Garbanzo Bean, Sweet Potato & Spinach Soup

It's Sunday, snow is falling and Gopher game it on.  The right mix to get creative in the kitchen.

While the roast is in the crock pot, I am trying to recreate a yummy soup we had at Brewed Awakenings.  A rich bowl full of complexity.  Pretty sure there was ginger, coconut milk and red pepper.  So, that is what I added plus a few others.

1. Roast potatoes
2. Saute onions and garlic, add pepper flakes and ginger (other spices)
3. Add stock and coconut milk
4. Blend *bzzt* *bzzt* (sound of hand held blender wand)
5. Add beans and potatoes
6. Bring to slow boil
7. Add fresh spinach
8. Simmer, cover and hope she tastes good

Tastes delicious.  Next time adding more ginger.

Simple decorating outside

ICE LUMINARIES

It is time, now that we have freezing weather, to make the ice luminaries.  And what better time than early morning before the house is awake and the work day starts.

STAGE 1

Punch balloon from Oriental Trading & Rubbermaid lid

I was introduced to Oriental Trading by my brother.  He knew just where to go for large punch balloons.

Molly Makers is all about using what you have.  The balloons cost only pennies and the "tray" is the lid of a large Rubbermaid (#5, 22 cup) container.

Here is the water balloon while Mother Nature is at work changing it to ice.

Now, while the water balloon is freezing I snip tree trimmings and create a bed.  There are extra bare branches on the bottom to help support the ice luminary and create space for air flow.

STAGE 2 - will be back when the ball is frozen - light to come

Don Julio Ornament

There is something fun about the Don Julio wooden screw cap that makes me smile. I knew I wanted to incorporate these happy caps in something. So, I saved some up knowing that inspiration would come to me.

And it came..

The Blanco Snowman

It is made of three Don Julio Blanco wooden caps, pipe cleaner with shimmer, jeweled eyes, mouth and buttons, felt hat with sparkles, and felt carrot nose.

The back has an additional cut of pipe cleaner to use as a hanger for on the tree. He also stands easily on the screw cap.

I left the Don Julio seals on each cap. The snowman needs to know where he came from and the drinking it took to make him.

More projects to share

Created some cool ice luminaries. They look so beautiful in the snow.

I had been using a bucket to make these and I then thought of balloons. Just bought large punch balloons online (inexpensive; thanks for suggestion Tom) and large plastic container lid to rest on while freezing. Need to make sure it does not freeze all the way through.

Inside is a tamolly's candle http://tamollys.blogspot.com/

Pictures, pictures always taking pictures. Here's our first snowfall in Minnesota.

tamolly's candles

Just in time for the holidays.

Need to sand the cut bottles before filling with soy wax. Production begins Saturday!

tamolly's candles