Just in case you haven't finished your Christmas shopping and are looking for something for that special someone in your life that seems to have everything. An 18k gold Zippo. It's appropriate even for the non smoker as it's a good conversation piece.

This is a fairly easy recipe. It calls for mini chocolate chips but feel free to experiment, I like to reduce the amount of chips and add in raisins. Chopped walnuts or pecans are also good. This recipe also works very well if you reduce the sugar. I always cut the sugar by one cup, using 1 1/2 cups.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups SUGAR
1 cup OIL (vegetable oil, nut oil, whatever you like to use)
3 EGGS
3 cups AP FLOUR (in the U.S. AP=All Purpose, outside the U.S. whatever kind of flour you would normally use in muffins or pie crusts)
2 tsp BAKING SODA
1 tsp CINNAMON
1 tsp NUTMEG
1/2 tsp SALT
1/4 tsp CLOVE
optional 1 tsp VANILLA
1 15 ounce can solid pack PUMPKIN (425 grams) (any hard winter squash can be used, like butternut)
1 cup MINI CHOCOLATE CHIPS (and/or raisins/nuts)

Procedure

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees with rack set at second lowest position. Grease and flour a Bundt pan.

In a bowl, add sugar, eggs and oil, mix well. (also add vanilla if using it)
Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk to combine.
Add dry ingredients and pumpkin to the wet ingredients, about a third at a time mixing well, repeat until all the dry ingredients and pumpkin is added.
Add in chocolate chips, raisins or any other additions.

Let's Bake!

Put batter in prepared Bundt pan, place in oven and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 60 - 65 minutes.

After the cake is cool, you can either glaze it or dust it with powdered sugar (powdered sugar = confectioners or icing sugar)


The pic is a half recipe made in a 6 cup Bundt pan.

A simple explanation of the metric system.

This is a short, won't take a minute of your time.

One Pot, Three Ingredient Mac and Cheese.

If you can boil water, you can make this. What you need is 8 ounces (appr 226 grams) elbow macaroni, about 3 cups (appr 700 milliliters) milk and one cup of shredded cheese.

Bring the milk to a boil, add the macaroni, cook at a soft boil until it's tender to your liking, remove from heat and add the cheese, stir until the cheese is combined. Serve. Yeah, it's that easy.

When you're heating the milk, don't walk away from it, stir it a little, same thing when you're cooking the mac. You can add a little butter when your heating the milk if you want, but it's not necessary. Also, the exact amount of milk needed may vary a little, if you want it creamier then add more.

I can't believe she actually did it.

How many Big Macs can you eat in one sitting? How many do you care to eat? This guy ate 32. He forgot the fries though.

Due to a cold and wet Spring, I got my tomatoes started late this year. I'm usually knee deep in maters in the middle of August. This year, they are just starting to turn red. I've picked about 10 this past week. I have 4 plants.




This time next week I expect that I'll have more maters than I can shake a stick at. That is tomato heaven

For all us Game of Thrones fans, the final season can't get here fast enough, do not despair. There is something to help tide us over, for Winter is here. Distilled, blended and bottled North of the Wall, a White Walker that you will surely embrace. White Walker, by Johnnie Walker!

40 odd things about me . . . Please play along! I love reading them ??

1. Do you like blue cheese? Hell NO
2. Coke or Pepsi? Coke, pepsi's far too sweet
3. Do you own a gun? No, never felt the need
4. What flavor of Kool-aid? Haven't had Kool aid since I was a kid but I'll say cherry
5. Hot dogs? I like them but seldom have them
6. Favorite TV show? It's hard to pick a favorite.
7. Do you believe in ghosts? No
8. What do you drink in the morning? Decaf
9. Can you do a push-up? I think so
10. Fav Jewelry? Don't like wearing jewelry
11. Favorite hobby? Surfing the web
12. Do you have ADD? No
13. Do you wear glasses? Yes
14.Favorite cartoon as a kid? Bugs Bunny
15. Three things you did yesterday? Laundry, mowed the lawn, made cookies for the block party
16. Three drinks you drink regularly? Seltzer water, tea and decaf
17. Current worries?
18. Do you believe in magic? No
19. Favorite place to be?
20. How did you ring in the new year? At a neighbor's
21. Where would you like to go? Australia
22. Name five people who will participate in this? My ESP isn't working
23. Favorite movie? Hard to pick one
24. Favorite color? Blue
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No
26. Can you whistle? Yes
27. Where are you now? At home
28. Where would you rather be right now? Right here
29. Favorite food? Hard to say but I'll put down fried chicken
30. Thing you hate most to do? Washing dishes
31. Best job you can think of? Being the boss
32. What's in your pockets? Nothing
33. Last thing that made you laugh? Politics
34. Favorite animal? Dogs
35. What's your most recent injury? Dunno, it's been a while
36. How many TV’s are in your house? 3
37. Worst pain ever? Bruised rib
38. Do you like to dance? On occasion
39. Are your parents still alive? No
40. Do you enjoy camping? Never have

Now copy and paste and update with your answers if you’d like.