We Made It!!

This morning Bubbles woke up and asked me if today was The Big Day.

Bubbles: Today is my birthday, Mama?

Me: Yes! Today is your birthday!

Bubbles: Today I am four?

Me: Yes, today you are four! Happy Birthday!

Bubbles: Oh, I'm four? I keep saying, 'am I four?' and you keep saying, 'not yet!', BUT I MADE IT!!!!

Indeed!!!


Happy Birthday, Bubbles - every day you bring more joy into my life than the day before.

And, since you share my silly sense of humor....

I hope you like your cheeseburger cupcakes.



Love, Mama.

Chocolate Sushi (will win you friends and influence people)

Re-posted because my favorite foodie site published this today!! (And because I wanted to feel all kinds of fabulous today.)




I am so freaking clever, can I just say that?

Yes, I can.

When I heard about this place, I knew that I had found god. The thing is, I don't think god is always a good place for me to visit -I tend to the obsessive side, and becoming chummy could only lead to one thing: becoming too chummy.

Once I knew where the house of god was, I could be at serious risk of becoming a god-stalker. Better not to go there.

So, even though I was near this crazy chocolate-works-of-art shop the other day, I did not drag my children along to visit god's temple of chocolate. Because truthfully, I would be a bitch-mama to take my sugar-obsessed girl and my chocolate-worshipping toddler into a store where individual pieces of chocolate are $10 to $15. ("NO! NO!" "NOnono!" "NO! NO! NO!")

So, I didn't.

But that didn't stop my obsession with chocolate sushi. And the possibilities. Oh no, not in the least. I wanted to see what other amateurs like myself were pulling off.

And then I decided to devote an entire afternoon to it attempt it in my very own humble kitchen. (Did I mention it was about 95 degrees today?)

Chocolate was the goal, so the 'nori' wrapper had to be chocolate - not electric green 'fruit' leather. I decided to go with a chocolate modeling 'clay' (reminiscent of my preschool teaching days), which is really just whatever quality chocolate you choose, melted and mixed with corn syrup.

MODELING CHOCOLATE:
one 12oz bag semisweet choc chips

1/3 cup+2T corn syrup

melt chocolate over double boiler, let cool a bit and stir in corn syrup. wrap tightly and refrigerate to desired consistency. knead and roll into desired shapes.

I didn't like the marshmallow fluff mixed with coconut idea as much as I liked the rice crispy treat filling. I also thought that the chocolate would be easier to roll around something more firm. I made a basic recipe and omitted one cup of cereal so that it might be more willing to give in to my rolling pin with more marshmallow goodness binding it all together.

I then took handfuls globs of that and rolled it out (between waxed paper) to about 1/4 inch thickness. Or maybe it was more like 1/2 inch. I am not good with estimates.

I had just gone strawberry picking (I made jam; yes I did - suck on that martha) and decided that strawberries would be a good filling in place of hamachi. And it would probably taste better too - with the chocolate and all. Dried apricots or mango would look super too, but I only had fresh strawberries, so I was going with the full-on raw tuna look.

So, I divided my big wad of chocolate dough in half, rolled one piece out between wax paper (the kitchen was out of parchment), continually peeling it off one side and dropping it onto the other side, until it was very thin, but thick enough to handle. I found that if it gets too thin, it will spread (instead of roll) over the crispy treats and perhaps (ack!) break.

I measured an actual pack of square nori sheets over the chocolate and cut a nice square line doing the same with the rolled out crispy treats, making sure that the chocolate 'nori' was longer than the 'rice' on the sealing end of the roll. Then I laid the thin slices of strawberries, some snipped up blueberry filled marshmallows, and some slivers of garden mint down the center closer to the rolling end, and, using a fresh piece of the wax paper to help, rolled it up very tight.

After refrigerating to firm them up, I cut them into approximately 1/2 inch slices. I resisted many poop jokes in front of my daughter. The rolls cut easily with our sharpest knife - but would they really end up looking anything like sushi?

