Be Still My Heart

…And I thought, be still my heart
This could be a brand new start, with you…

This morning I woke to the songs of The Postal Service weaving in and out of my slumber – soft beats, dreamy vocals, easy listening – and it isn’t until I’m fully awake that I appreciate the beauty of the lyrics. It always seems that there is a perfect song for my every mood. And while still trapped in my own electronic-indie-pop reveries, I have to take a few moments to reflect as the end of summer hastens to a stop – the last remaining grains of sand falling through that hour glass.

My summer was this ugly, murky mess of confusion, frustration, and doubt. For someone who is a (slightly OCD) control freak like myself, it feels terrible to be lost, to be so unsure of “the next step”, to doubt myself and abilities. It’s not exactly healthy for one’s self esteem. But today, yes Today -though the last day of summer – marks the beginning of a brand new start. All that negativity is vanishing. A new school year. A new semester. A new relationship. So much to look forward to – no more looking back. No regrets. Everything we do, every mistake we make, has intrinsic value by virtue of being a lesson learned. Thus, why regret? You learned something didn’t you? I know I did. So, no regrets. Time to look ahead. Time to look forward. Time to look at a brand new start.

Dutch Baby Pancake
With waking up comes an unexplicable hunger… and with nothing instant in the fridge, I had to whip up something before work. Here is a tasty update on the boring pancake – you’ll love it I’m sure. Takes about 10 minutes to put together, and 20 minutes to bake (while you shower, perhaps?). And then enjoy!

Ingredients
1 1/2 tbs butter
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1/3 cup honey
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
dash nutmeg
3 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbs confectioners’ sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. On the stove, heat a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat. Melt butter, then add apple slices and cook until softened and golden brown. Stir in honey and spices. Remove skillet from heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients, except confectioners’ sugar, until smooth. Pour into skillet over apple mixture. Bake until puffed and brown, about 20 minutes. Slide pancake onto a serving platter, apple-side up. Serve immediately by cutting into wedges and dusting with confectioners’ sugar. Also goes will with fresh fruit (berries!!!) on the side.

So, these pancakes aren’t exceptionally difficult to make. It is kinda exciting to see the pancake puff up in the oven. Absolutely delicious – the warm spices really help kick-start the morning doldrums, ya know? Today may be the last day of summer, and it looks like my summer sun is setting. But no dear friend. Today is but the beginning. The beginning of many new exciting things.

<3 anhD.

He Makes Me Laugh.

I have come to the resounding conclusion that both TIME and LAUGHTER are the best medicine. The passing of Time is inevitable, and Laughter – well, you know the feeling: chuckling over a witty comment; guffawing after a funny impersonation; giggling while exchanging good gossip. It’s that feel-good sense you get. And a feel-good laugh just sorta shakes you up, loosens up those knots, brings those smile lines to your face, forces your eyes to twinkle, causes that warmth/glowiness deep inside you – it’s the ultimate icebreaker. And when you find someone who makes you laugh like that, you can’t let an opportunity pass you by, right?

He makes me laugh.

I’ve spent a lot of the last week laughing. Funny text messages in my inbox. Good friends who know just what to say to tickle my funny bone. Just yesterday, Kimmie and I managed to crank out 3 fruit pies over bellyfulls of laughter. And it was absolutely delicious. Just what I was craving – fun and food.

Peach Pie
Source: Williams-Sonoma Pies & Tarts
This pie is absolutely delicious. Usually peach pies are bland and boring, but the fresh lemon really enhances the delicious peachy flavor and adds this welcoming/refreshing tarty-ness that peach pies lack. And if baked correctly, the texture isn’t all mush – the peach slices (skins still on) retain a bit of chewiness, so the texture isn’t at all monotonous and like baby food [which I HATE btw].

Ingredients
Pie Filling:
6 cups peeled, pitted and sliced peaches
2 tbs lemon juice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2-3 dashes ground nutmeg
1 beaten egg + 1 tbs water
raw sugar [for sprinkling]

Pie Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup COLD unsalted butter, in small cubes
1/2 cup COLD water

Directions
First make your basic pie crust, following the directions here: Basic Pie Crust. Allow to chill in the freezer for 15 minutes before rolling. You may want to make this recipe twice – once for the pie crust and again for the lattice to top off your pie.

Preheat oven to 400*F. Butter a 9″ pie tin. Set aside.
For the pie filling, toss the sliced peaches and lemon juice together in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the peach-lemon juice, and mix. The flour should absorb most of the liquid, and while the pie bakes, will help create a nice thick, peachy liquid inside the pie.

Roll out your pie crust (see previous pie entries on how) and fit inside the buttered pie tin. Gently pile the peaches into the tin, and arrange as necessary. The 2nd pie pastry can be rolled and used to decorate the top of the pie. You can use long strips strips to create a lattice, or cut out fun shapes to top off the pie. Up to you. Brush the top with egg wash and generously sprinkle raw sugar on top. Bake at 400*F for 25 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350*F and continue to bake for another 25 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool for 1 hour before serving. This lets the juices thicken a bit. Enjoy! A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side doesn’t hurt

Yes, I’ve been laughing a lot. I smile to myself a lot – as I drive, on the phone, as I walk to work – when I think no one else is looking. Yes, I feel much more like myself now. Balanced. Stable. And for the most part, content. Thank God for Time and Laughter.

Live, Laugh, and Eat!
AnhD.