Art in My World

Continuing to go through my biscotti cookbook. Since my family loves anything "coffee" these had to be tried. They are a hit! Espresso Biscotti 2/3 cup almonds 3 tablespoons coffee beans 2 tablespoons Kahlua or other coffee liquor 1/2 cup butter 3/4 cup sugar 2 eggs 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon of salt Place nuts in a shallow pan and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 7 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool. Grind coffee beans into a fine powder. Place in a small bowl, add Kahlua and heat in a preheated 325 degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes to steep. Or place in a microwave-safe dish, add Kahlua or coffee and microwave on high 10-15 seconds to steep. Set aside. In a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and ground coffee and liqueur. In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the creamed mixture, mixing until blended. Fold in nuts.

I have always treated coffee like a dessert. One Christmas season I bought myself a bottle of Baileys Irish Cream to serve my guests with their coffee. My children and I were hooked on this creamy concoction.  But a bottle of Baileys Irish Cream can set you back well over 25 dollars, and I thought, why not try and make my own? It was so much easier than I thought and cost well under my dear bottle of Baileys. I was able to use organic products and make it to my liking...and I loved the results! Irish Cream 2 egg yolks 2 cups Sweetened, Condensed Milk 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 2 tablespoons Chocolate Syrup (see a recipe below) 2 tablespoons strong, brewed coffee 1 tablespoon good vanilla 1 teaspoon Amaretto 2 cups good Irish whiskey 1. In a large glass mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks for a minute until pale colored. Add the sweetened, condensed milk, cream, chocolate syrup, coffee, vanilla, and almond extract, whisking until completely combined. 2. Add the whiskey, whisking to comb

I first met a Louisiana Iris when walking near a swampy area with my first ever boyfriend Mike. He was a sweet Cajun soul who when he saw my face light up at the site of this lone iris in the middle of the swamp, decided he would wade out and get it for me. And that he did. I took it home and my mom planted it near our patio and it multiplied each year so that after awhile we had a large patch of them to enjoy.  Skip ahead a few decades and I have my own large patch to enjoy. It is stunning this year after a long winter. I must have over 50 blooms to gaze upon and photograph...and paint...I will paint them hopefully this week. Below is a collage I did to celebrate their beauty. I hope you love them as I do!

Spring is a beautiful time when the sun begins to shine brighter and with more heat. After a hard winter I want to experience as much sun as possible even while inside, so those dirty windows need a clean'in! And of course one needs to clean with organic materials, for who wants to spend the beginning of Spring smelling chemicals? Here is a simple recipe for a window cleaner to keep on hand. Glass Cleaner 1/2 cup dried lavender or thyme 1 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup water The power of vinegar is a well-known resource for cleaning glass and other shiny kitchen surfaces. However, not everyone appreciates vinegar's distinct scent. If you prefer a sweeter smelling clean, similar to the expensive herbal cleaners you can buy in a store, try this at-home formula instead. Combine the lavender or thyme and vinegar in a wide-mouth glass jar with a tight fitting plastic lid (vinegar will react to metal). Store in a cool, dark place for approximately 2 weeks. Shake the jar gently e