Let.it.go

Let it go. Three small words very easily said, yet very hard to do. 


My most natural reaction to a great opportunity or a situation, is to do everything in my Jenna power to cease that opportunity or to get exactly what I want.  
My brain says, "if I don't make this move NOW, it will leave me forever and never come back." 
So I grab some rope, vigorously wrap it around the desired object, person, or situation and hold onto it with the tightest grip I can muster. 
Without even consulting God on the issue, I begin to get dragged through the water, fire, and mud by this rope, that I can't seem to release. Hair mangled, wet and covered in dirt, I begin to see my freedom start slipping away from me.


I bet that one "thing" that you can seem to let go of is running through your head right now...


Is there a contradicting side to "let go" that is pleasing and wise? Yes. Fighting for something desired and working hard at a given opportunity, are good things. Please use discernment here when I talk about letting go of different situations or ideals. Most of these situations are derived by our human flesh and seem to be out of our own control. 


I struggle so much with the fact that since it's MY life, I call all the shots, and it's up to ME to make things happen! But you would think I would have learned by now that anything you let me drive will be crashing directly into the nearest wall. 
No seat belts. 


The first picture that comes to mind is:
A father and son standing on the grass at the park on a windy day. The little boy is so excited about the new red kite his Dad bought him, he hasn't set it down once. He runs and jumps around in circles with it raised high in his arms, imitating it flying. Not even knowing how high it could really go. 
The father calls him over, 
"Okay son, I'm going to hold the string, and you need to throw the kite in the air as high at you can. That's how it's going to really fly," He says.
Though the boy loved his kite, he trusted his Dad, and followed his instructions. On the count of three he let go, and watched in awe, as a big puff of wind took the kite higher and higher. 
With his Father still controlling his kite, he was finally free to enjoy it fully. 


Letting things go is really hard. Fully trusting God with life is even harder. 
But just as He brought those things in, He is more than capable of giving them again, or giving you something far greater. Maybe He just wants our eyes more focused on Him than anything else. 


When your firsts are so tightly clenched onto your own stuff, it leaves no room for God to take away what He wants, or to GIVE you something better. 


Our little eyes can only see as far as the tree 10 feet away, so how do we expect to knows what's best for us?   Ludicrous! 
At the least;  give God the benefit of the doubt, and trust that He loves you, and will take care of you. 


Just let it go. 
"Yea, yea, yea, I hear that all the time, and I know I should, but."
No buts!  Just do it. 
And see how God blesses you. 

Here's the story:

I'm sitting by the pool with my mom today thinking about the "goodbye dinner" we were having for her at my brother-in-law's house.

"Awhh I should total bake something for tonight, I mean its been a while... and I could blog about it too.. Deal!" I thought to myself. 

"Gosh but what do I have in my cabinet that could make like a nice cobbler, or something fruity... Nothing. Okay, okay no fresh fruit on hand (not much on hand at all). AHA bundt cake of course. Great recipe, common ingredients. Amazing idea. yes yes." 

So I get home to start, 

and here's what's funny about whenever I personally make this chocolate bundt cake. 

I always give myself plentyyyy of time, knowing how long the actual baking process is, and knowing my perfectionism when it comes to giving edible gifts to people. But I still freakishly find myself rushing by the end. 

Like is party starting, people are calling; while I'm trying to get the hot lava cake out of the pan while throwing together a frosting, type of rush. And I hate it.

But this always happens, always, with me and any important dessert as of late.  

But tonight I was in pretty good shape. 

"Whewww I am a bit late, but I know they'll really enjoy this. I mean at least I have something to show for my tardiness!!" I made a nice vanilla meringue for the top and filled the hole with daisies. 

Purse? check. Chapstick? check. Phone. Keys? check. Good attitude? check! 

Hot, beautiful bundt in my left hand, keys in my right, walking out of the kitchen. and it happened. All so quickly I can't even give you an accurate re-cap. 

But cake and shattered platter are on the floor.. So mangled you wouldn't even recognize the poor things.

It was the type of situation where you don't jump into action, cry, or even blurt out impulsive, angry words. It's the stunned type of accident.. I wish I had this on video because I swear, I just looked down, in a daze at this crime scene for a good 2 minutes. Almost as if it never happened, just utterly shocked. 

Haha the staring continued along with a grin of denial as I watched the hot cake steam like a little volcano on my while tile. 

When I eventually arrived, all I had to show for myself was what looked like a pile of poop on a plate. It looked absolutely horrid, but it tasted fantastic! 

