Sweet Endeavors

I mentioned a while back in a post that I have been doing a little bit of baking, so I'm finally sharing the sweets that I've made!  (Note that the recipe name is a link to the recipe.)

Peanut Butter-Nutella Swirl

This was the first cookie I attempted because you don't need a mixer for this.  Oh, and duh, because of the Nutella, of course!  It is really good.  If you like PB cookies, you'll like this :)  Don't be shy with the Nutella -- the more, the better!

I also tried these, but the cookie didn't turn out for me, so I switched back to the swirl cookie and then added a dollop of Nutella.  They were good, but a little rich for me! (And that's saying a lot!)

Breakfast Cookie

Then I came across this baby on Pinterest and whipped up a batch.  They were pretty good and naturally sweet so I could eat them for breakfast without guilt!  More of a cake-like texture than cookie.  You will not be able to pass this off as a regular cookie, it's too healthy tasting for that.  Which is why it's a great breakfast cookie!

Chewy Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

The other week I found a hand mixer on sale at BB&B, so I snatched it up with visions of all of the cookies I have been wanting to make but couldn't for lack of one (I made some muffins that required creaming the butter and sugar and got a really good arm workout that day!).  So I tried this recipe, subbing chocolate chips for nuts.  Steve and I both agreed that these cookies were "okay."  Not bad for breakfast, but then, I'd probably prefer the breakfast cookies for a less-guilt alternative, because even though these are pretty low in fat, they do have a lot of sugar.  Not that there's any kind of cookie that I wouldn't eat for breakfast! :)

Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip

And then earlier this week, I was wanting to make something sweet (ugh -- I need a job so I don't have to sign up for a marathon to run off all of these cookie calories!)... so I looked up chocolate chip cookie recipes and settled on this one because I love a nice, soft cookie and supposedly using all brown sugar instead of half brown and half white yields a softer cookie (news to me!).  I also read somewhere that cooling the dough before cooking would make a thicker (less flat) cookie, so after whipping these up, I threw the dough in the freezer for about 15 minutes.  Then I formed the balls and cooked as per the recipe.  True statements for both the brown sugar and dough freezing (you can see in the photo that the cookie did not flatten out much).

Um... yum!  These are the best CC cookies I've ever made (not that it's saying a lot when I put it that way, but still!)

And now I think I'll hit the treadmill :)  Hope you enjoyed!

The Hills are Alive!

In the East side of the SF Bay ("The East Bay"), our hills are brown most of the year (refer to this post for proof). But after some rain, we now (temporarily) have the most beautiful green hills! Aren't they so pretty???  It almost makes me want to hike up Mission Peak again... almost.

And this is just the creation... what a wonderful, majestic, beautiful Creator we have!

Psalm 104:1-18

Bless the Lord, O my soul!
    O Lord my God, you are very great!
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
²     covering yourself with light as with a garment,
     stretching out the heavens like a tent.
³ He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters;
he makes the clouds his chariot;
    he rides on the wings of the wind;
⁴ he makes his messengers winds,
    his ministers a flaming fire.

⁵ He set the earth on its foundations,
    so that it should never be moved.
⁶ You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
    the waters stood above the mountains.
⁷ At your rebuke they fled;
    at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.
⁸ The mountains rose, the valleys sank down
    to the place that you appointed for them.
⁹ You set a boundary that they may not pass,
    so that they might not again cover the earth.

¹⁰ You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
    they flow between the hills;
¹¹ they give drink to every beast of the field;
    the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
¹² Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;
    they sing among the branches.
¹³  From your lofty abode you water the mountains;
    the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.

¹⁴ You cause the grass to grow for the livestock
    and plants for man to cultivate,
that he may bring forth food from the earth
¹⁵     and wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine
    and bread to strengthen man's heart.

¹⁶ The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly,
     the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
¹⁷ In them the birds build their nests;
    the stork has her home in the fir trees.
¹⁸ The high mountains are for the wild goats;
    the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.

Soup-er Fail

The other week I found this recipe for vegetable stock and thought it would be so great to make my own vegetable soup -- imagine all of the healthy vegetable goodness!  The vitamins, minerals, and... other healthy things.  And so easy!

So I grabbed some veggies, through them in a pot for several hours with some water and then sampled the product.  Guess what.  It tasted like vegetable water.  A few more cooked vegetables, pasta, and several dashes, pinches, and doses of a variety of spices (and a desperate splash of chicken stock) later, and I thought it at least edible and was on my way to church.  A few hours later, I asked Steve how it was, scared of what he would say.  Can I tell you how gracious my husband is?  He just replied, "It was sweet of you to make it..."

I have to say, it wasn't bad as far as vegetable soup goes.  It just wasn't... good.  I think the problem was that, as Steve said, there just wasn't any meat.  I am afraid neither of us will ever make very good vegetarians!

