Author Archives: Rae

Pumpkin Octopus Bread

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I made this bread for breakfast Saturday morning to begin our Autumn Bucket List with a BANG. However, If you ask my family, they’d say this delicious concoction wasn’t a true breakfast (seeing that the bread came out of the oven at around noon), but seriously, what is that?! In my book  breakfast can last all day on a Saturday.

For the past year I admit I’ve been a play-it-safe kind of baker. I follow my recipe to the ‘T’ like an obedient little cook, and on the off chance that I am forced to alter a recipe (most likely due to the lack of ingredients), I worry myself sick thinking that the outcome will turn out disastrous. Well guess what?! I actually changed this recipe. On purpose. You see, I didn’t want “cinnamon sugar pull-apart bread” I wanted “pumpkin spice cinnamon sugar pull-apart bread…”

~I added a bit of pumpkin puree here, more flour there, a sprinkle of cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg and voila, what I like to call “Pumpkin Octopus Bread” appeared on the counter. And do you know which family member liked it the best? Dad. Unexpected for sure. Dad hates cinnamon and isn’t keen on pumpkin either. Surprises never cease in this family.

One image came to my mind as I sat staring at this loaf of pumpkin bread baking in the oven; Jessie’s “Squid 2-Go” drawing. You may remember the beginning stages of this pieces here. I love the finished product and I am so proud of Jessie’s hard work and determination.

Can’t you see it? squid tentacles reaching out of the depths vs. swelling layers of pumpkin bread extending from a loaf pan? Maybe not.

Here’s a closer look… if not identical, there is definitely a resemblance!

Anyways, enough with the squids. The pumpkin cinnamonrollish bread was bliss and I highly recommend this treat for a chilly autumn morning/afternoon 🙂 I hope you get the chance to enjoy this festive season with friends this week.

Oh, and Jessie, I know octopuses & squids are sort of, not really different, but pumpkin “octopus” bread sounds so much better than pumpkin “squid” bread.

Autumn Fest 02 (Rachel)

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Activity for Day Two: “each person must find five photos which remind them of the other [in my case 2] group members.”

What an amazing way to illustrate (literally!) how I view my sisters. At first it seems obvious… of course they know how I see them- we’ve slept in the same room for how many years now? But its not always that simple. Sometimes the way we view ourselves is much different than the way others see us from the outside.

That’s what made this activity so interesting.

I searched around several hours trying in vain not to get distracted  for a while on tumblr blogs until I pinned down just “five” pictures that impersonated Jessie and Maddie in my mind.

Maddie, you were so much more difficult to find pictures for than I expected! In the end I chose photos that I was positive you’d like (sorry no risks there). Believe it or not, you are a mystery to me. For example, when I think you’ll love what I bake, you end up politely eating a few bites before handing it off to Megan. When I’m positive that you’ll absolutely hate a dessert, you love it! Seriously, what’s up with that?!

Though there are some aspects of your person that baffle me (and I’m planning on taking you out for a LONG explanation of this), I am certain about a few things. For one, you are THE most amusing yet laid back person I’ve met. My life would be boring and uneventful without your (often foreign-accented) jokes, randomly executed back hugs, and queer obsession with fried rice in the mornings. Thanks for being so uniquely awesome.

Jessie, you have such an adventurous attitude matched with great sensitivity. For that reason (and for the fact that spending time with you is one of my “favorite” past times), I chose images of places that I want to visit with you. A rustic cabin in the mountains, a lovely picnic on a trip to France, coffee and tiramisu in a coffee shop in Korea- I can’t think of anyone besides you who I’d ask to be my world traveling buddy! Some day it will happen 🙂

I love you two! <3 Rachel

Enjoy Friendship. Enjoy the Season.

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We are preparing to embark on an Autumn adventure filled with festivities, fellowship, and happy memories.

How it began…
I was incredibly blessed this year to take an extended amount of vacation time from fixed responsibilities and accustomed busyness. You see, I decided to stay in China for one more year to seek direction in my life. This year’s blessing has been two-fold; not only do I have the opportunity to discover my dreams for the future, but I’ve been given the chance to create lasting memories with my sisters before I leave home. I’m determined to take full advantage of this.

So, I created a 20 day challenge for us to complete during the month of November. Everyday there is a different activity which we will complete together, both to enjoy the holiday season, and each other. As we make our way through this Fall bucket list, I will be posting about our adventures. 

But the story doesn’t stop here. The purpose of the Autumn challenge isn’t just for connecting4, it’s for you to enjoy the precious relationships in your life as well. My hope is that you would ask a couple of friends to join you in making the most of this season together. Gather great ideas for fall spirit below and make tons of awesome memories!

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Climbing Higher

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I’ve decided to bring my baking passion to a new level by starting a small cake business here in 天津. Our kitchen is prepping for a whole new dimension of baking and, honestly, I can’t wait to get started! I’ve been working on a simple brochure (below) advertising various cakes which will be sold. Enjoy! 

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Cake Challenge: August

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Remembering what a hit January’s cake was, I decided to try it again but this time with a simple chocolate cake accompanied by smooth vanilla buttercream filling.

This particular cake was a surprise Birthday dessert for our good friends, the Gohs. A couple of weeks ago, Mr. Goh emailed my Mom about joining their family for Thai food at an eclectic restaurant in downtown Tianjin to celebrate Mrs. Goh’s Birthday. Of course Mom (the courteous mother she is) felt compelled to bring something along to the dinner. So she replied asking if we could provide the B-day cake for Mrs. Goh.  Mrs. Goh has always been a very encouraging supporter of my baking passion and she herself is a queen of creative scrapbooking so I definitely wanted to bake something special for her. This cake was the result…

our family met them at the restaurant and enjoyed a lovely dinner and (an even lovelier) cake. ~Unfortunately the Gohs arrived at the restaurant before we did and seeing 11 seats at their reserved table, Mrs. Goh soon guessed who would be joining them for dinner.

