watermelon overload

One of my absolute favorite things about summer is the fruit.  While my real favorite varietal doesn't turn up 'til fall, there are plentiful second favorites come summertime.  And watermelon is chief among them.

Only problem with watermelon is that just one of them is - well - a LOT.  While I usually buy them by the quarter to avoid watermelon overload, I couldn't resist the $4-a-pop special at the market this past weekend.

Normally, I just like my watermelon plain.

no frills about it

But with so much I needed to shake it up.

Kale, cucumber, carrot, feta, watermelon salad:

Watermelon slushies:

just freeze watermelon chunks + then blend

no sugar needed!

How do you spice up your watermelon?

xoxo

KK

 

a flag cake

When I think of the Fourth of July, I don't think of fireworks or BBQ or even that signature red-white-and-blue décor, I think of cake. 

You see, my little brother (the one who played football in college and can pick up my sister and I in one easy swoop) always had an infinity for baking.  So much so that he wrote his college essay about how much he loves to bake and started his own baking business.  He and his partner in crime spent a summer delivering "Sweet Convenience" (as their business was called) to customers big and small. 

His love of baking resulted in our family spending many holidays in the kitchen baking together (or more often: watching Sam work his magic).  Fourth of July was no exception.  On this day, Sam always crafted a picture-perfect Texas sheet cake decked out in red, white, and blue berries and buttercream frosting.

 

from here

Stefan had just about the most un-festive Fourth of July imaginable: we spent the day indoors taking care of to-dos, we went out for Chinese for dinner, and we didn't watch the fireworks.

But the one thing I couldn't do without was that cake.  (And the memories that come with it.)

Since Stefan (being the Swiss cheese obsessionado that he is) is more of a cheesecake fan than a sheet-cake fan, I decided to modify accordingly.  I whipped up my absolute favorite recipe and then decked it out with berries accordingly.

This cheesecake recipe is totally killer and not the thick, dense, New-York-style variety you may know from the Cheesecake Factory.  So good in fact that one friend who declared he despises all cheesecake just moments before this cake was unveiled, ate not one, but TWO extra-large pieces and asked for a doggie bag to take home.  Only word of advice: don't skip the waterbath portion of the recipe - I once did and ended up with a concrete crust at the bottom of my pan.

Do you have any Fourth of July traditions you just can't do without?

xoxo

KK  

happy 4th!

What are you up to this weekend?

We're hanging around here and partaking in typical fourth-fare: watching the fireworks from our roof, doing some extra-long hikes over in Marin, and eating lots of corn on the cob.  

While I'm excited for a weekend of not-so-much after so much action these past few weeks, I am missing the big fourth of July festivities I grew up with (family soccer and sparklers and barbecue and sitting by the lake and a flag sheet cake homemade by my little brother early that morning).  

So to quench my thirst for the holiday, I'm bringing you my favs for the fourth.

For eating:

from here and here and here

For drinking:

from here and here

For dessert-ing:

from here and here and here

And for wearing:

from here and here and here

Happy fourth!

xoxo

KK

well, hello!

Boy oh boy, it's been quite awhile since I've checked in last.  But my absence was not without good reason - I landed a new job!  While very exciting, the last month has been a whirlwind of trying to orchestrate my exit from my current gig as well as schedule some summer fun.  (More on that to come.)  

In addition, we've had time for some exciting, action-packed weekends.

Watching my baby brother graduate summa cum laude (!!) from Williams:

so proud of Sam Richard Krieg

the family crew of Williams grads

Helping said baby brother move into his new apartment in NYC:

my sister Gretchen working her magic with IKEA

My 5-year college reunion:
(which coincided with my parents' 30th and included a whole lotta mud)

charlotte and me

A wedding up in Healdsburg:

we obviously had to do some wine tasting

(at kunde's mountain top)

and some beer tasting

(at the fermentation bar in downtown healdsburg)

and some hiking in the redwoods

And finally, doing some much-needed spring cleaning:

color-coded books - yay or nay?

 

More details on these fun weekends to come.

What have you been up to?

xoxo

KK