Massachusetts - #6, February 6, 1788

If April Showers bring May Flowers,
What do Mayflowers bring?


Pilgrims
(get it?)

Many years ago, I used to work retail (for Filene's Department Store). Occasionally, I would travel to the "home office" in Boston. It was a fair trip from Poughkeepsie (where I was working) to Boston, but I could do it in a few hours, compliments of the Mass Pike. In addition, most summers growing up, my family would travel to Maine for vacation and for some reason (although the state is more narrow width-wise than length-wise) it would take FOREVER to get through Massachusetts. I have some really vivid memories of stopping at rest areas in Massachusetts to eat sandwiches that my mother had prepared that morning. It was nice to eat with the cars whizzing by with the smell of exhaust permeating your sandwiches.

I have been to Boston several times, the last time was a professional meeting in 2004. It's a great city and I could see myself living there. It's a great walking city (because you really don't want to drive there). But then again, I don't know if I could root for the teams that play there. It's a New York thing, sorry. I will point out that Massachusetts is home to the first lighthouse in the United States, the Boston Light. (and we all know how much Brave Astronaut likes lighthouses).

I've also been to Fall River, home to the Bordens, although I was more interested in seeing the ships. I've also been to the library of the 35th President (I interviewed for a job there many years ago). Kennedy is one of four Presidents to hail from Massachusetts (there's also a fifth who is linked to Massachusetts (although represented another state as President). Of course, the Adams father and son are the first two - can you name the other two? (The fourth one was born in Massachusetts, aligned to another New England state, and elected from another state)?

Massachusetts is, of course the location where the American Revolution got its start, with the Boston Tea Party, the ride of Paul Revere, the battles of Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill and is now the permanent home of Old Ironsides.

The Bay State also has made a significant contribution to education in the United States. The state was the first state to require teachers be appointed and grammar schools to be established following the passage of the Massachusetts Education Law of 1647. Horace Mann also made Massachusetts his home and pushed many 19th Century education reforms from his home, founded Westfield State University, and laid much of the groundwork for contemporary universal public education. Other firsts in the state include:

• The country's oldest public elementary school, The Mather School, founded in 1639
• The oldest high school, The Boston Latin School, founded in 1635
• The oldest boarding school, The Governor's Academy, founded in 1763
• The oldest college, Harvard University, founded in 1636
• The oldest women's college, Mount Holyoke College, founded in 1837

Massachusetts is one of the most "blue" states in the Union, home to the Democratic family dynasty, the Kennedys. The current governor of Massachusetts is a Democrat, Deval Patrick. The Senators for the state are currently split, with John Kerry on the Democratic side and Scott Brown, a Republican, although that may be rectified later this year. All ten Representatives are Democrats.

• 1st District - John Olver (D)
• 2nd District - Richard Neal (D)
• 3rd District - Jim McGovern (D)
• 4th District - Barney Frank (D) (he's retiring at the end of this Congress, but the seat is sure to stay blue)
• 5th District - Nikki Tsongas (D) (she is the wife of former Congressman, Senator and Presidential candidate Paul Tsongas)
• 6th District - John Tierney (D)
• 7th District - Ed Markey (D)
• 8th District - Michael Capuano (D)
• 9th District - Stephen Lynch (D)
• 10th District - Bill Keating (D)
  

Facts

• State Capital - Boston (NOT Springfield)
• Date of Admission - February 6, 1788
• Area - 10,555 sq mi (44th)
• State Motto - "Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" ("by the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty")
• State Nickname - the Bay State
• State bird - chickadee and the wild turkey (or is that the official drink?)
  
• State flower - the Mayflower (duh)
• State dog - you really don't need me to tell you this one, do you?
  
• State University - UMass
  
• State Archives - Massachusetts Archives
  
• Population (2011 est.) - 6,587,536
• Signers of the Declaration of Independence - John "Sit Down, John" Adams, Samuel Adams, Elbridge Gerry, John Hancock, Robert Treat Paine
  

Links

• mass.gov - the Official Website of the State of Massachusetts
• The Massachusetts Tourism site - massvacation.com
• The Encyclopedia Britannic entry for Massachusetts
• Wikpedia
• 50states.com entry for Massachusetts
• InfoPlease entry for Massachusetts
  
• Massachusetts State Guide from the Library of Congress
• The Massachusetts Historical Society
  

Prominent Massachusites / Bay Staters (more here and here)

• The Adamses (Abigail, John, John Quincy, Samuel, et. al.)
• Susan B. Anthony
• Leonard Bernstein
• New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg
  
• The Band, Boston (again, duh)
• John Singleton Copley
• Emily Dickinson
• Michael Dukakis
  
• Dr. Seuss (aka Theodore Geisel)
  
• Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. and Jr. (Jr. was the former Supreme Court Justice)
  
• The Kennedys
• John Krasinski (that's why he does these commercials with Alec Baldwin)
• Henry Cabot Lodge Sr. and Jr.
  
• Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
  
• Christa McAuliffe (although she's remembered as being from New Hampshire)
• Samuel F. B. Morse (but his home is in Poughkeepsie, NY)
• Elizabeth Poole (the first woman to found a town in the Americas)
  
• Paul Revere
• Mitt Romney
  
• Eli Whitney

Valentine's Day

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day (in case you forgot). It is an occasion for me to tell Mrs. BA how much I love her and don't know how I would live without her. (incidentally, for years my father used to get a pass for not always remembering Valentine's Day because [he said] it was not celebrated in France. However, it should be pointed out that he came to America when he was 7, so that lame excuse pretty much didn't work so good)

Now I am not sure what Mrs. BA and I will do tomorrow night. I jokingly referred to White Castle's promotion a few weeks ago, but I don't think that's quite what we have in mind. We did score a nice gift certificate from her sister for watching her kids a few weeks ago, so we could do that.

But as it is a Tuesday night, it might just be brinner as usual. I did however take the Epicurious challenge to design a Valentine's Day meal just for me and Mrs. BA. This is what I got:

• Roast Lamb with Lamb Sausage Crust and Fresh Grape Pan Sauce (recipe below)
• Mediterranean Salad with Prosciutto and Pomegranate
• Spanish Tempranillo
• Flourless Lemon-Almond Cake
  

Roast Lamb with Lamb Sausage Crust and Fresh Grape Pan Sauce
Bon Appétit | December 2007
Selma Brown Morrow

A savory crust and simple sauce lift this roast into the special-occasion realm.
Yield: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients
Sauce:

• 2 cups halved seedless red grapes
• 2 cups tawny Port
• 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
  

Sausage Crust and Lamb:

• 1/2 cup halved seedless red grapes
• 1/4 cup halved pitted Kalamata olives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 small garlic clove
• 8 ounces ground lamb
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 2- to 2 1/2-pound well-trimmed racks of lamb (each with 8 bones)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
• 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
• 2 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless French bread
  

Preparation
For sauce:
Boil all ingredients in large saucepan until reduced to 2 1/3 cups, about 20 minutes. Cool. Puree in blender. DO AHEAD: Can be made 5 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

For lamb:
Pulse grapes, olives, chopped rosemary, vinegar, and garlic clove in mini processor until olives are chopped. Transfer to bowl. Mix in ground lamb,1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Sprinkle racks of lamb with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 rack, meat side down, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Set on rimmed baking sheet, meat side up. Repeat with 1 tablespoon oil and remaining rack; reserve skillet. Cool lamb completely.

