Tortellini Bento

Taco Bowl

To make your own crunchy taco shell bowl, spray both sides of a soft tortilla with a small amount of cooking spray.  Drape the tortilla over an oven safe bowl or measuring cup.  Bake 375* for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Taco Bento

I got a new bento box from Whole Foods today.  Laptop Lunch Box.  There are multiple removable containers (some with water tight lids) that can be rearranged in various configurations.  I made loaded nachos for dinner.

Another Peach Cobbler

Hot diggity! I just bought a 5 lb box of fresh peaches for $6 at Whole Foods. I could think of nothing I wanted more than a big scoop of peach cobbler. We are trying a different recipe this time because the other one was a bit heavy like a pancake.

1 C. sugar
1 Tb. flour
4 C. sliced fresh peaches
nutmeg and cinnamon,
Combine together in a bowl, and pour into a greased 9x13 pan.

1 C. sugar	1 C. flour
1/3 C. butter	1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt	1 egg

In a new clean bowl, cut cold butter into remaining ingredients to form a crumbly dough.  Sprinkle on top of your peaches.  Bake 375* about 25 minutes.

Tamales

Filling	Dough
1 14 lb. pork loin	2 C. masa harina
1 large onion, sliced	1 tsp. beef base
3 cloves garlic	2 C. water
	1/2 tsp. salt
Sauce	2/3 C. lard
1 pkg. (4 or 5) dried chili pods
2 C. water	corn husks
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Place pork into a Dutch oven with onion and garlic, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the meat is cooked through, about 2 hours. Use rubber gloves to remove stems and seeds from the chili pods. Place chilies in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. Transfer the chilies and water to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture, stir in salt, and set aside. Shred the cooked meat and mix in 1 C. of the chili sauce.
Soak the corn husks in a bowl of warm water. In a large bowl, beat the lard with a tablespoon of the broth until fluffy. Combine the masa harina, baking powder and salt; stir into the lard mixture, adding more broth as necessary to form a spongy dough.
Spread the dough out over the corn husks to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Place one tablespoon of the meat filling into the center. Fold the sides of the husks in toward the center and place in a steamer. Steam for 1 hour. Remove tamales from husks and drizzle remaining chili sauce over. Thank You Allrecipes Yield: about 16 tamales.

Exciting Orchid Updates

The top two orchids are phalenopsis. The one on left is my newest plant, the one on right the largest. My newest orchid has tiny pink flowers which up until now I had only seen and enjoyed for the week I purchased it. My largest orchid has light purple flowers, and has bloomed 3 times in captivity and has created two offspring. I am excited to point out the new roots on both plants and light purple on the tips of their leaves which means they are doing quite well.  These orchids are growing in a peat moss wood chip blend.



The bottom two orchid are cattleya. The on the left is "blue", the one on right is "golden sunburst". Neither has bloomed in captivity yet. They both required extensive pruning of the root systems and leaves. If you notice brown powder around their bases, it is cinnamon. Cinnamon helps prevent root rot and pests.  I am overjoyed to point out the upward growing bullet shaped growths, which I believe will be new stems from which flowers will be capable of growing.  Also, the golden sunburst is growing new roots that are much greener and healthier than the mess of white roots it is poking through.  these orchids are growing in clear vases filled with 50/50 blend of water marbles, and clear glass marbles.

Brown sugar

Brown sugar can be a bit problematic because, when left unattended, the moist sugar can quickly transform into a rock-like state. This happens because the sugar dries out and the molasses used to keep it brown hardens and sticks it together like glue. There are several ways to avoid this problem.

1. Use a terra cotta sugar disk ($5) (or a .25 unglazed plant saucer), which will gradually release moisture into the sugar.  I use two plant saucers.
2. A slice of bread
3. Marshmallows. 3 or 4 regular size or several minis.
4. Keep in an air tight container.

Basil

Basil, an aromatic herb belonging to the mint family, is perhaps best known as the key ingredient in pesto, but it is basil’s medicinal properties, rather than its culinary value, that extend the herb’s uses far beyond pesto. Like other aromatic plants, basil contains essential oils and phytochemicals in the leaves, stem, flowers, roots and seeds that have biological activity in the body.
Throughout history, ancient cultures have used herbal remedies to prevent and treat illness and disease. Basil is just one example of the wide range of medicinal flora historically used in plant-based tinctures, compresses, syrups and ointments.  For centuries it has been used as a treatment for gastric, hepatic, respiratory and inflammatory disorders as well as a remedy for headache, fever, anxiety, convulsions, nausea and hypertension. Much research is being done on its ability to inhibit cancer.

