Enchantment Learning & Living Blog

Welcome to Enchantment Learning & Living, the inspirational space where I write about the simple pleasures, radical self-care, and everyday magic that make life delicious.

Holiday Chai Tea Blend

December 12, 2014

Yesterday I shared my delicious chai tea blend, so today I thought it would only be fair to show another chai recipe that boosts the festive quotient of this rich brew. I added toasted almond slivers to add a creamy richness to the blend which pairs nicely with the grated nutmeg. The star anise adds a bright kick that plays well with the cardamom. Be careful with the nutmeg: like cloves, it can easily overtake the other flavors so I wouldn't add more than what's given below.

Ingredients:

1 cup Assam black tea

1/2 to 1 cup cinnamon chips

1/4 to 1/3 cup toasted almond slivers

1/4 to 1/3 cup pink peppercorns

1/4 cup star anise

1/4 cup dried ginger

1/4 cup cardamom

1/8 cup clove buds

1-2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg

Blend ingredients and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Make about 2 cups. To brew, add 1 tablespoon to 8 oz boiling water (you need your tea this hot to open up the spices). Make sure to brew this loosely in a teapot or a big strainer--you want the hot water to circulate around the spices to really get maximum flavor. Add sugar and milk if desired. I also brew this in a pot on the stove using equal parts milk and water--absolutely wonderful! Enjoy!

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Chai Tea Blend

December 11, 2014

Although this is not strictly a holiday type tea, chai is so chock full of those rich spices synonymous with the season that it makes the perfect gift for your favorite tea lover. The trick to any good homemade chai is to go easy on the cardamom and don't forget the peppercorns--they add a nice spicy kick that balances out the sweetness of the cardamom. I like a lot of spices in my blend, especially cinnamon, so you'll notice that I gave a range of how much to add.

I would also go easy on the clove buds though as they can pack a serious punch. If you want a decaf version of this blend, simply swap the black tea with a quality rooibos. Make sure to brew this loosely in a teapot or a big strainer--you want the hot water to circulate around the spices to really get maximum flavor. Sounds OCD, I know, but if the leaves and spices are too tightly packed, they can't steep properly. I've also been known to put equal parts milk and water in a saucepan along with my chai tea to brew--delicious! I don't add sugar to my chai but feel free to doctor up your own mug just as you like it. Sometimes I do throw in a pinch of stevia leaf or my stevia simple syrup to add some sweetness without the sugar, but I don't think it's necessary to enjoy this spicy brew.

Ingredients:

1 cup Assam black tea

1/2 to 1 cup cinnamon chips

1/4 to 1/3 cup pink peppercorns

1/4 cup dried ginger

1/4 cup cardamom

1/8 cup clove buds

Blend ingredients and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Make about 2 cups. To brew, add 1 tablespoon to 8 ounces boiling water (you need your tea this hot to open up the spices). Add sugar and milk if desired, although it is delicious on its own. Enjoy!

Orange Spice Rooibos Tea Blend

December 10, 2014

Come nighttime when I'm snuggled in my jammies, cheesy Christmas socked feet resting on my coffee table, enjoying the twinkling lights on my tree, I long for a fat mug of tea that soothes me to sleep and yet has the rich flavors of the season. Rooibos becomes the perfect based then for my Orange Spice Tea because it is caffeine free and has citrusy notes that pair well with the orange peel. You can find these ingredients at your local herb store or online at Rose Mountain Herbs.

Ingredients:

1 cup organic rooibos

1 cup dried orange peels

1 cup cinnamon chips

1/8 cup clover buds

1/4 cup calendula

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container. Makes about 3 1/2 cups. To brew, add one healing tablespoon to 8 oz hot water and let steep for 3-5 minutes. Enjoy!

Aztec Mocha Coffee Blend

December 9, 2014

Mmmmmm....who can say no to a hot cup of chocolate-cinnamon coffee on a cold winter morning? That's what I thought: absolutely no one. Don't be turned off by the cayenne pepper--it only adds a little heat at the back end of your drink and compliments the chocolate and cinnamon nicely.

