Barking Up the Chocolate Coffee Tree

Busy, busy, busy! It’s October again and the days are rushing forward like a quarterback during the Homecoming game! There’s no stopping him and there’s no stopping the autumn leaves falling or the cold weather creeping in. It also doesn’t help that we turn back the clocks and the days are shorter. When the moon shows its face at 6 PM instead of 9 PM, I want to curl up on the couch with a cup of tea and a good movie.

Yet when the morning comes, it comes too fast. I hear it from everyone. “I’m so tired.” No one seems to get enough sleep and everyone wants the jolt of caffeine to give them an extra kick start. Why do you think the coffee shops are so busy from 7 to 9 AM every morning? They know their clientele. They know that first cup of the morning is going to make or break their routine. Coffee is the magic potion to open eyes and ease us into Monday madness or pull us over the Wednesday Hump. On Fridays we celebrate with a salted caramel espresso topped with extra whipped cream and sprinkles. It is the weekend and we deserve a little treat. It seems every day is a day that deserves coffee and during the autumn and winter months, we need it even more.

Mornings call for coffee, however, afternoons demand chocolate. From school children to busy office workers, from stay at home parents to governmental officials, when 3 PM rolls around we all want a snack. Or maybe I should say, we NEED a snack. Our stomachs begin to grumble and our energy plunges. Vending machines scream our names and convenience stores throw chips and candy bars at our heads. We clamor for something to get us through the afternoon until its time for dinner.

It was one of these demanding afternoons that I discovered a marvelous delicacy called Espresso Beans. I couldn’t believe that those little beans we grind for our favorite drink could actually be eaten! I wondered how that idea came about and who was the first daredevil to give it a try. Did he try them freshly picked and raw or did she wait until the beans were roasted. For the newest coffee connoisseur, it is important to know that the difference between coffee beans and espresso beans is the amount of time the seeds are roasted. Both coffee beans and espresso beans are seeds of the coffee “cherry” produced from the same coffee plant. The only difference between regular coffee and espresso is that the bean is roasted at a higher temperature for a longer time in order to release more oil inside the bean to produce espresso. That’s why the flavor is more intense and bolder.

Imagine then the perfect combination of rich, deep coffee wrapped in creamy, smooth and indulgent chocolate. My mouth could barely grasp the passion of flavors. And no one can eat just one! Each piece entices your taste buds to pop one more and then another. If my family hadn’t been there to share my new found pleasure,  I probably would have eaten the whole pound.  I was hooked.

My recipe today is a product of my obsession. Although chocolate covered espresso beans are delectable on their own, I wanted to experiment with them and create a new candy for my holiday parties. Whether it was Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s, I wanted something unique with a more mature taste.  I developed Chocolate Espresso Bark. Based on the traditional Peppermint Bark sold in all the stores and made by faithful friends, I switched out my ingredients for a sweet treat that melts in your mouth in the afternoon and keeps you charged on those blustery winter mornings.

Chocolate Covered Espresso Bean Bark

Ingredients:

1 package (12oz) white chocolate chips ( I used Wilton White Candy Melts for easy melting.)
1 cup Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans. ( I found Dove Chocolate Discoveries has the best flavor and bean.)

9x13 pan
Parchment paper/ wax paper

Instructions:

Line pan with parchment paper so ends hang off the sides. This will make it easier to remove bark and break into pieces.

Chop ¾ cup of espresso beans with a food processor, or place in Ziploc bag and crush with a hammer. Pieces should be broken, but not minced. Some powder is acceptable, it adds more flavor.

Place white chips or candy melts in microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and then stir. Repeat melting for another 30 seconds. Stir again. Candies should be melted, if not, heat again at 10 second intervals. Always remember to stir. Do not over melt!!

Add crushed beans to white chocolate and stir completely. Pour into prepared pan. Let sit and harden. If you want to rush the process, place in the refrigerator.

When completely hardened, break into various size pieces. Store in airtight container until there is no candy left!

Makes great presents for your family, friends and all those people who love chocolate and coffee!

If you prefer, milk or dark chocolate can also be substituted for the white. Wilton makes a variety of colored melts, experiment with your favorites.


**For Dove Chocolate covered espresso beans, check out this site to order. https://www.mydcdsite.com/pws/aprilhale/tabs/index.aspx

**To purchase my cookbook with more of these delicious recipes,  go to
http://amzn.com/150080598X

Shots On The Hood

Shots on the Hood

Life passes by so quickly. We all say it from time to time, especially as we grow older. I could use this as an excuse as to why I haven't blogged lately, but the truth is - I was writing a novel. I got so caught up in the story line that my site suffered. Funny part was - my novel is all about a zombie apocalypse. ironic how my last blog was all about cream filled goodies and Zombieland. I can at least say I'm consistent. So, it's been awhile since I've written.

