Stormy Weather.

by Tom Glaviano

When a hurricane rages on the coast, wreaking havoc on the lives of the people who live there, the most dangerous threat in the winds and crashing waves may not come from nature. Clayton Ackerman has made a life chasing the hurricanes, storms and blizzards that at times ravage virtually every part of the nation. While covering a tropical storm that was battering the Gulf Coast, Ackerman has an altercation with a young woman that turns deadly and opens his eyes to the potential he’d overlooked for years.

Rainy Day Yellow Cake

Cooking with the Kids on a Rainy Day can be fun when April Showers are on hand.

4 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk frosting

Directions:

1 Heat the oven to 350°F Prepare a 9- by 13-inch pan by greasing it and dusting it with flour.
2 In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff but not dry.
3 Set aside.
4 KIDS' COOKING SKILLS: Use this recipe to teach your kids how to cream butter and sugar and decorate a cake using a pastry bag.
5 In a separate mixing bowl, cream the butter for 1 to 2 minutes; add the sugar and cream for another 2 minutes.
6 Add the egg yolks all at once and beat for another minute or until the mixture appears light and fluffy.
7 Beat in the vanilla extract.
8 Measure the flour using a dry measuring cup and pour it into another mixing bowl.
9 Ask your child to measure the baking powder, baking soda, and salt, carefully leveling each with a knife, and then stir them into the flour.
10 Measure the buttermilk in a liquid measuring cup.
11 Add about a third of the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and mix well.
12 Then, mixing (but not overbeating) after each new addition, add half of the buttermilk, followed by another third of the flour, then the remaining buttermilk, and finally the last of the flour.
13 Fold the stiff egg whites into the batter with a rubber spatula.
14 Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
15 Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
16 Set on a rack to cool.
17 Ice the cooled cake with Cool Whip. Drizzle with Chocolate, or Maple Syrup.