DC Decor

After cutting out and stitching my felt heart garland for February I had a thought for March.  Clovers, of course, came to mind but also gold coins, pots of gold and leprechaun boots.  I got busy goodling (that's one of my Mom's words... like when you goodle around in your purse to find your keys) through my felt stash for green felt.  I found I had just enough for one whole garland and some to add to the second garland.  I really love these and like the fact that despite being precious I can use them year after year.  My thoughts have already wandered towards April and Easter... I'm way ahead of you!

This is my day care journal where I store ideas and templates.  I make little pockets taped to pages for my cut outs.

I always seem to make too much glitter glue.  I can't wait until summer to see these beauties sparkling in the sunshine on the day care clothesline.

Mint Chocolate Pudding Cake

Ah yes... another green recipe for the month of March.  This one is of the sweeter variety and is one of my very favorites!  It is a mint chocolate pudding cake and the result of this cake is definitely green and so tasty!  I used to make it to take to work with me on St. Patrick's Day and I have also made it for a wedding and the bbq place I used to bake for.  It is a very pretty cake and perfect for that lover of chocolate and mint together!  It even had peppermint paddies on top!

I know I have more pictures of this beautiful cake.  I just can't seem to locate them as quickly as I want.  So you are just going to have to make it yourself to see how pretty and delightful it truly is!  These pictures are from a few years ago.

Looks like I used a white cake mix this time.


The green batter... yum!


This is my old kitchen from my house on Haven Street.  Ah what messes I made in that kitchen!

This particular time that I made this recipe it was for a wedding cake in which she had several different kinds.  I topped it with a chocolate butter cream icing and had the mint candies in the middle of the two layers.  I prefer the 9x13 version.  This is the only completed cake picture I could find.

Find my other "green recipes" for the month of March HERE and HERE.

Need some baking tips in the kitchen?  I have a good one HERE.

And just in case you missed my Aunt Sabine's Graham Struesel Cake recipe.

broccoli snack

While at the day care one day during nap time I got an odd craving.  My nap time cravings usually consist of cookies or hidden chocolate... sound  like home?  I imagine homes with kids hide special sweets!  Only this craving involved healthy stuff and I just happened to have the three ingredients I needed... broccoli, cream cheese and Melba toast. 

I first learned how to make steamed broccoli in the microwave when I was a teenager and my Mom had gone on a diet in which she ate a chicken breast, steamed broccoli, cauliflower and squash with a side of Melba toast and maybe a piece of cheese on the toast it seems.  The chicken and veggies were all cooked in the microwave but not together.  We had these Tupperware microwavable bowls that had lids that didn't seal.  The chicken had lemon pepper seasoning and it's bowl was partially covered with plastic wrap to let steam escape and the vegetables had lemon pepper and dill.  I think we all got hooked on this combination.  I know for sure Tracy and I did.  Not for the weight loss but because it all smelled so good and was easy for us to cook and clean up.  At least I hope we cleaned it up after ourselves.  Sorry Mom if we didn't!

I have used this simple way of steaming broccoli ever since and used it the day of my craving last week.  I had said that I was going to try and share a green recipe each week during March and you can't get much greener than steamed broccoli!  You could make these for yourself or to share.  Enjoy!

a march snow

And ice!  Sunday afternoon and evening it rained and rained then, as the temperature dropped, it turned to ice and snow.  Monday morning my truck warmed for forty five minutes and still didn't come near melting the ice on the windshield, I decided to try to get down the driveway to the day care in my car which is two wheel drive and she was going to make it until I got to the first of two trees down across the drive.  I backed up and Shaun took me to work in the Blazer with the door open to see.  I wound up only having two kids show up that cold day but at least I can be the type of facility that doesn't close on days like this which is a big convenience to parents if they can make here because they have to.  Monday afternoon the sun peeked out and made all the snow and ice look so beautiful and clean.  I hope this is out last hoorah.  I am ready for spring.  I have noticed all the bulbs trying to pop their heads up and trees beginning to bud after the couple of sixty degree days we had recently.  It's coming and I can hardly wait!

My snow man.

My poor little chives that were popping up.  Sweet things.

The next few shots were from Tuesday morning.  It turned a little foggy after I got to work.  Kind of like life in the mountains, up in the clouds.  It's cold that's for sure.

DC panoramic... kinda.