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faerienextdoor · 3 years

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general relationship hcs with (some) pastas

Fair warning, I'm using and hinting at mine and my friends’ writing for these creeps :) enjoy also as soon as i figure out how to open an ask box, I’ll be accepting requests

Brian:

- oh where to start with this absolute himbo

- he melts around you. like he's your bitch, and you're his.

- he's the type of boyfriend that takes you out in the snow and shoves a handful down the back of your jacket, and laughs until you shove snow in his face

- it is snow war

- it ends with you cuddling him, wrapped in a blanket and content in front of the burning fire he got started just for you <3

- but he also has some weird... habits.

- drinks pickle juice.

- gets his hand stuck in the jar.

- looks at you like 🥺 until you sigh and help him. for the fifteenth time.

- he can cook some basic breakfast foods, and happily breaks out a cookbook to prepare you something as a surprise or to learn something with you!!

- baking with him would be a mess. he forgets flour goes everywhere and now you both look like you took a bath in cocaine

- but the cupcakes are mediocre at best. they aren't absolute garbage, so... cupcake points!

- he worries about how hoodie treats you. he doesn't remember anything when he regains control, but you've reassured him hoodie is just fine.

- and he is

(hoodie)

- hoodie is like a rottweiler or a doberman.

- protective. intimidating. energetic.

- but also a giant fucking baby.

- this large ass man lumbers over and drops to his knees. places his chin on your lap and stares at you from the fabric of his mask until you stop what you're doing and stroke his head awkwardly

- you could swear he does those happy grumbled a rottie does.

- hoodie is silent but shows he loves you just as much as brian does. He strokes your hair silently, even places a kiss to the crown of your head as you sink into his beefy arms.

- he smells nice too. surprisingly.

- but that raises the question: if hoodie showers, does he shower with that damn thing on?

- you won't get an answer if you were to ask.

- brian introduces you to his grandma julia. and she dotes on you.

- the immortal old lady remarks that you’re the best s/o brian has brought to her yet.

Tim:

- a lumberjack man with biceps like a fucking tree trunk

- how'd you land him? give me your secrets (/j)

- he's such a love bug. a tired stressed love bug.

- he finds /every/ excuse to have physical contact with you. it's like a little touch from you reassures him that you're real. you're like a dream to him.

- he's the best for cuddles. He holds you to his chest

- and you get special access to his moobs

- and he gently strokes your head, traces shapes into your back, etc. it's a special intimate moment each time.

- my man's is italian-american but can't cook to save his fucken life

- he always gets your favorite microwave meals though!! he never forgets.

- not feeling good? dw baby he's making it for you <33 shitty low tier bean and cheese burrito coming up

- slowly he learns the basics and surprises you with lunch or even dinner if you're lucky!!

- he loves you so much. and wants you to feel it and know it. all the time.

(masky)

- god where to start with this bitch

- he's not jeff levels of bad ofc, but he's silent and... weird. creepy, some may say. he doesn't mean to be.

- and he's a hard ass. far more strict than tim.

- he follows you around like a giant fucken puppy and will spook you by grabbing you abruptly and holding you tightly

- you can't escape him. he really utilizes his physical strength

- he loves lifting you up and just... holding you. or carrying you off.

- protective and overbearing.

- but tim keeps him under control.

(angst)

- he wouldn't want to lose you like he lost his last wife.

- you find pictures of a woman laying around and a small girl that bears a striking resemblance to her and tim.

- tim goes quiet and questioned but eventually caves and tells you about his family

- or what he used to have

- his wife died and his daughter disappeared.

- it broke him and you're all he has left now

- constantly needs your affection in return to his own

- pls love him

jeff:

- why the fuck would you date him

- he's the absolute worst in so many aspects. But he genuinely tries for you.

- even if his gifts are shitty, it's nice to know he thoughts of you, right? even if it's a half dead flower or a rib torn from a deer caraccas.

- but you get the butt end of his shithead antics. ranch bath, specifically. he smelt like spoiled milk for a week after and you had to cuddle that fucker.

- and don't get me started on mayo bath

- but he still loves finding himself in your arms. or finding you in his. he's demanding affection wise, and will yank you into him for some cuddles. whether you like it or not.

- he isn't one for a lot of pet names, but calls you curse words or "sweetheart" in polish.

- and you get to see the side of him that only shows when he breaks down.

(bit of angst)

- he misses his family and the life he used to have. he'll reminisce what it was like in poland with his mom and family with you, and you sometimes swear you can see his brown eyes gloss over at the memory of her.

- he never talks about his dad, you've noticed.

- don't ask.

- he brushes off heavy conversations with some dumb quip ("wanna see my renegade?")

- he sucks at cooking. god awful at it. but he really tries for you. manages a bowl of oat meal that's edible.

- but he overloads it with sugar and for some reason, salt.

- he's confused. he thinks that's normal (it isn't)

- his idea of a date is napping with you. or rather, forcing you into nap time.

- I mean it when I say this man is strong in a weird fucken way. latches onto you with that iron grip and you won't be able to leave for at least a few hours.

jane:

- ethereal wlw woman.

- could break you with her heels. or a flutter of what eyelashes she has.

- you're lucky to have her, and she's just as lucky to have you!

- she's sweet and charming. very smooth and takes good care of you.

- her love language is a mix of physical touch and acts of service.

- she'll cuddle you all night, and then make you breakfast in the morning.

- she loves showering with you when she's comfy enough around you! it's super intimate and she washes your hair.

- massages the soap into your hair, suds spilling down your neck and back as her fingers scrub circles into your scalp.

- it's heaven on earth. such a domestic life.

- it'll take a while for her to settle enough in the relationship for you to see her without her mask

- you make her feel so loved and wanted

- secure, even.

- she's protective but not controlling or overbearing. shes that type of girlfriend that's just a worrywart and relaxes as soon as you're curled up in her arms. you fit there perfectly, too. like you belong there.

- which you do. at least in her mind

- she has such a gentle touch and hold on you. like she's afraid you'll combust in her arms if she holds you too tightly.

- she loves stroking your hair and having you nap

- using her tiddies as a pillow 👌

(angst)

- she needs affirmation from you when it comes to her scars.

- she thinks that jeff ruined her. permanently marking her once spotless body.

- and she thinks you'll hate her or find her disgusting.

- that's why she freezes if/when you gently slip off her mask.

- she stares at you with those teary green eyes. then leans in and kisses you

- you make all of her worries disappear.

- she's also financially comfortable, but not really rich (on that topic: eat the rich)

- she spoils you every chance she gets. gifts, a nice dinner date, you name it

- she almost spoils you as much as she does her cat Emory

- little shit has the sparkliest fucken collar and acts like he's the shit

- he's your fur baby too now

Helen:

- oh my god this disaster of an art boi

- he's convinced he's the luckiest man in the world (and he might as well be!!)

- he obviously wouldn't have been the one to confess. but it was really obvious by how he painted and drew you constantly, that some feeling for you was lodged into his beating heart.

- he treats you like the finest china. with the most care a man can manage.

- he's the definition of clingy and affectionate from the very start.

- he curls around your sleeping form perfectly when y'all cuddle.

- his hand dances in your hair, soothing you into a dreamless sleep each night without fail.

- he has a magic touch and a gentle voice.

- and he cherishes you so fucken much. (like a simp /j)

- he shies away from kisses at first, but will hold your hand and melts if you hold his face in them!!!

- he's greek, and often speaks sweet things to you in it. he's so comfortable around you that he speaks in his native language to you. that's an accomplishment.

- he loves when you baby him. helen loves being cradled and loved.

- taking a nap with his head on your chest also hits different. he's so in love with you

(angst)

- he's afraid of losing you. who wouldn't be? you're amazing and you love /him/ of all people

- he thinks very negatively of himself. please scold him for self deprecating.

- he always worries he'll wake up and you'll be gone.

- so he holds you extra close at night. and follows you around when you leave for any reason. Trails behind you like a lost puppy in need of a gentle kiss.

- which, is what he essentially is

- and also: pls steal his sweater and wear it. he'll cry over how cute you are.

#creepypasta #creepypasta hcs #cp headcanons #jeff the killer #brian thomas #marble hornets #timothy wright #creepypasta headcanon #creepypasta x reader #cp x reader #scenarios #creepypasta scenarios #jane the killer #jane arkensaw #helen otis #bloody painter

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crippldprincess · 4 years

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A cake recipe for longevity of friendship.

This is my personal recipe for a very moist boozy tropical bundt cake. Sharing this cake with friends promotes luck and longevity of friendship. As summer winds down, I wanted to share this recipe with the lovely people of Witchblr so you all have a chance to bake it during it’s perfect season!

*This recipe uses alcohol for soaking, you can substitute with extra pineapple and lemon juice or strawberry juice.

Ingredients

1/2 cup softened butter or vegan substitute. (I always use vegan sub)

1/2 cup light brown sugar.

1/2 cup white sugar.

3 large eggs room temperature.

1 Tablespoon of pure vanilla extract.

1 8 ounce can of crushed or chunk pineapple in 100% juice.

*1 cup buttermilk or to make vegan combine a little under a cup of Oat milk with 1/4 cup lemon juice and let sit for 10 minutes to curdle.

* If using buttermilk add 1/4 cup lemon juice to liquids.

3 cups all purpose flour.

1 Tablespoon baking powder.

1 Tablespoon baking soda.

1/2 Teaspoon salt.

1 Teaspoon ground ginger.

For soaking and serving

100% Natural local honey for drizzling.

A tablespoon lemon juice.

(optional) A few shots of complimentary alcohol ( I am fond of using Strawberry Pineapple Vodka. Flavored rum would work well too.)

If not using alcohol try using fruit juice!

Whipped cream.

Optional, add lemon zest!

Baking the cake

Remember when doing any kind of crafting in magic it’s important to focus on your intent. If you aren’t in a positive frame of mind, it’s best to save this cake for another day.

Saying your intentions out loud may have stronger effect. Fill that cake with magic and love!!!

Step 1 - Throw on some music that makes you happy!!! (totally optional)

Step 2 - PreHeat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit and don’t forget to grease your bundt pan!

Beat sugar, eggs and vanilla well with a stand or hand mixer until well combined. Add butter and whip for a few minutes. Pour buttermilk, Lemon juice (if needed) and 8oz of crushed or chunk pineapple to the bowl. Mix until just combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger and salt. Whisk together well, sifting if necessary.

Is your bundt pan greased?

Good! I’m so proud of you for remembering! Make sure that oven is preheated too!! When we combine these mixtures this cake is going straight in the oven!

In a large bowl combine the liquid and dry ingredients until just combined.

Pour carefully into your greased bundt pan, scraping the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula to get all that good batter up! Think of the new happy memories you’ll soon be making with your friends when you share this cake.

Pop that baby straight in the oven!!

Place cake on a middle rack and turn the cake if you open the oven to check it. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out almost clean. If the top of your cake starts to burn cover it with tin foil. I have not encountered this issue but every oven is different.

When the cake is cooled and removed from the pan, gather your soaking liquids. Poke a few small holes in the top of the cake. slowly and evenly pour your liquids over the cake. Do not drown your cake please!! If it starts to pool too much at the bottom hold off. You can always add more liquid later.

Coat the cake with a thin layer of drizzled honey. This cake soaks up that honey! So don’t be afraid to be a little heavy handed.

Enjoy with beloved friends

Serve with whipped cream and let the good times roll.

✨Substitute whatever you'd like except the lemon and pineapple. These are the magic representatives in this recipe. ✨

Thanks for reading!!! If you have issues with the recipe at all feel free to reach out! Did you add something different? Let me know how you changed it and how it turned out!

Happy Baking Witches

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dindjarindiaries · 4 years

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Fall

summary: You spend the fall season falling in love with Frankie.

series parts: summer, fall, winter

pairing: frankie “catfish” morales x f!reader

warnings: loads of fluff, mentions of death if you squint

rating: R

word count: 6.165k

masterlist

The day you meet Frankie Morales, you fall for him—literally.

It happens at the local orchard when you’re picking apples like you always do when the season comes around. You usually stop by a few times to collect a large share of apples, cooking them into any recipes you can—apple pie, apple crisp, apple cake, literally anything. It’s one of your favorite parts of the fall, along with the changing colors of the leaves and the cool breeze that forces you to wear just one more layer than you’re used to after the summertime.

This time, however, you’re climbing one of the wooden ladders to reach the good apples near the top of a tree when its leg falls into a dip in the ground, causing it to sway and you to go with it. You let out a gasp and try to grip onto something, but it’s all out of your reach. You brace yourself for an embarrassing moment when you hit the ground and the other onlookers have to stare at you uncomfortably, but instead, you’re secured by a gentle grip on your waist. When you turn your head to observe your savior, you almost want to fall again.

Warm, charcoal eyes peek out from under a baseball cap, wide and expressive enough to reveal his concern for your well-being yet his amusement at what could’ve happened. There’s a smile that tugs at the corners of his lips, the hint of a dimple appearing within his scruff. “I guess that’s why they call the season ‘fall,’ huh?” the man jokes, his voice slightly raspy as he chuckles softly. He doesn’t release his hold on you until you’re safe on the ground again, tipping his cap and then stuffing his hands into his pockets afterwards. “You alright?” His brow is knitted in concern still.

