Administrativia

This week: South St. Louis Butter Cake For the bottom layer -- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour 1 1/3 cups sugar 3 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter (softened) 1 cup low-fat milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 eggs Combine dry ingredients in mixer bowl. Add butter, milk and vanilla. Mix well. Add eggs and mix on high for about 2 minutes. Pour into well-greased & floured 13x9 pan. For the top layer -- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature 2 cups powdered sugar 2 beaten eggs Combine cream cheese, sugar and eggs and mix well. Spread over top layer and sprinkle with additional powdered sugar. Bake 40-45 minutes at 350°F. Top is golden brown and edges dark brown when done.

If you live outside the Texas Gulf Coast region, you might not even be aware that a major hurricane came across Galveston and through Houston. Anderson Cooper pulled his pretty little prada boots up as soon as he could get out of town -- as did the rest of the corporate media. My only guess is that there was no great "hook"... the pictures from Galveston, Seabrook , Bolivar and even downtown Houston showed lots of devastation... but unlike Katrina, no bodies in the streets or riots in the Astrodome . Despite having more than 2 million people without power, billions of dollars in property damage (at the last estimate more than $15B), hundreds of thousands evacuated -- and whole villages wiped from the map -- we were as prepared as we could have been. And the response of local officials (Mayor White / Judge Ed Emmett) has been nothing short of phenomenal... kicking FEMA and Governor Goodhair in their collective asses as needed. (And letting the Shrub know he was welcome to ge...

This week: Italian Herbed Potatoes 1-1/2 lb. red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped 1 medium red or green pepper, coarsely chopped Use either 1 packet Italian Dressing mix or the following: Italian Dressing (Clone) 1 tablespoon garlic salt 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon white sugar 2 tablespoons dried oregano 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 tablespoon dried parsley 1/4 teaspoon celery salt 2 tablespoons salt 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes In a small bowl, mix together the garlic salt, onion powder, sugar, oregano, pepper, thyme, basil, parsley, celery salt and regular salt. Store in a tightly sealed container. To prepare dressing, whisk 1/4 white vinegar, 2/3 cup canola oil, 2 tablespoons water and 2 tablespoons dry mix. For the potatoes: Preheat oven to 400° F. In a large mixing bowl, prepare dressing (see above). Fold in potatoes, onion and pepper. Toss until coated completely. Spoon into a singl...

This week: Pineapple Chicken & Rice 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips, or chicken tenders 2 cups instant white rice, uncooked 2 cans (8 oz. each) pineapple chunks in juice, undrained 2 cups chicken broth 1/2 cup chopped green pepper 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon corn flake crumbs 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon onion powder Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix rice, pineapple with juice, broth and green peppers and pour into a 13x9-inch baking dish. In a large plastic bag or bowl, mix corn flake crumbs, flour, salt, paprika, garlic and onion powders. Coat chicken and lay on top of rice. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Current Weight = 240 Current BMI (calculated) = 29.8 Goal Weight = 225 Goal BMI = 24 Start Weight = 276 lbs. Start BMI (calculated) = 34.2 Current Loss = 36 lbs. Average Loss per Week = 1.7 lbs. Additional: Start waist size = 42.5" Current waist size = 39.2"

Piles of debris on the side of the roadways will be a familiar sight in Houston for quite some time. (and yes, that's Cher in the background...)

This week: Apple-Blackberry Crisp Topping 1/2 cup all purpose flour 1/4 cup granulated white sugar 1/4 cup light brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon fresh or ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1/3 cup chopped pecans Filling 6 cups Granny Smith Apples or other firm, tart-tasting apple (peeled, cored, and cut into 1 inch chunks) 1 cup fresh blackberries Juice of 1/2 lemon 1 teaspoon lemon zest 3 tablespoons (40 grams) white granulated sugar Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease a 9" deep dish pie plate or 8X8 baking dish. In a large bowl, toss filling until thoroughly mixed. Tranfer to baking dish. In another bowl, mix dry ingredients then cut in butter. Mix until course and crumbly with no large butter pieces visible. Spread topping evenly over the apples. Bake for approximately 30-40 minutes (or until bubbly and topping is golden brown). Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for ab...

