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’t 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’t 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 “WHAT THE HELL! GET OFF ME!” 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.
Mid January and I love it. Yes I know it is coldest part of the winter and still dark early and people are still crashing over the holidays, but this time of year always makes me feel like the world is all for me. Even the cold, the super cold that is scaring most people inside, well I love that too. Crisp and clean and oh so beautiful. I’ll take this freezing cold any day over being hot. I am a winter lady here through and through.
This past week had been busy busy. Mark and Paul turned 21(Happy Birthday BROS!) and had a little birthday party, alcohol free, but with 2 cakes. Drove out to the North East Kingdom in a freaking snow storm to see some of the mr’s family. We went and made dinner with the littles then watched Miley play her saxaphone in the sixth grade band concert. I finally got to pick up farm share. (I went through more then half my stock of frozen garden veggies over the past week which is sad because I have been rationing them and hoped the chest freezer of veggies would last a little longer..Oh well) The mr spent half a day creating ice sculptured on the porch. We did some work and dealt with annoying things. All this while I have barely been able to move my neck. I think the drive to Rhode Island last weekend started off a tweak in my neck the has turned into a pinch nerve or something and I have been spending more then too much time in pain with either a ice pack or hot water bottle propped up on my neck. It has sucked and still really does. I can’t wait for the day when it doesn’t hurt. It’s gonna be amazing.
Jeff Dad came into town for a long postponed weekend. We did dinner at Megans, I made soup and so much bread. Then yesterday the whole family came over for the postponed Christmas with Dad. Sure I had no tree, and there was no Christmas music or anything, but it was super fun. The kids were all behaving and being nice to each other, probably because they were not all cracked out on sugar. I fixed a bunch of food and it was all eaten. We all exchanged presents. Jackson stuffed his shirt with my squash. Good time. And my house got trashed which was a-ok because it was cleaning day anyways.
And to is Sunday again already. In a few hours the mr and I are zipping, if that is what a 4 hour drive is called, down to Rhode Island again for the afternoon and then zipping that 4 hours back. Excited to see family, not excited to sit in the car for 8 hours. My brain and neck already hurt thinking about the drive.
And then I am taking tomorrow off and doing nothing, or as close to nothing as possible.
Interenting from the internet.
-Have you watched and started to “tidy” your life? My life is pretty tidy so I am good on that but it seems eveywhere I go I am hearing people talking about it. Marie Kondo and the fantasy of a tidy life, explained
-Who knew those little demons were actually helping to grow the rainforest. How termites help rainforests survive climate change
-I never use measuring devices when cooking and even sometimes when I bake (as long as I am not writing a recipe) It really is a lot less dishes and hassle to use the old eyeballs. Your Life Will Change When You Learn to Eyeball Measurements
-I have thought about this on multiple occasions and the song always changes. What’s the last song you want to hear beforeyou die?
–ISLAND: A Cast of Colorful Creatures Pop, Quiver, and Hiccup in a Charming Stop Motion Animation. Only watch if you want to smile.
–How Much Junk Am I Consuming Online Every Day?. People average 12 hours a day…That shit is crazy! I feel pretty good about my 1ish hour of digital anything a day. If you want to stop, read. How to go on a low-information diet
-Good time of year to get all the shut eye you need. Why do people need to sleep?
-Why Costco? 27-Pound Bucket of Macaroni and Cheese and Costco’s Giant Tubs of Nutella
–Don’t Reply to Your Emails. Ok. I won’t.
-I didn’t know I wanted a net in my house until now. 10 Homes With Nets to Make You Feel Like a Kid Again
Pictures from the week.
What a week. What a year. So much has happened and is happening and is about happen. I guess that is the nature of life and time and all that good stuff.
The week started off fantastic. On Sunday the mr and I grabbed Judah, Emerson, and Barb, piled into the car, and went for a light drive. We walked around a light filled park, drove some more, then ended up at, of all places in this world, Burger King. And they loved it (I packed my own dinner because I do not, will not, eat at almost any place that the littles prefer) Funny, I don’t know if I have ever been inside of a Burger King before, and if I have, it was long before I had a choice in what I ate. Again, they loved it, even though it was trash food, they got their crowns. Coco cheered just about every French Fry that went into his mouth, and the mr got to use Burger King coupons that he had hiding in his pocket (that is basically why we ended up there) It was a fantastic evening and is now going to be a Christmas Eve eve tradition. Light drive with dinner (never Burger King again thank you very much)
After we dropped them off at home, we went home and that is when the mr succumbed to it. IT being the stomach flu. That was fun.
Christmas Eve the mr was an ill man so I forged it alone. With the help of all the Christmas music I could handle, I baked a bunch, prepared the house for the next day when the family came over. I cut up all the fruits and veggies, wrapped the few little presents I had, did bills and a bunch laundry, ran to the grocery store. My mom stopped by and brought me a lemon tree because just because. I just was so freaking productive. And best part, it SNOWED, like a good amount. What I thought was going to be a completely snow free Christmas turned into the most magical snow ever. Christmas Eve afternoon, Big fat fluffy flakes covering the world. I bundled myself up and walked around the neighborhood just taking it all in. It truly was the best Christmas Eve snow ever. And after a full on day of resting , the mr was feeling a bit better so that was good. And then both to bed by 7 because thats our life these days.
Christmas morning had all the right stuff. Woke up and watched the sun rise while drinking a butload of coffee. The house was all clean and glittery and the ltree lights were on and the ground glittered with the fresh snow. After the mr woke up and was feeling a little worse for ware but ok, we bundled up and went for a little stroll on the beach. We usually go for a hike but I was not trying to push the mr too hard. The beach, oh man, was that amazing. The water was still, the snow was like diamonds, and the air was crisp and clean. Not a sound to be heard other then the lapping of water. It was so good. We left before I decided to stay forever and because the mr thought he could walk on ice and ended up with a his foot in a foot of water so we headed on home to meet the hoard of family. Just about everyone came (minus Ryan and the girls and Anthony.. we missed them all) ate food, did a little gift exchange thing (I got some sweet new house plants), plastered Jackson with a very nice shade of lipstick that might have been called whore red, and had a Happy Birthday celebration for Cameron because it’s was Christmas, but it really was his birthday.
Then for the saddest part. We got the news that our uncle had passed away.
Oh Uncle Seth. He had been sick for a while now with Parkinson’s disease, but the past month or so it got so bad. His death was not unexpected but never the less it was not any less painful. My only uncle, the guy who gave me my first car, the man who built a cabin from nothing in the woods and turned it into a place that you could only imagine (or see in a design magazine) A man who taught (he was as professor at RISD), loved the world, loved to travel, loved his work, was so fierce in emotion. SO many little qualities that I saw in him, I see in me. ( I feel like I get a lot of who I am from my dad and my uncle and aunt) The world lost a great man, I lost a great uncle. He is and will always be loved and I know I was just lucky to have been able to have him as an uncle. It is still hard, I don’t think I have fully processed it still, It is kind of a not quite real feeling. Just an overall heaviness that has settled in on my mind and heart. It is so hard to loose any family, but especially hard when they were so full of life and had so much to give to the world. Agh. The words are not even close to adequate here, the full measure of him as a person not explained. To put it simply, he was an amazing, loving and generous person. I am so going to miss him, his creativity, his lust for life. And what I am going to miss most is his hugs and smiles and overall presences in my life. RIP Seth. You really were a fucking awesome uncle.
We got word of the funeral on Wednesday (which was also Anthonys 17th birthday….So old! I stopped by to see him and give him a big hug. Didn’t want a party or cake this year so I owe him granola bars.) and were in the car driving down to RI by Thursday morning. Shannon, Megan, the mr, and me, all packed into the car and off we went. A small family funeral which was very beautiful and full of love, then food with the family. Not a long stay, but we are all going back down next weekend for Seths memorial celebration bash.
