Shortbread and Autumn

It's Saturday! Woohoo! The weekend is here. I made it through another week of teaching. With the second week down, I think the rest of the year should be smooth sailing (in general). The first two weeks the little ones are learning the new routine of being in school, but I think they have it now. I can start delving into the real learning now.

Along with the weekend, comes a lovely change in weather. It's been in the high eighties and nineties here for the past couple weeks (if not hotter). Today it was in the mid-seventies in the sun. Well, I thought, I think it's time I used that can of pumpkin that has been sitting in my pantry for so long! I decided to make Millionaire's Shortbread (shortbread covered in caramel and chocolate). I'm Scottish way back, so a while ago I taught myself how to make shortbread without a recipe. Its simple 1-2-3. 1 part sugar, 2 parts butter, 3 parts flour. Easy. I decided to make a pumpkin spice version of the recipe. Here goes!

1/4 cup sugar
1 stuck (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, soft
2 tbsp pumpkin puree
1 cup flour
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 325F
Mix the pumpkin and butter together until smooth. Add sugar and spice. Mix well. Add flour and mix until it comes together.
Put cookie dough into a 9" cake pan, lined. Spread evenly.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until done.
Allow to cool on baking rack.

Now, for the "Millionaire's" part, you need:
Chocolate layer
2 tbsp heavy cream
1/3-1/2 cup chocolate chips

Heat the heavy cream in microwave until boiling (it doesn't take long, maybe 30 seconds).
Add the chocolate chips and let sit for 10 minutes or so. Stir until smooth.

Caramel layer:
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Combine all ingredients in heavy saucepan. Heat on low temperature until butter is melted, stirring. Increase the heat until boiling. Continue cooking, without stirring (it will make it grainy if you stir) for about 5 minutes. It will look nice and caramel colored after a few minutes. Watch it, but DO NOT STIR. Once it has come together, turn it off and let it cool down for about 20 minutes or so.

To assemble:
Pour the cooled caramel sauce over the shortbread in the cake pan. Allow to cool a little, until firmed up a bit, then add chocolate. Refrigerate until firm. Slice into little fingers and enjoy!

I don't have pictures, but google Millionaire's shortbread and you will know what it's supposed to look like.

It's so so so good!

Just one of those days

I've been back at it for a week and a half now, and last Thursday I caught a few of the little buggies that my kids brought with them. You know how four year olds are. Cute as pie, but they don't always wash their hands. I want to say, as always, I love my job, and I love my kids.

Well, this morning. I woke up feeling so good for the first time in a week. I was rested and my throat was no longer sore. I got to school and things were going great. The kids were following the routines really well for the seventh day of school.

Feeling great, I left to eat my lunch. I dropped it. Half of it was gone. I had to eat some stale sort of cinnamon roll thing left over from breakfast. Ugh.

Right after lunch, a student, not mine thank God, was taken to the nurse and EMT's were called. Since we are a school for very little ones, when this happens all students stay in their rooms. This meant that we didn't get the bathroom break the 17 tiny bladders desperately needed.

My TA was stuck watching another class when she should have been eating lunch, so she wasn't back until later than usual, which is a little stressful for me this early on (give it a month and I won't care).

Okay, so all this happened early on, and then one of my poor little children threw up right before we went to the buses. The child teared up, frozen. I huddled the rest of the kids out to the buses while my TA helped the child to the nurse.

Later I realized the mess happened all over one of my personal rugs, so I had to take it home to clean it. I wanted to set it on fire, I mean, wouldn't that get rid of the germs? Oh, then after school I had a fun ice breaker game, and was put on the spot for a minute. Normally I am good at these, but after the whole vomit incident I was flustered. I ended up taking so long, we got out of our meeting late.

Finally, after ALL of this, I couldn't pay my electric bill because the website was down. UGH. Try to get things done on time and the world is against you.

I know teacher's don't drink, but I like a cocktail or a glass of wine every now and then. Today was one of those days. My favorite go to drink is a Gimlet. None of that vodka nonsense, gin all the way. I have adapted a few recipes and created one that I like the best. Here it is:

1 1/2 oz Gin (Tanqueray Rangpur is the best, but any gin will do)
1 1/2 oz lime cordial (Rose's is standard)

Pour both over ice and stir, or pour into a shaker, shake and strain.
Easy, delicious, and fortifying.

A note on the cordial, Rose's is standard, but the Kroger by me stocks a store brand that is a little more tart, and I prefer that. If I use Rose's, which I don't often, I like to make it:
1 oz lime cordial
1/2 unsweetened lime juice

That way you get a nice bite.

Anyway, I am feeling world's better, and I sincerely hope that my little one feels better too. At that age getting sick can be scary.

I Don't Care if No One Reads

I'm a teacher. I love my job. My last two posts were scattered at best. I want to write just to write. To talk about my likes and dislikes which are many. I love history, and as a result antique things of every kind. I care about healthy eating (to a reasonable extent) and keeping my energy up for my job.

This blog will be disjointed at times. Well, I should say most of the time. Posts will be about things I cooked, things I wore, things I bought, and things I taught. Regardless, I think it is important for me to write things down because I want to keep a record of the things I do.

Read, enjoy, learn. Or don't. I won't mind if no one finds this.