Don't forget to use good quality coffee here. I go for the Santa Fe based Aroma Coffee's organic Black Lighting dark roast. You can thank me later!

Ingredients:

12 oz quality coffee

2 oz cocoa powder

1/2 oz ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp cayenne red pepper

mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container. Don't hesitate to play with the proportions to find the perfect balance between coffee and spice for you. Brew as you normally would. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Blend

December 8, 2014

I love my festive flavored lattes this time of year, but sometimes I want a delicious caffeinated beverage that doesn't have added sugar and that I can brew up right at home before I've even had a chance to change out of my jammies.

Over the years my family and I have gotten into the habit of adding spices like anise and other flavors to bring a little holiday cheer to our coffee. Lately, I've been adding a teaspoon of my pumpkin pie spice to add an extra festive kick to my morning cup of joe--as if my cheesy holiday mug didn't already do that!

The great thing about flavoring your own coffee is that you can control the strength of the added flavor. After reading about flavoring your own coffee at home from good ol' Martha Stewart and The Kitchn I realized that most homemade coffee flavorings involve whole beans and other add-ins that get ground together--this whole bean method would look very pretty in a mason jar.

However, I don't always have the time or the patience to freshly grind my coffee every morning so I usually just stick with adding whatever already ground spices I have on hand to my coffee basket before brewing. In either case, always use good quality coffee because no amount of spices will make bad coffee taste good. I am personally addicted to Aroma Coffee out of Santa Fe, NM. Their organic Black Lightning Dark roast is pretty swoon-worthy. Flavored coffee also makes a great gift for the coffee fanatic in your life--one who appreciates the really good stuff with minimal additives. Simply mix your coffee, whole or ground, with your flavorings in a large mason jar and top with a bow.

Ingredients:

12 oz quality coffee

2 oz pumpkin pie spice

Combine ingredients and brew as you normally would. Keep in mind these ratios are for what I like in my cup o' cheer, so play around with them. If you like more spice, add more. If less, add less. Enjoy!

Bubble Bath Lover Gift Basket

December 7, 2014

It is a well-known fact that I love a good bubble bath. I love it even more when I can soak for a good long while, drinking a cup of tea or glass of wine, and getting lost in a good book. When the water cools, the tea (or wine) cup is empty, and the bubbles have all faded, I can seek consolation in homemade soap, body scrub, and lush body butter to finish off my decadent bath indulgence.

Over the years I have found that there are others like me. We have even compared notes: to read or not to read? (Always read!) What brand of foaming bubbles creates maximum frothiness for the longest amount of time? (The answer BTW is Everyday Shea Bubble Bath.) Wine or tea? (I tend to go both ways on this one, depending on my mood and the time of day.) Whatever your stance on these all important big life questions, any bubble bath lover agrees that a gift basket stuffed with just-for-you bath time goodies will never go amiss! I break my bubble bath gift basket into four parts: the literature, the beverage, the bath, and the aftermath pampering products:

1. The Literature: Choosing the right book for your bath is like a science. You want something you can get lost in, but also light enough to help you relax and wash away the worries of the week--no Tolstoy or Hugo here! A holiday themed cozy mystery like the one featured in the photo below works well for the cozy reader in your life, but you can also never go wrong with old pulp books or cheesy paperbacks with fun covers. And stick with paperbacks--hardbacks are too nice to risk a dunk in the tub.

2. The Beverage: This depends entirely on the type of bubble bather you are. For the tea lovers, I stick with a small jar of a soothing herbal tea, like my Soothing Mint Tea or Winter Wellness Blend. For the wine lover, you can include a half-bottle of wine and a pretty plastic wine glass in your basket (any bubble bath pro knows that a sturdy shatterproof glass is your safest bet when you want to indulge in the tub).

