Blackberry Jam.

As I continue to grow as a woman, a wife, a mother, I find myself really wanting to dive deep into learning how to be resourceful. I know men and women have been resourceful for generations, knowing how to do things to survive and live. Being in an age of convenience and consumerism, it's easy to forget how people got by before. I love the idea of rediscovering how to use up things like a small case of mushy blackberries. Blackberries are a favorite here and I was excited to try my hand at a quick jam. I must say, it's the small things that get me and I really enjoyed mashing the berries in a bowl with my favorite wooden spoon. For a moment, it took my mind to another place, somewhere women would gather with their friends, children and get together to make good things. It encourages me to hunger for this. For the stories of those before me and for us, as a family, to make our own. The jam really didn't take long to make and as it cooled in a small mason jar, Natalie took plenty of taste tests of the foam I had set aside. She absolutely loved it and made my heart swell with gladness. It's these moments, you know.

 

Blackberry Jam

1 cup blackberries, mashed

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground sage

In a small saucepan cook blackberries, sugar, lemon juice and sage on high heat for 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium and cook an additional 15 minutes. Skim the foam off and store jam in a heat-proof container. The jam will thicken as it cools.

Makes 4.5 oz.

Note: I like my jam with the seeds in it but if you prefer it seedless, strain the berries in a meshed sieve before cooking.

(Recipe adapted from Savory Sweet Life)

This morning my girl and I enjoyed the jam on top of toasted sourdough bread. Afterwards, for a small second breakfast, I had it on a breakfast biscuit with tea. Now I need to start baking no knead bread again and add learning how to make sourdough on my list of things to do. 'Tis the good life, right? :)

Andrea

Tea & Eggnog.

Sometimes you just need a simple little treat and sometimes you're pleasantly surprised that you have all you need for it. The days are finally getting cold here, or at least what Californians deem as cold. I wanted something for my little and I so I put the kettle on and steeped a bag of Harvest Pumpkin Black Tea. Once it was ready, I poured it into the blender along with eggnog, raw honey, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and a pinch of black pepper. I blended it for half a minute until it become light and frothy. I poured it into a glass, put it in the microwave to reheat, and it was perfect. Finn had his (cooled) in his own glass and straw and quickly downed it. I enjoyed mine a bit longer. All the flavor of eggnog without the heaviness and having the warmth of a good spiced tea. Next time I might try mixing and whisking the tea, eggnog and spices in a saucepan to eliminate putting it in the microwave. And dusting the top with additional cinnamon. A nice 'come Winter' treat.

Andrea

Addendum:

I just made it again, over the stop top. Here is the recipe:

Tea & Eggnog

2 cups brewed black tea

2 cups egg nog

1 tablespoon raw honey (add more for a sweeter version)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

pinch of black pepper

Add all the ingredients into a small pot over medium heat. Mix well and whisk for about 3-5 minutes. 

Serve with whip cream on top and an additional sprinkling of cinnamon if it suits you :)

note: I did like the frothiness achieved by putting in the blender the first time I made it. Also, you have to whisk really well in order for the spices to properly mix in. The blender might be a good option for that as well. If it's allowed to sit for too long, the spices will get heavy and fall to the bottom of the mug. Use your own tastes and play with the spices. You might find that you enjoy it with a little less. :)

Adventus.

Advent or Adventus, meaning 'coming'. This is our third year of Advent devotionals leading up to Christmas day and every year I love it more and grow deeper in understanding. It's more than just Jesus being the Reason for the Season but why He is. It's a remembrance of His coming and how all of the Old Testament whispered of it. Advent is beautiful to my heart, and I am thankful to celebrate the King in this way.

Honestly, for us, it's been challenging doing our devotionals because of our schedules. To sit and have an evening, every evening carved out to reading and crafting is not what we are able to do. I am thankful that we have been intentional about having a nightly reading and I know He is being glorified through that.

