tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759654786213107072024-03-12T16:16:04.892-07:00Damn Cute Bunniesa place to hang my damn hatDamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-76344654736456397332023-02-16T14:34:00.000-08:002023-02-16T14:34:23.400-08:00Well, fuck.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZduvnOb-wyuI42vYWuwMrnJKygeHd1ssGDXiRKU3HVcwRe5bx4wVwkV1xx9vKvR0iDAZNkwsULbdL_09n_LWs-ztBu_e43g343_vYqxS6l_djfz-BgdKmnrXmxNb76geRdUdaZk1ZeOZ8jeH8EV6NvXlO3S-_uNiNtvJQvHkFD0nXxeTJs7_id5vB2w/s1800/WA-Jim&Me3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZduvnOb-wyuI42vYWuwMrnJKygeHd1ssGDXiRKU3HVcwRe5bx4wVwkV1xx9vKvR0iDAZNkwsULbdL_09n_LWs-ztBu_e43g343_vYqxS6l_djfz-BgdKmnrXmxNb76geRdUdaZk1ZeOZ8jeH8EV6NvXlO3S-_uNiNtvJQvHkFD0nXxeTJs7_id5vB2w/w400-h266/WA-Jim&Me3.jpg" title="Jim and me at Woodland Park Zoo, 1994" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>"I want to tell you I love you. I want to love you. I always will love you... You, dead, are so much better that anyone else alive.” – Richard Feynman in a letter to his wife Arline, Oct. 17, 1946</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />The love of my life and partner in literally everything, died on July 28, 2022. On his birthday. Jim's last prank. He was admitted to the hospital due to low oxygen levels on Dec. 14, 2021 and stayed there until March 2022, where he was then transferred to a nursing home. Finally in June 2022 he was released to come home for what we hoped was more rehab (in spite of his Stage IV lung cancer). Just a week later his oncologist called it: Jim had 2 weeks to 3 months left. I wasn't with Jim at that earth-shattering followup where he got the news, because he'd given me COVID from the nursing home and I couldn't enter the building. At-home hospice was a fiasco and I will never forget it. The coup d'grace was our oldest cat, Frida (the first pet we adopted together), died two weeks after Jim. She'd had a stroke in May but recovered and was home when Jim was here, and also when he died. Jim was always Frida's person, the only one she'd make biscuits on. I think she was devastated and lost the will to live.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />Jim was the solution to my midlife crisis when I turned 40. We set out to build a new life together nearly 28 years ago. While that sounds like a good long time, believe me when I say it feels like a time warp. I'm utterly in shock how fast those years went by, and still feel robbed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Seven months later, I continue to see a therapist in person and attend grief group therapy via Zoom. Took on a couple more fosters. I've been cooking and canning a little more than usual because I'm trying to do the things that used to make me happy. Just went to the first in-person annual Soup Swap since the pandemic, which was fun yet bittersweet to go it alone. If anyone's interested, I'll post the recipe for the soup I made shortly, along with a spaghetti sauce recipe I recently canned. Both are vegan and use Impossible or Beyond plant-based meats. <br /></div><p></p>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-69171456896663903242021-06-17T15:45:00.004-07:002021-06-17T17:52:43.356-07:00Chili con carne for canning<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHXileUZ22vuu3ilaUW_kkdZHuXIISWWxEYXXbEDMIrC_2ACGhUNsWEa33eQQc6dI8Kts1aKFxskHXNnKq_Jy9FXbYH2jbRHnF1aOUXPkz9trje2iEISSx7cSkeate4RN47egQ5E01l4v/s2048/C6065ED3-8A82-4F45-8896-75F1E167880D.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHXileUZ22vuu3ilaUW_kkdZHuXIISWWxEYXXbEDMIrC_2ACGhUNsWEa33eQQc6dI8Kts1aKFxskHXNnKq_Jy9FXbYH2jbRHnF1aOUXPkz9trje2iEISSx7cSkeate4RN47egQ5E01l4v/s320/C6065ED3-8A82-4F45-8896-75F1E167880D.jpeg" /></a></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h4 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h4><h3 style="text-align: left;">Chili con Carne</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 lbs. dry pinto beans</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5 lbs. boneless chuck, cut into large stew-size pieces</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Vegetable oil for sauteing</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3 onions, chopped</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/4 c. garlic, minced</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1-2 jalapeños, minced</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1 lb. Gardein beefless ground or 1 lb. ground beef, optional</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3 28-oz cans S&W crushed tomatoes w/purée</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 6-oz can tomato paste</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/4 c. Better than Boullion beef </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3 T chile pasilla, ground</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 T chipotle, ground</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 T salt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 T adobo</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 T Italian herbs or oregano</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 c. masa mixed into 1 c. water</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Citric acid</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Soak the dry beans in cold water overnight, picking out floaters. In the morning, drain and rinse the beans. Preheat oven to 200°F. Heat oil in a pot or pan. In batches, brown the chuck on all sides, adding a little more oil if necessary and put aside. Brown the ground beef, if using; in the same pan, sauté onions until translucent, then add garlic and jalapeño, sautéing for another minute. In a large pot, combine all the ingredients except beans. Bring to a simwmer on the stovetop, then cover and cook in the oven until the chuck is nearly fork tender (4-6 hours). While you're checking the meat, if you want thicker chili, add more masa mixture. About 30 minutes before the chili is finished cooking, add beans and adjust seasoning. (At this point you can also put your clean canning jars in the oven to sterillize.) Cover the pot and continue to cook in the oven for 30 minutes. You may remove the pot from the oven when done but keep the mixture hot if you're canning.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ready the pressure canner by putting the rack in the base, filling with about 3" of water and putting on stovetop to heat the water.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Get enough hot jars out of the oven for your first batch. For each jar, put 1/2 tsp. citric acid in the bottom, then fill with chili to within 1" of the rim. Wipe rim clean if needed, place flat lid on rim, then hand-tighten the ring onto the jar. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Place jars in the pressure canner, ideally with some space in between. Secure the canner's cover and follow your canner's directions to process for 90 minutes @ 10 lbs pressure. I have an All-American pressure canner; for me the directions are to vent steam for 7 minutes, put the 10 lb. pressure regulator valve on the valve stem; once the valve starts jiggling, start the timer and adjust the heat so the valve jiggles 1-4 times per minute. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After 90 minutes, turn off the heat, move the canner off the stove if you can and allow the canner pressure to reach 0 (zero) or, if you don't have a gauge, a minimum of 15-20 minutes before attempting to remove the valve and the cover. Have a towel laid out or rack on the counter. Remove the jars using canning tongs or silicone gloves and place on the towel or rack to cool. You may hear the lids popping as they cool - this is normal. Wipe off any grease that may bave leaked out of the jars. Clean out the canner, fill with 3" of fresh water and repeat the process for subsequent batches.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped green onions! </div><p></p>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-66371818920418395692021-03-23T16:00:00.003-07:002021-06-17T17:57:30.457-07:00Goodbye, Curly<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstLTVW63lp9nPPPGfshWcfJ5fHDRnL2HTk1c1avZVkjG8e0KHNz4T7U3cR7BypUvp8PXuS1VaQYogIq0pV6noSY7xy9jLD3viQ0WQbYTR3fBB4rLLYg851ko65S4LYQ7YXkv6MVJLlvNU/s4608/11FB5AEF-419C-46CA-8C97-627D247867E6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstLTVW63lp9nPPPGfshWcfJ5fHDRnL2HTk1c1avZVkjG8e0KHNz4T7U3cR7BypUvp8PXuS1VaQYogIq0pV6noSY7xy9jLD3viQ0WQbYTR3fBB4rLLYg851ko65S4LYQ7YXkv6MVJLlvNU/s320/11FB5AEF-419C-46CA-8C97-627D247867E6.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0KDPkG6ReLbmcIEaELXxfEhJj0NnT1B9tM3GC0RwfsO36BFwNC7we_u1NnZoeQ2yroBJzf-c1IVMYQzyYCl7OA-4213WO055yRWGjvdFJeORn932Dvk4-_grhJbHyNsOCnitVLqqItIC/s4608/16248291-8BE3-40D4-82EC-2C6A58B032A1.