How long is the flight to Beijing? 22 hours? Probably something ridiculous like that. I'm sure there's a whole debate over which direction you fly changes the hourage and all that. Read Einstein peeps, time is relative. Is is morning or night when you get there? Well, that's what time it is then. I think E's theory is more of a fact. Five minutes to a 5 year old is REALLY long, but to a 30 year old it's much less and I imagine to an 80 year old, it's fleeting. Why? Because percentage-wise 5 minutes is a greater amount of a 5 year old's life than to an 80 year old.
Well, I'm going... you know, to Beijing... at some point. Actually it doesn't have to be Beijing, I'm not picky, I'm sure I'd dig Shanghai as well
Sometime I need to cut my hairs. My hair has now reached the length where it gets stuck in my armpits while I'm trying to do things and pulls. Merf. I will say long hair isn't that bad around babies. They seem to like to grab chubby handfuls and just sort of hang on (tiny monkeys) but if it's long enough mini-peeps can also yank on it and it doesn't hurt. It's the slightly longer than shoulder length hair that's the worst with babies. There's your fyi for today.
Where did the phrase 'wild hair up his ass' come from? Do short haired people ever even HAVE this problem? Get back to me...
The clay figure I was working on has been demolished and recycled. I've given in and will opt for proper procedure as opposed to being frustrated. I was pretty much done roughing out the figure but starting over is the beauty of clay. I did make 2 cute little boxes. They look like seed pods. Yes. Cute. Now, shut it.
Random: fistulated* cows gross me right the fuck out. I'm sure the cows have no idea, no pain and it's safe blah blah blah. All I can imagine are alien experiments on me and I don't want a porthole in my side. I wonder if they eat the cows when their race has run. For that matter, do aliens eat people when they're done? Guess it would depend on if they're vegetarians.
huh.
Anyway, a while back (in relative terms) I said I would post this ganache recipe, so here 'tis:
Chocolate Ganache (aka Frosting)
16 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
2Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
dash of salt
We Heats It, Precious
1. over low heat, bring cream, sugar and corn syrup to almost a boil
2.Remove from heat, pour over chocolate and whisk until melted and combined
3. Cut butter into small pieces and whisk in until all butter is melted and ganache is smooth and glossy
4. Dump it over a cake for a glossy finish or stick it in fridge and use it like frosting later
*insert tiny dry heave noise here
26 March, 2010
24 March, 2010
Beer Battered Cod
Not too much yammering today, I'm distracted.
Quite possibly it's the full-leaded coffee coursing through my body- that tends to make any DPO coherence less likely than on normal days. I'm sure it's like trying to decern the request of some hopped-up rave kid trying to get a bottle of water, clattering their jaw and jerking all over the place.
If you've never seen this, don't worry, you're not missing much.
It's also really nice out and I don't want to be inside... ho hum It's like a fourth of July when it rains. Meh.
Which brings to mind Rocket pops, clam fritters and fish n' chips. While I've yet to find anywhere outside N.E. that does fritters, there's a place around here that does fish and chips really well. It's in fact some of the better I've had.
So here's a recipe for poofy fish sticks.
I like cod but I imagine any firm fish will work... haddock or whatevs
Beer Battered Cod*
1lb cod cut into large chunks (or 1 fillet cut in half for 2 servings)
1 bottle or can of beer (approx 12 oz)
2 cup flour
1 tbspn baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
cornstarch for dredging
Oil (I used canola and olive)
Batter
1. Whisk together flour, powder, salt, cayenne and beer until smooth
2. Put in fridge for at least 15 mins
Prepare Oil
1. Dump oil into a pan large and deep enough to accommodate your fish pieces (works best when you fry in small batches)
2. Heat oil to 325-350F
Fry the Squish
1. Cut fish into sizes you want (larger pieces = less battery fish which I recommend) Rinse them and pat dry
2. coat fish pieces with cornstarch and shake off any excess
3. Dunk dredged fish into cold batter then immediately place into hot oil
4. Batter will poof up and fish will float
5. Cook on both sides until golden brown
6. Set aside fish pieces on paper towels (or clean brown paper bag/newspaper)
7. sprinkle hot fish blobs with salt (optional)
I like my pieces with vinegar but serve as you wish, it's your table.
*As an indicator for picky people who generally don't like fish, Mister gave this recipe 4 out of 5 ketchup bottles (only peanut butter chocolate brownies ever get 5 of 5).
Quite possibly it's the full-leaded coffee coursing through my body- that tends to make any DPO coherence less likely than on normal days. I'm sure it's like trying to decern the request of some hopped-up rave kid trying to get a bottle of water, clattering their jaw and jerking all over the place.
If you've never seen this, don't worry, you're not missing much.