But it was pretty (and almost as colorful as the fun new place mats I recently got!).  And of course, the biggest pot of soup I have ever made.  Ugh.  Today we are celebrating Steve having finished it off for lunch earlier more than a week later!  (Why does good soup go so fast and not-as-good soup last for-ev-er?!)

Cool Coffee Contraption

I can't go too long without talking about coffee, and I think I'm due and I have so much to share with you!

First of all, I repaired my French press once after the spout had chipped, but it broke again.  (Sadness!)  I have still been using it carefully since there are no sharp edges... but just when I was thinking about replacing it, I discovered a new brew method! (Joy!)

It all started when I was having dinner with a couple of gals from BSF and they realized I'd never had Philz Coffee.  So we planned to meet at this local chain coffee place, just a few minutes from the church that hosts BSF in Palo Alto, before leaders' meeting on Saturday (yes, at 6:40 am!).  I had no idea that this was going to revolutionize my coffee drinking!  I have been a pretty religious coffee drinker for years and an avid Starbucks fan (although I always enjoyed their lattes, frappuccinos, and other frou-frou drinks more than the regular coffee).  But I felt as though I was just discovering what coffee is supposed to taste like!

It was not acidic or bitter... just smooth and delicious.  I couldn't believe it!

They were also so nice and helpful, because my friend was late to meet me and I was overwhelmed by the choices!  I thought I'd be reading a menu of lattes, cappuccinos, and the like.  But Philz specializes in wonderful custom roasts that they prepare by using a pour-through system.  (The photo below is a bit blurry as I was taking it before my first cup this morning and also trying to not seem like a weirdo taking pictures of my coffee brewing...haha...but I think you get the idea. The barista pours the hot water through the filter as seen below, which holds the beans, and the cup is below the counter.)

I immediately began taking notes and making mental preparations.  I knew after my first sip that as soon as I finished the beans that I had at home, I was going to have to buy some Philz beans so I could duplicate this experience at home!

So, not knowing where else to begin, I hopped on Amazon.com and began browsing!  And I settled on this little baby...

 

(Best part? Costs about $5 with free shipping!)  Now, after my second time at Philz I was hooked (I am told that they do something to their cream and I think what they must do is add *crack* because this stuff is so addicting!).  But as it happened, I was told that another place, Barefoot Coffee, was also very good and prepared their coffee the same way.  Well, Steve had been given a bag of Barefoot beans for his birthday by a couple at church!  So I brought the beans in to the store in Campbell, CA to have them grind it for me and I learned even more from the very helpful baristas as I sampled their brew.  

Tip 1: How much coffee? 4 tablespoons of ground coffee per 12 oz or 3 tablespoons of whole beans. (24 g / 12 oz)

Tip 2: How fine do I grind the beans?  Similar to any conical coffee contraption, it should be about the consistency of salt.

Tip 3: How should I store my coffee?  NOT in the fridge or freezer, but at room temperature in a dark, air-tight container.

Wow.  As I type this, I am enjoying my first cup of Barefoot Coffee prepared in my new Melitta pour-over coffee brewer.  Ahhh....  

Note to self: Either that scoop you used is more than a tablespoon or you don't need 4 tablespoons per 12 oz of water, because this is Sta-rooong!

Note to Philz: I'll see you Saturday and I still love you more than Barefoot because you were my first!  And because of the "crack" in the creamer! ;)

There you have it... I'll keep you posted on anything new I learn as I go.  Also, isn't my new favorite mug so adorable?  It was a gift from a very dear friend and travel buddy!

Virtual Tour: Home Suite Home

Hey everyone!  I thought I'd take you all for a virtual tour of the place we call home these days :) So this is it... Home suite home away from home!  It's basically a very expensive (thankfully we're not paying for it!) furnished studio apartment with maid service and cooks.  We are so spoiled and we know it!

Here is where we lay our heads at night... the TV swivels to face the bed or the couch, which is quite nice!  This photo is taken from the "sitting area."  You may notice that the TV is situated on the only dresser and that we each have a night stand with just one drawer!  Let's just say we use every square inch of storage space in this place... and then some (like the suitcase to the left of the bed that is our "hamper"... which is very convenient for traveling to the on-site but not in-suite laundry!).

Here is the sweet little kitchen that I cook in!  It's not much, but it has most everything that I need (especially since I brought some doo-dads from home and have bought or have been donated a few things, like my french press, the tea kettle (that was free), a hand mixer on clearance at BB&B for just $10!).  As you can see, I have added some personal touches, including place mats, a lovely bunch of spring-y daffodils, and above, a wedding photo next to the bed.

 
Here is the sitting area and work space.  At that desk is where I now sit!  Behind me is the entrance.

And here's another view to show you where the bathroom is (door on right).  Next to that is our closet and to the left is the vanity area.  Complete with two whole drawers (the top is fake). 

