Taking On Einstein

 

Albert Einstein was a genius. Just a fact, not up for debate. But I'm going to argue with him a bit today (admittedly, far easier to do considering he's been dead for well over 60 years). And no, theoretical physics is not an arena in which I could take him on.

The truth about geniuses is that they are often proven to be best when they stay in their lane. Not all of them are "street smart," understanding of some of the less left-brained, more everyday aspects of life. Not so with Einstein. He actually understood so much more than the analytical.

One fairly well-known quote that caught my attention: "Three great forces rule the world: stupidity, fear, and greed."

There was a time I might have argued this one, but not now. Pessimistic? Yes. But coming to clear fruition in the realm of politics in this country? Hell, yes.

But it's a quote acknowledging, even putting higher value in, the right side of his brain that makes me think the same thing I've been thinking about our forefathers: insightful, incredibly insightful, but oh, you never saw this current republican party coming.

Einstein said: "I am enough of the artist to draw freely on my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."

Imagination may encircle the world, but in his own words, Einstein admits that stupidity, fear, and greed rule it.

So . . . Enter Ron DeSantis, followed by Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and the Tennessee legislature . . . the death knell of knowledge. 

Yeah, I'm up on my soap box again.

I fully agree that imagination is integral to most every stride forward we make. But where I take exception is here: if we limit knowledge, we diminish the scope with which the imagination has to work.

Neither knowledge nor imagination is more important than the other. It is, it needs to be, a symbiotic relationship. They nourish each other.

It is not the ingredients OR the process that is the recipe for success, dear Einstein, it's the mixture: the ingredients AND the process.

Ginger Snap Sweet Potato Cake

Book banning limits knowledge. It is the beginning of the choking off of imagination, the limitation of nutrients. Imagination can survive, but cannot thrive.

Taking that limitation a terrifying step forward though, is not just the denial of facts, but the literal whitewashing of history. The bastardization of school curriculum from the largest scope of truth we can impart to one man's skewed personal views. The manipulation of knowledge by stupidity, fear, and greed.

I look at my generation with shame. We have not made the world a better place for the next generation. I have, however, seen so much hope in this next generation, a moral compass and a vision for this country and the world despite (or because of) the erosion of right, disregard of truth, bigotry, and the mass shooting traumatization endemic of the years in which they will come of age.

Now, I'm not so sure. The assault on education is the limitation of knowledge and its effect on imagination changes everything.

Computer scientists were right, the quality of the output is determined by the quality of the input.

Garbage in, garbage out.

Ginger Snap Sweet Potato Cake         

                                                                                      ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix

1/4 cup crushed ginger snaps

1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potatoes, cooled

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup orange juice

1/3 cup oil

4 eggs

1 can (16 oz) cream cheese frosting

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 TBSP brown sugar

5 TBSP crushed ginger snaps, divided

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans.

*Beat cake mix, 1/4 cup of the ginger snaps, mashed sweet potatoes, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, orange juice, oil, and eggs for 2 minutes. Spread evenly into the prepared pans.
*Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the center of the top springs back to the touch. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from pans, and cool completely. Trim the tops of the cake layers so they are flat. Place the bottom layer onto your serving plate.

*Beat together the cream cheese frosting, cream cheese, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Remove 1/3 cup of the frosting to a piping bag for decoration.

*Divide the remaining frosting in half. To one half, mix in 3 TBSP of the remaining cookie crumbs. Use half of this frosting to frost the top of the bottom cake layer. Add the middle cake layer and use the rest of this frosting on the middle cake layer. Add the top cake layer.

*Using the half of the frosting without the cookie crumbs, frost the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with the reserved frosting and the remaining crushed cookies. Refrigerate if not serving immediately.

*Cover and refrigerate leftovers, then bring to room temperature to serve.

Woke Up

 

You're familiar, I'm sure, with the saying "you don't know what you don't know." Well, I'm proof. It's actually kind of embarrassing to admit it, but I didn't know. The simple truth of a family in which I was a member, one of the inner circle, nestled and nurtured in its cocoon.

