Recipes and Randomness, a Random and Happy Tuesday Post

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It's time once again for a random and happy Tuesday, linking up with Stacy's Random Thoughts at Stacy Uncorked and Sandee at Comedy Plus.  

It's also time for the cookie recipe swap done every year by my friend Jz.  

Please note if you visit her, she sometimes posts content that is higher than a PG rating, and so do some of her other friends whose recipes are linked below.  Please know i am endorsing only those posts which contain a recipe.  After all, who doesn't like getting new recipes for delights at this time of year!

The other participants this year are:
Baker
blossom
Cat
greengirl
Hermione
Jz
Lindy
little monkey
Mrs. Fever
olivia
Ronnie
Ryan
Sassy
Selkie (her recipe will be on Jz’s blog, link above)
morningstar

While it is technically a cookie recipe swap, any kind of treat is allowed, so i am sharing the recipe for our family favorite, hojaldras.  Everyone in the family loves these, they are a typical sweet, fried cake, such as almost every culture has. 

Hojaldras

The original old family recipe:

~10c flour

~2c sugar

1c water

1c melted Crisco

5 eggs

Mix and knead for one hour. Let the dough rest an hour, then knead for another hour. Roll into balls and let rest another hour.

Melt enough Crisco in the cast iron skillet to float a battleship -- you want the dough to not touch the bottom.

Press each ball of dough out by hand until very flat, cut 3 vent slices in the middle (like you would in a top pie crust), and fry until crisp. Drain each one on a fresh paper towel.

My version

5c flour

1c sugar

1/2 c water

1/2 c no name brand vegetable shortening(don't have to melt it)

3 medium eggs

Put it all in the bread maker and select "dough only" setting.

When it's done, and you get good and ready, melt half shortening and half cheap vegetable oil in the skillet.

Pull off dough in small handfuls and roll out with the rolling pin. Cut vent slices and fry.

Drain on a paper towel, but not one for each hojaldra, those doggone paper towels are too expensive now to do that!

With either version, store in a paper bag. Not sure why, but that's what the family always did. My dad freezes them in the bag, and pulls out one each day.

Yes, my version is cheaper, easier, and Grandpa, who grew up eating them made the old way, can't tell the difference.

That is one part of today's random, and here's another.  Mr. BA was telling a story about when he'd hired a new employee at work, and told the guy to go over the documents and highlight the errors.  The employee did a fabulous job of it, and said, "Sir, look at these mistakes!  You're going to have to do better!"

Mr. BA responded with, "George, catching the mistakes is your job.  If I was perfect, I wouldn't need you!"

He says they got along great after that.

Someone asked one of the men at church this past Sunday, "What are you thinking about?" as he stared off into space.

"Just contemplating what's going on at work.  I'm trying figure out how to get money into the bank faster than my wife can get it out, but it's not working."

Said someone then remarked, "I never see her in the same outfit twice, that's for sure."

He answered back, "Yep, then she wonders why we can't have a bigger house.  And she's smart!  She's got a degree!  Well, maybe she's smart, but not about this!”

And now, just when you thought you’d seen everything:

Have a great Tuesday, everyone!

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Today is:

Chief Red Cloud Day -- marking the Sioux leader's death in 1909; defender of Native rights, son of Lone Man and Walks As She Thinks

Constitution Day -- Thailand

Dewey Decimal System Day -- anniversary of Melvil Dewey's birth

Do Something Wild and Crazy with Velveeta Day -- guess they mean besides turn it into Hillbilly Hor d'oeuvres (melted with Rotel and served with chips)

Human Rights and Peace Day -- Kiribati

International Animal Rights Day

International Human Rights Day -- anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948

Jane Addams Day -- Hull House Museum, Chicago, IL, US (sponsored by the American Association of University Women-Illinois) 

Lux Mundi -- Ancient Roman Calendar (honoring Libertas as the bringer of light into the world)

