Gunsmoke and Knitting

Posts Tagged ‘food’

What am I baking?

September 20, 2012

It seems that Oreos are in the air.  I was just about to post the following, when I read Butter’s post on Oreo Truffles.

This is another in my series of discoveries on recipes from ingredients that I normally would not consider to be ingredients (such as PopTarts) and now, Oreos.

Oreo-stuffed chocolate chip cookies:
Bon Appetit magazine calls these “the new cupcake.” (Pretending to be healthy? Try this oatmeal cookie-oreo version.)

• 2 sticks softened butter
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 10 oz bag chocolate chips
• 1 pkg. Oreo cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugars together with a mixer until well combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined. Using a cookie scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of an Oreo Cookie. Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of Oreo cookie. Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo cookie is enclosed with dough. Place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Makes about 2 dozen large cookies.
This recipe is from Yahoo’s observance of Oreos 100th birthday in March 2012.  Did you know that the design on the cookie was flowers?

Here’s a list of Oreo flavors from Wikipedia:

• Chocolate Oreo
• Strawberry Milkshake Oreo, introduced in Canada, and sold for a limited time in the United States, is an Oreo cookie with strawberryflavoring.
  • Strawberry Oreo, introduced in Indonesia and Malaysia.
• Green Tea Oreo, introduced in China and Japan.
• Lemon Ice Oreo, introduced in Japan.
• Organic Oreo, introduced in 2006, are plain Oreo cookies made with organic flavor and organic sugar.
• Blueberry Ice Cream Oreo, introduced in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia in 2010. Also sold in Thailand.
• Orange Ice Cream Oreo, introduced in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand in 2011.
• Golden Oreo, introduced in Indonesia in 2011. Oreo’s chocolate cookies replaced by milk-flavored cookies
  • Double Stuf Golden Oreo, introduced in late August 2009. As the name indicates they are Double Stuf Oreos with Golden Oreo wafers instead of normal chocolate Oreo wafers.
  • Golden Oreo series have vanilla biscuits with other fillings like vanilla and chocolate as Uh-Oh Oreo until its rebranding in 2007. Introduced in Indonesia in 2011 with milky cookies and cream.
  • Oreo Heads or Tails have vanilla creme filling with a chocolate Oreo wafer on one side and a Golden Oreo wafer on the other.
• Oreo DQ Blizzard Creme, a limited edition Oreo released in April–May 2010, celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Dairy Queen Blizzard
• Double Delight Oreo, introduced in 1987, have chocolate cookies with two fillings, notably peanut butter and chocolate, mint and cream, and coffee and cream flavors.
  • Also there are ongoing fruit series: orange and mango, raspberry and blueberry, grape and peach in China.
• Cool Mint Creme Oreo are a Double Stuf Oreo with a slight minty creme filling.
• Peanut Butter Oreo are a Double Stuf Oreo with a peanut buttery creme filling.
• Pure Milk Chocolate Covered Mint Oreo are similar to Milk Chocolate Oreo but have a mint-flavored filling.
• Banana Split Creme Oreo with a light yellow banana flavor filling, were available for a limited time in 2008.
• Berry Burst Ice Cream Oreo were released in April 2011.
• Sugar Free Oreo, introduced in 2006, cost over twice as much as regular Oreos, and had only trace amounts of sugar, 10 fewer calories per serving, 0.5 grams more fat and 450% more fiber.
• Reduced Fat Oreo, introduced in 2006, cost the same as regular Oreos, had as much sugar, 10 fewer calories per serving, about 35% less fat and the same amount of fiber.
• During springtime, around Halloween, and Christmas, special edition “Double Stuf Oreo” cookies are produced with colored frosting reflecting the current holiday (blue or yellow, orange, and red or green respectively).
• Chocolate and Dulce de leche Oreo, sold in Chile and Argentina, has chocolate or Dulce de Leche instead of the usual creme.
• Oreos with red creme, introduced in 2010, as a promotion for the movie How To Train Your Dragon
• Birthday Cake Oreos were a limited-edition release in February-July 2012 to celebrate Oreo’s 100th birthday, made up of two chocolate Oreo cookies with a birthday-cake flavored filling and sprinkles inside. This edition replaced the traditional design on one of the two cookies with a birthday candle and the words “OREO 100”.
• Candy Corn Oreos were a limited-edition release, made up of two golden Oreo cookies with a flavored filling that was half yellow and half orange.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cooking, food, recipes, whimsey | 2 Comments »

What special day am I observing today?

