Saturday, November 1, 2008

~AUTUMN PINKS~

Amongst the golden yellows, burnt oranges and blazing reds of Autumn, there are PINKS.

This is the time of year when our camellia trees bloom. Each pink blossom seems as delicate as a rose.

They seem a little out of place to me, but they give us one last fleeting farewell glance at a summer past.

These pictures don't show the pink blossoms very well. They are almost camouflaged by our heavily wooded property.
You can see them better, by clicking on the photos to enlarge them.








One of my favorite things to indulge in this time of year is hot chocolate with either marshmallows melting in it or a little mountain of whipped cream.

Here are some recipes you might enjoy. From About.com is this decadent sounding one:

CHOCOLAT à L'ANCIENNE for FOUR … Tastes amazing, feels amazing.

28 fl. oz. Whole Milk
7 oz. Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
1 cup Crème Fraîche (or heavy cream)
1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
Pinch of Powdered Vanilla (optional)
2 tbsp. Cocoa Powder (for top)
1 1/2 cup Fresh or Canned Whipped Cream (for top)


1. Heat up milk, cream, and sugar over a low flame. Bring to a simmer, but don't let it boil.
2. Take off heat and add chocolate (chopped into small pieces) and vanilla. Stir until chocolate melts and it becomes smooth.
3. Pour into cups and garnish with whipped cream.

and this one:

PRESIDENT'S HOT CHOCOLATE ... appropriate at this time!
(From About.com)

6 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tbs sugar
2 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups light cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
whipped cream


Add sugar and cocoa to milk and heat in a saucepan until dissolved. Add the cream, cinnamon and vanilla. Heat until almost boiling. Mix well and serve, topped with whipped cream and a bit of orange zest.


...and now for the pink!


PINK PEPPERMINT WHIPPED CREAM

1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons pulverized peppermint candies
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 tablespoon crushed peppermint candy


or this one:
2-3 peppermint candy canes
1 cup whipping cream


Pulverise the candy canes in a food processor or a spice grinder.

Now, take a cup of whipping cream and whip it over a big bowl of ice.

Add the peppermint to the cream and fold well to combine(3 tbsps peppermint for 1 cup cream).

Spoon cute little dollops of this pink cream on your hot chocolate or hot coffee and/or cakes and other desserts.

The plain plethora will now be history and this will take over the kitchen counter!


HAPPY PINK SATURDAY TO YOU ALL!

Don't forget to visit our PINK SATURDAY hostess, Beverly!


AND


Don't forget to turn those clocks back!!!

Daylight Savings Time ends on
November 2



37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Pink Saturday, Deborah.

Your camellias are beautiful, and I love camellias. We have five, and they each bloom on different cycles. That way, I have blooms longer. ;-)

Sherri said...

I would love to have Camillas in my yard. Yours are gorgeous.

Heidi Jo the Artist said...

Beautiful! Pink flowers are the best! The recipes sound yummy too. Happy Pink Saturday!

Heidi Jo the Artist
http://swirlsofcreativity.etsy.com
http://swirlsofcreativity.blogspot.com

Rhonda Hartis Smith said...

I love a good hot chocolate recipe, so I'll have to try these. Your pink flowers are so beautiful and delivate looking (can you send me one to paint?) LOL.

SmilingSally said...

I think that you are taking spectacular pictures of that beautiful bloom. Happy Pink Saturday!

Jenny said...

Wow! I think I just put on 10 lbs of hot chocolate weight just reading those receipes!! Happy Pink Saturday!!

kayellen said...

Nice to meet you:)
Lovely flowers and yummy recipe!

kayellen

Sherrie said...

Hi!
Great Pink Post! Love those photos! The recipes sound heavenly. Take Care!!

Sherrie

suesueb said...

the camellias are breathtaking! absolutely love the hot chocolate recipes too. happy pink saturday!!

Margie said...

Such lovely delicate *pink* blossoms! They look like they should bloom in the spring, but how nice to have a little bit of *pink* before winter!

I'm going to go and get some hot chocolate now!

Have a lovely weekend!
Margie :)

Virginia said...

Oh Deborah! Love your Camellias trees. There are one of my favorite flowers. I used to had them when I lived in Calif. I can’t grow them here in Fl.
Thanks for the recipes, I love chocolate.
Have a Happy & Bless Pink Saturday!
Virginia

said...