Add 1/2 cup broth to skillet. Boil until reduced to glaze, scraping up browned bits. Add to sauce. Cover and chill.

Spread each rack with 1 tablespoon mustard. Press half of lamb sausage over top of each rack (layer will be thin). DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons oil, and 2 tablespoons mustard in medium skillet. Toss over medium heat until beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Press crumbs over sausage on each rack. Cut through crumb crust (not lamb) between bones to score. Roast until thermometer inserted into center registers 135°F, about 30 minutes for medium-rare.

Transfer lamb to platter; let rest 10 minutes. Pour juices from baking sheet into sauce. Simmer in small saucepan until reduced to about 1 1/3 cups, about 9 minutes (sauce will thicken slightly). Season with salt and pepper.

Cut lamb between bones into chops. Set two on each plate. Spoon sauce over.

WHAT TO DRINK:
Martín Códax 2005 "Ergo"Tempranillo (Spain, $14), with lively fruit,full body, and supple texture.

Connecticut - #5, January 9, 1788

The first colony of New England to join the United States was Connecticut, in 1788, the fifth state to ratify the US Constitution. Having grown up in New York, on Long Island, I have been to and through the Nutmeg State on many occasions. In high school, I was part of a Model United Nations Club and for two successive years our club traveled to a conference at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

Most summers growing up, my family would travel to Maine for an extended vacation and that would bring us through Connecticut, though not at this particular time. The future Mrs. BA and I took an extended trip through New England, stopping at Mark Twain's home in Hartford, Connecticut.

Some years later, I spent an overnight at a bachelor party at Mohegan Sun casino and a motel hard on the highway in New London, which is not the nicest place when the submarine fleet is out of town.

Connecticut holds a distinction of having a presidential birthplace. George Herbert Walker Bush (who of course made his reputation in Texas) was born in New Haven, Connecticut. His father, Prescott Bush, was a long-time Senator from Connecticut.

The current governor of Connecticut is a Democrat, Dan Malloy. The Senators for the state are one Democrat, Richard Blumenthal, and one . . . not, Joseph Lieberman. The five Representatives are all Democrats.

• 1st District - John Larson (D)
• 2nd District - Joe Courtney (D)
• 3rd District - Rosa DeLauro (D)
• 4th District - Jim Himes (D)
• 5th District - Chris Murphy (D)
  

Facts

• State Capital - Hartford
• Date of Admission - January 9, 1788
• Area - 5,543 sq mi (48th)
• State Motto - "Qui transtulit sustinet" ("He who transplanted still sustains")
• State Nickname - the Nutmeg State, the Constitution State
• State bird - robin
• State flower -mountain laurel
• State song - "Yankee Doodle"
• State Hero - Nathan Hale
  
• State University - UCONN (Go Huskies!)
• State Archives - part of the Connecticut State Library
• Population (2011 est.) - 3,580,709
• Signers of the Declaration of Independence - Samuel Huntington, Roger "I'm Just a Simple Cobbler from Connecticut" Sherman, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
  

Links

• ct.gov - the Official Website of the State of Connecticut
• The Connecticut Tourism site - visitconnecticut.com
  
• The Official Connecticut vacation website - ctvisit.com
  
• The Encyclopedia Britannic entry for Connecticut
• Wikpedia
• 50states.com entry for Connecticut
  

Prominent Connecticuters (really?) - here are two for this state - here and here - many New Yorkers tend to say they are from Connecticut. I disagree)

• Dean Acheson
• P.T. Barnum
• Henry Ward Beecher and Harriet Beecher Stowe
  
• John Brown (although I would certainly identify him with other states - he was born
  
• Bette Davis
• Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan
  
• Charles Goodyear
• Ella Grasso (the first woman elected to a governorship)
  
• Katharine Hepburn
• Annie Liebovitz
• Frederick Law Olmstead (although he certainly made his mark elsewhere)
• Benjamin Spock (no not that Spock)
• Noah Webster
  

Garlic Knots

This one's for my friend Gary, who turned me on to garlic knots years ago when we got some at Village Heroes. When we travel to NY and get ourselves some good NY pizza, we will often fill out our order with some doughy balls of love. Now, here's a recipe that you can make at home.

Garlic Knots
from Simply Recipes

It is perfectly OK to use store-bought pizza dough here. One 14-ounce package of pizza dough will approximate this recipe.

Ingredients
Dough:

• 3/4 cup warm water (105°F-115°F)
• 1 package (2 teaspoons) of active dry yeast (check the expiration date on the package)
• 1 3/4 cups bread flour (can use all-purpose but bread flour will give you a crisper crust)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
  

Garlic-Butter Coating:

• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup parsley, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
  

Method

1. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes. Stir to combine and let sit for another 5-10 minutes, until it begins to froth a bit.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the olive oil, then the yeast-water mixture. Mix this together to form a soft dough and knead for 5-10 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and lightly coat with olive oil. Put it in a large bowl, top the bowl with plastic wrap and set it at room temperature to rise.
3. When the dough has doubled in size, anywhere from 90 minutes to several hours, cut it in half. Set out a large baking sheet and line it with a silpat or parchment paper. Take one half of the dough and cut it in half. Working with one piece at a time, flatten into a rough rectangle about 5 inches long 1/2 inch thick.
4. Using a sharp knife, slice the dough into strips of about 1 inch wide by 5 inches long. Cut these strips in half. Take one piece and work it into a snake, then tie it in a knot. The dough will be sticky along the cut edges, so dust these with flour before you tie the knot. Set each knot down on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough. Remember that the dough will rise, so leave some space between each knot.
5. Once all the knots are tied, paint them with a little olive oil. Loosely cover them with plastic wrap and let them rise again until doubled in size, anywhere from 90 minutes to three hours or so. Toward the end of this rising period, preheat the oven to 400°.
6. Uncover the knots and bake in the oven 12-15 minutes, or until nicely browned on top.
7. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pot and cook the garlic gently in it just long enough to take off that raw garlic edge, about 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat. Add the salt and parsley and stir to combine. Turn off the heat.
8. When the knots are done, take out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Paint with the garlic-butter-parsley mixture and serve. These are best warm, but are good at room temperature, too.
   

Yield: Makes about 20 knots.

What'll You Have?

Tonight this Brave Astronaut is serving as a volunteer bartender at LBA's school fundraiser, Casino Night. Tonight's theme is the 70s and I am preparing and serving a 1970s cocktail along with a variety of mixed drinks, beer, and wine. I must extend thanks to Restaurant Gal, who offered me several suggestions on what drink to serve. If you're not reading her blog, you should be.

I have done this for the past two years and am looking forward to this year's event! A good time should be had by all. Perhaps some of my patrons will understand some of the words from this list (see some of my favorites below) toward the end of the evening. If I'm feeling particularly frisky I might even try this trick.

