Michael Franti and Spearhead in Madison

It was a great show at Capitol Theatre in the Overture Center. If you're not familiar with their music, check it out. We're big fans.

http://michaelfranti.com/media/albums/sound-sunshine

What a Great Autumn Day

I love baking on a Sunday morning, especially when it's cold outside. Hot coffee in a warm kitchen is a great way to start the day. This weekend I picked up a couple of pie pumpkins to make some pumpkin bread. I still don't have a great recipe, so if anyone has one that they love and are willing to share I'd be grateful!

I just pulled out a batch of cake-like pumpkin cookies out of the oven that I 'm going to frost after they cool. Thank you Jason for saving the recipe for me! (Anyone that knows me well, knows that I love anything pumpkin.) He found it Friday's WI State Journal in the Taste section.

http://host.madison.com/entertainment/dining/article_cd364a9a-0691-5b32-9f4e-c9c8ff2e51ae.html

Click on the link above and scroll down to Pumpkin Poppy Seed Cookies. I didn't use poppy seeds, only because I didn't have any on hand, but I bet it makes a big difference if you do. Yum! Can't wait to try them!

Also, per Karl's request, I made Cafe Beaujolais Coffee Cake. It's definitely not a low-fat option but it sure is good and worth sharing. I like to halve the recipe and use a 9x9 square pan, it's a much more manageable amount for two people.

Cafe Beaujolais Coffee Cake

2 1/4 cups all -purpose flour

1 cup brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup sugar

2 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

1/4 t ginger

3/4 cup corn oil

1 cup sliced almonds

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

Blend flour, sugars, salt, ginger and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; blend in oil until evenly mixed. Remove 3/4 cup mixture and combine with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and almonds; set aside for topping. To remaining flour mixture, thoroughly blend in baking powder and soda. blend in egg and buttermilk until smooth.

Pour into a buttered 13" x 9" baking pan. Sprinkle with reserved nut mixture evenly over surface of batter. Bake 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes.

One more really great fall soup recipe I've recently made from the book called "A Homemade Life" by Molly Wizenberg:

Butternut Squash Soup with Pear, Cider, and Vanilla Bean

3 T olive oil

4 generous cups butternut squash

2 firm, ripe pears

1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 c apple cider

4 c vegetable or chicken broth

1/2 t salt

1/2 c half and half or cream

1 vanilla bean

finely chopped chives

Heat oil in a dutch oven or small stockpot over medium heat. Add squash, pears, onion and stir to coat with oil. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until onion is soft and transparent and pears are starting to fall apart.

Add the cider and bring mixture to boil over medium- high heat. Add broth, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the mixture, partially covered, for about 30 minutes until squash is tender.

Using a blender or food processor and working in small batches, don't fill your blender jar more than one-third full; hot liquids expand - puree until very smooth. Return the soup to the stockpot and add the salt. Continue to cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the soup has reduced to about one-half to one-third of its original volume. stir occasionally. the final consistency is up to you; when it reaches a thickness that seems right, not too thin, not too thick, it's ready.

While the soup is reducing, put the half-and-half in a small saucepan. Using a sharp knife, scrape the tiny black seeds out of the pod. Scoop the seeds and the pod into the saucepan with the half-and-half, and warm it over low heat, swirling occasionally, until it steams. Do not allow it to boil. Pull it from the heat, remove and discard the pod, and whisk to break up any clumps of seeds. Set aside. When the soup has reduced to your desired thickness, stir in the infused half-and-half. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as necessary.

Serve, garnished with a sprinkling of fresh chives.

4 - 5 servings

Oh, tea party. There you go again.

Karl's Latest Installation

Cats Are Hilarious

http://www.27bslash6.com/missy.html

(click on the link above)

Hilarious. I die laughing every time I read it. Enjoy.

On a related note. . .

Please view video:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/09/stewart-quran-burning-pastor_n_710296.html

And, just for kicks, here's a picture to make your day.

On the whole mosque thing - please read to the end

I’m not against freedom of religion; in fact, I support the rights given to us by the first amendment wholeheartedly. I believe that we as a nation should be tolerant of all those who come to our country, no matter their creed or religion, no matter the color of their skin, so long as they appreciate our faith in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Our forefathers fought for these freedoms, and all that I ask is that every American, and every recent immigrant, respect the values created by these men.

But, I find it offensive that a particular religious persuasion wants to put a “learning center” near the grounds of one of the worst terrorist attacks that has happened to our great country since Pearl Harbor. Many innocent people died during that horrific attack, and now this “religious” organization feels it has the right to put a cultural center on hallowed ground, a mere 3 blocks from the attack. This is not acceptable.

Remember that even Joseph Stalin, the great tyrant and murderer of millions of people, agreed with the notions of free speech and freedom of religion (provided you agreed with him, and didn’t publically contradict him). And there’s an important lesson to be learned here: freedom of speech and religion are correct, and even necessary, so long as the will of the majority and those in power are respected. That’s why this issue is so significant. This “cultural center,” though approved through a local planning process, threatens to deprive millions of us of our God given (and constitutionally affirmed) rights to discriminate against those that we (however inaccurately) feel have bereaved us.

I’ve read and heard things like “it would be like drawing swastikas on a Jewish temple”, or, like “putting up a monument to Hirohito at Pearl Harbor”. That’s exactly what this is like. I’ll add another: erecting this religious building would be like letting Germans into the Holocaust museum. Need I say more?

I find this idea offensive and anti-American. I urge all Americans to fight against this attack on our civil liberties, and to show some tolerance to those who might be offended by this un-American, and, indeed, Ungodly act. The Bill of Rights does not include people that disagree with us! I think the founding fathers would agree. As Newt Gingrich so eloquently asked: “has Saudi Arabia allowed churches to be built in their country?" They have not. Clearly, we should take our cues from Saudi Arabia when it comes to religious freedom. Until Saudi Arabia allows a church to be built in “Arabia,” we shouldn’t allow one here, in Oklahoma City. I think that much is crystal clear.

So, to all Americans reading this, please join me in rejecting the plan for an Irish Catholic church to be built near downtown Oklahoma City, where a terrorist attack took the lives of 168 people, including 19 children, in 1995. The first amendment, which includes religious freedom, is in this country paramount. But not in this case. The Irish Catholics may have a “right” to build their church here, but it isn’t a wise decision. It is a decision better left to an angry, hostile mob, than one left to our constitution and bill of rights (and general sense of fairness).

The Irish Catholic church, despite its rich history of charity and good works, should be judged as a whole by Mr. Timothy McVeigh, an Irish Catholic who bombed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing many Americans. Some will say “should we take the actions of one or even a few people as representative of a large and ultimately peaceful religion?” Yes we should. Because if we don’t, religious freedom will run rampant in our beautiful country, and we will have to resort to stopping women from driving, preventing little girls from going to school, and we’ll have to cut the hands off of people that steal. Like Saudi Arabia. Friends: they got it right.

Speaking of Saudi Arabia, and at the risk of sounding controversial, it’s possible we should consider banning Christianity in all of the United States of America. Tim McVeigh was a Christian, and as such must have spoken for the majority of Christians. Is this a hateful, prejudiced religion? Consider this: the KKK based their actions and beliefs on Christian teachings, and we all know where that lead. A handful of whackos used their religion as an excuse to torment and harass, and even to kill and maim innocent human beings. Never again.

Never mind that the overwhelming majority of people of this faith are decent, hardworking, loving people. Never mind that they are our neighbors, coworkers, and friends. It’s only logical that we should decry, condemn, and censure their entire religion on the basis of one or a few of the religion’s followers. It just makes sense.