Manitoulin. If I can make it there…

[FauxPas]

The rain has lowered my frustration tolerance level to zero so you may need to wait another day or so for the cake! I am sure all the ingredients are here somewhere but not within my reach or vision. Being vertically challenged and visually impaired in a kitchen that is not your own ....... I am just whining but that's what the rain does to me! I shall go in search of an attitude adjustment!

 

I know how rain has made me feel down at times. Last Fall, it seemed that we slogged through more than 2 months of non-stop wet dreariness. But I am not going to feel so bad about rain in the near future as we are now on Stage 3 water restrictions and we couldn't even see the sun for the past 2 days (on what would have been bright sunny days) because of all the smoke in the air from dozens of forest fires. I hated the rain here at times, but now that we really need it....

 

I guess I'm saying I'm going to try and feel better about all the good things that rain brings, if only we would get some again!     

 

At the same time, I do know what it's like to have a dreary wet summer when all you really want is some sun and a bit of warmth. Don't want to sound preachy!!!! 

[Anna N]

Sorry the weather has you down.

 

I wonder if the Guinness cake is the same one my daughter and son-in-law asked us for for their casual after-faire-hours reception? I'm at work which means I'm away from my digital recipe files.

This is one that MJX linked to in the cooking with beer cookoff topic. A single can or bottle of Guinness is just not accessible but I did buy a can of Newcastle Brown which I'm hoping will still do the trick. However we are short of some of the other ingredients I need so it will have to wait another day or so. One of the challenges of being in the townhouse is trying to keep track of what is here and what we need to bring up with us. But in my search for these ingredients I did find the green lentils I need to attempt the faux gras from David Lebovitz blog!

[Anna N]

I know how rain has made me feel down at times. Last Fall, it seemed that we slogged through more than 2 months of non-stop wet dreariness. But I am not going to feel so bad about rain in the near future as we are now on Stage 3 water restrictions and we couldn't even see the sun for the past 2 days (on what would have been bright sunny days) because of all the smoke in the air from dozens of forest fires. I hated the rain here at times, but now that we really need it....

 

I guess I'm saying I'm going to try and feel better about all the good things that rain brings, if only we would get some again!     

 

At the same time, I do know what it's like to have a dreary wet summer when all you really want is some sun and a bit of warmth. Don't want to sound preachy!!!!

Not preaching at all. Apparently the Island needed the rain although they had a very wet spring. There are times when I can thoroughly enjoy the rain and times when it can further dampen an already questionable mood. It appears to have stopped now and the sky is lightening up a little.

[MelissaH]

This is one that MJX linked to in the cooking with beer cookoff topic. A single can or bottle of Guinness is just not accessible but I did buy a can of Newcastle Brown which I'm hoping will still do the trick. However we are short of some of the other ingredients I need so it will have to wait another day or so. One of the challenges of being in the townhouse is trying to keep track of what is here and what we need to bring up with us. But in my search for these ingredients I did find the green lentils I need to attempt the faux gras from David Lebovitz blog!

As far as keeping track of ingredients, have you and Kerry considered keeping a cloud-based inventory of what you bring? We have one for our freezer, as a Google (spread)Sheet. Columns for general description (type of meat, or if it's a soup or dough or whatever), more specific description (what cut of meat, kind of soup, variety of cookie dough, etc.), approximate weight (although this gets loosely applied, as the "weight" listed for Cookie/Peanut Butter is "puck"), how many, location, and date (as YYYY/MM so it's easy to sort). The advantage of having it in the cloud is that it's easily accessible from wherever we are, and Google Sheets are easily shared between users. While it's a painful day's work to make the inventory in the first place, it's not at all painful to do the upkeep. We even go so far as when we use something up that we want to make a point of replacing, we highlight the row with bold text so it's easy to spot as you look through. You could even append a second worksheet for the alcohol.