Long story short. I hope it helps you sleep at night knowing that this recipe is bullet proof. 

JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW. 

life of the partay

Those of you who know me, 

probably never want to see me carrying another chocolate bundt cake into a party for the rest of your lives. Because I bring them to 90% of the functions I attend. And why? because this chocolate bundt cake isn't just cake, its magic. 

Magic meaning it makes people fall in love with you for creating it. Are your baking spirits low? I'm giving you a free ticket onto the love train. 

This recipe is from joy the baker, her blog is way better than mine in every way, so don't get too hooked! But I have to give her credit for the amazing birth of this recipe aka chocolate magic. 

1 1/4 cups plus 1 Tablespoon brewed coffee

3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 whole eggs

1 egg yolk

1 1/4 cups plus 1 Tablespoon buttermilk

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoon canola oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups, plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, sifted

You can go onto her web site and follow all of her lovely steps to this recipe if you want. But it's pretty basic. 

• Get that oven on my friend. 325 (why? because this beauty takes patience and time. We don't want to over cook the top of the cake at 350 before the precious insides are cooked through, so 325 will do just the trick.)
• Also, if you have a kitchen aid, use it for this recipe! No your not cheating, so don't feel guilty. Your bundt made with the help of your kitchen aid will be better than the cookies your neighbor Monica made, even though she stirred in every ingredient with her wooden spoon.
• CAUTION: (disclaimer before we begin) Bundt cakes are not cookies, or brownies, or macaroons! They are dense, delicious, creations that take time to cook. This is not the "kids get in the car! I'm just gunu throw together a bundt real quick so we can bring it to grammy's." type of recipe. 
• Okay ready to progress. With most cakes we would use a baking method called the creaming method: ( creaming together your butter, sugar and salt as your first step (until very well creamed)) But we are using oil as our fat in this recipe so don't fret. 
• Get your oil and sugar mixing in the mixer, while you combine the coffee and cocoa powder on the stove above low heat. 
• ** Is there coffee in this cake to make it like a mocha bundt?!?   No. Coffee is typically found in chocolate recipes to enhance the chocolate flavor. You really aren't meant to even taste the coffee, (but if your super into mocha, add a bolder coffee!!) 
• Okay once your oil and sugar look nicely mixed add in your eggs. (An extra yolk is there just for added fat= moisture and richness) Cream these for a while (kitchen aid= your arms aren't even tired!) until the batter comes to a thick lighter consistency. 
• Meanwhile, don't abandon your coffee/chocolate on the heat. It wants to burn and it will if you don't stir it. I keep it on the heat until some of the liquid from the coffee evaporates and it becomes thicker. Remove at this stage and let cool.
• Baking is all about correct improv when needed. You see what I mean by this? No you can't just foolishly improv during baking or your have a bad end product, but correct improvising is often needed. For example: this recipe calls for buttermilk, but I don't have any because I wasn't planning ahead and didn't have 4 dollars to spend on it anyways. SO what do I do? I use my vanilla yogurt (that I eat on the daily) and mix it with a bit of milk. WHY can I do this?!? because they are practically the same thing, and I've tried it before. 
• All that to say: if you have buttermilk, add it into your batter along with the vanilla and cooled chocolate mixture. 
• There is a typical rule for baking that requires creaming your fat and sugar, adding in your wet ingredients and then your dry. "but why does this matter?!?" (your thinking) Because it's all about having a beautiful batter. And beautiful batters birth beautiful cakes. 
• Similar to the "rule" we will now add our flour, salt, and baking soda last. Let this mix while you prepare your greased and floured bundt pan.
• Pam is your dear dear friend in this baking situation (if not pam, improvise by spreading regular oil around with a paper towel and dusting it with flour to follow.)
• Pour your batter in, and bake. 
• Not sure on the exact cook time, (40 minutes?) Set your timer for 30 and begin to check doneness with your senses. 
• When in doubt please please under bake!!! I think this cake is so good BECAUSE I purposely under bake it. No lava flow batter, but the perfect gooeyness inside will do.
• Joy's glaze is probably splendid, but I just make a basic icing for it. Super fun because your icing can be as versatile as you want! Peanut butter? vanilla? peppermint? cinnamon? Get in touch with creative baking side and make your own frosting. 
• butter, powder sugar, milk and flavorings. 

