Friday, January 30, 2015

Lemon Tea Cakes

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Now that I’m in my third trimester my sweet tooth has finally came back. My first two trimesters I could only handle a nibble of something sweet, even though I’d crave it but, sadly, my taste buds didn't agree. When my sweet tooth was coming back slowly or surely I made these tea cakes which were the right amount of sweet to satisfy my need. So, if you’re looking for something yummy and just sweet enough these are for you! These could also be iced to make them sweeter for those of you who aren't battling weird pregnancy cravings and such. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 large eggs
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
Confectioner’s sugar (optional)

Preheat your oven to 375F. Mist a 12 cup muffin tin with spray oil. Melt your butter and let cool.
Whisk your egg, sugar, lemon zest, juice, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt until combined.
Fold flour and baking powder into the wet mixture until incorporated. Stir in butter.

Place batter into muffin tin and fill each cup about half full. Bake until risen and golden about 11 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool. Serve warm with confectioner’s sugar or topping of your choice.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Fedora Cafe

My husband and I decided to grab lunch at a lil place called Fedora Café. Fedora Café is not only an adorable café but they also offer catering.
 Sadly, I didn’t get any photos of the café itself but it seriously had the most unique décor. From its dragonfly lighting to its mismatched chairs this place was designed to be comfy. I seriously wanted to snuggle up in a chair and read a book for awhile!
To go with that book I was dreaming of they had a large selection of coffee and sweets. However, I was there for lunch and not caffeine, sweets and reading. I do plan to go back for those 3 things though!
My husband ordered a chicken wrap and I ordered the fedora club. The first words out of my husband’s mouth after a bite of his wrap were “I never knew a wrap could be so good!” My sandwich was equally as good. 
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The fedora club is a sandwich with grilled chicken, goat cheese, tomato, bacon, baby greens, corn salsa and avocado relish on sourdough. I loved the kick the corn salsa had and how the avocado relish balanced the spiciness. We both had the soup of the day which was cream of spinach soup. I was a little hesitant on whether I would like it or not and even more so after I seen it! But it was quite tasty! (Make sure to check your teeth afterwards!) 
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The wrap and sandwich came with a side of their famous chips and salsa. Or were supposed to I should say. We both had the chips but weren't given any salsa. It’s possible it was somewhere for us to serve ourselves but if so I wasn't told and didn't notice it either. The chips were good on their own but would have been elevated with an accompanying salsa.
We did have tea and coffee while we were there. My husband was disappointed in the tea selection but said the tea he did order was good. I ordered a mocha latte which was cute but wasn't quite mocha tasting enough for me.

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All in all I would and plan to go back. Their pastry case held some beautiful sweets that I need in my life and their food was delicious and affordable. If you are ever in the Lawrenceville, NJ area I would recommend stopping by here for breakfast, lunch or dinner and giving it a try.

Check out their menu on their website.
And don't forget to check out their Facebook too!

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly





Description:
It is a secret the Chinese government has been keeping for forty years.

They have found a species of animal no one believed even existed. It will amaze the world.

Now the Chinese are ready to unveil their astonishing discovery within the greatest zoo ever constructed.

A small group of VIPs and journalists has been brought to the zoo deep within China to see its fabulous creatures for the first time.

Among them is Dr. Cassandra Jane ‘CJ’ Cameron, a writer for National Geographic and an expert on reptiles.

The visitors are assured by their Chinese hosts that they will be struck with wonder at these beasts, that they are perfectly safe, and that nothing can go wrong.

Of course it can’t…

GET READY FOR ACTION ON A GIGANTIC SCALE.

My review:
        To start things off I wish I was more familiar with this author’s writing style before starting this book. This book is quite action packed and over the top and that sort of threw me off a bit. However, after some research I found that this is Reilly’s writing style and exactly what he was going for. I found some of the characters abilities a little unbelievable but I was thoroughly entertained by the story line which made for an exciting read. Overall I would recommend this book but keep in mind the author’s writing style.


My rating:

3 out of 5.

I received this book to review through NetGalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own.