piña colada quesadillas

Piña Colada Quesadillas 

serves 4-6 

Ingredients:

10-12 medium flour tortillas

1 medium pineapple, cut into squares
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 boneless, skinless grilled chicken breasts, shredded
About 2 cups grated cheese (Colby, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, or mexican blend)
3/4 cup freshly torn cilantro

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Add pineapple and toss with salt and cinnamon, cooking until caramelized and golden, flipping occasionally – about 6-8 minutes. Remove pineapple and place in a bowl, then add another 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil, tossing in onions with a pinch of salt. Stir and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes, then remove from the skillet and place in the bowl with the pineapple.
Reduce the heat in the skillet to low, add another 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil. Place a tortilla down, then cover in a sprinkling of cheese, chicken, the pineapple, onions and cilantro, then add another sprinkle of cheese. Fold and cook both sides until golden. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Enjoy!

citrus obsession

 I don't know what has gotten into me lately, but I have been kind of obssessed with grapefruit. It has definitely become my go-to breakfast and sometimes even an after school snack. However, I cannot for the life of me figure out how to make a grapefruit smoothie that doesn't taste like barf. So no recipe this time, but here are some pretty pictures.

the perfect salmon recipe

I found this recipe years ago from Better Homes and Gardens and never got around to trying it out until this last Easter. It was fast, easy, and tasted even better than it looked. Enjoy!

Barbeque Salmon with Fresh Nectarine Salsa

ingredients

• 4 4- to 5-oz. fresh skinless salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick
• 3 Tbsp. bottled barbecue sauce
• 2 nectarines, pitted and chopped
• 3/4 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
• Lemon wedges

directions

1. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Lightly sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Place 2 tablespoons of the barbecue sauce in small bowl; brush sauce on both sides of the salmon.
2. For charcoal grill, cook salmon on greased grill rack directly over medium coals for 8 to 12 minutes or until salmon flakes when tested with a fork, turning once halfway through grilling. (For gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place salmon on greased grill rack over medium heat. Cover and grill as above.)
3. For nectarine salsa, in medium bowl combine nectarines, blueberries, pecans, and the remaining 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce. Season with salt. Serve salmon with salsa and lemon wedges. Serves 4.

The Big Apple!

I went to New York back in March with my photography class to visit some studios and get a feel for the world of commercial photography that many of us will be entering a year from now. We didn't have a lot of free time between appointments to go sight seeing, but we definitely took our lunch and dinner hours seriously and hit up a lot of fantastic restaurants. Here are some photos from the trip.

Union Square Greenmarket
Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 8am-6pm

I am a sucker for farmers markets and if I lived in New York I am sure I would buy most of my produce here. I also tried pear cider for the first time and it was kind of amazing.

Dumbo Kitchen
108 Jay Street, Brooklyn
Monday-Friday 7am-10pm
Saturday 9am-7pm
Sunday 9am-4pm

They had lots of tasty looking options but I got chicken parmesan with butternut squash and a mixed berry cheescake.Perfection.

Brooklyn Bridge and Jane's Carousel

A carousel on the water next to the Brooklyn Bridge? Yes please.

 

pear and walnut salad with apricot vinaigrette

This salad is a fun mix of flavors and super easy to make! Enjoy!

Pear and Walnut Salad with Apricot Vinaigrette

For the dressing:

2/3 cup apricot nectar

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp olive oil 

1 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger

6-7 medium sized mint leaves, chopped

pinch of salt

Using an immersion blender, mix until well combined.

For the salad:

1 bag or about 6 cups of spring mix or arugula

2 pears, sliced

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Toss with dressing and serve. (Makes about 6 servings)

Tip: Play around with it! Adding dried apricots or craisins might be super good too :)

xo Heather

Sprinkles Strawberry Frosting, aka the best frosting ever

A lot of people have asked me for this recipe recently, and since I don't technically own it I would feel selfish keeping it for myself. It comes from Candace Nelson, the owner of Sprinkles Cupcakes in Beverly Hills. Sprinkles is my favorite cupcake shop and my first stop whenever I fly into LA. My only warning is: prepare to be addicted!

Sprinkles Strawberry Frosting

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole strawberries (fresh or frozen)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly cold

Pinch coarse salt

3 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions

Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor, process until pureed. Using an electric mixer, beat together butter and salt until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioner's sugar, beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 Tbsp strawberry puree, mix until just blended. Do not overmix, or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

You can find the strawberry cupcake recipe here.

You can find the pink tassel cake topper here.

Beautiful Pearl

This was for a class assignment but I wanted to share them because I was really happy with them. Pearl was the sweetest thing. This shoot goes with this one here.
xo Heather