Let it Be...

I hosted a little contest for my Dragonfly Inspirations Creations followers.  It was a lot of fun!  I called it the "Creative Input Contest," where people submitted their ideas for inspirational metal stamped messages.  I would select the winning entry, to be created into a new bracelet design for my Etsy shop, and the winner would receive a metal stamped necklace with their winning message.  It was so much fun, and I had several great suggestions.  The one that stood out the most for me, was the suggestion "whisper words of wisdom...let it be."  And yesterday I created the the metal stamped necklace and made an announcement.  Well, the winner (also happens to be a highschool girlfriend:) was beyond excited.  She is a HUGE Beatles fan....and HUGE is an understatement:)  And, in complete (not planned on my end:) Divine Timing, I happened to post the winning entry during the Beatle's Tribute last night.  That just put my friend over the edge in excitement:)  I selected her entry based on loving the words myself, loving the concept of incorporating famous musical lines into my pieces (really gives me a whole new avenue!), and knowing it will sell:)

  So, without further adieu, the winning entry: 
click here to go to my Etsy shop to custom order YOUR favorite message, stamped onto a necklace:)

sunday night sunset

flashback artwork

little angel's family portrait...circa 2008 or 2009?  notice how not only is mama towering over daddy, but her hair is BROWN :D   I think this is such a sweet piece of art:)

i'm such a sucker for Heather's pictures and jewelry......

 www.islandcowgirl.com
 

my grandma, me, cuz, her two boys, and my dad...at my grandparents' house

it's friday fun day!

Irish Soda Bread (made with Almond Flour)

I made this tonight and it was SO good!  HUGE hit for the whole family.

http://www.elanaspantry.com/irish-soda-bread/

Irish Soda Bread
2 ¾ cups blanched almond flour
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ cup raisins
2 eggs
2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1. In a large bowl combine almond flour, salt, baking soda and raisins
2. In a smaller bowl combine eggs, agave and apple cider vinegar
3. Mix wet ingredients into dry
4. Place dough on a piece of parchment paper and form dough into a large, flat circle that is 8 inches across and 1 ½ inches tall
5. Using a serrated knife, score top of dough about an inch and (thanks Jessica!) a half an inch deep in shape of a cross
6. Sprinkle top of bread with caraway seeds
7. Transfer dough and parchment to a baking sheet
8. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, then turn off oven and leave bread in for 10 more minutes
9. Cool bread for ½ hour then slice and serve with butter and jam

copyright © 2013 elana's pantry. all rights reserved.

more sprouted bread recipes (some day....)

https://www.culturedfoodlife.com/sourdough-sprouted/

The Life-Changing Loaf of Bread

https://www.yahoo.com/food/the-bread-that-will-change-your-whole-world-73342291256.html  

The Life-Changing Loaf of BreadMakes 1 loaf

1 cup sunflower seeds
½ cup flax seeds
½ cup hazelnuts or almonds
1 ½ cups rolled oats
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
4 Tbsp. psyllium seed husks (3 Tbsp. if using psyllium husk powder)
1 tsp. fine grain sea salt
1 Tbsp. maple syrup (for sugar-free diets, use a pinch of stevia)
3 Tbsp. coconut oil or ghee, melted
1 ½ cups water

In a loaf pan, combine all dry ingredients. Whisk maple syrup, oil and water together in a separate bowl. Add mixture to the dry ingredients and combine until everything is completely soaked and dough becomes very thick, adding 1-2 teaspoons water if dough is too thick to stir. Smooth top and let sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours or overnight. 

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Bake bread for 20 minutes, then remove bread from loaf pan, place it upside down, directly on a rack, and bake for another 30-40 minutes (it should sound hollow when tapped). Let cool completely before slicing.