3. The Bath: I love whipping up a mixture of my Weekend Head Start Bath Mix and including a little vial of my favorite bubble bath so that the receiver has all the makings of a nourishing bath ready to go.

4. The Aftermath: These are the treats that your bath lover near then end of their soak, like nice soaps, scrubs, and body butters. Stick to a scent theme on this one--you can check out my Holiday TLC Gift Baskets for ideas!

At the end of a long day, your favorite bubble bath pal (or buddy--who says bubble baths are meant to be taken solo?) will thank you for this thoughtful basket of treats!

Holiday TLC Gift Baskets

December 6, 2014

There is no gift more thoughtful than a basket full of treats, especially if those treats are homemade and about pampering the receiver. Too often we overlook self-care during this busy season--which goes double for the festivity planners and organizers. Why not treat the holiday elves responsible for all the holiday decorating and planning to a basket full of just-for-them goodies?

The best way to make a gift basket is to stick to a theme, like the Winter Solstice, Sugar & Spice, and Peppermint Hot Chocolate TLC Gift Baskets featured here. I combine a nice range of treats, from scrubs to body butters, that the receiver can enjoy long after all the holly and mistletoe have been taken down. If you really want to do up the baskets, you can throw in other little treats like a loofah, bubble bath, or holiday tea.

1. My Winter Solstice TLC Gift Basket includes Winter Solstice Body Butter, Pine & Charcoal Soap, and the ingredients to my Honey Eucalyptus Foot Soak packed into a mason jar. Adorn your basket with sprigs of pine and a few pine cones and you've got the perfect gift for the nature lover in your life.

2. This Sugar & Spice TLC Gift Basket includes an array of cinnamony treats like my Cinnamon Sugar Body Scrub, Orange Spice Body Butter and Soap, and a Pumpkin Pie Body Scrub. Top with a festive colored bow and a bundle of cinnamon sticks and you've got the ideal gift for your favorite sweetie.

3. Finally, my Peppermint Hot Chocolate TLC Gift Basket is for those chocolate (and mint!) lovers in your life. You get to pamper them with Candy Cane Body Butter, and Peppermint Hot Chocolate Soap and Body Scrub. Tie it all together with a white and red striped ribbon and throw in a few candy canes (or peppermint chocolates) and you've been put on your chocolate lover's nice list.

On Rest & Rejuvenation

December 5, 2014

As I wind up my semester and begin holiday festivities, I find myself trying to remember to do less, not more. It can be easy after an action-packed semester to want to take that jumpy energy into my downtime--no doubt this almost frantic energy is inflamed by the glitz of the season, holiday party obligations, last minute shopping...you could write a whole list of things you "have to do." So this year, keeping all this in mind, I decided to actively work on making myself do less.

When I stop and pause, I find that the times I relax the most is when I am moving slowly, enjoying family and home. In fact, our mantra over the Thanksgiving break became "no rushing, no schedules." I'm carrying this mantra into the end of the semester and winter holidays in an effort to enjoy the little things: a hot mug of holiday spiced tea, twinkling Christmas lights, afternoons lost in a good book, tia-niece time...now that sounds like a to-do list that I can handle!

As I get ready to meet up with family for breakfast on this blustery morning and enjoy the crisp winter air on my morning walk, I leave you with words of wisdom from last year's post on the holiday season and the necessity of hibernation and rejuvenation.

After all, the end of the year is really about self-care, enjoyment, and reflection.

Pine & Charcoal Soap

December 4, 2014

I know this may look like a lump of coal, but it's really a lump of wintery goodness for those angelic souls on your 'nice' list.

This soap gets its coal color from activated charcoal, one of those all-around wonder ingredients like baking soda. I use it for everything from making my own homemade mascara or adding it to cocktails for a gothic touch! Many people take it internally to help with bloating or apply it to bug bites to reduce swelling and suck out poison. See what I mean? Wonder product.