Big ramble today! But I do hope you try this recipe and become the life of the party. 

sweet. sweet melodies

I live on Cota street down town. 
It is just the haps, the coolest place to be after 10 pm. No, I don't know this information because I'm throwing block parties with the neighbors or engaging in their late night DJ sessions. I know this because it is soo incredibly loud at night from my upstairs apartment that I can't help but assume some crazy, fun stuff is taking place. 
If the sounds aren't lovely yelling or a screeching car accident, it's music. 
I'll have friends over hanging in my living room (even with the windows closed) and a car will come by, bumping music so loud we all just stop and look at each other with wide eyes. Haha I am not lying to you. I also get invited almost everyday to a rave being thrown on my neighbors lawn which I haven't gone to yet...


All this information really doesn't have that much purpose, it just came into my mind when I thought about music. 


I don't care who you are. Every one enjoys some sort of music. 
Take a moment and just think about what music even is. Singing? It's so natural to us, but it's talking with longggg pronouncedd melodies? Paired with beats, and interments. crazy
There's not an easy way to describe it, except the simple fact that music does something to the soul!


There's the kind that gets your heart racing, and makes you feel like you're the baddest, coolest person on the planet. 


The songs that make you fall straight into love (even if you have no one in mind). 


The music that can have you fall asleep, dreaming in 5 seconds. 


The classical instrumental stuff that puts melodies and notes together that your heart couldn't even fathom. 


The sweet country tunes that make you dream of a better world. 


The unbelievable techno beats that take control of your limbs and won't let your body stop moving, even if you want to.


There's that girly feel good music that you play with your windows down, that makes you feel like nothing in your life can go wrong. 


Some songs feel like they were written so perfectly for you in that very moment. "NO WAY. NO WAY CAN SOMEONE ELSE BE FEELING EXACTLY HOW I'M FEELING RIGHT NOW!!!!"


Some music has the ability to make you feel hard and invincible, while others can cut you straight to the core, making you feel so soft. 


Then there's those different songs that can pull you so unbelievable back into a certain memory, time, or place. Literally that song comes on, and you are immediately transported back to all the different feelings you felt, and events that took place when you used to listen to it over and over. (It can be a bit frightening)


And so much more!




You know why movies are often so good? Yes a good story line helps, but it's the music they play in the background that makes your emotions come alive. Can you imagine a movie played in complete silence? HA we'd all walk out so quick. 
I always wish my life could have a continual sound track playing in the background, playing a perfect song for every different moment. 


To say God is wise, is an unbelievable understatement, but He is. 
He thought up a way to not only bring us joy through our ears, an element that makes our bodies move into dance, but a way to open up our hearts beyond our own control.
Music does that. Whether your opening up your heart to trashy stuff and letting it take over, or to good uplifting stuff that can feed you. Music has the ability to shape our hearts in a way that books, creation, or people just can't. It's totally unique.
Every different culture on this planet has a way to express themselves through some type of beautiful melodies.


God created it that way because it allows different parts of our souls to come alive, and gives us a whole different way to praise Him. 

Drip. Drop

So many crazy aspects of life become so quickly normal to us. But if you remove the "normality glasses"and see life with fresh eyes, there are so many outlandish and beautiful things that we get to encounter on a daily basis. 


Rain: 
Isn't just rain. It's millions of water droplets that escape from big heavy clouds that hang in the sky (a whole different phenomenon in themselves). Giving our earth, and the little creatures who dwell among the leaves the perfect moisture they need. Allowing the ground to drink, and giving our freckled faces a rest from the blazing sun.
It seems to show that God just doesn't need us. He has his whole, beautiful sprinkler system all figured out along with all the other ways he provides for his creations. 


Amazing that along with getting His accomplished work done by the rain, He is also able to give us joy through it. I love the feeling of waking up to a cloudy, wet day. Knowing I get to splash around in it and then come into my warm house and snuggle. Soaking in the sweet smell it brings and the sound it makes as it hits my windshield. Whether we complain about it or not, rain seems to give us that cozy feeling that is just naturally implanted into our little hearts. 

He just loves to see His children happy :)


Enjoy the rain today (for as long as we have it.) Realizing that it's not normal, but a beautiful miracle and a generous gift. 

confessions

Confessions:
-I am reading the hunger games. Finished the first book in 4 days and am onto the second. (I'm not a huge reader so 4 days is unheard of.)
-I am still on my roasted veggie binge, and it might be a while.
-I am very guilty of showing up to a social gathering, saying hi to my loved ones, and leaving 10 minutes later... (my cozy bed is just too dear to my heart)
-I want to dye my hair every day of the week but know better
-I feel the most responsible I have in a while because I made a dermatology appointment today to get my moles and freckles checked out. Without my mom even telling me I should. 
-I come to a cross roads of working out on a daily basis. To sweat, or not to sweat?


