things that chap my hide.

*prays to the livejournal gods that they work their magic*

Does anyone else find it hilarious/horrifying that the story about one of the Olsen twins getting help for her eating disorder was featured on CNN's website under the entertainment section?
Just think about that for a moment.

Another morning of getting up obscenely early and going to work. I did not enjoy it.
The upside of being up early was the fact that as I walked through Westlake Park where they were setting up for a Lunchtime concert, the stereo system was playing Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up". That is truly one of the great songs. Especially for creating your own personal soundtrack. It has long been a fantasy of mine to have that playing as my own personal soundtrack of life.
Sometimes you get your wish. Plus I was wearing my cute capri's so it made it all perfect.

After doing a bit of grocery shopping (cheese, olive oil, basil, bananas) I have come home. Oh how sweet it is.
Earlier I went and perused double boilers. Ooooh I wouldn't mind one of those.
So if anyone really loves me....

....

I see that Schwarzenegger wants to kill animals. Look
There is a bumper sticker that says, "Real men are kind to animals." Take what you will from that.
I like how a number of places have put into effect no kill policies and they farm animals out to people to be foster owners. My Mom does quite a bit of that. She takes in a lot of bunnies. It is so tiresome the amount of idiots who buy their kids bunnies for Easter on a lark.
Stop doing that people.
But then again...there are people who decide to have children like people who decide to adopt golden retrievers. Hopefully they won't put a red bandanna around the kid's neck and name the kid Max or Charlie.

....

I feel sick to my stomach. I think I will lie on the sofa and watch a movie.

Flan Take two.

I attempted the chocolate flan again today. I succeeded this time. I made it awhile ago and it was fantastic. I made it Wednesday and it was tragic.
I realized a few things.
1. low-fat milk cannot replace cream
2. Don't use a metal bowl when melting chocolate (It gave the chocolate a tinny sort of taste)
3. The quality of chocolate does affect the quality of the product

So I bought cream (sometimes you can just use milk, sometimes you can't)
I got the good chocolate (pricey but well worth it in the end. After all it does come down to quality vs. quantity with food.
I also purchased a new pyrex bowl. I had accidentally broken our other one, so this one is fabulous. It was fairly inexpensive and I acquired it at my neighborhood kitchen porn shop. (Sur La Table)

So..........after having a chocolate croissant, and lying on the sofa getting my "Flambards" fix (morsefan knows what I am talking about) I tackled the flan.
I should explain that I was given this recipe by Mr. Jenner's Mother. She told me that any sort of open pie is referred to as a flan. This is a little heavier then a typical custard but less crumbly then say a cake.

Here is the recipe.


Chocolate Flan

shortcrust pastry shell
I found that a spring form pan was the best when making the pastry and baking the flan.

10 Oz dark cooking chocolate. (I am a fan of Scharffenberger. It is so damn good.)
2 Oz butter
1 Tbs cream
2 Tbs rum (or vanilla extract)
4 Oz baker's sugar (You can take granulated and sift it a few times and get the same result)
4 whole eggs

Preheat oven to 350F
You begin by melting the chocolate and butter and adding the cream and rum.
You can do this in a bowl over saucepan of water that is simmering. It is important not to let the water boil. Otherwise it may burn the chocolate. There is nothing more unpleasant then burned chocolate. Just keep stirring until everything melts. It should look a bit like frosting.
Remove from the heat and set aside.

Then you whip the sugar and eggs in a bowl until double in volume. With a mixer it should take about 4 minutes and will be a pale yellow. Almost cream colored.

Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and then pour into the cooled pastry shell.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

....

The other evening I was walking home from the bus and I noticed in the grass two little wild rabbits nibbling at things. Oh they were so cute. I secretly wanted to catch them and take them home. It took everything within me to not squeal, "Ooooooo bunnies, aren't they the cutest."
Restraint comes with age.

Remove from oven and let it cool.
It can be stored in the freezer.

pondering

Oh my sweet Jesus... Britany Spears is engaged.
This time it seems she is engaged to a dancer. Why does this story sound so familiar? Oh. Yeah. Jennifer Lopez She too was briefly married to a guy she knew a long time. Then...she too married a dancer.