Fantastic Four (2025) #6 [Legacy #732]

Government oversight led by Maria Hill? Run away, run away!
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Also, the most HORRIFYING picture of Mr. Fantastic ever:
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Cream Cheese Mints
Cream Cheese Mints
Prep Time 10 minutes Total Time 10 minutes Servings 8 dozen
Ingredients
8 oz package cream cheese, full fat, softened
1/4 cup Challenge butter, softened
2 lbs powdered sugar
1 - 2 tsp mint extract
gel food coloring
1/2 cup powdered sugar for rolling mints
Instructions
Combine cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl and mix until smooth.
Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
Add the mint extract and mix until combined.
Gradually, add the remaining powdered sugar until smooth and consistent. You can do this with a stand mixer, food processor, or by hand.
Separate the mixture into four separate bowls, or however many different colors you want.
Add a small amount of food color to each bowl and stir in until the color is uniform.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm enough to handle. You don't want it sticking to your hands.
Line 2 quarter sheet pans with parchment paper and liberally dust with powdered sugar. Set aside.
Pinch off small amounts of the dough and form into a 1-inch balls.
Roll each ball in powdered sugar and place on prepared sheet pans.
Gently press the tines of a fork into the top of each ball. (You can also use the bottom of a shot glass if you don't want the lines. Just dip the bottom of the glass into powdered sugar to keep it from sticking.)
Let stand, uncovered, for at least 4 hours or until the mints are firm. If the bottoms have any moisture, flip over and let stand again until the bottoms of the mints are also firm.
Store in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment or waxed paper, for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.
Mints can be refrigerated or frozen if desired.
Cream Cheese Mints
Cream Cheese Mints
Prep Time 10 minutes Total Time 10 minutes Servings 8 dozen
Ingredients
8 oz package cream cheese, full fat, softened
1/4 cup Challenge butter, softened
2 lbs powdered sugar
1 - 2 tsp mint extract
gel food coloring
1/2 cup powdered sugar for rolling mints
Instructions
Combine cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl and mix until smooth.
Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
Add the mint extract and mix until combined.
Gradually, add the remaining powdered sugar until smooth and consistent. You can do this with a stand mixer, food processor, or by hand.
Separate the mixture into four separate bowls, or however many different colors you want.
Add a small amount of food color to each bowl and stir in until the color is uniform.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm enough to handle. You don't want it sticking to your hands.
Line 2 quarter sheet pans with parchment paper and liberally dust with powdered sugar. Set aside.
Pinch off small amounts of the dough and form into a 1-inch balls.
Roll each ball in powdered sugar and place on prepared sheet pans.
Gently press the tines of a fork into the top of each ball. (You can also use the bottom of a shot glass if you don't want the lines. Just dip the bottom of the glass into powdered sugar to keep it from sticking.)
Let stand, uncovered, for at least 4 hours or until the mints are firm. If the bottoms have any moisture, flip over and let stand again until the bottoms of the mints are also firm.
Store in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment or waxed paper, for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.
Mints can be refrigerated or frozen if desired.
Monday Word: Saturnine
adjective
1. sluggish in temperament; gloomy; taciturn.
2. having a sardonic aspect
3. suffering from lead poisoning, as a person.
4. due to absorption of lead, as bodily disorders.
5. born under or influenced astrologically by the planet Saturn
examples
1. But even in that calm gloom, my eyes slowly acclimated to the 14 grandly saturnine paintings, made by Mark Rothko in the late 1960s. New York Times. 21 Feb 2022. "At Mark Rothko's chapel, a composer is haunted by a hero."
2. For two years, she kept them dancing attendance on her--the fair-haired, athletic, good-looking Thord; the saturnine, intelligent, lion-hearted Olaf. "Pattern of Revenge" by John Bude.
origin
It comes ultimately from Sāturnus, name of the Roman god of agriculture, who was often depicted as a bent old man with a stern, sluggish, and sullen nature.
Cowboy Meatballs
Cowboy Meatballs
Active Time: 50 mins Total Time: 50 mins Servings: 4
Ingredients
1 lb. 93/7 lean ground beef
5 slices (5 oz. total) bacon, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated yellow onion (from 1 small [5 oz.] onion)
1/4 cup panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs) or finely crushed saltine crackers
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. black pepper
4 oz. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (about 1 cup), divided
1 Tbsp. finely chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, plus 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce (from 1 [7-oz.] can), divided
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, divided
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
2 (10-oz.) cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes and chiles (such as Rotel)
1/2 cup bottled barbecue sauce (such as Sweet Baby Ray’s)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
Sliced scallions
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F
Gently mix ground beef, bacon, egg, onion, panko, chili powder, garlic, pepper, 1/2 cup of the cheese, 1 tablespoon of the chipotle chiles, 1 tablespoon of the Worcestershire, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl until combined.