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; text-decoration: none;">Goodbye, my sweet girl. 13 years ago, you were orphaned and came into my life. My only lap kitty out of all my cats. I tried so hard to keep you going but eventually even your feisty calico personality needed to leave your poor tired body. Please say hi to Fang when you get to the RB. I'll see you again someday.</span></a><p></p>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-1152678929708119942021-02-04T20:30:00.006-08:002021-03-20T09:57:45.932-07:00Goodbye, Fang<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPi8M5P8F5oPn_7m4TlUu1JYGXJZtO2Gg59akT_K7wF7e8L_wAFlYVP0P0Z0-bp8VzPoCQAowOAmuLpGRqRrQhtM5O_r8qNe48O60_orRIKFTKqkNZ7P3ifbZ_iO6ZrAvGEg_TqXXbe5Ki/s2048/FangGlamour_2015_03-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPi8M5P8F5oPn_7m4TlUu1JYGXJZtO2Gg59akT_K7wF7e8L_wAFlYVP0P0Z0-bp8VzPoCQAowOAmuLpGRqRrQhtM5O_r8qNe48O60_orRIKFTKqkNZ7P3ifbZ_iO6ZrAvGEg_TqXXbe5Ki/w400-h225/FangGlamour_2015_03-18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My boy is gone and I am shattered.<br /><br />Life feels empty and without purpose now.<br />Forever changed, with eternal heartbreak.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3XsHb4LJk2HZa_7hrWvcQtt7q1VBXu7M-H-fcUY9odQjT3e-ywHgkZ80MLuridIxK5pYOQiFRRntoHS-ayE6QhoHDd0szmOXcdJ3TN8xFyaGc2aG6OxCdGxC66MMohuh5czcxN0-DHTR/s2048/2021-03-09_13-29-16_673.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3XsHb4LJk2HZa_7hrWvcQtt7q1VBXu7M-H-fcUY9odQjT3e-ywHgkZ80MLuridIxK5pYOQiFRRntoHS-ayE6QhoHDd0szmOXcdJ3TN8xFyaGc2aG6OxCdGxC66MMohuh5czcxN0-DHTR/w200-h150/2021-03-09_13-29-16_673.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-15918426894042415192020-11-27T21:55:00.001-08:002020-12-01T22:44:27.040-08:00Thanksgiving in the time of COVID-19<p style="text-align: left;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfAWfkdDW7zbavG1pFyAGwLfwebRbgn4Ropq9tcleCuRmCkUXRzzxiFz9x3eItHx0GdMvSa2j8aVDft-RL_EcuPbJxMlRPpOzZ9cLxYuhdQYgJ74ndxR8D7-OmUHQtEa0RZUmf32BKbqB/s320/D77BA931-F6B1-4E25-8E0F-6907325B0462.jpeg" /></p><p></p><p>And how was YOUR Thanksgiving this year? Mine started out kind of differently right away when I went food shopping. There were no whole turkeys smaller than 16 lbs. to be found anywhere. Let me tell you, a 16 lb. turkey is a lot for just two people. Then, like millions of other Americans who are in a high-risk category, we stayed home, barely having any human contact except to do a food swap with our immediate neighbors. </p><p>The menu was the same as it's been for the last few years. My partner was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer in 2019 and has been in heart failure for several years. My goal these days is to make life as normal and routine as possible for him, and having the same old menu seemed more appropriate than ever.</p><div style="text-align: left;">THANKSGIVING 2020</div><div style="text-align: left;">Roast Turkey - <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe-1950271" target="_blank">Alton Brown's Good Eats version</a>, which always comes out great</div><div style="text-align: left;">Stuffing/Dressing - <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/sausage-and-herb-stuffing-recipe-1943434" target="_blank">Ina Garten's Sausage & Herb Stuffing</a> with green apple</div><div style="text-align: left;">Gravy</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://damncutebunnies.blogspot.com/2020/12/cindis-spiced-cranberry-sauce-two.html" target="_blank">Cranberry-Orange Sauce</a> - my friend Cindi aka Blind Bob's Bakery recipe</div><div style="text-align: left;">Mashed Potatoes</div><div style="text-align: left;">Mashed Sweet Potatoes</div><div style="text-align: left;">Corn</div><div style="text-align: left;">Steamed Carrots</div><div style="text-align: left;">Apple Pie w/vanilla ice cream</div><div style="text-align: left;">Pumpkin Pie (my spicy version based on <a href="https://www.verybestbaking.com/libbys/recipes/libby-s-famous-pumpkin-pie/" target="_blank">Libby's</a>)</div><p style="text-align: left;">I do things a little differently from Alton's recipe. I buy a frozen turkey and allow it to thaw and brine for 3 days. Make up Alton's brine as usual, stick the frozen turkey in a bag, add the brine and iced water to the bag, and place the bag in the fridge or a cooler (ideally sitting in a cold place, like outside). After 2 days, take the turkey out and pull the neck and frozen giblet package from the cavity, put the turkey back into the bag and fridge/cooler to finish defrosting. Thanksgiving day, I get the bag, drain the brine, rinse the turkey well inside and out and pat dry. Then follow the rest of Alton's instructions for making the aromatics and his fantastic roasting method. Use a thermometer and I promise you, it'll come out perfect.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The only thing I do to improve <a href="https://www.verybestbaking.com/libbys/recipes/libby-s-famous-pumpkin-pie/" target="_blank">Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie</a> (the recipe on the can) is to double the cinnamon, add 1/4 tsp. nutmeg as well as a tablespoon (loosely packed) of grated fresh ginger root. Of course you need to generously slather on lightly sweetened whipped cream, stabilized with instant vanilla or white chocolate pudding mix.</p><p style="text-align: left;">My food-swapping neighbors, who are vegetarian, provided smoked veggies in parchment, potatoes au gratin, crunchy brussells sprout salad, cranberry relish, and baklava. With such a bounty and variety of food, I actually felt guilty thinking of the many people who are now food and housing insecure, and who've lost family members to this terrible virus. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I sure hope next year's Thanksgiving will be normal, but after four years of a madman in the White House, a political party turned cult and my partner's health issues, the chances of things returning to normal are slim. Nevertheless, I wish all of you out there who may be reading this post, health, hope, and most of all normalcy in 2021.</p>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-89943035110901320672020-11-17T23:34:00.008-08:002020-11-20T15:09:09.044-08:00Sourdough Pizza Crust<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBszYzYUho6EnEW-oHKFsyp47aeRoZECASdm2i2LOE54XvL572pDHuEPeDcb3aICfwemkJDHHJq6URg_oHC9N1SwdyWF6pXJjySxcTC_0QBlABlz4sZQYE51yr08P3JE5Mgr02fnrNSkH/s960/Pizza.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="960" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBszYzYUho6EnEW-oHKFsyp47aeRoZECASdm2i2LOE54XvL572pDHuEPeDcb3aICfwemkJDHHJq6URg_oHC9N1SwdyWF6pXJjySxcTC_0QBlABlz4sZQYE51yr08P3JE5Mgr02fnrNSkH/w400-h265/Pizza.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo from King Arthur Flour</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yup, like everyone else who has an oven, I too have been baking sourdough goods for months now. I like to think I was a little psychic, though, since I began tinkering with a starter back in October last year; that first starter just would not stabilize and I started a new one in December. That starter finally stabilized around the beginning of February, just in time for COVID-19 lockdown. I passed my starter (aka 'Rainier Beach Ghetto Blaster') to a couple baker friends who then shared it with others. While working to stabilize my starter in the beginning, I ended up with a LOT of discard. I could not fathom throwing all of it down the drain, so I made more starters to give away and looked all over the internet for recipes using the discard. King Arthur Flour has extensive content about sourdough and <a href="https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/collections/sourdough-discard-recipes">sourdough discard</a>. Another site I found fascinating was <a href="https://sourdo.com/">Sourdoughs International</a>, run by sourdough scientist Ed Wood. They even sell exotic dried starters from all over the world! I ended up ordering a couple but they're in my fridge as backup in case my notorious RBGB starter dies. </div><p>This recipe for Sourdough Pizza Crust was one I took from King Arthur and tweaked a little to fit my liking and technique. I love to prebake the crusts, store in the freezer and, when the mood hits, put fresh, hot, delicious homemade pizza on the table in 15 minutes. <br /><br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Sourdough Pizza Crust</span></b> inspired by King Arthur Flour</p><p><i>Makes one 14" round or 18" x 13" thick-crust pizza or two 12" round thin-crust pizzas</i></p><p>5 oz. (150g) warm water<br />1/2 tsp. instant or active dry yeast<br />1 tsp. salt<br />1 cup/8 oz. (250g) unfed/discard sourdough starter<br />2-1/2 cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose Flour<br />Olive oil for greasing<br />Fine ground cornmeal for dusting</p><p>In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast and salt into the warm water. Whisk in the starter until blended, then mix in the flour. The dough should be soft and shaggy (add water or flour if needed). Knead by hand in the bowl until smooth, or for about 7 minutes in a mixer with the dough hook until the dough wraps itself around the hook.</p><p>Place the dough in a greased container, cover and let rise until doubled in bulk (2-4 hours or more). For a faster rise, place the dough in a warm spot, or double the yeast. At this point if you want to make your pizza later, shape the dough into a ball, place into an oiled ziploc bag and store in the fridge for up to a week. TIP: cold, refrigerated dough is easier to shape. </p><p>Preheat oven to 450°F. Gently dump the risen dough out onto a well-floured board. For two thin-crust pizzas, divide the dough in half. Using oiled hands, gently stretch, rotate and shape each piece into a flattened disk with a rim. Don't pound or roll the dough, as doing so will make the crust tough and cracker-like. Transfer the dough disk to parchment, oiled pizza pan or cornmeal-dusted pizza peel (if using a baking stone in the oven), reshaping and patching if needed. For thick crust pan pizza, oil a 18" x 13" half sheet and, with oiled hands, press the dough out to the edges of the pan. The dough should have a thin film of olive oil on the surface from your hands. Cover the dough lightly with plastic wrap and let rise for 15-30 minutes (or even longer for a thicker crust).</p><p>Remove the plastic wrap, spread sauce and toppings on, all except the cheese. Bake thin-crust pizza for 5 minutes, or thick-crust pizza for 10 minutes, before removing from the oven and adding the cheese. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is bubbly and crust is brown (about 5-10 minutes). Remove pizza from parchment or pan to prevent sogginess, and let cool on a rack for a few minutes before cutting.</p><p><b>Prebaking and freezing pizza crust:</b> After shaping the crust and the final rise, bake the crust without sauce or toppings (thin crust – 5 minutes, thick crust – 8 minutes). Remove from oven, prick any large bubbles, remove crust from parchment or pan, and allow to fully cool on a rack. Wrap crust in plastic wrap, place in plastic bag and freeze. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 450°F. Bake the plain, thawed crust for 5 minutes then remove from the oven, adding sauce, toppings and cheese. Bake until cheese is bubbly and crust is brown, about 10 more minutes. For a toaster oven, just put all your toppings on the frozen crust and bake at 450°F for about 15 minutes.</p>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-80382493568342489812020-11-17T14:54:00.011-08:002020-12-01T22:32:19.964-08:00Bagels are easy AF to make and amazing!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-o_Ng-XWS6dscf7FtVvHtGx2dNFpFPKKeMUq5oSVsdKMfqunBmKW8rLqjufWuLED0J67Hu1cq5uwyPpmk6JA7G73FlU8lZI-0JAg7Ahhoo-r46_srfmvXnjQO9nIkXnLNjrQEglpovmAM/s2048/C86EC880-3A1B-4793-BBCA-F166B8159078.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1329" data-original-width="2048" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-o_Ng-XWS6dscf7FtVvHtGx2dNFpFPKKeMUq5oSVsdKMfqunBmKW8rLqjufWuLED0J67Hu1cq5uwyPpmk6JA7G73FlU8lZI-0JAg7Ahhoo-r46_srfmvXnjQO9nIkXnLNjrQEglpovmAM/w400-h260/C86EC880-3A1B-4793-BBCA-F166B8159078.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Like everyone else in the pandemic, I've been baking up a storm. Although I've slowed down my sourdough-in-everything baking, the starter lives in the fridge, ready to do its magic whenever I want. Hopefully I'll be posting my sourdough favorites soon.</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">For years now, we've been getting bagels from Costco. Our favorite is the everything bagel. A couple months ago, the light bulb went off in my dim head – why have I never tried making bagels at home? I knew they needed unusual preparation, boiling and then baking, which always seemed daunting on top of the rising sequence. But now that I've got all the time in the world, why not?<br /><br />I tried one recipe for <a href="https://www.sophisticatedgourmet.com/2009/10/new-york-style-bagel-recipe/" target="_blank">New York bagels</a>, which was good. Then this one, from <a href="https://www.emmafontanella.com/bagel-box" target="_blank">Emma Fontanella</a>, which I've settled on but have tweaked a tad. Check out Emma's recipe which gives instructions on how to make a variety of bagels using the same basic dough. For my everything mixture, I use sesame and poppy seeds, dried onion, garlic powder, Italian herbs and kosher salt. <br /><br />The only thing that can be difficult about making bagels is shaping them. The smoother you can keep the surface, right up until you put them in the oven, the better. Avoid mangling the dough as you handle, move and flip them. I actually do my second rise in NordicWare egg cooking dishes (about 3.5" dia.) to help keep the bagel size uniform and make it easy for me to dump the bagel into boiling water. This can be kind of a tricky step but you'll figure out a shaping/handling method which works best for you. Remember, even if the bagels look ugly, they'll still taste great! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="2048" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4Urib1rDPZycKQ0-ii7pg4By92vKAZIIx5Qm8_9DV3XR2pU39RrpG0Wj-yzY04R8PLFOlzFSqhRugL1P4rlshpzBHFRDdleJ6HX3m2OHNpVn60eKArMxcz9KwftfDrw59iKdkD5psoJf/w200-h122/2020-11-17_21-09-24_404.jpeg" width="200" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2048" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdQiil1ohuu3ydVWJtZZxyhg63dF203p3ZIvH2MN6zxw2JY8FCK83XApCAN1dR7pIVEIw4Arl0IsJLtdQtWzWX7uPv4PfNjkjUWtiUfdDFiDd5C1dStnvk3xLeU38jRX8S8Fwa5bsLp-X/w200-h123/2020-11-17_21-16-36_600.jpeg" width="200" /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">NEW YORK-STYLE BAGELS</span></b> (based on a recipe by Emma Fontanella)<br /><i>Makes 11 bagels</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">750g (5-1/3 cups) all-purpose flour<br />415g (1-3/4 cups) warm water<br />2 tbsp. sugar or 3 tbsp. syrup (maple, honey, etc)<br />2 tsp. salt<br />1 packet or 2-1/2 tsp. dried yeast<br />2 T olive oil</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Everything mixture: 1/2 cup sesame seeds, 1/4 cup poppy seeds, 1/4 cup dried chopped onion, 1 tsp. kosher salt, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. Italian herbs</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Measure out the flour and put in your mixer bowl. Measure out the warm water, dissolve in the sugar/syrup and salt, and sprinkle the dried yeast on top and mix in. Let the yeast mixture proof for a few minutes. Turn on your mixer with the dough hook, and slowly pour the yeast mixture into the flour. When the liquids have mostly been incorporated, spoon the olive oil right into the middle of the dough near the hook. Let the machine knead until all the flour has been absorbed and the dough is a smooth ball. Take the ball of dough out and let rise in a covered, greased container, until doubled in size.
Weigh the dough and divide into 10 pieces (mine typically weigh around 120g). Round each piece into a smooth ball (here's a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gx2Sf3XqkhQ">tutorial</a> on rounding, from the excellent Bake with Jack series on YouTube), place on a greased tray with some room in between and give it a good squish with the palm of your hand to flatten a bit. When all the balls are done, take your thumb and make a slight depression in the middle of each, then use a small round, greased cutter to make a hole right over the depression. Since I like my bagels to have small holes, I actually use an empty pill vial (1-1/4" dia) with the bottom cut off and the lid screwed on, which acts as a handle. Combine all your bagel hole scraps into another ball, and use it to make your 11th bagel.
Cover the bagels and let rise for about 30-60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450˚F. Get a second tray set up with a sheet of parchment and sprinkle some of your everything mixture on it. A few minutes before your bagels are finishing their second rise, fill a wide skillet, wok or pot with about 3 inches of water and bring to a boil. Use a spatula to pick up your bagels and place gently in the boiling water (don't crowd, do batches of 2-4). Flip over at about 30 seconds, allowing each bagel to cook for a total of about 1 minute (more time makes them chewier, no more than 2 minutes). Lift the bagel out with a skimmer and place on the prepared tray. Immediately sprinkle more everything mixture on top, while the bagel is still wet. Repeat until all the bagels are done.
Bake at 450˚F for about 20-25 minutes. The bagels will be golden brown when done. Remove from the parchment and, if not consuming immediately (I dare you not to!), let cool on a rack before packing up into a container or wrapping and freezing. </span></span></p>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-8723826035848868542018-07-08T19:31:00.000-07:002018-07-08T19:31:00.493-07:00Celery leaves? Are they even really edible?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOgY34iMEBy3Xb5CPYHFIpphGCaqFPIeZFWnTOjJNMTca90UaNvnoPH2T1yVdsMZiREbKIrSpg3bHi-sa6jW1uGacuzJrstQCtGpBuJe1Z_VTQyuE7mYJY-siBJ0BVwtqeFHgxxngZX8d/s1600/cat-1713945_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOgY34iMEBy3Xb5CPYHFIpphGCaqFPIeZFWnTOjJNMTca90UaNvnoPH2T1yVdsMZiREbKIrSpg3bHi-sa6jW1uGacuzJrstQCtGpBuJe1Z_VTQyuE7mYJY-siBJ0BVwtqeFHgxxngZX8d/s400/cat-1713945_1920.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
During warmer days, one of my favorite snacks usually involves celery sticks. They're so full of water, they match melons for cooling effect and as a bonus provide a nice crunch. Celery sticks with tuna salad, celery sticks dunked in ranch dressing or peanut sauce - I love them all. But it didn't occur to me that I really should've figured out what to do with the tops a long time ago. Mine have always headed to the compost pail, except on the very off-chance I was making stew, where a a few obligatory pieces could be tossed in for frugality points; but I could never use it all due to celery's strong (and for some, hated) flavor.<br /><br />This time I did a quick search on the internet. I learned that basically anything you can do with parsley you can substitute with celery leaves, or so it was claimed. One of the favorite ways recommended was to make a pesto. Leery, I thought I'd try to make it and ended up being quite pleased with the way it turned out. I first pulsed a mix of walnuts and mostly pine nuts, several cloves of garlic and a little salt into the food processor; then added the pale, inspid celery tops and leaves until a paste formed, added fresh ground pepper and a squirt of lemon juice; then drizzled in the virgin olive oil. No one had mentioned lemon juice; I just thought it might add a bright undertone. My pesto was a little thin, but I was surprised to find the celery flavor not that intense at all (it was mitigated a lot by the pine nuts, I think); it did retain some of celery's peppery-ness which I liked, and the lemon turned out to be a good choice. It's a different twist on the usual pesto and will probably be dynamite on pasta with chopped tomatoes and shreds of parmesan cheese or, of course, used as a dressing for pasta or chickpea salads, where you might already have celery as an ingredient.<br /><br />It's funny where internet searches can take you. I almost got off track with this story about a man who fancied himself a cook but was brought to his knees by a recipe instructing fried celery leaves. Although more appropriate for winter, it's still good fun to read. Check it out: <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2011/06/chowderhead.html" target="_blank"><b>Chowderhead:</b> <i>The New York Times recipe that unmanned me, and also turned me into a man.</i></a>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-34557736983455524482018-07-04T23:10:00.000-07:002018-07-21T23:12:47.210-07:00Goodbye, Trixie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNQdGotjntrEtmRObOmWiubeGAHvomSDkYZkLTGrpejkcRlfdQixy-w0Oslqv-exktOCvKoACREaeb3Z8rYp7Fs-XndgJzWRH60xiDUnZQ3y9YRiZpESoJ7zeWAkTihqjkFWwoMfIbqjf/s1600/Trixie2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1408" data-original-width="1440" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNQdGotjntrEtmRObOmWiubeGAHvomSDkYZkLTGrpejkcRlfdQixy-w0Oslqv-exktOCvKoACREaeb3Z8rYp7Fs-XndgJzWRH60xiDUnZQ3y9YRiZpESoJ7zeWAkTihqjkFWwoMfIbqjf/s320/Trixie2a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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TRIXIE LA RUE</div>
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May 22, 2006 - July 4, 2018</div>
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The house is so sadly quiet now. </div>
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Thank you for sharing your spunky, barky, alpha </div>
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little terrier self with us for too short of a time. </div>
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We'll never forget you, pretty girl.</div>
<br />DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-41945864010005656292017-11-21T17:11:00.002-08:002017-11-21T17:15:37.200-08:00My Three Pie Crusts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddPaNuT-WmCeT760Pkxca_v2ebcAoE6WfglY7oPSfGuxgRbtjtuRZabvs5de4RAUHgPgaSp2J_r8yM2y6jwSEF1m1GDPEyUuqwVJ-pyefyL3ygGLKQlfWVeT-cD_PymuMzLbOfbRSF1W3/s1600/IMG_1058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddPaNuT-WmCeT760Pkxca_v2ebcAoE6WfglY7oPSfGuxgRbtjtuRZabvs5de4RAUHgPgaSp2J_r8yM2y6jwSEF1m1GDPEyUuqwVJ-pyefyL3ygGLKQlfWVeT-cD_PymuMzLbOfbRSF1W3/s400/IMG_1058.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 13px;"><span id="goog_1611333558"></span><span id="goog_1611333559"></span>I basically use just three pie crust recipes - one is super easy, firm and great for tarts and custard pies (ATK All-Butter Tart Dough). The second is a super flaky crust that is wonderful for fruit pies; the crust is so full of butter and puffs up so much it isn't good for cutout shapes or detail; the fluted edge will need support (Serious Eats Easy Flaky Pie Dough). The third falls somewhere in the middle and is a fantastic all-around crust for sweet pies with its subtle spices (Land O'Lakes Pie Crust). BTW, a sturdy blade-type pastry cutter is an awesome tool for cutting and cubing sticks of butter for dough. Remember to make extra batches of dough to keep on hand in the freezer; pie crust freezes beautifully and keeps for months!</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px;">ATK ALL-BUTTER PRESS-IN TART DOUGH</b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 13px;">adapted from America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px;" />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px;">Makes 1 crust for 9" tart or pie</i><br />
<br />
1-1/2 cups (6.25 oz) all-purpose flour<br />
1 tbsp sugar<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
8 tbsp (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes<br />
3-4 tbsp ice water<br />
<br />
Process the flour, sugar, and salt together in a food processor until combined. Scatter the butter pieces on top and pulse until small bits of butter remain. Add 3 tablespoons of the ice water and pulse. If the dough doesn't clump together after about 10 pulses, add the remaining tablespoon of ice water and pulse to incorporate, then keep pulsing until dough starts to come together. Press the dough into a tart pan. (Note: I flatten into a disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least several hours before rolling out for pie crust).<br />
<br />
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 13px;">SERIOUS EATS EASY FLAKY PIE DOUGH</b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 13px;">from Serious Eats / J. Kenji Lopez-Alt (my gram conversions)</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 13px;" />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 13px;">Makes 2 generously-sized crusts</i><br />
<br />
12-1/2 oz. all-purpose flour (236g/118g)<br />
2 tbsp sugar (25g)<br />
1 tsp kosher salt<br />
2-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch pats (284g)<br />
6 tbsp cold water (88g)<br />
<br />
Combine 8-1/2 oz. of the flour, all of the sugar and salt in food processor. Pulse twice to incorporate. Spread butter chunks evenly over surface. Pulse until no dry flour remains and dough just begins to collect in clumps, about 25 short pulses. Use a rubber spatula to spread the dough evenly around the bowl of the food processor. Sprinkle with remaining 4 oz. flour and pulse until dough is just barely broken up, about 5 short pulses. Transfer dough to large bowl. Sprinkle with water then using a rubber spatula, fold and press dough until it comes together into a ball. Divide ball in half. Form each half into a 4-inch disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before rolling and baking.<br />
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b>
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px;"><b>LAND O' LAKES PIE CRUST</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 13px;">adapted from Blue Ribbon Apple Pie, Land O'Lakes Treasury of Country Recipes</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 13px;" />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 13px;">Makes 2 crusts for 9" pie</i><br />
<br />
2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 tsp sugar<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
1/4 tsp cinnamon<br />
1/4 tsp nutmeg<br />
1/3 cup butter or margarine (2.7 oz)<br />
1/3 cup shortening<br />
4-5 tbsp ice water<br />
<br />
In a food processor, pulse ogether the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the butter and shortening and pulse until crumbly. Dribble ice water into the bowl and pulse until dough comes together. Divide dough in half; shape into 2 balls, flatten into two fat disks, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least two hours before rolling and baking.DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-49162621486999327482017-08-06T19:49:00.000-07:002017-08-10T18:21:42.940-07:00Savoring Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjNKQW1uV-gyiox6Mu9mhZmlj6TnbuwroL3-t3dOwpzef6vznYvM_XUqoySznBuNdcp6Od_TbND7ZsP1ilmjC9KwinJCXvPsHR4t2YUvlMWcHqnRgxAozZiBHCnEazAc9_q4Pooq0Q3I7/s1600/2017_WheatCinnamonRaisinRolls-Jams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjNKQW1uV-gyiox6Mu9mhZmlj6TnbuwroL3-t3dOwpzef6vznYvM_XUqoySznBuNdcp6Od_TbND7ZsP1ilmjC9KwinJCXvPsHR4t2YUvlMWcHqnRgxAozZiBHCnEazAc9_q4Pooq0Q3I7/s400/2017_WheatCinnamonRaisinRolls-Jams.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Unexpectedly, I became unemployed at the end of May - not great timing for our side sewer failure, but spot-on for harvesting blackberries! I only had to wait about 3 weeks before the explosion of ripe berries hit. Fortunately, the bushes lining the back alley have survived the large vehicles making their way to a new construction site at the opposite end. Last year, when another home was in the process of being upgraded and flipped, the entire alley was cut down right when the berries were ripe enough to pick. Boy, was I flippin' mad!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4c1BOVgTIzvk6BUIndiKNOvm9EXktmrZikVeIWHgXbVGXdrYHdsABJWCSWQks5MHbNg9b1iqBDcpxxrk81aZ3czWhnjHTLxjzFyCrygov7d1QuqtB5MQ76POEt0uYIeNyvBCb2HowoboP/s1600/ThanksForCuttingBlackberries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4c1BOVgTIzvk6BUIndiKNOvm9EXktmrZikVeIWHgXbVGXdrYHdsABJWCSWQks5MHbNg9b1iqBDcpxxrk81aZ3czWhnjHTLxjzFyCrygov7d1QuqtB5MQ76POEt0uYIeNyvBCb2HowoboP/s200/ThanksForCuttingBlackberries.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The nasty note I left on the <br />
door of the flipper house.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So far I've made up for that lost year and have been on a canning mission, putting up about 40 half-pint jars of jam, with more fruit sitting in the fridge and freezer. The first batch was blackberries and red currants from my friend Knox's garden. Since I've been doing all low sugar recipes, this jam is full of flavor and on the tart side. Next up was several batches of blackberries alone, then my neighbor Mary offered up some really ripe plums from her tree. I've never done plums before and they were super juicy; thought I should macerate and go from there. Meanwhile, I found a recipe for <a href="https://www.thespruce.com/low-sugar-spiced-plum-jam-recipe-1136049" target="_blank">Spiced Plum Jam</a> and used that, except I simmered the spices in the plum juice that collected from the maceration, added a small can of prune juice to have the right amount of liquid, and guestimated on the amount of pectin. And now... I haven't gotten to try it yet since I'm still working through a jar of the blackberry-currant jam, but at least it looks like it set up okay.<br />
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We've been trying to diet so of course all wicked things like pies and sweet rolls are even more on my mind. I made a <a href="http://chocolatechocolateandmore.com/peach-praline-skillet-pie/" target="_blank">Peach Praline Skillet Pie</a> several times now and have been on a cinnamon raisin bread kick ever since I bought a West Bend bread machine at a yard sale, used a recipe for said bread from the manual and promptly discovered the machine didn't work at all. I dumped it out of the bread machine pan, baked it and enjoyed it nevertheless. Now I've kind of settled on a hybrid version, between the West Bend manual recipe and this one, <a href="http://livesimply.me/2014/02/05/soaked-whole-wheat-cinnamon-raisin-bread/" target="_blank">Soaked Whole Wheat & Cinnamon Raisin Bread</a>, which sounded intriguing but not if you're impatient for baked goodies like I am. This recipe is what I'm currently using.<br />
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<b>OATMEAL-WHEAT CINNAMON RAISIN ROLLS</b><br />
<i>Makes 12 rolls</i><br />
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Dough:<br />
3+ cups bread flour<br />
2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour<br />
1 cup oatmeal<br />
2 tsp salt<br />
2 tsp cinnamon<br />
13 oz milk (room temp. or lukewarm)<br />
2 tbsp lemon juice<br />
2 tbsp brown sugar or honey<br />
2 tbsp+ melted butter<br />
5 oz raisin water (see recipe directions)<br />
4 tsp active dry yeast<br />
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Filling:<br />
1/4 cup honey<br />
1-1/2 cups raisins<br />
1 tbsp or more cinnamon<br />
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Icing:<br />
1 cup powdered sugar<br />
1 tbsp. or more milk<br />
1 tbsp. light corn syrup<br />
1/8 tsp. vanilla or orange extract, optional<br />
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Soak the raisins in hot water to rehydrate for about 20 minutes. Blend the dry ingredients for the dough together in a mixer bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, lemon juice, brown sugar/honey and 2 tbsp. melted butter together. Drain the raisins, reserving 5 oz. of the water in a small cup. Stir the yeast into the lukewarm raisin water to proof it. If yeast is bubbling and alive, add the yeast mixture to the other liquid ingredients.<br />
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Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients using a stand mixer. Sprinkle in more bread flour if necessary until the dough starts to pull away from the bowl a little. Switch to the dough hook and process, sprinkling in flour if necessary, until the dough mostly forms smooth ball. It should still feel a little sticky. Turn out onto a floured board and knead by hand, until smooth, elastic and not so sticky. Place the dough in a large, greased container, flipping it over once so the outside is greased. Note the dough's volume. Cover container with lid or plastic wrap until dough is doubled in size (about 1.5 to 2 hours).<br />
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Press dough to deflate. Roll dough out to about a 16" x 12" rectangle. For the filling, drizzle honey all over the surface, spread raisins out evenly, then sprinkle cinnamon all over. Roll up the dough from the long side, pinching the seam and two ends. Lightly shape the log so the circumference is even, then cut crosswise into 12 even slices (eyeball the first cut in half, then cut halves into quarters, then cut 3 slices out of each quarter). Lay the slices cut side up in a greased 9" x 13" pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until almost double (about 40 minutes). Bake at 350°F until the internal temperature of the dough is 190°-195°F (about 35-40 minutes).<br />
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Brush tops with melted butter to keep crust soft. When rolls are barely warm, combine icing ingredients (add milk for a fluid consistency) and drizzle over rolls. Cover lightly with foil until completely cool.DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-47125402089220983852012-09-20T14:13:00.000-07:002012-09-20T14:13:18.483-07:00Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week!<br />
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<img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.petfinder.com/images/lapw2012/lapw-public-masthead-graphic.gif" width="400" /><a href="http://www.petfinder.com/less-adoptable-pet-week-2012/gallery" target="_blank">Petfinder Gallery</a></div>
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<br />DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-85945457688895194992012-08-28T02:25:00.001-07:002012-08-28T02:25:29.842-07:00A Rescue's Tale: Racecar's story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_JlcV7x8atM_dCt5ESeL0fFEjmnaafdYgQNJ0hVHrgq0CJ0JXm5EI0tbnZJIVX6D_rA1aAGAtSq3kOvlPuDDH5to6XpTDxE7uJ5VVvY23XjajaE8ja99X-S-ooRVJgOEIVFbphfI9vXch/s1600/1346036603_3620_kd2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_JlcV7x8atM_dCt5ESeL0fFEjmnaafdYgQNJ0hVHrgq0CJ0JXm5EI0tbnZJIVX6D_rA1aAGAtSq3kOvlPuDDH5to6XpTDxE7uJ5VVvY23XjajaE8ja99X-S-ooRVJgOEIVFbphfI9vXch/s320/1346036603_3620_kd2.jpg" width="234" /></a> Racecar (her actual name), is a lucky cat rescued from a high-kill facility in Devore, CA. Though I volunteered to be her long term foster almost two months ago, significant health problems have delayed her transport up to me. Racecar's story is an example of what rescues face every day; that the process of saving an animal only starts with the pull from the shelter.</div><br />
<a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/a-rescue-s-tale-racecar-s-story?CID=examiner_alerts_article">A Rescue's Tale: Racecar's story - Palm Springs Animal Welfare | Examiner.com</a>: <br />
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<a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pengoopmcjnbflcjbmoeodbmoflcgjlk" style="font-size: 13px;">'via Blog this'</a>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-29738308253384340822012-08-28T01:03:00.000-07:002012-08-28T01:14:16.669-07:00Acro-Cats in Seattle now thru Sept. 1!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/blogs/pamperspakhlava/files/2012/08/The-Rock-Cats1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/blogs/pamperspakhlava/files/2012/08/The-Rock-Cats1.jpg" width="263" /></a><b><span style="color: #660000;"><br />THESE CATS <br />ARE HOT!!</span> </b></div>
The famous <a href="http://www.circuscats.com/" target="_blank"><b>Acro-Cats</b>,</a> featuring the Rock Cats, are halfway through their Seattle gig! Don't miss 'em, you never know if or when they'll be back. Now playing at:<br />
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Stone Soup Theatre<br />
4029 Stone Way N<br />
Seattle WA 98103<br />
(206) 633-1883<br />
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Aug 19 thru Sept. 1<br />
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<a href="http://www.eventbrite.com/event/3671431350" target="_blank"><i>Get tickets here</i></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazinganimals.biz/pinkypaypal.html" target="_blank">Donate to Pinky the Rock Cats' guitarist Cancer Fund</a>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-48049702117594784082012-08-17T15:03:00.000-07:002012-08-17T15:33:21.132-07:00The relationship of cat intakes to warm weather at King County Animal Shelter<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A friend recently sent me this interesting email, illustrating what I've always suspected: there appears to be a strong relationship between shelter intakes and the weather. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiei02nYyDJM52fG_N_WPv0hOM-um8QMHWsaPp8blfgIOtrKKP1MWOFtlkYkpDw9k49G4W3_sicxCuZYTMg2sr_v9cWRgjo3JiqD7boGV9EJucJ_WSMsuLQnfdo5sNcK9SC-kgbZlIHxfzs/s1600/Image_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiei02nYyDJM52fG_N_WPv0hOM-um8QMHWsaPp8blfgIOtrKKP1MWOFtlkYkpDw9k49G4W3_sicxCuZYTMg2sr_v9cWRgjo3JiqD7boGV9EJucJ_WSMsuLQnfdo5sNcK9SC-kgbZlIHxfzs/s320/Image_001.jpg" width="320" /></span></a>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Subject: Lost Cats and Heat</span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A week ago I received an unusual call from Eric </span><span class="SpellE" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Swansen</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, Managing Director of the Regional Animal Services of King County. He had looked at the statistics of lost cats and thought there was a temperature relationship...more cats being brought to the shelter during and after periods of warm weather. Eric has a spreadsheet with the cat intakes and he asked whether I would get the temperatures and we would see the relationship with lost cats.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I asked UW staff member Neal Johnson to get me the Seattle-Tacoma Airport data and I made a few plots. Lets take a look! (see below). The light blue line is the daily average temperature and the dark blue lines are cat intakes into the county animal shelter in Kent. The period ranges from the beginning of 2007 to a few weeks ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Eric <span class="SpellE">Swansen</span> was right!</b> <span class="p1">A lot more cats show up at the shelter when the temperatures are warm during mid-summer than during the winter. </span>We are talking about roughly a 4 to 1 ratio. Cooler summers, like the last two, have had less stray cats. But there does seem to be a long-term trend independent of temperature, with less cats coming to the shelter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Talking to Eric we speculated why this relationship with temperature occurs. One possibility is that people leave their doors open more during the summer or let their cats out more when weather is warm, and a certain percentage get lost. He also suggested that cats tend to go into heat when temperatures warm (spring and summer), and thus we would expect the maximum input of kittens to come several months after warming weather.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To get a better idea of the phasing of temperature and cat intake at the shelter, here is a blow-up of the first year. Not much of a phase difference... temperature peaks in July and August, while cat intake is pretty high and flat from June to early October. This is out of my area of expertise!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Just to completely nerd out on you, here is a scatter diagram showing the relationship between cat intakes and temperature, with a trend line added.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />Clearly, there is a relationship between temperature and cat intake, but there is a lot of scatter and variability in the relationship as well. Just like the temperature impacts of greenhouse gases on global temperatures! (sorry, couldn't help myself). The other possibility, of course, is that temperature is just a proxy for season and that the role of temperature itself is less central. </span><br />