The holidays have come and gone. The Christmas tree was up, then down, and put away for another year. My New Year popped its head up and then quietly went back to sleep. And suddenly, my little boy's birthday is coming around the corner. Only he isn't a little boy anymore. He is 21. He passed 10 (double digit importance). He passed 13 (teenage alert). He soared past 16, 17, and 18 and finished high school. I think I blinked while he was in college, those years raced by me and knocked me to the floor. When I found my balance and stood up again, Jay was 21.

When your son turns of legal drinking age, he usually doesn't celebrate his birthday at home with a nice party. He goes out drinking with his buddies. They buy him drinks and he comes home drunk with a bad headache and a fascination for the chilly porcelain toilet in the bathroom. As a parent, we expect it. We don't reprimand him; we don't ground him (he's 21 - what good is that?). We smile and bring him a glass of water with aspirin, knowing full well what is coming in the morning. We've been there - we did that.

I expected the same from my son. It was a rite of passage. I was a little disappointed and sad at the same time. It would be the first year I didn't make Jay's favorite "funfetti" cake decorated with some theme of monsters, television, or anime character. The party was to take place at a comedy bar in Burbank. Everyone would eat, drink, and watch a bunch of comediennes take their 5 minutes of fame on stage. It was all so grown up - no helium balloons, no festive plates, no singing Happy Birthday and blowing out candles. I held back the tears as the traditional birthday celebration took its last deep breath and gave up its life for the sake of adulthood. I surrendered too.

My son, however, was not ready to give it all up. He had his own ideas of how his 21st birthday was going to go down. Jay had decided years ago that when he turned the legal drinking age, he was going to party like his favorite singer, Ke$ha. He was going to brush his teeth with a bottle of Jack, wear his ripped jeans, dance with glitter on the floor, and do "Shots" on the hood of his car. Jay stayed true to his childhood - a new theme for every birthday. Birthday traditions were not dead. They were resuscitated and I was ready to keep it alive. Jay challenged me with finding a way to make a cake that was Ke$ha worthy and befitting of one of her songs.

Challenge accepted. In order for Jay to complete his whole fantasy, he had to "do shots on the hood of his car." I knew it was illegal to drink alcohol in a public forum (in a garage in downtown Burbank), but not to eat cake. Cake Shots were thus created. I began by researching shot glasses and found out that they are not oven proof. Someone tried it once, but the results were sketchy. I couldn't take the chance. If one broke, all would be ruined. I knew then I couldn't bake cake in the actual glasses. Instead I baked a large sheet cake in a 9X13 inch pan. I made sure the height of the pan to was comparable to the shot glasses I bought, with a little extra room at the top for frosting. This was going to work. I baked the cake and let it cool completely. Then I began to have some fun.

Once the cake was cooled, I flipped it out of the pan and onto my large flat cookie sheet. (You can use a piece of cardboard too.) I then pressed one of the shot glasses into the cake like a cookie cutter into dough. I gently lifted the glass making sure none of the cake was missing. If the cake began to stick, I gently pulled the shot glass to the edge of the pan and lifted it up. I could then press the cake into the glass easier. If the cake rose very well, you only have to do this once and the shooter is full. If your cake is thin, you may have to do this twice to double up the content and make it full. It happened to me and it was easy to fix.

Once the glasses were filled, I made my frosting and decorated my new creation. Jay always enjoys my white almond frosting with his funfetti cake, so that's what I made. To complete the Ke$ha theme, there had to be glitter. I sprinkled gold and clear edible sprinkles all over the top of the shooters. I have to admit - they definitely looked festive and I would like to think that Ke$ha herself would be proud. For Jay's birthday, I bought miniature numerical candles to put on top of his shot glass and bought a few ice cream spoons in order to scoop the cake out of the glasses. I did manage to personalize the shooters by writing on them with Sharpies. (One more touch of Ke$ha I thought.) I boxed up the little cakes for traveling and I was done! Jay checked them out and loved it! With a gold glittered tablecloth and his fur vest and sunglasses, my son was ready for his 21st birthday - Ke$ha style. 

Directions for Cake Shots

Personalize shot glasses with a Sharpie before filling for best results.

Bake your favorite cake in a 9X13 inch pan. The cake can be from a box or your favorite recipe. Bake according to the directions. Let cake cool completely. Flip cake over on large cookie sheet or flat piece of cardboard. Press glasses into cake like its a cookie cutter. Remove and set aside. Continue until all glasses are full.

