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Recipe roundup: Oven-baked french fries
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| Recipe and image via Naturally Ella |
If there’s one thing I could eat each and every day (except for chocolate, obviously), it’s french fries. Homemade, fast food, restaurant…anything goes. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, coated in salt or/and herbs, with a dollop of ketchup or Tartar sauce…oh my. I would love to start making them regularly at home, but the idea of splurging on a deep fryer doesn’t really seem that much appealing to me. My counter top space isn’t unlimited, and besides french fries (and maybe some fried mozza sticks) I don’t really see much use for it. Plus, I know that if I caved in and splurged on one, I’m pretty sure my palate would be delighted, but my waistline slightly less so.
So, right now, I’m on the market for the perfect baked potato fry recipe. If you have one, please send it my way. In the meantime, you can find me experimenting in my kitchen with these ones:
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| Image via Layers of happiness |
This one wins the prize for the best tutorial. I would never have guessed that sticking the raw potatoes into cold water could make such a big difference! (via Layers of happiness)
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| Image via Food done light |
This is a British classic – I first tasted in when I was in London a few years back, and became hooked almost instantly. I can’t wait to give this salty & tangy combo a try at home! (via Food done light)
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| Image via Kailley’s Kitchen |
This is the most decadent one. A drizzle of truffle oil? A sprinkle of truffle salt? A coat of freshly grated parmesan? Check, check, check! (via Kailley’s Kitchen)
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| Image via Minimalist Baker |
Being such a lover of anything with garlick, I really can’t believe I’ve never tried to pair it with french fries. Lucky thing John and Dana thought about it! (via Minimalist Baker)
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| Image via Skinny Taste |
Skinny fries, garlic and parmesan. A winning trio in my book! (via Skinny Taste)
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| Image via Sizzling veggies |
And here it goes again. It seems I can’t get garlic out of my mind. Throw in some Italian seasoning and fresh or dried rosemary, and I’m as happy as a bird with a french fry (pun absolutely intended!). (via Sizzling veggies)
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| Image via Tasty yummies |
Beth had me at her spicy garlic aioli. Yum! (via Tasty yummies)
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| Image via Shugary sweets |
Blue cheese dipping sauce? Another thing I’ve yet to try. This recipe sounds just amazing! (via Shugary sweets)
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| Image via The talking kitchen |
Finally a way to use all that fresh green parsley and cilantro that’ve been sprouting on my balcony! (via The talking kitchen)
Which recipe would you love to try? And of course, if you have a favorite one of yours, be sure to share it in the comments!
Bon appétit!
Weekend notes & link love #41
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| Image via Lauren Kelp |
In terms of the scariest 24 hours, this weekend really kicked my ass. On Friday afternoon, I was makng some changes to my blog settings, when suddenly, POUF, the whole thing disappeared. Completely. 5 years worth of work and writing disappeared like a wisp of smoke. One second it was here, and the next, it was gone. And I didn’t even know what I had done wrong, so I had absolutely no idea how to bring it all back. I was terrified. The only thing that kept me from panicking completely was the fact that I backed up my content that same morning, so I knew that I could restore it if necessary. Side note: guys, if you’re not doing it already, be sure to back up your blogs and your computers on a regular basis – it really can save you a lot of stress and headaches!
In the end, I found out that there was an issue with domain redirecting, and I was able to restore the settings and make the whole thing work again. But I could have imagined a better start to my weekend. I was beyond relieved to see my blog baby back online again, and I’m here today to share my favorite reads from this week with you. Happy Sunday!
