Beenanan Pie~

Those forced Hyacinths bring weeks of pleasure~ If you can..stock up next fall on some bulbs..refrigerate and in Jan..place some over bulb vases..You won't regret them at all~
Just watching their process of blooming is an exquisite small sensory pleasure~♥
The weekend we babysat 3 of the Alphabet Boys..I brought along a new Banana Bread recipe I made..we all have so many..I know ...I know..:)
But one of the ones I Pinned had a cinnamon swirl~
Oli can be a bit particular in his tastes.. he is a young man that knows what he likes and what he doesn't like..:)
He had a piece..then another and told me Nanan I ate two pieces of your beenanan pie:)
That is SOMETHING..and we giggled about the pie..and said :" it's bread Oli.."
So he proceeded to eat most the bread the whole weekend..and when his parents came home..I said to them..:"and Oli really liked my beenanan pie"..quickly Oli corrected me with the cutest smile saying.:".beenanan bread nanan":)♥
I never thought I would be talking like this..but I am:) Everything he says..is cuter than the next ..and well nothing in the entertainment world entertains me as much as he does.It's that sweet age.. 3-4..
So here is the wonderful recipe..So Easy too.
The first time I made it I made a large one and two minis to bring to Donella..even an 80 something grande dame enjoyed it very much:)I love how she always has her pearls and lipstick..

From this lovely blog~  Lovin' From The Oven~

The correct name is..

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread~

Bread~

 3 ripe bananas mashed
3/4 cup sugar
dash of salt
1 egg beaten
 1/3 cup melted butter
 1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl mix the mashed bananas ,the egg ,the sugar, the melted butter ,and the vanilla ..sprinkle baking soda  and dash of salt ..around this mixture on top..fold in the flour..you don't want to over mix.

Place  half  in a prepared 9x5 loaf pan   sprinkle with half the swirl(recpe below) top with remaining batter and lastly remaining cinnamon mixture.
Bake in a pre-heated 350 F oven for ap 50-60mins..



Swirl

1/3 cup sugar
 1 tbsp cinnamon

Mix together

Please refer to her blog but more complete instructions~
Wonderful w/ a cuppa..

 Top of mug steeper pot♥and double walled tea cup♥
These are definitely a couple of my favorite things~
And thanks again to The Graphics Fairy~ for the Ephemera French Typography~

Bon Weekend~

Pain Du Jour~

Happy to have found  a clay baker..not unlike Henrietta..but better suited shape wise for baking bread..I made the dough in my bread machine and baked it in the oven..having pre-heated the baker as in the no-knead way..it came out with a beautiful crunchy crust and tender interior..
The pot was love at first site..the back says Roman Pot..
My bunch of tulips has given me great joy..in all their poses:)
And we tasted some of Jacques' cured meats..
Regular cured pork..Bresaola..and Lonzino..  the bresaola drizzled with a good olive oil..and sprinkled with Meyer Lemon juice..is my favorite I think..He's still got  a lot of items ..in the cold room strung up like a master curer..
I guess his love of this comes from his dad owning a small city grocery store when he was growing up and the dad being the butcher..
In winter..Jacques delivered the groceries by sleigh..and in summer by bicycle..he worked very hard..yet there is always a smile when he talks about growing up and helping out.
He has records of the days of curing and moisture degrees..and salting  and marinades and spices..
I think that's the chemical enginner part of him.
La dégustation..is wonderful..on bread such as up above..alone.. or on crackers..a treat:)
I love that he loves doing these things~

Thanks as always to The Graphics Fairy for the envelope stamp I used .♥

Chocolat~

I mentioned we were celebrating my daughter's birthday this weekend~

Mylène..her big sister was hosting for our family..

I was assigned dessert~

I wanted to make too many things..Susan's 3 level mousse.. another mousse cake I make 14 yrs ago.. cupcakes..a new cake recipe from Canadian Living~..

I knew I wanted to add Cadbury fingers around..instead of KiKats like last year..

And some macarons I had bought and frozen.I also wanted to try a new buttercream recipe  that goes with the cake..but wanted a shiny ganache top.

This is the cake that never ended:)

First of all I made the mousse cake..the mousse..done..the cake ..done..and I put the baked cake on a rack when done but went out and left it there..It was high and pretty and lovely..no worries..

No worries my eye..I came in after 1/2 an hr..and it looked like a pancake.:(

Onto cake number 2..my wish seemed to be coming true..I would make several cakes..:(

So I kept the mousse ..threw out the cake that was supposed to go w/..and started over with this one..

I put the rich mousse in the middle of 2 layers..(I kept it at 2 layers for the height of the Cadbury fingers.. Frosted the top with Ganache..the sides with the buttercream to hold the fingers..and rosetted the top to hold the macarons..

My Rosettes need perfecting..but..I love that 2D tip Chris made me buy:)The rosettes are "le fun".

Added Love..and then added Happy Birthday later in the day..

I am so indebted  to so many for everything I never learned before the  internet.

All in all the cake turned out just how I pictured it in my mind's eye and I was grateful.

Cake for 12~

Our lovely daughter turns 37..I loved her back then ..love  her now♥

The party was a fabulous party.

