8 Funny Posts 4 A Grin From Dennys Blogs - 30 June 2010

*** When times are tough what do you do? Laughter is the best stress reliever! Here are 8 posts from this week's posts at Denny's blogs for you to enjoy.



Cup of coffee from Brazil by il Quoquo @ flickr


From Denny: Between Colbert and Stewart, well, let's just say they have BP's shenanigans covered. Nothing gets past them!

In my ongoing effort to provide stress relief when the national conversation is so depressing - because of the BP Gulf Coast oil spill, a fragile economy and politicians who continually refuse to do right by the American people - we all need to keep laughing our way through these times until they get better. Trust that times will get better and they will. Until then, while we are in transition, we must develop coping skills for managing daily stress like making sure we are laughing often.

This is one of those times when it is true that "the pen is mightier than the sword" for the right kind of writing can bring relief to thousands in one moment over the internet. Pretty cool when you think about it. How many people can accomplish so much out of thin air? :)


Funny Smile Quotes - Cheeky Quote Day - 30 June 2010

Roundup of Late Night Funnies: BP Oil Spill, McChrystal Firing - 28 June 2010

Funny Video: Colbert Says McChrystal Had To Have Been High

Funny Video: Stewart Nails Republicans As Flip-Floppers On BP Escrow Fund

Funny Video: Colbert Lampoons Barton's BP Apology

Funny Video: Stewart Lampoons McChrystal's Balls For An Honorable Discharge

5 Funny Shorts: What Kids Think About Love and Life

Funny Video: Surfing Group Known as The Radical Rodents


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets
Dennys Global Politics
The Soul Calendar
Visual Insights
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations
Poems From A Spiritual Heart
The Healing Waters
Dennys Art Sanctuary
Romancing The Chocolate
Comfort Food From Louisiana
Unusual 2 Tasty
Dennys Blog Feeds
Dennys Funny Quotes
Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd

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Cake Tuesday: Shenandoah Apple Cake

*** Enjoy an easy to make old-fashioned cake with links to 2 more similar recipes!




This is an apple and pear cake with the link to the recipe after the post


From Denny: Apple cake is one of those first cakes a beginner baker learns to make because it is so tasty for breakfast, a weekend brunch or an afternoon snack with a cup of coffee or tea. At our house we like fruit desserts like fruit pies and fruit cakes.

Also, on the health side, when you eat fruit in a sugary dessert the fruit helps minimize the effects of sugar causing that roller coaster ride for the blood sugar that can leave you depleted of energy a few hours later. So, if you like sweets - but have some issues breaking away from too much sugar in your diet - this fruit in a sugary dessert helps you work your way out of it. If you don't have any issues with too much sugar in your diet, just enjoy! :)

When I make apple cake in the summer I like to add 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg to the cinnamon. When I make this cake in the fall I add 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves to the cinnamon. Nutmeg is lighter and fresher to the senses just perfect for the spring and summer. Cloves as a spice is mysterious and warm in sensation.

It is an extremely strong spice so don't add more as the spice can take over the flavor of a dish. Using cloves as a background hint does wonders for more than baked goods. I use it in marinara and spaghetti sauces and even when I make oatmeal for breakfast. Here in Louisiana we use ground cloves in our seafood boil seasonings too. There is more to the clove spice than just studded in the fat to bake a ham! It's sweetness is versatile when used with a very light hand.

In my ongoing effort to promote small business over Big Business I'm featuring this Virgina bed and breakfast inn today. Considering that the Fourth of July is this weekend, what could be more patriotic than to remember the earliest history of America? This inn dates back to 1740! It once stood on the American frontier and has been restored to 12 guest rooms for gracious comfortable country living.





Restored inn from Colonial times on the Shenandoah River in Virginia

From the website of The Inn at Narrow Passage: Our historic 1740 Shenandoah Valley bed and breakfast is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the beauty and history of the Valley of this special location between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Alleghenies.

Once a haven against Indian attacks on the Virginia frontier and later Stonewall Jackson’s headquarters during the Valley Campaign of 1862, our Shenandoah Valley inn now welcomes travelers looking for comfortable lodging and friendly hospitality.

On Route 11 (the Old Valley Turnpike), only two miles from Interstate 81 at Woodstock, our Virginia Bed & Breakfast inn has a real country atmosphere. We are located five private acres along the Shenandoah River. The Inn offers 12 guest rooms, a well-equipped meeting room for small executive retreats, many common areas, and lovely grounds to host your wedding.

*** Recognized for "Excellence in Preservation 2007" by the Shenandoah Preservation League

*** Selected by National Geographic Traveler as one of 150 hotels and inns in North America that "Celebrate their Sense of Place" (April, 2008)






This is an apple and pear cake with the link to the recipe after the post



Shenandoah Apple Cake

The Inn at Narrow Passage
Ellen and Ed Markel, owners and innkeepers
50 Chapman Landing Road (P.O. Box 608)
Woodstock, Virginia 22664

Email: innkeeper@narrowpassage.com
Phone: 540-459-8000 ~ Toll Free: 800-459-8002


Shenandoah Apple Cake

Ingredients:

5 apples, pared, cored, and thinly sliced
5 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. cinnamon
4 eggs
2 c.sugar
3 c. flour
1 c. oil
3 tsp. baking powder
2 + 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Juice of one orange (1/4 c.)

