Dirt Therapy

I wish everyone a merry Christmas and happy new year. For some reason, the spirit has just not hit me this year and I can't believe Christmas is tomorrow. I do have all of my shopping done but the excitement isn't there. I wanted to share photos of the German Chocolate Cake I made for Christmas dinner. This is Michael's favorite cake and this is the best recipe I have found for it. It is rich, moist and has a wonderful flavor. Dutch process cocoa makes a big difference so I highly recommend that you use it. It is hard to find (I order mine from Penzey's ) and I've yet to find it in a grocery store. Our new Publix doesn't even carry it. :( This recipe comes from the "Baked" boys - Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito, who own the Baked bakery in Brooklyn. The recipe is included in their first book Baked: New Frontiers in Baking.  Their new book is on my Christmas list - I wonder if I will be getting it? :) Here is the recipe: ...

My mother isn't able to cook anymore but she used to bake all the time. Peanut brittle was one of her specialties and she made it often.  I have never made it the way she did, which involved lots of stirring, using a candy thermometer (although I don't think she used one, she just knew when it was ready by the way it looked), and more stirring. Here is a simple recipe for making peanut brittle in the microwave and it is easy as 1-2-3. 1 cup sugar 1 cup raw peanuts 1/2 cup white corn syrup 1/2 tsp. salt 1 TBS. butter 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. baking soda You will need a microwave-proof container that will hold 2 quarts.  Stir together the peanuts, sugar, syrup and salt. Microwave on high for 8 minutes, stirring after 4 minutes. Add the butter and vanilla and stir. Microwave for an additio nal 2 minutes. Add the baking soda and stir gently until the mixture is light and foamy. Pour the mixtu re out onto a warm , buttered pan or a pan lined with aluminum fo...

Another extremely mild weekend with temperatures in the 70s. A change is on the way though with rain coming tomorrow and much colder winter-like temperatures. We need the rain. It has been very dry lately. I noticed there were lots of roses and camellias blooming right now and picked some yesterday. In the bouquet are roses "Mrs. B.R. Cant", "Knockout" and "Mrs. Dudley Cross". The camellias are "Pink Icicle" and "Debutante". Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

It is December, right? Gorgeous weekend with temperatures in the lower 70s. I took some photos yesterday, did a few chores and changed into a T-shirt before heading to my mother's house in Franklin County. Here are some shots from the garden on December 2. Armandii clematis over the front gate Alabama Snow Wreath ( Neviusia alabamensis ), one of my favorite shrubs for fall color Camellia "Snow F lurry" Globe Amaranth (Gomphrena), already bitten by frost, against a ba ckdrop of ornamental grass Camellia "Pink Icicle" with Kerria in the background Oakleaf Hydrangea Oakleaf Hydrangea Rose "Mutabalis" Rose "Mrs. B.R. Cant" Mohawk Viburnu m with Holly "O'Spring" in the back Kerria jap onica Camellia "Debutante" Witch Hazel "Diane" Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy