[*All photos are taken from my Instagram account.]
With Love and God Bless,
Brindi
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
My Beautiful Month
In case you aren't on Instagram, or don't follow me, here's a peek at my Insta-Life lately.
[*All photos are taken from my Instagram account.]
This winter we made time to brighten up our basement walkway with a beautiful and cheery Lemon Ice...however, I think it looks more like lime. LOVE IT.
I love being surrounded by books all day. It's the best job in the world. Yet, finding the time to read them, or peruse through them, is another issue altogether.
My parents new puppy dog, Gibbs. He's a rescue, part mini pin and a few other breeds in the family pool.
Bought myself a few treats for Valentine's Day.
I figured since I started the post with snow it's only fitting to end with more snow. That's this winter's theme: More Snow. And, no, I do not have a problem with that :)
With Love and God Bless,
Brindi
[*All photos are taken from my Instagram account.]
With Love and God Bless,
Brindi
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Blackberry Breakfast Muffins
You guys. I hit the ultimate breakfast [indulgence] with this blackberry muffin recipe.
But first, let me share with you how it all came about.
It was a cold morning. It was a cold, winter morning filled with beautiful snow falling, and falling, and falling. It was an absolutely breath-taking scene out my window last Sunday, and as I watched the snowflakes pile up, I poured a steaming cup of coffee and opened my Bible. As I poured my second cup, I realized I was a tad hungry, and opened up the fridge to grab some eggs to make an omelet...because it was Sunday and I had nothing to hurry out the door for, nothing demanding my time, and I felt like making myself a filling breakfast. Then I spotted the fresh blackberries I bought the day before and remembered there was a muffin recipe I've been meaning to try. Back in went the eggs and out came the berries.
If you've never spent some time perusing Jenna's awesome recipes over at her blog, Eat, Live, Run, you are missing out. Seriously. Also, I recommend highly you pick up her culinary memoir book as well.
It's quite sad; I tagged immediately this muffin recipe years ago and forgot about it. This morning seemed liked a perfect time to make it. Plus, Mr. B hadn't gotten around to eating all of the berries yet.
However, I wanted to make it a little healthier [no surprise there], and swap a few ingredients, like taking out all the dairy because I discovered recently I have an unfortunate sensitivity to (you'll hear all about that tragedy soon). And, you know, I was making it for breakfast and wanted a less sweet muffin. (Just to be clear, for me, a muffin for breakfast feels like an indulgence.)
I was a bit nervous with all of the ingredient substitutions, and a little unsure of how these muffins would bake. I hate wasting ingredients on trial and error recipe attempts, and I was really craving these muffins! Boy did I hit the jackpot with these gems. These are absolutely perfect and probably the best muffin I've ever made or tasted. Honestly. The applesauce makes them super moist and light. The hint of orange zest is perfect with the juicy berries, and you can't even taste the avocado. It just lowers the fat content and makes for a more colorful muffin. Also, by using less sugar, feel free to indulge in a few because, trust me, you will eat more than one.
Blackberry Breakfast Muffins
*recipe inspired by Eat, Live, Run
makes 12 muffins
2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp grated blood orange zest
2 c fresh blackberries
1/2 c mashed avocado
scant 1/2 c sugar
3/4 c unsweetened applesauce
1 egg + 1 flax egg (for the flax egg, combine 1 T ground flax seed and 3 T water, and let sit 5 minutes)
1/4 c unsweetened almond milk
Preheat oven 325 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and orange zest. Gently add in blackberries, stirring to coat. Set aside. Cream together mashed avocado, sugar, and applesauce. Add eggs, one at a time, until well combined. (NOTE: here you can opt for 2 flax eggs, making the muffins completely vegan.) Add in milk and stir. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and toss gently, being careful not to crush the berries. Scoop batter into a regular-sized 12 cup muffin tin. (Optional: sprinkle each muffin with brown turbinado sugar--or regular sugar.) Bake for 28 minutes, or until tops are golden. Let muffins cool in the pan for five minutes, then pop out and cool completely on a wire rack.
While I prefer them still warm from the oven, these are delicious at room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. I'm assuming these will keep for a week; mine did not last that long ;)
These even make for a perfect midday snack at work. YUM.
 |
| Pssst....It's National Fresh Berry Month. Celebrate with a muffin ;) |
Sadly, I am out of these tasty muffins and writing this post for y'all is not helping my muffin craving.