You laugh and nod, cheeks growing hot as you tuck a piece of hair behind your ear. “Yeah, just wasn’t expecting that,” you admit. You then raise an eyebrow at him. “Not sure I’ve recovered from that dad joke of yours, though.”

The man laughs heartily, the sound of it warming your chest as you laugh with him. “That’s why my buddies call me the dad friend, I guess.”

You smile at him. “Well, what do I get to call you?”

He smiles wider, reaching out one of his hands for you to shake. “Frankie—Frankie Morales.”

You introduce yourself as you shake his hand, relishing in how warm it feels as it grips yours securely yet gently in his. He pulls away and you oddly find yourself missing the touch, watching as it retreats back into the pocket of his jeans. You further observe the green flannel he’s got on with the sleeves pushed past his elbows and the boots on his feet, admiring the way he dresses for the season. “Thanks for saving my ass, Frankie.”

Frankie’s eyes widen a bit at you. “Of course. I wouldn’t trust those little wooden shits for my life, and I’ve had to do a lot of crazy things.”

You raise an eyebrow yet again in curiosity. “A lot of crazy things, huh? Well, now I’ve got to hear about them.”

Another smile appears on Frankie’s lips as he gestures towards the basket hanging from your arm. “Mind if I join you, then?”

You happily accept, and for the rest of your time at the orchard, you walk along with Frankie and get to know him better. You learn that most of the “crazy things” he’d mentioned were due to his time spent in the Delta Force along with the aforementioned buddies he’d met while serving. He tells you a few brief stories of things that went down, either on the job or with his friends. You confess that you’ve never been the perfectly innocent type, either, recounting some of your wild stories that have Frankie admitting he feels a little better about things he’s either done or had to witness.

You’re actually saddened by the time you wrap up your apple-picking, and you can tell Frankie feels the same way. He carries your bags to your car for you, saying that he knows you’re more than capable of taking them yourself but insisting that it’s how he was raised and that he really doesn’t mind. You exchange numbers and invite him over to your apartment later in the week to enjoy something baked with these apples. Frankie eagerly accepts and assures you that he’ll keep in touch. He stays true to his word, shooting you a text as soon as he gets home.

For the next few days, you talk nonstop, even going to the point where you’re texting more at your work desk than you probably should. When the night of Frankie’s visit comes, you’ve completely decked out your apartment, getting your best dish sets clean as you finish setting up the white fairy lights around your cabinets. The apple crisp you’ve decided to bake is already in the oven and making the apartment smell of cinnamon and nutmeg when you hear Frankie buzz up. You call him in and open the door when he arrives, unable to keep yourself from smiling as you let him in. He’s wearing that same baseball hat and you wonder if it’s a signature part of his look. There’s dark hair that curls out from under it and it reminds you of the cinnamon you’ve sprinkled on the dessert.

“Whatever you’re making smells heavenly,” Frankie confesses when he seats himself at your kitchen island.

You thank him as you stand across from him, leaning your elbows against the counter and meeting his warm and easygoing gaze. “It’s my mom’s famous apple crisp.”

Frankie’s eyes brighten at that. “Pardon my French, but I fuckin’ love apple crisp.”

You laugh a bit. “That’s good, then, because there’s a lot of it.”

“That’s incredible. You’re incredible. I can’t remember the last time I got to have a homemade dessert like this.”

You frown a bit upon hearing that. “Really?”

Frankie shrugs nonchalantly. “I mean, my parents don’t live in the area, and none of the guys are really star bakers, so…”

You raise an eyebrow. “And you don’t bake? At all?” When Frankie shakes his head, you gasp dramatically. “Oh, there’s so many simple recipes you could make—like this!”

Frankie smiles at your enthusiasm. “I guess you’ll just have to show me a few of them sometime.”

You return his smile. “I guess so.” You’re just about lost in his eyes when the timer on your oven goes off, making you jump as your hand flies up to press against your chest. You let out an embarrassed giggle as you head over to the oven, slipping on your mit and pulling out the dessert. “Jesus, that scared me.”

“Sorry,” Frankie apologizes with a chuckle. “I can be a little… distracting.”

“Yeah, I can see that.” There’s a hint of amusement in your voice as you look at Frankie over your shoulder. He’s observing your movements with such warmth and admiration that you’re sure the oven-heated pan wouldn’t feel as warm as your chest does now. You hear a shuffle of footsteps and look again to see Frankie walking over to where you’ve set the pan down onto the counter, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with you as he observes your creation.

“So, what’d you do to make this masterpiece?” Frankie questions, his tone full of honest curiosity as his gaze shifts from the dessert to you.

“Real simple,” you assure him, your hand floating over the dessert as you point out the different ingredients. “Butter, brown sugar, flour, old-fashioned oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg, all mixed together in a bowl. You crumble that topping over some sliced apples and voila!” You gesture to the pan, making Frankie chuckle with a nod of understanding. “If you really wanna be fancy and add some extra flavor, you can also soak the apple slices in cinnamon and nutmeg before adding the topping.”

Frankie raises a curious eyebrow as he nods. “Wow. That does seem pretty simple.”

You reach for the plates you’d already set out and start to dish out the servings. “Yeah—it’s quick and easy, and I’m sure your friends would go wild for it.”

Frankie scoffs. “Oh, yeah, they’d eat anything.” You laugh as Frankie gestures towards the dishes. “How can I help you?”

“There’s no need, Frankie,” you assure him as you shake your head.

“Please,” Frankie insists, his dark eyes pleading for you to let him do something.

You sigh yet smile at his sheer kindness, gesturing towards your fridge and freezer. “If you want to top it with some vanilla ice cream, I’ve got some in the freezer.”

“Perfect.” Frankie sets off in that direction without hesitation, reaching inside and pulling out the carton of ice cream for you. He sets it down on the counter next to the pan, gesturing to your small drawers to wordlessly question where he can find the scooper. You point to one just below where he’s placed the carton, and he retrieves it easily as he takes the plates from you and adds a generous scoop onto each one. You set forks on each plate, smiling in satisfaction once you’ve finished. You both navigate your ways back to the counter, you continuing to stand across from Frankie as you dig in with caution thanks to its temperature. When Frankie gets his first bite in, he closes his eyes for a moment, as if absorbing the taste while the hand not holding his fork dances in the air. “Wow.” Frankie reopens his eyes and you laugh at how much they’re sparkling. “This is… I don’t even know how to describe it other than magical.”

Your cheeks heat up as you laugh again. “Oh please,” you demur, picking at your next scoop as you try to bite back your smile. “It’s not me, just the apples.” Your gaze lifts back up to him as you finally let your smile give way. “Your company while picking probably made them taste a lot sweeter.”

It’s Frankie’s turn to blush at that, and he tries to hide it by taking another bite. You watch his hand readjust the cap on his head. “Almost as sweet as you.” Frankie smiles in victory when he notices your shy demeanor in response. After a few moments of comfortable silence while you eat, Frankie clears his throat, pushing his plate away a bit once he finishes. “Listen,” he begins, his voice soft. “I really liked this dessert and I really like you.” His gaze looks into yours hopefully. “Can I take you on a proper date soon?”

You smile warmly as you nod in response. “I’d love that, Frankie.” You take his plate for him and earn a genuine thank-you, carrying the plates to the sink and washing them off. Not surprisingly, you hear Frankie’s footsteps soon following after you, and he picks up your drying rag to dry the dishes after you clean them. “Though… I am a little offended that you wouldn’t consider this a ‘proper date.’” Your tone makes it clear that you’re kidding, but a look of fear still crosses over Frankie’s features as he looks down at you.

“No! I just—you know, I’d like to treat you. To something really nice. Not that this isn’t really nice, but I—.”

“Frankie, it’s alright,” you cut him off with a laugh, handing him the last dish to be dried as you look up at him with a bright smile. “I was joking. I know what you meant. And this has been very nice.” A look of slight embarrassment now covers Frankie’s face, and you release a chuckle as you reach up to leave a quick kiss on his cheek. It flushes red not long after, and you bite back a smile at his adorably shy behavior.

Frankie stays for another hour or so as you make easy conversation, planning for him to come pick you up this weekend to take you on his “proper date” to the local pumpkin patch. It’s an adorable selection and you find yourself gleeful at the thought of him embracing the season so openly. You’ve always loved the season and to see Frankie share that same passion for it with you makes you more joyful than you could’ve thought. You anticipate the date for the rest of the week—and, judging by the frequent and enthusiastic texts you share with Frankie, so does he. You practically skip out the door when Frankie finally texts you he’s arrived, your oversized sweater bouncing as you make your way to his truck. He gets out to open the door for you and you shake your head at his never-ending, gentleman-like behavior.

“Chivalry isn’t dead,” you joke once Frankie gets back into his side of the truck. He chuckles as he starts down the road.

“I just can’t help treating a woman like you with the utmost respect,” Frankie retorts, his honesty evident in his tone. “Well, and any woman. But you especially.”

You smile as you never look away from him. “I see you drank your respect women juice this morning.”

Frankie laughs, giving you a quick look full of amusement and admiration. “Every day. It’s the most important meal of the day.”

You make more playful banter and fun conversation as you soon arrive at the pumpkin patch. Frankie helps you down from the truck and leads you to the wooden box that serves as an entry point, paying for both your fees no matter how many times you try to force the cash into his hands. Once your hands are stamped and you’re inside, you stay close alongside him, your arm brushing against his with every movement. You hope he gets the hint and he does, entwining his hand with yours in a way that makes your entire body go warm.

“So, what do you wanna do first?” Frankie asks, looking down at you with a soft smile.

You shrug and look around. “I’ll do anything,” you confess. “What’s your favorite thing to do?”

Frankie chuckles. “Everything.”

You shake your head at him. “C’mon, Frankie. There’s gotta be something you like the most out of it all.”

It’s Frankie’s turn to shrug as he gives your hand a gentle squeeze. “I swear, I love everything.”

You laugh. “Alright. Then I’m making the executive decision to get cider donuts.”

Frankie laughs with you. “I support that.”

After having to fight Frankie to pay once again—and failing—and finding a seat at one of the wooden picnic benches, you both enjoy your donuts as you keep your hands folded together underneath the table. You sit in comfortable silence while you eat, looking out and watching the parents who try to keep their kids under control and the teenagers who try to pretend they’re not on a date but obviously are. You chuckle as you finish and point out a nearby duo who’s standing awkwardly far apart to Frankie. “How much do you wanna bet those two are gonna end up dating by the end of the night?”

Frankie raises an eyebrow. “I don’t know, they look pretty awkward. But I feel like I know better than to try to make a bet with you. You’re too smart.” Your cheeks grow warm, especially as Frankie looks over at you and furrows his brow. He lifts his free hand but hesitates. “You have, uh—” he gestures to your mouth before adding, “—do you mind if I…?” He reaches his free hand further again, and you nod once as he brushes his thumb along the corner of your mouth, no doubt wiping away a few pieces of sugar that lingered there. Your face gets even hotter, now, your gaze watching his own observe you with such admiration that you can practically feel your heart flying out of your chest. He lets his thumb fall to your chin as he looks all over your face, a smile growing on his lips. “You’re really beautiful, you know.”

Your gaze falls to your entwined hands as you try to bite back a smile. “Thank you,” you reply honestly, only looking back up once his hand leaves your face. You see his dark eyes glittering in a way that makes your smile impossible to hide any longer. “You should know that the day we met, I almost fell again when I saw you.”

Frankie blushes and shakes his head at you. “Oh, please.”

“I’m serious!” You laugh as you and Frankie stand up from the bench, throwing out your garbage and walking leisurely through the patch hand-in-hand. “If I had, it would’ve been a much better cause than that hunk of wood.”

“That’s true,” Frankie agrees, a playful smile on his lips. “But without that ‘hunk of wood,’ we wouldn’t have met.”

“Fair point.” You give his hand a squeeze as you smile to yourself. “Guess I’m gonna have to thank that thing one day.” You stop when you realize you’re a few paces away from the corn maze, and you look up at Frankie excitedly as you gesture to it. “Wanna go through the maze?”

Frankie watches your excitement with pure admiration as he nods. “Let’s go for it.”

He walks with you inside the entrance, his hand never leaving yours as you walk around together. Turns out that he’s quite the guide as you go around, and you figure that it probably has something to do with his military training. You’re sure that you’re bound to get out fast, but after ten more minutes of turning and walking, you realize you’re further in and not even that close to the exit. You can’t help giggling as you stand on your tiptoes in a lame attempt to look over the corn. “I think we’re lost, Frankie.”

Frankie shrugs nonchalantly. “Maybe I wasn’t trying to get us out.”

You scoff, turning to give him an incredulous look that makes him laugh. “Wow, I didn’t think you’d lead me into a cornfield to murder me on our first date. I thought we’d at least make it to the second one before that happened.”

Frankie laughs harder and shakes his head. “I won’t hurt you,” he assures you, giving your hand a squeeze. “It’s just… a little more private out here.”

You raise an eyebrow, ready to question him as to why he wants privacy when you hear a sudden rustling in some of the nearby stalks. You nearly jump into Frankie’s arms, bracing your free hand against his chest as you watch the stalks shake—convinced that someone’s about to jump out of them. Your moment of panic subsides when a squirrel trots out from the stalks, moving quickly across to the group of stalks that are facing your back. You let out a sigh of relief as you laugh, shaking your head at yourself. “I’m so sorry. I guess I’m just easy to scare.”

