E is for Earl Grey Cookies

What: Early Grey Cookies
What:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons loose earl grey tea leaves (6 tea bags)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup or 2 sticks room temperature butter

Fact: Salt brings out more of the sweetness! food science is amazing. 

so simple

it smells UH-mazing! 

Before the oven

After - perfect golden edges

Note to self:

1. refrigerate cookie dough for at least an hour (the longer the better) 

You win some. You lose some.

What: Nutella Stuffed Cinnamon Muffins

Need:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 teaspoons Nutella

Cinnamon Topping

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

How: quickandeasyrecipes

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt.
3. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together milk, vegetable oil, egg and vanilla. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist.
4. Scoop a spoonful of batter evenly into the muffin tray. Drop 1 teaspoon Nutella into the center of each cup. Top with remaining batter to completely cover the filling.
5. Place into oven and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. To make the cinnamon sugar, combine the cinnamon and sugar.
7. When the muffins are done, cool for 10 minutes and dip the muffin crown into the melted butter and then into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
8. Let cool on a wire rack.

I've had a bit of a sweet tooth all day and decided to whip up something simple, but the moment I mixed everything together and realized how liquid-y it still was..I knew I messed up. Still, I decided to just go ahead and bake them and it turned out okay + I definitely need to work on making the topping look a bit more presentable next time haha.  

Man, this summer has been tough, but it'll all be over in about 2 weeks. I reached my 6 month mark at work which feels like a huge accomplishment (...it's been tough lol).  I'm excited for the summer program to finally end and for the school year to begin (both mine and the kids).  

Romans 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. A verse I had to come back to over and over again this summer. Thankful how God is so faithful to meet me where I am even when I'm not being faithful to Him :') #bakingforJesus 

till next time..xx

Matcha Green Tea Cookies

I loved baking these cute cookies so much that I made them twice this week.  They were Mom and Dad approved too! The first batch was for Mama Kim and I was surprised at how simple they were to make (& quick). I was on a time crunch, but was able to whip it all together in about an hour! I'm just going to let the pictures speak for themselves.

Recipe inspired by: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNQm7TNQijE

p.s. I also found these little treasures in the sales section at Michaels today. hehe. Can't wait to start using them. 

p.p.s. Happy August! holy moly....

Or'Ange you glad it's Summa

Cranberries + Almonds + Oranges = mMmMmmMmm!

What: Cranberry Almond Scone with Orange Glaze
Scones:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/3 cups sugar
• 2-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup cold butter 
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 tbsp sliced almonds

Orange Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 tbsp orange juice 

How: Preheat oven to 400F. Combine all the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Then mix in the cold butter. Add in the dried cranberries and milk and mix until it forms a ball.  After patting it out on a cookie sheets brush milk + top with almonds before putting it into the oven.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. 

Fact: It was Mom and Dad approved! #win

Who knew powdered sugar + orange juice would make an orange glaze?! amazing.

Scones remind me of my 7th grade Korean school teacher.  I remember she used to always bake us these cranberry scones back in the day.  To be honest, I don't think I like them then, but now I love it.   I love it even more now that I know how easy it is to make!

Going into the Oven

Ding! 

Note to self: Next time don't add too much milk on top. It was too wet for me to cut it into little triangle pieces. opps!

Budget Baking

What: Chocolate Chip Cookies 
Need:

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 16 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (I actually chopped up a bar of semi-sweet chocolate) 

Spent: $5.00 

I remember when I first made my first batch of cookies for Erica's 15th birthday. They came out like big fat cakes.  I didn't know what went wrong, but they came out horrible.  Ever since then I've been a little nervous about baking cookies, but these days I've been wanting to perfect the chocolate chip cookie...then eventually try other interesting recipes.  

It's already the end of July and it has warmed up in the SFV.  Warmed up? scratch that, it's an oven outside.  I think I know how my cookies felt in the oven (clearly, this heat is making me a little cray).  This heat has been making me lazy and cranky so decided to change up my mood by walking into one of my favorite stores: 99 cent store.  After walking around for free AC, I found the baking aisle and found everything I needed to try to recipe. Well,  I had most of the things at home already, but had to restock on flour, brown sugar, chocolate chips, and butter.  

It's been a week since I finished up my summer courses and it feels amazing! I definitely feel relaxed and refreshed.  I'm seriously going to enjoy every single moment till the end of Aug. (when school starts again..I think..don't even know..don't even care rn? haha) On a serious now, I do have some big decisions to make regarding my graduate program.  I have one more course before officially finishing my master's portion of the program which means I'll be getting into my concentration in the fall which I'm so excited for btw.  However, I haven't decided if I should stick to Early Childhood or to a multiple subject credential. Idk Idk! Lots of thinking and praying to do about that, but enough on that.  

Back to the cookies!! I'm planning on trying a lot of cookie recipes till school starts so..friends..get ready for that! hehe

These came out a little flatter then I wanted, but they were perfectly chewy! 

Till, next time! x

Boom, Bang, Pop!

Happy Birthday, America!

What: Red, White, Blue Birthday Cake
Need: White Cake & Butter Cream Frosting Recipes via foodnetwork
Why: because I'm proud to be an Americaaaaaan~

Love using my pinned items on pinterst to good use!

Location: Shepherd of the Hills Church

PC: Kristina Choi

The frosting started to melt on my way to Oly's house due to the valley heatwave and I missed singing happy birthday, but it was such a good day off to spend time with old and new friends!

Who lives in a PINEAPPLE under the Sea?

Spongebob!

What: Pineapple Cake
Need: Angel Food Cake Mix & Crushed Pineapple chunks (with juice)
Fact: only 2 ingredients were needed for this (I was lazy)
Why: for my own sanity!

My professor had mentioned that people who have careers in teaching, counseling, therapy, psychiatry (basically any job that deals with people) tend to enjoy baking or gardening. Why? Because dealing with people is always a never ending progress and if you're super OCD (like me) and need to "get things done" and see the final product? well, baking is the answer.  This made so much sense to me.

These past couple weeks have been overwhelming and after moping about everything I realized I need to stop feeling everything and fix my eyes on Jesus and just like that I was released from it all (PTL) Also, thanks G- for pretty much telling me I needed to relax haha so this was my final product!

happy baking xx