Friday, December 30, 2022

My Cup of Tea: Monthly Poetry Group

 

Hash Brown Waffles | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #sidedish



 


Last Friday of the month is for
Monthly Poetry Group to rhyme.
Diane, Mimi, and I take turns,
"Royalty" is the theme this time.
 
As usual, today I'll try,
a poem to write . . . or fudge.
Whether I'm successful or not,
you get to be the judge.  





 

 
 
 
 


Royalty, poetry challenge based on a theme. | Graphic property of www.BakingInATornado.com | #poetry

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
My Cup of Tea
 
Imagine being royal, 
in charge of all you see.
When you're out in public,
all people take a knee. 

Money's not an issue,
you'll not give it a thought,
And standing in line? Never
Your desires, to you, are brought.

Clothing, all couture, of course,
and jewels adorn your crown.
Rubies, sapphires, garnets,
in riches you could drown.

Chefs are at your beck and call,
your whims prepared for you.
Best part, there are others,
to clean up when you're all through. 
 


Hash Brown Waffles | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #sidedish
Hash Brown Waffles 
 
 
 
But . . .

The royal life is strictly ruled,
pinky out when at high tea.
And you're required to be there,
(although tea is blech to me).

Eyes are always on you,
and pictures taken too.
No going out in sweatpants
or hair stuck together like glue.

And . . .

I have so many memories
times when I was young,
skinny dipping at the pool, 
catching snowflakes on my tongue.

Skipping school with besties,
to the mountains or the lake.
And maybe getting grounded?
It's a risk you know you take.

Royals can't sneak out windows 
to a party, (well, without a boat).
Arriving's not an option,
if you've landed in the moat.

No cottage on Cape Cod for them, 
friends wandering in and out,
paying for it spending nights
serving ale and stout.

So . . .

Though maybe fun for just a day,
the royal life might be.
The other 364 days?
Just not my cup of (blech) tea.





Monthly Poetry Group, a monthly group writing challenge, poetry based on a theme | graphic designed by and property of www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics #poetry

 
Before you go, stop by these blogs for more Collections poetry:
 
 




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




 

Hash Brown Waffles        
                                                                                      ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 bag (20 oz) shredded potatoes
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 red pepper, chopped
2 eggs
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar

OPT: serve with my Devil's Applesauce or sour cream

Directions:
*Pat the shredded potatoes until they are as dry as you can get them. Place them in a bowl and mix in the green onion and red pepper, then the eggs. Once the eggs are fully incorporated, mix in the flour, salt, and pepper, and last, the cheese.
*Grease your waffle iron and heat according to manufacturer's directions.
*Once the waffle iron is ready, scoop about 3/4 cup of the potato mixture out of the bowl and onto the bottom plate. Spread around quickly and close. When the waffle iron indicates it's done, check to be sure the hash brown is crisp and the center fully cooked. Remove and keep warm.
*Grease the waffle iron again, reheat and repeat until all the hash browns are cooked. Makes 5 large (8 inch) waffles.
*OPT: serve topped with my Devil's Applesauce or sour cream.


Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Better Held than Boiled

 

Apple Walnut Crème au Pain | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #breakfast #dessert

My mom served tongue for dinner once. It actually served more as a traumatic event than a meal.

 
Not just tongue, but when it comes to organ meats, I don't eat them at all. There was a time when holidays included Nana's chicken liver, which I did like in small amounts. But Nana's been gone a long time ליה השלום and at this point I eat none: livers, hearts, brains, intestines . . . even the thought of haggis makes me gag. 
 
To me, all offal, is awful. 
 
I still cringe at the memory of that tongue. I mean, that thing looked like a tongue. Little taste bud bumps and all.
 
Now I know tongue is a good source of zinc, iron, and vitamin B12. I know that when preparing, many chefs remove the section where the tongue attaches to the bottom of the mouth, and I'm also aware that, possibly to make it more palatable, once cooked, some will peel back the skin before slicing. 
 
None of which helps.

