#has literally just a saucepan and some salt in the kitchen. so I’m like okay spaghetti guy potentially not great but could just be

[exopelagic]

okay I severely misjudged spaghetti guy he’s actually just really cool

[junewild]

may we have your cupcake recipe? <3

HELL YEAH, thank u anon. i’ll give you vanilla, citrus, spice, and chocolate cupcakes & if you want anything else let me know! this is going to be stream-of-consciousness rather than linear recipe, because unfortunately that is how i bake. if you want a linear recipe, let me know which particular set of pieces you want and i can write it up for you. i’ll even guesstimate times and such.

BEFORE YOU READ FURTHER: this is very long. if you are not into cupcakes, bookmark this for later when you suddenly decide to make cupcakes and keep scrolling. now with new added read more for additional readability <3

making cupcakes takes me about two hours if i’m doing two batches or an hour and a half if i’m doing one. it might take you a little longer the first time because you don’t quite know what order to do things in or how long everything takes. i like to start my fillings first because they take longer to be ready, then turn on my oven, then mix my batter, then make the frosting while cupcakes are baking.

SUPPLIES

you will need: a cupcake tin, cupcake wrappers, at least one large mixing bowl (2 is recommended to avoid a lot of washing dishes between steps), a hand mixer or a lot of elbow grease, spatula, whisk, small bowl, a small grater or microplaner, a piping tip + bag (or just a plastic bag with a hole cut in one corner) and at least one saucepan or small frying pan. measuring spoons/cups are useful but i’ve tried to include thicknesses and alternatives so you can eyeball it if you have to (i usually do, just because i know what i’m looking for lol)

you will also need some of the following (check your specific cupcake type to find out which): a box of cake mix or ingredients to make your own cake mix, cream cheese, condensed milk, butter, powdered sugar, lemons/limes/oranges, chocolate, vanilla extract (real is recommended; i know it’s more expensive but the increase in quality is worth it if you can), lemon extract, heavy cream, pumpkin pie spice (or at least nutmeg + cinnamon), and fruit of your choice.

CUPCAKE

okay so: box mix is fine. it’s good. great, even. as long as you do this: replace the oil with butter. add an extra egg. i don’t care how many eggs it calls for. i know it feels like a lot of eggs. add an egg anyway. add a sprinkle of extra salt. a tsp or so. you’ve already made a good cupcake!

vanilla:

add a tablespoon (about three capfuls, if you don’t have measuring spoons) of REAL vanilla extract if you can afford it (or i really like the vanilla paste that has specks of bean in it. 10/10)

citrus:

one teaspoon (one capful) vanilla extract. two-ish teaspoons of lemon extract. zest of one lemon. zest of one orange (i like blood orange particularly much) or lime. replace 1/2 cup of the water with lemon and lime or orange juice. add about a tbsp of extra sugar.

spice:

two teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (you can see the spice in the batter without it discoloring the batter) + one tablespoon vanilla extract.

chocolate:

it’s already perfect xoxo. JUST KIDDING. add a tablespoon of vanilla extract.

instructions:

these ratios are for 24 cupcakes. take your cupcake pan and line it with cupcake papers. you can grease the top of the pan if you’re anxious, but it shouldn’t be necessary, especially if you have a nonstick pan. then just mix your batter until it’s not particularly lumpy and fill your cupcake papers about a third of the way full. a quarter cup measure is easiest for me to use bc the amount that easily comes out of it is about the right amount & it drips less than a spoon does. then i like to use a spoon to push the batter up the sides a little so it holds the fillings better.

FILLINGS

you can mix and match the hell out of these, honestly. i typically do cheesecake in everything & then fruit in vanilla or citrus cupcakes, specifically apple or cranberry in spice cupcakes, & chocolate in vanilla or chocolate cupcakes.

cheesecake:

one package softened cream cheese + 10 oz (2/3 a 14 oz can) condensed milk. stir on low heat until smooth, then add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. DON’T add sugar. it’s not supposed to be very sweet.

fruit compote:

literally just half a cup or so of frozen or fresh fruit. i’ve done this with raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, apples (fresh and cubed is best), and peaches. anything is fair game, honestly. i want to try stewed kumquats and plums at some point. if frozen, add a tiny bit of water. if fresh, add about as much water as you have fruit. squeeze some lemon and lime in there. add sugar to taste. for the apple spice mix, add another teaspoon of vanilla and a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.

IMPORTANT: you do NOT want this to be sweet. this is NOT jam. it should be a little tart when you taste it. if it’s not thick enough, slurry a tbsp of cornstarch in a little bit of cold water and stir it in. it should be thick enough to not drip off of a spoon when you turn it upside down.

ganache:

heat a cup of heavy cream on very low heat. i like to do a double boiler: saucepan half-full of water, bowl full of cream in the saucepan. when the cream is warm, stir in most of a package of dark chocolate chips. stir HARD—whisk the shit out of it. DO NOT let any of the water get into the bowl!! you want the ganache to be gloppy when you lift it with a spoon—it has to not soak into the cupcake mix.

instructions:

so you have your 1/3 full cupcake wrappers with the batter spooned a little bit up the sides. using a small kitchen spoon, drop a spoonful of cheesecake into each cupcake. then top that with a spoonful of ganache or a spoonful of fruit compote (or both! it’s your kitchen!). spoon batter over the top and down the sides. fully covered, it should come to just under the top of the cupcake wrapper—i usually have 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch grace.

pop that in the oven according to the box instructions. i usually find that cupcakes with fillings take the longer time listed, rather than the shortest one. when your time goes off, touch the top of a cupcake. if it feels firm (think: ripe plum; you can push on it and it’s soft but it doesn’t cave in), it’s probably done. you can also put a toothpick down one of the sides, rather than the middle. pull your cupcakes out of the oven, put in your second batch, and set these aside to cool.

