Sunshine and Lemon Brownies

I have been longing for spring colors, pussy willows, bunnies and daffodils. It sure does brighten a room!

Last evening, I cooked dinner in the DAYLIGHT!!. I typically get home from work at 5:30, and have been cooking in the dark since we turned the clocks back last year. It feels so good to have daylight in the evening! I just noticed the reflection of the trees on the glass tabletop.

I found yellow flatware on eBay, and I just love the handles.

My dear sister made 16 of these adorable napkins using her embroidery machine. I have used them every Easter for the last five years, and they still look brand new even after washing.

 The yellow and turquoise plates are from the Oneida "Ala Mode" collection. The bunny plates are from Pottery Barn, and the wooden chargers from Pier One.

Sharing one of my favorite Easter desserts Lemon Brownies.

They are wonderful.

Lemon Brownies 

Source: Marilyn (DanaIN, Garden Web Cooking Forum)

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter; room temperature

4 eggs

Juice from 1/2 lemon

Zest from 1 lemon

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Additional lemon zest for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line the bottom only of a 9 X 13 X 2-inch baking dish with Parchment paper and spray with Pam. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar and salt; add butter. Stir together eggs, juice from 1/2 lemon and zest from 1 lemon; stir into batter and pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until set, use a toothpick to check. Remove from oven and cool on a rack. When brownies are cool prepare glaze by stirring together powdered sugar and 2 tablespoon lemon juice; drizzle over brownies and sprinkle with additional lemon zest. 

Thank you for stopping by! I am joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday, Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday and Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday.

GOIN GLAMPING WITH THE GIRLS

Photo credit: electic gipsyland

Our "glamping" weekend won't look quite like this, but we are certainly going to try. There will be four of us doing a Ready, Set, Pitch a Tent at a campground. This glamper will be bringing a plush folding bed to sleep on with a goose down sleeping bag. I'm a big girl, and I can do this. I've camped with my husband when we were hiking in the wilderness, and I am still alive to tell you I enjoy the memories.

So this week will be spent packing up my entire house to bring glamping. The lace doily on which to rest my cup and saucer will be packed. Perhaps the lace tablecloth that I never use will come along to use on the picnic table.

Preparation is paramount for glamping. I'd love to know if you are a camper. I only do this once every two years and we must make this fun ;o) I am joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays.

Thank you for stopping by!
xxoo
Debbie

Birthday Table

The beautiful white napkins, dragonfly napkin rings and place mats were a recent birthday gift from my children.

There are several shades of green on the place mat, one of which is the same color green as the vintage looking tumblers. 

Pier One sent me a $15 certificate in the mail for my birthday, and I had a $5 rewards certificate as well. So, I'm saying the four green Vintage Flower Tumblers  were my birthday gift from Pier One ;o)  My total order came to 44 cents.

Thank you for stopping by! I'm joining Let's Dish with Cuisine Kathleen and Seasonal Sundays with the Tablescaper.

xxoo

Debbie

CINNAMON-CHIP AND PECAN LOAF CAKE...AND BLOOMING AWAY

I've had this recipe since 2005, and am always asked for the recipe when I bring it to a gathering. We went to a pool party yesterday, and the hostess asked for the recipe. So while I have the recipe out, I thought it was time to share it on my blog. The recipe was created for a Pillsbury baking contest, and you start with a box of date bread mix. (I rarely use a boxed mix, but you really can't tell) The recipe calls for cinnamon chips, which can be found in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips.

CINNAMON-CHIP AND PECAN LOAF CAKE

Printable Recipe

1 16- to 17-ounce package date-bread mix

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1/2 cup cinnamon chips

1/3 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9x5x2-inch metal loaf pan.(I used a ceramic pan - see notes below)

Using electric mixer, beat bread mix and 1/2 cup butter in large bowl until crumbly mixture forms. Transfer 1/2 cup crumb mixture to small bowl; add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and rub in with fingertips until moist clumps form (for streusel). Stir sour cream and eggs into remaining crumb mixture in large bowl. Mix in cinnamon chips, pecans, cinnamon, and allspice. Pour cake batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with streusel. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack. Place streusel side up and cool 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

NOTES:  I used my Breville counter top oven to bake the bread, and I used the ceramic pan that you see below. I turned the temperature down to 300 after 30 minutes, and baked it for a total of 60 minutes.

Love the streusel!

Even though we have had a hot, dry summer, Joe has been watering my garden at least two times a day and we have plenty of blooms. 

Blooms, Blooms and more Blooms! Summer doesn't get any better than this. 

 Thanks for stopping by! I am joining Seasonal Sundays and Foodie Friday.

xxoo

Debbie

BLOOMING!

Do you bring your blooms indoors? For many years, I hesitated cutting any blooms from my small  flower garden. Recently, I picked a bouquet of clematis, astilbe and asiatic lilies.

This week's garden blooms include Pomegranate yarrow.

