I have very strong feelings for heart shaped baked goods. I think that everything, all year round, should be heart shaped. How lovely would that be? It would be ever so lovely, or I would think so anyway. And yes, ok, I was thinking about Valentines Day when I made these cupcakes but don%u2019t let that be the only reason you make a cupcake, cake, or any other baked good into the shape of a heart or pink for that matter.. Hearts are just so sweet and cute and dare I say cuddly? (Can you cuddle baked goods? Let me know if you have and do. We should talk about that). And pink is just a fantastic color, especially when it is the color of the flavor. Purple-y pink equals a taste like berry so all just makes sense.
Anyways. Cupcakes. Made with nutty almond meal to taste all nutty, frosted with blackberry and clementine frosting which is a pairing that all party and non party people will love. A down right deeelightful combination that will, no matter your circumstance in life, make you smile. Because lets get this clear, these cupcakes might look all lovey dovey and Valentines Day-e and are very much a perfect Valentines Day treat, but also can be an everyday, run of the milll, straight up any day, all day cupcakes. Valentines Day does not own the heart or pink.
These cupcakes are for you to love and you don%u2019t need to worry if they love you back. That would be weird.
Slightly off topic thought. How awesome would it be if someone made a cute little teddy bear that when you squeezed it it would scream %u201cWHAT THE HELL! GET OFF ME!%u201d Hahahaha. That would be amazing.
To the cupcakes!
The stuff. Flour, almond meal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, soy milk, oil, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar. Also some blackberry jam, powdered sugar, some vegan butter, and a clementine.
In a big bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, almond meal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Add in the oil, vanilla, milk, and apple cider vinegar. Mix until fully incorporated.
And that is some mixed batter.
Scoop the batter into well greased muffin tins. I used to different shapes and sizes because I wanted too. You can do the same, just be aware different sizes will cook at different times.
And into the hot oven they go.
Baked, popped out of the tins, and cooling to cool.
Frosting time. Butter, clementine zest, and jam mixed together makes for the prettiest color.
Add in the powdered sugar and juice of the clementine and beat with a beater.
Pretty pink frosting. All natural.
And now that the cupcakes are cooled (you must wait until they are completely cooled) get them frosted.
And of course, adding sprinkles will only make them that much better.
And now you got the cupcakes which makes it cupcake time.
Look at that smile. Thats a smile just for cupcakes, not at all because I told him too.
Happy happy.
-C
Makes 12-16 cupcakes (depending on size)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1/3 cup neutral oil
1 1/4 cup almond milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
For the frosting
3 tablespoons blackberry jam or preserves with or without seeds
2- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoon vegan butter
1 clementine (zest and some juice)
Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl whisk together the flours, salt, baking soda and powder and sugar until fully combines. In a separate bowl mix together the oil, milk, vinegar, and vanilla. Pour into the dry and mix, by hand, until full incorporated. Scoop batter into well greased muffin tins (heart or other shape up to you) and place into oven for 13-18 minutes (shorter time for smaller cupcakes, longer for larger sized) or until lightly browned and a tester stuck into a cake comes out clean. Pull from oven when done and pop from tin. Place on a wire rack to cool.
While cakes are cooling, make frosting. Beat together the butter, zest of the clementine, and jam. Add in the sugar and the juice and beat until fully incorporated. If the consistency is to thin, add a little more sugar, to thick, more clementine juice or if out of juice, a splash of milk.
Once cupcakes are full cooled, frost, add sprinkle if you would like, and then the only thing left to do is eat them.
Eat cupcakes, store left overs in an air tight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Welcome fall, I have been waiting for you. Now please stay.
We started last week %u00a0with a picnic lunch at the state house then driving to the middle of the woods and checking out a piece of land then made our way over to our campsite. Went for a nice long hike, the mr did a little fishing, and I saw more amazing mushrooms then I was able to take pictures of. Then back to the camp site we went. I always bring along a book that I am pretty into for camping (because that is what one does while camping) but this time I grabbed a new book from the library right before we left. And well shit, was I ever so surprised that is was more or a less a smutty graphic romance novel and so because I am not really into that crap, I was bookless and felt kind of lost. Goof. But it really wasn’t so bad, the mr kept me company and I found an old newspaper to use as my morning reading so there was that. %u00a0And I went and returned that book when we got home and got some books that were not so smutty.
Then we had %u00a0dinner at Sha na na’s with Paul, Barb, and my Mom. I made a salad with lots and lots of corn in it. Huge hit that Paul has requested that I make him that exact salad for his birthday that is in like 5 months, because I guess I can’t make him a salad any time before that? Ha. My family.. weirdos.%u00a0
And then I went and done it. %u00a0I dropped the fucking blender on my big toe and it pretty much ruined my life. (but not really)%u00a0%u00a0My toe swelled up turned a nice shade of bright red and the nail, slowly but surely, turned completely black, and I was barely able to walk for like 2 days. It was tough goings for a while %u00a0there and I almost performed my own medical treatment involving a lighter and a paperclip but the mr was not having it and in the end, my nail just started falling off anyways so you know, not so bad anymore. And that is enough about my gross toe.
