baking in the rain.

In honor of Miles' French descent (and my new cookie sheet), we decided that we would bake something delicious and FRENCH... Madeleine’s! Since Andrew is home and it was raining outside, we decided to tackle not 1, but 3 recipes, so that we could find the best one out there! We're crazy like that. 

                   

We ate as many as we possibly could. Then, we voted...these were the best:

Gourmet Madeleine Cookies

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 pinch salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly

powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F Generously butter and flour pan for large madeleines (about 3x1 1/4 inches).

2. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and 2/3 cup sugar in large bowl just to blend. Beat in vanilla, lemon peel and salt. Add flour; beat just until blended. Gradually add cooled melted butter in steady stream, beating just until blended.

3. Spoon 1 tablespoon batter into each indentation in pan. Bake until puffed and brown, about 10-16 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Gently remove from pan. Repeat process, buttering and flouring pan before each batch. (Can be made 1 day ahead.).

4. Dust cookies with powdered sugar.

Source: Bon Appetit Magazine (January 2000)

This photo was taken before the taste test and one batch short.

  

 Someone LOVES baking... mostly because we usually bake homemade dog treats! Nice try little pup!

- Nicola {and the little pup}

Keeping Busy.

  

I am happy to announce that Miles and I are starting off the New Year {2013} with a bang... by sharing our completely interesting lives with everyone who wants to listen. Andrew is working on the east coast for another 6 months, so Miles and I have plenty of projects, recipes, and things to do to keep us busy. And a blog seems like just the thing to share all of our adventures!

 

 Without further ado, I introduce to you

...the cutest dog in America

...my wing man {for the time being}

...the little pup in stripes

... Miles

Miles is a Papillon. He's supposedly french. He occasionally wears a sweater (usually striped, of course). He loves long runs on the

beach (I usually watch, but rarely participate). He's obsessed with fetch, barking at our neighbors, and pumpkin treats.  

Here's to keeping busy and being productive all year (and to completing some of my Pinterest to-do list)! 

-Nicola