So I’ve been trying to get some video of them creating mischief but to no avail today. Instead, I decided it was time for them to put on their spring best and model the scarves reader MomSense made for Maddie, Mabel and Penelope.and sent to us.
Nick was not amused, but let’s call it payback for his previous behavior this weekend.
I’m lucky I have limbs left, Nora tried first to bite my hand and then my entire arm. She was not playing.
Nick wasn’t much better….
Enjoy, because you will not see them in scarves anytime soon, LOL
She’s about 6-7 months old, which completely goes against my “oldest/longest kitty in the shelter” rule. After fostering a mama (Missy) and her five 1-day old kittens (Jake!) I swore off kittens forever.
But this girl picked me, so who am I to refuse?
Once it’s determined my new additions are healthy, it’s difficult to keep them separated. Zander found a way to sneak out the second day. Gabe barely lasted a day before he was out, sleeping on Bixby. Sully lasted 3 days and was glued to my lap after that, and this little one insisted on meeting everyone by the morning of her third day here and hasn’t looked back.
She thinks the dogs are just big friends. And has been known to walk over them on the couch. She follows Zander around like a little sister. He was a little annoyed at first but now seems to take great pride in it.
She and Sully play reluctantly. He’s still a little miffed…but she’s hard to resist.
I got him a new bed to make up for it. He appears to be appeased.
She has been claiming the couch…much to Scout’s annoyance.
The ducks fascinate her (and please forgive the drool covered window, you can imagine how difficult it is to keep up with cleaning it off).
She and Trixie had a nice game of hide (in the box) and seek the other night.
I had forgotten how much more work it is to train a kitten! And they are kind of stinky, LOL. Today, after I took her off the table for the third time (in a row) she sat at my feet and mewed pitifully, so I picked her up and snuggled her for a while. I’d say her training of me is coming along just fine.
I recently had to get a Costco membership – long, boring story – but it’s already paying off. When I came home from Paris four years ago, my suitcase contained 10 packages of St. Michel Butter Cookies (Galettes). I was besotted. Super buttery, flakey, not terribly sweet with just a touch of salt. Costco sells them by the very large tin.
I’ve been trying to recreate them ever since, but it’s difficult from memory. Now I have a tin of them, I stand a better chance. These come very, very close.
French Butter Cookies
1/2 cup French Butter**
1/4 cup +1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
1 cup flour, plus extra for rolling
1/4 cup skim milk POWDER
1/4 tsp baking powder
dash of lemon zest
Topping:
1 egg yolk, dash of water
Mix together 2:1 sugar and salt
These need a mixer to create the flaky texture. Whip butter until fluffy, add sugar and salt. Mix again until fluffy. Add egg yolk and mix well. Finally, add flour and skim milk 1/4 cup at a time, combining before adding more. Finish with lemon zest.
**If you can’t find French butter add 1/2 tsp salt to the batter. French butter contains more salt per serving than regular butter. It also has a very distinct flavor that I’ve never been able to recreate, so without it, cookies are delicious, but they aren’t quite St. Michel’s.
Remove to a floured surface and roll out to less than 1/4 inch thickness. The thinner, the crisper the cookie. The dough is super crumbly, so it’s easiest between two silpats or on a marble surface with plastic wrap covering the top. It’s very dry here now, so brushed a tiny bit of water over the dough before rolling thin.
Cut with a cookie cutter. Brush with egg yolk and sprinkle lightly with sugar/salt mixture.
Bake at 350 degree F for about 8 minutes. I set my timer for 4 minutes and then added 2 minutes until they were done.
I decided to up my game with some raspberry jam added before baking
If you want the traditional criss/cross pattern, it’s a bit more complicated. The dough is too delicate to use the fork method for each cookie. Instead, you’ll need to roll them out completely, refrigerate or freeze until firm. Then run a fork diagonally across the sheet of dough in one direction, and then again in the other direction. Only after the marks are made can you cut with a cookie cutter.
I used leftover dough for makeshift tarts filled with strawberry jam
You gotta know, unless I was baking for a super special crowd, that’s a bit too much work for a cookie that tastes just as good without those marks. Like, are Prince Harry and Meghan coming over? VP Harris? Then, nope. ;-)
Annie DeMoranville 