Scary Stuff

Photo courtesy of grannybutton.com

No not the line of cows peering eerily at you from the river bank...but the latest in recalls. Just in case you have not heard, there is another HUGE ground beef recall. I say another in reference to the previous meat recall during June 2009.

We are lucky because we get out beef from the family ranch out in Sumpter so these recalls never pertain to us. Want to be carefree and full of yummy disease free beef as well? Check out this site for the closest grass-fed/organic ranch near you. There are also listings for eggs, honey, chicken, turkey and a whole bunch more!

Scraping the Dimple

Anybody that has ever used a Kitchen Aid mixer knows that the dimple at the bottom of the bowl needs to be scraped with a spatula. Blah and I always forget to. Consequently, my whipped cream is not so whippy and sometimes my egg whites are a little less than stiff. However, help is on the way...or so it seems to be with this new beater blade. (You can read reviews here)

Has anyone tried this/have one? I REALLY want to order one right now but we are lacking the funds so I would like to live vicariously through all of you!

John Hughes

This man was brilliant. Please enjoy his some of his finer works...

[waking up after sharing the same bed on the motel]
Neal: Del... Why did you kiss my ear?
Del: Why are you holding my hand?
Neal: [frowns] Where's your other hand?
Del: Between two pillows...
Neal: Those aren't pillows!


Gary is chanting incoherently. Wyatt seemed very confused by his best friend's odd behaviour. They are both wearing bras on their heads]
Wyatt: Gary?... By the way, why are we wearing bras on our heads?
Garry: [hesitates] Ceremonial.


Chet: Taking the last bite of Paul Bunyans's Old 96er
Roman: I think that just about does it.
Grill Chef: He's not done yet!
Roman: It might take him a moment for that last bite to go down, but it will go down!
Grill Chef: That ain't the last bite!
Roman: Well sure it is, there is nothing on that plate but gristle and fat!
Grill Chef: Raising his eyebrows
Roman: No Problem. If i can get a dessert down him, think you can throw in a couple of Paul Bunyan hat's for the kids?


[Long Duk Dong is dancing with Lumberjack, his head is on her ample chest]
Lumberjack: What's your last name?
Long Duk Dong: Dong.
Lumberjack: What's your first name?
Long Duk Dong: Long.
Lumberjack: What's your middle name?
Long Duk Dong: Duk.


Doris (TV Repairwoman): Are you crazy? You don't feed a baby chili!


Brian Johnson: Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you're crazy to make an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us... In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain...
Andrew Clark: ...and an athlete...
Allison Reynolds: ...and a basket case...
Claire Standish: ...a princess...
John Bender: ...and a criminal...
Brian Johnson: Does that answer your question?... Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club.


Clark: Since this is Aunt Bethany's 80th Christmas, I think she should lead us in the saying of Grace.
Aunt Bethany: [turns to Lewis] What, dear?
Nora Griswold: Grace!
Aunt Bethany: Grace? She passed away thirty years ago.
Uncle Lewis: They want you to say Grace.
[Bethany shakes her head in confusion]
Uncle Lewis: The BLESSING!
Aunt Bethany: [they all pose for prayer] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands/ One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Clark: Amen.

NOOOOOOO!!!!

Our laptop crashed this weekend. Not just crashed but locked it's little hard drive behind a password that no one will ever know. Gone are all the pics of current projects in the works and more importantly, some of Jack's baby pictures.

In honor of this event, I am taking the week off to organize what I do have left. Blah!

Check It!

You guys have to head on over to Classic Bride for a super duper surprise! (No...it is not more pictures of pimping wallpaper.)

I Am Pretty Sure That Rainbow Brite Threw up In Our Basement

Let me make something clear first...I like wallpaper. I really do. I go on to ferm living all the time and drool over their fun designs. That being said, I will avoid putting up wallpaper at all cost in our house.

Why, you ask? It is such the HOT thing to do!

Right....I reply...and obviously this was the HOT thing to do at one point...
Oh wait...you can't tell just how beautiful this old wallpaper is? Let me get you a closer look.
Yes, that is foil. It really only gets better...
Ohhh there we go. Because the angled lines of foil were too "busy"...thank god they put in some vertical lines to calm the pattern down.

Seeing this got me thinking...why not show you all the glimpses of old wallpaper in our house! Ready for this?!
The Good...Trains and Trolleys really aren't that bad in an kid's room...


The Bad...the master bedroom...thank god I never saw it with this striped/flower color scheme...that would hurt.

Yep, the ugly. I hope the shininess comes through on your monitors so you can bask in the glow!

July's Daring Baker's Challenge: My Little Army of Marshmallowey Goodness

When I first saw what July's DB Challenge was, I automatically thought of my dad. He loves chocolate covered marshmallow anything. I will figure out away to send him some when it is not 90 degrees outside.

On to the cookie which makes WAY more than listed 24 cookies. I ended up doubling the marshmallow puff part but everything else worked fine as listed. I was a little short of the chocolate covering but Wade and LJ didn't mind eating all the extras for me. Yum.

Mallows(Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies)
Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network website

Prep Time: 10 min
Inactive Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Serves: about 2 dozen cookies

• 3 cups (375grams/13.23oz) all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (112.5grams/3.97oz) white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter
• 3 eggs, whisked together
• Homemade marshmallows, recipe follows
• Chocolate glaze, recipe follows

1. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, blend the dry ingredients.
2. On low speed, add the butter and mix until sandy.
3. Add the eggs and mix until combine.
4. Form the dough into a disk, wrap with clingfilm or parchment and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
5. When ready to bake, grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
7. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness, on a lightly floured surface. Use a 1 to 1 1/2 inches cookie cutter to cut out small rounds of dough.
8. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.
9. Pipe a “kiss” of marshmallow onto each cookie. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.
10. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or silicon mat.
11. One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-topped cookies into the hot chocolate glaze.
12. Lift out with a fork and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.
13. Place on the prepared pan and let set at room temperature until the coating is firm, about 1 to 2 hours.

Note: if you don’t want to make your own marshmallows, you can cut a large marshmallow in half and place on the cookie base. Heat in a preheated 350-degree oven to slump the marshmallow slightly, it will expand and brown a little. Let cool, then proceed with the chocolate dipping.

Homemade marshmallows:
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 3/4 cup (168.76 grams/5.95oz) sugar
• 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 egg whites , room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In a saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar, bring to a boil until “soft-ball” stage, or 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.
2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let dissolve.
3. Remove the syrup from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix.
4. Whip the whites until soft peaks form and pour the syrup into the whites.
5. Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff.
6. Transfer to a pastry bag.

Chocolate glaze:
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 2 ounces cocoa butter or vegetable oil

1. Melt the 2 ingredients together in the top of a double boiler or a bowl set over barely simmering water. (I found that these will only set once refrigerated)

The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.