Bumped this slide show of After-Ike images to the top... as I add more images to the photo album, I will periodically bump this to the top.

This Week: Stuffed Zucchini Boats 2 large zucchini (1 lb.), parboiled 3/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided 1 small tomato, finely chopped 1/2 cup pecans, crushed 4 slices bacon, finely chopped (optional) 1 tsp. dried basil leaves To parboil zucchini, bring 2 qt. unsalted water to boil in large saucepan. Add zucchini; cook 6 to 8 min. or until fork-tender. Drain. Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut zucchini lengthwise in half; scoop out centers onto cutting board, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells. Place shells in 9-inch square baking dish; set aside. Chop zucchini pulp; place in medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the cheese, the tomatoes, bacon, pecans and basil; mix lightly. Spoon evenly into zucchini shells; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake 15 min. or until heated through.

This week: Chicken Croquettes For the croquettes: 4 cup shredded cooked chicken (use chicken from Champagne Chicken Salad ) 6 tablespoons butter, melted 2 tablespoons milk 1/2 teaspoon celery salt 2 teaspoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons snipped parsley 1/4 cup chopped onion 1 stalk celery, finely chopped 1 small carrot, finely diced (optional) 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons potato flour For the breading: One sleeve of saltines, crushed 2 eggs mixed with 2 tablespoons water Flour for dredging In a large bowl, add ingredients in order and mix well by hand. Shape into 2 inch balls, roll in flour, flatten with a spatula and then place on a plate lined with wax paper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. In a small bowl, mix eggs and water until frothy. Fill shallow bowl or plate with crushed saltines. Dip croquettes in egg mixture and bread with crushed saltines. Pan Fry: Add 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to a large saute pan. Space croquettes evenly i...

Here is a list of chicken main course dishes (as of 9/17/2008) Italian Baked Chicken & Pasta Devonshire Chicken Chicken Mac & Cheese Champagne Chicken Salad Champagne Chicken & Mushrooms Asian-style Chicken & Spinach Dumplings Stroganoff-style Chicken Skillet Herbed "Roast" Chicken Creamy Lemon Chicken Mike's "Cordon Blue" Chicken & Rice Spicy Chicken Tenders Chicken Pita Pizzas King Ranch Casserole Tex-Mex Chicken & Rice Casserole Chicken Rice Casserole

Here's the updated album of photos (A.I.) that I've taken since Monday. I've stopped taking pictures of piles of debris -- it's about all you see along every street and roadway. (I think one of the only positives of all this is how clean the city will be after the clean-up.)

Spinach-Parmesan Dip 1 teaspoon olive oil 3 garlic cloves, chopped ¼ teaspoon salt 1 (10-ounce) package fresh spinach ½ cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed 1/3 cup block-style 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1/3 cup light sour cream ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add the salt and spinach, and sauté 3 minutes. At first, the spinach will seem to overflow in the skillet, but keep stirring. It reduces in volume as it wilts. Place the spinach mixture in a colander, and press until moisture is drained from spinach. Put spinach, basil, cream cheese and pepper in a food processor, and process until smooth. Spoon spinach mixture into a medium bowl, and add sour cream and Parmesan cheese. Cover and chill.

"Elitism is more about a person's state of mind than a measure of one's net worth." -- Lynn Forester de Rothschild This is the kind of statement that can only come from someone who's net worth is more than 98% of the rest of us.

More AI Links Houston Chronicle Where's power on? Find out - report in . Find gas - http://www.chron.com/databases/ikegas.html Open for Business -- find or report open businesses POD (Points of Distribution) Map - http://www.chron.com/databases/ikepods.html Latest School Schedules - http://blogs.chron.com/closings/schools/ Government & Other Links CenterPoint Energy -- Outage & Restoration Updates (updated twice daily) Metro Route Updates -- http://metroresponds.org/go/site/1527/ Houston Transtar -- http://www.houstontranstar.org/ (traffic & road closures) City of Houston -- http://www.houstontx.gov/ City of Baytown -- http://www.baytown.org/ League City -- http://www.ci.league-city.tx.us/ City of Port Arthur - http://www.portarthurpd.com/hurricane.html Galveston County -- http://www.co.galveston.tx.us/

