#blueberry blitz cookie

[frenchiefieart]

Pure Vanilla and Shadow Milk's staffs as cookies!! This could either be some alternate universe where they were never staffs, or maybe they accidentally turned their staffs into cookies with mysterious soul jam magic, who knows!! but i think they should hold hands 🥰

[youarestellarverse]

WIP Wednesday - 4/20 fic

Yup, I'm going with it. (see the post previous to this one.)

Set very shortly after Jason is forcibly retired from football due to blowing his knee (torn ACL/MCL/meniscus all in the same injury, yeeowch).

"I call this strain 'blue chocolate chip cookies'," Grover announces, beaming widely as he sits on his bed and loads up his tabletop vaporizer. "It's a hybrid of blueberry kush for anxiety, GSC for pain and a little chocolope for energy. Paul, you're gonna want to be careful; this stuff is medical grade. A hit or two should do you."

"Noted," Paul replies from where he's sitting on the floor with his legs pretzeled, a distinctly gleeful note to his voice. "The last time I partook was with my college boyfriend, which was, oh, fifteen years ago? I was planning to go slow anyway." 

The enthusiasm seems to be making Jason feel better— at least he's not the only newbie in the room, although he is the only true pot virgin, and he's a little self-conscious about it. 

"You might not get stoned the first time," Percy warns him, watching as Grover presses down the fragrant plant material. "I didn't. The second time, it hit me like a battering ram and I ended up in this very room eating cold tomato soup directly from the can, which was a religious experience in my blitzed state." 

"That's why I'm here," says Percy's mom, smiling from her corner of the room. "Munchie patrol." 

"You're also here to make sure nobody goes streaking in Times Square," Jason points out, the first joke he's made in a while. 

She must find it a relief the same way Percy does, because she bursts into laughter as she gets up and heads for the kitchen. 

"That too. Have fun, boys. I'm going to start the fettuccine." 

She switches on the air purifier and shuts the door behind herself. Percy stuffs a towel underneath it and cracks a window, and Grover fires up the vaporizer. 

"Pain level, scale of one to ten, one being 'I might just need to sneeze' and ten being 'I need an ambulance immediately'?" he asks Jason, calm and practiced— he's used to this, which makes Percy's heart hurt almost as much as Grover's legs do when it rains. 

Jason thinks about it for a moment. He's tense and pale, which can't mean anything good. 

"Seven," he answers finally, shifting his leg. He winces, and Percy winces with him. "Bad idea. Eight." 

"Babe…"

It comes out soft and plaintive. Jason tries to smile, like he wants to be reassuring, but it looks more like a rictus grin. 

Current word count: 404

[dimsilver]

💕✨create the illusion of hanging out with your mutuals tag game✨💕

(I’m taking advantage of the open tag on several friends’ posts!)

morning person? not really. I love when I am up early, but since I also love staying up late (and can do so far more easily), I don’t do it much. (Although there was this magical time in my life from ages 6-8ish when I always woke up two hours before sunrise, somehow completely rested, and read Narnia or Little House and watched the sunrise until everyone else got up :) I miss that.)

ideal breakfast? Fried eggs and bacon and toast with apricot jam on it. Or an omelet. Or buckwheat pancakes with maple syrup and warm blueberries (like the kind you can get frozen in bags - just heat them up and you get warm, sweet sauce with blueberries in it).

favorite warm drink, and how do you take it? I don’t have warm drinks much, but when I do it’s either tea (usually chai or raspberry zinger) or dark hot chocolate with whipped cream.

sit in the sunshine or shade? it gets really hot in the summers where I live, so sometimes I choose shade - but my favorite is always sunshine. I love lifeguarding long hours outside in the summers and feeling the sun sink into my bones and tan my skin.

favorite baked good? ….all?? there are so many good ones - brownies, coffeecake, sourdough (with rosemary olive oil balsamic dip!!), naan, buttered rolls, cookies of all sorts…

a song or album that makes you feel at peace? For Sunday mornings, Fernando Ortega’s album Come Down O Love Divine album. At other times it depends, but there are a few Andrew Peterson, Fernando Ortega, Rich Mullins, Gray Havens, Josh Garrells, Chris Renzema, and Arcadian Wild songs I keep coming back to. That’s not even to mention hymns, but I sing those more than listen to them (it’s hard to find versions that compete with harmonizing with my friends tbh).

take a walk with your friends or read a book next a friend on the sofa? probably take a walk. I had a glorious routine last spring of late-evening walks with friends - sometimes in the mist or rain - and we’d go for hours. It was the best (okay and the time we did a 2 am walk was pretty great too).

what tasks do you gravitate to when making a meal with others? Pretty much anything as long as I can help!!

a chore that if someone completed it for you you’d love them forever? honestly laundry. Maybe it’s because I have to pay for my school’s washer/dryer, but I put it off as long as possible.

favorite board/card game to play with friends? ERS, Uno, Coup, Exploding Kittens, Say Anything, Bananagrams, Garbage, Dutch Blitz, and Splendor are some favorites.

what kind of snacks/candy do you want at a movie theater? sour patch kids.

bar with live music or bar with a pool table? I don’t go to bars, but I could be convinced if it’s one of those rural relatively wholesome ones with live music for swing dancing :)

go-to compliment? probably “I love your outfit!” or “I love talking to you”

hang out on the couch, the bed, or the kitchen chairs? Couch. Fort possibilities, chill vibe, but I don’t fall asleep while attempting to hang out with someone.

are you tending the fire, looking at the stars, or singing campfire/folk songs? all!! Please? I actually adore this question and it describes some of my most favorite moments. Especially if the campfire songs are mostly worship.

a favorite Scripture verse or prayer? I have a lot, but lately I’ve been dwelling on Psalm 107:9 - “For He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things.” It’s such a good reminder that my Lord’s purposes are ultimately so gracious and kind - to satisfy me and bring me everything I need (which is Him).

are you the person begging to go to just one more bar/sing one more song, the person staying up late talking about love and the universe, or the person who fell asleep hours before anyone else? Definitely one of the first two (though as aforementioned I don’t go to bars; but I’m always down for more singing or dancing or ultimate frisbee, etc). I do tend towards a contemplative mood in my late night conversations; love and the universe sound ideal.

this was fun! tagging @accidental-spice @kanerallels @saxifrage-wreath @athenenoctua9 @brown-little-robin @fictionadventurer and anyone else who’d like to do it!

[asunsetinacup]

Tiefling Horns

@criticalbakes​ Week 6- Jester Lavorre

For Jester, the pastry queen, I knew I had to make something pretty special. Rewatching the campaign 2 I still laughed at her outrage that Xhorhas doesn’t have elephant ears or their cinnamony flavor! (I mean I get it, never eating cinnamon sounds like a terrible life) Instead of going with the fried dough county fair verity, I went with the flaky, puff pastry kind.  With the fruit fillings, they ended up looking like tiefling horns, so I renamed them! I went a little overboard on the baking this week with a pretty cute strawberry batch, a yummy cinnamon one, and blueberry one good enough for a hag :)  

This recipe is based on the mini elephant ears from king arthur flour, however, my method is a little different. 

Ingredients

Rough Puff Dough:

2 1/4 c All Purpose Flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

12 tbsp. cold butter, cut into pats

3/4 c sour cream

Granulated sugar to roll the dough out onto

Cinnamon Filling:

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 c powdered sugar

Fruit Filling:

1/2 c freeze dried fruit (I used strawberries for 1 batch and blueberries for another)

1/2 c powdered sugar

(Choose 1 filling)

Process

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking soda.

2. Cut  the butter into the flour with 2 butter knives or a pastry cutter until the butter is about the size of a pea. 

3. Stir in the sour cream until a very stiff and rough dough forms, then turn the dough out onto a floured surface.

4. Shape the dough into a rectangle and fold in thirds like a letter. Use a rolling pin to flatten back out into a rectangle. Repeat folding a flattening 2 more times. Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.   

5. To make the cinnamon filling, combine the ingredients. To make the fruit fillings, blitz everything together in a blender or food processor until it becomes a fine powder, then sift to remove any clumps or seeds. 

6. Cover your work surface with a layer of granulated sugar. Then roll 1/2 the dough out to a 14x7 rectangle on top of the sugar. Cover the surface of the dough in 1/2 of the filling and press it gently into the dough. 

7. Roll both 14 inch long ends tightly towards the center of the dough like a scroll. They should meet in the middle. Gently press each roll together to keep the shape tight. Cover tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for 2 hours.

8. When your dough is ready, preheat the oven to 425F/200C. 

9. Cut the cookie log into 1/4 inch thick cookies and place on a tray 1 in. apart. 

10. Bake for 9* minutes, flip and bake for 3 more minutes

*watch these cookies closely, you may have to adjust the time. Look for them to just start to turn golden around the edge.

[vaasadiary]

Swedish Christmas Ginger Cookies Cheesecake- Jul Pepparkakscheesecake

Serve up a sweet treat this holiday season with the best Christmas Flavoured cheesecake.