Directions:

Mix first three ingredients together and set aside.

Beat eggs with sugar, add oil, flour, baking powder, vanilla, and orange juice.
Beginning with batter, alternate layers in a greased and floured ring pan, ending with batter.

Save some apples to decorate the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr. and 10 min. Cool on a wire rack and remove from pan. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar before serving, if desired.


*** See Also from Smitten Kitchen: Mom's Apple Cake

*** See Also: Here's what you do when you only have 2 apples and some pears to make the same cake, go here.

*** See Also: Muffin Monday and Cake Tuesday recipe links

*** Photo of apple and pear cake by joyocity @ flickr

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets
Dennys Global Politics
The Soul Calendar
Visual Insights
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations
Poems From A Spiritual Heart
The Healing Waters
Dennys Art Sanctuary
Romancing The Chocolate
Comfort Food From Louisiana
Unusual 2 Tasty
Dennys Blog Feeds
Dennys Funny Quotes
Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd

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Not every ballerina gets a dessert named after her....

The June 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Dawn of Doable and Delicious. Dawn challenged the Daring Bakers’ to make Chocolate Pavlovas and Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse. The challenge recipe is based on a recipe from the book Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard - a book already in my collection.

Ahhhhh, Pavlova. There's a dessert I haven't had in years! This was one of the dessert's in

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Muffin Monday: Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins

*** Chocolate and cheese together in one muffin. Does Life get any better?




From Denny: This muffin is a star any time of day. It has sweet goodness, chocolate awesome and the protein of cheese. Color me into the breakfast corner with this winner! :) And its versatile: For this muffin you can use ricotta cheese or small curd cottage cheese if the ricotta is not easily available.

It's been fun to explore the bed and breakfast inns behind these recipes. Each one is a surprise from the last one visited. I've been thinking about how to help the economy with blogging about these inns. Muffin Monday is quickly becoming a brain child for stimulating and growing our economy. By promoting these bed and breakfast inns, who are small businesses, we can help our economy because it keeps jobs here. Small business is the engine upon which the economy has traditionally run. Keep them strong, rejecting the big businesses whenever possible, and we can restore our healthy economy.

Just because the politicians have sold out to Big Business does not mean the regular American has to follow their wrong lead. So, next time you are traveling for business or pleasure, take a little time and find a bed and breakfast inn instead of the usual hotel. The prices are comparable, many times they are a better buy. And it certainly is a more sociable and welcoming atmosphere than the usual impersonal hotels. Try a little social consciousness along with a great recipe! :)

This innkeeper has a sense of humor and names their rooms: The Hide N Seek, The Spelling Bee, The Graduate, The Honor Roll, The Schoolmaster, The Schoolmarm, Miss Edna's, The Prose, Dick & Jane's, The Show 'n' Tell, and, of course, Teacher's Pet.





From the website: Located in the quaint village of Rocheport, Missouri, the School House Bed and Breakfast Inn provides premium accommodations in a restored historic 1914 building that served as Rocheport's public school from 1914 to 1972.

The School House Bed + Breakfast has ten distinctive guest rooms, each decorated in beautiful antiques with luxury sheets, spa-quality linens, goose down duvets and featherbeds. Light from the large schoolhouse windows, covered with plantation shutters, softens shades of pinks and yellows and dramatically deepens bold plums and greens. Each room in the bed and breakfast is accented with a few reminders of the building's simple past. First- and second-floor rooms have 13-foot ceilings with original hardwood floors, eight-foot windows and ceiling fans.

The B + B's two secluded third-floor rooms, created from the school's original attic, have gothic doors and skylights for star gazing.


School House Bed & Breakfast Inn
504 Third Street (Third & Clark Streets)
Rocheport, Missouri 65279

Phone: (573) 698-2022
email: innkeeper@schoolhousebandb.com

'Stay in Class!' at the School House Bed and Breakfast in Rocheport, Missouri.



*** Remember to support small business in your area and when you travel. Why stay at a Big Business hotel as you travel when you can stay in a more home like atmosphere of a bed and breakfast inn? The prices are comparable, the people friendlier and your stay will be memorable.


Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins

From: School House Bed & Breakfast Inn

Yield: approximately 18 muffins

Ingredients:

2 1/3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup ricotta cheese (or small curd cottage cheese)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/3 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup canola oil
Cooking Spray


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tins with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, chips, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

In a medium bowl mix cheese with eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Whisk in milk and vanilla until blended. Fold cheese mixture and oil into flour mixture until just blended. Spoon approximately 1 cup batter into each muffin cup.