Ben Franklin's Synonyms for Being Drunk

According to Mr. Franklin - "The Phrases in this Dictionary are not (like most of our Terms of Art) borrow’d from Foreign Languages, neither are they collected from the Writings of the Learned in our own, but gather’d wholly from the modern Tavern-Conversation of Tiplers. I do not doubt but that there are many more in use; and I was even tempted to add a new one my self under the Letter B, to wit, Brutify’d: But upon Consideration, I fear’d being guilty of Injustice to the Brute Creation, if I represented Drunkenness as a beastly Vice, since, ’tis well-known, that the Brutes are in general a very sober sort of People."

• Been at Barbadoes
• His Head is full of Bees (this is particularly fitting as LBA's school mascot are the Bees)
• He’s had a Thump over the Head with Sampson’s Jawbone (LBA goes to a Catholic School)
• Cherry Merry (according to Restaurant Gal - always garnish)
• He’s been too free with the Creature
• Fuddled
• His Flag is out
• Seen a Flock of Moons
• As good conditioned as a Puppy
• As Drunk as David’s Sow
• The Malt is above the Water

Georgia - #4, January 2, 1788

This week's entry is for the Peach State, the birthplace of good friend to the Brave Astronaut clan, OSG. Georgia is the first of the southern colonies to join the United States after the adoption of the Constitution. At the beginning of the United States Civil War, it seceded from the Union on January 21, 1861 and was one of the original seven states of the Confederacy. It was also the last state to be restored to the Union, on July 15, 1870. Georgia adopted its first Constitution in 1777 and has adopted new ones nine times since then. It is second only to Louisiana in number of Constitutions, which has had eleven.

I have been to Georgia a few times, specifically to Savannah (with OSG) to enjoy the many sights and culinary joys that exist in the city. There is one place in Georgia that I would like to travel - it's the Cathedral of golf, "A Tradition Like no Other." I speak of course of the Masters, the first major of the golf season, which always takes place in the first weekend in April.

One of my sisters is a HUGE fan of Gone with the Wind, which of course has a dramatic scene in Atlanta - home of Margaret Mitchell. Some day I would like to visit Atlanta, but I'm not entirely sure why. Atlanta is also home to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, currently the busiest passenger airport in the world.

Georgia is also the home of the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, also a former governor of the state and a peanut farmer. The current governor of Georgia is, Nathan Deal, a Republican. Both of the Senators for the state are also Republicans, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson. The House delegation is currently split 8-5, in favor of the Republicans.

• 1st District - Jack Kingston (R)
• 2nd District - Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D)
• 3rd District - Lynn Westmoreland (R)
• 4th District - Hank Johnson (D)
• 5th District - John Lewis (D)
• 6th District - Tom Price (R)
• 7th District - Rob Woodall (R)
• 8th District - Austin Scott (R)
• 9th District - Tom Graves (R)
• 10th District - Paul Broun (R)
• 11th District - Phil Gingrey (R)
• 12th District - John Barrow (D)
• 13th District - David Scott (D)
  

Facts

• State Capital - Atlanta (also the state's largest city)
• Date of Admission - January 2, 1788
• Area - 59,425 sq mi (24th)
• State Motto - "Wisdom, Justice, Moderation" (really?)
• State Nickname - the Peach State
• State Song - "Georgia on my Mind"
• State bird - Brown Thrasher
• State wildflower - Azalea
• State University - The University of Georgia
• State Archives - The Georgia Archives
• Population (2011 est.) - 9,815,210
• Signers of the Declaration of Independence - Button Gwinnett, Dr. Lyman (I do, Mr. Adams, I do.) Hall, George Walton
  

Links

• georgia.gov - the Official Website of the State of Georgia
• georgia.com - "for Georgia by Georgians"
• The Georgia Tourism site - exploregeorgia.org
  
• The Encyclopedia Britannic entry for Georgia
• Wikpedia
• 50states.com entry for Georgia
• Georgia State Guide (from the Library of Congress)
• The New Georgia Encyclopedia

Prominent Georgians (here are the hot button lists for this state - here and here. Discuss)

• Ralph Abernathy (although born in Alabama)
  
• The B-52s
• Kim Basinger
• Herman Cain
• Ray Charles
• Ty Cobb
• Laurence Fishburne
• Newt Gingrich
• Amy Grant
• Boxers Larry Holmes and Evander Holyfield
• Stacey Keach
• DeForest Kelley
  
• Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Juliette Gordon Low
• Margaret Mitchell
• Flannery O'Connor
• James Oglethorpe (the founder of Georgia)
• Burt Reynolds
• The Roberts siblings, Julia and Eric
• Supreme Court Justice (and court mute) Clarence Thomas
• Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Fred Vinson
• Alice Walker
• Trisha Yearwood
  

Remembering a Tragedy

This past Friday marked the 45th Anniversary of the launchpad fire that killed Apollo 1 astronauts, Roger Chaffee, Gus Grissom and Ed White. As previously mentioned before, why half of my online moniker is that my junior high school mascot was the Astronauts and the three academic halls in the building were named for these space pioneers.

Of course, this tragedy has been thoroughly documented and the issues that caused the fire were corrected and future space missions were successful. I have written about the fire before (here and here) but noted the article in the newspaper yesterday and wanted to mention it to all of you again.

Remember that space travel is something we need to keep doing. It's what's next.

Super Snacks

Next Sunday is the Super Bowl (in case you weren't aware). Last Sunday, on Championship Sunday (when the Giants beat the Niners and the Patriots finished off the Ravens to punch their tickets to the big game) - the Brave Astronaut clan had a Super Bowl Rehearsal Party. We made nachos, little hot dogs and veggies and dip. We ate in front of the TV and watched the game(s) and we will likely do much of the same next Sunday.

Mrs. BA always asks that we try and find something nutritious for LBA and SoBA (hence the vegetables) but I usually just look at her funny when she says that. C'mon, it's the Super Bowl. You're supposed to eat crap. Where are the pizza rolls? The question is, can I get her to make Super Bowl Cake again? Epicurious did a bunch of Super Bowl party recipes. Here's just one.

Bacon Banana Cookies
Epicurious | December 2011
by Libbie Summers
The Whole Hog Cookbook

Ginger, my mother, never liked a bunch of kids in her house. Even as a young girl, I could feel her angst when too many neighborhood kids were around. Her clever solution was to bake a plate of my favorite Bacon Banana Cookies and leave them on the front porch, locking the door behind her. I never minded being sequestered outside with my food loot in the summer because the porch concrete cooled my skin.

The winter—that was a different story. When I bake these cookies now for my son, Anthony, I'm secretly baking them for myself. I wonder if my mom did the same thing? I'll be sure to ask her...as soon as she unlocks the front door.

Yield: Yields 30 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 bananas, mashed (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 1/2 pound bacon, cooked crisp, chopped

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and the salt.

In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the butter and 1 cup of the sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until they are fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla. Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture, then stir in the mashed bananas, beating well after each addition. Fold in the bacon.

Stir together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the remaining cinnamon.

Drop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet 1 inch apart. Sprinkle generously with the cinnamon-sugar and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until slightly browned. Allow the cookies to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Cookies will keep for 5 to 7 days.

Rock-hard bananas? Ripen them quickly for Bacon Banana Cookies by placing the peeled fruit on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cooking them in a 400°F oven for 10 minutes until they are soft.

Next time you make banana bread, try stirring 4 slices cooked and chopped bacon into the batter.