This cheesecake base is made out of gingerbread cookies and a creamy filling with coffee & Christmas spice, the perfect Christmas treats for everyone :)

Swedish Christmas Ginger Cookies Cheesecake- Jul Pepparkakscheesecake  : serving 8-10 pieces 

Cheesecake: 

400 gm cream (1 2/3 cup)

100 gm sugar (1/2 cup)

1 teaspoon vanilla sugar/ extract

200 gm cream cheese (1 cup)

2 teaspoon instant coffee 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder & 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder

1 teaspoon gelatine

1 tablespoon water 

Crust/bottom: 

150 gm pepparkakor or Christmas gingerbread cookies (1 1/2 cups) 

50 gm melted butter/margarine ( 3 1/2 tablespoon)

Topping :

2 tablespoon cocoa powder 

Method: 

-Add biscuits in a food processor and blitz. Add melted butter and blitz for a few more seconds. Press the mixture onto a cake tin with a spoon. Cover the biscuit mixture & refrigerate for min 30 mins . 

 -In a bowl, add blueberries & Sugar. Using a fork mash the blueberries until it becomes a sauce/jam. -In a large bowl, whipped the cream, sugar & vanilla sugar/Extract until form soft peaks.

 -Add in the cream cheese, coffee and Christmas spice & whipped for 30 more seconds. Set aside. 

-Add 2 teaspoon gelatin & 1 tablespoon water. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds.

-Gently add a few tablespoons of the cream mixture into the gelatine and finally blend the gelatin mixture into the remaining cream. 

 -Add the mixture onto the cake. Cover & refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight. The next day dust with cocoa powder and use your favorite cookie cutter, serve & enjoy :)

Music : Winter Magic by Roa Music | https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031 Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/.

[lucidfm]

april showers bring may flowers ! with april slowly ending and may just around the corner, spring sunshine and the soft breeze it brings is brightening up every inch of somnilia. daffodils are blooming, and mother nature has brought with her produce aplenty ! somnilia's spring festival will run from april 29th to may 6th, but festival preparations will be starting today, april 27th.

all of the money in this festival goes straight towards supporting somnilia's businesses. from fresh fruit like apricots to fresh vegetables like beets, in the center of somnilia park, residents can either buy fresh produce grown right here on the island. along with that, residents can also find a seat in the dining areas to eat from a menu that somnilia's restaurants have curated with recipes utiilising all of the fresh fruits and vegetables grown in the season to give everyone a luxurious five-star experience.

and if the promise of delicious food isn't enough for you, the festival will also have a variety of other things to captivate your attention ! have a need for a thrill ? go over to the ride information tent and check out our festival rides ! you can buy a wristband and have unlimited rides for the day. and with options including a ferris wheel, bumper cars, carousel, mechanical bull, wipe out course, spinning teacups, pirate ship, and a drop tower, there's no doubt that you'll be buzzing with adrenaline !

or maybe you've got your eye set on a good competition ? go over to the festival game areas where you can try your luck and your skills ! there are more than twenty festival games to visit and with options like ring toss, balloon darts, mini golf, rubber ducky fishing, mini bowling, and basketball hoops, everyone's a winner, but it's up to you if you'll win the big prize.

want to have a platform where you can perform your heart out ? well look no further than our open mic ! local talents are encouraged to sign up for the open mic list and show what they can do. from originals to covers, all is welcomed. all performers are asked to not go over ten minutes in a single sign up request but are more than welcome to perform more than once !

want to get involved but don't know where to start ? stop by town council, and we'd be more than happy to help you ! residents who would like to be in charge of a festival booth, please send in your formal request by april 28th with: the name and purpose of your booth along with all of the names of those who will be involved in your booth.

full rides listing: ferris wheel, bumper cars, carousel, mechanical bull, wipe out course, spinning teacups, pirate ship, drop tower, high striker, haunted house, tilt-a-whirl, log flume, laser tag, rock walls, zip lines, escape room, speedway, wave slinger ! 

full games listing: ring toss, balloon darts, mini golf, rubber ducky fishing, mini bowling, basketball hoops, spill the milk, tip the cat, football toss, shooting gallery, speed pitch, caterpillar slide, bean bag, coin toss, blitz, treasure chest, bouncy boxing !

fresh produce: apricots, arugula, asparagus, beets, blueberries, broccoli, butter lettuce, cabbage, carrots, corn, fava beans, grapefruits, kale, lemons, limes, mushrooms, oranges, pineapple, radishes, scallions, strawberries 

full menu:

appetizers: seared steak lettuce cups, baha shrimp taco salad, thai steak and noodle salad, grilled shrimp and smoky grilled corn grits, carrot pancakes with salted yogurt

main courses: orange chicken and kale stir fry, fresh pasta with favas, tomatoes and sausage, grilled steak salad with beets and scallions, grilled beef and broccoli, grilled steak and radishes with black pepper butter, creamy pasta with crispy mushrooms

desserts: berried treasure angel food cake, apricot tarts, pineapple coconut cupcakes, blueberry pie bars, strawberry shortcake funnel cake

drinks: cowboy lemonade ( alcoholic ), grapefruit mimosa ( alcoholic ), moscow mule ( alcoholic ), lemonade, pink lemonade, soft drinks, pineapple juice, water

booths: 

blind book date: don't judge a book by its cover ! at blind book date, there's a way to make sure you don't. a fundraising booth for vita library, residents will be able to pick up a cover-wrapped book to immerse themselves in. hosting the booth is veronica sawyer.

puppy lovin':  kissing booth where someone can pay a dollar for a kiss on the cheek and a puppy and the money made goes to the shelter. hosting the booth is leia organa with help  from hope mikaelson, mj watson, sarah cameron, caroline forbes and obi wan.

baked by lily!: supported by lily’s bakery with cupcakes, cakes and cookies. all freshly baked and at a range of different prices depending on the size and what a person buys. hosting the booth is lily evans with sirius black assisting.

astrology flowers: to buy flowers with the knowledge of their meanings to give to other people but also comes with an astrology reading as well, the proceeds go to kids in need. hosted by aeris gainsborough with the help of cloud strife and ahsoka tano.

game of wits: mediocre games booth! where you play a game of cards against him or finn and if you win then you win the glory of beating poe dameron at cards and a token for a free cupcake from lily's stall. hosted by poe dameron with assistance by finn.

grow it: have a green thumb ? filled with different kinds of plants like cactuses, ferns, flowers in pots, seeds to grow your own vegetables, the booth is in support of and hosted by ginny weasley.

hot dog!: a barbecue booth that is also hosting an eating contest ! come for a fun little competition to see just how much you can eat. 100% of all proceeds will also go back to the community. hosted by jughead jones and betty cooper.

talk shit, get hit: somnilia's very own tony stark will be talking shit and running his dunk tank with his assistant bucky barnes ! residents can try and dunk the somnilia ceo with bucky ready to help for those who miss ! all proceeds will go those in need. 

ring toss: hosted by padme amidala, she will be running a ring toss booth ! people will be tossing a ring and if you can aim well and hit one of the bowling pins, you'l get a prize ! all prizes will be funded by padme amidala herself.

[sulla-slays-cronulla]

Cashew Espresso Cookies

Pre-workout snack, chewy almond cookie base: 

Bats & Budget Stegosaurus

100g ground almond, 3 gently heaped tablespoons of self-raising flour

Salt pinch, Chinese 5 spice 1.5 tbsp, 1 tbsp Nescafe Classic

Zest of 3 mini mandarins - Best if you do this the night before and let zest dry out a bit in the fridge

In Blender: 3-5 star anise, 3 tbsp Lavazza / Davidoff instant espresso, handful of raw (but not the poison threshold of raw) cashews. Needless to say, make sure the star anise is blitzed properly first, you don’t want chunks of that in a bite. 

Mix all the dry, then add:

1/4 of mostly molasses, thin topper of honey. Tablespoon olive oil. Teaspoon vanilla essence. 

Mix and roll out. If the batter is too sticky, add a bit of flour. If too crumbly, very carefully add honey. 

Place in freezer for 10 minutes before cutting out the shapes that please you. 

Bake at 180C for 15 minutes, less if you prefer soft and chewy. You could also achieve this by including less flour in the recipe, then adjusting either the nut or liquid portions. 

These are pretty strong and bitter, so good to serve with something citrus and a cheese. The Cup of Cashew Espresso Bat includes thin slices of gouda, residual mini mandarin, and nuked red plum and blueberries. When you pour the hot fruit sauce over the gouda, it melts partially and pleasantly. 

* Why vary the instant coffees used? It balances out the flavour. Nescafe and Lavazza are more mellow, like a gentle base. Davidoff 57 is sour and power, so acts as the sensational punch in your ‘it’s not the vernal equinox stop avoiding leg day’ face. 

Zoom zoom. 

[thumper-darling]

You know how I feel about ice cream!!!!! All??

chocolate: when was your first kiss?

I remember vividly wanting to wait until I was 13 to have my first kiss, and it was at my old house on the side porch. And it was b a d. 

French vanilla: how old are you?

18 betch

cotton candy: three places you want to travel to?

New York City, London, Australia

strawberry: a language you wish you could speak?

Dutch

coffee: favorite cosmetic brands?

Anastasia Beverly Hills, Benefit, and Too Faced

mint chocolate chip: indoors or outdoors?

Outdoors when it’s nice out, somewhere between a cozy 60 or 75 degree Fahrenheit range. 

cookie dough: do you play any instruments?

lol no

rocky road: favorite songs at the moment?

Say Amen (Saturday Night) - Panic! At The Disco

Slow Motion - Saint Motel

Warmer - Bea Miller

butter pecan: favorite songs for life?

If You Want It - Relient K

Girls/Girls/Boys - Panic! At The Disco

Bonfire - The Hunna

cheesecake: what’s your zodiac sign?

