{style + treats}

Stars & Stripes.

June 17, 2013 · By kelsey brown · Leave a Comment

Good morning lovelies,

Let’s start things off by recapping my weekend. I watched OZ: The Great and Powerful on Friday, and am giving it mixed reviews. There were several aspects I thought were wonderful including the graphics, costumes, and general plotline, and some that were not so fabulous, primarily the acting. I don’t know why, but for some reason I could not get into the characters. Overall, I’m no movie critic and still enjoyed the prequel, but it will never top Wicked on Broadway.

Saturday night we went out for an early birthday dinner at One Midtown Kitchen in Atlanta. The food and service were both fantastic, and they had bottomless wine. Need I say more? It was a fun night with good food and great friends.

Moving along…

Lately {style + treats} has consisted mainly of food posts, so I’m back today to share some awesome fashion and décor just in time for the 4^th of July! I’ve covered everything from handbags and shoes to piñatas and pretty dresses. All you need to do is prepare some appetizers and mix up the cocktails.

1. DVF Dress 2. J.Crew Sandals 3. T-Bags Los Angeles Dress 4. Dolce Vita Dress 5. Star Piñata 6. Parker Dress 7. Kate Spade Clutch 8. J.Crew Sandals 9. Rebecca Taylor Dress 10. Alice + Olivia Shorts 11. J.Crew Shorts 12. Robert Rodriguez Skirt 13. Dolce Vita Dress 14. Rebecca Minkoff Bag 15. Botkier Bag 16. Free People Dress 17. Chan Luu Bracelet 18. Yumi Kim Dress 19. Patriotic Pinwheel Toothpicks 20. Red White and Blue Lanterns 21. Sparkling Wine Glass

Do you have any fun 4^th of July traditions? Over the years I’ve done a bit of everything. When I was a kid, we would start the day with an early morning kid’s triathlon that my parents helped run for a few years. After the race, my family headed back to the neighborhood pool for a day of fun. There was a wide range of activities including a golf cart decorating contest, t-shirt tie-dying stations, relay races, a jumping castle, a DJ, and a giant cookout. It was any kid’s wonderland!

Later in my teenage years, my family rented a lake house for the 4^th, and we’d spend the weekend on water. We stayed at the lake house with my friend’s families, and would tube, ski, and find rope swings all day long. Over the past few years, I’ve gone down to the beach to visit my parents and relax in sun. Even though my 4^th of July plans change almost every year now, I know they will always include sparklers and cheap fireworks.

I hope you have an exciting 4^th of July this year and get to spend it with the people you love!

Happy America,

XO {s+t}

Filed Under: style: must-haves. ·

Comet Rice, a childhood favorite.

June 14, 2013 · By kelsey brown · Leave a Comment

It’s FRIDAY! Just so you know, I do feel the need to remind you which day of the week it is every time I post. So today, it’s FRIDAY-yay!

I have friends coming in town, a birthday dinner to attend (with bottomless wine, I might add), and some job offer celebrating to do! This weekend is going to be fabulous and full of fun, so I can’t wait for it to begin.

Today’s recipe post is an old childhood favorite that my family lovingly calls Comet rice. Its name probably doesn’t sound too familiar to you since it’s not widely used, but Comet rice is basically savory milk rice

This recipe originated from my grandma, Mima, who cooked this rice for my sister and I every time we spent the night at her house as kids. It was like Christmas waking up to this flavorful, buttery rice that we had dreamt about all night in our sleep. It was a tradition and a treat that I will always remember.

The “Comet” portion of the name comes from a brand of rice in North Carolina. My grandma (mom’s mom) grew up in North Carolina and she used Comet rice in her original recipe. Side note: I had to substitute for a different brand of long-grain white rice that we had at our local grocery store.

I’m sharing her original recipe, no substitutions and no additions. Mima always said, “we only have one life to live, we might as well enjoy it while we can!” She was never too fond of all the low-fat products my sister and I consumed as teenagers. We used to substitute evaporated milk for skim milk, or butter for fat-free spray butter. Now, I thank her for her love of traditional cooking and for her outlook on life. Life is too short to not eat good food!

Get:

½ tsp. salt
1 can evaporated milk (PET brand)
1 cup white long grain rice
3 tbsp. butter
Water

Do:

Grab a large pot and bring 2 cups of water and 1 cup of rice to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the water and allow the rice cook until the water has mostly evaporated. Cook on medium low – medium (on a scale of 1-10, cook on a 3-5).
Once the water has evaporated into the rice and it’s looking somewhat dry in your pot, start adding the evaporated milk. Tip: I add the milk in thirds, because that’s what Mima did. Wait until the rice has absorbed the first third of milk before adding more. I only use about 2/3 of the can.
After the evaporated milk is almost fully absorbed, add the last tbsp. of butter and another ½ cup of water. Cook on low until the rice is soft.
Serve and enjoy!