Portion and roll meatballs into 12 (2-inch) balls (2 oz. each); arrange at least 1 inch apart on a parchment- or foil- lined baking sheet.
Bake meatballs in preheated oven until browned, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
While meatballs are baking, stir together tomatoes and chiles, barbecue sauce, chicken broth, tomato paste, and remaining 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, 1 teaspoon salt in a large skillet. Bring to simmer over medium-high, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring often and pressing down on tomatoes with back of a wooden spoon or with a potato masher, until tomatoes are broken down and sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
Transfer browned meatballs to sauce and return to medium. Cook, stirring gently and spooning sauce over meatballs, until evenly coated and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meatballs registers at least 160°F, 3 to 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese; cover, and let cook, undisturbed, until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.
Serve hot, garnished with scallions.
Cowboy Meatballs
Cowboy Meatballs
Active Time: 50 mins Total Time: 50 mins Servings: 4
Ingredients
1 lb. 93/7 lean ground beef
5 slices (5 oz. total) bacon, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated yellow onion (from 1 small [5 oz.] onion)
1/4 cup panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs) or finely crushed saltine crackers
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. black pepper
4 oz. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (about 1 cup), divided
1 Tbsp. finely chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, plus 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce (from 1 [7-oz.] can), divided
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, divided
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
2 (10-oz.) cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes and chiles (such as Rotel)
1/2 cup bottled barbecue sauce (such as Sweet Baby Ray’s)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
Sliced scallions
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F
Gently mix ground beef, bacon, egg, onion, panko, chili powder, garlic, pepper, 1/2 cup of the cheese, 1 tablespoon of the chipotle chiles, 1 tablespoon of the Worcestershire, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl until combined.
Portion and roll meatballs into 12 (2-inch) balls (2 oz. each); arrange at least 1 inch apart on a parchment- or foil- lined baking sheet.
Bake meatballs in preheated oven until browned, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
While meatballs are baking, stir together tomatoes and chiles, barbecue sauce, chicken broth, tomato paste, and remaining 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, 1 teaspoon salt in a large skillet. Bring to simmer over medium-high, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring often and pressing down on tomatoes with back of a wooden spoon or with a potato masher, until tomatoes are broken down and sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
Transfer browned meatballs to sauce and return to medium. Cook, stirring gently and spooning sauce over meatballs, until evenly coated and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meatballs registers at least 160°F, 3 to 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese; cover, and let cook, undisturbed, until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.
Serve hot, garnished with scallions.
Red Hair, White Hair, Blue Fare: JUSTICE LEAGUE AMERICA #28 (JLI 34)

Was Guy Gardner mellowing or not? Since his return to his original personality in issue #18, he’d been sending mixed signals (#19, #23, #26, #27, Wonder Woman #26, Invasion #3).
( Which itself is a classic asshole move, so add that to the mix. )
Recent Reading: Brahma's Dream
This is one of those middle-of-the-road books that was neither amazingly good nor offensively bad, and therefore I struggle to come up with much to say about it. That makes it sound bad, but it isn't--I enjoyed my time with it. I thought Ghatage did a good job with exploring life on the precipice of great political change, although the history and politics of 1940s India is more backdrop to the family drama than central to the story. I liked Mohini and her family; because the nature of her illness necessitates a lot of rest and down time, Mohini is naturally a thoughtful child, as her thoughts are sometimes all she has to amuse herself. However, she never crosses the line into being precocious, which was a relief.
Neither did I feel like the book leaned too hard on Mohini's illness to elicit sentimentality from the reader. Obviously, an illness like hers is the biggest influence on her life, and on the lives of her immediate family, and there are many moments you sympathize with her because she can't just be a child the way she wants to be, but I didn't feel like Ghatage was plucking heartstrings just for the sake of it.
Reading the relationships between Mohini and her family was heartwarming, especially with her grandfather, who takes great joy in Mohini's intellect and is often there to discuss the import of various societal events with her.
Ghatage's descriptive writing really brings to life the India of the time, with the colors, smells, sounds, and sights that are a part of Mohini's every day.
It reminded me of another book I read about a significant event in Indian history (the separation of India and Pakistan) told through the perspective of a young ill girl, Cracking India.
On the whole, this was a sweet, heartfelt book. It's not heavy on plot, but if you enjoy watching the story of a family unfold and the little dramas that play out, it's enjoyable.
