Doughnut Birthday Cake (for Officer Mike)

     It would have been too easy and cliched to put candles atop a box of doughnuts for Officer Mike's birthday. This cake, decorated to look like a box of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, was definitely more fun to create and not overly time consuming. A simple 9 x 13 inch cake was placed on a serving platter and frosted with white buttercream icing. The mini-doughnuts, from three snack-sized packages, were sliced in half and arranged on the cake top. Instead of piping the trademark label, I cheated a bit and cut some out of a real box of Krispie Kremes (bonus was a fattening, non-nutritious but tasty breakfast), and attached them to the cake with a cement of icing. Finally the signature green dots were applied with a piping bag. This cake was fun to present to good-natured Mike, and the kids at the table requested a doughnut on their dessert plate instead of a piece of cake.

And so Fall Begins

     The dark greens and heavy boughs of summer are being infiltrated by the slightest indications of autumn. The season is most welcome this year and it is fun to notice the clues - I saw a couple on my walk yesterday. A small branch of brilliant yellow leaves suggests a promise of more to follow.

The first flicker of "fire" from a burning bush, anything but inconspicuous, peeks from beneath a cluster of green leaves. Others have just a blush of autumn color.

Rice Salad with Broccoli and Cranberries

     I found this recipe in a pile of papers (that have been waiting quite a while to be filed) on my desk. It was printer-generated with a  handwritten annotation about the dressing. Unfortunately I have no clue who gave it to me - fortunately the salad was excellent! The ingredients are somewhat nontraditional, at least in my circle of family and friends -  rice is supposed to be a warm side dish and cranberries belong on the Thanksgiving table in a relish (although the little red fellows are tasty in Hooteycreek Cookies).

     Anyway I combined cooked brown rice, wild rice, broccoli, celery, and green onions in a big bowl and stirred in a homemade sweet-n-sour dressing. Allowed to marinate several hours before dinner, the salad had a wonderful texture and taste, and it served as both side and salad to our oven-fried chicken.

Autumnal Equinox Rolls in with the Fog

    An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun,* however, this morning during my daily walk, no sun was in evidence! An eerily beautiful fog enveloped the neighborhood and nearby park, transforming the landscape and creating totally different gradients of light than usual. The trees seemed to take on an altered life form, appearing and disappearing as I passed through the park - an exhilarating change to an extremely familiar terrain.

*Wikipedia

Adventures with Sourdough - French Bread

     This time of year, when there is no need for the house to be cooled by an  air-conditioner or heated by a furnace, is when I like to keep a sourdough starter active for my weekend baking. Created from flour, sugar, yeast and water, the original starter was ready after several days of sitting on the kitchen counter. Removing some to use for a loaf of French bread, the starter was then replenished with more flour and water and placed back in its corner spot on the counter. The bread recipe called for just a few more ingredients: additional flour, salt, baking soda and oil. After kneading and shaping, the loaf was placed on a cornmeal-sprinkled baking sheet and allowed to rise before baking.

Upon removal from the oven, the loaf was brushed with melted butter which produced a softer crust. Since dinner was served later in the day, the slices were warmed before serving and were surprisingly tender-crumbed for French bread. The subtle but unmistakable sourdough flavor was good with a little butter but especially tasty with strawberry jam.

Molly Goes Fishing

     Our small backyard pond is home to several koi, goldfish and an occasional tadpole. Frequent wildlife visitors include various thirsty birds and squirrels. Two domestic types also rendezvous near the water hole - Nikki, the husky, who prefers the pond to his water bowl, and Miss Molly, who is entranced with the movement of the fish. To my knowledge she has never caught one but will watch their shimmery activity for hours.

Vintage Linens

     Perhaps I was Bohemian in a prior life because vintage linens, fabrics and notions hold a singular appeal, especially those of pristine white or pastel colors. These two favorites, embellished with dainty lace and precise embroidery, are purely feminine and striking against the dark wood of the antique dresser. I can imagine the satisfaction of the original owners as they ironed  the snowy linens to a crisp finish and then spread them over furniture to brighten a room.