inspiration :: sweet and savory

Oh my.The internet is a very good and dangerous place. Full of inspiration of all different kinds. This weekend, in just one quick Flickr browse of my contacts, I stumbled upon this photograph, which in one click led me to this recipe, which promptly got me up off my chair and into the kitchen - stopping only on the way to gather my loves....for a little donut making. It was the perfect antidote to the blizzard that was storming outside.

That recipe? SO easy and SO good. For some reason I was comforted so much by the baked-not-fried aspect that I totally skipped reading the sugar quantities. Oh my. And really, oh well....because they're donuts, right? We don't eat them everyday. Still, if you make them, be sure you have all 8 of your children, or a few neighbors around to share them with. Otherwise, you'll eat them all up and have crazy sick too-much-sugar head. That's no good. The donuts, however, are good. And they are best eaten warm and immediately. Of course. (My babes like the middles.) Thanks for the inspiration, Liz!

And in other kinds of inspiration, I'm honored to be on Inspiration Boards today. You can find that interview here. Thank you Lori, for the interview and all the work you do to keep us inspired on Inspiration Boards!

Comments

[kristin]

ha. i see they stick that 1 1/2 cups of sugar at the end of the recipe, after they mention the first wee amount of sugar. those donuts look amazing each time i see them. and the donut holes look just as good. :) yum!

[heather]

your kids must have flipped when mama declared it was donut making time!

the interview was great too - congratulations! your perfect day and mine sound very similar. ;)

[Jeannette]

haha! thanks a lot!! I'm pregnant, I open your post and see a beautiful picture of donuts. I will be thinking about donuts ALL DAY now.

[Mandi]

We made those Saturday morning they are wonderful without the topping also! A little less sugar?! Maybe;)

[SOULEMAMA]

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Ha! Yes, Mandi, perhaps you are right. I do think it could cut at least in half without noticing!

They were sooo good.

-amanda

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[julie]

Oh, those doughnuts look wonderful!

[Heather, whatchabuildin]

Those donuts look yummy! We make Comfits here, always in April. In honor of my Grandma, who made them with us when we were kids. (her birthday is in April)

I loved the interview on inspiration board. Like many of us, you rotate the "inspirations" on the board. I am cusious what you do with the stuff that you take off the board? That is always a challenge for me. Right now, I am filing it away, because some of the things I can't bare to part with! I was thinking collage would be a fun way to "keep it around me". Any ideas??

Have a great day!

[crimson]

Oh Yum!

[anj]

We tried that same recipe last month. I agree, eat right out of the oven. Love that the donut holes weren't ignored. Baked doughnuts never tasted so good.

[maya]

must. not. look. at. recipe.

[kristy]

yum...*trying to think of justification to make them even though it will only be two of us eating them*

[hannah]

thanks a lot amanda....

[Liz]

Whoops!

In my haste to bust that blizzard, I forgot to mention that I halved the sugar, and used half whole wheat pastry flour. You know, to make them more healthy. ;)

[SOULEMAMA]

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Sorry, Hannah. ;)

Liz - ah! Yes...the flour would explain the different color between mine and yours. And the sugar - after all the dunking, I ended up with a whole bowl full of (organic, expensive!) sugar leftover. So half sounds JUST right.

Mnn...looks like I need to try out this new variation on the recipe. yes, yes...I like this.

-amanda

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[Cheryl]

Oh wow, sounds like I will be doing some baking of donuts in the next few days. They looked so good! I love the donut holes. You can eat more and not feel too guilty. Thanks for sharing.

[natasha s]

As we would say in Ol' Blighty (even though I am here in the USA!!)

YUM SCRUM,PIGS BUM!!!!!

Don't ask!!LOL
Natasha

[meg]

My mother used to make donuts every Sunday. She would let them rise while we were at church and when we got back we'd set a big pot of oil on the stove. I have fond memories of being very little and shaking hot donuts in a paper bag full of sugar. Thanks for this post, I had almost forgotten.

[Melana]

loving the photo of your studio: who wouldn't be inspired in there??
i saw liz's donuts, and now with your donut success, i shall have to try. looks delicious.

[Tara]

Looks like I've found our afternoon project! A perfect way to spend this yucky, rainy/icey storm. Although, with only two of us here today to enjoy them, we'll definitely be refrigerating AT LEAST half the batch to bake off tomorrow morning! Thanks for the links, Amanda!

[Claudia]

Amanda, there is an expression in Italian (my mother language) that is just perfect for you. We say "you are a a VOLCANO (full) of ideas". You' re not just inspiring. You're a lot more...

[QALBALLAH]

I put ten pounds on just *looking* at those doughnuts....

[Mintyfresh]

I saw those donuts on Flickr also and if I'd had yeast I think I would have already made them. As it is, they're in my mental queue of recipes! Because: YUM.

[Melinda]

long ago, as a homesick-for-the-midwest housewife & mother, when a freak snow storm deposited a whopping one inch of snow on Dallas, and brought the city to a stand still, my mother made homemade donuts...she has continued this tradition, and now still makes donuts in celebration of the first snow of the year...(her grandkids & grown kids wouldn't let her forget if she tried!)thanks for reviving these memories!

[Sonya]

Those look so yummy!

I also love your bulletin board. It oozes creativity! :) Did you just cover a regular corkboard with fabric?

[melissa s.]

Those look tempting. It's not blizzarding here, but it's foggy...does that count? I think so. We're on our way to the kitchen!

