Blueberry Crisp

I've got good news and bad news, which would you like first? 

The bad news?

Ok, good. I thought so. 

The bad news is that this blueberry crisp is dairy-free and refined sugar-free and that normally means that it is also bland, boring, and generally fun-free for your taste buds. 

The good news, though? It actually tastes DELICIOUS! You'd never guess that this has no refined sugar or butter, and it's wholesome enough that you could consider it for breakfast, probably sans ice cream (or maybe you're living that #SummerVacationLife and you're considering ice cream for breakfast, do your thang...aka YOLO (is YOLO still a thing?).

This crisp comes from one of my favorite books of all time, Bread & Wine by Shauna Neiquest. I'm going to go ahead and suggest that you make this crisp and then sit down to read the book with a big bowl of the crisp. That sounds like the perfect evening (or morning) to me. 

There are a few things that make this recipe phenomenal. 

1. A short ingredient list - the only thing you may have to run out for is almond flour/almond meal, which you can find pretty easily these days in larger grocery stores or online. My Big Lots frequently gets shipments of Bob's Red Mill Almond Meal for cheap so I always buy it if I'm close to running out. 
2. Including baking time this recipe comes together in just under an hour - you essentially pour 4 cups of any fruit you want (either fresh or frozen) into a baking dish, make the crisp topping that takes about 5 minutes (as long as you know where your measuring cups are), pour the crisp topping over the fruit, and bake for about 40 - 50 minutes. 
3. It works with any fruit (fresh and/or frozen) - I've tried this with fresh and frozen fruits and it comes out perfectly every single time. I've used frozen strawberries, cherries, peaches, and blueberries as well as fresh blueberries and blackberries in this recipe. All of them have been my favorite. 
4. Because this recipe is so simple you can swap out ingredients to your preference. The recipe calls for pecans, but almonds would be so good in this to add extra crunch. You can also use whatever oil you have on hand, as well as using a flavored maple-syrup if you want. I found a bourbon barrel aged syrup and it added a little extra kick. There are no spices written into the recipe so you can use whatever you like. We've used cinnamon, ginger, vanilla bean, cardamom, nutmeg all to great success. Because this is so easy, you have the ability to experiment with flavors until you get it just right!

Blueberry Crisp

recipe from Bread & Wine by Shauna Neiquest

4 cups fresh or frozen fruit, (this specific time I used frozen wild blueberries)

1 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped

1/2 cup almond flour/meal

1/4 cup maple syrup (This is the one I used. I'm not a maple fan, but I do love this!)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

While oven heats pour fruit into an 8x8 pan. 

Combine remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, then pour crisp topping over top of the fruit. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes (longer if fruit is frozen) or until crisp is golden brown and fruit is bubbling. 

We enjoy ours topped with a scoop or two of vanilla bean Halo Top ice cream.

 

Chocolate Crinkle Sprinkle Cookies

Today, I have the cutest cookies to share with you from Jessica at How Sweet Eat's new cookbook The Pretty Dish.

Jessica's blog was the first that I started following. I loved her writing style, and I really related to her experience working a job that wasn't a good fit. At that point it gave me hope for myself that I would find something more suited to what I wanted my future life to look like. 

Fast forward a few years, and I'm still working in an industry that I'm not a huge fan of, but I am thankful for the experiences and lessons it has afforded me. I graduated with a business degree, and I'm thankful that I've learned how business works. More specifically how the politics of business work. The theory of business, and human resources, is pretty-cut-and-dry in the classroom. You graduate with all kinds of big plans and ideas, and it doesn't take you long to realize that the whole system is flawed because it's all run by human beings each with their own motivations. 

What does this have to do with sprinkle cookies? Nothing! Not a thing at all, but I like to use this space as a way to remember what my life was like during a certain period of time. I'd most like to remember that over the weekend I experienced a breakthrough (that sounds dramatic). Mainly I came to the conclusion that I really do not like the industry I'm in, and it's totally OK. I have a degree in business and almost ten years of experience that will serve me well in whatever comes next, but it's OK to finally admit I do not fit in this environment. I do not want to move up the ladder here. I don't want to pursue this. I'm not good at it, but that doesn't mean I'm a failure. It just means my talents lie elsewhere. It's OK to finally admit that I haven't been happy here since I started, and I don't have to feel guilty about that! 