September 19, 2012

Arrrrrgh! 

She be Talk Like a Pirate Day and thanks to Artie Smartie-Pants (Black Morty Rackham) for reminding me!  Want to find out your pirate name?  Take the quiz:  http://www.piratequiz.com/

Pirate Social Networking

Recipe for Hard Tack

Mix one teaspoon of salt with one pound of flour.

Add enough water to make a very stiff dough.

Flatten the dough to about 1/2 inch and cut it into about 4 inch circles. Punch holes in each circle with a fork.

Bake in a flat pan at 250 degrees for two or three hours.
If the hard tack should happen to go bad, just remember to choose the lesser of two weevils.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged food, hard tack, history, pirates, recipes, talk like a pirate, whimsey | 2 Comments »

What am I looking at?

September 18, 2012

Food (and other) art at Dancretu

Thanks to Hovercraft Doggy for the referral.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged food, food art, guns, nature, photography, whimsey | 2 Comments »

What am I celebrating today?

September 17, 2012

Today is Apple Dumpling Day.  It is still officially summer, but there’s a little nip in the air and the locally grown apples have begun to appear in our markets.

My mother made the best apple dumplings.  I do not have a recipe because she did not use one, but here is approximately how she made them.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare pastry, as for a pie crust – these are approximate measurements:

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt – whisk into flour

1/2 cup shortening (she used Crisco) – cut into flour mixture with a pastry blender (or two knives)

moisten the dough with a couple of tablespoons of ice water
– add this a little at a time until the dough begins to come together

Roll into a rectangle about 1/8 of an inch thick

Cut into squares.

Place a peeled, cored apple in the middle of each square.  You probably don’t want apples that are really big for this recipe.

What kind of apple?  My mother always said, “Don’t buy the computer apples.”  But if you don’t mind mushy apples, go ahead and buy the computer apples (also known as Macintosh.)  Granny Smiths are good, as are any apple with a lot of flavor and a little tartness.

Fill the hole in the apple with butter and red cinnamon hearts – these will melt and make a sauce.  Alternatively, you can fill the cores with sugar, butter, cinnamon, walnuts, raisins, or any combination of the above.

Splash the apples with maple syrup and fold up the dough to cover the apple.
Bake until the crust is browned and the apples are soft – I’m guessing about 30 to 45 minutes.

In my opinion, these don’t need ice cream or whipped cream or any other embellishment – but if that is what you like, go ahead and enjoy! Actually, I do like them with accompanied by  a wedge of cheddar cheese.

I love the names of the old apple varieties:  Stayman Winesap, Northern Spy, Pippin, Sheepnose, but they are difficult to find these days.  The poster above is from MOFGA’s Common Ground Fair from 2009.  The Fair takes place every September in Unity, Maine.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged apple dumplings, apples, baking, cinnamon, Common Ground Fair, cooking, food, holidays, MOFGA | Leave a Comment »

What did I miss posting on August 30?

September 2, 2012

In case you missed it, August 30 was Toasted Marshmallow Day. These days marshmallows are a confection, but they started out as a medicinal product made from the extract of the marshmallow flower, a wildflower with a sticky sap.  The concoction was used as a demulcent – a compound that forms a smooth or protective coating over an irritated or inflamed area.  This was a time-intensive process, and as industrialization provided commercial gelatin and sugar became more readily available, recipes were developed and marshmallows became easier to create.

Here is a history of marshmallows at About.com.

