You can't have these

From a blog called Stuff You Can't Have, here are some "apothecary jars" made of dried citrus rind festooned with doo-dads. I can't have them, but I admire the idea and the execution. Plus it's food related, so I'm there.

Other food-ish posts from Catherine McEver (the owner of the blog) have included a series of things you can do with Wonderbread, including embroidering it. (My sisters and I got no more creative than rolling it into small gray--a color contributed by our hands--balls, with which we then pelted one another.)

Penguins at the bar

Who doesn't love a penguin? Funny little guys waddling around in their tuxedos. It's so tempting to see them as humanesque, making it a real disconnect when their facial expressions never change. Wouldn't you like to see a penguin smile? (Oooh, wait, that might be creepy.)

But I digress.

Penguins have a great shape, and the designer of the above cocktail shaker clearly thought so too ($17 at Amazon).

After you shake it all up, pour that concoction into one of these glasses sporting an image of a gentoo penguin ($18 from Cafe Press). Had to look up the gentoo. It's a little unclear where their name comes from, though it's been suggested that it derives from a word meaning nice or gentle. I like that. Let's stick with it.

To keep this theme going, how about a Penguin seltzer maker? It's about $200, but if you drink a lot of seltzer, you'll end up getting your investment back in fairly short order. And the reusable glass bottles that come with the seltzer maker are really cool looking. (On a side note, this guy could also be one of the Skeksis from The Dark Crystal.)

Last but not least is penguin ice cubes. This particular mold makes a big block of ice with two little penguin bodies riding on top—like an ice floe floating in your drink. The penguin mold comes with a companion mold with 2 polar bears on it. Last I checked the link, you could get them at houzz for $17.
(Or for a mold that makes multiple penguin cubes, read my post about them here.)

Pancakes

It's true. There really is a website for everything.

A website called Jim's Pancakes declares its purpose to be "just trying to make some cool pancakes for my daughter." And that's what it is, pictures of pancakes Jim has made for his daughter.

But they are indeed cool.

High-concept bowls

One thing I find frustrating in the world of blogs are the design blogs that show you the cool one-offs that artists and industrial designers come up with that will never see the light of day...or I mean the light of "you can buy it somewhere" day. I usually avoid mentioning those interesting but unattainable things.

But...

...had to show these anyway. They come from a design duo from Vienna named Katharina Mischer and Thomas Traxler who make what they call "reversed volumes" by filling a bowl with a pigmented ceramic mixture and then pressing a fruit or vegetable into it. When the ceramic hardens, the fruit/vegetable is removed, leaving a "reversed volume."

Cake pops

I am not a cake fan. I actively dislike cupcakes. And I have resisted--so far--doing anything with the current fad for food-on-a-stick. However, I simply could not pass up these chicks. They are supposed to be for Easter, but just change up the colors and make them some other kind of bird and they're good to go any old time. See how to do it at Instructables.com.

Homemade brownie mix

Q&A with Myself

Q: What's one of the fastest desserts you can throw together that is almost universally loved?
A: The brownie.
Q: Where do most people get their brownies?
A: From a packaged mix.
Q: Why?
A: It's fast and the brownies are actually quite good.
Q: But you still have to add the oil and the eggs and mix the batter and bake them, right?
A: Yes, but you don't have to measure all the dry ingredients. That's a big pain...and it's messy.
Q: So why don't you make your own brownie mix and keep it on hand for when you're in the mood for brownies?
A: I don't have a comeback for that. It's a good idea.

The upside is you'll have something just as convenient as a store-bought brownie mix but without any additives. And when you finally bake the brownies, you'll actually be baking from scratch.

P.S. While you're at it, mix up multiple batches to make all that messy measuring worth the effort. Or get together with friends and treat the event like a cookie exchange. Chip in together to buy the main ingredients in bulk, then let each person come up with some interesting additions to personalize his/her brownie mix (espresso powder, cinnamon, chopped peanuts, white chocolate chips, diced dried pineapple, toasted pine nuts, etc.). Then swap containers so you go home with a bunch of different brownie possibilities.

Brownie Mix
I made the mix in a 1-quart deli container. I threw all the ingredients in and then just shook it up to mix them. It worked great. Just be sure to label the container so you know what mix-ins you put in (if any). And stick a little note inside to remind yourself of the other ingredients you'll need for the batter (oil, eggs, and vanilla), as well as the oven temperature and baking time.

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons buttermilk powder or nonfat milk powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup add-ins, such as chopped nuts or dried fruit (optional)

In a medium bowl (or deli container), combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, buttermilk powder, baking powder, salt, and whisk (or shake) to blend. Stir in the chocolate chips and add-ins (if using). Store airtight.

To make fudgy brownies
Brownie Mix (above)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg

To make cakey brownies
Brownie Mix (above)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Dump the Brownie Mix into a bowl. Add the oil, water, vanilla, and egg(s), and stir just to blend.
3. Scrape the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it.
Makes 16 brownies