While I'm busy working away on custom invitations/designs, finalizing the post for the "To the Moon" baby shower and proofing photos of Ella's 2nd birthday party...

I figured I'd treat you to a holiday recipe I tried for the first time over the weekend...

These would be perfect to help make your holiday breakfast extra special.

(Or bring them to work and surprise your co-workers..although one taste and you may want to hog them all yourself...but the season IS all about "giving"...now isn't it?! *wink*

GINGERBREAD CINNAMON ROLLS

Gingerbread Cinnamon Buns

Click HERE for the downloadable version of this recipe

Recipe Source: Better Homes and Gardens 2010 Holiday Baking magazine

Although these require some time for rising...they really aren't that difficult to make and are REALLY quite tasty.

They would be fun to make with the kids too - imperfections and all! *wink*

I love them especially warm - so pop them in the microwave if you happen to have leftovers.

TIPS:

• Don't add too much flour or overknead - mine were a little thick/doughy.

• Use fresh yeast - I guess mine was old because they didn't rise as good as they should've.

• If you'd like to prepare and bake these the day before your event/breakfast/gathering, just wrap them up after the drizzle has hardened and throw them in the microwave before serving. They have WONDERFUL flavor.

CONCLUSION:

Despite too much flour, overkneading and less than fresh yeast - my results were still delicious and I would definitely invest the time to make these again.

I'm gearing up for a "12 Days of Holiday Gift Giving" next week to begin the countdown to Christmas.

Some ideas will be mine...and other ideas will be things I've found around the web.

I hope to inspire you to really get into the spirit of "giving" and savor the season instead of allowing it to spin out of control with "too much to do".

KEEPING IT REAL

I've been exhausted over the last 3 days.

I think all of the festivities in November have finally caught up with me?

Not to mention the fact that I don't ever sleep in on the weekends either. (although anywhere between 4:30-5:30 would be considered sleeping-in compared to my usual 4a.m.)?

And this past weekend I was baking and cooking like a fiend.

I think my body is saying, "Hey you...time to rest for a minute"...

It also doesn't help that it's been 34° outside either - I despise cold weather - it makes me cranky and causes me to crave being snuggled up in a blanket all day long. I don't know how you northern people survive the winters...yikes!!

And I'll have you know the "12 Days of Holiday Gift Giving" I just mentioned that will be starting next week is really to inspire ME...

I really need something that will keep things in perspective for ME as I go about the rigamarole of the holidays.

I figure the side benefit will be if it happens to inspire the rest of you too! *wink*

{in the kitchen} keep calm & bake on...

the truth of the matter is...

sometimes things don't quite turn out the way you are expecting...

despite your enthusiasm.

take, for instance, mini key lime pies...

i was COMPLETELY excited to try my hand at making these little morsels.

i'd purchased fresh key limes...(remember this?)

i had my brand-new pan...

all the ingredients were stocked in the pantry...

my mom even showed up unexpectedly so i had an extra set of hands.

i pretty much had all of the necessary items to produce a fantastic mini key lime pie.

instead, this is what i got...

an entire pan-full of overcooked mini key lime pies...

mistake #1...

forgetting to reduce required baking time due to pan size.

let's move on....

how about some chocolate cookies instead...

ummmm.....

yeah. (prounounced "eee-yah")

chocolate cookies...

with an overabundance of meringue still left in the bowl...

i decided to be resourceful.

i filled up a piping bag and whipped out a cookie sheet full of meringues.

(and i'm actually proud of myself at this point for not being wasteful).

approximately thirty to forty-five minutes later...

after having shut the timer off on the oven and wondering why it even went off in the first place...

after continuing to ignore the odd smell of something i can't quite put my finger on...

the sirens suddenly go off in my head...

"THE MERINGUES!!!!"....

mistake #2:

forgetting something was in the oven

no chocolate cookies here folks...just these lovely "autumn-kissed" meringues.

i was pretty discouraged...

i mean look at these pathetic attempts at baking...

and so...

it just goes to show...

things don't always turn out the way you anticipate.

and that's okay.

life isn't perfect - especially mine.

not everything in my kitchen turns out wonderful...

shoot.

some things barely make the "okay" list.

giving up, however, is not an option...

it's not acceptable...

and it shouldn't even be a consideration.

even when the odds are stacked against us.

we've got to dust ourselves off...

keep moving forward...

and find a different approach.

with that said...

here's my contribution to the infamous "keep calm" prints around the world...

i hope you all enjoy your wednesday...

and if for some reason you are feeling discouraged...

i hope this helps to add a little sunshine to your day.

KEEPING IT REAL

• i pulled the meringues from the trash the following day just to do a photo shoot for this post. *wink*

• key lime pies sat in the refrigerator and meringues sat in a ziploc for 4 days until i had time to photograph them.

• clara & i scraped off the overcooked pie filling & meringue and ate a few of the crusts...delicious!!

• i really did tell the girls these were chocolate cookies and i was in hysterics as they both took a bite...or tried to...it pretty much turned into "autumn-kissed" dust particles...

mistake #3: attempting to make these in the late afternoon with too many distractions.

j's parents came into town for a visit and my intentions were to have these as our dessert one night after dinner.

luckily, for me, i hadn't even mentioned i was baking these so there were no expectations on their part.

{in the kitchen} "bouquet garni"

i did it!

my very first "bouquet garni". (remember this post)?

yes...i was inspired to make some FRESH, from-scratch vegetable and chicken soup this weekend.

why on earth i would choose the middle of summer -

heat index in the 100's -

it makes no sense really.

BUT i was craving some fresh veggies...

AND i was determined to start goal #14...

SO...

i stopped and bought fresh herbs from a local garden shoppe on friday.

i created my homemade broth on saturday...

and finished up making the soup on sunday.

i felt so...

"canelle et vanille - ish" creating a bouquet of fresh herbs and using it to make the broth from scratch.

yes.

i've made from-scratch soup before.

it's not my first rodeo..*wink*

BUT...i haven't used a "just clipped" bouquet of herbs -

from my own herb garden -

so it just felt all that more "homemade"...

organic...

clean...

healthy.

speaking of healthy.

i dropped the ball on giving you the information on the new challenge i keep mentioning.

i had hoped to start this week but since i didn't give you the heads up on the details...

we'll start NEXT week.

so here's the scoop:

start gathering up your vegetables and fruits...

and your creative ideas...

the goal?

incorporate 5 servings of each...

EVERY day...

for the next 21 days.

i'm calling it the "543"...

FIVE servings of vegetables

FIVE servings of fruit

every day...

FOR the next

THREE weeks!

if you'd like to participate...

i'll create a separate page with the specifics & journaling...

so gear up to get started next Monday - August 9th

have a GREAT monday everyone -

and a spectacular week!

KEEPING IT REAL

i haven't even tried the soup yet - i went to bed early lastnight completely exhausted from sleep deprivation mixed with no energy left after cleaning out the garage over the weekend.

but...

i look forward to sampling it today...

and i'm happy i have my herbs to start that herb garden of mine.

AND i DID spray paint the piece of iron work i shared in this post...details to come!