Six

Yesterday was Zooey's sixth birthday.
Surely she didn't care about presents and fanfare, but HRH did, so after I picked her up from school, she convinced me to stop at the store to get party hats, candles, and a balloon.
Considering the day I'd had, I was only too happy to get my dog a birthday balloon if it brought joy to my little girl.
So, things I've learned:

1. Holding a phone, dog treats, and a party hat while trying to put a balloon around a dog's leg is not the smartest or easiest feat ever.
2. Coonhounds have no fear of eating a lit candle when said candle has been plunked into an easily accessible pupcake. 

Narrowly averting disasters makes any birthday party more exciting.
Thankfully, I did get Zooey and HRH to take a few cute (albeit fuzzy because kid and dog) snaps to commemorate the big 0-6 before letting Zooey dig in to her treat while HRH enjoyed a chocolate-sweet potato muffin.
Happy birthday, sweet Zooey. You're my running buddy and constant companion. I hope you live forever, because I can't imagine my life without you.

Her birthday present - the Kong Wobbler

"Give me the entire treat bag for this."

The birthday girl and her party planner

"Take the damn picture - I want my pupcake!"

Going...

Gone. Who needs to chew? Or breathe, really.

Do you have birthday parties for your furry family members?

The 2013 Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap

Cookies, I have decided, are NOT my forte.  While I love me a good chocolate chip with milk, my cookie baking karma isn't quite up to snuff.  I'm not sure if my oven isn't properly calibrated (it's possible) or it's just too warm/dry here in Arizona (also possible), but my cookie-making prowess isn't even a tenth of what I'd like it to be.
Even in the face of my cookineptitude (I also love me a good portmanteau), I boldly signed up for this year's Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap (this is its third year).  Why did I do it?  Because I'm crazy each year, the cookie swap raises and donates money to Cookies for Kids Cancer, an amazing organization that raises money for research and new treatments for pediatric cancer.  You may know that different cancers require different treatments, but what you may not know is that many oncology treatments are not considered appropriate or safe for children.  Testing is "iffy" (I think that's the technical term), since medical testing on children is, well, horrifying to some and considered unethical by just about everyone.  As such, developing appropriate treatments is difficult and often more expensive.  And while I rage against the colon cancer that took my dad, I'm often brought to my knees at how pediatric cancer has affected my life, even if not as dramatically.  My dear friend Kirsten lost her sister to cancer; Lily, my friend Alicia's daughter, lost her battle last December, and my husband's baby brother fought (and has won, so far) two rounds of non-Hodgkins lymphoma.  Losing a parent to cancer is awful, heinous, and vile.  Losing a child to cancer, well, I haven't found any words that could bring justice to it.
And being armed as such, with no words to comfort those who have lost their children and siblings and friends to pediatric cancers, I happily tied my apron and failed gloriously at my first attempt at the cookies I was to send out for this year's cookie swap.
So I went to the store, bought more butter, and failed again at a completely. different. recipe.
Good cause or not, at that point, I was ready to break things.  And yes, I cried.  I was actually this close:  | |  to running back to the store for some pre-made, preservative-filled slice and bake... things.
But instead, I took a deep breath, double checked the recipe, made some modifications, and managed a cookie that was tasty and (sort of) pretty.
And then I shipped them off, swearing I'd never make cookies ever again.

So here's the deal.  The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap is kind of a round robin, pay it forward, secret Santa situation.  Each participant is given the names and addresses of three other participants, but everyone is sworn to secrecy as to who sends to whom (while this wasn't a big deal for me, since I have never known the people to whom I send my cookies, it's possible in food blogging circles that the participants know each other).  But the three people to whom I sent my cookies were not the same people from whom I received cookies.
Am I making sense?
I didn't think so.
Really, the only thing you need to know is that you reap what you sow - send three packages of cookies out (a dozen each), and you shall receive three packages in return.

We won't discuss the first recipe I attempted.  But that's OK.  The cookie I finally ended up with was, I think, a much better idea at the end of the day anyway.
Now that I've made mustard, ice cream, and pie with beer, it was time to move on to the cookie.  Beer is great with cookies.  In fact, the brewery whose beer I used for this recipe serves its seasonal Winter Warmer with gingersnaps.  So what better ingredient to add to a cookie recipe?  Using a winter seasonal offers a taste of the holiday season without being smacked in the face with it (I'm looking at you, craft stores selling cinnamon-scented pine cones).  For the flavor to really come through, don't worry about adding any additional spices.  You'll still be able to taste them all.  Trust me.
But just in case, you'd better pour yourself a beer.

Winter Spiced Ale and Brown Sugar Cookies
Adapted from The Beeroness

• 12 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened (but not too soft)
• 1 1/2 c dark brown sugar (you can use light, but I prefer the darker, mostly for color)
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 c winter seasonal spiced ale (I used San Tan Brewing Company's Rail Slide Imperial Spiced Ale; if you can't get Rail Slide near you, I'm really sorry, but I'm sure your local craft beer place has a great winter seasonal as well)
• 1 1/4 c all purpose flour
• 1 c bread flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp corn starch

**The original recipe calls for baking powder as well.  I tried with and without the baking powder, and it made a huge difference in my cookies not spreading and turning into one super-cookie during the baking process, so if you have an unpredictable oven or, like me, bad baking karma, I recommend that you also omit it.

In a large, non-reactive bowl, combine flours, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch.  Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar on low speed until just combined. Add the egg yolk and vanilla.  Add the beer and beat until just combined.
Add the flour mixture to the beer mixture and combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Do not over-mix.
Using a cookie scoop, a melon baller, or a spoon, scoop out balls of dough (smaller than a golf ball but larger than a marble) and place onto parchment paper-covered cookies sheets (or, if you're all fancy, use Sil-Pat; I am not fancy).
Chill at least a half hour.
Preheat the oven to 325°.  Take cookies from the refrigerator directly to the oven and back for 7-8 minutes, or until the edges just start to brown.
Place the cookies on a cooling rack immediately to cool.

And off they, went, to their new homes!

Just kidding - I did actually pack them in pretty tins.

