Herbal Tea

photo via pantrygardenherbs.com

Ingredients

4 Celestial Seasonings Lemon Zinger tea bags

4 Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger tea bags

4 cups pure apple juice

Directions

Steep the 8 tea bags in 4 cups of boiling water for about 10 minutes. Discard the tea bags. Combine the tea with the apple juice. Delicious served cold over ice or hot.  Recipe from Bare Foot Contessa

Spring Flowers

tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com

Fruit Crumble Cake

photo and recipe from one of my favorite blogs:
myfrenchcountryhome.blogspot.com

To make the cake you will need a deep 8" cake tin (not loose-bottomed) greaseproof/waxed paper, the oven preheated at 190°.

Ingredients are super simple

125gr  (2/3 cup) ground almonds
125 gr (2/3 cup) sugar
250 gr ( 1 good cup) very cold butter
250gr (2 cups) plain flour
pinch of salt

3 apples peeled, cored and diced
cup of fresh/frozen raspberries or blackberries or blueberries
juice of a lemon
good sprinkling of sugar to taste


First of all, in a mixer blend together the cold butter and all other dry ingredients.  This must stay crumbly in texture not merge into a firm dough. Very important!

Put the diced apple in a bowl  along with the lemon juice, sugar and red fruit of your choice.  I have tried blackberries, raspberries and blueberries - all delicious.  Toss them around in the bowl until well coated in lemon juice and sugar. 

Line the cake tin with two criss-cross , wide strips of waxed paper, these are vital for lifting the cake from the tin, so leave them long enough to hang over each side.

Sprinkle half the mixture into the tin.  Do not push down or smooth, you want the mixture to stay as high and airy as possible.  Now simply tip the fruit in, then cover with the remaining crumble mix.  Again do not attempt to push down or smooth: it will work itself out while cooking.

Stand cake tin on a tray and bake in a hot oven for about 50 minutes. Ideally the cake should come out of the oven about 15 minutes before eating.  Let it stand a while then carefully lift out of the tin and onto a serving platter (4 hands needed here!), slide the paper strips out from beneath the cake.

Serve this with crème anglaise, but vanilla ice cream would be good too.

Fancy Mac and Cheese

photo and recipe via www.goodlifeeats.com

Ingredients:

1 - 1 lb. box penne pasta

1/2 of a yellow onion, diced

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

3 cups whole milk

3 ounces mascarpone or cream cheese

5 ounces gruyere cheese, grated

1 ounce parmesan cheese, grated

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, according to personal preference

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary

butternut squash, chopped into bite sized pieces

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Directions:

Peel, remove the seeds, and cut the butternut squash into bite sized cubes, or however large you'd like them to be. Set aside.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta one to two minutes less than package instructions. Drain and set aside.

In a large French or Dutch oven, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook over medium heat till golden. Slowly whisk in the milk while cooking over medium heat.

Add the nutmeg, cayenne, black pepper, salt (if desired), and rosemary. Stir in the mascarpone cheese, whisking until melted and creamy. Then, whisk in the gruyere and parmesan until melted and creamy. Bring to a slow simmer, and then stir in the pasta and squash.

Transfer to an oven safe casserole dish. Top with 1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs and bake at 400 degrees F until the pasta is bubble and hot and the breadcrumbs are toasted, about 10-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Window Seat

theinspiredroom.net

Sea Shells

ethnicindianhome.blogspot.com

ethnicindianhome.blogspot.com

Berry Crisp

Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup oats
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
4 cups mixed berries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Equipment: 6 (6-ounce) ramekins
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl combine flour, brown sugar, 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, salt and oats. Using a pastry blender, a fork or your hands cut in butter. Keep cold until ready to use.

In a large bowl combine berries, 1/2 cup sugar, and cornstarch; toss to coat. Evenly divide the fruit mixture between the 6 ramekins. Top with crumble topping. Bake until top is golden and fruit is bubbly, about 35 minutes. Serve warm.

Potted Bulbs

contentinacottage.blogspot.com

Striped Linen Tablecloth

etsy.com

Michaelmas Daisies

Pink daisies - perfect for Valentines Day!

floradania.dk

Orange Tulips

crinteriors.blogspot.com

Front Door

greenhousevt.blogspot.com

Lavender Cup Cakes

1/2 cup cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 cup self-rising flour
2 tablespoons milk

kitchen-delights.blogspot.com

PREPARE


Preheat the oven to 350F.

Put the sugar and the lavender flowers in a food processor and process briefly to combine.  Tip the lavender sugar into a bowl with the butter and beat together until pale and fluffy.

Beat the eggs into the butter mixture, one at a time, then sift in the flour and fold in.  Stir in the milk.

Spoon the mixture into the paper liners.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 18 minutes, until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

TO DECORATE

1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

1 egg white
lilac food coloring
12 sprigs of fresh lavender


To decorate, gradually beat the sugar into the egg white in a bowl, then add a few drops of food coloring and stir to achieve a lavender color frosting.  Spoon the frosting over the cupcakes, then top each one with a sprig of fresh lavender.  Let set before serving.

makes 12