Friday, March 14, 2014

March Use Your Words

Today’s post is a monthly writing challenge. If you’re new here, this is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once and all the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the writer will take them. Until now.

Use Your Words | graphic desigened by and property of www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics



At the end of this post you’ll find links to the other blogs featuring this challenge. Check them all out, see what words they got and how they used them.

Actually, this post was a double challenge. I had assigned all the words, sent out the emails and written my post. Then a friend who had signed up had to back out. I had the words she had sent in. I ended up having to delete my post and start over with the words she had been assigned. So here's my second incarnation of this week's Use Your words post.

 I’m using: rainbow ~ trap ~ catch ~ gold ~ 17 ~ green. They were submitted by: Confessions of a part-time working mom.

This is the story of Billy Joe and Bobbie Sue. 

Actually, it's not. It's the story of Happy-Go-Lucky and Suzie Tornado.

Well, in truth it's the ongoing story of Happy and Suzie. I started telling you this saga last Friday in my Secret Subject Swap, Lucky Leprechaun post.  Since I'm sure you've already read the post, you may want to click on the link just to refresh your memory.

OK, so you're up to date? When we last saw Suzie she was half dressed chasing cookie-clad Happy Leprechaun with a spatula. When she sees men in white coats carrying straightjackets chasing her, Suzie starts to realize that she might just want to rethink her strategy.

It isn't as though she's going to be able to serve those cookies to her guests anyway. I mean oven to table is one thing. Butt to table, not so much.


Lucky Leprechaun | www.BakingInATornado.com



It's the principal of the thing though. She's gonna catch that cookie stealing green-wearing imp if it's the last thing she does. But she's going to have to be smart about it. Oh, and clothed; she's probably going to attract less attention if she covered her own butt (literally) and wearing a straightjacket in a rubber room is not what she had in mind. She had until St. Patrick's Day to find him. She needed a plan.

Suzie went home furious but not defeated. She tried to recapture her sanity life but she was haunted, tortured by the need to show Happy that he could not get away with stealing her cookies. As March 17 drew near, Suzie had to face the fact that she was a woman obsessed. And she just didn't know what to do about it.

The Friday before St. Patrick's Day, Suzie went to the kitchen. Baking was not only her stress relief, but was also when she did her best thinking. She got to work on her Dark Chocolate Chip Bread and as she baked a plan began to form.



 
Dark Chocolate Chip Bread with Orange Cream Cheese | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #bread

Dark Chocolate Chip Bread
with Orange Cream Cheese

She didn't need to chase him, she needed to trap him. How?

And then it came to her. Happy had taken her Lucky Rainbow Cookies; that's what had drawn him, and what goes with a rainbow that could lure him back? Gold. Of course, a pot of gold. 

 She found a pot, filled it with gold, placed it on a table on her back deck and went upstairs to wait.


The story of Lucky Leprechaun | www.BakingInATornado.com


And wait.

And wait.

Then suddenly it happened, from downstairs she heard that familiar skittering sound.

She raced downstairs, flew out onto the deck, "aha" she yelled. She looked over and  to her surprise, sitting in the exact spot where she left it was the pot of gold. Slowly she turned and there in the back yard was Happy. He stopped mid-stride, turned and gave Suzie a wink. It was then that she saw what he was carrying.  In one hand was her Dark Chocolate Chip Bread. In the other, her Orange Cream Cheese.

With murder once again on her mind, Suzie grabbed the closest thing she could find, jumped off the deck and ran after him yelling "I'll get you this time, Leprechaun".

So, yet again, if you happen to see a woman running down the street chasing a Leprechaun, this time pitching gold coins at him, rest assured you're not hallucinating. Although you may want to consider getting out of the way of those men in the white coats chasing after her carrying straightjackets . . .
 
Follow these links to the other “Use Your Words” posts:


 
Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics





Dark Chocolate Chip Bread with Orange Cream Cheese
                                           ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients, Bread:
1 stick butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup milk
2 TBSP chocolate syrup, bring to room temperature
1 egg, bring to room temperature
1 3/4 cups flour
2 TBSP unsweetened baking cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Ingredients, Cream Cheese:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 TBSP powdered sugar
3 TBSP orange juice
¼ tsp orange zest
 
Directions, Bread:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan.
*Beat the butter and sugar. Beat in the milk, syrup and egg until smooth.
*Mix in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Last, flour the dark chocolate chips and gently mix them into the batter.
*Pour into the prepared loaf pan. I like to make sure the mixture is just a little thicker in the corners as they cook first.
*Bake for approximately one hour. Start checking the bread after 50 minutes. At this point, if the bread isn’t done but the top is getting very brown, you can tent a piece of tin foil loosely over the top. When done, the center should spring back to the touch.
*Allow to sit in the loaf pan for 10 minutes before removing.
Directions, Cream Cheese:
*Beat cream cheese until smooth.
*Beat in the powdered sugar, orange juice and orange zest until smooth.
*Cover and store in refrigerator.

