Cooking – Marked Up

My First Jelly

While I wait in hunger for the bread to cool, it occurred to me that I haven’t posted since before my computer died (power supply bit it). So, here we are. Much like the peas, this is not for self-sufficiency. I mainly want to cover up a chain-link fence, so why not grape vines? That’sContinue reading “My First Jelly”

The Stupid – It Burns

I read The Kitchen Habits That Are Truly Dangerous and the Ones That Are Just Gross the other day. I didn’t think much about it. I just had a piece of leftover pizza for second breakfast, which reminded me of it and I actually thought about it. Pizza, in particular, may seem more acceptable toContinue reading “The Stupid – It Burns”

Learning 2 Bake From Scratch – LXXXVII

Sweet Cherry Pie The interesting thing about this one is the crust. I used half butter and half lard. The crust is much improved. It didn’t need a chisel to be sliced. I think maybe 2/3 butter, 1/3 lard, though. It’s a bit “sandy”. The filling is just cherries with one grated apple. I haveContinue reading “Learning 2 Bake From Scratch – LXXXVII”

Extreme Hydraulic Pressure

Today’s Fun Fact: You can make diamonds from peanut butter. Because diamonds are made entirely of carbon, scientists have successfully crushed peanut butter under extreme hydraulic pressure to strip away the oxygen and hydrogen, leaving behind pure carbon diamonds. “You” is the key word. That means “me”, not “some person, somewhere”. It doesn’t seem thatContinue reading “Extreme Hydraulic Pressure”

Learning 2 Bake From Scratch LXXXVI

Garden Strawberry Cake I made it up. Guess the secret ingredient! It’s the layer cake recipe from the back of the Swan’s Down Cake Flour box, which I’m writing down here so that I can throw the box away. Garden Strawberry Cake 2 sticks butter – room temp2 cups sugar3 cups sifted Swan’s Down CakeContinue reading “Learning 2 Bake From Scratch LXXXVI”

Flammable Water

This really happened last night. I’ve written it as if it were a scene in the book. I need to find something better to do during my lunch breaks. The menu was basic: Rice, meat, and a vegetable. “Asparagus or Corn?” Mark called out. “Asparagus,” The Laird replied. Mark removed a bundle of asparagus andContinue reading “Flammable Water”

Sliced Bread

And Other Lunchtime Miscellany We bought bread. Wednesdays are grocery day. It also happened to be bread day, which is whatever day we’re about to run out of bread and I make more. It was also bake a birthday cake for The Laird day. I didn’t feel like making bread and cake. I asked theContinue reading “Sliced Bread”

Gyros 2

Aside from Roman Numerals being antiqued, although not quite obsolete, I didn’t want anyone to think it was Gyros Eleven. I bought a pound of lamburger at the Farmers’ Market, today. When I explained that I liked their gyro meat, but wanted it a bit more spicy, I was told that they also sold theContinue reading “Gyros 2”

Learning 2 Bake from Scratch – LXXXVII

Cinnamon Rolls The moral of this story: Don’t always believe the recipe. This is my third or fourth time making these from the Joy of Cooking recipe. The previous versions have been fine, but a bit tough. Way back in LXX, I used a different recipe. Following the recipe may (or may not, I haven’tContinue reading “Learning 2 Bake from Scratch – LXXXVII”

Gyros

The lamb folks at the Farmers’ Market were selling “gyro meat”, which was seasoned lamb-burger formed into strips and pre-baked, in this case. I bought some because I like gyros and thought it would make a nice change of pace. I had to go to the store for a tomato and tzatziki sauce. We hadContinue reading “Gyros”