 
 
Better Held than Boiled | graphic designed by, featured on, and property of www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics #Blogging

 
 
It can be boiled, braised, pickled, roasted, smoked, salted, brined, sauteed, prepared (and disguised in a myriad of ways.
 
I've heard that tongue, or Lengua, is a popular taco filling. 

Still no.
 
And I've seen it ordered in the deli: sliced, on marble rye, with Swiss cheese, hot mustard, and slaw. I'll take that please, just replace the tongue with corned beef.

So . . .

I was in the grocery store the other day, happily making my selections, planning out my meals (and treats) for both the rest of the year, and New Year's Eve and Day.



Apple Walnut Crème au Pain | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #breakfast #dessert
Apple Walnut Creme au Pain
 

I went to check out and one of my items didn't ring up at the sale price. As the cashier was trying to figure out why, there was a guy putting his groceries up to check out after me. 

Unfortunately, the cashier couldn't get the correct price to come up and had to call for a manager. Just as she was finishing adjusting the price, the man who had been behind me walked up, I guess he'd gone to get something else.

"Are you finally done?" he asked. I could tell he was joking, and I turned to him, smiled and said "sorry, that's on me, I had to pick the one item that didn't ring up right." He laughed, the cashier laughed, the manager laughed, a pleasant meaningless supermarket interaction.

As I was leaving, the man turned to the cashier:

Customer: You have no dark brown sugar.
Cashier: Oh?
Customer (loudly): Yes, only light brown. THANKS, BIDEN.
 
Which is how I found myself walking out of a grocery store . . . holding my tongue.


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




Apple Walnut Creme au Pain       
                                                                                      ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 box (16 oz) frozen French toast sticks, defrosted
1 loaf (16 oz) cinnamon bread
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
3 medium Cosmic Crisp apples (or apples of your choice)
4 TBSP butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon 
1/4 tsp apple pie spice
8 eggs
1/4 cup Mascarpone 
2/3 cup milk
 
OPT: serve sprinkled with powdered sugar, drizzled with caramel sauce, topped with whipped cream or topped with ice cream
 
Directions:
*Grease a 9 X 13 baking pan.
*Cut the French toast sticks into thirds and place in a large bowl. Chop the cinnamon bread and mix with the French toast sticks. Mix in the walnuts.
*Core, peel, and chop the apples. Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice. Cook, stirring now and then, until the apples start to soften, about 15 minutes.
*Add the apple mixture to the large bowl with the bread and walnuts and mix well. 
*Pour into the prepared pan and arrange so it's evenly dispersed.
*Whisk together the eggs, Mascarpone, eggnog (or half and half), and the milk. Pour evenly over the bread mixture in the pan. Cover tightly with tin foil and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
*One hour before cooking, move the pan to the counter.
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake, covered, for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
*OPT: serve sprinkled with powdered sugar, drizzled with caramel sauce, topped with whipped cream or topped with ice cream.

Friday, December 23, 2022

Shop at Your Own Risk: Fly on the Wall

Jalapeno Popper Rollups | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado,com | #recipe #appetizers




 Welcome to a monthly Fly on the Wall group post. Today 3 bloggers are inviting you to catch a glimpse of what you’d see if you were a fly on the wall in our homes. Come on in and buzz around my house. At the end of my post you’ll find links to this month’s other participants’ posts.





PurDude was here over Thanksgiving. I was showing him pictures of a few desserts I've made that he might like to try. He thought he'd love the French Toast Pumpkin Pie.
 
Me: The edges get really crispy, you have to drizzle them with maple syrup, right?
Hubs: Yes, they get very crispy, like hard as a board.
Me: Well that really wasn't necessary. 
Hubs: I mean it's delicious . . .
Me: Yeah, don't even bother.
Hubs: How do I get out of this?
PurDude: Stop talking before you ruin my chances of trying that pie.
College Boy: Yeah, dad, let them eat pie. 
 
How wrong did that conversation go? Let me count the ways . . . 

 

Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics
 


From the "shop at your own risk" files: 

I had been shopping online, looking really, here and there, not for anything specific. Somehow I ended up looking at candy for a recipe, and then . . . well . . . this came up:



Umm, no thanks.



Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

 
Speaking of Walmart, I just want to say, I have no idea what this is. Self assist?

And listen, if you do know what kind of self assistance this thing provides? Please, for the love of all that's holy, keep it to yourself.
 
 

 
Moral of the story (again): shop at your own risk.
 


Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

 

This one I didn't even find myself, it found me, in my Facebook feed.

I have to admit, I had no idea dogs were into S&M.




And I'm not sure that's information I ever needed to know.


Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics


One morning last week, Hubs was in the kitchen and I was in the den on my laptop.

 
Hubs: I wish . . .
Me(looking up): You wish what?
Hubs: Nothing.
Me: Nothing, you have one wish, what do you want?
Hubs: Well, I was going to say more cream cheese.
Me (giving him a withering stare): You have one wish, and you're wishing for cream cheese?
Hubs (looking a bit sheepish): Fine, world peace and more cream cheese.

 


Jalapeno Popper Rollups | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #appetizers

Jalapeno Popper Rollups



A friend was at the house when Hubs came home. He handed me a Powerball ticket and told me he'd played my numbers for me because Powerball was up in the hundred millions.
 
Liz: He bought you a Powerball ticket, how sweet.
Me: Sweet? Yes and no.
Liz: Yes, and no?
Me: Well, he thinks I'm going to share if I win.
Liz: Aren't you?
Me: Yes and no.



Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics



I had finally gone through the file I keep for our medical bills. It was stuffed and nothing else would fit in it. Probably because I hadn't cleaned out the file since 2016.

I pulled out all of the old bills that we didn't need, it was about a 3 inch stack. I took the stack into our office to start shredding. It's just a home shredder, so I knew it would take many different shredding sessions to get through them all.

Even being careful, at one point the shredder stopped working. I told Hubs I thought I broke it, but he figured out that the cord was just loose. But he was worried I'd try to do too much at once so he decided to do it himself. I sat down with a book.
 
Me: Don't do more than a few pages at a time.
Hubs: I won't.
Me: And do some, then stop so it doesn't burn out.
Hubs: I will.
Me: That's too much!
Hubs (exasperated): It was one page.
Me: It didn't sound like one, you're going to burn it out.
Hubs (more exasperated): It was a thick paper. Go read something.
Me: I just finished my book.
Hubs: Go write something.
Me: I don't have anything to write.
Hubs (really, really exasperated): Go buy something.
Me (running from the room): I can do that.
 
Later:
 
Hubs: So . . . what's the damage . . .
Me: Don't you have some papers to shred? 



Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics



I have a question, maybe one of you can answer this for me. 
 
If your husband walks by, sort of singing under his breath, and you catch a few words, Sir Mix-A-Lot's "I like big butts and I cannot lie," should you be questioning his fidelity? Or be insulted?



Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

 
Got up one morning, came, quietly, downstairs, to peek into the kitchen.
 
Hubs (who'd caught a glimpse of me: What are you doing?
Me: Just checking.
Hubs: Checking what?
Me: Your face. 
Hubs: My face?
Me: Well, I wanted to just be sure you're OK.
Hubs: Why wouldn't I be OK?
Me: I woke up with a bruised knuckle.
Hubs: And?
Me: Just checking to be sure your face wasn't what I bruised my knuckle on.
 
Bruised Knuckles | picture taken by, featured on, and property of www.BakingInATornado.com | #humor #blogging

 
 
 
Apparently it wasn't. Good thing, that meant I was safe to go into the kitchen, which is necessary since that's where we keep the coffee.
 
As to what I could have cut my knuckle on in the middle of the night? Still a mystery.

 

Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

 

Sometimes it's fun having kids who get their sarcastic sense of humor from you. Other times, not so much.

Me: I'm going to head upstairs and read before I go to sleep.
College Boy: Mom?
Me: Yeah?
College Boy: I hope you sleep better than you look.

Somehow he found that much funnier than I did.

