This weekend was suitably foggy and eerie for a Halloween weekend, so I got cozy inside. I've already sold some of my beaded Christmas spiders so I really need to get cracking and make some more, but first I had to make one last Halloween craft: turquoise painted pumpkins, inspired by my favorite vintage Pyrex pattern, Blowing Leaves.
Using the Craft Smart Paint Pen (found at Michael's - this one is similar), I just freehand drew the design of mod leaves. It is TRICKY to draw on a pumpkin because it's round and lumpy, and my design is admittedly a little wonky, but it turned out so adorably cute I wanted to share.
Hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween! If you're craving a sweet treat but can't stomach any more candy, I highly recommend baking up a batch of these easy chocolate raspberry hand pies tonight.
In another life, I'd be telling you, "I bought a bakery!"
Because I come from a family of diabetics, I've been increasingly interested in low sugar and sugar-free desserts and treats. After moving back to my hometown and seeing all of the fabulous local businesses pop up and see success, I started dreaming about opening my own bakery and selling diabetic-friendly desserts. I think there's a place in the market for a bakery like this because my Mummu just celebrated a birthday and when I called all of the bakeries in town to see if anyone baked a diabetic option, I was laughed at - seriously laughed at. Actually, some folks were surprisingly rude and unprofessional on the phone, but others simply had no clue what kind of (healthier) alternative sweeteners are out there.
I had been hoping to buy something because I had run out of time to bake myself, but on the drive into town I ended up coming up with a great diabetic-friendly cheesecake recipe on the fly, swinging by a grocery store, and just baking the cheesecake at her place. She loved it!
Recently I found out that a small local Finnish bakery - building and
all - is for sale. Half Finnish myself, I grew up on the pulla sold there. I started to daydream about renovating the building and re-opening, selling some of the old classics and some new diabetic-friendly treats (for anyone looking to cut back on sugar a bit - not just diabetics). The downtown location, with a small (read: manageable) building, seemed perfect. My family did some reconnaissance for me, finding out the asking price and if anyone else was interested, but I just couldn't commit. What the heck do I know about running a bakery? What the heck do I know about baking, beyond the treats I make for us? What if I can't make a go of it and we lose our shirts?
For now, I'm happy to bake at home! But stopping by that Finnish bakery so often to scope it out ignited some cravings, so I whipped up some hand pies - just in time for a Wayfair pie contest! I'm skipping the almond flour and stevia for today, because it was comforting to bake with familiar ingredients and treat myself a little to a flaky crust. SO good.
Here's a peek at the adorable chocolate raspberry hand pies I made:
I'm drooling. These are incredibly tasty - and such a nice snacking size. It's a great way to sneak pie into a brown bag lunch.
I make this chocolate raspberry pie as both a regular pie (double crust) and hand pie. The measurements for the filling are different, so I've included both - basically, the hand pies require less fruit because the dough to filling ratio skews very much in favor of the crust. This dough recipe will yield about 10 hand pies - but of course the number will vary depending on how large/small you make them. You could also pre-cook the pie filling, but I just use the berries whole.
Crust:
3 cups white flour
2 sticks + 3 tbsp chilled butter
1-2 tablespoons sugar (2 tbsp is tastier, 1 tbsp if you're cutting back)
1 tsp salt
6-8 tbsp ice water (sometimes I add just a smidge more)
Do you make your pie crust in the food processor? Learning that trick was life changing for me. If you've never tried it, it's simple: just toss the flour, salt and sugar into a food processor. Chop up the chilled butter and pulse with the flour, using an "S" blade. When the flour and butter is blended roughly and the butter has been broken down into pea-sized chunks, add the ice water. Pulse until the dough starts to stick together and then pull out onto a floured board and knead quickly and gently, forming the dough into two discs. I wrap mine in plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours (or overnight). So much easier than working the dough by hand, plus it's handled less so the dough stays nice and flaky. How to Make an Easy Chocolate Raspberry Filling:
To make my filling, I simply toss my cocoa powder (I try to buy good quality) with my raspberries and sugar so the raspberries are coated lightly. That's it! I started doing this one day when I was out of my usual pie filling thickener so I was rooting around for some other kind of powdery ingredient in my cupboard. The chocolate raspberry pie turned out so tasty, I added this to my pie rotation. The juice released from the fruit creates a tasty chocolate sauce with the cocoa powder, and it's laced with raspberry flavor and sweetened lightly.