Source Information
From The Whole Hog Cookbook: Chops, Loin, Shoulder, Bacon, and All That Good Stuff by Libbie Summers. © Libbie Summers; photographs © Chia Chong. Published by Rizzoli International Publications, Inc.

What the Wizard of Oz was Really About?

As you, my faithful readers, know, Fridays are normally pizza-movie night at the Launchpad. Today, I am home with SoBA, who was up most of the night emptying out his stomach. Now, after watching Toy Story 3, we segued into Stuart Little 2, during which he fell asleep. There will likely be more video entertainment later in the afternoon when he wakes up. Hopefully, he will want something to eat, now that several hours have passed without his throwing up. When I was sick, my sick day routine involved a lot of TV, drinks drunk with a straw on the couch, and pastina. So far, all we are missing for SoBA is the third (there is some getting flat Sprite on the table next to him) item.

LBA has seen the Wizard of Oz and it has been featured for pizza-movie night in the past. But do you know some of the myths and trivia associated with the blockbuster film?

1. Dorothy's iconic shirt was actually pink.
2. The Wicked Witch Cries Out, "Fly, Fly, my Pretties!"
3. Buddy Ebsen was originally cast as the Tin Man but was recast when the makeup nearly killed him.
4. The Land Of Oz Was Named For L. Frank Baum's Cabinet Drawer Marked O-Z
5. Margaret Hamilton's Make-Up Was Life Threateningly Toxic
6. Pink Floyd Purposely Created "Dark Side Of The Moon" To Coincide With Oz
7. Unbeknownst At The Time, Professor Marvel Is Wearing L. Frank Baum's Jacket
8. A Munchkin Committed Suicide by Hanging Himself on Film

New Jersey - #3, December 18, 1787

As the United States Constitution was ratified by the original thirteen colonies, the United States took shape fairly quickly. The third state in our series is the Garden State, New Jersey. I have a sort of love-hate relationship with New Jersey. It is where Mrs. BA and I honeymooned in Cape May after we were married ten years ago (and will return in April to celebrate our anniversary - with a bunch of archivists - but celebrate we will).

I have spent a fair amount of time in New Jersey. My grandmother and aunt used to live in Livingston and we would travel there from our home on Long Island at the holidays. I have been to several meetings in New Jersey - New Brunswick, Trenton, and Morristown. My fascination with lighthouses has brought me to New Jersey to look at the many lighthouses that mark the coast. I have also been to the sin city of the East, Atlantic City. I went there once with my mother to try out for Jeopardy and learned later that Mrs. BA was there that same day.

Running up the middle of the state is the hate part of the relationship, The New Jersey Turnpike. When the road works, it's great. But over the course of several recent trips to New York (more specifically trying to get home from New York), the Turnpike has let me down. It is truly a case of too many cars and not enough road.

The current governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie, a Republican. Both Senators for the Garden State are Democrats, Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez. The House delegation is almost evenly split 7-6, with one more Democrat than Republicans.

• 1st District - Robert Andrews (D)
  
• 2nd District - Frank LoBiondo (R)
• 3rd District - Jon Runyan (R)
• 4th District - Chris Smith (R)
• 5th District - Scott Garrett (R)
• 6th District - Frank Pallone, Jr. (D)
• 7th District - Leonard Lance (R)
• 8th District - Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D)
• 9th District - Steven Rothman (D)
• 10th District - Donald Payne (D)
  
• 11th District - Rodney Frelinghuysen (R)
• 12th District - Rush Holt (D)
• 13th District - Albio Sires (D)

Facts

• State Capital - Trenton
  
• Date of Admission - December 18, 1787
• Area - 8,721 sq. mi. (47th)
  
• State Motto - "Liberty and Prosperity"
  
• State Nickname - the Garden State
  
• State bird - American Goldfinch
  
• State mammal - horse
• State flower - common meadow violet
  
• State University - Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
  
• State Archives - the State Archives
  
• Population (2011 est.) - 8,821,155
  
• Signers of the Declaration of Independence -Abraham Clark, John Hart, Francis Hopkinson, Richard Stockton, Reverend John Witherspoon
  

Links

• nj.gov - the Official Website of New Jersey
  
• The New Jersey Tourism site - visitnj.org
• The Encyclopedia Britannic entry for New Jersey
• Wikpedia
• 50states.com entry for New Jersey
• nj.com - everything New Jersey
  

Prominent New Jerseyites (more here and here's another)

• Both Abbott and Costello
  
• Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin
• Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito
• Count Basie
• Jon Bon Jovi
• Former Supreme Court Justice William Brennan
• Whitney Houston
• Jerry Lewis
• recently announced NFL Hall of Fame inductee Bill Parcells
• Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia (that's three!)
• Ol' Blue Eyes, the Chairman of the Board
• The Boss
• Joe Theismann (whose career was ended by a player that played for the New York Giants)
  
• New Jersey is the birthplace of Grover Cleveland and can lay partial claim to another President, Woodrow Wilson, who was president of Princeton shortly before his election. Although he is the last President to have been from Virginia, the mother of the presidency.
  

Nutella Coated Bacon

I saw this on Friday and almost posted a special Friday recipe. Good lord, this sounds good. Seen on BuzzFeed, copied from the Detroit Free Press website. It appears the recipe originally comes from here.

Sweet and Spicy Nutella-Coated Bacon
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes

• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 6 thick slices bacon (1/2 to 3/4 pound)
• 3 tablespoons Nutella
• Fleur de sel or another coarse salt
  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine brown sugar, chili powder and black pepper in a small bowl and set aside.

Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange bacon slices on baking sheet, making sure they do not overlap. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on desired doneness, then remove from oven and carefully flip bacon slices.

Sprinkle each slice liberally with sugar-pepper mixture. Return to oven and bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes. Cool bacon slices on paper towels until approximately room temperature.

When bacon has cooled, place Nutella into a small bowl and microwave on high for approximately 15 to 20 seconds, until softened. Transfer bacon slices to a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet or large plate. Using a silicon brush or icing spatula, lightly spread Nutella onto the top of each bacon slice. Place plate into refrigerator and allow Nutella to harden. Once coating is firm to the touch, sprinkle with fleur de sel and serve.

Variations:

• Reduce the amount of black pepper to 1/2 teaspoon and add 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon ground red (cayenne) pepper to the spice mixture.
• To make a European Elvis sandwich, spread the top of one slice of bread lightly with honey, top with the coated bacon and thin slices of banana, then close with a second slice of bread.
  

Adapted from bellalimento.com. Tested by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
150 calories (60% from fat)
10 grams fat (3.5 grams sat. fat)
8 grams carbohydrates
7 grams protein
355 mg sodium
15 mg cholesterol
0 grams fiber

Click, Clack, Ding, Kerchunk!

One of the more popular books in the rotation for LBA and SoBA is called Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type. It occurs to me that while reading this story, SoBA and LBA might be confused with the use of something called a "typewriter." Sadly, back in April 2011, it was reported the last typewriter factory closed its doors.

I remember taking "Keyboarding" in (junior?) high school. I wound up dropping the class because I had already "learned" to type and wasn't in the mood to relearn. Now, of course, I can type pretty fast and don't have to look at the keyboard (I'm not doing it now) to make sure that I am typing correctly. I do sort of hover near the "home keys" but the backspace / delete key is much easier to use than "correct-a-type" ever was.

