Author: CWR

30 Days of Lists – #5 – Traditions

by CWR, posted in Uncategorized

angel

I am participating in the 30 Days of Lists December edition!

Traditions

  1. I have been making Pork Roast with Fennel, Thyme and Rosemary (a recipe I got from Wegmans!) as a Christmas dinner for the past decade! They even let me make it when we went for Christmas in Kansas.
  2. St. Lucia Festival – I even got to be the Lucia twice! It was quite an honor for me.
  3. Decorating the Tree
  4. Putting lights outside
  5. Eating some really good chocolate during the holiday season
  6. Making cloth toys for the dogs for Christmas presents
  7. Opening “Santa’s Workshop” each year to make presents for family and friends
  8. Writing New Year’s Resolutions
  9. Celebrating Christmas and New Year’s with my family
  10. Listening to the Hallelujah Chorus at least once (probably more!)

Love, Cori!

30 Days of Lists – #4 – I am happy to report…

by CWR, posted in Uncategorized

I joined the 30 Days of Lists December edition!

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I am happy to report…

  1. I sold my first item from my online store! https://www.etsy.com/shop/inthespicerack
  2. I have lost 84 pounds total!
  3. we actually got some outside Christmas lights up.
  4. time does help to heal the hurt of losing my father.
  5. I love my family!
  6. we are finally getting stuff out of storage.
  7. I have read more books in the past year than the previous years.
  8. the end of 2013 looks pretty great.
  9. that I am excited to get more involved at church.
  10. my friends are the icing on my cake of life. Love you guys!

Love, Cori!

30 Days of Lists – #3 – This is the only time of year…

by CWR, posted in Uncategorized

I joined the 30 Days of Lists December edition!

Tree

This is the only time of year…

  1. I listen to Christmas music. (Totally not true!)
  2. I go caroling!
  3. I write a holiday letter to send to friends and family all over the world.
  4. I become obsessed with red, white, green, and everything Christmas. (Mostly true!)
  5. I write to some friends and family… everyone is important, and keeping in touch, even this one time a year, is so important to me.
  6. I sit around in the dark looking at tree lights, wishing for inner peace. (I might do this at other times of year, but mostly during this one!)
  7. I really enjoy snow. Having a white Christmas would be lovely, but without blizzard conditions, please!
  8. I enjoy wrapping presents.
  9. I occasionally wish for 80 degree sunny days of Summer.
  10. I have regrets about the previous 11 months. (I usually look forward instead of back.)

Love, Cori!

30 Days of Lists – #1 – Before the end of the year…

by CWR, posted in Uncategorized

I joined the 30 Days of Lists December edition!

Basically, if you love making lists, you should check it out!

Before the end of the year…

  1. I will send out Christmas cards
  2. we will celebrate the Swedish tradition of St. Lucia, the girl with a crown of light on her head
  3. new games will be played
  4. I hope to see “The Hobbit” part 2
  5. there will be a lot of going to the dog park
  6. visiting with family is a priority
  7. I will make a musical video
  8. donations will be made
  9. I will sell lots of jewelry (https://www.etsy.com/shop/inthespicerack)
  10. I will make cookies

lucia 1

Happy Thanksgiving!

by CWR, posted in Uncategorized

The Day of Thanksgiving is finally here!

Thanksgiving

I am thankful for:

  • My family – Skotte, my mom, my brother, my two loving dogs, wonderful in-laws, great aunts, uncles, and cousins!
  • Food to eat
  • A place to live
  • Music
  • Terrific friends – too many to name but I love you all!
  • Books to read to inspire, teach, and entertain us
  • The Internet – it’s hard for me to remember life before the internet, as so many of my friends and family are connected through it. And I met a lot of my friends through it. I am grateful any time I can log on!
  • TV, Radio & Movies – to see and hear our favorite books come alive, to be entertained, to learn new things, watch and hear the news from all over the world, and keeping hope alive with inspiration of how to make the world a better place.

These are the true Spices and Flavors of our life!

Thank you all for being in my life!

Our Tiny Earth has posted a list of places here you can get Free Thanksgiving Dinners here in Rochester, NY.

Thank you for that, Our Tiny Earth!

Love, Cori!

My Etsy Shop!

by CWR, posted in Uncategorized

etsy

I am so excited!

And nervous!

I have listed my first pieces of jewelry on my Etsy shop!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/inthespicerack

It’s a Rainbow Magic Bracelet in Chainmaille (Stretch)!

small rainbow

I love making and creating things.

I am nervous because…

Well, there is always someone better!

But, this is why we practice and hone our crafts.

medium rainbow colors

This is why I keep trying things until I find something I enjoy.

And you all get to enjoy the fruits of my labors.

So please, take a look at my store and tell me what you think.

large rainbow close

Love, Cori!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Applesauce Kitchen Sink Cake with Almond Glaze

by CWR, posted in Uncategorized

Cake

Chocolate Applesauce Kitchen Sink Cake
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup applesauce
1 egg
2 cups Bob’s Red Mill GF All-Purpose Baking Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice
1/2 cup baking cocoa powder
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup white chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar together. Add applesauce and egg, and mix. Next mix in flour, baking soda, apple pie spice and baking cocoa. Last, add cranberries, raisins, walnuts and white chocolate chips and mix.

Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan. Pour batter into pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes, then check with a toothpick. Let cake cool while you make the glaze. May also be served without glaze.

Almond Glaze
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon butter or coconut oil
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons coconut milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan. Add powdered sugar, coconut milk, salt, and almond extract and mix until creamy. Drizzle on top of cake in whatever pattern you choose.

Serve and enjoy!

last piece!

Love, Cori!

Gluten-free and Corn-free Fried Green Tomatoes

by CWR, posted in Uncategorized

tomatoes!

Ingredients

Several green tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch rings
Celtic sea salt
Ground pepper (I used green peppercorns)
2 cups gluten-free and corn-free flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill GF All Purpose Baking Flour)
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
2 eggs
2 tablespoons coconut milk
Oil for frying

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After cutting up all of the tomatoes, lightly salt and pepper them on both sides. Mix the flour, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and paprika in a bowl. Add another pinch of salt and pepper to the flour. In a different bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk.

First, dredge the tomatoes in the flour (covering both sides), then the egg mixture, and lastly back in the flour. Set finished tomatoes on a cookie sheet until done with this process.

Heat up some oil. (I used safflower oil in a frying pan about an inch thick.) I fried around 9 slices at a time. If you are using a proper fryer, do a few at a time. Flip tomatoes over after a minute or so. Then, place the done fried tomatoes on a paper towel-covered plate to soak up the extra oil. Finish the rest of the batch doing the same. When done, put the tomatoes back on the cookie sheet and bake them at 350 degrees F for about 5 minutes. (This let me get the rest of my dinner on plates!)

Yum!

Serve and enjoy!

Love, Cori!