Jazz At Ijams

Live music was at Ijams park with the bands Jazzaphonics and Swingbooty.  We were just at Ijams Nature center last Sunday, where, by the way, I ended up with poison ivy, grrrr.  This time I was extra, extra careful.  No getting of the trail for any reason, period!  Well, I guess I had to for the concert, but I stayed in my chair.

Like last Sunday, I packed a picnic. I'll get strait to the important part of the meal, the dessert.  Who doesn't like rice krispy treats?   Adults, as well as children, love this krispy treat with a gooey marshmallow filling. This one has a surprise in the middle, chocolate.  Now I have met a few people in my life who does not like chocolate, but not many.  As my mother-in-law, Ms. Betty, says " anyone who doesn't like chocolate just ain't right."

S'mores Rice Krispies Treats Pinwheels

Serves: 15

Ingredients:

10 ounces miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup butter, (plus more for greasing)

5 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

3/4 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

7 ounce jar Marshmallow Creme

6 Hershey's Chocolate bar

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 200'.

2.  Line a 10X15" jellyroll pan with waxed paper.  Butter the waxed paper and set aside.

3.  Combine marshmallows and 1/4 cup butter in a microwave-safe bowl.  Cover and heat on high for 30 seconds, stir.  Repeat until completely blended.

4.  Stir in cereal and graham cracker crumbs.

5.  Press mixture into prepared pan.

6.  Spread marshmallow creme on top using an offset spatula.

7.  Place Hershey's bar on top of the marshmallow creme.

8.  Place in oven for two or so minutes. Enough time for the chocolate to melt.  Use a spatula to spread the softened chocolate.  From one long side to the other, spread the chocolate, leaving the final two inches or so without.  As you roll, the chocolate with push to the edge.  I learned this the hard way:)

9.  Let cool for 10 minutes.

10.  Roll up jellyroll style (like a cinnamon roll), starting on the long side.  Peel away the waxed paper as you roll.  Pinch the seams together.

11.  Place seam side down and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes or until chocolate has set.

12.  Slice and serve. Or you can roll it in some shaved chocolate prior to slicing.  I just happened to have some on hand so thats what I did.

Recipe from: http://www.momontimeout.com/2014/07/smores-rice-krispies-treats-pinwheels/
I figured these up using the Weight Watchers Points Plus.  7.2 points plus per slice.

Dogwood Arts Chalk Walk

It was bustling this morning as I arrived at Market Square and Krutch Park to join the Knoxville Area Photographers Meetup Group http://www.meetup.com/knoxvilleareaphotographers/ which I am now a member.  For it's seventh year, artists, as part of the Dogwood Arts, have been gathering when the sun rises to begin the street painting festival.  Everywhere you looked, people where sitting on the ground, covered in chalk.  Artist of all ages would work on their canvas (the sidewalk) for a while, then stand to stretch and maybe even take a moment to chat with some passerby's.  They had eight hours to complete their masterpiece before the winner was announced.  This would be the hard part.  Which one would you choose?  They are all so amazing!

 

 

 

                           

 

Easter At Ijams Nature Center

The sun was shining and the temps were in the low 70's.  I packed a picnic and Stone and I spent Easter at Ijams Nature Center.  Who knew there was so much outdoor activity so close to home!  Ijams Nature Center, located on 300 acres of urban green space, has a climbing location, not that we would do this, but its great for those who are interested.  There is a Beer Garden, Historic Home Site, birding trails, Tennessee River Boardwalk, Jo's Grove, the mysterious Keyhole at the Ross Marble Quarry, and the Historic Mead's Quarry, which is now listed on the National Register for Historic Places.  You can bike, canoe or paddle board which you can rent from River Sports Outfitters at Mead's Quarry. 

There is also a breakfast eatery, Peg's Kitchen, that is open on Saturday mornings only.  Hmmm, breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.  One Saturday morning when Stone doesn't have golf, we will have to visit Peg's Kitchen.

Meads Quarry

 The Key Hole At Historic Ross Marble

 Spring Beauty

 Abandoned railroad tracks.

 River Boardwalk

 Along The River Boardwalk

 Maude Moore's Cave Along The River Boardwalk

 Celandine Poppy

 Virginia Bluebells

 Yellow Trillium

 Muscari

 Ijams Nature Center

 Where did all the people go???

Redbud Tree

The best part of a picnic is the dessert.  The meringue, crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, filled with tart lemon custard.  That just says spring.

Lemon Meringue Nest

Meringue Nest Ingredients:

4 egg whites

1 cup white granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon cream of tarter

Meringue Nest Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven 200'.

