Also In This Issue DIY Cherry Sugar Scrub – Weight Watchers Recipes – Tea Time Accessories – 15 Spring Cocktails – Colorful Cream cheese brownies – DIY Mason Jar Hanging Herb Garden
Welcome to Daily Dish Magazine!
We are an online food centered magazine that publishes relevant articles several times daily. This “Spring Style” edition is a compilation of what you can find at the website as well as a sneak peak of what’s to come in the upcoming months. Please stop by Daily Dish Magazine to see all of our articles and recipes as well as our weekly recipe party “Foodie Friends Friday” to find over 100 new recipes each week! Thanks for reading and enjoy!
Meet the Daily Dish Magazine Team:
In This Issue On The Cover: 25 Slow Cooker Recipes Gardening 101 – Starting Seeds Indoors Spring Style – Setting Your Easter Table 5 Easter Brunch Recipes Cinnamon & Sugar Pull Apart Bread Crescent Roll Fruit Tart Cheddar Bacon Pinwheels Monday Blues Biscuits White Chai Tea Concentrate Nutrition – Vitamin D and SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)
Also In This Issue: Cherry Sugar Scrub Weight Watchers Recipes 15 Spring Time Cocktail Recipes Blended Cucumber Mojito Tea Time – 4 part Tea Series Colorful Cream Cheese Brownies for Easter DIY Mason Jar Hanging Herb Garden
Slow Cooker Recipes have been a favorite at our website. To see this collection plus many more “Crock Pot” Recipes, visit our Crock Pot Recipes Page At Daily Dish Magazine!
Gardening DIY
Mason Jar Herb Garden Tutorial
Here’s what you’ll need for your herb garden: One long, narrow wood plank, approximately one inch thick; I just used an extra piece of wood my husband had in the garage. It looks better if it’s a little worn, so if you choose a piece of wood that’s newer, you can sand it to make it look worn, or even whitewash it. Three mason jars-I used quart sized mason jars. Three hose clamps Three wood screws, I used one inch wood screws Potting soil Small pebbles or rocks Herbs of your choice Directions: Space the mason jars evenly on your wood board, then attach the clamps with wood screws at desired spaces (you may want to pre-drill the holes for the wood screws in advance) Once the hose clamps have been attached to the wood, place the jars inside of the hose clamps and tighten the clamps until the clamps fit tightly around the jars. Place pebbles in the bottom of the mason jar, then add soil and plant herbs. Author: Chef Picky Kid
Gardening 101:
Starting Seeds Indoors Planting seeds has its rewards. You control the cost, size, and selection of each plant. You can use this information when planting seeds in flats or directly seeding containers or windowboxes. Tips to use before even getting your hands dirty
Now is the time to start slow-growers like Petunnias, pansies, begonias, lobelia and seed geraniums.
Tomatoes and most herbs can wait until mid-March for late May planting.
Medium-growers like Ziennas, Marigolds and Sweet Alyssums seeds can wait until late March.
Check maturity dates on the package backs and match them to your frost -free planting dates for your zone. Work backwards and start seeds 6 to 8 weeks before you plan to plant outdoors
Cole crops should be started also; cabbage, broccoli, some peppers and eggplant.
Remember to start with the most resistant varieties for problems in your climate. Most seed catalogs list a resistance code. Check with your County Extension Office for the latest variety suggestions and prominent diseases. This is a free service from your state Agricultural College.
What equipment you will need Starting seeds indoors can be done small scale or using an elaborate set up and anywhere in between. Here’s the basics: Sterile containers: You can use starter trays with lids for best results if you plan to transplant seedlings into pots before planting outdoors. the lids hold in the humidity to give your seeds optimum sprouting conditions. If you prefer using recycled containers like yogurt containers or milk cartons be sure to wash it in hot soap water and air dry to remove food bacteria. Dipping plastic containers in a solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water and allow to air dry is also recommended. Potting Soil or Seed Starter Commercial seed starter contains extra nutrients to help seedling roots grow and establish. Standard potting soil will work but it may take longer for seeds to sprout and you will need to add fertilizer. Garden soil or soil from your yard is a bad idea for starting plants because it may contain harmful bacteria and weed seeds and will compact too easily. Lighting Most seeds don’t need light to sprout; some do. All your seedlings will need a consistent light source. Your best bet is artificial light. Most seedlings need about 12 hours or more of light per day to thrive. A Hydrofarm JSV4 4-Foot Jump Start T5 Grow Light System grow light set up works best but any fluorescent light or shoplight will work. Keep plants at about 4-inches from the light source to avoid leggy growth. Heat Heating mats are a nice addition to your seed starting kit. A Hydrofarm MT10006 9-by-19-1/2-Inch Seedling Heat Mat heating mat under your starter tray warms your soil to the optimal temperature for sprouting.
nofollow Sunflower seedlings, just three days after germination (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
You have your seeds, planting medium, containers, lights and heating mat. Now what? Now it’s time to get dirty! Here are some tips to get you started.
