Has the thought of hosting a holiday party ever left you stressing? Same. It can be hard to figure out a good menu, a theme or have something to entertain guests.

Enter fondue! While it might feel like a 70’s throwback, fondue is actually a really fun party activity – and bonus for being ridiculously delicious. But the best part about fondue is its ease. All you need is that tasty cheese, accompanying nibbles, a glass (or two!) of wine and all your friends.

A Holiday Party Made Easy with Fondue on apartment 34

But let’s start at the beginning. The makings of a stunning holiday fondue party are in fact, incredibly simple.

A Holiday Party Made Easy with Fondue on apartment 34A Holiday Party Made Easy with Fondue on apartment 34A Holiday Party Made Easy with Fondue on apartment 34

It all begins with ready-made fondue from Emmi USA. I used their classic original fondue. Everything to make the perfect fondue is in the box – traditional Swiss cheeses, white wine and Kirsch brandy. Just open the pouch inside, heat and serve!

You can even save and reheat any leftover fondue, but if your party is anything like mine, there won’t be a drop to spare. In fact, ours went so quickly we didn’t even have to use our fondue burner, but if you plan to linger, you definitely want to keep the cheese warmed.

A Holiday Party Made Easy with Fondue on apartment 34

Next let’s talk about your dippers. Creating dipping boards was almost more fun than my usual cheese and charcuterie boards.

You can get really creative with what dippers you offer. From classic fruits like apples and pears to all kinds of veggies; carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, radishes (with the greens left on for natural dipping handle!), even some frisée. It all tastes great coated in gooey cheese.

A Holiday Party Made Easy with Fondue on apartment 34A Holiday Party Made Easy with Fondue on apartment 34

I also like to offer a variety of breads. A good country rustic loaf, pretzel rolls and breadsticks are all fun and offer different textures. To up the protein factor, I also mixed in prosciutto and salami – they both go great with cheese so why not just dip it in some!

A Holiday Party Made Easy with Fondue on apartment 34A Holiday Party Made Easy with Fondue on apartment 34A Holiday Party Made Easy with Fondue on apartment 34A Holiday Party Made Easy with Fondue on apartment 34

Some fresh citrus, grapes and herbed nuts are good additional nibbles. Their light and bright notes counter the richness of the cheese. Similarly, a good white wine (I love a vermentino or a dry riesling) but any light white or even a rosé’s acids, will help cut through the yummy cheese.

A Holiday Party Made Easy with Fondue on apartment 34

There are a few pieces of key fondue etiquette. Your dipper of choice should go into the pot and then actually onto your plate before eating. Your skewer is not your fork. Double dipping is a big no no. And apparently if you lose something in the fondue pot you’ve got to kiss your neighbor!

A Holiday Party Made Easy with Fondue on apartment 34A Holiday Party Made Easy with Fondue on apartment 34

But really, the best part about a fondue party is how interactive and joyful it can be. The holiday season brings enough stress. It’s good to have a night for pure, delicious fun. Emmi Fondu can be found in the deli cheese area at your local grocer or specialty cheese shop. Find it near you at emmiusa.com/locator.

For more holiday recipes & party ideas, CLICK HERE.

 

original photography for apartment 34 by leslie santarina

This post is in partnership with Emmi USA. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Thanks for supporting collaborations we’re excited about and that have kept apartment 34’s doors open.

Back in the day, what I like to call my PK period (pk= pre-kid), I was huge on the new year’s cleanse craze. Be it the Goop cleanse, the Food & Wine cleanse, Whole 30, paleo, juicing – if there’s a clean eating trend, I’ve tried pretty much all them. Fast forward to today, and I’m happy if I just get a chance to eat during the day. That being said, I have been making a concerted effort to get back in the kitchen and away from my food delivery apps. Which brings me to my first recipe post of 2018.

detox soup recipe on apartment 34

Cooking for me these days requires three things: ease, speed and family friendliness. Thankfully, this amazing soup meets all three criteria. There is no time for massive meal planning, hours prepping all these “clean” recipes with crazy ingredients and certainly no dry January. I need some wine to look forward to in the evenings! But this soup contains only five ingredients (plus spices) – all of them I already had in my pantry or fridge – and took less than 30 minutes to make. This soup is creamy and filling without a spot of dairy or a lick of gluten. It has a touch of heat courtesy of cayenne. Seriously, you’re going to love it.

detox soup recipe on apartment 34

DETOX CARROT LENTIL SOUP
(adapted from tone it up)

Ingredients
1 T olive oil
1 yellow large yellow onion (or two small)
3 cups carrots, chopped
1 cup red lentils
1-inch ginger, peeled and diced
1 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. coriander
⅛ tsp. cayenne
5 cups vegetable broth
Salt & pepper to taste
Dukkah spice blend for garnish

Directions
Warm olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and add onions. Sauté for 3-5 minutes being careful to stir regularly so they turn translucent but don’t brown. Add carrots, lentils, spices, and salt. Saute for 1 minute until fragrant. Add broth and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Let cook for 20 minutes. Carefully pour into a blender (or use an immersion blender – my fave) and blend on low until smooth. Spoon into bowls and top with Dukkah – a traditional middle eastern nut, seed & spice blend that adds a deliciously warm savory flavor.

