#favorite corn muffins

[twiceastasty]

Corn Kernel Muffins with Sage

This corn muffin recipe has far more texture and flavor than a simple pan of cornbread—and sneaks a homemade creamed corn recipe into the prep steps. Learn to make Corn Kernel Muffins with Sage.

I snuck two recipes into this week’s Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon. The main corn muffin recipe has far more texture and flavor than a simple pan of cornbread. The secondary recipe is in the steps that prepare the fresh corn for the muffins: essentially, make creamed corn from scratch. I like to double just the fresh corn and milk in the muffin recipe, bake it in two pans, and…

[echobsilly]

“Born On The Cob” by SalamanderMoss, read it!!!! amazing!!!!!!! 🌽 Gail choking on cornbread in Chapter 3 fanart

[ultimatediy]

Recipe for Corn Dog Muffins Reproducing a fun, family favorite from the state fair in a quick and simple manner.

[weirdmarioenemies]

Name: Kernel-pult

Debut: Plants vs. Zombies

Here we have my favorite plant of the original Plants vs. Zombies, the humble Kernel-pult! Out of my favorite PvZ plants, this one feels by far the most Classic. It doesn't fly, it doesn't have otherworldy abilities, and it's not a dang fungus. It's a corn cob that lobs corn kernels. Even the lobbing feels sort of mundane! Such a simple way to get a projectile somewhere else. It feels less fantastical than pods bursting and releasing seeds, and that one happens in real life! However, it is important to mention that Kernel-pult is not vegan.

Kernel-Pult typically lobs kernels that do a little bit of damage, just as much as a pea, and it attacks at half the rate of a Peashooter. It makes up for this with Butter! It has a 25% chance to lob a pat of butter instead. This is because butter is good on corn, and I guess as a result of that, the universal concepts of Corn and Butter are intertwined enough that Kernel-pult can tap into both.

Butter does twice as much damage as a kernel, but better than that, it freezes whatever zombie it hits in place for a bit! I don't know why it does that. I can't think of any reason why butter would, thematically, freeze something. But it makes Kernel-pult happy, so you'd better deal with it! Kernel-pult is thusly good as a support attacker who can slow down the approach of zombies, allowing stronger plants to damage them more. OR, you could choose Funny over Reliable, and do what I do! Nothing against Cabbage-pult, but I love Kernel-pult so much, I like to use it as my primary attacker! Good luck, me!

Butter would prove to be a very popular game mechanic, being applied to many non-corn plants in the future, purely based on wordplay. Very respectable. In PvZ2, it actually gained another ability: it will instantly defeat flying zombie birds! See, THAT makes sense. There's the realism, in Plants vs. Zombies.

Oh?

A few plants in this game have upgraded forms that can be planted on top of them, usually enhancing that plant's core concept. Kernel-pult has one, but not just ANY one. A maize so massive that you need to merge TWO Kernel-pults to form it! No mere upgrade like most of the rest, but an entire, new behemoth of a plant!

This is Cob Cannon, the most expensive, but most powerful plant in the game! Once planted, it can be used to manually fire devastating corn cob missiles wherever you please, with the power of a Cherry Bomb, but the ability to reload! And also a fun explosion animation with popcorn. The design is very different from Kernel-pult, but I'm not going to act like this is a Pokemon evolution where the evolved form stopped looking silly. This is a corn cob with eyes, on a wheeled wooden frame, whose wheels are slices of corn cob. Awesome! The second game would replace this guy entirely with a banana.

Lastly, I would like to discuss something very special to me. I would like to discuss Pult. Pult is something that delights me to no end! In PvZ1, Catapult plants exist mostly to be used on the Roof levels, since much of the roof is slanted, preventing straight projectiles from being very effective. And each of them have this little nest-looking basket on a stick that they lob their projectiles from. Evidently, this is the Pult. I love this thing! Do you think if I married Kernel-pult, I could take his last name? Here are some Pults I made during my previous Pult Phase. It truly inspires me!

Iso-pult

Sponge-pult

And lastly, I will ground us a bit more once again, with Corn Muffin-pult. My favorite Plant, now pulting my favorite form of corn! Please remember to always be silly and make silly images like these whenever you want, it is a necessary part of the human experience!