We got home and it hit hard. I started to feel kind of crappy (sick wise) and have been feeling blue ever since. Driving to RI really kicked the mr down again. He was so good, no complaining about anything, not the cranked up car heat or driving straight while us ladies spent the entire time talking of childhood memories. He didn’t even put on the music. And by the time we came back home, the guy was sick again, or maybe never was not sick, but he has been down for the count ever since.
So yesterday we did a few morning chores together like got rid of the recycling and retuned amazon stuff to UPS, but by afternoon the mr was out. So I cleaned house, made another ice cream cake for Judah, and did more and more laundry. Another one of those feeling super productive days. Weird, but I am starting to see a pattern here. When the mr is really sick, I get a lot done. I think it’s mainly because. a) I want to stay away from him as to not get sick too. b) I am afraid that if I do get sick none of what needs to be done will get done so I need to do it fast. And c) I don’t have to worry about what he needs to do, it’s all me. Ha.
Today is Judah’s birthday. Nine years old! What an age to be. So basically I am going to the gym then coming home to do a few things and finish making his cake, then heading over to his house for a birthday dinner celebration. I told him and his sister I would go over early and give them haircuts (the boys hair is so long it covers his eyes, He looks cool, but if you can’t see, well looking cool isn’t gonna get you anywhere). It’s gonna be fun.
Goodness, is that it. The end of another year. Hard to wrap my head around so I am just going to ease on in to 2019. Low key and cool. Just like me. Ha.
Happy New Years Friends! Be safe. Be happy. Be good. Be kind.
Interent links from the week
–Just Admit It, You’re in a Bad Mood. All the lead up to Christmas then BAM, its over. Gets me every time.
-I am defintially one of those people who likes to bake when I am feeling anxious. The Rise of Anxiety Baking. Cookies are my favorite to bake too.
-Speakig of cookies. When ‘Cookiers’ Take Holiday Cookie Decorating To A Whole New Level. I had no idea there was a cookie cutter factory in Vt. I must see this place!
-Who doesn’t love a good tree picture? Black and White Photographs Capture the Striking Appearance of Bare Trees Against Snow-Filled Landscapes
–Explorer completes historic Antarctic trek. Some people do crazy things that make me jealous. Not that I want to ski Antarctica, but something crazy would be cool.
-How did I not know until now that there was a monthly round up of trucks spilling shit. We all need this information. This month in overturned trucks: Cash, Christmas trees, cooking oil
–How A Little Science And A Lot Of Shady Advertising Boosted Yeast’s Popularity. I have never eaten a yeast cake, but I eat a shit load of nutritional yeast. MY favorite is a spoonful in the mouth where it gets stuck in my teeth and the roof of my mouth. For real.
-I am going to get a scale sometime soon. I just need to find the right one for the right price (free or very cheap at the thrift store) Until then, this is handy. Weight Conversions for Flour, Sugar, and Other Common Baking Ingredients
-This is something that I have wondered about. I am really happy that it doesn’t get wasted. We Finally Know What Happens to the Leftover Cake on the Great British Bake Off
–The year vegan junk food went mainstream. Yup. Just cause it’s vegan doesn’t mean it is good for you.
And pictures from the week.
Currently it is like 50 degrees outside and raining buckets of cats and frogs and what not. I live in Vt for a few reasons, and one of them is winter, so the warm rain is just not nice. Apparently these cookies are the closest thing to snowflakes I will be seeing for a little while…(sad face inserted here) But I am hoping that juuuust maybe it will turn, and all of a sudden it will be snow coming down and not rain. And that it snows and snows and snows, like a foot or 2 of it. I want so much snow that I am stuck in my house for a least a solid 24 hours (of course with the power still on and all the necessities I would need) and the only way out being by foot or sled. And you know what I would do if I was snowed in? Lounge around in my pj’s all day (or at least until like 10 am), have a never emptying cup of hot coffee in hand, play around outside and make a snow fort, and definitely make cookies. Doesn’t that just sound so nice?
But I am not snowed in, and wasn’t snowed in and probably will not be snowed in for the foreseeable future. But I can still, and did make cookies so there is that. Chocolate cut out snowflakes with orange glaze to be exact. A good all around chocolate cookie jazzed up with a citrus kick. Simple, elegant and perfect for all of your holiday cookie needs. Plus it is just a really pretty cookie. I just might make a few more batches and liter the front yard with them. I’ll make my own freaking snow, even if it is out of cookies. Then I really wouldn’t be able to leave my house due to the crazy fat squirrels attacking the lawn. That would be something. HA.
To the snowflake cookies! (They can be any shape really, but snowflakes are so nice)
The stuff. Sugar, vegan butter, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, canola oil, brewed coffee, grind chia seeds, vanilla extract, an orange, and some powdered sugar.
First, mix the ground chia seeds with the coffee for caffeinated chia eggs.
Beat the butter with the sugar to give it a good fluff, then add in the oil, vanilla, and chia eggs to the mix.
Place all the dry into a bowl and whisk together until fully incorporated.
Dump the mixed dry into the were and grab a wooden spoon. Start mixing.
Cookie dough is a-formin.
Collect the dough in some plastic and smash into a disk. Place in fridge to rest for at least a few hours, but a day is good too.
Chilled dough, flour, a cookie cutter, and a rolling pin. I think you know what to do. Just really make sure to keep the counter and rolling pin floured or else the dough will stick and that is just so annoying.
Yes this dough is a little delicate, but not in a bad way. It might tear or slightly crumble but you just smoosh it back in there and you are all set. Anyway, after rolling dough out to about 1/2 inch thick, cut cookies out with a well floured cutter.
Cookies on the baking sheet ready for the oven.
Cookies on a baking sheet right out of the oven.
Now those cookies got to cool so get them on a rack.
While cookies are cooling, fix yourself some glaze. The powdered sugar, zest of orange and juice of orange will do the trick.
A good looking glaze. Thick put drizzable consistency.
And to finish. Drizzle the cookies with glaze, dunk the tops in the glaze, or do a little of both (I say both). The glaze does harden after a few minutes so these are very much stackable cookies.
And then what you do with the finished cookies is up to you. I let the mr eat a good few, saved a few for Christmas and dropped some off to some peps. They were well received for sure.
Hope you are enjoying the weekend and are able to get in on some cookie making.
-C
makes about 3 dozen cookies
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegan butter
1/2 cup oil
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons ground chia seeds
6 tablespoon coffee or water (coffee brings out the chocolate flavor more)
1 orange
1 cup powdered sugar
In a large bowl, cream together the white sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add in the oil, vanilla, and coffee chia eggs. Mix until incorporated. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, cocoa. salt. and baking powder. Dump dry into wet and mix until a dough forms. Gather dough into a ball and place in plastic and flatten into a disk. Place in fridge for at least an hour or overnight.
When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350
Take dough from fridge and unwrap. Place on a well floured surface and roll until it is about 1/4 inch thick. The dough is delicate and a little crumbly, but don’t worry to much, just squish it back together and keep rolling it out. With a floured cookie cutter, cut your shapes and gently place them on a cookie sheet. Gather remnants of dough back into a ball and re-roll out and cut more cookies until you have used up all the dough. Place cookies into oven and bake for 11-12 minutes or until the cookies have puffed up a bit and the bottoms are slightly browned. Once cookies are cooked, let cool on a wire rack.
While cookies are cooling make the glaze. Mix about a tablespoon of the zest of the orange with the powdered sugar and add in a few tablespoons of the juice of the orange until the glaze is slightly runny. Once cookies are cooled either dip the tops in the glaze or drizzle the glaze on top of cookies (or do some of both). Then eat. If you wait a little while, the glaze will harden and then you can stack them and then if you want, maybe wrap on a few in little packages to give to someone you like. Either way, place uneaten cookies in a airtight container. Should last about a week, but can you not eat them for that long?
