Life has been full the past few weeks and I’ve not gotten around to doing one of my favorite posts of the week – but here goes some of my fave site finds for you to look at.
I definitely want to make this before fall gives way to the winter.
Sometimes the world of the internet overwhelms me. People in my feeds argue about refugees and red cups (whether filled with coffee or beer). They complain about what they don’t like. They speak about how wonderful life is. They post everything good that they do. I give in to this so much. And more of the time – I crave for time with my true friends, sitting down with coffee, talking about how life is hard and how God is good. Or just crying because your kids are driving you crazy and money is tight. I long to have refreshment from uninterrupted time with my mister, sitting in the word for a while without having to go somewhere in a few minutes, not wondering how we are going to pay the bills next month, or just sitting there across from a friend who is struggling too – and listening to her cry, tears of concern and mystery and hurt. Life happens outside of the blog and social media world.
Ok – well, happy Sunday from my little world to you!
Most everyone I know is in some sort of weather today produced by Hurricane Joaquin. Maybe you are loving it – maybe you’d rather have sunshine. I love storms and wind – but I actually thrive on sunshine.
So, while some of you may be stuck inside today because of the weather, I thought I would send you some link to read up on:
I usually make muffins once a week in our kitchen because it is so easy for my misters’ breakfasts. These will be coming soon because I have everything in my kitchen already.
If you get really tired of meal planning – maybe these templates will help you out and bring on the food creativity.
Are you aspiring to more in the kitchen? Maybe you need to start with these? I want to make my own bucket list of recipes.
Having worked for Williams-Sonoma for a few years, I loved reading this story.
I don’t think I’ve ever had and loved this type of cookbook – and I know now what I’ve been missing.
Cardamom. Pepper. Cinnamon. Cloves. Nutmeg. Etc.
All bound together in a photo-medium (only downfall, I love photos and the ones in it are amazing), story and explanation rich and colorful (a huge bonus), recipe infused cloth that is begging me to get a mortar and pestle. I don’t have one but if I were to have one I would want this one or maybe this one.
Like I said, the photos are gorgeous, I just wish there were more. I love the voice of this cookbook. The recipes would stretch me out of my comfort zone in what I usually cook – but it makes me want to.
I’m thankful for Blogging for Books for sending this to me for the review, and to Samantha Seneviratne for writing it.
And just possibly – I might be making the Coffee and Cardamom Shortbread for this wknd. Why not?
I mean, there you are, sitting cozily by a roaring fire (or a gas one, or just some pretty candles in your fire place), and you need something to munch on.
Or, you have a bunch of friends over in your backyard for a fire and smores – but you need something to munch on while the smores get perfectly roasted with the charred edges of sticky ooey gooey marshmallow.
Or you have some sports fans over to watch the game and there is an empty coffee table just needing a big bowl of healthy snacks to get every body through the game (or at least until halftime.
Snacks do not have to be bad for you. I think we often feel that snacks have to be unhealthy to be fun or to taste good – but that is so not the case. Nuts is on a mission to share recipes that are healthy, fun, and delicious, and will be good for tailgating, watching the games, or just to snack on at night while watching your favorite movie. And you can get your pumpkin seeds from a pumpkin and do a lot of work, or you can get them delivered to your door.
One of the things my mister always does for me, including this batch, is make the popcorn. We got some spices for a wedding gift, and have been making a special spicy blend of popcorn a few times a month since we got married almost four years ago. We took this special Campbell tradition and made it a little sweet too.
Fall Sweet and Spicy Party Mix
Recipe Type: Snack Mix
Cuisine: Snack
Author: kcreatives
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 7 cups
Sweet and Spicy and packed with everything you love about Fall.
Ingredients
For the popcorn
5 cups of popped popcorn
1/2 tsp Penzeys Jerk Seasoning (I’ve learned that all jerk seasoning is not created equal)
fresh cracked pepper and popcorn salt to taste
For the candied pumpkin seeds:
3/4 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 T vodka
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 ground cloves
1/4 nutmeg
1/3 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp sea salt
pinch of cayenne
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup craisins
Instructions
Season the popcorn and let it get cool, but not stale.
For the pumpkin seeds: put everything in a saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is dissolved and the sugar starts to caramelize and the pumpkin seeds pop.
Dump out on to parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
Spread out.
Let cool.
Break into pieces
Combine popcorn, pumpkin seeds, white chocolate, and craisins all together.
Cardamom is definitely my favorite go-to spice with anything berries or citrus. It just lends that special “oomph” and “hmmm, wonder what is in there” to any recipe. I have made some cardamom sugar with the pods and always have ground cardamom in my spice “basket” (a wine box I found at Goodwill which I love and am always in search of another one for cheap).
Anyway, I had to share this recipe tonight! Just in case you have tons of lemons and you just have to have cookies with your decaf tonight!
This recipe is a shout out to Cheryl Day who owns Back in the Day Bakery – my fave cafe in my favorite city in Georgia, Savannah. I tweaked her recipe and oh by golly is it good (and her’s is stellar too by the way).
Lemon Cardamom Shortbread Cookies
Recipe Type: Cookies
Cuisine: Dessert
Author: kcreatives
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 3 dozen
Perfect chewy shortbread for that cup of coffee!
Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp lemon extract (I love opening the bottle of this, smells amazing)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/4 cup 10x sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
zest of two lemons
1/8-1/4 cup cardamom sugar (for sprinkling on top before baking)
Instructions
Heat oven to 350.
Spray sheet pans with baking spray.
Cream butter. Add in salt and lemon. Combine sugar and zest. Then add in all purpose flour. Shape into balls with your hands and gently press them down (I’d love to find a pretty cookie press for this one, a simple, antique one would be great).
Let chill in fridge for 2 hours.
Sprinkle cardamom sugar on top of each cookie.
Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.
Cool a little – then devour them warm, or wait until morning.
