One Sunny Home: January 2012

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

DIY: Fancy Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries is an iconic romantic food. Although it can look complicated and hard, it really is not that difficult with a little practice. I enjoy making these simple treats especially when it's strawberry season! Here is how you can delight your loved one this Valentine's day with some fancy chocolate-covered strawberries!

This will make 1 small bouquet

Ingredients:

© 5 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate: you can use a bar, chips, morsels, or even baker's squares-chop coarsely if using. Remember the better quality chocolate you have the better taste and texture you'll get. I like to use Ghirardelli chocolate.

Directions:

1. I like to begin by writing down the different varieties of strawberries I want to make-dark chocolate with coconut, dark chocolate drizzled with white, plain red...etc.

2.Wash strawberries and lay them on a towel/paper towel to dry. Chocolate will not stick to strawberries if they are wet, pat each strawberry with dry towel/paper towel to make sure they are completely dry before submerging them into chocolate!

3. Place foam into the container of choice. If foam is moving in the container, secure with tape running across making an "x." Cover foam with green tissue paper or kale/lettuce: secure kale/lettuce with toothpicks broken in half if needed.

4. Prepare strawberries by placing one grape on to a toothpick and follow by a strawberry, piercing the strawberry half way: You should not see the toothpick at the top of the strawberry. I find that strawberries hold up better if there is a grape supporting it-it is totaly optional. Repeat with all the strawberries.

5. There are two ways to melt the chocolate.

Microwave:

Use a glass bowl and microwave the chocolate on medium power at 30-second intervals-mixing in between. You don't want to burn the chocolate, be sure to mix after each interval. Total amount of time will depend on the brand of chocolate and the size of chocolate pieces.

Double Boiler:

Make a double boiler by placing a glass bowl that fits snugly over the top of a saucepan-the bowl should not be touching the bottom of the pan. Fill the saucepan with hot water from the tap. You want enough water to provide heat, but not so much that the bottom of the chocolate bowl touches the water. Bring the water to a simmer and keep it at a low heat: you don't want the water boiling, just simmering. Place the glass bowl with chocolate on top of the sauce pan and allow the chocolate to melt slowly-mixing frequently with a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon.

*Tip if you plan to use both dark and white chocolate melt the chocolate one at a time. Starting with dark-it is less fussy when melted :) Melt white chocolate very slowly-it is more fragile and burns quickly.

6. Holding the strawberry by the stem end and the toothpick, dip in the melted chocolate, letting the excess chocolate drip off.

1. For a plain chocolate covered strawberry-carefully place the covered strawberries into the styrofoam block to dry off.

2. For more festive strawberries-dip into coconut flakes or chopped nuts while chocolate is still wet.

3. For strawberries with sprinkles; holding the freshly chocolate coated strawberry over a plate, sprinkle with desired sprinkles.

4. For a multi-colored/drizzled effect: Take a cooled chocolate covered strawberry and using a fork drizzle lines of the opposite chocolate over the melted chocolate bowl...twisting the strawberry to get the drizzle effect all around.

Plain Red Strawberries, Plain Chocolate Covered Strawberries, and Chocolate Covered Strawberries dipped in Coconut

8. Continue covering all the strawberries. Allow the chocolate to cool and to firm up; to speed up the process place the strawberries into the refrigerator while still on the styrofoam block for 10-15 minutes.

9. When chocolate is firm start arranging the bouquet. I find it easier to start at the bottom and work up. Marbles strawberries are more fragile, handle with extra care not to smudge.

10. Fill any holes with extra pieces of kale/lettuce if needed. Refrigerate for up to 1 day, eat the day made for best results.

Plain Red Strawberries, Plain Dark and White Chocolate Covered Strawberries, White Chocolate Covered Strawberries Drizzled with Dark Chocolate and Chocolate Covered Strawberries dipped in Coconut, Sprinkles

I love making these sweet treats! I made multiple bouquets for weddings and anniversary parties. They also make a great birthday gift! Let me know if you're interested in seeing more of the fruit arrangement how-to's.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

A quick peek at DIY: Fancy Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Valentine's day is coming....Surely you can buy a box of candy, but where's the love in that? Really melt your Valentine's Heart with these sweet treats...which are easier than you think! Plus I'll show you how to make them extra fancy for that special someone...

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

DIY: Valentine's Day Lollipop Bouquet

Valentine's day is around the corner...it's hard to believe the first month of the new year is almost over! Here is a neat craft my son and I created for the coming holiday! My kids love lollipop so they really liked helping with this bouquet. This was simple, not expensive, and very quick!

What you'll need:

Directions:

1. Place foam into the container of your choice.

2. Cover foam with Easter grass or moss-you can also shred some green paper.

3. Cut out flowers. I used a template from about.com and just printed pasted flowers on the pink paper. (Resize the flower to fit two flowers going across.)

4. Make an "X" cut in the middle of the paper flower. The easy way to do so is to slightly fold the flower in the middle and make a cut, then fold on the made cut and make a cut again, making an "X."