This year we are using an eBook we downloaded from the Verge Network which utilizes scripture and selected stories from the Jesus Storybook Bible. I was able to print out the daily ornaments for the kids to color and I also learned about having a Jesse Tree in which to hang them. A Jesse Tree is an tradition based on Isaiah 11:1"A shoot will spring forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots." The idea is decorating a tree with ornaments that 'connect the Old Testament history to the birth of Christ'. I put together a simple hanging tree with branches we 'foraged' for our Jesse Tree.

 

Also for the season of Advent, I remembered what a friend shared with me a few years ago.  For the month of December, she challenges herself to thank God in her prayers instead of just asking Him for her supplications. That idea resonated in me and just the other day, I received a most timely and challenging proposition from her.  I wish I could share what she poured out to me and a few other friends but it was profound, real and thought provoking. She encouraged us to all come to Him in prayer at an appointed time, no matter where we are at, and just give Him thanks.

Today was the first day of what I'm calling Advent Thanksgiving and Prayer (ATP). How great and providential it was too. This is what I shared with my friends:

You have no idea how much my soul needs this. In His providence this is the first day of your proposed idea. Of all days I need to be thankful. Having a particularly rough day, with challenging days before. On a day where I've cried because of how life is at the moment for us. Where I feel lost and helpless. Where Finn is getting crazy and not allowing me any space to deal with the matters of my heart. I heard my alarm sound off and I knew it was time to go before The Lord and JUST THANK HIM. As hard as it was, I knew it was the right and good thing to do in so many ways. As my heart aches I pray the spirit of thanksgiving and hope in Him will be the blessed salve. His life was brought here and given for me. That's the truth that sets me free.

There it is, in truth and reality. Here is my heart. I will give thanks and celebrate Advent because the Savior came. He came for me. He came for you. For us. Because of God's great infinite and incomprehensible love. What better gift is there?

Andrea

Popsicle crafts.

December. I forget how much I love this month until it's here. Maybe because I have a family now, with my own children that makes it so much more special. One tradition we have is making a few crafts. This year I remembered a can full of Popsicle sticks and I knew I wanted to try something different. Something to transform it. After gluing a few snowflakes for my daughter to paint and glitter, it came to me. A wreath. Yes, a Popsicle wreath would do.

 I started with six sticks, overlapping and gluing them in a hexagon shape. I continued this pattern, bringing the sticks closer as I layered them on top of the previous layer. For this small wreath, I used 36 sticks in all. After the glue was dried I inserted small pine branches and rosemary with other leaves from our area. 

We also made our snowflakes using white acrylic paint and sprinkling glitter on top while the paint was still wet. I added a little white button in the center of mine.  Looking forward to more crafts and traditions for this month!

In other news, I have a feature on The Merrythought and an interview for My Everyday over at Kelli and Vanessa. I am so thankful, humbled and honored to be a part of both!

Cheers!
Andrea

The time I tried to bake a cake.

I had a fantastic idea. My mom had given me the book Vintage Cakes for my birthday. I had found and purchased a Bundt pan at our local thrift store. Of the ingredients we had available at home, we had an abundance of bananas and a bag of bacon bits. And I couldn't forget how amazingly delicious the maple bacon doughnut from Sidecar Doughnuts was with Stumptown Coffee on the side. So I hatched a plan. To bake a banana Bundt cake with a maple coffee glaze topped with bacon bits and make the ultimate cake for breakfast. Breakfast cake, in fact.

Everything seemed to be going good, except for having to add more baking time for the cake (I used a non-Bundt cake recipe). Finally, after the cake no longer yielded a battered cover butter knife, I took it out from the oven to cool. The aroma of freshly baked cake and banana cake at that, was deliciously warm and intoxicating. I was truly excited as I let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes.

I figured I could begin with the glaze/frosting the last five minutes of the cool down. Not really knowing the difference on how to make a glaze I used one of the book's frosting recipes but was going to deconstruct it in hopes on achieving something else. Omitting two ingredients (for a completely different flavor profile), adding a small amount of liquid (coffee) and using half of the maple syrup required, I really didn't know what I was in for. As I look into my red bowl at the beautifully hand whipped frosting (that I would use as a 'glaze', I know...) I was pretty proud of myself.

