Monday, August 27, 2012

A Most Delicious Breakfast

Madeleines are a shell-shaped sponge cake originating in France and have a reputation for being a light dessert served with berries or as a treat with a cup of tea.
In my house, they are breakfast!  Warm madeleines before school?!  Who would want anything else?
I use the recipe straight from Martha Stewart's Cookies and it has never failed me.




Lemon Madeleines

1 1/2 cups sifted cake-flour (NOT self-rising)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
3 large eggs AND 2 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup unsalted butter, plus more for pan
Confectioners' sugar for dusting (a MUST!)

1.  Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.  Set aside.
2.  Put eggs, egg yolks, granulated sugar, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on medium-high until pale and thickened, about 5 minutes (the longer you mix and the lighter in color and thicker the batter, the lighter your madeleine will be---melt in your mouth!)  Using a spatula, fold flour mixture into egg mixture.  Let batter rest 30 minutes (but I never do!)
3.  Preheat oven to 350 and butter your madeleine pan (but I usually do this first as I never wait my 30 minutes.)
4.  Pour batter into prepared pan, filling the molds 3/4 full.  Bake cookies, rotating pan halfway through, until edges are crisp and golden, 7-8 minutes.  Let cookies cool slightly in pan on wire rack.  Invert and unmold.  Dust with confectioners' sugar.  Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 day.
. . . . but instead of storing them, they are BEST SHARED!  Warm with the children; warm with best friends over a cup of coffee and good conversation.
I was hesitant to buy the molded pan because I wasn't sure how often I would make the madeleines.  I am sooooooo glad I bought the pan---I make them all the time.
Happy-ness is warm madeleines!!  Come over and we shall bake some together!!!!  :-)



Friday, August 24, 2012

My Summer Romance

. . . . . has it really been that long?
And in case you've forgotten me, I'm going to let you in on a little bitty secret.
I've been having a hot romance!  With summer!  And my three favorite people in the world!  My kids! :-)
Here is a smidgeon of what we've done since May:

(See her flippers?!  LOVE this picture!)

(Library books during the 3 hour daily swim practices!)


(Swimming championships at Miami University)

(We lost electricity for an afternoon--the 3 of them playing a game together!)

(Napping!)

 (Eating at one of our favorite restaurants, The Taste of Belgium)


(Body butters, deodorants, lip balms and farmers' markets every Saturday!)

(A little bit of dressing up.  The best we can!)



(First day of school.  Three different schools; three different start times!)

I'm absolutely certain I've had time to blog about my daily happy.  I'm certain I should have made more time for friendships, near and far.  I should have picked up the phone and called.  I should have knitted more.  Sewn more.  But my summer romance was a whirlwind. I blinked and it was over.
I spent every waking moment that I possibly could with my three favorite people. We were swimming every day, both for fun and for competition.  We played games, watched movies, grilled outside.  We stayed up late and took afternoon naps.  We savored.
Because just yesterday my first baby was born . . .  but I turned, kissed him on the cheek and sent him with a car full of teenagers to find his way as a Junior in High School.
And just yesterday my first daughter was born . . . but I turned, kissed her on the cheek and walked in the dark to the bus stop with her so she can rise above mean girls to be a seventh grader.
And just yesterday my baby-baby was born . . . . but I turned, kissed her on the cheek and sent her with the neighborhood car pool to find herself as a fourth grader.
I blinked.
But . . . . with summer over and school starting, I have time.  My house is quiet and I am listening to opera with a dog by my side.  And I'm blogging again. And planning sewing projects and socks to knit.  I am mixing up new fragrances for body butters and perfume sticks.  Thank you for my summer romance; let's enjoy each other this fall!  :-)
Happy-ness is this quiet peace I have after a wonderful summer love!!!