5. Now make a small "X" cut in the doilie following the same steps as with the paper flower.

6. Insert the paper flower onto the lollipop, gently pressing around to make the "flower" fit well.

7. Now repeat with the doilie.

8. When all the "flowers" are fitted onto the lollipops-glue the paper flower and the doilie flower using the hot glue gun. Be careful not to glue the "flower" onto the lollipop wrapper. While the glue is still hot, gently press around the "flower" to make it fit well.

9. When all your "flowers" are glued- tie a green ribbon if you would like. If you're planning to hand out the lollipop flowers individually you can include a small message card and tie it with the ribbon. Now curve the ends of the paper petals using a regular coloring pencil: gently wrap the ends of the paper petals around the pencil making a more natural looking petal.

10. You're now ready to place your arrangement into the prepared container. Starting from the top work around to cover the foam to make a full looking bouquet.

11. When all the flowers are in place you can add a little sparkle to the paper petals by paining some glitter glue to the edges...totally optional.

12. Personalize the bouquet with a note by cutting out a paper heart, writing your message, and taping it onto a wooden square. Or glue the squire between two paper hearts. Fasten the squire in the bouquet.

May this simple bouquet inspire you to start thinking about your loved ones this Valentine's Day!!

Monday, January 16, 2012

Split Pea Soup

I have been wanting to make some peas soup...I honestly could not remember the last time I had a bowl! With the weather being so cold these days a thought of a warm soup is very welcoming!! Instead of having a thin peas soup I wanted to make a thicker, richer kind...perhaps with a few extra vegetables to maximize the taste! Here is how I created a richer variety of the simple split peas soup. Plus, some REALLY exciting news at the end of this post!!!

Ingredients:

(add a vegetable cube to a cup of water to make a quick veggie broth)

1. If you have the time, cook the peas in a pot by placing peas in a pot and cover completely with water. Bring the water to a boil and reduce head to a slow simmer. Simmer peas for 35-45 minutes, add additional water if needed. If you don't have the time, cook the peas in a microwave. Using a large microwave safe bowl place peas in the bowl and cover completely with water. Microwave on high for 14-20 minutes, add additional water if needed. Peas should be soft and able to be mashed with a fork when done.

2. While peas is cooking: Heat a soup pot over medium heat and add olive oil. When the oil gets hot add the crushed red pepper flakes and cook stirring occasionally for about 30 seconds. Add zucchini, carrot, celery, garlic, tomatoes, and potato (if using mashed potatoes-add to the soup when adding peas.) Cook, stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes. Add green onions and parsley at the last 2 minutes of cooking.

3. Mash cooked peas with a fork or potato masher, add a couple of tablespoon of water/vegetable broth if needed. Add mashed peas (and mashed potatoes if using) to the soup pot. Add a cup or two of water/vegetable broth to reach a desired consistency. Heat soup to a slow simmer.

4. Add a small amount of spices: black pepper, herbal seasoning, salt. Now you can either leave your soup as is-chunky. Or you can put it into a blender to make silkier. I like to have it in between...to reach that I blended half of the soup in a blender and used a potato masher to coarsely mash the rest.

5. Taste soup and add additional spices as desired! Add additional water/vegetable broth if needed. I like to put additional green onions and red pepper flakes on the top of my soup... for that extra warmth! Serve with a couple of slices of bread or some toasted tortillas!!

I hope you'll give this soup a try! I believe this vegetable loaded peas soup is my new favorite from the peas variety!!

P.S. Stay tuned...a "face lift" for my blog page is coming! And for all of you quote and poetry lovers, there is a surprise in the making!!

Is there a recipe you're yearning to see from my kitchen? Perhaps an ingredient that you wish to see in "action"...email me, I would love to hear from you!! My email is: one sunny home (at) gmail (dot) com all one word, without spaces. Hope to hear from you! ~Blessings!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

DIY: Homemade Make a Match Game

Recently my son has been showing more and more interest in board and card games. It is a lot of fun introducing the games I remember playing as a kid! It brings memories of the past times. One of his recent favorites is Make a Match game with Thomas the Train and His Friends. I'm amazed how fast he learned the names of all the characters!! So when a seed catalog arrived and he was quizzing me on all the names of the fruits, vegetables, and berries I got an idea to make our own game. We made this Make a Match game and even came up with 4 different ways to play it!

Things you'll need:

1. Cut out pictures of fruits, vegetables, and berries in PAIRS. Glue the cut out pictures onto the 3x5 flash cards.

2. For additional fun, write the name of the fruit/vegetable/berry on the back...add another language or two for extra challenge! (you can also print the name of the fruit/vegetable/berry and then glue it on, or use shipping labels)

Game Ideas.

1. Mix cards. Randomly spread cards picture side up on a table and ask the child to make pairs: apple-apple, corn-corn...by picture.

2. Mix cards. Randomly spread cards picture side up on a table and ask the child to make three stacks: fruits, vegetables, and berries.

