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Cake: 1/2 cup sliced almonds 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 3/4 cup granulated sugar 4 eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract 1/2 teaspoon imitation rum extract 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup eggnog Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt or tube pan. Sprinkle the almonds into the bottom of the prepared pan. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add almond and rum extracts; mix well. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture, alternately with eggnog; mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Smooth top. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes have elapsed, remo...

This week: Lemon Rice Pilaf A 'pilaf' is a grain dish that first browns the grain (in this case rice) before cooking it in a seasoned broth. 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 1 large shallot, finely minced 1 1/2 cups long grain rice (such as basmati) 1/2 cup dry white wine A few sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped and chopped (about 1 tablespoon) 2 cups chicken stock 1 cup water freshly ground pepper 1 lemon, zested 1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped toasted slivered almonds, for garnish (optional) Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and butter and shallots to pan, sauté shallots for 2 minutes. Add rice and lightly brown for 4 to 7 minutes. Add the wine and allow it to evaporate completely, 1 to 2 minutes. Add thyme, chicken broth and water to pan, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and stir in the lemon zest and parsley and top with sliver...

Need a recipe to take care of the leftovers? Try this one... it's on the rich side, which makes it look less like leftovers and more like a really nice (and planned) meal. Turkey Tetrazzini 6 tablespoons butter 1/2 pound mushrooms thinly sliced 1 tablespoon Madeira 4 tablespoons flour 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 to 3 cups leftover cooked turkey (diced @ 3/4" cubes) 1/2 pound linguine cooked to al dente stage 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese mixed with 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs Salt and freshly ground black pepper Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet. When the foaming subsides, add the mushrooms and saute, over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes until the mushrooms have absorbed the butter and are tender. Stir in the Madeira and evaporate over high heat. In another saucepan heat 3 tablespoons of butter. When foaming subsides, stir in the flour and cook for a minute. Whisk in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cook, over low heat, for ab...

From the British Film Institute -- filmed in 1898.

Epilogue to Misplaced Metaphors -- Patron: I see you've fixed the tree. Where did you find a top? Bartender: It was there all along. It was loose and fell in. Patron: Not that rare an occurance in these parts.

From Time's Swampland Blog , Michael Scherer lays out how Obama's positions re: GLBT rights will be frustrating to those who don't believe that separately equal works. "Radically pragmatic" is how he labels this incremental approach -- and to some there is a certain appeal to embracing a more evolutionary path. The problem with this approach is the assumption that fundamental rights and equal treatment can somehow be handled in some sort of cafeteria model -- out of this one? choose another. Sacrifice this one, to get that one... and eventually the arc of history will catch up. Certainly a less costly approach to those who eschew living up to the Constitutional guarantees of equal rights -- those who already enjoy full citizenship can take their time in getting to that emotional comfort spot that tells them it's okay to "let the gays be equal now"... as if they (and not the Creator as invoked by Jefferson) are the source of those inalienable righ...

Ginger Snaps An easy and quick holiday treat... 1 cup sugar 3/4 cup margarine or unsalted butter 1 egg 4 tablespoons dark molasses 2 cups flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons ginger 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon cloves Preheat oven to 375°F. Sift dry ingredients together. Cream together margarine and sugar. Beat in egg. Add molasses; add dry ingredients. Mix well. Roll in small 1 -1 1/2 inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar and place on ungreased or parchment lined cookie sheets about 2 - 3 inches apart. Bake 8 - 10 minutes.

Shorter Andrew Sullivan: "It's not about gay rights , it's ALWAYS about me . "

This week: Savory Pecan Rice Pilaf This is a recipe that I've used several holidays as a change of pace side dish. 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons butter, divided 1 large shallot, finely minced 1 1/2 cups long grain rice (such as basmati) 1/2 cup dry white wine 2 cups chicken stock 1 cup water freshly ground pepper 1/2 cup golden raisins 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1 cup toasted pecans Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and butter and shallots to pan, sauté shallots for 2 minutes. Add rice and lightly brown for 4 to 7 minutes. Add the wine and allow it to evaporate completely, 1 to 2 minutes. Add raisins and cranberries, chicken broth and water to pan, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and stir in the pecans and parsley.

At the Ripcord Friday evening... First person: "Interesting Christmas decorations... what happened to the tree?" Second person: "Something wrong with it?" First person: "The top is missing." Second person: "Pretty much sums this place up tonight."

updated 12/20/2008 Zesty Black Bean Dip Spinach Artichoke Dip Inside Out Crab Rangoon Chile con Queso BLT Dip Classic Blue Cheese Dip Spinach Parmesan Dip Zesty Black Bean Dip Carmelized Onion Dip

This week: Skillet Chicken Picante 1 egg or 2 egg whites 2 tbsp. water 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts 1/2 cup Italian-seasoned dry bread crumbs 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 1/2 cups pasta sauce 1 cup Picante Sauce 4 cups hot cooked spaghetti Mix the egg and water in a shallow dish. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture. Coat with the bread crumbs. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until it's browned on both sides. Set the chicken aside. Add pasta sauce and picante sauce. Heat to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until done. Serve with the spaghetti.

Zesty Black Bean Dip Serve with white corn tortillas. 1 1/2 cups dried black beans, picked over and rinsed 8 cups water, plus 1/4 cup 2 cloves garlic 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped, reserving about 1 teaspoon for garnish 1 small red onion, finely chopped, reserving about 1 teaspoon for garnish 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 tablespoons cider vinegar Salt and pepper 1 plum tomato, finely chopped 1 small red chile, finely chopped Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish Dollop sour cream, for garnish In a large saucepan, let the beans soak in enough cold water to cover for 1 hour and drain. Return the beans to the pan with the 8 cups of water and garlic. Bring the water to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat. Add the pepper, onion, and cumin and cook, stirring, until softened. Drain the beans and reserve 1/2 cup of them. Add the remaining beans to the pepper mixture...

