Spring time

Milk and Honey cafe's new look for the new season is coming up soon....
In the mean time, please feast your eyes on this!



Are ya ready for spring??

I am!!

by the way, recipe is here! :)

McMake-it-yourself

This has got to be the easiest breakfast in the world. Breakfast sandwiches are so tasty and so easy and, despite the greasy appearance, it's actually not all bad for you. I remember hearing somewhere on the radio that from the scary calorie, fat, carb-laden menu of McDonalds, the egg McMuffin isn't such a bad choice: lots of protein, calcium and fibre while relatively lower in calories (310 calories compared to the 650 calorie burgers..) Anyways. I write a blog on baked goods, so it is a bit funny that I'm measuring calories, no? :P



My point, however, is the fact that while a quick drive-thru at McDonald's seems as easiest as it gets, making it at home is just as painless. If you know how to toast bread and fry an egg, that's all the skills ya need. The result is a warm, tasty and fresh meal for breakfast. It's quite filling too! As for the side, instead of sodium crazy hashbrowns served at the fastfood chain, I like to compliment it with some fruit and some orange juice. Get some vitamins in there, ya know?

Bacon Egg & Cheese Breakfast Sandwich

for one sandwich

ingredients

1 whole wheat english muffin (130 calories)
2 slices Canadian back bacon (25 calories)
1 slice processed cheese (60 calories)
1 egg (70 calories)
1 tsp butter (35 calories)
black pepper, to taste

directions

1. Toast english muffin in a toaster and lightly butter it. Set aside.
2. Heat remaining butter on a frying pan. Fry egg until well set. Heat slices of bacon beside the eggs.
3. Assemble: On the bottom layer of the muffin, place sliced cheese, egg, then bacon. Sprinkle with black pepper, if desired. Top with remaining muffin half. DONE.

Was that not the easiest thing ever? I don't think it even needs a recipe.

Guilty as charged.

Okay I feel sorta guilty writing today's post. I keep complaining that I'm so crazy busy lately... so I really shouldn't be doing this right now. But I baked some cookies this morning, and I really want to do this right now. Just bear with me? Don't judge me for lack of self-control? ANYWAYS. These cookies were for an order this afternoon, so I woke up nice and bright in the morning to squeeze them in my schedule/list of things to do. But of course I question myself: is it really a priority right now? You see, I realized that I'm not a very good manager of my time. I say YES to lots and things I should probably say NO to. I sometimes overbook myself and then have to bail out on things afterwards. And I totally procrastinate. Bad bad. Guilty as charged.




And it's not like I am a workaholic in any way. I am easily a slacker and in my own idea of "efficiency", I work as little as possible and try to get the most out of it. Make it look like I've been doing a whole lot. But isn't that--in the end--what we're all really trying to do? Get as much as you can while giving as little possible? Isn't that how the world works? Isn't that being business-minded and successful? Doesn't that get me an A+?



But what about good, honest work? What about giving more than what I can receive, just because? Generosity and integrity. Honesty and faithfulness. Ah, those are weighty words. As I finish of my last year of school and prepare myself to enter the "real" world, I really really hope to get my perspective right first. I ask myself questions like "How can I build up my character instead of just building my career?" "Is instant gratification greater than a life long fulfillment?" "Is it worth helping others even if it costs me?" "Should I really be eating another cookie?"



Well, "Yes of course!" To the last question that is. Hehe. The rest, well, I'll have to figure it out slowly. Because those answers come with a price. It might sound honorable and noble, but living a life of character is easier said than done. It takes patience and persistence. But we only reap what we sow, right? So it must be worth it! Now now, maybe I'm sounding a bit serious and righteous here, but I'm really just talking to myself. So to all you wonderful people, I raise a cookie, as we all face decisions every single day. Let's make it the right ones, shall we? :]



Wow, that was quite a ramble today. But a few last words: these cookies are fantastic. I asked my friend amanda over at slow like honey for a foolproof cookie recipe and this was awesome-O. It's crunchy and crispy and chocolaty and toffee-y. It's more of the crunchy/crispy side on the cookie scale, so if you like that, this is the recipe for you. She calls it her secret recipe and cherishes it very much, so make sure you use this recipe with love and care, as I did. Remember remember that your butter needs to be at room temperature (like my perfectly soft butter up there) and also not to overbake these babies. That's all — Enjoy!!

Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookie

24-36 cookies, depending on size

ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, room temperature
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or 1 twelve-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips
half bag of Heath Toffee bits (or Skor toffee bits, for Canadians)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.
2. Combine butter, and both sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, and mix to combine. Add egg, and continue beating until well combined.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips and toffee bits.
4. Scoop out 2 tablespoons of dough, and place on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, placing scoops 3 inches apart. Bake until just brown around the edges, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating the pans between the oven shelves halfway through baking. Remove from the oven, and let cool slightly before removing cookies from the sheets. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Scanwiches

I don't really have time to put up an entry today, but it's been a while since I've posted anything, so here is something I came across and found it QUITE humourous.

They are SCANWICHIES.










Siighh I have so much to do lately and all I ask for is just a few more hours in my day. Is that not possible? Or how about being able to function properly with only 2 hours of sleep? It's cram time and the list of to-do's is endless but it's always nice to take breaks and find silly things on the net, like pictures of deliciously scanned sandwiches.

Lucky

I feel lucky that I have a hobby that makes other people happy too. My mom was realllly craving my lemon pound cake and has been asking for it for quite some time. I made it for her, and it made her very happy! What a great feeling! The thing I love to do is not just for me, it's for sharing with those around me. I'm so lucky.







I've made this pound cake before, and the recipe is here. But just to make it a TINY WINY bit different, I added some tangerine juice/zest. It didn't make much of a difference, but it did in my mind! I also used two mini loaf pans instead of one, which is always more fun! Anything miniature is fun. :) I was once again impressed by the recipe, though. The cake is so soft and has a perfect density from the cream cheese. It's phenomenal right out of the oven and delicious the day after too! I love this pound cake, and no wonder my mom craves it time to time. :D