In keyboarding, we used IBM Selectric typewriters. It had that very satisfying hum when you turned it on. Sometimes it felt like you could take it outside to mow the lawn with it. We had a manual typewriter around the house growing up until that finally gave up the ghost. When I went off to college, I had a brand spanking new word processing typewriter that had a disk drive that you could type your papers and then save! them to this piece of plastic. It had a little delay on it that you would type a line of text and then it would magically appear on the paper. It had a flip screen that served as a keyboard cover. For the life of me, I can't remember what it was called or who made it. But then again, if you can't remember a lot from college, you must have had a pretty good time, right?

Here in the office (where I deal primarily with electronic records) there was a typewriter around for a while - I don't know if it is still here somewhere. But with a computer on everyone's desk and the "Avery Plug-in" available so readily, is anyone still typing out addresses on envelopes (the last line of defense for needing a typewriter)?

So, dear reader. Typewriters? What do you think?

Pennsylvania - #2, December 12, 1787

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (the first of four Commonwealths in the United States state list - any guesses of the other three before we get there?) became the second state to become part of the United States just five days after Delaware. Pennsylvania is the only one of the original thirteen colonies that does not border the Atlantic Ocean.

While the capital of the state, Harrisburg, is located near the center of the state, its two largest cities are found on the eastern and western borders, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, respectively. Philadelphia, of course, holds a special place in the history of the nation, as the Continental Congress met in Philadelphia and waged the American Revolution and signed the Declaration of Independence. Pittsburgh also holds a spot in history as KDKA became the world's first radio station, when it started broadcasting in 1920.

I have traveled all across Pennsylvania - having attended several professional meetings across the state (most recently I was in Bethlehem). I also have a number of friends in the state, including Ed in Pittsburgh, Anna (Mrs. BA's best pal), J in PA and Special K, PCW, and several others. PCW, of course, has one of the sweetest jobs in the world, literally. She works here.

Of the many colleges and universities in Pennsylvania, Dickinson College, J in PA's employer holds the distinction of being the first college founded in the United States (after independence). My two older siblings also went to college in the Keystone State, at LaSalle University. Mrs. BA also went to college in Pennsylvania.

The current governor of Pennsylvania is Tom Corbett, a Republican. The Senators for the state are split, one Republican, Patrick Toomey, and one Democrat, Robert Casey, Jr. The House delegation is currently split 12-7, in favor of the Republicans.

• 1st District - Robert Brady (D)
  
• 2nd District - Chaka Fattah (D)
• 3rd District - Mike Kelly (R)
• 4th District - Jason Altmire (D)
• 5th District - Glenn Thompson (R)
• 6th District - Jim Gerlach (R)
• 7th District - Patrick Meehan (R)
• 8th District - Michael Fitzpatrick (R)
• 9th District - Bill Shuster (R)
• 10th District - Tom Marino (R)
• 11th District - Lou Barletta (R)
• 12th District - Mark Critz (D)
• 13th District - Allyson Schwartz (D)
• 14th District - Michael F. Doyle (D)
• 15th District - Charles Dent (R)
• 16th District - Joseph Pitts (R)
• 17th District - Tim Holden (D)
• 18th District - Tim Murphy (R)
• 19th District - Todd Platts (R)
  

Facts

• State Capital - Harrisburg
• Date of Admission - December 12, 1787
• Area - 46,055 sq mi (33rd)
  
• State Motto - "Virtue, Liberty, and Independence"
• State Nickname - the Keystone State
  
• State bird - ruffed grouse
  
• State mammal - white tailed deer
• State flower - mountain laurel
  
• State University - Penn State University
  
• State Archives - the Pennsylvania State Archives
  
• Population (2011 est.) -12,742,886
• Signers of the Declaration of Independence - George Clymer, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, John Morton, Benjamin Rush, George Ross, James Smith, James "I'm not like you, John" Wilson, George Taylor

Links

• pa.gov - the Official Website of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
  
• The Pennsylvania Tourism site - visitpa.com
• The Encyclopedia Britannic entry for Pennsylvania
• Wikpedia
• 50states.com entry for Pennsylvania

Prominent Pennsylvanians (again, subjective and my own opinion - one list found here and here's another)

• Pennsylvania has produced only one President of the United States, and the only bachelor President, James Buchanan.
• Louisa May Alcott
• Kevin Bacon
  
• The Barrymores
• Joe Biden gets to be on this list, too. He was born in Scranton.
  
• Daniel Boone (although I would always place him with the Lone Star State, when we get there)
  
• Alexander Calder
• Adrian Cronauer (I was watching this movie when preparing this post)
  
• Bill Cosby
• Ann B. Davis
• W.C. Fields
• Benjamin Franklin
  
• Robert Fulton (as with Boone, I would associate him with another state more - New York)
• Milton Hershey
  
• Reggie Jackson (see above)
• Gene Kelly
• Mario Lanza (wait he's not a native Italian?)
• Benjamin Netanyahu (yes, the current PM of Israel)
  
• Arnold Palmer
• William Penn
  
• Jimmy Stewart
• Andrew Wyeth
  

But the Twinkies will Still be Good, Right?

Word has reached the launchpad that Hostess Cakes is filing bankruptcy. But Twinkies will live forever, right?

Here is a list of several recipes using the indestructible sponge cake. Below is my favorite (and something that might actually be edible). Believe it or not, there is a whole cookbook that you can order, devoted to using Hostess Cakes for cooking.

Twinkie Toffee Treat

Items Needed:

• 1 box Hostess Twinkies
• 2 prepared packages of pudding (I usually use vanilla, but like chocolate as well!)
• 1 large tub of whipped topping
• 6 Heath candy bars
  

DIRECTIONS: Crush Heath candy bars in a sturdy plastic bag. Cut Twinkies lengthwise and line bottom of glass pan with Twinkies, creme side up. Add a layer of pudding. Layer with remaining Twinkies, creme side down. Top with the whipped topping. Sprinkle with the crushed candies. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Delaware - #1, December 7, 1787

So here we are. The first post of the new States of the Union series here on Order from Chaos. Over the course of the remainder of the year, I will post information about the 50 states in the order of their admittance to the Union. That means, week 1, is the First State, Delaware.

Delaware is the second smallest state in the union (after what state?), comprised of three counties (the fewest number of counties of any state) - Mrs. BA used to know someone who would say "three counties when the tide was out, one when the tide was in" - and is about 100 miles long and ranges from 9 to 35 miles wide. Delaware also has the only circular state boundary in the United States, the Twelve Mile Circle.

Having driven through Delaware more times than I care to recount, I believe that most of the state is Interstate 95 - known in the state as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway. Paying a toll for the privilege just adds insult to injury. Delaware also features favorable incorporation laws and as a result, about half of the publicly traded corporations in the United States and 60% of the Fortune 500 companies are incorporated in Delaware.

The state is reliably Democratic - the current Governor is Jack Markell (D), both Senators and its sole House Member are Democrats: Thomas Carper, Chris Coons, and John Carney.

