Some Nights

Some nights, especially recently, the kids struggle against bedtime.  All is well through baths and jammies, through bedtime stories and SQUIRT (silent reading) time.  But at lights out, all manner of ills fall:  the blanket is cattywampus; the light is too bright;  a bug bite emerges; a leg aches; a funny or loud noise is heard; the door is open; the door is shut.  Last night, Sis's nose stung.

I've noticed that these nights now tend to coincide with Mama's working late.  I think they are staying up until she comes home.  Indeed, last night, Sis directly asked when that would be.  Alas, it was close on 10 p.m. and, yes, they were both still awake.  I had given up trying last night--it does no good to yell or cajole, though sometimes it is very tempting and I have succumbed.  By 8 p.m., I am ready for them to be in bed; by  10 p.m., I'm quite beside myself.  Now, though I close my door and do what I will.

There was a funny new excuse last night:  the cat had used the litter box and Bud came down complaining of the smell.  See, his room was the "cat room" and it's conversion into a bedroom is incomplete--the litter box is still in there.  Well, I think the cats are not too fond of their new roommate, much less being usurped.  They aren't covering their waste anymore!   Once Mama came home and I got it all cleaned up (because, yes, it would keep me up, too), Bud went back to bed.  And eventually, they were both asleep.

I wonder what the next new excuses will be?

More Cake on My Plate

We are having the kiddos' birthday party early, before school is out (hoping it is easier to get RSVPs and guests.)  They had considered an at-home party with just a few friends, but then decided on a bigger dance party at a local place.  With a luau theme!  They will greet their guests with leis, with some candy and a music CD in the favor bag.  There are tiki centerpieces and even an inflatable Tiki pole (Mama took them to buy supplies, of course.  It's reminiscent of Disney and the Polynesian; I try not to think of cultural appropriation!)  They'll dance to all their favorite current pop hits--oh, how they love to dance right now, putting on shows for us almost nightly to "Gangnam Style" and "I Knew You Were Trouble"--and play games, then have pizza (and chicken fingers for Sis.)  And, after much back and forth about the birthday dessert, the kiddos decided on vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting, to be decorated with crushed vanilla wafers for sand and little beach umbrellas.  Today, they helped me make the cupcakes; tomorrow, I'll frost and decorate them.  And then we'll party!

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Yellow Cake
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups milk
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter parchment, and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. Into a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined after each addition.

Divide batter between the prepared pans, and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until cakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto the rack; peel off the parchment. Reinvert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.

Martha Stewart

Chocolate Frosting
24 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon boiling water
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
Pinch of salt

Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water. Turn off heat; stir occasionally until chocolate has melted completely, about 15 minutes. Set bowl on countertop, and let chocolate cool to room temperature, 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine cocoa powder and boiling water in a small bowl; stir until cocoa is dissolved.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add melted chocolate; beat on low speed until combined, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in cocoa mixture.
Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level; brush off crumbs. Place four strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate or lazy Susan. Place the first layer on the cake plate, and spread top with 3/4 cup of frosting. Place the second layer on top, bottom side up, and spread top with 3/4 cup of frosting; repeat process with the third layer. Place the remaining layer on top of the third layer, bottom-side up; insert a dowel into the center of cakes if necessary. Spread entire cake with remaining frosting. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.

Martha Stewart

Rain Makes the Garden Grow

It has rained so much we have barely had to take any effort to keep our garden of new plants (or the colonial herb garden at the historic house) watered.  And today when we learned it was going to rain, again, we rushed out and planted the green beans the kiddos got from the historic farm and the pole beans our friend Miss Mary brought over.  Of course, the kids won't eat the beans, but at least they liked planting them!

She Takes the Cake

Mama Teacher is having a birthday and I'm making a cake, Bundts being my new favorites.  I have a few tried and true recipes, below, and she has chosen the first one with rum syrup.  I share all of them with you.

If you have a favorite lemon (or lemon poppyseed) poundcake or plain poundcake, do share.

Happy birthday!

