^ that's not even all of them, about half actually... ^
^ autumn appearing around our house ^
To be honest with you there's been a big old sack of "stuff" that's been weighing on my mind, distracting me and keeping me from doing what I need/want. This "stuff" is connected to so much other "stuff" so I suppose mentally I've been putting everything off until it get's dealt with and figured out. But once we get a hold of this weasel I am going to start over. I've always liked this quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald - “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall," and I think now is as good a time as any to do just that.
In the meantime, I love myself a good list and when I came across this one over at James' blog my hands were itching to fill it out!
eating: a lot of biscotti (homemade & not)
drinking: trader joe's harvest blend tea (try it it's phenomenal!)
practicing: patience, something I've always been lacking
mastering: my camera, I'm determined to get the most out of it this year
learning: that things don't always work out perfectly but that's ok
playing: with my baby on the floor
finishing: some writing
reading: jim gaffigan's dad is fat
walking: through the woods out back
wearing: hunter boots, these come back in heavy rotation once things get cool
cooking: lots of soups - tomato, mushroom and butternut squash
working: on a million things at once, probably not the most efficient way of getting anything done
traveling: to a few places, tentatively
wanting: to have more faith
And speaking of faith I keep reading this over and over again:
“I said to my soul, be still and wait without hope, for hope would be hope for the wrong thing; wait without love, for love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faith, but the faith and the love are all in the waiting. Wait without thought, for you are not ready for thought: So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing.”
― T.S. Eliot
Have a wonderful weekend my dears & here's to starting over, albeit in the fall!
Have you guys ever had those Trader Joe's mini chocolate biscotti? My goodness those things are the death of me! I can power through a whole box in one sitting. Well, not can, did this past weekend. So I decided instead of continuing to pay for something that had become an addiction why not figure out how to make it myself. And after I had read the ingredient list on the box (so easy!) I knew I could find a similar recipe.
I tracked down this Williams-Sonoma recipe on their website that sounded almost identical to the TJ's ingredient list. The only thing I didn't have was hazelnuts so I used macadamia nuts instead (hey nuts are nuts right??). I also was too lazy to dip them in chocolate though that did sound disgustingly decadent.
In the end these were ridiculously easy to make. If anything they just take a long time to bake (close to two hours) but they've been my yummy tea time snack all week so I'm not complaining!
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa, preferably Dutch
1 1/2 Tbs. instant espresso powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 cup macadamia nuts coarsely chopped
Preheat an oven to 300ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper.
In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the chocolate and brown sugar and process until the chocolate is very fine; set aside.
Sift together the flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract. Using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat to blend. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the sugar and flour mixtures until a stiff dough forms, adding the macadamia nuts when the dough is about half mixed.
On a floured surface, divide the dough in half. Form each half into a log 12 inches long. Transfer the logs to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them well apart, and pat to even the shapes. Bake until almost firm to the touch, about 50 minutes (logs will spread during baking). Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Leave the oven set at 300ºF.
Using a spatula, carefully transfer the logs to a work surface. Using a serrated knife, cut logs on the diagonal into slices 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Arrange the slices, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake until crisp and dry, about 25 minutes more. Turn off the oven and let the biscotti cool completely in the oven with the door slightly ajar.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
jacket - j.crew, dress - anthro, socks - uo, shoes - steve madden (old)
The weather this past Sunday was like something out of a dream - bright, cool and just enough of a breeze every now and again. It also, I thought, warranted a pair of socks to play double duty - to hide my already pale legs (was Florida really three months ago???) and to keep my legs warm. I really like socks. I have them in every color, every length, every style. I'm kind of passionate about them now that I think about it. I think most people buy them as a necessity, like toilet paper (don't you just HATE buying toilet paper?? also why must it be so expensive??? stupid), but I buy them to make me happy. It's kind of running joke with my close friends and family that I can always be relied upon to have extra socks. Oh and did you notice these have some snazzy wooden buttons on them??? Amazing.
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By the way, in case you're wondering I don't just laugh at parked cars on the street, that would be pretty strange insane. You see Valentina is now at the age where she's not cool with just chilling in the car while we take the photos, she wants to be an active participant!! And this kid is forever killing me with her faces! Perhaps next time I'll snap a few of my audience ;).