I believe that exercise is a perfect mix of heaven and hell. Are you with me on this??
You want that amazing body you fantasize over on pinterest more than anything... but actually getting there is a nightmare! 
I find myself talking about the amazing diet I'm about to go on either while I'm scarfing down a chipotle burrito, or right after my stomach is full of delicious goodies. Seriously. And I literally laugh at myself every time because I'm thinking "ha Jenna this is super fun and easy to talk about because YOU'RE EXTREMELY FULL RIGHT NOW!) 


So it's a new year and the running shoes get laced up more often than back in December, and the running begins. Along with the heaven/hell influenced thoughts:


"Yes. Wow. I am extremely proud of myself right now. And yep, there's the increase in heart rate and I always forget how much this sucks. Opp there's a car with a co-worker in it.... Geez how embarrassing, just huge red tomato face over here, don't be alarmed!!! I bet my thighs are giggling. Why did I run down this street! And how is that 50 year old woman faster than me?! .... This is good, it's really good. Because there's that big social event coming up, and I definitely wanna look my best. I mean with all those guys there,, and those girls there! I care more about what they think of my body anyways... What should I have for dinner tonight? Something healthy obviously. But no dessert... ha yea right. OMG I HATE THIS. SWEAT EVERYWHERE.. But I love it." 


To those of us experiencing this: Keep up the good work soldier! The sweaty battle is worth it. 

Roasted Veggies in 1,2,3,4

For the last 3 nights I have eaten an entire, and entire tray of these roasted vegetables by myself because they are simply, so good. (and guilt free)
This is why I love blogs. Because you get to hear all the vulnerable and semi-embarrassing stuff about me. Things that you would never assume by just seeing me on the street, but now you know. I eat grossy, large amounts of roasted vegetables. This is true life. 


Okay roasting. Maybe this word is a little foreign and frightening to you, and maybe it's not. But either way, we're gunu conquer this fear of the unknown here and now. 


There are 3 different types of heat distribution in cooking. 
1.) conduction: the most common form, where heat is simply distributed from directly from one surface. Usually the bottom (example= a flame directly underneath a pan, coals heating up a bbq)Heat is cooking directly from one area. 


2.)convection: heat that is distributed in a circular motion. Usually through liquid. (example= boiling water. Though heat is coming from the flame underneath, the way is is reaching the pasta is through the circulating of the boiling water) Also usually there is a setting on your oven called convection meaning that instead of just having heat coming from the top and bottom of your oven, fans can be turned on to use air to circulate the heat more evenly! ( I use this whenever I can) 


3.) radiation: heat distributed through solar waves. (micro waves, the sun) 


Sooo the reason I tell you all of this, is because roasting is a dry heat cooking method (meaning= not requiring water or large amounts of oil to cook food. just heat and air) AND it's a form of conduction. 


Let's get fancy and just say that when you are roasting anything, the heat is causing the water in you food to evaporate to create a more condense and flavorful product. (ex. when you cook steak on the grill you can visibly see the size shrink, as it releases juices (aka water), and as it gets nice and brown; just like our vegetables.) 


Also a huge aspect of roasting, is caramelization (meaning: the affect heat has on sugar. Pulling it out of your food and browning it. aka deliciousness) So all you are really getting from this roasting process is a more condensed, caramelized, flavorful veggie. 


Now that we are more educated on the simplicity of roasting, brace yourself for these instructions:


1.)Prep your equipment: Turn on your oven to 400 (people vary in their desired roasting temp from 375-400. but for this we're doing it my way and it's 400.) Grab your baking sheet


2.) Wash and cut your desired veggies ( I always roast broccoli, brussell sprouts (halved), and sweet potatoes (cut in bite size). Anything else is magnificent! These are just my favorite. Put them on your sheet pan.


3.) Coat them in olive oil (not too much! water evaporates, but oil never evvveerrr does. so coat wisely) and season generously (and fearlessly) with salt and pepper. Mix evenly with your hands to coat every veggies, and feel free to add other magical spices,I just love the simplicity of these three. 