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Eric and I talked about the lost dog/cat problem and we agreed <b>that so much could be done using social media and the internet to RADICALLY improve the situation</b>. Right now there are many separate lists of lost or found animals (e.g., King County's, Craig's List, etc.) and some animal shelters have no electronic lists or online web information (e.g., PAWS). To start, we need all shelters to list their animals, with pictures, and to bring it all together in one master list that is easily searched.</span><br />
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<b>But this is just a start.</b> <span class="p1">We need smartphone apps where you can snap a picture of stray animals and quickly send it to a central site, where the geo-located pictures could be logged and put online. Could you image the power of this? Many folks don't want to approach stray animals, but would be happy to snap a picture of one! My gut feeling is that we could radically reduce the number of lost pets with a modest investment in technology. And I suspect there would be many volunteers that could help make such an advanced system a reality. Such a system could be self-supporting as well, since many folks would be happy to pay a reasonable fee for help in getting their loved pet.</span></span><br />
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<span class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal;">We pride ourselves in living in one of the high-tech capitals of the world--we should have the most advanced stray animal recovery system in the world!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Old Technology</span></div>
<br />DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-8362460510356819702012-06-16T17:12:00.000-07:002012-06-28T15:51:06.568-07:00Before there was Rice Krispies, there was mi-ch'ang<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlrMXTgsYKP3WhIbDt-KdwWIddT8alVkrSPf3uSZG-oTDlzBP6F2cHGp-A01AQCoCCABl28lUKkrCFkWcqyUABU4k7dGpv-k7AdRnvHy9xdCRFBSaDF7NVqE38sMUHmV_XEX_240V8GVj/s1600/ToongMai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlrMXTgsYKP3WhIbDt-KdwWIddT8alVkrSPf3uSZG-oTDlzBP6F2cHGp-A01AQCoCCABl28lUKkrCFkWcqyUABU4k7dGpv-k7AdRnvHy9xdCRFBSaDF7NVqE38sMUHmV_XEX_240V8GVj/s200/ToongMai.jpg" title="Toong Mai" width="183" /></a></div>
One of the most wonderful things I remember growing up in Hawaii was m<span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-left;">i-ch'ang, aka t</span>oong mai: a crunchy puffed rice and roasted peanut confection held together by a candied sugar syrup. It's origins come from the Hakka people, a Chinese minority. Mi-ch'ang is usually given as a precious gift at New Year's and I remember them being so good, it took willpower not to plow through the entire tin!<br />
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I once asked my mom about these treats and she said the recipe and process were often a secret even within families. She herself had never made mi-ch'ang, but what she did know about it was an arduous affair: soaking then steaming the mochi rice, drying the steamed rice in the sun, puffing the rice by cooking it in hot sand in a huge wok, roasting the peanuts in the hot sand and removing the husks, and then finally (I guess, because details are sketchy here) making the sugar syrup and combining everything into a pan and compressing the mixture. Oh, and then cutting them into squares and packing them into plain aluminum tins that look like gallon paint cans. For such a small treat, the making of mi-ch'ang was, and apparently may still be, surrounded by superstition, lore and guarded like gold. Some would designate tools and materials specifically for their version, such as a special wok or black sand, and some even went so far as to have a shack (off limits to everyone but the mi-ch'ang maker) devoted to its production. Here's a great <a href="http://archives.starbulletin.com/2004/01/21/features/index1.html">article</a> about mi-ch'ang that appeared in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin (Jan 2004) if you'd like to read more about this elusive treat, along with a modern day recipe (<span style="background-color: white; font-size: xx-small; text-align: -webkit-center;">PHOTO BY BETTY SHIMABUKURO </span><a href="mailto:BETTY@STARBULLETIN.COM?SUBJECT=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2004/01/21/" style="background-color: #bee4f1; color: black; font-size: x-small; text-align: -webkit-center;">BETTY@STARBULLETIN.COM</a>).<br />
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Anyhoo, a few months ago I came across a recipe by the cookbook writer David Lebovitz. It was called <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2008/08/white-chocolate-rice-krispie-tre/">White Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats with Candied Peanuts</a>. I made it a few times and in the back of my mind, a connection was made to its Chinese counterpart. Yet, I only recently tried tweaking his recipe in an admittedly lame attempt to recreate the mi-ch'ang of my youth. And surprisingly, the result turned out to be pretty good! It's chewy, not crunchy like the original, but in the interest of shaving probably a week's time off the preparation, it's an acceptable tradeoff in my book. Give it a try and let me know what you think. I realize you may not have had authentic mi-ch'ang made by a family shaman, but you might just like these treats as is. Perhaps with further tweaking, such as cooking the marshmallows a bit longer or even using a candy syrup, they might inch even closer to the real thing.<br />
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<b>Mi-ch'ang-style Rice Krispie Treats</b><br />
4 oz. salted butter, cut up<br />
1 10 oz. bag of mini marshmallows<br />
3 oz. finely chopped candied ginger (adjust to taste)<br />
8 oz. Planter's Honey Roasted Peanuts<br />
5 oz. (about 5 cups) Kellogg's Rice Krispies<br />
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Spray or butter a 13"x9" pan. Heat the butter in the microwave until just melted. Add the marshmallows and ginger and stir to coat in the melted butter. Microwave on high, stirring every 30 seconds, until just melted. Quickly stir in the peanuts and Rice Krispies until evenly coated with the melted marshmallow/ginger mix. Distribute clumps of the mixture into the prepared pan, pressing lightly into an even layer. Let cool. Flip the layer out onto a cutting board and cut into 1" cubes with a serrated knife (a plastic lettuce knife works well). Store in an airtight container.<br />
<br />DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-64056094848421515072011-10-11T08:40:00.000-07:002011-10-11T08:41:56.634-07:00More Cat Cupcake Tuesdays from Catsparella<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg044Vv_n9oI5Vx2MBxoO3MPvULA5dmo7aT0MIPS0YhtWrGrxqBCnRLdBdJ5SLVCKF6-NJW6SMsP-lYH8cidze0hE-g06oervhLUhlpnXItCRCNRWyzUPFYR4h20afFax4j6teYYYqjmGY/s400/cat_cupcake_heart_1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg044Vv_n9oI5Vx2MBxoO3MPvULA5dmo7aT0MIPS0YhtWrGrxqBCnRLdBdJ5SLVCKF6-NJW6SMsP-lYH8cidze0hE-g06oervhLUhlpnXItCRCNRWyzUPFYR4h20afFax4j6teYYYqjmGY/s400/cat_cupcake_heart_1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div>This feature is giving me great ideas for the next Furry 5K bake sale!</div><a href="http://www.catsparella.com/2011/10/cat-cupcake-tuesdays.html">Catsparella: Cat Cupcake Tuesdays<br /></a><div><a href="http://www.catsparella.com/2011/10/cat-cupcake-tuesdays.html"><br /></a></div>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-39970886649580881952011-09-27T09:01:00.000-07:002020-12-01T21:04:00.270-08:00Cute cupcake idea from Catsparella!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlHS2tRNJ7B3K5fFTA9jNZB6Nhmje6WnxfolenI0WnjjYJqnAjGCvbsASDsWX8boUZ-bjrQra9cL99ifD-IUYDITf2Mc_MZyWIRlIRSpzpF3bDFlzYm87dBJFap6aOE62CGA-vc9PyH4/s400/cat_cupcake_chocolate_sugar1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlHS2tRNJ7B3K5fFTA9jNZB6Nhmje6WnxfolenI0WnjjYJqnAjGCvbsASDsWX8boUZ-bjrQra9cL99ifD-IUYDITf2Mc_MZyWIRlIRSpzpF3bDFlzYm87dBJFap6aOE62CGA-vc9PyH4/s400/cat_cupcake_chocolate_sugar1.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 300px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 400px;" /></a><div>These cupcakes would be awesome as Halloween treats, don't you think? I love finding things that combine two or more favorites of mine, in this case baking and cats! See the original post here:
</div><div>
</div><a href="http://www.catsparella.com/2011/09/cat-cupcake-tuesdays_27.html">Catsparella: Cat Cupcake Tuesdays</a>:
<div>
</div><div>A wonderful, moist chocolate cake recipe from Ina Garten would be perfect for these cupcakes. I think they're divine with my cream cheese frosting, but at the bottom I've also included Ina's chocolate frosting (I call it mocha because it includes coffee). Her recipes were originally published in <i>Food & Wine </i>magazine.</div><div>
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mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-language:JA;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Ina's Double Chocolate Layer Cake</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">1-3/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup strong brewed coffee<span> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal">Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8" or 9" round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment circles; grease the parchment. Dust pans with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess. Also makes one 13" x 9" sheet cake or approximately 24 cupcakes.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Combine the flour with the sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt together at low speed. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla and coffee. Beat for two minutes on medium speed. Batter will be thin.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Pour the batter into the prepared pans (fill cupcake tins only 2/3 full). Bake for 30-35 minutes (20-25 min. for cupcakes), or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool completely. Peel off the parchment paper.</p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Cream Cheese Frosting:
</b>4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temp. (substitute with vegetable shortening if cake will not be refrigerated)
16-24 oz. (2-3 pkgs) cream cheese (use the higher amount if you like a lot of frosting) at slightly cool temp.