What is any good holiday season without some sort of gingerbread? Am I right, or am I right? I am right. The smell alone smacks a smile on my face. Spicy and sweet and all sorts of comforting. If smells could be objects, the smell of gingerbread would be a warm soft blanket that you can curl up next to a fire, with hot beverages and a good book. Yup, that is exactly what gingerbread smells like.
Gingerbread cookies were an option for all the gingerbread goodness but right now there is a heavy influx of people making cookies of the gingerbread variety so I figured I should do something a little different and honestly, a heck of a lot easier and faster. Plus scones are a way more expectable breakfast food then cookies (who am I kidding, cookies are a completely expectable for breakfast) and I was looking for a good breakfast treat to feed the mr this week because its his birthday week and I wanted a little something special for him for breakfast. I know, I am just so great.
Anyway, these scones fit the holiday gingerbread bill. I mixed them up, added the chocolate chips for a little extra something, then tossed them into the oven and bathed in the smell as they were baking. Pulled them from the oven, poured some coffee, and set out a delightful afternoon snack for the mr, right after he was finished laying on the freezing ground trying to fix the tire on the truck. I think he really appreciated the smell of a warm blanket. And he really enjoyed the scones too. All birthday week long.
So what are you doing this weekend? I think probably making scones. Yeah, do that.
Here we go.
The stuff. In the bowl there is flour, old fashion oats, baking soda and baking powder, and salt. Also need the spices of ginger, cinnamon, clove, and black pepper. Molasses, brown sugar, vegan butter, soy milk, and chocolate chips finish of the list.
In the bowl add in all the spices and the brownl sugar. Mix until completely combined and there are no brown sugar lumps. Drop in the cold butter and cut it in with a fork. You don’t want it blended, you want the butter in little bits.
You want it to look like this. Crumbly.
Toss in the chocolate chip.
Dump the molasses into the milk and mix until combined. Doing this helps minimize the amount of mixing you do which will help make sure your scones are not tuff. So don’t not do this.
Pour the molasses milk into the mixture
With a fork, lightly fold and mix batter until it just starts to come together.
Dump dough out onto a lightly flour surface and gather together with your hands.
Flatten into a big disk and cut into 8 equal wedges. Or as equal as you want to make them… you could even make a few more wedges if you want more. You do you.
Place the scones onto a baking sheet. Brush a little milk on each then sprinkle the tops with a little brown sugar and some oats.
Pop them into preheated oven and let bake.
Gold brown and ready for the world.
After letting them cool for a bit on a wire rack, stack onto a plate and feed them to your people. And yourself of course.
Chocolate chip oatmeal gingerbread scone and a cup of coffee. A perfection in all the ways.
Enjoy the weekend. It will be great, especially if you make some of these scones.
-C
Makes 8 scones
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashion oats plus 1/4 cup to sprinkle on top
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar plus 2 tablespoons more to sprinkle on top
2 tablespoons molasses
1/2 cup cold vegan butter
2/3 cup soy or your favorite plant milk
2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder and soda, salt, all the spices, and the brown sugar. Make sure there are no big lumps of brown sugar in the mixture. Once dry mixture is all mixed up, cut in (do not blend in) the cold vegan butter until the mixture looks crumbly. Toss in the chocolate chips.
Grab your measure out milk and mix in the molasses until completely mixed together. Dump the mixture into the bowl of dry and lightly mix with a fork until a dough forms. Dump out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and bring it all together with your hands .Flatten dough out into a circle about and inch thick them with a knife or dough scraper, cut into 8 even sized wedges. Place scones onto a baking sheet and lightly brush a little milk onto the tops.. Mix together the extra oats and brown sugar and sprinkle on the tops. Place into preheated oven and bake for 25-28 minutes, or until nice and golden brown. Once baked, remove and place on a wire rack to cool.
Eat. Store left over scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Individual scones freeze well.
Soup is all about comfort and I needed comfort this week. What with being all sad and slightly stressed with a little touch of the holiday blues. And I needed something to warm me up because is has been freaking chilly cold. I needed soup. But I wanted something slightly special, not the everyday, but also not anything fussy or finicky. A soup that I could make really fast or let sit on the stove all day. A soup that would bring a little brightness without being overly rich. A soup to take away the chill and make me happy.
Is that asking to much of a soup? I think not.
This soup, it did it all. But also take into account, this soup is not for the people that do not like squash. Or for the people that do not like apples or cranberries. Or for people that do not like thick creamy soups. But if you are not one of this people (you are a person that likes squash, apples and cranberries, and creamy soup) then this soup is for you. It is for us. Creamy, flavorful, slightly sweet and spicy with a little tang and just so dang delicious. It is like a warm blanket of soup. Comfortable and lovely. I have basically eaten an entire pot all to myself in the past two days.
It has been just what I needed.
Join me.
The stuff. A butternut squash, a couple apples, and some cranberries. Also a carrot, an onion, some fresh ginger, a few cloves garlic, cumin and chili powder, salt and pepper, apple cider vinegar, and a little olive oil.
Start by chopping up the carrot and the onion. Small pieces just because they cook a little faster.
Peel and grate or mince some fresh ginger too.
Toss that all into a big pot with a splash of olive oil and a splash of water and cook on a medium heat until tender and fragrant.
While the veggies cook, chop the squash into small cubes. Remove the seeds, but no need to peel.
And chop up the apple too, but set aside a half of one for the apple cranberry relish.
Now toss all that into the pot along with the cranberries.
Add the spices, salt and pepper, a few splashed of apple cider vinegar, and water to cover it all. Then place it on stove, bring to a boil, then turn heat to medium and let cook.
While the soup is cooking, make the relish. Mince the half apple along with about 1/2 cup of cranberries.
Place in a bowl with a pinch of salt and a few splashed of apple cider vinegar. Then just let it sit and meld.
Soup is looking good. Everything is soft and falling apart and ready to go.
Blend it all until smooth.
Thick and creamy goodness right here. If it is to thick, add more water, too thin, cook it down a little longer. The consistency is up to you.
Now all you need to do is ladle soup into bowls and top with a couple spoonfuls of the relish.
This is comfort. This is good.
Have a great, comfy weekend.
-C
makes 6-8 servings
1 small butternut squash (about 5 cups cubed)
1 large onion
1 carrot
2 macon or mac apples
2 cups fresh cranberries (you can use frozen too)
2 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoons chili power
2-3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon fresh minced or grated ginger
4-5 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper
6 cups water
Start by chopping the onion and carrot into small pieces. Place into large heavy bottom pot with a splash of water and a tiny splash of olive oil. Mince the garlic and peel and mince ginger. Toss into the pot as well and place it on a medium heat to cook until the veggies are tender and fragrant.
While the veggies are cooking, dice up the butternut squash. Remove any seeds but there is no need to peel. Also dice up the apples, reserving 1/2 of one for the relish. Place the chopped squash and apples into the pot with the cooking veggies along with 1 1/2 cups of cranberries , the chili powder and cumin, 2-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, and the water. Place the pot back on the stove, bring it to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let cook.
Once soup is on the stove, take reserved half apple and the other 1/2 cup of cranberries and dice into very small pieces. Place into a bowl with a little pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Toss around and set aside.
And back to soup. Once the squash is tender and starting to fall apart, it is time. Remove from heat and either with a immersion blender, or a regular blender, blend the soup until smooth. After its blended and creamy smooth, check for thickness. If you think it is too thick, add more water. Too thin, place back on stove and cook down until it thickens up a bit more.
When you are ready to serve and eat, ladle soup into a bowl and top with more pepper and a spoonful or two of the apple cranberry relish.
Then eat and feel cozy.
Right now it is all about the holiday cookies. There are the chocolate ones, the filled ones, the nutty ones and all at the other ones, but really, what is the holiday without a good basic sugar cookie covered in way to much icing and sprinkles? Not right it what it is.
