Train - Calling All Angels

Quote of the Day:  I need a sign. from Calling All Angels by Train

I was part of a discussion the other day on seeing signs that a Higher Power is at work in our lives.  People say that they pray that they will see a sign, maybe a ray of sunshine on a gloomy day, or a phone call, or that they'll get an affirmation for their work or art.  I've often said, It would be helpful if God would just send me an email. (If you have God's email, please forward it to me, thanks!)

Signs happen every day.  The problem is we aren't always open to seeing them and experiencing them for what they are.  Whatever it is that you are hoping for, dreaming about, working towards, put it out to the universe.  Write it down.  Name it. Claim it.  Then, be open for the signs that it CAN happen.  People will walk into your life who can help you.  Ideas will flow.  The words of affirmation will come from supportive friends.

My artist date this week is two-fold.  I sent in an application to a writer's workshop held by Highlights Foundation (remember Highlights for Children with the hidden pictures).  They put on workshops for aspiring writers.  I signed up for the one on writing novels for young adults.  Here's the link if you're feeling inspired to spend a long weekend with your novel and a nurturing teacher.  They have other workshops, too, just browse around.  I'm living in a small-ish town that doesn't have a traditional city center/post office.  So, I made a trip to the gas station which is also the post office, and sent off my app.  (applause!)

Here's the second part of my artist date.  I made a new journal for myself.  I started with a composition book, covered it, and voila!

Front cover

back cover

Choose a pen and dig in!

It will be quiet here at Play off the Page for about a week.  Time for me to Play off the Page in real life and spend some time with family and enjoy all that summer has to offer.

Journey on!

Journaling Prompt:  As you're watching for "signs" this week, jot them down.  See what amazing power is working in your life to make all things possible.

Fresh Apricot Cinnamon-Chip Muffins . . . Tart & Sweet!

Here we are, moving into the tail end of June, and the onslaught of bright, fresh, summer produce is finally upon us. Among other things, this means that we now have access to a multitude of reasonably priced, and adorably cute, apricots.

A sensitive and delicate fruit, so they say, the apricot is a bit of a homebody that, apparently, doesn't cope well with traveling. It's easily bruised and it doesn't care for the jostling, tight quarters, and  occasional indignities inherent in a long-distance journey. Perhaps you feel the same way?

Because of this, only about one quarter of the apricots grown in the U.S. actually make their way to retail markets, so the experts say. These are picked just at the beginning of ripeness, when still firm. But what of the remaining 75 percent? Those lucky fellows are allowed to linger on the trees and, as a result, grow remarkably sweeter than their less fortunate counterparts; they end up canned, frozen, dried, and so on. This means that the fresh apricots you lovingly select one by one in your local grocery store may indeed be cute, but it's a roll of the dice as to whether or not you'll find yourself smiling or puckering after you bite into one.

This all just seems to make sense, though, doesn't it? One could make the case that it's analagous to life. Aren't we sweeter when we aren't rushed? Aren't we more appealing when we've had a good supply of uninterrupted leisure in which to sleep, dream, and reflect? Of course we are.

It's not always a baker's tragedy, though, if the apricots to be used in a recipe lean toward the tarter end of the spectrum. Perhaps two thirds of the apricots that I used in these muffins were kind of astringent, while the rest were only mildly sweet. I think, though, that in certain cases a flavorful but tart chunk of fruit balances remarkably well with its more sugary surroundings. These muffins present a perfect example. The cinnamon chips provide a burst of sweetness here and there that equalizes and nicely offsets the surprising tang of any less-than-fully-ripe fruit pieces.

About this recipe . . . 

Adapted from a blueberry muffin recipe in Flo Braker's wonderful book, Baking for All Occasions, I made a number of changes in order to produce these. In addition to substituting apricot chunks for blueberries,  I swapped out a bit of the white flour in favor of a small portion of whole wheat flour and oats. Instead of using buttermilk, which I love but didn't have on hand, I used half sour cream and half milk, along with a smidgen of lemon juice. I omitted the lemon zest.

