Craving

When I want something sweet this summer, I have been craving Stupid Popcorn.  I didn't give it its name, but it's totally appropriate. It's stupid because it is so good you absolutely can not stop eating it and eventually it will make you say, "Get this stupid popcorn away from me!"

Stupid Popcorn

4 bags popcorn, popped, lightly salted, unbuttered

2 cubes butter

1 1/3 C sugar

1/2 C light Karo syrup

In a saucepan, melt the butter.  Add sugar and Karo syrup.  Bring to boil and cook to softball stage.  While hot, pour over popcorn and stir to coat.

Notes:  Don't overcook the candy.  If you do it will be too hard.  You want it soft and chewy. I usually half this recipe.

A Favorite Recipe

The other day I taught a little cooking class, and this is one of the recipes I shared. It was a big hit, and many of the women have already tried it at home. Originally it came from Real Simple magazine, and though it sounds exotic, it is "real simple." While it's not actually a "risotto" it does a good impression, and planning ahead and cooking extra rice a couple of nights before makes this a quick and simple meal prep. Don't be intimidated by the chili paste and the coconut milk. You should be able to find them in the Asian section of your supermarket. Try it. It's Yummmy!

Chili Shrimp and Coconut Risotto
serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt (if you don't have kosher, just use regular salt.)
2 tablespoons chili paste (Careful! I cut this waaaay back or it's too spicy for the kids. Start with a couple of teaspoons and adjust to taste.)
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
4 cups cooked jasmine rice
1 cup bean sprouts
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Fresh basil leaved, for garnish

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, and salt and cook until the shrimp is pink and just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove the shrimp and set aside.
Add the chili paste and coconut milk to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the rice, bean sprouts, scallion, lime juice, and shrimp and cook until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve garnished with basil leaves.

The No Joke Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie

I have a near monogamous relationship with chocolate chip cookies. Other cookies have to work really hard to get me to pick them up. Look, I'm just at the age where I know what I like. I've been around the cookie block a few times, if you know what I mean. Oh, there was a time when I experimented a little, but I now know my type: I'm an all-American, give-me-a-bag-of-Nestle-Toll-House, chocolate chip cookie kind of girl. I've even found the best of the best cookie. Are you ready for it? Cause this one isn't interested in playing games. It's one serious cookie, let me tell you.

My friend Megan makes them all the time. If I lived by her I would talk her into making them every day and then I would sit in her kitchen, milk in hand, until they were done. I think she got the recipe from her sister, Katie, and maybe she got it somewhere else--like the top secret file of the culinary CIA. It's really that good. So without further ado, here is the recipe for my all-time favorite cookie:

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 lb butter, softened and at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs, at room temperature
2 C sugar
2 1/2 C brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
5 C flour (depending on your climate. You made need 5 1/2.)
4 C chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat butter until smooth. Mix in vanilla and eggs for about 3 to 4 minutes. (You will see a distinct change in the consistency when it is appropriately mixed. Cream sugar and brown sugar into butter mixture, then add baking soda, salt and flour. Mix. Add chocolate chips.

Bake about 9-11 minutes. Do NOT over-bake, even if cookies do not look done.

This Will Get the Party Started

This holiday season I rediscovered an appetizer that became a true hit. I made it for a number of different parties where it disappeared every time, and my creative foodie friend Melissa told me I should definitely share it on my blog. So here it is. Better late than never.

As a warning: It is definitely "old school." One of those recipes that was probably introduced in the 50's given the inclusion of chipped beef. However, it is worth keeping around because it is delicious!!! There is not one healthy thing in it. Wait...it does have green onions, but other than that it is fat city folks, so it's perfect for the Super Bowl. Anyhow, if you are worried about your waistline remember this: It is an appetizer, so no one should be eating a whole lot of it. Although, you probably won't be able to help yourself. It's that good.

Here goes:

Stuffed Bread
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese
1 c. sour cream
1 c grated cheddar cheese
2-4 green onion
1 sm. jar chipped beef, sliced thin and chopped (Mine was called dried beef now. I found it near the tuna fish in my grocery store.)
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 sourdough round

Mix well and stuff hollowed sourdough round. Replace top wrap in foil and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours. During the last 5 minutes of baking, add the bread cubes that were pulled out of the loaf to warm and serve around the hot bread.

A note: Add dried beef to taste since I don't exactly know how small the jar should be. Adding all of mine would have made it way too salty.

Fat Thursday, and I Can't Wait!

I'm loosening my belt girls, cause I'm eating today!!! Melissa and I are teaching a cooking class. She's making her yummy cinnamon rolls, and I'm making pies. My mouth is watering just thinking about all the taste testing. In preparation, I tried a couple of new recipes and this one's a winner! And I'm not even kidding when I say you should make this today. It's flat out delicious. And if not today, then for sure on Thanksgiving. You won't regret it. No, really.

Adrienne’s Fruit Pie

2 9-inch unbaked pie crust (double crust pie)
4-5 tart apples, peeled and sliced
1 can blueberry pie filling
1 C sugar
1 T flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
butter

In a small bowl, mix sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Line pie tin with bottom pastry. Brush pastry with butter. Fill with half the apple slices, then 1/3 of sugar mixture, then half of the pie filling. Repeat. End with the last of the sugar mixture and top with small chunks butter. Finish with top pastry. Cover the edges with tinfoil or a pie shield. Cook at 425 degrees F. for 20 minutes. Turn down heat to 375 degrees F. Remove tinfoil or shield and cook for another 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Best Snickerdoodle Cookies I've ever Eaten

Tonight for Family Home Evening we made snickerdoodles, and I mean to tell you this recipe from my friend Julia rocks! Coming from me, that is really saying a lot because, usually, as far as I'm concerned, if it is not a chocolate chip cookie, it is not a cookie worth putting in my mouth. But these...well, they make the list for sure. Yummy! Here's the recipe. I bet you can't eat just one...or is that just me?

1 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2-3 c. flour

Cream the butter, sugar, and eggs. Mix in cream of tartar, baking soda, vanilla, and salt, then mix in flour. Start with 2 1/2 c., but I usually add about 1/4 c. more to get the dough a little stiffer. However, it should still be somewhat soft; don't get carried away. Form a teaspoonful into ball and roll in sugar and cinnamon. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 9-10 minutes at 350 degrees. Do not flatten cookies. They will spread out as they bake. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Stirring the Pot and Bringing Peace

A couple of weekends ago I experienced a personal best. A momentous occasion, if you will. Yes, it finally happened: I made a meal my father-in-law raved about.

Now, Bob, if you read this, now or ever, you must admit that you are a bit...well...should we say...finicky? Remember now: No one can fix eggs the way you like them except your wife. I tried--only once. And then there was the time I made lunch and you ate the deli sandwich instead. C'mon. Admit it. You're finicky.

Well, now that we've gotten that straight, I can get back to the rest of you. So this is my favorite soup to make; it's super easy and so delicious, and since it has received Bob's stamp of approval, I am going to share it with the world in hopes of bringing fathers and daughters-in-law closer. Who knows? My personal best may just turn into a Nobel Peace Prize.

Tomato Artichoke Soup
4 T butter
1 lg. onion, finely chopped
1 T minced garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
1 (15 oz.) can artichoke hearts (NOT marinated), coarsely chopped
1 (28 oz.) can chopped tomatoes with juices
4 C chicken broth
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 C sour cream

In a large saucepan, heat butter and saute the onion for 5 min. until soft. Add the garlic and thyme and saute another minute. Add the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Cover, simmer for 30 minutes. Add the sour cream, stir well and simmer for 5 more minutes. Taste for seasoning. Serves 8.

Mmm! My New Favorite Banana Bread

Most of the time I eat my way through vacations. This one is no different. Here is the recipe for a banana bread my sister in law made a couple of days ago, and it is the only one I will make from now on. That's right, Betty Crocker! You are out!!! This one is so moist with a chewy, slightly carmelized crust. So delicious! You heard me Betty: It kicks your butt.

3/4 C. butter/margarine
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 1/2 C. mashed bananas (3)
2 eggs, well beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
2 C. flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 C. buttermilk
3/4 C. walnuts, chopped (optional)

Cream butter and sugar thoroughly. Blend in bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt together. Add to banana mixture, alternating with buttermilk, mixingthoroughly after each addition. Add nuts, mix. Pour batter into 9x3x5 loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/4 hour or until done.

Just Dessert

I've been too busy just living my life to blog about it lately. More about that later.

But I have been wanting to post THE BEST

carrot cake recipe ever.

It comes courtesy of Sunset Magazine.
SOOO GOOD!

Carrot Cake
4 eggs
1 1/2 C. salad oil
2 C. each sugar and all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. each baking powder and ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
2 C. shredded carrots
1/2 C. coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

In a large bowl, beat eggs just until blended; add oil and sugar, beating until thoroughly mixed. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add to egg mixture, stirring just until blended; then mix in carrots, nuts and pineapple.

Pour batter into a greased and flour-dusted 9x13 in. baking pan or a 12-cup bundt or other fluted cake pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes for a 9x13 pan, 55 minutes for a bundt or other fluted pan, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Let cool (if you use a bundt or fluted pan, let the cake cool in pan for 15 minutes; then invert onto a rack to cool completely.)

Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting and spread over cooled cake. Makes 12-15 servings.

Cream Cheese Frosting
In a bowl of an electric mixer combine 6 oz. package cream cheese, softened; 6 T. butter (or margerine), softened; and 1 tsp. grated orange peel; beat until smooth. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and 2 cups powdered sugar; beat until creamy.