It's funny how the national media's attention has pretty much moved on from the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Why? The lack of drama? Not enough personal stories of utter tragedy? Lack of visuals? Or is the loss of Galveston and surrounding coastal cities & towns just not enough? How much more destruction in Houston would be "newsworthy"? I think there may be several factors -- along with disaster fatigue. First and foremost: the competence of local officials. Mayor White and County Judge Emmett have taken the lead on the recovery -- and the planning for this along with their particular competencies (and working relationship) have made sure that even the ongoing bureaucratic incompetencies of FEMA have been compensated for. Think about it -- as of today, the fourth largest city and third largest metropolitan area in the U.S. was hit by a major hurricane (with an IKE rating higher than Katrina or Andrew) on Saturday. Within 1 week, the city is coming back to lif...

In case you hadn't noticed, I usually have about 2-3 weeks worth of recipe posts pre-loaded for publishing... it's like leaving some lights on a timer on when you leave home. Obviously, most of my posts over the next several weeks will be on A.I. recovery and Houston's rebound -- but the recipes will still pop up as programmed back at the beginning of September.

Usually, here in Houston, we don't get much of a fall -- or even a true winter season -- just several cold spells punctuating generally mild sub-tropical weather. The trees and greenery in the region tend to keep their leaves until mid-winter (February) and then drop the brown ones in favor of new growth. The piles of debris notwithstanding, the trees, shrubs and other greenery now remind me of winter... almost denuded in many places, certainly sparser... and although the weather is nice (cool and dry), the feelings of After-Ike relief are painted on a bleaker backdrop.

This Week: Applesauce Gems 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup sugar 1 large egg 1/2 cup applesauce Preheat oven to 350° F. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and spices. In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar; add egg and beat until blended. Stir in flour mixture in 2 additions, alternately with applesauce, until just blended each time. Do not beat. Turn into buttered muffin pan cups (each about 2 1/2" across the top and 1" deep), filling them about half full. Bake until golden and cake tester in center comes out clean -- about 25 minutes. Loosen edges and serve hot. Makes 10 muffins. Serving suggestions: For dessert, serve with fresh whipped cream. For breakfast or brunch, serve with honey butter.

Most people don't know that Houston has been hit by hurricanes before -- Rita (not quite), Alicia, etc. -- but probably never heard about one that was described as destructive to regional infrastructure (refineries) as the Galveston hurricane of 1900. That's because it happened in 1943 at the height of WWII and had the Axis Powers found out how devastated the U.S. refining capacity was, it might have turned the war. From Wikipedia : The storm struck the Bolivar Peninsula , crossed Galveston Bay , and made landfall a second time near the Houston Ship Channel. Because of the distraction of the war, and the lack of ship reports, warnings were few, and residents were caught off-guard. By 27 July , the storm had weakened to tropical storm strength, and was northwest of Houston .

This is the view outside my door... the first photo is how it normally looks. The second photo is A.I. (After-Ike). Usually, our courtyard is lush, green and filled with crepe myrtle blooms. The good news is, that crepe myrtle's thrive on being cut back. They'll be back in shape and probably blooming in about 3 weeks. The kumquat tree to the left lost a big limb -- where we usually have a brood of mockingbirds nesting. Hopefully, they'll come back as well. The large magnolia tree lost a lot of leaves and some small branches -- but most of those leaves (like on some of the live oaks around the complex) generally drop about a month from now anyway. Below is a slide show of some other views around my neighborhood -- walking only... no driving around right now!

Left Austin at 10:30 this morning -- light traffic all the way -- and kept the tank topped off, so made it home with 3/4 of a tank and 2 gallons in the can... which translates to another 350+ miles of driving before needing fill up. By this weekend, things should be a little more stable with regard to gas supplies in town. I plan on trying to hit the grocery stores tomorrow -- since my apartment apparently only lost power for a short time, I have enough basic foodstuffs to get by for the rest of the week.

