The Lunchbox Project November 10, 2009
Posted by delightfullysweet in Food, Just for a laugh, Memories, NaBloPoMo, Things that make me happy, Websites to check out.add a comment
I have been a fan of Lisa Orgler for a while now. Lisa is an award-winning artist and designer. A couple of months back she did a notecard painting of a picture of one of my recipes (my peanut butter and jelly cupcake). It was adorable and I loved it. I have fallen in love with her work and wish to own many of them!
Lisa has a newsletter which is called The Lunchbox Project. Each newsletter is published the last week of the month. Each month has themes and you are able to submit your recipes, blogs, or artwork that fit that months theme. Each newsletter also has a link to a .jpg of that month’s calendar featuring artwork from The Lunch Box Project. This month’s theme for the newsletter was the cranberry. So of course I decided to submit my cranberry loaf to go along with Lisa’s theme and she picked it to be one of her Sweet Food Blogs. I am so overjoyed that Lisa would pick my recipe/blog to be featured.
I hope you all will head on over to Lisa’s page and check out the newsletter and her site with her artwork. You won’t be disappointed!
{One of her works called Three White Pumpkins}
A weekend without cooking… November 9, 2009
Posted by delightfullysweet in Cooking, Just for a laugh, NaBloPoMo, Things that make me laugh, Wishes.3 comments
Amazing. It seems that this weekend went by without me cooking one single thing. That is an amazing for me. I am usually the type that makes breakfast, lunch, a snack and dinner over the weekends. I am always either in the kitchen or doing something around the house.
Friday I didn’t cook due to the fact that I was spending time with my best friend. He had invited me over for a mini marathon of How I Met Your Mother. We have a tradition of watching the show together each season. We both refrain from watching a couple of episodes, then get together, cook dinner and make an alcoholic beverage, sit and watch. This Friday instead of cooking we opted for takeout and his homemade sangria. We both had to work during the day and didn’t have time this Friday to cook. We also both had to get up early the next morning (me = work and him = school).
On Saturday I worked till mid afternoon. Afterwards, K picked up some sandwiches from a local shop. We ate, wrapped a present, and then napped. I have been feeling under the weather and wanted to make sure that I could make it through the birthday dinner we were going to that night. I did. It was a great little dinner with great friends.
On Sunday I woke up and did some much needed laundry, picked up bagels for my family, had a bit of a visit with my parents and K’s parents. On the way home we picked up some soup at a local shop and headed home for a quite night of Uno, dominoes and some TV.
Even though I didn’t cook this weekend I was thinking about it. I am glad that I got a bit of a weekend off.
The Sunday Seven – The Foodie Edition November 8, 2009
Posted by delightfullysweet in Food, Just for a laugh, NaBloPoMo, Things that make me happy, Websites to check out.1 comment so far
The Sunday Seven is seven websites that I have come across this week that I would love to share with you. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
1. The Casual Baker - Sheena has an amazing site with great photography and recipes. I can’t wait to make her cake with citrus curd.
2. Honey & Jam – Hannah has a mix of baking and photograph.
3. Sassy Radish – Her Sweet Potato Gnocchi looks to die for. Can’t wait to get into the kitchen to make it.
4. Zoe Bakes – I want to make just about everything on this site. Sometimes I wish I had the time to. Oh and that I wouldn’t be a 1,000 pounds if I did.
5. Saffron and Blueberry – I hope to one day be able to be as good at food photography as she is.
6. Food Loves Writing – Shannalee talks food and just about everything else.
7. Engineer Baker – Chemical engineer, baker, and get photo taker.
My obsession of the month… November 7, 2009
Posted by delightfullysweet in Decor, Just for a laugh, NaBloPoMo, Shopping, The future, Things I want, Things that make me happy, Websites to check out.3 comments
Lately I have been wanting to redecorate the apartment. Seems that I go through a phase every couple months. I pick one spot and need to do something different with it. When you first walk into our apartment there is a bit of a hallway/entryway that leads you into our living room – this is my obsession of the month. The hallway/entryway is at the moment filled with wonderful paintings that were painted by my aunt that are hung gallery style. I want to switch a couple of the pictures around and add some new ones. I would love to have a more eclectic mix.
{An idea but I don’t want it to be uniformed}
* photo from Apartment Therapy
Below is a painting that I have fallen in love with. I don’t know why, but it speaks to me. What it is saying I am not quite sure yet, but I find it darling!
{Painting from Native Vermont}
“One Lovely Blog” Award November 6, 2009
Posted by delightfullysweet in Award, Lists, NaBloPoMo, Things that make me happy, Websites to check out.4 comments
Candice of Bookish Penguin was awesome enough to passed along the “One Lovely Blog” award to me recently.
To accept the award:
* Post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link
* Pass the award to 15 (but I gave you 8!) other blogs that you’ve newly discovered and remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award
Below are 8 amazing bloggers that you should check out!
* Not Your Average Ordinary – One of my favorite blogger friends! She has the most adorable site!
* Big, Bold, Beautiful Food - New blog I have come across. She has amazing food and I can’t wait to see what she cooks up next!
* Cookie Love – Oh the cookies!
* Flourchild – Great cooking and an adorable family!
* Country Life Photoblog -Photography. Life. Writing.
* Zoe – I drool looking at her photography of food. I one day hope to be as good as she is.
* French Charming - New blog I have come across and love.
* Bitter Sweet – Check out this new blog I have been reading. You won’t be disappointed!
Cornbread Muffins November 5, 2009
Posted by delightfullysweet in Baking, Cooking, Food, NaBloPoMo, Photography, Recipes, Things that make me happy.3 comments
This is not my usual cornbread recipe (that one is under tight lock and key). My neighbor kept bragging about her cornbread muffin recipe and said that I needed to try them. That they might be better then my own. What? Of course I was going to have to make them to see if they were. I like a challenge.
