Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie

In the past I've hewed closely to the pumpkin pie tradition at Thanksgiving, but this year embraced change and baked my first-ever pecan pie.  I can't deny that finding a recipe which calls for a splash of bourbon made me that much more excited to give it a spin.  And, from Cooking Light, no less!

Getting started.

Just a tablespoon for flavor, I swear.  There may or may not have been a whisky taste test later in the day.

Finished result -- not half bad for a first try!

Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie

Originally found in Cooking Light's Thanksgiving 2011 issue; also available online here. 

1 refrigerated pie dough, rolled out to fit a 9" pan

cooking spray

3/4 cup pecan halves

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup dark corn syrup 

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons bourbon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fit dough into 9" pie plate coated with cooking spray, draping excess dough over the edges.  Fold the edges under and flute, or cross-hatch with a fork.  Chill in the freezer while you prepare the filling, about 15 minutes.

Combine pecans and all remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well to combine.  Pour into prepared crust and bake for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees or until the center of the pie is nearly set.  Cool on wire rack and inhale! 

Cooking light recommends serving with vanilla ice cream, which I imagine would be amazing, but we used good old fashioned homemade whipped cream, which went with the sugary-sweet pecan goodness perfectly!

Monaco

The city-state of Monaco, technically an independent principality surrounded entirely by French territory, makes another lovely day trip from Nice.  It's the most densely-populated country in the world, the richest, at least as measured by per capita GDP, and also has the lowest unemployment rate -- a functional 0%, with thousands commuting in from France every day for work.  Monaco is so much more dense and developed than the other cities along the Riviera, it's worth seeing if only for the comparison.

Monaco is probably most famous for being the home of Monte Carlo, which is actually a neighborhood within the city -- a neighborhood that basically consists of the world's most well-known casino, plus shops and hotels catering to the casino's unfathomably wealthy clients.

Looking through the fountains and parks towards the Casino Monte Carlo.

I suspect only tourists ever "use" this entrance; the place is mobbed with people with cameras, and I can't imagine those about to gamble thousands (millions?) of dollars really want to navigate that.

The flag of Monaco.

Amazing sailboats in Monaco's famous port.

Looking out over the port with the main part of the city in the background.

Even the train station is modern, clean, and sleek.

Villefranche-sur-Mer

Just a few kilometers along the coast from Nice is the small, gorgeous town of Villefranche-sur-Mer.  Villefranche is tiny compared to Nice, but boasts one of the country's most well-known French-as-a-foreign-language schools (Institut de Francais) and -- unusual for the Riviera -- a beach you can lie on comfortably.  Most of the Riviera is blessed with gorgeous but somewhat uncomfortable, rock-covered beaches -- this partly explains the popularity of private beaches in Nice, where you can rent a lounge chair and avoid the trouble of arranging the huge rocks into a semi-flat surface.  In Villefrance, the beach is still rocks, but tiny pebbles rather than stones the size of your hand, so it's almost like lying on sand.  Definitely close enough to enjoy the day!

Exploring the town.

Loved these colors together.

Spend an afternoon reading by the water?  Don't mind if I do!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

You really can't go wrong with oatmeal chocolate chip cookies -- a widely-loved variation on a classic favorite. And, since they include oatmeal, I convince myself they might be kinda sorta healthy!  I love this recipe: the cinnamon and cloves are completely optional and very subtle, but just add a little extra dimension to the finished flavor. Ironically I made a huge batch of these almost immediately after resolving to lose a few pounds before a 15K I am running in early December -- less weight to carry all those miles! Not exactly a swimming start, but oh well, it was worth it for the chewy, chocolatey goodness. Scroll down for the recipe.

All boxed up and ready to take to work. 

(I have enough shame willpower to not eat ALL of them myself!)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar (I use dark, but light would work just fine)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves (optional)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 2 cups (1 bag) semisweet chocolate chips
• 
  
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
  • • In a large mixing bowl -- a stand mixer is great if you have one -- cream the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
• 
  
• In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon and cloves (if using), baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add the combined dry ingredients a little at a time to the creamed butter and sugar mixture.  Next, stir in the oats and chocolate chips.
• 
  
• Drop rounded spoonfuls a few inches apart on regular ungreased baking sheets, and bake for 10-12 minutes.  Cool 'em on wire racks -- if you can wait that long!

Colline du Chateau

If you ever find yourself with an afternoon to kill in Nice, one of the countless lovely ways to do it is to take a short, steep walk up the "Colline du Chateau."  Once upon a time there was a real castle here, but that has been gone since the early 1700s, and now the area has been transformed into a lovely park with a few ruins and spectacular views overlooking Nice's Baie des Anges.  The castle ruins are on a rocky outcrop wedged right in between Nice's port and the old city ("Vieille Ville"), making this this perfect outing to combine with a stroll through either neighborhood -- plus a gelato, of course!

Panoramic view of Nice, looking inland with hills in the distance.

Overlooking Vieille Ville, the Promenade des Anglais, and the Baie des Anges from the top of the hill.

The winding streets of Vieille Ville.

Autumn Joy

No doubt about it, fall is my favorite season.  It probably dates back to when I loved going back to school (yes, I was that girl who looked forward to going back to school), but who doesn't love fall colors, breaking out the sweaters, being cozy on the first chilly nights, the start of football season, big bowls of chili... you get the idea.

Far away...

...close up.

Perfect for eating breakfast by the fire or roasting s'mores!