Mid week was the same as usual. This is that, work, me hobbling around and listening to way way way too much %u00a0of the supreme court hearings on NPR, which just made me mad but I did it anyway. There was farm share, so many garden tomatoes, cooking all those garden tomatoes, freezing and eating all the garden tomatoes.%u00a0My garden is getting to that point where I am starting to rip stuff out. I was going to do a fall planing but the little fuck of a rabbit that is living somewhere close keeps eating everything so I am just going to call it for the season. No more new plants, I’ll just get all my kale at the farm. But that rabbit, he needs to get his shit together and find a new place to live next year cause I am getting sick of his attitude. I yell at him but he just keeps come back and taking what he wants. Not cool rabbit, not cool.%u00a0%u00a0
%u00a0And after 2 years of research and saving money, I finally got a new camera!!! My old one finally is dead so I needed to do it.%u00a0I have barely used the new one, only for a couple hours because I am scared I am going to break it (haha, but really) or cover it in bread dough (which will eventually happen). Annnnnd we finally got a new tent! I am very much excited about that. We even named her (yes, it is a she tent)%u00a0Marigold because thats the color she is. %u00a0A new camera and a new tent, all in one week. That was very mentally draining.%u00a0%u00a0I’ll %u00a0still buy groceries and toilet paper, but thats as much I can handle for a good long while.%u00a0
Littles came over for dinner on Friday. Miley started field hockey so we had the just the boys for a while. The mr ands Judah played soccer (Judah won) while me and Coco sat in lawn chairs with a giant bowl of cantaloupe. Every time one of the boys scored a goal he would get up and walk the bowl over to them for a snack score. It was pretty freaking amazingly cute. Then when Miley got home, I made pizza (in the shape of a W for Judah be cause he was a WINNER) and was some how conned into letting the mr and Miley go to the store and come back with 3 apples and a giant bag of sour patch kids. I ate an apple, they all ate candy.%u00a0
Woke up early yesterday morning and I was cold. YES, COLD! And it was amazing and I was so excited because I wasn’t hot. I threw on a sweater,%u00a0socks, and a hat and the mr and I went on to paint the outside of one of our houses for a good part of the day. Then home I went to scrub the paint off my body, run to Costco to get the Judah his new glasses ans a hot dog, then back home to scrub clean the house. (if you haven’t caught on by now, Saturday evenings are my “clean the shit out of the house” days) %u00a0L
Today we are off for more land exploring and camping adventure. I am so excited, first to see some more land %u00a0because maybe some of this land will be what we are looking for and might be our land! And secondly because camping in cooler weather is the best. We can actually sit near the fire, want to sit near the fire, without sweating our asses off. %u00a0I got my knitting, a book (a good book), and tea bags galore. An extra blanket, the long underwear and socks,%u00a0and even a pair of mittens and a hat are packed. It is going to be fantastic.%u00a0
%u00a0Time I invested in internet looking
– Plastic is terrible and this is where it is all going.%u00a0%u00a0THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH%u00a0%u00a0which leads us to %u00a0Scientists get ready to begin Great Pacific Garbage Patch cleanup.
–SO lets all try to use a hell of a lot less plastic, yea?.%u00a0%u00a06 Doable Ways People Are Going Plastic-Free
–What are the smartest animals in the world and how do we know?%u00a0We know cause we be smat too. %u00a0
-Have you ever seen a praying mantis? I have ans they are pretty crazy.%u00a0It’s Praying Mantis Mating Season: Here’s What You Need To Know
-Pink and green swoon.%u00a0A COLORFUL HOME WITH HEART.
–This Start-Up Will Get Rid of All Your Ex’s Sh*t For You%u00a0SO I guess no more trashcan fires full of clothing and pictures?
-Wouldn’t to be nice to not be aware, but better yet, just not to be stressed at all..%u00a0Can You Be Blissfully Unaware of Your Own Stress?
–Can You Eat Something That Has Freezer Burn? Here’s What the USDA Says.
–Why are Americans obsessed with front lawns?%u00a0Good question.
And of course pictures from the week.
I have had a shit ton of rhubarb in the freezer all winter and the other day I just needed it gone so I made a big old batch of rhubarb jam. I was actually saving the rhubarb to make the mr a pie for his birthday, but that was like 2 months ago and he ended up with ice cream sandwiches and that is why the rhubarb was still there. Oops. But now we have rhubarb jam. And I think I was feeling a little guilty about not making the pie so I, like the nicest girlfriend in the entire universe (self proclaimed yes, but so so true), used that jam to make little hand pies. And in the shape of hearts no less because hearts are amazing and it doesn’t hurt that it is Valentine Day next week.%u00a0%u00a0
%u00a0Valentines Day. What does that even mean? I think the primary meaning of Valentines Day is that all things should be in the shape of hearts. The rest is to be determined by however you may feel about the day. Whether you hate it or love it, (we love it, It’s an excuse to take the day off and cover the house in hearts) you get to make the day yours. Just make sure that whatever you do, you make it with hearts. And with pie.%u00a0
These heart pies make for great little additions to hand made Valentines day cards ( I see maybe for a kids class), are great for breakfast because they are basically just like heart shaped pop tarts,%u00a0or even for an evening of bindge watching Netflix with a loved one or by yourself. It’s pie my friends. Eat it whenever, and with whomever you want.
Also, hearts are not just for Valentines Day. And pie sure the hell isn’t either. They both just happen to work for the occasion.%u00a0
The stuff. Basically just pie crust things. Flour, a little sugar, salt, coconut oil, and ice water. Then you need jam. Jam or perseveres of any flavor(s)%u00a0%u00a0you like. I used grape and rhubarb and %u00a0had raspberry here, but I didn’t use it because I didn’t want to open it.%u00a0
Make the crust. Flour gets mixed with the salt and sugar %u00a0and the the coconut oil gets cut in until it %u00a0looks all crumbly.