This activated charcoal is also a massive detoxifier and purifier which makes it great for your skin especially when cold weather and other elements wear it down. The crisp pine scent is reminiscent of a wintery wonderland and acts as an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agent. I get my shea butter soap base from amazon.com, but you can also find it in some health food stores--same goes for the activated charcoal. This soap makes a great gift for that special someone--your mountain man or earth woman--who likes a good homemade self-care product without super sweet scents.

Ingredients:

1 lb shea butter soap base

60 drops pine essential oil

1 heaping tablespoon activated charcoal powder, sifted

Chop shea butter soap base into half inch chunks and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for one minute and stir. Then continue to melt base in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring between each heating until liquefied, about 5 minutes. Once the soap is melted stir in essential oil and sifted powder. Pour into muffin tins and allow to set, about an hour. (You can speed this up by placing them in the fridge for about 20 minutes). Remove soap from molds by gently inserting a butter knife around the edges of the muffin tin until the soap pops out. Wrap individually in plastic wrap or tuck multiples in an airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place indefinitely. Makes about 4 soaps. Enjoy!

Orange Spice Soap

December 3, 2014

I have a major citrus lover in my family: my younger sister. She simply cannot get enough of the tangy scent of oranges, lemons, tangerines...you name it. Her cocktails of choice? A limey margarita or an orangey Italian spritz of course! This comes as no surprise since she makes her living in Italy turning these citrus peels into fruit leather for her art and jewelry creations!

Keeping all this in mind, I simply cannot talk about making holiday gifts without whipping up some orange spice soap for the citrus lovers in our lives. This soap is full of cinnamon and clove essential oils that are antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. The shea butter in the soap adds that extra moisturizing power our skin often needs during the harsh winter months.

Ingredients:

1 lb shea butter soap base

30 drops orange essential oil

30 drops cinnamon essential oil

10 drops clove oil

1 heaping tablespoon cinnamon powder, sifted

Chop shea butter soap base into half inch chunks and place in the microwave safe bowl. Heat for one minute and stir. Then continue to melt base in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring between each heating until liquefied, about 5 minutes. Once the soap is melted stir in essential oils and sifted powder. Pour into muffin tins and allow to set, about an hour. (You can speed this up by placing them in the fridge for about 20 minutes.) Remove soap from molds by gently inserting a butter knife around the edges of the muffin tin. until the soap pops out. Wrap individually in plastic wrap or tuck multiples in an airtight container. Store in a cool dry place indefinitely. Makes about 4 soaps. Enjoy!

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Soap

December 2, 2014

Peppermint. Hot. Chocolate.

Really, there's nothing more to say. (Except maybe "All. Over." but that might be taking things to an uncomfortable level.) Every holiday season I have to indulge in at least one peppermint hot chocolate latte because nothing says seasonal cheer like a hot cup of this minty goodness!

Last year, I adapted this heaven-in-a-cup into a perfect body scrub and this year got to thinking that this combo would make a great soap--and a delicious prelude to slathering your body in my candy cane body butter. Who needs the actual hot chocolate when you can pamper yourself with these beauty treats?

Ingredients:

1 lb shea butter soap base

30 drops peppermint essential oil

30 drops spearmint essential oil

1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder, sifted

Chop shea butter soap base into half -inch chunks and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for one minute and stir. Then continue to melt base in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring between each heating until liquefied, about 5 minutes. Once soap is melted stir in essential oils and sifted cocoa powder. Pour into muffin tins and allow to set, about an hour. (You can speed this up by placing them in the fridge for about 20 minutes.) Remove soap from molds by gently inserting a butter knife around the edges of the muffin tin until the soap pops out. Wrap individually in plastic wrap or tuck multiples in an airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place indefinitely. Makes about 4 soaps. Enjoy!

Candy Cane Body Butter

December 1, 2014

Nothing says the holidays like those red and white striped candy canes. While those candies with always evoke a nostalgic twinge in my heart, I am now more drawn to the scent of this holiday treat than the actual sugary taste, which is why I reach for a jar of this Candy Cane Body Butter rather than its confectionery namesake.

