tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197527174061739422024-02-21T00:00:52.806-05:00Homemade In HagerstownBecause Real Food Should Take a Long Time and Generate a Mountain of DishesBecky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-66884920871471615122012-01-19T21:41:00.000-05:002012-01-19T21:41:32.611-05:00Waffles of Insane Greatness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge9nZtMb3EcsJ8U91nnIa8n3ORpmnQ_oKVI1ezsLDc0npNf8hr2XLNMEQ7GTnO_gxn6Bs8ItetgMN1HDFg9LNnzF1YdF6waTRkO3g_R52hq4nIYBinmqid7APhML9J6iZvpirJ68fdcbs/s1600/DSCN2661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge9nZtMb3EcsJ8U91nnIa8n3ORpmnQ_oKVI1ezsLDc0npNf8hr2XLNMEQ7GTnO_gxn6Bs8ItetgMN1HDFg9LNnzF1YdF6waTRkO3g_R52hq4nIYBinmqid7APhML9J6iZvpirJ68fdcbs/s320/DSCN2661.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Welcome to a new year here at Homemade in Hagerstown! And there is no better way to start a year than by annihilating those pesky weight-loss-related New Year's resolutions with a batch of delicious waffles. Am I right? You know I am.<br />
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Today's recipe came to me from my friend Jimi, and it was our Christmas Eve breakfast here on the homestead. I swear, I thought that these were at least as good as any I have ever had in a restaurant. Take that, IHOP.<br />
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<i>For a printer-friendly copy of this recipe, click here:</i><br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/15xu9oKtF3PKVghZD_h1DyKr7Tq9abeyjVfjQPnag8Co/edit">https://docs.google.com/document/d/15xu9oKtF3PKVghZD_h1DyKr7Tq9abeyjVfjQPnag8Co/edit</a><br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
3/4 cup all-purpose flour<br />
1/4 cup cornstarch<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/4 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 1/2 tsp sugar<br />
1/2 cup whole milk<br />
1/2 cup buttermilk<br />
1/3 cup vegetable oil<br />
1 large egg, lightly beaten<br />
2/3 tsp vanilla<br />
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I know, it looks like a lot of ingredients, but they go together so easily you will be amazed.<br />
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Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients (the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar) in a medium bowl. Use your whisk and make sure that it is very homogeneous.<br />
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Step 2: Add the wet ingredients (the milk, buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla). Whisk again, blending well, so that very few lumps remain.<br />
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Step 3: Read a book, take a shower, whatever, for 30 minutes while the batter rests. Dream of waffles.<br />
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Step 4: Prepare the waffle iron. Before you turn it on, you need to oil it. Make sure that whatever you use to grease it up gets into all of the little cracks and crevices or your waffle will tear, thus ending your dreams of a gold medal in the waffle olympics. I used a little vegetable oil and a basting brush and it worked fantastically well. I stuck to the same kind of oil that I had already used in the batter so as to not mess with the taste at all. Turn your waffle iron on to medium-high. Mine has a little light that tells me when it is warm enough.<br />
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Step 5: When your waffle iron is hot, pour the waffle batter into the center. My waffle iron holds 1/3 cup of batter per waffle. When you have dumped it in, push the lid down. This will squash the batter into all of the crevices and make it look all waffle-y. My waffle iron has a light that goes off when it is done, but if yours doesn't, just pull it off when it stops steaming.<br />
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Step 6: Douse your new waffles with copious amounts of butter and syrup. Serve to small boys, who will decide that they are a hand food. Enjoy the applause.<br />
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One caveat about these: as with all waffles, they get soggy standing around in the air, so be prepared to start eating them as you go. You can try to keep them warm in an oven set to 200 degrees, but they will be best right out of the iron.<br />
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Just typing this has made me crave these little brown beauties. I think that tomorrow is waffle day here in Hagerstown.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-52729467523648374922011-12-12T09:06:00.000-05:002011-12-12T09:06:52.982-05:00Orange Coconut Creams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUj8lCV7Dm_G0CSkeFivPwcVkH0cA_K8YHaeYiA7Oep-5SvQcnsP8_FSL6Cg-Fx-fqGNmjFQQvk48PmsZhBvV8jZoKHH_GfZawZo5QTFS7yV8P0n3QIxR0bz3rZLTAb5R5JStsNV32rY/s1600/DSCN2678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUj8lCV7Dm_G0CSkeFivPwcVkH0cA_K8YHaeYiA7Oep-5SvQcnsP8_FSL6Cg-Fx-fqGNmjFQQvk48PmsZhBvV8jZoKHH_GfZawZo5QTFS7yV8P0n3QIxR0bz3rZLTAb5R5JStsNV32rY/s320/DSCN2678.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I mentioned earlier that I am making homemade candy tins for my family for Christmas this year. This recipe is one that I tried for those tins, but I swear, they are so good that there might not be any left when it comes time to package them up! They were also very easy and made a large batch, so do try them if you are in the mood for candy goodness (and who isn't?). This recipe, once again, comes to us from <i>Taste of Home</i>, the best magazine ever!<br />
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For a printer-friendly copy of this recipe, click here:<br />
<a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Orange-Coconut-Creams">http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Orange-Coconut-Creams</a><br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)<br />
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), cubed<br />
1 package (2 pounds) confectioners' sugar<br />
1 cup flaked coconut (from the baking aisle)<br />
1 1/2 tsp orange extract (from the spice aisle)<br />
2 cups (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips<br />
8 oz. German sweet chocolate, chopped<br />
2 tbsp shortening<br />
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Start out by putting the confectioners' sugar in a big bowl.<br />
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Put the sweetened condensed milk and the butter into a small saucepan and heat it up on low (stir, stir, stir) until the butter is melted. <br />
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Pour it into the confectioners' sugar and beat it with your electric mixer. <br />
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It will be stiff when you are done, so be careful not to kill the motor. Add the coconut and the orange extract and mix well again. Now it will be REALLY stiff.<br />
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Roll it into 1" balls. I used my cookie scoop, so these were bigger than 1", but it still worked. Put the balls onto waxed paper-lined sheets and stick them in the fridge for about an hour (or two hours if you are trying to wrestle a 2-year-old into pajamas when the timer goes off). This will firm them up and make them easier to dip.<br />
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Once the centers are ready, put the semisweet chips, the German chocolate, and the shortening into a small saucepan (think narrow and deep, not wide and shallow) and heat it on medium-low, stirring constantly, until the chocolates are both melted. Don't worry about it seizing up, which chocolate tends to do on the stove -- the little bit of shortening prevents that nicely. Once the chocolates are melted, turn the burner down as low as it will go and leave it there. This will keep the chocolate nice and runny while you are dipping the candies. You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave, but it will not stay hot and will try to set up before you are through, resulting in a gloopy mess.<br />
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To dip the chocolates, you can use a fork, but the wide tines will leaves marks on the bottom. I bought a set of chocolate tools (see the link below) and they are very helpful. The tines are small so they leave very little marks. They are also wider than a fork (at least the 3-prong tool is) so you are less likely to lose your candy in the chocolate bath.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0000E2OF1&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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Drop your candies into the chocolate, cover them completely, then fish them out with the tools. I have learned that the easiest way to do this and end up with the right amount of chocolate coating is to slightly tip the tool holding the candy and bang it gently on the side of the pan until the dripping stops. This leaves a nice coating that isn't so thick that you break a tooth on it and doesn't waste all of your coating. Place them back on the waxed paper when they are dipped and let stand until they are set (overnight for me). <br />
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Store them in an airtight container in a cool place and they will last a long, long time (well, they have a long shelf-life -- they may not hang around that long once you taste them).<br />
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These are super, super yummy! I can't believe that I never tried making candy before. Why have I been paying so much in stores when these are so good, so easy, and so fun to make? They will be a Christmas tradition from here on in our home.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUj8lCV7Dm_G0CSkeFivPwcVkH0cA_K8YHaeYiA7Oep-5SvQcnsP8_FSL6Cg-Fx-fqGNmjFQQvk48PmsZhBvV8jZoKHH_GfZawZo5QTFS7yV8P0n3QIxR0bz3rZLTAb5R5JStsNV32rY/s1600/DSCN2678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUj8lCV7Dm_G0CSkeFivPwcVkH0cA_K8YHaeYiA7Oep-5SvQcnsP8_FSL6Cg-Fx-fqGNmjFQQvk48PmsZhBvV8jZoKHH_GfZawZo5QTFS7yV8P0n3QIxR0bz3rZLTAb5R5JStsNV32rY/s320/DSCN2678.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-77762156803295004172011-12-06T08:51:00.064-05:002011-12-06T15:45:44.336-05:00Peanut BrittleIt is December now, which in our home is known as "Baking Season". I have decided to give gift boxes of homemade candies to our relatives for Christmas, and I wanted to start by trying out a recipe for an old favorite of mine. I absolutely love peanut brittle, especially the stuff made by See's Candy, who like to add to my waistline by putting naughty kiosks in the malls in December where they sell this stuff like it is crack. And to me, it might as well be. Alas, there is no See's kiosk here in Hagerstown, so I am forced to try to make it myself. It actually turned out very well.<br />
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For a printer-friendly copy of this recipe, click here:<br />
<a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/moms-best-peanut-brittle/detail.aspx">http://allrecipes.com/recipe/moms-best-peanut-brittle/detail.aspx</a><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1 cup white sugar<br />
1/2 cup light corn syrup<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
1/4 cup water<br />
1 cup peanuts<br />
2 tbsp butter, softened<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
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I have to say that this is not my first attempt at peanut brittle. I tried it last year, with very poor results. I had used a recipe that said it could be made in the microwave, and it just didn't work for me. This is a candy, and one that, to be decent, has to be cooked to a pretty precise temperature before pouring, so don't attempt it without a candy thermometer. However, I was surprised by how easy this really was. It did take patience, though.<br />
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Start by preparing your landing zone for the candy, because you won't have time when you need it. Just grease a large cookie sheet pan and set it aside.<br />
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Put the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water in a heavy medium saucepan. Clip your candy thermometer to the side. You will ideally want the tip of the candy thermometer to be immersed in the liquid but not touching the bottom of the pan. The pan itself will be a little hotter than the candy, and you want to be sure to get the candy to the right temperature before you take it off. This is hard to do at first, I'll just be honest and say. Once you get it stirred up, the candy won't be very high in the pan. Don't worry. Turn the heat onto medium and let it go, stirring occasionally. Try not to bump the candy thermometer too much. As it begins to boil, the volume will seem to increase and you can easily immerse the candy thermometer.<br />
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</div>Once the sugar is dissolved and it has started to boil, add the peanuts. Stir them in well.<br />
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See, the tip of the candy thermometer is now in the boiling candy. Now comes the part where your patience is required. You have to sit and watch the candy, stirring every now and then, until it reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit. It will go by stages where it seems to just be jumping up, and then it will seem to just sit there at one temperature FOREVER. Don't be discouraged. As long as you keep the temperature on medium (DO NOT TRY TO CHEAT AND TURN THIS UP TO HIGH) it will get there eventually. You are waiting for the consistency to change, the water in the corn syrup to boil off, and for the color to darken. I was actually surprised at how dark it got those last 10 degrees or so. This process is known as caramelization.<br />
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You can see that the candy is much darker and much thicker now. You should be stirring constantly at the end due to how thick it gets so that you don't accidentally scorch it.<br />
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Once you reach that magic temperature of 300 degrees F, you need to work quickly. Time is not your friend here. Remove the candy from the heat and immediately stir in the softened butter and baking soda. (If you forgot to soften the butter before you started the brittle, 10-15 seconds in the old microwave will work just fine). When you add the baking soda, it will foam up a bit and turn much lighter in color. This is due to a chemical reaction between the baking soda and the acids in the sugar that produces carbon dioxide, and will result in a much lighter (less dense) candy. That's what you want. This is also why you used a bigger pan than you seemed to need -- I assume that boiling, foaming candy would not feel super-great on your hands.<br />
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Almost done! Just dump it onto your prepared pan, grab 2 forks, and start lifting and pulling until you have it as thin as you can get it. Bear in mind that it will be rapidly turning very hard as you are doing this, so work quickly. Woe to those of you who, out of arrogance, will grab a spatula and try to flatten it (that's what I tried). It just stuck to my silicone spatula, made a mess, and solidified much thicker than I wanted. Live and learn.<br />
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In a very short time, it will be done and cool. Just break it into pieces (it will break itself as you try to get it off the pan, so no worries) and store it in an airtight container or reward yourself for all of your hard efforts by grazing on it all afternoon. Just be sure to have that syringe of insulin ready to go ...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxViA9bRxuNHIafVsy4LmDSCKPeOjh2qUoKLZ13f-Qt9DeXogXWL71IKwEDMo-cXLlyQB98EjVriivhoWsu6Wk8m7LtTERsOuyV7QkOeuUgUlZ7me0CN4hwV9XYG8EctwM-LITyrE5-xA/s1600/DSCN2650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxViA9bRxuNHIafVsy4LmDSCKPeOjh2qUoKLZ13f-Qt9DeXogXWL71IKwEDMo-cXLlyQB98EjVriivhoWsu6Wk8m7LtTERsOuyV7QkOeuUgUlZ7me0CN4hwV9XYG8EctwM-LITyrE5-xA/s320/DSCN2650.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-27188553077603181162011-11-25T07:40:00.000-05:002011-11-25T07:40:33.528-05:00FudgeI recently had the great joy of hosting a cookie party at my house. I try to do this every year just before the holidays, and it seems to be pretty popular. I asked everyone to bring 2 dozen of their favorite cookies, candies, or bars, and one copy of their recipe. We just put the cookies out, ate until we were almost sick, and then everyone got to take home a plate of the cookie assortment. I typed up the recipes and emailed them out, so now we can all add to our recipe boxes.<br />
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The recipe that I chose to make was fudge. This is my mom's recipe, and she has no idea where it came from, but it is my dad's most favorite thing this time of year, so we always make at least one batch.<br />
