Gatherings Magazine--Please Help Bring it to Print!

During the long summer days of the early 1990s, between trips to the orthodontist, excursions to the Sonic Drive Thru in our small Texas hometown, and repeated watching of "Anne of Green Gables",  Heather Spriggs Thompson and I poured over our favorite magazine, Victoria.   We memorized every page with its grainy photographs, romantically flourished fonts, clothes and home decor we yearned for (at our ripe old age of 16).  I'd watch Heather hungrily study each article; the next time I visited, she would have implemented some of the design ideas throughout her childhood home. 

Heather's decorating always, always brought me such joy as it beckoned me to just sit and rest, to allow myself to just breathe and soak in what she had created.

Heather's gift to those of us who have known her has always been a quiet, peaceful, welcoming beauty. 

In 2011, Heather began to share this gift with the world by launching her very own digital magazine called Gatherings.  Until this point, Gatherings has existed as a free online publication, a place where Heather, as editor-in-chief, has brought together a lovely bouquet of articles about vintage finds, food, crafting, interior design, and styling and presented them together as a posy for the world's enjoyment.  So far, eight digital issues have been released. 

Gatherings' audience is GROWING and has become one of the leading digital "lifestyle" magazines.  Under Heather's leadership, Gatherings now has the opportunity to become a printed publication.

BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP.  

On June 6, 2013, Heather initiated a Kickstarter project to bring Gatherings to print.  As a book publisher's daughter I know this to be true:  printing high-quality images on beautiful paper is no inexpensive endeavor.  Therefore, with the help of community, with everyone pitching in what they can, we can raise enough funds to send Gatherings to press.

But those funds have to be pledged by July 6.  

If the Kickstarter project reaches the goal (i.e. if enough funds are pledged by July 6), we expect to release the first printed edition of Gatherings in September.  If the goal is not reached, those who have pledged will not be charged.

It's fast and easy (and safe!) to pledge on Kickstarter.  I just did; it took less than 5 minutes using my Amazon account. 

I genuinely appreciate your support of this dream and of this opportunity to allow others to pour over the magazine's inspiring printed pages.

For more information on both the magazine and the Kickstarter project, please watch this video by Heather.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Raw Veggie Tartlet Bites

The past few weeks have found me bustling around the house with a paint brush in one hand and a caulk gun in the other.  We’re remodeling a bathroom whose shower has apparently been leaking since Nixon was in office.  The whole room had to be demolished down to the studs.  Good times. 

(I'm thinking about starting another blog called, "Blood, Sweat, and Caulk:  Exhausting Yourself One DIY Project At A Time".)

 

In the meantime, my energy meter has been pegged out at "zilch".  I can't even remember the last time I actually made a true and decent meal around here.  (In other news, my kids, who because of my busyness have been served fast-and-easy things like chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, sandwiches, and cereal, have recently commented that they think I'm starting to be a great cook again.  I am not amused.)

All that to say that I'm glad it's Secret Recipe Club time again.  It got me back into the kitchen, just in time to make these colorful, crunchy bars for a church picnic today.  

I was assigned to Margaret's blog: "Tea and Scones".  Margaret has a vast array of wonderful items (from all over the globe!) to choose from.  I made my selection based on what I had on hand:  Brenda's Veggie Bars. 

I made a few modifications to the recipe including swapping out the crescent roll dough for puff pastry sheets, adding pesto to the cream cheese/mayonnaise mixture, and topping with feta cheese.  

To begin, I thawed a sheet of puff pastry dough (overnight in the fridge), rolled it out slightly, and pricked it with a fork to prevent it from puffing while it baked.

Then I mixed cream cheese, mayonnaise, pesto and salt.

(I found this little gem as I was downloading my camera.  Somebody borrowed my camera while I was folding laundry as the pastry baked.) 

Despite the fork pricks, the pastry still puffed.  I simply applied pressure to the top of the pastry as soon as I removed it from the oven and gently deflated it.

I chopped a colorful array of fresh veggies.  Don't you just love to eat happy summer colors?

