Category: Other
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Sunday, March 25, 2018
Show & Tell: Things That Made Me Cry
Today I have a special edition of Show and Tell for you: Things That Made Me Cry. Fun times! Two of these totally awesome things are music related and the third has to do with food. All three are wonderful.
May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers
I must give credit where credit is due…my husband Nate has been listening to the Avett Brothers for ages and is the reason I know who they are. They are hands down one of my favorite bands and their concert a few years ago was one of the best we’ve ever seen. Judd Apatow must share the same sentiments as we do because he recently produced a documentary about the brothers and their band for HBO, May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers. Please go watch this documentary. It is just so wonderful I don’t know what else to say. Oh, I do know one more thing to say…I cried pretty much non-stop through the last 45 minutes of the movie. IT IS SO GOOD.
And, one final thing: if you don’t know who the Avett Brothers are, start listening stat. Their most recent album True Sadness is perfection, but here are a few of my favorite older songs: Murder in the City (this one made me cry at the concert, it was embarrassing), Morning Song, and (of course) I And Love And You. (Photo credit: HBO)
Yo-Yo Ma
I took the girls to see Yo-Yo Ma at Copley Symphony Hall in San Diego. Yo-Yo Ma played the Brahms piano trios with pianist Emanual Ax and violinist Leonidas Kavakos and it was, well, beyond words. Three masters playing music written by another master on world-class instruments (some with the name “Stradivarius”). There were a few moments where the violin and cello played harmonies where I felt overwhelmed by what we had the privilege of watching and listening to. Another fun part of the night was Yo-Yo Ma’s countenance: you can just tell the man is filled with humility, kindness and joy. (And after hearing a few personal stories from Cate’s cello teacher about him after the concert, well, he is very firmly on my list of favorite humans.) If you ever get the chance to see Yo-Yo Ma in concert, make it happen. Click here for his scheduled concerts and appearances.
Ugly Delicious: Season 1 Episode 5
I know I already told you to watch Ugly Delicious on Netflix, but I do want to specifically call out a beautiful moment in the series. In episode 5 of the debut season, David Chang visits Yakitori Masakichi in Tokyo, where Chef Masahiko Kodama makes David yakitori, a Japanese-style skewered chicken. The chef grills Niigata-sourced chicken seasoned with Niigata salt over Japanese binchotan charcoal. David is pretty much overwhelmed by the perfection of what he tastes. When he tries to tell the chef just how amazing his food is, the chef’s reaction is, simply put, beautiful. Click here to watch Ugly Delicious.
Happy listening, viewing and crying!
Posted by Jane Wallin at 3:08 pm 3 Comments
Categories: fab faves, music, netflix Tags: music, netflix, show and tell, the avett brothers, ugly delicious, yo-yo ma |
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Friday, March 9, 2018
‘Ugly Delicious’ is as great as you’ve heard
Just a quick Show and Tell for you today. Have you heard the buzz around David Chang’s new series Ugly Delicious on Netflix? Think the buzz sounds like hyperbole? It’s not. We love the show. Go and watch.
Image credit: NetflixThat said, let me warn you that if you happen to fall asleep while watching the show, you will probably have a dream (nightmare?) where you finally decide to try crawfish and halfway through eating said crawfish you look at your plate where you have set down the crawfish you were just eating and you see it lying on its back on your plate and then you notice that its little legs and claws are slightly moving. Because it’s alive. You are eating a crawfish that is still alive.
The show, however, is worth the risk of having this dream. I promise. Enjoy! (The yakitori scene in episode 5 almost made me cry!)
*Note for parents: there is some spicy language peppered throughout the show, so probably best viewed without the little around.
Posted by Jane Wallin at 11:59 am 3 Comments
Categories: fab faves, netflix, show and tell Tags: david chang, netflix, ugly delicious |
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Tuesday, January 30, 2018
2018 New Year’s Resolution: Learn How to Can
If you’ve been reading my blog for longer than a year, you are probably aware that each year I make a New Year’s resolution that supports my overall goal to Eat Well and Heal the Planet. Food production has a huge impact on the environment and I love finding ways to do our part in the kitchen. Usually my resolution is easy to figure out, but this year I’ve struggled a bit with settling on something. Then, this morning, lightning struck: canning!
