| Go-To Chocolate Bundt Cake with Milk Chocolate Glaze |
[Nov. 14th, 2009|01:17 am] |
I love this recipe. I needed something relatively quick and painless for a dinner party the other day, and this did the trick. It's nothing more than the "Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake" recipe with a nice, buttery milk chocolate glaze on top. It's simple, wonderfully moist, and a perfect counterexample to those who deride "back of the box" recipes.
The glaze recipe is from Southern Living. I found the glaze a little too buttery on its own (note that both the boyfriend and the roommate disagreed and loved it), but I thought it went perfectly atop the cake. If you prefer a different glaze, dark or white chocolate can easily be substituted for the milk.
Without further ado, here's the recipe. Enjoy!
( Chocolate Bundt Cake with Milk Chocolate Glaze ) |
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| *Facepalm* |
[Nov. 9th, 2009|09:56 pm] |
Matt's quote of the day:
"If you watch Jeopardy backwards, it's rich people paying a lot of money for stupid answers! It's amazing!" |
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| Pound Cake |
[Oct. 25th, 2009|03:32 pm] |
From Smitten Kitchen, Vanilla Bean Pound Cake. It is amazing.
(Note: If you don't have vanilla bean on hand, go ahead and add another 1.5 teaspoons of vanilla extract. It's not quite as good, but still delicious.)
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| Deliciously Soft Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies |
[Oct. 17th, 2009|11:47 pm] |
These cookies are delicious. Pretty basic recipe, but good to have in your stash.
( Recipe behind cut )
In other news, Matt's Quote of the Day:
Blinking? Yes, yes, I know you're very blinky. But blinking doesn't do anything! You're supposed to give us the internets! I can't interpret your blinks!
~Matt, yelling at our new router |
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| boiz n gurlz |
[Aug. 30th, 2009|08:07 pm] |
Top ten hilarious/awesome things about having a boy for a roommate:
(1) He doesn't think it's weird when I say, no, we don't need a chore schedule, we can just clean up when the place starts to gross us out. We're not five years old.
(2) He has so little bathroom stuff I can take over massive portions of the medicine cabinet.
(3) Similarly, I can use the bathroom for rather extended periods of time and not worry that he needs to come in and blowdry his hair or something.
(4) Our genders are incredibly obvious from our respective rooms. My right wall is dominated by drawers of clothing. His is dominated by a very large desk that contains two computers and two very large monitors, with a third computer/server under his desk.
(5) I can take over the kitchen with all my baking stuff. Does he get annoyed that he can't find room for his stuff? No, he's just happy because it means he gets to be a guinea pig for my baking experiments.
(6) His pride will not allow us to outsource any electrical work. Yesterday, he drilled a hole in a metal cover so we could install an overhead light into our ceiling fan. He also changed an outlet, and is currently in the process of running electrical cables throughout the apartment.
(7) He doesn't find my frequent lack of pants strange. (And no, there isn't any sexual tension between us. We're just both lazy.)
(8) He brought a TV with him. By contrast, neither of us feel particularly pressed to pick out a couch just yet.
(9) He and the boy are conspiring to set up a distillery on my porch. This provides the rare opportunity where I get to be the voice of reason.
(10) I don't have to worry about some other dumb bitch's pheromones screwing with my cycle.
Addendum: Matt's Playtex Tampon Rant:
"You know what I learned from your tampon box? Playtex tampons are made by Energizer batteries. ENERGIZER BATTTERIES! It's like sticking a battery in your pussy! I mean, there could be a mixup at the factory and you would end up sticking a battery in your vagina. It's heavier, so I guess you'd notice, but still. Also, why do they measure the amount of blood in grams? Who the hell has a concept of blood lost in grams?"
My response: "Why the fuck were you looking at my tampon box?"
Him: "Cause I needed bathroom reading." |
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| Birthdays |
[May. 21st, 2009|04:03 pm] |
Birthday parties are weird. It's like, woohoo, you defied the odds and managed make it another year without croaking. Here's a bunch of useless crap you're going to regift. Enjoy.
But at least there's booze. Yay booze. |
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| (no subject) |
[Apr. 26th, 2009|01:03 am] |
Ripped from ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) littpiski
Comment here with anything, and I will say something nice to you.
Just make this post in your lj, so you can spread love too. |
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| Motorcycle Lessons |
[Apr. 7th, 2009|10:57 am] |
Hey all,
So I know I said I would do this last summer, but never got around to it. This summer, though, no excuses! I'm going to get a damn motorcycle license, even if I'm not going to get the chance to use it right away. Of course, this requires taking a safety course.
The classes are at Montgomery College. I'm thinking of taking the session that runs from May 19 to May 21. Any thoughts? Would anyone be interested in joining me? |
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| "Black Magic" Indeed |
[Apr. 4th, 2009|03:32 pm] |
Come on. Are you really going to complain about another chocolate cake recipe?
This is much simpler than the double-chocolate cake recipe below. It's an adaptation of a recipe from the Hershey's website. If you like very moist cakes, then this is the cake for you. Enjoy.
( Black Magic Chocolate Cake ) |
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| Should I have? |
[Apr. 3rd, 2009|03:18 am] |
I have to wonder.
Have I changed at all since high school? |
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| (no subject) |
[Apr. 2nd, 2009|10:48 pm] |
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I just signed an email to my dad "Mel." |
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| Wow |
[Mar. 30th, 2009|12:09 am] |
Today's xkcd is all sorts of awesome.
That is all.