Climbing roses

Plenty of clematis blooms

Astilbe

Phlox 

This succulent turtle is hanging out on the deck near the garden.

I moved the turtle to the potting bench since a squirrel chipmunk (just witnessed it) nibbling on her. I wonder if the chipmunk nibbles for the moisture since it one of our driest summers I can remember. I've had succulents for over 10 years, and the rodents have not touched them until now. 

Clematis at dusk

The potting bench

The fairies are thankfully still here :-)

The fairies hide in the Betty Corning clematis.

I'm joining Outdoor Wednesday and Seasonal Sunday. Thank you for stopping by!

Debbie

CHIVE BLOSSOM VINEGAR

If you have any chive blossoms left in your garden, you may be interested in making Chive Blossom Vinegar. You can find the detailed instructions on Savoring Time in the Kitchen and here. 

Close your jar, and allow to steep in a cool, dark place. After the blossoms steep in the vinegar for one to two weeks, strain and refrigerate. I didn't use a jar with a metal lid, but if you do, place some plastic wrap in between the lid and jar as the acidity of the vinegar may corrode the lid.

               

This is the pretty color after one week. 

Here is the gorgeous pink color after two weeks, strained and ready for gift giving. I also kept a jar for myself, and bought some beautiful lettuce at the farmers market today so we had it for dinner tonight. It is wonderful!

While you are in your garden picking chive blossoms, enjoy the scenery!

I'm joining the Cozy Home Party and Seasonal Sundays.

Thank you for stopping by!

Debbie

HAPPY EASTER....AND THE BEST PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLL PANCAKES

To those that celebrate, Happy Easter! I think I will ALWAYS enjoy coloring eggs for Easter. We played around with food coloring, brown and white eggs, and had some cheap fun! 

Sharing one of my favorite pancake recipes. I've made these twice, but the lighting was never good enough for a photo since I usually eat pancakes before 8 in the morning. These amazing pancakes are from the Recipe Girl, and I found the recipe when searching for ways to use up some pumpkin.  She had me at pumpkin, but the cinnamon filling and icing puts these pancakes over the top. We'll be starting Easter Sunday with attending sunrise service and then looking forward to these pancakes.

Photo courtesy of RecipeGirl.com

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes from RecipeGirl.com

CINNAMON FILLING:
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

CREAM CHEESE ICING:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter
2 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

PANCAKES:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup pure unsweetened pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
2 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice (see Tips below)
1/2/ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

directions:

1. Prepare the cinnamon filling: In a small bowl- mix butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Whisk the filling ingredients together and then pour it into a sandwich-sized zip baggie. Zip up the baggie and lay it on the counter while you prepare the pancake batter.

2. Prepare the Icing: In a medium microwave-safe bowl, heat butter and cream cheese 30 to 60 seconds, just until butter has melted and cream cheese has softened. Whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla and combine until smooth. Set the icing aside.

3. Prepare the pancake batter: In a large bowl, whisk together milk, pumpkin, eggs, oil, and vinegar. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, salt and brown sugar. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until all is moistened.

4. Check on your cinnamon filling: Open up the baggie again and give it a good stir to re-incorporate any butter that may have separated. You want the mixture to thicken a bit- it's best when it's similar to the squeezing texture of toothpaste (which will eventually happen if you leave it on the counter long enough, but refrigerate for a few minutes if you need to). Don't try to use the filling for the pancake swirl unless it has thickened as it will be too runny! Snip off a small piece of the corner of the baggie.

5. Cook the pancakes: Preheat a large skillet or griddle to medium, and spray it with nonstick spray. Use an ice cream scoop (or ladle) to add the batter to the pan. Use the bottom of the scoop or ladle to spread out the batter into a nice, even circle. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Pick up your cinnamon filling baggie and squeeze the filling into the corner. Starting at the center of the pancake squeeze the cinnamon filling on top of the pancake batter in a swirl (just as you see in a cinnamon roll). Cook the pancakes 3 to 4 minutes, or until bubbles begin popping on top of the pancake and it is golden brown on the bottom. Slide a thin spatula underneath the pancake and gently but quickly flip it over. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the other side is golden as well. When you flip the pancake onto a plate, you will see that the cinnamon filling has created a crater-swirl of cinnamon. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, and repeat with the remaining pancake batter and cinnamon filling. Serve pancakes topped with a drizzle of cream cheese icing.

tips:

*If you do not have pumpkin pie spice, use this combo of spices instead: 1 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

*Check out my Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Pancakes post for some more tips on how to get the cinnamon filling *just right* (it's critical to the success of these pancakes!)

Source: RecipeGirl.com

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This delicious recipe brought to you by RecipeGirl.com

http://www.recipegirl.com/2011/09/22/pumpkin-cinnamon-roll-pancakes/

Thank you for stopping by!  I am joining Seasonal Sunday.

xxoo

Debbie