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Father’s Day, Pride and the Garden!

This week, we focus on Father’s Day, Pride Month, a garden update, and, of course, the bears.

FATHER’S DAY

“Any man can be a father, but it takes a special man to be a dad.” – Anne Geddes*

We are both grateful and blessed to have had wonderful, dedicated fathers, to whom family meant everything. Applause to all great fathers and their lucky children.

Here is a simple idea for a great Father’s Day gift:

GIFT BOWL

A great way to present a gift is to use a bowl like a gift basket. In the example above, we placed three different bottles of hot sauce in a bowl with some colorful, shredded paper, and spelled out “Dad” on the bowl in stickers. Let the kids get creative with the stickers! To finish this and make it more transportable, wrap it in cellophane and tie with a ribbon. This doesn’t have to be expensive. We got this bowl and hot sauce trio at an outlet store for under $6.00! You also can add a gift card to a favorite restaurant, if desired. A Buffalo Wild Wings gift card would work well in our example. Customize your gift bowl for your special dad!

Find more Father’s Day ideas from last year’s post:

Father’s Day!

“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person; he believed in me.” – Jim Valvano*

FATHER’S DAY JOKE:

What did daddy spider say to baby spider? You spend too much time on the web! Source: jokes4us.com

OUR DADS

Here is a picture of Kevin’s father, Warren, and his mom, Irene, at a family celebration . . .

. . . and here is a picture of Roy’s father, Bill, who enjoyed taking care of his home (perhaps not so much during snow storms).

PRIDE – Love Conquers Hate

June is LGBT-pride month nationwide, and we were proud to celebrate our 18th year together on June 6th. As everyone probably knows, on Sunday morning, June 12th, a horrible tragedy occurred at The Pulse, a LGBT nightclub in Orlando, FL, when 49 people were killed in the worst mass murder shooting in our country’s history.

But love conquers hate, and we will be among the more than 40,000 participants this Saturday, June 18th, at Rhode Islands’ 41st annual Pride Fest, a day-long celebration in Providence ending with an amazing illuminated parade. Check out http://www.prideri.com for more details.

Rainbow Flag Sign:

This rainbow sign was made from a piece of scrap wood. Measure out 6 even horizontal spaces (in this case, each stripe is 3/4 inch wide) and paint them with acrylic paint in the colors of the rainbow.

Here is the before picture:

and after:

GARDEN UPDATE

This year’s garden got off to a late start due to weather, but we now have most of our plants potted. (Clockwise from top left) Basil, peppers & tomatoes, zinnias, and variegated tiger lilies are some of this year’s offerings.

Ladder Plant Stand

This colorful plant stand was created out of 3 different-sized ladders and a few boards we had on hand. Standard rung heights for ladders simplified this project. Paint your ladders to match your garden’s color theme. We did rainbow colors this year. Choose plants that take full sun for top of ladders and partial sun or shade for the lower levels. Check out future blogs for the development of this work in progress.

The shelves were cut from scrap wood with a saber saw. Two inverted storage bins of the same size (shown below) made great saw horses. (Use care with power tools, or better yet, buy new lumber and have it cut to size at the store.)

The ladders and shelves were painted with leftover paint and some new indoor/outdoor spray paint. They were painted quickly and imperfectly to create a distressed look. Since we had the ladders and boards (sometimes it pays to run a storage facility!), this project cost under ten dollars. You can find used ladders at tag sales or flea markets for your project.

Gardening can be a wonderful way to focus on something positive. Last Sunday, when we were still absorbing the tragic news from Orlando, we decided to go out and pick up some plants to complete the garden. It helps to do something positive and life-affirming during difficult times.

FOOD ART!

Take pride in your tasty food (flag)!

THE BEARS

The bears are admiring the results of their hard work!

Enjoy!

Roy &Kevin

*Quote source: Chiff.com

Memorial Day and More!

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QUOTE FOR MEMORIAL DAY:

“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.” – Arthur Ashe

Source : inspirational quotes and quotations.com

This week, we offer some picnic food ideas, a garden update, thoughts on Memorial Day and, of course, the bears.

PICNIC FOODS

Memorial Day starts the picnic season and even though we can’t grill outdoors at our home, we enjoy grilling indoors on our grill pan. Here’s a nutritious twist on bacon-wrapped hot dogs which still offers great grilled taste.

Zucchini Wrapped Hot Dogs

Skip the bacon and add some vegetable goodness to your hot dog!

Hot Dog Wrap

You will need:

Your favorite hot dogs – turkey, beef, whatever you like. (Tofu?)
Medium zucchini, washed
Vegetable spray for grill pan

How to prepare:

Using a vegetable peeler, cut zucchini lengthwise into strips.
Place zucchini strips on oiled grill pan.
Grill zucchini for 1 minute on each side.
Wrap one or more grilled zucchini strips around each hot dog.
Grill zucchini-wrapped hot dogs to your preferred level of doneness. (Double grilling the zucchini gives it a meatier flavor.)
Serve with your favorite toppings. (See below for one of our new go-to relishes.)

Giardiniera Relish

Giardiniera is a spicy mix of pickled vegetables. We saw this tip on Rachael Ray’s show and decided to give it a try. It is delicious!

Place the contents of a drained 16 oz. jar of giardiniera in the food processor. Pulse until consistency of pickle relish. It’s a delicious topping for hot dogs or your favorite sandwich. Also great as a topping for chicken or fish.

LOOK BACK

Check out last year’s blog for more ideas:

Memorial Day Weekend

GARDEN UPDATE

It’s been a cold spring, and we are just beginning to put our garden together. Last weekend, we bought a cherry tomato plant, 2 pepper plants (one hot, one sweet) and 2 trays of Impatiens.

Kevin enjoyed starting the planting. He planted the red Impatiens below the hummingbird feeder because the hummingbirds are attracted to the color red.

Memorial Garden Decorations

In our garden, some of our ornamental items are in memory of loved ones no longer with us.

Our garden bee is in memory of our niece and dear friend, Christine, who was, among many things, an avid gardener and beekeeper. The flamingo watering can is in memory of our beloved friend, Sondra, who always had flamingos in her beautiful garden.

The angel below is in memory of Kevin’s mom, Irene, who had a special relationship with angels. It sits on a shelf created by Roy’s late father, Bill, who also owned the wind chimes pictured to the right. We think these mementos, coupled with a garden of flowers and vegetables, make a beautiful tribute to life and those we love.

Plant Stands? Perhaps!

We are planning to use these two ladders as plant stands. The bears want to paint them. (Hmm – not sure how that will work out!)

GROWING GREEN ONIONS

Kevin’s sister, Christine, told us about this fun idea.

Buy a bunch of organic green onions from your local grocery store. Put in a glass of water, root side down. Trim onions as needed for your favorite recipe. The onions will grow back remarkably quickly. Change the water as needed. Could not be easier!

Here is our plant and some pictures of the growth after cutting the three stalks on left:

1 day’s growth after an initial trim:

2 day’s growth:

3 day’s growth:

4 day’s growth:

Amazing, instant success – great for kids!!!

Food Art: PEPPER PETALS

The Bears

Our furry friends were successful! With a quick coat of paint, the small old ladder makes a great plant stand!

OUR HEROES:

Last, but not by no means least, we salute our fathers, both of whom served our country during World War II.

Roy’s father, William J. Drew, Jr.

Kevin’s father, Warren Wollschlager, shown with new bride, Irene.

We thank all those who serve to protect our freedom, past and present.

Enjoy

Roy & Kevin

Celebrating Mothers on Mother’s Day!

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“… love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves its own mark.”

J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Mother’s Day is a day of celebration nationwide. Billions are spent on flowers and candy and taking mom out for her special day.* For those of us whose mothers have passed away, this day can be difficult. To make it better, we choose to focus on good memories of our moms and to suggest ways for others to make Mother’s Day special. Both of our mother’s loved celebrations – guess that’s where we got it from!

This week, enjoy a tasty artichoke dip, simple ways to make Mother’s Day flowers more special, some ideas for creative gifts, a garden update, and, of course, the bears.

*According to statisticbrain.com, total spent for mother’s on Mother’s Day: $20.7 Billion!

NEW ARTICHOKE DIP

This Easter, Kevin’s niece Corinne, who is a great mom herself, made this delicious artichoke dip. We are pleased she let us share her recipe here. We’ve actually had this dip as a side dish with dinner more than once. Great way to get your veggies!

Make it for your Mother’s Day celebration!

Ingredients:

8 oz. softened cream cheese, cut into manageable chunks
1/3 cup mayo (we use Hellmann’s Light)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
two cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
two 14 oz. cans artichoke hearts in water, drained
chopped scallions
seeded, chopped tomatoes

How to prepare:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Have a large mixing bowl ready to place the ingredients in after they have gone through the food processor.