Scorpio 

toasted coconut: the beach or the pool?

Pool 100% 

Public swimming areas are anxiety inducing 

chocolate chip: what’s your most popular post?

My Stranger Things 2 post about the mitochondria 

bubblegum: books or movies?

both

pistachio: manga or anime?

neither (manga)

salted caramel: favorite movies?

All Dogs Go To Heaven

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Spider-Man: Homecoming

birthday cake: favorite books?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Carry on by Rainbow Rowell

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

moose tracks: favorites for manga?

I’ve only ever read Blue Exorcist, and that was really good

orange sherbet: favorites for anime?

Idk, I guess Sword Art Online

peanut butter: favorite academic subject?

Writing and Literature 

black raspberry: do you have any pets?

I have a dog (Kylo) and a cat (Eli), and they’re both assholes 💛

mango: when and why did you start your blog?

2013 because I wanted to read theories about Doctor Who and Supernatural, please don’t judge me 

mocha: ideal weather conditions?

65 degrees, blue skies, no wind, all sunshine  

black cherry: four words that describe you?

adaptable, passionate, giggly, open 

neapolitan: things that stress you out?

heavy claims

raspberry truffle: favorite kind of music?

pop alternative? 

chocolate marshmallow: favorite brands of candy?

I used to be obsessed with candy, but not so much anymore. I’d say any chocolate bar maybe, but I have to be in the mood for it

toffee: a card game that you’re good at?

Dutch Blitz, I will card game u under the table bitch 

lemon custard: do you eat breakfast?

I’ve been trying to lately 

dark chocolate: turn ons?

happiness 

fudge: turn offs?

lying 

peach: how do you relax?

I usually spend a few hours with Daphne or any one of my friends that keep me calm 

praline: a popular book you haven’t read yet?

I’ve never read the matched series or the uglies series 

superman: do you like sweaters?

I STILL WEAR SWEATERS IN THE DEAD OF SUMMER, so yeah

cherry: do you drink tea or coffee?

Primarily coffee 

dulce de leche: an instrument you wish you could play?

the fiddle 

blackberry: have you ever laughed so hard you cried?

oh frick yeah I have 

ginger: a new feature you wish Tumblr could have?

an easier way to sort through posts

blueberry lemon: favorite blogs?

@madmadmilk, @parkersenses, @marvelous-skywalker, @doctormelapples

almond: favorite mean girls quote?

“I can’t help it if I’ve got a heavy flow and a wide set vagina”

butterscotch: what color are your nails right now?

clear coat

cinnamon: have you ever been confessed to?

no 

blue moon: have you ever had a crush on someone?

lol

cappuccino crunch: do you take naps?

every now and then

mint: the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done?

tripped in the middle of a road, thus knocking a tooth almost out of my mouth (thank god for braces at the time!), and skinning half of my body, including my face. 

brownie batter: do you like sushi?

I L O V E sushi

key lime: where do you want to be right now?

exactly where I am 

red velvet: do you wear prescription glasses?

No I do not 

green tea: favorite flavors of ice cream?

Vanilla moose tracks and mint chocolate chip 

[glowstickhaloboy]

smoothie klance au?? i guess

you would not guess how many half-written AUs i have in my drafts that become WAY TOO LONG for me to ever consider publishing in a text post. yes this is a short one.

keith makes smoothies for a living. it isnt a big deal until it is.

one night, this dude comes in. who cares about build-up, we all know its lance, and he looks frazzled. he sits at the counter and orders the fruitiest smoothie on the menu. keith makes it and doesnt think much of it, except to note that something about this kid is just... weird?

1: hes coming in alone, which people their age usually dont. 2: hes dressed pretty nicely. 3: hes just sitting there??? drinking a smoothie??? not even scrolling on his phone or anything, just looking around and slurping. okay weirdo. 4: he seems off. keith does not use the word “aura” on a regular basis but lance has an aura. (which does not make sense to keith, who barely understands his own emotions, let alone someone else’s.)

lance thanks keith, and leaves like thirty minutes later. hes certainly not the weirdest customer keith has ever served, but for some reason that random, singular dude sticks out in his mind.

but the shifts come and go, and gradually keith forgets about lance.

until he comes back in again.

its a lot like it was before. lance is dressed nicely, seeming miffed about something, or not miffed, exactly, but hes clearly not happy, and this time he orders a peanut butter and chocolate smoothie, and hes just as quiet as before, only this time hes rapidly tapping away on his phone instead of memorizing the inside of the restaurant, and keith is almost glad because it means he gets to sneak glances at this guy more casually??? like, hes had weird people in here before, and lance definitely isnt the weirdest, but enigma customers are intriguing to keith and he takes what he can get

the third time, its raining. lance is drenched, droplets running down the side of his face and under the collar of his (white, button-up) shirt. he smiles sheepishly at keith from across the room and sits at the counter, nearly having tripped on the way over because he didnt bother to wipe his shoes on the interior mat and created on the floor as he crossed the room.

he orders a strawberry and banana smoothie. keith has been preparing for this. he attempts small talk.

“nasty weather,” he says.

lance nods. “yep.”

god, that was horrible. 

keith hands lance his smoothie, his change, and hides at the far end of the counter. lance alternates between staring at his phone and watching the rain hit the windows and slide down the glass. sometimes, he sighs.

the fourth time, its the middle of the day. keith is just getting off his shift, but he imagines himself whipping around and demanding to stay later just so he can serve this random kid he knows nothing about???? his eyes are trained on lance as he walks out the door. he thinks lance glances at him. for the first time, keith wonders if lance comes in when keith is not there.

months pass, and lance comes in on the regular. its clear now that when he comes in, he is not happy. in fact, he seems to be getting less and less happy, judging by the fact that he starts to order mega-sized blueberry blitzes.

and then lance disappears

and keith isnt obsessed with the guy, he doesnt, like, notice except for the fact that he totally does. where the fuck did lance go???

but, you know, whatever. a customer is a customer. keith thinks about him sometimes, but lets it go for the most part.

until he doesnt.

its four more months before lance comes in again. leaves have fallen off the trees and scarves recently appeared in the street overnight. and now, all of a sudden, in an autumn sunset, lance stumbles through the door and throws himself into the nearest chair. keith can hardly believe his eyes.

“what can i get you?” he asks lance, and he thinks lance understands that keith recognizes him. still, lance takes a moment to answer, like he has to pick every part of himself off the ground first. he drags a hand down his face. looks up at the menu. looks down at his hands.

“fuckin... i dont know, man. you ever experiment with ingredients and stuff? like, on your break, you make yourself a smoothie thats not on the menu?”

keith cannot say that he has. “you want something thats not on the menu?”

“yeah...” says lance. “something with chocolate, though. i dont care how much it costs.”

its completely out of place for keith to ask why lance looks like utter shit. hes a smoothie maker, not a bartender. also, he still doesnt even know lances name. and yet.

“what am i trying to fix with this smoothie?” he asks. “rough day? heartache?”

“bingo!” says lance, a bite in his words. he laughs like he wants to die. “dont skimp on the chocolate, man, please.”

keith nods and tries to remember things that lance has ordered in the past (its never been the same thing twice) so he can use that to guess what lance would like. chocolate? what went well with chocolate??? strawberries--people dipped strawberries in those chocolate fountains. and bananas went well with strawberries. strawberry-banana with chocolate. it might be disastrous, might be passable. keith improvises a little on the portioning, delivers the finished product to lance with a pained face.

“i have no idea how this will taste.”

lance shrugs, pays the man, and sticks a straw in it. though keith has other customers, he waits for a reply. lance doesnt give him one. his face is stubbornly unreadable. but, he doesnt choke it back up, so keith doesnt make him anything else. he, regrettably, must now face the other distractions customers.

hes never focused less on what he was making. his goal is to get the order and send it out the door. in the meantime, lance sits at the counter, sucks down his smoothie, and stares at the back wall of the room as though he has recently been hollowed out. keith wonders just what the hell has been going on in this dudes life the past three months.

finally, the line empties out. keith scoots back to lance’s seat. “can i get you anything else?”

lance sets down his 3/4 finished glass (keith has to act fast) and shakes his head.

“we have cookies,” keith offers.

lance snorts into his shoulder. “man, how pathetic do i look? pity eyes and cookie offers and free conversation.”

keith drops all pretense. “what happened?”

lance hangs his head, his shoulders slumping. “i was really hoping that i wouldnt be coming back to this goddamn place for a long time.”

keith doesnt know what to say to that. he knows that it isnt about the smoothies, but he doesnt want to pry directly into lance’s life, so he says, “the smoothies arent that bad.”

“no. the smoothies are great. perfect pick me up. it just sucks that im back to needing pick me ups.” he takes a long sip of schroedinger’s disaster-passable smoothie, and instead of saying anything, keith remains silent, an invitation for lance to explain more. “i used to come in here all the time a couple months back."

“i remember,” says keith, unprompted, because he feels like lance will respond well to honesty right now.

lance raises his eyebrows but doesnt comment. “okay. well, its super lame, and youre going to think im a total loser considering you remember me, but its sort of a personal tradition for me to come in here... after i have a bad date. but i met this dude and we hit it off and we’ve been a thing for almost four months now. and then today...” he makes a soft, sad noise as his hand plummets and crashes on the counter. “he broke up with me.” keith frowns.

“that sucks.”