-something you might ask: I am over seasoning with my salt? and if so how do I know?? 
*answer: you probably aren't because people usually tend to swing below the belt, and under season (which is horrid) BUT if you're a salt lover like me and happen to over season, there's no secret. YOU WILL TASTE AND KNOW. and quickly learn from your mistakes :)


4.) Pop these beauties in the oven. 
"Why didn't she give me a cook time for these, danget??" you may be thinking. 
Because there is no correct time! My chef from culinary school would always tell me, your food will TELL you when it's done. 
I honestly pop these in, head into the other room and can smell them saying, "come check on me". Once I do they are getting browner but you want these nicely brownedd and cripyyy. So stir them around, give em a couple more minutes and them pull em. 


-Your sight, smell, and touch, will once again, help you decide the right doneness. 
-when my greens are nice and brown I stick a fork through my sweet potatoes just to make sure they are too. 

Also try to cut these guys in a uniform size so they finish cooking around the same time. 


These are delicious, you will become an addict in hiding like the rest of us. the end.

friends are like gifts

Happy January 14th. 
Let's just trip out real quick on the fact that 14 days of our new year have already gone by! Whew this years gunu be a fast one, I can feel it.  


We humans just love something about the fact that we all get a fresh start. New days, new weeks, new years... I think God just knew that we could only handle so much at one time. 


How are your new year resolutions holding up?? (2 weeks in= make it or break it, in my book) 
My work out routine failed after day 3... (but i saw that coming, sadly)
Another one I had was to simply pray more. Just talk to God on more of a regular basis, and that one has been going swimmingly! woo!
My last resolution was based around friendship. 


I know the concept and action of friendship has become very normal to us, but it can actually be something semi hard to get right and/or maintain at times. It's and plain and true fact: we all need good friends (at least one). Not acquaintances, or fake BFFs. but a real, "down to the heart of it all" friend. Someone to share your life with (besides just your boyfriend!) These people are the ones who encourage us, enjoy different seasons of life with us, help shape us, and set us straight when needed!
I've never had a problem making friends, and have been pretty much constantly surrounded by them since I was young. But as I get older and more mature, I have been finding that a real friend can be hard to find. 


I believe it requires someone you can be, and are, really real with. Some one you can expose your true self to. It's so easy to put up that fake facade with someone, because we all do it, ALL THE TIME. It's like this button we push, around parents, and those acquaintances from high school you run into on state street. "Hey yea oh my gosh, yes I'm doing sooo great! Yea let's seriously hang out! Like this week!"   Nope you're not going to hang out with that person, and you don't even WANT to! End of story. This friend deserves to hear true things from your heart. Even if they don't match up to how perfect you seem on facebook. Real friends share real feelings, struggles, and joys from life. I mean really though, what is a true friendship without honesty? Absolutely nothing.


Along with truth in friendship, obviously comes trust. This is a big one. We all have some sort of trust issue or another. From that past boyfriend who jacked you up, or your ex best friend who started roomers and betrayed you for someone else. And I don't blame you. Really hard stuff happens in life that can affect this area of our vulnerability a lot. We are all so talented at building up the walls that surround our hearts. Higher and higher they go; it's like clock work. But trusting this friend is key. If you can't let down your walls, then there is no realness, then there is no relationship. 
**Obviously you need to use discernment to see if this person is actually trust worthy. But if they have proved to be, trust them! They are not your past boyfriend, or ex BFF so don't treat them like they are. It's only right to give them a fair shot.


And lastly. A true friend should have a similar heart as yours. Meaning: you both enjoy similar things, and are pursuing similar things. I'm not saying this girl has to be boyfriend material, but in a sense, if you want to get close to someone (as a good friend), then your heart should match up in most areas. For example, if you love God and are seeking him throughout life, it would work out beautifully if this friend were also and understood where you were coming from. 
The more things you have in common, the more your hearts can connect and understand each other; when those joyous times arise, and the painful ones. 
-granted, sometimes two people connect as friend, even while coming from totally different worlds! This is definitely possible. But for me, the same heart aspect is big. 


My new years resolution was to invest in my true friends, and become an even better one. Listening, sharing, loving, and making time for your good friends is so important! You must be a good one, to have a good one. 


-I challenge us this week/ month, to evaluate our friendships and to put more effort into the ones that are close to our hearts.


xoxo

waitingandwanting

We are all waiting and wanting. All the time.


"Gosh once I just have this thing! Life will be better" 
-Once I get that coffee in my hand.. ("what is taking them so long anyways?!") 
-Once I get thinner (just one more pound!) and get some shopping done..
-Once I get married..MY LIFE WILL ACTUALLY BEGIN!
-Once I land that job, things will pick up for me. 


