We were finally able to celebrate Em's March birthday last week so, of course, her annually requested fresh fruit watermelon cake was in order. 

We went with a rectangular shape this year to change things up because you know I always like to push the creative boundaries and challenge myself to come up with something new.

However, I can't take the credit for the finished cake this year. I only helped with some final shaping of the watermelon base before Em and her friend worked together to add all of the other fruit. It turned out beautiful. I love the attention to detail with the placement of fruit varieties...especially how they used the sliced strawberries in alternating rows to finish off the top of the cake. 

If you've never tried your hand at making a fresh fruit watermelon cake I hope this post inspires you. (see the step-by-step linked below)

They are the prettiest and yummiest guilt-free whole food cake and hits the mark on everyone's dietary restrictions, unless you can't eat fruit, since it's dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, processed sugar-free, nut-free, vegan and my favorite...whole30 approved. 

When we slice it up for family, we usually have whipped cream for those that want it. (for the vegan and dairy-free people, you can also serve it with the canned almond whipped cream or coconut whipped cream varieties found in the refrigerated section of your local grocery stores).

PIN IT FOR LATER <-- click here

PS - Let's stay cozy + connected in-between posts...find me on Instagram for daily inspiration. Psst - If you aren't already following along you've been missing out...

THINGS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED THIS WEEK OVER ON INSTAGRAM - sure hope you're already following along --> @pnpflowers on Instagram

• DIY Kitchen Sink Scrub
• 50+ Days of being makeup-free, hair product-free + heat styling tool-free
• Cuban Chicken and more dinner ideas!


PSS -  Subscribe here to have new blog posts delivered right to your inbox.

..........

OTHER BLOG POSTS YOU MAY ENJOY:

The fresh fruit cake that started it all <-- we've come a long way. Lol
Step-by-Step Fresh Fruit Watermelon Cake
16th Birthday Fresh Fruit Cake + Cakelets
15th Birthday Fresh Fruit Cake - with pomegranate


KEEPING IT REAL
COVID-19 social distancing was the reason for the delay in being able to celebrate with Em.
A wonderful visit from her and a her friend last week helped make it happen. She actually thought she was just coming up for a visit...the whole time I was scheming to surprise her with a belated 21st birthday celebration! We even got her with silly string - also a family birthday tradition. *wink*

RECIPE | Maple-Infused Walnuts

You know those delicious candied walnuts (or pecans) we all love for snacking and adding to salads?

Well I've got a recipe for you today that'll help remove some of the guilt associated with these delicious...dare I say...addicting little morsels.

Have you ever tried maple-infused walnuts?

This slightly sweet and a lil' bit salty walnut recipe is delicious.

And did you know maple syrup has a low-glycemic index?

Put simply, it means this all natural sweetener doesn't wreak havoc on your blood glucose levels like refined sugar does. And we all know avoiding quick spikes in our blood sugar levels and insulin promotes all sort of wonderful health benefits! (weightloss, a healthy heart, longer lasting energy, increased mental clarity, reduces some cancers, prevents age-related macular degeneration and frankly just keeps you feeling your best)!

That said, I'm not encouraging you to "go nuts" (pun intended) on the maple syrup...everything in moderation my friends.

BUT...what I am saying is this pairing of maple syrup and walnuts (which by the way have their own reputation for being loaded with good things - Omega-3's for instance), sure makes me feel like I'm treating myself but in the best way. A very intentional way. "Intentional Snacking!" Is that a thing?

Add these to salads, trail mixes and package them up in a pretty jar and give them as a gift! (hello...Christmas is right around the corner). Ooo! That just made me think that maybe adding a lil' bit of cinnamon to them for a more festive fall/winter vibe would be good too?)

Recipe is at the bottom!

