The world is upside down...or is that just the cake talking?

Elaine's blogs about her pineapple upside down cakes really got to me. I had to fix one. I posted earlier about my first attempt 28 years ago. But this time I had a feeling it would be OK.

I measured, mixed and by gosh by golly I got it right!

OK, sort of got it right. I cooked it a tad too long but it was still awesome! Gosh I enjoyed it. I love to cook but not much on baking but lately I've been prone to trying it more. I'll make this one again!

Why did I say "sort of got it right"...well here is why:

I could not decide if I had enough for a big pan or two smaller pans. I went with the 2 smaller pans and should have gone with the 9x13. Better yet, I need to get an iron skillet and use that! I am learning! Elaine had a fluffy and a slumpy. I think I have two flatties but the crust is awesome!

Obamaware...for real!

Yeah, I know. Another post about pots for Democrats but just bear with me on this. I've been reading some blogs and this is getting to be cool! Ron Philbeck is doing some great stuff. Please check it out. I'd suspect this could be a collector's item so don't knock it till you see them.

I am a big John McCain fan. I have been for years. I like who he is and what he stands for and what he has given this country. No faulting him there. I even like Sarah Palin. I think she is spunky and I like her family.

I'd like Obama a lot except his view on guns. I like guns. I own guns and I have hunted with them. I am not in favor of controlling my right to own them. It has not and does not work. I firmly believe if you outlaw guns then only out laws will have guns. Wish Obama had picked Condi Rice for VP. She is my all time favorite. That woman is awesome. Easily the most qualified of them all. Yeah, she works for a Republican president but come on, I think she'd have been willing to run. I'd vote for that ticket!

Anyway, enough politics. I am just glad I live in a country...no, THE country where I not only can talk about the candidates but am expected to do so, to have an opinion and to voice it. I drive through my neighborhood and there are signs for both camps everywhere! It is great! My kids and I talk politics as does my wife. This is good stuff!

Let's switch topics...I went fishing this weekend with the kids. Pics and posting to come on that. I also MC'd a Marching Band Competition and I cooked a pineapple upside down cake (thanks Elaine!). Pics and post on all that coming once I can figure out the picture thing.

Trying to figure it all out...Obamaware?

I am trying to figure it all out. But to do that you have to take it all in, right? If you take it all in is there anything left to figure out?

A potter I know is making pots called Obamaware. They are pots apparently in support of Obama/Biden. They'll sell the pots and half the proceeds go to the campaign. I've been noodling on this for a couple of days and can not decide what I think about that. I mean, who seems more conservative and reliant on free enterprise than a potter? Right? But, to support Democrats seems to be more socialist leaning and that is far from the free enterprise "Republicans" we normally think about.

Maybe they are artists and they like the Democrats who tend to support the arts with more federal money?

Maybe, just maybe they like to make pots and this sounded like a fun thing to do and it might get them some recognition. While I am a registered Democrat I tend to vote conservative. That is not a contradiction in terms at all. Southern Democrats are conservative. If you are not from the South you won't understand.

Any way, I am looking forward to seeing the pots! I am sure they will be cool, fun and most excellent work. You can follow them at : http://www.ayumihorie.com/obamaware.html

Regardless of how you vote, it'll be interesting to see what the pots look like!

And NO, this does not make Democrats "pot-heads".

Busy, slow week...Butter Dish!

Not much going on this week. As I shared a couple of weeks ago turning 50 is what it is. As my Dad used to say, "I don't mind getting old. Look at the alternative!" I always keep that in mind. Like this week. Being 50 and male means colonoscopy. NO FUN! But I got through it. The prep and anxiety before the procedure is always worse than the actual event. They give you GREAT drugs to knock you out. Don't remember or experience a thing!

Other than that, just working along. This is fishing weekend. I'm going to the lake to go fishing this weekend. My son will go and likely my daughters. They all like it and it should be a good weekend for it. We catch and release so no hate mail!

