Kitchen Road Trip: Arkansas

<photo>

This week, we’re taking Kitchen Road Trip to Arkansas. My only memory of Arkansas is stopping there, briefly, during a road trip. Someone in my family figured out there was a town named Brinkley (my last name!) along the highway and we decided spontaneously to stop there. It was at night, so we only stayed long enough to eat a quick dinner, take a picture in front of a sign with our name on it and get stopped by quite possibly the longest, slowest train in the world. Though I didn’t get to explore any of Little Rock, Fayetteville or the back country, it still counts as a state visit by my standards. Although, I’d like to go back and have some of the culinary experiences that Arkansas is known for — watermelon, barbecue, cornbread, purple milkshakes… Well, I’m not so sure about that last one, but my friend Emmie tells me it’s true. Many thanks for your help on this one, Em! // Susannah

See the full list after the jump…

Kitchen Road Trip: Arizona

This week’s Kitchen Road Trip brings us to Arizona. Ah, the Southwest. It’s home to one of my favorite things: Mexican-American food. It is also home to one of my least favorite things: heat. (Yes, I know it’s a “dry heat,” but really I have no concept of what that is, but I sure could take a little right now!) I drove through Arizona on a road trip, and we stopped at the Grand Canyon, but I haven’t spent any time exploring anything else. However, I am so inspired by all the bright colors and patterns I came across while researching this list. I also stumbled across a number of shops and restaurants to which I want to go, and I’m in luck because I owe my aunt a visit to see her in Phoenix! Plus, I’m dying to go back to the Grand Canyon, and I’d love to check out Sedona, too (pictured above). Hope this list warms  you up a little bit… //susannah

Kitchen Road Trip: Alaska

This week’s Kitchen Road Trip takes us to the Last Frontier — Alaska. When I was in college, I went on two Spring Break service-learning trips with a team of other students from my university. We spent the week exploring glaciers, hiking in the forest, going crabbing, watching for wildlife and learning about life in Alaska, but the best part was tutoring kids in a small Native American fishing village. These trips opened my eyes to a lot of issues in education and the environment, and I’ll never forget how beautiful it is there. Ever since I left, I’ve been wishing I could go back, so I was really excited to work on this week’s post. With these posts, I try to find as many items as I can that are local to the state I’m covering, but in Alaska’s case this proved more difficult (perhaps because of its location, weather or smaller population) so I opted for a few more items inspired by the state this time. Alaska is very near and dear to my heart, so I hope you enjoy these finds as much as I do! (I’m so obsessed with those plates, by the way…) // susannah

See the list after the jump…

Spiked Iced Coffee with Bailey’s

I’m a coffee person. In the mornings, I like hot coffee, but in the afternoon, I like to go for something a bit cooler. Whenever I go to a coffee shop, I am usually that freak that orders an iced coffee whether it’s January or July. Buying coffee out can definitely get expensive, so I’ve come to love cold brewed coffee that I can enjoy at home, sans judgement from the baristas. Cold brewed coffee is just what it sounds like — coffee that’s brewed at room temperature for 15 to 24 hours. Because the coffee concentrate is so strong, you must dilute it with milk or water, and it makes an excellent iced coffee.

I loved drinking Slingshot Coffee Company’s coffee concentrate when I lived in Raleigh, but you can also make it yourself. It makes a ton, so it’s really nice if you’re making coffee for a crowd. Anyway, earlier this week, I went to Trader Joe’s and I was so happy to discover that they sell a store-brand version. I was so inspired, I decided to spike my beloved iced coffee with a little Bailey’s for this week’s Friday Night Delight. I want to drink this forever. Happy weekend! // susannah

See the recipe after the jump…

The Biscuit Report // No. 2

TGIF, y’all! It’s been a good week for me. I had a few client meetings and I’ve been working on some fun projects, too. On Wednesday I got to reunite with my mom, who’s been in Atlanta for a week. I baked a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting for her, but it royally flopped (though it still tasted fantastic). I’ll just have to try that again, I guess! I’ve also been designing a new, better look for this blog, too, and I hope to unveil it soon! I’m also finishing editing some of my photos from D.C. which will finally be ready for me to share sometime next week. In the meantime, here’s a few of the things I loved this week. // susannah

Great Reads

A guy’s $500 Detroit home // Buzzfeed

52 places to go in 2014 (I’ve been to five!) // The New York Times

Recipes to try

Four and Twenty Blackbirds’ Green Chili Chocolate Pie // Serious Eats

Mango Habanero Chicken Chili // Cheap Recipe Blog

Delicious design

The most amazing egg carton maybe ever // Fast Co. Design

Warby Parker’s annual report does it again // Warby Parker

Various and sundry

Light is a drug, so sleep in pure darkness // io9

Tunes for the weekend

http://rd.io/x/QRa-3SJqJXE/

Photo // Gil Rodrigues

Crustless Three Cheese and Spinach Pie

It’s so nice to be home and back in the kitchen after two weeks in D.C. Last night I whipped up this easy spinach pie for dinner. My wise cousin Margie told me recently to “cook with intuition,” which, to me, means that if you feel like a recipe calls for too much or too little of something, don’t be afraid to modify it and make it your own. I almost never follow a recipe exactly, and that’s how I ended up with my version of Skinnytaste’s Easy Crustless Spinach and Feta Pie. It made for a great, light dinner. Enjoy! // susannah

See the recipe after the jump…

Kitchen Road Trip: Alabama

In my family, we’re racing to see who will be the first to visit all 50 states, but there’s some argument (mainly from me) about what “counts” as a visit. For example, in my opinion, an airport layover doesn’t count. Driving through without stopping doesn’t count. Going there as a baby doesn’t count. I suppose any of those could get half-credit if you’re using this interactive map, not my rules, to track your progress. But to me, making a memory is what really matters. If you do something memorable that connects you to the state — such as a meal or a photo-op — then you get the full point.

