IT'S  LAVENDER  LEMONADE  TIME

Nothing is better than Lavender Lemonade, made with FRESH lavender.  Here is a simple recipe that will be a hit with the family and friends

Lavender Lemonade

5 cups water divided
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice.  (about 5 lemons)
juice from 1 orange
12 fresh lavender stems or 1/8 tsp. dried

Bring to a boil 21/2 cups water and the 1 1/2 cups sugar, stir until sugar is dissolved.  Add the lavender stems and let steep until water come back to room temp.  Strain lavender from water.  Add rest of water and lemon and orange juices.  Serve chilled or over the rocks. 

Michele and Mick taking a Lavender lemonade break

IF  MY  BODY  WERE  A  CAR

     

      If my body were a car, this is the time I would think about trading it in on a new model.  I've got bumps and dents and scratches in my finish and my paint is getting a little dull, but that's not the worst of it. 

     My fenders are to wide to be considered stylish.  They were once sleek as a little MG, now they more like an old Buick.

     My seat cushions have split open at the seams.  My seats are sagging.  Seat belts? I gave up belts when "Krispy Kremes" opened up  shop in my neighbor hood!

     Air bags?  Forget it, the only airbags I have are under my eyes.  Not counting the saddlebags of course. 

     I have sooo many miles on my odometer.  Sure I've been many places and seen many things , but when was the last time a appraiser factored life experience against depreciation!

     My head light are out of focus and it's especially hard to see things up close and at night.

     My white walls are stained with varicose veins.  It takes me hours to reach my maximum speed.  My fuel rate burns inefficiently.

     But heres the worst of it.  Almost every time I sneeze, cough or sputter...either my radiator leaks or my exhaust backfires.

(This clipping below was included in a birthday card from my Awesome sister Betty Jo)

HAPPY EASTER.  I wanted to give you my favorite Easter dessert recipe called "Heavenly Berries". A dessert made in heaven.   It's a scrumptious combination of meringue, creams and berries.  It looks and taste HEAVENLY.  So, there is no time to waste.  If you want it for easter you'll want to make the meringue soon, so the meringue and the cream mixture can marry and create some heavenly flavors.   I love recipes that can be made in advance.  Just pull them out of the frig and say "TA-DAH!"  I made this for my book group last week, it was a hit.

Don't let the lengthy instructions discourage you, It's simple,really.

                                                        Bon Appetite,  Peggy

Day 1
Make your meringue base.  Put it in the oven before you go to bed;  cook for 1 hour at 275.  Turn off oven and leave meringue in oven with door closed over night for 12 hours.

Recipe
6 egg whites. warmed to room temp
1/2 tsp. cream of tarter
1/4 tsp. salt
1 3/4 sugar

Method
Heat oven to 275.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  If you don't have parchment paper, spray with Pam.  In a large bowl (Stand mixers work best), beat your warmed egg whites, cream of tarter and salt until almost stiff.  Beat in the sugar 1 Tbs. at a time, until they are very thick and glossy.  Remember, don't under beat.  Now you can choose if you want to make one big cloud of heaven or individual ones.  I used a pastry bag, but if you don't have one no worries.  Whatever method you use, you need to create  a "swimming Pool" effect in the middle so the cream can set inside.  Since a good meringue is the key to this recipe, here are some hints for a good meringue.  1. separate your eggs when they are cold.  2. don't allow any yolks to get into the meringue  3. make sure your egg whites are at room temp  4. oil or anything greasy is an enemy to meringue, so make sure all your utensils are free of any thing greasy.

Day 2 (filling)
The next morning make you filling,  fill your meringue base or bases then Refrigerate for 12-24 hours.

Recipe
2 cups whipped cream (no cool whip allowed)
1 8oz cream cheese, softened to room temp (leave out overnight)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sugar (use 2 Tbs. of this sugar to sweeten the cream)
2 cups mini marshmallows

Method
In a chilled bowl (stand mixer works best) whip your cream, add vanilla and 2 Tbs, sugar.  In a separate bowl mix the rest of the sugar with the cream cheese at room temperature until smooth.  Fold the cream cheese mixture and marshmallows into the whipped cream.  Fill, cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.

YOUR DONE!!
Almost.  just before serving pile on your berries.  My berry favorite berry sweetener is "the Lavender apples" Lavender Simple syrup.  It adds such a unique and wonderful flavor.  Along with

the simple syrup  I sweeten my berries with brown sugar.  Let them sit awhile on the counter so the sugar deslove.

   

This is Milo our English Mastiff and Great Pyreneese mix puppy.  He is a love, a big (or going to be big) fur ball of mischief and fun.  Notice the chewed up paper on the floor, well that is just the half of it.   He'll make an excellent guard dog,  Pyrenees bark a little more than Mastiffs.  But don't be worried , Pyrenees are big teddy bears just  like the Mastiff

Henry working really hard!

Henry and I wanted to make Milo and Zeus some good healthy dog treats.  So they would have something to chew on, besides us!   Did you know puppies have little razor blades for teeth  ouch!!!   Try out this recipe on any dog, young and old.  They are so good we even eat them.

Healthy Dog Treats

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup corn meal

1/2 cup white flour

1/4 cup sunflower or pumpkins seeds

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. veg oil

1/4 cup molasses or honey

2 eggs slightly beaten

1/4 cup milk

pre-heat oven to 350

In a stand mixer combine  all the dry ingredients.  Combine oil, molasses, eggs and milk, add to the dry ingredients.  Dough should be firm, but more milk may need to be added.  Roll out and cut into shapes.  We happen to have a bone cookie cutter , but I'm almost positive your canine friends won't care much about the shape.  Bake for 20 min. then turn off the oven and let sit in the oven for 1 hour.  If you roll them very thin correct the coking time.  Your dog will thank you for the recipe :)

                                       Bon Appetite, Peggy and Henry