Merry Christmas!

I haven't had a chance to blog much lately, as I have been traveling recently both inside the United States (Miami) and outside the United States (just returned from Sydney, Australia!)

I will be back to blogging regularly again soon!

Que ce jour vous porte bonheur!

The French tradition of giving lily of the valley flowers (Muguet-du-Bois) on May Day is believed to have begun on May 1, 1561, when King Charles IX of France was presented with a bunch of lily of the valley flowers as a token of luck and prosperity for the coming year.

Who doesn't need a little extra good luck and happiness?!

Next to lilacs, lilies of the valley are one of my favorite make-me-happy flowers.

Happy Earth Day!

A serendipitous coinky-dink that these watercolors are from the Qor Earth color palette - Naples Yellow, Sap Green and Indigo. . .?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

"For each petal on the shamrock
This brings a wish your way -
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day."

Happy Summer Solstice!

The Summer Solstice is a doorway into the second half of the year, energizing the paths that lead within.  Stand on the threshold and reflect upon your unique journey and focus on what you wish to nurture and develop during coming months as we shift back inward.

(Well said, Yoga Haven!)

World Turtle Day

"Yertle"

This is my watercolor turtle!

Be sure to visit the World Turtle Day (American Tortoise Rescue) website to learn more about tortoises and turtles, and ways to help save and protect them.

Today is National Oatmeal Cookie Day!

“I'd make oatmeal cookies."
"Cookies?"
"I would. That's just what I would do."
"Why?"
He lifts one hand from the steering wheel and pinches his chin. "Because the world is changing so fast all the time. There's nothing you can do but just say, 'cool,' and roll with it. But some things can stay the same. Flour is still flour. Vanilla still smells like vanilla. Say a giant fireball is motoring toward us right now from Alha Centauri. Okay, universe. You expect us to run and scream and kill one another? Sorry, we're making oatmeal freaking cookies.”

― R.A. Nelson, Breathe My Name

And here are three recipes I have tried and enjoyed.  (I would say my favorite is the Oatmeal Raisin one.  They truly did "vanish" around the house after I made them.)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pecan

This is from the December 2007 issue of Cooking Light Magazine - Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies

*The reviews were mixed on this, so I took some, but not all of the advice and followed part but not all of the recipe.  The one thing I did which I regret, was adding Penzeys Cake Spice instead of cinnamon.  Some of my testers liked it, I didn't really.  Perhaps I put too much in, almost 1 teaspoonful.  I've used this in other recipes with great results - especially cinnamon and raisin bread.  But not this one.  I don't think it played nicely with the chocolate chips.   Which I used regular sized as opposed to the mini chips.

I also added an extra egg white, as some others reported the dough as dry.  The one thing I did do was weigh the flour as opposed to just using measuring cups.  That could be a reason why some had a dry dough, perhaps too much flour.  

And I always use unsalted butter.  I skipped the parchment paper, just because I am lucky to have the Williams-Somoma Gold Touch cookie sheets!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (about 5 1/2 ounces)*

1 cup regular oats

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened*

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg*

1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate mini chips*

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt), stirring with a whisk; set aside.

Place sugars and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and egg; beat until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Stir in pecans and minichips. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.

Oatmeal Raisin

These are the Quaker Oats "Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies" recipe found on the underside of the lid. 

Ingredients: 

1/2 Cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened

3/4 Cup  firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 Cup granulated sugar

2 Eggs

1 Teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2 Cups all-purpose flour

1 Teaspoon(s) Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon salt (optional)

3 Cups Quaker® Oats (I used old fashioned, uncooked)

1 Cup raisins

Preparation:  

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Makes 4-5 dozen

Oatmeal Pecan

And if you like nuts instead, this Oatmeal Pecan cookie recipe also a favorite of ours from Taste of Home's Simple and Delicious magazine.  The secret ingredient is Rice Krispies!

Click here for the December 2, 2007 post.

Happy Valentine's Day!

"Instead of looking for love, give it;

Constantly renew it in yourself and you will always feel its presence within you.

It will always be there smiling at you,

gazing on you kindly."

                                                                                                  ~Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov

Valentine "French Fry" Treat Box!

My sister came up with this unique - and FREE to you!! - Valentine Treat holder, which looks like a french fry container!

Here's the link to her blog for your free download and instructions, and even more ideas!

Happy Chinese New Year - Year of the Horse

Bonne Fête du Travail!

