A Special Treat for Valentine's Day...

Let's go ahead and get any eye-rolling, boo-ing or swearing out of your system.... ok, are we good?  Because I have something to tell you... please don't hate me. Because.... I love Valentine's Day.  I do.  I can't help it.

It's definitely not my favorite holiday by any means, but I love to love people.  Isn't that essentially what Valentine's Day is all about?

(total side note: isn't this tin lovely? My dear friend Lindsey gave it to me! I think she's super swell.)

Nothing says loving like something sweet from the oven.  So one of my favorite things to do is to bake special treats... shocking to you I'm sure.  And better yet, if I can bake something and make it pretty, by golly, I'm all in!

Sugar cookies are a great option for baking up something delicious and pretty.  The decorating part can be a bit time consuming, but these cookies are just as delicious on their own... ask my husband, I had to slap his hand away from the cooling cookies so I'd have some left to decorate!

I'm also quite excited about these cookies, because they are my own recipe! I never thought I would get to a point where I could make up my own recipes, but I have! And I'm so pleased!

Just as a note, coconut oil is used for this recipe instead of butter so there is a slight taste of coconut.  I think it's fantastic, but if you would rather jump off a cliff than eat something that tastes like coconut... then I have a lovely chocolate chip recipe for you instead.

Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose gluten-free flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup soy milk
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil

In a large bowl, whisk together all your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  In a small bowl, whisk together all you wet ingredients: egg, egg yolk, coconut oil, milk, and vanilla extract.  Pour the wet mixture over the dry and beat together using a handheld mixer until thoroughly combined.  Knead the cookie dough in the bowl until all the ingredients are well incorporated and the dough forms a ball.  Divide the dough in half.  Make a disc with each half and wrap in plastic wrap.  Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  On a well floured surface, working with one disc at a time, roll out the dough until its approximately 1/4 inch thick.  Cut cookies out with your desired cookie cutter (mine was an approximately 2 inch heart shaped cookie cutter).  Save the scraps, knead back into a disc, and repeat the rolling and cutting until you've used all the dough you can.

Place the cookie shapes onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper with about an inch between each one.  Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remember that if you used a smaller cookie cutter the baking time will be less, and if you used a larger cookie cutter the baking time will be more.

If you are wanting to decorate with royal icing (like mine).  Follow this incredibly helpful guide from Bake at 350 to make the frosting.  You'll want to look around on her website for inspiration, trust me!

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Jill

Have you met Wiza...?

In college, I had the lucky chance to visit Germany with my choir.  One of our many stops in the tour was Görlitz which borders Poland. I'm not sure if you know this, but handmade Polish pottery rocks. And I would have never known this if Josh and I didn't stop in this quaint shop just to look around.  The store was only as big as a classroom, but it was floor to ceiling packed with Polish pottery, Wiza pottery.

Funny thing though, while in Görlitz I bought some pottery for my mother as a souvenir of sorts, but didn't buy any for myself... I wasn't really in the stage of life where pretty kitchenware would meet my fancy.  Now, I wish I did, because I LOVE it.

Ever once in awhile I'll run across a mug or plate at TJ Maxx, and I'll pick it up... because 1) it's pretty and 2) it reminds me of my visit to Deutschland.

I want to take a second to send out my thoughts and prayers to family, friends and students of Dr. David Weber. I will not claim to be a close student of his, but even the very few times that he met with me, he made a huge impact.  He was an incredible teacher.

Sincerely,

Jill

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

For the past few years, I’ve been known as a baker-of-sorts amongst my friends.  I’m self-taught, and I use recipes.  In my opinion, that’s nothing to brag about, but I truly love doing it. When I found out that I am intolerant of gluten, you would expect for me –the baker- to be pretty dispirited by this news.  But I wasn’t.

First of all, I have been struggling with serious stomach issues to the point that I can’t live life as fully for the past 8 or 9 years.  I’ve tried everything in the books to amend the issues but had zero luck.  So if cutting out gluten (and lactose, and certain fruits and vegetables) will help, I’m 100% in.

I also know that my favorite food blogger/photographer has celiac.  If the gluten-free alternatives are good enough for a trained pastry chef, they are good enough for me.

Lastly, being under these new restrictions, for whatever reason, has given me the gumption to break from the recipe… GASP! Strange, huh?! My guess is that I’m a bit of a perfectionist and don’t like to do things wrong, but now that there is a good chance the recipe won’t work out the first time anyway (with trying to find the right balance of the GF alternatives), I feel freer to be a little more creative.