I’ve always been scared of canning. First off, I don’t know how to do it and was scared of messing up. Second, I was being lazy about learning. Third, I was being lazy about actually doing it. 😉 But this year I am committing to at least learning how and then going from there!
Last year Nate started gardening. He learned a lot and is ready to do the whole gardening thing even better this year. Over this past year, as produce was harvested in our backyard, our only options were to freeze the food or eat it, otherwise it went to wast (and we all know how I feel about food waste). While I’m really good at freezing stuff (yeah, I’m totally bragging…I mean, it takes great skill to throw something in a container and toss it into the freezer), for some foods freezing doesn’t work. And for other foods canning is just plain delicious. Also, I store a lot of bread and jam in my freezers, so I am limited on freezer space. Since I had NO CLUE about canning, it was simply not an option. This year, however, is going to be different.
For years I’ve been watching my friend Aimee from the blog Simple Bites can food like crazy from food they grew in their backyard. She is really inspiring and I think those years of gawking at her skills have finally sparked me to give it a try. I’m going to start with Simple Bite’s Canning 101 guide. I’m actually excited, albeit a bit nervous.
If you are a canner and have any tips, please share them in the comments! And if you are a canning virgin, perhaps consider joining me on the journey. I promise to report on how my canning efforts go!
Here’s to another year of happy, earth-friendly eating!
Posted by Jane Wallin at 11:56 am 8 Comments
Categories: canning, Eat Well. Heal the Planet. Tags: canning, eat well. heal the planet. |
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Friday, December 22, 2017
Netflix Downloads is the BEST
Hi everyone! Happy Holidays!
We are leaving in about an hour to catch a plane. We will be on that plane for what will feel like 3,145 hours. Normally such a trip requires Nate and I spending hours the night before getting movies and shows added to the iPads, stressing about storage space and who gets what shows. No longer…
Enter Netflix Downloads!
I am so excited about this new feature from Netflix that I am stopping my packing to spend 5 minutes telling you about it so those of you traveling can also partake. It is that awesome.
So, what is this download feature? Basically there are a bunch of titles on Netflix that you can download to your device to watch offline. Just make sure you have your Netflix app updated, then click on the navigation menu on the left of the screen. You’ll see two magic sections: “My Downloads” and “Available to Download.” Just click to see what is available, download the titles you want, then come back when the device is offline to watch! My kids are all busily choosing things to watch while I pack. It’s so much easier than Nate and I messing with the iPads for hours. Sweet relief! Also, the file sizes are about a quarter of the size of movies and shows that we normally store on the iPad through the regular “TV” app. Which means we’re not filling the devices in 2 seconds and the kids have more to choose from. This plane ride just got a lot shorter. 😉
Thank you, Netflix. Now, back to packing!
Posted by Jane Wallin at 8:59 am 3 Comments
Categories: fab faves, netflix Tags: netflix, netflix downloads, netflix stream team |
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Friday, October 20, 2017
Show and Tell, Grab Bag Edition! Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer, Deodorant, Netflix Birthday Fun & Prius Envy
Hello, friends. I have a veritable grab bag of things to share with you today, including a recipe, deodorant, Netflix and car talk. Yes, totally random. But also fun! 😉 Let’s start with the food!
Pumpkin Spice Butter Spread + Homemade Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer
Last week LAND O LAKES treated me to a surprise package, complete with a shiny new Chemex coffee maker and everything I needed to make Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer using their Limited Batch Pumpkin Spice Butter Spread. We are loving the Pumpkin Spice Butter (seriously, I had to cut Cate off…she would have eaten a loaf’s-worth of toast just to consume the butter), so I felt like I needed to tell you about it! Plus, I did in fact make the Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer and it was delicious. I am now sharing the recipe with you!
Show and Tell, Grab Bag Edition! Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer, Deodorant, Netflix Birthday Fun & Car EnvyAuthor: LAND O LAKESIngredients- ½ cup half & half
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons LAND O LAKES Pumpkin Pie Spice Butter Spread
Instructions- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Microwave, stirring occasionally, 30-45 seconds or until butter spread is melted and sugar is dissolved.