 

 

Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics 

Now click on the links below for a peek into some other homes:







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







Jalapeno Popper Rollups 
                                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Ingredients:
1 tube refrigerated crescent dough
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1 small jalapeno pepper, stem removed, seeded, and finely chopped
1 TBSP canned chopped jalapenos
1 TBSP bacon bits

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a piece of parchment paper onto a baking sheet and roll out the dough onto the parchment paper.
*Mix together the softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar, fresh jalapeno, chopped jalapenos and bacon bits. Carefully spread onto the crescent dough, leaving about 1/8 inch border on all sides.
*Roll up, using the long side of the dough. Slice into about 16 approximately 3/4 to 1 inch rounds. Separate them onto the parchment paper, turning them so they lay flat. Gently press down with the palm of your hand.
*Bake for about 15 minutes, until the sides are browning and the tops are hot.


Tuesday, December 20, 2022

For a Year: Word Counters

Raspberry Pistachio Cake | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dessert




 

Counting my words again. 

Today my fellow Word Counters and I are sharing our monthly group post. Each month one group member picks  a number between 12 and 50. All participating bloggers are then challenged to write something (or a few somethings, as the case may be) using that exact number of words. Today we all share what we came up with. 

 This month's number is 19
It was chosen by Me!

 

 

As I've been doing in these Word Counters posts, I've chosen a theme and am using my word count multiple times in keeping with the theme. Today I'm talking about having all of the family at home together last month, for the first time in a year.

 

~ I hadn't seen him for a year,
at least his brother remains here,
which is something I hold dear.
 
~ I hadn't seen him for a year,
he's out west on the great frontier, 
OK, Colorado (which isn't near).
 
~ I hadn't seen him for a year,
the distance, a punishment severe,
though I applaud him, following his career.
 
~ I hadn't seen him for a year,
but for Thanksgiving he was here!
Perhaps you actually heard me cheer.
 
~ I hadn't seen him for a year,
then . . . make his favorite foods? I volunteer.
(Enticing him to remain near)? 



Raspberry Pistachio Cake | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dessert

Raspberry Pistachio Cake


 

~ I hadn't seen him for a year,
dinner chair now held a rear!
You reading that with a sneer?
 
~ I hadn't seen him for a year,
savoring every moment, a sentiment sincere,
stop him leaving? Tried to interfere.
 
~ I hadn't seen him for a year,
our family time together was premier,
the wonderful memories, my souvenir.
 
~ I hadn't seen him for a year,
then good-bye, I dreaded to hear,
hugged him tight, shedding a tear.
 
~ I hadn't seen him for a year,  
blinked, then watched his car disappear.
When I'll see him next? Unclear.
 

 


Word Counters, a monthly multiblogger writing challenge | run by and graphic property of www.BakingInATornado.com | #bloggingchallenge #MyGraphics

Here are links to the other Word Counters posts:



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






Raspberry Pistachio Cake
                                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Ingredients:
1 box (15.25 oz) white cake mix
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup oil
4 eggs
1 box (3.4 oz) pistachio instant pudding mix, divided
1/4 cup pistachios, chopped
1/2 tsp raspberry extract
3 TBSP raspberry jam

1 can (16 oz) cream cheese frosting

OPT: 2 - 4 drops red food coloring and/or 3 - 5 drops green food coloring

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 X 13 baking pan.
*Beat the cake mix, milk, oil, and eggs for 2 minutes. Remove about 1 1/2 cups of the batter to another bowl and set aside.
*To the mixer, add 4 TBSP of the pistachio pudding mix and 3 drops green food coloring (if desired). Beat until just incorporated, then pour evenly into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the chopped pistachios.
*To the reserved batter, add the raspberry extract, raspberry jam, and 2 - 4 drops red food coloring (if desired). Whisk until incorporated. Spread onto the pistachio batter and swirl in slightly.
*Bake for 30 -35 minutes, until the center springs back to the touch. Cool completely.
*Once the cake is cooled, mix the cream cheese frosting with the remaining pistachio pudding mix and 2 drops green food coloring (if desired).
*Reserve 1/4 cup of the frosting for piping, if desired, spread the rest of the frosting onto the cake. Pipe with the reserved frosting, and decorate as desired.