[dearestofallpoets]

Halloween academia because there's only 150 days left until October 31st

all black dress clothes

watching classic horror movies when you're supposed to be studying

ghost-shaped mugs

watching an unkindness of ravens outside your window

reading by candlelight

pumpkin flavored coffee

black tea

rereading Dracula and Frankenstein

correcting people when they refer to Frankenstein's monster as "Frankenstein"

telling ghost stories

apple cider

losing your friends in a corn maze, but finding your way out before they do

pumpkin spice muffins for breakfast

visiting loved ones at a graveyard

learning all about the history of Halloween and its traditions

making your costume by hand

attending costume parties dressed as your favorite fictional character

researching different kinds of poisons

baking pumpkin bread to snack on while you read

murder mystery dinner parties

life-sized skeleton decoration

ghost hunting

[antivan-sprig]

Order up!

Half of these ended up being confessions on how Lise bullies Lucanis and I feel a little bit bad 😅

Thank you for the asks though, they made getting through this thesis much easier.

Blueberry muffin: Does Rook treat their stomach like a temple or a dumpster? (How health conscious are they) @teamtakagi

Both, and by that I mean she eats relatively healthy meals (lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts) but will also eat an entire Hazelnut Torte in a matter of hours if it’s available to her.

Generally if she’s the one cooking for herself she’ll just eat raw fruits and veggies. Cooking takes up too much time. Also it’s fun to watch Lucanis’ reaction when he asks what she had for lunch and she replies with “Carrot.”

Chai Latte: What is your Rooks spice tolerance? Do they prefer more flavorful meals or more simple ones? @bubblecat-co

Lisel has a decent spice tolerance, but she isn’t exactly a spicy food connoisseur. Spicy food takes too much effort in her mind. She’s definitely okay with bland dishes like plain oatmeal or plain mashed potatoes (“baby food” as Lise would call it). But she prefers her food to be fresh and bright tasting, so she steers away from most umami flavors and fried foods.

(Neve the fish you eat is grilled, not fried, I won’t accept this slander anymore)

Sandwich: What are your Rooks’ thoughts on Harding’s ham/yam ham slam sandwiches? Are there any odd food combinations that your Rook enjoys? @a-mumbling-nerd

Ohohoho! She LOVES them. She loves them so so so much. Those sandwiches are the reason why she and Harding are friends (Lise can be standoffish, and it wasn’t until those sandwiches were brought up that she felt confident enough to have an actual conversation with Harding.)

She’s constantly coming up with new things to add to them, most notoriously a Ham, Yam, Jam and Clam slam. Lucanis almost called 911 (Viago) over that one ♥️

The weirdest combination of food she ever ate and enjoyed was corn in chocolate pudding. Of course she did it to bug Lucanis, a hobby of hers, but to be honest she thought it tasted pretty good. Corn is sweet after all.

Dessert order: Does your rook have a sweet tooth? If so, what is their favorite dessert? @booksncatsworld

Liselath absolutely has a sweet tooth. She would only eat chocolate if she could. This question would be easier to answer if it was “What dessert doesn’t she like?” because the answer is ice cream. Her favorite categories of dessert are cakes and puddings though.

Vanilla Latte: are there any particular flavors or aromas that your Rook likes? @larknnightingale

Sugar. Citrus, she makes a lemon tart with whole slices of lemon on each one and always makes sure to get the sourest ones.

She also really likes floral notes in her food/drinks, lavender and bergamot especially.

[yandere-x-reader]

🌸 The nicknames Koda, Sato, and Ayoama use for you

➼ Koda calls you Lovebug, Dovey, Bunny Boo, Cuddly Koala, Panda Bear, Wolfie, Sweet Pea, Deerling, Lovebird, Little lamb, Butterfly, Cuddle Bear, Lovebird, Little Chickadee, Kitty Cat, Dolphin Darling, little Duckling, precious Pup, Hummingbird, Nightingale, Little Bear, Thumper, pretty Swan, firefly, Honeybee, Axolotl.

➼ Sato calls you Sugar Plum, Honey Bun, Sweet Pea, Cupcake, Cookie Crumb, Jelly Bean, Marshmallow, Cinnamon Roll, Pumpkin Spice, Candy Apple, Vanilla, Blueberry Muffin, Sugar Cookie, Honeydew, Cocoa Bean, Buttercup, Coconut, Apple Pie, Snickerdoodle, Strawberry Shortcake, Peppermint, Carrot Cake, white chocolate, Honeycomb, Candy Corn, chocolate chip.

➼ Aoyama calls you darling, Sparkle, Glitterbug, Shimmer, Twinkle, Gleam, Radiant star, Glimmer, Dazzle, Sunshine, Firefly, Glow, Aurora, Stardust, Moonbeam, starlight, Flash, Brilliance, Shiny girl/boy, Crystal, Sparkling Gem, Gleaming Star, Shining Beacon, Radiant Spark.