 

Walnuts, Maple Syrup, candied nuts, low glycemic

Snacks, Walnuts, Trail Mix,

Yield: 6 servings

Author: Pen + Paper Flowers - Jessica Lyn Kirkland

Maple-Infused Walnuts

prep time: cook time: total time:

Delicious, lightly sweetened + salty walnuts for salads, snacking and gifting.

ingredients:

• 1 + 1/2 cups raw walnut pieces (or whole if you prefer)
• 2 TBSP pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp. extra light tasting olive oil
• 3/4 tsp. fine sea salt

instructions:

How to cook Maple-Infused Walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 250º.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Add walnuts, maple syrup, oil and salt to a small bowl.
4. Stir until all walnuts have been coated.
5. Pour walnuts onto prepared cookie sheet and spread evenly.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes and stir with wooden spoon.
7. Bake another 8-10 minutes and stir.
8. Repeat process until walnut are done. (see note below)
9. Note: Walnuts are done  when the sticky residue from the maple syrup has almost disappeared from the parchment paper.
10. Remove from oven and let cool slightly, or until walnuts are hardened and dry.
11. Break apart if necessary and store in airtight container.

NOTES:

IDEAS FOR USE: -> Sprinkle on salads. -> Add to a trail mix. -> Package up for gifting.

Calories
80.78

Fat (grams)
6.42

Sat. Fat (grams)
0.64

Carbs (grams)
5.66

Fiber (grams)
0.58

Net carbs
5.08

Sugar (grams)
4.26

Protein (grams)
1.33

Sodium (milligrams)
291.67

Cholesterol (grams)
0.00

Please note: These nutritional values are based on information contained in a large database. They may or may not be accurate reflections of the ingredients listed here.

https://www.pnpflowersinc.com/2019/10/Maple-Infused-Walnuts-Recipe.html

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @pnpflowers on instagram and hashtag it #pnpflowersrecipe

Created using The Recipes Generator

Stay tuned for a quick "Halloween" themed trail mix incorporating these goodies.

As usual, if you try the recipe, please come back and let me know what you think!

PS - Let's stay cozy + connected in-between posts...find me on Instagram for daily inspiration.

Subscribe here to have new blog posts delivered right to your inbox.

KEEPING IT REAL

I've been on a 44 day challenge (which includes no sugar of any kind) and have been sharing my progress over on Instagram - today is Day 33.

That said, maple syrup has been off limits for me as well which means I'm REALLY looking forward to incorporating these yummy walnuts into my salads soon! Yay!!

PS - I'll be revealing my results on Day 44 - Nov. 8th - over on my Instagram feed!

RECIPE | Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

There's nothing that makes me happier than to find healthier ways to prepare my family's favorite meals. This homemade taco seasoning mix has been my go-to for years now, when preparing Taco Tuesday dinners. (and let's be real...Tuesdays aren't the only day I'll use the excuse to make tacos). *wink*

You won't believe how easy this dry seasoning mix is to make AND it doesn't contain any additives you'd find in store-bought packages. I like that. Actually...I LOVE that.

Make up a jar to keep in your spice cupboard so you'll be all set for your next Taco night!!

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

Yield: Equivalent to 1 pkg of store-bought Taco Seasoning

Author: Pen + Paper Flowers - Jessica Lyn Kirkland

prep time: 5 Mcook time: total time: 5 M

This delicious blend of Taco Seasoning mix is filled with the perfect blend of spices to create a delicious taco seasoning for your next taco night.( Use in place of a package of store-bought taco seasoning).

ingredients:

• 2 tsp. dried minced onion
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano

instructions:

How to cook Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

1. Mix together ingredients and store in air-tight container.
2. Add 2 TBSP. of taco seasoning mix to 1lb. cooked ground beef or chicken.
3. Add 1/4 cup of water, if needed. 
4. Simmer for 5 minutes and serve.

NOTES:

I usually double or triple the recipe since we use it on a regular basis.

Please note: These nutritional values are based on information contained in a large database. They may or may not be accurate reflections of the ingredients listed here.

https://www.pnpflowersinc.com/2019/10/Homemade-Taco-Seasoning-Mix.html

Taco Seasoning, Taco Tuesday, Homemade, Dry Mixes,

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @pnpflowers on instagram and hashtag it #pnpflowersrecipe

Created using The Recipes Generator

I do hope you'll try it and come back to let me know what you think.

PS - Let's stay cozy + connected in-between posts...find me on Instagram for daily inspiration...for instance, today I shared what Ella's going to be for Halloween! *wink*

Subscribe here to have new blog posts delivered right to your inbox.

KEEPING IT REAL

Probably the easiest recipe I've ever posted.

Stay tuned for the Ranch Dressing Mix recipe...it's just as easy.

BAKING | Hummingbird Cake + Cupcakes

*Affiliate links are included in just about every blog post I share here on Pen + Paper Flowers.

