Angraecum Distichium

I got a tiny trellis for my tiny orchid. Oh look! A mushroom bird has come to investigate.

Ear Worm

Had some songs stuck in my head this weekend, so I'm sharing!

Chicken and Dumplings

5 to 5 1/2 pound stewing hen giblets removed
3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
7 to 9 cups water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, at room temperature
Freshly ground black pepper

Alton Brown's recipe for chicken and dumplings is very good, and worth the extra effort. For this recipe you need a 7-quart pressure cooker or a boiled chicken.

Put the hen and 3 teaspoons of the salt in a 7-quart pressure cooker. Add water just to cover the hen. Do not fill above the cooker's "maximum fill" line, or 2/3 full. Cover and lock the lid. Bring to pressure over high heat, approximately 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, so that you barely hear hissing from the pot. Cook for 45 minutes.
Release the pressure using the cooker's release device (read the manual!) or cool the cooker by running cold water over the lid for 5 minutes. Open carefully. Remove the hen from the broth and set aside to cool. The meat should be tender and falling away from the bone. Once the hen is cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones in small pieces, cover and set aside. Discard the skin and bones.
Set a cheesecloth-lined colander in a shallow, wide, 6-quart pot and strain the broth, discarding the solids. Taste and season the broth with additional salt, if needed. Put 1/2 cup of the broth, the butter, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a 2-quart saucier, set over high heat, and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, add all of the flour at once and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to come together, approximately 1 minute. Decrease the heat to low and continue stirring until the mixture forms a ball and is no longer sticky, approximately 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and mix, on low speed, for 5 minutes with an electric hand mixer. Beat until cool and there is no more steam rising. Continue to mix on low, and add the eggs, 1 at a time, making sure each is completely incorporated before adding another. You may need to stop occasionally and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Before adding the last egg, check the mixture for consistency: It should tear slightly as it falls from the beater, creating a "V" shape. Transfer the dough to a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Cut off 1 corner of the bag to make a quarter-sized opening.

Bring the broth to a slight simmer over medium heat. Pipe 1-inch of the mixture and cut with kitchen shears directly over the broth. Repeat with the remaining batter. Cook, covered, until the dumplings are cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the meat and wait for 2 to 3 minutes before serving. Serve in bowls with freshly ground black pepper.

Spring Planters

I freshened up the planters with some new succulents.

Phone cases

Marimo moss ball

Moss Balls are a species of filamentous green algae (Chlorophyta) found mostly in a number of lakes in the northern hemisphere. A marimo is a rare growth form of the species where the algae grow into large green balls with a velvety appearance. They can grow patches on a lake floor at depths from 2 to 2.5 m. The round shape of the marimo is maintained by wave action that turns it.
In Japan the marimo has said to be a national treasure. They where named by the Japanese botanist "Tatsuhiko Kawakami". Mari means bouncy ball and Mo is a term for plants that grow in water. So , marimo means bouncy plant.  People often mistake them for living animals because they are usually moving around in the tank. Basic Care Tips

Beaver

Snap Crackle Peep Bars

3 Tb butter
1 package (10 oz., about 40) marshmallows
1 package (12) bunny shaped peeps, cut into pieces
8 cups rice cereal

In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Fold in peep pieces and rice cereal. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.  Enjoy nibbling on the bunny ears and laughing at their melted faces.