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For a printer-friendly copy of this recipe, click here:<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Z4qhpyk1cxxGl7apCn5fcsgktDMnY5eo-6i4K1Fmg2c/edit">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Z4qhpyk1cxxGl7apCn5fcsgktDMnY5eo-6i4K1Fmg2c/edit</a><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
3 cups sugar<br />
3/4 cup butter or oleo (1 1/2 sticks)<br />
5 fluid oz. (2/3 cup) evaporated milk (the little can)<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips<br />
7 oz. marshmallow cream<br />
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)<br />
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I said that it was good, people, but it's fudge. It is obviously not a health food. Just don't eat the whole pan and you will be okay.<br />
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Start off by combining the sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in a heavy large saucepan. Turn the heat onto medium and stir until the butter is melted and the sugar dissolved in it.<br />
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Keeping the heat on medium, bring it to a full roiling boil, stirring occasionally so that the sugar doesn't scorch. "Full roiling boil" means vigorous bubbles all over the pan, not just in the middle, that you can't stir down no matter how hard you try. When you hit this stage, start your timer for 5 minutes and stir the whole time. You are boiling off some of the water that is present in the butter, a step that is important to the final consistency, so don't skimp on the time.<br />
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You can see that it darkened a bit over those 5 minutes. <br />
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The last few steps need to be done quickly, so be prepared in advance with all of your ingredients on the counter, opened up, and your pan greased. When your 5 minutes are up, take the pan off of the heat and add the vanilla. Stir it in, then dump in the chocolate chips. Quickly stir to get them all melted. Your fudge is rapidly cooling, so every second makes it harder to get them melted and requires more biceps.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWKfBAvIoWNcSKpXx3_7U1Sj0fHudYxIQvw2AYOGkjI8-fTHpG6z3yQpwJNXTTVEEoDVAII7ZkO3pRasbRDZ4nK6VH5XojBI5gKCByyKjfAs9c1j4XB7eLhtV5KQkAigvvvIgw1dHDZuI/s1600/DSCN2581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWKfBAvIoWNcSKpXx3_7U1Sj0fHudYxIQvw2AYOGkjI8-fTHpG6z3yQpwJNXTTVEEoDVAII7ZkO3pRasbRDZ4nK6VH5XojBI5gKCByyKjfAs9c1j4XB7eLhtV5KQkAigvvvIgw1dHDZuI/s320/DSCN2581.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Still moving like the Flash, stir in your marshmallow cream and nuts if you want to add them. By this step you will definitely need to use those muscles, but think of how nice your arms will look next year during swimsuit season. Assuming, that is, that you don't eat the whole pan of fudge. Keep stirring until all traces of white are gone.<br />
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Now pour it into that 13x9" pan that you greased before you started. Make pretty designs on the top with your spatula before it sets up, and try to restrain yourself as it cools. If you set the pan up on a cooling rack so that air can get to the bottom you will be there a lot quicker. Once it's cool, slice it into little bars and go crazy. <br />
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I have found that this recipe rivals those of any little shop with the word "fudge" in the name and is so easy to make. It is definitely cheaper -- I recently paid $17 for a small piece of specialty fudge just to try it, and it still wasn't as good as mine. Oh, and little kids love, love, love it (at least mine does).<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just be sure that you let someone special lick the spoon ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8T2Pxt11JPdY-g01QlL3TRMEPRZ5XskcPGKGcbc6pT6vm-oPm4vliQuzKZrtyrSvc2xj32O8pTusqYZfFDkbNkxzMdaTHbaQdnecK7nxK_OG6dd6qbVpJ48yZrm2DCgz9BvVOC5Q75KU/s1600/DSCN2602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8T2Pxt11JPdY-g01QlL3TRMEPRZ5XskcPGKGcbc6pT6vm-oPm4vliQuzKZrtyrSvc2xj32O8pTusqYZfFDkbNkxzMdaTHbaQdnecK7nxK_OG6dd6qbVpJ48yZrm2DCgz9BvVOC5Q75KU/s320/DSCN2602.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-6289364608664540472011-11-22T15:01:00.000-05:002011-11-22T15:01:30.409-05:00Pumpkin Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqUKWEt6YGFH-vXV4GoDhHepum6tzPDmwhOH_3FQQDZH9-iRfmAK5Djeg-MuIgpO2tPJnDxE7ixQSO5arAv2fz94mEpJPpMh8kkVjnJ2OrGs_vjugceb2bQlvwOTr08kLyLYi86TFHJk/s1600/DSCN2619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqUKWEt6YGFH-vXV4GoDhHepum6tzPDmwhOH_3FQQDZH9-iRfmAK5Djeg-MuIgpO2tPJnDxE7ixQSO5arAv2fz94mEpJPpMh8kkVjnJ2OrGs_vjugceb2bQlvwOTr08kLyLYi86TFHJk/s320/DSCN2619.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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It is just a few days before Thanksgiving here, and that means it's time to heat up the oven and crank out some pumpkin pies. There is no more traditional dessert in the U.S. for our big feast day, and once you see how easy it is to make one of these by hand, you will feel so stupid for ever just buying one at the grocery store. I thought that I would start off the holiday season by making my Mom mad ...<br />
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My mom is a good cook, but what she is renowned for is her homemade pies. One summer when I was a kid, she decided to teach me how to make her famous pie crust. This is a period that I lovingly remember as "Pie Making Boot Camp." I made pie after pie until I got it right. Well, Mom, this is not your recipe. Sorry! Yours is very tasty and we will definitely make it another time here on the blog, but it does not do well with fancy pie cutters, and that's what I want to do this time. Please forgive me.<br />
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For a printer-friendly copy of this recipe, click here:<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/126z77ZgzPz_Cg1dHgQhqJ99y8fTse23rB_is8Q3_0Hg/edit">https://docs.google.com/document/d/126z77ZgzPz_Cg1dHgQhqJ99y8fTse23rB_is8Q3_0Hg/edit</a><br />
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<b>Ingredients (Pie Crust -- enough to make 2 crusts):</b><br />
2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
2/3 cup shortening<br />
1 tbsp white vinegar<br />
5-6 tbsp milk<br />
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<b>Ingredients (Pie):</b><br />
2 eggs, slightly beaten<br />
1 can (16 oz.) canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)<br />
3/4 cup sugar<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 tsp cinnamon<br />
1/2 tsp ground ginger<br />
1/4 tsp ground cloves<br />
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk<br />
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First, make your crust. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt. Now cut in the shortening with your handy-dandy pastry cutter (or 2 forks if you still haven't bought the handy-dandy pastry cutter, and really, what's stopping you?). It should look like little crumbs of shortening when you're done.<br />
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Sprinkle it with vinegar, then gradually add the milk. Start with the 5 tablespoons of milk, then add more if necessary. Stir it with a fork until it gloms together into a ball. It took 6 tablespoons of milk for me. Wrap it in plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge for about 30 minutes or until it is easy to handle. The consistency will be a lot like Playdoh.<br />
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Now it's time to roll it out. Be sure to flour your counter and your rolling pin so that it doesn't stick. Since we made enough for 2 pies, just roll out half of it. We will do something super fancy with the other half in a bit. Your goal with the rolling pin is to get a circle bigger than your pie pan. When you have accomplished this, wrap it loosely around your rolling pin to transfer to your pan, then unwrap it when you get there. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATCPD3avQh1k-NpX8Mz12qAZg-xf4Jv9-8U_erOx0LbRAchEjWaasrm32PLo-6vB434c8M43hRmx4jubX7wJuIaDUoY0IMxPUOcfRJSiMfpXn_xHsAvOpwtIKD8HxGgPWty1mfQQ45ZQ/s1600/DSCN2607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATCPD3avQh1k-NpX8Mz12qAZg-xf4Jv9-8U_erOx0LbRAchEjWaasrm32PLo-6vB434c8M43hRmx4jubX7wJuIaDUoY0IMxPUOcfRJSiMfpXn_xHsAvOpwtIKD8HxGgPWty1mfQQ45ZQ/s320/DSCN2607.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Now smooth it down in the pan and poke it wherever it needs to be poked to look presentable.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHtOFFw1LBZT27s8VmkOYw5cmU3j76JSx0HMeLlz8trwm7aclYpPs8rkS4odetEfdHUnZMEKvjazjQRmHCZFidOe2hFmQcbb8BeVjtW2XlSyMlsQ1UGJ0fvzY1ucIV1mHmFQ-cXX9qlE/s1600/DSCN2609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHtOFFw1LBZT27s8VmkOYw5cmU3j76JSx0HMeLlz8trwm7aclYpPs8rkS4odetEfdHUnZMEKvjazjQRmHCZFidOe2hFmQcbb8BeVjtW2XlSyMlsQ1UGJ0fvzY1ucIV1mHmFQ-cXX9qlE/s320/DSCN2609.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Remember the other half of the pie crust? Here's where we get our fancy on. I have a set of pie crust cutters from Williams-Sonoma in the shape of fall leaves. (Jealous? I bet you are). They have a plunger to not only cut out little leaves but to make indentations on the top, too. I almost cried with happiness when I bought them. We are going to roll out the remaining pie crust, then cut little leaves out of it for the rim of the pie and for the top (after it's cooked).<br />
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Just place them on the edge, trying to space them evenly. You will have to press a little bit to get them to stay, but don't press too hard or they will be misshapen. Take the remainder of the leaves, place them on a cookie sheet, and bake them at 425 degrees for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned (keep an eye on them -- the little suckers go from "brown" to "charcoal" very quickly).<br />
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Isn't that a special looking pie crust? Now we just need something to fill it with! I enlisted my small helper for the pie-making step, mainly because he saw the mixer come out and was trying to climb my leg to get to it. Just take all of your pie ingredients and combine them in a big bowl in the order given. Stop every now and then to mix, but that is it. Can you believe how easy this is?<br />
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Carefully pour it into the pie shell. Aim for the middle. You don't want to knock one of the crust leaves off. I know from past experience that if you do, they sink like a rock. Your pie filling will be VERY runny, but have no fear. It will firm up in the oven.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk25x6VkqMgyF9SoURMd-rz2FKXeuc9qiAHMFIwRdyhfuDCaOr0OIZ9TpbUDCjhroa7YTFQJIgcJS69YZ4H_DLu1QbAWWdFKI5UbqDkJWuE41P5W8xjIira-SfXSQ0-Sf4Vf0P5NyJ6Bw/s1600/DSCN2615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk25x6VkqMgyF9SoURMd-rz2FKXeuc9qiAHMFIwRdyhfuDCaOr0OIZ9TpbUDCjhroa7YTFQJIgcJS69YZ4H_DLu1QbAWWdFKI5UbqDkJWuE41P5W8xjIira-SfXSQ0-Sf4Vf0P5NyJ6Bw/s320/DSCN2615.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Slide your pie into a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. This will get the crust nicely browned. Without opening the door, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 45 minutes. This should get the middle cooked through. Be sure to check it with a toothpick before you take it out.<br />
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Let it cool, then arrange your extra baked leaves on top, and voila! A pumpkin pie tastier and prettier than they sell in your grocery store. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqUKWEt6YGFH-vXV4GoDhHepum6tzPDmwhOH_3FQQDZH9-iRfmAK5Djeg-MuIgpO2tPJnDxE7ixQSO5arAv2fz94mEpJPpMh8kkVjnJ2OrGs_vjugceb2bQlvwOTr08kLyLYi86TFHJk/s1600/DSCN2619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqUKWEt6YGFH-vXV4GoDhHepum6tzPDmwhOH_3FQQDZH9-iRfmAK5Djeg-MuIgpO2tPJnDxE7ixQSO5arAv2fz94mEpJPpMh8kkVjnJ2OrGs_vjugceb2bQlvwOTr08kLyLYi86TFHJk/s320/DSCN2619.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Let it cool completely, then store it in the fridge until Thanksgiving day, or any random day if you just get in the mood for it. As pies go, this has to be the easiest one ever to bake, so if you are a novice, start with this one. I guarantee that your fear of pie making will be gone when you finish, because it really is "easy as pie." (Sorry -- couldn't resist). Happy Thanksgiving!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-49790138668374318722011-11-18T08:23:00.000-05:002011-11-18T08:23:29.441-05:00DivinityIf you are one of those people who just asked themselves, "What the heck is divinity?", you are not alone. This is an old-fashioned candy that was popular around the time of our grandmothers but that has almost disappeared from your modern recipe box. My grandma taught me how to make it, and it turns out that my 2-year-old loves it, so I had to make my yearly batch.<br />
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For a printer-friendly copy of this recipe, click here:<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EElmaHuOgDGDUgbEXcmTR47K4IQvGWI5N0cHq7Q4Idc/edit">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EElmaHuOgDGDUgbEXcmTR47K4IQvGWI5N0cHq7Q4Idc/edit</a><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
3 1/2 cups sugar<br />
1 cup light corn syrup<br />
1/4 cup water<br />
3 egg whites<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
1 cup chopped pecans<br />
<br />
First of all, do not, I repeat, DO NOT attempt to make this without a candy thermometer unless you are at least 80 years old and well experienced. When grandma used to make this, she would use the "hair up" method, in which the candy was cooked when it formed "hairs" when dropped in ice water. This stage is also known as "hard ball" to candy makers. Unless you are experienced, it is difficult to tell when you are in this stage. The first time that I made it solo, without the thermometer, I either over- or under-cooked it, and when I poured it into the pan, it became so solid that a week with a chisel and boiling water wouldn't get it out. I eventually had to buy a new pan. So buy a candy thermometer. Mine is an old-school glass one that clips to the pan, but you can get fancier models, including an infrared one that you just point at it.<br />
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Well, now that I have scared off all of my readers, I can get to the directions. This is really a pretty fast and easy candy, and tasty, too, so don't be afraid of it.<br />
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This is so easy to make if you own a stand mixer, but definitely possible without one. Start by beating your room temperature egg whites until they are very, very stiff. I just put them in the stand mixer and let it go nuts the whole time that I am cooking the candy. You can also use a large mixing bowl and a hand mixer. Just whip the egg whites up before you start cooking.<br />
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Put the sugar, corn syrup, and water into a large pan and stir until it is all combined (it will be a thick slurry). Clip your thermometer to the side so that the tip is in the candy but not touching the bottom of the pan. Now crank the heat to high and stand back. Don't touch it, and just let it go until that thermometer hits 260 degrees F. This is not the time to go start some laundry, folks. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPX2_MuPKL98FxC0Co5uC4gs_WOW8VCr7a2Icy8xZuLdGNb7q_-g9qXMLjob67A4Q8UUgnEFiWhZ36tcRvOIySGOlq1xjLsQ-VhZ0A7dTsDagMzw6LPE7U0p5QX_thl46FeOaXw6gBfPw/s1600/DSCN2588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPX2_MuPKL98FxC0Co5uC4gs_WOW8VCr7a2Icy8xZuLdGNb7q_-g9qXMLjob67A4Q8UUgnEFiWhZ36tcRvOIySGOlq1xjLsQ-VhZ0A7dTsDagMzw6LPE7U0p5QX_thl46FeOaXw6gBfPw/s320/DSCN2588.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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When you hit that magic temperature, add the vanilla. Okay, now it is time to run small children out of the room, since you don't want anybody burned. The syrup is very hot and very sticky and you should really avoid letting any of it touch anybody's skin. With your mixer going at the same time in those egg whites, slowly pour the syrup into the egg whites, beating until they are combined and creamy. It should look pretty shiny as well. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7G1yHoQ_0RnusEX08a7SIc8cuJfviUMjf2WKs3JZUhe3zDpIlOGOyGmgEqkO41On78ND9gsaLqlD4tEj0ekMEapocPQdk2ugxXGFFHF7PnuWjBYnPDGI2Ab17Zq6v9e8usH1Lnq6Xc40/s1600/DSCN2590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7G1yHoQ_0RnusEX08a7SIc8cuJfviUMjf2WKs3JZUhe3zDpIlOGOyGmgEqkO41On78ND9gsaLqlD4tEj0ekMEapocPQdk2ugxXGFFHF7PnuWjBYnPDGI2Ab17Zq6v9e8usH1Lnq6Xc40/s320/DSCN2590.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Stir in the pecans, then pour into a greased 13x9" pan. Let it cool completely before you cut it. You also are going to want to get all of the pans, beaters, etc., soaking in hot soapy water before the candy turns solid.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQM9yQ1nw-dikbA8hrRyBCbb3wk44LXXJaP6SMQtZ2mCrvDM_UOzbkmZ8fYshsF5xC4Qi8csjD-tN3uPgDBHYYBkQzsBminyznflWoWm2hxC-pJoM6GBia4CQy-LmwTHMOPOm0NAPXNc/s1600/DSCN2593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQM9yQ1nw-dikbA8hrRyBCbb3wk44LXXJaP6SMQtZ2mCrvDM_UOzbkmZ8fYshsF5xC4Qi8csjD-tN3uPgDBHYYBkQzsBminyznflWoWm2hxC-pJoM6GBia4CQy-LmwTHMOPOm0NAPXNc/s320/DSCN2593.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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See, and you thought it was hard! This candy actually makes itself -- you just have to supervise. If you have never had it before, the consistency is similar to marshmallows, very fluffy. They stay a good consistency for a long time, making them a great choice if you are mailing Christmas cookies to someone. <br />
