happy new year!

we're going to be pretty low key this year but i can't wait to have my first new year's kiss. 2010 has been a big year with my graduation and a wedding and a big new beginning together here in San Francisco. there is alot to celebrate.

first christmas

well the holidays are in full swing around here. we've had a christmas party with a bunch of our friends from around the bay. it was so good to have so many people we love in one place. i made this incredible dip. i doubled the recipe, but i could have quadrupled it i think and still wouldn't have had any left. Today we went ice skating on the Embarcadero, we've made a few holiday hot drinks, and started our christmas shopping. i'm not sure how much i'll be posting after we leave thursday so i might just plan on starting again in the new year. but i'll leave you with these two christmas mixes. they are filled with songs both old and new, that have put me fully in the spirit. we can't wait to share that with our families over the next two weeks!

snowflakes

via bugs and fishes
though we don't have snow here in san francisco we are feeling very christmas-y. due in large part to making paper snowflakes for our studio. jacob found this instructional about how to cut six point ones and now we can't get enough. its fun and very easy. we feel crafty and we're getting pretty detailed, it's true how unique they all are. now we have to figure out how to get them to hang from the ceiling.

friends & food

our lives have changed for the better over this past month and this week really showed that difference as we ate out with two different couple friends. we've felt reclusive lately due to our busy schedules and tendency to enjoy reading at home, aka we're nerds. so it was wonderful to be introduced to two new places, fried chicken at Hard Knox Cafe in the dogpatch and souffle pancakes, incredible!, at Bette's Diner in Berkeley. and interact with unique, fun individuals. we can't wait to hang out again soon!

christmas tree, oh christmas tree...

we found our tree. its tiny and sweet and perfect. it fills our home with piney needle smell. time to put on the christmas music!

butternut squash soup with a hint of apple

via food52.com

my first encounter with butternut squash soup occurred at the urban standard during college. it was lovely, sweet and savory with a drizzle of sour cream on top. but since cooking butternut squash for the first time this year, i have stayed away from similar recipes knowing that it would not be the same, and i would only hold it to a now impossible standard. but then i received this recipe in my email from food52 and couldn't resist. it has apple cider for the sweet and sour cream for the savory and was very simple. its delicious but i would suggest doubling it, as i did, because it did not make as much as i expected, though it says it serves four. doubled it served three with maybe one bowl left over and we each had cheese toast as well. i used sparkling cider instead of plain, and i'm not sure if that's why the apple flavor was a bit overwhelming, or if i just like it a bit savory than most. either way next time i'm going to cut back a little and use plain not sparkling, adding more to taste later if necessary. also, i did not think there was enough chicken broth so i added more and i just know looked at her step by step picture instructions and she warns that it looks like it won't be enough but it is, so next time i'll put in the smaller amount. let me know what you think.
as it was it warmed us up and made the winter evening a little brighter.