tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79609346390028705212024-03-08T19:57:21.094-05:00Little Blog on the InternetI'm just a girl, sitting in front of a computer, asking you to read this.Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-25157346646985585222012-10-08T22:11:00.000-04:002012-10-08T22:20:16.299-04:00Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you're not sick of pumpkin flavored everything yet, here's my all-time favorite pumpkin bread recipe. It originally comes from <a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-bread/" target="_blank">Two Peas and Their Pod</a>, and I've made just a few little changes to the recipe over the years. I've made at least once for the past three Octobers, and spending an evening making a few loaves of pumpkin chocolate chip bread has become one of my favorite fall traditions (along with watching <i>Hocus Pocus</i> any and every time I catch it on TV). </div>
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When I make the bread, I add 1 teaspoon of cardamom in addition to the cinnamon and nutmeg in the original recipe. I think it gives the final product an extra zip of warm deliciousness. <br />
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I also like to use mini chocolate chips in place of regular ones, and I use 1 1/2 cups of chips instead of just one. I operate under the idea that there is no such thing as too many chocolate chips (it is a truth universally acknowledged, in my opinion).<br />
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Pair this bread with a hot cup of Darjeeling tea (with a splash of milk), and you have my favorite fall breakfast/1 a.m. snack. What's yours?Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-54723743938579869252012-09-18T23:42:00.000-04:002012-09-18T23:46:48.207-04:00Pumpkin SconesThis past weekend, my best friend Katie came back home for a short visit! Katie and I have been best friends since we were 14. We were kind of inseparable in high school. We might've even had a mashup name ala celebrity couples...and it might've been Katassie (you know that has a nice ring to it, shush). Anyway, it was wonderful to see her again and catch up! She was only in town for a few days, and we decided baking had to happen at some point in the weekend.<br />
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Since its starting to feel like fall these days (which in Florida means its now about 86F in the middle of the day instead of 96F. Rejoice! Fall is here! Break out the sweaters at your own risk, though), Katie and I wanted to make something pumpkin related. <br />
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Once it hits mid-September, I believe pumpkin everything is fair game. And once it hits October 1st, pumpkin decorations and tablecloths are brought out without delay. So of course, pumpkin scones happened.<br />
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Katie and I adapted <a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/PumpkinScones.html" target="_blank">this recipe</a> from Joy of Baking. We omitted the raisins and walnuts and included a half teaspoon of nutmeg and a half teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice as well as the cinnamon and ginger. Because the humidity was making our dough extra sticky, we also added an extra 1/4 cup flour. We also baked to the sweet sounds of Beyoncé on Spotify and it made the entire experience that much more fun. Baking to Beyoncé or the Beatles should be an experience everyone tries once, I think.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Pumpkin Scones:</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">2 1/4 cups all purpose
flour (*You may not need the extra 1/4 cup flour)</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">1/3 cup light or dark brown
sugar</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">1/2 tsp ground ginger</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">1/2 tsp ground cinnamon</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">1/2 tsp nutmeg</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">1 tsp
baking powder</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">1/2 tsp
baking soda</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">1/4 tsp salt</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">1/2 cup cold unsalted
butter</span>, cut into pieces</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">1/3 cup buttermilk</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">1/2 cup fresh or canned pure pumpkin</span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">1 tsp pure vanilla extract</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value"><b>Directions: </b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">1. Preheat oven to 400F. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">2. In a large bowl, mix together all the<b> </b>dry ingredients (2 cups flour, sugar, spices, baking soda, baking flour, salt). Cut in the butter with a knife, then use two knives, a pastry cutter, or your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture. The mixture should resemble fine crumbs when you're finished.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">3. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, pumpkin, and vanilla. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">4. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture, and then pour the pumpkin/buttermilk mixture into the center. Using a wooden spoon, stir together until a soft dough forms. <b>*</b>If the dough is still pretty wet, add in the remaining 1/4 cup flour until the dough is a little firmer. Make sure not to over work the dough.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">5. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead the dough into a large flat circle, about 1 1/4 inches (4 cm) thick. Cut the circle in half, then cut each half into four smaller wedges (you could cut these wedges even smaller for mini scones).</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">6. Place the scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, until scones are golden brown. You can use a cake tester or a toothpick to check if they are done in the middle. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="bod"><span class="value">7. After baking, let cool for a few minutes then enjoy with butter, cream cheese, or Devon cream!</span></span></span></span><br />
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They turned out great! They also kept well overnight; I thought they tasted even better the next day, actually. I think if I made this recipe again, I would include about 1/3 or 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. I absolutely love chocolate and pumpkin together. These scones are delicious with a hot cup of tea.</div>
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Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-60586221713824745922012-09-08T22:36:00.003-04:002012-09-08T22:36:41.413-04:00A Little UpdateJust a small update because I've been so lax in my blogging lately! I'm going to try to go back to posting at least once a week, because I've realized I miss blogging quite a lot. I've just felt a little uninspired when it comes to post topics lately, blogger's block if you will. I have the desire to blog but can't decide what to blog about. I've got a few recipe ideas in mind, but I think I may work on another fashion history post for later on in the week. Up next: the Regency period! Possibly my favorite historical fashion period, and yes, that's partially because I'm a huge Jane Austen nerd.<br />
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So anyway, this post is just a little update on my current pet project: the lemon tree. It's getting on so well! I love checking on it every day and seeing it's grown an inch overnight, or a new shoot of delicate green leaves has begun budding. It it still definitely a pipsqueak of a lemon tree, but here's to hoping that it will continue to thrive for years to come.<br />
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Sorry about the quality of the photo, I totally forgot to get one earlier, so I took this indoors tonight. I probably should've waited and posted tomorrow but I'm feeling bloggy tonight. A bit of flash overload, eek. But still new growth, look! It lives!Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-74821052399431413862012-08-19T22:24:00.001-04:002012-08-24T03:16:50.933-04:00Mango Salsa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was a very picky eater until about high school. I was especially wary of fruits. Eat something with seeds in them? Nope. I also wasn't a fan of the textures of most fruits (is that weird? I just can't do certain textures).<br />
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When I started cooking and baking more in high school however, I became more adventurous in what I liked to eat. Mangoes are one of the fruits I wish I'd appreciated earlier in life, because I have a lot of mangoes to eat now to make up for lost time. Mangoes just taste like summer and sunshine to me. I need one right now, I think.<br />
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When Annelih, Rhi and I decided to make something using tropical fruits this week, I decided to go with a mango salsa my mom makes. It's perfect as a topping in tacos or on top of grilled chicken or fish.<br />
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I had it on black bean veggies tacos last night and I ended up eating the extra salsa straight out of the bowl because I couldn't let any go to waste.<br />
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<b>Mango Salsa:</b><br />
1 mango<br />
1 plum tomato, sliced and halved<br />
1/2 small onion, diced<br />
1 small lime<br />
garlic powder<br />
salt and pepper<br />
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1. Peel the mango and cut up the fruit into medium-sized chunks.<br />
2. In a small bowl, combine the mango with the onion and tomatoes. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt to help everything juice up.<br />
3. Add garlic powder, pepper, and a squeeze of lime juice (to taste).<br />
4. Serve over chicken, fish, or veggies tacos! Or just eat it straight out of the bowl. It's that good.<br />
