Happy Holidays Everyone!

Whew, I've been busy and haven't done much with my handy blog! Sorry, everyone. I have been a little busy with work. The interest rates have been great and that means a lot of people are scooping them up with refinances and home purchases. I will be gone for a bit, but promise to fill you in on some good stuff when I return.

Merry Christmas!

Here's a couple of recipes; one for the truffles and one for the cute little chocolate cups to hold them.

Ingredients you'll need:

Truffles:
8 ounces (227 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons alcohol (Cognac, brandy, Grand Marnier, kirsch, rum, bourbon, or Kahlua to name a few) (optional)

Different Coatings for Truffles:
Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder
Confectioners Sugar (Icing or Powdered)
Toasted and Chopped Nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts)
Toasted Coconut
Shaved Chocolate

For Chocolate Cups:
1 - 3 ounce (85 grams) bar of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon shortening (like Crisco)
2 - Empty Styrofoam Egg Cartons


For Truffles: Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth. If desired, add the liqueur. Cover and place in the refrigerator until the truffle mixture is firm (this will take several hours or overnight).

Place your coatings for the truffles on a plate. Remove the truffle mixture from the refrigerator. With your hands, or else a melon baller or small spoon form the chocolate into round or mis-shaped bite-sized balls. Immediately roll the truffle in the coating and place on a parchment lined baking sheet or tray. Cover and place in the refrigerator until firm. Truffles can be refrigerated for a couple of weeks or else frozen for a couple of months. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Makes 30 small truffles.

To Toast Nuts: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and bake nuts (pecans, walnuts or almonds) about 8 - 10 minutes or until brown and fragrant. For hazelnuts toast about 15 minutes or until the skins start to blister. Remove from oven and roll in a clean dish towel. Let the nuts 'steam' for about 5 minutes and then remove the skins. Once the nuts have cooled, chop coarsely.

For Chocolate Cups: It is easier to make the chocolate cups if you first cut each egg carton into the 12 individual egg cups (as in picture). Altogether you will need 24 individual cups. Melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Dip the bottoms of the egg carton cups into the melted chocolate. Turn the cups upside down so the chocolate coating is facing up (like in the picture). Place the remainder of the melted chocolate into a parchment paper cone with a small opening. Pipe loops around each cup, piping down from the chocolate base and back up. Refrigerate the egg carton cups until the chocolate has completely set. Once the chocolate has set, gently remove the chocolate cups from the egg carton cups. Be careful as the chocolate cups can easily break. Place a truffle into each chocolate cup and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes about 2 dozen chocolate cups.

One day to go...

Lemon Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Ingredients:
Crust:
2 cups ground gingersnap cookies
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
5 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 large eggs
3 cups (24 ounces) sour cream
2 tablespoons (packed) finely grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Lemon leaves or twists (optional)

Preparation:
For crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir cookie crumbs and butter in medium bowl until evenly moistened. Press mixture onto bottom of 9-inch-diameter removable-bottom cheesecake pan with 3-inch-high sides. Bake crust until deep golden, about 12 minutes. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Stack 3 large sheets of foil on work surface. Place same cake pan in center. Gather foil snugly around pan bottom and up sides to waterproof.

For filling:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar, then salt. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in sour cream, grated lemon peel, and lemon juice. Pour filling into pan.

Place wrapped cake pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake cake until filling is slightly puffed and moves only slightly when pan is shaken gently, about 1 hour 25 minutes. Remove cake pan from water bath; remove foil. Cool cake in pan on rack 2 hours. Chill uncovered until cold; cover and keep chilled at least 1 day and up to 2 days.

Cut around pan sides; carefully loosen pan bottom from sides and push up pan bottom to release cake. Place cake (still on pan bottom) on platter. Garnish with lemon leaves or twists.

The pan: It must be three inches high to hold all the filling. If your nine-inch springform pan is that high, it can be used instead.
The cream cheese: For best results, use Philadelphia brand.
The crust: Grind the gingersnaps in the processor or place them in a heavy-duty plastic bag and finely crush them with a rolling pin.

Two Days to go...

With two days to go before the holidays, try this little pick-me-up.

Tipsy Turtle Bark

Ingredients:
2 cups pecan halves
1 cup (about 24) caramel candies, such as Kraft, unwrapped
1 tablespoon rum, bourbon, or whisky (see tip, below)
1 1/2 teaspoons heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound high-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread pecans on large shallow baking sheet and toast until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to plate and let cool. Line baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.

In small bowl, combine caramels, liquor, cream, and salt. Microwave uncovered at medium power for 2 minutes. Stir with fork. Microwave at medium power for 1 additional minute. Stir until smooth and set aside.

In medium bowl set over saucepan of simmering water, melt half chocolate, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, add remaining chocolate, and stir until smooth. Pour half melted chocolate into small bowl and reserve.

Stir 1 cup nuts into remaining chocolate. Transfer mixture to baking sheet, spreading to 1/4- to 1/2-inch thickness. Spoon caramel over and pat on remaining pecans. Drizzle with reserved chocolate. Let cool at room temperature until set, about 2 hours. Do not chill.

Chop finished bark into irregular 1 1/2-inch chunks.

Store airtight at room temperature up to one month.

Secret Santa- Week #3

For my final week of the office secret santa, I decided to treat my special someone with a decorative box that she could use for her recipes.

Three days to go...

Dark Chocolate and Peppermint Whipped Cream Tart

Crust
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, diced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 1/2 teaspoons cold whole milk

Filling
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup light corn syrup
12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon coarsely crushed red–and–white–striped hard peppermint candies

Topping
3 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons peppermint extract

PreparationFor crust:
Blend first 4 ingredients in processor. Add butter and vanilla; cut in using on/off turns until butter forms pea–size pieces. Add milk and blend in using on/off turns until mixture forms small moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap dough in plastic; chill 1 hour.

Roll dough out between sheets of floured parchment to 12–inch round. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of 10–inch–diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Fold dough edges over and press to form thick sides. Using thumb, press dough around sides to extend crust 1/8 inch above edge of pan. Freeze 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crust until brown, piercing bubbles with fork, about 30 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool.

For filling:
Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan; remove from heat. Add all chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool 30 minutes. Pour filling into crust. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup candy. Chill until set, about 3 hours. Do aheadCan be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.

For topping:
Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in large bowl to stiff peaks. Spread 2 cups whipped cream over filling, mounding slightly in center. Spoon remaining whipped cream into 1 bottom corner of large resealable plastic bag. Twist at top; grasp top firmly. Using scissors, cut 3/4 inch off filled corner to form opening; turn bag so that 1 seam faces up. Pipe 2–inch–long ovals of whipped cream side by side around edge of tart. Pipe more ovals to form second ring inside first, then pipe ovals in center. Chill at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours. Remove tart from pan; place on platter. Sprinkle top of tart with remaining 1 tablespoon crushed peppermint candies and serve.

Four days to go...

I had such a fun time with my cookie/bar recipes last week, that I figured I would post some good dessert options for your holiday feast.

Here's a recipe for Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie

Crust:
12 whole graham crackers (about 7 ounces)
1/4 cup sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 quarts premium vanilla ice cream

Bark, sauce, and topping:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted, coarsely chopped
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar

Preparation
For crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Finely grind graham crackers in processor. Mix in sugar. Add butter; mix to blend. Press onto bottom and up sides of 10-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Bake until light brown around edges, about 12 minutes. Cool completely.

For filling:
Whisk first 9 ingredients in medium bowl. Slightly soften ice cream in microwave in 10-second intervals. Measure 1 cup ice cream; cover and freeze (reserve for another use). Spoon remaining ice cream into large bowl. Working quickly, add pumpkin mixture and fold just until swirled into ice cream (do not blend completely). If ice cream begins to melt, freeze until almost firm. Spoon ice cream filling into cooled crust, cover with plastic, and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.

For bark, sauce, and topping:
Line baking sheet with parchment paper; spray with nonstick spray. Stir chocolate in bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Pour onto baking sheet. Using offset spatula, spread chocolate in even layer into 12x9-inch rectangle. Sprinkle with nuts. Place in freezer until hard, at least 30 minutes. Invert onto work surface. Peel off paper. Coarsely chop. Place DO AHEAD: Chocolate-almond bark can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.

Bring brown sugar, corn syrup, 3 tablespoons water, and butter to boil in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and boil until dark brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Carefully stir in 1/2 cup cream, vanilla, and salt (mixture will bubble vigorously). Boil 1 minute longer. Cool slightly. DO AHEAD: Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before serving.

Using electric mixer, beat 1 1/2 cups cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl until peaks form. Spoon decoratively over pie. Sprinkle chocolate-almond bark over. Cut pie into wedges and serve, passing warm sauce alongside.

Gettin' Ready for the Holidays- Recipe #7

Chocolate Peanut Toffee

Equipment needed: a 15- by 10- by 1-inch baking pan; a candy thermometer; a metal offset spatula

Ingredients:
4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups whole cocktail peanuts plus 1 cup chopped (1 pound 10 ounces)
7 to 8 ounces 70%-cacao bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Preparation:
Butter baking pan and put on a heatproof surface.

Bring butter, sugar, and salt to a boil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat, whisking until smooth, then boil, stirring occasionally, until mixture is deep golden and registers 300°F (hard-crack stage; see Kitchen Notebook, page 240) on thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes.

Immediately stir in whole peanuts, then carefully pour hot toffee into center of baking pan. Spread with spatula, smoothing top, and let stand 1 minute, then immediately sprinkle chocolate on top. Let stand until chocolate is melted, 4 to 5 minutes, then spread over toffee with cleaned spatula. Sprinkle evenly with chopped peanuts, then freeze until chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes. Break into pieces.

Gettin' Ready for the Holidays- Recipe #6

Almond Bars

Ingredients:
1/2 cup packed canned almond paste* (about 5 oz; not marzipan), coarsely crumbled
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg, separated
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sliced almonds (about 1 1/2 oz)

Preparation:
Pulse almond paste in a food processor until broken up into small bits, then add salt and 1/4 cup sugar and continue to pulse until finely ground, about 1 minute.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan, then line with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 opposite sides, and butter foil.

Beat together butter and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a stand mixer (preferably fitted with a paddle attachment) or 6 minutes with a handheld. Add almond mixture, egg yolk, and almond extract and beat until combined well, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, then add flour and mix until combined. Spread batter evenly in pan with an offset spatula. Lightly beat egg white in a small bowl, then brush some of it over batter and sprinkle evenly with almonds.

Bake until top is golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack, about 1 hour. Transfer with foil to a cutting board, then discard foil. Cut into squares or rounds.

Gettin' Ready for the Holidays- Recipe #5

Vanilla Coconut Bars

Ingredients:
1 (18 1/2 ounce) package French vanilla cake mix (Pillsbury makes it)
1/3 cup butter
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups coconut
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°.
2. Spray 13x9 baking pan.
3. Put cake mix in lg bowl.
4. Cut in butter until crumbly.
5. Add water, vanilla, and egg; mix well.
6. Stir in coconut.
7. Press dough into pan.
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Cool for 15 minutes.
10. Melt chocolate and drizzle over cake.
11. Cool.

Gettin' Ready for the Holidays- Recipe #4

Chocolate Dipped Krispies Peanut Butter Balls

Ingredients:

Krispies:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cups chunky peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
1 lb powdered sugar
3 cups Rice Krispies

Chocolate Dip:
2 ounces paraffin wax or shortening
1 (24 ounce) package chocolate chips (using 12 ounces for large balls or 24 ounces for small one)

Directions:
1. Melt butter and while hot, stir in peanut butter.
2. Mix well and add vanilla, powdered sugar and Rice Krispies.
3. Work in with hands until it will form balls.
4. Dip into melted chocolate and paraffin with toothpick.
5. Cool on waxed paper.

