Kaseys Korner

neighbor appreciation day

Recently I was gifted with an Oriole feeder and several jars of grape jelly compliments of my newest neighbor.  She said she'd decided feeding them was not her thing.  I applaud the fact she recognized she didn't have the time, inclination, energy, whatever, to feed them.  It sometimes feels like a part-time job even to me ~ and I enjoy it.   During peak oriole season you'd never believe how many jars of grape jelly they go thru ~ I should keep track next year!  They eat so much the feeder has to be refilled three or four times a day ~ that takes dedication.  If you aren't ready for that kind of commitment, it's probably best to do nothing then to feed sporadically/randomly.  At least that's how I feel ~ what about you??

Anyway, back to the gift, because I benefited from her realization, I wanted to do something nice in return.  I thought a card with one of my oriole photos was appropriate:

It's very simple and so was the message inside:

Accompanying the card were a couple of Rhubarb Walnut muffins, made from homegrown rhubarb:

The very same recipe was whipped up & served last Friday (the 13th ~ which was not unlucky at all) to Gail of Clay and Limestone.   That's the day I had the privilege of hosting her in my garden.  She truly is the warm, kind, gracious person you perceive her to be when you read her blog postings.  As you can imagine, it was a very pleasant way to spend a couple hours and something I never expected when I started blogging (meeting people thru the Internet).

I'd say it's been my lucky week. 

My thanks to both of you ~ Gail for taking the time to stop by and Dora for the Oriole gifts and being such a nice neighbor.

Flank Steak w/Arugula Salad

Sometimes I think I'm frittering (yes, that's a word Cindy!!!) away time by sitting in front of the computer hopping from one beautiful blog to the next.  Especially so because I don't limit blog reading to just gardening ~ I like to delve into the worlds of crafting, decorating and cooking (to name a few). Maybe many of you do too??  If so, you know exactly what I'm talking about.  

Yesterday I happened across a blog that was reviewing a Flank Steak Salad with Arugula recipe and I'm telling you, the photo looked so good, I literally printed out the recipe on the spot.  That's when blog reading pays off.  I can't imagine my life without this salad in it now.  It's that spectacular.  The writer had posted this was one salad to "run not walk" to the super market in search of the ingredients.  I would have to agree.  I did just that then grilled the steak and made it for dinner last night.   Here's a photo of my creation (that is now extinct because I just polished the leftovers off for lunch today):

It was everything promised and more.  Click here for the recipe if you're interested!  You won't be sorry!

And now I'm off to do something productive with my Saturday.  Cheerio!

candy land express

If you should happen to be in the neighborhood, please drop by for a Christmas treat.  Please.  I'm begging.  Someone needs to save me from all this sugar.  Oh and wear some pants with elastic too!  That's my quirky way of saying I've been whipping up a storm in the kitchen and all of it's bad for the waistline.  Calling my name from the "frig" are:

(my new favorite) Cappuccino Truffles.  I won't even dare describe what little bites of heaven these are to a coffee lover like myself.  They are so seriously "dangerous" I could eat the whole batch!   Then there's White Chocolate Apricot Fudge:

For the apricot lovers of the world and for those of you who prefer your chocolate in a color other than brown.  I am not picky ~ I like it in any form ~ it's a food group, right?  Dipped in peanut butter is another all-time favorite (as on the tower of Buckeyes seen below):

I (honestly) never had any intention of eating all these myself.  They were my contribution to the Christmas cookie exchange I hosted last night.  They went like hot cakes.  That's good.  One less thing to tempt me.  I'm also busy packing up tins to send to friends & relatives (avert your eyes if you want to be surprised when yours arrives):

One thing I do know is I'm going to have to do some major gardening after the holidays....  It's either that or the treadmill and I think you can guess which one I prefer.  :-)  Anyone else been indulging their sweet tooth lately?  If so, what's your guilty pleasure??

merry Christmas baking elf

that's me!  Yesterday there was a flurry of activity in the kitchen ~ including all sorts of whipping, scraping, rolling, sugaring, baking, etc.

