Military Romance Author
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
So it’s not just me. Even the animal kingdom knows it’s Fall and they’re stocking up on food. This little squirrel went nuts over a milkshake. I can’t blame him I have the same problem with chocolate shakes, including trying to get the lid off the dang cup.
Of course, I don’t think we need squirrels high on sugar too. Chaos! So people, finish your milkshakes. Save a squirrel from sugar.
Have a great weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
Why do the desserts featured on the covers of magazines not turn out the same way when I bake them? I passed up this magazine several times in the store until I finally succumbed and bought it. Last weekend I decided to take the big plunge and bake it for company. In the magazine it’s called a “Rustic Fruit Tart.”
First I used frozen berries instead of fresh, since they are out of season. Plus I have enough frozen berries in my freezer to feed Texas. Then I decided to use the fabulous Pillsbury pie crusts to save time. I use them for the pumpkin pies, so this should be fine with thinner crust than homemade dough.
Thawed the frozen blueberries and raspberries overnight in the refrigerator. Then in the morning I got up and took out the fruit, egg and one pie crust to warm to room temperature while I had breakfast. Put the ingredients together, followed the directions and it looked fabulous before baking.
Forty-five minutes later the buzzer dinged on the oven and out it came. Wait a minute. It doesn’t look like the picture! I’ve heard rumors that food stylists use all kinds of tricks to make food look good for photos, from spraying with cooking oil to using automotive products. Mine was virgin pristine and ugly.
Imagine the main culprit was the soggy thawed fruit, even though the berries held up well. And if I’d made the crust from scratch I could have made it thicker to hold the juices. The recipe did warn me there would be spillage.
They also recommended using parchment paper, which I did. Complete disaster. I couldn’t get it off the paper to move it on to the serving plate. So I airlifted the tart, paper and all, then cut the paper into a circle to fit the plate. Next time I’m using the round, flat pizza pan I thought of using in the first place. No parchment paper.
In the end it all didn’t matter. It tasted great and everyone liked it. My ugly tart.
All’s well that tastes well, to paraphrase the Bard.
It just so happens I have some fresh pears to use up now. Ugly tarts ahoy!
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
Tomorrow is Julia Child’s birthday. The woman who brought fun cooking to tv and an amazing French Cook Book to us all deserves our respect and imitation. You can watch many of her shows on YouTube, but I love this short clip where she takes a normal kitchen muck-up and creates something new. Fearless in the kitchen she is!
We can all learn a lot from Julia. So tomorrow take a shot at being brave in the kitchen. Julia would want us to flip with the courage of our convictions. Have a great weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
There is a lot to be said for serendipity, sunshine and the simple pleasures. Moseyed over to the opening day of my local Farmer’s Market to check out the wares and goodies. Came upon a booth with ginormous cookies.
Wait a minute. Those cookies looked familiar. I never forget a cookie! They were the size of pancakes with every kind from Cowboy Cookies to spicy chocolate cookies. Looked around and saw jars of jams and preserves, then some fresh fruit.
Yes! It was the Packer Orchards and Bakery from Hood River where I stopped on my way to the Alpaca yarn shop. Chatted up the booth cash register lady and she confirmed it was their first year having a booth at my market. It’s a miracle! Since the orchards and their store with the COOKIE BAR is a good 75 miles from my house, they moved the cookies closer to me!
Seriously, I’m going to have to take up running in addition to walking with this many treats so close. Procured a peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie and a marionberry pie sweetened with pear juice. Those gems were nestled right next to the cinnamon rolls with marionberry topping! I felt my jeans tighten just looking at them.
So I did a circuit of the rest of the market and found fresh asparagus, hanging baskets, jewelry, Hawaiian BBQ, all kinds of fun stuff. Then I parked myself in the line to get a chicken Greek gyro. Sun was out, great Spring day and cookies. Doesn’t get much better than that.
Yesterday at the day job the gorgeous weather continued and our resident pair of ducks were having a great time during lunch playing in the water feature in the man-made waterfall. I enjoyed my lunch in the sun and watched the ducks go hunting for morsels in the water, their cute butts going straight up into the sun.
You know it’s the perfect time of year when the farmer’s markets start to open, the ducks are playing in the water showing their butts and I can get humongo cookies every Saturday. Welcome Spring!
Got a favorite farmer’s market? Or cookie bar? Or cute duck butt sighting?
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
So I did my usual weekly weigh-in this morning and gack! Too many Easter treats, over my five-pound weight limit cushion. To be honest, I’d been flirting with the edge for weeks, but now it’s time to get serious.
At the time an image came to mind of one of my favorite YouTube videos below. If I keep eating like this my butt will look like Gummy Bear’s too. Since this video always makes me smile, here is an encore. And maybe I can do some cardio dancing like Gummy Bear. Couldn’t hurt!
Click off the ad and subscription tags so you can get the full Gummy Bear dance and music experience. Then let’s get moving! Have a great weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
There are few things I love more than pie, cake and cookies, but pancakes are right up there – fighting with French Toast of course. Today is a very special day because it’s National Pancake Day Eve! That’s right bakers, tomorrow is National Pancake Day! Break out your whisks!
So in honor of this mega holiday, the following video. HOWEVER, beware of the typo in the video, it is 2 TEASPOONS of baking powder, not 2 tablespoons. HUGE difference in a recipe. My favorite is blueberry pancakes, so feel free to throw in some berries too. Then there are the syrups to ponder. Maple or blueberry? Yes to both! Pancake toasts all around!
And because I could not resist the singing husky pup video, you are getting a two-fer today! It’s a pancake and puppy palooza! Happy Quirky Friday and have a great weekend!
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