West Coast Road Trip - Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle

If you are traveling down Route 1 in California, you absolutely must make a stop at Hearst Castle in San Simeon.  This is a town in the middle of nowhere but it is right on Route 1 so if you are on that drive anyway, this is a good place to rest.  We stayed at the Silver Surf Motel which is pretty basic but the rooms are clean, the beds are comfortable and they give you discount meal tickets for the restaurant next door.  I also didn't even bother turning on the A/C in our room and just opened a window because the temperatures drop significantly on this stretch of the West Coast, even in the summer.  I get a kick out of breathing fresh air and Northern California has that perk in spades. 

West Coast Road Trip: Portland

Multnomah Falls

Day 3:  We headed out early in the morning from Seattle to get to Portland with a stop at Multnomah Falls.  I have been to this waterfall a few times and it always takes my breath away.  We did the hike up to the top of the falls which is just under 2 miles one way on somewhat steep and uneven terrain.  Absolutely worth it because the crowds thin out significantly and the view from above is breathtaking. 

West Coast Road Trip - Seattle

Pike Place Market

I am traveling with a teenager down the West Coast of the U.S. and learning a lot along the way.  I believe there is value in trapping my kid in the car with me so I can hear what's in his head because there is nowhere to go and nothing to do.  He does play on his phone and pops in his ear buds now and then but even that gets old and he will start just talking to me about how he views the world or his observations as he watches the world go by outside of his window.  I would not trade this time with him for anything in the world and I can honestly say this is one of the few times in my life that I am completely present.

Bagel Bombs

Bagel Bombs

A memo to the kids and newcomers to Chicago: it gets cold here.  It can get really, really cold here.  Sometimes we get lucky and have a mild winter, as has happened for the past couple of years.  Other years we get hit by a blizzard or a cold snap.  It happens.

Today is now on record as the second coldest day in Chicago because there was about an hour that it was -23F.  If you followed the news or social media, you would think it was -23 the entire day but no, it was an hour.  That's it.  I am old enough to have been around in 1985 when the other really cold day happened.  I was 9 years old at the time so I don't remember much but here is the Chicago Sun-Times front page.  See that?  The headline says, "Brave" and that most folks bundled up and kept moving.  Really, the only person who should worry about a blizzard or cold snap is the Mayor.  God help the person in office who doesn't handle it well.

I know I am being nostalgic and sounding as old as dirt when I say this but I miss the days when Chicagoans took pride in their thick skin and ability to put on long underwear and power through a cold day.  I know that in 1985 the deep freeze (-27F) was on a Sunday but I guarantee my Mother had me in church.  I also never, ever remember having school cancelled because it was cold.  The fact that school was cancelled today and tomorrow, when it it supposed to be a balmy 0 degrees, is nuts to me.  Last I checked, I am the Mother of my kid.  If I determine if it's too cold for him to go to school (see never, ever), then I will keep him at home.  Thank you Oak Park School District for parenting for me.  Can you also cook dinner and help with homework?  That would be lovely!

Mallobars

Mallobars

I would like to say that I dropped off the face of the blogging earth because I was doing something like hiking the Himalayas or that I had finally shoved off everything and lived out my dream of moving to Bali to take a deep dive into Hinduism while practicing yoga and meditation, Eat, Pray, Love style.

I didn't go the travel route but I did get unexpectedly downsized in the corporate job I had been at for the past eight years.  This lead me down a path of self-discovery that lead to a Pilates teacher training program and a job at a non-profit.  I am also making bagels with a group of women a few mornings a week that are sold to locals who enjoy a bagel that is not bread in a bagel shape.

Perhaps this new direction speaks to an undiagnosed case of ADD or a mid-life crises.  I don't know but I can say this, I no longer think about everything I am going to do when I retire.  I had to give up the manicures, frequent hair appointments, clothes shopping, magazine/apps/news/music subscriptions, the overflow of flowers I used to have in the garden, eating out and a lot of travel.  I don't have those things anymore but I don't feel like I am missing anything.  We'll see if this hippy live in the moment shtick lasts.  At this rate, who knows, I could be blogging from Bali next month.

This new lifestyle has me extremely busy and my baking/cooking obsession has taken a back seat to following my bliss.  I had a few minutes and it is Mallomar season seeing as it is way too cold to go out and roast marshmallows for a proper S'more.  These are S'mores with the volume turned way up from Melissa Clark's, "Cook This Now".  It's a bit of an undertaking but if you can get to the finish line, it's worth it.  A pile of marshmallow on a homemade graham cracker crust with a shock of dark chocolate on top.  PSA: Support your local library and check this book out.

Happy Baking!

Peppermint Macarons

Macarons are a finicky little treat.  One of the top questions on Google on macarons is why they are so expensive.  Anyone who has attempted or made these delicate meringue treats knows the answer to that question.  One wrong move and and you have a big pile of goop.

