Hello Cupcake :)
At long last some blue skies and sunshine have aligned with our weekend hours. I am anxious to get out there and go for walk along the river! However, first I am baking cupcakes for my Mom's birthday -- the house smells amazing! When I get back from my walk I will fill and ice these yummy morsels.
I found this recipe a while back on the Internet, but have adapted it to be lower in sugar, higher in cocoa and with the addition of baking soda -- replacing some of the baking soda. No birthdays in your world for a while? Why not celebrate the summer sun, a random happy moment, or wonderful, delightful, party and pastry-worthy YOU? Hope you will try, enjoy in good health and let me know how you like them.
Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
Batter Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup canola oil
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. sea salt
3 cups all purpose unbleached flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 - 2/3 cups granulated white sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
Combine eggs, water, oil, milk, vanilla and salt in a large bowl, beating until well-combined and slightly frothy. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a mid-sized bowl and add the dry mix gradually to the liquid to form a smooth batter. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line 24 muffin tins with paper liners. Ladle batter into the cups and bake for 20 minutes.
Allow to cool completely and then pipe in creamy filling using a pastry bag (filling recipe follows). To fill, first make a cross cut in the top of each cupcake with a sharp knife, then insert the pastry bag tip and squeeze until the cupcake swells slightly at the crown. Ice with favorite icing or use my Easy Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows filling).
Creamy Cupcake Filling
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup shortening
dash of sea salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups icing sugar
3 Tbsp. milk or cream
Beat together butter and shortening, adding in salt and milk (cream). Add in vanilla and gradually mix in the icing sugar to form a creamy filling. Pipe into cooled cupcake centers using a pastry bag with steel tip.
Easy Chocolate Glaze
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. canola oil
Microwave in small glass bowl on High setting for 2-3 minutes, stirring after the first minute and each 30 seconds thereafter. Watch carefully as chocolate can easily scorch and the time needed to melt/combine will vary from one microwave to another. Drizzle or spread while lukewarm over cooled and filled cupcakes. This glaze will harden and be glossy -- also nice to use for dipping fresh fruit or animal crackers for a quick dessert.
Yield: 20 - 24 medium to large sized muffins. Based on 24 muffins, the calories per are 294, 14g fat per, and 24 mg cholesterol per. Enjoy!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
June 8, 2010
Soulful vs. Woeful
This was a day of highs and lows, a roller coaster ride for the emotions. On one hand I had the great privilege of attending a creativity workshop this a.m., and on the other I attended a funeral for a friend's Father. My friend is taking this particularly hard, and for those of us who have lost a loved one, it is so difficult to see their pain and suffering and to be unable to carry that burden for them -- we each have to weather that storm of loss within us, and in a way that personally brings some resolution and peace.
The Balancing Act
In retrospect, I am even more grateful for the creative workshop in the morning hours that sparked the deepest part of me, the real me who strives to be heard and express itself among the hustle and bustle and mundane striving without core purpose. In this way I was bolstered against the storm of sorrowful emotion that I was witness to (but not consumed by) in the afternoon hours.
Three Girls with Three Gifts
My dear friend is one of three sisters and they each sweetly told about the loving and generous nature of their dear Dad, and how he gave them so much in his years with them. Of all of the hundreds of things, they each selected one gift to speak about. My friend spoke of how he taught her to love and to be good to others -- she sobbed and sobbed but her words came genuinely and clearly through her grief. In so doing, she added water to the lovely flower that was her Father's gift. Such fine girls; I was so proud of each of them as they shared so freely -- I am certain they were each viewed as a precious treasure by their Dad :)
Feels like a Friday...
