Skills

My new job as a den leader in the cub scout program has me contemplating my skills.

Very few of which appear in the cub achievements. Which is fairly tragic considering that the cub achievements are actually quite progressive and gender neutral.

I will have to work on that. Tuesday nights at seven. And all week while I try to figure out what the heck I'm doing.

In particular, I have been thinking about the Lamb Grower's years.

I did not grow lambs. Nor did I know anyone who grew lambs.

But . . . my Grandpa was retired from the Department of Agriculture/Forest Service and had an interest in Sheep Growers. He had also retired and moved next door to raise horses, but that is a story for another day.

I don't remember the actual name of the organization. It was, after all, more than 30 years ago. Which makes me feel strange when I see it in writing. Although I am usually not bothered by my age. I'll have to spend some time analyzing this later on.

I know it involved sheep, and wool. And lamb meat, which I never really developed a taste for.

I had sewing skills back in the day. Mad sewing skills, actually. Think the most complicated Gunne Sax dress around, in 5 different green calico prints. That's what I'm talking about. It was AWESOME.

I really was a skilled seamstress. And in sewing 4H. Which led to my Grammy entering me in the sewing competition at the Wool Grower's Convention. And taking me shopping for wool. And examining my seams. My Grammy was a perfectionist.

All I really remember about that event was people looking at the seams of my skirt. Grammy was right!

I think we ate lamb.

I was not wearing the skirt at the time. In case you were wondering.

There may have been a fashion show. Which I have blocked from my memory.

Do you think I could lobby for a sewing/fashion showing achievement for Wolf scouts?

Why don't we do Girl Scouts in my church?


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Hull, Mass.

Skunks, and other signs of Spring

Spring is coming to Hull. How do I know this? Because the dog groomer told me.

I walked into Sunshine Pet Parlor (I love that Yankee optimism!), and the man behind the counter greeted me with 'oh, you're not who I thought you would be.'

I replied Right? How did I turn into a middle aged woman buying designer dog food for my under-weight, over-enthusiastic golden/border collie mix?
Oh, that's not what you meant, sorry!

Actually, I just thought that. Fortunately. That might have been too much information.

The second thing out of his mouth was, 'does it still smell like skunkdog in here?'. At which I checked behind me to verify that he was, indeed, talking to me. I checked only because this was an unfamiliar question and I thought it might be more meaningful to the person standing behind me. Who did not exist. So I analyzed the question and said 'no'.

After putting the appropriate space between skunk and dog it became completely comprehensible, and, in fact it did not smell like skunk at all. Just dog, which is exactly what you expect a doggy daycare to smell like.

We continued the conversation, in which I learned he had cleaned 3 skunked dogs this week. One from my neighborhood! Another good reason to keep Milo from roaming. That, and the fact that he has absolutely no understanding of the relationship between cars and dogs.

He ended with the uplifting thought that it was a sign that Spring was coming. He is the second person this week to say that. Our neighbor said the same thing at our Con Comm meeting Tuesday night. Skunks are a sign of Spring coming.

I must admit, I was hoping for something different as a sign of Spring. Like, maybe buds on the trees, or flowers. Or less snowfall. But, I guess if skunks are the bearers of good news, I'll take them.

From a considerable distance, please. Thank you!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Hull, Mass.

Young Love

This is the cookie recipe dreams are made of.  Happily ever after cookies.  Really!

Although, I suppose, to use Really! might be a few million years premature since 'ever after' is a very long time.

But!  But, but, but . . . it has been working really well since about 1981 when I discovered it.  And 20 cookie years is a very long time in people years.  Okay, 20 years is just a very long time.  If you don't believe me ask my children.  Only half of which have achieved that momentous age.

--interesting aside.  I am typing on my iPad right now, which is challenging for my clumsy hands.  I regularly hit the 'n' key instead of the space bar which results in interesting words like ifnyou.  I am sometimes tempted to leave it, and become a country girl.  Just thoughtnI'd share that with you.  Thatnlast one really happened.  By accident!

Anyway, back in the early 80's when I was a young high school girl, I used to browse my Mom's magazines on Sunday afternoons, or whenever I didn't have a date, which was always.  Good Housekeeping, Ladies Home Journal, Woman's Day, things like that.  Next to the diet tips, they would have delicious recipes.  I don't know why, but they still do.  Anyway, I made the cookies, I loved the cookies.  I met my husband, I loved my husband, who loved the cookies, and loved me.  We served the cookies at our wedding.  And, we are living happily ever after with the cookies.  Which were my number one seller at the bakery.  The end.

Make the cookies, and you, too will love the cookies.

And, just ignore uniformed persons who ask if you ran out of brown sugar.  They do not deserve an answer or a cookie.

Enjoy!