FROSTINGS

there are two frostings that go well here. i tend to like buttercream for vanilla and citrus and cream cheese for apple spice and chocolate. your mileage may vary. this is where the sweetness comes from, without overwhelming the cupcake!

buttercream:

let two sticks of butter (one unsalted and one salted) soften on your countertop. DON’T melt them. when they’re room temperature and you could mold them with your fingers, put them in a bowl. a mixer is best for this stage, but you can do it with a whisk and spatula if you’re determined, have patience, or can switch out with someone else. whip the butter a little. add five cups of powdered sugar, a cup at a time.

for a vanilla cupcake, add a tablespoon of vanilla extract (or vanilla paste! the specks are SO cool looking!) and use heavy cream to even out the texture until you think it’s pipeable (you’re looking for “holds its shape without being Chunky”). for a citrus cupcake, add a teaspoon of citrus extract and lime juice until it’s pipeable. two sticks of butter is too much, but one stick usually isn’t quite enough, and i prefer to have extra to practice piping with.

cream cheese frosting:

let one package (8oz) of cream cheese soften on your countertop. mix it in a bowl until smooth. add about four cups (3/4 a regular water cup, i think) of powdered sugar—again, we’re looking for “pipeable without being inflexible”. add a tablespoon of vanilla extract/paste and use heavy cream if you need to soften the texture at all.

both of these frostings take coloring very well. something that i personally love is doing a sort of gradient, where i’ll add red to one side and mix it well, yellow to another side and mix it well, make some orange in the middle, and leave some white here and there. then spoon from each section into a piping bag and voila, free beautiful swirls. you can also use a knife to frost your cupcakes, but i think piping is fairly easy to pick up on if you try it a few times, and it makes your cupcakes look that much more professional.

instructions:

make SURE your cupcakes are COOL TO THE TOUCH before you frost them! pop them in the fridge if you’re in a hurry! a single layer of piping should be enough, but decorate if you want. icing sugar is pretty. don’t go too overboard with sprinkles—they make it hard to eat.

voila! cupcakes.

SUBSTITUTIONS

i have made these gluten-free, dairy-free, corn-free, vegan, etc etc. gluten free box mix is fine. your own powdered sugar (powdered sugar + tapioca starch) is great. you can do a coconut milk pudding instead of cheesecake or ganache. you can do baking soda + vinegar instead of baking powder (1/4 tsp bs + 1/2 tsp vinegar per tsp baking powder). if you’re allergic to fruit, i am SO SORRY for you but please try the chocolate ones. you can substitute any extract, any flavor profile, any combination of ingredients. if you’re using a commercial egg substitute, just add an extra 1/4 cup of it. if you’re using flaxseed, just add an extra tablespoon of flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water.

it may not come out exactly the same as the standard ones, but my friends with dietary restrictions still swear by them. i have never brought cupcakes home from a party. i don’t think anyone who’s ever tried one has not gotten a second helping. people who swear they aren’t cupcake people love these cupcakes. (it’s because they aren’t overly sweet or moist or dry and they aren’t one-note, because the fillings add complexity of texture and flavor. there you go, now you know how to describe your new cupcakes to people).

congrats! you’re about to be everyone’s favorite party guest!

[jaybear1701]

A/N: I stole the phrase "Make your peace... on Earth" from @haughtbreaker who has been kindly beta reading this story for me. lol

Waverly exchanged texts over the next week with Nicole, as well as a couple of phone calls. Sometimes, Nicole stopped into Shorty’s for dinner or a quick drink. No flirting. All strictly platonic. At least, that’s what Waverly told herself. So what if she kept checking her phone for new messages from Nicole, from the moment she woke up to the time she went to bed? What was the big deal if their conversations, both in person and over the phone, seemed to stretch longer and longer? Where was the harm if she wanted to invite Nicole as her +1 to Perry Crofte’s annual holiday party? It was all perfectly normal for new friends getting to know each other. Right? Right.

They agreed to finally get a hot cocoa that Wednesday night. She would ask Nicole about Perry’s party then. It wasn’t a date, Waverly told herself even as she tried on her fourth outfit, evaluating her reflection in a full-length mirror with a critical eye.

“So it’s a date,” Wynonna observed from the threshold of Waverly’s bedroom, shoulder leaned against the door frame. She shook her head. “What did I tell you about dating the law?”

“It’s not a date,” Waverly insisted, tugging the lettuce hem of her pink, long-sleeved crop top.

Wynonna eyed the stack of discarded clothes on Waverly’s bed, her ransacked closet, and the scattered array of foundation, lipstick, eyeshadow, mascara, blush, and eyeshadow on her dresser. “Uh huh.”

Alice ran into the room and leaped onto the covered mattress. “She’s gonna Netflix and chill with Nicole,” she said matter-of-factly, as if commenting on the weather.

