I prefer a dark wood (but not black) and a modern aesthetic.

Leading contenders so far: http://delicious.com/kellysue/dresser

Any help/links appreciated.

Tomato Soup
Makes 2 servings

If you like tomato soup, try this take on the old classic. The ham and fiber-rich chickpeas provide lean protein that truly satisfies your appetite — and your taste buds!

Ingredients
1 small onion, chopped
1?4 cup sliced mushrooms
3 ounces diced ham
1?4 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1?8 teaspoon sweet paprika
Dash allspice
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) fat-free chicken broth
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas
3 whole tomatoes, peeled**

Instructions
Add the onion, mushrooms, ham, oil, garlic, paprika, and allspice to a large pot. Cook for 1 minute.

Add the chicken broth, chickpeas, and tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Puree the soup in a blender and serve.

Nutritional information
404 calories
7 g total fat (2 g sat)
25 mg cholesterol
58 g carbohydrate
29 g protein
12 g fiber
1,341 mg sodium

**Would you use canned tomatoes or blanch and peel? Safe to assume they mean Roma tomatoes?

Heather Poirier and I both decided to have a go at a Bûche de Noël this year. We tossed ideas and recipe links back and forth before I chickened out and went pretty faithfully with Johnny Iuzinni’s recipe on Martha Stewart’s site. (I think I only made three changes: 1) I swapped Frangelico for rum; 2) used “chestnut spread” instead of unsweetened chestnut paste because I couldn’t find the latter anywhere in town; and 3) I made the ganache in a double boiler instead of bringing the cream to a boil because… well, because that’s the way I’m used to doing it. I wonder if bringing the cream to a boil alters the flavor or makes it set up better…? Other than those three things, I followed the directions to the letter.)

Heather’s cake is super cute and she posts many details about its construction in the link above.

Mine is as pictured. I am INORDINATELY pleased with it. It was also crazy delicious. I see this becoming a DeFraction family tradition.

(Fraction added the godzilla figure, which was brilliant. Duh.)

Thanks, Heather! That was fun.

Pop has been moved to the stroke rehabilitation unit and Henry and I have returned home. We can’t thank you enough for your thoughts and prayers. Pop’s got a lot of hard work ahead of him and the family has been through quite an ordeal, but that man is tough and if anyone can fight his way back from this, he can. Especially with Vivian, mom and Aunt Polly there to help him.

I am hopelessly behind on… well… everything and am trying to keep my spirits up.

First priority has to be finishing up Volume 7 of SLAM DUNK, which, thank god, is a joy. (If I had to work on a book I didn’t love right now, I think I’d be hating life.)

After that… holiday cards, finishing the shopping, errands, household stuff and getting back to a project that Sam Humphries and I are collaborating on. I am so excited about it, I can’t adequately express my enthusiasm. It feels good. So… more on that when I can.

In the meantime, I’m fantasizing about making a Buche de Noel for Christmas this year. Heather Poirier and I have been tossing some ideas back and forth. Right now I think she’s leaning toward the Southern Living recipe as a starting place while I fancy the Johnny Iuzzini version at Martha Stewart.

Oh, and Fraction and I are going to make a timpano for date night this week. Too bad we don’t drink. It seems like the kind of thing that ought to be put together while sharing a bottle of chianti. Oh, well. Maybe we’ll get some pomegranate juice and pretend.

ICE:Chili – VOTING IS NOW OPEN!

Some of you have already noticed that the voting for IC:Earth_Chili Pepper is now open. All cupcakes, links and the ballot can be found at NO ONE PUTS CUPCAKE IN A CORNER. Voting closes at 12 noon central on Sept. 4.

(Ahem. We humbly suggest you consider voting for GIRL FARTS (our entry blogged here), but we would never insist.)