After arranging them on the platter to bring to the neighbors potluck (where they would impress the fuck out of everyone until the posse of young unwatched children happened to descend upon them like a swarm of teenaged hyenas and annihilate them in 30 seconds) (I am not judging. But if my kid was like, 7 or 8 years old and went all berzerk at the dessert table and loaded up on 5 brownies and 6 cookies and 7 chocolate sushis, well I would get a little whoop-ass on her. She should know about that shit whether I am there to police her or not. Oh wait, she does. And she's not even 6 yet. I'm just sayin.), I decided at the last minute to add two details for authenticity's sake. Because I was still just a
little bit worried that perhaps nobody would understand that I was going for a mock sushi. I colored some sugar orange and sprinkled it on some of the rolls, to (hopefully) resemble tobiko, or, fish eggs. Mmm, delicious...fish eggs-n-chocolate!
And, I decided that a 'dipping sauce' would be nice, so I thinned out some dark chocolate sauce (who knew that dove choc sauce lasts at least 7 months longer than your ice cream?!) and poured it into a little sauce bowl. Later (after I was done taking pictures, of course), I tossed some sesame seeds on top of the chocolate sauce. This appeared to really throw people for a loop. They wanted to dip it in the chocolate sauce - they knew it was really chocolate sauce, but it looked like soy sauce. And, just having gotten over the 'is it rawfreakingfish or is it strawberry' thing, it was a huge leap of faith to dip your chocolate sushi roll in that sauce. It was fun to watch, though.

Does it look authentic? It tasted awesome.

Breakfast of Champions (always includes cookies)

Seriously, how do I get this lucky?

Across the street from the children's therapist is a local tradition, and Supergirl and I got to share a breakfast like this today:

Coffee (for me), The Duke (cream cheese, raspberry jam, toasted cashews) (for me), plain cream cheese on salt bagel (for Supergirl) and a domino cookie (for Supergirl).

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows

Behold!
I am a rockstar, because I made marshmallows!

They were so easy, and so successful, that I have decided on my homemade gifts this year:
The ubiquitous jar of homemade cocoa mix, accompanied by homemade vanilla bean marshmallows, and maybe with a side of toffee (stay tuned).

I had heard that marshmallows were not that hard to make, and I have been more interested in candy making this year than the traditional cookie season here at Chateau Gwendo, so looked around for an easy recipe.
I know that gelatin is pretty gross, but I was not up for the failure potential by substituting agar-agar, so: la-la-la-la-I-can't-hear-you-marshmallows-are-yummy-silky-little-pillows-speak-not-of-hooves-and-connective-tissues!!!

I found a recipe which is at least eighty years old (maybe 100!), thanks to Sugarplum and Cindy from Rosehaven Cottage, with the most simple ingredient list - most importantly, no corn syrup, which I was trying to avoid. This recipe doesn't even call for egg whites, so the result really is this magical result of kitchen alchemy.



And thank you, Cindy's Great Great Aunt Esther!

Marshmallows:

I wouldn't even try this without a stand mixer, as it really does need to whip for 15-2o minutes, and this would burn out many hand mixers! You will also need a candy thermometer, easily purchased in most grocery stores!
Have everything ready before you start making these - you want your pan prepared with the wax paper all ready for you.


Butter, for greasing wax paper, and powdered sugar, for coating
2 envelopes (or Tbsp) gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup boiling water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean (approx a 3-4 inch section) (this was my own addition)

Butter a piece of wax paper that will fit your pan (the recipe called for an 8x8 inch pan, but I used my 7x11 pyrex- you could even use an 11x13, with the result of thinner marshallows). Fit the wax paper as well as you can into the bottom and sides of pan, dust bottom and sides with powdered sugar, and set aside.



In the bowl for the stand mixer, combine 1/2 cup cold water with the gelatin, whisk together and set over a pan of hot water while you boil the sugar.



Combine sugar, boiling water and salt in a heavy medium sized saucepan over medium heat.



Whisk constantly while it is on medium heat, bring to a boil, and then stop whisking. Put the whisk down and do not touch it again.


Let the sugar boil and boil. Watch your candy thermometer rise to 236 degrees - this should take 15-20 minutes - and then remove from heat.



Pour the sugar syrup slowly over the gelatin,


and with the whisk attachment, add the vanilla and vanilla bean seeds, and mix on medium for 15-20 minutes, until the mixture is fluffy and thick, and the mixing bowl is cool to touch.



Pour Plop the mixture into your prepared pan,





using a well-buttered spatula to scoop it out (hint: butter the stem as well!) and with a buttered metal frosting spatula or butterknife, push it into the corners and smooth the top until it is evenly spread. Really work it in there, or you will have giant air bubbles in the corners.







Dust the top with more powdered sugar and press another piece of wax paper on top.

Place in freezer overnight to set.

With a very lightly buttered, sharp knife, cut into strips and then squares.



Roll in powdered sugar to keep from sticking together, and store in an airtight container.



See? Rockstar marshmallows!

