Cinderella's slippers.

{via}

I've had my wedding dress for a while now, but for some reason, I was having the hardest time finding the perfect shoes to go with the perfect dress. Because the shoes, according to every wedding blog and website, apparently, are now just as important as the dress (okay, not just as, but up there): it's the bride's chance to step into something sparkly, something special, something with...bling. And above all, it seems, the shoe is supposed to be yet another way for the bride to express herself and to show off her personality. Her wedding shoes, even though hidden under the dress for most of the day, supposedly play a major role in completing her "look" (and provide such lovely photo opps such as this and this). 

Now don't get me wrong, I LOOOOOVE shoes. I have plenty, in all sorts of styles, heels, colors, etc., but (up until last week!) not just the right ones to fit the day. I'm not one for much bling, so all I wanted was something simple, classic, and semi-affordable (hah - maybe my choice of bridal footwear does say something about me...). I thought shoe shopping was going to be an easy task, but everything I looked at was either ridiculous, destined for an 18-year-old's prom night, completely over my budget, or all of the above. See below: 

A feather in my...shoe. 

{via}

Studs. 

{via} 

Super sparkles...and super expensive. 

{via}

Something really blue. 

{via}

I'm all for flats, but for $875?!?!? Nope. 

{via}

So much for affordable. In the end, though, I did find my Cinderella shoes, and I think they're quite perfect. The plan is, as of now, to wear them all day and all night, but I guess I wouldn't be surprised if they come off at some point in the evening; kolomejkas can only be done so easily in heels. I can't believe we're less than three months away! 

Reading over this, I realize this is quite the indulgent girly post. Sincerest apologies, but this is where my mind is these days! 

Grey, with a side of apricot.

{via}

So it's almost June, and you'd think the weather would be lovely and bright and sunny and warm, like the photo above. Nope. It's grey and wet, with a chill in the air. That's not helping my back-from-mn-induced hangover. I feel like there's so much I could be doing but I'm just not motivated. Does anyone else feel that way when you're back from a fantastic break? 

The other day, though, we decided we needed some summery sweetness in our lives, and found it in the form of these tiny apricot cakes. We didn't have the called-for vanilla extract, so I substituted almond, and it definitely worked. The recipe originally called for using a 12-cup muffin pan, but I filled our 6-cup muffin pan a bit more so we ended up having six little cakes instead of a dozen teeny, tiny ones. They're light, fluffy, and perfect for an easy dessert at the end of a late spring meal..and just might make you forget that it's only 50 degrees outside. 

Apricot Cakes, adapted from Bon Appetit. 
-------------------------

1 cup flour

1 1/2  tsp. baking powder

1/4  salt

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for buttering the muffin pan

1/3 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling

1 egg

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 tsp. almond extract

1/3 cup milk

2 apricots, halved, pitted, cut into thin slices

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 6-cup muffin pan. Whisk first three dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add egg, zest, and almond extract and beat until combined, about 1 more minute. 

With the mixer on its lowest speed, add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the milk (begin and end with the flour mixture). Pour batter into muffin cups and smooth the tops. Top with sliced apricots and sprinkle on sugar. 

Bake until golden and a tester comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer muffin pan to wire rack to cool for 5 minutes, then remove cakes and let cook completely. It's like having summer in one bite. 

Life by numbers.

100: days until our wedding. There's a lot of planning that still has to get done between now and then, but I'm so excited to celebrate. How amazing is it that I get to marry the person I love in front of all those we love?

{via}

48: hours until we'll just about be crossing the border into MN. YES.

{via}

1: final left for my sister before she is a college graduate! WOOHOO!! Go Gophers, go Minnesota, and most of all, go D!

{via}

2: types of European Championships Chelsea FC can currently claim. We watched them win the Europa League final this afternoon. Slightly different than the Champions League Final from last May (okay, a lot different), but it was still great to see them win. There will be a new Champions League winner in a few weeks, but until the Germans fight it out, we've got both trophies.

{via}

12: Yesterday MN joined 11 other states in making history. I love home.

{via}

74: degrees of perfect weather this afternoon. I could have stayed outside for hours.

29: days until Cheremosh performs at the Cowles Center! Get your tickets, people - this is going to be a great show!

{via}

200: number of pages Andrew guessed he has written this semester. A rough estimate, sure, but the actual one can't be too far off. I'm so proud of how hard he's worked to get through this first year! I'm guessing the photo below expresses his sentiments towards me right now, considering how much coffee we've gone through this last week...

{via}

In the kitchen: ramp pesto.

{via}

Last week, after we stumbled across the treasure chest of springtime vegetables, Andrew made this pesto that we've been adding to just about every meal. Ramps certainly aren't your everyday ingredient (they're only available a few weeks out of the year, and not in all parts of the country, either), yet I love how simple and packed with flavor they are. I know, I know, not everyone is going to get excited about a little green stalk that tastes like a mix between onion and garlic, but we are those people that do. And I'm not ashamed to admit it. We first had them last year and made them for our families for Easter dinner, so now, ramps remind me of that gathering and of the beautiful springtime we had last year. 

