Category: Recipes

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Keeping Secrets

One year at Christmas time my little, then three-year-old Lyndi, wanted to help me wrap some presents for Daddy. Seemed harmless enough, so I let her do all the easy stuff–you know, “hand Mommy the tape,” and “pick which paper,” that sort of thing. The whole time I carefully explained to her that all these presents were secrets until Christmas morning and to be sure not to tell Daddy or it would spoil his surprise. We even practiced. Oh, how she promised to keep the secret.

Then Daddy came home.

She ran up to him and grabbed his legs and said, “Guess what? We wrapped your Christmas present today.”

Uh-oh, I think.

“It’s a secret…”

Good girl, good girl…

“…so I can’t tell you…”

That’s right, good job!

“…what it is…”

Well done!

“…but it ticks.”

…sigh…

If you’d have known this particular little sweetheart, you wouldn’t have been able to be mad at her, any more than I could at the time. Especially, since–from what I’m told, I was the very same sort of kid. Apparently, Christmas secrets or any other kind were just not safe with me. I don’t remember being the surprise spoiling blabber-mouth, but according to my siblings…I was.

Having lived a million years, since that time–I think I’m a little better at it…but sometimes it’s still really hard. I love to share surprises more than anything, which makes keeping a secret for very long–a trial. Probably why I have the “Secrets” tab on this very blog. I need to tell someone!

Then this very cool thing happened. Our household recently discovered a notebook stuffed full of “secret” famous recipes–just waiting to be tried and shared. And what-do-you-know, I’m really good at both things!  This could be the healing enterprise that I need…and the cool, famous restaurant favorites that  you need!  Hee hee hee.

So stand by. I’ve got some great recipes coming. Some from the “Secret Notebook” and some serendipitous finds from other places.

In fact, we’ll start with Brazilian Limeade, served at places like Tucano’s, from my sweet friend Susette.

What you choose to do with the secrets….

…is up to you.

 

 

PS—You are welcome to request a restaurant favorite and I’ll go on a hunt for it as well.  ;}

 

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Brazilian Limeade

Brazilian Limeade 2

Brazilian Limeade

4 juicy limes (try and find ones with thin, smooth skins)
1 c. sugar
6 c. cold water
6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use.

Wash limes thoroughly with soap (I just use hand-dishwashing soap or regular hand soap); you need the soap to get the wax and pesticides off of the limes because you’re using the WHOLE lime, baby. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.

Place 1/2 of the limes in your blender.

Add 1/2 of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you’ll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water.

Add sweetened condensed milk.

You may want to taste test it at this point. If it’s bitter, just add some more sugar and maybe a little more milk. Serve immediately over lots of ice. This does not keep well, so don’t make this in advance .

Serves 6

Brazilian Limeade
 
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Ingredients
  • 4 juicy limes (try and find ones with thin, smooth skins)
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 6 c. cold water
  • 6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
  1. Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use.
  2. Wash limes thoroughly with soap (I just use dishwashing soap); you need the soap to get the wax and pesticides off of the limes because you're using the WHOLE lime, baby.
  3. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.
  4. Place ½ of the limes in your blender.
  5. Add ½ of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times.
  6. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you'll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher.
  7. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher.
  8. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer- into the trash.
  9. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water.
  10. Add sweetened condensed milk.
  11. If it's bitter, just add some more sugar and maybe a little more milk.
  12. Serve immediately over lots of ice.
  13. This does not keep well, so don't make this in advance .

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Soft Breadsticks

bread sticks

My wise and all-knowing daughter April made the most amazing bread sticks the other day…almost exactly like the ones that are famous around these parts. They were incredible. So, I begged and pleaded and she finally, finally said I could share the recipe…but only here.

So baby…

…you’re getting the exclusive.

Directions:

2-1/2 cups warm water

2 Tablespoon yeast

1 Tablespoon sugar

more yeast

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water, let sit.

mixer hook

Pour into mixing bowl and then add the following:

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon salt

3-4 cups flour

dough hook

Using dough hook attachment, beat until smooth. Add enough flour to make a stiff dough. Knead in machine 2-5 minutes until smooth and elastic.

dough resting

Place in greased bowl then turn to grease the top.

covered dough

Cover with a damp cloth and let rise 45 min. to 1 hour…

dough rising

…until double in size.

punched dough

Punch down and divide in half.

cutter

Roll out on floured surface and cut into strips for small bread sticks.

Or divide into 10-12 pieces for large bread sticks or rolls.

Combine 1 beaten egg with 1 T milk.