National Lager Day

Nobeldagen -- Sweden (Alfred Nobel Day, presentations of the Nobel Prizes at the Stockholm Concert Hall)

    Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony -- Oslo City Hall, Oslo, Norway

Sister-Friend Day -- internet generated, but if you have a sister who is a good friend to you, it's worth celebrating

St. Eulalia of Merida's Day (Patron of runaways, torture victims, widows; Merida, Spain; Oviedo, Spain)

Whirling Dervishes Festival -- Konya, Turkey (through the 17th)

Anniversaries Today:

Mississippi becomes the 20th US State, 1817

Birthdays Today:

Raven-Symone, 1985

Bobby Flay, 1964

Kenneth Branagh, 1960

Susan Dey, 1952

Gloria Loring, 1946

Dan Blocker, 1928

Harold Gould, 1923

Dorothy Lamour, 1914

Chet Huntley, 1911

Hermes "Pan" Panagiotopolous, 1909

Mary Norton, 1903

Melvil Dewey, 1851

Emily Dickinson, 1830

Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, 1787

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Wings Over America"(Album release), 1976

Lawrence of Arabia(Film), 1962

"The Mighty Mouse Playhouse" (TV), 1955

Grand Ole Opry (first radio broadcast), 1927

Today in History:

Martin Luther publicly burns the papal edict demanding that he recant, 1520

Isaac Newton's paper De Motu Corporum in Gyrum, containing the derivation of Kepler's laws from his theory of gravity, is read to the Royal Society by Edmund Halley, 1684

The Massachusetts Bay Colony becomes the first American Colonial government to borrow money, 1690

The metric system is formally established in France, 1799

The first traffic lights are installed outside the Palace of Westminster in London, 1868

Women's suffrage is granted in Wyoming Territory, the first in the US, 1869

Women are granted suffrage in Tasmania, 1902

The 10,000,000th Model T Ford is assembled, 1915

The Grand Ole Opry makes its radio debut, in Nashville, Tn, 1927

UN General Assembly adopts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948

Ralph J Bunche becomes the first black to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, 1950

The United Nations General Assembly approves Pakistan's proposal for establishing nuclear free-zone in South Asia, 1981

The last shift leaves Wearmouth Colliery in Sunderland; the closure of the 156-year-old pit marks the end of the old County Durham coalfield, which had been in operation since the Middle Ages, 1993

An archive documenting the genocide of the Tutsis in Rwanda is revealed in the capital city of Kigali, 2010

Mary Barra of General Motors becomes the first female CEO of a major automotive company, 2013

Governor Jerry Brown tours Southern Californian wildfires and declares them "the new normal", 2017

For Cat Who Likes Llamas (Wordless Wednesday), Words for Wednesday, and The Cookie Recipe Exchange

(Because some people like Blogger and some like WordPress, i am putting the same content at both.  If you would prefer to read this on the other site, it is linked here.) 

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Linking up with Wordless Wednesday and Sandee at Comedy Plus.     

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Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and has become a moveable feast of word or picture or music prompts that encourages us to write stories, poems, or whatever strikes our fancy.    

This month, the prompts are being provided by River at Drifting Through Life.

This week's words are:

1. noose

2. moose

3. soon

4. omen

5. shoe

6. onion

and/or:

1. hourglass

2. fireplace

3. fragment

4. paradise

5. discussing

6. wondering

"Why do I put this around my neck like a NOOSE?  I would almost rather be a MOOSE!  And why do I feel like channeling Dr. Seuss?"  He stood before the mirror, retying the tie he loathed more than any other article of clothing he owned, which explained why he owned only one.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, coming into the bathroom carrying one SHOE.  "Have you seen the mate to this?"

"Just DISCUSSING with the mirror how much I love wearing a necktie," he said with a bit of a smirk.  "And I was WONDERING why there was a shoe on the shelf with the towels," he continued, handing her the one she wanted.

