Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Random Links: November 2015

Decide this month's links would be about food, since the holidays are coming fast and furious. Working on a variation on the Lots of Banana Cake recipe from Dorie Greenspan. Adding lilikoi to the cake. It brighten up the flavor but I think it needs more lilikoi and maybe lilikoi curd between the layers. Will post the alterations when I've got it right.
Untitled
Frosted!
Untitled
Sliced! Yum!
-going to try this new pie technique from Serious Eats

-want to make your own pumpkin puree. I use the kabocha pumpkin after hear this story from Last Chance Food on NPR during my long commutes to work. Kabocha pumpkin have the very smooth texture and are sweeter than sugar pumpkins. I use the green ones but I've seen the orange ones, but haven't tried them yet. Here's the link to the story from Last Chance Food. And a link from Smitten Kitchen on how to make your own puree. 

-with the pie crust I want to make a version of this pie from the kitchn

-Looking for a great cake for a party during the holidays. This sweet potato cake from Smitten Kitchen is yummy. I used vanilla buttercream instead of the marshmallow frosting because I was taking it to work. Looking for a reason to make this with the marshmallow frosting.
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/11/sweet-potato-cake-with-marshmallow-frosting/

-haven't tried this but it is on the lineup of cakes to try. from Lottie + Doof
http://www.lottieanddoof.com/2015/11/scalded-and-malted-milk-cake/

-another one in the lineup, guava chiffon cake. from Guava Rose
http://www.guavarose.com/2013/12/guava-chiffon-cake/


Wednesday, November 11, 2015

One and Only Zinnia

Last zinnia
what a beauty
Now that it's November, my one and only zinnia decided to bloom. I guess they weren't a total wash out. It is so beautiful. 

Next year, I hope to remember to plant the seeds early, to get a bunch of these or at least 2. 

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Morning Walks

Untitled
from Jersey City water front
I really started my morning walks when I switched from taking the train to bus to work. Beside being half the price of my train ride, now I get out a stop before my stop and I walk along the water front of Jersey City and Hoboken. It is a great way to start your day. One of the best idea I've had in a long time.

I'm trying to keep the walking up on my work from home days. But it's hard with Ollie the cat cuddling on my lap with my morning cup of coffee. I think I have to do as soon as WG leaves the house so I can put in more distance. I realized that these morning walks really gives me energy and put me in a better mood. 


And I started using the charity mile and donate a photo app to raise money for charities on my walks. I'm trying to take a at least one picture per walk and I've donating one of these photo to the app. 


Been posting the photos on FB and I've also made an album on flickr of the pictures of my walks. Here's that link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/princesshotflash/albums/72157660455331431. Will continuing to add pictures as I continue my walks. Maybe one day I'll even take a picture of myself on one of these walk. Maybe. . . 

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Random Links: Oops! I forgot to post October 2015

Missed Octobers random links. Here's what I collected:

-if  you haven't made up one, you have to do it. Been loving all of these on FB.

-love this knitting/crocheting project: The Red Scarf project. They deliver valentines gift to forster kids in college. You knit/crochet red scarves to be included in these care packages. 

-guess I'm on charity kick. Just signed up for charity miles, it pays .25 per mile that I walked. I figure since I've been keeping to my walking routine. I might as well get something out of it. This may inspire me to walk more. 

-another charity app that I just started is Donate a Photo because I try and take at least on photo a day during my morning walk and I'd thought what a better way to raise money for a good cause and share my start of my day. Johnson & Johnson donate $1 a day for a donated photo.

-if I make it past 90, I guess doing this would be better than becoming a crazy cat lady.