So, it's been quite a day -- inspirational, poignant and joy-filled in spite of the tears. I am SO sapped tonight that the thought of even a short evening walk is just impossible; but I will allow myself a bit of additional rest to face the remainder of the week. (It really feels like tomorrow should be Friday, not Wednesday!) I think my heart and soul aged a few extra days today, but that is not a complaint -- but growing can take the rounds out of us :) Share your gifts this week -- I am going to be much more conscious of my own offerings and will be more mindful of the need to be generous will all whom I encounter. We are capable of doing much more than going through the motions -- our actions can create great goodness xo
This was a day of highs and lows, a roller coaster ride for the emotions. On one hand I had the great privilege of attending a creativity workshop this a.m., and on the other I attended a funeral for a friend's Father. My friend is taking this particularly hard, and for those of us who have lost a loved one, it is so difficult to see their pain and suffering and to be unable to carry that burden for them -- we each have to weather that storm of loss within us, and in a way that personally brings some resolution and peace.
The Balancing Act
In retrospect, I am even more grateful for the creative workshop in the morning hours that sparked the deepest part of me, the real me who strives to be heard and express itself among the hustle and bustle and mundane striving without core purpose. In this way I was bolstered against the storm of sorrowful emotion that I was witness to (but not consumed by) in the afternoon hours.
Three Girls with Three Gifts
My dear friend is one of three sisters and they each sweetly told about the loving and generous nature of their dear Dad, and how he gave them so much in his years with them. Of all of the hundreds of things, they each selected one gift to speak about. My friend spoke of how he taught her to love and to be good to others -- she sobbed and sobbed but her words came genuinely and clearly through her grief. In so doing, she added water to the lovely flower that was her Father's gift. Such fine girls; I was so proud of each of them as they shared so freely -- I am certain they were each viewed as a precious treasure by their Dad :)
Feels like a Friday...
So, it's been quite a day -- inspirational, poignant and joy-filled in spite of the tears. I am SO sapped tonight that the thought of even a short evening walk is just impossible; but I will allow myself a bit of additional rest to face the remainder of the week. (It really feels like tomorrow should be Friday, not Wednesday!) I think my heart and soul aged a few extra days today, but that is not a complaint -- but growing can take the rounds out of us :) Share your gifts this week -- I am going to be much more conscious of my own offerings and will be more mindful of the need to be generous will all whom I encounter. We are capable of doing much more than going through the motions -- our actions can create great goodness xo
Sunday, June 6, 2010
June 6, 2010
R & R Crisis!
My Mom, the wise mother of seven kids, once said "Small children, small problems..." As I have raised my own three kids, I realize how true that is. Little ones keep you busy 'round the clock with meals, laundry, supervision and so on, but the adult children occupy you with worry: late nights, dating, driving, working challenges, etc. etc. etc. The bigger they get, the more terror and frustration they can elicit, guaranteed.
Explosion of the Dirt Monster...
Most recently (last night) my two adult daughters were at a wedding social -- we had friends over and were up later than usual; almost to 2 a.m. I went to bed and slept soundly, and did not hear the kids come home. When I woke up I saw what I initially thought were Oreo cookie crumbs on the kitchen floor -- actually first felt the grit under my feet. It was dirt! I looked for broken flower pots, but that was not the case.
What the...?
Next stop the bathroom -- yes, the dirt monster had been here too... There was black mud on the walls, the cabinetry, the tub and tub-surround and even on the toilet bowl and sides. By this point I was beginning to connect the dots as to who the monster was, or as to who may have invited the monster into our home!
Final stop was the back landing and - you guessed it -- more mud, lots of it all over the steps, landing, walls, and area rug. Of course, we just freshly painted those walls a buttery French vanilla colour last weekend... sigh! And I had just swept, wiped the floors and put out a fresh rug yesterday afternoon.
The "Evil Parent"
By this point I was not a happy camper - -I think my older daughter must have heard my swearing! She came stumbling out of her bed, looking pasty and offered to help out. Her story: her friend, "C" fell into a puddle on the way to our house and my daughter had helped her clean up. I countered, "That's what the garden hose is for." My reasoning is, if you act like a pig you don't belong in a human bathroom. My daughter thinks I am terribly harsh-minded -- evil Mommy who doesn't understand her particular brand of drunken altruism. But she has yet to clean Evil Mommy's bathroom, so... I rest my case.
