Sweet Sunday - Not afraid anymore

After all the years of being afraid of trying any recipes that involves yeast or egg white and more, I am finally not afraid of trying any type of recipes that has those ingredients.  What is great about it is that I can now choose to do it or not.  I am guessing, I have become a little braver each time I try a difficult recipe and it ends up having a good results.  So instead of reading, I just wanted you to enjoy some of these things I have been trying.  Merry Christmas eve to you and your family.

My new favorite - White chocolate, cranberries, almond bark

Old fashioned puff wheat squares with toasted pecans.

Simple artisan bread using 4 ingredients and NO KNEAD.

 

Peppermint candy macarons

Sofia Loren's Tiramisu recipe - Jeff's favorite dessert.

Jeff's Brioche - perfect for making french toast or just as is.

This tray will be for our Christmas dinner with the Mt Ida neighbors.

Threading Thursday - Too many projects

Winter is really hear.  Last weekend it snowed again and there are more in the forecast.  You know what that means.  I will be at home doing projects, baking, cooking, sewing, and not to forget napping.  If we really need to go out, it is because we need to get some groceries.  Now you might ask, so what have you been doing.  I am sure if you are following my posts you have seen the latest, my artisan bread.  On Sunday when the snow decided to keep falling, I was able to do a couple of treats.  I made a pan of bread pudding with a rum sauce (adult dessert).  After I was craving for some puff wheat squares, so I made those also.  In the afternoon, I did some sewing and tried to finish the embroidery that I started a couple of weeks ago.  At some point I have to start the apron that I promised my sister.  During the last week I have been checking Pinterest and found another nice design of an apron. Of course my sister likes it and when I get a chance to get the fabric, I will make her another one.  That's all for today.  Check out the photos.  I know you wanted to see them.

Puff Wheat squares with pecans.

Bread pudding with cherries, raisins,walnuts, top with rum sauce.

This frame will be hung over our pantry in the kitchen. 

I bought this squares a long time ago, I finally figured out what to do with them.  Perfect hot pad for kitchen.

Tasty Tuesday - Sharing the kitchen

Our kitchen is not very big but when Jeff and I are there doing our own stuff, sometimes it does get a little tight.  So far we have not experienced elbowing, hand slaps, side bumps, etc.  What he is good at is reminding me that the dishwasher door is down and watch your leg.  One day after he just said that, I made a quick turn and hit part of my leg in one corner of the door. OUCH.  From then on, I decided to close the damn door when I am doing anything in the kitchen.  Last week we both decided to bake our own bread.  One from scratch, the other using the bread machine.  He made a regular white loaf and I made the NO knead artisan bread (of course from Pinterest).  OMG, when all is said and done, I could not believe that it came out so good.  Of course, I had to taste it, had a slice with a bit of butter and a few drops of honey. So so yummy and so easy.  I don't know why I got so scared of baking something with yeast.  If I can recall, it must have been around 1986 when I tried it and never again.  Now that I have done a lot of baking, but still no yeast in the ingredients, I thought I should try one more time.  Since Jeff has been doing all the baking and has no problem using the yeast, I had a very tiny bit of confidence in me that I could do it.  Anyway, here's the result and I added some other treats we made last week.  This is what happens when the snow arrives and I don't feel like going out.  We stay indoors and spend most the time in the kitchen.  

I mixed the 4 ingredients in this bowl and set it in front of our fireplace for 9 hours.

Baked it in a dutch oven at 450F for 30 minutes covered, then uncovered for 10 minutes.

Sliced it, spread a bit of butter and drops of honey, so yummy.

This is Jeff's regular white bread from the bread machine.

My favorite bark - white chocolate, roasted almonds and dried cranberries.

Stocking stuffer Sunday - My own list

Who really fills up my Christmas stocking?  Is it Santa, the three kings, your parents?  Back then, I remember we hang up our stockings after New Year.  We were told the three kings will bring the gifts.  We hang our stockings near the windows - for easier access, I guess.  This would be around January 5 or 6th.  We would wake up that morning and could still see some foot prints (of course then we believe differently) then realized my father would use whatever material that would be similar to foot prints.  LOL.  My first Christmas with Jeff, we had stockings over the fireplace.  He must have done it after I went to bed or maybe he got up early and filled up my stockings.  On Christmas day, I would check all the goodies inside the stockings.  There were small gifts that were wrapped, some candies, some nuts, and a couple of small oranges. Almost forgot, some extra change (coins).  After that year, we kept forgetting to fill it up.  This year, I am not sure what I would get.  My BFF and his wife gave us two very nice stockings that are bigger, which means it can hold more stuff.  Maybe if I post my list, Santa and his elves might read it, then I can check on Christmas morning which items made it to my stocking.  Yah, right!!  I guess it won't hurt to make one anyway.

