Monday, April 30, 2012

Rose Sugar Shortbread


 I took the rose sugar I had created and used it in this recipe.  You could make this shortbread with other flavors of sugar too.  The original recipe used  1 tsp. of finely chopped sage leaves mixed with the sugar listed below in the ingredients. Recipe source: The Herb Quarterly Summer 2010.

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened 

Place an oven rack in the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Sift flour and salt into a medium bowl.   Then mix in your 2 tbsp. of rose sugar or whatever sugar you desire.  Add the butter and stir with a fork to make a soft dough.  Gently pat the dough into a 9x9 inch baking pan.  Prick all over with a fork and sprinkle the remaining teaspoon of rose sugar and sprinkle evenly over the dough.  

Bake the shortbread until lightly golden, 20 to 30 minutes.  Cut into 1x3 inch fingers while the bread is still quite warm, then let it cool completely in the pan before separating.  makes about 27 fingers.


 Enjoy!
Sherry
I will link this to:
Friday Food at Mom Trends
Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum
Thriving on Thursdays  at Domesblissity
On the Menu Monday at Stonegable 
Rooted in Thyme Simple and Sweet Fridays

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Spa Night...It's a Sane Thing

Every summer I have started this little ritual where Friday night is Spa Night.  You show off more skin in the summer, your toes are peaking out of your sandals, and the schedule seems to go at a slower pace; so, there is time for it .   It is just something I do for myself.  My husband says, "You do what?"  "It is Spa Night dear, never mind you wouldn't understand." 


I never go anywhere, I don't spend any money, I just pull out the scrubs, lotions, and manicure supplies and I take care of me.

I don't get away, ever.  The kids are still here and I still wait on them; it's unavoidable. 

This is just one of those little things I like to do for myself.  It is a sane thing.   Do you have any summer rituals?  Is there anything you can enjoy more during summer's slower pace?

Sherry
I will join: 
Show off Your Cottage Monday  at The House in the Roses  
Seasonal Sundays  at The Tablescaper
Metamorphosis Monday
at Between Naps on the Porch
Say G'Day Saturday  at Natasha in Oz
Sunday's Best Party  at My 1929 Charmer

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Home Sweet Home #64

Hello and welcome to Home Sweet Home!  This is for all the Mothers out there who work so hard to raise their families.  Take a break and step into my yard for a moment today.  I have a funny story about this photo shoot today.

I have set my table up and every time I step outside I keep hearing this buzzing.  Sounded like a lot of flies.  I just ignored it and kept right on creating my table, working with the lighting, and getting the angles just right.

Just about when I am done with my table ( I had been out there around 30 minutes)  a little honey bee lands on it and takes an interest in my roses.  Then it dawns on me that the neighbor who raises bees had a hive of bees leave the nest last year and they took up residence in our hollow tree.  So, the light bulb goes on and I look up and see the bees swarming. 

They were flying wildly all around the tree and buzzing in and out of the space above my head.  The buzzing was very loud.  How did I not remember this?  I'm way too focused on styling this table.

So, they have buzzed off now and very few bees are going in and out of the tree.  No harm done.  I am glad they appreciated my table and since they are now gone I will invite you over to a much quieter table.

Now I would like to highlight some of the posts that caught my eye last week at Home Sweet Home.  So many great ideas!

Terry at Forever Decorating  showed off her pretty brick borders.

 Judy at JBigg's Little Pieces  showed off the most beautiful lilac table. 

 LDH at With a Grateful; Prayer and a Thankful Heart   showed off recycled light shade as flower pots. 

Gail at Gail's Decorative Touch  made this apron out of a French grain sack.  Isn't this cute! 

Thank you to all who join me at Home Sweet Home!   It is wonderful to have you here! 
Sherry
I will join these ladies today:
Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground 
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home
Rooted in Thyme Simple and Sweet Fridays
Pearls and Lace Thursdays  at Faith, Grace, and Crafts
Home and Garden Thursday  at A Delightsome Life 
Guidelines for Home Sweet Home Party:
Attention: To link up with inlinkz you must have a permalink back to this party in your post or they will not allow you to link.  
Link up anything in your home or garden.  I love seeing neat shops too!
My button is on my sidebar for the party, if you want to use it.   If you are new here I hope you will become a follower. Please don't link up more than two posts.  No Etsy link ups or direct advertising, please.  Please visit some of the other blogs and get some great inspiration.  Thanks.:)
Now let's see your beautiful homes!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Making Rose Sugar

Roses aren't usually the first thing you think of to bring in from the garden to the kitchen.  But, roses can be used for a variety of culinary purposes.  One way to use roses in your cooking is to make rose flavored sugar.  It is made exactly the same way you make vanilla scented sugar.

There are two methods to make the sugar.  I will show you this method first. (source: Mad About Herbs)

Ingredients:
1 cup of fresh organic fragrant rose petals
3/4- 1 cup of white sugar

  • I first chopped the white end off of the rose petal.   This part of the petal tends to taste bitter so I removed it.

  • Next, I finely chopped the rose petals up.

  • Next you need to place some sugar in a mortar and mix by pounding the petals into the sugar.