I mentioned Max  6..offered me a framed original this past week..

His stars are almost a trademak of his work..

In their office there are so many of his paintings on toiles..all mediums.

Makes us smile~

We're in the middle:)

♥

Amitiés~

On this day..just want to say..Happy Valentine's Day to you..en Amitié..in Friendship.

It's been very cold....we spent part of the weekend at a sleepover with 3 of the alphabet boys and we had a ball.

They were so good..

We played..baked..watched Olympics..did crafts.. laughed..

Max had made us a picture of us skating:) Granted ..we are not Olympians..but he even got my blue skates♥

The weekend of the 22nd..Noah sleeps here:)

It's been even a bit too busy to concentrate on Valentime's Day..This weekend we celebrate our youngest daughter's birthday she will be 37~

But I was in love with Chris'  little meringues..so I made soome this week for fun and will take them to my daughter's..

I suggest you go see hers to really fall in love..her photos..  the color of hers..

BUT I did learn the rosettes..bought a 2 D tip..and learned to swirl with color!

All because of Chris' post..

So go see..I think you wil be tempted too..Now tell me does my stripey swirl look rose petal color?

Not at all:(

I expected a soft pink like the Wilton lid showed..:(

And I have been wanting to try making Coeurs à la Crème..so in Jan or Dec even.. I ordered 2 small molds from Amazon..

Decided on Dorie's recipe from Around My French Table that I have on Kindle..

But added a few layers of baked brick dusted w/ icing sugar.. and  some little decorations..

and a pipette filled with the couils  as I didn't want the pastry soaking in a puddle:)  But love the taste of the coulis.

The recipe is on so many websites and blogs..simply do a Google Search..:)

Or you can try Ina's by making Sam's beautiful heart..

Lots of inspiration out there in blogland..so many talented talented Valentine bakers..I have a bord..on Pinterest..just for all of them~

Bon Weekend~

Stamping up~ Cookie Talk~

Home Made and I Love You.. available at Amazon sometimes..or cute kitchen stores.. Roll..stamp.cut..flour..and chill before baking..

The heart and ovals are a thoughtful gift  from Singapore.. they make the cutest small cookies w/ indents to fill w/ jam ..Nutella etc..

I flour these also..roll and press..

This one... to make Petits- Beurre replicas..cuts the  same time as it  stamps..  like Brigitte..I saw a new one last week.. and resisted:) How much self -control does that take?:)

Here ...forefront you can see plunger type..this is 100 grams..it came with 4 disks..EBAY.and at the  back of it..you see  a small plunger type..rose pattern..no spring..

True Brigitte stamper cutter to the top left and small stamp that I made the cheese crisps with~

The set with sights from Paris..now..how could I resist..?

I have another single one..fault me..I deserve it..:)
But..step inside my closet.. and ..well you won't..I am smiling as I type this because when I wore my WOOLRICH huge SHEEPDOG sweater  for my grandsons.. one of my daughters said..  no mom..really..:)?Granted I bought it somewhat..30 yrs ago.. with a PAYCHECK..I had earned..:)
So kept it..
..first paycheck?Those 100 yrs ago?
2 Cabbage Patch Dolls.. for M and C..  they were  8 and 6 I think..:)
The rest went to our household expenses....:)
Every paycheck..I accounted for a frivolity..
The SHEEPDOG SWEATER was one of them:)LOL.
The rest..household..

Better view of the plunger..Starbucks..

Small Etsy find..monogram..~
see how small beside the Home Made..which I had used for my friend's cookies.. see what the camera picked up..small little flecks of flour~
I have small plungers.. with Easter motifs etc..  and Like Star Wars..  ideal to do with children!!

Oli made cookies for about 1 1/2 hrs with me..I simply watched..he rolled..cut.. laid on the parchment..decorated..while he made his green disosaurs and blue chicks and eggs..he said:"I think my brothers are really going to like these:) I followed Jacquelines' lead ..and used a mix for Oli..
She would bedazzle my alphabet boys:)

Many little orders from Ebay come with a note..I like them..a nice touch.. save it w/ the stamp/plunger..reminds me of the added touch to the transaction~

This one always reminds me of the sea~♥

Hope this clarifies a few of the cutters I use..

So  to sum it up.. use a recipe that tastes good.. not cookies that puff up either..

flour your stamp..press to make a good very clear impression from the onset..if you cannot see it very clearly unbaked..chances are it will be invisible after  ...cut around with a cutter if the stamp doesn't cut..(Home Made..I Love You)..Chill before baking..and I sometimes increase the temp by 25 degrees..and as soon as I put them in..reduce to recommended temp..

I prefer unglazed.. the image stays sharper without egg wash filling in some of the words..

On EBAY  I only buy..BUY NOW..bidding for me ends up bidding against myself ..that's how savvy I am on EBAY..and at bidding at auctions..I still have nightmares of my first auction when we moved here..I kept raising my hand for a milk can..that no one was bidding on..:)

I prefer free shipping because no matter where I buy..across most continents...living in QC..almost always doubles the shipping cost.. 

Have fun baking..

Enjoy..

