Journal Entries
Need Cake Recipes
Posted Sep 10, 2003
Hello folks. This year I am hosting the cake competition at the Village de la Vavoom's Second Annual Harvest Festival. I just know that you have favorite cake recipes that you would like to share. So come on by. 
F135070?thread=314877
And even if you don't want to enter a recipe, stop by and have a slice of warm pound cake with the topping of your choice. See you there.
Here are the rules........
THE CAKE COMPETITION RULES
1. You may enter a recipe for any type of cake.
2. You may enter a recipe for a cake that has been published in a cookbook.
3. Cakes that contain rum or brandy will receive extra points.
4. Bring a completed cake to the tent for judging.
5. Judging will be held on Sunday, Sept. 14.
6. The decision of the judge is final.
7. The judge cannot be bribed...well probably not....well, give it a shot, you never know.
8. Do not feed cake to the unaus. 
The winner will receive a lovely blue ribbon, a coupon for a PGGB at the Crossed Purposes Pub, a 'Get out of Jail Free' card and an invitation to appear in an amateur production of Guys and Dolls being presented in March 2004 at the Leeds Little Theater. The winning recipe will also be published in an upcoming Cranky Gardener column in 
.
Discuss this Journal entry [22]
Latest reply: Sep 10, 2003
Encounter with Mars
Posted Jul 24, 2003
I received this in an e-mail from a girlfriend. I don't know who actually wrote it - so can't give credit. But I wanted to share it with you in case you've missed it. Because it would be a shame to miss it.
CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH MARS -
Never again in your lifetime will the Red Planet be so spectacular
During August 2003 Earth is catching up with Mars,
an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach
between the two planets in recorded history.
The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287.
Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit,
astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this
close to Earth in the last 5,000 years but it may be as long
as 60,000 years. The encounter will culminate on August
27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles and will
be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky.
It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc
seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification Mars
will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.
Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August 2003
Mars will rise in the east at 10 P.M. and reach its azimuth at about
3 A.M. But by the end of August when the two planets are
closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point
in the sky at 12:30 A.M. That's pretty convenient when it
comes to seeing something that no human has seen in
recorded history.
So mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see
Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout
the month. Share with your children and grandchildren.
No one alive today will ever see this phenomenon again.
Discuss this Journal entry [16]
Latest reply: Jul 24, 2003
Update on Frank
Posted Jul 10, 2003
Frank is stable. He's fighting the breathing tube and furious at the world because he can't talk. It must be very frustrating not being able to communicate. I gave him a pen and paper, but he couldn't see the paper and it was almost impossible to read it. That made him even more agitated. Heck, you can barely read his handwriting on a good day! 
They have an ecocardiogram scheduled for today. And they will try to get the breathing tube out. No clue yet on what caused it to happen in the first place. That's what we need to find out.
Thanks to everyone for their well-wishes.
Hypatia
Discuss this Journal entry [43]
Latest reply: Jul 10, 2003
Help!!!
Posted Jun 27, 2003
I need recipes with odd/silly combinations of ingredients. By Monday! 
We're doing silly food for a kids program on Tuesday and my presenter just cancelled.
Things like a peanut butter, pickle and potato chip sandwich.
Or ham and peanut butter on toast.
Or sprinkling potato chips in chicken noodle soup.
Or using mayonnaise to bake a chocolate cake.
Things that people actually eat.
Please, please, please!
Discuss this Journal entry [36]
Latest reply: Jun 27, 2003
Peanut Butter-Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake
Posted May 28, 2003
I found this recipe this morning in a magazine. It looks so yummy that I have to share it. I've baked a lot of cheesecakes over the years, but none of them were quite this rich. Wish I could show you the picture.
Peanut Butter-Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake
Serves 16
Ingredients:
Crust ---
24 chocolate wafer cookies
1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
1/4 cup sugar
5 Tbs. butter, melted
Cheesecake ---
4 pkgs. (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
6 eggs
1 carton (16 oz) sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
Topping ---
3/4 cup chocolate fudge sauce from a jar
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 or 2 peanut caramel candy bars (like PayDay) cut into triangles
Position rack in lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 325ยบ F. Wrap bottom and side of a 9" springform pan with a double layer of foil.
In food processor process cookies, peanuts and sugar until crumbs form. (Peanuts will be larger than cookie crumbs.) Transfer to a bowl and stir in butter. Using the bottom of a measuring cup or flat-bottomed glass, press the mixture onto the bottom and 1" up the side of the pan. Set aside.
At medium-high speed beat the cream cheese and peanut butter until light and fluffy - 3-4 minutes. Add sugar and flour; beat until combined - 2 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in sour cream and vanilla - 1 minute. Transfer 1 cup of the batter to a small bown and stir in the chocolate. Pour half of the remaining batter into the pan. Drop half of chocolate batter by heaping tablespoonfuls ontothe batter and swirl with a knife. Pour remaining peanut batter on top, drop remaining chocolate batter, and swirl.
Place the cheesecake pan inside a large roasting pan. Place in oven. Fill the roasting pan with water halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake 1 hour, 15 minutes or until center jiggles slightly when pan is shaken. (After 1 hour cover top with foil if it is browning too quickly.) Turn off oven. Let cheesecake stand in oven 1 hour. Remove from water and run knife around edge of cake to loosen. Remove foil. Cool completely on rack. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. Remove side of pan.
Spread fudge sauce over cheesecake. If desired transfer whipped topping to a pastry bag with a large star tip. Pipe rosettes or spoon mounds on cake. Place candy bar pieces on top of whipped topping for garnish.
Discuss this Journal entry [4]
Latest reply: May 28, 2003
Hypatia
Researcher U200042
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