Friday, January 04, 2013

Not So Serious...

Or is it?

Occasionally I run out of things to blather about. So then I have to get creative. Here's the grease that got my brain cranking.

Do you eavesdrop on people in public places?

I must admit that I do. Sometimes, it's impossible not to. Those icky, awkward situations when folks are airing their dirty laundry in public. Or, you know, the parents cajoling, bribing, trying to talk sense into their out-of-control shrieking children. Or worse, the parent yakking on the cell phone and ignoring all sorts of screaming and bad behavior, only to reprimand the child in a horribly inappropriate way over something trivial. Yes, behavior that makes Christmas shopping all the more fun.

And it's really difficult not to focus in on conversations where both parents are on cell phones at dinner and kids sit at a table playing video games. I think a full 80% of public cell phone conversations are ones that, if they didn't take place, wouldn't matter one bit.

And my favorite of all places to overhear a conversation involves another cell phone scenario, a public restroom, in the stall next to me. Nuff said? Right? I can attest to the fact that ALL overheard potty stall cell phone conversations are ridiculous and more often than not noisy, all those flushing toilets and other ... stuff.

And then, there are the quiet conversations. The ones the inner mystery lover in me wants to investigate further. Just sayin. And finally the fun, distant tete-a-tetes wherein I get to make up conversations based on body language, gestures and lip reading. An exercise in fiction writing. : )

Do you eavesdrop?

Thursday, January 03, 2013

Scraps and Snippets ~ Cinnamon Bun Cake

This is a really delicious and much easier scratch for a cinnamon roll itch. I Veganized (and eased up on the fat from this version).

Cake:
1/4 Cup room softened Earth Balance margarine
1/4 Cup applesauce
3/4 Cup sugar
2 flax eggs (2 TBSP ground flax, 6 TBSP water mixed together and set aside.)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 and 1/2 Cups non-dairy milk
3 Cups flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping:

3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 Cup and 2 TBSP softened Earth Balance
1/4 Cup and 2 TBSP applesauce

Glaze:

1 3/4 Cups powdered sugar
3 TBSP non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon maple syrup

Putting it all Together:

Instructions for the cake:

Cream Earth Balance, applesauce and sugar, add flax eggs, vanilla, and milk. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into a 9 x 13" greased pan.

Prepare topping:
Stir together topping ingredients until cream. Drop evenly over batter by tablespoons and swirl through the batter with a knife. I pulled the knife horizontally through each row of cinnamon blobs. Then I did the same vertically until I had a pretty marbly pattern.

Bake at 350º for 45 minutes.

Glaze:

Whisk glaze ingredients till smooth. Drizzle 2/3s over warm cake. And leave the rest for icing lovers to add as they desire to their own piece.

Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Thus Begins the New Year

Friends arrived on Friday to close out 2012 and open 2013 with us. This has become an annual event and I think this was year 5. The first year was bacon bacon everywhere. Then as our eating has evolved so have the feast contents. I do have an amazing cinnamon roll cake recipe that will be appearing soon.

The highlight of the trip might just have to be meeting Chloe though. We spent New Years's Day antiquing in the Old Market district in Omaha. Both Michelle and I found amazing deals on doors. But that was forgotten when we went to Joe's . Chloe is a rescue terrier mix with quite the personality. My favorite was what happened after the fashion show. She put her paw on my shoulder and I asked her if she wanted down. Her owner said she probably wanted a hug. And she did, a very long hug to be exact.

She climbed on board and was content to stay on board. Of.course she wasn't featherweight so I went to place her back on her perch, her little back legs hit the counter and kicked off while her little front legs climbed higher and wrapped tighter. Three times we played out this little scenario. Finally when it was time to go she let me leave. So cute.