I might have had a few five fails before I was able to bring this together.  I actually checked out books from the library on macrons and I have to say, those books, which shall remain nameless here, make it way more difficult than necessary.

Last week I happened to have a couple of leftover egg whites that I let sit on the counter overnight.  I completely forgot about them and came down the next morning to find them looking sad and taunting me to give the macrons another try, after swearing them off after my last fail.  I looked up a recipe on pinterest that did not require weighing and was very simple.  Guess what?  They actually worked.  The recipe is here.

I used a basic buttercream filling, threw in some peppermint oil and rolled the sides in crushed candy canes.  The end result was delicious, although I do need to work on smoothing out the tops of the macaron shell.  Taking pictures of my work keeps me honest and those little bumps in the picture above are bothering me as I write.

Spiced Biscotti

There I was last night, swearing I would not turn on the TV.  I told myself, "Don't do this to yourself.  You can't take the heartbreak."

I cleaned half the house, did some laundry, worked on this blog...and then I couldn't take it any longer.  I had to see what was up in Alabama.  I turned on MSNBC and saw Roy Moore leading.  "Son of a B----!!!!!!  Mother of God, WHY, WHY?????"  My son came down the stairs to ask if I was ok.  "Yes, love...just mourning the end of decency, that's all."  

I flipped on Netflix to the only show that could calm my nerves, The Great British Baking Show.  I watched a group of people being helpful to one another and competing for none other than the honor of doing well.  I watched two episodes and it calmed me.  At this point, my significant other, let's just call him, Manny, because he looks like Manny Pacquiao , was home and checking his phone while I ever so dramatically mourned the end of our Republic.  

All of a sudden he said, "Doug Jones won!"  I thought he was kidding.  I checked my own phone and saw the news outlets calling the race for Jones.  Christmas came early.

Thank you to the good people of Alabama for sending an honorable person to represent them in the Senate.

Homemade Pop Tarts

Store bought pop tarts remind me of a guy in college I used to see in the library all the time.  This guy was so good looking that I assumed that he would have an amazing personality to match his gorgeous looks to fit the fantasy I had built up in my head about our marriage, the gorgeous babies we would have and the perfect life we would lead together.  

Months went by and he would smile at me and I would smile at him.  The fantasy continued to build in my mind to a point where no one could likely measure up to the very high expectations I had built up.  I mean, how many guys look like Ryan Reynolds and actually have a sense of humor, like he seems to have...at least on Twitter?  Never.  It never, ever happens.  Plus, clearly I am not Blake Lively.

So anyway, there I was one day at the library and it happened.  The object of my fantasy came over, just like that, and sat next to me.  It was just like the movies, where the guy you admire from afar forever comes over, sweeps you off your feet and you live happily ever after.  Except, that is not what happened.  He opened his mouth, started talking and after about two minutes, I realized we had nothing in common.  So very unfortunate.

We never spoke again.  Perhaps he also thought my personality was that of a wet rag.  Who knows?  Looks can be deceiving and so is the case with Pop Tarts from the store.  They look so delicious and enticing.  Then, you bite into them and you start wondering if you just took a bite of cardboard, with some sugar on top.  So, do what you want but again, life is short to be spent eating cardboard.

White Chocolate Oatmeal Cherry Cookies - Crazy Monday

Monday mornings are never easy but it seemed like a cloud was hanging over this house yesterday.

One of the dogs had an accident, then my son fell halfway down the stairs before school and it sounded a little like this.  I ended up having to drive him to school and on the way back my allergies decided to take a hit out on me and I ended up looking like Rocky after taking on Apollo Creed...the first time.

To top it off, I rushed into my house racing for the computer for a call I had scheduled and tripped over a pair of shoes and went flying into a chair in the dining room, doing further damage to my already blown out eyes.  After binge watching The Crown, I realize everyone has their problems but I did feel a little more jinxed than normal for a Monday. 

Oh well.  At least I have cookies.  Life is good.

Friday Cocktail - The Pink Lady

Here we are again at the end of a long week of learning just how many ways a man can make a woman feel small and powerless.  The Commander and Chief Groper of them all is still in power while heads continue to role everywhere but that office.  Just to add insult to injury, we actually have him on tape bragging about his grabbing, kissing, groping exploits.  We have a ton of women (here's the list) claiming that they were victims of his assault.  Yet, he stays...and stays...and stays.

Here, have a cocktail.  A bright, pink, creamy cocktail to celebrate being a woman.  Cheers and have a great weekend.

Viennese Whirls - U.S. version

I am a Great British Baking Show fanatic and I am finally getting around to watching season 4.

There was a technical challenge in the second show for Viennese Whirls.  Two delicate, buttery shortbread like cookies with buttercream and jam in the middle.  Since this was the rare technical challenge that did not require elaborate ingredients or construction techniques, I thought I would make a go of it, as they say.