“yeah,” says lance. “it really, really does. so fuck guys and girls and dating in general for a while. lancey lance is going to take care of himself from now on.”

keith blinks in surprise. lancey lance. “your name is lance?” he asks.

“since day one.”

keith offers what he hopes is an encouraging smile. “keith.”

“well, keith,” says lance, standing, “keep up the good work.”

he slides a five onto the table and heads for the door. keith frowns down at it for a moment. as lance leaves, he calls over his shoulder, “its a tip!”

after that, keith doesnt see lance for a while, but now, knowing why, thats a satisfying thing.

but also, knowing that lance is into dudes and actively looking for love is a worrying thing. keith would have to be blind not to see how attractive lance is, and after their brief but insightful conversation, lance’s happiness is on keith’s wish list. lately, a particular train of thought has been running repeatedly though keith’s head: lance wants someone who is not a jackass; i am not a jackass.

but it would be totally weird for keith to ask lance out. besides, lance isnt coming into the restaurant anymore. keith physically cant ask him on a date. perhaps that is for the best.

and then, one saturday afternoon, the planets align. keith has had a confident morning, business has been steady all day, and he rolled out of bed looking good. lance walks in. contrary to keith’s power mood, lance looks like hes been recently hit by a bus and scraped off the pavement. he makes eye contact with keith on the doormat and gives a rueful smile. keith smiles sympathetically in return.

“maybe im just destined to die alone,” lance says, halfway through his coconut-key-lime whatever. “or i’ll find true love when im like thirty. which would be a bummer. im cute now.”

keith grins. hes leaning nonchalantly on the counter, a cleaning rag tossed over his shoulder. “the world is full of idiots,” he says consolingly.

lance’s eyes bug out. “im one of them!” he protests. “clearly! what am i doing wrong? keith? buddy? my man??? today, my date walked out in the middle of the movie. it wasnt even a bad movie! i have no idea what i did, but clearly she just had enough. i tried texting her, but my messages wouldnt deliver. i think she blocked me.”

“what movie did you take her to see?”

“die a virgin 3.”

“i think i might see the problem.”

“its a tasteful movie!” lance protests. “the whole franchise gets a bad rap because of one bad scene in the first movie, but this one is great! it has keaton lovinsten in it. who doesnt like keaton lovinsten? i was practically drooling over him from the first-- oh. oh. i think i know what might have turned her off.”

keith snorts. “i certainly wouldnt like it if i went out with a dude and he started eye-fucking someone else.”

casually slip into the conversation that you like dudes. good one, keith!

“i wasnt-!” lance turns beet red. “it was a movie! hes a celebrity! and there is no way it was that bad.”

“she clearly thought it was.”

lance’s head falls onto the table. “im hopeless,” he says, but he seems to feel better about saying it now. something in keiths chest settles. he thinks about the alignment of the planets and decides that he cant do this yet. hes going to let the universe keep on rotating, and he’ll catch his opportunity the next time. for some reason, he wants to take this slowly.

so lance continues to make keith’s workplace his lovelorn HQ. keith continues to give him sympathetic pats on the back, one time even literally, and eventually he feels comfortable referencing lance in conversations with others as “my friend lance...”

meanwhile, lance goes on date after date with countless people who are not keith. the jealousy is starting to eat at keith, but he can endure it because he only ever sees lance on the tail end of these tragic romantic encounters, when all lance wants to do is complain about their big noses and loud chewing. still, keith starts to feel like hes playing with fire. on any random day, lance could find someone who makes him very happy, and he would suddenly disappear for good.

on a snowy thursday, lance enters the restaurant with a shiver. he pulls off his mittens and waves to keith, who smiles and waves back over the pigtails of a little girl. when its lance’s turn to order, he appears pleasant, if worn down. he orders extra whipped cream.

“what went wrong?” keith asks good-naturedly, lounging an elbow on the counter.

lance hesitates a moment before answering. he unwraps his whole straw, sticks it carefully in his smoothie, and drinks, before saying, “actually... nothing. i mean, not nothing, but... it wasn’t a bad date this time, it was just, i dont know, weird.”

keith prickles. he doesnt like the idea of lance having a date that wasnt overtly bad. “what made it weird?”

“what was weird was that it was good, but it was with someone bad. well, not bad. hes not bad, he was never bad, but, like, he kind of broke my heart, so...”

keith flashes back to the night lance told him about his bad-date-tradition. he frowns. “your ex?”

lance stirs his smoothie pensively. “yeah. he apologized for a lot of stuff and said hes changed, and, like, i dont know what to do with that. i thought i moved on, but considering im still not seeing anyone, maybe its a good idea to try again. i mean, if its what he wants, and its what i want, then what could go wrong? its not like he was a dick, he was always nice to me when we were together...”

lance’s voice fades out. keith is trying to think of all the ways he can coolly scream THAT IS THE WORST IDEA without sounding suspicious or biased. its a damn good thing that lance is staring into his smoothie instead of at keiths face, because keith is not keeping it together. he had taken too much of his sweet time, and now lance was heading back into a relationship, and keith had to decide if he was going to try to break that up, or watch lance fall in love again.

“how do you know hes changed?” keith asks carefully. “how do you know the same thing wont happen again?”

lance eyes keith for a moment instead of replying. then, he goes back to stirring his drink. “he seemed different. it felt like he had changed. he looked good...”

“you look good,” says keith. lance’s eyes flash up to him, and keith feels his face burn, his mind shouting, idiot! idiot! idiot! “i mean! i mean that you have changed, too, so you shouldnt be hasty about this decision. you should... look at all of your options.”

“do i even have other options at this point? my other option is stay lonely and unhappy.”

“or.” keith licks his suddenly dry lips. “you could try going on a date with me.”

silence rings loudly in his ears. he cant look at lance. he cant believe he just did that. he just said it, just like that, just put it out there for the world to hear. for lance to hear.

lance asks, “do you mean that?”

keith finally looks at him, and takes it as a very good sign that instead of revulsion or discomfort, he sees surprise. surprise and something happy. it gives him the courage to smile.

“yeah,” he says. “i mean it. you could finally see me out of this stupid apron. i mean! you could see me in my normal clothes.”

lance coughs hard into his hand, and keith’s soul withers with the knowledge that they are both currently thinking about keith naked.

lance recovers, albeit with a heavy blush on his face. “i’d like that,” he says. “but, um, just so you know, if it goes badly and you decide you hate me, im buying a blender and making my own smoothies after that.”

“that’s fair, but i dont think it will go badly,” says keith. “let me give you my number.” he pulls a napkin from the dispenser and scribbles on it with a pen, slides the napkin over to lance. when did it get so hot in here?

“thanks,” says lance, folding it and putting it in the pocket of his sweatshirt.

neither of them know what to talk about now.

“um, when are you free?” keith offers. “theres a new exhibit at the gallery that my old art teacher contributed to. its space themed, i think. we could go see it.”

lance nods. “that sounds fun. oh man, this is so awkward. im so sorry. im just still trying to register the fact that you actually asked me out. i did not think that was ever going to happen.”

keith cant help but think, me either. shiro is going to be so proud of him.

and, in a moment of bravery, he decides that he likes to see lance so bashful and awkward. he cant help but press his advantage. keith sticks out a hip, leans forward on the counter, and says, “was i too subtle before?”

but it seems like keith accidentally started speaking a language that lance understood. immediately, lance turns on the charm, a smile stretching over white teeth. keith is only shocked for a moment, and he doesnt let it show. lance says, “a little. thats okay. i like shy boys.”

keith wills himself not to get flustered. “how do you feel about motorcycles?”

“motorcycles?” lance repeats, genuinely interested.

“yeah,” says keith, still smiling. “i could teach you how to ride.”

lance gags a little bit on his straw. keith laughs and leaves him sputtering to tend to a pair of kids who just came in. by the time hes finished making their drinks, lance has disappeared, and in his place is a little napkin with a smiling face and the line: am i your bike? because its easy for you to get my motor running.

keith swipes it out of public sight, grinning, and stuffs it in his pocket.

the date does not go badly. it goes very, very well. keith shows up on his motorcycle, and lance is both impressed and excited to ride it. he hugs keith tight around the middle, whooping loudly, and when they pull into a parking spot, he stumbles off the seat like a champion, drunk on adrenaline, eyes shining. keiths heart sprints. they check out the exhibit and lance amuses keith by making ritzy, intellectual comments such as, “the artist has a certain je ne sais quoi, a, how do you say, need to fuck the canvas” that have keith choking back laughter in an effort to remain respectful. it goes so well that keith has the courage to take lance’s hand halfway through the exhibit, to which lance looks down and says, “gay.” afterwards, even though they didnt plan to, they go out to eat at a diner and split a large order of fries. lance has a unique, deeply personal drink (1/3 mountain dew 1/3 cherry coke 1/3 pepsi with a shot of dr pepper) which he graciously allows keith to try. keith periodically catches himself imagining scenarios wherein he and lance show up on each others doorstep for surprise dates or lounge together half-asleep in pajama pants, lance playing video games while keith watches vine compilations on youtube. afterward, because neither of them want to go home, keith takes lance for a spin on the motorcycle just to feel lance hold onto him, and they end up parking outside a place that is very familiar to them both.

