Picture, as a promise:



It's my first tubular cast-on ever, and it's so fabulous that it almost makes me feel patient and tolerant about 1x1 ribbing (something I have never done before). It really does look clean and professional. Only one warning to the uninitiated: it is advertised as a "very stretchy" cast-on, which I suppose it is, but it is not as stretchy as the ribbing that follows. Just so you're warned. Otherwise, I'm in seventh heaven over it.

I am all set to have a Very Tough Day. On top of my usual double-time consulting, I have to crapshoot a hysterical Russian's nonexistent crises, grade quizzes and assignments for my class, and try to get my damned kitchen clean--this time, in a mopping-the-floor kind of way. I hate trying to clean kitchen floors. It's so depressing.

I'm so depressed over this Very Tough Day that I departed from my salads-or-curry-for-lunch, unadorned-protein-and-steamed-veggies-for-dinner, oatmeal-when-ravenous routine, and made myself French toast for lunch. This is very special French toast. Please pay attention.

Kat's Very Tough Day Emergency French Toast

Ingredients: two slices of your standard sandwich bread, two eggs, a splash of milk, a splash of vanilla, a shake of cinnamon, 1 tbsp butter, some sugar, and a handful of pecans.

Combine eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon in a shallow dish and set bread in it to soak. Meanwhile, heat your largest skillet with the butter. When butter is melted, put soaked bread in and sprinkle the tops with sugar. Now put the handful of pecans into what is left of the egg and milk mixture, shake them up a little, them spoon them out and onto an empty spot in the pan. Pour a spoonful of sugar over them. Turn pecans frequently until as sticky, crunchy, or caramelized as you like, then remove them from pan--they will probably need to come out of the pan before the toast is finished. Turn toast when the bottoms are laced with brown, cook till down sides are the same, scooting them around the pan's axis to soak up any leftover sugar and butter.

Pile pecans on top of toast, and enjoy. No syrup necessary.