as i said in the comments on the the previous post -- i don't know if anyone comes back to read replies, but anyway i do reply ! -- don't believe i spend most november days vegging out in my bed ! i enjoy this text i read last week because it fits the need to slow down i feel every year when christmas is around the corner.
i've spent (too) many years racing against the clock, like the rabbit in alice in wonderland, trying to buy last minute presents, trying to please the maximum of people i knew, and when my family was alive helping setting a table with too much food on it.
and one day... i quit !
now i don't go over my limits, reaching december 24th sleep deprived and mentally exhausted because of the hustle & bustle. i start thinking about gifts (buying & making) in september (enough time to order online without having to pay for rush delivery & better for budget too) our little winter break is booked early october, i plan how i would like to decorate just after halloween is gone and we discuss what we'd like to eat on the 24th + 25th on mid-november (it doesn't have to be traditional, but just what we fancy eating).
and if this is not enough, well... too bad but i do what i reasonably can and i won't loose the spirit of it all for the marathon.
this fall i regularly made an easy (cheap) fruit & nut cake, and erin, here's the recipe (100% mine) on your sweet request
:: quick upside-down fruit & nut cake ::
2 eggs
150 grams brown, or non refined, or coconut sugar
1Tbsp rum
7,5 cl oil
7,5 cl coconut milk or cream
mixed together in a bowl.
in another bowl sift 150 grams of semi-whole wheat flour (in france known as T80. you may choose to mix of white & whole, instead) with 1 rounded Tbsp of baking powder & 75 grams of raw coconut. add to the liquids beating gently until smooth.
grease a 9/10 inch (26 cm) cake pan & then cover the bottom with a sheet of baking paper cut in a circle. display several slices of canned pineapple as if doing it for a tart. sprinkle with more sugar (i use vanilla sugar) & dot with (tiny pieces of) butter. pour the dough over the fruits.
bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20/25 minutes (if your oven is not a convection one you may need some extra time, the cake still need to be a little soft the touch). leave it to cool about 10 minutes before you take it out of the pan (be careful the cake will be soft remove the baking paper) = fruits should be on top when serving.
options : replace canned pineapple+coconut+rum by pear+almond+kirsch or by apple+hazelnut+cognac and the coconut milk by buttermilk. also gluten-free using 175 grams of a gluten free flour mix & increasing the ground nuts to 100 grams (and GF baking powder of course)
h a p p y t h a n k s g i v i n g to my American friends !
oh... and i'm curious : does any of you make their own advent calendar this year ?
hmmh looks and sounds so good! today I thought about making a cake but I could not decide.. I wanted to try a new recipe! ...so, here it is:) thank you:)you made it easy to me!
ReplyDeleteand we do not celebrate christmas, but I always have these moments where I feel the need to slow down an bit..to breathe and really live every moment..time rushes by so fast..
JenMuna
Love the pretty candlelight stars! I made my advent calendar when I started blogging four years ago...http://www.flickr.com/photos/linaloo/2083990520/
ReplyDeletei can relate... i'm always in a rush to finish handmade gifts and buying gifts. every year i think "this is the year i'll start early and stress-free" and it never happens.
ReplyDeletethis year, we'll be spending christmas eve at my parents with my side of the family and his. it's a lot of people, so my mom came up with a clever idea - secret friends. each person brings a gift to just one other person. that way we can focuse on what's really important - celebrating the true meaning of christmas in the warmth of eachother's company :)
That recipe looks delicious, simple and quick to make, I will try it :D
ReplyDeleteI read replies :) because i give replies on my own blog too.
ReplyDeleteI think I learned that too, after so many years of stress in december and most important is I make time for myself.
Thank you for the recipe !
Hugs, Pauline
recipe sounds delicioius, will have to try it, all the best wishes to you
ReplyDeleteI do the same! I don't over plan, and I set a lot of limits. If I feel like making some handmade things one year, then I do, but if I don't, I don't beat myself up for it. This year will be especially laid back with just 4 of us, relaxing and cooking and having fun. :)
ReplyDeleteThe cake looks very tasty !
yes, slowing down is good, a steady pace where we can embrace joy and each other.