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It just wouldn't be the Christmas baking season at my house without a batch of divinity. If you try it, you will make it part of your tradition as well.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-87112844945342419722011-11-15T21:48:00.000-05:002011-11-15T21:48:12.231-05:00Buttery Celery StuffingWe are just a few days away from Thanksgiving here in the U.S., and I am gearing up to host the big family feast for the first time. In my family, there will be revolts if mom's stuffing is not served. Just the smell of the ingredients cooking makes me think of turkey. Give it a try, and I guarantee you will love it.<br />
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For a printer-friendly copy of this recipe, click here:<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CdSs-ReG-jvAITah6hThWND24XFIen4svQkUYyN5cOc/edit">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CdSs-ReG-jvAITah6hThWND24XFIen4svQkUYyN5cOc/edit</a><br />
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<b>Ingredients (Turkey-Sized Batch):</b><br />
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14 cups day-old breadcrumbs<br />
1 1/2 cups finely diced celery<br />
1 1/3 cups boiling water<br />
1/2 cup minced onion<br />
2/3 cup butter<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 tsp poultry seasoning<br />
2 tsp salt<br />
1/2 tsp pepper<br />
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Start by tearing up all those breadcrumbs. I know, it is a pain, but it is totally worth it. Don't use the good "Sara Lee" or "Pepperidge Farm" bread for this. Buy the cheapest, oldest, crappiest bread in the grocery store, where it is probably lying, rejected, on the bottom shelf. Give it a home. Cheap bread needs love, too. You can either tear these up by hand or use a pizza cutter, but it will still take some time. If you have a relative who wants to help with dinner, by all means hand this off to them. If you are looking for a bowl big enough to hold this, try using a plastic pie or cake carrier turned upside-down or a big plastic punch bowl.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfIHbTUk2eDgBixs1Faz1skO32UULHpEbKawAIkY5vSEykgqjVPXQYMtXa6GxHNGF2J0UxM9Y9zo08Ysd2JL_W1LESbZ1FAc-oa-A4GUFE-0cL3iT6W7fns7qZAaqFWQihWN2bJoypfA/s1600/DSCN2598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfIHbTUk2eDgBixs1Faz1skO32UULHpEbKawAIkY5vSEykgqjVPXQYMtXa6GxHNGF2J0UxM9Y9zo08Ysd2JL_W1LESbZ1FAc-oa-A4GUFE-0cL3iT6W7fns7qZAaqFWQihWN2bJoypfA/s320/DSCN2598.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Once you have the breadcrumbs torn up, start on the celery. This job is even more obnoxious than the breadcrumbs, so you definitely want to delegate this one. If you want to just get it out of the way early, you can always dice it and then freeze it down (pre-cooked) weeks in advance.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUHPHfGTCLaqJaxk_adAzvYBofZUVxnHvLGAxakFX2awDbyWzaCd54OfjgP-etRFJCjAzSvE1aYMUcGMsK94iMTPAecksTKlHWLhm71Kx4-ImPhtpJDMXlQ1OQYGKc1la0NcD0VdW62o/s1600/DSCN2597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUHPHfGTCLaqJaxk_adAzvYBofZUVxnHvLGAxakFX2awDbyWzaCd54OfjgP-etRFJCjAzSvE1aYMUcGMsK94iMTPAecksTKlHWLhm71Kx4-ImPhtpJDMXlQ1OQYGKc1la0NcD0VdW62o/s320/DSCN2597.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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As for the onion, just buy it pre-diced in the frozen vegetable section of the grocery store. Believe me, by this time you will be ready to take the easy way out here.<br />
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Hang in there! Most of the work is done, and it really does taste amazing, so don't give up now!<br />
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Now that everything is chopped and diced, you want to soften the celery and the butter. Cook the onion in the butter for just a few minutes, and definitely take it off before it turns brown. The celery is a tougher nut to crack, so boil it for 15-20 minutes or until it is softer. When you drain the celery, be sure to catch and keep 1-1/3 cups of the boiling water. You can pitch the rest.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FIfSZKgN-bpl4piclttAdcyp_AUPX4PkuaAWWcRl354Hcfo-mkSLToCnHsB5qpcZA2dnF57SvPEGgPkipI4CFi-IXq3tm7JmTI3Jrbv3soc7TEVhKyGvRtFl_YaijXJfdCdcvjwI56Q/s1600/DSCN2599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FIfSZKgN-bpl4piclttAdcyp_AUPX4PkuaAWWcRl354Hcfo-mkSLToCnHsB5qpcZA2dnF57SvPEGgPkipI4CFi-IXq3tm7JmTI3Jrbv3soc7TEVhKyGvRtFl_YaijXJfdCdcvjwI56Q/s320/DSCN2599.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Okay, now just assemble everything. Dump everything together into the bowl with the breadcrumbs: the butter/onion mixture, the celery, the celery juice, the eggs, and the spices. You might want to let it cool down a bit before you get in there with your hands to mix it all up if your onions or celery just came off of the stove. I assume that you have common sense and wouldn't stick your hands in when it is obviously steaming, but who knows? <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmI7BpGC5RA0IH8qI4St1AW-wxuXLAXQfyYkKXYXOPDgwQVi05T4M5zSeg9rqkWBOxuoIeC_c3WFs_qVyblTIvyv_kUWGKZyGSWUkjRozbtUOy-tjZ3gcDApAm9JftDOyaSLLjO0mrLU/s1600/DSCN2600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmI7BpGC5RA0IH8qI4St1AW-wxuXLAXQfyYkKXYXOPDgwQVi05T4M5zSeg9rqkWBOxuoIeC_c3WFs_qVyblTIvyv_kUWGKZyGSWUkjRozbtUOy-tjZ3gcDApAm9JftDOyaSLLjO0mrLU/s320/DSCN2600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Now it is ready to bake. You have 2 options here: do the old turkey proctologist route and cram it up inside her, or put it into a greased 13x9" pan covered with aluminum foil. I made this for a potluck at church, so I used the pan, but will definitely be introducing Mr. Stuffing to Mrs. Turkey on Thanksgiving day. Either way, you want to bake it at 325 degrees until it reaches 165 degrees, which takes about an hour in the pan, or who knows how long in the turkey (usually about an hour past the point when the guests get surly at our house).<br />
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Done! Trust me, it will smell so rich and buttery and taste even better. You will never again buy Stove Top and will become a huge snob against any dressing made from cornbread. It was pretty popular at the potluck. I was a little slow in getting a picture before they got into it, so here is a picture of what was left in the end:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVA0sUg3lUj_DQGpDbg87Anaddq7XYvvBkFLX2ickfrkuGA0vctY0foraIFWkG6YRINFPgy2t-4eKsoxebR773JQJB4q4vdh-mIKLrhzoUIyoeaxpMofkmLcmtj3mGNa7Ar1Rv7rnboAE/s1600/DSCN2601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVA0sUg3lUj_DQGpDbg87Anaddq7XYvvBkFLX2ickfrkuGA0vctY0foraIFWkG6YRINFPgy2t-4eKsoxebR773JQJB4q4vdh-mIKLrhzoUIyoeaxpMofkmLcmtj3mGNa7Ar1Rv7rnboAE/s320/DSCN2601.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Have a happy Thanksgiving! Remember to thank God for the many blessings in your life.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-16506071808093249182011-10-26T15:58:00.000-04:002011-10-26T15:58:49.853-04:00Fluffy Biscuits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGErFwEIJ5HZQGgSEbZnw_4FpxqU_BBWzc7oywW6Hb7rXTRrdkXVGL4GbZr27lOXDbXMUSDbOPuGmshbSX0WOUsy_MVirxaT8FRHXw3gLrt4_L1LhFrzqQwfjzSlpeidlhlUE3OM9WXo/s1600/DSCN2495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGErFwEIJ5HZQGgSEbZnw_4FpxqU_BBWzc7oywW6Hb7rXTRrdkXVGL4GbZr27lOXDbXMUSDbOPuGmshbSX0WOUsy_MVirxaT8FRHXw3gLrt4_L1LhFrzqQwfjzSlpeidlhlUE3OM9WXo/s320/DSCN2495.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I have recently been on a quest to make restaurant-quality made-from-scratch biscuits. It wasn't easy. I know that tall, fluffy biscuits exist because I have had them many times, but never from my own kitchen. And no, nothing with "Bisquik" as an ingredient counts. Well, victory was finally mine when I stumbled on this delicious biscuit recipe and had a few "duh" moments.<br />
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For a printer-friendly copy of this recipe, click here:<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1peuVvUAyRdws58Q6xxnIv0OozWOa6uQjc8gkn1q01hE/edit">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1peuVvUAyRdws58Q6xxnIv0OozWOa6uQjc8gkn1q01hE/edit</a><br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<br />
2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
4 tsp baking powder<br />
3 tsp sugar<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1/2 cup Crisco (use the sticks, people)<br />
1 egg<br />
2/3 cup 2% milk<br />
<br />
Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees. Next, combine your dry ingredients in a medium bowl (the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbGH5YUJre40yfCaPFlNdML0wDsXhhwQAn7xisBPVzEpDabDrEhCc4e54cRjPjCYoCSm27RipbNPUFV53WfrheYnVZdR2R5Asg8uSOkh2Ztkdmct2cR-IHQdxzHQCOKPl3t8HifOxAnQ/s1600/DSCN2490.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbGH5YUJre40yfCaPFlNdML0wDsXhhwQAn7xisBPVzEpDabDrEhCc4e54cRjPjCYoCSm27RipbNPUFV53WfrheYnVZdR2R5Asg8uSOkh2Ztkdmct2cR-IHQdxzHQCOKPl3t8HifOxAnQ/s320/DSCN2490.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Now cut in the Crisco. We talked about this before. I like to use my Oxo pastry blender, but if you are one of those sad, deprived people who doesn't own one, 2 forks will do. Dump it in, then hack it into tiny pieces, mixing it with the flour as you go.<br />
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It should feel crumbly when you are done. Go ahead -- poke it with your finger.<br />
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Now combine the egg and milk. I like to pour the milk into a measuring cup, crack the egg directly into it, and whisk it with a fork. That way there is one less dish to wash then cracking the egg into another bowl, and man, if we can save on dishes at the end it is a good day. Dump the egg/milk mixture into the flour/Crisco mixture and stir with a spoon JUST UNTIL IT IS MOISTENED. That means stop stirring the exact moment that the last trace of powdery flour is gone. This is seriously important to fluffy biscuits, because they will get more tough with overmanipulation.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbdEFqn0TyyhecGXgxnJWapB7xocuR3mtAAYE5C5TQS766fLGDB8yiEoqe2LvX7jVwCjKQGTKSB2skK4WQwVjUK4-nrUSVzJHBHa66nnMTgBaMmseUHCg_juvrLPzneQj4_Gx4WnbkZc/s1600/DSCN2492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbdEFqn0TyyhecGXgxnJWapB7xocuR3mtAAYE5C5TQS766fLGDB8yiEoqe2LvX7jVwCjKQGTKSB2skK4WQwVjUK4-nrUSVzJHBHa66nnMTgBaMmseUHCg_juvrLPzneQj4_Gx4WnbkZc/s320/DSCN2492.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Okay, now put a little flour on your counter and dump the dough onto it. Knead it 20 times. It's not a lot, but again, too much handling makes for tough biscuits.<br />
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Here is my second "duh" moment. Try not to laugh at me. For years, I wondered why my biscuits were so flat. It finally hit me -- you are rolling them out too flat. I know, a genius I am not. You basically want to go pretty thick when you roll them out. They should be about as thick as a dime is tall (on its side). I was able to get 2 biscuits out of the first roll-out. Cut those out, put them onto a lightly greased cookie sheet pan, and then reroll the remaining dough. I was able to get about 9 biscuits total out of this recipe. I used a true biscuit cutter that I dipped in flour to cut mine out, but the rim of a water glass, also dipped in flour, will work, too.<br />
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One quick note about cookie sheet pans: thicker and heavier is better. I have tried the fancy ones with the air layer built in and didn't like them because they were too well insulated -- nothing would brown on the bottom, and by George, chocolate chip cookies <i>should</i> be browned. In my impoverished college days, I bought the cheapest ones that I could find and those were too thin. Things tended to burn on the bottom before they finished on top. (Is this starting to sound like "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", or is it me?). My current two were a Christmas present from my wonderful husband, who went into Williams-Sonoma, said, "What would you buy for a baker?", and came home with these. They are beyond wonderful and I plan to be buried with them. That being said, prepare to sell a kidney to pay for them. They are very heavy and brown things just right.<br />
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</div>Back to the biscuits. Once you have them all cut out, slide the cookie sheet into the oven and bake it for 8-10 minutes. They will be golden brown on both top and bottom when they are done. The huge amount of baking powder that we added should have let them rise up nicely, as long as you didn't mess with them too much and as long as you cut them out thick.<br />
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My quest for a restaurant-quality biscuit recipe is over. These are so tender and fluffy, but don't completely crumble when you try to add jelly to them. And yes, the jelly is my homemade canned strawberry jam. Stick with me until the spring and we will be making it together and learning how to can it. To me, there is nothing more cozy than fresh-baked biscuits and homemade jam.<br />
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I had a real need to make cookies this weekend. It had been too long since the house smelled like baking, and I also needed to bring something to a party where little kids would be present, so cookies were an obvious choice. I wanted something that smelled like fall, with cinnamon and sugar, and naturally though of Snickerdoodles. If you are not familiar with these, they are basically sugar cookies that are rolled in cinnamon and sugar before baking. They originated in 19th century New England, but the name is a mystery.<br />
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For a printer-friendly copy of this recipe, click here:<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KYdSZ9DKIpMH_9d5JfDTx-bC8AKlKvroV8EjVsBRdDU/edit?hl=en_US">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KYdSZ9DKIpMH_9d5JfDTx-bC8AKlKvroV8EjVsBRdDU/edit?hl=en_US</a><br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
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1 stick unsalted butter, softened<br />
1/2 cup Crisco<br />
1 1/2 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided<br />
2 tbsp cinnamon<br />
2 large eggs<br />
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 tsp cream of tartar (from the spice section of the grocery store)<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
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Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees. These cookies don't take too long to assemble so it is good to go ahead and get that going first.<br />
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First, you are going to put your butter, Crisco, and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar into a big bowl. If you have a stand mixer, now is the time to dust it off. Beat it until it is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.<br />
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Next, add your eggs and beat them in. Now the dry ingredients: the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. You guessed it -- beat again. In case you are wondering, the cream of tartar is added to keep the sugar molecules from melting then recrystalizing, resulting in a grainy cookie. It is commonly used in meringues because it also helps stabilize egg whites when you whip them up.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5W4FxTtXmbtkoKC3e0oQIdxoVOmC0peIXwZw3oHWRfyiyuCi-YdnhCSAF4gq0qjuzUd5hqe4jv7Brf_wAI6DuJDEom9qmD4A4jvb10aBhn2HYemStvp0ynAibiUnZFoNeiXQ2GABI1w/s1600/DSCN2485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5W4FxTtXmbtkoKC3e0oQIdxoVOmC0peIXwZw3oHWRfyiyuCi-YdnhCSAF4gq0qjuzUd5hqe4jv7Brf_wAI6DuJDEom9qmD4A4jvb10aBhn2HYemStvp0ynAibiUnZFoNeiXQ2GABI1w/s320/DSCN2485.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I told you these were easy. I swear, a monkey could make these cookies.<br />
