3D present cookies.

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Hey hey, Christmas is coming! And naturally, Christmas means presents. I stopped giving store-bought gifts like stationery a long time ago when I started baking, because I felt that it was more sincere (and more fun) to give others homemade gifts. As much as I enjoy the baking and packaging, edible gifts have always been a source of nerve-wrecking decisions because I never really know what I should make. There are so many factors to consider, like how can I pack it into a box, how long can it be kept, what sort of flavours do the recipients like. Then also there's me and my stubborn reluctance to make the same thing twice so I have to think of new ideas that can suit the above criteria. Not to mention that I like to give an assortment of bakes, just to make the gift more interesting. And then if I decide to pack an assortment of sweets in the same box, I would have to consider if one would make the other harder or softer because of the loss or gain in moisture.


I've always felt that cakes are very versatile flavour carriers and make beautiful gifts but they are not that great a choice because their storage life is shorter and can't fit into a chic little box. Cookies and brownies are almost always the default choice because they travel well and can be kept for a while. Hence, I turned to cookies. But I had to make it Christmassy, which was another hurdle to overcome, and I eventually did after deriving inspiration from here.


I was absolutely smitten with the idea- 3D present cookies filled with some M&Ms and a small Merry Christmas! note that you could see once you pried off the top cookie. I have always felt that if you like the gift, there is a higher chance that others would like it too and you would feel better about yourself for giving a nice surprise.

I set off on this project with excitement and apprehension because I've never decorated sugar cookies before. Baking sugar cookies is already draining enough, what with the mixing and the chilling and the rolling and the cutting and the chilling. I did so once, and it was enough to put me off sugar cookies for a year. Although I have to admit, I did make things difficult for myself.


I used Sweetapolita's sugar cookie dough again because I made it once before and was satisfied with how the cookies didn't spread much. Her recipe doesn't contain any baking powder, hence the minimal expansion. Actually, I'm starting to think that I should try out cut out cookie recipes that contain leavening agents. That is because this time, my dough ended up on the dry side from too much flour and it cracked when I rolled it out. Most of the squares were cracked and scaly, and if they had contained leavening, they would have puffed up slightly in the oven and the cracks would have smoothed out, resulting in a smoother and prettier surface. I was lucky this time because I was going to cover the surfaces with icing so the cracks didn't show.


I basically created a border with icing of a stiff pipe-able consistency, let it dry, flooded the middle of the squares with very fluid icing, then pressed hundreds and thousands onto the surface. Because sprinkles are mandatory for every festive occasion. This way, only the centre of the cookies would get the sprinkles and not the borders. After the centre has dried, I piped a cross on top of the sprinkles to achieve a present-like image, tamping down the ends with dragees. Looking back, it's probably a better idea to pipe the cross at the same time as the borders so that they are on the same level. But that would mean more time spent on filling the gaps with sprinkles.


I had some icing leftover so I piped the initials of the recipients on top of the sprinkle surface. I also did some borders on the sides of the cookies. I thought that it was extraneous in an ugly sense at first, but after a while they started to look kinda nice. It would be good if I can find a way to completely cover the sides so that you can't see three cookies stacked on top of one another.

These were a lot of work, but equal parts of fun! The links for the recipes are as follows: cookie dough and icing. I made 1/4 the recipe of the sugar cookies and got 9 presents using a square cookie cutter 2 inches in diameter. I made 1/4 the icing recipe as well and had plenty left over.

P.S. I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #26- Creative Christmas Motif Bakes! hosted by Alan of Travellingfoodies.

candy bar cookies.

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I don't know about you but I live in terrible temperate weather. 24/7. Practically all year round. If you are grabbing an ice cream to-go, you better lick fast or it will start dripping onto your hand and down your wrists. If you have to soften butter, 30 minutes at room temperature is enough to bring it from brick-hard to soft and pliable (which is actually a good thing). If you buy chocolates, they absolutely must be stored in the fridge, lest they become an unrecognizable mound of half-melted chocolate. Because chocolates are best enjoyed at room temperature, you have to wait for it to come up to temperature before you bite into it (which is a bad thing).

That is why all my candy bars are stored at 10 degrees to ensure that they remain cold and with their original shape intact. The downside is that candy bars with caramel, and let's face it- a lot of candy bars have caramel, are less than appetizing straight from the fridge. The caramel portion is often too chewy- I bet you can actually burn calories from that jaw workout. Even worse are candy bars with nuts, like Snickers. You practically have to forcefully yank a portion of the candy bar out with your teeth! I mean, I could always leave such candy bars out at room temperature to warm up a bit but caramel is awfully resilient. By the time is loosens up into a state that requires less barbaric behavior, the chocolate coating on the outside would have become mushy. In summary, I have never had a caramel-filled candy bar at room temperature before.

And that brings me to these candy bar cookies. I could wrap the cookie dough around any candy bar so I deliberately chose Snickers and Mars. You see the significance? They both contain caramel! When they are baked, the caramel would loosen up and I could finally have my first warm-ish candy bar. I didn't dare to touch them too soon for the fear that the too-hot sugar would burn my tongue. Patience, patience.

