10 October 2020 - Plague Journal Day 212

Micah 6:8
Numbers 11:7-9
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

This is World Mental Health Day. I'm pretty sure the tagline is: "Stop being mental and get healthy." That sounds more easily said than done, no? (On a more serious note, check the bottom of this post for something important.)

Shockingly, this is a day where we might actually have dessert after dinner. Why? Well simply because it's National Angel Food Cake Day, and angel food cake on the grill is probably the best dessert known to man (or woman). 

A further note - tomorrow GPUMC finally meets for worship in our sanctuary for the first time since March. It's going to be great to hear the organ and see the windows from the inside again. Sadly, we'll be limiting our attendance, so I can't make a blanket invitation as I generally do. Check tomorrow's post for the streaming information.

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

10 July 2020 - Plague Journal Day 120

Micah 6:8
Psalm 119:102-105
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Friday is a good day for dessert, no? If you didn't have a chance to make that beef tenderloin on the grill yesterday (you did read my post yesterday, didn't you?), then maybe today would be a good day to do that.
Why not fire up the grill, roast that nice tenderloin, maybe a few potatoes and some asparagus (those are both great on the grill, you know), and then you can whip up a quick dessert afterward on the residual coals.
What dessert can you make on the grill? I'm glad you asked. Have you ever had grilled angel food cake? If you have, you're ready to have it again. If you haven't, it's high time you joined the cool kids and get with the program, so to speak.
It's really quite simple. Take a store-bought angel food cake (I assume it's possible to make them at home, but I've never had the inclination, I guess) and cut it into eight (8) wedges. Spray them with a little cooking spray and place them on the grill cut side down. (Yes, there are two cut sides - we'll get to that shortly.)
Once the first side has toasted - don't let it char! - flip to the other cut side for a similar amount of time and toasted-ness. That's it - unless you want to toast one of the other sides, but that's probably more heat than that little piece of cake wants to take. Remove from the grill and serve on a dessert plate.
Ideally you'll have some homemade black raspberry sauce and whipped cream to adorn the cake, but any sauce (even chocolate syrup) will work. Once you've done this, you won't really want the original, un-grilled version anymore.
You're welcome.


Oh, and be careful not to step on a bee!

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.

Carnage du Jour - 28 May 2017

This will be a huge departure for me - dessert.

That's right, I'm actually going to recommend a dessert here.

Over the years our family has often enjoyed a very simple dessert of angel food cake and strawberry cream. That's what I'm going to suggest here, but with a twist.

The strawberry cream is simply a blend of whipped cream and (thawed) frozen strawberries in their juicy/syrupy stuff. Just thaw them and stir into whipped cream until it seems like the right proportion for you, add a dollop onto the cake and enjoy.

Now for the upgrade.

First, fire up the grill.
Next, slice the cake into serving-sized pieces.
Then simply spray a little cooking spray on the cake (that's just so it doesn't stick) and drop it on the grill.
Turn it to the other cut (and sprayed) side once you have nice grill marks on the first side, and remove when both of them look nice and toasty.

That's it. Remove from the grill, place on a plate, pop some strawberry cream on that cake, and enjoy.

It's actually wonderful - the cake almost tastes like a toasted marshmallow.

Highly recommended,
Enjoy!