I use both peppermint and spearmint oil in my recipe to round out the minty smell. The spearmint adds a fruity softness to the scent while the peppermint brings a clean sharpness. This body butter pairs perfecting with my Peppermint Hot Chocolate Body Scrub, so make both and indulge in a decadent home spa day!

Special Tools:

Clean tin can

Old saucepan

Blender

Spatula

Ingredients:

3/4 cup olive oil

1/3 cup coconut oil

4 tablespoons beeswax, roughly chopped into small pieces

1 cup distilled water

30 drops peppermint oil

30 drops spearmint oil

1. Place the saucepan on low heat and fill halfway with water. Then place the clean tin can in the center of the saucepan. Put the beeswax in the tin can and let melt slowly. When beeswax is melted, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature (but not to solidify) about 5-10 minutes.

2. While beeswax is cooling, mix together olive oil and coconut oil in a small bowl. Heat for two minutes in microwave and let cool about 5 minutes.

3. Heat the distilled water (still in a microwave safe measuring cup) for two minutes in the microwave and let cool about five minutes. Pour the last of the melted beeswax into the blender while it mixes ingredients on medium speed.

4. Blend your ingredients in a blender. First add half of the oil mixture and begin to mix it on medium. Once the oils begin to thicken, add half the water, then half the beeswax. Blend for another 10-15 seconds or until first half of your ingredient are blended and being to thicken. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the blender and then begin blending on medium again. Add remaining ingredients (oils, water, beeswax) one at a time until fully incorporated together. Scrape down the sides one last time and blend for another 10-15 seconds. The mixture should be thick.

5. Turn off blender and add essential oils, stirring them in manually with your spatula, then blend completely on medium for another 10 seconds.

6. Pour body butter into containers (I use mason jars) and let cool for at least half an hour before capping. If you find your water separating from your oils, don't worry, that's normal. It just means that the water temp and the oil temp weren't the same when you blended them. I've noticed the more I make this recipe (or variations of it!), the less that happens, so just keep practicing. Store in a cool, dry place for up to one month or in the fridge for six months--that is the advice the book I adapted the recipe from gives. Personally, I have stored this body butter in my bathroom sink for a couple months and it has been fine sans fridge.

7. To use, apply after bathing or showering. Use only a little at a time--a little goes a long way!

Winter Solstice Body Butter

November 30, 2014

This body butter is for the loved ones in your life that don't necessarily like the more floral or softer scents of other creams and lotions. I use a mixture of pine and eucalyptus oils here to evoke the smell of a crisp winter morning with the scent of fresh pine in the air. Both oils have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory qualities, while the pine oil soothes dry skin and the eucalyptus oil eases the tension in tired muscles.

Every time I use this body butter, I feel like I'm being wrapped in a warm blanket of wintery goodness! I think of freshly cut holiday trees, tramping through the woods (or in my case, parents' yard) collecting pine cones, the promise of snow in the air...who doesn't want to wrapped in those memories all winter long?

Special Tools:

Clean tin can

Old saucepan

Blender

Spatula

Ingredients:

3/4 cup olive oil

1/3 cup coconut oil

4 tablespoons beeswax, roughly chopped into small pieces

1 cup distilled water

30 drops pine oil

15 drops eucalyptus oil

2. While beeswax is cooling, mix together olive oil and coconut oil in a small bowl. Heat for two minutes in microwave and let cool about 5 minutes.

4. Blend your ingredients in a blender. First, add half of the oil mixture and begin to mix it on medium. Once the oils begin to thicken, add half the water, then half the beeswax. Blend for another 10-15 seconds or until first half of your ingredient are blended and being to thicken. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the blender and then begin blending on medium again. Add remaining ingredients (oils, water, beeswax) one at a time until fully incorporated together. Scrape down the sides one last time and blend for another 10-15 seconds. The mixture should be thick.

5. Turn off blender and add essential oils, stirring them in manually with your spatula, then blend completely on medium for another 10 seconds.