Thank you, Rug Doctor :)
So all of this leads to me spending the first sunny, warm day we have had in about a week indoors, while the carpets are steam cleaned upstairs and down. I decided to bake my nine-year-old son some cookies -- to try and get in touch with my Happy, Nurturing Mommy persona :) Always nice to do something for the little ones who still love you back.
My little dude loves shortbread, which I have only ever made at Christmas, but I decided to break with tradition and made a favourite whipped recipe, with a twist. Here they are, kid-tested and adult-friendly too. Not a diet recipe by any means, but one small cookie is only 60 calories, so hope you will enjoy in moderation; we all need a little food love sometimes and these fruity, buttery delights may be the ticket to accompany your next hot cuppa...
Pam's Cranberry Shortbread
Ingredients:
1 lb. softened butter
1 cup sifted icing sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1-2/3 cups dried cranberries
3 cups sifted all-purpose, unbleached flour
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, beat the butter together with the salt and icing sugar until fluffy. Mix in the cranberries and salt. Combine the flour with the corn starch and beat into the butter mixture gradually. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto aluminum baking sheets (I use the insulated ones - these are never fail and help ensure even baking).
Bake 10 minutes; yield 5-1/2 dozen cookies approx. 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Finished cookies should be slightly golden but not browned -- be sure to watch carefully in the last two-three minutes of baking, depending on you oven; I always bake a test cookie and set my timer accordingly thereafter.
Great with a cold glass of milk, hot coffee or Earl Grey Tea.
My Mom, the wise mother of seven kids, once said "Small children, small problems..." As I have raised my own three kids, I realize how true that is. Little ones keep you busy 'round the clock with meals, laundry, supervision and so on, but the adult children occupy you with worry: late nights, dating, driving, working challenges, etc. etc. etc. The bigger they get, the more terror and frustration they can elicit, guaranteed.
Explosion of the Dirt Monster...
Most recently (last night) my two adult daughters were at a wedding social -- we had friends over and were up later than usual; almost to 2 a.m. I went to bed and slept soundly, and did not hear the kids come home. When I woke up I saw what I initially thought were Oreo cookie crumbs on the kitchen floor -- actually first felt the grit under my feet. It was dirt! I looked for broken flower pots, but that was not the case.
What the...?
Next stop the bathroom -- yes, the dirt monster had been here too... There was black mud on the walls, the cabinetry, the tub and tub-surround and even on the toilet bowl and sides. By this point I was beginning to connect the dots as to who the monster was, or as to who may have invited the monster into our home!
Final stop was the back landing and - you guessed it -- more mud, lots of it all over the steps, landing, walls, and area rug. Of course, we just freshly painted those walls a buttery French vanilla colour last weekend... sigh! And I had just swept, wiped the floors and put out a fresh rug yesterday afternoon.
The "Evil Parent"
By this point I was not a happy camper - -I think my older daughter must have heard my swearing! She came stumbling out of her bed, looking pasty and offered to help out. Her story: her friend, "C" fell into a puddle on the way to our house and my daughter had helped her clean up. I countered, "That's what the garden hose is for." My reasoning is, if you act like a pig you don't belong in a human bathroom. My daughter thinks I am terribly harsh-minded -- evil Mommy who doesn't understand her particular brand of drunken altruism. But she has yet to clean Evil Mommy's bathroom, so... I rest my case.
Thank you, Rug Doctor :)
So all of this leads to me spending the first sunny, warm day we have had in about a week indoors, while the carpets are steam cleaned upstairs and down. I decided to bake my nine-year-old son some cookies -- to try and get in touch with my Happy, Nurturing Mommy persona :) Always nice to do something for the little ones who still love you back.
My little dude loves shortbread, which I have only ever made at Christmas, but I decided to break with tradition and made a favourite whipped recipe, with a twist. Here they are, kid-tested and adult-friendly too. Not a diet recipe by any means, but one small cookie is only 60 calories, so hope you will enjoy in moderation; we all need a little food love sometimes and these fruity, buttery delights may be the ticket to accompany your next hot cuppa...
