tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54749298817712410862024-02-22T11:54:12.894-06:00Robert's Random WritingsA healthy blend of cooking fun, a dash of editing, and a serious dose of ramblingRoberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.comBlogger1601125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-25284375745233145432021-01-01T08:25:00.000-06:002021-01-01T08:25:03.357-06:00Letting 2020 Go<p>I haven't been here for quite a while. </p><p>Frankly, I just haven't felt like putting up a new blog post for most of the past six months. And, while I don't really know that anyone who reads my blog on a regular basis really wants an explanation (or needs one at this point), I feel like I need to write one out for myself. </p><p>In July, my dad died. He'd had a lot of medical issues over the years, but - honestly - his death was still sudden and unexpected. From the time he went into the hospital to the time he was gone was just barely long enough for my sisters and me to make the trip to my hometown to say good-bye. Oddly enough, that was one blessing of the pandemic - the fact that no one was flying in July, so that my sisters could book last-minute direct flights without breaking the bank. </p><p>It wasn't related to COVID-19. (I guess that, for deaths in 2020 and 2021, that will always be a question.)</p><p>The funeral home wanted to know when we would want to have a service, and the decision was "sometime after everyone can travel safely" - we're still not sure when that will be. </p><p>I've been told by people who would know that the first year is the worst, because you're having all of your "first XX without..." situations. And we've definitely had those. I've had my first visit back to my hometown without him there in the house with my mom. We've had our first Thanksgiving and our first Christmas. </p><p>But we've also had our first random Wednesday. Our first "I've got a sore throat, what do I take?" (Dad was a pharmacist so he was always our first call in medical situations.) Our first trip to Trader Joe's without buying those ginger cookies he liked to take home to him. </p><p>For me, it's exactly like when the Narrator in "Our Town" explained to Emily that she should choose to revisit an ordinary day, because even that holds too much emotion for the heart to bear. </p><p>And, as of today, we have the first calendar year that he won't be in. As of midnight, his death is now "last year" - a marker in the past. </p><p>I know that a lot of other things happened in 2020. A lot of things people wish hadn't happened, and a lot of things that we, as a society, should never forget. And I know that we're not the only family that dealt with losing a loved one. It was 12 months of the world going on. And there were probably just as many good things as bad - weddings and births and beautiful sunrises and dances in the kitchen. </p><p>But, for me, the beginning of July changed everything. And I have been dreading the change of the calendar and having to say that it happened last year. Because the memories will always be immediate and I will always want to make one more phonecall, one more visit, one more drive down that road because we haven't gone down it in a while. </p><p>A new year is just a date on a calendar. Life goes on. It's persistent. And so does memory. And there will always be new firsts. They just won't ever be quite the same. </p><p>-----</p><p><i>Because it kind of seems appropriate, here is a <a href="https://www.goglinfh.com/Obituary/910/James-Schmidt" target="_blank">link to Dad's obituary</a>. </i></p><p><i><br /></i></p>Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-7122465406598670932020-07-17T11:25:00.025-05:002020-07-17T11:25:07.000-05:00Margo's Eggs (sorta)A couple of weeks ago - the PopTarts week - my post was almost entirely video. So I'm balancing that out with this old-school post, which has no video. But it's a REALLY good recipe, so I'd recommend reading it, anyway. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lSB-ULbaW5sBWM2WJNL-_3nXBpiC7DNdEiPVDjv771Ne98EoWF17ecdrpZ0VX-mfZGp-d4A69ClkP0H9CKjeG2WInKw_z_ylVAzY9ajjsxt5DgPHP_QfrrRWWce55PItG1ywAHtB7ocg/s2048/IMG_5963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lSB-ULbaW5sBWM2WJNL-_3nXBpiC7DNdEiPVDjv771Ne98EoWF17ecdrpZ0VX-mfZGp-d4A69ClkP0H9CKjeG2WInKw_z_ylVAzY9ajjsxt5DgPHP_QfrrRWWce55PItG1ywAHtB7ocg/s320/IMG_5963.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crispy edges, chunks of bacon, cheese, and a creamy top layer. Yum!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Here's a catch, though: I also don't have any of the prep photos, because I was doing some emotional cooking and only remembered to take photos when it was done. So you'll also have to trust me that it's one of the easiest things you'll ever make for brunch (or whenever you decide to eat it). </div><div><br /></div><div>Basically what you're making is a savory bread pudding crossed with a Midwestern casserole (I grew up in South Dakota, so at the point this entered my life I still talked of "casseroles" instead of the Minnesotan "hot dish"). It has an incredibly basic custard (milk and eggs), stale bread, some kind of meat and cheese, and a can of cream of something soup. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphIcEmgiCG5PMsNRVH21sEKoms3nt8x9uIlN8u6waUwbhv0ivNOSOVK3mLmJtxuA8_2Qf446KPP00FwGbiVrj-V5cKyN_raSSR_YijUU3p_Sgk1msrZhOLuLSY0dGO30xpPm20rK7mf4z/s2048/IMG_5962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphIcEmgiCG5PMsNRVH21sEKoms3nt8x9uIlN8u6waUwbhv0ivNOSOVK3mLmJtxuA8_2Qf446KPP00FwGbiVrj-V5cKyN_raSSR_YijUU3p_Sgk1msrZhOLuLSY0dGO30xpPm20rK7mf4z/s320/IMG_5962.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously - what's not to love? </td></tr></tbody></table><div><b><br /></b></div><div><i>Because there's no video, I'm jumping straight into the recipe. For my usual ramblings, please see the Q&A section below the recipe. </i></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Margo's Eggs</b></div><div><br /></div><div>The ingredient list is pretty straightforward: </div><div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div>8 slices of bread (something sturdy and/or stale works best)</div><div>2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese</div><div>1 pound of bacon, browned and drained</div><div>7 eggs</div><div>2 3/4 cups milk (dual usage)</div><div>1 tsp dry mustard (or 1 tbsp brown mustard)</div><div>1 can Cream of Mushroom soup (in the original, but Cream of Chicken is great - any "Cream of..." that you think goes with cheese and bacon would work)</div><div><br /></div><div>Butter/Margarine/Cooking spray to grease the pan</div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><i>**This is, technically, for a 9"x13" pan. But it kind of depends on the size of your slices of bread. The pan in the photo (below) is, I believe, 10"x10". My mom has always made it in a shallow lasagna pan - about 10"x15" (maybe) - and if you do it in that, you'd want to use 1.5x the recipe. </i></div><div><br /></div><div>Here's how I make this:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Note: Start this the night before you want to eat it (because it should sit in the fridge overnight before baking)</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>1. Brown the bacon until fairly crisp (I typically use kitchen shears to cut the strips of bacon into 1-inch pieces before cooking, but you could also just cook the strips and then crumble them after they cool)</div><div>2. While the bacon is cooking, grease a 9x13 baking dish</div><div>3. In between checks on the bacon, tear up the bread into "large bite-size" pieces and throw them in the greased pan</div><div>4. Add the shredded cheese to the pan and mix with the bread</div><div>5. Hopefully by this time (it times out pretty well if you're also hand-shredding the cheese, etc.) the bacon will be done, and you can add the bite-size pieces of bacon to the pan and mix it all together</div><div><br /></div><div>6. In a bowl, combine the eggs, mustard, and 2 1/4 cups of the milk</div><div>7. Pour the milk/egg/mustard mixture over the bread (etc.) in the pan</div><div> (Honestly, at this point, I go in with my hands and moosh it all around. The idea is that you want the bread to soak up as much of the liquid as possible, so you move it around and push it down a bit into the liquid.)<br /><br />8. In the (now empty) bowl, combine the can of soup with the remaining 1/2 cup of milk</div><div>9. Spread the soup mixture over the mix in the pan</div><div>10. Cover and refrigerate overnight (about 8 hours)</div><div><br /></div><div>11. Preheat oven to 350 degrees</div><div>12. Bake (uncovered) for an hour (it should be pretty well "set" before you take it out)</div><div>13. Remove from the oven and let stand for about 5 minutes to finish setting up </div><div>14. Serve (and realize some people will fight over the crispy bits around the edges)</div><div><br /></div><div><i>If any of it doesn't get eaten right away, it refrigerates and reheats really well. </i></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9_Ou65F1ZjItb_mnthcL7T-t0V89TjcncjCZjv0MrfJD8Am9nDKZF2GD580EUwIerLmCE78fCVGAUu6IYiXFJnr-wr9NHvcU2MEXVWiTx1cspZ24he-AUz6tA2e0WF1NB3FT6edqTscG/s2048/IMG_5961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9_Ou65F1ZjItb_mnthcL7T-t0V89TjcncjCZjv0MrfJD8Am9nDKZF2GD580EUwIerLmCE78fCVGAUu6IYiXFJnr-wr9NHvcU2MEXVWiTx1cspZ24he-AUz6tA2e0WF1NB3FT6edqTscG/s320/IMG_5961.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christopher wasn't around for this one, so we went old school with Cream of Mushroom.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>And now to some of the questions I'm sure you probably have: </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Can I substitute other breakfast meats? </i></div><div>Yes. This is a really forgiving recipe. Just try to keep the proportions the same and drain the meat before using it. Ham is an easy swap-out. Peppered bacon adds a nice bite. Sausage works. I'm sure Chorizo would be good - as would numerous non-meat products. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>What soups have you used?</i></div><div>The original recipe for this was always Cream of Mushroom, but then I met Christopher - who is allergic to mushrooms. So I stared for a while at the Campbell's soup rack in the grocery store and decided to go with Cream of Chicken (for the whole chicken/egg thing). I think Cream of Potato would be really good. I'm not a huge fan of Cream of Celery or Cream of Asparagus - but they might work if you like them. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Why is it called "Margo's Eggs"? Who is Margo? Why was it an "emotional bake"? </i></div><div>Alright... you knew there had to be a backstory. And I waited as long as I could to include it. <br /><br />When I was growing up, Margo and Curt were two of my parents' best friends in my home town. Curt was the town dentist (my dad was the pharmacist), and so when they moved to town it was a good match. And, sometime along the way, Margo made this casserole and served it and Mom got the recipe from her. </div><div><br /></div><div>It has been served every year at Christmas and at almost every family reunion. And I have served it at (I believe) <i>every</i> brunch I've ever hosted. And they are always "Margo's Eggs." People who never met Margo know that they're Margo's Eggs and ask me whether they'll be served at the next brunch. I've emailed the recipe for Margo's Eggs to people on both coasts at different times. They have always been - and will always be - Margo's Eggs. </div><div><br /></div><div>The funny thing is that Margo apparently never really made Margo's Eggs that often. When Margo and Curt came for brunch at Mom and Dad's a few years ago, she asked where Mom had gotten the recipe. Apparently they weren't a staple in their house - and when she did make them, she almost never used Cream of Mushroom soup (she opted for Cream of Chicken). She thought it was kind of ridiculous that we called them "Margo's Eggs." But... there we are. </div><div><br /></div><div>I made the batch of Margo's Eggs in these photos last April. I was home with my parents to spend some time with them because Margo had passed away earlier in the month. And in trying to be cautious about gatherings, there could be no funeral for a best friend. So I came home and we talked about Margo and ate the dish that we'll always think of as hers. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTFkRelMPAPQJNUSv58HwAyCJl0EfnnFSuUuvA2wuFJ3nD6F5FLrXGNwUeQ6z-NGamgaCUSF-37gdPVSWRAtqhaDLbXQf7gfAMacM3HLaL-cteEFeGXqmTGDKXpu1ruwu40LrxuvkCYa2/s606/Margo.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="490" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTFkRelMPAPQJNUSv58HwAyCJl0EfnnFSuUuvA2wuFJ3nD6F5FLrXGNwUeQ6z-NGamgaCUSF-37gdPVSWRAtqhaDLbXQf7gfAMacM3HLaL-cteEFeGXqmTGDKXpu1ruwu40LrxuvkCYa2/s320/Margo.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's not really enough information to understand how amazing she was, how infectious her laugh was, and how much she is missed - but you can learn more about her here: <a href="https://okfhc.com/tribute/details/1661/Margo-Johnson/obituary.html">https://okfhc.com/tribute/details/1661/Margo-Johnson/obituary.html</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The world is kind of crazy right now, and it's nearly impossible to share things in person. I can't even remember the last time Christopher and I hosted a brunch - and I really miss that kind of social interaction gathering. But I know that, as soon as we can safely gather in the house, Margo's Eggs will be on the table for brunch. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UWmH8xePkmfF-8-2IbF5LkbYT40g9j87vZAS6cSFwhNzkHBxJ-PzO5ZX5vqOmOqmLC2ez-fkK-IDodprAXci-GfkKKEHlj49Jk8JW2o-RjqDokUlO-sCfSEzUK6vIjPyJwQzoZ6zKYMP/s2048/IMG_5964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UWmH8xePkmfF-8-2IbF5LkbYT40g9j87vZAS6cSFwhNzkHBxJ-PzO5ZX5vqOmOqmLC2ez-fkK-IDodprAXci-GfkKKEHlj49Jk8JW2o-RjqDokUlO-sCfSEzUK6vIjPyJwQzoZ6zKYMP/s320/IMG_5964.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And I doubt there will be any leftovers.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>----</div><div><i>How're you doing these days? Are there any foods that are helping you to get through it all - or any plans for "after all this" that you're keeping your eye on? I hope you're well and taking care of yourself and those you love.</i></div><div><br /></div>Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-72324425925573163862020-07-10T12:56:00.001-05:002020-07-10T12:56:00.198-05:00Parker House RollsOne thing I've learned over the years of blogging about food (and, really, about almost anything) is that there are always variations on themes. And those variations really come out when you're talking about recipes. <div><br /></div><div>Back around Easter, I decided that it would be nice to have dinner rolls with our Easter dinner (even though Easter dinner this year was just Christopher, me, and a ham). And so I headed online to find a good dinner roll recipe and came across this recipe for <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/dave-lieberman/parker-house-rolls-recipe-1947531" target="_blank">Parker House rolls from Dave Lieberman</a> (who had a short run on the Food Network). </div><div><br /></div><div>Having looked at a few other recipes, I thought this one seemed to look like it hit all the right notes. And since we had just come into possession of yeast, I decided it was the way to go. (Plus, they promised to look really pretty.)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizouvubFGxvaTUl58-SNMo_A5IhH1uf6HF1P0d_LkGlBKtnLatNk9IzRmqmQd_758H0WNAPxzZYmVO4KwY1JZn4yoi5mtPZm33hkT9LP2Aa9R82SM4NjfNKZ595goLGiqYzY5Y3BCwbEKY/s3024/IMG_5946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizouvubFGxvaTUl58-SNMo_A5IhH1uf6HF1P0d_LkGlBKtnLatNk9IzRmqmQd_758H0WNAPxzZYmVO4KwY1JZn4yoi5mtPZm33hkT9LP2Aa9R82SM4NjfNKZ595goLGiqYzY5Y3BCwbEKY/s320/IMG_5946.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Now, something you may not remember is that I also spent much of Easter Sunday making Yeast Doughnuts (<a href="https://robertsrandomwritings.blogspot.com/2020/04/raised-doughnuts-eventually.html" target="_blank">that blog post is here</a>). (So there was a whole lot of rising going on on Easter.) </div><div><br /></div><div>Let's set the scene, since it's been a while: </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5FLobjHMFyU" width="320" youtube-src-id="5FLobjHMFyU"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <font size="2">Yes, frankly, this is how I feel about yeast. (More explanation in the video.) </font></div></div><div><br /></div><div>First, we get together the ingredients, as usual. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI19o_ggmJ20EhsHzGAr_hW6cpfp1kxgGKtQL9NCg0aiu8D6UqOQowJYn1WzwoITlQQql_eRINhpy_ke9SSmmx7apJMT74T1H5c82bB86HH_4H-OgU3dgxmm0qh91NbagLtDSMqekC76nP/s3024/IMG_5916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI19o_ggmJ20EhsHzGAr_hW6cpfp1kxgGKtQL9NCg0aiu8D6UqOQowJYn1WzwoITlQQql_eRINhpy_ke9SSmmx7apJMT74T1H5c82bB86HH_4H-OgU3dgxmm0qh91NbagLtDSMqekC76nP/s320/IMG_5916.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You'll note that the water has a thermometer sticking out of it - that's because water that is too cold won't do anything with yeast and water that is too hot will kill it. <br />(Please ignore the bottle of chocolate extract in the photo.)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />So what <i>is</i> a good temperature when working with Active Dry Yeast? Somewhere between 110 and 116 degrees Fahrenheit. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FFzt8K3ZqMlmLj31zeR2krx2Fgac45Ey0x4qBFchLVkWMgoffIyQM8qVFHfz2IHDARxxZK8yl2T4PHkhIv6lP7FPOvU_xJlZUbvX49n9t7bKsq8CvlMo611DKxMo6nFFl_KLkQxETyt7/s3024/IMG_5917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FFzt8K3ZqMlmLj31zeR2krx2Fgac45Ey0x4qBFchLVkWMgoffIyQM8qVFHfz2IHDARxxZK8yl2T4PHkhIv6lP7FPOvU_xJlZUbvX49n9t7bKsq8CvlMo611DKxMo6nFFl_KLkQxETyt7/s320/IMG_5917.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>With the water (1 cup) at the right temp, we put in the yeast (2 1/4 tsp - or one "packet" of Active Dry yeas) and sugar (2 tbsp) (because yeast needs something to eat) (eww). <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3gug1roG6GbNhyphenhyphenAN-J0En6o1crWsLaX2OtwlOAzcJDduKHWuWWtWVDhzSHDEgPEawTSolpWaJdLzH6banNUuNzSRIbzxu1DbUAZ0rq0pIWltNWyI02davc3dZD7SxuDFo6YLLLCR2Dl4/s3024/IMG_5918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3gug1roG6GbNhyphenhyphenAN-J0En6o1crWsLaX2OtwlOAzcJDduKHWuWWtWVDhzSHDEgPEawTSolpWaJdLzH6banNUuNzSRIbzxu1DbUAZ0rq0pIWltNWyI02davc3dZD7SxuDFo6YLLLCR2Dl4/s320/IMG_5918.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>And, as discussed in the video, you let that get all foamy for 5 or 10 minutes.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitInyUpdft_YMcnB_N5ZoRNcBR8rV9EwnjrkmGEyABEe8V5sVQXN3DHg38V-1I4aiuG5qeZWoWv7YirUjGZjOx9FGftOM2c2aU4lzmBCNNBluvPLlRrHtb8LYGYw4FqbwYtjtEiqJed3o4/s3024/IMG_5920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitInyUpdft_YMcnB_N5ZoRNcBR8rV9EwnjrkmGEyABEe8V5sVQXN3DHg38V-1I4aiuG5qeZWoWv7YirUjGZjOx9FGftOM2c2aU4lzmBCNNBluvPLlRrHtb8LYGYw4FqbwYtjtEiqJed3o4/s320/IMG_5920.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Meanwhile, you can work with the rest of your ingredients, including 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 tsp of salt. <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9zIFk0k-v5kcSmRexhG4kIsfo6jLywlutHzB6Z9Vjk82Gl3iPjYbhAyAqXQKhm8-PJkuyya2_RYKfu4R3pUlS4waXYKCLhDzQ0G1eegf0UPMQMK9vZkEVT7kG_-JebRopDBWtLewLpPj/s3024/IMG_5921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9zIFk0k-v5kcSmRexhG4kIsfo6jLywlutHzB6Z9Vjk82Gl3iPjYbhAyAqXQKhm8-PJkuyya2_RYKfu4R3pUlS4waXYKCLhDzQ0G1eegf0UPMQMK9vZkEVT7kG_-JebRopDBWtLewLpPj/s320/IMG_5921.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah. The "flour and salt" photos are never going to get interesting. Sorry.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Add in one whole egg and one extra yolk... <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxuwoheur8F8nKkWt88aT7KSqJN7i1qwiYuB1bMonz6zcjR7B1SGi-j1aW9B2103xfnuCcmLJtzLPXiMQqejw_AGCkaTyTA5YxVRMZlIEoSD5Zdb-QUHdrX0VKCNXveL2j5kFXL0H6mlB/s3024/IMG_5922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxuwoheur8F8nKkWt88aT7KSqJN7i1qwiYuB1bMonz6zcjR7B1SGi-j1aW9B2103xfnuCcmLJtzLPXiMQqejw_AGCkaTyTA5YxVRMZlIEoSD5Zdb-QUHdrX0VKCNXveL2j5kFXL0H6mlB/s320/IMG_5922.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For the record, I do not know what the equivalency is if you crack open an egg to find it has two yolks.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />And - you guessed it - you can start stirring.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMDCEasaIVDtSc8V3mzN1jWmCvg7QkZXUPbYN4br5m8rKeEgUM0x97q0y4zFTK9ikBxFpp8-eMWX3orWu_AIeqp1tihkjO8iuXJczJIHH9UQX6Yffcm6Xd6AnkPl7D80j8ZqkjXqw5l4P/s3024/IMG_5925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMDCEasaIVDtSc8V3mzN1jWmCvg7QkZXUPbYN4br5m8rKeEgUM0x97q0y4zFTK9ikBxFpp8-eMWX3orWu_AIeqp1tihkjO8iuXJczJIHH9UQX6Yffcm6Xd6AnkPl7D80j8ZqkjXqw5l4P/w320-h320/IMG_5925.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div><div>At this point, you can go back and look at the frothy yeast to see what it's been up to. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_w1RR-Ofi4BkfnenxR9mdm4YLmhH5hT9Iz2mPYwPLhfQhV4gDXbTrT3eJx9tXHQIxS6evZ2-w4I1QBILqT9D3gJJfRtEqluDy-JYe2ITDu4UvsIaryw6d5TIKJj8pkjVHbNga3-91ykPO/s3024/IMG_5923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_w1RR-Ofi4BkfnenxR9mdm4YLmhH5hT9Iz2mPYwPLhfQhV4gDXbTrT3eJx9tXHQIxS6evZ2-w4I1QBILqT9D3gJJfRtEqluDy-JYe2ITDu4UvsIaryw6d5TIKJj8pkjVHbNga3-91ykPO/s320/IMG_5923.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>When we started, it basically all came to just barely above the 8-ounce mark. At this point, it was up to the 12-ounce mark. Which made me think the yeast had had enough snacking and was ready to do some work. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGYBaYVjOw0U0PEfkS2KY-gkaLxcRuV09-Gm_I_PwcO-XKSLyv9Xkf-G5UV7gLDoEQkRSmm3Krucainvk7utH9TzAAZvcwBu23vCwfx9YVeDagGcllEkpQhyphenhyphenVaXewtK9KQBNdBSUv5s2uY/s3024/IMG_5924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGYBaYVjOw0U0PEfkS2KY-gkaLxcRuV09-Gm_I_PwcO-XKSLyv9Xkf-G5UV7gLDoEQkRSmm3Krucainvk7utH9TzAAZvcwBu23vCwfx9YVeDagGcllEkpQhyphenhyphenVaXewtK9KQBNdBSUv5s2uY/s320/IMG_5924.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>And, having decided that it's time to mix everything together, you can do just that.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqyxc4djEQ_7lGO7tigBFzmIB2v3m0clfhO258S8vkfkoXSfz96ihKRMhPgzvK8BHnTpOMLhBe985N6l0nhfjxiaBKkmP1yddhGz1olnMeDLsZb31GAn2WWGAFab3BLwosu6UeJ6cB7zso/s3024/IMG_5926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqyxc4djEQ_7lGO7tigBFzmIB2v3m0clfhO258S8vkfkoXSfz96ihKRMhPgzvK8BHnTpOMLhBe985N6l0nhfjxiaBKkmP1yddhGz1olnMeDLsZb31GAn2WWGAFab3BLwosu6UeJ6cB7zso/s320/IMG_5926.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This was the first time I've made these rolls, and... yowsa... this was not what I expected them to look like. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiD97dv-0n_kRBvVA6dKFTA0pTDhj4Q_R7XHvJlYPPRZ6Mftm9Yl3Ahis2fjXBi3v6BS9_8X8fgE4thhyphenhyphenb1BBKVidRZcXnTLIXdWJTtBkNk5o8kDsIqRHZWgZxp31ujKQDpksp5Mmf7FM5/s3024/IMG_5927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiD97dv-0n_kRBvVA6dKFTA0pTDhj4Q_R7XHvJlYPPRZ6Mftm9Yl3Ahis2fjXBi3v6BS9_8X8fgE4thhyphenhyphenb1BBKVidRZcXnTLIXdWJTtBkNk5o8kDsIqRHZWgZxp31ujKQDpksp5Mmf7FM5/s320/IMG_5927.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Eventually, they started to pull together and smooth out.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiif3xn8mRf_ZW7QFx4nJg5yhSlLMJbOmpTUYgkXKWp_lCkyAtzf2Jtb1sICxAKSOCKFd6ThJRB5UwdW3WoUO6KKyT6FR1SLH3OZuY0cy5inyUaOx9ci1De6pYjq83OOEhx9f_Q6tOzymM9/s3024/IMG_5928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiif3xn8mRf_ZW7QFx4nJg5yhSlLMJbOmpTUYgkXKWp_lCkyAtzf2Jtb1sICxAKSOCKFd6ThJRB5UwdW3WoUO6KKyT6FR1SLH3OZuY0cy5inyUaOx9ci1De6pYjq83OOEhx9f_Q6tOzymM9/s320/IMG_5928.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>But even after adding all of the flour, this is how gloppy the dough looked when I flipped it out onto the board to be kneaded. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwnkQd6NrrWU6Ox2T6kGcgiJZuJBJ0lSyA1Vr3rkdnIxbpc_ce7h7_TFvpS_wkqYgRLcTQF-hrLCnqmGN-t8enEj2cWy5xb11HVyfBpU7iSqu88mFvLmMBRPeXkzL4kr2HU5rk78lH430/s3024/IMG_5929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwnkQd6NrrWU6Ox2T6kGcgiJZuJBJ0lSyA1Vr3rkdnIxbpc_ce7h7_TFvpS_wkqYgRLcTQF-hrLCnqmGN-t8enEj2cWy5xb11HVyfBpU7iSqu88mFvLmMBRPeXkzL4kr2HU5rk78lH430/s320/IMG_5929.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I took the recipe at its word and <b>added about half a cup</b> more flour as I went along - both to keep it from sticking to the board AND to get it to eventually hold together. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4fa2eFQH-TVqHd9lOV_7jDlBXcXuyprE8lSCuLYBsGZYuTf3IWKWe_DVtmfG0Z_48O9cuR3XerxjpZZeAAIdz2NYTHf9C-Aj4FZJBR4mERCU-oY67JUCcum5bgVSllygxUcrSRGA6GaAL/s3024/IMG_5930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4fa2eFQH-TVqHd9lOV_7jDlBXcXuyprE8lSCuLYBsGZYuTf3IWKWe_DVtmfG0Z_48O9cuR3XerxjpZZeAAIdz2NYTHf9C-Aj4FZJBR4mERCU-oY67JUCcum5bgVSllygxUcrSRGA6GaAL/s320/IMG_5930.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>At this point, I put it into a bowl, covered it, and let it proof for about 20 minutes, at which point it came out looking like this: </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgiZGylvQPN70avrGPpwMRcdYcu2wmGTbBpDFfUY84dT8On-cg8ijPUTS3_1Ie18NmC44jbvdta_tNdvJRgD5L2lAvvjY6k2j63RUUcF7wiLPZro6vZpHz6OySACcsQS5WLUSti8DipTI/s320/IMG_5933.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know it's a bit hard to tell, but it did grow some during that 20-minute rest. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While the dough was resting, I melted 2 tablespoons of butter and put it into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsnm54gP4rv4INrt7zA2nGvdWEL1TVzWdQQq7chsrLdHiPpan7vRiC4g9VGZzif9TLnxZ92F71GTAAdo3taZn8VxuC7HAftV13w9K_YnkBQIj75nE4AtbeT_r1jSKnaGHOYyDup_JsfkY/s3024/IMG_5932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsnm54gP4rv4INrt7zA2nGvdWEL1TVzWdQQq7chsrLdHiPpan7vRiC4g9VGZzif9TLnxZ92F71GTAAdo3taZn8VxuC7HAftV13w9K_YnkBQIj75nE4AtbeT_r1jSKnaGHOYyDup_JsfkY/s320/IMG_5932.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div>And now your junior high math skills come into play. (Though... really... with most baking you do have to use math, so this isn't a huge leap.) </div><div><br /></div><div>To quote the recipe: "Remove dough from the bowl, divide the dough in half and roll each piece into a long 1 1/2-inch wide snake shape. Cut into 20 pieces and shape each into a ball." That process looks (at least in my kitchen) like this: </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Step 1: Divide the dough in half</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicW_BtXubOZj4lRo7D_YbD-rEd9fGkn2M8FEzGmaqRZjVEAWTj5NSImxPBBF6hXlqDnPzUm_JJu-bSdUCrFrP9HW5E00bwGwNuAmr56cUQnv5V_6WC8x-jitVInt8n0SX6foNyC2GaNAtY/s2906/fullsizeoutput_51d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2906" data-original-width="2906" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicW_BtXubOZj4lRo7D_YbD-rEd9fGkn2M8FEzGmaqRZjVEAWTj5NSImxPBBF6hXlqDnPzUm_JJu-bSdUCrFrP9HW5E00bwGwNuAmr56cUQnv5V_6WC8x-jitVInt8n0SX6foNyC2GaNAtY/s320/fullsizeoutput_51d.jpeg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Step 2: Roll each half into a 1 1/2-inch wide snake<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHrv1vA4GONA_8uGOX4tVUpwvCF3qufNAHvnsy8Lxx_MltoogJS5gmvpc2Whsd221aoxilxOQPaiX2egBSZH2Ahad9raNxlJ6fzu4A4XSAz5DW3MpgggQkqMoMeLb_Ds_-61KZ2JmB3Qjq/s3024/fullsizeoutput_521.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHrv1vA4GONA_8uGOX4tVUpwvCF3qufNAHvnsy8Lxx_MltoogJS5gmvpc2Whsd221aoxilxOQPaiX2egBSZH2Ahad9raNxlJ6fzu4A4XSAz5DW3MpgggQkqMoMeLb_Ds_-61KZ2JmB3Qjq/s320/fullsizeoutput_521.jpeg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Step 3: Cut into 20 pieces. <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTuP-1lQW_LCL8KwiFafOCvMmZHtpfjYIZ4FR_nIZRsECBcsoFx4_mhl51USBfnJnOjBK7Ig29DqqlyPTi7Tms1NGmF1I_Fbl0EGWFMCE3haiIccws-c-1KMzkM3Ybxlo4Ef49vKmtwxp/s3024/fullsizeoutput_520.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTuP-1lQW_LCL8KwiFafOCvMmZHtpfjYIZ4FR_nIZRsECBcsoFx4_mhl51USBfnJnOjBK7Ig29DqqlyPTi7Tms1NGmF1I_Fbl0EGWFMCE3haiIccws-c-1KMzkM3Ybxlo4Ef49vKmtwxp/s320/fullsizeoutput_520.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I fully admit that this step had me wondering a bit. Was I supposed to cut each half into 20? Or was I supposed to end up with 20 pieces total? I opted to go with 20 pieces total.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The first few dough balls were easy enough to roll in the butter. The latter ones were a bit of a challenge, though, because there wasn't much room left to move the butter around in. (If I come across something like this in a recipe in the future, I'll probably just butter the pan, then keep the melted butter in a bowl to dip the dough into.) <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IlpJGg7JxP5TxXiCGjdoy1uFNVYWi5obD_TqSnPzx1zpiMC1z8dIV27tfzGtY4wHltXheLS3rSid58_XpOBHwWl5kxprvHBylPBsUeQMl0ZYudF-1vPVNAXcjs2fewXEJ1lG6nXphdca/s3024/fullsizeoutput_51f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IlpJGg7JxP5TxXiCGjdoy1uFNVYWi5obD_TqSnPzx1zpiMC1z8dIV27tfzGtY4wHltXheLS3rSid58_XpOBHwWl5kxprvHBylPBsUeQMl0ZYudF-1vPVNAXcjs2fewXEJ1lG6nXphdca/s320/fullsizeoutput_51f.jpeg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Once in the pan, I tucked them in under a towel and (as usual) placed it on the top of the fridge to proof. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9kEUZ4T9Gm5nYz_xoGr8wHpKxR1BWppvf86FtdE8UsuPONIzbtSTbfXhtXKwtJIdqKbRcEXH_pcj7bCd6ZbxX2swiYx5vZX9mkg8dwfMYIDlMKsysNr_uvCcfrscoJWbhbcT54qfH78L/s3024/IMG_5939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9kEUZ4T9Gm5nYz_xoGr8wHpKxR1BWppvf86FtdE8UsuPONIzbtSTbfXhtXKwtJIdqKbRcEXH_pcj7bCd6ZbxX2swiYx5vZX9mkg8dwfMYIDlMKsysNr_uvCcfrscoJWbhbcT54qfH78L/s320/IMG_5939.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After about an hour, they'd not quite doubled in size, but I figured it was close enough. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2WZhqCbvOBjjlB4shFbgd5lZRie5iKOSQK4n2wTCzrVsSP2j1hyE5MUzJSv_9DQ__GjbMjMlA-Eb_OB281Id3vX6axf3d95pZtyZleVziuJwFiPR83pROmr44PToEUJFgf7jNx8IAADe/s3024/IMG_5941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2WZhqCbvOBjjlB4shFbgd5lZRie5iKOSQK4n2wTCzrVsSP2j1hyE5MUzJSv_9DQ__GjbMjMlA-Eb_OB281Id3vX6axf3d95pZtyZleVziuJwFiPR83pROmr44PToEUJFgf7jNx8IAADe/s320/IMG_5941.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>They did look much more pleasant than they had before proofing, after all: <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLzV_nSjIq4-o6OINZUKR1byg5-yilPMEwowHcTjzmAPa8uOAJOIqOTaVTjATU3m5aJfbdZZYbKLK6ARQywfEEtGu1A1HKoBFcxDhHacrCRHGgXOfSVPQ5JKjNKEGiMNemBvFxgVJYXK3/s3024/fullsizeoutput_51e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLzV_nSjIq4-o6OINZUKR1byg5-yilPMEwowHcTjzmAPa8uOAJOIqOTaVTjATU3m5aJfbdZZYbKLK6ARQywfEEtGu1A1HKoBFcxDhHacrCRHGgXOfSVPQ5JKjNKEGiMNemBvFxgVJYXK3/s320/fullsizeoutput_51e.jpeg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A quick brush with some lightly beaten egg (honestly, I just used the leftover eggwhite, instead of a whole egg), and then a sprinkling with salt, and then into the oven. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis4Cvi_rUw4KDNmemMJSN5evTseGOioVi4s37Q2rHX8sA-KOqVrsnEHJei-yMpVz5p3GYpKw9mK_EJ8K8EoGMyBSQogYridkYkFH_W8779jF4vYR5ZJAhSEOxQJ22UD7c8YvTBvSdoiZl9/s3024/IMG_5943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis4Cvi_rUw4KDNmemMJSN5evTseGOioVi4s37Q2rHX8sA-KOqVrsnEHJei-yMpVz5p3GYpKw9mK_EJ8K8EoGMyBSQogYridkYkFH_W8779jF4vYR5ZJAhSEOxQJ22UD7c8YvTBvSdoiZl9/s320/IMG_5943.JPG" /></a></div><br />And about half an hour later, they looked like this. <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nzOAUetw6SKRyivsoYP7yWamSRwZerKHPvGHImmPqANG1psNX1sF2HDaVIrsIYAJwQUnO4XE9oDhpA11j8RiRIxI5vFbJRLePpvYlGY6TljVwrYgdSnJmQ3CuWlmudjo-AeC_Hq-wXVX/s320/IMG_5945.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Be honest - that's making your mouth water just a bit, isn't it? <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, they look good, but how did they taste? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KY0ESoVE8co" width="320" youtube-src-id="KY0ESoVE8co"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall, I'd say they lived up to the hype. And they were great for ham sandwiches after the fact. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Was it a perfect recipe? Maybe not. The dough was probably not supposed to be quite so wet at the start, but I worked around that. We'll see if I try this recipe again in the future or try another one. </div><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/AVvXsEgSr5t_2YJIqZH3sr73C-bHfOTrcqpR8z3ojyglnIQt7UoycxuCpSnk6PKnchyrYvWGZlFNxuDStew-AREsdOHd3c60DZoWbkgwQpnH66Z5HUtV2W82gRwTgpsfl33P6NEAYcdSZDprmYjl/s3024/IMG_5944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSr5t_2YJIqZH3sr73C-bHfOTrcqpR8z3ojyglnIQt7UoycxuCpSnk6PKnchyrYvWGZlFNxuDStew-AREsdOHd3c60DZoWbkgwQpnH66Z5HUtV2W82gRwTgpsfl33P6NEAYcdSZDprmYjl/s320/IMG_5944.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">By the way - I did find that, yep, Parker House Rolls are named after the Parker House Hotel in Boston, where they originated in the 1870s. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-----</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Behind/Below-the-scenes photo: This is what happens when you wear black sweatpants without an apron while working with dough. (Or at least it's what happens if you're me.) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRimDABjxqRzLd-xiXx9JozL0_3n_XFlabIsy_9ui6Mr6fLmF_ZCxXuSRm_6Jyl8U7O55vHDtDqP8303XO-lVsm6JYbZy_l5m0lcSytmXRImAPaqaH2XS0EP1I_DwfZ6C8CtC7pOpzYBJs/s3024/IMG_5934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRimDABjxqRzLd-xiXx9JozL0_3n_XFlabIsy_9ui6Mr6fLmF_ZCxXuSRm_6Jyl8U7O55vHDtDqP8303XO-lVsm6JYbZy_l5m0lcSytmXRImAPaqaH2XS0EP1I_DwfZ6C8CtC7pOpzYBJs/s320/IMG_5934.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-21838831472747929722020-07-05T12:21:00.000-05:002020-07-05T12:21:18.491-05:00Froot Loops Pop-Tarts (yes, really)You know how, sometimes, when you're feeling a little down and you go to the grocery store, and you just decide to pick up whatever just seems like an interesting idea at the time? Sometimes you get a great idea. <div><br /></div><div>Sometimes, when you've been kind of cooped up for a couple of months, you end up with a really bad idea in your cart. </div><div><br /></div><div>This post is about that. To whit: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzLbW8CpV0ZTx7c7jU73PswEUQcokO7gUbWduX93B_y7vLJ_ZuRUC5wzoSz0TlA4fz9Bx3nJUine0R-vXBBCWtdMw9w0pCCsn9qO5ZFxaxiwqmJ2KS2KwQTsUQH-yo1Az51EXhPgd-q_VI/s3024/IMG_6161.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzLbW8CpV0ZTx7c7jU73PswEUQcokO7gUbWduX93B_y7vLJ_ZuRUC5wzoSz0TlA4fz9Bx3nJUine0R-vXBBCWtdMw9w0pCCsn9qO5ZFxaxiwqmJ2KS2KwQTsUQH-yo1Az51EXhPgd-q_VI/s320/IMG_6161.JPG" /></a></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>Yes. That box says "Froot Loops Pop-Tarts." </div><div><br /></div><div>Yes. I bought them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1q2OrgAUZVaeXjZ4Dc3uOrPkUYGJwm-IIb68ncZw7kur3pX2qinfj1fQdiIoObiUdQs0OZw4NsLHSuiOz0g4VArgMcYKYtuYttHFTnfeLzDeSKaPreLYvqPqqIDDtSbNnKetjlTSywPl/s3024/IMG_6164.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1q2OrgAUZVaeXjZ4Dc3uOrPkUYGJwm-IIb68ncZw7kur3pX2qinfj1fQdiIoObiUdQs0OZw4NsLHSuiOz0g4VArgMcYKYtuYttHFTnfeLzDeSKaPreLYvqPqqIDDtSbNnKetjlTSywPl/s320/IMG_6164.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And, yes, I tried them. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, how were they? </div><div><br /></div><div>Let's find out...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/va8feYT8iY8" width="320" youtube-src-id="va8feYT8iY8"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Yeah... They were... sweet. But I will say that they were exactly what they advertised. They tasted like Froot Loops and they were in a Pop-Tart crust. </div><div><br /></div><div>Not sure whether that's a good thing or a bad thing. But there it is. </div><div><br /></div><div>I promise that the next blog post that I put up will involve actual kitchen activity. And possibly even a good recipe. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the meantime, I hope you're having a good start to July - and that you're keeping yourself (and those around you) well and happy. </div><div><br /></div><div>PS. I wasn't kidding about the box and the "glasses" Pop-Tart design:</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9NIVjeS5xX6Wol31k-oPMDHjMY2bNRoeHCj0yXNxdjjhm-hmd7nllCLKAzwfE_lX-3s2GqsB8vfoqAhZTy5EK1_MyPJW1ovRzrsTyEjVdGRnmKIK-I0TikWhSdRSrQ2bmSlPsW-8B68t/s3024/IMG_6162.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9NIVjeS5xX6Wol31k-oPMDHjMY2bNRoeHCj0yXNxdjjhm-hmd7nllCLKAzwfE_lX-3s2GqsB8vfoqAhZTy5EK1_MyPJW1ovRzrsTyEjVdGRnmKIK-I0TikWhSdRSrQ2bmSlPsW-8B68t/w205-h205/IMG_6162.JPG" width="205" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't recommend using a Pop-Tart as glasses. <br />I <i>do</i> recommend wearing a mask when out in public. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>PPPS. Yes. I ate the rest of those two pastries. And I drank a lot of water with them. The other 6 are still in the box...</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTqSist1DzmPReoCmYyvDy-gRqHA-fKDrdNyC-WQWzkjfzgdiJ2uVcZdj95GNoYD2DfnovZEEQXp88G53HCQnfT1lC_EHDrLMTP77szDKy7_FPHKNivF-gOqKtvFkm9GzzLm0u1CVG4mT/s3024/IMG_6163.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTqSist1DzmPReoCmYyvDy-gRqHA-fKDrdNyC-WQWzkjfzgdiJ2uVcZdj95GNoYD2DfnovZEEQXp88G53HCQnfT1lC_EHDrLMTP77szDKy7_FPHKNivF-gOqKtvFkm9GzzLm0u1CVG4mT/s320/IMG_6163.JPG" /></a></div><br /></div><div>-----</div><div>Thanks for sticking with me - and for even reading all the way to the end. I'd say "send me your ideas" - because I'm always open to them - but I can't promise you when I'll get around to writing about them. (If I'm being totally honest.)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-32106114210258136452020-04-12T14:09:00.000-05:002020-04-19T09:38:41.781-05:00Raised Doughnuts! (Eventually...)In my quest to use the yeast that we bought a couple of weeks ago - and also in an attempt to work my way through learning some bread-related techniques, I decided that it might be fun to celebrate Easter with doughnuts.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqTTZvFeRf68Lb9sqXI2s3BvQyqzUQ5VcBV4dlRvRQIvOMHpPecINqclI7dlUhBHzXVOIAj_435KcedPGsChHNb8L5qrgR8i6QKf4a-Tvi9o8z5HJBpPYy2tkj9qrMPq3OPEuf697_Z58/s1600/IMG_5901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqTTZvFeRf68Lb9sqXI2s3BvQyqzUQ5VcBV4dlRvRQIvOMHpPecINqclI7dlUhBHzXVOIAj_435KcedPGsChHNb8L5qrgR8i6QKf4a-Tvi9o8z5HJBpPYy2tkj9qrMPq3OPEuf697_Z58/s320/IMG_5901.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
