Tastes Like Autumn!

Alright, so lately I made some cookies. Actually, they were really yummy cookies, and I posted a few photos on facebook. I’ve had a few people asking about a recipe, so I thought I would share. If you’re interested in the original, I found it on this fantastic blog, here.

She says the yield it about three dozen, but I think I managed about two. However, if you multiply the recipe by five, as I did the other day, you end up with a plethora of cookies. Possibly too many (yes, I said there was such a thing as too many cookies). But I needed to use my homemade pumpkin puree before it went bad, and these were just too good to resist making more.

Also, these cookies are frosted pumpkin-spice cookies

I’d suggest pre-heating your oven, of course. The recommended temperature is 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ingredients for cookies

• ·         2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
• ·         1 tsp baking powder
• ·         1 tsp baking soda
• ·         2 tsp cinnamon
• ·         ½ tsp nutmeg
• ·         ½ tsp cloves
• ·         ½ tsp salt
• ·         ½ cup of butter, softened
• ·         1 ½ cups of sugar (I didn’t actually use this much and they turned out fine)
• ·         1 cup pumpkin puree
• ·         1 egg
• ·         1 tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients for Icing (Oh yes, these are chai-frosted!)

• ·         2 cups of icing sugar (I’m still trying to work up the courage to halve this and substitute corn starch; the frosting can be quite sweet. This is a good deterrent from eating too many though!)
• ·         3 tbsp milk
• ·         1 tbsp melted butter
• ·         1 tsp vanilla extract
• ·         1 chai tea bag

Combine your dry ingredients in one bowl, and your wet ingredients in another (creaming your butter and sugar, and then adding your egg, vanilla, and pumpkin after). Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until well-combined.

My batter turned out sticky, so before I popped my cookies onto my baking sheets, I greased them fully. The blog’s author recommends using parchment paper, which is also an excellent option.  Bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes, switching racks about halfway through. When you remove your cookies from the cookie sheets, make sure they have an opportunity to fully cool before they are frosted.

To make the frosting melt your butter and milk together in a sauce pan, heating fully (seriously; if you don’t heat them in a sauce pan, the frosting doesn’t thicken properly. Weird, right?). Steep the chai tea bag in the liquid for 5-7 minutes, just as you would if you were making a cuppa, and then… Well, you could reuse it, I guess, but I put mine in the compost. Put your new solution into your icing sugar and vanilla, beat until smooth, and frost your cookies as desired.

Seriously, these cookies were pretty delicious. I mean, they disappeared from my house pretty quickly, and I haven’t had any complaints from anyone yet!

Do any of you have a holiday favourite? What about a favourite sweet to make during the fall; I’d love to try some new recipes!

~*~ Follow Your Dreams ~*~

L.C. 

Well, Shall We?

Our Prime Minister has written a book.

I mean, I shouldn’t really be surprised, a lot of people write books, in a lot of different ways, but my first thought of course was: “when?!” So I did a bit of reading. Apparently he started writing in around 2005, and plugged away at it in sections, 15 minutes a day style. Huh. So of course, that go me thinking as well. What would happen if I sat down to write for fifteen minutes a day? What could I come out with?

Well, honestly, I can’t answer my own question. However, I think this may be a new challenge to try. For fifteen minutes a day, I’ll sit down and write. I already know there will be days when I get nothing done; everyone has a day where they just can’t get the words to the page, eh? But maybe some days will be better than others, and I’ll actually decide to keep writing. Who knows? I certainly don’t.

What will I write about though? Hmm, what do I want to write about; shall I write a fantasy, a thrilling adventure with spells and sorcery; or shall I write a tale of the sea, a swashbuckling fantasy about a pirate and the troubles he faces; again, I could try to write something more based in reality - a trip to Europe, a life in the county; anything is possible, and I think that’s what has been stopping me in the past - not knowing what to write about.

Of course, after you have a topic and a plot with a basic manuscript, there’s the research. You don’t want to stumble into something and then realize you’ve got it all wrong; but to get there, of course, you have to have an idea. So. What do you think I should look at writing about (aside from completing my Europe blog… I’ll get to it, I *promise*. I’ve even got my journal in a special place on my desk, and the photos are going up on Facebook in an order now!)? “Far-off places, daring sword fights, a prince in disguise?” (Beauty and the Beast) Or shall I keep it closer to home, and what I know? Hmm. With Halloween coming up, maybe I’ll write something spooky? Or, of course, I could write a series of short stories.

Actually, that’s not too bad an idea - a series of short stories, each being written in fifteen minutes. It could be like those “Math Minutes” you do in school; except not math, and certainly not only one minute. I wonder…

Well, now I’m wondering many things; will I actually do this; do I have the drive to see it through; when should I start; what will I do on days that I can’t find the time; why is it so hard to find fifteen minutes to myself some days. A multitude of questions are now clamouring for space in my mind, and thus, I must leave you. I’m off to do a spot of cleaning, and then when I get home to fix the drivers on my laptop and eventually print off my booklist so that I can begin organizing my personal library.