Mince artichoke hearts in food processor and pour into bowl.
Mix cream cheese, mayo, and garlic powder in processor until smooth.
Combine cream cheese mixture with chopped artichokes.
Finely grind cheeses in food processor, add to mixing bowl and stir all ingredients until thoroughly incorporated.
Spread mixture in glass pie plate.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes (should not be too brown on top).
Top with scallions and tomatoes.
Dip can be served warm or cold. It also reheats well in the microwave.
Serve with corn or pita chips.

VASES

Here are three easy and inexpensive ways to make a gift of flowers more special! Cute glass vases from the dollar store are easy to decorate. Cut out three 2-inch squares of decorative card stock, and spell MOM out on the cards, one letter per square. (We used stickers, but the letters can be handwritten in crayon or magic marker for a child’s personal touch.) Tie the squares onto the vases with jute (top photo). You also can use a single vase and do the same technique with one piece of 3″ wide x 5″ long piece of cardstock. The third example is the easiest. Simply spell out MOM in stickers on the vase itself. We got these lovely tulips on sale at a supermarket and using stickers and cardstock we had on hand, this gift cost under $10.00!

Last year’s post:

Here is last year’s Mother’s Day post with some additional ideas and thoughts.

Mother’s Day is a Special Day!

GIFT IDEAS

There’s still time to get a great gift for mom!

Here are a few ideas:

Photo gifts:

Print out a new or old photo that is special to your mom and put it in a nice frame. Instant keepsake.
Offer to scan your mom’s family photos to the computer or onto a disk. She will be able to print those she likes or share favorite photos with others from her computer.

Gift cards:

Gift cards to theaters, museums, craft and fabric stores or other creative venues will thrill the creative-minded mother. Practical gift cards for supermarkets or department stores also are great. Kevin’s mom loved getting gift cards to her local dollar store to stock up on greeting cards and gift wrap. No time to shop in-store? E-cards can be bought online!

Gifts of time and service:

Help mom clean her basement or garage.
Take mom food shopping or to the mall.
Enjoy a show or lunch with mom.

The garden:

Pick up some of your mom’s favorite plants.
Help her plant her flowers.

Kevin’s mom used to plant her patio and window box flowers on Mother’s Day. She enjoyed doing this with her daughter, Christine, who would gift her with the flowers and help plant them. This became a very special yearly tradition.

GARDEN UPDATE

We are starting to plan our garden for this year. Most years, Mother’s Day is a good time to start planting, but this year it is too cold and wet. We’re looking forward to getting our patio planting done soon!

Looks like the flamingo has started helping with clean up by pulling a weed! (This photo is not staged.)

Flowering food art (baby carrots, celery and grapes)

JOKE OF THE WEEK:

What did the momma broom say to the baby broom? “It’s time to go to sweep!”

Source: Jokes4us.com

THE BEARS

The bears are celebrating Mother’s Day, too! Shown above and here with Irene’s handmade “MOM” pillow.

We end this post with photos of our own mothers, always in our thoughts and in our hearts.

Kevin’s mom, Irene, with some of her loved ones at her 85th birthday lunch a few years ago.

Roy’s mother, Phyllis, with new baby Roy and the rest of her family – quite a few years ago.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!

Enjoy!

Roy and Kevin

Help the Earth? Yes We CAN!!!

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“Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.” – Aldo Leopold, author and conservationist

Today, April 22nd, marks the 46th anniversary of Earth Day, reminding us of the importance of taking care of our home, the Earth!

This week, we offer our new recipe for three-bean vegetable chili, a craft using tin cans, recycling tips, a garden update and, of course, the bears!

THREE-BEAN VEGETABLE CHILI

For health reasons and to reduce our carbon footprint, we have been having more meat-free meals. Here is a recipe for a delicious, satisfying chili that fits the bill.

Ingredients:

two tablespoons olive oil
one cup onion, chopped
one cup yellow squash, diced
one cup frozen corn
one lb. bag mixed pepper strips
one 16 oz. can vegetarian refried beans
two 15.5 oz. cans each of black beans, cannellini beans, red kidney beans, rinsed
one 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
one tablespoon tomato paste
one cup medium salsa
one 4.5 oz. can chopped green chilis
two tablespoons (or to taste – careful very spicy!) chipolte in adobo sauce, pureed. (Hint: puree a 7 oz. can in the food processor and freeze the excess for future use.)
two cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried cumin
two cups water

To make:

Saute onions and squash in olive oil for 2 minutes.
Stir in minced garlic.
Add corn and pepper strips and cook until they are defrosted and warm.
Stir in refried beans and heat until incorporated with other vegetables.
Add the remaining ingredients.
Salt to taste. (Canned items may have a lot of salt, so use caution. You can always add more later.)
Simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve with guacamole, sour cream, chips and your favorite toppings.