One of the end results are the yummy gingersnap cookies (pictured below) all packaged up for my neighbor (who very kindly snowblew ~ is that a word? ~ my driveway yesterday).  I felt like kissing him, I was so grateful (but didn't). 

Don't you just love the little bird tag?  I found a sweet tin of 36 vintage tags (6 different images) at one of my favorite stores.  They are made by Cavallini & Co. in case you're interested in tracking a tin down for yourself.

If you're a relative or friend, no need to worry.  One of them will most likely find it's way to your house via a package.  :-) 

Edited to add:  I decided to photograph the other five bird images in the Gift tag tin ~ they were too cute not to share:

On a whole other subject, 'Elvas' continues to very slowly unfurl.  Here's how she appeared this morning:

Wouldn't it be great to be that attractive first thing in the morning?  No fuss, no muss, just pure natural beauty. 

Oh guess what?  Coming out of nowhere, Amaryllis 'Apple Blossom' has kicked into high gear and is giving 'Elvas' a run for her money on who opens first.  I'm betting on 'Apple Blossom:'

 

She's so much less complicated.  I think she'll be 100% open by the end of the day ~ very unlikely we'll be able to say the same about 'Elvas.'  Oh well, great beauty takes time to develop.  We all know that.  We'll give her all the time she needs....

squash as a dessert????

Say what?   "I think she wrote that wrong."  No, I did not.  I was just as surprised when I saw it listed as a main ingredient but, being the daring cook I am, (LOL) I threw caution out the window and gave it a try anyway.  After all, 'tis the season for all things squash, right?  It doesn't hurt that butternut squash is one of our favorites.  Turns out, it makes a fantastic dessert!  Who knew?

I found the recipe for Butternut Apple Crisp in Taste of Homes "Fall Baking" book.  I happened to have squash in my pantry, it was an overcast, cold day, (although a far cry from this ~ what we had last week):

I'm happy to say most of that white stuff is now history.  Whew.  Back to the squash and the perfect day for baking.  The only thing I was missing was vanilla ice cream but that's okay ~ it was 100% delicious without it. Here's the recipe if you'd care to try it out yourself:

1 Butternut squash, 3 medium tart apples, 1/4 cup corn syrup, 2 Tbsps lemon juice, 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt. 

Peel and seed the apples & squash.  Cut into thin slices.  Coat the slices with the lemon juice & corn syrup.  Stir in remaining ingredients then turn into a 13" X 9" baking dish.  Cover & bake at 375 for 20 minutes.  While it's baking, mix together the oat topping:

Oat Topping:  1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour, 1/2 cup Quick Cooking Oats, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar & 6 Tbsps Cold Butter.  Cut the butter into the 1st three ingredients ~ blah, blah, blah ~ you all know how to do it.

Sprinkle topping over squash mixture, return to oven (uncovered) and bake 25 minutes more.  (or until it's bubbly & topping is brown ~ squash should also be tender). 

Does that look yummy or what?  Also, I'm thinking if it has squash in it, it's a healthy dessert??!!!  If you disagree, don't tell me.  I'd like to fool myself into believing otherwise.  :-) 

squash pizza

On the off chance anyone has been wondering what I've been up to during my blog absence, I will confess that I've been consumed with all things domestic.  In fact, I am starting to think I'd like to become a maven in that department.  There are so many different aspects to keeping a well run household that I'm afraid I'm not always diligent about keeping up with them all.  I tend to work on things in bursts.  Painting a little, cooking a little, gardening a bit more, etc., etc.  But last week, I was painting and cooking at the same time.   Wonders never cease.  Thank goodness for Paula Deen too.  I found the most delicious squash pizza recipe compliments of her July/Aug 2009 "Cooking with Paula Deen" magazine that I can't possibly hoard it to myself.  It's screaming to be shared.  If you are a fan of yellow squash and zucchini, this one's for you:
It's totally from scratch, nothing pre-made, so roll up your sleeves and don't let the ingredient list intimidate you.  It's really very easy to create and once you've taken a bite, all the work will melt away and you'll be supremely happy you took the time.