[Katie Meadow]

Last week I made the Claudia Fleming Guiness Stout Ginger Cake. Is that the one you made? I cut back on the powdered ginger by 25 percent, used Steens Cane Syrup instead of Molasses ('cause I always have Steens on hand) and threw in a tablespoon of espresso powder for the hell of it. Very nice recipe. Husband slathered it with creme fraiche. Would be excellent with ice cream of course or a lemony sauce or a lemon sorbet....

[Anna N]

Last week I made the Claudia Fleming Guiness Stout Ginger Cake. Is that the one you made? I cut back on the powdered ginger by 25 percent, used Steens Cane Syrup instead of Molasses ('cause I always have Steens on hand) and threw in a tablespoon of espresso powder for the hell of it. Very nice recipe. Husband slathered it with creme fraiche. Would be excellent with ice cream of course or a lemony sauce or a lemon sorbet....

It certainly appears to be although I have never seen it linked to Claudia Fleming before! Kerry just walked in the door with fresh ground ginger and cloves so perhaps tomorrow....

[Porthos]

I took a look at the recipe MJX linked to. It is somewhat different. The recipe I used called for an Irish Cream Frosting. And I don't think it called for ginger. I won't know for many hours because I have errands to attend to after work and won't be home until maybe 8:30 p,m. PDT.

[Anna N]

As far as keeping track of ingredients, have you and Kerry considered keeping a cloud-based inventory of what you bring? We have one for our freezer, as a Google (spread)Sheet. Columns for general description (type of meat, or if it's a soup or dough or whatever), more specific description (what cut of meat, kind of soup, variety of cookie dough, etc.), approximate weight (although this gets loosely applied, as the "weight" listed for Cookie/Peanut Butter is "puck"), how many, location, and date (as YYYY/MM so it's easy to sort). The advantage of having it in the cloud is that it's easily accessible from wherever we are, and Google Sheets are easily shared between users. While it's a painful day's work to make the inventory in the first place, it's not at all painful to do the upkeep. We even go so far as when we use something up that we want to make a point of replacing, we highlight the row with bold text so it's easy to spot as you look through. You could even append a second worksheet for the alcohol.

Ah, Melissa, if only. We do try but we are both impulsive buyers, users and ditchers! We keep lists that are never quite current, make promises that we don't keep, make post it notes tbat we misplace...

[aliénor]

IMG_0584.jpg

 

Rum and orange cake for the clinic.

 

Working on Blueberry Oatmeal muffins for rounds.

i would love to have the recipe for your rum and orange cake.   it is lovely looking and i bet it is also great to eat.

[Kerry Beal]

Orange cake with Rum Glaze

 

• ¾ cup oil
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 grated lemon rind
• 1 grated orange peel
• Glaze
• juice of 1 lemon
• juice of 1 orange
• ⅔ cup sugar
• ¼ cup rum

 

Method

 

1.Cake: Beat together oil, sugar and eggs. Alternate dry ingredients with yogurt. Bake at 350(160) for 50 minutes in a well oiled bundt or tube pan. Leave cake in pan and pour glaze over. Let cool for 30 minutes before turning out. 

2.Glaze: Combine all ingredients. Microwave or heat until all sugar melted. 

Edited July 7, 2015 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Anna N]

The road to hell and all that

A perfectly adequate vegetarian meal of mashed cauliflower, butter, garlic and scallions

Then we decided everything is better with bacon.

And if it's better with bacon imagine how good it is with cheese and bacon. We are doomed.

[ElsieD]

The road to hell and all that

image.jpg

A perfectly adequate vegetarian meal of mashed cauliflower, butter, garlic and scallions

image.jpg

Then we decided everything is better with bacon.

And if it's better with bacon imagine how good it is with cheese and bacon. We are doomed.

image.jpg

If you are doomed then I want to be doomed along with you. Looks delicious.

[Kerry Beal]

Apparently I forgot to take pictures of the two batches of brownies I made last night to take to work today. Suffice it to say they look just like all the other pictures of brownies I've taken up here with the difference being they have no pecans in them!

