Food: Recipe | Orange Cranberry Loaf with Orange Icing

Hello! Blogging World 

It just so happens I took a year in between writing on here again. I'd really like to post more on this platform in 2023; Im always posting on my Instagram @ChicCountryGirl so if I've disappeared you can always find me there.

Today I have an amazing dessert loaf to share with you. This recipe is perfect. And can be changed up if you aren't a big fan of orange or cranberries. Lemon blueberry would be amazing or some apples & spices. Just use the base recipe and add whatever floats your boat.

Makes two 9x5 loafs

Bake: @ 350F for 60 minutes. After 60 mins start checking with a tooth pick.

Ingredients:

4 eggs

3/4 cups Unsalted Butter (room temp)

1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar

1/2 cup Milk 

1/3 cup Fresh orange juice 

2 tablespoons Orange zest 

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

3 cups AP Flour 

3 cups Fresh or frozen cranberries 

Icing:

Juice of 2 freshly squeezed oranges 

1 tablespoon orange zest 

1 - 1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar 

Recipe:

Pre heat oven to 350F

In a large bowl or stand mixer cream butter and sugar. Slowly add in one egg at a time.

Once those have been combined add milk, juice & zest; mix together 

Now add baking powder, salt and flour. Mix together well. 

Fold in fresh or frozen cranberries (I use frozen) and make sure they are fully incorporated 

Spray or butter two 9x5inch baking dishes and pour equal parts batter into pans. I used glass but you can use a metal or stonewear baking dishes.

Bake for 60 mins , after 60 minutes begin to test your bread every 5 mins with toothpick to see if it comes out clean. Every climate & oven is different. 

Once cooled drizzle with icing. 

In a bowl combine orange juice, zest & sugar. Mix well and drizzle over the loaves.

Hope you enjoy!

Emily 

Recipe : Healthy Homemade Granola

Hello!

Today I am back with a recipe for my new go to favorite snack , Homemade Granola !

This is a really simple recipe to have on hand for a tasty treat that is lower in sugar (uses Raw honey) and healthier ingredients like unsweetened coconut & dried fruit. Everything I used was organic. 

Bake 325 F for 25 minutes 

Ingredients:

3 cups Old Fashioned Oats

1 1/2-2 cups Raw Pecans

1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries

1/2 cups Coconut oil

3/4 Cup Raw Honey

1/2 cup Un-sweetened Shredded Coconut

1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon Salt

In a large bowl add oats, roughly chopped pecans, melted coconut oil, & honey. Mix together well and add cinnamon & salt. 

Pour onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Spreading out into thin layer. Bake in oven for tens minutes. After 10 mins pull out and flip granola. Stick back in for 5 minutes. 

After that 5 minutes pull out of oven flip and add shredded coconut. Bake another ten. 

When baking is done take out of oven and add dried fruit. 

Note:Don't ever bake dried fruit it will dry out and burn.

Let cool and enjoy. 

This tastes delicious on its own or sprinkled over yogurt. Can also be eaten as your morning cereal over milk or my personal favorite almond milk.

If you make this for yourself let me know how you like it.

Tag me on Instagram with your finished product

@ChicCountryGirl

 Emily

  

Disclaimer: Any photos used are mine unless otherwise posted. This post was 100% created by me and photos are copyrighted to TheChicCountryGirl, If your sharing any of them please give credit to this site. This is not a sponsored post

 

DIY: Calendula Salve Homemade Body Care | Use For Dry Skin Cuts & Eczema

Hello!

With it being winter and the weather being cold, harsh and dry my skin is raw, rough and dry. 

I also suffer from the occasional patch of eczema so this time of year my skin can feel very uncomfortable. I've tried so many different lotions and cremes over the years. And homemade simple ingredent products always do great on my skin.

Calendula has great benefits for your skin. It hydrates and nourishes skin, helps to slow the appearance of wrinkles. Calendula is also antibacterial, antifungal, and has anti-inflammatory properties.

 

Ingredients :

Calendula oil 

1 Cup Jojoba Oil (or any carrier oil you like)

Dried Calendula flowers, fill 3/4 a mason jar with flowers

Cover dried flowers with oil and let sit for 6-8 weeks, in a cool dark place

Salve:

Strain out flowers into cheesecloth , collecting oil in a measuring cup or bowl.

6-8 tablespoons Beeswax 

2 tablespoons Shea butter

Using a double broiler or placing a glass mixing bowl atop a pan with water.

Pour your calendula infused oil into bowl, add in beeswax and shea butter. Over medium heat allow for the mixture to melt. It takes a little time to get the beeswax to melt. Just keep an eye on the mixture stirring once in awhile. 

Optional: If you'd like you can add an essential oil for fragrance. You'll do this once the mixture has melted

Once everything has melted pour mixture into tin containers. And let cool. 

Salve stays fresh for 1 year

If you make this for yourself let me know how you like it.

