Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts, but sometimes you only want a little and not a giant piece. These muffin sized cheesecakes are a perfect single serving, and a great canvas for you to customize to suit your tastes. Top with chocolate sauce, lemon curd, berries, or even jam warmed slightly to make it runny. Add a little whipping cream and berries, and you have yourself a pretty spectacular dessert! This recipe came to me from my friend Audrey, my partner in cheesecake crime.

12 vanilla wafers (or use chocolate wafers)
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup of your favorite jam

Pre-heat your oven to 325 F and line muffin tins with foil or paper liners.

Place one vanilla wafer in the bottom each muffin cup. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until fluffy before adding the sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl before adding the eggs one at a time, beating well after each.

Divide filling between muffin cups, filling each ¾ full. At this point, you can play a bit-either leave the cheesecakes the way they are, or you can spoon 1 tsp of your favorite jam on the top of each and using a toothpick, swirl the jam into the batter.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until set. Let the cheesecakes cool completely in the cups before removing from the pan. Chill in an airtight container for a few hours before serving. To serve, gently peel the paper off the cups and set them on a plate. You can become creative with toppings, if you like. Try a spoonful of lemon curd, whipping cream, warming up your favorite jam and spooning over top, or chocolate sauce. I used a cherry jam and chocolate curls.

You can also freeze these, wrapped and without the toppings, for about a month or so. Allow them to thaw in the fridge for about 30 minutes before topping and serving.

Makes 12

I’m not huge on the whole Christmas season thing, but one thing I do like about it is baking some of the things I remember having as a kid. That’s how holidays work, don’t they? The rest of the year you try not to be like your parents, but when holidays roll around, you find yourself emulating your parents, wanting everything to be like it was when you were a kid. Just me?

One of my very favourite recipes I’ve asked my mom for is the one for Speculaas Cookies. They’re Dutch spice cookies, pronounced “spake-lass”. My grandma always had the store-bought version around when I was a kid, which my brother and I dipped in apple juice. The cookies had pictures of windmills and Dutch people on them, and we called them “Grandma and Grandpa Cookies”. I don’t know why. I’ll have to ask my grandma next time I see her.

Ingredients:
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups butter
3 1/2 cups flour
1 egg beaten
1 tsp baking powder
1 scant tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ginger

Method:
Cream the butter and sugar. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. The mixture will form a very stiff, sort of crumbly dough.

Here is where the original instructions differ from what my mom taught me to do. The original instructions say to shape the dough into a cylinder with a diameter equal to the desired cookie size, and chill it thoroughly in a covered container. Then slice it and place the slices on a cookie sheet. But I’ve never done it that way.

What I was taught, was to press it into an ungreased cookie tray, bake it, and cut it into squares as soon as it gets out of the oven. Because it’s much easier and they taste the exact same. Or better, because they’ve required less effort.

Either way, bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Store them in sealed container to retain crispness (or, in my case, softness).

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Do you have a favorite family cookie recipe?

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and Christmas is around the next corner, and it is so easy to freak out about it all. Two HUGE dinners, mere weeks apart. It isn’t as scary as it seems. I promise. Here are some holiday dinner ideas to get you started.

1. 5 ways to prepare for Thanksgiving dinner now. Start here, and you are on your way.

2. Pumpkin dip. Try it, you’ll like it.

3. Speaking of appetizers, here are some quick and easy ones.

4. When you get to the rest of the meal, here are some great main courses and desserts.

5. When the meal is done, why not serve some home-brewed iced coffee?

Do you have any recipes to share?

Ever feel like you run around in circles but never get anything accomplished? Feel like you have a lot on
your plate yet sit on Facebook for far too long? You’re not alone. Sometimes it takes a lot of effort to
get a project rolling and keep it rolling. Here are a few tips to ramp up your efforts.

1) Get Organized – Clearing the clutter off your counter tops and your desk and other work surfaces
will mean you can sit down at any moment and get a bit done when time or inspiration strikes.
If you don’t have to hunt around for a pair of scissors or that bill you wanted to pay or that
library book you want to return you’ll be able to get stuff done faster.

2) Turn off the Boob Tube – They call it the idiot box for a reason. Turn it off and your brain will be
able to focus better on the task at hand. Even if you think you’re not watching it, it’s still there
filling the space with noise and flickering lights. You’re far better off to turn on a bit of music at
a low level instead.