Here is an interesting post about the impact of beef on the environment:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/21/beef-environmental-impact_n_5599370.html

SAVE YOUR CANS!

The chili recipe above uses a lot of canned items, and the cans should be recycled. As another option, why not make the cute tin can man, woman or robot (featured photo above)? Place him or her in the garden for whimsical decor. Over time, it will rust beautifully and add even more charm to the patio! (If that’s possible!)

We used:

One 16 oz. can for the head
One 28 oz. can for the body
Eight 6 oz. cans for the legs and arms (two for each limb)

You will also need:

wire
drill
wire cutters
silver duct tape

To make:

Remove labels from cans, clean and wash.
Drill holes at the areas where you want to attach pieces together.
Attach limbs and head to body with wire, twist to secure in place.

We used some colorful magnets for our face and buttons, but you could use screws, hardware, paints, stickers or whatever will show your creation’s personality! Use silver duct tape to cover wires and sharp edges on cans.

We have just started to work with this idea, so look for updated tin can creations in future blogs.

Warning! Will Robinson! Danger!!! This is not a toy! This is a decorative item we plan on using in our garden. The wires and can pieces are sharp. Use caution when assembling and displaying your creation. As with all of our projects, do this at your own risk!!!

A COUPLE OF INFORMATIVE, EDUCATIONAL EARTH-FRIENDLY LINKS:

Here’s one from the EPA about recycling and ecology:

https://www.epa.gov/earthday

Here is last years post with some good ideas and links:

The Earth Is In Bloom!

GARDEN UPDATE

Still a little early to plant our flowers and vegetables. Today was a beautiful summer-like day, so we brought some of our houseplants outside to soak up the sun and meet our tin can creation.

Repurposing is very earth-friendly, and the garden is a great place to make that happen. Here are photos of the toolbox we adapted into a planter, and the desks (no longer house-worthy) we used as garden tables.

Flash back to repurposing:

FOOD ART

Don’t cry, the flowers will be back soon!

(Shopping day is tomorrow, so onions are this weeks star!)

JOKE OF THE WEEK

Why are recycle bins optimistic? Because they are full of “cans”!

Source: amomwithalessonplan.com

THE BEARS

Inspired by this week’s craft, the bears wanted to get in on the act!

However, they found it more comfortable resting on the Earth map pillow!

(Earth map pillow was made from a recycled fabric remnant years ago!)

Enjoy!

Roy & Kevin

All Things Spring!

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Mark Twain wrote: “In the Spring, I have counted one hundred and thirty-six kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours.” Source: QuoteGarden.com

Mr. Twain (or Clemons) had a point. Weather in spring is very changeable. The season started off nicely in Rhode Island, with some great weather for Easter. But last weekend, we got several inches of heavy, wet snow! This fickle weather makes it difficult to have a “springy” attitude. This week, we offer a couple of ideas to get in the spring mode, or mood, no matter what Mother Nature has in store.

Hope you enjoy our shrimp pizza recipe, some basic tips on spring cleaning, a quick spring decor idea, a patio update, and, of course, the bears!

MINI SHRIMP PIZZAS ON ENGLISH MUFFINS

We did a web search for spring inspired recipes, and 2 items came up. The first was a white pizza, and the second, a shrimp dish. One of our long-time favorite recipes, our Shrimp Pizzas on English Muffins, combine these two ideas. Quick and tasty.

Ingredients:

6 whole wheat English muffins, split
1 lb. bag raw, peeled and deveined shrimp, tails removed
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
3/4 cup spinach, chopped
1 lb. package of shredded 4-cheese Italian blend
2 tablespoons garlic & herb mix (we use Mrs. Dash)
1 tablespoon (or to taste) red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon olive oil

How to prepare:

Pre-heat oven to 375.
Place split English muffins on a parchment-paper covered sheet tray.
Bake muffins for 5 minutes until lightly toasted.
While the muffins toast, saute shrimp in olive oil for 2 minutes on each side until just pink.
Remove muffins from oven and top with cheese blend.
Top English muffins with mushrooms, spinach and shrimp.
Sprinkle with herb mix and red pepper flakes.
Bake muffin pizzas for an additional 10 minutes.

Serve with a salad for a tasty meal.

Our sheet tray of English muffin pizzas look like one big pizza because we like cheese!

