What's in this cookie?

I don't know if you're like me or not, but I love to take fun treats to take with me when I go places--like to a dentist appointment or a church meeting. It's always nice to surprise a group of people with an unexpected goodie! And nothing brings a smile to some one's face quicker than a plate of cookies. Brownies? Sometimes. Chocolate? Oh baby! But still, there is something about a plate of cookies that warms the heart, fills the belly, and feeds the soul.

Several years ago a friend of mine shared some cookies with me that I had never enjoyed the likes of before. I loved them, but couldn't pinpoint the flavor. I finally had to ask, "What is in this cookie?" When she told me the special ingredient, I recognized it right away and kicked myself for not realizing it sooner. Since that day, I've made this cookie recipe countless times. (It was one of the first things I taught in a cooking class!) When I wanted to take a couple containers of treats to a church meeting a couple weeks ago, this cookies seemed a perfect choice. As I watched those at the meeting munch and smile and munch and smile, I was a happy gal. But, as it always happens with this recipe, I didn't leave that night without someone saying to me, "What's in this cookie?"

(Once again, please pardon the odd blue tint that comes from the so called "natural sunlight" bulbs in my kitchen.)

This recipe came from my friend Cheryl who got it directly from the cafeteria at the Jordan River Temple. She and her husband always enjoyed the cookie there, so she asked for the recipe. What is the secret ingredient in this ever-popular goodie you may be asking? The secret, my friends, is ROOT BEER!

No...no...no...we're not talking a can of soda here. We are talking extract or concentrate. You know, the stuff that's on sale at your local grocery store during the summer because everyone is making homemade root beer!

In all the times I've made this recipe, I've always used root beer concentrate from the grocery store. I'd heard of root beer extract, but I'd never seen it. Never, that is, until I entered kitchen heaven a few months ago. (If you live in the Salt Lake area, or anywhere within driving distance, I suggest you get in your car and drive there immediately.) I decided to buy the extract and give it a try. The cost was more than the concentrate, but I bought it hoping the flavor would be stronger than the concentrate and worth the extra dollars.

It wasn't...on either account. The flavor level was exactly the same. Want my advice? Don't pay the extra for the extract. Just stock up on the concentrate during the summer when it's on sale and you'll be fine. (As a side note, contrary to popular belief there is no cocoa in this recipe. The color comes from the concentrate.)

Let's take a look at the recipe and we'll chat about it on the flip side.

Root Beer Cookies (makes 6 dozen)
1 c butter
2 c brown sugar
1 c buttermilk (I always use powdered)
2 1/2 (3) t root beer extract or concentrate
2 eggs
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
4 c flour (you may need more)
Frosting:
1/3-1/2 c butter
3 c powdered sugar
3 T water
2 1/2 (4) t root beer extract or concentrate
Cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the buttermilk, extract, and eggs. Mix. Add the salt, baking soda, and flour. Mix well. If the dough is sticky, add more flour. Drop by rounded tablespoons on to a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. For frosting, mix all ingredients together until you get the consistency you want. Frost cookies when they are cool.

OK, now that you know what's in the recipe, let's talk about a few things.

First, the flour. You will, most likely, have to add extra. I've added up to 3/4 c. extra before. The dough should not be overly sticky. If you find your in the sticky zone, add extra bit by bit until you get a texture that is a lot like what you'd get with a basic drop/chocolate chip type dough.

The cookies should bake up puffy and soft. Try baking one or two alone. If they don't puff up, consider adding a bit more flour.


Second, the buttermilk. Basically, DO NOT leave it out and DO NOT try to substitute regular milk. I have accidentally done the former and the cookies were flat as pancakes. My sister tried the latter and the cookies were a miserable failure. I always cook with powdered buttermilk simply from a money-saving consumer aspect. It works great in this recipe. Whether you use fresh or powdered, it doesn't matter. Just use it!

Third, the concentrate. I've given you the amount called for in the original recipe and my own personal preference in parenthesis. I find that the lesser amounts of concentrate are just not enough. I want to be able to taste the root beer. I don't need to feel like I'm guzzling a cold frosty mug of it, but I want to taste the flavor of it. I suggest tasting the frosting before you top the cookies and making sure you're comfortable with the flavor level. Start small so you can add more if you're not happy. But, I'd be surprised if you didn't end up at the higher amount. I don't ever taste the dough. I'd just add the extra to the batter.