But I didn't know. And in some ways, the truth set me free. Opened my eyes.

I was maybe 5 years old. Relatives were over for a cookout, and while the adults were in the house doing adult things, I playing outside our house with Susan. Susan lived across the street, she knew a lot of my extended family, as I did hers.

At some point, the front door opened and Susan looked over.

Susan: Hi, Mrs. P.

Me: Mrs. P? 

Susan: Yeah, your grandmother's at the front door.

Me: That's not my grandmother, that's Aunt Rose.

Susan: Are they twins?

Me (laughing): No, they're it twins, they don't look anything alike.

Later in the day:

Me: Mom, this is funny, guess what Susan said.

Mom: What?
Me: She thought Nana and Aunt Rose were twins.

Mom: Honey, they are.

My grandmother and one of her sisters were twins. Identical twins. Who knew?

Apparently, everyone but 5 year old me. 

In retrospect, I understand why no one actually thought to sit me down, make a point of providing that information. 

Although many people (I learned) couldn't tell them apart, they looked completely different to me, my perspective based on having grown up with them, both viewed and seen as individuals.

Within my tribe, we saw them as different. From the outside looking in, they looked exactly the same. 

Family is one thing of course, our very first subculture, but as we grow there are many others with which we choose to identify. And when enmeshed, insulated in those groups, we run the risk of forgetting that there are other perspectives than those in which we've found comfort. Ones, even if we reject, we are better for just knowing. A reminder that we need each other to see the whole picture.

Our country, at this pivotal point in our existence, is moving in the opposite direction.

Unfortunately, a lot of power is in the hands of those (like, most prominently, DeSantis in Florida) who do not want us to see the whole picture. Those who are actively working to force us all to be and think and feel the same. Their same. They use their power to dictate what the whole picture can be, are manipulating access to anything outside of the lines they've drawn.

Banning books, health care, even discussion of what makes us different, rewriting our history, our access to information, our health care. One of whom (yes, DeSantis), in his march toward authoritarianism, towards creating us all in his own image, has taken to punishing companies, shipping off human beings, taking over curriculums.

They, those who see diversity and thought as a detriment to their personal vision, have named the movement to maintain our freedoms as "woke." They mock woke, use the term as an insult to bully anyone not willing to give in to their vision. 

  

When, in reality, "woke", unfettered access to information, free thought, celebration of and growth through diversity, is pragmatic, constructive, propitious to our growth as a society. 

It's not an exaggeration to say that our very existence could in the balance. It is nurtured and nourished minds that solve problems, not just in society, but on earth. Our food sources, flour, fruits, it can all be in jeopardy. 

Braided Blueberry Bread

 

If we are to grow, have the tools to meet challenges, to adapt, to thrive, we, as individuals and as a society, need to woke up.

Braided Blueberry Bread         

                                                                                      ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 (1#) loaf frozen bread dough

3 oz cream cheese, softened

1 TBSP cookie butter (speculoos)

1 TBSP brown sugar

3 TBSP blueberry preserves

2 TBSP melted butter

Directions:

*Wrap the frozen dough in a piece of greased plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (or for about 6 hours).

*Mix together the cream cheese, cookie butter, brown sugar, and blueberry preserves. Set aside.

*Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

*Roll the dough on a floured surface to about a 16 X 9 rectangle. Cut into 3 strips, 16 inches long by 3 inches wide, and spread the cream cheese mixture down the center of each strip to about an inch of the top and bottom, and to about 1/4 an inch of each side.

*Roll one long side of each strip over the filling, then do the same with the other side, forming 3 ropes. Gently pinch the edges. Move the strips to the prepared baking sheet, side by side.

*Squeeze the top 1 inch of the strips together and fold under. Loosely braid the strips then squeeze the bottoms together and fold under like you did at the top.

*Grease a large piece of plastic wrap and cover the braid loosely. Set aside for 4 hours to rise.

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap, gently brush the melted butter over the top of the braid. Bake for 30 minutes. 

 

It's the Bakers

 

  

It's the bakers.

 

I already knew it, had known it for quite some time. 