Delaware also has great beaches and is a popular destination for the Brave Astronaut clan when the situation presents itself. There is a minor league baseball team, located in Wilmington, The Wilmington Blue Rocks, which I have been to, organizing a group outing to a game. Wilmington, Delaware's major city, has been home to many professional meetings for the Brave Astronaut and it holds a very special place in my heart.

Facts

• State Capital - Dover
• Date of Admission - December 7, 1787
• State Motto - Liberty and Independence
• State bird - blue hen chicken
• State flower - peach blossom
• State University - The University of Delaware (and employer of one of Mrs. BA's brothers-in-law)
• State Archives - the Delaware Public Archives
• Population (2010) - 897,934
• Signers of the Declaration of Independence - Col. Thomas McKean, George Read, Caesar Rodney.
  

Links

• Delaware.gov - the Official Website of the First State
• The Delaware Tourism site - visitdelaware.com
• The Encyclopedia Britannic entry for Delaware
• Wikpedia
• The Delaware Memorial Bridge - the second longest twin suspension bridge in the world (really?)

Prominent Delawareans (completely subjective and my own opinion - full list here)

• Joseph Biden, Vice President of the United States
• Valerie Bertinelli
• "Gentlemen of the Congress, I say ye, John Dickinson"
• The DuPonts
• Ryan Philippe
• Judge Reinhold
• William Roth
• The Shues, Andrew and Elisabeth
• George Thorogood

So that's the first post. What do you think? What's missing?

Oregano Brussel Sprouts

I like brussel sprouts. There I said it. You can't make me stop liking brussel sprouts. In fact I made some for Christmas dinner, but was the only one to eat them. I made this recipe, which was good, but here's another recipe for you to try so that you might develop a taste for them as well. Recipe from here.

Oregano Brussels Sprouts

To make a meal of this, serve over farro, quinoa, rice, or on top of a frittata. Use leftover oregano drizzle over everything from roasted squash, frittatas, baked potatoes, or with a good amount of fresh lemon juice, as a salad vinaigrette.

• 24 small brussels sprouts (less if you can only find larger sprouts)
• extra virgin olive oil
• fine grain sea salt
  

Oregano Drizzle

• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
• 
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 
1 large garlic clove
• 
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, plus more to taste

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing

• a big handful of toasted almond slices

Wash the brussels sprouts well. Trim the stem ends and remove any raggy outer leaves. Cut in half from stem to top (quarter, if using larger sprouts) and gently rub each half with olive oil, keeping it intact. Or if you're feeling lazy, just toss them in a bowl with a glug of olive oil.

Make the oregano drizzle by pulsing the olive oil, oregano, parsley, garlic, and salt in a food processor until the herbs are just little flecks of green. Season with more salt if needed, and set aside.

Just a few minutes before you're ready to eat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in your largest skillet over medium heat. Don't overheat the skillet, or the outsides of the brussels sprouts will cook too quickly. Place the sprouts in the pan flat side down (single-layer), sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt, cover, and cook for roughly 5 minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning. Cut into or taste one of the sprouts to gauge whether they're tender throughout. If not, cover and cook for a few more minutes.

Once just tender, uncover, turn up the heat, and cook until the flat sides are deep brown and caramelized. Use a metal spatula to toss them once or twice to get some browning on the rounded side. Remove from heat and drizzle and toss with as much (or little) oregano pesto as you like. Season to taste, and serve sprinkled generously with the almonds as soon as possible. They really are best straight from the stove top.

Serves 4 as a side.
Prep time: 5 min - Cook time: 8 min

States of the Union: A New Series

I love the Animaniacs. I would let LBA watch these guys instead of some of the other stuff he sits slack jawed in front of the TV watching now.

It's been a while since I had a recurring list appear on the blog (you may recall the Presidents of the United States series - you can still refer to them with the list that appears on the right side of this blog). I think it's time for a new set. LBA, deep into first grade, is learning at a mad pace and often will quiz me on things. He is trying to memorize all of the fifty states. So this new series should help. You got a preview of this series with those posts back in November and December.

As there are fifty states, this series will run for the entire year (I will do my best to make sure I am here every week). The final week will feature some sort of conclusion, as yet to be determined. The states will be revealed in the order of their admission to the Union, sorry Hawaii and Alaska lovers, you're gonna have to wait for a while. But hey, Delawareans, you guys win! You'll be up first, next week. Be sure to let me know if there is something specific about a state that you want / need to know!

Salty Chicken

Wait. Does this mean I can't eat the skin? That's the best part. And if it's all salty, yummy goodness . . .

Salt-Roasted Chicken
Bon Appétit - December 2011
by Christian Domschitz

Christian Domschitz, chef de cuisine at Vestibül, locks in the chicken's flavor and moisture under a simple crust made with kosher salt and egg whites.
Yield: Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 3 large sprigs flat-leaf parsley
• 3 large sprigs marjoram
• 3 large sprigs tarragon
• 1 3–4-pound chicken
• 7 cups (about 2 3/4 pounds) kosher salt
• 12 large egg whites

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 15x11" roasting pan with foil, if desired. Stuff herbs into chicken cavity; tie legs loosely together. Tuck wing tips under.

Place salt and egg whites in a large bowl. Use your hands to blend well, kneading to soften slightly, about 4 minutes. Pack 1/3 of salt mixture onto bottom of pan. Place chicken on top. Pack remaining salt mixture over and around chicken to completely enclose.

Roast until a thermometer registers 165°F when inserted through the salt crust into thickest part of thigh, about 70 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes. Crack salt with the back of a knife or wooden spoon. Remove salt and skin from chicken; transfer meat to a work surface. Carve and serve.

New Years Resolutions

Yeah, yeah. I know. Everybody and their brother makes them. And doesn't keep them. It's up to you dear readers to keep me in line.

1. Lose weight. I stalled for a while, I was going to the gym at work fairly regularly. Then the kids became the exercise. Problem is, I often find myself picking at their plates when they are done with dinner. I need to find some regimen that will help me get to my goal, which is about 15-20 pounds away.
2. Have date night at least once a month. I like going to the movies. I like spending time with Mrs. BA and our friends. We don't get a chance to do it enough. I'd like to do that more.
3. Yell less. My father like(d/s) to yell. My mother was the primary disciplinarian at home and "wait until your father comes home" made you feel strange, because you didn't necessarily think you would get in more trouble, but there might be yelling. I don't want to be that father. I need to take a breath before responding to LBA and SoBA. It's hard, but they deserve better than they sometimes get.
4. Be outstanding, or at least highly successful. My fellow federal workers, you understand. I think I am on the way to this, hopefully.
   

What resolutions are you all making? Is there something missing from my list?

I wish you all a happy and healthy new year!

Shh. You're in the Library.

Although some of these pictures may inspire you to gasp loudly. Nice job US getting several on the list. Was somewhat surprised to not see the Library of Congress on here. Go see the pictures, they are stunning. Hey, C in DC - one of your former employers made the list! Some of these Incredibly Intricate Libraries are pretty awesome also.