“what are we doing here?” lance asks. he frowns at a large milkshake painted on the window. inside is the counter he’s has spent much of the last six months moping at.

keith checks over his shoulder. “i thought it would be rude to ask if you were coming here after, but if you wanted to, i figured it would be polite to drop you off.”

lance shoves keith in the side, laughing. “shut up, you bastard. you damn well know that this was a good date. take me home.”

keith obediently revs his motorcycle, and they take off together. over the roar of the bike and the wind, keith does not hear lance say, “the best date.”

they arrive back at lance’s house. lance is still awkward clambering off the bike, but its better this time. keith boots down the kickstand, and when he turns back up, lance is right there.

“the best date,” lance says, knowing full well that keith is going to hear him this time. he pulls off keith’s helmet, steps close, and keith only has a flash of realization for whats about to happen before lance kisses him.

“the best date,” keith agrees, awestruck.

“i’ll text you,” says lance.

“can’t wait,” says keith.

lance’s hands are still fisted in keiths jacket. “i think this is the part where you drive away.”

“or it’s the part where i ask if i can see you again. are you free this weekend?”

“if im not, i’ll move plans. count on it.” lance lets his hands fall. “you look good out of the apron, by the way.” he hands keith his helmet. “safety first. dont ruin your face, or i might not go out with you again.”

keith rolls his eyes. “its been a privilege.” he wants to kiss lance again. “see you friday.”

he starts his motorcycle, checks over his shoulder, and kicks off onto the road, leaving lance watching after him. he cant believe its only wednesday.

[prettyediblestylist]

Chocolate Oreo Mousse Tart (vegan)

Richly flavoured, yet light as air, there are few more perfect ways to end a meal. This is one of those ‘love at first bite’ recipes where you’re left wondering how and why you’ve coped so long without this yumminess in your midst.

This magic is creamy, rich and smooth, like the best chocolate pudding-meets-mousse-meets-chocolate-pots-de-creme of your life. There’s no milk, cream, eggs…or in fact anything dairy-like. But there’s also no scary vegan ingredients – it’s just all things you could buy at your regular supermarket. My favourite kind of recipe.

Why this vegan chocolate tart is quite so mind-blowing!… -The mousse contains only 5 ingredients. The base only two! -No Bake. -TASTES LIKE HEAVEN. -But is also healthy and sin-free. -It contains Oreo cookies. I could stop there. But we could also keep going: -Tofu. Everything else in this short ingredient line-up is going to be fine with you and then you’re going to see tofu and you’re going to doubt me. Admittedly, I was a doubter myself and I promise that you will eat this and think zero thoughts about this addition. In fact I have a new found respect for tofu because here it helps create just the right level of thick and creamy, that blends together easily, but the flavour is almost completely neutral. Smooth, silky perfection. -Obviously, chocolate and more chocolate. Your favourite kind is a major player here. I used Doisy & Dam’s Organic Maca, Vanilla & Cacao chocolate here, partly because this is a lovely new brand of wonderful flavour combinations I was particularly keen to shout about (such as Goji & Orange and Date & Himalayan Pink Salt)  -And to wrap up, the mind-blowing element is a little bit of almond love. Just scoop some almond butter in that blender (I’m a big fan of Vitamix!) to get a buttery texture, and leave the smoothing-out part to the chocolate almond milk.

Now for some base talk. I personally love an Oreo cookie and I knew this would create a beautifully dark chocolate, crunchy base layer to compliment the so-mousse-ey soft filling. I urge you to use your favourite kind of biscuit though as I’m all too aware that personal biscuit brand choice is a serious matter. Chocolate hob nobs, chocolate chip cookies, almond biscuits…the list of possibilities is endless. Most supermarkets have quite an extensive range of vegan biscuits on offer now too, so if you are vegan but also love an Oreo, you can buy their vegan substitute here. Alternatively, why not go for a nut base using all your favourites blended together with chocolate almond butter, and to help bind the mixture together, a few Medjool dates or melted coconut oil.

A tasty tart topping? Here I used some simple edible flowers and frozen blueberries - both of which make this tart into a real show stopper if you are serving guests at home. But you can also use any favourite berries tumbled into the centre (fresh or frozen), banana slices, toasted coconut shavings or a mixture of your favourite chopped nuts. On that note, a granola mix such as my Maple-Roasted Nut & Seed recipe from my book which has become a firm stand-by favourite, would add a delicious variation of textures (but even a good store-bought granola would work perfectly well) And if you prefer the simpler things in life, stick to a delicate sprinkling of sea salt which is your guaranteed fast-track to sweet/salty greatness.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can also easily play around with flavourings to suit your own taste – pop in a teaspoon of coffee, a zest of an orange, or booze (whisky, rum, Grand Marnier – whatever you fancy), a sprinkle of chilli flakes or a few cardamom seeds. Either way, you’ll have one of the easiest, most delicious and satisfying puddings around.

So, to conclude…whether it’s for a special occasion, an impromptu gathering with friends, a restorative chocolate and red wine night in pyjamas alone (I’m behind that decision all the way)…go forth and enjoy your fill - because simpler things in life taste even sweeter!

Vegan Chocolate & Oreo Mousse Tart I love to add a sprinkling of sea salt over the mousse topping before serving and as suggested here, berries (frozen or fresh) and edible flowers make a beautiful end result when serving to friends.

You will need: a 21cm loose-bottomed tart tin, lined and lightly greased Serves 10-12

100ml almond chocolate milk (I used Alpro soya; find this in the long-life milk aisle - or you can use any chocolate milk you wish) 275g silken tofu 75g Pip & Nut chocolate almond butter (or you can use regular almond butter) 250g dark chocolate broken into pieces (vegan optional or I used Doisy & Dam’s Organic Maca, Vanilla & Cacao chocolate: see note in list above) 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract For the crust: 300g Oreo cookies, broken into smaller pieces (vegan & gluten free available here) 175g coconut oil, melted

1. Begin by making the crust. Tip the biscuits into a food processor, blitz to crumbs and pour in the melted coconut oil. (You could also bash the biscuits into crumbs with a rolling pin in a plastic food bag, then stir in the oil.) Press the biscuit mixture into the base and sides of the tin – the easiest way to do this is by flattening it with your hand under a sheet of cling film, then smooth the surface with the back of a large spoon. Place in the fridge to set. 2. Blend the tofu, chocolate almond milk, almond butter and vanilla until smooth. Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie (a bowl placed over a pan of simmering hot water) or microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in between. Add to the processor and blend until smooth and combined – occasionally scraping down the sides with a spatula if needed. 2. Pour the filling into the oreo crust and chill for at least 4 hours, or preferably over night. Before serving, add a sprinkling of sea salt and decorate how you wish (see notes above). Devour!

Recipe, styling & photography: Natalie Seldon Follow me on instagram: @prettyediblestylist​

*www.doisyanddam.com/ Instagram @doisyanddam

[vaguelybipolar]

How To Start Eating Again After Being Manic (or for any other reason)

I haven’t seen a post like this floating around and I’ve been having a hard time myself trying to eat again. So I thought I would make a masterpost on a few tips that have helped me in the past!

A few quick general tips are:

-smoothies are your bff since they don’t require any chewing but they still have a lot of nutrition. 

-eat whatever the fuck u want, seriously anything you find appetizing just fucking eat it

Okay so first of all let’s look at the smoothie stores:

Jamba Juice: http://www.jambajuice.com/menu-and-nutrition/menu/smoothies

*They also have energy bowls, juices, tasty treats, and nutrition boots and shots.

There’s also a website where you can look up the prices of each menu item depending on where you live: http://www.fastfoodmenuprices.com/jamba-juice-prices/

Smoothie King: http://www.smoothieking.com/menu/

*They have smoothies, enhancers, supplements, and snacks. 

Price: http://www.fastfoodmenuprices.com/smoothie-king-prices/

Dairy Queen/Orange Julius: https://www.dairyqueen.com/us-en/OrangeJulius/?localechange=1&

*They have blizzards, hot desserts, dipped and regular ice cream cones, sundaes, shakes and malts, frozen blended coffee, orange julius, and actual food if you’re feeling up for that sort of thing.

Prices: http://www.fastfoodmenuprices.com/dairy-queen-prices/

Bahama Buck’s:  http://www.bahamabucks.com/

*They have shaved ice (white ppl’s version of raspa), smoothies, sodas, Frostalatté (frozen coffee), lemonades, and fruit cups.

Prices: http://www.fastfoodmenuprices.com/bahama-bucks-prices/

If you have a blender and would prefer to stay inside rather than venture out into the world on an empty stomach, here are some simple recipes:

Chocolate Smoothies

Protein Frosty

1 cup of milk + 2 scoops of chocolate powder + ½ frozen banana

Nut Butter Smoothies

Chocolate PB Blitz

1 cup of milk + 2 tbsp of peanut butter + 2 scoops of chocolate powder

Fruit Fusion Smoothies

Oatmeal Banana Boat

2 tbsp of rolled oats + ½ cup of milk + 1 frozen banana

Very Berry Smoothies

Hydration Station

1 cup frozen blueberries + 1 cup of frozen raspberries + 2 cups of cut up watermelon

Green Smoothies

Spinach, Yo!

½ cup of vanilla yogurt + 1 cup of spinach + ½ frozen banana

If you want to find more recipes, check out the link, or send me an ask: http://dailyburn.com/life/recipes/easy-smoothie-recipes-infographic/

If you don’t a blender, and you don’t have money to go out and buy an expensive fancy drink, then there are things you can pick up at a grocery store!

