The Daily Mustard

Today was TC's Eagle project at Camp Indicoso, one of our UM camps which is nearby. TC is doing his Eagle through our Venturing Crew, which is a bit unusual, but we were up for the challenge. TC planned to build and install five woodpecker houses along the nature trail, five bat houses by the chapel and cabins and five squirrel feeders to amuse campers.

Pat ran the power tools. Cheyanne did the finishing. I worked with Rachael and TC to install the projects. Lori brought pizza for lunch. It was a beautiful Fall day. Soli Deo Gloria!



Wood butcher



But wait! There's more!



Stairway to Heaven



I'm Batman

First attempt (ever) to make cannoli shells. Semi-successful. Lessons learned.

Trying to make a fancy, authentic cannoli dough is a waste of time. I could make standard pie crust more easily and sprinkle the shells with sugar and cinnamon when they come out of the fryer. (That's the next experiment.)

My usual clumsiness with pastry shows. I couldn't get my dough thin enough, and it puffed up considerably in the oil, which means it wasn't light and flaky like it should be.

All that said, the taste was good. And my secret cannoli pipes worked like a charm (couldn't find tubes to form the shells around, but I did find food-grade copper pipe segments in the hardware store -- score!).

More work is needed for our secret dessert for next Sunday. I've got to get these shells figured out, and then I've still got a move or two to try out on the pastry cream that goes in them.

"Such predicaments. I must forge ahead."