Grapefruit White Chocolate Brown Butter Cookies

These cookies have my name written all over them. Brown butter-yes, white chocolate-yes, grapefruit-yes yes! The ingredient combination my have your eyebrows squinch at first, but it totally works. The grapefruit comes into play by taking the zest and combing it with the sugar to make a fragrant grapefruit sugar. They are so summery and fresh and you sort of just need to make them to understand!

I haven't baked in over a month. That's a crime, an actual crime. I had the day off last Friday and finally got back into my baking groove. I baked up a storm. First up these brown butter grapefruit cookies and then lavender brownies! Luckily I had lots of friends over and family members with sweet tooth's to help pawn my abundance of goodies off to. 

Brown your butter, zest your orange, chop your chocolate, add in some flour, sugar and eggs and you'll be in business. Leave it up to Joy to develop these perfectly unusual cookies!


Pro tip: while your cookies are baking, wash down all the dough you just gobbled up with some juicy grapefruit;)

Grapefruit White Chocolate Brown Butter Cookies
yields 20-24 cookies, adapted from Joy the Baker
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. grapefruit zest
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cup white chocolate chips or chunks
sea salt, optional
Directions:
First you need to make the brown butter. Place one stick of butter in a medium skillet. Melt the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. The butter will foam and froth as it heats, it may even snap, crackle, pop! I'm sorry I had to...You will start to smell the butter as it cooks and brown bits will form. Once the butter is an amber color remove it from the stove immediately and pour into a small bowl, along with the brown bits. Allow the browned butter to cool for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, combine the sugar and grapefruit zest in a small bowl. Rub the sugar and zest together with your fingers to really fragrant the sugar! Using an electric mixer, beat the other stick of softened butter with the grapefruit sugar for 3 to 5 minutes until whipped and smooth. Beat in the vanilla. 
Pour the cooled brown butter into the bowl along with the brown sugar. Beat for 2 minutes until the mixture is fluffy. Add in the egg and egg yolk and beat for another minute. On low, add the flour, salt and baking soda directly into the mixer. 
If you are using a block of white chocolate, chop it up into small bits. With the mixer turned off, use a spatula to combine in the white chocolate chunks or chips. 
Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Scoop 2 Tbsp. sized balls of dough onto parchment lined or greased cookie sheets. If you wish, sprinkle the tops with a little sea salt! Leave room between the balls of dough, the cookies will spread a lot when they bake!
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until just brown around the edges!


Check back tomorrow for this lavender brownie recipe!
Annie

Bites of My Life

Four day week let's go!!! Bring on the holiday weekend. I'm staying close this 4th and doing a little staycation for the holiday. Dinners, parades, pool parties, barbecue and of course fireworks are on the lineup for the weekend.  Just have to power through four work days then it's celebration time. 
I've always loved the 4th. I love a good holiday and I love tradition. I'll be fully decked in red, white and blue all day and most likely will be baking up something festive. The weekends are too fun these days they make the week worth it to always have something to look forward to! What's on deck for your Fourth of July?
-Whipped up a big batch of greek quinoa for work lunches, packs perfectly in little mason jars.
-Got really fun responses to people trying out my "perfect green smoothie." Loved this insta shout out from my girls Madison and Peyton.
-Greek quinoa transformed into dinner by being piled up into a roasted bell pepper (washed down with handfuls of chips and salsa)...
-Had the day off Friday so I took the morning outside for a little green tea and yoga. 
-Followed my peaceful healthy morning with a big greasy onion cheese burger and fries. It was worth it. 
-It's been far too long since I baked so I broke in my new kitchen with two sweet recipes, both coming this week!
-Finally all in the same city and under the same roof, cheers to these summer roomies. 
-I'm a bottomless pit on the weekends so a snack of breakfast tacos at 4 PM on Saturday somehow happened. 
-A little night out in the city making me grateful for this place I live in. 
Annie

Perfect Green Smoothie

I've done it. By golly I've done it. I have finally mastered the perfect green smoothie. Creamy, green and filled with layers of flavor. I used to think you could just throw anything into a blender and turn it into a delicious smoothie. Not quite the case. I have unfortunately drinken down a few too many sub par smoothies. Too watery, no flavor, and worst of all brown. Berries and spinach don't make for an appealing smoothie.

green-smoothie1.jpg

I know a lot of people put bananas in their smoothies to make them smooth and creamy, but I'm not a big fan. I don't really favor bananas to begin with and although they are high in potassium they are also high in sugar. Instead I sub bananas for avocado to get that extra creaminess. If you've never put avocado in your smoothie oooooh oh buddy! 