“Did I mention how much I love that you taught her that phrase?” Waverly shot a pointed look at Wynonna, who snickered. “And no, Alice, we aren’t going to do that.” She was quite pleased at herself for maintaining a neutral expression. “We’re just getting some hot chocolate. Friends get drinks. Nicole is my friend.”

“With benefits?” Wynonna asked innocently.

Waverly growled and kicked both of them out of the room so she could finish getting ready in peace. She settled on pairing the crop top with her favorite pair of black leggings and fuzzy boots. As she put the finishing touches on her makeup, Nicole called, extremely apologetic because she had to cancel. Lonnie caught the stomach flu and the already short-staffed department needed her to cover his shift. Nicole promised to make it up to Waverly.

It wasn’t a big deal, Waverly told herself. And yet, her heart still sunk in disappointment.

She made her way downstairs where Alice, Wynonna, and Dolls (of all people) were busy making cookies. Waverly used the term “making” lightly. Although the kitchen smelled wonderful, like buttery sugary heaven, it looked like a war zone. Flour and sugar coated nearly every inch of the countertops. Alice had splotches of yellow batter all over her Santa Claus apron.

“I’m telling you, Peacemaker is not an appropriate shape for a Christmas cookie,” Dolls argued as he placed a box of cookie cutters on the kitchen table.

“It literally brings peace on Earth,” Wynonna contended, waving an aluminum cutter that, sure enough, looked like her Colt Buntline Special. “What’s more Christmas-y than that?”

Dolls let out a long, weary sigh. “Back me up here, Waverly.”

“Where did you even get that?” Waverly asked, lowering herself onto an empty chair that somehow remained unscathed from the culinary explosion.

“Mattie,” Wynonna answered. “She owed me one. Now,” she held the Peacemaker cutter up, “won’t this make the coolest Christmas cookie or what?”

Waverly glanced at Dolls, who had one eyebrow raised, and Alice, who merely shrugged and giggled. She reached out and took the miniature gun from Wynonna.

“Make your peace…,” Waverly aimed at the oven, “...on Earth. It does have a certain ring to it.” She handed it back to Wynonna, who fist pumped while Dolls shook his head and muttered, “Earps,” under his breath.

“Why are you still here?” Wynonna asked as she turned the oven light on to check on the cookies. “Aren’t you going to be late for your not-date?”

“She had to cancel,” Waverly said lightly, hoping her disappointment didn’t show. “Taking another shift at the station.”

“Maybe she’s secretly helping Santa,” Alice whispered.

Wynonna scrunched up her face. “Huh?”

“Officer Nicole is one of Santa’s elves,” Alice placed a finger to her lips, “but we can’t tell anyone.”

Dolls looked at Waverly. “Officer Nicole as in Nicole Haught?”

“That’s right, Dolls,” Wynonna said, “the one you threatened with treason the other day.”

“What!?” Waverly exclaimed.

Dolls shrugged up on shoulder. “She shouldn’t have entered my office without permission.”

“For the last time, she did knock, Dolls.” Wynonna rolled her eyes.

“But I didn’t say, ‘Enter.’” Dolls leaned back and crossed his arms, chair creaking. “So you have a date with her?”

“It’s not a date!” Waverly stood up and walked to the refrigerator, partly to pour a glass of water and partly to get out of the interrogation spotlight.

Dolls eyed her outfit the same way Wynonna had sized up her room. “Mmhmm.”

Waverly fought back a blush.

“Why don’t you bring her a hot chocolate?” Alice suggested, swinging her legs. They were still too short to reach the floor.

Waverly paused, considering it. “You know, that’s… not a bad idea.”

“And then when she’s done, you can Net…”

Waverly put up a finger. “Do not finish that sentence, young lady, if you want any presents under the tree.”

Alice giggled but made a zipping motion across her lips.

Waverly wasted no more time and began collecting all the ingredients she needed. She chopped up a few blocks of bittersweet chocolate, then placed a saucepan on the stove to heat up some milk, heavy cream, sugar, and salt until the mixture steamed. While the others decorated their cookies, Waverly stirred in the chocolate and a few drops of peppermint oil. She poured the cocoa into three mugs and her favorite thermos, which she placed inside an insulated lunch bag along with some miniature marshmallows, two candy canes, an elf-shaped cookie made by Alice, and a strange, green-colored one from Wynonna. It had a cluster of red blobs to the side.

“What is this?” Waverly squinted at the so-called “cookie.”

Wynonna puckered her lips and smacked them. “Mistletoe.”

Dolls peeked over Waverly’s shoulder. “Mistletoe has white berries,” he said before Waverly could smash the cookie in her sister’s face. “That’s just a poor rendition of holly.”

Waverly smirked at Wynonna, who punched Dolls hard in the shoulder. Waverly left the cookie on the counter and was finally off.

About half an hour later, Waverly parallel parked her Jeep outside the Purgatory Sheriff’s Department. She walked carefully to the entrance. Even with her boots and the salt on the sidewalk, the path was still slippery with snowy slush made more treacherous at night. Just as she reached the station’s door, someone else pushed it open from the other side, with enough force that the glass almost slammed into the building’s brick siding.

A woman nearly ran into Waverly; the same beautiful woman who had approached Nicole at the mall a week ago. She was even more gorgeous up-close, dark hair cut straight in a sleek bob, looking sharp in a long, cream-colored wool coat.

