The year has been good to me and my family, for the most part. My business is growing and clients are finding me in my new Saint Sauveur location and I have begun to offer photography workshops to students in the region through Elan's Artists Inspire Program. My children are excelling in school and continue to amaze me with their talents and creativity. My husband is rocking his first year Master's Program and I am just so proud to be supporting him on his new adventure.

Through it all,  I am growing more and more grateful for the little things that life presents. Like food! I successfully grew my garden with new-to-me varieties of vegetables like Corn and Haskap Berries. I foraged and dried new herbs like Mullein and Golden Rod for creating tinctures and skin salves. I even dried flavourful flowers, like Bergamot and Anise Hops to make my own garden teas! 

As the year closes and a New Year turns its page, I am excited about what the future will bring... and excited about what I will bring to my future! I have big plans for my garden, namely to grow more edible flowers for my tea supply ( I am down to the last bits of my anise hops already!). I have big plans for my home. I have big plans for my photography business too! 

For today, the day of New Year's Eve, my big plan is to clean my home to start off the New Year with a calm environment. My big plan is to journal my wishes for the upcoming year and put forth my intentions to the universe. My big plan is to celebrate with friends and family. And my big plan right now is to share my quick and delicious recipe with a festive twist. The original recipe calls for jalapeno peppers but I had left over fresh cranberries so..... Cranberry Cornbread is what I went with! Enjoy and feel free to share this post with everyone who loves food and enjoys simple but delicious recipes.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking powder.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and melted butter.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
5. Gently fold in the cranberries.
6. Pour the batter into a greased 9x9-inch baking pan.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Allow the cornbread to cool in the pan for a few minutes, then cut into squares and serve.

Glaze

Ingredients:

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-3 tbsp milk or water

Instructions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and melted butter until smooth.
2. Add the vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of milk or water, and whisk until the glaze is smooth and pourable. If the glaze is too thick, add more milk or water, a little at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
3. Poke holes in the bread with a skewer. Use a spoon or spatula to drizzle the glaze over the top of your cake or other baked goods. The glaze will set and harden as it cools.

Enjoy!