After all that waiting, I bite into a Snickers-filled one. The cookie on the outside was crisp, as if replacing the texture lost from the now-melted chocolate coating. The caramel inside was definitely easy to chew, but it wasn't as awesome as I expected it to be. It's consistency didn't become as loose as I thought it would be. Perhaps it's because of the peanuts that held it in place. The Mars ones were like a caramel volcano though. The cookies that contained Mars bars became misshapen due to the caramel that flowed a little uncontrollably.

Instead of using fun-sized candy bars chopped into half like the recipe instructed, I bought normal-sized candy bars and chopped them into bite-sized pieces because it was simply more economical. I should have chopped them into smaller pieces though. There was barely enough dough to wrap around a candy bar piece! No wonder the Mars-filled ones went out of shape.

In the original recipe, you're supposed to dip the tops of the cookies in melted chocolate. Double dipping them again in white chocolate is also an option! And then the cookies get showered with a flourish of sprinkles! I wanted to do that but because I was giving some of the cookies away as gifts and have to pack them into boxes, I was afraid of the chocolate melting and dirtying the box so I did away with that. Sad, huh?

Oh and by the way, Merry Christmas!


Candy Bar Cookies
makes 40
adapted from Baked Elements

I modified the instructions a bit. At first you are supposed to chill the cookie dough, roll it out and cut circles out that you would then wrap around a candy bar chunk. I skipped past all that and used the dough right after mixing. You just have to try to press an even layer of dough around the candy bar all around. It's like a cheat's way of getting the pie crust into the pan.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 egg yolk
40 candy bar chunks

optional:
milk or dark chocolate, melted
white chocolate, melted
sprinkles or chopped nuts

Stir the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt together in a bowl.

Cream the butter until smooth. Add the egg yolk and mix until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and mix until combined. The dough will be crumbly. Knead it a bit until it holds together then divide into 40 equal portions. Wrap each portion of dough around a candy bar chunk and refrigerate the dough balls for at least an hour for the dough to firm up.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F. Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cookies have browned slightly. Remove from the oven and let them cool for at least 5 minutes before eating. If dipping in chocolate, cool completely before proceeding.

If going by the chocolate-dipping route, you can dip the cookies in one kind of chocolate or even two (heck, why not three?) for colour contrast. After dipping, let the chocolate set for a while then top with sprinkles or chopped nuts if desired. You can use different chocolates and toppings to differentiate the candy bar hiding inside. Or perhaps don't and leave everything up to chance so that even you, the baker, can be surprised!

blueberry loaf.

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It's been a while since I made cake because of all that christmas cookie and brownie baking. I think I need to slowly ease back into making cakes again. The thought of making a layer cake or anything of that splendor kind of put me off when I thought of it this morning. So I chose something simple- a loaf cake. I've had my eyes on this recipe for a while because it has cream in the batter, an addition that I had learnt very belatedly how it adds a touch of aromatic milkiness to the finished cake. In short, I knew that such a cake would rock.

I put it off for so long because I just couldn't get into the mood for making simple stuff before, but now the time has come. And it couldn't be more perfectly arranged since I just happen to have a box of blueberries and a jar of heavy cream waiting to be used.


The cake was delicious, needless to say. The cream wasn't very prominent so soon after the cake was baked but I'm guessing that it will show up stronger as it sits. My favourite parts of the cake were the crunchy crusts and the slightly gummy middle. I've always had a soft spot for gummy cake. Perhaps it's the texture, but I believe that those parts also taste better. My guess is that it is because they have more moisture and moisture conveys flavour.

My only grouse was the blueberries. Plainly folded into cake batter and baked sort of makes them taste lackluster. They weren't sweet and were reminiscent of diluted blueberry juice. They also stained the cake a ghoulish bluish-green. It's a common problem across recipes that administer such simple application of blueberries. I didn't feel that strong a discontentment with the results before but when I made these blueberry muffins by Cooks Illustrated last time, I knew how much potential those blueberries could have had. My expectations will never quite be the same again.

You know, I have this feeling that blueberries will go well with lavender. Expect something along those lines soon!


Blueberry Loaf
makes a 9 x 5 inch loaf
adapted from Baking by Flavour

2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup blueberries
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup light cream

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

Sift the flour, baking powder, ground nutmeg and salt together. Toss 1 12 teaspoons of the sifted mixture with the blueberries, ensuring that they coat the blueberries entirely. I find this easier to do if you place the sifter above the bowl of flour mixture, and place the blueberries in it. Then, you add the small amount of flour and just shake the sifter about. This way, the excess flour goes back into your flour mixture.

In a separate bowl, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar in 3 additions, beating well after each addition. After the last addition of sugar has been added, beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, beating to incorporate the first one well before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Stir in the flour mixture (in 3 additions) and cream (in 2 additions) alternatively, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Stir in the blueberries gently.

Scrape the batter into the pan and bake for about an hour or until an inserted skewer comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

cream cheese chocolate snacking cookies.

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"Dear cream cheese chocolate snacking cookies,

Why are you so hard to photograph flatteringly? Why are you so flat, so 2D, so boringly uniform in colour?

