Quick + Easy Chocolate Orange Bark Recipe

This deliciously quick and easy, orange-infused chocolate bark has an ulterior motive.

Last week I was in Ottawa for work and I tacked on a few extra days to my trip so I could visit my friend Ashley.  Since moving from Ottawa I've visited her every year but the gaps between visits widens as we both get busier, so I was so thrilled to capitalize on this opportunity to see her.  We always squeeze in some shopping and crafting (Exhibit A and Exhibit B), but spend most of our time just chatting and catching up.  She recently started selling doTERRA brand essential oils and I use a lot of essential oils in my crafts on the blog (like my DIY air freshener, my handmade soap experiments, and my pretty soy candles), so this time we chatted a lot about essential oils.  Because she's starting her own business, I shared my knowledge about connecting with people on social media, taking styled product photos and - of course - we brainstormed a ton of fun projects.  Ashley taught me all about the difference in quality between doTERRA oils and the (much, much) cheaper kinds of essential oils I've been using in my DIYs.  I learned about the true cost of making quality essential oils - especially when a company like doTERRA empowers growers and cultivates healthy working relationships. 

But I still wasn't sold on the massive price difference, so to demonstrate the quality Ashley whipped up this delicious chocolate orange bark using a doTERRA brand essential oil.

You can pretty much convince me of anything if there's chocolate or turquoise involved!

I had never in my life made chocolate bark, but it was so delicious that I wanted to share it with you.  If you're looking for a pretty dessert to whip up in two seconds flat, you might want to try this easy chocolate bark recipe.  It's simple to make but looks so fancy!  Here's what you need:

• Orange essential oil - 6 drops
• Shredded, unsweetened coconut - small handful
• Semi-sweet baking chocolate - 8 oz
• One large orange (to zest)
• Baking sheet with rim
• Parchment paper
• Small pot
• Zester - must be turquoise or mint for recipe to work ;)

Making this chocolate bark is too easy to even call this a recipe: simply melt the baking chocolate on low heat in a small pot, add 6 drops of orange essential oil and combine well, then pour into a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Let cool a few minutes and top with orange zest and shredded coconut.

Pop into the freezer for a couple of hours and - ta da!  World's easiest dessert!  But it tastes phenomenal - dangerously addictive, with a very satisfying orange flavor. 

I've only ever cooked/baked with extracts, not oils, so this was a fun experiment!  Have you ever tried cooking with essential oils?

I have so many more DIY projects in the bath and beauty realm I'm excited to try, so I'm definitely tempted to start splurging on better quality essential oils.  Until my conversations with Ashley, I didn't realize how many fillers and harmful contaminants were lurking in essential oils marketed as "pure". 

But darn it, the prices are so intimidating!  It makes sense though, if 30lbs of lavenders are what's required to make 15ml of oil...  Plus doTERRA reportedly has excellent relationships with farmers, who are paid fair wages and have healthy working conditions.  I will always pay more for a product if I know that the money goes to workers.  And, really, you need so little that a bottle really goes a long way! 

If you're going to experiment with some essential oil recipes or DIYs, or pop some oil into a pretty diffuser to naturally add a fabulous aroma to your home, check the ingredients and quality of the essential oils you buy because some brands actually contain really toxic stuff.  If you've been intrigued by doTERRA and the concept of a high quality oil, I'd love to put you in touch with my friend Ashley, a new Wellness Advocate for the brand (the only way to purchase these oils - the "doTERRA" labeled products available on Amazon are knock offs).  It doesn't matter where you live in the world, she can set you up and she's just so, so knowledgeable about the products and company.  She has actually worked in health advocacy for much of her career, so she's especially interested in the health benefits of essential oils and uses them to enhance her family's wellness (like using certain oils as a decongestant for mild colds and diffusing calming aromas to help her family relax and unwind).   

Plus she'll ply you with goodies, so there's that added incentive...

Naturally Green, Tree Shaped Matcha Madeleine Cakes

I am always amazed when I see bloggers and crafters getting into the holiday spirit in the middle of the summer.  Excluding brand collaborations, I definitely do not think that far in advance.  I was still eking out the last few pleasures of summer as late into the fall as I could.  Bonfires, sailing, sandals - that was my focus.  With the exception of today's delicious recipe!

I thrifted the most adorable tree-shaped mini cake pan during the summer and have been waiting for the holiday season to put it to use.  All fall I dreamed of a matcha-infused madeleine recipe.  When I won a photo contest at a local tea shop (3 of my photos will appear in their annual calendar), I used some of the $150 gift card I won and bought some delicious powdered matcha - but you can find it online, too.  These naturally green, tree-shaped mini cakes are so easy to whip up and they taste SO good.  Hubby and I actually invited neighbors over for a cup of tea and madeleines, because we literally couldn't trust ourselves not to eat them all in one sitting.     

