The Happiness Tag

A few weeks ago, I received the lovely surprise of being nominated for The Happiness Tag! What made this extra special is that it came from my dear blogging friend, Tonya, who is absolutely delightful! From the first time I visited her blog, Fourth Generation Farmgirl, I could barely pull myself away from reading, and now I eagerly look forward to each new post!

I love reading about life at Green Hill Farm, Tonya’s travel adventures with her husband, and of course, all of her sweet critters! Her sheep, Hamish, is one of my personal favorites — I’ve always wanted to keep sheep as pets! Maybe someday!

A very special thank you to Tonya for her nomination — I’m truly inspired by her kind heart and generosity!

Here are the Rules:

List:

-Five things that make you happy

-Five songs that make you happy

-Five bloggers that make you happy and notify them of your nomination

***

Five things that make me happy

1.My wonderful family — spending time with them, laughing with them, and giving them big hugs!

2.Cooking/baking with my family and friends — and while on the topic of food, chocolate makes me happy!

3.Our animals — they each have their own individual traits that make me smile. Seeing the chickens come running for treats, the bunnies hopping for joy over clover or dandelions and Marcie, our cat, who loves to cuddle!

4.Enjoying God’s beautiful creation and spending time with Him. The beach, the mountains, a double rainbow perfectly set in the sky. Birds chirping, children laughing, people walking by.

5.Bringing joy to others!

Five songs that make me happy

Priceless – For King and Country

The River – Jordan Feliz

That’s How You Change the World – The Newsboys

Hold Me – Jamie Grace

Me Without You – TobyMac

Five bloggers that make me happy

(it was so hard to narrow this down to only five bloggers!)

Sadie from Sadie’s Nest 

Claire from Paintbox Mum

Roberta from Chorizo & Thyme

Jasmine from The Richmond Avenue

Asheton Rose from Tales of A Southern Rose

It’s Texas Sheet Cake, Y’all!

Well howdy!

After reading the book That’s Not Hay in My Hair this month, I’ve been so inspired by the great state of Texas. Coincidently, I’ve also been missing one of my sisters who lives in Texas, so reading that particular book gave me a feeling of visiting her homestead, so to speak.

Over the years that she and her family have lived in Texas, I have detected the faintest of Texan accents emerging from my sister, and I love it! I love hearing her sweet voice exclaim, “Hey!”, “Howdy!” or “y’all!” as if she were a Texas native. It makes me smile!

So, hey howdy! I’m in the mood for baking up a Texas Sheet Cake for y’all  — which fits very nicely into our patriotic desserts leading up to the 4th of July! Barbecue, Texas Sheet Cake, sparklers and fireworks — sounds like a great 4th to me!

Texas Sheet Cake

*I prefer to use all organic ingredients

for the cake:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 cup water

4 Tablespoons cocoa powder

***

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup coconut sugar

1/2 cup raw cane sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

***

1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice)

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla

***

-preheat oven to 350 degrees

-In medium-sized saucepan, bring butter, coconut oil, water and cocoa to a boil; remove from heat.

-In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and sugars. Add the butter/cocoa mixture and stir with a wooden spoon.

-Add in beaten eggs, buttermilk and vanilla.

-Pour into a greased 13″ x 18″ sheet cake pan (or jelly roll pan).

-Bake for 13-14 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

for the frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 Tablespoons milk (or vanilla almond milk)

1 cup pecans, crushed

extra crushed pecans for garnishing

-With a stand mixer or hand mixer, combine butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add maple syrup and milk — mix until light and fluffy. Gently stir in pecans by hand.

-Immediately spread frosting over the warm cake — the frosting will melt and spread easily. Allow to cool, and top with additional crushed pecans, if desired.

This cake is incredibly moist and flavorful — the chocolate/pecan frosting gives it an extra measure of deliciousness with a subtle hint of maple.

Enjoy and Happy 4th!

White Chocolate Chip-Cranberry Cookies

Continuing my patriotic theme for 4th of July celebrations, I decided on a white chocolate-cranberry cookie because one of America’s favorite desserts would have to be a delicious cookie paired with a cold glass of milk, am I right?