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This week I'm participating in <a href="http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/2012/08/foodie-friday_23.html" target="_blank">Foodie Friday</a> and <a href="http://www.simplysweethome.com/2012/08/friday-favorites-week-130/" target="_blank">Friday Favorites</a>!Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-12800527137479406372012-08-14T23:07:00.001-04:002012-08-14T23:22:29.061-04:00Lemon Trees and Sherbet<i>From blossoms<br />released<br />by the moonlight,<br />from an<br />aroma of exasperated<br />love,<br />steeped in fragrance,<br />yellowness<br />drifted from the lemon tree,<br />and from its plantarium<br />lemons descended to the earth.</i><br />
<i>- <a href="http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/pablo_neruda/poems/15734" target="_blank">Ode to the Lemon</a>, Pablo Neruda.</i><br />
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The other day I was at Busch Gardens, and I noticed they now have a garden center in the park entrance. Why? I have no idea. But they were selling citrus plants...in boxes. Air-tight packages containing teeny-tiny lemon, lime, and orange trees were just sitting there, calling to me. I love the idea of growing my own herbs, fruit and vegetables. However, I've not had much success outside of herbs (my basil and parsley are doing fantastic, though!), but I'm hoping to turn that around. <br />
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We have orange and tangelo trees in our backyard that produce lots of fruit in the winter, and its always fun to pick off the ripe fruit. So when I saw an opportunity to add to our mini citrus orchard, I couldn't resist.<br />
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Our future lemon tree is just a wee little shoot with some leaves right now,
but I'm hoping it will grow into a tree we can enjoy for years to come!<br />
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I cook and bake with lemons a lot, and I can't wait for the day when I can get them from my backyard instead of the grocery store!<br />
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I will, however, continue to buy my other citrus favorite, orange sherbet, from Publix. Maybe one day I'll learn how to make that from scratch!<br />
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Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-56090521324345209492012-08-10T19:31:00.005-04:002012-08-11T23:41:08.212-04:00Who Says Box Cake Can't Be Delicious?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love the Olympics. I remember freaking out when Dominique Moceanu won gold for the U.S. in 1996. I was 6 and totally in love with her. I wanted to be her, and I started gymnastics that year. I didn't last long. Soccer, swimming, and gymnastics are my favorite sports to watch, and so far the United States has done a pretty great job bringing home medals in all three (woooo go US Women's soccer! I love them so so much). Also, how amazing is the Chinese diving team? They're fantastic!<br />
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Anyway, when Annelih suggested we make something Olympic themed for this
week's recipe adventure (and I apologize for how late it is!), I decided I'd make something in honor of the US Olympic athletes. I also wanted an excuse to use an excess amount of strawberries and bluberries. And whipped cream. Sooo much whipped cream.<br />
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I also decided to make a cake that looked like Captain America's shield because why not? As one of my friend's mentioned recently, Cap would totally take the gold in the decathlon. It's not even up for debate.<br />
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Another confession: I love box cake. I went through a phase where I refused to settle for anything less than everything from scratch. I tried dozens of cake recipes, and while most were delicious, I soon realized that I still loved good old Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker, and Jiffy cakes from a box. Plus, you can just add a little orange zest or almond extract to the batter to give it some extra oomph. It can totally hide the fact that you didn't slave over the cake for hours.<br />
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So yes, I decided to make a box cake for this week instead of making it from scratch. And it was light and fluffy and delicious. Lucky for me, whipped cream and berries can make any cake look way harder to make than it really was.<br />
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Whipped cream recipe and how I decorated the cake behind the cut!<br />
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<b>For the Cake:</b><br />
1 box of cake mix, any brand. I used Betty Crocker's white cake mix.<br />
3 eggs<br />
1 1/4 cups water<br />
1/3 cup vegetable oil <br />
1 orange, for zest <br />
1 small carton of blueberries<b> </b><br />
1 lb of strawberries, halved<b> </b><br />
10" cake pan<b> </b> <br />
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For the cake I just followed the box's instructions. I baked the cake at 325F but because my cake was larger than any of the sizes listed on the back of the cake mix box, I baked it for about 35 minutes rather than following the instructions for the other sizes listed.<br />
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To doctor up the batter, I folded in about a tablespoon of orange zest.<br />
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The only real recipe I have for this week is the whipped cream, which is very easy to make.<br />
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<b>For the Whipped Cream:</b><br />
1 pint heavy whipping cream<br />
2 tbsp confectioners sugar<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
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Combine ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Blend together on a low speed until all of the sugar has dissolved. Increase to a medium speed and whip the cream mixture until soft peaks begin to form, about 4 minutes or so. You don't want to over whip the mixture because then you'll have butter instead of whipped cream!<br />
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Chill until you're ready to cover the cake in whipped cream.<br />
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The cake decorating was pretty easy too. I know everyone can probably figure out how to do it just by looking at it, but just in case: first, cover the cake in a light layer of whipped cream.<br />
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Place a star-shapped cookie cutter on the center of the cake to use as a stencil, and pipe whipped cream into the cookie cutter until it reaches just past the top of the stencil. Use a knife to level off the whipped cream until it is level with the cookie cutter. Remove the makeshift stencil gently.<br />
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Arrange blueberries around the star in a circular pattern, then surround with a ring of strawberry halves. Pipe a ring of whipped cream around the strawberries, then surround that with another ring of strawberries. That's it! Best enjoyed with a cup of tea or milk and while watching the Olympics.<br />
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Be sure to check out Rhiannon's <a href="http://rhiscupcakes.blogspot.com/2012/08/olympics.html" target="_blank">Olympic quinoa fruit salad</a> and Annelih's <a href="http://comfortincooking.blogspot.com/2012/08/olympic-themed-dish-devils-on-horseback.html" target="_blank">Devils on Horseback</a>!<br />
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This week I'm participating in <a href="http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/08/strut-your-stuff-saturday-link-party.html" target="_blank">Strut Your Stuff Saturday</a>, <a href="http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/2012/08/show-and-tell-saturday-081112.html" target="_blank">Show and Tell Saturday</a>, and <a href="http://www.natashainoz.com/2012/08/say-gday-linky-party-very-special-guest.html" target="_blank">Say G'Day Saturday</a>!Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-7993846338086440332012-07-30T00:22:00.000-04:002012-08-08T23:20:06.714-04:00Foods That Double as Great Skin Care ProductsHaving sensitive skin is the worst. As a teenager, I knew very little about skin care except no matter how many facial washes, astringents, or moisturizers I tried, I still felt like a horrible zit monster. Looking back, I realize I was probably using too many harsh products for my sensitive skin. While I still have some skin issues from time to time, I've found that for my fickle combination skin, natural remedies work best.<br />
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In fact, several common foods and pantry items often yield great results when it comes to skin care. Would you believe it that smearing honey all over your face would even your skin tone? How about strawberry juice as an astringent? I'm serious, they're amazing. Here's my list of foods that you might want to work in to your skin care regimen:<br />
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1. <b>Raw honey. </b>I bow at the altar of honey. I'm not kidding, raw honey masks will change your skin. My friends are all tired of hearing about it, but here's why I'm so obsessed with raw honey: it is a natural antiseptic and is also antimicrobial, so it helps heal your skin while killing the bacteria that causes acne. It helps balance out oily skin while also keeping your skin moisturized. AND it can even out skin tone and red splotches (in my
personal experience). <br />
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Basically, its a miracle worker, especially for sensitive skin. You can use it in one of two ways: either smear raw honey all over your face as a mask, or dab it on as a spot treatment. As a mask, leave the honey on for 5-10 minutes then rinse off with warm water. For best results, don't use a toner afterwards. This mask can be done daily.<br />
