Signers: New Hampshire and South Carolina

Next up for the Signers of the Declaration are the Granite State and the Palmetto State.

New Hampshire

• Josiah Bartlett (1729-1795), the ancestor of fictional President Jed Bartlet, was a physician as well as a politician.  He was the second person to sign the Declaration, following John Hancock. Following the Revolution, he was elected President and then Governor of New Hampshire.
• Matthew Thornton (1714-1803), was also a physician, like his colleague Josiah Bartlett.  He arrived late to the Continental Congress, but in time to sign the document on behalf of New Hampshire. At Declaration, Thornton possibly has the most unique pizza concoction on the menu, with turkey confit, idiazabal cheese, cranberries, and maple gravy.
• William Whipple (1730-1785), was born in what would become the state of Maine and served in the Continental Congress as well as the Continental Army. General Whipple led troops against General Burgoyne at the battles of Stillwater and Saratoga.  He died in 1785, having suffered from a heart ailment for several years, falling from his horse while traveling his court circuit.

 South Carolina

• Thomas Heyward, Jr. (1746-1809), after signing the Declaration, he returned to South Carolina to serve as a judge.  Imprisoned by the British during the Revolution, he returned to the bench following the war. The Heyward Pizza at Declaration contains shrimp, sweet peppers, bacon, lemon confit, spinach, and romesco.
• Thomas Lynch, Jr. (1749-1779), fell ill shortly after signing the Declaration and retired from the Congress.  In 1779, he and his wife sailed for the West Indies and the ship vanished.
• Arthur Middleton (1742-1787), was captured by the British when Charleston was overrun in 1781.  Imprisoned for over a year (along with Heyward and Edward Rutledge), his fortune was destroyed during the Revolution, but he remained active in politics until his death in 1787.
• Edward Rutledge (1749-1800), the youngest member of the Continental Congress, Rutledge, along with his brother John, were both very active in South Carolina politics.  He left the Congress after signing the Declaration to help defend South Carolina from the British.  He later returned to the state legislature and was elected Governor, but he died at the conclusion of his term, at age 50.

Shrimp Quesadillas

On those occasions when the Brave Astronaut Clan visits a Mexican restaurant, I will often order the fajitas with shrimp.  When we order Chinese, I almost always order shrimp with broccoli.  I like shrimp - and recently we've learned that so does LBA.  SoBA, not so much.  But he does like quesadillas.  Maybe I can sneak these past him.  Recipe from my culinary love, The Pioneer Woman

Quesadillas de Camarones
September 29, 2009
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Servings: 6 Servings

Ingredients 

• Flour Tortillas 
• 12 whole Large Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined 
• 8 ounces, fluid Mexican Red Sauce 
• 1 whole Large Onion 
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper 
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper 
• 2 cups Cheese, Grated (Monterey Jack Is Best) 
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 
• Salt To Taste 

Instructions

Pour red sauce over shrimp. Set aside.

Chop vegetables into large pieces. Heat skillet over high heat and add olive oil. Cook vegetables over high heat until they start to get brown/black. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Return skillet to high heat, then dump in the shrimp with the sauce. Cook, stirring only occasionally, until shrimp is opaque. Add in a little water if the sauce gets dry. Remove from skillet and chop into bite-size pieces.

In a separate skillet, heat butter. Place a tortilla in the skillet, then layer on ingredients: cheese, vegetables, and shrimp. Top with a little more cheese and a second tortilla. Cook on both sides, adding butter before flipping to the other side so the tortilla isn’t overly dry.

Remove from skillet and slice into wedges. Serve with rice, beans, salsa, sour cream, guacamole—whatever you’d like!

Is it 5:00 yet?

Thursday is Cinco de Mayo (I was reminded of this from the post from where this recipe comes).  Cheverly Day is May 21, where there will be kick-ass fireworks.  The pool opens in less than a month marking the unofficial start of summer.

Therefore, it's time to drink! From Creative Culinary via the above linked post from Liquor.com

The Firecracker - Watermelon, Lime and Cucumber Cocktail
Serves 2

Ingredients 

• 4 oz Prairie Cucumber Vodka 
• 4 (1-inch) cubes of seedless watermelon 
• 2 limes, diced 
• 2 oz simple syrup (boil 1/4 cup water and sugar just until sugar dissolves. Add 1/4 cup ice to cool - refrigerate leftovers) 

To Garnish:

• Lime Rim (equal amounts salt and sugar combined with some fresh grated lime) 
• 2 Watermelon Slices 
• 2 cucumber slices 
• 2 small mint sprigs 

Instructions
Combine vodka, watermelon and lime in a cocktail shaker. Muddle all ingredients well. Add simple syrup, fill with ice, cover and shake until ice cold.

Rim the glasses with a cut lime and dip in the lime rim mixture.

Fill the glasses with ice and pour the ingredients from the shaker into the glasses.

Garnish with a watermelon slice, a cucumber slice and a mint sprig.

Notes

• No Cucumber Vodka? No problem. Simply add a couple of slices to cucumber to the watermelon and lime and muddle them together; use regular vodka of your choosing. Enjoy!

Signers: New Jersey / Connecticut

For today's Signers post, we look at the Garden State and the Nutmeg State.

New Jersey

• Abraham Clark (1725-1794), was a self-taught lawyer (as many were in that time period).  An active member of the Continental Congress, he was later selected to attend the Constitutional Convention but was unable to serve.  Clark Township in New Jersey is named in his honor.
• John Hart (1711-1779), was a farmer in New Jersey.  Born in Connecticut, his family moved to New Jersey where he inherited the family farm.  He actively supported the American army, allowing the troops to encamp on the farm, which had been looted by British troops earlier in the war.  He died in 1779 at the age of 66.
• Francis Hopkinson (1737-1791), was a lawyer, who was "a man of extraordinary talent and charm."  He was appointed by President Washington to serve as Federal District Judge for New Jersey in 1790.  He died the next year of an epileptic seizure at 53.  There is some controversy surrounding Hopkinson, as he maintained that he was responsible for the design of the American flag.  He also was involved in the design for the Great Seal of the United States.  The pizza dedicated to Francis Hopkinson at Declarations features sliced tomatoes, basil pesto, and reggiano parmesan
• Richard Stockton (1730-1781), another lawyer, had developed one of the largest practices in the colonies.  After being appointed to the Continental Congress, he listened to both sides regarding independence before agreeing to sign the Declaration.  In 1776, he was captured by the British and imprisoned for several weeks and his property and belongings in New Jersey were destroyed.  Stockton later donated land that became Princeton University.
• John Witherspoon (1723-1794), was a Reverend who held a Doctorate degree and was President of the College of New Jersey (Princeton) prior to his appointment to the Continental Congress.  He and the other delegates from New Jersey arrived shortly before Richard Henry Lee made his proposal for American independence to the Congress.

Connecticut

• Samuel Huntington (1731-1796), was a lifelong public servant, serving in the Congress and as Governor of Connecticut.  There are some who maintain that Huntington is actually the first President of the United States, as the Articles of Confederation were ratified while he was President of the Congress.
• Roger Sherman (1721-1793), was previously covered in the Declaration Committee post. The Declarations pizza for the "simple cobbler from Connecticut" has meatball, housemade ricotta, san marzano tomatoes, and roasted peppers on it - and it might be my favorite of all of them.
• William Williams (1731-1811), arrived at the Congress too late to vote for independence, but signed the Declaration.  Williams had replaced Oliver Wolcott, who had fallen ill (but also later signed the document).
• Oliver Wolcott (1726-1797), was the son of the Royal Governor of Connecticut, Roger Wolcott.  Upon graduating from Yale, Wolcott was a Captain in the American forces during the French and Indian War.  As a result of this service, Wolcott was involved in Indian affairs during his time in Congress.  He later served as Governor of Connecticut.

French Apple Tart

Last week I posted about my aunt's Beef Stroganoff and the memories that it evokes.  Similarly, my grandmother lived with my aunt in her later years, though also spending the summer months in a big house in Maine, where the extended family would descend for weeks at a time.

Often, my grandmother would break out her French baking skills and make a tarte, though usually with plums, peaches, or some other summer fruit.  But this picture looks a lot like what she would make.

