The Lost Gardens of Heligen

These photos were taken at The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Cornwall, UK

Peeking Giant

Almost  a year ago I lost my SD card while in UK.  I found it today.  It was packed with photos from our trip to Cornwall.  I'm going to make a slideshow tonight.  Here's a glimpse...

Welcome to My World

This is an example of why our realtor gets a full six percent.  This is the video of the home we are selling.

Once a Geek

Husband and I were talking recently about things we wanted as children but never got.  Husband said he always wanted a rowboat to travel up and down the Thames.  My wants were of a different ilk.  I never liked dolls.  I wasn't into clothes.  What I did want was a Visible Man and a Visible Woman model.  I also wanted a set of World Book Encyclopedia because it had the human anatomy section where each turn of the plastic pages adds a layer of the human system: circulatory, musculoskeletal, endocrine.  Do you remember those?

My mother got me gifts like a Campbell Chuck Wagon Cooking set.  I had an Easy Bake Oven.  I had lots of paint by number oil paint sets.  One of my favorite stocking stuffers that I can still see in my mind's eye today was a black plastic base that held upright, point end down, a set of four desk pens.  The pens were plastic and old fashioned shaped, long and tapered at the top end like the old bank pens.   Each pen held a different color ink, red, blue, black and green.  I did love those pens.  I just never got a few of the things I really wanted.  Well, I did get the horse, but not the visible people models. 

 What gift did you want as a child but never got?

 

Leek, Asparagus and Mushroom Lasagna

A few days ago my April issue of Bon Appetit Magazine arrived here at the travel trailer. It featured recipes highlighting Spring vegetables. One of the recipes that caught my attention was for a vegetable lasagna. I still had a package of fresh pasta egg roll wrappers sitting in the refrigerator. I still had my fresh pasta lasagna mojo going. The magazine recipe called for making four individual lasagnas in small round pans. It also called for ridiculously expensive difficult -to -find here -in- ruralish- west -coast- Florida Morel mushrooms. I used on sale Baby Bella mushrooms and made a large one pan lasagna. This is a very easy to make vegetable lasagna using the bounty of Springtime goodness. We both really loved it.

 Leek, Asparagus and Mushroom Egg Roll Wrapper Lasagna

 Ingredients:

1 package fresh pasta egg roll sheets (usually found in produce section of grocery store)

2 large leeks

1 lb fresh asparagus spears

8 oz (small box) fresh mushrooms (I used pre-cleaned and sliced Baby Bellas)

1 ½ cups heavy cream

3 cups chicken broth

3 Tablespoons Flour

2 Tsp nutmeg

2 bay leaves

 ½ stick butter, divided

 Salt & Pepper to taste

12 oz shredded fresh mozzarella cheese

12 oz shredded romano or parmesan cheese

How To Make This Recipe

Clean Leeks by cutting off dark green tops and root end. Slice in half lengthwise. Run under cold water to remove any dirt lurking in layers. Slice thinly.

Sautee’ Leeks in 2 T butter slowly until translucent in large pan

Clean asparagus and slice diagonally into 1 inch pieces

Clean and slice mushrooms

Remove Leeks from pan to large bowl.

Add more butter to pan and sautee’ asparagus and mushrooms until asparagus is tender crisp.

 Add all to bowl with Leeks and gently stir to evenly combine.

Add 3 ½ cups chicken broth to pan

Add 1 ½ cup heavy cream

Add 2 small Bay Leaves

Add salt and pepper to taste

Cook stirring over medium heat until mixture slightly thickens.

Sprinkle with 3T blending flour and cook, stirring constantly until sauce thickens.

Stir in 2 tsp Nutmeg.

Remove from heat.

Assemble Lasagna

Lightly spray 9x13” pan. Spoon in a very thin layer of white sauce (Bechamel). Cover with layer of egg roll pasta sheets. Add dollops of vegetable mix. Hand sprinkle with mozzarella and romano cheeses. Dollop on Bechamel. Continue layers, ending with layer of Bechamel topped with cheese. Bake Cover pan tightly with foil. Place on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes until hot and bubbly. Remove foil and bake 10-15 minutes until top is lightly browned and bubbled. Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes before cutting and serving.