San's box

Back in 2006, we made about 16 podcasts promoting a feature film in development at the time. It uses footage from a short film we made in 2004. My channel has a couple of playlists of my favorite podcasts. However, they are all pretty entertaining if you're interested in the filmmaking process. "Holiday Spectacular" was my brainchild. The "feature film" is being produced as a graphic novel now. Issue #1 (of 6) came out in October 2011, which the video in the feed promotes.

We treat teddy bears right in my family

My teddy bear niece, Jbear. If she were actually mine, that would be weird. She's an absolute hug slut who loves gansta rap, Christmas, Shark Week, and chillin with her homies. Yeah, Jbear is pretty adorable, and she won't let you forget it, either. Her narcoleptic bunny little sister, who enjoys headbanging to punk rock and collecting online degrees (apparently, she's a bunny lawyer, bunny real estate agent, bunny PR coordinator, and bunny talent agent), keeps her grounded. They are a product of the over-active imaginations of my sister and me. They live in Virginia. Their cousin is my little GUND puppy, Puddley Puddlington (Puddy for short) - loves Jimmy Buffet and watching sports.

Vanilla Vodka Apple Filling

(can be used in crisps, pie, or a side dish)

--measurements are merely suggestions.

Filling:

4-6 Granny Smith apples

1/2 – 2/3 cup sugar

1-2 teaspoons cinnamon (or as much or as little as you want)

1 tablespoon vanilla vodka

1/2 cup (or so) Craisins (optional)

1 tablespoon Spice Cake Mix (or flour, to thicken the filling a little)

1.Cut up Granny Smith apples. I suggest peeling them if you're going to use them as pie filling.

2.In a larger bowl, mix the apples, sugar, and cinnamon.

3.Melt about a table spoon of butter in a frying pan. 

4.Add apples and heat on medium to medium-high.

5.Stir and flip apples as the sugar caramelizes. 

6.Add vanilla vodka and cake mix. 

7.Stir and flip apples. 

8.Take off heat while apples are still firm.

9.Let cool.

10.Place apples in a greased casserole dish or a pie crust.

Topping: (this can be used for a crisp or a pie topping)

6 Tablespoons butter (room temp or melted)

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup Spice Cake mix (or flour) [I'm thinking of trying an oatmel cookie mix this year - maybe]

1.Mix sugar and cake mix in a medium bowl.

2.Add butter, stirring until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.

3.Let stand 5 minutes.

4.With fingers, break into crumbs and sprinkle over the top of apple filling.

5.If you melt the butter, you might need to spread the topping on top of the apples because it doesn't crumble. Either way is good.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Place apple crisp/pie in oven and immediately reduce to 375 F. Bake for 30-40 minutes. (I'd check on it after 20 minutes)

NOTE: You can add an egg white to the leftover apple juice, brush it on some pie crust, and bake for some yummy pie crust crackers.

Word cloud (by Wordle.net) of the presentation that I'm giving Saturday in the shape of a jalapeño!

www.flickr.com/sane8s