Ingredients for Shortbread Chocolate Chip Cookies:

2 cups butter (I use the kind with salt), very soft
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt (unless you use unsalted butter, then use 1 teaspoon)
4 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Shortbread Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Beat the butter until light and creamy with the powdered sugar.  You cannot beat it too long, so if you have a Kitchenaid or other stand mixer, just walk away for 5 minutes and let it go.

Add the remaining vanilla, salt, and flour and continue to beat until completely combined and smooth. Another 3 to 4 minutes, or as long as necessary.  If it still falls apart, it needs more mixing.  There is nothing fragile in this recipe, so don't worry about over beating it.  It will not have good texture if you stop too soon.

In case you are still wondering . . . BEAT IT REALLY, REALLY WELL.  Sorry, I just feel very strongly about this.

--note:  this dough is stiffer than regular cookie dough, so don't be alarmed.

Once it is a soft, smooth beautiful dough, stir in the chocolate chips. In case you are wondering, I used mini chips this time. but, it's not necessary.

Place a large heaping tablespoon per cookie on cookie sheets (12 to a sheet).  Now the crazy part.  Gently smash with a fork, as though you were making peanut butter cookies.  Strange, I know.  But that's hownwe do it round these parts.

Bake for 14 minutes at 350 F.  You want the bottom to be light golden, but no color on the top.

They should taste like sweet buttery goodness in your mouth.  Soft, but not chewy.  Definitely not crunchy or crispy!  Just delicious.

I must admit, I envy you if you are eating this cookie for the first time.

Monopoly Money

Yesterday was bid return day for our addition. We got exactly one bid back.  Out of three builders.  Who still claim they want to do the job.  Hmmm, this does not seem to bode well for actual construction.  I'm guessing the bid is not the most difficult or time intensive part of the project.

Of course, with the bid estimate we just got back, there may not be a project.  The only possible way for this to happen is if they are bidding in monopoly money.  Or possibly jelly beans.  But, even that would be expensive.

The bid came in at roughly $200 per square foot.  We own the property, let's not forget.  Oceanfront property, which is supposed to be the expensive part of the whole deal.  The framing alone is $89,000.  $51,000 for materials, $38,000 for labor.

Lest you are thinking we have expensive taste in finishing work, let me set you straight.  We DO have expensive taste in finishing work, which is why we had the job bid without most of it.  This does not include the kitchen at all!  I will have to tell you later about the kitchen cabinet only bid of $42,000.  There are 17 cabinets. 

This does not include the $20,000 tile bid (uninstalled).  Or decorative light fixtures.  Or a tub in the master bath.  I could go on for quite a while.  But, I will finish by telling you that this does not even include paint.  PAINT is not included.  Why?  But, they gave us an estimate in case we would like them to paint.  That would be $22,000 for the inside.  $11,000 more if we want the exterior painted as well.

So, $200 per square foot gets us a very nice shell.  Excellent value, don't you think?

Anyone thinking of changing professions?  Or locations?  We're now accepting bids on a much smaller home addition.

What time is it?

Oh, how I wish I were a Morning Person

We get up at 5:20 at our house.  That's 5:20 a.m.  If you were confused.

Which says something about our grooming habits because Tagg leaves for Seminary at 5:30.  All personal grooming takes place in the p.m. around here.  Other than tooth brushing, of course.

This is my to do list for the hour between 5:30 when Tagg leaves, and 6:30, when it's my turn for the treadmill.

-empty dishwasher
-decide what to make for dinner, and prep ingredients (Rachel Ray style)
-do a load of laundry
-clean bathroom
-write blog
-figure out what the heck I should know about cub scouts
-arrange for world peace

This is what I do between 5:30 when Tagg leaves, and 6:30 when it's my turn for the treadmill.

-sit in the living room and stare at the tv, wishing there were more episodes of family under construction on my dvr.  Periodically I stare at Milo, who is staring at me, willing me to turn on the sun so it will be time to go to the beach.

OR

-lay on my bed thinking of reasons I can't get on the treadmill, or get up at all.

Sadly, I cannot entertain you with the creative reasons I come up with.  I have no creative thought at 5:30 am

Everything I know about pop music, I learned from watching Glee

It's true.  I am musically challenged.  Oh, I can play the piano given enough practice time, or a really simple arrangement.  I can even sing on key.  I am a perfectly competent choir type singer.

But, I produced a family of music savvy children.  They know music I have never heard of.  Music from the 70's and 80's.  Which is theoretically my pop music heyday.  Even the 60's, which was before my time.  Really.  It was!  Don't laugh at me.

They get that from their Dad, who is a pop music genius.  He is the master of song recognition from the 70's through about 2005, when he had to start devoting more of his brain cells to his career.  It happens.

And, they all love music so, so much.  They have all sorts of criteria I never consider.  And standards of quality.  And, some of them even write music.  They make it up.  They have hertofore uninvented tunes that materialize in their heads.  My children are geniuses, in case you didn't know.