Let me know which nicknames were your favorite and who I should do next ♡/Platonic heart

[knitting-noodle]

I feel bad for the people at my college who haven't worked Facilities because they haven't met:

-the supervisor who is obsessed with flamingos and pineapples to the point where she named her favorite facilities golf cart Pineapple

-the brother and sister duo who are in their 70s and are each other's best friend

-said sister will always encourage you, smile, and deeply care about what's going in in your life, even if her hearing sometimes makes her misunderstand you the first several times (also once I gave her a corn muffin and her whole face lit up it was so precious)

-said brother has a 5+ year streak in Spanish on Duolingo and is so proud of it, he also gives pep talks and makes sure you know you're loved and valued

-the short and fiery older woman who everyone is initially intimidated by but Head Supervisor knows to put the shy students with her because she gets them out of their shells and basically adopts them and will invite them to her house for dinner

-the supervisor in his 30s who lives alone, is (more than) slightly unhinged, is obsessed with lego and obscure anime, loves puns, and will try to rap about the most random incidents (like you slicing your thumb on a ladder), also he has like eight siblings which I feel explains a lot

-the older woman who gets the giggles with her fellow supervisors and loves to gossip with Fiery Supervisor

-my personal favorite supervisor with the most beautiful long red hair I've ever seen who is just So Tired of everyone's shenanigans (especially Lego Supervisor's) but loves her silly cats, her husband and sons, Disney, sloths, butterflies, and dragon figurines. She's also hilarious and just Gets You.

So really at the end of the day, we're all just people. Maybe you should talk to the person taking out your trash, cleaning your bathrooms, and making the things around you beautiful :)

[ophelialoveshandsomemen]

Get to know your moots

Thank you, @virtie333! for the tag, this is long and looks like fun!

What's the origin of your blog title? Ophelia because I fell in love with everything Hamlet when I first watched Sir Kenneth Branagh's '96 adaptation back in like '11 or '12. And I love handsome men. Easy as that!

OTP(s) + Shipname: uhm with shipnames? ( rummages around)...okay, think I found them! Anne Shirley & Gilbert Blythe ( Annebert) , Faramir & Éowyn ( Farawyn) , Queen Victoria & Lord Melbourne ( Vicbourne) , Anastasia * Anya* Romanov & Gleb Vaganov ( Glenya)

Favourite colour: A really good Navy Blue! Also sunset yellow and a mossy deep dark forest green!

Favourite game: Nintendo Donkey Kong 3 for video games, Mille Bornes for card games, World Wise for board games, tricking people for real games...

Song stuck in your head: ( oh hell) The Monarch Song from Horrible Histories. Really catchy!

Weirdest habit/trait? Weeellll, I bet everything I do is considered a weird habit by the majority of the populace, but it's probably the fact that I eat oddball things like the eggshells on boiled eggs and the paper on muffins and things like that.

Hobbies: Fiber crafts, woodworking, growing plants, beekeeping, playing the piano, writing fanfics, obsessing over historical fashions, reading history books, reading historical fiction/romance novels

If you work, what's your profession? oh geez, I can't really disclose that. Has to do with wee bairns. And farming.

If you could have any job you wish, what would it be? Acting on stage at the Globe Theatre in London.

Something you're good at: Being a walking encyclopedia and playing music. Also flying by the seat of my pants through life.

Something you're bad at: Dealing with people, dealing with stupid people. And yes, though rare, they do very much exist.

Something you love: Music, history, the Catholic Faith, trees, Midsummer Bonfires, dark haired men*gulps*, restoration era English royalty.

Something you could talk about for hours off the cuff: Why monarchies are actually still a better way of ruling, over democracies and republics and all that 20th century bullshite... Also herbalism, history in general, and cinema!

Something you hate: Puritanism, Gnosticism, Satanism, the healthcare system of North America, Communism, Nazism,( fascists are on thin ice) how loud Americans( not yours truly who has been tagged of course) tend to be online, the visceral misunderstanding protestants have about Catholicism/Orthodoxy, the Canadian government, the way americans treat canadians like dirt( at least the americans I met in real life)

Something you collect: Wool blankets, antiques, CDs and DVDs, enamel pots and pans

Something you forget: I get distracted easily, but my memory is scary long and accurate. I mainly forget where my wallet is.

What's your love language? Sex

Favourite movie/show: Oh come on I can't pick one! *grumbles* I pick The Lord of the Rings trilogy and M*A*S*H

Favourite food: Hominy corn with butter and Anglo-Saxon Oatcakes with apples

Favourite animal: Moose and Musk Ox. Would 100% ride them if I could. Also sheep.