The 25 Most Beautiful Libraries in the World
(from BuzzFeed / Flavorwire)

1. The University of Coimbra General Library, Coimbra, Portugal
2. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT
3. University of Salamanca Library, Salamanca, Spain
4. The Trinity College Library, aka “The Long Room,” Dublin, Ireland
5. Old Library, St. John’s College, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK
6. Philological Library of the Free University, Berlin, Germany
7. Central Library, University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
8. The Harper Library Reading Room, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
9. Frederick Ferris Thompson Memorial Library, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
10. George Peabody Library, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
11. Queen’s College Library, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
12. Wren Library, Trinity College, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK
13. Duke Humfrey’s Library, Bodleian Library, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
14. Suzzallo Library’s Graduate Reading Room at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA
    
15. The North Reading Room in Doe Library, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
16. La Sorbonne Reading Room, Paris, France
17. Codrington Library, All Soul’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
18. Cornell Law School Library, Ithaca, NY
19. University of Michigan Law Library, Ann Arbor, MI
20. Pontifical Lateran University library, Rome, Italy
21. Powell library, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
22. Widener Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
23. Fisher Fine Arts Library, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
24. Pitts Theology Library, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
25. Bapst Library, Boston College, Boston, MA

I think I saw some of these books on the shelves in the pictures (video from kottke).

Mac and Cheese (and Bacon)

This recipe appeared at the launchpad a few weeks ago and it quickly made an appearance on the table. It will likely get made again. Be careful of the garlic, it cooks quickly and if it gets too toasted, it overpowers the dish. I saw the recipe in that woman's recipe magazine but it is from Emeril Lagasse.

Emeril's Three-Cheese Baked Macaroni

Ingredients

• Coarse salt
• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 3 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 3 large eggs
• 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar (6 ounces)
• 1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (2 ounces)
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan (1 ounce)
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni 6 minutes (it will be undercooked). Drain. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium and add bacon. Cook until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon mixture to a medium bowl. Add macaroni and stir to combine.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and evaporated milk. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, cayenne, nutmeg, and cheeses; mix well. Add macaroni mixture and stir well to combine. Transfer to an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish or 2-quart gratin dish. With a spoon, gently spread mixture to form an even layer. Bake just until sauce is bubbling at edges, 12 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
   

Twas the Night Before Christmas

The Brave Astronaut clan are staying home for the holidays. Many of you are aware of the troublesome trip we had while going to visit with my family. Thanksgiving has been off the board for several years now and it is possible that making the trip at Christmas may soon follow. It's just too hard with LBA and SoBA in tow. Unless we are spending Christmas somewhere warm.

Tonight will be spent with Mrs. BA's family and then tomorrow morning we will all be waking in our own beds to see what Santa has brought us. It is also LBA's birthday - so the day will start out as Christmas and end as his birthday. We are having C in DC and her lovely family over for dinner (it's OK Mom, there are people coming) and the Christmas China will be coming out.

Tonight I will likely read a Christmas story to the boys before they head off to bed. Maybe this one.

My fervent wish to all of you, as always, is that you will always be able to hear the sound of the sleigh bell. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Wait, Today's Not a Holiday?

I guess I have to go to work then. For those in the know, today is my birthday. Finished your shopping yet? Here's a few ideas for the Brave Astronaut you love.

Three-Person Chess
A chess variant board to accommodates three players, without compromising ANY of the rules, strategies, or competitive challenges. There are only a few changes that must be followed to maintain order where the teams border each other. More here.

There's also the "vertical" version of chess.

It includes a "last move" marker hung around a recently promoted pawn-turned-Queen signals to an opponent that without an equally crafty counter, the game will end soon. It's only $300.
From Hammacher Schlemmer.


And remember, there is always the list of the five greatest toys of all time (from Wired via kottke).

1. the Stick
2. the Box
3. String
4. the Cardboard Tube
5. Dirt
   

It's My Birthday!

Mrs. BA loves me. This is my birthday cake for tomorrow.

Buttercup Bake Shop Caramel Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting

• 2-1/2 cups flour
• 2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup Caramel (next recipe) + 1/2 cup water, mixed
  

Frosting:

• 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 6 T. unsalted butter, softened
• 2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
  

Bake at 350º. Grease and flour two 9x2" cake pans.Line bottoms with waxed paper. Sift dry ingredients and set aside. Using medium speed, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Add dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with caramel mixture, beating until smooth. Put into pans; bake 30-35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cool completely on wire racks.

Make frosting by melting butter, brown sugar, and cream in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Let come to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, without stirring. Remove from heat and cool 20-30 minutes. Add sugar, beating with mixer until smooth. If too thick add a bit of cream. Frost cake layers when cold.

Makes a 2-layer 9" cake.
Serves 10-12.

Caramel

• 1 cup cold water
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
  

Combine sugar and water in medium-sized pan. Stir occasionally over medium-low heat, until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Let no sugar stick to sides of pan. Increase heat to high and boil without stirring, until the syrup becomes a deep amber color, about 15 minutes. To prevent the syrup from becoming grainy, use a pastry brush dipped into cold water to brush down any sugar crystals sticking to the sides of the pan. Swirl the pan occasionally for even browning. Once the syrup turns deep amber in color, immediately remove from heat. Slowly and carefully add the cream to the syrup (mixture will bubble vigorously), whisking constantly, until cream is mixed in completely. Return pan to medium-low heat, stirring until sauce is smooth, about
1 minute. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature before refrigerating.

Will keep for 1 month. Makes 3-1/2 cups.

States Stereotypes

Stereotypes aren't cool. Funny, but not cool.
Seen on Huffington Post and BuzzFeed

This post is another hint (following the post in November) to what is coming to Order from Chaos in 2012). Figure it out yet? Check back, right here in three weeks. Bring a map.

Christmas Recipe - Donuts!

When Mrs. BA and I got married, we eschewed the traditional wedding cake and went with a Croquembouche (basically a tower of cream puffs). It was awesome. Here's a kid-friendly version that would be a hit at most tables this holiday season. From Epicurious.

Doughnut-Hole Croquembouche
Epicurious
December 2007

This kid-friendly version of a classic French Christmas treat subs doughnut holes for the traditional cream puffs. They're attached to a Styrofoam base to form a tall cone, which can then be decorated with candy or artificial leaves bought at craft stores.

Yield: Makes 1 croquembouche

Ingredients

• About 70 doughnut holes of any flavor
• Assorted candy decorations such as M&M's, Red Hots, licorice balls, and silver dragées
• 1/4 cup corn syrup with 1 teaspoon water stirred in
• Purchased or homemade chocolate or caramel sauce (optional)
  

Special equipment

• Clear tape
• 18-inch-tall Styrofoam cone (available at floral shops and craft stores)
• Waxed or parchment paper or aluminum foil in color similar to doughnuts
• Cake-decorating turntable (optional)
• About 70 toothpicks
• Thimble
• Cloth leaves (available at floral shops and craft stores)

Preparation

• Using tape, cover cone with paper. Place cone on turntable if using
• Arrange 1 ring doughnut holes around base of cone, placing as closely together as possible. Insert toothpick through each doughnut hole into cone to attach doughnut hole to cone, leaving end of toothpick sticking out (you'll push it in later with thimble)
• Attach second ring of doughnut holes above first, again packing tightly and staggering so doughnut holes in second ring are not directly above doughnut holes in first ring.
• Continue in same manner to attach remaining doughnut holes. For top tiers, if desired, slice off small amount of each doughnut hole on side facing toward cone to make shape more tapering. Finish covering cone with 1 doughnut hole attached to top of cone.
• Using thimble, push in toothpicks until not visible.
• Decorate by pushing candies and leaves into gaps between doughnut holes. If candies won't adhere, dip in corn syrup-water mixtur before attaching.
• If desired, drizzle with chocolate or caramel sauce. Croquembouche keeps, covered loosely with aluminum foil and refrigerated, 2 to 3 days.
  

