Category: Food

Posted on

Things That Taste Like Dirt

…for lack of a better, kinder, considerably less accurate title.

Had big plans for the post today–yesiree. But as it would happen, there was some baaad juju going on in this kitchen today, and the results were pretty sick…possibly even…lethal.

I blame it on that lunar eclipse thing a few weeks back.

See, my idea was to simply whip up a batch of the most scrumptious whole wheat tortillas in the universe and show you all about it and have the entire United States applaud and accept an award from the Pillsbury Bake Off people and get a call from the Culinary School in France, and be crowned queen of earth by the end of the week. Easy.

Sadly, it was not to be. Dang cosmos.

I first tasted fresh pressed and baked whole wheat tortillas one glorious evening when my good friend Sherel was teaching a class on them. I wasn’t actually in the class, just passing by—but the incredible, delectable aroma grabbed me by the collar and yanked me right into the kitchen, like a starving puppy…and yes, I begged her for one. Quite an embarrassing episode, I’ll admit, but I was hooked and decided then and there to make them myself and achieve the aforementioned goals…along with world peace.

Too bad I forgot to take a copy of the recipe. Duh. But seriously, how hard could it be? I mean they’re tortillas for Pete’s sake. But what I discovered, was that, without the right recipe, ok, ok, and a little skill–bad things can happen…really bad things…

like this…

and this…

and..well..this…

all of which would be just fine, if they tasted anything like Sheryl’s Whole Wheat Tortillas…worth it, even. But nooOOoo…they did not. In fact, they reminded me of a day a few years back, where dirt was also on the menu. Blaugh.

But be brave my dear friends–I’ll be back with the real Whole Wheat Tortillas any minute now…

after I call Sherel…

and clear out the juju in the cosmos.

Posted on

Amish Friendship Bread

If you’re lucky enough to have a friend or neighbor bring you over “the bag” and the instructions for what to do with it–then you already know this fact…

Amish Friendship Bread is absolutely scrumptious! So scrumptious, in fact, that whenever we eat it, I’m tempted to shoot the van and buy a horse. We positively love it-LOVE it around here.  But what if—the bread isn’t being passed around your circle right now and you have a hankering for some hot, cinnamony friendship bread right this very minute? Huh? What can you do?

Here’s the answer. Nothing, that’s what.

Well, almost nothing.

Truth is, that the whole process does, indeed take some time. But now you’ll not only have the instructions for how to start your own “starter” but what to do with it all after that, as well.

You are certainly a lucky duck. A very patient, lucky duck.

And it’s so well worth it.

The first thing you need to know is that it is very important to use plastic or wooden utensils and plastic or glass bowls when making this. Try not to use metal if you can help it–it messes with the live yeast and if it’s in contact with, say, a metal bowl for too long it doesn’t tend to rise properly, sinks in the middle. Consider yourself warned!!

Amish Friendship Bread Starter

Starter Ingredients:

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup warm milk

Starter Directions:

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water for about 10 minutes. Stir well.  In a 2 quart glass or plastic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly so the flour won’t get lumpy when you add the milk. Slowly stir in warm milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Pour into a gallon Ziplock bag. The mixture will get bubbly–don’t be afraid. Consider this Day 1 of the cycle.

Amish Bread Instructions

Day 1 – receive the starter–or make the starter from the recipe above.

Day 2 – smush the bag

Day 3 – smush the bag

Day 4 – smush the bag–I really like the word “smush” don’t you?

Day 5 – Add 1 cup each flour, sugar and milk—and smush the bag.

Day 6 – smush the bag

Day 7 – smush the bag

Day 8 – smush the bag

Day 9 – smush the bag

Day 10 – Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Divide into 4 gallon bags, with 1 cup each for three of your friends and 1 cup for your own loaves. Give friends the instructions for Day 1 through Day 10 and the following recipe for baking the bread.

After removing the 3 cups of batter, combine the remaining cup of Amish Friendship Bread starter with the following ingredients in a large bowl:

2/3 cup oil
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Using a wooden spoon, beat by hand until well blended. You can add 1 cup raisins and 1 cup nuts if you want, but why mess with perfection?  :}
Grease two loaf pans with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, remove from pans–and allow to cool. Makes two loaves of the most amazing Amish Friendship Bread in the land…

and I can prove it.

hee hee!

 

Amish Friendship Bread
 
Print
Ingredients
  • 1 pkg. active dry yeast
  • ¼ cup warm water
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup warm milk
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water for about 10 minutes.
  2. Stir well.
  3. In a 2 quart glass or plastic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar.
  4. Mix thoroughly so the flour won’t get lumpy when you add the milk.
  5. Slowly stir in warm milk and dissolved yeast mixture.
  6. Pour into a gallon Ziplock bag.
  7. The mixture will get bubbly–don’t be afraid.
  8. Consider this Day 1 of the cycle.