It's also really nice out and I don't want to be inside... ho hum It's like a fourth of July when it rains. Meh.
Which brings to mind Rocket pops, clam fritters and fish n' chips. While I've yet to find anywhere outside N.E. that does fritters, there's a place around here that does fish and chips really well. It's in fact some of the better I've had.
So here's a recipe for poofy fish sticks.
I like cod but I imagine any firm fish will work... haddock or whatevs
Beer Battered Cod*
1lb cod cut into large chunks (or 1 fillet cut in half for 2 servings)
1 bottle or can of beer (approx 12 oz)
2 cup flour
1 tbspn baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
cornstarch for dredging
Oil (I used canola and olive)
Batter
1. Whisk together flour, powder, salt, cayenne and beer until smooth
2. Put in fridge for at least 15 mins
Prepare Oil
1. Dump oil into a pan large and deep enough to accommodate your fish pieces (works best when you fry in small batches)
2. Heat oil to 325-350F
Fry the Squish
1. Cut fish into sizes you want (larger pieces = less battery fish which I recommend) Rinse them and pat dry
2. coat fish pieces with cornstarch and shake off any excess
3. Dunk dredged fish into cold batter then immediately place into hot oil
4. Batter will poof up and fish will float
5. Cook on both sides until golden brown
6. Set aside fish pieces on paper towels (or clean brown paper bag/newspaper)
7. sprinkle hot fish blobs with salt (optional)
I like my pieces with vinegar but serve as you wish, it's your table.
*As an indicator for picky people who generally don't like fish, Mister gave this recipe 4 out of 5 ketchup bottles (only peanut butter chocolate brownies ever get 5 of 5).
23 March, 2010
Spice Muffins and some websites
EUREKA!
I have it: The perfect light, floofy, not too sweet muffin recipe.
I love muffins. (tee hee) They're almost in the cake category for me but not quite. There's a coffee joint I go to sometimes that serves free steroidal muffins with the purchase of a large coffee. AND they're good. Probably because each muffin contains the equivalent of 1 cup of butter but mmm mmm bee-yotch! I've been experimenting with recipe ratios and I think I've found one I like. Now I share it with you.
Wait! Speaking of muffins, brings something to mind. I'm a fan of this website: www.zeldalily.com it's a blog that discusses feminist issues and the political ridiculousness of our great USofA. A lot of the comments are amusing. A few of my friends may not be in agreeance with it's liberal* take on life, however, I am. Consider yourselves warned.
OO! Props to the Sha for pointing this one out to me: www.regretsy.com It highlights some of the more interesting bits of etsy.com -which can be a fantastic place for finding handmade shtuff. But. Anyone can sell their "art" and it gets a little weird from time to time.
(I do love the etsy spelling mistakes, and on regretsy there are categories named Dead Things and Holistic Horseshit. *giggle*)
Let's see what else has been going on
1. Saturday was pretty much perfect weather. I planted a few types of lettuce, spinach, bokchoy and a crap load of herbs. Now my mini patio is covered with cheap plastic containers and dirt. In case you need to know, perlite + eyes = sore eyes for a day.
2. Alice in Wonderland was amusing. I liked the March Hare.
3. Started a small clay figure for an eventual bronze but I might start it again with a more stable armature... it's legs cracked near the ankles. Leave it to me to think half-assed will work. Merf.
4. I still like Vampire Weekend. Because really, who gives a fuck about the Oxford comma?
5. Nephew informed me (quite astutely and with a look of utter contempt) that the Doctor's office hurts. His stitches are out and is healing well.
6. Keep all fingers and sundry crossed that Mister will score some job interviews. Particularly with one that includes international travel. It sounds killer and I know he'd be very good at it.
Ok, on to the goods:
Ingredients
Base for muffins:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil
Added stuff that makes it spiced:
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
dash nutmeg
Ovenstuff
1. preheat oven to 400F
2. grease 12 baking cups or line with muffin papers
Sift
1. Sift flour, powder, soda, spices and salt (optional) into a large bowl
2. set aside
Mix liquids
1. Beat 2 eggs, vanilla, and milk together
2. while beating, slowly drizzle in oil until all of the oil is well combined
3. add sugar and mix it in until it's sort of dissolved (doesn't have to be totally dissolved)
The 1, 2 Combination
1. make a well in the middle of your sifted flour mix
2. dump in all liquid mix
3. stir it around until just combined - you want to see lumps and some unmixed bits of flour stuff
4. fill up your muffin tin (they'll rise over the top and make good crowns)
Bake
1. bake in 400F oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and cake tester comes out dry
Variations
This is a pretty basic muffin recipe, you can fold in random crap- nuts, choco chips, fruit bits when you combine the liquid and dry
Switch buttermilk for regular milk- works fine
I substituted juice and zest of 2 medium lemons and 1 cup of Greek yoghurt for the milk and omitted the spices and made some pretty tasty lemon muffins... play around with it, you can make some killer** combos
*bye bye friends, it was nice knowing you...
