Uncategorized Archives • Serendipity by Sara Lynn

Everything Bagel Popcorn

Published on May 18, 2018May 18, 2018 by serendipitybysaralynn4 Comments

Growing up, one of my all-time favorite things to do was spend the night at my grandparent’s house. My grandma and I would sew, take a ride in the golf cart, and have tea parties. My grandpa would buy me ice cream and take me to breakfast after church on Sunday mornings. Whatever sports game he was watching would blare throughout the house, and every time I smell Listerine, I think of my grandpa. He has a green comb that he keeps on a side table next to his recliner. My grandma has a violin hanging on a velvet backdrop across the room. My grandparents have lived in this house my whole life, and it’s still one of my most comforting, happy places.

At these sleepovers, my grandpa would always go to bed super early, and my grandma and I would watch a movie on their old, boxy TV that always had the color off-balance. Each time, my grandma and I would make popcorn before watching My Fair Lady or whatever new cartoon had just come out on VHS. Usually, we would just make the microwavable, bagged kind, but one night when we didn’t have any, my grandma pulled out an old, yellow popcorn popper and some kernels in the back of the pantry. We had hot, buttery, salty popcorn, and it was life-changing. From then on, we only had popcorn from that machine. Eventually, my grandma gave me that popcorn popper, and it’s the one I still use today.

You know the episode of How I Met Your Mother where Ted has a coffee-maker named Shocky that always zaps him when he plugs it in? The Popcorn Pumper is my Shocky. It’s not quite as bad as Ted’s, but it definitely sparks a bit when you plug it in, and all of the pieces fall apart if you just breathe on the machine, so it’s kind of like playing Jenga every time you make popcorn. But it’s my favorite thing in my kitchen, and I will keep it until it just doesn’t go anymore. According to a quick Google search, it was made in 1978, so I think it’s here to stay.

Last night, I ate popcorn for dinner. I came home from work, and there were no groceries in the fridge, and I had eaten my last leftovers for lunch. I had two options: go to the grocery store (not likely) or scrounge up whatever I could. I found an array of veggies, some nutritional yeast, popcorn kernels, and a container of plain Greek yogurt. After eating all the veggies I could manage in order to make me feel like a grown up, I decided I only had one choice: popcorn for dinner. Plus, I had that nutritional yeast, and I have heard time and time again that it goes swell with popcorn and gives it a “cheesy” flavor. And it’s good for you, so healthy cheesy popcorn for dinner is ok?!?! Also, I added everything spice, because when don’t I add everything spice? The savory, cheesy flavor from the nutritional yeast combined with the everything spice actually tasted like a bagel which is all I can really hope for in life. I made a big batch, cuddled up on the couch, and watched movies while the rain drizzled outside. Bell slept next to me, pausing from her naps to take an occasional bite of popcorn. I thought of my sleepovers with my grandma and grandpa. It was perfect.

xo Sara Lynn

*Song of the day: Still Lovely by Banes World

Potato Wedges with Zhoug + Garlic Aioli

Published on April 2, 2018April 1, 2018 by serendipitybysaralynn6 Comments

Let’s play a quick game of Family Feud where we take lots of creative liberties! In this scenario, I am both Steve Harvey and the audience. The topic in question: What does Sara put on top of food when she doesn’t want her meal to be a basic bitch?

If you answers were to put an egg on it, cover it in yogurt, or douse it in ketchup, you would be correct!! And for bonus points: drench it in zhoug sauce. Have you ever tried this stuff? It’s so good I could eat it with a giant soup spoon. Zhoug is a Yemenis hot sauce made out of peppers + herbs usually served with falafel. I used to only eat it on shawarma, but now I use it on everything. Every once in a while, I will make a big batch for the week to marinate chicken, add to a little mayo for sandwiches, or dip veggies in.

For Easter yesterday, we had a big family dinner with ham, scalloped potatoes, marinated asparagus, rolls, and a carrot salad that I can’t wait to post soon! Oh, and the aforementioned traditional strawberry shortcakes 😬 I wore one of my absolute favorite spring dresses and drank Moscow Mules while my little cousin looked for Easter eggies. After, I took Bell on a long walk during sunset and then watched Hitch while destroying my tongue on a bag of Cadbury Mini Eggs that were on sale. It was a perfect day! And now I have a bunch of ham for sammiches, and I’m putting zhoug on those sammiches, don’t try and stop me!!

