Weekly Wrap Up

Happy Friday!  It's almost the weekend, we've almost made it!

My picture taking has significantly slowed these past few weeks, I'm sorry!  I don't know what 's going on with that, but I still have some great moments to share with you today!

Nothing super exciting has happened this week, and it's been SO busy but it's been good.

I would also like to take a moment to thank you so much for all of your support this week!  It's been a record week here on Hair Bows and Butter, I am so surprised and so blessed for all of your support!



Green River Ordinance!  Amazing live, such a great show.  If they come to your city you should definitely go see them!



A pretty summer pasta salad, leftovers from Father's day, yum!



I got this great headband from Petunia Blooms, check out her store, it's amazing!



Martini Monday!  My roommate and are going to start a new tradition (just one each ;)).



My lovely roomie!  Cheers to Martini Monday!



Creme brulee cupcakes? Yes please!  Look for the recipe on Friday, June 29 over on Dragonflight Dreams.



Waiting at the courthouse...so bored!



My friends and I went and saw Pirates of the Caribbean in a parking lot, super fun!  They went all out, check out the pirate ship!



Mini bundts!  Yes please!  If you live in Denver, Birds and Belles is having their grand opening party TONIGHT at 6 and these will all be there!  Yum! (Nutella and salted caramel, spiced apple and blackberry, maple bacon chocolate and spicy mango!)

Hope you enjoy!  Can't wait to see what this next week holds!

Love,

Keely

Thankful Thursdays

I came across a blog called A Complete Waste of Makeup (great name right!) today and she has a link up party called It's Ok to be Thankful Thursdays.



I was instantly in love with this idea because to be honest today I was struggling through this day.  I was really tired and maybe border-line grumpy, I needed a pick me up and this idea was perfect!

This may become a regular feature here, wouldn't that be great!

Here's my list:

I am thankful that I have a job, and a job that I love 90 percent of the time.

I am thankful that I have the world's most wonderful roommate who is such a sweetheart and so encouraging.

I am thankful that I have people in my life who love and support me and want to see my "succeed."

I am thankful that my family loves me and is letting me grow up and figure this whole thing out.

I am thankful that I have this small corner of the internet to share my thoughts and recipes, and that people are actually reading it!

There you have it.  That felt good!

What are you thankful for?  Join the link up!

Love,

Keely

Whimsical Wednesday-Week 8

As most of you may know, I just recently moved.  It's interesting to try and rearrange a new home.  I want to make the most of my space and I want to very intentional start new habits relating to organization.

The problem is that there isn't a lot of storage space in my new apartment.  I have a huge closet with only two shelves.  So I've been looking for some creative solutions to this problem.  So far these are the ideas I've collected!



via

I already bought a frame to attempt this earring hanger.  It would look really cute inside my closet.



via

This old drawer is a perfect jewelry box.  It's so rustic and cute and super functional (which really is MOST important).



via

What an amazing medicine cabinet.  Making the back of it magnetic is such a genius move!



via

Printable labels for your pantry.  I have some jars but I've just been using painters tape to label this.  This printable is way cuter!



via

I love this key holder, mail station.  We don't really have a good drop place when we first get inside and I would love to have something like this.



via

I love this old metal mesh organizer.  It's so cute and perfect for important things you need to remember in the morning!



via

And of course, I couldn't have an organization post without some mason jars.  I love this idea with the rustic wood and the mason jars.  It's such a great way to organize this.  Now if I could find a place to hang it...

I'll keep you updated, hopefully I'll get at least one of these projects done, we'll see!  Really what I need is a good place to put shoes.  Any ideas?

Love,

Keely

Cupcake Tuesday-Gluten Free!

So for all of you gluten-free people out there I'm sure you don't want to hear this, but I'm sad for you! I can't imagine a life without those perfect baked goods and I'm sure that blogs like mine that just throw them in your face are frustrating to you.

Alas! I have a recipe for YOU! Yes you! And I think that all of your gluten eating friends will also LOVE these cupcakes.

They're a wonderful balance of chocolate and orange with just a hint of raspberry in the frosting. Oh, and the frosting is pretty bomb, you can't really go wrong when you mix cream cheese with whipped cream. Oh boy you should be so excited right now, I know I am!



Before we get started, would you ever guess that those are gluten-free? I mean look at how cute they are! Just don't tell anyone and no one will ever know! (It can be our little secret :))

Also, here's the deal with this recipe. I get super stressed out when baking gluten-free for someone who NEEDS gluten free! I freak out about contamination from my non-gluten-free kitchen, so I clean all the bowls like two times before I use them, oh and I can't use my sponge because I use that ALL THE TIME to wash gluten-filled bowls. I also grabbed a clean kitchen towel to wipe everything with, and has anyone else ever noticed that collection of flour on their stand mixer!?! What is that, that needs to go before any of this can happen. Oh and just to be safe, I had this pan from IKEA that has a slightly different shape, I had only used it once so it is now officially dubbed my "Gluten-free-cupcake-pan." Done.

Ok, so after our little freak out, everything is clean and ready to go! So let's get going!

Orange Chocolate Gluten-Free Cupcakes

makes 12 cupcakes

Adapted from My Life At Arnold's

3/4 cup brown rice flour

3/4 cup arrowroot powder

1/2 cup cocoa

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons guar gum

1 cup warm water

3 tablespoons oil

vanilla

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 eggs

zest of 1 orange

The best part about gluten-free baking is that it is incredibly hard to over mix (there is no gluten to develop). I love it! I also love that most recipes can be made with a whisk instead of a mixer.

Preheat oven to 325.

In a medium bowl combine all the dry ingredients (if you don't have guar gum on hand you can use 1 teaspoon xantham gum. I didn't have xantham gum and guar gum was cheaper, thus the substitution.)

In a second bowl, combine all the wet ingredients except the eggs.

Add the eggs directly to the dry ingredients, whisk a little bit. (I did this because I was a little bit nervous about the warm water/egg situation).

Finally, pour in the wet ingredients and whisk. Whisk for a while (2-3 minutes).

Put in a line cupcake pan (about 2 oz. in each liner) about bake for 25 minutes.



Success! I was jumping with joy when I pulled these out, I never expect that kind of rise from gluten-free baking.

Raspberry-Orange Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

adapted from Joy the Baker

1/3 cup heavy cream

4 ounces cream cheese

2 tablespoons agave

1 teaspoon raspberry jam

1 teaspoon orange zest

In a small bowl whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks.

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, agave, jam and orange zest until smooth and light.

Add half of the whipped cream and fold into the cream cheese mixture. Once mixed in add the second half of the whipped cream and gently combine.

Pipe onto to cooled cupcakes and top with a raspberry (optional).

Enjoy!

Love,

Keely

Sunday School-Sugar Free Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk Cake

Wow, that is one long title for a cake, but it's going to be delicious.  And by sugar-free I do not mean that this is packed full of fake sweetener, nor do I mean that this is particularly healthy, there is still some butter and buttermilk in it (you could make it lighter by using non-fat buttermilk.)

So instead of refined sugar I used agave.  This created a much less-sweet cake, but that's ok because the strawberries really shine through which makes it amazing!

And let's talk about the roasted strawberries.  Roasting them caramelizes their sugars and makes them so sweet and delicious, adding salt just makes them taste more like strawberries, it's amazing!

And look at how delicious those strawberries make the top of this cake look!



Are you hungry yet?

Ok good, let's get going on this!

Roasted Strawberries

adapted from Joy the Baker

1 carton strawberries cut into halves or quarters (you can use more if you would like)

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons real maple syrup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat the oven to 400.

While you are slicing your strawberries, put a pat of butter on a edged cookie sheet (edges are super important!  If you don't have a cookie sheet with edges you can use a pyrex) and put in the oven until melted.

Swirl the melted butter around the pan and pour the sliced strawberries on top of it.

Drizzle with maple syrup and olive oil and sprinkle some salt all over those strawberries.



Now mix everything together, it's looking yummy!

Throw that pan in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until the strawberries are nice and tender and their juices have formed a syrup.

Buttermilk Cake

adapted from Joy the Baker

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/3 cup pure agave

salt

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup butter, melted

vanilla

Roasted strawberries

So while your strawberries are roasting you can go ahead and get this together, it's pretty simple and all you need is a bowl and a whisk!

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large bowl mix together all your liquid ingredients (agave, eggs, buttermilk, butter, vanilla).  Give them a quick whisk and make sure that everything is incorporated.

Then add in the flour and the baking powder.  Whisk until smooth (don't over whisk, it's ok if the batter is mostly smooth with a few chunks).

Butter and flour a pie pan, this will prevent the cake from sticking.

Scoop the cake in, all of it may not fit, you can make it into a cupcake or two if you feel like it.  Smooth out the top a little bit.



This is where this cake gets taken up a notch, it's about to get exciting.  Take your strawberries and spread them evenly over the cake, adding some of the syrup as well.



Throw that puppy in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until nice and golden brown and firm.

Allow to cool and slice and serve, everyone will be so impressed with your skills (especially since the name makes it sound so fancy!).

Also, for the record, this cake was so easy that I was able to make it with this much counter space.



I had just moved and that's about all I could clear off at the time, so no excuses, just go and bake and love it!

Love,

Keely

Soundtrack Saturday-Green River Ordinance

I discovered this band a couple of weeks ago and instantly fell in love with their sound, their lyrics and pretty much everything about them.  The great news is that I totally get to go see them TONIGHT!

All of their songs are great!  It was really hard to pick just one for today (and there was a lyric that I searched all of their songs for but couldn't find so I must have been dreaming but this is a just as amazing song!)

I've been listening to these guys almost all week long.  This is a great song, nice and slow and super romantic, totally breaks my heart a bit, and gives me a reason to hope!

Enjoy!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGCr6zTLfLA&w=420&h=315]

Love,

Keely

Weekly Wrap Up

Happy Friday lovelies!

I hope you had a fabulous week, as always!

This was my first full week in my new place and it is almost totally decorated!  My roommate and I have been having so much fun arranging things and making things for our walls and staying up really late talking.  It's a ton of fun!

We've been not only holed up in our apartment, we've been exploring our neighborhood as well and we are in love.  It's so wonderful (and they really like fireworks!)



This is my favorite wall!  My thrifted retro ball cart and a fabulous starburst mirror.  It's like going to the seventies!



My roomie and I hung up a bunch of embroidery circles (she loves sewing, I love cupcakes).  It's the easiest, cheapest project and it's SO cute!



Told you my neighborhood loves fireworks.  We had a block party and at the end of it there were fireworks, great fun!



Isn't this stop sign awesome?  It's yellow and is trying to keep you safe!



Strawberry lemonade cupcakes anyone?  Recipe coming soon!



My cute little German girl hairstyle.  Gotta love the braids (I'm a shoe in for a remake of The Sound of Music).



Exciting things are happening here, raspberries, maple syrup, water.



Turned into raspberry syrup and mixed with sparkling water.  Raspberry soda!  Amazing (it was missing a touch of vodka ;)).

So there you have it, a reasonable slow week (only 8 pictures this week, not the usual 15).

Love,

Keely