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Now comes the fun part. Scoop out about a tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. Combine the 1/4 cup of sugar and the cinnamon in a bowl (I used a cereal bowl), and drop your cookie ball on in. Cannonball!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZ1TB98oz_Wzo3Fxb-29Zbf2mPeq8Fb2q_qOY05ioGayvqLA410VaEvikK2lb4Jikw6COqAtF1EjPktMSxW8E2Xlbxm2zysbowyrUCNoyuhFy6E6mI0pU85jOWSolBbgEfGD4CU3FW9o/s1600/DSCN2486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZ1TB98oz_Wzo3Fxb-29Zbf2mPeq8Fb2q_qOY05ioGayvqLA410VaEvikK2lb4Jikw6COqAtF1EjPktMSxW8E2Xlbxm2zysbowyrUCNoyuhFy6E6mI0pU85jOWSolBbgEfGD4CU3FW9o/s320/DSCN2486.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Roll it all around in the cinnamon sugar until it is completely coated.<br />
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Yum! Now put those little balls of goodness onto an ungreased baking sheet, giving them some room between because they will spread. You can tell that they are going to spread out by the fact that this recipe has so much butter -- when it heats up, it melts, and the whole cookie will slide out with it. That's why we don't grease the cookie sheet here. If you did grease it, heaven help you. Your cookies would be 3 feet across and really thin.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPlXu595TWphwbxQcxpqB5I36UsGC_AgHbvt9fq-PfHvmp9HkZi4zZo3_ihs7I35Tq_R8ZHTyFFpEWFoeWhQsZV5DbF17kjbJ0myqqIRDu_0uQCWE9sh7nDi4lBeKxTyeV07Sy2Pny88/s1600/DSCN2488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPlXu595TWphwbxQcxpqB5I36UsGC_AgHbvt9fq-PfHvmp9HkZi4zZo3_ihs7I35Tq_R8ZHTyFFpEWFoeWhQsZV5DbF17kjbJ0myqqIRDu_0uQCWE9sh7nDi4lBeKxTyeV07Sy2Pny88/s320/DSCN2488.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Slide them into that warm oven and bake for about 10-14 minutes. They are done when they are cracked and the center is set, so wiggle the pan a bit and look for that jiggle. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzShT_e6a9CcTYa0fVDIVkMS6Yt2xVCE6pCr_TeFPR65GrMNPvcMRgoZo7acliYniOFFYj0nO0z9rAGOjLuG3OOB6u9nBsSXqbMyX71JX_UnaYL1A8vM2UVY_8bYbeVBu3e3_wlDwojwE/s1600/DSCN2489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzShT_e6a9CcTYa0fVDIVkMS6Yt2xVCE6pCr_TeFPR65GrMNPvcMRgoZo7acliYniOFFYj0nO0z9rAGOjLuG3OOB6u9nBsSXqbMyX71JX_UnaYL1A8vM2UVY_8bYbeVBu3e3_wlDwojwE/s320/DSCN2489.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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All done! The one recipe made about 3 dozen cookies for me (it would have made a few more, but I was kind of grazing on the dough as I was rolling them into balls). These were very popular, a little chewy, and the spiciness of the cinnamon was a great compliment to the crisp fall weather. Just don't eat them all at once, or that cookie jiggle will be around your own middle.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-68725138708005757002011-10-21T11:34:00.000-04:002011-10-21T11:34:26.779-04:00Baked Cheddar Mac & Cheese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxw-szReZRYU1RUQfr_-4MxpDs681naXa90wSX1SNd1QvI2sqgUKR2YZNJMGHtIlvt76OytN5loh9k79hQU1-G5Cf7IjB-RZP1NXUpr7fv-9oDFTnwHDWDeAl2uIzvxV6WigXwHtScZE/s1600/DSCN2410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxw-szReZRYU1RUQfr_-4MxpDs681naXa90wSX1SNd1QvI2sqgUKR2YZNJMGHtIlvt76OytN5loh9k79hQU1-G5Cf7IjB-RZP1NXUpr7fv-9oDFTnwHDWDeAl2uIzvxV6WigXwHtScZE/s320/DSCN2410.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Like many of you, I have a picky toddler who will eat almost nothing. I like to tell people that he is subsisting on goldfish crackers and air, but that is an exaggeration -- it is actually goldfish crackers, air, and macaroni and cheese. He is literally staying alive on cheesy pasta. My husband is also a lover of mac and cheese, and often waits for our son to wander away from the table so that he can swoop down on the leftovers. Frankly, if I have to serve one more meal from the blue box, I am going to have a breakdown, so I found this recipe for a somewhat more sophisticated mac and cheese that is fancy enough for company but tasty enough to appeal to my guys.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For a printer-friendly copy of the recipe, click here:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jXYqbQrHVrX-bfBOxjqAH1HaN-UmXXR-S5xKwTDNOq8/edit?hl=en_US">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jXYqbQrHVrX-bfBOxjqAH1HaN-UmXXR-S5xKwTDNOq8/edit?hl=en_US</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Ingredients:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 lb. macaroni, penne, or ziti pasta</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4 tbsp butter</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4 tbsp all-purpose flour (or Wondra)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 cups milk</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Salt and pepper</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 cups (8 oz.) grated sharp cheddar cheese</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 cup breadcrumbs</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Paprika</div><br />
To start, go ahead and cook your pasta. If you want to add salt to the water to flavor it, knock yourself out. I used mini-ziti, and the whole box cooked in 7 minutes, but check your own box for the appropriate cooking time. Drain the pasta well. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.<br />
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Grease a deep casserole dish (I think it is the 3 quart size). Add half of the macaroni to the dish. Top with half of the cheese.<br />
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Now to make the sauce. You are going to be making a roux (pronounced "roo", like "kangaroo"). Don't panic! I know that you think that only Julia Child can pull this off, but it is really super-easy. Start by melting your butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When it is melted, add the flour or Wondra. I HIGHLY recommend the Wondra over regular flour. It is just flour that is milled super-fine and that has apparently been magically enhanced not to clump. If you want a smooth sauce, it's the way to go. Use a whisk to bring it to the butter party. Now add the milk, continuing to whisk away.<br />
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Yeah, I know. It doesn't look like much now. But see ... no clumps! You can now add as much salt and pepper as you wish. I added salt to ours but no pepper. Pepper just doesn't seem to go with mac & cheese to me, but if it does in your house, go crazy. Keep whisking as it cooks. You will know that it is ready to come off when it thickens up (usually 3 or 4 minutes -- if an hour goes by, you might consider adding more flour). <br />
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When you roux is moderately thick, pour half of it over the mac and cheese in the casserole dish. Ooh, it starts to melt the cheese immediately! Keep control of yourself and add another layer of macaroni, cheese, and the rest of the sauce. The roux will trickle down through the pasta, melting the cheese, and making it creamy throughout.<br />
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Almost done! Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top, then add a little paprika just for a bit of color. I always go too heavy on the paprika and look like a stroke patient, so try to be careful with it.<br />
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Slide it into the oven and bake it for 20-30 minutes, or until it is brown on top and a little bubbly. <br />
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You can see that the cheese has melted and it is a little crispy on top. This makes enough pasta to feed your average-sized family for days and is a nice, warm, bowl of goodness. Comfort food doesn't get any better than this.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLF91JUpmLaEH2cl6hgdXfdHXu_S4vH_q7DqythM3_vUVMc5gjSxVqW8EtiwHLw5TxDXTz5o4IfQNVbiIDUj4OqPgmwslGb0ZtFcwduUEbW1N5e57DdDXTvazd49ImvQYvuESPUZeVBi8/s1600/DSCN2411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLF91JUpmLaEH2cl6hgdXfdHXu_S4vH_q7DqythM3_vUVMc5gjSxVqW8EtiwHLw5TxDXTz5o4IfQNVbiIDUj4OqPgmwslGb0ZtFcwduUEbW1N5e57DdDXTvazd49ImvQYvuESPUZeVBi8/s320/DSCN2411.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-77538585828523087772011-10-19T16:30:00.000-04:002011-10-19T16:30:05.068-04:00Apple TurnoversFirst of all, I apologize for the long break between posts. I was sick and my family was depending on the kindness of strangers, as well as meals that come in a paper bag and have fries on the side. I am better now, and back in the kitchen, so let's get cooking!<br />
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I have been looking for good apple recipes for the fall, and boy, did I find one. This one came from AllRecipes.com and was a real keeper. I was amazed at how easy it was to make very good (seriously, these are better than some that I have had in restaurants) apple turnovers. <br />
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For a printer-friendly copy of the recipe, click here:<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/15VVsM_saXDyxFz6hoUHQuktefESWtAoe7wN07y9r380/edit?hl=en_US">https://docs.google.com/document/d/15VVsM_saXDyxFz6hoUHQuktefESWtAoe7wN07y9r380/edit?hl=en_US</a><br />
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(Thanks to my friend Marina Shannon for the excellent suggestion of providing a printer-friendly copy of the recipe).<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
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4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced<br />
2 tbsp unsalted butter<br />
1 cup light brown sugar<br />
1 tsp cinnamon<br />
1 tbsp cornstarch<br />
1 tbsp water<br />
1 (17.25 ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed<br />
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<b>Glaze:</b><br />
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1 cup powdered sugar<br />
1 tbsp milk<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
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First of all, prepare your apples. If you are a REALLY slow apple peeler and/or chopper, you can always put 2 tbsp of lemon juice into 4 cups of water and drop your apple slices in as you go. That will prevent them from turning brown. But you know what? These are going to cook in brown sugar and cinnamon, so they will already look brown anyway, so who cares? Just don't peel the apples then head to the grocery store, because that would be silly.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHsDTkwSuIsSyJSdaL6PCHtMCZYiEW-ZNaaWGMhyphenhyphenE5J_tAOdPGnfa0TN1DDJ9mGt8wgYJVZFFYW15BU9lqxUj9YXNX1mdzom72ceD-oT3WmY1YzUh0atietDSagGxj6VvpuxqLPKbsnbA/s1600/DSCN2400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHsDTkwSuIsSyJSdaL6PCHtMCZYiEW-ZNaaWGMhyphenhyphenE5J_tAOdPGnfa0TN1DDJ9mGt8wgYJVZFFYW15BU9lqxUj9YXNX1mdzom72ceD-oT3WmY1YzUh0atietDSagGxj6VvpuxqLPKbsnbA/s320/DSCN2400.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Melt your butter in a big skillet on medium heat. As soon as the butter is melted, drop in your apples. Cook and stir, cook and stir, for 2 minutes. This will let the apples start to soften up a bit. Now add your brown sugar and cinnamon and stir it in, too. Cook it for 2 more minutes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9z7LVhyphenhyphenZIS6ybo04ClegG7l_RFF_GuA6DS8RbeSOh0tD5eMMIxLEYFr1-n1qf_J_gnRqb-rCNtblh1eqngjn-h1AgmEexdSw0tnlkM1N5kNq-0iZGByBdSfVG-FGjvpC2FvfC5FofPGI/s1600/DSCN2401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9z7LVhyphenhyphenZIS6ybo04ClegG7l_RFF_GuA6DS8RbeSOh0tD5eMMIxLEYFr1-n1qf_J_gnRqb-rCNtblh1eqngjn-h1AgmEexdSw0tnlkM1N5kNq-0iZGByBdSfVG-FGjvpC2FvfC5FofPGI/s320/DSCN2401.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At this point, the sugar will have pulled some of the apple juices out, making a nice, but runny, sauce. Obviously we don't want it to be this juicy, or we will have to change our shirts every time we eat a turnover. Take the 1 tbsp of water and mix the 1 tbsp of cornstarch in with it, then add it to the apples. Let it cook for 1 more minute. The cornstarch will thicken up the sauce a bit. When that minute is up, remove your apples from the heat and let them cool down. The next stage will involve your hands, so you probably want to make sure that the apples are good and cool or you will regret it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While your apples are cooling, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now take your thawed puff pastry sheets out of the fridge. Do not make the mistake that I once did by just leaving them on the counter all morning to thaw. They passed right on by "thawed" and went to "impossible to unfold because they are sticking together". Follow the directions on the box and you will be fine. Unfold both sheets (there are two sheets per box, and they are each folded into thirds). This will give you 2 rectangles of puff pastry. Take your handy-dandy pizza cutter and trim off a bit to make them two squares, then cut each big square into 4 little squares (8 in all, 4 from each sheet).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Word to the wise #2: move your little puff pastry squares to a greased cookie sheet at this point. Trying to assemble these on the counter and then move them is a bad idea. Juice everywhere. You get the idea.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once you have them all transferred, ladle some of the apples onto the center of each. Add enough so that it looks plump but not so much that you can't fold it over. Trial and error, my friends. Now fold each square over, corner-to-corner, giving you 8 little triangles. Crimp the edges with a fork to keep it somewhat closed (they may open as they cook, but that's no big deal).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8J9e5_x8QRSytbEoMWZF_g2Fv1kMvpmBXTKuXfZXibhae4MaMSRy_F7hmdL4efgHH1CVxLgmgQ8XFZOvzHNj4pwgzsdeaLdWOwb0QmzhxX1pnOSwkpfKJgUIH-F-5sQ9Y7Gat65EnKA/s1600/DSCN2402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8J9e5_x8QRSytbEoMWZF_g2Fv1kMvpmBXTKuXfZXibhae4MaMSRy_F7hmdL4efgHH1CVxLgmgQ8XFZOvzHNj4pwgzsdeaLdWOwb0QmzhxX1pnOSwkpfKJgUIH-F-5sQ9Y7Gat65EnKA/s320/DSCN2402.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Slide them into the warm oven and bake them for about 25 minutes, or however long it takes to make them puffy and golden-colored. Leave them on the pan and let them cool completely before you glaze them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpxu-ywhIIQzEsHI1r3Fvlt01OE4nSmogJnQcv9fOmrpum6kHsnlTXGLZPkmQT5c6ObwS64jasgesTaARJUHTYsPuaOkodP_ils_KQkOPD7B5s6CqoSvKlfFMCI3Q6LwEiZSvxANp1yQ/s1600/DSCN2403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpxu-ywhIIQzEsHI1r3Fvlt01OE4nSmogJnQcv9fOmrpum6kHsnlTXGLZPkmQT5c6ObwS64jasgesTaARJUHTYsPuaOkodP_ils_KQkOPD7B5s6CqoSvKlfFMCI3Q6LwEiZSvxANp1yQ/s320/DSCN2403.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When they are cool, make the glaze, which takes about 10 seconds. Just combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl and stir it up. I had to add more milk because mine was way, way too thick, but just judge by the consistency. If your is uber-runny (or if you tried to make it thinner but added too much milk), just add more sugar. Take a spoon, dip it in, and whip it back and forth over the top of the turnovers to drizzle them with the glaze.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmwnwcUJbzyu-_zyJWVlVEadsMMkneyH3NVutUZQDbduEBY95t2_flh8wlDmyCUNrIxr7ckepE9SVsgTWeAseSvK53g3CJfsYJlcT4ernio5kIRwA8aQEqulc2EaXG5CACrJgT85bGRZU/s1600/DSCN2409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmwnwcUJbzyu-_zyJWVlVEadsMMkneyH3NVutUZQDbduEBY95t2_flh8wlDmyCUNrIxr7ckepE9SVsgTWeAseSvK53g3CJfsYJlcT4ernio5kIRwA8aQEqulc2EaXG5CACrJgT85bGRZU/s320/DSCN2409.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And yes, the extra glaze that runs off is very yummy. Feel free to lick the pan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was very, very happy with this recipe, as was my husband. I was so surprised at how fast and easy this was. I am thinking about throwing in a batch the next time we bring a meal for a new baby or when family is over for Thanksgiving. I guarantee that if you give it a try, you will never pay $5.00 for a fancy turnover in a cafe again.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-18883650222979901882011-10-10T08:47:00.000-04:002011-10-10T08:47:47.259-04:00Apple Crisp<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtsewM18wioCCUcYy4f5CpP-GRjWbphrGGlm7qpxI7dM5fBSXE_28G1N9ShzI2NN45omF_js9ecPkpL8EaYJ5e1zjFP_ro6cRD2kH5kqGsQf0APEL7Q9oZZJsZaPbzpbRad90ZwdltdI/s1600/DSCN2371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtsewM18wioCCUcYy4f5CpP-GRjWbphrGGlm7qpxI7dM5fBSXE_28G1N9ShzI2NN45omF_js9ecPkpL8EaYJ5e1zjFP_ro6cRD2kH5kqGsQf0APEL7Q9oZZJsZaPbzpbRad90ZwdltdI/s320/DSCN2371.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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It is apple season here in Maryland, and everywhere I look there are little roadside produce markets brimming with sweet apples. Naturally, I was looking for a good use for this bounty, so when my friend Kristi Dickens sent me a recipe for apple crisp, I had to try it. <br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<br />