Regards,
Amanda"

- is what I would like to write if cookies were granted the power to process thoughts and speak, and if they had their very own cookie magazine with the usual monthly issues containing in them, an Ask Auntie Cookie forum.

No, seriously.

I find the average cookie so uninspiring, it's really hard to compose an interesting shot. I must have deleted at least 20 pictures before I could settle on these few, and even so, I'm not proud of them. I'm ashamed. Partly because these pictures were derived from random positioning of the camera with the shutter button pressed while harboring a devil-may-care attitude.

Maybe I should put in more effort and thought for cookies' photo shoots. I should get a nice tablecloth with matching plates and utensils, and place some of the ingredients that went into the cookies sporadically in and around.

Or not. Too much trouble.

Bah.

I really admire bloggers who go all-out to take food photos- apart from the thoughtfully-chosen backdrop, plates, forks, spoons, cups and whatever, they even spill a bit of their precious milkshake, topple over a bag of flour or crumble relevant candy bars to highlight their presence. Me? I would balk at the clean up and ingredients lost. But that's just practical side of me.

Wait... where am I going? I thought I was talking about cookies. Let's get back to that.


These cookies differentiate themselves from the average double chocolate cookie because of the cream cheese in them. The cream cheese... um... the cream cheese... I'm not sure what role it plays? Even though I pounced upon one, or two, 136 seconds after they came out of the oven? Just kidding.

Honestly speaking, I feel that the difference the cream cheese makes is very subtle. I would say that it makes the chocolate flavour a bit milder. With all the dark chocolate the batter contains, the resulting cookies should have a slightly bitter chocolate flavour. The cream cheese tones down the bitterness so that it isn't so harsh, like something you would expect from a milk chocolate cookie but less sweet. It's hard to accurately describe but it's something along those lines.

The "snacking" in their name is, according to the guys at Baked, because you would find it very hard to stop at one, and would keep going back for them at any time of the day. I'll take it as they mean that these cookies are downright delicious, but I would also allude it to another factor: their flavour is peculiar enough for you to keep sampling cookie after cookie to try to place a finger on that taste.

P.S. I find saying "cream cheese chocolate snacking cookies" weird. I rather much prefer "chocolate cream cheese snacking cookies". Don't you think so too?


Cream Cheese Chocolate Snacking Cookies
makes 24 to 36 large ones
adapted from Baked Elements

I actually added the melted chocolate just before adding the flour mixture because I was afraid that adding it after would cause the flour to be overworked but I've written the original instructions here.

4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
3 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled
8 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) semisweet chocolate chips

Cream the cream cheese, butter and sugars together until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add the cream and vanilla and beat until just incorporated.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder together. Add the dry ingredients to the cream cheese mixture and mix until just incorporated. Add the melted chocolate and chocolate chips and stir until just combined. Refrigerate the dough for about (at least) 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare two baking sheets.

Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 1 1/2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the cookies are set.

rainbow cake.

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And so, I'm ending of 2012 with a big bang (cake) instead of a recipe round-up. I'm a terribly indecisive person and harsh critic. I'll pass on the headache, thanks. The rainbow cake has finally made its appearance on this blog! My cake mojo is definitely returning. I put it off for so long because of the number of layers I would have to bake. I had only two 5 inch cake pans at first- that would mean 3 rounds of baking and a hell lot more time. I had almost given up on the idea when I finally found another 5 inch cake pan, albeit a silicon one. These small sizes are really hard to come by, to me at least. Dang, I should have grabbed the 4 inch one too.


It turns out that the baking process didn't take too long at all. The layers were so thin that they needed only about 8 to 10 minutes. The slightly laborious part was the dividing of the batter into separate bowls to tint it with colouring. That's 5 bowls, 5 spoons for stirring and 5 smaller spoons to retrieve some dye out of their bottles. The last portion of batter stays in the mixer bowl. Oh and one more small spoon for the sixth dye.

I thought I put too much colouring in at first and the colours looked really intense but it all turned out well in the end. The only problematic one was the red. It turned out pink! The dye I used was Wilton's Christmas Red. I was deliberating whether to put in more dye- I wasn't sure if using more would result in a deeper pink or red. In the end, I let it go because I didn't feel like washing the spoon to scoop out more dye. (After I used a small spoon to scoop out the dye, I dunked it into the batter to get as much dye as I could off it before using a larger one to mix the batter.)


My cake layers were mostly flat but the slightest domes still made quite an impact on the overall levelness of the finished cake. One side of the cake is actually higher than the other, even though I tried to even it out as much as possible. I realized that the cakes baked in the silicon pan were completely and entirely flat. Can you guess which colours they are? I'll put the answer further down so that you won't accidentally spoil your fun!

It was definitely a wow moment when I sliced open the cake. Seeing the cake assembled and seeing the cake sliced open are a world apart. I was temporarily blinded for a moment. The colours are so lurid! At that point, all I was thinking of was that the effort was all worth it.


Maybe I should talk about the assembly of the cake. Because the rainbow cake is more about the idea of a colourful cake rather than the taste, it's a very flexible recipe. All you need is a white cake recipe, for easy tinting, and frosting of any kind. I've seen renditions using frosting to hold the layers together but I decided to use apricot jam instead. The purpose of the frosting between the layers in this cake is as what I've mentioned above just now, to serve as glue. You really want the frosting to be as minimal and discreet as possible to allow for a seamless rainbow appearance. I chose apricot jam because not only is it almost invisible as part of the cake, it also keeps the cake moister than frosting because of its higher water content. Plus, it's convenient too! Just melt down some jam and spread on cake. You'll be able to save on some butter (and calories) as well.

And now here's my answer to the question above: the orange and purple layers!

Here's to an exciting 2013!


Rainbow Cake
makes a 5 inch cake
adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Any white cake and frosting recipe goes here so if you have your favourites, please go ahead and use yours! I think a 5 inch cake is great because the amount of cake here is just right. Making larger cakes with minimal frosting in between will greatly skew the cake to frosting ratio to the undesirable end.

For the cake:
1 1/8 cups cake flour
1/2 cup whole milk
3 large egg whites
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter
food colouring- red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare as many 5 inch cake pans you have.

Whisk the milk, egg whites and extracts together.

Mix the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a mixer until homogenous. Add the butter and beat at slow speed until the mixture resembles moist crumbs.

Add all but 1/4 cup of the milk mixture to the butter mixture and beat at medium speed until the batter is smooth. Add the remaining milk mixture and beat until combined.

Divide the batter into 6 portions and tint each portion with a different colour. Pour each colour into a separate cake pan and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. If you have to reuse your pans, allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a rack. Give the pan a quick rinse with water, dry it and then use again. It doesn't matter if the pan is still greasy.

Make sure all cakes are cooled before frosting. If you can, refrigerate them overnight so that they are cold and less delicate.

For the frosting:
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick butter, cubed and slightly cold

Whisk the sugar, flour, milk and heavy cream together in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until the mixture has thickened. Scrape into the bowl of a mixer, add the vanilla extract and whisk on medium-high speed until it has cooled completely. Add the cubes of butter, a few at a time, until all has been incorporated. Whisk for a while more until the frosting is fluffy and has turned paler. If it gets too soft, place the bowl in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes and then whisk again.

For assembly:
1/4 to 1/3 cup apricot jam, melted

Start with the purple layer of cake at the bottom and spread a layer of jam on top. Place the blue cake layer and repeat until all the layers have been stacked. Also spread a thin layer of jam on top of the top layer to prevent cake crumbs from mingling with the frosting. Chill the cake until the jam has set, 10 to 15 minutes. Crumb coat the cake with frosting and chill until that layer of frosting has set, 10 to 15 minutes in the freezer. Frost with the remaining frosting and chill the cake until the frosting has hardened, about 4 hours.

Nightingale Holiday Giveaway

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Do you have books on your Christmas list? Well, I always do and so today I thought I'd help you get a free book and lots of other great goodies from David Farland, the author of Nightingale and over 50 other books! You can read my review of this book here.


David is giving away an AUTOGRAPHED hardcover of Nightingale, the enhanced ebook, and 5 lucky winners will each receive an awesome T-shirt featuring Bron, the main character from Nightingale. A total of 7 prizes will be awarded. Enter by December 17th at midnight!

Just enter using the rafflecopter below. Enjoy!
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Win a T-shirt like this one!
Grand Prize Winner of the Hollywood Book Festival, placed first in all genres, all categories.

Winner of the 2012 International Book Award for Best Young Adult Novel of the Year!

Finalist in the Global Ebook Awards.
                                                                    *Some people sing at night to drive back the darkness.  Others sing to summon it. . . .

Bron Jones was abandoned at birth. Thrown into foster care, he was rejected by one family after another, until he met Olivia, a gifted and devoted high-school teacher who recognized him for what he really was--what her people call a "nightingale."
But Bron isn't ready to learn the truth. There are secrets that have been hidden from mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, secrets that should remain hidden. Some things are too dangerous to know.  Bron's secret may be the most dangerous of all.

In his remarkable young adult fantasy debut, David Farland shows why critics have called his work "compelling," "engrossing," "powerful," "profound," and "ultimately life-changing."
Purchase Nightingale in time for Christmas!

Praying for Newtown, Connecticut

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Today when I drove my girls to school, I saw the flag flying at half-mast and I explained to them who we were honoring today. In the shock of the initial news of the tragic event in Newtown, CT I was sickened and couldn't think about telling my kids. But I wanted to talk to them for just a moment today before they went to school and heard from friends who might also be scared of the future.

My 9yo asked me, "But why would someone do that?"

She asked as if it was the most impossible, improbable event and I could see the fear in her eyes as she connected that if someone could do that to an elementary school, then maybe we weren't so safe. She asked, "Was it at my school?"

I had already explained to her that it was very far away, but I answered her again that it wasn't at her school. I encouraged my girls to pray for those children and families who lost a loved one during this holiday season and that is what I'm doing today.

I feel a great sadness for Newtown, CT, an anger for horrible people who hurt the innocent, and I'm grasping onto my faith because I know those women and children are with God. After I talked to my girls, I saw a picture of my grandmother on my screen saver. She passed away in March, I told my 9yo that maybe Great Grandma was there to help some of those children enter heaven.


