The Beloit College Mindset List - Class of 2015 edition

Today was LBA's first day of school. It's a half day, full day tomorrow. Of course, don't get me started on the fact that school isn't supposed to start until the Wednesday after Labor Day - come on, New Yorkers, you know it's true. He did much better today than last year. He was very happy to see all of his friends again. SoBA is going to spend a few days with his cousin(s) as he doesn't go back until next week. Some day I hope to be able to take the time off I need and perhaps even take a vacation.

Last week, Beloit College came out with its annual list for the incoming college classes, for what they may or may not know / remember as they enter their college years. The list, always up for great discussion, offers a list of cultural touchstones that shapes the lives of these incoming freshmen. I wonder what LBA's list will look like.

The Mindset List for the Class of 2015

Andre the Giant, River Phoenix, Frank Zappa, Arthur Ashe and the Commodore 64 have always been dead.

Their classmates could include Taylor Momsen, Angus Jones, Howard Stern's daughter Ashley, and the Dilley Sextuplets.

1. There has always been an Internet ramp onto the information highway.
2. Ferris Bueller and Sloane Peterson could be their parents. (that's disturbing)
   
3. States and Velcro parents have always been requiring that they wear their bike helmets.
4. The only significant labor disputes in their lifetimes have been in major league sports.
5. There have nearly always been at least two women on the Supreme Court, and women have always commanded U.S. Navy ships. (and it's still not enough)
   
6. They “swipe” cards, not merchandise.
7. As they’ve grown up on websites and cell phones, adult experts have constantly fretted about their alleged deficits of empathy and concentration.
8. Their school’s “blackboards” have always been getting smarter.
9. “Don’t touch that dial!”…what dial?
10. American tax forms have always been available in Spanish.
11. More Americans have always traveled to Latin America than to Europe.
12. Amazon has never been just a river in South America.
13. Refer to LBJ, and they might assume you're talking about LeBron James.
14. All their lives, Whitney Houston has always been declaring “I Will Always Love You.”
15. O.J. Simpson has always been looking for the killers of Nicole Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
16. Women have never been too old to have children.
17. Japan has always been importing rice.
18. Jim Carrey has always been bigger than a pet detective.
19. We have never asked, and they have never had to tell.
20. Life has always been like a box of chocolates.
21. They’ve always gone to school with Mohammed and Jesus.
22. John Wayne Bobbitt has always slept with one eye open. (really, just him?)
23. The Communist Party has never been the official political party in Russia.
24. “Yadda, yadda, yadda” has always come in handy to make long stories short.
25. Video games have always had ratings.
26. Chicken soup has always been soul food.
27. The Rocky Horror Picture Show has always been available on TV.
28. Jimmy Carter has always been a smiling elderly man who shows up on TV to promote fair elections and disaster relief.
29. Arnold Palmer has always been a drink.
30. Dial-up is soooooooooo last century!
31. Women have always been kissing women on television. (not that there's anything wrong with that)
    
32. Their older siblings have told them about the days when Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera were Mouseketeers.
33. Most have grown up with a faux Christmas Tree in the house at the holidays. (but shouldn't)
34. They’ve always been able to dismiss boring old ideas with “been there, done that, gotten the T-shirt.”
35. The bloody conflict between the government and a religious cult has always made Waco sound a little whacko.
36. Unlike their older siblings, they spent bedtime on their backs until they learned to roll over.
37. Music has always been available via free downloads.
38. Grown-ups have always been arguing about health care policy.
39. Moderate amounts of red wine and baby aspirin have always been thought good for the heart.
40. Sears has never sold anything out of a Big Book that could also serve as a doorstop. (oh, that's just sad)
41. The United States has always been shedding fur.
42. Electric cars have always been humming in relative silence on the road.
43. No longer known for just gambling and quickie divorces, Nevada has always been one of the fastest growing states in the Union.
44. They’re the first generation to grow up hearing about the dangerous overuse of antibiotics.
45. They pressured their parents to take them to Taco Bell or Burger King to get free pogs.
46. Russian courts have always had juries.
47. No state has ever failed to observe Martin Luther King Day.
48. While they’ve been playing outside, their parents have always worried about nasty new bugs borne by birds and mosquitoes.
49. Public schools have always made space available for advertising.
50. Some of them have been inspired to actually cook by watching the Food Channel.
51. Fidel Castro’s daughter and granddaughter have always lived in the United States.
52. Their parents have always been able to create a will and other legal documents online.
53. Charter schools have always been an alternative.
54. They’ve grown up with George Stephanopoulos as the Dick Clark of political analysts.
55. New Kids have always been known as NKOTB.
56. They’ve always wanted to be like Shaq or Kobe: Michael Who?
57. They’ve often broken up with their significant others via texting, Facebook, or MySpace.
58. Their parents sort of remember Woolworths as this store that used to be downtown.
59. Kim Jong-il has always been bluffing, but the West has always had to take him seriously.
60. Frasier, Sam, Woody and Rebecca have never Cheerfully frequented a bar in Boston during primetime.
61. Major League Baseball has never had fewer than three divisions and never lacked a wild card entry in the playoffs.
62. Nurses have always been in short supply.
63. They won’t go near a retailer that lacks a website.
64. Altar girls have never been a big deal.
65. When they were 3, their parents may have battled other parents in toy stores to buy them a Tickle Me Elmo while they lasted.
66. It seems the United States has always been looking for an acceptable means of capital execution.
67. Folks in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have always been able to energize with Pepsi Cola.
68. Andy Warhol is a museum in Pittsburgh.
69. They’ve grown up hearing about suspiciously vanishing frogs.
70. They’ve always had the privilege of talking with a chatterbot.
71. Refugees and prisoners have always been housed by the U.S. government at Guantanamo.
72. Women have always been Venusians; men, Martians.
73. McDonalds coffee has always been just a little too hot to handle.
74. “PC” has come to mean Personal Computer, not Political Correctness.
75. The New York Times and the Boston Globe have never been rival newspapers.
    

