President Caveman's Pet

Blake had a reading class assignment to write about a Presidential Pet. Here's what he wrote:

One day The First Cave Girl was making beef stew when President Caveman came in and said, “We need to go to the Oga Booga Congress meeting.”

So they went. 

When they got back the First Cave Girl gasped! ”Oh my! A baby Triceratops is eating my beef stew!” And President Caveman said, “Let’s keep him” So they named him Beefy.

One day Beefy and President Caveman were hunting a Brontosaurus. President Caveman was about to spear it when Beefy fell asleep from sitting in the same position so long . His snoring was so loud that the Brontosaurus ran away. Meanwhile, the First Cave Girl was fixing a huge pot of beef stew.

President Caveman and Beefy were running after the Brontosaurus when Beefy bit the Brontosaurus’s tail. However the Brontosaurus flung Beefy off and he flew into the air and landed in the beef stew! "Wow," Beefy thought as he licked off his face, "saved by my favorite food.

Double Chocolate Muffins

I have so enjoyed being back in my kitchen after a year stateside. It’s not that my kitchen is that great, it’s just that it has all MY stuff for all MY recipes. Every tool I need is right there, and very little more.

One of the things I really enjoy is making muffins. I have the perfect muffin pan, the muffin whisk, the perfect cooling rack….you get the idea.

We just HAD to celebrate our first week of homeschooling, so I baked these muffins. Then we HAD to celebrate Brazilian Father’s Day (last Sunday), so I baked them again. This morning, we just HAD to have them again (second breakfast, between first breakfast and elevensies, you know).

My mother-in-law gave me the cookbook House Specials: Baked Goods and Sweet Treats by Nancy Coale Zippe a few years ago and I just love it. Not only is it Delawarean, but it has tons of great recipes for bakers….

Plus, this recipe is from California, so you gotta love it! This recipe originated at the Rancho San Gregorio in California. It's also great because I usually have all the ingredients on-hand (except for the orange juice, which I freeze in 1/2 cup batches just for this recipe).

½ cup orange juice

1/3 cup water

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ½ cups flour

½ cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

powdered sugar

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. (I make 10-11 muffins and butter my pan since liners in Brazil are difficult to find).

In a large bowl, whisk orange juice, water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Separately mix flour, sugar cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the juice mixture just until all is moist. Fold in the chips.

Fill the muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake about 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove from pans and cool on a rack, just a few minutes, if you want to serve them warm. Sprinkle the tops with powered sugar.