Saturday, March 23, 2013
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Perfect St. Patrick's Day Cake
Ingredients
Original recipe makes 1 9-inch 2-layer cake with frosting
1 cup Irish stout beer (such as Guinness®)
1 cup butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups confectioners' sugar, or as needed
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
3 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur (such as Baileys®), or as needed
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.
Pour the beer into a saucepan, add the butter, and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
Remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in the cocoa powder until the mixture is smooth.
Allow the mixture to cool. In a bowl, beat the eggs and sour cream together until smooth with an electric mixer, and stir in the stout mixture to make a smooth, thick liquid.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pour the stout mixture into the flour mixture, and gently combine with a spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
Bake in the preheated oven until the cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove and let cool in pans for 5 minutes before inverting the cakes onto wire racks to finish cooling.
Mix together the confectioners' sugar, butter, and Irish cream liqueur until the mixture forms a smooth and spreadable frosting (add more sugar or liqueur as needed to create the desired consistency). Spread half the frosting on top of each cake.
Place the chopped chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Bring cream to almost boiling in a small saucepan, and pour over the chocolate. Stir in the butter, and stir the mixture until the chocolate melts and the mixture is very smooth.
Allow to cool until the mixture is pourable but not thin or overly runny, 10 to 15 minutes. Stack a cake gently on top of the other, frosting sides uppermost, and carefully drizzle the chocolate mixture over the cake, allowing decorative drips to run down the sides.
Best companies to work for
Rank: 1
Previous rank: 1
2011 revenue ($ millions): $37,905
What makes it so great?
The Internet juggernaut takes the Best Companies crown for the fourth time, and not just for the 100,000 hours of free massages it doled out in 2012. New this year are three wellness centers and a seven-acre sports complex, which includes a roller hockey rink; courts for basketball, bocce, and shuffle ball; and horseshoe pits.
Headquarters: Mountain View, CA
Website: www.google.com
SAS
Courtesy: SASRank: 2Previous rank: 3
2011 revenue ($ millions): $2,725
What makes it so great?
With two artists in residence on staff, the perk-friendly, privately held data analytics firm takes creativity seriously. One employee cites SAS's "creative anarchy" as conducive to innovation. New this year: an organic farm for SAS's four cafeterias.
Headquarters: Cary, NC
Website: www.sas.com
CHG Healthcare Services
Courtesy: CHG Healthcare ServicesRank: 3Previous rank: 9
2011 revenue ($ millions): $620
What makes it so great?
Employees of this medical staffing firm compete in talent shows, trivia contests, and activities like a Dress As Your Favorite President competition. Extra paid time off is given to sales teams that meet their goals. New this year: two on-site health centers.
Headquarters: Salt Lake City, UT
Website: www.chghealthcare.com
The Boston Consulting Group
Courtesy: The Boston Consulting GroupRank: 4Previous rank: 2
2011 revenue ($ millions): $3,550
What makes it so great?
The elite management consulting firm maintains work-life balance by issuing a "red zone report" to flag when individuals are working too many long weeks. New consultants can delay their start date by six months and receive $10,000 to volunteer at a nonprofit.
Headquarters: Boston, MA
Website: www.bcg.com
Wegmans Food Markets
Courtesy: WegmansRank: 5Previous rank: 4
2011 revenue ($ millions): $6,335
What makes it so great?
Turnover is an exceptionally low 3.6% at the Northeastern grocery chain, which lets employees reward one another with gift cards for good service. Many workers like it there so much they bring in relatives—one in five employees are related.
Headquarters: Rochester, NY
Website: www.wegmans.com
NetApp
Courtesy: NetAppRank: 6Previous rank: 6
2011 revenue ($ millions): $6,233
What makes it so great?
Employees at the data storage company often get a chance to receive special recognition. Vice chairman Tom Mendoza asks managers to notify him when they "catch someone doing something right," and then calls 10 to 20 employees every day to thank them.
Headquarters: Sunnyvale, CA
Website: www.netapp.com
Hilcorp Energy Company
Courtesy: Hilcorp EnergyRank: 7Previous rank: N.A.
