From Heads Unworthy

1. In a dry skillet, roast 2 teaspoons of Szechuan peppercorns by shaking the pan over low to medium heat until the aroma of the peppercorns is released (about three minutes).
2. Grind the roasted peppercorns and 8 star anise in a blender or pepper mill.
3. Strain the blended seasonings.
4. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds.
5. Grind the seasonings until very fine.
6. Store in an airtight container.

1. Use five-spice powder sparingly, as it can be quite pungent.
2. If desired, you can substitute black peppercorns for the Szechuan peppercorn, and ground anise for the star anise (use 4 teaspoons of ground anise).

• Spices
• Skillet
• Blender or a Spice Mill
• Airtight Containe

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This looks like a fantastic quick dessert to make! On the list of things to try out! :D

The website has an excellent and quick tutorial on how to make these.

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What you have here is the ultimate trifecta of cookie goodness:

Peanut butter? Check.

Oats? Check.

Chocolate Chips? Check.

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I wanna try and make these, look so yummy. :3

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If you like lemon, you will LOVE these cookies. And if you love quick recipes that you mix together in one bowl with one spoon and have out of the oven in less than 20 minutes, then definitely keep reading. This is definitely one of the easiest recipes I have ever encountered. You may have seen a version of this recipe before – a cookie recipe based on a box cake mix. I have seen variations floating around the Internet for a couple of years now, but this is the first time I gave them a try. I was admittedly a little hesitant because I do try to make everything from scratch, but sometimes it doesn’t hurt to have a quick shortcut in your back pocket for those days when you need to throw something together in a hurry. This is a delicious solution for those kind of days.

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Too bad I’m terrible at making cookies.

Although comprised of three separate steps, these cupcakes are simple to put together and not very time consuming. While the cupcakes are in the oven baking, the lemon curd can be made in less than 10 minutes. While the cupcakes and curd cool, make the frosting and then you are ready to assemble and serve! I tasted a spoonful of lemon curd before assembling the cupcakes and thought it might be a bit too tart, but was pleasantly surprised when I tasted the entire cupcake. The curd didn’t appear too tart at all, and was perfectly balanced by the cake and frosting. As you can see, I popped the finished cupcakes into an additional liner – Wilton Nut & Party Cups – for a prettier presentation.

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i like my body when it is with your
body. It is so quite a new thing.
Muscles better and nerves more.
i like your body. i like what it does,
i like its hows. i like to feel the spine
of your body and its bones, and the trembling
-firm-smooth ness and which I will
again and again and again
kiss, i like kissing this and that of you,
i like, slowly stroking the, shocking fuzz
of your electric fur, and what-is-it comes
over parting flesh…And eyes big love-crumbs,

and possibly i like the thrill
of under me you quite so new

“i like my body” by e.e. cummings from Complete Poems 1904-1962. © Liveright Publishing, 1991.

It is important to use the type of cocoa specified in a recipe because it may affect the recipe’s balance of acid. If you must substitute, use the following formula:

Cocoa, Unsweetened:

Substitute equal amounts of Dutch-processed cocoa for unsweetened cocoa. Leave out any baking soda called for in the recipe.

3 tablespoon carob powder plus 2 tablespoons water for every 1-ounce unsweetened cocoa.

Do not substitute instant cocoa mix for unsweetened cocoa in any recipe.

Dutch-Process Cocoa:

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder plus a pinch (1/8 teaspoon) baking soda for every 1-ounce Dutch-Process Cocoa.

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate plus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda (reduce fat in recipe by 1 tablespoon).

3 tablespoons carob powder for every 1-ounce Dutch Process Cocoa.

Mexican Chocolate:

1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate and 1/2 teaspoon ground Mexican cinnamon for every 1-ounce Mexican Chocolate.

In mole sauces, substitute 1 tablespoon cocoa powder for every ounce of Mexican chocolate called for in the recipe.

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What’s the difference between Dutch-process and natural cocoa powder?

Dutch-process cocoa powder is made from cocoa (cacao) beans that have been washed with a potassium solution, to neutralize their acidity. Natural cocoa powder is made from cocoa beans that are simply roasted, then pulverized into a fine powder.

What does Dutching do?

Aside from neutralizing the acidity, Dutching cocoa powder makes it darker (see photo below, right) and can help mellow the flavor of the beans. Some artisan companies in the United States don’t Dutch-process their cocoa as they claim their cocoa beans don’t need to be acid-neutralized. Most supermarket brands of cocoa powder in America, such as Hershey’s and Nestlé, are natural cocoa powders.

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