Instant Breakfasts: http://www.target.com/c/instant-breakfast-drinks-cereal-food-beverage/-/N-4u9lm

*They have the brands Carnation (which is the one I use) and Special K.

Prices: If you buy the powdered form and make it yourself at home, it costs about $2-3 less than buying them pre-made.

Protein Shakes: http://www.target.com/c/protein-drinks-beverages-food-beverage/-/N-4uez0

*They have several different brands and flavors.

Prices: Since they are pre-made they are a little bit more pricey in my opinion. My reason being that most come in a pack of 4 for almost $5. But if this is something you don’t mind, then it’s great product.

Powdered Drink Mixes: http://www.target.com/c/powdered-liquid-drink-mixes-beverages-food-beverage/-/N-5xt0n?Sort=bestselling&clearCategId=5xt0n&Nao=0

*They have lemonade, iced tea, energy drinks, fruit drinks, etc. These are easy to make bc all you have to do is add a powdered packet to a glass or bottle of water.

Price: Most of the products on here told me to check local stores so, I’m sorry I don’t have a straight answer.

Coffee & Tea: http://www.target.com/c/coffee-tea-cocoa-food-beverage/-/N-5xt0q 

*They have several brands of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Some are in those Keurig pods, but they also have regular coffee grounds and bags of tea.

Price: This is totally dependent on brand, the bigger the brand the bigger the price tag. But if you’re fine with something simple it shouldn’t be more than $5.

Crackers & Cookies & Chips: http://www.target.com/c/chips-cookies-snacks-food-beverage/-/N-5xsy7, http://www.target.com/c/crackers-cookies-chips-snacks-food-beverage/-/N-5xsy6, http://www.target.com/c/cookies-chips-snacks-food-beverage/-/N-54v3e

*They have several different brands and flavors.

Price: These items tend to be more expensive, and by that I mean you may more for less product. But if this is something you can afford, then these are great nonperishable foods.

Granola Bars: http://www.target.com/c/granola-bars-cookies-chips-snacks-food-beverage/-/N-4ydo1

*These are also great to have lying around since they’re nonperishable and a great source of nutrition!

Price: Prices for these can be tricky if you don’t know how to look. But they sell a pack of 24 bars for about $6.

Misc: http://www.target.com/c/cookies-chips-snacks-food-beverage/-/N-5xsy9

*Here’s the general category where I found all of this stuff. They have fruit cups/snacks, protein bars, pudding, etc.

Price; prices will vary depending on brand and product.

I found these at target, but I’m sure you can find them at walmart or other grocery stores too.

If y’all have anything you want to add pls feel free to!

[entirebodyexercise]

Grab-and-go breakfasts

Who amongst us has never been entered the morning? Sometimes all you could take care of is a drive-through coffee as well as flavorless low-fat blueberry muffin. What if breakfasts on the go can be prepared in development, easily-- and also full of nutrition?

Sure, it could need a wee little bit of believed the evening prior to (or even the morning-of), yet there are whole lots of means to guarantee a beneficial grab-and-go breakfast that's quick and simple. As well as hi, you can still sip that coffee on the side if you truly desire to.

Think-Ahead Breakfast

One way to ensure a healthier meal in the early morning is to begin it long before the sunlight increases-- prior to you even go to sleep.

Bake up some granola bars or healthy fruit bars as well as wrap them up to grab on your escape the door.

So numerous of us prepare sandwiches for lunch yet forget the parallel for morning meal: smear a bagel with peanut butter and wrap for early morning, or spread some almond butter over a favorite homemade muffin. As well as do not forget that 2 remaining pancakes full of nut butter or jam make a wonderful morning meal sandwich, too!

Throw some high-protein power spheres right into a container and lug them along in the morning for an indulgent-tasting breakfast.

Cookies for breakfast? Completely, when they're this healthy!

Cereal-in-a-jar: The salad-in-a-jar trend was popular last year. Why refrain the same with breakfast? Layer your favorite chilly cereal with nuts, seeds, and also dried out fruits in a glass container that you bring along to the office. As soon as there, put milk straight right into the container and delight in a crispy, fruity dish. If you're more into bowls, position all the active ingredients in a Ziploc bag, after that transfer to a dish when you reach your desk.

Wraps are best portable foods! Cover your favored shuffle or leftover beans in a tortilla (or a raw collard leaf if you're really feeling daring), after that inspire along in a mobile container.

Morning-Of Breakfast:

Forgot to prepare something the night before? No concerns-- below are a couple of tips that you can actually throw up in mins, or while you prepare for work.

Take-along Smoothie: Throw some frozen berries as well as a handful of rolled oats into a blender or food processor along with a cup approximately of your favorite milk and a handful of baby spinach if you take place to have some accessible. Blitz as well as pour into a jar for the road.

Did you know that rolled oats are already pre-cooked (entire oat groats are steamed as well as gently toasted)? That implies you do not truly need to prepare them in any way! Before you going to the shower, cover one offering of oats with your desired milk (or water) in a portable container. When you're all set to leave, get hold of an apple or orange in addition to the (covered) container, as well as enjoy oat meal at the workplace. Do not hesitate to eat it chilly, but warmth if desired.

Another quick to-go "grain" is chia dessert: state regarding 2 tbsps of entire chia seeds in a mobile container with concerning 1/2 cup of milk of selection, enable to rest while you prepare for work. By the time you're going to the office, the chia will have taken in all the fluid and will certainly achieve the appearance of tapioca pudding. Include nuts, seeds, and a sprinkle of maple syrup and also you've obtained morning meal to go.

[foodieoutloudblog-blog]

17 Restaurants That Will Make Your Night Seeing A Broadway Show Spectacular

1. Tony’s DiNapoli

Family style Italian, huge portions and the quality sings just as highly as the quantity. They have the Best Chicken Parm you’re ever going to have in your life, and the red marinara sauce, is so good you’ll be wishing you had a gallon to take home.

What to Order; Mozzarella en Carozza, Chicken Parm, Rigatoni Alla Vodka, Tony’s Salad, Shrimp Orreganata, (When in season) Lasagna

2. Virgil’s Real Barbecue

Finger linkin’ good smoky meaty barbecue with the best sides to go with! The Train Wreck Fries are the solution to all your problems, unlike any other fries you’ll ever have in your life!

What to Order; Train Wreck Fries, Pulled Pork Sandwich, Chicken Wings, Burgers, Onion Rings, Peanut-butter Pie

3. GYU-KAKU Japanese Barbecue

Think Hibachi but at the next level, and for a killer great price at happy hour. This place is a STEAL. Happy Hour is at the bar all day, and 11AM-6PM at the tables. Come here for happy hour with your family before the show, you’ll be able to tolerate their lack of city direction, and you have a new happy hour hang that won’t put you in debt this year.

What to Order; Mojitos, Bistro Hangar Steak, Garlic Rice, Spicy Tuna Volcano, Salmon, Seaweed Salad

4. Victors Cafe

Cuban food that will make you forget that you are in NYC! It’s like hopping an express jet to the Caribbean islands.

What to Order; Appetizer Sampler, Ropa Vieja, Ceviche, Cuban Burger

5. Schmackarys

Theres a reason that people are lined up out the door deep in the winter for Schmackarys cookies. Satisfy that sweet tooth for the show by going here for dessert or taking these lip schmackin good cookies with you into the theatre. I mean, discreetly eat them in the theatre, don’t make a production out of it ;) (All below depend on the daily offerings)

What to order; Pistachio, Schmores, Carrot Cake, Hummingbird, Maple Bacon, Chocolate Chip, Funfetti, Fluffer Nutter

6. OBAO

Upscale yet comforting Thai food in the heart of midtown! Romantic atmosphere, unique flavors!

What to order; Kimchi Fries, Pad Thai

7. Black Tap Craft Burgers

A little bit further away from the theatre district, a nice walk! The burgers here will change your life! This is the only burger in NYC that I could put up there that tops Shake Shack.

What to order; The Texan, Sweet Potato Fries, Regular Fries, Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Shakes

8. Mad Dog & Beans Mexican Cantina

Nachos. Margs. Bomb Dot Com Mexican fare. Thats really all you need to know. You can easily eat your body weight in their made to order GUAC! A doable walk towards the theatre scene. You’re guaranteed to enjoy any show after one or two of their killer margs.

What To Order; Mexican Style Nachos (add Chicken or Beef), Mexican Street Corn, Guacamole, Margaritas, Tapequena (Amazing Steak & Enchilada), Pulled Pork Sliders, Chicken Wings

9. Capital Grille

Don’t freak out. Something worth inquiring about is their pre theatre pre fixed menu. Its $40 per person if they still have it! If not, raise a glass, have your man pay, get some drinks and the lobster mac and cheese and when you’re hungry later you can make a pit stop at our next recommended place.

What to Order; Pre Theatre Fixed Menu (Reservation Suggested), Lobster Mac & Cheese

10. Juniors Cheesecake

A classic loved favorite! Diner food to the next level and famous for making NYC crave cheesecake!

What to order; Red Velvet cheesecake, Burgers, Fried Chicken, Grilled Cheese, Cheese Blitzes

11. Quality Italian

I’ve never been here, but how could you go wrong with a pizza thats made out of chicken parm. If you get here before me. Shoot me a message with how it was!

What to Order;  Chicken Parm Pizza

12. Magnolia Bakery

Maybe you’re the kind of person in need of an instant pick-me-up prior to a Broadway show. Well the performers can relate! Their cupcakes are so velvety and their banana pudding is a MUST!