Speaking of batter, that leads us to number four. The actual cookie in and of itself is surprisingly low on flavor. (This is why I do not hesitate to add the extra concentrate to the batter.) The frosting really makes this cookie so DO NOT LEAVE IT OFF. My sister tried that too and won't do it again.

How about one more glance at this tasty treat!

Isn't it pretty! This recipe makes a lot of cookies, so it's great for sharing at work, church, or just brightening the day of your friends and neighbors. Make a batch. Eat some and then pass some around. And don't worry, it won't be long until you'll be hearing that ever popular inquiry, "What's in this cookie?"!

P.S. Is it just me or did you also not reazlize "root beer" is two words not one? Thank you spell check!

Lemon Cookies

Not so long ago, I was but a single maiden living in Provo, Utah living with five other single maidens. (Let me tell you, living with five single maidens is not fun. TOO. MUCH. DRAMA.) Down the street from our single maiden apartment was a cookie shop where they would make bouquets of baked goods and deliver. However, you could also go in and buy cookies. I had one roommate who was a big fan of their lemon cookies. They only had them close to the summer but when they had them she went sometimes once a day. (Let me interject here to say this particular roommate was a RAIL. I mean stick thin. She only ate dessert once a day, which to mean sounds inhuman, so you know that the dessert she ate had to be good.) She always wanted to find a recipe for lemon cookies that was just as good as the ones from the cookie shop.

Fast forward to my dear sister, Jackie's, Christmas cookie party. At these cookie party , the winning cookie was none other than a delicious lemon cookie. I took the recipe home to my roommate and we decided to make them. My roommate loved these cookies, in fact I made them for a bridal shower I hosted for her a few months after. Once I was a married maiden I made them for a party with my husband's family and for all the parties after that it was requested that I bring these cookies, with the recipe attached.

These cookies are amazing. They taste just like summer. They are heaven and what makes them so great is how easy they are to make. The recipe suggests putting the glaze on once the cookies have cooled but I like putting it on while they are still warm because it melts into the cookie a little bit adding another layer of flavor. Also, the recipe for the glaze calls for a little lemon zest to act as a little decoration on the top which is completely optional. In fact, I can say with 100% honesty, I've never done it.

These are the PERFECT addition to your summer parties!!!!

Lemon Cookies

Makes A LOT depending upon the size of your dough balls

Cookies:

3/4 c. shortening (not butter shortening)

1 c. sugar

3 eggs

2 pkgs. (9 oz.) instant lemon pudding

2 c. flour

1/4 t. salt

3/4 t. soda

Glaze:

1 1/2 T. milk

1 T. butter

1 1/4 c. powdered sugar

1 T. lemon juice

1/2 t. grated lemon

Cream shortening and sugar, add eggs and beat. Add pudding (dry mix) and dry ingredients. Mix well, roll into balls. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

For glaze: melt butter with milk in a pan. Take off heat and stir in powdered sugar--wisk until smooth. Add lemon juice and rind--wisk. Spoon over the tops of warm or cooled cookies. (***Note: this is NOT a lot of glaze so make sure you don't go crazy with the glaze on the first batch. You only need a small amount per glaze as the glaze spreads a ton! Also, make sure you taste your glaze so you know how much powdered sugar and lemon you like best. I like to test and add either lemon or sugar depending on the flavor I like.)

Peanut Butter Krispie Bars

There are a few combinations that I am sure were just MFEO (made for each other). Some of these would be french fries and ranch dressing, lobster and butter, and Mr. E and me. But, the combination that I am so sure was destined for greatness is peanut butter and chocolate. I will eat anything that has peanut butter and chocolate. In fact, I'd probably eat it on chicken, in soup, in a box, with a fox, and wearing socks. It's heaven. Heaven.

Did I mention that chocolate and peanut butter are heaven? Because, they are.

I was excited to find this new recipe in the newest issue of Everyday Food. It was the final recipe and in my mind, they saved the very best for last. I decided to make some to give to my husband as he attended to his ecclesiastical duties in visiting some families.

These are really delicious but there is only one thing I would change...MORE CHOCOLATE. The recipe originally called for one bag which you put between the layers of the rice krispies and then a thin layer on top but this recipe needs a TON more. A TON. In fact, add three bags if you really need it and please, while the recipe called for semi-sweet chocolates, use milk chocolates. Semi-sweet chocolate just seems unnatural.