Pam's Cranberry Shortbread
Ingredients:
1 lb. softened butter
1 cup sifted icing sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1-2/3 cups dried cranberries
3 cups sifted all-purpose, unbleached flour
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, beat the butter together with the salt and icing sugar until fluffy. Mix in the cranberries and salt. Combine the flour with the corn starch and beat into the butter mixture gradually. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto aluminum baking sheets (I use the insulated ones - these are never fail and help ensure even baking).
Bake 10 minutes; yield 5-1/2 dozen cookies approx. 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Finished cookies should be slightly golden but not browned -- be sure to watch carefully in the last two-three minutes of baking, depending on you oven; I always bake a test cookie and set my timer accordingly thereafter.
Great with a cold glass of milk, hot coffee or Earl Grey Tea.
Monday, May 24, 2010
May 24, 2010
Soggy, Sunny, Windy -- Holiday Survival
Well this was supposed to be the hottest May long weekend in Canadian history -- but we had some pretty changeable weather and although the temps were pretty pleasant, it did not reach the high 20's Celsius that was predicted. It was definitely one of those weekends where you had to be prepared for just about anything, in terms of dressing for the weather! My "girls' camping weekend" was fun, nonetheless, but we had to keep improvising our plans and acting on the fly :) Good thing I am a bit of a daredevil...
Yes, I Might be Losing It...
Tonight I am waiting for the rain to let up a bit so I can get out for a short walk. I am feeling a bit cooped up after a 3+ hour ride home from our campsite today. We did stop for coffee/water/snacks and a stretch, but it still was a bit less active than my typical day. I have been using the Lose It app on my iPhone and finding it is a great way to keep my honesty alive in the ongoing quest to balance work, children, nutrition and activity. If you are unfamiliar with Lose It and have similar goals to mine, you may find this app to be a great help.
Lose It is free (yay!) and allows great personalization/flexibility. It is easy to set up and use the tool to monitor your weight loss goals and to balance food intake with activity. Another great feature is that is doesn't only track calories, it tracks nutritional balance also: fats, protein, carbohydrates, sodium, fibre etc. You set your course and enter your daily food and exercise while ensuring you do it in a healthy way -- it's that simple. You can also set up Lose It to prompt you at specific times of the day; for example I have a personal default set to msg me if I don't enter my food by 8 p.m. each day.
Well this was supposed to be the hottest May long weekend in Canadian history -- but we had some pretty changeable weather and although the temps were pretty pleasant, it did not reach the high 20's Celsius that was predicted. It was definitely one of those weekends where you had to be prepared for just about anything, in terms of dressing for the weather! My "girls' camping weekend" was fun, nonetheless, but we had to keep improvising our plans and acting on the fly :) Good thing I am a bit of a daredevil...
Yes, I Might be Losing It...
Tonight I am waiting for the rain to let up a bit so I can get out for a short walk. I am feeling a bit cooped up after a 3+ hour ride home from our campsite today. We did stop for coffee/water/snacks and a stretch, but it still was a bit less active than my typical day. I have been using the Lose It app on my iPhone and finding it is a great way to keep my honesty alive in the ongoing quest to balance work, children, nutrition and activity. If you are unfamiliar with Lose It and have similar goals to mine, you may find this app to be a great help.
Lose It is free (yay!) and allows great personalization/flexibility. It is easy to set up and use the tool to monitor your weight loss goals and to balance food intake with activity. Another great feature is that is doesn't only track calories, it tracks nutritional balance also: fats, protein, carbohydrates, sodium, fibre etc. You set your course and enter your daily food and exercise while ensuring you do it in a healthy way -- it's that simple. You can also set up Lose It to prompt you at specific times of the day; for example I have a personal default set to msg me if I don't enter my food by 8 p.m. each day.
Similar to Weight Watchers, I am enjoying the flexibility of eating from a wide variety of food groups as long as I manage my portion size and/or "earn" additional food intake daily with activity, but no lost time sitting thru meetings or embarrassing public weigh-ins!