In the end, I have to say my favorite part of baking cakes are the memories I hold with those I share them with.

<Cake Challenge Series: is a collection of posts which document the cakes I bake each month. More specifically, I have a goal this year to bake at least one (hopefully spectacular) layer cake each month, and photograph/post them here. I hope you enjoy this collection as much as I enjoy baking these delicious desserts!>

Other Cake Challenge Posts:
January 
February
March 
April
May
June

 MAKE YOURSELF:

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Filling: find a thorough set of instructions here.

Espresso Drizzle: find recipe in the Cake Challenge: January post.

Click on this post to see recipe for Chocolate Cake (scroll to the bottom).

Office Project 05

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This will be the last update on office construction for a while as the curtains were the last “major” installment. I picked this fabric out myself at a fabric market in downtown Tianjin. Maddie, my Dad and I spent nearly 7 hours picking through fabrics for curtains and chair coverings. Dad says that fabric is the type of thing in which the individual choosing the pattern loves it, while everyone else is left wondering “why in the world that color?!” (very similar to wallpaper…). I hope, in this case, Dad is wrong because these teal and gold curtains give the office such a refreshing glow. 

Cake Challenge: June

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This is the first pound cake I’ve ever made and my first “successful” attempt at the bundt cake-shape. The dense texture of this cake was a much needed change from my usual 3-layer butter cakes. I think the best part of this baking experience was taking photos… finally, a cake that is both delicious and effortlessly beautiful. Bundt cakes are so pretty on their own without much fuss about icing colors, decoration ideas, or touch ups. I totally recommend this recipe if you’re looking for something quick and relatively simple.

<Cake Challenge Series: is a collection of posts which document the cakes I bake each month. More specifically, I have a goal this year to bake at least one (hopefully spectacular) layer cake each month, and photograph/post them here. I hope you enjoy this collection as much as I enjoy baking these delicious desserts!>

Other Cake Challenge Posts:
January 
February
March 
April
May

Office Project 04

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I’ve moved in! Shelves are up, pictures are hung, my desk is clean, and work begins. I’ve begun mapping out my year and making goals for myself, after a long summer I’m very thankful for this sense of routine living again. Most of my time each day is spent alone as my sisters head to school each morning and my Mom works half-time. I use this time to think about the future, research schools and careers, read my Bible and seek His Plan, and study Chinese. I am so thankful for this year to take life at a slower pace and aspire towards what is ahead.

So if you’ve already seen my desk… who’s is this? It is Dad’s. He set up a temporary work-place for himself- I can’t really blame him, its such a wonderful place to work 😉

 

Cake Challenge: June

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I’m still trying to catch up on all of these “terribly late” cake challenge posts. Today we’re revisiting the fresh start of summer, June. I made this cake at my grandparents house in South Dakota while enjoying cool whether and great company 🙂

You can find this cake recipe here!

If you recall, in my January edition I vented about some of the mistakes I made while baking my first 3-layer cake. Well, to tell you the truth the rest of this year hasn’t gone much better. Once I feel confident that I’ve mastered a certain skill, another mishap awaits me around the corner. I never expected baking to be quite so… difficult. For example…

If I heat egg whites and sugar together with no mistakes (for meringue per say), the butter I add to make a buttercream is mysteriously the wrong kind (salted instead of unsalted.) If I do a wonderful job of melting my dark chocolate (brought all the way from America)- making sure it doesn’t scorch- the Korean corn starch I add to the mixture causes the whole shebang to seize immediately.  Getting the picture?! If my skills are good, my ingredients don’t work; if my ingredients are perfect (-ly expensive!), my skills ruin them. Each new cake brings new frustrations, and sometimes disappointment. However, the more mistakes I make, the more knowledge I gain, I have to admit, its been a completely enlightening experience! And the more I learn, the more I crave to be in the kitchen watching mousses and meringues fluff up to form mountainous peaks in my little mixing bowls, smelling moistly baked cakes ready to be cooled, and arranging the end products for photographs! I am so blessed to have the time and resources to bake with, and more than that, to have such an incredible family who will graciously eat whatever I make (no matter how it tastes!).

<Cake Challenge Series: is a collection of posts which document the cakes I bake each month. More specifically, I have a goal this year to bake at least one (hopefully spectacular) layer cake each month, and photograph/post them here. I hope you enjoy this collection as much as I enjoy baking these delicious desserts!>

Other Cake Challenge Posts:
January 
February
March 
April
May

 

Dreaming of HK.

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With Michael’s recent departure and the start of routine living again, I’m missing HongKong more than ever.

It was in this city where my life took a turn when I decided to take a step of faith and “not” jump right into college as previously expected. It was in this city that I re-united with my brother and old friends who encouraged me to open my mind to new ideas and to seek the Lord’s instruction. I will never forget the quiet, thoughtful days I spent in HongKong -although ironically it is known for its fast-paced society- in which my plans for the future were leveled and rebuilt. Furthermore, on top of all these things I have to mention my excitement over the new friends I was introduced to who made my time in HK so incredible! 

Here are some compiled images of photos that remind me of my recent visit to HK

-cannot wait to visit again!

As you can see, I played around with photoshop quite a bit while working on this post… the look is a bit “scattered” I think.

sticker pictures!

What cities are you day-dreaming about?

(seems like we’re dreaming A LOT over here at connecting4 🙂 –check out Maddie’s most recent dream house post.)