These ale cookies went to:

• Jenny at Honey and Birch
• Kristin at Kristin Pot Pie
• Melissa at Persnickety Plates

Guten Appetit, ladies - I hope you enjoyed them, with or without a pint!  Check out their blogs, too, to see where their goodies ended up going!

Of course, while I do subscribe to the "it's better to give than to receive" policy, it was exciting to check the mailbox this month, knowing that I'd be having a snack shortly thereafter (HRH was pretty excited about that, too, and she was crushed when I told her that it would happen a mere three times).

Thanks to Melissa at Treats with a Twist for her white chocolate-dipped cranberry walnut macaroons, Zainab at Blahnik Baker for her soft and chewy butterscotch gingersnaps (or as Husband says, buttah-scotch), and Monique at Ambitious Kitchen for her white chocolate, cherry, and macadamia nut oatmeal cookies.  All three Philistines devoured them, and HRH even found a new love for coconut (in cookie form, at least), while Husband was thrilled to have a chewy gingersnap ("I just don't like crunchy cookies").  And even though HRH is sad that the cookies in the mail have come to an end, it's probably a good thing for my waistline that they did, for who can resist freshly baked cookies, delivered to your door (not me, that's certain)???

A big shout out goes to all of the participants (and even some who couldn't participate but who donated anyway) in this year's Great Food Blogger Cookies Swap; together, we have raised $13,778.40 for Cookies for Kids Cancer.  My heart is full that so many people wanted to not only share their delicious cookies but also make a difference for those who are engaged in a battle that they, unlike me, do not have the luxury of failing.  If you have ever doubted that people are truly kind in nature, just take this into consideration.
Thank you, too, to this year's sponsors, OXO, Dixie Crystals, Gold Medal Flour, and Grandma's Molasses, and to Lyndsay of Love and Olive Oil and Julie of The Little Kitchen for once again planning this incredible event.
If you'd like the chance to sign up for the next cookie swap, you can add you name to the list here.
A link that gives a list of all the participants and their recipes will be added soon.

Full disclosure: I did receive some awesome OXO spatulas as a gift for my participation in the cookie swap, but as this little blog is a mere hobby of mine, I wasn't asked to give my opinion on any of the aforementioned brands or of the spatulas.  I didn't specifically use the brands (I've actually NEVER used molasses), and aside from OXO, I can't personally vouch for their quality (I have several OXO products, and so I was pretty stoked to receive the spatulas; also, I love the word spatula and wanted to see how many times I could use it in a blog post).  However, I thank them all of my own accord for not shirking their corporate and civic responsibilities and for using their brands to make a positive difference in the lives of children.

One more thing - if you also love the word spatula, this is for you:

Refrigerator Chocolate and Pumpkin Porter Pie with Pumpkin Marshmallow Meringue - You'll Eat it Faster Than You Say It!

Did you hear??????  It's Pie Week!

I'm becoming a one-trick pony during these theme weeks, what with lemon and berry and pumpkin marshmallows.  But I just can't help myself.

As such, during this Pie Week I basically had to involve mallows in my pie.  And for some reason, I felt compelled to look for ideas that also involved beer.  I'm not sure why The Fates directed me that way, but as usually, they knew better than I, and before I knew it, I was calling Four Peaks to make sure that I could still get my mitts on a six pack of their pumpkin porter.

I've already mentioned my almost obsessive love for Four Peaks here, where I made not one but two recipes with their signature beer, Kilt Lifter.  So it wasn't a stretch for me to decide that I needed to use the porter for this round of reindeer games.

What I found was a lovely recipe that used Guinness to make a chocolate pudding as the base for a marshmallow "meringue" topping, which was then torched to s'more-y goodness.  Basically, this is a boozy s'more pie with a touch of salt, thanks to the addition of pretzels in the crust.  Perfection, really.  Since Guinness is more appropriate for St. Patrick's Day than Pie Week in November, I not only used the more seasonal pumpkin porter instead of Guinness but also opted to use my own pumpkin marshmallows as the topping.  

THIS is a pumpkin pie I can get behind, people.

Since the recipe made two pies, I was a little concerned about what I'd do with two entire pies in the house.  Husband doesn't like chocolate OR marshmallow, and HRH has informed me that the "marshmallows at Nana's" are better (goodbye, college tuition).  That would leave me with two pies all to myself.  Bad news.

Fortunately for my waistline, we met our new neighbor this weekend, and to welcome him to the neighborhood and feed his friends who had worked hard all day getting him unloaded and moved in, I offered a pie to them.  Young pups that they were, they happily accepted.  

Note to self: make recipes that net two pies more often and give them to neighbors.

Pie Week continues tomorrow, too.  If you haven't caught all the amazing pies this third round of Pie Week has already offered, swing by to see how you can be the talk of the Thanksgiving table.  I have to say that this is a wonderful bunch of ladies who love cooking, baking, and making homemade goodies that will taste so much better than anything you can ever buy in a store.  And since pie is truly So Exciting, several of them are making multiple appearances.

Monday 

• Kirsten / Comfortably Domestic – Mile High Apple Pie
• Katie / The Hill Country Cook – New Mexico Apple Pie
• Anne / From My Sweet Heart – Cranberry Cherry Ricotta Pie
• Haley / The Girlie Girl Cooks – Coconut Cream Pie

Tuesday

• Jeanne / Inside NanaBread’s Head – Black and White Coconut Tart
• Mads / La Petite Pancake – Pineapple Pie
• Monica / The Grommom – Papaya Pie

Wednesday

• Carrie / Bakeaholic Mama – Chocolate Cream Pie
• Kat / Tenaciously Yours, – Grandma’s Chocolate Pie
• Kirsten / Comfortably Domestic – Maple Sweet Potato Pie with Toasted Swiss Meringue

Thursday

• Shanna / Pineapple Coconut – Boozy Pumpkin Egg Nog Pie
• Carrie / Bakeaholic Mama – Sweet Potato Tartlets
• Christina / Buffy and George – Deep Dish Apple Pie

Friday (that's today!)