With Love and God Bless,
Brindi
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Photo an Hour
7 AM
8 AM
9 AM
10 AM
11 AM
12 PM
1 PM
2 PM
3 PM
4 PM
5 PM
6 PM
7 PM
8 PM
9 PM
A perfect way to spend a snowy Sunday.
With Love and God Bless,
Brindi
8 AM
9 AM
10 AM
11 AM
12 PM
1 PM
2 PM
3 PM
4 PM
5 PM
6 PM
7 PM
8 PM
9 PM
A perfect way to spend a snowy Sunday.
With Love and God Bless,
Brindi
Monday, February 10, 2014
Oatmeal Monday!
Apparently, every second Monday in February is National Oatmeal Monday.
Like I need a reason to start my morning with a hot bowl of oats.
Which is how I start most mornings, even in the ridiculous heat of summer. My bowl this morning consisted of rolled oats cooked in water, with a few splashes of unsweetened almond milk, a handful of fresh blackberries, and a heaping spoonful of this tasty Skinny Peanut Butter Cookie Granola (Katie hit the jackpot with this recipe). My brother requested I make up a batch and send it to him in South Carolina. It's my favorite, too, so I hoarded a couple scoops of my own. Shhhhh....
But since we're celebrating oatmeal, checkout a few of my favorite ways to eat my morning oats.
Berries, Flax, and Protein Oatmeal
Cookie Dough Oats
Muesli Oatmeal with Strawberries
And try out this new fantastic oatmeal recipe I kind have been obsessing over lately. I call it my yoga oatmeal.
Yoga Oatmeal
*recipe {roughly} from Yogalosophy
Makes 1 giant bowl of oats!
1/3 c steel-cut oats, cooked in water
dash of pumpkin pie spice
1 Tbsp ground flax seed (my own ingredient contribution)
1/4 c fresh (or thawed) mixed berries
1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
sprinkle of chopped walnuts
splash of unsweetened almond milk
Pile all ingredients into a bowl and dig in! It's tasty warm or cold :)
With Love and God Bless,
Brindi
Like I need a reason to start my morning with a hot bowl of oats.
Which is how I start most mornings, even in the ridiculous heat of summer. My bowl this morning consisted of rolled oats cooked in water, with a few splashes of unsweetened almond milk, a handful of fresh blackberries, and a heaping spoonful of this tasty Skinny Peanut Butter Cookie Granola (Katie hit the jackpot with this recipe). My brother requested I make up a batch and send it to him in South Carolina. It's my favorite, too, so I hoarded a couple scoops of my own. Shhhhh....
But since we're celebrating oatmeal, checkout a few of my favorite ways to eat my morning oats.
Berries, Flax, and Protein Oatmeal
Cookie Dough Oats
Muesli Oatmeal with Strawberries
And try out this new fantastic oatmeal recipe I kind have been obsessing over lately. I call it my yoga oatmeal.
Yoga Oatmeal
*recipe {roughly} from Yogalosophy
Makes 1 giant bowl of oats!
1/3 c steel-cut oats, cooked in water
dash of pumpkin pie spice
1 Tbsp ground flax seed (my own ingredient contribution)
1/4 c fresh (or thawed) mixed berries
1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
sprinkle of chopped walnuts
splash of unsweetened almond milk
Pile all ingredients into a bowl and dig in! It's tasty warm or cold :)
With Love and God Bless,
Brindi
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Soup Beans and Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread
Comfort and my grandma are the two words that come to mind whenever I think about Soup Beans and Cornbread.
Which is what us Southern people call it; my daddy and his family are from Kentucky--about the farthest south and farthest east you can get without living in that teeny, tiny sliver of Virginia.
However, Mr. B calls it our "poor man's" meal.
I guess he's not wrong; the ingredients are fairly cheap and it's easy to feed a crowd. I never thought of it as a poor man's meal, and the first time he said it I was kind of offended. I wouldn't consider my family poor. I never went without anything I needed. It's just I remember Grandma had a pot of beans simmering on the stove quite often. We didn't have it all the time, not every day, but I do remember eating enough of it, thinking I might actually turn into a bean. Because of this, soup beans and I have a love-hate relationship. With the first signs of fall, I start craving this warm, comfort meal, and I must make it immediately. Mr. B isn't a huge fan, you know with growing up on canned green beans, Hungry Jack potatoes, and "pork chops so thin you could read a newspaper through them" <---his step-father's exact words, not mine. (wink-wink)
Needless to say, I'm the one eating these leftovers. And I do. Every last bit. I'm sure it would help if I didn't make enough to feed a small village, but, yes, I eat them. And then I don't want to see another soup bean until February.
