“Sometimes you feel like a nut…” Things take up room in my brain that probably shouldn’t, like ear worms and commercial slogans from decades ago. If the brain is like a filing cabinet, mine is overflowing and I can’t find anything. I don’t usually feel like a nut, but I often feel like chocolate. Or breakfast food for dinner (tonight I had French toast made with cinnamon brioche). Or having a discussion with folks who describe themselves and people like themselves as “everyone” as in “everyone knows” or “our families are…” I get so tired of that. My public bookclub, a very, very white space, read a book by an American of Nigerian descent. The comments were interesting. I was clear that some of the values I grew up with were not present in every participant, such as community over individual. You know, the principles of Kwanzaa. Oh, you don’t know? Let me school ya. Better yet, teach yourself. Go to therapy if you need to. Don’t be ashamed to admit you might need help. I realize that I am less inclined to pass on information about “sales” because I am not being paid to advertise places, and I don’t want to encourage excess or conspicuous consumption. Some days I have more email asking/telling me to spend money than emails about substantive things I might be interested in. I am truly tired of politics. Don’t forget to support NPR and PBS. 1,006 more days.
Wild Cooking Woman 4/23/26
Sometimes you just need something chocolate. What about Chocolate Cake for One from Joanie Zisk’s One Dish Kitchen blog. This is a great resource if you live alone or with one other person. The recipes are sized down for one or two. She also has a leftover ingredients recipe finder so you can use up that leftover egg white or half a can of tomato paste.
Chocolate Cake for One
Equipment
Ingredients
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- 3 tablespoons salted butter -melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg white
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- powdered sugar -for topping. Or top this cake with buttercream frosting, chocolate frosting, cream cheese frosting, chocolate ganache, or homemade whipped cream for a richer finish.
Instructions
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Preheat the Oven: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter a 10-ounce ramekin and set it aside.
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Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, egg white, and vanilla until smooth.
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Combine Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.
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Mix Batter: Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Then, stir in the heavy cream until fully combined.
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Fill the Ramekin: Pour the batter into the prepared ramekin.
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Bake the Cake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool on a rack.
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Serve: Enjoy the cake directly from the ramekin, or loosen the edges with a knife. Place a plate on top, flip the ramekin, and slide the cake out. Top with frosting or dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
- Measure Accurately: Proper measurements are key to great results.
- Avoid Overmixing: Mix just until combined to keep the cake soft and tender.
- Grease the Ramekin: Ensures the cake doesn’t stick and makes removal easier.
- Test for Doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center; it’s done if it comes out clean.
- Cool Before Topping: Let the cake cool slightly before dusting with powdered sugar to avoid melting.
- Enjoy Fresh: This cake is best eaten the day it’s made.
RIP, Dave Mason
What diabetes experts want you to know. How about that! Useful information!
Writer’s Digest’s 95th Annual Writing Competition is now accepting entries. Enter in any of the following categories, including two poetry categories:
- inspirational/spiritual
- memoirs/personal essays
- nonfiction essay or article
- genre short story (think romance, thriller, mystery, sci-fi, etc.)
- mainstream/literary short story
- rhyming poetry
- non-rhyming poetry
- humor
- children’s/young adult fiction
Enter by the early-bird deadline, May 4, to save.
Are you losing muscle? (Yes) Here’s how to get it back. (more)
The Southern Poverty Law Center was indicted on federal fraud charges tied to its use of paid informants to surveil extremist groups. I know what I think about that, but you make up your own mind.
The Roman Space Telescope is an instrument that could allow NASA researchers to observe an area of the cosmos 100 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope. See the telescope here.
The United Kingdom passed a bill this week to phase out the sale of tobacco nationwide. Anyone born after 2008 will be permanently barred from purchasing cigarettes, vapes, or heated tobacco when the bill becomes law next week, pending royal assent.
Well, I couldn’t completely ignore politics, could I?
How long will your lifespan probably be? Check out these calculators (just for fun).
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Every time I watch the news and see pix of people arrested, I think of this.
If you have a patio and live in USDA Hardiness zones 8b-11, you can probably grow a potted Meyer lemon tree.
Will closing a credit card lower your credit score?
Which household items can slow your Wi-Fi?
Cinnamon can be used in the garden to repel certain pests, remove fungal diseases, and even stimulate growth in cuttings. “[Cinnamon] contains cinnamaldehyde, which disrupts the nervous system of insects,” says Lucie Bradley, gardening and greenhouse expert at Easy Garden Irrigation. (more)
Do you have someone in your life who lives alone or far away? Are you going on vacation because you need a break from caregiving? (yes) Here are some free ways to help check on them while you’re away:
- https://buddyhelp.org/ Offers free emotional support through volunteer listeners and also provides access to professional online therapy.
- https://www.snugsafe.com/ A free app that sends daily check-in reminders. If you don’t respond, your emergency contacts are notified.
- https://checkinbee.com/ Sends daily text messages asking for a simple reply. If no response, designated contacts are notified.