So to kick off holiday cookie baking I had a cookie decorating and pizza party with the littles and big littles. Cookies, icing and frosting, and so many sprinkles. I went the smart route with preparation and precut all the cookies before the party. I was thinking that I would have everyone cut there own cookies out but then I was thinking a bunch of little and hot pans and more likely then not burnt cookies. I just didn’t want to deal with it and it was a good choice on my part. I am so smart.
These cookies are kind of your basic sugar cookies with a little lemon twist. The lemon adds that extra something, a little zip behind the sweetness, especially after all the glaze. And they can be baked to be slightly soft or to have a nice crisp edge. A good, tasty, all around cookie, perfect for any holiday cookie party.
And just a warning about cookie parties. There will be madness and states of being that only an emense amount of sugar can produce.
The stuff. Flour, baking powder sugar, and salt. Squash puree, earth balance, vanilla, and some lemons.
Sugar, butter, puree, lemon zest, lemon juice and the vanilla get cozy into big bowl and then mixed together.
Some people prefer to do this step with an electric beater but I like to use a wooden spoon because arm powder. Either way, make sure the mixtures is completely mixed and that there are no huge chunks of butter.
Now add in the dry and mix mix mix until if forms a dough.
Don’t be afraid to use your hands here.. I started out with the spoon and finish with my hands. It is much easier.
The dough needs a little time in the fridge so wrap it in plastic (or a large plastic bag) and stick in the fridge for a least and hour or up to a day.
When your ready for cookie cutting time, remove dough and let sit on counter for a few minutes to warm up. Then place on a lightly floured surface and roll out about 1/4 inch thick (you can go a little thinner if you like)
And keep gathering and rolling ou the dough until all the dough is a cookie.
Bake the cookies for anywhere between 10-13 minutes. This is dependent on if you like a softer cookie or one with more of a crunch.
And you are probably going to want to make some glaze, which is super simple. Powedred sugar, water, corn syrup, and vanilla extract.
You of course need to get crafty with colors so color the icing to your liking.
Then it’s all about decorating. The mr and I did a few cookies ourselves before the cookie party began. We figured we wouldn’t really get a chance to once all the littles showed up. We were right.
Also I bought brand new synthetic paint brushes (important that they are new) to use to paint on the glaze. It was a very good idea. We loved it and so did all the little.
Our cookie masterpieces. Who doesn’t love a rapper snowman?
Let the party begin. I ended up making 3 batches of cookies because the more cookies the better. And again, so smart to have the cookies all precut and ready. I couldn’t imagine having to deal with cutting cookies with everyone. There would have been tears (most likely mine)
Christmas music on, happy little littles, it started out so wholesome and good. Glaze, frosting, so many sprinkles. I could smell the sugar in the air. I also said that there was to be no cookie eating until after dinner so naturally I think that each little ate about 5 cookies before dinner. It would have been worse if I had they could eat any at all.
And then we ate dinner and more cookies and they all went freaking crazy. Like running around screaming, stoping once in a while to maybe think they might throw up, then kept on running and screaming. Sugar can do crazy things.
Just a few of the creations from the night. There were snowmen, 3D trees and reindeer, and stars. I guess I don’t have a snowflake which bummed me out but stars made do. And yes, that is indeed a target employee cookie.. so awesome.
All in all, the party was a success. The cookies came out great. The decorations were on point. The littles and big littles had fun and were all in a sugar coma by the end of the night. Annnd my house is covered in a light film of stickiness.
Enjoy your weekend and make lots of cookies because that is what you are suppose to do.
-C
makes 20-25 cookies (all depending on you shapes ands sizes of cutters)
Cookie
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup squash puree
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup room temp vegan butter
1 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
Icing
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons plant milk or water
1 teaspoon extract (vanilla, almond, or lemon)
food coloring (optional)
preheat oven to 350
In a large bowl beat together butter, sugar, vanilla, squash, lemon zest and lemon juice until fully incorporated. Add in flour, salt, and baling powder and mix until it all comes together. When dough gets a little hard to mix with a spoon, use your hands and compress the dough into a ball. Take dough and wrap in plastic wrap or place in a zip lock pulled to dough tight and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to a day.
After the dough has had time in the fridge, remove and let sit for a few minutes.. Lightly flour the counter and roll dough out to about a quart inch thick. Grab your cookie cutter and cut away at rolled out dough. Place cut cookies on a baking sheet, gather up remaining dough and roll out all over again. Repeat process until all the dough has been used. Place cookies in oven and bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are just barely turning golden brown. If you like a crispier cookies, cook for 2-3 minutes longer. Remove and place on a cooling rack to cool.
Prepare your icing.
Mix all the ingerdients together until full incorporated. Color to your liking.
And once the cookies are cool its time to start you decorating! You can dip, pour, paint, or pip icing onto cookies. Embellish with sprinkles and candies.
Eat your cookies
Happy New Year! Hope you are all waking up to sunshine in your strut, happiness in you mouth, and kindness in your soul.
So much has happened in the past few weeks. Holidays full of family, friends, birthdays (Happy to Cam, Anthony, and Judah) and all around craziness. My phone got run over by a car(still works!!!),we finally changed the summer tires to snows (thanks Justin!) and Only has now officially moved in behind the couch and is enjoying the life of an indoor cat. We are getting so close with house, so so close. I know a few weeks ago I told you we about the counter top and how excited I was to un-mold it. Well what I don’t think I told you was that we un-molded it and it was fantastic. Then, trying to remove the sink mold from the middle with a hammer, I cracked it! AAAGGGHHHH. That was suck a bitch if a day. But we took it it stride and just made another one. And that one, that one is even better and amazing and is all nice and perfectly perfect. Once we did that we threw up a tile wall, hood vent, light fixtures and all sorts of little things that I can’t remember. Last night we slid the stove into place and fired it up for the first time! It was really stinky and great and I made the mr a pizza for all of his excellent work bringing me fire. It was so freaking satisfying to use an oven and feel slightly normal again. Now all we need to do is finish the cabinets, find a faucet that doesn’t suck, hook up the sink, and a bunch of other stuff and we will be all set. But the oven works so the coming weeks are going to be full of so much oven food so watch out! (i can’t wait to start posting more recipes!!!!)
On top of all the life stuff, I have been sicko all week, and so has the mr. Actually, he has been sick for two weeks and then lovingly gave me his ick. And it sucks. I am tired and snotty and sore and cranks. I have been eating large quantities of raw garlic, swiging apple cider vinegar, and drinking turmeric tea all day. (so I don’t smell the greatest) I bought elderberries to make some syrup a little while back but left them at the loft and we let my dad stay there this week so I didn’t want to go ransack the place looking for them. He is gone now so I’ll go find them and make us a wellness potion. We will be tops soon!
So 2017. You got any resolutions or plans? Me, no resolutions, just to keep on living with intention, kindness and love and to continue to pursue my goals. We have plans for some travels (cross country awesomeness part 2), plans for some life stuff, so we got things. But basically I am just looking forward to making this year good, and to be better with where I place my camera. (I can never seem to find it when I want to take pictures)
Sunday. With today, I am going to relax and recoup. Drink my fluids (tea and coffee) take my naps, and wash the sheets (everyone should start a new year with clean sheets!)
Internet links to click if you like.
-Happiness vs meaning…How about some of both. In 2017, Pursue Meaning Instead of Happiness.
–15 of Carrie Fisher’s Best, Most Honest Feminist Quotes.
-I already charge my cellphone on the machines at the gym, but it it floated , well that would be swell. Floating Gym In Paris Uses Human Energy To Sail Down The Seine River
–A Short Catalog of Foods Discontinued in 2016
-Life is bigger then all of us. As A Rough Year Ends, We Turn To The Cosmos For Some Perspective
–Cross stitching awesomeness
– Maybe 2017 will be the year that I wear pretty things. I really like this dress.
–The Best Things We Read and Ate This Year
-I really want to go back to Iceland.(maybe we will this summer?!) 15+ Iceland Photos You Won’t Believe Are From This Planet
-There is sugar in everything. How Much Sugar Can You Avoid Today?