 These links allow me to easily share with you the same or similar items and tools I use for recipes, crafts or projects. 
These links also provide me with a small commission should you decide to click on them and purchase something. 
The commissions, collectively, allow me to continue sharing ideas and content with you.
Thank you in advance for your ongoing support of my blog and small business.  xoxo, Jess

Hummingbird Cake is about as southern as it gets when it comes to cakes. In fact, this classic cake has been the single most popular recipe in Southern Living Magazine since it was submitted back in 1978. (Let me do the math for you on that...for 40 years!) 

So you would think this girl right here would have tasted this cake a time or two and even attempted baking it at least once by now, right? Nope.

I don't even have a good excuse for not having tried it yet. It could be that my memory just isn't the best...so maybe I actually have tried it in the past and it's just been soooo long ago it just completely slipped my mind?

Umm...yeah...I'm really not buying that excuse because now that I have actually tasted this cake, (as of this weekend), I just cannot imagine it ever "slipping my mind" because it's just really delicious.

Having officially baked it and tasted it now, I've determined the Hummingbird Cake to be the sister-cake to Carrot Cake. The crushed pineapple and bananas in the Hummingbird Cake certainly seem to give a nod to the Spring/Summer season while the shredded carrots in Carrot Cake shake hands with Fall - the peak carrot season. 

So yes...if you love Carrot Cake (imagine me throwing both arms up in the air with an emphatic "yes!" and waving them around like a crazy cake lady) then you will love this cake too! Guaranteed.

Thank goodness my oldest daughter, Clara, came to visit for the weekend.
She had one thing on her mind: baking...with me. (you know that made my mama heart happy).

So that's just what we did too. We baked.

One of the things we made was this cake.

I'd like to say we had things all planned out before Clara even arrived but that would be far from the truth. We simply sat down together once she got here and thumbed through a couple of Southern Living Magazines I'd picked up over the last couple of months: Southern Living Famous Southern Cakes + Pies and the Southern Living Special Collector's Edition Cakes + Pies - apparently I have a thing for cakes + pies. *wink*

The Hummingbird Cake caught our eye and was in BOTH of the magazines. We just couldn't say no.
I didn't have three 8-inch cake pans so we opted to do a smaller 3 layer cake and made cupcakes with the extra batter. (plus she got to take the cake home and the cupcakes stayed here with me - a win for the both of us).

We love how the cake + cupcakes turned out. So moist. So delicious. And did I mention cream cheese frosting? Ummm...hello...my very favorite.

I definitely encourage you to try it. It will not disappoint you or anyone who's lucky enough to sample it. I have an idea!! How about making it for any of those summertime potlucks and gatherings you've got on your calendar. (although be mindful that cream cheese frosting doesn't pair well with sitting outside in the heat - you'll want to make sure you have an air-conditioned space for keeping/serving).

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

by Southern Living Magazine

INGREDIENTS

CAKE LAYERS

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

2 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

3 large eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 (8oz) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained

2 cups chopped ripe bananas (about 6 bananas)

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

vegetable shortening - for pans

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

2 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 cup salted butter or margarine, softened

2 (16oz) pkg. powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

ADDITIONAL/OPTIONAL

12- 24 pecan halves, toasted - for decorating top of cake

1/2 - 3/4 cups chopped pecans, toasted - for decorating sides of cake

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare the cake layers: Preheat oven to 350ºF.

    Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring

     just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, bananas, and toasted pecans.

2. Divide batter evenly among 3 well-greased (with shortening) and floured 9-inch round cake pans.

3. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. 

    Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely, 

    about 1 hour.

4. Prepare the cream cheese frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on 

    medium-low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high,

    and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Assemble cake: Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter; spread top with 1 cup of frosting. Top with

    second layer, and spread with 1 cup frosting. top with third layer, and spread remaining frosting over 

    top and sides of cake. Optional decorating: Arrange pecan halves on top of cake. For a more "fancy"

    finish, gently press chopped pecans around the sides of frosted cake using your hand.

Tip: For cupcakes, bake for 18-20 minutes. Once frosted, roll edges in chopped pecans. 

(Thought you might also enjoy this step-by-step video for Southern Living Hummingbird Cake I found while typing up this blog post). 

Enjoy my sweet friends!!
I hope you'll try it and report back.

