If you want full proof methodology for how to win my heart, you need look no further than a few of life's simple pleasures. It is obvious you can do your research in movies, but books work too. Also you can just ask. (insert wink) The first time I watched You've Got Mail and heard Tom Hanks/Joe Fox mention a bouquet of sharpened pencils, I felt "Ah there's a man that needs to teach lessons." Sweet and simple. Then there is the Stranger Than Fiction scene when Will Ferrell/Harold Crick humbles himself and brings Maggie Gyllenhaal/Ana Pascal a box of flours. A baker's delight.
A few months ago I was introduced (via Google+) to this brilliant "simple" win my heart scheme:
You know how people buy drinks for girls in bars? Why can't people do that in bookstores? Like if I'm looking at a novel in Barnes and Noble and some person walks up to me and strikes up a conversation and offers to buy the book for me there is a lot better chance of that working out in their favor... I'm going to reblog this until it's a cultural norm.
What point am I trying to make?
It is no secret how much I value the simple pleasures of life. I have blogged about this before and I'm offering up some of my favorite simply romantic favorites, not to give you ideas (insert wink), but to let you in on more who I am. Part of thriving for me is enjoying the simple things and learning what makes my heart smile. Bouquets of sharpened pencils. Books. Flours. What I wouldn't have done for a box of flours today?
I spent my afternoon alternating between the ever mounting laundry pile (don't tell my Mum, but laundry is one of my favorite chores) and baking. Baking is never a dull or Stepford wife, perfection incarnate, domestic time for me. It is a mad explosion of my ingredients everywhere, including the floor much to the great appreciation of my dog. Baking is stopping and starting because dishes have to be washed and Netflix must be managed. Things are never quiet for me, silence is a curse. Baking is the Pinterest board open and squealing when the recipe is manageable or scheming when you lack ingredients.
What did I bake?
I travelled several times a year with my previous job. A staple of my trips were airport terminal stops at the Starbucks. This meant a Frappuccino of some flavor or another and a cinnamon scone. I was almost positive my flight would be jinxed if Starbucks kept me from my scone by "running out" before I got there.
Today I made the Skinny Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scones. The recipe found on Pinterest.
Discovery One: I need to purchase a pastry brush. My fingers or a spoon are just not acceptable replacements.
The recipe was easy to follow and I did substitute the flour mentioned for one kind (unbleached store brand white flour), rather than the 1 cup all purpose and 1 cup white whole wheat. My scones still taste great! They were so pretty too. (insert smile)
Cutting a circle into 12 "equal" parts is tricky.
Guess who had the first scone?
Dinner was the next endeavor. Left with directions to utilize the "dozens of" farm fresh eggs in the fridge and kielbasa sausage, I knew regular ole' breakfast was not on the docket. Let's make things messy and interesting.
Breakfast for dinner Calzone style! The theKitchn website may very well be my new favorite recipe site. Detailed directions (pictures!), suggestions and tester remarks. The best part of this Calzone recipe, aside from how easy it was? The fact they gave me a recipe for the pizza dough, whereas every other recipe I came across shoed me away with "1 frozen pizza dough". Heck if I am going all out for this I might as well make my own dough! Thank you very much. (insert smile)
The pizza dough one of the best (and easiest to make) I have had in a long time.
Discovery Two: The recipe may say bake for 15 minutes and then rotate baking for an additional 15 minutes, but 15 minutes at 450 was more than enough. I burnt my first batch and though my family gladly ate them, it would have been nice to have them all turn out like the second batch.
Stuffed with cheese, scrambled eggs and kielbasa sausage. The votes are in and this is a do again!
Thriving Moments: Utilizing ingredients in the house with minimal grocery shopping. Baking 2 new things!
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