Testing, testing...

This post has absolutely nothing to do with recycling or gettin' green or anything like that. Nope.

Instead, I want you to look up. All the way up there--yeah, right there in your navigation toolbar. See it?
Yes?

www.jezewhiz.com, bay-bee!

That's right, y'all. I finally figured out how to move over to my own domain (which I have owned for over a year), thanks to the awesomely amazing folks over at Lifehacker.

I hope you'll update your feed readers with the new info, and even if you don't, Blogger is so sweet that it'll redirect you.

I'm a slow learner, yet I'm learning.

So the green streak continues, and we're doing pretty well. I get excited when I go out to the garage and find that the Mr. has broken down the laundry detergent box and even taken off the little plastic handle before placing it into our paper bin. We're all on board, and that feels good--usually I'm the one who gets branded a "liberal crackpot" for my environmentalist, hippy tendencies.

I'm trying to reuse as many plastics as possible, because in our area, most of the recycling facilities only handle the milk jug/soda bottle plastic. BUT, I'm really paranoid about using some plastics for food storage, and I adamantly refuse to microwave with plastic. This has been adding up to an extra step in my soup transportation and reheating process for lunch. I've been carrying leftover soup to work in a typical plastic food storage container, then transferring that soup to a ceramic mug for heating. In the afternoon, I bring home both containers to wash in the evening. Not ideal, but not too, too, terribly laborious.

Or so I thought until my brain kicked into gear and slapped me upside the forehead with a big ol' DUH moment last week. The Mr. and Alex finished off a jar of some of our favorite hot sauce and I immediately got to work removing the label and washing the jar for storage for who-knew-what. That's when it hit me. That jar is the perfect soup container. I filled it up with soup, screwed on the lid (no leakage after three days and counting of consecutive use!), removed the lid for heating, ate the soup from the jar, rinsed, carried home, washed and repeated.

I think it bears repeating: Duh.

I refuse to quote Kermit the Frog.

I didn't make any real resolutions for 2008, but this month has brought about some new habits in our home. We're making a real effort to clean up and green up and simplify our household. While we've sporadically recycled and donated used goods, I'm ashamed to say that we've contributed a great deal to our landfills in the last couple of years. But I (and by default, my family) have made the commitment to do the 3 Rs and to live more simply and cleanly. That means squandering less and saving more. It means reusing glass jars, separating waste into specified bins in the garage, and really thinking about every piece of trash we throw away. It means avoiding That One Really Big Box store that is oh, so convenient to my house, buying local, and buying less. It means using what we already have and distinguishing between wants and true needs.

It's not easy, but in a way, it's fun. It has almost become a game to see how little I can spend and how much I can reuse or repurpose or recycle.

At the beginning of this endeavor, I worried that we would be spending more money by being more responsible. One of my first steps was to quit going to Squall*Mart. I've shopped there for a while because of their lower prices. Lower prices come at a pretty high cost in some instances, though. I'm not going to get all preachy on you, but I've learned enough and the whole experience is unpleasant enough (hence the name Squall*Mart) that I was more than ready to quit. So, this weekend marked the first time that I changed my grocery shopping strategy and completely bypassed the big ol' honking superstore. I drove a little further to the other big--although not AS big--box store, you know the one that's known for philanthropy and community involvement and its cute little reusable shopping bags (Yes, I realize I'm just choosing the lesser of two evils, but it's a start, right?). There, I bought several groceries and a couple of other toiletry items that we needed. Then, I headed to the locally-owned grocery store for produce and a couple of specialty items. When it was all said and done, I had spent less than I usually do, AND it was loads more fun.

Here are some other things that we're doing:

• Buying Al's lunch at school. It may seem to cost more at first glance, but after all the individually packaged fruit cups and pasta cups and plastic baggies have been bought and tossed, the school lunch is a better choice. Because the food is bought in bulk and there's no repacking for transport, there's much less waste. Also, Al is eating nutritious foods that he may not have tried here at home, all because of positive peer pressure. And I'm loving not packing his lunch.
• Planning and cooking meals in advance. This weekend, I boiled some chicken breasts and used the stock to make a huge pot of minestrone. I froze half and the other half I'll eat for lunch all week. I cut up some of the chicken tonight and threw it into a pot of seasoned rice (plain old white rice seasoned with onion and garlic and salt and pepper) and let that simmer while I steamed some asparagus. There are enough leftovers of that for the Mr. to eat tomorrow evening. I'll use the rest of the chicken in tacos and pasta alfredo to finish the week off. My challenge for next week is to use as many of the ingredients that have been sitting on my pantry and freezer shelves so that I buy even less. That should be an interesting menu.
• Getting organized. It's hard for me to use what I didn't even know I had.
  