Decorate with your favorite frosting. Jay's favorite is my homemade Almond White.

My frosting recipe:
1/2 cup of shortening
1 Tablespoon of Almond Extract
1/2 cup of milk
16 oz. of confectionary sugar

In large bowl mix together shortening and extract. Add half of the milk. Mix thoroughly. Add half of conf. sugar and mix completely. Add milk and then conf. sugar again, beating after each addition. If frosting is too soft or thin, add more confectionary sugar, one tablespoon at a time. If frosting is too thick, add more milk one tablespoon at a time. Consistency should be fluffy, but thick enough to stay on a spoon. If you don't like almond, use clear vanilla instead.

Zombies and Twinkies

What crazy things have graced our lives for these past few years! You would have to be living in a box on a deserted island with no social interaction to miss the Zombie craze that is going on! (Actually, that may not be a bad idea with a zombie apocalypse in our future.) Zombies are everywhere – on television, on the movie screen, in our books, in our game applications, and in the department stores. If you are very observant, you can actually watch these “walking dead” as they stroll with their Ipods and Ipads and cell phones along the streets of ordinary America. You know what I’m talking about. We call it technology, but we whisper the truth to each other in closed quarters. Those creatures are out there, just ask Tallahassee.

Tallahassee was a ferocious zombie killer in the movie “Zombieland” with a heart for two things (spoiler alert if you haven’t seen the movie). One was his adorable son and the other was for a delicious cream filled goodie called a “Twinkie.” He searched everywhere and killed zombie upon zombie just to find his special treasure. His quest was relentless. After all, what did he have to live for anymore? His son was gone along with the soft nuzzling of his blonde hair against his father’s chin. The precious sweet kisses of a little boy being tucked into bed had been taken from Tallahassee’s life. Twinkies were his way to keep all that goodness freshly tucked away in a package in the corner of his heart.

Why then did he have such a difficult time finding one box of that yellow spongy goodness? Was it because when people ravaged the shelves, they grabbed all the Twinkies to eat for an eternity? Many people think those cream filled cakes are stuffed with so many chemicals and preservatives they will be around with the cockroaches and landfills till the end of time. Maybe Zombieland was warning us.  When the executives of Hostess ceased the making of Twinkies, the rest of the world prepared for the future of brain eating monsters seeking their next meal. We all knew it was coming and we all held our breath for just that moment.

It was in that reality that many wise strong women and men searched the internet for copycat recipes to make their own Twinkies. I was certainly one of them. I would not let my child or anyone else I loved be forced to live in a world without the cream filled goodie. My son would not share in the same grief that Tallahassee endured. I was not to be intimidated or underestimated. The wealth of knowledge to be found was immense. Which recipe do I use? Once I found the right taste, how was I supposed to form it into that elongated shape? It’s not a real Twinkie if it looks like a normal cupcake. Such a quandary!

I found the answer on the shelves of the department store, “Bed, Bath, and Beyond.” I was actually looking for a small black container made for serving salsa when I happened to stroll past an end cap stocked with various baking utensils. Hidden on the third shelf were stacks of pans with 12 Twinkie molds per sheet. I grabbed one and noticed it was discounted almost half price. I looked around and wondered why others had not discovered this find. I guess no one else cared. Oh well, I thought, maybe they were all destined to be the flesh eaters. I bought my pan, along with another pan that made Ring-a-dings – I wasn’t taking any chances of what was to come. I could not wait to get home and make my first batch of April’s Twinkies. There was even a recipe on the package! I was all set.

Here I am today sharing the results of my baking efforts. I was surprised that they were very easy to make. All the ingredients were available in my cupboard already. There was no adding of strange preservatives I couldn’t pronounce or any extra sugar. The most sugar used is for the cream filling! Once I filled them – which was easy too - my son performed the first taste test and deemed them delicious! They were a hit! The only change I would make in the future would be to double the recipe, because this one only makes 12.

I am excited! Never again will I be daunted by the shortage or extinction of child hood favorite delicacies. When a zombie apocalypse hits I will be prepared. My kitchen will be stocked with everything I need for survival – food, water, and homemade Twinkies. Tallahassee will be welcome at my house anytime.

April’s “Twinkies”

Recipe makes 12.

Ingredients

1/2 cup sifted cake flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 eggs, separated

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vanilla Extract

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Filling:

4 tablespoons softened butter or margarine

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla Extract

2-3 teaspoons milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Prepare “Delectovals”* Mini Cake Pan with vegetable pan spray. (Can use a muffin pan if that is all you have.)Spray well.