SPRING CLEANING THOUGHTS

We are not cleaning experts by any stretch of the imagination, but this spring we’ve developed a more focused cleaning routine. Here are a few things that work for us. Extra benefit – cleaning is good exercise!

Do something daily

Make a point of cleaning every day for 45 minutes to an hour, or whatever amount of time you have available.

Timer

Set a timer for your desired length of time and clean until the timer goes off.

Hit list

Make a list of those areas and tasks which could use some attention.

Wear cleaning clothes

Lesson learned: If you are using products with bleach, make sure you wear clothes that you don’t mind getting bleach on. Nothing is more annoying than spotting a pair of jeans or shirt with bleach because you were cleaning!

Put on music and lights

What? It’s not a disco! Put on some of your favorite music to keep you moving and turn up the lights so you can see what you’re cleaning.

Good motto for cleaning

Improvement not perfection.

A TOUCH OF GLASS (SPRING EDITION)

For Easter, we decorated using glass bowls and vases filled with plastic eggs. For spring, we use artificial flowers the same way. Wow – a vase with flowers, what a concept!!!

We prefer using monochromatic displays of various types of flowers. Above, we filled a trifle bowl with some pretty blossoms and surrounded it with other flowers, glass and lights. Forsythia and daisies make a taller display in the photo below. With the weather in Rhode Island so far this spring, artificial flowers suffice; of course, the same ideas work beautifully with fresh flowers.

PATIO UPDATE

This photo was taken this past Monday, 04/04/16. Not too spring-like!

Coming soon – an interesting addition to the patio! The bee seems curious!!!

FOOD ART

The asparagus at the top of the page makes a great centerpiece, and delicious side dish! Check out the link below from our 2015 post, “Spring into Spring” for a delicious asparagus recipe:

Spring into Spring!!!

THE BEARS

The bears are using the Easter lily plant for shade. The plant is hanging in there, and all of the buds have bloomed. The bears seem to like it!

SPORTS UPDATE

Congratulations to the UCONN Huskies women’s basketball team for winning their 4th straight NCAA National Championship!!! Record-breaking accomplishment!!! GO HUSKIES!!!

Enjoy!

Roy & Kevin

Happy, Bunny-Filled, Colorful Easter and Spring!!!

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This week, we share some colorful Easter and Spring ideas. Check out our Easy Easter Cupcakes, quick holiday decorating tips, a plant update, our healthy Bunny Dip Crudite Platter, one of our special Easter traditions, and of course, the bears!

EASY EASTER CUPCAKES

Get the kids involved in this easy holiday dessert. The Peep Bunnies seem intrigued!

Prepare your favorite flavor of cake mix according to package directions for cupcakes. For Easter, we use carrot cake. Frost them with canned white frosting. Of course, you can make your cupcakes and frosting from scratch, but the cake mixes and canned frosting are quite tasty and save time. Save even more time – decorate store-bought frosted cupcakes!

To make the “grass”: mix 2 or 3 drops of green food coloring into one cup of shredded coconut.

Sprinkle the frosted cupcakes with the dyed coconut and top with jelly beans, malted milk eggs or the candy of your choice. The Peep Bunnies add whimsy to the plate! Fun for kids!

Bonus tip:

If you’re Easter Cupcakes are travelling and you don’t have a cake cover, invert a dutch oven over your dish of cupcakes. Great in a pinch!

A TOUCH OF GLASS

Plastic Easter eggs make a simple, fun display in various glass containers. Mix and match the colors you want. Use white or clear lights to add a little more sparkle. Festive!

The forsythia is not yet in bloom, but this faux forsythia adds a touch of Spring to this early Easter holiday. The hummingbird on the pillow is looking for nectar!

SOME OF OUR OTHER DECORATIONS

This bookcase is filled with rabbit figurines we’ve collected over the years. The hanging ornaments in the back row on the top shelf never come down – Red Sox, Patriots, UCONN, sand dollar and rainbow flag. (On a side note – UCONN women’s basketball team going for 4th straight national championship. GO HUSKIES!!!)

LIKE A FINE WINE, LAST YEAR’S IDEAS GET BETTER WITH TIME!

Check out our post from Easter 2015 – some fun ideas for Easter baskets.

BASKETS – for both Easter and the Final Four!

PLANT UPDATE

Our beautiful Amaryllis blooms are gone, but the leaves stand strong and our patio is being prepped for Spring planting.