Posted on

Chocolate Chunk Cocoa Mix

Seriously now–who, on your list couldn’t use a lovely jar of homemade cocoa mix–hmmmm?

Luckily, it very simple to toss together and makes positively a ton…or about 10-11 cups of cocoa mix.  Just perfect for funneling  into a few pretty jars and tying with ribbon.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups Hershey’s Cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

5 cups Carnation powdered milk

1 cup  Borden’s Non-Dairy Creamer

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

Measure all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk them until they are evenly blended. Store the mix in a tightly covered container at room temperature until you’re ready to package it and pass it around to the neighbors. Unless, of course, you intend to save it all for…ummm…

food storage.

Hey–not a bad idea!

Be sure to add a tag to the jar that says,

“Spoon about 1/4 cup of mix into a large mug. Stir in very hot water. Top with mini marshmallows or whipped cream. Sip ever so slowly in front of a nice, warm, crackling fire.”

For a little variety, try crushing candy canes and adding 1/2 to 2/3 cup to the mix.

Chocolate Chunk Cocoa Mix
 
Print
Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 cups Hershey’s Cocoa
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 5 cups Carnation powdered milk
  • 1 cup Borden’s Non-Dairy Creamer
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Measure all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk them until they are evenly blended.
  2. Store the mix in a tightly covered container at room temperature until you’re ready to package it and pass it around to the neighbors.
Notes
Be sure to add a tag to the jar that says, “Spoon about ¼ cup of mix into a large mug. Stir in very hot water. Top with mini marshmallows or whipped cream. Sip ever so slowly in front of a nice, warm, crackling fire.” For a little variety, try crushing candy canes and adding ½ to ⅔ cup to the mix.

 

Posted on

Christmas Candy Giveaway

“Giving away Christmas candy!” you say?

Well, not the actual candy—but a new, enhanced ability to create the candy…all by your clever, little old self.

Quite a skill indeed.

Just think of all the family, friends and foreign dignitaries that you will impress when you try the recipes in this pretty little  book.

Which is just what I did.

And look what happened. Yeah, I’d invite you over, but as you can see–there aren’t enough Caramel Nougat Swirls for the both of us. Sorry.

But you can certainly get the book yourself either HERE–nice and simple and over 30% off, OR

here–by winning our giveaway! “Oh, Launi, Launi!! How do we do that?” you ask?

Simple, I tell you.

Leave a comment in this post—for one entry.

Become our friend in the Google Friend Connect on the right side bar—for 3 entries.

Follow us on Twitter for 3 entries.

Follow us on Facebook for 3 entries…

for a possibility of 10 entries!!

We’ll announce the winner of the HP book “Candymaking” and a lovely candy thermometer to go along with it–on Monday December 13, 2010 at 10:00 am.

Jump in my friends~

it’s a sweeeet deal!

(Oooh, I crack myself up…)

 

Posted on

White Chocolate Gumdrop Fudge

Ok, all you dark chocolate purists out there…you may need to close your eyes for a few minutes, because what I’m about to say here, could–for you–border on blasphemy. I do apologize for that. Nevertheless, I feel compelled to forge ahead and share these daring words with you—you may want to sit down.

White Chocolate Fudge.

Be brave now–I was a non-believer once too, but not anymore because this stuff will have you singing Hallelujah along with a couple of angelic choirs. Smooth, creamy, melt in your mouth goodness with tiny gumdrop dabs mixed in–for good measure. Heaven, I tell you…pure heaven!

Oh, and did I forget to mention that this recipe is easy and whips up dang fast? Well, I’m telling you. Therefore, my dears–go now and make this, that your candy larders may be full against a time of fudge famine in all the land…

or something.

Gumdrop Fudge

Original recipe from Taste of Home

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds white candy coating, coarsely chopped

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1/8 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

1-1/2 cups chopped gumdrops– we used Dots

 

Directions:

Line a 9-in. square pan with foil; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine the candy coating, milk and salt. Cook and stir over low heat until chips are melted.

Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and gumdrops.

Spread into prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate until firm. Using foil, remove fudge from the pan.

Cut into 1-in. squares. Store at room temperature.

Brothers and sisters—Can I get an AMEN?
 
White Chocolate Gumdrop Fudge
 
Print
Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 pounds white candy coating, coarsely chopped
  • 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1-1/2 cups chopped gumdrops– we used Dots
Instructions
  1. Line a 9-in. square pan with foil; set aside.
  2. In a heavy saucepan, combine the candy coating, milk and salt.
  3. Cook and stir over low heat until chips are melted.
  4. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and gumdrops.
  5. Spread into prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate until firm.
  6. Using foil, remove fudge from the pan.
  7. Cut into 1-in. squares.
  8. Store at room temperature.