What were you like as a child? Daydreaming and very idealistic. Also read a lot of trashy 70s romance novels.

Favourite subject at school? History, as well as religious studies.

Least favorite subject? Algebra. Even though I was actually really good at it. Still hated it.

What's your best character trait? Super helpful.

What's your worst character trait? I can be pretentious as fuck if I feel like it and nothing will stop me. Bit too much of a non-conformist.

If you could change any detail of your day right now what would it be? That I hadn't spilt the damned milk.

If you could travel in time who would you like to meet? St. Joan of Arc and King Charles II of England , Scotland and Ireland. Preferably at the same time, that would be a hoot. He would pretend not to understand her french as she would absolutely rip him a new one about his mistresses and I would enjoy the show whilst being starstruck!

Recommend one of your favourite fanfics (spread the love!): Oh! Here's one! ( or two...)

and

no pressure tags are: @thekenobee and @russell-crowe and @smolgreybunny

[ghostofasecretary]

food accomplishments of the night:

- made enchiladas out of my frozen-and-defrosted lentil filling, white corn mini tortillas, sour cream, and cheese. the sour cream bakes down to a ricotta-lasagna vibe and it fucks

- ate a baby amount of broccoli before deciding i didn't actually want to roast the broccoli in the oven so i put it back in the fridge

- fried a block of tofu to golden brown (aaaaand splashed it on my favorite semi-casual summer dress. oops???)

- roasted two sweet potatoes

- made lemon caramel muffins once again very loosely inspired by Justine Doiron! link below. i made the lemon caramel a few days ago because i thought my lemon would go bad. (in the video she calls this a "whole lemon" recipe but it's really a peeled lemon with the seeds picked out, so, just. more than the zest/juice. you get *some* fruit fiber.) (i ate the peel that wasn't dubious-looking, because citrus peel kicks ass.) on its own my sauce was a bit...soapy? and sticky enough to be candy ish without being hard OR flowing when cool? but heated back up and put into my "basic baked good" base* it was DIVINE.

*said "basic baked good" recipe is whatever doesn't use eggs and seems to look vaguely correct. here i wanted less oil and more flour and then decided that was too much flour so i added the milk back in. i somehow rarely fuck up my baked goods but this is also, uh. Maybe Not The Most Reliable Baking Method

here i used 94-95g sour cream, 40g canola oil, 144g white sugar, 1/4tsp baking powder, 1/2tsp baking soda, and 100g milk creamed together, then 250g AP enriched unbleached flour, mixed gently, added another 25g of milk because i thought things were looking too dry, and added that heated-and-slightly-cooled lemon caramel sauce (55g fresh lemon pieces, 100/120/150?g sugar, an amount of water that seemed correct but was probably excessive because i had to boil it on low heat FOREVER, also an unknown amount of corn syrup (c. 17g??) that i added at the last minute so i could stir it without freaking out). they ARE pretty sweet but also a tiny bit sour and fluffy and the edges are caramellized and they cracked on the top and. just. holy shit. food is so nice when it's nice. roommates review: "OH MY GOD, it's so good!!"

so hopefully that baked good and ingredient prep will make future dinners easier! and i have enchiladas for lunch tomorrow! i have so many vegetables to use up and thankfully i do have many ways to eat them, so. Go Me

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #242

I got to bed relatively on time last night. I still woke up groggy as heck, because that is the nature of sleep deprivation injuries; it'll be at least a week or two before my brain fully recovers; such is the nature of the brain cleaning cycle. Oh well.

Nonetheless, I had a lot of fun at work today! There was, along with Mi, Ma, and I, another lady named Tr, and the whole day was filled with laughter and delightful banter as we did our various tasks; it was wonderful!

I'm always amazed at how quickly the time passes while I'm there. I'm always busy, always moving from one task to the next, always moving around, so the four hours pass by in a flash, and I'm always just a little sad when it's time to go home.

They asked me to make muffins again today, and with the practice I got from my first time doing it, I was a lot better at it this time! I even found a more efficient way of filling and leveling off the muffin scoop, and so I was able to fill the muffin tin a lot more quickly than last time, and with far more consistency! The muffin batter was then baked. Here they are in the giant walk-in oven; it's not a great picture, I know, but I couldn't really do anything about the glare...

...And here are the results of my handiwork:

...Aren't they beautiful? Someone's gonna go home with a box of these, and that makes me really happy!

