Monthly Archives: December 2016

Planting Flower Seeds in the Snow

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I started 36 kinds of flowers today, impatiens, petunias, pansies, lobelia, snapdragons, canterbury bells, stock and schizanthus. Was thinking I’d only need 12 seed flats for the pansies, then got to thinking about how much I’d like the other flowers to be blooming if possible and they take a long time from seed to flowering. This year I am starting them a little over 2 weeks earlier. Hard to believe I am in the greenhouse with no coat enjoying the sunshine before the incoming snowstorm…in December no less.

I wanted to start a petunia called petunia grandiflora superbissima  and couldn’t find any seed in the states. Thompson and Morgan used to have some retail outlets here and then for some reason stopped a couple of years ago. Made me sad, they had some really cool varieties. After doing an internet search for the seed, I found them available from three different seed houses in the UK. Two have agreed to sell them to me, I just hope shipping isn’t horrendous. Here is a picture of this flower. Beautiful. 4 to 5″ blooms, frilly with gorgeous and unusual veining in the throat. They are pinks and purples. They also have white but I haven’t had any that I remember. They come as a mixed color. One of my favorites.

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Best Lemon Crinkle Cookies

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This are a new recipe for me. Definitely a keeper. I have to say it is the best lemon cookie I have ever put in my mouth. Especially warm from the oven. It is made with a triple whammy of lemon: lemon extract, fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. Not what you think of in a holiday cookie but still yummy. (Of course, with the powdered sugar you could say it is snowman who laid down!)
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Lemon Crinkle Cookies

 Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 medium lemons)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 tsp lemon extract
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 5 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter, sugar and lemon zest until pale and fluffy (occasionally scrape down bowl throughout entire mixing process if not using a paddle attachment that constantly scrapes bowl). Mix in egg then blend in egg yolk. Add lemon juice, lemon extract, vanilla extract and optional yellow food coloring and mix until combined. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
  • Pour powdered sugar into a small bowl. Scoop dough out about 1 1/2 Tbsp at a time (25g each) and shape into a ball, then drop in powdered sugar and roll to evenly coat. Transfer to a parchment paper or Silpat lined baking sheet, repeat with remaining dough and space cookies 2-inches apart on baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven 10 – 13 minutes. Cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.
  • Recipe Source: Cooking Classy