The King's Fried Chicken

I have become addicted to Guy Fieri's show on the Food Network, Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. Just the other evening I was watching him at a place that served approximately 20,000 pieces of Fried Chicken a week (or something like that). Then I saw this on kottke, where the Google Executive Chef scored the recipe to Elvis Presley's fried chicken.

But of course, we're not allowed to have a deep fat fryer at the launchpad. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't make this in a heartbeat. But then again, the heartbeat might be a lot slower after eating this.

The recipe has been "google-sized" and I have done my best to reduce the amounts to a more manageable size (I used a recipe converter to lower the amounts to one-tenth).

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Elvis Loved

• 2 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1 1/4 tsp basil
• 2 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 2 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 2 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 2 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 tsp coriander
• 2 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 tsp ground white pepper

• 1.3 gal. buttermilk
• 1/3 case organic free range chicken (roughly 3 chickens, divided into 1.5- to 2-lb. sections)
  

Mix these amounts of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then whisk in the buttermilk until it's thoroughly mixed.

Pour the batter over the chickens and marinate for up to five days - keep refrigerated, of course.

For frying
Now mix another 4x the above dry ingredients, and add:

• 1/4 lb. cornstarch
• .8 qt. all-purpose organic whole wheat flour
  

Dredge the marinated chicken pieces in the dry herbs/flour/cornstarch mixture mix.
Fry the dredged chicken in a large skillet with hot peanut oil @ 375 degrees. Once chicken has reached a golden brown color, finish cooking it in the oven.

The Doomsday Clock

One of my first jobs was working in a public library. I shelved books, retrieved archived issues of magazines for patrons and sorted and read shelves for accuracy. It was a great job and I made a number of great friends during the time that I worked there. I was not interested in a job in food service, though a number of my friends did go that route.

I was a history geek (and a bit of a nerd) so working in the library was just right. I remember looking at old issues of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and becoming fixated on the Doomsday Clock, which was featured in each issue. In January 2010, the Doomsday Clock was moved one minute away from midnight - from five to six minutes to midnight.
The Doomsday Clock appeared in the Bulletin first in 1947 at seven minutes to midnight and was an indication of how close mankind was to its own obliteration, particularly to the dangers of nuclear war. It has been adjusted 18 times since its inception - midnight being the point at which the end of the world might occur.

The closest the clock came was two minutes to midnight, in 1953, when the United States pursued plans to develop a hydrogen bomb, in addition to the testing of a nuclear device by the Soviet Union. The furthest the clock ever sat was seventeen minutes to midnight, in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. The clock has also been used to monitor climate change around the world as well as biosecurity issues.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of having my nephew and his friend visit with us. In addition to the scampi we served (as mentioned in last Monday's post), Mrs. BA made a sour cream coffee cake, which was extremely tasty. Here is another variation - but Mrs. BA's was the best.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake (with a Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl)
from "Baked: New Frontiers In Baking"
by Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito

Ingredients:

For the crumb topping:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup pecans, toasted [Let them cool before proceeding.]
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1-inch cubes
  

For the chocolate cinnamon swirl:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  

For the sour cream cake:

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 16 ounces sour cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  

1. First make the crumb topping by putting the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor, pulsing for 5 seconds to mix. Add the pecans and pulse until the pecans are finely chopped and thoroughly incorporated. Add the butter and pulse until combined it'll look like coarse sand. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

2. To make the chocolate cinnamon swirl, simply whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees & butter a 9 X 13-inch baking pan. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together into a medium bowl.

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth and ribbonlike. Scrape down the bowl and add the sugar. Beat until the mixture is smooth and starts to look fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl and mix again for 30 seconds.

5. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat just until incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients in three additions, scraping down the bowl before each addition and beating only until each addition is just incorporated. Do not over mix.

6. Pour one third of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Use an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly.

7. Sprinkle half the chocolate cinnamon swirl mixture over the batter, covering the entire surface of the batter.

Spoon half of the remaining batter over the swirl mixture--do this in blobs, as Matt suggested--and spread it evenly. Top with the remaining swirl mixture, then the remaining batter, and spread the batter evenly. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the top of the batter.

8. Bake in the center of the oven, rotating the pan three times during baking, for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then serve.

The cake will keep for 3 days, tightly covered, at room temperature.

To Mrs. BA on the Occasion of Her Birthday

Today is the day that this Brave Astronaut stops and celebrates one of the greatest days in history. For today is Mrs. BA's birthday and I urge all of you, my faithful readers to celebrate along with her (we can all have a drink in her honor - she doesn't, so it's OK if we have hers).

Mrs. BA is a great daughter. Trust me on this, her mother would tell you the same. We all complain about our parents, but I am grateful to hers for producing such a great person. She is a great sister. As the oldest of three girls, she and her sisters are a great set and I am happy to know her sisters and their families.

She is an outstanding mother to two wonderful boys (LBA and SoBA), who love her very much. While there are certainly moments that lead to more gray hairs for both Mrs. BA and me, those two boys are spitting images of their mother and I love them as much as I do her. I went through a period that I didn't think I was going to have children or that I wasn't going to be a good father. It is because of her that I do have those two great boys and I am a mildly successful father. However good those boys are, it is because of her.

Finally, she is the best wife a man could ever ask for. I love her with all of my heart. I cannot begin to imagine a world without her in it, nor do I want to. I find it hard to remember a time when she wasn't a part of my life. She has helped me to be a better person, really helped me to know what love is, and what "quality of life" really can mean.

She can still get me to catch my breath when I see her, her laugh will always make me smile, her touch will never cease to energize me. I am forever grateful for her love and will work for the rest of my days to earn and deserve it.

Mrs. BA, I love you. Happy Birthday. Thank you for you. I'm a very lucky man.

_____________________
Of course it is also Pizza and Movie Night Friday at the launchpad. Maybe Mrs. BA will get to pick the movie, but probably not this one (one of Mrs BA's favorites). Evidently because there are no original ideas in Hollywood, there are talks of rebooting this series. The original was released 28 years ago on July 29.

10 Things you didn't know about National Lampoon's Vacation (from BuzzFeed)

1. The W in Clark W Griswold Stands For Wilhelm
2. Originally, We Were Supposed To See Aunt Edna Wiggle Her Fingers While Tied To The Top Of The Car
3. Originally The Film Ended With The Griswolds Taking Roy Wally (Eddie Bracken) Hostage
4. All The Distant Shots Of Walley World Are Matte Paintings
5. Harold Ramis Was Inspired To Shoot Wide Shots Of Clark Alone In The Desert By La Guerre Du Feu
6. It Was The Only Vacation Movie To Receive An R Rating
7. Harold Ramis Is Embarrassed By The Scene In East St. Louis - "No, I'm from the South side of Chicago, I'm here on Vacation!"
8. The Script Originally Called For The Griswolds To Go To Disneyland - but evidently the Magic Kingdom objected, because they don't close.
9. The Film Is Based On An Article By John Hughes - September 1979 issue of National Lampoon
10. Harold Ramis Has An Uncredited Role As A Police Officer At Walley World - he does?

Grilled Cheese

When my mother was pregnant with me, she and my father went on an extended holiday to France. My father and grandfather would sit down to dinner each evening for an enormous meal, which would send my mother's stomach into somersaults. She would excuse herself and ask for a grilled cheese sandwich to be sent up to her room.

It is for this reason, I feel, that I am not a big fan of grilled cheese sandwiches. However, now as a father of two small boys, I find myself making them. We often have a variation of grilled cheeses (Mexican grilled cheese - the quesadilla, the Italian grilled cheese - pizza, or the American grilled cheese).

Evidently April was / is grilled cheese month. Here's a number of recipes that one can make to enjoy the melted cheesy breaded goodness, of which I have picked my favorite to share for Recipe Monday.

Barbecue Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich
from Veronica's Cornucopia

• 2 slices Texas toast
• 2-3 T barbecue sauce
• 2 oz sliced sharp or smoked cheddar cheese
• 4-6 slices cooked bacon
• 1 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Butter or margarine
  

Heat a skillet over medium. Spread the barbecue sauce over the bread slices, then over one slice arrange cheddar cheese slices, bacon over that, then sprinkle the Monterey Jack over the bacon. Top with remaining bread slice. Melt some butter or margarine in the skillet and place the sandwich on top of the puddle, scooting it around until the bread absorbs the butter. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until cheddar looks melted, then remove and melt more butter in the pan, flip the sandwich and cook additional 4 minutes and serve hot.

Makes one sandwich.

Veronica's Notes: Your sandwich will require several minutes less cooking time if you use regular bread. Also, the Monterey Jack isn't necessary but I like to glue the bacon, cheese and bread all together by putting cheese on both sides. Change it up as you desire!

Pick a Letter, Any Letter, Just Not J

In my free time [OK, I'm back, I had to stop laughing for about ten minutes], I have this dream of publishing a book. I have about 200 pages of a novel done, it just needs some final tweaking and a few more gaps to fill. I also have at least two ideas for non-fiction books, one of which involves the naming convention surrounding the Washington street grid. When I first moved here, I found it fascinating as to how the streets were lettered, followed by a system of words (one syllable, two syllables, and finally three syllables). Then of course, there is the placement of the state streets.

