30 August 2015

Wake & Bake

Tomorrow's plan is simple. Wake and bake. On the menu, carrot cake cupcakes using my new homemade baking powder. So far, my bakes have all risen. But now it's time for the real test of heavy raw carrot and zante currant (raisins).

In other news, tonight I wrote a second draft of my pumpkin spiced muffins, using baked orange potatoes instead of pumpkin. It's an idea given to me by my friend Jen and I have to say, brilliant. The bake was soft and with the spices, tasted like a pumpkin muffin.

And that folks, is the end of our weekend and the end of this post. We're headed to watch a movie. We started one last night and it kinda sucked monkey balls so I don't know if we'll finish that or start something new. Either way, the Halloween lights are up and the room is good and spooky.

Sunday Bake: Roasted Bird & Bread

Awhile back we noticed I was breaking out from chicken. So we made the switch to fully organic and locally grown and since then, no rashes or problems with chicken.

So today, it's all about a simple roasted bird. Tear bread for Tim and a quick spelt bread for me. That's about all on this end. Have a great day and boogie boogie boogie.

29 August 2015

Farmer's Market Finds (with video)

I just ate a great big bowl of locally grown organic veggies and rice. Heaven, I tell you. Heaven. Oh my good gosh, my belly is happy.

The only downside to our morning out (we hit a lot of different places) is that I got all bumpily. If I believed in jinxes, I'd say I jinx myself last week.

Anyway, check out these goodies. Carrot cupcakes, carrot cookies and carrot cake, on the way. You know, for a short break from the pumpkin madness overload.


True or False? What Say Ye?

This is an oldie that I've done before but it's Saturday and I am not sure where I am. Probably at the farmer's market, followed by the Halloween store (that just opened).

Could be, could be.

So tell me. Does the image disappear? It does for me.


28 August 2015

Friday Question: PUMPKINS !!!!

It's Friday and that means question time. And on my brain, is pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin and MORE pumpkin. But this year, I won't be able to partake in ANY of the pumpkin spice adventures plastered every flippin' where. But, I will be able to make lots of good pumpkin spice goodies right here at home.

Even better, eh? I think so.

Do you like pumpkin spice? How about pumpkin spice lattes? Pumpkin bread? Pumpkin pie? Pumpkin spiced muffin with zante currants? Pumpkin cookies/biscuits?

27 August 2015

Halloween Staycation on the WAY !!!!

Hello Boogerbutts. Who's having a yummy lunch right now? I just ate round apple slices filled with unsweetened peanut butter and medjool dates. My gosh, I love that combo.

Anyway, I'm cleaning the house, doing the bedding and just about to kick the pups out of The Lemon Tart Room.

In other news, Tim put in for his 10 day Halloween staycation and, as long as they don't schedule his out of town training for that week, we'll be good to go.

Rah.

26 August 2015

Writing Bakes: One Draft at a Time

I just clicked onto Blogger and my videos are back. Dunno what that was about, but I'm glad it's fixed.

Stacy asked me what kind of weird with the muffins. Here's the basic run down of what needs fixed in the next draft.
  • Science: Extra liquid in the batter made the muffins too heavy.
  • Taste: Not enough orange. And the year-old frozen cranberries were bland.
  • Texture: Airy and moist but also heavy.
  • Appearance: The muffins turned green.
Since getting sick, my food writing has gotten far more focused than before. The list of foods I can eat are small and the list of cannot, very, very long.

I don't mind because having to write this way has brought a focus to my work as well as a direction for me to go. And, it keeps me sane. I like figuring these things out. Bad drafts don't bother me, that's just part of writing. Besides, there's always something to learn.

Always.

In other news, it's a drizzly rain here. I have jeans and two shirts on and I'm still cold. Burrrrr. Too bad I don't have any bakes lined up for today. Instead, I'm off to Aldi to see what they have on offer. Ever since the new manager, the produce has been good and each Wednesday, we get new deals.

Hot dog.

25 August 2015

Testing Video (trying to figure out problem)

Not sure what is going on with the videos and my blog. But now, all my food videos are gone, even though they show up in draft/preview.

