Blog
Apricot Mini Cakes Recipe
Heidi Shenk "recipe"
One thing that I love about summer is the bounty of delicious fruit that it brings. When I spotted this recipe for apricot mini cakes, I knew I needed to try it. I love light desserts that are fresh and not too sweet, and these cakes are just perfect! Just enough tartness from the apricot and a little bit sweet in the cake batter and a sprinkle of sugar on top. And they're light enough to enjoy one or two after a big summer grilling meal.
Apricot Mini Cakes
What you'll need
- 1 cup flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 Tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 apricots
- 2 Tablespoons sugar for sprinkling
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Add in the egg, lemon zest, and vanilla and incorporate well. Add in the flour mixture alternately with the milk in two additions, ending with the flour. Pour a small amount of batter into a greased cupcake tin (should make 12 cakes!). Halve and pit the apricots and slice them into quarter inch slices. Place a few apricot slices on top of the batter in each cup. Sprinkle each cake with the 2 Tablespoons of sugar. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are golden.
Friday Favorites
Heidi Shenk "friday favorites"
It's Friday! Is it just me or did this week fly by? Lots of exciting stuff has happened this week. First, I launched my new line of pencils. They are truly a labor of love, so it was awesome to see them received so well by you all! So thanks for that!! Last night was spent at First Thursday for some live music and a beer or two. We were lucky to snag one of the very few bistro tables that are part of the park. Afterward, we stopped by our favorite sushi place to grab some sushi to go and a six pack of IPA to celebrate IPA day. (Yes, I realize we are beer nerds.) Tonight we head to Oriole Park for another O's game. Baseball and live music are seriously the best things about summer! With Friday here, I figured it was time to share a few things that I've been loving lately.
You may already know I'm a sucker for turquoise, and this necklace from The Bauble Dept is one that I could definitely see myself wearing.
While we're on the jewelry subject, the colors of this necklace are beautiful. It almost makes me ready for fall.
I'm a list maker, and I love these new brightly colored and hand lettered moleskines from EmDashPaperCo.
I really, really can't argue about the colors of this little pencil case.
If I weren't on a spending freeze, I would instantly snag this vintage coffee grinder. It takes me back to my childhood when my parents used a similar grinder on a daily basis.
This abstract print is most definitely unique. Bright, simple, and modern.
I absolutely love the design of these stamps. Clean lines and modern.
What are some items that you've been loving lately? Any big plans for the weekend? I think this is the first weekend that we have nothing on the calendar and can do whatever we please! Happy weekend everyone! :)
You may already know I'm a sucker for turquoise, and this necklace from The Bauble Dept is one that I could definitely see myself wearing.
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| via The Bauble Dept |
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| via Swell Caroline |
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| via EmDashPaperCo |
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| via Lindock |
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| via CrolAndCo |
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| via Pink Fox Designs |
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| via Present and Correct |
Living
Heidi Shenk "a few things" "daily life"
I've written before about how teaching had drained me. I felt like I was so stressed out I wasn't living life anymore. I had no spare time and I turned down so many opportunities because I knew they would overwhelm me more than I already was. After finishing the school year in June and knowing that I was not returning, I felt as though a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders.
Transitioning from the mindset of having a summer off and to realizing that this is not a permanent vacation is something that I've often worried about. I need constant reminders. Andrew is good about that. He treats my days like they are work days and checks in with me at the end of the day-- How was work today? What did you get accomplished? How were sales today? Did you get any new wholesale leads? Then there are the reminders of the non-work stuff. Like the, don't worry about getting that done tonight. You have all day tomorrow to do that. And I actually get to live in the moment.
This past weekend, my best friend from college came to Baltimore to visit with some friends that had invited her down from Hoboken. She had all day Friday free while they were at work, so I spent the afternoon with her at an amazing restaurant on the water sipping fantastic cocktails because I could and because I felt like it. I had worked like crazy that morning and could do whatever I wanted for the whole afternoon. Later that evening, Andrew and I went to Merriweather to see the Lumineers. We took a picnic for dinner and sat on a blanket and I worried about nothing because I didn't have to.
Saturday ended up being a relaxing day. We went to pick up our wedding rings (woot woot!) and then later that evening biked to the Orioles game. We have been biking as much as possible to get to places within the city now that I have a bike that I actually enjoy riding. However, I've been apprehensive. I'm not daring like Andrew who rides his bike every day to work, zipping between cars and narrowly missing (and once hitting) opening car doors while traveling full steam ahead. In fact, merely a few moments before we left via bike, I tried talking him into taking the car instead. I wasn't ready to bike across the city yet, I argued. It scared me.