One thing I questioned early on was the absence of a "J" street. "I" Street, yes - followed by "K" Street. So why did J get screwed? The answer I was given was that I and J were too alike for both to be used. Yeah, OK, whatever.

But it evidently turns out to be true. But this post from We Love DC looks at the omission of J Street (along with the absence of X, Y, and Z Streets), which was not based on Pierre L'Enfant's desire to insult John Jay, although that story is certainly much more fun.

Electronic Communication

There are days that I long for the days of actual letters. I am a big fan of the letters between John and Abigail Adams (they are used in part in 1776), where they signed their letters, "dearest friend" or some other affectionate closing. Those kind of things don't exist anymore. We are a society that communicates electronically (email, Facebook status updates, tweets, etc.). Part of my job responsibilities include providing reference service and it is very rare to receive an actual letter anymore - it's 95% email.

This article, which appeared in the Washington Post some time ago (yes, I saw it online - but I did read it in print as well - one of the last people to still read a newspaper, I know), concerned how to close emails. Gone are the days when one would sign, "Your obedient servant" or "Sincerely Yours," in email, which by definition is much more instantaneous, it almost begs for a "fluffier" closing.

I find myself often using "Best," which is my shorthand (and others) for Best Regards. In responding to my reference inquiries, I often use "Sincerely" as I am more or less cutting and pasting a letter into the email, so that "Sincerely" is appropriate. I will use "Love" when corresponding with Mrs. BA or a member of my family, but it still looks a little weird in email. More often than not, I both receive and send emails without a closing (sometimes there isn't even a name - that gets discerned from the header information).

What do you all think? Be sure to sign your name if you leave a comment :)

With my very best regards,
Brave Astronaut

Shrimp Scampi

We haven't made this yet, but at least we have all the ingredients. Maybe this week. If we aren't eating at the snack bar at the pool.

A couple of weeks ago, I dug out some shrimp from the freezer to make a batch of shrimp scampi, which I served over polenta. It was very tasty. Here's another scampi recipe, which looks just as good, from Simply Recipes.

Shrimp Scampi

If you are using frozen shrimp, defrost them quickly and safely by putting the shrimp in a large bowl of ice water.

Ingredients

• 1 pound large (16-20 count) shrimp, shelled* and de-veined, tail-on for presentation if you want
• Salt
• 3-4 garlic cloves, slivered, or 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  

* Whether you prepare the shrimp shell on or off is really up to you. Cooking the shrimp with the shells still on will impart more flavor, but they are much messier to eat. Shelling the shrimp before cooking them will make the shrimp a lot easier to eat and you can save the shells for shellfish stock if you want.

Method

1. Heat a sauté pan on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter melts, foams up and subsides, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté for a minute, or until you see the edges of some of the garlic just beginning to brown.
2. As soon as the garlic begins to brown, add the shrimp to the pan. Then add the white wine and stir to combine and coat the shrimp with the butter, oil, and wine. Spread the shrimp out in an even layer in the pan. Increase the heat to the highest setting and let the wine boil vigorously for 2-3 minutes.
3. Turn the shrimp over, or toss them so the cooked sides are mostly facing up, and boil the wine for another minute. Remove from the heat, add the parsley and toss to combine. Add the lemon juice and black pepper.
   

Serve alone, with crusty bread, over pasta, or over rice (for gluten-free version).

Serves 4.

Chicken with Risotto

Here is one of those occasions where the Recipe of the Week will be featured on the Brave Astronaut table later this week. Mrs. BA found this recipe on the Annie Eats blog and we are going to work it into the rotation later this week. I'll try and remember to post a review.

Herbed Risotto with Chicken and Caramelized Onions
Yield: about 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1½ tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• Pinch of sugar
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 2 cups Arborio (medium grain) rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
• 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp. minced fresh chives
• Ground black pepper
  

Directions:
Add 1½ teaspoons of the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sugar, stirring to coat. Allow the onion to cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown and caramelized. Remove the onions to a plate and set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the chicken broth and water and bring to a simmer. In the meantime, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet used to cook the onions set over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken to the heated skillet and cook, turning once, until each side is a light golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the chicken pieces to the saucepan with the simmering broth mixture. Let cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165˚ F or until cooked through (no longer pink). Remove the chicken from the broth and transfer to the plate with the onions.

Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the rice to the pan, stirring to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the grains are translucent around the edges, about 3 minutes.

Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, about 2-3 minutes. Stir 5 cups of hot broth mixture into the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed and the rice is just al dente, 16-19 minutes, stirring twice during cooking.

Add ¾ cup of the hot broth mixture to the risotto and stir gently and constantly until the risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan. Remove the pot from the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Stir the shredded chicken and caramelized onions into the risotto with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, lemon juice, parsley and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add up to ½ cup of the remaining broth mixture to add moisture and loosen the texture. Serve immediately.

Cupcake Chicken

I am not a big fan of dark meat chicken, but this recipe sounds too interesting not to try. I guess I would also need to get a smoker.