  Convallaria majalis

May Day in France is celebrated by giving loved ones a bouquet of Lily of the Valley for good luck!

How perfectly fitting it is also the birth flower for the month of May.

I remember how Coty had a perfume which was only available in the Spring - Muguet des bois.  Oh, how I loved the scent!  It smelled just like lilies of the valley!  The drug store I worked at carried it.  I used my employee discount - 20%, and it was still a coveted luxury for a teenage girl.  I was able to afford the push-up solid stick.  The spray, was aspirational.

Too late for my birthday, too early for Christmas present

I tried to make it last until the next year, but I loved it too much!

Remember this ad?

Perfect Timing!

My purple shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day!

Oxalis Triangularis

I am so loving my new iPhone!

August 19, 1984

"So you shall share all that he doth possess,

By having him, making yourself no less."

~Lady Capulet
 from Romeo and Juliet

Eggstraspecial

I bought this bag of wool-covered eggs as soon as Target set out their Easter goodies. A little pricey at $8, but to me they looked more expensive than that. And with two different sizes, ideas were just bumping around in my mind. I thought I could either display them in a bowl, glue onto a wreath or, slightly squishing the bag, thread them onto a garland. I decided to go with the latter. (And yes, I kept that 11" pink ribbon for another time, another use)

I must have bought 20 yards of this lace trim years ago, probably 20 years ago. It was a great sale at Jo-Ann's -- 10 cents a yard. I definitely have gotten my money and many projects from it. I should have bought more! The Bohn Rubber Pullers saved my fingers and sanity trying to push and pull the needle through - Aha! Surprise! Plastic shell underneath the wool covering.



Next year I could unthread them and repurpose for another decorating craft project...display in a bowl, glue onto a wreath. . . An $8 Easter egg investment definitely well spent.

Earth Hour - 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM

Turn out your lights at 8:30 PM tonight in your Earth time zone! Click here for more information.

St. Joseph's Day Bread Recipe

Also known as Pane di San Guiseppe. I modified this for the bread machine. Use the 1 1/2 pound setting.

3 cups bread machine flour
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
2/3 cup hot water, but not too hot
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 teaspoons star anise, ground (powdered
1/4 teaspoon Penzeys Baking Spice (optional)
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon cornmeal*

To help protect the yeast, put the ingredients in this order in your bread machine pan -- water, butter, salt, honey, flour and yeast. Add the raisins at the nut/fruit chime signal. If possible, remove the mixing paddle before the final rise and baking, and sprinkle the top of dough with the cornmeal.

This tastes great warm or cooled the next day.
Don't just bake it on March 19, to celebrate the Feast Day of St. Joseph, but enjoy year-round on any day!*The cornmeal represents the sawdust, since St. Joseph was a carpenter by trade.

Happy First Day of Spring!

Happy St. Joseph's Day!

Today is the Feast Day of St. Joseph. I've always liked him. He was a carpenter, creating things with his hands; a patron saint of the home and family, and especially fathers. Bakers also consider him their patron saint. So to celebrate all these attributes, I am going to try and make Pane di San Guiseppe. I found an interesting recipe, but am going to have to play around with the ingredients and see if I can make it in the bread machine.

Click here for the recipe - it turned out really good!

O' The Green Shamrock

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy Pi Day!

In honor of Pi Day, I am making a pie! Chocolate Cream Pie with a graham cracker crust.
From Cooking Light - The Complete Cooking Light Cookbook

Graham Cracker Crust

40 graham crackers (10 full cookie sheets)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg white
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350. Place crackers in a food processor; process until crumbly. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, butter and egg white; pulse 6 times or just until moist. Press crumb mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9" pie plate coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Cream Pie

Graham cracker crust
2 cups fat-free milk, divided - 1/2 cup and 1 1/2 cups
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups frozen reduced calorie whipped topping -- NOTE: I hate Cool-Whip so I just use whipped cream around the edge of the pie and a spritz in the center to make it look pretty.
3/4 teaspoon grated semisweet chocolate

Combine 1/2 cup milk, 2/3 cup sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, salt and egg in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Heat 1 1/2 cups milk over medium-high heat in a heavy saucepan to 180 or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Remove from heat. Gradually add hot milk to sugar mixture; stir constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Add chopped chocolate, cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.

Pour into prepared piecrust; cover surface of filling with plastic wrap. Chill 3 hours or until cold. Remove plastic wrap; spread whipped topping evenly over filling (or whipped cream around edges). Sprinkle with grated chocolate. Yield 10 servings