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2. <b>Plain yogurt</b>. Yogurt is another popular mask for acne treatment. Also good for sensitive skin, yogurt contains lactic acid, which can make skin feel smooth. Yogurt masks can also help reduce redness and tighten pores. Like honey, it has antibacterial properties that work in clearing up acne. You can also mix various ingredients into yogurt to make a number of different masks, such as honey, oatmeal or lemon juice. Leave yogurt masks on for 10-15 minutes and rinse with warm water. <b>Downside</b>: some people have yogurt allergies. If you feel any itching or irritation, wash it off right away.<br />
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3. <b>Strawberries</b>. Strawberries contain salicylic acid, which is a main ingredient in most drugstore cleansers and astringents! Who woulda thunk, huh? To use as a toner, slice up fresh strawberries and rub a few slices on your face to coat with strawberry juice. Wipe off with a warm wash cloth after a 10-15 minutes. Strawberries help tone and tighten skin. There are also a ton of variations of strawberry masks that can be made. Eating strawberries also helps fight acne!<br />
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4.<b> Eggs. </b>I love egg masks. I do them in two parts: Egg white mask followed by an egg yolk mask. Leave the egg white mask on until it dries completely, then wash off completely with warm water. Apply the egg yolk for another 10-15 minutes, then wipe off with a warm wash cloth. Egg whites are great for firming up skin. No joke, I can't move my face once an egg white mask has completely dried. However, when you wipe it off your skin will feel tight and dry. While this helps reduce redness and inflammation, the egg yolk mask helps moisturize and soften skin. Overall, its a great combo, and it works great if you do it right at the first sign of new zits (that's such an awful word, isn't it?). This is a great once or twice a week mask, and works well for combo/oily skin and is a godsend for PMS time. <b>Downside</b>: dealing with raw eggs. If you're uncomfortable with that, there's plenty of other natural skin remedies to choose from!<br />
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5. <b>Apple Cider Vinegar. </b>Ok, it may smell awful, but apple cider vinegar works great as a natural toner. It will help smooth and exfoliate skin as well as reduce acne redness. It has antiseptic and antibacterial properties (running theme!) that make it an ideal natural toner. ACV is very intense though, so make sure to mix it with water! You'll need to experiment to make the right mixture, but 1 part ACV for 3 or 4 parts water should work nicely. After cleansing, apply all over the face with a cotton swab. <br />
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6.<b> </b><b>Sugar.<i> </i></b>I've never been a huge proponent of sugar scrubs for acne treatment because my skin can't handle a lot of exfoliation, but I've heard that doing a sugar scrub treatment once every week or two works well. However, I recommend sugar scrubs for chapped lips. No matter how much water I drink or lip balm I wear, my lips are always semi-chapped. Create a sugar scrub (sugar mixed with something like lemon juice, water, or a little honey) and rub into your lips with your fingers in order to remove dry, chapped skin. <br />
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Honorable mention (is it really a food?): <b>Rosewater</b>. Great in cakes, great as a toner. Distilled rosewater is one of my favorite things. <br />
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Do you use any other natural skincare remedies? There are a few others I could've mentioned, but this was getting long enough as it is! I'm always interested in trying new things, so feel free to share your experiences with other food-as-skincare ventures!<br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3916517/?claim=68b9bjd98f4">Follow</a><br />
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Check out the Wednesday link up at <a href="http://www.thethriftyhome.com/2012/08/149th-penny-pinching-party.html%20" target="_blank">The Thrifty Home</a> this week!Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-14618427505430606562012-07-29T22:38:00.000-04:002012-08-08T23:25:06.781-04:00Summer Drinks: Tinto de Verano<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After three weeks of baking, we're doing something a little different this week. Annelih, Rhi and I decided to do recipes for summer drinks! Now, I'm not the greatest at making mixed drinks, so I decided to go with something simple and delicious. This week, I'll be sharing a recipe for one of Spain's most popular summer drinks, tinto de verano.<br />
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The name translates to "summer red wine," and it's sort of a simpler version of sangria. It's served all over Spain in the summertime and is popular in all sorts of venues, from restaurants to dive bars to family gatherings. One day, I'll finally make it to the land of my people and I'll drink tintos daily at various outdoor cafes and people watch and life will be wonderful. Just wait, it'll happen.<br />
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Luckily for me, its super easy to make and until I get to Spain, I can make tintos de verano at home. There are variations on the basic recipe, but all you really need is red wine, a lemon-lime soda of your choice, and maybe some lemon slices for garnish. Generally its made with a carbonated sweet lemonade (the La Casera brand is popular in Spain), but lemon Fanta, 7-Up and Sprite will do as well. I decided to use Jarritos limón flavored soda in mine because its pretty easy to find where I live and its absolutely delicious. <br />
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It's also a fantastic neon green color, which is a bonus.<br />
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<b>What You'll Need:</b><br />
Red wine, chilled<br />
Carbonated lemonade or lemon-lime soda<br />
1 Lemon, sliced for garnish<br />
*Rum, optional for added kick<br />
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Mix equal parts red wine and carbonated lemonade. Garnish with lemon slices. Add a shot of rum if you're feeling fancy. That's it, you're done! Enjoy with just about anything. <br />
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We had it with a puff pastry pizza tonight and it was a perfect light summer meal. <br />
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I couldn't resist photographing some in one of my mother's vintage highball glasses:<br />
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Be sure to check out Annelih's <a href="http://comfortincooking.blogspot.com/2012/07/summer-cocktail-mango-pineapple-rum.html" target="_blank">Mango Pineapple Rum Punch</a> and Rhiannon's <a href="http://rhiscupcakes.blogspot.com/2012/08/summer-cocktail.html" target="_blank">Strawberry Mint Fizz</a>.<br />
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I'm also participating in <a href="http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2012/08/wow-us-wednesdays-78.html" target="_blank">Wow Us Wednesdays!</a>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-4540832872092353292012-07-29T02:54:00.004-04:002012-07-29T05:49:36.127-04:00Historic Fashion I Love to Look At But Would Hate to Wear: Women's Fashion in 18th Century FranceI think fashion is a fascinating topic. I mean...yes, I enjoy a good wrap dress as much as the next girl, and I think finding a cheap vintage Coach purse on eBay is one of life's greatest small pleasures, but my interests in fashion lie in the realm of fashion/costume history. <br />
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Historic Costumes was one of my favorite classes in college because it fed both my inner history and fashion nerd. The more I learned about earlier fashion eras, however, the more I realized I'd never, <i>ever</i> want to wear most looks for more than a short period of time (like 15 minutes, tops). I mean, I consider pants too much of a hassle half the time, I'm clearly not cut out for layers upon layers of undergarments and gowns.<br />
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So because I love nothing more than to share semi-useless trivia about various subjects, I thought I might begin a little series where I look at the
good, the bad, and the ugly of some of my favorite fashion periods. And
where better to start than with the most extravagant of all: 18th
Century France. <br />
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Before we get into the uncomfortable realities of being a fashionable lady of the French court, let's first talk about why 18th century fashion--specifically, court fashion from about the 1750s to the 1780s--was awesome:<br />
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1. The gowns. Okay, ramble time: there were a few popular gown styles in the 18th century. Prior to the French Revolution, extravagant silhouettes were in. The sack gown (the <i>robe à la françaíse)</i> and the <i>robe </i><i>à</i><i> l'anglaise</i> were popular, and later in the century the <i>robe a la polonaise</i> came into fashion. The <i>robe à la françaíse </i>was the main silhouette worn in the French court, and over time the skirts widened. Madame de Pompadour? All about the <i>robe à la françaíse. </i>Eventually, they became too ridiculous to wear for everyday events and were used mostly for court dress. The <i>robe </i><i>à</i><i> l'anglaise </i>was a bit more modest in terms of skirt circumference (for 18th century standards, anyway) but it still looked super fly. However, it was more popular in England at the time.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6ApanaFpBGk/T6UnPxeEPaI/AAAAAAAAAHM/roBOroExugo/s640/12119_11735-h_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6ApanaFpBGk/T6UnPxeEPaI/AAAAAAAAAHM/roBOroExugo/s400/12119_11735-h_1.jpg" width="311" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Madame de Pompadour in a <i>robe à la françaíse</i> by Fran<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;">ç</span></span></span>ois Boucher. 1756.</td></tr>