Beeting Boredom
Let's be honest -- I love food: preparing food, trying new things and keeping my meals balanced and healthy. Food and dining are an art in my view, and are a daily priority. Lately, I have been looking for ways to include one of my favourite root vegetables: beets.
I have enjoyed crab cakes in a local restaurant chain that come served on a luscious burgundy bed of thinly grated spirals of raw beets. I am not sure how they make this "beet spaghetti", but one of my girlfriends has told me they must use a Madeleine-style grater. Once I get the scoop, I will share...
Until this fairly recent discovery of raw shredded beets, I have always eaten beets in cooked form -- in borscht, in my root vegetable bake, in pickled form or as whole steamed baby beets (including the tender stem and tops/greens).
Last week while reading an issue of Blush in the doctor's office, I found a great cupcake recipe that contains -- you guessed it -- beet puree! The thought was, similar to carrot cake, you can tip the scale toward health by incorporating some hidden veg in a chocolate cupcake. Here is the recipe -- hope you will try and let me know what you think. xo
Beet These Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients:
2 ounces - 60 g dark chocolate
1/2 cup - 125 mL unsalted butter
1 cup - 250 mL unbleached, all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. - 4 mL baking soda
1/4 tsp. - 1 mL each of baking powder and sea salt
3/4 cup - 180 mL lightly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. - 2 mL vanilla extract
1 cup beet puree
Yield: 12 cupcakes
To make the beet puree, boil or roast unpeeled beets until tender. Peel the beets after cooking -- cooking with the skin keeps the beets from bleeding out all of the lovely purple colour. Buzz in a blender or food processor until finely chopped. A slightly chunky texture is preferred for this recipe over baby-food-smooth!
Line muffin tins with paper cups and preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/190 Celcius. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave, stirring in 2 Tbsp of the butter as the chocolate begins to soften. Set aside to cool slightly.
Combine flour with soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream the remaining butter with sugar, egg and vanilla. Add beet puree and then the cooled chocolate. Gradually add in the flour mix.
Divide the batter among the muffin cups and bake for about 30 minutes -- a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin will come out clean. Cool in tin for five minutes, then turn out to cool completely. Ice with your favourite cream cheese or chocolate frosting or try the Tangy Icing recipe, below.
Tangy Icing Recipe:
Beat 4 ounces spreadable cream cheese with 1 Tbsp. of softened butter and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup of sifted icing sugar, stirring until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over cooled cupcakes.
Note: 278 calories per cupcake, 2g protein, 14 g fat (0g saturated fat), 26g carbohydrate, 1g fibre and 171g sodium -- data for you Lose It App :)
Saturday, May 15, 2010
May 15, 2010
Purposeful Living
Do you ever get so caught up in "doing" that you forget what you're doing it for? The last couple of months have been a total blur for me. Somewhere in that blur, there were birthdays, meetings, workout days, kid's events etc. -- some dry stuff and some really wonderful stuff, but looking back I am wondering if I was chewing without tasting!
Does Bionic Woman feel more deeply?
Better, stronger, faster - we continue to push and push and push. I can be a real workhorse - competitive, strong of mind and body and with exacting quality standards. But this applies more to my working life - do I approach my personal goals with the same drive and passion? Like so many women, I think it sneaks up on us and our dearest needs, hopes and desires slowly slip away from us like a receding tide. Chewing without tasting, looking versus seeing; "being there" versus true connection with others and with environments. If I am so omnipotent, why don't I feel wonder and joy at the same epic scale???
One thousand needles!
Sometimes it takes a physical twinge (or two, or three!) to jolt the mind and body back to attention and attentiveness. There can be a robotic separation of self when when we get caught up in "doing" rather than truly living and experiencing; using all of our senses. My mini-awakening came yesterday when I went for treatment of leg veins. A medical procedure to kill off varicose veins with a painful series of injections. The physician was experienced and quick with a needle, but the process was much more extensive than I imagined it would be. Like an explosion of glass embedding my tender skin, when we had reached the half-way point, I thought "What on earth have I got myself into?" I likely had fifty or so injections, but it felt like a thousand, a million - my nerve endings on fire with pain.
