Mojitos with Homemade Simple Syrup

5.2.13

Sometimes I feel a little weird ordering a mojito when we’re out and about. I dunno, maybe they seem kind of cliché to me, or they got really trendy and I feel a bit cheesy asking a bartender to make me one. But making them at home for ourselves is a whole different story! I know. There is no rhyme or reason to my theories, but I do know that if you hand Mr. Lovely some mint and a muddler he makes magic. So here’s his recipe.

mint
limes
sugar
water
clear rum
seltzer
cocktail shaker
muddler
ice

First, make your simple syrup. Use a sugar-water ratio of 2:1. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. As soon as the water starts to boil, turn off the heat and add the sugar. Stir until fully dissolved. Let cool in the pan, transfer to a sealed container, and store in the refrigerator.

Now on to the good stuff! In a shaker, muddle a few sprigs of mint and half a lime, sliced.

Once muddled, pour one part simple syrup and two parts rum into the shaker. Add ice and shake.

Pour into your glass and top with seltzer. Stir gently. Garnish with an extra sprig of mint and serve! xoxo

Eat Out // fōnuts

5.1.13

Sometimes you just really want a donut. And sometimes you want that donut to have bacon on it. Enter fōnuts. Like, faux donuts. Because the deal at fōnuts is that nothing they serve is ever fried — it’s all either steamed or baked. So naturally, Mr. Lovely and I had to go and check this place out to see how good a steamed donut can be.

We popped by on a lazy Saturday morning and found a seat in the sunshine. While we were trying to decide on our order the kind folks behind the counter let us try a mini version of the Strawberry Buttermilk, which tasted like the best strawberry milkshake I’d ever had. After much deliberation, we decided to sample a few and got a half dozen: Rosemary Olive Oil, Maple Bacon, Chorizo Cheddar, Blueberry Earl Gray, Lemon, and a good old Glazed with Sprinkles.

We just wanted a couple bites of each, so we got down to business. Weirdly, I think my fave was the Chorizo Cheddar! It was like a breakfast sandwich — savory and filling. Mr. Lovely was loving the Maple Bacon. Each one kind of had its own vibe — the Rosemary was like bread before a meal, the glazed was cakey, the blueberry made you feel like you were 8 years old again and you needed a glass of milk. Truth be told, I can’t vouch for the lemon; that was Mr. Lovely’s choice through and through. I don’t really do lemon pastry. Blech.

But long story short, it was all delicious and it’s a quick, easy stop for sharing a sweet! Grab a couple of coffees and split a fōnut or two. You won’t be sorry. xoxo

Food // Cucumber Lemon Mint Water

4.22.13

Okay, so it’s not food per se, but it’s on the top of my list of refreshing treats lately, so I thought I’d share my most recent obsession with you: cucumber-lemon-mint water! It’s a mouthful, I know (no pun intented). But seriously, this stuff is a constant in my fridge these days and I think it’s only going to get better when summer rolls around. It’s so refreshing I just want to give it to everyone! And I won’t lie, it feels kind of glamorous to drink. It’s like accessorizing your beverage. But I digress.

It’s beyond simple, so here’s what you’ll need:

1/2 cucumber
1/2 lemon
handful of fresh mint
pitcher
water

Slice the cucumber and quarter the lemon. Remove long stems from the mint. Toss all of it into the pitcher; I like to give the lemon a squeeze and roll the mint in my hands a bit before tossing them in so the flavors are really happenin’. Fill the pitcher with water and refrigerate.

Pour yourself a long, tall glass and enjoy! xoxo

Out & About // Joan’s on Third

3.21.13

If you’re in LA, have you been to Joan’s on Third? A new pal from the show we’re doing (by the way, come see our show!) works there and has been telling us forever that we needed to try the place out. So we went the other day, and sure enough — it’s my new favorite place. It’s clean and white and beautiful, and stuffed full of delicious things everywhere you turn. And apparently, it’s totally a must-do in LA (we struck up a conversation with the women sitting next to us, who said, “Oh, it’s an institution!” Haha!). That, and it totally feels like Eataly or Dean & Deluca, a couple of my favorite spots in NYC.

We pretty much let our buddy order for us, since he knows the ropes. For me, he recommended the butternut squash soup and grilled cheese — they do a half soup/half sandwich lunch plate if you ask for it! Mr. Lovely got the fried chicken sandwich with a side of brussels sprouts. And there was not one thing that wasn’t delicious. Even while we were walking out, completely full, we kept spying things that we wanted to come back and try.

