TheSnackHound

Paprika, the latest addition to Homer Laughlin’s Fiesta Ware line is now available in stores. HLC officially released the color Sunday, June 20, 2010. The color replaces Evergreen in the Fiesta line up, which was discontinued in March. Of course, the colors are not remotely similar, but the deletion of Evergreen makes space on store shelves for the new arrival.

So far, I have confirmed that the Homer Laughlin Factory Store, Macy’s, Dillard’s, Mega China carry it.  Kohl’s still carries limited Evergreen pieces on their website, but does not have Paprika available.  In most cases, limited pieces are available at this time, rather than the full range of items.  The Homer Laughlin Factory Store website seems to have the largest array of pieces, which goes without saying. There are certainly to be more retailers stocking up on additional pieces as they become available.

I hardly ever watch tv, but when I do, inevitably the invention that will change mankind forever is hawked, like  The Grill Glove (www.GrillGlove.com), and the Lava Mitt ( www.LavaMitt.com). Heck, who needs plates when you can shovel it right in your mouth. You can even eat with your pinky up. I bet someone already has. I know. It was you.

The Folger’s plant in Downtown Kansas City will be closing in 2011. Operations will be relocated to the Smuckers headquarters in Ohio to consolidate operations. While it of course will mean job loss for Kansas City, the locale will also loose an iconic building. The troops are rallying to save the historic structure.  I first heard it from @ShellyKramer on Twitter who is local to the area, and there is hope that it wouldn’t be turned into condos.

I have my own proposal for the structure. Actually there are two.  This would be the most awesome bed and breakfast. You know, it would be “The Best Part of Waking Up.” While most coffee operations would be moved to Ohio, maybe a small amount in small batches would be made here.  It would be like going to one of those winery tours where you learn to brew your own wine.  No secrets would be given out, but they could mix the different coffees to your preferences. There could be bins and they would mix you a bag or can of half caff/half decaf.  Or maybe you want to mix Chocolate Silk and Cinnamon Swirl.  Maybe you like them, but not a lot so you add half regular and have Chocolate.  You take that home, and then you could order one there with whipped cream on the top.  Some of the bedrooms would be industrial decor themed and some would be antiquey and cozy – whatever you chose.

Each room would have a theme.  What about the “Scott Bakula Room?” If he is between tv and movie roles, he and his wife (not the actress pictured) perhaps stay there? Or would he sneak into your room and start brewing the coffee to wake you up and sneak out? (Commercial dates to 1985).

Of course, the upper floors would be the rooms, but they all wouldn’t be next to eachother.  There may be rooms with glass cases and historic memorabilia in between. You wouldn’t want your romantic weekend spoiled by the people in the next room, would you?  Or maybe a room would be really big so the whole scout troop would sleep over.   Then, there would be the “business end” down below and a trendy coffee shop for people on the street who are not staying there.  Of course you could order pastries made with Smucker’s Jelly in the middle of them and coffee.   I haven’t decided if I would go with ubertrendy or would hang my hat on the industrial theme again.

Of course, they should leave some of the factory “as-is” for the museum element of it or truck in historical collectible memorabilia about Folger’s and Kansas City history and people would tour it.  You just never know – It could be a really happening Bed and Breakfast/Coffee Shop/Museum and maybe even a funky place to have your wedding reception.  Of course, there would be free coffee with the room rental but it would be BYOB or BYOF – Bring your own Beef or Bring Your Own Fish. Smuckers, the parent company is just not big on main courses.

See…lives are changed with Folger’s.

Follow me on Twitter @TheSnackHound “just because” and for updated news (Oh, and I need a few more followers before Twitter will let me follow more of you!), and follow @SaveFolgersKC too.  I don’t drink coffee…but I brew it for the smell! (Oh, and I love historical buildings).

Honestly, I am not that big on cookies.  Lately, most people have been making them with gooey fruit in the middle or they are crusty and crispy like pastries.  My cookies need to be chocolatey and easy to eat without leaving a trail of crunchy combustibles.  My “go to” “fake it and bake it” style cookie is Chocolate Chip Devil’s Food cookies.  They are super simple to make, unlike my last “fake it and make it” recipe which called for so much prep time making homemade mousse to make a boxed cake look homemade.

1 Devil’s Food Cake Mix
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 eggs (not hard boiled or Cadbury)
1/2 cup to 3 cups of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips.

1) First, make sure that you have at least 2 eggs in the fridge.  You’ll need vegetable oil too, but you probably bought it 6 months ago and forgot it was there.

1) Go to the store and get a Super Moist Devil’s Foodcake cake mix.  This can be any brand that you want to get or is on sale.  Then come home.

2) Pour 1/2 cup of vegetable or canola oil in a bowl.  Get the eggs out of the fridge. Notice that they are now gone. Someone is home that is not normally home at this time and decided to make themselves scrambled eggs because there were “just two eggs in there and didn’t want to waste them.”  Root around in the cupboards for Egg Beaters.  Turn up empty.  Go back to the store.  Get more than two eggs.  Trust me, don’t use just one. You will make some pretty mean hockey pucks that way, but they’ll also be a powdery mess.

3) Crack the eggs and put only the contents of 2 eggs in the bowl with the vegetable oil.  Make sure the eggs are broken and everything is mixed in evenly.

4) Slowly pour the cake mix in the bowl with the other two things. But actually there are three things because there are 2 eggs.  Oh yeah, since they are scrambled up, its just one mass of egg innards.  Appetizing, huh?  Do this gradually.  I made the mistake of plopping the whole thing in there and then mixing it is like mixing cement.

5) Mix contents with a hand mixer, unless you are a really fancy person and have a stand mixer and you put flame decals on it or decalse of a B-52 Bomber on it.

6) Once everything is thoroughly mixed up, portion them out into balls on a cookie sheet.  I heard this recipe is supposed to make 24-36 cookies.  There is just NO WAY.  You are lucky to get 24.  I actually only got 20 cookies.  Because I ate them.  DO NOT eat the raw cookie dough. You can do it with peanut butter cookies but don’t do it with these.  It’s runny and soft and has raw eggs in it…unless you buy the pasteurized kind that are for Caesar Salads.  Then its okay.  But it might feel weird.

7) Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.  The cookies won’t look done, but they are.  No hockey pucks, people! Unless you really want them that way.

You want pictures?  Sorry. I ate them all.  Not all at once.  I assure you, it was in moderation.