Have you read Jojo Moyes Me before you? It was one of the most important books I read last year, and it still haunts me on a regular basis – it was such a powerful, moving, thoughtprovoking and heartbreaking story! And for once, I really can’t wait to see the movie based on this story – it comes out in June, and gosh, the trailer’s already got me weeping. (via YouTube)
With the spring’s arrival, I’m looking forward to pulling my dress collection out of my closet again, and expanding it with some new beautiful pieces. This one is right up my alley. (via Ellen Tracy)
Lauren Kelp was having a french fry week on her blog, and if you’re a french fry afficionado (me, me, me!), then it’s like the best thing ever. The pad thai fries are rather intriguing, the parmesan rosemary ones are a classic for the books. Yum! (via Lauren Kelp)
This striped sweater would make for a nice addition to my ever growing collection. (via Petit Bateau)
And a few things you might have mssed on the Charming Avenue:
My list of goals for spring.
Books on my nightstand this month.
Wild garlic recipe inspiration.
Goals for spring
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| Image via |
In case you haven’t noticed, goals and lists are pretty huge around The Charming Avenue HQ. I love setting goals at the beginning of a new year, I make lists of healthy habits to develop, at the beginning of each season, I compile bucket lists of things and activities I want to undertake, and the list goes on (pun intended). It may seem a little bit obsessive at times, but as I confessed here, I have quite a big penchant for procrastination, and my lists help to keep me and my activities in check. Without them, I would probably never get anything done.
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the goals I would like to accomplish this spring. It’s my favorite season for more than one reason, and this year I’m particularly excited for its arrival. With longer days and plenty of sunshine, I’m beginning to feel alive again – more energized and more than ready to tackle some big projects and items on my to do list. I’ve also compiled a list of goals I would like to accomplish this season, and I thought it would be fun to share them with you, to gather some tips and advice from you, and maybe inspire you to share your goals, too.
This is what I’m particularly wishing to accomplish this spring:
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| Image via |
1) Organize my summer trip to Provence. I have put this one on back burner for far too long – I was focusing on our current busy business schedule, while struggling with some health issues as well, so planning my summer adventures wasn’t really on the forefront of my mind. But the time is ticking away, and I really need to get my stuff together and make this happen in June. I’m done my fair share of reading on the subject, and now I have to decide where I’m going to stay, and what itinerary I’m going to follow. Have any of you ever been to Provence? If so, any tips and suggestions would be highly appreciated!
2) Get back on track with my health & wellness goals. I’m really sad to admit that in March, I have almost completely fallen off the healthy habit train. First I was bedridden with some nasty kind of bug that left me exhausted for weeks, and then I sprained my knee on my ski trip. It’s nothing serious (at least I hope so), but working out as I used to is not an option right now. It bugs me a great deal, because working out daily was doing wonders to my mood, and I miss my morning yoga sessions that fueled me daily with good spirit. I’m still keeping up with my lemon-water-first-thing-in-the-morning habit, though, so it’s not a complete waste. In order to keep up with my plan to develop 12 healthy habits this year, I’ve decided to shuffle things a little bit and swap April and May goals. I’ve already caught myself beating myself up for not working out several times, so practicing being kind to myself seems like a good habit to focus on this month.
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| Image via |
3) Refocus on my big 2016 goals and priorities. This one is really huge for me. I kicked off 2016 on a very positive note with a blog makeover and a whole slew of big plans and goals I wanted to accomplish. 3 months in, and I have found myself once again in the thick of a rat race. Work issues, health issues, family issues come and go, and I have somehow lost the focus on the bigger picture. That’s why I’d love to take a day off from it all (a weekend would be way better, but I can’t exaggerate), sit down with my list of goals and priorities for this year, sift through all the mental clutter I have accumulated over the past three months, and refocus on the essentials again.
4) Build a new website for my blog. This one has been long time coming. Ever since I changed the name and the focus of my blog, I knew that I would have to change the URL eventually (to avoid confusion), and while I’m at it, I could invest in a new website as well, and just get it over with 🙂 I’ve started with gathering design and layout inspiration and researching various options (the time has finally come for me to say goodbye to Blogger, even if it kind of terrifies me). And I sure as hell hope that I’ll be able to present you with the brand new Charming Avenue by the end of this spring (fingers crossed!).