<b>Filling:</b><br />
5-6 apples, peeled and sliced (think tart apples like Jonathan, Granny Smith, or Jonagold)<br />
*** Don't peel these until the recipe needs them or they will turn brown<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1 tbsp cornstarch<br />
1 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
<br />
<b>Topping:</b><br />
1 cup all-purpose flour<br />
1 cup packed light brown sugar<br />
1 cup old-fashioned oats<br />
1/4 tsp baking powder<br />
1/4 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 cup cold butter<br />
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional -- I left them out because I didn't have any in the pantry)<br />
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First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. While it is warming up, prepare your topping. Just combine everything in a bowl except the butter and stir it up. <br />
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Then cut in the butter. If you have a pastry knife like I do, this isn't too hard, but you can also use two forks. It would be a great arm workout. To cut in something, just drop in the whole stick (remember to be sure that it is cold or it won't cut) and chop at it with the blade until you have tiny pieces of intact butter interspersed among the dry ingredients. You should be able to press it into tiny balls with your fingertips but shouldn't see huge chunks of butter. I have tried a few pastry knifes in my life and prefer the one by OXO. Most of them have flimsy tines and bend but this one is super sturdy.<br />
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So now your topping is ready and we can move on to the filling. Keep waiting on those apples. Last minute, remember. In a bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and vanilla. The vanilla is not friends with the cornstarch and won't blend in nicely, but will make little vanilla balls. This is okay. Vanilla can be as unsociable as it wants to be. It will all work out in the end.<br />
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Okay, now you can peel the apples. Go nuts. Peel like crazy. Of course, if you are me, here is where you realize that you used all but 5 of your apples up last week and forgot to buy more. My apple crisp thus ended up with a mix of apples. I know that 3 were Granny Smith and 1 was a Fuji, but I there was one "mystery apple" from the crisper drawer that got thrown in, too. And you know what? It worked.<br />
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Once your apples are peeled and cut into cute little slices, mix in the filling ingredients. The sugar in this filling will pull some moisture out of the apples and make a yummy sauce while it bakes. <br />
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Spray a 9x9" pan with Pam and dump in your sugared apples. Sprinkle your topping on top, as light or as heavy as you like. I didn't end up using all of my filling, but you do whatever makes you happy. <br />
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Now just slide it into your warm oven and bake it for 45 minutes. This is going to make your house smell amazing as it cooks and will be a wonderful treat on those "crisp" fall nights. (Sorry, couldn't resist).<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtsewM18wioCCUcYy4f5CpP-GRjWbphrGGlm7qpxI7dM5fBSXE_28G1N9ShzI2NN45omF_js9ecPkpL8EaYJ5e1zjFP_ro6cRD2kH5kqGsQf0APEL7Q9oZZJsZaPbzpbRad90ZwdltdI/s1600/DSCN2371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtsewM18wioCCUcYy4f5CpP-GRjWbphrGGlm7qpxI7dM5fBSXE_28G1N9ShzI2NN45omF_js9ecPkpL8EaYJ5e1zjFP_ro6cRD2kH5kqGsQf0APEL7Q9oZZJsZaPbzpbRad90ZwdltdI/s320/DSCN2371.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>This was a fast, warm, and delicious dessert to make on a cold night, but would also be great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It kept several days for us in the fridge and was a crowd favorite here. I will definitely make it again -- as soon as I go to the store and buy more apples.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-82316734848385067162011-10-03T09:00:00.000-04:002011-10-03T09:00:51.587-04:00Ikea Knock-Off Swedish Meatballs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uqmih02zf4426oHcyKArtn10DOIb1RFP-7WyghKD5QOSBctZLxaxdDlx0ucs209LysAqJbOwUHNlvApBnHZQj7TACYiF5sbP9OnkHqVv4Yaq5HujStt0Gu-NhGko3HTuFaLOwo70rFI/s1600/DSCN2349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uqmih02zf4426oHcyKArtn10DOIb1RFP-7WyghKD5QOSBctZLxaxdDlx0ucs209LysAqJbOwUHNlvApBnHZQj7TACYiF5sbP9OnkHqVv4Yaq5HujStt0Gu-NhGko3HTuFaLOwo70rFI/s320/DSCN2349.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I have been missing out. I didn't know that Ikea was the mecca for Swedish meatballs, but apparently people drive for miles to eat them in their cafes. I recently saw a recipe that was supposed to be a knock-off of their recipe in the October 2011 Food Network magazine (another one that jumped into my cart at the check-out lane). It was very, very good, so I wanted to share it with you.<br />
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<b>Ingredients (Meatballs):</b><br />
<br />
1 cup plain breadcrumbs<br />
2 tbsp unsalted butter<br />
1/3 cup minced white onion (I used frozen)<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1/4 tsp ground allspice<br />
1/2 cup milk<br />
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce<br />
3/4 lb lean ground beef<br />
1/2 lb lean ground pork (I had to go to a real meat market to find this)<br />
1 large egg plus 1 egg white, lightly beaten<br />
2 tsp salt<br />
1/4 tsp white pepper<br />
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<b>Ingredients (Sauce):</b><br />
<br />
4 tbsp unsalted butter<br />
4 tbsp flour (or Wondra, which is super-fine flour and is easier for sauces because it doesn't clump)<br />
3 cups beef broth<br />
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce<br />
1/2 cup heavy cream<br />
Parsley (for garnish)<br />
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First, make the meatballs. This is a great do-ahead step. I even made a double batch of meatballs and froze half of them uncooked. Now it will be very quick and easy the next time that I want to make this. Put the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat.<br />
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Yes, I did put a picture of butter melting in here. I hope that it made your day. Add the onion, garlic, allspice, salt, and white pepper to the pan. I confess, I think that this is the first time that I have ever used allspice, but from here on out it is known as "Swedish Meatball Spice" because that is what the main taste in these is. Cook it all, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. You want the onion to be soft.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Add the milk and Worcestershire sauce and bring it to a simmer. That's when you can see the steam coming off of it and it is bubbling a little bit. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtur5SpAoq3RXNo1J534l1NBekUQ0Vxbqtfhp18BUXxE_kBTabGgjBE_BOl-EwZW4e71OPRyr2NRmZKyVLPNHq4djVbHBPu9s3ifVfCxHtY4Xpf2HCA4hMo3fRyNt0StxyAQ5XVAyM_9c/s1600/DSCN2344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtur5SpAoq3RXNo1J534l1NBekUQ0Vxbqtfhp18BUXxE_kBTabGgjBE_BOl-EwZW4e71OPRyr2NRmZKyVLPNHq4djVbHBPu9s3ifVfCxHtY4Xpf2HCA4hMo3fRyNt0StxyAQ5XVAyM_9c/s320/DSCN2344.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Okay, this next step is kind of weird. You are going to pour the hot mixture from the skillet into the breadcrumbs. Don't be alarmed if they immediately absorb all of the liquid. Stir it all up to make a thick paste. You will probably want to let it cool off a bit at this stage, too, since you are about to get your hands in there. Whenever it is cool enough to work with without skin grafts, proceed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now add the beef, pork, and eggs to the bread crumb paste. You will want to take off all rings, watches, and artificial nails now. Get in there with your hands and mush it all together until it is pretty homogeneous. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEfwzKDgWdWB__1xc8Wk_DMV49IDSNtX8ki8dlcGA-MCTV0q_9YlHdG0IdZLxqrUsXBxrq3QwvIe5o7I5dqp6_9gVGNX0GZJyfnDTW9pSxBHOTbBmkZmlu_4dTw2NSZ9udhCks-u9VJM/s1600/DSCN2346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEfwzKDgWdWB__1xc8Wk_DMV49IDSNtX8ki8dlcGA-MCTV0q_9YlHdG0IdZLxqrUsXBxrq3QwvIe5o7I5dqp6_9gVGNX0GZJyfnDTW9pSxBHOTbBmkZmlu_4dTw2NSZ9udhCks-u9VJM/s320/DSCN2346.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next, grease a cookie sheet pan with Pam, roll the meat into balls, and line them up like little soldiers on the pan. I used my cookie scoop to make them about the same size, then rolled them into little balls by hand. Yes, I will wash the scoop thoroughly before I use it for cookies again. One batch of these meatballs made about 30 1 tbsp-sized balls. Cover them with Saran wrap and stick them in the fridge for at least an hour to get them chilled and firm, or into the freezer if you want to save them long-term.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6ZysMnHc1FnylO03S4G5-fPqncZOmFnfNYCX9AnCr-qj4j_LG8MOSpInEOOkSKb1aCHUQAcYHqBNJqMVTD-kFBOlb1-lv5AHQloU-ZOLHR2ChsAnkwAjYA0T45zDsoTDOVRc3ZdPPkk/s1600/DSCN2347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6ZysMnHc1FnylO03S4G5-fPqncZOmFnfNYCX9AnCr-qj4j_LG8MOSpInEOOkSKb1aCHUQAcYHqBNJqMVTD-kFBOlb1-lv5AHQloU-ZOLHR2ChsAnkwAjYA0T45zDsoTDOVRc3ZdPPkk/s320/DSCN2347.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When you are about ready for dinner, bake them at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Be sure to chop one or two in half to make sure that they are cooked all the way through before proceeding.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now make the sauce. You are going to want to add the meatballs to it later, so look for a really, really big saucepan or, even better, and electric skillet, which is what I used. Melt the butter in your skillet of choice on medium heat and then add the flour, whisking it until it is smooth and non-lumpy. Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth and bring the whole thing to a simmer. Add the cream and the meatballs. Now reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes or until the gravy thickens to your satisfaction. Season it with salt and pepper if you want. I served it over egg noodles.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEp3t3Z2cJqi5851ZLTrnYh6tTnbM8RpgocZ-SzRb5o4-ykN9k96d_Z2rV4gmcp1fhlmXEsGtUddfimJ3_rncLV1bd36diU_fS-5XSflGpgmZZ2PPzobP7X5QwiH_Zt7UwxN1XUAVZb_g/s1600/DSCN2348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEp3t3Z2cJqi5851ZLTrnYh6tTnbM8RpgocZ-SzRb5o4-ykN9k96d_Z2rV4gmcp1fhlmXEsGtUddfimJ3_rncLV1bd36diU_fS-5XSflGpgmZZ2PPzobP7X5QwiH_Zt7UwxN1XUAVZb_g/s320/DSCN2348.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uqmih02zf4426oHcyKArtn10DOIb1RFP-7WyghKD5QOSBctZLxaxdDlx0ucs209LysAqJbOwUHNlvApBnHZQj7TACYiF5sbP9OnkHqVv4Yaq5HujStt0Gu-NhGko3HTuFaLOwo70rFI/s1600/DSCN2349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uqmih02zf4426oHcyKArtn10DOIb1RFP-7WyghKD5QOSBctZLxaxdDlx0ucs209LysAqJbOwUHNlvApBnHZQj7TACYiF5sbP9OnkHqVv4Yaq5HujStt0Gu-NhGko3HTuFaLOwo70rFI/s320/DSCN2349.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These were really, really tasty and is the new favorite recipe here. That other batch of meatballs in the freezer isn't going to make it very long. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-8238949965618302692011-09-30T08:49:00.000-04:002011-09-30T08:49:11.941-04:00Movie Theater Popcorn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yum-CoKmAuyCpyBKzfyRdpajsZM3rBgoairhtBrSJgGNPOnqIse2w0l5JX93VETQY4oZhamh7pOuU-oog0jA_Sa-niru9eNQDgturZ8zwrViSVlSZ8XqR6o3riAuveeQx3yzKZUfKFQ/s1600/DSCN2354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yum-CoKmAuyCpyBKzfyRdpajsZM3rBgoairhtBrSJgGNPOnqIse2w0l5JX93VETQY4oZhamh7pOuU-oog0jA_Sa-niru9eNQDgturZ8zwrViSVlSZ8XqR6o3riAuveeQx3yzKZUfKFQ/s320/DSCN2354.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Have you ever wondered why movie theater popcorn tastes so good, while popcorn that you make at home just doesn't? Microwave popcorn is a great convenience, but you will be surprised how fast, easy, and cheap it is to make your own movie theater popcorn at home. You will also want to get your torches and pitchforks and go after the guy at the movies who has the nerve to charge $6 or more for basically $0.10 of popcorn ingredients.<br />
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I have been on a quest to make good popcorn at home for awhile now. Movie theater popcorn is one of my favorite snacks, and I have even been known to stop by the theater, buy the popcorn, and take it home to watch a movie. It was great, but a hassle and pretty pricey. I foolishly tried multiple varieties of microwave popcorn and owned an air-popper at one time. It turns out that the secret is in the oil. Movie theaters use coconut oil, which is hard to find and which makes all the difference in taste. Once I discovered this, it was so easy to get good results.<br />
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Like I said, you need to start by getting ahold of coconut oil. Unless you happen to live on Gilligan's Island, this is not an item that your local grocery is going to carry. I bought my supplies online at the Popcorn Supply Company (<a href="http://www.popcornsupply.com/">www.popcornsupply.com</a>). For about $25, I have enough supplies to last several years. It would have been even cheaper if I hadn't bought the unpopped corn from them, enough to last the rest of my life and to leave in my will to Sean. The corn doesn't matter so much, so if you have the jumbo bag that you bought from the Boy Scouts in 1988, just use that.<br />
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You do need to buy two things:<br />
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<ol><li>A jar of "<b>Real Theater Coconut Oil</b>" (the 1 lb. jar should last you around a year) ($7.95)</li>
<li><b>Flavacol Butter-Flavored Seasoned Salt</b> (this is what makes movie theater popcorn yellow, even before you add butter) ($2.25 for a quart, which will last you the rest of your life)</li>
</ol><div>Once you have your supplies, it takes little effort to crank out delicious popcorn at home.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Ingredients:</b></div><div><br />
</div><div>3 tbsp coconut oil</div><div>2 tsp Flavacol butter-flavored salt</div><div>1/3 cup unpopped popcorn</div><div><br />
</div><div>First, you will need to melt your coconut oil. It is a solid at room temperature, much like Crisco, so set it in a warm place until it is liquid. I used my sunporch in the summer and tried to use the "warm" setting on my oven last time. Not my best idea. I almost melted the plastic jar and would have spilled all of the oil into the oven. You can sit the jar in a bowl of hot water, too.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Put the oil in a medium saucepan for which you have a lid. Heat it over medium heat for about 10 seconds, then add the Flavacol. Stir to dissolve the flavacol in the oil.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmLR8ZPlZF_D0HYRGx9PE3Afeg4sHGv1RmhoWGRzvT4VrcVknpuqfsKXOiO8GU5c4g7G9aoril9irPvbmwwyPZqvhhe7q74WRRIo5JY62iTJLi-S4XU_UntSpbNtcka61WqR5Y5IVXkg/s1600/DSCN2350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmLR8ZPlZF_D0HYRGx9PE3Afeg4sHGv1RmhoWGRzvT4VrcVknpuqfsKXOiO8GU5c4g7G9aoril9irPvbmwwyPZqvhhe7q74WRRIo5JY62iTJLi-S4XU_UntSpbNtcka61WqR5Y5IVXkg/s320/DSCN2350.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>To test the oil for the perfect popping temperature, put 5 kernels of unpopped corn in and close the lid. Just let it sit there until all 5 kernels have popped. Now you can add your 1/3 cup of popcorn.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkuMVvR4_hKHlnZSasa0yZfJgknVVug7zZ5RDsYepCCTcVi7DRI4a9H_qkmzADYryTDVxruO8xw2XpWI8KFnfD6UOmAreSJg5hbf4QcMbhBwhO38FVdQqpUsfw6XKG4J_MX98lKXMuoA/s1600/DSCN2352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkuMVvR4_hKHlnZSasa0yZfJgknVVug7zZ5RDsYepCCTcVi7DRI4a9H_qkmzADYryTDVxruO8xw2XpWI8KFnfD6UOmAreSJg5hbf4QcMbhBwhO38FVdQqpUsfw6XKG4J_MX98lKXMuoA/s320/DSCN2352.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Close the lid quickly and gently shake the pan on the burner. Shake, shake, shake while the kernels pop. My measly 1/3 cup of kernels expanded to completely fill up this pan. Just like microwave popcorn, you are done when the popping sounds are about 2 seconds apart.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3GhWGRXjl7VPmbVNIYlqQxEOeSqYg3v0GROfj3xHb6tnhB8CfDaNUFyTqhSomDqnh1sSHJ9q4cGZ3zXsYUcKZuxEKtehhCx0s6z72wkTox25QqG9WXUQ0Oomu1sAuNgT1mH_Dsh1WeI/s1600/DSCN2353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3GhWGRXjl7VPmbVNIYlqQxEOeSqYg3v0GROfj3xHb6tnhB8CfDaNUFyTqhSomDqnh1sSHJ9q4cGZ3zXsYUcKZuxEKtehhCx0s6z72wkTox25QqG9WXUQ0Oomu1sAuNgT1mH_Dsh1WeI/s320/DSCN2353.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>You can see that the popcorn looks like the pricey kind you buy at the theater. We have been having "at-home date nights" with this popcorn and movies for awhile now and find that the experience is just as good at the theater and definitely cheaper.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yum-CoKmAuyCpyBKzfyRdpajsZM3rBgoairhtBrSJgGNPOnqIse2w0l5JX93VETQY4oZhamh7pOuU-oog0jA_Sa-niru9eNQDgturZ8zwrViSVlSZ8XqR6o3riAuveeQx3yzKZUfKFQ/s1600/DSCN2354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yum-CoKmAuyCpyBKzfyRdpajsZM3rBgoairhtBrSJgGNPOnqIse2w0l5JX93VETQY4oZhamh7pOuU-oog0jA_Sa-niru9eNQDgturZ8zwrViSVlSZ8XqR6o3riAuveeQx3yzKZUfKFQ/s320/DSCN2354.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