Ingredients

• 12 medium skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
• 2 cups Jack's Old South Huney Muney Cluck Rub, or 1 recipe Basic Chicken Rub (see additional recipe below)
  
• 3/4 cups chicken broth
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  

For the sauce:

• 1 cup Jack's Old South Vinegar Sauce or Basic Vinegar Sauce (see additional recipe below)
  
• 2 cups Jack's Old South Hickory Sauce or Basic Hickory Sauce (see additional recipe below)
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/4 cups seedless blackberry preserves
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  

What you'll need:

• Poultry shears
• 1 silicone cupcake mold, with holes punched through each cup (or an aluminum cupcake pan, also with holes punched through each cup)
• 1 13 X 9-inch aluminum baking pan
• 1 aluminum baking sheet
  

Preparation
Heat a smoker to 300°F.

Using poultry shears, remove the knuckle on each end of each chicken thigh bone. Then trim the excess fat off the skin and meat of each thigh until the pieces are 3 to 4 inches wide, leaving about 1/4 inch of excess skin at the edges of the meat. Apply the chicken rub evenly to both sides of the thighs.

In the cupcake mold, place each thigh, skin side down, in an individual cup. Sit the mold in the baking pan, and pour the chicken broth into the pan, being careful not to pour it directly on top of the chicken. Place the pan in the smoker and cook, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove the baking pan from the smoker. Gently flip the thighs onto the baking sheet. Season the tops of the thighs with salt and pepper. Return the thighs to the mold cups, skin side up, and put the baking pan back in the smoker. Cook for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: Put all the sauce ingredients into a blender and blend until thoroughly combined. In a medium pan over medium heat, warm the sauce until it is hot but not boiling. Set aside.

Remove the pan from the smoker, and unmold the chicken thighs onto the baking sheet, skin side up. Brush the thighs lightly with the warm sauce. Place the baking sheet in the smoker and cook for 30 minutes to allow the sauce to caramelize into the chicken skin.

Remove the baking sheet from the smoker, and serve the cupcake chicken immediately.

Basic Chicken Rub

• 2/3 cup chili powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons onion powder
• 4 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients thoroughly. You can store this rub in an airtight container indefinitely.

Basic Vinegar Sauce

• 2 cups cider vinegar
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup sugar
  

In a stockpot over medium heat, combine the vinegar, ketchup, and hot sauce. Stir together. Pour in all the remaining ingredients and stir to dissolve. Do not boil. When spices are thoroughly dissolved, take the pot off the heat, and funnel the sauce into a bottle. The sauce will keep, refrigerated, for up to 1 year.

Basic Hickory Sauce

• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 cups ketchup
• 2 tablespoons smoked sweet paprika
• 2/3 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
  

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until thoroughly combined. Pour into a medium pot, and stir continuously over medium heat until heated through. Do not allow it to boil. Remove and use while hot. If reserving for later use, allow the mixture to cool; then pour it into a large bottle or container and store, refrigerated, for up to 1 year.

Quotable Movies

Part of the celebration of the Fourth of July at the launchpad involves the mandatory viewing of 1776. Mrs. BA usually has to leave the room lest she commit murder - she hates when I quote the lines from the movie and that doesn't include the singing.

I will admit that it can be bothersome, but I seem to be gifted / cursed with the ability to memorize (and recall) lines from movies at will and of course recite them while watching any particular movie (I have also noticed this disturbing trait in LBA - when we are watching a Wild Kratts episode for the umpteenth time).

I spotted this article in Time Magazine online and felt I needed to share and invite comment. The article commemorated the 25th Anniversary of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, a movie I can almost recite word for word, start to finish. Then again, these days, I can do that with Cars, Finding Nemo, Stuart Little, Thomas, etc.

The Top 10 Quotable Movies
10. Napoleon Dynamite - um, I actually have never seen this movie (I know, it's like you don't know me)
9. Clueless - have seen pieces of this, but again, not all the way through
8. Glengarry Glen Ross - steak knives, anyone?
7. Monty Python and the Holy Grail - "This? Oh, that's just a flesh wound."
6. The Wizard of Oz - parenthetically, there was a story in the Washington Post recently about someone in the DC area who has created Beltway backups - surely driven by a love of this movie.
5. Top Gun - Do you feel it? Do you have the need? You know, "the need for speed."
4. The Godfather - I have meant to watch this movie all the way through, really.
3. Casablanca - my father's favorite movie. He really likes the scene where they sing "La Marseillaise," which he will do for you after he's had a little too much to drink.
2. Anchorman - I don't know if this belongs in the Pantheon of great movies, but it is definitely quotable.
1. The Big Lebowski - the Dude abides.

Perhaps a Summer Home?

For sale: Historic waterfront property with a spectacular, 50-foot-high view of Lake Michigan. Featuring solid, century-old cast-iron construction, painted distinctive red. Comes with its own Fresnel lens for signaling ships.

It would appear the federal government is doing all it can to raise some money (and avoid hitting that debt ceiling). If you needed some ideas for my birthday (which is in December), you could always buy me a lighthouse. The General Services Administration is currently holding an auction (three of them, actually) wherein you can bid on lighthouses in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Lake County, Ohio, and Conneaut, Ohio.

