these are a few of my favorite things.

trying new shampoo
getting new music, for the joy that comes along with getting familiar with new songs
the sound of your mother's voice
freedom of casting your burdens onto something bigger
hot coffee right after you pull yourself out of bed
exploring a new country, knowing you can always come home
speaking honest words
eating frozen yogurt for dinner
over using the words "I love you" to people you care for
the way your senses heighten the moment your eyes see the rolling ocean
quenching extreme thirst
letting the waves slowly splash up your body, finally letting the sea ingulf you as it's captive
laughing, really hard
how the beautiful, soft glow from candles can transform any room
pizza. from anywhere
sucking in clean air from the forrest, bringing your lungs back to life
finally pursuing something that matters to you
hugging someone that smells good
the feeling of home
letting your heart sing what it wants
taking a drive with the perfect song on
watching other people love each other, hoping one day you'll have the same
looking someone straight in the eyes, knowing exactly what they're saying without words
the smell of something baking
putting your earphones in enabling you to leave the world for a while
the way your spirit feels when you open up your bible, no matter what season your in
tropical air
the renewal that comes after crying your heart out
the way a father looks proudly at his child
writing down life dreams 
world maps
colorful cupcakes
being friends with someone who really gets you
the safety of your own bed 
smooth chapstick that tastes sweet
hot sand that burns your skin at first, and then soothes 
the feeling of realizing you can make it on you own, with just you and jesus
dancing like a crazy person 
thinking over the day ahead, as the steam from the hot shower rises
the vulnerability of making new friends
dresses and boots
the way flowers brighten life
music that makes you smile and sway
moments in life that truly take your breath away

You will want to read this.

 The Browned Butter Cookie.


I love food, and especially sugar. But that's old news.



Funny story: I visited my sister who lives in Northern Spain a couple of weeks ago, and it was a joy. Not only because of the amazing surrounding mountains or baby goats, but because we openly share the same dumb humor, and an obsession over sweeeeettt treeeaattsss. Because they live up in the mountains on a farm, these delicacies are scarce. Long story short, we got word from some outside source that there was a restaurant through the forrest around the mountain that could possibly have Magnum ice cream bars. Those are the ones with the thick chocolate layer and carmel and more chocolate...Don't even let me get started. So with the boys hard at work on the land, we decided this was a journey worth traveling. So we put on our rainboots and hiked MILES through the forrest. I'm talking long long miles in the pouring rain to find this place.
"Oh my gosh, we can't give up now Bean. Let's go around one more bend.. Nope no sign of sugar. Okay just one more bend." 


After miles of forrest, sweat, rain drops the size of small cookies, and  growling bellies.. We never found the restaurant, and thus never consumed the ice cream. 
But of course, with us being women, on the way there we were like, "GARRRR I COULD EAT 5 OF THEM! I'D KILL A BEAR FOR ONE!!!" 
and on the way home,
"...You know it's actually good that we didn't find them, because our bodies are much better off without all that fat and sugar. Blessing in disguise hehe haha hehe."
.the end. 




So as I've been back in the big O'l United States, where brownies and at my finger tips, to be quite honest, things have gotten a bit out of hand...


So I thought to myself, 
"Jenna. Oh Jenna. I believe the only answer to this is prayer and juice." 


It's not like I'm being creative, the whole juice fad has been around for weeks! but it's time I took hold of the life changing stuff. 
So it's only day one.... hahahahh and posting this blog is borderline torture. but hey I love you guys that much. 


This is why these cookies are so great. Actually lets discuss what browned butter even is first. I
love those different things that make something sound so shnazzy and good, but are ridiculously simple. Like how decadent mouse sounds, when it's really only whipped cream and flavoring. You know what I mean? 
Browned butter sounds so amazing (and it is) but all it takes is a pan, some heat, and lots of patients. 
The melting of the butter with the slow heat, totally changes the flavor profile of the butter; taking what once was mild and sweet, and turning it into a dark, nutty, carmel flavor! Oh the things heat can do :)


The browned butter aspect of these cookies, take a classic chocolate chip and give it a carmel twist. Magical. 


Not only will this recipe allow you to make the perfect cookie for any get-together but it will also give you lots of enduring patients.  
Because you. can. not. stop. stirring. the. butter. as. it. browns. period!
It's like a little infant who needs lots of love and care. You wouldn't leave you new born baby alone in a room would you? Let's apply that same concept. 


 Here's the recipe: 

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb chocolate chips/chunks
•  

For starters turn on your oven to 350. 

1.) Browning the butter is very basic, and only takes a good little pan, medium heat, and you stirring it. As you can see it the pictures, mine went from a light carmel color to a much darker brown. You want to allow the butter to get nice and dark= great carmel flavor. As the butter fully melts it will be bubbling and dancing around. Let it just do it's thing. 

Occasionally I would pull it off the burner and swirl; letting my eyes get a good gage on the color. (Don't be alarmed when your browned butter appears to be grainy.. this is only the butter solids browning with the heat) 

Whew! Once that's done, this cookie is a piece of cake. 

2.) Combine your cooled butter with your sugars, eggs and vanilla. 

3.) Combine your dry ingredients and combine! 

4.) taste the batter. Do you taste the difference of the more nutty, carmelly butter? Isn't it like carmel cookie joy??

5.) Add chocolate chips, oats, nuts, magnum bars, whatever your heart desires. 

6.) Pan them up

7.) And bake them until they are soft and cooked through. I'd start with 10 minutes and check them from there. 

           8.) Eat all of them. For me. Please. 

if we just believe...

The other day I was out in the sandbox with some precious pre schoolers.
I have a choice as the teacher to either: "over see" their play, or straight enter in to their imaginary worlds. Being older now and operated by a mind concerned about school, money, and life's duties, it's truly hard to be able to understand that the minute these kids walk onto that play ground, their entire world transforms into a playful imaginary land. 
A land where the small wooden play structure becomes a castle, the sand pies become real food, and when they meow and act like kittens, they really are one! 
So I challenge myself, when I sit there watching them, to try to remember how it felt to be that young. How magical every aspect of the world was. 


So yesterday as I sat on a bench among the scattered play, I started telling the little listening ears how much I love sweet treats and how hungryyyy I was. 
"Oh if there was only a bakery that served chocolate scrumdidily carmel crunch cotton candy rainbow cupcakes! I'd be soo happy."


They're eyes widened with delight, knowing exactly what I was doing. I was entering into their world. 
And sure enough, within minutes, the sandbox came alive. As they started up their own bakery made of plastic crates, pots and pans full of sand, water, and whatever else they could find around the yard. 


I had every kid in different corners rapidly stirring up their own sand concoctions, and then presenting it to me, eagerly watching me taste the creation and give comments. 
"(Gasp) Briton is this what I think it is? A vanilla sprinkle cherry cobbler coconut berry red velvet pie?!? Wow I've never tasted anything so delicious chef!"

There was never one response back to me of, "Oh no no, you don't really think that.. It wasn't my best. I've made much better! I swear the next one will be better."

No, their smiles stretch up to their ears and they run to go make another, because they only know how to believe what people say, and trust. 

They each have a "child like faith" in people and in God's love, that allows them to fully believe that they can accomplish anything! Because if it they are fearless. 

It's only us adults who think we know better than to believe people, and to truly believe in a loving God. We are the ones who question God's affections toward us because our "fully developed" minds think they're smart and get in the way. 

If we can only wake up each morning and ask God for a new child like faith, to simply not question, but trust Him. To choose to walk in the beautiful world of what God thinks of us, His children, instead of believing what we think of ourselves. Freedom. 

It's only when we can start viewing ourselves through our Creator's eyes, that we can begin viewing anyone else through them.  

It's only one piece of the puzzle, but this is where it all begins. This outlook and truth will re-shape your entire life. I promise. 

When I asked one cute girl what the sand creation was that she held out to me, she responded. 

"Um it's a chocolate pie... salad." :)

A taste of freedom! Spain

Right now I am lying down in a van with my sister surrounded by the Picos de Eroupa. These are the highest snowy peaks that enclose the Northern region. The sun just made it's entrance through the dense clouds and I feel as though I should see Frodo and Gandalf hiking the ridge of the mountain. It’s that breathtaking.

Stepping off the plane in Madrid Spain was like stepping onto a new planet. Not one with smog and skyscrapers, but one with clarity and rolling green hills.  I have done lots of amazing traveling in my life, but this trip seems all together different. It wasn’t the familiar excitement that comes with getting to be a tourist in some fun place, but instead, a joy that comes with be able visiting the land that my sister and her husband hold so dear to their hearts.

