Did anybody get the license plate of the adenovirus that hit me?

I had a phone call this evening from siobhancat during which I started coughing. I thought at first I was just clearing my throat. Perhaps the very beginning of springtime allergies, as spring is now in full swing here on the Russian River.

She asked if I was ill, which I quickly dismissed. Protested I was fine, just a little frog in my throat. (and no, I had not blown Kermit!)

Well, I was wrong.

In the past 5 hours, its become quite clear how wrong. No fever, but my voice has rapidly done a major retreat. I'm a rather weak basso profundo as of this moment, with very little volume, rather than my normal baritone, pretending to be a second tenor. I'm not achy, at least not yet, and oddly my nose is clear (knock wood on both accounts), but I'm coughing and hacking, and periodically producing a mucoid hairball. It gets worse when I try to lie down, which is hy I'm still awake.

I'm feeling really antsy. Nothing too horrid at the moment, but if the chest congestion gets bad, it's ultra miserable for someone with obstructive sleep apnea on CPAP.

So, I've had a pot of green tea, and a couple of Cold-eeze in the last 3 hours, take some tylenol and am keeping my fingers crossed this will get better by morning and not worse.

Recipes......

I'm awake, as was explained in my last post so I'll share the recipes requested earlier. (Dean, this is for you!)

Whipped Cauliflower

Ingredients:
One large firm head of cauliflower
3-4 ounces of any hard grated or finely shredded cheese (pecorino romano or locatelli is wonderful
one head of roasted garlic
one can chicken broth
pepper to taste
2-6 pats of butter (optional and to taste and consistency)

In a covered stock pot over medium heat, place the whole cauliflower sans greenery along with the chicken broth. Allow this to simmer until its ready to fall apart. Move it periodically so it doesn't burn on the bottom. Meanwhile roast and then peel the garlic.

When the cauliflower is super tender, lift it out of the broth and put it directly into your Kitchen Aid. Use the whisk attachment. Once the cauliflower is well broken down, start adding the cheese and the roasted garlic cloves, until the mixture has the consistency of mashed potatoes. Add pepper to taste and serve. I DON'T add salt to this, as the hard cheese usually adds enough sodium to the dish. On the rare occasion this is too dry for your taste, you can use either some butter or a bit of the broth you used to cook the cauliflower.

If you really want to tweak peoples' heads, make this with one of the colored cauliflowers.

Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

Ingredients:
1/4 cup poppy seeds
1 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar

LEMON GLAZE
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 350*F. Coat a 10-inch (12-cup)nonstick Bundt pan, with cooking spray and dust with flour (or use cooking spray with flour).

Toast poppy seeds in a small dry skillet over med. heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer plate to a plate to cool. (this was original to the recipe - I generally don't toast the poppy seeds)

Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and the poppy seeds in a medium bowl. Combine buttermilk, oil, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a glass measuring cup.

Beat eggs, egg whites and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer on high speed until thickened and pale, about 5 minutes.

With a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture a third at a time, alternating with 2 additions of the buttermilk mixture. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.

Bake the cake until the top springs back when touched lightly and a toot pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges and turn the cake out onto the rack.

Meanwhile, prepare glaze: Sift confectioners' sugar into a small bowl; mix with lemon juice and water to create a thin glaze. Using a skewer, poke 1-inch-deep holes allover the cake. Using a pastry brush, coat the warm cake with the glaze. Let cool completely, about 2 hours.

Says it all.....

Brownies, Mexican and Fire.....

Per Dean's request. The batch for easter is without the chili in it......

3x 3.1 oz. disks of Mexican Chocolate
2 oz. Baker’s Unsweetened Chocolate
8 ounces (2 sticks) butter
1-1/8 cup (300 g) splenda baking mix or 2 ¼ cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp instant coffee granules
1.5 cup whole wheat white flour (I prefer King Arthur)
1/4 tsp Cayenne
1 poblano or one red jalapeño or both depending how hot you want it, flame roasted, skin removed and then minced. More heat? Don’t pull out the seeds and ribs.
1/4 cup White Chocolate Chips

Preset oven to 325 degrees

Butter and 13 x 9 inch pan and dust with cocoa.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Stir as you go.

Once the chocolate butter mixture is completely melted turn off the heat, but leave the bowl in the boiler.

Stir in slenda baking mix.

Lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla, cayenne and instant coffee. Add to the melted chocolate and completely stir in.

Add the flour, chipotle and diced pepper and stir in until completely incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared 9 x 13 pan. Dot the top of the batter with White Chocolate Chips.

Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool on a rack.
Cut into squares and serve.
Brownies will be a bit gooey. Best while still warm.