6. Pour body butter into containers (I use mason jars) and let cool for at least half an hour before capping. If you find your water separating from your oils, don't worry, that's normal. It just means that the water temp and the oil temp weren't the same when you blended them. I've noticed the more I make this recipe (or variations of it!), the less that happens, so just keep practicing. Store in a cool, dry place for up to one month or in the fridge for six months--that is the advice the book I adapted the recipe from give. Personally, I have stored this body butter in my bathroom sink for a couple months and it has been fine sans fridge.

7. To use, apply after bathing or showering. Use only a little at a time--a little goes a long way!

Orange Spice Body Butter

November 29, 2014

One of the most decadent and delicious gifts you can give someone is homemade body butter. Rather than gifting people yet another tray of cookies they have to finish by the end of the holiday season, why not treat them to a festive body butter they can use long after the last ornament has been put away?

I especially love this orange spice body butter because it soothes the skin and, with the help of beeswax, locks in moisture and protects your tender outer shell from the elements. The cinnamon and orange oils are anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory agents.

Making your own body butter is a lot easier than people think; it's also better for your skin that mainstream lotions with bad-for-you ingredients--and less expensive! In fact, the only really trick to making your own body butter is having patience while the beeswax melts and then waiting for the other oils to liquefy when added to the wax.

Special Tools:

Clean tin can

Old saucepan

Blender

Spatula

Ingredients:

3/4 cup olive oil

1/3 cup coconut oil

4 tablespoons beeswax, roughly chopped into small pieces

1 cup distilled water

30 drops orange oil

30 drops cinnamon oil

2. While beeswax is cooling, mix together olive oil and coconut oil in a small bowl. Heat for two minutes in microwave and let cool about 5 minutes.

5. Turn off blender and add essential oils, stirring them in manually with your spatula, then blend completely on medium for another 10 seconds.

6. Pour body butter into containers (I use mason jars) and let cool for at least half an hour before capping. If you find your water separating from your oils, don't worry, that's normal. It just means that the water temp and the oil temp weren't the same when you blended them. I've noticed the more I make this recipe (or variations of it!), the less that happens, so just keep practicing. Store in a cool, dry place for up to one month or in the fridge for six months--that is the advice the book I adapted the recipe from give. Personally, I have stored this body butter in my bathroom sink for a couple months and it has been fine sans fridge.

7. To use, apply after bathing or showering. Use only a little at a time--a little goes a long way!

Gifts from the Kitchen, Gifts from the Heart

November 28, 2014

As we all know, today is Black Friday--that scary day in which the whole world runs mad trying to to be the first one into whatever shopping mall to purchase whatever super-sale items. Just the thought of the crush of people and the insanity of trying to buy as much as possible in one day is enough for me to want to retreat into my hobbit hole and not come out until this day is over--which is exactly what my family ends up doing!

In response to this buying frenzy that often seems to take the pleasure out of gift giving, I'm dedicating this coming month to blog on homemade gifts--simple gestures of love conjured in the kitchen.

Too often this time of year we can get caught in this whirlwind energy of spending, buying, doing more until the essence of this season--rest, introspection, and celebrations with loved ones--gets overshadowed by the glitz and noise of the outside world. In reality, it feels wondrous to escape the busyness of the city and immerse yourself in the peace and quiet of your own home.

There is no better way to spend a cozy winter morning that in the kitchen whipping up beauty treats and gourmet kitchen staples for your loved ones to enjoy all year round. So let's unplug from that tinsel town vision of the holidays and reground ourselves in what matters most: family and the gentle turning inward that the season originally inspired.

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 27, 2014

Wishing you and yours a wonderful day of thanks!

Thoughts on Thankfulness

November 26, 2014

As I get ready to meet my mom, sister, and baby niece for a day of cooking for the big feast tomorrow, I am once again struck by the abundance of my life: family, love, joyfulness all manifesting itself in the time and energy we put into a wonderful meal shared with those we love.