Aren't they adorable?  The magic is in the cute pan I found for $1.00:

I couldn't find the exact one online, but I did track down a similar pan with trees and gingerbread people (hello, Grinches)!  No matter what kind of pan you bake these sweet treats in, they're sure to become a fast favorite!  If you're already drooling all over your laptop (guilty), here's what you'll need to bake these matcha madeleines.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• Juice + zest of half a lemon
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp powdered matcha
• 1 stick of butter (1/4 pound)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour 

Supplies:

• Whisk
• Small pot
• Madeleine tin or other small cake pan
• 2 mixing bowls
• Sieve for dusting sugar

How to Make Matcha-Infused Madeleines:

I had read that making madeleines was tricky and, certainly, there were a ton of extra steps (like refrigerating the dough before baking, letting the eggs come to room temperature, etc) but I skipped them all because I didn't want my madeleine to have that signature hump; I wanted the trees to lie flat.  So these are the steps I followed, which was a quick and easy way to make madeleines that, to my taste buds, did not affect the tastiness one bit:

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat (I let it bubble so it was golden, then removed it from the heat and set it aside).
2. Meanwhile, grease the pan well with butter.
3. In a mixing bowl, using a whisk, whisk the eggs with the vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest.
4. In another mixing bowl, measure out the flour and matcha powder.
5. Slowly add in the eggs to the dry ingredients, gently whisking.
6. Add the melted butter and whisk until combined.
7. Pour the batter into the greased pan, filling each section only half way.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15 minutes. 
9. Let cool and lightly dust with matcha powder and icing sugar.

These are a breeze to whip up and yet they turned out so adorably well!  They are such a pretty shade of green and the dusting of icing sugar looks like snow.  Plus they taste amazing: really sweet and cakey, with just the mildest hint of matcha.  They're really delicious with a cup of tea.

If you loved my matcha shortbread, you'll love these.  Happy baking!   

Read more »

Pumpkin Spice S'mores + A Night Around the Campfire

The DIY welded fire pit Hubby and I made earlier this year might be my favorite project to date because it made our summer way more fun!  We definitely used our fire pit so much more this year than previous summers because it's infinitely more inviting now.  Sometimes I'm kind of jealous of the insanely expensive, elaborate and gorgeous landscaping and decks other bloggers have - I feel like a real country bumpkin with my janky dock, janky gasoline shed and leaning flag pole.  But the green eyed monster never stays long - I'm just so grateful for our hilarious little gravel pit because I'm no longer sitting with the grass tickling my ankles (ticks!).  Really, it's the little things.

If you've been reading the blog or following me on Instagram for awhile, you might have gleaned that I feel a bit lukewarm about fall.  Sure, the changing leaves are beautiful, but fall signals the end of summer (my favorite season) and the dreaded arrival of winter (my least favorite season).  Until the snow flies, I'm still hanging on to summer as best I can!  Hubby and I are still sailing until the club forces us to haul out and we're enjoying as many lake sunsets as we can before they disappear.  Luckily our new fire pit is huge, so I can build a real rager to keep warm on chilly fall nights.

When Wayfair invited me to share my ideal evening by the campfire, I jumped at the chance to make some s'mores and hang out by the lake - taking you with me as best I can!  You have only seen the fire pit in its pristine, just-made state so I thought it would be fun to show you how we really use the fire pit and how it's weathered the summer - plus share some take home tips and products (including some for my apartment dwelling or fire pit-less friends).



You probably spotted that the Eames chairs I had in front of the fire pit moved to the guesthouse after I painted the trim turquoise.  They looked so good lakeside but I quickly realized two problems: they filled with water when it rained and when we had friends and family over, we had to add some mismatched chairs and we were tired of lugging chairs back and forth.  Instead, we moved the Eames chairs to the sheltered guesthouse deck, where they are perfect for overnight guests to chill with a coffee alone (or handy extra seating by the lake if we need it).  For the fire pit, we lugged down our patio chairs, which were languishing in the garage because we only use two on the deck (we positioned the patio table so people can sit on the built-in deck benches on one side).  I'd love a set of turquoise Adirondack chairs, but I'm worried we won't be able to see the fire pit once we're sitting lower - something folks with similar, walled fire pits have complained to me about.  We can see every last ember perfectly, so for right now we're making do with the chairs we have because they're so comfy (and we already owned them, so the price was right).

