Outdoor Wednesday ~A Taste of the Tropics

So maybe my post title is a little deceiving..but bear with me til the end and you might get a little inkling of truth. We are experiencing very frosty temps here in the Pacific Northwest. The thermometer registered a whopping 10°F when I left the house for work this morning. Luckily (from a commuting perspective) we have been precipitation free, so snow or icy roads to contend with. There has been some pretty frost though.


Now I know some of you that grew up in or live in areas that get tons of snow and very cold weather every year are saying whats the big deal!



But there is something magical to me to see all of the icy sparkles


The crystal formations are pretty cool too


The green beneath the frost seems so unlikely


And the contrast with red is stunning


The most amazing are the signs of summer trying to hang on


Just barely......


So are you shivering yet??? How about that taste of the tropics I promised to warm you up...or at least a taste of a really good candy bar (coconut lovers turn away). This hot chocolate featured in this months Food Network Magazine is like a Mounds in a cup.....so rich and coconutty. A little of this stuff goes a LONG way..so beware and look for your tiny cups.


Cocoa Colada

1 14 oz can coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
4 oz chopped milk chocolate
1/4 cup toasted coconut

Bring milk and water to a simmer over low heat. Add sugar and chocolate and whisk to melt. Spike with coconut rum if desired (I didn't have any but did add a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla) Top with toasted coconut.




These were great with a few shortbread cookies! I used a recipe shared by my friend Susan at Savoring Time in the Kitchen. Its utterly amazing what 3 simple ingredients can be transformed into. Don't skip the sugar sprinkling step...I think it makes the cookie!!

Shortbread Recipe

1 cup soft salted butter
1/2 cup Baker’s Sugar (superfine)
2 cups all purpose white flour (you can substitute ½ cup of rice flour and 1-1/2 cups AP flour for a different texture)

Cream the butter until very light and fluffy. Cream in the sugar a little at a time until the sugar dissolves (this takes a while).

Mix in about 1-1/2 cups flour gently by hand. Turn out on a lightly floured board and knead in only as much flour as is needed to make soft shape-able dough that holds together well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out about 1/3 inch thick and cut into shapes with a knife or cookie cutters, or pat into a 1/3 inch thick round (or rectangle) pan by hand (I use a 9x9x2 pan), prick with a fork every 1-2".

Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 300 degrees for 30 to 50 minutes, (depending on the size you are making...cut-outs will take less time, pan shortbread will take more time) until pale golden brown all over. I like to sift more superfine sugar over the top when they come out of the oven. Let sit for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack. If you are making pan shortbread, cut into small squares with a very sharp knife right away, then allow to cool.

Check out all of the other Outdoor Wednesday posts over at A Southern Daydreamer

Flashback and Foodie Friday ~Christmas Decorations

I'm flashing back to last Christmas to show how beautifully my sweet hubby decorated our little home. He always goes above and beyond that call of duty to make it look like a little gingerbread house.



Well this year he went a step to far!! Off the roof that is. The innocent looking Christmas lights got the best of him and he broke his ankle..just a short jump from one roof line to the other, but enough for him to land wrong. He's going to have a rough few weeks ahead of him, but he's hanging tough.


I will give things my best try this year, but I know it won't hold a candle to how he would do it. On this day after Thanksgiving I am very thankful he's only got a broken ankle!!!!



I'm also flashing back to these Marshmallows! A group of us gave it a try last year and I had a blast making them. Wayyyy better than store bought too!



I used Dorie Greenspan's recipe - always reliable in my experience. Don't be afraid of the long recipe. She gives very detailed instructions.

Marshmallows
(Source: Dorie Greenspan “Baking: From My Home to Yours” pages 404-405)

Makes about 1 pound marshmallows

About 1 cup potato starch or cornstarch
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 1/4-ounce packets unflavored gelatin
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar

GETTING READY: Line a rimmed baking sheet — choose one with a rim that is 1 inch high — with parchment paper and dust the paper generously with potato starch or cornstarch. Have a candy thermometer at hand.

Put 1/3 cup of the water, 1 1/4 cups of the sugar and the corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar is dissolved, continue to cook the syrup — without stirring — until it reaches 265 degrees F on the candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.

While the syrup is cooking, work on the gelatin and egg whites. In a microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining cold water (a scant 7 tablespoons) and let it sit for about 5 minutes, until it is spongy, then heat the gelatin in a microwave oven for 20 to 30 seconds to liquefy it. (Alternatively, you can dissolve the gelatin in a saucepan over low heat.)

