For Ina

Muffins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

*****
Ingredients:
1 egg (or the equivalent in Ener-G Egg Replacer)
3/4 cup milk (or buttermilk or almond milk or soy milk)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups of unbleached flour (stirred before measuring -- you may also use half whole wheat flour or a mixture of oat, rice, and other flours, or all gluten-free flours [although the muffins may not be as light, the recipe will work with a GF mixture -- you may have to play with the proportions to get the texture exactly right])
2-1/4 teaspoons of non-aluminum, double-acting baking powder (e.g., Rumford)
1/2 teaspoon salt
If you use buttermilk, add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. Otherwise, leave it out.
*****
Method:
Beat the eggs slightly and mix well with the milk and oil.
Stir the dry ingredients together, and then stir them into the wet ingredients, mixing well with a wooden spoon. (Don't worry if the batter is not completely smooth--it's best not to over beat it.)
If the batter seems stiff, add a little water.
Stir in your additions, if any. (See below.)
Fill lined muffin cups about 4/5 full.
Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Yield: 12 muffins

*****
Additions:
For blueberries: Add as many blueberries as the batter will hold (1 cup or more, depending on their size).
This recipe also works well substituting cranberries and nuts or chocolate chips or almonds and coconut, etc., for the blueberries.
Or, shred a small apple, and add it to the batter with some cinnamon and nutmeg, and maybe some chopped pecans. (The apple variety works well with the vegan, egg-free, dairy-free option.)
A mashed banana and some chopped walnuts work well.
Or leave out the sugar and add a cup of shredded cheddar cheese. (Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with more shredded cheese before baking them.)
Or think of something else! This recipe is very forgiving.

Christmas cookies 2009

Made a few different varieties this year.

Lovely Friday cat blogging

The larger cat is Jude, my first cat, at age nine months, around August 1970. The smaller cat is Clotilde; it was her first day at our house.

Jude lived 19 years, 8 months, and 1 day. He was a spectacularly wonderful cat -- vocal, affectionate, fastidious in his personal habits, and a great watch cat for Older Child Soprano when she was a baby. We had to put him down on Older Child's second birthday. I still miss him nearly twenty years later.

Poster from original Mexico City production of the Jacobs/Casey Broadway musical Grease

Class of 1967 Reunion

Classmates who have passed away

Lake View High School
Class of 1967
40-Year Reunion

Friday Cat Blogging II



Above: Nomad, aka Mr. Nomadsky

Below: Tom Thumb, in one of his favorite hiding places

Recipe, by request...

Spinning Salad Bowl Dressing
(from Don Roth's Blackhawk Restaurant, Chicago)

3 large egg yolks
Juice of one medium lemon
1 pint salad oil (not corn oil)
6 ounces red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon English dry mustard (Colman's is good)
1/2 teaspoon each: paprika and salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 cup each: chopped chives and Durkee's Sauce
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or 1 clove fresh garlic, finely minced)

Whip egg yolks in blender for two minutes at medium speed. Add lemon juice and continue blending for one minute. Slowly add salad oil and continue blending until mixture is consistency of mayonnaise. Add wine vinegar and, when thoroughly blended, reduce speed to low. Add remaining ingredients, blending until smooth.
Makes about one quart.

I have made this without the Durkee's Sauce, and it is just as good without.

This dressing will take you back to Wabash Avenue.

Now, if I could just get the recipe for cheese strudel from the Epicurean (another late, great restaurant from the heyday of South Wabash). Or the cream of mushroom soup from the (late, great) Bon Ton on Rush. Or the apple pancake from the (late, great) Red Star Inn when it was still on Clark...