I also put muffins that were previously baked into boxes. Each of these shelves have 6 boxes that contain 4 muffins each. And I filled even more shelves than these today:

...We have them in so many different flavors! We've got pistachio, chocolate, pumpkin, banana-nut, apple cinnamon, corn, and so many more. The ones I baked were cranberry muffins. They're not my favorite, but they're someone's favorite, and that makes me feel really glad.

I like this job. I like the repetitive certainty of the routine tasks. I like the diligence and precision of a job well done. I like knowing that my manager is delighted to watch me learn, and is proud of the efficiency and conscientiousness with which I work. I like knowing that I will only continue to improve. I like knowing that I am working with others towards a shared purpose. I like knowing that I am capable of improving the processes that are used in service to that purpose. And I like knowing that someone is gonna go home with a box of delicious things that were wrought from my own hands.

J requested that I get sandwich supplies on the way home, so I did. I got deli sliced chicken, roast beef, genoa salami, and cheese, along with a loaf of seeded rye bread. With these, I made a sandwich!!! And I put truffle mayo on it, because why not!

Either it was a sandwich of epic awesomeness, or I was just hungry. Either way, it was awesome and I loved it!! I wish I could make one for you!

Hey, Sephiroth? What kind of sandwiches do you like, anyway? What kind of toppings and dressings do you like to put on them? I wonder...

In any case, we went to a birthday party shortly after that. Our friend Mer's birthday was today, and so she decided to gather up a bunch of her friends to eat tasty snacks and play board games! It's nice to know that J and I are on the list of people she considers friends! We played a card game called Boss Monster; basically you're the monster ruler of your very own dungeon that you build out of cards that represent rooms! I ended up getting an entity called, uh... Seducia... I guess. Hahahaha!

But I didn't really have much interest in killing adventurers or winning the game. I just built a party dungeon. I had a ballroom, and a menagerie of rescued critters, and a room that makes people silly, a room with an all-seeing eye, and a room with a lich dragon who is basically an interior designer! I had a cleric come by to try to kill me, because presumably, he thought my entity was too sexy to live (typical...), but he didn't succeed.

I like to think that instead of dying in my "dungeon", he simply changed his mind and decided that trying to kill me is silly, so instead he went to the ballroom and got a sandwich! Sandwiches are sensible. Violence is not. And then I like to think that he decided my dungeon is so awesome that he didn't wanna go home. Because the outside world is a cold and terrible place devoid of sandwiches!!! Or at least, devoid of sandwiches that are as good as the ones I can make!!! Ahahahaha~!!

The whole game was very silly, but fun. I was super sleepy at the end of it, though, so I sat in a recliner for the rest of the evening. I ended up falling asleep in it, even though I didn't mean to. I'm still pretty groggy, even after a number of hours of being home. Suppose I should at least try to go to bed relatively on time...

...In the spirit of that, I guess I'll end today's letter here.

Hey, Sephiroth? Are you staying safe where you are? If you're not, please try a little harder, okay? I don't want to have to endure your absence. I'm not sure I'd be capable of withstanding such a thing.

I love you. And I'll write again tomorrow.

Your friend, Lumine

[diamondherpanacine]

After a long, stressful day, a warm shower can be very relaxing. But to add another dimension of relaxation and health to your shower, try a shower steamer tablet. These tablets are infused with essential oils and other natural ingredients to offer a spa-like experience that can promote relaxation, clear congestion, and even improve mood and sleep quality.

While some of these tablets can be expensive, it is something you can make right at home reasonably. You can even make them as gifts for family and friends! Try throwing a few in a little basket with a candle for a wonderful, thoughtful present for someone you love!

Check out the recipe below to learn how to make steamer tablets and which oils will help you turn your shower into a tranquil oasis. I’ve tried other recipes, (there’s lots on the internet including ones using mostly all baking soda and baking it) but I prefer this one as it makes a sturdier tablet. 

When using your shower steamers, I recommend setting the tablet in the shower outside of the direct stream of water. This allows them to dissolve slower and extends the calming, aromatic experience. I usually put mine in the far corner of the shower where water will hit it slightly but not pour down on it and completely dissolve it too quickly. 

You can make shower steamers with a blend of essential oils or just one oil at a time. Get creative!  