Sow seeds according to packet instructions. For large seeds, make a shallow furrow with a pencil or chopstick. This method is easier than trying to poke and space individual holes. Close the furrow over the seeds by brushing back the sides into the hole or sprinkle on more seed starting mix to cover lightly (see packet back for specific depth of coverage) then water gently to settle mix around seeds. Don’t be alarmed if your seeds seem to float to the top. Seed start mix and most potting soil are very light. It will settle.
Try mixing tiny seeds that are hard to handle with a little sand. Sprinkle seeds as evenly as possible. Don’t worry; you can thin out excess seedlings later. Thin them by pinching off the stems at soil level. It is best to leave the root system alone.
The first two leaves that sprout are called “seed leaves”, duh, right? These leaves are very durable and can act as little handles to help you transfer the plant at transplanting time. The rest of the leaves that sprout are called “true leaves”.
When seedlings have several sets of true leaves, transplant them to a new container to give them more room to develop. This process is called “pricking out”.
Lift seedlings carefully, holding them by leaves (not by stem or roots), and transplant about 2 inches apart in the new container. Now they can grow big enough to go out in the garden when conditions are favorable.
Things to remember:
Let the plants tell you when they are thirsty. Don’t allow the soil to totally dry out but be careful not to over water. Overwatering causes plants to “dampen off” or rot. Fuzzy wuzzy was a tomato plant is not what you song you want stuck in your head.
If you choose to use a heating mat, it may dry the soil out faster than without one.
Remove any domes or lids you used to keep in humidity as soon as a good number of seeds sprout.
Keep your lights about 4 inches above your plants to help keep them from getting leggy. Follow these tips and your plants will be off to a healthy start!
Author: Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Bring life to your Spring table with classic warm colors and rustic elements from Pottery Barn. Soft blues, yellows, gold and cream accents will provide a cozy table for your Easter Brunch. Add little pops of color with accessories like these adorable Spring Chick Salt and Pepper Shakers.
See where you can get all of these Spring Table Items at Daily Dish Magazine!
Now that your Spring Table is set, you will need to plan your menu.
How about an Easter
Brunch? Brunch is perfect when you are entertaining a large group as many of the foods can be finger foods, you can serve a large variety of foods, and you can serve it just about any time of the day. We have put together a collection of 5 of our favorite Brunch foods from Daily Dish Magazine: Cinnamon & Sugar Pull Apart Bread Crescent Roll Fruit Tart Cheddar Bacon Pinwheels Monday Blues Biscuits White Chai Tea Concentrate (See Following Pages for Recipes)
Find these recipes and more at Daily Dish Magazine!
Cinnamon & Sugar Pull Apart Bread
Ingredients: 1 stick of butter 1/4 cup sugar 1 TBS cinnamon 1 tube of Grands Biscuits
Directions: Begin by melting your butter. I place the stick of butter in my bundt pan and place the pan in the oven while it is pre-heating to 350…
Mix the sugar and cinnamon together… Open your tube of biscuits…Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces… Place the cut up biscuits into a bowl and toss with the cinnamon/sugar mixture… By now the butter should be melted and your oven preheated. Start layering your biscuits in the pan…
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the biscuits are browned. You should be able to just invert the bundt pan onto a platter.