It has been previously noted my affinity for lighthouses. If I am on vacation and there is a lighthouse nearby, I will usually visit it. Someday, I will stay in one (there's a bed and breakfast). Now if you don't want to buy me one, the GSA is making a dozen lighthouses available for free (to public groups that will agree to preserve it). Perhaps JAL Tours should get one?

The lighthouses available for free are:

• Ile aux Galetts Light in Lake Michigan (only accessible by small boat - might be a little remote)
• Port Austin Reef Light in Lake Huron (also a little remote)
  
• Alpena Light in Michigan (not much to this one, though)
• Brandywine Shoal (out in the middle of Delaware Bay)
• Ship John Shoal (also out in the middle of Delaware Bay)
• Miah Maull Shoal (also out in the middle of Delaware Bay)
• Race Rock (now this one I would get in a heart beat, at the entrance to Long Island Sound)
  
• Orient Point Light (also in Long Island Sound)
• Point Tuna Light – also known as Punta Tuna is in Puerto Rico!
• Milwaukee Breakwater Lighthouse in Wisconsin (the lighthouse keepers quarters are evidently done in Art Deco)
  
• Fowey Rocks Light in the Florida Keys
  
• Point Fermin Light in San Pedro, California (a lovely little lighthouse)
  

Strawberry Cake

This recipe is offered despite the fact that it comes from the kitchen of Martha Stewart - it has been adapted slightly by the author from whom I borrowed it. Enjoy.

Strawberry Summer Cake
adapted, only slightly, from Martha Stewart

[from the Smitten Kitten kitchen] I recently picked up some barley flour and fell in love with it. We tend to associate whole grain flours with heartiness and heaviness, but this is neither — it’s silky and delicate, like the best cake flour you’ve ever bought, and it has a subtle creamy, nuttiness to it that goes fantastically with berries. This cake works like a dream with 100% all-purpose flour but if you’ve got barley flour around, swapping it in for half the volume is beyond delicious, adding a real depth to a deceptively simple cake.

I am ever-so-slightly on the fence about the sweetness of this cake. I like it, but I wouldn’t hate the batter itself with 2 tablespoons less sugar (i.e. 7/8 cup sugar instead of a whole one). If that’s your inclination, go ahead and dial it back as well. Leave the sugar on top. It contributes to the berries turning into jam. [/from]

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate
• 1 1/2 cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour (can swap 3/4 cup or 94 grams all-purpose flour with 3/4 cup or 75 grams of barley flour, see Note)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 cup (200 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup (118 ml) milk
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 1 pound (450 grams) strawberries, hulled and halved
  

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch pie pan or 9-inch deep-dish pie pan (what I used). I did not test this with a standard 9-inch pie plate but looking at the margin of space leftover in my deep-dish pan after baking the cake, I suspect you’d be safe. This cake would also work in a 9- or 10-inch springform or cake pan. The 10-inch would make a thinner cake than pictured.

Whisk flour or flours, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.

Pour into prepared pie plate. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer (though I had to overlap a few to get them all in). Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.

Bake cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 minutes to 60 minutes. (Gooey strawberries on the tester are a given.) Let cool in pan on a rack. Cut into wedges. Serve with lightly whipped cream.

Do ahead: Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, loosely covered, but good luck with that.

Oh you know it had to be Flag Cake

While I am watching my favorite movie that must be watched on the Fourth of July (which is also on the schedule for next year's list of shows at Ford's Theatre - and am very excited for), I harken back to the days of my youth when there was always Flag Cake for the Fourth. July Fourth is also my father's birthday - so indulge me by allowing me to wish him a very happy 82nd birthday.

Happy Independence Day!

Flag Cake (from Betty Crocker)
This patriotic cake is so simple and so versatile! To make this cake easy to take, you can frost and decorate it right in the pan.

• 1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
• Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
• 1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting or Betty Crocker® Whipped vanilla frosting
  
• 1/3 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 pint (2 cups) fresh strawberries, stems removed, strawberries cut in half
  

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Make and cool cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan.

Frost top and sides of cake with frosting. For flag design, arrange blueberries on upper left corner of frosted cake to create stars; arrange strawberries in rows over frosted cake to create stripes. Serve immediately. Store covered in refrigerator.

Makes 15 servings

Best Picture Books

This is a post for all my friends out there with young children. For example, I could write, "In the great green field . . ." and many of you would begin to recite from memory "The Big Red Barn." With LBA now six and a half, we are moving into "chapter" books for him and he is getting better at reading himself every day. SoBA is also improving a great deal and often wants a "bigger" book than the board or picture book.

Nonetheless, when I saw this article in the Washington Post a few weeks ago, I was prompted to share it with you. The gist of the article was whether or not the picture book was still worthwhile and helpful to children. Well, poop on that. We make our way through our extensive library - although there are books that tend to stay in the rotation for extended periods of time.

That is not to say that I wouldn't mind a new book now and then. Like maybe this one. And if it's being read by Samuel L. Jackson, more the better.

Here's the list(s) from the article. I've bolded the ones we read regularly. So what are your favorites?