And, instead of  dipping the warm muffin tops in butter and then plopping them enthusiastically in cinnamon sugar, as Flo indicates should be done, I lightly brushed the tops with melted butter and sprinkled them with just a very small amount of cinnamon sugar. It seemed to me they would have been practically inedible if I'd followed Flo's recommendation to dip them in her "doughnut topping," because melted butter sops up a huge amount of sugar (ever noticed this?).

I was pretty pleased with how these came out. The texture was right on target--really tender with no tough or rubbery aspect whatsoever--and the muffins had fine flavor. The cinnamon chips that I used came from King Arthur Flour, so of course they weren't cheap. But less costly brands of cinnamon chips are pretty common in grocery stores now, too. If you'd prefer to skip the cinnamon chips altogether, certainly do so; you might want to just add in some cinnamon with the dry ingredients--maybe a teaspoon or less--before they're mixed with the liquids. The muffins won't be as sweet without the chips, but they'll still be good, I'm sure of it.

Apricot Cinnamon-Chip Muffins

(For a printable version of this recipe, click here!)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and prepare a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, or spray liberally with baking spray.

For the batter:
1 and 1/2 cups All-Purpose flour (I used unbleached)
3 Tbsp. whole wheat flour
1/4 cup regular or quick-cooking (not instant) oats
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt (I used a generous 1/2 tsp.)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk (I used 2 percent)
3 oz. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (aka 3/4 of one stick, or 6 Tbsp.)
2 eggs, large
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup of unpeeled fresh apricot pieces, chopped small
2/3 cup mini cinnamon chips 

For the topping:
1/4 granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 oz. unsalted butter, melted (1/2 of one stick, or 4 Tbsp.)

In a large mixing bowl, using a whisk, combine the white flour, whole wheat flour, oats, sugar, salt, and baking soda.

In a medium size bowl, using a spoon, blend together the sour cream, milk, melted butter, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.

Add the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and stir together until just combined; use care not to overmix. With a spatula, gently fold in the apricot pieces and the cinnamon chips.

Fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake on the middle rack of your oven for approximately 20 minutes, until light golden brown and the centers spring back when lightly pressed with a finger.

Cool the muffins in the pan for about 10 minutes. Remove them from the pan to a cooling rack. Using a pastry brush, coat the tops with melted butter and a small sprinkling of cinnamon sugar.

 
(If you'd like to comment on this post, or to read any existing comments, just click on the purple COMMENTS below!)

Apple & Spice Baked French Toast

There is nothing like a delicious hot breakfast. During the school year, I am lucky enough that I don’t have to worry about my kids eating breakfast because they eat at school. Then summer rolls around and I realize that I either have to get up earlier in order to make breakfast for the three little darlings, or I have to make sure we pack a breakfast to take along to daycare. Some mornings it’s option one, but most mornings we end up taking breakfast along with us. In an attempt to find an easier solution I stumbled upon this recipe for baked French toast that was easy, tasty, and didn’t cause too much disruption to my morning sleep.

Baked French toast in my opinion is very much like bread pudding. This one is layered with apples and lots of cinnamon sugar creating a decadent hot breakfast, which everyone in the family loves. The little pieces of apple stayed a little bit firm adding some crunch to the moist, fluffy French bread that soaked up all that egg and cream overnight and then the top got a nice brown crust. Delicious!

I linked this recipe up to This Week's Cravings over at Mom's Crazy Cooking!

 

  Apple & Spice Baked French Toast

Recipe Source: Adapted slightly from CDKitchen.com

**Cooks Note: I cut this recipe in half for my family and it worked beautifully
1 large loaf French or Italian bread
8 large eggs
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups cream
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
6 apples, (Cortland, MacIntosh, or Granny Smith)
2 tablespoons butter

Slice bread into 1-1/2 inch slices. Spray 9 X 13 inch glass pan with corn oil or non-stick spray. Place bread in glass dish, placing tightly together.

In separate bowl, beat together eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, milk, and vanilla (by hand, with whisk, for about 1 minute). Pour one-half of egg-milk mixture over bread.

Peel, core and slice apples. Place sliced apples on top of bread to cover. Pour balance of egg-milk mixture evenly over apples.

Mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar with cinnamon and nutmeg and sprinkle evenly over top of apples. Dot with butter. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover dish and bake in oven 1 hour. It will rise high and brown nicely. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Cut into squares and serve warm with maple syrup. Top with whipped cream and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

Total Cost $2.65 for half the recipe or $5.30 for a full recipe
French Bread $.50 (I used half a loaf from our spaghetti dinner)
Eggs .28
Milk .26
Cream .50
Vanilla Free
Cinnamon .01
Sugar .10
Butter .10
Apples .90

Playing in Puddles

Quote of the Day:  Sometimes you have to shut off the inner critic and just play! - Mary Aalgaard, playwright

When life gives you puddles, JUMP! The dad next door said, "You still need to be a kid some days."

We've had rain for about 10 days straight.  Hey, Mother Nature, you can turn off the faucet, now!  We're good with the precipitation.  The grass is green again; the flowers are blooming; the strawberries are ripe.

Yep, these are growing in my backyard.  I had to pick them in the rain, but it was worth getting a soggy shirt.  My hair was already a lost cause, frizzy, then flattened, then limp.  Ugh.  I'm getting a cut next Tuesday. Thank God! (or should I say, Thank Aubrey!)

I was working on my script this weekend, Coffee Shop Confessions, and the annoying inner critic started saying:  Oh, you're back to that old thing?  Hmm. Well, aren't you putting too many elements in that?  I mean, you'll confuse your audience with all these issues and songs and comparisons, and ha! do you really think you're funny? And, other stuff too dumb to repeat.  I had to turn off that inner critic and just JUMP off the page.  Turns out, I like what I wrote.  It moves the story forward, PLUS it's interesting and funny.  So, PTHWEOEW! to you inner critic.

When you turn off that inner critic (I had to put duct tape over the mouth of mine!), you find yourself in new and interesting territory.  It might even change your look.  See what it did for my twins.  Their friend came along when they got haircuts, so they took the dare and got buzz cuts!  Ah, that will feel great when the summer sun and breeze finally get a chance to come out and play.

Journaling Prompt:  Write about a time when you turned off the inner critic, took a giant leap, and let yourself play.

Andes Mint Brownie

 Last week, Mel at Mel's Kitchen Cafe posted this recipe for Andes Mint Brownies.  I love, love, love Andes mints so I knew that this was a recipe I wanted to try.  Some of you may remember the mint brownie debacle that graced this blog a few months ago, let me just tell you that this brownie recipe is no way, shape or form even remotely similar to that mess.

These brownies, THESE brownies are what brownies should be.  Soft, chewy, dense bites of rich choclate and at the bottom nice chunks of the perfect mints.  The mints make a layer of their own and are just the perfect match to a perfect brownie.   Need I really say more? Probably not, I think you all understand my stance on this recipe!

Andes Mint Brownies
Recipe source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

*Makes one 9X13-inch pan or cut the recipe in half and bake in a 9X9 pan for about 20-23 minutes

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cocoa
½ teaspoon salt
1 package Andes mints (24-28 mints)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9X13-inch pan with foil and lightly grease with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and salt. Set aside.

Unwrap all the mints and coarsely chop. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and add the sugar, stirring well to combine. Whisk in the vanilla and then the eggs. Blend well.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Gently stir in the chopped Andes mints. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 32-35 minutes, until the brownies are set in the middle but not overbaked. Let cool completely, slice into squares and serve.

Total Cost $1.98 Cheaper than a mix from the store or $3.16 for a whole recipe
Mints $1.00 (I used half the package because I cut the recipe)
Butter .40 (this is the last of my sale butter from the freezer)
2 eggs .24
sugar .05
Vanilla Free (gift)
Cocoa .25
Flour .04

Strawberry Cheesecake with Cookie Crumb Crust . . . Thinkin' Pink!

"I found I could say things with color . . . that I couldn't say any other way--things I had no words for." 
-- Georgia O'Keefe


My three favorite colors are pink, red, and pale green. I would go so far as to say that I crave them. I suspect I may even feel cheerier when wearing one of them. My mood is calmer in a tranquil room that's been painted a cool shade of celery. It's no surprise my kitchen is that very shade, as it has been for several years and I haven't tired of it yet. Place a stem or two of pink flowers in a little jar of water on the kitchen table, and I'll delight in them until they fade away.

