Sweet Little Oven Printable

This is a little off the beaten path, but I discovered this super cute little oven printable, and I wanted to share it! I think it would make a sweet little gift box for candies or a cupcake. Or you can just fold it up to put on your desk, as inspiration while you ponder what delicious recipe you would like to cook next!

This printout comes from EatBoutique.com. The creator, Lucy Engelman, was kind enough to offer it as a freebie. (If you plan to print it, I would recommend going to EatBoutique.com rather than printing it from the photo above.)

I hope you enjoy! 🙂

Wine to Pair with Your Summer Reading ~ Well Re(a)d

I found a wine that pairs perfectly with all of my summer reading called Well Re(a)d. It has a really cute label, and it’s even organic, which is an added bonus. At $7 a bottle, it is a nice and simple house wine. The label drew me in, (since I’m easily taken in by a cute label ;-)), but the wine is actually quite nice for the price. It can be found at Trader Joe’s stores.

PS. The book in the background is The Last Camellia by Sarah Jio, my favorite local author. I would highly recommend picking up any of her books :). This one is set in a mansion in England, so it’s a nice summer escape!

Food 52 ~ Zingy Calamari One More Time Around

I decided to post my latest recipe on a recipe website I discovered recently called Food 52. It is an online community where you can share recipes, compare them and just chat about food. My favorite part about it is that they run recipe contests, so everyone’s favorite dishes rise to the top. They even published two beautiful cookbooks with some of the best dishes. I hope you’ll check it out! They have some really unique and fun recipes to try.

Here is a link to my Zingy Calamari recipe. It’s kind of fun to be a tiny part of a bigger food community. 🙂

Books and Bites

One of my favorite local authors started a little webpage called Books and Bites that I am totally enjoying. The idea is to pair great books with great food. That’s something I love to do, and I like to see how others are inspired to cook or bake (or mix!) something to fit the stories they are reading. So fun! I just finished The Storyteller, and the chocolate cinnamon rolls that are intertwined with the story line look amazing! I am also starting to line up my future summer reading from the recommendations on the site.

I hope you’ll check it out 🙂

About Noon Café

Cheesecake TartHi, I’m Laura! Thank you so much for visiting my little corner of the Internet. 🙂 Come in, sit down, and have a bite…

A little about Noon Café:

Noon Café is about celebrating with healthy dishes that are festive and creative (and sometimes even a little adventurous!) combined with thoughtful touches and decorations. Whether it’s a holiday or a regular Tuesday, I try to find a reason to celebrate what is around me. 🙂 I love to cook for special occasions, of course, but I also enjoy making recipes that are inspired by everyday things. If I am enjoying a good book, I will cook a dish that fits the setting or storyline; or if the weather is warm and sunny, I will make a meal from a tropical country. You get the idea… Cooking is my way to celebrate and savor the good things all around me.

I started this website back in January of 2010. (My first post was a New Year pomegranate rice pudding.) Since then, I’ve sharpened my skills in the kitchen, and also learned a thing or two about recipe blogging. I just try to get better and better as I go. 🙂

I feel best about dishes that are both festive and healthy, so more often than not, I modify recipes to make them a little healthier. (I have nothing against decadent treats in moderation, though!) I try to cook with the most natural ingredients I can find, preferably organic, seasonal, and local.

A little about me:

I live in Seattle with my husband Rob, otherwise known as my official taste tester! He is also the one who encouraged me to share some of my adventures in the kitchen on this website.

I have a master’s degree in school psychology. But it turned out that while my head was in the classroom, my heart was really in the kitchen. In addition to being a home cook, I also work at a cooking school assisting the chefs and students. I feel as if I’m attending a cooking class every time I go to work—I have learned so much from many amazing chefs.

There is always more to discover in the world of food…, which is very exciting, isn’t it?

So come join me in the kitchen, and we’ll whip up something fun and delicious!