I have come to see these celebrations as an essential part of life; we must take the time to pause and celebrate this wonderful abundance, to honor it and invite more of it into our lives. This joyous celebration also recognizes the hard work we put into cultivating fullness and intimacy in our lives.

So, as I head out for a day in the kitchen with my own loved ones, I leave you to mull over the importance thankfulness and gratitude.

On Why I Read Fantasy Novels

November 25, 2014

Because dragons are awesome. And, let's face it, so are wizards. And epic adventures.

They remind me that life is one sweeping adventure, that foes can be conquered, that hope wins out against the darkness. They remind me that the deepest magic is belief in our own abilities to take charge of our lives.

They are a waking dream transcribed to the page, pure inspiration, and imagination--a promise of other worlds and other times that exist alongside our own if only we take the time to pick up a book.

Even when these novels take place on the urban streets of today--dragons and other creatures no longer hidden in deep caves or dark forests, but in the subways and alleys of our industrialized lands--they show us the many layers that make up the world, the importance of seeing beyond brick and mortar and into the soul of a city.

Fantasy novels are, and always will be, books of hope and adventure, dreams and bottled magic, inspiration, and dragon scales.

Why I Read Cozy Mysteries

November 24, 2014

Because the town is like its own character. You look forward to strolling down the main street and seeing the local cafe or the favorite watering hole, the lovely neighborhoods lined with historic houses. Or, in the case of your well-loved Coffee House Mysteries, how the author turns a place as big as New York City into tiny little villages. You favorite of these villages, of course, is the ever inviting coffee house, The Village Blend. It's like a little town in its own right, a familiar place you long to linger in, to savor a rich espresso and people watch.

You even love how particular spaces, like the coffee house, become their own entities, none more so than the kitchen in the Domestic Diva Series. When you are tired after a long day of work or are looking forward to a lazy weekend afternoon, you can snuggle into your own home, fat mug of tea in hand, and read about the gorgeous kitchen and imagine yourself sitting before its fireplace, cooking and chatting with the characters.

The mystery matters, sure, but more than that you look forward to the small cast of characters you can return to again and again, that sooth you with their everydayness. These small glimpses of lives that revolve around family and close friends help wash away the noise of the outside world and remind you that life is in the kitchen, enjoying cooking and conversation with family. Life is the stroll through your neighborhood where you unexpectedly run into loved ones. Life is in the time spent with the small cast of characters in your own corner of the world.

The recipes at the back of the books don't hurt either. They court me with their very focus on creature comforts and the little things in life that make it delicious. Therein lies the magic of the c ozy mystery.

Almond Chocolate Cups

November 23, 2014

I'm a sucker for a good almond dessert; when I was in Italy two summers ago, I indulged in the almond tarts and cakes that country had perfected, not to mention the marzipan!

By using coconut butter and almond flavoring, I've created a similar texture to marzipan without the excess sugar. Of course, I can't make any dessert without adding a little chocolate for the chocolate lovers in my family. Don't forget that these cups needs to be refrigerated until ready to enjoy because the coconut oil will begin to melt in warmer temps.

Ingredients:

For chocolate cups:

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 dark cocoa powder

6 tbsp maple syrup

For filling:

1/2 cup coconut butter

3 tbsp melted coconut oil

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 teaspoons almond flavoring (or more if you want a stronger flavor)

Combine coconut oil, cocoa powder and maple syrup in a bowl. Using a mini-muffin tin, spoon about 1 tablespoon into each mold. Let chill in fridge about 5 minutes or until the chocolate has solidified.

Meanwhile, combine ingredients for filling. Spread 1/2 tablespoon of filling evenly acrosssolidified chocolate in each mold. Then place remaining chocolate mixture on top of filling, about 1 tablespoon for each mold. Allow to solidify in fridge for another 5-10 minutes. Remove cups from mold and store in fridge for up to a month. Makes about 16 cups. Enjoy!