I even committed to getting up early to make them so that we could have them for breakfast (since we're planning to just have a big afternoon meal, and not three squares today). I figured I'd get up around 7, and we'd be good to go by around 9:30 or so. (Let's just call that foreshadowing by an unreliable narrator, shall we?)<br />
<br />
Don't get me wrong. We <i>did </i>have doughnuts for breakfast. It was just a tad later than we'd expected. But here's what it was like when I started at about 7:25:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/OwpldtXftuc/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OwpldtXftuc?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I kind of half apologize in advance for the Easter pun.</span></div>
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This is where I would usually post a photo of the recipe, but this time I'm just going to link you to <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/yeast-doughnuts-recipe-1942740" target="_blank">Alton Brown's recipe over on the Food Network website</a>.<br />
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I'd also like to state at the outset that I made a half batch of the dough, instead of a full batch. As much as I could probably have eaten a full batch of these in one sitting, I don't think that the two of us really needed that much temptation in the house when we're both working from home.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not included in this photo are a few pieces of special equipment: thermometers for the water and the oil, and a doughnut cutter - or a biscuit cutter and a metal pastry tip...</td></tr>
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Because we were doing the half batch, some measurements got a little odd. Like trying to figure out how to do half of 1/3 cup of shortening:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you see the puncture mark I made in the foil before cutting into the stick? </td></tr>
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The first real step of the recipe still confuses me a bit, even after doing it. You're supposed to warm the milk on the stove until "just warm enough to melt the shortening" and then pour the milk over the shortening in a small bowl. (Prepare yourself for exciting action shots...)<br />
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1/6c of shortening:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjom_yc6Uqda7w-hs7KUx2EIU8QQvBpuManMS0jFeOdkMTIhsmzDSvqVSps8UI-SathiLUoSr2CFJD4VHvVhacwBF2RMHELEH0j2Jv3u4uKdM_G2jYTqEV40u5Hfz8lklFxxgyCKYAyCaB/s1600/IMG_5865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjom_yc6Uqda7w-hs7KUx2EIU8QQvBpuManMS0jFeOdkMTIhsmzDSvqVSps8UI-SathiLUoSr2CFJD4VHvVhacwBF2RMHELEH0j2Jv3u4uKdM_G2jYTqEV40u5Hfz8lklFxxgyCKYAyCaB/s320/IMG_5865.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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3/4c milk heating on the stove:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-W5KWrdNaH8ehzyIS0FmixAMEx3GrJ_4ZGlf0sVOAvoDSi54-d4xXR5tQv_LVPE_QbIS9p2HnEZRm9bsCWi0dc-W9Kn1fuaI7LOdVbGonpjmNWxhXlm4dylZ79FdOROJW8no0GUcfDRPC/s1600/IMG_5866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-W5KWrdNaH8ehzyIS0FmixAMEx3GrJ_4ZGlf0sVOAvoDSi54-d4xXR5tQv_LVPE_QbIS9p2HnEZRm9bsCWi0dc-W9Kn1fuaI7LOdVbGonpjmNWxhXlm4dylZ79FdOROJW8no0GUcfDRPC/s320/IMG_5866.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please ignore the splatter on the stovetop. At 7am, I really didn't care enough to clean before taking that photo.</td></tr>
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Looking at it at this point, I'm really not sure why we couldn't just put the shortening in the pan and heat it until it melted.<br />
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1/6c of water, between 95 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyuTjxwACjNn_mhiS0qepAEQbQSFd9IbTmCkYrOS9izJvZR3FpAvdBf6cm19XLvGEyFjj38Y1856-2ZH5qAGAz_ULfog2rWx9MY7YUc5UFD_KOZ4Z_0u-eACfq3EJhzcJ0NLUJFKBT9iTl/s1600/IMG_5868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyuTjxwACjNn_mhiS0qepAEQbQSFd9IbTmCkYrOS9izJvZR3FpAvdBf6cm19XLvGEyFjj38Y1856-2ZH5qAGAz_ULfog2rWx9MY7YUc5UFD_KOZ4Z_0u-eACfq3EJhzcJ0NLUJFKBT9iTl/s320/IMG_5868.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was beginning to feel a bit "Mr. Science" around this point.</td></tr>
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The equivalent of one packet of yeast (2 1/4 tsp), sitting in the warm water to dissolve/bloom, and the shortening/milk, which I had to put into a bowl with cold water to try to get it cool enough that it wouldn't immediately kill the yeast: <br />
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Thankfully, we have a digital kitchen scale, because otherwise trying to figure out 11.5 ounces of flour would have been a bugger.<br />
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As someone who usually bakes things that are wet ingredients in one bowl, dry ingredients in another, it was a little strange to me to just dump the milk/shortening, yeast/water, nutmeg, sugar, salt, and half of the flour into the mixer all at once. But that's what the recipe said to do, so...<br />
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After the first half of the flour went in, it was still pretty liquidy:<br />
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But the second half of the flour gave us a sticky mess (which I knew meant we were on the right path):<br />
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I switched from the flat beater to the dough hook and let it run for a couple of minutes, then stopped it to check on it, and found this: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdo9xSdWkNRUjA2UO-PtksHQkJa8BVChGVb_gRW6573A5z3gL_kVA4BfSfRQOvjMGR-yU8wKdz7Wi2Hfqczxci56AfWzeo4bfKnhjmzJIrOvdLaGddEe7Qh0gXZBnJHI9rcajQsWvRjrBV/s1600/IMG_5875.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdo9xSdWkNRUjA2UO-PtksHQkJa8BVChGVb_gRW6573A5z3gL_kVA4BfSfRQOvjMGR-yU8wKdz7Wi2Hfqczxci56AfWzeo4bfKnhjmzJIrOvdLaGddEe7Qh0gXZBnJHI9rcajQsWvRjrBV/s320/IMG_5875.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Definitely not "pulling away from the edges" or "smooth." </td></tr>
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So I turned it back on and let it run. The recipe said to go for 3 or 4 minutes, but it took about 6 minutes to get it to this point:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCemEh7MONdRnpZ8jspOJ1sk34WOlfhpAIvvg4z4Bcz5QKH7zqs_f8j07hCZRdmj8etM7I0hZ3WbF8fnhTe60tHdsRlkh_PIwPu0qjeT2P5xJb2NhBQSadGy1P9Nfm75K_V26_zolskn10/s1600/IMG_5876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCemEh7MONdRnpZ8jspOJ1sk34WOlfhpAIvvg4z4Bcz5QKH7zqs_f8j07hCZRdmj8etM7I0hZ3WbF8fnhTe60tHdsRlkh_PIwPu0qjeT2P5xJb2NhBQSadGy1P9Nfm75K_V26_zolskn10/s320/IMG_5876.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wonder if, had I done a full batch, it would have come together a little better. As it is, it seemed to keep leaving some in the bottom of the bowl. </td></tr>
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Covered with one of the beeswax cloths, and up it went onto the top of the fridge for an hour.<br />
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If you've been following my blog for a while, you know that I'm a huge fan of recipes that don't take a lot of prep and that don't use a lot of dishes. In large part, that's because we don't have a dishwasher, and I don't like having a messy kitchen.<br />
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This recipe is <i>not</i> one of those "self-tidying" recipes. At this point in the process, my counter looked like this:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvsfyQ6VbUY5KAHGPzyxcFEcz8f1sTORAOahqGzuiRgDLi8gj5vmjjInbw45zVOaig0tVl963ROnF4Hqz-sqKECUsdFmbwI7QUMZYcITSV44JSwd12m9_r6KOKDJ-aCxBECkTo4cJG2cX/s1600/IMG_5878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvsfyQ6VbUY5KAHGPzyxcFEcz8f1sTORAOahqGzuiRgDLi8gj5vmjjInbw45zVOaig0tVl963ROnF4Hqz-sqKECUsdFmbwI7QUMZYcITSV44JSwd12m9_r6KOKDJ-aCxBECkTo4cJG2cX/s320/IMG_5878.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I would be yelled at by any of the "chef mentors" on most cooking shows because it was so messy. But, honestly, I was working the full time on doing things, and didn't have much time to clean until I got to this point.</td></tr>
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An hour (and some kitchen tidying later), the dough had risen to this:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GxU3farpr_MEEt0WJxn55iqTFQeLH8Rf7WSldv9e33E3b0oBzT88IJgZ_IzY2Zms_UvwlbXKO_hghxfHFKBANdar4vF9oEzoDtlGRR0pp1c9XutAibT66EUy7x_XV068zvYnQeEViqRh/s1600/IMG_5880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GxU3farpr_MEEt0WJxn55iqTFQeLH8Rf7WSldv9e33E3b0oBzT88IJgZ_IzY2Zms_UvwlbXKO_hghxfHFKBANdar4vF9oEzoDtlGRR0pp1c9XutAibT66EUy7x_XV068zvYnQeEViqRh/s320/IMG_5880.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Definitely a good doubling in size. Although you can't tell in this photo, it actually puffed up enough to stick to the wrap on top. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT55tVPUw1jchj3amRV4539_pIkclyBgsgsYk4LFxjmYJnG1pHB-EY-HAb3P6JEwosmU5bN49TBflXzeydjDRmLKIDmGFu6bVy2RvnicvI9wc00i_0fl2NnXnbseqav43ZQgL1D5jMVLJd/s1600/IMG_5881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT55tVPUw1jchj3amRV4539_pIkclyBgsgsYk4LFxjmYJnG1pHB-EY-HAb3P6JEwosmU5bN49TBflXzeydjDRmLKIDmGFu6bVy2RvnicvI9wc00i_0fl2NnXnbseqav43ZQgL1D5jMVLJd/s320/IMG_5881.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you look closely in the top section of the photo you can see where it got stretched when I took off the cover.</td></tr>
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Rolling it out was <i>really</i> easy. I honestly had thought that the dough might put up more of a fuss. But it was done before I had really started - and, frankly, I might have rolled it thinner than the recipe wanted.<br />
<br />
Next up was the cutting of the donuts. The recipe says to use a 2 1/2-inch doughnut cutter. We don't have one of those. What we do have are biscuit cutters. So I started with just making the outer circles, and then had to figure out what to use for the inner cutter.<br />
<br />
The first thing that I found that was round, small - and relatively sharp - was metal pastry/frosting tips.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcakqUwJv-mqdRYP47wXt7Q2F9XYDy4F8Ol6Bf_lDGxiLrEdfsGPrAz9BHgz3nYw9R5Hgn5TybNcgiZNS7DgeNox9Ly-UMJae7BIYE1mzCYEWi5RCp5Eva9ymGFVXNADk12p1Y0TKgK1A/s1600/fullsizeoutput_515.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcakqUwJv-mqdRYP47wXt7Q2F9XYDy4F8Ol6Bf_lDGxiLrEdfsGPrAz9BHgz3nYw9R5Hgn5TybNcgiZNS7DgeNox9Ly-UMJae7BIYE1mzCYEWi5RCp5Eva9ymGFVXNADk12p1Y0TKgK1A/s320/fullsizeoutput_515.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honestly, the size was about perfect. The only trouble was getting the "hole" out after you punched it.</td></tr>
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The whole batch, according to the recipe, is supposed to make 20 to 25 of the 2 1/2-inch doughnuts. But I made 10 of that size PLUS 3 larger donuts out of my first rolling of the dough:<br />
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<br />
By the time I was done, I had about a dozen of the "small" ones and another half dozen of the large ones, plus all of the doughnut holes and some leftover bits. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtem9y4tiV2-pjoVxQmWU0wNOQhgGgxry7Nnfgy9FMsqv2XarP5Vu6ipv3a657n9-vOWjwwy43rzL7lb4JnwcoR6LoXiAaeBB1V2CZsQ4hrfgYBoO1X1IblDYPkayLUg0uAwAcQ_WDxw4Y/s1600/IMG_5889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtem9y4tiV2-pjoVxQmWU0wNOQhgGgxry7Nnfgy9FMsqv2XarP5Vu6ipv3a657n9-vOWjwwy43rzL7lb4JnwcoR6LoXiAaeBB1V2CZsQ4hrfgYBoO1X1IblDYPkayLUg0uAwAcQ_WDxw4Y/s320/IMG_5889.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In other words, a half batch was definitely the right way to go.</td></tr>
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At this point, it was time for another 20-minute rest under a tea towel.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJe_C-KXUncO-skoQHNdcZsstSEWjQNyE3dkTJuqB4eMrODgNIhcQtyDcNB9AF8u03D-OiEUuMMTwqncyxwzdPP_8bGib3UzSqK4YtFsEuFvYM-HH6UjCochmr9lplk89aoozMKYOAgFu8/s1600/IMG_5884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJe_C-KXUncO-skoQHNdcZsstSEWjQNyE3dkTJuqB4eMrODgNIhcQtyDcNB9AF8u03D-OiEUuMMTwqncyxwzdPP_8bGib3UzSqK4YtFsEuFvYM-HH6UjCochmr9lplk89aoozMKYOAgFu8/s320/IMG_5884.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Finally, with the cover off, they were all kind of pillowy and ready to fry.<br />
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My oil was up to about 365F - perfect.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGp-5C6UrCm6xMS_mLqJg4higkR7mjDKYpaX8mvglmhKEZpkJT7aSpDvO4L03hJ1eBR6CYHEl1NJ-7G1ABHwEtw-YkKVDPsY2Fq7In03RdkxRk2tGTf4DVEOdFu5mgQ8ZqYOtp9u30G1r2/s1600/IMG_5891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGp-5C6UrCm6xMS_mLqJg4higkR7mjDKYpaX8mvglmhKEZpkJT7aSpDvO4L03hJ1eBR6CYHEl1NJ-7G1ABHwEtw-YkKVDPsY2Fq7In03RdkxRk2tGTf4DVEOdFu5mgQ8ZqYOtp9u30G1r2/s320/IMG_5891.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As you can see, Christopher had already gone through over half of his coffee by this point. This is when it started to feel like these had taken forever. </td></tr>
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The first doughnut went in on its own - just in case I had done anything horribly wrong. About a minute on the first side, with its bubbles propelling it around the pan.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpRoqzYh8iL79O5OeIrdPv8XiJxzZxyiz8uKuUoz3hyphenhyphent9RtqvOBaQdflRRGfEAF2ebs4IW4BJdm0tyg-jD8YbeIa2eMCd0lN60IR-gXwMnxpr61n4iQ9tesNb8YjXj3aUbPu81P330ZNu/s1600/IMG_5892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpRoqzYh8iL79O5OeIrdPv8XiJxzZxyiz8uKuUoz3hyphenhyphent9RtqvOBaQdflRRGfEAF2ebs4IW4BJdm0tyg-jD8YbeIa2eMCd0lN60IR-gXwMnxpr61n4iQ9tesNb8YjXj3aUbPu81P330ZNu/s320/IMG_5892.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I use a deep sauté pan for frying, typically (as I did this morning), though the recipe recommends a Dutch oven if you don't have a deep fryer. Because the temp kept fluctuating as I fried, I think that a cast iron Dutch oven might have been a good idea - it would hold the temperature a bit better than an open pan like this.</td></tr>
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After the first minute, doughnut number one got flipped. And... oh... it smelled so good!<br />
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In the meantime, I had poured some sugar into one bowl, and made a quick glaze (powdered sugar and milk - just slightly thicker than you might think it should be).<br />
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I used a long spatula for the flipping and the removing from the pan. You do want to try to let the oil drip off before moving on with them. </div>
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The first doughnut went into the sugar, which you want to do while they're still warm so that the sugar sticks to the doughnut. </div>
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Then I started going for larger batches (and turning the heat on the pan up and down to try to stay close to the magical 365 marker on the thermometer). <br />
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Something I learned today: doughnut holes don't like to be flipped over once they've started to cook. The browned sides tend to want to stay down, and the light side (presumably airier and lighter) stay up. I did find, eventually, that if you allowed them to stay along the sides, they were more prone to stay flipped when you maneuvered them.<br />
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I don't have any action shots of me dipping the doughnuts into the glaze. Here's the thing, though: unlike the sugar ones, you need to let the ones you're going to glaze cool just ever so slightly before dipping them into the glaze. Why? Well, for one thing, I was using my hand and I didn't want to burn myself. But the glaze will also melt and completely run off if the dough is too hot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRBpAxAF5YCD3wQbekXhxEXeQz4F3178opDtFNO62jC4J34G7uaUb1O4hD3QpzoCpEUs-ly_ydahWDNavvKt5PIlPLt1bjI-72q76ObzuHn1OpHUr9bmfXiO-zTIktRl2lZ3FztDmZEp_k/s1600/fullsizeoutput_517.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRBpAxAF5YCD3wQbekXhxEXeQz4F3178opDtFNO62jC4J34G7uaUb1O4hD3QpzoCpEUs-ly_ydahWDNavvKt5PIlPLt1bjI-72q76ObzuHn1OpHUr9bmfXiO-zTIktRl2lZ3FztDmZEp_k/s320/fullsizeoutput_517.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The monstrosity at the bottom of the photo was made of all of the last cuttings from the doughnuts, when I didn't feel like re-rolling. Honestly, due to all of the nooks and crannies, it got a really good, crispy outer shell - and it held a LOT of sugar!</td></tr>
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So, they look like they're supposed to look, but how were they?<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rOlbc6GD49k/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rOlbc6GD49k?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">For once, a thumbnail that actually explains the video!</span></div>
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Apparently my phone was frustrated with having to do so much early morning work on a Sunday, though, so here's my wrap-up wrap-up:<br />
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The verdict from Christopher was that the crispy outer edge was great, and the inside of the doughnut was actually a very good texture. His one callout was that the dough wasn't as sweet as he might have expected - but had we glazed the all around (instead of just on the top) that might not have been a problem.<br />
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And, to answer my own question from the video, above: Yes, the larger ones were a slightly better texture than the smaller ones.<br />
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As for the snow I was mentioning, here's what it looked like outside at about 12:30 this afternoon:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yesterday, the grass was all greening up for spring. As I'm finishing this write up at about 2pm, the sidewalk and street are no longer melting - it's all white out there.</td></tr>
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OH - And part of why I was frustrated by the timing on these doughnuts was that I had initially planned to do <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chocolate-doughnut-glaze-recipe-1943022" target="_blank">a chocolate glaze</a>. But to do that, the main recipe says you should let the doughnuts cool for 20+ minutes, and then once you put the glaze on them, the glaze is supposed to set for half an hour. So, although I got out all of the ingredients (below), I just didn't want to add another hour to the time.<br />
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So... Who wants to make bets on what my next yeasty adventure will be? Any guesses? I have a pretty good idea, but you'll have to wait to find out. (And I might change course, depending on what you all vote for...)<br />
<br />Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-8079682160449819902020-04-06T18:41:00.000-05:002020-04-07T07:49:55.401-05:00I'll Learn Something New Next Week (aka "The Yeast Will Wait")After last week's successful bread-making, I was all set to do more. I wasn't sure what "more" was going to look like, but I started casting around for ideas. And I found some great recipes to try this weekend.<br />
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And I even found somewhere that I could buy a large amount of yeast - which has been such a hot commodity lately. (In case you're wondering, I found it at <a href="https://goldenfig.com/" target="_blank">The Golden Fig</a> in St. Paul, MN - an amazing specialty food shop that we love visiting in the best of times, and where the world seemed to be alright for the half hour that we shopped last week. Not to foreshadow too much, but it was "comforting" to be there.)<br />
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But, well, the weekend came and I really just wanted to <i>not </i>deal with hours' worth of working on yeasted doughs that might or might not turn out. I bake to relieve stress (which, when we're both going to our offices has a tendency to make our coworkers very happy), and I realized that I wanted to make something tried and true.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I did *not* drink out of the jug. I promise. (I honestly just don't have that much dexterity.)</td></tr>
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So (as you might have guessed from the photo above) I dove back into a recipe that first appeared on this blog in September of 2017: <a href="https://robertsrandomwritings.blogspot.com/2017/09/betty-crockers-chocolate-chip-cookies.html" target="_blank">Betty Crocker's 1950 Chocolate Chip Cookies</a>.<br />
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Basically, I wanted some "comfort" in my baking this week. Let me explain.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I really look half asleep in that screengrab, don't I? </span></div>
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If you didn't watch the video (I know not everyone does), you will have missed my quick and easy tip for refreshing cookies which have dried out. I got it from a friend of mine a number of years ago. I don't know why the chemistry works, but it does. (No - I'm not telling you the tip. You're going to have to sit through the video if you want to find out.) If you *did* watch the video, I feel I should mention that I only put that slice in for about a day prior to the video.<br />
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As for my foray into yeasty baking... I do plan to try to tackle more yeasted bread products next week. I'm sorting recipes and figuring out which one(s) to attempt first. I just need to get myself into the right headspace before trying something that might be a spectacular flop.<br />
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In the meantime, since we're talking about comfort, and since I only have the one new photo of cookies to share, I offer you this photo of a sleeping Cocker Spaniel. May we all feel that level of peace and calm sometime in the coming week.<br />
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<i>Donuts and croissants and pain au chocolat - oh my! I wish I could give you a teaser of what I'm going to make next week, but I really have no idea. </i><br />
<i>What's happening in your kitchen? </i><br />
<br />Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-70014147059868889922020-03-30T19:00:00.000-05:002020-04-19T09:48:32.732-05:00Apparently This Was a Bread WeekendI realize that a lot of people are now at home and realizing for the first time that they have kitchens. These seem to be the people who have caused the stores to be out of flour, sugar, and eggs.<br />
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As someone who bakes and cooks regularly, I'm mostly happy for these folks - because I think a lot of them will enjoy the kitchen.<br />
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At the same time, I have to admit that I'm a little worried for a few of them (I know some people who are just discovering their kitchens - and maybe would have been better without that discovery). And - honestly - I'm also a tad frustrated with how hard it's been to find those basics in the stores.<br />
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But I <i>am</i> happy that people are trying new things - and so I thought I should, too.<br />
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And, since we do happen to have some bread flour and yeast in the house and - since I wasn't going anywhere this weekend - I decided to try making a kneaded yeast bread for the first time.<br />
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(Spoiler alert... it went pretty well...)<br />
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It's been a while since I've posted (as some of you have been kind enough to mention), and so I don't remember exactly how this all goes, but I guess I should add a video intro about here...<br />
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<i>Just a basic heads-up: The first video in this post comes in at just about 6 minutes long (the others are MUCH shorter). I cover a lot of ground in this one, though: what was going on when I last posted (January), what I've been doing since, who gave me the book I'm holding, and - oh, yeah - some stuff about why I'm baking the recipe I'm baking. I think it's worth it, but obviously it's up to you. </i><br />
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So... "Strange world" is probably a bit of an understatement these days, right? But spending some time in the kitchen can definitely be a great way to work on some relaxation. (Unfortunately, it's gotten a tad difficult for me to spend much time in my other favorite place - the grocery store.)<br />
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I looked through some cookbooks for a basic bread recipe, and kept finding things that had all sorts of exciting, exotic ingredients - which we don't have on hand. But I found a 4-ingredient bread recipe in <i>Appetite</i> by Nigel Slater:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I admit that I did something with this recipe that I pretty much never do: I only did a half-size recipe. I figured it didn't make sense to do a full batch if we were going to end up with 2 loaves of bread we didn't want. </td></tr>
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So... four ingredients:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCq5oERDPKDVbKOf_b4duMdMWb8ivRx4oxw7f2VmsFCHDW6AWimvVwK_l2qIvoU8_VtSoIEVgnIOlTR_yoIfETqxw3C-34hnUDXgKFliSG0vgLxkfm_qc5DtFaZohHORDBe5BClbJWSwAI/s1600/IMG_5808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCq5oERDPKDVbKOf_b4duMdMWb8ivRx4oxw7f2VmsFCHDW6AWimvVwK_l2qIvoU8_VtSoIEVgnIOlTR_yoIfETqxw3C-34hnUDXgKFliSG0vgLxkfm_qc5DtFaZohHORDBe5BClbJWSwAI/s320/IMG_5808.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By the way - 1 packet of yeast is equal to 2 1/4 tsp of yeast. </td></tr>
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And a big bowl to put them in:<br />
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The next steps deal with mixing. And since I was about to get my hands dirty with the kneading, I figured I'd just go in hands-first:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_coUt19hDGEkb-Pbo7iEQ6H2oj22DMMVbjcwPngsKBm5X3QM8-4NGxX0ANcEQMe6mF2aHNH24Y2jTlMZL53kBkClyoUEzVO98GjDvEB1M90SZDfgjnQL-JeBToSpi4TYdWuDzgevjXnbf/s1600/IMG_5814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_coUt19hDGEkb-Pbo7iEQ6H2oj22DMMVbjcwPngsKBm5X3QM8-4NGxX0ANcEQMe6mF2aHNH24Y2jTlMZL53kBkClyoUEzVO98GjDvEB1M90SZDfgjnQL-JeBToSpi4TYdWuDzgevjXnbf/s320/IMG_5814.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dry ingredients...</td></tr>
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The recipe talks about only putting in "most of" the water, so I started out with 1 1/4 cups out of the 1 1/2 cups.<br />
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Mixing that in, though, didn't give me the "sticky dough" that the recipe talked about:<br />
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I added a bit more water, little by little, ending up with about and extra half cup on top of the initial 1 1/2 cups - which gave me this sticky mass:<br />
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Flour on the board:<br />
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Dough on the board: <br />
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Kneading the dough:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really like that Slater says that you don't need to beat up on it, and that if you end up exhausted you were doing it wrong. Honestly, I stared out the window and kneaded it for 10 minutes. It was kind of awesome.</td></tr>
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About halfway through, it was already starting to look more like bread dough: <br />
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Since the recipe talks about the dough doubling in size, I did a quick measure before I put it into the bowl.<br />
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This went into a bowl with a towel over it and onto the top of the fridge - the warmest place in our kitchen. </div>
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Unfortunately, it was a rainy, chilly March day, and the house was only about 67 degrees. So even after leaving it for an extra half hour (so a total of about 1h20m), it still hadn't fully doubled in size.<br />
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I figured I didn't want to leave it in the first proofing stage for much longer, so I went ahead and flipped it out onto my floured board, kneaded it for about another 2 minutes, then plopped it onto my baking sheet.<br />
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For this proofing, though, I moved it to the top of the stove - which had already started preheating. <br />
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That move was definitely worth it. The dough easily doubled while it was there.<br />
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I decided to try cutting a basic design in the top, once I got it kind of "grouped into a high ball" as the recipe suggested, and then figured it was on its own as I put it into the oven.<br />
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I know... I know... I know... I'm not supposed to open the oven door and take photos. But I was so happy to see that it had risen!<br />
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After the 10 minutes at 500 degrees, and 25 minutes at 425 degrees, I pulled it out of the oven to flip it over and see whether or not it was done.<br />
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The bottom wasn't much to look at, but... well... you gotta hear this:<br />
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So... We've listened and waited, and now - finally - we get to cut into it.<br />
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So, how was it?<br />
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And it was really pretty when I put it out, too:<br />
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Overall, it was pretty good. I'm not sure about the really thick crust - and whether that was on purpose, or something that I did.<br />
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I will say that Christopher and I both enjoyed it with our dinner, and I'm sure we'll enjoy the rest of the loaf over the next few days.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScO3TvPztv5wBl3ES0V5SWxwhd-3UQKKza5_J2mrdLVIfXtSVyeqsAALCJiMbB0t4ujDiTWnaIiJ_77dIuBTaDMumCe7F6R2CoNM7hXDQi0lp874q9E2GVVytXwvTp50ZN9Bayji_GsTD/s1600/fullsizeoutput_4fe.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScO3TvPztv5wBl3ES0V5SWxwhd-3UQKKza5_J2mrdLVIfXtSVyeqsAALCJiMbB0t4ujDiTWnaIiJ_77dIuBTaDMumCe7F6R2CoNM7hXDQi0lp874q9E2GVVytXwvTp50ZN9Bayji_GsTD/s320/fullsizeoutput_4fe.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the book that the recipe came out of. SUCH a great read!</td></tr>
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And I'll also say that it was great to take the time to try something new - I hope you're all taking the time to try new things these days, too. (Or not - I mean... whatever makes you feel better in the long run.)<br />
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*****<br />
<i>So, what are you up to in the kitchen these days? Is there something you'd like me to attempt so you have some idea how it goes? Or just a question about what to do with the ingredients in your kitchen? Let me know and I'll see what I can help out with!</i><br />
<br />Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-33243592667548763072020-01-26T12:25:00.000-06:002020-01-26T12:25:53.812-06:00Weeknight Focaccia? Why not?<i>Note: for a follow-up on last week's Vinegar Pie, check out the bottom of this post.</i><br />
<br />