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Rum Cake with Chocolate Frosting

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups (3 sticks) butter, softened

2 ½ cups granulated sugar

7 large eggs

2 teaspoons rum

            Preheat oven to 325°F.  Grease a 10 inch bundt pan.  Mix together flour, baking powder and salt.  Beat together butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well.  Beat in rum.  Beat in flour mixture at low speed until just combined.  Do not overmix.  Spoon batter into pan.  Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes.  Do not overbake

Rum Syrup

2/3 cup granulated sugar

½ cup water

2 tablespoons rum

            Prepare syrup meanwhile.  In a saucepan, heat together sugar and water over medium heat, stirring occassionally, until sugar has dissolved.  Remove from heat; cool completely.  Stir in rum.

            Transfer cake pan to a wire rack.  Pierce cake top all over.  Spoon syrup over cake.  Cool cake in pan for 30 minutes.  Turn cake out onto rack to cool.

Chocolate Frosting

4 ounces semisweet chocolate

½ cup heavy cream

1 ½ teaspoon corn syrup

1 tablespoon rum

            Prepare frosting by melting chocolate with cream in double boiler.  Stir until smooth.  Remove from heat.  Stir in corn syrup and rum.  Cool frosting until slightly thickened.  Place cake on serving plate.  Spread frosting over cake.

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Chocolate Almond Toffee Chunk Cake

1 (1 lb. 2.25 oz.) Betty Crocker Super Moist Devil’s Food Cake Mix with pudding in the mix (or any devil’s food cake)

1-3.9 oz. box instant chocolate pudding

8-1.4 oz. bars Skor or Heath chocolate covered toffee, chopped in small chunks

½ cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted and thoroughly cooled

1 cup sour cream

4 large eggs

¾ cup vegetable oil

1 ½ teaspoons pure almond extract

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup heavy cream

            Preheat the oven to 35O°F.  Generously coat the inside of a 10” bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. 

Place the cake mix and chocolate pudding in the large bowl of an electric mixer.  Mix on low for 1 minute to combine ingredients.  Place the almond toffee chunks and slivered almonds in a bowl; toss with 1 ½ tablespoons of the cake mix mixture.  Set aside.

Add the sour cream, eggs, oil, almond extract, vanilla extract, and heavy cream to the dry ingredients in that order; beat on low speed for 1 minute to combine, scraping down the sides.  Increase speed to moderately low and beat the batter for 4 minutes.  Stir in the almond toffee chunks and slivered almonds. 

Spoon the batter into bundt pan.  Shake the pan gently two or three times to level the top.  Bake the cake for 50-55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.  Carefully place another cooling rack on top and invert the cake.  Let stand for 10 minutes (cake will fall slightly).

Almond Glaze

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup Amaretto

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

            Place the butter, Amaretto, and sugar in a small saucepan, over moderate heat, and cook until butter melts.  Simmer for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.  Using a dry pastry brush, paint hot glaze over top and sides of cake.  Let cool completely.

Chocolatier

 Wellesley Fudge Icing 

6-1 oz. squares semi-sweet baking chocolate

1-16 oz. package powdered sugar (about 4 cups)

½ cup butter, softened, divided

1/3 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

            Melt chocolate.  Beat in sugar, 2 tablespoons of butter, milk, and vanilla with electric mixer on low until well blended.  Beat in remaining butter until smooth.  If frosting becomes too thick, beat in additional milk by teaspoonfuls until desired consistency.

Baker’s Chocolate box

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Bittersweet Chocolate Pound Cake

6 oz.  Nestle Unsweetened Chocolate baking bars (3 foil-wrapped bars)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons freeze dried instant coffee

2 tablespoons hot water

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

confectioner’s sugar

cold water

            Preheat oven to 325°F.  Grease and flour 10 inch fluted tube or angel food cake pan.  Melt unsweetened chocolate baking bars.

            In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.  In 2-cup measure, dissolve instant coffee in hot water; add cold water to measure 1 ½ cups.

            In large mixer bowl, beat granulated sugar, butter, and vanilla extract until creamy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Stir in melted chocolate.  Add flour mixture alternately with coffee mixture.  Pour into prepared pan.