What comes next? Hopefully a creative career and a small business that's all mine. I love photography. Food, people, landscapes, all of it. I hope that one day I get to have income that is generated by creativity and loving people well. Using photography as a way to help people remember the faithfulness of God in both good and bad circumstances. Until then, I'll be eating these DELICIOUS cookies.

Chocolate Crinkle Sprinkle Cookies

recipe from The Pretty Dish by Jessica Merchant of How Sweet Eats

makes about 2 dozen of the cutest cookies ever

1 cup ap flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

sprinkles**

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine cocoa powder, sugar, and oil on medium speed until combined. 

Add in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Add in the vanilla extract. 

Add in the flour mixture. The mixture will be quite runny. 

Remove the bowl from your mixture, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. 

After refrigerating, cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Add sprinkles to a small bowl. 

While the oven pre-heats, remove dough from the fridge. 

Using a medium-sized cookie scoop, scoop dough (they will be quite thick and sticky!) and roll into balls with your hands. 

Completely immerse the dough ball in sprinkles and roll until covered. 

Place on cookie sheet. Continue with all of the cookie dough, spacing the dough balls about 1 1/2 inches apart. 

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until cookies have spread and have set. Make sure the cookies have cooled completely before removing from the cookie sheet. 

ENJOY!

** There are SO many types of sprinkles that these cookies would be perfect for any and all occasions. Use red, white, and blue for July 4th; green and red for Christmas parties; super bright and colorful for birthdays, etc. 

I love the sprinkle medleys from Sweetapolita! 

Lucky Charms Bars

This post/recipe was intended to go up for St. Patrick's Day, but it didn't happen. So, guys! Here's a very late, but yummy and easy recipe to brighten up your days! Lucky Charms Bars!

These bars are basically rice krispie treats made with lucky charms cereal. They are so simple to make but are an absolute showstopper when served with all those colorful marshmallows. 

I hope you have a blast in the kitchen when you make these! Enjoy!

Lucky Charms Bars

recipe from Simply Scratch 

1 box Lucky Charms cereal
1 stick salted butter
1 (16 oz) package mini marshmallows
1 tablespoon whole milk, I used half and half
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper.

Separate the cereal from the marshmallows.

In a large pot over low heat melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, add in the melted marshmallows and stir until completely melted and creamy.

Stir in vanilla and milk. Add in the cereal and stir quickly to combine. Remove from heat.

Add in the marshmallows and stir until combined. Transfer to a prepared pan.

Press gently, and allow to cool completely before cutting.

Vacation Bundt

It's finally September, one of my favorite months because it's the best of both seasonal worlds. Things get cozy fast in September, but there are still days when it feels like lazy summer. More September forever! 

Today we have a bundt cake recipe that is more geared toward those lazy summer-feeling days (or days where you wish it was a lazy summer day), and it is LOADED with pineapple, coconut, macadamia nuts, and banana. This cake is sweetly spiced and cozy so it can suffice for any fall cravings, too. 

P.S. I stole the cake styling and recipe idea from Liv for Cake. I couldn't pass up the pineapple top inside this bundt! 

Vacation Bundt

recipe & styling inspiration from Liv for Cake

For the Cake

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 eggs

2 cups mashed banana (I used 4 large bananas)

1 cup crushed pineapple, drained (keep the juice for the glaze)

1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut

For the Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

4 teaspoons pineapple juice

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a bundt pan with nonstick spray. Set aside. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together sugar, vanilla, and oil until creamy. 

Add in eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. 

Add in banana, pineapple, macadamia nuts, and coconut and mix until just combined. 

Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined. 

Pour batter into prepared bundt pan, and bake until a tester comes out clean. (about 70 minutes)

Allow cake to cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes then turn out of the pan.