“My apologies,” she said, doing a double-take when she saw Waverly, recognition in her eyes even though Waverly was sure they had never met.

“No problem,” Waverly squeaked out. “Be careful, the ground’s pretty slick.”

The woman spared her a small, genuine smile. “Thank you.” She continued down the way more carefully until she reached a black Mercedes Benz and drove away down the darkened street. Had she come to see Nicole, Waverly wondered. Were they friends or, Waverly swallowed, something more?

Entering the building, Waverly was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice that the station’s epoxy flooring was wet. Before she knew it, her feet flew out from under her and she fell down face first, pain erupting from her kneecaps and the heels of her hands. She dropped the lunch bag she had been holding. It skidded a few feet away.

Nicole’s voice called out from down the hall. “Shae, is that you?”

Shae, Waverly thought as she listened to a rush of footsteps. Was that the mystery woman’s name?

“Waverly!”

A pair of strong hands gripped her shoulders. Waverly looked up into concerned brown eyes and instantly flushed with embarrassment.

“Are you okay?” Nicole asked as she helped Waverly back to her feet.

“Yeah.” Waverly’s knees stung something fierce. “I’m fine.”

“Your knees say otherwise.” Nicole glanced down and Waverly followed her gaze. Sure enough, the impact had been hard enough to tear holes through her leggings and skin her knees. Blood oozed from the shallow wounds. “Come this way.” Nicole took Waverly’s hand and led her back toward the reception area, stopping briefly to pick up Waverly’s bag. As they passed a yellow caution cone, Waverly swore the falling stick figure was taunted her.

They bypassed the front desk and went straight to the break room, which had a few modest holiday decorations. Someone had strung silver tinsel around the cabinets in the tiny kitchenette and added green and red hand towels by the sink. Nicole brought Waverly to a circular table with a small Christmas tree in the middle, placing her bag on the surface and encouraging her to sit.

“I’ll be right back,” Nicole said, heading toward one of the cupboards.

“Nicole, I’m all right, really…”

“Just sit tight.” Reaching inside one of the cabinets, she pulled down a first aid kit and brought it back. “So,” she crouched down in front of Waverly and opened the box, “I believe your sister and the deputy marshal have the evening off.” She took out alcohol wipes, antibiotic ointment, and two bandaids. “What brings you here this fine evening?”

“You, actually.” Waverly had already made a fool of herself. No use beating around the bush.

Nicole’s hands stilled. “Me?”

“Yes, you,” Waverly said simply. She unzipped the lunch bag and placed the thermos, marshmallows, candy canes, and cookie on the table. Or rather, cookies. Plural. Somehow Wynonna had managed to sneak her damn cookie into the bag. “I’m gonna murder her,” Waverly muttered.

“What?”

“Nothing!” She would have shoved Wynonna’s cookie back in the bag, but Nicole was already staring at the offerings in awe. “Since you couldn’t come out for cocoa, I thought the cocoa could come to you.”

“You didn’t have to do all that, Wave.” A flattered smile spread across Nicole’s face as quickly as warmth spread through Waverly at hearing Nicole use her nickname.

“I know, but I wanted to,” Waverly said. In all honesty, the need to see Nicole lately had been overwhelming. And she was grateful Alice had given her the perfect excuse. “I hope you like peppermint cocoa.”

“I love it, actually.” Nicole resumed her task, tearing open one of the alcohol pads and using it to clean Waverly’s scrapes. Despite her gentleness, they still stung on contact and Waverly hissed in response.

“Sorry,” Nicole said, quickly blowing across the skin to lessen the pain.

“Alice made you the elf cookie.” Waverly winced as Nicole carefully applied ointment to the wounds.

“It’s adorable.” Nicole’s eyes slid to Wynonna’s green monstrosity. “Is that supposed to be mistletoe?”

“God,” Waverly groaned. “My sister made it.” To torment me.

Nicole bit her bottom lip. “Does everyone know about the mistletoe?’’

“Honestly? The whole town probably knows.” And wouldn’t let Waverly forget it. Not that she could even if she wanted to. That damn kiss had been replaying in her mind on a continuous loop for weeks now.

Nicole chuckled. “It’s holly though.”

“Yeah.” Waverly nodded. “I guess it’s the thought that counts.”

“You know, someone, who may or may not be your sister, has been hanging ‘mistletoe’ up around the station, possibly in the hopes of catching us underneath with Nedley or someone similarly frightening.” She pointed upward and, sure enough, someone had hung branches of prickly green holly from the ceiling directly above them.

Waverly shook her head. The prank definitely seemed right up Wynonna’s alley.

Nicole nudged Wynonna’s cookie with a finger. “Better tell your sister to stick to her day job.”

Waverly giggled. “She was never the best at baking.” Or any domestic chores, really. Wynonna had bigger demons to fry, literally. “She always used to leave that to me and Wlla.”

“Willa?”

She was sure that Nedley had told Nicole about what happened to Willa and their father all those years ago. If he hadn’t, then the grapevine would have eventually filled her in. But Nicole’s expression was politely curious, not the look of someone who knew Waverly’s father and sister had both been killed.

“Our older sister,” Waverly explained. “She… she died a long time ago.”

Nicole covered Waverly’s hand with her own and lightly squeezed it. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” She hardly ever talked about Willa, not even with Wynonna. The memories of the eldest Earp sister were still painful, and with her gone, Waverly saw no need to dwell on them. But something about Nicole and her gentleness made Waverly want to open up.

