Futility

Ever have one of those days when you really want to blog, but nothing comes to you?
One of those days when you just can't do it (insert your 'it' here)?

There's no shame in it. Carry on the next day. Maybe you just needed a break.

Fantastic, short and oh, so sweet.

For anyone with gluten sensitivity, these chocolate chip muffins are muy delicioso! Haven’t tried egg substitute in them, but butter was yummy in place of oil. Enjoy!

NOTE: 18-20 minutes baking time is perfect. Package says 20-25 min, but I would not advise that, based on my experience.
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I’m more surprised than anyone that my first few posts are about food. I’m not trying to write a food blog. Trust me on this.

It just so happens that family is visiting and when WRITS (Women Raised In The South) get together, no matter where they may currently reside, and, especially if they are kin, cooking and/or baking is bound to follow. Butter will be used, recipes will be swapped. That’s just the way it is. Don’t get in the way.

Today we wanted chocolate in cake form. I whipped up these muffins I had in the back of the pantry and was surprised by how good they were. I have come to expect mediocrity from gluten-free baked goods. These are yummy. They have made it onto The List.*

*I make notes of foods I discover that are worth having again. I sometimes share my findings with others. I'm nice like that.

Thanks for reading, Others!

Stop by again and try the muffins.

Fleeting: Testing the Mobile Uplink

Testing the mobile blog link.
This is only a test.

And, it worked. Nice.
Now I can blog from anywhere, anytime.
You have been warned.

First Filing!

This is it.

After much prodding from those who think I can and should, I have finally conceded and created a blog space for myself. You're welcome, World. Sorry to have kept you waiting.

As for what shall be contained within this space, I have been told I have much to offer in the way of helpful organizational hints and pet-rearing tips. This is true, but if I try to limit myself to only these topics, I'll get bored, so there will be more. How many more? Let's not get into that now. We'll count later.

I'll lead off with a popular snacking process, or trick, I use frequently.
The first time I did this was for a party at which I did not wish for my guests to get sick. I'm nice like that. Since then, I use it all the time and am profoundly happy with the results. I'm not bragging here, I'm just being honest.

Most everyone is familiar with the snack, Chips and Dip. You can eat whatever you want, but I'm partial to Ruffles Low-Fat Potato Chips. They are crispy without being brittle, allowing them to glide smoothly through the dip without breaking. I find this quality invaluable in a chip. The fact that they are low-fat helps with the overall calorie count, since I refuse to use low-or-no-fat sour cream in my dip. That's how I roll. A girl has to have her standards.

My creme of choice is Daisy Regular Sour Cream. Daisy does make a low-fat version that is not horrible. I use it in my stroganoff and it yields fabulous results, but it's not good enough for my dip. I'm not judging, I'm just stating facts here.
Normally I make my own creative blend, but when I need dip quick I use Hidden Valley Ranch Mix. It has a nice flavor and satisfies the craving, but it MUST BE KEPT COLD (this is where the trick comes in). I'm not certain of the exact warming rate of the average sour cream, but whatever it is, it's too fast for me. I can't deal with warm, runny dip of any flavor. Yuck. Ick. Nasty.
So, my tricky process is as follows: after the yummy dip has been prepared in a single-size serving bowl (I don't share my chips & dip. I don't have to; you can't make me), I line the bottom of a slightly larger bowl with ice and insert the dip-filled bowl into it, nestled safely on top of the ice. This keeps the dip cold no matter how long I may linger over my snack. I can blog, I can watch a movie, I can do whatever I want for as long as I choose and my dip stays cold. Yeah for me. CAUTION: Do not use too much ice. If your dip bowl is too shallow, as the ice melts water will enter the bowl and that's just WRONG. Be careful out there, people.

Sure, this tip is simple and anyone could have thought of it. That's what makes it super.
Feel free to use this trick whenever you have Chips and Dip. You don't have to think of me or tell anyone where you got the idea. I won't mind. I'm nice like that.