February Favorites

Please pardon my MIA-ness over the last few days but Shaun and I took a little vaca in Antigua to escape some of the cold Jersey days (more on that to come later, so stay tuned!), but hopefully you enjoyed my guest article over at Haute Apple Pie. I'm just a few days late on my February Favorites but still want to share them, and hopefully you'll share some of yours with me! Without further ado...

Mascarpone cheese This is one that I must explore further, especially following my truly delightful and palette pleasing marscapone dessert at Fig & Olive. Though Giada DeLaurentiis uses it incessantly, my own Italian mom doesn't so I hadn't either. But mixed with some vanilla bean atop an almond shortbread cookie, this creamy Italian cheese has won me over big time.
Crostini There's just something about spreading anything on a crispy, salty bread round that just makes my heart skip a beat. Whether it's fig jam and gorgonzola cheese, truffles, bell peppers, or roasted garlic, crostini has been a major player in my repetoire of late.
Red wine It's been perfect during the harsh winter months. Since I virtually never drink hard liquor and only enjoy beer on a warm summer day, red wine is really the only alcoholic beverage for me. Whether by the glass at our favorite Friday happy hour or a cheap bottle from Whole Foods for our Valentine's Day dinner, I've thoroughly enjoyed this treat over the last month.
Cherry tomatoes Though I'm typically not a huge fan of tomatoes, this miracle produce turns a basic pasta dish from eh to oh la la. Chopped up and sauteed in my Pasta with Turkey Sausage, the only thing better than the taste is the heavenly smell that comes from sauteeing them with a little garlic and olive oil.
Multifunctional Kitchenware Living in a one bedroom apartment with a tiny kitchen means that any appliance or tool that doubles in use jumps to numero uno in my book. After continuously making a giant mess by resting spoons on my stove top between stirs of sauces and the like (a tiny kitchen has made me reluctant to even buy a spoon rest since it's just another item that stays out on the countertop), I realized that my sweet red and white tea cup saucers double as a spoon rest. Added bonus: I get to enjoy my seldom used, yet gorgeous, red and white saucers more frequently.
Baked by Melissa mini cupcakes Ok, I was going to let this one pass by since I tend to write about cupcakes a lot. But I scored a freebie box of BbM cupcakes a few weeks ago (thanks, L!) and enjoyed them immensely during a girls night at my sister Kimberly's Brooklyn apartment. Of course, I already gave these little guys a glowing review, and yes, they're still just as delish the second time around.

So what do you think? What did you thoroughly enjoy over the last month? Any new found favorites? Share 'em in comments!

Psst...Missed last month's favorites? Check out my January Faves here.