About a year and a half ago, <a href="https://robertsrandomwritings.blogspot.com/2018/08/focaccia-plus.html">I wrote and talked about a Focaccia recipe I'd found on the Smitten Kitchen website</a>. It's a really good recipe - but it takes some time to make. I mean... even in the "quick" version it takes a few hours. And I really don't want to wait that long most weeknights after work.<br />
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But we needed something to take to an event this week, and since we took cookies the last time we thought it would be good to change things up with something savory. And - for some reason - I thought "maybe focaccia would be good."<br />
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For those of you who prefer video, allow me to explain what's going on:<br />
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Wait. I skipped a few steps. Here are the ingredients:<br />
<br />
4 cups (520 grams) all-purpose flour<br />
2 teaspoons kosher salt<br />
1 teaspoon instant yeast<br />
2 cups lukewarm water, made by mixing 1/2 cup boiling water with 1 1/2 cups cold water<br />
4 tablespoons olive oil<br />
Flaky sea salt<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfDivM9vAfQhdOBlef9hZ4gYhC6Q0JwF1sHwqiLCwrcL9TBDYrGTCpqFNufsmy92EMLcfbCQIE3dOW3ybXf3yBzoSYgkaW8XD5fpcNdwmcJJu3AT6yp4ENnivIqZYu-fZaNApjoqIgvdz/s1600/IMG_5610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfDivM9vAfQhdOBlef9hZ4gYhC6Q0JwF1sHwqiLCwrcL9TBDYrGTCpqFNufsmy92EMLcfbCQIE3dOW3ybXf3yBzoSYgkaW8XD5fpcNdwmcJJu3AT6yp4ENnivIqZYu-fZaNApjoqIgvdz/s320/IMG_5610.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For the record, the olive oil I'm using is a garlic oil from a local olive oil purveyor.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Prior to showing off the bowl in the video, above, the ingredients looked like this:<br />
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A quick stir turned it into:<br />
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And then, just before filming, I covered it with a homemade beeswax-coated cloth:<br />
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And then I went to bed.<br />
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In the morning, I moved to the next step:<br />
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Post-stirring, it's a rather sad looking blend.<br />
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So, once again, the cover went on...<br />
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And this time I set it on top of the fridge to do its thing for the day while I went to work and did my thing for the day.<br />
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And it did its thing quite well over the course of the day, so that it looked like this at the end of the day:<br />
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A little garlic olive oil on the pan...<br />
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A little Play-doh time with the dough...<br />
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And after the "normal" stretching, I went a little off the rails and went at the dough with a bench scraper to make this batch into breadsticks.<br />
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Prior to baking, as I was sprinkling salt on them, they looked like this:<br />
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Post-bake, they looked like this:<br />
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How were they? Pretty much as good as you'd think. Not a single one of them came back home with us. And I really want to make more so I can eat the full pan...<br />
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Wouldn't you?<br />
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<i>Lots of people checked out last week's Vinegar Pie, and one of them was actually someone who grew up with Vinegar Pie. As I had guessed, his recollection of the reason behind it was to replace lemon when it wasn't readily available. As such, it pretty much did its job. </i><br />
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<i>Also - weird thing - it didn't do well over time. A couple days later when I went in for a final slice, the flavor had "turned" a bit. It was still edible, it just wasn't enjoyable - the flavor had gotten less bright, and more sour. </i><br />
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<i>But I'm still very glad I made it and tried it. I recommend you trying sometime, too. </i><br />
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<br />Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-50159027872279713552020-01-18T08:40:00.001-06:002020-01-18T08:40:55.752-06:00Novel Food - Vinegar PieWow. It's been a while since I've put up a blog post. So why not start back with some food that seems fairly improbable - but also totally doable with what most people have in their pantries on a cold, snowy winter weekend?<div>
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And, come on. Who doesn't like a nice slice of pie?<br /><div>
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But... okay... the title of this post says that I made a "vinegar pie" - what the hell is that? And where did I get the idea? I'm so glad you asked...</div>
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(By the way... YouTube has seriously updated the way you upload videos in the past few months. We'll see if I take advantage of any of them to class up my videos in the coming months...)</div>
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So... Yeah... Vinegar pie was inspired by <i>Farmer Boy</i> - book three of the "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder - which I read for my Book Club. There's a scene in the book where Almanzo Wilder (at the time, about 9 years old, I believe) is eating all sorts of food, and "vinegar pie" is one of his favorites. </div>
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This sent me on a quest to find out whether such a thing existed in the 21st century - and whether I could find a workable recipe. (In other words, nothing that talked about brining pork in barrels or making my own vinegar...)</div>
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Happily, the recipe I found only needed 5 ingredients (plus an unbaked 9-inch pie shell): </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1teehho1T7EajDhdEoFxRy6bS-EU-_Y3mW2tH6TBw8U2tsDKOjrT9c9tbWlBUZrS5RwYtTcFs0eUb-NiFh_EascW3JQIJXyeBusVGBQCb1BfcOoNi88ZotXuJI2JpBj_-o6lt0bcuM_Z/s1600/fullsizeoutput_4b4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1teehho1T7EajDhdEoFxRy6bS-EU-_Y3mW2tH6TBw8U2tsDKOjrT9c9tbWlBUZrS5RwYtTcFs0eUb-NiFh_EascW3JQIJXyeBusVGBQCb1BfcOoNi88ZotXuJI2JpBj_-o6lt0bcuM_Z/s320/fullsizeoutput_4b4.jpeg" width="179" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrreNCB60t8x5JmdV3R3eNUBCtt6oQyCnrKREYPkDKMgAoIW_EbG7D2C2W5V8MaCXR9x-LzOfaS3JjiAjmOfdPULsQeoj0DE1surF-XShuiCIHh7nO30py1loIHfyGt5TFETyvSbRakgnJ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_4b5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrreNCB60t8x5JmdV3R3eNUBCtt6oQyCnrKREYPkDKMgAoIW_EbG7D2C2W5V8MaCXR9x-LzOfaS3JjiAjmOfdPULsQeoj0DE1surF-XShuiCIHh7nO30py1loIHfyGt5TFETyvSbRakgnJ/s320/fullsizeoutput_4b5.jpeg" width="179" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNGJtZ0l216c8qp9_v5-EHQAq2dApnTFMTFAB1goyIJIs171DIVqzyHtXnzcV8HQY5neYY0Fx7O_V8OeIL9TLFSyOd0bMJuhAB7Pn_Rvv8YG2WzQxFOzZ730Go0UPQ29dOKQRYdjMR8Ny/s1600/fullsizeoutput_4b3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNGJtZ0l216c8qp9_v5-EHQAq2dApnTFMTFAB1goyIJIs171DIVqzyHtXnzcV8HQY5neYY0Fx7O_V8OeIL9TLFSyOd0bMJuhAB7Pn_Rvv8YG2WzQxFOzZ730Go0UPQ29dOKQRYdjMR8Ny/s320/fullsizeoutput_4b3.jpeg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As you can probably see in those screenshots, the recipe came from TasteofHome.com</td></tr>
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Quick and easy recipe. Good Book Club tie-in. Seemed like the perfect pairing to me!</div>
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So I gathered my ingredients (and... well... made a pie crust - but you can totally just use a store-bought one if you'd prefer):</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0SK-sLJGXV55HkMP-j2b1Gyk5pDxVOsBB9ftq6GDVStzpkJ-1RZhkWd6bCJCylgVPDk0fOOQ0MG3-nRwbxcvsa3JZ2R_JcXW-rk8zhEf6EiiD1WV33d59hnMSxjC8N-2VPaeVlBJptRF/s1600/IMG_5566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0SK-sLJGXV55HkMP-j2b1Gyk5pDxVOsBB9ftq6GDVStzpkJ-1RZhkWd6bCJCylgVPDk0fOOQ0MG3-nRwbxcvsa3JZ2R_JcXW-rk8zhEf6EiiD1WV33d59hnMSxjC8N-2VPaeVlBJptRF/s320/IMG_5566.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somehow, knowing that these were the only ingredients didn't make me less nervous about the pie. It did, however, make me re-check the recipe for how much vinegar was going in. </td></tr>
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I started by melting the butter (so that I could cool it a bit and not end up with scrambled eggs).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxHwaUb0VsgLCEOEpgiJySKfgnfIpIgAPDU11YJiONJciTNQryeKPKGPpTo2bNV9HjTxXIKxZUsXPCWtP0QjPwzETzuvu7RIpuQbdu1wuVjd57IHuxycntIb5SP1qgoYh4kgTSJon6fcm/s1600/IMG_5570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxHwaUb0VsgLCEOEpgiJySKfgnfIpIgAPDU11YJiONJciTNQryeKPKGPpTo2bNV9HjTxXIKxZUsXPCWtP0QjPwzETzuvu7RIpuQbdu1wuVjd57IHuxycntIb5SP1qgoYh4kgTSJon6fcm/s320/IMG_5570.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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After that, this is pretty much a dump - mix - bake recipe. </div>
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Eggs and sugar first.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mNtLiRfGw8E2NxG8XGEjBOwPWReYS4L6IBW5TOVFa9asH9VpniSG4HTVR9vt-fELw5GSnGu5dCwnDc9hbe6tffiTQ1l27KZCvmM0iPlu4wGp_95SG555lIb9NMl5l2M86v-WF75SrkM0/s1600/IMG_5571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mNtLiRfGw8E2NxG8XGEjBOwPWReYS4L6IBW5TOVFa9asH9VpniSG4HTVR9vt-fELw5GSnGu5dCwnDc9hbe6tffiTQ1l27KZCvmM0iPlu4wGp_95SG555lIb9NMl5l2M86v-WF75SrkM0/s320/IMG_5571.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Which gave me this consistency:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZubI27OethRCOQLVWnXBOxMSLfANs2zl5RZq_k5S6FJShCYTcpqTR78ohlgT9zSokIRpybkpN3VYMnT6YDwZGiZC3HO2rznga5yQeADkIMmfXxSfE4lRJ2P5hbs4F9AtlXyOgVGUOwixp/s1600/IMG_5572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZubI27OethRCOQLVWnXBOxMSLfANs2zl5RZq_k5S6FJShCYTcpqTR78ohlgT9zSokIRpybkpN3VYMnT6YDwZGiZC3HO2rznga5yQeADkIMmfXxSfE4lRJ2P5hbs4F9AtlXyOgVGUOwixp/s320/IMG_5572.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then melted butter, </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljtDfnEhBYEXnFe0Q6vrtL-gga7Oty5TwU9IFRq_cISbACajoSNtX2oQkvF54TTwM_ATNTzDvuhtQREloo5b-BhMLB7Qg-bHR_IN38rw_EVAWKI6_y1OoiPY1Yvq6eDB7fn1tEKEJtLzI/s1600/IMG_5574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljtDfnEhBYEXnFe0Q6vrtL-gga7Oty5TwU9IFRq_cISbACajoSNtX2oQkvF54TTwM_ATNTzDvuhtQREloo5b-BhMLB7Qg-bHR_IN38rw_EVAWKI6_y1OoiPY1Yvq6eDB7fn1tEKEJtLzI/s320/IMG_5574.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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for this consistency:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZPobOWm9T3cnEZIDuATjMHlZilSsbgtjGqSiFwqOIq-zyfOHFVUApPNXSUOvhFOfnv-hXa43QRMpIxmtQEmRoGdFj7j0QjYSis0OtE1ADACsBfhDucHnHqT0X8t6JxB_H7ibkxhBBq4B/s1600/IMG_5576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZPobOWm9T3cnEZIDuATjMHlZilSsbgtjGqSiFwqOIq-zyfOHFVUApPNXSUOvhFOfnv-hXa43QRMpIxmtQEmRoGdFj7j0QjYSis0OtE1ADACsBfhDucHnHqT0X8t6JxB_H7ibkxhBBq4B/s320/IMG_5576.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then vanilla (the brown spot)...</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoGJS3bQbJNBuKK_zUMH-vQh8QXU8Sm8Gb6hHpIPlarX6PvF2B22NXHaCmUQAZpyVR6_sjmhAhHGLi6VhwmBLtCY44FEVSe6Ag95r3nDOfVP3tTKpVpfNeNK9Fg3y9XqFzHNijAKb-gs1/s1600/IMG_5577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoGJS3bQbJNBuKK_zUMH-vQh8QXU8Sm8Gb6hHpIPlarX6PvF2B22NXHaCmUQAZpyVR6_sjmhAhHGLi6VhwmBLtCY44FEVSe6Ag95r3nDOfVP3tTKpVpfNeNK9Fg3y9XqFzHNijAKb-gs1/s320/IMG_5577.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I won't lie. Part of me wanted to stop here with just a nice vanilla custard kind of thing going on.</td></tr>
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...and vinegar,<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_EjNIrastRcYxy-F9OcanpumwzpTQv4bGk2FVUIpPDU1hyphenhyphenDmqv1borSRzMZDH61rFkNJ1gPFOfwe3DbBEU_RJvNnz7_Y4k9DoL7fiucEQbxhhfx_Jugv0V1JQKzUvCtuw1Rik8mLOkyE/s1600/IMG_5578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_EjNIrastRcYxy-F9OcanpumwzpTQv4bGk2FVUIpPDU1hyphenhyphenDmqv1borSRzMZDH61rFkNJ1gPFOfwe3DbBEU_RJvNnz7_Y4k9DoL7fiucEQbxhhfx_Jugv0V1JQKzUvCtuw1Rik8mLOkyE/s320/IMG_5578.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This made me more nervous than I thought it would.</td></tr>
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and I was happy to see that it didn't really cause this all to fall apart.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyPULDVeRBw7fqus7YIrAY0MCtJaHu6GZJUQKmJoI1swu59WIcDsqGAB0BJ5ab5PCbkX9nnLJDam3mJWg5iJhThLp673n1VrAfERk5R4OM8kqDKQWlWTQO30QU1ByQd4DIRCvZHLmhWzk/s1600/IMG_5581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyPULDVeRBw7fqus7YIrAY0MCtJaHu6GZJUQKmJoI1swu59WIcDsqGAB0BJ5ab5PCbkX9nnLJDam3mJWg5iJhThLp673n1VrAfERk5R4OM8kqDKQWlWTQO30QU1ByQd4DIRCvZHLmhWzk/s320/IMG_5581.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Happy" and also very relieved.</td></tr>
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Into the pie shell:</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTN8HPVBHvJ1oQqJWmSw5LG9yNPSIPwKr28fruiepclJZm0l9gCFAUNHDbFti8XACTMUh0nWi7eldRExY4gVoxJN7ZcN8jVd73pobvwkJGlVmZZ7SVAkpsIR4y2JhGcpYZ2v1YBx1F0tHQ/s1600/IMG_5582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTN8HPVBHvJ1oQqJWmSw5LG9yNPSIPwKr28fruiepclJZm0l9gCFAUNHDbFti8XACTMUh0nWi7eldRExY4gVoxJN7ZcN8jVd73pobvwkJGlVmZZ7SVAkpsIR4y2JhGcpYZ2v1YBx1F0tHQ/s320/IMG_5582.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At this point, yes, I'm realizing that this was a really easy recipe and the photos are probably really boring. Thank you for staying with me to see how it turns out.</td></tr>
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I started out checking it on my finger to see what the consistency was like. It held together pretty well - not too loose, but not glue-y, either.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcp-lzxPmZX7LCOiHxFUGKCOhAJrduSCCl0oAgfvyereCumbK6nPQHlOe9Q_OXTvJhACSoFF7m3oYHqxWEpKU6p7lEMl_q2rkYXTIlBim3zED6yFXEGuWtmNOm8VtXQSfcnhrku8zu5b5/s1600/IMG_5584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcp-lzxPmZX7LCOiHxFUGKCOhAJrduSCCl0oAgfvyereCumbK6nPQHlOe9Q_OXTvJhACSoFF7m3oYHqxWEpKU6p7lEMl_q2rkYXTIlBim3zED6yFXEGuWtmNOm8VtXQSfcnhrku8zu5b5/s320/IMG_5584.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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There's only one problem with getting it on my finger: That meant I really had to taste it. But I couldn't do that without sharing the results, right? (Even though the pie had just gone into the oven.)</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YMrIbQZwMUE/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YMrIbQZwMUE?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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(REMINDER: Eating raw eggs and uncooked flour is potentially hazardous to your health. Don't do it.) (And, if you do, at least remember that I warned you.)</div>
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Somewhere around mid-bake, I looked in the toaster oven and saw it looking like this: </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HHGuYmAHh81hE5P-xcsxKqf8CxZsd6y89uz_msmm6o5GdD3blB6n1WkGsw0ukaWodhe5Ff0JalDFhqwz2kRMsLw17BYbG8ZjvTm6EbktdU8L-kFkCO-pOuh1KWXK6Go5sDWZ9paZ5Mwv/s1600/IMG_5587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HHGuYmAHh81hE5P-xcsxKqf8CxZsd6y89uz_msmm6o5GdD3blB6n1WkGsw0ukaWodhe5Ff0JalDFhqwz2kRMsLw17BYbG8ZjvTm6EbktdU8L-kFkCO-pOuh1KWXK6Go5sDWZ9paZ5Mwv/s320/IMG_5587.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, I opened the oven door to take this photo. I know... I know... You keep telling me not to do that...</td></tr>
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I was a little freaked out by how dark the top was, but I realize that that was probably due to baking it too high (too close to the top heating elements, etc.) in the toaster oven - not a fault of the pie. At this point, it was actually still obviously liquid under the dark top, so I slid it back in and walked away and trusted in the recipe. </div>
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When I took it out at the end of 50 minutes, it had a slightly domed top as I set it on the rack to cool. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9IAoBf_ev1zxuVndU7-NNnFm65CwoUvQ79nnBs2SqcvRHROOTlxdEJ3Wm3ZQtqGxmoBza3-IsXzh-yYdsaA2QBiePcn05rDXl0hZIl0MK11ASSDP1OIG6rKwoYQCAP39XRRvdDWzkv-y/s1600/IMG_5589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9IAoBf_ev1zxuVndU7-NNnFm65CwoUvQ79nnBs2SqcvRHROOTlxdEJ3Wm3ZQtqGxmoBza3-IsXzh-yYdsaA2QBiePcn05rDXl0hZIl0MK11ASSDP1OIG6rKwoYQCAP39XRRvdDWzkv-y/s320/IMG_5589.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hmm... you can probably see the dome better in the toaster oven photo above.</td></tr>
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And it almost immediately started to deflate. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXzYHpbO0FkrR5Z8-dbtFDfZzyFYeiSjgEKV2ovcUM2HZ8U0uirQjEThrlHtD6_HSP4l7FgHIy4-aN5jnUZ_kHebbGSKsWFzmpgE5EgPgA1XttQOemh3baCyHvH9cueMcCURuASS4rxQJ/s1600/IMG_5590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXzYHpbO0FkrR5Z8-dbtFDfZzyFYeiSjgEKV2ovcUM2HZ8U0uirQjEThrlHtD6_HSP4l7FgHIy4-aN5jnUZ_kHebbGSKsWFzmpgE5EgPgA1XttQOemh3baCyHvH9cueMcCURuASS4rxQJ/s320/IMG_5590.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I tried to get a photo of the steam escaping from a crack in the dome, but it didn't turn out. </td></tr>
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By the time it had cooled, it was looking a bit sad, I have to admit. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekYbQuhtaSpcLKJMCJ7HseQn00t42RcZEbyV01yxmd1kYpBR1LVIZzin74JZGGeDlj8taERniOyCj0h5xhARkBu1-50p1XrbZPfmRX6rMkIw2U9TdDyJMfnt0pg7rbvdSDHoO_PNok2I4/s1600/IMG_5599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekYbQuhtaSpcLKJMCJ7HseQn00t42RcZEbyV01yxmd1kYpBR1LVIZzin74JZGGeDlj8taERniOyCj0h5xhARkBu1-50p1XrbZPfmRX6rMkIw2U9TdDyJMfnt0pg7rbvdSDHoO_PNok2I4/s320/IMG_5599.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Though not as sad as the pup, who apparently felt that the pie smelled like something she should have been sharing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJE3lm8IPMBxlZTpNdafZRoI8Jxt9dN4ZvQNI-EPs8ttpjWWKRxU3pywAENV36rnUvokI7_ul1GS3dMxw6xEORVnCiXzmgmR-Mbg12A_r04oEUv3OXr5Lpj3JoguQXDSO_4WdwoGhDQR_/s1600/IMG_5591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJE3lm8IPMBxlZTpNdafZRoI8Jxt9dN4ZvQNI-EPs8ttpjWWKRxU3pywAENV36rnUvokI7_ul1GS3dMxw6xEORVnCiXzmgmR-Mbg12A_r04oEUv3OXr5Lpj3JoguQXDSO_4WdwoGhDQR_/s320/IMG_5591.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I left the pie to cool and wait for Book Club. Which got postponed due to... well... due to it being January in Minnesota. But I still wanted to try the pie, obviously. </div>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yrQRk3oBPhM/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yrQRk3oBPhM?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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It had a really good consistency - and the custardy filling didn't break or weep at all when I took out the first piece (considering how liquid-y the center had looked halfway through the bake time, I was a little worried about that). </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpdRj64ESPyPo1OSMl8GhRcTvzaBDKxXG5_v9OwC3HUpXkBRG71YMLggd1TVdBkzKsCYLcuwZn_vsaQ-nEosmgsoY-gmsqrwjUQzY3X3cFBtQMeAFBoLXUqapaxCh6M6dpxgQycsNwph8/s1600/IMG_5602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpdRj64ESPyPo1OSMl8GhRcTvzaBDKxXG5_v9OwC3HUpXkBRG71YMLggd1TVdBkzKsCYLcuwZn_vsaQ-nEosmgsoY-gmsqrwjUQzY3X3cFBtQMeAFBoLXUqapaxCh6M6dpxgQycsNwph8/s320/IMG_5602.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crust issues were all on me - not the fault of the recipe, obviously.</td></tr>
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The flavor wasn't quite as "lemon bar" as it had seemed to me when I tasted the batter before it baked. It was definitely more sweet-vanilla-forward, with the tang of the vinegar just kind of cutting through some of that sweetness.<br />
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I ate the whole piece, though, and went back for another one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxADpD5lJEnXc0Bd3vxLtuAmOouRdtkwmn48gcuqB2ky1y4TriN81kISkxUi-Mg2MwTIm38vpsGYtmgKI6oHFkpu2cusqRT6WdBsy_k9VVqsvj-5Qlo6Ir4MjtUic106GdlGBjf5mg2Mbn/s1600/IMG_5603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxADpD5lJEnXc0Bd3vxLtuAmOouRdtkwmn48gcuqB2ky1y4TriN81kISkxUi-Mg2MwTIm38vpsGYtmgKI6oHFkpu2cusqRT6WdBsy_k9VVqsvj-5Qlo6Ir4MjtUic106GdlGBjf5mg2Mbn/s320/IMG_5603.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Christopher agreed to try a bite of the second one (I guess it seemed safe since I'd already eaten a piece), and he deemed it to be "not bad" - but something he would probably not be asking for more of.<br />
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Will I make it again? Probably for whenever my Book Club actually reconvenes to talk about the Little House books.<br />
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Would I make it outside of that arena? I'm not sure. I suspect - as you'll see if you read through the TasteofHome.com recipe comments - this is something that you love if you grew up with it, but might take some work to become an acquired taste if you didn't.<br />
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Even so, it does take a relatively attractive photo.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5V0dmAb0TvhocS3ouHKGR734WVsDcb5gZRNpuU5HEWQCgSRRBSqb2U022-p6GOrlwhy2Zc1Z33Sy_ZqYn_1tbcAd-0NNIxhyphenhyphen1bhz1hH8S1bVuoISabSrIUi_AW6h73-hB4aSXmHElDga5/s1600/IMG_5605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5V0dmAb0TvhocS3ouHKGR734WVsDcb5gZRNpuU5HEWQCgSRRBSqb2U022-p6GOrlwhy2Zc1Z33Sy_ZqYn_1tbcAd-0NNIxhyphenhyphen1bhz1hH8S1bVuoISabSrIUi_AW6h73-hB4aSXmHElDga5/s320/IMG_5605.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I know that at the end of most blog posts, I ask for your comments, suggestions, and discussion topics. But as I mentioned in the opening video, the amount of weird in the world has been on my mind a lot lately. </div>
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So this week, in response to the devastating Australian wildfires, here's a link to an article in USAToday that lists a whole bunch of relief organizations - some for people, some for animals - if you're so inclined, making a donation to one (or many) of them might be a nice thing to do: <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/01/07/australia-fires-how-to-help-donate-victims-animals/2832145001/">https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/01/07/australia-fires-how-to-help-donate-victims-animals/2832145001/ </a></div>
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Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-65598292305861816842019-08-09T08:38:00.000-05:002019-08-09T08:38:10.922-05:00Chili-Lime Melon Salad. (Wait... Chili?) Yes. Chili.This week was National Night Out - as many of you probably already know. Our neighborhood goes pretty all out for it. The past few years we've gathered around a few grills and some potluck-covered tables while the kids enjoyed a bounce house (and the parents of those kids got progressively more and more nervous as the kids got more and more adventurous).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-L4qnxexEAFotuKtsQEuE2PdAAti6hpgRXXXUP6uGood5eanKfuzBlvVQzDStmRdwV9dVes2fBXl2qLDw3NJOcaXapZ565nLn9jf-Vz3smSzPYYoywFUBgrTyQZ5MYe6fNUADqt4oCVv3/s1600/IMG_5151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-L4qnxexEAFotuKtsQEuE2PdAAti6hpgRXXXUP6uGood5eanKfuzBlvVQzDStmRdwV9dVes2fBXl2qLDw3NJOcaXapZ565nLn9jf-Vz3smSzPYYoywFUBgrTyQZ5MYe6fNUADqt4oCVv3/s320/IMG_5151.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This year, there was a fiesta theme, complete with face painting and piñata, so I decided to make a summer salad that has some south-of-the-border flavors: chili powder, lime, and Cotija cheese.<br />
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It's a recipe that I've made once before when we had some friends over for brunch, and people really seemed to like it, so I thought I'd go for it again. (Plus, it's quick, easy, and fairly cheap - things I definitely enjoy when making food for a crowd.)<br />
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Allow me to explain:<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UpnubciLq8k/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UpnubciLq8k?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I have NO idea what I was doing during what became the freezeframe image for this video. But... HOORAY!</span></div>
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So, yeah... This is, once again, a recipe from The Smitten Kitchen. You can find it on her website, <a href="https://smittenkitchen.com/2016/08/chile-lime-melon-salad/?fbclid=IwAR3Ak6IRKO0ZhURw7hcvJlvS_noNxytQX6eX5Inbn3Pbm047wLjF4dL0w88">here.</a> (Because it's a pretty simple recipe, I'm not going to type it all out, here.)<br />
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Here are the basics that you need:<br />
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<ul>
<li>4 cups of assorted melon (I went for watermelon and cantaloupe)</li>
<li>Some lime juice</li>
<li>1 tablespoon of cilantro</li>
<li>1/2 - 1 teaspoon of chili powder</li>
<li>Some Cotija cheese</li>
<li>Some course salt</li>
<li>Toasted/salted pepitas (which are what's "inside" a pumpkin seed)</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIwbKc1vPxe5ipoiGqg103hAZxfgx_a4KHmvRaSq2RpXTNhsrsXt16Q6yt1-IZCxoXI0XZyc_zaFb1OjBa4i_mFm4F2aePCG7PAvwSONSMWx-tGYlQRsou8ILFY9jYDQVxVy2-dM9nHlj/s1600/IMG_5142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIwbKc1vPxe5ipoiGqg103hAZxfgx_a4KHmvRaSq2RpXTNhsrsXt16Q6yt1-IZCxoXI0XZyc_zaFb1OjBa4i_mFm4F2aePCG7PAvwSONSMWx-tGYlQRsou8ILFY9jYDQVxVy2-dM9nHlj/s320/IMG_5142.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The hardest part of this whole process is getting the melon into bite-size pieces. Well, that and - depending where you live - finding the Cotija cheese and the pepitas. But, around here in Minneapolis you can get Cotija cheese either as a chunk or as crumbles. (As you probably saw in the first video, I went for the crumbles.)</div>
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The pepitas can be ordered online, if you need to go that way, but I got mine from the bulk section of my local grocery store. The last time I made this salad, I used raw ones and toasted them myself. This time, I picked some up right across the produce section from the melons and the cilantro.</div>
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So, here we have photos of balling melons, which is really the main piece of work:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHrPZVOXCzAKpjPoWnbP_3rAkiBDdzCpc-XEmSntxM0SibOgJJgYvUczkmGoppYAj56d8Otq51gOcASoxhwmON07r9CCsnTUxlcoEpmU0JXWzGwPWgiWFkbe5GIcQH4RZwJ26niKSAv44/s1600/IMG_5144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHrPZVOXCzAKpjPoWnbP_3rAkiBDdzCpc-XEmSntxM0SibOgJJgYvUczkmGoppYAj56d8Otq51gOcASoxhwmON07r9CCsnTUxlcoEpmU0JXWzGwPWgiWFkbe5GIcQH4RZwJ26niKSAv44/s320/IMG_5144.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's how exciting it looks to use a cookie scoop as a melon baller.</td></tr>
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Yeah... not much activity in this recipe when you come right down to it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmdcxxZ-bucoyYewN4zRHs7lmPJT42X6GPcXXtBWqU6z2ijCFWEKRXY4cnMkfs6OYpI-TJpj6l5WZ-KQj1c-oyWPBpEgDz1Yd_mMlcfCLdiASIM2lObDokMyzUhkC0vqGWmFdXJ0-Q_9T/s1600/IMG_5145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmdcxxZ-bucoyYewN4zRHs7lmPJT42X6GPcXXtBWqU6z2ijCFWEKRXY4cnMkfs6OYpI-TJpj6l5WZ-KQj1c-oyWPBpEgDz1Yd_mMlcfCLdiASIM2lObDokMyzUhkC0vqGWmFdXJ0-Q_9T/s320/IMG_5145.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recommendation: If you have a cutting board that is grooved for meat, it's also good for cutting juicy fruit. (Not the gum.)</td></tr>
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Bonus to using a melon baller: I really kind of love the designs you get in the melon rinds. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rEzyOOsLO7ukwrnRqGEMWdPt5mnibarMsrmBWW4ARYHBEyDtY2tIkzs106aHundvwHQddYkpyzb-IiCUqs9vR1nR15sG7EVeUsMu7V7kQFJYm8Pj5D3IHk5fmYLXls3ZRlkJi7TPl9N8/s1600/IMG_5146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rEzyOOsLO7ukwrnRqGEMWdPt5mnibarMsrmBWW4ARYHBEyDtY2tIkzs106aHundvwHQddYkpyzb-IiCUqs9vR1nR15sG7EVeUsMu7V7kQFJYm8Pj5D3IHk5fmYLXls3ZRlkJi7TPl9N8/s320/IMG_5146.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Feel free to ooohh and ahhh, at any point.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWq5AXkdRRpfmQyjd8cFGd2GMveHH1dHPR6gr1fCjjJtA8gl26yuuoIhvMS9dqNNNUbG1gnBVcHgq9ihRnd9w9RO_T2osNGBrp6Ldi7KOnRJ198NRYkzFWrzAQDKyXcCeLA_Qzf_wd_e3I/s1600/IMG_5147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWq5AXkdRRpfmQyjd8cFGd2GMveHH1dHPR6gr1fCjjJtA8gl26yuuoIhvMS9dqNNNUbG1gnBVcHgq9ihRnd9w9RO_T2osNGBrp6Ldi7KOnRJ198NRYkzFWrzAQDKyXcCeLA_Qzf_wd_e3I/s320/IMG_5147.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And, since this is a really easy recipe, this all goes directly into the bowl you'll be serving it in.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdwWc_-jbrEkth_ZQTcvzSxw7QiVbj1eRhNCZHvhqeRV-yWVrkSlxHU2iHfi9LPzT3D-iPcW58nVHR0N_AaNJPJO_VFPxpTtVCZU9Rl8Iz8O7tBLi95D_UfWya_WI9FInz6PF46aZzFoIW/s1600/IMG_5148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdwWc_-jbrEkth_ZQTcvzSxw7QiVbj1eRhNCZHvhqeRV-yWVrkSlxHU2iHfi9LPzT3D-iPcW58nVHR0N_AaNJPJO_VFPxpTtVCZU9Rl8Iz8O7tBLi95D_UfWya_WI9FInz6PF46aZzFoIW/s320/IMG_5148.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then you add in all of the other stuff. Which, honestly, is just a whole lot of dumping things together. </div>
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So, instead of just showing you the final photo, here's the wrap-up video, first: </div>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Lmf2wqcV09Y/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lmf2wqcV09Y?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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Now, with not quite a month of summer left - and watermelon at its freshest of the year - why not try a new way of eating it? (The Smitten Kitchen and I would never steer you wrong!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawj3dzTRUDrAZEewm1gmr5UUW_VWZh-3an2_nCVjF3smPWjPGBb3gyHfb6k4YUQFr8O2YZBozLGsIVy4Sl9MlO308a3g-h8FdktQo6zRAOlNzTbFrG7XLJs6RDIXjiE72kfeOX2FCgXtk/s1600/IMG_5152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawj3dzTRUDrAZEewm1gmr5UUW_VWZh-3an2_nCVjF3smPWjPGBb3gyHfb6k4YUQFr8O2YZBozLGsIVy4Sl9MlO308a3g-h8FdktQo6zRAOlNzTbFrG7XLJs6RDIXjiE72kfeOX2FCgXtk/s320/IMG_5152.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Oh - And if you're wondering what to do with all that juice that builds up in the watermelon rind while you're making melon balls, here's one recommendation:</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_gZCu9Rz6jgf1IVxbrERlkbvTDz_jlD3WvCSNstgb8vbUeHfRE59vVsJzpmxP17TXBoVEW1wjcPnvPX05irxPzE9MssaMSWXQnlcUnPh74ODMyqnppnjRIsOcdIRL4L4kvc0NXF2g-_d/s1600/IMG_5150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_gZCu9Rz6jgf1IVxbrERlkbvTDz_jlD3WvCSNstgb8vbUeHfRE59vVsJzpmxP17TXBoVEW1wjcPnvPX05irxPzE9MssaMSWXQnlcUnPh74ODMyqnppnjRIsOcdIRL4L4kvc0NXF2g-_d/s320/IMG_5150.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After all, it's basically a giant bowl/cup, right? </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
-----<br />
<i>How've you been? Any cooking questions come up while I've been gone? Let me know if there's anything I can try to answer!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-8688449109320196032019-08-06T19:16:00.000-05:002019-08-06T19:16:07.727-05:00The Sound of Comfort FoodHey, there.<br />
<br />
I know I've been gone for a while. And, honestly, I don't have a really good reason. But here are some honest thoughts on the matter (in no particular order):<br />
<br />
1) Work has been strangely busy, which has been keeping me from wanting to open my laptop when I get home at night, but that's not really a great reason.<br />
<br />
2) I had a couple of side projects come up and felt like I needed to focus on those instead of focusing on my own work.<br />
<br />
3) We went to New York City for a week to visit family and friends (and friends who are more like family) at the end of May.<br />
<br />
4) We've each had some family things going on that have been at least a little distracting.<br />
<br />
5) The world has gotten weird - and I don't always feel like writing a frivolous blog about food and day-to-day life is really right. And I wonder whether I should be writing pithy pieces about the world, instead of frothy pieces about my kitchen.<br />
<br />
A couple of days ago, however, I had a good experience in the grocery store (as we all know - grocery stores are my happy place), and I wanted to share.<br />
<br />
No. It's not a recipe. And, no, there's not even a tasting at the end.<br />
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But I hope you enjoy this quick video, even so.<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4s9o4Zvh4qs/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4s9o4Zvh4qs?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
And - believe it or not - I'm also working up a post that should be coming up on Friday of this week, as well.<br />
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Hopefully we'll see each other then!<br />
<br />Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-15890860913892953602019-04-07T14:30:00.000-05:002019-04-07T14:30:23.750-05:00The Scotcheroo/Frosted Chew DebateThe people I work with are a fairly varied group. Different ages, different backgrounds. But for the most part we do have strong opinions about food. (Thus we have the occasional bake-off as discussed last week.)<br />
<br />
We also have discussions that come up such as "What do you call that peanut butter and chocolate bar that has cereal in it?"<br />
<br />
You know, these bars:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPzC918LbJO3VH903eJhcsV1syrnZdrO9enwu9SY-DQSqwol904uLjYim-TEr0vAMehiFYv1Icfh2SGLpaPhzuMme4MZ9fKfh5Z_v6EP5MyujUmuXKAbMjAmB1qOqlh62vYCeCyMfgdlo/s1600/IMG_4727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPzC918LbJO3VH903eJhcsV1syrnZdrO9enwu9SY-DQSqwol904uLjYim-TEr0vAMehiFYv1Icfh2SGLpaPhzuMme4MZ9fKfh5Z_v6EP5MyujUmuXKAbMjAmB1qOqlh62vYCeCyMfgdlo/s320/IMG_4727.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Are they Scotcheroos or Frosted Chews*? (spoiler alert: that photo is both)<br />
<br />