• Reading about other people's experiences in their quests for a greener and cleaner and simpler lifestyle. They challenge and inspire me.
  

We've got a long way to go, I realize, but it's a start.

Please feel free to share your own tips and tricks.

Blue.

So it seems that except for Mama Cara (who I think we've concluded is my Italian twin--we have too many random things in common, including the masochistic interest in baking from scratch), nobody really cares (or has time to care?) about how to bake a cake from scratch. And honestly, I don't blame you. That's why God invented the corner bakery, anyway.

So, let's move on to more important issues: nail color. The Budget Fashionista recently reported that blue is the hot new trend in nail color. I love me some funky nail color, and while it is winter down here, we do not pack up our sandals when the first cold front blows in. Inevitably, we will enjoy at least warm and sunny reprieve every couple of weeks or so. In other words, we can't let our toes go to pot.

On my weekly visit to Target, I picked up a couple of shades of blue to try--"Skin Tight Denim" and "Turquoise Seas" by N. Y. C. I don't spend a lot of cash on nail color, and I've found that the N. Y. C. brand provides long wear and good coverage.

I tried the darker shade first. It reminds me of my stand-by black polish, but with a little extra whimsy. What do you think?

The Secrets of My Success

Aw, shucks.

Y'all are way too generous with your cake compliments. But I'll take 'em. And in return, you have my undying love and gratitude.

By the way, you can do this. It's not that difficult if you have some creativity, a little patience, and a couple of days. (For the record, Al's First Birthday cake was store-bought. School started back before his birthday last year, and I just didn't have the time to do a homemade cake. Sometimes you have to let the local bakery do its thing.)

Thanks to my very patient mother and grandmother, I started cooking when I was about 5 years old. Since then, cooking has remained one of my favorite hobbies. Recently, when things got a little stressful at work, I spent entire weekends baking and frosting cupcakes. Cooking is my therapy. Fortunately, my other hobby is running.

Baking is particularly fun because it can be a bit more challenging than other cooking "genres." While many savory dishes can easily be modified with a "dash more of this or a little less of that," the texture and flavor of cakes (and cookies, too, in case you wondered) are directly affected by the measurements and ratios of your ingredients. If you use a rated recipe source, like Allrecipes.com, you'll find plenty of good, dependable recipes and you won't have to worry about the numbers as long as you follow the recipes to the letter.

That being said, I don't think anyone should ever feel guilty for using a mix. Mixes are handy, reliable, and tasty. Some people actually prefer the taste of a mix cake to a from-scratch cake. But if you're an overachiever, a purist, or a glutton for punishment like me, scratch recipes are the way to go.

All in all, I have over 30 years' experience in the kitchen. Gosh, when I write it that way, I feel like I should be far more advanced in my culinary skills. Oh, well. I've learned a lot over the course of those 30 some-odd years. Remember, too, I spent several years as a single, childless Martha-wannabe with plenty of time on her hands to practice and experiment.

Here are a few things I've learned about how to bake good cakes:

1. This is most important, and if you never learn another thing about cakes, remember this: It is always much better to serve (and eat!) a delicious-tasting, yet butt-ugly cake than a beautiful but dry and mediocre cake. Although pretty cakes are, well, pretty, people will always remember the taste more than they'll remember the appearance. Test out your recipes and always, always abide by the next tip:
   
