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Tulips Emerging From The Ground!

Update on the birthday cake…

I didn’t make another cake. The oven was a disgusting mess – big blobs of cake batter had baked to the bottom of the oven and dripped from the oven racks like hardened lava. Yuk. I figured it would take too long to clean the oven and whip up another batch of batter so that was that. I could always go buy a cake.

When the original bundt pan with the remains of the cake had cooled, I took it out of the pan to see if any of it could be salvaged. Lo and behold, it was just fine! It wasn’t very pretty but it was not gooey at all. Just about half the size it should have been – ha! The frosting was luscious so I slathered it on the cake and you could hardly tell that it was wonky.

So that’s what we had for birthday cake. It was delicious. It was light and fluffy and not too sweet. The frosting with all the pecans and coconut was way better than the store-bought stuff.

Here’s the recipe. I know I made a big deal out of how much work it was but it really is worth the extra effort. Especially if you use the right pans (wink). (From Betty Crocker’s Cookbook)

1/2 cup boiling water

1 bar (4 ounces) sweet German cooking chocolate (Baker’s is one brand)

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

4 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Coconut-Pecan Frosting (below)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 round layer pans (9″). Line bottoms of pans with waxed paper or parchment. Inb small bowl, pour boiling water over chocolate, sitrring until c hocolate is melted; set aside to cool.

In large mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition. On low speed, blend in chocolate and vanilla. Mix in flour, soda and salt alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition until batter is smooth. Fold in egg whites. Divide batter among pans.

Bake layers 30-35 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly with finger. Cool completely. Fill layers and frost top with Coconut-Pecan Frosting.

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-1/3 cups flaked coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

Combine evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter and vanilla in small saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until thick, about 12 minutes. (Excuse me, Betty, but it took longer than that – I’d say a good 15 minutes). It should be golden brown and starting to thicken. Stir in the coconut and pecans. Cool before frosting the cake.

Nixon for President…again? This is one of the all time great April Fool’s Day hoaxes according to the Museum of Hoaxes website. Considering this is an election year, it seemed appropriate to post.

In 1992 National Public Radio’s Talk of the Nation program announced that Richard Nixon, in a surprise move, was running for President again. His new campaign slogan was, “I didn’t do anything wrong, and I won’t do it again.” (How funny is that???)

Accompanying this announcement were audio clips of Nixon delivering his candidacy speech. Listeners responded viscerally to the announcement, flooding the show with calls expressing shock and outrage. Only during the second half of the show did the host John Hockenberry reveal that the announcement was a practical joke. Nixon’s voice was impersonated by comedian Rich Little.

Please note that this is about as political as I want this blog to get.

There are some other great hoaxes, too, including one about Taco Bell purchasing the Liberty Bell from the U.S. government and deciding to change the name of all the Taco Bells to Taco Liberty Bell. Apparently, Taco Bell announced that they were making thisn purchase to “help ease the national debt”. Funny! It drew thousands of angry comments.

Then on April 1, 1957 the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) aired on television a report on the news show Panorama about the bumper spaghetti harvest in southern Switzerland. Viewers watched Swiss farmers pull pasta off spaghetti trees as the show’s anchor Richard Dimbleby attributed the bountiful harvest to the mild winter and the disappearance of the spaghetti weevil.

I could go on and on but I’d better just refer you to some of the great websites that list this stuff. Such as:

The best website (I think) is http://www.aprilfoolzone.com/. There you’ll find some great classic pranks that are easy and fun.

You can read about the Nixon hoax, the spaghetti harvest and the Taco Bell purchase at The Museum of Hoaxes at //www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/aprilfool/

At http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/minisite/april-fools-pranks-main-ms/ there are lots of fun pranks that parents can pull on their kids PLUS pranks that kids can pull on their parents.

I neglected to mention in yesterday’s post that the silver-framed pictures in the house were filled with photos of the owners at a variety of black tie events with some well-known celebrities. Carroll O’Connor, Angela Lansbury, Jeremy Irons, Kevin Kostner, among others. Can’t think of who else but will update the list if I think of others.

Now for Jen’s moving day: She had contacted a company called (I think) Starving Artists Movers that she found on Craig’s List. There were two of them. They came on time and were just as nice as could be. Two young guys. Celestin Cornielle and Richard Durden. They worked quickly and efficiently.

After everything was in the new apartment we visited a bit. Jennifer said that she would definitely recommend them to any of her friends. Celestin said that would be great. Somehow or other the subject of the writers’ strike came up and we found out that they are both actors who have this moving company. Starving Artists, for sure, and especially since the strike started. Celestin has been in lots of television shows – even my two favorites, Shark and NCIS!! Check out his credentials at this website: http://www.imdb.com/. Just enter the name Celestin Cornielle and you’ll pull up all the stuff he’s been in and some pictures. Fun! Only in Los Angeles!

Tomorrow we’re leaving for Phoenix for a week or so. Then on to Dallas for another housesit for five days. Will try to keep

Did I mention that we’re petsitting as well as housesitting here on Bainbridge Island? Well, we are. Two very sweet black cats. Ohits (as in “Oh, it’s the big cat) and Muffin. And, as is often the case, the sun rises and sets on them as far as their owners are concerned. I can relate to that having had cats and dogs and even a bird as pets. If you love animals you know what I mean.

Well, the owners are both writers and it seems that now and then a cat will hop up on a lap while they are at the computer. And play with the keys.

The following is posted on the bulletin board. I am quoting it verbatim.

Yesterday I entered a Dream Job contest. I had to submit an essay and describe my “dream job”, explain how I intend to obtain my “dream job,” and convey how journaling of my job pursuit experiences could benefit other job seekers.

I chose an internet business as my dream job and described three different concepts. I’m sure there will be thousands of entries but at least I took a positive step!!!!

11/30/2007