This is a recipe from Joy of Cooking, only slightly modified to be lower sugar.  It is a moist, light, luscious cake and especially good with lots of fruit on top!  I've been using some wild blueberries I have in the freezer with remarkable success.  A couple of notes: I've tried it with both yogurt and buttermilk and it rose better with yogurt.   ( Read more... )

Well my appointment today went just swimmingly. Once again, my blood work is holding strong. My more specialized blood test looking for leukemia markers came up negative, and we wrapped everything up with Dr. Larson. I feel the whole thing went very well. She said that, since we're coming up on one year since my diagnosis, I can soon start going ( Read more... )

I may have told people this story before, but I'll tell it again because it has re-entered my mind as more than a humorous anecdote ( Read more... )

I found myself in possession of  quite a lot of powdered milk thanks to bob_wonderllama 's mom, so in addition to making moister low-sugar cookies, I decided to whip up a batch of hot cocoa mix!  This recipe, modified from Alton Brown's and doubled, made about 850g total; a generous serving is 50g (half a medium-size mug full) and breaks down to around 15g carbs ( Read more... )

I've been lacking in updates lately, but I haven't been neglecting to read.  It's just been so busy, where to start?  I think I can sum things up nicely by saying that my holiday season was one of my most magical yet, if only by the sole virtue that this year I really had to struggle to find the Christmas spirit within myself.  I truly enjoyed ( Read more... )

In, say, a television drama, it is "safe" to have some good and some evil characters. The evil ones act out of some twisted self-interest, the good ones act out the light of god that is shining up their assholes. I don't like television dramas. I do like Stargate Universe, and not just because the Stargate franchise is an excellent one ( Read more... )

It's been a long weekend, it seems. First Thanksgiving, then Teddy's birthday, and then I worked. Well, it feels longer than it sounds ( Read more... )

I hate to be a downer, but things tend to suck lately. I am met with frustration time and again. Every silver lining has a cloud. I need a pick-me-up in the worst way!

I'll be honest with you: there is more good than bad. But some mornings doesn't it just seem like we're trying to find our merry little way, but only running into walls?

Today, for dinner, I made Peking Duck using the traditional method.  I have never done this before, and I'm damned proud of myself.  The skin could've been crispier, but the fat was succulent and beads of golden oil were perspiring from the chestnut skin, just the way it's described.  It had been in the refrigerator, so when it was done it was only ( Read more... )

I like to drink.  I truly, truly enjoy a good craft beer, a lucious bottle of wine, or smooth spirits.  I crave a nice cocktail, even.  I'm not a drunkard, just appreciate an excellent drink.  So it was a bit of a blow when I read that my 6-Mercaptopurine (Meerkat Top Urine? Metaporcupine?) can cause undue liver damage when combined with alcohol.  ( Read more... )