As a baker, I like to try new desserts that I’ve never tried before. BUT if I leave it up to my friends to pick out what I should bake, it’s one of two things 95% of the time: Chocolate Chip Cookies or Brownies.  I decided I should probably get these two recipes mastered in the GF variety first.

These chocolate chip cookies are actually my first attempt, and after struggling with the bake time for a bit, they finally came out perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.  I’m pretty proud of my first creation… and I hope you like them, too!

GF Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes approximately 20 cookies

Ingredients:

•  1 1/4 cup GF All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter replacement
• 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a seperate bowl with a handheld mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth.  Add the vanilla extract, molasses and egg and continue to beat until well combined. Add in the flour and continue to beat until the flour is thoroughly incorporated.  Do the same with the chocolate chips.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Tightly cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator at least 10 minutes. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the cookie dough into heaping tablespoons and place on the paper.  Bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes.

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Jill

Mission Decorate Living Room...

Before

After!

Here are some of my favorite details....

(please ignore the sideways picture in the frame... I need to put a new picture in there yet)

Mission Accomplished..... at least for now.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Sincerely,

Jill

Basic but a favorite....

So today is just a dip of the toe for me in this new realm of gluten-free baking.... granola.  Something I'm fairly familiar with.  Simple, simple. But before we go into that... let's chat a wee bit about The Bachelor, ok? Who out there is watching it? Are you already overwhelmed by the girl-drama-explosions? I know I am.  Am I still going to watch it? Abso-tude-a-lutely. Yelling at your TV screen with your girlfriends about ridiculous girl drama is fun... ridiculous, but fun.

Ok... TV chat over. Back to food...

Granola and I... we're good friends.  I make the granola toasty and sweet, and in return, it makes me happy and satisfied.  If you've been a follower for awhile, you've already been introduced to two of my favorite granolas: Happy Granola and Coconutty Granola.

But Jill... does granola typically have gluten in it?  I'm so glad you asked... most likely, yes.

The rolled oats are the culprit in regards to the gluten content in most granolas.  Oats in themselves do not contain gluten, but are often grown in the same fields and processed in the same factories as wheat.  Luckily though, you can buy gluten-free oats, thank goodness, and that is what is used in this recipe.

Let me introduce you to my new friend... Gluten-Free Happy Coconutty Granola.  That's a mouthful.... HA! PUN INTENDED!  And yes! This recipe is the combination of my favorites mentioned above.

It is not overly sweet, but super coconutty which can be a hard combo to find. When the granola is toasting in the oven, keep a close eye to make sure it isn't getting too brown.  It can go from toasted to burnt very quickly.

For me, I love to eat this yummy granola with some lactose-free vanilla yogurt (Green Valley Organics is the best brand; I enjoy it way more than regular yogurt) and some blueberries.

GF Happy Coconutty Granola

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Gluten-Free Rolled oats (or regular rolled oats for those non-intolerant types)
• 2 cups puffed brown rice cereal
• 2 cups wide coconut flakes (don't just use the regular stuff, trust me)
• 2 cups sunflower seeds
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup pepitos (pumpkin seeds)
• 1/3 cup sesame seeds
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a very large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.  In a small separate bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients.  Pour the wet mix over the dry and stir until thoroughly incorporated.

Evenly distribute between two parchment-lined cookies sheets. Baking each pan separately for 25-30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes.

Cool, store, and enjoy!

Sincerely,

Jill

Having a laugh....

I apologize in advance for my immaturity. Nah... no I don't.

I watched this the other morning, and it made me smile all day long.... I just want to share the love and maybe rub some of my immaturity off onto you.

Let me tell you what you're looking for in this clip:

First, go ahead and skip to 3:00 minute mark, that's when the dance begins - this dance is not good, but this video ain't about the dancing....

Second, start paying attention to the singer around 3:50 mark... seriously, I'm so immature.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_l5bzlfBuA]

Ok, now that you've watched it let me share something.  I was in choir most of my life, and you kind of train yourself not to laugh at people when their voices crack because it's rude, but that just flew out the window!

I was actually watching this live episode of Dancing with the Stars, and I kid not, I almost peed my pants I was laughing so hard.  Tears were running down my face. I'm sure Josh thought I lost my ding dang mind.

I hope you find this as funny as I do, but if not you can always just laugh at me. I can handle it.

Sincerely,

Jill

Boys Night and EuropeanMania!!!