THE LOVELY CRAZY
April 22, 2019 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’t 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’t 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 “WHAT THE HELL! GET OFF ME!” 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.
Mid January and I love it. Yes I know it is coldest part of the winter and still dark early and people are still crashing over the holidays, but this time of year always makes me feel like the world is all for me. Even the cold, the super cold that is scaring most people inside, well I love that too. Crisp and clean and oh so beautiful. I’ll take this freezing cold any day over being hot. I am a winter lady here through and through.
This past week had been busy busy. Mark and Paul turned 21(Happy Birthday BROS!) and had a little birthday party, alcohol free, but with 2 cakes. Drove out to the North East Kingdom in a freaking snow storm to see some of the mr’s family. We went and made dinner with the littles then watched Miley play her saxaphone in the sixth grade band concert. I finally got to pick up farm share. (I went through more then half my stock of frozen garden veggies over the past week which is sad because I have been rationing them and hoped the chest freezer of veggies would last a little longer..Oh well) The mr spent half a day creating ice sculptured on the porch. We did some work and dealt with annoying things. All this while I have barely been able to move my neck. I think the drive to Rhode Island last weekend started off a tweak in my neck the has turned into a pinch nerve or something and I have been spending more then too much time in pain with either a ice pack or hot water bottle propped up on my neck. It has sucked and still really does. I can’t wait for the day when it doesn’t hurt. It’s gonna be amazing.
Jeff Dad came into town for a long postponed weekend. We did dinner at Megans, I made soup and so much bread. Then yesterday the whole family came over for the postponed Christmas with Dad. Sure I had no tree, and there was no Christmas music or anything, but it was super fun. The kids were all behaving and being nice to each other, probably because they were not all cracked out on sugar. I fixed a bunch of food and it was all eaten. We all exchanged presents. Jackson stuffed his shirt with my squash. Good time. And my house got trashed which was a-ok because it was cleaning day anyways.
And to is Sunday again already. In a few hours the mr and I are zipping, if that is what a 4 hour drive is called, down to Rhode Island again for the afternoon and then zipping that 4 hours back. Excited to see family, not excited to sit in the car for 8 hours. My brain and neck already hurt thinking about the drive.
And then I am taking tomorrow off and doing nothing, or as close to nothing as possible.
Interenting from the internet.
-Have you watched and started to “tidy” your life? My life is pretty tidy so I am good on that but it seems eveywhere I go I am hearing people talking about it. Marie Kondo and the fantasy of a tidy life, explained
-Who knew those little demons were actually helping to grow the rainforest. How termites help rainforests survive climate change
-I never use measuring devices when cooking and even sometimes when I bake (as long as I am not writing a recipe) It really is a lot less dishes and hassle to use the old eyeballs. Your Life Will Change When You Learn to Eyeball Measurements
-I have thought about this on multiple occasions and the song always changes. What’s the last song you want to hear before you die?
–ISLAND: A Cast of Colorful Creatures Pop, Quiver, and Hiccup in a Charming Stop Motion Animation. Only watch if you want to smile.
–How Much Junk Am I Consuming Online Every Day?. People average 12 hours a day…That shit is crazy! I feel pretty good about my 1ish hour of digital anything a day. If you want to stop, read. How to go on a low-information diet
-Good time of year to get all the shut eye you need. Why do people need to sleep?
-Why Costco? 27-Pound Bucket of Macaroni and Cheese and Costco’s Giant Tubs of Nutella
–Don’t Reply to Your Emails. Ok. I won’t.
-I didn’t know I wanted a net in my house until now. 10 Homes With Nets to Make You Feel Like a Kid Again
Pictures from the week.
What a week. What a year. So much has happened and is happening and is about happen. I guess that is the nature of life and time and all that good stuff.
The week started off fantastic. On Sunday the mr and I grabbed Judah, Emerson, and Barb, piled into the car, and went for a light drive. We walked around a light filled park, drove some more, then ended up at, of all places in this world, Burger King. And they loved it (I packed my own dinner because I do not, will not, eat at almost any place that the littles prefer) Funny, I don’t know if I have ever been inside of a Burger King before, and if I have, it was long before I had a choice in what I ate. Again, they loved it, even though it was trash food, they got their crowns. Coco cheered just about every French Fry that went into his mouth, and the mr got to use Burger King coupons that he had hiding in his pocket (that is basically why we ended up there) It was a fantastic evening and is now going to be a Christmas Eve eve tradition. Light drive with dinner (never Burger King again thank you very much)
After we dropped them off at home, we went home and that is when the mr succumbed to it. IT being the stomach flu. That was fun.
Christmas Eve the mr was an ill man so I forged it alone. With the help of all the Christmas music I could handle, I baked a bunch, prepared the house for the next day when the family came over. I cut up all the fruits and veggies, wrapped the few little presents I had, did bills and a bunch laundry, ran to the grocery store. My mom stopped by and brought me a lemon tree because just because. I just was so freaking productive. And best part, it SNOWED, like a good amount. What I thought was going to be a completely snow free Christmas turned into the most magical snow ever. Christmas Eve afternoon, Big fat fluffy flakes covering the world. I bundled myself up and walked around the neighborhood just taking it all in. It truly was the best Christmas Eve snow ever. And after a full on day of resting , the mr was feeling a bit better so that was good. And then both to bed by 7 because thats our life these days.
Christmas morning had all the right stuff. Woke up and watched the sun rise while drinking a butload of coffee. The house was all clean and glittery and the ltree lights were on and the ground glittered with the fresh snow. After the mr woke up and was feeling a little worse for ware but ok, we bundled up and went for a little stroll on the beach. We usually go for a hike but I was not trying to push the mr too hard. The beach, oh man, was that amazing. The water was still, the snow was like diamonds, and the air was crisp and clean. Not a sound to be heard other then the lapping of water. It was so good. We left before I decided to stay forever and because the mr thought he could walk on ice and ended up with a his foot in a foot of water so we headed on home to meet the hoard of family. Just about everyone came (minus Ryan and the girls and Anthony.. we missed them all) ate food, did a little gift exchange thing (I got some sweet new house plants), plastered Jackson with a very nice shade of lipstick that might have been called whore red, and had a Happy Birthday celebration for Cameron because it’s was Christmas, but it really was his birthday.
Then for the saddest part. We got the news that our uncle had passed away.
Oh Uncle Seth. He had been sick for a while now with Parkinson’s disease, but the past month or so it got so bad. His death was not unexpected but never the less it was not any less painful. My only uncle, the guy who gave me my first car, the man who built a cabin from nothing in the woods and turned it into a place that you could only imagine (or see in a design magazine) A man who taught (he was as professor at RISD), loved the world, loved to travel, loved his work, was so fierce in emotion. SO many little qualities that I saw in him, I see in me. ( I feel like I get a lot of who I am from my dad and my uncle and aunt) The world lost a great man, I lost a great uncle. He is and will always be loved and I know I was just lucky to have been able to have him as an uncle. It is still hard, I don’t think I have fully processed it still, It is kind of a not quite real feeling. Just an overall heaviness that has settled in on my mind and heart. It is so hard to loose any family, but especially hard when they were so full of life and had so much to give to the world. Agh. The words are not even close to adequate here, the full measure of him as a person not explained. To put it simply, he was an amazing, loving and generous person. I am so going to miss him, his creativity, his lust for life. And what I am going to miss most is his hugs and smiles and overall presences in my life. RIP Seth. You really were a fucking awesome uncle.
We got word of the funeral on Wednesday (which was also Anthonys 17th birthday….So old! I stopped by to see him and give him a big hug. Didn’t want a party or cake this year so I owe him granola bars.) and were in the car driving down to RI by Thursday morning. Shannon, Megan, the mr, and me, all packed into the car and off we went. A small family funeral which was very beautiful and full of love, then food with the family. Not a long stay, but we are all going back down next weekend for Seths memorial celebration bash.
