ISP, Italian, Millionaire Cat.

Most frustrating on Monday morning, our server, Rogers, was down, trouble is that not only means internet and TV but also our home phone. Luckily the cell phone does work so we were not totally incommunicado. They came back on again for a while and then disappeared again. That is one of the advantages of having Bell as a phone provider, as far as I am aware they never go down. Having everything through one provider does save a few bucks though. Actually I am a bit teed off with Rogers at the moment, they are offering new customers a tablet for signing on. Or they will do the same if you activate two cell phones. I’ve thought about quitting them, but too much trouble. I would like the tablet though. Can’t remember what make it is they are providing. Matt went bowling on his own, bursitis still hurting, so the minute he had gone, plus the cell phone, the damn phones, TV and internet went out again. I was not a happy camper.

On Sunday both our favourite radio stations were scratchy as hell so we put a mix of CDs on, including Il Volo. At one point I was listening to them and wishing I spoke Italian. I then remembered a teacher I worked for once many years ago, his theory was that it was easy to learn  languages through song lyrics, I was trying it for a while but then the Ministry decided that young prisoners didn’t need languages, so that was the end of that. However, I started thinking about it and realised just how much Italian I do know. Un bel dia. A fine day. No-one is going to sleep, nes un dorma, and so on. I guess what I should do is get all the lyrics to my favourite operas in both Italian and English and get to work on it. Mind you, if this was a work project I would use Rosetta Stone, it is, without doubt, one of the best language learning systems I have ever come across. Wish I could afford it.

Just found a story about a cat in Italy being left $13.5 million. The cat itself cannot inherit so someone is designated to take cake of it. The person to do this is the deceased’s nurse Stefania who will act as a trustee for Tommaso the cat. She is set for a while, I wonder what happens when the cat dies. She should have been able to provide for herself one way or another. People are nuts though, fancy leaving that kind of money to a cat. There are so many deserving people or places to leave that kind of money to. Starving kids are all over the world, and I bet there are plenty in Italy. Provide for the cat by all means, but to the tune of $13.5 million, oh well, no accounting for the things people will do.

Got any more cookies to make? How about these, they look pretty good to me. If you make ‘em, send me a care package.

Wildly Wicked Chocolate Fudge Crackle Cookies

Source: Cooking.com

Makes 18

These cookies are guaranteed to satisfy even the most wicked chocolate craving. They have a deep chocolate flavour (due to the small amount of flour used) and a soft and chewy texture (due to the addition of corn syrup). Be sure to chill the dough before baking, or the cookies might spread and flatten too much.
INGREDIENTS

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons dark corn syrup

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 3 large (18-by-13-inch) baking sheets.

Melt 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips in heavy small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.

Using electric mixer set on low speed, beat both sugars, eggs, corn syrup, instant coffee granules and extract in medium bowl to blend. Increase speed to high and beat until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add barely lukewarm melted chocolate and beat until smooth. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and baking powder and beat just until combined. Mix in 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. Refrigerate mixture until firm enough to mound on spoon, about 15 minutes.

Drop dough ( it will be soft) by well mounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets, spacing evenly apart and forming 6 cookies per sheet. Bake cookies 8 minutes. Reverse cookie sheets and continue baking until cracked on top and softly set, about 8 minutes longer. Cool cookies on sheets 5 minutes. Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

OPTIONS:

For a more formal looking cookie, chill the dough for 1 hour, then roll in balls. Roll the balls in powdered sugar and then bake. As the cookies bake, they will crack, leaving pretty chocolate cracks in the powdered sugar.

For chocolate-mint cookies, omit the instant coffee granules and add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract.

Have a great day

Tiger Saga, Rescued Boy Dies.

Now what?? An ambulance transferred an unidentified blonde woman from Tiger Wood's home to the hospital. As yet no-one knows which woman, his wife's sister has been staying there since the 'troubles' began; the hospital aren't saying. For a guy who likes his privacy (his yacht is actually called Privacy) he isn't doing a very good job lately. What a mess famous people can make of their lives. The news has been full of accusations about three women he is supposed to have been having affairs with. This whole business must have been extremely hard on his wife and if she is the one in hospital, she has my deepest sympathies. This morning on Good Morning America they have been reminiscing with Diane Sawyer who is about to leave and become the anchor for the ABC World News - the one which is presently anchored by Charles Gibson and was previously anchored by Peter Jennings. A top news job. I gather this reminiscing is going on all week as this is her final stint with GMA. We will certainly miss her. This morning she did the weather which was one of her first ever jobs on TV. What a hoot. She is totally out of practice and talked about a lavender area mid state and a velcro sun. I was about to write about the relief on discovering the little boy with autism, James Delorey, who had wandered away from home and then sadly I discover he hasn't survived his ordeal and died this morning. This all took place in Nova Scotia where the youngster wandered off on Saturday, followed by his dog, he was found on Monday having managed to survive two nights in the cold although he wasn't dressed for the weather. There is an article here which gives the current story. My personal question, if the boy had wandered off before, why wasn't he under better supervision? It seems I am fated to write about cookies, I came across these yesterday and couldn't resist sharing them as they really hit my chocolate meter. Wildly Wicked Chocolate Fudge Crackle Cookies Source: Cooking.com These cookies are guaranteed to satisfy even the most wicked chocolate craving. They have a deep chocolate flavor (due to the small amount of flour used) and a soft and chewy texture (due to the addition of corn syrup). Be sure to chill the dough before baking, or the cookies might spread and flatten too much. INGREDIENTS 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 3 large (18-by-13-inch) baking sheets. Melt 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips in heavy small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Using electric mixer set on low speed, beat both sugars, eggs, corn syrup, coffee granules and extract in medium bowl to blend. Increase speed to high and beat until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add barely lukewarm melted chocolate and beat until smooth. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and baking powder and beat just until combined. Mix in 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. Refrigerate mixture until firm enough to mound on spoon, about 15 minutes. Drop dough ( it will be soft) by well mounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets, spacing evenly apart and forming 6 cookies per sheet. Bake cookies 8 minutes. Reverse cookie sheets and continue baking until cracked on top and softly set, about 8 minutes longer. Cool cookies on sheets 5 minutes. Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.) # OPTIONS: For a more formal looking cookie, chill the dough for 1 hour, then roll in balls. Roll the balls in powdered sugar and then bake. As the cookies bake, they will crack, leaving pretty chocolate cracks in the powdered sugar. # For chocolate-mint cookies, omit the instant coffee granules and add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract. Have a great day