Seafood Cobb Salad

Posted on 08/28/2014 by Laurie

A perfect meal for late summer evenings …

Seafood Cobb Salad

2 large servings

Layer together on two dinner plates, and then serve immediately:

6 c. torn lettuce, washed and dried

3/4 lb. cooked shrimp, crab and/or lobster, cleaned and shells removed

2 lg. ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 avocado, diced

2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and diced

4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

wedges of lemon or lime, for garnish

dressing, served on the side

Dressing

Vigorously shake together:

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil,

2 T. red wine vinegar

1 t. lemon or lime juice

1 t. Dijon mustard

1/2 clove of garlic, minced – optional

pinch of sugar, or to taste

salt and pepper, to taste

Enjoy! Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

Morning Clouds/Flint Hills Discovery Center

Posted on 08/22/2014 by Laurie

Often when I walk in the morning, I wish that I had my camera with me to take pictures of the sunrise. This morning, I actually remembered to bring my camera with me, so I went to the uppermost patio at the Flint Hills Discovery Center to take some photos. The Discover Center is just a few blocks away from The Morning Star and is a fun destination even when it is closed. It has a walking path that winds up around the Northeastern side of the building, passing through a native plants area.

It was pitch black when I arrived at the Discovery Center, but I was hopeful for vivid skies.

The sunrise this morning was obscured by clouds, but the clouds had their own beauty.

… And, of course, shortly afterward, it started to rain – just a little.

I was happy to catch some interesting cloud photos this morning. Then I had to rush home to make yummy breakfast!

Have a great day!

Fresh Pineapple Cake

Posted on 08/19/2014 by Laurie

Fresh Pineapple Cake

This is a very light, moist cake with a coarse crumb that is not overly sweet. Serve for breakfast with fresh fruit and yogurt or for afternoon tea.

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour or white rice flour (for gluten-free)

1 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

3/4 c. granulated white sugar

2 lg. eggs

1 c. buttermilk or whole milk

3/4 c. fresh pineapple cubes (between the size of raspberries and blueberries)*

confectioner’s sugar for garnish

edible flowers**, herbs, fresh pineapple for garnish, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare an 8″ round cake pan or decorative cake pan with baking spray or with butter and flour. (For gluten-free, use rice flour.)

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, beat butter until it is light and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and continue to beat for about 5 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape sides of bowl.

4. Lightly beat in 1/3 of flour mixture, then 1/2 c. of buttermilk or milk. Scrape sides of bowl. Repeat, and then beat in the remaining flour mixture.

5. Fold pineapple into batter. Spoon batter into the prepared cake pan, using the back of the spoon to smooth and level top of batter.

6. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center tests clean.

7. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert cake onto cake plate to serve right away or onto wire rack to continue cooling. Dust the cake with confectioner’s sugar before serving. Garnish as desired.

* Canned pineapple tidbits can be substituted in the recipe for fresh pineapple, if well-drained first.

** Daisies and lemon balm leaves are shown here. Daisies are edible and taste similar to parsley. So they are not very dessert-like in flavor, but they are a pretty garnish.

Enjoy!

Spirea & Crape Myrtle

Posted on 08/16/2014 by Laurie

A pretty pairing of flowering shrubs for late summer …

Have a beautiful day!

Have a Lovely Weekend!

Posted on 08/15/2014 by Laurie

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Hibiscus in Early Morning Light

Posted on 08/02/2014 by Laurie

Lord Baltimore Hibiscus, stunning in the early morning light. Have a great weekend!

Banana Chocolate Crumb Cheesecake

Posted on 07/30/2014 by Laurie

Happy National Cheesecake Day on July 30th! I decided to mark the occasion by making one of my favorite cheesecakes – Banana Chocolate Crumb Cheesecake!

Banana Cheesecake

This is a soft, not-too-sweet, delicately flavored banana cheesecake with a dark chocolate cookie crumb “crust”. The custard recipe comes from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s banana variation of her Cordon Rose Cheesecake in The Cake Bible – a truly excellent cookbook.

Make 1 day ahead

Ingredients (at room temperature)

1 lb. (2 8-oz. pkgs.) cream cheese

1 c. granulated white sugar

1 1/2 t. vanilla extract

1/4 t. salt

2 c. sour cream

2 large, very ripe bananas, enough to make 1 c. mashed

3 T. fresh lemon juice, strained

1 1/4 – 1 1/2 c crushed dark chocolate wafer cookies (use gluten-free cookies for a gluten-free cheesecake)

Prepare Pan

1. Butter the inside of an 8″ springform pan. Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit the inside of the pan – just smaller than 8″ in diameter. Butter the paper and then place it in pan.

2. Wrap the outside of the pan with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil to prevent seepage from the water bath.

3. Have ready a larger baking pan – I use a 9″-square brownie pan – to use as a water bath for baking the cheesecake.

Directions for Making Cheesecake Custard

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Using a mixer or large food processor, beat together cream cheese and sugar until perfectly smooth. Scrape bowl. Beat in vanilla and salt, then sour cream. Scrape bowl. Mash bananas together with lemon juice. Beat bananas into custard. Scrape bowl.