Here are my criteria for good music:

--It must have a peppy tune that does not make me feel sad.
--I must be able to memorize the lyrics so I can sing along.
--The lyrics must be appropriate for me to sing along with.
--If at all possible it should be either Christmas music, from a Broadway show, or appear in a favorite movie (good movie criteria is a subject for another day)

Think The Beach Boys (before my time), Barry Manilow, Air Supply, Madonna (the early years), Harry Connick, Jr., Amy Grant, and Michael Buble.

As you can imagine, this is not one of the things my family loves about me.

And, I get to dj car trips exactly 0% of the time.

But, occasionally I hear something familiar as I scan radio stations or  hear Grammy nominated songs,

Every single time, it is because I heard it on Glee.

I'm not sure what this all says about me, but I'm guessing it's not very flattering.

Hull History, Part 2

February 10, 1911:

--Everybody is going to the Jordan party.

Yep, that's the whole thing.  End of story, apparently.

--The roof blew off the new quarters at Fort Strong during the last storm.  It takes the architect, contractor, and an army officer to look after the building, and then to have the roof blown off the very first thing.  It shows how well they all did their work.

Oh, for 1911 when sarcasm had a place in journalism!

--Capt. Sparrow, in boarding a distressed vessel in the gale, had to come back to Hull to get a ladder to go aboard the vessel.

Wait, there's the door.  I think it's Johnny Depp in dreadlocks, here to borrow a ladder.

Sweets for the Sweet

Wasn't that phrase a source of contention in one of the Little House books?  That Laura was always so jealous of Mary

For some reason, I'm having a Little House on the Prairie memory fest.  I don't really know why, unless it's because I am cold ALL THE TIME this winter, and there's a lot of coldness in those books.

Remember when Laura is teaching school and gets driven in the sleigh and uses baked potatoes to keep her feet warm?  That's how I feel, even though I live in a heated house, and drive a heated car.  I would not be a good pioneer, I tell you.

But, back to the point.  Sweets for the sweet.  Didn't Mary get a Valentine from the old grizzled trapper, and Laura ...  Just kidding.

I have a Valentines gift idea for you.  Triple chocolate cake.  I was asked if I could help with a small budget wedding this weekend, and volunteered to bake, fill, and frost (but not decorate, so please don't worry) a wedding cake.

I scrounged up the old recipes (which wasn't that easy when you factor in computer problems, and small houses that make storage units necessary even when you sell 3/4 of your stuff before you move).

The good news is I was triumphant and had a pretty good time dabbling in large quantities of batter, and butter, after a year off.  Can you believe it's been a year since I sold the bakery?

I am going to give you a warning before I trust you with the recipe.  Scratch cakes are finicky.  Even I, who am a serious 'let's hurry up and I can do that in half the time you can' type of girl, have to slow down and do things by the rules if I want a delicious cake with a small, moist crumb.  Did you like the length of that sentence?

Actually, I am going to give you two warnings.  It really does make a difference when you weigh ingredients.  I carefully measured everything to make a user friendly recipe.  But, sometimes we measure things differently, so if this is not THE MOST DELICIOUS chocolate cake you have ever eaten.  That might be why.

The Ingredients:

Chocolate cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (.23 kg)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cocoa powder (.09 kg)
1 1/2 cubes or 12 tablespoons butter (softened)
2 cups granulated sugar (.37 kg)
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 1/3 cups very hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate Buttercream frosting:
1 1/2 cubes or 12 tablespoons butter (softened)
1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, melted
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cups cocoa powder
1/4 cup heavy or whipping cream

Chocolate Ganache:
1 cube or 8 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Prepare 2 8 inch round cake pans by spraying with cooking spray and covering bottom only with parchment paper cut to size.  Or you could grease and flour like a normal home baker.

The Most Delicious Chocolate Cake Ever:

Heat oven to 350 F

Beat 12 tablespoons softened butter with the granulated sugar in a mixer with a paddle until very light in color. 
--don't skimp on this step.  Really have soft butter, and really beat it for a long time.  Let's call it 5-7 minutes at medium speed.  Periodically scrape down bowl to be sure all butter is incorporated with the sugar.

While the butter and sugar are in the mixer, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  Set aside.

Add the eggs to the mixer and continue beating at medium speed for an additional 3-5 minutes.
--Really use room temp. eggs.  Cold eggs could cause your butter to start to harden again, causing a dense (uncakelike) batter.  Again, scrape down frequently and be sure the mixture is completely smooth before you stop mixing.  This is your last chance to turn the speed up and beat the heck out of this cake.

Add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract to the very hot water
--The very hot (not boiling) water is going to keep your batter smooth, so don't be afraid to use very hot tap water.