PS - Let me know if you'd like a cute printable Hummingbird Cake Recipe Card. I'm not really sure if you all prefer just reading the recipe right off the blog or if you love the free recipe cards I've created and shared before? Or maybe you want both? I'd love your feedback.

xoxo,
Jess

KEEPiNG iT REAL

THREE THINGS...

1. I prefer my cream cheese frosting to be a tad tangier than this version but it's still delicious. (And until I find the recipe I want to share with you this one will have to do). Ha! And by all means, if you already have a fave cream cheese frosting recipe...use it!!

2. Clara and I didn't realize I only had a bag of pecan halves instead of the whole pecans we needed to to decorate the top of the cake. So, we did what any good OCD baker would do and we painstakingly took time to try to match up pecan halves to make them look whole. I think we did a dang good job. I can hardly tell when I look closely at the photos. Ha!!

3. These photos turned out surprisingly well despite the immense pressure I was under to "hurry up". Clara was trying to head back home and she was behind schedule so with each push of the shutter button on my camera and every rearranged shot of the cake I made in an attempt to capture the perfect image,  I could feel her hot eye balls glaring at me while she stood impatiently nearby waiting to drive off with the cake.  Some things never change - she's never been very patient when it came to me + my photo-taking. I still love her though. And besides, this cake wouldn't have happened this weekend without her. Thanks Clara!! *wink*

GIFT IDEAS | Mother's Day :: The Vintage Home Studio

I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, as I'm sure many of you do too.
Lately it's been the kind of time dedicated to things I really don't care much for...cooking + dishes instead of what I REALLY love: BAKING!! You guys, if I'm not baking then being in the kitchen is a chore...a much dreaded chore. And for various reasons I haven't been doing a whole lot of baking over the last couple of months. *frown*

Anyway, I remember when I was newly married and my kids were toddlers, cooking for my family was something I really REALLY enjoyed and genuinely looked forward to. I was the queen of meal planning and trying new recipes.

I don't know what ever happened to that girl but I cannot find one ounce of passion for dinner-making let alone dish cleaning anywhere - not even in my pinky finger.

But...I have found there are some small things I can do to help make the experience much more enjoyable; having pretty dish cloths for washing dishes and having darling hand towels hanging and accessible for wet fingers and hands is one of those small things.

I recently ordered some adorable handmade items for my kitchen from the cutest Etsy shoppe called The Vintage Home Studio.

I actually discovered Michelle Gann and her pretty kitchen hand towels on Instagram and it was love at first sight. The charming fabric selections she uses to create her towels aren't just beautiful, they are high-quality which makes them durable and simple to wash.  

She chooses a fabric and then hand crochets a matching trim edge to finish it off beautifully.
And I just love the cute tags she sews onto the towels too. (see below).

I picked the "Bee Bar Towel" with grey crochet trim and a set of creamy white crochet dish cloths for my kitchen. I love them both! Not only are these items pretty but they are practical.

Mother's Day is coming up and I knew I wanted to order some towels for my mom and thought some of you may want to do the same. OR you may want to add them to your own Mother's Day wishlist. *wink*

Here are some of my favorites but there are plenty more adorable fabrics and color selections to choose from...

Nip + Pluck Bar Mop Towel with turquoise crochet trim

Spring Floral Bar Mop Towel with orange crochet trim

Fleur Bar Mop Towel with sea blue crochet trim

Cherry Bar Mop Towel with red crochet trim

Another thing I love about Michelle's shoppe is that she purchases bulk fabrics to use one time and then typically does not reorder so she can offer fresh, new towel designs. This can be a good thing if you love exclusivity - knowing you've got a cute limited edition towel hanging in your pretty kitchen. But once it's gone...it's gone.

I do hope you'll check out The Vintage Home Studio to add some charm to your own kitchen.
I'm loving my cute towels + dish cloths and look forward to adding more to my collection.

More ways to find, connect with + keep up with Michelle and her pretty creations:
The Vintage Home Studio on Instagram
The Vintage Home Studio on Facebook
The Vintage Home Studio Etsy Shoppe
The Vintage Home Studio on Pinterest

KEEPiNG iT REAL
As a designer, I appreciate the small details.
Michelle's branding + logo for her shoppe with the old door and the blue + green colors completely won me over before I ever even held one of her products in my hands. Then...when I saw the quality of her work and her cute little tag sewn onto her pretty towels...well...that's all I needed.

