Recipe can be found here: The Girl Who Ate Everything   Enjoy!

Would women find vampires even sexier and more romantic if instead of fangs they had rose thorns? It’s thoughts like these I think of when digging in my garden, looking for my one true love (If only I could remember where I buried her!).
Jarod Kintz

I once had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalogue: no good in a bed, but fine up against a wall.
Eleanor Roosevelt

I noticed sunlight dancing on the orange tulip earlier and couldn’t help but try and get some good shots. I love working with sunlight on dainty flower petals. It’s not always easy to capture what I want, but today I am pleased. A sunny day + a bonus.  

Filed under: Photography Tagged: flowers, nature, outdoors, Photography, spring, sunlight ]]> http://afternoonpopcornsnack.com/2013/04/29/sunlight-orange-tulip/feed/ 14 Sunlight & Orange Tulip / Afternoon Popcorn Snack afternoonpopcornsnackgirl Sunlight and Orange Tulip / Afternoon Popcorn Snack Sunlight and Orange Tulip / Afternoon Popcorn Snack http://afternoonpopcornsnack.com/2013/04/25/redbud-blossoms-silverstein/ http://afternoonpopcornsnack.com/2013/04/25/redbud-blossoms-silverstein/#comments Fri, 26 Apr 2013 03:57:00 +0000 Amy@afternoonpopcornsnack http://afternoonpopcornsnack.com/?p=5152 ]]> I’ve been experiencing a few ‘blah’ days lately. You know that feeling. It’s something. Something is there, but you can’t put your finger on it and you don’t really know that you could identify it anyway. If you don’t try too hard, it will make itself known.

Eventually, I’ll remember the truths I learned yesterday are good for today too. And I’ll hang on for the ride instead of fighting. And I’ll hear my mama say, “Whatever it is, it’s okay.” And it is. Whatever. It’s okay. 

So tonight I sat down, and in rare moments of peace and quiet, read Shel Silverstein and browsed more photos of silly, pretty flowers. But it was good for me and I thought you might enjoy them too.  

“How many slams in an old screen door? Depends how loud you shut it. How many slices in a bread? Depends how thin you cut it. How much good inside a day? Depends how good you live ‘em. How much love inside a friend? Depends how much you give ‘em.”  

“…Just ’cause somethin’ ain’t been done
Don’t mean it can’t be did…” 

~

“Do a loony-goony dance,
‘Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world,
That ain’t been there before.”

“If you are a dreamer come in,
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hoper, a pray-er a magic-bean-buyer,
If you’re a pretender come sit by my fire,
For we have some flax golden tales to spin,
Come in!  Come in!”

~

“There is a place where the sidewalk ends, 
And before the street begins, 
And there the grass grows soft and white, 
And there the sun burns crimson bright, 
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight 
To cool in the peppermint wind.”

I used the basic recipe I always use from Nestle except I did do one thing differently that may change my chocolate chip cookies forever. I used 60% cacao chips (Ghirardelli) instead of the normal semi-sweet and really appreciate the density they added, along with cutting the sweetness a little. I am a much bigger fan of cookie dough than I am baked cookies (even hot out of the oven) and the dark chocolate really squared that dough off nicely.  

Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies
from Nestle

1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 1/4 c. brown sugar (recipe calls for light, but I use dark)
1 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 T. milk
2 t. vanilla extract 
2 1/2 c. oats
2 c. chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 375°

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat brown sugar, butter and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats and chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven for 9-10 minutes for chewy cookies or 12-13 minutes for crispy cookies. Let stand for 1 minute; remove to wire racks to cool completely. 

Shown above: tarragon

lavender

oregano

fennel

rosemary 

sage

blue rose cafe’ & 21st street bridge

Rule #1 ~ Lick and lick and lick some more.
Rule #2 ~ Don’t make the same mistake twice.

#1, I’ve mastered. #2….well, about the time I think I’ve got it down, I experience a flop of some sort and my ‘incident free zone’ becomes tainted once again.

The first time I made Red Velvet Brownies, they were really good. In fact, I ate a few some most of the pan by myself, even though they weren’t red. Lack of planning left me with an inadequate amount of red food coloring so I played around and landed on an acceptable shade of sage.

So yesterday, I was prepared with red food coloring and cream cheese for frosting. I opted for a recipe with cream cheese swirl for easier transport (I know better than to leave these puppies in my house). But, I made a double batch of brownies with only a single batch worth of red! Next time, these babies are going to be brilliant red. A couple little birdies told me they were delicious in spite so I’ll go ahead and share the recipe link. 

Red Velvet Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

AND, last week I made some Lemon Brownies, which were delicious but I didn’t take a photo (should be customary by now, but it’s not). I made a few changes though.
1. I made a double recipe
2. I increased the lemon juice in both the brownie batter and the glaze.
3. I made two batches of the glaze with quite a bit more lemon juice because the sweetness was too heavy. I’d recommend you add what is called for and then taste as you go. I may have even doubled the lemon juice in the glaze, but I didn’t measure. Also, I made a double batch of the glaze for a double batch of brownies, but didn’t use nearly all the glaze and they were perfect.

Sidenote: I used this recipe because I pinned it ages ago, but noticed there are quite a few lemon brownie recipes now. These had more of a cakey texture so I might try a different recipe next time, just for kicks. They are very good though.

Lemon Brownies 

Hope ya enjoy!