AEDM Day 15

I was encouraged to keep on going with my variations on the tree theme. So today's little creation is done using my fun Caran D'Ache watercolour crayons (sans eau/without water). Like the last time I played with these crayons here, various colours cried out to be used that weren't in my planned palette. I listened....

Last week, one of the AEDM participants who I have just met, Michelle Pendergrass, posted an amazing photo that she had taken. I looked at it and looked at it and the urge to paint took over. I am a very novice painter and this is only the second real painting I've done since joining CED2010 in January. Here is my take on her photo:

Scanned below (Grass at edge of first image is grass in second image. I couldn't quickly figure out how to paste the images together as canvas was bigger than the scanner!)

Sitting on my easel with the photo on top:

And Yuri wanting to be involved in the filming process:

Anyways, beautiful photo Michelle!! I'm not sure about the painting - I like parts of it but might have to tweak it a bit. We'll see.

Lastly for Leah, who was musing about stuffing recipes - my Lemon Cornbread Stuffing recipe from an old Food & Wine Cookbook. Love it! (Double-clicking should enlarge it. Hmm, perhaps I should include the turkey recipe too as it is different from many with a much shorter cooking time yet always moist. Maybe tomorrow... if anyone is interested.)

Until (late) tomorrow!

Rhubarbolution!

I love the look of rhubarb leaves - whether the yummy, edible, garden-variety rhubarb or these beautiful ornamental rhubarbs which grow so tall in British Columbia (and no doubt elsewhere). The one above, in Vancouver, was well over 12 feet tall!

Havi at Fluent Self recently had a blog post declaring she had nothing at all to say about rhubarb - which of course ended up with some discussion of rhubarb.

It reminds me of those times you tell yourself you're not going to think about something (or someone!) and that's all you can think about? Have you ever had that happen?

On Havi's comments, I mentioned that I have a great recipe for Rhubarb Mooncake and I have been encouraged (arm twisted) to join the rhubarbolution (word compliments of Diane Whiddon-Brown and Havi Brooks) and post it here. I hope all of those rhubarb lovers of you out there enjoy!! Everyone I know loves it.

RHUBARB MOONCAKE CAKE

 ½ cup shortening or butter 

1½ cups sugar 

1 egg 

1 tsp vanilla 

2 cups flour
I tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt 

1cup buttermilk 

2½ cups chopped rhubarb (@1/2 inch pieces) 

1 tbsp flour

 TOPPING 

¼ cup softened butter 

2 tsp cinnamon 

1 cup packed brown sugar 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9x13 inch cake pan. Cream shortening or butter together with sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Sift together flour, soda and salt, then add to creamed mixture alternating with the buttermilk, making 3 dry and 2 liquid additions. Toss rhubarb with the 1 tbsp of flour. Mix gently into the batter. Spoon into pan and smooth surface. For topping – combine butter, cinnamon and brown sugar. Sprinkle over batter. Bake for 45 minutes or until cake has risen, browned, comes away from the edge or a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Surface will resemble the surface of the moon. Serves 18. From Homemaker’s Magazine.

Do you have any photos of lovely or unusual rhubarb leaves? (My own rhubarb in asleep under a light blanket of snow at the moment - so no photos of mine here today.) Any excellent rhubarb recipes to share? Rhubarb stories to tell us? Join the rhubarbolution!!!