Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair

According to Wikipedia, "Coffee and doughnuts" is a common food and drink pairing in the United States. I would go a bit further to say it's one of the most perfect food and drink pairings--the sweet and tender crumb of a fresh donut paired with a smooth and mellow cup of coffee can't be beat.

Today I've partnered with Williams-Sonoma to show you how the OXO On Barista Brain 9-Cup Coffee Maker makes delicious barista-quality coffee at home. And I've paired that cup of coffee (or two) with a delicious baked donut recipe with two kinds of glazes.

I can't tell you how many Oxo kitchen tools I have and use and love. So when they came out with a new line of coffee makers, I was really excited to try it out. I have loved coffee since my college days, switched to decaf when I was pregnant with both boys, and have been back on ever since. While Nick prefers his coffee black, I personally love an almond milk latte. But I will drink a regular coffee as long as it's not too bitter. And has milk in it. A lot of milk.

The OXO On Barista Brain 9-Cup Coffee Maker makes one of the best coffees at home that I've had. I had no idea how much science was involved in making coffee, but I really can tell the difference between our last coffee maker and this new one. It has a microprocessor that monitors time, temperature and volume from start to finish, resulting in barista-quality handcrafted coffee at home with one touch of a button.

I tested several kinds of coffee including Counter Culture Hologram, Counter Culture Idido, and Stumptown Guatamala Santa Clara (all from Modern Coffee, my favorite coffee shop in Oakland), as well as Philz Tantalizing Turkish.  The Oxo made each one taste like it says on the package.

Aside from making really good coffee, here are a few other things I love about the OXO On Barista Brain 9-Cup Coffee Maker:

• Super quiet
• Sleek and modern design
• You could see the water percolating which I think is pretty cool
• It shows you how long the coffee has been sitting
• The vacuum-insulated lightweight stainless steel carafe keeps coffee at the perfect temp
• Could easily make just one cup of coffee
• Easy to clean

The only con I would give is that I can't see how much coffee is in the carafe. But then again, if the carafe were made of glass, the coffee wouldn't stay at an optimal temperature.

Now on to the donuts! I made baked donuts with a blueberry glaze and also a chocolate one with some crushed pistachios on top. I love any kind of donut except for maple bars. This is the first time I've made them at home--sadly, the first batch tasted like play dough, but the second batch using the nonstick donut pan from Williams-Sonoma was a big hit.

+ Full Recipe for Baked Donuts
+ Donut pan and cooling rack from Williams-Sonoma
+ Find me on Instagram (@good_on_paper), Twitter (@good_on_paper), Pinterest (@goodonpaperdes) and Tumblr (hellogoodonpaper)
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+ Williams-Sonoma generously sent me the Oxo On Barista Coffee Maker to test out. I have received no other compensation for this post. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.

PlanetBox Rover Lunch Box

When I was little, I had a Strawberry Shortcake lunch box. That was it. Just one lunch box with a giant thermos sitting next to my sandwich. When I got older, my mom would pack my lunch in a brown paper bag with my name written on the outside. That was it. So simple. Those were the days.

Nowadays there are so many options for lunch boxes--each one with a promise to be the best one. But I've come to realize that, just like a stroller, there's no one perfect lunch box. So when PlanetBox sent me their Rover to try out, I put it to the 3-year old preschooler test with Theo. And so far it has passed with flying colors.

Measuring 10 x 7 x 1.5 inches, the Rover resembles an old school lunch tray with compartments (love!) and it's made of high quality stainless steel (also love). It comes with two smaller air-tight/waterproof containers (Little Dippers) that are great for yogurt, applesauce and hummus. Holding nearly 4.5 cups of food, the Rover is a great way to sample a wide variety of foods. And if you know Theo, that kid loves to eat.

Another thing I love about the Rover is that it's all one piece. I really can't stand a lot of lids and extra parts so the one piece Rover is great and easy to wash. Ooh, bonus: it could go in the bottom rack of the dishwasher! I'm guessing this is probably a bonus for Theo's teachers too who would rather open one piece than a bunch of individual bowls.

One thing I've noticed is that the Little Dippers are a bit difficult for Theo to open. I don't use them every day though so it's not a huge deal--and of course he could just ask his teachers for help. And I figure he'll eventually be able to open them more easily on his own as he gets older.

PlanetBox also sent me their Jetpack backpack that is specifically designed to transport their lunch boxes along with everything else. Unfortunately, the Jetpack is way too big for Theo and turns out it's recommended for kids 6 years or older as it's really big. I'll have to save it until he's in 1st grade :) But I do love its features which include a cool docking station that fits the Rover perfectly flat.

They are also on the expensive side ($49.95 for just the lunch box without any accessories), but I honestly think it's worth the price. It's super durable and will last through Theo's school years.

The bottom line: Considering quality over quantity, I think of it as a great investment. Plus, it perfectly suits our needs and Theo loves it. In fact, I actually think his lunch box is coming home emptier than before. Yay!

