i like to make this when i have lots of company. after a late night of last minute windexing, i still feel up to throwing this in the butt pan before crawling into bed. that way, when the midnight arrivals wake in the morning, it is to the smell of fresh rolls, oozing in butter and sugar. and while they think you worked so hard, you really just shoved it in the oven around 6 o’clock and went back to bed. sneaky.

so here’s what you do. spray a bundt pan with baking pam and then throw in 15 frozen rhodes white dinner rolls (alternating with about 3/4 cup pecans, if you’re interested). sprinkle the whole thing with a packet of instant butterscotch pudding, a cup of brown sugar and then drizzle over a cup of melted butter. cover it, let it rise overnight and then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. it’s especially yummy served with fresh fruit and orange juice. but try not to do it very often. i think it might be bad for you.

the boys and i made these cookies yesterday. they are entirely fascinated by the stand mixer. one day someone is going to loose an arm.

i just uploaded the recipe here. these are great if you want a healthy cookie for kids that doesn’t taste like a gritty brick. they are very moist and tasty, with no eggs or sugar at that. (does a half cup of maple syrup count as sugar?) anyways, try it you’ll like it. i ate five when they first came out of the oven.

i’ve also been tagged for 7 strange things about myself by my sister-in-law. first, and maybe this is perfectly normal, but i have to change my sheets every three days. i also have to fondle everything in the produce department before i can decide on something. (i try to do this while my husband isn’t looking else i get dirty looks.) if i walk into the bathroom, i mentally note the shampoo bottles and make sure they are all facing the right way. i can’t help it. if you ever visit our house, the swimsuit calendar is mine, not my husband’s. i’m eagerly awaiting march (one more day!), she might be the best swimsuit picture of all time and i’ll be sure to post it. february, on the other hand, looks like she’s suffering a bit of a concussion. maybe they call that the “vulnerable look”(it’s even funnier since she stuffed in the bed of someone’s truck). i think that brings us to 5 and 6, which seem to have some kind of moral discrepancy. i am transfixed by other people’s zits. when certain people walk in my home they know they are subject to a good once over (this is how you know we are good friends). at the same time, i cannot clean out the trap in the sink or the dishwasher. my husband gets called in from his after dinner soccer, quite frequently, for this purpose. he is very understanding. and oh my goodness, edward norton is dang hot. no one could die of diarrhea and vomiting and be more attractive. of all the male characters in movies, “walter,” in the painted veil is the only one who has ever made a lasting impression on me. although clint eastwood and i do have a bit of a good thing going. but that’s only because he reminds me of my own dear husband.

tagging sarah, dawn, mackenzie, dad, kandi, tiffany and some girl named “millie,” because i can tell she is strange already.

i hosted a cupcake swap saturday night. and i’m afraid i’m still suffering the consequences. my stomach is in much too tight of confines to take that kind of abuse. if only we could do it again.

the girls each brought a finger food and a batch of unfrosted cupcakes. so we grazed and decorated and were very happy.

even marc was happy. because sharla brought him chocolate cupcakes, stuffed with cream cheese and chocolate chips. he almost didn’t notice that his house was full of girls and that his wife was insane. “you don’t dust off the top of the fridge for me…” (whine, whine). he’s not that fond of the pre-party fervor.

here are the boys. they had the whole spread to themselves and stayed there most of the night. actually, i spent a lot of time there myself. kandi made a gourmet, deviled egg tray that was very exciting. boy made mini-papads with mint and tamarind chutney and one of the girls made a lovely spinach dip.

and here is kandi herself, who makes yummy eggs and is cute. what do you know? and on the right you have the otto’s breakfast this sunday morning, courtesy of sonia. all the reason a girl needs to get out of bed. works like a charm. corn flakes have no similar effect, whatsoever.

this is martha’s coconut cream pie. i keep getting tempted by recipes i know my husband will hate. now what am i going to do with all this pie?

the first thing that comes to mind, several times a day, i suppose. it’s a hard life. if you do try it, less is more with the whipped cream and the crust steals the show. maybe you could double the crust, for even extra crust satisfaction. (it’s best never to err on the side of caution.)

tuesday was my birthday. and this was my celebratory, birthday smoothie, “strawberry ginger,” very perky. on the right, is my chenille bathrobe from my mother-in-law. she took me to dillard’s to pick it out. the sales lady was very protective of it however, “now now, leave that one alone, it is much to old for you.” au contraire, it’s just right.

and this is me opening my new, pink, old-navy jammies from my sister-in-law (”gideon and jehu opening,” i mean).

and what do you know, even more pinkness. my ice cube fast is over (i’ve been holding out for these for two years now). what a good husband. and on my fridge is my super cool, hologram, birthday card from my aunt dawny bugs. she sent me money, honey, and now i am going to buy mixing bowls (and maybe something else exciting, like a can opener).