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</div><div>If you are looking for a good snack to feed hungry crowds for any reason (my husband is getting ramped up for college basketball), this is definitely a hit. You will be amazed at how cheap and easy it is to get great results. You will never buy microwave popcorn again, I promise.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-86496645128552199322011-09-28T08:23:00.000-04:002011-09-28T08:23:59.821-04:00"I Have to Kill You All Now" Chocolate Chip CookiesIf you are wondering about the title to this recipe, no need to worry. I have not suddenly stopped taking meds or started listening to strange voices in my head. This is my mother's super-secret world's-best cookie recipe and I am cringing a bit to be sharing it with the world. I used to joke that I would share it with people, but I would have to kill them right after. This is the recipe that won my husband's heart and that has the power to bring peace in the Middle East. You can thank me later.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1Hsz_aFz8qpDYlTxwrJZfwBdRZ2z4OZ_ORhUpTiV3lpukRNVd4085b1-rMVsI4cqQDa8f1Ehq26X6bzbSgej5seEO2zx5OTCb7bbRuQLQrDE49IfC3TErebcETt69_ETrfrwDW1yCQM/s1600/DSCN2262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1Hsz_aFz8qpDYlTxwrJZfwBdRZ2z4OZ_ORhUpTiV3lpukRNVd4085b1-rMVsI4cqQDa8f1Ehq26X6bzbSgej5seEO2zx5OTCb7bbRuQLQrDE49IfC3TErebcETt69_ETrfrwDW1yCQM/s320/DSCN2262.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1/2 cup shortening (consider buying Crisco sticks)<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
1/2 cup light brown sugar<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla<br />
1 egg, lightly beaten<br />
1 cup plus 2 tbsp sifted flour<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz.)<br />
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To start, measure out your shortening. As I was making this, I went to the pantry to reach for my handy Crisco sticks only to find that I was out. The horror! I did have a tub of Crisco, so I did this one old school. Start by putting 1 cup of water into a 2-cup measuring cup. Now add Crisco, pushing it down under the water, until you are at the 1 1/2 cup line (or the 2-cup line if you are making a double batch, as I did). Crisco that is sticking above the water doesn't count towards the measurement, so cram it down in there. See, now you can really appreciate the Crisco sticks. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSjOD0Vh6NON8zsJWlUjuH-TQ71sUlGO7Hv9eKzpDpfiLRC9s68x7CF3KJL5kzuUjCWzq_f0jIHTXdiLZW_UM7tjog_HNRmeEZXpuBeQ2zGG1I5Kt7XL1HDAqgPsAsgFMEEsjnzJ-C-A/s1600/DSCN2257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSjOD0Vh6NON8zsJWlUjuH-TQ71sUlGO7Hv9eKzpDpfiLRC9s68x7CF3KJL5kzuUjCWzq_f0jIHTXdiLZW_UM7tjog_HNRmeEZXpuBeQ2zGG1I5Kt7XL1HDAqgPsAsgFMEEsjnzJ-C-A/s320/DSCN2257.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Drain the water off and add the Crisco to your bowl. Add both of the sugars and the vanilla and cream it together. You can do this with a mixer, but I prefer to do it by hand because I think that the consistency is fluffier. Just squash it with the back of a spoon until it is all smooth and the same color.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBzf09ufKIyxlPvFzEFRvMR0uIWsXRRIIjVRdl9lly1ZoC0o8J34LGduwljQ2L_C-jCOjQYZ119ZlCgf0BtHlLDZIf9ptfYQFUQSF0HRcSGn6yv7qIdi3iBHsHI9rMkJ7SCgqbk54cNAo/s1600/DSCN2258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBzf09ufKIyxlPvFzEFRvMR0uIWsXRRIIjVRdl9lly1ZoC0o8J34LGduwljQ2L_C-jCOjQYZ119ZlCgf0BtHlLDZIf9ptfYQFUQSF0HRcSGn6yv7qIdi3iBHsHI9rMkJ7SCgqbk54cNAo/s320/DSCN2258.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Add the egg to the creamed sugar mixture and mix well. Now you do want to use your trusty hand mixer. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix again. Now it's starting to look like cookie dough. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqK2QN0fPzR32B_iphqBBs8nCVMZKIQ952hQQBIYUryUnVFbCKC4XvWTS_kwVUYtSg9rQ82r7AXfQINtSfPH0ZnoxYkR8hbrFw-pgDB7O1nsAWcc5fCv5eKuQWkizOLQQYoU4WwN2n2X8/s1600/DSCN2259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqK2QN0fPzR32B_iphqBBs8nCVMZKIQ952hQQBIYUryUnVFbCKC4XvWTS_kwVUYtSg9rQ82r7AXfQINtSfPH0ZnoxYkR8hbrFw-pgDB7O1nsAWcc5fCv5eKuQWkizOLQQYoU4WwN2n2X8/s320/DSCN2259.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Stir in the chocolate chips by hand. If you use the mixer at this stage, you can nick your chocolate chips. While it is definitely not going to hurt the taste to have bits of chocolate chips in there, they will look prettier if they are whole. Now taste it. You know that you want to. I have been tasting this for years and have never once been sick with <i>Salmonella</i>, but if you are antsy about that, you can always buy pasteurized eggs.<br />
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Drop your cookie dough by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-12 minutes at 375 degrees. Knowing when to remove them from the oven takes practice and is basically what will make or break your cookies. Keep in mind that these will continue to get darker as they cool, so pull them out when they are not quite as dark as you like. <br />
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Let them rest on the cookie sheet for 1 minute, then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Here's what the bottom should look like after cooling:<br />
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Enjoy with a big glass of milk. Figure out a spot to hide them or they will be gone quickly. Prepare for the parade in honor of you and your magnificent cookies.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfLMjlYzJb9bQ159WY1OzoaV1fxibsBXuussQWAUbrj1ehdxQ7qgjYzDEzkis2qdwLeB4aC9P3LYOPSjJBUIAsJOI2qJZjQ1-vR9E-YrUSPsw5mFaPx2XdK-b7h4DTNmnJfoIHni2Asg/s1600/DSCN2266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfLMjlYzJb9bQ159WY1OzoaV1fxibsBXuussQWAUbrj1ehdxQ7qgjYzDEzkis2qdwLeB4aC9P3LYOPSjJBUIAsJOI2qJZjQ1-vR9E-YrUSPsw5mFaPx2XdK-b7h4DTNmnJfoIHni2Asg/s320/DSCN2266.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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A single batch of this recipe yields roughly 18 cookies, using about 1 tbsp of dough for each cookie. Your yield may be slightly higher, but I can't resist grazing on this delicious dough while the first batch is in the oven. The only caveat with these is that they are only good for about 3 days after baking, after which they become hockey pucks. See, a ready-made excuse to just go nuts as soon as they come out of the oven.<br />
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This may be the best recipe in my whole box. I hope that you enjoy it as much as my family and I have.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-85258009919119094622011-09-26T08:29:00.000-04:002011-09-26T08:29:50.629-04:00Chicken Lasagna Roll-UpsFor someone who loves to cook and bake, I don't really spend much time watching the Food Network. In our house, we watch a lot more "Dora the Explorer" and "Blue's Clues" these days. Still, one of my favorite cooking shows is "Semi-Homemade" with Sandra Lee. And I have to admit, it's not even about the food. I just love the way that she changes the entire look of her kitchen for every episode, from valences to dishes to her apron. The part of me that wants to make crafts is intrigued, but the bigger part that is just lazy doesn't seem to get around to doing that in my own home.<br />
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I recently bought a copy of Sandra Lee's newest book, <u>Semi-Homemade: The Complete Cookbook</u>, and have become enthralled with her recipe for Chicken Lasagna Roll-Ups. It got two thumbs-up from my husband, whose comment was, "Can we have this every week?" It can be mostly done ahead and makes a great meal for busy weeknights.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
12 lasagna noodles<br />
15 oz. ricotta cheese<br />
1 egg, lightly beaten<br />
1 tbsp Italian seasoning<br />
1 tbsp crushed garlic<br />
1 tbsp parsley<br />
24 oz. jar of marinara sauce<br />
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken<br />
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella<br />
2 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese<br />
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, unless you are making this in the morning to cook at night, in which case this is a bad idea. Boil a large pot of water and add your lasagna noodles. I usually throw in 2 or 3 extra noodles because no matter how thoroughly I stir them, one or two seem to stick to the bottom of the pan while they cook and tear when I drain them. Once the water returns to a boil, set the timer for 8 minutes. At the end of the cook time, drain the noodles and rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking and to keep the naughty noodles from burning your fingers in a bit.<br />
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Now make the filling. In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, egg, Italian seasoning, garlic, and parsley. <br />
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Take a 9x13" pan and spread about 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom to keep the noodles from sticking later. Now place a piece of waxed paper on your counter for a work surface (trust me, this next part is messy and you do NOT want to try to use a paper towel for this). Lay one lasagna noodle on the waxed paper and spread about 3 tbsp of ricotta on it. Just eyeball it, using roughly 1/12 of everything with each noodle. Top with about 3 tbsp chicken and 2 tbsp mozzarella. Again, just guess.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5vqK9yhC1IQMnLzpGVpU7lfiORdDDIxsvM9YFzbj1DiKDMJGdHqv9u7UArYV1Pu39_lOz1uuEARhvg0JJQFZF59WQmvMIkzFQK4ZLlQrL2zLgGhDSsWMvaeK24nZnwAV4LZxbBazzAyU/s1600/DSCN2247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5vqK9yhC1IQMnLzpGVpU7lfiORdDDIxsvM9YFzbj1DiKDMJGdHqv9u7UArYV1Pu39_lOz1uuEARhvg0JJQFZF59WQmvMIkzFQK4ZLlQrL2zLgGhDSsWMvaeK24nZnwAV4LZxbBazzAyU/s320/DSCN2247.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Now roll it up like you were rolling cigars in Cuba. Some of the filling will try to escape out the sides, but this is okay. Just poke it back in and keep going.<br />
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Put the little rolls into your prepared dish. It will hold exactly 12 of them. This rolling stage is somewhat time-consuming, taking me 15-20 minutes to roll 12 of them, so factor it in if the queen is coming to dinner and you don't want her to have to wait.<br />
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Pour the rest of the marinara sauce over the top of everything and cover the whole thing with foil. If you are making this in the morning for later that day, just slide it into the fridge now. If you just can't wait and want to have it right now, bake it for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle it with the Parmesan cheese, then bake about 10 minutes more to get a little crispy on top. Serve it hot (duh).<br />
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This recipe has become a staple in our household but would also work as a meal that you bring to a potluck or to someone in need. It is a quick, easy, and delicious meal for any night of the week.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-30732249793373572522011-09-23T08:49:00.000-04:002011-09-23T08:49:38.456-04:00Apple Cream Cheese Bundt CakeToday is the first official day of fall, and here in Hagerstown the leaves are starting to change and the air is definitely more crisp. Time for apple recipes! Today's was the cover of Southern Living magazine recently. It was so pretty that we had to give it a try. Take a look and tell me if you could have resisted.<br />
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Yeah, I think not. <br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
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<b>Apple Cake Batter:</b><br />
1 cup finely chopped pecans (see if your store sells "candy pieces" -- these are perfect)<br />
3 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1 cup packed light brown sugar<br />
2 tsp cinnamon<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tsp nutmeg<br />
1/2 tsp allspice<br />
3 large eggs, lightly beaten<br />
3/4 cup canola oil<br />
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
3 cups peeled and finely chopped Gala apples (about 3 apples worth)<br />
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<b>Cream Cheese Filling:</b><br />
8 oz. cream cheese, softened<br />
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), softened<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
1 large egg<br />
2 tbsp all-purpose flour<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
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<b>Praline Frosting:</b><br />
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar<br />
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)<br />
3 tbsp milk<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted<br />
Pecan halves (for garnish)<br />
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Whew! Hang in there. I know that it is a lot of ingredients, but this cake is so worth it.<br />
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Start by preparing the pecans for the apple cake batter. Put them in a shallow pan and bake them at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, stirring at the halfway mark. These smell great when they are done! Let them cool while you prepare the cream cheese filling. Beat together the cream cheese, butter, and sugar. Add the egg, flour, and vanilla and beat it until it is just combined. See, that wasn't so bad!<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Now peel, core, and chop the apples. You are going for little pieces here.</div><div><br />
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Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda for the cake batter. Add the sugar, brown sugar, and spices.<br />
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Stir in the eggs, canola oil, applesauce, and vanilla, just until moist. Too much stirring will lead to a dense cake, and believe me, that's not what you want here. Mix in the apples and pecans. The cake will be pretty chunky by this point.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCztri2K7bOWGRvhEuKDrSb9AEWTopKD8GyEDO96d5QYXTpUYdy3RszMUY7M6fLfdDyPO_7kxyo9r41TYeyo_EJG4uxvqEQBqCkFKAWDkNbhFIfRFgE4t-h7ycxHKT4g1DjBmtYlySbTs/s1600/DSCN2224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCztri2K7bOWGRvhEuKDrSb9AEWTopKD8GyEDO96d5QYXTpUYdy3RszMUY7M6fLfdDyPO_7kxyo9r41TYeyo_EJG4uxvqEQBqCkFKAWDkNbhFIfRFgE4t-h7ycxHKT4g1DjBmtYlySbTs/s320/DSCN2224.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Next, grease and flour a 14-cup Bundt pan. You probably got one for your wedding and just stuck it in a closet somewhere, so go dig for it. Sadly, this will not work with the pretty Bundt pan that looks like a flower or castle or whatever -- its simply too much cake. Go for the plain Jane pan.<br />
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Next, spoon 2/3 of the cake batter into the pan. Dump all of the cream cheese filling on top. Attempt to swirl it. I say "attempt" because the cake batter is pretty dense, as is the filling, and they just won't swirl well. Try not to worry about it. It's not the end of the world.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65nVM8d-Xiv0giARhm21oYgQ1m7AriBt1yFsPYIlJfGw3ZJUHEdx6Nm29oNIVe0NVhPmQXmJf8wHU9fZf_0-sn1piCHHIIZwM1FfXYipVQ4iSoRfsJBKoZKw8DN5I5TIlBKdfQPC7ztA/s1600/DSCN2225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65nVM8d-Xiv0giARhm21oYgQ1m7AriBt1yFsPYIlJfGw3ZJUHEdx6Nm29oNIVe0NVhPmQXmJf8wHU9fZf_0-sn1piCHHIIZwM1FfXYipVQ4iSoRfsJBKoZKw8DN5I5TIlBKdfQPC7ztA/s320/DSCN2225.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Top with the remaining 1/3 of cake batter. Into the oven it goes, baking at 350 degrees for 1 hour - 1 hour fifteen minutes. Mine was done at the one hour mark. You want to poke it with a toothpick to determine if the middle is done, but a toothpick is way too short. I ended up improvising and using a shish-ka-bob skewer. Once Mr. Cake is done baking, take him out of the oven but leave him in the pan for 15 minutes. Just put the pan up on a wire rack to let it cool a bit (about 15 minutes). Then you can remove him from the pan to finish cooling. It will take about 2 hours for this big boy to completely cool, so get out your patient pants.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyobidMJLtQlcQrenkALBUApMAvlvZvkgohbQjeU_XLT5jLjEqXRjYvKdJcvW-7LNMbkXfjwCmOSgVEIoahxGiM4J2QqcmYHSOvzpKYSD81ZJlZSlYli7hf8Qw2LfZJFSVllFFis0yxI/s1600/DSCN2228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyobidMJLtQlcQrenkALBUApMAvlvZvkgohbQjeU_XLT5jLjEqXRjYvKdJcvW-7LNMbkXfjwCmOSgVEIoahxGiM4J2QqcmYHSOvzpKYSD81ZJlZSlYli7hf8Qw2LfZJFSVllFFis0yxI/s320/DSCN2228.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