3) Get Sleepy – Tired brains are slow brains … nobody knows this better than a sleep deprived
mama who’s running on autopilot. Don’t stay up reading your book. Don’t hang out on
Pinterest for hours on end and don’t drink caffeine before bed. Go to sleep and wake rested,
alert, and ready to tackle your day.

4) Routine and Ritual – Habits are formed slowly over time and working can become a habit too.
Rituals are a great way to signal your brain that it’s time to focus and get down to business.
Much like a solid bedtime routine prepares your baby for a good night’s sleep, a solid work ritual
can prepare you for a productive session. Go for a walk, grab a snack, make a pot of tea and get
to work. Do the same things every day and you’ll come to rely on your routine to put you in a
working frame of mind

5) Allow for Downtime – All work and no play makes Mama go crazy crazy. Allow time for
Facebook, for soaking in the tub, for reading your favorite smutty magazines. But schedule that time
into your day so it has a time limit and doesn’t get away from you. If you need to – set a kitchen
timer to beep your butt out of fun time and back to work time.

Do you have any productivity tips to add?

Everyone has had that moment… you know, the moment when your kid blatantly stares at someone or says something embarrassing in public. I’m no different, my kids have said and done things I’d rather they hadn’t but little by little I believe we’re at the very least teaching them the right way to approach people who are different. This is important to me because my youngest was born with symbrachydactyly, which means his left hand wasn’t fully developed and along with a smaller than normal thumb, he’s missing his fingers on that hand. We definitely notice others checking out his hand while we are in public, it’s only normal since it is different. I see those opportunities as a chance to help educate others about limb differences (our particular brand of difference but you get the same kind of looks whether you are missing a hand, in a wheelchair or wear a patch over your eye).

Yes, I wish people didn’t stare, but I get why they do (and why I used to do it more myself). But more than the staring, I wish they didn’t whisper to each other or keep their children from asking questions because it is nothing I’m embarrassed about and nothing my son should ever feel the need to keep hidden. But children react the way they do because they don’t know any other way and as a parent, it’s our/my job to teach them what to do.

Here are some things you can do to help your kids react in a better, or more helpful, way to people who have physical differences:

1. Give them a vocabulary to use. Rather than asking, “What is wrong with that person?” teach them to ask, “What happened?” or “Why are they different?” The word “wrong” implies just what it says, that something that makes someone different is something that is wrong, or even worse, bad. We don’t say it’s wrong for a person to have curly hair or freckles, just like it’s not wrong for them to wear glasses or use a walker.

2. Lead by example. If you whisper in hushed tones about someone you see who is different, your kids will eventually pick up on the idea that it is something to be talked about in secret and should be avoided – which is not at all true, it just could be handled better. I try to encourage my kids to ask people questions if they are curious about something they see – which would never have been my first instinct before I had my son. But with Jack, I welcome people asking about his hand because it gives me the chance to say explain his limb difference and say (so he can hear) that he was just born that way, because that’s the way God made him. Often children are concerned about Jack’s hand because they think he hurt it or it is hurting him, or they wonder if it will continue growing into a full hand – allowing them to ask those questions clears up any confusion and the next time they encounter someone with a similar limb difference, I like to think they will be more open to asking about it, or be understanding of it and in turn more accepting of that person.

3. Point out how we are all different in some way. My eldest son told me he didn’t like a particular kid on his soccer team because that child had curly hair (which honestly made me laugh) but I explained to him that not liking someone because of a difference they had no control over didn’t make any sense. I asked how it would make him feel if someone told him they didn’t like him because his hair was straight or if someone said they didn’t like his brother because of his little hand. He agreed that those weren’t good reasons not to like someone. Talking things like this out with your kids helps take the mystery away and allows them to understand why people are different.

4. Champion a cause. We support the Lucky Fin Project which was started by another mother with a daughter who has a “lucky fin” like our son (and like Nemo from Finding Nemo). The non-profit promotes awareness and supports education about limb differences, but there are many causes similar to this that you can pick from. It provides a learning opportunity for your children, which in turn leads them to be more empathetic and understanding towards people who are different from them.

If you have a child who has a difference of some kind, just keep encouraging and loving them so they never have a chance to believe there is something their difference could keep them from doing. We were lucky enough to meet former Major League pitcher Jim Abbott this spring, ironic since being a pitcher was one thing I initially mentioned that Jack probably wouldn’t be able to do when he was born. Jim was born with a right arm that ended just above his wrist and he not only pitched on his high school baseball team, but also for the 1988 Olympic team and the New York Yankees (pitching a no-hitter for them in 1993). I’ve learned quickly to never say that either of my children can’t or won’t do something, unless I’d like to be proven wrong (but then, that’s all of parenting for you).

