Water Lilies and Mini S'more Pies

Water lilies are spring and summer bloomers that bloom in a single elaborate and beautiful flower. Shades of water lily flower range from white and yellow to blue, purple and red with several species changing from a light to darker color as the flowering season comes to a close. The flower sometimes has as many as 24 petals and remains in bloom for only part of the day. 

This tropical water lily was taken on a pond tour.

Cold hardiness isn't the only difference between the two main categories of water lilies. Note the white water lilies pictures were taken on a northern Minnesota lake. Hardy water lily varieties flower and bloom only in the daylight. At night, they gently close. Tropical varieties bloom during any time of the day or night, and blooms stay open until they fade, such as the pink lily flower.

Though water lilies look as if they are sprouting from the water, they are actually floating on top of the water, with their roots tethered deep into the water-logged soil at the bottom of the lake or pond. The lily pad beneath the flowers is the leaf of the water lily plant.

The water lily is repeatedly used in the oil paintings of French Impressionist Claude Monet (1840-1926). His water lily series of 250 oil paintings are some of his most masterful works.
The water lily paintings were inspired by Monet's flower garden at Giverny. 
This photo is one of Monet's massive murals Nympheas (Water Lilies) displayed in Paris at the Musee de l'Orangerie.

It took me time to understand my waterlilies. 

I had planted them for the pleasure of it; 

I grew them without ever thinking of painting them. ”

- Claude Monet

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Remember this dessert Mini S'more Pies that I posted June 20th with this link below? It was top on my list for holiday entertaining if only I could find... 

 

which I did at a larger grocery store. 

http://iowagirleats.com/2013/09/06/mini-smore-pies/?utm_source=RSS+FEED&utm_campaign=f676fa2895-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_532f8a161f-f676fa2895-84059853

This dessert merits attention for your summer entertaining. Here is why the recipe works.

1. It's easy to put together with only three ingredients;Hershey candy bars, graham cracker shells and marshmallows. 

2. It's a summer crowd pleaser and good alternative to a having a campfire.

3. It's not messy as you eat from the foil container. 
4. And it has the same great taste as a campfire S'more

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 and bake graham cracker pie shells for 4 minutes.
• While shells are still warm and on cookie sheet place, 4 pieces of chocolate in each shell. Let chocolate set a few minutes to melt.
• Adjust rack one level above middle rack and set oven to broil.
• Place 3 regular size marshmallows on top of chocolate. I only had mini-marshmallows and they worked just fine. Put a handful in each shell.
• Brown marshmallows on broil-about 1 minute 
• In microwave melt one whole chocolate bar, stir to blend and drizzle over top of broiled marshmallows.

I served S'more Pies right in the foil shells with a spoon to guests.