so you can imagine how thrilled i was to stumble into the beautiful leif...an online shop stocked with all the colors i can't seem to stay away from...

has me re-thinking this whole submerge-myself-in-all white thing...oooooo better yet, can you imagine all white with bits from leif.

this is big stuff for me...adding color!  oh my!

xo mrs. french

Pickled fruit is a truly underappreciated condiment.  Finding the perfect balance of salty, sweet and sour can add a depth and dimension to a dish that is unbeatable.  I experimented a while back with pickled blueberries but I think that I love these Chai pickled peaches even more.  Using tea bags is a simple way to flavor your brine and creates endless flavor possibilities.  Make sure to the best quality tea you can find for the best and most intense flavor.  Use peaches that are still a bit firm so that they retain their shape and texture.  I packed them into 3 pint sized containers but you could put them all into one large jar.

I paired these peaches with a nice creamy goat cheese, pistachios and arugula in a salad and as a crostini.  I think they would also be great spooned over some vanilla ice cream, or on top of a pizza with some nice salty bacon. How about spooned over some nice grilled pork chops?  They will keep for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator so that gives you plenty of time to figure out the best way to use them. 

Visit me at www.scalingbackblog.com for more recipe inspiration!

Chai pickled peaches

Ingredients:

2 pounds slightly underripe peaches

1 cup white balsamic vinegar

1 cup water

1 ½ cups sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

6 star anise

3 cinnamon sticks

3 serrano chili peppers sliced in half

3 chai tea bags

Method:

Peel the peaches and slice into wedges, discarding the pits.  Pack the peaches into glass jars along with the peppers, star anise, cinnamon and tea bags.

Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring the dissolve the sugar and salt.  Pour the hot liquid over the peaches, cover and refrigerate.

Remove and discard the tea bags after 1 day.  The peaches will be ready after 2 days and they will keep for up to 3 weeks.

1. Geometric playscape 

2. Giant fruit poofs 

3. Astronaut bedding 

4. Bright colored printable kitchen labels

5. Modern playhouse

6. THE cutest pears. 

7. Felt piggy banks that grow as you save more money!

8. Modern Rocking Chair

9. Matchbox toy car storage that rocks

See ya next week!

Xx Lindsay

the first is corbin bernsen's 1940's california home...

the doors and windows in the kitchen/dining area, along with the industrial fixtures are enought to put me over the edge...

the vintage finds, combined with new pieces and gorgeous restoration are simply stunning.

xo mrs. french

via country living

i heart this sweater, necklace and throw.

i heart this dress, pillow, and bangle.

i heart this dress, cutting board, and sandal.

i heart this linen poncho, chair, and coasters.

i heart these comfy pants, this rug, and this watch.

i heart this rolling pin, planter, and these loafers.

i hope your weekend was completely...and for you mommas out there, i hope you were celebrated in the largest way!

xo mrs. french

i no longer scrutinize every inch of my body; extra chins, rooty hair, less than perfect teeth, etc...why? because i am b and lu's mom and i love that person.

b and lu's mom is not perfect, but she is to them. there are no words for how thankful i am for these tiny people...the gift has been more epic than i could have imagined. i knew i would love them, but i had no idea that i could have loved them this much or that they could have turned this gal into someone who truly loves herself and finally after 30-some years has found exactly what she has been looking for.

thank you b and lu...your momma is so thankful.

to all the other mommas out there...happy mother's day.

xo mrs. french

and thank you miss tina for 2 of my favorite pics...a momma i am so proud to know.

Do you ever wonder where all your time goes?  There are weeks when I feel like I accomplish absolutely nothing but I feel like I’ve been running around non-stop.  I’ve officially become a Volvo driving soccer mom, when I was younger I never pictured myself carting kids around town, watching a bunch of 12 year olds playing basketball but that is essentially my life these days.  To be absolutely honest I never even thought I would have kids.