“She’s actually the reason I don’t really skate anymore,” Waverly continued as Nicole carefully placed a bandaid on her left knee. Nicole paused to listen. “I used to love skating. In fact, I wanted to be Michelle Kwan.” The corners of Nicole’s eye crinkled in a smile and Waverly playfully shoved her shoulder. “Don’t laugh at me.”

“I’m not.” Nicole rocked back slightly. “I think you’re,” she cleared her throat, “that’s cute. Go on.”

Smiling, Waverly’s stomach flipped pleasantly. “There’s a pond a few miles from our house. In the winter, when it froze over, our mom used to take us there to skate.” Her smile faded slightly. “When mom left, Willa… she changed. I mean, I was never her favorite to begin with. But sometimes, she was just… mean.” Cruel, Waverly thought. A side-effect of Ward’s ever growing expectations and volatile temper. “I had a stuffed bunny that my mom gave me for Easter one year. Mr. Rabbit. He was old and dirty and one of his ears was falling off. But he was my favorite. Willa took him one year and threw him onto the lake, just after the first freeze of the season.”

Nicole’s brow furrowed.

“I went out onto the ice to get him. But, of course, it wasn’t solid enough yet. I fell through.”

“Jesus, Waverly…”

“But, obviously I’m still in once piece.” Waverly spread out her arms, as if to prove she was alive and well. “Wynonna saved me.”

“I suppose I owe her a whiskey.” Nicole shook her head, eyes full of sympathy. “So you’ve never been skating since?”

Waverly shook her head. “I guess I’ve been afraid of getting hurt again.” It was an irrational fear, she knew, but one she couldn’t help. “It’s silly.”

“It’s not.” Nicole gently stuck the other bandaid on Waverly’s right knee. “One great things about wounds? They always heal with a little TLC, if you let them.” She leaned down, surprising Waverly as she tenderly kissed both knees.

When Nicole smiled back up at Waverly, her heart felt like it was expanding inside her chest, spreading warmth throughout her entire body, all the way down to her fingertips and toes.

“There’s no mistletoe,” Waverly whispered, gaze dropping to Nicole’s lips.

“It’s the thought that counts,” Nicole murmured back.

Waverly scooted an inch closer on her seat. Nicole mirrored the movement.

And just as Waverly was about to surge forward, friendship be damned, a loud crash came from the bullpen.

Nicole stood immediately, cursing underneath her breath, and sprinted to the commotion. Waverly quickly followed. When they got to the front desk, two officers were there with a drunk and disorderly man thrashing between them, clumsy and wild.

“If it is fisticuffs you want, then it is fisticuffs you will get!” He slurred, thick mustache twitching in agitation.

Waverly’s mouth dropped open. “Doc!?”

He calmed almost instantly, squinting at Waverly from beneath the brim of his black hat. “Well, well. Waverly Earp, as I live and breathe.”

Nicole pointed between Waverly and Doc. “You two know each other.”

“This is John Henry,” Waverly introduced. “Wynonna’s, um…” One of Doc’s eyebrows disappeared into his hat. “Alice’s dad.”

“Oh,” Nicole said. “But aren’t Wynonna and Dolls…” She shut her mouth when Doc glared at her.

Waverly winced. “It’s complicated.”

“Isn’t it always.” It wasn’t a question and the way Nicole said it made Waverly think of Shae the mystery woman. Nicole chucked a thumb toward the cells. “Get him to the drunk tank, boys. Let him sleep it off.”

This time, Doc didn’t struggle as the deputies led him away, sharing one last look with Waverly before he disappeared.

“I’d better get his paperwork started,” Nicole sighed, turning toward Waverly. “Thank you again for the cocoa.”

“Sure thing.” Waverly couldn’t stop herself from wondering about what might have happened in the break room if they hadn’t been interrupted. “I’d better go and tell Wynonna, I guess.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

Waverly hesitated briefly, then turned on her heel. “Oh,” she whirled back around.

“Yes?” Nicole asked expectantly.

“Perry Crofte’s holiday party is this Saturday. I was wondering…” If you’d be my date.

“Oh! I’ll be there.”

Waverly’s eyebrows shot up. “You… you will?”

“Chrissy Nedley invited me the other day when she was visiting her dad.”

“Great,” Waverly said, trying to contain her excitement. She was gonna owe Chrissy big time. “Then I’ll see you there.”

“Count on it.”

Waverly waved goodbye and rounded the corner back into the hall. When she was out of Nicole’s line of site, she wanted to dance. She almost twirled in place until she saw the yellow caution cone. Not wanting a repeat of her earlier fall, she sobered instantly and carefully walked out of the station.

[llagerstatte]

PromnisAC 2017 – Festival

Rating: G

'–and there's gonna be fireworks and a parade, starting at three,' Prompto said, where he sat on the kitchen countertop. He was reading from his phone, punctuating the words with his heels against the cupboard doors. 'Hey look, they have pictures of it last year, oh man that looks so cool with the lights and smoke and fake snow stuff–'

Ignis, for once, didn't have a hard time holding back his smile. He stared down into the saucepan he was stirring, aware distantly that the sounds from Noct's game had changed, indicating it was paused and therefore Noct was listening in. Noct knew, of course, what he was going to say.

What he should have said days ago, only hadn't because he'd been too much of a coward.