ReplyDeletethank you for posting this recipe! do you think on the measurement of 7,5 cl oil that would be 1/2 cup by US measuremnts? I'm sure i can look on the 'net for the conversion, too : )
~erin
that cake looks delicious and love the pretty candles!
ReplyDeletesince a few years ago i decided not buy christmas presents anymore and keep that kind of pressure away from our home... just I love to make simply handmade gifts at the end of the year for our very close people...
this looks delicious! happy thanksgiving to you too.
ReplyDeleteJenmun : well i hope you enjoy this one. it is very easy & quick and can be made for breakfast too.
ReplyDeleteLina : oh wow ! I sewed a similar (will try ot find it &post on flickr someday) 4 or ( years ago, used it two years in a row and then decided I needed a change !! ;) but I may use it again of course.
the weightofdreams : secret friends is THE key when you host a party with many people ! I was often full of good intentions to finish in time but it never worked and I felt guilty everytime, which spoiled the fun a bit. With the schedule as I have set it these two past years, it works better.
Lucie : bon appétit ! avec la météo que l'on va avoir ce wkd + ces prochains jours :( je parie qu'une bonne tasse t une part de gateau, ça fera du bien !
Pauline : thank you, to you, too ! I will check back on your blog, then. And yes I think most of us learned to adjust as we get older, which is a good thing since these celebrations should be enjoyed by everyone.
Dorit : I hope you enjoy it. Thank you and hugs to you too !
Elizabeth : Yes I was thinking about that the other day wondering if Nicole and Pierre would make it back to CA for Thanksgiving or Christmas... but since they newly relocated I guess it is not possible this year. Since I started sewing/crocheting etc... i lways feel like making handmade gifts but I don't have enough time. This year there will be one for L & one for M. but I don't think I can go any further than that...
Erin : sorry i was lazy & used the European scale for this recipe !
i usually use both measurements according to the nationality of the recipes...
7,5cl of oil/milk is rather a full 1/3 cup (i did the test 5 minutes ago with both of my French measurement glass & US measurement cup) please ask if any other info .
RosaMaria : I bought these metal buckets for a birthday party at a dollar store years ago and thought i'd better give them a permament use somewhere. so I filled them with sand and now use Ikea tealights it gives a lovely glow...
Well, of course presents are always nice to receive, but sometimes the frenzy is just ridiculous & i was shocked to hear last year that 30% of the people would return their gifts for money or sell them on *bay...
I mix both handmade & store-bought for our daughter. My husband & I don't exchange Christmas presents anymore, we prefer now that she is older to save this amout of money to go on a little family winter break.
coc : thank you dear Coco ! as you know we don't celebrate Thanksgiving here in Europe, but I always have a thought for my American friends, and it is good anyway to take some time to reflect & count your blessings.
Thank you everyone for your visit ! I hope you have a lovely weekend.
Great,
ReplyDeletetoday I got my package with my xylit(ol) and now a yummy recipe, what a perfect timing !?!
Like your QUOTE OF THE MONTH. Especially all friends I want to see...Need a new to-do-list! :-D
"...setting a table with too much food on it." : oh yes, sounds like me, sounds like my mom, sounds like my granny...I guess it sounds like all moms on earth (ok, I'm not a mom, but just a bit for Puk)...
Valerie, every year I try to make our own advent calender, but after work magic flies in my body and I just feel the need to sleep ;-D (I know terrible,hehe)
Have a great weekend, too! Thanks for sharing your thoughts :-D
"Christmas"! I always like Christmas! When my little girl understands what "Christmas" means to her, she starts making her next year's Christmas list the day after Christmas! I have been making most of my Christmas gifts for last 5 years, but last year I had to purchase most of gifts from the stores which serious damage my pocket! I totally hear you about the hustle of last minutes of everything! This year, I am hoping to make all my gifts, but I knew I'll ended up buying a few from the stores. I don't have much plan for Christmas this year. I know it will be just us. Lots movie time and lots chocolate for the bitter cold winter! I am sure lots sewing involved as well! Perhaps learn how to knit!