Oy. I don’t expect I’ll participate in many of these, alas, as I just don’t have the time (and frankly, I’m still not entirely sure how it works), but this one was fun, so here we go –

The challenge ingredient was CHILI PEPPER. My first thought, of course, was a Mexican spicy chocolate but I was afraid everyone would go there, so I started trying to think of other options. I considered Chai and from there focused on cinnamon and ginger. I knew pretty early on I wanted to pair a cool icing with a spicy cake so I started thinking about cucumber, but ended up making my way to pears. Damn I love pears. That led me to thinking about pears and cinnamon candies and fresh ginger. I kept thinking about Atomic Fireballs and the hot Jolly Ranchers I loved so much when I was a kid. I dug up an old ginger cake recipe and used it as a starting place. What follows is where it ended up.

Next time I make this I may try subbing out agave nectar for the sugar, we’ll see.

Be warned: there is a bite at the end. It comes after you swallow and it’s just a little burn. I like it, but if that’s not your thing, well, these are not the cupcakes you’re looking for.

Cayenne Ginger Cupcakes
Serves 23

4 1/4 oz fresh ginger, peeled and grated on a microplaner
1 c molasses (I prefer full flavor)
1 c sugar
1 c peanut oil
2 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 to 3/4 tsp ground cayenne
1 cup water
2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs, room temp.

I use 3 1/4 oz paper portion cups for my cupcakes (thanks as always, chockylit).

Preheat oven to 350F. Line up portion cups on a sturdy baking sheet.

Combine molasses, sugar and oil in a large bowl. In a food processor, sift together flour, cinnamon, cayenne and cloves.

Bring water to boil in a saucepan, then add baking soda. Mix the hot baking soda water into the molasses/sugar/oil syrup, then add the ginger. When those are well combined, start gradually whisking in the dry ingredients. Add the eggs and keep whisking.

Your finished batter will be disturbingly soupy. That’s okay. It’ll be fine.

Fill portion cups 3/4 full and bake in preheated oven for 22 minutes or until cakes pass the toothpick check. Let cakes cool while you prepare the icing.

Pear Nectar Cream Cheese Icing

1 stick unsalted butter
2 8 oz packages of Neufchâtel
1/4 c pear nectar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 c powdered sugar (approx), sifted

Cream butter in standing mixer for 1 minute, then add Neufchâtel and continue to beat until well-combined. Gradually add pear nectar and vanilla. Beat on high speed for about a minute, then start adding powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you achieve the desired consistency, should be about 4 cups.

Now, I did two different versions of these cupcakes — one garnished with an atomic fireball and served on a plate with their inspiration, the Red Hot. The other, more grown up version is garnished with candied ginger and star anise and served on a plate with cinnamon. I haven’t decided which to enter as of this post.

Fine Print:

FINAL POSTING DAY IS: FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 12 noon.
All times are CENTRAL time.

* Photograph your baking experience and then post about it on your blog.
* Posting your recipe on your blog is optional.
* In your post, please be sure mention that you are competing to win the
following prizes, be sure to include reference and a link to the ETSY artist
CAKESPY, as well as to
our corporate sponsors JESSIE STEELE APRONS;
CUPCAKE COURIER, HEAD CHEFS and TASTE OF HOME. Please verify that all links are active. If you so
choose, you may also include photos of the prizes which will be available at the
IronCupcake:Earth flickr group page.
* Post your favorite shot (two if you are showing a cross-section) of your
cupcake to the Iron Cupcake flickr group, along with a brief summary of your
post. No photos or summaries will be accepted via email.
* E-Mail your recipe, along with your first and last name and blog name to
IronCupcakeEarth@wi.rr.com . In your subject line, please include
IC:IngredientName. Your cupcake recipe must be emailed in order to be eligible
for voting and the prize.
* Voting will begin on Sunday, August 31st at 12 noon at NO ONE PUTS CUPCAKE
IN A CORNER and will be open through Thursday, September 4 at 12 noon. Send your readers to that address to vote.
* Winner will be posted the night of August 4th, before 11:59 p.m.
* The next ingredient will be posted on Friday, September 5th.
* Please refer your readers to the IronCupcake:Earth cuphub at
http://ironcupcake.blogspot.com to become a part of the excitement.