Happy July 4th

As posted by my dear friend Dani on Facebook
Thank you 

Beautiful creation by my dear friend Dani

poem also posted by her on Facebook

Happy Birthday, America!

Original poem (1893)

America. A Poem for July 4.

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife,
When once or twice, for man's avail,
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain,
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

Happy July 4th to all my American Family and friends
Have a safe and happy holiday

☻/
/▌♥May today bring you many wonderful surprises♥
/ \ ♥~Happy Happy Fourth of July to all my  dearest family and friends!!~♥
In the USA
♥▒▒♥▒▒♥▒▒♥▒▒♥▒♥▒▒♥▒▒♥▒▒♥▒▒♥▒

red white & blueberry-strawberry shortcake jars {4th of july recipe}

by Melissa • June 27, 2014

Here’s a pretty, delicious and easy dessert to serve on the 4th of July, or for any summer gathering. I used my mock devonshire cream for one of the cream layers because it’s holds up better than plain, sweetened whipped cream, and because it’s not quite as sweet. I don’t like an overly sweet shortcake dessert. Instead I try to balance the sweetness of the fruit, cream and berries so you get a little tartness in each bite too. That’s the beauty of berry shortcake, in my opinion. Lots of fresh berries, a simple shortcake that is just a bit sweeter than a baking powder biscuit, and a creamy layer that doesn’t overpower the dessert with too much sugar. However, if you’re in a hurry, feel free to just use whipped cream. Add a scoop of ice cream just before serving if you wish. The possibilities are endless, and it’s all really up to you and your personal preference.

If you’re making them exactly according to the directions listed below, your shortcake jars can be covered tightly and packed into ice for a picnic and will hold up in the refrigerator for 4 hours prior to serving. Just bring a can of real, sweetened whipped cream and add a dollop to each jar before enjoying.

for the shortcakes: (makes approximately 12)

2 cups all purpose flour or biscuit flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cups sugar + more for sprinkling the tops

1/4 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup half & half OR buttermilk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

melted butter to brush over tops

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in butter, using a fork, until coarse, uniform crumbs form. Mix in half & half and vanilla. Drop by large spoonfuls onto a large baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Brush each biscuit with a little melted butter and sprinkle tops with a light dusting of sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or just until tops are golden brown. Cool completely before assembling your desserts.

for the berries:

3 to 4 cups fresh, ripe strawberry slices

3 to 4 cups fresh, ripe blueberries

1/2 cup sugar, divided

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, divided (orange or grapefruit will work too)

In one bowl, combine the strawberry slices, 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Repeat with the blueberries, using a separate bowl. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble your shortcake jars.

for the berry shortcakes in a jar: (makes approximately 12 desserts)

Place the equivalent of one biscuit in the bottom of each of 12 wide mouth canning jars (you may have to break them up into big chunks to make them fit.) I used pint sized jars, but you can use whatever you have. Top the biscuit layer with 1/2 cup of the macerated strawberries, followed by a generous dollop of mock Devonshire cream and 1/2 cup of the macerated blueberries. Cover tightly and keep cold until ready to serve.

To serve: Remove lids, add a dollop of real, lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, and a sparkler (if you wish.)

Enjoy!

Recipe from Chin Deep link on the side bar

Thank you so very much for all your wonderful recipes

Happy Birthday to my dear friend Ilona

May you always be blessed with the very best♥

"May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right." ~Peter Marshall

“You’d remember drinkin’ horchata
You’d still enjoy it with your foot on masada
Winter’s cold is too much to handle
Pincher crabs that pinch at your sandals
Here comes a feeling you thought you’d forgotten
Chairs to sit and sidewalks to walk on
Ooh you had it but oh no you lost it
Lookin’ back you shouldn’t have fought it…”

~Horchata by Vampire Weekend

After hearing my new favorite band, Vampire Weekend, sing a song about a beverage called horchata I became curious. What is horchata? So I looked it up and found out it’s a rice and milk based drink that’s enjoyed in Spain, Mexico, and southern California. I made up a batch over the weekend. It’s surprisingly refreshing and pretty easy to make. Gracie absolutely adores it! Try it for yourself!

Horchata

5 cups water

1 cup long grain white rice, uncooked

1/2 cup whole milk

1 Tablespoon Mexican vanilla

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

2/3 cup white sugar

Pour the rice and water into the bowl of a blender. It will be quite full. Cover and carefully pulse the blender for about a minute, just to break up the grains of rice a little. Allow rice to sit in the water for 3 hours. Drain the rice water into a glass pitcher or large jar. Discard rice. Add the milk, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar to the rice water. Cover and allow to chill completely before serving over ice.

Some Hispanic bars in southern California use horchata as a mixer in a cocktail known as a

Rice Rocket

2 parts horchata

1 part Malibu coconut rum

dash of Goldschlager

Serve over ice.

Enjoy!

Recipe from Chin Deep

Thank you for all you share