• Madeline / Munching in the Mitten – Sweet Potato Pie
• Allison/Decadent Philistines Save the World - that's me!  The recipe is below.
• Lauren / Climbing Grier Mountain - Mini Butternut Squash Pie Stacks with Marshmallow Frosting

Saturday

• Megan / Wanna Be a Country Cleaver - Biscoff Pie with Whiskey Mallow Fluff
• Shanna / Pineapple Coconut - Persimmon, Pear and Brandy Pie with Vanilla Bean Crumble
• Kirsten / Comfortably Domestic – Very Berry Cherry Pie

Refrigerator Chocolate and Pumpkin Porter Pie with Pumpkin Marshmallow Meringue

(inspired by and modified from Sprinkle Bakes)

**makes two pies - share with a friend

For the crust:

• 2 cups pulverized pretzels
• 2 cups pulverized, freshly made and cooled graham crackers*
• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350°.  In a bowl, combine the pretzels, graham crackers, and butter with a spatula until just combined.  Press equal amounts into two pie pans.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Allow to cool completely in a coonhound-proof receptacle (like the microwave).

*Yes, you can use store-bought graham crackers.  But before you do, I recommend that you read what Jenni has to say at the link I provided.  I adore her recipe and her perspective, which can be applied to so many other foods (hence why the pretzels was the only non-homemade item in this recipe, although if I'd have had time.....  

For the chocolate pudding:

• 8 large egg yolks (the fresher the better)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup Four Peaks Pumpkin Porter (or your favorite local pumpkin porter - buy local; it tastes better)
• 2 1/4 cups organic cream
• 7 oz bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), finely chopped
• 1/4 cup cornstarch

In a non-reactive bowl, whisk together the yolks and sugar; set aside.  

Place a 3 quart saucepan on the stove and whisk together the porter and cream.  Heat over medium to medium-high heat until hot but NOT boiling.  

Remove from heat and stir in chocolate.  Once the chocolate has melted, whisk in the egg and sugar mixture, drizzling only a little at a time (you don't want to have scrambled eggs here - that would be horrible).  Then, whisk in the cornstarch and return to the heat.  

Stir over heat until the mixture has thickened.

Pour the chocolate mixture immediately into the cooled pie crusts.  Put the pies in the refrigerator, and allow them to set completely before moving on to the next step.

For the marshmallow topping, you're going to make a half batch of pumpkin marshmallows.  If you want, you can use the rest of the can of porter as part of the pumpkin water.

As usual, this recipe was practically stolen from Jenni at Pastry Chef Online.

• 1/2 cup cold water mixed with 1 Tbsp chilled pumpkin puree
• 2 1/4 Tbsp powdered gelatin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (confession: I always use a full tablespoon)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 cup pumpkin spice syrup
• splash water

Combine the "pumpkin water," salt, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a mixer.  Sprinkle gelatin over the mixture and stir to combine, being careful to get rid of any lumps.  Set aside.

Bring sugar and syrups - and the water-  to a boil.  Continue to boil until the mixture reaches 244° (the soft ball stage).  

When the syrup mixture reaches about 235°, turn on the mixer, using the whisk attachment, to low or medium low.

As soon as the syrup reaches the proper temperature, remove and pour into the mixing bowl, continuing to whisk on low/medium low.  

Gradually raise the speed of the mixer.  Continue to whip until the mixture has about tripled inside (read: you're fearful it will overflow) and it starts to come off the sides of the bowl in small threads.

Using a large spatula liberally coated with pan spray or olive oil, pour the marshmallow cream into the pie pans, right over the chocolate pudding, carefully spreading it out evenly (as necessary).  Take a pause to lick the spatula before throwing it in the sink.

Place the pies back into the refrigerator until the marshmallow topping is set.
Before serving, bust our your creme brulee torch and have a go at the topping, making sure to get it a lovely, rich brown.  Allow the pie to sit for a few minutes in case it got a little melty.
To slice, use a large serrated knife that has been sprayed with olive oil.  It may be necessary to wipe or wash off the knife between slices; the marshmallow IS sticky.
Enjoy a slice with your favorite pumpkin porter or glass of milk.

Full disclosure: my love for Four Peaks Brewery and its beers is my own opinion, and while I'd love for them to shower me with free Peach Ale, they have not compensated me for my words at all.  I am happy to rave about them because they make a solid product, and I adore buying locally.

Bloggers for Beka (Or, Kicking Crohn's to the Curb)

We all have those friends whom we can call at any time of the day if we're having a hard time; those friends will answer the phone and listen with a sympathetic ear.

Then there are those friends who will come over in the middle of the night to help you deal with an issue in person.

And then there are those friends, scarce in number, who will not only help you bury the body, but tell you the best spot to do so.

KIDDING.

Sort of.

Beka and Megan are in that last, rare class of friends.  Two friends who are so close that I can't imagine anything that could cause one to waver in her support and love of the other, even in the case of hiding the body of someone who had the temerity to say that Chili's is the best restaurant in Seattle.

KIDDING AGAIN.

Maybe.  I wouldn't risk testing it.

Beka has Crohn's; she can tell you about it here, and I think it's best that the words come from her, so please click over to understand what it's like to have Crohn's once the poop jokes have worn off.  While I firmly believe that humor is an important aspect of dealing, coping, or persevering through difficult situations, it can only get you so far.

Friends can get you further.

Last year, if you recall, Megan hosted the first Bake Sale for Beka, which raised funds for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, a group for which Beka will be running her first half marathon later this year.  This is a group that is important to Beka, and by extension, to Megan.  But in the last year and a half, these two women have become cherished friends of mine, and as such, the Foundation is important to me.  

So I am only too happy to participate in this year's Bake Sale for Beka, hosted once again by Megan over at Wanna Be a Country Cleaver.  While last year's event was a success, the sheer quantity AND quality of goods and goodies is staggering, and you will not want to miss out on getting your mitts on some of the amazing items up for auction.

For a preview and to become familiar with the rules and procedures, you can check out this post that Megan posted the other day.  The auction is live from 7AM PDT on Saturday, June 22 until 8PM PDT on Sunday, June 23 (that's three hours behind anyone on the east coast).  You can go directly to the auction post by clicking here.

