Hello Blogesphere!

Can I just be the SECOND to say how exciting is it that Pink Mixers now has TWO authors!?!

I am so excited to be contributing to Pink Mixers and I am REALLY excited to start cooking! Julia is on of my best friends in the whole world and I while I am no blogger, I have a passion for cooking that I hope you will all be able to see!

So a little bit about us!

I met Julia when I was in high school. We took strings class together and became fast friends when we volunteered at camp one summer. We've both been through a lot in the past 5 years (WOW 5 YEARS!) but one thing has always been consistent, the amazing friend I have in Julia!

We discovered our shared passion for cooking one now infamous New Years Day, when there was nothing but an Iron Chef marathon! I think we sat in front of the television for 6 hours straight watching Bobby Flay BBQ, Mario Batalli make exquisite pasta, and Kat Cora make the most delectable looking southwestern food you've ever seen! We decided to cook! We made grilled chicken served on a bed of caramelized onions, brown rice, fresh cranberries and white wine. I can still taste it! Ever since then we have been inseparable, cooking up a storm, calling each other for ideas, and baking whenever we get the chance!

I cook and bake for every meal! Recently I found out I have a developing insulin resistance, (PCOS) which means that I have to be really careful about what I eat. No refined sugar, limited carbs, the carbs that I do eat have to be complex, low starches, so basically lots of veggies and protein! So you can look forward to a lot of stir fry recipes! Unlike Julia, I am not a vegeterian. Don't get me wrong, I love animals, but I also love steak, and flame broiled hamburgers, and roasted chicken, and ham and cheese sandwiches. So while Justin was bring sexy back, I'm bring meat back (to this blog anyways!).

And don't worry, just because I can't eat too much refined sugar, doesn't mean I don't use it! I have various friends that I'm trying to fatten up (muhaha!) so I am constantly baking muffins and scones and brownies and cookies. You should also know that I drink coffee like you wouldn't believe, and I have a weird passion for good foam on a double tall, lactose free, latte. So look forward to a lot of coffee education in your future!

I'm not much of a photographer, but I will try to capture the beauty of food on film! I am so excited to post and I am looking forward to hearing your feedback about my recipes!

As they say on Iron Chef,

ALLEEEEEEEEE CUISINE!

-Leah

It's a Ju-Leah Thing.

I would just like to be the first to say, how exciting is it that Pink Mixers has TWO authors!?

Julia and Leah

'Ju-Leah'

In my mind, food is about friendship. Sharing with others, and spending time together while laughing and engaging in general tomfoolery in the kitchen. Thats me and Leah to a tee, and we are coming to you live from two different cities, two different kitchens, and with two different tastes.

It takes a lot not to bump shoulders in the kitchen. But (hehe), not here! It's a Ju-Leah thing.

Sam AKA Mole

I want to introduce you to some of the people that I mention so very often throughout my blog. They are oh, so, important to me. And they make for fabulous food buddies!

Meet Sam:

My dear Samantha- affectionately known to a few special individuals as 'Mole.'

Why?

Well that is a terribly long story. I'll just say that it involves 3 best friends, the 30 hour famine, a nursery, and an incriminating photo.

This isn't it.


But it's pretty funny anyways! (Sorry Sam).

I met sam back in elementary school for a brief period of time, but it wasn't until high school that we really started to get to know eachother. We had one of those instant friendships; the kind that come so naturally, you feel like you have known eachother your entire life.

We make up two members of the three musketeers along with lovely Alesha, and spent every free moment together. Sam's family of 4 took the three of us in and provided us with a home and second family, many breakfasts, lunches, afternoon snacks, and dinners, a place to spend my hours away from home, and laughs that were never ending.

Sam has a brilliant sense of humor that really helped me become who I am today. She finds something funny in everything and it is that quality that makes her so endearing. I would not be who I am today without her friendship, and I can't see myself without her.

Thanks for being my best friend through thick and thin, Sam. You da best.

Sauteed Potato Hash-Browns

Hash-Browns

I luuuv hash-browns.

Hash-browns with eggs and ketchup.

Hash-browns at the diner with lunch and fresh fruit.

Hash-browns for dinner.

Hash-browns the morning after meat and potatoes.