The Chron is reporting that 1 in 4 in the area now have power back on -- and the latest map I saw from Centerpoint showed my neighborhood as at least partially restored... I'll see when I get back home tomorrow. Other good news: The Beer Can House survived as did most of Houston's historic landmarks -- including the buildings in Sam Houston Park . The weather should start to cooperate on Monday -- cold front came through (cold for us -- highs in the 80's, lows in the 60's) -- sunny and mild. According to reports, Chevron's main buildings suffered only minor damage. Chevron Plaza (1500 Louisiana) has double-paned windows... and although some 300 panes were damaged, only 4 actually broke through into the building. Minor damage to the roof tiles on the 40th floor and to the roof of the sky-ring. 1400 Smith suffered a bit more intrusion -- but still very minor. Here's what they looked like before Ike... when I can take the follow-up's, I'll post them.

Okay -- bored and stuck in the hotel room in Austin (and not really in the mood to go out to the bars) -- so, resuming "normal" recipe blogging... Southwest-style Baked Polenta Start with the basic polenta recipe: 6 cups water 2 teaspoons salt 1 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal 3 tablespoons unsalted butter Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the butter, and stir until melted. When the polenta is thickened, remove from heat. Add: 1 cup shredded pepper-jack cheese 1/2 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro Mix well. Pour polenta mixture into individual lightly oiled ramekins or single baking dish. Bake @ 425°F for about 10 minutes (individual portions) or 15-20 minutes (baking dish). Remove from heat when top is light golden brown. Serve hot ...

This is testing my blackberry blogging capacity.

It's going to take a bit to get back to something that resembles normalcy... but you do what you can. I've asked my contacts back in the working parts of Chevron to start compiling a list of open Chevron & Texaco stations in the greater-Houston area that can be regularly updated. Assuming I'm in a position to have enough connectivity, I will post that information here and on the Houston Chronicle when I get it. Now is the time to pull together.

No side-dishes today -- although, I enjoyed the individual ramikans of breakfast polenta at the conference and will disect and post the recipe next Sunday... today is a day to plan for tomorrow's return home. In other words, waiting mode. Here's my plan so far: Sunday Evening -- pack everything up except for what to wear on Monday. Plug in all electricals to fully charge for the trip home. Monday (A.M.) 8:00 -- get up and check conditions over breakfast -- including route check 10:00 -- Check out / Pack Car / Head out 10 - ? Along the Way... Top off tank before leaving Austin; Get extra gas can if available at Chevron station. Stop for lunch at Columbus (?) & then grocery shop for supplies Make way back Hopefully back home by 4? (It's normally a 3+ hour drive so I anticipate adding 2-3 hours for traffic and other re-routes.) Back-up plan is to head for Mom & Dad's -- they might not have power in their subdivision, but it is our fall-back position.

Update: Bringing this back up to the top as I put in additional observational links for easy access. Safely here in Austin -- because of the happy (or not) coincidence of being in town for the Out & Equal Summit ... but still monitoring the situation as Ike bears down on Houston. Those of us in the Chevron Houston contingent have already made plans to stay in Austin through Monday... and will likely convoy for the drive back when the all-clear is sounded... and we think it likely that Sunday may be too early. Centerpoint Energy -- Power Restoration Updates NOAA -- Ike Updates Houston Wind Data Information Transtar Traffic Cams -- includes views of various bayous that tend to flood and roadways that were underwater during Allison. Cams from South of Houston (to Galveston) Buffalo Bayou Water Levels Currently not functioning: Buffalo Bayou Cam & Flood Gauge -- this will be an indicator of whether or not the steps taken after Allison (2001) made a difference for inland and downt...

Quite an eventful week -- Ike certainly had an impact on just about everything... including the O&E conference. Many folks either didn't come or pulled out early to avoid getting caught by the hurricane. But those of us who stayed (it just made more sense from a safety standpoint) have had a good time at the summit. It's still probably the most important and strategic LGBT workplace rights gathering around. Even with Ike, there were still upwards of 2,000 conference participants. This was my 7th trip, so I didn't feel the need to drag myself out of bed for the Saturday morning workshops -- so we all met at 10:30 to break-down the exhibit booth. Plans for the rest of the weekend -- afternoon (closing) plenary session with Arriana Huffington as the keynote and then dinner and Oilcan Harry's later in the evening. The Houston-contingent here have extended our reservation until Monday but will meet at breakfast tomorrow to assess next steps... there's no sense in ge...

