From The Kitchen: Benedict and Pip have both had a baking session this week. Benedict made chilli chocolate chip cookies, which were awesome! and Pip made ginger snaps with me this morning. If you're interested the choc chip cookie recipe is as follows:
8oz soft butter
4oz sugar
9oz flour + 1 teaspoon of baking powder
1oz cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves *
6oz chocolate chips
* we didn't have these and they tasted just fine
Beat butter and sugar until well combined.
Add the flour, cocoa powder and spices and mix into the butter/sugar mixture.
Add the chocolate chips working them into the dough with your hands and bring them together into a ball.
Make walnut sized balls of dough, place them on baking trays which you have greased and squash each ball of dough down a bit with the back of a fork.
Bake for twenty minuted at 160C fan assisted or 180C regular oven.
Allow to cool for a few minuted on the tray before lifting off with a palette knife to cool and crisp on a cooling rack.
I originally found the recipe here and she in turn found it here, two lovely blogs full of inspiration.
The Learning Zone: Benedict has worked on estimating, measurement, subtraction, spellings and grammar. He enjoyed his flat Benedict art session as well as the baking afternoon, I need to plan more of these as they are relaxing and uplifting.
I too have been busy gleaning all I can about permaculture.
Permaculture is a design process that can be applied not only to land forms but also every day life and relationships. There are many facets to this process but one of the elements is observing what is going on in your environment, what works and what doesn't and also the flow of energy between one area or task to the next. Once a pattern has been identified, we can ascertain if it is useful then keep on but if not, what can we do to make the task/energy flow easier. In short it is a way of working smarter not harder and taking our cue from nature:
" Nature does not waste, it is a complete system in which each element produced by one part of the process is indisputably needed elsewhere as a resource.
Humans work far more than other creatures in nature, setting greater demands for their satisfaction and creating yields for which they have no uses."
Shepherd with attitude lives not too far from us and her site is full of beautiful imagery and knowledge on the subject at hand. Through her I also found this girl, a brilliant example of using permaculture in building your health.
I had actually signed up for a permaculture design course a few years ago but was worried about the practicalities of fitting it in between family commitments and health issues. If the local course is running again this forthcoming year then I will definitely be adding my name to the list.
Creating: I have been busy making a gift for a friend who has just recently given birth to a baby girl, I'm hoping to have it finished in time for next week's yarn along. I have also been in the loft room and I'm part way through making a top for myself using some lovely plaid material that has been sitting around for far too long!
Taking Care of Me: Since the beginning of January I have implemented various goals, one of which is a regular daily meditation and rest time. This occurs after lunch and it has made such a difference in how I approach each task throughout the day and how I view life in general. This is the first January in years that I have not wanted to hibernate or been struck by an awful blackness. The problems we encounter as a family are still with us but
the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding ... Philippians 4v7
envelopes me and I know no matter what, I do not walk this journey alone.
Be Blessed x
4 comments:
Hello San,
I have been very busy lately, but I have read each of your posts. Sounds like you are having some great days. Those cookies sound kind of different. Are they very spicy? Thinking of you and sending your warm wishes!
Eva
Oh, and I try to take a nap each day after lunch for 15-20 minutes. I really need this time to make it through our busy days. Good that you are getting to take a nap as well.
The cookies are fab and not overly hot, I would definitely recommend them, maybe one of the girls could give them a whirl in their next baking session?
The lunch time meditation and rest time has made such a difference to how I handle daily living at this end as well as any blips in either my health or those of the family.
I guess I am still hesitant because I hate pepper, even black or white pepper. So I am not sure if I would like them. Jonathan likes pepper, maybe they would be good for him. I am so glad you feel more rested. That is beneficial to everybody. If mom is happy and rested the children are much more agreeable.
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