French Apple Tart
from Saveur via BuzzFeed
Serves 8

Ingredients 

• 1 1⁄4 cups flour, plus more for dusting 
• 12 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled 
• 1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt 
• 7 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and halved 
• 1⁄4 cup sugar 
• 1⁄2 cup apricot jam 
• Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving

Instructions

1. Combine flour, 8 tbsp. butter, and salt in a food processor and pulse until pea-size crumbles form, about 10 pulses. Drizzle in 3 tbsp. ice-cold water and pulse until dough is moistened, about 3—4 pulses. Transfer dough to a work surface and form into a flat disk; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Unwrap dough and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, flatten dough into a 13″ circle and then transfer to a 11″-tart pan with a removable bottom; trim edges; chill for 1 hour. 
2. Heat oven to 375º. Working with one apple half at a time, thinly slice into sections, keeping slices together. Press sliced apple half gently to fan it out; repeat with remaining apple halves. Place 1 fanned apple half on outer edge of the tart dough, pointing inward; repeat with 7 more apple halves. Separate remaining apple slices. Starting where the apple halves touch and working your way in, layer apples to create a tight rose pattern. Fill in any gaps with remaining apple. Sprinkle with sugar and then dot with remaining butter. Bake until golden brown, 60–70 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat apricot jam in a small saucepan until warmed and loose; pour through a fine strainer into a small bowl and set aside. Transfer tart to a wire rack; using a pastry brush, brush top of tart with jam. Let cool completely before slicing and serving with whipped cream.  

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff is one of those dishes that has a deep connection to my childhood.  I have vivid memories of traveling to my aunt's house in New Jersey for a visit and there would be Beef Stroganoff for dinner.  My aunt made a really good stroganoff.  I can get a passable version at Noodles and Company but I always say I would like to make this at home and so here comes my cooking girlfriend, the Pioneer Woman with a recipe.

Beef Stroganoff

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Servings: 6 Servings

Ingredients 

• 1 pound Sirloin Steak, cut into cubes 
• Kosher Salt and Black Pepper to taste 
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 
• 1/2 whole Large Onion, finely diced 
• 2 whole Carrots, finely diced 
• 8 ounces, weight Cremini or White Button Mushrooms, stemmed and halved 
• 1/2 cup Brandy 
• 2 cups Beef Stock 
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch 
• 1/4 cup Sour Cream, room temperature 
• 1 teaspoon (heaping) Dijon Mustard 
• Cooked Egg Noodles, for serving 
• Minced Parsley, for serving 

Instructions
Season the steak with salt and pepper, then heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add half the meat to the pan and brown it quickly, about 2 minutes. Remove the first batch to a bowl and cook the rest of the meat. Remove and set all the meat aside.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and add the onion, carrots, and mushrooms. Cook until the mixture is deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the brandy and add 2 cups of the stock. Stir, scrape the bottom of the pan, and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook to reduce the liquid by about a third, 3 to 4 minutes.

In a small pitcher, make a slurry by mixing the remaining 1/4 cup stock and the cornstarch with a fork. Pour the slurry into the skillet and cook until the sauce thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat. Stir in the sour cream and Dijon. Add the beef and stir over low heat until the mixture is nice and piping hot. Taste and adjust seasonings as you like.

Serve over cooked noodles and sprinkle with parsley.

Signers: Pennsylvania

This is the week that I am in Pittsburgh for the Spring 2016 MARAC meeting, so it's only appropriate to look at the state in which the Continental Congress sat (albeit on the other side of the state from
where I am) and the signers from the Keystone State.

Pennsylvania

• George Clymer (1739-1813), a merchant by trade was elected to the Congress in 1776 and served on the War Committee and was instrumental in bolstering George Washington and the Continental Army.
• Benjamin Franklin - for Dr. Franklin see the entry on the Declaration Committee.
• Robert Morris (1734-1806), also a merchant, like Clymer, formulated a plan for a National Bank and was appointed to serve as Financial Agent (the forerunner to the Secretary of the Treasury).  He went on to serve in the Pennsylvania Legislature, attended the Constitutional Convention, was appointed a Senator, and was later tapped by President Washington to serve as Secretary of the Treasury, which he declined, instead suggesting Alexander Hamilton.  Ironically, Morris died in relative poverty.
• John Morton (1724-1777), was a judge immediately prior to being elected to the Continental Congress.  He was responsible for submitting a report on the proposed Articles of Confederation, dying shortly after the report was presented to Congress.
• Benjamin Rush (1745-1813),was already a prominent physician in the Philadelphia area before becoming involved in the cause of American Independence.  One of the few blemishes on Rush's career was his criticism of a fellow doctor for the Continental Army.  The Congress and General Washington supported the other doctor and Rush resigned his commission.  He went on to serve as Treasurer of the US Mint.
• James Smith (1719-1806), a lawyer, has one of the lowest profiles of the members of the Continental Congress, holding few offices after the Declaration and given the circumstances that his collection of papers in his officers were destroyed in a fire shortly before his death.
• George Taylor (1716-1781), was an Ironmaster and was concerned with the production of iron for the majority of his life.
• James Wilson (1742-1798), was a lawyer and judge in Pennsylvania.  He was committed to the cause of independence but represented a colony that was not for independence at the time.  After a delay, Pennsylvania's delegates were swayed and Wilson voted for independence.

And while he didn't sign the Declaration, I would be remiss if I didn't include anything about, "Gentlemen of the Congress, I say ye, John Dickinson."  A lifelong opponent of American Independence, when the time came to sign the Declaration, Dickinson announced "I'm sorry, Mr. President. I cannot, in good conscience, sign such a document. I will never stop hoping for our eventual reconciliation with England, but... because, in my own way, I regard America no less than does Mr. Adams, I will join the army and fight in her defense, even though I believe that fight to be hopeless." (1776).  Dickinson College stands as one of Dickinson's legacies.

Another Side of Banana Bread

If you've been with me from the beginning dear reader, you will note that my "go-to" Banana Bread recipe is this one from Cooking Light.  I recently spotted this one and may give it a go the next time that SoBA can't keep up with the Banana Inventory.  From the Wholesome Dish via BuzzFeed.

Chocolate Oatmeal Banana Bread
Prep time 10 mins
Cook time 50 mins
Total time 1 hour

Ingredients 

• 3 overripe medium-sized bananas 
• ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
• ½ cup apple sauce 
• 2 large eggs 
• 2 tbsp. canola oil (or your preferred cooking oil) 
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract 
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour 
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 1 tsp. baking powder 
• ½ tsp. baking soda 
• ½ tsp. salt 
• ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats 
• Optional: an extra tablespoon of oats and semi-sweet chocolate chips for topping 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. 
2. Place the bananas in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher or the back of a fork. There should be 1 cup of mashed bananas. 
3. Add the sugar, apple sauce, eggs, oil, and vanilla to the bananas. Whisk until well blended. 
4. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix just until all of the flour has been incorporated. Add the oats. Mix until just combined. Do not over mix. 
5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Optional: Sprinkle the top of the batter with oats and chocolate chips. 
6. Place the pan on the middle oven rack. Bake for 50-60 minutes. A toothpick inserted near the center of the bread should come out with some moist crumbs, but no raw batter on it. 
7. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1/10th 
Calories: 198 
Fat: 4.6 
Saturated fat: 0.6 
Carbohydrates: 39 
Fiber: 3 
Protein: 3.9 

Baseball Answers

How'd you do?

1.  Name the team that won a record 26 consecutive games (but finished fourth).

1. 1916 New York Giants

2.  Name the player among those with 3,000 hits, the player with the fewest home runs.

2.  Eddie Collins

3. Who is the player who led both leagues in homers and triples (not in the same season)?

2. Sam Crawford

4.  Who hit the only game seven World Series walk-off home run?

4. Bill Mazeroski

5.  Name the four players who hit World Series homers in three different decades.

1. Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Eddie Murray, Matt Williams

6.  Who was the first manager to lead three teams to pennants?

2. Bill McKechnie

7. Who, after managers Connie Mack and John McGraw, had the most consecutive years managing one team?

4. Walter Alston

8.  Who was the first player to hit 30 home runs, score 125 runs and steal 45 bases in a season?

1. Mike Trout

9.  Name the four hitters who, since World War II, had five or more seasons batting .350 or better.

4. Wade Boggs, Rod Carew, Tony Gwynn, Ted Williams

10. Name the five hitters ranked in the top 25 in career singles, doubles and triples.

2. Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, Tris Speaker, Paul Waner, Honus Wagner

11. Whose 44 hits in his first month is second to Joe DiMaggio's 48?

3. Yasiel Puig

12. Who are the four Hall of Fame pitchers DiMaggio faced during his 56-game hitting streak?

4. Bob Feller, Lefty Grove, Ted Lyons, Hal Newhouser

13. Who was the youngest player to lead the National League in hits?

3. Starlin Castro

14. Name the three players to get two extra-base hits in an All-Star game before age 23.

3. Ken Griffey, Jr., Mike Trout, Ted Williams

15. Who played seven straight seasons with a .300 average, 20 homers, 100 RBIs and 100 walks?

1. Frank Thomas

16. Name the Hall of Famer who played most of his games as DH.

4. Frank Thomas

17. Who was the second player, after Ty Cobb, to have at least 221 hits, 46 doubles and 54 steals in a season?

1. Jose Altuve

18. Name the team that had five consecutive Rookie of the Year winners.

4. Los Angeles Dodgers

19. Who was the player who slugged .826 in a six-game World Series, with a record 10 RBIs, but whose team lost?

2. Ted Kluszewski

20. Which player had the most consecutive World Series hits (7)?

3. Billy Hatcher

21. What is the record number of games in a season in which a team homered?

4. 131

22. Who had the most career RBIs (1,903) without ever leading the league?

3. Willie Mays

23. Name the player who reached a base in a record 84 consecutive games.

4. Ted Williams

24. Name the most recent former Rookie of the Year elected to the Hall of Fame.

2. Mike Piazza

25. Which two pitchers pitched 27 World Series innings without yielding an earned run?

2. Christy Mathewson, Waite Hoyt

26. Who was the only player in the last 100 years who twice in a season scored four runs in a game without a hit?

2. Bryce Harper

27. Name the pitcher who won 107 games before age 23.

2. Bob Feller

28. Which pitcher was the first to have two 300-strikeout seasons?

3. Rube Waddell

29. Name the four pitchers to win at least two Cy Young awards, to win at least two World Series rings, and pitch a no-hitter.

1. Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Tim Lincecum, Jim Palmer

30. Who were the three pitchers who started five All-Star games?

4. Don Drysdale, Lefty Gomez, Robin Roberts

31. Name the team that had the highest American League season winning percentage.

2. 1954 Cleveland Indians

32. Name the team with the most wins in an AL season.

3. Seattle Mariners

33. Which NL team holds the best single-season winning percentage since 1900?

2. 1906 Chicago Cubs

34.  Which team that existed in 1900 took the longest to win a World Series?

4. Philadelphia Phillies

35. Name the youngest unanimous MVP.

1. Bryce Harper

36. Name the three pitchers to strike out 150 in each of their first nine seasons.

1. Hideo Nomo, Tom Seaver, Don Sutton

37. Who was the first infielder (other than first basemen) to hit 500 home runs?

4. Eddie Mathews

38. Name the manager of the AL team with a season-record 116 wins.

3. Lou Piniella

39. Who won a home run title with a batting average lower than that year's Cy Young winner, Steve Carlton (.218)?

4. Dave Kingman

40. Name the pitcher who retired 46 consecutive batters.

1. Yusmeiro Petit

Bonus question: Who said, "All of the Mets' road wins against the Dodgers this year occurred at Dodger Stadium."?

2. Ralph Kiner

Baseball Is Back, Baby!

To commemorate the return of America's Pastime - here is George Will's Annual Baseball Quiz.  How well do you know baseball?  Answers on Thursday - the day of the Nationals Home Opener.

1.  Name the team that won a record 26 consecutive games (but finished fourth).

1. 1916 New York Giants
2. 1935 Chicago Cubs 
3. 1998 New York Yankees 
4. 2002 Oakland Athletics 

2.  Name the player among those with 3,000 hits, the player with the fewest home runs.

1. Stan Musial 
2. Eddie Collins 
3. Rickey Henderson 
4. Pete Rose 

3. Who is the player who led both leagues in homers and triples (not in the same season)?

1. Albert Pujols 
2. Sam Crawford 
3. Fred McGriff 
4. Mark McGwire

4.  Who hit the only game seven World Series walk-off home run?

1. Joe Carter 
2. Jack Morris 
3. Mickey Mantle 
4. Bill Mazeroski

5.  Name the four players who hit World Series homers in three different decades.

1. Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Eddie Murray, Matt Williams 
2. Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, Bill Skowron 
3. Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Hank Aaron, Goose Goslin 
4. Babe Ruth, Matt Williams, Duke Snider, Frank Robinson

6.  Who was the first manager to lead three teams to pennants?

1. Joe McCarthy 
2. Bill McKechnie 
3. Tony La Russa 
4. John McGraw

7. Who, after managers Connie Mack and John McGraw, had the most consecutive years managing one team?

1. Bobby Cox 
2. Joe Torre 
3. Sparky Anderson 
4. Walter Alston

8.  Who was the first player to hit 30 home runs, score 125 runs and steal 45 bases in a season?

1. Mike Trout 
2. Jose Canseco 
3. Gary Sheffield 
4. Ken Griffey, Jr.

9.  Name the four hitters who, since World War II, had five or more seasons batting .350 or better.

1. Barry Bonds, Rod Carew, Nomar Garciaparra, Roberto Clemente 
2. Todd Helton, Tony Gwynn, Roberto Clemente, Larry Walker 
3. Paul Hoover, Stan Musial, Albert Pujols, Barry Bonds 
4. Wade Boggs, Rod Carew, Tony Gwynn, Ted Williams

10. Name the five hitters ranked in the top 25 in career singles, doubles and triples.

1. Tris Speaker, Ichiro Suzuki, George Brett, Pete Rose, Eddie Collins 
2. Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, Tris Speaker, Paul Waner, Honus Wagner 
3. Pete Rose, Hank Aaron, Cap Anson, Ty Cobb, Carl Yastrzemski 
4. Goose Goslin, Rod Carew, Paul Waner, Wade Boggs, Cal Ripken

11. Whose 44 hits in his first month is second to Joe DiMaggio's 48?

1. Steve Sax 
2. Mike Trout 
3. Yasiel Puig 
4. Ichiro Suzuki

12. Who are the four Hall of Fame pitchers DiMaggio faced during his 56-game hitting streak?

1. Hal Newhouser, Dizzy Trout, Bob Feller, Claude Passeau 
2. Mort Cooper, Bucky Walters, Dizzy Trout, Al Benton 
3. Dutch Leonard, Mort Cooper, Whit Wyatt, Bob Feller 
4. Bob Feller, Lefty Grove, Ted Lyons, Hal Newhouser

13. Who was the youngest player to lead the National League in hits?

1. Freddie Lindstrom 
2. Stan Musial 
3. Starlin Castro 
4. Vada Pinson

14. Name the three players to get two extra-base hits in an All-Star game before age 23.

1. Bryce Harper, Ken Griffey, Jr., Paul Konerko 
2. Mike Trout, Andruw Jones, Ernie Banks 
3. Ken Griffey, Jr., Mike Trout, Ted Williams 
4. Albert Pujols, Bryce Harper, Willie Mays

15. Who played seven straight seasons with a .300 average, 20 homers, 100 RBIs and 100 walks?

1. Frank Thomas 
2. Barry Bonds 
3. Babe Ruth 
4. Jimmie Foxx

16. Name the Hall of Famer who played most of his games as DH.

1. Paul Molitor 
2. Jim Rice 
3. Eddie Murray 
4. Frank Thomas

17. Who was the second player, after Ty Cobb, to have at least 221 hits, 46 doubles and 54 steals in a season?

1. Jose Altuve
2. Willie Mays 
3. Jimmy Rollins 
4. Stan Musial

18. Name the team that had five consecutive Rookie of the Year winners.

1. Oakland Athletics 
2. Atlanta Braves 
3. Chicago Cubs 
4. Los Angeles Dodgers

19. Who was the player who slugged .826 in a six-game World Series, with a record 10 RBIs, but whose team lost?

1. Gil Hodges 
2. Ted Kluszewski 
3. Lee May 
4. Lou Gehrig

20. Which player had the most consecutive World Series hits (7)?

1. Frank Baker 
2. Bobby Richardson 
3. Billy Hatcher 
4. Roberto Alomar

21. What is the record number of games in a season in which a team homered?

1. 108 
2. 117 
3. 127 
4. 131

22. Who had the most career RBIs (1,903) without ever leading the league?

1. Hank Aaron 
2. Ty Cobb 
3. Willie Mays 
4. Ted Williams

23. Name the player who reached a base in a record 84 consecutive games.

1. Joe DiMaggio 
2. Pete Rose 
3. Willie Keeler 
4. Ted Williams

24. Name the most recent former Rookie of the Year elected to the Hall of Fame.

1. Andre Dawson 
2. Mike Piazza 
3. Cal Ripken 
4. Ken Griffey, Jr.

25. Which two pitchers pitched 27 World Series innings without yielding an earned run?

1. Whitey Ford, Jack Billingham 
2. Christy Mathewson, Waite Hoyt 
3. Joe McGinnity, Babe Ruth 
4. Carl Hubbell, Joe Dobson

26. Who was the only player in the last 100 years who twice in a season scored four runs in a game without a hit?

1. Ted Williams 
2. Bryce Harper 
3. Rickey Henderson 
4. Jackie Robinson

27. Name the pitcher who won 107 games before age 23.

1. Walter Johnson 
2. Bob Feller 
3. Hal Newhouser 
4. Denny McLain

28. Which pitcher was the first to have two 300-strikeout seasons?

1. Sandy Koufax 
2. Nolan Ryan 
3. Rube Waddell 
4. Walter Johnson

29. Name the four pitchers to win at least two Cy Young awards, to win at least two World Series rings, and pitch a no-hitter.

1. Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Tim Lincecum, Jim Palmer 
2. Randy Johnson, Bret Saberhagen, Roger Clemens, Bob Gibson 
3. Pedro Martinez, Tim Lincecum, Steve Carlton, Greg Maddux 
4. Greg Maddux, Roy Halladay, Pedro Martinez, Tom Seaver

30. Who were the three pitchers who started five All-Star games?

1. Lefty Gomez, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux 
2. Roger Clemens, Jack Morris, Jim Bunning 
3. Greg Maddux, Jim Palmer, Whitey Ford 
4. Don Drysdale, Lefty Gomez, Robin Roberts

31. Name the team that had the highest American League season winning percentage.

1. 1927 New York Yankees 
2. 1954 Cleveland Indians 
3. 1998 New York Yankees 
4. 2001 Seattle Mariners

32. Name the team with the most wins in an AL season.

1. Cleveland Indians 
2. New York Yankees 
3. Seattle Mariners 
4. Philadelphia Athletics

33. Which NL team holds the best single-season winning percentage since 1900?

1. 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates 
2. 1906 Chicago Cubs 
3. 1975 Cincinnati Reds 
4. 1909 Pittsburgh Pirates

34.  Which team that existed in 1900 took the longest to win a World Series?

1. Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers 
2. Cincinnati Reds 
3. Pittsburgh Pirates 
4. Philadelphia Phillies

35. Name the youngest unanimous MVP.

1. Bryce Harper 
2. Ken Griffey, Jr. 
3. Barry Bonds 
4. Cal Ripken

36. Name the three pitchers to strike out 150 in each of their first nine seasons.

1. Hideo Nomo, Tom Seaver, Don Sutton 
2. Fergie Jenkins, Roger Clemens, Steve Carlton 
3. Justin Verlander, Fergie Jenkins, Lefty Grove 
4. Felix Hernandez, Walter Johnson, Hideo Nomo

37. Who was the first infielder (other than first basemen) to hit 500 home runs?

1. Alex Rodriguez 
2. Mike Schmidt 
3. Yogi Berra 
4. Eddie Mathews

38. Name the manager of the AL team with a season-record 116 wins.

1. Joe Torre 
2. Tony La Russa 
3. Lou Piniella 
4. Joe McCarthy

39. Who won a home run title with a batting average lower than that year's Cy Young winner, Steve Carlton (.218)?

1. Rob Deer 
2. Mark McGwire 
3. Tony Armas 
4. Dave Kingman

40. Name the pitcher who retired 46 consecutive batters.

1. Yusmeiro Petit
2. Mark Buehrle 
3. Zack Greinke 
4. Walter Johnson

Bonus question: Who said, "All of the Mets' road wins against the Dodgers this year occurred at Dodger Stadium."?

1. Gil Hodges 
2. Ralph Kiner 
3. Harry Caray 
4. Tom Seaver

Donuts

Donuts are one of those things that are easier to buy than make at home.  But these sound easy enough that they might be worth a go.  From "A Little Bit Funky" via a BuzzFeed post on desserts easy enough to make with kids.

Ingredients

• Can/tin of biscuits
• melted butter (4 tbsp per 8 biscuits)
• sugar and cinnamon mixed in shallow bowl
• vegetable oil for pan frying

Preparation
Heat oil on medium heat.  While oil is heating cut holes in biscuits.  Place donut in pan with hot oil.  Brown on one side then flip.  Remove from oil, let cool.  Dip one side in melted butter then cinnamon/sugar mixture, repeat for other side.

Enjoy!

Signers: New York and Maryland

This week's post concerns the state of my birth and the state where I live now.

New York

• William Floyd (1734-1821), was a successful Long Island farmer at the beginning and end of his life.  He served in the Continental Congress as well as the New York militia and was later elected to Congress.  In Suffolk County, there is a William Floyd School District as well as a Parkway named for Floyd.
• Francis Lewis (1713-1802), was a merchant, who lost all his property on Long Island when it was destroyed by the British. A resident of Queens, his legacy may be found in Francis Lewis Park, located under the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge; Francis Lewis High School, home of the Patriots; and Francis Lewis Boulevard, known by NYC commuters as the "Franky Lew."
• Philip Livingston (1716-1778), a successful merchant was elected to the Continental Congress and then to the State Senate, but died suddenly in 1778.
• Lewis Morris (1726-1798), was a farmer in Harlem before becoming involved in politics.  After the Revolution, he was appointed to the first Board of Regents for the University of New York.  He also abstains, courteously. The Lewis Morris Pizza at Declaration contains chive crème fraiche, capers, house cured salmon, shaved onion, arugula, tomato confit.

 Maryland

• Charles Carroll (1737-1782), served in the Continental Congress and was an early advocate of independence.  While in Congress, he was also creating a framework for the state government of Maryland.  He holds the distinction of the last signer of the Declaration to die, passing away at the age of 95 in 1832.  Carroll is also depicted in the film National Treasure.
• Samuel Chase (1741-1811), was a prominent judge at the time of his election to the Congress.  In 1796, he was appointed to the United States Supreme Court. The Declaration pizza dedicated to Samuel Chase has winter butternut squash, brown butter ricotta, crispy sage, truffle honey (but no kidney).
• William Paca (1740-1799), was elected to the Congress while serving as a Representative in the Colonial Assembly.  In 1779, he was appointed Chief Justice of Maryland and later served as Governor of the State.
• Thomas Stone (1743-1787), is the mystery delegate to the Congress.  He was known to be there, his name is on the Declaration and he was involved in the drafting of the Articles of Confederation.  He is reputed to have died of a "broken heart" in 1787, following the death of his wife.

Crock Pot French Dip

Yes, I know, Spring has sprung and it might be time to put the slow cooker away - but not necessarily.  Not before I make these. From Carlsbad Cravings via BuzzFeed.

Best Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Prep time 5 mins
Cook time 6 hours
Total time 6 hours 5 mins
Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients 

• 1 3 lb. beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat*
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 6 French rolls or hoagie buns 
• 12 slices provolone cheese 
• Slow Cooker 
• 1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce 
• 1 cup Coke, NOT diet 
• 2 10.5 oz. cans beef consommé** 
• 1/4 cup dry minced onions 
• 1 tablespoon beef bouillon 
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper 
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 
• 1 bay leaf 

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Using two forks or tongs to hold roast, sear on all sides until lightly browned. Add to slow cooker and top with all remaining Slow Cooker ingredients. 
2. Cook on LOW for 4 hours then remove roast to a cutting board. Thinly slice roast across the grain. Place sliced meat back in slow cooker and continue to cook on LOW for 1-2 additional hours.
3. When ready to serve, remove roast and strain fat from broth for dipping. 
4. Split rolls and line the bottoms on a baking tray. Top each half with beef followed by 2 slices cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F or until cheese is melted. Serve with reserved au jus. 

Notes
*   The beef can be more or less than 3 pounds, but 3 pounds is roughly the amount for 6 sandwiches. ** Beef consomme can usually be found in the canned section next to the beef broth. If you can't find it, you may substitute beef broth.

Chicken Fajita Quesadillas

The quesadilla is a good go-to option for LBA and SoBA when a quick lunch is needed.  In fact, the quesadilla often makes an appearance as leftovers in one of their lunches, if there was any left after those two growing boys are done.

I am partial to the Fajitas when I go to a Mexican restaurant.  This recipe combines the best of both worlds.  Via BuzzFeed.

Chicken Fajita Quesadillas
Ingredients

• 3 Chicken Breasts
• 2 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning 
• 2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil 
• 1 Onion, sliced 
• 4 Cloves Garlic, sliced 
• 3 Bell Peppers, sliced 
• 1 Lime, juiced 
• 8 Tortillas 
• 2 Tbsp. Butter 
• 2 Cups Mexican Cheese Blend 

Directions

1. Slice the chicken breasts into strips, about an inch apart, and coat with taco seasoning. In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil and cook chicken until no longer pink and slightly charred. Remove cooked chicken from the skillet.
2. Heat another Tbsp. oil, add onion and garlic and cook for a couple minutes until it’s slightly translucent. Add the peppers, and cook slightly, then mix in the cooked chicken. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a clean pan, melt a bit of butter. Add a tortilla and move it around until it’s buttery. Add cheese, then fajita mixture, then more cheese, then top with another tortilla and pat it down.
4. Flip the quesadilla over and cook the other side until it’s golden. Remove from pan and cut into quarters. Repeat these steps with the remaining tortillas.

• Optional - Serve with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. Enjoy!

It's Pi(e) Day!