            Bake one hour or until skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean.  Cool 30 minutes; remove from pan.  Cool completely.  Drizzle with Rich Chocolate Glaze (see below); sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.

Rich Chocolate Glaze

2 oz. Nestle unsweetened chocolate baking bar (one foil wrapped bar)

3 tablespoons butter

1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar

3 to 4 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

            In medium saucepan over very low heat, melt chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat .  Stir in confectioner’s sugar, alternately with water until desired consistency.  Stir in vanilla extract.

(makes about ¾ cup glaze)

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HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe follows)

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:

ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine

2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Hershey's Cocoa box

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Hershey Special Dark Picnic Cake

1 cup Hershey Special Dark Chocolate Chips (regular semisweet work too!)

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine

1-1/3 cups boiling water

2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup dairy sour cream

2 eggs

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Special Dark Frosting (recipe follows)

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

2. Combine chocolate chips, butter and water in large mixer bowl; stir with spoon until chocolate is melted and mixture is blended. Gradually add flour, sugar, sour cream, eggs, baking soda, salt and vanilla; beat on low speed of electric mixer until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Frost with Special Dark Frosting. 12 to 15 servings.

Special Dark Frosting

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine

1 cup Hershey Special Dark Chocolate Chips

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place butter and chocolate chips in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, milk and vanilla, beating until smooth. If necessary, refrigerate 5 to 10 minutes or until of desired spreading consistency. About 1-2/3 cups frosting.

VARIATION: For a stronger chocolate flavored cake, decrease flour to 2 cups and add 1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa.

 Hershey's

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Solo Almond Bundt Cake

Almond Glaze Topping
1 cup confectioners sugar
1⁄4 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoon light cream

Cake

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
3  eggs
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 can Solo Almond Cake and Pastry Filling or 1 jar of any other fruit filling
1⁄4 cup milk

Chocolate Glaze Topping (no chocolate on the one at church)
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa
1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoon buttermilk or low-fat milk

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup Bundt pan and set aside. Beat butter and granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in almond filling until blended. Stir flour, baking powder, and salt until mixed. Add to almond mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.  Beat until blended. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on rack. To make glaze, combine ingredients in small bowl, and stir until blended and smooth. Spoon or drizzle over top of cake. Let stand until glaze is set. Or top with fresh fruit and whipped cream!

  

Music Hath the Power to Wake a Crying Beast

We had a special church service yesterday, our end-of-year Flower Communion, when everyone brings a flower and puts them in communal vases and leaves with a different flower, representing the beautiful diversity of shared community.  We took red roses, a yellow day lily, and some purple spiderwort; we left with three peonies and an interesting maroon wildflower.

At one point in the service, the minister instructed us to pull out our pens because we needed to correct some lyrics, changing "bear our troubles" to "bare our troubles," albeit at the request of the composer.  Only in a Unitarian Universalist church!  It reminds me of the Garrison Keillor joke, something about "Bible Study at 7 p.m..  Bring your Bible and your scissors."

The rest of service was a "hymnal romp," with many favorite songs--"Come, Come Whoever You Are," "For the Beauty of the Earth," "Let it be a Dance," "We'll Build a Land," "Spirit of Life," Though I May Speak with Bravest Fire," "For the Earth Forever Turning," and others (impromptu versions of "Forward through the Ages" and "Lo the Earth Awakens Again")--and I cried through them all!  Peri-menopause hit hard yesterday and I went to boo-hooing, crying through church and then again at a school performance (and our kids were NOT performing!), for no reason.  Blah.

But I was fine once the singing was over and enjoyed the church potluck.  We took Seed Savers Heritage Bean Salad and Marmalade Shortbread Bars, which were well-liked.  There was a great fluffy strawberry-rhubarb cobbler, but I didn't get the recipe, and some yummy Saltine "Toffee" with sliced almonds.  It was a nice little picnic on a beautiful day.

But I'm glad we won't be at church for awhile; I'm too overwhelmed by the singing and crying.

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Marmalade Shortbread Bars
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tablespoons preserves (any flavor)--orange marmalade was great!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line an 8-inch-square baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang. Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Work in the butter with your fingers to make a crumbly dough.

