Owl Cookies and my Inspiration

Beautiful Orchids

Found these Beautiful Orchids along with some gardening tools at a Moving Sale this morning.  It was so sweet- I was given them so I could give them a good home.  I have never grown Orchids before.

Basic Info for Growing Orchids

http://www.dreamorchids.com/

When growing orchids indoors, choose a east or west facing window or room that has bright light, but not direct sunlight.If this is not possible in your home, fluorescent or other grow lights, can simulate the ideal conditions. Specifically, two 20 watt fluorescent tubes with reflectors per 12 X 24 inch area, is recommended. Light set-ups for indoor orchids and caring for are available at nurseries and garden supply stores.

Indoor temperatures should be above 60 degrees at all times. In the daytime, even warmer temperatures are recommended. If your plants are kept on a window sill, be sure to move them at night or when the outdoor temperatures drop low. An alternative is to place a piece of cardboard between the plant and window to provide insulation from the cold.

These plants need moist air. Placing pots on wet gravel in trays is a good idea. Keep 1/2 inch of water in the gravel....this will evaporate and provide humidity. Using a mister to give your plants an occasional spritz will also provide the moisture your plants need.

Air circulation is important. Open windows when the weather is warm, or place a small fan in the growing space.

There are really just a few factors involved in orchid care. Once these are addressed, even orchid types requiring very specific care are not as daunting. 

Light is an important factors to consider. If your orchid gets too little light, it may not flower, and it’s leaves will be soft and unattractive. The look of the plant could also be stretched, where the space between leaves is longer and new leaves are longer and thinner. But, if an orchid gets too much sun,  might get sunburned . 
Careful Watering is necessary in the care of orchids. Too much or too little water can kill the orchid or leave the plant in a weakened state where pests and diseases can move in. Avoiding fungus and rot is important. 
Air humidity and Air Circulation are important considerations when deciding where you will place your plant. Too little moisture in the air can stunt your orchid and contribute to Bud Blast.

Orchids require a special kind of Potting Mix. Unlike other plants that need soil and compost, orchids instead thrive on the proper mix of air and moisture. Care for Orchids requires a growing medium that is a mix of inorganic materials and fibers. 

          Watering Orchids

When Watering Orchids, the grower needs to remember that orchids require the right mix of air and water. If there is not enough air at the roots, the excess moisture will rot the growing medium, leading to fungus, diseases, and infections. Some orchids prefer their roots to be somewhat dry. Others need more moisture.

In general, orchids like to be drenched, and then not watered again until they have almost dried out. The frequency of watering will depend on the temperature and humidity of the environment, and the orchid species.

Here's an easy way to tell when your orchid is thirsty:

• Using warm water, irrigate your orchid thoroughly.
• Lift it to judge its heaviness.
• Check everyday to see how heavy it is.
• Stick your finger down about an inch to judge dampness.
• Water again only when it feels significantly lighter and is dry at a depth of 1/2 to 1 inch.

Keep in mind when watering your orchid whether your plant likes dry roots or a little more moisture. Also, you should always use warm water, and do it early in the day.

Busy Creating Etsy Orders

Springtime brings lots of Celebrations:  Easter, Confirmations, First Holy Communions, Baptisms..

I have been spending my First day of Spring filling Etsy orders and creating many tags and place cards for Celebrations!

Happy Spring!!

Irish Italian Beef Stew

Irish Italian Stew ( Ireland)

3 lbs. beef stew cubes- bought a chuck roast and cubed it
3 c. water
3 1/2 c. Tomato puree- (1 can cheap chunky spaghetti sauce)
1 1/2 tbsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf
3 lg. raw potatoes
10 peeled carrots
1 c. grated Romano cheese
1/4 c. cracker meal
1 egg
1 lb. can drained onions- ( 1 bag of frozen pearl onions)
1/4 c. water
2 tbsp. flour

Combine meat, water, puree, salt, pepper and bay leaf in large saucepan. Cover; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer about 2 hours. Cut potatoes into large cubes. Cut carrots in 2 inch pieces. Add potatoes and carrots to stew. Cover; cook about 30 minutes. Combine cheese, cracker meal and eggs. Shape into 12 balls. Add cheese balls and onions to stew. Blend until thickened. Simmer 10 minutes more. Remove bay leaf. Serves 12


I made this for dinner last night- Good and Easy- I skipped the cracker ball part - maybe next time.

I found this recipe in an old spiral bound  Foods with a Foreign Flavor book- Favorite Recipes of Home Economics Teachers.