For my part, I have donated a pan of homemade marshmallows in one of the following flavors (winner's choice): piña colada, lemon, berry, chocolate, or original (these are so good that you really can't call them "plain").

Adorable child filching your marshmallows not included

This is an entire 9x13 pan full of mallow heaven.  Gigantic pillows of gooey, sugary delights that go SO WELL with graham crackers and chocolate.  Or by themselves over the sink so no one sees the powdered sugar evidence (pro tip: wipe off your face when you're done).  But my recommendation is to enjoy them with friends.  After all, friendship is what is getting you this pan of mallows in the first place.

Sure beats having to hide a body in the middle of the night.

Fabulous, Fun Fifty!

It's NanaBread's birthday today!  Happy 50th, Jeanne!

Doesn't look a day over 3!

If you don't follow Jeanne on Twitter, you should.  She's a hoot.  I mean, seriously, folks.  Some of her stuff makes me LOL - IRL!

Jeanne's also responsible for herding all the cats who come together for our Theme Weaver recipe weeks and OKMH package exchange.  We'd be lost without her.  She's organized to a tee, which means I can never have her over to my house because I'm basically a walking hot mess.  Unless she wants to come and organize my house.  Then by all means, Jeanne, please.  Come visit.  Today.

Even though we've never met in person, Jeanne has become a close confidante, and I hope that everyone can claim at least one friend just like her.

Now, far be it from this group of blogging friends to let an opportunity for another round of shenanigans and cahoots pass us by, we actioned a birthday party worthy of all the time zones.  I just wish that we could have gotten together to let Jeanne blow out the candles on the cakes!


And speaking of cake, how about a nice big slice of Coca-Cola® cake?

This rich, sweet, moist cake is a Southern staple, and I got the recipe from my husband's step-mom.  It's not a recipe that is healthifiable; it is what it is, but if you're going to bake a special cake for a special birthday (for this is not a "I think I'll bake a cake on Tuesday" type cake), then there really isn't a need to healthify it.
I should also mention that this is the ONLY cake that my husband enjoys.  He has never been much of a sweets person, preferring fruit pies over most other types of desserts, but he will eat this cake for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if given the opportunity.  It's just that good.


Coca-Cola® Cake

• 2 c sugar
• 2 c flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ c margarine*
• ½ c shortening
• 3 Tbsp cocoa
• 1 c Coca-Cola®*
• ½ c buttermilk
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs (beaten well)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 ½ c small marshmallows
• ½ c margarine*
• 3 Tbsp cocoa
• 6 Tbsp Coca-Cola®*
• 1 pound box powdered (icing) sugar
• Pinch salt
• 1 c chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla

Cake:

Mix sugar, flour, and salt in large bowl.  In a pot on stove, heat margarine, shortening, Coca-Cola®, and cocoa until melted.  Pour melted mixture over flour mixture and stir well.  Add buttermilk, soda, eggs, vanilla, and marshmallows.  Mix together well (mixture will be thin).  Pour into a greased and floured 9” x 13” pan.  Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

Icing:

Heat margarine, cocoa, and Coca-Cola® to a boil, stirring continuously.  Remove from heat.  Stir in powdered sugar, nuts, and vanilla.  Pour over hot cake (right into the middle).

This cake is better the next day (don't refrigerate it) to allow the icing to fully soak into the cake.  This is a very rich dessert, and even those with a massive sweet tooth will likely enjoy it more in smaller doses with a large glass of milk.

*A few notes - First, don't use Pepsi®.  It's not the same.  If you're a Pepsi® drinker, I won't judge you for your taste in soda, but go out and get a can of Coca-Cola®.  Second, don't use butter (I KNOW, OK?????).  That being said, traditional margarines scare the bejeebers out of me, so I use Earth Balance®, and it works fine.  You also don't want to use buttermilk subs (like vinegar and milk), although powdered buttermilk does work in a pinch.

Fun fact: while many people (including me) can tend to use the words frosting and icing interchangeably, they are, in fact, different.  Icings are usually thinner than frostings, which are thick and gooey.  This cake's topping is a bit thinner, and when it cools, it hardens just a little, becoming kind of shiny (ooooh, shiny...).  That it's boiled helps categorize this as icing - its consistency is much "runnier" than that of a buttercream frosting.

The more you know...

Now, it's not a real blogger party without lots and lots of other completely calorie-free delicious recipes, so please, grab yourself an aged Manhattan over at Kvetchin' Kitchen (you know, to quench your thirst) and then nosh on a few chips with guacamole from Tenaciously Yours, as well as some cheesy chorizo dip by La Petite Pancake.  The Nutella® turnovers from Wanna Be a Country Cleaver will go well with that drink, too, as will Munching in the Mitten's fig, fontina, and pecan flatbread.
Of course, a birthday party isn't a birthday party without booze ice cream and cake, and we have delivered.  Make room on your plate for an orange cream pie from Comfortably Domestic, mini key lime pies from Climbing Grier Mountain, coconut banana brownie pie by Bakeaholic Mama, a true Texan Dr Pepper cake with cooked flour icing by The Hill Country Cook, some tropical ice cream from The Grom Mom, and Mexican vanilla ice cream cones From My Sweet Heart.
Happy birthday, Jeanne!  I hope that this next year brings you many laughs and margaritas! XOXO
Oh, and don't forget to check back soon; we've got another surprise for our favorite birthday girl that we just can't wait to show off!

For Unto Us a Child Is Born

Today, December 13, Lily would have been 13 years old.
She breathed her last early Monday morning, after nearly two years of emotional (and health) highs and lows, leaving this world peacefully.
There are just no words to describe how my heart hurts for Alicia, Phillip, and Jacob.  If I could do something - anything - to help ease their pain and grief away, I would.
But I can't.
I can only celebrate the amazing person who Lily was - bright, thoughtful, generous, brave, creative, witty - and pray that I can raise my child to emulate the Goodness that just radiated from Lily.

There is, of course, no "best" time to lose a child.  Regardless of the moment that a life passes to the other side, there is always the first event without her - that first year is filled with "the first without."  Christmas is no different.  But still, this week my thoughts wandered down that path.  I don't know why; it just seems like right now is somehow worse.  Worse than what... I don't know.
I guess it's just this: during this time of year, millions of people throughout the world prepare to celebrate one of the most important events in the history of humankind.  Whether we believe that Jesus was the son of God, the Wonderful Counselor, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), or simply a teacher of extraordinary historical influence, the story of Jesus is, too, the story of a mother's child, from the jubilation of his birth to the heartbreak of his crucifixion.  But he has become everyone's child - the baby who lay in a manger, borne of the hope of the world.
I can't help but think that Lily has, in her own way, become everyone's child, too.  Every person who has met her or even just learned of her story accidentally can't help but love her and hope, desperately, to defeat this cancer that has taken her from her mother's arms.

And so I am reminded that I can do something else for Lily.  It's something we can all do.  We can - we must - press on in this crusade against cancer.  All cancer.  Colon cancer, which took my dad.  Ovarian cancer, which took my grandmother.  Leukemia, which took Kirsten's little sister.  Lymphoma, which threatens my brother-in-law.  Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS), which took Lily.  Until cancer is no longer a feared word in a doctor's office and is no longer taking loved ones, I will do what I can to help others prevent, treat, and beat it.  I will run for a cure.  I will donate to a cause.  I will bake to fund research.

So, I honor Lily today, in at least a small way, by participating in this year's Cookie Week, a now-annual event with some of my food blogger girlfriends.  All the cookies shared this week are part of the Glad® to Give program, which donates a dollar to Cookies for Kids' Cancer for each cookie shared/swapped during this holiday season, up to $100,000 - that's up from ten cents per cookie during the same time frame last year.  In addition, OXO has pledged to match all donations from registered bake sales (through the Cookies for Kids' Cancer website) up to $100,000 as well.  These donations will help fund research and new treatments for children's cancers, both well-known, like leukemia, as well as those that desperately need more research and treatment options, like ARMS.
Last year, my friends and I exchanged nearly 4500 cookies among our various office events, holiday parties, and more.  This year, I hope that you may also be inspired to offer even a dozen cookies; if we all work together, we will see fewer parents say goodbye to their children.

My recipe is a twist on the ever-popular jam thumbprint cookies.  I've always loved squishing down the dough to make a little nesting spot for the jam, of which there is never enough for my liking.
Some thumbprint recipes are a basic sugar cookie recipe, but I'm rather partial to the peanut butter ones.  After all, peanut butter and jelly go together like... peanut butter and jelly.
But peanut butter has been done, and sometimes it's nice to have a little change.  This variation has a bit of an Asian taste to it, with sesame and plum coming together in sweet harmony.

Sesame Plum Thumbprints
(adapted from this recipe by Cooking Light magazine)
makes about 36 cookies

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup sesame seeds, toasted*
• cooking spray or olive oil
• plum jam

Whisk together flour and salt in a bowl; set aside.
Cream together butter, sugars, and tahini in mixer on medium speed until smooth  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each.  Add in vanilla.  Mix in flour mixture, a little at a time, until just combined.  Add in sesame seeds.
Lightly coat hands with cooking spray or olive oil.  Shape dough into balls of about 2 Tbsp, and place onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Press thumb (or a round 1/2 tsp) into center of each ball to make an indentation.  Cover and chill for at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Uncover dough and bake cookies at 350° for 10-14 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.  Remove and cool on cookie rack.  If you want the indentations to be bigger in order to hold more jam, use the 1/2 tsp to push down a little more while cookies are still warm.
Once cookies have cooled, spoon plum jam (at least 1/2 tsp) into indentation of each cookie.

*Make sure that when you toast your seeds, you keep a close eye on them to keep them from going to nicely toasty to horribly burned.  My recommendation is to use a toaster over and to not multi-task during this process.

Thank you, Lily, for being an inspiration to more people than you could possibly know.  I promise you that I will not stop working to help find a cure for cancer.  You may have left our world, but you will remain in the hearts of many forever, and we are all the more blessed for it.

One of the fairies that Lily drew using the computer,
one of her many creative hobbies.
She was an amazing artist.

Bake Sale for Beka

The Internet is a crazy thing.  Not only can you find a corgi version of "Call Me Maybe" (Corgi Rae Jepsen?), but you can also meet the most amazing and wonderful people.
Megan is one of those amazing and wonderful people I've met thanks to The Internet.  She is funny and sharp as a tack.  She is a devoted lover of labra-dork retrievers.  She has a recipe for coconut curd that makes me weak at the knees.  But more most importantly, she has worked tirelessly to put together a bake sale to benefit her best friend, Beka.

Beka has Crohns disease.
You can click on the link there to get more information about what Crohns is, but here is what you really need to know: a chronic condition, Crohns currently has no cure.  Medications can help - some people can be in remission for years, but other people go through much more regular cycles of flare-ups.  It's not a fake disease, and it can have a huge impact on a person's personal and professional life.
But Beka, whom I've also gotten to know via that crazy Internet, doesn't appear to be letting something like Crohns affect her humor, vivacity, or really anything else.
Which is exactly how I would hope to deal with anything like Crohns, cancer, etc.  The less she allows it to boss her around, the less it will be the "one thing" that defines her.

What Beka IS doing is planning her first half marathon after realizing, during training for a 5K, that running seemed to quell some of the symptoms.  Her efforts in this will benefit the Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America, specifically the Foundation's Camp Oasis, a camp for children diagnoses with Crohns and Colitis.  Camp Oasis allows these kids to be, well, KIDS, despite their conditions, which many times, other children don't understand.

Y'all know I am definitely on board with my sisters who run for their causes.  Beka and I have kind of bonded over the whole Crohns-colon cancer thing, finding 12-year-old humor in two diseases that are in all actuality NOT funny.

Good thing this bake sale is ANYTHING but funny.  It's simply full of Awesome.

Don't believe me?  Check it out - bid on the goods and goodies from 25 food bloggers (including yours truly) as well as some wonderfully generous companies to help Beka meet her goal for the CCFA and make a huge difference for the kids!  You can bid until 8PM Pacific Daylight Time tonight on some amazing treats - just by clicking here.

