Monday, April 04, 2016

April Showers Bring May Flowers?!

Late yesterday afternoon we started to get a bit of snow. I took this photo of our vehicles in the driveway before I went to bed because I was sure the snow would all be melted by the morning :)

taken through a window screen

Ol' Man Winter isn't done with us yet. It snowed all night, and we woke up to a beautiful spring morning! My poor van got about eight inches of drifted snow on it. There's a reason we're called The Great White North here in Canada ;)


The driveway needed to be cleared. The poor robins I saw out there were unable to find worms in the soft ground. I saw one sad little thing trying to gobble down a frozen worm he found on the driveway. Robins migrate south in winter, and they've had a few snowfalls to contend with this spring.


After I cleared the driveway and steps, I threw some birdseed and some chunks of apple out for the birds on the driveway. I've seen robins eat apples before that I had tossed out for the squirrels, and soon the spring birds (grackles, robins, starlings) were enjoying the apples as soon as I stepped back inside.


At least it won't last too long this late in the year ... or will it? A nice polar vortex has brought the cold temperatures back to us and with it the snow. Ugh!

Yesterday I made it all cozy inside with the oven on and some more fresh homemade bread! I had to use up the last two yeast packets I had left over from the Hot Cross Buns. I think I'm on a roll now (ha! no pun intended!). My husband made a beef stew in the crock pot and I just wanted to add a little something to the meal. These were as delicious as they look! Rosemary Crescent Rolls (recipe below).


Rosemary Crescent Rolls

* see note at bottom of recipe before you begin

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 envelopes (8 g each or 2 tbsp) quick-rise instant yeast
1 tsp salt
3/4 milk
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup butter or magerine
1 egg

Glaze

1 egg
1 tbsp water
1 tsp dried rosemary

Reserve 1 cup flour. Mix remaining 2 1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt in large bowl.

Heat milk, water and butter until very warm (125 F / 50 C). Stir warm liquid into dry ingredients. Beat in egg. Mix in enough reserved flour to make a soft dough that does not stick to bowl.

Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about six minutes.

Cover with greased wax paper and a tea towel; let rest 10 minutes in a warm spot.

Divide dough in half. Roll each half into 16-inch circle. With sharp knife, cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up each wedge tightly from wide end. Place rolls, points down, on greased baking sheets. Curve ends to form crescents.

Cover with greased wax paper and a tea towel. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size; about 30 minutes.

Glaze:  Beat egg and water, mix in dried rosemary. Brush on rolls. 

Bake in 375 F oven about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from sheets to wire rack to cool.

*NOTE: Be sure to work in a warm kitchen when making bread. All your ingredients should be room temperature. I had trouble previously with the bread not rising enough, and I think it was because I didn't have the egg at room temperature when I mixed it into the bread dough. I had it at room temperature the next time, and the bread rose perfectly. Also, it was a cold day in my house, so I put the oven on for a couple of minutes just enough to warm it up a bit (about 75 F), and then turned it off. I put the dough in the oven to rise. It worked well this way.

Joining Judith at Lavender Cottage for ...

http://www.lavendercottagegardening.com/2016/04/mosaic-monday-87-link-up-page.html

Thanks for hosting Judith :)











26 comments:

  1. It's still snowing here, too. I pulled one of the bucket de-icers back out yesterday so the goats would have water available in one of the big buckets; the other one I am going out to knock the ice out of morning and evening. I think some of the goats are a bit despondent about the apparent return of winter...or maybe I'm projecting!
    Thank you so much for your very helpful reply to my windowbox questions! I really appreciate all the time and thought that went into it, and you brought up something I hadn't even thought about - watering from the ground. I see a watering wand in my future! Also, I was very relieved to hear that you haven't seen any staining on your wall under your windowbox. Good news.
    Take care, stay warm!

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  2. Hi Wendy, A perfect day to have those yummy looking rolls and tea :) I am hoping this is the last bit of snow for this winter...getting to work today was not easy.
    -Gaia

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  3. Your rolls look yummy, I ant believe you are still having snow there xx

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  4. I'm assuming your snow is late this year? You got a lot more than Quinn I think. I saw our first swallow tail this morning, really early or use in Ky. I'm planning to post it tomorrow. It is usually around the end of May before we see them. We are suppose to be in the twenties if a few days, hope it dosen't kill everything.

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  5. Love the windowbox! Thanks for sharing :)

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  6. It looks so pretty Wendy lets hope it melts fast and it's the last of it, your bread looks yummy I can smell it from here. :) xx

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  7. Same scene here too Wendy!
    Geesh...where is Spring? and why is she hiding?
    Enjoy your week...
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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  8. You to with the snow eh? I am soo not liking it but ours is almost gone already . The Robins here have been getting the odd worm but have adapted to scratching under the feeders and pecking at the seed . I think we all need to have a chat with Miss Spring . . Lovely photos , thanks for sharing have a good day !

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  9. So the weather forecasters actually got it right about the snow! The snow drifts had piled up on my front porch, preventing my storm door from opening all the way. So I donned my special cape and made myself small enough to squeeze through the tiny open gap. Hee! Luckily, by the time I came home from work, the contracted plowers for our compex had cleared the driveways and walkways.

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  10. We're fortunate to still have lots of crabapples on the tree in the backyard although one big fat robin was sitting guard in it this morning and chasing all other birds (and squirrels) away. Enough already!
    I can't wait until we're able to share the things coming up in the garden.

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  11. Is that a red bird I see before me? So cute against the snow scenes. What a big dump of snow, when it is time for Spring. It looks very cold to me. Your Rosemary rolls look very delicious indeed. Yum!

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  12. Hello, the weather is crazy here. We had a little snow and high winds over the weekend. Your rolls look delicious, yum! Happy Tuesday, enjoy your day!

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  13. Ok, I definitely could not live close to Lake Ontario! Except in the Summer and I would love a nice cabin by the lake:)
    xo
    Jemma

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  14. Yikes, snow in April! Your rolls look delicious, I could eat two of them just now. Three even. I often put my bread dough to prove in the clothes drier, a short while after it has finished a cycle. It proves beautifully in its cosy nest of warm clothes. Eggs do make the dough richer and heavier and the yeast sometimes takes a while to cope with the additional richness. We keep the eggs at room temperature all the times but if you prefer keeping yours cooled and forget to take them out of the fridge, a little extra time should do the trick. Happy baking. x

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  15. We had the same snow on Sunday and Monday and it is still cold and it is still here Tuesday covering my flowers....sad for the flowers and the birds.

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  16. The snow does look beautiful, even though in April one would prefer to see flowers. April is a special month, it prepares nature, and us, for the splendour of May and of summer. :)
    Your Rosemary Crescent Rolls look heavenly.

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  17. Oh brrr, but the rolls with stew certainly sound good. We're moving into lighter meals.

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  18. Those rolls look amazing, thanks for sharing the recipe :)

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  19. Brrr!!! That really is too cold for April isn't it! I hope that the sunshine arrives soon. Your rolls look and sound delicious!!! xx

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  20. I was hoping you would not get snowed in again! That is quite a bit. Poor birds. That is so nice of you to put some food out for them. Thanks for the recipe. I have also noticed that temperature is very important for baking, makes all the difference. Beef stew and crescent Rolls!! That is definitely the epitome of warm and cosy :)

    -Soma

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  21. Feeling your pain here too Wendy! So tired of this snow business. REally Mother Nature - knock it off!!! Lol

    Those rolls look absolutely delish!! I'm copying that recipe down. Thanks for sharing. Think Spring!!! ;)

    xoxo

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  22. Wow! Those rolls look delicious. Hope the snow goes soon.

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  23. Spring brings worth it some crazy weather, doesn't it? The last few days here in the Rocky mountains have been somewhat nice, but this coming week the weather man is calling for snowy and cold days.

    Your rosemary dinner rolls look delicious! Rosemary is my favorite herb. Perfect on a cold snowy day with a pot of stew.

    Have a blessed week, Wendy~~

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  24. Spring brings worth it some crazy weather, doesn't it? The last few days here in the Rocky mountains have been somewhat nice, but this coming week the weather man is calling for snowy and cold days.

    Your rosemary dinner rolls look delicious! Rosemary is my favorite herb. Perfect on a cold snowy day with a pot of stew.

    Have a blessed week, Wendy~~

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  25. Spring brings worth it some crazy weather, doesn't it? The last few days here in the Rocky mountains have been somewhat nice, but this coming week the weather man is calling for snowy and cold days.

    Your rosemary dinner rolls look delicious! Rosemary is my favorite herb. Perfect on a cold snowy day with a pot of stew.

    Have a blessed week, Wendy~~

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  26. Oh must be so frustrating having snow at this time when you must be longing for spring! The birds will be happy having the food you put out for them. Love the look of those rolls - yum! :-)

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