*sniffle*

I received my biscuit butters today!  /joy  They are soooo heavy and made from stainless steel.  I cannot wait to use them.  I looked at them and my mind went wild.  Square homemade raviolis, cute shortbread cookie sammichs with a "window" for the chocolate ganache to peek through on top, tea sammies all cutely cut on the edges....so many possibilities aside from biscuits.

I wish I felt better.  What started off as simple sniffles has reverted into a full out sneezing assault.  I have went through a whole box of tissues overnight.  Mucinex didn't even touch it.  I slept a total of about three hours last night between the running of the cats (much similar to Spain's running of the bulls) at 3am and having to wake up and blow my nose every 30 minutes.  It was a delight.  I made my doctor appointment with my family doc but he can't see me till next Tuesday.  Lovely!  So I'm on my own, staring at my kitchen, desperately wanting to make something ridiculously delicious to comfort myself but having no energy to produce anything more than comes in a can.  (go soup!)  I would love my grandma's creamy bean soup right about now.  I have some frozen but I'm even too weak to go dig out my crock pot to put it in.  That's how badly I feel today.  Joy of living in the snow belt.  /yeah!

On a different note, I am going to attempt my first cassoulet this week.  If that succeeds, I may even try something more difficult like beef burgandy.  My attempt at soba noodles in a leek and chicken broth didn't go so well.  It tasted fine but the noodles soaked in all the broth and swelled to resemble more egg noodle than soba.  I have to do some more research into that whole department.  I'm sure Steamy Kitchen will have some tips or hints. 

Trying to work out a new St. Patty's day menu for this year.  Last year's was terrible.  I used a book from Ireland and I think the conversions weren't acccurate or something because every single thing I made flopped.  Completely inedible and I worked ALL day long.  It was very sad indeed.  Pork chops in a mustard sauce, shortbread, fish and stuffing roll appetizers and soda bread - all trashed.  I think I'm going to revert to my old Guiness stew, a new version of soda bread with orange and honey butter and vanilla ice cream sudaes made with a Guiness reduction sauce for dessert complete with shortbread fingers on the side. 

Hope your day is sniffle free! 

Bleck!

I am in a bit of a funk today for some reason.  I am tired of looking out my office window and seeing dirty snow the plows have tossed everywhere.  I'm tired of bare trees and a dingy gray sky.  I am ready for some sun and to see something green for once.  Even my poor houseplants are drooping in despair of no real sunlight.  Poor Simon and George.  (yes, they have names)  Even the cats have resorted to napping more than usual.  It just feels like the cold is slowing everything dooooown to a turtle's pace.  Bleck!  I look at my lovely screened in front porch that's not getting used and sigh.  How I would love to have tea and muffins for breakfast on that porch.  /ugh

Awhile ago on Bobby Flay's Throwdown show, I saw him battle some woman about biscuits.  Not just any old biscuit but these huge, puffy, buttery southern biscuits that just screamed for a piece of ham and some cheese to be wedged into a sammie.  When I worked at Cracker Barrel in high school, they used to have a steak tenderloin piece on a biscuit.  They were *divine*.  I ate them every day I worked.  I have craved a good biscuit for years and when I finally stumble upon a recipe I want to try to re-create, I have no biscuit cutters!  Someone told me use a cup.  Yeah, I lamented, but smushes the edges down.  I think that would cut down on the 'rise' of the whole thing.  So yesterday, I bought a lovely scalloped square set from Amazon.  I am sooo excited to get these.  Not only good for biscuits but think of the cute little scalloped shortbread cookies you could make?!    MMMhmm! 

I also ordered the pizza sauce.  Couldn't wait any longer....lol.  So sad, I know.

I think I might have found a local knitters group too.  If only my hands will stand up to it long enough.  My carpal tunnel surgery scar is not fully healed yet even after two months.  I know, I know.  I'm making an appointment Monday with my doctor.  I have  a sneaking suspicion I have an infection in my hand since I have pain everyday, my skin is hot to the touch and its puffy.  Once I get that taken care of, hopefully, I can return to regular life again and start doing things I have been waiting on.  Crocheting, knitting, soaping, etc.  I miss my crafts and would love to put some stuff on Etsy here soon. 

In any event, I think today's blue mood is deserving of something good, sweet and comforting.  I am thinking peanut butter brownies....yum!  Hope you find something to keep you warm and cozy as well this weekend.

Happy Munching to you!

On A Mission!

Call me crazy but I am on a mission, a quest as were, to duplicate Chef Boyardee pizza sauce.  Here near West Point, I cannot find my beloved pizza sauce and according to their own site, nobody within 50 miles from me has it.  I can order it off Amazon if I want to spend $40.  I am seriously one step away from mailing my mother-in-law a check to send me some from Ohio.  LOL  Is that not insanity?  I am *desperate* for this sauce.  I stood staring at a Chef Boyardee pizza kit for nearly 5 minutes but wasn't about to pay the price just to pitch the dough mix.  Over the past few weeks I've been playing with different sauces of my own creation, all very good but none to that sweet red perfection that is Chef Boyardee.  I am a broken woman.  Hahaha! 

I even searched online on various cooking forums looking for a duplicate copy cat recipe.  Someone had mentioned to try the organic pizza sauce by Muir Glen.  I can safely tell you that Muir Glen sauce is NO where near Chef Boyardee and if you're wanting a "paste" sauce, then that's for you.  It literally had to be scooped out of the can like tomato paste.  It certainly was not the drippy, liquid heaven that is Chef Boyardee pizza sauce.  I'm just too picky I think.  I don't like alot of herbs in it, I most definately don't desire ANY chunks or strands of mushed tomatos.  Everything has to be perfectly thin and lend itself to the drippy, gooey quality of my favorite pizzas.

