three little four leaf clovers

Red hair and blue eyes is the rarest combination in the world

The majority of natural redheads have brown eyes, with others likely to have hazel or green shades.

But like red hair, blue eye colour is a recessive trait, meaning that both parents must carry the gene for a child to be blessed with it. This makes those with red hair and blue eyes the rarest minority in the world, with only 1% having both.

So, each one is about as rare as a four-leaf clover.

Here we are with our three little four leaf clovers

Selah likes when Cedar and Ezra do whoo voices for her.

buffalo classic caesar

During our recent trip to British Columbia 

we discovered one of Canada’s favorite cocktails

 A Classic Caesar

Ingredients

Mott’s Clamato Rimmer

1 oz. vodka

4 dashes worcestershire sauce

2 dashes hot sauce

4 oz. Mott’s Clamato cocktail

3 dashes freshly ground salt and pepper

Rim a glass with lime and Mott’s Clamato Rimmer

Fill the glass with ice, add all ingredients and mix thoroughly. 

Garnish with fresh celery and lime.

Photo credit: Appetite by Random House The Classic Caesar

Upon returning home we didn’t have all the ingredients

so we invented a new version

Buffalo Classic Caesar

Fill a glass with ice

Add a dash of Buffalo Wing Sauce

Add five dashes of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

A shot of vodka is next

Pour in ¾ cup Clamato Juice

Garnish with a lime wedge

Add a dash of celery salt

Our family loves all things Buffalo Wing flavored

so this is a perfect fit

apron shirts

While visiting the kids in British Columbia

I came across a fun sewing project at their local farmer's market.

They are aprons made from thrift store shirts.

I made several for our little ones.

Mine are made from men's small dress shirts

 but a child's large may be better {shorter}

It was fun playing with sleeve pockets 

and transferring labels to the front.

You may find the directions on this blog helpful

if you want to try making some

lovegrowswild.com

Here are two photos from Liz's blog showing cutting instructions

 photo credit {lovegrowswild.com}

photo credit {lovegrowswild.com}

This is the back view of one showing the 

collar and folded under edges.

rich full-flavored indulgence

At my son's house they drink Chock full o' Nuts coffee,

It is the least expensive coffee at their local Price Chopper.

While at the store I thought I would splurge 

and buy Eight O'Clock coffee for them.

With these two kinds of coffee to compare

I knew which one I would like better.

I was wrong . . . 

The clear winner was Chock full o' Nuts.

"Rich full-flavored indulgence" indeed.

cinco de mayo baby

Selah Kiri

arrived in time for mother's day

Cedar and Ezra are amazed

falling in love once again

[the story behind her name]

http://amandaniel.blogspot.ca/2016/05/weighted-stillness-selah-kiri-talstra.html

key lime poke cake

Key Lime Poke Cake

Serves: 12

Cake Ingredients

1  15.25 oz. yellow cake mix

1  3.4 oz package instant lemon pudding

1  c. water

1  c. canola oil

4  large eggs

2  tbsp. fresh key lime or regular lime juice

Glaze Ingredients

1  c. confectioners' sugar

2  tbsp. fresh lime juice

Frosting Ingredients

8 oz.  cream cheese (room temperature)

1/4 c. unsalted butter (room temperature)

2 c.    confectioners' sugar

1 tsp.  lime zest

1 tsp.  lime juice

1/2 c.  graham crackers (lightly crushed)

Cake

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Zest and then juice two limes.

Lightly coat a 9-by 13" glass pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding, water, oil and eggs. Mix in the lime juice until fully incorporated. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake until set and a wooden pick inserted into the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then use a fork to carefully poke holes into the cake.

Glaze:

In a bowl, combine 1 c. confectioners' sugar and 2 tbls. fresh lime juice. Slowly pour over the cake so that it seeps into the holes; let cool completely.

Frosting:

Using an electric mixer, beat 8 oz. cream cheese and ¼ c. butter with 2 c. confectioners' sugar until smooth. Beat in 1 tsp. lime zest and 1 tsp. juice. Frost the cooled cake.  Sprinkle with graham crackers and remaining zest.

{adapted from a recipe in Woman's Day Magazine}

carrot tops

My carrot-top grandchildren

like carrots

but not crunchy ones

Here is what I do to soften them a bit . . .

simmer baby carrots in water or white wine
for 15-20 minutes until a bit soft

{I used Pino Grigio as it was what was on hand}

empty a jar of bread and butter pickles 

and save the brine

fill the empty jar with the cooked carrots

return the sweet brine to the jar

and refrigerate for a few hours

these are also a nice addition to a relish tray

vote

This political season has troubled me in so many ways

but the right to vote is a privilege.

Sigh . . . 

IKEA

On a recent trip to the airport

the Sunshine Skyway Bridge was closed due to fog

 {photo credit: only in your state}

We had to detour around the bay

Low and behold it took us right past IKEA

We stared the morning with a one dollar 310 calorie breakfast

After 2 hours of wondering around the store
we came home with . . .

two orange pillowcases

a kitchen dish soap dispenser

drawer organizers for our three new babies {due this year}

fun trays for  hors-d'oeuvres

small bookshelves {to hold our spices}

a fun bottle for water {or an adult beverage}

We were tempted by so many things.

We may just have to go back.

lemon chicken with broccoli

Lemon Chicken with Broccoli

Serves: 4

6 SmartPoints

{photo credit: knorr.com}

Ingredients
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1⁄2 tsp table salt, divided
1⁄4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
12 oz uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast cut into pieces
2 tsp olive oil
1 1⁄2 cups fat-free reduced sodium chicken broth, divided
2 tsp minced garlic
2 1⁄2 cups uncooked broccoli, small florets
2 tsp lemon zest, or more to taste*
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice


Instructions
Step 1: In bowl, combine 1 1/2 Tbsp flour, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper; add chicken and turn to coat.

Step 2: Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning as needed, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes; remove to a plate.

Step 3: Put 1 cup broth and garlic in same skillet; bring to a boil over high heat, scrapping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Add broccoli; cover and cook 2 minutes until broccoli is crisp-tender. Remove broccoli and put with chicken

Step 4: In a small cup, stir together remaining 1/2 cup broth, 1/2 Tbsp flour and 1/4 tsp salt; add to skillet and bring to a simmer over low heat.

Step 5: Cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in chicken, broccoli, and lemon zest; heat through.

Step 6: Remove skillet from heat and stir in parsley and lemon juice; toss to coat.

Serve over brown rice (1/2 cup rice = 3 SmartPoints)

*adapted from a weight watcher’s recipe