Gearing Up...♣ ♣ ♣

No, not for clubs, but that is as close as I can get to a shamrock!

Last year Easter fell so close to March 17th, I didn't get a chance to enjoy all things green..

So I am starting early...

I have made Irish Soda Bread....tons of it...not that dry crumbly stuff, that even a pound of butter won't help..a nice moist, probably not traditional...but after trying many recipes, one that we like.
Last year my new grandson Declan was Baptized early in March, and I made 50 loaves of it as a take home for the guests. I was like the Swedish Baker from the Muppets with flour flying all over the kitchen...



Wrapped to go..



But......

I have never made Scones..till today....



The recipe is from EVERYDAY FOOD...March 2009



I had mine with some jam...



They were very good, moist, and light...
Here's the recipe..

Raisin Scones

2 C flour
2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
3 T sugar
1 stick cold sweet butter, cut in sm pieces
3/4 C raisins
1/2 C buttermilk
1 lg beaten egg

Preheat oven to 425

Line a baking sheet with parchment ( I used a silpat)
Mix dry ingredients together.
Cut in the butter till it looks like coarse meal
Stir in the raisins
Make a well in the middle and add in the buttermilk and beaten egg..
Just combine, do not over mix.
Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead 6 times
Pat into an 8 in circle...cut with 2 3/4 in floured biscuit cutter
Place on baking sheet 1 1/2 in apart
Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake 12 to 15 min till golden..

My notes...
I used salted butter,and 1/4 t salt..
I would add more raisins next time, we like them!
You can use cranberries if you don't like raisins

I have another recipe to try...but we really liked these...

And tonight for dinner we had Pork fried Rice...Ribs done in the oven, and cole slaw...





Thanks for visiting...I appreciate it...

Don't these look good???

photo from WmSonoma

No, I didn't make them...even IF they looked that good in real life, I couldn't take a pic like that!
Someone at WmSonoma took it and emailed to me...to make me hungry..really hungry!
or to remind me I have an Abelskiver Pan I have only used once...

These would be a wonderful dessert, choc filled, topped with fresh whipped cream!
In fact, since Lent starts the 25th, , Fat Tuesday would be a good day to make them!
A last decadent treat before the 40 days of fast and abstinence...Many people I know use it as a time to shed some pounds...I would never do that..:)
I don't like fish, so for me it's 7 Fridays I have to find something to eat for dinner...

Speaking of which...tonight we had taco wraps..chopped chuck fried and drained, chopped onions,spices,shredded Romaine lettuce and cheddar cheese..in a warm soft flour taco..
Quick and something we don't have too often!

A little color for the setting..see the chili on the plate, and the maracas napkin ring?





CHIT CHAT.....

I have been watching 2 shows on the FOOD Network that I like..
Chopped and America's Best Recipes...
Chopped features 4 chefs , 3 courses and some not so common ingredients.
They have to prepare an Appy, Main, and Dessert...someone gets eliminated or chopped after each course...
The other features home cooks, who bring their own recipes and have to prepare 3 different things in a period of time.
Has anyone seen the shows?
What do you think?

Hope I am not giving you ♥burn...

Or should I say burning you out with Valentine's tables...

I found these dishes in HG clearance..just 2 that's all they had...They are called Country Toile Red by 222 Fifth..I'd like 2 more..I will keep looking..



I did a quick table while YKW went to the store...I was all out of Sierra Mist Free, my beverage of choice...lovely bouquet..:), so he shopped, I played..







The cloth is actually a Duvet from Pottery Barn that I got last year...liked the colors, and it was in clearance...That is my middle name you know....

Hope you made something sweet for your Valentine..or yourself....

I made some ♥ Sugar Cookies, and some chocolate layer cake....
Have some of each..It's Valentine's Day...
Have a good one..

Tablescape Thursday Triple...♥♥♥

When I realized this is the last TT before ♥day. and I had a few tables in mind, I decided to do 3..
The first is...Johnson Brothers Castles..The castle on the plate is Castle Blarney..appropriate, eh?
The description of the net says pink, but they are red..When I put them next to the pink I used the other day, you can see the difference...Maybe down the road if I need cataract surgery, I'll change my mind, but right now they're red, and I sticking to it....:)






The little silver hearts I have had for years...I have a ton of them...from a little closeout store that is no longer.....I was going to use them as a favor for an engagement party, filled with candy or little cookies, and wrapped..
