In small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, whip egg whites with electric mixer until foamy. Add cream of tartar and whip until stiff but not dry. In another clean bowl, whip egg yolks 1 minute; add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, whipping until mixture is pale yellow and doubled in volume. With rubber spatula or spoon, fold 1/3 of egg whites into yolks to loosen; fold in remaining whites until almost combined. Fold in the flour combination until no streaks remain. Do not over mix. Fill the cavities about 3/4 full with batter; smooth out the tops.

Bake 7-8 minutes or until top is lightly browned and center springs back when touched. Cool in pan for about 5 minutes. Run a spatula around edges of cakes to loosen if necessary. Remove from pan; cool completely.

In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until well combined, scraping down bottom and sides of bowl as necessary. Add vanilla and milk and beat until light and fluffy. Fill the pastry by poking three small holes into the bottom and using a pastry bag with the #230 decorating tip. The Twinkie is airy enough for the cream to spread out. Now sit back, watch your favorite zombie action film or television show and enjoy!

Single "Twinkie" Notice how puffy it is. 

Just a few that were left after taste testing! 

*This is the name of the pan I bought. They can be ordered from www.Wilton.com  online.*

Zombieland pictures were found on redbloodedamerica.tumblr.com and are not my property.

Never Leave Home Without It

Thanksgiving with family and guests

Every year I open the door and yell, “Happy Thanksgiving! We’re here!” It’s my way of bursting into my mother’s and father’s house without knocking or waiting for someone to open the door. There are no formalities with my family. I’m here to help with the festivities and I’m here to share the day with those I love most.

Stepping into the kitchen, I can smell the wafting aroma of buttered turkey and freshly made apple pie. A trace hint of cinnamon underlies the atmosphere. Mom or Dad has been making petite cinnamon rolls with the leftover pieces of homemade pie crusts. It’s a tradition that I remember from when I was a little girl and my sisters and I enjoyed them almost as much as the pies themselves. I continue to make them every holiday and now my son and nieces and nephews get to enjoy them too.

The house is bustling with preparing for the family meal. Mom is vacuuming or dusting. She has been up since the crack of dawn basting and cooking the 25 pound turkey. Dad has washed all the serving platters and is now feasting on the crackers or pickles to be put out for hors d’oeuvres.   We don’t usually eat until two in the afternoon, but people are bound to get hungry before then. Dad takes special consideration to keep all the kids and guests happy until dinner is served. I brought the celery stuffed with cream cheese and olives for my annual contribution as well. Arranged on the end tables are bowls of mixed nuts and a nutcracker with picks. This keeps my husband and brother in law happy while they watch the football games.

In my hands, and in the hands of my son, are all the other goodies that I baked for Thanksgiving. My sisters and I (and my brother too!) took a vow that no more would Mom have to do all the cooking by herself. There were too many of us now to leave that burden on her and Dad alone. It’s not like when we were kids and no one else knew how to cook. So, as soon each one of us could reach the stove and fix a dish, we each found our specialty to bring to the table.

This is the most fun part about celebrating Thanksgiving.  Each one of us kids was raised the same way and ate the same thing growing up; but as we learned to cook we each developed our own sense of taste and flavor. My brother and I both love Brussels sprouts and we fight over who gets the most. If I make them, I just add some butter, salt and pepper and call it good. My sister, however, cut hers in half and roasts them with bacon. They are incredible! I never would have thought of that.  Mashed potatoes are another family favorite that no Thanksgiving table should be without. For years, my dad peeled the potatoes and then cooked them and mashed them and added the required salt and pepper.  Once my son learned to cook, however, the task of the potatoes turned to him.

Potatoes have been my son’s favorite food since he began to eat with his fingers. If there was a potato to be found, my son probably discovered it. Jay could eat French fries or mashed potatoes any time of the day. Then it happened, my son found a recipe that called for potatoes, cheese and ranch dressing- three of his favorite foods! He experimented at home with his new found treasure and when he perfected the recipe, he brought it for his Thanksgiving donation. His potatoes are the rage for anyone who tastes them and are now a permanent resident beside the holiday bird.

As I find room on the kitchen counter for my sweet potato casserole and pumpkin chocolate chip bread, my sister yells to me from down the hall.

“Did you bring my pie?”

“Yes,” I answered. “I brought both of them.” It’s not actually my sister’s pie, but she has now claimed it as her favorite so I have to indulge her fantasy.

“I don’t care about the other one,” she corrects me. “I just want the one without nuts.”

“I know.” I roll my eyes, but she doesn't see me.

My nephew opens the basement door with cans of Pepsi in his hands. He sees me and kisses my cheek.

“Hi Auntie April, Happy Thanksgiving.” He sees the pies that I’m carrying. “Are those my pies? Oh man, I can’t wait for dessert?”

I smile at my football fanatic nephew and proceed to find room on the dessert table for my specialties.

Mom comes to inspect my wares and helps move the other pies around to make room for mine.

She looks at me and asks, “Now, which one is the one with the walnuts? That one is mine.“

I point out the freshly baked goody with the toasted walnuts on top. “That’s the one, Mom. I put nuts on top so we could tell the difference and so Sarai won’t eat it by accident.” My niece Sarai is allergic to walnuts, so it’s imperative she knows which pie she can eat.

Mom separates the two pies and places hers a little further back on the table. “Better to be safe than sorry.”

I look at my mom and shake my head. “You know, you have to share that pie with me. I like nuts in it too.”

She nods as she heads off to finish getting dressed before the rest of the family comes. “I know, I’ll make sure you get a piece.”

I have to laugh. When I first introduced my chocolate chip pie to the family, only Mom and I really enjoyed it. Everyone else tasted a small piece and it sat in the refrigerator for quite a few days. Everything changed the day I changed the official recipe and made the pie without walnuts. Now everyone had to have a piece of April’s Chocolate Chip Pie. It was a smash hit with both the kids and the adults. When my sister lived far away, she would even call me just to get the recipe. It’s the only pie my oldest nephew would ask for every holiday and for his birthday.  

Chocolate Chip Pie has become a staple for every family holiday we celebrate. I make it whenever we need a dessert for a special occasion. This means Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and Independence Day. It’s also requested for birthdays, bake sales, and just because we need something chocolatey! It is an easy recipe to bake and can be doubled for your freezing convenience. I don’t have an option any more to make one or two pies. One of them has walnuts and the other is left plain. Both are good and both are rich beyond compare. Top your slice with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and you will never leave your Thanksgiving holiday without it again.

April’s Chocolate Chip Pie

1 - 9 inch pie crust - unbaked, deep dish

2 eggs

½ cup flour

½ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup oil

1 cup chocolate chips (or half a 12 oz bag.)

1 cup walnut pieces

In large bowl, beat eggs until foamy. (Make sure they are really foamy - this helps to make it crusty on top.) Add flour, sugar, and brown sugar. Beat until well blended. Blend in oil. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.** Pour into pie shell. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

Recipe may be doubled. Bake 2 pies and freeze one for later.

** Walnuts can be omitted if desired. To make one pie with nuts and one pie without, prepare a double batch and then pour half the batter in one pie crust. Add the nuts to the remaining mixture. Then proceed as directed.

The Littlest Memories

I love Thanksgiving. It has always been one of my favorite holidays. Not because of all the great food and time of year, but because it is a family tradition. It’s the one day of the year that focuses on loved ones gathering and realizing that life is about relationships and being grateful for one another. It’s about sharing time together and remembering what it means to be a family.  I really become angry when Thanksgiving is skipped over as all the retail stores first focus on Halloween and then skip straight into Christmas. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas too. I just wish people would take the time to stop and ponder about Thanksgiving. Our country originally began because of the love and appreciation for a Great God and His Blessings. The pilgrims knew how important it was to set aside days from the end of their harvest to give thanks for their health and their new friends and community. Our society seems to always be in such a hurry to go somewhere or do something. We tend to forget those little things during the day that bring us such pleasure and smiles. Before we know it, the day is over, the week has rushed by and our year has come and gone without any recognition of anything good. Thanksgiving was established so that we as a nation could take one day to give thanks for the abundant grace that has been bestowed upon us. (Abraham Lincoln implemented the fourth Thursday in November for this purpose and I believe it should be honored by everyone.)

 Thanksgiving is also a great time for our family. We all come together – to the best of our ability- and enjoy a great feast and lots of playtime. We celebrate our gratitude with turkey, stuffing, potatoes, all kinds of vegetables and goodies, plus an array of desserts that would knock your socks off. There are many people in our family, so anywhere from 14 to 18 relatives could be sitting at the table, depending on who makes it home for the holiday. That’s a lot of food and a lot to be thankful for. Our meal begins with prayer and then each person around the table must declare what he or she is grateful for. (With that many people, it can take a while and sometimes one of us can be accidentally skipped, so we have to speak up and stop whoever jumped their turn. It’s happened to me once or twice. J) It’s always a good time to listen to the other members, especially the little ones, think about their blessings and share with all of us.