After the Orioles game, we hopped back on our bikes to ride home via the bike path and the safest route possible that I had made Andrew promise to take. As we were trying to work our way through the crowds of pedestrians that were clogging the bike path on Pratt Street, I decided that I needed to do something to avoid the jammed path. I spotted an opening in the heavy Pratt Street traffic and I went for it. I sped down the street on my bike at full speed, passing people on the sidewalks and keeping up with cars in the street. And in that moment it hit me. I was free and I finally felt like I was living again.
As I turned off of the busy downtown street back to our quiet residential route, Andrew caught up with me on his bike and yelled, "You did it! I wasn't expecting that at all, but you just did it!" And you know what, as silly as it may seem, I felt like a whole new person with a whole new lease on life. Maybe it's a metaphor for bigger things-- knowing that taking a giant leap into a new adventure will be ok. Or that things that may feel scary are actually not as a big of a deal as they seem. Either way, that bike ride was just what I needed.
Transitioning from the mindset of having a summer off and to realizing that this is not a permanent vacation is something that I've often worried about. I need constant reminders. Andrew is good about that. He treats my days like they are work days and checks in with me at the end of the day-- How was work today? What did you get accomplished? How were sales today? Did you get any new wholesale leads? Then there are the reminders of the non-work stuff. Like the, don't worry about getting that done tonight. You have all day tomorrow to do that. And I actually get to live in the moment.
This past weekend, my best friend from college came to Baltimore to visit with some friends that had invited her down from Hoboken. She had all day Friday free while they were at work, so I spent the afternoon with her at an amazing restaurant on the water sipping fantastic cocktails because I could and because I felt like it. I had worked like crazy that morning and could do whatever I wanted for the whole afternoon. Later that evening, Andrew and I went to Merriweather to see the Lumineers. We took a picnic for dinner and sat on a blanket and I worried about nothing because I didn't have to.
Saturday ended up being a relaxing day. We went to pick up our wedding rings (woot woot!) and then later that evening biked to the Orioles game. We have been biking as much as possible to get to places within the city now that I have a bike that I actually enjoy riding. However, I've been apprehensive. I'm not daring like Andrew who rides his bike every day to work, zipping between cars and narrowly missing (and once hitting) opening car doors while traveling full steam ahead. In fact, merely a few moments before we left via bike, I tried talking him into taking the car instead. I wasn't ready to bike across the city yet, I argued. It scared me.
After the Orioles game, we hopped back on our bikes to ride home via the bike path and the safest route possible that I had made Andrew promise to take. As we were trying to work our way through the crowds of pedestrians that were clogging the bike path on Pratt Street, I decided that I needed to do something to avoid the jammed path. I spotted an opening in the heavy Pratt Street traffic and I went for it. I sped down the street on my bike at full speed, passing people on the sidewalks and keeping up with cars in the street. And in that moment it hit me. I was free and I finally felt like I was living again.
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| via lomokev |
Pencils!
Heidi Shenk "etsy shop"
Many of you have been following the recent pencil saga via Instagram and Twitter. About six months ago, I started to brainstorm ideas for products to add to my shop. This was when I was in the dreaming phase of quitting my teaching job and thinking about ways that I could expand to make this a reality. I began making lists of items and ideas that I wanted to add that made sense with cards and stationery, but I simply didn't have the time to do it. Over the past three months, and as the school year was winding down and I knew I wasn't going back in the fall, I started researching the possibilities of adding pencils to my shop.
At first, I looked into the possibility of having pencils imprinted based on words or phrases that I ordered from a pencil company. As I began looking into what it would cost to do this, I started to think that it just simply didn't make sense to go that route. First, the Etsy marketplace doesn't allow the resale of mass-produced items, and I'm not one to try to sneak around. Second, my business is a handmade business, so it seemed natural that I should stick to that. My cards are all cut, scored, printed, folded, and packaged by hand. My notebooks are all cut, printed, punched, and bound by hand. I wanted to continue the handmade nature of my shop since that's what I love about it most.
I spent the next few months trying to figure out what my next steps would be. I began reading about hot foil presses. I wanted to get a hot foil press, but the cost was exuberant. Then I ran across a few articles that suggested vintage presses. I began a new set of research to find out which presses performed the best and would most likely still be of use today. I finally decided on the type of press that I wanted and I waited until the right one came along. Finally, an amazing deal popped up. I waffled over it for about four days until Andrew, getting annoyed with my indecisiveness, finally said, "Just get the damn press! It's a hell of deal and even if it's a risk it's one that I know you can make pay off!" So I bought it. A Kingsley hot foil press that is probably circa 1950s, in near mint condition (minus a missing handle, hence the screwdriver).
I truly want to share more about this press with you all in another blog post. I will be taking photos of everything that came with the press to share with you because it is truly a piece of history in itself. But for now, after all of this back story, I want to share another true labor of love that I have added to my shop-- imprinted pencils. Each pencil has been hand stamped on my Kingsley press so no two are exactly alike. I'll be adding more pencil colors and phrases (trust me, I have a whole section in my idea book full of them!) as I am able. Here is a look at a few of the current options.