SOME OF OUR FAVORITE ESSENTIAL OILS TO TRY

Rosemary 

Lemon

Eucalyptus

Lime

Grapefruit

Lemongrass

Cypress

Lavender

Jasmine

Tea Tree

Peppermint 

Spearmint

Bergamot

Wild Orange 

Patchouli

RESPIRATORY SUPPORT BLEND

10 drops rosemary 

8 drops eucalyptus

6 drops lime 

IMMUNE SUPPORT BLEND

8 drops wild orange 

6 drops lemon

8 drops frankincense 

8 drops copaiba 

STRESS RELIEF BLEND

10 drops lavender 

8 drops chamomile  

8 drops wild orange 

ZESTY & REFRESHING BLEND

7 drops lemongrass

9 drops Palmarosa

9 drops Grapefruit

FLORAL CHILL OUT BLEND

6 drops Ylang Ylang

6 drops Geranium

8 drops Lavander

3 drops Rose

ENERGIZE AND CLARITY BLEND

8 drops Scots Pine

2 drops Eucalyptus

3 drop Laurel

6 drops Lemon

6 drops Grapefruit

5 drops Rosemary

Washing Your Cares Away

5 drops Peppermint

9 drops Basil

9 Lemongrass

7 Grapefruit

DIY SHOWER VAPOR DISKS RECIPE

You will need:

1/2 cup Baking Soda

1/4 cup Citric Acid (I purchased a large bag online)

2 tablespoons Corn Starch

Essential oils (see recipes above)

Witch hazel (& small plastic spray bottle)

Soap colorant (Optional – I got my blue color at Michaels, but I often leave them natural/white)

Mixing bowl

Measuring cups

Silicone mold (I have flowers and hearts) or muffin tin with paper liners

Gloves

STEP 1: Measure and mix dry ingredients in your bowl — 1/2 Cup Baking Soda, 1/4 Cup Citric Acid, 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch. I use my gloved hands to mix the ingredients and get rid of any clumps.

STEP 2: Add in essential oils. I usually try combos with 20 to 30 drops of oil because I like my steamers to be more aromatic and fragrant.

STEP 3: Optional – Add in drops of your colorant. I used 8 drops of blue soap colorant to get the light blue color. If you want a more vibrant color add more drops. Always mix with a gloved hand. And again, this is optional. I often leave them without added color.

STEP 4: Put witch hazel to a small spray bottle so you can evenly mist your dry mixture. You want a damp texture, but you do not want too much liquid at a time. Too much liquid can start a premature fizzing reaction between the citric acid and the baking soda. Start by covering the mixture with a few light sprays then use your other hand to mix around the liquid. Keep doing this until your mixture reaches a damp sand consistency that can be packed together and keep its shape.

STEP 5: Once the mixture is packable, start grabbing handfuls and packing it into the silicone molds or cupcake papers in a muffin tin. Try to fill all corners of the mold evenly. Push down lightly to make sure the mixture completely packs into the bottom of the mold. I usually fill my molds/tins about halfway high.

Makes about 4-6 tablets depending on the size of your molds. If you want to make a larger batch, I recommend starting the process over. Trying to double or triple batches makes it harder to mix without causing the reaction with the witch hazel.

STEP 6: Allow the mixture to cool in the mold overnight. Then carefully pop the hardened shower steamers from the mold and enjoy.

[punkbakerchristine]

it’s the end of the year. time to share my favorites.

favorite food: for the longest time, I was one of those people who was like “I just like food” (and I do, even with my 100+ -pound weight loss, I like to eat), but I’ve decided it’s a Reuben sandwich. With pastrami, sauerkraut, thousand island dressing, on rye bread which is lightly toasted. I do like it with corned beef and sourdough bread, but I always go back to the classic pastrami and rye combination.

favorite cuisine: the Mediterranean, mainly because I’ve been familiar with Italian food my whole life but I have loved French and Basque food since I was about 16, and I love the flavor profiles all around.

favorite spice: cardamom. Peppery but subtle, like allspice but slightly to the left. Pairs really well with cinnamon and ginger, hence why I like putting it in my spice cake as well as my lentil soup—it makes cinnamon more “cinnamon-y” and ginger more “gingery.”

favorite seasoning: shawarma. I have always loved cumin, coriander, and turmeric, and it makes the house smell good.

favorite flavors: white chocolate, coffee, blackberry, and red wine. Very complex and I’d go so far to say sensual flavors.

favorite flavor combo: chocolate and coffee. The profile of my chocolate babka. I like chocolate and cherry, apple-cinnamon, and white chocolate and raspberry, too.

favorite protein: probably either beef or pork. Love cooking both, and the ground versions go with anything.

favorite soup: there’s three. My Israeli lentil soup (green lentils, basmati or jasmine rice, Israeli couscous, carrots, white onions, green onions, za’atar seasoning, cinnamon, cardamom, garlic, lemon zest, and pieces of chicken—I did make it with ham hocks the first time and I found them hard to eat and hella salty. Made it again with chicken and it was excellent). Chicken or beef pho (last time I had pho, it was wonderful). And coconut curry Thai soup (coconut milk, chicken stock, cream cheese, ramen noodles, green onions, bok choy, peanuts, carrots, curry, those little Thai chilies with the seeds removed and then sautéed so they’re sweet, and ground turkey).