With such a large amount of people at our table, especially if we have guests, one particular tradition that we had to establish was the use of place cards. Chaos arises when no one knows where to sit. There’s always someone who wants to sit by his grandfather or doesn't want to sit by her cousin, or else the baby needs to be beside his dad so that mom can actually eat hot food this year. One Thanksgiving we had to move my brother in law because he kept looking at himself in the mirrors. No one could carry on a conversation with him, without his peering around your head. It became quite the holiday joke. If you have a big family, you know what I’m talking about. Over the past years, it has been my pleasure to create each member his or her own place marker. I actually enjoy discovering new ways to mark each person’s plate and I challenge myself to do something different each year. Some years, depending on finances and time, are simpler than others, and some place cards have even been banished due to family requests.

We had such an occasion one year when my brother and his fiance came home for that particular Thanksgiving. Eddie rented a great condo overlooking the lake for the last week of November. In some northern states, this would have been ridiculous, but in Virginia, it was absolutely beautiful. The sky was filled with sunshine and the air was warm with a light breeze. The kids were free to visit the small beach and watch for the ducks that were near the boats. At the time, the youngest of our family was either four or five years old and she was the belle of the ball. She helped set the table and made Thanksgiving crafts to share with everyone. She especially liked helping me put out the place cards at everyone’s plate.

The place cards that year happened to be made of peanut butter fudge with a tiny monogrammed flag for each person. I had poured the fudge into small cupcake tins to make individual sized servings. It would be a little prelude for dessert if anyone wanted something sweet after dinner but before we served pie. The fudge cups, as I called them, came out very cute with mini pilgrim flags and decorative papers. My niece, Heleigh, loved them. She was so excited that there was peanut butter fudge and it was just her size! She kept asking me when we could eat them and did I have any extra, in case someone dropped theirs or got lost or if we had guests. I assured her that there were extras and she could eat her place marker whenever her mother told her she could. She nodded and then proceeded to position her card next to her grandmother. Once she had finished helping, I asked her mom if Heleigh could have a piece of fudge for being such a good helper. Her mom agreed and I gave my niece her reward. Her face lit up like sunshine. She devoured that little bit of candy and sat back humming and rubbing her tummy with delight.

The dinner was fantastic and we were all stuffed. No one wanted to move, except for the kids. It was time for some football. The adults mulled about and began cleaning up slowly but surely. My mom’s rule of thumb is that it’s necessary to clean one mess before making another.  It really isn't so bad when you have many hands helping. We had our routines and pretty soon we are all in the kitchen either picking apart the turkey or storing the extra stuffing or wiping off the table. This was the job that Heleigh wanted to help with. She would assist Auntie by cleaning the little things off the table, so I could wipe it off. The little things, of course, meant all those place cards which had to be moved or disposed of to make room for the pies and other desserts.

It all began rather casually. Heleigh was first allowed to eat her piece of fudge after she finished her meal. Then as she began to remove items from the table, she asked each family member what they wanted to do with their marker. Her brothers and sister told her she could put it anywhere, they didn't care. She could eat if she wanted to.  So she did. When she asked her uncle or aunts if they wanted their piece of candy, they responded that they were too full, she could have their fudge if she wanted. She did. Her grandmother and grandfather told her the same thing. By the time the dining room was cleaned, my niece had devoured 10 out of 14 pieces of peanut butter fudge. She suddenly developed more energy than a bunch of Energizer bunnies all rolled into one! Her words were speeding out of her mouth like a locomotive and she ran around the couch so many times I thought my head would spin.  When it was actually time to eat dessert, we knew something was wrong because Heleigh wanted none of it.  She tried eating a small piece of chocolate chip pie and then crashed on the couch. She fell asleep within minutes. When Heleigh finally woke up, her mom asked her how much fudge she had eaten. Heleigh wasn't sure; she had lost count.

The best part of the story happened later on that night. My niece got out of bed and traipsed off to her mom and dad’s room to wake my sister up. My sister was alarmed and asked Heleigh if there was anything wrong. My adorable niece, with her hair all matted around her face and her little pajamas twisted in a bunch, looked at her mother and with a growling voice said, “I want more fudge!” To this day, I am not allowed to bring or make my niece any peanut butter fudge without written permission from her mother first.

My peanut butter fudge is a favorite for my niece and for the rest of my family too. It’s very easy to make and it hardens every time. That’s why I like this particular recipe. I have tried others, but I usually end up using them as ice cream topping or for dipping my apples. The recipe makes a fairly good size batch of fudge. When using the little cupcake tins, it will fill all 24 indentations with some leftovers. Just make sure that during this holiday season you eat your fudge responsibly.

Peanut Butter Fudge

½ cup butter or margarine

1 lb light brown sugar

½ cup milk

¾ cup peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 lb confectionery sugar

In medium saucepan on medium heat, melt butter.

Stir in brown sugar and milk.

Bring to boil and stir for 2 minutes. Do not overcook.

Remove from heat. Mix in peanut butter and vanilla, stirring well.