Author: Walking on Sunshine Recipes
Crescent Roll Fruit Tart
Ingredients: 2 cups sugar 2 packages cream cheese, softened 1 cup Cool Whip, softened 2 tubes crescent rolls Assorted fruit
Unroll the packages of crescent rolls. Lay flat on a baking pan, pressing seams together…
Bake at 350 until lightly browned, about 10 minutes…
Using a hand mixer, beat together the softened cream cheese and sugar. Once combined, fold in the Cool Whip, by hand. Spread over top of cooled crescent rolls…
Now, add your fruit. I use canned peaches (completely drained), fresh strawberries, blueberries and banana. You can use whatever assortment you like. Arrange the fruit on top of the cream cheese layer
Author: Walking on Sunshine Recipes
Cheddar Bacon Pinwheels
Ingredients 1 tube of crescent roll dough; 5-6 strips of cooked bacon; 1 8 oz container of cream cheese, softened; 3/4 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese (approximately-I just used a large handful); 2 green onions, diced;
Instructions Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, bacon, cheddar cheese, and green onions. Set aside; Once you're done combining the ingredients, you'll need to prepare the crescent roll dough. Open the crescent rolls and separate the dough into two rectangles. The dough is already perforated into two rectangles, so this will be pretty easy. Once you have two rectangles, pinch together the perforations on each rectangle. This is important because it will prevent the pinwheels from splitting apart when you're slicing them; Now you're ready to make your pinwheels. Divide your bacony cheese mixture in half, and spread it evenly over each of the rectangles. You'll want to be sure the mixture is spread over the entire rectangle; Once your mixture is spread, you're ready to roll! Grab the dough at the long end of the rectangle and roll it up tight. Repeat this step with both rectangles; Using a sharp knife, slice each roll into thin circles. You should end up with about 8 pinwheels per roll, give or take. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place the pinwheels on the sheet, leaving enough room for the pinwheels to expand as they bake (you might even need 2 cookie sheets to leave enough room); Bake the pinwheels for about 12-13 minutes or until the pinwheels are golden brown. Allow them to cool slightly before serving. Author: Chef Picky Kid
Monday Blues Biscuits
Ingredients: 3 cups Bisquick or baking mix 1 cup + 2 TBSP milk 1 1/4 cup fresh blueberries 2 TBSP sugar Once you have these items out, set your oven to 400 degrees
Place 2 TBSP of butter into a cast iron skillet and place it in the oven. If you do not have a cast iron skillet, use a 9 inch baking dish instead.
Mix the baking mix and sugar, then add milk. Stir just until it is all blended, don’t over mix it. Now fold in the blueberries. Let this sit for about 5 minutes.
Now that you have your mix, it should be loose but not runny, pour it into the hot pan.
Spread it out and place into the oven for 20 minutes. It will come out all nice and golden brown.
Mix 1 TBSP of milk into 1 cup of powered sugar and pour on top of the biscuit.
Cut and serve while hot! Author: Spatulas on Parade
White Chai Tea Concentrate
4 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp peppercorn 3/4 of fresh nutmeg 7 cardamom 1/4 tsp anise 1 star anise 2 cinnamon sticks 1/2 in fresh ginger 1 tsp orange peel 1/2 tsp lemon peel 1 vanilla pod 8 white tea bags 1 tbsp honey Cheesecloth and twine Place cheesecloth on table and add peppercorn, nutmeg, cardamom, anise, ginger, nutmeg orange peel, lemon peel and vanilla pod (cut in thirds). Bring up edges of cheesecloth and tie around spices. Set aside. In pot place water and brown sugar, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add tea bags, spice mixture, star anise and cinnamon sticks. Simmer for 20 minutes. Cool and place in jar. Makes approximately 1 quart. Can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week. From: This & That
Getting Crafty! With Daily Dish Magazine Our friend Robyn shares an easy diy project perfect for gift giving this spring!
DIY Cherry Sugar Scrub 3/4 cup granulated white Sugar 1/4 cup Almond Oil or Grapeseed Oil 1 teaspoon Vitamin E Oil 1 teaspoon Cherry Extract
Mix all ingredients together. Place in a clean, sterile jar. Decorate jar to for the occasion!
Author: Robyn’s View
SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder Many of us feel that winter is never going to end. We feel have no energy and fatigue, and just want to sleep. We also may have cravings for sweet and starchy foods. Often time these symptoms are thought to be cabin fever. We aren’t able to be outside due to the cold or the snow. It may be just a case of cabin fever but if your symptoms persist or get worse you may have a disorder called SAD (seasonal affective disorder). This disorder can be mild that you can deal with yourself or you may need help from a professional. If you have any questions or concerns please seek help from a professional like your family physician. The exact cause of this disorder is unknown but there are a few factors that may come into play : 1) your circadian rhythm – with increased darkness and less sunlight during the winter month may disrupt your internal clock 2) Decreased serotonin level – a lack of sunlight can decrease your serotonin level and 3) Melatonin level – the changes in the season can disrupt your natural melatonin level in your body. Did you know that women suffer more often from this disorder then men? Although they do, men will often have symptoms more severe. The further north you live the more likely you will suffer from SAD. This makes sense as the further north you go, the less sun you see during the winter months. Most of us can’t move to a place where the amount of sunlight and darkness are the same during the day as it is at the equator. We do need to live in the north. So what can we do to help decrease our symptoms? We can try and let as much natural light in as possible. Open the shades wide, sit closer to the window at home or at work. Enjoy the sunny days, go outside and walk or play. Exercise often, this helps decrease stress and anxiety. Being fit makes us feel better which will help our mood. Eat healthier, try to stay away from starches and sugar. Starches and sugars are a quick fix but will only increase our weight. Plan a winter vacation to somewhere with lots of sunlight.