I didn’t have the greatest examples in my life when I was younger and had decided there was no way I wanted any part of marriage and babies, I just didn’t think I had it in me, that I was too selfish and ill equipped to handle those responsibilities.  Motherhood kind of blindsided me, we didn’t plan it, it just happened.  Life is messy and loud and obnoxious and I wouldn’t have it any other way.  Being a mom has taught me that I have to roll with the punches and most of the time put someone else’s needs before my own. 

My boys have a sweet tooth and while I don’t make dessert everyday when we indulge we go all the way.  This is decadence defined, a butterscotch pudding with a rich, creamy salted caramel.  It is really pretty easy to make as long as you are comfortable making caramel.  The trick to making caramel is to keep a close eye on it and handle it with a light touch.  The caramel sauce is amazing all by itself, the addition of the sour cream really helps temper the sweetness and is great on top of ice cream or with fresh fruit. 

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s out there.  I’ll be enjoying a little bit of quiet from the chaos; at least I hope I will.  

Visit me at www.scalingbackblog.com during the rest of the week for more recipes and inspiration!

Salted Caramel Budino

Adapted from The NY Times

Ingredients:

For the budino:

3 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups milk

1 large egg

3 large egg yolks

4 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/8 cups dark brown sugar

1 1/2teaspoons kosher salt

5 tablespoons butter

for the salted caramel sauce:

1/2 cup heavy cream

¼ cup water

scrapings from one vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

½ cup sugar

1 ¼ teaspoon Fleur de Sel  plus more for garnish

1/2 cup sour cream

Method:

For the budino, combine cream and milk in medium saucepan.  Heat until simmering and set aside.  Whisk egg, egg yolks and cornstarch in medium bowl, set aside.

Combine brown sugar, kosher salt and 1/2 cup water in pot. Place over medium-high heat and let sit until edges start to brown. Tilt pot as needed to even the browning until caramelized, nutty and deep brown, about 10 minutes.

Immediately whisk in cream mixture, mixture will steam and caramel will seize. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Whisk a cup at a time into egg mixture until half is incorporated. Remove from heat, and immediately whisk egg mixture back into pot until custard is very thick, about 2 minutes.

Whisk in butter. Pass through a fine mesh strainer and divide among 10 6-ounce ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap, allow to cool, and refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours or up to 3 days.

For sauce, combine 1/2 cup of cream and the vanilla in medium saucepan. Heat until simmering and set aside.

Combine the sugar and corn syrup with 1/4 cup of water in a medium saucepan, stirring carefully so as not to splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 350F or until the mixture is dark amber in color, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, and slowly add the cream, and then the Fleur de Sel. Whisk in the sour cream and set aside to cool.

To serve, spoon a tablespoon of warm caramel sauce over each budino and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon fleur de sel.

― Elizabeth Stone

This little quote sums it all up so nicely.  And with Mother’s Day coming up I wanted to share with you a few beautiful mother/child pictures that I love.

I hope all you mommas feel super loved this weekend.

Hugs,

Jennifer

What is sweeter than the way a Mother's eyes light up when seeing their little one? Nothing I tell you, except the expression on that little one's face right back at her. 

Here are some lovely photos to enjoy as we get closer to Mother's Day. They are all grabbed from my Parenthood & Mama Style boards on Pinterest. Take a look for more inspiration... 

1. Are You My Mother?

2. Forehead Kisses

3. Chic Mama Style

4. Sweetest Kiss via The Wiegands

5. Naomi + Eleanor enjoying Spring in Central Park

6. Newborn + Mama

7. Mama & Little One Sharing a Moment

8. Sleepy snuggles

9. Just so lovely...

which is why this home in the forest fits into my plan perfectly...obviously void of "stuff"...

a few bits and baubles here and there, but overall so uncluttered...i am pretty sure it has to smell like rain, sunshine and pine trees... 

xo mrs. french

via the ever perfect light locations