good nesting

RECIPES: Easy Butterbee Brownies

2006-02-23T16:10:00.000-05:00

Quick chocolate and peanutbutter dessert is easy enough for kids to make cooking beginner recipes

Need a snack or dessert in a hurry?

Easy Butterbee Brownies combine a cake-like chocolate brownie with a tasty peanut butter topping. And the name? "Butterbee" entered our family lingo years ago as toddler-speak for peanutbutter.

This recipe is great for beginning cooks. It's also a reliable stand-by for experienced cooks who need a popular dessert in a hurry. The ingredients are easy to keep on hand for unexpected occasions.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup self-rising flour
1 cup sugar (or Splenda brand sugar substitute for baking)
2 heaping Tablespoons + 1 level teaspoon baking cocoa
1/2 cup margerine for baking, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 generous spoonfuls of smooth peanutbutter
non-stick cooking spray

Steps:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) Stir together dry ingredients
3) Use a handmixer to mix in remaining ingredients. Batter will be thick.
4) Spray a 7 1/2-inch square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray
5) Transfer batter to pan
6) Scoop peanutbutter into microwave-safe coffee cup
7) Heat peanutbutter until melted. Heat at 10-second intervals, stirring between.
8) Use a spoon to dribble melted peanutbutter across the top of unbaked brownie batter.
9) Bake until edges of brownie pull away from pan. When you can smell the brownies baking, they're done or quite close to being done. Check center of pan for doneness with a clean toothpick. Chocolate center should be moist but not runny. Do not overbake.
10) Cool slightly, cut, and serve warm or cooled. Makes about eight 2-inch-square brownies.

Easy recipe to double. Great for picnics!

GARDENING: Nandina

2006-02-14T12:39:00.000-05:00

Hardy, evergreen, and colorful: This shrub is worth a second look plant landscaping

Nandina is one of those misunderstood shrubs. If you think you don't like nandina, it's probably because you've seen it looking gawky and awkward, with woody, jointed stalks like flamingo legs. But a little pruning every 3 or 4 years can solve that problem. That's all it takes to have thick shrubs dense with delicate foliage.

It's worth the minor pruning effort. Nandina keeps its leaves year-round and you'll enjoy this plant's bright red berries right through the heart of winter, too. Collect clusters of them for use in arrangments; berries will stay fresh if cut stems are placed in water. Even dry berries will remain colorful for a good while, making them a favorite for Southern wreaths and a traditional Christmas decoration for cemetery headstones.

Pruning nandina does NOT mean flat-topping each plant. And you can NOT use electric pruners. To do the job right, reach into the plant with hand pruners and randomly cut 1/3 of the plant's stalks to about 1/3 of their current height. Then, randomly select another 1/3 of the uncut stalks throughout the plant, and cut these to 2/3 of their current height. Leave the remaining 1/3 uncut. Stairstepping the heights of the stalks is key to creating a bushy, attractive plant. Because nandina produces no horizontal branches, it's critical that you cut some stalks short enough to produce foliage that will hide taller stalks.

Nandina is one tough shrub and it thrives on neglect. Plant it in full sun for the thickest crop of leaves and berries. Nandina can grow in shade, too, but the lack of sun can make it leggy and barren. If you've got nandina growing in too much shade, don't hesitate to dig it up and plant it elsewhere...this shrub is tough enough to make the move without a setback.

Sometimes called "heavenly bamboo" (it's not a bamboo, don't worry), Nandina domestica will grow as far north as zone 7 and down to zone 9. Don't know your planting zone? See the link to Plant Hardiness Zone Map on the right. 'Gulf Stream' is an attractive compact version of nandina that rarely requires pruning. It's a real shrub, far more attractive than the tiny dwarf nandinas often seen planted too far apart at gas stations.

2006-02-14T12:22:00.000-05:00

Nandina foliage often turns wine-red in winter. New leaves may appear reddish-purple in spring, too. perennials howto garden design plants

2006-02-14T12:20:00.000-05:00

Eye-catching nandina berries persist through ice and snow, adding color to the winter landscape.

HOW-TO PROJECT: Decorating

2006-02-06T18:20:00.000-05:00

Furniture project - from toy chest to sturdy coffee table. interior design step-by-step

THE PERFECT DEN COFFEE TABLE: It's big enough for a couple of pizzas and sturdy enough to prop your feet on and enjoy the game...after the pizza is gone, that is.

As an added bonus, this coffee table conceals hidden storage. And though it's casual, this practical piece of furniture is nice enough for upstairs.

Start with a toy chest from an unfinished wood furniture store. (Blanket boxes are too narrow to meet the pizza criteria.) Don't worry, it won't look like a toy chest when you're done with it!

Here are step-by-step instructions for this inexpensive project.

2006-02-06T18:13:00.000-05:00

STEP ONE: Choose a shape for a decorative pattern to dress up the surface of your future coffee table. Straight lines are easier than curves. I copied this 8-pointed star shape from a quilt that hangs in my den. (It's a good idea to repeat a motif found elsewhere in the same room.)

Make a simple template by cutting your shape from a manilla folder.

Next, position your template on your unfinished wood furniture and trace around it with a pencil. I chose to repeat my star pattern three times at each end of my toy-chest-turning-coffee-table.

After you pencil the pattern on the furniture, discard the template. Using and ordinary black ink pen (I used a Uniball brand pen) and a straight edge, trace over the patterns you've sketched. That's right, this step calls for you to write on the furniture in pen. There's no turning back now!

If you want, you can also "age" your piece by stippling the edges with the pen. I drew dots of various sizes around the border of the lid of my toy chest.

2006-02-06T18:10:00.000-05:00

STEP TWO: Use an inexpensive artist's brush, such as the kind that comes in a child's watercolor kit, to fill in your pattern. Choose a dark-colored stain that's suitable for the wood your furniture is made from. I used Minwax brand walnut-colored stain suitable for softwoods because my toy chest is made of pine.

Start in the middle of your pattern and work your way out to the edges. The stain will spread a little, so you don't brush close to your inked lines. If it bleeds over the line a little, don't worry about it. This won't be noticeable later.

2006-02-06T18:08:00.000-05:00

STEP THREE: After your dark pattern has dried, apply a lighter colored stain on top of it. Use a plastic bristled brush to apply and spread the stain by wiping it with a rag. The lighter color is applied to the unstained surface and on top of the pattern at the same time.

Remember, all of the stain colors will appear lighter after they dry.

2006-02-06T18:04:00.000-05:00

STEP FOUR: If you don't think your pattern shows up well enough, apply another coat of the darker stain to it. You can apply as many coats as you want; allow stain to dry between coats.

2006-02-06T18:02:00.000-05:00

OPTIONAL - STEP FIVE: You can give your box the look of dovetail joints using the darker colored stain. Using the little brush, paint alternating checkerboard-style rectangles along the vertical edges of all four corners.

I drew a light pencil guideline to make sure that my rectangles ended up the same length. But I didn't measure the space between rectangles, choosing instead just to "eyeball" them. Remember, imperfections merely add to the handhewn look.

Another decorative option is to darken and round the corners of flat panels on the sides of your box (as shown). This helps antique your piece.

2006-02-06T18:00:00.000-05:00

STEP SIX: Apply the lighter colored stain to all four sides of your box, just as you did to the top. Wipe excess drips before they dry. If you wish, you can give your checkerboard-patterned "dovetail joints" another coat of dark stain to make them more noticeable.

Finish your project by appling a clear coat sealer to the top. This will prevent beverages from leaving rings on your new coffee table. I used Minwax brand sealer because I liked the way it didn't make the surface shiny.

Fill your coffee table with games, blankets, or whatever you need to get out of sight. Most toy chests have safety hinges so the lid won't slam shut on your fingers.

The final step? Order a couple of pizzas and enjoy your pretty and practical coffee table!

GARDENING: Trillium

2006-02-01T08:56:00.000-05:00

Native spring wildflower perennials landscaping

SPRING WILDFLOWER: Though it's known as toadshade or wakerobin, many gardeners call this shy wildflower by its Latin genus, Trillium. Content to show off in the shadows, Trillium emerges in mid-spring in dappled to dense shade. Each short plant bears three large leaves marbled with silver, dark green, and burgancy. Leaves join in the center where they are crowned with a small, dark maroon flower. Trillium grows best in rich, woodland soil. Plants disappear by summer until the following spring. If left alone, this wildflower will spread to form thick, pretty clumps. Mulch beds with leaf mold in autumn. Purchase container-grown plants. May be sold as Trillium sessile, Trillium cuneatum, or Trinity plant.

DECORATING: Painting flower pots

2006-01-30T20:33:00.000-05:00

Easy afternoon craft project interior design DYI

PAINTING TERRA COTTA POTS is a great way to add pizzaz to a room without breaking the bank. This little flower pot was first painted solid white with the rim left unpainted. After the base coat dried, I added black diamonds with a smaller brush. For added interest, I made sure each black diamond touched another one at its corners. Remember, it's okay if the pattern isn't perfect; that only adds to the handmade charm. High-gloss, oil-based paint such as Rustoleum brand gives a finished look and it comes in small cans, too. (I bought mine at Ace Hardware. I got some paint thinner for clean-up there, too.)

Use your pretty pots for holding flowers, houseplants, cooking utensils, pencils...or, yes, even baby squirrels.

Coming soon: More painted pot ideas!

GARDENING: Candytuft

2006-01-29T21:57:00.000-05:00

The perfect plant for that cottage garden look perennials landscaping

WANT THAT QUAINT, COTTAGEY LOOK? Add some candytuft to your garden. Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens), likes it hot, sunny, and dry. Plants will spill sweetly over walls and walkways; bright white blooms appear in early spring. This little plant stays green year-round, though it doesn't have a dramatic presence in winter. Candytuft is hardy to zone 5 and will grow as far south as zone 9 (Don't know what zone you're in? See link to Plant Hardiness Zone Map, under "Links" on the right).

Drought-tolerant and insect-free, candytuft is nearly carefree. Leggy, thin plants indicate that more sun is required; move such plants to sunnier locations when weather cools. Each autumn, remove fallen leaves that may compress plants and deprive them of sunlight. Avoid walking on candytuft. To keep plants vigorous, trim foliage ruthlessly every third or fourth year after flowering finishes.

Ideal locations for candytuft include spots with good drainage and full sun, such as at the tops of retaining walls, raised beds, or tucked into rock gardens. If you think white is boring, then you haven't seen candytuft in full bloom!

READING: Find my books

2006-01-29T21:44:00.000-05:00

Landscape and garden books by Jo Kellum landscape architecture expert advice

This version is for HOT climates: zones 7-10
by Jo Kellum

This version is for WARM climates: zones 5-6
by Jo Kellum

This version is for COLD climates: zones 2-4
by Jo Kellum

This book is really all about landscape design:
by Jo Kellum

Landscaping decks, patios, & balconies:
by Jo Kellum

Shade gardening:
by Jo Kellum

Jo Kellum, contributing editor

Jo Kellum, contributing editor

Jo Kellum, contributing photographer

2006-01-01T14:11:00.000-05:00