Joyously Living Life: May 2010

May 26, 2010

The Scent Of Iris

Hello Friends~ ~ ~

Do you enjoy the scent of Iris?

I love to fill my nose with it this time of year.

Let's share a glass of iced coffee as we walk in the garden.

This arrangement is in one of my favorite vases.

Iris and Pink Honeysuckle.

My Favorite Iris
"Warm Laughter"

Back to the garden.

I adore how my "Celsiana" rose has embraced

"Warm Laughter"

Love in the Garden.

Celsiana is a wonderfully scented old fashioned rose.

Shame it only blooms once a year.

I love how the yellow center peeks out.

Do you know what this is?

If you are squeemish about bugs
You may want to fast forward now.

They really are amazing and only 1/4"

long when they make their entrance

into the world from this cacoon.

Can you see all of the tiny Praying Mantis?

Just this week we have had 3 cacoons hatch.

We watch them all summer and truly

enjoy having them around the garden.

Do you have Praying Mantis

in your garden?

Let's end this post with pictures of my

lovely Pink Honeysuckle.

Can you see the little bird house hidden inside?

Here is a better shot.

We have a humming bird that loves the Honeysuckle.

Thanks for stopping by and

sharing a walk in my garden.

~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

May 19, 2010

Greetings Friends~ ~ ~

Getting ready for a little baking. I'm so glad your here. You'll love this easy and sweet treat that makes 16 little mouth fulls of delight. I love to cook with Grand Marnier, the lovely liqueur made in France so when I devised this recipe it was the prefect mate for the cherries or berries, you choose.

I mixed up the strussel in the food processor.

It will be the crust and the topping.

Pat half into your 8X8 pan.

Top with your choice of jam mixed with Grand Marnier.

Top with the rest of the crumbs mixed with the nuts.

Ta Da! Simple and sweet.

Had to show off my newest vintage red rose hankie.
So Sweet.

If you try this recipe I hope you will love it.

Ahrisha's Sweet Crumbly Bars

http://joyouslylivinglife.blogspot.com

Prepare an 8X8 baking pan by lining the bottom

with parchment and let it hang over two ends

by about 2".

Butter bottom of parchment

Preheat oven to 375*

2 C. Flour

1/2 C. Sugar

Pulse in processor then add~ ~

1 stick + 6 T. Cold Butter, chopped

Pulse till like cornmeal.

Pat half this mixture into the 8X8 baking pan.

Add 3/4 C. chopped walnuts to remaining mixture.

Set aside.

1 C. Fruit Preserves, Your choice.

(I used Hero Black Cherry)

2-3 T. Grand Marnier

Mix and spread evenly on the crust.

Top with remaining strussel.

Bake for 60 - 70 minutes

till slightly browned on top

Cool in pan then loosen around edges and

lift out to cutting board.

Cut into 16 squares with pizza cutter.

Enjoy.

(In place of liqueur you could use a fruit juice)

Look what arrived in the mail today.

You know what I'll be doing tonight.

House Beautiful and a cup of coffee.
Heaven!

I am linking to Tablescape Thursday @ Susan's

and also to Foodie Friday @ Michael Lee's house.

Be sure to click the links and visit our lovely Hosts

for these weekly events.

Thanks to each of you for being there

and for your sweet comments.

~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

May 5, 2010

Sooo Much Fun and Antiques Too

Greetings Friends~ ~ ~

When I realized that Yvonne of StoneGable and I lived nearby I did the neighborly thing, I invited her for lunch. I remembered her saying that she loved these napkin rings when I posted them so I used them on the vintage tablecloth I picked up at an antique shop for $3. You know how I love a bargain!

Isn't this cloth sweet? The doily is one that Mom tatted she does such nice hand work. Of course the sweet Kitty Cat is on the window sill beside the bird nest and the bowl of hickory nuts. If there is a party, he's there.

I set a table in the sunroom and layered the cloth over a lace one. I love layers. The pretty yellow box is for Yvonne. You will have to stop by her blog for a visit to see what was inside the box.

We started with a salad of Romaine lettuce topped with my home canned red beets, sliced red onion, sliced mushrooms and toasted walnuts. My Famous Blue Cheese dressing needs hearty greens and ingredients to stand up to it.

Ahrisha's Blue Cheese Dressing

1 C. Hellmans Mayo

2 T. chopped onion
2-3 T. Plum Vinegar

2 Lg. Garlic Cloves, minced

4 tsp. Dijon Mustard
2/3 C. Crumbled Blue Cheese

6 T. Whipping Cream

Whisk together first 5 ingredients
Then whisk in whipping cream

fold in Blue Cheese.

Keeps for a few days in the fridge.

We also had Crab and Shrimp Strata but I didn't get a decent picture.

Dessert was Grand Marnier Sabayon and Strawberrys.

I had a feeling about this luncheon and us girls just chatting away so I mixed the sabayon and the berry's ahead of time which was a good thing cause the chatter never stopped. We had so much to talk about we have decided to get together again soon.

If you make the sabayon, nap the berry's with the sauce just before you serve them.

I like to keep the berry's at room temp and the sabayon in the fridge. I dislike cold berry's.

GRAND MARNIER SABAYON

6 lg. egg yolks

1/3 C. Sugar

1/4 cup Grand Marnier

Wish in the top of a double boiler over simmering water

4-6 minutes till sauce just holds a ribbon when

you lift the spoon. Cool then chill.

Yvonne and I had such a great time. Were it not for blogging we would have never met.

She brought me this lovely cloche. It's the perfect size for a cupcake! You know how I love cupcakes. I had better get baking.

After lunch we left the house and did a little antiquing. I took Yvonne to one of my favorite shops and I found this! Yvonne called it the deal of the day for only $21.00.

I have been looking for a soup tureen that wouldn't cost me a fortune. What luck it's a real beauty, don't you think?
I don't think it's old but Oh so sweet.