My Famous Cottage(?) Cheese Loaf

This has been my "go to" recipe for several years now. Growing up Seventh-Day Adventist, we didn't eat any meat at all but had to get protein in some way, shape or form. I call this my "Faux Loaf" and it's made by SDA's the world over in some sort of iteration. It's great for last minute dinner plans and is a crowd-pleaser, despite the sort of strange sounding name and ingredient list. Currently, my favorite current iteration is the recipe at at the Be A Bree blog. Protein packed, salty and delish - it's really quite tasty - I swear!

Ingredients
1/4 Cup Butter or Margarine
1 Clove of Garlic
1 Onion
2 Stalks of Celery
2 Tablespoons of an SDA-style Vegetarian Stock
1 Tablespoon of Soy Sauce
3 Beaten Eggs
1/4 Cup of Milk
1 Cup of Cottage Cheese
3-5 Cups of a “Flakes” Cereal
1/4 Cup Pecan Meal, Ground Fine (Optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Heat the butter or margarine in a pan.

3. Sauté the garlic and onions until cooked.

4. Add the celery to the pan and sauté until soft.

5. Mix the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl.

6. Add the sautéed vegetables to the bowl. Combine everything well.

7. Let the cereal get a little soggy (about 5 minutes).

8. Place in a generously greased baking pan. It should be 1″-3″ deep. Do not pack. In fact, use a fork to make it fluffy.

9. Bake at the top rack for 1 - 1 1/2 hour(s) at 350.

10. Cut the loaf into 2 x 2 squares. Hint: I like mine sorta crispy so don't hesitate to overcook just a tinch.

I served protein-packed Cottage Cheese loaf, Mac 'n' Cheese, Butternut Squash Lasagna, Cabbage Au Gratin and Peppermint Cheesecake to my (vegetarian) family tonight for one of our Christmas gatherings. They were all a hit - especially the Butternut Squash Lasagna.

Holiday Schedule at Bramble Berry

Thank you to all of our Bramble Berry friends and fans who have been such a big support this year. We love working with you and for you and feel so delighted, thrilled and humbled to be surrounded by such great customers and inspiration.

We are taking a couple days off to relax and laugh with family and friends before coming back to the warehouse to do inventory.

Inventory is a laborious process that involves counting every single item in the warehouse; literally, hand-counting out all of the bottles of essential oil, weighing all the partial drums of fragrance, combing through the colorant racks to get an accurate count of everything and then crawling up and over mountains of bottles in the the 'bottles' room to count each and every bottle. The entire process usually takes the Bramble Berry team 2 days to count and then 1 day of recounts. Any initial count that is more than 10% off gets counted again. And again. And again by different people each time. Though we hope to be done with the inventory process by the 30th and shipping orders on that day, we don't want to over promise. When you go to our homepage, you'll see our handy dandy "If I order today, when can I expect my order?" shipping chart. This is how you can determine the worst-case scenario of when your order will arrive at your door. This chart is updated daily to give you the most information possible.

Right now, we are officially "closed" for shipping orders until inventory is finished (best case: December 30th; worst case: January 4th). If you have any questions, you can always email us at info (at) brambleberry (dot) com or phone us at 360.734.8278. We will be answering phones and emails during inventory to take orders, answer questions and chat soap. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call or email.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful, safe and happy holiday. Thank you again for your support and loyalty in 2009. It means so much to all of us.

Merry Christmas from all of us here at Bramble Berry

Bramble Berry Cookie Exchange

This afternoon is Bramble Berry's holiday party. The entire staff is doing a White Elephant and a Cookie Exchange (I'm super excited). I found this fabulous recipe in Food and Wine Magazine and got to work Sunday night so I could impress my fellow coworkers. I decided to plunge into Gingersnap Sandwich Cookies with Lemon Cream Filling (drool). I've already sampled a few and the verdict is: DELICIOUS! Here's the recipe in case you need cookies for a last minute cookie exchange. The photo below was taken by the experts at Food and Wine Magazine. My cookies, I trust, taste just as good but eh hem, um, don't look quite the same.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
Filling
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

ONE: Preheat the oven to 350° and position racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

TWO (the cookies): In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and molasses. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until incorporated, scraping down the bowl.

THREE: Working in 2 batches, drop scant tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheets, 3 inches apart. Food and Wine says to bake the cookies for 20 minutes on 350° (I baked mine for 15 minutes and they still got a little bit crispy), until risen and fallen and slightly firm; shift the sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through for even baking. Let cool slightly, then transfer the parchment paper to racks and let the cookies cool completely. Bake the remaining cookies.
FOUR (filling): In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the confectioners’ sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the lemon juice (I doubled the amount of lemon required for a more tart taste - worked out great).