The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 14
The tales continue. Spoilers for the earlier ones ahead.
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The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 14
The tales continue. Spoilers for the earlier ones ahead.
( Read more... )
Candied Bacon Crackers
Candied Bacon Crackers
Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 1 hr Servings: 8
Ingredients
32 rectangular buttery crackers (such as Club) (from 1 [13.7-oz.] pkg.)
10 to 12 center-cut bacon slices, cut into 3 1/4- to 3 1/2-in. pieces
3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, divided
Freshly ground pepper (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 300°F. Arrange crackers on an oven-safe wire rack fitted over a large rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
Arrange bacon pieces evenly over crackers lengthwise, and carefully tuck any overhang under cracker edges (bacon will shrink when cooked).
Brush 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup evenly over bacon.
Bake in preheated oven until browned and crispy, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven; carefully brush evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and let cool on wire rack 5 minutes.
Transfer to a serving platter. Serve warm with a few grinds of pepper, if desired.
Variations
Make these bacon crackers more personal to your tastes. Add ingredients like hot sauce, jalapeños, and crushed red pepper on top of the bacon. Serve with a creamy dip or dollop each one with a herb-infused sour cream dollop.
Candied Bacon Crackers
Candied Bacon Crackers
Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 1 hr Servings: 8
Ingredients
32 rectangular buttery crackers (such as Club) (from 1 [13.7-oz.] pkg.)
10 to 12 center-cut bacon slices, cut into 3 1/4- to 3 1/2-in. pieces
3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, divided
Freshly ground pepper (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 300°F. Arrange crackers on an oven-safe wire rack fitted over a large rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
Arrange bacon pieces evenly over crackers lengthwise, and carefully tuck any overhang under cracker edges (bacon will shrink when cooked).
Brush 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup evenly over bacon.
Bake in preheated oven until browned and crispy, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven; carefully brush evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and let cool on wire rack 5 minutes.
Transfer to a serving platter. Serve warm with a few grinds of pepper, if desired.
Variations
Make these bacon crackers more personal to your tastes. Add ingredients like hot sauce, jalapeños, and crushed red pepper on top of the bacon. Serve with a creamy dip or dollop each one with a herb-infused sour cream dollop.
Sunday Word: Couchant
couchant [kou-chuhnt]
adjective:
1 lying down especially with the head up; crouching
1 (Heraldry) represented as lying on its stomach with its hind legs and forelegs pointed forward.
(click to enlarge)
Examples:
We see Kim getting dressed or undressed, lounging poolside or couchant on beds or 'in my closet in Miami trying on clothes.' (Stephen Burt, Kim, Caitlyn, and the People We Want to See, The New Yorker, July 2015)
As a boy I first scaled this lion couchant by scrambling up the gritstone box of its nose and grabbing handfuls of its mane, namely long, wiry grasses. (Tony Greenbank, Cafe with a view - and a mugful of memories, The Guardian, January 2016)
The centre, which is in the light, is occupied by a couchant lion growling, his one paw on a bundle of arrows, the symbol of the United Provinces. (Sarah Knowles Bolton, Famous European Artists)
It may be seen in various forms on a number of monumental effigies and brasses, usually with the couchant white lion of the house of March as a pendant, but on the accession of Richard III the lion was replaced by his silver boar. (Hope, Sir W H St John, Heraldry for Craftsmen & Designers)
Ahead could be discerned the famous rock, although viewed from an altitude and 'end on' its well-known appearance as a lion couchant was absent. (Percy F Westerman, The Airship Golden Hind)
Origin:
Heraldic couchant ("lying down with the head up") is late 15c, from the French present participle of couch c1300, 'to spread or lay on a surface, to overlay,' from Old French couchier 'to lay down, place; go to bed, put to bed,' from Latin collocare 'to lay, place, station, arrange,' from assimilated form of com 'with, together' + locare 'to place,' from locus 'a place' (Online Etymology Dictionary)
Beetle + Bee = Zombie Ant: JUSTICE LEAGUE AMERICA #26-27 (JLI 33)

Warning for psychological horror. This isn’t Black Swan or anything, but there’s some scary mind-control stuff, and the penultimate page shown here has an image that stayed with me for a few days. Also some mild misogyny.
The series title shifts from “Justice League International” to “Justice League America” (no “of”) to distinguish its team from Justice League Europe.
The story starts with that American team avoiding the ringing phone like a bunch of Zoomers.
( Don’t fret, fellas, I’m sure the Atom didn’t REALLY need to reach you guys anyway. )