Happy Birthday To My Sweetie!

John's birthday today and I made him a Coconut Cake with Fresh Pineapple Filling.  See that beater - I licked it clean!  I don't even remember the last time I did that, maybe 30 years ago, but all of a sudden, there I was doing it.  It was 7 Minute Frosting from my grandmother's recipe as I remember it, where you mix 5 or 6 egg whites, 1-1/2 cups sugar, 4 Tablespoons water, and 2-1/2 Tablespoons (+/- it's two glugs, as I remember it) Karo Corn syrup, the clear kind, in a metal bowl.  Then you beat it over very hot water.  I know my grandmother used an electric hand mixer to keep beating this until it was ready to use, like a very soft, slightly liquid marshmallow.  I haven't been able to find the beaters to my hand mixer since the horrible movers got a hold of our stuff, so I whisked a while by hand.  Too boring!  (Actual fact - if I had been using an unlined copper bowl, it would have taken much less time.  Some chemical reaction, but at any rate, if you are ever to make Zabaglione, a copper bowl is a must.)  But since I was using a stainless steel bowl, I got bored with the whole thing, dumped the hot mixture into the Kitchenaid and power whipped it like a big batch of mashed potatoes.  (My preferred item to have come out of the Kitchenaid.  I love mashed potatoes so much, that if I'm eating dessert, it's just because the mashed potatoes are all gone.)  But I have gotten so far from my point, that it's almost silly at this point, but what I just noticed about John's Birthday is that this year I did it all myself.  No kids around.  Amanda would always make him a Cheesecake, hers are the best, using real Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese.  But I lucked out on the dinner - last night's Chicken Curry turned out stupendously - totally fabulous.  And since good curry is like Lasagna, better the next day, John opted for the leftovers for his Birthday Dinner.  (And it was a good choice.)  So all I had to do today was make him a cake and card.  Or, and that Curry, just chop a huge sweet onion, slice very thinly 6 carrots, and peel and chop one or two apples.  Fry in oil until limp, move to the side and sprinkle 3 or 4 tablespoons of good curry powder one the bottom of the pan.  (Someone told me curry powder should always be thoroughly cooked.)  So after you've cooked it a few minutes. add around a cup of boiling water, stir, put some chicken on top (John opts for white meat, Chicken Tenders work very well), and when the chicken is done, so is the curry.  You don't even need salt, but don't forget the Chutney and that yogurt, cucumber, garlic sauce stuff.