Friday, December 25, 2020

EVELYN’S ANTIPASTO DIP

 MERRY CHRISTMAS, DARLINGS!

Today, I want to share my antipasto dip recipe with you. I used my stand mixer because of my old arthritic hands, but you can probably do it all by hand. My picky husband, Stanley loves it, and I had rescue it before Sam (one of our cats) got it. So, I do hope you will enjoy too.

 

EVELYN’S ANTIPASTO DIP

EVELYN’S ANTIPASTO DIP

INGREDIENTS

2 pkgs. Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

3/4 cup chopped hard summer sausage

3/4 cup Kraft Italian Five Cheese Blend

1/4 cup chopped black olives

2 teaspoons dried fresh basil

2 green onions, chopped

1 cup chopped walnuts

3 tablespoons chopped roasted red peppers

2 teaspoons dried parsley

2 teaspoons Weber vegetable grill seasonings

 

EQUIPMENT

 

 Stand mixer with pastry attachment 

 

DIRECTIONS

 

1.      In small bowl add Weber vegetable grill seasonings, dried parsley and dried fresh basil. Stir until slightly moist, then microwave for one minute

2.      Remove seasoning from microwave and drain using tiny mesh strainer. Set aside strainer with seasonings in small bowl.

3.      In mixer add cream cheese, summer sausage, Italian five cheeses, green onions, olives, roasted red peppers, and seasonings.

4.      Blend on first setting for 1 minute.

5.      After one minute, scrape the bowl by hand to blend side mix into the rest. Fold by hand together several times to make sure everything is mixed, then use mixer to blend up to one minute on the first setting, on 30 seconds on setting 2.

6.      Shape into football, wreath, a log, or just add to dip bowl surrounded by fresh fruits and vegetable.

7.      Cover and refrigerate unused portion for later use.

8.      Serve to the guys watching the games.

 

 

Adapted from the basic Antipasto Wreath recipe

Download 

 

Until next year, 

       Chow, Darlings

Thursday, December 24, 2020

My December Rose, How Beautiful You Are….

Hello, Darlings

A very Merry Christmas to you all! As promised below are a few photos of my blooming December roses. I still find it amazing that they are blooming so beautifully at this time of the year. The weather here is pleasingly cool (remember I’m a Northerner), and unlike some of our previous winters here in Florida, the December months have been in the mid 80s and sometimes the 90s. However, I never attempted to cultivate roses back then. I only know that I have never seen them blooming in gardens in the winter.

The Meanings of Pink/White Roses — Enduring Love


Red Roses — love, passion, perfection, respect, courage


 

Aren’t they wonderful?

Until next year,

Stay well, stay safe.

Chow, Darlings

P.S.:  The decorations are complete and the gifts are ready to give much joy and deepen love.


 

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

 Hello Darlings,

I hope you have gotten all those last minutes gifts and others items for this Friday, Christmas Day, and that your holidays are filled with love and enjoy. 

Below is an entry from my gardening journal,

How My Garden Grows, or Not, Sic

The Life and Cultivation of My Little Garden

12/22/2020 – Surprise, surprise! Being a Northerner to see roses blooming in late-December is both amazing and beautiful.  It is a treat because this is Florida and tender flowering plants struggle to bloom during the extreme heat and long summer months; so while seeing  roses blooming in this mid-fifty weather we are experiencing might not be unusual to many native Floridians, for me to see them is such a joy as they surround  Mother Mary. Check them out. 

 



Not all the bloom are fully opened. however, you can see that they are bursting forth. I'll post some pictures once they are in full bloom.

Below is St. Fiacre, the patron saint gardeners. In Ireland he is also the patron saint taxi drivers. There is an interesting story of how that came about. You can read St. Fiacre story here. This statue was designed by Toscano and is a beautiful addition to my Mary Garden.


 Enjoy you holidays.

Until next time,

         Chow, Darlings

 

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Share A Little Holiday Cheer


Hello, Darlings

After Thanksgiving we felt putting the Christmas decorations would brighten our moods and lighten our hearts about this unusual and stressful year because of all the problems brought on by COVID 19, and the most grueling Presidential election in America's history.

Below are some pics of our decorations as well as a couple videos.



 






We are all prepared and waiting for the big day.

This stated, we wish you all a very



 




Until next time,

         Chow, Darlings





Thursday, November 19, 2020

Meet Fred, the Oak Tree??? Nope, Fred The Indian Laurel.

Update: Upon further research I discovered the true species of Fred.  It is not an oak tree as first thought; it is an Indian Laurel, Ficus microcarpa. 

I  got curious about Fred's species after noticing that its leaves are very similar to those on my Ficus Benjamina but more compact. So sorry about the plant mid-identificaion.

Ficus Benjamina


Hello Darlings,

We hope you managing well during COVID 19 crisis. Below is a little note from my 'How My Garden Grows, or Not, Sic : The Life and Cultivation of My Little Garden journal. It is the file where I get real about my gardens indoor and outdoor. It is full of my successes and failures over the years as well as all that I have learned so far about plants and gardening in general.  It will never be completed because there is always more to learn. 

---

Journal entry:

11/19/2020 – Okay. Back in August I noticed that there was a young tree growing on the awing roof in the back yard. I knew that it couldn’t stay there as it wouldn’t get enough nutrient from where is had rooted itself, and if it did manger to grow it would likely bring down the awing from its weight. Therefore, today a couple of nice guys removed it for me and I planted it in a spare pot that was sitting around.

The photos below are the before and after photos of Fred’s journey from roof top to pot.

FRED ON THE ROOF AUGUST 03, 2020

 

 FRED THE INDIAN LAUREL




Why, "Fred"? Well, why not.

    Until next time,

        Chow, Darlings.