Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair

Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog/2016/2/1/coffee-and-donuts-the-perfect-pair  /  @good_on_paper

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.

Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog/2016/2/1/coffee-and-donuts-the-perfect-pair  /  @good_on_paper

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.

Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog/2016/2/1/coffee-and-donuts-the-perfect-pair  /  @good_on_paper
Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog/2016/2/1/coffee-and-donuts-the-perfect-pair  /  @good_on_paper

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.

Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog/2016/2/1/coffee-and-donuts-the-perfect-pair  /  @good_on_paper

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.

Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog/2016/2/1/coffee-and-donuts-the-perfect-pair  /  @good_on_paper
Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog/2016/2/1/coffee-and-donuts-the-perfect-pair  /  @good_on_paper
Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog/2016/2/1/coffee-and-donuts-the-perfect-pair  /  @good_on_paper
Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog/2016/2/1/coffee-and-donuts-the-perfect-pair  /  @good_on_paper
Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog/2016/2/1/coffee-and-donuts-the-perfect-pair  /  @good_on_paper
Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog/2016/2/1/coffee-and-donuts-the-perfect-pair  /  @good_on_paper
Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog/2016/2/1/coffee-and-donuts-the-perfect-pair  /  @good_on_paper
Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog/2016/2/1/coffee-and-donuts-the-perfect-pair  /  @good_on_paper
Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog/2016/2/1/coffee-and-donuts-the-perfect-pair  /  @good_on_paper
Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog/2016/2/1/coffee-and-donuts-the-perfect-pair  /  @good_on_paper
Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog/2016/2/1/coffee-and-donuts-the-perfect-pair  /  @good_on_paper

+ 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.

Giveaway: The 52 New Foods Challenge Book

Giveaway: The 52 New Foods Challenge Book  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper
Giveaway: The 52 New Foods Challenge Book  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper

When I met Jennifer Tyler Lee a couple of weeks ago at her book party and dinner event at Williams-Sonoma (thanks again for the invite Jeanne!), I was really inspired by her dedication to healthy eating and making it fun for kids to try new foods. Lucas eats a variety of foods and will try many new things, but he doesn't eat much and would rather play than eat. I lucked out with Theo, on the other hand, who eats like a champ most of the time. No stranger to mealtime battles, I was really inspired by Jennifer and her latest book, The 52 New Foods Challenge which is full of fun tips and simple recipes.

Check out the giveaway details at the end of the post.

Giveaway: The 52 New Foods Challenge Book  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper

One tip that really resonated with me was to cook with your kids, not for them. I know it's easier said than done, but I love how Jennifer suggested trying it out just once a week. From simply going to the grocery store/farmer's market and having your kid choose one new vegetable to getting their hands dirty in the kitchen, once a week sounded pretty doable. She also said it wasn't about getting the kids to eat the end product but inspiring curiosity and building confidence.

Giveaway: The 52 New Foods Challenge Book  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper
Giveaway: The 52 New Foods Challenge Book  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper

To my surprise, I EASILY got Lucas and Theo to help me peel leaves off brussels sprouts to make her simple and delicious Brussels Sprouts Chips recipe. When they were done, Lucas complained that he didn't get his own bowl of chips. Yeah, these were amazing and inhaled in a flash. And we've made them several times already so this one's a winner.

Giveaway: The 52 New Foods Challenge Book  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper
Giveaway: The 52 New Foods Challenge Book  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper
Giveaway: The 52 New Foods Challenge Book  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper
Giveaway: The 52 New Foods Challenge Book  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper
Giveaway: The 52 New Foods Challenge Book  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper
Giveaway: The 52 New Foods Challenge Book  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper
Giveaway: The 52 New Foods Challenge Book  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper

We even roasted some asparagus the following week and I asked Lucas if he wanted to snap them apart for me and he couldn't have been more excited. And all I had to do was ask!

Giveaway: The 52 New Foods Challenge Book  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper

Another tip from Jennifer was to go to the grocery store or farmers market and have your kid pick out anything from the vegetable aisle -- bonus points for something new. I headed to Whole Foods and told Lucas to pick out anything he wanted from the vegetable aisle. His eyes lit up and he seemed so empowered by this. He immediately chose carrots and I said, "That's awesome, I know you love carrots." As I put them in the cart, he said, "Okay, I'm going to try something else. How about that? What's that?" He pointed to the prettiest bunch of radishes and we both got super excited to try them out. He carried them on his lap on the car ride home. Side note: he instantly forgot about them when we got home but that's not the point, right?

