Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

TA-DAH!!! How do you like the new look?? I felt it was about time for a teeny bit of sprucing up around here! I have to figure out a way to move my recipe index to one of those tabs, but other than that, it's all ready to go! I love it, it's cleaner and brighter and makes me happy! Plus, I did it ALL by myself! *pat on the back* Code and everything, woohoo! I hope everyone likes it. :) Please leave a comment if you find any errors or malfunctions! Also, I finally joined the social media parade and created a Facebook page for Dimples and Delights, and you can follow it with that cute little red Facebook button in the right column. See you there!

Time for something yummy and sunny, because yet again we're getting dumped on by a snowstorm! Supposedly, we're going to get 8-14 inches, but it's going to have to take it up a notch if we're going to get there. I shall snuggle in and bake some bread (very excited about this recipe!) and try to resist the urge to bake gingerbread (it's just so Christmassy outside!) and pray that this storm doesn't destroy what is left of my poor lilac bush. The last one that we missed while in Utah broke a few crucial branches. Sadness. Oh well!! At least it's still alive! I can't help it, even now, snowstorms are fun. The slushy muddy days after them, not so much, but I'll always be a sucker for snow.

Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes with Buttermilk Syrup

Another re-post! These are my favorite pancakes ever in the history of pancakes. I posted them way back in the beginning months of my blog, and while the pictures weren't terrible, they just didn't do these completely scrumptious pancakes justice! Plus they were missing some historical toppings. You see, these pancakes are a kind of family heirloom.

Back in July 2012, when I began this blog, I was in and out of the hospital preparing for a yard sale surgery. Ironically enough, I started a food blog during a time when I couldn't really eat anything! My Mom was visiting us (and most of her family) in Utah for the 4th of July and my doctors let me leave the hospital just in time to go to a very special family reunion with her. A reunion of two families: The Watts and Rytting families. Ardean Watts was her Dad's (my Grandpa's) best friend. His family, and my Mom's family, the Ryttings, practically grew up together. Camping, holidays, various celebrations, all spent together before everyone grew up and scattered to the winds. Most of them happened to be back in Utah for a wedding that year, and they decided to get the whole "clan" back together for a Fourth of July breakfast, including all possible progeny. It was quite an experience! We all got to meet each other, catch up, and listen to Ardean's notorious story-telling. And I tasted these amazing pancakes for the first time! Totally cheated, I wasn't supposed to be eating solid food but I just had to try one bite and fell in love! It was months before I could make them for myself, but so worth it. They're still my favorites.

Cinnamon Crumble Breakfast Cake

So, apparently it takes 10 inches of snow overnight on top of a layer of frozen slush to cancel school here in Jefferson County. First snow day since we moved to Colorado!! That's three years! Oh, and it's still snowing. And I really need to go to the grocery store, and really don't want to... On the plus side, it's gorgeous, and cozy, and I get to hang out in my pajamas all day and let the boys be complete couch potatoes. I'll order them outside at some point, but lately their version of playing in the snow entails creating nests in the snow and sitting there, eating snow. In their defense, this fluffy, light as air stuff is completely useless for building anything, including snowballs. So, fresh air at least, right?

I didn't get a chance in my last post to apologize for disappearing for a month. February seems to be my slump-month, where it's hard to get inspired or motivated about much of anything. Maybe because I spend so much energy being excited about Christmas! I may take little breaks now and then, but I promise I'll never disappear completely without letting you know! Thank you for sticking around. :)

Egg Nog Pancakes with Cranberry Maple Syrup

Okay, so the only thing better than starting a day with a stack of these pancakes is starting my day playing with puppies! I'm off to the most incredible German Shepherd ranch to help my Mom pick out her new puppy! I swear, they're the cutest puppies in existence. If they didn't require tons of exercise, and if the Geologist didn't have his heart set on an Irish Wolfhound for our next dog (I know, he's crazy!!) I would so take one of those adorable balls of fluff home with me! I'll take pictures and share them tomorrow, cross my heart! :) Happy Friday!

One-Bowl Gingerbread Muffins

Sorry for the late posting!! I was all ready to blog my way into a new year, productive habits and all that, but the Geologist and I came down with some kind of weird lingering January crud that involved lots of tiredness, headaches, and lack of motivation and brainpower. Not gonna lie, there was a lot of napping and TV-watching. But it seems we're coming out of it! I feel like a human being again this week! So on with these recipes, which were supposed to be post-Christmas recipes, but now they're half a month late... so... Oh well! Maybe a few of you will still be on the lingering Christmas flavor bandwagon with me. Or you can always save them for next Christmas!