The muffins were good, but a bit sweet for me. Next time I might cut down on a bit of the sugar. I am still in love with my original recipe, but these were a nice change.
Cornbread Muffins
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 400. Grease or line 12 muffin cups.
In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, honey, eggs and salt. Mix in flour, cornmeal and baking powder; blend thoroughly. Stir in milk. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.
{Cornbread Muffins with Butter}
* In her original recipe she added corn. I am not a big corn in corn muffin kind of girl so I omitted it. Do try it with and let me know what you think.
{Cornbread Muffins Cooling}
Two more movies that we watched this week November 4, 2009
Posted by delightfullysweet in Just for a laugh, Movies, NaBloPoMo, Things that make me laugh.add a comment
Two more movies that we watched this week:
My choice of movie – Chéri
When French courtesan Madame Peloux sets her pampered son, Cheri, up with middle-aged fellow courtesan Lea de Lonval, she wants to ensure he learns all about lovemaking from the best. But the affair lasts for years, creating problems when it’s time for Cheri to marry a wealthy woman. This movie is based on a novel by Colette.
A movie set in France and period film – no wonder I liked it! I very much enjoyed Michelle Pfeiffer’s performance as an aging courtesan in 19th century France, and Friend’s performance as Cheri, her spoiled 19-year-old lover. The period costumes were right on target. The settings were beautiful. Dialogue witty and endearing. The only part that I disliked was that Kathy Bates seems out of place in this setting.
K’s choice – Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Unlikely hero Sam and his girlfriend, Mikaela, return to assist the Autobots in another epic battle against the Decepticons.
This movie was action packed and over the top. There was amazing use of computer special effects. Dialogue was a bit bland, but the explosions and OK plot made up for it.
Ten things I am loving right now… November 3, 2009
Posted by delightfullysweet in Just for a laugh, Lists, NaBloPoMo, Ten Things I’m Really Loving Right Now, The future, Things that make me happy, Things that make me laugh.6 comments
1. I love the smell of the library. I don’t know if you are going to laugh at me or not, but I have to admit. Whenever I walk through the large doors I need to take a deep breath in. The scent brings back so many great memories. Hours spent with my nose in the books (reading not sniffing silly).
2. Pomegranates. Not to long ago POM Wonderful contacted me regarding their juice. They sent me a case and asked me to use it in a recipe. I have yet to find the perfect recipe to post here on the site, but I have been drinking it like crazy. Both plain and in sparkling wine. Soooo tasty!
3. Castle. I don’t know if you watch it, but you should. It makes me giggle and wonder who the killer is. Also did you know that the book in the show was made into a real book you could buy in the store? Reading it now!
4. Magic shell. I have to admit that I have never had it till just recently. K brought it into the house after I told him this. It is amazing on our Colombian Coffee Ice Cream. Bad K bad!
5. The Sartorialist. I wish I had the style some of these people have!
6. Audrey Hepburn. I have been obsessed with watching her movies as of late. She never goes out of style.
7. Breakfast for dinner. French toast, hash browns, omelets, pancakes, waffles. You name it we love it.
8. Candy corns. This is the only time of the year I can get my hands on some. I overload on them. I promise myself I won’t but then I always to.
9. Our Apartment. Lovely. Charming. Comfortable. Ours.
10. Being creative. I am in the process of making our Christmas cards. I enjoy having an outlet for my creative side. Since we have moved into the apartment I really haven’t had the time or the room to take up my painting again. I really do miss having that outlet to express myself.
Espresso Crinkle Cookies November 2, 2009
Posted by delightfullysweet in Baking, Cooking, Food, Lists, NaBloPoMo, Photography, Recipes, Things that make me happy, Things to do.6 comments
I know it is a bit early, but I need to get the set list ready for my Christmas cookie give aways. I usually have a couple of cookies that are the usual, but I also like to throw in a couple of new cookies in the batch. I found this recipe a magazine a while ago and I have been waiting to make them.
The dough for these cookies took just a couple minutes to throw together. They are so simple to make. Perfect for making large batches.
Espresso Crinkle Cookies
(adapted from a recipe from Better Homes & Gardens)
1/3 cup butter (softened)
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 egg whites
1/3 cup low-fat yogurt
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar (or confectioners’ sugar – whichever you prefer – I used granulated)
Heat oven to 350. Beat butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar, cocoa powder, coffee granules, baking soda, and cinnamon. Beat until combined, scraping sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in egg whites and yogurt until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour with a wooden spoon.
Place granulated sugar in a small bowl. Drop dough by heaping teaspoons into sugar and roll into balls. Roll again in sugar. Place balls 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool.
{Espresso Crinkle Cookies}
What is it that gives you joy? November 1, 2009
Posted by delightfullysweet in Cooking, Food, Giving, Memories, Things that make me happy, Things that make me laugh, Wishes.1 comment so far
Lately I have realized how happy I am when I am in the kitchen. Being in the kitchen is a treat for me. The rest of the world slips away, and my head clears. I play music and just get into whatever I am cooking. The happenings of the day just slip away and I am in the here and now.
When I am not in the kitchen I think about being in it. I read so many articles, blogs and books about cooking. I dream up what I am going to make next. I plan it out. I figure out who I am going to give it to. When people give me presents it usually has something to do with the kitchen. Last year K got me a Kitchen Aid for Christmas. I cried.
I know this all sounds a bit odd, especially since I don’t work anywhere near the kitchen in my everyday life. I have never gone to school for it. It is just something I do on my time off. Something I enjoy.
What is it that gives you joy?