3. Mix cards. Randomly spread cards on a table and ask the child to make stacks of different colors of the food he/she sees: red, yellow, green...est.

4. For older children: Make a pair using a picture card and a word card. Separate paired cards. Mix each stack of cards separately. Spread cards with pictures on one side and the cards with words on the other. Ask the child to pair the picture cards with the word cards.

May this inspire you to take the time out of your busy day and play a game or two with your children...you don't have to have the expensive games or toys to make life long memories in your children's lives.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Steamed Vegetables with Lemon-Garlic Dressing

Lightly steaming vegetables is a great way to lock in nutrients while increasing digestibility. Here is a recipe of how I like to steam my vegetables. The slightly "lemony" dressing is perfect with steamed veggies and the hint of garlic completes this easy side dish! We like to vary the vegetables to what is in season...or what we have on hand. (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

Dressing:

Directions:

1. Place cut vegetables in a steamer basket over about 2 inches of water in a stock pot. Place a lid on the pot and cook over medium heat. Steam the veggies for 7-13 minutes-or until your toughest vegetable is crisp tender.

2. While vegetables are steaming, prepare your dressing by combining all the ingredients together and mixing well. Remove vegetables from the steamer basket and place into a bowl.

3. Pour dressing over steamed vegetables and toss carefully-not to mash your delicate vegetables. Add additional Herbamare or other herb seasoning/salt if desired. Serve immediately.

We enjoyed this easy side dish with a baked potato! My son had fun telling us what colors he saw on his plate...and was very proud that he got to pull the carrots from our winter-raised-bed garden for the dish! I hope you will treat yourself to this delicious side dish...it can easily be turned into a light lunch-just add some cooked rise. Happy Saturday!!

Adopted from The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Butternut Squash & Green Apple Soup

The weather has been especially chilly these last couple of days- making me wish for a warm bowl of soup and a slice of hearty bread...and perhaps a good book in hand :-) I've been wanting to make butternut squash soup for a while, so this was perfect for the frosty weather. The balance of the sweet butternut squash and the tart green apple make the perfect match. I was very pleased with this soup! I liked the silky texture and the satisfying taste without the heaviness. (Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

1. Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. Add onion, garlic, celery and carrot and sauté for 5 minutes; turn the heat down if the vegetables begin to brown.

2 Add squash, apple, broth and water. Bring to boil. Add salt and spices. Cover, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until squash and carrots soften. (Note the smaller you chop your vegetables, the quicker your soup will be finished. If you got the time, try roasting the butternut squash in the over in it's skin until soft then scraping the flesh out into the done soup just before pureeing.) Puree in a blender, and return to a clean pot.

3 Add additional salt and/or spices to taste, and garnish with chives or parsley.

I enjoyed making this quick, delicious, simple, and yet so healthy soup! I hope you too will give this soup a try! Happy Thursday Everyone!

Adopted from: simplyrecipes.com

Monday, January 2, 2012

DIY: Homemade Avocado Hair Mask

If you are finding yourself this New Year trying to grow out your hair this homemade mask is for YOU!! Not only will this mask stimulate the growth of your hair, but it will also add shine and volume to your existing hair. There is little value to long hair if it's unhealthy. Here are five tips I learned about while researching what makes hair healthier...therefore more beautiful!

1. Eat a well balanced diet. This includes drinking at least 8 cups of water a day. Your hair is protein, therefore make sure you are getting enough of that. Taking a good multivitamin helps as well.

2. Don't over brush your hair. If your hair gets very tangled while you're sleeping try putting it in a bun before bedtime. NEVER brush wet hair: your hair is at its weakest when it's wet. If you must, use a very wide tooth comb or your fingers to brush it out.

3. Use less heat: including styling tools and hair dryer. If possible plan enough time for your hair to dry naturally. If you must use heat, use a good heat protectant spray before styling with high end styling tools.

4. Use a Sulfate free, Paraben free shampoo. Don't wash your hair everyday; doing so you're getting rid of the natural oils which aid in protecting your hair.

5. Get a regular trim, every 3-6months. This will not only give you a clean-healthy look but it will also prevent split ends going up.

Homemade Avocado Hair Mask:

1. Using a fork mash avocado and add the rest of the ingredients, mix well until you reach a smooth consistency. For a silkier mask, place all ingredients in a small blender and blend until reaches smooth consistency, add a few tablespoons of water if needed.

2. Working with dry hair: starting at the crown of your head and working in sections, apply mask from the root of hair to ends. Once a section is covered completely with mask, form a circle at the crown and continue with the rest of the hair. The mask will hold the hair together, use a hair scrunchie for long hair if needed.

3. Leave the mask on for at least 30 minutes before washing with your shampoo and following by conditioner-if using. If your hair is naturally oily and you have a good ripe avocado: you might need to wash your hair twice after this mask...but the result is worth it! Repeat one a week for "intensive growth therapy."

I hope you will give this Avocado Hair Mask a try!! Try doing it with a friend or two...go ahead pamper yourself into the New Year! Happy 2012!