From the Pioneer Woman

Strawberry Pretzel Pie
Prep Time: 4 Hours 
Difficulty: Easy 
Cook Time: 10 Minutes 
Servings: 8 Servings 

Ingredients 

• 4 cups Pretzel Sticks 
• 1 stick (8 Tablespoons) Butter, Melted 
• 1/3 cup Brown Sugar 
• 1-1/2 cup Sugar 
• 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch 
• 1 package (3.5 Ounce) Strawberry-flavored Jello 
• 1-1/2 cup Water 
• 3 pints Strawberries, Hulled And Halved 
• Unsweetened Whipped Cream

Instructions
For the pretzel crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Crush the pretzels in a large resealable plastic bag with a rolling pin. Mix in a bowl with the butter and brown sugar. Press into a pie pan and bake for 8 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.

For the strawberry filling: Put 1 1/2 cups water, the granulated sugar, cornstarch and gelatin powder in a saucepan. Stir together and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook until it starts to thicken, about 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from the heat. Let the liquid cool for a good 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Put the strawberries in a bowl and pour over the sauce, gently tossing together. Allow to sit for 5-7 minutes, then carefully pile the coated strawberries into the cooled pie crust. Spoon over a little leftover sauce if needed, and refrigerate, uncovered, for 4 hours.

 Cut into slices and serve with whipped cream. (Unsweetened is nice because the pie is so sweet!)

Cookies AND a Brownie?

Hey Mrs. BA - isn't it time for March Madness Bakeoff? Via BuzzFeed

The Brookie

Chocolate Chip Batter:

• 10 Tbsp. softened butter
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup chocolate chips 

Brownie Batter:

• 10 Tbsp. softened butter
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 

For the chocolate chip batter, cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Blend in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter with the chocolate chips and mix. Cover and refrigerate while making the brownie batter.

For the brownie batter, cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Blend in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until combined.

Portion both sets of dough into teaspoon sized balls. Grab one chocolate chip ball and one brownie batter ball, press them together and gently form into a flat, but thick cookie shape. The dough will spread while baking.

Bake the cookies on baking sheets for 10 minutes at 375˚F / 190˚C. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool on a cooling rack.

Signers: Rhode Island and North Carolina

The third post in our Signers of the Declaration series features the state with the fewest delegates (and the second oldest one!) and North Carolina.

Rhode Island

• Stephen Hopkins (1707-1785), the second oldest delegate at the Continental Congress, is regarded as Rhode Island's greatest statesman.  A mostly self-educated man, he represented Rhode Island at both Continental Congress and returned to the state to serve in the state legislature until his death.
• William Ellery (1727-1820), holds another prominent role in the Brave Astronaut's orbit - he was involved in the drafting of the charter for Brown University, where both of the Brave Astronaut's parents went to school (and met).  Ellery was active in the Rhode Island Sons of Liberty and was named to the Congress after the death of Samuel Ward.  The William Ellery pizza at Declarations has roasted garlic, sauteed calamari, squid ink aioli, chili oil, oven dried tomatoes on it.

North Carolina

• William Hooper (1742-1790), was a Loyalist and was slow to the cause of American Independence.  As a result of commitments in North Carolina, Hooper arrived at the Continental Congress after the vote for independence but was still able to sign the document in August 1776.  Hooper was actively working on getting North Carolina to adopt the United States Constitution at the time of his death in 1790.
• John Penn (1741-1788), was born in Virginia and became a lawyer.  He was offered a judicial post following the adoption of the Declaration, but declined it due to ill health.
• Joseph Hewes (1730-1779), was an active committee member in the Continental Congress.  When Hewes died after a brief illness in 1779 at age 50, the entire Continental Congress attended his funeral.  At Declaration, you can order the Joseph Hewes with braised pork, dijon, smoked mozzarella, smoked pears, north carolina bbq gastrique.

The Leap Year Cocktail

Who knew?  There is actually a cocktail that was allegedly invented on February 29, 1928.  It calls for gin - so it may not be for me - but by all means, have at it (via Slate)

The Leap Year Cocktail 
Yield: 1 serving
Time: A couple to 3 minutes

• 2 ounces gin
• ½ ounce Grand Marnier
• Scant ½ ounce sweet vermouth 
• Generous ½ ounce lemon juice 
• Lemon twist for garnish 

Shake the gin, Grand Marnier, vermouth, and lemon juice with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the lemon twist.

10 Years Gone

Ten years ago, at about this time of the morning, I received a call from my sister that my mother was gone.  It was not unexpected, she had been sick for a while and my siblings and I had all been home the previous weekend to say goodbye.  It didn't make it any easier, it never is, but we knew that at last, she was free of pain.

My mother firmly believed that God had a eternal datebook and that each day he opens it and there is a list of names on the page.  And if you're name is on it - then it's your time.  She used to say that when you would hear stories about people surviving plane crashes because they missed the flight or someone was taken too soon.  My mother had a good, long life and she got to meet LBA (seen above with her in 2005), but did not get to meet SoBA.

Social Media was just starting out when my mother was declining - and I used to get these "instant messages" from her that were laid out like email.  She was getting the hang of it and I say very often that she would have LOVED Facebook.  Not so much Twitter, though - my mother could never keep it to 140 characters.

My siblings and I have all faced challenges in these past 10 years and we've had a lot of great things in our lives, too.  Just the other day someone commented on Facebook that they had heard something that they wanted to call their mother and share with her - then realized she wasn't there anymore.  I feel that way a lot.

My mother also liked to say that in heaven you get to be whatever age you want and that you get to meet with whomever you like.  So I know that once she got there, after she reconnected with her family, she has dinner parties every night and all her favorites are there to hang out with her.  Frank Sinatra, Paul Newman came in 2008, Andy Williams stopped by in 2012.  I bet she hangs out with Juliette Gordon Low and Lady Baden-Powell a fair bit of the time as well.  I am sure that she was there to greet Bob when he left us too soon last September.

In her downtime (if she has any), I know that she is looking after all of us and that she is never ever completely gone from us.  I see a lot of her in SoBA (it's the gregarious personality and the non-stop conversational style), so that even though she didn't get to meet him - it's like she's always close by.

I love you Mom. 

Martha Washington's Great Cake

Today is George Washington's birthday - yes, yes, I know we had President's Day last Monday, but today is the actual day of his birth.

So by all means, you should make Martha Washington's Great Cake (from the Mount Vernon website).

Great Cake

Ingredients
Cake:

• 1 1/2 cups currants 
• 1/3 cup chopped candied orange peel 
• 1/3 cup chopped candied lemon peel 
• 1/3 cup chopped candied citron 
• 3/4 cup Madeira, divided 
• 1/4 cup French brandy 
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds 
• 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg 
• 1/2 teaspoons ground mace 
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 
• 1 1/2 cups sugar 
• 3 large eggs, separated
• Sugar Icing (recipe follows) (optional) 

Sugar Icing:

• 3 large egg whites at room temperature 
• 1 1/2 cups sugar 
• 2 tablespoons rose water or orange-flower water

In the bowl of an electric mixer, start beating the egg whites on low speed, gradually adding 2 tablespoons of the sugar. After about 3 minutes, or when they just begin to form soft peaks, increase the speed to high and continue adding the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until all the sugar is incorporated and the egg whites form soft peaks. Add the rose water, and continue beating to form stiff peaks. Use immediately to ice the cake.

Instructions for Cake

1. Combine the currants, orange and lemon peels, and citron in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the Madeira, and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for at least 3 hours, or as long as overnight. Stir the remainder of the Madeira together with the brandy, cover, and set aside. 
2. When ready to bake the cake, preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. 
3. Drain the fruits in a large strainer set over a bowl, stirring occasionally to extract as much of the Madeira as possible. Add the strained Madeira to the set-aside Madeira and brandy. 
4. Combine 1/4 cup of the flour with the fruit, and mix well. Add the almonds, and set aside. Sift the remaining flour with the nutmeg and mace. 
5. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter until it is light. Add the sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating for several minutes after adding each ingredient. Whisk the egg yolks until they are light and smooth, and add them to the butter and sugar. Continue to beat for several minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. 
6. Alternately add the spiced flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and the Madeira and brandy, beating until smooth. 
7. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites to form stiff peaks. By hand, gently fold them into the batter, combining lightly until well blended. By hand, fold in the fruit in thirds, mixing until well combined. 
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Set the cake on a wire rack to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. If serving the cake plain, turn it out of the pan to cool completely. If finishing it with icing, turn the warm cake out of the pan onto a baking sheet, and proceed with the icing. 
9. To ice the cake, spread Sugar Icing generously onto the surface, piling it high and swirling it around the top and sides. Set in the turned-off warm oven and let sit for at least 3 hours, or until the cake is cool and the icing has hardened. The icing will crumble when the cake is sliced.