Brush on breadstick and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

spacing

Or, dip in melted butter and roll in…

topping

…Parmesan cheese with garlic herb seasoning.

Then let rise.

golden

Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes until slightly brown.

Remove and cool on wire rack.

garlic rolls

Now go–impress your friends.

You’ll be famous!


5.0 from 1 reviews
Soft Breadsticks
 
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Ingredients
  • 2-1/2 cups warm water
  • 2 Tablespoon yeast
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 Tablespoon salt
  • 3-4 cups flour
  • 1 beaten egg'
  • 1 T milk.
  • or
  • melted butter
  • Parmesan cheese
  • garlic herb seasoning
Instructions
  1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water, let sit.
  2. Pour into mixing bowl and then add butter, salt, and flour.
  3. Using dough hook attachment, beat until smooth.
  4. Add enough flour to make a stiff dough.
  5. Knead in machine 2-5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  6. Place in greased bowl then turn to grease the top.
  7. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise 45 min. to 1 hour......until double in size.
  8. Punch down and divide in half.
  9. Roll out on floured surface and cut into strips for small bread sticks.
  10. Or divide into 10-12 pieces for large bread sticks or rolls.
  11. Combine 1 beaten egg with 1 T milk.
  12. Brush on breadstick and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  13. Or, dip in melted butter and roll in......Parmesan cheese with garlic herb seasoning.
  14. Then let rise.
  15. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes until slightly brown.
  16. Remove and cool on wire rack.

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Canadian Maple Cookies

Ooooh—maple cookies…all the way from Canada!

Or your kitchen.

heh, heh.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg, syrup and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Stir into mixture until well blended. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Let cool on wire rack.

Canadian Maple Cookies
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Grease cookie sheets.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar.
  4. Add the egg, syrup and vanilla. Mix until well blended.
  5. Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda.
  6. Stir into mixture until well blended.
  7. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar.
  8. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
  9. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven.
  10. Let cool on wire rack.

 

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Caramels

We have a nursing mommy here at our place who is making a valiant effort to avoid chocolate–for Baby Chomp’s sake, and at Valentine’s season too–poor thing.
So in an effort to be supportive, we’ve been on the lookout for sweetheart treats that don’t use the dreaded cocoa bean.
 
 
This did the trick…
 

Creamy Caramels

Ingredients

1/2 C sugar

1/2 C packed brown sugar

6 TBSP butter

1/2 C heavy cream

1/2 C corn syrup

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Mix all ingredients except vanilla in a saucepan. On low heat, stir constantly until butter is completely melted and sugar is dissolved. Don’t get impatient and up the heat, or stop stirring or the cream could scorch.

Once sugar is dissolved, increase heat to medium. Heat to boiling–keep stirring! Once it’s boiling, you can lay off on the stirring, just occasionally should do the trick. Let it boil (gently–again, don’t turn up the heat) until you can drip some in a cup of ice cold water and it firms up just a bit–not enough to pull your teeth out, just enough that you can eat it, and it stays intact and chewy. If it just dissolves in the water–it’s not ready.

It should take about 8-10 minutes. (I have used half-and-half when I didn’t have heavy cream, and it took more like 20 minutes cause of the extra water…they also weren’t as rich.) Remove from heat.

Update! Add the vanilla after the caramel has stopped bubbling and boiling. Just stir it in with a spoon. (Thanks Sue!)

When it’s ready, pour into a greased 8×8 pan or pie tin.

Let cool completely, then cut with a metal spatula. It works much better than a knife, trust me. Then, if you want, you can wrap individual pieces in wax paper or decorative cellophane.

Caramels
 
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Ingredients
  • ½ C sugar
  • ½ C packed brown sugar
  • 6 Tbsp butter
  • ½ C heavy cream
  • ½ C corn syrup
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla.
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients except vanilla in a saucepan.
  2. On low heat, stir constantly until butter is completely melted and sugar is dissolved.
  3. Once sugar is dissolved, increase heat to medium.
  4. Heat to boiling--keep stirring! Once it's boiling, you can lay off on the stirring, just occasionally should do the trick. Let it boil (gently--again, don't turn up the heat) until you can drip some in a cup of ice cold water and it firms up just a bit.
  5. It should take about 8-10 minutes.
  6. Remove from heat.
  7. Add the vanilla after the caramel has stopped bubbling and boiling. Just stir it in with a spoon.
  8. When it's ready, pour into a greased 8x8 pan or pie tin.
  9. Let cool completely, then cut with a metal spatula.
  10. Then, if you want, you can wrap individual pieces in wax paper or decorative cellophane.