You are now going to alternate adding the flour mixture and the water mixture to your mixture, starting with the flour mixture.  Keep the mixer going on low speed until all ingredients are added.  Then scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix at medium low until smooth.  You do not want to over mix at this stage, but check carefully to be sure there are no ingredients stuck to the bottom of the bowl.

Divide evenly into your pans, and bake about 20 25 minutes on the center rack of the oven, or until no crumbs stick to a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake.

Let the baked cakes sit for 5-10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

If you want the frosting to go on more easily, you can freeze the cake after it is completely cooled.

Chocolate Buttercream:

Melt the 1/2 cup chocolate chips in the microwave in a small glass bowl.  Heat for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until completely melted.

Cream the 12 tablespoons softened until very light in color, scraping down bowl as needed.
--go ahead and do another 5 minutes

While the butter is mixing whisk together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.  Set aside.

Add the melted chocolate, corn syrup, and 1tablespoon vanilla to the butter and continue mixing until well blended.
--the corn syrup is actually quite important to the texture of the frosting, so use it even if you are morally opposed.  There are many much more dangerous ingredients in this cake

Add the powdered sugar mixture in thirds and mix until incorporated.

Add the cream and beat at medium speed for 1 minute, and then turn it up and beat the heck out of it!  Let's call it 3 minutes at medium high.

Add more cream if the consistency seems stiff.

Fill and frost cake layers.

Chocolate Ganache:

Melt remaining butter and chocolate chips together in microwave.  Heat for 1 minute, stir, and repeat until done.

Let cool for about 10 minutes, and then pour directly over middle of cake
--it will spread to the edges and drip down the sides.
--if you think it looks like too much Ganache, don't use it all.  It can be refrigerated and remelted later for brownies, ice cream, etc.

If you don't have a Valentine already, you will after you give them this little gem.

Enjoy!

Who are you, Carol?

So, someone asked me for a brief description of myself for a newsletter. This is what I sent her. Just thought I'd share.

By the way, is it weird to start sentences with so? I'm sure it's grammatically incorrect. But, I'm more concerned that it might be weird.

I do it a lot in real life, so that's a legitimate concern.

So, here it is, about me!

THINGS I LOVE:

--My husband who I dated in high school and married 6 weeks after he got home from his mission.  25 years and still counting.   He is a very patient man!

--My kids:
McKay, 24, and his wife Annie.  Newsweek journalist and Wachovia banker respectively.  They live in Queens and work in Manhattan and let me visit whenever I want.  Which is very, very often.
Kami, 22, who is on a mission in Chile.  She will be home in July, which is not soon enough.
Chase, 20, who is on a mission in Argentina.  He still has 19 months, which is really way to long.  They should let mothers be in charge of the length of missions.
Tagg, 17, who still lives at home.  Which I am thankful for every day of my life.

--Baking and Cooking.  I owned a bakery cafe in Utah before we moved.  It was called Flour Girls and Dough Boys if you were wondering how I got my email address.

--Sharing my crazy opinions and recipes (which are not so crazy) on my blog flourgirlathome.blogspot.com

--Meeting new people and learning about them

--Entertaining

--The ocean

--Sunshine

--DIY network

THINGS I DO NOT LOVE:

--The weather pretty much every day since we got here.  Can someone please do something about that?

--Being cold all the time (see above)

--Wearing boots every time I leave the house (see above)

--Darkness more than 12 hours a day (see above)

That just about covers the weather, I think.

--The fact that my house is too small to entertain

--The fact that it is taking so long to get my house addition approved

Rendering, Schmendering

There is a lot of paper involved in home design.  And computers.  A lot of those, too. Computers make the world go round you know.  Not money, not love, computers.  I bet you are using one right now, so you can't really disagree.

Anyway, things continue to be crazy on the house addition front.  Surveyors fighting with Conservation Commissioners right in front of Homeowners (me) who are almost in tears.  True story:  Anne, the commissioner told me my site plan couldn't be accepted because the flood lines didn't match the paper map which is king (she really said that.  The paper map is King. Odd.). Also, it looked like substantial improvement to her, so was I planning on filling in the existing basement?  (yes, I'm going home to get a shovel right now! She may not understand that I am a fairly un-construction-educated home owner who uses professionals to give her advice on these matters.  Their advice may be less professional than they are.). Then, she asked the wrong question,  so what do you want to do? (Cry?)  Move back to Utah where it's dry, I said.  She felt sorry for me, even Conservation Commissioners have hearts you know.

So, she let me file the Notice of Intent, as long as the evil surveyor printed out new site plans that rightly proclaimed our paper map status of living in the water (or something like that.).  She'll let the committee tell us to take a hike, that way she will forever be the kind woman who took my application.