Jen Mecca, a potter whose blog I follow, is going to be in Raleigh at the CDC event the weekend after Thanksgiving! I'm going to visit her booth and pick up a butter dish. I've been wanting one and she was recommended as the "queen of butter dishes". I like her work so this is a good excuse to see her and pick one up! CDC is held at the NC State Fairgrounds. Go out and visit.

Pineapple Upside Down Cakes and Other Blogs...

I've taken to reading several blogs regularly. See the list to the left. I was reading Elaine Spallone's today about her cooking endeavors with Pineapple Upside Down Cake, which I adore. I'm not a big sweets person and don't really "do desert". I appreciate them but baking is so serious and you have to measure everything. I love to cook but baking is hard work. I guess that is why the best way to truly judge a restaurant is by the pastry chef. Good ones are rare.

Unlike Elaine, I've been cooking for over 40 years, well before I was 10 (save the calculators...I am 50) by helping my Mom, Grandmother and mostly my Dad. My first foray into cakes was in college where I tried to fix pineapple upside down cake. It would have turned out well except I forgot to put butter in the bottom of the pan and had to scrape the pineapple mixture out. Live and learn. It was like my first apple pie. I had seen a friends wife make an incredible apple pie with fresh and dried apples. I did not pay too close attention to all the steps. How hard could it be? Well, it was the worst thing I've ever fixed. Unfortunately I'd bragged about it BEFORE I cooked it so some neighbors and then had to explain what happened.

My wife still reminds me of those tragedies to this day. Humility is a good thing. Not nearly as good as a good cake or apple pie, but still good for us.

A really good burger!

My son cooked dinner last night. He is 15 and I asked him to fix dinner. He only asked what I had in mind and when I said burgers, he said OK. No whining, no complaining, just OK. He took the hamburger, fixed patties using the new burger press I got the other day. He grilled them. While this was all going on he put fries in the oven (from a bag - not fresh cut but he is just 15) and fixed some corn. He thinks corn is a veggie so you gotta hand it to him.

The burgers were awesome. He put his "special" recipe of seasonings. Not sure what they were but they were great. Really great. Everything was ready to go and we enjoyed it tremendously.

No, if we can just get him to clean up as he cooks.... :)

Joys of things simple...

I work from home. Truly a great evolution in business. IBM started doing this years ago when they realized it would save them money by doing away with office space, utilities, etc. People are happier and usually more productive. With high speed Internet, web conferencing and free long distance, it really is easy to do. Most all the people I work with (including customers) accept this as normal.

I walk to work everyday...from the bed to the desk. $4 a gallon gas is not bad when you are not buying it to commute 40+ miles daily.

Don't get me wrong. I work. I usually put in 9-10 hours over the course of a day. 7:30 to 5 and then another hour or tw0 spread over the 6-11 time period. But, I am home, I can interact with the kids earlier than otherwise since I don't drive. I usually work through lunch at the desk. But I am eating food from home! That is the treat I like. Take today for instance.

I am having Bobby Rominger tomato sandwiches with pimento cheese! Bobby is a quiet fellow that lives in the mountains of NC. He is married to my wife's cousin. He gave my mother-in-law some tomatoes, which she brought down here when she came to visit. (She is still here, that is another posting!) We are having them for lunch today! They are huge and they are awesome. Bobby does not read this blog but if he did I'd want him to know how much we are enjoying the fruits of his garden. THANKS.

When fixing them I used my salt and pepper jars that Ron Philbeck made for me. Check out his blog on the blogs I watch list. He sells his wares via Etsy. Good stuff! Now, all I need are some little mermaids to put on them and take a picture and people would think I was Elaine (check her blog out on the list, too!) I'm using a paper plate so no one will confuse me with Hannah (yeah, check out her blog, too).

Well, I need to clean up the juice from the tomatoes off my computer. Gosh these are good!