In addition to the pencils that are available ready to ship, I also have a custom option for those of you that want your own phrase or name on a pencil. The custom pencils are available as a minimum set of 10 due to the time it takes to set the type and press the pencils.
I know that I often say that I'm super excited about new cards or products, but this has to be one of the most exciting so far! The entire story of the press as well as the process for making these pencils is truly energizing. It truly is a creative process that feels incredibly rewarding on a personal level.
What do you think about the new pencils? Have you been learning or experiencing any new creative processes lately?
At first, I looked into the possibility of having pencils imprinted based on words or phrases that I ordered from a pencil company. As I began looking into what it would cost to do this, I started to think that it just simply didn't make sense to go that route. First, the Etsy marketplace doesn't allow the resale of mass-produced items, and I'm not one to try to sneak around. Second, my business is a handmade business, so it seemed natural that I should stick to that. My cards are all cut, scored, printed, folded, and packaged by hand. My notebooks are all cut, printed, punched, and bound by hand. I wanted to continue the handmade nature of my shop since that's what I love about it most.
I spent the next few months trying to figure out what my next steps would be. I began reading about hot foil presses. I wanted to get a hot foil press, but the cost was exuberant. Then I ran across a few articles that suggested vintage presses. I began a new set of research to find out which presses performed the best and would most likely still be of use today. I finally decided on the type of press that I wanted and I waited until the right one came along. Finally, an amazing deal popped up. I waffled over it for about four days until Andrew, getting annoyed with my indecisiveness, finally said, "Just get the damn press! It's a hell of deal and even if it's a risk it's one that I know you can make pay off!" So I bought it. A Kingsley hot foil press that is probably circa 1950s, in near mint condition (minus a missing handle, hence the screwdriver).
I truly want to share more about this press with you all in another blog post. I will be taking photos of everything that came with the press to share with you because it is truly a piece of history in itself. But for now, after all of this back story, I want to share another true labor of love that I have added to my shop-- imprinted pencils. Each pencil has been hand stamped on my Kingsley press so no two are exactly alike. I'll be adding more pencil colors and phrases (trust me, I have a whole section in my idea book full of them!) as I am able. Here is a look at a few of the current options.
In addition to the pencils that are available ready to ship, I also have a custom option for those of you that want your own phrase or name on a pencil. The custom pencils are available as a minimum set of 10 due to the time it takes to set the type and press the pencils.
I know that I often say that I'm super excited about new cards or products, but this has to be one of the most exciting so far! The entire story of the press as well as the process for making these pencils is truly energizing. It truly is a creative process that feels incredibly rewarding on a personal level.
What do you think about the new pencils? Have you been learning or experiencing any new creative processes lately?
Maryland Blue Crab Tacos with Fresh Salsa
Heidi Shenk "recipe"
I may not have been born and raised in Baltimore, but there is one thing that I have definitely embraced wholeheartedly in the six years I've lived here-- Maryland blue crabs. Steamed crabs, crab pretzels, crab cakes, crab dip, and even crab sushi are just a few things that I've been able to enjoy. There was even one week when I had crab four days in a row. It's just delicious! I might even venture to say that during the summer months, the only thing that might come to a close second to my beloved tacos would be crab. So when Paige suggested a taco party, my recipe of choice was obvious-- crabs plus tacos equals crab tacos. The end.
Maryland Blue Crab Tacos with Fresh Salsa
What you'll need
- 3 vine ripened tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
- the juice of one lime
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- fresh ground black pepper and kosher salt
- 1/2 sliced green onions
- 1 glove garlic
- 1 large jalepeno, seeded and diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- half a pound of jumbo lump crab meat
- 1 avocado
- romaine lettuce
- shredded colby jack cheese
Directions
Combine tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, green onions, 3/4 of the jalepeno, and salt and pepper to taste. This is your fresh salsa. I like to prepare this ahead of time so that flavors can soak in while I prepare the rest of my meal.
Saute the remainder of the jalepeno with the diced onion with a small drizzle of olive oil for about 4-5 minutes. Add the crab meat to the saute pan and continue to cook over low heat for a few minutes until the crab is warmed through. Be sure to be gentle when stirring the crab so that you don't break the lump crab up too much. We want nice juicy pieces!
Serve the crab on warmed flour or corn tortillas. Top each taco with the shredded cheese, fresh salsa, some chopped romaine lettuce and a couple slices of avocado. Enjoy!
Want some more taco recipes? Be sure to check out the other recipes from Paige's taco party!
Paige's Quick and Easy Veggie Tacos
Kristen's Marinated Grilled Steak Tacos
Meg's Shrimp Tacos with Red Cabbage Cilantro Slaw
Melissa's Barbequed Salmon with Blueberry Freca and Chipotle Crema Taco Taster
Marieken's Ricotta, Cheese, and Arugula Tacos