A Sweet Springtime Treat

Welcome to Foodie Friday!

Spring brings our first blossoms, birds chirping and the smell of freshly mowed grass. It also brings hours of work to bring our flower beds back from the tough winter weather.

I always start working in my flower gardens early in the morning. It's pretty typical of me to stop mid-morning for a cup of coffee and a little something sweet to accompany it.

In today's blog I'm sharing my steps to making a delish pot of French Press Coffee accompanied by a slice (or two) of Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti. Now doesn't that sound like a nice reward after a few hours of toiling in the soil?

How to make French Press Coffee--

Add:

1.    1 tablespoon coarsely ground coffee per cup

2.    Pour boiling water into the carafe within approximately

       1 inch from the top of the carafe.

3.    Stir with a non-metallic utensil.

4.    Place lid assembly on top of carafe. Brew 4 minutes.

       With one hand firmly holding handle, use other hand to 

       slowly press the plunger down to filter the coffee.

5.   Tilt, pour and enjoy!

The house was filled with the delicious scent of cinnamon while the biscotti was baking. Biscotti is as easy as the steps you see above.  Here is the link to the recipe that I used:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cinnamon-sugar-biscotti/

Bon appetit-

Kathleen

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Mardi Gras Celebration & King Cake!

March will be upon us before we know it, and my thoughts turn to the celebration of Mardi Gras. This year Mardi Gras will be celebrated on March 4^th.  Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, which refers to the last night before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday.

Although I have never personally experienced a Mardi Gras in the French Quarter, my husband has, and he assures me it is something to behold. Steeped deep in tradition from France and Spain, Mardi Gras was brought to the southern United States by colonists. The celebration includes parades, parties, and lots of rich food.

The mix that I used above can be be purchased at Old World Market. 

In New Orleans today, no party is complete without a King Cake at its head table. The cake represents the three Kings that brought gifts.  They are made of cinnamon filled dough in the shape of a hollow circle.  It is then topped with a glazed topping and sprinkled with colored sugars; Purple representing Justice, Green representing Faith, and Gold representing Power. A tiny plastic or porcelain baby can be found inside the King Cake.  Some say the person who finds the baby in their piece of cake is the person who furnishes the cake for the next party. (There are also other versions of King’s Cake stories that may be found.)

Bake the King Cake in a ring and then slice. The cake is a delicious yeast bread with a Praline filling. A simple glaze sprinkled with colored sugar completes the top. Delicious served with a great HOT cup of coffee.

Our little Baby was placed under a portion of the cake, not found until the cake was sliced.

Being a person who loves color as much as I do, I loved working with the gorgeous purple, gold and green colors of Mardi Gras, and learning a bit more about the history surrounding this celebration. Let’s see…... delicious rich food, parades, bright shiny colors, and a lot of happy people……sounds like a great time to me!

I hope you enjoyed my blog about Mardi Gras!  Please share your Mardi Gras experiences with us.

  Wishing you a bright and shiny day!

Kathleen