5) Get out of my creative funk. I know this is as far from a SMART, quantifiable goal as possible, but it’s something that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. I suspect it has a lot to do with my recent severe bout of procrastination and my apparent inability to see several ongoing projects to their successful ends. Those things keep staring me in my face, and their constant, looming presence on my mind drains me of my creative energy. Or, perhaps I’m just overanalyzing things, as usual 🙂 Whatever the reason, I’m ready to tackle the issue head on – I’m doing some research on the matter, I’ll be going back to some of my favorite books on creativity (this one, this one and this one in particular), and I sincerely wish to come out on the other side feeling that creative spark again. Have you ever found yourself in a creative rut? Do you have any tips on how to get out of it? If so, please be sure to send them my way – I would be forever grateful!
Do you have any goals (big or small alike) for this spring? What are you looking forward to accomplishing?
Recipe roundup: Wild for wild garlic
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| Images via: 80Twenty // Gourmandelle // Delicious magazine // Fraulein Glucklich |
Wild garlic is one of those “fashionable” items, no one seemed to care about five years ago, but is now all the rage. And it makes me feel like a forerunner 🙂 since I’ve been enjoying this delicacy for ages. Part of its charm lays in the fact that it’s scavenged, not grown and harvested. Just like ramps, people protect possessively their best locations, careful to keep them as secret as possible. It’s funny, really, but it also gives wild garlic that aura of rareness, enhanced even more by the fact that it’s in season for only a short amount of time, can only be scavenged mostly in April and May, and then disappears again for a whole year.
Lucky for me, my parents have their own secret place, and we’ve been enjoying wild garlic for years, making the most of its short season. A few times a week mom brings me a bowl full of those lush, green and fragrant leaves, and I’m the one responsible for transforming them into edible delicacies. However, my usual recipes are getting a little bit stale (and I already have five pots of wild garlic pesto in my fridge – enough for the year to come), so I’m currently on the hunt for some new wild garlic inspiration. These are my top favorites right now:
Quinoa and wild garlic cakes via 80Twenty
Wild garlic hummus via Gourmandelle
Wild garlic and potato soup via Delicious magazine
Wild garlic gnocchi via Fraulein Glucklich
On my nightstand, April 2016
Jessica M. Turner: The Fringe hours. Making time for you. Getting my time management skills in check is one of my biggest goals this year. No matter how much I try, there are still moments in life when I feel like I will never be able to get everything done, and it makes me quite anxious. This book promises to teach me to get back a few time slots in my day, so I can use it for self-care and doing the things I love. I could definitely benefit from that!
Gretchen Rubin: Better than before. After reading Charles Duhigg’s The power of habit, I’m more intrigued by building good habits than ever. According to Gretchen, habits are the architecture of everyday life – they can make it easier, but they can also hinder our best efforts for a more balanced life. And since I really loved Gretchen’s The happiness project, I’m sure this book will be chock-full of great tips and useful insights.
Hillary Mantel: Wolf hall. I’ve been a longtime fan of historical books and historical fiction – and when they’re based on real events and characters, all the better. But I haven’t read one in ages – and that realization made me pull this book out of my bookcase immediately. It’s been sitting there for far too long, and I’ve only been hearing rave reviews about it. The story of King Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell’s intertwined destinies is bound to be captivating for any history junkie.
Carmine Gallo: The innovation secrets of Steve Jobs. As far as books on Apple and Steve Jobs go, this one is an absolute classic to me. I’ve already read it twice, because it’s fulled to the brim with intelligent insights and observations, and it provides a great analysis of the late Jobs’ work and thinking. And since I’ve recently been in a severe creative rut, it feels like the perfect read for that necessary spark of inspiration.
Sarah J. Maas: Heir of fire. This one falls into the guilty pleasures category (I was talking some more about those here). Reading YA has recently been my favorite way to unwind at night, and it truly helps me quiet my busy mind and fall asleep more quickly. I’ve been liking this series so far, and I’m curious to see what Celaena has up her assassin sleeve next.
Ransom Riggs: Miss Peregrine’s home for peculiar children. I already talked about this book here, so I’m not going to repeat myself unnecessarily. It seems like the perfect creepy / captivating story for my nighttime routine, and I definitely want to read it before Tim Burton makes it into an equally creepy movie.
Sophia Amoruso: #Girlboss. I feel really lame putting this book on another list, but it seems to be always falling through the cracks in my reading schedule. I’m probably the last blogger out there who hasn’t read it yet, and this will be the month when I finally do it! #apromisetomyself
Jocelyn K. Glei: Manage your day-to-day. I started this list with a time management book, and I’m going to finish it with another one. I’ve been learning to manage my daily schedule for the past two years, but I’m sure there are still tons of new ideas I could try and implement. I hope this book helps me do just that.
Now it’s your turn: have you read any of these books? Have you read anything interesting that I could add to my next list? What was your favorite March read?
Weekend notes & link love #40
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| Image via Camille Styles |
Hello guys and happy Sunday! This weekend has been all about crossing my way off of my spring cleaning checklist, and I must admit, I’m pretty happy with the results so far. I’ve been able to get a lot more done than usually, because I was focused on my list, and I didn’t let myself get distracted. The list has been of tremendous help, and I’ll be sure to update it regularly, with all the applicable seasonal chores. And I’m already looking forward to rewarding myself with a glass of bubbly and a hot bubble bath tonight – especially because I’ve cleaned more windows that I care to count, and my back will surely remind me of it for at least a week!
How has your weekend been going so far? I hope you’re enjoying a glorious spring weather, and be sure to check my favorite reads of the week.
By now, you have probably already heard that Instagram will be changing its algorithm in the following months, which resulted in a kind of mass hysteria among the bloggers. To balance it all out, I really enjoyed my friend Rowena’s philosophy on the subject. And I totally agree that honest and genuine engagement is always way to go. (via Rolala loves)
Meg has always been a huge source of inspiration when it comes to blogging, work ethic and measuring myself up against higher standard, so reading about her career-defining moments was definitely a treat. She’s one of the best! (via Meg Biram)
Confession time: after a long time of hesitating, I recently joined the world of dating apps. To be completely honest with you, it’s been equal parts fun and annoying, and I’m still figuring it all out. I don’t know if it’s a blessing or a curse in disguise, but I’m really loving being single – I have my packed schedule, my friends and my apartment to keep me occupied, I love traveling alone, and quiet evenings at home are my favorite kind of relax. And I also went through a complicated on-and-off relationship that left me emotionally drained, so I’m I’m not really rushing into something new and serious. For me, these apps are mostly a means to get out of my comfort zone, meet new people and basically learn to date again – I’ve always been one for long relationships, so the modern dating seems a little bit daunting to me. That’s why I loved Krystal’s post about modern dating so much. It’s chock-full of honest remarks and advice, and while it’s all very no-nonsense, it never hurts to be reminded of some of the most important parts of dating. Definitely one to bookmark! (via This time tomorrow)
As a lover of sushi (I make it at home pretty regularly!), I’m really tempted to give these Nori hand rolls a whirl. They look delicious! (via Camille Styles)
The charming spring cleaning checklist (free printable!)
I’ve been recently hit by a realization that I am the queen of half-finished projects. It should come as no surprise to me, but it’s still a rather unpleasant thing to wrap my head around. I don’t know whether it’s because I have so many things on my mind, or because I succumb too easily to the lure of shiny new things, but I’m currently surrounded (and pretty overwhelmed) by half-finished things and ideas: first drafts of blog posts that I never actually got around to editing and publishing; towel hooks and light fixture that are still missing from my bathroom; a business website that’s still waiting to be finalized and put online; a gorgeous wall clock that I got for Christmas and that’s still waiting to be hung in my kitchen, a stack of magazines waiting to be read or a bunch of recipes I want to try but never seem to find time for it…and sadly, I could go on and on.
You can call me the world’s worst procrastinator (and you would be right to do so!), but when you have so many things on your mind (like we all seem to have these days), some of them are bound to fall through the cracks. That’s why I mostly live by my to do lists, which I always carry around with me in my bullet journal. If it weren’t for them, I would probably never get anything done.
I don’t know how about you, but to me, spring cleaning seems to be one of those huge projects that never get quite completed. Each year, I approach it with a huge bravado, but that seems to ebb away slowly with each dust bunny swallowed by my vacuum cleaner. It seems like such a ginormous project to complete at once! Especially since this will be my very first spring cleaning in my own apartment (and thus, there’s no mama to chase me with a mop :). That’s why I decided to put a little thinking into the whole process. I realized that by wanting to tackle the whole thing in one afternoon, I was setting myself up for a big failure. Plus, I knew I desperately needed a system that would prevent me from hopping from one room to another without properly finishing any of them.
That’s why I decided to create a simple, one-page checklist, that would contain all the tasks and chores I wanted to accomplish. I will tackle my spring cleaning one room at a time – I’m actually quite curious to see how much time it will take. It fits nicely into my bullet journal, so I can have it on hand all the time, and check the items off as I go.
And because I think I’m not the only one struggling with this one, I’m sharing this printable checklist with you, in hopes that it would help us get things done faster and more effectively.
Grab your free printable as a picture below, or download the PDF version here. And be sure to let me know how your spring cleaning went on Twitter or Instagram, with a hashtag #charmingspringcleaning Here’s to our clean and tidy homes!
March chic list
I know I’m pretty much repeating myself each month, but I’m ready to file an official complaint against the speed with which the time is flying by this year. I mean, where the heck has March gone? When I look at my calendar, all I can feel is an absolute puzzlement – and a tiny twinge of anxiety. It feels like I have absolutely no control over my time. How can tomorrow be April already?
All my time-related musings aside, March was definitely an eventful month for me. I filed (and paid *sniff*) my taxes, I succumbed to a bug that clued me to bed with the biggest migraine I’ve ever experienced, but it was also a great month in terms of business, and I finally (!!!) made it to the mountains to check the last item on my winter bucket list off. I was so happy to find out that I hadn’t forgotten skiing 🙂 Even if a few more trips to the Alpes will be necessary for me to gain the assurance I once had on the slopes.
These were the highlights of my March. This month I was:
Reading lots of YA books. Don’t judge me. I recently realized that I tend to do this when I feel kind of overwhelmed with my own life (which happens to me more often than my composed self cares to admit). Getting lost in an elaborate, fully invented world always helps me to get out of my own head and it also prevents my mind from spinning endlessly and helps me fall asleep. That, to me, is priceless. This month, I practically devoured Rick Yancey’s The Fifth wave, closely followed by The Infinite sea. It wasn’t an easy story to keep up, but the post-apocalyptic world Yancey constructed was really fascinating. It made me anxious to put my hands on The Last star as soon as it comes out in May.
While I was in bed with that nasty bug of mine, I also tore though the first two books of Sarah J. Maas Throne of glass series. It makes for an interesting plot, too, but I’m really curious to see how the author keeps up with it when it’s supposed to be a series of seven books. Especially since I’m currently a few chapters into the Heir of fire, and I can already sense the pace slowing. We’ll see how it goes.
I also read some non-YA literature: I was biting my nails while reading The Dark secrets and laughing out loud and rooting for the revenge-seeking heroine in The Dressmaker. And as disgusting as it may sounds, I practically licked the pages of The Nigellissima – that book is a real treat for both the eyes and the taste buds.
Listening to John Williams. I love to listen to the instrumental music while working, writing or blogging, and John Williams is definitely one of my favorites. Whether it’s his music for the Harry Potter movies, or the Schindler’s list score, it always helps me focus on my work without any unnecessary and distracting lyrics.
Eating wild garlic. I’m positively crazy about this stuff. Its short, but bountiful season is in full swing, and it’s been spreading like a wildfire just at the edge of the forest near our country house. My parents have been picking it practically daily and I’ve been trying to find creative ways to incorporate it into my meals. So far, wild garlic pesto is one of the best things I’ve ever tasted! Recipe to come soon.
Traveling to Austrian Alps. My Easter trip to Hochkar was hands down the best thing about my whole month. It was my first ski trip in 4 years (!!!), and I savored each and every second of it. And the fact that our hotel and its staff were an absolute charm, didn’t hurt either. Everything, from the location to the welcome drink of Prosecco, to the delicious and bountiful cuisine was absolutely perfect. I wasn’t even back home yet and I was already plotting ways to get back there as soon as possible!
Planting herb and tomato seeds. I have some grand plans for my tiny balcony this year. I want to turn it into a green oasis, with potted herbs and tomatoes waiting to be harvested and tossed into a slew of easy summer salads. For the first time in my life I’m trying to grow cherry tomatoes from seeds, and so far, it looks rather promising (fingers crossed). I’m also looking forward to growing my own basil and cilantro (and who says cilantro, says endless supply of homemade guacamole. Yum!) I can only hope that my black thumb is definitely a thing of past!
Drinking Côtes du Rhône. My brother and his wife went for a ski trip to France (and yes, before you ask, I was jealous as hell and I absolutely want to go with them next year 🙂 and when they asked me what they should bring me, a nice bottle of Côtes du Rhône was all I could think of. What can I say? I love myself a lovely glass of red wine, and Côtes du Rhône is definitely one of my favorite varieties. And I definitely wasn’t disappointed. Time for another trip to France, perhaps?
And now it’s your turn to share what were the highlights of your March. What did you enjoy and what made you smile?
Weekend notes & link love #39
I know I have been raving about the arrival of spring all last week, but I’m currently enjoying one last breath of true winter. I’ve spent the Easter weekend skiing in Austria, and it feels like the perfect closure to this long winter. I’ve cleared my head a little bit, I ate way too much delicious food, and I’m already plotting ways to return to these mountains, the sooner the better.
I hope you are all enjoying this long weekend with your loved ones! xx
When it comes to having too many tabs open (both literally – in my browser, and figuratively – in my own mind), I am the worst. THE worst, guys. I can have dozens and dozens of tabs open on my computer, which only results in me feeling overwhelmed and my PC to slow down to a sluggish pace. Or it crashes completely. It’s one bad habit I’d love to break, and Catherine’s recount of her month with having just one tab open is a huge source of inspiration and motivation. I can only imagine how hard it could be, but for the sake of my sanity, I’m most definitely ready to give it a try! How about you? (via The blissful mind)
The subtle floral pattern on this gorgeous pastel dress screams spring to me.
Social media can get some pretty bad rap (and often times, rightfully so), but I still loved Camille’s ideas on how to make them a more positive part of our lives. Inspiration, not comparison, is the master word here! (via Camille Styles)
Macaronuts are now a thing. I kid you not. (via Town & Country)
The truest, albeit only temporary statement.
“By focusing on the things I am passionate about, having fun, enjoying some downtime and prioritizing the things I care about the most (my family and my health), I have been able to avoid having a work-life balance burnout.” These are some serious words of wisdom from my biggest entrepreneur hero, Richard Branson. Now, if only I could follow in his footsteps! (via LinkedIn)
What you might have missed on The Charming Avenue:
My spring bucket list filled with fun and charming activities.
A list of things currently inspiring me.
A little reminder to myself about being grateful and appreciating things I already have.
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