'It'll be mega crowded; the article lists good places to see it from but that just means everyone'll be going there, so who knows. It's a huge parade though so there has to be space to see it somewhere – oh shit, oh shit, Iggy, look, look, last year they had a chocobo float with actual chocobos, please tell me they're doing it again this time, oh-em-gee–'

Prompto thumped down from the counter and pressed himself against Ignis' back, looping his arms around his neck to show him the pictures from his phone. 'We have to see this one. Look at them, they're all so fat and fluffed up from the cold––! We have to see this, I'm gonna die if we don't, Iggy, I swear I'll literally die–'

'Prompto.' Unhooking Prompto's arms from around him and gently pushing him back, Ignis turned to face him. 'I wish I could, but I can't go to the festival. I – the amount of work I have, the deadline for the fund allocation proposals is Monday morning, and – I'm sorry.'

The disappointment of having to spend yet another festival working overtime was bad, but he could live with it. Seeing the utmost disappointment in Prompto's expression that split-second before he masked it made him feel like the lowest scum in all of Eos.

'Oh,' Prompto said. 'Oh. Um, no, that's fine. I mean, it's not fine! That's – shit, I'm sorry they're making you work so much.'

'No, it's – I should have told you sooner, I'm sorry. I'd hoped I could have made time but with these proposals, and the furor with Glaive only last month, and... I shouldn't be making excuses. I really am sorry.' Ignis paused. 'Prompto, I really hope you're not thinking of being incredibly foolish and not going.'

At arms length, he could see the flush on Prompto's cheeks. 'Um, maybe. I just thought since you'd be stuck at home I could keep you company! It's not like we couldn't watch it on the TV or something.'

With a small smile Ignis gathered Prompto up, peppering soft little kisses across his eyelids and the bridge of his nose. Prompto squirmed even as he wrapped his arms around Ignis' waist. 'As much as I appreciate the sentiment,' Ignis said, 'it's a terrible idea. I'll be incredibly bad company, and even if I weren't I really can't afford the time to be distracted. Noct and Gladio are going to the festival; go with them.'

Prompto squashed his face against the crook of Ignis' neck and groaned. 'Why do you have to be so logical and right all the time?'

The sounds of Noct's game resumed. 'It's literally his job,' Noct said, loudly, over the sound effect clashing of swords. 'Why do you think I keep him around otherwise?'

'Certainly not out of appreciation for the years and years of my life spent waiting on you hand and foot,' Ignis said. He combed his fingers through Prompto's hair, fingertips on his scalp, massaging it. 'Prompto, go with them, enjoy yourself. Bring me back some photos of the chocobo float.'

'Yeah,' Prompto said. 'Okay. But making you work over it is still the worst.'

Two days later, the sound of keys in his apartment door make Ignis blink and look up from his laptop. He glanced at the time – almost one in the morning.

Prompto knocked on the study door before he shuffled in, bringing in a wash of cold air. 'Hey,' he said, as he pulled off his coat and tossed it onto the bed. 'How's it going?'

'It is going,' Ignis said, and accepted the disposable cup that was pressed into his hands. 'Mulled wine?'

'Yes! I was going to get it from the nice place but I also figured I should buy it last thing so it wasn't like a block of ice by the time you got it, but when we found the nice place again at the end it'd already closed–' Prompto draped himself over Ignis' shoulders, leaning in to kiss the line of his jaw. 'So sorry, this is, uh, third nicest. The second nicest ran out literally two people before us in the line. Also I got you some candy but I gave it to Gladio to carry because he had room in his bag but I totally forgot to ask for it back. Sorry, I'm distracting you, aren't I?'

'Yes, but I think I could do with a few minutes of distraction.' Ignis put the cup on his desk and pushed his chair back, tugging Prompto around until he was straddling Ignis' lap. They kissed; Prompto tasted of mulled wine, and the sugar and salt of the festival street food. His clothes and hair smelt like smoke, and were cold under Ignis' hands.

'Did you have fun?'

'Yeah.' Prompto smiled, sighed, and bent down for another kiss. 'I got some photos of the chocobos, if you want to see. Also one of Noct falling off Gladio's shoulders – his expression is amazing – I said I deleted it but like I'm ever getting rid of that one.'

Ignis laughed, a gentle exhale against Prompto's lips. 'Perhaps tomorrow. You should go to bed; I assume you're staying over?'

'No – I mean, I don't have to. Since you have work to do and everything. The buses are running all night, turns out, so I can get back to mine easy.'

'Nonsense; have a shower, go to bed.'

'You slave-driver. Now I understand why Noct cries himself to sleep every night–' Prompto squealed and jumped back as Ignis dug his fingers into the ticklish spots under his ribs, falling on his ass on the floor. A moment of silence, then he burst out laughing.

It wasn't until half an hour later, and the shower had started running, that Ignis remembered the mulled wine. He cupped it in his hands and took a sip.

It was, despite Prompto's best efforts, cold. Even as the third best at the festival, and no doubt extortionately expensive, it was much too sweet, from a very cheap wine, and with the flavour of the clove clumsily strong.

Still.

Ignis smiled, and took another sip.

[4compassionqueen]

This week was filled with great meals, a holiday celebration and even sunshine. Yet for some reason this week I have really struggled with staying positive towards myself and with other people.