 

So that's it, folks!  It's pretty interesting living in a hotel and very revealing at what a person really needs.  We actually have much more than we truly need here, and wayyy less than we have at home!  I imagine that the stuff we have at home will probably seem new again (and a lot of it is new since we got married)!  I'm looking forward to downsizing a bit, too...

Oh, here's one final parting photo... our view out one of the windows!

Field Trip: Bouquets to Art

About a week and a half ago, I got to go on a field trip with a wonderful family we met at Trinity Bible Church, the Murrays.  Emily told me about this special exhibit they do at the DeYoung museum every year called "Bouquets to Art," where floral artists create amazing bouquets inspired by the art at the museum.  So she picked me up and off we went to San Francisco.

We arrived at about lunch time and ate a packed lunch in the minivan.  Then we enjoyed a spot of tea! 

From L to R: Me, Jenny, Amy, Abby, and Emily in our cafe on wheels!

First we went to the top of the tower in the museum to see what we could see on a rainy, gray day in SF (which, as you can see, was a good day to wear a scarf!) ... which was not much...

But I did get a chance to see the living rooftop of the California Academy of Sciences from afar (which Steve and I did ran out of time to see while we were there)!  And it was still a lovely view despite the gray and haze.

Then we checked out the main attraction and, wow, was it amazing!  It was really fun comparing the floral art with the piece that inspired it to see what the connection was.  Some were very literal interpretations, some were more abstract.  But all were beautiful!  Here are a few of my favorites:

And for the finale, everyone loves art inspired by food, right?  This pastry-inspired display was a favorite, I think, for everyone!

It was a great day with this wonderful family and I'm so thankful that they chose to take me along on this adventure!  We really love our California church, TBC, and are thankful to God for placing us there to hear God-exalting truth being preached and to receive warmth, encouragement, and love from the people there!

Birthday Week: Celebration of Food

Last Monday, since it was Steve's "Birthday Week," I asked him what he wanted to eat for lunch for the week.  For two days we'd had Chicken Divan that I made that Monday (featuring curry, one of his favorite flavors!).  This is a recipe I got through an email recipe exchange that we both really love (recipe below; I always halve it)!  (And it's easy!  Don't let the curry scare you, it's not very strong.)

1 standard bunch of broccoli - lightly steamed
6 cooked large boneless chicken breasts (gently boil for 20-30 minutes, pull apart or cut into bite-sized pieces)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup (Or cream of chicken or celery)
1 cup mayo
1 teas curry powder
3-4 Tbl melted butter
4 slices - torn whole grain bread
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Place steamed broccoli in 13x9 baking dish and layer chicken on top. Mix the cream of mushroom soup, mayo, and curry powder.  Spoon over chicken and smooth to cover chicken to edges of baking dish.  Mix together torn bread and cheddar cheese and spread on top of it all and drizzle with melted butter.  Bake at 350 (F) for 30 minutes.  (I serve with rice.)

Steve's first birthday week lunch request was Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden copycat recipe).  So I made this for lunch on Wednesday.  (You may recall that this is the dish his love is conditioned upon! Haha!)  I tried a different recipe from the first time, but I'm not sure what, if anything, was terribly different.  The recipe is here (with modifications as in the first comment, dated January 22, 2009).  It's hearty, creamy, and zesty thanks to the hot Italian sausage. And must be served with warm bread-in-a-can (Pillsbury Italian loaf)... yum! (Soup must be served with bread!)

For those who don't know, Steve LOVES him some soup!  At some point I asked him what his favorite food was, and he said that his mom's chicken soup was at the top of the list (along with Hostess Ding Dongs!).  Whenever this was that I asked, I knew then that I'd have to at some point get her recipe and try to make it for him. And what better time than Birthday Week?

So after a call to Mama Miko, I got to it!  And the results were delicious! (Thanks Mom!)  As you can see, Steve really enjoyed it :)  (Also, isn't he so cute?!?!)

And to top it off, we had German chocolate cupcakes... another Steve-o favorite.

The cake was from a box, but the frosting was homemade.  (Side note: this photo was taken the day after they were made because the previous evening, I could not convince the frosting to set!  It was a very upsetting, runny, disaster-mess because I put it in a Ziplock instead of a bowl where it would be exposed to the air.  However, we persevered and ate them anyway because they still tasted good despite their looks!)  I learned a lot from doing this... besides how to get this frosting to set, I learned to not do too much at once!  This I found out after burning both the coconut and pecans while trying to toast them for the frosting because I was still finishing up the soup!  UGH!  (Good thing I had enough coconut still and could forgo the pecans!)

Anyway, Birthday Week was a great success overall! (Yes, these two soups got us through the week!)  I'll post next time about celebrating with church friends, so you have to come back for more buzz soon :)  And to see what else Steve milks out of Birthday Week (which he now thinks is Birthday Two-Weeks, haha!).