We got home and it hit hard. I started to feel kind of crappy (sick wise) and have been feeling blue ever since. Driving to RI really kicked the mr down again. He was so good, no complaining about anything, not the cranked up car heat or driving straight while us ladies spent the entire time talking of childhood memories. He didn’t even put on the music. And by the time we came back home, the guy was sick again, or maybe never was not sick, but he has been down for the count ever since.
So yesterday we did a few morning chores together like got rid of the recycling and retuned amazon stuff to UPS, but by afternoon the mr was out. So I cleaned house, made another ice cream cake for Judah, and did more and more laundry. Another one of those feeling super productive days. Weird, but I am starting to see a pattern here. When the mr is really sick, I get a lot done. I think it’s mainly because. a) I want to stay away from him as to not get sick too. b) I am afraid that if I do get sick none of what needs to be done will get done so I need to do it fast. And c) I don’t have to worry about what he needs to do, it’s all me. Ha.
Today is Judah’s birthday. Nine years old! What an age to be. So basically I am going to the gym then coming home to do a few things and finish making his cake, then heading over to his house for a birthday dinner celebration. I told him and his sister I would go over early and give them haircuts (the boys hair is so long it covers his eyes, He looks cool, but if you can’t see, well looking cool isn’t gonna get you anywhere). It’s gonna be fun.
Goodness, is that it. The end of another year. Hard to wrap my head around so I am just going to ease on in to 2019. Low key and cool. Just like me. Ha.
Happy New Years Friends! Be safe. Be happy. Be good. Be kind.
Interent links from the week
–Just Admit It, You’re in a Bad Mood. All the lead up to Christmas then BAM, its over. Gets me every time.
-I am defintially one of those people who likes to bake when I am feeling anxious. The Rise of Anxiety Baking. Cookies are my favorite to bake too.
-Speakig of cookies. When ‘Cookiers’ Take Holiday Cookie Decorating To A Whole New Level. I had no idea there was a cookie cutter factory in Vt. I must see this place!
-Who doesn’t love a good tree picture? Black and White Photographs Capture the Striking Appearance of Bare Trees Against Snow-Filled Landscapes
–Explorer completes historic Antarctic trek. Some people do crazy things that make me jealous. Not that I want to ski Antarctica, but something crazy would be cool.
-How did I not know until now that there was a monthly round up of trucks spilling shit. We all need this information. This month in overturned trucks: Cash, Christmas trees, cooking oil
–How A Little Science And A Lot Of Shady Advertising Boosted Yeast’s Popularity. I have never eaten a yeast cake, but I eat a shit load of nutritional yeast. MY favorite is a spoonful in the mouth where it gets stuck in my teeth and the roof of my mouth. For real.
-I am going to get a scale sometime soon. I just need to find the right one for the right price (free or very cheap at the thrift store) Until then, this is handy. Weight Conversions for Flour, Sugar, and Other Common Baking Ingredients
-This is something that I have wondered about. I am really happy that it doesn’t get wasted. We Finally Know What Happens to the Leftover Cake on the Great British Bake Off
–The year vegan junk food went mainstream. Yup. Just cause it’s vegan doesn’t mean it is good for you.
And pictures from the week.
Currently it is like 50 degrees outside and raining buckets of cats and frogs and what not. I live in Vt for a few reasons, and one of them is winter, so the warm rain is just not nice. Apparently these cookies are the closest thing to snowflakes I will be seeing for a little while…(sad face inserted here) But I am hoping that juuuust maybe it will turn, and all of a sudden it will be snow coming down and not rain. And that it snows and snows and snows, like a foot or 2 of it. I want so much snow that I am stuck in my house for a least a solid 24 hours (of course with the power still on and all the necessities I would need) and the only way out being by foot or sled. And you know what I would do if I was snowed in? Lounge around in my pj’s all day (or at least until like 10 am), have a never emptying cup of hot coffee in hand, play around outside and make a snow fort, and definitely make cookies. Doesn’t that just sound so nice?
But I am not snowed in, and wasn’t snowed in and probably will not be snowed in for the foreseeable future. But I can still, and did make cookies so there is that. Chocolate cut out snowflakes with orange glaze to be exact. A good all around chocolate cookie jazzed up with a citrus kick. Simple, elegant and perfect for all of your holiday cookie needs. Plus it is just a really pretty cookie. I just might make a few more batches and liter the front yard with them. I’ll make my own freaking snow, even if it is out of cookies. Then I really wouldn’t be able to leave my house due to the crazy fat squirrels attacking the lawn. That would be something. HA.
To the snowflake cookies! (They can be any shape really, but snowflakes are so nice)
The stuff. Sugar, vegan butter, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, canola oil, brewed coffee, grind chia seeds, vanilla extract, an orange, and some powdered sugar.
First, mix the ground chia seeds with the coffee for caffeinated chia eggs.
Beat the butter with the sugar to give it a good fluff, then add in the oil, vanilla, and chia eggs to the mix.
Place all the dry into a bowl and whisk together until fully incorporated.
Dump the mixed dry into the were and grab a wooden spoon. Start mixing.
Cookie dough is a-formin.
Collect the dough in some plastic and smash into a disk. Place in fridge to rest for at least a few hours, but a day is good too.
Chilled dough, flour, a cookie cutter, and a rolling pin. I think you know what to do. Just really make sure to keep the counter and rolling pin floured or else the dough will stick and that is just so annoying.
Yes this dough is a little delicate, but not in a bad way. It might tear or slightly crumble but you just smoosh it back in there and you are all set. Anyway, after rolling dough out to about 1/2 inch thick, cut cookies out with a well floured cutter.
Cookies on the baking sheet ready for the oven.
Cookies on a baking sheet right out of the oven.
Now those cookies got to cool so get them on a rack.
While cookies are cooling, fix yourself some glaze. The powdered sugar, zest of orange and juice of orange will do the trick.
A good looking glaze. Thick put drizzable consistency.
And to finish. Drizzle the cookies with glaze, dunk the tops in the glaze, or do a little of both (I say both). The glaze does harden after a few minutes so these are very much stackable cookies.
And then what you do with the finished cookies is up to you. I let the mr eat a good few, saved a few for Christmas and dropped some off to some peps. They were well received for sure.
Hope you are enjoying the weekend and are able to get in on some cookie making.
-C
makes about 3 dozen cookies
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegan butter
1/2 cup oil
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons ground chia seeds
6 tablespoon coffee or water (coffee brings out the chocolate flavor more)
1 orange
1 cup powdered sugar
In a large bowl, cream together the white sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add in the oil, vanilla, and coffee chia eggs. Mix until incorporated. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, cocoa. salt. and baking powder. Dump dry into wet and mix until a dough forms. Gather dough into a ball and place in plastic and flatten into a disk. Place in fridge for at least an hour or overnight.
When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350
Take dough from fridge and unwrap. Place on a well floured surface and roll until it is about 1/4 inch thick. The dough is delicate and a little crumbly, but don’t worry to much, just squish it back together and keep rolling it out. With a floured cookie cutter, cut your shapes and gently place them on a cookie sheet. Gather remnants of dough back into a ball and re-roll out and cut more cookies until you have used up all the dough. Place cookies into oven and bake for 11-12 minutes or until the cookies have puffed up a bit and the bottoms are slightly browned. Once cookies are cooked, let cool on a wire rack.
While cookies are cooling make the glaze. Mix about a tablespoon of the zest of the orange with the powdered sugar and add in a few tablespoons of the juice of the orange until the glaze is slightly runny. Once cookies are cooled either dip the tops in the glaze or drizzle the glaze on top of cookies (or do some of both). Then eat. If you wait a little while, the glaze will harden and then you can stack them and then if you want, maybe wrap on a few in little packages to give to someone you like. Either way, place uneaten cookies in a airtight container. Should last about a week, but can you not eat them for that long?