I got the plates in Home Goods, and the vegetable bowl too.
The napkins from Pottery Barn and the tassels..
Little red buckets with fresh Baby's Breath, Michaels..
Round mats, Kohls..

The centerpiece is a red silk like Chinese take out box that I got in Pier One last week..40 cents...I always look for Cmas things that can be used at other times of the year..



The next I used Haviland China my mom had for years, sitting in a box in her basement, never used...terrible pic of the back, but it says Bavaria, Germany
Lace edged heart plate from Cmas Tree Shops,











I used a pale pink cloth under a cut work white...napkins are pale pink from Gimbels...LOL, I know, they are ancient... My mom had some too, we bought them when we were together, I think we paid .25 cents!!! They have been washed and ironed tons of times, and still work! So they are over 30 yrs old..
The pink glasses are Lenox..

The centerpiece is fresh baby roses and Baby's breath.
The little pots of roses, are very life like..cute!, and from the Cmas Tree Shop.

Pitcher is Waterford..
Dh said it was entirely too girly for him!!!

The final table will make you ...DOTTY!

Really, if you haven't nodded off by now..It's Polka Dots...










Hold on, just a few more of dinner...

Chicken Piccata, Angel Hair and Snow Peas, Heart Shaped Biscuits..
Fresh Blueberry Crisp with light whipped cream for dessert...sorry it bubbled over, so a little messy...but tasty! :)
I don't use a recipe for the Piccata, but you can find an excellent one here....







Ok, you can leave now...thanks for coming...
Please visit Susan at Between Naps on the Front Porch, and you'll find a whole list of sites to visit who took part in TT...

I may have one more ♥ table left, so come back again in a few days if you can...

Tuesday Trivial Trivia

Asparagus...love them?? or leave them?

They belong to the?????? family...

I was reading Cathy's blog, Wives With Knives..(don't worry, she's a lovely, non violent lady in spite of the title..:), and we were talking about asparagus.
Then I read in the gardening column of our local paper that they take 3 years to produce a harvest, but that they will grow and produce for years and years.

I don't know about that here, the deer eat my vegetables, wipe them out in one night!

Every year I say I am not going to plant, and then I give in and try...
The farm is nearby. I should just accept defeat!

But there is something satisfying about growing vegetables, and flowers for that matter..nurturing...

Last summer I had some cherry tomatoes that escaped the deer.

I told my 4 yo grandson we could go pick them. He immediately ran into the house to get something to collect the harvest ....an 8 qt pot!
A teacup would have been big enough!

Tonight a roasted a loin of pork, roasted Parmesan potatoes, applesauce and a spinach salad with feta and bacon...





The plate is a mellow yellow from Pottery Barn, and the place mat and napkin are from there too..The ruffled bowl for the salad is from Home Goods..as is
the wood charger .





Oh, and asparagus belong to the LILY family...

Thanks for stopping by!

This little piggy had.....Beef

The supermarket had top round roasts on sale this week, but they were HUGE!

I cut a piece off and marinated it (overnight) in some home made wine vinegar dressing.(You can use bottled though.)

I cut it into strips and browned it, added sliced onions, powdered mustard, red wine, and an envelope of beef broth powder,pepper, and enough water to cover it, and let it simmer an hour or so till it is tender....be sure to add more liquid as needed...

I sliced some carrots and cooked them, and zapped some broccoli.

Right before serving I stirred in a heaping spoon Duck Sauce and big splash of Gourmet Sauce...you can omit the Gourmet sauce if you don't have it...
You can add water chestnuts, or sprinkle bean sprouts on the top, if you like.. (well, you can do anything you like, who am I to tell you!)
Served with rice..



The plate tonight is made in England by Churchill, and the napkin ring is a shell from Casey Key, Fla. made by Mother Nature... My friend Ellen brought 12 of them home for me... :)



The ice has finally melted from the driveway, thank goodness!
I am hoping we don't get more snow and ice...I can take the cold, but the ice...no thanks..

I did my tables for Tablescape Thursday , so hope you'll come back for a peek..

Hearts from the Past

I have been absent for a few days..nothing blog worthy to write about...

So I thought I would post some pics from Valentine's 2008 when I wasn't a Bloggin'Betty!











So what are your plans for Valentine's Day this year??