2011 revenue ($ millions): N.A.
What makes it so great?
This oil and gas driller, a newcomer to the list, promised staff in 2010 that if the company doubles its production rate and reserves by 2015, every employee will get a check for $100,000. An earlier, met goal rewarded 400 employees with $50,000 toward a new car.
Headquarters: Houston, TX
Website: www.hilcorp.com
Edward Jones
Courtesy: Edward JonesRank: 8Previous rank: 5
2011 revenue ($ millions): $4,577
What makes it so great?
The privately held securities firm maintains some 11,000 small offices and a close-knit culture with regular regional gatherings for ice skating, fishing tournaments, and more. Forty-four percent of new hires come from employee referrals.
Headquarters: St. Louis, MO
Website: www.edwardjones.com
Ultimate Software
Courtesy: Ultimate SoftwareRank: 9Previous rank: 25
2011 revenue ($ millions): $269
What makes it so great?
The developer of people-management software—customers include Google, Quicken Loans, and the New York Yankees—covers 100% of health care premiums for employees and dependents and treats workers to a free vacation every two years.
Headquarters: Weston, FL
Website: www.ultimatesoftware.com/
Camden Property Trust
Courtesy: Camden Property TrustRank: 10Previous rank: 7
2011 revenue ($ millions): $655
What makes it so great?
Good times are built into the business at apartment-manager Camden, whose founders are known for practical jokes and impersonations. Other benefits include discounted rentals for employees and a 401(k) that matches at least 50% for up to 7% of pay.
Headquarters: Houston, TX
Website: www.camdenliving.com
Kim Chiu
Kimberly Sue Yap Chiu (Chinese: 張金珠; pinyin: Zhāng Jīnzhū; born 19 April 1990), is a Filipino actress. She lived in Cebu City before moving to Manila for Pinoy Big Brother. Chiu was the first winner of Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition and is currently part of ABS-CBN's Star Magic contract artists. She also launched the album Gwa Ai Di(我爱你; Minnan, "I love you").Aside from Tagalog and English, Chiu also speaksHokkien.
Career
Kim Chiu launched her career by winning the reality series Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition. Chiu and the rest of the housemates entered the Big Brother house on April 23, 2006. After 42 days in the Big Brother house, she was named the Teen Big Winner with 626,562 votes (41.4% of the total votes) at the Aliw Theatre inside theCultural Center of the Philippines Complex in Pasay City. She was the only housemate who was never nominated for eviction.
Six months after winning, Chiu and her on-screen partner Gerald Anderson appeared together in several ABS-CBN shows and in the film,First Day High. Chiu and Anderson also appeared in Love Spell andAalog-Alog.
Chiu became a regular in ASAP XV in 2006. In 2007, Kim Chiu and Anderson starred in the movie I've Fallen For You under Star Cinema. That same year, Chiu starred in the primetime TV series entitled Sana Maulit Muli alongside Anderson. She was then cast in Philippine adaptation of My Girl, a South Korean TV series.
In January 2009, Chiu starred in the TV series entitled Tayong Dalawa which garnered Chiu several acting awards. Her movie I Love You, Goodbye became part of Star Cinema's official entry to the 2009 Metro Manila Film Festival.
In 2010, Chiu starred in Paano Na Kaya with Anderson. She also starred in the primetime drama, Kung Tayo'y Magkakalayo.
In October 2010, Chiu and Anderson teamed up again in the film Till My Heartaches End. That month, it was reported that the long-time couple, Chiu and Anderson (known as Kimerald), split but the reason for the break up was not discussed.
In 2011, Chiu starred in her first romantic-comedy television series without Anderson. It was titled My Binondo Girl with Xian Lim,Matteo Guidicelli, and Jolo Revilla.
Chiu also returned to melodrama acting via Ina, Kapatid, Anak alongside Xian Lim, Maja Salvador and Enchong Dee. She also starred in a reunion movie with Anderson titled 24/7 in Love. In late 2012, Chiu was planning to work in a movie with her rumored boyfriend and loveteam partner Xian Lim.
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