The water is added %u00a0in tablespoons until a shaggy from forms.
Dump the dough onto the counter to gather all together and rest for a bit. Or if you like, wrap in plastic and refrigerate %u00a0for up to a day or two.
After the dough got a good rest, roll it out and cut your hearts out. (Not your actual heart. Please and thank you)
Half of the hearts get a dollop of jam
Then each heart gets a top and crimped together with a fork. Poke a little hole into the tops to allow for steam to escape then all of the hearts get stuck into the fridge (or place on the back porch) to get nice and cold for a bit.
%u00a0After the chill, off they go into the hot oven to bake and be.
Look at these cuties. A little jam overflow, but all is good.%u00a0
I decided last minute that they needed a little something. Powdered sugar, lime zest, and lime juice. The easiest of glazes. You could do lemon, or vanilla, or almond, or even melt a little chocolate and drizzle that on. Next time I will do chocolate because because.%u00a0
Drizzle that glaze all over.%u00a0
There you have it. The cutest little hand pies ever .
Share if you like, or just eat them all. They are your hearts so do what you will.%u00a0
-C
makes 18 %u00a0three inch pies
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salr
1 tablespoon sugar
8 tablespoons ice water
3/4 cup solid coconut oil
about 1 1/4 cups of some sweet ass jam (any kind you have)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 lemon or lime%u00a0
Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. add coconut oil in large chunks then with a pastry cutter or a fork (I used a fork) cut the oil into the flour until the flour looks crumbly and there are lots of tiny little chunks of coconut oil throughout the mixture. Add in 5 of the tablespoons ice water, toss around, then add in another 3. Mix around until the dough starts to come together when squished. If it still seems too dry, add in a tablespoon or 2 more water. (I always end up using a little more in the winter months) You want the dough to just be able to come together. Dump dough onto counter and press and smoosh dough into a ball. Let dough sit for 1/2 hour or wrap in plastic and place in fridge and using within the next day or two.%u00a0
After the dough has had some time to sit, flour the counter and roll it out to about 1/2 inch thick. Take a cookie cutter ( I used a 3 inch at the widest part heart cookie cutter) and cut out the hearts (or whatever shape you want) Make sure you have 2 cutouts for each hand pie. After you have cut out as many as you can, gather dough into a ball and roll out again. Repeat until dough it gone.%u00a0
To assemble.
Place a tablespoon of jam into the middle of half of the cut out hearts . Gently place the remaining heart cut outs on top of those.%u00a0. Take a fork and press the edges together and then with the fork or a knife, pierce of cut a small slit into the tops to allow the steam to escape while baking. I did this directly on the baking sheet but found out after it was easier to do on the counter and then move it to the baking sheet. Do what ever it easier for you. Once they are all assembled and on the baking sheet,%u00a0refrigerate for 15 minutes.%u00a0
Preheat oven to 350
After the time in the fridge, remove and place directly into the hot oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bottoms are a nice %u00a0%u00a0golden brown. The tops will be slightly pale so check the bottoms.%u00a0
Remove and let cool on the baking sheet.%u00a0
While they are cooing, make the glaze. Zest the lime and juice the lime and combine with the sugar. If it is too runny, add a little more sugar, too dry, add in a splash of water. Once the pies are cooled,%u00a0drizzle each one with icing.
Now you have a bunch of cute little heart shaped hand pies and you should probably eat one (or a few)
I know that it it spring, but I still have a winter farm share for another month and will be cooking and eating roots and squash until the summer share starts in early June. And I am good with that cause I love me some root veggies and butternut squash.%u00a0 But, yes, it is spring and my body isn’t craving the super hearty, rich foods that it was just a few short weeks ago (more like last week) When the temperatures first start to go up, I usually want my food to not feel as heavy or my spices to be quite at warming (I am still all over curries and hot hot hot sauces in the summer). It’s like I have said before, I tend to change up my spices with the seasons. %u00a0
So to give a lighter feel to a heartier squash, I busted out one of my favorite spices, the oh so lovely tarragon. It has a sweet, light, fruity and floral taste that pairs beautifully with the squash and onions. It give the dish a nice spring like flavor that will leave you feeling satisfied without wanting to move directly onto the couch and hide under a blanket. This is a eat and ride you bike kind of dish ( you don’t actually have to go for a bike ride if you don’t want to)
Note. If I had a grill, I would definitely cook this dish on it. As of now, I don’t own one so I am left to cook on the stove. But by all means, if you have a grill, do it up!
Half of a medium sized butternut squash (or use a whole one.. I had a half in the fridge that was waiting to be cooked) %u00a0and one whole onion (two if you use a whole squash) %u00a0Apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt , pepper, garlic powder, and, last but not least, the oh so fragrant and tasty, tarragon.%u00a0
Chop the onion %u00a0and the squash into big chunks. If you don’t like the skin of the squash, you can peel it, but I like it so I don’t peel. Drizzle olive oil in a pan or a baking sheet, toss the veggies in and add the garlic powder, tarragon, salt and pepper and a few splashes of apple cider vinegar. Toss around. Stick into oven at 425 degrees for about 30-40 minutes.%u00a0When the squash is tender and the onions are cooked, remove from oven.%u00a0%u00a0
I am pretty sure you can figure out the rest.
Happy day!
-C
Tarragon Butternut and Onions
Half of Medium Butternut Squash
1 Large Onion
1 Tablespoon Dried Tarragon (use fresh if you have it.. 2 tablespoons)
2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
Salt ans Pepper
Olive Oil
Chop squash and onions into similar size pieces. Toss in a skillet or on a oiled baking sheet and add the rest of the ingredients. Toss around and place into a 425 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes or until squash is fork tender. %u00a0
Remove from oven and eat.
