Okay, so it's true I said I wasn't going to blog today. But you knew better than that, didn't you? I realized I had too many things to tell you, and I didn't want to spend the next week with all that rattling around in my head. Life is hard. But now it's going to be easier because I'm spending our last morning in Pahrump chatting with my blogging friends. So, thank you.
Speaking of friends...did you know yesterday was National Love Your Pet Day? Of course, every day is "love your pet day" here at the Traveling Three Cats Ranch. The kitties were raring to go...ready to party hardy, you might say.
With them so excitable, it seemed like a good idea to quiet things down a little with some slow-stitching. Here is yesterday's inchy:
Here are the 20 I have so far.
We had a short grocery shopping trip to pick up a few last-minute items. One thing on the list was some chopped pecans so that I could make this Apple Bourbon Bundt Cake for Two. I'd discovered some crystallized ginger in the cupboard from a different trip. It seemed prudent to use it to make this little cake. I'd made it once before, but I'd kind of forgotten about it until I went searching for recipes that used crystallized ginger in my Paprika app. (And let me just say if you're not using the Paprika app, your missing out on one of the best apps ever.) So, here's the little cake:
We had it last night with some whipped cream. So yummy. It's really, technically, a cake for four. We each had a small piece, and then we ate the other piece right away. It was that good. Also, I was reminded once again that I can turn one of my quart-sized freezer containers upside down to make a cute little cake container.
You can
find the recipe for this right here. I've also linked to the little
3-cup bundt pan I'm using. And it gave me a chance to try out this tip for softening butter without melting it. I saw this tip from Cook's Illustrated on Instagram, and let me just tell you...it made my whole day. It might even change my life!
I only needed a half stick of butter for my little cake. I'd left one on the counter before we took off for the grocery store, but it was still fairly hard when we got back. So, I tried this using a custard cup. It fit nicely over a half stick of butter. I filled it with boiling water, then waited, then dumped out the water and covered the butter with the warm custard cup. Then I waited 20 minutes and voila! The butter was perfectly softened for mixing. I was beside myself with joy. I had to stop and love up on my kitties to dissipate some of the sheer jubilation. Smitty gave me some ideas on new ways to love him up.
Okay, and while I waited for the cake to bake, I filled my hoop on the eighth blackwork basket. I really like this one.
By day's end, Smitty was exhausted from all the loving up he received. He stretched out to his full length on the bed for a long nap. Long cats take long naps.
Sadie was still partying hard. She was ready for another meowgarita.
Okay, so the morning's inchy should be posted by now, and so I'll at least get started on it. We don't have far to drive today, and we have until 11:00 a.m. to vacate our space here in Pahrump. I've already given you the low-down on blogging for the next week: I will if I can, but don't count on it. If it won't work, I'll be back by next Monday to update you on all the news. If I don't talk to you before then, have a good week. Stay warm and stay dry.
9 comments:
Wherever you go, go with all your heart. ~ Confucius
Safe travels to your next destination.
And thank you for the tip about softening butter. We sometimes put it in the microwave and then hope it doesn't melt into a complete puddle.
I really like that tip about placing butter under the dome of a warm glass. Trying to bake with cold butter just doesn't work well! It looks like you all had a lovely time in Purrump. I will not worry about you all if I don't hear from you this coming week. I don't think those wily coyotes in Death Valley want to share their own internet system with you to allow you to blog while in their wilds! But I hope you have wonderful weather and a super fun time. Maybe you'll get a few more inchies finished to share next time? They are lovely.
My little mini bundt pan took its maiden voyage to the oven last night. I made the vanilla pound cake recipe that was on the inside of the pan label. Yum! I've still got that chocolate cake of yours on my list - might be the next one up! I need to look at that app!
Safe travels no matter how short. Enjoy Death Valley, and we'll all be here waiting for your return to the wild internet
Gotta love on those kitties when they want it, since kitty love is all on their own terms.
Safe travels!! That recipe is perfect for me right now! Hubby cut up a granny smith to put in our oatmeal, and now I have exactly half am apple! And he got a bottle of bourbon last week when I mentioned that i couldn't find one on the cupboard when I want to make banana bourbon cake. Horrors, we were out! I used rum instead, but he wanted to make sure I didn't suffer needlessly after that scare. Don't have candied ginger, but I do have fresh, don't have sour cream, but do have applesauce..should be close enough! Loving your birdhouses. I guess we are REALLY "home" now..put up a bluebird house today. Hope we havevresidents within the week. We hit 87 degrees today...so, staying warm is not problem here! Be swimming soon!!!
The inchies are adorable and so, of course, are the cats. As always, you are giving me wanderlust, even though I feel too tired to move from my chair. Travel safely.
Those inches are all so cute! Hope you've had a good week off the grid so to speak.
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