Let me explain...<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YMvwfLwFUBI/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YMvwfLwFUBI?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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For starters as we discuss how great these are - whichever cereal you use - we should discuss how few ingredients they have:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykO0nhwD1cLga30xC5tHtY_XCBEWmy_gRplKdgyFOvpTMNSH6C9cwOJui16eRhcEdETXyRAfWwPoGclZ1j53wOuOPtrgiyn1NRAmoSiNxY-GHMqmdOPw-QPokWpIimlnP57kX1zqaxE_u/s1600/IMG_4694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykO0nhwD1cLga30xC5tHtY_XCBEWmy_gRplKdgyFOvpTMNSH6C9cwOJui16eRhcEdETXyRAfWwPoGclZ1j53wOuOPtrgiyn1NRAmoSiNxY-GHMqmdOPw-QPokWpIimlnP57kX1zqaxE_u/s320/IMG_4694.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The recipes are the same (and are both on the Kellogg's website), but here they are. (Get the feeling that one of the sites is expected to bring in more money than the other?)<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJIAVreINQSWOQJ-asCECUSU0OQR1FlRnYU-c61kKkaigPjvzbkz-QXAMMNF_-C8S4VbrDU5lYAFtADdr3odmCKqonaSe3jccHI10Ju9AzOq5Ew3rCtgZyMRTm03x4dYxvDYvqCEpGUVYy/s1600/IMG_4691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJIAVreINQSWOQJ-asCECUSU0OQR1FlRnYU-c61kKkaigPjvzbkz-QXAMMNF_-C8S4VbrDU5lYAFtADdr3odmCKqonaSe3jccHI10Ju9AzOq5Ew3rCtgZyMRTm03x4dYxvDYvqCEpGUVYy/s320/IMG_4691.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvutFH4c0Um3D6xi1dRinRhm5on4sElOR3mNlFh3dZGNBCgLFtyR9hId0eMqEE-4ucT4nA8_ZvedekrVlm0cH8R0RD2OLXFgkB2MMA406hlrTdmpMoY_GfpX8faxdKp45vHtwXDbp5qBt/s1600/IMG_4692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvutFH4c0Um3D6xi1dRinRhm5on4sElOR3mNlFh3dZGNBCgLFtyR9hId0eMqEE-4ucT4nA8_ZvedekrVlm0cH8R0RD2OLXFgkB2MMA406hlrTdmpMoY_GfpX8faxdKp45vHtwXDbp5qBt/s320/IMG_4692.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDI_zGcqwRWdzXyY_0V6kQEbhP7SeCLFT4uE4Ldd8mxhAw4AB6GIdzVOIhtQowSHIa7jiF0sTIWu-OfVjjqhkQtqFLqXJHP0eaXT5UIb-G1oglYUDvZd-IgjD_MvGxpVPXJIHW5B-I8Gf/s1600/IMG_4693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDI_zGcqwRWdzXyY_0V6kQEbhP7SeCLFT4uE4Ldd8mxhAw4AB6GIdzVOIhtQowSHIa7jiF0sTIWu-OfVjjqhkQtqFLqXJHP0eaXT5UIb-G1oglYUDvZd-IgjD_MvGxpVPXJIHW5B-I8Gf/s320/IMG_4693.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
**REMINDER: This post is focused on two half batches, each one using a different type of cereal. If you're working with full batches... well... you'll have twice as much.<br />
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In case you're wondering what a pan full of sugar products looks like, here you go (it's a half cup of white sugar and a half cup of light corn syrup):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpXg2q9gU2FrqjomnQTTiSjCj_ML-stnotgY7GtbqgRfVRmQYBdDHklKLLIUmHFFb4Ayhm0-f2AjBtXapxzIY_Oa5YrDhH5UpSp7bOq-kXhHUVi9KEkgMoEHiq-DZAyQI1nM7WqlfDthm/s1600/IMG_4696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpXg2q9gU2FrqjomnQTTiSjCj_ML-stnotgY7GtbqgRfVRmQYBdDHklKLLIUmHFFb4Ayhm0-f2AjBtXapxzIY_Oa5YrDhH5UpSp7bOq-kXhHUVi9KEkgMoEHiq-DZAyQI1nM7WqlfDthm/s320/IMG_4696.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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While that is on the stove over medium heat, it's a great time to grease your pan. Yes, I use old wrappers from margarine or butter for this (instead of sprays) when working with flat pans. And - yes - Christopher gets frustrated with all of the wrappers stored in the fridge. It's a give and take.<br />
<br />
But - the actual point, here - you <i>have</i> to grease the pan (one way or another) or these bars will seriously stick.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkaUcAk2p5_db8RwECfmQRvyOIQ8BPzLIT6FVX9HMpH6JdmiCq_3nTbfiJgwLe2g-iAPh-sRqsFhdnnLbZm50XeFhyphenhyphen7qPrEPNe71GsSeXXBBY5hDW4rvybhMOa0JxKguUevOkofbpGM85/s1600/IMG_4697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkaUcAk2p5_db8RwECfmQRvyOIQ8BPzLIT6FVX9HMpH6JdmiCq_3nTbfiJgwLe2g-iAPh-sRqsFhdnnLbZm50XeFhyphenhyphen7qPrEPNe71GsSeXXBBY5hDW4rvybhMOa0JxKguUevOkofbpGM85/s320/IMG_4697.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So often my photos get weird because of the outside light. I love how in this one the light actually accents the margarine on the pan.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Checking back in on the stove, we have now melted the sugar, and are to an all-syrup stage.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4s_s-sy_Xp4hy65dAu4UO75lDsAE6fXuft3nU0Q7rlHFztcjPLSJyIklHKNb4FEzT4TOr6E9tkUPdunEPM7yuxLRdZNvD0INR0OPbFV37KPV-_JCnHlAvpRQIUYy3y_AaKyr_piqvH5Px/s1600/IMG_4698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4s_s-sy_Xp4hy65dAu4UO75lDsAE6fXuft3nU0Q7rlHFztcjPLSJyIklHKNb4FEzT4TOr6E9tkUPdunEPM7yuxLRdZNvD0INR0OPbFV37KPV-_JCnHlAvpRQIUYy3y_AaKyr_piqvH5Px/s320/IMG_4698.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Somewhere around the point when it's finally beginning to bubble around the edges, I tend to start getting impatient. But you need to just keep stirring and waiting. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWtGODBpHGVBTv2VbFzcUtlELZ6Yf45fJ1fp4lT6BURJ7jeZiFXSVvJbZmpgChhmJ5bsyFw8-r5yKZErfOeT0CsAl6XtBC-rdHDJqmuL5RAnnfFqesyvKHcU_3kNQqCtdzAzdwu24weCD/s1600/IMG_4699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWtGODBpHGVBTv2VbFzcUtlELZ6Yf45fJ1fp4lT6BURJ7jeZiFXSVvJbZmpgChhmJ5bsyFw8-r5yKZErfOeT0CsAl6XtBC-rdHDJqmuL5RAnnfFqesyvKHcU_3kNQqCtdzAzdwu24weCD/s320/IMG_4699.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's bubbling - but only around the edges. This is not good enough.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Luckily, it doesn't take too long for it to go from there to where it needs to be: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2ZOBRJRoA-KvWKEwONnL1pQPmCTAG272zuUr5e84ktUfChXj70d-iwVvHTJEdXcmvOBdsBkno_pmHL46nHSDtbHSNti4Munl8ZIv-F1jD-C7UNk4nZLsxX7sCL9vX0N3j_eFPvgLcvKu/s1600/IMG_4700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2ZOBRJRoA-KvWKEwONnL1pQPmCTAG272zuUr5e84ktUfChXj70d-iwVvHTJEdXcmvOBdsBkno_pmHL46nHSDtbHSNti4Munl8ZIv-F1jD-C7UNk4nZLsxX7sCL9vX0N3j_eFPvgLcvKu/s320/IMG_4700.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See? Bubbling all over the pan. That's what we were waiting for. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I have a few different recipes that I tend to make at about the same time of year that involve this same type of process, but with one major difference: This only needs to be brought to a boil - and then it's done. The other recipe needs to be boiled for multiple minutes. </div>
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I mention this because if you boil THIS for multiple minutes you'll end up with something more akin to a brittle - which is not what you're going for. </div>
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With the heat turned off, you can stir in the peanut butter.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbnJr-JIKnebs_hOnzmEOJerIV5ItZhuj3s9KXl5Te0WJUEYRuXdYm8wJ4ALCITGoehJBGgH44jxiYA4Il3ZNXC03gBinxao0Ci72DiQO-L4Wj6lvMKdkrItdpOMYh1p0c51l6ILHg9y3/s1600/IMG_4701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbnJr-JIKnebs_hOnzmEOJerIV5ItZhuj3s9KXl5Te0WJUEYRuXdYm8wJ4ALCITGoehJBGgH44jxiYA4Il3ZNXC03gBinxao0Ci72DiQO-L4Wj6lvMKdkrItdpOMYh1p0c51l6ILHg9y3/s320/IMG_4701.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I prefer creamy, but I'm sure chunky would work for this, too. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's a bit odd watching the peanut butter melt. The middle stage is weirdest.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFFF07pe-ustbJCflnX1IhuHckyDg5G_dPgnLJhAEOUVEKOoPWeTcOjY67V3OtbGKAwBVdMHD0mxwkhCh9dIJVtZXyPMvx80HzcVoIBgKQbHmULa8XnGEFEdc3TA3zLfpUR1oZPdhDqjE/s1600/IMG_4702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFFF07pe-ustbJCflnX1IhuHckyDg5G_dPgnLJhAEOUVEKOoPWeTcOjY67V3OtbGKAwBVdMHD0mxwkhCh9dIJVtZXyPMvx80HzcVoIBgKQbHmULa8XnGEFEdc3TA3zLfpUR1oZPdhDqjE/s320/IMG_4702.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's still a little like peanut butter, but it's also kind of liquid. But not really either one.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Eventually, though, it's... well... let's just say that this next photo makes my mouth water.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Uc2x42owgX2mTNkL4CZT4RV1-bRyjM6u9Za-DP5PzTdAzFeYwQCmxkszCJD_z5XB3yr7xmOmOe-CzpJcgZ4RjRQ82GN4iShY47rQl8l-UA0vd6f8RkpTt0RqpEWbsO7E7l5QasQro1V3/s1600/IMG_4703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Uc2x42owgX2mTNkL4CZT4RV1-bRyjM6u9Za-DP5PzTdAzFeYwQCmxkszCJD_z5XB3yr7xmOmOe-CzpJcgZ4RjRQ82GN4iShY47rQl8l-UA0vd6f8RkpTt0RqpEWbsO7E7l5QasQro1V3/s320/IMG_4703.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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For our first half-batch of these, the next step included adding in FOUR cups of Special K.<br />
<br />
You've got options on this. You could put the cereal in a bowl and then pour the liquid over the top and stir. Or - as I do - I just plan to use a large enough pan so that I can pour the cereal directly into the liquid and mix there. One less thing to clean up - and, frankly, I think I'm able to incorporate more of the liquid without losing it to the sides of the containers during the various transfers.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtcAOHu_sq9iaIzDFOucZleA4HcZBp7uBrYTsqARm6rt10JhwPzVvcDq_V6WpXHmOdFYLkLOrOSqe8i0DRCoXihcu1KJ3pWJ-2RLOWINhrR-DFtDydxvbWE_GtMliuN7FZUQ5oZxy6TyG/s1600/IMG_4704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtcAOHu_sq9iaIzDFOucZleA4HcZBp7uBrYTsqARm6rt10JhwPzVvcDq_V6WpXHmOdFYLkLOrOSqe8i0DRCoXihcu1KJ3pWJ-2RLOWINhrR-DFtDydxvbWE_GtMliuN7FZUQ5oZxy6TyG/s320/IMG_4704.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, I know it looks like you'll never get it all coated. You just have to keep stirring. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tipping it out into the pan, it looks a bit odd and lumpy. And that's okay, because you need to press it down into the pan.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMoGGAMgV-etN3z9nM9AU_YwvTMEEL4Y8hOnSfD7TGIW5y0qdpBcEya_hKGIHCMTiPnhmIE6hCBrHOagJgCmV9HDCs3yf091Pld17xc-U8_jKAoYmfXzD2MmzLLQHli2nUTb8oyYFElrGk/s1600/IMG_4705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMoGGAMgV-etN3z9nM9AU_YwvTMEEL4Y8hOnSfD7TGIW5y0qdpBcEya_hKGIHCMTiPnhmIE6hCBrHOagJgCmV9HDCs3yf091Pld17xc-U8_jKAoYmfXzD2MmzLLQHli2nUTb8oyYFElrGk/s320/IMG_4705.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
CAUTION: This stuff is hot as lava at this point - or at least as hot as boiled sugar - so you're better off using a spatula for this step. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9a-r_i2Wok2udJZ-qGpmr-JtzgICPqKfSTPFjNwI8e2mU1HsUxgsH5MtLa4skJjht4YyNZ-b_61J1oeq4BY4dMCHpKh2n70Ruq0IT0C-ag_3SpBUVOfovrP2NEOzl9LWl5hYdiDHPeBU/s1600/IMG_4706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9a-r_i2Wok2udJZ-qGpmr-JtzgICPqKfSTPFjNwI8e2mU1HsUxgsH5MtLa4skJjht4YyNZ-b_61J1oeq4BY4dMCHpKh2n70Ruq0IT0C-ag_3SpBUVOfovrP2NEOzl9LWl5hYdiDHPeBU/s320/IMG_4706.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've also been known to put my hand into a baggie and then use that - because that way you can just pat the mixture down without worrying about it all sticking to you. But the spatula is probably wiser. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The recipes talk about making these pretty thick, but we like them somewhere in between. A good gauge is to make them about level with the sides of the pan. (This also makes it easy to get more bars out of one pan.)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQsgem3upoLkUytNhomcMF8YPazj70iMA0YJ-iYijN4IHQawnVM5tOcRFdZVc44VPp8tJ8FpuI82cyDrxhPbIjNe7niOfpB07FxaoXA7tfFZBwKciog8UCiytYcHsCLKCgFFMgj0f7HL8/s1600/IMG_4707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQsgem3upoLkUytNhomcMF8YPazj70iMA0YJ-iYijN4IHQawnVM5tOcRFdZVc44VPp8tJ8FpuI82cyDrxhPbIjNe7niOfpB07FxaoXA7tfFZBwKciog8UCiytYcHsCLKCgFFMgj0f7HL8/s320/IMG_4707.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Yes, I know that this is precariously close to the edge of the cabinet. Do you know who else thought it had a chance that it might fall?<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyhJsqdNlOlvfWCEoU8ewH14Q2u5bNZDv_2KZx2-NKyF05NynrvgWqvP0E0weLBobU56bDt_D_OWVXbFI5kCPRSQ2iZuVGhPuFuaBCIxSaASIVTWR4zEwhyUH9W9107llPyxt3v_lSjOI/s1600/IMG_4708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyhJsqdNlOlvfWCEoU8ewH14Q2u5bNZDv_2KZx2-NKyF05NynrvgWqvP0E0weLBobU56bDt_D_OWVXbFI5kCPRSQ2iZuVGhPuFuaBCIxSaASIVTWR4zEwhyUH9W9107llPyxt3v_lSjOI/s320/IMG_4708.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ever hopeful in the kitchen...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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As we discussed earlier, the recipes are identical until you get to the cereal. For a half batch, of Scotcheroos, the peanut butter mixture gets just THREE cups of Crispy Rice.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJvM2qJKZN6kdmE7-SmdEqUOBub8kGMZugPDTBnL-HiRiW8gsTIHSPUr_ZAVysdYbweBvbUuQdstJ1ho3chGHi7002y5Ep8BN6YhOdUpEzX45Pr4KJIfbLzwkoon0IYwnwfg7rRZkMZ0h/s1600/IMG_4709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJvM2qJKZN6kdmE7-SmdEqUOBub8kGMZugPDTBnL-HiRiW8gsTIHSPUr_ZAVysdYbweBvbUuQdstJ1ho3chGHi7002y5Ep8BN6YhOdUpEzX45Pr4KJIfbLzwkoon0IYwnwfg7rRZkMZ0h/s320/IMG_4709.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Though I mention in the video at the end that I think Rice Krispies might be gluten free - and I still think they might be - I've seen some things online saying that they're not. So please do your research if you're trying to make these gluten free. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Again, they look a bit odd when they first land in the pan... <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PI1NMtNldqC_tlCy4zIZnY3Hy-LxQAE89fJt4QzLrC0YYDulUc8IYaBeI1jabhKhI9mMqSAOy4IOrA5CtpW80JYDf7jf2w9xg0Caq5CkimeB7DwkfVHCYq1wekWn2oCXEJj2UI6qJYJB/s1600/IMG_4711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PI1NMtNldqC_tlCy4zIZnY3Hy-LxQAE89fJt4QzLrC0YYDulUc8IYaBeI1jabhKhI9mMqSAOy4IOrA5CtpW80JYDf7jf2w9xg0Caq5CkimeB7DwkfVHCYq1wekWn2oCXEJj2UI6qJYJB/s320/IMG_4711.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
...but with a good spatula-ing...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQP3xV3hUKH52QKVHFworf4FmSXxr7BDODas5rNNjZbr2Odmixfg5aIluMNAdnXCMtq7MpTPbYPEhgHvB6fLWH3crmNfshbo4TkwY5JY1ccydgIdnLNWHvWDUqPJHTxRiuM8qVkeqMVHFQ/s1600/IMG_4712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQP3xV3hUKH52QKVHFworf4FmSXxr7BDODas5rNNjZbr2Odmixfg5aIluMNAdnXCMtq7MpTPbYPEhgHvB6fLWH3crmNfshbo4TkwY5JY1ccydgIdnLNWHvWDUqPJHTxRiuM8qVkeqMVHFQ/s320/IMG_4712.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
...they turn out pretty respectably. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Yzpyg7BsXxlHryMxCaN35tZ3DuaOeE8ktmvVdR1EGnWAn9-XxauD9Ejz_qKxNjZUzPB1QOoyjv_jy4_vayOQuz0dJ78N3LBs1x6OreQ-8YQATc6yY2ZiTqJey9t28EcmoDQ6fU6m-PKe/s1600/IMG_4713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Yzpyg7BsXxlHryMxCaN35tZ3DuaOeE8ktmvVdR1EGnWAn9-XxauD9Ejz_qKxNjZUzPB1QOoyjv_jy4_vayOQuz0dJ78N3LBs1x6OreQ-8YQATc6yY2ZiTqJey9t28EcmoDQ6fU6m-PKe/s320/IMG_4713.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Though, they do look a bit naked, don't they? So it's time for some topping. <br />
<br />
By the way: The recipe calls for Chocolate and Butterscotch chips - not Chocolate and Peanut Butter. In part, I'm sure this is because there weren't any Peanut Butter chips when the recipes were created. But - I have to admit - I've tried it both ways, and the Butterscotch chips give this a much better flavor. Using Peanut Butter chips left these really kind of flat and boring, in comparison.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2eiNLB9T1GQ4G2rgCqn3NUMSzMN0xnI-vygl8gbg-82RTqtHbWPC7XfNax0vcLTlQrx7O3-8jEW77wQNvQ2dlOriBmtT_7krD9T6G7URVv06EKua-L1WqPuBZOvbGgNVhdg3ENwpNB0g/s1600/IMG_4714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2eiNLB9T1GQ4G2rgCqn3NUMSzMN0xnI-vygl8gbg-82RTqtHbWPC7XfNax0vcLTlQrx7O3-8jEW77wQNvQ2dlOriBmtT_7krD9T6G7URVv06EKua-L1WqPuBZOvbGgNVhdg3ENwpNB0g/s320/IMG_4714.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Consider this to be a Double Boiler - it's a metal pan on top of a saucepan of boiling water. My favorite way to melt chocolate.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As with the melting of the peanut butter, there's a point in this process here it really seems like the chips are never going to melt. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHp3HvfX47Wessl8oXA7Q6wqevjcfjw8RUE_Vyb4ThoEi295QzwVaA9OpnFeMFsmkQOlGD8jzexg79IHPVkzo7yJXDnZvP1iU_fqwqZIwyzxiPkWvaZ493QgA7NmfRjB0oCJhRKiH6rhJb/s1600/IMG_4716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHp3HvfX47Wessl8oXA7Q6wqevjcfjw8RUE_Vyb4ThoEi295QzwVaA9OpnFeMFsmkQOlGD8jzexg79IHPVkzo7yJXDnZvP1iU_fqwqZIwyzxiPkWvaZ493QgA7NmfRjB0oCJhRKiH6rhJb/s320/IMG_4716.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
But, eventually, they do.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmUGVkHJXP544aWp8Goz_Vps5P0uc5YjWJbyOf2AeeuiHKGntz7CrKrBfhA5Mqx87_MnlXcV_BQWv-BnG3HoYaNsxmeQVlz9dK-8k3XDt9erAos2WlIfALQ6lk_6x08SjbrgaOc-lPgvP/s1600/IMG_4717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmUGVkHJXP544aWp8Goz_Vps5P0uc5YjWJbyOf2AeeuiHKGntz7CrKrBfhA5Mqx87_MnlXcV_BQWv-BnG3HoYaNsxmeQVlz9dK-8k3XDt9erAos2WlIfALQ6lk_6x08SjbrgaOc-lPgvP/s320/IMG_4717.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Once it's smooth, it's time to spread this onto the now-cooled bars.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYhInSR_Y8SZfPpwhtMpDimggDfrfkwYLhDT1HQ1VjB-lx-yWuZRHk7ZTtauuBBIwQkztHjLiSiXe7AQ_FInNxOsN0SbASKXXZzySMviPNP9PIx2p3pKi4nHMIGLOvXYnoIj5js-eqCRyQ/s1600/IMG_4718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYhInSR_Y8SZfPpwhtMpDimggDfrfkwYLhDT1HQ1VjB-lx-yWuZRHk7ZTtauuBBIwQkztHjLiSiXe7AQ_FInNxOsN0SbASKXXZzySMviPNP9PIx2p3pKi4nHMIGLOvXYnoIj5js-eqCRyQ/s320/IMG_4718.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
With the topping on them, it's kind of hard to tell which is which, isn't it?<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorqMOelwgbc3CwG_EkMvR4IdxGKSuD4WwFHLaQN1XqXbw5keUL3as9s3Y0057ZiFNDVn64sfaZCK_mqhjq7kR78wA5C1bdBR7-LPMOFEwn4GNUx4_Sds2qoh2CF364Oudu2ifxM_MRdUx/s1600/IMG_4719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorqMOelwgbc3CwG_EkMvR4IdxGKSuD4WwFHLaQN1XqXbw5keUL3as9s3Y0057ZiFNDVn64sfaZCK_mqhjq7kR78wA5C1bdBR7-LPMOFEwn4GNUx4_Sds2qoh2CF364Oudu2ifxM_MRdUx/s320/IMG_4719.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please ignore the chocolate chip cookies on the side of the photo. It was a busy night in the kitchen. (Though, if you're wondering, those are the <a href="https://robertsrandomwritings.blogspot.com/2017/09/betty-crockers-chocolate-chip-cookies.html" target="_blank">Betty Crocker 1950 Chocolate Chip Cookies</a> we've talked about in the past.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now the hard part: Letting them cool so that the top hardens.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oseZIOBKklhyWOXxXiV8d_zTCDS6zt7og8OOhFEtGHqjsW0RCZ9GZ9JZb9ssOx90EwIHHUGW-pBJQL5-9H4DcgP9201CASwCwQF6ixb-OdUxIJ9bL4w_kBidAi1MZKGbpdRNVlupWLft/s1600/IMG_4720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oseZIOBKklhyWOXxXiV8d_zTCDS6zt7og8OOhFEtGHqjsW0RCZ9GZ9JZb9ssOx90EwIHHUGW-pBJQL5-9H4DcgP9201CASwCwQF6ixb-OdUxIJ9bL4w_kBidAi1MZKGbpdRNVlupWLft/s320/IMG_4720.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Once they're cool, I like to use my "Bash 'n' Chop" (that's the brand name of the old counter scraper that I have) to cut them, because you get good straight lines and have a lot of control, even with something fairly thick.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UHTjzmF_wmenUbIw4SGsj09dg5NHHsumpwKmUN5pUuFdMctHfvkX0rsGFnbdUwwNK1870zKa4Yh0s4ye-x9LEt_6FVUK3V_gYXkk_bfNJE4iJh-xlu4bCBitQjgyG14Os8INvQz0C6W9/s1600/IMG_4723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UHTjzmF_wmenUbIw4SGsj09dg5NHHsumpwKmUN5pUuFdMctHfvkX0rsGFnbdUwwNK1870zKa4Yh0s4ye-x9LEt_6FVUK3V_gYXkk_bfNJE4iJh-xlu4bCBitQjgyG14Os8INvQz0C6W9/s320/IMG_4723.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Since I was taking these to work, I needed to figure out a way to keep them separate. I went with some waxed paper - and flipped half of them upside down.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJH-9ebDlO-yjNOFuzwYYhWMux9QpOd80WmrZyObiFwHiFqNuQeRziZCcyLNC_WWhoSJqEoYiCTysx4FrY956QCXIacT4xsLM2gMRO-alH6N-X-GkWpkkqLHi-aTId8yWZbrsZWI6RY-hc/s1600/IMG_4724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJH-9ebDlO-yjNOFuzwYYhWMux9QpOd80WmrZyObiFwHiFqNuQeRziZCcyLNC_WWhoSJqEoYiCTysx4FrY956QCXIacT4xsLM2gMRO-alH6N-X-GkWpkkqLHi-aTId8yWZbrsZWI6RY-hc/s320/IMG_4724.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you look closely, this gives you a chance to tell which side is which bar.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, what's the difference between the two? Let's discuss:<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_EiOl31UFIE/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_EiOl31UFIE?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
Do I think one is necessarily better than the other? I'm not sure. I really enjoy the crunchier, more "substantial" dessert-bar texture of the Special K Frosted Chews. But the more candy-like texture of the Scotcheroos is nice, too. I think this may need more testing as time goes on...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQyC-Ss7MM5OZHurjGqOVjJe_mmb0LTXxHLwdl-mKFr-6bvtgZYRY80fb7sR6boBZgpRQez7kaMjPeMkNHDluq9guBi1r3ltqhahwWQOOxRhiwZgAHMuqgtl1t_WVICTPV6Y_K4o6wfYl/s1600/IMG_4725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQyC-Ss7MM5OZHurjGqOVjJe_mmb0LTXxHLwdl-mKFr-6bvtgZYRY80fb7sR6boBZgpRQez7kaMjPeMkNHDluq9guBi1r3ltqhahwWQOOxRhiwZgAHMuqgtl1t_WVICTPV6Y_K4o6wfYl/s320/IMG_4725.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Oh. And if you've read this far along, you may be interested to know that I did <i>not</i> win the cupcake bake-off at work. I actually came in 3rd (out of 4) - with the tiramisu cupcakes coming in first. Basically, the two cupcakes that came in first and second had almost equal amounts of frosting and cake. Mine - and the one that came in fourth - had much smaller amounts of frosting in comparison. I'd like to think that - and, well, the fact that mine had turned blue - had something to do with my placing.<br />
<br />
As for the Scotcheroo/Frosted Chew debate, at work the Frosted Chews got about 2/3 of the votes.<br />
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*I feel I should mention that, in our family, these are always referred to as "Joy's Frosted Chews" (not "Special K Frosted Chews") because a family friend made these every fall and so they've always been connected to her. Sentiment aside, though, they're really good no matter what you call them.<br />
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<i>Is there something you've always wanted to try in your kitchen, but you wish someone else would do it, first? Let me know and I'll be your guinea pig!</i><br />
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<br />Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-45992055365011498062019-03-29T20:27:00.001-05:002019-03-29T20:27:33.631-05:00Lemon Lavender Cupcakes (the color change is optional)Some of you may remember that about a year and a half ago I went through a Bundt-baking phase. (If you want to revisit it, you can start by searching for the label "Cake" in the posts.)<br />
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Well, last week at work my company decided to have a cupcake bake-off (because everyone wants to make everything a competition), and I was stumped about what kind of cupcakes to make. Most of the cupcakes I've made in my life have been from a box. With frosting from a tub. Honestly. The whole from-scratch cake baking thing happened much more recently.<br />
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So I was thinking of what kind of cupcake to make that wasn't out of a box and I decided to just miniaturize a cake that I like to make. Let me explain:<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0V2225r_cZM/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0V2225r_cZM?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Two things about this video: </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>1) The small Bundt pan doesn't play that big a role, but I like the screen capture, so I went with it. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>2) The word that doesn't seem to make sense in the middle of the video is "sake" - though I seem to have pronounced it as "sike" for no apparent reason.</i></div>
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As I mentioned in the video, I'm not giving you the full step-by-step instructions, here. The recipe and the how-to can both be found at the original post: <a href="https://robertsrandomwritings.blogspot.com/2016/10/baking-weather-gluten-free-and-soy-free.html" target="_blank">Baking Weather</a>.<br />
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Even so, I did get out all of my <i>mise en place</i>-type stuff:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJaiKc2lWb8rKj2BzeakP-_r167wxlyWU9zT3B36FaQdSKNCzF4755zSWxfFN_TaEeFCILs-8biv5T4jfTWUV2PAf9Ba0khTAPK37q497lydzNHIdGXfoOP9XGcEK4gv2DCKtzw3T-dq_a/s1600/IMG_4640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJaiKc2lWb8rKj2BzeakP-_r167wxlyWU9zT3B36FaQdSKNCzF4755zSWxfFN_TaEeFCILs-8biv5T4jfTWUV2PAf9Ba0khTAPK37q497lydzNHIdGXfoOP9XGcEK4gv2DCKtzw3T-dq_a/s320/IMG_4640.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of all of that, only about 4 things will actually be getting used in a "show and tell" kind of way in this post.</td></tr>
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Have I mentioned, yet, that <a href="https://www.bobsredmill.com/shop/flours-and-meals/gluten-free-1-to-1-baking-flour.html" target="_blank">Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour </a>now comes in a resealable bag? (I buy it at our local co-op, but that link goes to their website in case you can't find it near you.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsqAQbRW8Dx_lciJJA-N3Nopvmp5SceJBdb5cp7pOQRkACbvcuEl_qzFNW6G8JE1w1PX-MSEMZtyajZftXDCCKtdARHaZqzDQi4XHYjCrZ7H8jms3omlYaTfn4meWRDMkruIHc3crbTjK/s1600/IMG_4641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsqAQbRW8Dx_lciJJA-N3Nopvmp5SceJBdb5cp7pOQRkACbvcuEl_qzFNW6G8JE1w1PX-MSEMZtyajZftXDCCKtdARHaZqzDQi4XHYjCrZ7H8jms3omlYaTfn4meWRDMkruIHc3crbTjK/s320/IMG_4641.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I've been keeping it in Ziploc bags for ages, so this was a bit of a thrill for me. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfThvpxFhyO_DJYTuVg2-Ollg-9VGosAK4n7hPKrrKAFKQFtc0uV6lGGCCJbACyD4l5Ao3uQlOs_ZrW26UxrZ0-Ei2YgAaSnto2AJCISenjZKX0w46atQxh0TJj6nrpHQdb7BTAWYJ_gti/s1600/IMG_4642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfThvpxFhyO_DJYTuVg2-Ollg-9VGosAK4n7hPKrrKAFKQFtc0uV6lGGCCJbACyD4l5Ao3uQlOs_ZrW26UxrZ0-Ei2YgAaSnto2AJCISenjZKX0w46atQxh0TJj6nrpHQdb7BTAWYJ_gti/s320/IMG_4642.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Not</i> Velcro. But a really cool textured seal that is much easier to use than the usual "zipper bag" when you're hands are covered in baking stuff. </td></tr>
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But, anyway, let's assume that you've gone through all of the creaming and mixing and liquid and dry ingredient rounds, and you've got your batter ready to go. And - instead of using a Bundt cake - you're putting it into mini cupcake wrappers. Your smaller cookie scoop (the one that says "100" or "00" on the side) is a great size for this.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWnmixXdlaofDbLDCAFYFUmLchzlUIn386IrQwhebC1RdaoqTzP9UcuauQhHt7EyNQY5XBzVHI04zlanqYWlzLfvErBrXxIWEuTsK50yrM2HSC53izatZ9_lBsHaBZmu-YD3c1cMYg8qj/s1600/IMG_4644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWnmixXdlaofDbLDCAFYFUmLchzlUIn386IrQwhebC1RdaoqTzP9UcuauQhHt7EyNQY5XBzVHI04zlanqYWlzLfvErBrXxIWEuTsK50yrM2HSC53izatZ9_lBsHaBZmu-YD3c1cMYg8qj/s320/IMG_4644.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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But you'll want to use it at its fullest so that you get the cups at least 2/3 full.<br />
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That way, when they rise, you'll get a nice shallow dome, without too much of the "muffin top" thing going on.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8v12QWBLqTLItUKsrBdK9Hht9x5-aVpeoctpf4P0Pg4komZik5MxguzB03ZwPwatOO6xN6xE0BGpSmVu30fK_ujsXs0n5psGv0XpPJDI_M-dF_HWv68nAapVsYBDSqxjLCcRkAM-m3w7/s1600/IMG_4646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8v12QWBLqTLItUKsrBdK9Hht9x5-aVpeoctpf4P0Pg4komZik5MxguzB03ZwPwatOO6xN6xE0BGpSmVu30fK_ujsXs0n5psGv0XpPJDI_M-dF_HWv68nAapVsYBDSqxjLCcRkAM-m3w7/s320/IMG_4646.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because they're so small, I did go in with a toothpick to check them for doneness. That's how I figured out that they were good to go at between 10 and 11 minutes. </td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
When you're making a Bundt cake, the recipe often says to "smooth the top" before baking. This is because it's not going to "poof up" as much as a lighter cake. I probably should have done that with these, too, to avoid the bumpy tops on some of them.</div>
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With a little cooling time (I waited about 5 minutes), they were ready to take out of the pan.<br />
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And - maybe another 5 minutes later - I was ready to try them out.<br />
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Not gonna lie: I was very happy with how they turned out.<br />
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I follow a pretty basic recipe when I do frosting: powdered sugar and liquid and maybe some flavoring - and a little margarine to help it stand up. How much? I have no idea. Basically I use enough sugar and liquid to make it the consistency I need at any given time.<br />
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Because this has a lot of flavor going on, I started with that. About equal parts lemon zest and crushed lavender.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah... I learned the hard way that this should have all been much more finely crushed and/or zested.</td></tr>
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A certain amount of lemon juice and some soft margarine.<br />
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And enough powdered sugar to cause a serious mess when you first start stirring.<br />
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I also started adding food coloring pretty early, to make sure that it would get evenly stirred in. As usual, somewhere along the way pale purple became cement-looking.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAG60hQTMkaZDnKPM6fXZIDBfM6V3JszThGU9y5op3W_tHz9ZnZ1Fhmw8ZnzgHvATgYrQBnImMGIBF5GqlPa9trRGsj2fWiIywAQgpqXDqwMmgpSb4voDupfL8-GxPDM46DBzOkI1F_c8f/s1600/IMG_4654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAG60hQTMkaZDnKPM6fXZIDBfM6V3JszThGU9y5op3W_tHz9ZnZ1Fhmw8ZnzgHvATgYrQBnImMGIBF5GqlPa9trRGsj2fWiIywAQgpqXDqwMmgpSb4voDupfL8-GxPDM46DBzOkI1F_c8f/s320/IMG_4654.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I swear to you that I followed the instructions on the box.</td></tr>
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I had a few issues with the decorating tips, because the lavender and lemon zest kept getting stuck in them. I started with a star tip (on the left), then moved to a ribbon tip (middle), and finally ended up with a leaf tip (on the right).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoQAZyS9NyFpdCaZeSLSWfD4Xa31Xe3qehgcwgZDQ64rsg5f4yx18L6z-VkkSxbT4lKTBQeCUjBwM6zgXkXESPKfpwDsC3AEK6QyOyTyq5DeUAYykSnbIikdoQPLi_PBWt2N5pTbl1FTxW/s1600/IMG_4659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoQAZyS9NyFpdCaZeSLSWfD4Xa31Xe3qehgcwgZDQ64rsg5f4yx18L6z-VkkSxbT4lKTBQeCUjBwM6zgXkXESPKfpwDsC3AEK6QyOyTyq5DeUAYykSnbIikdoQPLi_PBWt2N5pTbl1FTxW/s320/IMG_4659.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For the record, in the kitchen these did look a bit more purple than they do in the photo.</td></tr>
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After I got done frosting all of those, I thinned the frosting out a bit and drizzled the small Bundt.<br />
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Let's recap. (I was going to say "Do a quick recap" - but you know that's not how these work.)<br />
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<i>Full disclosure: I did not serve the Bundt at Book Club. We dined on mini-cupcakes, instead.</i></div>
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And... well... I thought that's where this would end. One more pretty shot of the final set-up, and we'd be on our way:<br />
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So I put my lavender-gray cupcakes into my Tupperware container and went to bed.<br />
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But... well... I forgot one important thing: I used lemon juice as a main ingredient in the frosting. And lemon juice can do some funky chemical reaction things. Like... well... it might be better if you see it for yourself.<br />
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This is what I saw when I opened the Tupperware <i>at work</i> before the bake-off:<br />
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And, yes, the same thing happened to everything I'd left at home, too, so this is what was on the table for Book Club. (Don't believe that this color change was real? Some of the cupcakes below are the same ones that were in the "three different tips" photo, above.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bTqeqRpm5zrAOoWdUzRGCW_28sF0R_1xCJ7b_nsTkPApPyLRGZySnJUVQl1M_QSUl5qFesuDkTgn8rYDt4MfOmIDCsOZyaLXUhXzhi6wxAFkLDB42M52h_Y3UbW9apTLbQ8LDPw0NcL_/s1600/IMG_4664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bTqeqRpm5zrAOoWdUzRGCW_28sF0R_1xCJ7b_nsTkPApPyLRGZySnJUVQl1M_QSUl5qFesuDkTgn8rYDt4MfOmIDCsOZyaLXUhXzhi6wxAFkLDB42M52h_Y3UbW9apTLbQ8LDPw0NcL_/s320/IMG_4664.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo is totally an excuse for me to show off our orchid.</td></tr>
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Oh... and this is why I didn't serve the small Bundt. Because it looked even more space alien-y than I thought it looked in the video.<br />
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I don't know, yet, how the judging went at work. I do know that I was up against a tiramisu cupcake with a mascarpone frosting, and two different cupcakes with fresh berries. And... yeah... my lavender cupcakes were bright blue.<br />
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Hopefully I'll find out before my next post so I can let you know.<br />
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<i>What's one of the weirdest things that you've had happen in the kitchen? Did you eat whatever it was, anyway? </i><br />
<br />Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-65831881836198742772019-03-24T10:59:00.000-05:002019-03-24T10:59:05.347-05:00How Has It Been 6 Weeks? I cannot believe it has been six weeks since I last blogged. Well, actually, I can - but it's just weird. <div>
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When last we met (pre-Valentine's Day), I was fighting off a low-grade cold that I'd been fighting for probably a month. And, in the most frustrating of ways, it wouldn't get worse and it wouldn't get better. So mainly I spent a few months with no energy. </div>
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Then (as I explain in the video, below), I was also working on an edit that was taking me <i>much</i> longer than it should have. And I was having to decide whether to put my bursts of energy to productive use on the edit or the blog. </div>
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Well... The edit got completed last week. And my cold finally manifested itself strongly enough last weekend that I went to Urgent Care for antibiotics. The past weekend has been interesting with the full-on cold. My "favorite" thing is that it's been messing with my voice. Want proof? Here you go: </div>