• Metallic nail polish
• Wunderbar chocolate
• Chocolate covered macadamia
• Hand warmers
• Small icing spreader
• Silpat baking mat
• Banana chips 
• Dried mango
• Fuzzy warm slippers

Jeff's - he is the bear (beer)

Mine - I am a deer (dear)

The famous orange marmalade - give away gifts for the neighborhood.

Freezing Friday - But it was sunny

It was a very sunny day and the roads are clear.  What can we do today?  I don't know why I suggested to go on the road and check out the famous Silver Star Mountain Resort.  Everyone has been telling us to check it out since we arrived in Vernon.  Of course we couldn't find the time because we were very busy during the first three months here.  Now that the dust has settled (as they saying goes), we thought it was a perfect day to do it.  And it was, there was no traffic, the roads were clear to and from, and the sun was out all the time we were there.  The resort was so colorful since the different buildings (hotels/condo) were painted in bright colors.  It was busy that day but not so busy that you could not find a parking.  As we get out of the car, a skier was coming down the hill, actually Jeff says she came from the place she was staying and she takes a short cut down the hill to begin her route.  There were a few restaurants that were open and after walking in the cold temperature, we decided to stop in at one of the cafe/bistro.  The name "Bugaboos" bakery and cafe.  We ordered our lunch, I had the hungarian goulash soup and Jeff had the Mexican corn soup, plus we split and Italian panini.  In addition to that, we order our coffee to keep us warm and I couldn't resist ordering the Almond Croissant.  Cost $35.00 - what did you expect, it is a resort.  There was still time to check more stores before we head home.  After two stores, we knew we were not going to buy anything because, the prices were too high for my liking.  All in all it was a good trip.  Jeff will eventually try to get back to snowboarding.  One good information, they have shuttle bus from downtown Vernon to take you up there and back.  Although the schedule only runs during the weekend and some holidays.  Here's a few photo we took. The other photos are on the road going to the resort. Maybe someday you will get a chance to visit it too. 

Wishing Wednesday - Bringing good tidings

It's almost time to start singing the 12 days of Christmas.  But instead I am taking my guitar tuned and start practicing playing Christmas songs.  Our neighborhood has invited us to join them singing Christmas carols around our street.  The organizer has sent a list of songs that we will attempt to sing.  I am actually excited but not sure how my fingers will survive as I have not played the guitar for a long time.  One good part is that some of the chords are coming back and I could remember how to play. LOL.  I seem to recall, a very long time ago, probably almost 50 years ago when our class would go caroling two nights in a row.  Of course the weather is much different back in the Philippines.  Not even sure if the guitar will stay tuned with the cold weather of the Okanagan.  What is nice is that we get to sing jolly carols for the neighborhood.  I can't remember if we are suppose to sing a couple of songs and have a drink for each home, or have a couple of drinks and sing one songs.  By the way, I forgot to mention that we live on a bit of a steep hill.  So we are starting uphill and cross the street at our home and then head down the road.  As this is our first year, we really don't know how many homes we can cover before we get overly cold.  Here's the lists of all the songs we will be singing.

• Jingle Bells
• Frosty the snowman
• Silent Night
• Deck the halls
• Winter wonderland
• Silver bells
• We wish you a merry Christmas
• Away in a manger
• Here comes Santa Claus
• Mommy's kissing Santa Claus

Actually there are four more songs that I am not familiar and/or cannot play in the guitar.  So I am sticking to the above songs.

Merry Monday - Just because

Last week we decided to just get a fake tree because we cannot decide between real tree or fake tree.  We went out and bought one with lights already attached to the tree.  I wanted to have our home decorated since we can only have it for a month. Aside from the polar bear blow-up, I could not resist getting a Kevin blow up as well to keep the bear company.  By the end of the day, the decorations were complete.  Now the home is merry and bright. I almost forgot, I had to make a new skirt for the tree, some Christmas place mats and a couple of hand warmers for those cold nights. Enough writing, just check out the pictures. 

As you can see, only one Christmas card so far.

Made from scraps of quilted fabrics, I filled it with rice.  It's microwaveable.