I do this always, all the time. I am so guilty, it's sick. 
My brain is constantly immersed in a pool of waiting and wanting, and wanting and waiting. For the next best thing. 
Our human society has this sick "bigger and better" disease. Where we are convinced that more things we get the happier and more satisfied we will become. It's like we've been spoon fed "dissatisfaction" since we were babies, and it's all our flesh knows. 


When's the last time buying a new pair of steve madden shoes with the sequence on them, or an ipod with even your name engraved on the back made your heart truly more satisfied? Or did you just wake up the next morning hungrier than the last. 
All these things are blessings and are fun! (Trust me, I like these things!)But they just do not play a role in the cure of making the heart more satisfied. 
I know it's engraved in all of us, but God came to break and transform our hearts and all of our thinking. We should only be truly waiting on Him, and wanting more of Him. He is the only thing that satisfies. Not the neighbor's cool 4 wheeler.


Here's an even bigger problem: As women we somehow have this weird idea that (truly) when we get married our lives actually begin. Like it's this life goal! For real. 
Everything before is just a practice take. "And CUT! you're almost ready for the big screen Suzy, just a few more years." 


This isn't true!


It's finding the balance of knowing and accepting that God created our hearts how they are. Relational: wanting a companion and love, and having those caring, motherly skills built in. Which is such a beautiful design!
But also realizing that our ultimate goal on earth is to glorify JESUS in all that we do, not to find a husband. Trusting that if we are all meant to get married, He has that all taken care of. 
Our priority should be seeking Him and living for Him.
Again I am so here. Any time a "Oh my gosh really...another year still single?!", or any of these "false identity" thoughts cross my mind, I have to lay them at the feet of Jesus.


Don't get me wrong here. Marriage is ordained by God and it's only natural that we desire it and get excited over it. 
It's just understanding the truth of the big picture, that Jesus is first always. 


GIRLS: SOAK IN THE SWEETNESS OF YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW.DON'T GET CAUGHT IN THE NEXT BEST THING. GO ON CRAZY ADVENTURES, LAUGH WITH YOUR FRIENDS, LOVE LIKE CRAZY, AND FIND ABSOLUTE JOY IN THE SEASON YOU ARE IN, THIS MOMENT.  cus it won't be forever :) 

Nicely mixed batter

Pre bake

Post bake

Brown sugar crumble

Muffin Talk

*Oven temp = 375 (I put this first because you should turn it on before anything!!)
*Cook time= around 20 minutes
*3 cups AP (all purpose) flour
*1 cup sugar
*1 Tablespoon baking powder
*1/2 teaspoon baking soda
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1 1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt
*2 eggs
*1 stick butter (melted and cooled)
*1-2 cups blueberries (fresh or dried)


The truth is... I am so much more of a baker than a cook! yipee so lets talk muffins. 
I pulled out a simple recipe from the America's Test Kitchen baking book, but this post (most of my baking/cooking posts) are much more about the important baking methods that come along with the recipes. So you really can use any recipe, but hopefully some of these different techniques will help. 


So you hear that baking is chemistry and really technical blah blah blah. But you hear that because it's true! It requires a proper recipe and measuring (that's why most cooks don't like baking! because they can just throw anything together and have a masterpiece) 


BIGGEST mistake made when baking muffins= over mixing. This method is one of the easiest, but one of the hardest because you can't mix the heck out of it like you want to!


So turn on your oven, and grab your mixer or bowl. Start melting your butter (over heat or in micro) while measuring out the rest of your ingredients.


Cakes, cookies all the rest have different methods that require creaming butter, sugar and salt..but that's a different story. 
For our muffins we are going to put all our ingredients together in a bowl and let them have a big party. 


Now for the mixing.. Just mix all the ingredients until the flour is moistened. No more, no less. It will kind of feel like torture  because everything in you just wants to keep mixing. But RESIST and it'll be worth it. 
Over mixing develops the gluten in the flour and creates a rubberier texture. It isn't the end of the world, but if your going to take the time to bake em, you want them to be a nice tender crumb. 


Once your batter is beautifully and tenderly mixed, scoop into lined muffin tins. And bake baby! Set the time on your oven to 20 minutes but check a bit before then. 