How to Make a Hand Pie:
Hand pies started as something I made with leftover pie dough, but now I'm loving them enough to bake a whole batch because the crust to filling ratio definitely skews on the side of caaaarrrbs. Once I roll out my dough per usual, I cut out shapes using a giant cookie cutter or just cut out a basic rectangle with a knife.
I lay down the bottom piece of the pie on my floured surface, brush the edges with my egg wash, and add a small dollop of filling in the middle. Then I cover it with the top layer of my pie cut out and press the edges closed with my fork, crimping them closed. Finally, I brush the surface with an egg wash and sprinkle with some sugar. I bake these at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. I check at the fifteen minute mark and rotate my baking sheet because my oven doesn't heat super evenly.
These chocolate raspberry hand pies are so, so good! Not too sweet and not too rich, with a really satisfying chocolatey fruity filling. Plus there's more flakey crust in ever bite than a normal pie, so it's really satisfying. Plus they are easy...as pie to make (couldn't resist). So how is this a pie contest, exactly?
Well, it's pretty relaxed - and no taste test, sadly: the blogger with the most comments and social engagement on their pie post wins!
So I'd love it if you would leave me a note and tell me what your favorite pie filling is - or try to guess what I was planning to name my bakery. It's SUCH a good name, it's a real shame not to use it.
This post is sponsored by Wayfair, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
After living with the space for awhile, Hubby and I devised a wishlist for the perfect home office:
Desk for two
Hidden cords and simplified tech (no more hulking printer sitting on the desk)
Minimal office clutter
Space for Hubby's great-grandfather's trunk (there's NO room elsewhere and it's special)
Comfy chair to curl up in and read
Uplifting color palette
Design that feels cohesive with the rest of the lakehouse
Room for a treadmill
Check, check, check! Here's our home office today:
I can't even walk down the hall without peeking my head in and smiling, plus working in here is an absolute dream. We still have a few small projects we'll tackle over the next few months, but I'm loving the new home office! Here's a closer look at everything we chose:
I'm embarrassed to say that I ordered this turquoise tweed fabric in back in the spring of last year! It's the perfect turquoise, shot with shimmering cream so it's a soft hue. Using the same back tab curtain sewing tutorial we used for the original bedroom drapes (and my new green tweed curtains in the master bedroom), Mom and I whipped up a set for the office as well, so both bedrooms have the same style of window treatment now.
With the curtains squared away, next we figured out the ideal desk proportions/measurements we wanted and built a solid walnut waterfall desk with Hubby's Dad, using solid walnut counter top from Craft-Art.
Remember how I mentioned that the cords will be hidden with our simple desk design? The magic is in that little inset panel of walnut wood we added to the back of the desk. I pulled the desk away from the wall so you can see how we used some screws to affix our power bar back there and then used screw-in hooks to corral the wires. It's such a simple cable management system, but everything is tucked behind the desk neatly, between the wall and the inset walnut panel, so not a single cord can be seen from the front or side - just the tiny tail of our laptop cords and the lamp cords disappearing behind the desk.
We ran the power bar cord down the leg of the desk and to the left where it plugs into the wall. I have a woven storage basket tucked there so we can collect paper to recycle or burn, and it hides the outlet and plug. As much as I enjoyed my DIY treadle sewing machine base desk, it was a challenge to corral all of the wires, so I just love how all of our cables and junk are completely hidden with this desk.
You might have noticed that I ditched my big monitor and keyboard. I needed those to write a 300+ page dissertation, but I prefer just using my laptop these days. I also no longer need to print hundreds of pages and scan dozens of book chapters, so we gave my old beast of a laser printer to my Dad and bought a sleek wireless color inkjet that I keep off my desk.
I thought about building a little desk organizer but find that I don't need it - pretty much everything is on my laptop and when I'm furiously making lists (a lot of which I make on my laptop now too), I'll grab a pretty pen and notebook, which I put away at the end of the day. My brain cannot function with a messy desk, but I spent years with my desk piled high with exams to mark and illegible research notes written on receipts in the middle of the night. A perpetual student until only a few years ago, I've dreamed of a clean, uncluttered desk like this for twenty years.