How do you cope with tragic events like this? What do you tell your children to help them understand without creating fear?

All I Want Blog Tour Featuring Ten Things from Jolene Perry

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I have a wonderful feature today for you from my guest, Jolene Perry. She is celebrating the launch of the new romance anthology, All I Want (Three Holiday Romances). It's a perfect read for this time of year when you're craving something to heighten the mood of the season.

All I Want: Three couples. Three Stories. One Holiday Available in Paperback & Kindle

THREE STORIES. THREE COUPLES. ONE HOLIDAY.

Pretty Near Perfect
by Jolene Perry

The last thing Norah needs is to be attracted to anyone – especially in her deceased fiancé's parents' home. Collin’s starting a new career, and has no business getting involved – especially while staying with his roommate’s family, who very kindly offered to take him in for the holidays. Unfortunately, you just don’t always pick the most convenient time and place to fall for someone.


Six Days of Christmas
by Kaylee Baldwin

When Natalie goes home with her best friend for Christmas, she expects plenty of quiet time to work on a winning ad so she can turn her dream internship into her dream job. Instead, she gets time-consuming Christmas festivities, a house full of children, and Jimmy, her best friend’s brother - someone who makes her question everything she’s always thought she wanted.


Twist of Fate
by Rachael Anderson

When a postcard meant for Kenzie winds up in Ty's mailbox, Ty's faced with a decision. Should he tell her that her fiancé is breaking up with her and let it ruin her favorite holiday, or should he do what he’s wanted to do since he met her - make a move and hope that he can win her over before she discovers there won’t be a wedding after all.


Ten Things That Have Helped me Becomea Better Writer.
1. Learn the rules and write by therules before you start breaking them.2. LISTEN to criticism, from sourcesyou TRUST (and your close friends and family are supposed to like your stuff,so they're not always the best source - on the opposite end of that, yoursister/cousin might be jealous you're writing and hack your MS to pieces for noreason)3. READ. READ. READ. Read in thegenre you want to write in. Read in genres you will never write in. Read a TON.Look at how the information is given in the story, read the dialogue, read thedescrip...4. Learn your strengths - mine ischaracterization.5. Know your weaknesses - mine isdescription of anything that's not emotion. My rough drafts have almost ZEROsetting…(practice your weaknesses, and playon your strengths)6. I know how it feels to finish aproject. I know it seems like it's the best thing you've ever written. BUT -find a place to shut it away, push it away from your brain and work onsomething else for long enough that you can look at your own writingobjectively.7. NEVER think you're above learningmore about how to be a good writer.8. Read books on writing - I loveStephen King's On Writing, but Bird by Bird is amazing and so is Save the Cat -even though it has to do with screenwriting.9. Go to writing conferences - agentslike to see that in a query, you'll learn a ton, and realize that there are thousandsof other people with as many imaginary friends as you have.10. Relax. Writing is supposed to be FUN. You GET towrite. You're not out hunting animals for food every day (most of you) andyou're not starving. Don't let the joy of creating stories be taken away fromyou.
Thank you so much for letting me jump onto your blog for aday!
~ Jolene Perry


Author Jolene Perry

Jolene Perry is an enigmatic figure. She is most often seen behind her laptop, staring at the words flying onto the screen with reckless abandon.

She survived growing up in rural Alaska, driving like a lunatic, and her husband’s careers in the military, as a perpetual student, and an Alaska State Prosecutor. She also survived as a middle school math teacher using her degree of Political Science and French.

One day Jolene was playing her guitar (probably some-thing juvenile for her kids) when she wondered what it would be like to write a song for a rockstar, and her first book was born. (that book is shelved)

She now lives a very glamorous life as a stay at home mom, elbow deep in dirty dishes and peanut butter sandwiches. She doesn’t even attempt to keep up with the laundry because non-writing time is precious, and her family is sorta awesome.
Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card
Ends 12/24/12

Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Author Interview with Karey White

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Today I get to share an author interview with you and a great new book! Check outFor What It's Worth by Karey White


Twenty-four year-old, Abby Benson has dreams of owning her own wedding cake shop. An inheritance from her aunt gives her the ability to make those dreams come true. She hires Dane, a handsome contractor, to help her get the bakery up and running and soon they’re moving toward their own happy ending.

Unsure what to charge for her cakes, Abby has a crazy idea to let the customer decide what they think their cake is worth. This plan has its ups and downs, but the novelty of the idea makes her a local celebrity. When she is interviewed on television about the unusual idea, business booms and Abby has cake adventures she never dreamed possible. But as her fame grows, Abby is swept up in a whirlwind that threatens everything she values. With the challenges that face her, will she be able to determine what is worth the most?

Rachelle: This book sounds like so much fun! Can you tell us a little about the inspiration for this novel and how you come up with ideas for new books?Karey: I owned my own wedding cake business for about a dozen years. At one point, I delivered a cake I was really excited about. It was a tall, 3-tier cake covered in fondant with brightly colored fondant curlicues. It was a fun cake. I delivered it to one of the coolest, candy-themed weddings I'd ever seen. The mother of the bride was really excited about the cake and said she was surprised it had been such a bargain. It made me wonder what she'd have been willing to pay for the cake if she'd named the price. That was the beginning of my idea for For What It's Worth.
I find my inspiration from a variety of places. It seems when I'm ready to write, I hope and pray and look at things with a more creative eye. Pretty soon, something comes to me. 