Yesterday I experienced my first "earthquake." When it was happening my logical mind thought that someone had mistaken our house for one of the houses undergoing construction and was bulldozing my house. I'm very logical. I'm also from Kansas so the idea of an earthquake was never thought of.  That has nothing to do with this post... I just wanted to share. Yesterday I made some of my Homemade Nutella.  It's so good...

I also went to dinner with Josh and a group of his guy friends.... interesting conversations always come up. Always.

Since last night was "the last night of summer," they wanted to have a boys night .

For many women out there this may be a disconcerting event.... but no. This is what my man's boys night looked like:

Settlers of Catan

Margaritas - Jonathan style (which means it is one strong drink)

Cupcakes - manly cupcakes... they have beer in it

The boys wanted either brownies or cupcakes.  All I needed to tell them is that I have one killer Guinness cupcake recipe, and they were sold.

I decided I wanted to do something different from my vanilla bean buttercream that I typical use with the Guinness cupcake.  Then a light bulb went off... "Jill, you just made nutella this morning.... nutella buttercream!"

It has been declared by Josh (the hubs), that these are the best cupcakes I've ever made.  "I never brag, but friends do tell me I'm quite accomplished in the art of baking".... sorry, modified quote from the movie Emma.

The Guinness cake recipe is one of my favorites.  I use it often just as my normal chocolate cake recipe because it has a wonderful texture and isn't overly sweet.  And really. Nutella Buttercream. Do I need to say anything further on that subject? Yum!

EuropeanMania Cupcakes

cake recipe adapted from My Baking Addiction

For the cupcakes:

• 1 (12 ounce) bottle Guinness Stout
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line or grease your cupcake pans.  In a large bowl, combine the Guinness, milk, vegetable oil, butter, and vanilla.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  Mix in the yogurt.

In another large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour and baking soda. Gradually pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.

Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 the way full and bake for about 15-25 minutes.  The cupcakes are done with you lightly push on the tops and it bounces back like a sponge.  Do not over bake.

For the Nutella Buttercream:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup Nutella or homemade nutella
• 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
• Approximately 1 1/2 lbs powdered sugar, sifted
• milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and nutella together until creamy, 5 minutes.   Add the cocoa powder.  Slowly add in the sifted powdered sugar.  Add just enough milk to make the mixture creamy (about  2 tablespoons).  Add the vanilla.

Once the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe on the buttercream.  Top with sprinkles you please!

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Jill

For my Nana and Grandad...

For Nana and Grandad, Thank you for making me bacon when I was growing up.

Thank you for having the most awesome Northeastern accents.

Thank you for making the perfect (and I mean perfect) grilled cheese sandwiches.

Thank you for always putting out the Christmas elves I played with when I was younger even now when I'm 26.

Thank you for letting me spend summers with you.

Thank you for baking me babka bread, pirogues, little cakes, and nut and poppyseed roll.  I'm trying to learn your recipes, because even though they are just recipes they are a part of our family.

I love you, Jill.

Two Hour Nut and Poppyseed Rolls (Kolaczki)

recipe from the Nana

Ingredients (makes 4 rolls):

• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 2 packages of yeast
• 6 cups of flour
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup sour cream

Nut Filling (for one roll):

• 2 1/2 cups walnuts (you can use with pecans as well)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• splash of milk

Poppyseed Filling (for one roll):

• scant 1 can poppyseed filling
• lemon zest (quarter of a lemon zest, sprinkled over the already spread poppyseed)

Dissolve the yeast in the milk.  Combine flour, butter, salt, sugar, eggs and sour cream.  Add the milk mixture.  Blend well by kneading for approximately 10 minutes (add additional flour as needed).  Divide dough into 4 parts and roll out into rectangles each part approximately 1/4 inch thick.  Spread with either the nut or poppyseed mixture.  Leave an inch of space inside 3/4 of the perimeter of the rectangle; have the other quarter of the perimeter be a long length of the rectangle and spread the mixture all the way to the edge.  Start rolling up the dough with this edge.  Pinch together the seam and flip the ends in so the seam and ends are down.  Place on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper.  Allow to rise 1 hour.  About 10 minutes before the hour ends, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.  Cool before serving.

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Jill

5 Minute Energy Bars

Yoga is fun.  It's one of the only physical activities that I can think of that can be both challenging and relaxing. Cycling is fun, too.  It's definitely not relaxing, but it feels good to finish a class completely soaked and red faced.

Yep, red faced.... since I was very young, any super cardiovascular activity makes my face bright red. BRIGHT red. Kids at school used to ask me what was wrong with my face, nice right?