Le Jardin Exotique

As promised, this is an entire post dedicated to "le Jardin Exotique," which is set at the highest point of Eze Village.  If you ever are lucky enough to go to Eze, absolutely do not balk at the 5 euro entrance fee for this garden.  I read a review in advance claiming it was the best 5 euros you could spend on the French Riviera, and I'm inclined to agree.  I went a little photo-crazy there, because I found the statues very compelling, with the graceful lines set against the lush, steep hillside.

I love that she has her hands in her pockets, as if waiting indifferently for something or someone interesting to come along.

I find the blurred eyes fascinating, especially paired with the knowing smile.

The way the garden is arrayed, it's difficult to view this statue's face, which I imagine is deliberate: who knows what she might be thinking of?

I'm having fun with short depth-of-field again. 

I can't deny it: I desperately want these deck chairs.  Of course, it might be helpful to have a deck to put them on first.

This little guy is tucked away off a little pathway through the garden. 

Fun with angles and perspective this time.

Beautiful Eze

The French Riviera is dotted with small, charming towns tailor-made for day-trips from a home base in Nice or one of the larger cities.  Most of these towns are right along the coast, situated to take immediate advantage of the sparkling water and beach space, but the town of Eze is a truly fabulous exception.  There is the tiny Eze-sur-Mer along the beach, but this really is just a few streets and the train station.  The real site to behold is Eze Village, which is carved a looong climb (or a short bus ride) up in the hillside.  The village is completely inaccessible by car, and very recognizable by the lovely red-brick pathways with tiny shops and cafes literally carved into the side of the hills on either side.  Even though I was there on a cloudy day, I think it's safe to say it's one of the most picturesque places I have ever seen.

Looking down from the very early part of the Nietzsche Path, which winds up (and up, and up..) from Eze-sur-Mer to Eze Village.

My poor navigation skills meant that I missed the entrance to the path not once, but twice, and consequently was exhausted before even starting.  Fortunately iPhone GPS got me back on track, and the views were well worth it just a little ways into the hike.

Glancing back down a village street.

Rooftops in the village all have this deep reddish-orange tile.  This is an iconic Eze view, taken from the window of Le Nid d'Aigle -- a great restaurant where I was only too happy to devour a huge bowl of pasta after hauling my sorry self up from the shore.

You certainly can see how cloudy it was, but in some ways that just makes it that much more beautiful. This view is from Le Jardin Exotique, perched all the way at the top of town.  In the very bottom right corner, you can see the winding Moyen Corniche, a road connecting all the French Riviera towns which apparently was quite an engineering when first completed.  Legend has it the car accident that killed Princess Grace Kelly occurred along this road.  The garden here is decorated with a series of hauntingly beautiful statues -- I took so many photos of them that they merit a separate post all to themselves!

Zoom!

This post is birthday-related only insofar as it features a picture taken with the most fabulous birthday present: a sexy little Canon 55-250mm, f/4-5.6 lens.  This is a major upgrade for me, since my previous kit lens had a range of 18-55mm.  Even before, I felt lucky to have equipment that far surpassed my photography skills, and now that's even more true.  Lots to practice and learn!

Hello, almost 30!

Taking a quick break from the travel-related posts to share this picture of delicious birthday white chocolate bread pudding. What's not to like!? I turned 29 yesterday and plan to thoroughly enjoy yet another year.  I recently saw a quote to the effect of, "I have found that if you love life, life will love you right back," and figure that is as good a mantra as any.  :)  Incidentally, this one was also taken with my iPhone.

Russian Cathedral

Another beautiful site in Nice is the Russian Orthodox Cathedral.  I confess I haven't edited all of these photos yet, and it was a pretty gray day when I was able to make it there, so you'll just have to take my word for it that the colors are completely stunning in person.  Nice was, evidently, a haven for Russian nobility back in the day (who wouldn't want to be on the French Riviera instead of Moscow..?) and a lot of the culture remains.  There's something wonderful about seeing the onion domes set against palm trees.

Cours Saleya

One of the loveliest things to do in Nice is to visit the Cours Saleya in the morning, when the square turns into a sprawling food and flower market, full of eye candy.  It's pretty hard to beat munching on a chocolate croissant and fresh raspberries while ogling the gorgeous roses, or just sitting in one of the sidewalk cafes for some excellent people watching.

Almost too good-looking to eat.

Even the soap somehow looks delicious.

I am having way too much fun playing with my "nifty fifty" 50mm f/1.8 lens.

Who could resist a bunch of roses like this?

Breakfast!

Very Nice

I was lucky enough to spend several weeks in September taking a language class in Nice, France.  Not only was the class wonderful -- so nice to be a student again, if only for a few weeks! -- but, hey, if you have to write flashcards and do homework, you might as well do so while sitting on the beach.  The first picture is looking back over Nice's Promenade des Anglais on a sunny afternoon, while the second picture is actually taken while standing on the Promenade des Anglais, looking out over one of the city's many private beaches very early on a cloudy morning.

welcome!

After years of on-again, off-again contemplation, in mid-2011 I bought a quality camera and committed myself to learning how to use at least half of its capabilities.  For a little extra motivation, after yet more contemplation, I've created a site to share photos of things I see and love with friends, family, and anyone else.  I'm learning as I go!  I'm starting with an old but much-loved photo of a bike path in the woods, which I took using my iPhone 4 back in late 2010.  I love my Canon DSLR, but it's a lot harder to fit in your back pocket!