%u00a0Make as a side dish or add to a salad. Eat as a light lunch, or a midnight snack%u2026 eat it however you want.
Another week in the Siberian Express (and another catchy name for weather) %u00a0The lake is completely frozen over and the snow piles are getting bigger then ever%u2026 We are in the dead of the winter, which means it an only get better from here.
Yes cold, but not a bad week. I have been getting our stuff together to start the ever daunting task of filing our taxes (blaaahhhhh), and the lovely mister has spent his week pretty much dealing with everyone’s frozen pipes (poor guy), but we have managed to fit in a little fun. Dinner with sisters. A day with a little that included a lunch date of clementines and mustard. We even went to a high school play that my littlest sister was in. (She was so freaking awesome!) Plus, this week I have really noticed the longer amounts of daylight happening. (I can’t wait for daylight savings) %u00a0I can feel it in my inner most parts of myself..that its going to be spring soon!!! I just need to keep from freezing to death for a few more weeks.
Here is some fun internet stuff %u00a0I have found this week.
Ever wonder how mushrooms grow? Take a look inside a mushroom house.
These%u00a0Stuffed pets%u00a0are pretty funny. If I were to bring home a stuffed animal that looked like the trash dog, he would almost certainly love it for about a week, but the moment he feels like he is not getting the adequate amount of attention, would stand in front of me and slowly tear it apart. (because that’s what he does)
I want to make this Marbled paper%u2026 But am going to wait until I can do it outside, so maybe in like a few months
And a few bits from the real world
This little is rocking out to some sweet tunes%u2026.We started out listening to Beck and ended up listening to Elmo. I guess that happens sometimes.%u00a0
Can I buy then all? I am a plant hoarder%u2026 and can never get enough. I took this picture, walked away to contemplate about weather or not to buy the purple one, went back and someone else had grabbed it. Bummer,%u2026So instead I bought some fresh daffodils, YAY!
%u00a0Romanesco. A cross between cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and a space ship. %u00a0Pretty Pretty!
It took this guy about 5 minutes to cross over this bridge. The stick in this mouth was too long and would get stuck between the two railings. It %u00a0was some funny shit.%u00a0
Of things to come!!!%u00a0
Have a fantastically lovely week..It’s the last one of February!%u00a0
-C
Weird week. I feel like I have been so busy, but can’t quite figure out with what. I guess winter can do that to you, you know, when leaving the house kind of feels like a chore. Yup, it’s mid February when its cold, windy, snowy, and kind of mah. But it’s cool cause I feel like it’s all down hill from now. Soon we will be looking at an extra hour of daylight and hopefully some above freezing temps! (I think we have had a record amount of days below freezing here in VT) No, I am not complaining, just looking forward to getting out of hibernation.
Anyway, here is some internet stuff I have found fun and interesting this week
And some life stuff from the week…It was farm share week and yes, that’s a kohlrabi bulb. And no,%u00a0I%u00a0have never in my life seen a kohlrabi as big as this one. It is for real bigger then my head. %u00a0If I didn’t know my farm was organic, I would think that they were growing these in toxic sludge. Wondering what I am going to do with it? Come back this week and see.
Oh my love%u2026 A few days ago I had my super comfy warm rag wool mittens stolen from me at the gym. I know, I was so pissed, but hopefully whom ever stole them is getting good use out of them. Anyway, to my Valentines Day surprise, the mister got me a new pair and sewed a heart into the palm of one. So freaking cute right!
%u00a0I like to take a look back at old pictures when I am feeling the crazy.. This one makes me think of summer and our honey bees. (That’s the mister digging into the top bar hive)
%u00a0The blue sky! And oh man am I craving some traveling. I think this was taken somewhere is Colorado. I want to go back.
Well that’s about it. Hopefully where ever you are, you are warm and staying out of crazy. Just wait, a few more weeks we will have more daylight and I bet even some above freezing temperatures because it has to happen, right?
Have a great week!
-C
When something goes on sale at the grocery store, I tend to buy it. Being that it is Valentines Day this week, all the stores are having specials on all sorts of sexy things%u2026 and strawberries are one of them.%u00a0 Now I am not a huge fan of buying produce that is terribly out of season, but I can’t help myself%u2026a good deal is a good deal and the strawberries were a super good deal. I was just going to make some sweet ass strawberry jam or maybe a lovely strawberry cake with them (and I probably still will), but these strawberries are actually super juicy and full of flavor, and it’s always nice to eat some full flavor freshy strawberries%u2026 especially soaked in balsamic vinegar. %u00a0And yeah, %u00a0I think that this salad is pretty sexy, so it makes for a perfect Valentines day dish.
A handful of ingredients and 5 minutes will get you to a fantastic salad experience.
A bowl of %u00a0baby spinach, a few chopped up strawberries*, %u00a0half a sliced avocado and a small handful of toasted almonds.. Oh, and don’t forget the balsamic vinegar%u2026.%u00a0
*Note.. Strawberries are kind of heart shaped already so if you want, reserve a few slices to fancy up you salad presentation, but chop up the rest into smaller pieces.
Pour the vinegar on the strawberries and let sit for at least 5 minutes. (the longer the strawberries can sit with the vinegar, the better)
%u00a0Pile it on.. %u00a0thinly slice avocado.. rough chopped toasted almonds%u2026 It’s pretty much as easy as it can get.And last but not least, toss on the balsamic soaked strawberries and drizzle the remaining vinegar. (if you made hearts, place on top to make pretty) Sprinkle with a pitch of salt and pepper and pow! Fancy, sexy, delicious salad.