If you are curious what I really added to this recipe it would be the use of the foil (or you could use parchment paper) in he dish. I put the foil in so that there was a could couple of inches hanging over the sides. This way, when I went to pull the dish and cut it in to the bars I was didn't have to try to work around the sides of the pan. Instead I just pulled the sides of the foil out and then could cut really easily...plus I didn't have to clean a dish!

If you are curious what I really added to this recipe it would be the use of the foil (or you could use parchment paper) in he dish. I put the foil in so that there was a could couple of inches hanging over the sides. This way, when I went to pull the dish and cut it in to the bars I was didn't have to try to work around the sides of the pan. Instead I just pulled the sides of the foil out and then could cut really easily...plus I didn't have to clean a dish!

Peanut Butter Krispie Bars

makes one 8x8 pan

3 T. unsalted butter

4 c. miniature marshmallows (plus an extra cup to snack on whilst you bake)

1/3 c. creamy peanut butter

1/2 t. coarse salt

6 c. puffed rice cereal

nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil

2 packages (24 oz.) milk chocolate chips (I think it might even be delicious to try dark)

1/4 c. chopped, roasted salted peanuts

aluminum foil or parchment paper

Put a layer of aluminum foil or parchment paper in the 8x8 pan with some of the foil/paper overlapping of the sides. This will make the bars easier to remove and keep the pieces together. Spray the foil/paper with nonstick spray or butter. In a large pot, combine marshmallows, peanut butter, butter, and salt. Cook over medium, stirring CONSTANTLY, until melted, about four minutes or so. Add cereal and stir. With a wooded spoon greased with cooking spray or oil, press half the cereal mixture into dish. Spread half of the melted chocolate on top. Repeat with remaining cereal mixture and chocolate. Sprinkle top with peanuts.

(Store in an airtight container for up to three days.)

Caramel Heaven

I love homemade caramel. Then again, who doesn't? I learned to love homemade caramel candy after feasting on a batch made by my friend Cheryl. The delightful little candies were creamy and smooth. I could have eaten a hundred of them. (I probably have since first trying them.) Cheryl also showed me the joy of licorice caramels when she added anise extract to a batch of her fabulous creations. Since I love black licorice, there was no question about whether or not I'd love the caramels. When Mr. C and I were dating, I took licorice caramels to some of his family members as I met them. (The C family is a black licorice loving bunch!)

Imagine my joy back in May when some homemade caramels were given to me as a favor at a Mother's Day tea party I went to. It had been a while since I had nibbled on some homemade goodness, so I dove in and had a piece. HELP ME RHONDA, my caramel world stopped. These caramels were, far and away, THE BEST homemade caramels I'd ever had. They were so soft, chewy, and bursting with that unmistakable caramel flavor. PLUS, they had a layer of nuts on the bottom. In all my years of caramel munching, I'd never had homemade caramels with nuts. Having tried this new version of my old classic, I knew I'd never go back to where I'd been. There was one good/bad thing about my gifted treasures. They had been made with walnuts. This was bad for Mr. C who is deathly allergic to walnuts. But, this was good for me because it meant I got to eat them all myself! (I did tell Mr. C I was sorry he couldn't have any as I repeatedly stuffed them in my mouth!)


After arriving home from the tea party, I immediately emailed the hostess BEGGING for the recipe. She kindly obliged. (Thanks Kristi!) When I needed a treats to put with a church message this week, these caramels seemed the perfect option. Plus, the recipe gave me a chance to finally use the new digital thermometer my dad's wife had given me for Christmas. (I've been on a year long hunt for a reliable digital candy thermometer and Donna surprised me with one from Williams-Sonoma!)

Homemade Caramels with Nuts
1 c butter
1 16-oz pkg. brown sugar (2 1/4 c)
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 c light corn syrup
1 t vanilla
1 c chopped nuts (I use pecans)
Line an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with foil extending edges over the pan. Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle prepared pan with nuts. In a heavy 3 qt. saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add brown sugar, condensed milk, and corn syrup. Mix well. Cook and stir over med-high heat to boiling. Cook and stir over med heat to 238 degrees. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in vanilla. Immediately pour caramel mixture in to the prepared pan. Let cool. When caramel is firm, use foil to lift it out of the pan and lift the caramel piece off the foil. (I cut mine directly on my countertop.)  Use a buttered knife to cut in to 1" squares. Wrap squares in wax paper squares. Makes 2 lbs.

This recipe was very similar to the version I had been using with a couple of exceptions (besides the nuts). My old recipe calls for 1 1/2 c of light corn syrup. This one only uses 1 c. And, my old recipe called for 2 c of white sugar while this one uses 2 1/4 c of brown. (I'm convinced the brown sugar is one of they keys to this version being as fabulous as it is.) If you don't like nuts, you can easily not use them. If you like nuts, USE THEM. It takes your candy to a whole new level!

Oh yeah, and the digital thermometer worked like a dream. I'll never go back to the dial kind.

Two quick side notes. First, make sure you have your caramel off the heat when you pour in your vanilla (or other extract you are using to flavor your candy). Even off the heat, the extract will react a bit with your hot caramel. On the heat, it's just plain dangerous. I always stand back just a bit when pouring my extract in so I'm free of splatters and the inevitable vapors that result. Second, the recipe says you can use 2 c of light cream in place of the condensed milk if you want, but it will double the time it takes to get to 238 degrees. You'll be stirring for 45+ minutes rather than 15-20.


Mr. C was so kind to wrap all my little beauties as I tried to cut them. (The recipe isn't kidding when it suggests a buttered knife. I had to spray my knife with Pam after cutting each row.) He ran in to a bit of trouble when some of the wax paper squares I'd cut were too small for square caramels so he started rolling and wrapping them in an oblong shape. I will confess a couple got gobbled up before being wrapped. I still had quite a few left after what I needed for my church stuff and also filling a container for Mr. C to hand out at work. After having 2 of them for breakfast the next morning, I started farming them out to friends. They're a great way to add a little to happiness to some one's day. Plus, I knew I was doomed to eat them all if they continued to live in my kitchen. Double bonus!


Go make a batch of these...right now...go make them. And just so you won't get too sick from eating them all, share them with your friends and neighbors. I will confess to still having a couple here in the house. Just thinking about them is making my mouth water. OK, that's it. I'm going to find one.

P.S. If you want licorice flavored caramels, or any other flavor for that matter, add a dram or two (depending on how strong you want your flavor) to the caramel mixture when you add the vanilla. But, stand back. The oil will react like the vanilla and cause some vapors for a few seconds. It's nothing major, but I thought you should know. Consider yourself warned!

P.P.S. on 10/6/11...So, I've done a little revamping of this post.  After making my caramels again, I'm back to my original 238 degree stopping point.  I have updated that in this post.  Also, the bigger your pan, the thinner your caramels will be, so choose your pan size accordingly.  (I typically use a 7 X 11 pan because I like my pieces about the size of a caramel square you'd get at a candy shop.)  I've also found an easier way to cut my pieces, rather than getting my knife all gummed up, is to roll a pizza cutter back and forth really quickly.  The thicker the caramels the gummier your cutter will get, but it can be better than a knife at times.

I'm still here!

My deepest apologies to all our faithful blog readers! Mr. C and I made a big decision a month ago to put our home up for sale. The past few weeks have been a blur of home repairs, paint, packing items for storage, and cleaning places in this home that have NEVER been cleaned. Sadly, those projects left no time for blogging. I'm happy to say that the house is now ready, and on the market, so it's time to get back to cooking. (I swear, we ate more 3 for 1.00 tacos over the past 2 weeks than we have in the past year.) Stay tuned...a yummy recipe posting is on the way!

summer apple blueberry tart

this past sunday, my parents were stopping by on their way back from las vegas. let me take a break here to say that my mom rarely cooked when i was in high school so i never cooked. in fact, upon graduating and attending college i moved into dorms so i still didn't cook. it was not until i was in my second year of college and moving int an apartment that i finally decided to try out cooking and i mean real cooking. not just macaroni and cheese or rice-a-roni. i mean actual, starting from scratch cooking. wanna know the first thing i really cooked? chicken rolled in bread crumbs with mashed potatoes (ok, those were from a kit i think. i know they were not real potatoes) and fried asparagus (sprinkle some olive oil and salt over the top and fry on a fry pan until bright green--so delicious!). oh the pride.

yes, my name is amanda and i didn't start cooking until i was 20 years old. seriously.

so, i have always felt a need to show people that while i've only been cooking for four years, i can actually cook. sort of. i've improved with time but i can cook. so when my parents visit our house for dinner, i try to cook something really yummy to attempt to impress. i decided on this visit to cook the baked ziti (remember it was my mom who introduced us to the costco ziti) with some salad and garlic bread and something delicious for dessert.

i wanted a dessert that felt summer with lots of delicious fruit. i thought maybe about an apple pie but couldn't find a recipe i thought looked good. finally in one cookbook that shall reman nameless due to the following story, i found a recipe for apple raspberry tart. i thought that sounded delicious but when i found that costco did not have a raspberry to speak of i decided to replace those with blueberries.

on sunday, shortly after feeding little e her customary rice cereal with fruit, i made the tart shell. after letting it chill in the refrigerator for a short time i made my filling of apples and blueberries and rolled out my tart to the necessary size. after placing the fruit in the middle. the tart shell met it's doom. it soaked up the juice from the fruit and turned into a soggy paper towel, basically. after throwing a small fit and being annoyed that i had done everything i was supposed to i decided to come up with my own dessert.

on sunday, shortly after feeding little e her customary rice cereal with fruit, i made the tart shell. after letting it chill in the refrigerator for a short time i made my filling of apples and blueberries and rolled out my tart to the necessary size. after placing the fruit in the middle. the tart shell met it's doom. it soaked up the juice from the fruit and turned into a soggy paper towel, basically. after throwing a small fit and being annoyed that i had done everything i was supposed to i decided to come up with my own dessert.

this was HEAVENLY. everyone loved it! it was gobbled up, literally in 15 minutes. it was delicious. the blueberries were the perfect compliment to the apples. and the pie crust turned tart shell was perfectly flaky. it was an amazing dessert and so easy! i plan on making this again with different fruits. it is the perfect summer dessert!

i wanted a dessert that felt summer with lots of delicious fruit. i thought maybe about an apple pie but couldn't find a recipe i thought looked good. finally in one cookbook that shall reman nameless due to the following story, i found a recipe for apple raspberry tart. i thought that sounded delicious but when i found that costco did not have a raspberry to speak of i decided to replace those with blueberries.

summer apple blueberry tart

makes 1 9-inch tart

ingredients

2 1/2 c. thinly sliced peeled tart apples (i used granny smith, this equals about 2 medium sized apples)

1 1/2 c. blueberries

1/4 c. sugar

1 T. cornstarch

3/4 t. cinnamon

1 pie crust (homemade or store-bought)

combine apples and blueberries in a large bowl. combine sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. add to the fruit and toss gently. put pie crust in pie tin. spoon filling into pie crust and fold the edges over the fruit so it holds in the filling. (i suppose if you really wanted to you could leave the edges up and make it a pie. it's all personal preference.) brush edges with milk, water, or butter, or egg and brush over top of fruit. sprinkle sugar over the top.

bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

chicken pot pie

there's a few things that I look at and think "oh my gosh, I could NEVER make that. it would just be WAY too far above my skill level." i used to think that about things like homemade pizza, apple pies, and chicken pot pie. well, i've since conquered the homemade pizza and apple pie (which are surprisingly easy as long as you have a good recipe) and felt it was time to move on to the chicken pot pie. i felt the heat of the challenge as i pulled "chicken pot pie" out of the recipe jar a few weeks ago. i was ready.

i have made a similar chicken pot pie from "Hungry Girl". (if you haven't tried any of her recipes, please do!) it was so simple and SO delicious. for hungry girl's you just mix a bag of frozen mixed vegetables with some cooked chicken and then mix that all with some cream of chicken soup. you let it bake and then put a crust of crescent rolls on the top and finish baking. simple right? so i felt a little concerned when i began reading pioneer woman's recipe that i was to accomplish that week. it was a bit more detailed but let me tell you...worth every last second.

i only made one change to the entire recipe. once i made the filling of vegetables, chicken, and cream (which is sinfully delightful, so much so that i could NOT stop eating it out of the pot before it ever made it to the pie) i felt it needed just a little kick. just a little something extra. so what did i add?

ladies and gentleman, only my favorite spice on the planet earth.

curry powder.