What is any good holiday season without some sort of gingerbread? Am I right, or am I right? I am right. The smell alone smacks a smile on my face. Spicy and sweet and all sorts of comforting. If smells could be objects, the smell of gingerbread would be a warm soft blanket that you can curl up next to a fire, with hot beverages and a good book. Yup, that is exactly what gingerbread smells like.
Gingerbread cookies were an option for all the gingerbread goodness but right now there is a heavy influx of people making cookies of the gingerbread variety so I figured I should do something a little different and honestly, a heck of a lot easier and faster. Plus scones are a way more expectable breakfast food then cookies (who am I kidding, cookies are a completely expectable for breakfast) and I was looking for a good breakfast treat to feed the mr this week because its his birthday week and I wanted a little something special for him for breakfast. I know, I am just so great.
Anyway, these scones fit the holiday gingerbread bill. I mixed them up, added the chocolate chips for a little extra something, then tossed them into the oven and bathed in the smell as they were baking. Pulled them from the oven, poured some coffee, and set out a delightful afternoon snack for the mr, right after he was finished laying on the freezing ground trying to fix the tire on the truck. I think he really appreciated the smell of a warm blanket. And he really enjoyed the scones too. All birthday week long.
So what are you doing this weekend? I think probably making scones. Yeah, do that.
Here we go.
The stuff. In the bowl there is flour, old fashion oats, baking soda and baking powder, and salt. Also need the spices of ginger, cinnamon, clove, and black pepper. Molasses, brown sugar, vegan butter, soy milk, and chocolate chips finish of the list.
In the bowl add in all the spices and the brownl sugar. Mix until completely combined and there are no brown sugar lumps. Drop in the cold butter and cut it in with a fork. You don’t want it blended, you want the butter in little bits.
You want it to look like this. Crumbly.
Toss in the chocolate chip.
Dump the molasses into the milk and mix until combined. Doing this helps minimize the amount of mixing you do which will help make sure your scones are not tuff. So don’t not do this.
Pour the molasses milk into the mixture
With a fork, lightly fold and mix batter until it just starts to come together.
Dump dough out onto a lightly flour surface and gather together with your hands.
Flatten into a big disk and cut into 8 equal wedges. Or as equal as you want to make them… you could even make a few more wedges if you want more. You do you.
Place the scones onto a baking sheet. Brush a little milk on each then sprinkle the tops with a little brown sugar and some oats.
Pop them into preheated oven and let bake.
Gold brown and ready for the world.
After letting them cool for a bit on a wire rack, stack onto a plate and feed them to your people. And yourself of course.
Chocolate chip oatmeal gingerbread scone and a cup of coffee. A perfection in all the ways.
Enjoy the weekend. It will be great, especially if you make some of these scones.
-C
Makes 8 scones
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashion oats plus 1/4 cup to sprinkle on top
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar plus 2 tablespoons more to sprinkle on top
2 tablespoons molasses
1/2 cup cold vegan butter
2/3 cup soy or your favorite plant milk
2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder and soda, salt, all the spices, and the brown sugar. Make sure there are no big lumps of brown sugar in the mixture. Once dry mixture is all mixed up, cut in (do not blend in) the cold vegan butter until the mixture looks crumbly. Toss in the chocolate chips.
Grab your measure out milk and mix in the molasses until completely mixed together. Dump the mixture into the bowl of dry and lightly mix with a fork until a dough forms. Dump out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and bring it all together with your hands .Flatten dough out into a circle about and inch thick them with a knife or dough scraper, cut into 8 even sized wedges. Place scones onto a baking sheet and lightly brush a little milk onto the tops.. Mix together the extra oats and brown sugar and sprinkle on the tops. Place into preheated oven and bake for 25-28 minutes, or until nice and golden brown. Once baked, remove and place on a wire rack to cool.
Eat. Store left over scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Individual scones freeze well.
Soup is all about comfort and I needed comfort this week. What with being all sad and slightly stressed with a little touch of the holiday blues. And I needed something to warm me up because is has been freaking chilly cold. I needed soup. But I wanted something slightly special, not the everyday, but also not anything fussy or finicky. A soup that I could make really fast or let sit on the stove all day. A soup that would bring a little brightness without being overly rich. A soup to take away the chill and make me happy.
Is that asking to much of a soup? I think not.
This soup, it did it all. But also take into account, this soup is not for the people that do not like squash. Or for the people that do not like apples or cranberries. Or for people that do not like thick creamy soups. But if you are not one of this people (you are a person that likes squash, apples and cranberries, and creamy soup) then this soup is for you. It is for us. Creamy, flavorful, slightly sweet and spicy with a little tang and just so dang delicious. It is like a warm blanket of soup. Comfortable and lovely. I have basically eaten an entire pot all to myself in the past two days.
It has been just what I needed.
Join me.
The stuff. A butternut squash, a couple apples, and some cranberries. Also a carrot, an onion, some fresh ginger, a few cloves garlic, cumin and chili powder, salt and pepper, apple cider vinegar, and a little olive oil.
Start by chopping up the carrot and the onion. Small pieces just because they cook a little faster.
Peel and grate or mince some fresh ginger too.
Toss that all into a big pot with a splash of olive oil and a splash of water and cook on a medium heat until tender and fragrant.
While the veggies cook, chop the squash into small cubes. Remove the seeds, but no need to peel.
And chop up the apple too, but set aside a half of one for the apple cranberry relish.
Now toss all that into the pot along with the cranberries.
Add the spices, salt and pepper, a few splashed of apple cider vinegar, and water to cover it all. Then place it on stove, bring to a boil, then turn heat to medium and let cook.
While the soup is cooking, make the relish. Mince the half apple along with about 1/2 cup of cranberries.
Place in a bowl with a pinch of salt and a few splashed of apple cider vinegar. Then just let it sit and meld.
Soup is looking good. Everything is soft and falling apart and ready to go.
Blend it all until smooth.
Thick and creamy goodness right here. If it is to thick, add more water, too thin, cook it down a little longer. The consistency is up to you.
Now all you need to do is ladle soup into bowls and top with a couple spoonfuls of the relish.
This is comfort. This is good.
Have a great, comfy weekend.
-C
makes 6-8 servings
1 small butternut squash (about 5 cups cubed)
1 large onion
1 carrot
2 macon or mac apples
2 cups fresh cranberries (you can use frozen too)
2 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoons chili power
2-3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon fresh minced or grated ginger
4-5 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper
6 cups water
Start by chopping the onion and carrot into small pieces. Place into large heavy bottom pot with a splash of water and a tiny splash of olive oil. Mince the garlic and peel and mince ginger. Toss into the pot as well and place it on a medium heat to cook until the veggies are tender and fragrant.
While the veggies are cooking, dice up the butternut squash. Remove any seeds but there is no need to peel. Also dice up the apples, reserving 1/2 of one for the relish. Place the chopped squash and apples into the pot with the cooking veggies along with 1 1/2 cups of cranberries , the chili powder and cumin, 2-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, and the water. Place the pot back on the stove, bring it to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let cook.
Once soup is on the stove, take reserved half apple and the other 1/2 cup of cranberries and dice into very small pieces. Place into a bowl with a little pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Toss around and set aside.
And back to soup. Once the squash is tender and starting to fall apart, it is time. Remove from heat and either with a immersion blender, or a regular blender, blend the soup until smooth. After its blended and creamy smooth, check for thickness. If you think it is too thick, add more water. Too thin, place back on stove and cook down until it thickens up a bit more.
When you are ready to serve and eat, ladle soup into a bowl and top with more pepper and a spoonful or two of the apple cranberry relish.
Then eat and feel cozy.
Right now it is all about the holiday cookies. There are the chocolate ones, the filled ones, the nutty ones and all at the other ones, but really, what is the holiday without a good basic sugar cookie covered in way to much icing and sprinkles? Not right it what it is.