A few years ago, when SSL was a baby blog, I was really into these recipes touting descriptions such as “low-fat”, “sugar-free”, “healthy”, blah, blah, blah everything that I now hate. Seventeen Magazine and Pinterest had me convinced that these ingredients were healthy for me even though I could actually taste the chemicals in them. Not that I don’t post healthy recipes anymore, but now instead of using a bunch of processed shit (like low-fat Cool Whip ugh), I make recipes that are naturally healthy and wholesome and don’t have ingredients like hydrogenated vegetable oil! Anyways, at one point, I had posted this recipe for “healthy potato chips with low-fat garlic aioli”, and even though that description gives me shivers now, the recipe was actually pretty decent. The greatest offender in the ingredient list was low-fat mayo which…I don’t know I guess could be worse?? And, the picture was taken with probably an iPhone 4 and was blurry. I’ve come a long way since then, but the other day, I accidentally came across the recipe and decided to recreate it! This time, I decided to make the potatoes wedges, because there’s more surface area for crispiness, and I added the zhoug sauce, because potatoes need it. Also, I’ve included some ~hip~ new tips to make those potatoes super crispy without deep frying, so this is perfectly healthy for a weeknight meal yay!

Potato Wedges with Zhoug + Garlic Aioli
Serves 4

Potato Wedges

2 lb. Yukon gold potatoes
1/4 c. flavorless oil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cut potatoes into 8 wedges. Place potato wedges in a bowl of cold, salted water. Let soak for a couple hours over overnight. This will make the wedges super crispy!

Preheat oven to 400*F. After soaking potatoes, drain and add to a pot of boiling water. Boil for about 6 minutes, or until you can just pierce potatoes with a fork – they should not be mushy. Drain well.

Toss potatoes with oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes. Flip potatoes and cook for another 20-25 minutes until crisp. Serve with aioli and zhoug!

Zhoug Sauce

2 c. cilantro
1 c. parsley
2-5 jalapenos, depending on spice preference*
3 cloves garlic
Zest + juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp. cumin
Pinch sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 c. olive oil

In a food processor, combine cilantro, parsley, jalapenos, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, cumin, sugar, salt, and pepper. Pulse until everything is chopped up. While the processor is running, drizzle in the olive oil until combined. Serve.

*Sometimes I use 2, which doesn’t yield a super spicy sauce. I’d say my favorite is 4. If you’re super sensitive to spice, just use 1. You can take the seeds out if you prefer, but I leave them in!

Garlic Aioli

1/4 c. mayo or plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/3 c. parmesan, shredded
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbs. olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, combine mayo or Greek yogurt, lemon juice, cayenne, parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk in olive oil. Serve.

xo Sara Lynn

*Song of the day: Cutlass Cruiser by TOPS

Blueberry-Almond Skillet Cake + Jord Wooden Watch Giveaway!

Published on March 19, 2018March 18, 2018 by serendipitybysaralynn1 Comment

picnic 1

Reno just finished second winter. It’s like when hobbits eat second breakfast, but in this scenario, Reno is a hobbit and winter is breakfast. Normally, I’m totally pro-snow, but the combination of negative temperatures, daylight savings, and sudden warm weather mixed with a doctor’s recommendation to tone down the caffeine has turned me into an unmotivated Doughboy who only wears baggy sweatpants. But, Sunday was the first official warm day of the year, so to celebrate, I made a cake, packed up my favorite vintage tablecloth, and headed to the arboretum for a brunch/picnic. I wore a sundress and even got a bit pink from the sun! After, I went to my favorite coffeeshop and enjoyed a cappuccino in front of the Truckee. It was ~perfect~.

Picnics have always been the epitome of spring, in my opinion. When I was little, my mom would have picnics for us practically on a weekly basis. (One of the perks of growing up in Vegas – picnic weather is year-round). In some ways, I think it was a way to avoid making a mess in the kitchen at lunch, but I also think it was just her fun way of entertaining me and my little brother. We had these super strange, tiny grass hills in my childhood home — I would probably actually call them lumps — and they were my favorite picnic spot. I have a very specific memory of a lunch that consisted mostly of Goldfish crackers and those rainbow-colored Nilla wafers that tasted like food coloring. Those were the good days before we acknowledged how bad Red 40 is for your insides.

