I have been observing lately the things I say, and that others say, and I love to see the particular phrases unique to each person. For example, lately I have been saying certain words and phrases alot like, "I suppose", "what's that?", "I'm not going to lie..." or "Really?".
It's quite funny actually, and I notice when I spend time with different people that I unknowingly pick up their lingo, like my nephew who says "actually..."

I just love it! Everyone is different and it is funny how people latch on to their own lingo and variations of the same language. I guess it's kind of nerdy, but I just find it fun :)

Are there certain phrases you notice yourself saying alot?

Beautiful Days the Friendship Way

Finals week has arrived and I have developed a new plan- don't stress out! I have stressed so much this semester to keep up grades, and I've decided that I do better on tests when I actually take a breeak when studying. Yesterday was "Reading Day" for CSU, so I decided a break was in session.

I have been just hankering for a good picnic. Goodness it's been so long since I have been on one of those!
What could be better than eating a healthy lunch out in God's green earth with a great friend?!
Well that is what I think so that is exactly what I did. I thank God for the friendships He has brought into my life these past few months. I am slowly learning that it is okay to hang out every once in a while and no it is not betraying your homework to stop and breathe! Lord knows I am a bookworm and study addict.

One of the friends I have been blessed with is this girl-

Rebekah is as black and white as I am, and I love it! Nothing is more refreshing than knowing that you're always hearing the truth. Needless to say the picnic was fun and the weather was gorgeous!
Let me describe the scene in a few words:
bright, breezy, warm, sunny, flowers, green grass, blue sky, lovely friend, awesome God!

Hope you can go outside and enjoy God's nature in this beautiful weather! My theme song for this day was Heart of Life by John Mayer

Sarah

Single Sentence Sunday

Haberdashery.
Yes, this is my first time doing Single Sentence Sunday, and for good reason too. It was brought to my attention, that though an affluent (atleast aspiring) fashionista, I had never encountered this term before. Haberdashery is a British word for a  simple shop carrying the basic needs such as threads and buttons.
I am so glad to have encountered this word today, because I now have a name for my future aspirations of opening that little boutique someday, and I think I shall name it,

Daylong Shortcakes

I am officially calling this post" Daylong Shortcakes", because after two recipes, the first failing, I produced delicious shortcakes with lemon cream and strawberries. I used two separate recipes, both from the same cook, to create a homemade shortcake. I spent yesterday with my brother, his wife, and two kids picking strawberries at the festval at Boone Hall. The strawberries were red and plump, so I just knew what I had to do with them.

About that first try and fail, I attempted to convert an British recipe (obviously in metric units) in the American measuring system. Grams->ounces= wrong measurements for Sarah. needless to say the butter outweighed the flour and my circles melted into squares the first few seconds in the oven. So, one hour wasted, I ate half of the dough and began again.

I couldn't have done it all without listening to my bubblegum oldies and feeling the fresh breeze as I baked for 2 hours. I took a break while the dough was refrigerating and went out to the driving range to practice my golf swing. I did pretty well, only missed a couple :).

I have combined the two recipes that used to create my lemon cream strawberry shortcakes for you:

Shortcake Biscuits
1 2/3 cups flour
3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

To make the biscuits: In an electric mixer combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and mix together until it resembles coarse meal. Add the cream and mix just until the dough comes together (it will be wet and soft).

Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a 6 inch square, about 1 inch high. Wrap up the square and chill for about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the dough into 9 biscuits (you can simply cut into squares or use a round cutter - remember the biscuits will expand in the oven). Brush the tops of the biscuits lightly with cream and sprinkle the turbinado sugar over them.
Place the biscuits about 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or the biscuits are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Strawberries :
While the cream and dough are chilling in the fridge, slice up some fresh strawberries!

Lemon Cream
adapted from Pierre Hermé's Desserts
makes about 1 1/2 to 2 cups
1/2 cup sugar
zest from 2 lemons
2 eggs
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
5 ounces butter, cut into 1 inch pieces, softened but not melting

Create a water bath by placing a saucepan of water over heat to simmer and placing a metal bowl unto the pan so its bottom does not touch the water. Combine the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers and add to the metal bowl. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice.

Cook the mixture over the simmering water, whisking constantly, until the cream reaches 180 degrees and thickens. Keep whisking while the mixture is heating up to prevent the eggs from cooking.
Once the cream is thickened - you should be able to make tracks in the mixture with your whisk - take the cream off the heat and strain it into the bowl of a food processor or blender. Let the cream rest for a bit until it cools to about 140 degrees.

Once the cream is finished pour it into a container and let it chill in the refrigerator for about half an hour before assembly.

I placed a shortcake on the plate, and piped lemon cream on top (hoping it would be thick to create a pattern, but it was thin like a lemon. If you would like to make more like a lemon cream instead of curd, then I suggest mixing this recipe with a recipe for whipped cream, or eggwhites)

Arrange the Strawberries,

Place the strawberries on top and finish off with whipped topping if you like!

Cake Double Feauture

For Easter Sunday I made two different cakes: a strawberry layer cake from Joy the Baker's Blog and a Vegan Chocolate Avocado Cake from Rebekah Jackson's Blog.
Both turned out great! The second one is different, but I liked it- I love trying new recipes!!

Here are the recipes for both:

Southern Style Strawberry Cake

1 (18.5 ounce) box white cake mix (without pudding)

1 (3 ounce) package strawberry jello

1 Tablespoon self rising flour

4 teaspoons granulated sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup fresh strawberries, finely diced.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the cake, combine to cake mix, Jello, flour and sugar in a large bowl.  Mix well.  Add the oil.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition

 Add the water and strawberries and mix well.

