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& the baking bonanza begins…

November 24, 2010 by Hillary 5 Comments

I love to bake year-round, but my inspiration to tie on my apron spikes as the days shorten and there becomes a nip in the air. I love flipping through the holiday cookie magazines as I wait in line at the grocery store with my pound of sugar and bulk bag of dried fruits and nuts. I love that my to-make list seems to grow endlessly by the day, as I add a pumpkin gingerbread recipe and quinoa pudding here and there. I love filling the house with the aroma of nutty granola and buttery pie crusts. I love tying shimmering ribbons around cellophane wrappers and dropping a sweet something on the porch of a dear friend.

For the past several weeks, I’ve been anxiously awaiting for Thanksgiving Break to arrive so I could get into the kitchen and do what I love most…

Monday night, my mom made dinner for a few of our girlfriends. I was happy to take care of the dessert.

Cranberry, Pistachio & Ginger Blondie Cake

Recipe courtesy of the Blue-Eyed Bakers.

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A tasty – chewy, yet moist– cake it was.

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Though, I think I liked the festive ingredients the most.

I learned most of my knowledge about baking from my mother. I let her take over the main dish, a savory fall galette.

Squash Walnut Galette

Recipe courtesy of In Praise of Leftovers. Ironically, these photos are the leftovers I ate for lunch.

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Roasted butternut squash and homemade whole-milk ricotta cheese

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… plus parmesan and a sprinkling of thyme.

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My mom is a master in making flaky pie dough. We aren’t afraid of butter around here.

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Walnuts & pepitas add the perfect crunch!

I also made our friends a sweet treat to take home with them because no meal is complete without chocolate!

Fancy Fall Chocolate Bark

Recipe courtesy of the Blue-Eyed Bakers.

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A mixture of bitter + semisweet chocolate w. dried cherries and apricots, salted cashews, crystallized ginger, golden raisins and a dusting of fresh orange zest.

 

I’ve barely made a dent in my list. Thanksgiving pies are up next!

‘Tis the season of sugar and spice,

Hillary

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Cranberry Pistachio & Ginger Blondie Cake, Fancy Fall Chocolate Bark, Squash Walnut Galette

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“Anxiety is a symptom, not a diagnosis.” - Dr. “Anxiety is a symptom, not a diagnosis.” - Dr. George Papanicolaou

It’s no secret that I suffer from chronic anxiety and panic attacks. Or at least I don’t intend it to be. Because while there can be a lot of shame and embarrassment around both of these, I know I’m not alone in my experiences. While I’ve leaned toward the more anxious side most of life, my bothersome anxiety has steadily increased since my mid-twenties - some periods being worse than others. 

It’s not a complete surprise that my mental health has taken a dip during my first full gloomy Seattle winter — in the height of a pandemic. 

Here are some ways I have been nurturing my body & mind as I work with a team of practitioners to work on understanding the **root causes** of my panic, and to live with more ease. 

» no coffee (not even decaf)

» meditating regularly - I’m using @insighttimer 

» gentle movement

» weekly therapy sessions

» attempting cold showers (this is hard for me!): if you’re interested, you can research how this impacts the nervous system

» working with a naturopathic doctor to focus on gut + hormone health

» trying a new Rx - a decision that took years of consideration

» lastly, opening myself up to vulnerable conversations/sharing my story and my experiences in efforts to reduce any shame and connect with others 

I am not my anxiety. 

[image: a photo I snapped to send to my mom of my naturally red palm holding my Rx on the first day I took it]
This rare blue sky day in February is having me da This rare blue sky day in February is having me day dreaming about long, light-filled summer days... they’ll be here soon. 

#pikeplacemarket #seattlewashington
Leavenworth, WA • Where To Eat🍴 I was expect Leavenworth, WA • Where To Eat🍴

I was expecting all things beer, brats and pretzels in Leavenworth (not really my jam) 🍺🥨🧀, and while there’s plenty of it, I was delighted to find plenty of delicious eats for my “foodie” taste. 

We went to all of these 3 places more than once during our quick stay - highly recommend! 

☕️ @argonautespressobar: Located at one end of Front Street, this adorable coffee bar has delicious espresso drinks, breakfast items, and the best view! 

🥐 @tumwaterbakery: Incredible pastries, avocado toast on artisanal bread that’s a feast for your eyes... and I’m eager to go back and try their wood-fired pizza! 

🍜 @yodelinbroth: Literally some of the best food I’ve had (ever!), and that’s saying a lot. I had the Yodelin soup with housemade wild PNW halibut bone coconut curry broth, udon noodles, heaps of veggies and wild salmon - it was nourishing to my core as we ate it outside in 30 degree weather. I even bought some of the broth to recreate this meal at home, yum! 

#nutritionnuteats #leavenworthwa
winter wonderland getaway ✔️ We had snow much winter wonderland getaway ✔️

We had snow much fun exploring the picturesque Bavarian town of Leavenworth, WA for a much-needed mid-week getaway to the mountains. 🏔

We stayed in a cozy little cabin @logecamps right on the Wenatchee River (one day I’ll be back to stay at the stunning @phleavenworth), played in Enchantment Park, took a drive to Lake Wenatchee, and discovered some of the best food downtown (I’m saving my food recs for another post).

Nestled between the snow-capped Cascade Mountains with the river running through town, it’s quite magical in the middle of winter. ❄️ I’m already dreaming of heading back for some summer adventures!
I’m sure Koba is wondering why we ever lived in I’m sure Koba is wondering why we ever lived in Florida for two years.

#takemetothemountains #snowday
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