Rachelle: This book sounds like it could be made into an awesome chic-flick. What is one of your favorite movies in this genre? 
Karey: I'd love it if it could be a movie. My daughters and I love a good chick flick, but so many of them are marred with inappropriate content. I absolutely LOVED Leap Year. It was such a fun movie and Matthew Goode was pretty charming. 
R: I haven't seen that one, better check it out. 
R:If you could share some advice with an aspiring writer, what would it be?
Karey: To be brave. It's a scary thing to put your heart and soul into something and then send it off, not knowing what the reaction will be. 
R: So true!
R:What is your favorite Christmas candy?
Karey: My mom always made See's fudge and English toffee. I'd have liked to have it year-round but she only made it during December. To this day, I have to make at least one batch of each during the Christmas season. 
R: She's making me hungry and I'm craving my mom's homemade caramels!

R:What other writing projects are you working on now?

I'm working on a short Christmas story, a romance that plays off my own love of Pride and Prejudice and a fictional memoir. R: Sounds like fun! Thanks Karey, for sharing a little bit about yourself with us!
Praise for For What It's Worth


Reading Karey White’s books, like eating chocolate cake, is always satisfying and brings a smile to my face. For What It’s Worth is light, romantic, and delicious. It’s a great pleasure read. Sit down and get lost in the charming world of wedding cakes and love. As an added bonus, each chapter  starts with a recipe, so it’s a novel and cookbook all in one. A fun read!
—Teri Harman, KSL columnist, Studio 5 contributor, and author of Blood Moon, available June 22, 2013

I just loved the book – loved it. Hated putting it down and hated finishing it. Karey White is my new Maeve Binchy, her writing as warm as the bakery her novel is set in. For What It’s Worth surprised me, made me smile, say “no” out loud in a public place. I love when a character feels like my sister. I didn’t want to finish it, so now I may try the recipes that began every chapter.
—Amanda Dickson, author and radio personality

This book oozes charm, romance, and mouth-watering recipes. If you want to escape reality and curl up with a darling story, For What It’s Worth is the perfect fit. Thank you, Karey White!
—Rachael Anderson, author

This is a book worth every penny of the price. In the business of baking wedding cakes, every detail must be perfection, but this story remembers that real life is oh-so-messy. White’s clear and honest writing left me hungry for good food, a close family, and a little romance. A beautiful marriage of food, family, and faith.
—Regina Sirois, author of On Little Wings, 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award



PurchaseAmazon * Barnes & Noble

Book Trailer





Author Karey White


Karey White grew up in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Missouri. She attended Ricks College and Brigham Young University. Her first novel, Gifted, was a Whitney Award Finalist.

She loves to travel, read, bake treats, and spend time with family and friends. She and her husband are the parents of four great children. She teaches summer creative writing courses to young people and is currently working on her next book.







LinksWebsite * Twitter * Facebook 

Blog Tour December 2012

Tour Schedule

 

Cover Reveal of The Emerald Ring by Dorine White

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Woo hoo! This is exciting! Because you are such awesome readers, I get to share with you the first sneak peek of Dorine White's new book, The Emerald Ring. Check out the cover--I'm intrigued, how about you?  Barnes and Noble Pre-sale link- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-emerald-ring-dorine-white/1113793929?ean=9781462111336

Amazon Pre-Sale Link- The Emerald Ring (Cleopatra's Legacy)

Blurb- Sara Bogus's life turns upside down when she discovers an emerald ring that once belonged to Cleopatra. The fun of discovering the ring's unique abilities turns to fear when she finds out a dangerous cult bent on restoring Rome to power is after the ring. Forced to choose between keeping the ring and saving her friends, Sara learns the price of bravery in this electrifying read!

This week's food coupons were not very good :-(

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After a few weeks of great deals after Christmas, I was disappointed to find just one measly little insert in this week's paper. .....

Also, at Meijer this week their main sale was the '10 for $10' sale that they do every couple months. Usually there are at least  a few items in this sale that make it worthwhile to use your coupons, but this week all the items are Meijer brand items.

Hopefully the food deals pick up again next week!

Back from vacation........Back to coupbloggin'!

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CVS has some great deals this week on paper products and razors. Check out the ad HERE!


Colgate Sensitive Pro Relief is on sale for $4.99 (Yowzers!)
--After a $4.00 ECB reward, the final price is 99 cents. If you use the 75 cents off colgate coupon from this weeks paper, it can be yours for only TWENTY FIVE CENTS! There is a limit off 2 per household for this deal, so if you use two coupons you can double your savings.




Glade air freshener spray is on sale, at half off, for $1.00 a can. I couldn't find any coupons for it, but it is still a great price even without the coupon.



Schick Hydro products are ALL on sale, AND there are mega savings to be found in this week's Sunday paper. Check out page three of the CVS sale's ad......see how they tell you exactly which coupons to use? How convenient......