Just keep your grubby mitts off the double dark chocolate merlot cookies.  Those babies are MINE.

Eat These & I'll Shoot You Dead Retro Cheese Cookies - It's a Bridal Shower!

Our friend Megan is GETTIN' HITCHED!

Weddings are, of course, exciting and a great excuse to put on some fancy kicks and show off your rendition of Ross and Monica's routine.
But before you scar the happy couple for life with your dance floor moves, it's all about throwing the bride-to-be a proper bridal shower, and a proper bridal shower is what we have today, hosted by her blogging besties!

SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, a proper bridal shower needs two things:

 1) Uh... entertainment...

Excuse us, ladies, we hear there's a fire needing to be put out?
How can we be of assistance?
(photo credit: Pinterest)

2) Tasty nibbles.

Thankfully, a group of food and food-loving bloggers is exactly the group of ladies you want to throw a surprise virtual bridal shower.  We came to play eat.  Just reading the menu makes me feel like I need to pull out my fat pants instead of the nice skirt I decided to wear for the occasion.

We have a lovely assortment of amuse bouches to start:

• Deviled Eggs Three Ways (Farmgirl Gourmet)
• Cheesy Edamame Crostini (Running to the Kitchen)
• Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Puffs (Comfortably Domestic)
• Easy Bacon Cream Cheese Roll-Ups (My Life as a Mrs.)
• Sausage and Red Pepper Stuffed Mushrooms (Baked by Rachel)
• Eat These & I'll Shoot You Dead Retro Cheese Cookies (by yours truly - check it below)

Of course, with the nibbles, we need some sips:

• Blueberry Lemonade Spritzers (Simply Scratch)
• Lemon-Berry Granita with Balsamic and Basil (Bake Your Day)

Then we move onto the main fare:

• Fresh Melon and Crisp Prosciutto Salad (A Recipe Junkie)
• Greek Salmon Wraps (Inside NanaBread's Head)

And of course, we can't celebrate a coconut curd-loving, Boston cream pie pancake-making bride-to-be without desserts:

• Mini Cherry Pies (Table for Two)
• Summer Strawberry Jello Pie (Lauren's Latest)
• Red Velvet Ice Cream Cupcakes (Cravings of a Lunatic)
• Good For You Bars (Tenaciously Yours,)
• Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries (La Petite Pancake)
• Eton Mess Shooters (London Bakes)

My contribution to the shower is a recipe that my mom has made for years.  It certainly doesn't fit in with my general "make it healthier whenever possible" rule, but these snacks are one of the few items I consider almost holy and wouldn't blaspheme by healthifying it for fear of going somewhere hotter than Arizona for all eternity.  This makes them a special event treat, and if ever there was a special event for which I was going to pull them out, it's today.  

In fact, The Husband was so excited that I was making these cookies for Megan (a fact that he overlooked in his eagerness to Eat All the Things) that I had to impose a rarely utilized death threat to keep him from eating them all before I managed to take any photos of the finished product.  Considering the break from his usual detached approach to my cooking, I felt that renaming the final product was appropriate, in the spirit of martial bliss and all that.  I hope that Megan is able to threaten Ben in a similar manner for years to come with all of her tasty treats.

It's really the perfect recipe for Megan; she kills me with her delicious posts that show no fear of buttery cheesy goodness, threatening to require extra miles EVERY DAY (they would be so... SO worth it).  And if you follow Megan's blog, Wanna Be a Country Cleaver, you know how much she adores that June Cleaver era of American cooking (she even can look the part).  That's exactly when this appetizer was in high fashion.  I'm sure that Walt wouldn't come home late if he knew these were going to be on the table, if just to make sure the Beav didn't get his grubby mitts on them first.

Eat These & I'll Shoot You Dead Retro Cheese Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese (Megan will probably tell you that you should get Cougar Gold, and I agree - it's worth ordering; I had to slum it with Tillamook)
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose (or whole wheat pastry) flour
• 1/2 butter, melted (since you're using olives and cheese, I would go with unsalted, but it doesn't really matter)
• 24 green olives, well drained (or more - I subscribe to the "one for the recipe; one for me" policy)

Mix cheese, flour, and butter with a fork until dough is well blended.  You may want to use your hands to get all the small pieces mixed in.

Flatten a walnut-sized piece of dough in your palm; place an olive in the center, and enclose it with dough.

Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Cover and chill for at least two hours.

Bake at 300° for 15-20 minutes; cookies will still be slightly soft.  Cool completely on cooling rack before enjoying with a frosty adult beverage (these goes great with a Shiner Bock).

Please join all of us in wishing Megan and Ben a lifetime of happiness and tasty eats.  We love you, Megan!  May you come out victorious in any marital spat, and may your pantry always be as full as your hearts!

***NOTE - Some of the links were broken, but I went through and changed them to make sure you have access to everyone's delicious treats.  After all, since we're celebrating the bride, there are no calories today! #fact

I Can't Lift My Arms...OOOOH - Cookies!

OK, just to start things off, I need to discuss my newest current obsession: Herbavoracious's sesame-orange sablé cookies.  I finally made them today after drooling over the recipe in the new cookbook.
Oh, my word.  Michael Natkin, you are a genius.  These cookies are like if butter cookies, sugar cookies, shortbread cookies, and those salty little sesame sticks I always eat too many of had a baby and then fed their baby to me.

Side note - if babies tasted like this, there would be fewer people on the planet.

But I digress.

Also, eating babies is completely improper and immoral.  I swear that whole analogy up there was due to the haze of deliciousness that I'm currently in; there is no way you can expect me to remain lucid.

The recipe called for orange zest, but since I had a few fresh limes lying around, I zested them instead.  It was A Good Decision.
The fact that there are still plenty of these babies leftover for The Husband to try and for us to maybe work through in the remaining days of this week says a lot for how far I have come in my quest to stop overeating.  Although I still had 6 cookies today.
So, get the Herbavoracious cookbook, but not just for these amazing cookies.  All of the (vegetarian) recipes are beautiful and mouth-watering, and if I had my druthers, I would probably work my way through the entire book while on vacation.

