D'oh. I went to the CI site and checked my CI cookbooks, and no stinking cupcake recipe. I'm still kind of bugged that even with a subscription, you can't get to the recipes on the site.

My two coworkers need to stop arguing about the veracity of Matt Drudge now.

I'll talk to Pete. Maybe Friday night?

Maybe. CC Paul, and he can determine his level of zombietude for that day (he's freelancing in the morning before work).

I'm going to attempt to make the CI cupcakes with chai buttercream and will need test subjects...

Ooh, how? I'm thinking you could use chai concentrate in place of part of the cream and cut back on the powdered sugar, but I'm not sure how that would work in terms of consistency.

Being broke, I brought in my lunch (Healthy Choice beef with whiskey sauce, potatoes and veggies). If I had cash, I'd love to go to the Weber Grill restaurant and have a grilled steak or burger.

On a completely different subject, a Comcast subscriber had an interesting bill arrive in the mail after she called them repeatedly to fix a DVR problem.

My two coworkers need to stop arguing about the veracity of Matt Drudge now.

People still read Matt Drudge? So last millenium.

ChiKat, that recipe for you:

Winter Squash Soup

6 servings (about 1 cup each)

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon margarine
1 pound butternut, or other yellow winter, squash, peeled, seeded, cubed
1 cup cubed, peeled Idaho potato
1 cup cubed, cored, peeled tart cooking apple
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8-/14 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup apple cider or apple juice (I used cider)
1/2-1 cup fat-free half-and-half or fat-free milk (I used 1/2 cup whole milk)
Salt and white pepper, to taste
Ground nutmeg, as garnish

1. Saute onion in margarine until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add squash, potato, and apple; cook over medium heat 5 minutes. Add water and spices and heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until squash and potato are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Process mixture in food processor or blender until smooth; return to saucepan. Stir in apple cider and half-and-half; cook over medium heat until hot through. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.

3. Pour soup into bowls; sprinkle lightly with nutmeg.

Ooh, how? I'm thinking you could use chai concentrate in place of part of the cream and cut back on the powdered sugar, but I'm not sure how that would work in terms of consistency

I had the epiphany last night that I could do it with ground spices and instant tea, as instant coffee is often called for in coffee or mocha buttercream recipes.

I was just thinking, it's sorta sad, but most of my belongings would easily fit in Hank.

But in multiple trips.

I had the epiphany last night that I could do it with ground spices and instant tea, as instant coffee is often called for in coffee or mocha buttercream recipes.

Yeah, I can see that, if you used an instant tea that didn't have sugar or lemon added. (And now I'm remembering the powdered Lipton's iced tea my brother and I used to make in the summer. The idea was to make it so strong that you'd get a slurry of lemony sugar at the bottom of the glass. I cringe now, but it was delicious then.)

I've never made chai from scratch, though.