From Mark:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find sentences 5,6, and 7, and post them.
4. Tag five people.

From Second to None:  Superstars on the Rise by Nancy Krulik (this was a gag gift I put in Denny’s Christmas stocking one year, and for whatever reason it’s never left the living room).

The two actors say the film was made as a favor, and was never intended to be a full-length feature release.)  Interviewer after interviewer asked Tobey [Maguire] what it’s like to travel in Leo [DiCaprio]’s posse, especially since Tobey, unlike most of Leo’s buds, doesn’t smoke or drink.  But Tobey is a loyal friend.

I shall tag Collette, Holly, Lisa, Morgan, and Sabine.

A while ago, and it seems like a thousand years ago because it was pre-Miles, but it was probably more like last spring or summer, Denny bought a potted Meyer lemon tree. It produced three beautiful lemons, which I used today to make a cake. It turned out downright delicious, if I do say so myself.

Now the plant is blossoming again. We’ve decided that I’ll make the cake every winter when the plant bears fruit.

Meyer Lemon Pudding Cake (slightly adapted from one I found on epicurious.com)

Note: this cake is spongy on the top and pudding-y on the bottom. You can substitute regular lemons, but Meyer lemons are what make it particularly exciting.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup sugar, divided
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
Zest from 2 Meyer lemons
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites

Whipped cream and fresh berries, for garnish (I used strawberries and blueberries, which I refer to as “bloobs” because it’s funny)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Blend buttermilk, 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolks, lemon juice, zest, flour, butter, and salt in blender until smooth. Transfer buttermilk mixture to medium bowl. Using electric mixer (I used my stand mixer and it worked fine), beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Gently fold buttermilk mixture into whites in 3 additions (batter will be runny).

Pour batter into prepared dish. Place dish in roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of dish. Bake until entire top is evenly browned and cake moves very slightly in center but feels slightly springy to touch, about 45 minutes. Remove dish from roasting pan.

Cool cake completely in baking dish on rack. Refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 6 hours. Spoon pudding cake out into shallow bowls. Top with whipped cream and berries.

Toe-licking bandit?  A mugshot that makes him look like Coolio after he got off the Tilt-A-Whirl?

Comedy gold.

Check it out.

(Thanks to Aimee)

On Saturday, we took a trip to the library, because I really needed some reading material beyond pregnancy/childbirth/childcare books.  This is important, yes, but it’s just about all I’ve read in the last 9 months, and my brain was getting full.

I picked up Rant:  An Oral Biography of Buster Casey by Chuck Palahniuk and Tales of the Unexpected by Roald Dahl.  I’ve read one other of Roald Dahl’s short story collections for adults, and I was very impressed.  I guess it’s not surprising that the mind that created such twisted children’s tales as The Witches (my all-time favorite) would be even weirder and funnier when not censoring himself for a juvenile audience.  I haven’t started that one yet, but I’m looking forward to it.  Rant is really good so far.  I really admire the way Chuck P. slowly unfolds a story and doesn’t pander.  His brain must be a very interesting place to live.

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Things one notices when spending hours and hours breastfeeding a baby:  this Boppy I have sports a Noah’s Ark theme.  On it I see a pair of rabbits, a pair of sheep, a pair of horses, a pair of chickens (lesbians, apparently, since neither is a rooster), a pair of something that might be armadillos, and…a zebra with a monkey on its back.  Shocking!