Hello friends,
Welcome to another Sunday. How are you? Really. Have your socks on and your mug full of something warm in your hands?
I don’t quite know how to describe this past week. It was cold – really so cold. It was without our beloved Mardi Gras It was without the daily energy I’m used to mustering. I just didn’t have it this week. Is this pandemic fatigue? A bit of everything fatigue?
There has been more sun this weekend than the past week offered, and that helped me find the energy to step into the garden to cut back all the freeze damage from my plants. I remembered my sweet neighbor gave me an envelope of zinnia seeds and I tossed the entire lot into a pot of soil. I don’t know if they’ll grow but even just that simple action made me feel hopeful for a beautiful spring.
The offering this week is below. My brain is a little scattershot but here we are in it together. As always, take only what you need:
• We’ve all had our thoughts with our neighbors in the Texas snow (!!!) this week. They’ve been without essential services, in the bitter cold, still in a pandemic, under boil water advisories. Ya know, too much. Why the Deep Freeze Caused Texas To Lose Power. Even as the states thaw out, check on your Texas friends. (Scientific American)
• How Texans Are Surviving The Texas Freeze. (Texas Monthly)
• How To Help Texans Recover From the Winter Disaster. The Bakehouse is donating proceeds from this month’s classes to the North Texas Food Bank and Houston Mutual Aid so thank you for helping us help! (Texas Monthly)
• The Voices of the Pandemic series from The Washington Post is really honest: “Tomorrow. Tomorrow I’ll start to feel better.”
• The hope in imagining A Quite Possibly Wonderful Summer. (The Atlantic)
• In Praise of Cold-Calling Your Friend. I’m less of a cold caller and more of a care package sender (which actually sometimes prompts a cold call). I like to send chocolate or ice cream. I mean…. this is why I have friends. (Medium, BonBonBon, Jeni’s)
• Will gave me a flowering orchid a year ago and I’ve somehow managed to meet its needs such that it is growing a new flowering branch! If you’ve ever cared about an orchid in your life you know this is a very big deal. I’m repotting the orchid today and just… please pray for me. We’ve come so far. (Gardenista)
• Still very much on a pizza journey. Earlier this week I was supposed to have an outside pizza party with friends which, because of the arctic temperature, found me making just myself a King Arthur Flour’s Gluten Free Pizza indoors. I was skeptical because the dough literally looked like spackling compound but I’ll tell ya – it was so good I made the pizza two nights in a row. Today I’m making pizza from this Overnight Fermented Pizza Crust for a little outside pizza lunch with friends.
• There are two recipes I found on Instagram this week that really caught my eyed. This Raspberry Mousse made with raw cashews and this simple and cozy soup from Local Haven. (Instagram)
• I’ve had a taste for the warm and soupy lately: Caramelized Banana Oatmeal Breakfast. (Joy the Baker)
• I’ve been craving Bran Muffins like you wouldn’t believe. What does that mean? (Ambitious Kitchen)
Thanks for taking me as I am today. Have a wonderful Sunday!
My love to you.
xo Joy
Molly
I’ve been thinking about bran muffins too, for about a month! My daughter asked me for my mother’s recipe over the weekend, so apparently, she is too. Haha! I think it’s high time I bake some myself.
Maclean Nash
Bran muffins – forever and always!
Deanie
Zinnia seeds are pretty easy to grow, so you should have a pot full! Also, my orchid from a year ago is re-blooming, too! First one I’ve ever had re-bloom.
Anthony Crossley
Thanks for this.
Nicole
I always make bran muffins on Sunday for school/work lunches. Today I made the ones you linked, and they are awesome, Kid approved. Thanks! And thank you for this space you share each week, I always look forward to your posts, and the kindness you spread.
Trish
As a Texan, I thank you humbly for your thoughts, support and donations. It has been a challenge and continues to be so. But it will make us stronger. In hard times, we are also witness to the kindness of others, such as yourself. We are forever thankful.
I laughed at your comment about what a big deal it is to care for an orchid for a year. Joy, I am impressed! Mine, sadly, have never made it that long. Good for you!
Enjoy your Sunday!
Angela
Seconded! It’s been the hardest week, and one part of being without electricity meant that we really had no idea if other people were thinking of us/caring about us. I mean…I hoped yes? But this crisis has been our WHOLE WORLD this week so it feels so nice to see the first few links dedicated to those who need it most.
Kim
Angela, we are thinking of you, praying for you, and sending donations. Love from Michigan xxoo
Kara
If you’re going to make bran muffins to satisfy the craving, I beg you to try this recipe: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/healthy-and-delicious-refrigerator-bran-muffins/
It makes an absolutely gargantuan batch, which works well for the way the recipe is intended to work (to keep the batter in the fridge for up to a month—I know, crazy, but I’ve done it at least a dozen times over the years and it works and also no one has gotten sick, haha), but you could definitely scale the recipe way down and still keep it in the fridge. The beauty of making a super simple, quick batter, and then being able to scoop and bake just a couple of muffins for your breakfast, to have warm out of the oven any day you want for the month ahead, is really so wonderful. My daughters have loved these fresh out of the oven for breakfast before school for years, and I love it when they ask for them, because then I have an excuse to have them for breakfast too!