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Gluten Free Citrus Ricotta Mini Cakes for Virtual Baby Shower

Three things I love are food, friends and babies. So when I got invited to my friend Sarah's delicious virtual baby shower, I couldn't have been more excited to participate. Sarah (Snixy Kitchen) is having a baby girl in early February and her friends Alanna (Bojon Gourmet) and Todd (HonestlyYum) decided to host an amazing virtual baby shower with a Cheese & Sweets theme (Sarah's favorite things). Thanks for inviting me to celebrate!

I first met Sarah through my blog when she reached out to me interested in meeting up since she lives in the east bay too. On our first date, we met up at Elmwood Cafe where we instantly connected over food, blogging, our other jobs, and our boys named Lucas. Our second date was at the Whole Foods Market Gilman Store Preview Event and we've been seeing each other since. I couldn't be more excited for Sarah and her Lucas to start this new chapter. I keep telling her it'll be crazy and awesome.

I decided to bake gluten free Citrus Ricotta Mini Cakes with black sesame seeds (an ingredient Sarah uses a lot) and a citrus glaze. The cakes came out wonderfully and I will have to invite Sarah over for a real deal tasting before #cheesebaby arrives!

Other gluten free recipes: Best Granola Ever #2, Carrot Muffins, Cardamom Coffee Cake, Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes, Healthy Chocolate Pudding

Check out all these amazing recipes shared by other awesome blogger friends for the shower. Thanks again to Alanna of The Bojon Gourmet and Todd of HonestlyYUM for inviting me to celebrate Sarah and Lucas!

Follow along on social media with the official #cheesebabyshower to join in the celebration!

Cheesy Things

• the briny - Smoky Beans n' Greens Enchiladas with Roasted Sweet Potato and Sunflower Seed Cheese
• Half Baked Harvest - Greek Falafel Melts
• Healthy Nibbles & Bits - Japanese-Spiced Goat Cheese Ball with Pistachios
• Just Putzing Around the Kitchen - Cheesy Fried Spinach & Artichoke Bites
• My Natural Kitchen - Brazilian Cheesy Thyme Popovers
• Vanilla And Bean - Almond-Sage Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Gruyere
• Fix Feast Flair - Mixed Greens Salad with Lilikoi Vinaigrette, Honey Macadamia Nuts, and Goat Cheese
• FoodieCrush - Cheesy Sausage Pizza Bread
• Foodness Gracious - Avocado Feta Bowl with Couscous Grilled Chicken and Charred Corn
• Will Frolic for Food - Vegan Walnut Parmesan Zucchini Noodles
• Vegetarian 'Ventures - Pimento Mac & Cheese Bites
• MJ and Hungryman - Cheese Stuffed Kimchi Pancakes
• Savory Simple - Cheddar Chive Crackers
   

Sweet Things

• the pig + quill - Mini Vegan PB+J Cheesecakes
• The Kitchen McCabe - Meyer Lemon Pudding Cakes + Honeyed Chevre Whipped Cream
• The Little Epicurean - Matcha Mochi Waffles Sundae
• Shared Appetite - Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Mousse
• The Pancake Princess - Vegan Aquafaba Lemon Meringue Pie
• The Food Charlatan - Lemon Bars {gluten-free}
• Kale & Caramel - Spiced Caramel Chocolate Nut Clusters
   

Cheesy & Sweet Things

• The Bojon Gourmet - Blood Orange & Corn Flour Ricotta Cake with Whipped Mascarpone {gluten-free}
• HonestlyYUM - Sweet Cheese Puffs (for a Sweet Cheese Baby)
• fit for the soul - Queso Mais Ice cream {No-Churn}
• Completely Delicious - Chocolate Orange Ricotta Scones
• Good on Paper Design - Citrus Ricotta Mini Cakes {gluten-free}
• Floating Kitchen - No-Bake Meyer Lemon Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache Layer {gluten-free}
• Hungry Girl por Vida - Gluten-Free Pretzel Goat Cheesecake Bites
• Heartbeet Kitchen - Roasted Citrus Bowls with Honey Mascarpone
• Salted Plains - Pavlova with Mascarpone Coconut Cream and Candied Citrus
• The Kitchen Paper - Candied Citrus Ricotta Cake
• le jus d'orange - White Cheddar and Apple Mini Pies with Cinnamon-Infused Honey

+ Find me on Instagram (@good_on_paper), Twitter (@good_on_paper), Pinterest (@goodonpaperdes) and Tumblr (hellogoodonpaper)
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Valentine's Day Beary Favor Bags for Oh Happy Day

I made these super easy Valentine's Day Beary Favor Bags for Oh Happy Day. With just a few simple materials (um, like paper and a stapler) you can make these cute bags for Valentine's Day! Enjoy!

