Coconut and Lingonberry Friands In

From a wonderful cook and baker Nami-Nami

Coconut and Lingonberry Friands
(Pohla-kookosefriandid)
Makes 8 regular-sized friands

100 g unsalted butter, melted
125 g icing sugar/confectioner's sugar
30 g plain flour/all-purpose flour (50 ml or 3 Tbsp + 1 tsp)
50 g finely ground almonds
50 g grated/desiccated coconut
3 medium-sized egg whites
a very generous handful of lingonberries

Preheat the oven to 200C. Generously butter eight non-stick friand or muffin tins.
Sift the icing sugar and flour into a bowl, add the almonds and mix.
Whisk the egg whites in another bowl until they form a light, floppy foam.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour in the egg whites, then lightly stir in the butter to form a soft batter.
Divide the batter among the tins. Sprinkle some berries (I used about a tablespoon for each) and flaked coconut over each cake.
Bake in the middle of a pre-heated 200 C oven for about 20 minutes, until just firm to the touch and golden brown on top.
Cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out and cool on a wire rack. To serve, sprinkle with more coconut

Enjoy.

Love,

Grammy T.

Fireworks And The Peeping Tom

When I was little like Caitlin I lived on 2nd Avenue in Sacramento California.

My house was a cute little white house with two bedrooms, one bath, 

a single car garage, pink azaleas and a huge tree in the backyard. 

My street was close to the old fair grounds so during the state fair I had huge fireworks every night right up in my same sky.

I got in a lot of trouble in those days and often found myself playing 

in my backyard alone. 

I was always given the same instructions: 

don't climb on the fence and don't pick the neighbors cherries. 

So as soon as I found myself bored silly the best thing I could think of to do 

was to climb that fence and pick the neighbors cherries.

One night during the fireworks my Papa King came off of the front porch 

where the grownups had been sitting and told me to come in the house. 

"Why Papa, the fireworks aren't done?" 

"Because there is a bad man hiding behind the telephone pole." He explained.

I came in the house. 

Papa followed the man and made a citizens arrest over by the County Hospital. 

My Papa was awesome, he was a California Highway Patrol Officer 

and he knew his stuff.

I guess Papa had arrested the same man that had been peeking in my window at night. 

Papa called that man a "Peeping Tom."

I could smell Toms cigarette and see the glow of it in the dark. 

I kept telling my daddy about Tom but when he would come in my room 

he said he couldn't see or smell anything. 

My window was always open to let fresh air in but I think that because my daddy smoked he couldn't smell as good as me.

I sure am glad my Papa caught Tom.

Papa never bawled me out for being naughty. 

I think it was because he was just like me.

Love,

Grammy T.

"Open Your Door" He Said

Jenna and Papa T.

I am having a really hard time writing funny little blog posts what with the sadness in Japan and all the crazy Middle East Drama so I decided to tell you another story about the still small voice that helps me out at very important times.  Remember the story of when I didn't listen to the still small voice and I got hit by a car? 

A friend of mine was a Podiatrist in Reno, NV. I worked for him on a part time basis for awhile. One day when I got to work he asked me to go down to pay a bill for him before I started cleaning instruments and making surgical packs. I took the envelope with the check in it and went out and got in my van. It was a big conversion van with lots of doors. As I sat down in my seat and little voice said “Lock your doors” and being the obedient person I was learning to be I said “Yes Sir” and when I was done locking all of those doors I started the van and was on my way.  

As I pulled into a parking spot in front of my destination I saw a blonde man walking to the right of the van and then I didn’t see him again so I just sat there and waited to see if I could see where he had gone. In just a bit he popped up at my window and said “Open your door” and as I looked at him I could see a very child like look in his eyes. He grabbed the door and tried to get it open. Now because I was a full time mom with 7 kids and I also did day care for many more I was used to working with little children so I said “No I am not going to open the door and you need to go away right now, you are being very naughty.” And I pointed to the sidewalk. In a bit he turned around and walked down the street and turned the corner. 

Whew!!!!

My legs were like noodles but I hopped out of the van, locked the door, and as fast as I could I ran into the office, paid the bill, called the police and told them about my experience and asked them to look for that young man. You see this office was right across the street from the mental hospital and I think they might have had an escape artist on the loose. 

Whew!!!  

Love,
Grammy T.