Post from Dec 15th: Cinnamon Scones. Eat! Drink! Be Merry!

This morning I'm sipping on Constant Comment tea and eating a couple of these baby scones. Mmm, it's a happy day. I'm not going to lie, I'll probably have more later too. I must confess, I was never much of a scone girl. I'd rather have a muffin or coffee cake. Those semi-sweet crumbly dry scones just never did it for me. Then I thought, I've judged so harshly! I'm not a judger. What's the matter with me? I then got my computer out and starting searching for scone recipes but most of them just seemed too dull or dry or plain or... yuck! But, remember, in the spirit of the Holidays, I'm giving them a chance. So I took a few recipes that I thought sounded ok and adapted them to my craving and what I like.

Here's what you do...

Preheat that oven of yours to 400 degrees and get all this stuff out and flour a surface to lay out the dough so it's ready when you are.

Put all the dry stuff in a bowl. Note: you can make these with all white flour if that's your thing.

and make it look like this.

throw in some semi-cold slabs of butter

and with your clean hands knead that butter in a little. Don't go crazy, just break it up a bit.

Then, half at a time I add the cream and knead it all in. Dough will be sticky and fall-aparty.

it should look like this.

Since you were smart and floured a surface before you started, you don't even need to wash your hands again. Throw down the dough and show it who the boss is. Shape the dough how you want it.

then score and cut it with a big ol' knife

pop them on a greased pan or a pan with parchment paper. Put those bad boys in the oven and set your timer for 11-12 minutes. If you're making mini scones it might be more like 9-11 minutes. Just keep an eye on them and when a tooth-pick and inserted and comes out clean you're A-OK to pull them out.

And Viola! You get these. BUT, don't dive in yet they get better! Let them start cooling and make your icing then drizzle. While the icing is setting up a little start the water for your tea or coffee and call some friends over for some good times. We all need those.

Post from Dec 12th: Stranger in the Cheese Isle

I was at the super market today looking quizzically at the copious amounts of cheese trying to remember why I walked over to that area and this charming old man who was with his wife looks over at me with this adorable grin, rubs his belly and winks at me as if to say, "I see you. You're going to be a mama. Good job, Darling." I smiled nodded and we both went out separate ways. Now, I'm not sure if he knew that I was pregnant because he saw me looking confused at the cheeses for several minutes knowing I was much too young to have memory problems or if my coat that I thought was covering the 'bump' very well was indeed not. Come to think of it, it could have been my horrible mismatched clothes but I doubt that. We were dressed very similarly, he and I. Nonetheless, it made me smile all the way home. This old man that probably has great grandchildren saw into me and smiled upon. It was like he knew something I don't yet know. It gave me a peace about bringing a child into this world. This man who has seen it all still approves of new life in these times.

For now, in the not-yet-knowing stage of motherhood, I'll keep dreaming of my baby's face and what it will be like to hold the handsome little fella and pray every night to be the kind of mother that doesn't shelter but teaches, that doesn't judge but loves, that doesn't fear the worst but always prays for the best.

Post from Dec 8th: Look, I LOVE Cinnamon

So, here's the deal, this whole pregnancy thing has got me wanting certain things and wanting them bad. Oh, hey! I'm pregnant! Wow, I know. You're thinking to yourself, she is so crafty, she even makes people! (I stole that joke from a card I saw once. Credit not taken.) It's incredible, I know. I think the same things. On to the point- cinnamon. When I get my head fixed on an idea of what I want, I can't shake it until I've consumed it. Cinnamon has been my biggest craving since the OJ incidents (a story for another day). Therefore, I hunted recipes with what sounded like copious amounts of cinnamon and I made them. I made easy things like what my mom used to make in a pinch when all we had was bread in the house. She'd butter one side of a slice of bread then sprinkle cinnamon and sugar and broil them until it was melted and almost crunchy on top- my fave. However, I didn't think that would really tickle your fancy so I decided to make these and show off this amazing recipe I found and adapted, and by adapted, I mean, I added more cinnamon and replaced one cup of white flour with whole wheat and then added more cinnamon. Hey, what baby wants...

But first, let me entice you with delicious words. These muffins are very dense, almost like a donut, but so much more justifiable then a donut. They have little sugar, little oil, and half whole wheat. The muffin itself really isn't very sweet but is essential to the selling point- the cinnamon-sugar top. This is one muffin top you wish you had, ladies. These are what this pregnant woman calls a cinnamon lover's grand-slam! Go ahead, make them. You'll see! I'm not crazy. I'm just crazy for cinnamon. Don't judge. It's awesome. If I could, I'd grow a tree with cinnamon bark that I'd make my husband harvest for me. Oh the things I'd make! Probably the same things I make now only they would sound so much fancier due to harvesting my own cinnamon. If you can control yourself and don't eat them while still warm, I recommend popping them in the microwave for 30 seconds and eat them with your favorite hot tea, coffee, or just plain ole milk. Oh ecstasy.

Recipe adapted from Laura Rebecca's Kitchen

I made the recipe an image so you should be able to save it to your computer. Ya dig?

Post from Nov 14th: Jingle Jangle

I thought about baking something yummy and pumpkiny but decided to wait and find just the right thing to make you, something special. So instead, you know what I love? I love Christmas time. I love the scents, the colors, the music, and gettin' my craft on. I don't know what it is about Christmas crafts but they're totally my favorite. I'm super excited this time around because of several reasons but the main one being that I don't have a huge work week stealing my energy and creativity. So this year, I'm giving my family silly little felt ornaments on Thanksgiving so they can adorn their own trees. I've personalized all of them to their likes. Big brother gets a sweet camera, his lady gets a pretty tree for her earthy side, other brother gets a moose, and mama gets a pretty little nesting doll I'm not sure why but I thought she'd like it. So kids, here's a peak into my craftiness thus far. Also, I made a wreath for our front door. So much more to come! Seriously can't wait until my man lets me put the tree up. Homemade stockings are on the works along with other sweet festive decor. So. Excited.

C'mon... those are fun. I don't care who you are.

Our very first Christmas wreath. Hello holiday season 2011.

Updated:

A look at what we have so far...