favorite grain: Israeli couscous. I love those little pearls and how well they pair with veggies and different stocks.

favorite vegetables: forever carrots, ever since I was little. I like zucchini and mushrooms, too.

favorite vegetable to cook: chili peppers, mainly because I love how they smell. I love the smell of onions cooking, too.

favorite comfort food: my mac and cheese, mainly because I like to make it with chili peppers and sausage (I once made it with andouille and it was amazing).

favorite food that’s helped me lose weight: there have been several but I’m gonna say scrambled eggs, watermelon, and basic homemade white bread.

favorite bread: babka, of course~

favorite bread that isn’t babka: ciabatta, English muffins, and flatbreads.

favorite baked good: either bread or cookies.

favorite cookie: gingerbread or double chocolate

favorite cake: spice cake, red velvet cake, carrot cake, that chocolate and Irish cream cake I made for St. Paddy’s Day this year, New York cheesecake, German chocolate cake (and from someone who has never been a fan of coconut until recently, either!), Boston cream pie, devil’s food cake, tres leches cake, krantz cake (really similar to babka but it’s closer to a cake; I consider babka an enriched bread), tiramisu

favorite pie: blackberry, apple, and key lime

favorite traybake: forever blondies, specifically the ones with white chocolate.

favorite hellofresh kit: oh, so many! Figgy balsamic chicken, any of their rice bowls, banh mí meatballs, those poutine burgers from a while back, chili mac and cheese (which inspired by own chili mac and cheese), coconut Thai curry, roasted pork with Israeli couscous and sweet potatoes (I think that was my first favorite, iirc)

Now time for least favorites~

least favorite food: lima beans. They never feel right, even when mixed with something else. They’re like eating mushy old newspaper.

least favorite flavor: pumpkin. Never been a fan to begin with—I’ll have it, like how I made that pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving a couple of weeks ago, but i’m not a fan—but it’s literally everywhere. It’s in things it’s got no business being in, either, like milk, cereal, and fucking cheese (for real) of all things.

least favorite ingredient: PISTACHIOS. simply because they’ve been done to death at this point and they’ve always struck me as more of a savory ingredient, too, like I see them in a lot of Middle Eastern dishes. There, they’re fantastic. But in cake or cookies? No, stop it.

least favorite protein: fish… to cook, anyway. I actually really love fish and seafood: I love scallops, fish and chips, fish tacos, tuna casserole, sushi, and clam chowder, and after this year, I’ve been converted to shrimp; my favorite fish is probably either salmon or swordfish. But—because I’m a very sensual person—I cannot get past the smell (it’s why I usually like to bake it, because then you can cook it with vegetables like asparagus, lemon wheels, and good spices wrapped in tin foil). The one fish that doesn’t smell is mahi mahi and it’s been… a… a while since I’ve had that.

least favorite pie: rhubarb, mainly because it kind of scares me (uncooked rhubarb is toxic). Banana cream, too—I love bananas, and I’m curious about “banoffee” (banana toffee, I see it in British recipes a lot), but like peppermint, banana flavored anything never tastes right, either. I just think of banana-flavored Twinkies 🥴

least favorite hellofresh kit: there was this one dish, I forget what it was now, but it had cherry tomatoes, cucumber, pistachios, a couple of other things, and “grilling cheese.” First off, I fucked up the cheese—or maybe they did, I dunno. It was one of those cheeses that could stand up to high heat (like halloumi is like that, you can actually grill it!)… and then it melted. Second, it just wasn’t that good, and I remember being disappointed because I was actually looking forward to it, too. You know, “alright, something new!”

we also had a ravioli dish just last week, and it was ravioli (and there’s never enough ravioli in the package, either) and pan-cooked zucchini topped with parm and Italian seasoning. Salty as hell and it was missing some kind of sauce, like it was dry even by my standards. Zucchini was really good, though, like I was proud of that zucchini. But I’ve always loved ravioli, so it was a major letdown.

biggest vice in the kitchen: when I’m interrupted for any reason—seriously any reason, because, just like with my writing or drawing or working out, I get in the sense of “flow”. I get in the zone. Jarring me out of that leaves me miffed, every single time.

I like having my kitchen clean, too. I learned how to clean as I go from my dad when it was just me and him living together; I get why my mom always gets annoyed when the kitchen is a mess after someone else uses it.

