Two Continent Baking

An unexpected afternoon activity started with this blurry photo I took and sent to Claire.

I'd just come home from a meeting and looked through the window of our kitchen door before unlocking it. There was Kaylee, head on my shoes, fast asleep which just made me laugh to see her comfy little bed nearby, and yet she chose that spot!

Before inserting my key and waking her, I snapped a photo and sent it to Claire, knowing she'd enjoy seeing it (we do this a lot - just sending pictures of random things in our days to stay close).

This began a text conversation with Claire that lasted over the next few hours!

While she was in Oregon I'd heard about the donuts she'd made with my mom, so I wrote asking for the recipe. This set into motion a donut baking afternoon!

Through just texts and photos, she kept me company the whole time I was mixing, baking and tasting...me in our kitchen in Czech, her in Tyler and Lara's kitchen in Chicago!

This funny little one kept me company too. But unlike Claire, who knew she wouldn't get to sample my donuts in person, this one had high hopes that she would.

She did get one eensy, weensy tiny piece to satisfy her!

From the moment I started whisking dry ingredients together, Claire and I were texting back and forth making funny comments and sending smily faces, remembering the many times we'd cooked and baked together when she was at home.

So many funny texts back and forth!

"The batter looks a bit thick. Did you put all the liquid in?" ~Claire

"Ha ha...I was actually going to tell you that the batter seemed THIN to me!" ~Mom

"How soon after they bake do you dip them in butter and cinnamon/sugar?" ~Mom

"I left them in the pan for about 5-10 minutes and then let them cool on a rack". ~Claire

"I like to bake. I like to clean up. But I don't like to bake AND clean up." ~Mom

Claire and I had a great system when she was at home. We'd take turns with baking/cooking and clean-up. I was missing her hands yesterday as I started making a mess while putting together all the ingredients.

But a cup of Gloria Jeans decaf caramel coconut macadamia coffee helped see me through. Seriously yummy coffee!

This recipe for "Maple Sea Salt Donuts" is gluten free, but you would seriously never know it! They turned out perfectly delicious the first time.

I greased the donut pan with a little bit of coconut oil and those donuts came right out after they'd cooled for just a few minutes.

Because Claire told me too, I actually skipped the maple sea salt glaze (which I guess means the recipe would just be called "Donut"! HAHA!), and just went for a little dip in butter, then cinnamon and sugar while they were still just a bit warm.

And voila!! Beautiful donuts for an afternoon treat!

I'm telling you, twelve donuts didn't sit there very long!

While we were baking together (albeit, long distance) she was sending me a few photos from her time at my parent's house in Oregon, which included a day with Caleb and Haley who DROVE there from Chicago!! Dad and mom took them all to the Oregon coast on the one day they overlapped while visiting.

See Claire's gorgeous blog post HERE for more of those photos.

We kept texting, even when she left Tyler and Lara's house and headed into Highland Park to a tea shop. They actually had better weather in Chicago than we had here (rainy and drizzly all day).

And the ones for whom the donuts were made? They were pretty happy I'd spent an afternoon of baking across the continents with Claire!