Flowers in the Garden

Can Eddie Buddy See His Paws?

Food Friday : Mushroom Pasta

Here's a recipe for pasta with creamy mushroom sauce, with fresh parsley. Well it's not really a recipe ... more of a technique for making this type of sauce.

Saute some chopped onion, minced garlic and sliced mushrooms in olive oil. Add some salt ... notice how the addition of salt caused the vegetables to release liquid and for the mixture to turn into a more saucy consistency? Add some hot pepper flakes if you like some heat. Add some chopped capers if you have/like them. Romove from heat and stir in some cold water (about 1/4 cup). That's to cool it down so it's not too hot when you add the dairy products. And guess what? ... there isn't actually any cream in this sauce. Well, there is sour cream, so go ahead and add a few tablespoons and stir it around. The low-fat stuff is just fine to use here. We also added a bit of goat's cheese, so if you have some, put it in, or if you have some plain cream cheese, go ahead (again, lower fat type is fine). Finally, thin out the sauce with a drizzle of milk and/or white wine if need be. Return to low heat to bring to serving temperature, but make sure it doesn't boil, as the dairy products might separate.

Sending Love : A Greeting Card Made with Tissue Paper

c="http://www.loulou.to/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/diy-greeting-card.jpg" alt="" title="diy-greeting-card" width="640" height="426" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9049">Here's an idea for making a handmade greeting card, using tissue paper. Since it is Mother's Day on Sunday, I made mine for my mom, but this technique can be used to make a card for any occasion. All you need is some pretty tissue paper (I reused some that came wrapped around a bouquet of flowers I was sent my my in-laws <3), a blank piece of folded card-stock and envelope (I bought mine but you can make the card), some regular craft clue and some water. To finish it off nicely on the inside, a piece of blank paper is good too, which you will attach with a glue stick (or regular glue if you don't have one). Extra special (but unnecessary) additions would be a sticker to decorate the inside and/or a stamp and ink-pad to decorate the envelope. I just happened to have these, but your card will be nice without them.

Themed Thursday : Butterflies Flutter By

Hello ... Thanks for dropping over to see my photos of butterfly things! This post was inspired by two things. Firstly, the huge rabble of butterflies that visited our yard last week. I looked out the window one morning to see our blooming maple tree in total motion, covered in what must have been thousands of beautiful fluttering butterflies. Later in the day, a neighbourhood pal of ours knocked on the door to make sure we saw them, as they were so very striking. The one I captured in the photo was taken the next day, as they were dissipating.

Secondly, my sweet parents-in-law sent me this cheerful basket of flowers, that was decorated with butterflies made from feathers. So lovely.