Tag Archives: bed
Breakfast in Bed – The Drinking of the Green
Post by Alison Hein.
St. Patrick’s Day is coming up next week – a day when everyone is Irish. A day to eat, drink, dance and be merry. A day to honor Irish heritage.
In Ireland, folk have been wearing green shamrocks and ribbons on St. Patty’s Day since the late 1600s. “The wearing of the green” refers to an old ballad, its lyrics lamenting the repression of supporters of the Irish rebellion of 1798 (listen to a moving recording of the famous Irish tenor John McCormack singing The Wearing of the Green on YouTube).
To add to the festivities this year, let’s don green clothing, and also drink green drinks. I’m not a big fan of green beer, so I’ve come up with two different options for you – one steaming hot, one icy cold; either with or without a nip of spirits – but both vibrant, emerald green.
How to achieve this lovely shade? With Japanese sweet green tea powder (this is America, after all). Matcha, the fine-ground and sweetened powdered tea, brings a smooth density to the creamy Matcha Milkshake, and a cocoa-like, satisfying richness to the Irish Green Tea Latte. Still questioning my choice of ingredients to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? I must admit, I did a little back and forth myself until I received a sign from the matcha package itself – brand name Rishi. If you move the final letter “I” to the front of “Rishi”, what do you get? You guessed it! An Irish breakfast in bed!
Éirinn go Brách!
Matcha Milkshake
2 scoops vanilla ice cream (about ¾ cup)
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon (green tea) sweet matcha powder
Splash of Bailey’s Irish Cream (optional)
Dollop of whipped cream
Spring of fresh mint, for garnish
Preparation
Add ice cream, milk, matcha powder and Bailey’s to a blender. Purée until thick and smooth. Pour into a festive glass, and top with whipped cream and mint. Enjoy immediately.
Makes 1 milkshake.
Irish Green Tea Latte
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon (green tea) sweet matcha powder
Splash of Irish whiskey (optional)
Dollop of whipped cream
Spring of fresh mint, for garnish
Preparation
Add milk and matcha powder to small, heavy saucepan. Heat until warmed to desired temperature. Alternatively, stir matcha powder into milk and steam with a cappuccino machine or handheld steam wand. Stir in whisky. Pour into a tall mug. Top with whipped cream and mint and serve immediately.
Makes 1 latte.
Bedroom Design: Using Dark Brown in a Bedroom
Post by Tracy Kaler.
We often associate dark browns with masculine rooms, and most people wouldn’t deem chocolate a feminine color. I’d have to agree, but I’ll also tell you that rich, chocolate browns can often be successfully combined with girly colors such as pink, tangerine, and yellow.
That being said, take a moment to swoon over these five pretty rooms in which chocolate brown plays a starring role.
Speaking of pink –– this room is a prime example how lovely chocolate and pink can look together. The deep color of the headboard and bedcovering adds a lavishness to the otherwise pastel and white space. The designer used a banding on the draperies for another touch of cocoa.
Traditional Kids by Fairfield Interior Designers & Decorators Tiffany Eastman Interiors, LLC
This room oozes fun and was obviously designed for a young man. Chartreuse green touches break up the deep brown accent wall and duvet. Chocolate brown shelving appears as if it’s growing from the wall.
Contemporary Kids by Las Vegas Interior Designers & Decorators DIVA INTERIOR CONCEPTS
This room is proof that brown can work well on a ceiling. Not only does the color add warmth, but this shade turns an otherwise neutral room into a dramatic space.
I love the simplicity of this room! A chocolate brown headboard looks rather stately, yet the bold geometric pattern on the pillows lightens the mood. The lime green nightstands are the ideal accent color for this happy bedroom.
Contemporary Bedroom by Chico Kitchen & Bath Fixtures Build.com
I am wild about this paisley duvet, which breaks up the other chocolate bedcovering. Pale silver walls, crisp white, and the starfish prints make for a stunning bedroom. The space has the right amount of brown and the perfect touch of pattern.
Beach Style Bedroom by Little Rock Interior Designers & Decorators Tobi Fairley Interior Design
Breakfast in Bed – Lemon Cherry Scones with Lemon Honey Butter
Post by Alison Hein.
I’ve been baking a lot this winter. There are a few reasons for this. One is simply, well, because I like to bake. Next, I have been trapped in my home on numerous occasions due to ridiculous and nearly constant cold, ice and snow. Finally, a nice hot oven helps to keep the heat up in the house on these low temperature days. My husband has been enjoying homemade bread hot from the oven, sweet pastries and pies dusted with sugar, and hardy scones laden with pure Irish butter.
The trouble is, with no way to safely get to the grocery store, my pantry has been running low. Inspiration for these scones struck when I glanced at my lemon-filled fruit bowl, and remembered a pack of dried tart cherries tucked in the back of the cabinet.
Mrs. O’Callaghan’s Irish Scones are so light and delicate that I used her method here. Adding lemon rind to the batter and swapping cherries for raisins did the trick. One lemon is enough to make both the scones and the butter. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, just add about a tablespoon of cider vinegar to a cup of milk for a great faux substitute.
Warm yourself by the stove, brew a strong cup of black tea, and take your lemony scones off to a cozy spot by the window. Take a good long look at all that ice and snow. Then gratefully feast on a warm and cozy breakfast in bed.
Lemon Cherry Scones
3 cups flour
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1½ cups buttermilk, plus additional for brushing scone after baking
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon lemon oil, or lemon flavoring
½ cup dried tart cherries
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. In large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and grated lemon rind. Stir baking soda into buttermilk. Pour buttermilk mixture, lightly beaten egg and lemon oil into dry ingredients and mix just to combine. Batter should be thick but spreadable. Stir in dried tart cherries.
Grease and flour a 10-inch cast iron frying pan. Spread batter evenly in pan. Place in oven and bake until scone is nicely browned and a toothpick inserted in top comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes. Alternatively, grease and flour two round 8-inch cake pans. Divide batter evenly between the two pans and reduce baking time to about 45 minutes.
Remove scone from pan and brush top with a little buttermilk, if you like. Wrap immediately in a tea towel so scones remain warm and soft. When ready to serve, cut scone in wedges. Serve warm with lemon honey butter.
Makes 12 to 14 scones.
Lemon Honey Butter
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
Preparation
Add softened butter to small bowl. Stir in honey and lemon juice and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.