SUGAR | Halloween Lollipops

It's Halloween!!
I figured I'd TRiCK you today...
by TREATiNG you with a double blog post.

I shared our Phantom Pumpkin treats  with you earlier today...
which included these...

Homemade Lollipops

Although the "bewitching hour" is close at hand...
and the idea that some of you would even attempt these with festivities just hours away is far-fetched...
I'm sharing these lollipops because they are actually quite versatile.
Change out the colors and the edible images...
and you're all set no matter what holiday/event you've got coming up.

You may remember the original lollipop tutorial I shared with you...

from the Lemonade & Sunshine party I styled for my daughters.

I've revised some of my techniques a bit...

and we will be incorporating edible images for these boo-liscious treats.

SUPPLiES NEEDED (adapt to your specific likes/preferences)

• Edible Images - I designed my own and had a sheet printed by my local grocery store bakery. 

                               You can also find them pre-printed online or in craft stores

• 1" Round Craft Punch (make sure your punch results will fit in the cavities of the lollipop mold you are using).

• Lollipop Mold

• 4" Lollipop Sticks 

• Cookie sheet - for placing the lollipop mold on when baking

• Hard candy - I used LifeSavers

• Ziploc bags - if your hard candy isn't individually packaged

• Kitchen Mallet or rolling pin - for crushing candy

• Packaging supplies - small cellophane bags, ribbon or fabric

STEP ONE

GATHER SUPPLIES

I took the image I designed and printed onto cardstock to my local grocery store bakery.

They basically "photocopied" it to create an edible image. 

- notice the difference in the ink color between the cardstock and edible sheet?

STEP TWO

PUNCH OUT EDIBLE IMAGES

STEP THREE

PEEL OFF BACKING FROM EDIBLE IMAGES AND PLACE FACE-DOWN IN LOLLIPOP CAVITIES

STEP FOUR

CRUSH HARD CANDY

Avoid a sticky mess by leaving the candy in their individual packaging while crushing... 

this makes it easy to fill the lollipop mold too.

STEP FIVE

FILL LOLLIPOP MOLD

I used two lifesavers per cavity

STEP SIX

MELT IN OVEN

Bake at 275º 5-8 minutes until completely melted

Caution: Higher heat will melt the candy faster but it will also cause the candy to brown in some cases

STEP SEVEN

ADD LOLLIPOP STICKS

Working quickly, add lollipop sticks.

I find pressing the sticks down into the candy and twirling them 

allows the melted candy to grab hold of the sticks - making them more secure.

Be Careful - the mold and baking sheet are hot!

STEP EIGHT

COOL COMPLETELY AND POP OUT

After cooling, turn the lollipop mold upside down and gently press on the middle of each cavity to remove lollipops.

Tip: Hold the inverted mold close to the countertop so that when the candy pops out, it won't break on impact.

STEP NINE

PACKAGE THEM UP

Use small cellophane bags (or mini ziploc bags with the "zip" cut off) and a ribbon to finish it off.

Give them away individually or add them to a mix of treats.

I hope you'll try this candy making technique out.

You can personalize them for favors to use at any celebration...

and you can even create a bouquet of lollipops for a sweet gift.

RESOURCES

• Lollipop Sticks - TomKat Studio

• Lollipop Mold - Bake It Pretty

• Hard Candy - LifeSavers individually packaged

KEEPiNG iT REAL

It was through trial and error that I finally perfected the edible image lollipops.

Things I learned:

• The image doesn't show up very well if you try to embed it in the middle of the lollipop.

• Embedding the edible image not only takes more time but the results aren't favorable anyway. *wink*

• Keeping it simple is ALWAYS the better choice. 

• Be patient. Melting the candy faster on a higher temperature causes the candy to brown in areas. 

• Don't forget to peel the backing off of the edible images prior to using

• Although it's safe to put the lollipop sticks in the oven when melting the candy...

   adding them afterwards prevents burning your fingers when pushing and twisting the sticks mentioned in STEP SIX.

• Make sure the edible image is positioned in the lollipop cavity the way you want it seen while it's being held...

   meaning, make sure the image isn't upside down when you are actually holding the finished lollipop.