When I went to look up the recipe, I could not find any with American oven temperatures or measuring techniques.  There was one on the PBS website but even that one said that it had not been tested.  Converting measurements is about as much fun to me as watching paint dry but I really wanted to try this bake.

I found out that grams do not translate perfectly into our cups and spoons.  So, my conversions are below but I would highly recommend measuring the ingredients with a scale.  It's also a lot easier just to dump the ingredients into a bowl until you hit the number you need rather than juggling multiple measuring cups.

Also, if you make this, do not do what I did and put the dough in the fridge overnight before piping.  HUGE mistake.  The dough must be mixed well and extremely soft in order to fit through the piping back tip.  Once you pipe, then the whirls should go into the fridge to harden a bit before going into the oven in order to hold that whirl shape.

Peanut Blossom Cookies

There are times when I am doing well with daily meditation and finding inner peace.  In a world gone mad, focusing on my breath calms me more than anything else I have ever tried.

That is, until the streets of Oak Park became a scene out of Mad Max in the early morning hours as I drove home from my morning ass-kicking, better know as Pilates.  As I was savoring the worn out but feeling stronger aura that ones gets from Pilates, some jerk swerved out from behind me, almost hit me and then swerved in front of me.  Inner peace flew out the window and I laid on my horn.  So, I am annoyed that the peace and inner calm vibe I had going was shattered and that I allowed a crazy driver to disrupt my zen state.  Should have reacted like this guy.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Cookies

As much as I think Christina Tosi is a baking pioneer and genius, I was not crazy about the Blueberry Cream cookie that I bought from the Momofuku Milk Bar in NYC a couple of years ago.  This could be because it was pre-packaged and had been baked a while ago but it just didn't grab me.  I loved the idea, though.  I thought it just needed a little punch of flavor.  Cream cheese seemed like a perfect accompaniment seeing as cream cheese on a blueberry bagel is quite tasty.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

This is rare but there are times when I think I know more than the legions of cooks and bakers who came before me.  There is not a Mexican Wedding Cookie recipe out there that instructs melting the butter before mixing with the other ingredients.  Being the brilliant master of the cookie that I thought I was (NOT), I thought I could make this cookie even nuttier by doing a brown butter version which entails melting then browning the butter.  The crumbly mess that ensued made my kitchen counter look like the cookies exploded.  So, pro tip, let the butter soften naturally to room temperature and then proceed with the rest of the recipe.  

Friday Cocktail - Frozen Apple - News, Quirks, Insights and Other Odds and Ends - November 2017

What. A. Week/Month.

Right now I am toasting not being Matt Lauer or any guy for that matter, who didn't get the memo that acting like you are on spring break in college is not acceptable in the workplace.  Just in case you thought these harassment issues were just among powerful public men, think again.  This podcast, Hollaback Girl, makes it abundantly clear that many, many more have no clue how their actions frighten and disgust women.

Some other odds and ends that caught my eye...

My son is obsessed with Stranger Things.  Apparently, he is not the only one.  Yay for a non-profit benefiting from the hoopla:  Star Tribune

Spiced Molasses Cookies - Christmas Cookie Countdown

It's that time of year.  How many cookie posts can I do before Santa hits our house?  My goal is 24 but I realize that is ambitious.  I am also aware that Friday is December 1st, not today, but I had to leave Friday for the cocktails.  Maybe next week I will be really wild and crazy and do a cocktail and cookie post.  I don't know if I am that adventurous.  You will just have to tune in to find out.😉

Friday Cocktail on Wednesday - Bulldog and What to Wear

Bulldog

Thinking the Friday cocktail should be up sooner rather than later given the holiday.  Or, perhaps this mixture would also be good on Friday to help with indigestion.  Either way, the name of this drink makes you think it would be shock to your system.  Quite the opposite.  Light tasting with citrus, a hit of gin, topped off with ginger ale.  An elixir to calm before, during and after the festivities.    

Baked Alaska

Must wash dogs, water plants, clean up house, remove plants from outside before winter.  Hair is in desperate need of cut and color (why, hello gray hair, thanks for making an appearance 😲).  Have not worked out in a week and apparently that is all my body needs these days to completely give up.  Must wrap presents and get card for my son's birthday.    

Friday Cocktail - Grand Galliano

I love our little Oak Park bookstore, The Book Table.  I can spend all day in that place and never get board, much to my son's exasperation.  "Mom, will we ever be leaving this place?"  As if I took him to jail and lost the key.  Oh, what a difficult life he leads.  Pain au Chocolat at Léa and then the bookstore.  To me, that is the perfect day.  To him, the first part is awesome and the second is torture.

English Muffins

Question:  How are english muffin companies able to package up cardboard and sell it on store shelves and actually make a profit?  I have this image of Thomas' executives laughing hysterically that they are actually able to sell junk to consumers who have never had a homemade english muffin and don't know the difference.  Even smothered in 10 pounds of butter, the store bought version is a mockery of the real thing.