Study Sessions

I spent a good majority of Friday studying on University Ave. I bounced around from Cafe Solstice to Cafe Allegro. They are two of my favorite cafes in the University District-- so warm, comfortable for studying and perfect little havens to escape the madness of the Ave. Days like today make me so happy to be in Seattle.

Last day of Summer

The day before the first day of school is always bitter sweet. I'm giddy and anxious to start new classes and get back into my routine, however I'm sad to lose my carefree Summer days. I'm lucky to have a boyfriend who agreed to savor this last day of Summer with me by accompanying me downtown for an indulgent day of shopping and good food. We had an amazing dinner at the Pink Door, in Pike Place's post alley. This restaurant has been on my list of favorites since I was sixteen-- their seasonal menu and extensive wine list never fails to impress. James and I also visited the Zig Zag Cafe-- a bar that specializes in classic cocktails. It was such a gorgeous day and I now feel ready to take on this final quarter of school!

Weekend

I absolutely love having James back in Seattle! He is my favorite person to explore with. We spent the weekend enjoying amazing vegan food at the University district's Chaco Canyon, went vintage shopping for bow ties, checked out Oliver's Twist in Greenwood (James was able to finally have a whiskey older than him!), and picked up some delicious seasonal produce at the U-District Farmer's Market! I had a hard time keeping a smile off my face, the entire weekend. 

Hammond Wedding

This past August, I had the honor of being the photographer for my childhood friend's wedding. There was a lovely little ceremony and reception on Whidbey Island. The friends and family of the bride and groom were all so sweet and heaps of fun to photograph! I'm not a professional photographer by any means, but it was overall a great experience!

My Summer

Here's a little video I put together to commemorate the Summer season. This Summer was fantastic-- full of bike rides, homework/reading at the park, farmer's markets, road trips, carefree time with Lauren, having fun with people I love, experiencing the Midwest, and spending a beautiful week with my favorite person. This video is completely unrelated to food (other than a nice scene of James chowing down), but I thought I would post it anyway. 

My Summer from Kyla Stelling on Vimeo.
Music: Marathon by Tennis

Blueberry and Cream Tarts

These little guys are great. Small, simple and delicious. I used a recipe from Real Simple, but had to make some adjustments because the original ingredients weren't quite up to snuff for the crowd I was baking for. My parents requested that I make this dessert, but wanted it to be as "healthy" as possible. So, I substituted honey for confectioner's sugar, used low fat cream cheese, and cut down on the amount of heavy cream. I was going to make my own puff pastry, but unfortunately didn't have the time. (Tangent: Did you know that Helene has a recipe for Gluten Free Puff Pastry?!) I also made two different types of filling: one with lemon and the other with lime. My parents actually preferred the lime, so I'm glad I mixed it up.

Ingredients

1 8-oz. Sheet Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed
1 Egg, beaten
6 oz. Reduced Fat Cream Cheese, room temperature
3 Tbsp. Honey, divided
3 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon (or Lime) Juice, divided
Zest of one Large Lemon or Lime
1 Cup Fresh Blueberries

Lemon zest and powdered sugar for garnish (optional)

Oven to 375′ degrees

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a cookie cutter or top of a mason jar, gently cut out circles of rolled out puff pastry and put them on the parchment. My cutter was about 2” diameter.
3. With a knife, make a 1/4” thick circle border inside each tart cut out. Brush the outer edge with the beaten egg and sprinkle each with a bit of sugar (1 Tbsp. between all of them). Bake on middle rack until golden and puffed, about 11+/- minutes.
4. In the meantime,mix the cream cheese, lemon zest, 2 Tbsp. of the lemon juice, and 2 tbsp. honey until fully mixed and a bit fluffy. Put it in the fridge.
5. Remove the tarts, rescore the circle and press down gently on the middle part to flatten. Allow them to cool about 5 minutes.
6. Dollop about 1 Tbsp. of the creamy mixture in the middle of each tart. Put the blueberries in a bowl. Warm the remaining 1 Tbsp. honey in the microwave for 15 seconds to loosen it, pour over the berries along with the last 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice and toss to coat. Pile a hefty spoonful of berries on top of the creamy mixture. Serve at room temperature.

Wisconsin Cookin'

I visited James in Wisconsin. We made a lot of food. We ate a lot of food. I felt super gluttonous, and  probably gained 5 pounds, but it was great.

Watermelon, Heirloom Tomato, Feta, Basil Salad

Sauteed Shrimp with Polenta and Manchego Sauce

(recipe from Whole Foods)

Summer Vegetable Quiche

(recipe adapted from Martha Stewart)

Strawberry, Fig, Raspberry, Blueberry, Mint Salad

Lobster. 

Eating at Milk and Honey Cafe in Chicago

Gluten Free Blueberry Pankcakes

(recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen)