Monthly Archives: April 2010

Orchids Overload

Posted on April 18, 2010 by zoomyummy | Leave a comment

Let’s get a little girly now… let’s talk FLOWERS!

YEAH!

Not that I know much about them.

But still, I love them very much… and I want to learn.

I especially love flowers in pots. Bunches of cut flowers are not that much to my taste (…I really don’t want to say this out loud… But I somehow can’t get rid of the feeling that they might not be… hmm… kind of… living. Sorry. But then, that’s my own impression… my crooked, cross-eyed impression. So it doesn’t really matter that much.)

Luckily, there’s a special person in my life who understands flowers and is willing to teach me.

Yes, of course, it’s my Mom.

My loveliest, best-est, perfect-est Mom.

These are all my Mom’s new orchids.

It’s her new hobby – to grow orchids.

And when she starts something, she starts it BIG.

I love that about her.

Her collection is growing at rapid speed.

There are loads of buds and loads of flowers in bloom.

I got really amazed as I walked into the room and saw them for the first time – these beauties create a truly special and romantic atmosphere.

Spectacular!

Oh… and then I took my camera outside to make a few snaps of the lovely flowers that my Mom grows in her garden.

A soul-warming view – that describes pretty accurately what I saw there.

I’ll be sending the pictures soon.

‘Cause you know what?

I just want to make you as happy as possible…

Posted in flowers, my mom

Tagged flowers, orchids | Leave a comment

Looting IKEA and Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles

Posted on April 16, 2010 by zoomyummy | Leave a comment

Do you like popsicles?

I love, love, love them.

‘Cause they spin my head right round, …right round.

And if something makes my head spin, I heart it endlessly.

In fact, pops might be the greatest invention of the humankind ever, I think (a proper science investigation is needed here).

I love the juicy ones and the creamy ones, as well – my favorite flavors being… hmmm… strawberry (yum), peach (yippee), apricot (oh, dear), lemon (mmmmmm…) and caramel (instant-coma) and vanilla (yo, man) and let me stop myself right here, because I’m afraid that what I’m possibly doing right now is naming all the existing flavors…

Once I even attempted to make Cookie Pops – that was so much fun!

Anyway, just recently I stumbled upon a homemade-popsicle idea somewhere in the deep web.

And that made me think, OH… DID that make me think about all the homemade-popsicle related stuff.

Questions like: ‘How exactly?’, ‘Can I put a glass into a freezer?’, ‘What kind of stick’ – buzzing in my head constantly.

Last Sunday was the day when I was shown a sign – A MIGHTY SIGN.

It stroke me right there in IKEA, while I was looting their kitchen department, wearing a multi-orgasmic expression on my face.

A popsicle mold? Like REALLY? I didn’t know you existed? I didn’t know about you. Can you forgive me, please? Can we be friends? From now to infinity… and beyond, please?

I really am a lucky person, so lucky…

So immediately, after we’d arrived home, I jump-started the action.

I poured in two containers of plain yogurt into a food processor.

Then I added these wonderful, gorgeous canned strawberries.

Then some sugar and lemon juice to taste.

Little bit of mixing ensued and our homemade strawberry yogurt was born.

This mixture might not have been aware of the fact that it was going to be turned into something really amazing.

Things like this had never happened in our household before.

Then I went on and spooned the mixture into the lovely molds.

I put the mold into its stand.

And then I stuck the handle in.

There were six molds in one package.

And I filled them all and sent them to my freezer for a 24-hour life-changing trip.

Yum!

We just can’t get enough of them.

I did a little research on homemade ice lollies which eventually transported me into the state of utter bliss with all those amazing ideas running through my head.

I’ve chosen one particular pop idea to round off this sweet pop post with…

MOJITO POPS!

(Isn’t that just the perfect way to end a post with? I’m now considering ending all my future posts that way.)

Posted in popsicle

Tagged frozen strawberry yogurt, frozen yogurt, frozen yogurt recipe, homemade popsicle, how to make a popsicle, ice lolly, ice pop, popsicle, popsicle recipe, strawberry yogurt | 8 Comments

Cauliflower Soup

Posted on April 14, 2010 by zoomyummy | Leave a comment

Aren’t these just wonderful?

Let me introduce these delicious ingredients that have been captured bathing in the morning sun.

And they are ready and eager to turn into…

… the most yummilicious and soul-warming soup ever invented.

And here we have our ingredients introducing themselves to you in a written form.

So kind of them.

In case you’d also like to have the delightful experience of tasting this soup, just go on and follow these easy steps…

1. Chop the onion finely.

Chop, chop, chop.