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By the 1770s, the <i>robe </i><i>à</i><i> la polonaise </i>became fashionable. The <i>polonaise</i> was an important new undergarment that pretty much replaced the earlier <i>pannier</i>, which we'll get to later. Basically, it allowed for more flexibility (and mobility) in a rounder skirt than was seen in some earlier silhouettes. This new gown featured close-cut bodice similar to the and a short, draped overskirt that cut away from the front of the gown (revealing the petticoat), and added little extra volume to the back of the skirt. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--hk8iEa5MJA/T65lkhMLKXI/AAAAAAAAAIw/kDmk87qbn1I/s640/492px-Jean-Michel_Moreau_le_Jeune_Le_Rendez-vous_pour_Marly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--hk8iEa5MJA/T65lkhMLKXI/AAAAAAAAAIw/kDmk87qbn1I/s400/492px-Jean-Michel_Moreau_le_Jeune_Le_Rendez-vous_pour_Marly.jpg" width="327" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <i>robe </i><i>à</i><i> la polonaise, </i>front and back. 1777.</td></tr>
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So really, what's not to love? If you were a lady of the French court prior to the Revolution, you looked <i>amazing</i>. You were basically a walking Fragonard painting all the time with your <i>decolletage</i> and your ruffles and frills. Also, the wigs (ugh, divine). Katy Perry <i>wishes</i> she could sport a wig as fly as some of these ladies did.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dl.ket.org/humanities/gallery/images/fragonard_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.dl.ket.org/humanities/gallery/images/fragonard_.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Swing, </i>Jean-Honore Fragonard. 1766. I see those ankles, girl.</td></tr>
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At the height of 18th century fashion, ladies' wigs reached epic heights. Not only that, it was fashionable to decorate your wig with objects, such as miniature ships (!!) and <i>live birds in cages!</i><b> </b>There were several popular wig stylings, and each one had its own name.<br />
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Here's an example of how to wear your wig <i>a la Belle Poule</i>, which was the "ship in the hair" style:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cherrycoloured.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/mantio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.cherrycoloured.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/mantio.jpg" width="270" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I just want to wear this once in my life. That's all I need.</td></tr>
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Also, wide hips were in. Like, super wide. A special undergarment structure called the <i>pannier </i>(French for "basket") was worn beneath the skirt of the <i>robe </i><i>à</i><i> la </i><i>françaíse</i><i> </i>to give it extended side width. The front and back of the skirt was relatively flat in comparison. Here's an extant gown from 1760 from the Fashion Museum in Bath, England for a visual example:<br />
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On the one hand, no way would I want to wear that all day...I'd be knocking over things left and right. On the other hand...just imagine a ballroom full of these babies and tell me you don't want to beg the BBC to produce a new period miniseries of <i>Les Liaisons Dangereuses </i>as soon as possible and demand they throw in lots of double-wide <i>paniers</i>. <br />
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<b>The Downside:</b><br />
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1. It took hours to get dressed. In the French court, dressing was a lengthy, ceremonial affair known at the<i> </i>morning<i> toilette</i>; it was a ritual that was an integral part of the French court in the 17th and 18th centuries. Dressing took on an almost religious importance, and each layer of clothing was given its own significance. If you were invited to watch someone higher up in society getting dressed it also revealed your level of importance of society. Being invited to the king or queen's<i> toilette</i>, for instance, was a pretty big deal. Even if you were a lesser member of the court, there was no way getting dressed was an easy or quick affair.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i47.tinypic.com/73gghx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i47.tinypic.com/73gghx.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marie Antoinette's toilette, Jacques-Fabien Gautier d'Agoty. 1775.</td></tr>
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Blah, talk about awful. I can't even wait three minutes for my nails to dry before I'm getting antsy. I'm all about wearing simple, classic, comfortable outfits that can be put on in less than two minutes. Sundress and sandals: done. Even better: pajamas all day. Sometimes I wear an outfit two days in a row if no one saw me in it the day before (don't judge, you know you've done it too). I'm clearly not cut out for the spectacle that was 18th century French fashion. <br />
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Also, good luck going to the bathroom unassisted. Or at all. Drawers also weren't a part of women's undergarments at the time...so things could get drafty (haha just kidding, you're probably not getting a lot of ventilation in all those layers of fabric).<br />
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2. You could literally get your wig snatched. One risk of wearing an expensive, finely crafted wig was that it could fetch a fair profit on certain markets. There were reportedly incidents of wigs being stolen right off the heads of men and women in the street by various ne'er-do-wells (often times young children were used to do said snatching).<br />
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3. Not to mention, it was not uncommon to only own one (or possibly two) wigs at a time, and those things could get nasty. Powder build up, dirt, vermin (no, seriously) and insects. Nope. No thank you, I will not be sharing my head space with any crafty rodents. <br />
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Also, my poor neck would be crying in pain after wearing certain wig styles. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Satirical rendering <i>The French Lady in London</i>, J. H. Grimm. 1771.</td></tr>
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4. Those <i>panniers</i>. They're one of my all time favorite historic undergarments (yes, I have a list), but man, they would be the <i>worst</i> to wear regularly. Did I mention architecture of the time included extra wide exterior and interior entryways, made specifically to accommodate women's dress? God help you if you were walking down a hallway and ran into another finely dressed lady. I imagine it would go down a bit like this:<br />
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(If you love <i>Absolutely Fabulous</i> or French and Saunders, you definitely need to watch the rest of <i>Let Them Eat Cake</i>. It's a must see for British comedy fans/history nerds.)<br />
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True, the <i>polonaise </i>did come into style eventually and it certainly was not as cumbersome as <i>panniers</i> could be, but they're still not my idea of fun. I'm more of a jeans and a cardigan girl, myself.<br />
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I could spend hours upon hours looking at these beautiful garments in a museum or online, but there's no way in hell I'd want to spend my days confined in one. Well, maybe for just one day...<br />
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So! If anyone made it this far (...Mom?), thanks for sticking with me. If I continue with this series, I might tackle my favorite fashion period next: Regency/Directoire clothing! Don't worry, that one will be significantly shorter. They wore less.<br />
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I'll be back to regularly scheduled recipe posts soon, too!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo sources: <a href="http://garethrussellcidevant.blogspot.com/2010/10/fit-for-queen.html" target="_blank">1</a>, <a href="http://www.fashioningthepast.com/2012/05/francois-boucher-madame-de-pompadour.html" target="_blank">2</a>, <a href="http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/4468278/post204542876/" target="_blank">3</a>, <a href="http://www.dl.ket.org/humanities/gallery/fragonard.fwx" target="_blank">4</a>, <a href="http://vintagehair.livejournal.com/276729.html" target="_blank">5</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1760s_Court_Dress.JPG" target="_blank">6</a>, <a href="http://demodecouture.com/wordpress/wp-contents/uploads/2011/08/marie10.jpg" target="_blank">7</a>, <a href="http://vintageprintable.swivelchairmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Design-Apparel-Hair-French-Satire-Lady-in-London-1771-150x150.jpg" target="_blank">8</a>.</span>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-56858694071789422672012-07-23T22:48:00.002-04:002012-07-29T05:49:04.175-04:00Homemade Twix!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This week for our blogging challenge, Rhiannon suggested we try our hands at homemade Twix. Check out their blogs to see how <a href="http://comfortincooking.blogspot.com/2012/07/late-night-baking-homemade-twix.html" target="_blank">Annelih</a> and <a href="http://rhiscupcakes.blogspot.com/2012/07/homemade-twix-bars.html" target="_blank">Rhiannon</a>'s Twix-making experiments went!<br />
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I was a little uneasy about this project, as it seemed very complicated in my head before I started looking up any recipes. I started looking around and I realized that it wouldn't be as bad as I thought. It seemed most recipes made some kind of shortbread cookie, then covered it with caramel and chocolate (or dipped in chocolate).<br />
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Well, as it happened, this was a hot mess of an experiment. I'd decided early on I didn't want to attempt to make my own caramel, so I decided to substitute dulce de leche instead. I loooove dulce de leche in cookies (remind me to share one of my favorite alfajores recipe soon!), and I thought it'd be a solid alternative to possibly ruining a batch of caramel made from scratch. Added bonus: it'd be quicker, too!<br />