FOOD ART/BUNNY DIP CRUDITE TRAY

This week’s food art is a great appetizer for Easter celebrations. To balance out Easter’s sweet treats, we created this Bunny Dip Crudite Tray. Place a bowl of dip on a sheet tray covered with parchment paper and decorate it to look like the Easter Bunny.

Details as follows:

Ears: Endive, split, rinsed and sprinkled with chili powder.
Nose: Olive
Eyes: Capers
Eyebrows: Celery leaves
Mouth and whiskers: Chives
Bow tie: Bell pepper and a cherry tomato
Dip: one 16 oz. container of fat-free sour cream and 2 – 3 tablespoons of Mrs. Dash Garlic Herb Mix. This is one of our favorite, healthy and quick dips. Any light-colored dip will do.

Surround with celery, carrots and other veggies.

EGG CRASHING GAME:

Kevin’s family plays this every year. It is traditional holiday game with roots in many cultures. Read more about it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_tapping

A TRIO OF EASTER JOKES:

You’ll be the hit of the party with these comic gems!

Who is the Easter Bunny’s favorite actor? Rabbit DeNiro!

Where do the Easter bunnies go for new tails? The re-tail store! (When Roy asked this question to Kevin, he said the tuxedo store – take a minute.)

Why is Easter like whipped cream and a cherry? Because it’s always on a sundae!

Source: Fundootimes.com

The bunnies, er, we mean the bears, shown above, have gotten into their Easter baskets!!!

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Enjoy!

Roy & Kevin

St. Patrick’s Day 2016

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We love St. Patrick’s Day, and this year we came up with some fun things suitable for the whole family. Find out about our easy shamrock cake, a traditional potato recipe, a simple holiday drawing tip, some gifts for the wee ones, a garden update and, of course, the bears!

EASY SHAMROCK CAKE

This no-bake cake was easy to create. We were going to stencil the shamrocks onto the cake with green decorating sugar, but early attempts didn’t go well. After looking around the candy aisle for an alternative, we thought that mint dark chocolate M&M’s would make perfect shamrocks. They did!

For the shamrock cake we used:

store-bought angel food loaf cake
1 can white frosting, dyed with 2 drops green gel food coloring
green, dark chocolate mint M&M’s
1 tube green cake decorating gel
green decorating sugar

How to prepare:

Place cake on plate lined with pieces of parchment paper (will keep plate clean).
Frost thoroughly with green frosting.
Sprinkle entire cake with green decorating sugar.
Arrange M&M’s in groups of three as shown above.
Create shamrock stem with decorating gel.
Remove parchment from beneath cake.
Clean excess frosting from plate with a paper towel.
Surround cake with leftover M&M’s.

OH, AND WE LEARNED SOMETHING:

Shamrock tip

To draw a shamrock: Left over St. Valentine’s Day hearts can be used to make shamrocks. Trace 3 foam heart stickers and add a stem. Instant shamrock!

POTATOES

Here is a traditional Irish recipe.

http://chefgeorgehirsch.com/dailyfood/colcannon.html

GIFTS FOR THE WEE ONES

We love to send little holiday fun packages to our great and great-great nieces and nephews. They enjoy getting mail and having special items to celebrate the holidays. We are now sending holiday-themed photos of ourselves in the mailing so the little ones can know who sent the packages.

For St. Patrick’s Day, the mailings include barrettes, stickers, sunglasses and green toy cars. Candy would be a great addition, but we decided to skip it this time.

A fun and inexpensive surprise.

TRIVIA

The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was not in Ireland but in Boston in 1737.

PLANT UPDATE

We have had a great time with our Amaryllis plant!!!

Here it is in full bloom.

FOOD ART

Brussel O’Sprouts!

JOKE OF THE DAY

Why should you never iron four-leaf clovers? Because you don’t want to press your luck! Joke and trivia source: Examiner.com

THE BEARS

The bears (above) have decided to wear a bit o’ the green for St. Paddy’s Day and so have we!!!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Enjoy!!!

Roy and Kevin

Academy Awards 2016!!!

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We love the Academy Awards and like to have a nice meal and dessert while watching the show. For this year’s awards celebration, we chose to highlight walnuts and strawberries throughout our meal. Hope you enjoy this unique brie cheese appetizer, our salad entrée, and strawberry shortcake ice cream cake. Also offered are an easy Academy Award banner idea, a plant update and, of course, the bears!