It started off good with preparations for valentines day and somewhat decent weather, which i don’t mention lightly. The weather has a huge affect on my mood, no matter how hard I try to not let it get to me.

I made some sweet zero waste valentines gifts for Ian and meal prepped some really good meals for the week. And then it all started. I’m pretty sure I killed my Scoby that I’ve been trying to grow for a couple weeks now Being someone who really hates wasting time and fears loosing the opportunity to do something, this Scoby set back really bummed me out. On top of that there has been some changes at work and i’m trying my best to adjust to them, but it’s been quite the challenge. It makes the work day long, which makes the evening go by even faster.

Which leads me to my third setback this week. Baxter. Chews. On. Everything. I try my hardest to give him all the love and affection, exercise and toys he could possibly handle. Yet he tremendously enjoys chewing on my shoes, the couch pillows, and anything else that isn’t meant for him. It can be extremely frustrating to come home after a long work day and find all your shoes in the middle of the living room, laces almost pulled out and couch pillows in the kitchen.

Then there is the cat who is elderly and struggles with urinary tract issues. I found out the hard way this week that she is having a hard time holding in her urine when i found my bare feet wet.

To top it off, I was trying to come up with a pancake recipe that used coconut flour with minimal ingredients, and that ended up to be a failure. So this morning i thought hey, i’ll try this recipe for buckwheat crepes. Once again, didn’t turn out but I was able to make them into pancakes.

I think the biggest thing that I need to accept is that I chose to bring these things into my life and I need to choose how I react to them in a more positive matter. I chose to adopt some pretty needy animals and I need to address the situations that come with them in a more positive matter. I chose to try and grow my own scoby instead of buying store bought kombucha, so I need to step back and realize it’s okay if it doesn’t work the first time. I chose to test out a recipe, and it’s okay that it didn’t come out the way I wanted. These aren’t failures or times lost, but things I can reflect on and use for the future. It’s all about looking at the world through “rose colored glasses”.

Some things i’m going to focus more on this week are

Analyzing the situation before reacting

Walking more for mental and physical health

Being okay with not being perfect

Reflecting on how I can do things better

Spreading more love

Replacing negative thoughts with positive thoughts

To start the week off on a bright side i’m going to share what went good this week! For starters I cut off 13 inches of my hair and donated it to Wigs for Kids (highly recommend doing this if you are considering cutting your hair, makes it so much more rewarding), I’m continuing to see results with my workouts, I started reading a great book (Cooking Gene), and I’m finding more and more ways to reduce my waste every day.

I was really pleased with the meals I made this week, so here it goes!

First I made a spicy vegetable stir fry out of the minimalist baker cookbook. You start off my marinating tofu overnight in a soy sauce, sriracha and sesame oil combo. It also called for maple syrup but I substituted some reduced pineapple juice. Then you fry the tofu in the pan, saute the veggies in remaining marinade, add it all back together in the pan and slam bam thank you ma’am. A super easy and protein pack meal that literally takes less than 30 minutes to make. You can use whatever veggies you’d like, but i used carrots, broccoli and red pepper. I also served it in tortillas as tacos, as well as over rice.

  Marinating tofu

Red pepper, broccoli and carrots

Frying tofu

Sauteed Veggies in Marinade

Then i made another recipe from the minimalist baker cookbook. Coconut Red Curry Vegetable Soup. This is a new favorite and will definitely be made again. Another soup-er simple meal that is really affordable and sustainable.

This one i’m just so in love with i have to share, so enjoy!

COCONUT RED CURRY VEGETABLE SOUP

INGREDIENTS

1 TBS COCONUT OIL

1/4 CUP DICED CARROTS

1 CUP DICED GREEN ONION

1/4 TSP EACH SEA SALT AND BLACK PEPPER

1 LARGE CLOVE GARLIC

2 TBS RED CURRY PASTE (OR 1-2 TBS CURRY POWDER)

1 CUP WHITE BUTTON MUSHROOMS, SLICED

3/4 CUP FRESH TOMATO, DICED

2 1-INCH SLICES FRESH GINGER OR 1 TSP GROUND GINGER

2 14-OZ CANS LIGHT COCONUT MILK

3/4 TSP GROUND TUMERIC

1-2 TBS MAPLE SYRUP (I OMITTED)

Heat large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add coconut oil, carrots, and green onions. Cook for 2 minutes. Season with a health pinch of salt and pepper.

Add the garlic and curry paste. Stir. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the mushrooms, tomatoes, and ginger. Stir once more. Season with another pinch of salt.

Cook for 3 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, turmeric, and maple syrup. Whisk. Bring to a very low boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low.

Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the carrots are cooked through and the curry flavor has permeated the vegetables.

Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, adding more maple syrup for sweetness, or salt.

Discard the ginger and server warm as a soup or serve over cooked rice.

Garnish with cilantro and fresh lime juice. (I also added soy amino’s)

  And of course for Friday I made fries…

Other things I ate and snacked on

Bananas and oranges

Baked sweet potato

Nuts and avacado

Smoothies

This week i’m looking forward to trying some new things. I would like to experiment with making my own tempeh and see how this second try on the scoby goes, making my own almond milk (haven’t made almond yet), trying new techniques on working with Baxter and journal my negative thoughts to turn into positive lessons in the future.

Hope you all have a fantastic week, thanks for letting me ramble!