Now, my brunch tastes are slightly more refined and consist only of homemade food that is filled with all kinds of organic, Red 40-free ingredients. It almost makes me feel ok about eating cake for breakfast while the athletes of Reno jog around my picnic blanket. This brunch in particular consisted of my croque madame galettes, lots of fresh coffee, oj, skillet cake, and red fruit salad!

For the skillet cake, I made one of my favorite desserts ever. It’s filled with almonds and blueberries and kind of looks like a giant muffin, which essentially makes it a breakfast food. However, it’s also perfect for a spring BBQ or basically any time you need to use up some berries ASAP. The hardest part of the recipe is flipping it from the skillet to a plate, and even that isn’t really a requirement.

picnic 2

One of my favorite parts of spring is getting to bust out all of my sundresses and fun accessories. By the end of the cold season, I get a little lazy with the whole “getting dressed” aspect of adult life, and I tend to rely exclusively on oversized sweaters. When you spend your days getting splattered with coffee, climbing rocks in Lake Tahoe, and spilling cookie dough all over yourself, high-quality, durable pieces are a must! I’ve been looking into updating my wardrobe with some more staple pieces lately, so it was perfect timing when Jord asked me to be a part of their spring campaign! Jord makes a series of unique mens’ and ladies’ wooden watches, and they’re so beautiful! I’ve actually been wanting to buy a watch for forever, but I was never able to find one that matched my style or looked good on my petite frame. I’m not a super blingy girl, so the organic, simplicity of the wood was perfect for me.

Another bonus was the option to get a personalized, engraved watch. I chose to get some lyrics from “Wildflowers” by Tom Petty engraved on the back of mine. The song has a lot of meaning to me, and having it on the back of my watch is so special.

If you love these wooden watches as much as I do, enter my Jord giveaway for the chance to win $100 off a watch! Even if you don’t win, you still get 10% off just by registering. To enter the contest, click here. The giveaway will be announced on April 1!

P.S. Pretty watches also double as fancy cake timers!

Blueberry-Almond Skillet Cake
Serves 8

Ingredients

10 Tbs. butter, softened and divided
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2/3 c. buttermilk
1 c. sliced almonds
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 c. blueberries

Preheat oven to 350* F. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Butter and flour a 10-inch skillet.

Mix 6 Tbs. with the sugar until creamy. Add eggs one at a time until incorporated, and then mix in extracts.

Mix in half the flour and half the buttermilk, and then repeat with remaining ingredients. Fold in 2/3 c. almonds.

Melt remaining 4 Tbs. butter. Stir in brown sugar, and mix with blueberries. Spread in pan, and sprinkle remaining almonds over the blueberries. Cover with the cake batter. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.

Cool, flip onto a plate, and serve with cream or ice cream.

Xo Sara Lynn

Thanks so much to Jord for sponsoring this post! As always, all thought and opinions are my own. I am wearing the the Cassia series watch in zebra and ivory. Make sure to check out their other products too! Shop Women’s watches. Shop Men’s watches.

Wooden Wrist Watch

Pumpkin + Sage Cake with Brown Sugar Icing

Published on October 31, 2017November 6, 2017 by serendipitybysaralynn3 Comments

While Insta has proven to me that the ~hip~ people of the world have been spending their weekends partying in bunny costumes, I have spent mine doing laundry, petting my hedgehog, and watching Stranger Things. *raises the roof*. I just got back from Toronto, where my friend Stephen took me to all kinds of breweries, Niagara Falls, aaaaand (!!) I had poutine for the first time! Where can I get poutine in Reno?? I need it more frequently in my life! Usually when it comes to deep-frying foods at home, I dodge it like it’s hot (the messssss), but for poutine, I might be willing to pull out all the stops. Or maybe I can rig it with some extra-crispy tater tots right out of the oven? Canadians: would that be sacrilege??

On another note, I will be spending my Halloween night eating white chili with my cousins and taking the kids trick-or-treating! I found an amazing vintage 1960s dress at a thrift store the other day that I was planning on utilizing in my costume, but now that I’ll be walking around in the cold weather, I’m thinking of pulling out my classic Rosie the Riveter costume and calling it a day. It’s almost a tradition at this point after all.