These cookies are soft with a slightly crispy edge — the sweetness of the white chocolate compliments the dried cranberries so very well.

We have our white and red ingredients, so my recommendation is to serve these goodies with fresh summer fruit — preferably in the blue and red colors to complete the theme. 😉

White Chocolate Chip-Cranberry Cookies

*I prefer to use all organic ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup coconut oil, softened

2/3 cup raw cane sugar

1/3 cup coconut sugar

1/4 cup vanilla (or plain) almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

3/4-1 cup dried cranberries

***

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees

-With a stand mixer, hand mixer or by hand, beat together the butter, coconut oil and sugars.

-Add the vanilla and almond milk, mix well.

-Gradually blend in the flour, baking soda and salt until well combined, but not overmixed.

-Gently fold in the white chocolate chips and cranberries.

***

Scoop into rounded tablespoons (a cookie scoop works great!) and bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are a soft golden brown.

-Cool for 2-5 minutes before transferring to a plate.

Enjoy on the 4th as well as any day of the year!

 

 

 

Chocolate Almond-Coconut Smoothie

A little over a week ago, we found out that our youngest daughter is allergic to peanuts as well as a few other foods. The allergies are in the moderate-low range, however the nurse said to keep an eye on the peanut allergy as it could become worse.

I’ll have to say, our little girl was pretty disappointed to learn she was allergic to one of her very favorite foods — tomatoes not so much, but peanut butter!

She loves peanut butter!

I tried to encourage her with all the foods she is not allergic to and mentioned that almond butter is pretty amazing! She was delighted, and I think she is going to be very pleased with this new smoothie — although I’m going to have to replace the banana in hers. Another allergy!

I hope you will enjoy this new recipe as well!

Chocolate Almond-Coconut Smoothie

*I prefer to use all organic ingredients

1 cup vanilla almond milk

2/3-3/4 cup ice

1 banana, in pieces

1/2 cup raw oats

2-3 Tablespoons almond butter

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

2-3 Tablespoons shaved coconut

***

In a blender, combine all ingredients and pulse until mixture begins to combine.

-Mix on medium-high for approximately 45 seconds or until smooth.

-Garnish with additional coconut and a few chocolate shavings, if desired.

-Serves one, but can easily be doubled.

***

A rich and creamy smoothie that is perfect for breakfast, a snack or even dessert!

Enjoy!

A Day in the City

Last week, we made a drive into the big city to run some much-needed errands. First on the list: Jonathan’s appointment with an orthopedic specialist. After a series of tests, x-rays and an ultrasound, it was discovered that Jonathan is dealing with not one, but three painful spurs inside his left heel. Although doctors have tried for many months to take the less-invasive route, they have finally reached a point where they feel surgery is probably going to be necessary.

Jonathan has been in so much pain that a look of relief washed over his face when the specialist mentioned surgery to delicately remove the spurs. I seriously think he would have went in for surgery that very day if the doctor had allowed it, but he is encouraged to be moving forward!

Jonathan’s specialist is near downtown Boise, so after his appointment, we decided to enjoy a leisurely lunch and walk around town. Boise is by no means a bustling metropolis like Los Angeles, but what it lacks in size, it makes up in charming little details around almost every corner.

Our first stop was lunch at one of our very favorites — Moon’s Café. Complete with a lunch counter, famous milkshakes and whimsical décor, Moon’s serves fabulous food with retro flair.

For example —  a juicy Moon’s Cheddar Burger or a plate of mouth-watering Biscuits with Sausage Gravy. (not organic — but a delightful treat every now and then 😉 )

After lunch, we most definitely needed to walk — so we spent part of our afternoon strolling down some of our favorites parts of the city.

A few of our favorite views —

It didn’t take long before “Sweet Street” was brought up. Nicknamed for a sweet variety of shops all conveniently lined up together, Sweet Street happily greets you with City Peanut Shop, the Chocolat Bar and A Cupcake Paradise.

Hmmm … where do we start?

We decided it would be best to limit our sweets to one shop and agreed on the Chocolat Bar this time around.