After smiling at my cake still in the pan, I turned it over to attempt popping it out. The Bundt pan was still pretty warm but that did not stop me. Finally I had to use a butter knife to help it's cling from the sides of the pan. I turned it over and that's when it happened. Three-forth of my beautiful smelling, golden brown cake came out. Strike one. No worries, it's still yummy. I just won't share with anyone outside the family.  Perhaps I could I just put the pieces back like a puzzle. A puzzle you can eat. And that's what I did. After 'piecing' it together, I went ahead and spooned all the frosting on top. With a heavy hand and no finesse, it just looked like a creamy mess that made something look slightly bad a hundred times worse. Plus I basically put flavored whipped butter all over my cake, something I realized later (note to self: frugality and chintzy are two different things. Don't be chintzy with the maple syrup.). Strike two. So it's ugly, but don't forget bacon makes everything better. Yes, don't forget the (pre-cooked, pre-packaged, economy size bag of) bacon! Strike three. Nothing tastes better than fresh, just cooked, crispy bacon. Enough said.

After walking with my head down back to the dugout (figuratively speaking) I still was happy Finn hummed 'mmmm' after his first bite of the piece we shared. It's not all bad. Maybe too buttery. Maybe too rubbery (bacon) and definitely ugly. But! It was made with love, it still is moist and has banana working for it. It's an idea. It's a work in progress.

What I learned from this are a handful of things. Good ideas don't always come out perfect the first time. I am not inventing the light bulb but I heard it took Edison a good while to figure it out. I will bake again and I will try this idea again. No shortcuts with the bacon, more patience with the Bundt pan and figuring out the right portions and ingredients for a amazing maple coffee glaze (not frosting, or maybe a hybrid if there's such a thing). And, to not be afraid or upset to make a mistake. That's what this post is for. To remind myself that it was fun and even therapeutic baking this cake. To be thankful that Finn was calmed and occupied through out the whole process. To not give up.

Tips and helpful advice wanted

+ How does one convert baking time for regular cakes in cake pans to a Bundt pan?
+ Is there a trick to getting out the cake in one piece (I greased the pan with butter but maybe it wasn't enough)?
+ What's the difference between a glaze and a frosting?
+ Any suggestions or recipes for a fantastic maple coffee glaze? Perhaps the same kind of glaze on a maple doughnut?
+ Or maybe a great recipe for a maple coffee frosting. With Bacon ;)


Andrea

Addendum: Natalie finds the cake beautiful and delicious. I told her wait until I make it better. How can it get better? she asks. Plus she likes the bacon. Maybe I struck out (in my mind) but I struck swinging! Not bad for a first. Not bad...

Halloween Roundup

Halloween 2013. All photos iPhone. Edited with VSCO, PicTapGo and Afterlight.

Andrea

Sweaters, boots and Pumpkies too.

 Fall is finally starting to show up, at least a little bit, here in Southern California. Yesterday morning it was brisk enough to bundle up in a few layers and that's just what we did. I didn't even realized Nat and I were matching until we were out the door on our way to school. After dropping her off and taking Finn for a small walk, we headed back home and I took the opportunity to try my hand at a baking idea I had earlier this week.

I thought about the concept of brownies and figured why couldn't I do that with pumpkin instead. I have heard of pumpkin brownies and pumpkin bars but I wanted to be creative and try something different. And call it Pumpkies. So that's what I did. Following a basic brownies recipe, I used pumpkin instead of cocoa, whole wheat flour in place of all purpose flour and added cinnamon, ginger and chopped pecans.The result was more than I could expect! Everyone here loved them and since I had to play around with baking times and oven degrees, I made a second batch later in the evening to help finalize the recipe. Get ready for a moist, dense but not heavy, pumpkin pie like sweet treat.

Pumpkies
(italics, my own notes)

Soft butter, for greasing the pan
Flour, for dusting the buttered pan
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar, sifted
1 cup brown sugar, sifted
8 ounces melted butter
1 1/4 pumpkin, canned
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole wheat flour, sifted

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 cups chopped pecans


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch square pan (I used a small casserole dish). In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow (Since I didn't have access to my mixer, I vigorously hand whisked the eggs). Add both sugars. Add remaining ingredients, and mix to combine.

