Passing thoughts, passing sunny days....

So, the last few days it has become clear that winter is very much upon us. While I do love the changing seasons, winter is not my favourite. It’s mainly the snow…too much snow. And because I’ve been riding a bike all summer, it breaks my heart to part with my two wheels for the next few months. But I do love the clear brisk nights, when it’s too cold to walk but too beautiful to ignore. The sparkling sight tempts me out of my hibernation. I have continued cycling to school and around town, clinging tightly to the days of snow free roads. Last night they were quite slippery, but I felt much safer on my bike than walking down the sidewalk. I am certain that one day I will throw out my hip while slipping on an icy walkway.

I am always curious about people’s sceptical looks when I ride around town or when I board the elevator with my two-wheeled beauty. When it’s raining, I feel as if their eyes are telling me I’m “nuts”. Like tucking up under an umbrella, sheltering myself from the elements, will protect me from the scary world outside. Advising me that “it’s getting slippery out there” will keep my two wheels indoors, “safe and sound”.

Oh, how the projection of their fears is very evident. I will not lie, it takes some time to get use to the feeling of riding alongside fast, often speeding vehicles. I’m still extremely cautious of cars turning right; they are never expecting you, even if they passed a mere 10 seconds before. But I love the feeling of riding. Being able to observe, not just in sight, but in sound and smell, what is happening as I travel through the city. It’s an uplifting, freeing feeling…a sense that whatever trouble comes my way is insignificant. I wish everyone could feel what I feel when I ride. I wish I could feel it a little longer.

Oh snowy days. You are both loved and hated.

Amish Friendship Bread, At long Last...

It has been quite some time since I last blogged. I was very excited when I started this blog and had notions of it becoming a grand project. However, I've encountered some difficulty with the formatting on this site, or the lack thereof. I've decided to teach myself some basic HTML but like most decisions in my life, it may take me sometime to follow through with that. Until then, I've resigned myself to put up with the awkward spacing and basic font styles.

This next creation was a bit of a surprise. My roommate came home with a baggie of “friendship”, which we quickly created other names for. (They will remain unmentioned simply because I do not want to deter you from this recipe) In a ‘starter’ state, it doesn’t look appetizing nor does it smell like something you would enjoy consuming; but if you can get over the yeasty smell, it creates such a wonderful cake-like bread. You can find a starter recipe at this link:http://www.squidoo.com/amish-friendship-bread-starter (Be sure to follow the “Making Amish Friendship Bread from starter” section when you are ready to bake)

Once the “friendship” was ready for baking, my roommate and I also added some walnuts, apple sauce and skor (toffee) bits to the ingredients. Our batch yielded enough to make two loaves, one of which we decided would become a BundT. Below are a few shots of our masterpieces.

I highly recommend this recipe especially if you’re looking for some bonding time with family and friends. It is straight forward and you can add all of your favourite things into the mix. The more, the better! Happy Baking!

Get crazy, get loco, get doida!©

Xo ~ L

A little poetry

By Katherine Lawrence

Maybe if I had been more organized

possessed the logic of canisters

neatly stacked

tea  on top

of coffee

beside flour

next to sugar

maybe I could have made us work.

Chocolate Butterscotch Goodness

My first blog shall be short and sweet: A simple photo of my most recent escapade into the realm of baking...

And here is the recipe:

2¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup butter (softened)

¼ cup light brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

1 package of chocolate instant pudding mix

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

12 ounces of butterscotch chips

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. (190 degrees C) Combine the flour and the baking soda and set aside. Mix the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, pudding mix and vanilla. Mix (or beat) until creamy. Add the eggs and mix well. Gradually add the flour mixture and stir after each addition. Stir in the butterscotch chips. From teaspoon, drop cookie dough onto baking sheet about 1 inch apart. (Note: I like to use my hands but the dough can be a bit sticky) Bake at 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.

This recipe makes approximately 36 cookies. You can use different combinations of instant pudding mix flavours and chips. You are also welcome to add nuts to the recipe. Another combination that I enjoy is Vanilla Pudding with Skor Bits. ENJOY!