Just as we're influenced by the hues we see around us everyday--in our houses, in our cities, and in nature--I assume that the colors we're faced with when we sit down to a meal must impact us in similar ways. I know that I'm a pushover for pretty food. And color accounts for a huge part of the "pretty factor," don't you think?

I do appreciate the sight of  pink food--frosted cupcakes, strawberry ice cream, raspberry yogurt. Heck, I can even muster up a yen for cotton candy or Bazooka bubble gum now and again, though it's questionable whether those items qualify as real food. And vibrant red food gets my seal of approval, too; perfect garnet cherries, the blazing sunset stripes of a ripe mango's skin, even ketchup-red tomatoes, still warm from the vine.

Culinarians assert that we "eat with our eyes," and there is plenty of proof to back up that statement. In cake decorating classes, they make a point of teaching the principles of the color wheel since this kind of visual harmony is integral to a well-designed cake. A poorly executed use of color on a cake is immediately apparent, have you noticed? It does its utmost to turn you off. Think of those garish frosted cakes that you stroll past in the grocery store each week. They virtually scream out, "Hey, you! Look at me! Yeah, you! I'm bright and hideous and I clash!"

Color is important when you're baking. Don't think it's not . . .

I had pink on my mind when I decided to make this particular cheesecake. I expected, when I began preparing it, that it was going to be nicely pink throughout. The cheesecake photo in the cookbook was distinctly pinkish, positively blushing, in fact. And my finished batter was charmingly girlish.

But, alas, the oven changed all that. Ultimately, I ended up with kind of an ivory filling overlaid with just the slightest hint of pink, and dotted throughout with bits of rosy strawberry here and there. Not the glorious pink cheesecake of my dreams, but still good. I guess even a smidgen of pink is better than none.

About this recipe . . . 

Hailing from the book, Diner: The Best of Casual American Cooking, by Diane Rossen Worthington, this recipe includes both a small amount of fresh, ripe strawberries, along with strawberry jam, to give it its signature flavor. I stuck pretty closely to the original formula for the filling, but instead of using the called-for graham crackers in the crust, I used vanilla wafers. I also omitted lemon zest, because the recipe already includes a significant amount of lemon juice, and I just didn't want to overdo it.

I baked the cake on Saturday afternoon, put it in the fridge as soon as it was completely cool, and served it on Sunday evening. The cake turned out well, but I thought it actually tasted considerably better the day after it was first sliced. Some cheesecakes are just like that; I know this always seems to be true with pound cakes, and I assume it has to do with the incredibly rich ingredients taking a while to sort of mingle, get comfortable, and settle down. The texture seemed much nicer to me after a couple of days in the fridge.

The recipe didn't indicate that you should use a water bath for baking, so I threw caution to the wind and didn't bother with that. Consequently, my cheesecake did crack on top, about an hour after it was out of the oven. I wasn't terribly concerned about this, however, because I'd planned from the get-go to cover the top with a modest layer of whipped cream.

Were I to make this cake again, I probably would choose to employ a few more of the typical cheesecake precautions to help prevent the cracking (for eg., tips like being super careful not to over-beat the batter and incorporate too much air;  baking the cake in a foil-wrapped pan that's placed in a water bath; running a knife around the cake sides right before it goes into the oven and shortly after it's out of the oven). Anyway, I'll be more careful next time.

I'd never made a strawberry flavored cheesecake before, but it's a nice variation on plain vanilla or chocolate. Next time, though, I'm makin' it more pink. I think.

(Please note that in the photos below it looks like quite a lot of batter. That's because, when I made it, I doubled the recipe and made two cakes. But the recipe as printed for you below makes just one cake.) 


Strawberry Cheesecake with Cookie Crumb Crust



(For a printable version of this recipe, click here!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of one 9.5" springform pan. Place a circle of parchment over the buttered bottom, and butter the parchment.