Working in the clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in another large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until firm but still glossy — don’t overbeat them and have them go dull.

As soon as the syrup reaches 265 degrees F, remove the pan from the heat and, with the mixer on medium speed, add the syrup, pouring it between the spinning beater(s) and the sides of the bowl. Add the gelatin and continue to beat for another 3 minutes, so that the syrup and the gelatin are fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla.

Using a large rubber spatula, scrape the meringue mixture onto the baking sheet, laying it down close to a short end of the sheet. Then spread it into the corners and continue to spread it out, taking care to keep the height of the batter at 1 inch; you won’t fill the pan. Lift the excess parchment paper up to meet the edge of the batter, then rest something against the paper so that it stays in place (I use custard cups).

Dust the top of the marshmallows with potato starch or cornstarch and let the marshmallows set in a cool, dry place. They’ll need about 3 hours, but they can rest for 12 hours or more.

Once they are cool and set, cut the marshmallows with a pair of scissors or a long thin knife. Whatever you use, you’ll have to rinse and dry it frequently. Have a big bowl with the remaining potato starch or cornstarch at hand and cut the marshmallows as you’d like — into squares, rectangles or even strips (as they’re cut in France). As each piece is cut, drop it into the bowl. When you’ve got 4 or 5 marshmallows in the bowl, reach in with your fingers and turn the marshmallows to coat them with starch, then, one by one, toss the marshmallows from one hand to the other to shake off the excess starch; transfer them to a serving bowl. Cut and coat the rest of the batch.

SERVING: Put the marshmallows out and let everyone nibble as they wish. Sometimes I fill a tall glass vase with the marshmallows and put it in the center of the table — it never fails to make friends smile. You can also top hot chocolate or cold sundaes with the marshmallows.

STORING: Keep the marshmallows in a cool, dry place; don’t cover them closely. Stored in this way, they will keep for about 1 week — they might develop a little crust on the outside or they might get a little firmer on the inside, but they’ll still be very good.

If you have a Flashback of any kind please join me by linking below!


I am participating in Foodie Friday this week as well. Check out all of the other links at Designs by Gollum.

Carol's Cookbook Challenge

My friend Carol has put up a Cookbook Challenge that I'm taking! Go check out her blog, There's Always Time to Cook and read about it HERE. It's her way of motivating herself to go through her stacks of cookbooks. I'm sure many of you can relate! I know I can. I've got a passion for cookbooks, especially those about baking. I read them like novels..cover to cover, coming back later to reread favorite passages, savoring each tasty morsel (pun intended!).

Well, I have discovered a cookbook, Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters, that is a true page turner in my opinion. It was actually Carol that turned me on to it, since she already owns it and spoke highly of it. There are so many recipes I want to try from this book. I have already picked three and couldn't be more satisfied with how they came out! Here is the cover of the book, which can be bought HERE. Aren't the Brass sisters cute? :-)



What I really love about this book are the vignettes and stories about where the recipes came from....many were collected at estate sales. So although the Brass sisters didn't know many of the ladies who had clipped or written down these recipes, they give you glimpses into their lives. Bridge parties, church socials, radio programs.....all sources of great baked goods! It makes me happy that these recipes live again through this book instead of being tossed out at the end of a garage sale.

So, first up were the Buttermilk Biscuits on page 90 . I have a thing for trying biscuit recipes. I know..what can be so exciting about a biscuit? But it always amazes me that the same basic ingredients can turn out so differently with just a small recipe tweak. I think this recipe is a real winner and have added it to my "will do again and again" list.



Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut in small pieces
1/4 cup buttermilk ( I used buttermilk powder & milk)

Set the oven rack in the middle position. Preheat oven to 450°. Prepare a baking sheet by greasing it or using a silicone liner. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Work in butter with your fingers until butter pieces are the size of small peas. Add buttermilk and work in gently. Knead twice in bowl. Place dough on a floured surface. Knead gently two times. Sprinkle lightly with flour and pat into a circle 1/2 inch thick. Cut out 2 1/2 inch biscuits using a cutter dipped in flour. Press cutter straight down and lift up, don't twist or they won't rise. Transfer to baking sheet using a floured spatula. Gather up scraps, reshape dough and cut out more biscuits. Bake 12-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Tip: Don't handle dough too much or biscuits will be tough.

I was in the fall spirit when I made these so cut them with a new maple leaf cookie cutter I got recently. These were light and fluffy inside but sturdy enough to hold their shape, even the little stem.



Next up were these awesome cookies, The Radio Lady's Pecan Wafers, found in a section of the book called A Southern Lady Pours Tea (page 86), that somehow achieved being crisp and chewy at the same time. I was drawn to them because the list of ingredients is very similar to a family favorite, Hot Ziggerty Nut Bars that I will blog about soon (I thought I already had, but can't for the life of me find where!).

These really can be thrown together very quickly and as the description in the book says, they are "almost instant gratification". As promised, this cookie would be great with tea or coffee..or maybe a midnight snack, not that I would know from experience....or that my Dad would know either.....


The Radio Lady's Pecan Wafers

1 cup dark brown sugar
6 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup chopped pecans

Set the oven in the middle position. Preheat to 350°. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone liner. Combine brown sugar, flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add eggs and mix well. Fold in pecans. Drop dough by teaspoons 2 inches apart (these spread). Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Place baking sheet on a rack and let cool 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack and cool completely. Cookies will crisp as they cool.

Could it get any simpler than that???

And finally, a delicious take on classic Banana Bread (page 199). Carol had tried this recipe and really like it, and I couldn't agree more. I love my Mom's banana bread and this is very similar, but with two different ingredients, butter instead of shortening and the addition of nutmeg, which comes across very subtly. I can't wait for the next over ripe bananas, because I am definitely making this one again. I did substitute pecans because...I like them better!



Here's a little peek at the inside.


I give this book two thumbs up! Go get you one or put it on your Christmas wish list :-) And how about taking up the Cookbook Challenge yourself? Link back to Carols blog if you do!

Flashback and Foodie Friday ~Goodie List

If you are like me you're already thinking about what you're going to bake for the holidays! So, I'm flashing back to a new favorite..from last Christmas that you might want to add to your list of goodies. These pretty cinnamony swirly cookies are yummy and cute!



Cinnamon Swirl Refrigerator Cookies

Dough:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Filling:

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; stir until mixed. Cover dough and refrigerate at least 2 hours. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon. Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a rectangular shape and a ¼ inch thickness. Sprinkle brown sugar cinnamon filling mixture evenly over dough and press lightly into the dough with your fingers. Roll-up dough jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Brush off any excess flour from the dough. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; line with parchment paper or lightly grease with shortening.

Slice dough into ¼ inch slices and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Return remaining dough to refrigerator until ready to use. Bake 9 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are just barely browned. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet one minute. Remove cookies from baking sheets and finish cooling on wire racks.

Please join me with your flashback if you have one to share!



I'm also joining in on Foodie Friday this week over at Designs by Gollum. Go check out all of the other great posts, HERE.

Flashback and Foodie Friday ~Spring Forward

As fall seems to be quickly moving into winter here..maybe it's time to flash forward to Spring! I might have shown the Skagit Valley tulip fields before, but they are worth revisiting over and over again!


The day I was there in Spring of 2008 it was a gray day


But the fields of color


Were sunshine enough for me!



With a mountain backdrop


I walked past row and row


Of the little soldiers standing up to rain and the chill


Regal and elegant


As far as the eye could see


It was certainly


An awe inspiring sight!


Tulips


Tulips


And more tulips!


I hope this dose of spring will get you through a few chilly days this fall and winter :-) Feel free to bookmark and come tiptoeing through the tulips with me when the snow is blowing outside.

So coming back to reality...anybody need a big bowl of chili?


My Chili

1 lb of ground meat
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 tsp or to taste Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
2 cans kidney beans or black beans
1/4 cup chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
A few dashes of hot sauce - I like the Chipotle Tabasco
1 can Rotel tomatoes with chiles
1 small can tomato sauce
1 sm can green chiles
2 small cans sliced mushrooms or fresh if you have them
2 cups water - you may need to add more depending on how thick or thin you like it

Brown ground meat with onions, peppers and garlic. I like to throw a little Tony's seasoning on the meat while it cooks and then add more to the chili later if needed. Drain ground meat, then add the rest of the ingredients. Cook for at least 30 minutes, but longer if you have the time. Adjust seasoning to taste.

If you have a flashback you'd like to share please post your link below.


I'm participating in Foodie Friday this week. Go check out all of the other great posts at Designs by Gollum



Don't forget about the great chocolate dipping event my friend Marsha is having in December..check out my sidebar for details!