For those of you who may be interested in the Virginia Gentleman Farmer, the Library of Congress recently restored a book in Washington's hand on the weaving industry (and the work done at Mount Vernon) and the effect it had on his own personal (and political) goals and mission.  You can read more here.

Signers: Delaware and Georgia

There is a new restaurant open now in Washington DC.  It is called Declaration and it is located in the North Shaw neighborhood. (well that's great there, Brave Astronaut, but why do I care?)  If you choose to dine at Declaration, you can order your very own "Signers-created Pizza."  So below, and from here on out, I will tell who what pizza you can have it you are fond of a particular signer.

Today's post concerns the First State and the southernmost colony.

Delaware

• George Read (1733-1798), a lawyer initially voted against the resolution on independence as proposed by Richard Henry Lee, but later joined with the majority in signing the Declaration.  In 1776, Read returned home to Delaware to chair the new state's Constitutional Convention.  In 1777 he became the emergency governor and led the state through the Revolution.  The final office he held before his death was Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court.
• Caesar Rodney (1728-1784), had no formal education, but served as a clerk in Delaware which exposed him to politics.  An ardent patriot, Rodney was a strong voice for independence.  Following the signing of the Declaration, Rodney returned home to serve as President of the State of Delaware and also served as a commander in the Delaware militia.  He suffered a number of physical ailments and was never in good health.  He died while serving as Speaker of the Delaware Assembly.
• Thomas McKean (1734-1817), served multiple states and jurisdictions over the course of a long political career.  Among many roles, McKeon served as Governor of Pennsylvania, President of Delaware, and was a Colonel in the New Jersey militia.  At Declaration, you can order the "Thomas McKeon," a pizza with ricotta, parmesan, fresh mozzarella, sausage, idiazabal cheese, brussels sprouts.

Georgia

• Button Gwinnett (1735-1777), an ardent revolutionary, Gwinnett represented Georgia but had political enemies at home.  Hoping to head Georgia's militia following his signing of the Declaration, the position instead went to his political rival.  Gwinnett challenged the man to a duel and Gwinnett was shot and died three days later at the age of 42.
• Lyman Hall (1724-1790), Dr. Lyman Hall came to the Continental Congress initially undecided on independence.  He was for it, but the residents of Georgia weren't so sure.  He ultimately signed the document and paid for it when the British burned his home in Georgia and he was forced to flee to South Carolina and later Connecticut.  At Declaration, the Lyman Hall pizza features roasted celery, carrot, onions, oven roasted amish chicken, mushrooms.
• George Walton (1741-1804), Walton was also a devout patriot in Georgia, and was closely aligned with Gwinnett.  After signing the Declaration, he returned to Georgia, serving in the Georgia militia.  He later served as Governor and Chief Justice in the Peach State.

Pecan Pie Bites

OK.  Now we have a problem.  I pretty much love everything that the Pioneer Woman puts out there - but I'm just going on record, Mrs. BA's Pecan Bars ROCK.  These might be good - but Mrs. BA's would be better, I just know it.  From a Land O' Lakes recipe via the Pioneer Woman.

Pecan Pie Bites
40 min. prep time 
1:25 total time 
36 cookies 

Cookie

• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 

Filling

• 1 cup finely chopped pecans 
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions 
Heat oven to 350ºF. Spray 36 mini muffin pan cups with no-stick cooking spray; set aside.

Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, butter, egg yolk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat at low speed until well mixed.

Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls; place each into prepared mini muffin pan cups, pressing dough onto bottom and up one-third sides of each cup, creating a shallow cup.

Combine all filling ingredients in bowl; spoon 1 teaspoon filling into each cookie.

Bake 13-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 10 minutes in pan on cooling rack.

Remove cookies from pans by running small knife around edge of cookie. Place onto cooling rack; cool completely.

Nutrition Facts (1 cookie) 
Calories: 80 
Fat: 5g 
Cholesterol: 10mg 
Sodium: 25mg 
Carbohydrates: 10g 
Dietary Fiber: 0g 
Protein: 1g

Another Way for Salmon

Well, dear readers, if you were here last week, you saw my PSA for serving crepes on Candlemas / Groundhog Day.  Upon serving them up on Tuesday, LBA asked about how to make them.  I explained they are relatively easy to make, with just four ingredients in equal proportions.  SoBA contemplated this and quickly asked, "then why don't we have them more often?"  A fine question, indeed.  By virtue of the calendar, crepes will again be on the menu tomorrow night for Mardi Gras, the night before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent in the Catholic calendar.  But it would seem that crepes need to appear more than twice a year, in the same month.

For Ash Wednesday, Catholics are requested to abstain from meat (and also give something up for Lent), so maybe we will have salmon for dinner.  Here's a recipe for Salmon with Brussel Sprouts (which I think are coming in the box tomorrow - along with more snow overnight).  Recipe from Diethood via BuzzFeed.

One Sheet Pan Garlic Roasted Salmon with Brussels Sprouts
Serves: 6 Servings
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 30 mins

Ingredients 
FOR THE BRUSSELS SPROUTS

• 2 pounds brussel sprouts, ends trimmed 
• 3 tablespoons STAR Garlic Flavored Olive Oil
• ½ teaspoon salt 
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

FOR THE SALMON
2 pounds salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 6 portions
1 tablespoon STAR Garlic Flavored Olive Oil
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt fresh ground pepper, to taste

Instructions 

1. Preheat oven to 450F. 
2. Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside. 
3. In a large mixing bowl combine trimmed brussel sprouts, olive oil, salt and pepper; mix until well combined. 
4. Transfer brussel sprouts to previously prepared baking sheet; arrange in a single layer and bake for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking. 
5. In the meantime, prepare the salmon. 
6. Drizzle salmon with olive oil. 
7. Evenly divide and press minced garlic on top of each fillet. 
8. Season with oregano, salt and pepper. 
9. Remove baking sheet from oven; move the brussel sprouts around, making 6 empty spots for the salmon fillets. 
10. Place salmon in empty spots and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through.
11. Remove from oven; let stand 2 minutes and serve.

Signers: The Declaration Committee

On June 11, 1776, the Second Continental Congress appointed a committee of five individuals to draft and submit to the Congress for its approval.

The five individuals were:

• John Adams - firebrand member of the Congress, chief advocate for independence, representative from the Massachusetts Bay Colony.  Adams had made a name for himself prior to joining the Congress as an attorney in Massachusetts.  He would, of course go on to serve as the 2nd President of the United States.  Upon his death on July 4, 1826, he outlived by a few hours, his successor as President, 
• Thomas Jefferson - The epitome of the American Renaissance man, Jefferson was the primary scribe of the Declaration of Independence, serving as a delegate from Virginia.  After losing to John Adams in 1796, Jefferson won the presidency in 1800, going on to serve two terms as the 3rd President of the United States.
• Benjamin Franklin - the elder statesman of the Congress, representing Pennsylvania, brought gravitas to the Committee of Five.  After the establishment of the United States, Franklin served as the country's first Postmaster.
• Robert Livingston - from New York, served on the Committee of Five, but was recalled by New York before he could sign the Declaration.  Livingston went on to serve as the nation's first Secretary of Foreign Affairs, the forerunner of Secretary of State.  It was Livingston that administered the Oath of Office to George Washington, inaugurating him as the first President.
• Roger Sherman - was one of the most active members of the Continental Congress, serving on many committees, including the Committee of Five.  He was also very active outside his congressional duties and was later very involved in the Constitutional Convention.  At the time of his death in 1793, Sherman was serving as one of Connecticut's first Senators.

Bonus:

Meet the President of the Continental Congress, John Hancock, of Massachusetts.  No signature on the Declaration of Independence is more prominent than Hancock's.  Hancock was the first to sign the document and opted to sign large enough, "so King George can see that without his glasses" though it is more likely that since he was first, he had an entirely blank space in which to sign.

Lamb and Phyllo Cigars

First of all - a PSA - tomorrow is Candelmas / Groundhog Day - don't forget to make your crepes!

In the Food Section of the Washington Post on January 20, I spotted this recipe.  I might need to work on getting these to the Launchpad table.  Hey I now own a deep fat fryer!

Lamb and Phyllo Cigars
"Frying phyllo almost guarantees a shatteringly crisp crunch; the payoff here is split between the spiced, savory lamb­ and ­pine­nut filling and the sumac­ mint yogurt dipping sauce. You'll need an instant­ read thermometer for monitoring the oil."

