Eggs-tra special! (Yes, the egg puns will never stop:)

Marbling Technique with 1 tbsp. oil in dye and swirling it around.
Rubber band technique

Last but not least, the dyed eggs in all their radiance:)

Easter Sunday

Hello readers,

Easter's just around the corner, and you know what that means? Yep, peep surgery--> http://www.peepresearch.org/surgery.html (Ah, how I love people's creative minds albeit a little on the disturbing side, heh). I was actually thinking the other day (you know me and my random tangents by now) how much I love this country. If I were to sum it all up in one word I'd say the country has...spunk!,heh. Now to end with a quote (cause I can't get enough of them:)

“My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth.”-Abraham Lincoln

Floofy

I tell you what, it's quite liberating to write anything that comes to mind. Like how “floofy” should be a word. Don't raise that quizzical eyebrow at me and try saying it yourself to let the smile just come naturally:)

I've been recently informed of neglecting my recipe publishing duties and am here to rectify:


Mashed Cannellini Beans with Rosemary and Garlic

2 tsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tsp. fresh chopped rosemary or 1/2 tsp. dried
3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 tsp. lemon juice
Heat a skillet over medium heat and then add the oil until shimmering. Saute the garlic in the oil until fragrant and lightly browned, and then stir in the cannelini beans and rosemary.
Add broth to the skillet and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice off the heat and mash the beans with a potato masher.

Recipe from www.ellysaysopa.com

Balsamic Glazed Carrots

3 - 4 large carrots
4 tablespoons butter
approximately 1 cup of water
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
chopped chives for garnish
Peel and cut of the end of each carrot. Slice lengthwise in half. Take each piece and cut in half lengthwise again. Then rotate and cut carrots into 2 inch lengths.
Place in pan with water and butter and bring to a boil. Immediately turn to low heat and cover and cook for approximately 20 minutes until tender.
Remove cover, add sugar and vinegar and allow to simmer and reduce for about 10 minutes more.
Remove carrots, garnish with chopped chive and serve immediately.
Recipe from www.merlinmenu.blogspot.com

Chocolate Chip COokie Dough Dip

(Note: I've been spoon feeding myself this...I'm not proud...but am gloriously satisfied:)


1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (8-oz) pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
3/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Stir continuously, until the brown sugar dissolves. (You can also do this in the microwave but watch it closely. The butter/sugar mixture will boil over fast. Stir every 30 seconds or so.)
2. Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla extract and set aside to cool.
3. Beat the cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar for 1 minute.
4. Slowly beat in the cooled butter mixture and beat again for another minute.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Pour into a serving bowl and refrigerate.
7. Garnish with additional chips, if you choose.
Serve with Nilla wafers (my choice) or graham crackers.
**Note: after refrigerating the dip it will be pretty solid and un-dippable so make sure to remove it from the refrigerator about 15-30 minutes before you plan on serving it, so it has time to soften up.

Recipe from www.browneyedbaker.com

Like pulling teeth...

Yes, I find updating a blog just as painful. However, I understand the necessity for a individual, like myself to be heard in some form or another (even if it is to just three people, to which you know who you are:)

Feel free to indulge in more methodical randomosity of mine:

Have you ever felt insignificant in this vast world of ours teeming with around 6,796,460,995 inhabitants? (according to the latest tally from the U.S. Census Bureau). This is normal I suspect, however, the feeling of "insignificance" I receive quite frequently is my innate failure to see the value in others. From the shadow of faces I breeze past on my walk to school to the nameless I sat by on the flight here, their mere presence strikes me with a guilt-ridden conscience. Therefore, I sincerely hope and pray to be brave enough to completely engage myself to such opportunities that arise as to help others find the value they should see in themselves.

Embrace Freedom of Expression

Needless to say, we "tenants" were all quite agitated when we felt the painful sting of rising costs especially when your paying extra for such "luxurious" accommodations....