Once the cake has cooled completely cover with glaze. 

To make the glaze:

In a measuring cup combine powdered sugar and pineapple juice and whisk until smooth. 

Pour over cooled cake. 

Sour Cream Donuts

It's the last few days of August, can you believe it?? I have so many good things coming in these last few months of 2017 and I'm trying my hardest to slow down and savor every single one of them. 

I thought it would be fun to write out some things I've loved this month just to let you know about them, and to help me remember, too! Here we go!

First things first, the That Sounds Fun Podcast with Annie F. Downs. I have been super into podcasts this year, but this one makes me most excited to see when a new episode starts downloading. The topics of conversation are usually Jesus and FUN - it doesn't get any better than that. 

Garden City: Work, Rest, and the Art of Being Human by John Mark Comer. I was introduced to this book when John was on the That Sounds Fun Podcast, and it's been a great read. I highly recommend it!

Whole30. After what I've dubbed "Chaotic August" my body needed a reset, so we're doing another round. Thankfully we'll be finished before our vacation at the end of September!

Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sakuri Babyfacial has saved my skin after "Chaotic August". My skin flipped out, and I think it was a perfect storm of stress, eating things out of my norm, and hormones. I have reactive skin anyway and the combo of all that wasn't great. Babyfacial is the only thing that helped. 

THESE Donuts! Actually, any donuts, but these turned out really nice and extra pretty. 

These are sour cream donuts, and we glazed them with a brown butter glaze. Did you know that brown butter is one of my favorite smells of all time? See also - lemon zest & sugar, and slightly burnt caramel. So good, all three. 

These donuts have such a great texture, and while they are not a yeast donut, they are fried which I prefer. They turned out so pretty and making a tiny slice around the top of the dough before frying made these look so rustic. Add 10 points for that. 

Sour Cream Donuts with Maple Brown Butter Glaze

Recipe from The Sweet & Simple Kitchen

For the Donuts

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder1/2 tsp baking soda1 tsp cinnamon1 tsp nutmegpinch of salt1 cup granulated sugar2 eggs1/3 cup butter, melted1 tsp vanilla1 tsp lemon zest1 cup sour cream
Canola oil, for frying 

In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda and powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together sugar and both eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Slowly pour in the melted butter making sure to incorporate fully. Add in half of the sour cream, beating until combined before adding the remaining sour cream and mixing until smooth and creamy. 

Add wet ingredients into the dry and mix together with a spatula until a smooth, sticky dough is formed. Roll dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and wrap tight. Refrigerate overnight. 

When you're ready to begin frying, remove dough from the fridge and let rest on the countertop while you prepare the oil. In a heavy-bottomed pot, bring about 2-3 inches of oil to exactly 350 degrees. 

While the oil heats, roll dough out onto a flour surface to about 1/2 inch thickness. Using a large cutter, cut dough into 12 rounds, and then cut the centers out with a small cutter. Take a pairing knife and make a shallow cut all the way around the dough to make the extra texture on top of the donut. 

Drop three donuts at a time into the hot oil. Once the donut floats to the top, allow to cook about 1 minute before flipping the donut over and cooking for an additional 1 minute. Remove from oil and allow excess oil to drip off before placing on a cooling rack lined with paper towels. Continue for the remaining donuts and donut holes. 

For the Glaze

3 cups icing sugar
3 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp brown butter
3-4 tbsp milk

Combine icing sugar, syrup, vanilla, brown butter, and 2 tablespoons milk in a bowl. Depending on the thickness of your glaze add more milk to desired consistency. 

After donuts have cooled dip donuts in glaze and allow to set for a few minutes before serving. 

ENJOY!

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Peach Fluff

I am so excited to be sharing this very famous (at least in our house) recipe today! This one brings up so many memories for me as we had this at a close friend's home quite a few times when I was growing up. This also happens to be one of my dad's favorite recipes, and since his birthday was recently I was able to surprise him with it! Food gifts are my favorite to give! 

