WEEKEND ROUNDUP 

BACK TO SCHOOL EDITION

Whether a student or student at heart, back to school offers us the chance for a fresh start. How about these whimsical touches to add a little nostalgia to your new beginning? (I'm especially in love with the chalkboard map - it's perfect for planning a travel adventure!)

1. PATTERN CLICK PENS / 2. COMPOSITION BOOK / 3. LAPTOP TABLE

4. CUSTOM STAMP / 5. CANVAS LUNCH BAG / 6. PRINTABLE SIGN

7. WORLD CHALKBOARD MAP

BETTER-FOR-YOU BANANA BREAD

As you can imagine, when Beau and I became Mr. + Mrs. last month we received all sorts of advice. From tips shared by fellow newlyweds to words of wisdom bestowed upon us by aunts and uncles, we soaked it all in, feeling loved.

But one piece of advice stood out to me more than any other - a small remark made by my good friend, Beth.

"Now you can make your own traditions together" Beth explained as we ate lunch one day, "just the two of you." 

Turns out - Beth was right. And this comforting banana bread is proof. I can't say how it began, but is has become our favorite tradition to make a loaf every Saturday morning. 

Besides filling the farmhouse with the most comforting of aromas, this bread has become a go-to tradition because it is a healthier cousin to typical banana bread. Replacing butter with olive oil and yogurt, and requiring minimal sugar, the recipe captures the natural sweetness of ripe bananas and the warmth of pure vanilla for an irresistible result. In addition, I use half whole wheat flour to add a little more nutrition to the mix. You won't even notice the difference, I promise!

The best part about our banana bread tradition is we usually have leftovers to wrap up and bring to work on Mondays. Beau likes to warm his slice on the dashboard of his truck so that it is warm and gooey for an afternoon snack. :)

Aren't traditions delicious? 

With love from the farmhouse - Grace

BETTER-FOR-YOU BANANA BREAD

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp Penzey's Cake Spice (Don't have any? Combine cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves to your liking)
• 2-3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1.5 cups)
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt (Greek or regular)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips (or whatever you have in your pantry!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9X5 loaf pan, or line with parchment paper. 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and desired spices. Mix in chocolate chips.
4. In a stand mixer or separate bowl, mix olive oil, eggs, mashed bananas, yogurt and vanilla.
5. Pour wet ingredients into dry and fold together with a spatula until just combined. Don't over-stir.
6. Transfer to prepared pan and bake 45 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

WEEKEND ROUNDUP: CAMPING EDITION

Let's celebrate camping in all its glory! Here's to the quiet stillness of the forest, a beckoning path awaiting your footsteps, and an excuse to snuggle beneath the stars.

1. CAMPFIRE INCENSE / 2. CAMP GRAPHIC T-SHIRT / 3. WHIMSY+SPICE S'MORES KIT

4. LANTERN / 5. GEOMETRIC CUTTING BOARD / 6. SURVIVAL HANDBOOK

7. WOOL CAMP BLANKET  / 8. BIRCH PRINT STRAWS / 9. BLUE CAMP CUP

Wishing you many happy weekend adventures <3 Grace

SUMMER TARTS A'LA JUDITH JONES

Other creatures receive food simply as fodder. But we take the raw materials of the earth and work with them - touch them, manipulate them, taste them, glory in their heady smells and colors, and then, through a bit of alchemy, transform them into delicious creations."   Judith Jones

Have you ever formed an attachment to someone who doesn't know you exist? No - I'm not referring to stalking celebrities, or Facebook creeping your exes (though equally good topics - perhaps another time). In this case, I'm describing the affection one develops for a particular author - a writer whose words capture you, and speak to a place deep within that you never knew you had. 

Sounds intensely creepy, right? I'll explain.

During a particularly rough patch a few years ago, I remember stumbling across the book The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food by Judith Jones. I was pawing through the biography section at the bookstore, hungry to read about someone else's life - something wise and sensible to reassure me that mine too, would turn out OK.

A tawny paperback caught my attention, and I found myself meeting the kind gaze of a silver-haired woman, inviting me into the warmth of her kitchen. I didn't even bother reading the blurb and bought the book on a whim - declining a bag from the cashier and stuffing it into my oversized purse instead.

As it turned out, the book didn't stay in my purse long. Upon arriving home later that night, I read it all in one, delicious sitting. I quickly learned through the pages of the memoir that Judith Jones - the kindly presence on the cover - was the legendary editor recognized for discovering Julia Child, and championing her historic Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

What spoke to me more than Judith's gourmet accolades, was the way she wrote about cooking - presenting time spent in the kitchen as a memory, an art form, and the mark of a life well-lived. I loved her romantic writing style as she described the sensuality of taste, texture and aroma - or recounted familiar comforts, such as the way dough thumps against a floured board while kneading. I went on to read Judith's many other books, including her most recent - The Pleasures of Cooking for One, where she reminds us of the importance of protecting the sacred ritual of mealtime: setting the table, lighting candles and listening to music - even when one is eating alone.

Judith's words and vibrant spirit captured my imagination, and filled my then-unhappy self with a renewed hope and purpose through cooking that I still carry with me today. If you haven't read any Judith Jones, I encourage you to give her biography or many cookbooks a try - or take a listen to this NPR interview to get a flavor of her personality. She's such a spunky lady!

As an added bonus, I give you one of Judith's recipes - a beguiling summer tart recipe perfect for filling with plump berries and a dollop of farm-fresh cream.

JUDITH'S RUSTIC SUMMER TART
Adapted from The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food by Judith Jones
Makes one 9-inch tart, or four 5-inch tarts

For the dough:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 Tablespoons very cold, unsalted butter (I chilled mine in the freezer for 5 minutes before using to make sure it was cold enough! But not too long, as it will freeze fairly quickly.)
• 1 Tablespoon sugar 
• 3 Tablespoons ice water (I ended up placing a glass of cold water in the freezer for a few minutes to really get it chilled, and dipped my measuring spoon in to get the right amount.)

For the filling:

• Fresh fruit of your choice (I used 1.5 cups of blueberries + 2 whole nectarines, sliced) 
• Sugar
• Jam (your choice of flavor - just skip ones with high fructose corn syrup if you can, boo hiss)
• Lemon juice, optional (I squeezed some on my blueberries for extra zing and because it made me feel gourmet to squeeze things on things)

Instructions

1. Make the dough: spin flour, salt and sugar in the food processor for a few seconds to mix. Cut chilled butter into small chunks and add to flour mixture. Process in spurts 15 times, pulsing just long enough to say "alligator" (per Judith's suggestion). Sprinkle 3 T cold water over dough. Process again 10 times, again saying "alligator" with each pulse. (No food processor? Cutting the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two knives works just as well.)
2. Turn dough onto a lightly-floured surface. It will look crumby, but once you squeeze it together with your hands, it forms a perfect dough. If there are dry spots where the dough won't hold together, sprinkle up to 1 T more ice water over dry areas.
3. Knead dough a few times. Shape into a flat dish, wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (up to 24 hours). I did mine the minimum 30 minutes and it worked wonderfully.
4. While the dough is chilling, prep the fresh fruit by mixing it with a generous amount of sugar. At least 1-2 T for each cup of fruit. Set aside.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Once the dough is chilled, press it into a tart pan, and trim any excess from the sides.
7. Spread jam on the dough and arrange berries on top. Pack them in there! 
8. Bake tart(s) for 45-55 min. at 350 degrees.
9. Remove from oven and cool. If you're feeling fancy (and patient) serve with fresh whipping cream. I was not, and gobbled mine up right away. :)

Happy baking! With love from the farmhouse,

Grace