- Beat with hand mixer for 90 seconds or until mixture is frothy. (Note: I whisked by hand.)
- Store in refrigerator in a container with a tight-fitting lid up to 1 week. Shake well before each use.
Native Natural Deodorant
Years ago I wanted to switch to natural deodorant but had a bad experience (read: Hello, Stinky Lady!) and gave up. but the fact I’ve been smearing aluminum on my body every day for over 30 years has always nagged at me. Well, my sister-in-law Cora recently demanded that I try Native deodorant. She was insistent. She pretty much made me buy it. Well, I must admit that I am grateful Cora was so bossy! I LOVE NATIVE. So, so, so, so much. I have the Coconut & Vanilla, Coconut & Shea and Apricot & Peach scents and I love them all. Note: the scents are seasonal, so a few of those flavors aren’t currently available, but there are a bunch of new ones that sound great!
Why do I love Native so much?
- First and foremost, the deodorant actually works. I have less body odor than I did with anti-perspirant and my clothes are picking up less scents, too. Cora (and the website) said that I would need about 2 weeks for my body to adjust and for the deodorant to work well. I started using the deodorant during a heat wave and loved it from Day One. But please, if you try it, give it at least 2 weeks to kick in (in case you are not lucky like I was). Also, if you need to freshen up later in the day, just re-apply and magically things smell better.
- Native’s customer service is amazing. AMAZING. I originally ordered the summer scent pack and did not like the floral scent that came with it. Native made an exchange beyond easy. Plus, even before needing customer service support, I loved their email communications. They do a great job every step of the way
- I really like the scent options they have. The deodorant just plain smells good without being overpowering.
- For those with baking soda allergy, they also have a sensitive version that does not contain baking soda.
I must admit I thought it was a little funny how excited Cora was about her deodorant. I mean, how can someone be that happy about deodorant. But here I am. On the Native bandwagon and happy to be here. I’m in all the way! Thanks, Cora!
Netflix Birthday Fun!
Did you hear about the new birthday messages for kids on Netflix? They launched the birthday messages just in time for Owen’s birthday last month and he loved them. Owen’s birthday party involved taking eight 5- and 6-year-old boys to the LEGO Ninjago movie, followed up with a dinosaur cake at the park. Having the LEGO Ninjago friends and the Dinotrux friends sending birthday wishes his way totally made Owen’s day!
To find the messages, simply type “birthday” or “birthdays” into your Netflix search bar and all 15 birthday message video options will appear. Definitely a cute way to kick off your little one’s special day!
Why I Wish We Weren’t So Frugal and Had Bought a New Prius
Nate has been driving a Prius for over 3 years and has been very happy with it. When his lease was up this past spring, we decided to be frugal and buy the car he was driving rather than start a new lease with the latest Prius. I was perfectly happy with that decision until 3 months later when Toyota lent us a new 2017 Prius for our east coast trip. I love the new Prius. We shouldn’t have been so responsible after all! What were we thinking? 😉 I am grateful I had the chance to try the Prius out for a month (thanks, Toyota!), but now I totally have Prius envy. Here are a few of the things I loved about the car:
- The car basically drives itself. The radar cruise control works beautifully. I used it ALL THE TIME. For example, when we drove from Cape Cod to New Hampshire, I followed my sister-in-law using cruise control. The system detects the speed of the car in front of you and adjusts accordingly, so Jess was basically doing all the driving. There is also a lane departure alert system, pre-collision and pedestrian detection system, and the car can park itself.
- Even better gas mileage. I got over 50 miles per gallon the entire trip.
- For such a small car, there is a ton of storage. The back is roomy, and there is a net you can use to store smaller items. The storage was great for short and long trips alike.
- I’ve mentioned this before about Toyota, but I love their remote lock system. It’s just awesome.
- There was also a spot for doing that fancy cordless phone charging. My phone doesn’t have that capability, but I was sure wishing it did! I also like how the middle console is set up better in the new Prius versus previous models.
- The navigation system worked better than my Google maps app on my phone. Impressive! And the car told me what the speed limit was at any given time, which is especially handy on those east coast back roads!
- The one thing I did not love was the SofTex synthetic leather seat material. It is more eco-friendly than other synthetic leather materials and does not use any animal-based material, but if I had to choose I would go with fabric or real leather. I just didn’t love the feel of the seats or how they looked when inevitably sand and other stuff got into the seams.
