Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Valentine's day



Valentine's Day will be here soon and it's always fun to make decorations with the kids or plan a special romantic evening with your special someone....In the days to come I will have some craft ideas, fun pictures and information so sit back and take it all in, :-)



Check out my pinterest  Valentine's day  http://pinterest.com/mgoodcooke/valentine-s-day/




Virgin Islands



Virgin Islands


Romantic Ideas for Valentine's Day!
Romantic Ideas for Valentine's Day!








wikipedia.org












Valentine's Day

Interest

Saint Valentine's Day, commonly known as Valentine's Day, or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is observed on February 14 each year. Today Valentine's Day is celebrated in many countries around the world, mostly in theWest, although it remains a working day in all of them.
St. Valentine's Day began as a liturgical celebration of one or more early Christian saints named Valentinus. The most popular martyrology associated with Saint Valentine was that he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry, and for ministering to Christians, who were persecuted under the Roman Empire; during his imprisonment, he is said to have healed the daughter of his jailer Asterius. Centuries later an embellishment was added: before his execution he wrote "from your Valentine" as a farewell to her. Today, Saint Valentine's Day is an official feast day in the Anglican Communion, as well as in the Lutheran Church. TheEastern Orthodox Church also celebrates Saint Valentine's Day, albeit on July 6th and July 30th, the former date in honor of the Roman presbyter Saint Valentine, and the latter date in honor of Hieromartyr Valentine, the Bishop of Interamna.
The day's association with romantic love grew in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. By the 15th century, it had evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). Valentine's Day symbols that are used today include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Thousands of Reasons











 Words of Wisdom's photo.
about a minute ago

Friday, January 11, 2013

Cristina's Sweet Potato Pancakes






 
Cristina's Sweet Potato Pancakes






















 



Ingredients:
4 cups blueberries & blackberries or raspberries
1/2 cup Agave Syrup
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups of heavy whipping cream whipped, covered and set aside in the refrigerator
1 10 to 12 ounce sweet potato, baked
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 large eggs, room temperature, whisked
2 cups whole milk, chill taken off
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
5 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups pure maple syrup
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted*
1/2 cup room temperature unsalted butter, to spread a pat over pancakes
2 cups Agave Syrup
2 cups pure maple syrup


Directions:
Make The Berry Good Syrup First:

1. In a medium sauce - pan add berries, Agave Syrup, orange juice and bring to a boil on medium high heat for 5 minutes.

2. Pass through a tight mesh strainer into a clean pot.

3. In a small glass bowl add 1 tablespoon of water with corn starch and mix until smooth, set aside.

4. Bring the strained berries to a boil again and pour in the cornstarch mixture, stir until the syrup has thickened slightly. Set aside.


To Make the Pancakes:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.

2. Bake the sweet potato on a wire rack for 40 to 50 minutes. You can test for doneness by inserting a small paring knife through the middle of the potato. If it slides in and out easily and feels soft in the middle it's ready.

3. Remove the potato from the oven and let cool.

4. Lower the oven temperature to 175 degree.

5. You can bake the potato up to two days before and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

6. In a medium large bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg, set aside.

7. In a blender add the eggs, milk, vanilla, orange extract and the melted butter.

8. Peel the potato and cut into small chunks and place them into the blender with the egg mixture.

9. Blend just until the potatoes are no longer lumpy about 45 seconds, the mixture should be smooth.

10. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the potato mixture using a wooden spoon.

11. Fold all of the ingredients together and not flour streaks remain, the batter will look lumpy, do not over mix.

12. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes while you heat up the pan.

13. Season a 12" inch cast iron or stainless steel fry pan with 1 tablespoon of canola oil and spread with a paper towel.

14. Turn the heat to medium, for 1 minute.

15. Use a 1/4 cup dry measuring cup to pour your pancakes. Pour 1/4 cup batter into the frying pan, use the bottom of the cup to round them off. They will look thick but don't worry.

16. Lower heat to medium low and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the bubbles on the surface start to pop.

17. Flip over gently using a metal spatula and cook on the other side for 2 minutes.

18. When they are ready place them on the wire rack in the warm oven. Continue repeating the same process including adding 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan each time until all of the batter has been used up.

*Serve with your choice of pure maple syrup or agave. Top with toasted walnuts & a pat of butter, serve with Berry Good Syrup.

*Garnish with fresh whipped cream and 2 to 3 fresh mint leaves.

*Toasted Walnuts:
The walnuts pick up a earthy rich flavor if you toast them first. Place the chopped walnuts in a cold dry pan and turn the heat to medium. Shake the pan back and forth until they start to release their oil and turn slightly brown. About 3 to 4 minutes. Be careful not to burn them because they will taste bitter.


Get more of Cristina's recipes here: www.cristinaferrarecooks.com.


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Thursday, January 10, 2013

Zucchini bread ..mmmmmm







I found this recipe in :





 


MMMMM does the place smell sooo goooood! Baked some zucchini bread and the whole apartment smells wonderful. this is the recipe that I used , I like nutmeg so I added a bit of that and no walnuts . I also used the blender to make the zucchini small. Try it.... and enjoy :-)



Mom's Zucchini Bread

Read Reviews (4205)
"Really, really good and moist- my kids eat it as quickly as I can make it. Bread will freeze well, and keep in refrigerator for weeks." —  










Ingredients Edit and Save

Original recipe makes 2 loavesChange Servings

Directions

  1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
  2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
  3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
  4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.
Kitchen-Friendly View
  • PREP20 mins
  • COOK1 hr
  • READY IN1 hr40 mins