Determining doneness in baked good requires:
1.) sight (hows the color? white? burnt? golden brown?)
2.) smell (self explanatory..)
3.) touch (sometimes I'll take my hot pad and gently giggle the pan, if the batter giggles keep it in, if not pull out and touch with finger, or use a tooth pick to determine true doneness)
-time doesn't alwayysss guarantee you perfect doneness, so use those senses to help. (I hardly ever use time)


--bonus tip: Make an easy crumble to top off any muffin! (my mom taught me this and I use it all the time :)) 
*melt some butter in a bowl (half stick or less depending on muffin amount)
* add equal parts brown sugar and flour. 
(this little recipe doesn't follow our exact measurement rule. so use your best judgement of adding until the texture is like wet sand)


ENJOY

Wooing Creation

The other night I spend the evening at Butterfly beach watching the sunset. People from all directions gathered around, to take in the sight of the amazing colors from the sky reflecting perfectly onto the ocean.

Through the warm pink haze, young kids danced around on the sand, business men emerged from their cars at the top of the hill just to behold the sight;even if only a moment, and middle-aged dreamers like me got lost in the beauty right along with them.

As I walked back from the ocean to the wall, I actually thought about the amazing fact: that though we are all so different (coming from different places, families, personalities, and beliefs)we never cease to be drawn in, and amazed by creation. 

I don’t think one person could have walked away from that night saying “ehh it was just alright.” Because there is something mysterious about the sight of the sun leaving our piece of earth, that pulls us out of our cluttered mind-sets and points our eyes on something bigger and more important.

Another thought that crossed my mind then was “the majority of these people don’t even realize what beauty they are looking at.” And it’s true.

I’m reading a book right now called Love and War (it actually a book on marriage, that people hound me for reading) BUT it talks about how creation is simply God wooing us into his love, every day.

The fact that the grass is just soft enough for us to lie on, and the waves make ocean a perfect playground. The birds sing lovely melodies, and the flowers each smell uniquely sweet. 

All of it's wonder is God simply saying “Hey look at me, I really love you.”

Reading this section has changed my whole view on creation. It is all for us, so that we may get past our love for it, and start loving it’s creator.  

It is a good morning

It truly is a good morning today. There is something so special about rising (some-what) early to enjoy just a piece, of the peace and quiet before the world starts turning so quickly, giving you no choice but to jump in along with it. 


Whether you're in this season at the moment, or not. There are always those times in life when you wake up and the first thing that jumps into your brain is that one haunting situation that you haven't gotten through yet, that huge life decision you haven't yet chosen, or the immediate, stinging pain of whatever is going on inside you. It's those "this situation/pain/moment is almost too hard for me to bear right now, but I know it will pass eventually" type of moment (you know what I mean.)


It is these kind of morning where I have to wake up, stop, take my head out of my dark black hole, and realize. 
The sun has risen faithfully once again. 
I am still somehow breathing. 
I have a roof over my head. 
Coffee in my hand (which is just an amazing bonus). 
And a God who will gladly receive all my pain and burdens today if I choose to give them. 
This. IS. a. good. morning. 
Though everything else may want to make me think differently, I will be thankful for the beautiful little gifts I am given today.


Even if you can get your heart and mind here just for a moment this morning, to realize all you are blessed with (even through some of your biggest struggles), your day may just be a bit sweeter.   

Easy Vegetable Soup 101
I'm never going to lie to you and certainly am not starting tonight. This soup is one of my favorite meals to eat. (because its so easy and delicious.) 


I went to culinary school for a year and learned some useful, basic skills that can really improve your cooking! So I'll teach you all i know. deal. Lets start with soup.
This is an "anything you have in your fridge" kinda soup. aka anything goes! yahoo


1.) start with a good pot! (the last thing you want is a pot too small.. and the first thing they taught us in school is always know your equipment, and use the right stuff!)

2.) We want to build flavors and soften our vegetables. The best way to do that is on heat, with hot oil. (Any oil/ butter will do, i prefer simply olive.)


3.) Start with our aromatics which usually consist of onion and garlic (these are the base to our flavor building, when you have these on hand, always use em! they work with many dishes to start the flavor off right! aromatics= aroma= good smelling, yummy flavor!) 


4.)Once these are minced, throw them into the hot oil and let them sweat (sweat= turn translucent without getting too much color from the heat. You might need to turn down your burner, or pull pot off the heat for a while to achieve this!) 


--Tip: your garlic WANTS to burn, I always remember my chef telling me this. Garlic is so tasty because it has lots of natural sugar in it, so whenever your using it make sure to watch it carefully and/or remove from heat if needed. Light brown is the desire. Too brown will make your garlic bitter! 