3. Pour custard into prepared springform pan. Place pan in larger baking pan. Pour in 1″ of very hot water. Bake cheesecake for 45 minutes. Turn oven off, without opening the door, and leave cheesecake in oven for one hour. Remove cheesecake from oven and from water bath. Remove foil from pan. Plan pan on a cooling rack and let cheesecake continue cooling at room temperature for one more hour. Cover pan with plastic wrap. Chill cheesecake in refrigerator overnight.

Serving

1. The next day, wipe outside of cheesecake pan with a hot, damp towel. Run a thin spatula around the inside of the pan. Release the clasp on the springform pan and remove the outside of pan. If there is condensation on the cheesecake, lightly pat it dry with a paper towel. Invert cheesecake onto a flat plate or a small cutting board covered with plastic wrap. Remove parchment paper.

2. Pat cookie crumbs onto bottom and sides of cheesecake. Re-invert onto serving plate. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until serving. Garnish and serve.

Suggested Garnishes

• Whipped cream, chocolate shavings and banana and/or strawberry slices.

• Whipped cream and hot fudge.

• Whipped cream and dark cherries.

• For Banana Split Cheesecake, serve with whipped cream, banana slices, strawberry slices, pineapple chunks, chopped walnuts, chocolate sauce, and melted strawberry jam.

Enjoy! Happy National Cheesecake Day!

Missing Miss Abbey

Posted on 07/27/2014 by Laurie

This is a photo that I took a few years ago of Abbey (right) and our then new puppy Penny. This picture makes me smile because I had so very much fun watching the two of them play that day – as I did many, many subsequent days.

It also makes me laugh because it seemed as though Abbey was coaching her “baby sister” on just how much mischief a pup is allowed to get into without getting into trouble. When she herself was a babe, Abbey was very good at inventing games, such as nibbling the buttons off my sweaters – which would be followed by her giving me a thoroughly happy puppy grin and a nub wag, and by her inviting her older sisters, Lucy and Ginger, to play.

Abbey loved all of her sisters, including ol’ Peachy who came along a few years after Penny. But Abbey and Penny were best buds and their antics were consistently amusing. They played lots of chase and tug of war and vied for the most snacks, the most belly rubs and the best position on the sofa. Abbey always got the most snacks, but I think that they were pretty equal on the belly rubs … and the best position on the sofa was that closest to my head.

Being next to me on the sofa wasn’t enough. Miss Abbey was a Mama’s-girl. She always followed me around the house, looking up into my face, and it always made me happy to see her right there by my side.

We had to say goodbye to Abbey recently, after she was stricken with an aggressive form of cancer. Abbey was loving, sweet and gentle, playful and joyful … and too young for us to have to say goodbye to her. And we miss her dearly.

A Man and His Father’s Car

Posted on 07/26/2014 by Laurie

Every now and then, we have guests stay with us who have a special story that I would like to share. This week, we had some guests from New Mexico stay with us who were picking up a car that was having some work done on it in Kansas City.

That car was the gentleman’s father’s 1950 Ford Woody Wagon. Our guest has spent the last six years having it restored.

The man lived in Kansas when he inherited the automobile and started having work done on it. The final stage of the restoration was having the interior reupholstered in KC.

The gentleman and his wife retired to New Mexico, where his family lived when his father bought the car new.

It is truly a beauty. The couple should have great road trips in the Woody!

Have a lovely weekend!

Blueberry Mint Iced Tea

Posted on 06/22/2014 by Laurie

June is National Iced Tea Month … perfect timing for warm weather refreshment! Flavored iced teas are easy to make and a are a great way to add personal flair to this summertime beverage for entertaining.

Blueberry Mint Iced Tea

8 c. cold water

6 bags of good black tea (decaf. ok)

3/4 c. loosely packed fresh mint leaves, washed

3/4 c. raw sugar

7 cups ice cubes

3 c. fresh blueberries (or mixture of blueberries and blackberries), washed and stemmed

Frozen blueberries and ice cubes for serving

Lemon slices for serving

Fresh mint for garnish

Directions

1. Bring water to boil in a 4-quart pot. Add tea bags, mint leaves and sugar. Cover pot and remove from heat. Allow to steep for 20 minutes. Stir to make sure that sugar is completely dissolved.

2. Place 7 c. ice cubes into a 1-gallon pitcher. Strain tea into pitcher.

3. Place berries in a food processor and pulse until puréed. Press puree through sieve into tea. Stir until ice is completely dissolved and purée is incorporated into the tea.

4. To serve, fill glasses with ice cubes, frozen blueberries and lemon slices. Pour tea over ice. Garnish with mint.

Enjoy!

More iced tea recipes …

Black Tea “Sangria recipe.

Iced Minted Orange Juice recipe.

Mint Simple Syrup recipe for adding to iced tea.