Test-kitchen tip: Shredded coconut on a platter around the croquembouche can give the feeling of snow. For a healthier option, substitute round cherry tomatoes or cherries for the doughnut holes.

First Snow of the Season

We are expecting our first "real" snow of the season tonight. It is not supposed to amount to anything, but here in the DC area, you never know how people will react. I need to go to the grocery store soon, but there isn't enough money in the world to send me there tonight.

The Brave Astronauts are heading out this weekend to get our Christmas Tree - continuing a tradition of cutting our own at a farm in Northern Maryland. We will make a day of it, joined by the OSG family, ArchivesNext and J in PA. I guess it's time to start decorating - and I guess cards will need to be addressed and sent. And a Christmas letter needs to be written, the shopping completed, plans made . . . . I truly have miles to go before I sleep.

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

- Robert Frost

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

Because everything is better with chicken, especially something that was already good to start with!

Double Barbecue Bacon-Wrapped Grilled Chicken
from Betty Crocker

Mouthwatering and moist, this grilled chicken gets flavor from bacon and two kinds of barbecue sauce, one tangy, the other creamy with a kick.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
White Barbecue Sauce

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
  
• 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
  
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper sauce

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 8 slices packaged precooked bacon
• 2 teaspoons barbecue seasoning
• 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
  

Preparation

1. Heat gas or charcoal grill. In small bowl, stir together white barbecue sauce ingredients; cover and refrigerate until serving time.
2. Wrap each chicken breast with 2 slices bacon, stretching bacon to cover as much of the breast as possible; secure ends of bacon to chicken with toothpicks. Sprinkle both sides with barbecue seasoning.
3. Place chicken on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 5 minutes. Brush with 2 tablespoons of the barbecue sauce. Cook 5 to 7 minutes longer or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F). Turn chicken; brush with remaining barbecue sauce. Serve chicken topped with white barbecue sauce.
   

Girl Scouts (cookies)

Back in September, Girl Scouts of Nassau County celebrated their 100th Anniversary by planting 100 trees at Camp Blue Bay in East Hampton, NY. As most of you, my faithful readers, know, my mother was a lifelong girl scout and spent several weekends at Camp Blue Bay.

That's not to mention the number of years she served as "cookie mother" and our living room would be crammed full of cartons of cookies that we were unable to have. Have a look at the chart above - where do you fall?

Now, I have also spoken of the many girl scouts (and girl guides) that came through Nassau County (and my house) over the years as part of the International Hostessing Program, which my mother co-chaired for many years. I don't recall this being utilized by any of them - but I guess it's new.

Happy Birthday to the Girl Scouts! Thanks for everything you've done. And Happy Birthday to my sister!

Eggs, Not Just for Breakfast, Except When They Are

Breakfast for Dinner at the launchpad moved recently (to accommodate a friend's school schedule) to Tuesdays. While pancakes are the most common item served, we have had waffles and french toast in the rotation recently. There is talk of introducing some egg based products into the schedule as well (we will often have quiche the next day if there is leftover bacon).

Perhaps omelettes? Funny story . . . my sister and I were cleaning out my parent's house several years ago, and we disposed of an omelet pan that had clearly seen better days (and probably not seen the light of day in several years). But we got caught(? !) and had to try and replace it. Thanks eBay. Maybe we could have just downloaded this video instead.

If we are searching for additional egg products, I might try these - because everything is better with bacon. I "transcribed" the recipe from the video (linked above).

Bacon-Wrapped Eggs

• 1 dozen eggs
• 1lb. bacon
• shredded cheese (cheddar probably works best here)
• chopped fresh herbs (chive, dill, thyme, your choices)

Cook the bacon on medium heat until browned but not crisp. Set aside to drain and cool. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a muffin tin or ramekins with bacon slices. You may spray the tins / ramekins with non-stick spray. Cover bottoms with chunks of bacon. Crack one egg into each bacon cup. Season with salt and pepper. Top with cheese and herbs. Bake until set (approximately 15 minutes).

Of course, there used to be those times when we would go out for breakfast. But now all I want to do in the morning is sleep.

Thanksgiving #2 - A Potato Alternative

As mentioned here with last week's recipe, the Brave Astronaut clan will be on the road for Thanksgiving - making a short (and hopefully quick) trip to Wilmington, DE to share Thanksgiving with Mrs. BA's family. LBA is off from school on Wednesday and Friday and SoBA is off on Friday. I am taking Wednesday off and Mrs. BA is going to spend the night on Thursday with her sister and come home with the boys on Friday. I'm going to work. There is some part of me that may be interested in some of the Black Friday deals - but my background in retail may keep me away from the stores - no matter how good the deal.

There has been little discussion about the menu for Thursday, although I am certain there will be turkey. I posted my vegetable choice last Monday and I am a big fan of the mashed (Mrs. BA believes they are really, whipped) potatoes. Although this recipe certainly has merit and could make a good alternative.

(I will say that I was not overly impressed with the recipes that I stumbled across leading up to the All-American Holiday. Perhaps the Christmas lineup will be better.)

The remaining question is how many desserts will there be? And will I be able to drive home by myself and still reach the steering wheel?

Roasted Potatoes with Bacon, Cheese, and Parsley
Gourmet | November 2007
by Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez

You've encountered a million potato-bacon-cheese combos in your lifetime, but in retrospect they all seem to be rehearsals for this one, a classic of Miraglia Eriquez's Calabrian grandmother Mary Pacella, who immigrated to Brooklyn in 1934. Crispness abounds, from the bacon to the slight crust on the roasted potatoes, yielding to creamy, very potatoey interiors.

Yield: Makes 8 (side dish) servings
Active Time: 30 min
Total Time: 1 1/2 hr

Ingredients

• 3 pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 inches in diameter)
• 6 ounces bacon (about 6 slices), halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in lowest position.

Generously cover potatoes with cold water in a 4-quart pot and add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a small sharp knife, about 12 minutes. Drain. Cool potatoes to warm, then peel and cut in half crosswise.

Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until cooked through but still flexible. Drain on paper towels, reserving fat in skillet.

Brush bottom of a 15- by 10-inch shallow baking pan with oil and half of reserved bacon fat. Sprinkle potatoes with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and arrange, cut sides down, in baking pan. Bake until undersides are golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Turn potatoes over, then sprinkle with cheese, bacon, and garlic and drizzle with remaining bacon fat (if fat congeals, reheat briefly over medium heat). Bake until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

Cooks' notes:

• Potatoes can be boiled and peeled 1 day ahead and chilled in an airtight container.
• Potatoes, without cheese, bacon, garlic, and bacon fat, can be baked 6 hours ahead and kept, loosely covered, at room temperature. Turn potatoes over and proceed with recipe, baking a little longer. If baking at same time as stuffing, leave oven temperature at 425°F.