Bake 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans immediately and cool on a wire rack. These are delicious and moist, like cheesecake.



*** More Muffin Monday recipes:

American Revolt: How You Can Break Big Business, Big Banks, Big Insurance, Big Oil, Big Lobbyists

Muffin Monday: Egg, Ricotta Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomato Breakfast Muffins

Muffin Monday: Sour Cream Walnut Cinnamon Muffins

Muffin Monday: Pina Colada Muffins

Muffin Monday: Polynesian Bread or Muffins, Gluten Free Pineapple Muffin

Muffin Monday: Savory Feta, Roasted Pepper Basil Muffins From Sur La Table

Muffin Monday: Banana Praline Muffins, White Chocolate Banana Bread



*** Photo of Starbucks version of the chocolate cheese muffin by Kaunokainen @ flickr


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets
Dennys Global Politics
The Soul Calendar
Visual Insights
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations
Poems From A Spiritual Heart
The Healing Waters
Dennys Art Sanctuary
Romancing The Chocolate
Comfort Food From Louisiana
Unusual 2 Tasty
Dennys Blog Feeds
Dennys Funny Quotes
Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd

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Posts Roundup of Dennys 14 Blogs - 27 June 2010

*** Check out news, political opinion - serious and funny cartoons, recipes, science and health news, poetry, funny posts, photography, spiritual thoughts and great quotes.




Cup of coffee from Brazil by il Quoquo @ flickr





The Social Poets:


Dark Humor: BP Oil Spill Cartoons - 26 June 2010

Fourth of July When Life is Simple poem - Libations Friday 25 June 2010

Pentagon Junkyard Dogs Bow to Obama Pressure

Funny Lawyer Quotes and Jokes - Cheeky Quote Day 23 June 2010

Gen. McChrystal Out For Crudely Dissing The President

Roundup of Late Night Funnies - 21 June 2010

Funny Video: Colberts The Word, Stay the Course

Funny Video: Colberts Simplified Version of Obama's BP Oil Spill Speech

Funny Video: Colbert Examines America's Strained Relationship With England

Funny Video: Stewarts Take On America's Oil Dependence

Funny Video: Stewart Calls Joe Barton A 'Disdainful A--hole'

Posts Roundup at Dennys 14 Blogs - 20 June 2010




Dennys Global Politics:


American and World Politics Cartoons - 26 June 2010

Unemployed Americans Screwed by the Republicans Again - News Headlines 24 June 2010

McChrystal as Dems Political Disaster - News Headlines - 22 June 2010





The Healing Waters:


Living Art Exhibit: Public Play at NY Times Square Pianos

Exploding Number of Young Widows in the World

Good News: Kids Sell Lemon Aid 4 Pelicans Hurt in the Gulf





Poems From A Spiritual Heart:


An Audience of One

10 Funny Posts For a Laugh - 23 June 2010

Life is About Everything

Stepping Through Life

Hope Transforms

Jazz Music




The Soul Calendar:


Big Oil Nixs Competing Aviation BioFuel: NASAs Project OMEGA




Romancing The Chocolate:


Cake Tuesday: Coffee Toffee Fudge Cake, Tunnel of Fudge Cake

Muffin Monday: Pina Colada Muffins




Unusual 2 Tasty:


Muffin Monday: Polynesian Bread or Muffins, Gluten Free Pineapple Muffin

Muffin Monday: Savory Feta, Roasted Pepper Basil Muffins From Sur La Table




Comfort Food From Louisiana:


Cake Tuesday: Fresh Peach Coffee Cake

Muffin Monday: Banana Praline Muffins, White Chocolate Banana Bread




Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd:


Funny Legal News Story: The Case of a Contraceptives Misstaken Use

Funny Cartoon: What to Wear For Employee Review




Dennys Funny Quotes:


Funny General McChrystal Cartoons - 26 June 2010

10 Funny Signs and 10 Funny Short Jokes




Visual Insights:


Dennys Photo Gallery: Fourth of July Watermelon




*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets
Dennys Global Politics
The Soul Calendar
Visual Insights
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations
Poems From A Spiritual Heart
The Healing Waters
Dennys Art Sanctuary
Romancing The Chocolate
Comfort Food From Louisiana
Unusual 2 Tasty
Dennys Blog Feeds
Dennys Funny Quotes
Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd

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Raspberry Sauce

We recently picked our first raspberries!  We planted raspberry bushes last year and now we are enjoying the sweet rewards.  We love to eat them plain or tossed on cereal or yogurt.  As we continued to get more and more raspberries, I began to wonder what I could make with them.  I thought a raspberry sauce would be delicious with the beignet recipe I posted earlier.  I found a recipe on Recipezaar that looked straightforward and simple and decided to give it a try.

Ingredients

2 pints (4 cups) raspberries

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions  

1. Crush the raspberries with water in a saucepan. 

2. Add sugar and cornstarch. 

3. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. 

4. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. 

5. Push through a foodmill or strainer.

Serves 6

It's exciting to us that we planted and now harvested our own berries.  Here they are.  Aren't they beautiful!

I crushed the berries with the water and added the sugar and cornstarch.  Then, I let it boil for 2 minutes.  I poured the cooled sauce into a mini-foodmill.  Since the seeds are so small a lot of them still went through the foodmill.  I was able to remove about half of the seeds from the sauce.

 

The Results...
We drizzled some of this sauce on beignets for breakfast.  We all agreed that it was delicious.  I thought it had just the right balance of sweetness and tartness.  Of course you can always add more sugar if you want a sweeter sauce.  It also had a good consistency (not too thick or thin).  We look forward to having more of this sauce on pancakes, waffles, ice cream, cheesecake, chicken, salads....  

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Beignets

We love beignets.  Light, crispy, chewy, sweet; how could anyone not love a beignet?  If you're wondering what a beignet is, click here.  I was first introduced to beignets many years ago when I traveled to Louisiana to meet my in-laws.  I tried the famous Cafe Du Monde beignets and of course they were delicious.

A few months ago we received a box of Cafe Du Monde beignet mix from our family in the South (you can order a box here).  We quickly went through our beignet mix and my kids have been asking me to make more.  Maybe you're wondering, 'Why don't I just order another box?'  Well, the mix is inexpensive until you add $8 for shipping!  It's not just the cost.  I'm also wondering if beignets made from scratch will taste even better than beignets made from the mix.  I've decided to try the beignet recipe on whatscookingamerica.net.  We'll see which is better...

Ingredients

1 cup lukewarm water

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, room temperature and beaten

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup evaporated milk

4 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast

Vegetable oil*

Powdered sugar for dusting

* Use just enough vegetable oil to completely cover beignets while frying.

Directions

Using a mixer with a dough hook, place water, sugar, salt, egg, butter, evaporated milk, flour, and yeast in the bowl. Beat until smooth. If using a bread machine, select dough setting and press Start. When dough cycle has finished, remove dough from pan and turn out onto a lightly oiled surface. form dough into an oval, place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until well chilled (3 to 4 hours) or overnight.

To prepare dough, remove from refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured board to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into approximately 3-inch squares or circles.

In a deep fryer or large pot, heat vegetable oil to 360 degrees F. Fry the beignets (2 or 3 at a time) 2 to 3 minutes or until they are puffed and golden brown on both sides, turning them in the oil with tongs once or twice to get them evenly brown; beignets will rise to the surface of the oil as soon as they begin to puff. NOTE: If the beignets don't rise to the top immediately when dropped into the oil, the oil is not hot enough. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels, then sprinkle heavily with powdered sugar. Serve hot.

The dough can be kept for up to a week in the refrigerator - it actually improves with age; just punch down when it rises. Dough can also be frozen; cut and roll, or shape doughnuts before freezing.)

Makes 18 beignets.

The Ingredients

I use the bread machine for dough whenever possible.  It's so much easier.  I put all the wet ingredients on the bottom and the dry ingredients on top with the butter.  I used the dough setting and let the machine do the rest of the work.

When the dough was done I put it in a greased bowl, covered it with plastic wrap and left it in the refrigerator overnight....

Here's what I found the next morning.

I rolled out the dough and used a pizza cutter to cut small squares.

I heated the oil to 360 degrees and started frying.

Flip and fry some more.

Lots of sugar!

The Results... 

So, were these as good as the Cafe Du Monde beignets?  Unfortunately, no.  These were still quite tasty.  We ate our beignets with raspberry sauce and we had no problem finishing them off.   But, they were more like regular raised donuts not beignets.  The Cafe Du Monde beignets fry up lighter with a hollow center.  These were denser and solid all the way through like regular donuts.  These were not what we expected.  Tasty, but not what we think of as a beignet.  Cafe Du Monde is still the best.

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Posts For This Weeks Cartoons, Funny World Soccer Cartoons - 26 June 2010

*** Check out the fun world soccer cartoons and click on more links to funny cartoon posts for this week!





From Denny: Come check out the best of this week's political cartoons, lampooning politicians, Life and sports. Instead of paging through 50 websites pages to look at one cartoon at a time, I've embedded a dozen or more per post to enjoy easily. Can you tell I find it annoying to load page after page just to see all the latest cartoons? :)

These were only a few world soccer cup cartoons available for embedding. To see more just click on the link under the cartoons to take you to the cartoonists' sites. It seems like every night on the TV news we would hear those vuvuzela horns making their joyful noise while they blew out everyone's eardrums. Cartoonists had a lot of fun with that cultural icon.

Congrats go the USA soccer team as they made us proud. It was an amazing run with upset after upset. We got some bad referee calls when it was obvious the gambling syndicate phoned in how they wanted the game to be called. America's team still went forward to win after win. This week it was Ghana's turn to win against America and knock us out of the race for the world cup.

America's team went into this competition with little hope and fewer expectations. As far as Americans are concerned our team was a Cinderella team. They succeeded in winning our hearts and ignited a huge interest in this country for the game of soccer. From my corner of the world, I'd say your game was well played, guys!


*** See Also more cartoons of the day: Dark Humor: BP Oil Spill Cartoons - 26 June 2010

*** See Also more cartoons of the day: Funny General McChrystal Cartoons - 26 June 2010

*** See Also more cartoons of the day: American and World Politics Cartoons - 26 June 2010

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Bob Englehart - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Joe Heller - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Stephane Peray - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Patrick Chappatte - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Patrick Corrigan - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

*** Photo by Tansan @ flickr

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets
Dennys Global Politics
The Soul Calendar
Visual Insights
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations
Poems From A Spiritual Heart
The Healing Waters
Dennys Art Sanctuary
Romancing The Chocolate
Comfort Food From Louisiana
Unusual 2 Tasty
Dennys Blog Feeds
Dennys Funny Quotes
Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd

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Papa Screams for Ice Cream

I love to bring people joy with my food, it's one of my favourite things about cooking and baking. This why I like bringing desserts when we get together with friends, or baking a cake for someone's birthday. It's the reason I send treats to work with hubby, or take a pie over to a friends house "just because". While I don't necessarily need an occasion, Father's Day was as good an excuse as

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10 Funny Posts For a Laugh - 23 June 2010

*** Links to funny posts from several of Dennys blogs this week!





From Denny: I just love the enthusiasm of this funny dog running full tilt, tongue flailing out and slapping his face. He is undeterred and happy anyway. If only we humans could live in the moment like this dog. Well, not to worry, I've found some funny things on the web this week and posted them: jokes, funny quotes, funny photos and funny videos. Knock yourselves out. And, hey, make sure to send me photos of you laughing - and having a good time falling off your chair. :)


Funny Lawyer Quotes and Jokes - Cheeky Quote Day 23 June 2010

Funny Legal News Story: The Case of a Contraceptives Misstaken Use

10 Funny Signs and 10 Funny Short Jokes

Roundup of Late Night Funnies - 21 June 2010

Funny Video: Colberts The Word, Stay the Course

Funny Video: Colberts Simplified Version of Obama's BP Oil Spill Speech

Funny Video: Colbert Examines America's Strained Relationship With England

Funny Video: Stewarts Take On America's Oil Dependence

Funny Cartoon: What to Wear For Employee Review

Funny Video: Stewart Calls Joe Barton A 'Disdainful A--hole'



*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

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Cake Tuesday: Coffee Toffee Fudge Cake, Tunnel of Fudge Cake

*** Two delicious chocolate fudge cake recipes for the price of one post! :)




Clever creatively photographed Chocolate fudge cake with fork impression by truth82 @ flickr


From Denny: Is this not a clever way to photograph your favorite slice of chocolate cake or what? It sure amused me so I just had to share it with you so you can get a grin too. I wasn't successful in finding a photo of this cake with coffee, toffee and fudge in it. These bed and breakfasts have yet to post photos to go with their recipes. People eat with their eyes first and if they post these delicious photos people will be booking rooms in speedy time!

Of course, the added bonus of searching a database is to find something else interesting that catches my eye. There it was, smiling back at me, this old recipe that pulled up the fondest memories of living in Atlanta, Georgia, when I used to bake these fun tunnel cakes. My other fav tunnel cake was the chocolate cake with a tunnel of cream coconut. That was a real OMG moment of explosion of perfect flavors.

For all my sugar-holic friends and blog fans out there in online land, these blow-out-the-calories sweet chocolate cakes are for you! When you bake one of these darlings, save a slice of chocolate goodness for me, done with great reverence - of course. And, then, think better of it to share - and instead woof it down in proper chocolate etiquette homage. :)


From London House Spa: With the Ottawa River at our door, our Country Inn guests can take time to relax beach side, walk through old growth forests on walking trails with beautiful perennial gardens that surround the spa and London House Inn.

Located just one hour west of Ottawa in the heart of the Ottawa Valley. Just minutes away from Renfrew, Pembroke, Cobden, Arnprior, Beachburg and Westmeath. The London House Spa offers professional treatments in a spectacular country setting.






London House Inn & Spa
P.O. Box 179
Beachburg, Ontario
K0J 1C0

Email: info@londonhouseinn.com



Coffee Toffee Fudge Cake


Ingredients:

7 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (200 g)
1/2 cup butter, cut in pieces (125 mL)
1/4 cup coffee liqueur (50 mL)
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules (15 mL)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (125 mL)
4 eggs, separated
2/3 cup all-purpose flour (150 mL)
1/4 teaspoon each salt and cream of tartar (1 mL)
1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 mL)
4 bars (each 39 g) milk chocolate-covered toffee, finely chopped

Chocolate Glaze

1/4 cup whipping cream (50 mL)
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur (25 mL)
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules (10 mL)
5 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (150 g)

Directions:

In saucepan, heat semisweet chocolate, butter, liqueur and coffee granules over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat; whisk in brown sugar until dissolved. Whisk in egg yolks, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in flour in three additions; let cool for 5 minutes.