** that's the 2nd use of this word in a single post, my apologies
I have it: The perfect light, floofy, not too sweet muffin recipe.
I love muffins. (tee hee) They're almost in the cake category for me but not quite. There's a coffee joint I go to sometimes that serves free steroidal muffins with the purchase of a large coffee. AND they're good. Probably because each muffin contains the equivalent of 1 cup of butter but mmm mmm bee-yotch! I've been experimenting with recipe ratios and I think I've found one I like. Now I share it with you.
Wait! Speaking of muffins, brings something to mind. I'm a fan of this website: www.zeldalily.com it's a blog that discusses feminist issues and the political ridiculousness of our great USofA. A lot of the comments are amusing. A few of my friends may not be in agreeance with it's liberal* take on life, however, I am. Consider yourselves warned.
OO! Props to the Sha for pointing this one out to me: www.regretsy.com It highlights some of the more interesting bits of etsy.com -which can be a fantastic place for finding handmade shtuff. But. Anyone can sell their "art" and it gets a little weird from time to time.
(I do love the etsy spelling mistakes, and on regretsy there are categories named Dead Things and Holistic Horseshit. *giggle*)
Let's see what else has been going on
1. Saturday was pretty much perfect weather. I planted a few types of lettuce, spinach, bokchoy and a crap load of herbs. Now my mini patio is covered with cheap plastic containers and dirt. In case you need to know, perlite + eyes = sore eyes for a day.
2. Alice in Wonderland was amusing. I liked the March Hare.
3. Started a small clay figure for an eventual bronze but I might start it again with a more stable armature... it's legs cracked near the ankles. Leave it to me to think half-assed will work. Merf.
4. I still like Vampire Weekend. Because really, who gives a fuck about the Oxford comma?
5. Nephew informed me (quite astutely and with a look of utter contempt) that the Doctor's office hurts. His stitches are out and is healing well.
6. Keep all fingers and sundry crossed that Mister will score some job interviews. Particularly with one that includes international travel. It sounds killer and I know he'd be very good at it.
Ok, on to the goods:
Ingredients
Base for muffins:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil
Added stuff that makes it spiced:
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
dash nutmeg
Ovenstuff
1. preheat oven to 400F
2. grease 12 baking cups or line with muffin papers
Sift
1. Sift flour, powder, soda, spices and salt (optional) into a large bowl
2. set aside
Mix liquids
1. Beat 2 eggs, vanilla, and milk together
2. while beating, slowly drizzle in oil until all of the oil is well combined
3. add sugar and mix it in until it's sort of dissolved (doesn't have to be totally dissolved)
The 1, 2 Combination
1. make a well in the middle of your sifted flour mix
2. dump in all liquid mix
3. stir it around until just combined - you want to see lumps and some unmixed bits of flour stuff
4. fill up your muffin tin (they'll rise over the top and make good crowns)
Bake
1. bake in 400F oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and cake tester comes out dry
Variations
This is a pretty basic muffin recipe, you can fold in random crap- nuts, choco chips, fruit bits when you combine the liquid and dry
Switch buttermilk for regular milk- works fine
I substituted juice and zest of 2 medium lemons and 1 cup of Greek yoghurt for the milk and omitted the spices and made some pretty tasty lemon muffins... play around with it, you can make some killer** combos
*bye bye friends, it was nice knowing you...
** that's the 2nd use of this word in a single post, my apologies
17 March, 2010
Citrus sinensis Pecunia, Pecunium? Who the hell knows, Latin is dead for a reason
Blarg-o-matic
I ate too much of this GIGANTOR orange.
It was just so good.
As I was eating too much GIGANTOR orange, I was wondering about the orange and how it got to me. Does this orange bemoan its fate? Does it wish it had made more of an effort in college, perhaps signing up for the 2 year program in Italy instead of one semester? Would I give a rat's ass even if it did? Somehow I think if I can eat an adorable rabbit and wear its furred skin as wonderfully soft mittens then I could eat chomp down one regretful orange.
Speaking of oranges.
Ok you weren't, but I was. Am... At Christmas time one year, my crafty Mother stuck a bunch of cloves into a few oranges, gave them as gifts and gave yours truly an history lesson. She explained how valuable both cloves and oranges used to be... and also how she'd never do that again because who knew dried whole cloves are tipped with x-acto blades?
Point, DPO, Point.
Right, I was wondering where the nearest orangery and uh... clovery? would be after the zombies come and start the end of humanity. I'm going to need to keep the scurfy in check and I also think items such as these will be the new currency. Along with tins of heavy syrup peaches...
mmmm peaches
Today's recipe: Kasha
What the hell is kasha you say?
It's a delectable mix of bulgar wheat (aka kasha), squishy bowtie noodles and onion. Some peeps put mushrooms in it which I like but Mister thinks that mushrooms = poison.
And he may have a point...
"Why did you push Mister down the stairs, DPO?"
"Because he wouldn't eat his mushrooms."
Ingredients
1 large onion
1 cup bulgar wheat (kasha)
2 cups low salt chicken broth
1/2 lb of farfalle cooked
1 egg
1 Tbspn butter
1 tsp kosher salt (optional)
Kashinator, Noodlenator* and Onions
1. Mix 1 cup kasha with 1 egg and dry fry in a pan on LOW heat until kasha is dry and smells nutty
2. Add 2 cups broth, cover and remove from heat
3. set aside
4. cook farfalle until done
5. drain, rinse and set aside
6. Chop onion into bite sized pieces and saute in butter until caramelized
7. set onion aside
Assemble and Bake
1. Pre-heat oven to 350F
2. In a large bowl, stir together onions, kasha and noodles and 1 tsp salt (optional)
3. dump into a greased 9x13 baking dish
4. bake at 350F for about 30 mins (this makes some of the noodles delightfully** crunchy)
*noodlenator? that's horrible
**Yes. It's a friggin' delight.
I ate too much of this GIGANTOR orange.
It was just so good.
As I was eating too much GIGANTOR orange, I was wondering about the orange and how it got to me. Does this orange bemoan its fate? Does it wish it had made more of an effort in college, perhaps signing up for the 2 year program in Italy instead of one semester? Would I give a rat's ass even if it did? Somehow I think if I can eat an adorable rabbit and wear its furred skin as wonderfully soft mittens then I could eat chomp down one regretful orange.
Speaking of oranges.
Ok you weren't, but I was. Am... At Christmas time one year, my crafty Mother stuck a bunch of cloves into a few oranges, gave them as gifts and gave yours truly an history lesson. She explained how valuable both cloves and oranges used to be... and also how she'd never do that again because who knew dried whole cloves are tipped with x-acto blades?
Point, DPO, Point.
Right, I was wondering where the nearest orangery and uh... clovery? would be after the zombies come and start the end of humanity. I'm going to need to keep the scurfy in check and I also think items such as these will be the new currency. Along with tins of heavy syrup peaches...
mmmm peaches
Today's recipe: Kasha
What the hell is kasha you say?
It's a delectable mix of bulgar wheat (aka kasha), squishy bowtie noodles and onion. Some peeps put mushrooms in it which I like but Mister thinks that mushrooms = poison.
And he may have a point...
"Why did you push Mister down the stairs, DPO?"
"Because he wouldn't eat his mushrooms."
Ingredients
1 large onion
1 cup bulgar wheat (kasha)
2 cups low salt chicken broth
1/2 lb of farfalle cooked
1 egg
1 Tbspn butter
1 tsp kosher salt (optional)
Kashinator, Noodlenator* and Onions
1. Mix 1 cup kasha with 1 egg and dry fry in a pan on LOW heat until kasha is dry and smells nutty
2. Add 2 cups broth, cover and remove from heat
3. set aside
4. cook farfalle until done
5. drain, rinse and set aside
6. Chop onion into bite sized pieces and saute in butter until caramelized
7. set onion aside
Assemble and Bake
1. Pre-heat oven to 350F
2. In a large bowl, stir together onions, kasha and noodles and 1 tsp salt (optional)
3. dump into a greased 9x13 baking dish
4. bake at 350F for about 30 mins (this makes some of the noodles delightfully** crunchy)
*noodlenator? that's horrible
**Yes. It's a friggin' delight.
09 March, 2010
Sledding for Carrots... and more Cake
As a 9 year old in the northeast I liked, nay, I loved to go sledding and would do so at any opportunity. A quarter inch of snow on the ground? Count me in! The dog poo I was supposed to pick up but didn't will help me with the sweet jump I built out of a couple of logs of firewood and an old stop sign!! What could go wrong? (I'm sure I was irritating enough for my parents to want to shove me out in the cold and hope hypothermia sets in so I'll just sit down and be quiet for 10 minutes. )
The school I went to was in a mini-valley with steep hillsides on two sides of the playground. These were some primo sledding hills. However being a Catholic school and me being in the possession of a vagina I had to wear a skirt so the recess sledding was not in the works por moi. Then the loveliest thing of all happened. The school decided to allow anyone who wore ski-pants* to school to put them on at recess and have at it. WOOT!!
Exciting Conclusion:
My friend Allie (who I still look for... she was a Navy kid) accidentally knocked me down and I bit through my bottom lip (I still have a mini scar).
What took us down this memory lane? Nephew fell on the playground and had to get 2 stitches in his bottom lip. Poor guy... He seems to, unfortunately, take after his GrandpaDPO and the DPO in the grace department. I'm buying that kid a helmet and kevlar suit.
Today I have a recipe for the best way to eat carrots- in the form of cake. For those who don't care for the taste of the carrot, this recipe is for you because you can't even taste carrot. It's just sort of in there...
Fun facts about carrots:
1. Greeks seem to be responsible for starting the whole eating carrots will help your eyesight thing. What a bunch of smarties those ancients were.**
2. Actually it was probably the Afghans that found this out but they didn't announce it to the world because carrots are thought to have originated from the Afghanistan area...
3. You should all be aware, there are carrot museums in the UK and Belgium. Now go visit them.
4. The world's longest carrot was about 19 feet long.
Ridiculous.
Into this cake, you may put in raisins and nuts if you want to but I don't. Cooked raisins remind me of bloated ticks. Sure they taste fine but I still have a hard time getting the thought of those giant ticks stuck to Ralphie out of my head. And now you may too, don't thank me for the imagery... it's my pleasure.
I don't use applesauce or any of that crap (although it does work well). The original recipe I found called for a BOAT load of oil.
Yes, an entire Frigate hold of oil.
But lucky for you, I've cut down the oil to a point where it still keeps the cake moist but isn't as much...
What I'm saying here is that this is not a "light" cake or low-fat or any of that.
It's a friggin' cake.
It's delicious, eat it.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cup of grated carrots (little less than a 1lb bag)
2 cups All purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
dash of pepper or cayenne pepper (optional)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil (make sure your oil is fresh otherwise your cake will taste sort of rancid or plastic-y)
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
The Set Up
1. Grate your carrots, don't grate your fingers.
2. Squish out as much carrot juice as possible
3. set aside
4. Sift together flour, soda, powder, salt and spices and set aside
Oven stuff
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Put the parchment paper circles in the bottoms of your pan(s), and grease the sides (I used 2, 9" round baking tins)
Combinaciones
1. In a large bowl, beat 4 eggs until they're a little frothy (about immediately after you turn on mixer)
2. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar to eggs and beat until it turns pale yellow and the sugar is mostly dissolved
3. Slowly add in 3/4 cup oil mixing the entire time
4. Add in vanilla
5. Add sifted ingredients and stir until just combined (batter will be lumpy)
6. Fold in carrots and optional nuts/raisins
7. dump it into cake pans and bake for about 25-30 mins
8. Cool cakes on a rack before frosting with, what else...
Cream Cheese Frosting
8oz cream cheese
4 Tbspn butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1. Whip all ingredients together, stick it in fridge until cakes cool
2. Frost cake
3. Give half of cake to sister and her family so you don't eat it all
Please Note: If you use fat free cream cheese (it was all I had at the time), the frosting turns into more of a glaze...
__________________________________________________________________
*Yes, ski-pants are worn OVER the skirt and kneesocks. (And shorts are worn UNDER the skirt- it gets drafty and some boys take any opportunity to look up your dress.)
**Another fun fact about the Ancient Greeks, they're reputed to have had a glass/ceramic dildo making factory***
***Bet you weren't expecting that as a footnote.
The school I went to was in a mini-valley with steep hillsides on two sides of the playground. These were some primo sledding hills. However being a Catholic school and me being in the possession of a vagina I had to wear a skirt so the recess sledding was not in the works por moi. Then the loveliest thing of all happened. The school decided to allow anyone who wore ski-pants* to school to put them on at recess and have at it. WOOT!!
Exciting Conclusion:
My friend Allie (who I still look for... she was a Navy kid) accidentally knocked me down and I bit through my bottom lip (I still have a mini scar).
What took us down this memory lane? Nephew fell on the playground and had to get 2 stitches in his bottom lip. Poor guy... He seems to, unfortunately, take after his GrandpaDPO and the DPO in the grace department. I'm buying that kid a helmet and kevlar suit.
Today I have a recipe for the best way to eat carrots- in the form of cake. For those who don't care for the taste of the carrot, this recipe is for you because you can't even taste carrot. It's just sort of in there...
Fun facts about carrots:
1. Greeks seem to be responsible for starting the whole eating carrots will help your eyesight thing. What a bunch of smarties those ancients were.**
2. Actually it was probably the Afghans that found this out but they didn't announce it to the world because carrots are thought to have originated from the Afghanistan area...
3. You should all be aware, there are carrot museums in the UK and Belgium. Now go visit them.
4. The world's longest carrot was about 19 feet long.
Ridiculous.
Into this cake, you may put in raisins and nuts if you want to but I don't. Cooked raisins remind me of bloated ticks. Sure they taste fine but I still have a hard time getting the thought of those giant ticks stuck to Ralphie out of my head. And now you may too, don't thank me for the imagery... it's my pleasure.
I don't use applesauce or any of that crap (although it does work well). The original recipe I found called for a BOAT load of oil.
Yes, an entire Frigate hold of oil.
But lucky for you, I've cut down the oil to a point where it still keeps the cake moist but isn't as much...
What I'm saying here is that this is not a "light" cake or low-fat or any of that.
It's a friggin' cake.
It's delicious, eat it.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cup of grated carrots (little less than a 1lb bag)
2 cups All purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
dash of pepper or cayenne pepper (optional)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil (make sure your oil is fresh otherwise your cake will taste sort of rancid or plastic-y)
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
The Set Up
1. Grate your carrots, don't grate your fingers.
2. Squish out as much carrot juice as possible
3. set aside
4. Sift together flour, soda, powder, salt and spices and set aside
Oven stuff
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Put the parchment paper circles in the bottoms of your pan(s), and grease the sides (I used 2, 9" round baking tins)
Combinaciones
1. In a large bowl, beat 4 eggs until they're a little frothy (about immediately after you turn on mixer)
2. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar to eggs and beat until it turns pale yellow and the sugar is mostly dissolved
3. Slowly add in 3/4 cup oil mixing the entire time
4. Add in vanilla
5. Add sifted ingredients and stir until just combined (batter will be lumpy)
6. Fold in carrots and optional nuts/raisins
7. dump it into cake pans and bake for about 25-30 mins
8. Cool cakes on a rack before frosting with, what else...
Cream Cheese Frosting
8oz cream cheese
4 Tbspn butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1. Whip all ingredients together, stick it in fridge until cakes cool
2. Frost cake
3. Give half of cake to sister and her family so you don't eat it all
Please Note: If you use fat free cream cheese (it was all I had at the time), the frosting turns into more of a glaze...
__________________________________________________________________
*Yes, ski-pants are worn OVER the skirt and kneesocks. (And shorts are worn UNDER the skirt- it gets drafty and some boys take any opportunity to look up your dress.)
**Another fun fact about the Ancient Greeks, they're reputed to have had a glass/ceramic dildo making factory***
***Bet you weren't expecting that as a footnote.
08 March, 2010
BBQ type Marinade
A Monday haiku (5-7-5 version):
Sun is shining now.
Babaganouj, outdoor seat.
Eat lunch and relax.
It was sooooooooooo nice to sit outside with friend and have lunch today. I feel like I've been in a cave for... well, a few months at least. My skin also feels sun stung* and it is good.
Highlights from this weekend:
Friday I had a date with the Nephew. After the terror of having Mom leave him with some blue haired weirdo subsided, I taught him how to use the squirtgun and we had a chocolate cookie. My job as Auntie is complete for this month.
Made a pretty good carrot cake with no grated finger in it and grilled outside on Saturday. We also sat out at night smoking cigars and drinking with the neighbors briefly... Got to pet the neighbors snarfley boxer and give her a treat. I found the magic scratch spots so we're bff's now. My desire for a dog has been renewed.**
Sunday had the windows open for a little, got to play with Nephew and be reminded that I'm an out of shape Auntie. Pushing a less than 30 pounder around shouldn't be that tough... (must work on that)
I'm focused on the outside today so you get my cop-out recipe. Really, It's not because I forgot my recipe book and can't think of anything else right now.
Grilled bbq chicken breast
Marinade
Ingredients
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1 tbspn soy sauce
2 tbspn rice wine
2 cloves garlic smashed
pepper to taste
1. Whisk it all together
2. dump it in a ziplock with your chicken and let sit for 1 hour or overnight in fridge
We have one of those generic versions of a weber type round grill. The kind you dump a bunch of charcoal in, light it and forget it. Then an hour later you're thinking the grill smell in the air is delectable and that maybe you should grill something too. When you finally recall you already thought of this, congratulate yourself because now it's all heated up just right and you can get this show on the road cause dammit you're hungry!
I grilled 3 marinated split breasts (with bones) for 40 minutes on the outer ring of less intense heat, let meat sit for 10 minutes and it was pretty good... didn't dry out and had just enough extra taste to be interesting.
*Sun stung = the non-sunburn sunburn that is a result of your first sun filled outing that lasted at least an hour in full sun... Please note, freckles and skin cancer can kiss my ghostly undercarriage, I'm sitting in the sun today.
**No Sister, I'm sorry, I don't want JJ. He's a Sith lord and would destroy our furniture.
Sun is shining now.
Babaganouj, outdoor seat.
Eat lunch and relax.
It was sooooooooooo nice to sit outside with friend and have lunch today. I feel like I've been in a cave for... well, a few months at least. My skin also feels sun stung* and it is good.
Highlights from this weekend:
Friday I had a date with the Nephew. After the terror of having Mom leave him with some blue haired weirdo subsided, I taught him how to use the squirtgun and we had a chocolate cookie. My job as Auntie is complete for this month.
Made a pretty good carrot cake with no grated finger in it and grilled outside on Saturday. We also sat out at night smoking cigars and drinking with the neighbors briefly... Got to pet the neighbors snarfley boxer and give her a treat. I found the magic scratch spots so we're bff's now. My desire for a dog has been renewed.**
Sunday had the windows open for a little, got to play with Nephew and be reminded that I'm an out of shape Auntie. Pushing a less than 30 pounder around shouldn't be that tough... (must work on that)
I'm focused on the outside today so you get my cop-out recipe. Really, It's not because I forgot my recipe book and can't think of anything else right now.
Grilled bbq chicken breast
Marinade
Ingredients
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1 tbspn soy sauce
2 tbspn rice wine
2 cloves garlic smashed
pepper to taste
1. Whisk it all together
2. dump it in a ziplock with your chicken and let sit for 1 hour or overnight in fridge
We have one of those generic versions of a weber type round grill. The kind you dump a bunch of charcoal in, light it and forget it. Then an hour later you're thinking the grill smell in the air is delectable and that maybe you should grill something too. When you finally recall you already thought of this, congratulate yourself because now it's all heated up just right and you can get this show on the road cause dammit you're hungry!
I grilled 3 marinated split breasts (with bones) for 40 minutes on the outer ring of less intense heat, let meat sit for 10 minutes and it was pretty good... didn't dry out and had just enough extra taste to be interesting.
*Sun stung = the non-sunburn sunburn that is a result of your first sun filled outing that lasted at least an hour in full sun... Please note, freckles and skin cancer can kiss my ghostly undercarriage, I'm sitting in the sun today.
**No Sister, I'm sorry, I don't want JJ. He's a Sith lord and would destroy our furniture.
05 March, 2010
Super Stoked Choco-Cake
Two reasons for excitement:
1. The up arrow on my keyboard has started working again!! I pried off the key and cleaned that mother out and now it works again. Who knew?
2. MINI TRIP!!!
Mister came up with a brilliant idea to take a mini holiday to D.C. I'm so excited*. It was the perfect time for this plan because we're both ready to reenact War of the Roses. "That depends on what the pate is made from". (Check out the trailer on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ebv3i_9Ltc . ) Work has been a bit stressful and of course it's March so it's allllllmost good weather but not quite yet. Thankfully we're both early tax filers so we have a tiny bit of play monies after paying off the ever present tarjeta de creditos. Meh. I hate credit cards. I wish they would institute the whole no cards issued to anyone under 21. You need plastic? Use a bank card. If this law was in place when I was 18 I wouldn't have been in as much debt as I was... of course I probably wouldn't have been able to afford the ramen either but I was in art school... isn't that the point? Starving artist and all?
By the way, this is not a myth or an exaggeration, artists and art students generally have no money because decent art supplies and all the tools you need to start (not to mention the price of really good paper) are unbelievably expensive. I don't know that I could estimate the amount of money I spent during 4 years on art supplies and tools. $6000 maybe? Some of the tools I still have... you only have to buy some items once and if you take care of them, they'll last indefinitely. So I guess you could call it an investment? P-shaw. Pretty sure this is why I'm a tool addict now. When I say addict I mean yes, I would steal $20 bucks out of your mom's purse to purchase a ball peen with a sweet grip. One of my dreams is to buy a nice sawsall and systematically demolish a house. Well, maybe not a house that smacks of performance art, let's say a sofa...
I imagine this addiction will lead to the time when I finally buy a fancy pants chef's knife. And by fancy pants I mean a carbon steel biznatch that I sharpen myself and no one is allowed to touch.
No.
One.
If I had the room (and money) I would eventually set up a super sweet kitchen, metal shop, pottery shop and wood shop and it would be wicked**. Of course, I might stretch myself a little thin when it comes to focus... but I could use ALL shops to create my Masterpiece***.
This cake recipe wasn't originally mine but I can't remember where I got it. It's a VERY rich cake and one year I think I make 8 of them as holiday gifts.
