Dragon

I never would have thought to use them to be decorative!

Baldur

and for my entry +ed

IamAnonymous

Snow white and the seven dwarfs!
Am I too early?

Baldur

Yes, I'm not asking that trivia question until next week.

Dragon

I'm not sure if you're too early. Can you make Dwarf Puff? And if so, would it be bitter?

IamAnonymous

Sorry - was reading the first page. I feel such a fool!

Baldur

I take the dandelion leaves and tear them into shorter lengths, then quickly cook them in olive oil with lots of smashed garlic and hot pepper flakes.
Some people cook them a long time but I prefer them just wilted.
Serve them over linguini

Dragon

Mmmmm, smashed garlic. I want to come eat at your house Baldur.

Baldur

IamAnonymous you're no fool

Baldur

Barely a day goes by that I don't smash garlic.
Place a single unpeeled clove of garlic on a cutting board and WHACK it with the side of a French knife. The papery skin falls right off, and with a couple quick chops of the blade it's minced fine enough for my purposes.

Baldur

Usually when serving the dandelion greens over pasta I'll add a small handful of cooked white beans while cooking the greens.
They add a bit of protein.

Baldur

Does anybody here make their own herbal teas?
Several of the blends made by Celestial Seasonings (in the US and Canadia {I know I know but I always spell it 'Canadia'}) contain raspberry our blackberry leaves.
The tea is quite fragrantly berry flavored. I'm wondering if the leaves themselves produce it. I suppose a quick gathering trip into the bramble patch would answer that question.

matthew

Yes... & I drink it pinky out...

Baldur

Basically I'm wondering aloud here whether or not I can just place a good handful of raspberry leaves into my teapot and get a decent tisane.
Sometimes I've added mint leaves from the garden into a pitcher of iced tea with great results, so why not raspberry?

Baldur

I'd have guessed your pinky stayed in.

Baldur

And now I can tell you all that I just took a chocolate cake out of the oven. It's Robert's 69th birthday, not making it up either he was seriously born in 1940.

This wasn't a homemade from grandma's secret recipe but a boxed cake mix.

Baldur

I bought the mix in the natural food section, the brand is 'Naturally Nora.
This will be the first time trying this brand.
I had been buying a German brand called 'Dr. Oetker's' but have not been happy with the texture of the finished product.

Baldur

Basically I expect a boxed cake mix to taste like those made by 'Betty Crocker', 'Pillsbury' or 'Duncan Hynes' mixes.
But so far I'm not coming too close.
All of the above mixes contain an ingredient that I distrust, namely a baking powder that is aluminum based.

IamAnonymous

I hate tea but I love choccy cake!

Baldur

Having no desire to ingest aluminum I have replaced my aluminum pans and now read labels scrupulously (10 points for Baldur) to make sure it's not listed as an ingredient.
I read labels carefully anyway to avoid animal products so this doesn't take any extra time.