Friday, June 26, 2009

Save Ohio Libraries!

I've recently become reacquainted with my local libraries. I go there about once a week to use their resources. Of course, since I'm now using them regularly, Ohio's Governor Ted Strickland wants to cut their funding!

The Save Ohio Libraries and the Ohio Library Council websites have details about this issue, and you may have seen protesters on the news. (I actually saw the linked video on News Channel 5 before I saw it on NewsNet5. That almost never happens!)

I emailed my state representative and state senator in Columbus to let them know my views. If you want to contact your elected officials, but don't know who they are, the Save Ohio Libraries website has links to help you find their names. Also, if you don't know what to say, there are sample letters to copy.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Tunnel of Fudge Cake


I've been wanting to make this recipe since I found it back in February. As you can see, it was more a ribbon of fudge than a tunnel. I have several theories as to why:

1. I used just shy of 2 cups of walnuts since that was all I had. It was more than 1 3/4 cups but less than 2 cups. I also might have not chopped them small enough.

2. Butter doesn't really work, and I should have used margarine (yuck).

3. My Bundt pan sucks, which won't matter in the future because I threw it away since I scratched it by being too aggressive in taking it out of the pan.

The taste was somewhere between cake and brownies, in other words, delicious. The fudgy part was just that, fudgy.

This was a Flag Day birthday cake. I think the birthday guy liked it.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Almond Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Double leftovers. I made some cupcakes to use up the egg yolks that I had from making a meringue-based frosting for different cupcakes and to use up the leftover frosting itself.

I substituted almond extract for vanilla for something different. I cut down the recipe since I had 5 egg yolks, but it still made 12 cupcakes and 2 heart-shaped ramekins.