If anyone out there HAS a close duplicate copy cat recipe for my sauce, please let me know!  I'm fighting pushing the "order" button on Amazon.  LOL

/twitch

Tonight I am venturing into the United Kingdom's favorite fare - Fish & Chips.  I had ripped a beautiful looking recipe out of Bon Appetit awhile back.  Gorgeous, perfectly cooked fish in batter and boiled then crispy baked red potatoes that are lightly "smashed" before baking.  They look delicious!  Also making Guy Fieri's tequila lime chicken marinade tonight for tomorrow's dinner.  Looks so  so divine that you want to lick the page.  LOL

I hope you all are staying warm wherever you are!  We finally got hit with 6 inches of snow so I'm joining all the rest of you in the Midwest/Northeast who are complaining about enough already and wanting to see spring.  I heard its 22 days till the first day of spring.  Bring it on already!  lol

Good Noshing to you all! ~

Happy Valentines!!

I hope you are enjoying your Valentine's Day with someone you love!  Rather than cook this year as I usually do (I think last year was steak bites, roasted potatoes and chocolate dipped strawberries...that I got NONE of!) I am heading out to dinner to a wee little Italian place called Bocci.  I hear nothing but great reviews and am told it is run by a old man from Italy.  My mouth is drooling in anticipation even now!

When we get home, we bought a four pack of musicals to watch.  Meet Me In St. Louis, Singin' in the Rain..and I can't remember what else.  I bought chocolate canolis last night and baklava to snack on during our movie fest.  I think we might crack open the bottle of ice wine I've had chilling since our last visit to a winery years ago.  I even bought a new pair of jammies just for the occasion to relax in. 

I am truly looking forward to an enjoyable evening for once.  I have been so barraged lately with undo stress - it will be so nice to just let everything go.  They say laughter is the best medicine and I'm putting all my faith in that tonight.  lol

In any event, enjoy your evening no matter what you do!  See you all later!

Happy Munching!

Back from the dead...

Sorry, we had to take a short break there to pack and move states away. (nightmare) We're now on base at West Point, NY.  Its so beautiful here but freezing!  We thankfully didn't get hit by those huge blizzards.  Odd, being in the mountains, you think we'd have snow but so far, only about 6 inches total.  I know, ya'll hate me. 

We also got two kitties from the Newburgh, NY SPCA.  I had originally wanted kittens to raise together.  I love kittens.  But walking into the SPCA changed that.  There we met Hamlet and Neil.  Hamlet is Jon's black terror, who likes to reach up and hug you, rubbing noses.  Neil is my short, pudgy, squishy faced lazy bum who walks around meowing all day.  This place used to be a kill shelter and thankfully the SPCA took over and the killing stopped.  It was a good thing too because my big fat Neil would have been killed as he'd been there over a year.  Poor thing was abandoned in an apartment when his owner moved out.  He's about three years old and while certainly not a "baby" by any means, he surely acts like it.  He bites your nose and fingers when he's happy to show love, though he particularly like to bite my chin when I hold him.  He is just adorable.  Hamlet, thanks in no part to Jon, likes to attack feet now and swats at you whenever you walk by.  He has a wee mousie he runs around the house with, flipping and flopping about like a maniac.  He is a riot.  Now if I could just train them to stay OFF my table and counters....

Since moving though, I have a new HUGE kitchen with a *ton* of cabinets.  I was so excited by this because at my old house in my closet sized kitchen, I had small cabinets and appliances were out everywhere on my counters.  It was so cluttered two people could barely fit in there.  This new kitchen, even with its glorious, copious amounts of cabinets has little counter space and I don't know about you but I need prep areas.  Its been very frustrating trying to prepare a meal and chop stuff on this wee tiny bit o' counter.  So, I am soon on the search for a roll cart or some kind of island thing.  Its just ridiculous honestly.  But I have my beloved gas stove back and a broiler that is to die for.  I am all together thrilled except for the counter bit.

I have been experimenting alot these past few weeks with recipes from Tasty Kitchen.  You just get in these ruts of cooking the same thing week after week - ya know what I mean?  So far I've made a pork stew that was to die for, some creamy dreamy escalloped potatoes, udon noodles with chicken and leeks, toffee bars (see below) that tasted like a bar form of Pay Day candy bars and a ton more.  It has been really fun trying out all this new stuff.  I have a ton more printed out to try this next week as well.  I'm a constant magazine ripper-outter and have a pile of stuff to make one of these days.  I am particularly looking forward to making Food Network magazine's clone version of Olive Garden's breadsticks.  Tell when do you ever get enough of those babies?!  (nevah!)

In any event...here is my take on the toffee bar recipe.  I'm not sure why they're called toffee bars when they have no toffee in them nor taste like it  but they ARE quite enjoyable. 

Take note:  I put caramel bits down while the cookie crust was flaming hot so they'd melt.  Then I drizzled chocolate over then put on the salted peanuts. 



Toffee Bars

1 cup Butter Flavored Shortening
½ cups Brown Sugar, Packed
½ cups White Sugar
1 whole Egg
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
1-½ cup Quick Oats


FOR THE TOPPING:
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
¾ cups Chopped Nuts

Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease cookie sheet.

Cream shortening, sugars, egg and vanilla on medium speed, until smooth. Add flour and oats, mixing well. Press mixture onto cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.


While cookie is cooling, melt chocolate and butter in microwave on high, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth and creamy. Be careful not to overcook it in the microwave. Spread over the warm cookie crust, then sprinkle with nuts.


Let cool until chocolate is almost firm, then cut into serving sizes. The best tool for cutting is a pizza cutter, however, a sharp knife will work well, too. Store in an airtight container.