When we use the fire pit, it's too often a full spread!  We create a makeshift table, bring out a pot of tea with ceramic mugs, but then panic and use melamine plates for snacks.  S'more ingredients and pre-cooked sausages are stored in covered containers so we can feast, but the flies can't.  We camp out (pardon the pun) all night, often eating dinner beside the fire pit too - like the day we snapped these photos.  Hubby doesn't love marshmallows like I do, so he'll often heat up some pre-cooked sausages as a snack, which is something my diabetic Dad appreciates too.

Harvest Wrought Iron Log Basket

Minuteman International

Ormond Lantern

Birch Lane

Vento Round Serving Tray

Red Pomegranate

8 Piece Plastic Bowl Set

Nordic Ware

Glaze Platter

TarHong

Shelter Log Rack Brackets

Shelter

Nautical Stripe Rectangle Basket

Colonial Mills

Tetsubin 1.63 Qt. Saga Teapot

Old Dutch International

13 oz. Square Mug

Fiesta

Mesh Metal Patio Fire Pit Bench (Set of 2)

SunnyDaze Decor

Striped Wool Blanket

Coyuchi

Vineyard Garden Stool

Beachcrest Home

Chrome-Plated Steel Marshmallow Roasting Stick (Set of 8)

Plow & Hearth

Dover Adirondack Chair

Breakwater Bay

Anson Wood Fire Pit

Real Flame

Italian Plaid Lambswool Throw

Lands Downunder

Fumoso Cedar Campfire Soy Jar Candle (Set of 2)

Aesthetic Content

Campfire Tongs

Ohio Flame

Campfire Cooking Grill

P & D Metal Works

Blayze Steel Wood Fire Pit

Deeco

Beaches and Bonfires Throw Pillow

KESS InHouse

See Idea Board on

Now that we've really used our fire pit area, I have a list of things I want for next year, including a couple of garden stools to use as side tables beside the chairs, real s'mores roasting sticks (Szuka chews the ones Hubby lovingly whittles for us), a nicer container for carrying/storing firewood (we leave our janky wheelbarrow parked nearby), some pretty outdoor lanterns for when we're out way past sunset, and campfire tongs (we both reach in like idiots).  And maybe those Adirondack chairs after all!

One of the best parts about hanging out by the fire pit is the s'mores.  Did I mention s'mores yet?  I really have no idea what is wrong with Hubby and his marshmallow loathing.

Would you pick a sausage over a roasted marshmallow??? 

In the last year or so I've been trying to really reduce my sugar intake and I've experimented a lot with low sugar and sugar-free baking, but I just love s'mores so much.  They are my weakness, my downfall.  I used to make them inside in the winter, in front of our wood burning fireplace, which cracks Hubby up.  I recently decided to try making them in the oven - which turned out to be SO easy (oh dear).

Because they're so easy to whip up, I've been experimenting with new flavor combinations.

Among my favorites: peanut butter cookies or ginger spice cookies in lieu of graham crackers (to the latter, I add a sprinkling of pumpkin pie spice too).



In case you ever looked at a s'more and thought, "that's not enough sugar!" caramilk bar squares instead of plain chocolate make a ridiculously delicious treat - just be careful because the caramilk can get scathingly hot in the oven s'more variety, but they're just right fireside.

My current favorite is a pumpkin pie s'mores.  I'm not even a PSL fan, but I bought some canned pumpkin for smoothies because I'm trying really hard to embrace fall this year and do all of the things fall-loving folks love: wearing boots too early (I wear sandals till it snows usually), eating copious amounts of pumpkin, and decorating in an autumnal fashion.

I tried a dollop of canned pumpkin in an oven s'more with a sprinkling of pumpkin pie spice (probably a little too fussy to assemble fireside).  SO delicious!  Starting to get what the fuss with fall is all about...

I just pop two graham crackers in the oven at 350 degrees Celsius for 5 minutes (or until the marshmallow swells a bit and starts to look toasty).  Then I sprinkle on the spice, add a teaspoon of pumpkin puree and close the s'more quickly to let the pumpkin warm up.  It's super addictive, so I really don't recommend trying this at home...

I wanted to share this tip because I know so many of you are apartment dwellers or can't have a fire pit (or frankly, don't want one because it takes days to wash the smoke smell out of hair - I totally get it).  If you're skipping the fall campfires but crave that cozy ambiance, I recommend lighting a campfire scented candle, and bundling up with a blanket, mug of tea and an oven s'more! 

Really, any excuse for a s'more.

This post was sponsored by Wayfair, but all thoughts, opinions, product selections, and s'mores tangents are my own.  Thanks for supporting the brands that make blogging possible for me - I can't tell you how much I appreciate you as readers!

Read more »