How can I possibly decide which one to try?

Especially after we were given samples, and everything was delicious! I finally narrowed it down to a chocolate truffle — so rich, dense and tiny, yet I felt as if I had ate two chocolate bars. Ahh, the beauty of handmade truffles. I should have taken a picture, but that little truffle disappeared in a flash!

However, I can post a picture of the display case where I found my lovely treat — the soft brown ones on the middle shelf.

Oh little truffles, how I miss you!

I hope you’ve enjoyed our little walk through downtown Boise! I hope to share more pictures of Boise in the near future!

A huge thank you to my sweet daughter for being my talented photographer throughout Boise.

A Chocolate Dream Cupcake Recipe

This cupcake couldn’t have come at a better time!

Last week we had the “official” celebration of National Chocolate Cake Day, although I must say, I can easily celebrate chocolate cake throughout the year!

Then while participating in the Three-Day Quote Challenge, there was this lovely gem that I’m particularly fond of …

To make it even better, our family actually celebrates numerous birthdays in February … and then, of course, there’s Valentine’s Day!

This cupcake/cake recipe is perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day … any day! It’s moist, light and rich in chocolate flavor. And then there’s the frosting — so creamy, so chocolatey and, quite literally, the icing (frosting) on the cake!

For Cupcakes or Cake

*I prefer to use all organic ingredients

Adapted from Ghirardelli’s Chocolate Recipes

2 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder (dark chocolate is preferable)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup coconut oil, softened

3/4 cup raw cane sugar

3/4 cup coconut sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup vanilla almond milk

1/3 cup chocolate almond milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

-In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream butter, coconut oil and sugars until light and fluffy.

-Add vanilla and eggs and mix until well blended.

-Alternate flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder with the almond milks on low speed until batter is well-blended and smooth. Do not over-mix.

-Fill cupcake liners/cases approximately 2/3 full and bake for 17-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out of center clean.

*For cake, spread into a greased 13×9 cake pan and bake for 26-27 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center areas comes out clean.

For the Chocolate Frosting

3 Tablespoons butter, softened

3 Tablespoons palm fruit oil, softened

2 2/3 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup vanilla or chocolate almond milk

1 Tablespoon vanilla

-In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream butter and palm fruit oil on medium speed.

-Alternate powdered sugar/cocoa powder with almond milk/vanilla until frosting is smooth and creamy.

-Frost when cupcakes/cake has cooled.

Truly a chocolate dream!

Honey Pecan – Chocolate Chip Muffins

I love the flavor of candied pecans as well as the combination of chocolate with pecans, so I’ve tried to incorporate all three flavors into this new muffin recipe. These are great for a snack, light dessert or sweet breakfast. I hope you’ll give them a try and let me know how you like them!

Honey Pecan – Chocolate Chip Muffins

*I prefer to use all organic ingredients

1 cup pecans, finely chopped or pulsed in a food processor

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 Tablespoon coconut sugar

2 cups flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup vanilla almond milk

2/3 cup raw honey

6 Tablespoons coconut oil, softened

1 Tablespoon vanilla

3/4 cup chocolate chips

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

-In a food processor, pulse together the pecans, cinnamon and coconut sugar. You can also finely chop the pecans and mix together in a small bowl.

-In a stand mixer, with a hand mixer or by hand, gently whisk together the eggs, vanilla almond milk, honey, coconut oil and vanilla until combined.

-Gently blend in the flour, baking powder and salt until incorporated into the wet ingredients.

-Gently fold in the pecan, cinnamon, coconut sugar and chocolate chips by hand.

-Fill muffin liners or cases approximately 2/3 full, and bake for 13-15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

-Garnish with chopped pecans and shaved chocolate, if desired.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Cream Eclairs

One of my most treasured dessert cookbooks is the Hershey’s 1934 Cookbook. It was a gift from my Mom many years ago (she knows how I love chocolate!), and what makes it extra special to me is the photo of the young boy on the front. He reminds me a lot of how my Dad looked as a child. (My Dad even had a little sister like in the photo.)