Back to paper and computers.  As you can imagine, home plans are very flat.  That's their nature.  They're printed on paper and all.  So I have spent many days poring over floor plans and imagining over priced tile and cabinets, and things like that.  Yesterday, our architect sent us renderings.  Not bacon fat, computerized pictures of what our house will look like when we walk through it.  Yikes!  What have we done?  First of all, he has been to our house a time or two.  I'm trying very hard not to be offended by the furniture he has in there.

But, more importantly,  it's ugly!  My beautiful new house is ugly.  On the inside.  Where it really matters.  How can this be.  It is so wonderful in one dimension.  There are beams. So many beams, and posts, everywhere.  Just willy nilly, any old place,  it's like a Lincoln log house.  This will not do at all.  Stop the presses.  Or the bidders. Stop something, anyway.  My imaginary house, that isn't going to be approved anyway needs some adjustments.

Things I do not understand about this crazy world I live in . . .

Or, in which I live.

1.  Why at least twice a week I get in my car and am informed via a monitoring system much smarter than I, that one of my tires is low.
A.  But it is not always the same tire.

2.  Why the automobile industry does not spend more resources on designing a way to keep snow from caving into your car when you open the window.
A. Yes, I know I should brush off the snow, but I have a very large car, and a relatively short attention span.

3.  Why 3 days of above freezing temps and/or rain has diminished the amount of snow everywhere except the beach access paths.
A.  Why I have had to wear boots every day for the last month.
B.  Seriously, I have not worn shoes once since early January.

4.  Why this Christmas tree has been on the beach for the last 10 days without washing away with the tide.



A.  Why this full color picture appears to be black and white (this may have something to do with my self diagnosed seasonal affective disorder)
B.  Why this tree which has been on the beach for the last 10 days has more pine needles than my tree had by the time Christmas Eve rolled around (next year I am going to try feeding my tree ocean water)
C.  Why Con Comm did not stop this person from putting their tree in the ocean, but instead spends their time sabotaging my home addition.

5.  How Milo can eat 2 to 3 times the recommended food allowance for his size and remain underweight.
A.  This is possibly true of Tagg also, but I don't know what the recommended food allowance is for a 16 year old boy (yes, I realize this makes me a bad Mom)
B.  It possibly has something to do with the fact that they both run at least 10 miles a day.

6.  Why I volunteered to bake a wedding cake knowing everyone will think I did this 10 times a day in my life as a baker (I am possibly the only one here in my new area that knows I hired someone to do that). 
A.  Don't worry, I am not in charge of decorating the cake,  whew!!!
B.  Why bread bakers are so under appreciated in this world, and why everyone assumes if you are a baker you make beautiful cakes.  We have feelings too, you know!

7.  Why my oldest son is a professional journalist married to a smart woman, and yet I cannot stop thinking about someone trying to break into their apartment, and that they should really just move in with us.

8.  Why my house is so small.
A.  And dusty ALL THE TIME, even though I dust a lot.
B.  Really!
C.  And smells like a campfire (which for some inexplicable reason is one of the worst smells in the world to me)
C.  And too quiet because my children keep moving away.

9.  Why children grow up and move away.

That's all for now.

But not all, not even close!

For example:

10.  Why I was called to be a cub scout leader when I have no experience with crazy 8 year old boys.
A.  Really, I have 3 boys, and none of them were crazy.  Also inexplicable.
B.  And possibly related to my selective memory disorder.

p.s.  Why Costco has the chemical fertilizer directly across the aisle from the organic chicken?  This time I mean it.  Really.  WHY?  I am going to require an answer on this one.

Why I love football

The Super Bowl has one meaning, and one meaning only for me.  The chance to eat delicious snacks for dinner.

There have been occasions when I have watched the game.  Mainly when the Patriots are playing.  And, maybe the Seattle Seahawks, but maybe not, because I don't remember that ever happening.

--update.  I googled it, and according to Wikapedia, their one and only Superbowl appearance was in 2006.  That is recent enough for even my old, tired memory, so apparently I didn't watch, even then.

I really didn't watch yesterday.  Not a single play, although the game was on the television in my home, and I picked a favorite.  The Packers.  Hooray!  My team won!

I picked them based on their uniform.  I think it is friendlier than the Steelers uniform.  Green is such a soothing color.  Unlike football, which is not soothing at all.

Anyway, the highlight of yesterday's snacking was Coconut Chex Mix. In all my days, I have never heard of such a thing.  Thank Heaven for facebook, and a facebook friend's plea for the recipe, or I might have lived out my life without tasting my new favorite treat.

Of course, I googled this as well, and picked the version that most closely matched the ingredients I had on hand.  Then I changed it a little.  That's how I cook, what can I say?

If you love coconut, and butter, you should definitely try this.  We have a little left over if you want to come by ...