HONEY AND WALNUT BAKED BRIE

We found this great recipe for brie in puff pastry on-line. It’s unique because the brie is sliced sandwich-style and the walnut/honey mixture fills what becomes the ultimate cheese sandwich. Hmm . . . we hear Brie is a favorite for this year’s Academy Awards. Oh wait! That’s Brie Larson, favored to win Best Actress for her performance in “The Room”. Good luck to all of this year’s nominees.

http://www.puffpastry.com/recipe/50003/honey-and-walnut-baked-brie

WINNING SALAD

Champagne vinaigrette coats this delicious salad which combines strawberries, walnuts, cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, and Dole Spring Mix Salad. Check out our crispy chicken or shrimp recipes in the links below to make this salad a great entrée!

Mystery Solved – Fun!

Super Weekend!

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE ICE CREAM CAKE

What you need:

1.5-qt strawberry ice cream
shortbread cookies (we used Pepperidge Farm 5.5 oz.)
toasted walnuts, ground
1/2 tub of whipped topping
5 ounces strawberry jelly (we prefer Polaner All Fruit)
sliced strawberries (fresh or frozen)

How to prepare:

Spray loaf pan with cooking spray.
Line pan with parchment paper or wax paper, overhanging the pan on all sides.
Put a layer of ice cream in bottom of pan.
Add a layer of sliced strawberries on top of ice cream.
Add a layer of cookies; 6 cookies work well for first layer.
Repeat with second layer of ice cream, sliced strawberries and cookies. Use cookie pieces to fill in if necessary.
Wrap up and freeze overnight.

Invert ice cream cake onto platter. If cake will not release, place pan in warm water for a few minutes.

Mix whipped topping with strawberry jelly.
Frost cake with topping mixture.
Sprinkle with crushed nuts.
Decorate cake with strawberries.
Re-freeze.
Enjoy!

This ice cream cake idea has limitless possibilities! Combine your favorite wafer cookie, ice cream and fruit for an easy, delicious dessert. Our next mashup might be chocolate wafer cookies, coffee ice cream and bananas! What other combinations would work?

NAPKIN BANNER

We made a banner out of these fun movie-themed napkins found at Party City. Simply string a ribbon or wire between two points and place the napkins over them. These napkins could serve multiple purposes. They can be used as place cards for a sit down dinner or to identify food options at a buffet. Just use white chalk to fill in details on the napkins.

DON’T FORGET TO VOTE!

There have been a lot of unbelievable, shocking, comical and jaw-dropping “performances” this year. But enough about the presidential elections! The Oscars honor the best in moviemaking.

Here is a printable ballot for this year’s Academy Awards. Print out enough ballots for your party and have everyone vote for their favorites. Offer a prize for the person with the most correct choices. Maybe a bottle of champagne?

http://www.ibtimes.com/oscars-2016-printable-ballot-watching-88th-academy-awards-home-2323593

More fun stuff!

For more ideas, check out last year’s blog at:

Oscar!!! Oscar!!! Oscar!!!

PLANT UPDATE

Our amaryllis plant has really grown and grown. A fun project for the winter months, we highly recommend planting this remarkable bulb. They are available at garden centers or online.

FOOD ART

These strawberries have been photo-brightened to look their best, just in time for the Oscars!

THE BEARS

The bears featured at the top of the blog are dressed up and ready for the Red Carpet!

Enjoy!

Roy & Kevin

Warming Up for St. Valentine’s Day

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The northeast is bracing for bitter cold weather. Our hope is that you all find warmth with family and friends this St. Valentine’s Day weekend. Plus, it’s a great excuse to eat some chocolate! This week, we share our take on some delicious chocolate truffles, some ideas for using last week’s woven heart baskets, a plant update, and of course, the bears!

EASY TRUFFLES

Ingredients:

one 8 oz. package light cream cheese, softened
three cups confectioners sugar, sifted
three cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
cocoa powder, chopped walnuts, coconut, dried fruit sprinkles

How to make:

Beat the cream cheese until smooth.
Gradually beat in confectioners sugar.
Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla.
Refrigerate 1 hour.
Form into one inch balls.
Roll in toppings of your choice.

Varieties for truffles are almost endless. Chocolate and orange go great together, so replace the vanilla with same amount of orange juice and 1/2 teaspoon of orange zest. We also stuffed truffles with dried fruit – tastes like a decadent “Chunky Bar”.

WOVEN PAPER HEARTS

Last week, we introduced this easy paper craft. Here are a couple of ways we used these hearts for St. Valentine’s Day this year.

Decorative Banner

Displayed “clothesline style” with photos and cards, attached to twine with painted clothes pins, they add great dimension to a holiday banner. We used a variety of different papers to make the hearts for a fun display.