Not to shabby for %u00a05 minutes and a handful of ingredients. %u00a0Anyone (don’t feed to a person with nut allergies) would be so syked to be fed a salad like this%u2026 You yourself should be pretty excited to eat a salad like this. Heck, I am excited to eat a salad like this!
A love salad for everyone and everyday!
YAY for Thursday and Happy meal planning!!!!%u00a0
-C
%u2665 Balsamic%u00a0Strawberries on Spinach Almond Avocado Salad%u00a0%u2665
Ingredients for 1 large or 2 small salads
3-4 ripe strawberries
handful of roasted almonds (slivers or whole)
1/2 avocado
2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar%u00a0
3 cups baby spinach
Pinch of salt and pepper%u00a0
Dice strawberries into small pieces (reserve a few whole slices for heart shapes if you want) and toss in a small bowl %u00a0with the balsamic vinegar. Let sit for at least 5 minutes. Rinse and dry spinach. Place in a bowl(s) and top with thinly sliced avocado, chopped almonds and balsamic soaked strawberries. Drizzle the residual vinegar on top and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.%u00a0
Eat with a fork
This weekend I made a stand of paper hearts that live all around the house. An early Valentines for my mister. We don’t do fancy dinners, %u00a0store bought cards or gifts%u2026.. Handmade and pretty is what we do.
These hearts hang from the ceiling and toss pretty heart shadows on the walls%u2026..and make both of us smile.%u00a0
%u00a0 The making of stringed paper hearts is so very simple. What you need is..
One or more different colors of card stock paper
scissors
A sewing machine with thread..(can be hand sewn for sure)
To start, cut out a bunch of hearts, as many as you want. You can free form cut them (that’s what I did) or you can either make a template and rouse %u00a0a cookie cutter or something and trace, if you want perfect uniform hearts.%u00a0
Decide on a color pattern (I did red, pink, white, brown, repeat) or random is nice too.
Start sewing the hearts. (I used a scrap to get started..and use the scrap piece for tacking to the ceiling). You can either sew hearts close together or leave an inch or two in between each. One trick I have learned when sewing strands of paper is to give a little tension to the strand as you are sewing%u2026it helps keep the machine from jamming up.
You are done when all the hearts are sewn%u2026 And hang them up or, if you want to save them for a surprise for Valentines day, wrap strand around a piece of cardboard. %u00a0Leave up for a day, for a week, or like us, all year long.
Hearts everywhere%u2026so simple, so pretty, so much love!
THE LOVELY CRAZY
January 9, 2020 by maximios • Blog
I have very strong feelings for heart shaped baked goods. I think that everything, all year round, should be heart shaped. How lovely would that be? It would be ever so lovely, or I would think so anyway. And yes, ok, I was thinking about Valentines Day when I made these cupcakes but don%u2019t let that be the only reason you make a cupcake, cake, or any other baked good into the shape of a heart or pink for that matter.. Hearts are just so sweet and cute and dare I say cuddly? (Can you cuddle baked goods? Let me know if you have and do. We should talk about that). And pink is just a fantastic color, especially when it is the color of the flavor. Purple-y pink equals a taste like berry so all just makes sense.
Anyways. Cupcakes. Made with nutty almond meal to taste all nutty, frosted with blackberry and clementine frosting which is a pairing that all party and non party people will love. A down right deeelightful combination that will, no matter your circumstance in life, make you smile. Because lets get this clear, these cupcakes might look all lovey dovey and Valentines Day-e and are very much a perfect Valentines Day treat, but also can be an everyday, run of the milll, straight up any day, all day cupcakes. Valentines Day does not own the heart or pink.
These cupcakes are for you to love and you don%u2019t need to worry if they love you back. That would be weird.
Slightly off topic thought. How awesome would it be if someone made a cute little teddy bear that when you squeezed it it would scream %u201cWHAT THE HELL! GET OFF ME!%u201d Hahahaha. That would be amazing.
To the cupcakes!
The stuff. Flour, almond meal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, soy milk, oil, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar. Also some blackberry jam, powdered sugar, some vegan butter, and a clementine.
In a big bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, almond meal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Add in the oil, vanilla, milk, and apple cider vinegar. Mix until fully incorporated.
And that is some mixed batter.
Scoop the batter into well greased muffin tins. I used to different shapes and sizes because I wanted too. You can do the same, just be aware different sizes will cook at different times.
And into the hot oven they go.
Baked, popped out of the tins, and cooling to cool.
Frosting time. Butter, clementine zest, and jam mixed together makes for the prettiest color.
Add in the powdered sugar and juice of the clementine and beat with a beater.
Pretty pink frosting. All natural.
And now that the cupcakes are cooled (you must wait until they are completely cooled) get them frosted.
And of course, adding sprinkles will only make them that much better.
And now you got the cupcakes which makes it cupcake time.
Look at that smile. Thats a smile just for cupcakes, not at all because I told him too.
Happy happy.