Coconut Chex Mix Ingredients:

12 cups Chex cereal (I used half rice/half corn)
2 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
1 cup toasted slivered, sliced, or chopped almonds
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups corn syrup
1teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Start by toasting the almonds.  I cooked them right in my largest le crueset (Dutch oven?) so I could mix the other ingredients in the same  pot.  I like to limit the number of dishes I use, because I don't like doing dishes.  I cooked them over medium high heat for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Remove from heat and stir in coconut and cereal. It will look like this . . .


Mmmm, smells good already.

But, it's going to smell better when we add this . . .


I like Kate's butter.  It's local (mostly, I consider Maine local).  It's made with cream from humanely treated cows.  And, that baby is darling!  That's some good marketing right there!

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan with the sugar and corn syrup.  Use all your sugar, like I did.  Just kidding, use all your sugar only if you have exactly 1 1/2 cups sugar, like I did.



Bring to a boil, and boil for 3 minutes.  When it is ready, it will be golden brown, like this . . .



Remove from heat, and stir in the extracts.  It will splatter, so wear protective glasses.

Stir into cereal mixture . . .



Yummy!

It will make this much.  Which will feed me and a few other people.



Enjoy!  To think I could have been eating this for the last 46 years.  Tragic!

Why I love my small New England town

This is one of my favorite things about living in a small New England town:

The weekly paper!

I especially love this feature of the Hull Times . . .

Let me share some news from February 3, 1911

--Dr. Blake of Green Hill has had more than his share of trouble, he has lost his little child.

--In the fish shipment of Monday last week from Provincetown were included 300 barrels of flounders.  Those flatfish must be plentiful in Cape waters.

--The Mayflower has returned to Nantasket.  She was cut into and 20 feet added and it cost $60,000 to repair her.  The boats are all being painted for the summer business.

--The funeral of James F. Dowd, formerly of this town, took place yesterday in Connecticut.  He was a brother of Augustus Dowd, who discovered a grove of big trees in California.

I love the kindness and community of these stories.  I also love how they throw around things like the Mayflower has returned and his brother discovered a grove of BIG TREES in California.

I assume they mean something different than what comes to My mind.  I think I need to do some research!

I also love that a Hullonian built this snow serpent.

Awesome!

Tile Mania

I really like tile.

Shiny white Subway tile
Kelley green glass tile
Shiny white Subway tile
Creamy honed marble tile
Shiny white Subway tile
Those little white hexagon tiles from the olden days
Shiny white Subway tile

Pretty much everything except tan tile.  I got really tired of tan tile in my last house.  It is very popular to build in camouflage in Utah and tan blends right into the countryside.  So we had A Lot of tan in our house.  It was beautiful, but I am ready for a change, and declared my new home a tan free zone.  It's not good camouflage when you live on the ocean, someone might see us!

Building a new house turns out to be a most excellent reason to do a lot of shopping!  Hooray!  Let me repeat this, I NEED to do a lot of shopping.  It's my current job, my responsibility.  And I take my responsibilities very seriously.

So, I faced reality and forced myself to head to the tile showroom.  I forced myself several times, because the tile showroom employees apparently do not share my desire to drive around on snow days, and were closed the first two times I showed up.

Three times is a charm however, and Thursday I met Julie, who helped me figure out my tile needs.  Tile showrooms are wonderful.  There are no prices to be seen.  You just choose 'birds nest blend pebbles' for the dog shower floor, and 'spring green art glass' for an accent wall in the powder room.  And, let's have 'honed crema white cloud' marble for the floor in the master bath!

It's awesome.  Julie and I are best friends, picking out tile for my new house, and there are no prices, and Julie doesn't know the prices.  And in my fun, best friends shopping together scenario, all bids and estimates come in with hardly any zeros at the end of the dollar amounts.

Then, just a day later, my best friend Julie becomes my tile sales representative, and sends me an estimate.  With a lot of zeros tacked on.

My fantasy world has turned into a reality where I apparently want 3000 pounds of tile in my house (do you think I need to inform my structural engineer?)' and it will cost $1400 just to get it here.  From New Jersey.  Really?  And, spring green art glass walls cost $2000.  So do crema white honed marble floors.  I don't even want to talk about the dog shower.  It's for washing DOGS for crying out loud!

The good news is I can afford shiny white Subway tires.  Hooray!

I have to go.  I have a lot of tile shopping to do on the Lowe's website.  Let me know if you are building a house with unlimited funds  and need help choosing tile. I'm your girl!

Tuscan Sausage Bean Soup: Yum!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Nantasket Rd,Hull,United States

I was asked to make soup for a lunch get together today.  I COULD NOT figure out what to make. Then I remembered that I used to own a bakery cafe that specialized in homemade soup.  Soups made from my own personal recipes for the most part.  Right!  I can do this.

I settled on the bakeries signature soup.  One I have made for years, and beloved by all except my children during their anti-vegetable periods.