This pesto (like all pesto, really) is fantastically easy to make, but it adds just enough bite to pasta or other vegetables. We've been sauteing green beans and shallots in just a bit of ramp pesto - a perfect side dish to your spring meal! 

Ramp Pesto, via Edible Madison. 
-------------------------

2 cups ramps, rinsed, roots removed, and roughly chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt and black pepper

 

Add all ingredients except oil to food processor. Turn on the food processor and slowly add oil, scraping the sides of the bowl to make sure everything gets incorporated. Taste, adding salt and pepper as necessary. Pesto will keep in the fridge for about one week.  

PS: find more ramp dishes here and here - the pickled ramps are delicious! 

MN Mondays: Minneapolis rules.

{via}

I first saw this list on a fantastic Minneapolis tourism website and could barely contain my excitement for our trip home in a few weeks. Everything on this list is perfect, and I want to do every single one at some point in my life. I'm pretty sure we've checked off many already, but I wouldn't mind revisiting some favorites, including sidewalk dining down Nicollet Mall, everything involving St. Anthony Main and Lake Harriet, and, a true city gem, the Mill City Farmer's Market. I also love that Kramarczuk's made the list - a childhood tradition that is now making a real name for itself! 

If you're looking for things to do in the City of Lakes this summer (hint hint, dear friends and family who are coming in for the wedding!), check out this list. Even if you're a homemade Minneapolitan, challenge yourself to explore some of the neighborhood treasures you may not have yet seen. Sometimes the best things to do are truly in your own backyard! 

I think this post marks an unofficial countdown to summer...who's with me?!? 

Saturday Post No. 7

I had to snap this photo at a work outing last evening. I need some Hennepin. Two weeks to go. 

Don't have plans this evening? Need something to do while your freshly-baked paska is cooling? Go see my Ukes dance at Festival of Nations at the St. Paul RiverCentre! Three of our groups are dancing throughout the day and into tonight, and would love to have your support in the audience. 

After weeks of searching, we finally found ramps this morning. Andrew was like a kid in a candy store at Whole Foods and is now scouring the web for the best recipes to highlight this springtime treat; our favorites so far include ramp pesto and zucchini with ramp aioli. Stay tuned for results later this week, if we can control ourselves long enough to take a photo. 

Five things.

{via}

-------1-------

How is it May? This means the year is nearing its half-way mark, which freaks me out entirely. I don't know where time has gone, where exactly spring is hiding, or how it's been a year since graduating from law school. The fact that time is rushing by so quickly is countered by the fact that it seems like forever since we've been home to Minneapolis. Thankfully, Andrew's parents visited a few weeks ago to bring some family/MN love to MKE, but then again, HOW was that so long ago?!? I feel like I'm trapped in this weird zone where everything is moving so quickly and I feel like there's still much to do in so little time, and one where it seems that the days are taking forever and summer will never come. Anyone else feel this way? 

-------2-------

More on time: today is our five-year anniversary. Fast-forward from one Guinness each and a night full of conversation at Brit's to two graduate degrees (with a third in progress), a ring, a move, a lot of cooking, more wine, and an upcoming wedding, and we're here. I'm so glad we went to Brit's that night, after several weeks of old school flirting and discussing class reading assignments. So much has changed, but not really - we're still committed to each other, our families, and the life ahead of us. I can't wait to marry you, Driy!!

-------3-------

We'll be home in Minneapolis in exactly 2 weeks from today. We have an actual countdown going on our chalkboard, we're that excited. 

-------4-------

Both my sister and Andrew's sister are graduates this year! My sister graduates in a bit more than 2 weeks and Andrew's sister graduated earlier this week! Way to go, ladies!! We're proud of both of you and will celebrate LOTS when we're home. 

-------5-------

It's Orthodox Easter this weekend, which is strange because I don't remember the last time that the two Easters (Orthodox and everyone else's) were so far apart; usually, there's just a few weeks between the two. I don't think it helps that the first Easter was so early, either. To all those celebrating this weekend - have an extra slice of paska (and lots of extra syrna paska and kovbasa) for me. I'm quite sad about not having any. I was going to bake some and make syrna, but a) I was at work for too long to bake and b) NO ONE sells farmer's cheese here. I was complaining about this to my mom, who was equally surprised and indignant: "but it's Wisconsin, how do they not sell farmer's cheese in Wisconsin?" I don't know, and I'll be upset about it for a while. Oh, and I would love to see if any of my Ukes decide to embrace the other holiday going on this weekend...if someone decides to be brave and go have their burrito blessed in their koshyk, please send me photos. You would make my week. 

This month.

What are you looking forward to this May?