I’ve been craving some sort of French dessert, and while perusing this cookbook, I came across a recipe for Chocolate Cream Eclairs. I had never made this recipe before, and it turned out quite delicious! I think I’ll enjoy experimenting with this recipe in the near future — possibly trying out a darker chocolate for the filling, although the original is wonderful as is!

The recipe is in three steps — chocolate cream filling, éclair dough and finally the glaze, but it all comes together very easily!

Chocolate Cream Eclairs

Recipe adapted from the Hershey’s 1934 Cookbook

*I prefer to use all organic ingredients

Chocolate Cream Filling

5 Tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup raw cane sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups milk

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

7 ounces milk chocolate (in pieces or chips)

-In medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, sugar and salt.

-Whisk in milk and egg yolks until well blended

-Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture boils, then boil for one minute.

-Remove from heat — add chocolate and vanilla. Stir until chocolate melts.

-Pour into large bowl, cover with waxed paper on surface. Set aside to cool.

Next step …

Éclair Dough

1/2 cup butter

1 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup flour

4 eggs

-Grease cookie sheet and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

-In medium saucepan, stir water, butter and salt over medium heat to a rolling boil. (Make sure butter has melted.)

-Add flour, and stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball. (It will resemble a ball of mashed potatoes.) Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes.

-At this point, I transferred the dough to a stand mixer, but the bowl will also work fine.

-Add one egg at a time, mixing well for one minute (or until smooth) between each egg addition.

-On greased cookie sheet, shape 1/4 cups of dough that are approximately 4 inches long, 1 inch wide and 3 inches apart from each other.

-Bake 35-40 minutes or until they become puffy and golden brown.

-Cool on a wire rack while preparing chocolate glaze.

Chocolate Glaze

4 ounces milk chocolate, in pieces or chips

2-4 teaspoons water

2 teaspoons coconut oil

-Using a double boiler, stir all ingredients over hot, but not boiling water, and stir until smooth.

The Eclairs!

-Cut each éclair horizontally, and remove any soft dough from inside.

-Fill with 1/4 cup of chocolate cream, cover with top.

-Spoon warm glaze over the top, and dust with cocoa powder, if desired.

-Refrigerate until serving, and refrigerate any leftovers. What leftovers?

Enjoy!

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New Year, New Cookbook Review!

Happy New Year, everyone!

What better way to start off a fresh new year than with a great new cookbook brimming with an abundance of new recipes?

I’ve been so excited to write my very first cookbook review — especially since this is a cookbook I am greatly enjoying!

I was immediately drawn to Whitney Miller’s new cookbook, New Southern Table, because fabulous recipes with southern warmth and charm is most definitely a winning combination! Gorgeous photos and heart-warming tales of Ms. Miller’s family traditions are delightfully interwoven throughout the book, giving the reader a genuine taste of true southern hospitality. From classic favorites with a new twist to a toasted coconut cream pie with chocolate and pecans, this wonderful cookbook is sure to become a family favorite! With three of the chapters entitled “Family Suppers“, “Sunday Dinners” and “Company’s Comin’“, I am equally inspired to gather together and re-connect at the family dinner table with loved ones! Menu inspiration is plentiful with recipes such as Smoked Brisket, Olive Oil Biscuits, Sweet Potato Cornbread and Sweet Corn Grits. Ms. Miller’s dessert selection is a chapter that is near and dear to my heart! (as well as my sweet tooth!) Her Brownie Cookies are moist, rich and chocolaty — but wait, there’s more! As if this cookie recipe wasn’t already amazing on its own, it can be delightfully transformed into not one, but two Mississippi Mudd Pies that are sheer bliss! I found the recipe for two 9″ pies to perfectly encompass the tradition of southern charm — one for you, and another to share!

Whitney Miller has graciously shared her Brownie Cookie recipe on her lovely website — I’m sure you will also enjoy reading more about her!

I made the brownie cookie recipe this week — need I say more? I think the chocolate picture speaks volumes!

I also made her recipe for Mississippi Mudd Pie which can be found in her new cookbook — page 262 in case you are already on your way to buy it — which I highly recommend!

Another picture that speaks volumes …

A piece of that wonderful pie!