Nourishment
So, they wrapped me up -- I am bandaged from ankle to groin on both legs and my best friend was waiting for me in the waiting room. You have to walk, albeit gently for about 30-45 minutes after this treatment; so we went to a city park. The May air was moist and fragrant; the sun, benevolent and restorative. I was already willing my body to heal, to feel the promise through the pain. My little wake up call came in all of those rapid-fire injections -- I am so fortunate, I am in possession of these amazing gifts and abilities; I am willing myself to soar and I am committed to my self-care above all things.
When we are fully engaged in our self-care we reap the benefits many times over and the quality of our experience can then over-spill to all others we touch -- AND we truly are able to touch others, because we are really connecting; not just buzzing by.
Do you ever get so caught up in "doing" that you forget what you're doing it for? The last couple of months have been a total blur for me. Somewhere in that blur, there were birthdays, meetings, workout days, kid's events etc. -- some dry stuff and some really wonderful stuff, but looking back I am wondering if I was chewing without tasting!
Does Bionic Woman feel more deeply?
Better, stronger, faster - we continue to push and push and push. I can be a real workhorse - competitive, strong of mind and body and with exacting quality standards. But this applies more to my working life - do I approach my personal goals with the same drive and passion? Like so many women, I think it sneaks up on us and our dearest needs, hopes and desires slowly slip away from us like a receding tide. Chewing without tasting, looking versus seeing; "being there" versus true connection with others and with environments. If I am so omnipotent, why don't I feel wonder and joy at the same epic scale???
One thousand needles!
Sometimes it takes a physical twinge (or two, or three!) to jolt the mind and body back to attention and attentiveness. There can be a robotic separation of self when when we get caught up in "doing" rather than truly living and experiencing; using all of our senses. My mini-awakening came yesterday when I went for treatment of leg veins. A medical procedure to kill off varicose veins with a painful series of injections. The physician was experienced and quick with a needle, but the process was much more extensive than I imagined it would be. Like an explosion of glass embedding my tender skin, when we had reached the half-way point, I thought "What on earth have I got myself into?" I likely had fifty or so injections, but it felt like a thousand, a million - my nerve endings on fire with pain.
Nourishment
So, they wrapped me up -- I am bandaged from ankle to groin on both legs and my best friend was waiting for me in the waiting room. You have to walk, albeit gently for about 30-45 minutes after this treatment; so we went to a city park. The May air was moist and fragrant; the sun, benevolent and restorative. I was already willing my body to heal, to feel the promise through the pain. My little wake up call came in all of those rapid-fire injections -- I am so fortunate, I am in possession of these amazing gifts and abilities; I am willing myself to soar and I am committed to my self-care above all things.
When we are fully engaged in our self-care we reap the benefits many times over and the quality of our experience can then over-spill to all others we touch -- AND we truly are able to touch others, because we are really connecting; not just buzzing by.
Monday, May 10, 2010
May 10, 2010
Ginger Ale Pancakes xo xo xo!!!
Mother's Day has always been a stressful day for me. I guess mostly because I have been conditioned that the day was not for me -- I thought, and still think, more of my own Mother: Marvelous Mother Martha, or MMM as we lovingly and gratefully call her in my clan :)
But I am a Mom -- I have three great kids (who are my life and breath) and I am thankful for their presence in my life every day and every hour that I live.
Why this sense of unease? Why do I feel unworthy; like I am never "enough", never worth praising or celebrating? In the past couple of years I have been trying to shake that negativity, and inside I do realize that "yes", it's okay to feel proud of my kids and that doesn't make me arrogant, and it's okay to want to celebrate my own motherhood -- and THAT doesn't make me selfish. It's okay to want to pursue the activities that bring me joy like my art, photography, time with gal pals and time outdoors.
A couple of years ago it just dawned on me that I had never really been celebrated as a Mother. The focus in my home has typically been, not even on my own Mother, but on my Mom-in-law -- who is a great gal, but she has raised her kids and has four children to honour her motherhood. Why do my kids have her as the focus of their Mother's Day? Am I wrong to want that day for myself as Mother with my children?