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Believe it or not, that's a massive improvement from earlier in the week. I had to speak in a work meeting and one person offered to get me flash cards... </div>
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I'm finally on the upswing. Which, happily, is happening at the same point that the seasons are finally changing and what has been a brutal late winter is turning into a fairly decent early spring in Minnesota. </div>
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I'll be baking this weekend, and should be back to a normal-ish blog next week. (Fingers crossed that I can speak well enough to be understood by the time I'm putting it together.)</div>
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Hope you've all been doing well! Don't forget to send me any kitchen (or editing) questions or comments, and ... I'll see you in a week. </div>
Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-79234401004921372862019-02-10T18:36:00.001-06:002019-02-10T18:36:35.378-06:00Pre-Valentine's Day, but mid-coldI'd love to blame the Polar Vortex for the lack of post last week, but it went back up to the Pole a couple of weeks ago. <div>
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Unfortunately, Christopher has been battling a cold-type thing since before Christmas. And in the past few weeks the cold has decided that maybe it should try tackling me, as well. So, while we were battling the windchills of -50 degrees a week and a half ago, and then two days of major snow this week, we've been cheering ourselves if we can stay awake until 9pm. </div>
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I thought about taking a photo of a shopping bag filled with Milk, Bread, and Toilet paper to commemorate the weather. But decided that was more Baltimore than Minneapolis. </div>
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So today - as I'm feeling a little bit more back to normal - I decided to push forward with some traditional Valentine's Day cookies. Or at least they're traditional for my family. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGdJldttKxu58Zf_6IMlO6miFSligcUfM5ExazsE8BDsK070On1DkbZlIT99mfsmXFw0LuLCJ5kkU12FvnLFUh-vKM_IzJMesj6xzodAot4AYkZaJD1NamnQlcxeCuH5GT1Z9YS3njptji/s1600/IMG_4518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGdJldttKxu58Zf_6IMlO6miFSligcUfM5ExazsE8BDsK070On1DkbZlIT99mfsmXFw0LuLCJ5kkU12FvnLFUh-vKM_IzJMesj6xzodAot4AYkZaJD1NamnQlcxeCuH5GT1Z9YS3njptji/s320/IMG_4518.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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These are made with a basic sugar cookie (you can use a family recipe, or just some of the ones you can buy in the grocery store), and then an even more basic frosting (margarine, milk, and powdered sugar), which I pipe on using the frosting gun I used for the <a href="https://robertsrandomwritings.blogspot.com/2018/11/brownie-bites-and-giveaway-finally.html" target="_blank">brownie bites</a>. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtFr1b1cPeNwC1CCg8IQLcw9ilwOv5Zz1TwnYfxSiCLG7vc7WgCPwty39r0bYGVsX6efdaShsu2658FbXI7bfjSHwR0jD6xYwyX9dYev9pQjLkfMuYlLf6HOqmptXy3FhU7i15Mo7nUDC/s1600/IMG_4519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtFr1b1cPeNwC1CCg8IQLcw9ilwOv5Zz1TwnYfxSiCLG7vc7WgCPwty39r0bYGVsX6efdaShsu2658FbXI7bfjSHwR0jD6xYwyX9dYev9pQjLkfMuYlLf6HOqmptXy3FhU7i15Mo7nUDC/s320/IMG_4519.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And, yes, these will mostly be getting shipped. Not in the "wreath" style of most of my cookies - because they'd stick together - but in layers separated by waxed paper. </div>
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They're not the prettiest cookies you'll probably see this week, but they make me happy - and hopefully will make their recipients happy, as well. </div>
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Hopefully we'll back on our feet - and I'll be back to blogging - in the immediate future. </div>
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<i>Is there a comfort food that gets you through when you're under the weather? Anything I should know about? </i></div>
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Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-15400476593584565872019-01-25T09:47:00.000-06:002019-01-25T09:47:12.870-06:00Hot Fudge for Cold Nights (or any nights... days... whenever, really)Last week's <a href="https://robertsrandomwritings.blogspot.com/2019/01/pound-cake-actually-by-pound.html" target="_blank">Pound Cake recipe/experiment </a>was all about serious measurements - and serious amounts of time. Yes, it was fun - and really tasty - but it was also one of those kitchen projects that you have to devote some effort and time to. <div>
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This week's recipe... well... if I'm being honest (and I usually am), I actually made this while the Pound Cake was cooling. </div>
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It's also not quite as glamorous when you're done. Personally, though, I think that glamorous foods are frequently over-rated.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check it out! This week's special guest star is last week's Pound Cake!</td></tr>
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Let's look at how this blog post came to be. </div>
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So, there you go. It was kind of a "Mother Necessity" situation - I needed something that could go on the Pound Cake - and that wouldn't turn away any members of Book Club. (And the fact that it's a quick and easy recipe for a food I really <i>really</i> like doesn't hurt.)</div>
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Just how quick and easy is it? Well, here's my copy of the recipe: </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pZGvcuIf-RXYF36vFIu2YZCCmIbOuhp8Nr-aLpj5_X8krCC7W7kdAOZ-ABiexpB8Bc-7vKO-rKa28e25zhvkCXCKfWjB0cmUWIkLXrJyxSpUk9jogv5xOW9AmUvbKW6zSCPPLnMAJuIP/s1600/fullsizeoutput_396.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pZGvcuIf-RXYF36vFIu2YZCCmIbOuhp8Nr-aLpj5_X8krCC7W7kdAOZ-ABiexpB8Bc-7vKO-rKa28e25zhvkCXCKfWjB0cmUWIkLXrJyxSpUk9jogv5xOW9AmUvbKW6zSCPPLnMAJuIP/s400/fullsizeoutput_396.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not the only one who took a spiral-bound set of recipe notecards when I moved away from home, am I? </td></tr>
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Quick assembling of ingredients:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcUUWoXQMR_mPHSraJLN3bkd_PkIZgEbZeZJ3Zfu7hOa1yJu1SWJ5GEdU29yQwgte9n202VoR04Y-eRvISVwmmymUqywMQhN_Sc-1Xq-bBNJQ_adkRYmnDzw69lAlknI9XYi7jjuSoyJoR/s1600/IMG_4420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcUUWoXQMR_mPHSraJLN3bkd_PkIZgEbZeZJ3Zfu7hOa1yJu1SWJ5GEdU29yQwgte9n202VoR04Y-eRvISVwmmymUqywMQhN_Sc-1Xq-bBNJQ_adkRYmnDzw69lAlknI9XYi7jjuSoyJoR/s320/IMG_4420.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only thing in this photo that I can't always guarantee I'll have on hand is the evaporated milk. But I try to keep a can on hand, just in case of baking or confectionary emergencies. </td></tr>
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One of the great things about this recipe is that there's no dealing with extra bowls or pans or anything. It all goes straight into a pan on the stove. (I use a two-quart stainless steel pan. That gives it room to boil, while also keeping a fairly even heat.)</div>
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You may have noticed that the recipe also doesn't have any extra steps. This is pretty much dump-heat-stir-go. (Well, and measure...)</div>
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First up - BEFORE you turn on the heat: 3/4 c of white sugar <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZgIeGDIcaVxxbQ6CqrCzHMbUCmga1OYs4ZksS8pQZOm43mTOXHEOg3YyEjQyz3GwUVTZD69GiJFpuKtXf5nHLfZUzmQsGoXpzBdmoegouWJPUc5bfT4pC1ipvq0YqNx0tnIO09q0eqCD/s1600/IMG_4427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZgIeGDIcaVxxbQ6CqrCzHMbUCmga1OYs4ZksS8pQZOm43mTOXHEOg3YyEjQyz3GwUVTZD69GiJFpuKtXf5nHLfZUzmQsGoXpzBdmoegouWJPUc5bfT4pC1ipvq0YqNx0tnIO09q0eqCD/s320/IMG_4427.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next: 1/2 c of cocoa<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHd4qGFVtextRjmiFv3tjActrIY6iUwP6TxZo4SjqCHsDyhH9mrEEklnkYKmHACCCB5v0Bd_zE4c7rWFbWpabtJxGarjTvTIT9m2lHi_POeCoq8yO5SwdSYw_94eb69rFY7iC6ja33wf7z/s1600/IMG_4428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHd4qGFVtextRjmiFv3tjActrIY6iUwP6TxZo4SjqCHsDyhH9mrEEklnkYKmHACCCB5v0Bd_zE4c7rWFbWpabtJxGarjTvTIT9m2lHi_POeCoq8yO5SwdSYw_94eb69rFY7iC6ja33wf7z/s320/IMG_4428.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really prefer <a href="https://www.hersheys.com/en_us/products/hersheys-natural-unsweetened-cocoa-8-oz-cans.html" target="_blank">Hershey's Cocoa</a> for this. I've tried other brands, and they just don't turn out the same. Maybe it's because it's what I grew up with - but why would I mess with a good thing? </td></tr>
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On to the wet ingredients. 2/3 c of evaporated milk.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghE7JTbIfv1dvm5Xtmao_zqlevFgdzVVgj5-9pKAxeF3vAdbwXB1oL4xu8EE53jeVGSZxMiYIQjZpkuuhuMVOixf78uVA0OHEah9HLxqsbKIBK7KMyiaP2p0iyzi5xFNAD20Q0heRkFE5L/s1600/IMG_4429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghE7JTbIfv1dvm5Xtmao_zqlevFgdzVVgj5-9pKAxeF3vAdbwXB1oL4xu8EE53jeVGSZxMiYIQjZpkuuhuMVOixf78uVA0OHEah9HLxqsbKIBK7KMyiaP2p0iyzi5xFNAD20Q0heRkFE5L/s320/IMG_4429.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gee... what will we ever do with the other half of the can? </td></tr>
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I have no idea why I took the next photo:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinmMyuVX2Ir2fFIJLlV6GrnXhIPvEXX1m_hVFPxjg1AiTdOuWodkokZfxAURD0K49Cz_OQhqP-bEb6m6BybofZGitnSOX786If8SrNFgyGO0eh-JL4FqZ5_xpkcwX0R7JNtjGOrRLSctTF/s1600/IMG_4430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinmMyuVX2Ir2fFIJLlV6GrnXhIPvEXX1m_hVFPxjg1AiTdOuWodkokZfxAURD0K49Cz_OQhqP-bEb6m6BybofZGitnSOX786If8SrNFgyGO0eh-JL4FqZ5_xpkcwX0R7JNtjGOrRLSctTF/s320/IMG_4430.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div>
And then the 1/3 c of light corn syrup:</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOy1HLEba5wxNSACZ6ELeH3sLPpdr6hJRqos78z7zBADrE4KuGElDNUR8L95LglsLLVoCIqv5WJ_jYvitTT1IhTN6vkK5LmaWvKopsS0N5GYApiOjehYxNfGMgH3dqKE_DH2Eth662-SzT/s1600/IMG_4431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOy1HLEba5wxNSACZ6ELeH3sLPpdr6hJRqos78z7zBADrE4KuGElDNUR8L95LglsLLVoCIqv5WJ_jYvitTT1IhTN6vkK5LmaWvKopsS0N5GYApiOjehYxNfGMgH3dqKE_DH2Eth662-SzT/s320/IMG_4431.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No, I didn't clean it out after the evaporated milk. They're going to get mixed together anyway, so why bother?</td></tr>
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I know it doesn't look like much, yet.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitsjKljoqKE69-u3m19J9RLzrkV8rFp4sJ6y_Hu7HWAQxyRO5M61JsN_DY9J2PQqQ7jIvxImyQsooKS95nJ2hxCV_bUehk_xYqngJHrdq4b0h6_fjMKII-yfvKDp0YH1uN_eBzKDAfKxMA/s1600/IMG_4432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitsjKljoqKE69-u3m19J9RLzrkV8rFp4sJ6y_Hu7HWAQxyRO5M61JsN_DY9J2PQqQ7jIvxImyQsooKS95nJ2hxCV_bUehk_xYqngJHrdq4b0h6_fjMKII-yfvKDp0YH1uN_eBzKDAfKxMA/s320/IMG_4432.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Maybe if I put the 1/4 c of margarine in, it will look better?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPqsyjN7wV7okw7nKAbyWz3CseIeWEJzh5DoApc51CSyrnuqAli_2gw5fb3fp-bIwk-xzu7cKiLurpG7x76WDwKatWg6lTqPvgXS7914I1QTze9YZNOLhAHZQW0PBHrTtRrSKOperOR7M/s1600/IMG_4433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPqsyjN7wV7okw7nKAbyWz3CseIeWEJzh5DoApc51CSyrnuqAli_2gw5fb3fp-bIwk-xzu7cKiLurpG7x76WDwKatWg6lTqPvgXS7914I1QTze9YZNOLhAHZQW0PBHrTtRrSKOperOR7M/s320/IMG_4433.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Still not really all that exciting, is it? </div>
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Well, let's add some heat (I go for medium heat) - and stir pretty much the entire time as it gradually blends together. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0BcqaTjRQnC-9bn5VGKfLeNeF6V6d42ReyIrMD0y2XNyHSJURYSCAP9iS2ly1REzt3mAz8YIaKPqoO10I2rd8eAqM2jkvKEijXEpKfMZQ3wMzDVfdQXuy_vDaCk2OJhgvddCsmCQOtZI/s1600/IMG_4441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0BcqaTjRQnC-9bn5VGKfLeNeF6V6d42ReyIrMD0y2XNyHSJURYSCAP9iS2ly1REzt3mAz8YIaKPqoO10I2rd8eAqM2jkvKEijXEpKfMZQ3wMzDVfdQXuy_vDaCk2OJhgvddCsmCQOtZI/s320/IMG_4441.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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It will, believe it or not, start to take on a much fudgier look.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61_jYtn4aOeNd6_VlmroYdCc9k8M9XjujZPl46nFtPmGnQgmtQVH5AcRTmu1J6XjENWADwOz8phm0qmBQLxWJQlarN0uEfSNxp5-XcgW3Oq4GNvvckH9cNOroPTz193kfESv-7nL7S4X8/s1600/IMG_4442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61_jYtn4aOeNd6_VlmroYdCc9k8M9XjujZPl46nFtPmGnQgmtQVH5AcRTmu1J6XjENWADwOz8phm0qmBQLxWJQlarN0uEfSNxp5-XcgW3Oq4GNvvckH9cNOroPTz193kfESv-7nL7S4X8/s320/IMG_4442.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div>
But the boil is actually the important thing. So you have to slowly coax it to the boil as you stir. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOEKgXgWZYoGwE-7JLdxAHUEXKD32y7QdgFlyUpXPHMV2de6AcnNwXmzHbVVZcxrI35m4S40-7JaasWS0AXY8fKI_j5_J33_QYqeSPPV1ufSd8UHC_R6ESUM1SARwuracVNCQFrEZld71-/s1600/IMG_4443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOEKgXgWZYoGwE-7JLdxAHUEXKD32y7QdgFlyUpXPHMV2de6AcnNwXmzHbVVZcxrI35m4S40-7JaasWS0AXY8fKI_j5_J33_QYqeSPPV1ufSd8UHC_R6ESUM1SARwuracVNCQFrEZld71-/s320/IMG_4443.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I tend to stir all the way to the edges and even clear them down. This isn't a really particular recipe, so you don't have to worry too much about that causing it to crystallize. </td></tr>
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Once it's boiled for a full minute, it's time to turn off the heat and add in the vanilla (I always vote for the full teaspoon). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiydoNVX00eyVeNEO6j7oLIxUnQbKJiEx7bWXN5jRxYdcZi943gncsJ8LLSstbt1SXcUYLBR8HMfF2SYSUnCCJAbH9hub7jbb6Yy6CkFYhzEfPOVoybitAuu6M5zWug9QcuvuVye-Ehjo9w/s1600/IMG_4445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiydoNVX00eyVeNEO6j7oLIxUnQbKJiEx7bWXN5jRxYdcZi943gncsJ8LLSstbt1SXcUYLBR8HMfF2SYSUnCCJAbH9hub7jbb6Yy6CkFYhzEfPOVoybitAuu6M5zWug9QcuvuVye-Ehjo9w/s320/IMG_4445.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I didn't catch a good photo of the moment the vanilla went in, but it's one my favorite moments of making this sauce. The vanilla causes it to bubble up kind of out of nowhere. </td></tr>
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After just a bit of cooling, I poured mine into a small pitcher. You can see how it sticks to the edges as it cools down. Even warm, this stuff has some seriously thick aspirations. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3I1TlUKHXq2r5w29p3a5nGOwqWo2pbyRGu_4qt_l5-3Y8j4KUb-ixysCYZ4ZQvLLronyDgtwDQc4Igsr6tnbDMOvb35mwuyZsv1AM5izhZMmYDLlzOj6T7zBhpBDS9vYKAFougS6b7bk/s1600/IMG_4455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3I1TlUKHXq2r5w29p3a5nGOwqWo2pbyRGu_4qt_l5-3Y8j4KUb-ixysCYZ4ZQvLLronyDgtwDQc4Igsr6tnbDMOvb35mwuyZsv1AM5izhZMmYDLlzOj6T7zBhpBDS9vYKAFougS6b7bk/s320/IMG_4455.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Why is it in a small pitcher? Well...</div>
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And, since we don't want the Pound Cake to feel left out...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf842yfSiUGlBUO5cI3-5pxkXoVPuxWcGlqDK0tkC7Vr859F0A-ibt9JPb9ta31-ITAcgObFf9xCfaoC0iI6D0gSxBeVkkwJI-lLiypFS-fUerlTbLtg6WvCCxYVl-WXHxY6OkKT64TYG3/s1600/IMG_4454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf842yfSiUGlBUO5cI3-5pxkXoVPuxWcGlqDK0tkC7Vr859F0A-ibt9JPb9ta31-ITAcgObFf9xCfaoC0iI6D0gSxBeVkkwJI-lLiypFS-fUerlTbLtg6WvCCxYVl-WXHxY6OkKT64TYG3/s320/IMG_4454.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Of course, it would make no sense to have them side by side without putting them together, so here's one more look.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5ywSt5MsmR_I2biCm5J5fwMLlVONFovsfKemqAXG_TRbRbMa6Rn19mbros8vzkRH7ZIizEjzo6xMebsoQ13K863y3z9W2USSTNncudNUHzTpUhOcCQ2yTphyPCD7Fs6d5Q8zTRbS3bag/s1600/IMG_4462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5ywSt5MsmR_I2biCm5J5fwMLlVONFovsfKemqAXG_TRbRbMa6Rn19mbros8vzkRH7ZIizEjzo6xMebsoQ13K863y3z9W2USSTNncudNUHzTpUhOcCQ2yTphyPCD7Fs6d5Q8zTRbS3bag/s320/IMG_4462.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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For the record, at Book Club, people quite enjoyed the combination. And, afterward, Christopher and I had Hot Fudge Sundaes at home. But not many of them, because the sauce went pretty quickly.</div>
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<i>Do you have a spiral-bound set of notecards of recipes you took with you when you moved out on your own? What was one of your favorite things in it? Is it still something you make? </i></div>
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Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-88236436354963740902019-01-20T14:24:00.000-06:002019-01-20T14:24:42.216-06:00Pound Cake (actually by the pound)If you've been baking for any length of time, you know that most pound cakes aren't actually made using pound measurements (at least not in the States). But I was reading "Consider the Fork" by Bee Wilson (a book I would highly recommend if you're interested in the evolution of how people have cooked/kitchened over time), and it got me thinking that I should try it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpltLCgn390m21OXp1nzQPUkAhU5rswt2P22hDjZpNzWdKVClBQL5xU2VduYlb6unfQFlvAKknq4Pl00gnhvNFksr2at0ZxSJEwddHTA9roOaKbpmWQt-NQZ0AkuYGqcXvZFNWe2hdBN5/s1600/IMG_4453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpltLCgn390m21OXp1nzQPUkAhU5rswt2P22hDjZpNzWdKVClBQL5xU2VduYlb6unfQFlvAKknq4Pl00gnhvNFksr2at0ZxSJEwddHTA9roOaKbpmWQt-NQZ0AkuYGqcXvZFNWe2hdBN5/s320/IMG_4453.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Plus, I got a new Bundt pan at Christmastime, so... it was really kind of fate.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Some day I will look up how to set the still images on YouTube videos. Today is not that day.</span></div>
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Here's a better look at the pan:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClSkL9jZcxF6Oq12OoC2D2fKefhdS9Zcy537BYiSFo-RiHCEeeqGe5vuIVLkYC18v1iaJFLj8vLRvwljGN1I1QPB2LlIv8zmir5I9bFO9984DKCecet9EBgUeaSKHynaUJOQGsP-TJpz6/s1600/IMG_4384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClSkL9jZcxF6Oq12OoC2D2fKefhdS9Zcy537BYiSFo-RiHCEeeqGe5vuIVLkYC18v1iaJFLj8vLRvwljGN1I1QPB2LlIv8zmir5I9bFO9984DKCecet9EBgUeaSKHynaUJOQGsP-TJpz6/s320/IMG_4384.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>
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One of my favorite things about Bundt pans (which, now that I'm typing it out feels a bit ironic based on this post), is that they tend to put the volume of the pan right on the outside of the pan. This "Skyline" Bundt pan is a 12-cup pan:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga7nNGBaZOZvp7g8WVsBNhTyYDSLpb2Q5z9VyibypXwbKJxEquX-E1se8j7u7phG6phOh0qEhXGbhM9zRpehtGzTdxIp17wLxCGsTkpVwAkCkhJW0dc92MfMA7NgYypJ13RB42LU5reEFr/s1600/IMG_4385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga7nNGBaZOZvp7g8WVsBNhTyYDSLpb2Q5z9VyibypXwbKJxEquX-E1se8j7u7phG6phOh0qEhXGbhM9zRpehtGzTdxIp17wLxCGsTkpVwAkCkhJW0dc92MfMA7NgYypJ13RB42LU5reEFr/s320/IMG_4385.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But how many pounds is that? </td></tr>
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The basic recipe I went with was from Alton Brown, and I found it on the <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pound-cake-recipe-1949328" target="_blank">Food Network website</a>:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2I1UEx_r20_uhmAF8di1f56KaM-auNGQy7cRIktTTnM0-q1d9Am8AAZ5zyGoVC6vJvgkHqaBgHU2b7qlgxGvtTmWbJ0KrH2IFGSz-88J9JuVIu70gtFEDUp-l44Q4ao3Jeb0hPn7a9D5v/s1600/PoundCake1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1070" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2I1UEx_r20_uhmAF8di1f56KaM-auNGQy7cRIktTTnM0-q1d9Am8AAZ5zyGoVC6vJvgkHqaBgHU2b7qlgxGvtTmWbJ0KrH2IFGSz-88J9JuVIu70gtFEDUp-l44Q4ao3Jeb0hPn7a9D5v/s400/PoundCake1.jpeg" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I trimmed off steps 1 and 2, because they didn't really have anything to do with the full process. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVBWRz0DHdVUzS8IQiccxEEOeirG-utZkR3BGnClGaAAwt4TsYWtEG_E9VOPtdRGUH8XQSw1u9Yr096IilW7YBZq_1bVdvWyhOCKmUf4FOHKTnFfxrHQDDH1eTO8_73Zi9bz909BLT3_g/s1600/PoundCake2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1466" data-original-width="774" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVBWRz0DHdVUzS8IQiccxEEOeirG-utZkR3BGnClGaAAwt4TsYWtEG_E9VOPtdRGUH8XQSw1u9Yr096IilW7YBZq_1bVdvWyhOCKmUf4FOHKTnFfxrHQDDH1eTO8_73Zi9bz909BLT3_g/s400/PoundCake2.jpeg" width="210" /></a></div>
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As usual, I started out by getting my ingredients together.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rBnTtiftbf3JTgWfaaDtB214Ds5vn854m_RobpW8kPkbWRnZwX9AhJ9K31hlwator7dy_eBKnmwgGcj3jcevfk-Y-wS1er1ggXd0dmcrltF7Cl25PgVoUVtncHUJqW_g07ly7vzQaiTf/s1600/IMG_4387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rBnTtiftbf3JTgWfaaDtB214Ds5vn854m_RobpW8kPkbWRnZwX9AhJ9K31hlwator7dy_eBKnmwgGcj3jcevfk-Y-wS1er1ggXd0dmcrltF7Cl25PgVoUVtncHUJqW_g07ly7vzQaiTf/s320/IMG_4387.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep. That's really all the ingredients. </td></tr>
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First step: Creaming the butter and sugar. As a reminder, we're doing this all by pound, so we started with:<br />
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I went ahead and creamed that all by itself, first. Because it always seems to blend with the sugar better if it's got a head start. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vmhbXEzqKGP-KfTfkJJ-7YSr5ZMECjpzeVSDcWiju9aBCgqP3tVWwkeDKmMOQc-67FulIqwjKmkx3VuUS7MQcgxZBSN_kPFivWtqeBzXLAcqYiqobL1MiUE6l2kBk9dzBIHLS0uqM58F/s1600/IMG_4391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vmhbXEzqKGP-KfTfkJJ-7YSr5ZMECjpzeVSDcWiju9aBCgqP3tVWwkeDKmMOQc-67FulIqwjKmkx3VuUS7MQcgxZBSN_kPFivWtqeBzXLAcqYiqobL1MiUE6l2kBk9dzBIHLS0uqM58F/s320/IMG_4391.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next, since I wasn't using a pre-portioned pound of sugar, I turned on my scale.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhueJThPbRhfDE0SGkj6wQL4MMvcCZ58OALlnXoEhDvTn8E23t54YtddX8pDhmXBicM70Te0O_h_ad-fFgqbRnZmjVl76S4Z6nzmqXTqFM-G1ycAf7zRhuXARtKPpaJ0cwJOVBeyknt-WMP/s1600/IMG_4392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhueJThPbRhfDE0SGkj6wQL4MMvcCZ58OALlnXoEhDvTn8E23t54YtddX8pDhmXBicM70Te0O_h_ad-fFgqbRnZmjVl76S4Z6nzmqXTqFM-G1ycAf7zRhuXARtKPpaJ0cwJOVBeyknt-WMP/s320/IMG_4392.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As you can see, it's currently at Zero pounds.</td></tr>
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Of course, you can't just pour sugar on a scale, so first I had to add on a bowl (I chose one with a handle and pour spot)...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtqyn8DDxaCfovm0pWoKy0qEmR0ptrWzdI9o4BNHICrhfPdqFsK4yRXj30isguKMYP63HQk7rgf_8TJ00n-TEjPv1bDbg4UExZEZ4TsVBALhZPIppgz2AHHxySVXzD9ODMWtLMe724kiPx/s1600/IMG_4393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtqyn8DDxaCfovm0pWoKy0qEmR0ptrWzdI9o4BNHICrhfPdqFsK4yRXj30isguKMYP63HQk7rgf_8TJ00n-TEjPv1bDbg4UExZEZ4TsVBALhZPIppgz2AHHxySVXzD9ODMWtLMe724kiPx/s320/IMG_4393.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who knew that my bowl weighed almost 3 pounds?</td></tr>
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...and then zero out the scale.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOzKUCprVgaSz_7ymTj63npDxc84R93OTaypyIl3y3gT9Tg2rG9qF4JWKhLFm5MLGgsYTHhC1SV1ZoHGIGEH_MtdtpTxRsnS92M7Pox4JqL64OIs9OkEVQZDAjBk0n7AggfebSMFD_Quw/s1600/IMG_4395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOzKUCprVgaSz_7ymTj63npDxc84R93OTaypyIl3y3gT9Tg2rG9qF4JWKhLFm5MLGgsYTHhC1SV1ZoHGIGEH_MtdtpTxRsnS92M7Pox4JqL64OIs9OkEVQZDAjBk0n7AggfebSMFD_Quw/s320/IMG_4395.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yay! Back at Zero!</td></tr>
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In went the sugar.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Njk3FVdDlEe29gj9Xo1p09WJc6wNc_gpbiLVNIVFedT54bkEK84F82qtz0yodrkJXnHQlweuwqJCnSVBdgSCWoWSgCjHZvMEEVrhSIxlrhSvWVc5TK_Wgg70LmIJ90w3rWd43S2qNOOZ/s1600/IMG_4396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Njk3FVdDlEe29gj9Xo1p09WJc6wNc_gpbiLVNIVFedT54bkEK84F82qtz0yodrkJXnHQlweuwqJCnSVBdgSCWoWSgCjHZvMEEVrhSIxlrhSvWVc5TK_Wgg70LmIJ90w3rWd43S2qNOOZ/s320/IMG_4396.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I feel like I should have checked the cups, just because... but I didn't.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Adding the sugar to the butter was actually a bit of a zen moment for me. Both the sound and the shimmer were kind of cool.<br />
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Now, the recipe calls for creaming the butter and sugar for 5 minutes, which I'll admit seemed like a bit of overkill. But when I was looking at other recipes I actually saw comments about how they had skimped on the creaming time (which also helps the batter get more air in it), and had regretted it. And, by the time that the timer went off, I could see why.<br />
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It was light and fluffy and seemed kind of miraculous.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bUPXdX3zDl-kLa-0SRcApXhjVqCQKIDYWq-LAb1ZQ7gd-07F8lTKF7YxfIO68zzFBiQ9d5NQ4viF72GybPVutzQv5_TqjCsAU12JUqlb4x78x18h5LNPwNlnWf_MNcbBCoXAUPvnvtXD/s1600/IMG_4400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bUPXdX3zDl-kLa-0SRcApXhjVqCQKIDYWq-LAb1ZQ7gd-07F8lTKF7YxfIO68zzFBiQ9d5NQ4viF72GybPVutzQv5_TqjCsAU12JUqlb4x78x18h5LNPwNlnWf_MNcbBCoXAUPvnvtXD/s320/IMG_4400.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also - having just read "Consider the Fork" - this got me thinking about how long it would have taken to beat these by hand to get to this consistency. Or how long it would have taken someone's kitchen help back in the day. Ugh.</td></tr>
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One interesting thing that happened in all of this. If you've ever worked with Kitchen Aid mixers, you know that they're heavy. Well, during the five minutes of mixing, this one pivoted about 45 degrees on my prep table.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgrM9HdWJYMyTZ8mQj5bvyPpnGjxYsnqX-0A_0aBMmFOJWPaNdPyA7RwlfuFa8c8l-Cd3Zhfz_HL7c6kkgxzwJWnWB6aZQAjupz5QZjL-WCXcoWURct-4qVi_amsXsD4w6DH11E4C6Ho4/s1600/IMG_4401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgrM9HdWJYMyTZ8mQj5bvyPpnGjxYsnqX-0A_0aBMmFOJWPaNdPyA7RwlfuFa8c8l-Cd3Zhfz_HL7c6kkgxzwJWnWB6aZQAjupz5QZjL-WCXcoWURct-4qVi_amsXsD4w6DH11E4C6Ho4/s320/IMG_4401.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Usually, it's at an angle across the grain of the table. But after 5 minutes, it was in line with it.</td></tr>
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So I straightened out the mixer (or un-straightened it, I guess), and moved on to the eggs. Lots of weird feelings about measuring the eggs by weight. But I realize that we also never really measure them by volume, either. Instead, with eggs, it's kind of "Hey. This is an egg-sized thing. Let's assume it's the same as those other ones." Which, when you think about it is a little odd. Right?<br />
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Anyway. I needed a pound of eggs. Alton's recipe called for "9 large eggs" but I wanted to make sure I was on by weight, so I cleaned out my bowl and started again.<br />
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The first egg came in at 1.75 ounces. Which - based on math - meant that 9 should be about a pound. Assuming of course, that they were all the same.<br />
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Eight eggs later, we were at 15.75 ounces. Which I figured was as close as we were going to get. <br />
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The recipe calls for adding in the eggs one at a time while the mixer is running. But, of course, I had them all in a bowl/pitcher at this point. Thankfully, eggs kind of stick together, even when they're out of the shell.<br />
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So, as you start to tip the pitcher, the egg whites start to move, and they take the yolks with them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj87M1ZLbbqPwd2bBJhzWyJ_0CbcFMPtxGWQrp4HuGK1Z8tVw9l1qB3nhbajdRFrcN5sGFuv5gnblrs16hde8_eZpfc2UBpndWEp-nD-RDYwnwYzx65EmUMPnT9BI7iKsK1Fczn-tnPkra1/s1600/IMG_4405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj87M1ZLbbqPwd2bBJhzWyJ_0CbcFMPtxGWQrp4HuGK1Z8tVw9l1qB3nhbajdRFrcN5sGFuv5gnblrs16hde8_eZpfc2UBpndWEp-nD-RDYwnwYzx65EmUMPnT9BI7iKsK1Fczn-tnPkra1/s320/IMG_4405.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you see the white going into the bowl, pulling the yolk behind it? </td></tr>
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Honestly, it's kind of cool to watch. I'd recommend egg pouring as something to try the next time you want to impress a small child in the kitchen. (Just don't mention where they came from - or what they're made of.)<br />
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I feel I should mention that there different opinions on how to add the eggs to the pound cake batter. I, obviously, went for whole eggs going in all at once. But some recipes say you should only add the yolks in at this point, then whip up the whites and fold them in at the end.<br />
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One of the reasons for this is that the batter can look "broken" otherwise. What does that mean? Well... it means it could look like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbefnD3qSw7NdPhZOFtXUQIkAjnSlkyqJ2Xdrz7Xa971d8WOcEXBl0yQY2iO9qcKjY1d_dWttObLEM5TmAgFVMqCIJPVdzQ7d_kmyWRNWOfDuJ_1ANRCoz1JTCgB1cT_cCYRPcg3aeuoI1/s1600/IMG_4406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbefnD3qSw7NdPhZOFtXUQIkAjnSlkyqJ2Xdrz7Xa971d8WOcEXBl0yQY2iO9qcKjY1d_dWttObLEM5TmAgFVMqCIJPVdzQ7d_kmyWRNWOfDuJ_1ANRCoz1JTCgB1cT_cCYRPcg3aeuoI1/s320/IMG_4406.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And, if you happen to get a phonecall at this stage and walk away from the mixer for a few minutes, it could even end up looking like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJdWXIlyuknuaw09Xvz4gFmQJVgxoM3Uo9jsOzI1a-lARG71E5SLfxxS0Jlg5lEWwnl2yxqRGcgJePmGeTnTk48yUbF8YMoTBSu4tA08br6Kvfrz1W31kxRcDNDtWF-4TMXgDZtc_c8W9/s1600/IMG_4407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJdWXIlyuknuaw09Xvz4gFmQJVgxoM3Uo9jsOzI1a-lARG71E5SLfxxS0Jlg5lEWwnl2yxqRGcgJePmGeTnTk48yUbF8YMoTBSu4tA08br6Kvfrz1W31kxRcDNDtWF-4TMXgDZtc_c8W9/s320/IMG_4407.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Even so, I'd rather deal with a batter that looks a little odd than have to whip egg whites and fold them in later. So... There you go.<br />
<br />
I added the vanilla and salt (<i>not</i> a pound of each), and then went back to the scale.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_QfZJzHxIgSSKRkVgVfI1jY2Cnx6hcXHmL-DMaxPvfOAdK4UkyLgf5C7yDAvS8EdTHmpjNMCZVevhJZu05kQl33tXeOEDtpRVaICteVDpfn-dfbg2eFhlatD4d-lP9RfEEhHl7pAhu7HJ/s1600/IMG_4408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_QfZJzHxIgSSKRkVgVfI1jY2Cnx6hcXHmL-DMaxPvfOAdK4UkyLgf5C7yDAvS8EdTHmpjNMCZVevhJZu05kQl33tXeOEDtpRVaICteVDpfn-dfbg2eFhlatD4d-lP9RfEEhHl7pAhu7HJ/s320/IMG_4408.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Today, at least, one pound of flour...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuzKltO4RwONAeK2trf3-0Hrtgtx8_HANMWXaZmAhuMLVlsbn3HZDTvMTOfdWKqibA8-Dcd0B5tYFxEb-wZREG209JseLu6_ptpUkc0qVX0rAtEcdr5qPN4GuGNiRnBTkaQ-cj-FASka9/s1600/IMG_4409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuzKltO4RwONAeK2trf3-0Hrtgtx8_HANMWXaZmAhuMLVlsbn3HZDTvMTOfdWKqibA8-Dcd0B5tYFxEb-wZREG209JseLu6_ptpUkc0qVX0rAtEcdr5qPN4GuGNiRnBTkaQ-cj-FASka9/s320/IMG_4409.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
...was right about four cups. Flour - because of the way it can settle - is actually one of the worst culprits for holding different volumes at different times. (And that doesn't even factor in sifting...)<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zmuOiqaKn7ahCA4ohd2edpoUDPmNZgxqMYucAfohG7pa6_Gy247ZPNMqpbSy17ja4C8DHTNh6Yc4YZo7NZVyKvecAfWD_gANCMYiJ-PLtUNAQ3c94RokP4hJgOLjtYIDVeVf-EibmSaF/s1600/IMG_4410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zmuOiqaKn7ahCA4ohd2edpoUDPmNZgxqMYucAfohG7pa6_Gy247ZPNMqpbSy17ja4C8DHTNh6Yc4YZo7NZVyKvecAfWD_gANCMYiJ-PLtUNAQ3c94RokP4hJgOLjtYIDVeVf-EibmSaF/s320/IMG_4410.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's something very wintry about this photo. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was good and added the flour in three installments, as the recipe recommended. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5uuJNoO7DKGx3oqVMbyAF0gTFCjAIG6Srw3S8Z06Og5dQDcVCbNIqBT8_ZFZLxR5lqT2LmxTlFxfAKYAqqujwMizvGVPX7vcxBpFhTgyZPRW_pUE_9dFSYHwE3IgZzetKaLJ5wyY-VDJe/s1600/IMG_4411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5uuJNoO7DKGx3oqVMbyAF0gTFCjAIG6Srw3S8Z06Og5dQDcVCbNIqBT8_ZFZLxR5lqT2LmxTlFxfAKYAqqujwMizvGVPX7vcxBpFhTgyZPRW_pUE_9dFSYHwE3IgZzetKaLJ5wyY-VDJe/s320/IMG_4411.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And by the time it was done, the batter was thick and, well, luscious. It held its shape when I took the paddle out of the bowl, even.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7c3jGvZ3HzEPdYYWL8okdaEWuEM2tOsyhyLF0X7MrqbNs8gTWz2HBGmfxE-Cuh1COiTbzBdcr-yWRDSSr5-Qednnw8fci1VmSozXZcmECUj6Mj55VUg2gjSbt7JEDYVNOpPtRZ9DpjgT/s1600/IMG_4413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7c3jGvZ3HzEPdYYWL8okdaEWuEM2tOsyhyLF0X7MrqbNs8gTWz2HBGmfxE-Cuh1COiTbzBdcr-yWRDSSr5-Qednnw8fci1VmSozXZcmECUj6Mj55VUg2gjSbt7JEDYVNOpPtRZ9DpjgT/s320/IMG_4413.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I will neither confirm nor deny whether I tried any of it at this point. Because - obviously - raw flour and raw eggs are both really dangerous. But, if I had tried it, I'm sure it would have been kind of airy and softly vanilla-ed. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Next up, getting it into the pan.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTW-cJhx5g0rM6XVApR_hXROWb5-Deta28Wc4KySpoCw5Ph4ShKsQR-jpJNQ8145Gp_Z-js-z6iTHmecvFyKPGcv4GpXLAM77EXbdD1T6EdlsGTJGmhXG71vicnUIDKEJfYyNU2SlCLUSQ/s1600/IMG_4415.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTW-cJhx5g0rM6XVApR_hXROWb5-Deta28Wc4KySpoCw5Ph4ShKsQR-jpJNQ8145Gp_Z-js-z6iTHmecvFyKPGcv4GpXLAM77EXbdD1T6EdlsGTJGmhXG71vicnUIDKEJfYyNU2SlCLUSQ/s320/IMG_4415.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Oh. Crap. I forgot to mention that I sprayed the pan with <a href="https://www.pamcookingspray.com/products/baking" target="_blank">Pam Baking spray</a>. It has flour in it, and works really well for me in most baking. (I also really like the Bak-Kleen baking spray for the same reason - but one Pam is available in the grocery store, and Bak-Kleen is typically only in cooking stores.)<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDSUCJA5-9uSq5h9hwJz7bv7jDmK634kPsdVlIUIysesVpKAjlhEbgaUokL8VcIkt8EqGfSsw6qLop1qhUydpw7z5Odjigv_4Q3IcsZ1nfTCRKJBRkrUWac0jKgymOyIbqAwhi_bn6wRz/s1600/IMG_4417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDSUCJA5-9uSq5h9hwJz7bv7jDmK634kPsdVlIUIysesVpKAjlhEbgaUokL8VcIkt8EqGfSsw6qLop1qhUydpw7z5Odjigv_4Q3IcsZ1nfTCRKJBRkrUWac0jKgymOyIbqAwhi_bn6wRz/s320/IMG_4417.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NOTE: Because this has flour in it, it is NOT good for people who can't do gluten. When I bake for my gluten-free friends, I go for the old-fashioned butter and (gluten-free) flour in the pan.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Looking at it as I put it into the 340-degree oven (I compromised between the 325 and 350 recommendations), I realized I should have smoothed the top a bit better.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRb_vMyfEXrTJtmssjFuP-f_KdKUx_SflP3fHK_AiWF-c_haT6mU3ZRZr5aQyrz9bLaeJyIuUrjIxfNl6VOshwZQgZR0P6v0XP3eK2nWUSuvY_5pRV3W_r_75BTQ0hAw6TpgcFNulscoU8/s1600/IMG_4416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRb_vMyfEXrTJtmssjFuP-f_KdKUx_SflP3fHK_AiWF-c_haT6mU3ZRZr5aQyrz9bLaeJyIuUrjIxfNl6VOshwZQgZR0P6v0XP3eK2nWUSuvY_5pRV3W_r_75BTQ0hAw6TpgcFNulscoU8/s320/IMG_4416.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
According to Alton, I needed to aim for an internal temperature of 210 degrees, and since the woman at NordicWare had cautioned me about how a deeper Bundt pan can bake, I didn't take any chances and inserted my thermometer as we got close to an hour. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLbdk9g-b81oUCD4EVLgREkDKZ2clDAZZHEXUz3l4wIrXnJU7Jtyzn48YszxG68lnMKCWYt4EZld5hfZ5IXvYuWx6YtkCGS6hnyFZp3ykeKL_55OLRuQ1oV3am6XhizaUuLqYSM2sdmtP/s1600/IMG_4419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLbdk9g-b81oUCD4EVLgREkDKZ2clDAZZHEXUz3l4wIrXnJU7Jtyzn48YszxG68lnMKCWYt4EZld5hfZ5IXvYuWx6YtkCGS6hnyFZp3ykeKL_55OLRuQ1oV3am6XhizaUuLqYSM2sdmtP/s320/IMG_4419.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
As we passed the hour mark, we were getting really close.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFAI54iNxTzesDzNbmZXoziAlReMGVN3y8dB8rPqSsgYVqCYX7Ju5Z0_eyzeznlKSMous6xQqHZBRAUHnwBtyI2QxQZHNi_FGJPanrzn0NaESVjNQWa16C1G_ittDvji7HAtz4dKY8lqj9/s1600/IMG_4418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFAI54iNxTzesDzNbmZXoziAlReMGVN3y8dB8rPqSsgYVqCYX7Ju5Z0_eyzeznlKSMous6xQqHZBRAUHnwBtyI2QxQZHNi_FGJPanrzn0NaESVjNQWa16C1G_ittDvji7HAtz4dKY8lqj9/s320/IMG_4418.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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When the thermometer beeped, I pulled the pan out of the oven and set it on a cooling rack to set up for about 10 minutes. Possibly the most difficult part of the entire process.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xaTbWniv-XL6VBDFS7AnsxkZEmRUdVU4TuczUR2mwt_D8MXSFOeWrlA026VlB03urwnQhmmhE8cp6gbCouBfxCor8X3LlBXGz2l4PQ9mEnNaU0_JX3ekozlaHXkMZyUZ9ub0HyCsIrK8/s1600/IMG_4434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xaTbWniv-XL6VBDFS7AnsxkZEmRUdVU4TuczUR2mwt_D8MXSFOeWrlA026VlB03urwnQhmmhE8cp6gbCouBfxCor8X3LlBXGz2l4PQ9mEnNaU0_JX3ekozlaHXkMZyUZ9ub0HyCsIrK8/s320/IMG_4434.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also, this is when I noticed that the portion of the cake closer to the back of the oven had risen a little better than the rest.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Ten minutes gone, I placed another rack on top and started praying. In part, I was hoping it would come out. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbQrImwRuw5ay_hZCD1czLXLOdUVI3kvbiHoN9DU6h8CsUdKxxVOIZSOGHi_jk5RkS9aXOtMMHFXqhJQKFzvssPjtjrGuYsBaLrwTkhiibH53_wbV8m4hO-B8aBMmbEM7Avu0at-HQEtn/s1600/IMG_4435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbQrImwRuw5ay_hZCD1czLXLOdUVI3kvbiHoN9DU6h8CsUdKxxVOIZSOGHi_jk5RkS9aXOtMMHFXqhJQKFzvssPjtjrGuYsBaLrwTkhiibH53_wbV8m4hO-B8aBMmbEM7Avu0at-HQEtn/s320/IMG_4435.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I was also hoping my hands would be big enough to grab the sides of the two racks and flip them over without the pan sliding out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpBvifpVoLNcP1v3L0UAssM46PgqwgZsPXigTe7WsJXFg-NxbyUfeTM0kGG9yLEYYWuVMjMMeBkHaRtlJEqyKzwMJCIu-lNNiF8AX-PtQyeCJsx16wyh8pDdjK8FR4XesGQLABXgD_O5k/s1600/IMG_4436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpBvifpVoLNcP1v3L0UAssM46PgqwgZsPXigTe7WsJXFg-NxbyUfeTM0kGG9yLEYYWuVMjMMeBkHaRtlJEqyKzwMJCIu-lNNiF8AX-PtQyeCJsx16wyh8pDdjK8FR4XesGQLABXgD_O5k/s320/IMG_4436.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Success!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSO9yRF4Kt86YoZ0kbDPdzXFuWtpDxmiHzdcYt5QtZoyxJHh8UWgec8ouCKjh5bUXgY74WWVAuUe_S-b824FDE_K-A2QY7LanUldNIxk1jtZdiqyl5DTGGeu-ZGTU2wCoQiMsWX9G3G_1n/s1600/IMG_4437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSO9yRF4Kt86YoZ0kbDPdzXFuWtpDxmiHzdcYt5QtZoyxJHh8UWgec8ouCKjh5bUXgY74WWVAuUe_S-b824FDE_K-A2QY7LanUldNIxk1jtZdiqyl5DTGGeu-ZGTU2wCoQiMsWX9G3G_1n/s320/IMG_4437.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I know I usually don't have random video in the middle of my posts, but this was too exciting a moment to only use photos:<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-7eMgsFMfLA/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-7eMgsFMfLA?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
And, yes, it came out of the pan so well that pretty much nothing was left behind:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tUJPzSvFDHCNJOvsUFD7kkiLiUvzNE8uXQX-5-lwLl4VBP7XuNyhyphenhyphenArg2HRwsR1Lto5jE7ZyFGGd2hgp7rHGhyOSpQPgjdnzRmcC63W_l_oEnsncUr6mIRTxZQEvG4l99vwqEfrw_iai/s1600/IMG_4465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tUJPzSvFDHCNJOvsUFD7kkiLiUvzNE8uXQX-5-lwLl4VBP7XuNyhyphenhyphenArg2HRwsR1Lto5jE7ZyFGGd2hgp7rHGhyOSpQPgjdnzRmcC63W_l_oEnsncUr6mIRTxZQEvG4l99vwqEfrw_iai/s320/IMG_4465.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Once it had some time to cool, I moved it to a plate for photos. I may have moved it too soon - you'll find out why I think that in the video below.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKqstRnJOOO8QcX07e8mcG8i1MbubM6_bYiEGMQ1eRRj-7yvky7supB8SkNMJROV7BvgctnX6nAJqhguB0Cvp1qwaxwaYgEk5lb0jcz1HJKIS4NP0q5UnUfOlWHbiDPgEyU_a1XTA48-3/s1600/IMG_4448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKqstRnJOOO8QcX07e8mcG8i1MbubM6_bYiEGMQ1eRRj-7yvky7supB8SkNMJROV7BvgctnX6nAJqhguB0Cvp1qwaxwaYgEk5lb0jcz1HJKIS4NP0q5UnUfOlWHbiDPgEyU_a1XTA48-3/s320/IMG_4448.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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At this point, you could drizzle it with glaze, but I opted for some basic powdered sugar - just enough to really show off the design.<br />
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So... how'd it do?<br />
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I'd have to say that, pound-for-pound, it turned out pretty well.<br />
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Although... It does kind of look like it needs... something. (If you watched the wrap-up video, you already have a spoiler as to what's coming next week.)<br />
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By the way: Before I cut into it, I put it back on the scale. Remember that I measured everything by pounds - a pound each of four ingredients (butter, sugar, eggs, flour), plus a little bit of vanilla and salt. So that should give us a four-pound cake, right?<br />
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Well, no. Because the cake rises as the moisture in it expands. This forces it all to grow. But then the moisture also evaporates. And, in this case, took about 7 ounces of the cake with it.<br />
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Isn't kitchen science fun?<br />
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-----<br />
<i>What's a recipe that you've always wanted to learn more about? Is there something you've always heard of but never tried? Let me know and I'll see if I can work it into a future post!</i><br />
<br />Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-32279967838737171972019-01-13T09:41:00.000-06:002019-01-13T09:41:10.548-06:00A Flat Flop - Pizza Crust Product Testing There are things that seem like really good ideas but just don't turn out quite how you'd hope.<br />
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Sometimes that's a blog post that you prep on Wednesday still not making it online until Sunday. Sometimes it's the thing that's the subject of the blog post simply not turning out as you'd like.<br />
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This is (mainly) about the latter.<br />
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So, yeah. I was walking through the grocery store the other day, buying the crescent roll dough for last week's post, when I saw a new pizza crust available in the refrigerated case. We've tried a few of them in the past - trying to make at least slightly healthier versions of the preservative-filled frozen versions - and we're frequently on the lookout for new crusts.<br />
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The <a href="http://wewalka.us/" target="_blank">Wewalka</a> crust looked promising.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEAdBjE4XSrVOt7Q7y4pq9leGs9aa85touF9l9jrugySRXHskpyK44p39Fpf3gO858On0U4Fnk0QZw8n3ZdsuKhDY5zCSMU-N_xAdUbVXSJ57kIfSEydOWQoenjj_shBR6iOSkBPUhtwk/s1600/IMG_4356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEAdBjE4XSrVOt7Q7y4pq9leGs9aa85touF9l9jrugySRXHskpyK44p39Fpf3gO858On0U4Fnk0QZw8n3ZdsuKhDY5zCSMU-N_xAdUbVXSJ57kIfSEydOWQoenjj_shBR6iOSkBPUhtwk/s320/IMG_4356.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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A nice size (about 11.5" round), and rolled in the same way that you get rolled pie crusts, so there's no mess of rolling it out, etc. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhAYi8m-YMqrj2tLGWoy4OZgOMz6RE_dUUbU3oEyWM0tZAmHzUmAZ3gz0WjD1P825DlrwkE6ljO95IxkpExmumHdSWv-MqRRNxg0vzxQujj1L6BEMhQYv-Wp8axllj5bSr0YnEy2VLocW/s1600/IMG_4357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhAYi8m-YMqrj2tLGWoy4OZgOMz6RE_dUUbU3oEyWM0tZAmHzUmAZ3gz0WjD1P825DlrwkE6ljO95IxkpExmumHdSWv-MqRRNxg0vzxQujj1L6BEMhQYv-Wp8axllj5bSr0YnEy2VLocW/s320/IMG_4357.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even Fiona was interested in how it would turn out.</td></tr>
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It's rolled in parchment paper, so it's incredibly easy to work with. I was impressed - and very hopeful. </div>
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And it fit perfectly into our 12.5" pizza pan (which fits perfectly into our toaster oven).<br />
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Again, I was happy to see the parchment - it means that you don't have to worry about it sticking to the pan. </div>
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So, crust taken care of, it was time to work on the toppings. </div>
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I started with an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce, which I doctored up with oregano, garlic, pepper flakes, black pepper, salt, and just the slightest bit of sugar. </div>
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I opted to spread it all the way to the outer edge of the crust (no point in ending up with the annoying dry/hard edge that you get with most store-bought pizzas).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YQ6-8Vn3JtzTVV9n8DWrFHAaCejC2ZlHgb-ONHF3ydGTkaaBSBAX1bZrxfg_-uBOIXAcltPx6T7AarYgdJ2JFRtrvmnUQnZWZNyWSVKPlHa-k7F4z4kiJLR_k9qKFL9FDIdy39IkcvHU/s1600/IMG_4362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YQ6-8Vn3JtzTVV9n8DWrFHAaCejC2ZlHgb-ONHF3ydGTkaaBSBAX1bZrxfg_-uBOIXAcltPx6T7AarYgdJ2JFRtrvmnUQnZWZNyWSVKPlHa-k7F4z4kiJLR_k9qKFL9FDIdy39IkcvHU/s320/IMG_4362.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I put down a base layer of some of the 6-cheese Italian blend that I had left over from the pepperoni crescent pinwheels.<br />
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A layer of pepperoni...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXS7-1iYjWzm1Y3Jjc4PbaVXc1XArGKDJ4Go24h3eg-JkPk74AGgHhYRgd234MwSZXnfzRd-TlgCKXTEqLBdspEew9SZ2BCTfetxNXro415LsjMpdueeYhC4n1ZU1GuDw0VWy0i2Cm3z5L/s1600/IMG_4364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXS7-1iYjWzm1Y3Jjc4PbaVXc1XArGKDJ4Go24h3eg-JkPk74AGgHhYRgd234MwSZXnfzRd-TlgCKXTEqLBdspEew9SZ2BCTfetxNXro415LsjMpdueeYhC4n1ZU1GuDw0VWy0i2Cm3z5L/s320/IMG_4364.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
...and some good-quality blue cheese.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWeemgl791cx1uDfQDsTxaZn4zPy8FCjUEJxkoGMVIhD1-XDD0HjoxRdujYXwbh6UOpHgnlewT7I7w0XjHqNS9MVslYzOkYi3h6MHrYYv98MTqFT2Akfrhi9RNXgM6iRqcUe-PCLimwLU/s1600/IMG_4368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWeemgl791cx1uDfQDsTxaZn4zPy8FCjUEJxkoGMVIhD1-XDD0HjoxRdujYXwbh6UOpHgnlewT7I7w0XjHqNS9MVslYzOkYi3h6MHrYYv98MTqFT2Akfrhi9RNXgM6iRqcUe-PCLimwLU/s320/IMG_4368.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We really like this brand. It's made in Minnesota and has a creamy, tangy flavor that pairs well with spice.</td></tr>
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And, yeah, I topped it with a bit more cheese, just because.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOCT4QnugFJnYhQZbJXJhXkxvd2PVeX_iqWj0xiIRvaYbwKC-DKowzufbuNj6EnVNFjeLT-PVSrpV3dUYG7z1pngTF5Fxub3ska6CcPmKZkmPUVuSYe9btEgE2-dFJaeUQHwZKEDWaPk5/s1600/IMG_4366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOCT4QnugFJnYhQZbJXJhXkxvd2PVeX_iqWj0xiIRvaYbwKC-DKowzufbuNj6EnVNFjeLT-PVSrpV3dUYG7z1pngTF5Fxub3ska6CcPmKZkmPUVuSYe9btEgE2-dFJaeUQHwZKEDWaPk5/s320/IMG_4366.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And into the toaster oven we go!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-Ag5j6JdarhUJt6bR4X9zEpRTyUFcmlUDN-L5Pu0Fsc9O9yZH20BxlPhTDQv952__UaeIIfDvMYjVw5aSUJNjRzaOnUslQEx2qPSI9opQhQxyF74lgptXlY10Fll5UFeMgfRqKzoW11i/s1600/IMG_4367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-Ag5j6JdarhUJt6bR4X9zEpRTyUFcmlUDN-L5Pu0Fsc9O9yZH20BxlPhTDQv952__UaeIIfDvMYjVw5aSUJNjRzaOnUslQEx2qPSI9opQhQxyF74lgptXlY10Fll5UFeMgfRqKzoW11i/s320/IMG_4367.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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My hopes were so high at this point. This pizza had everything going for it: tailor-made sauce, just the right toppings...<br />
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And, with a little time, it came out looking amazing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjZ2Ll3bXTdqkvp_XbQkXRY7MDd-M4kNuzfdlWHwQmQrDZFAmo6I1pfszH2LLSLgl3fimg85CP2YmJxfoGI_N0b8MV5XQdHaBHy5T24kqRZ3JT3Pw5z0dmeMgHeDuvUf7XGR94XkxuspK/s1600/IMG_4369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjZ2Ll3bXTdqkvp_XbQkXRY7MDd-M4kNuzfdlWHwQmQrDZFAmo6I1pfszH2LLSLgl3fimg85CP2YmJxfoGI_N0b8MV5XQdHaBHy5T24kqRZ3JT3Pw5z0dmeMgHeDuvUf7XGR94XkxuspK/s320/IMG_4369.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Great thing about using parchment paper is that you don't have to worry about this sticking to the pan. And, as long as you stay below 450 degrees, the paper won't combust.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4qsOqvMEQZZNG2015nOKjHaLdLd2dRjtOqwpPfF9ayejHqLeu1c1_Duaj4gjyNhQa9Nt5xQv61X0KVs9RByVp3SGExHoWAgPg1hMGrvBFbwsobvfs7-Ne35ycs8iUYJLzS45R3MUm7nmQ/s1600/IMG_4370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4qsOqvMEQZZNG2015nOKjHaLdLd2dRjtOqwpPfF9ayejHqLeu1c1_Duaj4gjyNhQa9Nt5xQv61X0KVs9RByVp3SGExHoWAgPg1hMGrvBFbwsobvfs7-Ne35ycs8iUYJLzS45R3MUm7nmQ/s320/IMG_4370.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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On inspection, it looked like everything had gone right. The pizza was cooked to the edge, and the toppings had all blended together.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM34riltL0ac049vjW19zp7Vu2NXMN0P90Mne7TY8CcY5lMaqvljoQVeYrVr6Nu7n36Bzg0X6lhAIXGD42iNzy7H3gI84s9vw_gQEWOrOZYqNIeOqur5wV-BDIrRxaR22x98rsRJvjI9gy/s1600/IMG_4371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM34riltL0ac049vjW19zp7Vu2NXMN0P90Mne7TY8CcY5lMaqvljoQVeYrVr6Nu7n36Bzg0X6lhAIXGD42iNzy7H3gI84s9vw_gQEWOrOZYqNIeOqur5wV-BDIrRxaR22x98rsRJvjI9gy/s320/IMG_4371.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But, no, it didn't look blurry in real life. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I did not hesitate to move it to a cutting board and dive in. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ptvWodf_sCKYk74zeY-dlu92ZM1BjdRsVhhJMeRE0r0_3FNWjli0c9bhWS4Ok-vV3HMXT7CKNgSaodTsEVcEsDMdTHloHgwSQRXqBQ5Oh78z_xNpCjnjCUgGS3XtLkw1f7UjBHX4rTEP/s1600/IMG_4372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ptvWodf_sCKYk74zeY-dlu92ZM1BjdRsVhhJMeRE0r0_3FNWjli0c9bhWS4Ok-vV3HMXT7CKNgSaodTsEVcEsDMdTHloHgwSQRXqBQ5Oh78z_xNpCjnjCUgGS3XtLkw1f7UjBHX4rTEP/s320/IMG_4372.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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It looked great. And so we served up to dig in.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqf8m9Cj1djuN-PCA6jgqEMx1dFJvsKgvvwxy4OnKvsvkmpXh8RTF89Jul2vOiNlvDvyl0r2CIgq4TG5XivP6mmqSWyDTamAOCYbf44UhWEfs6E2A9mkXuN7vLg_PAe9MLDaP6-1cwjZ_/s1600/IMG_4373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqf8m9Cj1djuN-PCA6jgqEMx1dFJvsKgvvwxy4OnKvsvkmpXh8RTF89Jul2vOiNlvDvyl0r2CIgq4TG5XivP6mmqSWyDTamAOCYbf44UhWEfs6E2A9mkXuN7vLg_PAe9MLDaP6-1cwjZ_/s320/IMG_4373.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Somewhere around the second bite, though, I started to realize that the crust was... chewy. Not thick-crust chewy, but chewy none-the-less.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPUN4mIPDXkvgaA1tbWr6JrpVncPabKW6-QD6sx42OJzRBLxu3DrqkRJqP2rQpiztrexq5q9nZERajbtLUOHPwH1ErwjkFSwYWlG5yEqcP_nxJRh55RpAkzMy0qOoj4PNQcKhcJjUDE26/s1600/IMG_4378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPUN4mIPDXkvgaA1tbWr6JrpVncPabKW6-QD6sx42OJzRBLxu3DrqkRJqP2rQpiztrexq5q9nZERajbtLUOHPwH1ErwjkFSwYWlG5yEqcP_nxJRh55RpAkzMy0qOoj4PNQcKhcJjUDE26/s320/IMG_4378.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't know if you can see in the photo, but the crust seemed to kind of have two layers that weren't quite right.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Would it have been better if we'd baked it on a baking stone or a pizza pan with a perforated bottom? Maybe, but that would kind of defeat the purpose of baking it on the parchment paper.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQ9a2GQaWvIkk1um2GidQXCpN9oGG3kG8FyC-ok8nXq01mPyQ4eEWnor0pQXgL_hW5tzZjgZ-15gyLFB6vnIbYCOko0mNwbixFmnw3B_lYAm0JhRnQaTkznVNv_26W3z13noM9Z__FMYJ/s1600/IMG_4376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQ9a2GQaWvIkk1um2GidQXCpN9oGG3kG8FyC-ok8nXq01mPyQ4eEWnor0pQXgL_hW5tzZjgZ-15gyLFB6vnIbYCOko0mNwbixFmnw3B_lYAm0JhRnQaTkznVNv_26W3z13noM9Z__FMYJ/s320/IMG_4376.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The flavor wasn't too bad - and the crust didn't stop us from eating our dinner - but long before we were done we had already decided that we wouldn't be trying it again. </div>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HMghkLnp34E/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HMghkLnp34E?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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Guess it's back to the drawing board - or at least a pizza delivery or two - for now.</div>
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<i>Are there any products you've seen on the grocery store shelves that you weren't sure you wanted to try - but you wish someone else would? Let me know, and if I can find it - and if it's not too nasty looking - I'll see what I can do!</i></div>
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Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-37373407443172412202019-01-06T10:36:00.000-06:002019-01-06T10:36:13.630-06:00Crescent Pinwheeling into 2019Did you all make it through the Holidays and the change of year? I'm happy to say that we all did, here. And now that it's 2019, it's time to get back to actual food on the blog!<br />
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Today, we're aiming for these Crescent Roll Pinwheels:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENnAWzS2nWoCh8OKfaaa93grXamH5t0_qWBhhyZWoVoMiPaq3Jbwsf-wQ1QOqWuGhQPS1_5snjDqULOptYN4788NYpVtYYW-rD3KFcdMYWREeHf_lY11MGlauE10SgBrJTvX36xuEQWeH/s1600/IMG_4351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENnAWzS2nWoCh8OKfaaa93grXamH5t0_qWBhhyZWoVoMiPaq3Jbwsf-wQ1QOqWuGhQPS1_5snjDqULOptYN4788NYpVtYYW-rD3KFcdMYWREeHf_lY11MGlauE10SgBrJTvX36xuEQWeH/s320/IMG_4351.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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There is something really home-y about these that makes me kind of happy to think of them. I don't really make them often (it's been years, honestly), but I had the chance to make them this week and it was pretty fun - and with good results. Here's how we got there:<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/V1IcWUHZLzU/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V1IcWUHZLzU?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Note: The shirt is from a company called Litographs. They do shirts/posters/soft goods with the text of books printed on them in artful designs. The one I'm wearing in this is </i><a href="https://www.litographs.com/collections/around-the-world-in-80-days" target="_blank">Around the World in 80 Days</a>. <i>I thought I'd mention that because I always have people asking me about the shirts that I have when I wear them. </i></span></div>
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As I mentioned in the video, there's not really a recipe to go along with this post. I went to Pillsbury.com and searched "Crescent Pinwheels" for the basics, and then went from there. Basics that I learned: </div>
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<ul>
<li>You're supposed to press the triangles together (or use the "crescent sheets") - though that didn't make a huge difference for me.</li>
<li>About 1 cup of mixed fillings should be enough filling for the full tube of dough (but you'll have to estimate).</li>
<li>These bake at 350 for about 12-15 minutes. </li>
</ul>
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As I also mentioned in the video, I opted to try out two different tubes of crescent dough: Pillsbury and "Essential Everyday" (a less-expensive house brand at Cub grocery stores). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh8S11HO1RApggpm8XXGlsQ8AljGGNYtFnkIbp4zogJOijM6moxnn5vQ2_qK4enJ09zbflzqgZ9ds0NKOU134AP1FT4Fv5sQWg5T7d6ftIfl5_yjUDWxoeFZM4NCM9Znm_NSSiErIrAKTf/s1600/IMG_4327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh8S11HO1RApggpm8XXGlsQ8AljGGNYtFnkIbp4zogJOijM6moxnn5vQ2_qK4enJ09zbflzqgZ9ds0NKOU134AP1FT4Fv5sQWg5T7d6ftIfl5_yjUDWxoeFZM4NCM9Znm_NSSiErIrAKTf/s320/IMG_4327.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now, I admit that the difference of somewhere between fifty cents and a dollar per tube (or per 24 pinwheels) seems like an odd thing to worry about. But I also know that there are times when a buck can make a huge difference in your grocery budget. And I figure that if they're going to be on the same shelves in the store - and the house brand obviously compares themselves to Pillsbury - I wanted to know how they would do. </div>
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As I'm sure many of you know, one of the best things about using dough-in-a-cardboard-tube is that you get to whack it on the counter to pop it open. (Okay. Yes. The tubes now specifically say that you're supposed to peel the outer wrap and then press a spoon against the seam until it pops. But... really... what's the fun in that?)</div>
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First up: The contender...</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNijwm9ecpgb6YR5mMeq2-Ub2gK7oqxz-8soW87vhVMT4Vexk8snK5TbGk1KN5G6WDi4pxmZGMKqYJuHjcP_rvpfo5L66atqtc3hKKS6sFrul-mrYsYz0TwrPcSH1CGl3ST-4LjoY5yzha/s1600/IMG_4329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNijwm9ecpgb6YR5mMeq2-Ub2gK7oqxz-8soW87vhVMT4Vexk8snK5TbGk1KN5G6WDi4pxmZGMKqYJuHjcP_rvpfo5L66atqtc3hKKS6sFrul-mrYsYz0TwrPcSH1CGl3ST-4LjoY5yzha/s320/IMG_4329.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No. You're not missing anything. <i>Nothing</i> happened when I whacked it on the edge of the prep table. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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After the underwhelming <i>thud</i> of trying the favorite way of opening the tube, I went for their "spoon at seam" technique. </div>
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However, I wasn't really sure which end of the spoon to use. And - why a spoon and not the tip of a knife? I ended up using the back end of the spoon.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9me6RcmEZ30EYKoGgartFOuWwbROAZ2UVlX21u0dGz0_TLr1IIGNEdDIQPgmHG4rFbSJEkdlcV63fNpX3ypFh2Krx0nP2Femp2hXKtrxATUoA05oetn7TUNkIh-Ux3dTv3cJjUp-9_Fjd/s1600/IMG_4330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9me6RcmEZ30EYKoGgartFOuWwbROAZ2UVlX21u0dGz0_TLr1IIGNEdDIQPgmHG4rFbSJEkdlcV63fNpX3ypFh2Krx0nP2Femp2hXKtrxATUoA05oetn7TUNkIh-Ux3dTv3cJjUp-9_Fjd/s320/IMG_4330.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, it worked. No, it wasn't very fun. </td></tr>
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I moved on to the Pillsbury. It did not disappoint. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqF6n0YcSQTnPBn_jKIqCVbXWlc4Z8YYYTPMtdsxYEFDSOhSLxmsTYbUI5KON__aEkDBZXuqer2vkSc2HxSZfV2XtrAmO9yBACf9JfRxTacUC3fyDDR0Wh99Ydbmxu1Fi4t3yaJLxDSW7/s1600/IMG_4331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqF6n0YcSQTnPBn_jKIqCVbXWlc4Z8YYYTPMtdsxYEFDSOhSLxmsTYbUI5KON__aEkDBZXuqer2vkSc2HxSZfV2XtrAmO9yBACf9JfRxTacUC3fyDDR0Wh99Ydbmxu1Fi4t3yaJLxDSW7/s320/IMG_4331.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That was after one quick whack. No spoon needed. </td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
I feel like we need to take a moment and compare the two photos, above. Can you see how much bigger the "poof" of the Pillsbury tube is? That dough really wanted room to expand. (Consider this your daily dose of foreshadowing.)</div>
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Excitement complete, it was on to the assembly of my pinwheels. </div>
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I unrolled each "rectangle" and then tried to mush them together to get rid of the perforations. You might notice the difference in sizes. The smaller rectangles came from the "inner" portion of the roll. I'm sure that if I wanted to use a rolling pin, I could have gotten them all to the same size. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlZMY8rf7etoEBBlNI748kEGFgC5pYfB-odEwgZ4qhm6-mdGCGaiTtTcujcZWi3mPUuYyzT_rsSZfmMoao_fj9iE1JH7a1Wf56bHBEqiVuUt4Ye-1wiVYGefUrJduYiDlDuXAuoHeeSha/s1600/IMG_4332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlZMY8rf7etoEBBlNI748kEGFgC5pYfB-odEwgZ4qhm6-mdGCGaiTtTcujcZWi3mPUuYyzT_rsSZfmMoao_fj9iE1JH7a1Wf56bHBEqiVuUt4Ye-1wiVYGefUrJduYiDlDuXAuoHeeSha/s320/IMG_4332.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is pre-perforation purge, obviously.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I chopped up some pepperoni. (I'm guessing that's about half a cup, right?)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CHTgIypKdd2YVm6LOZpz_g0lRdZgmufHn3z5-HBsEw156xbzYlm8mONY_oFL6QLSUPRJjm3Xo8IIE74JkkbAgbGkYnp6Cw4sG_m6PeZBlne6phYv_DeKboiHyu4qXENWvP2UucTOtLU-/s1600/IMG_4333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CHTgIypKdd2YVm6LOZpz_g0lRdZgmufHn3z5-HBsEw156xbzYlm8mONY_oFL6QLSUPRJjm3Xo8IIE74JkkbAgbGkYnp6Cw4sG_m6PeZBlne6phYv_DeKboiHyu4qXENWvP2UucTOtLU-/s320/IMG_4333.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I also chopped up the pitted Kalamata olives. (Oddly enough, they seemed to become a smaller amount as I chopped - while the pepperoni seemed to expand.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIRKsU77RtnYXCT_Eo0HgT4T1xokImAxlbE3ecCOlCWoPH-nkNLYDew7BWVEw8zVTblEUGPbdtruwdxP-74dGvl7s6BR5wkvpVI2JJQc-14uI2sisPrjXS4mgSUJQNnYY5PggOfYErL7m/s1600/IMG_4334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIRKsU77RtnYXCT_Eo0HgT4T1xokImAxlbE3ecCOlCWoPH-nkNLYDew7BWVEw8zVTblEUGPbdtruwdxP-74dGvl7s6BR5wkvpVI2JJQc-14uI2sisPrjXS4mgSUJQNnYY5PggOfYErL7m/s320/IMG_4334.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
First layer: olives on one side, pepperoni on the other. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVyfhqlEydSXdnLxaL9HcMnXcr3yYHr3CKMkfUTsiZtyuODaTErSbdEh9EKaHg_KHqMrxrXnhChq-x_5ceOLe1X703l51-62nziPRRHQTCGztcy79V77qkLiX5Tp6hi6vm4lAlzbN6JxK/s1600/IMG_4335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVyfhqlEydSXdnLxaL9HcMnXcr3yYHr3CKMkfUTsiZtyuODaTErSbdEh9EKaHg_KHqMrxrXnhChq-x_5ceOLe1X703l51-62nziPRRHQTCGztcy79V77qkLiX5Tp6hi6vm4lAlzbN6JxK/s320/IMG_4335.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Second layer: oregano for all! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNhIcgkT8GclHZ568cxj8-DeSw4EcmB66Z_06naPdMGOFv5j1jsFQLCwDOl-rxRmKpRz6eRamry6DHQ3vKPixpFVbckG2KDpwLSJDYbUJyczjxWwW1oFvuuzWuQ_2nmoyWR6q8TtCQlVb/s1600/IMG_4336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNhIcgkT8GclHZ568cxj8-DeSw4EcmB66Z_06naPdMGOFv5j1jsFQLCwDOl-rxRmKpRz6eRamry6DHQ3vKPixpFVbckG2KDpwLSJDYbUJyczjxWwW1oFvuuzWuQ_2nmoyWR6q8TtCQlVb/s320/IMG_4336.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The olive side really could have used a bit more <i>oomph</i>. If I do this again, I'll probably either get an herbed feta or just add more spice at this stage.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Feta crumbles on the olive set, "Italian cheese blend" on the pepperoni. (The blend was on sale - I honestly don't know what cheeses were in it.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbWWSSdD7X1JCq5MdN1ImPkxEpG71BkrH3AKio7jjuCHr7e3ruteWTU81sLet4t20v7Oq5Su7s_VyF7V_WZ_WMwAyiXwRFn1XFIJyaMT2oSEhAM4Q6m9kRtNQ4HYyhijHTQ1LOSkbQA0V/s1600/IMG_4337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbWWSSdD7X1JCq5MdN1ImPkxEpG71BkrH3AKio7jjuCHr7e3ruteWTU81sLet4t20v7Oq5Su7s_VyF7V_WZ_WMwAyiXwRFn1XFIJyaMT2oSEhAM4Q6m9kRtNQ4HYyhijHTQ1LOSkbQA0V/s320/IMG_4337.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Oddly enough, this brings us to the step that had me the most nervous. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHlXwAaVjIM1iDlYXUniKupHLet2dagURKk280XccqB1JsQPO7SJA4zEFYOsFFRuoQ9RpDSFGh9u7Cc0_qgcfKeSCO9c9xS8Z-gQIisW-UfaE09CXRoERo3GUpP_NcWiU5aSQ2zJ1Y7xJ/s1600/IMG_4338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHlXwAaVjIM1iDlYXUniKupHLet2dagURKk280XccqB1JsQPO7SJA4zEFYOsFFRuoQ9RpDSFGh9u7Cc0_qgcfKeSCO9c9xS8Z-gQIisW-UfaE09CXRoERo3GUpP_NcWiU5aSQ2zJ1Y7xJ/s320/IMG_4338.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Oh. Sorry. No. The rolling-up part didn't make me nervous. Though - as I looked at the way the two different doughs were looking, it did make me wonder a bit.<br />
<br />
The dough in the photo above this is the house brand. You can see that it's a little dry looking. The dough in the photo below is the Pillsbury, which seemed much more resilient and supple. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFj_P-Uw4XKuwh42dtDR4zgqQNtqLUwDheC6z-3DU1krJiJjYY5jF5hSG92x_aas0N4Jp344nGnaKhIr7ucFef3oa4sfcEzKSjyEux0k5i1R-6Z9Ckokrxpd05S9daYHBZ86hwdygimC0v/s1600/IMG_4339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFj_P-Uw4XKuwh42dtDR4zgqQNtqLUwDheC6z-3DU1krJiJjYY5jF5hSG92x_aas0N4Jp344nGnaKhIr7ucFef3oa4sfcEzKSjyEux0k5i1R-6Z9Ckokrxpd05S9daYHBZ86hwdygimC0v/s320/IMG_4339.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The actual step that had me a little freaked out was the cutting step. The full "sheets" of dough are about 4"x6", so when you roll them up the roll is only about 4" wide - but you're supposed to cut them into 6 pieces.<br />
<br />
I started by cutting them in half.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFzhmjx3oNw1XTvD5HJrBMn44hqisLRp9xLjiK-O4cDliwQcoHWJ8794PbPXJzAPACV0lSh_uZN57DmIB1Tuu0hFKIVkNf3zX8enVPW_v9A8SSgbmxc6cA2Y0ZCSNgOTsNaymh4fWFCMPR/s1600/IMG_4340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFzhmjx3oNw1XTvD5HJrBMn44hqisLRp9xLjiK-O4cDliwQcoHWJ8794PbPXJzAPACV0lSh_uZN57DmIB1Tuu0hFKIVkNf3zX8enVPW_v9A8SSgbmxc6cA2Y0ZCSNgOTsNaymh4fWFCMPR/s320/IMG_4340.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well... half-<i>ish.</i></td></tr>
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Then I cut each half into thirds.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQnKuCG6YdJkxiH194LvKdxfsv24kQq7HAaHt6cErke7azv4Y81WuTPYJMV659IqlSmIckHcRKCV4TNH_YWpg0TmwR91zg9JuyZnq1fCKAVh6xFs_CdKMqqCEo4C-oJYgR7cZ_kLKXiqdn/s1600/IMG_4341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQnKuCG6YdJkxiH194LvKdxfsv24kQq7HAaHt6cErke7azv4Y81WuTPYJMV659IqlSmIckHcRKCV4TNH_YWpg0TmwR91zg9JuyZnq1fCKAVh6xFs_CdKMqqCEo4C-oJYgR7cZ_kLKXiqdn/s320/IMG_4341.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I kind of loved that one of the online instructions was very specific to say that the next step is to put them on ungreased cookie sheets "cut side down." </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Now, that kind of makes sense for the end pieces (because they have on cut side and one non-cut side), but all the rest have two cut sides. So... apparently they mean that you need to place them "flat" on the cookie sheet, instead of standing up...? That kind of just seems logical. So I'm not sure why they had to make it sound confusing. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMnhDwXIdvTeKr_qJSxB1-L7cJFPo1CIt2pXCKTmpQVgA301SOC3HdYonTlGu__m47QvPCPjdiXz7KHoGIQKN2Nbn-cxjRbwDqH_-zt4aKJ_uGPYsn3Vh4oLB3IHeiYyyL5xJnHwG_RIJ/s1600/IMG_4342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMnhDwXIdvTeKr_qJSxB1-L7cJFPo1CIt2pXCKTmpQVgA301SOC3HdYonTlGu__m47QvPCPjdiXz7KHoGIQKN2Nbn-cxjRbwDqH_-zt4aKJ_uGPYsn3Vh4oLB3IHeiYyyL5xJnHwG_RIJ/s320/IMG_4342.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apologies. That pan looks like it's upside down and floating in space. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As I was putting them on the pan, I realized that I really should have worked the filling farther to the outer sides. The end pieces looked pretty barren.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKu7pRAad_b61WKR6ZCagipoL5WUYBZETFYL0vkRm1LwIvGKkdoYmXlLHKOl7dQnYlWs2ayNbuQsxkwxRQaemMUOuN8shO51X2q5NPggPd77P0CBPUN_cRFBSIXC6wDYevpsBA6NZS1F2o/s1600/IMG_4343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKu7pRAad_b61WKR6ZCagipoL5WUYBZETFYL0vkRm1LwIvGKkdoYmXlLHKOl7dQnYlWs2ayNbuQsxkwxRQaemMUOuN8shO51X2q5NPggPd77P0CBPUN_cRFBSIXC6wDYevpsBA6NZS1F2o/s320/IMG_4343.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the filling in the "middle" pieces, but the end bits look like they're just dough.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On this first pan, all of the olive ones were made on the house brand dough. If you look at the dough on the left, below, you can see a few kind of dry-looking sections. Hmm...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQ_dTla03m8EO95-Pn5oY5Kpg-mZhLitFHCShe0RVjUOtitkeuCzpDadtgU1LNfjTOuFmpU-EOr6yM-WJFLihLW8dhYQmiZ2kdg9CH-Cx4MCvZ9F8hV2uwn1bX4W64Rxl07CFdj7aab_C/s1600/IMG_4344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQ_dTla03m8EO95-Pn5oY5Kpg-mZhLitFHCShe0RVjUOtitkeuCzpDadtgU1LNfjTOuFmpU-EOr6yM-WJFLihLW8dhYQmiZ2kdg9CH-Cx4MCvZ9F8hV2uwn1bX4W64Rxl07CFdj7aab_C/s320/IMG_4344.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
