Storybook Woods

Chocolate Rocks

Well I am starting to bake again, my freezer is soooo bare. I made these chocolate scones and my girls went crazy over them. They are easy enough to freeze. Set the scones uncooked on a baking sheet and set in the freezer. After they freeze, transfer the frozen scones to freezer bags. Just pull out a few at a time a bake them off frozen. Do NOT defrost. They might take a few more minutes but not much. You can make these with all with white flour or pastry. I just like to mix it up and use lots of different flours. Also normally with scorns I just use a lot of butter. Here I experimented with butter and a little oil. It made them a bit softer and moister. I am still playing, I encourge you to do the same thing.

So is everybody ready for Easter? Do I dare confess, I think we will not be doing much. My hubby works, I have no other family except my mom and the girls told me they would rather have a little good dark chocolate, then an Easter basket. Where do they get this from ;-) I think Easter may be a good movie and tea, sighhh. We did not even decorate this year. We are soooo lame in my house right now. Enjoy the rocks and if you make them please let me know what you think, remember be honest xoxoxox

Chocolate Rocks (scones)

make 12 scones

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 and 3/4 cup assorted whole grain flours, I used brown rice, quinoa and spelt

1/4 cup coco powder

2 cups rolled oats, I used thick. Do not use instant

1/2 evaporated cain or any sweetener

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup oil

1 TBL. vanilla

1 cup or more of buttermilk

1 cup chopped dark chocolate

Pre heat over 375

In a food processor or bowl add all dry ingredients and sugar, chop butter in till it is the size of small peas. Add one cup of buttermilk. Whole grain flour can absorb more liquid, so look at the dough, you should be a able to grab balls of dough. If too dry and crumbly, add some more buttermilk. Add chocolate, scoop big balls of dough and set on a greased pan. It is sort of like drop biscuits. They can be close, but not touching. They do not spread a lot.

Bake 15-20 minutes till when inserted with a skewer, they come clean.

  

Hinton Waldrist

I was reading the latest issue of Victorian Homes and they had the most stunning photos of this Victorian Town called Hinton Waldrist. I had never heard of it. These breathtaking photos were taken by T. R. Williams, he was skilled in a stereophotography and made stereoscopic images in the 1850 for a series called "Scenes Of Our Village." Brian May (of the band Queen, can you belive it) loves these images as well. He has written a fascinating book A Village Lost and Found (complete with it own folding stethoscope). It looks really wonderful and I found this you-tube that will much better explain the book, then I can. Check it out !!!

Things I Love

The amazing image aboove is from Samantha Lamb, check out her shop and blog. Beautiful, thank you Samatha for letting me share. Also thank you Audrey for posting about Samantha xoxox

My favorite new food blog is Passionate About Baking, really inspiring and yummy, be warned.

Grammar girl, she is my new best friend lately. She seems to be the only person who can explain grammar to me.

Make an Anthropalogie dish towel, then with all the money you save you can buy chocolate. I am living on chocolate right now.

Pink Grapefruit Perri, prefect for spring

Spring Topping

Am I the only one craves food with each season? In the summer I want fruit and salad, fall stews and winter soup with bread. In the spring I always crave lighter, bright food. Lemon, I can never get enough this time of year. I have been putting lemon juice and zest into everything lately. Another thing I crave this time of year is greens. I have sorrel, nettles (becareful they sting read how to harvest them first), garlic tops, kale, chard and arugula popping up in my garden. For my secret project (I know, either share or shut up about it already ;-) I have been researching wild-crafting in the spring. Nettles are rampant around here and this is the time to enjoy them. They are very good for you and a perfect spring tonic. You can read more about them and cooking here.

I have been making an assorted green topping with lots of lemon zest. I make a big batch, keep it in the fridge to fill omelets, top potatoes, make bruschettas, toss with pasta, fill tarts and so much more. I encourage you to get an assortment of greens you love and make a topping. Just remember some green cook quickly and some do not. I just separate my greens into two groups. I cook the ones that take longer first, then throw in the others at the last minute. Add a some pecorino shavings and drizzle some olive oil and you have lemon/green heaven xoxoxo

Spring Greens

8 cups assorted greens, such as nettles, spinach, kale, chard, broccoli rab, asparagus, leeks, cabbage, green onions, cress, arugula, beet greens, mustard, pack choi, mizuna, sorrel and so much more.

1 large lemon, zested and juiced

3 garlic cloves finely minced

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Remember to divide up your greens into two groups. One that cooks longer and one that cooks quickly.

In a largest pan you have heat a large splosh of oil on mead-high heat. Add the veggies that take longer. Sprinkle salt and pepper, cover and cook till done to you likeness. Then add other greens and garlic. Turn up heat and stir-fry till wilted. Take off heat and add zest and juice to suite your palette.

Will keep 5 days in fridge as a topping.  

 

Lace Inspiration

I saw this wonderful photo at Gathering Springgs and Heather was kind enough to let me share it. Thank you Heather xox

I love the simplicity and use of neutral laces. I am hoping it will inspire you, like it did me xoxoxo
 

Pantry Makeover

Okay let me first say, under no circumstances, are you allowed to look at my gross, old, scary linoleum floor. I know it is not going to be easy, it is like looking at a train wreck that one can not take their eyes off. But just pretend, there is pretty old wood floor instead, which there is under the gross linoleum.
 

Okay, now that we got that out of the way, you can look at my pantry. I am finally, seeing some light at the end of the tunnel, on my project (will share soon) and am starting to dealing with my scary house. There is nothing like moving furniture around, to make a space feel new. I took my marble table and put it in the kitchen, where the pink table was. It is almost too big for the space, but I am loving it. So I set up this little vignette. I moved the mixer, to the table in the corner and it all still seems to flow fine. I really am surprised how well, this dressers works. It is so perfect for cookie sheets. You might want to look at your dressers in a new light.

 

Lastly can I brag a bit. I was taking my afternoon bath, perusing through my stack of library books, I had not read Blogging for Bliss, yet. Anyways as I am reading about my good friend Debbie, at Homespun Living, who do I see listed under her favorite reads, me. In a book. You are soo sweet Debbie xox (did you get my thank-you note ??)  This book has been out for awhile and I had no clue !!! So if I am in any other books, will you all please let me know ;-P Thank you for letting me brag and have a yummy day xoxoxx