"Oh, I must have set it there when you yelled for me to come help with the FIREPLACE.  I don't know what's happening with me, I keep getting so distracted.  Yesterday it was an ONION set on the computer table, today I'm putting shoes on the towel rack.  Does pregnancy do this to women's brains? Is this an OMEN of what's to come?  I mean, I'm willing to have my HOURGLASS figure replaced with baby stretch marks, but do I have to lose my brains, too?"

"Just part of the PARADISE that is parenthood, I guess," he said, giving her a hug.  "I think it will get better, right now you are still morning sick and we're new to the whole thing and that's enough to distract anyone."

"I hope so, I hate it when a FRAGMENT of a thought goes through my brain so fast I can't even catch it.  I'm dropping the ball a bit too often these days, and SOON I won't be in any shape to bend over and pick it up!"

"We'll pick it up together, don't worry," he said.  "Right now, though, we need to get going or we'll be late."

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One of the things you will find if you read below is that today is Swap a Christmas Cookie Recipe Day.  My friend Jz is doing just that, hosting a cookie recipe exchange.

Please note if you visit her, she sometimes posts content that is higher than a PG rating, and so do some of her other friends whose recipes will be linked.  Please know i am endorsing only those posts which contain a recipe.  After all, who doesn't like getting new recipes for delights at this time of year!

My recipe is for what we call Fudgie Buddies. They are very similar to the flourless cakes that were the rage several years ago.  They should look dry and crackly like brownies, but be soft and fudgy on the inside.

While i've never tried making them gluten free, it might be possible with a very bland wheat flour substitute.  The chocolate flavor would probably cover it.

1 bag semisweet chocolate chips (12 ounces)

2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate (2 ounces)

2 tablespoons salted butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

dash salt

2 eggs

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

optional: 1 cup chopped nuts, or raisins, or both if you like (or neither if someone is allergic to nuts and raisins aren't your thing)

Melt the butter over low heat, then add one cup of the semisweet chips and both squares of baking chocolate.  Stir constantly until it's all melted together, then scrape into a mixing bowl and let it cool a little. (Or leave it in the pot to cool a bit and mix the rest in the pot the way i do, it dirties up fewer things.) 

Stir together the flour, baking powder, and just a dash of salt and set aside (i always put it in a little plastic leftovers container and shake it to mix).

Add the eggs, sugar and vanilla to the chocolate mixture and stir well.  Add the flour mixture and stir well again.

Stir in the other cup of chocolate chips from the bag and nuts or raisins if you want.

Drop by the spoonful onto a lightly greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until the edges are firm and on the outside they look dull and cracked, like brownies.  How long it takes to bake depends on the size, if you use small spoonfuls, it will be about 8-10 minutes and you will get about 36 cookies.  If you use huge spoonfuls like i do, it will take about 10-12 minutes and you will only get 18 cookies.

Once done, let them sit on the cookie sheet for a moment, then remove them and let them cool (if you don't have your family hovering to take them while they are still warm).

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Today is:

AFL-CIO Day (date of merger in 1955)

Bathtub Party Day -- celebrate how much fun it is to take a nice, long, hot bath in these days when showers prevail; sponsored by Wellcat Holidays

Boycott Day -- commemoration of the city bus boycott begun this day in 1959 in Birmingham, AL, US in response to the arrest of Rosa Parks

Constitution Day -- Sudan

Day of the Ninja -- sponsored by Ninja Burger! with its own website    

Dingle-Fritter, Gooseberry Humple, Tiger-Get-By, LoneFolding, and Zimbor-Quattor's (Multiple Squishing of) Celebration -- Fairy Calendar

Discovery Day -- Haiti

International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development -- UN

King's Birthday -- Thailand, also National Day and Father's Day (for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s birth anniversary, the founder and "father" of the nation)

National Sacher Torte Day

Nones of December -- Ancient Roman Calendar; also observed

    Faunalia -- rural festival of Faunus

Repeal Day -- US (celebrating the repeal of Prohibition)

Special Kids Day -- a day to make sure special needs kids get to visit Santa with whatever accomodations they require    