Refrigerate 2 tablespoons of the dough for topping. Press the remaining dough into the baking dish; freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.

Bake the crust, 15 minutes. Spread the preserves on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border; crumble the reserved dough on top. Return to the oven and bake until the edges are golden brown, 25 more minutes. Let cool 20 minutes, then lift out of the pan and cut into squares.

Food Network


Saltine "Toffee"
1 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 (11 ounce) packages chocolate chips ( 1 1/2 cups)
40 saltine crackers
1 cup sliced almonds
nonstick cooking spray

Line jelly roll pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray.  Lay crackers out flat on foil.  Melt sugar and butter until foamy (3 minutes).  Pour over crackers and spread to coat.
Bake 10 minutes in 350ºF oven.  Remove from oven.  While hot, sprinkle with chocolate chips, let soften and melt, then spread.  Sprinkle with nuts.  Let cool.  Refrigerate until hardened.  Break into pieces like peanut brittle.

Good Day, Sunshine!

After what feels like days of chilly rain, which I do like, it is sunny and breezy, in the low 70s--a beautiful day!  The kids and Mama are currently shopping, both for groceries and for party supplies.  They've picked a luau theme (a la our Disney trip) for their upcoming birthday party.  They've also gotten food for grilling outside today, all manner of who knows what, but some pizza dough for me to make grilled pizzas.  While they were out, our friend the gardener Miss Mary, from our first church, brought over some kale and dill plants for our burgeoning raised bed and advised me on how to harvest horseradish (snip the part of the root you want and put the rest back) and also rhubarb (when it's nice and tall, snap off the stalks), both of which she had gifted us previously.  Sis will love putting in new plants (weeding around them, not as much.)  Miss Mary, who is always encouraging and kind, said ours was an English garden, which is a generous compliment considering how little we work on it--but we do have colorful spiderwort and Stella Dora day lilies and other things.  So we'll be outside some today, enjoying this beautiful June day.

The Growing Season

I went to the kiddos' school today for their Whole School Meeting (WSM) because Sis and her friends were singing Cookie Monster's version of "Call Me Maybe" a.k.a. "Share it Maybe" in front of everyone. They did a wonderful job, especially with enunciating the lyrics.  Quite a tickle!

At some point in the program of "shares," the principal had the second grade stand up so everyone could wish them luck as they head to their new school next year, here at their last WSM.

Last.

It was my last official visit to their school, unless I make an unscheduled visit with brownies or something (and brownies have been requested by more than one of the teachers and staff!)

I am so sad.  I love this school.  The teachers supported us as we all got acclimated to school and had questions about routines, curriculum, pedagogic theory, whatever.  They have been nothing if not completely supportive, if not even blase, about the whole lesbian-parents thing, even though we were the first (or so I'm told.)  They loved our kids and liked us.  You probably recall that the transition into daily, albeit half-day kindergarten just three years ago was rough.  I herniated a disk about a month beforehand.  Was it the stress?  Probably not entirely given my physical anomalies from birth.

Still, I see the stress even now.

As they are acting more and more like older kids everyday.  There is more sass.  More attitude.  Not quite eye-rolling, but almost.  More complaining.  Fewer hugs.  Fewer requests to play.  Less interest in bedtime stories.  Things have been a little tense.

It doesn't help that I'm peri-menopausal, officially.  I know people say it's worse to go through menopause when you have teenagers--and I imagine they are right, but this is no picnic either.  And depending on how long it lasts, they might be tweens when I'm done.

We knew eventually that they would be less devoted to us, more separated, even more embarrassed.  And all things considered, they developed sass later than many (I have friends who complained about it in kindergarten!).  Still, I can totally see that they are closer to 10 than they are to 5 and the difference is powerful.  (Even if they sang a Cookie Monster song.)  The fact that they are going to the "big school" (and it is bigger, more than twice as many kids and staff) only serves to underscore the changes.

And so it took all my efforts not to sob during the WSM today.

Because I do want them to grow up and grow independent.

And I really don't want to herniate another disk.

Because that was harder than kindergarten.