suzette roberts

// Chocolate Olive Oil Slim Cake

Hello November!~ Everything about this new-to-me chocolate cake (#2) made with my beloved olive oil I thankfully owe to Deb Perelman over at Smitten Kitchen, which continues to be an every week go-to for inspiration while surfing the net for both work and quiet entertainment. When I made my first Chocolate Slim Cake of the season, it was on a whim, and as unplanned, I improvised with butter as had mere drops of olive oil in-house at the time. Three days later, I found Deb's recipe and was wildly tempted with its-- no eggs (yes, no eggs), and a three-quarter cup of brewed coffee I could substitute, with the probability of being in heaven. :) We've shamelessly indulged in this pitch-black, deviled cake. A third of the cake went to my sister who called while it was actually in the oven 'coming-together', and without any hesitation I found myself deep into the making of another, the very next afternoon. It's been indeed, 'heavenly', and the best part is, I only needed this heavy equipment for the mission...

 

// October Things

Cozy and loved favourites, gifted and otherwise during this our beginning lower-temps month...

 

01. Light and breezy Pretty as a Peach fragrance mist.

02. Olivia Care's Rose Himalayan Salt exfoliating bar.

03. Nic + Zoe Fall multi sunset top. #watercolour

04. Chanel's Rouge Coco Shine hydrating sheer lipstick (477 - Rêveuse).

05. Cozy UGG Dakota slip on (in pretty Lantana).

06. Danni Diamond and 14K white gold round stud earrings.

07. Cashmere infinity scarf from Halogen (blue medium heather).

08. Nivea soft moisturizing hand creme.

09. Ribbed crew socks from Lemon (rose smoke).

 

 

// The Flow of Fall (in October)

Happy Monday(!) Wrapping up our October with a few made-me-smile and in-motion botanical beauties that are always telltale signs that we made it into and through October for another year. Our chilly-weather flowering cabbage (smooth edges) and kale plants (frilly edges) continue to be one of our delights during our fall season. More quick captures after the jump...

// Fresh Lemon Salt and Pepper Chicken

It's a toss up with saying Sundays made simple with this easy-feels and flavourful lemon dish that I'd been wanting to try since midsummer but never got around to it and now can't remember why I never did. But, we could say, stovetop made simple. So either way, there's an 'easy' in there somewhere which I think is an encouraging start. :) And then it was delayed further by a week because there was no fresh thyme at my market that week and I quietly flipped with seriously looking forward to getting my hands into the recipe with fresh lemons. Why am I so market-fussy?...

// Healthy Classroom (and Team) Habits...

... in addition to maintaining a clean, tidy, and cool working classroom for our students and ourselves.

 

There will never be a world, a country, a city, a community, an industry, or a household without problems, but how we choose to handle it determines our strength or weakness, and its ultimate legacy. - Suzette

 

In our world of Education, we are always seeking out new ways to energize, engage, and elevate our young children in our various classroom settings... and beyond the basics of curriculum objectives and other school year goals. Living in a dynamic society allows for shared ideas and communication exchanges where the good, bad and at times very ugly will reveal itself in a myriad of ways. Those with decades of successful classroom and in-office health, safety and compliance experiences, will tell you that it goes without saying that creating a physically and mentally safe learning and working atmosphere continues to be vital to the positive and outstanding gains of our children and ourselves as adults in said classrooms, our schools, and other organizations. We always strive to be mindful of the whole: the entire unit, avoiding any kind of discriminatory, dishonourable, deceptive and unethical practices and communication, as we know this only opens the door to a general lack-luster state, disengagement, low group spirit, and ultimate distrust...

// Have a Mellow Weekend.~

{my sister, Jan, made these delish surprize pumpkin-spice with pumpkin buttercream frosting party cupcakes; why she's the best baker in-house; got a snap of these leftovers which went seconds later; thanks J! ;)}

 

We've been living for the weekend-- not that we didn't enjoy our week, but you know, our weekend is a different kind of animal these days, and it already has feels of all.things.cozy. It's been a busy few days, but a good one, and I hope you had a steady one too. I never underestimate my weeks and weekends these days as it's become an exceptional thing in very recent months. A homemade salted chocolate with ganache dessert sounds like a great idea. Let our chocolate cravings begin. :) Music and a few behind-the-scenes to go after the jump. Thanks everybody and have a restful one. ~xx