 

There was a school shooting in Texas a week ago. Correction: yet another school shooting, this one in Texas. More than 20 children, ending their school year, had their lives ended instead.

And it's the fault of the bakers.

I, like all human beings, was heartbroken by not just this latest school shooting, but that we'd done nothing, as a country, since the last one. And the one before that. And the one before that.

I turned on the news to hear Kellyanne Conway saying that people are in mourning, it isn't the time to talk about change. Ted Cruz skirted the issue with deflection, Greg Abbott used the tragedy as a media opportunity, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wants to arm teachers.

All of this at a time when the Republican stacked supreme court indicated it will overturn women's right to choose, protected by Roe v. Wade. And Republican politicians everywhere are responding with their personal religious convictions, that they are pro-life, that they have a responsibility to protect the unborn, even at the cost of the life of the mother.

Pro-life? What about all of these children who have died in public schools? Continue to die in public schools? Screw the personal religious beliefs, the hell with the political posturing. If you're pro-life, save lives.

I'd had enough, and I posted this on social media:

 

There was a discussion started on my FB page. Most all of the comments were in line with my personal beliefs. But one was not. One woman, apparently from Texas, had something different to say.

 

I'm not going to quote her completely as I don't have her permission, but I'm going to characterize what she said. You can go to the Baking In A Tornado FB page and read the thread for the exact content. 

She stated that she knew her opinion would be unpopular, but asked me to just think about what she has to say. She started off with two over used arguments, that it is wrong to think that guns kill people, they don't, and that if the government tries to take peoples' guns away, criminals would certainly not surrender theirs, leaving only criminals with guns.

She went on to say that her governor (Abbott, of Texas) has a genius idea, to arm teachers. A teacher with a gun at least has the opportunity to try to protect herself and her students. She acknowledged that teachers don't want to kill a child (the Robb elementary school shooter was 18), but would either successfully defend her students or die a hero, in Texas or any other red state, anyway.

In conclusion, she said that she has pit bulls, and a .45. If someone breaks into her home, ignoring the dogs, she "will not ask them to sit down for coffee and cake until the police arrive," she'll shoot to kill. So arming teachers is a genius idea, and if you disagree, we should take guns away from presidential security details, jewelry stores, courtrooms.

There's a lot to unpack here. So much made me angry, mostly the disinformation. But a lot here gave me hope too. This woman was making her points. She was not angry, she was not insulting or disrespectful in any way, she had something to say and she took the time to say it.

My response: 

Thank you for your comments and for sharing your perspective.

 

First, your entire premise is just completely false. No one is talking about taking away all guns from law abiding citizens who have purchased them legally, that is not what those of us who want limitations, licensing, and background checks are saying.

 

Second, I think we ask enough of our teachers. What Texas is recommending is an unfair burden on them, they are not trained police officers and they didn't go into teaching to be both teachers an police officers. I think many talented teachers would leave the field they love.

 

Third, at the recent supermarket shooting in NY, a trained retired police officer was there, he shot the perpetrator more than once, but the guy was wearing Kevlar, so he did not die and killed the officer. The shooter yesterday was wearing a bullet prof vest too.

 

I firmly believe that NOT taking guns away from law abiding citizens, but reforming our laws and closing loopholes allowing weapons to be purchased other than in gun stores, in order to be as responsible as possible about who can have guns, and what guns, and Kevlar as well, is the only answer. Children's lives have to matter more than how we deal with gun ownership, under our current system (or lack thereof), they don't.

Her: 

"This absolutely makes sense," but she went on to say that she still believes teachers should be equipped with guns, or there should be security outside every school.

Me:
Although we have different viewpoints, I think we (you and I) are proof that there can be rational conversation and common sense solutions. If our politicians were willing and able to talk, just talk like we are, without misrepresenting what the other perspective is, if they were willing to admit that neither "side" will win or lose, but a common sense compromise can be reached and will actually protect our children, we'd all be better off.

Her:
"100%. It's all about the babies. All about the voiceless."

Some of the most important information she imparted was where she started: first, that she believes that we don't understand the concept that guns don't kill people, people do. Second, that we want the government to take all guns away from all people.