Giveaway: The 52 New Foods Challenge Book  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper

In hopes of inspiring curiosity, building confidence, reducing dinnertime battles and spending more time with my kids, I'm definitely going to try getting them in the kitchen with me more often. I know it won't always work but it's worth a try!

I was so inspired by Jennifer that I would love to give away one of her books!

Here's how to enter:

β€’ Follow @good_on_paper and @crunchacolor on Instagram, leave a comment and tag a friend with a kid(s).

β€’ If you don't have Instagram you can leave your email in the comments below

β€’ Please comment by Friday, April 3rd, 12pm PST

β€’ This giveaway is for U.S. residents only

β€’ I will announce a winner selected by random number generator by Monday, April 6th

Best of luck!

+ You can also buy the book here
+ Find me on Instagram (@good_on_paper)
+ Subscribe to receive the latest posts updates delivered to your inbox. Just click here. You could also use Blog Lovin' or Feedly to follow along.

CONGRATS to Michele of @cakewalkbaking for being the randomly selected winner!
This giveaway is now CLOSED.

Β 

Favorites: The 52 New Foods Challenge Book and Williams-Sonoma Event

Favorites:  The 52 New Foods Challenge Book and Williams-Sonoma Event  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper

Last week I got a super sweet invitation from my friend Jeanne of Shop Sweet Things (one of my favorite lifestyle blogs) to attend a private dinner at Williams-Sonoma in San Francisco's Union Square to celebrate the latest book by Jennifer Tyler Lee, an award-winning author, game creator (Crunch a Color), and healthy eating advocate. The 52 New Foods Challenge book launch party was so much fun! And even more fun was meeting Jennifer, watching her cook and getting totally inspired by her tips on how to make it fun and playful for kids to eat healthier and try new foods.

Stay tuned for an Instagram giveaway next week!

Favorites:  The 52 New Foods Challenge Book and Williams-Sonoma Event  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper
Favorites:  The 52 New Foods Challenge Book and Williams-Sonoma Event  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper
Favorites:  The 52 New Foods Challenge Book and Williams-Sonoma Event  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper

The Williams-Sonoma team really brought it together with a beautifully simple tablescape that included fresh and pickled jarred vegetables and along with fresh flowers.

Favorites:  The 52 New Foods Challenge Book and Williams-Sonoma Event  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper

Here's the lovely Jeanne introducing Jennifer. That gigantic open kitchen is a total dream!

Favorites:  The 52 New Foods Challenge Book and Williams-Sonoma Event  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper
Favorites:  The 52 New Foods Challenge Book and Williams-Sonoma Event  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper

Another highlight of the night was meeting Amanda Haas, Director of Culinary at Williams-Sonoma, founder of One Family One Meal and author of Cooking Light Real Family Food. We follow each other on Instagram so it was nice to finally meet her in person. She's such an inspiration and a total sweetie with laid back style and humor.

Favorites:  The 52 New Foods Challenge Book and Williams-Sonoma Event  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper

These Quinoa Crumble Cakes were surprisingly one of my favorite dishes of the night. I made quinoa cakes before and they did not taste anything like these! Ha! I had about 9 of these that night.

Favorites:  The 52 New Foods Challenge Book and Williams-Sonoma Event  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper
Favorites:  The 52 New Foods Challenge Book and Williams-Sonoma Event  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper
Favorites:  The 52 New Foods Challenge Book and Williams-Sonoma Event  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper
Favorites:  The 52 New Foods Challenge Book and Williams-Sonoma Event  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper

Also loved the Clay Pot (but not made in a Clay Pot) Chicken Fried Rice. Super easy to make and so good! My kids would love it so it's on my list to make soon (like this week!).

Favorites:  The 52 New Foods Challenge Book and Williams-Sonoma Event  /  www.goodonpaperdesign.com/blog  /  @good_on_paper

Remember to check in next week as I'll be doing an Instagram giveaway for the book!

+ Find me on Instagram (@good_on_paper)
+ Subscribe to receive the latest posts updates delivered to your inbox. Just click here. You could also use Blog Lovin' or Feedly to follow along.