What to Order; Red Velvet Cupcake, Original Banana Pudding, Devils Food Chocolate Cupcake, Pumpkin Cheesecake

13. Clinton Street Baking Co.

Perhaps you’re catching a matinee? Score a kick ass brunch at Clinton Street Baking Co. The best blueberry pancakes with Maple butter you’re ever going to have!

What To Order; Blueberry Pancakes, French Toast, Blueberry Cheesecake

14. City Kitchen

Last minute decision to go to the theatre tonight? Need something quick, but amazing? City Kitchen is Times Square’s go-to food court. They have everything from Dough Donuts, Whitman’s Burger, Kuro-Obki Ramen, Luke’s Lobster (personal favorite) and much more! 

15. John’s On 12th

Hop a cab, live large to get up to the Theatre District. John’s on 12th is that comforting Italian, that is so classic, melt in your mouth, homemade and old school. Cash only, but oh so worth every penny.

What To Order; Tuscan Ragu with Homemade Pappardelle

  16. Red Farm

Upscale Asian Fusion. Katz’s Pastrami Egg Rolls are worth a trip here alone!

What to Order; Katz’s Pastrami Egg Rolls

17. BEA

Cocktails reign supreme here, as do the Duck Turnovers. Yup. A must experience.

What to Order; Duck Turnover, The Spring Pong

Next time you are seeing a Broadway show, make one of these to die for restaurants your pre show pit stop. No might at the theatre should go without eating! Tony’s is our number one choice, above all. If you’re in a hurry, City Kitchen. If you got TIME, venture to the Upper West Side for Red Farm, if you got cash hit up John’s on 12th. If you’re just here for the booze Gyu-Kaku, so that you can make rent next time it comes around after you’ve splurged on those Hamilton tickets! All of these restaurants are #FOLapproved ! Satisfy those cravings amongst your travels and connect with @foodieoutloud on Instagram. Finding you banngin food everywhere.

[asfeedin]

Fluffy Pancakes

I first posted this pancake recipe it 2006, and figured it was time to elaborate a bit. It’s a recipe I use it a lot, resulting in a beautiful, classic stack of pancakes with impossibly tender crumb and golden edges. The pancakes have lightness and lift, and good color. That said, the real reason I love this recipe is because it’s endlessly adaptable. I’ve used it as a base pancake recipe and jumping off point for endless pancake adaptations and I heartily encourage you to do the same. You can experiment with a range of flours, liquids, and add-ins, and I list off a number of suggestions below.

Buttermilk, Yogurt, or Milk? – use what you’ve got!

You can make these pancakes with just about any liquid you have on hand. I’ve listed them in order of preference. Buttermilk is wonderful, but yogurt works like a dream too. Not everyone keeps buttermilk on hand, but many people have a cup of yogurt. Go for it! Thin Greek yogurt with an equal amount of water, so for this recipe I’d combine 1 cup + 2 tablespoons Greek Yogurt with the same amount of water. If you’re using a standard yogurt don’t bother thinning it.

Both of the above (buttermilk or yogurt) are A-plus choices. Don’t have other of those? Dairy milk, oat milk, and almond milk will all give you good results. When using one of these, allow the batter to sit for 5-10 minutes before cooking, allowing the batter to thicken a bit.

Experiment with Different Flours in Your Pancakes

I’ll start by saying, you can use all-purpose flour in these pancakes. But, by all means, experiment with more nutritious whole-grain flours if you have them (I have suggestions below and in the recipe). White whole wheat flour works wonderfully here. It’s the Trojan horse of whole-grain flours, because for finicky people who won’t eat anything brown or wholesome you can pass it off as white. It is made from a strain of hard white winter wheat berries and the nutritious bran and germ aren’t processed out the way they are in all-purpose white flour. The white whole wheat flour makes for a tender crumb.

Rye Pancakes: Replace about 1/2 of the all-purpose flour with rye flour.

Oatmeal Pancakes: Replace 1/3 cup of the flour with quick cooking oats or oatmeal you’ve blitzed int a blender. These are particularly good with slices of banana cooked in. Sprinkled with a bit of brown sugar in place of syrup.

Tiny Grain Pancakes: Stir 1/2 cup cooked quinoa or millet into your batter.

Blueberry Beet Pancakes (Vegan):  If you’re looking for a colorful vegan pancake variation – hearty, substantial, delicious, and kid-friendly. 

Variations From other Cooks

A number of you have left helpful comments for tweaks and variations to this recipe over the years and I wanted to list off a couple:

Lactose Intolerant: Jenny noted, “I just made these this morning for my lactose-intolerant twins, substituting the 2 1/4 C buttermilk for 1C soy milk. They were absolutely awesome! I ground 2 C wheat berries, which made 4C flour, and doubled the recipe for my large family.” 

Lots of Bran: Rachael says, “I would really encourage you to try adding bran to your waffles or pancakes next time. I substitute up to half of my flour with bran (sometimes have to reduce the liquid a bit or add in something thicker, like yogurt, because the bran doesn’t absorb milk)… it lends a wonderfully nutty flavor to things and it lightens the texture substantially, not to mentioned the good-for-you fiber.

Extra Credit Fluffy

I’ve tweaked the recipe here to have you separate your eggs, and beat the whites into fluffy peaks. It’s an annoying step, and requires extra effort, but is arguably worth it. You fold the whites into your batter as a last step before cooking, and it adds a really nice lightness to the pancake batter. That said, if you’re not feeling up to it, no big deal – lightly beat the two eggs and add them to the liquid mixture.

Favorite Toppings for your Pancakes

Whole Blueberry Maple Syrup: This is my favorite syrup for these pancakes and worth the bit of extra effort to make. It’s delicious, fragrant and beautiful without being overly sweet. To make blueberry maple syrup put half of a 6-ounce basket of blueberries, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and 2 tablespoons of water in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 5 or 6 minutes or until the blueberries begin to split. Remove from heat and press the blueberry mixture through a fine strainer into a bowl. Mash the fruit to get all the juiciness extracted. Throw out the solids. Stir the remaining blueberries into the warm syrup and set aside. You can use whatever sugar you like here – white, brown, coconut sugar, etc.

Churro-style Cinnamon Sugar: Combine 2 tablespoons cinnamon with 1/2 cup sugar and stir well. Sprinkle generously across hot buttered pancakes. You can experiment with the sugar blend beyond this as well, adding a pinch of ground cloves or curry powder, and/or crushed rose petals.

Tasty Add-Ins

Berries: If you’re adding berries to your pancakes, add them to your pancakes after they’re on the griddle. This way your pancake batter retains its color.

Bananas: If you’re adding slices of banana to your pancakes, add them after the pancakes are on the griddle.

Boosts: Adding a boost of oat bran, wheat germ, nutritional yeast, kale or beet powder, hemp or flax seeds is always an option. I usually start with a tablespoon or two.

Some Cooking Tips

My pan of choice for pancakes is cast iron, but any pan that holds steady heat is fine. The key is getting and maintaining the right temperature. Too much heat and you end up with burned pancakes that are under-cooked in the middle. Too little heat, and they take forever to cook, and they end up with a bit dry with a toughened crumb. I tend to start  at a lower temperature than I think I’ll want, and creep it up from there.

Keep Those Pancakes Warm!

Unless you have a griddle, or multiple pans going, you’re going to need make your pancakes in batches. And you don’t want your first round to go cold while you’re making the next. If you have a cooling rack you use for cookies, you can deploy it here. Place pancakes, preferably in a single layer, on the cooling rack after transferring from the skillet, and place them in a 200F oven to keep warm. I like the cooling rack better than a plate because it allows air to circulate around the entire pancake. This way, the bottom sides of the hot pancakes won’t get soggy.

Enjoy the pancakes! If you’re looking for breakfast recipes don’t miss this healthy granola, or the best waffle recipe (seriously!), these homemade cinnamon rolls, a loaded frittata, tofu scramble, Herb Cream Cheese Scrambled Eggs, and the baked oatmeal is always popular. Ooh – I also love this Cinnamon Vanilla Sunflower Butter on freshly baked toast. 

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Toasted Coconut Almond Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Toasted Coconut Almond Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Desserts, Spring

(This post is sponsored by ALDI. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep A Cozy Kitchen cozy.)

Spring has sprung and I am INTO IT. I am in full baking maniac-mode and it’s so fun. I love making things with spring flavors and spring produce. It makes me so happy. I especially am very into making things with Easter in mind, considering it’s one of my favorite holidays to cook/bake for. I’ve been wanting to make a coconut cake for a loooong time and figured adding toasted almonds to it would make it a million times better. I was right!

For this post, I teamed up with ALDI you know that it is the best place to stock up on baking ingredients. I always go there and buy double, triple of everything. On this particular trip, I went and purchased organic brown eggs, flour, sugar, coconut flakes, almonds and cream cheese. It was a one-stop shop for all things cute. I also baked it in this 9×9-inch Crofton Speckled Bakeware square pan that was super cute.

Another amazing thing about ALDI is that it is on Instacart, which is a huge time-saver and easy convenience. (If you want, use code “ALDIACK” for $10 off your first three ALDI orders of $35 or more!)

The thing that takes this cake from good to great is toasting the coconut flakes and slivered almonds. Toasting anything always seems to bring out the best quality in the ingredient, and these are no exception.