Gingerbread Pancakes

People keep asking me if I'm ready for Christmas. Um, YES! It helps when you start getting ready somewhere around the first of November, and take a break for Thanksgiving. If I started after Thanksgiving, I have no idea how I'd be ready in time. And rushing around the week before Christmas is no fun! The Geologist is off work all next week, hooray!! We kicked off our Christmas vacation today with a trip to the community center pool. It has a dragon water slide and a pirate ship. We'll be spending a lot of time there the next two weeks. :) And I will be eating leftover pancakes for dinner this evening. 

Classic Rice Pudding

Today could possibly be a very exciting day! Now that my parents have found a house, it's time to get them a puppy!! They've been visiting breeders all over the state of Colorado (okay, nearly) and you would not believe all the different kinds of German Shepherds out there! Tall, short, thin, bulky, long-haired, short haired, pointy nose, square nose... It's been quite an adventure! I've gotten to visit a few breeders with them, and we're hoping to go back to the biggest (and my favorite!!) to put down a deposit on a puppy today! I just love tagging along to pet dogs and play with puppies. I have to admit, as adorable as my little black ball of Bracken fluff was as a puppy, German Shepherd puppies are the cutest puppies everrrr!! Pretty much the only thing cuter than a German Shepherd puppy is my Joe surrounded by German Shepherd puppies.

He's quite the puppy whisperer, that boy of mine!

Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls

I love baking. A LOT. After the PTA welcome meeting where they tried their darnedest to get us to join up and participate and make our kids' lives better by helping with everything, I was a little swayed. But, being the semi-antisocial introvert that I am, that little kernel of motivation manifested as signing up for every possible PTA opportunity that involved food. Because I may be awkward around a bunch of parents I don't know, but by golly I can bake! Sometimes I get a little carried away, and everything has to be creative, everything has to be for the blog, everything has to be photographed, or perfect, or lit correctly, or new... I forget all of my favorites, the things I baked all the time before the blog was born. Yesterday, as I mused about what to bake while writing up my daybook, I decided to make scones, just cuz, just for me, no pictures, and yum. And they were! It was very satisfying. Now I need to freeze half of them so I don't eat all of them, all by myself. Oh, and by the way, the recipe for those spontaneous scones, my absolute favorite Ginger Chocolate Chip scones, is already on here. Lucky you!

Honey Almond Granola with Cranberries

It's raaaaining, it's pooouuuuring, and my kitchen is full of scrumptious smells! You've probably heard of Christmas in July, but today we're having October in July! It's been raining steadily since I woke up, I'm wearing comfy socks and the back door is slightly open so I can hear the rain. It's not even 60 degrees! I'm a happy girl!  I wonder what all this rain this year means for our winter... will it be milder, or will the precipitation continue and we'll get loads of snow?? I must admit, I'm hoping for the latter. The Geologist is actually reporting mixed snow flurries with the rain up in his skyscraper office. Craziness! Perfect day to be snuggled up at home, baking granola and watching waaaay too much TV. I'm thinking grilled cheese and tomato soup for lunch. Mmmm... Happy October-In-July, everyone!

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

Cherry picking was so FUN!! It was just starting to get hot when we arrived, so we were on a MISSION to get as many cherries as we could in an hour. Turns out my Mom is a cherry-picking machine. I underestimated her. Dad turned into a cherry-picking ladder, hoisting Joe (and for a much shorter time, Stephen) up to the top to find the best bunches of perfectly ripe cherries. Stephen and I stuck to the lower branches. Sometimes he'd get inside, under the branches, and we'd call ourselves the "Inside Out" team. It was a lovely hour, and Stephen said that cherry-picking was "kind of like meditating. So relaxing!"

 The Geologist was a little bit shocked when I told him how much we picked... (He's off visiting a rig in Utah somewhere) ...but I figure sixteen pounds of cherries should last me at least a year, right??

Homemade Crumpets

 So, what on earth is a crumpet? Anyone? Well, I know I have at least a handful of British readers out there, and you guys and gals are all over it. But for the rest of us, they just plain don't exist in the States. I have no idea about the rest of the world. but I would still be willing to bet they aren't exactly common. When I was a kid, there was a movie called "The Great Mouse Detective", an animated mouse version of Sherlock Holmes, and the Mrs. Hudson mouse made cheese crumpets. It was apparently made by an American who has never seen a crumpet, because they looked like muffins. So of course, my 9 year old self thought that's what they were. False advertising, I tell you!! The best way to describe crumpets is a cross between an English muffin and a pancake. And they're awesome, and my boys can devour a dozen in the blink of an eye. I'm going to have to start making triple batches and freezing them. Luckily, they're also an absolute cinch to make!

Classic British Scones with Currants

This week is all about classic British food! Which, of course, is my favorite thing ever in the whole world. The most classic English tea-time cake I could find, British-style scones, and crumpets!! Do you even know what crumpets are?? They're so fun, I can't wait to show you!