We gave my beloved desk chair to my Dad. He bought it for me in high school and it was a custom fabric choice - don't ask me what I was thinking - so I was sad to see it go, but my Dad was using a really crummy chair in his office so I'm happy he can make use of it now. I really wanted a matching pair for Hubby and I, so we ordered two soft white leather mid-back chairs by Meelano from Wayfair (they come in different colors and also a gold base finish).
I LOVE these chairs so much! They have a much smaller scale that suits the small size of the room. The mid-century inspired design complements the look I'm going for in the lakehouse, plus they tie in the cream leather from the living room. They are really, really comfy, but not as loungey as my old chair (which was comfy enough for me to lose hours watching videos or reading blogs). These days I'm more focused on the task at hand and try to get in and get out of the office efficiently so I can spend less time sitting, which is a health objective of mine. I kind of like that although this chair is fabulous, it doesn't beckon me to put my feet up and take a nap like my old chair did.
Because they're light, I appreciate the brushed aluminum handle on the back so we're not always touching the leather. I love clever design touches like this:
Just in case I decided one day to bring back that ginormous monitor, I wanted really tall desk lamps - but they needed to have a small footprint because our desk is fairly compact. I rounded up a bunch of gorgeous mid-century modern inspired table lamps and was almost ready to order one, but then I found the perfect Stilnovo lamps on Wayfair. These lamps have such a sleek mid-century modern vibe, plus the slim, elegant design and cream finish complement the chairs so well. I've always loved the Serge Mouille lamps and these have a similar look, but a much more realistic price. The simple design allows the height to be adjusted quite dramatically:
The Reading Corner:
The office "nook" is going to be the new home of our treadmill and also some vertical storage, so Hubby's great-grandpa's trunk needed to find a new home in the office. It's not my typical mid-century modern style, but it's super special to Hubby so I really wanted to make room for it. It's also practical: it houses my new wireless printer plus other office supplies.
Beside the trunk I tucked the displaced velvet chair from the living room. It needed a new home, we needed a cozy chair to curl up in... It's deceptively comfy and I love that if I'm working, Hubby can read a magazine or book in here if he doesn't need to use his laptop. We're spending more time together because of the office re-design and I love that. Plus I feel so good that I could use furniture and art that we already had to decorate this corner - my only splurge was the planter!
The corner needed something and when I added this giant, low light loving peace lily, the whole office came to life. I already have one of these planters in the dining room so it helps contribute to that sense of flow and cohesiveness I want to create in the house.
The Ikea Expedit Bookcase
I am still smitten my white Ikea Expedit bookcase - our DIY plywood magazine storage bins and the turquoise Ikea hack are still going strong. My collection of vintage Strawberry Hill Pottery has grown a little, but not much else has changed with the bookshelf. I have a calendar I hang on the left, but I removed it for photos so you can't see what kind of trouble I get into.
Whew! That's the tour of our refreshed home office. I used a wide angle lens (so excuse the distorted proportions) to try to capture the room as a whole. This is the view when you walk by the office:
I couldn't have put together such a beautiful space without the help of U-Fab, Craft-Art, Wayfair (and, of course, my father-in-law!), so I have to say a huge thank you!! And thank YOU to everyone who reads Dans le Lakehouse, because you motivate and inspire me every day.
After painting my kitchen cabinets turquoise,
and realizing how HAPPY the room made me, I started to play pretty fast
and loose with the color, peppering in some vintage blues and shades of
green so it's not all aqua, all the time. There's even a little bright orange here and there. It's been almost three years since we moved to the lakehouse and Hubby and I both agree that our house feels happy and uplifting - and very "us".
If you've been wanting to add a dash
of aqua to your kitchen, without going all in like we did, I've rounded
up my favorite cheery - and practical! - turquoise kitchen accessories. There's tons
of aqua kitchen accessories out there, from cutting boards to kitchens
tools, but these are my favorites because they have that perfect mix of
modern-retro I love.