On a completely unrelated topic, today is the day after Day 1 of the Hundred Pushups Challenge.  I managed to do 14 yesterday, in 5 sets: 2-3-2-2-5.  And so, today, I have to say this:

OWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

Apparently, one doesn't tend to us the pectoral and other push-up related muscles very much when running.  Duly noted.
Tomorrow (Day 2) is gonna be rough, folks.  But it will be worth it if I can slither into that tacky shirt (I've actually decided that a tank top is really the way to go) advertising free tickets to that spectacular gun show.

How are you changing up your fitness routine as summer weather heats up?  What is your newest food obsession that you can't get enough of?

Run for the Roses... or Run to the Dinner Table

I love the Kentucky Derby.
No.  Actually, I love love love LOVE the Kentucky Derby.  When I was a wee philistine, my parents had to explain to me multiple times the many, MANY reasons that we were not able to have a horse (the least of which was that our property didn't have fencing).  I imagined being a jockey and schemed to move to Kentucky.
The Husband, of course, takes great delight in taunting me over my obsession, which is somewhat at a crossroads with my normal philosophy that we must be kind to our animals.
I'm not going to say that the Derby - and horse racing in general - doesn't give me a lot to think and cringe about, but when you've been obsessed with an event since you can remember, it's almost a separate thought process.
That and I have convinced myself that if I were ever to own such a gorgeous creature as a thoroughbred, I would treat it like gold.
Since I have yet to have the means or the opportunity to make it to Churchill Downs, I have to make do here.  That means decorating my own Derby hat with HRH, something we've now done for two years and hope to continue as a Momma-daughter activity as she grows.
Last year, I went with a monochromatic fuchsia, while HRH told me which flowers to glue on.  At two, she wasn't ready to do it herself, and I may be something of a control freak, so I made sure that her hat looked "proper."

2011 Decadent Philistines Derby Hat Collection

The hat was a little big for HRH.

This year, I let that need for control go.  I let HRH pick out her own art supplies for the dollar store hats my mother-in-law picked up for her.  She had so much fun that she actually decorated two hats.  Parents - if your kid likes craft days, I can't recommend this enough.  I actually did some hat decorating with my friend's two girls this weekend as well - HRH was supposed to decorate yet a third hat (she had wanted to when we headed over there), but she threw a fit and sulked on the couch instead.  I guess the idea of three amazing Derby hats is a lot to take in.

I did help with the glue.

For all the pimps out there who read this blog, I'm sure she will be happy to whip something up for you, too, for a reasonable sum.
For my own chapeau, I wanted something sunny and bright - so when I found this picture:

I tried to find the original credit - I believe it's Associated Press.
If not, I will be happy to correct.

I knew I had to try and copy it.
Three trips to Michael's, five bunches of deconstructed daffodils, two sunflowers (one gold, one orange) and one bottle of glue later, I had it.  Or thereabouts.

Since The Husband was off at a game, I have no pics of me wearing the hat,
as I am one of those people who doesn't like to take pictures of herself.
It's just this thing I have.

HRH and delighted in wearing our hats (even though, my pick, Bodemeister, fell short in the last furlong or so, losing out to I'll Have Another), but The Husband decided that watching some EPL soccer game (the FA Cup) was more interesting, so he opted out once again.  Maybe next year I'll get him into a straw boater.
Probably not.
He did, however, completely buy in to dinner.

Our menu:

• Buttermilk biscuits
• Sauteed Swiss chard with green onions and red chile flakes
• Fried green tomatoes
• Grilled pork chops with a bourbon-peach glaze (recipe below)
• Pecan pie (recipe linked below)
• Champagne juleps (recipe below)

Some people will tell you to eat dessert first.  However, you should also note that most times, it's just as important to make dessert first.  Since a pecan pie has to set and cool, I knew that the second HRH and I got home from our crafting/dress-up play date (crafting for me, dress-up for her), I'd need to get started on the pie.  I had planned to make it the night before, but I gave blood and then promptly had two glasses of pinto grigio with dinner.
Oops.
The only thing I made before dessert was the drink.  I looked through many many different yet similar champagne julep recipes, some of which used superfine sugar, some of which used sugar cubes (or "loaf sugar"), and some of which didn't use any sugar.  What's a girl to do?
Make up her own recipe.

Champagne Julep

• Two large sprigs of mint (preferrably organic or plucked right out of the garden), freshly washed and dried - probably about a dozen or so leaves
• 1 teaspoon sugar (ideally superfine, but granulated is fine - that's what I used)
• 1/3 cup bourbon (or Jack Daniel's - see my "disclaimer" below when I discuss the pie)
• 1/8 teaspoon water
• Champagne (or your bubbly of choice - we used an American sparkling)

Place the mint leaves, sugar, and water in a shallow bowl and muddle.  Or, if you are a fancy pants, use your drink muddler.  Add the bourbon and crush mint further.  Cover and chill at least 4 hours.
(This is what I did before making anything else - the rest I had The Husband do right before we ate, which is when we wanted to drink the juleps)
Strain the bourbon.  Add two teaspoons or so to a champagne flute.  Fill the remainder of the flute with champagne.  Garnish with a fresh mint leaf.  Enjoy.

A fancy Derby dinner means
I break out our wedding flutes.

I am still not a lover of bourbon, so I think next time I'd prefer to use a heavily minted simple syrup with the bourbon.  But this was good.  I'm just a wuss when it comes to hard alcohol (case in point: I could hardly manage the wine the night before).

Despite the fact that I wasn't having the world's best Pie Crust Karma yesterday, I managed to whip up enough of Kirsten's No Excuses Pie Crust (with my usual sub of whole wheat pastry flour for the AP in her recipe) to roll out into my mini-pie pan (I usually use it for pot pies round these parts).  I had thought of making a full pie, but it's just The Husband and me who will eat said pie, and that means I'll eat it all week while he's gone at work.  A mini pie is my version of self (waist) preservation.

Before going into the oven

Now, my biggest concern was that The Husband wasn't going to like it.  He likes "good" pecan pie, but he has said many times that he's eaten his share of "bad" ones.
No pressure, right?
Which recipe to use? Should I put bourbon in it?
There were really too many questions swirling around my head about this pie.  Thankfully, I managed to shake them all off and make a few important decisions.