Ravioli Bento

Cheese ravioli with Italian sausage, baby eggplant, green olives, and blue cheese.  Served with garlic bread and green beans.

Baked Brie

1/4 cup butter (no substitutes), softened

3 ounces cream cheese softened

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 round (8 ounces) Brie leave rind attached
1 egg beat with 1 teaspoon water

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese and flour on low speed until mixture forms a ball. Divide in half and wrap each portion in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion into a 7-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Place one circle on an ungreased baking sheet. Place Brie on pastry and top with remaining pastry circle; pinch edges to seal. Brush egg wash over top and sides of pastry. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving. Serve with crackers.

Party Cake

Copper Falls

Planter

The tall spiked grass is called syngonanthus or Mikado.

Basil Oil

2 C. basil
1 C. olive oil/safflower oil

Combine basil and olive oil in a blender. Puree the mixture until smooth.  In a saucepan, simmer the olive oil and basil puree over medium heat for 1 minute. Pour the heated mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup to remove the basil and allow to cool.  Use measuring cup to pour into bottles.  Basil oil is perfect tomatoes and cheese, or toasted bread.

Banana Ice Cream

Peel and freeze 2 bananas.  Place frozen bananas in blender.  They will go from frozen gravel to banana puree in about 2 minutes.  Banana puree is good with chocolate, peanut butter, nuts, sprinkles, all sorts of things, and they are diary free. Enjoy!


More recipes

Fancy Italian Soup

1 package hot Italian sausage
1 box of tomato basil soup
1/2 lb cut green beans
1 can your favorite beans (I am re-hydrating cranberry beans because I'm cheep)
1 package frozen vegetables, or any leftovers in the fridge. I had a carrot.
1/2 box small pasta shapes

Cook Italian sausage in your soup pot.  Remove from pot, cut into chunks, then return to pot.  Add soup, beans, vegetables, and a small amount of water.  Add cooked pasta to soup (or pasta will soak up all your liquids). Season to taste (garlic, pepper).  Serve with bread sticks and pretend you are having a fancy Italian lunch at your favorite restaurant.

Your cost to make (excluding Parmesan cheese and bread sticks) about $6.50 for 4 servings. Add a bag of salad to complete your meal.

DIY Sprinkles

Chocolate	Colored
1/2 C. powdered sugar	1 C. powdered sugar
3 Tb. cocoa powder	1/2 tsp salt
4 teaspoons vanilla infused vodka	1 egg white
2 teaspoons water	1 tsp flavor extract
(Just be sure it's 6 tsp. liquid, total)	food coloring

Instructions:
1. Mix powdered sugar with cocoa (for Chocolate) or salt (for Colored) very well. Add the liquid and mix, incorporating everything. You'll get a thick but workable frosting like mixture.
2. If you want to create multiple colors, distribute white frosting between separate bowls. Now add the food coloring. I recommend that you add between 2-3 drops of color, then whisking together, before add more. Continue until you’ve reached your desired color. Put your icing into a plastic sandwich bag, removing as much air as possible, then tying shut. With a scissors, snip a tiny, tiny hole into one corner of the bag. Or use a pastry bag with a #2 round tip.
4. Lay a piece of parchment paper down on a flat surface, then squeeze long straight lines of icing onto the parchment paper. Make sure the stripes don't touch.
5. Let dry up to 24 hours undisturbed. If you used mostly vodka as the liquid, this will dry faster, as it will if you live in a warm, non humid place. If you use water or your home is colder, this will take more time. Let it dry until you have hard sticks that flake off the parchment paper easily.
6. Pick up the side of the parchment paper, and start rolling it, so that the sprinkle sticks detach from the parchment paper and end up in the middle. Make a pile of all the sprinkle sticks, making sure they all are facing the same direction.
7. With a non serrated knife, cut the pile of sprinkle sticks into little sprinkles, each about a quarter of an inch long.
These now are your sprinkles. Use as you would any other sprinkles. Keep them in a dry place. They don't spoil.

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