Toffee or Not Toffee

I made toffee and i'm so excited because it's the easiest thing ever. I have uncovered a new desire to make candy. I even bought a candy thermometer for the purpose. Toffee i am pretty good at now, but it's not that easy to mess up.

now truffles on the other hand, i messed up. Don't use vegetable oil based shortening. It actually doesn't work at all.

Betty Crocker's Toffee Recipe

1 cup sugar

1 cup butter or stick margarine (no veggie oil spreads)

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (if you're a chocolate person, feel free to use the whole bag....or probably just half)

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

box of toothpicks

Heat sugar, butter and water in saucepan stirring constantly till boiling. Reduce heat to medium.

Cook, stirring constantly for approximately 13 minutes, to 300 degrees F on candy thermometer (I went out and bought one just for this reason) or until small amount of mixture dropped into cup of very cold water separates into hard, brittle threads (I just suggest buying a candy thermometer, pretty sure that if you're attempting to make candy it's a good thing to have in the kitchen anyway). 

NOTE: there is a point of no return! As the mixture approaches the right temperature you need to watch it VERY carefully because it will burn very fast if you let it go even a minute too long (although I did manage to burn it the second time I made it and it was still pretty delicious).

Immediately, pour the toffee onto ungreased cookie sheet. If necessary, spread mixture to 1/4 in thickness.

Sprinkle chocolate chips on top and drool while watching them melt.

When the chocolate chips look shiny, use a spoon to spread them out over the top of the toffee.

The recipe says to let it stand for about an hour at room temperature or you can refrigerate until firm (which is what I did cause I was too impatient to wait an hour). 

Store in airtight container.

Use toothpicks to scrape off the stuff that adheres to your teeth.

Tomato Soup for the Soul

The restaurant i work in has this tomato parmesan soup that i have fallen deeply in love with. I decided to go home and try to recreate it.
So i took two cans of Campbell's condensed tomato soup (make by directions on can), added about 1/3 of a cup of fresh parmesan, 1/2 a tablespoon, 1/4 a teaspoon of ground mustard, and white pepper to taste.
Now it's not completely earth shattering, but we'll work on that. i also discovered that ritz crackers are quite delicious in tomato soup.
i also made grilled cheese sandwiches with texas toast, colby cheese, sour cream, tomatoe and avocado.

awesome comfort food!

Halloween

Our Halloween dinner complete with spaghetti green pepper jack-o-lanterns and meatballs, grave stone cheese spread and crackers.

What's for Breakfast?

My parents made these a lot for breakfast and it's still one of my favorites. It's fast and easy.

I use Sara Lee's english muffins, toasted, and two scrambled eggs. 

Everyone has their midnight crafts they when they're board at 2am. Me? I make food. Last night was chocolate covered pretzel sticks. I had regular (which I decorated with red and green sprinkles), and peanut butter chocolate (chocolate sprinkles, as shown).

I had bought regular almond bark and white almond bark. I was so disappointed because the white chocolate is my favorite. I made the mistake of putting the burner on too high. Needless to say I burned it and messed it all up. Microwaving it works a lot better. Oh well, this way GE and I can go get more and make some together.

It's That Time of Year!

Get out the boots, your snow pants and mittens and sit down to a Christmas movie with a mug of hot cocoa!
Try making up your own recipe and send it to me, I'll do a big feature on hot cocoa!

Give Thanks

So here is our feast from Thanksgiving. We went to GE's dad's girlfriend's house in his hometown and were completely filled up.

The selection included three bean casserole, turkey, mashed potatoes, corn bread pudding, stuffing, strawberry cream cheese and pretzel desert and of course pumpkin and apple pies. The strawberry dessert is something I will be singing about forever, and let me tell you, it's worth it.

December 3, 2001

I didn't even make it out of the kitchen ya'll, I had to tell you right away that I MADE MY OWN TORTILLA CHIPS AND GUACAMOLE!!! I know it doesn't seem like a big deal especially since a lot of you have probably already made both of those. But this is my first time making either, no less just winging it through the whole thing! I'm in the midst of taking pictures right now and writing down what I did so pictures and recipes will be up soon!



I sadly forgot to take pictures of the guacamole, but rest assured it looks like any other.

I'll Corn YOUR Dog!

A couple nights ago my mother decided to make corn dogs for dinner.
She used the baking powder biscuit recipe, plus corn meal for the breading, which turned out good.
I'm not so big on the baking powder biscuits because they're always so dry, plus it made the breading turn out very crumbly.
On the up side, it's WAY more healthy than deep frying it like normal.

Baking Powder Biscuits:
1 1/2 whole wheat flour (if eliminating wheat germ use 2 cups flour)
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 c wheat germ
4 Tbsp. oil
3/4 c milk (if using buttermilk, use only 2 tbsp baking powder)

bake at 450 degrees F, for 12-15 minutes.
NOTE: My mother makes these without the wheat germ and does not use buttermilk. I like the idea of not having so much flour in the biscuits, as I'm pretty sure that's why it's so dry, either that or the baking powder. I think the next time I make them I will use the wheat germ and buttermilk, just to see if I like it better. Also, my mother used all-purpose flower instead of whole wheat.

One of my favorite easy breakfasts that is made with the biscuit recipe is:
Sausage and Cheese Bites

1 1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour (or 2 cups white flour)
1/2 c wheat germ
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp oil
3/4 c milk
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 lb. milk pork sausage.

Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
Cook and crumble sausage. Drain.
In medium bowl, combine dry ingredients and cheese.
Add liquid ingredients and sausage. Stir.
Bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes.

Announcement

So, I finally made my decision!

When I got back to school I will be majoring in Hotel and Restaurant Management.
I'm planning on going to Iowa State for this because it's the only school in Iowa that has that major, plus I am also hoping that I can do a minor of Culinary Science along with that.

6.29.2010

(excerpt from Susie Q blog)
I love looking at the websites for stores like Bed, Bath and Beyond, or Lowe's etc.

GE and I actually like to look at them together, especially cooking things because we cook ALL the time.

While looking at the Lowe's website today, I was trying to keep my focus on what I might really want when I have my own house and had an "ah-ha!" moment. Kids never think about whether their food is going to stick to the bottom of the pan while cooking, or how long paint is going to last. All that matters to them is that it looks cool. Like the Rachel Ray cooking sets that come in orange or green. So pretty!

Of course as I've grown older I've learned that there are more important things than whether you can wiggle your spatula in the air all funny like, or if your juice pitcher is a fun shape. But I just realized how much I want the more important things, the things that will mean something over the long run, than the silly little "princess dream" ideas. I want cookware that will last....forever and cook my food the way I want it to. I want a knife set where the knives blades won't fall out of the handles and they won't get dull fast. 

Of course, with a tangent-mind like mine, I start thinking about the rest of the things I want in life, like a relationship that will last forever, and a job where the blades won't fall out and get dull fast (you know what I mean).  Funny how simple mundane thoughts like that trigger life-changing thoughts.