Phew! I think that’s all I have to share for today. As usual, Show & Tell is for the whole class! Feel free to chime in with your own finds and recent loves in the comments!
Please note: I have a relationship with Netflix as a member of the Stream Team, which means they don’t pay me a dime but do send me cool fun stuff occasionally. Toyota provided me with the Prius for our trip. Land O Lakes provided me with product. I have no official relationship with Native deodorant.
Posted by Jane Wallin at 6:05 pm 6 Comments
Categories: Cora, fab faves, featured recipes, netflix, show and tell, sweet things, the goods, travels Tags: land o lakes, native deodorant, netflix, netflix stream team, prius, pumpkin spice coffee creamer, toyota |
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Thursday, October 5, 2017
The Easiest Dinosaur Birthday Cake That Was Beyond Beloved
Owen’s birthday was last week and I have yet to share his birthday cake with you all. I love making fun birthday cakes for my kids and my kids really look forward to planning out their cake each year. For his 6th birthday, Owen decided he wanted a dinosaur birthday party. He and I sat down and scrolled through Pinterest together to find the perfect dinosaur birthday cake. Owen picked out a few options, kept changing his mind about which cake he wanted, and then learned about chocolate candy that looks like rocks. Once he knew that candy existed he was hooked on making what turned out to be the easiest dinosaur birthday cake ever. Thanks, Owen!
So, how do you make the easiest dinosaur birthday cake ever?
- Make a 2-layer round cake. Frost with chocolate frosting. Be generous with the frosting, especially on the top as those dinosaurs need a nice layer of mud to sink their feet into so they can stay standing!
- Buy chocolate candy that looks like rocks/pebbles. (I found the candy at Cost Plus World Market. They have pebble candy on Amazon, too, although the candy at Cost Plus were cuter and cheaper.)
- Place said candy on top of the cake.
- Pick out 3 of your child’s toy dinosaurs, stick them on top of the cake. (Dinosaurs should be relatively small – the big ones tip over.)
- YOU ARE DONE. You’re welcome.
I used Matthew Mead’s chocolate cake recipe, which you can find at the end of this blog post. I made a chocolate buttercream frosting for the outside of the cake – recipe below!
Click here for the the inspiration for this cake!
Click here for the other easy dinosaur birthday cake idea (hello, cutest fossils ever) that I was totally trying to get Owen to choose. I had him convinced for about 2 hours, but then that rock candy ruined everything. Except it didn’t because Owen’s cake was super awesome.
That’s Owen’s “I knew the rock candy cake would be as cute as the fossil cake, Mom” face.Here is how I made the chocolate buttercream frosting. Once again, people who usually do not like cake loved my cake. These recipes are winners. Also, use HIGH QUALITY cocoa powder. I’m telling you it makes a difference. Promise.
Chocolate Buttercream FrostingAuthor: Jane MaynardIngredients- 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) salted butter, room temperature
- ⅔ cups cocoa powder
- 6-7 cups powdered sugar
- 6-8 tablespoons milk or cream
Instructions- Beat butter with a mixer (I use my KitchenAid with the paddle attachment).
- Using a fine mesh sieve, add the cocoa powder to the butter. (The sieve prevents the cocoa from getting lumpy.)
- Gradually work in the powdered sugar, alternating with the milk/cream and beating well after each addition. I put a range for the powdered sugar and milk/cream measurements. Start with 6 cups and 6 tablespoons each, then add more powdered sugar if the frosting is too thin, or more milk/cream if it is too thick. Frosting should be a spreading consistency that still holds its shape.
NotesThis makes enough frosting for a 2-layer 8- or 9-inch cake, with a little leftover.
Posted by Jane Wallin at 11:54 am 3 Comments
Categories: birthday cakes, kids, Kitchen Tips, Recipes, sweet things Tags: birthday cake, birthday cake decorating, buttercream, cake, cake decorating, chocolate buttercream frosting |
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Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Happy Summer! Albion Fit Swim Giveaway!
I am currently sitting in a beach house in Woods Hole, MA on Cape Cod. The weather is perfect and we are hitting the beach every single day this week. Basically, I don’t ever want to go back to real life.
