This week I have learned that.............
I LOVE Colorado and miss it dearly. So good to be back.
Chickens are both interesting and weird.
I love kitties. And dogs. But not so much squirrels.
Family weddings are the best kind.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Nifty Ideas: Wedding
Another round of fantastic nifty ideas I have discovered. You too may become inspired by these nifty things and in turn create your own. If you have any of your own nifty ideas please share them with me I'd love to learn about what is nifty to you!
This week's theme is weddings in honor of my sister-in-law's upcoming wedding.
The highlight of most wedding receptions is the Bar. That's for grownups what about the kids? Creating a bar for them by using candy is the way to go. A well set up Candy Bar is sure to be the highlight of the wedding for all the kids. Think of the fun you can have creating this with all those colorful candies in pretty jars.
Need some unique ideas for what to do at your wedding? Try this site Unique Wedding Ideas for inspiration.
Planning a Bride's picnic or afternoon tea? These very cute little picnic basket favors would be just the thing to set on the table.
If you will have lots of children at the wedding and are concerned about ways to keep them occupied there are some great ideas from the Colorado Weddings Magazine for Entertaining the Children.
This week's theme is weddings in honor of my sister-in-law's upcoming wedding.
The highlight of most wedding receptions is the Bar. That's for grownups what about the kids? Creating a bar for them by using candy is the way to go. A well set up Candy Bar is sure to be the highlight of the wedding for all the kids. Think of the fun you can have creating this with all those colorful candies in pretty jars.
Need some unique ideas for what to do at your wedding? Try this site Unique Wedding Ideas for inspiration.
Planning a Bride's picnic or afternoon tea? These very cute little picnic basket favors would be just the thing to set on the table.
If you will have lots of children at the wedding and are concerned about ways to keep them occupied there are some great ideas from the Colorado Weddings Magazine for Entertaining the Children.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Lessons
This week I have learned that......
There is always one more thing to do just before you go on a long trip.
For some reason it is so difficult to find 2 pairs of white sandals for my girls. Why must it be so hard when I really need something?
I am beat after packing for 4 people. It's such a drain on my thinker.
Trying to get everything in a smallish bag that is not going to kill my back is really a challenge.
There is always one more thing to do just before you go on a long trip.
For some reason it is so difficult to find 2 pairs of white sandals for my girls. Why must it be so hard when I really need something?
I am beat after packing for 4 people. It's such a drain on my thinker.
Trying to get everything in a smallish bag that is not going to kill my back is really a challenge.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Where I try to make a Strawberry Rhubarb pie
Pie is pie right? Well, sort of. When using things I know of, know their ways and such it is an easy task. Then I happen to see all that fab looking rhubarb at the market and those strawberries, well, how can I not want to make them into a pie? So, there I was, considering that strange looking celery and wondering if I should give it a go. I might have been talking to myself, all the thoughts spilling from my mouth as I verbally decided, since there were a few folks watching me closely. Good thing there was a crazy woman wrestling the plastic sacks throwing apples around. Compared to her I looked quite sane. I may have talked out loud but I didn't curse the fruit and plastic sacks before going to fondle the greeting cards. (Shopping during the day is quite an experience.)
Alright. When I got the fruit home it sat on my counter and I considered it some more.
Rhubarb.
Red looking celery thing with poisonous leaves.
Someone thought it worthy of pie. And someone learned the leaves are poisonous.
Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb....well time you became pie.
For the first time in a long while I had to go find me a pie recipe. I have no idea what to do with this rhubarb stuff and how much to use and well, everything. I found one that looked right good. A lady named Elise created her recipe by taking the best of two others she used previously. As I gathered my ingredients I noticed on the back of the box of tapioca there was a recipe for the pie. Well then, that's how it always goes, eh? Finally the pirate chef in me said 'to heck with one or the other, just use 'em as guidelines' and so I did. I added some things I had that I think would be a good twist and the result is my own recipe.
All hope abandon ye who use this recipe.
Pirate Strawbe(arrrrr!)y Rhubarb Pie
pastry for a 9 inch pie
2 cups rhubarb stalks cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup quick cooking tapioca
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder (I use Nielsen-Massey brand of Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla powder)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix together the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, tapioca, orange peel, ginger, and vanilla powder. Let rest 10 minutes. Roll out pastry, lining the pie pan with one crust. Gently mix the ingredients once more before turning out into the pastry lined pan. Top with second pastry, trim edges and crimp together the pastry. Cut slits in the top to vent. Place pie on baking sheet, put pie shield on top of crust edges. If you do not have a pie shield of any sort then you'll have to make your own from foil. Simply tear off thin strips (usually I use 3), about 2-4 inches, and mold around the pie crust edges. Be careful not to squish it on too tight, you'll want room for the crust to bake so that the foil does not pierce the pastry. Alternately you can fold a 12-inch foil square into quarters. With scissors, cut out center and round off edges. That should make a 2-inch-wide ring once unfolded. Place foil ring over pie.
