Baking tip: Touch tip

I used to stick a toothpick in to test doneness.
I have come to see the tops and know... I open the oven touch the top of one to confirm and spring back to the touch. For me, it's generally 18 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cakes are tougher since each size is different and they get filled at different levels at times but touch tests work and I confirm with a stick in the bigger cakes (half sheets).

Cake tip:

Baking tip: Freeze the batter

After making the batter, whatever the recipe, you can freeze it. Store it in a tight container. Put a piece of saran wrap across the surface just to keep it uber fresh before you snap on the lid. Not only does the batter hold up well, but it doesnt freeze solid. What does this mean? This means you can bust out your metal cookie/ice cream scooper! Just line your cupcake pan, and put a frozen scoop in each one and bake as usual. Its neat and clean and let's you be able to bake lots of flavors at once or make great half & half cupcakes. No need to bake more than you need, just freeze & save! :)

History is Today

I wanted the kids to see the Space Shuttle Atlantis take off.
I grew up with shuttles just part of life. I was watching live as the Challenger exploded. I remember it well. I was in 2nd grade.
Well, this is a chance for my kids to view history in the making as Atlantis took its last flight and years before we launch again from US soil.


They waited and waited as we watched the NASA channel on DirecTV.
I pointed out things and explained any transmissions that were heard.


CT asked, how much gas does it take? I looked it up and informed him "it does not use gasoline but solid propellants like fireworks and.." CT then said, "oh, and hydrogen, and oxygen." "He was in fact correct! I added that they also use hydrazine, MMH and dinitrogentetroxide (N2O4). 


We watched it launch. Kids amazed. Eyes wide with wonder and delight. OC was the most excited.


As we kept watching and they would announce the speed, I reinforced what they said. "26-hunnnndred miles an hour! our car goes 65!" "They're up to 12000 miles an hour" 


At 15,000 miles per hour HT asked if that was faster than a speeding bullet. I informed him "yeah! It's thousand times
 faster."
 He was kinda floored. HT then said, "That means it's faster than Superman!" 
"yeah. The space shuttle would make Superman look like he was standing still."
HT was dumbfounded by the thought...


I really did raise such geeks and I am so proud of it!