It actually used to really bother me.  Even after I had been working out on a regular basis, the red would still remain.  I was worried that people would see my face and think, "wow, she must be really out of shape."

I'm not really sure when it happened, but somewhere down the road I stopped caring.  Now, if I workout to the point where my face is red that just mean I worked really hard and wear the red with pride.

So let's do something to push ourselves and make us even stronger.

But first! You're going to need some sustenance! I have just the thing AND they literally take 5 minutes to make. Win, win.

These puppies are full of goodness: oats, peanut butter, ground flax, chia seeds, but seriously they are wonderfully tasty.

Cycling and yoga really are fun, and thanks to my beautiful, gracious sister I have a 3 month unlimited pass to a studio here in town called SyncStudio dedicated to those two forms of exercise.  Thanks, Kelly!

How do you want to push and strengthen yourself?

5 Minute Energy Bars

recipe from fannetastic food 

Ingredients:

• 1  3/4 cups rolled oats (use gluten-free rolled oats if needed)
• 1 cup puffed brown rice cereal
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
• 1/8 cup finely ground flaxseeds

• 1/2 C brown rice syrup
• 1/3 C creamy peanut butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a large bowl, mix together all your dry ingredients.  In a microwavable bowl, mix together your brown rice syrup, peanut butter and vanilla extract.  Microwave for about 20 to 30 seconds until the ingredients mix together evenly.

Pour the wet mix in with the dry mix and stir until very well combined.  You want the syrup/peanut butter mix coating the dry mixture as evenly as possible.  Put the mixture into a shallow pan and press down with a clean spatula (to prevent sticking).

Place the pan in the refrigerator for a few minutes before cutting into 12 squares.  This makes it easier to work with.  Store in the refrigerator wrapped individually or in a container with parchment paper in between the squares.  Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Jill

Love (III)

Love (III) Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back,

          Guilty of dust and sin.

But quick-ey'd Love, observing me grow slack

          From my first entrance in,

Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning

          If I lack'd any thing.

"A guest," I answer'd, "worthy to be here";

          Love said, "You shall be he."

"I, the unkind, ungrateful? ah my dear,

          I cannot look on thee."

Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,

          "Who made the eyes but I?"

"Truth, Lord, but I have marr'd them; let my shame

          Go where it doth deserve."

"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"

          "My dear, then I will serve."

"You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."

          So I did sit and eat.

                                                     - George Herbert -

I am reading through "The Good and Beautiful God" by James Bryan Smith with a group of friends which contained George Herbert's poem for this week's chapter. 

I am not typically a poetry kind of gal.  Anything other than literally interpretations aren't really my strong suit.  I blame the analytical side of me, but I had no problem understanding this poem. 

Personally, I have ran the gamut of what one can feel about God.  I have felt full out angry at to complete adorations for. What can I say, I'm complicated.  Thankfully, God can handle anything I throw at Him and loves me just the same.  

I find peace in George Herbert's poem. 

I will sit and eat.

Sincerely,

Jill

Meet Our New Home! Before Pictures

I was so excited about getting the keys to our new home I didn't take very many pictures, but welcome! Meet our new home...

Here is our kitchen... it's much bigger than just this area, but like I said I was just so ding dang excited!

And here is our gas stove oven!

Our lovely living room.

The future office...

Our fantastic screened in back porch.... I see this being a favorite spot.

I wanted to take before, during and after pictures of our moving process.  I'm pretty pumped to get to decorate such a lovely house.... just wait until you see the bathrooms and closets!

Sincerely,

Jill

Guest Post: Darla from Bakingdom - Harry Potter Treats

In my ridiculous research to find some recipes from the world of Harry Potter, I ran across Darla and her blog Bakingdom.  Her entire blog is wonderful, but I was particularly impressed with the Harry Potter recipes. I can wait to give some of these recipes a shot! So a huge thanks to Darla for willing to write this guest post on extremely short notice and please go check out her other recipes on her blog.... you won't be disappointed! Hello. My name is Darla. I write a food blog called Bakingdom. I'm here on Sincerely Jill today because Jill asked if I would mind writing a little post about some of my Harry Potter recipes.

  That's right. I'm a Potter fan. A full fledged, wife and stepmother, totally grownup Pottermaniac. I've read the books many times, and watched the movies (catching all but two as they premiered in theaters). I haven't the excuse of a youngster to explain my entry into the Potterverse. No, I stumbled into it during my first year of marraige while my husband was deployed with the military. What better way to escape and pass the time until his return than with a journey into J.K. Rowling's magical universe?