I don't think the whole "Mother's Day hijack" is a purposeful thing -- I think some parents just don' t want to face that the birdies have to leave the nest; nor do they even recognize that the birds have left! I think they are afraid of their own mortality.
Amateur psychoanalysis aside, I am taking back my Motherhood, piece by piece and learning that it's okay to celebrate that role and be comfortable with praise that I receive both as a Mother and more generally as a woman.
My highlight this year was my nine-year-old son's invention of Ginger Ale Pancakes -- it was his suggestion to alter the ingredients for our family recipe (from my junior high school home economics recipe book). Recipe follows, hope you will try and enjoy and that you will have the courage to celebrate your unique place in this world, whether as a Mom, daughter, Father, friend - whatever! You are important and only you can fill your shoes. Have a wonderful week xo!
K-Man's Ginger Ale Pancakes
Ingredients:
1 cup ginger ale
(My son wanted to substitute the milk for ginger ale, so we did it!)
1 egg
2 Tbsp. canola oil, plus 2 tsp. for frying
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. granulated white sugar
Preheat your griddle to medium-low heat, and drizzle/spread the 2 tsp. canola oil across the griddle. In a 4-cup bowl, beat the egg with 2 Tbsp. oil and stir in the ginger ale. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar and gradually stir into the wet mixture to form a smooth batter.
Drop by ladlefuls onto the preheated griddle. When bubbles begin to form on the surface of each pancake, flip over. The pancake will "sigh" -- that is rise slightly then fall slightly -- when done on the second side.
These pancakes are 50% airier than our regular recipe -- great with cinnamon and maple syrup or with butter and fruit syrup, such as raspberry.
Enjoy! Our next pancake experiment will be with cream soda to make pink, cotton-candy sweet treats xo!
Mother's Day has always been a stressful day for me. I guess mostly because I have been conditioned that the day was not for me -- I thought, and still think, more of my own Mother: Marvelous Mother Martha, or MMM as we lovingly and gratefully call her in my clan :)
But I am a Mom -- I have three great kids (who are my life and breath) and I am thankful for their presence in my life every day and every hour that I live.
Why this sense of unease? Why do I feel unworthy; like I am never "enough", never worth praising or celebrating? In the past couple of years I have been trying to shake that negativity, and inside I do realize that "yes", it's okay to feel proud of my kids and that doesn't make me arrogant, and it's okay to want to celebrate my own motherhood -- and THAT doesn't make me selfish. It's okay to want to pursue the activities that bring me joy like my art, photography, time with gal pals and time outdoors.
A couple of years ago it just dawned on me that I had never really been celebrated as a Mother. The focus in my home has typically been, not even on my own Mother, but on my Mom-in-law -- who is a great gal, but she has raised her kids and has four children to honour her motherhood. Why do my kids have her as the focus of their Mother's Day? Am I wrong to want that day for myself as Mother with my children?
I don't think the whole "Mother's Day hijack" is a purposeful thing -- I think some parents just don' t want to face that the birdies have to leave the nest; nor do they even recognize that the birds have left! I think they are afraid of their own mortality.
Amateur psychoanalysis aside, I am taking back my Motherhood, piece by piece and learning that it's okay to celebrate that role and be comfortable with praise that I receive both as a Mother and more generally as a woman.
My highlight this year was my nine-year-old son's invention of Ginger Ale Pancakes -- it was his suggestion to alter the ingredients for our family recipe (from my junior high school home economics recipe book). Recipe follows, hope you will try and enjoy and that you will have the courage to celebrate your unique place in this world, whether as a Mom, daughter, Father, friend - whatever! You are important and only you can fill your shoes. Have a wonderful week xo!
K-Man's Ginger Ale Pancakes
Ingredients:
1 cup ginger ale
(My son wanted to substitute the milk for ginger ale, so we did it!)