Does anyone know why?

In other news, the bake was weird. Not bad enough to toss in the bin, but not good enough to make again. I'll fix a few things and head to draft two. But not tonight because it's about time close the lid on my coffin.

Zzzzzzz.


Wish Me Luck - They're Going In

In 22 minutes I'll know if my new bake works. I always want to peek in the oven, but I won't because I don't want sunken muffins.

Here's a short clip. Wish me luck. They're going in.

24 August 2015

Ghosts, Gobblins & Barnes

We're at Barnes tonight. Tim's drinking his death by caramel and I've got my mint tea, along with a stack of baking magazines.

Even though I'm a year-round baker (including summer), this is the season when the magazines are about pumpkins, apples, caramel, peaches, ghosts, goblins, monsters and skeletons.

Last year some bloggers were hatin' on the pumpkin spice but they can suck it. Twice.

Nookie (a friend emailed this to me)



23 August 2015

For Dog People

I was going to write about something else but then I found this video, and now I don't remember what I was going to blog about. If you like dogs, watch until the end.


22 August 2015

My New Favorite YUM

It's Saturday morning and as soon as we get some grub, we're headed out. Not sure where yet, but who cares? Tim has two days off and we're fixin' to enjoy them.

Click the clip for yesterday's answer.


21 August 2015

Friday Question

Prior to this week, I've only had these in homemade jam, but now I'm putting them in bakes and eating them out of hand. Tell us what they are and win two boogers and a stick.

PS: Click My New Favorite Yum, for the answer. 

20 August 2015

I Couldn't Keep Track of My Brain

Today, I'm running around like a stick figure without a head. Or pretty close to it. Just one of those mornings where I couldn't keep track of my brain.

Now that I'm home, it's time to bake an apple spice loaf. Or maybe muffins. Not sure yet. The point of the bake is to test more of my homemade baking powder.

PS: I look scary without a head.

17 August 2015

Why Not? (video)

Today, I'm all about catching up on chores and getting the Halloween lights up. But before I head back to a string of orange lights and piles of laundry, let me tell ya' what I just made.

Homemade baking powder. If my experiment works, I'll post the formula.

It's weird to me, this corn allergy. So far it's the worst rash/reaction and I haven't been able to reintroduce corn into my diet. But on the upside, homemade baking powder.

Because I am THAT cool.


16 August 2015

Ready to Rumble: Sunday Bake

It's early afternoon here at The Manor and in the oven, is one banana bread bake. The formula isn't mine and doesn't call for the ANY warm spices. But that's okay, because each time I practice a recipe from another baker, I always do it their way. Because after all, I'm here to learn from them.

Me, I already know.

As for yesterday's apple bake, I didn't get to put it together due to a nap emergency. But today, I'm rested and and ready to rumble. Which means I'm off to go prep my next bake, as I wait for the banana bread to finish.

Meanwhile, here's a short clip.

15 August 2015

4 Saturday Goal, Little Steps & Apple Pie

I told myself that I would post four videos, four Saturdays in a row. Now that I've done that, I'll randomly sprinkle videos here and there, until I make the jump to my food website.

I'm also toying with YouTube, G+, Patreon and a possible zine, but I don't have enough details to share at this time. Nor do I know HOW to get where I want to go. The good news is, I know WHERE I want to go.

Now I just gotta figure out all those little steps.

Anyway, here's a clip I did the first week, after hitting the organic farm stand. I've been eating solely organic local garlic forever and I love the stuff. So flippin' good.

Now I'm off to bake an apple pie (without garlic).


14 August 2015

Friday Question: NUT BUTTERS

Yesterday's adventures included another antique store. Although the owners bitched about customers the whole time we were there. Add to it that the store itself had a dark itch factor, and we'll call that one a bust.

BUT, the trip to Whole Foods was a success. Lots of fun ingredients, including fresh local figs, new flours and MORE organic nuts. Which is good, because the nut butter in the clip (with formula) below, is gone, gone, gone.