In bowl and using electric mixer, beat together egg whites, salt and cream of tartar until soft peaks form; gradually beat in granulated sugar until stiff peaks form. Whisk one-third into chocolate batter; fold in remaining egg whites. Gently fold in half of the chopped chocolate bars.

Pour into well-greased 8-inch (750 mL) round cake pan. Run knife through batter to remove air bubbles. Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven for 45 minutes or until top is firm to the touch and crust has formed. Let cool on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely.

Chocolate Glaze: In small saucepan, bring cream, liqueur and coffee granules to boil over medium-high heat. Immediately stir in chocolate; remove from heat and whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature. Pour over cake, letting some drip down sides. Garnish with remaining chopped chocolate bar. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until glaze is set. (Cake can be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 1 week.)







Tunnel of Fudge Cake by hfb @ flickr




Tunnel of Fudge Cake

Serves: 16
Prep Time: 35 min (Ready in 4 hr 30 min )
From: Pillsbury

Cake:

1 3/4 cups or 4.2dl sugar
3,5 sticks or 400g margarine or butter, softened
6 eggs
2 cups or 4.75dl powdered sugar
2 1/4 cups or 5.5dl all-purpose flour
3/4 cup or 1.75dl unsweetened cocoa
2 cups or 4.75dl chopped walnuts (NOT optional)
Glaze:
3/4 cup or 1.75dl powdered sugar
1/4 cup or 3/4dl unsweetened cocoa
4 to 6 teaspoons milk


Directions:

Heat oven to 350F/190C. Grease and flour 12-cup/28dl Bundt® pan or 10-inch/25cm tube pan. In large bowl, combine sugar and margarine; beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar; blend well. By hand, stir in flour and remaining cake ingredients until well blended. Spoon batter into greased and floured pan; spread evenly.

Bake at 350F/190C. for 45 to 50 minutes or until top is set and edges are beginning to pull away from sides of pan. (Since this cake has a soft filling, an ordinary doneness test cannot be used. Accurate oven temperature and baking times are essential.) Cool upright in pan on wire rack 1 1/2 hours. Invert onto serving plate; cool at least 2 hours.

In small bowl, combine all glaze ingredients, adding enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Spoon over top of cake, allowing some to run down sides. Store tightly covered.


*** See Also: Cake Tuesday: Fresh Peach Coffee Cake



*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

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Pla Krim-Khai Tao (Vermicelli in coconut milk syrup)

Pla Krim Khai Tao or Vermicelli in coconut milk syrup, a traditional Thai dessert.  This dessert mixed between kind of dessert Pla Krim and Khai Tao bring to eat together.  The sweetness of dessert Pla Krim. And salty of Khai Tao are combinations. Make a gorgeous taste. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 50 gms Sticky Rice Flour
• 25 gms Rice Flour
• 1 Tablespoons Cassava Starch
• 50 ml flower Water (rose, jasmine, pandan leaves etc.)
• 200 gms Palm Sugar
• 250 ml Water
• 200 ml Coconut Milk
• A Pinch of Salt
• Water for Boiling
• A Bowl of Cool Water

Preparation:

• Mix the rice flour, sticky rice flour and cassava starch together. 
• Add enough of the flower water to form a stiff dough and knead it a little.
• Bring a pot of water to the boil.
• Pinch off small pieces of the dough and roll them into worm shapes and drop them into the boiling water to cook. They cook quickly, typically one or two minutes depending on size.
• Scoop out of the hot water and drop into the cool water to cool down.
• Make palm sugar syrup by adding the sugar, to water. 
• Add just enough water to cover the sugar, then heat until the sugar is light brown and just dissolved and leave to cool.  
• Add the Vermicelli in the pot. This will make vermicelli absorb the syrup.
• To make a salty coconut milk, put coconut milk on the heat, add a pinch of salt and just warm it till steam starts coming off, you just want to warm it.
• To serve spoon the vermicelli in a bowl and pour the warm coconut milk over it.

  












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Mun Ping (Grilled Sweet Cassava ball)

Grilled Sweet Cassava ball or Mun Ping. Cassava or tapioca is a perennial plant widely grown in many tropical countries, including Thailand as one of the most important commercial crops.  We do use a lot of tapioca in our cooking, baking and dessert making. In Asian culture, cassava root is often consumed fresh, either boiled in chunks to be eaten with sugar, or made into all sorts of steamed cakes and puddings. Tapioca seed is also a common ingredient for dessert.

