Lovely Irises!

Another treat that comes with Springtime are beautiful flowers. :)
These old-fashioned Bearded German Irises are some of my favorites. Their fragrance is so delightful!

I cut them yesterday evening before any of the blossoms had unfurled and this morning I woke up to several lovely blooms.
These cuttings should brighten my kitchen for sometime seeing as they have many buds to come open yet. :)

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  - Matthew 6:29

I was just out for a walk this morning and snapped these pictures of my bleeding hearts. It is such a nice morning, looks as though we're going to have a beautiful day!

Spring Treat

I picked some lettuce today! It is washed and ready for supper. Fresh lettuce is one of the many treats that spring brings. :)

Roast Sticky Chicken

Roast Sticky Chicken - Rotisserie Style

This is a delicious recipe for roasting a whole chicken or two. It's a real treat. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

4 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Onion powder
1 tsp. Dried Thyme
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
2 Onions, quartered
2 (4#) Whole Chickens

In a small bowl, mix together salt, paprika, Onion powder, thyme, black pepper, Cayenne pepper, and garlic powder.
Remove and discard giblets from chicken.
Rinse the chicken cavity, and pat dry with paper towel. Rub each chicken inside and out with spice mixture. Place one onion into the cavity of each chicken.
Place chicken in a resealable bag or double wrap plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 to 6 hours.
Preheat oven to 250° F.
Place chickens in a roasting pan. Bake for 5 hours, to a minimum internal temperature of 180° F.
Let the chickens stand for 10 minutes before carving.

New Hats

Last month at our local thrift store I found some brightly colored bulky weight yarn.

I thought the colors were so fun and playful. I really wanted to make a hat for our little boy with the yarn. I was really excited to find a second skein of the same color yarn because I could also make a bright warm hat for myself!

Both skeins were marked down to half price. I was able to make two hats for $1!
I used my kniffty knitter to make our hats. It made this project really fast and easy!

French Press Review

I received a Mr. Coffee French Press as a birthday gift from my sister several months ago and I have enjoyed it so much that I wanted to write a product review style post about the press. :)

The Mr. Coffee French Press comes in a box like this.

The componets to this french press include a 1 quart glass carafe, a metel and plastic frame with a handle, and a mesh plunger attached to the lid.

The instructions are very simple and easy to understand.

Step 1.
Bring water to a boil on stove.

Step 2.
Measure coffee grounds or tea leaves into the carafe.

Step 3.
Pour boiling water in and position the lid/plunger on top.

Step 4.
With even pressure push plunger all the way down. For tea allow the leaves to steep 3 to 5 minutes before plunging.

Now you can enjoy fresh coffee or tea with minimal effort and less counterspace being taken up by an appliance!

I really enjoy making loose leaf teas with my French Press and Mr. In The Mid-west really likes to make coffee with it.
In fact, he is thinking about buying one that he can keep at work so that he can make fresh coffee while on break.

The parts are easy to wash and it doesn't take a lot of space to store.
We really like our French Press and use it daily. A big, "Thank you!" to my sister for this gift!

What Is Different Is Not The Same: 011

Matthew 16:3

KJV
 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

NIV
and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.


ESV
 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.


NRSV
And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.


In which version does Jesus sound like a man, and in which versions does he sound like a pansy?

What Is Different Is Not The Same: 010

Matthew 15:8

KJV
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.


NIV
“‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.


ESV
“‘This people honors me with their lips,
    but their heart is far from me;


NRSV
‘This people honors me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me;

Sourdough Rye Onion Caraway Seed Rolls

I am going to be linking this post with the Sourdough Surprizes blog. This the last time they are doing a monthy challenge. (sniffle)
The theme was Holiday Breads. This recipe is kind of stretch, but since it is the last linky party they will be hosting they said I could go ahead and enter. :) Isn't that sweet! I am kind of sad that they won't be doing their challenges any more, but they have a wealth of sourdough recipes in the archives. :)



This my favorite type of bread to make with my sourdough starter.

Rye Onion Caraway Seed Rolls

1 cup sourdough starter
1 cup kefir
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 Tbs. Caraway seeds
2 Tbs. molasses
2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 cup rye flour
2 1/2 - 3 cups whole wheat flour

In a large bowl stir together the starter, kefir, onions, Caraway seeds, molasses, and salt. 
Stir in a cup of the wheat flour and beat for a minute.
Stir the egg into the mixture.
Gradually add the rest of the wheat and rye flour.
Rest 20 minutes to allow the flour to fully hydrate.
Knead the dough for 10 minutes. The dough should be elastic. You may need to add some more wheat flour if the dough is too sticky to handle, but the dough should be fairly wet.
Cover bowl with a damp kitchen towel and place in a warm, draft free area. Allow to rise until doubled, 6-12 hours.
When risen shape into rolls and place on a greased baking sheet, a few inches apart.
Cover with towel and allow to rise, 1-2 hours.
Bake in a preheated 350* F. oven for 25-30 minutes.
Enjoy!

I really like these served warm with cream cheese. I think they are such a treat!