Friday Question: Do you like nut butters?




13 August 2015

BOO !!!!

Lock your doors, bolt your windows, and break out the scary movies and Halloween lights, because here at The Manor, it's oogie boogie season.

To kick things off, Tim's got a four day weekend and in about an hour, we're headed south, for another road adventure.

You Boogerbutts have an oogie boogie yummy nummy, day. And I'll catch ya' on the flip side


12 August 2015

Suck on THAT

Oh my gosh, I just ate the best breakfast, ever. Apple, medjool dates and organic unsweetened peanut butter.

So flippin' good.

But before that, I went outside to take pictures of the leaves changing. I know, I know, some of you are still celebrating summer but boy, not me. I've got pumpkin spice on the brain and apples in the oven.

Last night, I made grilled applesauce. Heaven. Absolute, heaven. More on that later as right now, I'm done reading blogs and off for my walk. Last time, I did 90 minutes. So suck on that immune system.

Suck on that.



11 August 2015

APPLES !!!!

I'm not sure what number video this is, as I stopped counting after I hit the fourth one. If you want to catch up, click the video series below.

Now onto today's post. APPLES !!!! Here in Northwestern PA, we're getting fresh local apples and that means my apron's on and the oven is ready. Bake, bake, bake, bake.

Here are our finds. I forgot to show the honkin' huge local raw honey, jar. It's almost as big as Bug, and just about as heavy.


Click to Expand

09 August 2015

How to Bake 2000 Year-Old Bread

Tim found this for me last night, and I loved it so much, I had to share. In other news, my energy is returning (immune system issues), and I even got to hit Apple Castle yesterday, where we snagged heirloom apples. More on that later, as I'm about ready to close the lid on our coffins.

PS: We also snagged some killer raw local honey yesterday. Very, very sweet, but it'll do nicely in bakes.

And that's all from me. Bye!


08 August 2015

Yum, Yum, Yum (video)

Hello Boogerbutts. It's Saturday here at The Manor and Tim is off to the movie house this morning and I'm baking. 

Special thanks to all who played yesterday's Friday Question. The answer: micro greens. Locally grown and organic. I cannot believe how flippin' good these buggers are.

Wow, I love 'em.

It's about time for me to get my apron on but before I go, here's a short clip. This stuff was so good that I made it twice in the same day.

Yum, yum, yum.


07 August 2015

06 August 2015

I Love Lucy (104 Today)

Yesterday's plans of tart crust makin' madness went into the crapper because I had to mostly rest. So did laundry and watched a lot of Lucy (today's her 104th birthday). Later, I made homemade bread and butter.

And as for today, it's another round of Lucy/Rest combo. The clip from below is one of my MOST favorite episodes. I love when she says, "Happy little loaf."

She's the best.

05 August 2015

No One was Naked During the Making of This Video

Last night, Tim shot his first video and I struggled to hold the camera straight. But we had fun and learned new stuff.  

As for today, it's all about writing an allergy-friendly pie crust. Fingers and nutsacks crossed, it doesn't taste like cardboard.

Anyway, here's a comic I drew last night, when Tim was working on his video. But he really wasn't naked.

I just don't know how to draw pants.


04 August 2015

My 4th Video (I found the pause button)

Originally, I was going for one video per week. But at the rate that I'm learning and shooting per day, I've blown that goal out of the water. Now, I'll sprinkle videos throughout the blog. At least in these early learning stages. For example, yesterday I found the pause button.

But enough jibber gabber, here's number four.

PS: Not sure why on Blogger the video is grainy, but from the desktop, it's not. If anyone does know, please help me understand. Thanks.


02 August 2015

My 3rd Video (eventually, I'll name these)

Here's my third video. Freshly shot from our back deck. And now, we're headed to Barnes to sneak in a little writing time before we close the lid on this weekend.

Thanks for watching and boogie boogie.


Guess What?


01 August 2015

My 2nd Video (sound and movement)

Here's video number two. And let me tell ya', I made a bunch this week. The one below, is the first time I merged sound with movement. As for focus? Maybe next time.