Simple Pleasures

Some simple pleasures.

Romantic Ranunculus

Havaianas & Nail Laquer

New Flip Flops and Pretty Polish

Libby the Leader Dog puppy...                                    ...celebrated her first birthday.

First Dairy Queen treat of the season.

Happy Monday!

Happy Weekend

Happy Weekend my lovelies!

Throw open the windows and enjoy sunshine and fresh air!

Have the most pleasant weekend.  See you on Monday

Instant Cake...Microwaved in a Mug

Do you ever have a craving for chocolate and you want it NOW!!

How about a chocolate cake you mix and bake in a mug and then microwave?  Ready in less than 3 minutes!  

Instant Chocolate Cake from the Food Network

I will admit that this is not gourmet, pastry chef kind of fare.  This is a quick, chocolate fix.  

I read the reviews and comments of the recipe and have adapted the given recipe to one that that produces a moist, chocolaty cake that will more than satisfy one very hungry person or two to three moderate appetites, with or without ice cream on the side.

Make sure your mug or bowl will hold about 12 ounces.  This will allow the batter to puff up and not be a soggy, tough mess.  Mix all the ingredients in the same mug or bowl that you will bake in.  

You could play around with flavors by adding about 1/4 teaspoon of espresso powder, or chocolate chips or coconut.

The recipe calls for 2 minutes in the microwave.  Every micro wave is different.  I had a perfect cake at 1 minute, 30 seconds.  The next time I added 15 seconds and the cake was a bit more dry and tough.  The cake is done when it puffs.  If the time is just a bit short, you get a gooey, almost pudding-like goodness around the cake in the bowl.  Like self-frosting.  

While fine on its own, the cake likes to keep company with ice cream and whipped cream.

Instant Chocolate Cake         

adapted from the Food Network

1 egg

5 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

dash of salt and touch of vanilla

Mix the egg and sugar in the (12 oz) mug.  Add the dry ingredients and mix.  Add the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.  

Microwave about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes or until puffed.  

Enjoy.  Please tell me how yours turned out!

Salt Demystified

Buying salt is like buying wine: pairing the correct salt for the dish is can be mystifying.

Kosher, sea, crystalline, coarse, flaked.  Help!

I have these salts and more in my cabinets and I'm not always sure which to choose and why.  Real Simple explains various salts and their differences so you know how to select the salt for your purposes.  

chart by "me"

Kosher salt has ragged edges, dissolves fast and its flavor is dispersed quickly.  It can be earth or sea salt.  It is called Kosher because it is the type of salt used to cure meat, a step in the koshering process.

• Coarse Kosher salt can be used "topically" on meats, veggies, or anything.  Add to soups or sauces during the cooking process but NOT in baking when a more careful measurement is needed.
• Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt is fine salt and the salt standard used by pastry chefs when creating recipes.  Use this salt for baking.
• Crystalline sea salt is the perfect finishing salt.  Add after the cooking process for a burst of flavor.  Also perfect when making a fresh salad dressing.  This class of salt is that great variety of colored salts you see at the market and varies in flavor depending on the mineral content.
• Flaked Sea Salt is the fastest dissolving salt of all due to the pyramid shape of the crystals.  Rub the crystals together between your fingers as you add it to steamed vegetables or shell fish.  This is the salt to use on caramel candy.

Hope you find this helpful.

I found a few useful tips on the Salt Works  website.  Here are some of them.

Peeling eggs - Eggs boiled in salted water peel more easily.

Poaching eggs - Poaching eggs over salted water helps set the egg whites.

Testing egg freshness - Place the egg in a cup of water to which two teaspoonfuls of salt has been added. A fresh egg sinks; a doubter will float.

Washing spinach - If spinach is washed in salted water, repeated cleanings will not be necessary.

Improving coffee - A pinch of salt in coffee will enhance the flavor and remove the bitterness of over-cooked coffee.

Cleaning stained cups - Rubbing with salt will remove stubborn tea or coffee stains from cups.

Cleaning sink drains - Pour a strong salt brine down the kitchen sink drain regularly to eliminate odors and keep grease from building up.

Brightening cutting boards - After washing them with soap and water, rub cutting boards with a damp cloth dipped in salt; the boards will be lighter and brighter. 

Whipping cream and beating egg whites - By adding a pinch of salt, cream will whip better and egg whites will beat faster and higher.

Keeping milk fresh - Adding a pinch of salt to milk will keep it fresh longer.

Eileen Fisher: Take Another Look

Are you like me, thinking that Eileen Fisher clothes are flowy, waistless outfits for baby boomers that are thick in the middle?  Well, take another look.  I did.

Eileen Fisher 

Now how cute is that?  Gotta be fit and trim to look good in those pants.  

I've been shopping for some clothes to take on a trip.  I got a tip that Eileen Fisher clothes pack well, wash well, wear well and mix and match fantastically well.  Just a few basics and you've got an almost endless variety of outfits.

Foldover Short Skirt 

I purchased this skirt in two colors.

Slim Bootcut in Washable Crepe

I bought these pants in black.  Just enough stretch and no pockets, rivets or zippers which means  no bulges or ripples under a close fitting top.  I like that.

Eileen Fisher

So I wondered, is this a new look for Eileen Fisher?  Turns out, no.  These close fitting looks have been a part of the Eileen Fisher collection all along.  With the downturn in the economy, the company began advertising to a younger audience.    Good thing they did.  Eileen Fisher had its most profitable year ever in 2010.  

Look for Eileen Fisher in their own boutiques, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Macy's, Garnet Hill and other fine stores.  

Monday Musings

Happy Monday my dears.

I "swept" winter out of the house this weekend.  It started with a bowl of colorful jelly beans.

Gone are the red twigs in the bathroom, replaced by (silk) cherry blossoms.

Martha Stewart Macy's

New bedding replaces the heavy duvet and blanket.  

Speckled eggs and Moss from Pottery Barn

A new coffe table vignette includes this glass bell jar enclosing eggs on moss.

I also did a "first pass" through the closet and took heavy winter clothes to cleaners and switched my handbag to a brighter color.  Took inventory of the spring clothes too.  More on that later in the week.

Have a great week.  Stay tuned for a fun dessert in a day or two.  Hint...it's chocolate.

Welcome Weekend

We were teased with warmer temperatures here this week.  Switching to daylight savings time on Sunday is a major step in the right direction for me.  The first day of spring will soon follow.  

Enjoy a lovely weekend.