My house is being ripped to pieces all around me while two lovely gentlemen replace our bay window and install French doors in the back. They. Are. GORGEOUS. When they're all done, I'll show you the final reveal! Until then, Scones!! Which, of course, make everything better. :)

I've eaten scones for as long as I can remember. They're one of my favorite things to bake! It wasn't until a few years ago that I truly learned the difference between British and American scones. American scones are more dense, lots sweeter, usually have some kind of sugar or glaze on top, and can be kinda awful if done wrong, turning them into sugary doorstops. British scones are lighter, softer, barely sweet, and much simpler. You don't usually find tons of chocolate chips and fruits packed into them. British scones are made much simpler because they're designed to be spread with butter, clotted cream, and jam. Now, I'm not bashing American scones! I love them!! And I love my add-ins!! Both favorites! The first time I ever tried a truly British scone was at a tiny Scottish restaurant on the way to Virginia Beach. We wanted fish and chips, (which were awesome) but started with scones, clotted cream, and jam. It was also the first time I ever tasted clotted cream, and oh MAN, that stuff is heaven!! I was head over heels in love. Forget the fish and chips, I wanted four more orders of scones and jam!

It's about time I make some for myself, right?? And you guys!

Blackberries and Cream Oats with Honey

Okay, I'm obsessed. Again. My blogging life tends to jump from one obsession to the next, whether it be a certain food, a blog, or a style. I started this blog because I was hooked on The English Kitchen (still my favorite blog ever), got the whole "weekly menu" idea from StoneGable, and found a new photography style after being inspired by Alexandra's Kitchen. (Still working on that one...) We all have a few of those blogs that just encompass EVERYTHING we want to be as bloggers, and these are a few of mine! My newest obsession is Pinch of Yum. This blog has everything. Awesome comfort food, incredible healthy food, and gorgeous pictures. I almost hate her, just a little, her pictures are so flipping perfect. Not really. No hating here. But still... how do I get that good!? Lucky for me, and other rookies out there, she's written a fantastic food photography e-book that I can't wait to put to use! I need a few more props, and napkins... Anyway. This is the recipe that got me hooked. 

I also get obsessed with food. I have been known to eat the same thing every day for weeks. Guacamole phase, omelet phase, buffalo chicken phase, egg and cheese bagel phase, bruschetta phase, I've had them all and more. Some healthier than others, obviously. And my biggest dietary stumbling block is lunch. Breakfast is easy, smoothies are a cinch and totally yummy. Dinner is easy to make healthy. But lunch... Nothing ever sounds good! Except junk food, these days. Until I found this oatmeal. "But oatmeal is for breakfast!!" you say?? Not for me! A smoothie for breakfast, this bowl of awesomeness for lunch, and there goes two-thirds of my daily food devoted to healthiness. I think I've already lost a few pounds... :)

Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins

Things I love today:

The fact that pulling a kid out of kindergarten just to make your day easier doesn't really matter, academically speaking :)

Diet Coke with coconut and lime (Thanks Amanda, I'm addicted!)

My car stereo

Portable DVD players

Joe voluntarily taking a break from said DVD player to ask if we could play the ABC road trip game

The lovely (no, really) drive between Denver and Colorado Springs

Source: runtrails.net

Smartphones, with maps and directions

A really fast pizza dough recipe and leftover M&M cookies for the missionaries I forgot I was feeding tonight!!

Wonderfully helpful boys and husband (who is much better at stretching pizza dough than I am!)

Quiet. And sitting. Doing nothing. Just breathing. 

One Bowl Chocolate Banana Muffins

 Happy Mother's Day!! I've never been quite sure what kind of 's' that is on Mother(s) Day. Does the Mother possess the day? Is it the day of plural Mothers? Do ALL the Mothers possess the day? Sorry, grammar tangent. Yay for Moms!! Mine is pretty awesome. She's a marathon running, mountain climbing, backpacking, office-birthday-cake-baking, waffles-for-teenagers making, heck of a singer, sewer, and Grandma. She's my role model. I'm a lucky girl. And if she was here, I would make her these, my current favorite muffin. 

They're also a great choice for all you daughters, sons, husbands, and Dads out there. Does baking intimidate you? It sure intimidates my Geologist. He and the boys made me pancakes this morning, basically my Mothers Day dream, but felt bad because it took him an hour. Hand that man a piece of meat and he's all over it, but baking kinda shoots his confidence in the foot. Well no worries, because this recipe literally takes one bowl, a fork, and a spatula. If you can measure out a few ingredients and stir, you're good to go! Simplest muffins I've ever made, and simply scrumptious. So grab those blackened bananas that no one wants to eat, wave the fruitflies away, and get baking for that special woman in your life!

