Mary is to blame

Biscotti was on her mind

It snowed all day.
A good day to bake Biscotti.

Biscotti di Noce will last 2 months if placed in an air tight tin. 

Ready to go back into the oven. 

(Biscotti, twice baked) 

There was no vin santo for dipping.

My sour cherry Kirsch Likör was even better. 


Traveling through a small town  in Italy we noticed  a long line of women standing outside a bakery.  
Of course I had to investigate.  I came home with a large sack of biscotti because I didn't know how to tell the nice lady that I only wanted a few pieces.  

Biscotti was piled into the window well of the small bakery.  
There were flies.  Yes, you guessed it.  The next generation of flies made it home with me.  


Gina 

Here is the traditional Biscotti Recipe

https://ginaceramics.blogspot.com/2015/11/i-just-had-to.html

What Summer looks like here

Summer at our house

A lot of work and a lot of play.

First, there was a lot of work.

Now, there is time for a little play. 

 The guesthouse is always ready.

Little niceties are waiting to please.

The garden is bursting with lots of flowers for the house and table.

Kirschwasser is ready to serve from last years' cherries.

And so is the Pfirsich Likör.

Every now and then I take time out to fill an order of my hand painted ceramics.

Cabbages are ready for making Sauerkraut.

Lavender is ready for Lavender Bottles.

There is always time for a craft project or two.

All are welcome; creatures great and small.

We make time for Picnics, this time in our Barn.

Or by the Pond.

No need to go to the Grocery in Summer.

Champagne is always on ice.

Kir Royale prepared for us by our Friend Steven.

While making plans for our trip to Europe.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with our neighborhood.

This is the time of year we can enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Home is always best.

Yet I can't get the wanderlust out of me. 

Have a great weekend my dear

Blogging Friends.

Gina  

Step by step, my secret weapon, the DUP cake

Deception

"The Daughters of the Utah Pioneers" Cake

also known as the DUP Cake.

Partial repost 

Are you 18 years or older? Are you a lineal descendant of an ancestor who came to Utah before the completion of the railroad on May 10, 1869?  If so, you might win this cake!




Every year I am asked to contribute my famous, home made cake to the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers (DUP) bake sale. The first year, it was auctioned off to a Professor of History from the "Big City". The next year a member of the DUP won my cake.




The very next year, I received a phone call the night before the bake sale asking me when exactly would I be bringing the cake. The caller was waiting for me at the front door. The next year, the organizer met me at the door and the cake disappeared.






The following year I received a phone call, aksing me to please bring the cake AND the cake recipe. My recipe? Oh no, I can't do that. It is a secret. But I will share my secret with you.

So simple, all you need is one pound cake, your favorite preserves and Butter Cream (recipe follows).

Cut pound cake (Sarah Lee or from Costco) into 3 or 4 slices.

Butter Cream: cream together 1½ sticks soft, unsalted butter,

2 to 2½ cups powdered sugar and
2 to 3 TB fresh lemon juice.

On first layer spread your favorite fruit preserve.

Next  layer spread butter cream filling, and last layer, more preserves.
Cover entire cake with the remaining butter cream.  Decorate with violets or little violas.


Have a lovely weekend my dear
Blogging Friends

Gina

Greens for the Chickens and for their Owners

If you want your eggs to 'sit up' like this 

You have to go to your chicken coop and get them

If you want your eggs to be this orange

You have to give your chickens lots of fresh greens every day

My chickens are pampered

I grow lots of fresh greens for them in my garden

This is their favorite green this year - a mild variety of Collards

However, there must always be lots of Greens left for us

Curly Kale

Collards and Turnip Greens

Early Cabbages growing under chicken wire and white gauze to keep the dreaded cabbage worm away.

My Garden must always have 'Zuckerhut'  cabbage,  the perfect cabbage for making Sauerkraut. 

Chickens need Greens and so do the Owners, this time in a Quiche.

Gina

Have a great weekend my dear Blogging Friends

Secrets to a perfect Pie Crust

The perfect Pie Crust

Flaky Crust, delicious pears, great Dessert

Here are a few of my secrets

1)  Do not use cold water, use cold 2% milk instead

2)  Mix by hand with long handled fork

3) Roll out dough immediately

4)  If it is a fruit pie sprinkle unbaked crust with sugar

5) only add top crust (no bottom crust, they only get soggy and add too many calories)

My recipe for one generous Pie Crust

1 and 1/2 cups of unbleached flour

1 tsp Kosher Salt

1 stick of UNSALTED butter

1/2 to 3/4 cup of cold milk

Mix together flour and salt.  With pastry knife cut unsalted butter into flour mixture until butter is the size of large peas.  Sprinkle milk over mixture until it forms into ball.  Roll out dough onto floured surface. 

Pear Pie Filling

Peel and cut up 3 to 5 pears.  Sprinkle with 2 TB of flour,

3 Tb of sugar,

1 Tb of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of Pumpkin Pie spice.

Mix together and pour into pie dish, dot with 1/4 stick of butter.  Cover with unbaked pie crust.  Cut a few vent holes, sprinkle with sugar and bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees and another 40 to 50 minutes (or until golden brown) at 350 degrees.

 It takes longer to write this than it takes to actually make it. So, give it a whirl, you'll be so happy you did and so will be your friends 

Gina 

My DUP (Daughters of the Utah Pioneers) Cake

Are you 18 years or older? Are you a lineal descendant of an ancestor who came to Utah before the completion of the railroad on May 10, 1869? If so, you have a chance of winning my DUP cake and eating it too.






Every year I am asked to contribute my cake to the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers (DUP) bake sale. The first year, it was auctioned off to a Professor of History from the "Big City". The next year a member of the DUP won my cake.





The very next year, I received a phone call the night before the bake sale asking me when exactly would I be bringing the cake. The caller was waiting for me at the front door. The next year, the organizer met me at the door and the cake disappeared (she had promised it to one of her cronies). So much of a fuss for such a simple cake?




The following year I received a phone call, aksing me to please bring the cake AND the cake recipe. My recipe? Oh no, I can't do that. It is a secret. But I will share my secret with you.
The cake is made in 10 minutes because I use a Sarah Lee frozen poundcake. Always have one ready in my Freezer.


So, here it is:


1 pound cake, cut into 3 layers. First and last layer, apricot, strawberry, lingonberry, peach or whatever preserves you have on hand.


Middle layer, butter cream (recipe follows)


1 and 1/2 sticks of unsalted, very soft butter
2 and 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
2 to 3 Tb of fresh lemon juice.


Mix by hand with wooden spoon and cover entire cake


Decorate with fresh violets or use candied violets and candied mint leaves.


Gina

Sinfully Good

Christmas Cookies that will melt in your Mouth

My Family has been baking these Christmas Cookies for several Generations

Even better when you let them "age" for a month

Recipe
Cream together 1 cup unsalted butter
and 2/3 cup sugar
Beat in 1 egg, 1tsp vanilla, pinch of salt, 1 Tb of orange rind, 1 Tb of fresh lemon juice
Add 2 and 1/2 cups of sifted flour
Mix until well blended
Cool (not chill) dough for 1 hour
Cut out 2 cookie shapes, same size, cut center hole into one cookie
stack cookies and fill with preserves
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees or until barely colored.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Gina