I use 2, 9" round baking tins for this recipe.
Ingredients
3 oz grated chocolate or choco chips (I like the fancy Swiss baking chocolate but you can use whatever you can afford)
1 1/2 cups hot coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup unsweet cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3/4 tsp vanilla
Oven
1. Preheat to 300F
2. line bottoms of pans with parchment paper and grease sides and paper
Combinations du jour (uh... du cake)
1. dump hot coffee into a small bowl, add chocolate pieces stir occasionally until smooth, set aside
2. sift together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt set aside
3. in a large bowl mix eggs until slightly thick and lemon colored, slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla and chocolate/coffee mix and beat until well combined
4. slowly add in sifted ingredients and beat until just combined (batter will be a little lumpy)
Bakings and Quakings
1. Dump batter into pans in equal-ish amounts
2. Smack pans on the counter to release any giant bubbles
3. Bake until cake springs back when you touch the top about one hour to 1 1/2 hours
4. cool completely in the pans
5. frost and eat or just eat and shiver with chocolate fulfillment
*and no, I just can't hide it. And now you may smack me.
**pronounced "wick-it" and is generally paired with pisser (pronounced piss-ah)
***Not to be confused with Monsterpiece as in Monsterpiece Theater with Alistair Cookie
1. The up arrow on my keyboard has started working again!! I pried off the key and cleaned that mother out and now it works again. Who knew?
2. MINI TRIP!!!
Mister came up with a brilliant idea to take a mini holiday to D.C. I'm so excited*. It was the perfect time for this plan because we're both ready to reenact War of the Roses. "That depends on what the pate is made from". (Check out the trailer on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ebv3i_9Ltc . ) Work has been a bit stressful and of course it's March so it's allllllmost good weather but not quite yet. Thankfully we're both early tax filers so we have a tiny bit of play monies after paying off the ever present tarjeta de creditos. Meh. I hate credit cards. I wish they would institute the whole no cards issued to anyone under 21. You need plastic? Use a bank card. If this law was in place when I was 18 I wouldn't have been in as much debt as I was... of course I probably wouldn't have been able to afford the ramen either but I was in art school... isn't that the point? Starving artist and all?
By the way, this is not a myth or an exaggeration, artists and art students generally have no money because decent art supplies and all the tools you need to start (not to mention the price of really good paper) are unbelievably expensive. I don't know that I could estimate the amount of money I spent during 4 years on art supplies and tools. $6000 maybe? Some of the tools I still have... you only have to buy some items once and if you take care of them, they'll last indefinitely. So I guess you could call it an investment? P-shaw. Pretty sure this is why I'm a tool addict now. When I say addict I mean yes, I would steal $20 bucks out of your mom's purse to purchase a ball peen with a sweet grip. One of my dreams is to buy a nice sawsall and systematically demolish a house. Well, maybe not a house that smacks of performance art, let's say a sofa...
I imagine this addiction will lead to the time when I finally buy a fancy pants chef's knife. And by fancy pants I mean a carbon steel biznatch that I sharpen myself and no one is allowed to touch.
No.
One.
If I had the room (and money) I would eventually set up a super sweet kitchen, metal shop, pottery shop and wood shop and it would be wicked**. Of course, I might stretch myself a little thin when it comes to focus... but I could use ALL shops to create my Masterpiece***.
This cake recipe wasn't originally mine but I can't remember where I got it. It's a VERY rich cake and one year I think I make 8 of them as holiday gifts.
I use 2, 9" round baking tins for this recipe.
Ingredients
3 oz grated chocolate or choco chips (I like the fancy Swiss baking chocolate but you can use whatever you can afford)
1 1/2 cups hot coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup unsweet cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3/4 tsp vanilla
Oven
1. Preheat to 300F
2. line bottoms of pans with parchment paper and grease sides and paper
Combinations du jour (uh... du cake)
1. dump hot coffee into a small bowl, add chocolate pieces stir occasionally until smooth, set aside
2. sift together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt set aside
3. in a large bowl mix eggs until slightly thick and lemon colored, slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla and chocolate/coffee mix and beat until well combined
4. slowly add in sifted ingredients and beat until just combined (batter will be a little lumpy)
Bakings and Quakings
1. Dump batter into pans in equal-ish amounts
2. Smack pans on the counter to release any giant bubbles
3. Bake until cake springs back when you touch the top about one hour to 1 1/2 hours
4. cool completely in the pans
5. frost and eat or just eat and shiver with chocolate fulfillment
*and no, I just can't hide it. And now you may smack me.
**pronounced "wick-it" and is generally paired with pisser (pronounced piss-ah)
***Not to be confused with Monsterpiece as in Monsterpiece Theater with Alistair Cookie
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