Make Ahead: The dipping sauce (without the pomegranate molasses drizzle) can be refrigerated up to 1 day in advance.
SERVINGS: 7 servings, makes 21 cigars

INGREDIENTS FOR THE DIP

• 1 cup plain low­fat Greek­style yogurt 
• 2 tablespoons low­fat milk 
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 
• 6 fresh mint leaves, stacked, rolled and cut into thin ribbons (chiffonade) 
• 1 tablespoon ground sumac 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
• Pomegranate molasses, for drizzling

FOR THE CIGARS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 
• 1 pound ground lamb 
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses 
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts 
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat­leaf parsley or cilantro 
• Peanut or canola oil, for frying 
• 7 sheets phyllo dough (14 by 18 inches), defrosted 1 large egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS

For the dip: Whisk together the yogurt, milk, lemon juice, mint, sumac and salt in a medium bowl until well blended. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (and up to 1 day). 

For the cigars: Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium­high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring several times, until it’s lightly golden.

Add the garlic to the skillet, then the salt, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg and cayenne pepper; cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then add the lamb, breaking it up with your fingers as you go. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the lamb loses its raw look and the spices are evenly distributed. 

Clear a spot at the center of the pan; add the tomato paste and spread it a bit; cook for 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat. Add the pomegranate molasses, pine nuts and the parsley or cilantro, and stir to combine. 

Pour about 3 inches of peanut or canola oil into a deep saute pan; heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Seat a wire cooling rack inside a rimmed baking sheet.

Meanwhile, unroll the phyllo sheets and stack them; cover with damp paper towels. Place one sheet of the phyllo on a clean work surface and coat it with a light application of olive oil cooking spray (or brush lightly with olive oil). Repeat this step to build and coat a second layer. 

Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the sheets in half lengthwise, then cut each of those halves horizontally into 3 rectangles of equal size, so you have 6 rectangles total. 

Use the beaten egg to brush three edges of each phyllo rectangle, leaving one long side plain. Spoon a tablespoon of the lamb mixture an inch inside the unbrushed edge, in a line parallel to the edge, leaving a 1/2 ­inch margin at either end. Roll the dough over the filling, tightly. Once it's rolled, use your fingers to gently push and fold in the sides of the roll. Keep the cigars covered with a damp paper towel. Repeat to use all but 3 tablespoons of the filling, forming 18 cigars.

Spray/brush the last of the phyllo sheets with oil, then fold it in half lengthwise; cut the fold, then cut the folded phyllo into 3 equal rectangles. Repeat the egg­wash, filling, rolling, sealing, spraying and covering steps, so you have a total of 21 cigars. Check to make sure the seams of the phyllo are tightly sealed; if not, brush with more of the egg. (Discard any leftover egg after you're finished frying.) 

Working in batches, gently drop the cigars into the hot oil; fry the cigars for about 3 minutes, turning so they’re evenly and lightly browned. Use tongs to transfer them to the wire rack to cool. (If the cigars open a bit along the seam, you can cut or pinch off that bit.)

Just before serving, drizzle some pomegranate molasses over the dipping sauce. Serve warm or at room temperature, with the sauce.

New Thursday Series: Signers of the Declaration of Independence

It's time for a new list series!  2008, I covered Presidents of the United States. In 2012, I did a series on the States of the Union.  In 2014 it was Countries of the World (UN Member States).  Here in 2016, when we will elect a new President in November, and to commemorate the 240th Anniversary of the Republic - I have chosen to look at the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Now those of you who have been paying attention will note there are only 52 weeks in a year - so 56 signers doesn't work out uniformly.  There was at least one signer from each of the 13 colonies - so one state a month doesn't work out either.  I guess I could do two at a time, which would amount to 28 weeks, which leaves some play in the calendar as well.  Well, I'll figure it out.  We could also abbreviate the run to coincide with Independence Day, some twenty-two weeks away.

Next week, I'll start with the Declaration Committee.  That will get five out of the way right off.  Any guesses before next week?  While you ponder that here's a list of "awesome founding father facts" from BuzzFeed.

1. Two days before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the delegates of the Constitutional Convention threw a party where they consumed 54 bottles of Madeira, 60 bottles of claret, 8 bottles of whiskey, 22 bottles of porter, 8 bottles of hard cider, 12 bottles of beer and 7 bowls of alcoholic punch.
2. Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776 – John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Pretty much everyone else signed it on August 2nd. 
3. The Founding Fathers thought Independence Day would be celebrated on July 2nd. John Adams wrote a letter to his wife that said “the Second of July, 1776, will be the most memorable in the history of America.” 
4. Benjamin Franklin wrote an essay encouraging scholars to find a method for “improving the odor of human flatulence.”
5. At 16, Benjamin Franklin regularly published editorials under the guise of Ms. Silence Dogood, a middle-aged widow character he created. 
6. Benjamin Franklin was not allowed to write the Declaration of Independence because everyone thought that he’s try to slip a joke into the document. 
7. Benjamin Franklin wasn’t very good at math. Most of his experiments with electricity relied on trial and error.
8. Benjamin Franklin coined a number of electrical terms we still use today. These terms include: battery, brush, charged, condense, conductor, plus, minus, positively and negatively. 
9. Benjamin Franklin was an early supporter of abolishment. He tried to abolish slavery in 1790 with a petition to congress. 
10. Benjamin Franklin enjoyed “air baths” – reading or writing in his house completely naked. 
11. Benjamin Franklin thought the Bald Eagle was a bad national symbol because it was “a bird of bad moral character that does not get his living honestly.” 
12. He felt the Turkey would be better because it was a “Bird of Courage”, and “would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards.” 
13. Benjamin Franklin purposely misspelled “Pennsylvania” on the state’s currency. He did so to deter counterfeiters. 
14. Benjamin Franklin thought America should use simplified English spellings. He said words such as “though,” “through,” and “night” should be spelled “tho,” “thru,” and “nite.”
15. Benjamin Franklin was the first to bring tofu into America. 
16. It’s said that about two-thirds of Philadelphia showed up for Benjamin Franklin’s funeral in 1790. 
17. John Adams had a dog named Satan. Satan lived in the White House with the president. 
18. John Adams was the only president from the first five to not hold any slaves. 
19. Alexander Hamilton wasn’t born in the American colonies. He was born on the island Nevis in the West Indies.
20. When he was orphaned at age 13, Alexander Hamilton lied about his age, claiming he was 11 years old in order to make himself a more desirable candidate for a business apprenticeship. Historians still can’t agree on his true age. 
21. Alexander Hamilton founded the New York Post.
22. Coincidentally, Alexander Hamilton was also the first American politician to have his career ruined by a sex scandal. 
23. Alexander Hamilton famously died in a duel with Aaron Burr in Weehawken, NJ. His eldest son, Philip, also died in a duel just three years earlier, also in Weehawken, NJ. 
24. Thomas Jefferson thought the Constitution should have been rewritten every 19 years. 
25. While in England, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams visited William Shakespeare’s house together. They vandalized a chair by chipping off chucks to keep as souvenirs. 
26. Thomas Jefferson could read and write in six languages: Greek, Latin, French, Italian, Spanish, and English. It’s thought that he might have known Arabic, Gaelic, and Welsh too. 
27. Thomas Jefferson introduced macaroni and cheese to the United States. 
28. Thomas Jefferson told Lewis and Clark to keep an eye out for giant sloths while they were on their expedition.
29. Thomas Jefferson donated his own collection of books to start the Library of Congress. He was paid $23,950 for 6,500 of his own books, which he had been collecting for over 50 years. (That’s about $250,000 in today’s money.) 
30. Despite popular belief, Thomas Jefferson probably didn’t smoke marijuana. 
31. James Madison was the smallest President ever. He was 5’4” and only weighed about 100 lbs.
32. Contrary to a rumor started online, James Madison did not appoint a Secretary Of Beer. 
33. When George Washington died in 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte gave a eulogy and ordered a requiem that would last ten days. 
34. George Washington currently has over $300,000 in overdue library fines.
35. George Washington’s wooden teeth were actually partially made from human teeth, which he got from his own slaves. (He paid the slaves for their teeth.) 
36. When he was elected president, George Washington owned the largest whiskey distillery in the country. 
37. George Washington didn’t know that Chinese people weren’t white. He was surprised when he first encountered a Chinese person. 
38. When George Washington found a lost dog during the battle of Germantown, he returned the dog across enemy lines to the dog’s owner, his opponent from the battle, General Howe. 
39. George Washington was afraid of being buried alive. In his will, he asked not to be buried until three days after his death. 
40. It’s Paul Revere, not Sam Adams, on the label of Samuel Adams beer.
41. The Boston Tea Party wasn’t really a protest against over-taxed tea. In fact, the Tea Act actually made legal tea cheaper. It was actually a protest led by smugglers of Dutch Tea, led by John Hancock, who couldn’t compete with legal tea prices. 
42. John Jay didn’t sign the Declaration of Independence. He is thought of as a Founding Father because of his contributions to the framing of the document. 
43. Jay Street in Brooklyn, NY was named for John Jay.
44. Francis Hopkinson was most likely responsible for designing the first U.S. flag. For his work, he asked the government for “a quarter cask of the public wine” as a “reasonable reward” for the job. They never gave it to him. 
45. Robert Morris, Jr. died shortly after attempting to clear a blockage in his penis caused by a urinary tract infection with a whalebone, likely taken from one of his wife’s corsets.

Chicken and Bacon? Sign Me Up

I'm always on the lookout for new ways to make chicken (in the family cookbook - chicken by far has the most recipes).  Someone showed me a way to incorporate bacon AND brussel sprouts AND mashed potatoes!  From a list of chicken recipes from BuzzFeed, this recipe is from Vodka&Biscuits and I am grateful.


Roast Chicken Breast & Brussels Sprouts
Serves 4
Prep Time 25 min
Cook Time 35 min
Total Time 50 min


Ingredients 

• 4 chicken breasts 
• 4-8 pieces of bacon 
• 1 lb. brussels sprouts 
• 1 leek 
• 4 garlic cloves 
• 3 lemon slices 
• 1/2 c. chicken broth 
• salt and pepper 
• 3 sprigs of thyme 
• canola oil as needed 
• 2 T. olive oil 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 
2. Prepare the brussels sprouts by cutting off the stem end then cutting each in half. 
3. Prepare the leek by cutting off the stem end, then slicing the leek into rounds using the white and light green parts only. Add to a bowl of water to rid any dirt, then dry and transfer to a baking dish with the brussels sprouts. 
4. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside until needed.
5. Add enough canola oil to coat a saute pan, then heat to medium. 
6. Sprinkle each breast with salt and pepper then transfer to the hot oil. Allow to brown 3-4 minutes on each side. 
7. You can wrap the bacon before or after this step, totally up to you, just allow the chicken to slightly cool if you're doing it after browning. 
8. Transfer the bacon wrapped chicken to the dish with the vegetables. Add the garlic, lemon slices, thyme, and chicken broth. A splash of wine wouldn't hurt either! 
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until your meat thermometer reaches 160. If you want your bacon to be extra crispy, crank up the broiler and allow to cook under the broiler for a few extra minutes. 
10. Serve over creamy mashed potatoes and enjoy! 

Notes
To help get the bacon super crispy you can wrap it around the chicken before browning, you may just need a toothpick to hold it together!

If you want to make this a true one-dish meal, just add the vegetables, wrapped chicken, and remaining ingredients to the pan and throw it in the oven. The baking time will increase about 20 minutes. You don't have to brown the chicken prior!

Snowzilla 2016 by the numbers

The DMV was slammed with a major snowstorm this weekend.  We got two seasons worth of snow in two days.

100 - the amount of dollars it cost me to get the driveway shoveled.  The best money I ever spent.

41 - the number of Twitter / FB posts during the storm duration.  3 were not storm-related.

36 - number of hours that it snowed, at least.  From 1;15pm until 1:15am Sunday.

23 - the number of inches recorded on the table on the deck - recorded at 11:00pm on Saturday night.

17 - the number of inches recorded at National Airport, the official recording station for the DMV - the number is under scrutiny as they feel they may have not measured correctly.

8 - the number of hours I teleworked on Friday - when the government opened and then closed at noon.

8 - the number of storm-related photos that I posted, 5 from the apocalypse-emptied Shoppers on Thursday night, 1 of knee-high snow, 1 measurement, and 1 of the new deep fat fryer that was purchased to ride out the storm.

5 - the number of times LBA and SoBA went out to play in the snow.

4 - the number of shovels used in clearing the Launchpad.  2 were my own, 2 were brought by the nice folks who came to shovel me out.

4 - the number of onions used to make onion straws on Friday night in the aforementioned new deep fat fryer.

3 - and counting, the number of snow days for LBA and SoBA.  They were off on Thursday after the mini-storm on Wednesday night, then Friday, and school has been canceled for tomorrow.

0 - the number of hours we lost power at the Launchpad, Thanks be to God.

Donut Holes

Today is the day set aside for the "Federally Mandated Playdate" in which several friends and their families come to the launchpad for dinner - today's menu - Chili!  We have dessert - but I would make these - if I had a deep fat fryer, which I still don't.  via BuzzFeed.

Cinnamon Donut Holes

• 150g flour
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 3 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 55g melted butter
• 240ml milk
• 1 egg

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Add melted butter, milk and egg and whisk to combine.  Heat oil in skillet.  Using an ice cream scoop, drop dollops of dough into hot oil.  Turn over once browned on one side.  Remove from oil and place on paper towel.  Sprinkle with cinnamon / powdered sugar mix.

FUDGE! With Mashed Potatoes!

We have a saying at the Launchpad - "don't yuck someone else's yum." For those in need of gluten-free desserts.  Mashed Potatoes!  Who Knew?  From Saveur, via this list on BuzzFeed of gluten-free desserts.

Mashed Potato Fudge

Makes About 1 1/2 Pounds

Ingredients

• 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped 
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing 
• 1 (1-lb.) box confectioners' sugar, sifted 
• 1⁄2 cup plain mashed potatoes 
• 2 tsp. milk 
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract 
• 1⁄8 tsp. kosher salt 
• 1⁄2 cup finely chopped walnuts 

Instructions
Place chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted, 3-5 minutes. Remove bowl from pan and let cool slightly. Stir in sugar, potatoes, milk, vanilla, and salt until dough forms. Using hands, knead dough briefly in bowl until smooth. Press into a greased 8” square pan; sprinkle with the chopped walnuts. Chill fudge 1 hour before cutting into squares.

On the Importance of Diners

What defines a Diner?  Growing up in New York, specifically on Long Island - diners were everywhere and everyone had their favorite.  More often than not, a Friday night at the movies led to me and my friends at the Syosset House Diner for a late night snack.  I even wrote a story about it - but I can't seem to find it.  We had our favorite waitress and the owner always greeted us warmly and most of the time by name.

Heading to a diner after church was a big treat, too - but that didn't happen all that often.  It was nice to be able to get breakfast at any time at the day.  There are no good diners near the launchpad and the few that are around are not good "New York Diners."

What constitutes a diner?  Ed Levine from Serious Eats offers a list (via kottke).

1. Operating hours - if it ain't open 24 hours, it ain't a diner.
2. A common menu - and it better go on for about 50 pages
3. A democratic reception - see my note above, a warm "Hiya Fellas" is essential
4. Quick service - too often, the diners around here have lines, why?
5. Low price point - again, non-NY diners didn't get this memo
6. Seating - I'm a booth kinda guy, especially if they have one of those jukeboxes
7. Familiarity - again see my note about having a favorite waitress and them knowing what you want before you order it
8. All-occasion places - anytime you go there, you don't have to be there for a reason, you're there for good food
9. Parking - have some
10. Culinary anonymity - you don't need to know the name of the guy making your eggs, in fact you may want to just take it on faith that he knows what he's doing

Honey Garlic Chicken Wings

Mrs. BA makes a mean chicken wing.  If she were interested, here's another variety that would be welcomed at the Launchpad on Wing Night.  From a whole list of Chicken Recipes via BuzzFeed, this recipe is from The Endless Meal.

Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Wings

Ingredients

• 2 lb. chicken wings 
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil 
• 1 teaspoon sea salt 
• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper 
• Cilantro and sesame seeds, for garnish 

For the glaze: 

• ⅓ cup honey 
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger 
• 2 large garlic cloves, very finely minced 
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil 
• ⅛-1/4 teaspoon chili flakes

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. 
2. Place the chicken wings in a large bowl and toss them with the 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, sea salt and pepper. Place them on the prepared baking tray and put them in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until they are crispy. 
3. While the chicken wings are baking, make the glaze. Add all the glaze ingredients to a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Boil rapidly for 3-4 minutes, or until the glaze has reduced to ⅓ cup. Remove from the heat. 
4. Once the chicken wings are crispy remove them from the oven and toss them with the glaze. Sprinkle some cilantro and toasted sesame seeds over top and serve immediately.

The 2015 Twelve Posts of Christmas #12

This year the Brave Astronaut Resolves:

1.  To yell less.  I work on this one every year.  It's possibly the hardest one.

2.  To work on the Launchpad.  I am proposing one room a month - and somewhere in there - working on the outside.  Check back here for progress updates.

3.  To do my jobs better.  Be a better husband, be a better father, be a better government worker.

4.  Lose weight.  My goal is to lose enough weight that my sleep apnea will not be an issue and I won't have to bring my sleep machine with me on the family trip to France, scheduled for May.

5.  Make a better daily schedule.  I'd like to start my work day earlier - which would lead to changes in how the home morning routine is managed - and then hopefully be able to get the boys from school earlier and not be having dinner at 7:30-8:00 each evening.