Oh that Republican field, muffins! macaroons! Kitchen Need #4

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Now really, what a bad couple days for Mittens. Turns out his measly 8 vote win in Iowa wasn't thus, and now he's lost S.C. too. So much of his own money, his and his family's time, and after all these years campaigning and trying on different identities, he's still not a sure thing. I'd have to throw in the towel.Sweater Vest racked up a bronze, giving him a late gold, this third and a random 5th. He's like a Tim Henman of politics. Ricky's definitely not a sure thing, and I don't see Florida as being the successful Hail Mary he'll need to really garner any tidbit of serious consideration (and thank god giving that his bigoted worldview would really set us back a number of generations). Blowhard Windbag of the Multiple Wives is surely on a high today. Can anyone even imagine how insufferable he must be right now? He already has such a grandiose sense-of-self; this morning he probably feels some sort of Christ-like anointing.

I'm glad he pulled out S.C. though, as you've got to think the Dems are feeling decently (despite a shockingly consistent inability to strategize and capitalize on any gains) good about November and the Repubs are surely sweating, not least because they know Gingrich can't win and know they'll have to suck it up and get behind Romney at some point- a hard one for them to swallow. Aah, a moderate in disguise! Horrors! ~~

I just pulled some banana-blueberry muffins out of the oven and cannot wait to sink my teeth into one. Momentarily I'll be posting the cherry-almond macaroon recipe too.

In the meantime, Kitchen Item #4 That You Need is actually a collection of small tools (many of which I've praised before) that make my life as a cook easier and more fun.

- a citrus reamer with a screen: you can juice with abandon while the seeds stay caught. Liberating! - a 2 tablespoon measuring cup: this is equivalent to ⅛ c, an amount I need on a regular basis. I use this measuring tool all the time! - two sets of measuring spoons: one for dry ingredients and one for wet. How annoying is it when your salt sticks to the spoon because you forgot you'd just measured oil/vanilla/etc? Never again! - an olive spoon: long handled, slotted...you'll never struggle with olives/capers/maraschinos/etc again! No unwanted juice anywhere, no need to use a second tool to drain your product- an all-in-one tool at its best! - a Microplane: enough said. - a crappy paring knife that you can use to pry things apart: frozen hamburger patties or hotdogs, sealed lids on jars, etc. I bought one for $4 in NYC years ago and we use it several times a week. The tip broke off which actually makes it even more functional!

The nonsensical moralizing of the Right

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Do they really not care and/or realize how hypocritical and certifiably nuts they sound? I guess they're betting on the willful amnesia and continued support of the blind-to-fact followers that constitute their staunchest base. Newt wants to sign a personal pledge in support of marriage and fidelity after having divored two wives, asked one for an open marriage and rabidly worked to impeach Bill Clinton for adultery while concurrently committing adultery himself, and then preach to people about his virtuousness? He actually said that any pain he and Callista might suffer due to the dredging up of his past by his opponents was worth it because the country needed him. This sanctimoniousness is revolting. Who takes him seriously, and why? He's a pompous windbag full of self-aggrandizing love; a narcissist in the most clinical form.

I'm not a religious person, but I did major in Religious Studies in college and am pretty sure that Jesus preaches that we are all children of God, that we all have worth and value, that we should take care of those who are less fortunate. How does Santorum square his evangelically Catholic beliefs with his overt hatred of gays and lesbians? He's that sure that his worldview is the right one? That certitude and its associated moralizing are disgusting and utterly condescending.

The Obama administration finally really passed into law a ruling that all health plans must cover the cost of birth control. The Catholic church is up in arms, railing against the infringement on religious freedom that this decision legalizes. A) Catholic church, you are certainly not, in several ways- hello child abuse by clergy scandals around the world, for example- the paragon of true Christian action, so please get out of our bedrooms and bodies; and B) No Catholic is forced to obtain or use birth control- that's your religious freedom, Dolan, so back off of trying to use your religious perspective to take away the rights of women, Catholic and otherwise, everywhere.

It just makes me want to hurl thinking of the ways in which religious sanctimony and Rightist righteousness screws women. You'd rather a woman die than have a safe abortion? You want to force a woman who was raped and became pregnant to have that child? A teenager who chooses to be sexually active but wants to be responsible while doing so should be condemned rather than applauded? A family who truly cannot or does not want to provide for a child in all the ways required should be forced to have the child or go through the whole pregnancy for the sake of adoption? Get your heads out of the sand, and find some respect for people's choices. Abstinence education doesn't really work. Birth control prevents so many abortions. Women deserve to choose what they do with their bodies, with their sexuality, on behalf of themselves and their families. You'd think that in all the hand-wringing about children who've not even been conceived yet, there might be a modicum of concern for the very women who would be the ones to have them.

I am grateful every day for my children, and my heart breaks for families who want children and are unable to have them. Giving a child up for adoption is definitely the right choice for some women, but so is abortion, and - as I think we'd all agree that no one wants more abortions to occur and there are more children who need adoptions than there are adoptive parents available - so is birth control which obviates both of those terribly difficult situations.