Note: Read the scroll-over text. That makes it about ten times better. |
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| I must be stopped (aka Blueberry Muffins) |
[Mar. 26th, 2009|12:36 pm] |
This baking thing is getting out of hand. -_-
This recipe for blueberry muffins has been weighing on my mind for quite some time now. I finally baked them this morning, and good lord are they tasty. For the blueberries, I would recommend frozen over fresh; they seem to bake up more nicely without running. Did I mention that these muffins are frightfully tasty? (Not to sound like an ad, but I used Wyman's Frozen Wild Blueberries, and was very happy with the results. As Baking Illustrated explained, wild blueberries are smaller and seem to have a bit more flavor than cultivated berries.)
( Blueberry Muffin Recipe )
[EDIT] You can adapt this easily for chocolate chip muffins. Substitute 2 cups chocolate chips for blueberries. For the topping, use 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder in place of cinnamon. |
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| Red Velvet Cupcakes |
[Mar. 25th, 2009|12:07 am] |
I'm going to say this right off the bat: I think red velvet cake is overrated.
First, I'm offended by the minimal chocolate flavor in red velvet cake. This may be because I am a chocolate addict; I mean, really, four tablespoons of cocoa mixed with over two cups of flour? I managed to get over this particular hangup by realizing that red velvet cake isn't really a chocolate cake; rather, the cocoa is meant to add a depth of flavor to an otherwise basic cake.
Second, speaking of flavor, I find red velvet somewhat lacking. It doesn't have the decadence of a chocolate or devil's food cake, the buttery goodness of yellow cake, the yummy vanilla-and-almond flavor of a proper white cake, or the sweet delicacy of angel food. As far as taste goes, it seems that red velvet cake is best conceived of as a vehicle for frosting.
Something red velvet cake does have going for it is moistness. Between the buttermilk, vinegar, and vegetable oil, the cake tends to be remarkably moist. This is the biggest argument for avoiding the temptation of adding more cocoa powder, which tends to have a drying effect on baked goods.
Alright, enough analysis. Here's my recipe for ( red velvet cupcakes. ) |
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| In which my imagination runs amok yet again |
[Feb. 6th, 2009|01:29 am] |
So I'm going in to see my Legislation and Regulation professor tomorrow about becoming a research assistant. Apparently he's got a big project on administrative law going - not sure about any of the details yet.
I'm fairly sure he's going to ask why I'd be interested in such a research position. My overactive imagination has led me to concoct some rather...bizarre possibilities for how such a conversation would play out.
Prof: So, why would you like to take part in such a project?
Me: Well, to be honest, sir, it's because I am a colossal nerd.
(Prof looks quizzically over his glasses at me.)
Me: Uh, not that I'm calling you a colossal nerd! I mean, you're certainly academically inclined, and, uh...I mean the useful kind of nerd, not the one who doesn't bathe and still lives with his mother at the age of 35.
(Prof continues to stare quizzically.)
Me: Not that thirty-five is old! It isn't! Just kind of old to be living with your mother. Which, of course, you aren't!
(Prof quirks an eyebrow. It is unclear whether he is amused or annoyed at this point.)
Me: Besides, being a nerd isn't bad! It’s not like the 80’s and 90's when being a nerd was the ultimate social sin. (I remember that, oh wait, Prof was in high school in the late 80's and early 90's.) Not that that's ancient history or anything! People who went to high school back then are still sitting around playing video games every evening!
(Prof quirks the other eyebrow. His lips twitch - it is unclear whether he is stifling a laugh or struggling not to lose his temper.)
Me: Not that that's the majority of people who are around that age! Or that video games or bad! Or...er...anyway, my point is, nerds are in! I think this happened around when I was graduating high school. I’m going to chalk it up to the pop-culture ascent of Jon Stewart. The world is being taken over by short nerdy Jewish men.
(I immediately realize that Prof is short, nerdy and Jewish. His expression remains fixed.)
Me: No, no! I like short nerdy Jewish men! I've had a crush on Jon Stewart since I was 13! I’m dating [Boy]!* He's a short nerdy Jew too! I find that attractive, really!
(Prof blinks and pushes his glasses back up his nose, as they have slid down well past the bridge at this point. He is clearly uncomfortable.)
Me: Oh, I'm not saying that I'm attracted to you! (I realize how that might sound.) Not that you aren't attractive! But uh, you're a professor! And that would just be inappropriate. Hell, even talking about this ridiculous hypothetical is inappropriate! And besides, I don't think your wife would approve.
(Prof takes off his glasses and begins massaging his temples, as though to alleviate the onset of a sudden migraine.)
Me: ...And I don't think I'd be a very good kisser with my foot constantly jammed squarely down my throat.
(Prof looks up again. He is clearly still waiting for a substantive answer regarding my interest in the project.)
Me: So, er, right. The, uh, administrative state is likely to undergo a massive overhaul in the new administration, and a proper analysis of the issues facing both regulatory agencies and the country at large is key to solving, or at least alleviating, the various crises facing the national government at this time...
(Prof shakes his head and emits a small sigh. I am well aware of the fact that he has not said a word since I starting babbling.)
Me: ...uh, not to get off topic, but is this whole conversation going to affect your willingness to be a job reference for me? Because...well, I don't think my other professors like me very much.
*Recall that Boy is in my Section, so he was in Prof's class as well.
This scenario might sound absurd, but keep in mind, this is the man who (thanks to my seat near the front of the class) has heard my impassioned Monday Morning rants regarding everything from DC traffic to FDA regulations regarding the labeling of white chocolate (because, really, you shouldn't be able to label something white chocolate unless it contains actual cocoa butter). He is also the only prof that knows about my pathological hatred of pandas. |
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