This beautiful orchid was given to us when we had our Fiesta de Derby party on May 5th. I love it, but am a little worried about keeping it alive. I have done some research and here is a great video I found on the subject. I hope that it helps some of you out there with the same concern.
Speaking of Fiesta de Derby, aka, the Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo–JUSTIFY, (who won the Kentucky Derby and then Preakness), just won the Belmont Stakes!!! WE HAVE ANOTHER TRIPLE CROWN WINNER!
I am not sure when my love for horse races became a passion for me, but I could hazard a guess that it might have something to do with my childhood, punctuated with a visit to Kentucky a number of years later. I have always loved horses and riding, (I was born and raised in Missoula, Montana). When I was about 10, my uncle Sid had several horses which he kept at the fairgrounds in Missoula. (They were race horses, but at that age I didn’t understand that there was a considerable difference in temperament from the Morgan/Quarter horse I liked to ride). Every time I would see my uncle Sid I would beg to ride his horses. One day he told me that I could stop by any time that I wanted and ride–MUSIC TO MY EARS! One day, sometime in early July, I walked the couple of miles from my house to the fair grounds. I found my uncle Sid standing by the horse stalls. He saddled up one of his horses for me and handed me the reigns. (I was wearing shorts, crop top, and SANDALS). I enthusiastically jumped up on the horse and gave him a swift kick. We were off to the races….literally! In the next 90 seconds, (which seemed like hours), I saw my life flash before my eyes as the horse accelerated to mach speed. The fence at the other end of the grounds was coming toward me at a frightening pace so I pulled up the slack in the reigns as quickly as I could while hanging on to the horse’s mane by my teeth….(Ok, a little exaggeration, but it felt about that dire!) I pulled back with all my strength and SCREAMED. The horse came to a jolting halt, just short of running smack into the fence. I dismounted, legs wobbling uncontrollably, and proceeded to lead the horse back to the stalls.
You might think that that experience would have ‘cured’ me from my love affair with horses. Quite the opposite. They are magic to me and I adore them! I especially admire and respect the jockeys and what they do every time they get up and ride. I will take a horse race over a car race any day…but probably won’t ride another race horse in this life time.
Lemony Cheese Filled Butter Pastry
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 1½ tsp dry yeast
- ⅙ cup lukewarm water
- ½ tsp granulated sugar
- 1 small egg lightly beaten
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅙ tsp kosher salt
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter cold and cut into pieces
- 1 8-oz package cream cheese softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Mix yeast, water and ½ tsp sugar and allow to stand for 10 minutes, until it begins to bubble/foam. Mix in egg and set aside.
- Place butter, flour, and salt into bowl of a food processor with metal blade and pulse until mixture is crumbly. Add yeast mixture and pulse several times until combined, being careful not to over process.
- Remove dough from bowl and form into a disk. Refrigerate for an hour or so. (Can be refrigerated overnight to bake in the morning).
- Make filling by combining cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar. (Can be placed in a container and refrigerated, if baking pastry in the morning).
- Roll pastry into 8X10 inch rectangle. (I use parchment or foil underneath the pastry so that it easier to move from counter to cookie sheet and from cookie sheet to cooling rack after it is baked).Spread the filling on the pastry rectangle, leaving a 2" border around the edges; fold the short ends in about 1½ inch and fold each long side toward the middle, making sure the sides overlap a little. Transfer pastry to cookie sheet and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes.
- Dust with powdered sugar when cool
Waiting to watch the Belmont Stakes is a great excuse to have a brunch. Here are a couple of my favorite recipes, Quiche Lorraine and Lemony Cheese Filled Butter Pastry.
Quiche Lorraine
Ingredients
- 1 10" pre-baked pie crust see link in notes
Bacon Filling
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ onion (about ½ cup) finely chopped
- 7 oz thick-cut bacon cut into small strips use the best you can find
Egg Mixture
- 6 ex-large eggs room temperature
- 1½ cups half-n-half (half cream and half whole milk)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp poultry seasoning
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- dash freshly grated nutmeg
Cheese and Garnish
- 1½ cup gruyere cheese grated
- 2 oz bacon chopped and cooked until golden
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and bacon. Cook until bacon is light golden. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and leave to cool.
- Place Egg Mixture ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Sprinkle Bacon Filling evenly across base of cooked pie crust. Scatter grated cheese evenly over Bacon Filling and pour Egg Mixture over the top.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until top is golden and center is swelling but still has a little jiggle.
- Rest for a minimum of 15 minutes before cutting. Garnish with extra bacon
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Brunch wouldn't be complete without my favorite tea
Until next time,
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