Tag me on Instagram with your finished product

@ChicCountryGirl

 Emily

  

Disclaimer: Any photos used are mine unless otherwise posted. This post was 100% created by me and photos are copyrighted to TheChicCountryGirl, If your sharing any of them please give credit to this site. This is not a sponsored post

Food : Homemade Marshmallows | Be The Hit This Holiday Season With Made from Scratch Marshmallows

Hello! Blog

Longtime since I've posted on here ; sharing a DIY or recipe. As of late I've been doing all my posts on Instagram so if you aren't following me over there go check out what I've been up to.

With that being said I really want to get back to posting on here more often, It's a lot easier sharing my posts with a blog link than it is an Instagram post. So if you like these recipe posts and things keep an eye out over here.

Want to be the hit of your holiday party or the favorite at your family Christmas?

 Bring homemade marshmallows to the party. They are actually rather easy to make just take make sure to be careful, you are working with boiling sugar. Some people won't even realize you can make these from scratch so good chance they will think you are a baking genius. 

Ingredients:

1 Cup Water

2 Tablespoons , plus 1 1/2 Teaspoons Powdered Unflavored Gelatin 

1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1 Cup Light Corn Syrup 

1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract 

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar 

Lightly grease a 8x9 pan with vegetable oil or cooking spray and dust with powder sugar.

In a mixing bowl add  1/2 cup water (add water first) & powdered gelatin and allow for it to bloom.

In a sauce pan add your candy thermometer; sugar, salt, 1/2 cup water & corn syrup. Mix together using a metal spoon. 

Cook on medium/high heat until your candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure to stir mixture and not to burn your sugar.

Once sugar mixture has reached 240 degrees pour into your mixing bowl and or stand mixer with bloomed gelatin; add vanilla extract and whisk on low for 5 mins or so. Slowly increase speed once mixture starts to thicken. I keep mine low in the beginning because I don't want the hot liquid flying out of my bowl.

Mix on medium/high until your marshmallow begins to form thick white peaks. This does take a little time so don't get discouraged if you've been mixing for 5 minutes and not much has happened yet.

Once the peaks have formed pour into greased pan. Take a spatula to scrap out bowl and even out marshmallow. Let them set up and cool off for about 30-45 minutes before sprinkling the top with powdered sugar. After completely cooled cut with sharp knife and enjoy.

Tip!

If you cut and place in container or stack on platter sprinkle all sides with powdered sugar. This helps them to not stick together.

 

If you end up making these let me know how they turn out. Tag me on Instagram @ChicCountryGirl

xoxo Emily 

Disclaimer: Any photos used are mine unless otherwise posted. This post was 100% created by me and photos are copyrighted to TheChicCountryGirl, If your sharing any of them please give credit to this site. This is not a sponsored post

 

Recipe: Valentines Day | Chocolate Cream Filled Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Hello :)

Valentines Day is this Sunday and you may think its just another day, which I mean technically it is. But why not celebrate those that you love?

Married, dating or single you can still treat those special people in your life to a little treat. And what's more special than a "Chocolate" treat made from the heart? These cupcakes are filled with a yummy homemade whipped cream and mascarpone filling which makes them extra fancy and super tasty.

Recipe: 350F Bake 18-20 minutes

Cupcake:

2 Eggs

1 1/4 cups Sugar

8 tablespoons butter or canola oil

1/4 tsp. Baking Soda

1 1/4 Cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

1 cup Milk ( I use 2%)

1/2 cup Cocoa Powder 

Filling:

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup powder sugar

1-2 tsp. Vanilla Extract 

4 oz Mascarpone Cheese 

Frosting:

1 1/4 Cups Butter

Just under 1/2 cup Cocoa Powder

3-4 Cups Powder Sugar

4-5 tablespoons Heavy cream ( As needed for consistancy you\"re looking for)

Cream your sugar and eggs in a mixing bowl or stand mixer. Add your butter and vanilla. Mix until butter has been combined with your other ingredients. Add in salt, baking soda & cocoa powder. Mix while slowly adding in your milk. Then add flour. Mixing well to throughly combine everything.

Fill your cupcake tin with liners. This batch made 18 cupcakes. Filling the liners 2/3 full. 

Bake at 350 for about 18-20s minutes. I always start checking around 15 mins to make sure I don't over cook them. Nobody likes a dry cupcake!

Once you've pulled them out of the over wait 45mins to an hour to let them cool.

When they've cooled off core out your middles. 

Filling:

In a mixing bowl and your heavy cream , vanilla & powder sugar. Using a hand mixer or your stand beat for 4-5 minutes until soft peaks begin to form. Once the mixture can stand up on its own add in your mascarpone cheese. TIP I let mine sit out a little before adding to the whipped cream. You want it cold but don\"t rock solid.

