Pajama Pundits

Gifts of food should always include chocolate, or something that goes well with chocolate. This is not an ironclad rule, but before you protest too much, tell me what, other than certain animal innards and green vegetables, doesn't go well with chocolate?

If you're the type of person who gives chicken livers and cans of spinach for Christmas presents... well, what can I say?

Until my daughter made Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread for me, from a recipe given to her by the mother of a friend, I would have said chocolate and pumpkin don't go together. I was a fool.

Her husband loves these, and she's tinkered with the recipe over the years, catering to his taste.

All Time Favorite Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
3 eggs
1 16 oz can pumpkin
3 cups plain flour, unsifted
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 bag mini chocolate chips (can use full size, but mini melt better)
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Mix first 4 ingredients well. Add dry ingredients and spices. Mix thoroughly. Fold into chips. Grease and flour pans. Divide into small loaf pans or muffin pans. (makes great mini muffins). Bake at 350 degrees for 65-70 minutes. Best the day after.

Personal experience note - experiment with baking times and oven temperature, as your mileage may vary.

If I were giving baked goods this year, it would probably be cookies. I'd use one or both of these recipes I've submitted to previous carnivals, No-Name Cookies or Snickerdoodles.

This year I'm sending marshmallows. The basic recipe and technique is from Test Recipes: Marshmallows at Cooking For Engineers. I've made some changes and additions and... um, some messes.

Through experience, I discovered that lining the pan with plastic wrap, lightly oiling it (use a light oil, like canola that has little or no flavor), then dusting that with a mixture of 2 parts powdered sugar to 1 part cornstarch, works better.

I don't have a candy thermometer, so I used the cold water test to determine if the sugar syrup was ready.

After the mixture has set for several hours, I turn the pan upside down on a cookie sheet or cutting board lined with plastic wrap prepared the same way.

Through impatience, I learned that letting the mixture set overnight makes it easier to cut. No, make that possible to cut. Impatience gave me some really sticky messes to clean up.

I also don't have a pizza cutter, so I used a round cookie cutter. I discovered that these cute round marshmallows fit perfectly in a cup of hot chocolate and decided that made them unique enough to give as gifts, especially if the recipe worked as well when I added flavors. I get 15 round marshmallows out of a batch instead of 40 little square ones.

For cinnamon marshmallows, I added a heaping tablespoon of cinnamon to the sugar.

For peppermint marshmallows, I substituted 2 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract and 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring for the 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.

The peppermint marshmallow in Ibarra Mexican Chocolate has already got rave reviews from the younger daughter.

I'm making gifts, assembling packages to mail, and my husband is finally finishing the bathroom remodeling project.

For distraction from the fun and mundane, I'm re-reading Jacques Barzun's From Dawn to Decadence : 500 Years of Western Cultural Life 1500 to the Present.

That should keep me out of trouble for a few weeks. Maybe more, it's not a short book.

They're up and running now after some server glitches yesterdays afternoon. If I weren't so lazy, I'd steal the snazzy logo to put here... but I am so lazy.

Now, for the part you've all been waiting for: Pajama Pundits endorsements: Best Blog: Mudville Gazette

Best Group Blog: Moderate Voice

Best LGBT Blog: Classical Values

Best Blog Design: The Shape of Days

Best Business Blog: BizzyBlog

Best Military Blog: The Officer's Club

Best of the Top 5001 - 6750 Blogs: Army of Mom

More endorsements as soon as the checks arrive...

undated blog posts.

Unbelievable that anyone is offended by the mere mention of a the name of a medical procedure.

Reynolds says:

...there aren't many simple safe procedures that can absolutely prevent cancer, and this is one. Don't forego it because you're squeamish.

He is correct, but doesn't mention that this test also catches cancer before it's too far along to treat effectively and easily. Easily, to me, means surgery without chemo or radiation. Chemo and radiation are never easy, and they generally last much longer than the recuperation period for major abdominal surgery.

I think he's not giving a good picture of the sedative, often Versed, given for this procedure. Not only is it very relaxing for the recipient, it can be fun for whoever gets to accompany the patient. The patient has little or no memory of the events of several hours, is extremely cooperative, and can be very amusing. Precautions after getting Versed include:

Midazolam may cause some people to feel drowsy, tired, or weak for 1 or 2 days after it has been given. It may also cause problems with coordination and one's ability to think. Therefore, do not drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are not alert until the effects of the medicine have disappeared or until the day after you receive midazolam, whichever period of time is longer.

Ability to think is required for blogging? Damn, somebody should have told me!

In 1992, the doc found a cancerous polyp during a colonoscopy on my husband. Surgery followed - a colon re-section (without colostomy) - and no signs of cancer have been found since. This is a very good thing.

He had yearly colonoscopies until 1997, then a 3 year follow-up, and after finding no polyps this year, he won't go back for another for 5 years.