Nablopomo: Is it over yet? Pumpkin Cake!!

While I was whipping up my pumpkin chiffon pies (my contribution to Thanksgiving dinner, as I really hate sticking my hand up a turkey's ass, and pretty much refuse to do so), I was left with too many whipped egg whites. Can you imagine? And in the fridge, I had some yolks.
And about 3/4 can of pumpkin left.
So I made up a little layer cake, whipped up some delicious vanilla swiss meringue buttercream, and took it all with me to our friends' three hours north.
The cake was great - moist, firm but light, dense enough to hold up to a perfect petit four, but light enough to taste more cake-y than muffin-y. Since I was working with leftover ingredients, I made two round layers which were a bit thin, but the cake would do well as a single layer cake as well.

Pumpkin Cake
3 eggs, separated (this step is not necessary; I was working with leftover eggwhites)
3/4 can pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup canola oil
1 & 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

1. Mix egg yolks with pumpkin, sugar, butter and oil
2. Add combined dry ingredients, mix well
3. Fold in egg whites
4. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes for 2 round layers.
   

Do You Know the Muffin Man Mamas?

I was so inspired by SJ's creation of the muffins of english toastiness, that I decided to filch her idea take advantage of the (first in six months) rain and (very slight) temperature drop to dive again into the baking and cooking of warm things. I almost consider it a season unto itself.
I have never made english muffins before, but I love to eat them, and I love to make bread, so...what was wrong with me that I had never even thought about making english muffins before? I used this recipe, and I used my kitchenaid (insert love symbol) with the dough hook attachment and it was oh-so-easy.
That part.
The cooking was slightly laborious, as you must pan 'bake' them for ten minutes on each side, but not too bad if you are already in the kitchen making something else. Which I was. I was making crab bisque. Yum. Butter and heavy cream and sherry and ooooooooholynight.......that's all I will say about that right now. Because this is about the english. Muffins, that is.
Did you know that the first english muffins were made from kitchen scraps for the servants? Once the damn elitists upstairs found out about the deliciousness, they insisted on co-opting them into their damn elitist diet and the servants were back to eating livestock eyeballs and family barn kittens.

Another, slightly more civilized description of the regal muffin is possible to find if one looks:

"The English muffin is round and made from a soft yeast-leavened dough enriched with milk and butter. It is usually cooked on a griddle, which gives it a flat, golden-brown top and bottom, and a white band around the waste and a light, spongy interior...This method appears as early as 1747 and was recommended by Hannah Glasse."
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999

At any rate, they are yummy. And easy. Problem was, after they were all made and mmmmm waiting to be slathered with butter and jam, I searched my fridge and freezer and ACK! We are indeed, out of jam. A dire situation, but a good time to prompt me back to the strawberry farm as soon as tomorrow to fill our freezer full of jammy goodness. And yours too, because I love to share.
Turns out it wasn't that big of a problem, though. They are still yummy. Hopefully I can make some last until we make the jam, but I seriously doubt it. I already gave away one bag to a friend. Because hey - yum. Share the love. I am considering going to my favorite not-so-secret kitchen outlet buy myself a big old two burner griddle though, and make it even easier to do this again.

I do not have a biscuit cutter. I am a culinary suck.

But I do have Nana's 100 year old rolling pin and a handy blue lowball, the largest diameter glass I could find.

And it turns out that works just fine.
Don't forget the cornmeal.











Rising nicely in my dirty old oven.









I made at least 21 from the recipe,
but some of them got gobbled up right away.










My friends were very happy to receive a bag.
Hmmm... you know what a perfect gift would be? A bag of these and a jar of the homemade jam. Get the child labor going and get the kiddies to make some homemade butter and you will put even Martha to shame.

I HAZ CONES THAT U WANT!

Hey LOOK, CINDY! I got ALL the mini-cones they had at the store!

And they were on sale!

I have some saved for you, promise!

Bubbles had a blast with my concept art:

He had his own concept, of course:

Creamy Creaminess

When I was in the early stages of my first pregnancy, the smell of milk made me sick. Really. My brother even claimed that 'milk had no smell' as he made his son some evening ovaltine.
I retched back from the bathroom, "LIAR!"

I was never a big milk drinker, but I could not even say the word 'creamy' without making myself sick.
My brother thought this was hilarious and said things like, "Creamy creamy creaminess mmmm...." all the time that Christmas, proving yet again, which one of us would never actually mature.

Well, I am not pregnant.

So go read all about Horizon's Creamy Creaminess over here.

I'll take that with a side of puppy fries...

I was looking up a recipe for 'dumplings' on Cooks.com, and this is what I found (note the slightly disturbing recipe name sixth down on the list):

RECENT SEARCHES

EVERY FEW MINUTES

COWBOY CASSEROLE GRILLED RED POTATOES CHEESE ROLLS CHICKEN ENCHILADA SHRIMP SCAMPI QUICK EASY MAN STUFFED FRIED CAULIFLOWER COOKED APPLES KIFFLE BASIL PESTO ITALIAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES OLD FASHION TEA CAKES EASY EGGPLANT STEAK IN MUSHROOM SAUCE BEEF BROTH GRAVY HOMEMADE SPAGHETTI SAUCE BROILED CHICKEN BAKED BREADED COD PIZZA PILLSBURY PIZZA DOUGH STRI FRY OATMEAL BUTTERSCOTCH AU GRATIN POTATOES GARLIC STRING BEANS BLUEBERRY DELIGHT PESTO PASTA

Now, I have no idea what 'kiffle' is, and I am pretty sure that stri-fry is Sri Lankan saute dish, but Man Stuffed?

Whoa. Is that legal?
Cause if it is...I have a man....Just sayin....

The Cute Food Distraction Therapy Technique

When life comes at you like an angry, drunk weasel, what do you do?
Okay, maybe it isn't angry or drunk or even a weasel, but maybe it's more like your life is just rolling around in front of you, tripping you and generally being a big bother who won't cooperate, what do you do?
Do you also distract yourself by making cute lunchbox food that your children also won't eat? Because, while Supergirl has gotten much better in the feeding department (ie: she eats now), her brother still prefers food in liquid form - any kind of boob milk seems to be fine with him: mama, cow, goat, etc.
I tried today though, I really did. It was Bubbles' second day of preschool and I thought maybe I could trick him into eating food by making it look enticing and fun (like his sister was tricked).
I even used one of my new friend (oh yes she is! At Blogher she stole my lighter!) Biggie's yummy looking recipes for using leftover rice: Yaki Onigiri, or grilled rice balls.
I thought maybe he would try something formerly rejected (rice) if it was covered in salty goodness and crisped up a bit.
I thought wrong. I did, however, hear from the preschool director that she was impressed and showed the rest of the teachers and children the lunch (that he did not eat). Hopefully they won't be peering into his lunchbox expecting the ironically happy results of the manifestation of my own distraction every single day.

Top layer: fruit leather strips, pretzel thins, and bacon.
Bottom layer: Yaki Onigiri, PB moon sandwich with cheese stars.
(excuse the low light...I did this at midnight)

Supergirl's lunch: Snappea crisps, pistachios, cheese stars, PB&J butterfly sandwich, white nectarine, pomegranate seeds, yaki onigiri and little tiny pig sauce bottle of tamari sauce. Oh-and Brazilian Pudding flavored Pocky in the fork container!

(Note the multi-culti puddle into which I have stepped by using both Japanese and Guatemalan accessories)

Everybody Jump on the Bento Bandwagon

Ummm...okay I guess I'm okay....you know....staying busy.....


Most of you want to know where to buy the cute little Bento supplies. A year ago, you were screwed unless you lived in the Bay Area, Seattle, or Japan. But now, thanks to my favorite store's new online shop, you too can order egg molds, pig shaped sauce cups, and quippy little lunch boxes. Try Ichiban Kan. You will not regret it. Suzy in San Mateo should probably kick down some Pocky to me for that plug, but know that I share this information with you from the goodness of my heart, not out of blogging for Pocky.
The goodness of my heart, and the greenness of my heart as well. Bento eliminates the need for disposable plastic bags, etc. That alone is enough reason to go with Bento lunches.


As Geener pointed out in the comments section, no wonder Supergirl rejects the red lunches. We do, after all, live in a Blue State. But there are not enough naturally occurring blue foods, so work with me here.

Seaweed rice cake, 1/2 sour pickle, granola bar, pocky, baby star noodle snack, dried snappeas, cottage cheese, salami and crackers.

TJ's cheesey puffs, caramel cookie, pear, PB&J, Judy's breadstick and brie cheese rounds, raspberries.

Shown with Supergirl's awesome new lunch basket from here. You know you want one....for $16? such a deal!

Obligatory Back to School Bento Post

Full disclosure: I am not adhering to bento style lunches as much as I am committed to sending waste free lunches in cute little bento boxes. When my regular teaching schedule resumes in October, I will probably not be as committed or able to pack and/or photograph lunches. Rest assured, my children will never show up at school with a lunchable.



The first step to getting back into the groove was to organize and inventory the bento supplies.


Wow, that was easier than I thought. I have a ton more shit than I thought I did.

Okay, next step was to pack lunches that my starving children will actually eat. I say 'starving' because that is what they choose to do. Starve themselves and force me to throw away literally tons of organic delicious food every single year.

For Bubbles' first preschool pre-packed lunch, he got the three foods he will always eat, and a few wild cards for luck.

Pirate booty, rice cake and dried snap peas, bacon, fruit leather strips, and a Japanese rice cracker.

Supergirl got what I would consider a delicious lunch:

Snack container of popcorn, PB&homemadeJam, fresh strawberries and cherry tomatoes.

Supergirl later declared this lunch as being 'too red'. Mmmkay.



MORE on where to buy Bento Supplies here.

Devil's Food Cupcakes Worth Worshipping

We cannot get enough of the cuteness.

Ahhh, the cuteness. Also? The deliciousness.

This recipe for devils food cupcakes is the best ever. If you had the pleasure of eating those little cups of nirvana at the infamous Blogher 08 cheeseburger party, this recipe is damn close to the red velvet cupcakes served there. Supergirl, however, has an extreme sensitivity to red food dye (as in, ZOMG SHE'S TURNED INTO A DEBBIL-CHILE!) and I just say no to the addition of red in chocolate.

I have adapted it from the side of the Softasilk cake flour box. The cake flour will yield the most velvety texture of cake, but cake flour is bleached, so you can make your own very close substitute by using 3/4 cup all purpose (not whole wheat) unbleached flour plus 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, triple sifted = every one cup of cake flour needed.

Deluxe Devil's Food Cupcakes

2 sticks (one cup) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

2 1/4 cups buttermilk (this is an easy substitute - you can mix vinegar into regular milk, or regular milk into sour cream if you don't have buttermilk on hand)

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, add eggs and vanilla and beat until creamy, stopping to scrape bottom of mixing bowl well.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt with a whisk in a separate bowl.
Add 1/3 of flour mixture to mixing bowl, mix until combined.
Add 1/3 of buttermilk and alternate dry and wet ingredients, mixing until combined.
Scrape the bowl well and beat for one more minute

Teeny tiny Joy kid mini-cones or other cupcake liners.
When not using the cones, I prefer those little pleated paper snack cups to regular liners - you just line them up on the cookie sheets.

Fill cups 3/4 full with batter; bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes (for mini cupcakes) or until tops of cakes spring back.

Frost with vanilla bean buttercream or seven minute frosting.

URL Friends, IRL Meetups

Last week was filled with Bloggity Friendship Goodness!

First. there was the almost spontaneous (howabout tomorrow?) meeting with Lunasea at the boardwalk. During which I was somewhat startled by the feral fearless and adventurous natures of my children in contrast to her extremely cautious (and crazily adorable) boys. Our children were happy enough to meet (full adult disclosure: we were way more excited to meet each other than the kids were) and hang out together, but when it came to the rides, they became polar opposites.
I suggested that A and Ben take a moment to watch Supergirl and Bubbs go on the kiddie helicopter ride; no pressure, just watch them go and then decide if they wanted to ride. Of course Supergirl took that opportunity to show off the joystick of the helicopter ride, jerking it forward and back quickly, making the helicopter convulse as rebelliously as allowed on it's no-doubt extremely safe and regularly inspected kiddie ride. Up :{jerk}: Down :{jerk}: Up :: Up :: Up :: Down :: Up :: Down :: Down :: Up ::Down :: Up :: Up:: YOU GET THE IDEA, YES?
Nice job, kids. Scare the sensitive guests. Jeebz when will my kids start using the manners I have been using on them all these years? I mean the good ones.
After that ride it was no better. My kids wanted to ride everything, Lunasea's kids wanted to ride nothing, and all we wanted to do was eat fried food drink beer and talk.
We got along (I thought, though I tend to the deluded side) fabulously, and the children got along very well too - as long as there were no mechanical ride shenanigans involved.
The children's jaunt to the most polluted in all of town beach proved to be their most fun connection of all. Garbage and sewage drains brings children together.