  • If you want to serve the sugar with this gorgeous pink color you must serve it now freshly mixed.  It has the most fragrant smell just like the roses.
  • After mixing place in an airtight glass jar for storage.
  • The reason I tell you to serve it fresh is because the color turns brown overnight.  I made this last night and today when I saw it had browned I was disappointed.  It also smells more fruity. 

The other way to make rose sugar I found in The Herb Companion.  

  • Take a clean pint jar with a tight fitting lid.   Fill the jar about 1/3 full with sugar, scatter a small handful of very fragrant rose petals over the sugar.
  • Cover the petals with sugar so the jar is 2/3 full; add another small handful of rose petals and cover with sugar to fill the jar, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace.
  • Shake the jar and place on a shelf in a cool dark place.  The sugar will be ready to use in 2 to 3 weeks and will become more flavorful with age.  As, the sugar is used, add more plain sugar, which will take on the fragrance in the jar.

Uses for rose flavored sugar:
1. Stirred into coffee or tea
2. Use instead of plain sugar when baking cakes, scones etc.
3. Sprinkle onto desserts, cakes, cookies, muffins
4. Use to make syrups or add to the rim of cocktail glasses
Note*  If you use this method, you can mix your white sugar with a pink sanding sugar and get the beautiful pale pink sugar.  
 Enjoy!
Sherry
I will link this to: 
Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Friday Food at Mom Trends
Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum
What's It Wednesday   at Ivy and Elephants  
Thriving on Thursdays  at Domesblissity
On the Menu Monday at Stonegable 
Rooted in Thyme Simple and Sweet Fridays

Sunday, April 22, 2012

The Joy of Gardening

source: scanned image from Victoria April 1995

In observance of Earth Day I am doing an ode to gardening.  I fondly remembered the old Victoria magazine's features on gardening and decided to dig them out and see what images I could come up with.  I have tore out these features and long since thrown the magazines away.  If I knew the the date of the feature I have posted it here as the source, otherwise I don't know the date.


 source: scanned image from Victoria magazine

This was from the magazine and it was also the cover of the magazine.  If ever I get to visit England I would love to see a cottage like this.  Isn't this rose bush magnificent!

source scanned image from Victoria magazine

Victoria magazine often took us to England.  Here we get a bird's eye view of a spectacular manor house walled garden.

source: scanned image Victoria magazine

This image is one of the inspirations for my own kitchen garden.  Here is a herb garden right out the kitchen door at another manor house.

source: scanned image Victoria magazine

Always enchanted by a path in a garden.


source: image scanned from Victoria magazine Jan. '91

Victoria did many features on white long before I ever remember anyone else showing it.  Here they featured an all white garden.



source: image scanned from Victoria magazine Jan. '91

 The white garden at night becomes a magical place as a moonlit garden.


 Now, here in my own yard the plants have been spilling over the walk and the flower border with abandon. 


 I just this year have a rose garden.  You don't have to spend a lot of money to have roses.  I picked these roses up at Walmart last year.  I would get a rose every week with the groceries.  They only cost around $4 and some change a piece.

I have four rose bushes and they have really been beautiful this week.



Right out the back door in a shrub a mother robin has taken up residence to raise her young.  Not wanting to disturb the nest, I stuck the camera above my head and aimed and caught a peak at the beautiful eggs.
Sherry
  I will join: 
Show off Your Cottage Monday  at The House in the Roses  
Seasonal Sundays  at The Tablescaper
Say G'Day Saturday  at Natasha in Oz
A Return to Loveliness  at A Delightsome Life
Your Cozy Home Party  at Cozy Home Scenes

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Home Sweet Home #63

Hello and welcome to Home Sweet Home!  I thought it would nice to create a flower arrangement in this old trophy I thrifted.  I can see this being a centerpiece for a graduation party with a stack of yearbooks under it or for a Mother's Day brunch with Mom's favorite books stacked up.  What ever the occasion it would be a fun look for all of the events that come up in May. 

 Are you busy in May?  It really is a busy month around here.

I'm adding this collage I made with my Titanic Inspired post and this trophy.  The old trophy seemed to go well with this photo. 
 
Now I would like to highlight some of the posts that caught my eye last week at Home Sweet Home.

 Mary Alice at Chateau Chic showed off some hand-me-downs that were wonderful! 

Babs at Upstairs Downstairs showed off some seashells that were beautiful.

Tammy at A Walk in the Countryside  showed off a pretty spring table.

Cindy at Blessings from Cindy created this shabby chic style lampshade.  Check it out.

Thank you to all who join me at Home Sweet Home!   It is wonderful to have you here! 
Sherry
I will join these ladies today:
Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground 
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home
Rooted in Thyme Simple and Sweet Fridays
Pearls and Lace Thursdays  at Faith, Grace, and Crafts
Home and Garden Thursday  at A Delightsome Life 

Guidelines for Home Sweet Home Party:


Attention: To link up with inlinkz you must have a permalink back to this party in your post or they will not allow you to link.  
Link up anything in your home or garden.  I love seeing neat shops too!
My button is on my sidebar for the party, if you want to use it.   If you are new here I hope you will become a follower. Please don't link up more than two posts.  No Etsy link ups or direct advertising, please.  Please visit some of the other blogs and get some great inspiration.  Thanks.:)
Now let's see your beautiful homes!