“That’s fine. I’m quick to protect.” You look up at Frankie upon hearing his sweet words, watching as his dark gaze observes you affectionately from under his hat. His gaze falls to your lips for a quick moment, returning to your eyes soon after. Your fingers drum against his chest as you raise an eyebrow up at him.

“So, about that privacy…” you trail off as you bite back a smile, looking to his lips as he’d done to you before.

You watch Frankie smile wide enough to reveal his dimple before his free hand cups your cheek, easing his face closer to yours until his lips touch yours. The kiss is gentle and sweet, just like the Frankie you’ve come to know, and you can still taste the faint remnants of apple cider and cinnamon and sugar on his mouth as it moves softly with your own. Frankie pulls away for a moment but stays close, his thumb brushing over your cheek as he observes your gaze closely. When he sees it glowing just as much as his own, he goes in for another, this time letting it deepen as he gently eases your body against his. You part your lips to let him in more, craving the sweet taste of him. Your fingers pick lightly at the curls peeking out from under his hat, wishing they could thread fully through his hair but knowing that time will come eventually. Your stomach is fluttering practically as much as the tops of the corn stalks in the wind when you pull away, your smiles wide and full of nothing but pure joy and affection for each other.

“It was a good choice to get lost,” you say in a hushed voice, running one of your hands along the scruff on his jaw. Frankie chuckles softly at you. “But I think we should get out before we get reported like two horny teenagers.”

Frankie laughs harder at that, nodding to agree as he lets you separate yourself from him. He holds tight to your hand again, and you let your free arm wrap around his as he leads you out of the maze for good this time. You finish the evening at the patch by selecting two pumpkins that you can each carve on a different night, and Frankie carries them to the truck for you as he helps you up. He takes you home and makes sure to walk you up and give you a goodnight kiss along with a promise to come the next evening to carve the pumpkins.

He, of course, follows up on that promise, and your time spent together becomes more and more frequent as the season progresses. Soon, you’re seeing him almost every evening, whether it’s him coming over to your place, you going to his, or him taking you somewhere for dinner or just to look out at the beautiful, changing nature. The more you get to know Frankie, the sweeter you find him to be, fully learning just how selfless he is and how eager he is to lavish you with affection. If you show any evidence of you being cold, he’ll either wrap his arm around you or give you his jacket right away. If you seem tired, he’ll offer his shoulder for you to rest upon. If you’re upset, he’ll let you talk for hours, even offering to bake you something you’ve taught him to make. Frankie’s mastered your apple crisp recipe to become even better than yours, and you can’t complain about it. He’ll never admit it, but you know it’s true.

One of your favorite nights is when Frankie takes you on a haunted hayride. You’re not a huge fan of them, but remembering his words about protecting you, you decide it’ll be fine and he won’t let anything happen to you. Thankfully, this isn’t the type of haunted hayride where they can reach out and grab you, so you don’t have to worry about that. It’s the jump scares that get you most of the time, and while you hold Frankie’s hand and arm the whole time, you often find yourself hiding your face in his shoulder while he assures you he’s got you and you’re okay. It’s usually uttered between laughs and you don’t mind—especially when Frankie accidentally gets scared so bad by one masked man who jumps out of a tree that he yelps like a surprised child. You laugh so hard your stomach hurts, and Frankie just shakes his head as he chuckles along with you. By the end of the night, you’re still buzzing with anticipation and fearing a random thing jumping out at you, so Frankie agrees to stay the night with you at your apartment just so you can feel secure enough in his arms to sleep.

When Halloween rolls around, Frankie tells you that you’ve been invited to go with him to a party hosted by his best friends. You’ve heard so much about them and this will be your first time meeting them. Thankfully, Frankie tells you it’s not a costume party, so you don’t have to worry about being dressed up as someone else when you meet them. You find yourself feeling a bit nervous as you get ready for the occasion, though, wanting to impress the guys who Frankie has repeatedly told you are like family to him. You dress as nice as you can without looking as if you’re going overboard, wrapping up your light application of makeup as soon as you get the text that Frankie’s arrived. You meet him outside to see him already leaning against the truck with his arms crossed over his chest, and they unfold slowly as he stands up straight to meet you. Frankie’s hands wrap around your waist as his widened gaze observes you fondly.

“You look gorgeous,” Frankie tells you, his voice soft as he places a kiss in greeting against your lips. “I mean, you always do, but tonight you look especially incredible.” You thank him quietly, giving him another kiss before pulling away to let him open the door for you. You hop inside and wrap your hand in his as soon as he joins you again, your entwined hands resting on your thigh as he starts off towards Santiago’s house. Frankie takes a quick look over at you, long enough for you to clearly see the way he’s reading you so easily—as always. “You nervous?”

You shrug, trying to play it off but knowing better thanks to Frankie’s keen way of knowing you. “A little,” you confess with a light sigh. “I just—I know how much they mean to you and I want them to approve of me.”

“Approve of you?” Frankie scoffs lightly, giving your hand a gentle squeeze. “Baby, they already adore you. When they actually see you in person, they’ll just go crazier over you.” He gives you another look of reassurance. “And even if, in some weird alternate universe, they didn’t ‘approve’ of you, I wouldn’t give a shit.”

You can’t help smiling at that, and you squeeze his hand in thanks. You remain in comfortable silence for the rest of the drive, taking a deep breath once Frankie pulls into the driveway. He carries the drinks he’s contributing in one hand and keeps your hand tight in his with the other, not even bothering to knock on the door as he pushes your way inside. Almost as soon as you walk in the house, you’re met with cheers of delight and excitement as the guys come up one-by-one. They greet Frankie first and then you, and by the time you’ve sifted through all four of them, you already feel much more at ease. Santiago even invites you into the kitchen with him, and Frankie urges you to go on as you follow him away from the rest of the guys.

“You know, you’re pretty much a legend around here already,” Santiago tells you, a smile tugging at his lips as he invites you to sit at his counter while he finishes cooking up dinner. You laugh and shake your head, watching as he works skillfully. “I just thought I’d get you in here because, well, as I’m sure Frankie’s already warned you, the guys can be pretty… overbearing at first.”

“Yeah, I did get that warning,” you reply, chuckling more as you sip at a glass of water Santiago had offered you before. “But they all seem very sweet, too.”

“And fucking loud.” Santiago’s words are followed by a string of random exclamations from the dining room where the guys are gathered, and he looks at you with a raised brow that practically says See what I mean?

You snicker. “I’m surprised—Frankie’s pretty quiet himself.”

Santiago hums in agreement. “He keeps us all in check. That’s why he’s the dad friend.”

“Oh, right. He’s told me all about that.”

“Really?”

You nod, watching as Santiago views you with an amused eye. “It was one of the first things he told me.”

Santiago stops what he’s doing to look up at you again. “Really?”

You nod again, this time with a light laugh. “I mean, his first words to me were a total dad joke, so…”

Santiago laughs, giving his head a shake as he looks back to what he’s cooking. “Bless your heart for letting him continue, then.”

You smile as you reflect on the moment when it all began. “I couldn’t resist. It was actually really charming to me.”

Santiago lets out a dramatic aww, causing you to giggle and shake your head as you take another sip of your water. As Santiago starts to finish up the meal, you move to rise from your seat, wanting to help him.

“What can I do to help?” you ask.

Almost immediately, you’re shot down as Santiago shakes his head and gestures for you to sit back down. “I really appreciate it, but don’t worry, you’re alright. I never make my guests work. Only those little shits.” He gestures with the utensil in his hand towards the boisterous dining room that’s hidden by a wall. You chuckle and nod in understanding, letting yourself relax back into your seat as he continues to work. “Actually, your boyfriend should be coming to ask me for help any minute now.”

As if on cue, Frankie pops out from around the corner of the wall, his hand resting on it as he looks to his friend with a lifted brow. “Need some help, Pope?” Santiago nods and gestures towards a platter that’s already been put together on the countertop you’re sitting at. Frankie smiles warmly at you as he walks over, pausing before picking up the platter to plant a gentle kiss on your forehead. “Having fun so far, babe?” You nod, and Frankie jerks his head in Santiago’s direction. “He’s not annoying you too much yet, is he?”

“Oh, fuck you, Fish,” Santiago scoffs, causing Frankie to laugh as he starts to pick up the platter. “She’s great company.”

“You’re tellin’ me,” Frankie agrees, throwing you a sly wink before he heads off to the dining room. You shake your head and follow, taking your seat beside Frankie as the dinner commences.

Frankie keeps a hand on your thigh to settle you as the guys begin to pester you with questions, but you don’t mind. You entertain them well and they seem to really enjoy your company, which you know brings a wide smile to Frankie’s face as he listens in. By the end of the night, you’re sharing drinks and laughing so hard you have to double over a few times, already being asked when Frankie will bring you by again. You promise them that there’s plenty of time left, and when Frankie announces that he’s taking you home, they all take the time to say a warm goodbye along with a reinforced statement to Frankie that you better be in for the long run. You already feel like a part of their little family as you leave, and Frankie shares his joy with you over this on the drive back.

“I’ve never seen them so excited over one of our girlfriends before,” Frankie confesses excitedly, his hand giving yours a squeeze. “I mean, I knew they were gonna love you, but they’ve practically adopted you into the family already.”

You smile warmly as you return his squeeze. “I feel honored. They’re great, Frankie, really. I can see why you love them so much.”

Frankie looks at you jokingly, a playful smile on his lips. “Oh boy, should I be worried, babe? Am I gonna have to compete?”

You laugh heartily. “No, Frankie, you won’t. They’re all great, but—” you pause as you lean over to kiss his cheek, “—you’ll win me over time and time again.”

Frankie blushes a bit as he smiles wider, his dimple popping out and making your heart soar as you finish the drive to your apartment.

When the season starts coming to a close, Frankie takes you out for a weekend camping trip, wanting to use as much of the lasting relatively-warm weather as he can. You hike around the scenery during the day and sit by the fire at night. Frankie always makes sure you have as many layers as you need to stay warm, and during those cold nights, he always keeps an arm around your shoulders and—inside your tent—he holds you as close to him as possible. It’s the last night now, and you’ve been sitting at the fire reflecting on your pasts and how they’ve led you to this very moment, to each other.

“Fall was always my favorite season,” you tell Frankie, head leaning against his shoulder as he keeps an arm around you.

“Really?” Frankie remarks, his thumb absentmindedly stroking your shoulder as you nod at him. “I’ve always been more of a summer guy.”

You look up at him with a small smile. “I can see that.”

Frankie laughs, kissing your head before he continues. “The fall has always been a favorite of mine, though. I guess I just never got to experience it the right way with someone I loved—until now.”

Your heart nearly flies out of your chest at his words, and you look back up at Frankie again to meet his warm and affectionate gaze. It practically melts you into a puddle as your jaw drops at him. “Is that your way of telling me you’re in love with me, Frankie?”

Frankie shrugs, his thumb now running down the length of your arm as he searches your eyes almost anxiously. You smile and reach a hand up to grab one of his cheeks, pulling his face to yours in a slow yet passionate kiss. You try to show him all the things you want to say in the kiss, proving to him that you feel the same way as your mouth moves with his in such a sweet and familiar manner. When you pull away, your gaze never leaves his as you brush your nose against his.

“I love you, too.”

Frankie smiles wide and releases a soft chuckle, placing another quick kiss upon your lips as he stays close. “I kinda figured.” You laugh as his free hand runs over the side of your face. His dark eyes sparkle with a new light, now, half-mischievous and half-desiring. He waits a few beats before he voices his thoughts. “Listen, remember when I told you about all the crazy things I had to do and would rather do than climb a flimsy wooden ladder?” You giggle at him and nod. “Well, how would you feel about adding to that crazy list?”

You raise your brow at him. “Depends. What do I have to do?”

Frankie breaks his gaze with you briefly to look up at the dark sky, and you follow to see a clearing in the surrounding trees that puts the autumn stars on full display. He then meets your eyes again with his usual warmth. “How would you feel about making love with me under these stars tonight?”

You try to bite back a smile at his proposition, lips brushing over his as you give your answer. “I think the only crazy thing about that is you thinking there would be a possibility of me saying no.”

Frankie chuckles softly as he fully places his mouth against yours, and in the sweetest and most passionate of ways, you add an item to his list of crazy things that night, but not without Frankie making sure you’re tucked in the warmth of his body and at least three layers of blankets when you finally drift off to sleep.

You realize the fall’s truly coming to a close the day you and Frankie start moving into your new apartment together. Frankie’s just reached for the last box in his truck when you realize snow’s starting to fall from the sky, and you look at him in disbelief. “The fall’s really over already, huh?” you ask him, watching as he smiles at you from behind the box he’s carrying.

Frankie nods, stopping beside you to plant a kiss on your forehead. “The winter’s here,” he reinforces your statement. “Good thing you’ll have me here to keep you warm. I know you’ll miss the fall, though.”

You shrug and smile up at him. “It won’t really be over when I’m falling for you basically everyday.”

Frankie rolls his eyes playfully as he chuckles. “Who’s the one with the dad jokes, now?”

You laugh and reach up to kiss him softly. “I learned from the best.”