 

If you are looking to add some more “clean” recipes to your repertoire, you might like the following:

My favorite pseudo-pasta recipe 

Homemade udon 

Homemade pho

A crazy satisfying salad 

And another one

Three (healthy!) sauces that make anything taste better

An (almost) guilt-free dessert 

 

Any go-to recipes that you and your body love??

Tis time to kick 2017 to the curb. There’s often so much stress around New Year’s Eve – how to make it the very best ever. But actually, all you need is a little something delicious, maybe a friend or two and really, if you want to stay in PJs that’s a-okay too. I’ve dug back through the Apt34 archives to pluck out the perfect ideas that’ll give 2017 a much nicer send off than it even deserves!

> Plain old bubbly is so 2017. Now a champagne cocktail on the other hand. We have a variety for you to choose from. If you like something a little sweet and a little tart try our Diamond in the Rouge. For a super chic cocktail with a bit of sparkle opt for the Apt34 Sparkler. Think French 75 with a sophisticated layer of citrus. If you’re craving something sweet, this Sparkling Raspberry Cocktail (seen above) is the perfect option for you.

> Going out to dinner on NYE is also highly overrated. You’re simply going to pay five times as much for a regular meal. I’m much more of a cook-an-amazing dinner at home type of person. A gorgeous pot of seafood pasta (like this recipe), a risotto (recipe here).

> You can even rock a homemade dessert without slaving in the kitchen for hours. This cake recipe is so good and so easy. And then there’s what might be our most popular dessert of all time. If you like chocolate, definitely check this out.

> Even if you do stay home, it’s always fun to set a gorgeous table. You simply need to pick a color a palette. Black and white can look stunning. Or perhaps you’d prefer to try bold color. Or you can simply drop a tablecloth over your coffee table and make a festive little picnic!

> And then there are those pesky resolutions. I’ve made a habit of creating un-resolutions. Details about that are right here.

However you choose to ring in the new year, I do hope it’s happy, fabulous and fun. I have high hopes for 2018. I’m down for an epic year. You with me??

xx

 

photography for apartment 34 by aubrie pick

 

 

‘Tis the season for some serious cooking, but thankfully for us novices, help has arrived just in time.

cook beautiful on apartment 34

I’ve been counting down the days for Cook Beautiful, the long awaited cookbook from blogger extraordinaire Athena Calderone, to arrive and it’s just as stunning as I hoped. If you don’t know Athena, you must explore her site EyeSwoon immediately. An interior designer, entertaining expert and all around savant at living your best life, I’ve long wanted to tuck myself into Athena’s world. After years of long distance admiration, we finally had the pleasure of meeting at my farewell to summer dinner in New York last month. My favorite thing about Athena is the ease she brings to her swoon-worthy style. Cook Beautiful marries her love of amazing recipes with all the tips and tricks you need to bring friends and family around a meal that is as gorgeous as it is delicious. Athena has even curated seasonal playlists for each section of the book!

I know I’m going to turn to Cook Beautiful for months to come – that’s why I’m so excited to co-host Athena’s book signing event at Williams-Sonoma next week and you’re invited! There will be a cooking demonstration, delicious bites, good drinks and knowing Athena – a stunning party. I do hope you’ll join us. You can purchase tickets for the event right here.

new cookbook, cook beautiful on apartment 34new cookbook, cook beautiful on apartment 34

For those of you not in San Francisco next week, I did happen to snag a recipe from Cook Beautiful to whet your appetite. Who can resist a classic pasta dish?!

new cookbook, cook beautiful on apartment 34

RECIPE: Orecchiette With Kale, Fennel, & Sausage
Serves 4

 

Ingredients
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1½ lb. ground pork sausage, removed from their casings (half-and-half mix of sweet and spicy)
4 cloves garlic, smashedand chopped
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 fennel bulb, cored, quartered, and thinly sliced
½ tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
2/3 cup chicken stock
1 bunch lacinato kale, ribs removed and roughly chopped
1 lb. dried orecchiette pasta
Grated Parmiggiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving
Freshly cracked pepper, for serving

Instructions
1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat, until it’s browned on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a plate.

