Planted Pansies Centerpiece | Spring Centerpiece | Mother's Day Centerpiece

 
It is no secret that I like planted flowers indoors - I love that they are seasonal, last longer than cut flowers and are usually much less expensive.  Do you know how much it would have cost me to make a floral arrangement to fill this pewter bowl- especially if I had it done at a floral shop.  Hundreds.  Hundreds!  For $12 I made this very sweet and seasonal centerpiece that would great for Mother's Day... or any other occasion like a Tuesday? 

Use potting soil to fill the container.  After a couple of days the flowers should be transferred to a pot, as this bowl doesn't have any drainage.  It will work great for about 5-7 days, though.  

Start by placing the flowers around the perimeter of the bowl, then fill in with soil.  Pack them in tight for a full effect.

Use moss to cover any exposed dirt... not a lovely sight on the dining table.

 Lovely

 Here is the easy-to-pin strip!

A Walk Thru The Boston Public Garden

 

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Asparagus, Mushroom & Leek Spring Pasta

Spring Pasta Supper
Asparagus, Mushroom & Leek with Pappardelle Pasta

At the beginning of every season I go to the local market and long to make something that 'feels' like that particular season- roasted root vegetables in the Fall, heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers in the Summer.  This pasta took shape like all good recipes- it started on pinterest (are you following me?), and ended with a trip to Verrill Farm.



1 pound of pappardelle pasta (here is the homemade recipe- or buy it if you can find it.)
1/2 pound of bacon, cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 pints of mushrooms, sliced
2 leeks, large dice
1 pound of asparagus, 2-inch pieces
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of cream
sea salt & cracked pepper
olive oil
parmesan cheese


Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add 2 tablespoons of sea salt.  Meanwhile...

In a saute pan, cook diced bacon on medium, rendering fat, cooking until crispy.  Remove cooked bacon and set aside, leave the bacon fat in the skillet.  Add olive oil.  Cook mushrooms in olive oil and bacon fat for 2-3 minutes until they begin to brown.  Add leeks.  Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add asparagus and garlic.  Cook for 2-3 minutes until the asparagus begins to get tender.  Add cream, salt & pepper.

Add the pasta to the boiling water.  For fresh pasta, only cook for 30 seconds.  For dried pasta, cook for 4-6 minutes.  Add 1/4 (or more or less) pasta water from the boiling pot to the sauce.  Remove the pasta from the water with tongs and put it directly in the sauce. Toss the pasta in the sauce.  Add more pasta water if needed.

Serve topped with parmesan cheese & good olive oil drizzled.

This pasta would be great for Mother's Day served with this dessert...

Vanilla Pound Cake layered with Lemon Curd Cream, Whipped Cream, Berries & Black Plums - Recipe coming later this week along with a planted pansie centerpiece.

Emma's 1st Easter

 

Mrs. Ross's Blackberry Cobbler | Baking with Emma

Mike is often requesting that I try to replicate recipes from his parents' neighbor, Mrs. Ross.  Mrs. Ross does a lot of entertaining for their neighborhood family - we are often there for Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving.  He's always describing certain recipes she makes - the 'best' green beans, chocolate sheet cake, and blackberry cobbler.  I found some great looking blackberries so I told him I wanted to try to make a cobbler like Connie's.

Me : "What is it like exactly"

Mike : "It is a cobbler, but it doesn't have a crumbly top."

Me : "So, is it like a dumpling topping?  Like biscuits?"

Mike : "It is more like a cake.  But with berries."

Me : "Like berries on the bottom with cake batter on top?"

Mike : "No, the berries are on top.  Actually, they are in the middle, too."  

Me : "I think I'll just call your Mom."

Berry Cobbler
from Connie Ross's Kitchen

*I had 3 cups of berries, so I made 1 1/2 of this recipe, which filled a pie plate perfectly.

1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1-1/2 to 2 cups berries sweetened to taste

Melt butter until it starts to brown.
Pour into 1-1/2 qt baking dish.
Mix flour, sugar & baking powder with milk. 
Pour over melted butter.
Spread sweetened fruit over melted butter & batter.

Bake about 30 min @ 350 degrees.

Serves 4-6

 

I put in 3 tablespoons of sugar for 3 cups of berries.

Melted butter into the pan.

Mix together dry ingredients and milk.

Pour it into the pan with the butter.

Then top with sugared berries.

Done.  I can't believe how easy!

Ready for the oven.  I baked it a bit longer - almost 35 minutes because of the larger size of recipe.

Baked and beautiful.

 

Just needs a sprinkling of sugar and some vanilla ice cream.

 

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The View From Where I Sit | Staying in on a Saturday Night | Homemade Pizza for Two

This is a little peak into our house on a Saturday night when we decided to stay in.  Mike and Emma played in the living room while I spent some time in the kitchen preparing a pizza and a salad for us to share.



While I was fixing dinner, I snapped a couple of secret photos during their storytime.  The book is "Guess How Much I Love You" - so sweet.  Keep reading...