This trip was about spontaneity, visiting loved ones, and getting to experience God without the agenda of my typical earthy duties; and Duruxa (pernounced  Durusha) was the perfect setting for this desire.  This little community they live in is tucked so perfectly into the back hills of Northern Estrellas; that it takes a car ride on very windy, narrow, paved road through villages and sheep covered hills tops to get there.

The moment my foot stepped out of the van, and my eyes gazed upon the surrounding mountains of this little place, I understood just a bit of why they found such delight here. The best way to describe this place to you is, Eden.

Huge meadows made of lush ankle high grass lead up to tree covered mountains on all sides. The community they live in consists of a main house with a kitchen and a dining room, that we gathering in for every meal; and surrounding there are little horreo’s (oreos) they live in; which are wooden structures held high on stone beams that people used to store grain in hundreds of years ago.

A ten minute walk in any direction leads you into the deserted green mossed forest. Which is covered in wild fruit and nut trees, with springs of fresh water rushing through. If you walk long enough, you see other abandoned stones homes and ruins. Purely magical.

On the land they have 3 horses (two about to give birth to colts), a herd of sheep, chickens that give them 6 eggs a day, a puppy named Sella (Seya) who will one day be a sheep herder and is in a puppy phase of biting everything, two Mama goats that give milk, and two baby goats named Spring and Miri. These baby goats have changed my life! They are like little playful jumping puppies with hooves. Every evening we bring them from the barn into the kitchen while we make dinner, and they either huddle around the stove for warmth, or cuddle in your arms until they fall asleep. It almost feels like you have a cat in your arms until you stroke their heads and feel their little growing horns, that brings your mind back to remembering their goats! The little sounds they make are the cutest sound I’ve ever heard come from an animal's lips. 

Here the days are beautifully simple, because the life-style is completely different. You rise with the sun, meet in the kitchen for a simple breakfast of fresh fried eggs or musili with fresh cows milk, and go work on the land. From planting new seeds in the garden, to shoveling piles of mud out of the road, or putting up new fences. Here everything they do is creating something, bringing new life to the earth.

I am convinced God created men for hard work. Not only making their bodies strong, but giving them a sense of accomplishment and providing that is an ingrained desire in their hearts. While us women do different type of work, like take care of the animals and cook meals. I just seems to right and beautiful in my mind.  

I've experienced different joy from Duxura that comes from simple things 

like:  breathing in fresh mountain air

exploring the forest and picking wild flowers

the sweet smell of the baby goats when you kiss their noses

drinking fresh spring water right from the ground

dancing in the kitchen with Jillie while making dinner for the boys

getting to wear big rainboots every day enabling you to trudge through the mud

not caring about how you look, or what clothes your wear

the constant sound of the rushing river down in the valley

being able to walk 20 feet from the property and be in complete silent solitude making a salad from greens picked from the ground

having everyone gather near the kitchen stove at night because it’s the only source of heat

having the sun go down at 10 pm

having no concern of time or anywhere to be

hiking up mountains in the rain

I apologize because my words just don't do enough. It's a beauty that must be experienced. This trip has been simply a taste of freedom of how it used to be :) 

My best moment so far has been sitting in tall green grass overlooking the valleys and mountains, feeling my Creator's presence so near, as if His breath was the force pushing the clouds across my vision. 

His heart is for me, His heart is for you.  

SPAINWARD BOUND

I would say I'm a pretty fun person... Pretty care free and wild? 
That's what I think. But ask some of my friends and they'd say not so much because I often go to bed before 10..
They call me Grandma and verbally abuse me when I leave a social gathering early. Haha....


So this was my shot. 
I'LL PICK UP AND GO TO SPAIN TO SHOW THEM ALLLLL. 
Kidding I didn't really think like that. But it did indeed shock some of them when I spontaneously booked a plane flight with my buddy Darryl to depart to Spain 2 weeks later. 


We are young. Plain and simple. We can't pull of this spontaneous, stupid stuff our whole lives, so we might as well live it up now!


But here's truly the exciting thing. My fun friend and I are actually going to visit my sister Jillie and her husband Dane at their home on the Northern hilltops of Spain. 
With only backpacks, airports,foreign spanish words, mountains, big laughs, unfamiliar faces, lots of over-due love to give, and hardly any money, we're in for a big adventure. 
No more looking at pictures and fantasizing over their dream Spaniard life, I get to breathe the green air and kiss the baby goats myself! 