When the cake is finally cool, you can make the frosting. First, put your cake onto its permanent home, which in my case is a cake stand. I like to put a strip of waxed paper under each side of the cake before frosting it. Then when you are done, you can gently pull the waxed paper out and your cake plate looks clean and pretty, like in a magazine.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzvA7NOVlKGtbTAv2dyCVYC5GFBslEzTE1Ker0rGAoqw8SJAjJFJuaVuhbyUzByfsFvmvHMbXlC1koZKFF2nGsayIlN0JMFnV3wKbMGiJYUMnveHU2c-1nnQ3YUl3jkNH3oSJ8OrZQ4g/s1600/DSCN2229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzvA7NOVlKGtbTAv2dyCVYC5GFBslEzTE1Ker0rGAoqw8SJAjJFJuaVuhbyUzByfsFvmvHMbXlC1koZKFF2nGsayIlN0JMFnV3wKbMGiJYUMnveHU2c-1nnQ3YUl3jkNH3oSJ8OrZQ4g/s320/DSCN2229.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Put the brown sugar, butter, and milk into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil it for 1 minute. This will boil off some of the water that is naturally in butter and milk and make your frosting thicker and creamier. Remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Gradually whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. <br />
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Now I have to admit my mistake. Here you are supposed to stir it gently for 3-5 minutes, letting it cool and thicken, before pouring it over the cake. That gets the nice chunky brown frosting that you see in Southern Living's picture. But my toddler was whining, my husband was hungry, and I was trying to make dinner at the same time, and I completely missed this step. My frosting was thin and runny but still tasted fine. Forgive me!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2goLS0ddQWIG-uQWz-rOy1dIZlgiIGbP7-xL9nPYBgsL8VhF_dx7PfLr8XkpNs96pJrYrZRWcLC0mrgpcw32_M8qIq9NHKhzxKkQKx3IXJdDjzCcP8SlhHnYprZ_ddp9-ZGe90_Nunk/s1600/DSCN2230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2goLS0ddQWIG-uQWz-rOy1dIZlgiIGbP7-xL9nPYBgsL8VhF_dx7PfLr8XkpNs96pJrYrZRWcLC0mrgpcw32_M8qIq9NHKhzxKkQKx3IXJdDjzCcP8SlhHnYprZ_ddp9-ZGe90_Nunk/s320/DSCN2230.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Finally, sprinkle it with pecan halves for garnish. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pKCJcMqRj_W2B5MLFFHUZOaJVmCPJjUOFaFyRzmnchRkOkxF0aTuI5ArdPy1j7E6meKcWw5umFh7UnYRylvsCSLgSH_iW6Cdmm2DS4Tf8bvoH1q6QYCeBMNKtWwKPNU7zArgsu6EExo/s1600/DSCN2232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pKCJcMqRj_W2B5MLFFHUZOaJVmCPJjUOFaFyRzmnchRkOkxF0aTuI5ArdPy1j7E6meKcWw5umFh7UnYRylvsCSLgSH_iW6Cdmm2DS4Tf8bvoH1q6QYCeBMNKtWwKPNU7zArgsu6EExo/s320/DSCN2232.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I was really pleased by this cake. The spices were reminiscent of hot apple cider and the chopped apples gave it a really nice consistency. It made a large amount of dessert, perfect for a fall get-together, and lasted over a week without changing consistency. I will definitely make it again. It was a wonderful treat to welcome fall.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-81124000937030602722011-09-16T15:21:00.000-04:002011-09-16T15:21:53.225-04:00Apple Gorgonzola Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qB5oUKhvVbZWdo9eMarxYkQ5_2ngRqVcAqamFiIINfn42oBZZWj1NiFV_3y2xnqSi_mHlYCr7KPbssGiZtrbLFVwrZeZpj8Nb1UqYmj9Z97iYEebyeHRkE0x417kXZGX739aPHIFX98/s1600/DSCN2243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qB5oUKhvVbZWdo9eMarxYkQ5_2ngRqVcAqamFiIINfn42oBZZWj1NiFV_3y2xnqSi_mHlYCr7KPbssGiZtrbLFVwrZeZpj8Nb1UqYmj9Z97iYEebyeHRkE0x417kXZGX739aPHIFX98/s320/DSCN2243.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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To those of you who see the word "salad" and cheer, thinking that it was all going to be unhealthy (but tasty) dessert recipes, I am super happy for you. For the rest of you, those screaming, "NOOOO!", bear with me. The next post will be a cake, I promise.<br />
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My friend Jimi (www.jimiripley.com) brought over this very tasty salad for a get-together, and I actually liked it. This is practically a miracle, since I am decidedly not a salad person. So here it is, the one and only salad recipe that is likely to come across this blog for awhile.<br />
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<b>Ingredients Part 1 (Spiced California Walnuts)</b><br />
1 egg white<br />
1 tbsp water<br />
2 cups California walnut halves and pieces<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
1 tsp cinnamon<br />
1/2 tsp allspice<br />
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<b>Ingredients Part 2 (Buca di Beppo Red Wine Vinaigrette)</b><br />
1/3 cup red wine vinegar<br />
3/4 tsp oregano<br />
1/2 tsp dry mustard (from the spice aisle, not the condiment aisle)<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 pinch black pepper<br />
1/8 cup red onion, chopped fine<br />
1 1/2 tsp garlic, chopped<br />
3/4 cup olive oil<br />
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<b>Ingredients Part 3 (Apple Gorgonzola Salad)</b><br />
1 Granny Smith apple (half chopped, half sliced for garnish)<br />
8 oz. Romaine lettuce (chopped)<br />
2 tbsp Gorgonzola cheese (crumbled)<br />
2 oz. Spiced California Walnuts (chopped)<br />
1/4 cup dried cranberries<br />
1/2 cup Buca di Beppo Red Wine Vinaigrette<br />
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I know, its a lot of ingredients. Bear with me. Do you want to impress your in-laws or not?<br />
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<b>Part 1: The Walnuts</b><br />
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To start, don't buy your walnuts in the baking aisle with all of the other nuts in tiny bags unless you have a Swiss bank account to tap into or recently sold a kidney on eBay. I got mine from a grocery store with a bulk bin section and only paid about $3.50 for all of them, a substantial savings. <br />
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You can prepare the walnuts in advance, so don't feel like you need to do this the day of the salad extravaganza. Preheat your oven to 225 degrees. Combine the egg white and water and beat it until it is foamy. This is your "glue." Add the walnuts and toss to coat. Pour it into a strainer and let it drain for a few minutes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCKpKOr3PCW6qDfFnvbu7zsMxzdcre418-AyL-jo4ITFzUmtR4gbh3s69SqPvWRaGYl9nq6_AkZErn3dGQvt6wYar8Q0l-y6Vm-zKSBkfRUd4QibdNVp6RpEJzUwT-MN_RTIm6RsdsZs/s1600/DSCN2233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCKpKOr3PCW6qDfFnvbu7zsMxzdcre418-AyL-jo4ITFzUmtR4gbh3s69SqPvWRaGYl9nq6_AkZErn3dGQvt6wYar8Q0l-y6Vm-zKSBkfRUd4QibdNVp6RpEJzUwT-MN_RTIm6RsdsZs/s320/DSCN2233.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yes, that is a sippy cup in the sink. I am often lazy about dishes. Combine the sugar, allspice, and cinnamon in a big Ziploc bag and shake it to get all of the spices mixed. Add the walnuts to the bag and shake, shake, shake. Dump them onto an ungreased cookie sheet pan and make sure that they are in a single layer. Bake them for an hour, stirring them every 15 minutes so that they don't weld themselves into one giant nut. By the third stir, they should be smelling pretty good. Cool them completely on the pan, break up any that are trying to hug, and store them in an airtight container.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We almost didn't manage to have any nuts left for the salad. My toddler discovered them and really, really, REALLY liked them. He grazed all afternoon. These would be great in a little care package just by themselves, without any of the salad part of the salad.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwluSjaHpM8mTrWHod_DkcScxLHTgT8Kw4TM8K-u0zcTsRZlwzW7LND_31TVFKz8KH-gtOXCNb2T_oCfZy_xKsVmIlWXGxJwX8Q01LXhQU1PTMPczJGbt_GfmKo1HiidvlO317AMbyEs/s1600/DSCN2236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwluSjaHpM8mTrWHod_DkcScxLHTgT8Kw4TM8K-u0zcTsRZlwzW7LND_31TVFKz8KH-gtOXCNb2T_oCfZy_xKsVmIlWXGxJwX8Q01LXhQU1PTMPczJGbt_GfmKo1HiidvlO317AMbyEs/s320/DSCN2236.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Part 2: The Vinaigrette</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is also pretty easy and fast, but you can't do it too far in advance. It is ideal to do it about 30 minutes before you serve it -- long enough for the flavors to combine, but not long enough for things to try to separate out. You will need your blender for this one.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Combine the red wine vinegar, oregano, dry mustard, salt, and pepper in the blender. Dump in the garlic and onion. Hit "puree". Watch it go round and round for a bit. If your blender has a "hatch" in the top (and even my cheapo blender has one), open the hatch, trying not to hose down your kitchen in vinegar, and slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Blend until it is smooth. Like I said, let it sit a bit before using. The red onion and red wine vinegar give this a pretty pink color.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcyfpTM8QjdMrmKL7iBGYcORotd7o1czQZwqmwkEc54v1NCwUSgW3WDtuPZhpHb6iObWHKIJ2S5fTLV5PVHiv0RpzyDrVBKo0VfUBosThMUMKuB5QKtVckVZ4aA1dlngynWpsHD7FOME/s1600/DSCN2235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcyfpTM8QjdMrmKL7iBGYcORotd7o1czQZwqmwkEc54v1NCwUSgW3WDtuPZhpHb6iObWHKIJ2S5fTLV5PVHiv0RpzyDrVBKo0VfUBosThMUMKuB5QKtVckVZ4aA1dlngynWpsHD7FOME/s320/DSCN2235.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<b>Part 3: Salad Assembly</b><br />
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At last, the moment has come to assemble the salad. To prep the apple, first peel it. Next, slice off two sides along the core and then cut those two sides into long slices for garnish. Chop up the rest of the apple, minus the core. You will need to wash and cut up the lettuce, drying it in a salad spinner. Or you can take the lazy route, which is what I did, and just buy a bag of "thoroughly washed" lettuce. Add the vinaigrette to the lettuce in whatever proportions make you happy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglK-Z43vQ4I3SZVIn428p530lB6xwhzLfnPcHw_MOEdTwAJ4KM46B0_X89xAlpw44GyIQzu5vDSP8dOaqz8Ndv8trCkZ_27j-KCpwfX-ctyIjV6fiMXe_0wdVhPffr5k8gl8V_DPfSNc0/s1600/DSCN2242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglK-Z43vQ4I3SZVIn428p530lB6xwhzLfnPcHw_MOEdTwAJ4KM46B0_X89xAlpw44GyIQzu5vDSP8dOaqz8Ndv8trCkZ_27j-KCpwfX-ctyIjV6fiMXe_0wdVhPffr5k8gl8V_DPfSNc0/s320/DSCN2242.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Almost done! You want to add the chopped apples, 3/4 of the walnuts, and 3/4 of the gorgonzola, then toss the salad well. When you put it into bowls for your adoring crowd, garnish it with the rest of the walnuts, the cranberries, and the cheese. Then decorate the edge of the bowls with the sliced apples. Stand back and bask in the compliments.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qB5oUKhvVbZWdo9eMarxYkQ5_2ngRqVcAqamFiIINfn42oBZZWj1NiFV_3y2xnqSi_mHlYCr7KPbssGiZtrbLFVwrZeZpj8Nb1UqYmj9Z97iYEebyeHRkE0x417kXZGX739aPHIFX98/s1600/DSCN2243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qB5oUKhvVbZWdo9eMarxYkQ5_2ngRqVcAqamFiIINfn42oBZZWj1NiFV_3y2xnqSi_mHlYCr7KPbssGiZtrbLFVwrZeZpj8Nb1UqYmj9Z97iYEebyeHRkE0x417kXZGX739aPHIFX98/s320/DSCN2243.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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This wasn't nearly as difficult or time-consuming as it seems, trust me. It was also delicious, and you can take that from someone who is decidedly not a salad person. I hope that you have a chance to impress your own friends and family with this crisp and tasty salad.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-61232973260409019372011-09-14T15:35:00.000-04:002011-09-14T15:35:12.544-04:00Zucchini Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbkBLFhTQPXPAXX0HAFUhDvyE9kmhhrAzZqI7tdbNKa-4nMnoqZO4gm46BhG8Hk0Nvfp-_kDHTNrJLWhViYBjPg0A2ff9ddiuqR6E0KrcR3GrY18Hhcra0kqhIIJIveDWkrqGDMO3GUM/s1600/DSCN2218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbkBLFhTQPXPAXX0HAFUhDvyE9kmhhrAzZqI7tdbNKa-4nMnoqZO4gm46BhG8Hk0Nvfp-_kDHTNrJLWhViYBjPg0A2ff9ddiuqR6E0KrcR3GrY18Hhcra0kqhIIJIveDWkrqGDMO3GUM/s320/DSCN2218.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Here in Maryland, gardens are turning out bushels of zucchinis. I was fortunate to be given one by a nice couple in my church that was big enough to club someone to death with. I have never seen one that big, and I regret that I didn't get a picture of it before we attacked it like wolverines. The problem was that I didn't have any recipes requiring zucchini. My friend Marina was nice enough to send me a recipe for Zucchini Bread that she had found on AllRecipes.com, and it turned out to be a real winner.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
3 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
3 tsp cinnamon<br />
3 eggs<br />
1 cup vegetable oil (I said that it was tasty, not that it was good for you)<br />
2 1/4 cups sugar<br />
3 tsp vanilla<br />
2 cups grated zucchini (1 decent-sized zucchini)<br />
1 cup chopped walnuts<br />
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Start out by greasing and flouring 2 8x4" loaf pans. These are the normal-sized ones, so don't feel the need to get your ruler out. I actually chose to go with 4 smaller pans for this, since my husband and I can't go through a whole loaf of bread before it goes stale. The pan is made by Wilton, and you can probably find it at about any store that sells cake decorating stuff such as Michaels. I also opted to use Pillsbury's "Baking" spray, which is basically grease and flour in a can. Trust me, this worked just as well and is by far easier and less messy than the old method.<br />
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Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon (basically all of the dry ingredients except sugar). I have recently been using a new sifter. It is just a fine wire mesh strainer that I picked up at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and I really prefer it to my old one with the hand crank. The only problem is cleaning all of those tiny holes. The hand-cranked ones were also hard to clean and it took much longer to get the ingredients through them. Just beat this one against the side of your hand and it is done.<br />
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In another bowl, beat the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together, then gradually add the dry ingredients. Beat it well. It deserves it.<br />
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Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and mix well. Now its time for the star of the show, the zucchini. I like to just wash it, whack the ends off, and feed it through the food processor with the shredder disk on it. Done and done in about 10 seconds. If you don't have a food processor with a shredder disk, feel free to spend about 6 hours manually shredding it. I weep for you.<br />
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I decided not to peel the zucchini because the peel is a good source of dietary fiber and besides, you will never know that its in there. In case you're wondering, zucchini is also high in potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, the B complex vitamins, and folate and is low in calories. <br />
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I had no earthly idea how many zucchinis to buy to equal two cups, so I ended up shredding 2 medium-sized ones. That yielded about twice as much as I needed, so I simply froze the other half. Now the next time that I want to make this bread I will have pre-shredded zucchini that was in season, all ready to go.<br />
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Stir your shredded zucchini and the nuts into the batter. Pour it into the prepared pans and stick it in the oven. My recipe says to bake it for 40-60 minutes, but it took 60 minutes in the mini pans, so expect at least an hour for full-sized loaves. Basically leave it in there until a toothpick comes out clean.<br />
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When it comes out of the oven, leave it in the pan but put the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes or so before you take it out. Then you can remove it in one piece. It will still need to cool a bit, so you will have to continue to be patient. <br />