The entire process will take anywhere from 45-55 minutes. The lower the temp, the slower the cooking, the more flavor the milk rice will develop, so don’t rush it. Mima always said, “The slower it cooks, the better it tastes.” Also avoid over-stirring. This rice is creamy and hearty, but will get mushy and too soft if you stir too frequently. Comet rice is thick and buttery, with a slightly salty-sweet undertone from the evaporated milk. Pairs well with biscuits, bacon, and a side of eggs!

I hope you enjoy this childhood favorite and share it with your family as I have with mine. To this day, we continue to make Comet rice every year on Christmas morning. Although I don’t eat Comet rice often, each time I do, I remember many happy childhood memories.

Do you have a favorite Christmas morning or breakfast recipe from your childhood?

Happy Weekend,

XO {s+t}

Filed Under: Breakfast · Tagged: breakfast food, Butter, comet rice, easy recipe, evaporated milk, milk, milk rice, rice, salt

Plum Crumble, the Perfect Summertime Dessert.

June 13, 2013 · By kelsey brown · Leave a Comment

Hello there,

It has been a day or two since we last saw one another. In our last chat, I let you know I began a new job this past Monday, and that I’d be posting less moving forward.

Well, here’s the good news. I found a new job, that is full-time and I start in a few weeks. Woo-hoo! Posting will continue as usual until I begin my new position. Yes- to clarify, I worked 3 days as an intern at one company and then accepted a full-time offer from a different company yesterday, as it was a better career option. To say this week has been crazy is an understatement.

I know it’s going to be difficult blogging and working full-time in the following months, but I hope to continue developing, cooking, writing, and sharing my favorite recipes with you all. I cannot guarantee an exact post frequency per week, but this has been a lot of fun and I don’t want to give it up just yet!

Now, for the reason you’re really here- the Plum Crumble.

I was browsing my favorite food & fitness blogs a few weeks ago, and found a healthy berry crumble that I knew I’d love to recreate. I adore juicy, ripe peaches in the summer and initially wanted to make a peach crumble. However, Trader Joe’s had a sale on plums, so it turned into a plum crumble instead. If you have peaches already, swap the plums for peaches. Also, if you want to use strawberries or blueberries, simply use those! This recipe is versatile and easy to alter should you prefer a different fruit.

Here is the site I used to create my plum crumble.

I followed her instructions, with a few exceptions, and obviously swapped the berries for plums!

I also baked mine at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, instead of 350 for 35 minutes. The oven temperature and cook time are flexible, because there are no raw eggs in the recipe.

Get:

½ cup old-fashion oats
½ cup flour or coconut flour
3 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. butter (cold, cut into small chunks)
¼ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. vanilla
1 pinch of salt
2 plums (OR, 1.5 cups frozen berries, 2 peaches, etc.)
1 tsp. sugar (OR, use stevia or other sugar substitute)
Juice of ½ lemon and ½ tsp. of lemon zest

Do:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and spray the mason jars or baking dishes w/ non-stick spray. You may use any cooking vessel you prefer, however, I used mason jars because she did and they are cute!
In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Use a fork to mash the cold butter into your dry ingredients. There should be small pea-sized bits of butter spread throughout the mix.
In a separate small bowl, combine chopped plums (or berries), sugar (stevia), lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir and set aside.
To make, simply lay alternating layers of plums and crumble in your jar. Start with the plums, and then top with the crumble. Continue until you reach the top of the jar and be sure to end with a layer of crumble. Repeat as needed for each jar.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. The top should be slightly browned and oozing juicy plum goodness.
I served mine with a scoop of creamy Greek yogurt ice cream, but you may omit if you like. Also, you can use any vanilla ice cream you keep at home, I just happened to have Greek yogurt ice cream.
Scoop, serve, and enjoy!

*Note: There will be leftover crumble from this recipe, as it makes a larger quantity than needed. Save the remaining crumble in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for another use. You may also wish to make a 3^rd jar of plum or berry crumble with the remaining mix.

If you need to save the finished plum crumble for dinner the next night, top with your mason jar lid and store in the refrigerator. I don’t suggest saving it for long, as it will lose some of the crispy deliciousness from baking in the oven, but if you must: save away.

The Fitnessista had it right, and her crumble recipe is on point. Honestly, I’m usually not a fan of fruity desserts, with apple pie being the only exception. In my mind, a dessert can only fall under one of two categories: healthy and disgusting or calorie-loaded and delicious. I know there are a few cases when this is not true, but this plum crumble changed my outlook on healthy desserts. Plus, I can feel less guilty and gasp- healthy when eating this!

Do you have a favorite fruit-filled dessert? Do you love blueberry or peach cobbler?

Have a great afternoon and I’ll see you back here soon!

Happy Summer Sweets,

XO {s+t}