A couple of weeks ago, I surprised my parents for their birthdays by coming home from London a week earlier than I told them. (Although, they did end up going on vacation for their birthdays, so I had to pretend I was still in England for a few extra days yikes!). I showed up at their front door and rang the doorbell cake-in-hand. They were so excited, we went to a delicious steakhouse for dinner, and then we celebrated with this cake for dessert! It was exactly what I wanting, and they loved their birthday present (me, obvs). This cake was the perfect addition: a lightly sweetened pumpkin cake with a touch of sage flavor and a sticky brown sugar icing that tastes faintly of caramel and butter. It’s the perfect fall dessert and makes a great addition to a Halloween party or even a Thanksgiving dessert table (it has sage in it after all!). Plus, you can decorate it like a pumpkin or turkey or something if you really want to make it festive. Obviously, I went the easy way with a few sage leaves and a rustic ‘happy birthday’ sign. Have a spooky night!

Pumpkin + Sage Cake with Brown Sugar Icing
Serves 6-8

*Cake is for High-Altitude baking. Please refer to alternative measurements if you do not live at high-altitude!*

Cake Ingredients

1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 c. + 6 Tbs. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder*
1/2 tsp. baking soda**
1 egg
1/2 c. Tbs. buttermilk
1/2 c. pumpkin puree
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. milk

Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease and flour two 6-inch cake pans. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, cream the brown sugar, sugar, egg, buttermilk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Add half of the flour mixture and half of the milk. Then add the remaining flour mixture and milk. Divide the batter between the two cake pans.

Bake the cakes for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick shows a few crumbs. Let the cakes cool. Meanwhile prepare the icing (below). Level each cake, and cut each cake in half so you have 4 even layers. Spread frosting between each layer, stacking them until there are 4 cake layers. Frost the outside of the cake. Decorate as desired.

* Use 3/4 tsp. baking powder for regular-altitude recipes.
**Use 3/4 tsp. baking soda for regular-altitude recipes.

Icing Ingredients

1/2 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. milk
1 3/4 – 2 c. powdered sugar

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add brown sugar. Boil over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm – add milk. Gradually add powdered sugar, and beat until thick. If it becomes too stiff, add a little hot water to thin. Frost over cake!

xo Sara Lynn

*Song of the day: Atmosphere by Joy Division

Beef Sliders with White Cheddar + Bacon + Peach-Bourbon BBQ Sauce

Published on May 31, 2017 by serendipitybysaralynn2 Comments

Well guys, I’m graduated!!! A couple weeks ago, I crossed the stage, didn’t even trip in my tallest heels, and I’ll be mailed my actual diploma in a few weeks time! It was great. The tradition at UNR is to go to the famous college bar, The Little Waldorf, before graduation and drink mimosas and maybe relive your most wonderful/awful times as a college student? Idk, because I had never even been to The Wal until that day, but I was able to get past the sticky, beer-soaked floors that I’m sure have never been mopped, and my friends and I drank cheap champagne on empty stomachs and it was perfect. After graduation, I stuffed my face with Thai food at our favorite local joint, and then after I attempted a nap, we had a huge graduation BBQ with my friends and family. My parents ended up playing rage cage with all of us young kids, and also it was my first time playing! Of course I had all of my college experiences the day I graduated. But it was a super amazing time, everyone drank and had fun, and I got to sleep the whole next day with a less-than-fun hangover (shoutout to Gatorade for getting me through that one).

I’m off to Europe in less than two weeks (!!!), so I’m trying to enjoy some of my favorite Reno summertime activities before I leave. Namely, Lake Tahoe, fun outdoor bars, and sitting at patios at cute local restaurants. Also, I spent the last weekend in San Francisco drinking lots of coffee and cocktails with my cousin. We even found a bar that had a “bondage” theme, and I was impressed. Oh SF, I <3 u.