2. In an electric mixer (make sure your bowl is greased free),  A stainless steel bowl is best, plastic can harbor grease and this can prevent egg whites to form stiff peaks.  beat egg whites and cream of tarter until the eggs start to form soft peaks.

3. Slowly add the sugar, 1 Tablespoon at a time while beating at high-speed.

4.  Beat until the egg whites are shiny and the peaks are firm.

5. On a cookie sheet lined parchment paper, draw with a pencil, circles on the paper the size you want the nest to be.  I did 4 1/2" circles, filling the circles with 1 cup of meringue mixture.  It made 5.  They do swell as they bake, so they become even bigger.  You can do any size you want, smaller or one big one.

6.  Fill in the circles with the meringue using a spoon, filling the whole circle making a wide indent with your spoon to make a well to create the nest.

7.  Bake for about 2 hours.  Turn off oven.  Let cool completely in the oven with the door shut.

8.  These can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Do not do these on a rainy or really humid day.

Lemon Custard Filling:

1 1/3 cup white granulated sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 2/3 cup water

4 egg yolks, beaten

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 teaspoon lemon zest, (1/4 ounce, 2 large lemons)

1/2 cup lemon juice

Lemon Custard Instructions:

1.  On a double boiler put the following: sugar, cornstarch, salt, and water.  Boil until the mixture becomes thick.  Continue stirring while it cooks.

2.  Add beaten egg yolks and continue stirring with a whisk.  If you don't the egg yolks will begin to cook.  No one wants scrambled eggs in their custard!

3.  Add butter, lemon zest and lemon juice, and stir.

4.  Remove from heat.  Let cool.

5.  Cover with plastic wrap right on top of the custard, lay it directly on the custard.  This prevents it from getting a skin.

6.  Put it in the refrigerated until ready to use.

Trick: take the custard and pass it through a sieve to remove lumps ( this will make your custard silky and smooth).  Recipe adapted from: http://mysweetremedy.com/tag/easter-dessert/

Assembly:

Fill the meringue nest with the lemon custard.

For Easter you could add a few easter egg candies and sprinkle with a little toasted coconut, or top with raspberries like I did.

http://ijams.org

An Evening At The Tennessee Theatre

The evening was clear and cool. It was going to be a perfect night.  Stone and I arrived earlier than our meet up time with friends Karen and Greg.  We walked around Market Square, took some pictures and ended at Scruffy City Hall.  We walked in and looked around. What a cute place.  There were two levels with a roof top patio opening soon.  Bands play nightly beginning at 10 pm. with a small area for dancing if you so choose. We do, so you best get out of our way.  Just saying!  I don't understand. You have a dance floor with people just standing on it talking like they don't know what its for, even though they see your doing your thing.  Either move your body to the music or get off the floor!  

We chatted with the bartender Marcus, who talked the place up.  Great personality and interested in making sure everyone has a good time.  He and another patron spoke of biking. I showed them the link to http://mbikesusa.com, my daughter and her husband's company.  They really like their bike's.  We chatted about Knoxville not being very bicycle friendly unless you're on the greenway. Hopefully that will change in the future.

Tito's Vodka with lemon and lime. Thank you Marcus.

Scruffy City Hall 

For dinner we met up with Karen and Greg at Tupelo Honey Cafe http://tupelohoneycafe.com/location/knoxville/?utm_source=GOOGLE&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=tupelo+honey+cafe+menu+Knoxville&utm_campaign=Knoxville on Market Square.  Tupelo Honey Cafe is not diet friendly, but it is sooooo good.  Karen and I skipped lunch so we were ready to eat.  Our server, Jade, started our meal by bringing biscuits and blueberry preserves to the table.  Everyone who knows me knows I love a good biscuit.  I quickly devoured it. I actually wanted another, but refrained. It was delicious.  I had looked at the dessert menu and well, I love dessert as much as I love biscuits.  For dinner Stone and I shared the Jumbo Crab Cakes served on a bed of greens with this tangy dressing and asparagus.  Our meal was delicious, but we weren't finished yet.  There was dessert to be had.  Stone and I shared a slice of Brown Butter Pecan Pie with Dark Chocolate Sauce.  After we quickly cleaned our plate, I wondered why we shared it.  I wanted my own since it was so luscious.  With our meal complete it was time to make our way to the Tennessee Theatre http://www.tennesseetheatre.com and see the production of Guys and Dolls.

Guys and Dolls, a broadway musical about a gambler, Nathan and his big crap game and his needing to find a place to host his game.  He needs to pay $1000, which he doesn't have, to have this game hosted.  The gambler also bet another not so good guy he couldn't get the virtuous mission worker to go with him on a date, which she did.  Meanwhile, Nathan's girlfriend for 14 years just wanted to get married.  Great musical with good music and numerous funny scenes.   

Tennessee Theatre