Add conf. sugar and beat until smooth.

Spread into greased 9 inch square pan or divide into mini cupcake pans prepared with paper liners.

Chill until firm. Makes 3 ½ lbs of fudge.

Recipe may be doubled. Be very careful about boiling and stirring. Overheating can dry out fudge and make it hard to spread.

Little Cake of Horror

It’s the end of October and everyone is thinking the same thing - Halloween. There are pumpkins on the porch and witches on their broomsticks. Monsters peek out from behind closed doors only to be met with horrible creatures ringing doorbells and demanding treats of the sugary kind. Stores are filled with costumes and candy in preparation of all Hallows eve and parties of frightening proportions. It seems as if this creepy occasion begins as soon as school starts and the leaves fall. Children of all ages plan for their one great night of dress up. What should I be this year – a zombie? A vampire? A princess or a hobgoblin from the latest movie? The choices are endless.

I don’t usually celebrate Halloween. I did when I was younger and we did take my son out trick or treating when he was little. Soon the trick or treating turned into church parties and spending the evening in watching assorted horror movies with a big bowl of popcorn in a dark room.  We still enjoy the gore and gruesome films of the times, such as The Last House on the Left, or Halloween, or Friday the Thirteenth; but we also experiment with the classics of Frankenstein and Dracula. Being a student of film-making, my son watches all kinds of movies and television shows to expand his repertoire and experiences. We actually began watching a different horror movie for each day in October and he critiques and compares how such movies have changed throughout the years. It’s exciting to learn all the film-making lingo as I listen to my son, but I have seen more blood and guts over the past month to last me until next October.

I have to say that I enjoy some of the gruesome goodies that appear during this season. I’m not thinking about a bowl full of spaghetti pretending to be intestines or peeled grapes imposing as eyes; I am talking about those cookies that resemble witches’ fingers or ghosts made of meringues that float on top of a cemetery cake. I am always interested in new and fun ways to bake and I have tons of sites on my computer for just that reason. I will include some of these pages for your perusal so you can be inspired too!

With all the blood, guts, and gore that come with some of our favorite movies, I had to incorporate this for my own pleasurable eating. When my son was filming his thesis film about a crazed teen idol whose personality delves into some sinister evil, I had to commemorate the occasion with a specialty cupcake. It portrays all the oozing blood of infamous slasher movies along with the yumminess of red velvet cake and shards of sugar glass sticking out in all the wrong places. Making the sugar glass and edible blood was a bit time consuming, but it was well worth it and everyone loved the motif. (And who knew, sugar glass is what bottles were made of in the old days of film.)

Broken Glass Cupcakes is a great recipe to make whether you have to go to a party or whether you’re just sitting at home watching your favorite gory movie. If you have the time, go for it and surprise everyone as you sip on sweetened blood or bite shards of glass between your teeth.

Broken Glass Cupcakes

 Ingredients:

 1 Can white frosting

1 Box Red Velvet Cake Mix

 Sugar Glass:

 2 cups water

 1 cup light corn syrup

 3 1/2 cups white sugar

 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

 Edible Blood:

 1/2 cup light corn syrup

 1 tablespoon cornstarch

 1/4 cup water, or more as needed

 15 drops red food coloring

 3 drops blue food coloring

 Directions:

 Prepare Red Velvet Cake Mix According to box, line cupcake tins with paper cupcake liners. Use red or silver colored ones if possible. Divide cake batter between lined cupcake tins. Bake according to box instructions. Let cool and frost cupcakes with white frosting.

To make the sugar glass, mix 2 cups water, 1 cup corn syrup, white sugar, and cream of tartar in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Use a candy thermometer and boil sugar syrup until temperature reaches 300 degrees (hard ball**), stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken as water evaporates. When sugar reaches 300 degrees, quickly pour onto a clean metal baking pan. Cool until completely hardened. Break into "shards" using a meat mallet.

**Hard ball stage happens when a drop of mixture placed in a cold glass of water becomes a hard ball on the bottom of glass. If you don’t have a thermometer, this is one way to find out if the candy is ready. It takes a bit of time, but it is worth it. **

To make the edible blood, mix together ½ cup corn syrup and cornstarch in a large bowl. Slowly stir in the ¼ cup of water, adding more if necessary, until the corn syrup mixture has thickened to the consistency of blood. Stir in the red and blue food coloring. This edible blood is so real it’s creepy. If you don’t use it all, save in a sealed container and use to freak out your friends while watching vampire movies.

Stab each frosted cupcake with a few shards of broken sugar glass. Drizzle on drops of "blood" to complete the effect. Enjoy with your favorite ghosts and goblins!

Here are a few sites that have an inspired me for ghoulish fun and baked goods.

http://iambaker.net/?s=halloween+spider+in+a+jar+

http://www.bettycrocker.com/search/searchresults?term=Halloween%20desserts

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/frightening-witchs-finger-cookies-114039.aspx

http://leitesculinaria.com/22852/recipes-ghostly-halloween-meringues.html

The Purist of Cookies

It began when I was just a baby. My mom claims that my dad started it and I just continued in the manner of which I knew. It’s true. When my loving father gathered all my baby food and prepared to feed me, he would separate each flavor onto my plate and never the two would mingle. Each morsel of breakfast, lunch, or dinner would remain secluded in its own space. No blueberry buckle would ever touch the mashed sweet potato, nor would any creamed chicken ever know the merging of green beans or mushy peas.

It didn't stop there. As I grew I continued to keep all my foods separated. While others mixed their corn on top of their mashed potatoes, mine were on opposite sides of my plate. I couldn't bear the site of a casserole with vegetables and noodles and gravy all spooned out in one bowl. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were out of the question. My mom made one half with peanut butter and the other had jelly. (Eventually I just progressed to only a peanut butter sandwich, so much easier at lunchtime.) Thanksgiving feasts of turkey and potatoes and Brussels’ sprouts and cranberry sauce and carrots and all the other festive foods challenged my food fetish beyond compare. My brother and sisters easily piled on their selections and then topped the whole dish off with gravy. (Secretly I gagged.) Each food on my plate was categorized and compartmentalized according to their size and aptitude toward spreading. All that meant was that if the applesauce was going to spread out, it went into a separate bowl. May I say here, that my dad still enjoys his salad portion in a bowl as well. I don’t know why, but it’s true; so I obviously take after him. J

Growing older did help to alleviate my habit to a degree. My foods can now touch one another, but they are never combined. I still cannot abide shepherd’s pie or corn mixed up with any food, but I have learned to tolerate gravy on my potatoes. I can also place my applesauce on the same plate as my broccoli now. When people ask me over for dinner and ask if there is anything I can’t eat, I am brave enough to be honest and tell them I don’t fare well with casseroles or beef stroganoff. The thought of noodles and gravy and meat all swirling around together is vile in my book. Doesn't matter if you’re the best cook in the world, I’m not eating it. Yuck!

Although this food OCD may be extreme in some circumstances, it has its value when it comes to baking. I like pies, and cakes, and cookies that have distinct flavor.  I want my cinnamon raisin bread to taste of cinnamon and raisins. My blueberry pie must burst with each bite of that lovely blue fruit. I make an awesome chocolate chip pie that entices the taste buds with deep chocolate and salty walnuts. Each flavor is separate and undeniable. When I bite into a food, I want to taste what is in it. I don’t want a mouthful of goop and mush with no flavor.

One of my favorite recipes that stands out above the crowd is for peanut butter cookies. Many people have their personal preferences as to how to make them or what they should taste like. I think if it is called a peanut butter cookie, it should radiate the nuttiness and goodness of peanut butter. After experimenting with quite a few recipes, the one I use now has been deemed the best by everyone who tries it. What is quite remarkable is that the recipe does not call for any flour, so if someone you know is allergic to wheat or gluten, this is a wonderful cookie to share with him or her. This recipe is so easy and requires only 3 ingredients. A busy mom will appreciate how quickly it is to prepare and if company unexpectedly stops by, most kitchens have all these ingredients on hand. I think you will enjoy this pure unadulterated peanut butter cookie. Just get your glass of cold milk ready for a delicious treat. If you are one of those people who like to dunk your cookies, then enjoy to your heart’s content. As for me, well, you probably already know the answer.

Purely Peanut Butter Cookies

1 - 15 oz. jar of creamy peanut butter

2 large eggs

1 ½ cups sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Scoop out all peanut butter in a medium size bowl. Add eggs and sugar and stir thoroughly. Batter will be very sticky. 

Using a teaspoon, spoon out a heaping size of batter and roll them in your hands to make small balls (approx.  1 ¼ inch in size.)

 Place balls on ungreased cookie sheets. With a fork, mark each cookie in a crisscross fashion.

Bake in oven for 12 -14 minutes. Let cool for 1-2 minutes.** Remove from pan. Enjoy!!! These cookies store best in an airtight container. This recipe makes approximately 48 cookies.

**During the holidays, I sometimes place a chocolate kiss in the middle of the cookie while they are cooling. Just unwrap the chocolate and press lightly into the cookie. Let the chocolate harden a bit and then remove from pan. The cookie is still purely Peanut butter, but chocolate is always a nice touch too!**