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Despite a few hiccups that resulted in me finishing my Twix at 1 a.m. last night...the cookies turned out great! Not <i>quite</i> like Twix, but pretty delicious none the less. I'm regretting the three I ate earlier this evening...definitely going to yoga tomorrow.<br />
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The three parts to the recipe: shortbread, dulce de leche, and the chocolate. For the shortbread, I adapted the Buckingham Palace Shortbread from Sara Perry's <i>Holiday Baking </i>(can you tell how much I love this book?). I only made half a recipe, but I'll post the whole recipe here.<br />
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<b>What you'll need:</b><br />
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<i>Shortbread (makes 2-3 dozen 1 to 1.5 in squares)</i><b><i><br /></i></b><br />
2 cups cake flour<br />
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp.<br />
1/3 cup granulated sugar <br />
(in original recipe, also included is 1/4 cup baker's sugar for sprinkling. I didn't use this.)<br />
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<i>Dulce de leche:</i><br />
1 17.6 oz can of dulce de leche (I only used half, but you may need it all if you make a full recipe). My favorite brand and the one I used is Alpina arequipe (another word for dulce de leche!)<br />
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<i>Chocolate:</i><br />
1 1/2 cup of semi-sweet mini chocolate chips<br />
about 1/4 cup whipping cream*<br />
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<b>To make the shortbread:</b><br />
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt until blended<br />
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2. In a large bowl, beat butter on medium speed until creamy. Beat in granulated sugar until the mixture is fluffy (about 2 minutes). On low speed, add in the flour in small batches, until a soft dough forms. Wrap in plastic and chill for about 30 minutes.<br />
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3. Preheat oven til 350F and use butter to grease a glass baking dish. For half a recipe, I used an 11 x 7 in. dish.<br />
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4. Gather the chilled dough in a ball and place it in the glass dish. Use your fingers to gently press the dough out until it completely covers the bottom of the dish. The dough should be pretty smooth and about 1/2 inch thick. Prick with a fork in a few places (I forgot this step and my shortbread turned out fine). Bake until lightly golden and firm to the touch, about 35-40 minutes. Depending on your oven it may finish sooner, you'll smell it when it's done.<br />
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5. Let the shortbread cool for about 15 minutes and then top with a thick, even layer of dulce de leche. Place in the fridge to chill for about 20 minutes before topping with the chocolate.<br />
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<b>To make the chocolate:</b><br />
1. Add a little water to a medium sized saucepan and place a glass bowl in the saucepan so that it just barely sits on top. The water shouldn't touch the bottom of the bowl. As the water begins to boil on medium-high heat, add the chips and a little whipping cream to the bowl. As the chips melt, stir occasionally. Add a little more whipping cream if your mixture is still very thick.<br />
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*I added the whipping cream as needed as the chips melted. I didn't
really measure but I didn't use much. I ended up with a chocolate sauce
that was a little thicker than ganache and that solidified nicely once
it cooled. <br />
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2. Take the dulce de leche-topped shortbread out of the fridge. Once the chocolate has reached a thick but creamy consistency, remove from heat and spread it in an even layer over the dulce de leche. Return the finished Twix to the fridge to chill for another 15 minutes, or until the chocolate is a bit more solid.<br />
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Cut into pieces of any size and shape you desire and enjoy! Warning, if its very cold, the bar cookies are a little hard to cut up. The chocolate tends to crack and break up if its very cold. <br />
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I found that while the Twix tasted pretty good after being refrigerated overnight, it tasted <i>amazing</i> once I let it sit out and reach room temperature. The flavor of the shortbread was more pronounced when the dessert warmed up a bit, and it was just the right amount of crumbly and gooey. The messiest desserts are always the most delicious, aren't they?<br />
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Now, to resist eating another three pieces...<br />
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This week I'm participating in <a href="http://www.confessionsofanover-workedmom.com/2012/07/whats-cooking-wednesday-link-up-your-recipes-2.html" target="_blank">What's Cooking Wednesdays,</a> <a href="http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/whats-it-wednesday-35.html" target="_blank">What's it Wednesday</a>,<a href="http://mylilpinkpocket.blogspot.com/2012/07/show-share-50.html" target="_blank"> Show and Share</a>, <a href="http://polkadotsonparade.blogspot.com/2012/07/wow-me-wednesday-67.html" target="_blank">Wow Me Wednesday</a>, and <a href="http://debduty.com/" target="_blank">This or That Thursday</a>!Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-88037288455253543662012-07-21T23:13:00.001-04:002012-07-29T05:49:57.840-04:00A Game of Scones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If I had to pick one food to eat for the rest of my life, it might be scones. An extension of my bread love, my scone love knows no bounds. After making the chocolate almond bread last week, I had some buttermilk left over so I decided to make a batch of cranberry scones.<br />
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This recipe is an adaptation of a plain scone recipe from one of my favorite books: <i>Holiday Baking</i> by Sara Perry. I decided to make cranberry scones because they're a favorite in our house, but I also think the scones taste wonderful without any added fruits, nuts, etc.<br />
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<b>What You'll Need</b><br />
3 cups all-purpose flour<b> </b><br />
1/3 cup granulated sugar<br />
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />
3/4 teaspoon salt<br />
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces<br />
1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen), roughly chopped <br />
1 cup buttermilk<br />
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Scone toppings: Clotted cream, and any jam of your choice (I prefer strawberry or raspberry jam on scones). If you don't want to make your own clotted cream, you can buy Double Devon cream from Fresh Market.<br />
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<b>To Make:</b><br />
1. Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or grease lightly)<br />
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2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk the mixture, then add the butter with a pastry blender or your fingers, working it into the mixture until it begins to resemble fine crumbs.<b> </b><br />
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3. In a separate bowl, lightly coat the chopped cranberries with flour and a little powdered sugar. Toss so that the berries are completely coated, this will keep them from sticking to each other in clumps once they're in the dough. Fold cranberries into the flour-butter mixture, making sure they're evenly distributed.<br />
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4. Make a well in the center of the crumbly cranberry mixture, and all the buttermilk all at once. Stir the mixture until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.* Using lightly floured hands, gather the dough into a ball and turn onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into 4 parts and then pat each one into a 3/4-inch thick circle. Cut each circle into 4 wedges.<br />
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*Sometimes when I make a half recipe, the dough turns out a little
wetter than it should be at this point. Add flour until the
consistency begins to get firmer, it will not affect the taste of the scones. <br />
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5. Place the wedges on the baking sheet, and bake in the center of the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown. When finished, let the scones cool for 5-minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a rack.<br />
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6. Serve scones warm, with jam and clotted cream. They are best eaten within several hours of baking, but I find they refrigerate and reheat well for a few days after.<br />
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I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! This week I'm participating in <a href="http://www.natashainoz.com/" target="_blank">Say G'Day Saturday</a>, <a href="http://petitehermine.blogspot.com/2012/07/sunday-linky-party-71-goodies.html" target="_blank">Sunday Linky Party</a>, and <a href="http://cherishedtreasures-terry.blogspot.com/2012/07/sunday-blog-love-linky-party_21.html" target="_blank">Sunday Blog Love</a>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-13042211748929270682012-07-13T22:06:00.003-04:002012-07-29T05:50:33.576-04:00Dark Chocolate Almond Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love bread. I could never give up carbs completely because I honestly love bread more than most things. My favorite bread is probably either the chocolate bread or the rosemary boule from Uppercrust in Gainesville. I've planned entire Saturdays around making a trip to Uppercrust just for their bread (...and their raspberry rose pastries. And their sticky buns. Basically, I would buy one of everything in their bakery if I could, its that good).<br />
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So when <a href="http://comfortincooking.blogspot.com/2012/07/late-night-baking-peanut-butter-bread.html" target="_blank">Annelih</a>, <a href="http://rhiscupcakes.blogspot.com/2012/07/chocolate-orange-bread.html" target="_blank">Rhiannon</a> and I decided to make bread for the second week of our recipe challenge, I was excited!<br />
