On the road again

Currently, I am employed as a Customer Service Quality Assurance Specialist for a company that develops behind the scenes software for k-12 schools. Basically that means I get to break the software when in the office and go out into the field to train districts on how to use it. This week is one of those training weeks. 

I headed  down to McHenry, IL later this morning. After crossing the WI/IL border I came to realize that the IL cars were going 10 under the posted limit. Anyone from Wisconsin should be gasping about now. We're use to IL cars zooming past us going north on HWY 39/51, 94 or 43. Weird.

On a lighter note,  Seattle's Best level 4 coffee is almost as good as the coffee from here, my daily caffeine fix provider, and 20 times better than the hotel coffee that awaits everyone. 

The Magic of Dye and Eggs!

Holidays are fun. Where else are going to get an excuse to dye white eggs in crazy colors?

He knows....

Oh Noooo!!!!!

Eggs as far as the lens can see

Bad Ass half Ninja, half Egg, half Irishman. Yes, that adds up to 150%

The Doc says you butter not use butter

Don't be a sour puss, use Sour Cream!  Yes, yes, it's not quite as tasty but it still has the same creamy texture. Use it place of butter in most sauces and baking applications.  It's a fairly delicious stand in for butter in potatoes as well. 

Full fat sour cream can be just as bad as butter, but it does provide a little more calcium. Go with the fat free tub for your sauces and the like. Use the light version for baking applications. You'll still need some fat to keep those cakes and scones moist. 

Feel the need to eliminate heavy(ier) fats all together?  Try using yogurt.  It can take a little to get use to since it has a more tangy bite.

Recipe Time!

Chocolate Dreamsicle Triple Layer Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 2 1/4 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2-3 cups of your favorite frosting with 3 table spoons of frozen orange juice concentrate added.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 3 - 9 inch round cake pans. In medium bowl, pour boiling water over cocoa, and whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool. 

2. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. 

3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at time, then stir in vanilla. 

4. Add the flour mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture. 

5. Spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared pans.

6.Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool. 

9. Place first layer cake on a plate and top with 1/4 of the icing, add the next layer cake, top with 1/4 of the icing and add the top layer. Pile the rest of the icing on the top and evenly spread down the sides with one of colorful scrapers from a previous post. 

The Worlds Largest Trivia Contest

Things are a little crazy this weekend in my hometown of Stevens Point. It just happens to be the 42nd running of the Worlds Largest Trivia Contest sponsored by the local College radio station, WWSP 90fm. "The Contest," as it is known by, is 54 hours of nothing but a collection of the most eclectic trivia questions know to man.  For example, the questions they just read went something like this:  According to a magazine article this Boardway musical is described as Circus, ballet, musical comedy, minstrel show, clowns, rock concert, magic, vaudeville, spectacle.  Answer: Pippin


Radio DJs read the questions on the air. Teams call in to the station with the answer. Eight questions per hour, the question is read twice, a song is played, question read again, another song is played and then players hear the dreaded "Phone Down in Back!" At that time the calls cease to be answered. The DJ reads the question once more and then the answer is reveled. 


A couple hours the number of questions vary slightly. In addition to the call in questions there the Trivia Stone (a scavenger hunt/rally done in a car), Music Snippets, Running Questions (scavenger hunt done on foot) as well as a collection of 24 random pictures in which players must identify in one way or another. 


As of hour 39 my team is in 169th place out of close to 394 teams with 2160 points. The top team has 8950 point. Yeah, we'll never reach that, but a top half finish would be stellar!  The number of points is based on the number of teams that get the question correct. The more people who answer correctly, the smaller the point value. Max point value of a question is 500 and the lowest value is 5. 


Only 13.5 hours to go!

Kitchen Utensils Anyone?

Kitchen Utensils can make or break a good cooking experience. You don't need everything under the roof of the kitchen specialty store. Just a few items and you'll be cooking like a pro.

Wooden or Bamboo Spoon and Spatula

Why are these on the list?  They don't conduct heat, won't scratch non-stick pans, and will only catch fire is if placed in direct flame for a few minutes.  I like bamboo the best. It is lightweight and stands up well to washing. Plus it's a renewable resource. It wouldn't hurt to keep a ladle and non-slotted spoon in the drawer or canister either.

Bowl Scraper

The bowl scraper is handy to have in the kitchen. Use it to get the last bit of pancake batter from the bowl or scrape bottom of the mayo jar. Commonly made from silicone, rubber or plastic but can be made from bamboo and wood as well. Plus, the come in endless numbers of colors. 

Tongs

These are great for tossing pasta, turning meat and easily moving string beans from pan to plate.  Plastic tipped ones won't harm pans. Just don't leave them sitting on the pan for too long. Plastic does tend to melt on hot surfaces after all.  (Kitten optional)

Whisk

The whisk. Love this little gadget for everything!  Take making brownies for example. You can froth the eggs, sift the flour with the baking soda, mix everything together and whip the cream for on top.  Find one with a  sturdy comfortable handle to make life easier on your hand.

 

Can Opener

Having a good can opener when you're cooking in the kitchen (or at the campsite) is important in order for you to be able to quickly open up any can. The best kind for your pocketbook is the hand held variety with a serrated wheel and large handles(pictured below). This was first introduced in the 1920s and still remains popular today. Never submerge your can opener in water and thoroughly dry after cleaning. I don't recommend the chrome style with pencil thin handles. They are hard to grip and tend to slip off the can.

Over the Stove and Cooking

Living on ones own is a big step for most young adults. They can find it difficult to adjust to this new world. No parents to do things for your or offer help, going out and getting the right tools for the job and then following through with it.
When starting out in the kitchen there are a few key items a person should have. Over the next few days key kitchen gadgets/essentials will be posted.

A well seasoned 10 inch cast iron frying pan

 

Learn to use a cast iron pan and it will be your best friend. They are useful for everything from dry toasting nuts and warming tortillas to making eggs (yes, eggs). The pan retains heat which can help ensure even cooking. Another great thing is that they can go from stove top to oven to grill to campfire.
Lodge is well known name in cast iron that comes pre-seasoned.  Along with this  is a higher price tag. The best cast iron pan I've ever had is one I picked up for $5 at a garage sale and restored myself.
To easily "restore" a cast iron pan follow these steps:
1. Wash the pan with hot water. Use steel wool or a coarse pad to remove any rust or really stuck on debris. You can use soap if desired because later on the pan will be seasoned. Don't soak the pan in the water/soapy water. Rise thoroughly.
2. Dry completely. It helps to put it in a hot oven to be sure.
3. Use some form of plant oil (vegetable shortening, corn, canola, etc) to rub the pan down on all sides. Let it sit for few minutes to "soak" in.
4. Place the pan upside down in your oven at 300F for at least an hour to bake on a "seasoning" that protects the pan from rust and provides a stick-resistant surface.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4.
Ongoing care:
1. After using the pan rise it out with hot water and a sponge. Never use soap as this can strip the non-stick coating yo worked so hard to create.
2. Spray pan with a bit of cooking spray
That's it! You should be able to cook with the pans for years to come.