thankful list

ever have one of those days where you can't shake yourself out of the negative thoughts pervading your mind? today was one of those days. i usually have one of those days during that time of the month along side my migraines. i wasted most of my day in bed recovering from pains of what felt like my head was going to blow up. my day started late. it started on the wrong foot. i got nothing done.

when i find myself have pity party, it helps tremendously to make a list of what I'm thankful for. its a healthy reminder not to sweat the small stuff & to be thankful for lifes little blessings. today i am thankful for...

+ the sound of the pitter patter of rain outside my window
+ a wonderful husband i get to sleep next to
+ being able to find milk powder at a much cheaper price than what whole foods offered
+ the burning candle that makes our room smell cozy & clean
+ tomorrows day off to do what i didn't get done today

compost cookie

last week i tried my hand at baking compost cookies inspired by momofuku milkbars recipe. i stopped by spun sugar to pick up the glucose powder it called for & got to baking. 

given that i gave up my processed & artificial sugar for the month of february, i couldn't taste the final product. however, i was assured by the compliments that this recipe is a keeper. i made the cookies smaller than what the recipe called for so instead of baking it for 18 minutes, i changed the baking time to 8 minutes. 

recipe:

• 225 grams (16 Tbsp. or 2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
• 150 grams (2⁄3 cup, tightly packed) light brown sugar
• 50 grams (2 Tbsp.) glucose
• 1 egg
• 2 grams (1/2 tsp.) vanilla extract
• 225 grams (1 1/3 cups) flour
• 2 grams (1/2 tsp.) baking powder
• 1 1/2 grams (1/4 tsp.) baking soda
• 4 grams (1 tsp.) kosher salt
• 150 grams (3/4 cup) mini chocolate chips
• 100 grams (1/2 cup) mini butterscotch chips
• 1/4 recipe Graham Crust (85 grams or 1/2 cup; see separate recipe)
• 40 grams (1/3 cup) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 5 grams (2 1/2 tsp.) ground coffee
• 50 grams (2 cups) potato chips
• 50 grams (1 cup) mini pretzels

directions:

Combine the butter, sugars and glucose in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg and vanilla, and beat for 7 to 8 minutes. 

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix just until the dough comes together, no longer than 1 minute. (Do not walk away from the machine during this step, or you will risk overmixing the dough.) Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. 

Still on low speed, add the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, graham crust, oats and coffee, and mix just until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add the potato chips and pretzels, and paddle, still on low speed, until just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix or break too many of the pretzels or potato chips. (You deserve a pat on the back if one of your cookies bakes off with a whole pretzel standing up in the center.) 

Using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop (or a 1⁄3-cup measure), portion out the dough onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Pat the tops of the cookie dough domes flat. Wrap the sheet pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 1 week. Do not bake your cookies from room temperature—they will not bake properly. 

Heat the oven to 375°. 

Arrange the chilled dough a minimum of 4 inches apart on parchment- or Silpat-lined sheet pans. Bake for 18 minutes. The cookies will puff, crackle and spread. After 18 minutes, they should be very faintly browned on the edges yet still bright yellow in the center. Give them an extra minute or so if that's not the case. 

Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pans before transferring to a plate or an airtight container for storage. At room temp, cookies will keep fresh for 5 days; in the freezer, they will keep for 1 month.

Pasta & Flan

for two months my church has gathered to cook & provide meals for my pastor & his growing family. i can only imagine how crazy it must be for a mom when a new baby arrives, so i love kind & thoughtful gestures like these that help in ways that can make a huge difference in someones day.

it was my turn to cook so i opted for a simple pasta salad. fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, spinach, & chicken apple sausage tossed in pasta with roasted garlic. for dessert i made the leche flan (creme caramel). it was my first time & i was sure it would become this discombabulaated mess after i attempted to flip & take it out of its mold..but to my surprise it came out perfect & in tact! i made two & gave the other to hubby & his co workers.

since i gave up sugar for this month i didn't get to taste it, so i relied on the verdict of the hubby & his co workers. turns out they loved it! a recipe success. i'll be adding this one to my recipe book. 

Crochet

i picked up crocheting as past time last year. it's not only fun but immensely therapeutic & creative. learning amigurimi has always been on my list of goals, so when it came down to choosing between knitting & crocheting..the obvious choice was crochet.

im self taught after watching youtube videos & even joined a crochet group that would meet once a month. my schedule started to fill up & my attendance to my crochet meet ups became inconsistent. slowly i stopped crocheting when wedding planning took priority. soon enough i forgot the basic patterns. 

ive picked up crocheting once again & enjoying the process of relearning the basics. i became ecstatic when my mom told me she picked it up as her retirement hobby! i love exchanging emails all about crocheting with her. 

cup sweaters & heart headbands were my projects when i first started last year. i made a ton of these as i practiced my basic stiches. they make great starter projects since they don't take long to finish...total immediate gratification for an impatient learner like me who wanted to have something tangible to take away from just having learned the art of crochet. 

LOVE day

this year was our first valentines as husband & wife. in the past we usually avoid the crowds & have a day date instead of dinner out. this valentines we decided to keep it low key, so the hubby & i stayed in & he cooked most of our dinner. it's such a nice treat for me since i usually do the cooking. 

he made my favorite (his version is truly the best! even better than olive garden) zuppa toscanna soup & bbq-ed rib eye steaks for us. i roasted brussel sprouts & lightly tossed then in balsamic reduction. our dinner was absolutely delicious!

i was so hungry that I didn't get a chance to take photos. however, i did take a photo of the soup prep & triple chocolate brownies i baked his co-workers. the brownies were made a festive with cake toppers i made the night before & i decorated the kitchen with heart garlands i crafted & reused from the previous year. 

                                      

score!

as with most teenage girls shopping & clothes use to excite me. i would say the same claim can be said during my college years & life in my early to mid twenties. it was after graduation & having way more time on my hands that i started to learn how to cook. it was around my late twenties that the thrill of shopping for clothes deflated. perhaps, it's realizing i have way more than i need with the combination of being a completely broke & struggling young adult post grad searching for any job to bring some sort of income that i actually started loathing shopping. i go through a series of questions (need vs. want, how functional is it, etc) before i buy anything these days. a huge majority of the time i put what i "think" i need back & walk out empty handed. ive learned to make do with what i have & loving the simplicity in not overindulging where i don't need to.

however, if their is one thing that excites me it is the acquisition of new cookware/bakeware! tell take signs of growing up..im sure. i had been hoping to stumble on a le cruset piece for years but alas no lucks during thrift store visit while hunting for vintage pyrex. this week after much patience I lucked out on a le cruset griddle pan! it's in excellent condition & instead of paying $150, I only paid $30! what a sweet deal! 

i was also gifted a new vintage pyrex to add to my collection from my sissy! it's been awhile since ive hunted since my collection is huge but it sure did feel nice to add something to my collection that i don't already own.

i couldn't wait to give my two new babies a bath & admire them after. grilled cheese sanwiches & tomato soup for the hubby next week! perfect for this rainy, cold, & gloomy weather we've been having in drought stricken california!

frenchie friday

training iggy to sleep in his own bed has proven to be harder on me than on iggy. im use to his cuddle snuggle ways & snoring along side me. it's now the 5th day & this is the longest ive gone without sneaking him back in bed. im sure the hubby appreciates the extra room on the bed but boy oh boy do i miss my little baby giving me cuddles.