[Heather]

Oh my, and oh well, indeed! What a treat. My mum used to make donuts called groovy loops for us as a treat. They were delicious!

[Melissa]

Thanks for sharing! My husband works in bakery (one of the main things he does is fry donuts!) so I think he will find this really interesting! I'm sure we will be trying this soon! Thanks again!

[Betsy]

I am soo making these this weekend!! Yum, they look so good!

[brandie]

dude. i am making these today.

[Berlinswhimsy]

YUMMMM!!! My kids would love a project like that one.

Inspiration? That bottom photograph provides lots of inspiration alone!!;-)

[Magpie Ima]

They look so good. But I've limited myself to doughnuts only during Chanukah (when we eat a throughly astounding quantity around here).

[jenn]

we could use a blizzard buster around here as well...maybe these would be a great breakfast tomorrow!

[coastalgirl]

The Faithful Doughnut

Far across the ocean,
Far across the sea,
A faithful jelly doughnut
Is waiting just for me.

Its sugar shines with longing,
Its jelly glows with tears;
My doughnut has been waiting there
For twenty-seven years.

O faithful jelly doughnut,
I beg you don't despair!
My teeth are in Toronto, but
My heart is with you there.

And I will cross the ocean,
And I will cross the sea,
And I will crush you to my lips.
And make you one with me.
--Dennis Lee (author of kid's book Alligator Pie and Dinosaur Dinner)

[PamperingBeki]

Sweet Mama those look delicious!! I think we'll be trying those soon. :)

[Pam]

Just last weekend, my children were asking if I could "make" them some donuts ... they have food allergies and cannot eat donuts from a store.

Thank you so very much for the inspiration again; and your interview was great. Looking forward to seeing your book in less than a month!

Best wishes to you and your family.

[Lori]

amanda - thank you again for the interview - and now thank you for the doughnut recipe!! i'm definitely trying this!

re: heather's question up there about what you do with the things you take down off your inspiration board - i'd be curious, too! :^) i can tell you what i do - i have a great kolo photo album where each page is one big pocket - i can fill the pocket with an assortment of things taken from my board and they are all easily accessible (just pull them out the top) but meanwhile look like mini inspiration boards. ;^)

[Heather]

Hey Lori,
This is a great idea, thanks! I'll have to search for that Kolo photo album. Still 'am curious Amanda what you do :)

[Rachel]

Those look delicious!

[Elizabeth]

Ooh, I'm wondering if after dinner is a bit late to start these.......?

[Amy]

Those look so good! (Okay... I'm off to take a look at the recipe.)

[shari]

oh yum. i know what i'm doing this weekend. ;) lovely interview and photos amanda. hugs!

[oliver rain]

Yummy, donuts. My mom used to make donuts like those when we were growing up. Makes me hungry thinking about it. I love the colour of the walls in that last photo.

[liz]

my 3 year old daughter who asks to go and get donuts every day thanks you for the great link!

[Julie @ Letter9]

Yum. : ) I remember making donuts in elementary school and thinking "gee, this is so easy" and then never ever doing it again. Might have to remedy that because those look so good. MMM.

[Annie]

Oh gosh, I didn't need to see this!

Thanks for sharing though, blogs are a dangerous place too :)

[tzbrink]

Yummity yum yum!
I'm not sure what's more yummy, the dougnut or the hole.
Looks delicious.

[Sophie Blanc]

Hey there Amanda, Came across your blog through a friend's blog and am loving your beautiful photography and inspiring art/craft/cooking and am now checking in every day. I'm slightly in awe but definitely inspired and going off now to see if I can make those baked doughnuts - they sound delicious.... now if only I could whip up a blizzard to eat them in!!!

[Lolla Moon]

too bad the recipe is in "cups" (i don't understand the concept, i can only think in grams or kilos), otherwise i'd be out of that chair and into the kitchen right now, too. beautiful picture of certainly delicious donuts!

[amanda]

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(a little delayed, but maybe you'll still see this!)
Heather and Lori -

Yes! So...when I clean the board off, the pieces end up in a few places, depending on what it is - an 'inspiration' folder in my filing cabinet; in the children's memory boxes; in the scrap paper pile to be turned into art; or sometimes - in the recycle bin.

I like keeping that file folder because often I'll tuck something away in there, only to find it a year later and be re-inspired by looking at it with fresh eyes.

I do love your photo album idea, too, Lori!

--amanda

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[Kristin]

You can't do that! You shouldn't be allowed to post such yummy looking pictures of homemade doughnuts. sigh....maybe I'll be making doughnuts today.

[Jill]

I think I just did a terrible thing. I made these donuts tonight (and I realize now that I didn't start early enough)and they were done baking around 8:30. 3 boys and a husband each wolfed down 2 of them. And now 3 boys will probably have difficulty getting to sleep and have sugar nightmares. The sounds that came from their mouths while eating them, though, were just priceless. My favorite comment was this: better than any donut I'VE ever had! Thanks for sharing the recipe.

[Alicia P.]

How great -- I was just going to open a package of Pillsbury biscuits and make a few of those into donuts myself. After I get off YouTube, etc.

[justyn]

you inspired me! See the images here:
http://www.strotherfamily.blogspot.com

[LauraJ]

The interview was wonderful...a phrase struck home with me and will change my perspective on creating things for others: "the love that went into what I made seemed to overshadow any of the imperfections".
I'm a perfectionist and this phrase gives me permission to love what I do. I'f I spend too much time trying to make something perfect I'm not putting enough love into the created piece. An a-Ha moment on a Tuesday morning. Thank you.