1 egg
2 Tbsp. canola oil, plus 2 tsp. for frying
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. granulated white sugar
Preheat your griddle to medium-low heat, and drizzle/spread the 2 tsp. canola oil across the griddle. In a 4-cup bowl, beat the egg with 2 Tbsp. oil and stir in the ginger ale. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar and gradually stir into the wet mixture to form a smooth batter.
Drop by ladlefuls onto the preheated griddle. When bubbles begin to form on the surface of each pancake, flip over. The pancake will "sigh" -- that is rise slightly then fall slightly -- when done on the second side.
These pancakes are 50% airier than our regular recipe -- great with cinnamon and maple syrup or with butter and fruit syrup, such as raspberry.
Enjoy! Our next pancake experiment will be with cream soda to make pink, cotton-candy sweet treats xo!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Going a bit bananas???
Yes, it's another birthday... and another, and -- yes, another...
Today is my oldest daughter's birthday - 21 candles; so hard to believe because I can remember her playing with my toes while I made her supper (age one). She is an amazing artist and is in her third year of university (Fine Arts -- no surprise there!)... We went out to this great retro steak house tonight and now she is at the bar with her Dad (they share the same birthday!) having a birthday cocktail. My younger daughter is tending bar tonight!
Bananas...
Good thing we have these celebrations to ease our way through the winter blahs! I am definitely NOT a winter person lol :) I do love to look at the hoar frost and pristine white landscapes from inside my warm car or warm office etc. Also is nice to get home, put on my tank top and shorts and bake something comforting. here is my recipe for Banana Bread -- simple and so good; this is especially delicious right outta the oven with some dairy butter mmmm.... hope you will bake some and enjoy it this weekend xo.
Pam's Banana Bread
4 medium-size mashed ripe bananas
1 cup granulated white sugar (or 1/2 cup Splenda plus 1/2 cup honey)
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup melted butter or canola oil
1 tsp. real vanilla extract
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1-3/4 cups sifted flour
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix sugar, eggs and mashed bananas. Stir in vanilla, cinnamon, salt, butter (or oil) and walnuts. Combine flour with soda and baking powder, stirring into wet mixture just to combine. Grease Pyrex loaf pan with softened butter and fold in batter.
Bake for 1 hour, testing at 50 minutes for doneness. If loaf is still moist in the middle at one hour, reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake an additional 5-7 minutes at the reduced temperature. Remove loaf from oven and invert on wire rack to cool, removing from the loaf pan (loaf will pop right out easily).
Enjoy!
Today is my oldest daughter's birthday - 21 candles; so hard to believe because I can remember her playing with my toes while I made her supper (age one). She is an amazing artist and is in her third year of university (Fine Arts -- no surprise there!)... We went out to this great retro steak house tonight and now she is at the bar with her Dad (they share the same birthday!) having a birthday cocktail. My younger daughter is tending bar tonight!
Bananas...
Good thing we have these celebrations to ease our way through the winter blahs! I am definitely NOT a winter person lol :) I do love to look at the hoar frost and pristine white landscapes from inside my warm car or warm office etc. Also is nice to get home, put on my tank top and shorts and bake something comforting. here is my recipe for Banana Bread -- simple and so good; this is especially delicious right outta the oven with some dairy butter mmmm.... hope you will bake some and enjoy it this weekend xo.
Pam's Banana Bread
4 medium-size mashed ripe bananas
1 cup granulated white sugar (or 1/2 cup Splenda plus 1/2 cup honey)
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup melted butter or canola oil
1 tsp. real vanilla extract
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1-3/4 cups sifted flour
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix sugar, eggs and mashed bananas. Stir in vanilla, cinnamon, salt, butter (or oil) and walnuts. Combine flour with soda and baking powder, stirring into wet mixture just to combine. Grease Pyrex loaf pan with softened butter and fold in batter.
Bake for 1 hour, testing at 50 minutes for doneness. If loaf is still moist in the middle at one hour, reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake an additional 5-7 minutes at the reduced temperature. Remove loaf from oven and invert on wire rack to cool, removing from the loaf pan (loaf will pop right out easily).
Enjoy!
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