wordless wednesday ~ cat silhouettes

wordless wednesday ~ big cat, little Avery

wordless wednesday ~ cookie time

brown butter chocolate coconut cookies

I'm only a few days away from something I've never been.

Unemployed.

3 weeks after I graduated high school I got my first full time job and 10 years later, I haven't been without one.

It's strange because I'm going on a leave, I'm going to be busy, but I'm not going to be working.

I'm having a hard time grasping it.

Part of me is ready. So ready I could burst, literally. I'm exhausted, I'm the size of a harbour seal, I feel like I'm walking with a towel between my knees, I just want to stay at home all day in my pajamas.

Part of me isn't. What the heck am I going to do with myself for the 2 or so weeks before the baby arrives? Sure, I'm going to sleep and bake, but what else to do with the other 8 hours of the day?!?!? Play with the cats? Fold tiny clothes? Eat ?

Cookies make big life situations better.

Browned butter smells like how heaven should. It soothes my worries. And this girl will never say no to chocolate and coconut.

I have a feeling this is not the only time I will be using cookies as an excuse.

Browned butter coconut chocolate chip cookies
[ from Joy the Baker ]

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and browned to about 3/4 cup of butter
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter until it start to foam and bubble. Start paying real close attention, the butter will start to smell extra delicious and turn golden brown. Once brown, remove from heat and pour into a bowl to stop the butter from cooking. Let rest for a few moments.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of your stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the sugar, brown sugar, and browned butter for 2 minutes. The sugar will still be grainy, it's okay.

Add the egg and the egg yolk, beat for 2 more minutes. Mixture will look silky smooth. Add the vanilla and beat well. Add the flour mixture and stir at low speed until just incorporated. Stir in the coconut and chocolate by hand.

Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes.

Spoon tablespoons of chilled dough on to baking sheets and bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until cookies just start to turn golden. Let rest on pan for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

friday feline ~ tiny box vs. large cat

As I stood in the kitchen last night, taking a batch of shortbread cookies out of the oven, all I could hear was scratching. I looked back and there was Jackson, and this tiny box.

I quickly grabbed my iphone and started shooting this video. As the husband says, "what he lacks in brains, he makes up for in funny videos and cuteness."

wordless wednesday ~ photo bomb

november rain

Today is the first day of a long weekend. 

I woke up, at 7 am thanks to my lil girl, with intentions of baking and cooking and lunching and resting. 

Then I looked outside. 

Pouring rain. 

Typical November morning in Vancouver. 

I love the sun, and I love the heat. But sometimes it's okay to take a hint from the cats and hide inside from the rain.

I didn't hibernate all day, I did for for lunch with my dad and his girlfriend. Hot, delicious pho. 

But soon after, was back at home, with the cats, on the couch. I did end up making calzones, but those won't be up on the blog until tomorrow.

I needed my rainy day.

wordless wednesday ~ seasonal depression cat

6 a.m.

On my blog, I may look like I have my stuff together.

Not even close.

I take photos at 6 am.

Mostly cause I'm lazy from the night before. I'm usually in my pj's, pre-breakfast, during coffee, being attacked / meowed at by multiple cats.

Sometimes there are random husband socks on the coffee table. These are things I cannot explain.

Sometimes Jackson thinks he's being helpful by half-attacking, half-rubbing his face on my camera while I try to take photos. It's never helpful.

One day, I might have to get things together.  Or not.

wordless wednesday ~ unedited II

wordless wednesday ~ morning routine

wordless wednesday ~ unedited

wordless wednesday ~ patio kitties

wordless wednesday ~ Jackson

wordless wednesday ~ Bean

chocolate bundt cake + cats of the sea

It was our anniversary over the weekend.

First year. Not such a big one, but my mother did thank the husband for staying married to me for a year. He laughed. My mother, the jokester.

We thought about going for a fancy pants dinner to our favourite Italian restaurant, but then I thought well, I have to work the next day, it'll no fun if I have a food/wine hangover.

What can you do on beautifully, sunny Sunday afternoon in Vancouver ?

Why go to the Aquarium silly.

life at the baked life

Do you ever read your favourite blogs, especially food blogs and wonder what the heck they do when they aren't cooking?

I do.