Cranberry Cocktail Meatballs 2 pounds ground beef 1 cup corn flake crumbs or panko bread crumbs 2 eggs 1/4 cup chopped, fresh parsley 1/3 cup ketchup 1/4 cup minced onions 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 can (16 ounces) cranberry sauce, jellied or whole cranberry sauce 12 ounces chili sauce 1 tablespoon brown sugar, firmly packed 2 teaspoons lemon juice For the meatballs -- Preheat oven to 300° F. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, corn flake crumbs, parsley, eggs, ketchup, onion, soy sauce, garlic powder and pepper. Blend ingredients well and form into small balls, about 3/4-inch in diameter. Place in a casserole or baking pan. Place in oven to start cooking. For the sauce -- While meatballs are cooking, combine cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until mixture is blended. Pour hot sauce over meatballs in casserole. Bake for about 45 minutes, depending on the size of the ...

I suppose the Feds cutting the rate to next to nothing (0 - 0.25%) would be remarkable if that somehow actually translated to the real rates that people would be charged for things like credit cards or the housing loans that they can't actually get.

Years ago in college, I wrote an economics paper about a financial crisis that threatened to plunge the world economy into a deep depression. The elements will seem familiar to us today: webs of high risk loans backed by webs of highly leveraged real-estate collateral, political turmoil in the Middle East, an indifferent government forced to intervene... you get the picture. The setting? Rome. ca 33 AD. The Middle East (Judea) was in turmoil because of a certain political rabble-rouser that was going around telling people to be nice to each other. (He was eventually imprisoned and killed by religous fundamentalists.) That year, an unexpected hurricane sunk several grain ships travelling back from Alexandria to Ostia. That loss triggered calls on the loans for the merchants. Their insurers were unable to make full restitution without calling in more loan markers. Money lending in the Roman context was a family enterprise -- the landed aristocracy would lend each other money as par...

This week: Mushroom Rice Simple to make, but elegant on the plate, you can use a variety of mushrooms from buttons to shitake to give your meal a tasty side. 1/2 cup long grain Basmatti rice 1 cup water 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 pound mushrooms 2 scallions 1 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup dry white wine In a 1 1/2 quart heavy saucepan bring rice and water with salt to a boil. Stir rice once and cook, covered, over moderately low heat 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let rice stand, covered, 5 minutes. While the rice is cooking, cut mushrooms into 1/4-inch thick slices and chop scallions. In a skillet heat butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides and saute mushrooms with salt to taste until golden and any liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Add wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, until wine is evaporated. Fluff rice with a fork and stir in mushrooms and scallions. Serve.

I'm continuing the theme of skillet dinners -- all of which will feed a family of four for under $10. This week: Savory Pork Chops 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 4 pork chops, 1/2" thick 1 can cream of celery soup 1/2 cup apple juice 2 tbsp. spicy-brown mustard 1 tbsp. honey Generous dash ground black pepper Hot cooked medium egg noodles Heat oil in skillet. Cook chops 10 min. or until browned. Add soup, apple juice, mustard, honey and black pepper. Heat to a boil. reduce heat to low, cover and cook 5 min. or until chops are done. Serve with noodles. Note: If noodles aren't your bag, then substitute brown or wild rice.

No posts for a while -- taking a break (much needed) from work and the computer (although I am having a bit of fun with Facebook). Vegas bound tomorrow and what happens in Vegas...

One wonders what kind of reach-around Rove had to give Alexander Mooney for this piece of nonsense. Honestly, it would be pathetic if only it wasn't so calculated. As long as Bush and his cronies refuse to take any responsibility for the craptastic results of the last 8 years... To quote Lewis Black: There has to come a point where democrats and republicans look at a piece of footage and say “This is reality”. You can’t watch a video of a kitten getting run over by a Land Rover and say, “I think the cat was trying to commit suicide. I’m going to need at least 3 days to find the note it left.”

Virginia Postrel has some less than kind words for the press and pundtry's seeming infatuation with "the first 21st century depression". I don't necessarily disagree with her assessment, but she (and most of the press for that matter) miss the mark by focusing simply on economic statistics like unemployment, bank failures, stock market value, etc. What most people seem to be forgetting is that the Great Depression was actually two "depressions" in a series. The economy had actually started a minor rebound when Roosevelt came into office -- but other factors intervened like: Environmental disaster -- the dustbowl, subsequent mass migration of people and pressure on food markets Protectionist world markets collapsing credit markets and trade Cultural shifts with the continued move from the farm to the city (driven by economic factors) The near collapse of world social order created by these factors led to the rise of the Hitler & the Nazis, Mussolini in I...

This week: Easy Skillet Chicken Bistro 2 tsp. oil 3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms 1 medium onion, chopped 1 can (15 oz.) stewed tomatoes, undrained 1/4 cup Italian Dressing 3 Tbsp. tomato paste 4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.) 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese 2 slices bacon, crumbled Heat the oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add mushrooms and onions; cook 5 min., stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, dressing and tomato paste. Add the chicken; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 12 min. or until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle cheese and bacon over the top and continue simmering (about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted). Note: This makes a good "take it with you to work" kind of meal as it microwave re-heats very well.

Thanksgiving week was much too short -- or maybe it was too long. Either way, coming back to work yesterday was more than a little difficult. That said, being able to go back to work -- unlike millions of others in this economy -- is reason enough to suck it up.