 

Now trying to decide what I shall make for the ER tomorrow.

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

 

Buttermilk quick bread with blueberries.

[rotuts]

that loaf looks very nice.  do you have a ref. for the Rx ?

 

thanks

[Kerry Beal]

Kinda like this however it looks like there have been a few changes over the years since I first took it from Fine Cooking. Mine uses these proportions - 

 

• 2 cups (10 oz) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (4 oz) white sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (8 oz) buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup (2 oz) unsalted butter, olive oil, or vegetable oil

[Kerry Beal]

Working ER today - have my lovely PA student working with me again - so we have headed home for a nice lunch that Anna has put together for us.

 

 

Cheese, bacon and chive muffins.

 

 

Mushroom, green onion and cheddar fritatta.

 

 

 

 

[Shelby]

Those muffins look delicious.

[Anna N]

Thank you, Shelby.

Kerry returned to the hospital emerg with her student just before one pm and I think she has been swallowed up as I have not heard from her since!

Decided if I wanted a cocktail anywhere close to the cocktail hour tonight it would be up to me to make it. This is called a long negroni as my hand slipped pouring the gin. Equal parts are essential!

[Porthos]

Going back to the keeping of lists and such, I am an extremely anal person about using lists. We have totes with our vacation stuff in it. I still list out what I want to have at the lake and go through the totes to double-check. Same level of anal for my ren faire stuff. Since I have food in 2 different refrigerators, 2 different freezers, and other stuff staged in the house I pack every Friday night to the list. There is also a column for personal stuff. Who wants to run out of clean undies or my head meds.

 

The good thing is this my system but doesn't have to be anyone else's. If the attempts at keeping lists doesn't work out, that's ok. You two still turn out an amazing amount of interesting food and cocktails.

 

I raise my water bottle in salute to your long negroni. Cheers.

[Anna N]

Going back to the keeping of lists and such, I am an extremely anal person about using lists. We have totes with our vacation stuff in it. I still list out what I want to have at the lake and go through the totes to double-check. Same level of anal for my ren faire stuff. Since I have food in 2 different refrigerators, 2 different freezers, and other stuff staged in the house I pack every Friday night to the list. There is also a column for personal stuff. Who wants to run out of clean undies or my head meds.

The good thing is this my system but doesn't have to be anyone else's. If the attempts at keeping lists doesn't work out, that's ok. You two still turn out an amazing amount of interesting food and cocktails.

I raise my water bottle in salute to your long negroni. Cheers.

I was just remarking to Kerry that no matter how long my long negroni is, it never seems quite long enough!

Edited to fix typo

Edited July 8, 2015 by Anna N (log)

[Anna N]

We each fended for ourselves this evening. Kerry said her meal was not photogenic enough to post. It was a Bowl Meal similar to mine but with potatoes in place of zoodles.

Leftover beef re-fried in the wok, chopped scallions added and then a ziplock bag of leftover zoodles. You would be amazed at how good this was. Both of us can be quite easily satisfied with very simple dishes. Thank goodness.

[Kerry Beal]

 

One of the nurses came in this morning with Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Mushrooms - so one came home for Anna and I to share. 

 

Looks like potential material for an eggfest!

 

[Anna N]

Good morning.

After Kerry finished up at the hospital this morning we headed over to the grocery store to replenish supplies.

Kerry assured me I would have no difficulty finding the red onion which was on my shopping list. But look as closely as you can -- there are no red onions there. Nor was there a shallot to be found! Curly parsley only and it is a little the worse for wear and even the asparagus should perhaps have been left in the store on closer inspection. Still it is what it is and one must make the best of it while turning green with envy looking at some members bounty from CSAs and farmers markets.

[Smithy]

Is Farquhar's a particularly good butter, or just what thy happened to have? Is that a pork roast of some sort at the lower left?