Honey Shortbread Lavender Cookies

Fun fact about me: I LOVE LAVENDER. Lavender anything - Soap, pillow spray, coffee, cookies, candles, flowers, the color and the list goes on and on my friend. I've written about this a few times before - When I shared this lavender iced latte recipe, these honey lav muffins and when i've discussed my obsession with the scented towels after hot yoga which is where this real love connection began. My two favorite coffee shops (here and here) make out of this world lavender lattes and I literally have dreams about them if too much time goes by. The aroma instantly relaxes me which is why I spray it on my pillow before sleep and add a few of the essential oil drops to a hot shower before I step in. So, I think i've convinced you, right? About all of the reasons it's amazing?

That's why I was SO excited re-stock my house with two of my favorite baking ingredients: Lavender flower buds and lavender vanilla sugar. The flower buds have a strong floral, herbal aroma and flavor, which pairs well with both sweet and savory dishes. The sugar is a great addition to your tea or coffee (or for shaking onto toast or pancakes for a breakfast treat), but also works so well with cupcakes and shortbread cookies. If you're not familiar, the Spice House is a fantastic cooking/baking resource, especially if you're looking for more unique ones like these. You can stop in one of their 4 locations (Chicago and Milwaukee) or order online.

I've been on a banana bread kick lately but with the new spices in tow, I decided it was time to mix it up and went for a shortbread cookie flavored with honey and lavender. I used local honey that I picked up near our lake house which is been sitting idle in my cabinet for a while just begging for the perfect recipe. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flower
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon dried or fresh lavender
• 6 ounces unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• (I added the lavender vanilla sugar mentioned above)'

Directions:

1. Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and lavender in a medium bowl.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, honey, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
3. Spoon dough out onto a large rectangle of parchment paper and roll in the paper to form a log. Sprinkle lavender vanilla sugar on the dough if using. Transfer dough to refrigerator and chill until firm, about 1 to 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the log of dough into 1/2-inch slices. Place the slices on sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart, and bake 8 minutes, or until light golden brown.

I don't usually toot my own horn but I knew how delicious these were going to be when they were baking in the oven. They made my entire house smell amazing and then I ate 3 of them before they were even done cooling. Not sorry! Plus, they are a perfect complement to your coffee in the morning. I am super pumped about these and the way they turned out, you guys - If you're a fan of the flavor/scent like I am, whip these up ASAP. I can't wait to use the flower buds for more baking...I saw a lavender banana walnut bread with my name on it...

Have you ever tried baking with lavender? 

If yes, please share the recipe in the comments!

Motherhood: Blueberry Muffin Recipe

YOU GUYS! 

I am SO excited because today marks a new series on the blog, one I've been thinking about for awhile...

I feel so lucky to be surrounded by so many amazing women who are Mom’s, because this is definitely one of those adventures where a helping hand and a little extra kindness goes a long way. We have access to SO much advice (sometimes too much!) but it can certainly make you feel less isolated and more confident in your parenting.

Lately, I couldn't help but think about how to take advantage of ALL the great Mama advice around me and share it with you - Whether you have a newborn at home, a child entering the rocky pre-teen years or someone in between. My intention is to start a Motherhood series right here, fueled by YOUR contributions. There's so much valuable knowledge at our fingertips and I would be so happy to help someone out, even if it’s just one person looking for advice. Every post will be different...today's is a recipe but the next one may be focused on breastfeeding or working from home. Every stage is so hard while you're experiencing it so I hope to touch on it all! 

I already have some amazing guest posts lined up from some great women I know, both in real life and through the wonderful world of social media. These ladies inspire and educate me on a daily basis and I am pretty pumped to be able to share their ideas with you.

- - -

My first guest blogger is Reshma, the crazy talented owner and maker behind Hello Lavender. She is a knitter, crocheter, painter, and artist draped in mustard yellow and running off a steady intake of coffee (and/or wine, chocolate, donuts and pizza) to bring you fun, modern handmade fashion accessories and unique hand-painted home décor signs. I promise you will find something you love on her website, whether it's a beanie or my newest favorite, her crocheted baskets which are perfect for house plants!

