Blogger Macaron Class

Over the weekend I had the pleasure of teaching a few Utah bloggers the in's and out's of macaron making.  Our group included Shelly of House of Smiths, Jen of Tater Tots and Jello, Amy of The Idea Room, Lara of Less Cake More Frosting, Elizabeth of Dear Lizzy and Emily of Ruffling Feathers/ Bijou Market.  Colin Kartchner made this adorable little video to capture evening in the kitchen.


Mercedes White Macarons- Blogger night from Collin Kartchner on Vimeo.
     
Using my pre-made mixes we learned how to whip a proper meringue, the art of maraconage, and how to prevent pesky hollow shells.  If you are interested in trying your hand at baking your own french macarons--one of my mixes is the way to go.  I've streamlined the process and simplified a lot of the steps.  We will be selling them at Bijou Market this weekend in Provo and are also available through my online store.  

image via the lovely shelly of house of smiths

Charmed

just because i am never going to be this kind of mother doesn't mean i don't appreciate them.

watch and swoon!

(though if you are having one of those days when your uterus is swinging from the chandeliers- so to speak- maybe wait on watching it because it will make you want a little wolf REAAAAL bad). 



Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?from Lilly McDowell on Vimeo.

The Growing Problem of Greek Debt

as per Chancellor Angela Merkel via Marginal Revolution

 

 

 

Fall Picnic

a few weeks ago i woke up to snow.

i was horrified, not so much because of the pesky white stuff (i am canadian afterall), but rather the fact that up to that point i hadn't done one single "fall" thing.  no pumpkin.  no soup.  no leaf collecting.  no cozy nights with cocoa and masterpiece theatre.  no apple picking. no corn mazes. nothing.  

i jumped out of bed determined not to let some doggone snow come between me and fall.  that day i crammed in a lot.  i made vegetable soup.  i went for a walk and ate a pumpkin tart at the windy ridge bakery. i got home busted out my hot water bottle and hit bbc.  hard. (and just in case you are wondering don't watch mill on the floss or the woodlanders unless you've taken your prozac that day).

  
lucky for me the snow didn't stick so i've had a few extra weeks to slurp up the last of this remarkable season.  last week when ann suggested we go for a picnic up mill creek canyon, i was all over it.  it was one of those meals i won't soon forget.  big plans were hatched and we all left perfectly content.

so the moral of the story is: 

kindred spirits+foliage+hearty food+making plans=the perfect fall day.

don't ask why it looks like i have black sideburns.  ok. 

for more photos and beautiful reviews of our afternoon check out marie and ann's blogs.

Manic Monday

i gotta alotta do.  

a morning list and Greek yogurt and granola are a good way to start. 

as sisters in zion

we'll all hike together.

our early morning mountain adventure was a highlight of my week.

the night i almost killed us

i woke up sunday morning at 5 am, odd since i never get up before 10 if i can help it.

i had this weird cough.  it wasn't like a cold cough.  no.  it was like something had crawled down my throat and taken up residence in my larynx.  trying to dislodge it (gross word i know) i coughed and hacked but nothing worked. i decided to guzzle the flat half empty can of diet doctor pepper on my bedside table.

bad idea.

what is it about the combination of hacking up a lung and  flat pop that mades you feel like you are going to upchuck (to quote ramona quimby age 8)?  so i went into the bathroom and laid down on the cold hard floor and stayed there for a couple of hours until the alarm went off and mike got up to get ready for church.

while he was in the shower i stood in the kitchen trying to decide which would do less harm: a glass of water or making myself puke. 

and then i saw it.

the stove was on.  it had been on all night--cooking the pan i'd used to warm up our gross low carb tortillas the night before.  thank goodness the only damage was to our lungs.  we estimate i took about 50 minutes off our lives since breathing in a smoking pot all night is the equivalent of about 5 years of chain smoking.

my throat is fine today.  my pride? not so much.