With today’s Kitchen Road Trip, I’m taking you to the great state of Alabama. Even though I have “passed through” on road trips at least twice, none of them “count” by my rules. Much of my knowledge of Alabama, sadly, comes from history class, books and movies. ‘To Kill A Mockingbird,’ ‘Forrest Gump’ and ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ spring to mind. Also, a pair of my friends once schooled me on the difference between the War Eagle and the Crimson Tide, but that’s really about it. However, everything I read about the Cotton State to prepare this post just made me excited about visiting someday. Alabamans sound like an incredibly charming bunch who live for a good bowl of grits and college football, and I can’t wait to meet them! In addition to the finds below, I also came across these recipes for white barbecue sauce and black bottom pie that I absolutely must try… // susannah

See the list after the jump…

Friday Night Delights // No. 2

When I was stocking up at the grocery store for the snow last week, I picked up a couple of gorgeous pomegranates to snack on. These fruits, to me, are one of the most extraordinary. When you cut one open, the fruit reveals the most exquisite array of sparkling ruby-red seeds. It’s like opening a sack of gems. Mother Nature is so good to us, eh? If you don’t know what I’m talking about, get your paws on a pomegranate and do your own science experiment. I promise the result is delightful!

This weekend I’ll be headed down south to the land of the pines. Tonight is my last night in D.C., and I’m not sure yet what I’ll get into. I’ve had an awesome time catching up with old friends and making new ones, as well as freelancing from a new office for a change, which included lots of hanging out with my brother’s cats. (I’ll share some pictures from my trip next week.) But after two weeks of being away, it will be nice to be home again and really get going with whatever 2014 has in store for me… Anyway, hope you have a great weekend! // susannah

See the recipe after the jump…

The Biscuit Report // No. 1

At the beginning of every new year, just like everyone else, I make a list of resolutions. And year after year, one item is usually the same for me. “Read more,” my list tells me, and I try earnestly for a while before I lose steam. Then, when the next year rolls around and it’s time to make another list, I’m always ashamed at the books sitting on my shelves, still unread, still collecting dust.

However, I do spend a lot of time reading. Perhaps not always books, but I do consume a lots of online content when I take breaks from working. My RSS reader, Feedly, is always at the ready with new material for me, and my Pocket is usually overflowing with articles I’ve saved to read later. Evernote is where I save recipes I want to try, along with miscellaneous bookmarks. I also installed a browser widget called Scoopinion that tracks — to the minute — how much time I spend reading online. Since installing it a year ago, it has recorded that I spent two days and one hour reading 2,563 stories. (I don’t think it counts blogs, though, so maybe I should add another day or two?) Two full days of reading a year might be impressive, but I’ll be honest: I’m embarrassed by the sources of some of the content I consume.

So, this year, I’m going to one-up that resolution. I’m going to challenge myself to read better, not necessarily more. Quality over quantity. I’d like to read fewer of the alluring yet shallow lists on Buzzfeed and Thought Catalog, and instead focus on reading things in which I find value, things from which I can learn, things I’m proud to have spent time reading. Articles, books, blogs. Comics, poetry, recipes I want to try. From time to time, I might instead watch a video, explore a unique new website or listen to a new album. Anything I can get my hands on, really. I want to absorb all the great, intelligent content that will grace the earth this year.

And I’m going to share the best of those things here, with you, every week or as often as I can. I’m calling it The Biscuit Report. (Biscuit was my nickname in high school. More on that some other time…) The links I share may not be related to food, travel or design — the core focus of this blog — but I prefer it that way. Kickstarter has been doing something like this for a few months with their Happening newsletter, and I’ve really enjoyed their fresh perspective on what to read. I won’t pretend I know everything that happened on the Internet, but these will be a few of my recent favorites. As always, if you have suggestions for me, please send them my way. Happy reading! // Susannah

See the list after the jump…

Fluffy Golden Waffles

Who wants breakfast for dinner? Me! Me! Me! Because you can have the best meal of the day twice! Well, I guess it’s second only to brunch. Sadly, I have dinner plans tonight, and since I’m away from home, I have limited resources here, so I’m reposting a recipe from my old, failed cooking blog.

I made these waffles during a huge snowstorm last winter, and they’ve been a weekend morning favorite of mine ever since. All this cold weather we’re having reminds me of that day and the wealth of comfort and warmth a good breakfast can bring, so I’m glad I can share it again. // Susannah

See the recipe after the jump…