I’m not sure they are as good for toasting as the commercial ones, but if you are interested in creating your own marshmallows, this recipe is from Ina Garten via the Food Network.  I do know from experience that these are terrific when dipped in Belgian chocolate.  There are also lots of places – many of them on the internet – that sell gourmet marshmallows in flavors such as White Russian, Key Lime, and Aztec Chocolate. Don’t forget to save room for s’more.

Marshmallows

Prep Time: 20 min

Prep Time:  8 hr

Cook Time: 10 min

Level: Easy
Yield: 20 to 40 marshmallows

Ingredients

• 3 packages unflavored gelatin
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Directions

Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.

With a sieve, generously dust an 8 by 12-inch nonmetal baking dish with confectioners’ sugar. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the pan, smooth the top, and dust with more confectioners’ sugar. Allow to stand uncovered overnight until it dries out.

Turn the marshmallows onto a board and cut them in squares. Dust them with more confectioners’ sugar.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cooking, food, history, marshmallows, recipes, toasted marshmallows, whimsey | Leave a Comment »

What am I waffling on about?

August 24, 2012

Just when you pancake it any longer, it’s time to celebrate – National Waffle Day.  On August 24, 1869, the first waffle iron was patented in the U.S. by Cornelius Swarthout.

Some Waffle History from Mr. Breakfast

13th Century A.C. – Ancient Greeks cook flat cakes between two metal plates. These early waffles were called obleios and were primarily savory in nature, prepared with cheeses and herbs.

1620 – The pilgrims bring Dutch “wafles” to America.

1735 – The word “waffle” – with two “f”s – appears in English print for the first time.

Late 1800’s – Thomas Jefferson returns to the U.S. from France with a long handled, patterned waffle iron.

1869 – Cornelius Swarthout patents the first U.S. Waffle Iron.

1953 – Frank Dorsa’s Eggo Frozen Waffles are sold in Supermarkets for the first time.

1964-65 – Brussels restaurateur Maurice Vermersch brings his wife’s Brussels Waffle recipe to the World’s Fair in New York. The fluffy yeast-infused waffle becomes a huge hit and becomes known as the Belgium waffle.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Belgium, breakfast, cooking, food, France, frozen waffles, history, pancakes, Thomas Jefferson, waffle iron, waffles, whimsey | Leave a Comment »

What am I cooking with?

August 16, 2012

We all know that PopTarts are little bundles of goodness, but WHO KNEW that you can cook with them?

I just discovered PopTart recipes on the PopTarts website.  I am stunned – what next – cooking with Twinkies?

Confetti Bursts
Ingredients

1 package (12 oz., 2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® cereal
3 cups white chocolate morsels
3 tablespoons shortening
30 lollipop sticks or ice cream sticks
4 Kellogg’s® Pop-Tarts® Frosted Confetti Cupcake toaster pastries

Confetti Bursts
Any day can be a celebration when you serve these crunchy chocolate balls, dipped in white chocolate and coated with colorful Pop-Tarts® Frosted Confetti Cupcake toaster pastries.

Prep Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 15

Directions
1. In heavy, medium saucepan combine semi-sweet chocolate morsels, cream and butter. Cook over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until smooth, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Transfer to mixing bowl. Refrigerate for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

2. Beat chocolate mixture on high speed of electric mixer about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Stir in KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES cereal.

3. Using small ice cream scoop or rounded tablespoon, divide mixture into thirty 1 1/2-inch portions. Use hands to quickly shape portions into balls. Place on baking sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze for 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in small saucepan melt white chocolate morsels and shortening over low heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes.

5. Insert lollipop stick or ice cream stick into each chocolate ball. Working with 1 ball at a time, spoon white chocolate mixture over each, allowing excess to drip off. Press KELLOGG’S POP TARTS Frosted Confetti Cupcake toaster pastry pieces into white chocolate. Place on baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes or until firm.