However, the ad failed to mention that there are also $4.00 coupons available to save on Schick Hydro Silk women's razors and carteridges, as well as $4.00 coupons to save on men's Schick Hydro 5 Power Select razors -------> ------->

Meaning that after ECB reward reimbursement AND $4.00 coupon application, both items can be yours for only $1.99!

The best part is that there is a SIX item limit in this sale. Buy multiple papers and cash in on this great deal!

honey lavender panna cotta with lemon gelee.

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So. I'm embracing the purple flower again, this time in pudding form. And you know what, I'm starting to really like it! I seriously think that cream and lavender go together best.

But... I totally killed the dessert with the lemon gelee. Firstly, I added too little sugar and the whole layer was tart tart tart. Secondly, I think the strong acidity of the gelee made it hard to set, and even after 24 hours of chilling it was extremely wobbly. Some of it was not even set. And then, because it didn't set, it infiltrated the lavender panna cotta layer and made the overall dessert scarily sour. To save you such a horrific experience, I've increased the sugar and gelatin amounts in the recipe below.


However, I managed to taste some parts of the panna cotta still untainted by the gelee and I absolutely loved it! The lavender taste was not too strong- just right. I couldn't taste the subtle honey because my tastebuds practically died from the acid assault. Well I'll just have to make another batch then. With only the panna cotta of course. P.S. If you're wondering why my panna cotta is pink, it is because I added some lavender paste that was a deep purple. I've also seen lavender pastes in off-white shades- I should have gotten those instead.

To top it off, I whipped up some coconut cream. It's the first time I'm trying coconut whipped cream and the only thing I can say is that if you don't like coconut, you won't like this. But if you do, like me, then you'll probably start to get addicted to it.


Honey Lavender Panna Cotta with Lemon Gelee
panna cotta recipe slightly adapted from here, lemon gelee recipe from here

For the panna cotta:
1/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp honey
1/2 to 1 tsp dried lavender, depending on how strong a lavender taste you want (I used 1/2 tsp)
3/4 tsp powdered gelatin
1 tbsp water

In a medium saucepan, bring the heavy cream, milk and sugar to a simmer. Take it of the heat and stir in the honey and dried lavender. Let the mixture steep for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, sprinkle the gelatin powder over the water and let it stand until softened. Strain the lavender out of the milk mixture and bring to a simmer again. Stir in the softened gelatin. Let the mixture cool before pouring into glasses or molds. Once the mixture has been poured in, let it chill for at least 4 hours before preparing the lemon gelee.

For the lemon gelee:
4g powdered gelatin
1 tbsp water
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 to 6 tbsp sugar, depending on your preference

Sprinkle the powdered gelatin over the water and let stand until the gelatin has softened. Bring the lemon juice and sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. When the gelatin has softened, stir it into the lemon juice. Let the mixture cool before layering on top of the panna cotta. After pouring into the glasses or molds, chill overnight.

For the whipped coconut cream:
1/4 cup chilled coconut cream
1 tsp icing sugar

Whip the coconut cream and icing sugar until the cream reaches firm peaks. It acts the same as normal cream. Use immediately.

parisian apple tartlet.

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Something quick and easy to do. The only thing I did differently from the original recipe was the thin slicing and layering of the apple. Four chunks of apple sitting on a bed of puff pastry didn't seem so pretty to me. I should have cut the slightly bigger circles of puff pastry out- yum yum crispy disks of butter. I think my puff pastry didn't puff up as much as it should because it's pass its expiry date. Oops. Oh and I served mine with some salted caramel sauce. You should do that too, and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream as well.


Parisian Apple Tartlet
adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours
makes 1

1 1/8 inch thick 4 inch circle cold puff pastry
1/2 firm sweet apple, such as Golden Delicious or Fuji, peeled and cored
light brown sugar
1 tsp cold butter, cut into 3 pieces

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper of a silicone mat and place the pastry circle on the sheet.

Cut the apple half into 4 chunks and center the chunks on the pastry circle. Sprinkle the apple with 1 or 2 teaspoons of brown sugar, depending on how much sweetness you want, and top with the bits of butter.

Bake for 25 about minutes until the pastry is deeply browned and puffed up around the apple and the apple can be easily pierced with the tip of a knife. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let the tartlet cool until a little warm or room temperature before eating.

lavender milk chocolate brownies.

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I know what you're thinking. Another lavender post? Yeah. But it's not that I'm absolutely in love with it or anything- I'm just want to try out all the popular lavender combinations while I'm still in the mood to experiment. First, I combined lavender with honey, or you could see it as lavender and cream (but most things taste good with cream I guess). Secondly, also lavender and lemon, in that same dessert. Now I'm attempting lavender with chocolate. I figured that milk chocolate would work best because of its sweetness mild flavour.

P.S. I also made lavender shortbread cookies. You could turn most things into cookies and they would be an instant hit.


I was initially worried that the lavender taste would show up too prominently because they smelled really strongly of lavender when baked. I find that true, the first sensation you get after biting into one would be of lavender galore but slowly, the chocolate flavour creeps up while the lavender fades away. That is, if you don't happen to take a bite off a lavender bud. Even if you do, it's not that intense, so don't worry. Of course, if you want the brownies to taste less of lavender you could use less.


