Sunday – 18/17/2016 – Bake Cookies Day

Crossover pic – Cookies for Santa Paws.
Wow I had no idea I could tell the future, other than that premonition I had many years ago that came true. I was not in the car when it crashed as I took the hint from my dream.
I may not be on often over the next few days, tomorrow I fly away to stay with Airy and then we have a road trip back home for Christmas.
Mr MS will be here taking care of HRH Shadz. She will have him wrapped around her little claw in twenty minutes.
😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆

Cookie is originally a Dutch word, koekje, meaning “Little Cake” and became the name for sweet biscuits in the US due to the New Netherlands settlement in part of New York State and neighbouring areas.

But there are also savoury cookies! http://www.brit.co/savory-cookies/ Mmm, Stilton and rosemary shortbread!

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipes/tag-377/savoury-biscuits.aspx

http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-roundup-savory-cookies-72214

I haven’t tried making any catnip ones though…

Yes, if you do cook you have to “deep-clean” regularly. Of course I wipe down the counters if I bake bread or cook anything, but bits of flour can accumulate in corners; it is very important not to let that happen. I also have a countertop convection oven; even though I bake, those are perfectly adapted to my needs and waste far less energy; you can definitely make a pizza, a foccaccia or some bread rolls in them. No microwave – I don’t like them. Yes, vinegar is great for cleaning, also for sweetening drains, with bicarbonate.

I’m the only human in my household and no longer entertain more than a few friends here; if we are having a larger dinner party, it is at the house of friends with a larger place. One houseold lives right across the street from an entrance to Jean-Talon métro station – two métro lines and many buses to there. Strict agreement that nobody is to drive (or cycle) if they’ve had anything to drink.

I make little food at once as getting a bit older, I’ve cut my portion sizes. But want to make sure I eat nutritious food. I have allergies (cow milk) so that pretty much requires cooking, but then religious requirements might also make it hard to find (nutritious) food just anywhere. This morning, I’m making Greek spanakorizo (rice with spinach and onions; there is more spinach than rice in the dish and it is extremely nutritious – it also incorporates lemon juice). Not having that for breakfust, just making it ahead to always have enough green. One can also add dill or parsley at the end.

I don’t make things like cookies on a regular basis, but I might make one of those savoury cookie recipes to take to a friend’s house for a year’s end party (not celebrating any particular holiday, just the return of the sun and a pretext to socialise).

Livia, unlike Renzo who was shy with others, is very sociable and the official greeter here.

Well, Renzo adopted me 20 years earlier. He was always very outgoing with me, but a bit shy with other humans; doc and others think he was abused as a baby – he had what looked like scars from cigarette burns at the nape of his wee kitten neck.

He hid when friends went to feed him and clean his box when I was away, but was friendly when I was there and would roll over and purr, showing off his white spots under chin and tummy (Livia has no white hairs whatsoever).

The catnip cookies remind me of the Alice B Toklas hashish ones… I know someone in Toronto who is taking those legally, but don’t envy him. He has AIDS and while he has lived with it for many years, it isn’t a pleasant life. A bill will (supposedly) be brought into the House of Commons for full legalization even for recreational purposes next year, but here in Mtl an “entrepreneur” rushed things and tried to open several “Cannabis Culture” boutiques, and naturally got arrested in the process.

I mentioned the arrests in yest Café lagatta. 🙁 Won’t go all-out political but IMHO Justin excels at posing for selfies and posting pic of his wife breast-feeding their youngest on I’Net. I kid you not! Don’t get me wrong – breast-feeding is fine, but pic provided way TMI and IMO entirely inappropriate.

Warmer today, supposed to head back into deep-freeze tomorrow. 🙁

And yet another power failure at gym! Instructor could have taught spin class w/out music in the dark but wouldn’t do it. Fitness room director is rock star and let us use the 3 spin bikes, plus other equipment in main gym where we had light from outside. DIY means tougher class for me. But on way back to lockers some way rude/stupid kid hit me in lower back with his stupid basketball. I did give him what for but no apology forthcoming!!! Grrr! Did the usual as arnica/ice/Tylenol, was more winded than anything else. And let supervisor know, who went to ensure that there was someone supervising these kids.

Was soaked through but no other option ‘cept to wash hair and self in freezing cold water. Brrr! And go home w/wet hair.

So those of us who wanted to got our workout, the rest not. I’m stepping up on soapbox for a sec to say I’ve had it with peeps who try to convince themselves and anyone who will listen that when reaching a certain age staying fit is not possible due to metabolism c**p. Strangely the spin instructors and most of the fitness instructors are mid-40’s and up, toughest teacher is at least late 50’s. Instructor/participant working out next to me is 63. IMHO if one doesn’t want to work out, don’t, but don’t expect me to commiserate. Same for peeps who “work” and have no time. My ans is gym opens at 4:45 am and when I worked full time I did 7 am class. And I am not purrfect, there are a multitude of things that I could work on, but I try not to make excuses, certainly not to others.

Hmmm … *KJ takes self out of Café in order to deal*

So glad that I have standing phone call w/ physio ea Mon. as I need her reassurance/support. Few peeps “get” me and I highly value those who do.

OK, on way lighter note I bought Dorry a new ‘nip toy – it’s a ‘nip-filled fishy stuffy with a bell on it so I can source out where he is playing/hiding.

I would think that one could make ‘nip cookies/cakes, like hash brownies. N’hood pet supply store has goggie cookies. Clerk told me that he taste-tested them and that they are OK, if rather tasteless. LOL.

Good that you’re on the mend JJ. I would think that cat logic aside you are for sure not done for. Hot tea with mint/honey might be soothing. Or cough drops. They used to use opium derivative as in cough syrup – guess if nothing else one would forget that they had a cough. 😉

Well Good Evening to all and I hope everyone had a good weekend! I didn’t even know about Bake Cookies Day but I celebrated it anyway. I baked to keep my house warm while my heat was out last week and ended up with too many muffins. So I decided to turn them into gift baskets but needed to add a little something to the baskets, so cookies it was.

I love baking and experimenting to take my favorite classic recipes and make them healthier and still tasty.

KJ – I agree with you on the excuses, I didn’t lose wait until almost 50 years old and because I work I go to the gym when it opens at 4:30AM.

Yep, no heat on the coldest day of the season so far – it was 17 degrees F outside. Luckily with a townhouse my neighbors helped hold my heat in and with the assistance of a space heater or the oven I could keep at least one room at a time comfortable.