You choose what you put out into the world This week was filled with great meals, a holiday celebration and even sunshine. Yet for some reason this week I have really struggled with staying positive towards myself and with other people.

[ynsespoir]

Sheet Pan Sesame Chicken and Veggies

This Sheet Pan Sesame Chicken and Veggies makes the perfect weeknight dinner that’s healthy, delicious and easily made all on one pan in under 30 minutes!  Perfect recipe for your Sunday meal prep too!  

A special thanks to PAM Spray Pumps for partnering with me on this post!  As always, all opinions are my own.

Yes I’m back at it again with sheet pan meals because they are literally my go-to weeknight meal and are total lifesavers when things get hectic and busy during the week!  I know that most of you can relate, especially those that have kids, so having the convenience of throwing a complete dinner all on one pan definitely makes life much more bearable.  Easy clean up, delicious flavor and so many leftovers that you won’t even need to worry about what to eat for lunch the next day!

This Sheet Pan Sesame Chicken and Veggies is one of my favorites because it’s a much healthier version of “take-out” that has half the calories, but ALL the flavor!  You can easily prep this the day before too by chopping up all your veggies and marinating the chicken, but if this is a last minute recipe you decided to throw together in a pinch then that’s okay too.  Prep time takes just a few minutes and the sauce only requires 5 simple ingredients so it really is that easy!  Then just toss everything together on the pan and you are good to go.

Okay so I just have to share with you the convenience of PAM Spray Pumps especially when making sheet pan meals!  Not only are you reducing your fat and calories by controlling how much (or how little) oil you spray on the pan , but PAM makes it even easier to clean-up because everything just easily slides right off without sticking.  PAM has no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives and I am absolutely loving the NEW non-aerosol spray pumps they now offer and the bottle is clear so you can conveniently see when you are running low.

I’ve always noticed that when cooking veggies, too much oil can really ruin the taste and texture not to mention adding even more unnecessary calories to your dish which is why I love using PAM.  PAM Spray Pumps are available in two varieties – olive oil and canola oil.  I use olive oil a ton when cooking veggies so I was excited to see it in an easy-to-use spray bottle!

For this recipe I basically just tossed the chicken and veggies together on a baking sheet, seasoned with salt and pepper then drizzled everything with the sauce.  THAT’S IT!  Now if you like your veggies crunchier, I would cook the chicken first halfway through then add your veggies to the pan so that they won’t cook as long, but that’s completely up to you.  Either way this dish will taste delicious!

You could also easily turn this recipe into a stir fry if you wanted!  Rather than cooking everything in the oven, simply toss the chicken and veggies into a skillet sprayed with a little PAM, drizzle with the sauce and cook this meal that way.  Like I said before, this recipe is simple, delicious and created for convenience for those busy weeknights so feel free to cook this how YOU prefer!

Not only do sheet pan meals make cleaning up a breeze, but they are also perfect for meal prep!  You can customize this dinner however you’d like to too!  Try using green beans or asparagus in place of the broccoli or throw in some chopped onions or even sweet potatoes.  Trust me this sauce tastes great on EVERYTHING so go crazy and make this to your liking!  Serve this over brown rice or some quinoa for a complete meal that is delicious and much healthier than ordering take-out in the middle of the week.

I can’t stress to you how convenient PAM Spray Pumps are for meal-prepping.  I mean they are seriously a MUST in the kitchen especially when you are cooking a lot of different things all at once.  They really help you cut down on the amount of oil you’re using and because PAM has superior non-stick performance, you don’t have to worry about scraping those veggies, potatoes, chicken or even fish off of the pan because they stuck right to it!

Oh and this sauce??  Yes it is to DIE for.  A simple combination of soy sauce, honey, garlic, fresh ginger and a drizzle of sweet chili sauce make this meal super flavorful and only uses 5 ingredients!  I topped everything off with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and some chopped green onions and then proceeded to devour my plate.  Literally.

I hope you all enjoy this simple weeknight dinner as much as we did!  Anytime you’re in a rut and aren’t sure what to make for dinner, just remember “you PAM do it!” and this Sheet Pan Sesame Chicken is a great way to help you get started

Sheet Pan Sesame Chicken and Veggies

  Print

Serves: 4 Servings

Ingredients

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large head of broccoli, chopped (about 2 cups)

2 medium red bell peppers, cut into chunks

1 cup snap peas

Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional toppings: sesame seeds and green onions

For the sauce:

¼ cup lower-sodium soy sauce

1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce

2 Tbsp honey

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp. fresh ginger

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

To make the sauce: In a small saucepan, heat soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, honey, garlic and ginger on medium heat and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and allow sauce to simmer, whisking occasionally, until sauce is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat.

Spread chicken and chopped veggies on a baking sheet sprayed with PAM cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle half the sauce over the chicken and veggies (reserving the other half for later) and toss to combine. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, tossing halfway through, and continue cooking until veggies are tender and chicken is cooked through.

Drizzle remaining sauce over top and sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve over brown rice or quinoa and enjoy!

Nutritional Information

Serving Size: 1¾ cups • Calories: 222 • Fat: 3.6 g • Saturated Fat: 0.8 g • Carbs: 22.5 g • Fiber: 3.4 g • Protein: 26.7 g • Sugars: 13.9 g • WW Points+: 6 • Smart Points: 6

3.5.3218

This post is sponsored by PAM Cooking Spray.  As always all opinions are 100% my own.

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