2. Cut the carrots into small even dices.

3. Remove the leaves from the cauliflower and cut it into halves.

4. Now break it into individual florets.

Rinse the florets under running water and then slice them into smaller pieces – you can slice one floret into 2 or 3 pieces (depending on what mood you are in).

5. In a large soup pot melt two tablespoons butter.

6. Add the chopped onions, stir and let them get a little color inside there.

7. Then, after about 3 minutes, add the carrots.

Stir around for about 2 more minutes.

8. Soon we are going to use the chicken broth/bouillon.

You can use the ready-made stuff from a store or you can prepare it at home – from bouillon cubes – like I do.

I used 3 bouillon cubes for 7 cups (1.75 l) hot water.

And, of course, you can also use your own, home-made bouillon.

You really have a wide range of possibilities here.

9. Throw the cauliflower into the pot and pour in the bouillon.

10. Add 2 teaspoons parsley, …

11. … 2 bay leaves, …

13. … and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Stir to combine.

14. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Then reduce the heat and let the soup simmer for about 25-30 minutes.

15. Meanwhile, we can prepare our white sauce that will make the soup nice and thick.

In a separate bowl, combine 3 cups milk with 4 tablespoon flour…

… and mix with a whisk.

16. In a medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter.

17. Pour in the ‘milk-flour’ mixture…

18. … and stir constantly over medium heat.

Bring to a boil and mix for about 2 more minutes.

Then remove from the heat.

19. Add the white sauce to the soup mixture and stir to combine.

Let simmer for about 5-10 more minutes.

Then remove from the heat.

Add 2 1/2 heaping tablespoons sour cream and stir again.

Taste the soup and add salt to taste (if needed).

This is D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!

Just trust me.

The best soup ever.

(This recipe was inspired by this lovely soup.)

Posted in soup

Tagged cauliflower, cauliflower creamy soup recipe, cauliflower soup, cauliflower soup picture recipe, cauliflower soup picture tutorial, cauliflower soup recipe, cauliflower soup with pictures, how to make cauliflower soup, step-by-step cauliflower soup | 22 Comments

Let’s Get The Party Started!

Posted on April 13, 2010 by zoomyummy | Leave a comment

Today I’ve found an interestingly looking envelope in the mail.

Inside the envelope, there was this gorgeous card – a gift from my beloved sister who lives in a faraway land and whom I get to see about every light year.

She’s made it by herself because she is immensely gifted and talented (… and I’m absolutely convinced she is going to have her own fashion line one day).

The reason why I obtained the card might have something to do with my birthday, I think.

All signs seem to be pointing towards that fact.

Especially the date today.

Look, it’s really for me.

How sweet!

I love the way how my sis ends the letters – I always get greetings not only from her, but also from her husband, son, dog, birds and fish.

Lovely.

And I thank you all!

30 is not my age yet.

I am 29 today.

Jeeeeeez!

How come?

These balloons were used for my boyfriend’s last year’s 30th birthday party.

Do you think I’m being frugal enough, or do you have any ideas how I could have pushed this any further?

And now let’s party!

Yeaaaaaaaaah!

Let’s celebrate the last year of being twenty-something…

Ugh!

Posted in family

Tagged birthday, card, handmade | Leave a comment

How to Revive a Wood Cutting Board

Posted on April 11, 2010 by zoomyummy | Leave a comment

This is my new cutting board.

I bought it some month ago because I loved its color and thought it would perfectly work in my photography.

To my astonishment, it came with instructions.

Hey, I thought, INSTRUCTIONS?

Seriously?

With a wood cutting board?

Come on, don’t be ridiculous.

Just as I was about to throw it away I got an idea: What if… WHAT IF there is something I should have been doing for my cutting boards all that time, and I haven’t, and they’ve been suffering?

What if my life has been one huge mistake?

And then, my cutting boards are all white and faded, probably from the water I use to rinse them with.

So I read the instructions.

And they were utterly earth-shaking.

They told me to use vegetable oil and pour it onto the surface of the cutting board.

Just some normal, usual kitchen vegetable oil.

And I liked the idea – it somehow goes together well – the wood and the oil – such a cute and natural couple.

I applied the oil onto the wood using a kitchen towel, allowing the oil to soak in.

It was really easy and I could immediately see the difference.

Now I can see how the wood must have been craving this treatment – it looked visibly relieved.

After you’ve treated the whole cutting board to this wonderful spa procedure, you are supposed to wait for about six hours and then, using another kitchen towel, remove the excess oil that did not soak in.