yesterday, i returned home from a great trip to visit my friends maggie and tanya in chicago and champaign illinois. it was a whirlwind trip, but it was great to reconnect with some of my oldest friends before coming home to hunker down for the holidays. it's funny. in my old career, the holidays were a time to slow down and spend time at home and with family. this year is going to be all about the food.

wes and i have amped up our catering biz by adding ready to eat meals for delivery or pick up to our repertoire, i'm cooking up a thanksgiving spread for a photo shoot tomorrow and the calendar is quickly filling with holiday parties and jobs. and while it is a little daunting now that i'm finally busy, it's exciting. a year of planning and working is finally starting to pay off. and i feel like i have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season. 

so i want to share the joy. and one of the best ways i know how is with this salted caramel. it is the perfect sweet treat to have on hand during the holidays. you can drizzle it over ice cream or mix it in with your cream cheese frosting for an extra decadent cake. or if you are like me, you can just eat it straight off a spoon. your choice. 

salted caramel
serves: 1 cup
prep time: 2 minutes
cook time: 15 minutes
cooling time: 20-30 minutes
total time: 1 hour
ingredients: 1 cup sugar. 4 tablespoons water. 2 tablespoons light corn syrup .5 cup heavy cream. 2 tablespoons butter. .5 teaspoon lemon juice. .5 teaspoon kosher salt. 

start by combining the sugar, water and the corn syrup in a large saucepan and stir it with a wooden spoon over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.
stay patient.

it seams like it taking a really long time, but all of a sudden the liquid will look completely clear. be patient. should take between 7-10 minutes.

when the sugar has dissolved, cover the saucepan and let it cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.
after the 3 minutes, remove the lid and increase the heat to medium-high heat. bring the mixture to a rapid boil.

from this point, do not stir. instead, swirl the liquid around the pan so that the caramel doesn’t burn. 

continue to cook the caramel until it turns into an even amber color. then remove it from the heat and let it stand for 30 seconds.

now, carefully pour the heavy cream into the caramel mixture. it will bubble up fast and is very hot.

gently whisk the mixture. 

add the butter, lemon juice and salt. whisk until combined.

allow the caramel to cool to room temperature. whisk every few minutes until completely cooled and you can move it into a storage container. about 20-30 minutes depending on how cool it is out. you can use immediately or store in the fridge for 2 weeks or the freezer for up to 6 months.

xo, a

salted caramel
serves: 1 cup
prep time: 2 minutes
cook time: 15 minutes
cooling time: 20-30 minutes
total time: 1 hour
ingredients: 1 cup sugar. 4 tablespoons water. 2 tablespoons light corn syrup .5 cup heavy cream. 2 tablespoons butter. .5 teaspoon lemon juice. .5 teaspoon kosher salt.
start by combining the sugar, water and the corn syrup in a large saucepan and stir it with a wooden spoon over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.
stay patient.
it seams like it taking a really long time, but all of a sudden the liquid will look completely clear. be patient. should take between 7-10 minutes.
when the sugar has dissolved, cover the saucepan and let it cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.
after the 3 minutes, remove the lid and increase the heat to medium-high heat. bring the mixture to a rapid boil.
from this point, do not stir. instead, swirl the liquid around the pan so that the caramel doesn’t burn.
continue to cook the caramel until it turns into an even amber color. then remove it from the heat and let it stand for 30 seconds.
now, carefully pour the heavy cream into the caramel mixture. it will bubble up fast and is very hot.
gently whisk the mixture. add the butter, lemon juice and salt.
whisk until combined.
allow the caramel to cool to room temperature. whisk every few minutes until completely cooled and you can move it into a storage container. about 20-30 minutes depending on how cool it is out. you can use immediately or store in the fridge for 2 weeks or the freezer for up to 6 months.

let me begin by saying we are all busy. the older we get, the fuller life seems to be. whether you work crazy hours, stay at home with the kids or are self employed, we could all use some more time in our day. 

in september of last year, i left my extremely demanding job in wholesale fashion. 

for three months, i took a break from normal life and finished planning our wedding. 

halfway through our honeymoon i was itching to get back home and get back to work. it had been almost four months since i "worked" and i was aching to feel productive again.

except, i had to redefine what "working" looked like in my world. 

wes and i have been plotting and dreaming about having our careers and lives rooted in food for the entirety of our relationship. so i've been spending my working time, aka whenever i'm not working at the yoga and spin studio, running around trying to get our food business in motion. no details as of yet, because i really don't have too many to give. but... thing are moving. and we are BUSY. 

yeah yeah. get to the point...

with all that is going on, wes and i busted out one of his old restaurant favorites to have on hand in a pinch. this light and boldly flavored butter is perfect to spread on bread as you run out the door or dollop on fish, chicken or beef while it's cooking to liven up your dinner. 

garlic herb whipped butter
serving size: 1 cup
prep time: 5 min
total time: 10 min + time for butter to soften
2 sticks butter.1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped. 1 tsp fresh basil, chopped. 1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped. 3 garlic cloves, minced. pinch of salt. 

remove your butter from the fridge and allow it to soften but not become mushy. in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a hand blender, whisk the butter until it starts to become fluffy. 3-5 min. 

add in the garlic, herbs and salt. continue to whisk to everything is just combined. 

spoon the butter into a bowl or tupperware type container and refrigerate for up to two weeks using as needed. 

xoxo
a

garlic herb whipped butter
serving size: 1 cup
prep time: 5 min
total time: 10 min + time for butter to soften
2 sticks butter.1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped. 1 tsp fresh basil, chopped. 1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped. 3 garlic cloves, minced. pinch of salt. 

remove your butter from the fridge and allow it to soften but not become mushy. in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a hand blender, whisk the butter until it starts to become fluffy. 3-5 min. add in the garlic, herbs and salt. continue to whisk to everything is just combined. 

spoon the butter into a dish or wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to two weeks using as needed.