Since I’m leaving so so soon, I’m trying to get all of my cooking in while I can. Although I’m soooo excited to eat at wonderful European restaurants for 4 months, I also will miss the luxury of a kitchen, even though I’m sure my airbnb hosts will be accommodating if I really get the itch. Namely, I’ve been taking advantage of my BBQ, because we just got a brand new sparkly one, and in the summertime, I’m pretty sure the only acceptable food is any that is BBQed. The other day I was craving burgers like no other thing in the world, but I wanted something a little more creative than my standard beef-cheddar-veg-bun combo I normally go for. I really love smashed burgers, but since it’s summer I have a difficult time cooking indoors when my brand new sparkly grill is in eyesight from my kitchen window. Also, I really wanted something with BBQ sauce but not ribs or pulled pork, so I just combined everything into one package and then added bacon for good measure.

It’s a little more work to make the homemade BBQ sauce, but it’s honestly a super easy recipe and totally worth the effort. However, if you really can’t be bothered, you can always buy some store-bought sauce, but you’ll probably miss out on peaches and bourbon which is not the kind of world I want to live in.

P.S. the BBQ sauce will make quite a bit, and you definitely won’t need all of it for the recipe. You can either put it in jars and seal it (if that’s your thing) or you can use it for another recipe, but I’d use it within a week (or two if you’re willing to risk it, which I am). This sauce would be perfect on pulled pork, ribs, or chicken.

Also, I served my burgers with wedge salad, but some oven fries would be amazing too.

burgers

recipecard - Copy

XO Sara Lynn

*Song of the Day: Warned You by Good Morning

Blood Orange Margarita

Published on February 6, 2017February 5, 2017 by serendipitybysaralynnLeave a comment

It’s that perfect time of the year where citrus is at its absolute peak, and I stock my fruit bowl with clementines, limes, and grapefruit, my absolute favorite. Although grapefruits are essentially available year round, January-February seems to be the time they get that very sweet, intense grapefruit flavor. I usually end up eating so much of them that I get blisters in my mouth. I would probably eat even more, except that I absolutely hate peeling/cutting/spooning out grapefruit, so that keeps me within my boundaries a little. If anyone knows an easy way of dealing with grapefruit, I’m all ears, because it’s honestly the biggest pain.

Equal to grapefruit on my list of Citrus I Get Too Excited About is the blood orange. I tend to forget about it every single year until the day I walk into the grocery and have the good fortune of spotting dark red oranges out of the corner of my eye. I then buy at least a couple pounds of them, because I can think of endless ways to incorporate blood oranges into my favorite recipes. Plus, their season is so short that you have to take advantage of the opportunity to buy multiple while you have the chance.

If you’ve never experienced a blood orange, I highly encourage you to head to your local grocery, especially if you have a food co-op or health food shop that frequently carries seasonal ingredients, and buy at least a couple. I know the name doesn’t necessarily sound appetizing, but the blood orange is one of the most beautiful fruits in my opinion. The flavor is tart like a regular orange, but has sweeter berry-like tones. My favorite part of blood oranges is how versatile they are – while they are perfectly delicious on their own, I prefer to take advantage of their beauty to use them in salads, desserts, and with a splash of tequila, because I’m fun like that.

My first round of blood oranges was used in an almond-blood orange cake that had a truly delicious, fresh flavor but lacked a textural component I was looking for. Not to worry, I will continue to practice making this cake, even if I have to use regular oranges until next year…

I also threw some segments into a salad that I made for dinner, and of course I ate one or two on their own, but then I realized that blood oranges were made for alcohol. The tart-sweet taste would blend perfectly with a little vodka or gin or tequila (!!!) so I decided to go for it, because life is short, and margaritas are good. Plus, I was looking for a simple Valentine’s Day recipe that was not couple-y (because single, yo), but one that would also have the pretty V-Day colors I was looking for. How fitting that blood oranges happen to show up in late January-early February, right as I’m trying to think of a drink to make for my Galentine’s celebration! Yay for love and female friendships!

Also! Whilst walking out of a grocery store alone at 4:30 p.m. on a Friday night carrying only a large bottle of tequila, I discovered one of the ultimate forms of self-loathing. If you’re going to partake in these types of activities, I’d recommend also grabbing a bag of tortilla chips, some salsa, and maybe a puzzle, because it’ll earn you less judgmental stares, and it may even make you feel better about trying margarita recipes by yourself when you should be out socializing with friends.

Are you ready for some margarita action?!

margarita

Further notes: If you can’t find blood oranges, because they are unavailable or not in season, go ahead and use regular oranges or another citrus if you’d prefer. The recipe is perfectly versatile!