Eventually, we convinced the Lunasea family to go on one ride with us. I was a little worried I was going to get a parking ticket if we lingered, but hell - I was going to go on one ride at least with them! The boys agreed to the merry-go-round. This was, I have to point out, after I was seen dragging my highly motivated (and slightly deluded) two year old away from the log ride and the giant roller coaster to ride the damn carousel already.
First I got my own kids situated. Supergirl predictably chose the highly dangerous outside ring horse, dangerous because she is waaaay to small to reach out and grab for the brass rings, which she does anyway, hanging nimbly yet obliviously and possibly falsely secure - by the strap of leather attached to her painted horse....
Bubbles chose the horse next to Supergirl, and after he was seated securely on his psychedelic steed, he insisted that I also take mount upon a magical ride. I guess standing next to him kind of ruins the experience and demeans his whole dizzy rainbow cowboy fantasy, so I obliged and did a side-saddle (I was a-wearin a-skirt) on my inferior, interior-ring horse.
I looked for my new friends and scanned all the horses before the ride started. I wanted to get pics of everyone on their horses, but I couldn't find them anywhere!
Finally, I saw LunaMom waving at me from (what she called!) the granny bench! She was on the very stationary wide bench that is for...well...grannies. Grampies too. But her small children? They were not amused. Benjamin, flirt extraordinaire and owner of illegally long eyelashes, who is three, was not entirely comfortable with the carousel, according to LunaMom:

Ben started looking around and groused, "Why is there no seat belt on this?"

Me[LunaMom]: "Because people don't usually fall off these, honey. Really. It's not that dangerous."

ZOMG I had to laugh. Because, hey it was the hall of ghostly death MERRY-Go-ROUND! Poor LunaMom looked like she could have used a few rounds on the Giant Dipper. Those damn adorable kids were cramping her style! I can see how she lets them get away with it though....they are HOTDAMN cute! And Momma?? She's pretty hot herself and I cannot believe I let her escape my radar while she was on her one day drop-in Blogher experience. My Bad was in not thinking far enough ahead to booze up have lunch at the local not-so-horrible-brewery which is very close to the boardwalk. We were instead, destined to dine on soggy fries, watery pepsi drinks, and slippery corndogs.
We hugged and said goodbye.
I am a local and cheap and paid for outrageously overpriced meter parking and scoffed at the standard $10 boardwalk parking.
I got a ticket. HAHA on me.

This weekend I had happy hour/dinner/duskytime (this is that time right after dusk, when your kids get sucked into the video you have suddenly started so that you and your friends can chitty-chat) with some local bloggy friends who I don't see enough. Because I am mountain, and I am lame. I don't get out much. And after the fun time I had with the crafty ladies, I don't think you can persuade me to do otherwise. So come on over.
I felt guilty when Michelle asked me why I seemed to say the word craftbloggers with such intensity, as if they were pariahs.
I laughed and said I had been completely misunderstood, because I am way more likely to call those crafty ladies of mystical achievements, messiahs rather than pariahs.
I do not think that had been properly conveyed.
Sara brought a salad which I am still craving more of and was oh-so-deliciousy garlicky bluecheesey. Michelle brought dough. To make fresh naan. And her own very well-seasoned cast iron pans. And chutney. And yum. I made the Grace1 Special Salad (fresh uncooked corn, sliced off the cob, chunks of avocado and heirloom tomatoes, red onion and a few splashes of high quality olive oil), and some grilled chicken and skirt steaks.
And of course the cupcakes. The little faux ice cream cone cupcakes.
Which were eaten faster than I could photograph that batch.

Oh yes, and if you live near me and are trying to find those tiny cones? Don't bother. I got all four boxes in the county.

Back to the Best Strawberry Farm Ever

Yesterday, during Bubbles' nap, Supergirl and I headed back to the strawberry farm.

In less than 1/2 hour, we had five pounds of delicious juicy organic berries, even with goofing off time included!


Berries for jam, berries with stems for dipping in chocolate, berries to freeze, and some just to eat.


And my favorite kind of berries: Berries with noses.


My preferred method of crushing berries for jam:



This is what I will give you if you come to visit me soon:

Strawberry Picking

We are lucky enough to live about ten minutes away from a coastal organic strawberry farm.


So, we obviously had to go get some of these mutant very extremely incredibly happy strawberries.

We got too many strawberries. Too many for jam, even. Because I am a shortsighted dumbass who underestimated the power of child labor and only bought one packet of pectin for the jam.


When we could have made three batches of jam. But now we have some jam, some frozen strawberries, and I made this:

Coconut cake with seven minute frosting, layered with strawberries (and coconut, of course).