For the crust:
2 cups crushed vanilla wafer (or plain shortbread) cookie crumbs
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For the filling: 
24 oz. cream cheese, softened and at room temperature
1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups sour cream, at room temperature
1/3 cup All Purpose flour
2 tsp. vanilla extract
fresh juice of one whole lemon, strained
1/2 cup strawberry jam (with any large fruit chunks broken up)
1/2 cup of finely chopped, hulled, ripe strawberries

To make the crust:
In a small bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs and sugar. Add in the melted butter and stir to combine until all the crumbs appear moistened. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan, and up the sides of the pan about two inches. Set aside.

To make the filling:

Break the softened cream cheese into chunks and place in a large mixer bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese for about 3 minutes, until very soft and creamy.

Add in the sugar and continue to mix on medium speed, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the batter is smooth.

Add in the eggs, preferably one at a time, and beat well after each addition. (Do as I say, not as I did, in the photo below, with too many eggs going in at once!)

Reduce the speed to low, and add in the sour cream, flour, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Beat just until thoroughly blended. Remove the large bowl from the mixer.

Remove one cup of the batter and place it in a small bowl.

To this small bowl of batter, add the strawberry jam. Stir it in completely.

Add in the 1/2 cup of chopped strawberry pieces, stirring very gently, just until combined.

Pour this mixture back into the large bowl of batter and, stirring by hand, just blend it in.

Pour all of the batter in the pan that's already been lined with the crust. Jiggle the pan gingerly until the top of the batter appears settled and smooth.

Place the cake pan on top of a baking sheet on the middle rack in the oven.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for one hour. Turn off the heat and let the cheesecake rest undisturbed in the oven, with the door closed, for 30 minutes. Place the pan on a cooling rack and let the cake cool completely. (Hopefully, yours won't look like it's been in an earthquake, like mind did below!)

Once the cake is cooled, cover it lightly and refrigerate it, still in the pan, for at least eight hours before slicing. The cake's texture improves after one full day, or even two days, in the fridge. Before attempting to remove the sides of the pan, run a thin knife carefully around the cake's sides. It's easier to slice, and best tasting, if served quite cold. Try it topped with real whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

(If you'd like to comment on this post, or to read any existing comments, please just click on the purple COMMENTS below!)

Eyebrows

Quote of the Day:  Develop interest in life as you see it; in people, things, literature, music - the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people.  Forget yourself. - Henry Miller  (This one is also in the book The Artist's Way.  I'm working on Chapter 2 this week.)

For my Artist's Date this week, I took myself out to hear a concert by a Minnesota choir called From Age to Age.  Live performances of any kind are inspiring and exciting and fill me up.  This group, under the direction of the amazing Andrew Miller, gives me reason to say, Life is good.  I am transformed beyond myself.  Somehow I can be in the moment and also remembering the past and dreaming about the future, all the while my spirit is set free.  They performed in a church where the ceiling rises to a peak, and as the walls slope down they become rounded.  It looks like the bottom of a boat that's tipped over, and we're safe underneath.

I watch and I listen and I feel.  Somehow, eyebrows became the focal point for me.  Andrew sings as well as conducts his choir.  He makes eye contact with the pitch man, who offers up a note. Andy gives the choir a 1-2-3-(4), and the voices come alive, all on the right note, together, without accompaniment, and they move with the rhythm of the song, and somehow the song becomes part of me. 

They sang in English, Latin, German, Italian, and Russian.  I never knew Russian could sound so beautiful.  They also performed new work by three Minnesota composers, two of whom were in the audience.  What a marvelous meeting of the creators and the interpreters.

We stood and applauded and sighed that it had to end, then Andy raised his eyebrows, flashed us his confident grin and said, "We have one more ditty for you."  They performed the William Tell Overture with their voices sounding like a full orchestra, going bada bump, bada bump, bada bump, bump bump.  And, when they got to Bah!, they all turned to the audience with great facial expressions.  A member named Josh kept his eyebrows moving up and down to the rhythm of the song, right, left, back and forth.  Josh has very talented eyebrows!

So, the boys and I practiced eyebrow poses for this post. 

Journaling Prompt:  Describe a time when art, music, literature, a person, or nature inspired you.