This year I have a new swimsuit, thanks to Albion Fit, and I have been loving it on our East Coast vacation. I am loving the suit this summer. LOVING. It’s comfortable, I love the fabric, and people keep asking where I got it. (Click here for a link to the suit. You can also get my suit in black, but I don’t know why you would because the Antigua pattern is awesome.)
The founders of Albion are dear friends of ours and Liz and I thought it would be fun to do a swim giveaway for a little mid-summer fun! So let’s get right down to it! Who doesn’t want a cute new suit in the summertime?HERE’S HOW TO ENTER! Simply comment on this post telling us your favorite Albion swimsuit! One randomly-selected commenter will win an Albion swimsuit of their choice!BONUS INSTAGRAM ENTRY! You can also enter the giveaway on Instagram! Simply click here and leave a comment on my Instagram post about this giveaway with the name of your favorite Albion swimsuit AND tag a friend in that comment.All comments, both here on the blog and on Instagram, must be posted by Midnight PT on Saturday August 5, 2017.
Good luck and happy swimming!
The winner of this giveaway was Mary Beth, who commented, “These are beautiful suits! I am loving the Grace off the shoulder one-piece!” Congratulations! And thank you to all who entered!
Posted by Jane Wallin at 12:27 pm 40 Comments
Categories: fab faves, Giveaways, the goods Tags: albion fit, giveaways, swimsuits |
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Friday, June 30, 2017
Friday Show & Tell: NETFLIX!
It’s been a wee bit since we talked TV here on the blog. And I kind of need to because HOLY SMOKES Netflix has some so much goodness going on right now. I’ll just list a few of our recent favorite Netflix originals…and of course tell us in the comments what you’re loving on Netflix lately, too!
Shows We’ve Watched and Loved
Bloodline
Who here has finished Bloodline? Do you hate it? Love it? For me it took a few days of mulling everything over to come to the conclusion that I was “happy” with the ending. (Happy in quotes because, well, nothing in that show is actually for real happy, right?) ANYWAY…this was a great show! We are sad it’s over but loved watching the end.
Master of None
We just started Master of None recently and are still on Season 1 but we love it. Apparently Season 2 is awesome, too. We aren’t sure why we didn’t watch this show until now but Nate and I are glad we finally did!
A Series of Unfortunate Events
A Series of Unfortunate Events is a family-friendly show that every last member of our family (including the adults!) loves. Cate, my 12-year-old, has seen the most episodes and she says they’re all awesome. We enjoyed watching it together as a family and honestly it’s so well done. We highly recommend it!
Anne with an E
I was wary when I heard Netflix was going to remake the Anne of Green Gables series because, well, the original PBS mini-series with Megan Follows from back in the day is just so darned beloved. Netflix’s Anne with an E has delivered! The show is beautifully done and I love it. It’s a little more real than the original (there are flashbacks to Anne’s abuse that are far more jarring than the PBS series), but for me this is one of the reasons the show is so good. It adds more depth to Anne and her experience. The casting and the shooting are both impeccable and, well, we love it! Anne is in good hands!
Chef’s Table
As far as cooking shows go, I think Chef’s Table may be Nate’s and my favorite.
The Great British Baking Show
Okay, so this isn’t a Netflix Original, but The Great British Baking Show is streaming on Netflix once again and the girls and I are pumped! In addition, The Great British Baking Show Masterclass is also available, where Paul and Mary teach us now to cook. Yes, please!
Shows We Need to Watch
Glow
Basically anything I see or hear about Glow declares that it is pure awesome. (For example, here is a review on The Atlantic that declares the show a delight.) It’s next up on our list!
Okja
The Netflix original film Okja is supposed to be amazing. (Here’s a New York Times review that should whet your whistle.) My sister told us we have to watch it. And so we will.
I’m going to stop now because basically there simply aren’t enough hours in the day and I want to make sure you get some sleep in, too. Happy watching!
I am a member of the Netflix Stream Team, which means I get a free Netflix subscription and some cool goodies occasionally. I was, however, a Netflix customer prior to my relationship with Netflix and have pretty much always been addicted to TV, so I am more than happy to work with them! This post was not compensated monetarily.