P.S. I chose my tequila based off of a list of “Best Cheap Tequilas” I found on the interweb while in the middle of the liquor aisle at my grocery store. (In Nevada, they sell liquor at grocery stores, which I guess is shocking to some. Born and raised Nevada-girl does not understand why this is surprising). Use whichever tequila you have laying around the house, or go for a silver tequila made with 100% agave – just stay away from Jose.

P.P.S. How fun would it be to have a Mexican-food-night-Valentine’s-Day?! If you don’t want to rush through dinner crowds, you could make some delicious carnitas (or order in), and have ruby-red, romantic margaritas with your lovie (or girlies or dog or….). If you decide to have a Valentine’s Day-girl’s night, pls invite me, and I’ll make a big pitcher of blood orange margaritas to share. Just promise me no weird anti-V-Day hooliganism, because I’ve already been to a singles party before, and I don’t need that in my life again.

XO Sara Lynn

*Song of the Day: Unfucktheworld by Angel Olsen

Mascarpone Cheesecake with Orange & Amaretto

Published on January 8, 2017 by serendipitybysaralynn4 Comments

I am unashamed to admit that I am currently involved in a love affair with a cheesecake. I have to say, this is fairly out of character for me, considering I’m not a huge cheesecake fan – cheese = yay! cake = yay! cheesecake = meh. Many of my friends and family are cheesecake lovers, but I tend to fall more towards the creme brulee side of the custard spectrum – I can’t resist a burny-caramely top, and I hold firmly to that belief. I find many cheesecakes to be a little too creamy, or even worse, crumbly, and oftentimes they aren’t sweetened enough, leaving the filling reminiscent of a bagel that’s been sitting on the counter getting cold. Not a pretty visual there? Well, that’s how the ~~cookie~~ cheesecake crumbles, and I think there absolutely needs to be a seminar on how to properly bake a damn cheesecake. Sorry, not sorry – I’m putting an end to this.

Okay, maybe I have a holier-than-thou attitude towards cheesecake, but seriously, have you ever read reviews on any NY cheesecake recipe? Good lord, those east-coast peeps have a cheesecake power complex of epic proportions. (Okay, I really do get it though – you’re a tried and true New Yorker, and you’re desperately trying to recreate the cheesecake your grandmother used to throw together sans recipe. I promise, my family has been trying to do this with my grandmother’s enchiladas for years, and we can’t get it right – this is what happens when you let a Norwegian woman make Mexican food).

Anyhow, let me tell you, those recipe-reviewing-cheesecake-aficionados know their craft – crumbly cheesecake? Waterbath. Chunky chunks of cheese? Room temp the cheese and eggs! Genius. Props to you guys (and your grandma’s tips!). I appreciate you and your power complex (;

And on another note, here I am about to crush your OG-cheesecake loving souls. Because I added mascarpone to my cheesecake. And I added orange zest. And I added amaretto. And the crust is made with almond cookies. And it’s the most delicious, light, wonderful cheesecake I ever did eat. If it makes anyone feel better, I’ve heard a lot of Italian cheesecakes use mascarpone and amaretto! Does that help? Bueller, Bueller?

Anyways, I decided to use mascarpone, because as I said earlier, I don’t love the super-thick, creamy cheesecake in most restaurants (I’m especially looking at you Cheesecake Factory). However, the mascarpone rids of that overly-rich cream cheese taste and adds a fluffy, light texture that I adore. Orange zest was added to get away from the lemon that typically adorns cheesecakes. As for the amaretto, it was almost not added – I stared at that bottle in the grocery store for approximately 15 minutes, walked away from it, and thought, “Sara, that is so not the spirit”, turned back to the liquor aisle, and added it to my cart. It was a dilemma of vast proportions, but it made the cut, and I’m so relieved it did. Alcohol helps desserts always.

cheesecake

Btw I brought this cheesecake to my parents’ house for a family dinner and, I almost freaking DROPPED it while slipping on ice. But not to fear, my clumsy footing still appreciates the sanctity of $12 worth of cheese. I held onto that cheesecake like Harry held onto the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Yes, I did just make a HP reference, and I stand by that decision.