You cannot compromise, nor even negotiate, if there cannot first be clear understanding of both viewpoints. If we're going to bake together, we need to know, cookies or cake?

 

I know that it's a daunting task to rid each other of our misconceptions, and I know that has to happen, but not initially. Gun control, gun reform, initially starts on capitol hill. And everyone there already knows what the truth is, what each side of the issue does and doesn't believe.

And we'll never get anything accomplished, even if we agree on cake, if we each come to the table with a cake. We need to come with ingredients, because, (and I know I don't need to explain negotiating to you), we're not going to end up with my cake, or with yours.

 

But we can end up with cake.

Summer Citrus Cake

 

If two strangers on FB, with completely different frames of reference, viewpoints, and stances, can have a civil, respectful conversation, agree as to what the outcome needs to be, make concessions in some places and solidify our stance in others, politicians, supposedly professional negotiators, must be willing to come to the table.

Especially politicians who claim to be pro-life. If you're pro-life, get your ass to the table, discuss common sense gun control laws, and save lives.

It has been 23 years since 13 died at Columbine High School. 

 

Ten years since the 28 deaths at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

 

Four years since 17 died at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

There have been 27 school shootings this year. It's only May.

And you know what? A majority of Americans (over 80%), even Republicans, support expanded background checks, over 60% of Americans endorse an assault weapon ban.

 

Cake? Someone get me the tea and a ticket back to my home in Boston, because what's going on in our government is taxation without representation.

 

Politicians need to see the light. Ideally, politicians need to be the light. For now, I could live with them just taking a step towards the light. 

 

Because in the darkness, there are dead children. 

  

I remain convinced of this: 

 

When it comes to gun reform and the safety of our children, it's not the cake. It's not the recipe, it's not the ingredients. It's the bakers.

 

Summer Citrus Cake        

                                                                                      ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 box lemon cake mix

1 (.1 oz) packet limeade drink mix powder

1 box (3 oz) orange jello

4 eggs

1 cup water

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup lime yogurt

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1/2 tsp lime zest

1/2 tsp orange zest

2/3 cup powdered sugar

2 TBSP orange juice, lime juice, or lemon juice

Directions:
*Grease and flour a bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

*In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cake mix, limeade powder, and jello powder. Add the eggs, water, oil, orange zest, lime yogurt, lime zest, and lemon zest, and beat for 2 minutes.

*Pour evenly into the bundt pan. Bake until the center springs back to the touch, 35 to 40 minutes. 

*Cool cake on the counter for 10 minutes, run a knife around the edges, remove from the pan, and cool completely.

*Whisk together the powdered sugar and citrus juice of your choice. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

Blog With Friends: School Spirit Mini Cupcakes

Today’s post is the next in our series of Blog With Friends theme collaborations. Each month a group of bloggers get together and each publish a project based on a theme. What I love about this partnership is that it’s not bloggers with similar interests or strengths but a diverse group coming up with a variety of posts. In any given month we may have a recipe, sewing tutorial, crafts projects, book review and/or a technology post all related to the theme of the month.

This month's theme is School Spirit. There will be individual project pictures and links to what everyone else has to offer at the end of my post, but here’s a peek at what we all came up with:

I made School Spirit Mini Cupcakes.

  

I have to admit that I was at a bit of loss as to whether to make my first batch for PurDude or for College Boy. Both had challenges. PurDude's school colors are black and gold. I used to have black food coloring but when I finished it I never replaced it. College Boy's school colors are red and white. That would make pretty cupcakes but I don't own, have never had, white food coloring. 

Either way, first step was to make up the batter and divide it into 2 bowls.

 

Decision time. For the first batch I went with Purdue. The black was going to be tricky and would most likely look more grey, but I was good with that.

I piped the batter into my mini cupcake pans. Both colors are used for each cupcake, one below the other. You can bake as is or swirl. I did some of each.

Here's some I didn't swirl. Out of the oven and cooling completely before frosting.