So to kick off holiday cookie baking I had a cookie decorating and pizza party with the littles and big littles. Cookies, icing and frosting, and so many sprinkles. I went the smart route with preparation and precut all the cookies before the party. I was thinking that I would have everyone cut there own cookies out but then I was thinking a bunch of little and hot pans and more likely then not burnt cookies. I just didn’t want to deal with it and it was a good choice on my part. I am so smart.
These cookies are kind of your basic sugar cookies with a little lemon twist. The lemon adds that extra something, a little zip behind the sweetness, especially after all the glaze. And they can be baked to be slightly soft or to have a nice crisp edge. A good, tasty, all around cookie, perfect for any holiday cookie party.
And just a warning about cookie parties. There will be madness and states of being that only an emense amount of sugar can produce.
The stuff. Flour, baking powder sugar, and salt. Squash puree, earth balance, vanilla, and some lemons.
Sugar, butter, puree, lemon zest, lemon juice and the vanilla get cozy into big bowl and then mixed together.
Some people prefer to do this step with an electric beater but I like to use a wooden spoon because arm powder. Either way, make sure the mixtures is completely mixed and that there are no huge chunks of butter.
Now add in the dry and mix mix mix until if forms a dough.
Don’t be afraid to use your hands here.. I started out with the spoon and finish with my hands. It is much easier.
The dough needs a little time in the fridge so wrap it in plastic (or a large plastic bag) and stick in the fridge for a least and hour or up to a day.
When your ready for cookie cutting time, remove dough and let sit on counter for a few minutes to warm up. Then place on a lightly floured surface and roll out about 1/4 inch thick (you can go a little thinner if you like)
And keep gathering and rolling ou the dough until all the dough is a cookie.
Bake the cookies for anywhere between 10-13 minutes. This is dependent on if you like a softer cookie or one with more of a crunch.
And you are probably going to want to make some glaze, which is super simple. Powedred sugar, water, corn syrup, and vanilla extract.
You of course need to get crafty with colors so color the icing to your liking.
Then it’s all about decorating. The mr and I did a few cookies ourselves before the cookie party began. We figured we wouldn’t really get a chance to once all the littles showed up. We were right.
Also I bought brand new synthetic paint brushes (important that they are new) to use to paint on the glaze. It was a very good idea. We loved it and so did all the little.
Our cookie masterpieces. Who doesn’t love a rapper snowman?
Let the party begin. I ended up making 3 batches of cookies because the more cookies the better. And again, so smart to have the cookies all precut and ready. I couldn’t imagine having to deal with cutting cookies with everyone. There would have been tears (most likely mine)
Christmas music on, happy little littles, it started out so wholesome and good. Glaze, frosting, so many sprinkles. I could smell the sugar in the air. I also said that there was to be no cookie eating until after dinner so naturally I think that each little ate about 5 cookies before dinner. It would have been worse if I had they could eat any at all.
And then we ate dinner and more cookies and they all went freaking crazy. Like running around screaming, stoping once in a while to maybe think they might throw up, then kept on running and screaming. Sugar can do crazy things.
Just a few of the creations from the night. There were snowmen, 3D trees and reindeer, and stars. I guess I don’t have a snowflake which bummed me out but stars made do. And yes, that is indeed a target employee cookie.. so awesome.
All in all, the party was a success. The cookies came out great. The decorations were on point. The littles and big littles had fun and were all in a sugar coma by the end of the night. Annnd my house is covered in a light film of stickiness.
Enjoy your weekend and make lots of cookies because that is what you are suppose to do.
-C
makes 20-25 cookies (all depending on you shapes ands sizes of cutters)
Cookie
Icing
preheat oven to 350
In a large bowl beat together butter, sugar, vanilla, squash, lemon zest and lemon juice until fully incorporated. Add in flour, salt, and baling powder and mix until it all comes together. When dough gets a little hard to mix with a spoon, use your hands and compress the dough into a ball. Take dough and wrap in plastic wrap or place in a zip lock pulled to dough tight and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to a day.
After the dough has had time in the fridge, remove and let sit for a few minutes.. Lightly flour the counter and roll dough out to about a quart inch thick. Grab your cookie cutter and cut away at rolled out dough. Place cut cookies on a baking sheet, gather up remaining dough and roll out all over again. Repeat process until all the dough has been used. Place cookies in oven and bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are just barely turning golden brown. If you like a crispier cookies, cook for 2-3 minutes longer. Remove and place on a cooling rack to cool.
Prepare your icing.
Mix all the ingerdients together until full incorporated. Color to your liking.
And once the cookies are cool its time to start you decorating! You can dip, pour, paint, or pip icing onto cookies. Embellish with sprinkles and candies.
Eat your cookies
Happy New Year! Hope you are all waking up to sunshine in your strut, happiness in you mouth, and kindness in your soul.
So much has happened in the past few weeks. Holidays full of family, friends, birthdays (Happy to Cam, Anthony, and Judah) and all around craziness. My phone got run over by a car(still works!!!),we finally changed the summer tires to snows (thanks Justin!) and Only has now officially moved in behind the couch and is enjoying the life of an indoor cat. We are getting so close with house, so so close. I know a few weeks ago I told you we about the counter top and how excited I was to un-mold it. Well what I don’t think I told you was that we un-molded it and it was fantastic. Then, trying to remove the sink mold from the middle with a hammer, I cracked it! AAAGGGHHHH. That was suck a bitch if a day. But we took it it stride and just made another one. And that one, that one is even better and amazing and is all nice and perfectly perfect. Once we did that we threw up a tile wall, hood vent, light fixtures and all sorts of little things that I can’t remember. Last night we slid the stove into place and fired it up for the first time! It was really stinky and great and I made the mr a pizza for all of his excellent work bringing me fire. It was so freaking satisfying to use an oven and feel slightly normal again. Now all we need to do is finish the cabinets, find a faucet that doesn’t suck, hook up the sink, and a bunch of other stuff and we will be all set. But the oven works so the coming weeks are going to be full of so much oven food so watch out! (i can’t wait to start posting more recipes!!!!)
On top of all the life stuff, I have been sicko all week, and so has the mr. Actually, he has been sick for two weeks and then lovingly gave me his ick. And it sucks. I am tired and snotty and sore and cranks. I have been eating large quantities of raw garlic, swiging apple cider vinegar, and drinking turmeric tea all day. (so I don’t smell the greatest) I bought elderberries to make some syrup a little while back but left them at the loft and we let my dad stay there this week so I didn’t want to go ransack the place looking for them. He is gone now so I’ll go find them and make us a wellness potion. We will be tops soon!
So 2017. You got any resolutions or plans? Me, no resolutions, just to keep on living with intention, kindness and love and to continue to pursue my goals. We have plans for some travels (cross country awesomeness part 2), plans for some life stuff, so we got things. But basically I am just looking forward to making this year good, and to be better with where I place my camera. (I can never seem to find it when I want to take pictures)
Sunday. With today, I am going to relax and recoup. Drink my fluids (tea and coffee) take my naps, and wash the sheets (everyone should start a new year with clean sheets!)
Internet links to click if you like.
-Happiness vs meaning…How about some of both. In 2017, Pursue Meaning Instead of Happiness.
–15 of Carrie Fisher’s Best, Most Honest Feminist Quotes.
-I already charge my cellphone on the machines at the gym, but it it floated , well that would be swell. Floating Gym In Paris Uses Human Energy To Sail Down The Seine River
–A Short Catalog of Foods Discontinued in 2016
-Life is bigger then all of us. As A Rough Year Ends, We Turn To The Cosmos For Some Perspective
–Cross stitching awesomeness
– Maybe 2017 will be the year that I wear pretty things. I really like this dress.
–The Best Things We Read and Ate This Year
-I really want to go back to Iceland.(maybe we will this summer?!) 15+ Iceland Photos You Won’t Believe Are From This Planet
-There is sugar in everything. How Much Sugar Can You Avoid Today?
Pictures of some of the crazy.