Turquoise Bread Box:
Could this retro-inspired turquoise bread box be any cuter? The shape reminds me of an Airstream trailer.
Turquoise Bakery Box:
If you don't have room for a breadbox - or want a matching set - this bakery box is too cute! I'm eyeing it up for storing cookie cutters or kitchen odds and ends.
Turquoise Pyrex 100 Year Anniversary Measuring Cup:
Don't laugh at me, but when Hubby and I drove to Minneapolis MN one year, getting this cup from Target was definitely one of my main objectives! I also picked up a turquoise colander at the same time.
Turquoise Oven Mitt Set:
My oven mitts are so old and - SHOCKER - not aqua. They're about the give up the ghost so I'm already casually shopping for another set and this seems like a good deal - 5 pieces for under $18! This set of turquoise tea towels is pretty too.
Turquoise Slow Cooker:
How adorable is this turquoise slow cooker (also this smaller turquoise slow cooker)?
When I bought one I had just moved cities and was moving into my first
apartment with Hubby. I was so overwhelmed with the ginormous list of
things I still needed to buy, I hurriedly bought a huge white slow
cooker with a farmhouse kind of vibe. Much to my chagrin, it's
one of the few appliances I haven't had to replace. I hate it so,
but it does work really well. If you're thinking about a slow cooker DO
IT - they make life so easy and there are some really fabulous gourmet slow
cooker recipes out there. Just invest in a cuter one than I did, because these
things seems to last forever...
Turquoise Kitchen Timer:
Our kitchen timer just up and died one day - and I almost burned the Shepherd's Pie! It was an awesome magnetic timer with multiple hours and two separate timers, which we used everyday. I cannot find its replacement and I'm so bummed, but this turquoise kitchen timer might help me deal with the loss.
Turquoise KitchenAid Stand Mixer:
They position the candy-colored stand mixers right by the entrance of my local Canadian Tire and I stop to ogle them every. single. time. I have a perfectly good turquoise hand mixer and a million bowls so I really can't justify this purchase but maybe when we renovate our kitchen and there's far less aqua, I'll splurge because it would look so good out on the counter.
Turquoise Pots and Pans:
I am still loving my turquoise Kate Spade non-stick pots (here's the sauce pan) and non-stick pans. When I first used them I still used a little oil, but these days I barely use any - usually none - which has been fabulous because I liked being able to control the amount of cooking oil/fat I consume. They are just so cheery and they look great on the stove top. I swear, they make cooking more enjoyable! Plus they wash up easily and seem to be great quality.
Turquoise Blender:
I have a ridiculous number of blenders: three, to be exact. My turquoise blender, another cheap blender from Costco when it looked like my turquoise one had failed (we fixed it!!), and a magic bullet for when I'm making smoothies solo. We love a good protein smoothie around here, so I devote precious cabinet space to two of my three blenders.
Mint/Sofa Turquoise Toaster:
I used to love a toaster oven but when ours failed, my Mummu gave me a
four slice toaster she got for free. It's worth something like $200 and
darn it if it isn't the best quality toaster I've ever used! If it
ever bits the dust, this turquoise toaster will be my first
choice. I don't think I'll ever have the cash for a Smeg fridge, so I love the idea of getting one of these cuties at least, to capture that retro vibe. Who else is craving waffles now?
Kate Spade Turquoise & Wood Kitchen Tool Set:
I have recently added a mix of worn wooden spoons to my chrome and turquoise KitchenAid tools (which I store in a clear glass vase on the counter). I've added a few wood accents all over the kitchen, actually, and I love how they've warmed up my turquoise kitchen without adding another color and breaking my mostly monochromatic palette.
Clean/Dirty Dishwasher Magnets:
Even though we can tell whether the dishwasher is clean or not because usually the little dishwasher puck caps flips when it's freshly washed, Hubby and I still ask each other, "is the dishwasher clean or dirty?" about three times a day. We need one of these magnets!
Turquoise Kid's Play Kitchen:
I love this retro aqua kid's play kitchen SO much, it would be the best kitchen accessory of all time for a family with littles... Plus, it's under $100 with free shipping right now!
There are quite a few things on this list I'd love to add to my turquoise kitchen. Have you found any cute kitchen accessories lately?