 Divide the batter evenly into three 8-inch round baking pans that have been oiled and floured.  Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean and the layers pull away from the sides of the pan.

Transfer the layers from the oven to wire racks.  Let them cool, still in their pans, for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, run a knife around the inside edge of each pan, then unmold each layer onto the racks to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese, softened

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

2 (1 pound) boxes powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

pink food coloring

4 sliced strawberries

To make the frosting, in a bowl combine the cream cheese and butter.  Beat until soft and pliable and no lumps remain.  Add one box of the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract.  Beat until incorporated.  Add the second box of sugar and mix until incorporated.  If you would like a smoother consistency, and a slash of milk.  If you would like a thicker consistency, and a bit more powdered sugar until the desired consistency is achieved.

Put the coconut in a small bowl and sprinkle with two or three drops of pink die.  Mix with hands to distribute the color and wash hands immediately. 

 Frost the Cake

 Once the cake is frosted, decorate the top of the cake with the shredded coconut and sliced strawberries. Enjoy!  Happy Strawberry Summer!

Vegan Chocolate and Avocado Cake with Avocado Buttercream Frosting:

Ingredients:

For the Cake -

3 cups all purpose flour

6 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup well mashed avocado (about 1 medium avocado)

2 cups water

2 Tbs. vinegar

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the frosting:

8 oz avocado meat (about 2 medium avocados)

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 lb powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 cake pans and set aside.

2. Sift together all the dry ingredients except the sugar and set aside. 

3. Mash the avocado meat VERY well, trying to get as smooth as possible. 

4. Mix all the wet ingredients together, including the super well mashed avocado. Add the sugar into the wet ingredients and stir well.

5. Combine all the wet ingredients with the dry in a bowl and mix by hand with a whisk until well combined.

6. Pour batter into greased cake pans and bake for ~ 30 min. or until toothpick comes out clean.

7. Allow to cool for 15 min. in pans, then carefully transfer to wire racks to completely cool before frosting.

For Buttercream Frosting: 

1. Peel and pit the soft avocados. It's important to use the ripest avocados you can get your hands on. If they have brown spots in the meat, avoid those spots when you scoop the meat into the bowl. 

2. Place the avocado meat into the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the whisk attachment. Add lemon juice and whisk the avocado on medium speed, until slightly lightened in color and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. You may need to scrape the sides of the bowl several times in order to get smooth.
3. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and beat. Add vanilla extract until combined. If not using right away, store in the refrigerator. Don't worry, it won't turn brown!

4. Frost the cake!

Feta Spread

Here is another Mediterranean style recipe, straight from April's issue of Southern Living Magazine.
I will warn you that it is a bitey dip, and has a kick of spice to it as well, so be prepared!

But to my delight, I also found that it tastes similiar to the oil & spice dip they serve at Carrabba's with their bread, just thicker (because of the cheese).

I ate mine with Triscuits, which offered a nice salty rough counterpart to the smooth spice of the dip. I also think that WheatThins or pita chips would be a nice pairing as well.

 Pulse 8oz crumbled feta cheese, 2 tbsp olive oil (I used a little more) 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp finely chopped pepperoncini peppers, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano, 1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper, and 1/8 tsp black pepper (I omitted this, it's spicy enough!) in a food processor 6 to 8 times or until combined, stopping to scrape side.
Cover and chill 2 hours before serving. Store in fridge up to 3 days, makes 1 cup.

I must say, I did NOT chill it for 2 hrs before I ate it, I wanted it for lunch! And it tasted just fine, in fact, it was easier to spread. Like I said, I ate it with Triscuits but I am sure pita chips would be grat.
I also spread it on a whole wheat wrap and tossed some spinach, cranberries and nits on top and rolled it up for a saladd wrap, delicious!

Spring has arrived!

 

I spend the afternoon outside- it is 85 degrees. I am cooking vegetables on the grill with steak and chicken; I walk inside and look at my feet to see they are covered in bright yellow pollen. Ahhh yes, it is Spring!

My mind is so happy yet my body hates me. My head is stuffy and my breathing isBut on the brighter side, the weather is great to do the things I like with the people I love. 

Last Sunday I went in a paddle boat with my nephew, in a skirt. Yep, that's right, southern girls paddle in a skirt! The family grilled out and had a relaxed dinner outside friday, and today I went to the beach. Not to mention I can now spend hours reading outside and practicing my golf swing. Which reminds me how out of sorts I am, as I pulled a muscle doing such last week.

All of these things are breathtaking, but the most beautiful thing about the Springtime is the celebration of our Lord's death and resurrection. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday, and as I am busily baking and spending time with family and friends, I must not forget the sacrifice that gave me my life. 

Last night I went to Seacoast's production, The Thorn. It was wonderful. Humorous at times, it depicted the life of Jesus through the eyes of John (the Beloved). For the most part, however, it was heartaching, and reminded me of the great sacrifice-gift of love- that Jesus gave His life so that I may have mine. My selfish, happy life that I enjoy because of His payment for my sins. I couldn't help but cringe every time they whipped Jesus.

Please take time to remember why we celebrate Easter, and during the whole season of Spring, take the effort to look around you and notice God's creation. Smell the flowers, listen to the birds, lay in the grass- and just be still; you will hear God's voice in the silence of the breeze!

Happy Easter, and welcome Spring!

written to the sounds of the SoundScapes channel

I have been made aware by a fellow blogger that April is poetry month!
I am too tired at the moment to think of a poem I really enjoy, however, it being April 1st, I feel I should post something of poetic consequence.

So for now, I will post a few line poem I wrote a few months ago: