It's all about the numbers . . .

Ok, this is it. My 100th post. I've been putting it off, wanting this to be a real "something" and the problem is . . . I think I have too many ideas! It would be easy if this blog were food themed; I'd pick my top 100 recipes. Or if I only did crafts, pictures, movies, book reviews or underwater basket weaving. I thought about all of my interests, there are waaaay too many (thank you ADD) and I can list my #1 from each category for this past year. (except for the basket weaving)

#1 Recipe: It's so hard to pick just one. Do I go fancy or simple? Dinner or dessert? Here it is. I picked something simple and sweet. (is there any other combination?) And DO strain the curd, it makes a world of difference. Oh, and it takes about 15 minutes MAX. I dolloped this on a Nilla wafer, sprinkled a tiny bit of the zest on top and it looked seriously professional. Like I really knew what I was doing!

Lemon Curd <-- it's a linky to the original recipe

Ingredients
2 Tbsp finely minced lemon zest (about 2 medium lemons)
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
3 large whole eggs, lightly beaten
1 stick/4 oz/8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar (about 6 oz)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2-3 medium lemons)

Method
1. Whisk all ingredients together in a medium stainless steel saucepan.
2. Place the saucepan on the stove and turn on heat to medium (or medium-low if you are more timid). Stir constantly with a whisk until it starts to thicken a little. Make sure you are standing by your stove the entire time. Trust me, this is not the time to take breaks to watch tv or check on your laundry.
3. Once it starts to thicken, switch to a large flat-bottom spatula and stir frequently, making sure to scrape the bottom of pan so that the curd thickens evenly without burning the bottom.
4. Continue to stir and cook until very thick (about 6-10 minutes, if you're cooking on medium heat). It's pretty quick if you do it this way though you need to be vigilant for that time. It took me 8 minutes tops on medium heat.
5. Strain the curd (yes, you must do this if you want a really smooth and pretty lemon curd) into a bowl.
6. Cover with plastic wrap right on the surface of the curd (to prevent a skin from forming) and chill.

Favorite posts about the kids:
Eliza - - This is a wonderful poem she wrote.
Mairyn - - She made a lovely comment insinuating that I am a 3 armed alien.
Grant - - One of my favorite Grant-isms.
Jacqueline - - This is a video of her saying her name.

#1 Craft: I made quite a few of these dolls. I found the pattern in this random "Easy-to-make Early American Folk Dolls" book I got at a gift shop in SLC. They are so simple. I'll do a future post about the process next time I make one.


#1 Picture: Again, the dilemma proves daunting. Nature, people, things, etc. Don't worry, you'll get more in the future. This picture is of a column in Aswan, Egypt at the Philae Temple that I took in February 2008.


#1 Movie: Oh geez, picking a favorite movie. Well, since we don't have current shows here, we don't really watch that much T.V. or cinema. My favorite find this past year was the series Lost. Seriously. I. Love. It. Period. And it's so much better watching it on DVD than live, that way we can just move right on to the next episode to see if Locke really is going to die. But start from the very beginning or you're lost right along with them. Ha, I kill me.

#1 Book: As I said before, picking a favorite something would be like choosing a favorite child (although there are days when one shines above the rest! ;-) This book shines above the rest in recent memory. It's called "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls. Great book, read the wiki page. 'nuff said.

**This has been a 100th post by Lydia and I approve this message**