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Friends!

You can now follow me at 

http://alittlemorebutter.wordpress.com/

cheers, Leah

One cannot live on pie alone.

Pie for:

breakfast.

feeling peckish.

lunch.

mid-afternoon pick-me-up.

dinner.

before bed.

midnight nibble.

(I think you get the picture..)

This is the first post featuring a fellow 'baker in crime'. So without further adieu, my sister Mary.

Food has always been a 'big deal' in my family. The few times a year we are able to be together, is time shared around some sort of meal and lively conversation.

Mary lives in what I like to lovingly refer to as 'The Boonies of the Great White North'. It was my first time to visit, and we spent some time cooking and baking up tasty treats. One fine afternoon we made homemade:

chocolate pie, lemon meringue pie, and peanut butter chocolate chip cookie pie.

And then preceded to eat it all.

Ah, there is a lesson I can take away from this pie eating extravaganza. Despite how beautiful the picture of eating pie till the cows-come-home can be, your body will curse you till the cows-come-home if you don't feed it some proper food every once in a while. You have to listen to your body, baby!

After breakfast one morning once the last of the lemon meringue was finished off, I felt my body screaming for spinach.

And let me tell you, it was truly love at first forkful.

glowing + green + Kermit the Frog

As you may know or not, I have a thing for keeping up with the ins and outs of what I like to call 'celebrity happenings' (otherwise known as gossip). This addiction has only escalated with the invention of Twitter.

There has been many a celebrity 'tweet' regarding Kimberly Snyder's Glowing Green Smoothie.

I figure if it is good enough

for the likes of Channing Tatum, it's good enough for me.

This morning was as good a time as any to give it a whirl.

The end result? - a kermit-the-frog-esque-Channing-Tatum-glow. Delicious!

Want to shake up (pun intended) your breakfast? Don't let the color scare you.. here's a link to the recipe and info: http://www.kimberlysnyder.net/blog/2009/07/11/green-smoothie-recipe/

bon appetit!

I and Love and You

sour cherry almond cake

topped with candied almonds & powered sugar

squishy-squashy

I have been trying out a couple squash recipes lately and wanted to share this one with you. These biscuits are the perfect addition to a homemade soup, or right out of the oven if you're feeling peckish.

Savory Squash Biscuits

Oven: 425F

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. dried sage

1/2 tsp. dried oregano & basil

1/4 tsp. salt & black pepper

1/4 c. butter

1 c. cooked, pureed butternut squash

1/3 c. milk

2 Tbsp. sugar

Combine dry ingredients (minus the sugar) in large mixing bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center, and set aside.

In medium size bowl, combine squash, milk and sugar. Pour into dry mixture, and stir until just moistened.

Turn dough out unto a lightly floured surface and kneed until dough is smooth. Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness, and cut with floured round cutter.

Place biscuits on ungreased baking sheet and bake 10-15 minutes or until golden.

Bon appetit.

The muffin top is here to stay.

It's been a couple weeks since my last post, and I'm still tickled pink by the (best present ever) muffin top pan. Recipe follows..

banana-walnut muffin tops.

Oven: 375F

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. brown sugar

3 overly ripe bananas

1/4 c. milk

1 tsp. milk

2 eggs

3/4 c. whole wheat flour & all purpose flour

1/2 c. wheat bran

1 tsp. baking powder & baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

walnuts to sprinkle

Cream together brown sugar & butter. Add bananas, milk, and vanilla. Mix well.

In separate bowl mix together dry ingredients. Blend dry and liquid until moistened. Pour batter into prepared (greased or paper lined) muffin cups.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Leave in pan for 5 minutes. Remove to cool completely.

Bon appetit.

I have a muffin top, do you?

Tea.

It was love at first sip from the moment I had my first cup. Over the years tea has become a dear friend I could turn to - breakfast, shared with friends and family, on-the-go, flu bug, gifts - tea has never let me down. Isn't tea yet another reminder that it is usually the simplest things in life that bring us the most joy? Indeed.

For Christmas I received one of the best inventions since sliced bread -- (drum roll please) -- a MUFFIN TOP PAN! I think we can all agree on one thing regarding muffins - the tastiest, most delicious part of the muffin is the top. So it's genius, really. Yesterday I tried out a recipe from a cookbook I gave mum and dad for Christmas - Berry Flax Bran Muffins - and here's the results! Fan-tastic.

Without further adieu, I wish you take some time this joyous season for yourself. Whether it be for 5 minutes, or 50 minutes - brew a pot of your favourite tea, and just enjoy its quiet company. Doctor Leah's orders.

from my muffin top to yours,

Leah