Bake pie for 20 minutes, reduce heat to 350°F and bake an additional 30-40 minutes. Cool on a rack. This pie should cool completely before serving. If you can not wait just be prepared for the filling to be runny. Don't worry because the tapioca will set once the filling is cool, but there may not be any pie left once you get a taste.
Alright. When I got the fruit home it sat on my counter and I considered it some more.
Rhubarb.
Red looking celery thing with poisonous leaves.
Someone thought it worthy of pie. And someone learned the leaves are poisonous.
Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb....well time you became pie.
For the first time in a long while I had to go find me a pie recipe. I have no idea what to do with this rhubarb stuff and how much to use and well, everything. I found one that looked right good. A lady named Elise created her recipe by taking the best of two others she used previously. As I gathered my ingredients I noticed on the back of the box of tapioca there was a recipe for the pie. Well then, that's how it always goes, eh? Finally the pirate chef in me said 'to heck with one or the other, just use 'em as guidelines' and so I did. I added some things I had that I think would be a good twist and the result is my own recipe.
All hope abandon ye who use this recipe.
Pirate Strawbe(arrrrr!)y Rhubarb Pie
pastry for a 9 inch pie
2 cups rhubarb stalks cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup quick cooking tapioca
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder (I use Nielsen-Massey brand of Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla powder)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix together the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, tapioca, orange peel, ginger, and vanilla powder. Let rest 10 minutes. Roll out pastry, lining the pie pan with one crust. Gently mix the ingredients once more before turning out into the pastry lined pan. Top with second pastry, trim edges and crimp together the pastry. Cut slits in the top to vent. Place pie on baking sheet, put pie shield on top of crust edges. If you do not have a pie shield of any sort then you'll have to make your own from foil. Simply tear off thin strips (usually I use 3), about 2-4 inches, and mold around the pie crust edges. Be careful not to squish it on too tight, you'll want room for the crust to bake so that the foil does not pierce the pastry. Alternately you can fold a 12-inch foil square into quarters. With scissors, cut out center and round off edges. That should make a 2-inch-wide ring once unfolded. Place foil ring over pie.
Bake pie for 20 minutes, reduce heat to 350°F and bake an additional 30-40 minutes. Cool on a rack. This pie should cool completely before serving. If you can not wait just be prepared for the filling to be runny. Don't worry because the tapioca will set once the filling is cool, but there may not be any pie left once you get a taste.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Nifty Ideas
Another round of fantastic nifty ideas I have discovered. You too may become inspired by these nifty things and in turn create your own. If you have any of your own nifty ideas please share them with me!
Garden season is in swing. There are many things out there that can get in the way of a beautiful garden and around these parts deer are quite a nuisance. They eat anything tempting. I came across a recipe for a deer repellent spray to put on your most delicious plants. Since it contains natural ingredients and mostly things you have on hand I think it is a better option than some other products out there.
One thing I love is wind chimes, the way they make gentle music as the wind blows. I have seen all kinds but never a Pinecone. That would be a excellent way to add a wind chime without it looking so much like a wind chime.
There are all sorts of little things to place in your garden to add a little something unique to it. (Other than that birdbath)I have these ceramic toadstools which I love. Then I found these glowing mushrooms and Fairy Dust balls that would be nice to add some fun to an evening outside.
As the season gets hotter and dryer there will be days when I'll wish for rain. The cost of water goes up for us in these parts every summer and come August the garden is in need of plenty of water. We have been considering a rain barrel for offsetting that problem. My grandparents had one, it wasn't pretty big plastic and ugly but it served a purpose. Now manufacturers are making them look like pottery which means they can be a part of your garden and will hardly be noticed. Which for us, HOA issues always on our minds, these new pottery versions will keep us violation free.
Garden season is in swing. There are many things out there that can get in the way of a beautiful garden and around these parts deer are quite a nuisance. They eat anything tempting. I came across a recipe for a deer repellent spray to put on your most delicious plants. Since it contains natural ingredients and mostly things you have on hand I think it is a better option than some other products out there.
One thing I love is wind chimes, the way they make gentle music as the wind blows. I have seen all kinds but never a Pinecone. That would be a excellent way to add a wind chime without it looking so much like a wind chime.
There are all sorts of little things to place in your garden to add a little something unique to it. (Other than that birdbath)I have these ceramic toadstools which I love. Then I found these glowing mushrooms and Fairy Dust balls that would be nice to add some fun to an evening outside.
As the season gets hotter and dryer there will be days when I'll wish for rain. The cost of water goes up for us in these parts every summer and come August the garden is in need of plenty of water. We have been considering a rain barrel for offsetting that problem. My grandparents had one, it wasn't pretty big plastic and ugly but it served a purpose. Now manufacturers are making them look like pottery which means they can be a part of your garden and will hardly be noticed. Which for us, HOA issues always on our minds, these new pottery versions will keep us violation free.
Monday, June 15, 2009
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