FIVE: Arrange the cookies in pairs on a large work surface. Spoon or pipe 1 rounded tablespoon of the lemon filling onto the flat side of half of the cookies. Sandwich with the remaining cookies, pressing them together so the filling spreads to the edge.


Make Ahead: The sandwich cookies can be stored in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper for up to 1 week.

Check out the original recipe online here

New Year's Eve Party Favors!

Wash Away 2009 - Hidden Surprise Soap

The idea with this fun project is to wash away 2009 and start fresh and clean in 2010. I originally got this hidden surprise soap idea from Soapylove's Halloween tutorial. For this project, I painted 2009 on top of the soap so it would wash away in the first use. After 3-4 washes, 2010 will slowly appear to ring in the new year! This fab soap is appropriately scented with our bubbly, Champagne Fragrance Oil! I'm posting this a little earlier than New Year's so you have time to make these favors for your friends and family.

Ingredients

Clear Melt and Pour
White Melt and Pour
Champagne Fragrance Oil
Basic Rectangle
Light Gold Mica
Heavy Metal Gold
Brownie Pan
Craft Knife

Soap Paint
2 parts Liquid Soap
1 part Clear Melt & Pour Base
1 part Rubbing Alcohol
1 part Light Gold Mica

ONE: Melt 5 ounces of white soap base in the microwave (in 30 second intervals) and pour the soap into the brownie pan mold. Spritz with rubbing alcohol to eliminate bubbles. Let cool for 15 minutes.
TWO: Once the soap has cooled, release it from the soap mold and place it on a cutting board. Use your craft knife to cut out the numbers 2010. You can either trace them using this technique or cut them by hand. I printed out 2010 from a Word document and traced the numbers. Set the numbers aside to use later. Hint: Bigger, more bold, sans serif fonts are easiest to trace. Oh, and no coffee before cutting. The shaking won't add to the smooth look of the numbers.

Variation: Want to shave some time off of this project? Try using cookie cutters to cut out the numbers or our Alphabet Mold to easily create your soapy numbers.

THREE: Melt 4 ounces of clear soap base in the microwave (in 30 second intervals). Mix in 1 ml of Champagne Fragrance Oil and 2 heaping pigment scoops of Heavy Metal Gold Mica. Mix well.

FOUR: Pour thin thin 1/8 inch layer into one rectangle cavity and spray with rubbing alcohol. Let the thin layer cool in the mold which should only take about 5 minutes. While this layer is cooling, frequently stir the remaining soap so it doesn’t form a skin; we’ll be using it soon.

FIVE: Spritz the first layer of soap with rubbing alcohol and pour another thin layer of soap on top. Spritz your numbers with rubbing alcohol and place them into the thin layer of soap. Let the soap cool for about 5 minutes. Then fill the mold up the rest of the way with your gold soap.

Hint: The numbers should look backwards and read from right to left when you put them in the soap (we don’t want backwards numbers in our final product).

SIX: For a finishing touch, paint 2009 on the top of the soap to be washed away. After a couple of uses, 2010 will appear into soap giving you a “clean” start into 2010.

Soap Paint: In a small mixing bowl, combine 2 parts liquid soap, 1 part clear melt and pour soap, 1 part rubbing alcohol, 1 part Light Gold Mica. Heat in the microwave for 15 second, mix well and start painting. Check out our Soap Paint tutorial HERE.

Did you notice my little penguin friend giving me a hand? Check out his other penguin friends here. They are just too cute for words!

Eggnog Christmas Cocktail (Light)

Snuggle up on the couch with a guilt-free holiday cocktail. My hubby and I sipped this light eggnog drink with my brother and sister-in-law. It started snowing outside so we all plunked down for game night, which is always full of laughs and "friendly" competition.

I love eggnog but the calorie content is horrifying. I found this great recipe by Bethenny Frankel on Health.com and it only has 148 calories! I can live with that!

Beat 2 egg yolks until lightened in color. Add 1/3 cup sugar, beating until dissolved; set aside. Combine 2 cups 1% low-fat milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 dash each cinnamon and nutmeg in a saucepan over high heat; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.


Remove from heat, and gradually whisk into egg mixture. Return to pot, and cook to 160°. Remove from heat, stir in 1/4 cup white rum, and pour into a bowl; set in the refrigerator. Beat 4 pasteurized egg whites in a separate bowl until soft peaks form; with mixer running, gradually add 1 tablespoon sugar, and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk egg whites into chilled mixture; sprinkle with cinnamon.


It tasted delicious - and practically full-fat. Everyone was a fan at Game Night.

