puzzling

 

pom (egranate) happy

I have so much I want to write but so little brain power floating about to do so. It's probably best as some of it is a bit of a buzz-kill (most of it actually) with a bit of an Emergency Room adventure thrown in for fun. At this very moment I am duking it out with a sinus infection from Hades that decided to throw an old fashioned rave in my left ear. We're talking some serious OUCH factor...the tear inducing kind...the kind that meds failed at helping, and the kind that had me circling the kitchen island in tears at three-thirty this morning with an occasional pause to press my ear against the cold marble-y counter.

 

After I finally managed to fall asleep and then gradually wake up to put something in the belly to mingle with the meds, I spied the pomegranate I picked up at the market the other day after catching a video on a friend's facebook page on an easy way to de-seed one. I decided to try it and holy moly....it worked like a charm!

I ate half of the arils with a bit of yogurt and then I tumbled back to bed for a four hour nap and ate the rest of the arils once I woke up. So very pleased with how easy this was, I ventured out...painful raving ear and all to pick up a few more poms. I can't wait to whack a spoon against them! Watch the video here, and yes, it is a smidge longer than it could be but I get it, I do. When something blows your mind like this, you gotta share!

***the most tie-consuming part of this process is separating the pom in half once you score around it. If you have a problem with it, score a smidge deeper and try again. Once you have two halves, the process moves along quickly.

lovely love: make shortbread bites

 Shortbread cookies are a specialty of mine. I enjoy baking them and my friends enjoy eating them. When I first began baking up shortbread, I went the traditional route and attempted to roll the sugary dough into Martha Stewart-worthy logs with little success. The cookies tasted lovely but looked a little less than. One day, in my haste and frustration, I heaped all the dough onto the cookie sheet into a mound that I squared off with a sharp knife once the cookies were out of the oven. I began calling them shortbread bites and merrily went on my way. This past month, I have been seeing recipes for shortbread bites popping up all over the place. Here are a few pointers I will offer.

Your basic shortbread dough is equal parts butter, flour and sugar....give or take a smidge here or there. I use a little less sugar. The dough is so simple to make and comes together so easily you can whip a batch up with a worn wooden spoon. No mixers needed. Use confectioners/powdered sugar, it adds no grain to the dough. Add a pinch of salt, or better yet, sprinkle a little salt on top. When adding vanilla, forget a measuring spoon, simply add a cap full, that's what my mamos taught me. If you wish to add sprinkles or lavender buds, use your hands and then add a smattering to the top. Make a double batch of dough to store in the freezer. Form one part into a log so you can have instant slice and bake goodness for those gray mornings that need a pick me up. Remove the dough from the oven a minute or two even before the timer goes off. An underbaked shortbread cookie will have a dazzling bit of chew and it changes the whole cookie eating experience. 

When making shortbread bites, you can use a knife to square off edges (don't throw them away, they are just as tasty) and slice through the dough while it is still warm to cut dozens of small bite-sized piece. You can also use an assortment of your smallest cookie cutters. They have a certain charm that enhances the sweetness of the cookie. Most of all, make sure to share the wealth. A small bit of baked goodness can usual brighten the dreariest of days! Happy almost-Febraury!