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And of course I decided to make chocolate bread, come Hell or high water. Luckily I found a recipe for dark chocolate tea bread that was easy to follow (though it was very ingredient heavy and not in any way health conscious). This is a dessert bread rather than a yeast-based bread, but I still enjoyed eating it (and so did my family!). Definitely a recipe I would repeat in the future.<br />
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The recipe I've adapted comes from Williams-Sonoma's aptly titled book, <i>Bread</i>. The original recipe calls for hazelnuts, not almonds, but I couldn't find any hazelnuts in Publix this time of year. The almonds worked great, however, so feel free to experiment with the nut component of the recipe! Walnuts would probably work pretty well too. I also didn't have any raw sugar, so I didn't sprinkle any over the top of my bread.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup cake flour<br />
3/4 cup cocoa powder<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature<br />
4 oz (125 g) cream cheese<br />
1 cup granulated sugar<br />
2 large eggs<br />
1.25 cups buttermilk<br />
1.5 teaspoons vanilla<br />
2/3 cup almonds (or hazelnuts), roughly chopped and toasted*<br />
1 tablespoon raw sugar (optional)<br />
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<b>Dark Chocolate Almond Bread:</b><br />
*Toasting the almonds: spread the nuts in a single layer on a large cookie sheet and toast the almonds at 325F for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool until you need them again.<br />
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1. After toasting the almonds, preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9 x 5 inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa and salt. Whisk until blended.<br />
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2. In a larger bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese at a medium speed until fluffy, then add in the granulated sugar until combined. Add the eggs one at a time until you're left with a light, fluffy mixture.<br />
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3. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the creamed mixture in small amounts, beginning with the dry ingredients. Mix until until smooth, then add the vanilla to the mixture. Fold in the toasted almonds until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.<br />
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4. Scrape the batter into the pan, and make sure the pan is no more than two-thirds full. Smooth out the batter and sprinkle with raw sugar if you'd like to add a little sparkle to your bread (you could also sprinkle some confectioners sugar on after baking).<br />
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5. Bake for about an hour and 15 minutes, or until the cake seems done. To check, stick a clean knife or cake test into the densest part of the cake and if it comes out clean, its done. To prevent over-browning on the top and edges, cover the loaf with tin foil for the last 10 minutes of baking time.<br />
**My bread took a little less than an hour to bake, so make sure to check on it a little earlier than the recipe might say. We went by the smell test--it started to smell done after about 55 minutes!<br />
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6. After taking the bread out of the oven, turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack immediately and let cool completely. Cut into thick slices and serve with a cup of your favorite tea (or milk!), and you've got a perfect rainy day or late night snack.<br />
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This bread was just what I needed after a long, rainy day stuck indoors. It tasted great plain, but I loved it with a little butter. I have some leftover buttermilk, so I may make scones in the next day or two. Look out for that recipe, it'll end up on here sooner or later. Don't forget to check out Rhiannon and Annelih's great bread recipes as well!<br />
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Annelih's <a href="http://comfortincooking.blogspot.com/2012/07/late-night-baking-peanut-butter-bread.html" target="_blank">Peanut butter bread</a><br />
Rhiannon's <a href="http://rhiscupcakes.blogspot.com/2012/07/chocolate-orange-bread.html" target="_blank">Chocolate orange bread</a><br />
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I'm also participating in a link up at <a href="http://www.simplysweethome.com/2012/07/friday-favorites-week-124/" target="_blank">Simply Sweet Home</a> this week! <br />
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<a href="http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/" target="_blank" title="Thirty Handmade Days"><img alt="Thirty Handmade Days" src="http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/pitypartybutton1.png" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.simplysweethome.com/" title="Simply Sweet Home Featured"><img alt="Simply Sweet Home Featured" src="http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/JHRivers/SimplySweetHomeButton-1-2-1-1-2.png" style="border: medium none;" /></a></div>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-18520604795461323192012-07-06T23:08:00.004-04:002012-07-29T05:51:26.237-04:00Apple (Pie) Galette!Hello, hello! This post is a special one for me, because it's the start of a new tradition two of my friends and I are trying out! Two of my friend's from school have food blogs, and we've decided to do a weekly cooking/baking challenge, where we pick something to bake and then post our different interpretations of a dish!<br />
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You can find their fantastic recipes here: Rhiannon at <a href="http://rhiscupcakes.blogspot.com/2012/07/apple-pie_5.html" target="_blank">Mini Betty</a> and Annelih at <a href="http://comfortincooking.blogspot.com/2012/07/happy-4th-of-july-with-apple-pie.html" target="_blank">Comfort in Cooking</a>!<br />
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This week, we chose apple pie. Classic. Patriotic. American. <br />
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And being the lazy bum I am, I chose the easiest apple pie-esque recipe I could think of: an apple galette. It's like a pan-less apple pie. Rustic. Free-form. French (oops).<br />
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This week has been surprisingly hectic so I also used store bought crust because I wanted something easy, fast, and delicious. I've always thought that the Pillsbury pre-made crust tastes pretty good to be honest. One of these days I'll attempt to make my own crust, but not today.<br />
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Anyway, I adapted my recipe from <a href="http://pinchmysalt.com/apple-galette-the-no-fear-apple-pie/" target="_blank">this one</a> over at Pinch My Salt. I did a few things differently (such as buying my own crust, womp womp), but overall this was a great recipe to use as home base, as it were.<br />
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So, ingredients:<br />
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<b>Crust</b>: Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust (super hard to make, I know)<br />
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<b>Apple Filling:</b><br />
4-6 apples, depending on size. Peeled, cored and sliced. I used Granny Smith, Cripps Pink, and Golden Delicious apples<br />
1/4 cup sugar (heaping cup if you use more apples). You can also toss in some brown sugar (I didn't measure how much I added, it was about 2 tablespoons I think)<br />
1 heaping tablespoon flour<br />
Cinnamon and nutmeg to personal taste (I was very generous with the cinnamon because I am utterly addicted to it)<br />
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1. Pre-heat oven to 400F. Next, take the pie crusts out of the fridge to warm up a little bit. I only used one of the pie crusts to make the actual galette, then I used a star-shaped cookie cutter to put a few stars on the final product right before baking.<br />
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2. Peel and core the apples, and place the slices in a medium-sized bowl. Once you've got enough (I cut up 5 large apples and still had some leftover, but I was a little worried about over-stuffing the galette. I probably could've added a little bit more. As it is, we'll have apple crumble tomorrow night!)<br />
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3. Add sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour to the apple slices and mix them together. If you want, you could try a few other spices. I was going to add some ginger but I chickened out at the last minute.<br />
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4. Roll out the pie crust on a large baking sheet covered in parchment paper. I decided to use a rolling pin and thin out the pie crust a little bit more to get a slightly larger galette. Pour the apple mixture into the middle of the pie crust, leaving enough of the pie crust uncovered so that you can fold the edges of the pastry dough over the apples. Leave a little open space in the middle of the pastry, so that the apples aren't completely covered.<br />
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5. Pinch closed any holes that might've occurred when folding the the outside edges over the apples. Or, if you love kitschy looking desserts like I do, cut out various shapes from the second pie crust and press them onto the top of the galette. Totally bandaged up a few holes that way. Also, my way of making my dessert a little more 4th of July-ish.<br />
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Right before baking, I brushed on an egg wash of 1 egg, a little water, and confectioners sugar onto the pie crust to give it a nice sheen. That part is optional, though.<br />
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6. Bake for 35 minutes, and then voila! You've got a star-spangled apple pie galette. <br />