Here's the link to the original recipe

Tweet Ya' Later

If you don't follow me on twitter, here are this weeks business-y tweets that ya' missed. Enjoy!

Reading @MichaelHyatt on presentation tools: http://bit.ly/6ywQm I'm checking out all his links but probably won't go Mac.

Sweat wicking sheets - there's a market for everything: http://ow.ly/MLMV

Blurring the lines between public and private lives - libel in the age of Twitter: http://is.gd/5spZT (via @queenoftheclick)

Entrepreneurial success should not come at the expense of having a healthy personal life: http://ow.ly/MLTt Great advice.

Reading @indiebusiness blog about effective tips for being your own media: http://bit.ly/5qg9bx

RT @elfindustrial: Yikes - I would hate to be this man - the man who turned down the Snuggie: http://ow.ly/N7KD

"Etsy saved my life but this is the hardest job I've ever had" - On Qutting Your Day Job: http://bit.ly/5bdVI7

Totally agree about the point of analysis paralysis being a common trap: http://ow.ly/M2iQ

Zero Dollars, A Little Talent & 30 Days - a free e-book on starting an online business: http://ow.ly/M26M

Opening a specialty niche store in a recession - there's never a better time: http://ow.ly/M1JF

Reading about @inc magazine Entrepreneur of the Year: http://ow.ly/KmOZ

Debunking the myth that women 'eat 7 pounds of lipstick in their lifetime'. It's bullocks: http://bit.ly/88v

Our soapmaking iPhone App is getting an update - a much requested NOTES section. Yay! http://bit.ly/6KOe4N

How to avoid being blindsided by 'idea aura' (or what we call 'Look! A shiny penny!' in our office) http://ow.ly/M2oQ

Opening a specialty niche store in a recession - there's never a better time: http://ow.ly/M1JF

"A lonely sort of joy in pressing on the thorn." On the soul of entrepreneurship - resilience: http://ow.ly/KnUw

"Many times, people overlook their own hobbies and don't realize that there's a business there waiting to be built." http://ow.ly/KnQF

Reading a column on the DIY Economy by Friedman in the NYTimes: http://bit.ly/4ocKhg

Why introverts make good managers: http://ow.ly/Knz4

10 Rules for being a start up (including: no one will give you money): http://ow.ly/L84T

If you want more random business advice, personal ramblings and periodic Bramble Berry updates, follow me on Twitter here.

Coordinated Christmas Packaging

I was in a pinch this year to get my presents wrapped and out the door (but, of course, didn't want to settle for run of the mill wrapping paper since my handmade gifts certainly weren't run of the mill). I dug through my gift wrapping box and found some adorable paper that I could use to coordinate my entire ensemble of gifts. This project works with any sort of wrapping paper and looks incredible. Just don't tell anyone how easy it was!

Do you like the wrapping paper I used? Check out Smock Paper on Etsy.

Ingredients and Tools
(paperboard) Lunch Boxes
Cellophane Bags

Oatmeal, Milk & Honey CP Loaf Soap
Soap Boxes
Sea Salt
Blue Mix Labcolor
Cranberry Fig Fragrance Oil
Wrapping Paper
Ruler
Craft Knife/Scissors

SEA SALTS: Bath salts are an easy gift with simple ingredients. I just mixed 3 cups of Dead Sea Salt with 2 ml of diluted Blue Mix Labcolor and 10 ml of Cranberry Fig Fragrance Oil. Just mix them well and they're ready to give away. For the packaging, scoop the salt into a cellophane bag and fold down the top. Fold a piece of wrapping paper over the top and staple on both ends.


PAPER LUNCH BOX: I found these cute little lunch boxes on sale at a local craft store and they've been in storage waiting to be used. To snaz them up, I cut a 4 inch wide strip of wrapping paper, wrapped it around the box and secured it with clear tape.


SOAP BOX: Our plain white soap boxes are blank canvases for creativity. Above, I cut two strips of paper and wrapped them around the soap box in opposite directions, securing the ends with clear tape. The paper I used is double sided but you could use 2 different, coordinating pieces of paper as well. Check out our Finished Cold Process Soap if you don't have time to make your own.


CARDS: My cards turned out so cute that I had to make extras to keep on hand. With a glue stick, adhere a strip of paper over the blank card. For an extra special touch, I added a Merry Christmas Sticker to the bottom that I got at my local rubber stamping store (so much faster than rubber stamping). Trim the edges of the card and you're done with the card. Pack your goodies in the lunch box, close up the box and your present will hold its own under any tree!

Here are some great Ety sites to shop adorable paper...

White Mouse Design
Crafting Bug
Paminboots
Feterie's
The Paper Addict