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

totally digging my new personalized Thirty One bag .... check out those pops of orange!

love me some piper paws

a custom request project that is near and dear to my heart

https://www.etsy.com/listing/162541899/stamp-your-own-message-custom-request?ref=shop_home_feat_1

adventures in almond flour continues

take two on bread....using almond butter as opposed to sunbutter......please note, this time the bread is NOT green...and I think it's extremely tasty!!  (especially toasted;) 


I also decided to make these
Dark chocolate chip/pecan/cinnamon almond bars...no added sugar...almond flour....holy YUM!  
(credit for the recipe goes to my friend Katie......I added a few more touches...almond extract, sea salt and pecans) 

2-cups Almond Flour
2- tablespoons of cinnamon you can go less...
1/2 cup of dark chocolate chunks or chips... If you like less or more you choose
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Third of a cup almond milk unsweetened....
parchment paper on a cookie sheet...
.375° ...about 25 minutes 

Owl Medicine from my Backyard Forest

we had a midnight visitor last night!  Please disregard the background noises, as I recorded this from inside the house:).  Also note, there is no video, as it was midnight, just the cool sound of the owl!   The photo is an oldie but goodie of an owl that blessed us with her presence right in our backyard.  And last night we were gifted with LOTS of owl songs....she was somewhere at the edge of the forest!  Amazing!!  Turn the volume up
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmfzAl8hAhQ&list=PLMz4YszD8Kul4FV3EAcGTthziSQG7tZjW

Genetti recipe

Paielli's Bakery Genetti....love and miss these little pastal gems.......when you come from an Italian town, you become lovingly (maybe too lovingly;) aquainted with pizza, pasta and various Italian cookies.   My home-town is filled with Italian pizzarias, Italian restaurants, Italian Bakeries, an iconic large Italian grocery store, and of course....Italians:)  Let's just say my Danish family was in the minority in my hometown:)  And although he did not grow up in my state, it only made sense that I would someday marry and Italian:)

Anyway, an Italian friend heard my call and answered, and shared her family recipe, that has been passed down for generations, I'm sure:)

Genetti

6eggs

1 cup sugar; 1/2 cup butter ; 1/4 C oil ; 1t anise oil ;4t anise extract;5-6 cups flour;1/8 t salt; 6t baking powder; 350 degrees; 10 minute

I mix all dry ingredients and sift. I start with 5 cups of flour. Dough should be dry. In winter I usually only use 5 cups flour summer i use more depends on where you live? The dough comes together nicely in a kitchen aid mixer. The dough is fairy dry like band sturdy. I roll mine into perfect walnut sized balls. the baking powder makes them rise alot. I can usually fit 16 or more on a tray they rise up but don't spread. Make frosting with powdered sugar and a few tablespoons of water. You can add vibrant colors to frosting or just food coloring which is pale.

Don't use olive oil too fruity. Use a plain flavorless oil

I also make them using vanilla extract instead of anise because the kids don't like anise.

Good luck let me know how they turn out? Oh yeah, frosting is like a two day drying project. YOu can also freeze these cookies really well. Just take them out and frost them after they thaw.

Seven Calorie Brownies

 

(((Share to Save))) 7 CALORIES BROWNIES (If you don’t save these to your wall, then you are NUTS.. who doesn’t love brownies??) 3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (I used vanilla) 1/4 cup skim milk 1/2 cup Cocoa powder 1/2 cup Old fashioned rolled oats (like Quaker) 1/2 cup Truvia (or any natural/stevia based sweetener that pours like sugar) 1 egg 1/3 cup applesauce 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 pinch salt Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a square baking dish (I used 8”x8”). Combine all ingredients into a food processor or a blender, and blend until smooth (about 1 minute). Pour into the prepared dish and bake for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting into 9 large squares.

Island Cowgirl (you must have missed my posts:):

I just enjoy this picture:)   (hope they appreciate all my free advertising:)

www.islandcowgirl.com 

in which Fairy Girl writes a song

 My eight year old wrote a song and sang it....title, lyrics. It's called "ain't got much money, so settle down honey" (and she is aware that it is indeed not grammatically correct, but that it's ok to take liberties for the sake of poetry and song-writing;)

Future country singer or comedian

when an engineer marries an english major.......(and yes, i know that "english" and "i" are supposed to be capitolized:)

When an Engineer (precise and mathematical; taking the extra time to measure and use a leveler prior to hanging anything on the wall) marries an English Major (artistic and carefree; when hanging anything on the wall, just eyeballs it, leaving hubby with a lot of extra nail holes to caulk:D).....and the good news is, I hung up the Christmas gift I gave to him...yeahhhh (do you think that outweighs the bad news;). And it still seems a tad crooked....just one more nail hole and it will be perfect (good thing he loves me ) 

(isn't this wall canvas sweet!)