hubby also got me pink knives ( so i would stop sending his henckel’s through the dishwasher). and dearest, aunt megan got me more salt (it’s the little jars on the bottom right). mmm.

which leads me on a salt tangent (i am still trying to win you over). this is my “australian flake salt.” it is delicious, and yes, i do eat it straight. and it’s so funny to read the backs of the jars, “this salt delivers a subtle, fleeting crunch that adds a wonderful dimension to any dish.” it makes you just want to lick it.

i think they were pushing it a little with the “trapani sea salt” though, “harvested from the sicilian sea, this excellent quality salt is farmed using a natural process that is hundreds of years old. ancient windmills power the stone wheels that grind the salt dried from the sicilian sun…” well, it is still yummy, even if a little dramatic.

and this is “celtic sea salt”. it says it “retains the ocean’s true essence.” i’m just not sure that’s a good thing.

and here is “dead sea salt,” for anyone who ever needs any convincing that salt tastes. the name says it all, baby.

lastly, my himalayan salt from christmas. it’s become my standby. i just don’t know if i’ll be able to afford to revamp when i run out. and by then, i’ll be quite addicted. it’s a cruel, delicious world.

…in which my husband did prove that he loved me, by taking me to sushi and (according to him) a “foods that should not be eaten tour” of the co-op. my, not so subtle, taste buds seem to demand all kinds of nasty. favorite things on my list are stinky cheeses, marinated olives, black licorice, lime desserts, pickled ginger and cow licks.

and the cheese was stinky, mind you. i checked both the kids’ butts when we got home and out of the car. clean as a whistle… it must have been a pretty “aged goat,” to smell like that.

and it was all right. the chayote, on the other hand, was much yummier. i will try him again. very tasty. but it was not as yummy as the masala beans poriyal we made. i uploaded that recipe in case anyone wanted to brave it.

so those were our food adventures i had hinted about. i’m making the chocolate torte today, because it’s “happy birthday” to me.

we had a family of 8 over for dinner last night, so we fed them finger foods and dispersed them over the house. it worked great, since my table only seats 6 (and that’s if you’re being demanding).

we had veggies and spinach dip, crackers, a cheese tray, rachel ray’s guacamole, bacon cream cheese rolls, homemade almond joys, cranberry orange punch and a fruit tray. it turned out to be more than enough and i didn’t have to dirty any pots or wash any silverware. it must be the only way to fly when you are cooking for 12 people in under 900 square feet.

gideon and jehu loved all the kids. especially the older girls who doted on them. seth and tami are the same age as marc and i, so apparently we are way behind schedule (as far as production goes). marc kept a nice fire going the whole time and it was a very cozy evening. today, the grandparents are coming. and it’s off to the “train store” to spoil some very expectant ottoscroms.

we had cookie duty at church last weekend. i made chocolate chip cookies, some “knock your socks off” ginger snaps and vanilla wafers. which was all fine and good, but only the vanilla wafers had that special somethin’ somethin’. in fact, my williams and sonoma cookbook has started to open automatically to that page. so here is the recipe. they go great with tea and coffee too.

other than that, we were picking up gideon from baby sitting last night (hubby took me to mai thai), when little elizabeth streaked out of the bathroom. gideon was horrified and ran over to me with the utmost concern, “mommy! mommy! what happened to elizabeth’s ling ling?” something very bad, apparently.

also, yesterday my dad had to go to the hospital for some rooting about. he’s fine, but they did dope him up quite a bit. my mom couldn’t resist teasing him in front of the nurses, “honey, do you love me?” “only because you’re sooo sexy,” he drawled.

i made lime bars the other day. they were scrumptious. the recipe was from my new, “pure dessert” cook book. the only problem was that they got ate up too fast (and not by me). consequently, i was driven to the pursuit of imaginary food, and started my grocery list early. there will be some “chocolate almond torte” coming up next week.

and after squeezing all those limes, i’ve decided i needed a lemon/lime press. i’m sure i’ve seen them in pink. and a cookbook stand (to keep things safe). i am much messier than you would ever guess. just ask my husband. he cooks like martha, with everything lined out in little dishes before he starts. crazy.

the bars turned out to be the best ever (super yummy crust too!), but they didn’t look the same as the picture. i will be trying again today, as i have some extra limes, so we will see if i have better luck.

this is my favorite bread recipe. i keep on trying them and i keep on coming back to this one.

it uses half whole wheat flour and half white, so it is pretty sturdy. it also uses a squished up date and applesauce for the sweetener. this gives it a moist, soft texture (i don’t like “dry” bread). other lighter, “fluffier” breads are good on occasion. but i find i like something more substantive for my everyday bread. if you have a kitchen aid, i would recommend trying your hand at it (if you haven’t already). it makes bread making so much easier. you just dump stuff in and tell your children not to stick their fingers in the mixer, lest they loose one.

p.s. i heart my bread box.  sigh.