No age gap- no matter how big- is too big of an age gap in my book. And no, silly, I’m not talking about dating older men! I’m talking about assembling a wardrobe. So many times people like to label themselves by what style of clothing they enjoy wearing. Preppy clothes, grungy clothes, ’90s clothes, or bohemian clothes. And I used to fret about where my style fit in all of these descriptors, because I like all of the clothes. I would wonder, hmmm… Am I more of a ’60s gal? Then how do you explain my love for ’40s fashion and ’70s collars?

But then I slowly realized, the fun of vintage fashion isn’t just about mimicking a certain style or decade, but for me it’s about the modern mix of it all. Here I am wearing a ’40s corduroy dress (at least, I think…) along with a ’70s plus size blouse and modern booties. It all makes sense to me, because I like it. So I think I’m done with those silly labels. Unless, of course, they’re those pretty labels that you find on vintage clothes. That’s a whole different matter!

O U T F I T   D E T A I L S :

dress: vintage / shoes: Franco Sarto / blouse: thrifted / lipstick: Tarte / tights: Hue

Some movies you watch as a kiddo, totally transfixed, living the rest of your life with fond but vague memories of the film. A long time ago I watched a movie about a widower and his son and the son’s quest to find his dad a new wife. I remember being enamored with the costumes, sets, and romantic storyline, and also relating to the sadness the little boy felt at losing his mother. (Not that I lost my mother, but I was a terribly sensitive and emphatic child.) It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that a preview for the movie came on Turner Classic Movies, a nostalgic and upbeat whistling song playing in its background, that I realized the movie I loved as a kid was The Courtship of Eddie’s Father starring Glenn Ford and little Ron Howard. So of course, I took a trip down memory lane and watched it again. But my reaction to the movie was quite different than the wide-eyed adoration of my childhood.

Read my review of The Courtship of Eddie’s Father after the jump, and watch the movie for yourself instantly online right here.

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Valentine’s Day sure comes at a funny time, doesn’t it? We’re all still reeling from the overindulgences of the holiday season, and then BAM! Here comes the holiday marked by rich chocolate bon bons and red velvet cake. Last year I shared a healthier Valentine’s Day treat idea, but this year I’m making exactly what I really crave (each and every day, not just on Valentine’s Day). Chocolate doughnuts! But not just any chocolate doughnuts- chocolate cherry glazed donuts baked in my new heart-shaped donut pan.

Besides the yummy chocolatey taste, the great thing about these doughnuts is that they’re not quite as unhealthy as traditional doughnuts, because they’re baked instead of fried. So, basically health food… ahem. I added some cherry flavoring to the chocolate doughnut batter, and also some cherry syrup to to the glaze, giving it a pretty pink color and a subtle cherry flavor. The taste is divine! Check out my printable recipe below.

Baked Chocolate Cherry Glazed Doughnuts

2014-01-24 20:18:44

A light, fluffy baked chocolate glazed donut with a subtle cherry flavor.

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Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

9 min

Total Time

14 min

Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

9 min

Total Time

14 min

3490 calories

766 g

392 g

36 g

56 g

13 g

1214 g

2763 g

533 g

2 g

20 g

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size

1214g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 3490

Calories from Fat 313

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 36g

55%

Saturated Fat 13g

66%

Trans Fat 2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 7g

Monounsaturated Fat 13g

Cholesterol 392mg

131%

Sodium 2763mg

115%

Total Carbohydrates 766g

255%

Dietary Fiber 21g

85%

Sugars 533g

Protein 56g

Vitamin A

15%

Vitamin C

5%

Calcium

93%

Iron

66%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Donuts

1. 2 Cups all-purpose flour
2. 3/4 Cup white sugar
3. 1/2 Cup cocoa powder
4. 2 teaspoons baking powder
5. 1 teaspoon salt
6. 3/4 Cup buttermilk*
7. 2 eggs (beaten)
8. 1 Tablespoon grenadine syrup
9. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
10. 1 tablespoon of melted shortening
11. *A buttermilk substitute can be made by adding 1 Tablespoon of vinegar to 3/4 Cup milk and allowing the mixture to rest for ten minutes until sour.

Glaze

1. 3 Cups powdered sugar
2. 1/4 Cup (or more) warm milk
3. 2 teaspoons grenadine syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and lightly grease your donut pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and cocoa powder until all of the cocoa powder lumps are gone. Separately, beat together the eggs with the vanilla, grenadine, and melted shortening. Add the egg mixture and buttermilk to the flour mixture, mixing only until just blended. Do not over mix, or the doughnuts will be dense and tough, instead of light and fluffy.
3. Fill the donut pan halfway full, dragging the batter with a toothpick to make sure its surface is nice and smooth. Bake for 9 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. While the donuts bake, beat together the ingredients for the glaze. Start with less milk, and add more as necessary until the glaze reaches a somewhat runny consistency, but thick enough to coat the mixing beater when pulled from the glaze.
4. Allow the freshly baked doughnuts to cool for a couple of minutes before removing them from the pan and placing on a cooling rack. Dunk the tops of the warm donuts into the glaze, place onto the cooling rack with paper underneath to catch the glaze runoff. Wait 5 minutes and dunk again, this time decorating with red sprinkles immediately dunking.

Notes

1. These doughnuts taste like a cross between a chocolate cake donut and a chocolate cupcake. They don't have the crunchy outer that a fried cake doughnut has, but the doughnut shape and yummy glaze add enough of the doughnut aspect that this recipe is a winner in my book!

By Making Nice in the Midwest

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calories

3490

fat

36g

protein

56g

carbs

766g

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Making Nice in the Midwest https://makingniceinthemidwest.com/