XO Sara Lynn

*Song of the Day: Stay This Way by Peter Bjorn and John

Single Lady Mac & Cheese

Published on December 12, 2016December 11, 2016 by serendipitybysaralynnLeave a comment

This past weekend was kind of rough for a multitude of different reasons. Even though I had some relaxing moments spending time with friends and family, most of my weekend was spent in a state of “blah” that I couldn’t quite shake. When I’m feeling like this, I know the best thing to do is to engage in self-care with a little bit of comfort food and TV. My craving was mac and cheese, but I didn’t want to make a huge pan of leftovers that could go to waste. After a few minutes of thought, I realized I could easily make a tiny mac and cheese that would feed just myself. Even in my difficult times, my brain comes up with great things!

This recipe is perfect for a feel-sorry-for-yourself-night, because it only requires one pot and it’s super versatile. You can use whatever cheese and pasta you have around the house, although smaller pastas with plenty of nooks and crannies are always the best! I’m also partial to a cheddar-parmesan mixture if you have that around the house.

As far as fanciness, this mac and cheese is pretty fancy-free. I just blend it all together, top it with a little parm, and broil it until browned. I add a little ceyenne pepper, mustard powder, worcestershire, onion powder, and garlic powder. Feel free to add whatever spices you want or none at all. Broil or don’t broil. Eat it out of the pan and leave the dishes for later, or wash the pot while the pasta broils (my method, because dirty dishes give me anxiety). Once your mac and cheese craving has be fulfilled, you can crawl back in bed or take a walk or go grab a coffee. This mac and cheese is about you and your needs after all.

mac-and-cheese

Take time for self love this week my friends ♥ We all deserve it.

XO Sara Lynn

*Song of the Day: Dandelion Wine by Gregory Alan Isakov

The Best Damn Pie Crust of Your Life

Published on November 15, 2016November 14, 2016 by serendipitybysaralynn2 Comments

IT’S FINALLY HERE. Even after countless pies and months of promising you all the best pie dough recipe in the whole damn world, I had not delivered. That is, until now. I really should stop making promises like these considering I’m a full-time student, I have 2 jobs, plus I try to volunteer a few hours a month on top of all the normal things I have to do on a day-to-day basis a.k.a. I’m freaking busy and don’t always have time on the weekends to do a pie dough tutorial. Honestly, I don’t know how I have free time sometimes, but bless my marketing internship for giving me college credit to work only a couple hours a week from home is all I have to say. Aside from that major tangent, my point is that I know the wait was worth it, and I would like you to agree with me, because it would make me feel much better about my slacking.

Let’s have a conversation about pie dough, my friends. I’ll try to keep an open mind here, but let’s just face it, I’m biased and totally Team Make Your Own Pie Dough. Most people refuse to even try to make their own dough, settling for either freezer-aisle roll-out pie dough (boo) or worse, store-bought pies from the grocery store (double boo). We’ll call this side Team Wrong. No offense if you’re on that team, I understand why you are, but hear me out. I have a major theory that pie dough is one of the most misunderstood forms of pastry, and I can attest to this, because I was a frozen pie dough fan for many years. After making pie dough once, I was a forever changed woman. It’s so. damn. easy. Surprisingly so, but it makes all the difference in the world. If you care about pie, make your own dough! I’m not kidding, you will not be able to go back to the store-bought stuff. It’s really life-changing, especially this recipe, which yields the flakiest, buttery-est crust I ever did eat. Thanks to Bon Appetit magazine for inspiring me to give it a try and also for giving me the recipe. I appreciate for real ♥

So, after a long guilt trip from Team Make Your Own Dough, do you feel inspired to make your own pie dough for (please, at least one of) your Thanksgiving pies?! Yes you do!

Let’s get started!

First, you’re going to start off with 2 sticks + 2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter. Cut the butter into cubes, trying to work quickly to avoid melting the butter with your warm hands. I like to use a bench scraper for this so I don’t have to touch the butter, but a regular knife works well too! Put that butter in a bowl and pop it in the fridge while you gather your dry ingredients.

Now we’re going to prep for the next few steps. Whisk together 2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour, 2 Tablespoons of sugar (1 Tablespoon for a savory-pie crust), and a scant teaspoon of kosher salt. Also prepare a glass of ice water and set the glass aside. Toss the butter in the flour mixture.

Now, working quickly, use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour, creating shaggy pieces of butter. Some of the pieces should be thin and long while others are chunkier. Be careful not to let the butter melt in your hands.