So, listen to the Instapundit: Don't forego a colonoscopy because you're squeamish.

Or too easily offended.

So far, no one's voted for DOOMED, WE'RE ALL DOOMED!

A sensible Happy Holidays from the AnalPhilosopher.

Best and Worst Jobs? Scott Adams is doing his part for Army recruiting.

A Cricket's Tale. Yes, what a ride!

This cracks me up - Oh My! - a real Art Linkletter Kids Say the Darndest Things moment.

Eye of the beholder is the latest reason why I read Sissy Willis almost daily.

The illusion of security.

It's an Appetizer Party at Blog o 'Ram.

The 67th Carnival of the Recipes. Grab a glass of water and enjoy!

Nothing tastier, little easier to prepare. What's not to like?

Slice some good quality fresh, moist mozzarella about 3/8" thick.

Slice some good fresh, ripe (vine-ripened if you can get them) tomatoes about the same thickness.

Arrange the mozzarella on a shallow serving dish, top each with a tomato slice.

Tear a handful of fresh, fragrant basil leaves and sprinkle them liberally over the tomatos.

Salt & pepper to taste (I don't think it needs much).

Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.

Take a moment to admire your handiwork.

Serve, with a nice white wine.

I didn't list amounts, just use what you need for as many people as you are preparing this for. Allow at least one slice mozzarella and one tomato slice for each person. The dish in the photo was prepared for six people, allowing two for each. There would have been one left over, but I ate it.

monDi.eu

What style fireplace would these look good on?

I have mixed feelings about the student sent home for wearing a camouflage outfit.

The reporter had fun:

Shilo Lewis just wanted to blend in with the crowd.

Did the school spokesman really say "some camouflaged students meld into the scenery," or was the reporter paraphrasing?

Most amazing is the mother's insistence is that the outfit was okay because the girl was "dressed from head to toe matching." Mama always encouraged that, of course. Can you imagine the matching mother/daughter outfits of their recent past?

Would Mama encourage her little darling wear one of these? Matches head to toe, so it must be good.

Head to toe matching anything sounds so not fashionable for any occasion other than a wedding or debutante ball. Both the Lewis women should read this:

So what's the attraction? Uniform equals strong, and strong equals sexy. Also the broad colour spectrum means you can mix and match with just about anything already in your wardrobe. Camo works particularly well in a block-colour plus camo combo. On the flip side camo on camo is not a great idea unless you are in the armed services and about to commando roll your way across town. Although a personal rule is “More is more”, too much camouflage is a very bad thing. In relation to military style in camo colours, an epaulet here, a pocket there, a badge placed with coordinated abandon and you have struck camo sheik.

“I think it's best to choose one item and leave it for people to find it themselves, don't throw it in their faces,” says Ms Walsh. “A fitted army-green military jacket with super skinny denim jeans and stiletto boots is a look that can't be done wrong, unless it's on the wrong body, that is, an unconfident body. You have to work it.” Instant attitude with kick-ass connotations. Make a statement through understatement. That's if people notice you.

A poorly developed sense of style shouldn't get you sent home.

I have to admit I'm not up to date on current styles and had failed to notice that camouflage was in style, again. I wonder what reasoning is behind this response to the mother's argument that her daughter's clothing wasn't revealing or vulgar and that others at school weren't sent home for wearing camouflage:

"We might not catch everyone, just like police don't always catch every speeding driver on the highway,” Jack said. “She was covered, but it was military dress, and we've decided at the school that isn't allowed.”

Compare that to the remark by the Headmaster:

“This has nothing to do with the military. We allow Reserve Officer Training Corps to wear military gear because they wear it in a respectful manner. It's the gang relation. If it's controversial or if it has gang associations, we won't have it,” Samaras said.

Unless JROTC has changed a lot, those students don't wear camouflage military gear, or BDU's, except at summer camp or for special team events. They are generally issued Class A or Class B uniforms to wear to school on uniform days.

I wonder what the school rules are on wearing stars and stripes? Would a flag patch on a blue jean jacket get you sent home? Is aging biker out this year, aging hippie in?

The idea that if a gang chooses a color, or in this case -- a print -- it must be banned simply "empowers" the gang. How important would their "colors" be if everyone wore them? Imagine white dresses banned because the KKK wears white robes.

Police Chief Edward Davis confirmed that many different gangs wear camouflage as a reflection of current styles in movies and on television.

Since when did gangs acquire exclusive title to current styles?

I'm left wondering if the school is trying to subtly discourage interest in the military, or hunting, or anything remotely related to guns, by banning the wearing of the camo. Perhaps they are simply trying to avoid controversy, but all this banning stuff really annoys my anti-authoritarian side. (Be sure to read that last link all the way to the end, including comments.)