Those camelias are luscious!

Anonymous said...

Oh! Your blooms are so beautiful. Such a delicate shade of pink!!

Anonymous said...

Where do you live that you still have pink flowers! Lucky Duck! We have melting snow! Happy Pink Saturday!

Scooterblu's Whimsy~Rhonda said...

My grandmother had beautiful camillas in your yard. Your pink one is just lovely! ~Rhonda :)

Dawn said...

Very beautiful! HPS!

Glennis said...

Hi, Deborah - your post and mine have the same title!!

These are camellia sasanqua, right? I have one in a pot. In CA it blooms later, more like January.

Mmm, love the chocolate recipes. It's grey and rainy here now - that would hit the spot.

Tardevil said...

Oh my words...are you from the Raleigh area? I have lived there all my life until the last 2 years & had to relocate for job purposes. When I saw the Hurricanes & Kristi, I thought you must be from somewhere around there. It's nice to meet you. If you're there, please just go to Crabtree for me...I miss it! :O(

Tardevil said...

How fun! My daughter use to love BAB at Crabtree...as you can see from the photos I posted earlier in the week. Happy b-day to your grandson...today's my dad's too. My parents live in Fuquay & I was just back 2 weeks ago to see Bobby Flay at the fair & had to go by Jolly's b/c I had lost a stone in my wedding ring. I have met Beverly & Jeanne, but not the rest. Lynette at Lynette's L.A.M. Blog (Johnston Co.) & Penny at Lavendar Hill Studio (mountains) & Kristen at Something about Nothing (a wolfpacker) are also NC girls. Nice to meet you...take care!

Stephanie said...

Lovely pics! I love the changing seasons!!

Great Pink Post!

Happy Pink Saturday!

Stephanie

Katie said...

Lovely flowers thank you for sharing. Happy Pink Saturday!

Fifi Flowers said...

Beautiful camelias... ours bloom in the Spring. Thanks for the reminder to change clocks.
ENJOY your weekend!
Fifi

Vanessa Greenway said...

Lovely flowers! Hope you're having a great weekend! Big hugs ~ Vanessa

Anonymous said...

Lovely, lovely post - I use to have white camilla's when I live down south and I truly miss them. Thank you for recipes.

Nanna said...

It's rare to see a pink camellia here, you see alot of white & reds, years ago we had 2 huge red ones one on each side of the front door, beautiful post & the hot chocolate warmed me up just reading abaout it LOL
Heelen

Anonymous said...

LOVE those beautiful pink camellias and those recipes sound wonderful! Dana

bj said...

Love your pretty camellias...

When I was a little girl, we made all our hot chocolate with cocoa powder. Guess we didn't ever have Nestles.....All those recipes sound great.

Cindy said...

Those camellias are just gorgeous!

c

KatCollects said...

I love camellias, yours is so pretty. Thank you for the recipes, they are perfect for this time of year!
Kathy

Anonymous said...

Hi Deborah, I love camellias and they love colder weather. They are so wax like and so perfectly beautiful. My sister in Atlanta has a red camellia tree. All I can say is wow! Nice pink post.

We arrived home Sunday evening and it is good to be home. I hope you have a wonderful visit in FL. The weather is nice this time of year.

Thanks for your comment on my quilt. I bought it over twenty years ago. At that time $75. was a good buy.

Your recipes sound so good. I like cooking and baking in the winter so much more. something about the cold weather and the oven warming up the house and making it smell good too.

See you when you return.

Love...Jeanne

Ed said...

Sorry I am late, but have a lovely pink week, and thank you for sharing those scrummy recipes !!

Vylat said...

Ohh, what pretty pink roses. Just adore them. Happy Pink Saturday.

Grandma Faith said...

Your pink camillas are beautiful!

Anonymous said...

Veautiful Autumn flowers...Great Pin Post...Happy Pink...Katherienllen

Mary said...

Deborah, have a great trip - see you when you return. Been so busy since getting back - I just can't get myself together!!!

Thanks for the comments dear - miss you.

Christie said...

What beautiful blooms! I love those camelias....what a peaceful area in your yard!
xoxo,
Queenie

Kathy said...

Beautiful flowers and great recipes!
Kathy