I always make Grandma's soup beans and cornbread (never one without the other, and in that order) in February. It's when I miss her the most, and in making this meal I feel closest to her. If soup beans are on the stove and cornbread is in the oven, Grandma's not so far away.
And it's probably the easiest meal to make, next to cinnamon toast in the morning (which my family can eat by the loaves). The beans are easy to double or triple, depending on the number of mouths, and you just put them to a simmer on the stove and check back every now and then. The perfect meal to celebrate Homemade Soup Day.
Grandma Bays' Soup Beans & Cornbread
*serves a crowd (easily adaptable to feed however many people you need, just add more beans and water)
3 c pinto beans
4 slices thick bacon, chopped
salt and black pepper
oregano and garlic powder
Give the beans a good rinse and pour into a big stock pot. Cover the beans with 3" of water and set to boil on the stove. Once boiling, cover and simmer 2-3 hours. (DO keep an eye on it, adding water as needed! The beans are done when soft.) Meanwhile, make the cornbread....
1 c corn meal
1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 c buttermilk
1/2 milk
1 egg
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 c shortening, melted (plus extra for greasing skillet)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Melt a tablespoon or so of shortening in a cast iron skillet. Combine corn meal, flour, and salt in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine milks and egg, and pour into dry ingredients, mixing with a fork. Add baking powder and baking soda, stirring until combined. Add ¼ cup melted shortening, stirring constantly. Pour into hot, greased cast iron skillet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until set (golden brown on top).
And then back to the beans....when the beans have about 20 minutes to go, add in salt and pepper to taste. I like to add a little bit of oregano and garlic powder to mine, but use whatever fits your fancy.
I like to top mine with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.
With Love and God Bless,
Brindi
Which is what us Southern people call it; my daddy and his family are from Kentucky--about the farthest south and farthest east you can get without living in that teeny, tiny sliver of Virginia.
However, Mr. B calls it our "poor man's" meal.
I guess he's not wrong; the ingredients are fairly cheap and it's easy to feed a crowd. I never thought of it as a poor man's meal, and the first time he said it I was kind of offended. I wouldn't consider my family poor. I never went without anything I needed. It's just I remember Grandma had a pot of beans simmering on the stove quite often. We didn't have it all the time, not every day, but I do remember eating enough of it, thinking I might actually turn into a bean. Because of this, soup beans and I have a love-hate relationship. With the first signs of fall, I start craving this warm, comfort meal, and I must make it immediately. Mr. B isn't a huge fan, you know with growing up on canned green beans, Hungry Jack potatoes, and "pork chops so thin you could read a newspaper through them" <---his step-father's exact words, not mine. (wink-wink)
Needless to say, I'm the one eating these leftovers. And I do. Every last bit. I'm sure it would help if I didn't make enough to feed a small village, but, yes, I eat them. And then I don't want to see another soup bean until February.
I always make Grandma's soup beans and cornbread (never one without the other, and in that order) in February. It's when I miss her the most, and in making this meal I feel closest to her. If soup beans are on the stove and cornbread is in the oven, Grandma's not so far away.
And it's probably the easiest meal to make, next to cinnamon toast in the morning (which my family can eat by the loaves). The beans are easy to double or triple, depending on the number of mouths, and you just put them to a simmer on the stove and check back every now and then. The perfect meal to celebrate Homemade Soup Day.
Grandma Bays' Soup Beans & Cornbread
*serves a crowd (easily adaptable to feed however many people you need, just add more beans and water)
3 c pinto beans
4 slices thick bacon, chopped
salt and black pepper
oregano and garlic powder
Give the beans a good rinse and pour into a big stock pot. Cover the beans with 3" of water and set to boil on the stove. Once boiling, cover and simmer 2-3 hours. (DO keep an eye on it, adding water as needed! The beans are done when soft.) Meanwhile, make the cornbread....
1 c corn meal
1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 c buttermilk
1/2 milk
1 egg
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 c shortening, melted (plus extra for greasing skillet)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Melt a tablespoon or so of shortening in a cast iron skillet. Combine corn meal, flour, and salt in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine milks and egg, and pour into dry ingredients, mixing with a fork. Add baking powder and baking soda, stirring until combined. Add ¼ cup melted shortening, stirring constantly. Pour into hot, greased cast iron skillet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until set (golden brown on top).
