I recently read a very inspiring post on Darling magazine’s website about celebrating our small and large moments of victory, fanning the flames of our goals, and daring to actually live out those crazy dreams we have for our lives. I know I’ve been pretty wordy about goal-setting and intentions on my last few posts, but I have no apologies. We all need a little motivation; I’m seriously preaching to myself.

Lately, I’ve had a few setbacks with the goals I’ve written for myself. I dealt with a case of bronchitis, and I had to stop running for a few weeks. My work schedule has been a little unpredictable, and my finances have taken a toll. I have over-committed and have had some difficulty finding a sense of balance, in turn, hurting a couple of friends and family members as a result.

I can only pick up where I left off with those situations and do my best from this point on. I’ve slowly built my running mileage up to four miles a run, and I’ve tightened up my budget. As far as the fragile relationships go, I’m making room for quality time and making sure I am giving my full attention to the person I’m spending time with.

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“We have to reach for our goals but, more than that, we have to hold on and live them, until they’re the only truths we believe in.”

– Megan Magers

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Sometimes, it is tough holding onto our goals. When we are met with setbacks. When we’re the only ones who see any progress. When we supposedly “fail.” When no validation comes our way. It’s at those points where it is so important to stay strong and remind ourselves WHY we made our choices and commitments in the first place.

So, I’ve gotten back on my feet and am trying to make something beautiful from my mistakes. This brings me to my recent marmalade mishap: I botched a batch and couldn’t get the marmalade to set. I wanted to toss out the six jars I canned. I was livid with the results.

At first.

I could’ve thrown that batch away, and I would’ve missed out on the opportunity to expand my creativity. I’ve used that runny, but oh-so-vibrantly-tasty batch of marmalade in more ways than I would have, had it been “perfect.”  It has found its way into a ginger-soy stir-fry sauce, as a dipping sauce for gyoza, over toast, in a gin cocktail, over granola, and drizzled over these Meyer lemon bundt cakes {recipe loosely adapted from this recipe on Food Network}. I think the bundt cake glaze is my most favorite incorporation of the sweet, citrus-y jam.

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meyer lemon + thyme olive oil cakes

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• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, in solid form
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for flouring bundt pans
• 1 cup cane sugar
• zest from 3 lemons
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2/3 cup Greek yogurt or skyr
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon chopped, fresh thyme

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease the lining of the bundt pans with the coconut oil and lightly dust with flour.
3. In a food processor, pulse the sugar and lemon zest until integrated.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, again, pulsing until integrated.
5. Add the olive oil and yogurt and pulse for about 30 seconds, until all of the ingredients are blended.
6. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and fresh thyme.
7. Pour the flour mixture, in three separate passes, into the olive oil mixture, pulsing just until combined.
8. Pour the final mixture into the greased and floured bundt pans and bake for 25-30 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and let the cakes cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
10. Transfer to a cooling rack. If the cakes don’t want to release easily, use a knife to separate the cake from the edges of the pan.

• I tested this recipe using a 6-piece mini-bundt pan. If you choose to use a 12-piece mini-bundt pan, decrease the baking time, checking on the cakes after 22 or so minutes.
• Remember to grease the middle part of the bundt pan molds! I forgot to do this, and each cake didn’t want to release easily, since that middle portion was stuck.
  

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marmalade glaze

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• 3 tablespoons marmalade
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. In a saucepan, combine the marmalade, coconut oil, and lemon juice over medium heat.
2. As soon as the mixture reaches a slow, bubbly boil, quickly reduce to a low simmer.
3. Whisk in powdered sugar.
4. Reduce for about five minutes or to desired thickness.
5. Remove from heat and let stand for 20-30 minutes to thicken further, as it cools.
6. Drizzle over lemon olive oil cakes.

• If you don’t have any marmalade, you may substitute 3 tablespoons orange juice and simply mix all ingredients together without heating on the stove.
  

And now, let’s take this dessert to another level.

How so? Dessert wine. After a meal, I am always excited to pair a dessert wine with my sweet baked goods or even some cheese. The citrus notes in this particular recipe pair perfectly with Sauternes, a dessert wine from the Bordeaux region of France, made from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes. I didn’t have a Sauternes on hand, but I did have a Sauternes-like dessert wine from Italy, Anselmi’s “I Capitelli”, Passito Blanco.

I hadn’t tried it before, and I was completely blown away. This nectar-like, sweet wine is complex and balanced with vibrant acidity and provided ample notes of honey, dried apricot, brûléed peaches. I would also enjoy this dessert wine simply by itself, alongside fresh fruit, or with a salted caramel crème brûlée.

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Anselmi “I Capitelli” Passito Blanco, Italy, 2011

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• Off the vine – 100% Garganega {the primary grape used to produce Soave}
• On the eyes  –  golden honey-hued.
• On the nose  –  rich, concentrated aromas of white peach, sweet apricot, honey, and caramel.
• On the palate  –  full-bodied and viscous with notes of honey, maple, and ripe peaches.
• On the table  –  excellent alongside fresh fruit, lemon cake, light pastries, and even with steamed lobster. It can definitely stand up and complement a funky bleu cheese.
• On the shelf  –  around $40 {375 mL}.
• On the ears  –  I think I’ve listened to Royksopp‘s latest, and supposedly final, album, The Inevitable End {November 2014}, at least once a day for the last three weeks. Right now, my favorite track is “Skulls.” I may have danced around the kitchen with this one blasting. I’m comfortably listening to this album right now on headphones, so there won’t be any neighborly casualties. 😉 The video to this track is definitely worth checking out, especially if you have major beard crushes, like I do.

I also want to add that it is so important to celebrate our accomplishments, the large breakthroughs and the little victories, and not just focus on the hiccups, roadblocks, or setbacks. Even though each of our victories leads us closer to our goals, we have to remember that life happens along the way, in the mix. We have to take time to revel in those small, happy moments.

Let me know if you end up making this recipe, this decadent product of an originally perceived failure. They were absolutely delicious and had the best texture, almost like a sour cream cake doughnut. I ended up eating two of these mini-bundt cakes the night I baked them. And I didn’t feel any guilt about it! It was a victorious celebration, after all, right?

Happy weekend! I’ll be tucked away inside my house for a couple of days. The forecast is calling for well over a foot of snow. We’ll see how well that prediction holds. I’m betting on maybe five inches!

Cheers!

Jayme