Posted by Jane Wallin at 7:49 pm 2 Comments
Categories: fab faves, netflix Tags: netflix, netflix originals |
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Wednesday, June 28, 2017
How Shopping at My Local Farmer’s Market Reinvigorated Life in the Kitchen…and Got Our Family Eating Healthier!
This post is sponsored by the American Heart Association Healthy For Good movement. The views, opinions and positions expressed within this post belong to Jane Maynard of This Week for Dinner and do not necessarily represent those of The American Heart Association unless explicitly stated.
My new year’s resolution for 2017 was to cook more. I know it might seem strange to have a food blogger make this her resolution, but the fact of the matter was I had let cooking take the back burner (pun intended!). So, as 2017 kicked off, I decided to really focus on cooking again. And that focus has worked and made me a much happier person as a result.
2016 was a rough year for several reasons that I won’t get into, but it really is no surprise that making dinner wasn’t a top priority for a good portion of the year. We were eating out a ton, which always makes me uneasy because I know we’re consuming way more calories, fat and sodium than we should be eating. There were a lot of pancake and cereal nights, too. I’ve made peace with how dinner went down in 2016 and have told myself “everything in its season.” But I am also feeling so good about the fact that I’ve been in the kitchen more this year, even during times that get especially busy.
One of the keys to the success of this year’s resolution has been shopping at our local farmer’s market each week. There is a farmer’s market every Wednesday (all year!) in my town and after 3 1/2 years into living here I had never visited. I KNOW. It’s just so weird because things like farmer’s markets and CSAs make me so happy! So, as part of the resolution to cook more, I started going to the market each week. We also discovered a small, organic farm smack dab in the middle of a nearby neighborhood that is perhaps the happiest place in San Diego, with devoted shoppers and restaurateurs carefully selecting their produce each week.
I cannot tell you how AWESOME this change in my life has been. First off, it’s fun telling my friends that I am going “to the market.” They think like I sound like a European grandmother and never quite know what I’m talking about.
Beyond sounding like a European grandmother, going to the market each week has kept me much more in touch with what food is in season at any given time and our meals have reflected that natural seasonality more and more. And I love buying local – most of the farmers represented are located in my town or neighboring communities. I love knowing that our family is having a positive environmental impact through buying so much more of our food close to home.
There’s been another unexpected benefit of going to the farmer’s market each week: my cooking has gotten more fun and creative. As you know, I’m totally about planning a weekly menu. My shopping list is always built around that plan and I rarely stray from the list when I am at the store. Going to the farmer’s market has gotten me to have a little more fun with our meals and add a bit of flexibility to the planning. Yes, I go into the market with a list, but I also let the fruits and vegetables that happen to be there that week drive what we eat. It’s made cooking fun and creative. (If you’re looking for a little creative inspiration before your next shopping run, consider shopping and serving the rainbow!)
And, of course, the biggest benefit has been that we are eating way more homemade food, which is just plain healthier than takeout and most restaurant foods. I have been meaning to write this post about my new farmer’s market habit and the American Heart Association finally gave me the kick I needed to get it done. I am so happy to share my experience as part of their Healthy For Good campaign (did you know it’s National Fruit + Vegetable Month?), which encourages us all to Eat Smart, Add Color, Move More and Be Well.
Remember that rough year I had in 2016? It kind of got me down. I felt uninspired and the stress of everything definitely caused me to rely too heavily on eating out. This post from the AHA about unhealthy eating as related to stress really spoke to me, especially numbers 2 and 6! I am telling you that this new focus I have had on nourishing myself and my family through food has been transformative. Yes, I still feel stress. Yes, I am still getting over some of that 2016 nonsense. But taking the time to focus on food has been amazingly uplifting. Plus, getting outside and walking for my grocery shopping sure has made life happier, too!
I’m sure you’re wondering if I get all of my food at the farmer’s market…and the answer is no! First I hit the farmer’s market then pop over to my local grocery store to get other staples that weren’t at the market. I’ve never really loved food shopping, but now I look forward to it each week!
So, that’s the update on this year’s resolution to cook more. The farmer’s market is my new happy place and I love the effect it’s had on our eating and on my life in general. And it’s totally helping me keep my new year’s resolution.