Gifts

The woven hearts were mass-mailed to great-nieces and great-nephews filled with stickers, candy, hair clips and toy cars. We placed the filled hearts in treat bags secured with painted clothes pins adorned with heart stickers.

Here is the link for how to create these paper baskets.

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/Heartbasket.shtml

For more St. Valentine’s Day ideas, check out last year’s post:

Happy St. Valentine’s Day!!!

PLANT UPDATE

Our Amaryllis is growing like crazy, and now requires a stake for support. A saleswoman at a big-box store gave us a great, money-saving idea on what to use for stakes. She suggested we buy marshmallow s’mores sticks, which cost 19 cents for a package of four. These wooden sticks are 31 inches long, easy to cut and they work great for a light-weight stalk! Helpful tip!

FOOD ART

Last week’s tomato. Tomatoes are sometimes called love apples! Great for St. Valentine’s Day!

THE BEARS

The bears show their “light side” by playing with a strand of heart-shaped lights!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“In dreams and in love, there are no impossibilities!” – Janos Arany

Enjoy!

Roy and Kevin

Super Weekend!

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It just doesn’t seem right that the Patriots are not in Super Bowl 50. Still, it’s a great event, and we will be tuning in for Lady Gaga’s national anthem, the game (go Broncos), the commercials and Cold Play’s halftime show.

Food is always a great part of Super Bowl Sunday, and in this week’s blog, we share our Crispy Baked Shrimp, served with our Amped-up Coleslaw.

We also feature this week’s Amaryllis report, our indoor/outdoor garden update and, of course, the bears!!!

CRISPY OVEN-BAKED SHRIMP

This tasty, oven-baked shrimp looks and tastes fried, but has a lot less fat and calories. Easy!

Delicious as a sandwich, too!

Ingredients;

1 lb. bag large, raw, deveined shrimp, 31- 40 ct.
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup Panko bread crumbs, separated – 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic Herb Mix
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

How to prepare:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Defrost shrimp, peel and remove tail.
Pat shrimp dry and place in bowl.
Mix flour, chili powder and Mrs. Dash.
Coat shrimp thoroughly with dry mix.
Add beaten egg to shrimp mixture and toss.
Add 3/4 cup bread crumbs to the bowl and toss to cover shrimp completely.
Place coated shrimp on parchment-lined sheet tray.
Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup crumbs over shrimp.
Bake 10 minutes.
Flip with spatula.
Bake 5 more minutes.
Serve and enjoy!

Hearty Coleslaw

This coleslaw is delicious. The broccoli slaw adds crunch and fiber.

Ingredients:

1/2 of a 12 oz. bag of Dole’s Classic Coleslaw
1/2 of a 14 oz. bag broccoli coleslaw (we use Mann’s)
1 cup of light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard

How to prepare:

Mix the 2 coleslaw blends together.
Combine mayo, mustard and lemon juice.
Toss dressing with slaws and chill.

Great with the crispy baked shrimp!

ST. VALENTINE’S DAY IS COMING!!!

Woven Paper Heart Baskets

Roy learned these woven paper heart baskets from the PBS show “ZOOM!” Here is a link with details on how to make these baskets:

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/Heartbasket.shtml

Check next week to see how we decorate and fill these charming hearts for St. Valentine’s Day.

PATIO & PLANT UPDATE

The bears ventured out onto the patio during today’s snow storm to clear off a sign!

Good thing they were able to warm up afterwards.

Weekly Amaryllis Report

The Amaryllis we received as a gift is thriving!!! It travels with the light throughout the day – early morning light on our office printer; mid-day light on the office counter and sunset in the apartment. Amazing growth in one week! Thanks Chris and Bernard!

This is where we started:

Here is this week’s growth! (Feed me Seymore!!!)

FOOD ART

The Bears

The bears have packed up their PATS gear and said goodbye and thanks for a great year! Now, they are focussing their energy on the UCONN Huskies! (The bears are always so um … subtle… with their decorations! (Yeah it’s the bears who do that!) GO HUSKIES!!!

Enjoy!!!

Roy and Kevin

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Category Archives: Uncategorized

Father’s Day, Pride and the Garden!

Memorial Day and More!

Celebrating Mothers on Mother’s Day!

Help the Earth? Yes We CAN!!!

All Things Spring!

Happy, Bunny-Filled, Colorful Easter and Spring!!!

St. Patrick’s Day 2016

Academy Awards 2016!!!

Warming Up for St. Valentine’s Day

Super Weekend!