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Don't forget to check out Rhiannon and Annelih's delicious apple pie recipes! Up next week, we'll be tackling: homemade bread. I'm so pumped.Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-76219776895333154862012-06-15T20:49:00.003-04:002012-07-29T05:51:40.907-04:00Orange Macadamia CookiesHappy Friday! If you're planning to bake up something wonderful for father's day, I've got a new recipe to share. I made these earlier in the summer during a baking day with my friend Sarah, and I shared them with the family. My dad was over the moon about them, so consider these father tested and approved!<br />
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The recipe is originally from Better Homes and Gardens' <i>The Ultimate Cookie Book</i>, and its definitely a keeper.<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b>: <br />
<i>Cookies</i>:<br />
2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 cup powdered sugar<br />
1/2 cornstarch<br />
1 cup butter<br />
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts (or toasted walnuts if you'd prefer)<br />
1 egg yolk<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest<br />
2 tablespoons orange juice<br />
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<i>Orange Frosting:</i><br />
1 cup powdered sugar<br />
2 tablespoons softened butter<br />
1/2 teaspoon orange zest<br />
1-2 tablespoons orange juice, to taste<br />
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<b>Directions</b>:<br />
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Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combined flour, powdered sugar, and cornstarch. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in the 1/2 cup of macadamia nuts.<br />
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In a smaller bowl, combine the egg yolk, orange zest, and orange juice. Add this mixture to the dry mixture and stir until moistened. Knead the dough until it forms a ball. Now you can shape 1<span style="font-size: small;"> 1/4-inch dough balls and place them 2 inches apart on a parchment-covered cookie sheet. Flatten cookies until 1/4 inch thick, or until they look the way you want them. (We forgot to flatten our cookies, womp womp. They ended up looking a bit like cookie balls. Still delicious, so we didn't mind.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges are set. Let cool on a wire rack for a bit before frosting. Frost with orange icing (recipe below) and sprinkle with some chopped macadamia nuts if you'd like a little more crunch. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">And now, to make one of the best frostings I've ever tasted. It actually turned out as more of a glaze than a frosting when we made it, but we preferred it that way.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;">Orange Frosting: </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Mix together </span><span style="font-size: small;">the powdered sugar, butter, and orange zest until blended, then add in the orange juice to taste. We added in a little more orange juice and powdered than the recipe called for, but it still turned out great!</span><br />
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I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did! Happy baking! And if you're looking for new blogs to browse, check out Saturday Snapshot over at <a href="http://athomewithbooks.net/" target="_blank">At Home With Books</a>!<br />
<br />Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-47296685005383476702012-06-11T01:25:00.001-04:002012-06-11T01:27:36.755-04:00From the Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Summer means beautiful hibiscus blooms everywhere! We've got all different color blooms in the garden this year, and this is possibly my favorite of them all. It changes all the time, but yesterday was definitely a peachy kind of day.</div>
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To make up for the lack of posting, I've got two new recipes to be posted later this week. Orange macadamia nut cookies and my strawberry rhubarb crumble with gingersnap topping! I swear they'll be posted this week. No. <i>Really</i>.Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-19803320183933820362012-05-12T22:01:00.000-04:002012-05-12T22:13:40.576-04:00Lily of the NileThis week I'm participating in Snapshot Saturday hosted by <a href="http://athomewithbooks.net/" target="_blank">At Home With Books</a> for the first time!<br />
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I discovered one of my new favorite flowers while on a walk with our dog
the other day. According to Dr. Google, its called Lily of the Nile and
just about the prettiest thing I've seen in a while.<br />
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There were a few white blooms as well!<br />
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<span id="goog_983373426"></span><span id="goog_983373427"></span>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-18166042332386407572012-05-09T21:28:00.003-04:002012-06-18T03:45:50.667-04:00Herb Garden Hodgepodge: Pasta Primavera!School's out <strike>for summer</strike> forever! I'm officially a college graduate (who let that happen?), and since I have no idea what to do with my life while I jobhunt, I'll cook. Every summer I wish I had a vegetable garden, but I've missed the Florida planting season for most fruits and veggies I love by the time May rolls around and I'm back at home.<br />
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However, herb gardens are still fun. My basil and parsley plants have been doing surprisingly well considering how often I forget to water them (terrible plant mother). I added an oregano plant to my garden on Monday, and decided to make a little pasta primavera and throw in a little bit of everything from my herb garden!<br />
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It was surprisingly easy, and went great with pork chops. Just a yellow pepper, tomatoes, herbs and linguine made for a deliciously light summer meal.<br />
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<b>Ingredient list:</b><br />
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<li>2 tbsps olive oil </li>
<li>1/4-1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth (I used less than 1/2 cup but you could use more for a thinner sauce)</li>
<li>5-6 grape tomatoes, quartered</li>
<li>1/2 large yellow bell pepper, roughly chopped</li>
<li>Fresh parsley, oregano, and basil (to taste, I used around 2 tsp of each at first, a little more for garnish), roughly chopped</li>
<li>Garlic powder (optional, to taste) </li>
<li>1/2 9 oz package of Buitoni fresh linguine, or any pasta you prefer </li>
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Cook pasta as per instructions, then set aside for later. I like Buitoni's fresh pasta because it only takes about 4 minutes to cook.<br />
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In a large sauce pan, saute the pepper in olive oil at medium heat, and add tomatoes once the pepper begins to soften. Add broth and garlic powder and allow sauce to simmer until it reaches the consistency you desire. Turn off heat and add pasta, coating it in the sauce. Plate the pasta on a large platter and toss in most of the herbs, leaving some to sprinkle on top as a garnish. It was pretty fantastic, honestly.<br />
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For this go around, I went a little light on the oregano because I was
afraid it would
overpower the basil and parsley. I think I'd throw in a little more next
time around. Honestly, this dish is all over the place and all about personal preference, so you don't
have to stick to the measurements listed. You could even add some other veggies you have lying around if you prefer. Happy experimenting!<br />
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<a href="http://www.debduty.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img height="200" src="http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g404/dkaym/thisorthat200.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-22399522684271724552012-04-30T01:44:00.002-04:002012-04-30T01:55:16.654-04:00I'm Still Blogging! Quick PostFirst off, I graduate on Saturday. <i>What?</i> It still hasn't hit me that I don't have to go back to school until...well, I never have to go back if I don't want to! I'm guessing grad school is in my future, but not for a good bit. So...this is it for now. I suppose. Weird. End of the year activities and finals have kept me super busy, but I did have a great weekend that ended in some time spent at Lake Wauburg, aka the university's very own lake where students and families can go and hang out. I love this school.<br />
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I'm not sure I'm ready to leave.Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-6838786876546200902012-03-31T18:35:00.000-04:002012-03-31T18:35:02.567-04:00How Many Blog Posts Can I Make About Spring? Oh, Thousands.I was walking through campus the other day when I saw this beautiful flowering plant! At first I thought it was a daylily plant, but now I'm not so sure. Google tells me its a red amaryllis? I'm such a disgrace to my mother the gardener.<br />
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I took this with my janky, old phone camera but it still captured the gorgeous colors of the flower's petals!<br />
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I wish I had an entire garden filled with various types of amaryllis and lily plants.Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-88349717921381617442012-03-22T17:53:00.001-04:002012-03-22T23:46:18.495-04:00It's Spring!It's officially spring and it feels so good...for the next week or so. It's already reaching 86F in the afternoons here, which I actually kind of love. I like when its hot out, but once the temperature gets past 90F, I'm not here for that. I am a total Floridian though, I'd much rather be sweaty than freezing.<br />
