the ronnie republic

May 15, 2014

Would you go on this mountain hike?

Taihang Mountain walkway in Shanxi Province

Would you go on this mountain hike?

May 14, 2014

OLD BOOKS

Cake for Afternoon Tea: Peanut Butter and Raisins with out eggs or milk

Cupcake that tasted exactly like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sheepy cake (Photo credit: Sweet Creations Studio (by Senel))

Chocolate Cake with Milk Chocolate-Peanut Butter Frosting and Peanut Butter Brittle. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Enamel Measuring Cups (Photo credits: West Elm)

Celebration Cakes (Photo credit: California Bakery)

Always watching the news:

No measuring cups needed:

an easy stir-up cake for afternoon tea and sewing with Reverend Al Sharpton and Politics Nation at 3 PM.

Ingredients:

A really large spoonful of any peanut butter, about 1/2 to 2/3 cup.

About 1/3 cup of sugar.

Coconut milk from a can (this is inexpensive and good to keep on hand for an easy curry dinner, coconut milk and the little curry cakes make an excellent, easy and quick gravy) just keep adding the coconut milk--a little at a time and keep stirring as the peanut butter is a little stiff and hard to stir at first.

Keep adding a little at a time and stirring until you have added about 1/2 cup but it does not have to be exact and there is no need to measure.

Mix together about 1 cup of flour with approx 1 teaspoon of salt (about a quarter size in the cup of your hand) and about 4 teaspoons or one tablespoon of baking powder. Mix it together with anything just so the salt and baking powder is distributed evenly in the flour before you dump the flour in the mixing bowl. The amount of baking powder to flour is the only thing to be careful with in measurement because if there is not enough baking powder the cake will not rise as there is no eggs and if there is too much it will have a tell tale baking powder taste after the cake is finished. The is a pretty good cake so I did not want that to happen.

If the baking powder is lumpy smash it with a spoon in a little bowl or on a saucer to prevent anyone from getting a bite of a lump of baking powder. It will taste very bad.

Now add a little water from a cup and keep stirring adding a little of the flour mixture alternately with more water until it looks like a regular cake batter.

Add about 3 very large handfuls of raisin bran and a handful of chocolate cheerios or any type of your favorite cereal--this part can be anything because the cheerios basically disappear.....about 3 cups of cereal.

Keep stirring until it is like a lumpy cake batter. A little more water may be needed.

Pour in about 1 teaspoon of vanilla and stir well.

I just stirred up this cake by hand until it looked right as I did not have access to a mixer.

This makes a cake approximately the size of one 8 or 9 inck layer cake.

Use any pan of your choice that fits the bill--spray the pan with cooking spray and bake at 350 until it looks done--you can smell the cake cooking or a knife inserted near the center comes out clean or it has a tiny bit of spring to the touch.

So this cake is really good for breakfast and tea and it is really, really good warmed up in a micro or in a frying pan for 5 mins on low with a lid with a little sugar sprinkled on the top.

Try this cakes and add your tips, please.

I just wanted to make a cake and I used the ingredients I had on hand in the house--the thing is it came out really delicious. I think it was the coconut milk that set it off.

What do you think--try it and let me know.

All cooking tips are appreciated........cl

Measuring cups can be used like spoons in this recipe but it does not have to be exact.

What is your afternoon tea cake or snack--can you share it with this blog, please?

WABC Geraldo Rivera Radio Round-Up: Talking Bernie Kerik and my girl Rita Cosby

English: Rita Cosby, United States media figure (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: Geraldo Rivera at a Hudson Union Society event in September 2010. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: NYPD Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik speaking at a press conference concerning crime scene evidence collection from the WTC site. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Had to say it......good show today.

Always a good show for talk radio, particularly a republican conservative station--we get all of the information and actually a discussion about the news. The listener can understand all of the thoughts from callers on all sides of the issues.

The callers do not mind one bit calling in to disagree with Geraldo......okay, he can take it, give his idea, also, and no one is angry.

The listener is the winner.

Admiring Geraldo's loyalty.....talking about his friend former police comish, Bernie Kerik and his former lawyer, Joe Tacopina.

Geraldo feels Bernie was treated very poorly by this attorney to the degree he was an informant to the feds against his friend, Bernie.

Callers voiced their opinion on both sides.

Bernie Kerik is a fabulous addition to a radio show.....always listening to talk radio.......there are many people who like to know the take on current issues from the police department.

What makes the cops tick?

Bernie does a real good job of explaining things--security is an ever increasing issue in this day and age--how do the police do their job and what is the reason behind some of their actions.

Bernie does a good job of explaining things--his comments are easy to understand, he is willing to discuss a situation, and he has compassion for the public and most importantly for his fellow police officers.

The second hour we were treated to the very pleasant voice and talented talker, my girl, Rita Cosby.

Rita talks to everyone--agree or disagree--Rita listens, says her opinion and does not freak out.

The freak-out factor is not a part of Geraldo's show.

Right, what makes a good talk show--info and discussion--not O'Reilly screaming and shouting.

If O'Reilly would take a tip from Geraldo he would not have to constantly try to convince everyone he is "fair and balanced."

Okay, Bill, if you say so......I guess you only have yourself to convince at this point.

Geraldo, can you ask Bernie this question--what does he think of traffic officers wearing cameras. This was suggested in San Diego after three recent incidents of police taking advantage of women on the road.

It's fun and interesting to hear Bernie's take on things.

Well done, Geraldo, Rita and Bernie...keep talking...Ronnie will be listening.

What do you think....comments welcome and appreciated....all sides accepted.