  The stories stuck with me, and I couldn't escape the excitement and allure with each new book or film. When I started my blog, I knew that Harry Potter would become a part of it. Just a little treat here and there. Except, I'm not the only kid-at-heart-adult who has fallen head over heels for Harry, and my Potter posts quickly became some of my most popular. Today, I'll share a little bit about each of the recipes I've created, and maybe you can add one or two to your party plans for the release of Harry potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II (HP7.2).

I first made HP treat for the release of HP7.1. For that very first Potter treat, there was no contest as to what it would be...it had to be Harry's favorite dessert: treacle tarts. I had never had a treacle tart before, but after doing a substantial amount of research, I learned that they were quite simple, so I set to work. The crust on my tarts is a basic shortcrust, and their filled with a traditional treacle tart filling. It's surprisingly lemony and far better than I anticipated. No wonder they're Harry's favorite!

Once I'd covered Harry's favorite, I knew the next treat was going to have to be the one that seems to have captured everyone's attention and peaked all of our imaginations: butterbeer. I was fortunate enough to get to try real butterbeer firsthand when I visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter last summer, during opening week.  It's truly delicious, and although not what I had imagined, I think it's possible that it may be better. The park's butterbeer, which was approved by J.K. Rowling herself was like a buttery cream soda with a rich, yet light, creamy foam on top. To acheive the same flavors, I used a cream soda base for my butterbeer and added a small amount of imitation butter to it. The foam is a buttery whipped cream that perfectly emulates the park's.

Aside from the delicious butterbeer that I had at WWoHP, I also got to have one of the fantastic cauldron cakes sold at Honeydukes. They were so wonderful, and absolutely adorable, that I couldn't resist trying to recreate them on my own. My double chocolate cauldron cakes have a twist of their own too, in that their filled with pearly, golden Felix Felicious potion.

For Part II of Deathly Hallows, I decided to continue my Pottermania by having another week dedicated to treats inspired by the books and films. I started out with a treat that I concocted back in November, but saved for this film release: Honeydukes Candyfloss Cupcakes. They aren't a treat that exists in the books, although candyfloss is mentioned at least once, but the gorgeous window display at Honeydukes in the WWoHP was so inspiring to me! Along with these cotton candy flavored cupcakes, I created a pom pom tutorial and Honeydukes tags to share with everyone, so that we could all have fun, festive cupcake toppers that would look perfectly at home inside Honeydukes.

My latest treat is another that comes more from my imagination rather than from the books, but who can resist a whimsically decorated Harry Potter cookie? Or Ron? Or Hermione?! My Harry Potter cookies were a new adventure for me, as it was the first time I decorated using royal icing. I had so much fun making these, and the best part is that there's no right or wrong...it's only limited by your imagination.

  I have one final magical dessert in store for my readers tomorrow. This one is inspired by Hogwarts and the four houses, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Stop by and check it out.

  I hope you enjoy my Potter inspired treats, and I especially hope you enjoy your HP viewing parties and premieres! I know I will...I'll be the one in the Potter Quidditch shirt and glittery Gryffindor tutu smuggling in my own butterbeer. :)

XO, Darla

Honey Peach Cardamon Ice Cream

You know what would be really swell? 

If my entire house packed and moved itself over to my new house, that would be swell.

I'm waiting for that contraption to be invented... maybe that's why I haven't even started packing my house yet.... and we begin moving this weekend.

Pshaaa.... details.  Who needs them?! It's all good....please slap me if I ever say that in real life, thanks.

Want to know something that really is all good?

Ice cream.... which is two words by the way, never can seem to remember that.

More specifically, Honey Cardamon Peach Ice Cream.

We bought a whole grocery bag full of bruised peaches at the farmers market for $1.  What a deal, right? 

They were perfect for ice cream, and if you haven't had peaches from the South than you've really never had a peach.  They are incredible. I used to hate peaches; I have converted.

For this recipe you obviously need an ice cream maker, but please do not fret.  For a kitchen gadget, they are pretty well priced.  This is the one we have.

The recipe itself if very straight forward: chop, simmer, blend, cool, and freeze. There is a bit more than that, but you get the general idea.