Yes I will be taking 47289873879 pictures and yes I will be hopefully blogging my way through this trip. 


Here's a poem I wrote for J and D the night they left:
(Just to give you a taste of how wonderful they are)

Spain Bound

Boarding the ship and waving goodbye to loved ones, who’s tears and smiles combine.

This is the start to where Dane and your heartstring will unbelievably, further intertwine.

Fearlessly leaving the shore from where your lives and friendships have grown.

Onward from this rocky land comes a huge love adventure unknown.

Someone has to do it, jump off the cliff to show others we can all truly fly.

If you’re wondering why we all love you so much, this is a big reason why.

There are no chains from society, no hesitations of what others might think.

Because to you two, life is a rare treasure, that will be gone before you blink.

So here is the big shot, your chance to do it all!

Jesus is the air under your wings, who will never ever let you fall.

Brown eyes bright, hair blown by the wild wind, this freedom is where you belong.

Running through the wild oaks over the green moss, Jesus will joyfully sing you a new song.

He will be there in the peaceful times, when flowers and sunlight are all you can hear.

In the same way He will be listening to every word that comes forth from your lips. There through every laughter and every tear.   

He himself orchestrated this time. To pull you two away and further transform your souls by His love. To show you, and the rest of us, that you are only His, His pure, white, free dove.

So go make Spain your dwelling place, let your love run wild and blind

Try every wine that is offered, and taste every cheese of every kind. 

Let the sheep teach you lessons. Climb every mountain, share sweet kisses in every creek. May deeper depths of God beauty be the only thing you seek.

This goodbye is not for long. You will soon have many of us knocking on your cute Spaniard stone door.

But even if that day never comes, you two have forever inspired our hearts to love without ceasing and to explore.

It took me a while, but had to inform you about this very big, and exciting news in my life. 

We leave this next wednesday april 18 so pray your hearts out for safety and stay tuned! 

Coco nutty

Sugar. Sweets. Dessert. Treats. Magic. I just love all of it. Every category. From any culture. 

But that's old news. What's new, is the rebirthing of my love for coconut cake. 

I'm sure many of us have caught on (or at least heard of) the new fad of cooking with coconut oil because it's real good for you. To be honest I didn't board this train for a while because the jar of oil at Trader Joes was 5.50$$. But y'all I caved in, and I'M ON THE COCOA TRAIN driving straight into heaven. 

I just cant get enough of this stuff. I cook everything in it. and then it hit me....

If coconut oil tastes good on my broccoli and sweet potatoes... how much better will it be to bake with... 

to COCONUT CAKE with?!?!?

Here's the recipe I revised and created:

350 Oven

1 stick butter

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs

1 cup butter milk (i use vanilla yogurt and milk)

1 cup canned coconut milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 3/4 cup flour 

Frosting:

about 1/4-1/2 cup coconut oil

about a half bag of powder sugar

some milk

(You know the drill, mix these ingredients until you have your desired frosting. Adding more sugar, and milk to find appropriate consistency.)

The use of the coconut oil and milk give this cake a nice natural coconut flavor. No need for artificial flavoring folks. 

So, with cakes we want what's called a good "crumb", meaning good cake consistency. 

How do we get a good crumb? 

1. Have a good recipe  
2. Create a nice batter  
3. Bake your cake properly 

creamed butter, sugar, salt 

Naturally, start with your fat (butter and coconut oil) cream that a bit, and then add in your sugar and salt in. Let this cream nicely

Secondly: add in your eggs (hopefully room temp) one at a time, to allow proper mixing. 

batter with eggs added

At this point I would add in the rest of my wet ingredients (butter milk and

    coconut milk).

Do I have buttermilk on hand? 

No ma'am I don't! 

Is my recipe ruined?! 

No ma'am it's not. Because I'm a resourceful baker and always have vanilla yogurt and milk, which create a perfect buttermilk. 

finished batter, yumms

After mixing your wet ingredients nicely, add the rest of the dry (soda, powder, flour) and finish mixing. 

Bingo bango! You should have a nice looking, and tasting batter on your hands. 

From here grease up whatever cake pan desired. I used two 8 inches and two 6 inches. And pop them into the oven. 

