Inspire. Create. Bake.: February 2012

Feb 27

Lemon cookies

Another great find off of Pinterest. These won first place in the Food Dish best cookie contest. Of course I had to taste them for myself. A soft and chewy bite. Delicately sweet with the combination of that tangy lemon flavor. This cookie is a keeper.

Lemon Cookies
Adapted Recipe from: LDS Living

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
2 tsp. lemon zest
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease light colored baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again.
Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar.
Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate.
Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar.
Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.
Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte.
Remove from oven and cool cookies about three minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
*If using a non-stick darker baking tray, reduce baking time by about 2 minutes.

Read More 2 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Feb 19

Bacon caramel popcorn

Bacon Caramel Popcorn
Adapted Recipe from: About.com

INGREDIENTS

8 slices bacon

6 cups popped popcorn (plain)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
5 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
candy thermometer

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Drain off the fat and let cool. Once cool, coarsely chop the bacon into half-inch pieces.

Place the bacon, popcorn and chopped pecans into a large bowl and toss together.

In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup and stir them together over medium heat. Once the sugar and butter have melted, stop stirring and insert a candy thermometer.

Continue to cook the sugar until it reaches 238 degrees which should take 2-3 minutes.

Once the temperature has been reached, remove pan from the heat and add the baking soda. Stir vigorously. The sugar mixture will foam up, so be careful during this step.

Pour the caramel over the popcorn mixture in the bowl and quickly stir together, making sure the popcorn, nuts and bacon are coated with caramel.

Spread the popcorn out over the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to distribute the caramel.

Once it is golden brown and crunchy, remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Store popcorn in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Read More 2 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Feb 14

i carry your heart with me

My grandma and grandpa

Their wedding day

A gorgeous bride and a handsome groom - my grandparents.

My grandma had eight children, all unique and so special.

My grandma loved her flowers. On any given day there were at least 10 small jars/vases in her kitchen of a flower she had picked or a plant stem that needed stronger roots, growing them all in water. She cared for her plants like the Lord cared for her. Every breath she took she was dedicated to her faith.

And to her husband of 62 years.

Mom and grandma

Grandma with my niece Breyya

Me and my two grandmas

Me, grandma and my mom during her last week.

Today on Valentines Day, my grandmother will be laid to rest. What better way to say I love you than today. We will honor such a strong, gentle grandmother, mother, daughter and friend to so many. I will carry you in my heart always, grandma. I love you.

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)

i am never without it (anywhere i go you go, my dear;

and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)

i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

BY E. E. CUMMINGS

Read More 3 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Feb 01

Flucke Family Photos

As you can see, these photos were taken in the Fall. This day was very chilly and very windy. I remember thinking we are going to have a rough winter. It's now February 1st, and the high today was around 63. I love it.
The wind can be very difficult when trying to shoot outdoors. But with a little patience and your camera ready, the wind dies down for a brief moment and the capture happens.

Read More 2 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Graphic designer, baker and a photo taker. Inspired by Jesus, photography, stellar design, all things creative, cooking, the arts and funny stuff. I prefer to visually tell stories through photographs; whether a trip I was on, a dessert I made or a recent vintage find. Art is all around me, and I capture it whenever I can.

Lemon cookies

Bacon caramel popcorn

i carry your heart with me

Flucke Family Photos

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