Seriously... what is this even doing in a grocery store?

I almost wanted to pick a bottle of this up for cooking, but I'm not sure it's the sort of thing that's safe to have around the house. Maybe I'll send a bottle to Judy, I hear she's looking for some ginger...

I believe the traditional use for this item is stirring sushi rice, but I'm sure some enterprising top could come up with other uses. The ouchy looking bumps are on both sides, too, so there's no escaping them.

So the next time you slip into your local store for some cooking essentials, don’t say I didn’t warn you if you walk out with something else altogether.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 6 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 med. flour tortillas
• 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• oil for sautéing

Directions:

1. Chop the onion and garlic.  Sauté until the onion is translucent and the garlic lightly browned.
2. Combine the onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, and chicken broth in a large pot.  Simmer until the onions are tender.
3. Meanwhile, toast the tortillas and cut into strips.
4. When the soup is ready, split into bows.  Cover soup with toasted tortilla strips and cheddar cheese.  Serve.

I actually haven’t made this soup in a while, but now that I’ve dug up the recipe I’ll have to try it again.  I found this recipe shortly after returning home from Arizona, where tortilla soup was a staple on many menus.  It’s a quick, easy soup to whip up after work and this recipe is nicely spiced without being spicy.

Tomorrow morning we’ll come down to our stockings, hanging neatly on the mantle.  If tradition holds mine will be filled with cooking gadgets, candies, maybe another small trinket or two.  Despite what some people have suggested, there will be no coal or switches.

I can almost picture the poor girl who isn’t quite as lucky, sneaking down the stairs on Christmas morning only to find her stocking full of switches.  Does she sneak back up to her bed, hiding under the covers until she’s called downstairs once more, her pajamas lowered, and each switch applied to her bare bottom before she’s allowed to join the rest of the family in opening their presents around the tree.

Or is she expected to walk to the corner and wait?  The others will come down soon after, gather around the fireplace, and open the gifts in their stockings.  Only after will she be called out of the corner to take her punishment.  She’ll sit uncomfortably at the breakfast table soon after the switching is done, but she’ll be a good girl once more ready for the new year to begin.

Pandora Blake has been sharing enticing previews of her new “fairtrade spanking” site, Dreams of Spanking on twitter, email, and her blog for quite some time.  The site is now live and “offers high-quality, beautiful spanking films, photo galleries and audio stories which please the senses and excite the imagination.”  Check it out!

Pink certainly has a way with words, and she’s chosen just the right ones for her letter to Santa.

The Twelve Days of Christmas sung by Straight No Chaser:

Here’s a clip from one of my favorite holiday movies, Love Actually:

Chocolate Crinkles

Makes: About 90+ cookies

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 4 squares unsweetened chocolate
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350° F.
2. Melt chocolate and mix melted chocolate, oil, and granulated sugar.
3. Blend in one egg at a time.
4. Add vanilla and sift in dry ingredients.
5. Chill overnight.
6. Form 1/2 teaspoon balls and roll in confectioners sugar.
7. Place on parchment paper covered cookie sheets and bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees F.

I’m getting ready to head home for the holidays. I hope whatever you celebrate you’ll enjoy your time with friends and family.