a broiler under my gas stove and will no longer be storing things under there!)  

It sounds scary, and I get it, but it's totally not difficult.  You just need to stay close by and keep an eye on it.  That is the main trick.  Don't leave it alone.  

Zucchini Corn Salsa-3

I know that the title says this is a “roasted” zucchini salsa, but I'm really using the term roasted loosely here.  The zucchini actually gets pretty soft and loses its firm texture (which is part of why this is so great to eat with chips!).  

We all know how much texture dictates my food preferences, but I really don't mind the zucchini being slightly mushy because you have a nice fresh bite from the red onion and the corn holds up some of its texture too.  Just trust me on this.  Chances are, I'm pickier than you are.  

Also, this one was friend tested and approved!  So even if you don't take my word for it, I have it on good authority that it was delicious.

Zucchini Corn Salsa-5

THE LIMEEEEEE.  The lime really ties this all together.  It's fresh and acidic and it really livens it up in this party.  It takes things to the next level.  

If I teach you one thing from reading this blog, it should be: fresh lime juice trumps everything.  for serious.

When you squeeze it yourself I swear it's more rewarding.

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I don' t think it's even worth it to mention my love affair with cilantro, because it's pretty well known now.  

But same thing goes here: don't cut corners – go freshhhhh.  so fresh, so clean.  

That was funny because apparently there are people who taste soap when they eat cilantro!?  My bff's boyfriend has this problem (at least I think it's a problem, because UM HELLO I LOVE MEXICAN).   Zucchini Corn Salsa-7 Did I talk long enough for it to be summer yet?  It better be 75 degrees when I walk outside in a few minutes…. here's to wishful thinking.

Print

Roasted Zucchini and Corn Salsa

  • Author: Ashley Renee
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chopped zucchini
  • 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1/3 cup diced/minced red onion
  • 1/2 lime
  • garlic salt
  • white pepper
  • cilantro
  • canola oil spray

Instructions

  1. Set your oven to broil.
  2. Spread your frozen corn onto a baking sheet and set aside. Dice your zucchini into small cubes and spread onto the same baking sheet. Spray the vegetables with canola oil and season with garlic salt and pepper. Broil for three minutes.
  3. While the vegetables are broiling, mince the clove of garlic. Remove the baking sheet and add the minced garlic while turning the vegetables.
  4. Broil for approximately ten minutes; the zucchini will be soft and the corn should begin turning brown from the heat. Remove and set aside.
  5. Mince or dice your red onion ( I minced mine so that no one would get large chunks of red onion, but it's totally personal preference here). Chop about a tablespoon of fresh cilantro.
  6. Transfer the zucchini and corn to a bowl and mix in the red onion and cilantro. Squeeze the juice of the lime into the bowl and mix to combine.
  7. Taste and add more cilantro or lime if desired.
  8. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to two days.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 361
  • Sugar: 15
  • Sodium: 187
  • Fat: 16
  • Saturated Fat: 1
  • Unsaturated Fat: 14
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 55
  • Protein: 9
  • Cholesterol: 0

  Zucchini Corn Salsa-8

P.S. if you caught the Harry Potter reference above, ten points to the house of your choice!

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my life as a new yorker: week 3

02.24.15

IMG_1199 1 IT FINALLY ENDED!

I finally finished unpacking [for the most part] with only a few casualties (a ramekin and a candle) and a some little finishing touches remaining (organizing my desk and fine tuning the location of everything).

It feels SO GOOD to not have any more boxes to sort through.  I don't think I could be any happier. IMG_1196 1 ^ that is my absolute favorite part of the entire apartment.  I'm obsessed with my built-in and the little knick-knacky things that I “styled” it with [who am i?]

I do still have a pile of crap in my living room that I need to sell over the next few weeks, but! no! more! boxes!  the boxes have left the building.  literally.  My plan is to at least catalog the stuff I'm selling and do some research on prices this week so that I go into my first craigslist experience armed with information.  because, obviously, it's very serious stuff. 

Am I the only person in the world who thinks about cataloging their future craigslist sales?  Because I do, in fact, plan on keeping an excel chart.  and I definitely am considering buying a clipboard for this project.  too much?

IMG_1198 1 I'm 100% serious about the clip board… but it also seemed like a good segway into talking about work.  

I've been loving work.  I mean I've only really been doing actual work for a week now, but everyone still seems super nice and really friendly.  We actually had a team meeting yesterday so I was able to meet a lot of the people on my team which was really great.

Overall it seems like a really good group of people and the work has been really interesting [but I won't bore you with that ish – just know I'm happy!].

IMG_1200 1 IT FINALLY HAPPENED.

I can't believe it took me three weeks, but I had pizza!  Frankie definitely thought there was something wrong with me for waiting so long (it's normally the first thing I ask for when I visit)… truthfully I was slightly concerned as well.  We ended up having a date night in on Saturday.  neither of us wanted to go out in the cold, so we ordered a pizza from Gotham Pizza and had it delivered.  We popped open a bottle of Syrah and watched all the showz [aka: scandal & how to get away with murder].  

The pizza was amazing.  Super great and definitely going to have to get it again.  The garlic knots were just so-so, but I have a hard time finding a place that I think has knots that compare to Angelina's so…

IMG_1201 1 The apartment obviously isn't completely finished, but I felt comfortable enough with my progress to have people over this weekend!  A few of our friends came over to scope out the new place and they loved it!  They also loved the guacamole I made them.  score! [no I did not put apples in my guac…. the apples just looked good in the picture… plus they're delicious]

We actually had a really great Sunday all together.  they came over to see the place.  there were some competitive xbox FIFA and sports rivals games going on.  and then we headed to the writing room for a late brunch.  

I had a bellini and a TWR burger and it was… out of this world.  omg.  I definitely recommend it.  if I could have a do-over [which I will because I couldn't decide between the TWR burger or the fried chicken and waffles] I'd probably go with a mimosa over the bellini though.  Just for honesty's sake.       IMG_1202 1 In other foodie news: I talked about this yesterday, buttttt I ROASTED A CHICKEN.  nom.  I'm super happy about it obviously.  but now my gas stove anxiety has morphed into gas oven anxiety.  I think I checked the oven like 10918393285 times because I was convinced that the flame under the oven [p.s. is it a broiler compartment under there?  I can't figure it out] would set the entire apartment [and more importantly… the chicken] on fire if I left it alone for too long.  

Spoiler alert: it didn't [and more importantly… it didn't].

IMG_1197 1 Mah gurl T-swift gets a ton a hate from native new yorkers (or even people who have lived here for a few years) about being an ambassador or whatever she does for NYC.  to them I say:  and the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.  

I think that's about it for this past week guys!  Hopefully I can sell that stuff quickly and be able to finish up every thing with the apartment soon so I can give you a virtual tour!

oh oh oh, i have an UPDATE: I was informed that even though I haven't turned the radiators on, my super turns the heat on for the building automatically [apparently it's a law or something].  So my apartment is not in fact a sauna, like we discussed last time, and I'm going to cross my fingers that the building will be cool in the summer.   

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