1-1/2 c. sifted powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla </p><p class="MsoNormal">Beat butter and sugar together in a mixer until fully blended, add vanilla, then drop chunks of the cream cheese into the mixture and beat on high until smooth. You may need to refrigerate the frosting to stiffen it up for piping decorations.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Mocha Frosting
</b>6 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 sticks unsalted butter at room temp.
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. sifted powdered sugar
1 tbsp. instant coffee granules</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate at high power in 30-second intervals, stirring until most of the chocolate is melted. Stir until completely melted, then set aside to cool to room temperature. Beat the butter at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat for 1 minute, scraping down the side of the bowl. At low speed, slowly beat in the powdered sugar, about 1 minute. In a small bowl, dissolve the instant coffee in 2 teaspoons of hot water. Slowly beat the coffee and the cooled chocolate into the butter mixture until just combined.</p></div><div>
</div>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-55145736841446709972011-09-08T01:36:00.000-07:002011-09-08T01:37:50.581-07:00Adopt a special pet Sept. 17-25!<a href="http://www.petfinder.com/lessadoptablepetweek" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.petfinder.com/images/lapw/different_300x250.gif" border="0" /></a>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-39414654909520061212011-04-24T10:03:00.000-07:002011-04-24T10:18:36.770-07:00Check this Apple Cake out!<a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5268/5643075990_21c2f9c696.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 333px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5268/5643075990_21c2f9c696.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5268/5643075990_21c2f9c696.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><br /></a>I love my iGoogle reader panel. I can get a quick snapshot on the all the blogs I follow, which are legion. Often there's not enough time to read every single one, but damn, this post from <a href="http://cafechocolada.blogspot.com/">Cafe Chocolada</a> really caught my eye. It's an <a href="http://cafechocolada.blogspot.com/2011/04/apple-cake.html">Apple Cake</a>, but I've never seen one like it. Very unusual but pretty, don't you think? It sort of reminds me of Japanese confections. Even though apples aren't a "spring" fruit, I think the decoration style is perfectly suited for spring. Maybe make a charlotte/trifle thing with strawberries or ?? In any case, check this blog out -- the photos are just gorgeous.DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-82975324220429922252011-03-31T14:40:00.001-07:002011-04-10T14:56:02.950-07:00Triple Lime Cake for an office birthday<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJV8fmKLOC1hfB3ccO4T8RaOrCyDSK6UjmzVQN78qmUw2L2Ngef1JdSyjHwrX8BUhYm1xuszOee4zmXIseG-3rAdPNDR4ZPvNzE29o12SwjQ8XdJFg4G0E48lzasUFS5a17CAcg-PHsjis/s1600/TripleLimeCake.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 201px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJV8fmKLOC1hfB3ccO4T8RaOrCyDSK6UjmzVQN78qmUw2L2Ngef1JdSyjHwrX8BUhYm1xuszOee4zmXIseG-3rAdPNDR4ZPvNzE29o12SwjQ8XdJFg4G0E48lzasUFS5a17CAcg-PHsjis/s320/TripleLimeCake.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590362332965329026" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div>This is a cake I created for a co-worker recently. Last year I made her a Lemon Mascarpone cake and the year before that a chocolate cake, so I didn't want to repeat myself. I had a bag of coconut chips from NutsOnline.com burning a hole in my pantry and had limes on the brain, so my "recipe" was a hybrid of Fine Cooking's <a href="http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/triple-lemon-layer-cake.aspx">Triple Lemon Cake</a> (substituting limes) and a <a href="http://sweet-treats-baking.blogspot.com/2009/12/key-lime-coconut-cake-practice-makes.html">Key Lime & Coconut Cake</a> from the Sweet Treats blog. It was well received as most office treats are but IMHO was a little dry. Why? The cake itself may have been slightly overbaked to begin with, and then the layers were frozen for a couple days. The curd filling had oozed out during assembly so there was even less moisture. And although I'd used a simple syrup to put back some of the moisture lost during freezing, it wasn't enough. If I were to do this cake again I'd only make the two layers and split them as per the original recipe, instead of doubling the recipe to make three 9" layers (and six cupcakes). That way more simple syrup would've been absorbed and one more layer of curd filling would've been added, ensuring a moister cake overall. Well, at least it <i>looked </i>pretty good. You may be wondering about a couple of different lime products listed in the recipes; I only used them because they were hanging around in the kitchen. True Lime and True Lemon are powdered extracts so they add a punch of flavor without watering anything down. <div><br /></div><div><div><b>Triple-Lime Layer Cake</b></div><div><i>Adapted from Fine Cooking's Triple-Lemon Layer Cake</i></div><div> </div><div><div><br /></div><div>Lime Cake (makes two 8" dia. x 2" cakes):</div><div>9-1/4 oz. cake flour</div><div>2-3/4 tsp. baking powder </div><div>1/4 tsp. table salt </div><div>1-3/4 cups granulated sugar </div><div>2 Tbs. finely grated lime zest </div><div>6 oz. unsalted butter, softened </div><div>8 oz. whole milk, at room temperature </div><div>5 large egg whites, at room temperature </div><div>1/4 tsp. cream of tartar </div><div><br /></div><div>Lime Curd Filling (read notes in directions before making!):</div><div>3 oz. unsalted butter, softened </div><div>1 cup granulated sugar </div><div>2 large eggs<br />2 large egg yolks<br />2/3 cup lime juice </div><div>Pinch of salt<br />1 tsp. finely grated lime zest</div><div>1/8 tsp. Boyajian Lime Oil</div><div><br /></div><div>Simple Syrup:</div><div>1 cup granulated sugar</div><div>1/4 cup lime juice</div><div>1/4 cup water</div><div>1 tbsp. lime zest</div><div><br /></div><div>Lime Frosting:</div><div>1 cup whipped cream</div><div>8 oz. unsalted butter, softened</div><div>4 oz. cream cheese, softened</div><div>2 Tbs. lightly packed finely grated lime zest </div><div>3-1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar </div><div>3 Tbs. lime juice</div><div>2 packets of True Lime</div><div><br /></div><div>For decoration:</div><div>1/2 lb. coconut chips, lightly toasted</div><div>Lime zest or lime slices</div><div>Silver dragees</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Cake:</i> Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour two 8" x 2" round cake pans. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Pulse 1/4 cup of the sugar with the zest in a food processor until well combined. In a large bowl, beat the butter and lime sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 1-1/2 minutes). Add the remaining sugar and beat until smooth (about 1-1/2 minutes). Beat in a quarter of the milk just until blended. On low speed, add the flour mixture alternatively with the milk in three batches, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula; beat just until blended. In another bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer (with clean beaters or a whisk attachment) on medium speed just until foamy. Add the creme of tartar, increase the speed to medium high, and beat until the whites form stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted. Add a quarter of the whites to the batter and gently fold them in with a rubber spatula; continue to gently fold tin the whites, a quarter at a time, being careful not to deflate the mixture. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake until a pick inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Let cool in the pans 10 minutes. Run a table knife along the sides of the pans and carefully invert each cake out onto the rack. Flip them right side up and let them cool completely.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Curd: </i>Beat the butter with the sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the eggs and yolks. Beat for 1 minute more, then stir in the lime juice. The mixture will look curdled. Cook the mixture over low heat until it becomes smooth, then increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, without letting it boil, until it thickens enough to leave a path on the back of the spoon when you drag your finger through it (170°F). Remove from the heat and stir in the lime zest. Press plastic wrap on surface to prevent a skin from forming and chill in the refrigerator. <i>Note: my curd ended up being very thin even after refrigeration and most of it oozed out during assembly. If this happens to you, I suggest fixing it right away with cornstarch dissolved in lime juice and cooking the curd gently until thickened; or use a couple more egg yolks to begin with.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Simple syrup: </i>In a saucepan, combine water, lime juice and zest. Stir sugar in to dissolve. Bring the mixture to a boil on the stovetop and cook for one minute. Allow to cool.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Frosting: </i>Beat the whipped cream until stiff peaks form and set aside. In another bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese and lime zest until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners sugar in batches and beat until light and fluffy. Add the lime juice and beat for one minute. Fold in the whipped cream until completely blended. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Assembly:</i> Split cake layers. Poke each layer liberally with a skewer, brush with simple syrup and spread curd filling between layers while stacking. With the frosting, fill in gaps and apply a crumb coating. Chill the cake until the frosting firms up, about 1/2 hour. Spread remaining frosting decoratively over the top and sides of cake. Apply coconut to the sides of the cake. Scatter the top with lime zest and silver dragees, or garnish as shown with extra dollops of frosting, quartered lime slices and dragees.</div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-12419881267861062792011-02-23T13:36:00.000-08:002011-02-23T14:33:32.458-08:00Ay, Chihuaha!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bakingobsession.com/wordpress/wp-content/ultimate-mexican-brownies.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 750px;" src="http://www.bakingobsession.com/wordpress/wp-content/ultimate-mexican-brownies.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I must be entering a certain astral cycle that involves brownies. Please let me explain. First, because I'm in the midst of a mild infatuation with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Marriott">Steve Marriott</a> (the late Small Faces/Humble Pie frontman), I was wondering why I couldn't remember a single blessed thing about a Humble Pie concert I knew I went to in the 70s. A quick check of my diary revealed that concert happened in November 1973 at the Forum in L.A. and included Foghat and the James Montgomery Band. And also those wonderful relics of hippiedom "magic brownies." Aha! Well, that explains the memory loss. One of the last things I remember about 1973 was discovering how much easier it was get magic brownies into a concert than joints. Um, yeah, well, after that things get kind of fuzzy. <div><br /></div><div>Second (bet you almost forgot this was a list), I just received one of those chain emails where you have to list four of something. My friend the sender listed one of her four favorite smells as brownies. You'd have to know my friend Karen to understand how serious a brownieholic she is. Has been for years. Totally understandable.</div><div><br /></div><div>Third, for some reason I keep buying boxes of Hershey brownie mix at Costco even though I haven't made them in months in an attempt to lose weight. Every time I open the pantry several boxes of brownie mix stare back at me as if to say "WTF! Why did you buy us if you're on a diet?" Now this entry over at <a href="http://www.bakingobsession.com/">Baking Obsession</a> just popped up on my Google Reader radar: <a href="http://www.bakingobsession.com/2011/02/22/ultimate-mexican-brownies/">Mexican Brownies</a>. What???? Must... investigate. I'm beginning to understand now that if I don't do something soon, I may stay in this constant astral brownie cycle. Looks like making this recipe could just be the ticket!</div>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-29836690924447353852011-01-24T15:37:00.000-08:002011-04-10T12:45:15.572-07:00National Soup Swap Day 2011 in Seattle!Delicious fun was had by all! Thanks to Pam of Nerd's Eye View, with assistance from Bill, for the fine videography.<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=n5bjAMHUN1w"></a><br /><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=n5bjAMHUN1w"><iframe width="480" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/n5bjAMHUN1w?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></a></div><div><br /></div><div>My soup inspiration this year came from <a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/">101cookbooks</a>, via <a href="http://www.soupchick.com/">soupchick</a>. To "sell" my humble soup, I offered a free loaf of Potato/Rye bread, freshly baked just two hours before the swap. I used the ABin5 recipe from the first book, seeding the crust with caraway, sesame and poppy seeds.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Rustic Cabbage Soup with Smoked Chicken Sausage</b></div><div><div><i>adapted from a recipe by Heidi Swanson, 101cookbooks.com</i></div><div>3 T extra virgin olive oil</div><div>2 t salt</div><div>5 lbs potatoes, cut in 1/2" cubes</div><div>3 lbs smoked chicken sausage, diced </div><div>3 onions, chopped</div><div>10 cloves garlic, minced</div><div>3 48-oz boxes of low sodium chicken broth</div><div>4 15-oz cans white beans, drained and rinsed</div><div>3 heads of cabbage, cored and sliced into 1/2" ribbons</div><div>Seasonings: bay leaf, thyme, fennel, salt, pepper</div><div><br /></div><div>Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Stir in the potatoes and salt, toss to coat with the oil, cover and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring a few times. Add the onion, garlic, sausage and herbs, sautéing for about 3 minutes. Add the broth and beans and simmer for 20 minutes, skimming any bean froth off the surface if necessary. Check to see if the potatoes are cooked, but still firm; if not, continue to simmer until they are. Stir in the cabbage until just wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf.</div><div><br /></div><div>Serving suggestion: drizzle with more extra virgin olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese</div><div><br /></div><div>Makes about 12 quarts</div></div><div><br /></div>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-10003005818099120242010-09-01T09:45:00.000-07:002010-09-01T09:47:35.200-07:00Vote in the Pepsi Refresh Project!<iframe src="http://www.refresheverything.com/widget/?i=e40f70dc-e196-102d-826f-0019b9b9e205&w=350" width="350" height="300" scrolling="'no'" frameborder="'0'"></iframe>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-575965478621310707.post-40315209314586909242010-03-07T10:05:00.001-08:002010-03-07T16:04:40.678-08:00The best spaghetti meat sauce in the world!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrvkD1VKLlrAa0qiCPMmHH4SOWOkGSZD5pmus2GvFeadwda2MKFWvCtJPzR2yFAIC2-431MUk1sm-sZRmWKiwqYkAJ1rZs3J_oxkpEkTTVGLuZdkFCgPeHO7j71mZ3rDhyphenhyphenAk9dImyi0Gxp/s1600-h/BestSpaghettiMeatSauce.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrvkD1VKLlrAa0qiCPMmHH4SOWOkGSZD5pmus2GvFeadwda2MKFWvCtJPzR2yFAIC2-431MUk1sm-sZRmWKiwqYkAJ1rZs3J_oxkpEkTTVGLuZdkFCgPeHO7j71mZ3rDhyphenhyphenAk9dImyi0Gxp/s320/BestSpaghettiMeatSauce.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446045514070214274" /></a><br />What? Do you think I jest? How can I make such a claim?<div><br /></div><div>Because, quite frankly, I love my spaghetti sauce. I could eat it every day and am sure Jim would be delighted with the prospect. My credentials? I've never been to Italy, but lived for a good long while in southwestern CT (where good Italian food is the norm), and was even married during that time to a part Italian guy. I'd rather cook it than go out for it unless it's pizza or Cafe Vignole, our awesome local Tuscan eatery. </div><div><br /></div><div>This sauce isn't just for spaghetti either -- try using it for lasagna or even as a pizza base. It's really good in an all-pork version; not so much with TVM. You use fewer herbs and spices because of the long cooking period. Also, because you cook it in the oven and not on the stovetop, the sauce cooks very evenly and the pot is easy to clean. Just remember, although it would be difficult to burn the sauce using this cooking method, you CAN overdo it -- the sauce will just be more concentrated if you let it go for longer than 12 hours.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Damn Delicious Spaghetti Meat Sauce</b></div><div><i>Makes about 16 quarts</i></div><div><br /></div><div>3 lbs ground pork</div><div>3 lbs lean ground beef</div><div>2 large onions, chopped</div><div>2 heads of garlic, minced</div><div>3 #10 size cans of S&W crushed tomatoes with puree (#10 can is about 106 oz.)</div><div>1 #10 size can of S&W diced tomatoes</div><div>2 heaping T of beef base (Better Than Bouillon or McCormick)</div><div>1 liter (4-1/4 cups) burgundy wine</div><div><div>3 T of Italian-type herb mix or 1 T each of oregano and basil, 1 t of sage</div><div>1 T crushed red pepper</div><div>1 t fennel</div><div>1 bay leaf, optional</div><div><div>3 T kosher salt</div><div><br /></div><div>Preheat oven to 275 degF. In a heavy 16 qt. stock pot, brown the pork, chopping it up into bits while it fries. Remove the pork, draining the grease but leaving a little behind in the pot to brown the beef. When the beef is halfway cooked, add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Dissolve the beef base in the wine, then add it to the pot along with the canned tomatoes and seasonings. Stir everything well. Cover the pot and put in the oven for 12 hours. After 12 hours, turn the oven off, remove the lid and use clean paper towels to soak up any extra grease floating on top. Stir well and adjust the seasoning if needed (it needs to taste a little on the salty side). Put the lid back on and return to the oven to sit until cooled (overnight is good). The cooling period helps to further meld and develop the flavors. Stir well again and remove the bay leaf if you find it.</div><div><br /></div><div>To freeze, ladle into quart-sized plastic containers, leaving about 1/2" space at the top. To thaw, microwave the container on high for 2-3 minutes then empty into a glass/ceramic bowl. Continue to microwave on high, using a fork to chop up the frozen sauce and stirring every 3 minutes until heated through.</div></div></div>DamnCuteBunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300008170932888678noreply@blogger.com0