This recipe is a summer staple. It's fairly easy to make, and it makes A LOT so if you have a picnic or BBQ to go to this would be the perfect option. This dessert also looks impressive in the pan, and it's a great way to use up the best summer fruit....PEACHES! 

This dessert starts with a shortbread-like crust with delicious pecans in the crust. I toasted mine and it gave it an extra nutty flavor. The crust is topped with a sweet cream cheese mixture, and then all of that gets finished with a peachy, fruity, delicious topping. Crunchy, nutty, sweet, tangy, peachy! This hits all those delicious notes all in one bite. 

May I introduce you to: Peach Fluff!

Peach Fluff

recipe from a sweet lady at church who was gracious enough to share it with me!

To Make the Crust

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and press into a 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. 

To Make the Cream Cheese Filling

1 8oz tub Cool Whip, defrosted 

1 8oz brick cream cheese, softened 

1 cup powdered sugar

In a large bowl combine all ingredients with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. 

Spread mixture onto cooled crust.

To Make the Peach Topping

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 3oz box peach Jello
8 fresh peaches, chopped

Add water, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thick and clear.

Remove thickened mixture from heat and add in box of peach Jello. Whisk until combined.

Add chopped peaches into thickened sugar mixture and stir to combine.

Pour peach topping over cream cheese filling.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

I hope your family enjoys this dessert as much as my family does! Happy summer to you and yours! 

blackberry & nectarine galette

Ok friends. Let's talk about The Great British Baking Show. Have you seen it? Do you know what I'm talking about? My sister introduced me to the show a few weekends ago, and now I'm hooked. Like, hooked to the point that I watched all three seasons in their entirety in about 2 weeks. I consider the show educational (because it teaches you science and complicated baking techniques) so I can justify the amount of hours spent watching TV...it was basically school!

All that educational programing (HA) has me so inspired to start baking on a regular basis again, and it's given me some confidence to start trying things I wouldn't have tried before. The bakers on the show try their hand at pastries and treats that I've never even heard of, and they offer explanations on the "why" behind baking. 

Their explanation on why homemade crust works inspired me to make my own pie crust in this galette! This is my third attempt at homemade crust, and believe me when I say the first two were not pretty. This time the crust turned out perfectly, and it really is so delicious. 

This galette was originally supposed to be cherry a la How Sweet Eats, but I could find cherries or a cherry pitter, so I used what was freshest: blackberries and nectarines! I think what makes this galette work is the tart fruit with the sweet and buttery pastry. If you can't find blackberries or nectarines you can successfully sub in a tart fruit of any kind. 

Blackberry + Nectarine Galette

pastry recipe from How Sweet Eats

filling recipe adapted from The New York Times

For the pastry (makes two)

4 cups all-purpose four

1 tablespoon sugar

3 teaspoons salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/2 cup ice cold water

1 1/2 cups (24 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into chunks

sugar for sprinkling over crust

1 egg + a little water for brushing over the crust

Sift together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and whisk together.

In a small bowl whisk together egg, vinegar, and water.

Add butter chunks into the flour mixture and combine together by hand until the mixture resembles a sandy texture. 

Pour egg mixture into the flour mixture and combine with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together. 

Turn dough out onto your counter top and knead until the dough is smooth and pliable. Roll into a large ball.

Cut dough ball in half. Cover both dough balls in plastic wrap freeze one for later use, and refrigerate the other for no more than 30 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

For the Filling

2 pounds nectarines, pitted and sliced 

6 ounces fresh blackberries

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl and let rest while crust rests in the fridge. 

To Assemble the Tart

Roll dough into a loose circle shape on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. 

Place dough on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Scoop fruit mixture into the center of the dough, leaving about a 2 inch border around the edges. 

Fold and pleat crust over the filling. Brush beaten egg and water over the exposed crust, and top the entire galette with a generous sprinkle of sugar. 

Bake galette for 40 - 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. 