32 comments:

  1. lol, I'd steal the bread too! Love that you carried your story over from last week.
    Now what do the neighbors think? lol
    Spatulas On Parade

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  2. I was almost sure I KNEW that HAPPY character!! And once again I was hoping Suzie wouldn't catch, I mean, trap him. Can't blame a leprechaun for stealing your yummy chocolate bread, right? After all he IS an admirer of your baking art!
    Thanks for creating a fun read with my words. Happy St. Patrick's Day :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had a lot of fun writing about Happy. And who knows, maybe he'll make another appearance next year.

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  3. Having my morning coffee...I wanted to look outside and find that Leprechaun with the Dark Chocolate Chip Bread and ORANGE CREAM CHEESE. My favorite combo! Cute story

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  4. Love it!!!! I hope we get to see more of Happy and Suzie! I am loving it!!!
    BTW, I sang along to the first line! LOL

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    Replies
    1. I don't know if Suzie can take any more of Happy. She may volunteer for that rubber room.

      Delete
  5. Super creative! And that bread sounds so yummy! I love that you write fiction. That's a genre I've never attempted and I admire writers who can do it so well. Sorry I was gloomy for this writing challenge. I'll be cheerful next time!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't know I wrote fiction either, but these writing prompts take me where they take me. . .
      I loved your post, it was honest and real. There's no need to feel that you have an obligation to be cheerful. Write what you feel.

      Delete
  6. I am still laughing at the cookie pants! You tell a great story. :)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Robin. Those cookies coming out looking more like pants than rainbows definitely set the tone for the story.

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  7. I'm totally intrigued by this recipe---never heard of anything like it but you had me at chocolate. And cream cheese. Those two things are ALWAYS good together. I'm willing to break my diet for this one!

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    Replies
    1. It really is delish. The problem is that once you start eating you don't want to stop, so if you're going to make it be sure you've got lots of company.

      Delete
  8. Hahahaha! I can totally seeing you do this! Me though ... I'd probably chase his ass with a taser instead of a spatula .. but that's just me!
    The recipe looks delicious!
    Hugs love! I've missed you :) Damn work!!

    xoxo
    Lanaya

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  9. Karen, You or Suzie must catch that little thief! I'm going to have to hold myself back from that chocolate chip bread…maybe at least until tomorrow!
    I'm thinking your could round up some JELLO for next time.. the little guy would look amazing in a gelatin mould.
    Go get 'em, Suzie!
    <3 you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great idea. Lets see that guy try to wear my multicolored jello mold. That should slow him down. ❤

      Delete
  10. A nice story which brought a nice smile with my first cup this morning... from a dark choc LOVER!!! ha

    Have a great weekend, Slu

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    Replies
    1. That Dark Chocolate Chip Bread would have gone well with the nice smile and the first cup of coffee!

      Delete
  11. I love seeing what you guys do with these words! And it's fun to see how your passions inadvertantly get brought up--like baking in this one. Great job!

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    Replies
    1. It's a really fun challenge. My posts end up being on the silly side (OK, far on the silly side) but they're so much fun to write.

      Delete
  12. What a fun challenge - and OH MY Goodness! Orange cream cheese!

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    Replies
    1. So delish, Monica, you must try it. Bet your kids would love it.

      Delete
  13. LOL - I would have swiped the dark chocolate chip bread and orange cream cheese too! Fun story!

    Happy St Patrick's Day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, lots of people seem to be approving of Lucky's choice!

      Delete
  14. This is a great recipe. I would totally steal the bread too. Love your recipe and you were very creative with your words.

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  15. Yum yum and lol! I will be sure to get out of the way! I have successfully baked two loaves of bread and two batches of cookies. But I realize I need a mixer badly!

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    Replies
    1. Yes, I need a mixer too. I only have a hand mixer and my right arm only is getting a decent sized muscle.

      Delete

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