St. Bassus of Nice's Day (Patron of Nice, France)

St. Nicholas' Eve  -- Belgium; Czech Republic; Hungary; Netherlands; Romania; Slovakia; parts of the UK; special observances include

     Avond -- Leewvarden, West Friesland (St. Nicholas visits and, if you are good, promises to return with trinkets and candies, which are left in waiting shoes)

     Bonhomme Noel -- France (Celebration of "Goodman Christmas")

     Klausjagen -- Arth and Kussnacht, Switzerland (with a procession of mitre-wearing figures by the Lake of Four Cantons)

     Krampuslauf -- Austria (St. Nicholas celebration, which begins the evening before the Saint's day, involving chasing and throwing snowballs at the Krampus, the imp who travels with St. Nick to punish the bad children)

     Zwarte Piet -- "Black Peter", the companion of St. Nicholas who keeps track of the good and bad children, arrives in many areas tonight

Swap a Christmas Cookie Recipe Day -- because it's fun to try new ones

World Soil Day -- International Union of Soil Sciences     

Birthdays Today:

Frankie Muniz, 1985

Margaret Cho, 1968

Gary Allan, 1967

John Rzeznik, 1965

Art Monk, 1957

Morgan Brittany, 1950

Jim Messina, 1947

Jose Carreras, 1946

Jeroen Krabbe, 1944

J.J. Cale, 1938

Chad Mitchell, 1936

Calvin Trillin, 1935

Joan Didion, 1934

Little Richard, 1932

Otto Preminger, 1906

Strom Thurmond, 1902

Walt Disney, 1901

Bill Picket, 1870

George Armstrong Custer, 1839

Christina Rossetti, 1830

Martin Van Buren, 1782

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Catskills on Broadway"(Revue), 1991

"I Do! I Do!"(Musical), 1966

"Band on the Run"(Album), 1973 (US release date)

"The Dark at the Top of the Stairs"(Inge play), 1957

"The Abbot and Costello Show"(TV), 1952

"Dragnet"(TV), 1951

"Kejser og Gililaer/Emperor and Galilean"(Ibsen play), 1896

"Symphonie Fantastique"(Berlioz symphony), 1830

Today in History:

Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations, BC63

An earthquake in Naples leave about 35,000 dead, 1465

All Jews are expelled from Portugal by order of King Manuel I, 1496

London auctioneers Christie's hold their first sale, 1766

Henry Knox begins the transport of Fort Ticonderoga artillery to Cambridge, Massachusetts, a key to later forcing the British Fleet out of Boston Harbor, 1775

C F Schoenbein obtains patent for cellulose nitrate explosive, 1846

President Polk confirms that gold has been discovered in California, triggering the next year's "Gold Rush", 1848

Daniel Stillson of Massachusetts patents the first practical pipe wrench, 1876

The first automated telephone switching system is patented, 1879

The first electric car makes its debut; it could go 15 miles between charges, 1893

University of Pittsburg makes the first use of numbers on football jerseys, 1908

The American League for Physical Culture is founded in NYC, the first US nudist organization, 1929

The 21st Amendment, which repealed Prohibition, is ratified, 1933

Sister Elizabeth Kenny's new treatment for infantile paralysis receives approval, 1941 

A cold fog descends upon London, combining with air pollution and killing at least 12,000 in the weeks and months that follow, 1952

The United Nations General Assembly adopts Pakistan's resolution on security of non-Nuclear States, 1976

Shuttle Atlantis launches world's 1st nuclear-war-fighting satellite. 1988

The Civil Partnership Act comes into effect in the United Kingdom, and the first civil partnership is registered there, 2005

Human remains previously found in 1991 are finally identified by Russian and American scientists as those of Tsar Nicholas II, 2008

Malta becomes the first country in Europe to outlaw conversion therapy, 2015

Russia is banned from the next Winter Olympics in South Korea over state-sponsored doping, 2017