life in my empty nest

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts

One of my favorite gifts that I received for Christmas (and that I had asked for) was a doughnut pan. I loved the idea of baking my own doughnuts at home, because I knew I could make low sugar or sugar free versions of all the yummy recipes I had seen on Pinterest. I wondered if this would be something that would really work at home and was very pleasantly surprised when I made my first batch over the holiday week.

The doughnuts came right out of the pan and were crisp on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. I used Truvia for both baking and dipping because it has the same consistency as regular sugar. There are so many delicious sounding doughnut recipes to try and I even put together a separate Doughnut! Pinterest board.

This recipe for Baked Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts was a simple one to start with, but when I make it again I would double the recipe to give me more batter to work with and thicker doughnuts. I think fresh out of the oven, guilt free doughnuts in the morning will be a fun winter baking project.

Happy Wednesday!

{Linking with these friends}

French Country Cottage

A Stroll Thru Life

Savvy Southern Style

The Charm of Home

Have A Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

Between Naps on the Porch

Monday, January 4, 2016

2016 - So Much to Look Forward To

The first Monday of the New Year has me looking ahead and thinking about all the things I have to look forward to. I won't be setting any resolutions, because I am pretty happy with the direction of my life, as it is. I like to have goals in mind and things I would like to accomplish, but there will be no beating myself up if they don't happen. I plan to continue the quiet, slow pace of my life, which makes me happy. But, it could also be a year of change and I am open to that too. As empty nesters heading towards retirement, downsizing is definitely the word of the year. I plan to take my time and will definitely be all in, when I do my annual 40 bags in 40 days for the Lenten season. Welcome 2016!

Health - I will continue to walk almost every day - even in the winter. My goal is to increase the miles walked and also be more diligent about adding yoga to my exercise routine. Both walking and yoga have so many benefits, as I continue to control my diabetes and try to cut stress from my life.

Travel - We don't have any big trips planned as of yet, but I would like to take a few more weekends away. I especially want to go to Mackinac Island this year, Chicago and Pittsburgh a time or two to visit Megan. Our annual spring trip to Florida for some much needed sunshine sounds lovely to look forward to.

New and Old - This is the summer that I pick my golf clubs back up and spend more time on the course. I had a nagging hand injury last summer that kept me from golfing at all and I miss it. I also have been feeling the urge to sew again. After years of sewing costumes, it became drudgery rather than fun, and I would like to pick out some pretty fabric and make something just for me.

These are just a few goals, but I plan to enjoy all the little things too; the happiness I get from coffee in my favorite mug, something baking in the oven and the day stretching ahead of me. My quiet days that mean so much to me.

Happy Monday!

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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Top 5 Recipe Posts of 2015

It is always interesting to take a look back at what posts were the most popular; especially when it comes to recipes. I like to try new recipes and one of the things I love the most about reading blogs and looking at Pinterest is that you can find recipes that real people have tested. You get their success stories and the tweaks that made the recipe better. I have loved sharing family recipes with you, as well as some experiments in putting together dishes that sounded good to me. The most popular recipes in 2015 were a mix of savory and sweet and some of my favorites too. The Lemon Brownies have become a summertime staple and I am making the Antipasto Salad for a dinner party I am hosting tonight. Here is the complete list.