Honey Peach Cardamon Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 4-5 large ripe peaches (about 2 pounds), peeled and pitted
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamon

Chop the peaches into 1/2-inch chunks, and toss 1/2 of chopped peaches into a small saucepan. Add the honey and bring to a boil. Once boiling lower the heat, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peaches are soft but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Puree the mixture using a blender, food processor or immersion blender. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a simmer.  Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the yolks and sugar.

While whisking, very slowly drizzle in about one third of the hot milk mixture to temper the eggs so they won’t curdle. Still whisking, slowly pour in the remaining liquid. Pour the custard back into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring without stopping, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. You should be able to run you finger down the back of the spoon without any of the custard running into the track made from you finger. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, and pour the custard into a 2-quart glass measuring cup or clean heatproof bowl. Stir in the vanilla, peach puree, and cardamon.

Chill the custard in the refrigerate before churning it into ice cream.

Pour the chilled custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker, and churn according to manufacturer’s directions. While the ice cream is churning, further dice the remaining peaches, then, just before the ice cream is thickened and ready, add the peaches and churn to blend.

Pack the ice cream into a container and freeze it for at least 2 hours, until it is firm enough to scoop.

recipe adapted from Baking: from my home to yours by Dorie Greenspan

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Jill

To have a sister....

To have  a sister is such a blessing. She is fun, encouraging, supportive, lovely, intelligent, gorgeous, and witty. 

She remembers every little detail of your life for you, and you are so thankful that she does.  Her mind is a steal trap. 

She is hilarious, but she only gets really goofy around you.  It's something special you share. 

She knows how to smile with her eyes... Tyra taught her how.

You get used to people saying, "Jill, is that your sister? She is gorgeous! You look nothing like her...."

She is crazy inspiring.  Five marathons in about 2 years!  She's a machine! A very pretty, dainty machine that runs like the dickens.

She listens to you.  She's a shoulder to lean on.  She loves you.

Kelly, you are the best sister any girl could ask for.  Thank you for supporting and encouraging me when I am down.  Thank you for all of your sisterly love and advice.  Thank you for your wit, humor and quoting Anchorman with me.  Laughing with you is one of my favorite things to do.  Thank you for being you, Kelly.

Happy Birthday, Kelly! 

I love you soooooooooooooooo much

Sincerely,

Your Sister,

Jill

Wooo Hoooo!

It feels good, people.  It feels really good. Want to take a guess at what I'm talking about?  Go ahead... give it a shot.... I'll wait.

Oh.... the pictures.... right

So now you know!  Mission completed friends! I have read all 7 of the Harry Potter books before the release of the final movie. Check #2 off the list!

After 4,182 pages.... with over 3,000 of the those pages read in 32 days.... it feels good.  I have never read a fictional series that was so well developed and so enjoyable.  Step aside Twilight, you don't hold a candle to Harry.

To further solidify my nerdiness, I think I'm going to throw a party.  Watch all the movies before going to the new one. It's going to be great.  If butter beer was real, it would be there.

Well, I hope you all have a magical day!

Sincerely,

Jill

Friday Favorites

Want to hear some exciting news?  Sincerely Jill just recently celebrated its 4 month mark!  For something that was created on a whim, that's pretty exciting to me. 

While I definitely feel like this blog is still in its growth and development stage, I am very pleased at what it has become.

One thing I'm most proud of are my food posts.  Ironically, they are not my most viewed posts on the blog, but that is ok with me.  A lot of thought and energy go into my recipes so of course they are quite special to me.

I wanted to share with you some of my favorite recipes as of thus far.  Honestly, it was kind of tough to narrow it down, because I have a lot of favorites.  But here it goes!

Carrot Cake with Lemon Zest Cream Cheese Frosting 

This is hands down my favorite layer cake.  It's moist and oh-so-flavorful.  I also made it is cupcake version if you aren't interested in a whole cake.

Sweet Cornbread 

I make cornbread all the ding-dang time so of course it's a favorite.  It's wonderful with any kind of soup or chili, but it isn't uncommon for me to just enjoy it with some butter and honey and nothing else.

Homemade Nutella 

This has been a very popular request amongst the friends.  Thank goodness it's easy to make.

Happy Granola 

This has been the most popular recipe by far... mostly because the author of the recipe gave me a huge shout out from her website, facebook page, and twitter.  Thanks Terry!  But seriously, this granola has the power to make you happy. It's a proven fact.

Cilantro Lime Rice 

Mmmmmm this stuff is amazing.... maybe I'll make it this weekend....

Monster Cookies 

Best. Cookie. Ever. I promise.

Angel Food Cake  

The cake that began my baking career. I'm not lying when I say I could eat the whole thing by myself.... maybe in one sitting, but most certainly in two.