Do you have any tips that you’s like to add?

You hate to sound like that braggy parent who says, “I just can’t find enough books for my child to read,” but, when your child is an avid reader, keeping them in books can be a full-time job. And if your child isn’t an avid reader, finding books to help entice them to become one can be just as frustrating.

As a former school librarian, a parent, and an avid reader myself, I’m always looking for new book recommendations (and I find pulling books off the shelf of the library to be a deeply discouraging way to find new material).

Here are five ways I love to find something new to read:

1) The Caldecott (picture books) and Newbery (juvenile literature) award lists.

These awards have been around for nearly 100 years. I’ll be the first to admit that they do, on occasion, choose complete losers, but overall, I think the recommendations are really solid, and I’ve found that the Honor books are often even better than the winning books. Plus, because the awards are so old, you’re likely to find books you’d forgotten you (and maybe even YOUR parent) loved as a child on there. And another bonus is that libraries pretty much always buy and keep the winners, so you shouldn’t have trouble tracking them down.

2) The Texas Library Association puts out killer booklists every year (usually about 20 books per list) for a whole range of ages.

And I don’t just say this because I’m a Texas-trained librarian - it’s one of the biggest library associations and the sheer number of librarians and resources the state has means you’re getting some well-researched titles. The 2×2 list is for 2 year olds to 2nd graders, the Bluebonnet list is for 3-6 graders, the Lone Star list is for 6 - 8 graders, the TAYSHAS list is for high school students, and the Maverick list is graphic novels divided into age groups from 6 graders to adults. I dare you not to find something you love.

3) The Massachusetts Children’s Book Award is a yearly list of 20 books published in the last five years and aimed at grades 4-6. I used this list heavily as an elementary school librarian and it has a broad range of genres and levels (from barely chapter books to hefty novels).

4) Chinaberry. I love that this gets called “A Catalog That Operates Like an Independent Book Store.” I remember my mom getting this free catalog in the mail when I was young and I’d spend hours poring over it. You can request a copy and spend your entire evening reading it too.

5) Publisher catalogs. I get some of these in the mail and my little daughter LOVES poring over them. We mark books to buy or get from the library and she loses her mind with excitement when she sees books she recognizes in the backlist section. They are also accessible online, and I find them invaluable. Here are a couple to start you out: Chronicle, Penguin, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Have a pen and paper handy to make a list of all the things you now must read immediately.

(And, of course, don’t forget to ask your librarian or your child’s teacher for recommendations - I’ve yet to meet one who isn’t dying to share a couple of their favorite books with you).

Where do you go when you are looking for new reads for you or your child?

She gets social on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and StumbleUpon.

If you’ve got an iPhone, and if you would like to learn how to take the photo on the left and make it look like the photo on the right, you’re in the right place.

When I got my first smart phone, an iPhone 3G, I had no idea that it would have such decent camera ability, but it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with it. Now, two years later and in a household that boasts about 10 to 15 cameras, my iPhone, now an iPhone 4, is just about the only piece of camera equipment I ever use.

I’m not the only one who’s fallen for its charms. iPhoneographers are everywhere these days, and it’s easy to see why once you realize just how much power a few easy camera apps can wield. I have three favourite, go-to camera apps right now that make it easy to create good-looking images: Camera+ ($0.99), Snapseed ($4.99), and Noise Master ($1.99).

Although the price might seem steeper, these apps are well worth the $7.97 I spent on them, and, once you’ve played with them a bit, you’ll look like a master iPhoneographer. I wouldn’t leave home without them, so download those three apps and let me show you how to take a washed out, blurry photo from boring to ooh la la.

Camera+

Open Camera+. Tap the camera icon at the bottom left to open the camera if it is not already open. Point your iPhone at your subject. Tap the screen on the image where you would like the lens to focus, and then tap the camera button to take a picture.

As you can see, I took a pretty terrible picture. It’s always better to be able to start with a properly blocked, focused, and lit image, but I want to show you that even images shot on the fly can be turned into decent photos. So, if your image isn’t stellar right away, don’t sweat it.

