It's 5:50 in the morning. Why am I awake you ask? Terrific question, one I will most likely be asking myself in the middle of the day. It's 5:50 in the morning and I'm perusing Food & Wine, searching for a good breakfast sandwich to make Jam when he returns from the gym. That's right, I said the gym. Now, you may think by waking up at this time, doing a bit of light writing, a little recipe recipe research,  that it's productive, and, well, I guess it is. But Jam's gym routine proves to be a bit more ambitious and extremely productive. About a month back, when he started going to the gym at this ungodly hour, I thought for a brief moment that I should join him, ,maybe some rigorous yoga perhaps? To say the least, that never happened. I prefer to practice when I'm fully awake. As he was climbing out of bed this morning, I remembered that initial desire...which was quickly followed by this thought:"there is just no way." I have come to like early mornings though. When our bed is warm, the coffee is hot. The mornings are best when I know I have the whole day to myself, no work in the evening, I allow myself to move at a leisurely pace. 

It's almost Thanksgiving. Almost as in, we all still have some time to prepare and no, this won't be a post devoted to turkey and cranberry sauce. That will come later on in the week! 

Instead I will tell you about my cookie debacle. To me, the traditional chocolate chip cookie is a blank canvas. I'm all about chocking them full of dried fruit, nuts, candy, pretzels, etc. While working at Milk Bar, I got somewhat attached to their Compost cookie. A cookie that is full of pretzels, potato chips, coffee grounds, graham crackers, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, oats. It's heaven. When making cookies, I generally will build off a base recipe. Cookies are pretty forgiving, as long as you understand the basic procedure, you can add whatever you feel like. I love making cookies for others. Truth be told, everyone loves a good cookie. I learned early on that the key to Jam's heart is either in the form of a cookie or brownie, simple pleasures. 

So this past weekend, I dove head first into cookie making. After a bit of hemming and hawing, I settled on a chocolate chip cookie with a ritz cracker crunch and marshmallows. It sounds extreme, and it was extreme. The ritz cracker crunch is a Milk Bar recipe, ritz crackers are crushed, melted butter is added along with a bit of sugar, salt, and milk powder. This glorious mixture is baked until roasty toasty- cooled, then thrown into the cookie mix. I strayed from my original recipe a bit, added a little too much of the ritz crunch. The results were overly buttery, spread-everywhere cookies. Initially I thought the cookies spread because I hadn't mixed the butter in properly. So I remixed the dough, just a tad longer, not too long though as I didn't want to develop too much gluten which would result in a hockey puck cookie. The 2n'd tester spread just as much. It was at this point that I realized there was just too much butter in the cookie. Not wanting to throw away the dough, I decided to bake them as cookie-blondie-bars. The bars came out looking far more attractive, and super tasty. Cut into triangles, they were perfect for a quick pick-me-up bite.

Today I share with you the most basic cookie recipe. You can add this or that, let your imagination run wild.

The Basic Cookie
16T (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
2T corn syrup
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1/2t baking powder
1/4t baking soda
11/2t salt
2 cups of add-ins (chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts)

1. Combine the butter, sugar, and corn syrup in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream on medium-high  for 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs, and beat for 7-8 minutes. 

2. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until the dough comes together, no longer than 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula.

3. Still on low speed, add your mix-ins until they are incorporated- no more than 30 seconds. 

4. Using a 1/2 cup measure, portion your cookies and place on a parchment lined sheet pan. Pat the tops of the cookie dough domes flat. Wrap the sheet pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to one week. Do not bake your cookies from room temperature- they will not bake properly.

5. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

6. Arrange the chilled dough a minimum of 4 inches apart on  your parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake for 9 minutes, then rotate, then another 9 minutes. Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pan before transferring to a plate or to an airtight container for storage. 

The countdown has officially begun. Jam and I will be soarin' high in a little over a month. Asia bound. Recently I've spent a great deal of time thinking of the adventures that await us. Amidst all the excitement I have had little time to reflect on this past year. A year that seemed a bit hectic, unsettling at times, but nonetheless, fulfilling. Up until this year, I was happy living this nomadic lifestyle. Beyond the house I grew up in, I didn't ever connect my idea of "home" with a specific place or house, I didn't become attached to places I lived, I was a bit of a squatter. I was never in one spot long enough to feel that physical attachment. It was the friendships I made along the way that drew me in, and continue to draw me back. I am endlessly excited to roam South East Asia with my best friend, to experience a world so different than our own, to fill our bellies with food that is foreign to us, to just enjoy being young. With that said, I am just as excited for all that awaits us when we return. That feeling of being content with the past, present, and future is possibly something I have been seeking this past year. Living each experience, being fully present, and allowing each adventure to be its own. 

That was a bit serious. Moving on to less "heavy" material. 

