Tasty treats

  What are they? 

I made these delicious little treats on the advice of my mother, who got the recipe from a friend. They're amazing and addictive. I am sorry; I don't remember the name of them. Maybe my mom is out there somewhere?

Tasty Treats
1 package almond bark
4 c. honey graham cereal [like Golden Grahams. I used Kroger brand myself.]
12 oz. roasted peanuts

Melt almond bark. Mix in cereal and peanuts. Drop by spoonfuls onto a waxed paper surface. Let set. Eat!

I will note that this is another of the few recipes ever that the 7yo said instantly upon her first bite: "Are you going to put this on your food site? You should! Because these are GOOD!"

Why I don't follow directions

So I found a recipe for a yummy frozen dessert and decided to make it for Dec. 26. It called for ladyfingers; have you tried to find ladyfingers in a grocery store in December? Let me stop you before you waste your time. So I decided to substitute something I made, instead of just buying an angel food cake or shortcakes. Silly me.

I found a recipe for a sponge cake, in a cookbook I have always loved: How to Cook Everything. This is one of those great, comprehensive cookbooks that you can count on to teach you how to cook any obscure vegetable, or to give you any number of chicken recipes when you've run out of ideas.

So I found a sponge cake recipe in this great cookbook. And maybe this was all my fault, because I chose that instead of the angel food in the cookbook, solely on the basis of the sponge cake called for five eggs instead of eight. I have a lot of cooking to do between now and Tuesday, so I don't want to run out before I can get back to a store. [I'm like Shanon; if there is a store open on Christmas Day, I certainly don't want to be shopping there.]

I followed the directions for the alternate version -- again, it's all my fault. I was really suspicious that it was going to work without separating the eggs. But I was just trying to save time. So silly.

I wish I'd taken a picture for you, but it was so depressed. The cake came out totally flat and dense. Ugh. Fortunately, for the dessert I was making, it worked out OK -- I just needed chopped up bits of cake, and since this cake still tasted fine, I could use it. But thank goodness I didn't want to serve it as a cake.

My point: much as I love them -- my collection is quite large -- cookbooks and recipes only get you so far in this world. Instinct is more important in the kitchen.

links for 2006-12-23

• Saying Yes to Mess - New York Times
  I have to applaud this article, even though I have spent the past couple of years trying my best to neaten up.
  (tags: 2006 nytimes organization)

So close!

Well, I'm getting pretty close on these menus for the weekend and next week. And thank goodness: I really need to cram in some shopping tomorrow. Whatwith Christmas Eve falling on Sunday, you have to plan ahead this year -- liquor stores won't be open here on Christmas Eve [note: or New Year's Eve!!]. So I've got to figure out what we're eating and drinking between now and next Tuesday and get to the grocery and the liquor store.

I think those menus are it for now, but we'll have to do another round next week when NYC sister and NYC fiance arrive.

Yes, thank you, I am NOT done with my Christmas shopping yet. Maybe I can get that done too?? In my dreams, I know.

links for 2006-12-21

• For the Uninitiated, a Pancake Primer - New York Times
  Excellent article on pancakes. They are a favorite at our house. Be sure to watch the video [linked from photo in the middle of the page.]
  (tags: 2006 pancakes ny)

Time for Christmas food!

First, a shout to a couple of locals who are doing much better than I at getting their holiday on in the kitchen. Linda spent the whole of last week baking, from the sound of it, and Lance has been whipping up peppermint ice cream and awesome sugar cookies.

Me? I'm trying to get the laundry done and the kitchen cleaned so we can mess it up again. Oh, and the grocery shopping. And etc. etc. etc.

But I have already promised the 7yo that if it does not commence before, the Christmas baking frenzy will begin no later than Saturday morning. We have many old favorites on tap:

• Caramel
• Fudge
• Chocolate truffles
• Reeses' squares
• Peanut brittle

But I think we're going to start with Lance's sugar cookie recipe.

One thing I am NOT doing this year, despite how much I love them:

• Chocolate covered cherries

I made some last year, and they were great, but good night! what a mess. As far as I can tell,  these are one of those items similar to childbirth: You must forget the horrid parts or there would be no second children, and no one would make chocolate-covered cherries twice. [Me, I still remember childbirth fairly distinctly, even 7 1/2 years later. So it may be awhile on those cherries.]

links for 2006-12-18

• Miso soup recipe - MediterrAsian.com
  Here's a recipe we'll be trying in the next week....now that we know the 7yo loves miso soup!!
  (tags: miso soup food recipe)

It's Holiday Drink Mix Time

  It looks better in liquid form 

I usually make a batch of hot chocolate mix every winter because the temperature in my office is completely unpredictable....on the cold days, it helps. But I didn't last year, and I hadn't made spice tea mix in years. I used to be addicted to the stuff in high school, and with all the sugar, why not??

This hot chocolate mix is from my former mother-in-law, who always has lots of neat tips and shortcuts for cooking. It makes a ton -- enough for a person with many, many friends to take care of all their holiday giving -- but we just made half the recipe last night and had enough for eight Brownies to get a half-pint jar each and have this much left for us.

Hot Chocolate Mix
8 qt. size box of powdered milk
8 oz. coffee creamer
2 lb. box Nesquik
1 c. confectioner's sugar

Mix all ingredients. To make hot chocolate, mix with hot water. I usually use 4-6 heaping spoonfuls per large mug, but it's really up to you. I can tell you, it takes more of this per mug than the spice tea mix.

Spice Tea Mix
2 c. Tang
1 1/2 c. sweetened, lemon-flavored instant tea mix
2 t. cinnamon
2 t. cloves

Mix all ingredients. I use about 2-3 spoonfuls per large mug, mixed with hot water. This doesn't make nearly as much as the hot chocolate mix -- you can tell from the ingredient amounts. We made one mug to taste-test and the rest of this recipe filled a 3 1/8 c. container.

Very sweet but nice when you have a sore throat or it's freezing outside.

Mushrooms in butter

  Mushrooms in butter

This has got to be one of the best smells in the kitchen. I remember growing up, my mother would occasionally cook mushrooms in butter to  accompany a steak. I never paid much attention at the time. Sometimes I'd eat a few, sometimes not.

In the intervening years, I've gotten to the point where I could eat a skilletful of mushrooms every night for my dinner if I thought it wouldn't kill me.

Thanks to the 7yo's insistence that she just likes chicken -- in her mind, preferably chicken nuggets which of course got the big negative from me [plus we're out and I'm not buying any more, remember?] -- I went looking for a new chicken recipe last night.

In my mind, preferably one with a nice sauce, not too heavy, that she could ignore and I could enjoy.

I found one in a Southern Living cookbook I've had for years. Brown chicken breasts in a skillet, place in a baking dish with artichoke hearts, then brown the mushrooms and make a simple sauce with flour, chicken broth and sherry. Pour this over the chicken, cover and bake.

It was delicious and the 7yo ate it. Well, except for the mushrooms and artichoke hearts.

links for 2006-12-16

• Features : Radar Online
  In case you need some Christmas shopping tips. Hysterical. Well, if you can laugh about people's skulls being impaled by lawn darts.
  (tags: toys)