Lazy Acres Center Point, Iowa
After Laban has finished his search, Jacob lights into him for a number of verses. Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. “What is my crime? . . . What sin have I committed that you hunt me down? . . . Now that you have searched through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household? . . . I have been with you for twenty years . . . Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. I bore (all losses) myself . . . and payment (to Laban) for whatever was stolen. . . the heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. . . I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac (a description of God – i.e. ‘the fearsome God of Isaac’) had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.” ~ Genesis 31:36-42
1627
Why do I let Blaine talk me into things that aren’t good for us?
I cook. I bake. I can tell from looking at a recipe whether something will be healthy, moderately healthy or totally unhealthy. We eat from all three categories. But this? This was beyond the pale! Especially for only two people!
He spotted a recipe on the back of a Ghirardelli brownie box, and decided we had to try it. Not only is it loaded with more sugar and fat than God created for us to devour, but it takes about four hours to complete. And it costs about $20 to make – similar to those fancy cakes they sell at the grocery stores, etc.
It sure was good though! In small amounts. With a large side of chips for when you’re finished. (so now we’ve added salt too!)
Very pretty!
Anyway, that was our Thursday. And we did nothing to burn off any of those mountainous calories. Oh! Blaine took the Jeep for a bath, came home and waxed it up. Looks great! And just in time for the rain tomorrow.
On Friday, we didn’t do anything more strenuous than drum our fingers on the keyboards and remotes. It poured the rain all day long. It’s been a really long time since we’ve been in a soaker like that. At least our dinner was healthy! I Panko-breaded some shrimp and air fried them. No oil! And the only seasoning was some Old Bay. It was crunchy and cooked to perfection! That, along with a tossed salad and small baked potatoes, hopefully counteracted the brownies later.
We keep this up, we’ll be purchasing new clothing when we get home!
BROWNIE CAKE (Ghiradelli Ombre Brownie Cake)
2 boxes Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix ½ C. water 1 C. vegetable oil 2 eggs 1 C. each 60% cacao, Milk Cholate, and white Ghirardelli chips 2 ¼ C. heavy whipping cream, DIVIDED ¾ C. light Karo syrup
Preheat oven to 325⁰.
Lightly grease and line 3 – 8” round cake pans with parchment paper cut to the size of the bottom of the pans.
Prepare the double batch of brownie mix, using the first 4 ingredients. Divide the batter into three equal portions in the cake pans.
Bake 38-40 minutes. Do NOT overbake. Cool completely before removing from pans. (For 9” round pans, bake 25-30 minutes)
FOR GANACHE:
Place each type of chips into 3 bowls. Heat cream on stovetop or in microwave until it just boils. Immediately pour ¾ C. of cream over each type of chips, stirring until the chocolate melts.
Add ¼ C. corn syrup to each batch, stirring until shiny.
Let chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator before whipping with an electric mixer until fluffy. Spread a different type of chocolate between each layer. Layers should be: plate (or other container), brownie, white chocolate, brownie, milk chocolate, brownie, dark chocolate. Don’t ‘ice’ the sides.
Store in refrigerator.
Serves at least 12. Takes at least four hours to make with a toaster oven, since you can only bake one layer of brownies at a time.
HINT: The whipping cream must be chilled before beating, otherwise, it won’t fluff. Also, this is an exceedingly rich cake – more so that the Hersheys Special dark chocolate cake. Slice pieces accordingly. And it’s better the next day for some reason. OMBRE: a pattern in which colors or tones fade into one another
Air-Fried Shrimp
25 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, rinsed and patted dry ¼ C. flour 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1 C. Panko bread crumbs 2 t. Old Bay seasoning
Spray the air fry basket well with Pam.
Flour the shrimp, dip in the egg, then coat with the bread crumbs. Place in the air fry basket.
Air fry at 400⁰ for 6-8 minutes, turning once.