From Dara Laporte, from Politics and Prose:

• “Blueberries for Sal” by Robert McCloskey
• “Caps for Sale” by Esphyr Slobodkina
• “Good Night, Gorilla” by Peggy Rathmann
• “Stone Soup” by Jon Muth (but we have the soldier's twist on this story)
• “This Little Chick” by John Lawrence

Susan Modak’s list (she's from the Noyes Children's Library)

• “Baby! Baby!” by Vicky Ceelen
• “F Is for Fiesta” by Susan Middleton Elya
• “The Lion’s Share: A Tale of Halving the Cake and Eating It, Too” by Matthew McElligot
• “The Way the Storm Stops” by Michelle Meadows
• “Weslandia” by Paul Fleischman

And from Tracey Grant, the WP Momspeak Columnist:

• “Here Comes the Train” by Charlotte Voake
• “When Mama Comes Home Tonight” by Eileen Spinelli and Jane Dryer
• “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak
• “The Going to Bed Book” by Sandra Boynton
• “Guess How Much I Love You” by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram

Baked Camembert with Thyme and Garlic

With both Mrs. BA and I working all week, we tend to do our grocery store shopping on the weekends. I have never gotten into the whole grocery delivery thing - I like going to the grocery store. Sometimes, evening runs to the grocery store are what happens. Mrs. BA stays home with the boys and gets them ready and off to bed and I come home with dinner. For her (and if I have gone to Wegmans) that may mean some Brie and a baguette for dinner. So here's a recipe just for her, but feel free to use it yourself.

Baked Camembert with Thyme and Garlic
[from Epicurious]

[from the author] This recipe is a favorite of mine on a cold winter's night as it always reminds me of times with friends when we would ski and snowboard all day then sit by a log fire and eat and drink all night. If you don't have maple syrup on hand, use a spoonful of honey instead.
Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 x 9oz camembert in its wooden box
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 small baguette, cut into 1/2 in slices
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing
• crushed sea salt

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the camembert from the box and discard any wax paper packaging. Take a 10-inch square of foil and place in the box. Place the camembert inside.

Pierce the top of the camembert with the tip of a knife and push in the slices of garlic. Sprinkle the thyme leaves over the top and drizzle with the maple syrup. Loosely scrunch the foil up over the cheese. Set aside.

Brush two 12-inch square sheets (the size of your baking sheet) of parchment paper with oil. Line a baking sheet with one of the oiled parchment sheets, oil-side up. Spread the slices of baguette over the sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with crushed sea salt. Place the remaining sheet of parchment, oil-side down, over the bread.

Place in the oven with the camembert and cook both for 10 to 12 minutes until the cheese has risen and the bread is crisp. Open up the foil and dip in the hot baguette for a simple snack. Delicious!

Source Information
From Take 5 Ingredients: 95 Delicious Dishes Using Just 5 Ingredients by James Tanner.

Malt Shoppe Memories Ice Cream Cookie Cake

Yesterday was Father's Day, and there was no Carvel Ice Cream Cake to celebrate. I was however working at the United States Open (golf) at Congressional Country Club. This cake however would appear to likely rival the Carvel cake, right down to the chocolate crunchies. I don't normally like to post recipes that use pre-mixed stuff, but I'm making an exception here. It was a 2010 Prize Winning Recipe from Betty Crocker!

Ingredients

• 1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® double chocolate chunk cookie mix
• 2/3 cup chocolate-flavor malted milk powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup hot fudge topping
• 1 cup crushed chocolate-covered malted milk balls
  
• 2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
• 2 cups chocolate ice cream, softened
• 1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Or line 9-inch square baking pan with foil, leaving about 2 inches of the foil overhanging sides of pan; lightly spray with cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, 1/3 cup of the malted milk powder, oil, water and egg until soft dough forms. Press 1/2 of dough into bottom of pan. Bake 12 to 13 minutes or until set. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, press remaining 1/2 of the dough into 10-inch circle on large ungreased cookie sheet. After removing cookie crust in springform or 9-inch pan from oven, bake dough on cookie sheet 12 to 13 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool 15 minutes.
4. Spread hot fudge topping over crust in springform or 9-inch pan. In medium bowl, break apart large cookie until crumbly. Stir in crushed malted milk balls. Sprinkle 1/2 of the crumbled cookie mixture over hot fudge; press lightly.
5. In large bowl, combine both softened ice creams and remaining 1/3 cup malted milk powder until well blended. Spread ice cream mixture over crumbs in pan. Gently spread whipped topping over ice cream. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Cover with foil. Freeze at least 5 hours or until firm. To serve, remove sides of springform pan or lift dessert using foil out of 9-inch pan. Let stand 5 minutes. Use hot wet knife to cut into wedges or squares. Store covered in freezer.
   

Dining in DC - Escargots

Pretty much if escargot are on a menu, I'm going to order them. I love them. I am probably one of the only people you know who owns sets of snail shells, escargot trays, plates and forks. Back in the beginning of May, the [poor excuse of a] Sunday magazine in the Washington Post published a list about the best places to get escargot in the DC area. I have eaten at three of the five on the list. See? I told you. Now escargot are not for everyone. But that's fine, more for me. Do you think they are serving them in the hospitality tent at the US Open?