They come out of the oven when they've become golden brown.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqHsfgfpV42eJUBLAdrIlgk5G9ShD4Enbmkg7Xa_nKYD9JG3DxXN5xIbNdeQYyVknJRjrsnTMhTeXvPlFVK_QfCAYwhEOxe3HDA0hKBWDsGhtqOYL5AgbuMhFqxhYUMdt0enzBo9_0Uux/s1600/IMG_4345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqHsfgfpV42eJUBLAdrIlgk5G9ShD4Enbmkg7Xa_nKYD9JG3DxXN5xIbNdeQYyVknJRjrsnTMhTeXvPlFVK_QfCAYwhEOxe3HDA0hKBWDsGhtqOYL5AgbuMhFqxhYUMdt0enzBo9_0Uux/s320/IMG_4345.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Unfortunately, though the Pillsbury ones turned a really nice golden brown (above), the house brand stayed a little lighter on top (though the bottoms were definitely done.)<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO0811B1pZPjMRofCNajYn5kIwsaiGfEXOhZFzvuq-cis13XRh169CrofsIvR2MfdU34ZkV83dgb3g_xbp7p8Z09deNUynRa8kxVKLNrHpORWAAhGMWb6Ub76Gz0WRZtDmv2TYM1NraLhD/s1600/IMG_4346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO0811B1pZPjMRofCNajYn5kIwsaiGfEXOhZFzvuq-cis13XRh169CrofsIvR2MfdU34ZkV83dgb3g_xbp7p8Z09deNUynRa8kxVKLNrHpORWAAhGMWb6Ub76Gz0WRZtDmv2TYM1NraLhD/s320/IMG_4346.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In reality, these were not blurry. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This is probably a better comparison shot of the difference: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYH4NwKmXcrpac-IXeqmUho-oXyytfvsiehemN9TpZWhq70xSXA6KsE35l8zGkfjhmd7mKmxWiGsdoaU7WTY3ZwOU-4oaWig1cWC61FhJwHqPtnEKi4x-BbaN1UlQBgwrJrTQLusODBFO/s1600/IMG_4347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYH4NwKmXcrpac-IXeqmUho-oXyytfvsiehemN9TpZWhq70xSXA6KsE35l8zGkfjhmd7mKmxWiGsdoaU7WTY3ZwOU-4oaWig1cWC61FhJwHqPtnEKi4x-BbaN1UlQBgwrJrTQLusODBFO/s320/IMG_4347.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
And then there was the size differential between the two doughs. To make sure that this wasn't a result of the filling, when I baked my second pan, I swapped the fillings. As you can see below, the house brand batches simply didn't puff as well as the Pillsbury. (The Pillsbury ones are about 2-3 inches across. The house brand ones maxed out at about 2 inches.)</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQGfgcCnue7A3xelbLg87CmSihfR9aESQfkcsKOo47TlodXkcsEXU0wu6EyAqGIIKedXjTffe7g4lR9AqzaJvwij-XsCAzJ85peRDNIFyhrnTwwoPHCl8LJAqApfRac3Z92uJUMQeMoSr/s1600/IMG_4349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQGfgcCnue7A3xelbLg87CmSihfR9aESQfkcsKOo47TlodXkcsEXU0wu6EyAqGIIKedXjTffe7g4lR9AqzaJvwij-XsCAzJ85peRDNIFyhrnTwwoPHCl8LJAqApfRac3Z92uJUMQeMoSr/s320/IMG_4349.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You were wondering where the foreshadowing from the tube pop was going to come in, weren't you? </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So... Okay. The house brand pinwheels are a tiny bit smaller, and not quite as golden. But if I didn't have the Pillsbury to compare to, I probably wouldn't have known that. This brings us to the biggest factor: taste...<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yifNTHg28Io/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yifNTHg28Io?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
In other words, I do think that - in this case - I'd vote for the name brand instead of the house brand (at least <i>this</i> house brand).<br />
<br />
Although, when put all in the same dish for serving, they look pretty good, no matter what. And - with a total prep time of less than an hour (a bit longer for me, because I was taking pictures and recording video and getting ready to go out), these are a great, quick, variable, snack/appetizer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBWrlQCvdnSndgIwBNSoYhMIk6gqxx7slvm3wCGEQs90Ncgu788iBcYESKyVrUyX4eVIY4aRFiwBK1I3RWEd-D5Lh2EkfKRDn8Tvd4ynV7g-49rmugAptiSdPjaRFpAvdhI33cbSvEqga/s1600/IMG_4351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBWrlQCvdnSndgIwBNSoYhMIk6gqxx7slvm3wCGEQs90Ncgu788iBcYESKyVrUyX4eVIY4aRFiwBK1I3RWEd-D5Lh2EkfKRDn8Tvd4ynV7g-49rmugAptiSdPjaRFpAvdhI33cbSvEqga/s320/IMG_4351.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next time I might try one savory and one sweet. Maybe a little cream cheese and cinnamon or strawberry...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXC1kElUVZRZB4sRkr-n2HbWnQltZcQNOQtMmeQRrGuo6c-r55SCEmPJXM0fHWP1DQt1DyTvfndRSP2VZ75-j-JTO_BgsOsqHnqtyNmyXi4bZQGWstMpG8PgbIbBK396xrEPA8OoyIghyphenhyphenk/s1600/IMG_4353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXC1kElUVZRZB4sRkr-n2HbWnQltZcQNOQtMmeQRrGuo6c-r55SCEmPJXM0fHWP1DQt1DyTvfndRSP2VZ75-j-JTO_BgsOsqHnqtyNmyXi4bZQGWstMpG8PgbIbBK396xrEPA8OoyIghyphenhyphenk/s320/IMG_4353.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Epilogue: People at the party we took them to really seemed to enjoy them. There were two people there who had (I kid you not) never heard of dough-in-a-tube. And they were very impressed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLYPwSmTBfCS8YRzA1D07agbYuRW-Z4aRXdxIrHGDh5hPv7ehZsXueoDXXWhI_V0ZPiR5rWf05oC1yBvafYaorwtTNoU-ggSuqiK-zAReY11ck6HuwnEPq-oSPWjwUg-wOtglNhgjrDAXS/s1600/IMG_4352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLYPwSmTBfCS8YRzA1D07agbYuRW-Z4aRXdxIrHGDh5hPv7ehZsXueoDXXWhI_V0ZPiR5rWf05oC1yBvafYaorwtTNoU-ggSuqiK-zAReY11ck6HuwnEPq-oSPWjwUg-wOtglNhgjrDAXS/s320/IMG_4352.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>What are you hoping to cook up in the new year? Anything you'd like to see me tackle in the kitchen? Let me know!</i></div>
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Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-91029347351782867962018-12-22T12:31:00.001-06:002018-12-22T12:31:45.573-06:00Last-Minute Festive Food<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I was talking to a neighbor earlier this week, and she was asking whether the cookies I'd been making were going to be on the blog. I wanted to say yes, but I've honestly been pushing so hard to get things done this year that I haven't had time to take photos while baking. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkK8qD3bkz2nvkLAz73hQBDOquo0Gq1Ld5er1tIIi_hrtbdJXLax4Jv0B6eNmGYkgnWa2foyu1A4wl89RLH9ZZ1NjPDGrnYNU_T8wScDLF9BUszPvTAQdso0aGE4h3cDKAtwagwXhEAy2/s1600/IMG_4291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkK8qD3bkz2nvkLAz73hQBDOquo0Gq1Ld5er1tIIi_hrtbdJXLax4Jv0B6eNmGYkgnWa2foyu1A4wl89RLH9ZZ1NjPDGrnYNU_T8wScDLF9BUszPvTAQdso0aGE4h3cDKAtwagwXhEAy2/s320/IMG_4291.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I didn't even take any photos while making the dipped pretzels featured in this post. But - since they have to sit out on wrapped paper to harden, at least I do have post-prep photos. </div>
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Let me explain the idea behind them:</div>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4I1eNAROupk/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4I1eNAROupk?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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So... yeah... you melt the white stuff (I use a double boiler on the stove, but you can follow the package directions for the microwave if you have one), and you dip stuff in it, then let them to dry/harden on waxed paper. </div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0cB6NwGfuFDnM0FybRqp4ZAZsryJruD5AA_Ei9YJLAnOyBeUoWfwLqg-Z_bG2dzw53DEIp1m9fcDcdt0kvnrgZo9GHc8Yw-sj2S_1daI4ZmKulvjxyLYK-mnmzHcwuzklwRk5J-rEEz1/s1600/IMG_4293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0cB6NwGfuFDnM0FybRqp4ZAZsryJruD5AA_Ei9YJLAnOyBeUoWfwLqg-Z_bG2dzw53DEIp1m9fcDcdt0kvnrgZo9GHc8Yw-sj2S_1daI4ZmKulvjxyLYK-mnmzHcwuzklwRk5J-rEEz1/s320/IMG_4293.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Can you guess where on the prep table the bowl used to be? </td></tr>
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It's pretty easy and fairly fast. Dipping these pretzels by hand, I made 90 of them in about 45 minutes - and that included the stovetop melting process. </div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-O0cNJZ4oyidLjB8LaIx0N6mFmKg7-QIsRN2aXECGvpOsQDQ8NL4hqFMNcyvsqLnC9Sd2NHRoRwPUBKTVejI9hCJV6cDUurGIGVyqyBYgRoYA3HFplgpG2v1xhoC8s_2-gdDlc5hZ9Oh/s1600/IMG_4292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-O0cNJZ4oyidLjB8LaIx0N6mFmKg7-QIsRN2aXECGvpOsQDQ8NL4hqFMNcyvsqLnC9Sd2NHRoRwPUBKTVejI9hCJV6cDUurGIGVyqyBYgRoYA3HFplgpG2v1xhoC8s_2-gdDlc5hZ9Oh/s320/IMG_4292.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">I mentioned in the video that these are Gluten-Free. But, even so, can you imagine anyone turning them down? Seriously. You can do a lot of Gluten-Free stuff pretty easily - sometimes even by accident!</td></tr>
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Frankly, that's what I need this time of year, because my brain starts to not want to process more difficult tasks. The lead-up can be pretty darned frantic, and you sometimes forget to take a little time to just enjoy it all happening. The best I can do in these cases is plate things.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQS7zQ-RZBV0qvoo-HJWRkn3uvJlMGTS3LC7soTtaQ_tOhBylwVDX3h8SUJa8yCuTWR9ri8F3eITsbHCfYRdLhqTW6niT2WGM9Sm8osMx-CloFn4nAb3zRltkTAwNeWQWdlUn8jI3fNQk/s1600/IMG_4298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQS7zQ-RZBV0qvoo-HJWRkn3uvJlMGTS3LC7soTtaQ_tOhBylwVDX3h8SUJa8yCuTWR9ri8F3eITsbHCfYRdLhqTW6niT2WGM9Sm8osMx-CloFn4nAb3zRltkTAwNeWQWdlUn8jI3fNQk/s320/IMG_4298.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Umm... This batch of Spritz cookies is also Gluten-Free! Bonus!</td></tr>
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And wrap them in plastic.</div>
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And hope to remember to take them with me when I leave the house specifically with the intention of taking them to the neighbors. (Who among us hasn't walked out the door and realized a present/bag/set of keys was still on the counter this time of year?)</div>
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Luckily, a lot of my baked goods tend to go into the mail (or to the neighbors), so that means that in the final few days before Christmas I have nothing left to do but sit back and enjoy the world going by. Christopher and I have made a kind of tradition of going out to dinner a few days before Christmas. We try to go somewhere we might not usually go. It's a great way to take a step back, breathe a little, look at the lights, and let someone else deal with prep and delivery for a bit. </div>
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However you plan to spend the next few days - whether in the kitchen whipping up a few last-minute festive treats or on the road/in the skies or avoiding it all with a cocktail, I hope you get to enjoy it. </div>
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Merry Christmas!</div>
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<i>What are you up to for the Holidays? Do you celebrate Christmas, or some other event? Or do you avoid them all and just take advantage of the sales? </i></div>
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<i>Just so you know, I'm making a New Year's resolution to be better about my blogging. I'm not planning to define "better" just yet, though. ;-)</i></div>
Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-27695709821759628012018-12-09T20:20:00.001-06:002018-12-09T20:20:39.909-06:00It's All in the Timing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Does it seem to anyone else that this year went from dragging along to kicking into overdrive all in about 30 seconds? </div>
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I've been thinking that I was really running about on track for getting things done. And I am still getting things done - like the foods in these photos - but that's not allowing me much time to put together decent blog posts. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGxjowxa34A0zj-rglgSkgB9Kr_Zg2sjgYoYgy3T_N73SrB0z5yoHZsczzIBCeEt6pji0CPV_hb_fUTE2hx_BRjUWMrAqVCljyghI0Csr4mS6mUFT-yfF6xpqurrfriSaV1Xi0rwkFGQK/s1600/fullsizeoutput_37d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGxjowxa34A0zj-rglgSkgB9Kr_Zg2sjgYoYgy3T_N73SrB0z5yoHZsczzIBCeEt6pji0CPV_hb_fUTE2hx_BRjUWMrAqVCljyghI0Csr4mS6mUFT-yfF6xpqurrfriSaV1Xi0rwkFGQK/s320/fullsizeoutput_37d.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's what I can offer you this week:<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PNv2fEhiYFc/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PNv2fEhiYFc?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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So, for now, we have about 5 dozen of those Peanut Butter Blossoms, 3 dozen Brownie Bites...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSLc90nAnrGx1k5hvtaeJ1QG2gIV7QsM2GHdZGNviAXEGceSWHgcfkHRv9mhF6q8hs34ZbVsF8j-jwFccOATbUwF-ORb6Vhkg2T0bj6BaagnVEmxph80RkaR7jLnv1A5RjlyrsvtjgVd1/s1600/fullsizeoutput_37e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSLc90nAnrGx1k5hvtaeJ1QG2gIV7QsM2GHdZGNviAXEGceSWHgcfkHRv9mhF6q8hs34ZbVsF8j-jwFccOATbUwF-ORb6Vhkg2T0bj6BaagnVEmxph80RkaR7jLnv1A5RjlyrsvtjgVd1/s320/fullsizeoutput_37e.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And 2 full pans of Special K Frosted Chews (which will cut into about 3 dozen each). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVE5RwtiUJ-y-UgqzCaNbLrRwRsD65DEzKCVM0_YRMzeRqi5VhK2lYccYNaf0spdWEHzWp2IfLkyeja0YF3eUfgYGV3QHJW1TMmLiwrxElYN9mo8Jw8mZp9m49lJAKnCtkrAC1VSj7QYT/s1600/fullsizeoutput_37f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVE5RwtiUJ-y-UgqzCaNbLrRwRsD65DEzKCVM0_YRMzeRqi5VhK2lYccYNaf0spdWEHzWp2IfLkyeja0YF3eUfgYGV3QHJW1TMmLiwrxElYN9mo8Jw8mZp9m49lJAKnCtkrAC1VSj7QYT/s320/fullsizeoutput_37f.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And I still have 16 days until Christmas.<br />
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Good luck to all of us!<br />
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<i>Thanks, again, for your help with the GoFundMe pages - sharing and even donating! Keep up the good work!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>How are you doing with plans for the Holidays? I hope you're having better timing luck than I am!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-14349827362774755792018-12-02T08:48:00.000-06:002018-12-02T08:48:24.780-06:00S'more - Cookie Giveaways (and S'more Chances to Give)Sorry this is so late. As you'll see in the first video, Christopher and I were out of town this past week. I thought I'd have no problem tackling a blog post from where we were staying, but the video uploads were a bit daunting on shared wi-fi, so I decided to delay until we got home. <div>
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So, without further ado, let's get into these perfect cozy treats.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLr2I-GT7Mj7lUw_HysK-6Y5BLfOB_1i3R6CMIUkkmUYceOTjMJqQx0228Ad306xj_g8qZf0_BWdsENv08IxWjkDNKAxbo8qDV7zwRkLLIZfwqrHm-gfp-y5UESeLZIE8-65dEHoSPXDr/s1600/IMG_4254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLr2I-GT7Mj7lUw_HysK-6Y5BLfOB_1i3R6CMIUkkmUYceOTjMJqQx0228Ad306xj_g8qZf0_BWdsENv08IxWjkDNKAxbo8qDV7zwRkLLIZfwqrHm-gfp-y5UESeLZIE8-65dEHoSPXDr/s320/IMG_4254.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And - to prove that we were away, here's some video of me by a fire:</div>
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Now, before we go any further, I want to remind you all that in November (humor me and pretend this post went up on November 30th like it was supposed to), I've been sharing some GoFundMe projects. And - if you shared the blog posts they were in - you could be entered into a chance to win a plate of cookies. </div>
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I'm not including any new donation sites this week, but here is a recap of the ones we've seen so far: </div>
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Last week, we had Bobby and his family, who lost their home while he was fighting the fires in Northern California: </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyV6PPHcU0eJk1RQoSMGFfHn1R1NmkKYeosJ9hmZ6_nzp5Q9j38lEGvgN-ZwDb308MtabZpq_yBuSC_qV0doMyH3OTOvnuTnhyphenhyphenGfTRM1No8sqU_eKPREDTG_8jYLshalYECOAgstNoUqZY/s1600/Mihld.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyV6PPHcU0eJk1RQoSMGFfHn1R1NmkKYeosJ9hmZ6_nzp5Q9j38lEGvgN-ZwDb308MtabZpq_yBuSC_qV0doMyH3OTOvnuTnhyphenhyphenGfTRM1No8sqU_eKPREDTG_8jYLshalYECOAgstNoUqZY/s320/Mihld.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Their link is here: <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/local-firefighter-family-loses-home?member=1084956" target="_blank">Local Firefighter Family Loses Home</a>.</td></tr>
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The week before that, we had Derek, who is dealing with cancer and all that comes with that diagnosis:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiyNFNutN-6HJWOEn5TdZlvVUJhvkaqEaPoJbiS-lrmINsblbbYndI6U29iMTw5mkKhgXmU_Iyg5VUFAW3FjktZE8RWAcliVu-CjtwAKbgo6tVH9_uTyeSBTDu_5S01756uC7OGFzJaCsA/s1600/Derek1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiyNFNutN-6HJWOEn5TdZlvVUJhvkaqEaPoJbiS-lrmINsblbbYndI6U29iMTw5mkKhgXmU_Iyg5VUFAW3FjktZE8RWAcliVu-CjtwAKbgo6tVH9_uTyeSBTDu_5S01756uC7OGFzJaCsA/s320/Derek1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His link is here: <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/help-derek-fight?fbclid=IwAR3DdXzBRhVG06CaClX_rEhdWI28cZPKZQ5AiWeAVLZETCCmo1OQFs28ynA" target="_blank">Help Derek Fight</a>.</td></tr>
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And we started the month with Kara, a caregiver who needs some help to cover medical expenses so that she can continue to follow her life's path: </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_H4HB8X7OG_tKZOTTj4JhJvEzyhZHpGOMFIfR4ib8UJeQGmakw5Fw5LkCD75Xn-Pz8aMA5SX6jMXeuyTC0vXJKdiWOUtN0MDfTbsMK54Mqjn9e9S-SSUMVzhHWsh3hgt96n9b7gNUjWqu/s1600/Kara.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="916" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_H4HB8X7OG_tKZOTTj4JhJvEzyhZHpGOMFIfR4ib8UJeQGmakw5Fw5LkCD75Xn-Pz8aMA5SX6jMXeuyTC0vXJKdiWOUtN0MDfTbsMK54Mqjn9e9S-SSUMVzhHWsh3hgt96n9b7gNUjWqu/s320/Kara.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her link is here: <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/help-kara-walk-again?fbclid=IwAR3NHcmxA3OxE9tgjZvXY0P4AW7MG7hd-YBR78isEts38oM_FaYQwAC9UMw" target="_blank">Help Me Walk Again</a>.</td></tr>
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Although there aren't any new links this week, the idea is the same: If you share out this post, you can be entered into the cookie drawing. This week, though, even if you just want to share (or donate to) any of the GoFundMe sites (with or without sharing my blog), just let me know (possibly mention it in the comments on this post) and I'll enter you into the drawing. (After all, the point of this is really to amplify the stories of these three sites.)</div>
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But now, back to this week's food. I'm sure you all know that there are three basic ingredients: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNg_DxdIxIBENk3xFi9Zed462M48stToNSSVnXzKw3FqI6mxMki9KAy3-lcKOYGYT9nkrCmCDRreAvCbM0CjqCzLGvDkd7jrzloAfuQ7gALgcvgXvgpscI5H_ICr7EfihGwRo9VqgGBDFQ/s1600/IMG_4230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNg_DxdIxIBENk3xFi9Zed462M48stToNSSVnXzKw3FqI6mxMki9KAy3-lcKOYGYT9nkrCmCDRreAvCbM0CjqCzLGvDkd7jrzloAfuQ7gALgcvgXvgpscI5H_ICr7EfihGwRo9VqgGBDFQ/s320/IMG_4230.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Or, four, really:</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8DjTLhrOcjV65q7YDz1sodA-wuH4oYECOMq2ybxsWmEbYrZxr0s_HXx00tcooW3x7afxvY7W_NZ0cOV_Y8gqd14fLXN8RFst0Q9CGFBVhe4Bm9S8IGUk7Mv5cvXKoOqprgeaxKvZYj2g9/s1600/IMG_4231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8DjTLhrOcjV65q7YDz1sodA-wuH4oYECOMq2ybxsWmEbYrZxr0s_HXx00tcooW3x7afxvY7W_NZ0cOV_Y8gqd14fLXN8RFst0Q9CGFBVhe4Bm9S8IGUk7Mv5cvXKoOqprgeaxKvZYj2g9/s320/IMG_4231.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fire source can change, but there does need to be a good heat source.</td></tr>
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I decided to be organized for this (typically, I'm in mid-marshmallow-roast when I realize that the other pieces are still in the kitchen), so here are the steps I followed with you in mind: </div>
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1) Graham crackers: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00SKET1Lnq1Qr36ISnd_yri1lePT4w4Ph85cBIYTzcuVBv-M4bm0zbbw7tLxU10EnkcW52gtvkjEs-SPG7aEY-CGVGEOJXMFfqYm7zdTMvqOm0Ov8TCuwbety60C7DIXP10ZeZvaU7Tm2/s1600/IMG_4234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00SKET1Lnq1Qr36ISnd_yri1lePT4w4Ph85cBIYTzcuVBv-M4bm0zbbw7tLxU10EnkcW52gtvkjEs-SPG7aEY-CGVGEOJXMFfqYm7zdTMvqOm0Ov8TCuwbety60C7DIXP10ZeZvaU7Tm2/s320/IMG_4234.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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2) Hershey bars:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhleb2f7YF6VAxg8dya7wuoKDxVr6aUr7CqDmbMOK5TCytwsY-VMEV_zP2gh4jiXEVt7E0yqwbLCpd2MDCjN6Hh0L62PLSrIu-kYdWYopAsJJPjQhb_hsvjm34yP-48FMkGI8cAHnwuthT2/s1600/IMG_4235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhleb2f7YF6VAxg8dya7wuoKDxVr6aUr7CqDmbMOK5TCytwsY-VMEV_zP2gh4jiXEVt7E0yqwbLCpd2MDCjN6Hh0L62PLSrIu-kYdWYopAsJJPjQhb_hsvjm34yP-48FMkGI8cAHnwuthT2/s320/IMG_4235.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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3) Marshmallows: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2mgrHN-XDcoScUsQpZbA99tVzJQBkF72HAS8Ksd1W6b5PojrNDylJYF_c3jDcO2zyFqdmbMqv6ObkZirI2Ol8VGqQrunTERtDUV17fIZ4ppStP2MdiE8AwkhfpgT_dfl0Yifve7wlzvXQ/s1600/IMG_4236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2mgrHN-XDcoScUsQpZbA99tVzJQBkF72HAS8Ksd1W6b5PojrNDylJYF_c3jDcO2zyFqdmbMqv6ObkZirI2Ol8VGqQrunTERtDUV17fIZ4ppStP2MdiE8AwkhfpgT_dfl0Yifve7wlzvXQ/s320/IMG_4236.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div>
3.1) Marshmallows on a long stick:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaI8kTnGqEhNTT7CvH6xv5YVkJ4-jtAEreEWFxWzZJPu7EXCnjkXqyrEN3_zMBFXGqI7pO6lzNGT-uE1iWTDs4MvUlsNodFgK27RN5sSrq5Bcpgv0zV_BFrpjaasNZGqFqgv5MvV7DIBzk/s1600/IMG_4237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaI8kTnGqEhNTT7CvH6xv5YVkJ4-jtAEreEWFxWzZJPu7EXCnjkXqyrEN3_zMBFXGqI7pO6lzNGT-uE1iWTDs4MvUlsNodFgK27RN5sSrq5Bcpgv0zV_BFrpjaasNZGqFqgv5MvV7DIBzk/s320/IMG_4237.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not only did the grilling fork have a heat-resistant handle, it also held two marshmallows at a time! Bonus!</td></tr>
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4) Fire:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnO4O9__e4ol4n0Ghic5JWDQfbhpqvV5R0_LaDfPdFc0l5h-HFLjPqCqphd74EQyufRFUpgiKBzena55baelqib6qRbtg4SoOLmxOnmFxTzPftO6FZcth-hXkWgbvMLx_vsKoOMr4l45G-/s1600/IMG_4238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnO4O9__e4ol4n0Ghic5JWDQfbhpqvV5R0_LaDfPdFc0l5h-HFLjPqCqphd74EQyufRFUpgiKBzena55baelqib6qRbtg4SoOLmxOnmFxTzPftO6FZcth-hXkWgbvMLx_vsKoOMr4l45G-/s320/IMG_4238.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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In trying to do this all proper-like, I even pulled the marshmallows out before they went up in flames. This way, they were simply hot, melty, and malleable.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj85hYpsxbrLc8JPZQO7DVeF7Nkp2_WbGCWOH8fmHf2hvAqFN2iKqqE1gwJPQAq4WRW7F8A_9JDQ3uNQWXD4mriopWG9-Gblbdy-2_LuzePlaP5nziI_cmB_ldmh486K7nmTQvEFxoqP9KH/s1600/IMG_4239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj85hYpsxbrLc8JPZQO7DVeF7Nkp2_WbGCWOH8fmHf2hvAqFN2iKqqE1gwJPQAq4WRW7F8A_9JDQ3uNQWXD4mriopWG9-Gblbdy-2_LuzePlaP5nziI_cmB_ldmh486K7nmTQvEFxoqP9KH/s320/IMG_4239.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honestly, you have no idea how hard it was for me to pull them out before they were totally flambé-ed.</td></tr>
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At this point, it's all about assembly, or what I like to think of as the "slide and smoosh" steps: </div>
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a) slide:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wiX38TfXLeszdSSP6UdTk1eh-tt2dcFwjLSmipGrsqth3Q82nwBVSHCR7SeiX4bnL4umgNEBBOMTWNgwD92GGlC8RIgO5cZAG6zTmubk1u5-V2F4knXneaoYzDP3lOofPdz0rmeb1s74/s1600/IMG_4240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wiX38TfXLeszdSSP6UdTk1eh-tt2dcFwjLSmipGrsqth3Q82nwBVSHCR7SeiX4bnL4umgNEBBOMTWNgwD92GGlC8RIgO5cZAG6zTmubk1u5-V2F4knXneaoYzDP3lOofPdz0rmeb1s74/s320/IMG_4240.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CTirNnAzYSHJLPjwwGiwXeot8wMoBkw-UKZbR8ol0eaAFOr3r4PhGvGUs4KhMDlS0vvWnf0_Ox7RxLzvRz7vYlBJvAMiPike2dxr1goRMHk68Ht90Fpq4RIKwTUst1vpDOQ3gGxAA1lm/s1600/IMG_4241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CTirNnAzYSHJLPjwwGiwXeot8wMoBkw-UKZbR8ol0eaAFOr3r4PhGvGUs4KhMDlS0vvWnf0_Ox7RxLzvRz7vYlBJvAMiPike2dxr1goRMHk68Ht90Fpq4RIKwTUst1vpDOQ3gGxAA1lm/s320/IMG_4241.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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b) smoosh:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggsPL6oyEm2QLXWr8o_SMECvqzru3KMVUPkZk5Fw6WahuV3mCCjIbNDAsA35EM1p9-3BbNV00wY0j-tBpP70EhUe4SPu4-lu8o6bfnN-nQZfBn9NYNK_SkS95xVlq7rJB1XT4ggutHzpzM/s1600/IMG_4243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggsPL6oyEm2QLXWr8o_SMECvqzru3KMVUPkZk5Fw6WahuV3mCCjIbNDAsA35EM1p9-3BbNV00wY0j-tBpP70EhUe4SPu4-lu8o6bfnN-nQZfBn9NYNK_SkS95xVlq7rJB1XT4ggutHzpzM/s320/IMG_4243.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Note: Apparently marshmallows smell really good to some dogs. This is the very hopeful look I was getting through most of this process: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGDtn0jkbdjXzZdlTQ8MeL0nS4UZSYOrPlRFDDI5DK1RHH02YT30qbQweEB9jRauZ5WV4AX-XLNaBYETWC1YihHhKZNJFvdx0suqLx4tjrLEypUSIX0fi_uNNdItZusyNZjYSwxeqdP4W/s1600/IMG_4248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGDtn0jkbdjXzZdlTQ8MeL0nS4UZSYOrPlRFDDI5DK1RHH02YT30qbQweEB9jRauZ5WV4AX-XLNaBYETWC1YihHhKZNJFvdx0suqLx4tjrLEypUSIX0fi_uNNdItZusyNZjYSwxeqdP4W/s320/IMG_4248.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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She couldn't reach the mantle, thankfully. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWD-g7dND4OKge7BHgk91TINEDavBXsvTdyOGYsHNyjG_tv_oOUXSPZtVxvTK0K_Y1UhZMy0ASKPQajG_3yS5DUQlhKWu5gT9WNVleU41TqI-Z7NkLc9_5iJu6k2eCAqk5LG8O6JpKowzq/s1600/IMG_4249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWD-g7dND4OKge7BHgk91TINEDavBXsvTdyOGYsHNyjG_tv_oOUXSPZtVxvTK0K_Y1UhZMy0ASKPQajG_3yS5DUQlhKWu5gT9WNVleU41TqI-Z7NkLc9_5iJu6k2eCAqk5LG8O6JpKowzq/s320/IMG_4249.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And, just because, here's the wrap-up video, so you can see me get the marshmallow stuck in my mustache:</div>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Iow2a_MhHMA/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Iow2a_MhHMA?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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Oh. Okay. I can't lie. I did do a few extra marshmallows to a more well-done state. Some things you just have to do...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UQYCgnmgVrukeNuOIFchXipX9kr-0IGcjnLz-fJzg2-3gPb-0yq09HKLOzQ64ty_pVqfTYn_1DTkqDN4oIycxJRpMGkNkjSqztpXKKxtHLO8W1Aq4Uz6clSXIS1ZPelpk4ySANI5NXCh/s1600/IMG_4256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UQYCgnmgVrukeNuOIFchXipX9kr-0IGcjnLz-fJzg2-3gPb-0yq09HKLOzQ64ty_pVqfTYn_1DTkqDN4oIycxJRpMGkNkjSqztpXKKxtHLO8W1Aq4Uz6clSXIS1ZPelpk4ySANI5NXCh/s320/IMG_4256.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because, really, the charred outer layer is just the best, isn't it? </td></tr>
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*Disclaimer: I'll be trying to draw a winner each week before the next post goes up. Everyone who shares the post (or one of the GoFundMe sites) in a way that I can track it (or who lets me know that sharing has happened) will be entered into the drawing for the plate of cookies (shipping within the US, only). One entry per share, so feel free to share multiple times. No extra entries for making a donation to the fundraising pages, but don't let that stop you. </div>
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**Week Three's winner is <b>Jessi B.</b> from Alaska. She'll be getting something in the mail as soon as I make my next batch of cookies (which, this time of year, could be at any moment)!</div>
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Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-14060252422644313242018-11-23T18:13:00.002-06:002018-11-23T18:13:48.004-06:00(Edible) Cookie Painting 101 - and Week 3 of Giveaways!I realize that we just got past Thanksgiving, and so eating anything - let alone Christmas cookies - may not be what a lot of us are thinking about. But, that said, "just past Thanksgiving" is the perfect time to start on Christmas cookie baking. This is especially true if some of the cookies in your Christmas cookie repertoire are sugar cookie-type cookies that can hold up to a little "drying" time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGngGH0B0OE12QcZB86FYrYr2KBUIzQvHrxPWJ2OPRsNQUDLkxWCvL1jZwlNMPzSmMBqZF1eQFrRkM39_3qTxsyX0vG6j67_qPspUBfcNuPbKWP5vVchd9HeUHI7na7U9BaDrknCY7jjf0/s1600/IMG_4199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGngGH0B0OE12QcZB86FYrYr2KBUIzQvHrxPWJ2OPRsNQUDLkxWCvL1jZwlNMPzSmMBqZF1eQFrRkM39_3qTxsyX0vG6j67_qPspUBfcNuPbKWP5vVchd9HeUHI7na7U9BaDrknCY7jjf0/s320/IMG_4199.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And, while our kitchen at home can be a little small for this kind of work, the kitchen at my parents' house in South Dakota has a huge table and plenty of room. (Though the lighting can be a bit iffy, as you're about to see.)<br />
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Speaking of homes... You've probably heard about the massive wild fires out in California. This is the GoFundMe site for my nephew's girlfriend's stepbrother. He's a firefighter out in California who lost his own home while fighting the fires. It would be great if you could help them out as we near the Holidays:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfTq50TCDInVoO56V2Pl6NsC7Cnwje2dfuerFbhcob9UVeaY-4eZHhJvhry1hYkEzlF7spBfRNpizVBP3fGEGJ8lRyy8ya1GWEp877qRPI2zd-twkfsu3RBkhP6RQ5ibV2rkA4ZfAu3Jk/s1600/Mihld.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfTq50TCDInVoO56V2Pl6NsC7Cnwje2dfuerFbhcob9UVeaY-4eZHhJvhry1hYkEzlF7spBfRNpizVBP3fGEGJ8lRyy8ya1GWEp877qRPI2zd-twkfsu3RBkhP6RQ5ibV2rkA4ZfAu3Jk/s320/Mihld.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
The link to their GoFundMe site is here: <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/local-firefighter-family-loses-home?member=1084956" target="_blank">Local Firefighter Family Loses Home</a>.<br />
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And, as usual, though I'd love it if you wanted to make a donation to them (or to the other two funding sites I've featured in the past two weeks - for <a href="https://robertsrandomwritings.blogspot.com/2018/11/brownie-bites-and-giveaway-finally.html" target="_blank">Kara</a> or <a href="https://robertsrandomwritings.blogspot.com/2018/11/bok-choy-salad-and-week-2-of-giveaways.html" target="_blank">Derek</a>), just by sharing this blog post (and letting me know you've done so) you can be entered into a drawing to win a plate of cookies in the mail from me.<br />
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Thanks, in advance! Now, back to the cookies...<br />
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This technique for cookie decorating can really work on pretty much any cookies. We, obviously, have always used it on rolled and cut-out sugar cookies. You could use some of the store-bought dough for this, if you have some that you like. Or you could use it on gingerbread. (Or - heck - you could do it on the top crust of a pie.) The main thing is that you're going to want to do it on something that needs to be baked because of the whole raw egg situation.<br />
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For me, I start by making rolled sugar cookie dough, which needs to chill for a bit. Then, you need to separate some eggs - you're mainly interested in the yolks for this, so you can set the whites aside for a meringue later (or you can just combine everything again when you're done and make a multi-color omelette).<br />
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I start by putting a few drops of the colors in. (This is a good time to let your inner kid out and go a little heavy on the color.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpBGJMwQKDAhDARso_uEJ4bSw6H-FsYPJ4MEwoeb99iEa4KuMiQqkklELD4Ql6HYKW5yR2GtIGrC-tU01H6eKrlDrowqDY57BnMQYI4jP59ETz-sZ512JJn3qWwGQMy8LnfJWxLi0CXyO/s1600/IMG_4176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpBGJMwQKDAhDARso_uEJ4bSw6H-FsYPJ4MEwoeb99iEa4KuMiQqkklELD4Ql6HYKW5yR2GtIGrC-tU01H6eKrlDrowqDY57BnMQYI4jP59ETz-sZ512JJn3qWwGQMy8LnfJWxLi0CXyO/s320/IMG_4176.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As you can see, we're using basic drop-style coloring. Nothing fancy.</td></tr>
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The yolks can be a little thick (as can the white), so I usually put a few drops of water into each one. (Literally, like 5 drops - but if you go overboard it won't hurt anything.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgua_hSwa2aDD5pkA6aoEhPoqXgFns7XkddXBN9Z0Foc43lG8n5aGh2S7dm32tB1jtSR8oJKwt_fu3GhH_oWMJYWvMJ4IV9lUgM0JwKWs433yHhqM9GtZQH9Hglr_cBXCJyCUWmh_HsaNm3/s1600/IMG_4177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgua_hSwa2aDD5pkA6aoEhPoqXgFns7XkddXBN9Z0Foc43lG8n5aGh2S7dm32tB1jtSR8oJKwt_fu3GhH_oWMJYWvMJ4IV9lUgM0JwKWs433yHhqM9GtZQH9Hglr_cBXCJyCUWmh_HsaNm3/s320/IMG_4177.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, I add color to the yellow one, though I guess you wouldn't really need to.</td></tr>
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Here's the first of multiple photos where I was thinking "I should have figured out better lighting" - but it also shows what you get once you beat the eggs a bit.<br />
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Next, of course, you need some cookies to paint - and something to paint them with.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fUpXGU01uEKOe1kINsOBPM8a4YTw7Wi-RE8t_-nTAt1-_qgar5Ho_D_A1VG6LVh5mFzOleWtQsrVeFcCYYXmvYHXNIo4L5ydKCkhQtcYagcxXwHS2JmPdNTMlVIqXMCjeoZY-8Ihha6c/s1600/fullsizeoutput_371.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fUpXGU01uEKOe1kINsOBPM8a4YTw7Wi-RE8t_-nTAt1-_qgar5Ho_D_A1VG6LVh5mFzOleWtQsrVeFcCYYXmvYHXNIo4L5ydKCkhQtcYagcxXwHS2JmPdNTMlVIqXMCjeoZY-8Ihha6c/s320/fullsizeoutput_371.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep. I use cheap "art" paint brushes. I mean... you don't want them to be <i>too</i> cheap, because the brush hairs will come out, but you don't have to spend the money to get any kind of fancy patisserie-grade ones. </td></tr>
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I've been doing this for years, so I kind of feel a little zen about it. It's a great way to focus on something while everyone around you is kind of swirling. (Typically, in fact, these are the final cookies I bake. It's kind of an extended sigh of relief as I put them into the oven.)</div>
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And, yes, I feel that way even when working on these with my niece and nephews (and siblings).</div>
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I'm a big proponent of painting each one as it feels right. So some of them get fully coated, while others just get suggestions. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_ecX3fUs7V3dwgt8Z5U70p8iMLLpEbu1_DCcJ9lTypw1mpYz4kiCww6Kiax6sD3yjUQP9mtcOh7DyBSKW88obfy0DHgK016pjEogEClyOTLuEA8orUl1csRALDY1a4UAQWO1d3jAf61t/s1600/fullsizeoutput_372.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_ecX3fUs7V3dwgt8Z5U70p8iMLLpEbu1_DCcJ9lTypw1mpYz4kiCww6Kiax6sD3yjUQP9mtcOh7DyBSKW88obfy0DHgK016pjEogEClyOTLuEA8orUl1csRALDY1a4UAQWO1d3jAf61t/s320/fullsizeoutput_372.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, this is how I spend at least an hour or so every Holiday season.</td></tr>