To get a super green smoothie, stick with yellow or citrus fruits. The colors won't clash and you'll end up with a bright green drink! I use pineapple and mango then counteract the tartness with some almond butter and cinnamon. Chia seeds, avocado and the most important, spinach. Blended up with coconut water and booyah---perfect green smoothie. 

Perfect Green Smoothie
yields 1 smoothie

Ingredients:
1 cup non-dairy milk, coconut water or H2O
1 cup spinach
a few sprigs of fresh basil and mint (optional)
1/2 cup frozen mango
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
1/4 avocado*
1 tsp. chia seeds
1 spoonful almond butter
a few shakes of cinnamon

*I like to freeze my avocado. Avocados go bad so fast so once I cut one open I freeze the rest for smoothies. Just make sure you cut it up before you freeze, you don't want to end up with a huge hunk of frozen avocado.

Directions:
Throw everything in your blender and blend baby blend till thick and smooth. Pour into a glass and slurp it down. If you're like me, sprinkle with some granola and eat with a spoon! It's my favorite way to enjoy a smoothie and makes it a little more filling.

I used to always use almond milk in my smoothies but recently switched to coconut water. It keeps you hydrated and adds potassium. I mainly switched because I fell in love with Harvest Bay brand. It has a sort of vanilla taste to it and is without a doubt the best coconut water I've found on the shelf! I made this for my sisters this weekend and they loved. I promise it really is the perfect green smoothie!

Annie

p.s. totally crushing on how my new white kitchen sets the perfect backdrop for food photography!

 

 

Bites of My Life

Why do weekends have to come to an end. The weekend of all weekends has now come and gone. Sister walked down the aisle Saturday night and I couldn't stop smiling. People kept commenting how much I was cheesin' standing up next to her, but I couldn't help it! We've dreamed of this moment since we were little chickens and then all of a sudden it was happening! 
Mom and I went on a walk last night and ran into some neighbors. We recapped the wedding then the wife said, don't you just feel so blessed with weddings? Yes! I've never been surrounded by more friends and family, I've never danced so hard, I've never had so much fun and it was all to celebrate my sis and new brother-in-law! 
-The fruit in my water ain't stopping! Lemons and raspberries to make me feel fancy.
-First meal cooked in the new house, a version of these brussels sprout and black bean tacos.
-I've perfect the perfected green smoothie, recipe post coming tomorrow!
-Coconut green tea in the cutest packaging. Found at none other than Target!
-The wedding festivities commenced with a night out at the OKC Dodgers game with the whole wedding party.
-The sweetest garden party bridal luncheon.
-Surprised the bride and groom with this "accurate" little cake topper.
-Last true #TuckerTime picture!
-A barbecue rehearsal dinner, cause everyone wants to chow down on pork and mac and cheese before their wedding.
-My sister is actually a model. 
-One of my favorite moments of the night, the father daughter dance. A true Father of the Bride moment. 
-And just like that we have a brother!
If only we could have a family wedding every weekend. I can't help but think I really hit the jack pot with this fam of mine. The moment it hit me was when my mom, dad and sisters and I were on the stage dancing in front of everyone to Play That Funky Music. It doesn't get better than that. 
Annie

Wedding Weekend Wears

Wedding weekend has officially begun! I've been tackling some of my maid of honor duties like making a ribbon bouquet for the rehearsal dinner, writing a speech, accompanying to get mani/pedis (not my hardest job) and making sure I have the right thing to where to each event leading up to the big day. Again, not my hardest job. Kat makes it pretty easy. She's been so calm cool and collected through the whole thing, such middle child behavior. 
To kick off the weekend we are taking the wedding party out to the ballgame tonight, then we have the bridal luncheon, rehearsal dinner, and finally sis walks down the aisle! To celebrate accordingly, I need to make sure I'm dressed accordingly. 
My wedding looks are all along the lines of these outfits from River Island! Cut offs, graphic tee and espadrilles for the baseball game, a pink frock and color blocked heels for the luncheon and a bold print skater dress for the rehearsal. 
Now enough about the clothes and let's get this wedding party started! I'll be back Monday for a full review!
Annie