After you’ve taken your photo, go to your Camera+ image gallery by tapping on the tiny thumbnail at the bottom left, and choose your photo from the gallery for editing.

My goal at this point is only to brighten the photo before further editing in Snapseed. You can see what setting I chose in the image below.

Feel free to play around with the different settings to see what they can do, but remember that we will be doing the majority of our editing in Snapseed, so, for this tutorial, keep it simple.

Voilà!

When you are done editing your photo, tap Done in the top right corner, and then tap Save near the bottom right. Close Camera+.

Snapseed

Open Snapseed. Tap Open at the top left, choose Photo Library, and then choose the last edited version of your photo from the photo gallery.

There are a number of options along the bottom of the screen. I opted to alter this particular photo using Tune Image (pictured below), which generally adjust elements of colour and brightness, Crop, which allows you to crop your photo, and Details, which sharpens the edges and image details.

Swipe your finger up and down to use the menu, as pictured at left, and swipe your finger left to right to adjust the value of any menu item, as pictured at right.

Don’t hesitate to sharpen your image quite a bit at this point — I used the full 100% — because we are going to cut down on image noise with the Noise Master, and the image will lose some detail if it is not already quite sharp.

Here is the photo so far after our Camera+ and Snapseed treatments:

When you are done editing your photo, tap the icon in the top right corner, and then tap Save to Photo Library. Close Snapseed.

Noise Master

Open Noise Master. Tap Load from ‘Photos’. Pick the last edited image from your photo gallery.

Put your thumb and forefinger on the screen, and, instead of pinching them together, pull them apart from each other to enlarge your photo. You won’t be able to see your whole photo when it is enlarged, but you will be able to see how much blur you are actually creating to keep you from overdoing it.

Use the slider at the bottom to create more and less noise reduction until you figure out which level you like the best.

I used 25% noise reduction for my photo:

When you are done editing your photo, tap Save in the top right corner. Close Noise Master.

It’s not too shabby for a photo that started out with a whole lot of problems, but I still didn’t feel done with this photo, though, so I opened up Snapseed again to adjust it for structure, focus, and saturation using the Details and Tilt-Shift options to give it a little more pop, and behold!

If I haven’t convinced you of the value of these three apps yet, just take a look at the first and last images side by side:

Camera+, Snapseed, and Noise Master are truly a trifecta of awesome when it comes to iPhoneography. They allow you to shoot photos under less desirable conditions and still create images you love, which is fantastic for those moments when you don’t have the time or opportunity to choose the best lighting or have everyone hold still for that perfect shot.

I’d love to see what you create, so, if you edit any photos using this tutorial, please link to them in the comments! And have fun!

I am a coffee addict. Have been since I was five and my grandma started sharing her morning pot with me (more cream and sugar than coffee but it did the trick!). There’s nothing I love more than the smell of coffee brewing, and my hands wrapped around a big mug first thing in the morning is the best way to start my day. I curl up in my husband’s chair sipping and checking my social media accounts as my kids sleepily watch cartoons and play. (Sounds idyllic doesn’t it? It’s more “chaotic” than that but the coffee helps with the rose colored glasses!)

When the temperatures outside start to creep up I love to trade in my hot mug for a cold glass of iced coffee. I refuse to pay coffee chain prices for my daily fix (or three) so I started making a big pitcher at home to enjoy whenever I want! It’s pennies a glass and just as yummy as any glass you can get at a coffee shop. Slightly sweet and indulgently creamy, this iced coffee will be the perfect start to your day.

Home Brewed Iced Coffee

Ingredients:

8 c. brewed coffee (I do 1 standard scoop coffee grinds to 2 cups of water)
2/3 c. sugar
2 tbsp. vanilla extract
5% light cream
ice
garnishes of your choice

Instructions:

1. Brew your favourite blend of coffee to your desired strength.
2. Pour hot coffee into a pitcher and add sugar. Stir to dissolve.
3. Add vanilla and refrigerate until cold.
4. Pour desired amount of cream (or milk) into a glass filled with ice. Add coffee and stir to mix.
5. Top with whipped cream, chocolate covered espresso beans, cocoa powder, cinnamon or whatever else you like.

Variations: For an iced mocha add a squeeze of chocolate syrup or substitute chocolate milk for the cream; use coconut milk for a delicious twist; fill an ice cube tray with coffee and freeze for ice cubes that won’t dilute your drink.

Are you an iced coffee fan? Do you have any recipes that you’d like to share?