Then mix in util fully combined. Should take no longer than a minute or 2. Then filling in a pipping bag and cut off the tip and begin to fill your cored cupcakes.

Frosting:

Place your room temp butter in a mixing bowl and begin to mix. Add in a little cream to help it. Add cocoa and mix. Once the cocoa has combined into the butter begin to add in your powder sugar. Once you've added in all the sugar taste and make sure it doesn't taste like cocoa butter. If it does you can always add a bit more sugar. And if the frosting gets to thick add more heavy cream.

I hope you enjoy this Chocolate cupcake recipe and have a lovely Valentines Day with those you Love!

xoxo Emily 

Disclaimer: Any photos used are mine unless otherwise posted. This post was 100% created by me and photos are copyrighted to TheChicCountryGirl, If your sharing any of them please give credit to this site. This is not a sponsored post

Recipe : Homemade Biscuits | Layers Of Butter & Flakey Crumbs

Hello :)

One of my favorite things in life is a biscuit. You can do anything with them; Make a sandwich out of them , pour gravy on top, or eat them like almost eating dessert by drizzling some honey on them. In any form they are my favorite. 

Don't get me started on canned biscuits they taste nothing like a real homemade biscuit; full of a lovely little thing called butter. If your in a time pinch frozen are ok but they will never live up to the truly heavenly thing that is a homemade biscuit. 

To make these you don't need much skill or many ingredients. Just a little bit of time and a whole lot of butter. Once you've mastered the art of biscuit making you'll never want to go back to frozen or god forbid the awfulness that lay in a can. 

 

Recipe:  

4 cups self rising flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

2 Tbsp. Baking Powder 

3 sticks salted butter ( 3/4 pound) cold & grated 

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups Milk (I used 2%)

Bake at 400 °F for 15-20 mins

In a mixing bowl measure out your dry ingredients. Then take your cold sticks of butter and grate it with a cheese grater.

Once you've done that add to your dry ingredients. I then cut in the butter using a pastry cutter. Can also use a wooden spoon or your hands. After your butter is mixed into your flour mixture add in two eggs. (Note) Crack eggs into a separate bowl and whisk together. Then add into your mixing bowl. Stir it into your flour & butter mixture using a spoon or if easier your hands. It's ok to get in there and work with your hands while cooking.

Now turn out your biscuit dough onto your cleaned & floured work surface. 

To make your biscuits extra flakey. Roll your dough out until about 1/2 inch thick cutting it in half with a knife. Stack on top of each other and then fold length wise on top of its self. This will help to create beautiful buttery layers.

Now roll out until roughly 1 inch thick and cut with biscuit cutter. My cutter is on the smaller side but you can use any size biscuit cutter. 

Place on baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. My smaller biscuits baked for 15.

Let them cool off slightly and enjoy!

xoxo Emily 

Disclaimer: Any photos used are mine unless otherwise posted. This post was 100% created by me and photos are copyrighted to TheChicCountryGirl, If your sharing any of them please give credit to this site. This is not a sponsored post

DIY| Mothers Day Spring Floral Arrangement

Hello!

Mother's Day is one week away, how did that happen? Seams like March & April were a 6-8 month period of time. But now May is here and it's time to celebrate Mom. When you think Mother's Day a go to is flowers and flowers can be so expensive which of course Mom is totally worth it but these past few months has been very hard for lots of us. So why not do a little DIY and save lots of money while being able to personalize something for your Mom.

I was able to create this arrangement from supermarket flowers and the total cost was under $30 dollars. My favorite place to purchase affordable flowers is my local Kings Soopers. So check your local Kroger store for an amazing selection.

So lets get started and make Mom something special!

What you'll need:
Flowers (I recommend 2-3 varieties)
Foliage (Different green fillers)
Vase
Scissors 
Clear Tape

1.Start off by filling your vase/container about half or just under half way full of water. It's important to add water first it's much easier than doing it later. 

2.Using a clear tape make a grid on top of the vase. Doesn't have to be perfect. This will just help to support your flowers and make it much easier to arrange them. 
3. Start trimming flowers to the length  you want one at a time. Always make them a bit longer than you think at first just in case. Can't regrow a stem! 
4. Start arranging now don't be afraid that you are doing anything wrong or it looks bad you just have to kind of keep playing with it and adjusting.
 5. Keep arranging your flowers alternating them in somewhat of a pattern you are wanting. You can arrange it so that one angle is the front or have 360 design.

Sometimes if you are getting stuck or you just can't seam to get it how you want just walk away for a few minutes and come back. Fresh eyes always help. Flower arranging really has no rules, just have fun. Create something beautiful that your Mom will love.

I hope everyone has a lovely Mother's Day next weekend.

~Emily

Disclaimer: Any photos used are mine unless otherwise posted. This post was 100% created by me and photos are copyrighted to TheChicCountryGirl, If your sharing any of them please give credit to this site. This is not a sponsored post