Trivia Mind Teaser
My voice is tender, my waist is slender and I’m often invited to play. Yet, wherever I go I must take my bow or else I have nothing to say.
What Am I?
(answer at bottom of page 4)
They Spent How Much, On What??
It’s true. Some years ago, these items were approved in the U.S. Budget agreed upon by the House and Senate Committees, and approved by the White House:
$240,000 grant for development of a 2-headed stethoscope,
$112,350 for brass polish for the Marine Corps band servicing the White House,
$84,425 printing allocation for posters to commemorate Bernard W. Trencher, the first settler of Muskegon Heights, MI.
$2,075,000 to establish The Skateboard Hall of Fame in Palo Alto, California,
$26,500 grant for improving the packaging of fly paper,
$3,000,000 allocation to the District of Columbia to promote a Miss District of Columbia Pageant in year 2000,
$12,600 to replace the waffle irons in the Congressional dining room,
$615,000 for renovation of a skating rink in Plattsburg, NY,
$770,000 grant to the College of the Pacific to study the effects of the 1994 devaluation of the Mexican peso, and its effect on the US ball bearing industry,
$5,325,000 allocation to the National Institute of Health to study alcohol consumption on college campuses.
New Use For Silly Putty.
A contest by the makers of Silly Putty resulted in “The Top 50 Silliest Uses For Silly Putty.”
The winning idea came from Peter Hyde of Collinsville, Conn., who recommended replacing one’s stockbroker with Silly Putty by throwing a ball of it against the stock pages and investing in the stock it lifts off the newsprint!
Here's a Tasty Recipie:
Fantastic Turtle Brownies
First Ingredients: For brownie Layer
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt |
Second Ingredients: For caramel-pecan layer
¾ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons water
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups pecans (6 ounces)
For Garnish (if desired): 1 ounce semisweet chocolate |
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add butter and flour to a 9-inch square baking pan, tap off and discard excess flour.
Making Brownie Layer:
In a heavy 1 ½ quart saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring, until smooth and remove pan from heat. Cool mixture to lukewarm and stir in brown sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon until mixture is glossy and smooth. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and add to chocolate mixture, beating just until batter is combined well. Spread batter evenly in pan and bake in middle of oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool brownie layer completely in pan on rack.
Making Caramel-Pecan Layer:
In a heavy 3-quart saucepan, bring sugar, corn syrup, water, and a pinch of salt to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and boil mixture, without stirring, until it turns a golden caramel. Remove pan from heat and carefully add cream and vanilla (mixture will bubble up and steam). Stir in pecans and quickly pour mixture over brownie layer, spreading evenly. Cool brownies completely in pan on rack.
For Garnish:
In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, melt chocolate, stirring until smooth and remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat. Transfer chocolate to a small sealable plastic bag. Squeeze chocolate into one corner of bag and with a sharp knife, cut a tiny slice off corner to form a small hole. Squeeze chocolate decoratively over brownies.
Chill brownies, loosely covered, until caramel is firm, at least four hours. Cut chilled brownies into 16 squares and remove from pan while still cold. Let brownies come to room temperature before eating. Brownies keep for five days, covered and chilled in one layer.
Do You Have A Tough Homeowner Or Real
Estate Question You Want Answered?
I love hearing from my good friends and clients who enjoy reading my monthly letter. And I’m always looking to answer pressing questions you might have about anything relating to real estate or home ownership. If you have a question, need help with repairs, or have a real estate problem, please feel free to call me at 391-7086. Perhaps I’ll feature you in a future issue!