After spreading the (cooled) pastry with the cream cheese mixture, I added a layer of spinach,

Scattered over the other vegetables,

And sprinkled with feta cheese.

Then I cut the pastry into 16 two-inch squares.

A cool and refreshing accompaniment to a summer meal!

Raw Veggie Tartlet Bites

Yields 16 two-inch squares

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (I used Pepperidge Farm's brand)

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons pesto (use more to taste, if desired)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup packed fresh baby spinach leaves

1 and 1/2 cups (total) chopped fresh vegetables (I used broccoli florets, and red, yellow, and orange bell peppers)

1/3 cup feta cheese (substitute Parmesan or your favorite cheese)

To prepare: preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Slightly roll out the thawed puff pastry dough.  Prick pastry thoroughly with a fork.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove pastry from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, pesto and salt together until smooth (I used my electric mixer, but a sturdy wooden spoon would do the trick as long as the cream cheese is at room temperature).  Spread mixture over cooled pastry.

Lay spinach leaves over cream cheese mixture.  Scatter fresh vegetables over spinach, and sprinkle with cheese.  

Cut the pastry into four large squares (one slice down the center vertically and then another horizontally).  Then slice each square into quarters.  You will end up with 16 small squares.  

Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.  (Pastry may become soggy after 2 hours.)

Recipe from:  Tea and Scones/variation of a recipe from a 1990s Southern Living recipe.

Mother's Day!

The MOST darling woman sent me this hilarious card for Mother's Day (apparently after reading my previous post). 

Mary Estep, THANK YOU!   I can't find you on Facebook, so I decided to thank you publicly and share this wonderful card with the world.  You are such a treasure! 

Happy Mother's Day, ladies!  And don't be afraid to circle the block (or the yard) a couple of times if you need a bit of peace and quiet.  :)

A Funk and A Block

What do you get when a food blogger falls deeply into a food "funk" and has a bad case of writer's block? 

Nothing.  

Which is kind of what's been happening on the blog lately...a bunch of nothing.

(Thanks to you faithful readers who haven't fled in mass exodus.)

If you want to know "what's going on?", here's the scoop:

1)  I'm homeschooling my boys.  And I love it.  And I hate it.  It's so wonderfully rewarding.  And it's also so blasted hard that some days I want to run wildly down the street, waving my arms in the air like a mad woman. But I love teaching them; they are doing great and their little sponge brains are soaking up information as fast as I can teach it.  Homeschooling has brought every one of our disciplinary issues to the forefront (lesson #1:  a mama can't teach children who won't obey her).  And yet, despite the hard parts, I am brimming with hope and fervent excitement because---we're getting it all worked out!  

I figure our hearts will be nice and tidy just in time for the wrecking ball of preadolescence to strike. 

Anyway--homeschooling.  It takes a huge bite out of my day.   

2)  I have this nagging feeling that I need to cut out wheat and dairy from our diets (mine especially).  I'm trying to eliminate these ingredients completely, but sheesh.  It's been a big personal struggle.

3) And as I continue to remove processed food from our life, and as my family gags and wails and rips their clothing in agony over the meals that I now present to them, I want to again run down the street screaming--but this time with a Butterfinger candy bar in one hand and sloshing can of Diet Coke in the other.  Because I'm not going to lie.  Sometimes I just want to tear open a package of something and eat it without the croaky voice of "do you know what nasty chemicals are in that?" yelling in my ear.  

So, the combination of these elements have left me in a huge food funk. Until my passion for cooking and creating returns, I'm taking a break.  Because I can't force myself to love my hobby.  That's kind of the ultimate oxymoron. 

Besides:  I've already got lots of great recipes on the blog to choose from.  Please browse through them and make something yummy!

Questions:  do you ever get in a food funk?  Have you had to make dietary changes?  And if so, how did you survive?  

Chocolate-Caramel "Poke Cake" With Homemade Toffee

Of all the beautiful features possessed by my grandmother,

I most fondly remember her elbows.  

The abundantly padded skin of her upper arm enveloped the joint like a down-filled duvet.  Warm.  Soft.  Safe. 