PS- Huge apologies to all of you who have commented in oh, the past month. I've been horrible at replying. Forgive me while I catch up today, and keep commenting! I truly love your comments and I promise to do better at keeping in touch! :)

Super Cinnamon Ribbon Coffee Cake

I... have nothing interesting to talk about. My peony bushes are huge. I heard the closest lightning strike I've ever heard today, at the beginning of a 15 minute rainshower. Colorado is so weird and awesome that way. We're planting seeds in our little garden plot on Friday! I'm excited!! But boy, trying to decide which varieties of tomatoes to plant was dizzying! Do you have any favorite varieties? Specifically varieties that can well? (Why do we call it canning when we usually put things in jars?) I'm kinda winging it, I got Better Boy for canning and some kind of "Beefy" thing for eating. We shall see. I still need as much sleep as a toddler, which is odd. I wonder when that particular symptom will wear off... I love my house more every day, though I'm lousy at cleaning it. Our carpet got scheduled!! It will be installed next Wednesday! We're also having our big window replaced and installing French doors, which we ordered forever ago and I just found out the doors were broken on arrival so they had to reorder them. Oh well! This cake is delicious! 

Blueberry Cheesecake Morning Buns

Do I have a story for you!! We had a lovely little weekend, ALL the way down in Colorado Springs. The hotel was great, the boys spend hours in the pool, the Geologist bought a ridiculously hot leather jacket (I still can't believe he let me talk him into it!), we saw The Lego Movie, and finished our trip with a visit to this neat little area of Downtown Colorado Springs, where my family used to visit a kite shop (I think) and I used to go to a candy store with my best friend. The candy store is closed, but the square is still full of fun little shops surrounding a park. We had some awesome burgers (cream cheese, bacon, perfectly gooey fried egg. Life-changing!!) and hung out at the park for a little while, before rounding up the boys and heading home. Idyllic.

On the drive home, right as we hit Denver, I realized I left my purse at the park!!! Now, that in itself is scary enough, but for those of you not familiar with the area, Colorado Springs is over an hour's drive away from Denver. I called the burger place and they were nice enough to run out and check for me... but my purse was gone. We drove around in circles while the Geologist called the police department and I frantically got all of my credit and debit cards blocked, then resigned ourselves to my purse's fate. But less than five minutes after we got off the phone, we got a call... from the police officer who found my purse!! And everything was still in it!! Of all the people who could have found it, a cop?? Seriously?? Call it luck, call it blessings, my prayers were certainly answered. So we drove back down to get it. And took the scenic route back, because we were completely sick of the highway at that point. Life is good!! Besides, I had just bought a new purse that day, and I really really like it. :)

Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes with Lemon Cream Syrup

Well, I thought our family had escaped the stomach flu this season... But it finally caught up to us!! Poor little Stephen called me from school with a headache and feeling "shakey", and while the nurse assured me he didn't have a fever, I forgot that that doesn't mean much in my family. See, I have this really strange trait of having fevers that don't register on thermometers. Burning up, but totally "normal", according to the tool that means anything to professionals. And it looks like my kids inherited it from me! I made him stay there and by the time I picked him up it was clear he was sick. I felt so terrible for him!! He ended up sleeping on the bathroom floor because he was so scared he wouldn't make it there in time. Luckily it seems to be a 48-hour virus, and so far none of the rest of us have caught it... Lets just hope it stays that way!

On the plus side, the boys have been so sweet while staying home (which is not the usual state of things!), the weather is gorgeous today, and I had these awesome pancakes for lunch. Hooray for leftovers!

Allspice Crumb Muffins

I may have mentioned this a few dozen times, but muffins are my favorite food. Not too sweet, not too fussy, endlessly varied, good for a meal or a snack or even a dessert! I tried this recipe once before and failed on the streusel miserably, but this time I nailed it. I'm a bit exhausted and brain dead today, so on to the muffins!

Crescent Sausage Bites

Well, the break is over, it's back to real life. As much as I enjoy having time to myself again (even if it is only a few hours!) I am always a little sad when Christmas break is over. I miss having my husband and my kids around all the time. I miss sleeping in and staying up late, being spontaneous, eating whatever I want... But eventually we have to be grown-up and responsible, right?

I promised you pictures, and here they are! It took us longer than expected (and we learned to have a flexible budget with home makeover projects!) but I am head-over-heels in love with my new kitchen! It's GORGEOUS!!

Before: Grey-green walls, brown trim...

After: White! Glorious White!

Look how bright and beautiful!! My super-studly Geologist spent hours and hours cutting out those sheets of beadboard, and all of that trim. I did 90% of the painting, which took me forever, since I am a perfectionist. :)

He ripped out the horrible tile windowsill and installed a frame around the window, same trim as around my pantry door, which just might be my favorite part of the whole makeover!

There are still some details to replace, like the hardware on the cabinets and drawers, the faucet, the light above the sink, and someday the countertops. I'm holding out for granite (that sample under my flowerpot), so it will be a while!

 What do you THINK?! Isn't it fabulous??