Mix together 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with 3 Tablespoons of iced water. Swirl to combine.

Drizzle the vinegar-water over the butter mixture, running your fingers through the flour mixture to incorporate all the ingredients. Quickly knead the dough until it starts to come together. It will be a little crumbly and dry, but resist adding more water or your crust will turn out tough.

Turn your dough onto a floured surface and knead it a few more times, incorporating the drier areas.

Cut the dough in half and press into 1 inch thick discs.

Wrap your dough in plastic and set it in the fridge for at least an hour and up to 5 days. You can also freeze the dough for up to 2 months! I like to make dough in advance and save it in the fridge for big events like holidays. When you’re ready to use it, roll it on a floured surface and fill with whatever makes you happy.

Here’s a few pie ideas, if you needed any (;

Apple Pie with Sugared Crust
Pumpkin Pie
Beef & Veggie Pot Pie
Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie
Pear & Ginger Galette
Strawberry and Grapefruit Galette
Mixed Berry Pie

And here’s a handy-dandy recipe card:

pie-dough

I hope this recipe makes the pie dough of your dreams as it did mine ♥

XO Sara Lynn

*Song of the Day: Where is my Mind? by Pixies

A Day in SF – French Food and the Botanical Garden

Published on September 6, 2016September 5, 2016 by serendipitybysaralynnLeave a comment

As I’ve mentioned countless times in the past, visiting San Francisco for the weekend is one of my favorite things to do, especially since I live so close! I will be posting updates with all of my best SF recommendations as I continue to visit. Stay tuned for my favorite restaurants, bars, activities, and places to go!

The last time I was in The City, I dropped by Haight-Ashbury to hit some of my favorite spots. Haight-Ashbury has an incredibly unique art culture and history, so I always try to stop by if I have the chance. In addition to going to some of my favorite stores, I have been learning more about the neighborhood restaurants, coffee places, and other local spots. As soon as the Uber dropped us off, I grabbed a capp at Stanza Coffee Bar and went to this really cool art store called Mendel’s to pick up some fabric. I always try to stop by Mendel’s when I’m in the city, because they have a huge variety of art supplies you can’t find in run-of-the-mill places. Afterwards, I went to one of the most unique thrift/vintage shops, Decades of Fashion, just to check out what they had in stock – if you love vintage clothing or unique costumes, definitely stop by! I also made sure to hit one of my favorite record stores, Rasputin Music, which has a large variety of CDs, records, and DVDs, both old and new, classic and recent. After a couple hours of shopping, we were pretty hungry and looking for restaurants close by. I had never eaten at a restaurant in Haight-Ashbury before this trip, so I was excited to see what the neighborhood had to offer. Trusting solely on Yelp reviews, we decided on what turned out to be an amazing French restaurant called Zazie, just a few blocks up on Cole St.

Zazie is located on a quiet street in a narrow space, that I believe is an old apartment building. The ambience is classic French bistro, with yellow walls and pretty wooden tables. They have many of the French favorites, breakfast, lunch, and specials including the pancakes I got! I had poppy pancakes with lemon curd and strawberries, and they came with a side of potatoes. I also got their house tea, which was amazing! Other orders were the Croque Madame and the French toast, which were both delicious (based on the few bites I had!).

After brunch at Zazie, we drove over to Golden Gate Park to enjoy the beautiful NoCal weather. Golden Gate Park is one of my favorite places in San Francisco, so I definitely wanted to take a long walk, especially after a few stressful weeks at home. Previous to this trip, I had walked past the Botanical Gardens in Golden Gate Park multiple times, but I had never actually gone in. This time, I thought it would be fun to walk around since the tickets are fairly inexpensive, especially if you have a student ID! The Botanical Gardens were beautiful, with all kinds of unique plants and greenery. It was a very peaceful way to spend an afternoon, especially in the busyness of the city.

Later that night, we walked around near the beach and enjoyed a quiet dinner (can’t remember the name of the restaurant – if I see it next time I’m in SF, I’ll update).

If you need any more recommendations, feel free to reach out! San Fran is one of my favorite places to go, so I have lots of things to share!

For a list of my favorite coffee places in SF, click here.

XO Sara Lynn

*Song of the Day: Horchata by Vampire Weekend