TMI

If you think TMI means too much information you have been missing out on a great book series. I have spent most of my last two weeks reading, searching, pinning, buying, thinking (obsessing?) over The Mortal Instruments. No it's not Harry Potter (how can anything be that wonderful?) but it's pretty darn good!

I cannot wait for the movie to come out August 21!!! Midnight showing, here I come!

If you haven't heard about the series, give it a try. I won't say much about it because I already made that mistake by putting a (accidental) spoiler on FB. I guess I was too excited to think straight. Anyway, for more information go to TMIsource.com where they have all the wonderful details about movie stills, fan art, news updates etc. to keep your obsession going!

I saw bios about the tmisource staff and thought I'd do one too:

Favorite TMI Book: The City of Bones (it opened up the Shadow Hunter World)

Favorite Chapter: The Midnight Flower (and When Midnight Comes, Jace POV)

Favorite TMI Character: Jace, hands down

Quote that stood out: He was looking at her, and Jace behind her, as if he were seeing something fundamentally wrong, a person with their face turned inside-out, a map of the world with all the land gone and nothing left but ocean. (CFA)

Okay, I'm done.. for now. :) I know this behavior would totally be appropriate if I was 16 years old. But who cares? I'm excited!

One of my goals this summer was to read more, so I am happy that I've done that. I think I was such a bookworm as a kid because I had all the time in the world to read. But as an adult, I feel like I'm missing out on something else if I read. But I guess I need to balance everything better. I've done a little bit of cooking/baking, but not as much as I thought I would. I've also worked out more although, again, not as much as I should! But I am definitely enjoying this break. I keep saying this, but I HOPE I still balance everything when school starts and not put my personal life aside. 

Here's some photos from my summer so far:

Shopping. I've been liking chambray lately..

Hanging with friends and working out!

Trying to join a church to find a community group!

Finding obscure coffee shops (Cafe Silva)

Reading this awesome series :)

I used a scone recipe from La Petite Brioche and mixed it with the ingredients from Alaska from scratch. I didn't have any blueberries at the time, so I substituted them for chopped toasted pistachios. There's also an optional orange glaze for the scones, but I opted for a dark chocolate ganache one!

Orange Pistachio Scones

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter, grated
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup cold heavy cream
• 1 cup toasted unsalted pistachios (chopped)
• extra heavy cream for brushing the tops

Dark chocolate ganache

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups bittersweet chocolate (chopped)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup sugar, the baking powder, orange zest, and salt.

2. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed. 

3. In a large measuring cup, combine the egg and heavy cream (use a whisk) and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended (don't over mix!)

4. Add the chopped pistachios to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended.

5. Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. 

6. Shape it into a large square and carefully cut dough into eighths (triangles).

7. Brush the tops of the scones with heavy creme, sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch. Place on a wire rack with wax paper underneath.

*Tip: I use Silpat (a French silicone liner) on my cookie sheet so there is less browning on the bottom of my scones. It is a MUST have for bakers.

8. Meanwhile, make the chocolate glaze. Heat the cream in a saucepan until it just comes to a simmer. Remove from heat.

9. Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl carefully pour cream over the chocolate. Let it sit for about 15 seconds. Then using a whisk, mix until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Let it cool slightly.

10. Using a fork, scoop a little ganache and quickly move the fork back and forth over the scones to make the glaze design. Let the ganache cool and set (20-30 minutes).

Enjoy your scone alone, or with clotted cream/preserves.

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Crafting project: Found these huge clothes pins at Michael's in the dollar section (I think they were $1.50 each) and made recipe holders! I love them because I always got flour, gooey stuff, etc. on my recipe cards every time I needed to flip them over. Now, I only touch the clip, and it's painted, so no more dirty smudges on my recipes! They can also be used as picture holders.

How can it be summer without ice cream? I tried a non traditional ice cream shop in Plano called Old Town Creamery. I tried the Thai Tea and Strawberry. I love the Thai Tea! They have other funky flavors. Caitlin, of course chose sweet cream and strawberry. :) One day I will get her to try something out of the ordinary!

Thought I was done with TMI didn't you? Hehe, well, this is what happens when you spend your days reading nonstop. Eat, sleep, Shadow hunt. One morning, I woke up and felt a pain in my arm. My next thought was, I need a stele to make a healing rune. That will help it. 

Wait, I don't have a stele. 

Wait, I am a mundane. 

And runes are fictional.

I literally laughed out loud and had to make this photo of my sheer lack of reality and delusion:

March 2014? Really? At least the movie is in 27 days.