I have yet to meet Reshma in real life (can we make that happen this Summer, plz?!), but I have had the pleasure of following along with her knitting journey via Instagram and a Lake Geneva creatives group made up of SO many girl bosses we belong to together. Search #lakesareagirlboss if you want to see more! 

I recently shared a baking with my son post and then noticed Reshma had the same idea when she whipped up blueberry muffins with her adorable 3 year old daughter, Aria. It's a fun thing for you to share with your kids (of any age) because it not only keeps them busy but teaches good kitchen skills and involves them in a non-technology based activity.

Here is her Mom & Me Muffins recipe:

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Prep Time: As long as it takes because you’re having fun with your kid/s!

Cook Time: 20-25mins

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

• cooking spray
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups oatmeal (quick or rolled oats)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup milk (I use 2%)
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup of blueberries fresh or frozen
• 2 tablespoons coarse sugar (optional)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.
• Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl whisk together the milk, egg, oil and vanilla.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir just until all of the ingredients are combined.
• Gently fold in the blueberries.
• Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups.
• Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with the coarse sugar.
• Bake for approximately 20 minutes until muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean.

Seriously, how cute is she?! And how badly do you want one of these muffins right now? :)

If you have a Motherhood topic you want to write about and share, I would love to hear it! 

Please email me: Kaitlately@gmail.com -- There's so much to talk about.

Xo,

Baking with My Son: Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Since becoming a Mom, I have had to learn to do the things I used to do in much less time. This includes things like showering, my hair/makeup routine, cooking and eating. I used to be such a health fanatic, taking the time each week to meal prep and starting each morning with a green smoothie but sadly, that just isn't realistic any more. On the days I work from home, I pretty much NEVER sit down from the time he wakes up to the time he goes to bed, let alone have the time to whip some fancy up quinoa-flaxseed-hemp-chia nonsense so I eat whatever I can quickly in order to have energy to keep going. And the days I work in the office, I am very rushed in the morning to get both of us ready and out of the door in the time so a lot of the time, I am throwing a protein bar in my purse to eat in the car - NOT ideal. So, after a few weeks of this, I decided it would be helpful to have something healthy on hand that I could grab whenever I wanted a snack during the day or needed a quick bite before running out the door. I definitely have a nasty sweet tooth and could eat pastries for breakfast every day if it wasn't for the fear of ending up on my 600 pound life so the answer to that, is making healthy-ish muffins.

As I mentioned, I never sit down when I'm home with my sweet man. At almost 8 months, he is becoming much more mobile and interested in EVERYTHING he shouldn't (aka why we can't have nice things) so it's a challenge to keep him out of trouble and entertained. This is where our baking days come in -- A few months back, I was tired of bringing out the same old toys and engaging in our routine that we do day after day so I decided he could join me in something that I actually wanted to do and we could make it fun together. I looked up a recipe for healthy banana muffins (since I ALWAYS have ripe bananas on hand), brought out the Ergo Baby, strapped him in and away we went -- measuring, sifting, pouring and singing Disney songs all along. 

He was in the carrier for almost 40 minutes and never made a peep. He was happy with his teether and I think he enjoyed watching all of the action. Not only was this a different way to keep him interested but I was able to bake uninterrupted (I miss those days!) and do something for myself. Enter my new favorite activity: Baking with my son 💗 I hope to make this a semi-regular series, documenting our favorite recipes and time together.

Most recently, we made healthy banana oatmeal muffins. They turned out really well and were perfect for munching on during the day or eating on the way to work.

BANANA OATMEAL MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour 
• 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup packed mashed ripe bananas (about 2-3 large bananas)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup honey (or maple syrup) 
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease muffin tin with butter or cooking spray or line with liners. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
3. In another large bowl, beat the mashed bananas, eggs, honey, olive oil, and milk. Add the dry ingredients and mix until fully combined. Do not over-mix. You can add chocolate chip cookies or nuts at this point, if desired.
4. Divide mixture evenly into 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle with rolled oats and cinnamon if desired.
5. Bake muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

If you end up making these, let me know what you think! I threw a few chocolate chips in mine towards the end of the batter, because don't they make everything better?

Happy Friday!