forgive my absence..

wee Smidge

{ who used to be afraid to fly to Victoria by herself }

has been, well, busy..

flying half way around the world to Thailand..

just to hug this little beauty!

I’ll share more photos with you in time, but after a week of being so sad to be back home in the land of the everyday mundane..

I thought it time to get busy and get creative.

A friend is coming over for supper… so there’ll be spring salmon and asparagus on the menu..

and these little bars..

I’ve tweaked Ina Garten’s recipe and love how they turned out!

Still life photography is such a passion for me.

Food photography especially brings me such joy!

Aren’t these Raspberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars just stunning!!

If my trainer is reading this.. no I did NOT eat one.. maybe just a little crumb too small for a mouse!

Raspberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars

 

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Author: Barbara Bamber

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 250 ml jar high quality raspberry jam
• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1/4 cup slivered natural almonds

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Gently bend the butter and sugar together in the bowl of your mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Do not over beat, just bring the mixture together. With the mixer on low add the vanilla extract.
3. Whisk the flour and salt together in another bowl and with the mixer on low, slowly add to the butter and sugar mixture. Blend until all ingredients are incorporated together. Using your hand finish pressing and mixing the dough together in the bowl.
4. Pour 2/3 out into a 9x9" pan and press gently on the bottom and 1/4" way up the sides.
5. Spread the jam over the bottom crust, leaving a 1/4" border on all sides.
6. Add 1/2 cup oatmeal to the remaining 1/3 of the dough mixture and crumble over top.
7. Sprinkle with the almond slivers.
8. Bake for 45 - 48 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
9. Cool and cut into bars.

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Here is a sneak peak at my newest find.. two gold leaf nesting end tables drastically reduced to a crazy price due to some small warping of the legs.

I think they’re the perfect fit in my place..

I love love these!!

And.. a little green for St Patrick’s Day…

after all I’m Irish!!

One last photo of my trip.. some day I am sure I’ll be living in a little white house on the ocean.. I don’t know how.. I don’t know when.. but I’m visualizing it every day!!

Love,

Smidge