legs---garters, eatin' donuts.

work, school, work! weekends in b-ton. bagel eating, little black dress and buying my friend a jumbo box of lucky charms.
baked up a nice double layer chocolate chip carrot nut cake last week. took it to work and everyone enjoyed it. pink frosting, gingersnap cookies, golden turbinado sugar, and red-white-pink sprinkles to decorate.
i am wanting to go see PONYO tonight. I may go tomorrow after work. and 500 days of summer and taking woodstock are on the wishlist.
mom and i have started a faery garden in the front garden space below my window. i made a little bed frame out of sycamore sticks, and tied some powdery shimmer pink tulle to it. miniature chairs, pumpkins, skeleton keys....

Ginger Doughnuts

Gourmet | December 2004

• 4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 oz crystalized ginger, coarsely chopped (1/3 cup)
• 3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 large eggs
• 12 cups vegetable oil

• Special equipment: a 1 3/4-inch round cookie cutter; a deep-fat thermometer

Preparation

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger in a large bowl.

Whisk together 1 cup sugar and remaining 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger in a shallow bowl.

Pulse remaining 3/4 cup sugar with crystallized ginger in a food processor until ginger is finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in buttermilk, butter, and eggs until smooth.

Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and stir until a dough forms (dough will be sticky).

Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface and knead gently just until it comes together, 10 to 12 times, then form into a ball. Lightly dust work surface and dough with flour, then roll out dough into a 13-inch round (about 1/3 inch thick) with a floured rolling pin. Cut out rounds with floured cutter and transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet. Gather scraps and reroll, then cut out additional rounds. (Reroll only once.)

Heat oil in a wide 5-quart heavy pot until thermometer registers 375°F. Working in batches of 7 or 8, carefully add rounds, 1 at a time, to oil and fry, turning over once, until golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes total per batch. (Return oil to 375°F between batches.) Transfer to paper towels to drain. Cool slightly, then dredge in ginger sugar.