-C
Makes 12-16 cupcakes (depending on size)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1/3 cup neutral oil
1 1/4 cup almond milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
For the frosting
3 tablespoons blackberry jam or preserves with or without seeds
2- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoon vegan butter
1 clementine (zest and some juice)
Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl whisk together the flours, salt, baking soda and powder and sugar until fully combines. In a separate bowl mix together the oil, milk, vinegar, and vanilla. Pour into the dry and mix, by hand, until full incorporated. Scoop batter into well greased muffin tins (heart or other shape up to you) and place into oven for 13-18 minutes (shorter time for smaller cupcakes, longer for larger sized) or until lightly browned and a tester stuck into a cake comes out clean. Pull from oven when done and pop from tin. Place on a wire rack to cool.
While cakes are cooling, make frosting. Beat together the butter, zest of the clementine, and jam. Add in the sugar and the juice and beat until fully incorporated. If the consistency is to thin, add a little more sugar, to thick, more clementine juice or if out of juice, a splash of milk.
Once cupcakes are full cooled, frost, add sprinkle if you would like, and then the only thing left to do is eat them.
Eat cupcakes, store left overs in an air tight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Welcome fall, I have been waiting for you. Now please stay.
We started last week %u00a0with a picnic lunch at the state house then driving to the middle of the woods and checking out a piece of land then made our way over to our campsite. Went for a nice long hike, the mr did a little fishing, and I saw more amazing mushrooms then I was able to take pictures of. Then back to the camp site we went. I always bring along a book that I am pretty into for camping (because that is what one does while camping) but this time I grabbed a new book from the library right before we left. And well shit, was I ever so surprised that is was more or a less a smutty graphic romance novel and so because I am not really into that crap, I was bookless and felt kind of lost. Goof. But it really wasn’t so bad, the mr kept me company and I found an old newspaper to use as my morning reading so there was that. %u00a0And I went and returned that book when we got home and got some books that were not so smutty.
Then we had %u00a0dinner at Sha na na’s with Paul, Barb, and my Mom. I made a salad with lots and lots of corn in it. Huge hit that Paul has requested that I make him that exact salad for his birthday that is in like 5 months, because I guess I can’t make him a salad any time before that? Ha. My family.. weirdos.%u00a0
And then I went and done it. %u00a0I dropped the fucking blender on my big toe and it pretty much ruined my life. (but not really)%u00a0%u00a0My toe swelled up turned a nice shade of bright red and the nail, slowly but surely, turned completely black, and I was barely able to walk for like 2 days. It was tough goings for a while %u00a0there and I almost performed my own medical treatment involving a lighter and a paperclip but the mr was not having it and in the end, my nail just started falling off anyways so you know, not so bad anymore. And that is enough about my gross toe.
Mid week was the same as usual. This is that, work, me hobbling around and listening to way way way too much %u00a0of the supreme court hearings on NPR, which just made me mad but I did it anyway. There was farm share, so many garden tomatoes, cooking all those garden tomatoes, freezing and eating all the garden tomatoes.%u00a0My garden is getting to that point where I am starting to rip stuff out. I was going to do a fall planing but the little fuck of a rabbit that is living somewhere close keeps eating everything so I am just going to call it for the season. No more new plants, I’ll just get all my kale at the farm. But that rabbit, he needs to get his shit together and find a new place to live next year cause I am getting sick of his attitude. I yell at him but he just keeps come back and taking what he wants. Not cool rabbit, not cool.%u00a0%u00a0
%u00a0And after 2 years of research and saving money, I finally got a new camera!!! My old one finally is dead so I needed to do it.%u00a0I have barely used the new one, only for a couple hours because I am scared I am going to break it (haha, but really) or cover it in bread dough (which will eventually happen). Annnnnd we finally got a new tent! I am very much excited about that. We even named her (yes, it is a she tent)%u00a0Marigold because thats the color she is. %u00a0A new camera and a new tent, all in one week. That was very mentally draining.%u00a0%u00a0I’ll %u00a0still buy groceries and toilet paper, but thats as much I can handle for a good long while.%u00a0
Littles came over for dinner on Friday. Miley started field hockey so we had the just the boys for a while. The mr ands Judah played soccer (Judah won) while me and Coco sat in lawn chairs with a giant bowl of cantaloupe. Every time one of the boys scored a goal he would get up and walk the bowl over to them for a snack score. It was pretty freaking amazingly cute. Then when Miley got home, I made pizza (in the shape of a W for Judah be cause he was a WINNER) and was some how conned into letting the mr and Miley go to the store and come back with 3 apples and a giant bag of sour patch kids. I ate an apple, they all ate candy.%u00a0
Woke up early yesterday morning and I was cold. YES, COLD! And it was amazing and I was so excited because I wasn’t hot. I threw on a sweater,%u00a0socks, and a hat and the mr and I went on to paint the outside of one of our houses for a good part of the day. Then home I went to scrub the paint off my body, run to Costco to get the Judah his new glasses ans a hot dog, then back home to scrub clean the house. (if you haven’t caught on by now, Saturday evenings are my “clean the shit out of the house” days) %u00a0L
Today we are off for more land exploring and camping adventure. I am so excited, first to see some more land %u00a0because maybe some of this land will be what we are looking for and might be our land! And secondly because camping in cooler weather is the best. We can actually sit near the fire, want to sit near the fire, without sweating our asses off. %u00a0I got my knitting, a book (a good book), and tea bags galore. An extra blanket, the long underwear and socks,%u00a0and even a pair of mittens and a hat are packed. It is going to be fantastic.%u00a0
%u00a0Time I invested in internet looking
– Plastic is terrible and this is where it is all going.%u00a0%u00a0THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH%u00a0%u00a0which leads us to %u00a0Scientists get ready to begin Great Pacific Garbage Patch cleanup.