Ingredients:

• 100 gms Cassava Starch
• 230 ml Coconut Milk
• 150 gms Sugar
• 2 Eggs Yolks
• 1 Teaspoon Butter

Preparation:

• Boil the coconut milk with the sugar on a medium heat until dissolved.
• Turn the heat off and mix in the eggs yolks.
• Put the cassava starch into a dry frying pan and dry-fry for 20-30 seconds over a high heat (stir constantly). This will give the starch a slight toasted flavour.
• Add the starch to the saucepan and stir it in over a low heat - until it forms a thick sticky dough.
• Grease a baking tray with a little butter.
• Take off pieces of the dough and press them into 2cm diameter balls and place them on the tray.
• Cook in an over at 170 degrees celsius until brown, (1 hour is a typical baking time for these).
• Serve With Hot Tee or Coffee

   

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Muffin Monday: Pina Colada Muffins

*** Have a little fun in your muffins today!





From Denny: Here's a fun little recipe from a bed and breakfast down in Florida. It includes coconut and pineapple for a sweet moist muffin of sheer delight. It's also very easy to make because it employs a yellow cake mix. If you don't have any rum extract you can easily substitute vanilla extract in its place.


*** Remember to support small business in your area and when you travel. Why stay at a Big Business hotel as you travel when you can stay in a more home like atmosphere of a bed and breakfast inn? The prices are comparable, the people friendlier and your stay will be memorable.


Pina Colada Muffins

From: Magnolia Plantation Bed & Breakfast Inn
309 SE 7th Street * Gainesville, Florida 32601

Email: info@magnoliabnb.com

Makes: 24 Medium muffins.

Ingredients:

1 lb box of yellow or butter cake mix
1 tsp. pure coconut extract
1 tsp. pure rum extract
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2-1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
8 oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake batter according to package directions. Add remaining ingredients and mix for 1 minute. (Do not over mix.)
Fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on wire racks.



*** Check out:

American Revolt: How You Can Break Big Business, Big Banks, Big Insurance, Big Oil, Big Lobbyists

Muffin Monday: Polynesian Bread or Muffins, Gluten Free Pineapple Muffin

Muffin Monday: Savory Feta, Roasted Pepper Basil Muffins From Sur La Table

Muffin Monday: Banana Praline Muffins, White Chocolate Banana Bread



Muffin collage photo by _Nezemnaya_ @ flickr


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

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Ma-praao Kaew (Crispy Coconut Candies)

The dessert today I introduce "Ma-praao Kaew" which is basically sweet dried coconut. As usual this was a bit too sweet and crispy.  For this recipe you will need middle aged old coconut. Not quite young coconut, not old coconut, just middle aged. You can find this frozen in your Asian supermarket, as medium old coconut “Ma-praao How” or “Ma-praao Roy Kanom”.

Ingredients:

• 500 gms Shredded Coconut Meat
• 300 gms Sugar
• 150 water
• Food colouring

Preparation:

• Mix the sugar and water together. 
• Heat and bring to the boil.
• Boil the water off to a thick sugar syrup.
• Add the shredded coconut, lower the heat and continue stiring until all the liquid has gone.
• Let cool a little, taking two teaspoons take out ball shaped lumps on the mixture and let them cool on a drying try.

  

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Grilled Bananas (Gluay Tap)

Thai babies are fed mashed up banana as easy baby food. One of the first solid foods Thai babies will eat are bananas. Thais also make dried banana chips, sticky sweets, deep fried banana pieces, bananas in coconut milk.. You name it! There are hundreds of ways of preparing banana in Thailand. Thais believe that bananas are very healthy for your body. They have medicinal properties which help with stomach problems and flu. Bananas also have a ton of vitamins.  And this recipe call “Grilled Bananas or Gluay Tap” in Thai and basted with sweet sauce. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1-5 fruits Namwaa Bananas (for 5 Sticks)
• 5 Sticks for grilling
• 100 gms Dark Brown Sugar (for Sugar Syrup)
• 100 mls Water

Preparation:

• Slice the Namwaa bananas into 3cm thick slices.
• Thread them onto the sticks side ways on
• Grill them until browned and cooked through. 
• You can also dry fry or barbecue them.
• Once they're threaded on, bash them with a mallet. (This flattens them and helps break down the fibers making them easier to eat.)
• Grill until brown and cooked through, top with the a sugar syrup or honey.
• For the sugar syrup heat the dark brown sugar and water in a saucepan until dissolved. 
• Boil off the water to make the sugar syrup thicker, then pour over the banana.

   

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Lemongrass Iced Tea

Dried lemon grass leaves to make a zesty, refreshing drink that is highly satisfying both hot and cold. A native of South East Asia, Lemon Grass was introduced to these parts with the growing popularity of Thai cuisine. It has a light lemony taste, with slight hint of ginger. And is known to lift a sagging spirit, as well as aid digestion. Recent studies also show that Lemon Grass has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Best of all, it tastes great. If you have yet to try it, we recommend it highly. Naturally caffeine-free.  