2. Add the garlic to the same skillet and sauté for 2 minutes, until light golden. Add the shallot and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the red pepper flakes, if using, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the fennel and salt and sauté until the fennel has softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the stock and cook a few minutes more.

3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the kale to the boiling water and blanch it for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the kale and add it to the skillet, along with the sausage. Return the water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook according to package directions until al dente.

4. Drain the pasta into a colander, making sure to reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the skillet and cook it with the sausage and kale over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes. If the pasta is dry, moisten it with the reserved pasta water, adding ¼ cup at a time. Check and adjust the seasoning.

5. Finish the pasta with grated cheese and freshly cracked pepper. Serve immediately.

I do hope to see you at Williams-Sonoma next week!

Recipes excerpted from Cook Beautiful by Athena Calderone, published by ABRAMS c 2017. Photographed by Johnny Miller.

If you’re already burnt out on BBQ and hot dogs (me too!), then you’re going to love today’s recipe post. My talented friend Selina Lee is back with another soul-filled dish that takes the intimidation out of Asian cooking. While I’ve always thought I have to go out to get a good bowl of Udon (what I crave whenever a cold starts to sneak in), Selina proves you can, in fact, make this beautiful soup at home, all on your own!  This is a lovely, light, healthy meal that even the kids will love because there are noodles involved! Now I know what I’m making for dinner tonight.

how to make mushroom yaki udon on apartment 34how to make mushroom yaki udon on apartment 34 How to make mushroom yaki udon on apartment 34

RECIPE: EXOTIC MUSHROOMS YAKI UDON (버섯 볶음우동) – 2-3 servings

INGREDIENTS
2 pk of fresh cooked udon noodles
1 cup mixed exotic mushrooms (shitake, enotikate, tree oyster, king trumpet – my favorite local farm box delivery, Good Eggs sells them in packs)
1 cup shredded cabbage
½ cup shredded carrots
½ onion
2 spring green onions

SAUCE
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp brown rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
½ cup water

PREPARATION
Prepare the mushroom by cleaning it with a damp kitchen towel then shred them into strips by hand. Prepare cabbage, carrot and onion by cutting them into thin slices. NOTE: you can also buy shredded vegetables in package to save prep time. Finely chop spring green onions. Mix all sauce ingredients except for the water. Keep water separately on the side.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a large deep skillet or wok, add half of chopped spring onions with about 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil to cook it over med-high heat. Save the remaining spring onions for garnish.
TIP: This will create very flavorful green onion infused oil. Works great for all stir-fry cooking!

2. Add mushrooms and onions with half of the seasoning sauce, cook it for about 2 min.
TIP: Adding the seasoning by pouring around the edge of the skillet/wok (instead of pour over) will coat evenly and create smokey flavor!
Add noodles and ½ cup of water and wait for the noodles to start separating apart. Flip and stir the noodle block to soften on each side.

3. Add cabbage and carrots with remaining sauce and keep stir-frying on high heat for about 5 min. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve with chopped spring green onions on top.

 

This soup is earthy, hearty and wonderful vegetarian dinner option. Perfect after a long weekend of over indulging. If you try it at home you have to let us know how you like it!

 

For Selina’s first recipe, how to make your own Kimchi, CLICK HERE

For the rest of my favorite summer recipes, CLICK HERE

 

food photography & recipe by selina lee

As we’re about to kiss February good-bye, we’re long past new year’s resolutions, am I right? So give me all the carbs. While I was paleo for years before getting pregnant, I’m closing in on two years of what I’m calling my pasta renaissance. It’s basically all I want to eat, all the time.

cacio e pepe recipe on apartment 34

Cacio e Pepe just might be the most comforting of all classic pasta recipes. Simple, timeless and so easy. I’ll never say no.

chorizo_bolognese_buffalo_mozzarella_pasta on apartment 34

If you’re feeling spicy, this Chorizo Bolognese looks mighty tasty.

4 CHEESE AND MUSHROOM ROLLED LASAGNA on Apartment 34

And if you want to get really fancy, this fresh take on lasagne – that’s rolled instead of stacked and filled with yummy mushrooms – looks rather fabulous.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER LINGUINE WITH RICOTTA AND DILL on Apt34

Ok ok, I’ll eat some veggies with my noodles. Roasted cauliflower, dill and ricotta sounds fresh and a light.

Pumpkin Spaghetti on Apartment 34

And since we’re not quite into spring yet there’s still time to cram in some more pumpkin. The pumpkin sauce on this dish is seriously good (though I cut out the dairy and would actually add a bit of chili flake for a touch of heat).

