dilemma, and more LID stuff...

It's a problem....

So, lately I've taken action...

I bit the bullet and joined WW.

Unfortunately, this is in direct conflict with my beloved baking and with TWD...
I know some people are able to bake amazing desserts by Dorie and maintain their trim figure - including Dorie herself. she's a little sprite of a thing - However I'm not one of those people. I sample, taste and then sit and enjoy. It adds up.
So, I will have to give that up. I will still check in with them 'cause those people know how to bake. And, they know how to take amazing photos of their goods.

Oh, and I met the amazing Kim from Ruby is Coming. She and her hubs recently moved here. She's a kindred spirit. It just so happens we've both signed up for a sprint triathlon and have started running using the Couch to 5K program. I hope to see her much more, I need that positive energy! She's a dynamo!


And while I'm random, I have a little more 2 yr LID anniversary business....

Ms J9 sent Ting Ting* some adorable hair clips as a memento - so sweet. I really have the best friends - amazing.

And on that day (5/16) I received my updated I-171H (important, time-consuming, and expensive paperwork required for bringing my daughter home). The thing is, I did all the paperwork and updated homestudy last fall because my original one expired in Oct. (because of the extended wait times, the US govt. graciously allowed one free extension if you applied before your old paperwork expired). I was expecting to have concurrent paperwork and for this new attempt to expire 4/09. However, my paperwork must have gotten lost in a stack and recently resurfaced because my new date on the I-171H is 5/13/08 - meaning... it doesn't expire until 11/13/09. I have 18 months to get Ting Ting onto American soil before I have to do that again ($$$)!! That was a great LID gift! Surely, she'll be home in 18 months...

And, lastly, on that day I was standing in my basement with my contractor who said "What's that" as he swatted at something on his arm. ...then, "oh, sorry ladybug" as a mangled little ball of red and black fell to the concrete floor. Hmmm good or bad?

Have a great Memorial Day
and here's to seeing less of me!


*some dear friends have recently been referring to my daughter as Ting Ting..and while hesitant at first, I've given in and now think it rather cute.

24 months

On a day that has the potential for much self pity, I find a bright and festive package at my door. the LID fairy is fleeing back to her ride as I catch her in action...

What a sweet and bright little happy to help me ?celebrate? this day that marks 2 years of waiting for my daughter.

Ohhhh... so cute!

Thanks much friend!

I've been neglecting Dorie

While I have been baking, I haven't been blogging about it. Some of you may have been relieved, as baking isn't your thing, but I did make a commitment when I signed up for TWD to post every Tuesday about the week's chosen recipe.
The baking part I look forward to, it's the forced blogging I seem to be having a little trouble with. So here's a catch-up...


Two weeks ago was an interesting sounding recipe for Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake.
It was ok - not my favorite. I liked the idea of using corn meal and figs and ricotta and a hive's worth of honey and was intrigued by the idea of these melding textures and tastes, but the end result was just ok for me, dawg ( I'm channeling Randy Jckson - I should never try to blog late at night after a looong day at work)) It was a dense (good), slightly grainy (interesting) solid bit of a cake, but the flavor was just a bit off for me - can't put my finger on it... If you are interested in the recipe, there are dozens of better bakers than me that will have it posted on their blogs.

The following week's recipe was one that I had to skip solely for self preservation... Peanut Butter Torte. You see, peanut butter is my lifelong love. Put it together with chocolate and I get a little crazed. I had no particular plans that weekend, so I knew if I made the dessert, I would eat it all myself - not good with my ever-expanding waist & buttocks. So I opted out of that week, but I do plan on making it when I have a place to take it to share. It's too dangerous for me alone.

This past week's recipe was a gem. I loved the FloridaPie - key lime pie with a layer of coconut cream. to die for!

These adorable little limes are just a little bigger than my thumb and make about a tablespoon of juice. The recipe required 1/2 cup of juice, so quite a few of these little babies sacrificed themselves to the cause.

Dorie says she uses store-bought graham cracker crust and if it's good enough for Dorie...
The crust I bought was much smaller than the one the recipe calls for so I happened to pick up these little tart-sized crusts and they were perfect.
The larger pie I took to this gathering where too much dessert was had by all.

My meringue needed a little help in the texture and fluff department, but didn't it brown nicely?

Someone had to reveal the scrumptious layer of coconut cream hiding beneath the tart and tangy lime layer. I was willing.

I highly recommend this recipe. It will stay in my list of favorites.

Here's the recipe if you want it....

Florida Pie
by Dorie Greenspan
Baking: From My Home to Yours

1 9-inch graham cracker crust (page 235), fully baked and cooled, or a store-bought crust
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
4 large eggs, seperated
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh Key (or regular) lime juice (from about 5 regular limes)
1/4 cup of sugar

Getting Ready:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the pie plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment of a silicone mat.

Put the cream and 1 cup of the coconut in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly. Continue to cook and stir until the cream is reduced by half and the mixture is slightly thickened. Scrape the coconut cream into a bowl and set it aside while you prepare the lime filling.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl beat the egg yolks at high speed until thick and pale. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the condensed milk. Still on low, add half of the lime juice. When it is incorporated, add the reaming juice, again mixing until it is blended. Spread the coconut cream in the bottom of the graham cracker crust, and pour over the lime filling.

Bake the pie for 12 minutes. Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes, then freeze the pie for at least 1 hour.

To Finish the Pie with Meringue:

Put the 4 egg whites and the sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, whisking all the while, until the whites are hot to the touch. Transfer the whites to a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer in a large bowl, and beat the whites at high speed until they reach room temperature and hold firm peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold the remaining 1/2 cup coconut into the meringue.

Spread the meringue over the top of the pie, and run the pie under the broiler until the top of the meringue is golden brown. (Or, if you've got a blowtorch, you can use it to brown the meringue.) Return the pie to the freezer for another 30 minutes or for up to 3 hours before serving.