I'd let them go for about 10 minutes and check. 

CAUTION: these cakes don't brown up like normal cake. They may still look pretty white and undercooked, so jiggle them and       feel them for doneness. 

When in doubt, always under-bake my friends! If possible, I pull my cakes out a bit early (not gooey, but just beyond) because they have guaranteed moistness. 

After the cake layers are cooled, combine them with your frosting and add your coconut. Bring to an event or keep it all for yourself... Hope you enjoy this recipe coconut lovers.

intruders

My upstairs apartment is one of three units that create our cute building on the corner of cota street. 

To say I love my neighbors is an understatement. Down below to the left lives a sweet, quiet, older hispanic couple who have lived in their same unit for 15 years. They smile, water the outside plants, and continually warn me that my bike may get stolen. And down below to the right, we have Rosa the palm reader and her husband. 

This woman is a piece of work. She is round, loud, incredibly sweet, hispanic, has a different hair color every week, speaks with a hilarious accent, burns incense during all hours of the day, and is constantly telling me about her own daughter my age, and how she "completely understands me". She's always reminding me that she has my back,  and can always feel safe with her keeping guard of our apartment. After the first day of meeting her, she told me that she loved me, and I find myself yelling the "I LOVE YOU TOO ROSA" across the street back at her. She is a wonderful, crazy neighbor who I am happy to have. 

My cat on the other hand is so comfortable with her surroundings and her Queenly status now, that she crawls out the window to hang out on the roof (CRAZY), and has a new found love of playing on the stairs at night. It's like clock work. 

She lounges all day, soaking in the sunlight and every belly caress she can get, goes poop while I brush my teeth (gross) and then once I shut my door to sleep she meows about 6 times (knowing full well that I'm not letting her in) and then, becomes psycho. I hear her BOLTING, running as fast as she can around the house. Rolling, pouncing, maybe she invites all the neighborhood cats over and they dance on their hind legs to the bumping hip hop music that comes from the cars on the street? Who the frick knows. But it's just ironic to me that right when I lay my head down on my pillow to sleep after a long day, the apartment comes alive. 

So I'm in bed yesterday, dead asleep, until I jolt up to my blasting ring tone (lift off ft. beyonce). I'm half startled and look to see a random number from pasadena calling at 1 am. 

I personally am NOT a fan of picking up unknown numbers. Some people find it thrilling, but in my head I'm thinking, "If your not in my phone I probably don't want to talk to you, and if it's really important, you'll leave me a message."

So I naturally don't answer and see a voice mail pop up. Right when I'm going to listen to it, they call again.

This time I'm trying to think more logically, "Okay I don't want to answer right now! But since it's so late they probably have something important to say?"

-"Hello?"

--"Eh Jenna, Sweetie, it's Rosa. 

-Oh, Rosa, hi what's up? (half asleep)

--"Sweetie, I think someone is trying to break into your door. I hear some sounds and I'm pretty sure someone is trying to break in. I just want you to be aware. Okay?"

-"Oh wow. Okay thanks, bye."

My immediate thoughts: So thankful for the call. But just be AWARE????  I love you Rosa, but maybe you can send out your husband with a gun to check?

Then I go into terrified mode. 

You know that feeling where you are truly scared, your pounding heart takes over the room and feels like it might bust through your ears. And you become completely silent because if you make a sound then you can't hear their every move. 

Then the realistic thoughts come across your mind about what you would actually do if a man busted through your door. (even though 65% of you knows it's nothing)

"Okay so someone's trying to break in.  Jenna what's your move?

Call 911. scream? punch? I can't jump out the window! OH gosh I've never been put in this type of trauma. TURN THE LIGHT ON?. Yea yea then they'll get scared and bounce."

Let's just thank the Lord that nothing like this has happened to me, because I'd be a hott mess. I'd Probably offer him my ipad, a delicious cookie and ask him nicely to leave. 

So I muster up the courage, hop out of bed, slowly open the door, and thrust on the light. I see sofia playing around as usual and I KNOW it's just her making noise. So I am a bit more at ease, and climb back into bed exhausted. I am praying and listening to Sofia playing, paired with the exact sound of someone trying to open the door. And I know its just her! But my mind is playing tricks.

Enough about intruders and cats. I'm still alive and that's all that matters.