RECIPES

Recipe Share: Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

1:04 PM

I came across this recipe a couple weeks ago, just in time to make for Sunday snack at church. I love to bring baked goods when my food day comes along. This was perfect, especially since I had an opened tub of ricotta waiting to be used in my refrigerator.

Anyhow, I baked up a couple loafs late Friday, wrapped them up tightly with plastic wrap, and put them in the fridge until Sunday morning. They were delicious. Moist on the inside, with just the slightest crust on the outside! I skipped the berries, however the berries would have only added to the deliciousness of this cake.

The recipe can be found here: http://twopeasandtheirpod.com/lemon-ricotta-pound-cake-with-berries/#more-9256

I have been having so much fun with this new found blog. There are soo many recipe posts. I can't wait to try more.

A couple things I'd like to note:

*I did not have cake flour, all-purpose seemed to work fine


RECIPES

Recipe Share: Pesto Basmati Rice

5:28 PM

This recipe is super tasty and super easy. The first night I served it topped with a lemony ahi steak. It was delicious. Later in the week I used up the leftovers by pouring a yellow coconut curry over the top. Again, super tasty! This rice is a nice change to bland, plain rice.

Here is what you'll need:

Ingredients: Serves 4

1 1/4 cups brown or white basmati rice (whichever you prefer, I spared my husband, and used white)
3 large garlic cloves
1 tsp sea salt
1 large handful fresh basil sprigs
5 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2/3 cup pine nuts (I didn't have any, so I skipped them and added a bit of extra basil and garlic instead)
squeeze of fresh lemon juice (optional)

Directions:

Cook the rice according to package.

Meanwhile, to make the pesto, put the garlic cloves, salt, basil (stalks removed) and olive oil into your food processor. A blender would do as well. Mix/blend until you have a thick paste. If desired, add a squeeze of lemon juice, mix again. I think the lemon juice really livens this dish up.

Combine the rice and pesto together in a medium sized bowl.

Serve as you please and enjoy!!

OURSTORY

Happy St. Patrick's Day {Why today is special to me}

11:20 AM

Hello, and happy St. Patrick's Day!

For some today is a day filled with green, getting pinched, much celebration, and of course green beer (which I have never actually had, nor plan to), for others it is no celebration at all, for me it is a joyous day of remembrance. Three years ago today my (now) husband asked me to be his girlfriend, officially. :)

We had met a few months back in an American Sign Language class. He had found a seat next to mine. He was the outspoken one (and still is), I was quiet and shy. I focused on the class. He found ways to point me out in the class. I slumped down into my seat, hoping not to be called to the front of the room for a demonstration, he volunteered me. For all reasons, I should have despised him, however it was quite the opposite. Weeks passed, we became friends...and then, St. Patrick's Day rolled around.

Like many others, we had an evening spent with friends, in celebration of this day called St. Patrick's, however I don't think any of us knew what we were actually celebrating nor much of the history of St. Patrick.

( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick's_Day, just in case).

Will had invited me out, with his friends. None of which I knew. I suppose it seemed fun to join the crowds downtown and enjoy food/drink. I usually spent the holiday at home, like any other evening, but not this time. And I quite enjoyed myself.

Anyhow, as the evening came to an end, Will and I sat and talked in my car, before I headed home, he began telling me how much he liked spending time together, how he enjoyed our friendship, but how he also didn't just "hang out" with girls, and with that the case, he asked if I would be his girlfriend, officially. The moment was awkward, exciting, and a rush of emotions. Needless to say, I said yes. And from there on out our time together was filled with many AMAZING dates and continues to be, laughter, friends, old and new, sorrow, hardship, love and so much more. There we were, a couple.

Though it hasn't always been easy, it has been so worth it. And here we are three years down the road, against all odds, married, totally in love. Who said there isn't a happily ever after? On that St. Patrick's Day evening, we found ours.

(He's the one in the cool shamrock shades for those who do not know, I am the one behind the camera).


And that is where our story began.


RECIPES

Recipe Share: Carrot Cake

4:28 PM

Hello there,

Ok, so I found this recipe in my Brain Foods cookbook by Gemma Reece. My sister gave me this book as a gift a year or so ago. It has some pretty delicious, and ALL healthful recipes. I really like it. Naturally, I flipped to the dessert section first. :) I soon discovered I had all the ingredients in my pantry that this recipe called for. Don't you love that? Needless to say, I started baking, and this cake turned out really good! Even the frosting.

Usually, I make cream cheese frosting on default, especially for something like carrot cake, but I decided to give this frosting a try. It is a yogurt-based frosting...something I never though of doing! It definitely isn't cream cheese frosting but a nice and light alternative. It's good to mix things up, give it a try!

Without further a due here is the recipe:

Ingredients: (Makes about 12 slices)
3 large eggs
1 cup soft light brown sugar
3/4 cup peanut oil, plus extra for oiling (I used vegetable oil and it was just fine, maybe just less healthful)
2/3 cup white all-purpose flour
scant 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 carrots, grated
generous 1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup walnut pieces (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly oil a 2lb. cake or loaf pan

2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl, then add the sugar and beat again. Add the oil and beat until well combined, then add all the remaining ingredients and stir until thoroughly mixed. (Easy enough, right?)

3. Tip the mixture into the prepared pan and level the surface. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool before serving.

Frosting:
Mix together a generous 3/4 cup low fat plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons of confectioners' sugar and the juice of half a lemon. If you want the frosting thicker add more sugar.
I just spooned my frosting over as I served each slice, leaving the frosting fairly thin. It worked great, and was very tasty. I don't know if I would actually frost the whole cake with this frosting, it may get soggy. I would opt not to. Refrigerate any left-overs and it should be good for a couple days. :)



Well, I hope you enjoy!! I love a good slice of carrot cake. Especially one with lots of goodies like raisins and walnuts. Coconut might be a nice add in!!

Have a lovely afternoon,
Mal

FAITH

Psalm 1:1-Blessed is the man

8:16 PM

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

 

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