The Kitchn Cookbook

If you are looking for a gift for a food lover The Kitchn Cookbook is a great choice.  

The cookbook was released in October, so the hubby and myself made a trip to the Dallas West Elm to pick-up a copy, and get it signed by one of the authors, Faith Durand.  I wasn't feeling well that day, pregnancy nausea, but I wasn't going to pass-up the opportunity.  

Not only was the trip worth it, because I got a personally signed book and got to meet one of the authors, but also because of the free slice of pie from our FAVORITE pie shop, Emporium Pies, and some sweet lemonade.  Oh, and an adorable 'Sweet as Pie' reusable shopping bag that I use quite often. 

The Kitchn Cookbook first grabs your attention with the beautifully photographed recipes.  From my food blogging experience the past five years I can tell you that food photography is not easy, and when done right, can make the difference between wanting to make a recipe, and not.

The book is divided into two sections.  Part 1: The Kitchn walks you through the perfect kitchen set-up including essential tools to own and maintenance.  Part 2: How to Cook Well dives into meal planning and of course the recipes.

The recipes are wonderfully simple, yet not too simple.  Nothing too esoteric to meet the needs of every type of cook out there.  From breakfast (Fig and Almond Quinoa Breakfast Porridge) to Small Bites (Roasted Garlic and Lemon Hummus) to Drinks (Sparkling Peach Sangria) to Main Dishes & One-Bowl Meals (Black Bean Edamame Burgers) to Sides & Salads (Fennel and Radicchio Salad with Farro and Pecans) to Desserts (Jam Hand Pies). 

Happy Cooking Food Lovers!

The Summer to Fall Transition

About a month ago the hubs and myself went out on a date night for the first time in a while.  It was a museum night, Modern til' Midnight 80's Edition. If you recall we went to a museum night over the Summer in Dallas, this was at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

A relaxing evening dining on the lawn, while listening to 80's music, called for a comfortable outfit.  So what do you wear in the transition time of the year?   When it's hot while the sun is shining, but chilly once it sets? 

How about some cutoff jeans shorts with a simple white t-shirt, an over-sized cardigan, and ankle boots?  It was such a comfortable outfit.  A bit of edginess for 80's night with some classic style mixed-in.  My legs were incredibly pale, being that it is fall, but I didn't care, I felt cute in my outfit.

The very in-style oversized cardigan was my favorite component.  Casual for a laid-back evening, during the summer to fall transition. 

A Little Pumpkin Surprise

7 long weeks since my last blog post, I hope I still have some Gin & Pearls readers out there.  

It isn't like me to go so long without a post because I love this blog of mine.  However, I have a really fabulous reason for why I have been MIA for nearly three months...

A few weeks after my birthday, back in September, we found out that we were expecting a little baby.  :)

We had about two weeks of enjoyment before I got very, very sick.  For nearly six weeks I was a walking nausea-bomb about to explode.  Getting up in the morning to go to work was one of the hardest things I have ever done; I was pretty useless and looked like a flu patient.  I lived off of Mexican fast food for dinner nearly every night because cooking was out of the question, and I immediately fell asleep on the couch everyday upon returning home from work.  

Luckily a few weeks ago I started feeling better, and the nausea started to subside.  I still have tiny waves here and there, but now I officially feel like a human-being again.  I am pretty tired, falling asleep most nights around 8pm, but now that I am in my second trimester, I know that things are going to continue to get better.

We have had so much fun telling family and friends our news, and I am excited to finally announce it to my Gin & Pearls readers.  

At 13 weeks our little jellybean is the size of an orange now; I am showing a nice bump.  We haven't been able to see the little one in an ultrasound since week 9, but we did get to hear the heartbeat this week which was pretty amazing.  

Thank you readers for letting me share in our excitement with you, and don't worry....Drink of the Week will still continue (I just won't be able to enjoy them for myself).