Antique china plate

Antique, a photo by Haz Da Nikonian on Flickr.

Here is a beautifully crafted piece of fine china. The design consists of a pretty bird that stands out amidst a background of red and orange flowers, that is very symbolic of autumn. The blue bird offers a vibrant contrast against the background.
The picture is enclosed in a circular crest of interlocking patterns around it. I think this would make a great piece for your china cabinet.

Belgian Waffle (with Macerated Berries)

Belgian Waffle with Macerated Berries, a photo by avlxyz on Flickr.

Try out this delightful breakfast stable. Belgian Waffles. This meal is great with powdered sugar and macerated berries can be added for extra flavoring. Top it all off with whipped butter, and presto, you have yourself the perfect breakfast treat.


Preparation Time 15 Minutes
Cook Time 20 Minutes
Ready in 35 Minutes

Ingredients

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 egg yolks
2 3/4 cups warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 egg whites

Directions

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the warm milk and the melted butter. Stir in the yeast mixture, sugar, salt and vanilla. Stir in the remaining 2 1/2 cups milk alternately with the flour, ending with the flour. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks; fold into the batter. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Preheat the waffle iron. Brush with oil and spoon about 1/2 cup (or as recommended by manufacturer) onto center of iron. Close the lid and bake until it stops steaming and the waffle is golden brown. Serve immediately or keep warm in 200 degree oven.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies on Rack, a photo by Muy Yum on Flickr.

The smell of warm fresh peanut butter cookies are a welcome pleasure when you first wake up in the mornings. Surprise the ones that you cherish by baking these delicious treats.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Ready in 22 minutes
(Cool off for about 2 minutes)

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup peanut butter
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the vanilla and peanut butter. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture. Finally, fold in the chopped peanuts. Roll dough into walnut sized balls, place onto an unprepared cookie sheet, and press down slightly with a fork.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Calories: 55

Pink Roses

"My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece." ~ Claude Monet, a photo by Abby Lanes on Flickr.

Hat tip to Abby, these are remarkable pink roses. They are beautiful and make for a wonderful present to the one that you adore.

Garden

Garden Tour, a photo by Abby Lanes on Flickr.

I love the way that a garden can help beautify my house. I think that gardening is also an excellent hobby. Recently I just found out that both my Aunt, and my mother love gardening. They have "green thumbs"! A lot of times I come out to our garden and I find that it is very relaxing. Planting, and feeling the soil in between your fingers is a great way to feel connected with mother earth. I love the comfort of being in a garden, and I think that all gardens are an excellent way to beautify your house.

Crepes

Crepes, a photo by tiarafoto on Flickr.

I love going to IHOP for breakfast and ordering this delicious treat. It is a delight. I usually order my crepes with a side order of pancakes, and a cold glass of orange juice. Enjoy this tasty French delight by following these simple steps!

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In : 20 Minutes

Calories : 79

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 cup milk
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Directions

In a blender combine eggs, milk, flour, salt and oil. Process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brush with oil. Pour 1/4 cup of crepe batter into pan, tilting to completely coat the surface of the pan. Cook 2 to 5 minutes, turning once, until golden. Repeat with remaining batter.

Also if you like, you can garnish your crepes with fresh fruits. A personal favorite of mine are raspberries! Give it a go, and tell me what you think about them.

Easter Cake

Easter Cake, a photo by Jacqueline Naerebout on Flickr.

I hope that everyone has a happy and safe Easter holiday. Remember to have fun, and enjoy yourself!

Pancakes

Pancakes for supper, a photo by Kevin Logan Photography on Flickr.

What is quick and easy to make while at the same time tasty? Well the correct answer is t that many different foods can fit this description but today, I mean pancakes.
This yummy recipe can be garnished with your choice of fresh fruits and smothered with syrup and butter for extra sweetness!

Preparation Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Ready in 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon sugar or honey, or to taste
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup Silk Pure Almond Original or Vanilla
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 egg

Directions

Directions

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together Pure Almond, oil and egg. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir just to moisten - a few lumps are fine. Cook pancakes on a griddle over medium heat.

Amount per serving Calories: 221

Vintage Fine Bone China Teacup and Saucer - Sweet Pea - Made in England

Vintage Fine Bone China Teacup and Saucer - Sweet Pea - Made in England, a photo by Autumn2May on Flickr.