oh my gosh. i did wonders. now, i never measure curry powder. frankly, i don't measure any spices when i'm cooking or backing so i really couldn't tell you how much i added. it was probably somewhere close to a tablespoon. remember, i'm a HUGE fan of curry. mr. e is not, so i refrained from letting him know about my addition until after he'd consumed a second helping of chicken pot pie and given it a thumbs up. if you aren't as big a fan, i would still add just a little. curry isn't really spicy, at least not to me. it just has more of a heat to it. a nice heat that will balance out all the flavors in your filling.

this was truly heaven. it's going into my permanent collection. oh! and pioneer woman explained that this is a GREAT freezer recipe. so it's going in the "freezes beautifully" section of my recipe book as well. (note: i do not have a recipe book...i have three overflowing binders that scream "organize me" everytime i walk by my cookbook shelf. someday.)

pioneer woman's chicken pot pie

makes one 9 inch pie

ingredients

3 celery stalks

3 medium carrots, peeled

1 large yellow onion

4 t. butter

1/2 c. frozen peas

2 cups cooked chicken (dark and light) cut into bite sized pieces (i recommend just getting a rotisserie and ripping the heck out of it

1 c. AP flour

2 c. low sodium chicken broth

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 c. heavy cream

1 t. ground thyme

1 t. kosher salt, or more to taste black pepper to taste

1/2 - 1 T. of curry depending on feelings about said curry

1 pie crust (homemade or store-bought)

finely dice all vegetables. Melt butter in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. add the vegetables (including frozen peas) and saute until the vegetables start to turn translucent. add the chicken and and stir to combine. sprinkle the flour evenly over the mix and stir. cook for a couple of minutes, stirring gently.pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly as well as the chicken boullion cube. (i should mention here that P-Dub also adds 1/4 white wine but we are a nonalcoholic family here so we leave those ingredients out.) pour in the cream and stir. let the mixture cook over low heat to allow it to thicken. let it cook for about 4 minutes. season with thyme, salt, pepper, and curry. taste and adjust as needed. (see! she gave me permission to add the curry! add whatever you want!) pour the chicken mix into a deep pie pan or small casserole dish.

roll out the crust so that it's 1 inch larger than the pan. place the crust on top of the chicken mix and cut small slits in the top. press the crust into the sides of the dish to seal.

bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. cool 10 minutes before serving.

Easy and tasty...that's my kind of treat

Confession time! A couple months ago, it was time for the semi-annual conference of our church. I got what I thought (at the time) was a brilliant idea. Actually, I still think it was a brilliant idea. I just never carried all the way through with it. My idea was to make a bunch of yummy treats for my neighbors and friends and put them in a basket to enjoy over the 2 days of the conference broadcasts.

I'd seen a recipe on a blog for a peanut butter crispy treat that looked intriguing and thought it would make a great addition to my "basket o'treats." Sadly, when I went looking for it, I couldn't find it. I did some searching around online and found a lot of recipes that seemed similar. I combined a little of this one and a little of that one and came up with my own version of this tasty, easy treat.

The great things about this treat are numerous: you can make the recipe in a matter of minutes, it utilizes ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen, it's very inexpensive, and the flavors really compliment one another. It's a great blend of crunchy and creamy, salty and sweet. Want to know how to make it? OK, I'll tell you!

Peanut Butter Cereal Treats
1 c. light corn syrup
1 c. sugar
1 c. peanut butter
6 c. corn chex cereal
1 c. salted peanuts
Spray a 9 X 13 pan with cooking spray; set aside. In a small saucepan, bring the corn syrup and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in peanut butter. Combine cereal and peanuts in a large bowl. Pour syrup mixture over cereal and peanuts; stir to combine. Press cereal mixture in to the pan. When cooled and firm, cut in to bars.

The peanut buttery sauce that glues the cereal and nuts together is heavenly. It's almost like a peanut butter caramel. It takes some gently stirring to get the mixture to go from this...

...to this...


...but it's well worth the effort. I've found that if I stir slowly with a rubber spatula, the cereal stays relatively whole and the peanuts distribute nicely. Also, if you don't have chex cereal, use crispy rice cereal. It will work just as well.

I've made this recipe both as bars and as individual cookie-type snacks; both work great. (For my treat baskets I was going to do the cookie-type.) Individual treats can be made by spooning the mixture on to wax paper to cool.