And then back to the beans....when the beans have about 20 minutes to go, add in salt and pepper to taste. I like to add a little bit of oregano and garlic powder to mine, but use whatever fits your fancy.
I like to top mine with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.
With Love and God Bless,
Brindi
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Bulletin Boards are Never-Ending
Coming to Sweet B's Impressions this year is a new feature exploring all of the fun [and creative] things I do at my job as a Youth Services Librarian. I know every few months I blog about what I did at work that day, and sometimes I'll even post about what I'm working on. However, I want to share a little more for my crafty readers who want to know what I'm doing, why, and how I go about it. It's something I love about this profession: why reinvent the wheel? We all share what we do; take the idea and make it your own. Who knows, maybe you'll find inspiration for your library, next party, or a craft to do with your kids.
Today, I'm sharing my crafty-ier side. Bulletin board style.
I'm running behind with all of this year's summer reading programming ideas underway, so I do not have a bulletin board decorated for the upcoming Winter Olympics. The above picture is of the first bulletin I did when I first entered my job a year and a half ago.
Our creativity is never-ending over here at the Howland Branch of the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library because someone decided it would be awesome to line the entire length of our department with a huge bulletin board. By the time we finish the last one, it's usually a new season (or one has been up too long) and we start re-doing them all over again. After my first Summer Reading Program adventure, I decided a fall theme would be a great bulletin board display. So I found a huge piece of cardboard and cut out a tree. The kiddos were a little skeptical of my "tree" until I stapled on some leaves.
My co-worker really liked my tree idea, and since I put a decent amount of work into it, we decided to keep it up for another season.
Or two....
Then Summer Reading rolled around, and the "Dig into Reading" theme just sort of fit with what we had going. So we got a little creative, turning our tree into a bush. And let me tell you, those leaves were a pain and there are plenty of them. Holy frijoles, leaves galore! But the layers make it look great.
--->Notice how our eggs "hatched."
Why not turn our bush into a fall bush? Sure, let's cut out more leaves...
Thankfully, we have an Accu-Cut machine, with various leaf dies, which allows us to cut out about 4-8 each time (depending on the thickness of the paper).
And we must have a snow-covered winter bush! With lights! This one is probably my favorite of all the tree/bush bulletin boards. The kids seem to really enjoy seeing what we do with the board each season. And I'm pretty proud of our resourcefulness. But, alas, this summer's reading program is all about science. I think the tree/bush will have to come down finally. Plus, the background paper is starting to fade, and I'm ready for something new.
A little farther down the huge bulletin-board-lined wall is another bulletin I created inspired by various fairy tales. This board took quite a bit of time, but I had the most fun making this one. I wanted to elaborate a little more, but time got away from me and other boards need changing. This display has been up since last fall, and I'm leaving it up a little while longer because I really enjoy it.
I tried to feature as many fairy tales as I could without it becoming too busy and overwhelming. If you look closely you'll find Rapunzel in the tower with a tiny prince climbing her braided hair, a small Jack climbing the huge beanstalk, Goldilocks with her bears, the Wolf hiding in the woods ready to pounce on Little Red, the three pigs and their three establishments, the Gingerbread Man on the run, the Frog Prince basking in his pond, and the Three Billy Goats Gruff. Oh, and don't forget Cinderella's castle and pumpkin carriage.
I sectioned off some of the boards in order to feature smaller bulletins. These ones we change often, and they're usually focused on upcoming programs, authors, or topics.
Yet, the bulletin board continues....So my co-worker and I decided to dedicate a section to the Caldecott winners (award given to the illustrator of an outstanding children's picture book) since we already had the winners pulled and sitting on top of the shelf anyway.
We also decided to do the same thing with the Newbery winners (award given to the author of an outstanding children's literature), since I recently weeded the juvenile books and we need the space desperately. The "Mother Goose" bulletin has come down, and the Newbery one has gone up. I like it because these bulletins are timely and will be up for a very long time.
With Love and God Bless,
Brindi
Today, I'm sharing my crafty-ier side. Bulletin board style.
I'm running behind with all of this year's summer reading programming ideas underway, so I do not have a bulletin board decorated for the upcoming Winter Olympics. The above picture is of the first bulletin I did when I first entered my job a year and a half ago.
Our creativity is never-ending over here at the Howland Branch of the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library because someone decided it would be awesome to line the entire length of our department with a huge bulletin board. By the time we finish the last one, it's usually a new season (or one has been up too long) and we start re-doing them all over again. After my first Summer Reading Program adventure, I decided a fall theme would be a great bulletin board display. So I found a huge piece of cardboard and cut out a tree. The kiddos were a little skeptical of my "tree" until I stapled on some leaves.
 |
| Fall 2012 |
 |
| Winter 2012-2013 |
 |
| Spring 2013 |
 |
| Summer Reading 2013 "Dig into Reading" |
 |
| Fall 2013 |
Thankfully, we have an Accu-Cut machine, with various leaf dies, which allows us to cut out about 4-8 each time (depending on the thickness of the paper).
 |
| Winter 2013-2014 |
A little farther down the huge bulletin-board-lined wall is another bulletin I created inspired by various fairy tales. This board took quite a bit of time, but I had the most fun making this one. I wanted to elaborate a little more, but time got away from me and other boards need changing. This display has been up since last fall, and I'm leaving it up a little while longer because I really enjoy it.
I tried to feature as many fairy tales as I could without it becoming too busy and overwhelming. If you look closely you'll find Rapunzel in the tower with a tiny prince climbing her braided hair, a small Jack climbing the huge beanstalk, Goldilocks with her bears, the Wolf hiding in the woods ready to pounce on Little Red, the three pigs and their three establishments, the Gingerbread Man on the run, the Frog Prince basking in his pond, and the Three Billy Goats Gruff. Oh, and don't forget Cinderella's castle and pumpkin carriage.
I sectioned off some of the boards in order to feature smaller bulletins. These ones we change often, and they're usually focused on upcoming programs, authors, or topics.
Yet, the bulletin board continues....So my co-worker and I decided to dedicate a section to the Caldecott winners (award given to the illustrator of an outstanding children's picture book) since we already had the winners pulled and sitting on top of the shelf anyway.
We also decided to do the same thing with the Newbery winners (award given to the author of an outstanding children's literature), since I recently weeded the juvenile books and we need the space desperately. The "Mother Goose" bulletin has come down, and the Newbery one has gone up. I like it because these bulletins are timely and will be up for a very long time.
With Love and God Bless,
Brindi
Monday, January 27, 2014
1.5 Ode to My Dear Friend
You see what I did there? A Starbucks haiku.
Cold floor under feet.
Mittens on. Traffic. Slow. Brake.
Mittens on. Traffic. Slow. Brake.
Warm Starbucks cafe.
Americano.
Caramel Macchiato.
Dirty Chai. Golden.
Americano.
Caramel Macchiato.
Dirty Chai. Golden.
I can roll out haiku all day. I had a whole course on the HAIKU during my English undergraduate study. It was...short. Liberating. Expressive and a test for my patience, to say the least.
 |
| If I find a Starbucks while on vacation, I must take photos and celebrate with a beverage :) [in Key West on honeymoon] |
But you can thank my friend, Jessica, for more coffee ramblings. My love for this coffee shop runneth over. It's no secret. This past Christmas family and friends supported my habit with plenty of gift cards.
I am not alone. My wonderful friends and family are hopelessly devoted as well. 99.9% of the time Jess and I are together we stop and pick up a glorious beverage. (The other .01% is probably one of us talking about our recent Starbucks experience.) It's the ritual that goes along with this coffee run. It's knowing Jessica and I share a special love, a special place (among other things). Oh the memories I have associated with that coffee shop. It's where I spend time catching up with friends. And take this past Christmas, for example. Since there is so many of us, we do a Round Robbin' gift exchange--where everyone brings a $15 gift, we draw names, take turns, and hilariously "fight" over the gifts. This year there were four gifts pertaining to Starbucks. We love this place.
If I'm going on a trip, I'm stopping at Starbucks. If I'm at the airport, there better be a Starbucks. When Mr. B and I headed to Frankenmuth last year, right before he started the car he looked at me and asked, "You want Starbucks, right?"
"Do I breathe?" I responded, showing him my empty Starbucks travel mug.
My
And not to mention their rewards program. Gold member. Free drinks every 12 stars. Free drink on my birthday. Discounts galore. Ahhhh....
Gosh, I should be a spokesperson.
Extra shot brewing.
Sipping comfort through green straws.
Ode to my dear friend.
It's Monday and I'm ready for a busy work week.
P.S. The other day Jessica sent me this on Pinterest with the comment "For your birthday?"
Ummm, yes! Get.On.It.
With Love and God Bless,
Brindi
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