ReplyDeleteCoucou! Plus de calendrier de l'Avent chez nous... sigh... De blog en blog, j'ai trouvé celui-ci: elleadesailes.canalblog.com, il date de l'année dernière et tu le connais peut-être mais j'ai pensé que cela pouvait t'intéresser (je ne sais plus comment activer un lien sur blogspot, désolée). Bonne soirée!
ReplyDeleteI usually start making Christmas decorations/plans etc when I feel in the mood for it - even though it's no doubt a smart thing to start early!
ReplyDeleteLOVELY recipe, Valerie--Thank you! And LOVELY PHOTO!! I try every year not to fall into the traps of the pre-Christmas crush... It's not always easy sometimes...LOL... I think we put too many expectation on ourselves. In trying to give to others we mistakenly take away from ourselves. Wonderful advice here. :o) Happy Days ((HUGS))
ReplyDeleteDelicious
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to try out this cake. And I love love the first photo! As to the calender, I made one years ago for my daughter and while I tried to initiate something new last year, I realized the children prefer the routine and tradition of the old calender. Which means, easy for me :) Happy Advent, dear Valerie xo K.
ReplyDeleteThis cake is a good healing for the gray weather, I will try the last option, apples and hazelnuts and a bit of cognac.
ReplyDeleteThis might well be a recipe found from the black purse of the Moomin mamma (:
Anna Emilia : ohoh that's a sweet one ;) however no pine needles in this cake !!
ReplyDeleteKaren : thank you. i can easily understand that. i've never let my dd having the same advent calendar so she didn't have the opportunity to any routine i guess ! :) xo back to you !
Miren Iriondo Photographie : thank you & welcome !
Tracy : well you have such an exciting trip to look forward to, no wonder you're busy in this pre-christmas time... everyone will find their own pace & what works for them if one take time to think about it a little ahead of time. and once one has their own right recipe, it is such an enjoyable time ! hugs !
Francesca : yes this is what I'm saying to Tracy. There's no unique recipe. This pattern will work for me, because I don't like to rush and living in the country some things take time and need to be taken care ahead of time, but some people actually enjoy being on pressure & are effective with a short deadline. or some don't like celebrations, decorations, a little fancy dinner etc...
Merci Alice : le lien n'est plus actif mais je suis allée découvrir leur autre blog. tes grands enfants aimeraient sans doute encore un calendrier de l'avent (j'en connais d'autres et ils ont plus de 20 ans !) s'ils étaient plus près de toi :)
Chase : this is sweet !!!
ReplyDeleteI hope your purse will be healthier ;) this year and that you'll be able to make all the gifts that you had planned. my husband & i don't exchange gifts, only a few favorite candies/chocolates, but for my daughter I both buy & make. She has no other family than us to spoil her a bit, and I like to see her thrilled and happy. as it should be. however it is nothing extravagant and she's the type of child that is easily contented.
i'm sure you'll enjoy knitting, you have such an eye for colors & patterns. and warm knitwear is perfect now that you live in the cold north !
mecamo : i know, friend : time flies ! that's why i set dates on the calendar for me to start things. this is the only way or i end up overwhelmed or too late. how is xylitol working for you ? i have to investigate about that. have to be honest i'm not always convinced by artificial sweeteners. i usually prefer to reduce the sugar intake by not using refined, and encouraging options like agave syrup, coconut sugar and such... have you tried any of these ?
Hello Valerie,
ReplyDeleteXylitol is working for me good. Actually I just bought it for my teeth to clean, but heard a lot of other good things about health and stuff like to bake with it (but not good to bake with yeast). I've read in one study that xylitol helps also children with Otitis and people with intestinal problems.
I also use agave syrup (and stevia), but I was looking for some good for my teeth...S's birthday is soon, will bake my first xylitol cake. I'll keep in touch to let you know when I'll throw it out my window ;-D
Oh, by the way, your creative corner is inspiring.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylitol)
j'adore toutes tes petites idées déco ... et merci pour le lien vers la céramiste portugaise qui fait des merveilles ... (nous partons 1 petite semaine à Lisbonne en février, j'ai hâte !!)
ReplyDelete