Tuscan Sausage and Bean Soup

Sausage to make it super yummy.  Lots of veggies to make you feel good about yourself.

Ingredient list:

1.5 lbs sweet Italian or hot Italian sausage (bulk or raw links)
1 large or 2 small yellow onions, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 or 3 cloves)
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups chicken broth
2 14 1/2 oz. cans diced tomatoes
3 14 oz. cans canellinni beans, drained but not rinsed
2 medium summer squash (zucchini or yellow) diced
10 oz. fresh or frozen spinach, chopped
grated or shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

1.  Brown 1.5 lbs sausage in your favorite soup pot, bulk Italian if possible.  If not, remove the casings from raw link sausage.  This is icky, but not difficult.  Just hold the sausage in your left hand, cut the casing from top to bottom with a sharp knife, and peel it off.  I assume you reverse the sausage and the knife if you are left handed. The sausage can be either sweet Italian or hot Italian depending on your preference.  I use sweet Italian sausage but add a bit of crushed red pepper flake.

2. Use paper towels to absorb excess fat.  I line a strainer with paper towels and let it sit while I chop the onion.

3. Return the sausage to the pot and add 1 large, or 2 small diced onions, 1 tablespoon cheater minced garlic, or 2 cloves you mince yourself.  I always use the cheater garlic, because that's the kind of gal I am. Also add 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (only if using sweet Italian sausage). Cook until the onion is soft.

--At this point you can transfer it to a crockpot if you are so inclined.  Otherwise . . .

4.  Add 4 cups chicken broth, 2 - 14 1/2 oz. cans diced tomatoes (undrained), and 3 - 14 oz. cans canellinni (white kidney) beans, drained (don't bother rinsing or even draining super well, the starch from the liquid is a good thickener) and bring to a simmer.

--Here comes the healthy part . . .

5.  Add 4 cups (about 2) diced summer squash (zucchini, yellow, or a combination).  These can be from the freezer if you are a gardener.  Or have frozen zucchini for some other reason.  I am not a gardener.  Mostly because I am lazy, but I can now blame it on the fact that my yard is in the ocean.  My harvest would consist of oysters and clams which I would have to fight the seagulls for.  I'll have Milo chase them while I work.  I do not, however, suggest adding oysters or clams to your Tuscan sausage bean soup.  Let this simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

--More healthy garden type stuff . . 

6.  Stir in 10 oz. chopped spinach.  This can be fresh or frozen.  If frozen, drain well and squeeze out all excess water.  Let simmer 5 more minutes and . . .

SOUP'S ON!!!

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over individual servings if you desire more salty goodness.

Enjoy!

The seal made me do it . . .

I lost ANOTHER phone on the beach today. But it's not my fault, really!

You may not know this, but we have snow in Massachusetts right now.  And, I don't mean we have a pretty covering of white on the ground.  No, we have a lot of snow on the ground.  Think a foot or so at a time, once or twice a week for the last month.  Even with settling, and the occasional above freezing temperatures, we have about 2 or 3 feet in many places, and much, much more where it has drifted into the beach access paths, and been plowed to the side of the road. We also have a LOT of snow days, which must be difficult for people with small children and jobs. I do not have small chldren, or a job.  But, I do have a Milo.  Affectionately known as Smelly Dog or Naughty Puppy.  I like snow days, because Tagg can deal with the excessive energy of Milo.  Today was not a snow day, and Tagg is safe at school.

So, Milo and I did what we usually do on school days.  We headed for the beach.  We especially like to go when the weather is lousy, because then there are no people that need to be avoided,  or jumped on.  I am doing the avoiding to discourage Milo from doing the jumping.  This means Milo can do what he loves more than just about anything else in the world.  With the possible exception of steak, disgusting found food in the great outdoors, and his people.  In that order.  Milo loves to chase seagulls.  I mean he really loves it.  I think he believes he will catch one some day.  I really hope he doesn't.  He just wants to play.  He does not see wild animals as potential food sources, just as potential friends (some day I'll tell you the rabbit story). 

Today, when we got to the M street path to Nantasket Beach, I discovered that all my just above the knee foot steps from my last several trips to the beach had been filled in from yesterday's storm. I decided to take a left on Beach Ave. at M Street to look for a less intimidating entrance.  That's what I told the police officer, it's the yellow house left of M street on Beach Ave.  As we passed the yellow house, I saw movement.  Strange, because the yellow house is a summer home, and currently boarded up.  It was a seal!  Yes, a seal I say,  in the backyard of the yellow house just to the left of M street at Nantasket Beach in Hull!

