In the 9 days since I turned 41 and published my list of goals for the year, I am off to a great start.
On the topic of trying something new and doing things that scare me (#2 and #39), I joined a virtual group I am a part of for an in person event! Chicago has a LOT of awesome running bloggers and they are connected by Maggie’s awesome handiwork at Chicago Running Bloggers. New yes, but why would a run and holiday party scare me? Well, I am a new blogger and I only write about running 1/4 of the time or so… and what if my sunny online personality doesn’t come through in real life? Truth being told, I am a tremendously outgoing, gregarious person with a very big inner shy kid. The event was great – nice rainy 3 miler followed by a great brunch of homemade deliciousness and meeting new people (some who I feel like I know well because I read their blogs!)
Check out Kim’s great post here for a recap and link to all of the bloggers in attendance. (The only bad news is that I learned of many new, awesome blogs SO I may spend even more time online – which seems impossible and detrimental to my health and other 39 goals!)
In the less successful arena, I worked on #4 (baking one recipe that I can actually serve) for the annual holiday cookie exchange. We got a great recipe from South Africa for ginger flapjacks (like shortbread) [I know – not really holiday-y but easy… for someone]:
GINGER BARS from Welgelegen Guest House in Cape Town
2 Cups (300 gms) Wholewheat / Wholemeal Flour
1 Tbsn Ground Ginger
1 1/2 tspn Cream of Tartar
3/4 tspn Baking Soda / Bicarbonate of Soda
1/8 tspn Salt
1 1/4 cups (310 gms ) Butter, cut into pieces
1/3 Cup (50 gms) old-fashioned Rolled Oats
1 1/2 Cups (300 gms) firmly packed Light Brown Sugar
Preheat the oven to 325 F (170 C Gas 3)
Butter a 13 x 9 inch (33 x 23 cn) Baking Tray.
Mix Flour, Ginger, Baking Soda , Cream of Tartar and Salt in a Large Bowl.
Use a pastry blender to cut in the Butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbes.
Stir in the Oats and Brown Sugar.
Firmly press mixture into pan to form a smooth even layer.
Bake 20 – 30 minutes until lightly browned.
Cool completely before cutting into bars.
Easy right? For you maybe. I made these twice. The first time I used 2 butter knives in place of a pastry cutter and the butter was not evenly distributed. So… they were not cohesive enough and had heart clogging pockets. That is all I am saying. Those were sampled and dumped. I then got a little help from Rhys and they came out fine – not as crisp as in Cape Town. Well, we’ll see – the cookie exchange is today.
Thankfully, Jen and Amy are amazing bakers AND they had a surplus so they shared some cookies that I (I mean they) could be proud of so I will not be kicked out of the exchange this year! Here is a photo:
That’s all I have for now. I am heading to the gym and am hoping that all of the media frenzy from the devastating shooting on Friday has died down. There has been so much written on this topic and I have no words to describe the horror and unthinkable outcome. I just wish that more attention was paid to mental illness in America and that the media would not make heroes out of these monsters. If you feel helpless like I do, consider contributing to the Brady campaign or contacting your local government representatives and let them know what you support common-sense gun control.
To end on a more positive note, check out this awesome Buzzfeed post 26 Moments That Restored Our Faith In Humanity This Year Tears were shed over here.