The Bluebird Patch

Everyone has a favorite cooking method. Some prefer grilling, others baking,  others enjoy pressure cooking, but I am "braising machine". Braising (from the French “braiser”), is a combination cooking method using both moist and dry heat; typically the food is first seared at a high temperature and then finished in a covered pot with a variable amount of liquid, resulting in a particular flavor. Braising of meat is often referred to as pot roasting , though some authors make a distinction between the two methods based on whether additional liquid is added This Portugese-inspired recipe is quite special. What makes it so unique is the unusual combination of spices. Cinamoon, cloves, all-spice berries, and molasses are used. The aroma is so strong that penetrates every corner of your house. My dogs were "literally" salivating at my feet evey time I open the lid. I've never, ever, seen them behaving like this. It was quite funny. When you see your dogs drool...

Norcross- Garden Tour & Spring Downtown Open House     New to the City of Norcross events calendar this year is Blossom – a unique garden & gardening arts experience.  On April 30th from 10am – 5pm visitors will have a choice of several activities, from getting their hands dirty at local plants sales and strolling through local gardens, to shopping for garden art and enjoying spring salads in the local eateries.  Five gardens will be on tour for this free inaugural event, including the charming grounds of the Norcross Garden Club, and the beautiful home grounds of Gardens by Design owner and master gardener, Julie Foster. In the downtown area, the merchants will host a Spring Open House, full of new inventory for your own garden, as well as for inside your home.  Sit outside on any of the restaurant patios and decks, and enjoy fresh chef specials to help shake off the winter blues. The Norcross Garden Club and Gardens by Design will each ...

Oh "la vie" in turquoise. How wonderful it is. Can't really imagine any other color that brings me more happiness than this one. There have been tons of new products out there lately with turquoise as the main color. Here's a few of my faves.    From Urban Outfitters Wheeled Linen Dress Form    Whales Shower Curtain    World Map Wall Decal    Paisley Dot Wallpaper  (Literally pulling my hairs for this one)   Z- Gallerie    Mariposa Table Lamp - Aquamarine   Mariposa Collection - Aquamarine   Everglades Square Tray - Aquamarine Everglades Travel Accessories - Aquamarine Ceramic Books - Aquamarine Set of 8     Votive - Aquamarine     Mariposa Pillar Holders - Aquamarine     Filigree Urn - Aquamarine  (Yes please!!)     Mimosa Panels - Aquamarine (Having intense palpitations...) Similar posts you don't want to miss: Anthropologie "Turquoise Finds" You Don't W...

"Hosting Easter brunch doesn’t  have to be a traumatic  experience". Liza Cardona Creating a Easter brunch menu for a family of four can have it's challenges. You want to make it special but at the same time you need to keep it simple. You really don't want to over do it, or slave all day in the kitchen, especially when two of the dinner guests are children under the age of 10. So what is the thought process when creating a brunch menu? Where do you start? For me was realizing what is the most common ingredient associated with Easter. Do you know what it is? Chocolate!      Every year during Easter morning children all over the world dash through fields and yards to search and devour hundreds of pounds of chocolate. So creating a menu entry with chocolate as the main ingredient is the obvious choice here. Now the second part of the thought process is how to make it simple, tasty, nutritional, and child friendly. After much research I concluded th...

Atlanta – Easter at Callanwolde On Saturday, April  23; 10 am – 12 noon Eggstravaganza hops into Callanwolde! A family favorite for years, Callanwolde’s Easter egg hunt features thousands of eggs to find, a live performance by EnzoClown, Atlanta Braves games & prizes, and a chance to meet the Easter Bunny. Bring your Easter basket and your camera for a fun, family day set in Callanwolde’s beautiful gardens and grounds. Tickets: Avoid lines and save time! Buy tickets today at TicketLeap . All proceeds benefit the Callanwolde Dance Program. http://www.callanwolde.org/events/index.html Fernbank Museum ’s Dinosaur Egg Hunt Hop over to Fernbank for an EGG-cellent day of springtime family fun featuring music, games and more. This year’s Dinosaur Egg Hunt will feature more age-appropriate timed egg hunts, more eggs, more prizes and more FUN! To ensure a fun time for all, advance registration is required to participate in a timed egg hunt. Space is limited. http...