Please pardon, once again, the blueish tint of my fluorescent kitchen lighting.)

Back to my confession. I still maintain my treat basket idea was a brilliant one. The planning was a blast. Even the baking of several different goodies went off without a hitch. The problem I must confess is that the treats never made it out of my kitchen. (If you are my neighbor, I sincerely apologize.) Distractions kept me from ever putting together my baskets. Pathetic! I must sadly report that several (and by that I mean WAY more than should have) treats ended up in my own tummy. I eventually farmed the weekend's bounty out to Mr. C's co-workers. However, the good news is that conference comes twice a year, so I can start planning now to surprise my neighbors in October.

Note to self: follow through with your plan next time.

In the meantime, I think I'll go make a batch of these:

I bet my neighbors would be just as happy with a plate of them today as they would have been 2 months ago.

P.S. Welcome to any new friends visiting after hearing about this blog at my cooking class today! I'm so happy that you're here!

A no-fail family favorite

The summer potluck and picnic season began on Monday with Memorial Day. Ah, how I love it...sharing meals, coming up with special dishes to take to a potluck, and dining in the great outdoors. (Incidentally, I will publicly admit that eating outside--whether at home or at a restaurant--is one of my most favorite things in life.) I'm always on the hunt for a great recipe to take to a neighbor's house or church party. Quite often I try something new, but every now and then I take an ol' family favorite.

These little beauties have a lot of names in our family. My aunt calls them Abracadabras. Some people call them wraps or pinwheels. But, in my immediate family, we call them "Little Burrito Things." We love these things. It's rare for any family event to go by without little burrito things being there.

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking there are 1,000,001 roll up type recipes out there. You're right. There are. I've found this one to be different than others I've tried because it's more of an appetizer type roll up than a meat and cheese sandwich type roll. Whether I've made them for a casual craft day with friends, or a formal open house, the recipe has been a hit. In fact, on year I made about 500 for a church Christmas party and not one came back home. (Good thing since I was sick of them by that point!)

The ingredients are few, simple, and cheap. Let me show you!

Little Burrito Things
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 cans chopped olives
2 can green chilies (undrained)
1/2-1 t. Bon Appetit seasoning (or seasoned salt)
4 packages of pressed ham lunch meat
10 8" flour tortillas
Mix the first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Add seasoning to taste. Layer 4 pieces of ham on each tortilla. Divide the cream cheese mixture among the tortillas and spread leaving a 1" border on one side. Roll up beginning from the edge opposite the 1" edge. Cover the wraps and chill. Slice before serving.

Could it be more simple than that? I think not! Let's review a couple things. First of all, the Bon Appetit. If you don't have this incredible seasoning in your home, RUN--don't walk--to the store to get some. It's a lovely combination of celery seed, onion, and salt. The not so lovely part? It can be difficult to find. And, when you find it, it can be 5.00-6.00 a the small spice bottle. I think it's worth the investment though. It will last you for a very long time, it can be used in other things, and I think it makes this dish. But, you can substitute basic seasoned salt if you prefer. Second, the ham. Buy the cheapest pressed stuff a the store. You know, the super thin stuff that is about 60 or so cents a package. Each package has 10 slices in it and 4 packages will divide perfectly among the 10 tortillas. Third, the chilies. Don't worry about them being spicy. They are mixed in enough cream cheese that they add flavor without spice.

Just a couple side notes. I ususally cut my rolls about 3/4" wide, but you can cut them as wide or thin as you like. Cutting them at 3/4" will give you about 70 or so little rolls. Also, this recipe is super easy to half or multiply (remember the 500 Christmas rolls), so it's great for small or large gatherings.

Want to know one of the best parts of making little burrito things? These:

The ends! The ends of each roll up never stay closed, so they get tossed aside. In our family, it's always a race to see who gets to them first! I suggest slicing the rolls when nobody else is around. That way you don't have to fight over the ends. They'll be all yours!

I am obsessed with Mexican cheese

I've always loved cheese, even throughout my college and adult years when I was lactose intolerant. Blue, provolone, curd, Parmesan, feta, string, brie, Gouda--you name it, I love them all! About a year ago I had some Oaxaca cheese on a salad at a Mexican restaurant. I can't even tell you about the salad because I was so enthralled with the cheese. It's all I remember. I loved it so much I went back the next day and had it again. I suppose that's when my love of Mexican cheese began. That loved deepened recently when Mr. C and I had chicken chilaquiles for dinner.