Light boxes may also be beneficial to help alleviate symptoms.
Author: This & That
Vitamin D – Are You Getting Enough? Are you getting enough vitamin D? Are you familiar with where it comes from? Vitamin D is supplemented in a lot of boxed foods. Theoretically during the summer months most people feel they are getting more than their fare share of vitamin D due to their outside activities. However, if you are using a sunscreen/block you are blocking your body’s natural ability to absorb the vitamin. If you are sunbathing through a window or glassed in patio the UBV rays will not be able to pass through. Vitamin D from the sun is the BEST form you can get, yes it is added to our processed foods and added into multivitamins but this is not the best form. If however you live in a climate with limited sun your last resort for vitamin D is to take a supplement vitamin D3 which can be taken orally. Your vitamin D optimum should be no lower than 50 and at level 60 should prevent some forms of cancer. Have you had your level checked? You might want to speak with your doctor to see where your level is. Scientist and doctors recommend 15-20 minutes a day of sunshine on as much exposed skin as possible without using sunscreen. This should give you sufficient amounts of vitamin D without using supplements. For those of us in offices who rarely see the sun, maybe we should begin our day with a nice glass of water while we sit on our porch, patio or on the hood of your car in your apartment complex if you must, to ensure we get our daily dose. It also helps improve your mood. So take a moment, oh heck, take 15 and go outside for a dose of vitamin D. Author: Spatulas on Parad
Bringing the Sun to You Healthy Fruit Juice – By This & That
Ingredients 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 1/2 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice 1/4 cup freshly squeezed pomegranate juice 1/4 cup freshly squeezed pineapple juice sweetener to taste (optional)
Instructions Combine juices. Add sweetener if needed. Enjoy!
Notes You can use store bought juices if you would like. Optional - add small pieces of fresh fruit.
Watching Your Weight? Angie at A ‘lil Country Sugar has been busy cooking up some recipes to help you stay on track.
Weight Watchers Key Lime Pie Weight Watchers Chicken Stir Fry Weight Watchers Garlic Chicken Mexican Soup
Find Links to These Recipes and more at Daily Dish Magazine!
Tea Time Whether you are having a glass of tea with a bag or hosting a tea party with a variety of fresh tea leaves, having the essential accessories is a must.
Learn more about Tea in our 4 part Tea Series at Daily Dish Magazine: History of Tea Tea Traditions Tea Accessories Tea Recipes
Author: From Calculus to Cupcakes
The Sun is Shining it’s time to start up the BBQ Relax on the Patio.
To Get You Started we have
15 Spring Time Cocktail Recipes From our closest foodie friends!
Find Links to all cocktails at daily dish magazine
Blended Cucumber Mojito A refreshing spring time blended drink experiment with different flavors of rum or try a vodka instead!
2 Cups Peeled, Diced & Frozen Cucumber 1/2 Lime (Juice) Fresh Mint leaves (I used about 5, depends on your taste) Simply throw it all in a blender and mix until smooth!
Author: Busy Vegetarian Mom
With a Twist ! Ingredients: Your favorite brownie recipe (I made Ghiradelli brownies) 1 cup dark chocolate chips 8 oz goat cheese 2 tbsp 1/3 less fat cream cheese 1 tbsp honey 1 tbsp flour 1 egg red and blue food color
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease and line a 13 by 9 inch pan with parchment paper. 2. Make the brownies according to the box and mix in the dark chocolate chips. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan and set the rest off to the side 3. Beat the goat cheese, cream cheese, honey, flour, and egg until smooth and creamy. Divide the mixture into three small bowls. Color one with blue, one with red, and leave the other alone. Drop spoonfuls of the goat cheese mixtures into the pan with the brownie batter. Spoon the rest of the batter on top and then, using a toothpick or knife, swirl the goat cheese into the batter. 4. Bake for about 30 minutes. Let cool. Author: Binomial Baker
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