I actually added just a touch of lavender paste in with the brownies but on hindsight, I shouldn't. It screams artificial. Luckily, the minute amount I added takes a lot of concentration to be noticed. I just really shouldn't have bought it at all. What a waste. If I were to use lavender paste, I probably should use the off-white stuff. That seems less unnatural.

Have any of you used lavender paste before? What did you use it in?


Lavender Milk Chocolate Brownies
makes an 8 x 5 inch pan's worth

For the brownie:
36g cake flour
3/16 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp dried lavender
3 tbsp butter
1 1/4 ounces milk chocolate
1/4 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
70g brown sugar

Preheat oven to 325F. Prepare a 8 x 5 inch pan.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and dried lavender together. Set aside.

Melt the butter, chocolates and salt. Set aside to cool slightly then stir in the vanilla extract.

Whisk the egg and brown sugar until the mixture is pale and thick. Whisk in the chocolate mixture until combined. Stir in the flour mixture just until the flour disappears.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 18 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the brownie comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Cool completely before slicing. For easier and cleaner cutting, I like to refrigerate my brownies until thoroughly chilled, about 4 hours after cooling in the pan for half an hour. To speed up the process, place the brownies in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Grow Your Marriage by Leaps & Boundaries Guest Post by Dr. Jerry Cook

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Today I'd like to welcome Dr. Jerry Cook to my blog. He has written a new book called Grow Your Marriage By Leaps & Boundaries with phenomenal advice. He offered to write a guest post to share with you, my lovely readers. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Dr. Cook:  Years ago, I was driving with my young daughter in the backseat.  We were in a long line at an intersection, with the green light allowing only one vehicle to get through at a time.  The wait seemed endless.  After several cycles of having to wait for our turn, the light turned green for the car in front of us and it cruised through the intersection.  The light quickly transitioned into a yellow, and I weighed my chances of getting through in time.  I decided to “floor it” and my inner voice congratulated me on getting through.  My daughter was less impressed.  When I tried to explain that you can drive through a yellow, my daughter said, “But Dad, you could have stopped, but you didn’t START until the light was yellow.”  You would’ve wondered who really had their driver’s license.
Marriage is a lot like that light at the intersection.  Many times we grow impatient, tired, or feel we deserve something better.  Then we cross the line, knowing, like the yellow transitioning to the red light, that the risks are now greater. Saying “those” words, fueling our own critical thoughts, and extending our time with someone of the opposite sex who seems to “get” us are all examples of crossing the line.  If you’ve ever asked, “Why did I just say that?”, you know the time between what you feel is justified and what is damaging is all so small.
Knowing where to draw the line for your marriage to protect it is not an easy thing. Everyone assumes everyone else knows right and wrong, but that sense of morality is often situational and depends on the family we grew up in. Two people, who love each other very much, can have serious problems simply because they assume each should show that love through certain behaviors.
Learning where and how to draw the line is everything that “Grow Your Marriage by Leaps and Boundaries” is about. It focuses on how to stand up and stand by your spouse, and together as a couple, decide what you will let into your circle of influence. You will decide how physical affection with the opposite sex affects each of you, how to talk about finances, and how your faith can improve your marriage.
While I offer a great deal of information about how to draw boundaries, the book is really about how you and your spouse can create your own boundaries together.  Dialogs are provided throughout the book to help you find the words needed, and a “quick read” section is available for those who are pressed for time or simply want a review of the material.
Amazon link http://www.amazon.com/Grow-Your-Marriage-Leaps-Boundaries/dp/146211069XMy blog www.DrJerryLCook.comMy FB Fan Page https://www.facebook.com/DrJerryLCook

Is your marriage out of bounds?“The art of creatinglife-long marriages is disappearing at an alarming pace, largely because couplesdo not fully understand where (or how) to “draw the line” in a way thatstrengthens the relationship. These lines drawn are the boundaries that, whencreated the right way, show each spouse they are more important to the otherthan anything or anyone else. Grow Your Marriage by Leaps and Boundariesprovides the tools for you to effectively create boundaries with technology,words, and body language.”
Cook’snew book will inspire readers to evaluate how they prioritize their marriage,and to make changes when needed. A common theme is that the boundaries are mostuseful when decided upon by the couple themselves; dialogs are provided to helpreaders create, maintain, and negotiate boundaries with their spouse andothers.
“Noneof us are perfect, but our marriages can be perfect for us,” says Cook.“Sometimes we underestimate the power of a positive marriage, and outsource ourbest selves to those things that are least important.”
Jerrygraduated with his doctorate in family and human development from Utah State University,and now serves as an associate professor of family and consumer sciences atCalifornia State University-Sacramento. Growing up on a farm in southeasternWashington state, and losing his mother to cancer at a young age, his passionis to help others recognize the basic skills that help families thrive. Jerryand his wife, Sarah, have been married for 19 years, are parents of threechildren, and co-authored The Parent’s Guide to Raising CEO Kids. Jerryhas been interviewed by Fox 40 (TV, Sacramento), the Sacramento Bee(newspaper), and Sacramento Smiles (radio program).