Getting your vitamin cake
Posted by Nanc
As promised, I’ve got a tasty recipe for my vegetarian/vegan friends. In fact, it was taste-tested by these same friends and it passed muster. So I’m proud to share with you my recipe for vegan cupcakes.
Tasty Beef
Posted by Nanc
Here at TAGF, we know that some toys are indeed ‘good food’, but that others aren’t meant to be eaten or totally missed the flavor bus. But man can’t live on toys alone. So today, I post about food.
Oh sure, I’ve done this before: offer up tasty vittles that make you salivate all over your keyboard. Well get a bib already, ’cause I’m at it again.
High Society
Posted by Nanc
Heya, cupcake!
Posted by Nanc
There’s been a resurgence of cupcake love lately. (Or perhaps I’m slow on the times?) There are bakeries that specialize in cupcakes (none here – phooey), websites devoted to these wee lil’ cakes, and folks clamoring for a cake of their own. Even the NY Times. (It’s worth it to watch, listen, and salivate.) And I just went with the flow.
On this day of commercialism, I put a little bit of homemade sweetness back into the holiday. A recent discussion between gal-pals, and I decided to bake from-scratch, chocolate cupcakes. I found the recipe in The best of better baking cookbook and now have a great, new site to reference, ta’ boot.
I made mini ‘Cola Cupcakes’ with ‘Master Brownie Frosting’ from the book. But to add my own spin, I took the traditional Valentine box-of-chocolates idea and filled some with tasty morsels. Carmel, cherries, and cream – yum! I wanted to frost the mini-cakes in a similar manner, but that just didn’t work out. So they weren’t the purtiest, but they are tasty indeed.
I believe I like baking cupcakes. I believe that I will shower my friends with ‘cakes on many occasions. Watch out – I may have a cupcake for you!
Weezer had it easy
Posted by Nanc
How easy Weezer makes it sound. Simply hold the thread as he walks away. Easy-peasy, no? No. It is not that easy to destroy a sweater. (And was he wearing a large, one-piece sweater and nothing else? Unravel the one garment and he’s naked on the floor? Phppt.)
But it’s not too difficult, either. Cut a few seam threads, tug here, tug there, and finally – you have a pile of something that was previously something whole. Yay.
Warning: This article is pic-laden, and may take a while on slow systems. Upgrade to DSL alreay. You have been forewarned.
Ugg
Posted by Nanc
Gung Hay Fat Choy!
Posted by Nanc
Happy 4703! Happy Chinese New Year!
There are a few reasons why I like this new year’s holiday better than the western version (Jan. 1). For one thing, the focus of the holiday seems based on nicer traditions. Sure I still drink and have fun, but I don’t usually drink-drink to get drunk-drunk crazy. And that seems to be expected or the norm for New Year’s Eve. Also, I think that there are too many holidays crammed into a small amount of time as it is. Relax a little, take a breather… better? Good, now celebrate again. See, ain’t that nice?
Of course, then there’s the fact that I like food. And I like Chinese food. (Although a fairly recent event that occurred only in my adult years.) Besides champagne, I can’t recall any tasty traditional foods that are savored on New Year’s Eve. Oh sure – corned beef and cabbage or black-eyed peas are some traditional foods for New Year Day. But those aren’t really tasty treats in our house. So give me Chinese New Year and a fork (or chopsticks), I’m ready!
Matty and I have had trouble in the past finding any restaurants that celebrate or have festivities for this event. So this year, we decided to just run a few errands and then dine at where ever looked good. But we lucked out. We stopped at the May Dragon, where we used to lunch when we both worked in that area. Oh, joy! They are totally celebrating Chinese New Year. And with the help of a local Tai Kwan Do center, the Lion Dance is performed. (Yeah, Shannen, we thought of you. And laughed.)
So if you haven’t celebrated yet and want an entertaining floor show along with dinner (but not in a dinner-and-theatre sort of way), swing by the May Dragon. I believe that the celebration and dancers continue on for a few more nights this week. (The Lion Dance is performed at 7:30 pm for one hour each night of the celebration.)
Go. Enjoy. Eat. And have a good New Year.
Wedding Pez
Posted by Matty
After a few years of languishing half-completed, I finally finished the article on my little sister’s wedding PEZ. Even if you read this on the old site, there’s some new stuff too, so I don’t feel at all bad about rehashing this entry on the front page. So, come on in, relax, reread your favorite parts, and be awed at the new information!
…or something…
I am a wuss
Posted by Nanc
There are all sorts of injuries you can obtain while knitting. Typically, these fall into two main categories: boring but serious, or comical yet painful.
In the ‘boring but serious’ group you have the common ailment of knitting for too long until you have worn out/pulled a muscle in your hand/arm/shoulder/back. This requires time away from knitting to rest and repair the damage. Also, carpal tunnel is a biggie here. Not fun. Hurts like heck. But boring none-the-less.
Occasionally a fiasco happens while knitting which, after the injury and ego have healed sufficiently, is quite funny. Sitting on the pointing end of a needle or a yarn stash avalanche are two examples of this type of injury.
But those kinds of knitting mishaps are acceptable in this crafty world. Silly sometimes, but still allowable. Me? What makes me a sad little injured wuss? I have a bruise on the tip of my index finger from pushing yarn and stitches around my needles. Oh, how sad.
Of course, it’s not noticeable so I can’t garnish sympathy from friends or hubby. They see no boo-boo. It’s like I’m cryin’ over spilled Noro. And do you know how many things you do with the tip of your index finger? LOTS. Nearly everything. And it hurts every single time. Even typing this friggin’ article hurts! (Hmmm, I wonder if I could avoid using the F, V, B, G, T, and R keys?)
So I am pansy. A wuss. I feel like I should be taunted in the halls. Young children should chase me and throw point protectors at me. I will run away and hide in the woods where I will have to learn latch hook to stay alive. Woe is me.