french country + northern secret garden

Well, I've finally completed my degree and returned to the Northwest Territories... which means it's time to decorate a new room! I'm going for a Northern Secret Garden + French Country style. Below are some beautiful, cozy styles I've found online. Hopefully my room will look as good when I'm done with it!

coffee cupcakes

I've been on dessert overload lately - pumpkin cheesecake pie, chocolate guinness cake, and, one of my favourites coffee cupcakes.

If you're as much of a caffeine-fiend as I am you'll love them!

Method:
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 Cup demerara sugar
2/3 Cup packed light brown sugar
2 Large eggs
3/4 Cup, plus 2 Tablespoons self-rising flour
3/4 Cup, plus 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon instant espresso powder
1/2 Cup 2% milk, room-temperature
Handful of chocolate covered espresso beans

Preheat oven to 350.
In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugars until the mixture is pale and smooth, which should take 3-5 minutes using an electric hand mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition.
Sift the flours together into a separate bowl. Whisk the vanilla extract and espresso powder with the milk. Add one-third of the flours to the creamed mixture and beat well. Pour in one-third of the milk and beat again. Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk have been added.
Carefully spoon the mixture into the cups, filling them about two-thirds full. Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Let cool then decorate with coffee buttercream frosting and chocolate covered espresso beans.

Coffee Buttercream Frosting:
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon 2% milk
2 Teaspoons instant espresso dissolved in a small amount of hot water, cooled
3 Cups confectioners sugar

In a large mixing bowl beat the butter, milk, espresso mixture, and half the confectioners sugar until smooth - this can take several minutes with an electric hand mixer. Gradually add the remaining confectioners' sugar to produce a buttercream of a creamy and smooth consistency.

a few of my favourite things...

1) Sea-foam green nail polish
2) Jumbo coffee mugs with owls inside (from The Milkman's Daughter)
3) Homemade heart shortbread cookies filled with jam and chocolate (recipe below!)

Ingredients:
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1 Cup unsalted butter (room temp)
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 Cup raspberry jam
2 ounces white chocolate

Method:
In a separate bowl whisk the flour with the salt.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract.
Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Flatten the dough into a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill the dough for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper

On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Pick a cookie cutter and cut an even number of cookies - half with the centers removed. Place the unbaked cookies, on the baking sheet, in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to firm up the dough so the cookies will maintain their shape. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Place the cookies with the cut-outs on a wire rack and dust the tops with the confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar.

On the bottom surface of the full cookie (top of cookie will face out) spread with about a 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of jam. Sprinkle with a little grated white chocolate. Place the cut-out cookie on top and gently sandwich them together, making sure not to smug the confectioners' sugar. Using a small spoon, fill the cut-out with a little more jam.

Makes about 12 sandwich cookies - recipe courtesy of Joy of Baking.

Enjoy alongside tea and someone you love!

what's your type?

In honour of my last writing workshop (YES, I'M FINALLY GRADUATING) I put together this typewriter cake. It's an espresso flavoured cake with coffee icing...delicious! I might have to post the recipe...

A classmate showed me this great link of writers with their typewriters. Below are a few of the photos!


William Faulkner


Bob Dylan


Hunky hunk Marlon Brando

pucker up

In Victoria it's picnic weather. Tulips and cherry blossoms are in bloom and everywhere I look people are once again befriending summer dresses and shades.

Along with peeling off tons of winter layers I love the natural, fresh faces that reappear in spring. No need for cover up and heavy shades. Go wash your face! My spring favourites are sunscreen, mascara and bright lips.

the perfect sunday

Is there a better way to start the week than with Truman Capote and homemade spinach and feta muffins? I don't think so. And if you're a smart cookie you'll make the muffins the night before so you can have breakfast in bed with Mr. Capote.

Recipe below for my foodie friends:

Ingredients
Canola oil, to grease
2 1/2 Cups self-raising flour
1/2 bunch of spinach,trimmed, washed, dried, shredded
150g feta cheese, crumbled
2 Tablespoons finely grated parmesan
1 1/3 Cups milk
90g butter, melted
1 egg
2 Tablespoons finely grated parmesan to sprinkle on top

Method
Preheat oven to 400. Brush muffin pan with canola oil to lightly grease.

Sift flour into a bowl. Add shredded spinach, feta and parmesan. Stir to combine. Use a fork to whisk together milk, butter, egg and dill until well combined. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and use a metal spoon to stir until just combined (do not over mix).

Spoon mixture into prepared pans. Sprinkle with extra parmesan. Bake for 18 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn out onto wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 12.

rural escape

My friend Aryn is a wonderful photographer with a keen eye. These are some photos she took around Yellowknife and on a camping trip near Kakisa, NWT.

I love the romance of the rural landscapes Aryn captures in each shot - my apartment walls are covered with her photos!

To see more of her photos check out her Flickr page.