The intricate detail in this Teacup and Saucer is amazing. It has a beautiful flower pictured on it, with dazzling violet and deep red buds.

Vintage Fine Bone China Teacup and Saucer - Sweet Pea - Made in England

This is a vintage teacup and saucer set made by Rosina China Company in England. It features beautiful pink and violet sweet peas with glided accents. The front, back and inside of the teacup and the top of the plate are all decorated with sweet peas. There is gold trim around the top edge, bottom edge, and both sides of the handle on the teacup. The edge of the saucer is also trimmed with gold. Both the cup and saucer are marked on their bottoms as follows:

SPECIAL FLOWERS
Estd 1875
Queen's
FINE BONE CHINA
MADE IN ENGLAND
Rosina China Co., Ltd.
SWEET PEA

The saucer is also marked with a 17 and a 47, and the cup is marked with a 25 (see pics). The saucer is just under 5-3/4" in diameter and 3/4" tall at the rim. The teacup is just over 2-3/4" tall and is 4-1/4" wide with the handle.

Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate, a photo by tainted_friday on Flickr.

Since today is an especially cool day here in Texas, I think that it would be ideal to have a nice piping hot mug of hot cocoa to warm our souls. Please try these directions to make some for yourself. Hat tip to Mike "Tartag's" for the inspiration.

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Ready in: 35 Minutes

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups 2% milk
6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Place the white chocolate in a medium metal bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, or in the top half of a double boiler. Allow the chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally until smooth. Stir in cayenne pepper and cinnamon. Whisk in the egg until smooth.
Gradually whisk in one cup of the milk until completely incorporated, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in remaining milk, and heat until hot, but not simmering. You do not want a skin to form on top of the milk. It will be ready to drink when either the taste of the cayenne is masked by the temperature of the milk (the spiciness of the pepper will remain), or when the hot chocolate is at your desired temperature. Ladle the hot chocolate into mugs and garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Calories: 345

Also, if you are having a bit of a sweet tooth, this delicious treat goes excellent with a candy cane. Let it cool off before you begin to drink, and as always enjoy!

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies, a photo by mealmakeovermoms on Flickr.

Good morning! Ah, what would go better on a rainy Thursday morning than some nice cranberry oatmeal cookies! Especially when it is a little bit cold and you need something to warm you up, try this lovely recipe.


Ingredients

6 tablespoons margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup cranberries
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
In a medium bowl, cream the margarine with the brown sugar and white sugar. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking soda and cinnamon; add to the creamed mixture and stir until just combined. Finally, mix in the oats, cranberries, and walnuts.
Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet. Cookies should be about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Enjoy, and share with your loved ones.

Apple Pie

And yet another apple pie, a photo by Benimoto on Flickr.

Good afternoon everyone. I am in the mood for a delicious apple pie. These directions below will have you enjoying this tasty dessert in no time at all. Please enjoy!

Prep Time 20 Minutes
Cook Time 50 Minutes
Ready in 1 Hour and 10 Minutes

Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
7 cups thinly sliced pared apples
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 Pastry for double-crust pie (9 inches)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 egg white
Additional sugar

Directions
In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour and spices; set aside. In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. Add sugar mixture; toss well to coat. Line a 9-in. pie pan with half the pastry. Place apple filling into crust; dot with butter. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie. Cut a few slits in top. beat egg white until foamy; brush over pastry. Sprinkle sugar on top. Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes. Increase temperature to 400 degrees F and bake 10-15 minutes more or until golden.

Kitchen Wallpaper

Kitchen Wallpaper, a photo by DETshelliG on Flickr.

Ah the elegance in home decor

I love the comfort of being at home. There is no place like it. Just as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, I believe that home is unduplicable. I enjoy building up my home and decorating it. From tile floors, to painting the walls, I am truly fascinated with how much I can renovate my adobe. Here is a wonderful kitchen design that I think would look great. The flowers make the walls look happy, and the fruit basket is in a great place, it reminds us that we are in a kitchen of course! The orange and bronze coloring is also very comforting and cozy. If you are looking to design your kitchen, please feel free to use this design as a template.

1938 Community Plate (Oneida) 'Rendezvous', salad fork

1938 Community Plate (Oneida) 'Rendezvous', salad fork, a photo by Le Petit Poulailler on Flickr.

This is a very intricately designed salad fork. I belive that this would be a great addition to anyone's silverware collection. The shiny finish is impeccable and it would make for a fantastic eating utensil.