Gettin' Ready for the Holidays- Recipe #3

Soft, Spicy, Heavenly Ginger Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup raisins (optional)
2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Stir in the molasses.
3. Mix the water and baking soda and stir.
4. Sift together the flour, salt, and dry spices; add gradually to the sugar-margarine mixture.
5. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients, along with the ginger and raisins, into the molasses mixture.
6. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
7. (The dough may be too soft to handle at this point- I suggest either adding a bit of flour, or refrigerating for 20 minutes[or even overnight]).
8. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.
9. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.

Gettin' Ready for the Holidays- Recipe #2

Lemon Tea Cookies

Ingredients

Cookies:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 2/3 cups flour
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Filling:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons lemon peel, grated
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten

Directions:
1. In large bowl, Beat butter, 1/3 C powdered sugar, and vanilla with mixer on medium speed until well blended.
2. Stir in flour until dough forms.
3. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes
4. Heat oven to 350°F Shape dough into 1" balls.
5. Place balls 2" apart. Press thumb into center of each ball to make indentation.
6. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Remove to cooling racks and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
8. In 1 qt saucepan, heat all filling ingredients over low heat about 25 minutes, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened.
9. Cool about 15 minutes.
10. Fill each thumbprint with rounded 1/4 tsp filling. Sprinkle 1 T powdered sugar over cookies.

Gettin' Ready for the Holidays- Recipe #1

I will be posting a new holiday treat recipe each day this week. Feel free to indulge in something sweet. You deserve it!

Chocolate–Peanut Butter Grahamwiches

The only thing better than chocolate is chocolate and peanut butter. This harmless combo is a great occasional treat. Sure, it's not a bowl of fresh berries, but there's something to be said for necessary indulgence in moderation.
This recipe makes 4 grahamwiches.

Ingredients:
4 whole chocolate graham cracker sheets
4 tsp. reduced-fat peanut butter
1/2 cup frozen fat-free whipped topping , thawed

Directions:
1. Break each graham cracker in half (so each half is 1 square).
2. Spread 1 teaspoon of peanut butter evenly over the inside of each of 4 halves.
3. Spread 2 tablespoons whipped topping each evenly among the insides of the 4 remaining halves.
4. Sandwich the crackers together to form 4 sandwiches, each with a layer of peanut butter and a layer of whipped topping.
5. Transfer to an airtight plastic container and place in freezer.
6. Freeze for about 2 hours or up to 1 month. Serve frozen.

Secret Santa- Week #2

This week for my special someone I decided to get her some lottery tickets. I'm not one to buy them normally, but figured my special someone may be luckier than me. I hope that's true and she wins (and buys the first round of drinks!).

A fun chili to try for those winter days

Green Chicken Chili

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 (4 ounce) cans chopped mild green chilies
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 (16 ounce) cans great northern beans, undrained
6 cups chicken stock or canned chicken broth
4 cups chopped cooked chicken, to taste
3 cups grated monterey jack cheese (about 12 oz.)

Directions:
1. Heat oil in large pot over medium high heat.
2. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic, then chilies, cumin, oregano, and cayenne and saute 2 minutes.
4. Add undrained beans and stock and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and add chicken and cheese to chili and stir until cheese melts.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls.
7. FOR FREEZING: Pour soup into a rigid container (or freezer bag), label and freeze. To reheat, thaw in refridgerator overnight or simply put frozen soup into a large pot and gently heat, with lid on and stirring often, till heated through.

Joann's

I went over to Joann Fabrics yesterday and they have most of their Christmas items on sale 50% off or more. I picked up some really cute cookie/candy tins at 60% off. I also picked up some papers and supplies for a craft project I have in mind for some holiday gifts. The best part about the store is the sales, but the worst is the LONG lines. I will be posting the holiday gift project later.

Secret Santa- Week #1

It is that time of year again and I feel like being a little crafty with my Secret Santa gifts this year. I decided to bake my special person some cookies and put them in a nice holiday tin. I left them by her office door so they would greet her when she arrived to work. Not a bad way to start out the day. I hope she likes them. I adapted the recipe from Paula Deen.


Kitchen Sink Cookies

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup lightly chopped peanuts
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup multi-colored chocolate candies, optional (M&Ms)
1/4 cup raisins, optional
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies (if using), chocolate chips, raisins (if using), baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Make sure to turn your pan halfway through to get an even brown cookie. Do not over bake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool (put parchment paper on your cooling racks too to keep the cookies from sticky to them). When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.

A gift to me from my secret santa...

I went on a quick errand to another part of the office and came back to my desk and there was a little package waiting for me on my desk. I opened it up, and I got a cute little book named "14,000 things to be happy about" by Barbara Ann Kipper. I opened the book to a random page and here are a few things that popped out to me that are great things to happy about:
comfort food, funny toes, cut flowers, social skills, a wave at sea, losing weight, leaf patterns, the position of your head as you bite into a taco, and roaring fires

Tastefully Simple

Went to Deann's Tastefully Simple party last night and she is the hostess with the mostess. She had a huge spread of delicious foods. Dips, breads, desserts and most importantly, drinks galore! Don't tell my doctor, but I HAD to sample the goods. I ended up with a few things on my order form that I'll have to demonstrate later for you. I can't tell you what I bought though, as I have to keep a few secrets. The food was delicious. I was reading the directions on the products as we were sampling. And they are easy squeezy to make. That's what I'm talking about. Exactly my language when you are in the pinch for a party display. Many times I find myself with a hubby who forgot to tell me that we are having people over and I need to make something. (and I haven't been shopping in 2 weeks)

Interest rates are great

I know that this post has nothing to do with my craftin' stuff, but it is important for all to know.

Not sure who's all out there who owns a home with a mortgage on it... but, the interest rates have dropped and they are talking that they will be getting lower here soon. We have been BUSY with new orders lately and I think it's just the start. Talk to your trusted lender ASAP if you are with an interest rate higher than 6% for sure. We had some 30 fixed rate loans yesterday offered at 5.25%. If you are a risk taker, maybe a ARM loan or balloon loan are for you. If you need help deciding the pros or cons to loans, just ask. I've seen them all. At one point or another, I think I may have had them all. This is a buyer's market for sure. If you are renting currently, think about buying a new place soon.