Make 1/2 recipe if doubtful..less waste..

make 2 cookies.. out of your batch and see..improve on the two:)

And so on:)

Even my Alphabet Boys know..that if they cut out Darth Vader and half his head falls off..transfering it to the parchment..don't try and piece him up:)

START OVER:)

Snowshoes~Scones~Teas~

I played with paints.. Pelikan..the first.. and WN the second.

I took a photo Noah's mommy took of him..

I didn't like the first..the water looks like it's moving..some colors ran into each other..

Many things are off ..so I started again..  but then Noah didn't look like Noah..from the picture..

#1..is Noah..# 2 is not..

Guess I will try a third time..

Thing is they look far worse photographed..so I think I should always photo what I do and learn from there..

I do wonder too if the very little amount of time I take to paint has anything to do with my errors..

It goes so fast..I don't know why..

I am going to try and do it again to see:)

If anything gets better~

You know what it's like when you're nesting..you tend to want to make the days ..lovelier..like playing with paints..music..baking..
I love scones..all kinds..I have many recipes Pinned and printed   and made and made..and clipped to try..
I went the easy way and made one I know almost by heart.
Truthfully these blackebrries are too big for our yogurts..and that's why they became blackberry scones instead of cranberry  orange scones..
So it's basically the recipe I  appreciatively got from Katrina...that came from her blog  here..and I simply subbed the blackberries in lieu of the crans....it worked..but it is difficult to incorporate the blackeberries without making a purple dough..so these were added gently at the very end..very good..
I enjoy warming them up even the next day with a cup of tea~
I have my fave teas..David's Teas..Harney and Sons..and Tea Forte~
This new little teapot/filter for 1 system..I ♥  it. Happy Valentine's to me.
It fits over any regular sized mug..  and lets the tea seep out as soon as you sit the pot on the cup..

I also love our very plain loose leaf green tea we drink every morning....and chamomiles..and rose teas..etc..etc..
But there's something about pretty teas that get to me:) It's a moment..

Always~

Some  nesting days are idyllic for xcountry skiing and snowshoeing..this was one of those days..
Although I love the feeling of snowshoeing in the woods..there is something so crisp and fresh and pure about snowshoeing on the golf course..It's wide open.. no one is within miles of you..pretty views.. dazzling sun..white snow.
Every time I go..I think it's a miracle this view...this sky...this snow..this earth~

Slowly but surely...:)
Bon Weekend..I took some photos of some of the cookie making stamps things I use..maybe they will be helpful..I'll post next week if anyone wants to peek..

Delightful Cookies~ For Stamps~Yet Again~

Lemon~Almond Cookies~

We were visiting friends for dinner.. We were invited this weekend..
They have 3 delicious grandchildren.. 1 girl and 2 boys..their son..the father, is a chef..MN is the oldest and  loves to be in the kitchen my friend told me..(I have seen a video of her cooking in the living room:) LOL.. and acts out cooking shows..I have seen her sing a song from Frozen..and I think a star is born:)
I thought she may like making stamped cookies with her Nonna~
MN speaks Italian fluently and summers in Italy~(Imagine..)
I was very excited when I found an Italian recipe for stamped cookies:)
I bought my friend the stamp ...(HOME MADE)..and made the cookies..stamped Home Made from my stamp.. to offer her with the stamp and the recipe..so that she can make some with MN one day..
While I was working with a dough suitable for stamping..I used the mold I received to make Moon Cakes for Chinese New Year....I did order   another  one with more traditional designs..but this one arrived first...So I used first come first served..

See any moon cakes here?
A fiasco..:(  Not the molds fault at all.. it works  so well..I just need to perfect the recipe..I NEED a no fail recipe..and actually a much smaller MoonCake mold..less than 50 grs even..would they be easier to make the mooncakes? Does anyone have a fail proof recipe for the mooncake dough?

I sometimes feel our flour is different..from Europe and elsewhere..

For instance this Italian recipe I am sharing the link to..I had to add more butter..I will look in Little Italy:) ..buy some Italian flour and see..
You can see my infatuation with cookie stamps/cookie cutters  of many genres started full force in 2011..but prior to that I had ceramic stamps etc..:)
My daughter LOVES Starbucks Coffee and I thought these would be fun to make for her~
This new delightful recipe is from here..
They are light..buttery ..brown sugary:)
I must say..ordering from EBAY since Dec.. a few baking items..I am very impressed at the sellers communication..  honesty etc..
Shipping does take time..but in many cases shipping is free..I am simply mentioning this so that you will be patient..it can take more than 1 month to receive the items..
And it can take much less time..
Prices are reasonable..quality is very good..Shipping from Singapore..Hong Kong and China for me so far on the items I ordered..
Thumbs way up all around.



La Recette..  is here
Courtesy of  this lovely Italian Blog~

I hesitate to translate  and type here..as I used Google translate and as much as I am grateful to it..I would prefer you go directly to the source..:) and perhaps chose your own method of translation..
These cookies are light ..buttery.. crisp:)  I said that  already:)

I did chill them before baking..
Delicioso!

Had the cutest desserts at our friend's home..little jars filled with Tiramisus or Pecan Pies( crustless)..
Lovely..~