Stents, Cookies, Snow.

I see in the news former President Clinton has just had a couple of stents put in to unblock his coronary artery. I know all about that as I had a stent put in my femoral artery some years ago. My doctor at the time - an ex pat Englishman - told me that a stent looks like a miniature Brandy Snap. Those are not available in this part of the world, well I have never seen them, so it wouldn't convey anything. I used to love Brandy Snaps too. Difficult to see in the picture but they are thin cookies which are rolled around something to make tubes. They are somewhat lacey too. There appear to be several recipes on the internet, but I don't think I had better try them. I know where most of them would end up!!

I see there is more snow forecast, or already falling, in the southern States. Places which haven't had snow in 30 years or so. My friend in Philadelphia says they got 2 ft. and it might have been more except they got sleet in with it. That's a heck of a lot of snow to deal with. She also talked about the snow plows clearing the roads and blocking driveways. We have had that happen to us a few times over the years. I am not sure how you can deal with that. It is most infuriating and if you are not very fit, to have to physically remove such piles of snow is nigh on impossible. I am so glad we don't have that problem any more. That is definitely one of the major benefits of apartment living here, no snow shovelling and no grass cutting.

According to Eating Well these brownies are guilt free. I suppose as their calorie count is 86, if you are able to stick to one, OK, I'm not sure how big they are. On the other hand they look, and sound, good. Dark Fudgy Brownies From EatingWell: January/February 2007

We like to use chocolate with 60-72% cacao content in these rich, fudgelike brownies, as it imparts a deeper, fuller flavor than less-chocolaty choices. 20 brownies

Ingredients •3/4 cup all-purpose flour •2/3 cup confectioners' sugar •3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, American-style or Dutch-process •3 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (50-72% cacao), coarsely chopped, plus 2 1/2 ounces chopped into mini chip-size pieces, divided •1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil •1/4 cup granulated sugar •1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup, blended with 3 tablespoons lukewarm water •2 teaspoons vanilla extract •1/8 teaspoon salt •1 large egg •1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts, (see Tip), optional

Preparation 1.Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with foil, letting it overhang on two opposing sides. Coat with cooking spray. 2.Sift flour, confectioners’ sugar and cocoa together into a small bowl. Combine the 3 ounces coarsely chopped chocolate and oil in a heavy medium saucepan; place over the lowest heat, stirring, until just melted and smooth, being very careful the chocolate does not overheat. Remove from the heat and stir in granulated sugar, corn syrup mixture, vanilla and salt until the sugar dissolves. Vigorously stir in egg until smoothly incorporated. Gently stir in the dry ingredients. Fold in the walnuts (if using) and the remaining 2 1/2 ounces chopped chocolate just until well blended. Turn out the batter into the pan, spreading evenly. 3.Bake the brownies until almost firm in the center and a toothpick inserted comes out with some moist batter clinging to it, 20 to 24 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 1/2 hours. 4.Using the overhanging foil as handles, carefully lift the brownie slab from the pan. Peel the foil from the bottom; set the slab right-side up on a cutting board. Using a large, sharp knife, trim off any dry edges. Mark and then cut the slab crosswise into fifths and lengthwise into fourths. Wipe the blade with a damp cloth between cuts. Nutrition Per brownie : 86 Calories; 3 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 1 g Mono; 11 mg Cholesterol; 15 g Carbohydrates; 2 g Protein; 0 g Fiber; 19 mg Sodium; 25 mg Potassium 1 Carbohydrate Serving Exchanges: 1 other carbohydrate Tips & Notes •Make Ahead Tip: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. •Tip: To toast chopped nuts: Cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Have a great day