Can't go wrong with chocolate (Just ask Lades)

Flourless Chocolate Cake
Serves 8

I always prefer this cake the next day. It’s a perfect, rich dessert for cool weather. There is no need to refrigerate it -- just cover loosely with waxed paper and keep it in a cool place. If refrigerated, make sure to take it out at least 2 hours before serving.

8 ounces dark chocolate
8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for buttering pan
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
¼ cup Grand Marnier or orange-flavored liqueur
6 tablespoons cornstarch

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Brush a 4-cup ring mold or a 9-inch springform pan with butter.

3. Chop the chocolate and melt it in a bowl set above a simmering pan of water. Remove and let cool. While the chocolate is cooling, cream the butter in a mixing bowl.

4. Pour the cooled, melted chocolate into the mixing bowl with the butter and beat for 2 minutes. The mixture should be thick. Set aside.

5. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Start adding the sugar, beating at high speed, until the eggs are thick and very pale yellow (6 to 8 minutes). Both the egg-sugar and chocolate butter mixtures should have a similar consistency.

6. Beat the chocolate-butter mixture into the egg-sugar mixture and add the Grand Marnier. Beat another minute to mix. Sift the cornstarch into the batter and gently fold in.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared mold. Tap the mold on the counter to level and cover with buttered waxed paper. Put the mold in a baking dish and fill the dish with near-boiling water, almost up to the top of the mold. Put the baking dish with the mold in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool. Turn upside down on a serving platter, but wait 30 minutes to remove the mold.

8. Serve with unsugared whipped cream.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here are a few funnies that a friend sent to me. Have a great Turkey Day and try not to 'stuff' yourself too much.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This recipe makes one turkey. Multiply the recipe to make more.

Ingredients:
2 Oreo Double Stuff cookies
1 malted milk balls (like a whopper)
4-6 candy corn
icing (optional)

Directions:
1. Take 1 oreo apart. This will be the base.
2. Place the whole oreo on its side on the base, so that it sticks to white of the oreo.
3. In front of the oreo on its side, place a malted-milk ball for the turkeys head.
4. Place candy corn, points down, in between the oreo cookie that is standing on it's side.
5. Use icing for eyes and waddle if you want.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you

I would like to send out some warm wishes to all of you today. I hope everyone is happy and healthy and eats a big turkey dinner. Take care and keep in touch.
** this is my version of a 'turkey' pie.

A great Thanksgiving dessert

Traditional Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting

SERVES 12
Ingredients

CAKE:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

FROSTING:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups icing sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
3. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; make a well in the center and add sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla.
4. Mix with wooden spoon until smooth.
5. Stir in carrots, coconut, walnuts and pineapple.
6. Pour into 9x13 inch pan and bake for about 45 minutes.
7. Don't panic, the centre will sink a little.
8. Allow to cool; when cool, ice the cake.
9. You can certainly use your favourite cream cheese frosting to ice this cake, but the one I've included is highly recommended (I usually leave the cake in the 13x9 pan and just ice the top).
10. To make the frosting: Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth; add the icing sugar and beat until creamy.

First Day of Puppy School

Walter and I decided (OK, I decided...) to go to Puppy School to get better acquainted with each other and to learn some new things. It's a 6 week course that trains on kennel etiquette, learning some simple tricks (sit, stay, come, lay down), socialization with other dogs and humans, and general dog care. Jeff and Logan are at basketball anyway on Mondays, so I decided that we should be doing something productive too. It's a 6 week course and is followed up with doggie middle school and then off to doggie high school. We went to our first class last night and it went pretty well. He was a little shy (as he was the smallest breed there and the other dogs were VERY CRAZY). We learned name recognition, "good boy", how to grab his collar without startling the dog, sit, and general crate training process. The instructor freaked out when she saw Walter and said that he did the best and was most focused during the class. Some of the other dogs were too busy tackling each other, jumping on everyone, and biting their owners to listen to instruction. It was rather interesting to see the different breeds and the energy levels. I would think that Walter would be more energetic than some of the larger breeds, but he was so calm. (Maybe scared to death of those hyper mammoths?)

Happy Monday!

Here's my new little buddy.

He is so cute/cuddly and thinks he is a cat sometimes.

And Charles got a new bone too. That way he wouldn't chew on the new puppy.

Perfect Pies

I went to another cooking class at my local William Sonoma store and they were featuring a class called "Perfect Pies" (in time for the Thanksgiving Holiday). The instructor of the course was a pastry chef at a local restaurant, Cafe Soleil. He was great and was very informative. A couple of things I learned were:
1. A pastry dough for a pie should be chilled when rolling it out. Chill it in the fridge for 15 minutes or so in a glass bowl (uncovered). It should go into the pan cool when adding your filling (or chilled alone with pie weights when blind cooking the crust).
2. You should prepare the dough with chilled (out of the freezer) butter slices. He pulled the butter out of the fridge, sliced it, and put it in the freezer until ready to blend with flour, etc. He said that a food processor works best when cutting the butter into the flour mixture.
3. You should blind cook your crust (double crust on the bottom) when making custard pies (or pies that you have pre-cooked the filling for). This would include any pie that you have a store bought filling for also.
4. Any decorative pieces looked best when brushed with a egg white prior to baking. We tested water, full egg brush, egg white with sugar, etc.
5. Any custard pie should have some 'wiggle' to it when fresh out of the oven. Don't forget that your pie will continue to cook in a pie tin/pie plate when it comes out of the oven. Sometimes the 'clean knife' trick isn't the best option when deciding to remove the pie from the oven.
6. Always make sure you turn your pie in the oven midway into the baking cycle. All ovens have a cool/warm spot and this helps even out the cooking of your pie.

I wasn't able to do the taste testing, but from the 15 or so there, both of these recipes are fabulous and really easy to make for the novice pie maker.

Classic Apple Pie
Follow these instructions to prepare the perfect crust for your apple pie. Decorative piecrust cutters are used to create the lattice top.

Ingredients:
For the dough:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. granulated sugar
16 Tbs. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 to 4 Tbs. ice water

For the filling:
2 lb. Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into slices 1/4 inch
thick
2 lb. Pink Lady apples, peeled, cored and cut into slices 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
4 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 egg white, beaten with 1 tsp. water
2 tsp. granulated sugar

Directions:
To make the dough, in a food processor, pulse the flour, salt, and granulated sugar together until combined, about 5 pulses. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 pulses. Add 3 Tbs. of the ice water and pulse 2 or 3 times. The dough should hold together when squeezed with your fingers but should not be sticky. If it is crumbly, add more water 1 tsp. at a time, pulsing twice after each addition. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, divide in half and shape each half into a disk. Wrap the disks separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out half of the dough into a 12-inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Fold the dough in half and then into quarters and transfer it to a 9-inch deep-dish pie dish. Unfold and gently press the dough into the bottom and sides of the dish. Trim the edges flush with the rim of the dish. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
On a large sheet of lightly floured parchment paper, roll out the remaining dough disk into a 12-inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Using leaf pie cutters, make rows of cutouts in the dough, spacing them 1/2 inch apart and leaving a 1-inch border along the edges, to create a lattice appearance. Reserve the cutouts for decorating. Reroll the dough scraps to make more cutouts. Refrigerate the lattice top and cutouts for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling: In a large Dutch oven, stir together the apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cornstarch. Set over medium heat, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Uncover and cook until the liquid has thickened and become glossy, 5 to 7 minutes more. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Position a rack in the lower third of an oven, place a baking sheet on the rack and preheat the oven to 400°F.
Let the pie shell, lattice top and leaf cutouts stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Transfer the apple filling to the pie shell, scatter the butter pieces on top, and gently invert the lattice top over the pie. Trim the edges flush with the rim of the dish and press the top and bottom crusts together to seal. Brush the underside of the leaf cutouts with egg wash and gently press them onto the edges of the piecrust, overlapping the leaves slightly. Decorate as desired with the remaining leaves. Brush the entire top crust with egg wash and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.
Place the pie dish on the preheated baking sheet. Bake until the crust is crisp and golden brown, about 1 hour, covering the edges with aluminum foil if they become too dark. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool for at least 1 1/2 hours before serving. Serves 8.


Deep-Dish Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter Pie
Be sure to use a deep-dish pie dish when preparing this recipe. The pie shell needs to be prebaked and cooled before you add the filling, so plan accordingly.

Ingredients:
For the pastry:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. sugar
8 Tbs. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into
1/2-inch pieces
3 to 4 Tbs. ice water

For the filling:
4 eggs
2 cups (about 1 1/3 jars) Muirhead pecan
pumpkin butter
2 cups evaporated milk

Directions:
To make the pastry, in a food processor, combine the flour, salt and sugar and pulse to blend. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 3 Tbs. of the ice water and pulse twice. The dough should hold together when squeezed with your fingers but should not be sticky. If it is crumbly, add more water, 1 tsp. at a time, pulsing twice after each addition. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and shape into a disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
Position a rack in the lower third of an oven. Place a cookie sheet on the rack. Preheat the oven to 400°F. (The pie dish will be placed on the cookie sheet, which will help the bottom of the crust to brown.)
Let the chilled dough stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Roll out the dough into a 12-inch round about 3/16 inch thick. Brush off the excess flour. Transfer to a 9-inch deep-dish pie dish and press the dough into the dish. Trim the edges, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold under the excess dough and, using your thumb, decoratively flute the edges. Using a fork, gently poke holes in several places on the bottom of the crust. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 15 minutes.
Line the piecrust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Place the pie dish on the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and weights and continue baking until the crust is light golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes before filling the pie shell.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
To make the filling, in a large bowl, gently whisk the eggs. Add the pecan pumpkin butter and evaporated milk and whisk until well combined. Pour the filling into the prebaked pie shell and bake until the center of the pie is set, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. If the edges of the crust begin to brown too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil.
Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool for at least 4 hours before serving. If making in advance, cover the cooled pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 8 to 10.

Recipe for you to try

I got this one from the book "French Women Don't Get Fat" also.

Salmon à l’unilatéral (cooked on one-side only)
Serves 4
4 pieces of of wild salmon, about 4 ounces each
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ tsp coarse salt

1. Heat a nonstick frying pan. Place the salmon in the pan, skin-side down; pour the lemon juice over the salmon, add the salt, and cook for about 6 minutes over medium heat until the skin is crispy. (Cut a slice to determine the degree of cooking you desire, such as medium rare -- pink at the center -- which preserves most of the natural taste.)
2. Serve immediately. Season, if you like, with a dash of extra-virgin olive oil and a sprig of fresh thyme.

When there isn’t salmon, there is something else. Skate or tuna will work great too. Always remember one thing, fresh fish does not smell fishy. Its flesh does not look shellacked. If you can tell quality, it’s possible to find it at a good grocery store. It saves time: good fish is the simplest thing in the world to cook.

Recipe for the Week

Piononos de amarillo
(Fried filled ripe plantain rolls)
Piononos are a delicious addition to the variety of foods that may be prepared using plantains (ripe plantains, in this case). Piononos consist of a round outer shell made with ripe plantain slices, a filling which may be beef, chicken, lobster, shrimp or simply vegetables if yours is a no-meat diet.
Serves: six adults
Preparation time: Half an hour. Ingredients:
(A) The outer shell
3 plantains, ripe but not overripe
1 cup frying oil
Round toothpicks, as needed
(B)The filling
Ingredients:
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoonful diced pitted olives, pepper or onion-stuffed
1 small green bell peppers, chopped
1 tablespoonful chopped onion
1 tablespoonful olive oil
Salt, to taste
1 bay leaf
(C)
1 1/2 cups lean ground meat
1/2 cup string beans, diced
1 tablespoonful raisins
(D)
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups frying oil

Procedure:
1. Peel the plantains, discard the outer rind.
2. Slice the plantains lengthwise. You should get four slices out of an average ripe plantain.
3. Pour the frying oil in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat.
4. Fry the plantains, a few at a time, until they change color to a light golden tan.
5. Remove the plantains. Allow to cool enough to handle comfortably or wear cooking gloves.
6. Bend each plantain piece to form a round shape. Use one or two round toothpicks to hold the ends of the round, hollow plantains.
7. Add enough filling (see below for the recipe) to fill up the hollow inside each plantain.
8. Baste the ends of the filling with beaten eggs. Fry over medium heat, using just enough oil to cover the bottom of your frying pan. Fry for two to three minutes or until the egg basting at the bottom of the pan looks cooked (omelet-like).
9. Carefully lift each pionono, turn over, and fry on the other side.
Two piononos make a full meal for an average adult, Or serve as an entree with your favorite side dishes. (Warn your diners about the toothpicks!)

Procedure for the filling:
Saute the ingredients included in (B) for about five minutes over medium high heat
Stir the ground meat into the ingredients already in the saucepan. Cook for about ten minutes, covered, over medium heat. Add the string beans and the raisins. Continue to cook for another five minutes or until the meat is cooked but not dry. You may want to remove the bay leaf at this time. Use the filling as directed above.

**Other fillings may be used. Lobster, shrimp and chicken are among the most popular. Enjoy!

I'm a new MOM!

We welcomed to our home a new puppy that is cuter than ever. Not as cute as you, Chuey, but pretty close. Jeff and Logan rescued him from a puppy mill an hour out of Madison and brought the little guy home. Sleepless nights, here I come. He bonded with Logan straight away by vomiting on his lap in the car on the way home. Just like Jeff, he gets car sick in the passenger seat in our Silver Bullet. It took me a while to come up with the proper name for him, but finally decided on, "Sir Walter Buckingham".
**He's a pug-a-poo. His dad is a fawn colored pug named Jake and his mom's a black toy poodle.

Happy Monday to all

Sitting at the desk, I got to daydreaming and realized I was staring at this plant that sits on the desk. It has been on the desk forever and decides one day to bloom these incredible looking flowers. They seem to reach out to you somehow.

Cookie Fun

I call these two "Hiking in the Woods" and "Playing in the Snow". Logan thinks I'm crazy. I call it, 'playing with your food'.

Glazed Sugar Cookies

Can you say, "Delicious!"?

Here's some fun I decided to have yesterday while I was bored. I love to make and decorate cakes, so I figured I could take my fun to cookies too. The holidays are around the corner, so I figured I would make and decorate some sugar cookies. I tried a new glaze recipe to cover them. I mixed the colors on a few. I think they turned out cute. Thanks to Betty Crocker for the cookie recipe and the glaze off the internet. Frosting is a Wilton specialty.

Jeff likes them warm out of the oven, I guess... (notice him stealing them right off the cooling tray)

The Greeks and The Crest

Jeff and I went to a play last night. Actually, I drug him to the show with me. I don't mind going to shows alone even, but figured he would like this one. It was pretty good and very informational about what really happened between the Greeks and the City of Troy. It was called The Greeks and was an adaptation from Homer and Euripides.
After the show, we walked down to the student union on campus and found out that one of our favorite artists was playing. The Crest is a lot of fun and the brothers are great. I used to do real estate with one of the brothers (Jack Cracker) and AD (the other brother) works at a bank near to my office with his dad (who I know pretty well too).
For a fluke night out with my guy, we had pretty good luck with finding something fun to do. Madison seems to have something for everyone. This particular evening was an interesting blend of Greek play meets rap stars.

A cute story from yesterday

My boss has a 4 yr. old (Jake) and the little guy has a best friend named Anna. Here is an excerpt from a morning drive to daycare:

The J is Jake and A Anna....

J: a girl in my class said I have to marry her.
A: what did you say?
J: I told her no!
A: who are you going to marry?
J: you
A: heh-heh
J: who are you going to marry?
A: ummm, you!
J: yeah, then we can play together everyday
A: yeah, and be best friends
J: what about when we are in school?
A: then we will think about each other.

**Young love brings a smile to my face.

I'm not sure how to classify these

Here are a couple of baby shower cakes that I found online when I was doing some searching around (to get ideas for a cake I needed to do). "Would you like a breast or a piece of womb?", or how about the babies riding the carrots?, and what is the third one and how does it relate to a baby shower? Maybe I don't want to know.

Jeff wants a new dog...

And a new TV. I told him that they are 2 very distinctively different things. Anyone have any suggestions on a breed of dog for us? Not to mention a name for it? My top three choices (once Chuey has passed on) would be; a pug, a Boston terrier, or a bulldog. I like the name Arthur too and would work for any of them. Oh yeah, any suggestions about what kind of TV is the best? I'm not a tech nerd, so don't get too crazy on the lingo.

** this is a photo I received a couple of days ago from Jeff. No message attached, just the link to the photo. Do you think he is going to come home with this cute little Shar-pei/Weimaraner guy? I guess I'll have to wait and see...

Just saw this great ad...

Free Chair Massage
1:00-4:00 p.m. Free

Enjoy a free 10-minute chair massage in our Café from the students of Dr. Xipling Zhous's (Dr. Joe) East/West Healing Arts Institute Massage School.


** I wonder if I could go in at 1PM and ask them for the 3 hour chair massage option. Do you think I could hire this person to follow me around and have them do massages throughout my days? I wish I was Oprah sometimes. She has enough money for that kind of service.

It's a sad day...

I went out to the garage to do some recycling and noticed that the scooter has been retired for the season. It's been pretty cold/runny/did I say cold/runny lately so Jeff hasn't been able to spin around town on that bad boy. It's going to be a long winter without that blaze of yellowness in our lives. But, as they always say, 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'.

Does anyone know where the snow blower went?

Found some fun things on the internet

No, I'm not Suzy Homemaker... but I absolutely LOVE this apron. It has ginkgo leaves on it. (and would look great on me) OK, maybe I'm not Suzy, but I'm full of myself sometimes. It goes with feeling better, I'm feeling better about myself too. I can't help it!
Second, I'm feeling a little neglectful of my poor scrap table who hasn't seen me for weeks. With the vaca and all going on, I have been so busy. I just took a peek at my calendar for the next 2 weeks and there is something every day. I was feeling a little bad, so I found some creative ideas on the web to share with you.

The circle card is so cute.

And the bird one is a favorite for the day. I love the colors she used.

You can't go wrong with owls either. They are kind of scary in person, but on a stamp I feel like I would snuggle with one of them!

Finding past friends

Recently, I have caught up with a few friends that I haven't talked/wrote to in a while. It's amazing how caught up in real life you can get, and somehow all the other stuff seems to float away so easily. If you don't see someone on a daily basis, it's a little too easy to lose touch with them. Someone that you may have daily contact with at one point in your life, somehow slips through your fingers and then years pass before you know it. It's been really nice...

How depressing...

I feel like I'm on a blogging rampage today for some reason. I log on to the local website www.Madison.com and find these as our top stories:

Wisconsin budget shortfall to top $5 billion, Doyle says
Wisconsin Badgers football: Gophers' Decker won't play Saturday
Trial starts for man accused of shooting at Town of Madison police
Icy conditions developing west of here
Authorities seek information on Hatfield woman missing since Friday

Can you say 'depressing' or what? The shorter days and the crappy weather are bad enough, and then you get this on top of it. Weird.

Happy Veteran's Day

Let's bring the Troops home! Make love, not war...

An interesting vacation story

I was home last night when the call came in. The call was from a friend of ours Nate (some of you know him too). He and his girlfriend (yes, girlfriend) Dana are currently in Mexico on a romantic vacation for two. I would love one of those Jeff! Enough of that...

So, Nate tells me this unbelievable story about his day. He and Dana are staying in the Riviera Maya on the ocean at a resort. There is another resort just down the beach from them that has this great swimming place. They decided to head down the beach to swim for awhile. As they were walking back to their resort for dinner, they noticed something in the water near a few boats that had anchored by shore. They weren't sure at first what the item was and so Nate decided to swim out to it to see. It was a man face-down in the water with snorkel gear on. Nate flipped him over and saw that he was not breathing. Nate drug him onto shore and Dana started mouth to mouth with the guy (she's a nurse). There were a couple of other people who came over to help, but no luck. He had been dead for a while. Nate said that the guy was a tourist (60-70 years old) and he and Dana saw the guy earlier that day snorkeling around. They think that he may have had a heart attack or a stroke or something. (This is Nate's first big trip, by the way. I wonder if he'll be going anywhere in the near future.)

**This story takes the cake. It definitely beats any vaca story I have.

Recipe of the Week

These are two of Logan's favorites from our trip to Puerto Rico.

Alcapurrias

Ingredients:
35 green bananas, grated very fine
6 malanga, grated very fine
4 tablespoons oil, with achiote
4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
8 teaspoons salt

Directions:
1. mix all ingredients.
2. Spoon around 70 tablespons on wax paper individually and freeze. You will have them ready to fry.
3. Fry them in hot canola oil. Dry on paper towel.
4. Make sure you eat them hot.!

Empanadillas (I think Logan had 3 or 4 in one sitting alone)
This makes 24 of them

Ingredients:
2 puff pastry sheets, pre-rolled
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 lb lean ground beef
1/4 lb ground lean pork
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 cup onion, minced
1 minced garlic clove
1 jalapeno, minced
1 tablespoon butter
2 eggs, hard cooked & finely chopped
3 tablespoons stuffed olives, chopped
3 tablespoons raisins, seedless
1/2 cup tomato sauce

Directions:
1. In a skillet heat the oils and brown the meats. Add the seasonings, onion, garlic and jalapeno. Saute until tender. Drain any excess fat. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until very thick. Cool to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F.
3. Roll the pastry dough out on a floured surface. Cut into 2" rounds. Place 1 tbsp of meat mixture on each round. Fold the round in half and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Brush the pastery with egg whites.
4. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Update on Me (the new and improved Me)

I've had a few people ask "what is the secret" and "what kind of diet are you on"? That's a hard question for me to answer because it is not a diet I decided to go on to lose weight. The difference for me is that this is not a fad thing. I am not losing weight on purpose (a good side effect though). I was diagnosed with pre-Diabetes and this is a lifestyle (life long) change for me. I was told to change my eating habits and that certain foods were not working in my system. My dr. told me that I would realize how sick I was when I started to feel (normal) or better. Man, was he right on the money! I feel like I'm on top of the world and Boy, was I sick! I had no energy and I felt constantly like I was hungover and flu-like. My bones ached and I had headaches all the time. It's still hard to tell myself 'no' when I see a delicious treat, but the good feelings beat the cravings for me now. It has been a couple of months since my food intake change and I have lost about 40 pounds (from a size 12 to a size 2) and I feel about 15 years younger. I have had people close to me ask if I'm sick now (cancer, etc), and I laugh. Boy, I can't believe no one asked me before if I was sick. I must have had everyone fooled. Even myself. I have e-mailed my 'diet' to some people who have asked for it along the way. I'm kind of glad that I am open to questions, because there are a lot of people out there that may be in the same boat I was in and maybe don't know. I have heard a lot of people say that they have diabetes in their family and their dr. said that they could be a candidate for this and what should they do??? Well, be proactive for yourself. Stop doing for others for a moment and do something for yourself. It is OK to be selfish for once. If you are good to yourself, you will be good to others. If anyone out there thinks they may have this, consult your dr. ASAP. And do it today! I'm there for you if you need a moral buddy to help you make the change. It is hard and power from others is very helpful.

**Anyone that knows me, knows that I'm a huge skeptic about things. My dr. told me things from the start that made me almost fall out of my chair laughing with skepticism. Looking back on that conversation, he gets paid top dollar because he was dead on. I wouldn't believe me either, if I haven't gone through it myself. Don't believe me, just do it and see for yourself.