Hash-browns with maple syrup. Seriously, but just a dab.

Ingredients:

chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, herbs de Provence, and any other savory seasoning you like, (No over kill, please.) butter, and olive oil.

Directions:

1. Cook potatoes until just underdone and let sit in the fridge to cool and firm up. This is what makes day old cooked potatoes the perfect leftover.

2. Melt a dab of butter and a Tbsp of oil in the frying pan, and then gently place potatoes into the pan. (Careful, don't splatter!)

3. Add seasonings and toss the potatoes in the pan until fully coated. Cook until brown, hot and there are some nice pan marks. (Grill marks, but from a pan.)

Bed & Breakfast: Orange French Toast

The Peach Grove Bed & Breakfast: one of the prettiest places I have ever stayed. Let me attempt to set the scene for you.

I was 12 years old, and my parents, sister, and my Uncle George all took a road trip to New York, tracking down the ol' family homestead. You see, my Uncle George loves himself some genealogy. And we, as a family, are indebted to him for much of the information we have in our noggins and published. Yes, that's right, we have a family book. I'm not in it because it was published before I was born, but anyways, almost the whole family is in it.

Our family lineage begins in the New York State area where we stayed for a few days before heading to the Big Apple!

I had never stayed in a B&B before so my parents thought it would be a nice addition to our trip. And let me tell you, it was stunning. An old Victorian home, black shutters, a large porch at the front of the house--very Notebook-esque.

Here is the photo I got off of their website:

See?

The home was full of old antiques, a baby grand piano, and had a lovely sun room off the back where we had our tea and breakfast.

Breakfast was an option of (I think) eggs or orange french toast. Orange french toast sounded interesting so we went for the second option. Today I present to you, my version of this breakfast from the B&B tucked away in Warwick, New York. If my taste bud recollection serves me correctly, this version is pretty darn close.

Ingredients:

(Makes 3 pieces of french toast)

3 pieces of 12 grain bread (or you can use texas toast if you wish)

2 eggs

1 Tbsp. real vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. orange juice concentrate

cinnamon

Directions:

1. Mix eggs in a large bowl and combine vanilla and orange juice concentrate. Stir until the concentrate has melted.

2. Dip both sides of the bread into the egg mixture and place in a pan over medium heat. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon.

3. Cook both sides until the bread is slightly toasted and no longer soggy (about 2 minutes on the first side and 1 on the other.)

4. Serve with yogurt, fresh fruit, and maple syrup.

It's Photo Time.

This morning I got the best belated birthday present: my new lens!

It arrived on Friday via UPS but the housing office at my school (which receives our packages) didn't call me, so I got a nice surprise this weekend when the online status of my lens read: Delivered.

Sa-weeeet! (Only took a month.)

Meet new pal, Mr. 35mm:

It is a Nikon 35mm f/1.8 (a fantastic prime lens.) It doesn't have any zoom on it, which I will have to get used to, but it does great produce awesome bokeah. (Photographer term, no big deal.)

Like this:

See how only part of the image is in focus, and there is blurriness everywhere else? Thats bokeah. It is a really visually appealing technique and it is used a lot when photographing weddings and...(drumroll) FOOD!

My specialty!

Look foreword to good quality photos (consistently) from now on:)

P.S. This isn't a plug, but if you are interested in getting into photography (or you already are), this is a great lens to look into!

First you will need a camera (of course), and I recommend the Nikon D40. It is the cheapest and simplest camera for those who want great pictures, but don't want all the bells and whistles. It is really a superb camera despite being the entry level Nikon digital SLR.

Now second to getting a great camera, you need some lenses. (Or in my case, just one lens for now, thank you.) And to get this look...

...you need to have a nice prime lens that has a f-stop of at least 2. (This one is f/1.8)

Am I confusing you yet?

Other lenses offered by Nikon and Canon (like the very popular 50mm f/1.4) are GREAT, but will not auto focus on my D40 camera. (Annoying. I know.) That is why this is such a great lens. It is like specially designed for the D40, 60, and I think 90. (Not sure about that one.)

Plus...a nice price tag.

So if you are looking into getting serious with your photography, I would recommend the Nikon D40, and one of these lenses in your collection.