Serve to friends with ice-cream, or eat in bed while watching reruns of The Great British Baking Show. 

blueberry pie fudge and a chat about disappointment

Today I have blueberry pie fudge, folks! It feels so summery and it involves very few ingredients which I like as well. Before we get to the recipe let's have a little chat about....

DISAPPOINTMENT 

Yep, disappointment. Why? Well, because this week has been rough and I believe in sharing stories because maybe someone else will feel like they aren't alone in their circumstances. 

I'm not even sure where to begin because I'm still in the stages of feeling super overwhelmed. More specifically, I'm feeling super disappointed in connection with something that I've been praying about for a very long time, and a feeling that I have no direction in life right now. There are so many wonderful changes and good things coming in the next few months in my personal life, but at the same time those changes have made me feel a sense of misdirection. Or if I'm being truthful, no direction. A lot of the things I've found identity in - ministry, career, relationships, etc. - are changing and I'm feeling quite off balance. Some things have changed as an answer to prayer, but I've been left feeling lost because the new things weren't nearly as exciting or fulfilling as I anticipated them to be. It's left me feeling empty and without a sense of direction. 

As I've tried to process through these feelings, I've just made myself feel guilty that I'm not happy. I've seen myself in a not so flattering light this week as I've had an adult temper tantrum on the inside while trying to keep a smile on my face on the outside. I'll let you guess how that turned out (answer: terribly). My point here is this: it's ok to be disappointed. It's ok to feel that feeling. It's ok to have a moment of panic when things don't turn out the way you expected. What's not ok is settling in to those emotions and buying a one-way ticket to pity-party-town. Believe me, I've done that too many times to count and it's not a great tourist spot. 

What should we do with all those feelings? I believe we should use them as a compass. Sometimes gathering information about what we don't like is as valuable as the information about what we do like. For me, I'm not a fan AT ALL of where I am in my career. My job is a snoozefest, and it's an endless cycle of delivering bad news to college students. What I've learned is I don't like to be the bearer of bad news, I don't like telling students there aren't options, and I don't particularly like to enforce federal regulations (many that I don't even agree with), and THAT'S OK! I don't have to love everything about everything.  What I do like is creativity in a good, supportive team and being an advocate for students who feel like they don't have options (if I were to stay in higher education). 

My point in all of this? Well, I think I just needed to write it out. This just seemed really therapeutic and my mind is already more at ease. 

How does all of this tie in to fudge? Well, I had a really bad attitude this week and allowed the confusion about my career and a few upcoming things in my future to plunge me into one of the worst weeks of anxiety that I've had. When I get anxious I close off, and I made this fudge for a person who loves me very much that I pulled away from. 

If you've displayed a bad attitude toward someone you love may I present these affection confections are a way to say, "I'm sorry for being a buttface for 5 days." 

Find the recipe over on Baker by Nature. 

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Peanut Butter Blossoms

Hey, hi, hello! I'd be willing to bet you need a quick, easy, delicious recipe for Christmas cookies. I have just the one for you, and it has a little twist to make this classic cookie extra special! 

This recipe adds chocolate chips to the cookie itself, and then the dough gets rolled in a crumbly mixture of peanut butter and powdered sugar. The mixture gives this cookie a crumbly outer texture, and more chocolate never hurt anyone.

Merry Christmas, friends! Thanks for reading! 

Peanut Butter Blossoms

makes about 3 dozen

recipe from Half Baked Harvest 

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided 

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

2/3 cup powdered sugar

chocolate kisses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

In the bowl of a mixer cream together butter, 1/2 cup of peanut butter, and both sugars. Add in the egg and vanilla until just combined. 

In a separate bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

With your mixer on low, add dry ingredients until just combined. 

Fold in mini chocolate chips. 

In a small bowl combine remaining 1/2 cup of peanut butter and powdered sugar making sure to break up any large clumps. 

Spoon out two teaspoons of the dough and roll in the peanut butter powdered sugar mixture prosily lightly to adhere. 

Bake on a cookie sheet spaced 2 inches apart for 9-11 minutes depending on how crispy you like your  cookies.