For the record, I also think this post is ironic coming on the heels of my homage to Julia Child yesterday.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cooking, food, Kelloggs, PopTarts, recipes, whimsey | Leave a Comment »

Whose birthday am I celebrating today?

August 15, 2012

Julia Child would have been 100 years old today.  There is a nice tribute to her on the PBS site.

I loved Julia – both in her early TV appearances – she originated the television cooking show while revolutionizing American cooking – and in her later shows when she cooked with other master chefs.  This was reality TV in its infancy with all of the mistakes left in.  What is your favorite Julia moment?  The production line omelets?  The lobster dinner with the gargantuan lobster?

With over 300 cookbooks, I of course, have a copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, but I especially enjoyed My Life in France, written with Alex Prud’homme. In this book, Julia describes how she arrived in France with her husband Paul, after the war and to occupy her time, decided to enroll in the Cordon Bleu cooking school because she had no cooking skills at all at that point, nor did she speak French.  Needless to say the experience changed her life and ultimately influenced so many other peoples’ lives.  It is a warm and charming book, as was the author, herself.

So raise a glass today in a toast to this remarkable woman.

As Julia would say, “If you’re afraid of butter, use cream!” and “Bon Appetit!”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged bon appetit, cooking, cooking shows, food, Julia Child, recipes, television | Leave a Comment »

What am I celebrating today?

August 11, 2012

August 11 is Raspberry Tart Day.  According to Punchbowl, tarts were first introduced in the Middle Ages.  I think that may be when they were first introduced into society, but I suspect that those little tarts were around for a lot longer than that.  This celebration, however, should focus more on the raspberries.  The summer berry season is a short one and fresh red raspberries are a wonderful treat.  So celebrate by giving someone you love the raspberries.

For future reference, Harry, it is raspberry…although of course, if I were a Death Eater, I would have been sure to research my own jam preferences before impersonating myself. ~ Albus Dumbledore

Brown Butter Raspberry Tart from Epicurious

Crust:

• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• Pinch of salt

Filling:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced
• 2 6-ounce containers fresh raspberries

For crust:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Using rubber spatula or fork, mix melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl. Add flour and salt and stir until incorporated. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Using fingertips, press dough evenly onto sides and bottom of pan.

Bake crust until golden, about 18 minutes (crust will puff slightly while baking). Transfer crust to rack and cool in pan. Maintain oven temperature.

For filling:
Whisk sugar, eggs, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add flour and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Cook butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until deep nutty brown (do not burn), stirring often, about 6 minutes. Immediately pour browned butter into glass measuring cup. Gradually whisk browned butter into sugar-egg mixture; whisk until well blended.

Arrange raspberries, pointed side up and close together in concentric circles, in bottom of cooled crust. Carefully pour browned butter mixture evenly over berries. Place tart on rimmed baking sheet. Bake tart until filling is puffed and golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool tart completely in pan on rack. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.

Remove tart pan sides. Place tart on platter. Cut into wedges and serve.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Albus Dumbledore, baking, cooking, Death Eater, dessert, food, fruit, Harry Potter, history, holidays, pie, raspberries, raspberry jam, recipes, tart | 1 Comment »

What am I not eating?

July 28, 2012

It seems that every day there is news about something else that is bad for us.  The internet is littered with news about what foods we should NEVER eat.  And it runs the gamut of things such as bananas, movie theater popcorn, and Chinese food (really?)

Here is Anne Bonney’s list of 10 THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER EAT

1.  Right at the top is hemlock – natural, organic, deadly.

2.  Lima beans

3.  Fugu – that’s just silly

4.  Lentils – there’s no reason for lentils

5.  Polonium-laced sushi

6.  Celery – it’s like eating wet wood

7.  A cheeseburger between 2 Krispy Kreme doughnuts.  Love you, Paula, but you can see where eating this got you

8.  Snails

9.  Duxelles aux Amanita phalloides

10.  Liver

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged death angel, food, fugu, mushrooms, polonium, theater popcorn, whimsey | 2 Comments »

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