Moist Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

Coffee, plus a favorite pastry or coffee cake is pretty much the essence of perfection for me. Saturday mornings, or rainy days makes it even better.

This last weekend, I was in the mood to create a child hood favorite: Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake. The original recipe that I grew up making was from a coffee book from Barney's. I lost the book...and the recipe, so I combined a bunch of recipes until I thought it sounded just right. True story!

Most Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

Cake Batter:
1/2 Cup Butter, melted
3/4 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 Teaspoon Orange Extract
1 1/4 Cup Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Cup Sour Cream

Cinnamon Swirl
1/2 Cup Chopped Nuts (I used walnuts)
1 to 2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

In a large bowl combine cake ingredients until well incorporated. Pour into a greased 8x11 casserole dish or baking pan. Then, combine the ingredients for the cinnamon swirl. Sprinkle on top of cake batter, while swirling the ingredients into the cake batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350, or until pick inserted comes out clean. Serve warm, and with a big cuppa coffee. ;-) Enjoy!

What's your favorite Saturday morning breakfast?

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Contemporary and Traditional Furniture – Which is Best for You?

Buying new furniture is a huge investment – the pieces have to last for years to come, they have to be adaptable and they have to fit in with your existing décor. So should you choose contemporary or traditional furniture? And which is best for your needs?

Contemporary Furniture
Clean lines, minimal features and strong or bold colours – contemporary furniture is most definitely stylish. Contemporary furniture tends to work best in new homes, or homes with architectural detailing such as mezzanine floors or double-height ceilings. The clean lines and minimal design details keep the furniture uncluttered, and so this type of furniture tends to work best in clean and uncluttered homes that don't have a huge amount of knick-knacks or ornaments. Contemporary furniture also tends to come in bolder colours or styles, and so you often have to have an eye for detail to be able to pair your furniture with the right soft furnishings and colours. Contemporary furniture tends to follow trends, too, and so you may have to update your look a little more frequently than if you choose traditional furniture. Well-made contemporary furniture will last just as long as more traditional types of furniture, so it all comes down to personal preference.

Traditional Furniture
Often crafted with warm-toned wood and designed with additional design details, such as panelling, cast iron handles and buckles, traditional furniture is best described as timeless. Traditional furniture tends to be warm but fairly neutral in colour, meaning that it works well in virtually any home, and the additional design details soften the look a little, making it ideal for homes that have a little extra clutter or plenty of ornaments and knick-knacks. Traditional furniture, in particular wooden furniture, also tends to withstand damage fairly easily, making it particularly good for families with small children or pets.

A Combination of the Two
A combination of contemporary furniture with traditional furniture can instantly give any room a shabby-chic makeover – but you just have to choose the right pieces for it to work. Opt for contemporary furniture and traditional furniture in similar colours or tones and add your own design details, such as cushions and curtains to pull the look together. You can mix and match furniture to suit your needs, too - for example, you could team a new contemporary bed with a traditional dressing table, and pull the look together with bedding and pieces like candles and mirrors. The key to pulling off any design look is to make it look harmonious, so get the colour scheme right and you'll be right on track.

If you are looking for a UK based company who sell contemporary and traditional furniture, Lights and Furniture are the company for you.

Book Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

First off, I have to say, this series quickly became a favorite of mine in the genre of dystopian novels. Reading the futuristic descriptions, and placing yourself in their shoes creates quite the brain jog. I read the first book last year (in two sittings), and just finished Insurgent this week. It was good.

You'll follow Tris as she learns more about who she is, the secrets her parents kept, and a staggering betrayal that will change everything. Does she she have what it takes to survive?

Have you read these books? If so, what are your thoughts?

Chewy Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yesterday, we celebrated Josh's birthday. I enjoyed ribbing him about his old age (he robbed the cradle, ya'll). I also enjoyed making him cookies. His favorite dessert is typically chocolate chip cookies and a big glass of milk. But, rather than making my faithful stand by recipe...I decided to stray away and try my hand at chewy dark chocolate chip cookies. I liked them. Espeically dunked in a cold glass of milk. And Josh really liked them, which is saying a lot. He's a tough cookie to crack when it comes to new dessert recipes. (pun intended...ha ha ha).

They were really easy to make. I love the combination of dark chocolate chips, sea salt, and vanilla paste. Thick 'n chewy with ribbons of dark chocolate happiness. Doesn't get much better than that. ;-)

1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter, melted
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1/2 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

Mix together dry ingredients, and slowly incorporate wet ingredients. Roll batter into tablespoon sized balls and bake at 325 for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are set. Cool and enjoy!

Link Ups: Take It On Tuesday | Wordless Wednesday | Wow Me Wednesday |

Visiting Honduras!

The beaches at Honduras were out of this world amazing. I couldn't get over the contrast of colors, sights, and sounds.We visited the private beaches of Tabyana. Highly recommended! The guides were very kind, which was a big deal. I'm terrified of deep water, so snorkeling was really pushing the limits for me.

We enjoyed walking the beach, swimming, snorkeling, and petting a little monkey. He was so cute!

A storm moved in while we were on the beach, so we took cover and feast on an amazing meal. Best barbeque I've ever had...and now I'm desperate to learn how to make it myself. Oh, and the fresh pineapple sealed the meal. ;-)

I cannot wait to go back someday!

Link Ups: Sweet Shot Tuesday | Tonal Tuesday | Tuesday Muse |