She used to make this cake.  I stood at her side--directly at the height of her elbows--and memorized every motion.

Those memories are as luscious as golden caramel.

And twice as sweet.

Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart. --Haruki Murakami

Paradoxically true, Mr. Murakami. 

(The chocolate cake is soaked through with sweetened condensed milk and caramel.  Topped with fresh whipped cream and chopped toffee.  How sweet it is!)

Welcome to this month's "reveal date" for the Secret Recipe Club.  I was assigned to the well-stocked blog of Jenna, author of "Jenna's Cooking Journey".  Jenna started her blog while she and her husband lived in Montana.  They moved to New Jersey last summer, and, according to her "About Me" page, she is enjoying having more ingredients at her disposal (I can completely relate!).  She has a fantastic number of recipes to choose from on her blog.   Her original post for this recipe named the dessert "Better Than Sex Cake".  It's a fun, catchy name!  Once I started poking the cake, though, I was flooded with the memory of watching my grandma prepare it and so I had to call it what she did: a "poke cake".   (Yes -- my immature 7th grade mind is snickering at that name, too.)  

You can fiddle with the ingredients as much as you like.  Swap out the type of cake (I used gluten-free chocolate) for your favorite flavor, use hot fudge sauce instead of the caramel, Heath Bars or your favorite candy for the topping, etc.  

Thanks, Jenna, for having such a great blog!  Happy Reveal Day!

Chocolate-Caramel "Poke Cake" with Homemade Toffee
Makes an incredibly rich 13" x 9" cake

1 (18 to 20 ounce) box of cake mix, prepared according to directions

2 (15-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk

12 ounces caramel sauce, warmed slightly to facilitate pouring (or substitute hot fudge sauce)

8 ounces heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup homemade toffee, roughly chopped (substitute 3 Heath Bars, if desired)

Bake the cake according to package instructions in a well-greased 13" x 9" pan.  As soon as it is done and you remove it from the oven, poke the cake all over with the handle end of a wooden spoon.  Then pour the sweetened condensed milk slowly over the cake.  You can re-poke the cake with a skewer at this point, if desired, to further absorption.  Cover the cake with foil and allow it to sit at room temperature until completely cool.  

Warm caramel (in the microwave or in a saucepan of water) and pour it slowly over the surface of the cake (warmed caramel is much easier to pour).  Use an offset spatula to spread the caramel evenly over the surface of the cake, if desired.

Cover cake well with foil and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, whip the heavy cream with the honey just until stiff peaks form.  Spread over the top of the cake with an offset spatula.  Sprinkle the chopped toffee (or Heath Bars) over the whipped cream and serve.  

(Store in refrigerator.)

Homemade Toffee (Gluten-Free)

A buttery, crunchy, chocolaty treat.  Perfect to give away as a lovely homemade gift.

It's very simple to prepare. 

First, line a baking sheet with foil.  Scatter a cupful of slivered almonds over the foil.*

 

In a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron), melt butter, salt, and sugar together over medium heat. 

 

Stir nearly constantly with a wooden spoon as the mixture melts,

And then begins to thicken.

Soon it will darken and become so thick as to leave "trails" where your spoon has been.  You're getting close. (Note:  The melting/caramelizing process took about 20 minutes.  BUT the exact amount of time will vary depending on the type/size of skillet you use and the heat of your stove.)

Once the mixture becomes the color of peanut butter, immediately remove skillet from the heat,

And carefully pour over the almonds. 

Next scatter the contents of a bag of bittersweet chocolate chips immediately over the hot butter/sugar mixture. 

Allow chocolate to sit for about 5 minutes (until softened),

Then spread it over the butter/almond mixture using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.

Allow candy to harden (overnight in a cool spot works well), then break into pieces or slice with a sharp knife.

Wonderful to give away...

Or to keep.



*Use a smaller rimmed baking sheet to achieve thicker layers of toffee and chocolate.   Toffee pictured above was prepared in a 12" x 12" free-form square.

Printable recipe lives here.