I hope you give one of these recipes a shot! You won't be disappointed!

Sincerely,

Jill

Tomato Season Heaven

Thank goodness for tomato season. 

Thank goodness for our CSA, Coon Rock Farms. 

Roma, Grape, and Heirloom tomatoes all in our box this week.  I'm straight up giddy.

Besides the fact that they're beautiful, they are beyond flavorful.  What was I thinking all these years eating mushy flavorless tomatoes??! What was I thinking?!?!

I have big plans for these tomatoes tonight...

On side note, if you are in the Durham area and you have not tried the food truck Pie Pushers... YOU ARE WRONG.

Go. Go now.  Actually.... go when they are open.  But please for all that is good in life, eat their pizza.  Eat The Pace Car... it'll knock your socks off.

Sincerely,

Jill

Baklava

The new Harry Potter movie comes out in 9 days.  I'm so stinking excited. 

If you wanted a update on how I'm doing with getting through the books, I have good news.  I am starting the Book 7, the last book, today.  Thanks to a long weekend and a nasty bout with some bad seafood I finished Book 6 in just 3 days. Whoo! Ra! 

That has nothing to do with baklava, but since when have I been consistent with my subject matter?

I can’t remember my first experience with baklava.  I’m sure I didn’t care for it much when I was younger… nuts in things wasn’t really my bag. 

However, I do remember when my now husband and I were first dating he brought my Nana a piece of baklava from the bakery he worked for, and she LOVED it! He 100% won her over.  That and he played golf in high school; I’m sure she would have passed out if he were Catholic.

There has always been this intimidation factor that has kept me for attempting to make baklava.  People would always say that it was so challenging.  Me, being a bit of a perfectionist, decided it would be best to steer clear of this dessert at least for the time being rather than mess it up.

 

What was I to do when Julie asked me to write a guest post? I knew that the oven and baklava recipe were calling my name.  So I decided to take that challenge.

 After reading through the recipe, I didn’t get what the big deal was about the recipe.  Seemed pretty straightforward to me.  But oh, no, no, no!  Phyllo dough is one tricky beast it is!  Rips without cause, doesn’t lay where you want it to...

 

But I persevered!  And so will you!  Co-workers and friends will annihilate this sweet treat within minutes.  Don’t be scared.  You can do it.

Baklava

Recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse (link: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/baklava-recipe2/index.html)

 Ingredients

For the Syrup:

• ·         1 cup honey
• ·         1 cup sugar
• ·         ¾ cup water
• ·         1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ·         2 cinnamon sticks
• ·         1 (1-inch) strip lemon zest
• ·         Pinch of clove & cardamom

For the Filling and Dough:

• ·         1 ½ pounds combination of walnuts and almonds
• ·         1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ·         1 teaspoon ground clove
• ·         ¼ teaspoon salt
• ·         2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
• ·         1 pound phyllo, thawed according to package instructions

Directions

To make the syrup: Combine the sugar, honey, water, lemon juice, cinnamon sticks, lemon zest, cloves and cardamom in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the syrup is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks and lemon zest and set syrup aside to cool.

Using a Chef's knife, finely chop the nuts. (Alternatively, if you have a food processor, pulse the nuts until finely chopped.) In a medium mixing bowl, combine the nuts, cinnamon, and salt and stir well to combine.

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan.

Using a pastry brush, lightly coat a 13 by 9-inch or 15 by 10-inch baking dish with some of the melted butter.

Open the package of thawed phyllo and lay the thin sheets on a clean work surface. Measure the phyllo sheets; if the type you have purchased measures approximately the same size as the baking dish you are using, then proceed from here. If they are larger than your baking dish, use a sharp knife to cut the phyllo sheets approximately the same size as your baking dish. Discard any scraps. Cover the sheets with a piece of plastic wrap and a lightly damp kitchen towel, as the sheets of phyllo dry out very quickly if left uncovered.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 of the sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the buttered baking dish and lightly brush with some of the melted butter. Repeat this procedure with 6 more sheets of phyllo, for a total of 7 layers. Measure about 3/4 cup of the nut mixture and spread the nut mixture evenly over the buttered phyllo sheets. Repeat with 7 more sheets of phyllo, buttering each layer as before, and top these sheets with another 3/4 cup of the nut mixture. Continue this layering process, buttering 7 sheets of phyllo and topping each 7 sheets with 3/4 cup of the nuts, until you have used all of the nut mixture. Layer any remaining sheets of phyllo on top, buttering between each layer, until all of the phyllo sheets have been used.