1. I used The Pioneer Woman's pecan pie recipe - and not just because I met her and gave her a bagful of Arizona candies and goodies last weekend - I knew it would fall under the category of "good" pecan pie.
2. To her recipe, which I cut in half save for the amount of vanilla, I added a tablespoon of bourbon.
3. Since we didn't have any bourbon, any time you see that word in this post, just mentally sub in "Jack Daniel's."
4. The difference between Jack Daniel's and bourbon is that JD goes through a sugar maple charcoal filtering process that bourbon doesn't.  But they are both whiskeys.

All of this information is important.
Even though I halved the recipe, I had some leftover pecans, filling, and dough, so I made itsy bitsy pies in a mini muffin tin as well.  And then I dunked pecans in the rest of the filling, salmonella risk be damned.
I like to live on the edge.

These were purely for quality control purposes.
And snacking purposes.
But mostly quality control purposes.

As the pie(s) cooled, I was able to hang out with HRH for a little bit, and I texted The Husband to ask him to bring home some red roses for a centerpiece.  I'm pretty sure he thought I was just angling for him to bring me flowers.  Whatever.  It worked.
Before he had left for the day, The Husband hand thrown some beautiful pork chops into his brine.  He was kind enough to share his recipe with me.  And you.

The Husband's Bourbon Brine

• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup bourbon
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon thyme

Boil the water and add the ingredients; stir until the salt and sugar are complete dissolved.  Allow to cool completely  Place items to be brined into a large zip-top bag.  Pour in cooled brine and allow to sit, refrigerated, for at least four hours, turning as necessary.

The last part of dinner making was going to the most tricky: we had to coordinate the chops (grilled by The Husband - he wanted to be able to grunt and be manly), the biscuits, the greens, the glaze, and the tomatoes to be done at the same time.
This required my mise en place to be Perfection.

(Deep breath in.....) I, in no particular order, set out my pans and added the right oils, re-assembled Julia (my Cuisinart), chopped green onions and chard, found my red chile flakes, took the garlic out of the fridge, had TH open a very stubborn jar of peaches, chopped said peaches (ate some, too), preheated the oven, got out baking sheets, mixed my biscuit's dry ingredients in Julia, threw peaches, maple syrup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and garlic into a pot to reduce to become the glaze, added the butter and buttermilk to the dry ingredients, sliced and salted the green tomatoes, set out shallow dishes of cornmeal and beaten egg, heated the vegetable oil, rolled out and cut the biscuits, threw biscuits in the oven, breaded the tomatoes and let sit, heated the oil and onions, added the first batch of tomatoes, took biscuits out of the oven, added the chard to the onions, flipped the tomatoes, added chile flakes to the chard, drained the first batch of tomatoes and added the second, stirred the glaze, turned off the heat on the chard, flipped the tomatoes, remembered I'd left the oven on when I took the biscuits out, asked TH to strain the bourbon and make the juleps, drained the tomatoes, and then plated.
Whew - where's that julep?
I am here to tell you that these pork chops were excellent.  The brine was fantastic at keeping them tender even with the heat of the grill, and the glaze on top went so well with the flavor of the brine (I've got the "recipe" to the glaze below).  The chard had a nice kick to it (I was liberal with the chile flakes), and the tomatoes were just fantastic. We need to make these more often.  It is amazing how much more wonderful fresh-from-the ground veggies taste - the chard and onions were from our CSA, while I picked up the tomatoes from another local farm at the Gilbert Farmers' Market; the peaches were canned by Yours Truly in May last year at the Schnepf Farms Peach Festival.

I apologize profusely for the poor quality.
The lighting in our house sucks.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm.........

My only complaint was the biscuits.  Our oven is so incredibly not accurate to temperature that it's not even funny. Knowing that, I kept a close eye on them, but they still got a little too brown (but thankfully not burned) on the bottoms, and they were thick enough that the insides were still kind of gummy.  But they still tasted good, and I'm sure I'll find a stomach-y home for them this week.
As for the pie, well, we didn't eat it first.  Or last.  We were so full that we had it instead for breakfast this morning.  It was a Good Idea.

Peach-Bourbon Glaze for Pork Chops (or other grilled tasty item)

• Butter
• Peaches (preferably fresh or fresh-canned)
• Maple Syrup
• Brown Sugar
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Bourbon
• Salt
• Pepper
• Water, if needed (I suppose you could use a stock, too)
• Cornstarch, if needed

I canned the peaches last year.
They still tasted fresh.

Chop the peaches into smallish pieces.  Melt butter in pot over medium-low heat and add garlic.  Stir until fragrant.  Add peaches, syrup, sugar, vinegar, bourbon, salt and pepper.  Increase heat to medium and allow to boil for a few minutes.  Reduce heat and simmer, adding water or cornstarch to either thin or thicken as needed.  Remove from heat and spoon over pork chops, loin, or whatever you've just taken off the grill.

I didn't measure anything, again, choosing instead to go by "this looks like enough" or "uh-oh, I'd better add some more."  It turned out fine.  Just how I wanted it to taste.
I should also note that when I made the glaze, I had NO idea what The Husband had put in the brine.  I guess when it comes to making amazing chops, we're just on that wavelength.

Oh, and what if you make too many fried green tomatoes?  I know - totally sounds like a rhetorical question, but It Happened To Us.  And you know how much I hate throwing things out.
No problem - lunch today was a grilled cheese with the leftover 'maters.  You will want to have leftover fried green tomatoes to have this sandwich.  In one of those "do-it-now-walk-don't-run" type of wants.  Add these to your sammy, and you'll wonder why you ever put regular red tomatoes on your grilled cheese.  It probably also would not be terrible as part of a BLT.  In fact, I think I need to test that theory next weekend - hope the farmers' market has more green tomatoes then!
Next year, I hope that I can finally throw that Derby party that I've been dreaming about for a good while.  We'll probably have a similar menu, although who knows what will sound good between now and then.  Maybe next year, too, I'll finally pick the winning horse.

Chirpy joined us for dinner as a nod to Kentucky
(the cardinal is the state bird).