2. In order to make a great-tasting cake (or any other food for that matter), you've got to use the very best ingredients that you can find. This means real butter, real cream, quality vanilla, excellent chocolate and cocoa, and the freshest eggs. I've discovered that unless I use cake flour, I can't make a decent from-scratch yellow cake to save my life.
3. Cake recipes that call for oil are naturally more moist, and they don't require much special attention during the mixing process (I've had pretty good results using a wooden spoon to mix these kinds of cakes, even). However, recipes that call for butter can be just as moist if you cream the butter well before adding the other ingredients. Let it get good and fluffy before adding the sugar, and then cream it some more. Once you add the other ingredients, though, only mix until everything is combined. I'm not sure about the chemistry and physics behind this technique, but so far, it's worked for me.
4. To make sure any cake is moist at serving time, do this: After baking, let it cool to room temperature in the pan, and then turn it out onto a plate or plastic wrap or waxed paper. At this point, if you plan to fill and assemble layers, go ahead and do so. Also if you're going to do a crumb coat (HIGHLY recommended for dark cakes with light frostings, like the birthday cake), do that now. Then, wrap the cake in plastic wrap and stick it in the freezer or refrigerator for several hours, preferably overnight. Take it out, let it come to room temperature in the plastic wrap so that condensation forms on the wrap, not on your cake or crumb coat. Then unwrap and frost as usual. Baking911 gives a lot of tips and information about frosting a cake .
   
5. When mixing homemade frostings, be patient and mix well. The longer you mix it, the smoother and fluffier and yummier it will be.
   
6. If you want to get into decorating, buy a couple of tubs of cheap frosting (or go ahead and try out some frosting recipes), some tips and disposable bags (available at craft stores and large supermarkets), and play around on a piece of cardboard. I've never taken any kind of cake decorating class, but I've read and practiced plenty. I'm sure my technique is horrible, but who cares? Noone will know if you've got perfect decorating skills or not (again, they'll be thinking about how yummy that cake is). If you can make stars, you're on your way.
   
7. Have fun, and don't take any of this too seriously. It's just cake, after all.

While I was proud of the way Al's birthday cake looked, it was far from perfect. And really, I couldn't relax until I had hacked into that baby and served it to some of my most valued and honest critics (i.e. family members). It was good. Even the Mr. said so, and he doesn't particularly like cake. (I know, he's weird.)

Here's a yummy Buttercream Frosting recipe I really love:

1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c shortening (use a good brand)
1 t vanilla (use colorless vanilla to keep the frosting white)
1/4 t salt
8 c confectioners' sugar
1/2 c heavy cream

Beat the butter and shortening until fluffy. Add salt and vanilla and beat again. Add sugar and cream alternately and beat and beat and beat some more until smooth and fluffy. Add more sugar for a stiffer frosting or more cream for a softer and creamier consistency.

Again, thank you. And do not fear the mixer. You can do it, too.

Oh, and speaking of things that I did...

This. From scratch. Meaning, no mixes, no tubs. Just flour, cocoa, sugar, butter, and cream. Lots and lots of sugar and butter and cream. It only took me two days to complete the whole thing from mixing and baking to the last little frosting star.

Dark chocolate cake with chocolate ganache filling and buttercream frosting.
Oh, and crushed Oreo asphalt.

2.

Alex began his day in proper birthday fashion: Opening a present and eating cake for breakfast.

Happy Birthday Little Boy.



Alex is 2. from EZ Duzzit on Vimeo.

I did this.

You know that scene in Jerry McGuire when Dorothy takes all responsibility for the difficulty in her relationship with Jerry? She says, "I did this." That's one of my favorite scenes from one of my least favorite movies. There's just something about a person saying, "see all this tension, all this inconvenience, all this crap? I am responsible for this, and I'll do my damnedest to make sure it turns out OK."

Well, you'll likely also remember that everything turned out beautifully for Dorothy and Jerry and all their you-complete-me-sappy-kissy-kissy-ness.

For some reason, those three words, "I did this," stuck with me. Especially during the period between Thanksgiving and the first week in January, those words pop into my head quite often, almost like a torturous mantra. These six weeks are perhaps the most stressful and busy and crazy of the year. Yeah, yeah, I know, I know--everybody experiences extra stress and craziness during the holiday season. But guys, I messed around and had a kid precisely 10 days after Christmas. The holiday bump and grind becomes secondary to the birthday showdown for The Most Important Boy in the World, because I am determined that his birthday will not be lumped together with the other winter holidays. It's his day. And it will be treated with all the celebratory hoopla that it deserves. Too bad his parents' sense of timing sucks.

So the shopping for presents and the mixing and baking and frosting and the constructing of cake and the constructing of a tricycle and the decorations and lists and cleaning and oh-my-goodness where did my vacation time go? Yeah. I did this.

And you know? I wouldn't have it any other way.

Two years ago at almost exactly this same time, we headed to the hospital. 17.5 hours later, it all turned out beautifully.

I did this.

I'm so glad I did.