–SO lets all try to use a hell of a lot less plastic, yea?.%u00a0%u00a06 Doable Ways People Are Going Plastic-Free
–What are the smartest animals in the world and how do we know?%u00a0We know cause we be smat too. %u00a0
-Have you ever seen a praying mantis? I have ans they are pretty crazy.%u00a0It’s Praying Mantis Mating Season: Here’s What You Need To Know
-Pink and green swoon.%u00a0A COLORFUL HOME WITH HEART.
–This Start-Up Will Get Rid of All Your Ex’s Sh*t For You%u00a0SO I guess no more trashcan fires full of clothing and pictures?
-Wouldn’t to be nice to not be aware, but better yet, just not to be stressed at all..%u00a0Can You Be Blissfully Unaware of Your Own Stress?
–Can You Eat Something That Has Freezer Burn? Here’s What the USDA Says.
–Why are Americans obsessed with front lawns?%u00a0Good question.
And of course pictures from the week.
I have had a shit ton of rhubarb in the freezer all winter and the other day I just needed it gone so I made a big old batch of rhubarb jam. I was actually saving the rhubarb to make the mr a pie for his birthday, but that was like 2 months ago and he ended up with ice cream sandwiches and that is why the rhubarb was still there. Oops. But now we have rhubarb jam. And I think I was feeling a little guilty about not making the pie so I, like the nicest girlfriend in the entire universe (self proclaimed yes, but so so true), used that jam to make little hand pies. And in the shape of hearts no less because hearts are amazing and it doesn’t hurt that it is Valentine Day next week.%u00a0%u00a0
%u00a0Valentines Day. What does that even mean? I think the primary meaning of Valentines Day is that all things should be in the shape of hearts. The rest is to be determined by however you may feel about the day. Whether you hate it or love it, (we love it, It’s an excuse to take the day off and cover the house in hearts) you get to make the day yours. Just make sure that whatever you do, you make it with hearts. And with pie.%u00a0
These heart pies make for great little additions to hand made Valentines day cards ( I see maybe for a kids class), are great for breakfast because they are basically just like heart shaped pop tarts,%u00a0or even for an evening of bindge watching Netflix with a loved one or by yourself. It’s pie my friends. Eat it whenever, and with whomever you want.
Also, hearts are not just for Valentines Day. And pie sure the hell isn’t either. They both just happen to work for the occasion.%u00a0
The stuff. Basically just pie crust things. Flour, a little sugar, salt, coconut oil, and ice water. Then you need jam. Jam or perseveres of any flavor(s)%u00a0%u00a0you like. I used grape and rhubarb and %u00a0had raspberry here, but I didn’t use it because I didn’t want to open it.%u00a0
Make the crust. Flour gets mixed with the salt and sugar %u00a0and the the coconut oil gets cut in until it %u00a0looks all crumbly.
The water is added %u00a0in tablespoons until a shaggy from forms.
Dump the dough onto the counter to gather all together and rest for a bit. Or if you like, wrap in plastic and refrigerate %u00a0for up to a day or two.
After the dough got a good rest, roll it out and cut your hearts out. (Not your actual heart. Please and thank you)
Half of the hearts get a dollop of jam
Then each heart gets a top and crimped together with a fork. Poke a little hole into the tops to allow for steam to escape then all of the hearts get stuck into the fridge (or place on the back porch) to get nice and cold for a bit.
%u00a0After the chill, off they go into the hot oven to bake and be.
Look at these cuties. A little jam overflow, but all is good.%u00a0
I decided last minute that they needed a little something. Powdered sugar, lime zest, and lime juice. The easiest of glazes. You could do lemon, or vanilla, or almond, or even melt a little chocolate and drizzle that on. Next time I will do chocolate because because.%u00a0
Drizzle that glaze all over.%u00a0
There you have it. The cutest little hand pies ever .
Share if you like, or just eat them all. They are your hearts so do what you will.%u00a0
-C
makes 18 %u00a0three inch pies
Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. add coconut oil in large chunks then with a pastry cutter or a fork (I used a fork) cut the oil into the flour until the flour looks crumbly and there are lots of tiny little chunks of coconut oil throughout the mixture. Add in 5 of the tablespoons ice water, toss around, then add in another 3. Mix around until the dough starts to come together when squished. If it still seems too dry, add in a tablespoon or 2 more water. (I always end up using a little more in the winter months) You want the dough to just be able to come together. Dump dough onto counter and press and smoosh dough into a ball. Let dough sit for 1/2 hour or wrap in plastic and place in fridge and using within the next day or two.%u00a0
After the dough has had some time to sit, flour the counter and roll it out to about 1/2 inch thick. Take a cookie cutter ( I used a 3 inch at the widest part heart cookie cutter) and cut out the hearts (or whatever shape you want) Make sure you have 2 cutouts for each hand pie. After you have cut out as many as you can, gather dough into a ball and roll out again. Repeat until dough it gone.%u00a0
To assemble.
Place a tablespoon of jam into the middle of half of the cut out hearts . Gently place the remaining heart cut outs on top of those.%u00a0. Take a fork and press the edges together and then with the fork or a knife, pierce of cut a small slit into the tops to allow the steam to escape while baking. I did this directly on the baking sheet but found out after it was easier to do on the counter and then move it to the baking sheet. Do what ever it easier for you. Once they are all assembled and on the baking sheet,%u00a0refrigerate for 15 minutes.%u00a0
Preheat oven to 350
After the time in the fridge, remove and place directly into the hot oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bottoms are a nice %u00a0%u00a0golden brown. The tops will be slightly pale so check the bottoms.%u00a0
Remove and let cool on the baking sheet.%u00a0
While they are cooing, make the glaze. Zest the lime and juice the lime and combine with the sugar. If it is too runny, add a little more sugar, too dry, add in a splash of water. Once the pies are cooled,%u00a0drizzle each one with icing.