Long story short, go give it a try! Or if you’ve been there, what’s your fave? I need recommendations for our next trip! xoxo

DIY St. Patty’s Cups with Airheads

3.1.13

Kiss me, I’m Irish! Actually I’m not Irish whatsoever, so instead of kissing me, just pass me a little cup that’s made out of candy and filled with whiskey. Yeah. That sounds about right.

I’m so stoked to be partnering with Airheads for this cute (and tasty) little holiday celebration! When they asked me to use Airheads to make something that people might use at a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, I was so excited to try these little cups out. And if booze isn’t involved in your festivities, you can fill them with punch, food, candy, or any other thing you can think of. And the best part? When you’re finished, you can eat ‘em. Gather your materials:

Airheads candy in green and white
rolling pin
microwave
freezer paper
printer
pen
kitchen scissors or knife

Before we get started, a word to the wise: If you’re making the smaller cups, they’re best used as shot glasses or for holding small candy. The larger cups are better for snacks. In addition, if you’re filling the cups with liquids, it’s best to drink them quickly, as they’re not made to hold liquid for extended periods of time (the liquid will dissolve the Airheads). They will, however, hold up for hours with dry foods!

Start by microwaving your airheads to get them to soften. I found that about 15 seconds was right for me — be sure to do a test first. Place the microwaved Airheads between two pieces of freezer paper, with the shiny side touching the candy. Roll them until they’re flat and smooth but not too thin.

Next, print out this template and decide which size of cup you’d like to make. Trace it onto the freezer paper. The large rectangle goes with the large circle; similarly, the small rectangle goes with the small circle. For the large cup you’ll need three Airheads, and for the small you’ll need one. Cut the shapes out of your freezer paper, place them on top of your rolled-out Airheads, and cut around them with your scissors or knife. (Be sure not to try this step with plain paper — it’ll stick to the Airheads and get messy.)

Make some tiny shamrocks by grouping four tiny rolled balls of Airheads with a roll for a stem. Flatten slightly by putting this formation between some freezer paper and applying a bit of pressure.

Place a shamrock on center of the circle, which will serve as the bottom of your cup. Roll the long piece into a cup shape, overlapping the ends slightly. Pinch the overlap together firmly to ensure that the cup is watertight.

Put the two pieces together. Pinch the seam at the bottom, again to make sure the cup is watertight. Double check that all seams are secure to avoid leaking if you’ll be filling them with liquid. Mold the cup into your desired shape.

These are best served fresh, so fill ‘em up and set ‘em out! If you’re using them as shot glasses, be sure to pour and then drink up quickly. (And don’t forget to take a bite afterward.) Cheers, and be sure to check out Airheads on Facebook for more fun. xoxo

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Airheads. All content, ideas, and opinions are my own. Thank you for being supportive of the sponsors who continue to keep Lovely Indeed up and running!

Make & Give // DIY Vanilla Bean Simple Syrup

12.20.12

We’re coming down to the gifting wire, and if you’re still looking for something to give, today’s DIY is beyond simple (and it seems so fancy!). So if there’s someone on your list who loves coffee or tea, this might just be up your alley. Today we’re doing a vanilla bean simple syrup! Grab your materials:

2 cups water
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean (optional)
container to give it in

Combine sugar and water in a pot over high heat. As it’s heating, split your vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out the insides. Put both the scrapings and the bean pod in the pot. When all of the sugar is dissolved, lower the heat and let the pot simmer for about 10-15 minutes. When you take the pot off the heat, stir in the vanilla extract (you might want to add an extra dash if you’re not using a vanilla bean).

Let the mixture cool slightly and pour it into a container! This is another project that is so easy to make in large batches, so give it to all the folks on your list — and don’t forget to save one for yourself. Make it and give it! xoxo

diy lucha libre cupcakes

10.25.12

It was Mr. Lovely’s birthday recently, and there was nothing he wanted more in the world than a batch of cupcakes decorated with lucha libre masks. I mean, how can you say no to that?

This DIY is beyond simple. Get a box of Funfetti cake mix and bake it into cupcakes. Buy a tub of frosting, separate it, and dye it a few different colors. Then just get a few flavored Tootsie Rolls or Airheads, roll them flat with a rolling pin and cut them into shapes for the masks. At first I was searching for images of masks online to copy, but after a while I kind of started making up my own. (Hence the one that sort of looks like a Ninja Turtle.)