Well, I did what any technology challenged person would do.  I looked at my phone for a few minutes, then called my husband and asked him if he knew how to take a picture with it.   Keep in mind that my technology genius husband does not have the same kind of phone I have, and had never tried to take a picture with it.  He said no, he could not tell me how to use the camera over the phone without looking at it.  I think it demonstrates my great faith in his brilliance that I tried.  So, I hung up and called the Hull police station. 'I'm at Nantasket Beach at the end of M street and there is a seal in the back yard of the yellow house just left of M street on Beach Ave!', I said. (Keep in mind Naughty Puppy, who is trying to pull my arm out of the socket in an attempt to get to the beach, he has seagulls to chase after all!)

Eventually it is established that although the animal control officer is not in, someone will be at the yellow house just left of M street on Beach Ave in Hull in 10 or 15 minutes.  Whew! That's a relief, especially since the seal is periodically trying to climb up the dunes to access the ocean on the other side (or so I thought!) and then rolling back down the hill.  Maybe he's injured!  By this time, I am hip deep in snow drifts which my four legged friend is casually walking on top of while continuing to encourage me in my progress by pulling firmly at his leash.  Maybe I should lose 100 pounds and walk on all fours. I emerge victorious on the beach at last, and remove Milo's leash.  Sadly, he catches the scent of the seal.  Really?!, and heads for the backyard of the yellow house, at the end of M ... Never mind, you know where it is.  Well, this calls for extreme measures.  Who knows what will happen if Milo tries to make friends with the yellow house seal.  So, I do the unthinkable, I start running down the beach.  In my peacoat, by bogs boots, on the rocky beach.  I do this because it is the only sure way of distracting Naughty Puppy.  After all, chase is his favorite game.  Half a mile down the beach, I decide I must have a picture of the seal and pull out my phone to figure out how to use the camera. Only, my phone is gone!

Somewhere between the hip deep snow, and the beach running my phone has fallen out of my pocket.  And, I cannot find it.  So, clearly it's not my fault.  It's the fault of the seal, or the snow, or Naughty Puppy.

I am currently leaning toward the seal.  When the police officer arrived to rescue him, it was amazing and sweet.  He talked to the seal, and clapped his hands in encouragement, and the cute little fellow followed the police officer up the dune and over the top. (Gliding along the top while the very kind police officer sunk to his knees in the snow).  When yellow house seal got to the top, he took one look at the ocean, which was still about 200 yards away, and turned around.  Yes, he turned around and all the kind policeman's encouragement could not convince him to cross the rocky beach to the water.  He was having a snow day, a ski vacation at the yellow beach house, and would wait for high tide, thank you very much.

And, I have no pictures to prove my story, and Milo? He's not talking.  You'll just have to take my word for it.

FEMA needs a LOMA

I have had an educational few days on the home building front. Let me share with you some of the things I have learned, and some of the things I did not understand.

You can interview many architects, and pick one who fits all your criteria. You can hire the most amazing and beloved surveyor in the history of Hull, who is an expert at surveying water front properties and wooing town building inspectors. You can be completely assured that your property is not in Flood Zone A, and not only do you not need to build on piers, you can have a basement (hooray!!!!). You can pay said surveyor many dollars. You can pay said architect many, many dollars. But, if the Con Comm says you need a LOMA because the FEMA map on paper looks different than the digital version of the FEMA map on MASSGIS, you better get out your checkbook! ... even if on-the-ground mapping does a better job of indicating the actual flood zone. So there. Did'ya get all that? Yeah? Neither did I.

Glossary

Architect: cool person who can listen to all your cool ideas and put them on cool really big pieces of paper that other building type people can read. I can also read them if I remember that 1/4 inch equals 1 foot, so far that is a difficult concept for me.

Surveyor: Cool person that can use nifty equipment to prove whether you can have a basement. Also handy for crying to when Con Comm says no. Can also be used to file a LOMA and communicate with Con Comm.

Con Comm: Conservation Commission. Handy for telling you you can't have a basement unless you file a LOMA. Also handy for protecting green space (might have been a good idea to start about 100 years ago in Hull when green space probably still existed) and wishing you would not add an addition to your house to preserve more of said green space. They apparently do not agree with the building department about how much of your property should be house, even though half of your property is in the ocean and cannot be built on. They would probably not approve of our neighbor who puts his grass clippings in the ocean, either. But, I'm not telling. Or putting my grass clippings in the ocean.

FEMA: government organization that does not approve of stupid people building their houses in the water and crying when the floods come. They also try to avoid states of emergency caused by floods in stupid people's neighborhoods which result in large monetary reimbursements. Good job, you!

LOMA: yeah, still not really sure. But, I know it is something which would change the flood zone classification in my yard. Which would also change the amount I have to pay for flood insurance (which is substantial). Also, something my surveyor can file for me (for a price). Also, something we are going to file, but not going to wait for. Bring on the FEMA approved foundation and the engineer to design it. Hooray!

MASSGIS: no idea. Please inform me if you do.