Color Inspiration Daily: 05. 22. 12

Tiger Dance Illustration by Naomi Wilkinson (via Ciara on Pinterest). Naomi will be selling prints soon, so be sure to bookmark her site for later.

Strawberry Cheesecake Pie (Gluten-Free)

On Thursday of last week I spotted and pinned this Strawberry Cheesecake Pie recipe from Simply Gluten-Free (maker of my favorite gluten-free flour), and by Friday I couldn't wait any longer to give it a try. What sold me was:

1. The crust is made from pecans (serious yum-factor) and is therefore gluten-free without any flavor sacrifice.
2. Strawberries are in season and I was able to pick up a huge container of them at the local market for under $4.

There is a bit of patience involved with this dessert since you have to chill the cream filling for at least 8 hours before digging in. If you're planning to make one, I recommend starting a day ahead and just leaving it in the fridge overnight. Before you let the timing put you off though, I have to tell you that the flavor of the final dessert it worth every second of wait time. I love a good cheesecake, but usually feel uncomfortably full afterwards. This version however is so light and airy and is set off perfectly with the nutty richness of the pecan crust, and the crisp freshness of the strawberries. Definitely a crowd-pleaser (even for people who are used to indulging in gluten without a problem) and a recipe that is going into my binder of favorite recipes. Yum!

Please pop on over to Carol's blog for the full recipe, and then if you'd like to include my minor adaptations I've listed those for you here. Enjoy! xo Ez

Strawberry Cheesecake Pie adaptations (optional):

• For the crust I used 5 Tablespoons of unsalted butter instead of 6
• I used a Tart Tin with removable bottom for my baking dish. It worked well and looked really pretty, but I recommend a traditional pie dish if you will be transporting your dessert. That way you won't loose your strawberries off the side.
• For the filling I used approximately 1/8 cup more sugar than was called for. I recommend tasting as you mix and adjusting the sugar level to your liking.
• For the filling I also opted to measure the lemon juice and zest because my lemons were super juicy.
• For the topping I opted to cut my strawberries in half instead of leaving them whole.
• I didn't have any berry jam on hand to finish the topping with, so I made a quick jam on the stovetop. To make it I combined about 8 frozen strawberries 1/4 cup of sugar and a teaspoon of water in a small saucepan and cooked on medium until the strawberries were completely soft and the sugar was dissolved. I then used my immersion blender to quickly (and carefully) puree the sauce, and then I set it in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes before pouring it over the top of the strawberry-covered pie. Yum!
• Serve chilled.

My Weekend in Photos

Hi guys! I just thought I'd pop in to share a quick little photo recap of my weekend as posted over on Instagram. It's been so much fun keeping up with so many of you over there (I'm kind of obsessed really).

1. Unpacking pretty things from my trip to New Jersey. The beautiful books were a gift from my friend Melissa, and the gorgeous soap is from my friend Marichelle. Everything else I found either from my visit to Terrain, Perch or Christmas Tree Shop.

2. We've been spoiled by a bounty of hydrangeas in our little yard (okay, it's only one bush, but it's still been really good to us this year).

3. Rediscovering my love for pears. Such a feel-good taste-good snack!

4. And Summer is officially underway now that the shaved ice shack in our neighborhood has opened for the season. Yum!

If you're not already following me on Instagram and want to, you can find me under username: creaturecomforts. Oh...and if you didn't know already, Instagram is a free app and was recently made available for other smart phones (not just iPhones)! Get in on the fun!

Pinterest Picks: 05. 21. 12

Happy Monday friends! It feels so great to be back home again. I always get bright-eyed at the thought of being a jet-set gal, but inevitably every time I travel reality shows up and reminds me that at heart I'm more of a homebody. I mean I definitely had a blast on this last trip hanging out with my dear friends in New Jersey, and then flying to California to spend time with my extended family (so it's not a complaint...just more of an observation), but overall I think I like the creature comforts of home a bit too much to make traveling a steady a habit (my bank account thanks me for that). Give me my little home office, the sounds of birds out my window, and two puppies nestled at my feet any day, and I'll be happy as can be!

Anyhow, I'm glad to be back and am looking forward to blogging regularly again! Thanks for stopping by today. xo Ez

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To start the week off right, I thought I'd share a few pretties from my recent Pinterest favorites. If you're in the mood for more, stop on over and see everything I'm loving right here, and if you missed my past weekly picks, you can see those right here.

1. Beautiful Mint Chair photographed by Julien Fernandez in collaboration with Amandine Berthon (via Mary Timmons) | 2. Owl Poster by Audrey Jeanne at Mokkasin (via Me) | 3. Free Printable Envelopes from Mer Mag (via me) | 4. Mint Green Bottles photographed by bryllupsglimt, seen on Style Me Pretty (via Elizabeth Anne Designs) | 5. Instax Mini Book Album from Mochi Things (via Cami) | 6. Color Palette Inspiration from BHLDN (via Seamless Creative)

Color Inspiration Daily: 05. 21. 12

Elephants by Emma Block. Find more of Emma's work here in her portfolio and in her etsy shop.