Now you have a bunch of cute little heart shaped hand pies and you should probably eat one (or a few)
So to give a lighter feel to a heartier squash, I busted out one of my favorite spices, the oh so lovely tarragon. It has a sweet, light, fruity and floral taste that pairs beautifully with the squash and onions. It give the dish a nice spring like flavor that will leave you feeling satisfied without wanting to move directly onto the couch and hide under a blanket. This is a eat and ride you bike kind of dish ( you don’t actually have to go for a bike ride if you don’t want to)
Note. If I had a grill, I would definitely cook this dish on it. As of now, I don’t own one so I am left to cook on the stove. But by all means, if you have a grill, do it up!
I am pretty sure you can figure out the rest.
Happy day!
-C
Tarragon Butternut and Onions
Chop squash and onions into similar size pieces. Toss in a skillet or on a oiled baking sheet and add the rest of the ingredients. Toss around and place into a 425 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes or until squash is fork tender. %u00a0
Remove from oven and eat.
%u00a0Make as a side dish or add to a salad. Eat as a light lunch, or a midnight snack%u2026 eat it however you want.
Yes cold, but not a bad week. I have been getting our stuff together to start the ever daunting task of filing our taxes (blaaahhhhh), and the lovely mister has spent his week pretty much dealing with everyone’s frozen pipes (poor guy), but we have managed to fit in a little fun. Dinner with sisters. A day with a little that included a lunch date of clementines and mustard. We even went to a high school play that my littlest sister was in. (She was so freaking awesome!) Plus, this week I have really noticed the longer amounts of daylight happening. (I can’t wait for daylight savings) %u00a0I can feel it in my inner most parts of myself..that its going to be spring soon!!! I just need to keep from freezing to death for a few more weeks.
Here is some fun internet stuff %u00a0I have found this week.
And a few bits from the real world
It took this guy about 5 minutes to cross over this bridge. The stick in this mouth was too long and would get stuck between the two railings. It %u00a0was some funny shit.%u00a0
Have a fantastically lovely week..It’s the last one of February!%u00a0
-C
Anyway, here is some internet stuff I have found fun and interesting this week
And some life stuff from the week…
It was farm share week and yes, that’s a kohlrabi bulb. And no,%u00a0I%u00a0have never in my life seen a kohlrabi as big as this one. It is for real bigger then my head. %u00a0If I didn’t know my farm was organic, I would think that they were growing these in toxic sludge. Wondering what I am going to do with it? Come back this week and see.
Well that’s about it. Hopefully where ever you are, you are warm and staying out of crazy. Just wait, a few more weeks we will have more daylight and I bet even some above freezing temperatures because it has to happen, right?
Have a great week!
-C
A bowl of %u00a0baby spinach, a few chopped up strawberries*, %u00a0half a sliced avocado and a small handful of toasted almonds.. Oh, and don’t forget the balsamic vinegar%u2026.%u00a0
*Note.. Strawberries are kind of heart shaped already so if you want, reserve a few slices to fancy up you salad presentation, but chop up the rest into smaller pieces.
Not to shabby for %u00a05 minutes and a handful of ingredients. %u00a0Anyone (don’t feed to a person with nut allergies) would be so syked to be fed a salad like this%u2026 You yourself should be pretty excited to eat a salad like this. Heck, I am excited to eat a salad like this!
A love salad for everyone and everyday!
YAY for Thursday and Happy meal planning!!!!%u00a0
-C
%u2665 Balsamic%u00a0Strawberries on Spinach Almond Avocado Salad%u00a0%u2665
Ingredients for 1 large or 2 small salads
Dice strawberries into small pieces (reserve a few whole slices for heart shapes if you want) and toss in a small bowl %u00a0with the balsamic vinegar. Let sit for at least 5 minutes. Rinse and dry spinach. Place in a bowl(s) and top with thinly sliced avocado, chopped almonds and balsamic soaked strawberries. Drizzle the residual vinegar on top and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.%u00a0
Eat with a fork
This weekend I made a stand of paper hearts that live all around the house. An early Valentines for my mister. We don’t do fancy dinners, %u00a0store bought cards or gifts%u2026.. Handmade and pretty is what we do.
These hearts hang from the ceiling and toss pretty heart shadows on the walls%u2026..and make both of us smile.%u00a0
%u00a0 The making of stringed paper hearts is so very simple. What you need is..
To start, cut out a bunch of hearts, as many as you want. You can free form cut them (that’s what I did) or you can either make a template and rouse %u00a0a cookie cutter or something and trace, if you want perfect uniform hearts.%u00a0
Decide on a color pattern (I did red, pink, white, brown, repeat) or random is nice too.
Start sewing the hearts. (I used a scrap to get started..and use the scrap piece for tacking to the ceiling). You can either sew hearts close together or leave an inch or two in between each. One trick I have learned when sewing strands of paper is to give a little tension to the strand as you are sewing%u2026it helps keep the machine from jamming up.
You are done when all the hearts are sewn%u2026 And hang them up or, if you want to save them for a surprise for Valentines day, wrap strand around a piece of cardboard. %u00a0Leave up for a day, for a week, or like us, all year long.
Hearts everywhere%u2026so simple, so pretty, so much love!
-C