Tag Archives: cinnamon

Spiced Cranberry Scones with Cinnamon Glaze

February 22, 2013

For years after Eowyn was born, I felt like the odd man out. My network of women included other stay-at-home moms for whom I was grateful, but I always struggled any time I expressed difficulty in this task of raising little ones. It seemed like my words were bouncing off the walls and coming back to me void; I was very lonely and unable to find others who could relate to my experience. As postpartum depression hit me hard, I found my new life as a mom to be suffocating, and while I certainly expected things to change after having …

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French Toast with Cinnamon Syrup

January 24, 2013

It’s been a good week, friends. Life as a mom of two is a constant struggle for me, so it’s not often that I get to make a statement like that. Over the last seven days, God’s grace has been palpable in ways that I have not experienced in months, if not years. I told you recently about how I was getting glimpses of his goodness, these glimmers of hope in the darkness of my soul, and now the brightness is growing. Light is flooding into the most forlorn corners of my heart, and I am refreshed. The impetus for …

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Homemade Eggnog

November 30, 2012

I don’t always have an appreciation for Dan’s analytical mind, but lately, he’s been rubbing off on me. Take this eggnog, for example. What began as a single experimental batch several days ago quickly became a multi-round quest to develop a beverage that was perfectly pleasing in both taste and texture. Ingredients, methods, and temperatures were put to the test, leaving me with a much better understanding of eggnog and custards in general. Let’s talk about the concept for a moment: milk is infused with spices as it heats on the stove, then it is carefully whisked into egg yolks …

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Pumpkin Quinoa Chili

October 22, 2012

“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” -George Eliot In my book, there’s really no better time of year than fall. The days turn pleasantly crisp, the colored leaves are stunning, and the season of comfort foods begins. The setting sun shone brightly on us yesterday evening as we took the kids to a nearby pumpkin patch. It was a simple activity, a little family excursion that both kids will likely forget, but for a moment, it helped me see more clearly …

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Spiced Autumn Leaf Cutout Cookies

October 14, 2012

There’s really no better time to visit Ohio than in the fall. Bright oranges, reds, and yellows are burgeoning, and the temperatures have been cool and crisp in the 50′s. It’s the kind of weather that I like to be out in, as long as I can bundle up in a scarf and my North Face fleece, but it’s also comforting to come inside and enjoy a warm cup of tea near a crackling fire. While the scenery is perfect, the experience is made better by the fact that we are visiting Dan’s parents for a month. Stereotypes would suggest …

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Sweet Cinnamon Iced Coffee

May 2, 2012

It doesn’t take more than a cursory glance to see that I am my father’s daughter given my fair skin, dark hair, and chicken legs, yet as I grow older, the traits I inherited from my mom are becoming increasingly manifest. I see in myself her fighting spirit, her penchant for fashion accessories, and – perhaps the most obvious to me – her love for all things coffee. She taught me my first lessons in coffee brewing, and I still remember the times we’d stop in to Starbucks and indulge in mocha Frappuccinos during my teenage years. It usually happened …

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Baked Pumpkin French Toast with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

December 15, 2011

How did it happen? It feels like just yesterday I was patting myself on the back for being ahead of the game with shopping and holiday preparations, then suddenly I realized Christmas is only 10 days away. Now I’m feeling terribly behind! My to-do list is still a mile long, but perhaps I’ll whittle it down by going the gift card route and skipping Christmas cards (wait, didn’t I do that last year, too?). Oh well. I suppose being 35 weeks pregnant, mothering an active toddler, and having recently had a major sickness will do that to a person. At …

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Hot Spiced Cider

November 10, 2011

I always feel a little guilty whenever I make this apple cider, though it’s not for the reasons you might expect. It hasn’t been uncommon for people to remark that it’s the best they’ve ever tasted. Really? Wow, that was more than I was anticipating. The first time it happened, I thought the guy was just trying to be nice, but then it kept happening again and again. Such compliments continue to amaze me because this recipe is so simple and takes all of five minutes of prep work. Why should I receive praise for doing next to nothing? The …

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