All the time. I'm so nosy like that.

Well, I'm about to show you what goes on in my life. Ready?

I get up reaaaalllll early to get pretty for work. I usually get up at least an hour before I have to leave. I don't have to but I like to sit and stare blankly at the television with my coffee and bean for at least 15 minutes.

bean in all her cuteness

I need that time to get out of dreamland and become normal. If I don't get this time, watch out. Raving wild monster on the loose.



working breakfast.


This is a food blog, so I will share my eats. I usually stick to a couple things for breakfast and one of my favourite things is oatmeal. It's warm, hearty and since I make it in the microwave, it's easy. I usually enjoy it with some unsweetened applesauce and cinnamon, maybe some walnuts if I have them.

I have to commute to work, in my car, over a bridge for about 30 minutes. It's my time to myself. No husband chatter, no meowing, just me and the radio.

And then, here's the exciting part, I count beans for 8 hours. I'm the baking accountant. Debits, credits, debits and credits.

Now, in a perfect world, one could eat all the treats she wanted and never gain an ounce. I unfortunatly have not found that world. I can't eat all the treats I want without my thighs expanding outside of my pants, and there's only so many skirts one can wear. Every evening, I visit my friend, the treadmill. We have a love/hate relationship. Many of you might know the same.

counting the beans.

I slowly make my way back home, talking to my moms on the phone, talking to the husband on the phone, figuring out what I'll cook for dinner ( I'm not lucky enough to have a husband who thinks of it ), figuring out what I will bake for the night.

It was scones. Apple scones. I'll share the recipe later.

I'm kind of a homebody, I love just being at home, with the cats, reading books cookbooks, enjoying the quiet time with the husband. Weekends are made for wineing and dining, but not during the week.

this is a bad cat

This is pretty much an average day, kinda boring, but I love it.

Signed,

GIT (grandma in training) Jen

sunday reflections + balsamic dressing

Friday was a beyond stressful day.

After hearing the tragic news, heard around the world about the devastating earthquake and tsunami that followed, I was in complete shock. 

bean. Interrupting my blogging with her cuteness.

I don't need to recap the details, because we've all been inidated with photos and videos that were too terrifying to recount.

This disaster really hit home when they announced the tsunami warning for the coast of British Columbia and realizing that we live on the EXACT same seismic plate. Should a large earthquake ever happen in this area, we would be going through the same thing as Japan. It was like watching our potential future unfold. I'm not a conspiracy theorist or some crazy person who's going to go into a panic, waiting for this day to come, but it just seemed to give me a gut check you know?

cat in a blanket.

Anyways, I still can't take my eyes off anything Japan related, but I'm really trying not to buy into the fear mongering.

To help, I sat on the couch on Saturday after a nice walk home from Jazzercise , in the rain might I add. Very nice for reflecting and just having a nice moment with my music playing in the background. Great for my hair? Not so much.

I eventually got off my ass to shower (the husband did tell me I stunk, nice guy I know) and start making my mom's homemade bolognese sauce. Recipe will follow eventually, it's sort of a cook by memory recipe. Means I actually have to measure before I share with you lovely people.  I'll get to it, I promise. 

But I do have a recipe to share! Hold on to your hats, it's salad dressing.

bean. Keeping an eye on my wine.

I know, this is a baking blog, for christs sake the name is the baked life! But sometimes, we like salads before our butter/sugar gluttony. Actually we love salads here. Everyone could use a little more greenery.

This dressing is super basic, but like most things that are really simple, crazy delicious. The hardest part was mincing the garlic. 

Please make this. It's much better than store bought.

I promise. You'll never doubt me again.

Balsamic dressing

[ from Bon Appetit via Epicurious ]

Makes 3/4 cup.

3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup olive oil

Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Gradually pour in oil, whisking as you pour. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Can be made up to 8 hours ahead, let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before using. Re whisk to blend as needed. 

box cat strikes again.

ps. Sorry for the lack of pictures. I played with an extremely cute one year old. Baby giggles = distracted cook.

friday countdown

Oh hey, it's friday you know.  Just a reminder. Wouldn't want you to be late on weekend plans.

Here's just an overview on what happened here over the week. It was delicious, furry and cute. But not all at once.