Happy cooking!
Posted by Jane Wallin at 9:23 am No Comments
Categories: eat less meat, Eat Well. Heal the Planet., food for thought, healthy eats Tags: cook more, eat well. heal the planet., new year's resolution |
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Thursday, May 11, 2017
Fudgy Thumprint Chocolate Chip Cookies + A Fair Trade Mother’s Day
Guess what? I have another fun Mother’s Day post for you, complete with an easy, delicious recipe and an equally delicious giveaway!
Each year I create a post in conjunction with Fair Trade USA to celebrate Mother’s Day and this year is no exception! As usual they sent me a box of goodies (which we will be giving away to one of you lucky people in just a moment) to inspire a Mother’s Day baking project.
This month has been super busy and as Mother’s Day has approached I haven’t had a lot of time to bake. Normally when Fair Trade sends me a box of goodies they include a baking mix from Immaculate Baking Company. I haven’t ever used the mixes in my posts because I normally create my Fair Trade recipes from scratch. This time, however, I decided to embrace the ease of the cookie mix, adding a fun twist to make it special.
First off, the Immaculate Organic Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix is so, so, so good. Whether or not you add my fudgy thumbprint you’ll be happy with this mix. But the fudgy addition really takes these cookies over the top. Today’s recipe kind of had a longer journey than most of my recipes. First I tried to make cookie cups with a fudgy center but it just didn’t work practically or visually, but they tasted amazing. So then I tried stuffing the cookies, which worked pretty well but not exactly what I envisioned. So then I tried a thumbprint and it worked! The fudgy “button” goes so beautifully with these cookies and you will love them, especially since it’s so easy to throw this dessert together!
The most wonderful part of this recipe is that using Fair Trade ingredients means you can celebrate strong women and mothers throughout the world by supporting their livelihood. I’ve read so many stories about how Fair Trade helps women in so many countries and I love it when I can incorporate as many fair trade ingredients as possible into my recipes. The infographic above is a great summary of why Fair Trade is so cool! For today’s recipe I used the Immaculate Organic Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix as well as Guittard’s Extra Dark Chocolate Chips, so it’s a Fair Trade double whammy! The recipe is below…but first…
The giveaway! Fair Trade will send one of you lucky people the same gift box I received, which includes product from the following companies:- Wholesome Sweet
- Kashi
- Chuao Chocolatier
- Guittard
- Sheila G’s Brownie Brittle
- Frontier Co-Op
- Numi Tea
- Immaculate Baking Company
- Spectrum
- SunRidge Farms
To enter the giveaway, all you need to do is a leave a comment on this post before Midnight PT on 3/25/17! That’s it! Easy peasy…as easy as today’s recipe, which I will give to you now!The randomly-selected winner of this giveaway was Comment #24 Michele. Congratulations, Michele!
Fudgy Thumbprint Chocolate Chip CookiesPrep timeCook timeTotal timeA fair trade-friendly recipe that is easy and delicious!Author: Jane MaynardServes: 22 cookiesIngredients- 1 Immaculate Baking Company Organic Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips (Guittard is my favorite and they are Fair Trade!)
- ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
- Pinch salt
Instructions- Preheat oven to 375ºF (or 350º for a dark non-stick pan).
- Follow directions to mix the dough for the cookie mix.
- Once dough is mixed, put chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and salt in a small microwave-safe bowl. Cook on high in the microwave for 45 seconds, then stir until all chocolate has melted.
- Let chocolate mix cool for a few minutes. While the chocolate is cooling, create 1-tablespoon rounded cookie dough balls. With your thumb press a well in the center of each cookie dough ball, then place ½ teaspoon blobs of the chocolate fudgy filling in the center. If the chocolate is sticking to your fingers a lot, just get your fingers a little bit wet with water. Keep in mind, the shape of the chocolate will look how it looks after baking as it did before, so if you want the chocolate nice and smooth, smooth it out before baking!
- Bake for 9-11 minutes. Let cool before eating.
Posted by Jane Wallin at 2:15 pm 32 Comments
Categories: Giveaways, Recipes, sweet things, the goods Tags: chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, cookies, fair trade usa, thumbprint cookies |