+ Check out the entire DIY feature on Oh Happy Day
+ Find me on Instagram (@good_on_paper), Twitter (@good_on_paper), Pinterest (@goodonpaperdes) and Tumblr (hellogoodonpaper)
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My Real Life 2015 Best Nine and Happy 2016

According to 2015bestnine.com, my best nine Instagrams were the ones shown above. My real life best nines are the ones shown here on our holiday card (photos by Sarah Hebenstreit) and below.

Thanks for all the love and support this year. I'm so grateful to my family/friends and to all the friends I've made both online and offline this year. Happy new year!

1. Lucas turned 5 and had an epic Wild Kratts party

2. Theo turned 3 and jammed with his buddies

3. Lisa turned 40 and holy shit she's 40 (I went to Tulum, Mexico with my girlfriends from college on our annual trip)

4. Lucas started kindergarten and LOVES it

5. Family trip to Maui and Theo's first plane ride

6. Lisa and Nick celebrated their 10-year anniversary (photo by Sarah Hebenstreit)

7. Lucas had his first surgery (1/2" piece of wood in his foot)--also, not really a "best" nine but he did so well throughout the whole ordeal.

8. Nick ran a full marathon (3.49) and hasn't run since (but plans to get back into it in 2016), photo by Sarah Hebenstreit

9. Lisa went to Tulum and got a tan--Nick hiked the Trinity Alps and got pneumonia / I also conquered a very big fear of mine!

+ Find me on Instagram (@good_on_paper), Twitter (@good_on_paper) and Pinterest (@goodonpaperdes)
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West Elm Home Tour

I'm excited to share a tour of our home featured on the West Elm blog.

Pretty proud of our DIY red oak open shelving :)

Love the engineering print above the couch by Jennifer Young--it's a giant print of one of her shots that can be found in our 2016 Calendar collaboration available in my shop. The other print above our bed is from our 2015 calendar. :)

+ See the full write up on the West Elm blog
+ Find me on Instagram (@good_on_paper), Twitter (@good_on_paper) and Pinterest (@goodonpaperdes)
+ Subscribe to receive the latest posts and Good on Paper updates delivered to your inbox.  You could also use Blog Lovin' or Feedly to follow along.

West Elm Collaboration: Overnight Apple and Pear Cinnamon Morning Buns

I love Christmas morning at my in-laws' house (yes, my in-laws are rad and I'm so lucky!). I love making a cozy breakfast for everyone that we can eat in our jammies while opening gifts in front of a crackling fire. I'm super excited to collaborate with West Elm to share a recipe for Overnight Apple and Pear Cinnamon Morning Buns on West Elm's blog, Front + Main. Get the recipe here and see how we prepped and inhaled them at our house with my family. I will definitely be making these for Christmas morning!

+ See the full feature on West Elm's Blog
+ Photos except the 3rd and 4th ones are by Sarah Hebenstreit
+ Find me on Instagram (@good_on_paper), Twitter (@good_on_paper) and Pinterest (@goodonpaperdes)
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Feature on Design.Scout

I just wanted to share that I was recently featured on the design and lifestyle blog Design Scout. The site typically features spaces and the makers of those spaces, but when co-founder and design enthusiast Jude Sue asked me to contribute some design/composition tips for their readers, I jumped at the chance. They were also kind enough to host an Instagram Giveway for one our 2016 Calendars.

I chose four projects to feature--a logo/branding project for a client, a calendar collaboration for my online shop, the birthday party stationery for Lucas, and a holiday gift guide for my blog.

+ Photo of me by Sarah Hebenstreit
+ Find me on Instagram (@good_on_paper), Twitter (@good_on_paper) and Pinterest (@goodonpaperdes)
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Jackson Family Photo Shoot: December 2015

As always, the year flew by way too quickly and before I knew it, it was time to design our holiday card and take our annual family photos. Of course, we asked our friend Sarah to shoot our family's photos--she's been taking our photos since Lucas was a year old (remember last year's shoot?). Incredibly talented, sweet, patient and a genius with my boys, Sarah somehow magically captures the best little moments--all while the boys are running around like crazy.

+ All photos by Sarah Hebenstreit
+ Find me on Instagram (@good_on_paper), Twitter (@good_on_paper) and Pinterest (@goodonpaperdes)
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Free Shipping until 12/18 on our 2016 Calendars

If you're still looking for an awesome holiday gift, you can pick up one of our 2016 Calendars with FREE SHIPPING (everything in my shop! woohoo!) until Friday, 12/18 using code FREESHIP at checkout. It's my second collaboration with super talented photographer Jennifer Young and is available as a special limited edition of 250 in each of our shops--each calendar is hand numbered on the front cover.

+ Find me on Instagram (@good_on_paper), Twitter (@good_on_paper), Pinterest (@goodonpaperdes) and Tumblr (hellogoodonpaper)
+ Buy it here in my shop or here in Jennifer's shop
+ As seen on Anthology Magazine, Rue Magazine, Shop Sweet Things, Mother Magazine, Oh So Beautiful Paper, and Shutterbean
+ Also available in these awesome shops: Social Studies, Len Collective, Left Field and Ruby Rose