a day on the ranch {guest post}

this is a guest post

sort of

if you would do me the favor

of 

considering me a guest

of my own blog

i have another blog

actually,

my husband and i share it

it is our 

out and abouts

of our very new ranch

today

on the blog and facebook page

i shared a story 

and a recipe

much like i do here

but a bit more

long winded

and with a touch of sarcasm

because

sometimes

when the air is clean

i become

long-winded

and

cheeky

if you have a bit of time

i'd love it

if you would share a bit of it with me

and the ranch

listening

to  little story

that has a 

consolation prize

of

 braised kale with white beans and pork tenderloin

click here to read the rest of the story

mayan truffle cake

in celebration

that today

 is

rather than

 isn't

i am sharing

a

special treat

to honor the mayans

who

loved chocolate

just as i 

mayan truffle cake for two

3/4 cup whipping cream

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon (plus more for dusting)

1/8 tsp smoked paprika

4 oz bittersweet (70%) chocolate--melted

cocoa powder for dusting

spray 2-8oz ramekins with pan spray,then line with plastic wrap.  set aside

pour cream in a bowl large enough for whipping.  add in the salt, nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cinnamon and smoked paprika. whip to soft peaks. allow to warm a little (you do not want the whipped cream to be super cold for the next step). 

add about 1/4 of the whipped cream to the chocolate mixture and stir until it has been fully incorporated.  this will lighten the mixture a bit, which will make it easier to fold in the cream in the next step.  gently fold the remaining cream into the chocolate mixture.  if your cream is too cold at this point, your chocolate will clump up and not incorporate well into the mixture, so be careful.

pour into prepared ramekins, smooth down the top and place in refrigerator for about 2 hours or longer, if you have the time.

when ready to serve, invert onto serving place and dust with cocoa powder and cinnamon

serve with rich dark coffee

honey spiced latte

i mostly drink tea

but this time of year

i love a festive coffee drink

that isn't filled

with 

syrups and sugar

because we have honey bees

i have a nice fresh stock of honey on hand

at all times

paired with warming spices

it is a delicious addition

to a hot cup of joe

Honey Spiced Latte

perfect for a cool day, or apris ski

1 Tbs honey

dusting of cardamom

dusting of cinnamon

dusting of ginger

4 oz of hot espresso

6 oz steamed milk and foam

Put the honey in the bottom of the mug or glass.  Dust the spices over the honey. Pour the hot espresso over and stir until the honey melts.  Add milk to your liking.  Top with foam and dust with a bit more cinnamon and ginger.  Drizzle honey on top.

gingerbread construction {tips and tricks}

what is so wonderful about 

gingerbread houses

is that they are always

magical

even when they are a 

big. fat. mess

some years

i do an elaborate construction

(with assistance from hubster-of course)

like this

and sometimes

like this

and occasionally

simple 

like these

but no matter how

elaborate or simple

there are a few things that

are a constant

and 

important

today

i am sharing with you

some of my tricks

for stress free gingerbread house construction

Making Plans

-let the gingerbread dough rest in the refrigerator overnight before baking

-do not construct the house on the same day you have baked the gingerbread, give it a day to cool and settle

-if you buy pre-made gingerbread pieces, make sure they are dry before decorating or constructing

-to dry pieces out (especially in humid environment), place them on a cookie sheet and place in a slow (225-250F) oven until they firm up

Construction Management

-if using a purchased kit, do not, i repeat, do not use the frosting that comes with the kit to assemble the house. it will frustrate the dickens out of you.  make a nice big batch of Royal Icing (alton brown's recipe)

-if you are decorating with mainly candies and sprinkles, construct the house at least 12 hours before decorating---24 hours is best

-if you want the candies to stick, use royal icing.  if you want them to taste yummy, use frosting.

-assemble the walls of the house first, allow to dry for about an hour, then attach the roof pieces.

-prop the pieces up while they are drying, even if it looks like they are staying without a problem.

-allow the house to fully dry, before adhering it to a base

Custom Built

-if perfect corners and straight edges are your thing, use a micro-plane to shave the ends of the gingerbread pieces.

-if looking for a darker hue on your gingerbread, or to paint gum pieces to look like hardwood floors, simply mix a bit of coffee granules into vodka to desired color and consistency and paint it on.  the vodka will evaporate quickly.

-when piping intricate details, use a piping bag with a tip.  you will get consistent results and small detailed lines.

-when using the piping bag, do not over-fill, particularly if you have small hands.  put no more than a cup of royal icing in at a time.

-if you make a mistake and it really bothers you, wait until it dries to easily pick it off

-when doing intricate detail work, it is best to decorate the house before constructing. it allows for more freedom of motion

but most of all

have fun!

i would love to hear any tips you may have for stress free gingerbread construction

or

if you have a question about this topic that i didn't answer

please feel free to ask in the comments