I've heard of chilaquiles before on Food Network, but I'd never considered making the dish. Chilaquiles is a Mexican dish that was created to help people use up leftovers. It's traditionally made using meat, cheese, corn tortillas, and chiles. I recently checked out the Everyday Food "Great Food Fast" cookbook from my library and found a recipe for chicken chilaquiles inside. (I am still on a "no cookbook" buying restriction for another month so I check out A LOT of them from the library.) I decided to give the recipe a try. Oh happy eating, am I ever glad I did! Look at this gorgeous dish:

I worried the recipe might be too complicated or time consuming, but it was surprisingly quick and easy. (I guess that's why it's in a cookbook called "Great Food Fast.") It came together in under 30 minutes. I had to buy a couple ingredients I don't usually have on hand. The recipe calls for chiles in adobo and queso fresco or queso anejo cheese. Both were easy to find at Walmart. And, happy for me, they were not expensive. There was one ingredient I couldn't find, but I was able to make do without it.

Here's the recipe. We'll chat more about it on the flip side:

Chicken Chilaquiles from Everyday Food
1 T olive oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped (I always used minced garlic that I buy in bulk at Costco)
1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes in puree
2 chipotle chiles in adobo (from a small can), finely chopped
1 T adobo sauce (from the same can as the chiles)
1 c water
4 c shredded chicken
1/2 c lightly packed cilantro, chopped, plus extra for garnish
1/4 c crumbled queso fresco or queso anejo cheese (can substitute feta)
4 c tortilla chips
1/4 c sour cream
Combine the oil and garlic in a large (3-4 quart) saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant and sizzling (about 1-2 minutes). Add the tomatoes with their puree (breaking tomatoes up), chipotles, adobo sauce, and water. Bring to a boil, season with salt. Reduce the heat and simmer rapidly until lightly thickened (6-8 minutes). Add the chicken and cook, stirring, until hot (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in the chopped cilantro. Divide tortilla chips among 4 shallow bowls; top with the chicken mixture and sauce. Garnish with cilantro, sour cream, and cheese.

Remember when I said there was an ingredient I couldn't find? Believe it or not it was the tomatoes in puree. Search as I might, I couldn't find any. I ended up just using regular diced tomatoes and they worked fine. The sauce may have been a little thinner than it should have been, but neither Mr. C nor I cared. It was delicious. Also, there is something to keep in mind about the spice level. Adobo sauce and chipotle chiles carry some heat. If you don't like a lot of spice, ease off on the tablespoon of sauce and the chiles. Mr. C always sweats when he eats spicy food. He was dripping with this one. Next time I think I may half the chipotle chiles and the adobo sauce. I like spice, but it was a tiny bit overwhelming. (Ironically, the leftovers the next day didn't seem as spicy.)

Now, the cheese. Ahhhhhh, the cheese. Just look at that gorgeous cheese!

The recipe actually calls for feta, but the top of the recipe page says, "For an authentic touch, use fresh Mexican cheese...in place of feta." Do it. DO IT, DO IT, DO IT! The recipe recommends queso fresco which is a fresh soft cheese or queso anejo which is an aged cheese. I used the fresco and, like my experience with the salad at the Mexican restaurant, I was enthralled with it. It's a crumbly cheese so I broke off pieces like I would with feta. I had plenty left over after making our 2 plates. The extra is happily hibernating in my freezer awaiting it's next lovely appearance.

I cannot say enough about the cheese.

We loved the tortilla chips on the bottom of the dish. For the first few bites, the chips were still crispy and the texture of the dish was fabulous. The longer the sauce sits on top of the chips, the softer they get. The tortillas become almost a soft corn meal, yet they stay just as tasty. We opted not to put the sour cream on top.

This dish is so easy and so tasty. Go make it, right now! Unless you don't have any Mexican cheese. Go get some and THEN make it. It's the one ingredient that takes this recipe from delicious to out of this world. But beware! Once you try the fabulousness that is Mexican cheese, you'll be hooked.

(I'm finally posting the recipe because it's time for the cookbook to go back to the library and I need the recipe for my binder of recipes!)