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In honor of the first day of spring on Tuesday, I made a light dinner that featured my favorite spring veggie, asparagus! I could probably eat them with every meal. Must be the German side of me.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iQ8geqdXk28/T2ueiQGT3GI/AAAAAAAAAW8/Io0OkoJzFdk/s1600/IMG_4238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iQ8geqdXk28/T2ueiQGT3GI/AAAAAAAAAW8/Io0OkoJzFdk/s640/IMG_4238.JPG" width="640" /></a></div> This seriously took five minutes to make. I already had the rice cooked, so I just heated it up, sauteed the tomatoes and chicken sausage, then sauteed the asparagus in a little butter and garlic. Voila! A one skillet dinner.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.debduty.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img height="200" src="http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g404/dkaym/thisorthat200.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-83079511891772006552012-03-15T00:34:00.001-04:002012-03-15T10:48:59.742-04:00Sun, Sun, Sun: Here it ComesSpring break is such a tease. I'm officially ready for summer (but not graduation...eek) and I have to somehow make it through 6 more weeks of school. I know that's not much, and once its over I'll wish I was back in school most likely, but right now it feels like I have a soggy Panera bread bowl in my head where my brain should be.<br />
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Tomorrow I may need to have a library date like I've been saying I'll do all week. But this time I need to actually go to the library instead of taking a 2 hour nap.<br />
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Switching gears a bit, last weekend I spent a day in Sarasota and it was beyond gorgeous! I'll be going back this weekend for a little family reunion and I can't wait!<br />
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What a chic shot. It totally doesn't look like I took it through the porch screen because I was too lazy to go downstairs and go outside...<br />
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I've been going to Siesta Key every winter/spring for as long as I can remember. When I was younger, my grandparents used to come down from Niagara Falls every winter and stay there, and now my aunt and uncle spend a little winter time in the same complex. It's still as beautiful as I remember it being when I was 8 years old.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.debduty.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img height="200" src="http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g404/dkaym/thisorthat200.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-75072516826666281962012-03-01T14:18:00.003-05:002012-03-01T14:28:28.748-05:00Spring BreakingNext week is Spring Break! I can't wait. My friends and I have plans to go to the beach and go to a spring training game between the Yankees and the Rays! The Rays go to Port Charlotte for Spring Break (about 3 hours away from here), but Tampa has been the spring training home to the Yankees for years, so we made plans to see the Rays play when they come back to Tampa. I'm excited! I've missed baseball so much.<br />
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I've also missed home. Specifically, I've missed living with cute animals. My apartment at college feels too still without pets. One of our cats, Marshmallow, is my girl. She loves to sit in the bathroom and wait for some unsuspecting soul to walk in and then she'll cry for water until someone turns the faucet on.<br />
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She won't drink from a water bowl. She's weird.<br />
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This month, the rescue where we adopted Marshmallow from is holding a contest on Facebook. The cat's photo that receives the most "likes" wins two tickets to the local big cat rescue sanctuary (I've always wanted to visit there). I entered Marshmallow mostly because I think she's the cutest cat ever, but I'm pretty biased.<br />
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If you'd like to, you could <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150593699188225&set=a.10150549152018225.374174.19515918224&type=3&theater" target="_blank">go vote for Marsha here</a>! God, I feel like a mom on Toddlers and Tiaras. Someone stop me.<br />
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In the mean time, I am so ready for a week of relaxation. And by relaxation I mean filling out job and internship applications with a never ending supply of tea. This graduation deal needs to slow its roll a little bit.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.debduty.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img height="200" src="http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g404/dkaym/thisorthat200.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-64387962945158546082012-02-16T10:00:00.009-05:002012-02-19T14:59:12.767-05:00Valentinis and Cupcakes!Well...I am crap at blogging while in school. It's official. Granted, I was pretty much living in the theatre building for the last 3 weeks so for once I've been doing more than just procrastinating on homework!<br />
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Anyway, last night for Valentine's Day some friends and I had a night full of Dance Moms, cupcakes, grapefruit martinis (aka Valentinis, as they were christened the other night), and Ryan Gosling. Because really, what else does one need on <strike>any day of the week</strike> Valentine's Day?<br />
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If you'd like the recipe for the cocktail or the cupcakes, visit my friend Rhiannon's <a href="http://rhiscupcakes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">new baking blog</a>! She makes amazing cupcakes and other desserts, so you'll definitely want to try out some of her recipes.<br />
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Some cupcakes fresh out of the oven! We made a chocolate cinnamon cupcake and frosted it with an almond and cinnamon buttercream frosting.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mUzAzmNB8A0/TzxdiZ3C0nI/AAAAAAAAAUY/px-w8Bl49ms/s1600/IMG_4092edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mUzAzmNB8A0/TzxdiZ3C0nI/AAAAAAAAAUY/px-w8Bl49ms/s640/IMG_4092edit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I love them! Rhiannon also taught me her secrets to piping on icing. They look so festive and also like roses so I mean, I'm clearly going to love them no matter what at this point.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BhyMrew5Lj4/Tzyzj5Z7VbI/AAAAAAAAAUw/CXhumJTumqk/s1600/IMG_4081edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BhyMrew5Lj4/Tzyzj5Z7VbI/AAAAAAAAAUw/CXhumJTumqk/s640/IMG_4081edit.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />
Happy belated Valentine's Day!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.debduty.com/" target="_blank"><img height="200" src="http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g404/dkaym/thisorthat200.jpg" width="200" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.crispphotoworks.com/category/food-photography-challenge/"> <img src="http://www.crispphotoworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/weekly-stew.png" style="border: 0; height: 150px; weight: 150px;" /></a></div>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-58901429624585351252012-01-19T00:30:00.006-05:002012-01-19T13:04:02.419-05:00They Say It's Your Birthday...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-epWGc7KhVhg/TxenlDYGYQI/AAAAAAAAATk/VNvjD-h9Y9U/s1600/IMG_4032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-epWGc7KhVhg/TxenlDYGYQI/AAAAAAAAATk/VNvjD-h9Y9U/s640/IMG_4032.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, as of Tuesday I am officially 22 years old. It's a bit weird to think about that. I know that in the grand scheme of things, 22 is still super young, but when I was younger, I saw it as the year I would become a real adult because I always associated it with The End of College. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I was nine years old, 22 seemed ancient. I remember one day when I was in 4th grade, all of the girls at my lunch table were saying how old they wanted to be when they got married (because, y'know, that's what nine year old girls do around the lunch table, apparently). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Multiple girls said 22 because they thought that was "soooo old." Like, in our minds 22 was the new 40. Not kidding. Some of my friends are engaged now, and its wonderful to see them getting ready to start that part of their lives. For me, I can't imagine being married anytime within the next...five or six years, let alone now. I mean, I could (and probably will) change my mind about that in the near future, but for now 22 just seems...awkward. It's time to leave college, find a job, and do other worldly/adult things like go to the bank by myself and do laundry more than once every three weeks. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oaU7fwq5754/TxenyJsaBLI/AAAAAAAAATs/p2juAx9evxE/s1600/IMG_4041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oaU7fwq5754/TxenyJsaBLI/AAAAAAAAATs/p2juAx9evxE/s640/IMG_4041.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
In the mean time, though, I still feel like an awkward 14 year old most of the time. Not sure if I'll ever grow out of that. However, I had a lovely birthday, and I'm so glad I have such wonderful people in my life to thank for that. Look, I got a miniature cake <i>and</i> cupcakes this weekend, so I pretty much feel like I won the sweets lottery at this point.<br />
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So now I'm off to have a cup of tea and read before bed...like an adult. Because 22 is soooo old.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.debduty.com/" target="_blank"><img height="200" src="http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g404/dkaym/thisorthat200.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7960934639002870521.post-9948829775779024492012-01-14T14:12:00.001-05:002012-01-14T14:12:51.863-05:00I Feel So Hi-Tech Right NowIm currently typing from my kindle fire right now! Its an early birthday present and a wonderful surprise! I'm still trying to figure out how everything works but I managed to stumble onto blotter so that's a small victory! I promise a proper blog post soon but for now I couldn't resist the urge to blog from this thing!Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08129159680293675337noreply@blogger.com0