My Better Half

Mr. BITH's score. Uh oh.

I took it again, mentally modernizing some of the questions like he did. Ha! At least I scored a little better:

50 As a 1930s wife, I am Average Take the test!

Our new little neighbors

Sweet little robins have set up camp on top of my neighbors' arbor. Rockin' Robin momma is doing a good job keeping predators away and feeding those constantly open mouths.

Lamb Cake

Sounds disgusting, but it's not!



This sweet-faced thing was part of a celebration honoring my friend, Nancy, for her birthday. Her birthday falls around Easter and her mom used to make her lamb cakes covered with coconut -- I decided that I would surprise her and finally try the Rich's Coconut Cake recipe that I had clipped from the Atlanta Journal Constitution a few years ago.

I had heard a number of people mention how fond they were of this cake when Rich's still had a bakery and I guess it is a big deal that they finally got hold of the recipe. Never mind that it is 800 CALORIES A SERVING! Or that it has vegetable shortening in both the cake and the frosting. Mmm, mmm good.

I actually made this cake twice because a) I had never made a coconut cake from scratch before, and b) I have never used a 3D cake pan before.

Good thing I did! The first one didn't rise like it should have and didn't fill out the entire mold. It flopped. On its side. Poor thing couldn't stand on its own. And you know what?! No wonder. I just found this edited version of the cake when looking for a good link for the recipe to put in this post - apparently they swapped the flour and sugar amounts by mistake in the version I had. I guess that is why the cake was more cakey than I thought it should be. Still good though! Guess third time will be a charm.

::Thanks to Mr. BITH for helping frost and coconut goo the cake. Oh, and skewering it back together again after the head fell off on the way up!!::

This is Nancy finally seeing the cake. It seemed like people enjoyed it, but they were even more enthralled with the edible Easter grass surrounding the cake. Go figure :)

Bwahaahaaahaa!

13 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Poor (Failure) Take the test!

See the original scanned test here.

::Happy Easter::

Hope that you had an abundance of love, chocolate and jelly beans! Ours was made complete with a creepy bunny that sings from Cracker Barrel.

A very blessed day, indeed.

Chicken and Dumplings

I grew up in Florida, so dumplings weren't the staple there that they seem to be here in 'Joeja'. When I saw this recipe in the latest BH&G, I decided that I would have to give it a try and make it from scratch -- especially since the chef is local {Scott Peacock from Watershed in Decatur}.

. . . even if I did have to YouTube how to quarter a chicken properly. No pictures of that mess after my attempt, thank goodness. That caption would have to read, "How to mangle a carcass," or "Which cut of meat do you think this is?"

Truly magically delicious!

Here's my picture:



Here's the fancy food stylist's version (her name is Jill LUST - what a great name for a stylist!):

Classic Chicken and Dumplings

Prep: 50 minutes
Chill: 2 hours
Cook: 65 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp. cold water
• 2 Tbsp. peanut oil
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 4-to 4-1/2-lb. broiler-fryer chicken, quartered
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 5 cups chicken stock or broth
• 2 cups water
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced in half
• 3 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
• 2 Tbsp. cold butter, cut in 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• Ground black pepper

Directions

1. For dumplings, in medium bowl whisk together egg, cold water, oil, and the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in flour. Mix until well-blended and elastic. Cover. Refrigerate 2 hours.

2. Season chicken, including back and neck, with the 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside. In 6-quart Dutch oven combine chicken stock, water, celery, onion, and pinch of kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Add chicken pieces, placing leg quarters and backbone first. Place breast, skin side down, on top. Reduce heat to just below simmer. Cover, leaving half-inch opening.

3. Cook 30 to 45 minutes or until breasts are just done; remove. Continue cooking leg quarters 30 to 40 minutes until tender; remove chicken and vegetables. Set broth in pot aside. Discard vegetables. Set chicken aside. Cool. Remove skin. Pull meat from bones, tearing into large pieces. Set aside. Discard bones.

4. For dumplings, turn dough onto well-floured surface. Roll very thin, about 1/16 inch; cut in 1 1/2- by 2 1/2-inch pieces. Return broth to boiling. Season well with additional kosher salt. Add dumplings to broth, shaking pot occasionally. Do not stir. Cook 3 to 5 minutes. Add reserved chicken. Reduce to simmer. Add butter, cream, and few grindings of black pepper. Gently lay hard-cooked eggs on top of other ingredients. Cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover. Let stand 10 minutes. Serves 8.

Yesterday we had snow flurries

Today was shiny, breezy and a beautiful green.

Finally! Some fruits of my bulb planting frenzy!