A little rain is always good for the garden!
Have a lovely weekend.
Tag Archives: Photography
Strawberry Shortcake Donuts
Happy National Donut Day!
Strawberry Shortcake Donuts
1 3/4 c. + 2 T sifted all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour
1/3 c. granulated white sugar
2 t. baking powder
pinch of salt
3/4 c. buttermilk
2 lg. eggs, beaten
2 T. unsalted butter, melted
1 t. fresh lemon zest
3/4 c. finely chopped ripe strawberries
Lemon Glaze
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 6-mold donut baking pan with oil. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, butter and lemon zest. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until mixture is smooth. If the mixture is too stiff, slowly stir in a little bit more buttermilk. Fold in strawberries.
4. Divide the batter between the donut molds. Spread with the back of a spoon. If needed, run your fingers under cold water, shake them off lightly, then finish shaping donuts with your damp fingers. The batter will stand above the donut pan. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until done to the touch.
5. Remove donut pan from the oven and place on a baking rack to cool for just a few minutes. While the donuts are resting make Lemon Glaze, recipe below. After a few minutes, turn donuts out upside down onto serving plates and then glaze. The donut holes will have slightly filled in on what was the top and is now the bottom of each donut. Top with fresh strawberries and whipped cream if desired. Serve while donuts are still warm. Enjoy!
Lemon Glaze
1/2 c. confectioner’s sugar
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 t. fresh lemon zest
Directions: Slowly stir lemon juice into confectioner’s sugar until perfectly smooth. Stir in lemon zest.
Have a great weekend!
This recipe is loosely based on the Cinnamon-Dipped Donuts recipe that I posted a few years ago which originally came from Frugal Feeding.
Marilyn Monroe, Always Beautiful
Pictures from today of Marilyn Monroe Rose … always beautiful!
Have a lovely evening!
Cinco de Mayo Roses
Of all of my roses, Cinco de Mayo seems to be the most variable, ranging in color from deep maroon to coral to hot pink. (I read one catalogue’s description of the flowers as being anywhere from smokey lavender to rusty red.) While a gardener working with a strict color scheme might find that frustrating, I find it fascinating. From one day to the next, this floribunda can be almost unrecognizable except for the ruffled form of its flowers. Aren’t those ruffles wonderful? These are pictures that I took early this morning. Just a few days ago, the roses appeared to be a deep red-orange. The bush is a pretty consistent bloomer – apart from color – producing lightly scented flowers all summer. My rose bushes had more than normal die-back this winter, so they are all a little small right now. This bush should get to be about three times the size that it is now in the bottom picture below.
Have a lovely day!
Irises & Roses
Just in the past few days, my roses have started to bloom. They are about a month late this year. Fortunately, they still overlapped with the irises a bit. I just love the combination of irises and roses – really what’s not to love there? Over the next week or so, the irises will finish off for the season, but the roses will keep blooming into next autumn. The sky has been overcast this afternoon, which always makes the colors in the garden seem all the more vibrant. So I stole a few minutes during check-in time to catch some quick photos.
Have a wonderful holiday weekend!
Late Season Irises
Iris season is relatively short, so one has to enjoy them while one can. For me, that means getting out and taking lots of pictures … which is wonderfully fun both because the flowers are so beautiful and because they are so fragrant!
Have a lovely day!
Salmon Avocado Crackers
Salmon Avocado Crackers
Easy-to-make hors d’oeuvres for warm weather entertaining.
ripe avocado
fresh-squeezed lemon juice
fresh cilantro leaves, a few minced, the rest coarsely chopped for garnish
salt
rice or almond crackers
smoked salmon
lemon zest
fresh ground pepper
Coarsely mash avocado together with lemon juice, a few minced cilantro leaves, and salt to taste. Spoon onto crackers. Top with salmon, cilantro leaves, lemon zest and fresh ground pepper. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Mid-Season Irises
My mid-season irises are in full bloom. With yesterday’s rain and this morning’s heavy fog, I wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to get any photos today; but the flowers put on quite a show! I had a difficult time deciding which shots to share.
(FYI, the iris in front in the photo above really is that dark, making it a challenge to photograph.)
Have a wonderful weekend!
Here in Manhattan, it is graduation weekend at KSU and at the local high school, so spirits are pretty high. Once again, congratulations to the new graduates. May your futures hold wonder!
Early Morning in the Garden
It looks like it is going to be a lovely day!
A Taste of Morning 