Use a sharp knife to make 4 cuts lengthwise through the layered phyllo at 1 1/2 inch intervals. (You should end up with 5 lengthwise strips 1 1/2 inches wide.) Now use your knife to cut diagonally across the strips at 1 1/2-inch intervals to form diamond shapes. You should end up with approximately 36 diamond-shaped pieces of baklava in the baking dish.

Bake the baklava until golden brown, about 40 minutes.

Using oven mitts or pot holders, remove the baklava from the oven and set aside on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Using a ladle or small measuring cup, slowly drizzle the cooled syrup over the warm baklava. Allow to stand several hours before serving.

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Jill

Basil Pesto

Scents are an interesting thing, aren't they?  Have you ever thought about it?

Being a Psychology major, we learned that scents can link to our memories in a very strong way.  Our olfactory nerves, which is our odor receptor linked to our brain, is physically closest to the part of our brain responsible for memory and emotions.  Cool, yes?

The scent of freshly paved asphalt makes me think of summer at the pool.

The scent of sewage (gross, yes) reminds me of walking by the girls gym at summer camp.

The scent of the Polo Blue cologne reminds me of dating relationship I wouldn't mind forgetting.... funny that the "good" smell isn't a great memory.

But my favorite scent-memory is fresh basil.  It reminds me of my childhood.  My neighbor had a huge garden full of basil.  He had a cat... I think his name was Mr. Moo.  Basil also reminds me of my mom.  She made pesto from the basil our neighbor would give us.  Mmmm, I love memories.

Josh came home from working at a community garden with a package full of fresh basil.  I was in heaven.  True heaven.

I called up my mom and made sure that I knew exactly what ingredients I needed to make her amazing pesto. I've made other pestos... my mom's is the best. Hands down.

Make this pesto.  It is so easy.  It'll make you happy.

Just curious, what are some of your scent-memories?

Basil Pesto

Ingredients:

• 3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 garlic clove
• About 2/3 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste (be careful, it doesn't need much salt)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toast the pine nuts on a cookie sheet in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a blender, add the basil, toasted pine nuts, and garlic.  Pulse until finely chopped.  While the blender is still running, slowly add the olive oil until a smooth and thick consistency is made.  Blend in your salt (I added about 1/2 teaspoon and felt it was a bit much).  Use right away or store in a container in the refrigerator.  Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Jill

Friday Favorites!

Visit my guest post on Love, Julie where I share a recipe for a traditional Greek dessert, Baklava. Ok, I know I have milked this NYC trip cow for all it's worth.  I have just one last post to share with you, and I promise I'll move on!

I was uber excited to go shopping in New York.  While Durham has so much more options than Wichita, nothin quite beats New York when it comes to shopping... well, at least in the United States.

I saved, saved, saved so I could have a little fun.

I am absolutely in total infatuation of all of my finds.  Here are my favorite New York finds!

Silk Canyon Skirt

The whole long skirt trend has been quite a nice change of pace if you ask me, and I found this beauty at Madewell in Soho.

While this skirt isn't full length, it's easy and breezy.  I feel like I either step straight out of the 1940s or Paris... don't ask me why; it makes sense in my head.

Warm Glow Swatch

Ok, I have been wanting a Swatch watch for awhile now.  Actually, I bought one... but I gave it away to my husband.  You see, I can't handle ticking.  If I can hear a watch or a clock ticking, it drives me bonkers.  Tick tock is fine, but straight ticking makes me a little crazy... I bet you can tell.

I also bet the lovely workers at the Swatch store in Times Square thought I was crazy when I asked for a watch that doesn't tick.... sigh... I know... I'm weird.

But alas! They had some - no second hand equals no ticking - and I found one I love.  It's light weight and fabulous.  It's also very different than the other watches I have so I get a variety.

Novella Dress

I also found this gorgeous dress at Madewell in Soho.  This dress pictured isn't exactly the dress I got; they don't have the one I bought online for whatever reason.  The cut is exactly the same; it's just the print that's different. 

The scalloped sleeves and back are just adorable, but hands down the best part of this dress is the back.  Look at that!  Just a smidgen of skin so we all stay classy.  I want to go on a date in this dress... Josh?

I hope you enjoyed my favorite finds from NYC.  I have some really delicious recipes in the works that I can't wait to share with you.  Have a Happy Fourth of July weekend!

Sincerely,

Jill