This cake is my favorite combination: part oil, part butter. For a long time, I exclusively made all-butter cakes but I’ve since changed my tune. I think oil adds a moistness and softness that can’t really be achieved by all butter. And butter really adds a rich delicious flavor. The two work seamlessly together in cakes.

The thing that makes this cake super beautiful is obviously the buttercream flowers. They’re gorgeous but totally not necessary. If you’re strapped for time, or just feeling a little lazy, skip them and smother the frosting all over the top, make some swoops and serve it to your friends!

Toasted Coconut Almond Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Print

Toasted coconut blitzed and then mixed into this delicious coconut cake batter. Topped with cream cheese frosting. 

CourseDessert

CuisineAmerican

Keywordbuttercream flowers, coconut cake, cream cheese frosting, sheet cake

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Calories: 375kcal

Ingredients

To Toast

1 cup Baker’s Corner Coconut Flakes 

1/2 cup Southern Grove Slivered Almonds 

Coconut Sheet Cake:

1 3/4 cups Baker’s Corner All-Purpose Flour 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup Countryside Creamery Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as vegetable or Simply Nature 100% Pure Avocado Oil) 

2 teaspoons coconut extract

1 cup white granulated sugar

2/3 cup milk

4 large Simply Nature Grade A Organic Cage Free Brown Eggs

Frosting:

2 cups Countryside Creamery Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

4 ounces Happy Farms Cream Cheese, at room temperature

4 cups Baker’s Corner Powdered Sugar 

1 teaspoon Stonemill Pure Vanilla Extract 

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Food coloring gel, optional 

Directions

To Toast:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. To a baking sheet, add the coconut flakes and slivered almonds. Transfer to the oven to bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly brown. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a food processor. Pulse for about a minute, until the mixture resembles a meal of sorts.  

To Make the Coconut Sheet Cake:  

Keep the oven at 350 degrees F (as it was for roasting the coconut and almonds). Grease a 9x9-inch cake pan. I also like to line it with a sheet of parchment, leaving strips up the sides for easy removal. Set aside.  

In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk until combined. Set aside.  

To the bowl of a stand-up mixer with the paddle attachment, add the butter, oil, coconut extract and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. In a measuring cup, pour in the milk, egg whites and whisk until combined.  

Turn the mixer to low speed and, alternating between the dry ingredients and the liquid ingredients (the egg white mixture), add them to the butter/sugar mixture until the batter is relatively smooth. Add the reserved crushed up coconut flakes and almonds and gently fold into the batter.  

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and transfer to the oven to bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.  

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then invert onto a cooling rack and cool to room temperature. It’ll probably take a good hour.  

To Make the Frosting:

To the bowl of a stand-up mixer, with the paddle attachment (or you could use a bowl with an electric hand mixer), add the butter and softened cream cheese. Beat until smooth. I like to do this step first, before adding anything else to ensure a super smooth consistency. 

Sift in the powdered sugar, add the vanilla extract, salt and heavy cream. Beat the frosting for about 3 minutes. The fluffiness from the heavy cream really lightens up this frosting so be sure to beat it for the full 3 minutes. If the frosting is too loose, feel free to transfer it to the fridge to chill for about 10 minutes. Then beat it one last time. 

Decorate the cake however you like. I reserved about 1/4 cup of frosting to the side and added 1 drop of red and a teeny drop of brown food coloring gel to make this mauve color. I added all of the frosting to the top of the cake, smoothed on and created swoops. I then added little dollops of the dyed frosting to create a marble effect. I added buttercream flowers on top as additional decoration. That part is totally optional!  

April 9, 2019 by Adrianna Adarme

Adrianna Adarme

A Cozy Kitchen is a blog written by Adrianna Adarme. Adrianna likes corgis, pancakes and cute things.

Previous Post

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Hi! This is my lil’ corner on da internets called A Cozy Kitchen. I live in Los Angeles, California with my husband Joshua and my corgi Amelia.

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Source: https://www.acozykitchen.com/toasted-coconut-almond-cake/

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Toasted Coconut Almond Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Toasted Coconut Almond Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Desserts, Spring

(This post is sponsored by ALDI. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep A Cozy Kitchen cozy.)

Spring has sprung and I am INTO IT. I am in full baking maniac-mode and it’s so fun. I love making things with spring flavors and spring produce. It makes me so happy. I especially am very into making things with Easter in mind, considering it’s one of my favorite holidays to cook/bake for. I’ve been wanting to make a coconut cake for a loooong time and figured adding toasted almonds to it would make it a million times better. I was right!

For this post, I teamed up with ALDI you know that it is the best place to stock up on baking ingredients. I always go there and buy double, triple of everything. On this particular trip, I went and purchased organic brown eggs, flour, sugar, coconut flakes, almonds and cream cheese. It was a one-stop shop for all things cute. I also baked it in this 9×9-inch Crofton Speckled Bakeware square pan that was super cute.

Another amazing thing about ALDI is that it is on Instacart, which is a huge time-saver and easy convenience. (If you want, use code “ALDIACK” for $10 off your first three ALDI orders of $35 or more!)

The thing that takes this cake from good to great is toasting the coconut flakes and slivered almonds. Toasting anything always seems to bring out the best quality in the ingredient, and these are no exception.

This cake is my favorite combination: part oil, part butter. For a long time, I exclusively made all-butter cakes but I’ve since changed my tune. I think oil adds a moistness and softness that can’t really be achieved by all butter. And butter really adds a rich delicious flavor. The two work seamlessly together in cakes.

The thing that makes this cake super beautiful is obviously the buttercream flowers. They’re gorgeous but totally not necessary. If you’re strapped for time, or just feeling a little lazy, skip them and smother the frosting all over the top, make some swoops and serve it to your friends!

Toasted Coconut Almond Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Print

Toasted coconut blitzed and then mixed into this delicious coconut cake batter. Topped with cream cheese frosting. 

CourseDessert

CuisineAmerican

Keywordbuttercream flowers, coconut cake, cream cheese frosting, sheet cake

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Calories: 375kcal

Ingredients

To Toast

1 cup Baker’s Corner Coconut Flakes 

1/2 cup Southern Grove Slivered Almonds 

Coconut Sheet Cake:

1 3/4 cups Baker’s Corner All-Purpose Flour 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup Countryside Creamery Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as vegetable or Simply Nature 100% Pure Avocado Oil) 

2 teaspoons coconut extract

1 cup white granulated sugar

2/3 cup milk

4 large Simply Nature Grade A Organic Cage Free Brown Eggs

Frosting:

2 cups Countryside Creamery Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

4 ounces Happy Farms Cream Cheese, at room temperature

4 cups Baker’s Corner Powdered Sugar 

1 teaspoon Stonemill Pure Vanilla Extract 

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Food coloring gel, optional 

Directions

To Toast:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. To a baking sheet, add the coconut flakes and slivered almonds. Transfer to the oven to bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly brown. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a food processor. Pulse for about a minute, until the mixture resembles a meal of sorts.  

To Make the Coconut Sheet Cake:  

Keep the oven at 350 degrees F (as it was for roasting the coconut and almonds). Grease a 9x9-inch cake pan. I also like to line it with a sheet of parchment, leaving strips up the sides for easy removal. Set aside.  

In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk until combined. Set aside.  

To the bowl of a stand-up mixer with the paddle attachment, add the butter, oil, coconut extract and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. In a measuring cup, pour in the milk, egg whites and whisk until combined.  

Turn the mixer to low speed and, alternating between the dry ingredients and the liquid ingredients (the egg white mixture), add them to the butter/sugar mixture until the batter is relatively smooth. Add the reserved crushed up coconut flakes and almonds and gently fold into the batter.  

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and transfer to the oven to bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.  

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then invert onto a cooling rack and cool to room temperature. It’ll probably take a good hour.  

To Make the Frosting:

To the bowl of a stand-up mixer, with the paddle attachment (or you could use a bowl with an electric hand mixer), add the butter and softened cream cheese. Beat until smooth. I like to do this step first, before adding anything else to ensure a super smooth consistency. 

Sift in the powdered sugar, add the vanilla extract, salt and heavy cream. Beat the frosting for about 3 minutes. The fluffiness from the heavy cream really lightens up this frosting so be sure to beat it for the full 3 minutes. If the frosting is too loose, feel free to transfer it to the fridge to chill for about 10 minutes. Then beat it one last time. 

Decorate the cake however you like. I reserved about 1/4 cup of frosting to the side and added 1 drop of red and a teeny drop of brown food coloring gel to make this mauve color. I added all of the frosting to the top of the cake, smoothed on and created swoops. I then added little dollops of the dyed frosting to create a marble effect. I added buttercream flowers on top as additional decoration. That part is totally optional!  

April 9, 2019 by Adrianna Adarme

Adrianna Adarme

A Cozy Kitchen is a blog written by Adrianna Adarme. Adrianna likes corgis, pancakes and cute things.

Previous Post

You Might Also Like

Brown Butter Pecan Snacking Sheet Cake with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

December 7, 2017

Brown Butter Blueberry Cookies

July 5, 2012

S’mores Doughnuts

June 1, 2017

Hi! This is my lil’ corner on da internets called A Cozy Kitchen. I live in Los Angeles, California with my husband Joshua and my corgi Amelia.

Read More

Cozy Cooking Playlist!

Cookbook!

Stay Up To Date

SUBSCRIBE

Fall Foods!

Fun Brand Partnerships

Source: https://www.acozykitchen.com/toasted-coconut-almond-cake/