~*~Follow your dreams!~*~

xx  L.C.

Well hello there, again!

I feel as though I’ve neglected my blog, but I just couldn’t keep up with two while traveling. Therefore, “Hello, it’s so nice to see you again!”

        (I went to Stonehenge this summer).

    I’m back from Europe, have been for a little over a month, and as such I’m attempting to readjust to life as a somewhat sedentary being. By somewhat sedentary I don’t mean that I don’t get out, but that I’m not moving every 2-4 days like I was in Europe. If you want to hear more about my time in Europe, my blog on that is over at travel-with-leah.blogspot.ca. It’s not quite completed yet as, like I said, I’m trying to readjust. Also because I’ve been busy with the travelling thing.

    Anyways, how are you? I’d pour you a cup of tea, but as you see, that’s quite improbable - I’m here, and you’re over there. What a predicament, isn’t it? But alas, I shall have to keep up a one-sided conversation then, and try to provide some sort of entertainment. Where to begin…. Well, the last month has flown by for me, as I’m certain it has for you. I arrived home, tried to get over jetlag, tried to get used to driving again, and went back to work. I also did some housesitting, and here we are. I’m frazzled; are you frazzled? I can’t believe it’s already part of the way through September! I’ve got more cover letters to write than I know what to do with, am currently looking in on 2 pets at 2 separate homes, and working. Also, the aforementioned cover letters allude quite nicely to the job search that I am currently undergoing, don’t they? I thought it was a nice way to broach a topic, anyways.

           --this is Bailey, our new puppy!

    So yes, today I’d like to talk a little bit about job searching. I don’t know about you, but it doesn’t get any easier the more I do it. In fact, I’m thinking it may get a bit more difficult, because you not only have to update your resume, but every job you apply for requires a well-tailored cover letter; that’s the hardest part for me. Cover letters are my downfall; they just make me uncomfortable. “Here, here’s one page of paper. properly address and date it, and then use the rest of the space to tell me your work history, where you found this opportunity, and why you’re the best candidate for this whole job. Oh, and because we’ve never met, I’m making snap decisions about you based solely on these few pieces of paper you either send me, or hand over. So do it right.” That’s what cover letters say to me. I can’t help but to image this huge, faceless person lurking in the shadows when I set out to write a new cover letter. It’s always a basic humanoid shape, but I always image a deep male voice. And the figure is ALWAYS about a foot and a half taller than me.

   

    Even though I’ve had a basic outline for my cover letters for years, the task doesn’t become any less daunting; I’m just not good at basically bragging about my accomplishments (or lack thereof). What about you, how are you? Are you applying for jobs as well; if so, how’s it going? Do you have any tips for someone like me, who seems to be drowning in paper? Please, let me know!

    I guess that’s all I’ve actually got to say today. Maybe next time I won’t be at work and drinking only water. Then perhaps we can sit down and make a cup of tea together. Cheers until next time!

xx  L. C.

Wow, hey. Apparently I've sucked at keeping my blog up to date since I graduated. Did I even mention that I graduated? Erm... Yes, yes I did. Well that's good, I don't suck at this nearly as much as I thought I do then. I'm not very good at it, still, but that's something I can work on.

I'm house sitting (again) currently, and I'm taking care of two lovely little cats, Spook and Mitzy (Mitsy?), and I have a view of the ocean, and life is good. But that's not my reason for being here today. Nah, today I just have to say 'I'm going to Europe in like 59 days!' This is a thing that's happening, so yay! I'm not sure if I'll have much time to blog while abroad, but I'm hoping I get to write a little bit (maybe on the train/bus/plane?) and because of that, I'd like to direct you to my shiny, new, never been used (yet) travel blog. If you want to follow my adventures (and preparation), I'll try to be better at updating things there than I am at updating things here. Other than that, I don't have much to say tonight. I've been trying to get back into some writing tonight, fueled by brie with crackers and jam, and tea (and Dr Pepper because I'm classy like that?), and it's been... Interesting. Apparently I'm writing a short story about the search for that perfect, elusive white tee shirt. Who knew?

I guess I could give you a sneak peek at that, but you'd possibly die of boredom. *reads back story* Yeah, you'd definitely be bored. So I'll leave you with a few quick photos of... erm... Early December through January and February. Yeah, sorry 'bout that.

Frosted Leaves :)

 

Snowy Hills (and trees) on a New Years Day walk :)

Walks with the Great Aunt by the sea :)

I live in the best place (by Great Aunt's house in... January!)

House sitting view, zoomed in. 

Isn't she a cutie? With the Observatory floor in the Castle

These ladies and I played tourist in our "hometown" in December

Night at the Gardens.