Homemade Toffee (also called Almond Rocha)
Makes 12" x 12" square of toffee; to be broken up as desired


1 cup slivered, sliced, or chopped almonds
1 cup granulated sugar
14 tablespoons butter (margarine will not work)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (10-ounce) package bittersweet (or semi-sweet) chocolate chips

Spread almonds on a cookie sheet that has been lined with foil.  (Note:  use a smaller rimmed baking sheet to achieve thicker layers of toffee and chocolate.)

Place butter, salt, and sugar in a large heavy skillet (preferable cast-iron) over medium heat.  Stir continuously with a wooden spoon and cook until mixture is thick and is the color of peanut butter.  (Cooking times will vary based on skillet size and material...allow anywhere from 15-25 minutes of committed stirring time.)

Once mixture has reached the correct color, immediately pour it evenly over the almonds.  Quickly scatter the chocolate chips over the hot toffee mixture.  Allow chocolate to rest for 4-5 minutes, then spread over the toffee mixture.  Let set until cool and hardened.  Break or cut into pieces.  Store in airtight container in a cool place.

Poppy Seed Bread with Lemon-Honey Glaze (Dairy-Free)

The north wind howls around the corner of the house:  winter's stubborn icy grip has our early springtime under siege.

Scrubbing the dinner dishes tonight, I stared glumly out the kitchen window, noticing that my daffodils are doing perfect downward-facing-dogs into the snow and mud.   And this wind is causing strange things to happen to the falling snowflakes: I can watch a single flake quickly dart toward the ground, then sail upward, slowly spiral toward me, then violently crash into the window pane.  Very odd indeed.

I believe I've ingested more tea and coffee this winter than ever before.  On it's own, that wouldn't be so bad, but it seems my afternoon teatime habit is usually accompanied by a baked good. 

Like a slice or two of this moist Lemon Poppy Seed Bread.

(This may sound strange, but you can omit the poppyseeds if necessary.  I personally love the texture and color the seeds lend to the bread, my kids weren't wild about them.  Besides, poppyseeds aren't a common pantry item.  And I think the bread would be great without them.)

Due to our littlest guy's recent tummy issues, we've been inching toward becoming dairy free. In this bread recipe, I used coconut oil and milk for the butter and regular milk.  I also used maple syrup and honey in place of the sugar.  

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread with Lemon-Honey Glaze (Dairy-Free)
Makes (1) 8x4-inch loaf

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons poppyseeds
3/4 cup softened coconut oil (substitute same amount of butter, if desired)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
1/8 cup coconut milk (substitute regular milk, if desired)

Glaze:
1/4 cup honey
Zest of 1 large lemon
Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons lemon juice)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place an oven rack in the center of the oven.  Prepare the loaf pan by coating with softened coconut oil and lining the bottom with parchment paper.  Then coat the top of the parchment with additional coconut oil.  (Or just use cooking spray.)

Whisk together the flour(s), baking powder, salt, lemon zest and poppy seeds.

In a large mixing bowl, stir/beat the softened coconut oil with a wooden spoon until it's mostly smooth.  Add the honey and maple syrup and continue to mix until the liquids are well-incorporated.  Add the eggs, one at a time; scrape down the mixing bowl between each addition.  Mix in the vanilla. Add the lemon juice.  Stir well.

Pour about half of the wheat mixture into the coconut oil/egg mixture and gently stir.  Pour in the coconut milk and stir.  Pour in the remaining wheat mixture.  Mix just until incorporated.

Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  If your oven heats unevenly (like mine does), be sure to rotate the bread around the 30-minute mark.

To make the glaze, whisk together the honey and lemon juice.  Set aside. 

After the bread is done, place the loaf pan on a wire rack.  Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.  Run a sharp knife gently around the edge of the bread to loosen it up a bit.  Transfer the bread to a serving platter (while it's still warm).  Poke the bread with a small knife or ice pick, if desired, and then slowly pour the glaze all over the bread.   Serve warm or allow bread to sit overnight:  that's when the best flavor will develop.

Recipe inspired by:  The Joy of Baking