Friday, March 22, 2013

Old Fashion sayings, true to this day...

„When one door closes another door opens.“


 “Show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are.”

“The mind is like a parachute – it doesn’t work until it’s open.”

“Education is your passport to life. Once you’ve got it no one can take it away from you.”

“You are not moving until that plate is empty.”

“If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.”

“Don’t let your eyes be bigger than your stomach.”

“Prepare yourself, the opportunity will come.”

“While I breathe, I hope.”

“Don’t worry about being popular, worry about being good. Popular comes and goes, good always works.”

“Always look forward, never backwards.”

“Marry for money and you’ll earn it.”

“Banks will happily loan you an umbrella when the sun shines. As soon as it rains they ask for it back.”

“Every day you can get out of the bed is a great day.”

“You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs.”

“All the flowers of tomorrow are the seeds of today.”

“What’s for you, won’t pass you.”

“Prevention is better than cure.”

“Always be yourself – and always take a safety pin when you go out.”

“There is no one from whom you cannot learn something.”

“Never trouble trouble until trouble troubles you. For if you trouble trouble, trouble will trouble you.”

“Listen to all but follow your own instincts.”

“It takes al sorts to make a world.”

“Treat people the way you would like to be treated yourself.”

“Remember your manners.”

“What you want to do, you can do.”

“We’ll sit down when we get all the little jobs done.”

“If you have a talent, never hide it.”

“Life is for living, not for throwing away.”

“You can walk a thousand miles but you can only take one step at a time.”

“If you are bored, it’s an insult to yourself.”

“Know your own country first before you go off travelling to other countries.”

“A good start is half the work.”

“Watch your language because it’s a precision tool: it’s a scalpel, not an axe.” 

(From the book "My mother always used to say" by Valerie Bowe)

Braided easy egg bread recipe


Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours
Yield: 1 loaf
Braided easy egg bread recipe
Braided easy egg bread - Pillow-y soft, enriched with both eggs and butter, slightly sweet. Great for breakfast with butter and jam or accompanying a comforting meal at dinner time.
Ingredients
  • 4 cups (480 grams) bread flour (I used Pillsbury)
  • 2 tsp active dry yeast (I used Red Star)
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tbsp butter, diced
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs + 3 egg whites, lightly beaten
  • Topping
  • 1 egg yolked mixed with few drops of milk
  • *more flour for dusting the working area
Instructions
  1. In a mixing bowl add 2 cups of flour, sugar and yeast. Whisk to combine.
  2. In a small saucepan, add the water, milk and butter and heat until lukewarm (~ 110F). Pour over the flour mixture, stir to combine and let it rest for about 10 minutes until the sticky dough starts to rise and gets a spongy texture.
  3. Add the lightly beaten eggs mixed with the salt and with the dough hook on, start kneading, slowly adding the remaining 2 cups of bread flour.
  4. When all the flour is added, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and let it knead for about 3-4 minutes or until the dough cleans itself from the sides of the bowl.
  5. If it's still sticky add just a little bit more flour. The dough should be soft and elastic and just a wee bit sticky to your fingers.
  6. With the help of a spatula, place the dough into a buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in volume. It should take little over an hour.
  7. When the dough is risen, place it on a lightly floured surface, divide into 3 and roll each piece into a 15 inch rope.
  8. Braid the ropes, pinching the ends and tuck them under to seal.
  9. Gently place the braid on a cookie sheet. If it's easier for you, you can braid it directly on the cookie sheet.
  10. Cover with plastic wrap again and let it rest for the second time for about half an hour.
  11. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400F.
  12. Just before placing the bread into the oven, brush it with the egg was (1 egg yolked mixed with few drops of milk).
  13. Bake for 30 minutes or until nice and golden.
  14. Let it cool before slicing.
Notes
Recipe from Red Star Yeast
http://www.roxanashomebaking.com/braided-easy-egg-bread-recipe/

Origami tutoral - Bunny napkin


Dyeing Eggs during Easter

 Common process is shown on the image below. Collecting little leaves sticking it to eggs; and wrapping it with a stocking, egg’s are usually in red or in onion skin giving it brownish colour, once boiled we remove the “masks,” so the leave design stand out.


http://arhitekturaplus.wordpress.com

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Ideas for Easter





Adventure Fund, a good idea to save for that special get away


Chocolate Cake with decadent Chocolate Frosting that will quickly become your favorite!

Cook time
30 mins
Total time
45 mins


Author: Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch
Cuisine: Dessert
Serves: 12
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
¾ cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 cup milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Chocolate Frosting
1½ cups butter (3 sticks)
1 cup cocoa
5 cups confectioner’s sugar
½ cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon espresso powder


Instructions
Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring.
For the cake:
Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.



For the Chocolate Frosting:
Add cocoa to a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer. Whisk through to remove any lumps.
Melt butter and pour into bowl with cocoa powder. Whisk together until well-combined.
Add sugar and milk to cocoa mixture by adding 1 cup of sugar followed by about a tablespoon of milk. After each addition has been combined, turn mixer onto a high speed for about a minute. Repeat until all sugar and milk have been added.
Add vanilla extract and espresso powder and combine well.
If frosting appears too dry, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency. If it appears to wet and does not hold its form, add more confectioner’s sugar, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.



THE SERENITY PRAYER

GOD GRANT ME THE SERENITY
TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE;
COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN;
AND WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.

LIVING ONE DAY AT A TIME;
ENJOYING ONE MOMENT AT A TIME;
ACCEPTING HARDSHIPS AS THE PATHWAY TO PEACE;
TAKING, AS HE DID, THIS SINFUL WORLD
AS IT IS, NOT AS I WOULD HAVE IT;
TRUSTING THAT HE WILL MAKE ALL THINGS RIGHT
IF I SURRENDER TO HIS WILL;
THAT I MAY BE REASONABLY HAPPY IN THIS LIFE
AND SUPREMELY HAPPY WITH HIM
FOREVER IN THE NEXT.
AMEN.

--REINHOLD NIEBUHR