When you look into Frankie’s dark and loving gaze, you realize that this is the exact moment where you’re finally feeling grateful for almost falling off that wooden ladder—and right into Frankie’s arms.

series parts: summer, fall, winter

permanent tag list: @mikahid @bestintheparsec @stilllivindue2spite @givemethatgold @xbrujita @mandalorianspace @blushingwueen @sevvysaurus @myakai13 @thisis-theway @beskars @rachelloveseveryone @theindiealto @hiscyarika @burningsoulbloodyheart @wickedfrsgrl @synystersilenceinblacknwhite @bookwafflefangirl @charliepeaceout @cable-kenobi @ezraslittleblondestreak @hdlynn @your-pixels-are-showing @b0n-chann @nettyklecan @javier-djarin

#oh to fall in love with frankie during the fall #yes i am Yearning #frankie morales #catfish morales #frankie morales x reader #triple frontier #dindjarindiaries

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juliandev0rak · 4 years

Text

Cuisine 🥘 🍞

Ten: Cuisine – do they have any sort of relationship with food? What they grew up eating or making for others?

echoes of the past event

@arcana-echoes

Willa Clary, she/ her

The outskirts of the city, Vesuvia

A few months after the events of The Arcana

Words: 1444

Warnings: fluff, like highland sheep levels of fluff

the recipes they make: bread + stew

“Hey Muriel, what do you want for dinner?”

It’s the same question Willa asks him every day around noon. She likes to plan these things in advance, and it takes time to gather ingredients out here in the forest. Dinner plans are just one of many new daily rituals Muriel is getting used to.

He wanted to be upset at first when his careful daily routine, waking at the same time, doing the same chores the same way day after day, had been disrupted. Routine was the only thing keeping him going for a while, and she’s come in and changed everything. But it’s hard to be upset when he gets to wake up to her face every morning.

Things are never quiet with Willa around, and it’s an adjustment that’s been surprisingly easy to make. She hums while she works, talks to the animals and the trees, and fills their evenings with constant stories he’s more than happy to listen to. She’s become part of his routine now, and though he might try to deny it, he likes things better this way.

The first change she’d made was making sure Muriel ate proper meals. He doesn’t usually stock the hut with much, relying on eggs or his small garden for food. Willa insists on buying more ingredients, spices, flour, sugar, anything she fancies while she’s out at the market. She loves to cook and Muriel finds that he loves to watch her.

She asks him to help sometimes, but he’s always too worried to mess things up. Sometimes he cooks dinner for them, but he’s always a bit embarrassed when he makes simple dishes and she makes multi course meals. She swears that a simple omelette made by him is better than the finest restaurant, but he thinks she’s biased.

This time when she asks him if he wants to help with dinner, he agrees- if only to see the smile on her face.

“What should we make!” She asks, already rummaging through the kitchen cabinets.

“Whatever you want.” He answers readily, peaking his head out of the front door to watch the rain that’s just started to come down.

“Oh come on Muri, you have to have some preference.” Willa turns to look up at him, hand on her hip. She’s always trying to coax favorites out of him, and most of the time he’s never thought about the questions before. There was never a point to having favorites before her.

“Mmmm no.” Muriel murmurs. “Make something you like.”

“What about something I liked when I was younger?” She suggests, getting on her tiptoes to reach the top shelf where they keep the flour. He reaches up to grab it for her and she beams at him in thanks.

“Do you, uh, do you remember stuff like that?” Muriel asks, watching as she continues rummaging.

“Some of it, yes. I remembered this recipe when I was cooking with Asra a while ago, it’s a simple stew but my mother always made it on rainy days.” Willa explains, “And we can make bread to go with it.”

“Isn’t that a lot of work?” Muriel’s never tried to make bread before, he’s only ever gotten it from the baker’s the few times he’d bothered to make the trip.

“It’s not as much work as you’d think! It’s just a few simple ingredients and some patience.” She starts measuring ingredients into a bowl, “Would you be a dear and go get an egg please?”

“Of course.” He brings the hood of his cloak up to ward off the rain and steps out to the chicken coop. When he comes back he finds her already covered in flour and shakes his head in endearment at the sight.

“I may have been a little hasty with my mixing.” Willa laughs, holding her hand out for the egg. She leans up to press a kiss to his cheek, “Thanks for the egg.”

“You’re welcome.” He blushes. “What next?”

“Can you add the milk?” She smiles, gesturing to the bottle. “My mother used to make this bread too. I found the recipe written on a card in one of my old books.”

“Now we mix?” Muriel asks now that all of the ingredients have been added.

“Now we mix!” Willa says, rolling up her sweater sleeves and reaching into the bowl. Muriel watches as she kneads the dough, not minding the sticky mess it makes. “Here, you try.” She dumps the dough out on the counter and sprinkles flour on it. He reaches for the dough tentatively and she smiles encouragingly, threading her hands through his to show him the motion.

“Like this?”

“That’s perfect!” She moves her hands, letting him take over. “You could be a baker, you’re a natural.”

When it’s time to let the bread rise they start preparing the stew. They go out in the rain together to pick vegetables, Inanna trots along beside them. Willa shows him how to chop the vegetables neatly and he’s soon a pro, handing her handfuls of perfectly cut carrots and potatoes to add to the pot.

“The secret ingredient,” Willa leans in towards him as if it really is a secret, “is beer.”

“Beer?” Muriel lets out a little laugh and she grins at the sound.

“Yep! We only need a little, so we can drink the rest.” Willa holds up the bottle to show him and takes a swig. She hands him the bottle and he takes a sip before handing it back so she can add the rest to the stew. Feeling a bit bold, Muriel steps up behind her to put his arms around her waist, watching as she stirs the stew over the wood stove.

“Hi.” Willa twists her head around to look at him, smiling.

“Hi.” He smiles shyly, but keeps her pressed to him. She leans up to kiss him and when she pulls away he follows, stealing another fleeting kiss. She laughs and presses a kiss to the tip of his nose.

“Cheeky.” She grins, pulling away to resume cooking. “I’ll burn the stew if you keep kissing me like that.”

Muriel blushes and steps away, on the pretense of going to add another log to the fire. After she sets the stew to a simmer, she joins him where he’s sitting by the fire and Inanna patters over to lay down in front of them. Willa settles into his side and he puts an arm around her waist again to pull her in.

“I remember my mom used to make these special oat cookies,” Willa says, launching into her story telling voice. “I don’t remember what she put in them but I know I used to love them. I think I used to feed them to the sheep sometimes as a treat.”

“You gave cookies to the sheep?” Muriel asks, he normally doesn’t interrupt her stories but the idea is so strange to him.

“You’d be surprised how many animals enjoy sweets!” Willa replies, burrowing further into the warmth of Muriel’s cloak. “I miss them sometimes, even though I don’t remember them.”

“The sheep?” Muriel keeps his eyes trained on the fire, he’s always afraid to hurt her by asking about her past.

“I meant my family, but I suppose I do miss the sheep too. I don’t really remember any of them either, but I know we had quite a large flock.” She continues, “But hey, at least now we can make new memories.” She smiles up at him again, hope and adoration clear in her face. He nods in agreement, at a loss for words, and she sighs in contentment.

They put the bread in to bake and in a few hours everything is ready to be served. Muriel feels a surprising sense of accomplishment when he sees the loaf come out of the oven, perfectly round and browned on top, and Willa’s excitement makes him smile. Dinner is delicious, and it’s made even better as Willa shares her few memories of home, and the repeated stories that Asra’s told her about her past.

As he’s trying to fall asleep that night, Muriel wishes he had more of his past to share. There’s so little he knows about where he’s from, and he doesn’t have many happy memories of his own to tell her about. He listens to the quiet sounds of Willa breathing next to him and feels comforted as she unconsciously burrows into his side in her sleep and an arm gets thrown over his chest. At least today is a memory he can think back on, and she's right- they can always make new ones.

#arcana eotp #apprentice willa #food #i made bread recently which inspired this #i want to make this stew though it looks great #so willa and muriel... i would die for them...

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hadestownmodern · 4 years

Text

What Baking Can Do

I think I wrote this almost two months ago, oops.

Have some soft Orphydice

-A

The humid air of the apartment nipped at Orpheus’s skin, every breath reminiscent of one in a beach town right after a summer rain. He strums at his guitar with one hand, the other wiping the hair that is plastered to his forehead from the wet air.

In addition to the mid July heat and the open windows, the other source of heat comes from the tiny kitchen area, only steps away. Orpheus looks up from his worn sofa, a gentle smile on his face as he watches his fiance weaving back and forth in the kitchen.

It’s been a weekly event, on sunday afternoons, where Eurydice would just mass bake for the week. Bread, granola bars, muffins for breakfast. Orpheus places his guitar beside him and leans back into the sofa, watching her. He had been enamored with this ritual, from the first time they went to the store.

“Why do you buy those?” Eurydice took the peanut butter granola into her hand, turning it over. “It’s so much cheaper to make them.”

“It’s just an easy snack, Seph used to buy these for me.” Orpheus smiles, reminiscing as he looks at the package. “Amma made them a few times for me, but we always just bought them.”

Eurydice shook her head and placed the box back on the shelf. “I’ll make you some later. Come on, we need to buy some oats.”

“Do you make them with chunky or smooth peanut butter?”

“Homemade.”

He watches her, as she sets the mixer to a medium setting and sprinkles in a handful of chocolate chips. As those combine, she looks to the floured surface before her, where a loaf of dough rests. She struggles to get close enough to efficiently knead the bread, with her nearly nine months pregnant belly before her, her short arms not quite reaching past. He is smiling with nothing but admiration as he stands, walking over to aid his soon to be wife. When he sees the look of defeat on her face, the verge of tears in her eyes, his heart sinks from his chest.”

“Eurydice, love, what’s wrong?”

“What if we don’t have enough.” Eurydice whispers, eyes still trained on the dough before her. She’s trying to dig her palms in, to fold hand over hand. Her voice is quiet as she voices one of her biggest fears in bringing a child into this world- that her daughter, like herself, would grow up hungry. “What if she’s hungry?”

Orpheus wants nothing more than to pull her into his arms, to kiss her and tell her that her fears were unfounded. Their daughter could have the world. “She’ll have everything she needs, Eurydice.” He promises, taking his hand and placing it ontop of one of hers, allowing his hand to move with the waves of hers as she tries to knead. “Why wouldn’t she?”

“Because I didn’t, Orpheus!” She snaps, dropping her hands and turning to face him. Flour covered palms dig into her eyes, and she lets out a strangled whine. “Because I was hungry, Orpheus! I didn’t know where my next meal would come from, and I can’t...I can’t have a baby and make her live like that.”

“Oh, Eurydice..” His face drops, as his eyes go wide. He knew things had never been easy for her, yet every piece he learned about her life made him only want to hold her closer. He gently brings his hands to her face, before he pulls her head to his chest. “I’m so sorry.. I didn’t know.”

“I can give her this. I can make enough for her, and freeze it and- I need to make sure she has enough.” Eurydice mutters, voice stifled by his shirt. “I need to make her enough. I need us to have enough.” She leans back and wipes at her eyes before turning back to the work station, where she had been adamantly baking. She had already doubled her usual recipe, her usual amount. She had to, now, make as much as she could for the good of their daughter. And each other.

She sniffles back tears as her palms press back into the dough infront of her.

Orpheus turns her shoulders back to face him, using his thumbs to wipe her tears. “Show me.”

“What? Orpheus, I do this every week, i can do it-”

“Show me. Let me help you. She’s my baby, you’re my world, I want to be able to help.” Orpheus stands beside her, offering her hands. “Show me how to help you. I can knead, I can make the granola bars...just tell me. Let me help.”

He chose not to mention how he noticed her struggling to knead into the dough previously, or how he could see hours and hours of work already around her, which worried him in terms of her over exerting herself.

Eurydice pauses, glancing around them at the flour covered space. This was what she did. This was how she could survive. Orpheus always watched so diligently, never questioning her. It was something else entirely, to include him in this sacred ritual of hers.

He wants to help.

He wants to learn.

He isn’t going anywhere.

Eurydice wiped her hands on her shirt -- Orpheus’, actually, which was all she could fit in anymore.

“Can you knead the dough for me? Fold it like this-” Eurydice models, placing his hands on the dough underneath her own, guiding him through the first few folds.

Orpheus stands behind her, arms around her as she teaches him, his eyes trained diligently on their hands combined.

“Orpheus?” She asks again when he doesn’t respond, tilting her head up behind her to meet his eyes. “Do you think-”

He leans down to capture her lips in his, resting their foreheads together as he pulled away. He smiles, breathless as he relishes in the feeling of his arms around her, “Anything you need.”

#orphydice #hadestown au #hadestown fic #hadestown modern #hadestown modern au #hadestown #orpheus #eurydice #annika writes

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robowaffle · 4 years

Text

Keto Bread v2 (Beta)

An update to my keto bread, still simple, still, ya know BREAD (not a giant almond flour macaron basically). Pictures coming soon... My goal is this: A bread I would happily make and consume outside of the keto diet. Recipe below.