I hate undercooking things, too. I’ve undercooked a quiche, chicken, and burgers so far. Former two have made me cry, the latter I only just started to master. I understand the risk that comes with undercooking things, too—I would much rather overcook something.

[that-darn-clown]

Maxx's not-so-famous Corn Stuff!

A family favorite more commonly called Creamed Corn Casserole

Melted stick of butter

Two beaten eggs

Box of jiffy corn muffin mix

8oz. sour cream

Drained can of sweet corn

Can of creamed corn

Tips and tricks

Melt the butter first (glass bowl!) and brush a little on the pan

Dump everything into a big bowl EXCEPT THE EGGS

Beat the eggs in the bowl you melted the butter in and then pour it in

Sour cream often comes in 8oz containers! Just grab one and schlop the whole thing in

Below is an image of the corn muffin mix you need!

[mal-likes-biscuits]

Okay but which one is his Favorite biscuit? I get gingersnap vibes.

~🐟

This is a really good question, because it immediately runs into something I was somehow, in my mid-30s, unaware of until I made the Mal Likes Biscuits joke -- which is that your mileage on content for biscuits varies widely across the world.

So there's actually two answers to this question.

Mal's "biscuits" are Canadian biscuits, at least from my area, which are commonly called Tea Biscuits, but are not the cookie tea biscuits a lot of people think of. Usually they're a recipe variant brought over by all of our great-grandparents from the UK or Scotland. They're not a flat biscuit or cookie type thing, or the corn bread biscuits I've seen in the USA. They're simple ingredients, fluffy, and taste amazing with honey or jam spread on them.

This is my scribbled out, short form, of my great-grandma's recipe. You traditionally cook them with lard instead of shortening.

"Blend everything but milk. Heat milk slightly." Should also say add milk to the rest there. Don't stick it in a blender, just mix it up with your hands or a fork, or whatever.

Anyway, we mix this up, put it in those little mini muffin pans, bake accordingly, and you get biscuit muffins. Most folks just roll them into a little ball and bake right on a pan.

I had to do some image searching, but if you make them rolled on the pan, they come out looking approximately like this image:

These are the biscuits Mal is talking about. I picked them because this is a very old recipe that was passed down and would have been used, in some variation, by many families in previous centuries. "Modern" leavening agents like baking soda or powder have been around since the early to mid 1800s, and before that, something like yeast would have been used.

Your mileage on the actual historical time period for Diablo varies, so I let this one stand because it was a fun thing to put in. And these are really damn good biscuits. They should taste plain, but they're one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten, especially warm out of the oven. Add the honey on top and just trust me on that.

Answer to question two, which is "what type of cookie biscuit/standard cookie does Mal like":

I could see him liking ginger cookies for sugar. He loves spices. But he's a dark chocolate guy. He wants the expensive cacao stuff. (Really, anything with a rich flavor.)

[bunny-lovers]

🧣, 🍄, 🍂, and 🌰 for the fall asks! -bunnys-lil-hideout

Hope you & your f/os have a wonderful weekend & thank you for the ask! 😊 @bunnys-lil-hideout @rowenasgf @cruising-thru-the-starz

🍂- what fall beverage is your go-to to share with s/i?

"I like to drink hot apple cider to share with Rebecca."

🦃- do you and s/i cook for thanksgiving? who makes what?

"Yes, we both do! I make the green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Rebecca makes the roast turkey, corn, & pumpkin pie."

🧣- do you enjoy getting all bundled up when the weather starts to cool? do you steal s/i’s scarves or coats to wear?

"Yes, we do and yes, I do steal her scarves."

🍁- do you and s/i enjoy making piles of fallen leaves and jumping in them? would you ever do that?

"Yes, we do enjoying making piles of fallen leaves and jumping in them. Oh yeah, I would so do that!"

🌾- do you and s/i ever go to farms for hayrides? would you ever want to?

"We did it once and we enjoyed it."

🍄- any fun stories from the season? silly fall memories? tell one!

"She and I went for a fall hike, she and I both had our arms around each other, holding close and to keep each other warm while she and I were wearing cozy clothes."

🌽- have you ever been to a corn maze with s/i? would you like to?

"Yes, we have gone to a corn maze a few times. We both love it!"

🥧- do you and s/i like the pumpkin flavored treats? (pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice, etc.)

"Yes, we do, especially Rebecca. This time of the year is when she buys lots of pumpkin flavored treats when she and I are at the grocery store together. I'm going to make her pumpkin muffins for her this season."

🌰- favorite autumn activity to do together?

"We both love fall hiking together."