Recipe to Try: Oven Brisket

8 pound brisket  . Splash with 1 tsp per side with liquid smoke

Rub with:

 * 3 Tablespoons of chile powder

 * 1 tablespoon of chipolte chile powder (I used 4 T. of regular chile powder since I did not have this. )

 *2 tablespoons of salt  ( I would cut this down a bit)

 *2 Tablespoons of garlic powder

 *2 Tablespoons of onion powder

 *2 Tablespoons of black pepper

 *4 teaspoons of dry mustard

 *2 bay leaves- crushed

Place in roasting pan- fat side up . Cook uncovered for 1 hour at 350

Add 2 cups of beef stock in bottom of pan. Cover pan- AIRTIGHT, decrease oven to 300 and roast for 4 more hours.

Let cool awhile. Slice thinly against the grain. Let cool in refrigerator with juices overnight and then skim off the fat.

Roasting in the oven as stated worked perfect- cooking in a crockpot all day was not as good, but using a crockpot to reheat the brisket is great.

Baking Rolo Brownie Bites with Caramel Icing

Rolo Brownie Bites with Caramel Icing

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (18.5 oz. box) brownie mix (plus necessary eggs, oil & water per package instructions - or your favorite homemade recipe)
• 24 Rolo candies
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2-3 tablespoons caramel “sauce”
• 1 cup confectioners sugar

DIRECTIONS

• 1
  Remove all wrappers from the candies.
• 2
  Pre-heat oven to 325F.
• 3
  Prepare brownies according to package directions. Grease a mini-muffin tin with cooking spray and fill each cup approximately 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 12-15 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and immediately press a candy into the center of each brownie bite. (The top of the candy will protrude a bit from the brownie...it’s OK...you’ll cover it with icing.) Cool for a couple of minutes in the tin then carefully remove the brownie bites from the pan to a cooking rack. Allow to cool completely.
• 4
  To make the frosting, use the paddle attachment on a stand mixer and beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the caramel sauce* and blend. Add the confectioners sugar and whip until creamy and smooth. Using a pastry or plastic bag with a piping tip, pipe the frosting onto the top of each brownie bite. Chill in the refrigerator to set the frosting a bit before serving.
• 5
  *To make homemade caramel sauce, simple empty the contents of a small can of sweetened condensed milk into a saucepan. Stir constantly for 10 to 12 minutes over medium heat. (Do not let it scorch.) The milk will begin to deepen in color and thicken. Remove from heat when the caramel will thickly adhere to the back of your mixing spoon. The longer you cook it, the harder it will become when it cools until it is difficult to work with. To thin it, add a small splash of milk and mix well.

  
  

Making Confetti Eggs

First Remove the inside of the egg by tapping a butter knife on the small end of the egg and then peel off about a nickel sized hole in the egg and dump everything out. Next, clean the egg well with hot soapy water and dry and let dry overnight in an empty egg carton. 

To decorate. I used a mixture of metallic paints- acrylic and spray paint. I sprayed all the eggs at once. After the paint dried, I added details like flowers and other designs with glitter paint pens and " Stickles". 

Once the paint was dry, I added about a 2 teaspoons of confetti to the inside of the egg and then sealed the egg shut by gluing a 2 inch square of tissue paper to the egg. 

These were so fun to make and turned out almost too beautiful to break. The boys are very anxious to smash them.



This has become a tradition for our family.

Making Deviled Eggs

We love having our own Beautiful Eggs from our Backyard Hens

Creamy Herb Deviled Eggs

12 Hard Cooked Eggs
1/4 cup prepared Ranch Salad Dressing
3 T plain Greek Yogurt
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp paprika






Cut Eggs lengthwise in half.  Remove yolks, reserving whites.  In a small bowl, mash yolks.  Stir in Ranch Salad Dressing, yogurt, mustard and pepper.   Spoon or pipe into egg whites.  Refrigerate, covered until serving.  Sprinkle with paprika.

Recipe in the Current Taste of Home magazine- April/May 2013

Note:  Quinn ate nearly all of these after school as soon as I made them

Make your own Brownie Mix

Brownie Mix:

Cost is 30 cents a mix.

1 Cup Sugar

1/2 cup Flour

1/3 cup Cocoa

1/4 tsp Baking Powder

Mix and Store in jars or plastic storage bags.  

To use Mix:

Add 2 Eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp Vanilla

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes

Golf-Themed Teacher and Staff Appreciation day

Bird Nest Cookies

1 Cup butter
8 ounces cream cheese
2 cups sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp coconut extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
flaked coconut colored with green food coloring
egg shaped candies


Beat together until smooth:  butter and cream cheese
Beat in sugar, add in egg and flavorings.  Mix well.  Stir in Flour, baking powder, and salt.

Roll dough into balls (2 Tablespoons)

Place balls a couple inches apart on a greased cookie sheet.  Make an indentation in each one with a tablespoon.


Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Press down indentation again and then let the cookies cool.

Fill cookies with coconut and decorate with a few candy eggs.

Baking Giraffe Cookies for a Baby Shower in Hot Pink and Gray