Ingredients

“Keto Bread Flour” 2/3 c Vital Wheat Gluten - Anthony’s 2/3 c Flaxseed Meal (either golden or red) - Premium Gold 2/3 c Oat Fiber - Naturtonix 1 tbsp Bochasweet or your favorite Keto Sweetner (Optional)

“Bread staples” 1.5 tsp Sugar 1 tbsp Active Dry Yeast 1+1/3 cup room temp or warmer water 1/8 tsp salt (a pinch)

Yield

Makes 1 small loaf (10-16 slices depending on how thick you slice it)

Macros

Whole loaf

667 - Calories (kcal)

77.3 - Protein (g)

31 - Fat (g)

160 - Carbs (g)

149.3 - Fiber (g)

10.7 - Net Carbs (g)

per slice (assume 10 slices)

67 - Calories (kcal)

7.3 - Protein (g)

3.1 - Fat (g)

16 - Carbs (g)

14.9 - Fiber (g)

1.1 - Net Carbs (g)

per slice (assume 16 slices)

42 - Calories (kcal)

4.8 - Protein (g)

1.9 - Fat (g)

10 - Carbs (g)

9.3 - Fiber (g)

.7 - Net Carbs (g)

Recipe

Bread Machine instructions In summary - You chuck all the ingredients into your bread machine bowl, and run your machine on a shortened dough mode (twice), flipping the dough ball after each run. Add the salt, then once on standard white bread setting.

Prep 1. Ready your bread machine’s bowl and mixing paddle per normal. 2. Add all the dry ingredients to your bread machine bowl and sift/mix them ingredients until homogeneous. 3. Add the water

Work the dough 1. Place the bread maker bowl in your bread maker, select the standard or white bread loaf setting, and hit Start. 2. Let the dough setting run for about 15 minutes. * Recommend setting a timer 3. Hit Stop on your machine 4. Take a spatula and scrape down the sides, the dough should look like a wet doughball.

Bake the bread 1. Flip the doughball with your 2. Reset the baking process (I hold the start/stop button on mine) 3. Hit Start and away you go! You’ll have a nice loaf of bread in a couple hours. * Special credit, usually you can remove a paddle after 60-90 minutes to reduce the “dent” in the bread. This will vary by machine.

Some questions I have been asked so far...

What’s the difference between this version and your last?

The make-up of the flour has more Oat fiber and slightly more water really. For that and adding the salt earlier, it requires a lot less work to develop the gluten this time around.

Wait, how is this Keto if this has sugar?

The amount of sugar in this is the minimum necessary for the amount of yeast added to the bread. And given the glut of the yeast in combination with the extended gluten development time, by the time the bread is done baking the yeast should have nommed on all the easily accessed sugars.

My bread machine doesn’t have a dough mode, can I still make this?

Yes! Though it will be a bit more difficult. you can work the dough by hand, but it is a wet, high fat dough and will be a more difficult to handle.

Do I have to use a machine?

Of course not. I just haven’t had an opportunity to bake this recipe inside and thus don’t have any experience from which to write a recipe. If you want to try go for it! In theory, you can either work the dough with a dough hook or on a counter top by hand. Since this is a glutenous bread, it should work in a similar manner. The big difference here will be mostly in texture. If I had to compare the texture to an existing bread, it would be a whole grain challah (which given the oat fiber and the flaxmeal… kinda makes sense).

Where’s the xantham gum, oil/butter, or eggs?

Xantham gum made the bread more “kitchen sponge” in texture and actually caused the bread crumb to collapse while cooling.

Oil/Butter servers to make a “strong” or enriched dough. The Flaxseed meal has a good amount of fat in it,

Eggs aren’t necessary for bread recipes. Let alone Flaxseed meal is often used as a vegan alternative to eggs in baking, so any value in “binding” that you would get from the eggs is covered.

My bread seams a little dense/there’s a compressed crumb around the edges. How can I fix that?

Excellent question. That’s a part of why I threw the “Beta” on there. This bread is 95% of the way there. I am continuing to experiment and track said experiments in a spread sheet. My theory at the moment is that it has more to do with this bread being made in a bread machine as my breads have consistently been compressed in the same edges/corners regardless of bread type/recipe I’ve made over the years.

Are you a wizard?

Naw. Magic is just technology that you don’t have the science to understand yet, and when the tech revolution of 2023 happened on my 5th birthday- wait.

#keto #ketorecipes #recipes #baking #bakingbread #ketobread #recipes that don't suck

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vands38 · 4 years

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things i wish someone told me about coeliac disease (UK edition)

apparently some doctors are still not telling coeliacs what they actually need to know so here’s some fun facts --

*coeliac disease is likely to go undiagnosed if you don’t have digestive symptoms. for a lot of folks, their first symptoms are odd things like weight loss, bloating, mouth ulcers etc that take ages for doctors to correctly diagnose as coeliac disease. I know someone whose only sign was tingling in her fingers (nerve problems are a Thing sometimes). I don’t wanna freak folks out but check this list of symptoms and if you’re worried, ask your doc for a blood test to check for coeliac disease. I went in and out of my docs for years with various symptoms (mostly from the anaemia) and no one caught it until I was finally having noticeable digestive trouble.

* coeliac disease an autoimmune disease. not an allergy. not an intolerance. when you eat gluten, your gut just screams NOPE and throws everything out of there.

* this means if you keep eating gluten you will have serious long-term health problems because your gut can't absorb shit

* as I mentioned, anaemia is one of these associated health problems. a lot of people have this at diagnosis b/c your gut hasn’t been absorbing the nutrients it needs. it leaves you very weak and tired, and the longer it goes on, the worse it gets.

* long-term anaemia / malnutrition causes so many fucking health problems I can't list them all. basically, if your body sucks, there's a good chance it's a side-effect of your coeliac disease going undiagnosed. I got shitty joints and a shitty heart and shitty bones and godknowswhatelse and every time my doc is like "hey, guess what? it’s coeliac disease!"

* you know what a common side effect is? LACTOSE INTOLERANCE. this is because, once again, your gut hates you from all that gluten you've been killing it with, so it starts to muck around and kick out other things too. but good news! most of the time this is reversible!!! lay off any lactose for a couple of months, reintroduce it to your diet slowly, and you -- like me -- might be a-ok

*some folks with coeliac disease can’t digest oats either as they contain a similar protein. I found that I was kinda squiffy with them at first but as soon as my gut had calmed down I was a-ok with GF oats (this is good b/c 99% of good GF biscuits are made with oat flour, RIP to everyone that can’t eat them)

* so... your bones are probably fucked. if you were diagnosed early and your doctors are on it, you might be okay but for a lot of people it means osteopenia, and further down the line, osteoporosis (meaning it's v easy to break bones). you need to be eating, like, double the regular amount of calcium every day. most people are put on calcium tablets with combined vitamin D (to help absorb the calcium) but even on top of that, you need to be getting a lot in your diet. If you're still lactose intolerant then switch to lacto-free versions of dairy products or eat tofu like there's no tomorrow. It's super important that you get enough.

* relatedly, bone health!!! You should be doing MODERATE impact exercises like jogging to strengthen the bones but nothing high-impact like tennis. load-bearing exercises are good too. here’s some examples (in detail) given to me by the rheumatology dept

* people have different sensitivity levels. in the UK, certified gluten-free products have to be 20 parts per million or less, but in the US this is 100! marmite lives somewhere between these two and can cause some coeliacs to have a reaction. please be aware when you eat international gluten-free foods that they might have more parts per million than your body is used to

* because you're super sensitive to gluten, not only do you need to check the bold allergens on the ingredients, but the small print too. it might say "made in a factory that handles gluten" or "may contain traces of gluten" and that’s a no-go

* similarly, be careful in restaurants. Apparently it's still perfectly legal for restaurants to say a dish is "gluten free" and then put your nice GF bread in the same fucking toaster as regular bread and have you shitting your pants for days. Just because the ingredients are GF doesn't mean they're cooking it in an allergen-conscious manner. If its not a Coeliac UK certified restaurant, always ask about their methods. Is that milkshake made in a GF blender? Is your fry-up cooked in a separate pan? The first time I got glutened after my diagnosis it was because my GF naan bread shared a tray with a regular one. A lot of places won't even fucking think about this stuff.

* if you're in a gluten-eating household, you've got a big expense coming up. you need to buy a GF toaster at the very least and I would recommend also a separate baking tray (because pizzas, garlic breads etc stick to that shit like no tomorrow) and a saucepan (or anything else that regularly contains pasta/noodles/etc). You'll also need a separate bread knife and board. Separate butter. Separate strainer if you're the type to drain your pasta. Line anything suspicious (e.g.your sandwich toaster, a communal baking tray) with baking parchment. Don’t use bare rungs in your oven or hob. And buy separate spreads and condiments, unless your household is very well trained in not dipping their crumb-covered knives into those things. I've even got separate plates, kitchen utensils, and cutlery. It seems extreme but I haven't had a cross-contamination incident since. Just think: has gluten touched this? And if so, do your best to minimise the risk.

* living GF is expensive long-term too. GF bread costs twice as much as regular bread. Restaurants often charge extra for GF alternatives. I had to switch from having toast in the morning to cereal because it's much more reasonably priced. I eat more fruit than I ever have before just because GF snacks cost so much. I used to have breakfast bars lol say goodbye to that shit unless you wanna be broke

* things I didn't realise I couldn't eat: crisps (a lot of your standard crisps are made with ??? production methods), candied nuts (most of these are made in factories that handle gluten), soy sauce, strawberry laces and a whole bunch of fave sweets (contain wheat starch to bind them - check this list for safe sweets), marmite (you can buy a GF yeast extract that is only 50% worse than the original)

*good food you actually can eat: most cadburys but not most nestle, GF beer which tastes exactly the same, schar pretzels are actually the shit, so are their BBQ pringles and those little chocolate bars with hazelnuts, Morrisons free from frozen mini hash browns will cure your depression, M&S do these bacon tortilla rolls which... OH BOY. Quiche alternatives are pretty damn good but I've yet to find a pizza that doesn't make me want to cry.

*speaking of supermarkets... Morrisons stock a good range of stuff and tend to have everything in one aisle, M&S have many yummy (and expensive) treats, Sainsbury's has good own brand things including bread, Tesco's are fairly decent and stock a lot of baking things, ASDA are the king of GF cake, if you're still lacto-free then Waitrose sell LF cheese including halloumi, and check your your local hippy food store because I found the best goddamn bread in mine (Incredible Bakery Company - you are £4.50 a loaf but I have no regrets)

*party risks: if there's a BBQ, insist that your things go first or have a separate BBQ, or, if worse comes to worse, just eat cold snacks. (Beware of sausages! Many aren't GF!) If its a chip and dip situation, either everything has to be GF (easily done) or have your own dip. BUFFETS ARE LITERALLY OUR WORST NIGHTMARE. the amount of coeliacs I know that have been glutened at one are INSANE. even if those tasty treats are labelled 'gluten free' they've probably be contaminated. everything at a goddamn buffet is contaminated. Dinner party? Well meaning friends will want to cook for you but unless their kitchen is set up as above, it's safer to bring your own food -- if you're very lucky, you will have friends who take the time to learn about allergens and will clean every item in their kitchen before cooking and serving an entire GF meal. these friends are to be treasured -- nay, worshipped.

*fast food. there’s no good way to put this but you’re never having that guilty pleasure 2am burger again. mcdonalds fries are miraculously GF though. (a lot of takeaways recycle oil so even if the ingredients are GF it’s often not safe but mcdonalds always use a separate fryer for chips). indian takeaway is great as most dishes don’t contain gluten. on the flip side, you’ll only be able to have about 5 items on the chinese menu (soy sauce is in everything, yo) so be prepared to learn those 5 items by heart. dominoes do Coeliac UK certified GF pizza!!! (buuuuut not during covid). chains like pizza express have got our back and will even serve you GF doughballs

*coeliac UK are your best friend! most of the things I’ve mentioned are described in detail on their website. they also have a barcode scanner app that will tell you if foods are safe, and they have a restaurant guide, and useful things like translation guides for when you go abroad.

That's all I've got right now but hmu with any questions or corrections. Take care of yourself, folks. <3

#coeliac disease #celiac disease #gluten free #info post #allergens #i just could not see another incorrect comment on the coeliac uk facebook page without doing something #i'm sorry #i'm well aware this is of interest to approx three followers #but #someone might need to hear all this #because my god i definitely did when i got diagnosed #long post

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langblr-o-kebek · 6 years

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How to feed yourself cheaply when you live alone

It can be so frustrating and difficult to get used to living by yourself. Apparently cabinets don’t come magically stocked with spices and you have to buy things??? with money???? So here’s a few things I’ve learned along the way along with some links to other great posts that have information along this subject too.

1. Secretly assassinate a relative and collect inheritance

2. Find a sugar daddy

If 1 and 2 are options then the rest of this post is worthless to you, if they are not options, keep reading.

Your first visit to the grocery store Buckle up because it’s going to be the most expensive one

You need to stock your kitchen since you are not a roach and can’t just eat the wooden cabinets. Every kitchen should have some combination of the “basics” which will be your non-perishable pantry items-those things that your parents house seemingly never runs out of.

The Basics

-Rice -Pasta (+any other grains you might like such as couscous, wheat berries etc.) -Flour -Sugar -Brown sugar (if you’re into baking like I am) -Baking Soda -Baking powder -Spices (for example, cumin, cayenne, oregano, basil, paprika, etc.) -Salt and pepper -Oats -Boullion or cans of stock -Cans of soup/packets of ramen -Coffee/tea

I suggest you buy these kinds of items in bulk if possible. If you have the space to store them, they will last you forever and items like these can make a meal that is supposed to be 1-2 servings into somethings thats 4-6 which I’ll explain later. Also, buying in bulk is cheaper per pound/100 grams (whatever system you’re using) so in the long run, you’ll save lots of money by buying one fat ass sack of rice a year instead of 15 every few weeks. Check your area for bulk stores, places that sell spices and grains by the weight. This will save you cash and can be more eco-friendly if you’re able to use your own bags/containers.

Tips for meals

It is so much cheaper to cook a larger amount of food at a time than making something for each individual meal. This is because for the most part, you can’t buy ingredients sufficient for one serving at the grocery store and you don’t want to buy something you’ll only use once and then the rest goes bad and bye-bye money. Making a meal that will last you 3-4 days is not only cheaper, but also saves time since after the initial cooking, all you have to do is reheat a little at a time later. You can take this a step further and use grains like rice, pasta and couscous to “cut” the food thereby doubling the amount of servings you have. Below are some really easy recipes that I use that last me days.

Things you can make at home for cheap

HUMMUS! Bc it’s a great snack, filling, healthy and is stupid expensive at the store and stupid cheap and easy to make.

-1 can of garbanzo beans -2 T of tahini (you can leave this out if you want, tahini can be expensive) -1 T lemon juice -1 clove of garlic, minced -Cumin, paprika, salt, pepper

Literally throw it all in a food processor and blend. If it’s too thick, you can add more olive oil or save some of the water from the beans and add that as well. If you do that, less salt will need to be added. If you use dried beans that you’ve soaked and shit you will need more salt.

If you don’t have a food processor, you can heat the beans up and smash it by hand, it’s more effort and it may be chunkier but it works. Same goes for immersion blenders.

Fun ways to shake this hummus up

-Roasted Red pepper: Chop 1/3 C of roasted red pepper and add. Replace some of the olive oil with some of the juice from the pepper jar.

-Roasted Garlic: Instead of mincing a garlic clove, expose the head of the garlic (lol) and rub with a little olive oil, making sure it gets into the cracks (lol). Wrap in foil and roast at 400 degrees (~200 C) for 30-35 minutes. Garlic should be nice and soft when it’s done. Roasted garlic is sweet instead of biting like raw garlic so using a whole head is okay and you won’t die when you eat it.

-Artichoke heart+black olive: Chop up one can of artichoke hearts with however many chopped black olives as you would like

-Pesto: Add in at least one tablespoon of pesto

Now the question is, how do I eat my hummus and the answer is, there’s actually a billion ways

-Put it on a sandwich or wrap! -Dip celery, cucumber, carrots, peppers in it! -Eat it with pretzels or tortilla chips OR if you’re a cheap bastard like me, make your own tortilla chips by cutting up some tortilla rounds, brushing them with olive oil, sprinkling them with salt and bake at 350 for 10ish minutes. I usually put mine into the oven right when I turn it on and pull them out when the oven is preheated bc I can’t be bothered to actually figure out a proper cooking time. Whatever, this is way cheaper than buying chips and they’re more filling. You can also make tortillas, it’s cheap and simple, I find they taste better, but it is slightly time consuming. Here’s a recipe. -Eat it with a spoon wgaf you live alone no judgement.

Coffee Creamer

Hell yes you can make this at home. The basic is about 1 3/4 cup of milk (whatever kind of milk, the more fat in the milk the creamier the creamer) and 14oz of sweetened condensed milk. You can also add in a few drops of any sort of extract/honey or some sprinkles of cinnamon/nutmeg whatever suits your fancy! Here is a bunch of variations. Also put 1/4 of a teaspoon of cinnamon per cup of coffee in with your coffee grounds in the filter for a cinnamon scented coffee.

Popcorn

Well, we all knew this one. But honest to god it is so much cheaper and healthier to pop popcorn using a bag of kernels than it is to buy a box of microwave popcorn. Just pour some oil and a tablespoon of butter into a large pan, add the popcorn and cook covered over medium heat. As soon as the kernels start to pop make sure you start jiggling the pan to keep them moving so they don’t burn and ruin your pan. I’m pretty sure you can put the kernels in a paper bag in the microwave too. Throw salt on it, or even cinnamon and sugar cuz why not.

RULES FOR GROCERY SHOPPING

1. buying in bulk saves

2. Don’t buy in bulk if you can’t use it all before it expires-like yeast! Most expiration dates are pretty generous and you can actually continue using the product beyond the date (this amount of time varies, please for your own safety please google it). Yeast is the only food I know of that is true to its expiration.

3. Avoid superstores when possible. Most of the time, you’re paying for the convenience. Superstores are often more expensive because you’re paying for the convenience of doing all your shopping in one place.

4. Ethnic markets are almost always cheaper-especially for trendy things like Coconut oil (so cheap at indian food markets!!) Find Chinese, Arabic, Indian, Mexican food markets around you and split up your shopping accordingly.

5. MAKE YOUR OWN BREAD, it can be very easy. Google it.

6. Off brand is just as good as the rest

7. Coupons, grab them in the front of the store if available

8. Just because something is a good deal doesn’t mean you have to buy it. I don’t care if orange juice is on sale, I don’t drink a lot of orange juice. You know what’s cheaper than something being 50% off? Not buying it at all. It costs $0.00 to be smart.

9. Don’t make grocery shopping a habitual thing. By that I mean don’t go grocery shopping every Sunday or whatever. Go grocery shopping when you need to go grocery shopping. If it’s been a week but you can wait 4 more days, wait 4 more days.

10. Don’t buy fresh herbs, grow them. A packet of seeds is cheap. Plastic pots are cheap. Potting soil can be cheap if you can find a place where you can buy by the weight instead of a massive bag. Plant the seeds according to the packet. Things like basil need to be watered often. Things like rosemary and thyme are okay chilling a couple of days without it. Read the packets and google it. Also it’s so rewarding to watch your little baby plants grow. An herb garden costs $10 dollars at the most to make. Fresh herbs at the grocery store cost $2-6 per package. Fresh herbs make meals taste a million times better I swear to god it’s the best thing you can do for yourself. Growing herbs also helped me with my depression so bonus.

11. If shopping at a super store, as much as possible stay out of the “middle”. What I mean is, things you buy should come from the sections closest to the wall-these include the produce, meat, dairy and frozen vegetables. All the processed foods are in the middle and though some can be cheap, they’re not filling and you end up buying them a lot. Doing things like making your own hummus can keep you out of the middle aisles and it’s healthier. Things from the middle you may need though are tea, ramen, grains, soup, peanut butter.

12. Plan your trip. Thoroughly look through your fridge and cabinets to see what you’re out of. I even keep a little white board on my fridge where I write what’s in the fridge and what’s run out. Write down what needs to be replaced/what you need for the next couple of meals. Do not stray from the list when shopping.

13. Go to Marshalls or Winners or whatever equivalent for things like olive oil, K cups if you have a Keurig (oh fancy fancy) and cool pink salt. They also have other kinds of oils like sunflower and avocado, and even sometimes protein powders. It’s way cheaper there and you can buy a liter sized bottle of olive oil for like 7 dollars when it would cost at least twice that at a grocery store.

14. Do not have the same grocery list every week. Prices of things change, your list should reflect that. If you’re wanting to get some sort of fruit for a snack, don’t get apples every week. Get whatever is in season. The prices of fresh produce in stores and markets will reflect what’s in season (i.e. the cheapest things). Lucky for us Bananas are always in season and are a super cheap snack that people forget about. I often wait until they’re ripe, cut them up and freeze them to make smoothies.

15. Don’t be afraid of tofu. It’s cheap as hell and once you learn how to prepare it, can be a fantastic substitute for animal proteins if meat/fish are too expensive.

16. Don’t forget, so many foods can be frozen. If something is crazy on sale, don’t be afraid to buy more than usual if you are able to freeze it. Here’s a list of things that can be frozen. TBH here, in Canada, I buy those big 3L bags of milk and store the little baggies in the freezer.

Finally, go to Goodwill stores and thrift shops to find kitchen appliances, dishes, and cookware for cheap! The best 7 dollars I ever spent was on a crock pot. These stores have so many items that last FOREVER, like a good pan, or a classic cafeteria. Don’t think you can’t cook because you can’t afford the equipment. Kitchen equipment doesn’t have to be a huge investment.

That’s all I have for today. Good luck out there guys.

#tips #college living #cheap

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sweetescape01748 · 3 years

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The Pleasure of Baking

Kate O’Connor | Personal Narrative | April 30, 2021

Where it all started:

Out of all the baking recipes in the family, the most famous one is my Mimi’s homemade brownies. Growing up, my mom had the recipe, but we never tried to make them. One night during quarantine, my family and I were sitting in the living room, and all happened to agree that we were craving something sweet. Since I am the resident baker in the household, and the most impulsive daughter, I jumped up and headed to the kitchen. I began searching for my grandmother’s brownie recipe and scoped out my pantry for the ingredients.

As best as I could tell, I had everything but the Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet chocolate. We all knew that Ghirardelli was a critical component to making her brownies. However, as a substitute, I found unsweetened Hershey’s Cocoa powder, which would make do (or so I thought). After gathering all my ingredients, and whisking my eggs and sugar into the batter, my dad yelled to me from the other room, “Kate it’s ten o’clock, are you seriously making brownies at this hour?” I replied, “Yes…they’re almost done, and you know you’re going to want one!” While they were in the oven, I started cleaning up, and periodically checked in on the brownies to make sure they were doing okay. As soon as the aroma of warm brownies filled the air, my mom came into the kitchen and got a lick of the spoon and said “ooooh how are you making brownies when we don’t have any chocolate in the house?” I responded back with, “well, I substituted chocolate with something else, but don’t worry they’ll be great.” As soon as the timer went off, I took them out of the oven, and put them on top of the stove to cool.

Without any patience, my sisters and I dug in, practically burning our mouths. My older sister immediately thought that they were overcooked, while my younger sister commented saying that they tasted dry. Offended, I told them both that they don’t need to eat the brownies, if they don’t like them. However, when I decided to get a taste for myself, as much as I didn't want to agree with them, they were right. As my Mimi has always told me, “Baking is a science. You need to follow the recipe exactly the way it is written.” The problem is, I was never good at science and I’m occasionally told that I am a bad listener. Therefore, I just bake for fun.

My quarantine hobby:

Some people love the beach, or the pool, maybe even a good drink in hand. Granted, I love all those things as well, but I personally prefer baking best. I can’t explain this feeling, but I get this craving, and not just for something sweet, but to literally whip something up in the kitchen. If I find myself bored in class, or lying-in bed, I scan Pinterest to save scrumptious looking desserts and instantly get this urge to be in my kitchen and make something. Baking has become an escape for me when I get stressed, bored, or simply in a creative mindset. I found it particularly therapeutic while I has home from College during Quarantine. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a surge of hobbies for many people, including me. However, for me, baking is more than a hobby. In addition to the distraction from stress that baking provides, it also allows me to share something I made with my family or friends. They may not always love the baked goods, but they know they were made with love.

COVID and Quarantine provided a springboard for my interest in baking. Between all my free time at home in March and April (when I wasn’t doing schoolwork) I was always finding new ways to procrastinate or try something new. Aside from going on walks with my mom almost every day, attending class, and trying to catch the UV’s during lunch time, I would find new recipes scrolling through Tiktok. I would also come across aesthetically pleasing baked goods on Instagram. My baking hobby started with following the recipe on the back of a boxed Pillsbury brownie mix, and slowly evolved into making oatmeal cookies, blueberry oat muffins, gingerbread cookies, and pumpkin bread from scratch. To preface, nobody in my household bakes from scratch. For birthdays, someone will make a cake from a box of Betty Crocker (only the best), and for other occasions, perhaps snow days, we’ll make brownies or pancakes from a mix. Therefore, my house was never fully stocked with essential baking ingredients such as, baking soda, vanilla extract, baking powder, brown sugar, or even a full carton of eggs. It wasn’t until the peak of the pandemic during mid-April that my family and I realized we’d be stuck inside for longer than just two weeks. That being said, I had all the time in the world to experiment and have some fun in the kitchen. During a quick trip to Stop & Shop with my dad, I made a request and handed him a list of ingredients to stock up on, so I could make more treats from scratch rather than from a box. I’m pretty sure the desire to try baking from scratch came from Mimi.

Why I love it:

There are many aspects as to why I love baking. For starters, I love being in the kitchen by myself, and having a giant space to get messy. Particularly in quarantine, my family would stop into the kitchen during a coffee or snack break, or just to simply pop-in and see what was making the house smell divine. Another aspect of baking that I love is probably taste testing the batter. Some may shame me for saying this, but I’m not scared of getting Salmonella in my own kitchen. Therefore, I am a fan of licking the spoon to get a little preview of what the finished product will taste like. I also weirdly enjoy cleaning up as I bake and getting a view of the flour that has coated the kitchen island like a fresh morning snow flurry. As I take a step back, I can observe the remnants of batter off to the side that didn't make it into the oven, and even see the crystals of sugar glistening on the granite counter. Yet, my favorite part is seeing the reaction on my family’s faces when they take the first bite of my creation. Whether it’s a sour face or one that looks like they died and went to heaven, I realize this is what affection is—making the warm thoughts you have for others real.

Baking, to me, is like a series of challenges where there have been many failures, but they are necessary to master such a craft. While reducing the amount of sugar and adding a little salt, forgetting to set the timer or over-estimating measurements can result in calamities, a few alterations from the recipe can result in triumph. I learned that great bakers are never those who follow every line in a cookbook but add their own creativity to introduce something new to the oven. For me, this creativity is adding maybe some vanilla extract, or brown sugar to a recipe to emphasize its sweetness. This is what I value. I live through baking, encountering what sweet life has to offer masked behind the facade of burnt edges, or collapsed pancakes. However, I have learned that sweetness blooms in unexpected forms. And this is where I am happiest. Most importantly, I learned to never forget the Ghirardelli chocolate, when making Mimi’s brownies!

Treats that I have made from scratch (and photographed before diving in):

(pumpkin bread& German apple pie)

(Blueberry Oat Muffins)

(Oatmeal cookies)

Other homemade desserts that I have made include:

-Gingerbread cookies

-Brownies

-Chocolate Chip cookies

-Banana bread

-Pancakes

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nadiashealthykitchen · 3 years

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Festive Gingerbread Ganache Cookies

*This post is sponsored by FREEE*

This is my favourite gingerbread cookie/biscuit recipe, but instead of icing it like you typically would do with gingerbread biscuits, I’ve created a cookie sandwich with a smooth and velvety ganache in the middle. So yummy and moreish!

Biscuits have always (and I imagine they always will be) my favourite treat! I would always pick a good biscuit over a slice of cake or a brownie. I just love that crunch you get with a freshly baked biscuit. This Christmas I wanted to create a gingerbread recipe, but with a difference. I thought what could I add to gingerbread to make it even more delicious, and like I find with many of my recipes, the answer to that question is chocolate!

The mixture of the warmth of spices, sweetness of the molasses and bitterness of the chocolate complement each other so well. Add a crunchy biscuit to the mix and you know you have something so special. These gingerbread ganache cookies really are perfect treat for this year’s festivities.

This is my second creation for FREEE, who I’ve teamed up with to create delicious gluten-free bakes that everyone can enjoy this Christmas using FREEE flours. It’s as easy as 1, 2, FREEE!

As well as flours, FREEE also sell a wide range of products from baking mixes, baking essentials, breakfast cereals, cookies and oat bars to pastas making them the home to the no. 1 gluten-free flour range in the UK. You can find their flours stocked on their website freee-foods.co.uk and selected ASDA, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose & Partners,andCo-op stores. Their Gluten Free Porridge Oats are also available with Ocado and at freee-foods.co.uk

To make these cookies gluten-free, I used a mixture of FREEE Gluten Free Plain White Flour and oat flour using their FREEE Gluten Free Porridge Oats. I really love the combination of those two flours and I feel it works best when making crunchy cookies. The recipe is also completely vegan including the 2 ingredient ganache! It’s really easy to make and a really fun activity to do together as a family, with your other half or with the kids!

Festive Gingerbread Ganache Cookies

Makes 11-12 sandwich cookies

Ingredients

135g FREEE Gluten Free Plain White Flour 110g oat flour (FREEE Gluten Free Porridge Oats ground up into a flour in the food processor) 55g brown sugar 2 tsp ginger 2 tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp nutmeg ¼ tsp cloves ¼ tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder 55g coconut oil or dairy-free butter, melted 3 tbsp plant milk of choice 4 tbsp molasses

For the chocolate ganache 100g dark chocolate, melted 80ml plant milk of choice

Method

Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan In a large bowl, mix together the FREEE Gluten Free Plain White Flour, oat flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and spices. Pour in the melted oil/butter, milk and molasses. Mix until a dough is formed. If the dough is too soft, wrap up the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured worktop. Roll out to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out the cookies and a small star shaped cutter to cut a star in the middle of some of the cookies to create the top cookie. The baking time depends on the size of your cookies. I would suggest baking for 10 minutes then keep checking every couple of minutes from there onwards. What you’re looking for is golden brown edges. Keep in mind that the cookies will become crunchier once they’ve cooled down so don’t leave them in too long unless you want a super crunchy cookie. I like my gingerbread men crunchy so I baked them for 15 minutes. Leave to cool completely before adding the ganache. Break up the chocolate into a heat-proof bowl and melt in the microwave. Heat the milk up in a sauce pan and take off the heat as soon as it starts to bubble. Gradually pour the hot milk into the melted chocolate while whisking continuously until smooth. Transfer into a piping bag and pipe onto the bottom half of the sandwich cookies and top with another. Enjoy!

Festive Gingerbread Ganache Cookies was originally published on UK Health Blog - Nadia's Healthy Kitchen

#cleaneating

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sashagilljournalist · 4 years

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Embrace Your Freezer

I think you have heard this far too many times – stranger times are afoot. Stockpiling is a particular point of aggression for me, because there is simply no point in buying far more than you need. If supply is an issue, the answer lies in simply utilising the best appliance at your disposal. Yes, I am talking about your freezer.

There is a multitude of food that behaves rather well if you plunge it into the icy-cold depths of your freezer. But, as always, the question of food safety arises. Here is a crash-course into what freezes well, how to fight the devil that is freezer-burn, and what is a freezer-flop and must be avoided at all costs.

Bread I place this at the top of my list simply because I believe that far too many people have been chucking their Hovis slices into the compost when the slightest bloom of mould appears. Bread is the king of freezer foods. If you buy your bread pre-sliced, you can chuck whatever you believe you cannot finish by the sell-by date into the freezer. If you are a better person than I am, and get those crusty loaves à la Gail’s, make sure to slice them into neat pieces before freezing. Whenever the need for toast arises, no thawing is necessary. Pop it straight into your toaster. You can’t imagine a thing better since frozen bread.

Fruit Sure, you can buy pre-frozen fruit, and there is nothing wrong in that. But if you think you have far more than you need fresh, you can freeze whatever excess you have. Most fruit freezes remarkably well. And while in some cases (I am looking at you, citrus) the texture does deteriorate, if you are using it for baking/smoothies/juicing – no one would be none the wiser. A point of note: pitted fruit does best if you remove their stones before the freeze – trying to pry it out with a knife sub-thaw is not much fun. Avoid the peach equivalent to the millennial avocado injury. Citrus, forgiving my previous dig, is OK if you are using the pulp for a recipe or smoothie – but the zest reigns supreme. Zesting a frozen wedge of citrus fruit is easy peasy. And if you happen to need the flesh of citrus without the skin, just freeze it for whenever you may want to make a casserole calling for that tablespoon of orange zest.

Herbs We are all culprit to buying a pouch of rosemary when a recipe demands it, and leaving the remainder languishing in the produce drawer. If you have far too many fresh herbs than you know what to do with, freeze them (spoiler alert). Herbs are best if frozen in some kind of fat, so what I do is portion them out in an ice-cube tray, a teaspoon per well, and top each up with a glug of olive oil. If your next pasta sauce demands 2 teaspoons of fresh rosemary – pop out two cubes straight from the tray and toss them into your pan.

Soups and stocks I am a fan of the Kallo stock cube. But there have been times (i.e. mid-risotto making) when I have had far too much ready than I need. Instead of chucking it away, freeze them in portions (I like to go for a cup per container), so you know exactly how much to thaw out the next time you need it.

Leftovers I wrote an entire article about leftovers, and it seems particularly prescient to not let whatever you have spare to go to waste. Stews and curries fare particularly well from being frozen – just make sure you portion them according to how much you need for a meal.

Vegetables The list of vegetables that do well from freezing is far longer than those that do not. Onions, garlic, hard veg (squash, root veg, peppers)… Spinach and kale, while of the leafier variety, do well if you plan to deploy them later in a cooked dish and not in a salad. Skin your tomatoes before freezing – by slitting an X at their base, boiling them for 2-3 minutes, then immediately plunging them into a bath of ice-cold water. Their skin will start to shrink back – so peel off whatever remains with languorous ease and pop them into a freezer bag or Tupperware. While most root vegetables fare well, but potatoes do not. Only waxy potatoes do relatively OK, but I advise this only if you want to use them in some sort of stock, as their texture does change. Just parboil them before freezing. As a general rule of thumb – veg with a high water content either should not be frozen (i.e. iceberg) or needs some treatment. Hardier veg is much more resilient.

Tofu Even if food shortage is not an issue, I am a proponent for freezing your tofu.

Baked Goods Do you know how some people have eyes much bigger than their stomachs? I bake much bigger than my stomach. Most baked goods can be frozen. Banana bread, cinnamon rolls, cookie dough – it’s all good. Just make sure to portion them accordingly for future ease. To bring them back to their former glory – a whirl in the microwave is all you need.

Butter FREEZE YOUR BUTTER. I use non-dairy butter, but the rule withstands. And, hey, if you happen to be the sort that makes your own shortcrust – pre-frozen butter is a godsend.

Yoghurt and milk Yes, I am aware that some dairy comes with a warning emblazoned on the side of it – DO NOT FREEZE. But if your intention is to use your dairy in a dish, frozen shouldn’t be a problem. Freezing yoghurt or milk (or non-dairy equivalents) changes the texture of it – no longer silky and velvet but rather (urgh!) lumpy. This resolves itself if you throw it into a biryani or a pasta sauce, but not have any intention of consuming it as you would fresh. Just try you freeze whatever you do not think you can finish as soon as you can – anything a day or so near its sell-by date is risky business.

Eggs Don’t freeze your eggs in their shells. Crack them open, beat them and portion them in containers labelled with how many eggs lie within them.

Cheese Hard cheese freezes well, soft cheese less so. If you find a bit of mould growing on your wedge of parmesan, it is completely fine (and safe!) to cut it off with a generous margin, and freeze whatever remains. Soft cheese should not be frozen at all costs – and if you find yourself in the unfortunate circumstance of finding a bit of mould on your mozzarella. Chuck it. It isn’t worth any risk.

Flours Wheat, rye, spelt, buckwheat, oat… they are the superstar of the freezer. Whenever you need any for a bit of baking, scoop it out and proceed as you would normally.

Nuts and seeds I grew up in a hot climate, so all of our nuts and seeds claimed residence in our fridge or freezer. Nuts and seeds possess a fat that can, at times, go rancid in warmer temperatures. This poses less of a problem if you buy small bags of the stuff that they sell at Tesco. But, if you are a bulk-buy fiend, pop whatever you think you will not employ in the next few months in the freezer. It will save you a lot of money, and heartache.

Cooked rice, grains and pasta Yes, you can freeze these. Rice can be tricky, but be sure to cool whatever excess you have ASAP and pop it into the freezer once it is at room temperature. Pasta can be frozen, but please, only if it is just shy of al-dente. You will need to plunge it onto some hot water to revive it, and if it is already slightly over, you will have a soggy, gloppy mess.

Meat Freezing meat can appear to be a risky endeavour but if you follow a few rules, you’re golden. Freeze it as soon as possible, portioned as you would need per meal. When freezing meat, air is the enemy. Wrap each as much as you can in plastic wrap (or leave it in the vacuum pack it came in) and a further insurance of foil or Tupperware to discourage freezer burn. When thawing (which will be discussed below) – you can either leave it in the refrigerator for a day (smaller portions) or more, or in a tub of slightly-cold water. DO NOT leave it on the countertop, DO NOT microwave it. The 3-month rule applies here for maximum quality, and while a few months shy of that should be okay, the quality of it does deteriorate significantly.

Safe-Freezing Tips

You are now a freezing aficionado. But here are a few final tips about the longevity of frozen food, and just some general freezer-related housekeeping.

How long is it good for? This depends on the food. And while there are a whole list of websites and charts demanding you follow a strict schedule, if you have frozen the food as close to fresh as you can, a lot of it will be OK. But, for the wary, here is a good guide.

How should I freeze? A rule of freezing – minimise air contact. With meat this is crucial, but otherwise, try to use freezer-safe bags or tubs with airtight lids. Label EVERYTHING – with its contents, portions, and date of cooking/freezing. Always try to freeze according to your regular portion size so you can thaw exactly the amount you need.

What should I use to freeze my food? You can buy freezer bags, and containers – but avoid freezing any glass or metal. Glass is particularly tricky as it can shatter (yes, even the freezer-safe ones). Especially if you put anything slightly liquid inside, as water can expand and create cracks your glass container.

How do I thaw my frozen food? You have a few options. You can thaw it in the refrigerator, which is the safest, but also takes a fair amount of time. To speed things up, you can leave it in a bowl of cold water on your countertop, or in the microwave on the defrost setting. Meat, however, should never be let near the microwave in the effort of food safety.

How do I prevent freezer burn? This happens over a period of long freezing, when food loses its water molecules and they rise to the surface and crystallise as ice. Small ice crystals do not pose much of a problem, as they melt fairly quickly. But once larger crystals form, this usually indicates the deterioration of whatever you have had frozen. It is usually still alright to eat this (with the exception of meat and dairy products), but just be prepared for it to be a little subtracted in its original quality.

Image Credit: Theo Crazzolara, Flickr Creative Commons

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imagine-loki · 7 years

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A Warrior’s Life

TITLE: A Warrior’s Life

CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter Forty-Eight AUTHOR: wolfpawn ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine Viking Loki coming to your village, raiding, and pillaging, before deciding there is something about you that intrigues him and deciding to take you back to Asgard with him. There, you are forced to learn a new life and language, and though you hate what has happened to you, you learn that Loki is not as bad as you think.

RATING: Mature

Vali was staring up attentively at his father, who was talking incessantly to the child as Maebh attempted to get some rest. “Your mother is the bravest woman you shall ever meet my son, she has risked her life already for you, and would do it again in a heartbeat.” He stated quietly. Vali pursed his little lips together. “Give her another while little man, she is very tired today. Apparently, someone was feeding the most of the night and had her awake. Might you have any idea as to who that could have been?” the infant gave a small gurgle as it looked back at him. “Do not act innocent now.” He smiled, adoring that he was getting to have time with his son.

“It is called cluster feeding.” Loki turned to see his mother entering the dwelling.

“I did not hear your arrival.” He rose from the chair he was sitting in to welcome her.

“You were too busy speaking with your son.” Frigga smiled, looking down at the small bundle in her son’s arms. “He is more like you every passing day.”

“A terrible affliction.” Loki sighed, earning him a small slap on his arm from his mother, to which he chuckled.

“You are a very handsome man, he is very fortunate.” She insisted as she held out her arms so to receive her youngest grandchild, Loki handed him to her immediately. “My word, he is gaining weight quickly.” She noted.

“With all he has been eating, I would be concerned if he weren’t.”

“How is Maebh?”

“Exhausted. She has not yet fully recovered from the birth and her injury, which both require her to rest, but now he wants to feed from her day and night, meaning what little rest she does get is broken.” Loki looked to the bedroom, his face displaying his concern.

“Is she eating enough?”

“Truthfully, I think not,” Loki admitted. “I know a mother loses condition after a child, and after a while should return to what she was before, but Maebh has done that already and Vali is not yet two full moons old.”

“That indeed is too quick. If he is feeding as you say he is, he is taking too much of the food she eats as his milk.” Frigga took a moment to think. “Call your maid and have her grind oats, both into flour and just enough to crush them. Add the flour to all Maebh’s meals and have bread baked for her with it. Boil the crushed oats with milk for her, have that done immediately.” She ordered.

Loki did not take the time to question his mother, instead, he called on Gertrude and instructed her on what to do. Gertrude nodded obediently and set about doing what was requested of her immediately. When that was done, Loki turned back to his mother, who was busy making faces at her grandson, causing him to chuckle slightly for a moment. “And this will help Maebh?”

“The oats will both increase her milk, which assists her in feeding Vali, and it is also filling, meaning she will begin to keep her weight.” The queen explained.

“Thank you mother.” Loki smiled with gratitude.

“I would not be much of a mother were I not to help care for my son and his family when it is possible for me to do so.” She looked to Vali again. “She has made you so happy Loki. You deserve everything you now have. I often see her as a gift from the great Odin himself.”

“I feel this goes higher than even him,” Loki stated.

“I know you love Nafi, more than words can express, but to be given a son, a true son.” Loki gulped uncomfortably. “I know you see him as your child, and I commend both you and Maebh for keeping him, and raising him as your own, you are both wonderful parents to him and do not question my love for him either, but in truth, having a child that will carry your line…”

“I know what you are saying, mother. In one respect it is angering to be reminded of that horrid fact, but yes, it is every mans wish to have his son, his successor.”

Frigga studied her son’s face. “What is it Loki?” She was always so close with him over the years; she could see there was something bothering him.

“Of late, I feel as though the Norn’s and Gods alike are insisting on constantly reminding me that Nafi is not mine.”

“How so?”

Loki explained how he came upon Aslaug in the village as she spoke venomously to Maebh, and of her threat to come to visit Nafi. “I thought nothing of it myself, she had little time for him when she lived under the same roof as him, but Maebh has been very concerned that she would do something in spite.”

“There are many that would pay close attention to a new mother’s intuition,” Frigga warned.

Then Loki told his mother of Nafi befriending Barwin Tyrson. Her eyes widened when he told her of the two boys speaking of Tyr.

“That is slightly concerning.” Frigga acknowledged.

“What do you think we should do?”

“It is a difficult situation, Maebh is right, he cannot be forced to remain away from the other boy, it shall have him asking questions, but as you stated, it then leads to a far higher chance of Tyr’s widow seeing him.” Frigga took a long breath as she mulled over what she was going to say. “I would let them remain in each others company, but ensure they are under your watchful eye here, or perhaps even at our home. You have to prepare yourself Loki, the day may come that you may need to tell Nafi the truth.”

“It will destroy him.”

“And you too perhaps, but it may be the right thing to do.”

“What if he states that he wishes to return to her?”

“Then we tell him that our door is always open to him, and await his return.” Loki and Frigga turned to see Maebh standing at the bedroom door, looking almost as exhausted as she had when she had went to sleep. “Is he hungry again?” She indicated to Vali.

“He is almost there, why don’t you get something quick to eat dear before you feed him, strengthen yourself up a little.” Frigga encouraged.

“Always the mother hen.” Maebh smiled, walking over to the table, just as Gertrude placed the bowl in front of her. “How do you know of this meal?”

“How do we know of it, how do you? This has been a staple part of our diet for generations.” Loki explained.

“We have had it that long also; it is a very common breakfast meal on Midgard. I recall when we were young, Daire used grouse when my father used to order us to eat it, complaining that it was the food of peasants and he a prince.” She lifted the spoon, checking the consistency of the oats. “My father always maintained that if it kept the lowliest of peasants fed and capable of the large acts of labour they did, then it would sustain a prince.” She smiled sadly as she thought of her own family, her eyes tearing up slightly.

Loki and Frigga exchanged concerned looks. “Eat up; this little boy needs you back to full strength soon.” Frigga advocated.

It took three bowls of the meal to sate Maebh’s hunger. In that time, Vali had become aware of his mother being in close proximately to him, and began to fuss, trying once again to get to her breast.

“There are barely two mouthfuls left darling; he can wait that long.” Loki insisted as Maebh placed her spoon down and went to take the baby.

“He is right, in fact, I shall change him while you finish; that will distract him long enough for you to get sorted.” Frigga offered, taking the slightly angsty Vali from his father as Maebh finished her food.

“So you think we should tell him?” Loki asked her as he watched his mother exited the room with their smaller child.

“If it appears that he may find out in some other manner, then yes, I do. It is better for it to come from us that from another source.” Maebh put a spoonful of food in her mouth as Loki processed her words and considered his response.

“But you do not think to do so yet?”

Maebh swallowed, shaking her head. “He is only seven summers old. Not to mention, you need to decide exactly what it is you wish to tell him. Do you wish to reveal to him who sired him? You will also have to prepare for any questions he may have, some of which you will not wish to answer, and you need to ready yourself for if he is angry.”

“Do you think he will hate me?”

“I think not. You and he are the victims in all of this Loki. Neither of you did anything wrong to deserve this.”

“I could never figure out why. Why him? Why him repeatedly? Did they love one another? Why did she carry his child and destroy any of mine?” Loki was close to tears, looking at his hands on the table.

“You must accept that you will more than likely never get to know the answers to any of these questions Loki,” Maebh replied sadly. “Even if you were to ask, I doubt she would ever answer truthfully.

Frigga entered the room again with an alert and hungry Vali in her arms, effectively putting an end to their discussion. Maebh took the child from his grandmother and went to sit by the hearth with him. Soon he was feeding contently, Maebh herself feeling far better after the filling meal.

X X X X X X X

Over the following two weeks, Vali continued to feed well, but the alteration to Maebh’s diet meant that she too seemed to gain some weight, much to Loki’s and indeed her own relief.

“Well, this is noteworthy,” Loki commented as he walked into the living area of their home in the early morn to see Maebh sitting in a chair by the still warm embers of the hearth. “Has Vali been awake?”

“No, I just woke myself.”

“And you are not feeling exhausted?” Loki pulled Maebh out of the chair before sitting in it himself and pulling her onto his lap.

She shook her head. “No, I feel well actually.”

“You have been looking so much better of late darling, I think you are finally returning to yourself.” Loki placed a loving kiss on her forehead, which Maebh leaned into. “I have missed you so greatly.”

“You have been home a few weeks, you silly man.”

“Yes, but you have been so tired and weak, not at all your usual self, and yes I know taking care of our beautiful little son is tiring work, but you have not had your usual spark. I missed that.” Loki explained.

Maebh looked at him sadly. “I have missed you also, as you too have been slightly different of late, you seem so concerned all the time.”

“I have been concerned, about the raids, Svartalfheim, Ásvaldr, you, our children; it is all a lot to deal with.”

Maebh combed her fingers through Loki’s hair, pulling them out again when they met resistance from a few tangles. “So we both have not been ourselves of late; I fear our marriage is becoming settled.”

Loki frowned looking at her face. “What does that mean?”

“It means that we are no longer in the early phase of it where we lust for one another incessantly and do not have too many great responsibilities. Now we have children, diplomacy, a seemingly unhinged ex-wife and general chaos in its stead.”

“I do not agree,” Loki replied indignantly. “I still lust for you incessantly.” He swallowed loudly. “Do you not?”

His response was a passionate kiss, one he could clearly read as her expressing her emotions; she yearned for him too, much to his relief. He deepened it, one hand sliding up her thigh as the other was positioned by the nape of her neck. She gasped as he took his lips from hers and began to kiss down her neck to her collarbone. “Loki.” She fisted his slightly tangled hair as he kissed, bit and sucked the protruding bone across her chest, making his way then down between the two mounds of her milk filled breasts.

“They are so much bigger now,” Loki noted, looking at his wife’s chest, which was viewable as the nightdress she was wearing was not tied fully at the front so to allow Vali to feed when needed. “Do they hurt?”

“He fed during the night, so they are not too tender at present. Ah! Loki!” She could not control her words as Loki took them in his hands, kneading them gently.

“I have missed you in every aspect, my love.” He stated, his hips lifting slightly in search of some friction.

“And I you.” Maebh returned as she brought the hand that was not in his hair to his sleep pants, untying them to get them out of the way.

No sooner had she loosened them when Loki lifted his ass enough to pull them down and sit, now bare on the chair. “I do not think we have much time before everyone is awake.”

“Will you last long?”

“After months without you, my darling, I will be lucky if I do not have to satisfy you by other means.” He admitted much to his own shame.

“Well, I feel similar, so…” Maebh lifted herself up on her knees and used her hand to align Loki’s harden shaft against her.

“God’s, you are already ready for me.” Loki’s head lolled back at the amazing sensation. “Is it safe for you to do this again?”

“Yes, Eir stated a week ago that when I got my strength back, it was safe to do so. Although, even with feeding Vali solely from my breast, there is a small chance I can become with child again.”

“Are you alright with...oh Gods, Maebh.” Loki lost his train of thought as Maebh sank down onto him. “How are you still so tight?” He grasped her thighs, not paying any heed to how tightly he did so.

Maebh winced, wondering to herself how having Vali had not meant she would be better able to take her husband quickly. After the initial small pain, the familiar feeling of phenomenal pleasure began to fill her once more. Slowly she rose up and sank back down, repeating the movement as Loki guided her with his hands. All too soon, he began to raise his hips up to meet her thrusts, earning him a few gasps as Maebh attempted to remain quiet so not to wake the children.

“Gods, I love you Maebh.” Loki’s voice was hushed but deep with lust. “I am not going to last much longer.”

Maebh voice remained silent, but her breathing was shallow and harsh as she concentrated on her movements and on her own impending release. She felt the all familiar tightening in her lower abdomen as her body began to clamp around Loki, trying to pull him in deeper and milk him of his seed. She bit her lower lip to prevent the scream she so desperately wanted to release from her lungs as her body shook and she fell over the edge of her pleasure.

Loki pulled her down by the nape of her neck so to stare into her eyes as he too found his release, adoring the feel of Maebh’s body contracting around him as she continued to grind into him as she rode out the last of her own orgasm. Just as hers finished, his started. Unlike Maebh however, he had not been able to prevent the grunts that he vocalized as his seed erupted from his long neglected body.

Both of them gasped for air as they tried to regulate their breathing once more, with their foreheads still touching as they looked into each other's eyes, both filled with adoration. “What if you become with child again?” Loki asked between breaths.

“I said to you before Loki Odinson, I will gladly carry all children you fill me with.” She replied.

“There would barely be a year between them.”

“It is quite unlikely that I will become with child again so soon, it is merely a warning not to be shocked were I to.” Maebh smiled, as Loki began to play with some of her hair.

Loki was about to reply when something caught Maebh’s eye and her face fell in horror. Looking around, Loki realised what it was she was looking at. Nafi was standing at his bedroom door, looking utterly traumatised by the scene in front of him. Thinking fast, Loki covered Maebh’s chest and slowly she rose off him, her night dress falling over her legs again as Loki pulled up his pants, which thankfully was out of the boy’s view before he rose to his feet.

“Together or just you?” Maebh asked quietly.

“This is my job I think,” Loki commented. Nodding, Maebh walked to their bedroom, not able to take the slightly ashamed look from her face as she passed Nafi, who stared at her wordlessly. “We are going for a small walk,” Loki informed him. Nafi just nodded and went to his room to retrieve his boots.

#loki #other #submission #submitted fic #wolfpawn #a warrior's life #chapter 48 #viking au #village #pillaging #raiding #invading #asgard #intriguing

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