February 24, 2015

  • Arctic Amusements

    How does one amuse oneself when one lives in an arctic wasteland? Okay, maybe not a wasteland, but sometimes the snow is so thick in the air it's hard to tell the difference between frozen cornfields and wasteland.

    It's really cold. I know this because when I woke up this morning and looked out the window, I noticed that the wind wasn't blowing hard enough to cause the whiteout conditions that were in the forecast, so I threw on some clothes, shoved snow off the van and drove to The 'Ville to pay an insurance bill. Yep... maybe not quite as windy as expected, but ridiculously cold anyway. I was wearing my super insulated parka that only comes out when it's super cold, and I didn't start feeling overheated until I was nearly home.

    I was about to go straight to the insurance agency when I thought to myself, "Self, you are already out, the roads are relatively clear and visibility is good; you should go pick up that prescription your doctor has waiting for you at the clinic." So I turned right instead of going straight and headed toward the clinic.

    Before I got there, I saw the grocery store and thought to myself, "Self, you forgot to look for cinnamon chips for those muffins you keep thinking about making. There's the grocery store, right on the way to the clinic; you should stop and look for cinnamon chips." So I stopped and sure enough, they didn't have cinnamon chips, either (I'd looked for them at Meijer when I did my major grocery shopping). By then, the idea of muffins had taken hold, which may have had something to do with me rushing off without breakfast, so I grabbed some chocolate chips and some butterscotch chips and some brown sugar and headed to the checkout. One register was open and there was a line of people with full shopping carts waiting, so I went to the customer service counter. The person at the counter was doing something Very Important and didn't even acknowledge that I was there. If she'd said, "I'll be with you in a moment," I would have waited, but being ignored completely pissed me off and I went back to the baking aisle and put everything back and left the store. The customer service person tried to say something to me as I went past on my way out the door, but I didn't pause to listen.

    I drove on to the clinic and picked up my prescription, then headed toward the insurance agency, except I screwed up and turned right instead of left because after 23 years I still think the clinic is further south than it really is. No problem, I could just go up a few blocks, turn left and make my way to the insurance agency. This route took me right past Meijer, so I said to myself, "Self, you are still wanting to bake those muffins. You should stop and get some baking chips and brown sugar." So I did, and I was able to check myself out without waiting.

    I finally made it to the insurance agency and paid my bill. It only took a couple of minutes. I decided I was too cold and tired to stop at the gas station on my way home, but I managed a quick stop at the post office to pick up yesterday's mail. None of this, however much time it burns on an otherwise cold and boring day, is what I do to amuse myself. If you know me at all, you know what I do.

    2.24 muffins

    I bake! When I got home, I whipped up some butter rum muffins. They turned out pretty tasty. In the past few weeks, I have also made at least three types of bread and one batch of cookies. It's getting ridiculous. Yesterday I had two overripe bananas and, since there is already a loaf of banana bread in the freezer, I used them - along with some peanutbutter and oatmeal - to make dog treats.

    2.23 dog treats

    I've made two other types of dog treats in the past week or so. If I'm going to get as big as a house eating homemade bread, muffins and cookies, Boo is going down with me.

Comments (15)

  • Wow, your dog really eats well ~ homemade food! :) The muffins sound amazing ~

    • I've made treats for his bad breath for a few years now. Only recently have I begun experimenting with other dog treat recipes. It's getting to the point that I don't even trust some of the Made in USA treats to be safe.

  • That's a lot of running around on a day that's cold enough for your parka! Those doggie treats sound delicious! What do the Eskimos do on cold days? -- they play outdoor games. They make a monster trampoline of animal skins, then the entire village holds the tramp at shoulder height, they put one person on top, and they see how high they can bounce that person! It's a unique way to stay warm and to socialize enough to keep from being depressed!

  • Your muffins look good. what do you use to make the glazing?

    I think baking, watching movies, board games and sex are some of the best indoor winter activities. When weather warms enough to allow going out for a bit, then making snowmen (yes even as an adult), snowshoe racing across the backyard and laughing about how many times I fall down, snowball fights, watching the dog search frantically through the snow for the lost snowball, throwing birdseed out and watching which feathered and furry friends come to eat, and watching my breath in the air are pretty cool things too.

    Of course chores sometimes have to get done too, and I'm glad your car didn't go off the road and that you didn't fall on a patch of ice. Be careful. I hope spring comes reasonably for you. (I'm not wishing it for here though b/c that means it will soon get TOO hot and humid)

    • The glaze is just a cup of powdered sugar, about a half-teaspoon of flavoring (sometimes vanilla, sometimes almond extract, sometimes lemon or orange juice, this time rum flavoring) and dribble in milk until it's the right consistency. Sounds simple, but it took me years to get develop just the right touch.

  • I'm still not driving, so I'm staying in and doing some cooking, but not nearly as much as you. How are the banana peanut butter oatmeal treats? Does Boo like them? Did you taste them?

    • I haven't tasted them, but Boo likes them. I made them much thinner than the recipe called for because I really don't want Boo to put on a lot of winter weight.

  • Butter rum muffins would get my vote if they had raisins in them!!! Boo is one lucky dog. Ranger has trouble with the hard and crunchy treats. When we are done with the Milk Bones we will be getting the soft treats only...

    • Poor Ranger! The dog treats are really thin, more crispy than crunchy.

      I don't think these muffins would be very good with raisins in them.

  • I am so delighted to see that I am not the only person who talks to my self. Winter wasteland is a gross understatement. I can't remember a winter quite as wintery as this one has been.

    Spring is just around the corner, but probably not around the next corner, nor the one after that. Maybe the one after the one after that...

    • Last winter was worse for us, but this one has come pretty close to sinking to last winter's level.

  • Butter rum muffins.... I think I need that recipe!! And are those cinnamon cookies? You're making me hungry here.

    • I'm not sure I could remember exactly how I made them. I started with the basic muffin recipe in the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, and added rum flavoring, applesauce, and butterscotch chips. I'll have to look up the recipe and try to remember if I added anything else.

  • The cold snow incites to bake . At least we have the warmth of the oven and caloric muffin in the stomach .
    I heard d at the French TV the low temperatures in the US . You are right, do not forget your parka oitside and take care to the driving!
    Love
    Michel

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