Sunshine

The interior of BC is notoriously cloudy during the winter months. It often keeps things warm enough to prevent snow, in more southerly parts. When we do get sunshine, we squint a lot, but it really boosts the mood. Today we are having sunshine. :)

Also, while we have had two small snowfalls since the end of October, it hasn't stuck, and the ground is bare. Last year by this time we'd already had 6 weeks of knee-deep snow. This is much much much much much much better. Much.

I have been bummed by my cannabis experiments. I hadn't actually experimented much with it as a young woman, and not at all since I was 30 (30+ years ago), and I had forgotten how "nothing" some of my experiences were, and only remembered the two pleasant experiences. In general I am feeling nothing from the cookies. Bummer. Fortunately my SOGP is here to tell me that the effects of the cannabis cookies are just fine, thank you, so it's not like I bought a crummy batch. And I really like the smell of the house when I'm dorking about preparing it for baking. :)

While bare, it has been too cold to take Mr. Cat out for his daily chomp of grass. Last time he was out, the grass was too frozen to bite. But he still wants to go. He has a special spot to sleep on the couch in the TV room, piled up with a pillow and covered with a Grama-made afghan. If he feels that he is being ignored in his request, he goes down the hallway, climbs on his pillow, and sobs in the dark. It really is the most heart-rending cry. Poor little old dude.

Donna's Justly Famous Butter Tarts

Any season is a good season for butter tarts, but they are a common treat at Christmas.

12 medium or 30 small premade frozen tart shells, still frozen
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, well-packed
2 tbsp heavy cream (35% bf)
1 large egg
1 tbsp vanilla extract or Grande Marnier
1/2 cup dried currants

Place raw tart shells in their tins on one or more cookie sheets. Preheat oven to 450F.

Cream butter and sugar together until graininess of sugar is gone. Add cream and continue mixing until absorbed. Add egg and continue mixing until absorbed. Add vanilla or Grand Marnier and continue mixing until absorbed. Fold in currants (do not coat currants in flour, nor soak them in liquid). Fill tart shells 3/4 full.

Bake at 450F for 8 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350F and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes, or until pastry is delicately brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool on racks. They are usually too fragile to move until cold.

The filling will puff beautifully while in the oven, and then collapse and become sunken as they cool. This is normal and tasty. Never never never add flour or cornstarch to batter. They are meant to be fragile and eye-crossingly sweet.