This week: Italian Baked Chicken & Pasta 1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes) 1/2 cup diced onion 1 clove garlic, minced 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice 1 cup shredded mozzarella 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup bread crumbs 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon butter plus more for buttering the baking dish Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl. Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pas...

In town for the Out & Equal Workplace Summit which starts tomorrow morning and runs through Saturday. Intermittant blogging on the conference and pictures will have to wait until I get back to Houston on Sunday... well, hopefully Sunday, depending on the weather with Ike.

This week: Molasses Cookies One of my favorite cookies -- probably because it was always the centerpiece of the care packages my paternal grandmother sent when I was in college. 1 cup brown sugar (packed) 3/4 cup vegetable shortening 1 egg 1/4 cup molasses (sorghum) 2 1/2 cups sifted flour 2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. ginger 1/4 tsp. cloves Sugar (about 1/2 cup) Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Cream sugar and shortening. Add egg and molasses and cream well. Gradually add dry ingredients. Shape into 3/4 inch balls, dip in white sugar and bake sugar side up on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes -- remove from sheet at once onto a cake rack to cool. Makes about 3 dozen cookies. Note: When storing, separate cookies with wax paper or parchment.

Houston Chronicle's Stormpulse tracker

This Week: German Potato Bake 2 lbs. red potatoes, scrubbed 1 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup butter 2 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon horseradish 2 cups chicken bouillon 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs Salt & pepper Butter 2 quart casserole dish. In a 3 quart saucepan cook potatoes in boiling salt water until tender. Drain and let cool. Preheat oven to 375° F. In same saucepan, saute onion in butter 10 minutes until tender and golden. Stir in flour, salt and pepper, then bouillon. Continue stirring and bring to a boil -- let boil for about 1 minute. Remove and whisk in mustard and horseradish. Slice potatoes 1/2" thick. Layer in casserole dish. Cover with sauce and sprinkle with crumbs. Bake 15 - 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.

New category: Dippity-Do-Da, for random dips and party-type recipes. Starting off: Caramelized Onion Dip 2 large yellow onions 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup mayonnaise Cut the onions in half and then slice them into 1/8-inch-thick half-rounds. (Yielding about 3 cups of onions) Heat the oil and the butter in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the onions, cayenne, salt and pepper and sauté for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to cook for 40 more minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are browned and caramelized. Add the Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar and continue to cook for about 10 more minutes. Allow the onions to cool. In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, sour cream and the mayonnaise. Whisk until ...

This week: Devonshire Chicken This recipe is a 60's favorite... 4 chicken breast halves (boneless & skinless) 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons flour 3 cups chicken broth 2 eggs, well beaten 2 cupes cooked rice 1 cup chopped onion 2 slices of bacon (diced) 2 slices bread, cubed 3/4 cup chopped celery 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1/2 cup bread cubes 1 tablespoons melted butter Boil chicken in broth. When cooked, remove from pan and chop into 1-2" cubes -- set aside. Reduce chicken broth to about 2 cups. Make a sauce with butter, flour and the chicken broth -- add salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Add the beaten eggs and stir well. Mix together the cooked rice, onion, celery, bacon and 2 slices of cubed bread. Blend well. Place the rice mixture in a casserol dish. Cover with the chicken pieces and pour the sauce over. Cover with the remaining 1/2 cup bread cubes stirred in melted butter. Cover and bake in a 325° F oven for 45 minutes. Variations:...

"Jesus was a community organizer. Pontius Pilate was a governor," - Mudflats .

One of those "artsy" kind of shots taken through the fence on the Dunlavy bridge.

This week: Apple Cake 4 cups peeled & chopped apples 3 eggs 1 cup vegetable oil 2 cups sugar 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease & flour one 9x13 baking pan. Beat eggs and oil until foamy. Set aside. Sift dry ingredient together, then add egg mixture and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Fold apples into batter. Spread in baking pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Topping variation: 6 oz. of cream cheese 2 tablespoons melted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Beat well and spread over warm cake.

Campbell Brown p'wns McSame spox Tucker Bounds.

One of the friezes adorning Houston City Hall that celebrates the industries that provide the economic base for the city.