Pour the batter into a greased and floured pan and bake for 50 minutes. Check for doneness with the tried-and-true toothpick method: a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan should come out clean. When it's done, remove to a rack to cool. Resist the temptation to cut into it until it's mostly cool. Seriously, resist the urge! My first batch I couldn't wait and made a mess of it. A delicious, pumpkiny mess. See photo below.

(Adapted from Alton Brown's Cocoa Brownies recipe)

 Thankful to have let the second batch cool through the night and have it waiting for me this morning, with a nice hot cup of coffee with cinnamon. Mmmm, Autumn goodness.

Andrea

My little wild things

Sweet, wild and free. I'm thankful for these children. So very thankful.

(Photos taken in Los Angeles, CA with my iPhone, edited with VSCO)

Andrea

Kingdom first.

I am thankful for His constant pursuing of my heart and His desires for me. He continues to reveal more of what my life in Him should be and challenges me daily. This morning our devotional was about 'The Most Important Prayer'. To be honest, some mornings feel like I'm just reading words with the meaning falling to the wayside. Today I read and my own heart was opened and listening. We talked about what it means to seek His Kingdom first. I had to assist my daughter's answers and by helping her, it was being revealed to me also. How will others see that God is our King, that His Kingdom is first in our lives? Yes, praying and reading His word is essential to every son and daughter but there is more. I challenged her thoughts with the ideas of showing kindness, love and service to others. Asking more about themselves than talking more about ourself. Having kind tones in the way we talk to others and to each other. Being helpful with her brother and obedient to her parents in front of others. All these examples are ways to shine our light and show that He is first in our life. As I shared this with her, areas in my life came to mind that needs adjusting to His will as well. After walking her to school (and confessing my need for Christ in these areas), I began to pray. That our family would seek first His Kingdom before all other things. For us as parents, to adjust and change what needs to be changed in order for us to glorify Him more than anything. For Him to continue to reveal our hearts and to aid us in leading our family well, as our first mission. For these things and more. I'm encouraged by Him and for the desire to want His will more and more every day. To seek His Kingdom first. Here on Earth as it is in Heaven. 

Andrea.

Spooky.

It's beginning to look like Halloween around here.

+ During the Fall, we always bring out our 'great-great-great-auntie's' photo. DIY: old frame, any photo or artwork copy, print or cut out crazy eyes or googly eyes, glue. 

+ I love making things out of found branches and twigs from walks. This year we made a garland/mobile for Halloween.  Natalie used black watercolor on coffee filters and I cut leaves out of black stock paper. DIY: sturdy branch, twine, coffee filters, black watercolor paint, black stock paper, scissors, masking tape, clear tape. To make the coffee filter flowers,  I folded them one by one and cut scalloped edges once they were dried. I unfolded, gathered the filter until it resembled a flower and twisted the bottom to make a stem. I used a thin strip of masking tape to secure and clear tape to adhere it to the twine. 

+ Last year we made our first bat mobile. It's simple but it's a favorite. DIY: sturdy branch, black thread, black stock paper, scissors, clear tape.

+ Another mobile, this time cut out coffee filter ghosts for transparency, hanging from a spooky branch. DIY: coffee filter, scissors, marker (for dotted eyes), white thread, clear tape, twine (to hang the branch from the end).

+ I don't like spiders but I do appreciate the beautiful and haunting webs they weave. This year, I decided to weave my own using an embroidery hoop and white string. DIY: embroidery hoop, white string, scissors. I cut out four strings and criss-crossed them across the inner hoop, I tightened the outer hoop to it and tied the strings. Using one long piece of string, I tied it to the center, where all the strings meet. From there I 'weaved' it, pulling the string taut over each 'web' string, looping it and spiraling it. Finally I just tied it at the end.

+ Many years ago, I drew a pirate owl. I met a talented doll maker online and she turned my drawing into the cutest doll. Here is my Black Eyed Bart next to the sweetest little witchy owl, made by another sweet friend, Mathyld. Black Eyed Bart made by Munano, Witchy Owl by Under The Pyramids.

+ Happy Haunting

Andrea