5.) After those beauties are getting soften, throw your other veggies in. (I used broccoli, brussle sprouts, canned whole tomatoes, and potatoes ( carrots and celery are great too!) and cut these into bite size pieces while the onion and garlic were working. Multi tasking is keyyy)
- Everyone cooks soup differently, but I just like getting all my veggies and flavors dancing together with the heat. It also just jump starts the softening process before we add the broth. 


--Tip: Don't be afraid to season you food ever! And season as you go! At this point I am fearlessly adding my salt and black pepper in. (no one likes bland food) Also taste your soup as you make it! This will allow your tongue to learn and you to get your soup to the desired seasoning you want. 
-- One warning with seasoning soup!!! (I know this because I've made this mistake before) Don't season all the way yet because once you add your broth to the soup is is always reducing (meaning liquid is evaporating). So just be careful, you can always add more, but never take away! (wheww got that off my chest :) )


6.) Simple from here on out. Your veggies are softening and happy, so add your stock or broth at this point. (I use a simple chicken stock if i have it, or water) Cover the veggies and let simmer until the veggies are cooked through to how you like them. ( if you want pasta in your soup, either boil separately and add at the end, or stick them in raw while your veggies are still al dente!) 
Also add more s+p at this point or any other herbs you want!! 


7.) Pair this with a grill cheese, and your ready to rock. 


-- Sorry this is very detailed for such a simple soup, but hopefully the little tips help you in the future! 

you be you, i'll be me

It's funny how gaga us girls get over chick flicks. Like there is truly nothing better than the warm feeling our little hearts get when we see an amazing love story played out on film right in front of our eyes. Not just the ordinary lovey movie, but I'm convinced it's the ones where the main female character is the type with the super unique personality, with corks and imperfections, and as the boy falls in love with her, you are falling just as hard too. 


It's that for bidden love, that love that is unexpected and shouldn't happen type of love that we all LOVE. In most films, it seems to require the type of girl who is rough around the edges, and funny, and has odd habits, and the boy just seems to fall crazy in love with every one of them. It's that "raw and real" seeming love that gets me the most. Do you understand what I'm trying to describe here??


3 things about these movies: 
one. I will ALWAYS love them no matter what people say


two. A painful but true fact I have had to learn about them is that though the stories are wonderful, and raw love definitely exists out there, the hollywood side of love, just isn't true. Relationships aren't that perfect and it would be boring if they were. The side of love and relationships people don't seem to talk about or really show in movies is where all the hard stuff remains. (just wanted to throw that one out there. being real here) It isn't healthy for us girls to have this false view of how perfect our love story will be. I have actually had to rid myself of this false expectation. 


three. But on the bright side I do believe there is a man out there for every one of us who will love, and should love you for exactly who you are. It's so odd that so often (even when may not realize it), us girls are trying to bend and shape who we are into someone, or something we are not (especially to please that one boy we want). Don't get me wrong here, there is a wonderful and healthy side of improving yourself in ways you should, and growing. But down to the heart of who you are should stay that way. God designed you to be you and no one else. There is so much freedom in simply being who you are, and its frankly exhausting and takes much effort to pretend (especially in front of the male species ) to be different. 


For example: I really do like hiking, but I also love diet coke and any soda ever invented. I look a lot better when I am around the boy I like. Some times my laugh is so obnoxious and loud I even start to embarrass myself. I am really good at seeing the best in people. I could eat brownies and cake until I feel like I might vomit. I get sinfully frustrated and cry when I get lost driving somewhere (and somehow think yelling helps).I think God's earth and animals are the most amazing thing, but I do not have any hard feeling about eating them. I love dancing, and most of the time pretend I'm more confident in my moves than I really am. I love being with people, but need my cave time just as equally. I am so bad at spelling, I probably shouldn't be in college. I think my hair is beautiful when it's long. Receiving any type of flower from anyone makes me really happy. I am so far from perfect, but am always trying to grow and improve my ways. etc etc etc. 


Long story short. It may sound cheesy.. but so much freedom comes from simply being confident in who YOU are. The right man for you, will be the one who knows you fully, and loves every bit. 
--Also, do not date a man with the intention of changing them. Because, It's really hard to do, and rarely happens, it isn't fair (because if you deserve to be loved for who you really are, so do they) and in the long run you will end up bitter at the qualities and/or habits they never changed for you. 


That was all just on my mind today and thought i'd share.