Yup, definitely more grey than black but fortunately it's the taste that counts. And this batch got gobbled up pretty quickly.

B O I L E R    U P !

Considering I had to work with black and gold as my color scheme, I have to admit I'm happy with how these turned out. Now that I've got PurDude's batch made, I'm off to buy some white food coloring for College Boy's batch.

As always, any time you make one of my recipes, feel free to post a picture of it to my Baking In A Tornado Facebook Page. I'd love to see it!

What are your school colors? 

Be sure to visit all of this month's other Blog With Friends projects:


Lydia of Cluttered Genius shares 9 Tips for Chaos Control (Before School Starts).

Dawn of Spatulas on Parade shares School Spirit - Crazy Hat Days and More. 

 Rabia of The Lieber Family Blog shows us how to Organize Your Desk With School Spirit..

 
Minette of Southern Belle Charm shares how to make an easy bracelet in your school color, School Color Bracelet.

Eileen of Eileen's Perpetually Busy shares a recipe for easy cookies that can be made in almost any combination of colors and flavors, School Color Cookies.

Melissa of Home on Deranged shares helpful hints and tips: How Do You Choose The Right Elementary School?

                                     

School Spirit Mini Cupcakes

                                                                          ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients (makes 36):
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 package instant pudding, flavor of your choice.
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt 
food coloring of your choice

3/4 stick butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBSP light corn syrup
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
up to 3 TBSP milk
food coloring of your choice

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray mini cupcake pans with nonstick spray.
*Cream the butter and sugars. Beat in the eggs, then buttermilk and vanilla. On lowest speed, carefully beat in the flour, instant pudding mix, baking powder and salt.
*Divide batter into 2 bowls and add food coloring of your choice to each. Pipe or spoon some of each color into the prepared mini cupcake pans. Start half of them with one color and top with the other. Start the other half of your cupcakes with the other color and top with the second. OPT: You can swirl the batters if you want.
*Bake for about 12 - 15 minutes or just until the center springs back to the touch. Run a knife around them and remove to cool completely.
*Cream the butter, vanilla and corn syrup. Mix in the powdered sugar. Add milk, one TBSP at a time until the frosting is of piping consistency. Mix in food coloring.
*Spread or pipe onto cooled mini cupcakes.

A Lesson in Economics

Today I’m visiting The Sadder But Wiser Girl’s blog with a Guest Post. I wrote a very honest piece about my younger son and I included a recipe there for these:

  

 

But these treats have a story, and it’s actually a story about my older son:

When my son was in 2nd grade, one of their lessons was on Economics. It culminated in a Bake Sale. The parents were asked to make three dozen cookies or small treats and the kids set up their own “stores” at their desks. They priced their treats between 5 cents and 25 cents. They’d have to sell their goods, assess their price strategy and make as much money as they could. All proceeds went to charity.

Family members were invited in to go through the “stores”, the students themselves were allowed to bring in 25 cents each and shop their peers’ stores, and many teachers in the school gave each of their students 25 cents and took their classes through the line. It was a great lesson.

I made the treats pictured above. My son priced them at 25 cents. One of the first groups through included the teacher from another participating 2nd grade class. She actually admonished my son, telling him to lower his price. She told him that his treats were the highest priced and asked who would want to buy just one of something when they could buy a number of items priced at 5 cents and 10 cents. My son answered that his treats were bigger than most and he wasn’t changing his price, he thought it was fair.

After she left I broached the subject. I told him that it was his choice, but that after a few groups went through the line he should consider whether or not his strategy was working. It’s fine to start out at what he thought the treats were worth, but if the consumers don’t agree and he isn’t selling them, he may need to lower his price. It’s about making as much as you can for charity, after all.

He stood his ground and I supported him. Right or wrong it was his lesson to learn.

My son’s treats were the very first and one of only a few to sell out completely. He single-handedly made the most money for the charity out of all of the 2nd graders in the whole school.

Take that Mrs. Meany-pants.

To read my post about my younger son and get the recipe for this special treat, please click on this link and read If You Fall Through The Cracks . . . Mom will catch you. It won’t cost you a penny.