let’s get away from all this 


last weekend, my dear friend Beth and i decided to escape the oh too familiar edmonton in an exchange for foothills, mountains and food. lots and lots of food. and the happiest part? my camera was returned to me days upon us departing. oh happy day! the mountains have to be one of my most loved landscapes to admire and drop my jaw to; often taking for granted the fact that they are only three and a half hours away! another purpose this trip served was visiting as many restaurants and coffee shops as we could possibly cram into three days, one by one crossing them off our lengthy, penned-in list. i will save the pictures of those places for maybe a food critique post (???) ...maybe ;) 


lots of love

emily
x


taken in Banff, Canada this past weekend. this picture explains my deep yearning for nature’s beauty and to see the work of His hands in the masses; to be cut off from civilization and bounded by mountains! can’t wait to share more of my favourite shots from my short trip soon!

emily
x

my most beloved bloggers!

basically the coolest mother of the coolest family. 

one of the first bloggers i followed and have fallen in love with her beautiful photography and her brilliant, smart, and captivating writing. Jamie is a terrific example of walking with Him daily.

this is the blog of my favourite [and only] sister! a wonderful blend of writing and photography. she’s pretty cool and her word filled pages mirror that. 

Elsie and Emma, two creative, fun, and beautiful sisters, blog about daily outings, crafts, their homes, food, and so many other fantastic things! all you can do is love them!

this woman is my absolute favourite. her writing is smart and witty and i could just read this all day long. it’s her, her husband, and their babe, Everett [who has the cutest face and the NAME! oh my goodness].

when you’re reading her work, it’s as if she’s your best friend tell you a story of what happened the other day! so personal. so funny. so passionate and genuine. 

___________________________________


check these spectacular woman out! and i can pretty much promise that you’ll love them just as i do.

emily
x

sweet: CHOCOLATE WHOOPIE PIES WITH SALTED CARAMEL + CREAM


bite into one of these bad boys and the semi sweet chocolate hits first the tongue followed by the salty sweet of the salted caramel and topped off with the creamy richness of the whipped cream. a sandwich made with only the best possible flavours. i wouldn’t laugh if you stopped at the caramel and just polished off the jar and never followed through with the whoopie part. unmistakably my favourite layer. and i give props to pinterest for allowing me to stumble upon this recipe. and thanks to kate gibbs [the kitchen inc.] for publishing this beauty on her wonderful website! my deepest apologies for this being the reason why you fail your [once existent] diet. [insert snickering here]. note: kate gibbs writes from across the globe in australia and therefore some ingredients are measured in grams. but it’s simple math and i believe in you to convert! 


the recipe [otherwise known as your gateway to happiness]

yield: about 20 pies.

preheat oven to 375F

salted caramel

melt 200g sugar in a large, heavy saucepan, over a medium heat, stirring gently until completely melted. warm 200g cream and add a little at a time, being careful of splatters. turn to low heat. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or good quality salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla. add 140g unsalted butter, which has been cut into small cubes, a couple cubes at a time. stir well between each addition. mix well until the caramel is smooth and glossy [ummm, yummy!] pour into two small jars with lids and chill. use to fill whoopie pies. or to spoon over ice cream. or just to eat all by itself. 


chocolate whoopie pies

1 3/4 c plain flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract 

line baking tray with parchment paper. in a bowl, sieve together flour, baking powder and cocoa, set aside. in an electric mixer, beat butter, then add sugars, beat until light and fluffy. add the egg, mix well, then add buttermilk and vanilla. add flour, baking soda, and cocoa mixture and beat to form a smooth dough. roll just short of 1 tablespoon balls of dough and place onto pan about 4cm apart, press down with two fingers to form slightly rounded mounds. bake until slightly firm to the touch, 10-12 minutes. repeat with remaining mixture. cool on a wire rack. when cool, fill with salted caramel and whipped cream. 


hoping these make you as happy as they make me! and if you do decide to venture out and make these, let me know how yours went and/or what you’d alter! 

i’m going to go eat one right now. hehe. 

emily
x