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This bread is so tasty that my picky toddler will even eat it for breakfast, which is practically a miracle since he seems to be living on crackers and air most of the time. We ate one of the four loaves in the first few days and wrapped the others up for the freezer. It freezes extremely well in case you want to get ahead on your holiday baking. Just wrap it up tightly in Saran wrap, then in aluminum foil. <br />
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If, like me, you are looking for a good use for zucchini, or if you simply want to try something that is good-tasting but has sneaky veggies inside, try this out.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-81892174734201631672011-09-09T15:11:00.000-04:002011-09-09T15:11:30.045-04:00Not Yo' Mama's Banana PuddingI love to collect recipes. I am getting a little obsessive about it now -- I have 4 3" 3-ring binders full of recipes that I have found online, in magazines, etc., that I haven't tried yet. I will have to live to be 135 just to try the ones that I already have, and more are added daily. The system is that they stay in the binder until I try them. If they are good, they get copied to a recipe card and go in the box in the kitchen. If bad, trash can.<br />
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I was looking for a new dessert to try when my in-laws were here for Labor Day weekend, and found Paula Deen's "Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding". Let's just say that it made it to a card. My husband, unfortunately, did not try it. He had a bad experience with banana-flavored medicine as a child and can't stand the things now. But the rest of us loved it, so all's well.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies<br />
6-8 bananas, sliced<br />
2 cups milk<br />
1 (5 oz.) box instant French vanilla pudding<br />
1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened<br />
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk<br />
1 (12 oz.) container Cool Whip<br />
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Line the bottom of a 13x9" dish with 1 bag of cookies. Voila! Instant crust. Can't be easier than that, my friend.<br />
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Next, cover the cookies with a layer of sliced bananas. I just did a single layer, and it only took about 2 bananas, but if you want to use all 6-8 bananas in the recipe, knock yourself out.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqoVzhUFcg4wNNgmorcMelNmrEZLwcK7jR_09evma9oMyBGG5OP3gBg9f2SZoldfiecH3-HmN3-DpLCmQ_MUrXLpl2I-3mTcH6jMSJI93aawezloRtqPSXSzoh3FPUJN5-HN33VAJ9lc/s1600/DSCN2187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqoVzhUFcg4wNNgmorcMelNmrEZLwcK7jR_09evma9oMyBGG5OP3gBg9f2SZoldfiecH3-HmN3-DpLCmQ_MUrXLpl2I-3mTcH6jMSJI93aawezloRtqPSXSzoh3FPUJN5-HN33VAJ9lc/s320/DSCN2187.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Now for the filling. In one bowl, mix together the 2 cups of milk and the pudding mix (that is, make pudding). Use an electric mixer to make it creamy and non-lumpy. In another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk (which is not the same thing as evaporated milk, but should be near it on the shelf). I had never used condensed milk before, but it is super sticky, so use a long-handled spoon to get it out of the can or be prepared to stick to everything for the rest of the afternoon.<br />
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Now fold the Cool Whip into the cream cheese/condensed milk bowl. To "fold" something means to combine it in such a way that you don't squash all of the air out of the puffy part, which here is the Cool Whip. So don't just grab a spoon or mixer and manhandle it. You want to dump the fluffy layer (the Cool Whip) on top of the more dense layer (the cream cheese/condensed milk). Then take a spatula and slice down the middle, like Moses parting the Red Sea, from top to bottom. When you get to the bottom, flip the spatula over to just turn over a bit of the layers. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat, again working from top to bottom. I know that this seems like a pain, and those of you who are lacking in patience will give up about 2 folds in and just go at it with a spoon, but it really does help keep a fluffy consistency.<br />
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Almost done. Add the cream cheese/condensed milk/Cool Whip mixture to the pudding mixture and stir it all up. Pour it over the cookies and bananas. Top with the other bag of cookies. Try not to curse too much when you realize that some of these cookies are broken and your masterpiece is going to look flawed. Just remember that broken cookies taste the same as whole ones.<br />
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Slide the whole thing in the fridge until you are ready to eat it. We ended up waiting a day or two before we got to try it and I think that it actually improved the taste. The cookies had had time to absorb some of the filling and had softened a bit, tasting just like a nice buttery crust. <br />
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This recipe was super-easy and didn't involve heating up the kitchen with the oven. It is also a sneaky way to get bananas down a picky 2-year-old if you are desperate and don't care that they are covered in pudding. I think that it would be interesting to try with Girl Scout shortbread cookies instead of the Chessmen, but you do whatever sounds good to you. Enjoy!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-80642401204201234512011-09-06T14:25:00.000-04:002011-09-06T14:25:24.324-04:00Postpartum Chicken CasseroleTwo years ago, our son Sean was born. Among the many people to bring us food during those first two weeks was Virginia Wagner, whose chicken casserole recipe is now known to me as Postpartum Chicken Casserole. It is truly one of my favorite recipes of all time. <br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves<br />
1 can cream of chicken soup<br />
8 oz. sour cream<br />
1/2 stick butter<br />
3/4 cup chicken broth (we will make it here, so don't buy it)<br />
2 cups Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing mix<br />
Garlic salt<br />
Pepper<br />
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When I made this, I planned to double it and make it in a 13x9" pan, but didn't have quite enough chicken to truly do that, so these pictures will look a little creamier than normal. Stick to the recipe and you will be fine.<br />
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To start, you need to put the chicken breasts in a medium saucepan, cover them with water, bring to a boil, and boil for 35 minutes. This both cooks the chicken breasts and generates that broth that we need later. Keep an eye on this, because it will foam up quite a bit. Also, the foam is "unpleasant" to try to clean off the pan later, so you should probably be prepared with an SOS pad. Just skim it off the top with a spoon before it overflows onto your stove.<br />
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Take the chicken out of the broth and put onto a cutting board. Save 3/4 cup of the broth and pitch the rest. It will not be very rich broth since we made it from white meat without skin or fat, but it will be okay. The recipe is pretty rich, so using canned chicken broth might make it too rich for you. Now cut the chicken into little cubes, or circles, or rhombuses, or whatever shape makes you happy. <br />
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Butter whatever pan you are using. For a single batch, use a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish (one of the medium round ones). Put the chicken into the dish. Sprinkle it with garlic powder and pepper to taste.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5kNknFCrwXnfN8TGZSIkJ_jXgaHevnCYel2wYDR5_AH_q_n1QgdhkI8xufJjUHFhGtpt6faRkASFCPhkiGRavPvxy9exm4mnYPyt2qfcYYKotF97cJTwulVE6mUipofHSd5pfPKCczE/s1600/DSCN2182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5kNknFCrwXnfN8TGZSIkJ_jXgaHevnCYel2wYDR5_AH_q_n1QgdhkI8xufJjUHFhGtpt6faRkASFCPhkiGRavPvxy9exm4mnYPyt2qfcYYKotF97cJTwulVE6mUipofHSd5pfPKCczE/s320/DSCN2182.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream and cream of chicken soup. Pour it over the chicken.<br />
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In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the chicken broth that you saved earlier. When the butter has melted, add the stuffing mix. Don't try to substitute Stove-Top for the Pepperidge Farm stuffing. The taste is different, and although I love Stove-Top (and was known to occasionally eat a box of it for dinner in college), it does alter the taste of the final dish. Also, never, never try to make regular stuffing out of the Pepperidge Farm stuff by stirring in boiling water and butter like Stove-Top. The result is an abomination not really recognizable as stuffing.<br />
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Tangent over. Back to the recipe. Almost done! Layer the stuffing mixture on top of the soup layer. Cover the whole thing with aluminum foil and stick it into a 350 degree oven for an hour. It smells like sunshine and happiness and love when it is done, really. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5CAFMiK3-H64lee0z4VB9J13BbZld54E0wlWR-EFzI-4M4INv1witobXG7BMCS7GzMIXG8-LYqi0Vsmm8QX6aqwYEp3dmMnFih2SW0x_7pEe1E_xk-VOqI9Fv1-RFasulEAjFpCHe4d4/s1600/DSCN2185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5CAFMiK3-H64lee0z4VB9J13BbZld54E0wlWR-EFzI-4M4INv1witobXG7BMCS7GzMIXG8-LYqi0Vsmm8QX6aqwYEp3dmMnFih2SW0x_7pEe1E_xk-VOqI9Fv1-RFasulEAjFpCHe4d4/s320/DSCN2185.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We had this the other night with baked potatoes and carrots. It was fantastic and keeps very well in the fridge for leftovers. Do try this one, because it is a wonderful rich and creamy dish.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-43957647799783330842011-08-31T15:55:00.000-04:002011-08-31T16:27:16.838-04:00Mini French Silk TartsThere is nothing that picks me up quite like a little bite of rich chocolate. These miniature versions of a French Silk Pie are wonderful for parties or simply a little bite at the end of the day.<br />
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The ingredients that you need are:<br />
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2 packages of frozen mini fillo shells (mine came 15 shells in a box), thawed<br />
1/4 cup stick butter (or 1/2 of a stick)<br />
3 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate (or 3 squares from the Baker's chocolate box)<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
2 tbsp cornstarch<br />
3 large eggs<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
1 cup heavy whipping cream (1 pint)<br />
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In a medium saucepan, melt together the butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring occasionally. You don't need to worry about a double-boiler here since you are melting the chocolate with the butter, which will protect it from scorching. Still, don't wander off to start the laundry or read your favorite new blog. It will scorch if unattended.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlb70i3DnrUGheGMMD0DExRT9qnF5Tnk9X9qaec5joVsAoWDSi0etgbq1KAFTrW5zZjrGz1AJ1au2iVyiYQAoccElxRBLjL2xjRRM1Xx2U493y44Y4kl7_BVpw7DhyI2P6-m1GdBcUGM0/s1600/DSCN2137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlb70i3DnrUGheGMMD0DExRT9qnF5Tnk9X9qaec5joVsAoWDSi0etgbq1KAFTrW5zZjrGz1AJ1au2iVyiYQAoccElxRBLjL2xjRRM1Xx2U493y44Y4kl7_BVpw7DhyI2P6-m1GdBcUGM0/s320/DSCN2137.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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When the chocolate and butter are melted, remove the pan from the heat. <br />
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Stir together the sugar and cornstarch and add it to the chocolate mixture.<br />
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Beat the eggs until they are thick and lemon-colored and stir them in as well. Cook the chocolate over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. It will change consistency. Don't be afraid! Just keep stirring until the timer goes off. Here's what it should look like at the end of those 5 minutes:<br />
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Notice how the chocolate is pulling away from the pan. It is very thick right now. Remove it from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Since the vanilla that you buy from the store is in alcohol, you never want to add it to very hot things or it will just evaporate. After adding the vanilla, let the chocolate cool for a full 10 minutes.<br />
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Here is where we part ways with a traditional French Silk Pie. Normally, you would take that cup of heavy cream and whip it for 6 minutes or so on super-high speed in a chilled bowl to get it to stiffen up, then fold in the chocolate. The result is a pie with "lumps" of cream in it. Yummy, but not what we want for our little cups. One "lump" could fill up a whole cup and we wouldn't get any chocolate, and that would be a real tragedy. We are not here for the cream, after all.<br />
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So instead, we are going to simply pour the cream, still as a liquid, into the chocolate mixture after it has cooled for those 10 minutes. Take a hand mixer and just mix like crazy until everything is well combined. <br />
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Now here is the fun (and, unfortunately, messy) part: Take a ladle and fill those little fillo shells with the delicious chocolate. I would highly recommend doing this on a cutting board or plate, and using the little ladle you can find, since this made a mess in my kitchen. Observe:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDVVGm6vt_HznVjKFZAV4JUlF6fmnBx770daq3rU1N_RYn8_-AICiOj9DziUYrv7foXg3uBAM0qH344KLRnTBXjKPqlOCnVKpf9boyrBcwourDHRVPEr9MzlKiCXejpJ5nPCnW0uuRdo/s1600/DSCN2148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDVVGm6vt_HznVjKFZAV4JUlF6fmnBx770daq3rU1N_RYn8_-AICiOj9DziUYrv7foXg3uBAM0qH344KLRnTBXjKPqlOCnVKpf9boyrBcwourDHRVPEr9MzlKiCXejpJ5nPCnW0uuRdo/s320/DSCN2148.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Also, it pours REALLY fast, so you will probably get chocolate everywhere. This recipe filled up 30 little fillo shells and still had 1 1/4 cups of chocolate leftover. I just poured that into a bowl and will eat it like chocolate mousse later.<br />
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Slide the whole cutting board or plate into the fridge for a 2-3 hours to help the chocolate set up, and voila! Mini French Silk Tarts. I served them with a little cocoa on a plate. You could also add a fancy dollop of whipped cream to the top, or a raspberry, or whatever you like. I'm a purist, so nothing but the chocolate for me.<br />
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These were delicious! My husband gave them an 8.5 on the Happy Husband scale of 1-10. They have been in our fridge for 3 days now and taste just like the day that I made them. These would be a really great little dessert for kids or parties. I hope that you give them a try.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919752717406173942.post-81476908241270278912011-08-28T16:43:00.000-04:002011-08-28T16:43:53.711-04:00Homemade In Hagerstown<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD0jz1o5nCzlY6gTzmZd_og_WW0XBc-IRjBTbyhmbE2v4VeKXjv8YZbh-lDjUSnmtqT4tTBtUJc1YVY1urUU4jjD5eA9FtJObSc0qj0OHHWpzAF3ZFnKPWJq0Ta5qSxvU05FbiofVcpYkV/s1600/DownloadedFile-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD0jz1o5nCzlY6gTzmZd_og_WW0XBc-IRjBTbyhmbE2v4VeKXjv8YZbh-lDjUSnmtqT4tTBtUJc1YVY1urUU4jjD5eA9FtJObSc0qj0OHHWpzAF3ZFnKPWJq0Ta5qSxvU05FbiofVcpYkV/s1600/DownloadedFile-1.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
First of all, thanks for stopping by! This is a brand-new blog that I am starting to share my love of new recipes and of baking. I promise to bring you along as I try new ideas, techniques, and equipment, and to let you see the results, whether they are successes or failures, so long as you promise not to laugh too much at the failures ...<br />
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I plan to try to make mini-French silk pies this afternoon ...<br />
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If you have any suggestions for things that you would like to see attempted, or any questions in general, feel free to let me know. We will figure the answers our together.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=homeinhage-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kitchen&banner=0FNCR9B2J7F8PHAZGG82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Becky Bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01900500457358114025noreply@blogger.com0