1. Bistro D'Oc - it's across the street from Ford's Theatre and it was the location of a celebratory dinner for the Brave Astronauts and the OSGs a few years back.
2. Bistro du Coin - also the scene of a Brave Astronaut celebration (I think it was an anniversary dinner) again with the OSGs.
3. Le Refuge - haven't been here, yet. But flambeed escargot might just get me there.
4. Le Vieux Logis - I used to walk past this restaurant on my way home from the Metro when I lived in Bethesda. While I haven't had their escargot, I had them at La Miche, up the street, where in fact Mrs. BA and I held our rehearsal dinner the night before we got married, which has unfortunately since closed.
   
5. Mannequin Pis - this great restaurant was the stop for a few years after Christmas tree shopping. It's very unassuming but the food (the mussels are the standout) is outstanding.
   

Are You There Readers? It's Me, Brave Astronaut

Yes, I'm still here. The highly anticipated Rapture came . . . and went. It would seem most of us are still here. Evidently it's been rescheduled. Since I last posted (a recipe on April 25) a lot has happened and I have been trying to keep my head above water with all the things going on. I apologize for my absence and hope that you have been standing by waiting for my return. I will try and be better going forward. Let's say that here on the night of the first official (?) / unofficial (?) Republican Presidential Debate - I'm tan, rested, and ready [to continue].

So, what have you people all been up to? I have seen that some of my online blogging friends have also been contemplating their blogworthiness (keep it going, Stinkypaw - we love you!), others have been busy taking photographs of most of the residents of SW Scotland (and he does a fine, fine job), while still others have been out and about on vacation (from the pictures it looks like all had a great time).

Now, you people must all be starving, as I haven't posted a recipe here in three weeks now. Usually there has been enough "in the larder" so that I can have a couple of recipes ready to auto-post. I actually do have several in my Google Reader, which I just need to create into posts, which should have you all in new (and old) things to cook and eat throughout the summer.

So what have I been up to? Well first there was this. I spent the better part of this spring campaigning for a seat on my local Town Council. Intrepid readers will remember I ran for this seat two years ago, losing to the incumbent. This year the incumbent stepped aside and four of us stepped up to run. While I managed to double the number of votes I received two years ago, I still fell short. I will continue to be involved with the Town and be sure to keep my opponent - the newly elected Council Member on her toes.

After that I was the co-chair for this meeting. Working as a co-chair for a Local Arrangements Committee is sort of like being both the tortoise and the hare from their race. You plod along as the meeting date gets closer, breaking into a run here and there, sitting back while others complete their work, make a mad dash at the end and then just let the ending play out as the conference gets underway. We had a really great meeting and managed to have the most attendees for a MARAC meeting ever.

At work, things continue - as my employer undergoes a major transformation. Divisions are being realigned and renamed and my colleagues and I await the word on what will come of us. In the professional organization to which I belong, I did manage to win an election (the secret is evidently to run unopposed) - I was elected Vice President / President-elect of the organization.

Then I served as an usher for this (as I have done in the past). It was a great evening and I had the opportunity to meet and shake hands with Scott Bakula. Later this week I will begin my volunteering position at the United States Open (golf) at Congressional Country Club. I will be working on the scoreboards, so if you watch, you might see me, although I'm not allowed to peek.

Of course we are moving into the summer months so the pool is up and running - and we are looking to spend as much time as possible there. It would appear that I am the father of a "rising" first grader, which I can't spend a lot of time thinking about. But LBA will be starting camp soon and SoBA will finish another year of daycare (and might actually be potty trained before long).

Then in August, I will travel to Chicago for the Annual Meeting of my national professional organization. Among the regular professional obligations, I will be helping about 100 of my closest colleagues head out to a baseball game at Wrigley. Want to come?

Well, I am sure there is more to tell and I will try and fill some of the gaps over the next few weeks, but to get back on track, here's a recipe and please accept my thanks for coming back or staying with me during my prolonged absence.

Now I know that Easter has passed, but one of my weaknesses are those Reeses Peanut Butter eggs. And Mrs. BA's (who prefers these Easter treats, which she is welcome to) best pal sent me a link for a recipe for homemade peanut butter eggs. So here it is.

Homemade Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

INGREDIENTS

• 2 packages (18 sheets) graham crackers, crushed very finely
• 2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1 1/2 sticks (12 Tablespoons) butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• Chocolate candy melts or almond bark
  

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar. Mix on medium low until fully combined. You may have to use your hands to make sure it's completely blended.

Shape the mixture into eggs. I rolled it into golf ball sized balls, then formed the egg shape from there. Place on a wax paper lined baking sheet and place in the freezer for one hour.

Once the eggs are frozen firm, melt your chocolate according to package directions. Place the eggs in the chocolate one at a time, and slide a fork under each egg to remove. Place back on wax paper lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with sprinkles and refrigerate eggs until chocolate is set.

This will make about 24 Reese's egg-sized eggs.