My daughter wrote this poem when she was eight.

Things are Perfect the Way They Are

Did you know that I don't
have any wishes to put in this
world because the world is
perfect the way it is.

Rainbows have perfect colors
so I think that rainbows are
perfect the way they are.

Houses have perfect shelter
so I think houses are
perfect the way they are.

Blankets are warm and
cozy so I think blankets are
perfect the way they are.

Teddy bears help me go to sleep
so I think teddy bears are
perfect the way they are.

The world is a safe place to
live so I think the world is
perfect the way it is.

You are special the way
you are so you are you
and that is...PERFECT!

© Anna Goodman, (Dec. 2007)

Here's Anna's favorite coffee cake.
It's perfect just the way it is.

Yogurt Coffee Cake

Serves 12


1 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1½ cups flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon soda
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1½ cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream)
1½ teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare pan by greasing and sprinkling with flour. {You can use a bundt pan, a brownie pan, or a loaf pan.}

Mix topping ingredients (brown sugar, walnuts and cinnamon) in small bowl and set aside.

Whisk together flour, baking powder and soda.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and 1½ cups sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in yogurt and vanilla. Add flour mixture and mix until combined.

Spoon half of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle half of brown sugar mixture over and swirl into batter. Spoon remaining batter over. Sprinkle remaining brown sugar mixture over.

Bake cake until tester comes out clean, about 1 hour (depending on what you bake the cake in).

The the best fried chicken is one that you dry with a paper towel first. Then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then dredge in flour. And then soak in the egg and cream mixture. And finally dip in the best almonds you can find that have been ground in a food processor. Season all stages with salt and pepper for even better flavor. Heat a pan. Then add the [peanut] oil. Brown all sides. Set off the fire alarms. And finish in a 375°F oven until the juices run clear.

Recipe for Almond Fried Chicken

Makes 6 servings

6 boned, skinned, chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds), flattened
⅓ cup flour
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 egg
3 tablespoons whipping cream
2 cup almonds, finely chopped {you can use hazelnuts or cashews or your favorite nut}
8 tablespoons peanut oil



Combine flour and salt in one pan. Beat the egg and whipping cream in another. Mix the almonds in a third. Have a wire cooking rack ready to hold the breaded chicken before and after frying.

Bread the chicken.

Fry and bake to finish.

I get approached through my blog to do reviews of all sorts. When Masters of Malt contacted me to review their Drinks by the Dram, I knew I couldn't do this review alone since I'm not a connoisseur or even one who chooses to drink Whiskey. But I have a good friend, Dave Kerr, who enjoys a dram or two now and then. So I enlisted his help for this review.

Dave and I go way back. We worked together for several years. I as a junior technical writer at the time and he as a technical lead writer, and as we worked together a bond of friendship formed. There was even one night that we were at work in the wee hours of the morning laughing over font and Microsoft Word issues while making Daffy Duck impersonations. We bonded and I count him as one of my best friends.

Consequences, Schmonsequences, as long as I'm rich.
- Daffy Duck

Dave helped me by providing his expertise on Whiskey and writing this guest blog post.
Thanks, Dave!

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It’s not every day, or week, or even year that I get invited to a whiskey tasting. So when the opportunity recently came my way, I jumped at the opportunity.

Click here to read more.