Opening at Valentine

                                            

                      Woody Guthrie�s Wardy Forty: 

              Greystone Park State Hospital Revisited,

                  Opening Friday March 21 from 6-9

            The exhibit runs through Sunday April 13

 A new book by Phillip Buehler, reveals a largely unknown slice of American icon and folk music legend Woody Guthrie�s life. Woody Guthrie�s Wardy Forty brings into view the five years the singer, songwriter, and activist spent as a patient at Greystone Park State Hospital in Morris Plains, New Jersey. Afflicted with Huntington�s disease (HD), Guthrie lived the last 15 years of his life in hospitals, suffering from this degenerative neurological disorder. One of these hospitals was Greystone Park, where he was a patient from 1956 through 1961. He lived in Ward 40 and called it �Wardy Forty.� It was here that 19-year-old Bob Dylan met his idol and the torch was symbolically passed to a new generation of folk singer.

Phillip Buehler has spent much of his life climbing over fences and into windows to explore the ruins of 20^th century America. Greystone Park had been abandoned for over 40 years when Buehler first slipped past the state police station and climbed through an open window. After coming across thousands of negatives in the deserted darkroom, he researched the hospital and discovered that Woody Guthrie once lived there. He reached out to Guthrie�s daughter Nora Guthrie at the Woody Guthrie Foundation & Archives, who gave him Guthrie�s case number. Buehler was then able to pull negatives from Guthrie�s files at Greystone Park, beginning a 10-year journey that led to Woody Guthrie�s Wardy Forty: Greystone Park State Hospital Revisited.

The exhibit at Valentine will focus on, historic photographs, projections and items from the files at Greystone as well as new photographs by Buehler The book will be available for viewing and purchase.

hello! i'm back with a nutella mini donut recipe.

Hello! I'm back from a three month blogging break. And with a mini donut recipe of all things.

A few of you've asked where I've been and how I'm doing. If you follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter you know I'm alive and eating well. What you may not know is that I've spent the last two months doing a lot of soul searching after leaving my job of almost five years. You see, the position didn't quite fit me anymore and so I've spent most of this new year trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. It's been a time of introspection, coupled with many long chats with Scott, my family and my ladyfriends (often over macarons at Duchess). I toyed with the idea of remaining a Lady of Leisure, but that just isn't cutting it anymore. Neither is Lays Dill Pickle Chip Eater, Judge Judy Watcher or Professional Dog Walker. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed my time at home immensely, but I need (and want) to be working -- writing, editing, creating, storytelling, helping and connecting with people. It's time to make way for the new and for the first time since leaving, I'm ready to start looking for opportunities which provide me exactly that. If you know of any such positions in the Edmonton area, let me know! And if you don't, I'd appreciate any positive job search vibes sent my way. Thanks, friends.

Anyway, I've missed you! And I have so much to share now after being off the blogging train for months, holy smokes (including posts on spring fashion, relationship tips, our house refresh and one I'm working on gaining the courage to share). It was great to take a break, but I'm happy to be back. And I'm glad to have you back here, too.

Moving on to the donuts.

I'm a Nutella addict and have been since I was a toddler. In Croatia and Bosnia, we ate Nutella slathered on palacinke (cr�pes) for breakfast, on bread at lunch, and as a late night snack. There have been too many sticky chocolatey fingers in my life to mention. These days, our house is never without a jar and I've spread it on just about everything. On any given day you can probably find me in the kitchen eating it with a spoon straight out of the jar. You do that too, right? Well then, this recipe should help us all switch it up a little.

These donuts are ridiculously delicious and have Nutella in the batter and frosting. I made them for a Bachelor Finale party I attended which, by the way, was the most awkward and bananas finale I've ever seen. I'm still trying to make sense of what happened, but that's a whole other blog post. Yikes.

Here's what you need to make them...

Nutella Mini Donut
Yields 30 mini donuts

For donuts:
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Nutella
1 large egg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For frosting:
1 tablespoon whole milk
2 tablespoons Nutella
1/2 cup powdered sugar

If using an electric donut maker, preheat according to manufacture�s instructions (I have this one & love it). If using donut pans, preheat oven to 350�F and grease donut pans.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together Nutella and sugar. Carefully add egg, milk, and oil; mixing until throughly combined. Then, alternating the flour mixture and milk, combine all ingredients until there are no lumps.

If using mini donut pans: Carefully fill each donut indention 3/4 full. Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the donut comes out clean. Transfer donuts to a cooling rack and cool completely.

If using an electric mini donut maker: Carefully fill each donut indention 3/4 full. Bake according to manufactures instructions, or until a toothpick inserted in the donut comes out clean. Remove from appliance, transfer to a cooling rack, and let cool completely.

Place wax paper under a wire rack to collect any drippings for an easy clean up. Then, in a small bowl whisk together Nutella and powdered sugar., Slowly add milk, whisking constantly, until you get a smooth frosting.

Dip the top of each donut into the frosting and transfer to a wire rack and let set for 5 minutes. Donuts can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days, but are best served fresh.

If you can clear a wee bit of time this week, you should give them a whirl! You'll be thankful you did - and so will everyone else who eats them!

Recipe from Mini Donuts.