AMD inside

The AMD sticker came of my laptop the other day. This is where I found it.

I don't really believe the processor speed though, unless he's "processing" chicken or beef.

Weekend observations

1. Coral doesn't actually like football. When the hubby starts watching football, she leaves the room shortly thereafter. If we call her back, she'll hang out for a few minutes, and leave again. Just not a fan. Or maybe, the hubby screams at the tv a little too much, and my incredibly noise-sensitive pup runs away from the madness.

2. Coral's left ear is a centimeter longer than her right ear. I measured. I was sitting behind her and noticed her left ear was longer. I had never noticed that before. So like any other insane individual, I measured her ears. She has a tendency to hold her ears differently (one is out more, or back more than the other), so I just didn't notice.

Is there nothing that Oreos can't improve?

These guys don't need an introduction. If the name alone doesn't make you run out to buy marshmallows, oreos, and rice crispies, then you might want to check your pulse. Nom, nom!

Cookies and Cream Rice Crispy Treats
Source: Picky Palate

4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Cups mini marshmallows
8 Cups rice crispy cereal
8 oz bag mini Oreo cookies

1/2 Cup chocolate chips, melted

1. Place butter and marshmallows into a large microwavable bowl. Microwave for a few minutes until marshmallows puff up nice and large. Remove and stir in cereal and Oreos. Pour into a large 9×13 inch baking dish. With the back of a large spoon that’s sprayed with cooking spray press and smooth treats. Drizzle melted chocolate over top and let cool. Cut into squares.

Awww...my baby's all grow'd up and ready to go to school!

Here's Duke, ready for his first day of school.



Duke recently passed his therapy dog test, and we're signed up to volunteer at a local elementary school, where kids are encouraged to read by reading to dogs. He was great with the kids today, but we were in a busy area, so he didn't quite pay as much attention as I would have liked. But the kiddos still loved him. And after they read to the dogs, each kid got a bookmark and a sticker of the dog they read to. Each time they read to another dog, they get a new sticker to add to their bookmark.

Dead Dog Fail

Duke better not be quitting his day job any time soon, this might be one of the least convincing dead dog performances I've ever seen.

My camera is old, and doesn't do sound, so you're just going to have to pretend that I said "Bang!" as I shot my dog. The only other sound is the steady thumping of his tail.


This is why we sometimes joke that Duke's tail is a completely separate entity that he doesn't seem to have any control of...

Duke is officially....

a registered Bright and Beautiful Therapy dog! I had already tested Duke through TDI back in July, but one of my concerns was not enough support. TDI is a larger and better recognized organization nationally, but I had difficulty finding local support, and wasn't quite comfortable forging my own path yet. A fellow Frisbee club member mentioned that she did therapy dog work through Bright and Beautiful, and I contacted the group through her. B&B is a smaller organization, but they're incredibly nice and welcoming.

We finally tested Duke through B&B today, and he passed the evaluation. He can be a little shy around new people, but if he's given a proper introduction and allowed to sniff and check people out, he warms up quickly. But I became interested in him becoming a therapy dog because he does well with kids, and there are many opportunities in schools or libraries. I've done a ton of volunteer work since college, and this gives me the chance to combine two of my passions, while showing people what fabulous dogs rescues are.

Black and White Angel Food Cake

Black and white speckley goodness.

After wandering through Central Market the other day and sampling their angel food cake, I was starting to crave the stuff. When I came home that day, Ina Garten was making a black and white angel food cake, which was obviously a sign that I needed to make it.

I had a birthday coming up, but was told that I was not allowed to make my own birthday cake. Fortunately, we celebrated my birthday with some family friends, one of whom also happened to turn 29 again on the same day, so I made this cake for him. :) This cake might very well be my new favorite. In fact, I might run out to the store tomorrow to get more chocolate to make another. The ganache topping was a bit much for me, it was very in-your-face chocolately. However, the cake itself is incredibly light and just subtly chocolately. I found myself wandering back to the cake to nibble throughout the day.




Black and White Angel Food Cake
Source: Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients
* 2 cups sifted superfine sugar (about 1 pound)
* 1 1/3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
* 1 1/2 cups egg whites at room temperature (10 to 12 eggs)
* 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup coarsely grated semisweet chocolate

For the glaze:
* 1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips
* 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar with the flour and sift them together 4 times. Set aside.

Place the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed until the eggs form medium-firm peaks, about 1 minute. With the mixer on medium speed, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar by sprinkling it over the beaten egg whites. Beat on high speed for a few minutes until thick and shiny. Add the vanilla and continue to whisk until very thick, about 1 more minute. Scrape the beaten egg whites into a large bowl. Sift 1/4 of the flour mixture over the egg whites and fold it very carefully into the batter with a rubber spatula. Continue adding the flour in 3 equal additions, sifting and folding until it's all incorporated. Fold in the grated chocolate.

Pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, smooth the top, and bake it for 35 to 45 minutes, until it springs back to the touch. Remove the cake from the oven and invert the pan on a cooling rack. When cool, run a thin, flexible knife around the cake to remove it from the pan.

For the chocolate glaze, place the chocolate chips and the heavy cream in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate melts. Pour the chocolate over the top of the cooled cake to cover the top completely and allow it to drizzle down the sides. If you have chocolate glaze left over, you can serve it on the side with the cake.