Val
Happy Sunday. I live in Houston with my family. Thank you for thinking of us. If it wasn’t for my dad being a handyman i don’t think we would have running water at our house. I have always loved bran muffins, so thank you for reminding me I should bake a batch soon!
joythebaker
God bless a handy dad! Hope you all are thawing out and recovering!
Bonnie Meine
Thank you for your inspiring blog and also for your donations for the rescue and healing of my Texas. Wish more folks would take note. I have power and water which must be boiled before drinking due to low water pressure. I do hope your Zinnias bloom as they are my favorite because of their sunny look. When I was a child they were called Old Maids and were usually planted with purple Batchelor Buttons for a happy garden. I am planning on a productive week cleaning out flower beds. May your week be warm and sunny
joythebaker
Wishing warmth and sun to you too, Bonnie! I’ll come see you flower beds soon!
Jane
Thank you for posting the scientific summary of the cascade of infrastructure failures resulting the loss of vital resources across Texas, and the contributions you are making to help solutions. Amazing generosity of neighbors helping neighbors is inspirational. Be cautious and critically analyze what is read or heard from biased, self aggrandizing sources.
joythebaker
Louisiana and Texas are always looking out for one another!
Mary Van Wart
I’m with Suzy – I’m not great with orchids, but my mother-in-law was the Grand Master (or Mistress!) of orchids, and FWIW she was very clear that you shouldn’t repot them as they are getting ready to bloom – apparently it shocks them. I’ve been gifted 4 over the last five years, and at this point only have 2, but they have rebloomed, so woohoo! I’m pretty good with plants in general, but orchids are HARD, man – good luck!
joythebaker
OK this is VERY important information and I’m absolutely taking note!
Rachael
Thank you for helping us Texans out as we recover from a traumatic week.
DPLK
The only bran muffins I make are the sour cream bran muffins from the gourmet magazine cookbook that I printed from your blog a million years ago. Still the best! The only muffin my 6-year-old wants to eat, and she’s been demanding it for her school lunches since I recently made a batch, the first time in awhile. I think I’ll be making them on repeat in the near future ?. Happy Sunday to you too!
joythebaker
That sure is an old recipe! Maybe I should dust that recipe off – you’re right!
Suzy Parker
Greetings Joy,
Thank you and everyone for the good thoughts for Texas, mother nature really likes to spar with us, but this just makes us stronger! My sister has been successful at growing orchards for the past thirty years and has passed on some advice to me and my efforts to grow them. Depending on the variety, orchards should be placed in an environment, light, airflow, humidity very much like you would prefer, spritzed every 10 days or so (this depends on the time of year) then generally ignored otherwise. I have followed this advice and have had great success myself. By the way, the bloom spike is called an “inflorescence” and likes support with a small dowel, ( I use wooden chopsticks !!!). Please don’t repot the orchard during this phase, you may lose the blooms. Wait until after the final bloom has dropped, they truly like to be pot-bound! The very best of luck, Be encouraged in your efforts, you are doing something right thus far to get your orchard to bloom!
joythebaker
Thank you for this important knowledge drop Suzy! I read it just before repotting my orchid and you stopped me in my tracks! I appreciate you!
Elana goldberg
Your post is wonderful! What’s the best tried and true gluten free recipe you’ve made? The bread I’ve made is all a bust- different recipes don’t do the job so far. I’m struggling with 3 kids now on that restricted diet- would love any tips you can give. Thanks,
joythebaker
Hi Elana! Gosh I’ve made more duds that winners when it comes to gluten-free baking. It’s really difficult. King Arthur flour has some great recipes and I’m experimenting more with psyllium husk as a binder. I’ll share more as I have more success!
Anna
The one thing that I have learned in my quest to get orchids to bloom again is not to move them from the spot where the blessed event occurs. It is the “sweet spot”. I’m no expert, but so far it is working :) It figures that something that beautiful will be fickle!
joythebaker
They are so opinionated. I found the sweet spot and I’m staying put!
Darla
Happy Sunday! Thank you for your offering this week. I would find it difficult to do this week in, and week out, especially during this crazy time in our lives. Your time and effort are appreciated ?.
We have endured the harsh and bitter cold, here in the Midwest, but I cannot fathom how Texans are pulling through each day. Something drastic needs to change, like yesterday!
The bran muffins will be baking in my oven; thank you for that. Last week, my sister fell and hurt herself pretty badly. We are year round ice cream eating family, so I sent her Jeni’s pints. I’m sure it will soften the blow.
I hope your swimming is happening as you like. Just keep your mind centered on you, and let the water do its magic. As Glennon says, we can do hard things.
joythebaker
Thanks for the sweet comment Darla. I hope the bran muffins were delicious and that your sister is on the mend. Until next Sunday! xo