I know carbs are the root of all nutritional evil, but if eating these dishes all week is wrong, I don’t wanna be right.

 

For more of my favorite recipes, CLICK HERE

recipes via sunday suppers / donna haythe modern propernot without salt / a pinch of yum

This holiday season I’m doing something I haven’t done in years. IE not cramming in last second deadlines. Not working. Not overloading the schedule or remaining glued to technology (buh-bye Facebook and see ya later New York Times. Mama needs a break from all your nasty headlines). Instead, I’m looking forward to having only one thing on my to-do list: Live in a happy little unplugged bubble. Life is too short. The world is too crazy. And I am just too dang tired to do anything else. I hope you’ll forgive me if things go a little silent around Apartment 34 until 2017 shows up.

But I’m so excited about all the ways I plan to fill my hours over the break. Read (I’m determined to start and finish this book. And the actual book, not just a kindle version). Sleep. Go for walks. Watch movies that are actually in a theater. Maybe see some theater! Catch up with people, like in person, not on Facebook. But one of the things I’m really looking forward to doing is cooking. Lots and lots of cooking. It does more than just feed your body, I find cooking feels the soul too.

Here’s a round-up of the winter recipes I’m planning to try over the break.

SOUPSbecause they’re all I seem to want to eat right now

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White Bean and Fennel Soup via Tending the Table 

julbordsblogg9_5481b1d7e087c3194d48e6fb

 Creamy Vegetarian Christmas Stew with Red Wine & Mushrooms via Made By Mary

spicy-soba-miso-soup-5

Spicy Soba & Miso Soup by Local Milk

ONE POT MEALScuz I hate doing dishes.

one-pot-45-minute-coq-au-vin-with-brown-butter-sage-mashed-potatoes-91

Coq Au Vin by Half Baked Harvest 

mushroom-risotto-61-600x900

Garlic Butter Mushroom Risotto by Pinch of Yum 

SNACKIES…cuz I need to find something healthy to feed my kid 

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Roasted Parsnip Fries by Faring Well

apt34_winter_recipe

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Chips by tuulia

COCKTAILSbecause 2016 happened and 2017 is about to.

apt34_oatmealcookie_cocktail

I’m just gonna keeping drinking my Oatmeal Cookie cocktail right up until the NYE countdown.

SWEET TREATSbecause resolutions haven’t kicked in yet.

drunken-pear-ginger-bread-683x1024

Spiced white wine poached pears enveloped in a rustic ginger bread by broma bakery

apt34_winterrecipes

Vegan Coffee & Walnut Loaf via Milking Almonds 

 

And if you have any favorite winter recipes, please add a link to the comments below. I may not leave my kitchen for a solid week! It is my dream kitchen after all. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy a happy, healthy and joy filled holiday surrounded by friends and family. And let’s all give 2016 a nice kick in the ass out the door, shall we??

xo,

Erin

Last week we kicked off our Five-Ingredient Meals with a delicious seasonal pizza. This week we are continuing to keep the basic meals going with a super easy pasta dish that is perfect for warmer nights when you don’t really want to cook. All you need to do is dedicate 10 minutes to boiling water and cooking the pasta–that’s how simple it is. We’re all currently drooling over this recipe for Fettuccine Pasta with Smoked Salmon, fresh Spinach, and a Lemon Cream Sauce!

5-Ingredients-or-Less-Pasta5-Ingredients-or-Less-Pasta-ingredients

Fettuccine with Smoked Salmon, Spinach and Lemon Cream Sauce

2 handfuls of fettuccine
1 pack smoked salmon
1 bag fresh spinach
1/2 juice of lemon + zest
1 cup heavy cream

From the pantry
2 tbs flour
2 tbs butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbs olive oil

1. Boil water for pasta. Once water is boiling, add in fettuccine {I always add some olive oil to keep the cooked pasta from sticking!} and pinch of salt. Cook until al dente.

2. In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and add in flour, whisking for a minute. Add cream, lemon zest and juice and whisk until thick. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Saute spinach in olive oil {I like to sprinkle with a little extra lemon juice to cut the bitterness} until gently wilted. Cut salmon into bite size strips. Toss spinach and salmon into pasta and top with drizzles of cream sauce.

5-ingredients-or-less-pasta-3

Despite the fact that there is cream in this recipe, it feels fresh and light with the smoked salmon and lemon flavor. The sauce is just a classic cream sauce that you can use on other pastas, fish or chicken. I suggest making double so that you can save half in the fridge for tomorrow night’s dinner.

Believe me you’ll want to try this pasta–it’s as delicious as it looks!

original photography for apartment 34 by Aubrie Pick // art direction by erin hiemstra