It is freezing today

Did I mention that it is FREEZING today. I'm such a baby when it comes to cold weather, but it is FREEZING today. It is technically freezing, so I can get away with the whining, right? I have had a hard time with the shorter days and now the cold is getting me down. Both guys in my house have been sicker than dogs (my dog has been fine though) and I'm glad I haven't been caught with it. I don't know if it's because I eat so darn healthy now and take my vitamins or what? Whatever it is, I'm gonna keep on doing it. I hate getting sick and I have been feeling so great now, I don't want a stupid cold to ruin it for me. Work has been pretty slow now and I'm getting some stuff done around the house and all. Jeff has been working his fingers to the bone on the downstairs bathroom remodel and it's looking GREAT! He tiled the walls this weekend and built this cool pantry in there and it's looking more like a bathroom now. We (yes, me too) will be doing the tile on the floor this weekend (as the weather now sucks outside). We have a new vanity and sink already to go. It's going to be nice to have that bathroom again. I think Jeff called Dibs on the first shower already. Next is the kitchen. I think we need to call the style professionals to give us some ideas on what our design options are. We want to maximize our space and it needs some creativity.

Great quote I heard on a movie the other night...

We were watching 'Kung Fu Panda" (a great family film), and the wise old master says, "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift - that’s why it is called the present!".

I love it!

Have a great day...

Went to a stuffing class today

I went to the local Williams Sonoma store and took a class on how to make 3 different stuffings. We got to taste test as well. Here are the stuffing recipes, if interested. Bacon-Biscuit was my favorite. And the other thing is... if you decide to do the bread pudding recipe- use 2 pans an only do single layers the bread pieces. If you do multiple layers, the bottom layers will get mushy and not too tasty. You want them to be kind of crispy (caramelized) around the edges of the pan, and soft in the inside.

The main 2 things that I learned in class are: make sure your dressing/stuffing has reached 165 degrees and make sure you stuff your turkey right before cooking it. Don't let the stuffing sit in your turkey for too long before cooking.

Smoky Bacon Buscuit Dressing (in the print baking dish)

In this savory dressing, homemade cream biscuits stand in for the traditional bread, while crispy bacon adds delicious smoky flavor. For the biscuit recipe, click on the link at left.

Ingredients:
Twelve 4-inch cream biscuits, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 lb. sliced smoky bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 yellow onions, diced
5 celery stalks, diced
8 oz. white button mushrooms, brushed clean and sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
5 cups chicken stock

Directions:
Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 350°F.

Spread the biscuits out on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside. Increase the oven temperature to 375°F.

In a deep sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Pour off all but 3 Tbs. of the fat from the pan. Set the pan over medium heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, mushrooms, parsley, sage and thyme and cook until the celery is soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl. Add the bacon to the bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the biscuits and stock and stir to combine.

Transfer the dressing to a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake until the dressing is lightly browned, about 20 minutes more. Serves 10.

Cornbread Dressing with Chestnuts (in the red baking dish)

This recipe calls for baking the dressing separately from the turkey, which allows for faster roasting and more accurate timing of the bird. Be sure to toast the corn bread before combining it with the other ingredients. Fresh untoasted bread would absorb too much liquid, producing a soggy dressing.

Ingredients:
8 cups corn bread (see related recipe at left),
cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cups turkey or chicken stock
1 cup dried cherries
1 Tbs. olive oil
8 bacon slices, finely chopped
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 jar (14.8 oz.) French chestnuts
3 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 egg


Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.

Spread the corn bread out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 20 minutes. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the stock. Remove the pan from the heat and add the dried cherries. Let cool.

In a fry pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the bacon and fry, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.

Add the onion, celery and carrot to the pan and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the corn bread, bacon, onion mixture, chestnuts, sage and parsley. Whisk the egg into the stock mixture and add to the corn bread mixture. Season with salt and pepper and stir gently to mix.

Transfer the dressing to the prepared baking dish and bake until browned and crispy, about 1 hour. Serves 10 to 12.

Note: If desired, you can pack the dressing loosely in the body and neck cavities of the turkey. Secure the neck flap with kitchen string or pin it to the back with toothpicks or trussing pins. Tying the legs together will help hold the stuffing in the body cavity. For turkeys weighing 16 lb. or less, add 30 minutes to the total roasting time. For turkeys weighing more than 16 lb., add 1 hour to the total roasting time.

Mushroom Bread Pudding (in the yellow baking dish)

For a boost in flavor, make this bread pudding with wild mushrooms. Some, such as shiitakes and oyster mushrooms, are no longer truly wild but are farm raised and now widely available. Cremini and portobellos, cousins of the common white button, are farmed for their slightly more robust flavor. Some wild mushrooms still grow only wild and must be hand harvested by trained foragers. Look for porcini (cèpes), morels, chicken-of-the-woods and lobster mushrooms.

The mushroom mixture can be sautéed the night before. Let cool, cover and refrigerate, returning it to room temperature before using. The pudding should be assembled just before baking. This is an exclusive online recipe from the Williams-Sonoma Collection series.

Ingredients:
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 cup thinly sliced green onions, white
and tender green portions
2 tsp. minced fresh marjoram or 1 1/2 tsp. dried
marjoram, crumbled
1 lb. white button or cremini mushrooms, thinly
sliced
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup medium-dry sherry
7 eggs
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 tsp. hot-pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
1 baguette, cut into 1-inch-thick diagonal slices
(about 16 slices)

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 325°F. Generously butter a baking dish.

In a large fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the green onions and marjoram and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and salt and cook, stirring once or twice, until the mushrooms release their juices, about 5 minutes. Add the sherry and increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Whisk in the half-and-half and hot-pepper sauce. Add the bread slices and let stand, stirring gently once or twice, until the bread is moist and soft. Arrange half the bread slices in a single layer in the prepared dish. Spread half the mushrooms over the bread. Arrange the remaining bread slices over the mushroom layer, then top with the remaining mushrooms. Pour any egg mixture remaining in the bowl evenly over all.

Bake until the pudding is puffed and golden and the center is just set, about 45 minutes. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot or warm. Serves 8 to 10.