Lemon Grass is a member of the Poaceae family, which includes all the common grasses. Originally from Malaysia, it flourishes in any humid climate. Lemon grass may be harvested several times in a season by cutting the upper portion of the leafy material, which quickly grows back for a second cutting. It is hugely popular among the lovers of Asian cooking, especially Thai food. And had recently found an herbal tea following. Most of the Lemon Grass used as herb tea comes from Argentina, Hawaii and Chile.

Source: Adagio

Flavoring :

• from lemon grass 3
• fragrant screw pine leaves 3 leaves.
• Sugar
• Water

How to do:

• Clear lemon grass to break clean enough different sectional split.
• Fragrant screw pine leaves wash to clean maul split roasted sore enough to put boiled 5 minutes.
• Add sugar and let's boil, then turn off the stove and let's it cool.
• Serve with ice.

Properties:

• Distend the stomach to be bloated tight fix have colic.
• Also diuretic for those with symptoms have suppression of urine.
• Even less with any limb swelling. Lemon grass oil has effect kill fungi and bacteria.
• Helps tract and upper respiratory tract clean. To prevent cold.

  












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Pink Guava Sweet Taste

This is a fresh pink guava sweet taste does not look very large. Highly Vitamin C. I drink every morning in hotel breakfast room  before go to work while working abroad. I love it. And so I asked for a recipe from the cook.  This not so difficult If you can get fresh pink guava, this is one of the most delicious ways to use it. It is a juice, really a smoothy, made from the pulp of the guava fruit.  Use larger older guava for this recipe, it will give a sweet/sour taste to the drink.

Ingredients:

• 120 gms Pink Guava Fruit
• 5 Tablespoons Sugar Syrup (50-50 sugar & water solution)
• 236 ml water ( boil )

Preparation:

• Peel the guava, take only the outer flesh minus the seeds in the middle.
• Mix the guava, syrup and water and blend in a food processor.
• Pour over crushed ice.
• Optionally a tiny pinch of salt over the top fills out the flavours.

Easy?? Enjoy ka!

  












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Posts Roundup at Dennys 14 Blogs - 20 June 2010

*** Check out news, political opinion - serious and funny cartoons, recipes, science and health news, poetry, funny posts, photography, spiritual thoughts and great quotes.




Cup of coffee from Brazil by il Quoquo @ flickr




The Social Poets:


Dark Humor: BP Oil Spill Cartoons - 19 June 2010

Stepping Through Life poem - Libations Friday 18 June 2010

BP Gets Their Moneys Worth From Apologetic GOP Texan Barton

Funny Quotes From Big Oil and BP Congressional Hearings - Cheeky Quote Day 16 June 2010

Foreclosure Violated Military Act: Yet Another Reason Not to Live in Texas

Roundup of Late Night Funnies - 14 June 2010

Funny Video: Obama Embarks on AssQuest 2010

Funny Colbert Video: BP CEO Tony Hayward Is an Evil Box of Priggish Entitled Baking Soda

Funny Colbert Video: BP Perplexed Stock Value Sinks

Funny Video: Colbert Doles Out Advice For Helen Thomas






Dennys Global Politics:


BP Problems: Political Cartoons 19 June 2010

Kevin Costner Blasts Big Oil, GOP Apologizes to BP - News Headlines 17 June 2010

Obamas Oval Office Speech, CEO Weigh in on Obama, Reality of BPs $20 Billion Escrow - News Headlines 16 June 2010

BP On Hook for $75 Billion in Claims, 1-Man Mission American Ninja Faulkner Hunts bin Laden, News Headlines 15 June 2010

BP Nightmare Well, Congress Ready to Nail BP, Kennedy FBI Docs, Obama Gets Oil Spill Help - News Headlines 14 June 2010






Beautiful Illustrated Quotations:


How Does Tenacity Figure in Your Life?

Destress: 3 Great Encouragement Quotes

Have You Ever Thought About The Process of Success?

Hope Transforms Our Lives in Tough Times






Romancing The Chocolate:


5 Tasty Sweet as Candy Chess Pie Recipes

8 Funny Posts to Enjoy

Muffin Monday: 3 Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipes



Comfort Food From Louisiana:


7 Simple Ingredients Brisket and Southern Corn Pudding

Muffin Monday: Mushroom Dill Muffins From Louisiana Mushroom Farm




Unusual 2 Tasty:


Muffin Monday: Savory Feta, Roasted Pepper Basil Muffins From Sur La Table




Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd:


Funny Video: Colberts Sound Advice on How to Get a Job

Murphys 15 Laws About Sex





Dennys Funny Quotes:


Oops and Hunh?! Cartoons 19 June 2010

Funny Family Quotes

Joke: When A Bunch of Nationalities Are Stranded on an Island





Visual Insights:

BP Oil Slicked Animals: Outrage Cartoons - 19 June 2010





Poems From A Spiritual Heart:


Hope Transforms

Jazz Music




*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

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