november senses

november breezes.....brrrrrrrrr

.....just a few happenings from the past week...

seeing: snow. our first flurries in the valley, and the mountain tops are growing more white every day.

missing: not gonna lie, I am truly missing summer. November has me all like, "blehck." The high trails are done for the season, the low trails are too muddy to ride, the fall color is long gone, and the world is just a colorless brown hue.....all that + lots of wind. 

So summer, I miss you.

waiting: but I am anxiously awaiting for our first turns in fresh powder....hoping for a good snow year!

celebrating: last week I had my last clinical in long term care--woohoo!! Come January we start up in the hospital....equally exciting and terrifying.

feeling: so excited for Thanksgiving! I've always loved this day--it kicks off the holiday season, and I'm really a big fan of giant feasts, especially those with mashed potatoes. 

black fridaying: I 99% hate shopping, especially in stores, especially with crowds. Friday I'll be taking REI's #optoutside challenge and spending some time outdoors....which I guarantee is waaaayyyy healthier, and quite a bit cheaper than shopping, am I right?

eating: Buffalo Blue Cheese fries at Cubbys. 

Because......why not.

reading: Nothing exciting. At all. Pharmacology anyone? But I'm looking forward to Christmas break and hoping to read a book or two--any suggestions? Something easy and fast that I really don't have to use my brain for.....it is a break after all.

researching: I recently wrote a paper about the use of medical marijuana for children with epilepsy--it's a fascinating topic to me. If you like that kind of stuff (medical studies....or.....weed?) check out this TED talk --super interesting!

running: I'm trying to get out to clear my head when I can--Charly and I had our first sloppy/muddy/icy run of the season. Looking forward to more.

watching: with the dropping temps and the shorter days we find ourselves snuggling up in blankets watching a movie as a family each weekend. The last few Saturday evenings we've been glued to the screen watching Indiana Jones.....we love him!

driving: as I type this we are currently on our way over the river and through the........million miles of barren Nevada desert.....to grandma's house we go!

studying: everything. My first final is next week and then the rest are spread out over the following few weeks. bad news: these next few weeks will be nuts. good news: I'm so close to finishing my first semester!

cursing: My chickens. We added a few hens to our flock last winter and they have all been fighting ever sense. The last few months have been terrible....they are literally tearing each other to pieces (it looks like there has been a giant pillow fight out in the coop), and one of them is eating the eggs. EATING THEIR OWN BABIES! We are lucky to get out and get one before she tears into them all (still trying to figure out who it is). Anyone want chicken for dinner?

the lone egg...

baking: I mostly stick to my same ol' cookie recipes and Whitney Ingram's famous brownies , but this week we branched out. My mom used to make these around Christmas time when I was little, so I decided it was time to add these into the cookie rotation. 

I added some cinnamon.....just because.

Mexican Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

(I take no credit for this recipe. It's Mrs. Martha's.....all I did was add the cinnamon, swap out the vanilla, and roll in granulated sugar AND powdered sugar

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon cinnamon

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cups packed light-brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoon Mexican Vanilla (since I am not often in Mexico, I like THIS one)

1/3 cup milk

1 cup(ish) confectioners' sugar, plus more for rolling

1 cup(ish) granulated sugar (I added a bit of cinnamon to this as well)

Melt chocolate in a heat-proof bowl, or the top of a double boiler, over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool. 

Into a small bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and light-brown sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add melted chocolate. 

Add dry ingredients alternately with milk. Mix on low speed until just combined. 

Divide dough into quarters, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. On a surface dusted with confectioners' sugar, use your hands to roll each portion of dough into a log 16 inches in length and about 1 inch in diameter. Wrap logs in plastic wrap, and transfer to a baking sheet. Chill for 30 minutes.  (let's be honest, I didn't roll them into logs, I divided them up into four large lumpy roundish shapes, wrapped them up and put them in the freezer for about a half out, then took them out and rolled them into balls to roll in sugar)

Using your hands, roll the small pieces into balls.  Roll them FIRST in granulated sugar, then in confectioners’ sugar, a few at a time. If any of the cocoa-colored dough is visible, roll dough in confectioners’ sugar again to coat completely. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies have flattened and sugar splits, 12 to 15 minutes. 

Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Enjoy!

How was your week?

Gear guide: 

Basin and Range Vest

Willow Creek Leather Mystery Braid Cuff

FOR WINTER RUNNING I LOVE

-Athleta's Be Free tights--super comfy + warm, but breathable to you don't freeze in your sweat

-a good pair of wool socks

-skida head bands!

over the weekend

Such a good weekend!

My heart is so full after spending the springy-est Easter Sunday with my little family. 

The perfect end to our March (WHAT?! Where did March go?)

Friday. Pretty big day around here.....

We got.....The Chicks. Our girls.

We named them and gave them a home (uh, it's a box for now).

We'll be back to introduce the ladies tomorrow.....

We  played outside and colored eggs, and played outside some more.

Saturday I ran. And ran and ran. Charly and I found new trails, and explored the hills until they took us to the clouds. The sun was shining, the mud was starting to dry, and the trees were beginning to bud....perfect running.

Saturday afternoon we worked in the yard. 

Dirtied our hands and feet. Spent every hour of daylight outside.

Sunday we woke to birds singing (I swear it was a Disney tune) 

and headed to church in our Sunday best.

And of course this picture had to happen.

We feasted.

Roast Chicken (so I felt a little guilty roasting this bird with baby chickies living in my house.....)

The BEST potatoes ever (Martha's recipe)

Roasted Artichokes

Salad with grilled beets, blue cheese, and sugared pecans

Deviled Eggs

And for dessert......Lemon Cake!

Lemon Yogurt Cake

Ina Garten's recipe. The only thing I changed was using coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, and using a 9" round pan instead of a loaf pan

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt 

1 1/3 cups sugar, divided 

3 extra-large eggs 

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons) 

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

1/2 cup coconut oil 

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the glaze: 

1 cup confectioners' sugar 

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 

 Directions 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Grease a 9" cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan. 

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. 

In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the coconut oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 27-30 minutes, or until a toothpick placed in the center of the cake comes out clean. 

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside. 

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool. 

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and drizzle over the cake.

Enjoy!

How was your Easter Weekend?