Cornmeal Crust:  1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup cornmeal, 1 tsp dried dill, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 cup butter cut into small pieces, 2 egg yolks & 3 to 4 Tbsps water. 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all dry ingredients, add butter, mix till crumbly then put in yolks and water (1 Tbsp at a time).  Either roll out to form a circular crust or press into a tart pan.  Bake crust for 15 minutes prior to adding squash topping. 

Note:  My family enjoyed the pizza so much, we made it both ways.   Even tho the tart pan is a prettier presentation, I think the round traditional pizza form with thinner layers of squash was tastier.  At least that was our verdict, for what it's worth.  

Squash Filling:  1/4 cup butter, 4 cups thinly sliced zucchini, 4 cups thinly sliced yellow squash, 1 cup chopped onion, 5 oz Swiss cheese (we substituted mozzarella), 5 oz shredded Parmesan cheese, 1 large egg 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp dried dill and 1/4 tsp ground black pepper.  Melt butter in a large skillet then cook zucchini, squash and onion until tender.  Remove from heat, stir in remaining ingredients, spoon onto cornmeal crust and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned.  

Note #2:  We cut the recipe in half both times and it turned out fine so remember that as an option if you are cooking for one, two or are light eaters. 

Tomorrow I'll be back to gardening if I can overcome the distractions my new neighbors are creating for me.  They are cutting down every tree on the property (which is a considerable number), much to my dismay just because they want to be able to see their house from the street.  Apparently a new landscape plan is to follow but I'm struggling with what seems to me as complete (and unnecessary) destruction.  It's out of my control, I know, but that doesn't mean I can't stew about it.

diving into rhubarb

headfirst.  That's what I've been doing this year.  Rhubarb was one of the first things I planted when I moved into my house in 2001.  Some years I'm into it and some years not as much.  2009 has been one of those years I've really been into it.  You may remember it started with the rhubarb muffins?  Now it's progressed to Rhubarb Strawberry Sauce!  I think the cool weather has prolonged its growing season?  My one plant (pretty substantial in size after eight years) is still going strong, the stalks remain firm and not pithy so I'm going to hang with it and keep harvesting.  Over the 4th of July weekend, I connected with another friend who also likes it and we decided to can some of the sauce to enjoy this winter (or give as gifts).  If you'd like to try your hand at doing the same, the most time consuming thing about it is the chopping.   Our recipe is as follows:

3 cups Rhubarb, 3 cups Strawberries and 2/3rds Cup Sugar with a smidge of water dashed in.  That's it!  Here it is all chopped and simmering:

 

We actually doubled that recipe and came out with ten (8 oz) jars of sauce which we divided:

 

I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint my friends with the showing of this photo as they were kidding me about coming up with some fancy decorative label for the jars.  Obviously, I haven't bothered to make even the simplest label!  At the rate it's being consumed I'm wondering if label making is even warranted?  Making the sauce has instigated quite a few biscuit making sessions as well.  I mean, what could be more mouth-watering than a warm homemade biscuit with fresh rhubarb sauce piled on top?  Here is a pan of biscuits having their tops pricked prior to be popped in the oven: 

 

Which by the way, begs the question of do you prick your biscuits??  I always do but it might be mostly for sentimental reasons than anything else.  It gives me a chance to use my handmade biscuit pricker carved by my dear granddaddy.  The truth is, I really have no clue why people prick their biscuits but going there will get us off on a whole other tangent and I really want to get back to the sauce.  Here's what we had with our breakfast yesterday morning:

 

and that my friends is why we are eating the sauce almost as fast as I can make it.  We like almost as much sauce as biscuit!  After all this eating, I need to get out myself out in the garden and work a little of it off! 

the "up" side of overcast skies

There are clouds hanging low and moisture palpable in the air for the second straight day in a row but am I letting it get me down?  No way.  These conditions (as long as it's not drizzling or actually full-on raining) are a photographer's best friend.  No need to worry about coping with harsh sunlight or shadows, everything is bathed in perfect light.  Nothing could keep me from the garden on days like this, short of tying me down!  Look how the salmon/pink poppy "shines" without the sun:

 

It's practically luminescent in some mysterious, magical way.  and even better here with the antique gate in the background:

I've decided this spring (I think I've mentioned it before, I'm prone to repeating myself) that I like flowers in bud form.  The poppies are just as pretty breaking out (if not prettier) as they are full blown, wouldn't you agree??.  Something else breaking out are the Allium schubertii's.  Here's a trio of them, just starting to bloom:

 

They have been true traffic stoppers.  Anyone who walks by, wants to know what those "firework-looking thingies" are.  It usually doesn't help much when I tell them but they like them anyway.  So do I.  I will definitely plant more this fall.  Here's two with the lens moved in a little tighter:

 

I'm trying to figure out what else I photographed in the garden, between rain drops.  Oh, Allium Moly Luteum, who is just beginning to open:

Maybe rainy days aren't absolutely perfect for photography afterall.  See the moisture in the center of Moly Luteum?  That causes reflections in itself that I'm still learning to overcome.  Oh well, the odds are still significantly higher that you'll capture a better-than-average photo on an overcast day than on a bright, sunny one.  So I'll keep after it. 

Something else a rainy day is good for ~ cooking.  I received the June 09 issue of Gardens Illustrated yesterday and one hour later, I was whipping up the yummy rhubarb walnut muffin recipe inside.  But not until I looked up the metric conversions!  Are we the only country that hasn't gone metric??  I have to tell you, the recipe is so good, that it was worth the extra time it took to make the conversions.

 

Yum.  These were such a delightful blending of flavors that I have more rhubarb on my counter at this very minute to make another batch.  Thank you Gardens Illustrated for that! 

March Bloom Day

can best be described as sparse but promising.  I can't complain tho because it's better than last month when there was absolutely nothing blooming outside.  At least now there are plenty of tiny purple crocus dotting the beds:

These just happen to be sprinkled with water droplets because I drug (is that a word??) out the hose and watered down my beds (again).  We are on course for the driest winter ever recorded in Colorado.  Whenever the temps are up and the wind is calm, I try to provide a little much needed moisture.  Here's another snapshot I like a lot:

 

Not quite open, the petals swirl about the orange anthers creating a rose-like effect.  So pretty, isn't it?  I have many other bulbs emerging and even some close to blooming (daffodils) but nothing else actually in bloom at the moment.  Outside that is.  Inside is another story.  The dainty yellow orchid continues to put on a beautiful display:

 

and then there are the pink gladiolus that my daughter received for her birthday:

 

Five stalks in a graceful arrangement are the focal point of our dining table.  Wouldn't you guess they'd be pink?!!!  and finally, the most yummy of all, delicious frosting flowers leftover from the sweet 16 cake:

I saved the best for last, right??!!!  If you would like to join in on the fun, pop over and visit Carol of May Dreams Gardens for other blooms around the world.

Christmas Cookie Exchange

Popping in tonight for a little update.  I feel like I've been missing a good friend.  Funny how a little reprieve from the computer feels like something is missing in life!  Posts may still be a bit sporadic but after a flurry of activity, I feel like I finally have a "handle" on Christmas.  The mailing and decorating are done, the shopping almost finished, more wrapping to follow but baking is what has had me preoccupied this week.  Monday was our neighborhood Christmas cookie exchange:

 

This year I hosted, we made 7 dozen cookies each and had 14 participants.  We each ended up with 1/2 dozen of 14 different yummy holiday favorites.  Above is the right side of my tray, and below is the left side:

 

If you can believe it, 24 hours after the exchange, I had zero cookies left!  Some of my daughters friends came over and happily devoured the entire platter!  At least I didn't, right?!!  My contribution can't be seen in the above photos.  I made my favorite ~ "Buckeyes"  ~ and had to hide them in the garage (prior to the exchange) to make sure I stayed out of them.  Yum.  I was happy to see many other beloved childhood varieties as well.  It's funny how everyone loves a different kind.  I wonder what your favorite is???