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Consider, though, that the more "paint" that is on the cookie, the glossier it will be when it comes out of the oven.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRF6_ATAeYiZ5z8O8LKJe0fn4kpCuJT5Og4bgACormIU8ex_S2f0uQLhJzs24MSNys0XiiyewOxuEaK1d2U2yNPxTP4WaHitZaW_YYtAKiqw8rL6ahya0zYPVO7Dpqjo6L-LyM9_u12sh/s1600/IMG_4185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRF6_ATAeYiZ5z8O8LKJe0fn4kpCuJT5Og4bgACormIU8ex_S2f0uQLhJzs24MSNys0XiiyewOxuEaK1d2U2yNPxTP4WaHitZaW_YYtAKiqw8rL6ahya0zYPVO7Dpqjo6L-LyM9_u12sh/s320/IMG_4185.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After a quick look at them all, I'm almost ready to put them in the oven.</td></tr>
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Pretty much every time I do this, I find something that I want to add to just before the cookies go into the oven.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OqPhnBf0gMcTIdc_NhzYkT46OJ4IcqJz3TKu-RR2XA2viEPVIym2Ljv1CZF_HKFPEpzqztDA1joDW1lGuwQL75cl0SiMxRqTcy2RLWPcgy1uiCKo4vi4FAXSius0CGd_kUdXN5D3up-b/s1600/IMG_4186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OqPhnBf0gMcTIdc_NhzYkT46OJ4IcqJz3TKu-RR2XA2viEPVIym2Ljv1CZF_HKFPEpzqztDA1joDW1lGuwQL75cl0SiMxRqTcy2RLWPcgy1uiCKo4vi4FAXSius0CGd_kUdXN5D3up-b/s320/IMG_4186.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In this set, I added some extra paint on a few of them. </td></tr>
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My one caution: If you get too much "paint" on them and it spills over onto the pan, it can be a little hard to remove from the un-greased pan. It's not a big deal, but I felt I should mention it. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgku3WWAYF2Vq33_L0MaesMJlPNwSXqVlw66JbsoEaCc-Q0CwHN3FcYLjmyHMZbmTwJdkw2tMwTE7RMHThiAHB7sGciX0ZgSulaWZqviOL-oRrxefItj5w4oud5upUnYEimigb50VPS8eHQ/s1600/IMG_4187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgku3WWAYF2Vq33_L0MaesMJlPNwSXqVlw66JbsoEaCc-Q0CwHN3FcYLjmyHMZbmTwJdkw2tMwTE7RMHThiAHB7sGciX0ZgSulaWZqviOL-oRrxefItj5w4oud5upUnYEimigb50VPS8eHQ/s320/IMG_4187.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One last glance before they go into the oven...</td></tr>
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It may seem strange, but I tend to paint one color at a time. That way I don't have to put the brush down. (And, when painting with others, I can keep that one color until I feel like I'm done with it.) (Does that make it too obvious that I was the youngest in the family growing up?)<br />
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As I add colors, I kind of just go with what feels right - partially planned, partially haphazard. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvn52osUtecmeIyaFjO-hwG_QQXsmVh78LDZkYJG4bhYZXWne84mLoti_Wq8KdfR1gJ0r4l8Mr0ZI6pjsVSyMs-M2rtrx7K7shU9-mslVauAePE4Q0ozNWGdi-NePJYUM_MCv7IfjQFL2p/s1600/IMG_4189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvn52osUtecmeIyaFjO-hwG_QQXsmVh78LDZkYJG4bhYZXWne84mLoti_Wq8KdfR1gJ0r4l8Mr0ZI6pjsVSyMs-M2rtrx7K7shU9-mslVauAePE4Q0ozNWGdi-NePJYUM_MCv7IfjQFL2p/s320/IMG_4189.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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By the third color, things are taking shape. <br />
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At the fourth color, we've reached the end... sort of.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you see how I layered blue over the yellow in the middle one on the left? As the first colors dry, you can paint over them. </td></tr>
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But, how do they look when they come out of the oven? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9vv6aQXukgb5QxE0axBhvIUn9Bl12cul4lA7d82dpnjoLJ8OU1pYwCdXA3aHbnYE2HVqqtLlbI0wff35BKN0J_CQ8Bm1bqf-rhKu4ZyFSG5C5l2q9zugC5Uy3r1TcpJKvKfS2xkYqiRG0/s1600/IMG_4192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9vv6aQXukgb5QxE0axBhvIUn9Bl12cul4lA7d82dpnjoLJ8OU1pYwCdXA3aHbnYE2HVqqtLlbI0wff35BKN0J_CQ8Bm1bqf-rhKu4ZyFSG5C5l2q9zugC5Uy3r1TcpJKvKfS2xkYqiRG0/s320/IMG_4192.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
If you get a bit closer up, you can see how they turned out. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmbweABfmHCfeNjgldzzS5Xu9VnipnNsV4KAFtYpZju0KNBWqbWuJQjSvRMpSKfRNFW9mc8EiljCAhwczzL4SuXXtFFFdGzCrx2mud3_AXeY13HClnecVJVXrHVFNdnfVLynFk2ixB4-V4/s1600/IMG_4193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmbweABfmHCfeNjgldzzS5Xu9VnipnNsV4KAFtYpZju0KNBWqbWuJQjSvRMpSKfRNFW9mc8EiljCAhwczzL4SuXXtFFFdGzCrx2mud3_AXeY13HClnecVJVXrHVFNdnfVLynFk2ixB4-V4/s320/IMG_4193.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of paint = lots of gloss</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfj5Et76g8IylGSnFUJYtqZ9Z3wG5bRmbGZrrOzY-2KutVKONYySrz1b2aVG9l0SEZZLZv3gHfa6wTWw6cBk7OHAa7V7jW4IgMAkbPHMuDT-IOZzpASAxmOZmy5TQufRKtP9-0bFcBsBhb/s1600/IMG_4194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfj5Et76g8IylGSnFUJYtqZ9Z3wG5bRmbGZrrOzY-2KutVKONYySrz1b2aVG9l0SEZZLZv3gHfa6wTWw6cBk7OHAa7V7jW4IgMAkbPHMuDT-IOZzpASAxmOZmy5TQufRKtP9-0bFcBsBhb/s320/IMG_4194.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egg whites = slightly blotchy color. (But is it blotchy or lace-like?)</td></tr>
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The minimalist ones are also cool - although they leave a bit more to the imagination.<br />
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<br />
And that second pan?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-CmCpDmV7tUIDOd-uavBe6jYUFPCXoawIF4XIKj-UdOSMiOgMlZGJYDTS7gDEDJCWjRAuiB6Ztfs8zdBdNe1zjZj3wiEA1nDIis1T2hdwwYlk2HfkNRpIjWZKFrJnoFEwmnWJ7VeMPry/s1600/IMG_4196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-CmCpDmV7tUIDOd-uavBe6jYUFPCXoawIF4XIKj-UdOSMiOgMlZGJYDTS7gDEDJCWjRAuiB6Ztfs8zdBdNe1zjZj3wiEA1nDIis1T2hdwwYlk2HfkNRpIjWZKFrJnoFEwmnWJ7VeMPry/s320/IMG_4196.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I really like these cookies, I have to admit. But the time that they take does make them something I pretty much only make once per year (though I have made them at other times - adding in colors like purple and orange).<br />
<br />
How did they turn out?<br />
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<br />
Personally, I think they'd be a great way to personalize a plate for Santa - if you can make enough to save some for him.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizL-LPKgUWY3aSEdUfThdSd1Udv4ioHl3u4zWF6J8nYY8YXC53RGlkbYPi1sV2kRyl3ZFM_GrD9VUdgVYGFKGGtil6_Q9Smc7rc0famB56xk_BvvgTb1ZTI1aVIqMcTa_v5MdyL0EUrVxh/s1600/IMG_4198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizL-LPKgUWY3aSEdUfThdSd1Udv4ioHl3u4zWF6J8nYY8YXC53RGlkbYPi1sV2kRyl3ZFM_GrD9VUdgVYGFKGGtil6_Q9Smc7rc0famB56xk_BvvgTb1ZTI1aVIqMcTa_v5MdyL0EUrVxh/s320/IMG_4198.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Thus, we enter into the Holiday season - and the brightly colored chaos that comes with all of it.<br />
<br />
And - if you're feeling thankful for your Thanksgiving and checking your Christmas shopping lists, please consider helping out the folks listed above and their GoFundMe pages. (Even if you can't donate, just sharing their stories could make a huge difference.)<br />
<br />
Thanks for all you're doing!<br />
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<i>*Disclaimer: I'll be trying to draw a winner each week before the next post goes up. Everyone who shares the post in a way that I can track it (or who lets me know that it's being shared) will be entered into the drawing for the plate of cookies (shipping within the US, only). One entry per share, so feel free to share multiple times. No extra entries for making a donation to the fundraising pages, but don't let that stop you. </i></div>
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<i>**Week Two's winner is actually two people, because one shared the Week One post, and one shared the Week Two post! <b>Michelle M.</b> from Minnesota and <b>Erin L.</b> from North Dakota will both be getting cookies in the mail as soon as I make my next batch of cookies (which, this time of year, could be at any moment)!</i></div>
<br />Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-74114019406351778372018-11-16T21:36:00.001-06:002018-11-16T21:36:17.294-06:00"Bok Choy" Salad - and week 2 of giveaways!I realize that, considering how much time I spend baking, it would seem like this is the perfect time of year for me to be going to town with recipes for baked goods.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvB75oo-Od3dodDokY0KdhlxmKTvfGxZQGjtmt1c2Gr43r3WwBlIon9pAM07ok7ElNnDSpwGeAKpmq8fbs7c_J4eMK-bKKbz6CKwSByYjFakq1fpnm4QUtRAy9krpBsaLVYciWosYfZBoi/s1600/IMG_4152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvB75oo-Od3dodDokY0KdhlxmKTvfGxZQGjtmt1c2Gr43r3WwBlIon9pAM07ok7ElNnDSpwGeAKpmq8fbs7c_J4eMK-bKKbz6CKwSByYjFakq1fpnm4QUtRAy9krpBsaLVYciWosYfZBoi/s320/IMG_4152.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
So, of course, I'm going for a salad this week.<br />
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<br />
<i>Don't forget! As with last week, anyone who shares this post via social media - and tags me in it somehow so I know the share has happened - will be entered into a drawing to receive a plate of cookies in the mail!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Also, in the spirit of giving - and giving thanks - this month, I'm featuring funding pages for people I am somehow connected to. This week, it's a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/help-derek-fight?fbclid=IwAR3DdXzBRhVG06CaClX_rEhdWI28cZPKZQ5AiWeAVLZETCCmo1OQFs28ynA" target="_blank">fundraising site</a> for a college friend and his son who is fighting cancer:</i><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_IyR9teqSu3a4r4cPl6_NXne6qR6zHfPvKIKAQ69nIWwnowoEPB5S1Dq1hcFDtadL0X13Wyc-TSL20wT83mCGq5lCe9Tp6nDXAuxpaEQlWpcGOZKiaQYapnyCEDGx8qXXUhXOOfqjKxd/s1600/derek.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1163" data-original-width="1600" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_IyR9teqSu3a4r4cPl6_NXne6qR6zHfPvKIKAQ69nIWwnowoEPB5S1Dq1hcFDtadL0X13Wyc-TSL20wT83mCGq5lCe9Tp6nDXAuxpaEQlWpcGOZKiaQYapnyCEDGx8qXXUhXOOfqjKxd/s320/derek.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The link to the giving site is <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/help-derek-fight?fbclid=IwAR3DdXzBRhVG06CaClX_rEhdWI28cZPKZQ5AiWeAVLZETCCmo1OQFs28ynA" target="_blank">here</a>.</td></tr>
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(<i>If you think your friends would prefer to see the <a href="https://robertsrandomwritings.blogspot.com/2018/11/brownie-bites-and-giveaway-finally.html" target="_blank">Brownie Bites</a> post, you could also share that this week - sharing either one will get you into this week's drawing!)</i><br />
<br />
Now, back to the food...<br />
<br />
I had every intention of this being a good photo-by-photo salad-making event. And I started out that way. See?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdESxqhoDMFqQq5LHgJY8feNdY0vJF4WjbYo69CTLv8Vp8w6W1C6JaNGzB37zNJNtguhPH5q_GK51dVrIofO9T8geI83k_C5KP5ff69VIq-x-Kh2hToHSjQWSbZqw7sEFtFfVlD8CbedyK/s1600/IMG_4150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdESxqhoDMFqQq5LHgJY8feNdY0vJF4WjbYo69CTLv8Vp8w6W1C6JaNGzB37zNJNtguhPH5q_GK51dVrIofO9T8geI83k_C5KP5ff69VIq-x-Kh2hToHSjQWSbZqw7sEFtFfVlD8CbedyK/s320/IMG_4150.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The washed out stuff on the left of the photo is three packs of sliced almonds.</td></tr>
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But, umm... I kind of got my timing wrong, and thought that it was an hour earlier than it actually was. Which meant that we had to hustle to get to where we were going - the event for which we were making the salad.<br />
<br />
Now, here's a photo of the recipe:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrfc4MyvIpDFH2JQ3kvALXl_mW4beszjg6boldF3xW0n0fsb3XnLvnalPg02wKs8Oi1_mpPRjfMjX-SP7CYIs7qhoXgO1W7RTRw-YU2ofXwdFldFk3ZGTkLxBC1jp0-kvnbLu-U72G1Fs/s1600/BokChoySalad.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="994" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrfc4MyvIpDFH2JQ3kvALXl_mW4beszjg6boldF3xW0n0fsb3XnLvnalPg02wKs8Oi1_mpPRjfMjX-SP7CYIs7qhoXgO1W7RTRw-YU2ofXwdFldFk3ZGTkLxBC1jp0-kvnbLu-U72G1Fs/s400/BokChoySalad.jpeg" width="312" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
You may have noticed - if you compare the recipe to the top photo - that I doubled the ingredients. That's because I was making this for a crowd at a Friendsgiving event.<br />
<br />
You may also have noticed that it says that this is supposed to be a Bok Choy salad. But the first few times I made it I kept buying the wrong thing. And then I got used to having the Chinese Cabbage version.<br />
<br />
And I liked it.<br />
<br />
So that's what I use.<br />
<br />
Here's a photo of that cabbage with the green onions:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSTOrIA1DDTfnzGvwwgUjX9jLR-mwQbUzyuV3Fn1vlY_uAlYkg4OpzyloHCaXYuTfNACAoMifSMebAIZNBGfmIhy3XzXTcLgelDrdBCWDfgr2z5sKUoQO4qrJYY2QPTnJ-GHKbvlNtpY4D/s1600/IMG_4151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSTOrIA1DDTfnzGvwwgUjX9jLR-mwQbUzyuV3Fn1vlY_uAlYkg4OpzyloHCaXYuTfNACAoMifSMebAIZNBGfmIhy3XzXTcLgelDrdBCWDfgr2z5sKUoQO4qrJYY2QPTnJ-GHKbvlNtpY4D/s320/IMG_4151.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Of course, the things that make this recipe are the toppings. On top of the greens, you get this (possibly warm) crunchy, nutty topping with a sweet/tangy/salty dressing.<br />
<br />
A prep note worth making note of: It is <i>much</i> easier to crush up the Ramen noodles while they are still in their bags than once they're out in the wild. This keeps everything contained - no shrapnel under the fridge or in your eye.<br />
<br />
All of the "to be cooked" ingredients go into a big sauté pan (oh - remember - I doubled the recipe), and while that is coming to temp and getting all warm and cozy smelling, you can put together the dressing.<br />
<br />
You know I'm all about honesty, here, and I would normally have shown you all of the pouring of ingredients, but the time was beginning to tick away and so Christopher was pouring while I was running around and getting things ready to pack up and leave. (This includes making sure that the Brownie Bites we featured last week were plated and secure.)<br />
<br />
Interestingly, we found that if you run out of rice wine vinegar in mid-recipe you can use white wine vinegar for the balance.<br />
<br />
We also used soy sauce packets from delivery to supplement our bottle of soy sauce which was about 1/4 cup short.<br />
<br />
All of that goes into a bottle of some kind so that you can shake it up when it's time to use it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5qery91p7n8f45MLylRZVSVL5c13m4P-pJiGhhvGW8ZyaTblOalMepGCLTkK5o30qfWghaark2k2SrR9fx2xyqB7i1wInBJTq8NwYDwR_5pfk8d_B3ouegcf8_GGbjCtpVG8Tk1mNov1/s1600/IMG_4153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5qery91p7n8f45MLylRZVSVL5c13m4P-pJiGhhvGW8ZyaTblOalMepGCLTkK5o30qfWghaark2k2SrR9fx2xyqB7i1wInBJTq8NwYDwR_5pfk8d_B3ouegcf8_GGbjCtpVG8Tk1mNov1/s320/IMG_4153.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">We usually use a pint-sized jar, but a pint-sized jar is too small for a double recipe, so this went into a freebie water bottle from work - which happened to be tinted gray, so this looks a bit ominous.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
(Is that showing up centered on your screen? On mine, the photo is on the left and the caption is on the right. Weird.)<br />
<br />
Back on the stove, things were doing great. I mean... doesn't it toast up and look beautiful?<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJz7XMO1yg19RVTgrUmi5aYK-inU7Q2Xlq07e6_Fm3UZzMbyhtPHb1RhMov2lXaA3vQ2Nu96QGSq3gXliTzusnLQgfOnUmpDT7pk8pBgwiH6cdEbVU4m1Xg1myN5G6E_7KaiWHmiVSa5NT/s1600/IMG_4152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJz7XMO1yg19RVTgrUmi5aYK-inU7Q2Xlq07e6_Fm3UZzMbyhtPHb1RhMov2lXaA3vQ2Nu96QGSq3gXliTzusnLQgfOnUmpDT7pk8pBgwiH6cdEbVU4m1Xg1myN5G6E_7KaiWHmiVSa5NT/s320/IMG_4152.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okay. Yes. This photo is from when it was already off the stove - the towel would not have survived on the burner.</td></tr>
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Unfortunately, when I went to stir it, I found that I had left it on the heat a little too long and parts of this had gotten a tad dark brown. So, before packaging it up for transport, I did a quick "sorting" to get rid of the darker bits.<br />
<br />
This is when I should be showing you the glorious plated photo. And I thought I had taken one when we delivered the salad to Friendsgiving. But when I opened my photos to upload it, all I found was this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTgXrAIPf5yTfIslthDwyxTHJpguayohqqBA9cT-YLX03Lc8N5FYhif8o2Wkq-sV6W3LaGme_4T-wIVJpTE05yAIvKwNWbNSnRzREl_nBBncwJ5uQlMh8ucVHyjOEAbQFP3NPeg-KEJqI/s1600/IMG_4156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTgXrAIPf5yTfIslthDwyxTHJpguayohqqBA9cT-YLX03Lc8N5FYhif8o2Wkq-sV6W3LaGme_4T-wIVJpTE05yAIvKwNWbNSnRzREl_nBBncwJ5uQlMh8ucVHyjOEAbQFP3NPeg-KEJqI/s320/IMG_4156.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Yes, that's the salad in the upper-left corner of the photo. You get the idea, though, right? It's a base of greens with crunchy topping and then a sweet/salty dressing.<br />
<br />
Let me summarize...<br />
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Though Thanksgiving is next week, I'll be back with Week 3 of the giveaway - as well as another fundraising page.<br />
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Thanks for all you're doing to help share these stories!<br />
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<i>*Disclaimer: I'll be trying to draw a winner each week before the next post goes up. Everyone who shares the post in a way that I can track it (or who lets me know that it's being shared) will be entered into the drawing for the plate of cookies (shipping within the US, only). One entry per share, so feel free to share multiple times. No extra entries for making a donation to the fundraising pages, but don't let that stop you. </i></div>
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<i>**Week one's winner was <b>Jennifer S.</b> from out in Maryland! So as soon as I make my next batch of cookies (which, this time of year, could be at any moment), a plate of them will be on their way to her!</i></div>
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Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474929881771241086.post-27167754147464994982018-11-10T10:12:00.000-06:002018-11-10T10:12:29.644-06:00Brownie Bites - and a giveaway (finally!)Happy November!<br />
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I've got to admit that I was a little stressed before last week's elections, which is a large part of why I didn't post last week. I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed by the world, and wasn't sure how to either put that into words or do something about it.<br />
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My first thought, obviously, was baking, but that only gets you so far. (Even when it turns out as adorable as this.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2q0_RGUG2Mrkh0zfe1UZ2rzzj73BW_NAOGyw-NdO6QICxqodVCOfAxZ7oBG8ORphp5LpmRcYH7ImrEkMgHQ5tajJmslqZ0R5UnESu0NJEeLxCTtWU6HPkHGtMrSykM5EgMXpCMjXXv8Z/s1600/IMG_4144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2q0_RGUG2Mrkh0zfe1UZ2rzzj73BW_NAOGyw-NdO6QICxqodVCOfAxZ7oBG8ORphp5LpmRcYH7ImrEkMgHQ5tajJmslqZ0R5UnESu0NJEeLxCTtWU6HPkHGtMrSykM5EgMXpCMjXXv8Z/s320/IMG_4144.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I mean... There's just *so* much going on that it's hard to focus on anything. So I took some time to kind of unplug for a couple of evenings, and came up with a plan that combines baking, that giveaway I keep thinking about, *and* something that we can all do. </div>
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Let me explain: </div>
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So, that makes sense, right? Beginning with this post, each of this month's blog posts will include not only a recipe but also a link to a GoFundMe page that is not mine, but that I've heard of through one way or another. And - in the week following the posting (so, from today - 11/10 - through next week's post on 11/16 or 11/17, for instance), each person who shares the blog post with that week's GoFundMe page in it will be entered into a drawing for the chance to receive a plate of cookies in the mail from me.*</div>
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<i>With that in mind, in case you're not interested in the Brownie Bites, and want to cut to the chase with Kara's GoFundMe page, the link is here: <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/help-kara-walk-again?fbclid=IwAR3NHcmxA3OxE9tgjZvXY0P4AW7MG7hd-YBR78isEts38oM_FaYQwAC9UMw" target="_blank">Help Kara Walk Again</a>.</i></div>
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Remember: <i>Every time </i>you share this blog post via social media in some way that I can be notified - by forwarding my original Facebook post, Tweet, or Instagram image related to it, for instance - you'll be entered into this week's drawing for a shipment of cookies. (If you share this directly from the blog, I'm not sure that I can track it. So maybe just put a message at the bottom letting me know you did.)*</div>
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Now, to the Brownie Bites. </div>
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I started making these mini brownies a number of years ago. I was trying to figure out a "tidy" way to serve brownies. And this was - oddly enough - before all of the grocery stores had started putting out mini desserts. So it seemed really revolutionary to me. And - even though they're kind of omnipresent these days, I still really like them. </div>
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You can make them from scratch (like from the 1950 Betty Crocker Cookbook): </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBA7-3z2u0MEUXOLE967yrfI-TwsClBEDQtLWeHJgLEfIGbe1-hFzUVbJP1vb0t2d-_CFC7teXvCXnQFEaQUh_jgYQ9rdiSUcuatLBu0Cel2wq6Fo62452ppONYJlNiP-7d3aCUf4P8amn/s1600/IMG_4131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBA7-3z2u0MEUXOLE967yrfI-TwsClBEDQtLWeHJgLEfIGbe1-hFzUVbJP1vb0t2d-_CFC7teXvCXnQFEaQUh_jgYQ9rdiSUcuatLBu0Cel2wq6Fo62452ppONYJlNiP-7d3aCUf4P8amn/s320/IMG_4131.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Or use a mix (my favorite is the Ghirardelli mix you can get at Costco): </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xFVbAcsqcTtRVJ_OALk0AAUTv-T7gj9AXPCFrJaHrI8iCZuzuzqGltCIOpPDB06zgDCNRBkmp-9XUEMLzwwz0Eyl5VBJLoBg6ou6pYQHGfZgqN63Ovd0A0zPcCFqfNgcpZp2ve__-bd1/s1600/IMG_4132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xFVbAcsqcTtRVJ_OALk0AAUTv-T7gj9AXPCFrJaHrI8iCZuzuzqGltCIOpPDB06zgDCNRBkmp-9XUEMLzwwz0Eyl5VBJLoBg6ou6pYQHGfZgqN63Ovd0A0zPcCFqfNgcpZp2ve__-bd1/s320/IMG_4132.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Or you could even just buy mini brownies from your local grocery store. </div>
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If you're baking your own, I highly recommend not using muffin papers, but instead using a spray that has some kind of flour-type ingredient in it. I really like this one: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgouNqQCdZg_Q0RbBiyc4fKLtdrWyNzgWqPz6sFYmPYo_09p7VoGOYr48MZYdRHJfd4j-xq26UDQju9EAPEN7N2e7nO5SH76T78V-74WORlZXC7wIqgq9IkdTrEdNDyg8lP_VXWU7VvnfNw/s1600/IMG_4133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgouNqQCdZg_Q0RbBiyc4fKLtdrWyNzgWqPz6sFYmPYo_09p7VoGOYr48MZYdRHJfd4j-xq26UDQju9EAPEN7N2e7nO5SH76T78V-74WORlZXC7wIqgq9IkdTrEdNDyg8lP_VXWU7VvnfNw/s320/IMG_4133.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And, to make them more interesting, you can add some fun frosting. I've been in kind of a cream cheese frosting mood, lately, so I did some online research and found out that there are basically four ingredients in a chocolate cream cheese frosting: cream cheese (duh), butter, powdered sugar, and cocoa. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1UtAWb62khbuTqQZKB5oz9bSiiGDN8_NGNbqZ1_ggYYNFmwOoahUKcJ2__nK_r6xH1vUggd0_jyIMAZH3SlAxbFBVG1y_gZXYo9moUveGBFzxWgUlpGnB1JSwMhSbyphlr6RX3L6zigUw/s1600/IMG_4134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1UtAWb62khbuTqQZKB5oz9bSiiGDN8_NGNbqZ1_ggYYNFmwOoahUKcJ2__nK_r6xH1vUggd0_jyIMAZH3SlAxbFBVG1y_gZXYo9moUveGBFzxWgUlpGnB1JSwMhSbyphlr6RX3L6zigUw/s320/IMG_4134.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Amounts varied across all of the recipes I looked at, so I went with my gut and worked toward what felt good - both from a recipe standpoint and from an actual "feel"/texture standpoint. </div>
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I started with 8 ounces of softened cream cheese and 4 ounces of softened butter. I creamed those together...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95KObIrdWCa2lovYeqO7Vx01nLG1Yi0-nJglroU1vmA7RosinujB_KjRtUAWyIwLspJvUz_an86p9sNq7jvB5YSightsdDz8NoWFov8LAdTEXOm6NsG7p9wGWgyfpZZvUpNEY8TkZMgda/s1600/IMG_4135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95KObIrdWCa2lovYeqO7Vx01nLG1Yi0-nJglroU1vmA7RosinujB_KjRtUAWyIwLspJvUz_an86p9sNq7jvB5YSightsdDz8NoWFov8LAdTEXOm6NsG7p9wGWgyfpZZvUpNEY8TkZMgda/s320/IMG_4135.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then I added a half cup of cocoa. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-LHNmQ_RExtRGQVPkiXulw-yJXrUgGmiRH1UcmW1hzSFCTbTth-jlL_lCSnPmYyNWn5PavJtHFt8kTBaV7AkEXFSDXQjErwbuvCe3qy4UDeus8JS-V2xvKpabFl6vNjWkBrFxvW_wPxD/s1600/IMG_4136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-LHNmQ_RExtRGQVPkiXulw-yJXrUgGmiRH1UcmW1hzSFCTbTth-jlL_lCSnPmYyNWn5PavJtHFt8kTBaV7AkEXFSDXQjErwbuvCe3qy4UDeus8JS-V2xvKpabFl6vNjWkBrFxvW_wPxD/s320/IMG_4136.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I added this before the powdered sugar because I knew I wanted to have that much cocoa, and I wanted to be able to adjust the density of the frosting by using more or less powdered sugar - not more or less cocoa. </td></tr>
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Next came the powdered sugar. This was a little bit of a guessing game, because I wanted to be able to pipe the frosting, so I didn't want it too stiff. But I also wanted it to hold up and not just ooze everywhere. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOJXtxQOx-RhfT5I5g16LdC-DXi6TvxToh53ZTAURMSXTJ_WdSe_P8DvoHZtvbeHNqY_oO8UQlxxMLsykOvK3kWWy_0HoTlvxVvi1YGDDm_jOo1pZFnvMJEeue15tiSCilEq3t6723dL9/s1600/IMG_4137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOJXtxQOx-RhfT5I5g16LdC-DXi6TvxToh53ZTAURMSXTJ_WdSe_P8DvoHZtvbeHNqY_oO8UQlxxMLsykOvK3kWWy_0HoTlvxVvi1YGDDm_jOo1pZFnvMJEeue15tiSCilEq3t6723dL9/s320/IMG_4137.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The initial mixing was not looking promising - I think the dairy ingredients weren't warm enough.</td></tr>
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I worked my way up to two cups of powdered sugar. This gave me an okay consistency, and yet the frosting was still a little tart from the cream cheese. </div>
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Christopher did a quick taste test for me at this point, and because the frosting was a little "flat" - as well as being just a bit grainy - we reached for half a teaspoon of an old standby:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5Gtkf9GR9ugdQFFeU4IJpdQfI-KsYjr8M8DvC1WiyOanuC2KRCoa19SN3ajssVVpkMO_o2En6sMMi61VTVkOtiZvvLKuxzRfuy97fVPe26XQrqs-8Ma_l_zNZjJROdM5mArLj1xVXYNk/s1600/IMG_4138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5Gtkf9GR9ugdQFFeU4IJpdQfI-KsYjr8M8DvC1WiyOanuC2KRCoa19SN3ajssVVpkMO_o2En6sMMi61VTVkOtiZvvLKuxzRfuy97fVPe26XQrqs-8Ma_l_zNZjJROdM5mArLj1xVXYNk/s320/IMG_4138.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Which, after a good beating (I think I should have used a mixer, honestly), gave us this silky consistency:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTJrXSvA54OpRmtCxOLMin6V9qB_j-979Lmbg36LJKh_9F29oEZK4Cel8jawmA9atTTjf8jvkHXh135DaZZZ7qi6w2ILVvr47DdQsUfJuvzVy3DQb8hbLL5Vd4x3kGjW1OBec51zzFRHd/s1600/IMG_4139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTJrXSvA54OpRmtCxOLMin6V9qB_j-979Lmbg36LJKh_9F29oEZK4Cel8jawmA9atTTjf8jvkHXh135DaZZZ7qi6w2ILVvr47DdQsUfJuvzVy3DQb8hbLL5Vd4x3kGjW1OBec51zzFRHd/s320/IMG_4139.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next step: Getting the frosting onto the brownie bites. </div>
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For this, I turned to one of my oldest, best, kitchen friends: the Mirro Decorating kit and its 6 possible decorating tips. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1KLUZeV0z6WquMRN3_UuS5s-BZL3_FzNFCCZgJjd7H7275o9c0wScUczRBWIdtsTz2MJjknzKNoc3qOiRwo17QbwrWPyY4kddogJKndtIBPjLtUAnYS_WYA0y7sVMKjLNWfPiHM2L2h0u/s1600/IMG_4140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1KLUZeV0z6WquMRN3_UuS5s-BZL3_FzNFCCZgJjd7H7275o9c0wScUczRBWIdtsTz2MJjknzKNoc3qOiRwo17QbwrWPyY4kddogJKndtIBPjLtUAnYS_WYA0y7sVMKjLNWfPiHM2L2h0u/s320/IMG_4140.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I chose the one in the upper left, because it is the larger of the two star tips, and I wanted to put a decent amount on each brownie.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha19pDs2K36taKx71BlxJKY6-fe_Qvk315zePVSqGyOiFC_AxBGdAHm051hu8oLcb0tW4leTB0Bsbf6sI1TWYnmsfekxro_zm1jHv3OquOhhp5EE1PSodGbWct8liSES9MricHaOY63yWn/s1600/IMG_4141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha19pDs2K36taKx71BlxJKY6-fe_Qvk315zePVSqGyOiFC_AxBGdAHm051hu8oLcb0tW4leTB0Bsbf6sI1TWYnmsfekxro_zm1jHv3OquOhhp5EE1PSodGbWct8liSES9MricHaOY63yWn/s320/IMG_4141.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have no action shots of filling the tube or putting the frosting on the brownies, in part because I was using both hands to do each of those things. These are pretty basic steps, though. You put the frosting in through the plunger end, and then you use the plunger to extrude <i>(yeah - probably should have thought of a better-sounding word for that, sorry) </i>the frosting. Each filling of it probably frosted about 8-10 brownies. </div>
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Here's the only shot that I have from that process:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OkWJBTEnvP7nuZnmGEr46W6GqxfUAhWLJ9huSz-Ey0Jn4VZTUvZc1gJon8ooVPt5_bWNIE2rKU54-OAULgJrlzMRWyMaLhMDh-S-kS_6OTGTJoYLVCOTUPjAXUFeAdnUNnWYnUFeJJiZ/s1600/IMG_4142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OkWJBTEnvP7nuZnmGEr46W6GqxfUAhWLJ9huSz-Ey0Jn4VZTUvZc1gJon8ooVPt5_bWNIE2rKU54-OAULgJrlzMRWyMaLhMDh-S-kS_6OTGTJoYLVCOTUPjAXUFeAdnUNnWYnUFeJJiZ/s320/IMG_4142.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah. I said the gun made it easy - I didn't say I was perfectly tidy!</td></tr>
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And, when all was said and done, that batch of frosting covered about 6 dozen mini-muffin-sized brownie bites (in the span of about 10 minutes - not including prior baking time, obviously).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj639IdmtfcIdEaVdciZGKH4M1r1JzWyPTztxhhZoq-Ukgj6fS9si2RlgdCY9ggoWtAQI_z_Cps6XUTixCVcH5ERshdlHxPttizVlBfbtM-5JVugXjy6ISiuBno3Gdvj-Qnnr-WHiVZv7_B/s1600/IMG_4143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj639IdmtfcIdEaVdciZGKH4M1r1JzWyPTztxhhZoq-Ukgj6fS9si2RlgdCY9ggoWtAQI_z_Cps6XUTixCVcH5ERshdlHxPttizVlBfbtM-5JVugXjy6ISiuBno3Gdvj-Qnnr-WHiVZv7_B/s320/IMG_4143.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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At this point, I feel that I should remind you that there is a giveaway going on but - more importantly - for the rest of the month I'll be sharing some important fundraisers that you can get involved in. Remember: You don't need to make a donation to be included in each week's giveaway drawing, you just need to share this post in a way that I can know about it.<br />
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And, again, this is the GoFundMe page for this week, and you can get to it via the link in the caption:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="916" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qI13IwGudbcFYhJMPCbVIKmFlrEAtqIm_pnuQ1wUfNvPXgdq-LDqwbLGglJDvDUu68_oK0oOh1ai0E0eez4cDOV4t8oWpW6RYEa74fwj_4YwmgVgPuYE5pVYR5FuOmdoWc_4-3bBHgj1/s320/Kara.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.gofundme.com/help-kara-walk-again?fbclid=IwAR3NHcmxA3OxE9tgjZvXY0P4AW7MG7hd-YBR78isEts38oM_FaYQwAC9UMw" target="_blank">Help Kara Walk Again</a></td></tr>
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Kara is a friend of mine from college whose calling in life is to serve others through nursing - but also through just being a really good person. She's the kind of person who learns a foreign language just so she can speak to an elderly patient who doesn't know English. She honestly feels bad when she doesn't donate to someone asking for help on the street. And she just wants to be able to afford surgery on her hip so that she can walk without pain so that she can continue to lead her best life. (Her full story is on the GoFundMe page: <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/help-kara-walk-again?fbclid=IwAR3NHcmxA3OxE9tgjZvXY0P4AW7MG7hd-YBR78isEts38oM_FaYQwAC9UMw" target="_blank">Help Kara Walk Again</a>.)<br />
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Donate if you can. Share whether you can donate or not. (And if you share via my social media, that's what'll get you into my giveaway drawing.)<br />
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(<i>Fair warning: If you've followed this blog for any length of time, you know that I'm not great with tech. So please be as obvious as possible when sharing. If you share directly from my Facebook feed, tweet, or Instagram posting, I should be able to tell, but feel free to tag me in those shares just to be sure. And if you share directly through Blogger, just let me know so that I can make note.</i>)*<br />
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Did they taste as good as they look?<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3_EJjH-lr7E/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3_EJjH-lr7E?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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I hope you're staying warm and cozy wherever you are - and thanks for helping to spread the word for Kara's sake!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgElUKwL4B6ApJVMP5CPn7ztz1tTSdkp_IAxHn7k_blIdHn8kh_u1xvXsMSti5EnzdGM0vIIbjy_fzaGdi9f3XBeO1XLqSv5zaWErkJENG5TSm4DQlYXOK5h0bBIiII-OcPx8XNmh9lviEs/s1600/IMG_4145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgElUKwL4B6ApJVMP5CPn7ztz1tTSdkp_IAxHn7k_blIdHn8kh_u1xvXsMSti5EnzdGM0vIIbjy_fzaGdi9f3XBeO1XLqSv5zaWErkJENG5TSm4DQlYXOK5h0bBIiII-OcPx8XNmh9lviEs/s320/IMG_4145.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally an excuse to use these tiny sauce bowls for baked goods!</td></tr>
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<i>*Disclaimer: I'll be trying to draw a winner each week before the next post goes up. Everyone who shares the post in a way that I can track it (or who lets me know that it's being shared) will be entered into the drawing for the plate of cookies (shipping within the US, only). One entry per share, so feel free to share multiple times. No extra entries for making a donation to the fundraising pages, but don't let that stop you. </i></div>
Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729240977452057340noreply@blogger.com0