Strawberry Cheesecake

Strawberry Cheesecake, a photo by digital vincent on Flickr.

This is one of the most delicious deserts that I have ever tried. It is amazing, I have tried strawberry cheesecake at The Cheesecake factory and I think that it simply is the best hands down. Follow these instructions below to make a wonderful desert for you and your loved ones.

The preparation time is 45 minutes
The Cook time is 1 hour

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen sweetened strawberries, thawed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 eggs
1 tablespoon water

Directions

Directions

Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press onto the bottom of an ungreased 9-in. springform pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. In a blender or food processor, combine strawberries and cornstarch; cover and process until smooth. Pour into a saucepan; bring to a boil. Boil and stir for 2 minutes. Set aside 1/3 cup strawberry sauce; cool. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce for serving. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in milk. Add lemon juice; mix well. Add eggs, beat on low just until combined. Pour half of the cream cheese mixture over crust. Drop half of the reserved strawberry mixture by 1/2 teaspoonfuls onto cream cheese layer. Carefully spoon remaining cream cheese mixture over sauce. Drop remaining strawberry sauce by 1/2 teaspoonfuls on top. With a knife, cut through top layer only to swirl strawberry sauce. Bake at 300 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove side of pan. Thin chilled strawberry sauce with water if desired; serve with cheesecake. Store in the refrigerator.

Via Flickr:
For Macro Mondays: Pure Joy.
I love cooking and baking for special events. On the dessert side, I get a lot of requests for different kinds of cheesecake. This is a strawberry cheesecake with a shortbread crust.

Chicken pot pie

Chicken pot pie, a photo by smallkitchenbigideas on Flickr.

Ingredients

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk

2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

tablecloth

tablecloth, a photo by **tWo pInK pOSsuMs** on Flickr.

Nothing says find dining like a nice table cloth. This flower print design adds a beautiful elagance to this piece. I would set up the fine china and invite over the neighbors in this pience. Absolutely stunning, and bordered with a pretty circle design in brown and black. The flower is beautiful and adds a vibrant splash of colors to this wonderful table cloth.

Pecan-Pie-Recipe

Pecan-Pie-Recipe, a photo by Karen Sams on Flickr.

The summer is almost upon us. What else would go better with the season than a fresh pecan pie? Just follow these steps and you will be on your way to a delicious desert.



Ingrediants:

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups of corn syrup

4 eggs

1/4 cup of butter

1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

1 1/2 cups of pecans, coarsely broken

1 unbaked deep dish pie shell



Directions:



1 In saucepan boil sugar and cory sytup together for 2 to 3 minutes; set aside to cool slightly.



2 In a large bowl beat the eggs lightly and very slowly pour the syrup mixture into the eggs, stirringc onstantly.



3 At this point I like to strain the mixture to make sure it is smooth and lump free.



4 Stir in butter, vanilla, and pecans and pout into crust.



5 Bake in a 350 degree Farenheiht oven for about 45 to 60 mintues or until set.



* Before you cut yourself a slice let it cool off a while, then enjoy.


Via Flickr:
Try this easy pecan pie recipe this Thanksgiving.

couscous recipe

couscous recipe, a photo by ukcider on Flickr.

Here is a couscous recipe that has been posted by ukcider. Below, I have provided the basic ingredients to make couscous. Please keep in mind that there are multiple ways to make this dish, as it is made in various different countries throughout the world. It's origins are believed to be North Africa.
So, last night, I just made a delicious Turkish meal called Cous Cous. It is prepared with diced onions, tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, cumid powder, garlic, and salt. It is something that I have never tasted before, but I have always been a fan of trying new things. I made it with the world echoes organization at my school. Really, I had no idea that they were going to have a cooking lab, but I checked my email literally the night before the event, and presto I found myself on my way to a great experience. All of the people were lovely, and I tried food from many different cultures all over the world.

Via Flickr:
couscous recipe

Home Cooked Pizza

Hello everybody. I love to make home made food, and I love pizza. So, I decided why not make some pizza while I am at home? That is exactly what I did. I went out to Wal-Mart and I purchased a nice oven-baked pizza. It took a little time for me to make, but it wound up being worth it. I think that I will make some more home-cooked meals like this more often.

Certified Copy

I recently saw the movie certified copy with my sister, and I think that the movie was too mature for me.