Meringues...

There were always meringues at any given local bakery in Australia, along with other usual fare.  Crunchy, sweet, a little chewy in the middle, a few happy little sprinkles on top.  Very light, void of fat...

...ok, void of real nutrients too, but not really the point here huh.

...and perfect for a summer day, or a kids birthday party.

Meringue is wonderfully versatile, and can be used as a base for more eleborate desserts, served with ice cream or simply eaten as they are.  And of course, they are perfect for Christmas.  You can add coloring and/or flavoring.  As mentioned, in Australia, they always have little colored sprinkles, so feel free to add them to the top before baking.

Preheat oven to 250F or 120c.

You'll need:

Ziploc bag with a corner cut off, or piping bag, large coupler and tip.  I like the star tip.  Cooking parchment paper or 'greaseproof' paper

2 egg whites

1/2 cup of sugar (castor sugar, 'berry sugar' or superfine sugar if you have it),

2 pinches of Cream of Tartar (available in the spice aisle)

and a dash of vanilla or other flavoring.

Beat egg white and cream of tartar in an electric mixer until very stiff, then gradually add sugar. 

Tip: is not to add a whole lot at one time, add in 1/4 amounts, reduce the speed while adding. 

Scrape sides and bottom after each addition, and beat until a good portion of the sugar has dissolved.  If you have superfine or castor sugar, you should be able to get almost all of the sugar dissolved.

Keep going until all the sugar has been added, and it will resemble this:

Add a dash of vanilla and beat until blended.

Fill the prepared bag with the meringue, and pipe onto a tray lined with cooking parchment (or greaseproof) paper.  You can make these large or small.  Its entirely up to you.  They will expand a little while cooking, but not much.  I made smaller ones here (about 2" diameter), but my girls like larger ones (3" diameter)

Place tray in oven and bake for about 35-40 minutes.  Meringues should release easily from the paper when they are done.  They are fragile, so be careful not to squeeze them too hard.  Though I can totally understand if you do.  Ooops, it broke, I better eat it....

Let them cool on a rack, and then enjoy, or keep in an airtight container for up to a week. 

see ya later,

Helen

Turn Left on Route 66: A Thanksgiving Special...

By 5:30am we had organized, packed the dog into the car and pulled out into the chilly 47 degree F morning.  It took approximately 15 minutes of whining and yips before Molly got a chance to stick her face out the window.  And by 7am she realized that we were not opening that window for her again.

Several hours later, and well into Oklahoma, quickly approaching Missouri, we were on familiar road, a road that had intrigued me with its history for a long time.  Just that I had the opportunity to travel on the Historic Route 66 was enough to make me happy, enough to say I had done it, traveled along another area that held some significance, and one that I never thought I'd have the opportunity to do.  Yet, this was our 3rd return trip along the path.

The left turn off I-44 onto route 66 brings us to the curvy mountain road toward St. Louis where the old style service station should be.  The station I have been attempting to get a photo of since the first time I laid eyes on it, but somehow, despite my attempts and determination to rediscover its location, I keep missing it.  This time, I have begun to wonder if it was a phantom.  It is driving me just a little crazy.

While Route 66 has some historical significance, we're driving on it for another reason, to meet with our missing family member (my husband) for Thanksgiving.  But the history of the road compels me to think of who traveled on this road before, and who was thankful that it was around back then.   We're thankful we can travel on such a significant road, that history plays a part in our travel and makes it a little more interesting than perhaps if it was a dusty trail.  Of course I could go on about the other things we're thankful for, but I'm all for recognizing the less obvious things too, like the roads, the ability to travel and the relative safety in it.  The ability to visit family and friends when we like and the interesting things we can think about while we're doing it.

If you're traveling, stay safe.  Don't tailgate.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Crutches, Teens and Shiny Things...

If you were EVER worried about your young teen girl having crutches, I can confidently say, don't. 

Along with the usual things, such as self made animal print pillows, sheer black spotty curtains - the ones we saw in Target yesterday, posters adorning the walls, and the upcoming latest Twilight, there appears to be an insatiable desire to bling stuff out, or at least add a peace sign where ever possible.

Hospitals incidently, are usually where one finds crutches. Well, duh... right? But let me point something out here. You might worry about a sprained ankle, but your child will see only bling heaven. The thought of something to decorate! With shiny things! A new raw canvas - blank metal!

Craft stores, Walmart and Target have bling - pearls, gems, glittery things, in quantity with varying price points, which can be fantastic when we have to rush out and immediately get something like say, pearls, gems...  $2 can be cheap teen bliss.  And lets not kid around,  teen bliss sometimes can be more likely, parental bliss.

And I'm not necessarily talking about artsy girls either here.  There is absolutely NO need to worry about set of boring, plain, metal crutches when there is a 13 year old girl around.

Finished result, a pair of crutches definately show worthy.  Take to school worthy.  Crutches friends will take for a spin, worthy.  And they did. 

I can also assure you that should your child wish to bling blank metal, it is not strange. Noooo Ma'am... or Sir..

As we stepped into the barren halls of Awesome Heights Middle School (fashionably late that morning) one of Erins guy/bloke teachers, after the usual and obvious questions, mentioned, or perhaps naively suggested, that she may have something new to bling.  With a swift lift of one crutch, positioned to diplay the row of black and white pearls, was the reply,

"I already have"

And there was an air of disbelief, the upward stare, then the drop and defeated slow shaking of the head, he again briefly looked at the crutch and then sauntered into the office, one upped by a 13 year old girl.   Silly man.  I mean, like, you know, bling! So obviously necessary.

Cheers,
Helen

Water!!

This is Molly, and she is a tad silly.

Oh, I know, she doesn't look like it here, but believe me, she is definately a character.  Deceivingly mellow, isn't she...

We know she is part German Shepherd, and possibly part Catahoula Leopard dog, and she talks. Ask her anything, she will respond with a concurrent stream of whines and yips.  But what Molly is known for in these parts is 'playing water'

Molly, want to play water? 10, 9, 8....

 
Molly, play water? 7, 6, 5...

Water Molly? 4, 3, 2, .. and commence conversation ... 1, 0...

and we have lift off!...

What is that blur, you ask, why, that's Molly in her preferred method of transportation, The Rush, also known as The Train Wreck on her way to the back door, where she will commence on climbing (almost) up the wall, jumping back and forth in anticipation, rollicking, caracoling and talking..lots of talking, in compilation with obedient sitting and tail wagging, sometimes she just can't make up her mind, its all very exciting.  Jump, sit, rollick, sit..stand, no sit again, rollick, open the door already, sit, jump and so on.  Its the sheer focus on that door that should be admired.  Then we get outside and its immediate... 

dog in wait... mellow, yet dramatic..

and.... pause.  Notice the pointer foot there wall side?.  Its called the 'pose' (she is a very young teenager in people years you know) and darn it, you better get your butt there or she'll come back and make sure you know how to get to the hose. 

Then we have the stand and stare and... wait for it, wait for it..

Strike! We're off!!...

and that's pretty much how it goes, all over the back yard for as long as you want.  Then when the water is 'all gone'  we have the shake, and the happy prance, and another great water hunt and destroy mission accomplished.  She has the routine down pretty well.  She doesn't care how cold it is outside...

just as long as it isn't raining... 

catch ya later

w&w