I've been keeping a "to-do" list. Instead of becoming shorter, it has grown and it continues to grow. I have multiple sticky notes, stuffed into the pockets of sweaters and jeans. With the trip nearing, I really should get serious, but there always seems to be something I'd rather be doing. Like cook, or bake. And cooking and/or baking is always so productive, so I don't feel too bad about neglecting all those lists. So I pass up mundane activities for cooking and baking, meh, it's no big deal. But what's slightly amusing is the fact that on all of these lists, there is at least two bullet points  that read similar to these "find key-lime pie recipe," "make donuts for peeps at work." I think I slip those in to make myself feel better. I may not have dealt with my snow tires, or figured out my taxes, but you can be damn sure I found a key-lime pie recipe. Priorities people. 

On to donut making. I made donuts this week, banana donuts. I'm a big fan of baked donuts. A lot less work for a treat that is equally delicious. And I had brown bananas that have been sitting in my freezer for weeks now. 

Banana Donuts 
Recipe coutresey of Tracy over at Shutterbean.com

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (3 bananas)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease 2 nonstick, 6-count doughnut pans. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, eggs, mashed bananas, vanilla and the oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined. Spoon the batter about three-quarters full into the prepared pans. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out dry, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool completely on a rack.

I like to toss a few tablespoons of sugar with a teaspoon of cinnamon and then dunk them in it, fully coating them. 

Thank you for reading. oxo. 

I have become far too blog lazy. Free moments have become few and far between. But here I am, it's 7:20 am, a time when only sitting in bed and pinterest cruising is allowed, unless of course, I have to work. As of late, I have been busting out pastries and the like at the Inn during the wee hours, and then hostessing in the evenings at a local restaurant. It has been nuts, my brain feels like mush by the time 11pm hits, but for some odd reason, I find enjoyment in all of it. I love my job at the Inn, I love whipping up sweets, but I'm generally holed up in a kitchen all day. My hostessing position allows me to meet new people, gab.. actual interactions with human beings!

The above was written weeks ago, or maybe even a whole month ago. ugh. I enjoyed the craziness of working two jobs at first, always having to be somewhere, commitments, an established routine. I should  have realized it would eventually lead to a serious lack of sleep. Which then leads to a very grouchy and irritable Shiel who neglects such things as her blog. Well, lets just say I took a brief vacation. And now, I am back!

I am now working just one job. Just a five minute walk from my apartment, it's perfect. And I have three days off a week! Which means I have an excessive amount of time to cook and bake. These past few weeks I feel as though that's all I ever do, if I'm not prepping for dinner, or baking bread, I am most likely researching recipes or grocery shopping. While other ladies my age are out buying clothes and the like, I am buying pounds of butter, flour, and sugar. 

Winter is settling in here. I find myself staying in bed longer in the mornings to avoid the cold, drinking more coffee for its warmth, and committing to a whole month of bikram yoga for its 105 degree heat that I crave during the chilly months. I hate saying it, I really do, but I hate the winters in Vermont. I was born and raised here, I should at least be somewhat accepting of them. But as each year passes, I have come to dislike them more and more. I cringe when I have to go outside, literally. But it's okay, because in reality, I can fill my kitchen with warmth and the smell of fresh bread, and, well, everyone loves fresh bread. 

I recently found a wonderful recipe for your typical sandwich loaf. I toss some herbs in, and shit, it's tasty. A slab of bread is really a vessel for anything and everything. So today, I share with you this recipe. Go make bread, warm up your kitchen, especially if you're like me and refuse to believe winter is back already. 

Rosemary (or any herb/spice) Sandwich Bread
Yields 1 loaf

2 teaspoons active dry yeast 
1 cup (235 ml) warm milk 
1/3 cup (80 ml) warm water 
2 tablespoons freshly chopped rosemary (or 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, chopped) 
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
1 1/2 teaspoons salt 
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil 
3 1/2 cups (445 grams) bread flour

In a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer), sprinkle the yeast over the barely warm milk and water and allow to sit about 5-10 minutes until activated (looks frothy). Mix in the olive oil, rosemary, black pepper, and salt. Gradually add bread flour, mixing until the dough comes together. If the dough is too dry and will not come together, add small amounts of water until it does. Conversely, if the dough is too sticky, add flour until it becomes workable; however, do not add too much flour or the bread will become dense.

Turn out dough on a lightly floured surface and knead the dough for 7-10 minutes, or until elastic. Alternatively, using the dough hook on a stand mixer, knead the dough for 7-10 minutes, or until elastic. Cover dough with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise until doubled in a warm place, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch down the dough before turning out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into an even log and place in a lightly greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Press dough down so it reaches the corners evenly. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for another 40-60 minutes until doubled.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

Sprinkle the top of the bread dough with salt, pepper, and rosemary, if desired. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from baking pan and allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.