Nuts to Chew Cookie

This is Molly as she is driving her and me back to Missouri in October after being in Point for Sandy's funeral. She is nibbling on the wonderful, unbeatable "Nuts To Chew" cookie!

I put my cookie on the dashboard and took a picture of it

This cookie costs $1.49 and is worth every penny! It is called Nuts To Chew and one of my quests in life is to learn how to duplicate this...to learn how to make them myself...to figure out the recipe. It has milk chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans,

and just the best feel and texture ever! They are made at the Stevens Point Area CoOp and get sold out quickly on the days they are baked!

Mom's Thanksgiving Day Jello

These are the ingredients. I use low fat cream cheese. Of Course. I buy pecans at Costco.
You can make this without nuts if you desire.

After you set the first layer, which is strawberry, you pour on the second layer...which is the blended cream cheese and yellow jello (that has had the boiling water then cold water added to it as described on box.) Then the nuts. I chopped them first, then threw them in the blender for a few seconds after the other 2 ingredients were well mixed.

A square of the final product. I got 15 squares from the 9" by 13" pan. You could get 20 pieces if you cut them a bit smaller and that is still a good portion.

RECIPE FOR THANKSGIVING DAY JELLO

(Inspired by Bernice Hulihan Farley)

And as per requested by Megan and Amy....

I first had this jello at a Thanksgiving Day meal at John's Aunt Bernice and Uncle Lee's place in Manti, Utah back in 1979. It was so nice to see this colorful jello on everyone's plate (or was it on a separate dish?) that I decided I would make it every Thanksgiving...and I pretty much did.

1 6 oz. box strawberry jello

1 6 oz. box orange jello

1 3 oz. box lemon jello

1 small can mandarin oranges

1 10 oz. carton of frozen sliced strawberries (in syrup), thawed.

1 8 oz. block of cream cheese, softened at room temperature.

1 cup pecans, chopped (Optional but it adds a great texture to that middle layer!)

(I just realized that some years, I put a little crushed pineapple into the white layer.)

Get out your 9" by 13" cake pan.

First layer: The red layer. Make the jello, but when it is time to put the 2 cups of cold water in, use the container of strawberries as part of your cold liquid and add more water or ice to total about 2 cups of stuff. (I dump it allinto my 2 cup liquid measuring cup to make sure I have it right. Pour into pan and put in fridge.

When red layer is set, after a few hours, make the lemon jello up as directed on package. Then put this liquid mass into the blender with the softened cream cheese. Add chopped nuts after the first 2 ingredients are well blended. At this point, if you do not have nuts, it is OK . You can blend up some drained crushed pineapple into this if you want. (like 1/2 or 3/4 cup).

Pour this layer over the red layer and refridgerate until set.(few hours).

Make orange layer. Open can of manadarin oranges and drain water out into cup. Follow direction on package. Use the canned mandarin orange water for part of the water. After you have made the jello, add the drained mandarin oranges. Pour this over the cream cheese lemon jello layer and put back in fridge until set.

Makes 15-20 serving. Cool, sweet, colorful and refreshing.

As you can see..this should be made the day before Thanksgiving and get started early in the day.

My First "Baked Ziti"

I was going through my cupboard and found a (Safeway Brand)box of ziti. This is a tube pasta without the ridges (Penne has ridges, ziti is smooth.)
I decided to make Baked Ziti using the recipe on the box. The recipe, it stated on the box, was developed by cookbook author marlene Sorosky-Gray.

Here is the exact recipe, which is followed exactly, only I halved it and used a 9" x 9" glass baking dish. I used 8 oz. of ground turkey. I also sprinkled some shredded mozarella on the top along with the shredded Parmesan cheese before I baked it.
This was so good. John and I both enjoyed it quite well.
Here is the full recipe. Remember: I halved it.

Baked Ziti

1 16 oz. package Ziti
16 oz. lean ground beef.
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 jars (25 oz.) pasta sauce, any variety
(I used Classico Mushroom and Ripe Olives)
6 oz. Provolone cheese slices
6 oz. shredded mozarella
1 & 1/2 cups sour cream
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
non-stick cooking spray
(I just used olive oil from a bottle and slathered it onto the bottom of the baking dish.)


In a large skillet, brown the meat, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add pasta sauce and simmer for about
15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook ziti according to package directions and drain. Grease a 9 x 12 inch baking dish. Layer half each of the ziti, hamburger mixture, provolone cheese, mozzarella and sour cream. Repeat the layers. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Cover and bake 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake 5 more minutes. Serves 8. (Note: I used up all the sour cream in the first set of layers.

I served this meal with salad, and corn and garlic bread. MMMMmmm. I will always love gooey hot cheese dishes like this!!!!!

Revisiting Norwegian Pancakes

So John's first words as we woke up Monday morning (yesterday) was: "I dreamt of having a baggie of Norwegian pancakes." I recalled how I used to make "Norwegian Pancakes" all the time for breakfast for the kids and John and then if there were leftovers, I would cut them in half and put them in baggies for a snack. Sometimes Kelsy's school lunch would just be a baggie full of Norwegian pancake halves.

So, feeling ambitious, that morning (5 am) I whipped up a half batch of ...

NORWEGIAN PANCAKES

In blender... put...
1 cup milk
2 eggs
3/4 cup unbleached white flour
dash salt
a squirt of honey
2 teaspoons melted butter

Blend well. Pour straight from blender into hot skillet that has been greased. ( These are like making crepes...pour enough to coat the bottom of the skillet as you tip the skillet around.) If you melted the butter in the skillet, you can use that, or use some canola oil.
THE TRICKY PART IS HAVING THE SKILLET HOT ENOUGH. I got 5 Norwegian pancakes from this recipe...just enough for 2 people. You serve lemon wedges on the side, and soft brown sugar. Sprinkle the pancake with the lemon juice, then brown sugar..you can swish the brown sugar around with a spoon to cover the surface of the pancake. Roll up and eat...or cut in half and put in baggies for a snack later. Because they are egg-y...you may want to refrigerate them if you do not eat them up in 4 hours. ENJOY! Brings back memories, huh, kids???

Healthy Snack!

I have been wanting to make these for a loooooong time and I finally did this week!

I melted a bunch of 63 % dark chocolate chips (Thanks to Molly, who bought them at Sam's club in St. Louis and brought them up to Stevens Point to give to me and then I packed them in my suitcase and brought them back to California on the airplane).

I melted the chocolate chips in a stainless steel bowl over simmering water, and then I stuffed each prune with a pecan and drenched it in the chocolate, lifting it out with a fork and letting the excess chcolate drip off back into the bowl. Then I set each one on wax paper covered tray and refrigerated them. After they hardenend, I put them in a tupperware. Now, John and I just grab one from the fridge when we want them. What a life.

Here is also a picture a Kalea, age 4, enjoying one.

The prune has been studied and found to contain the highest amount of antioxidants of any fruit. The pecan also has the highest amounts of anti-oxidants of any nut. Amd we all know dark chcolate is very good for you. So...I ask you...is there any better treat you can have on this earth?????

Anyone out there have a cute name for this treat? "Chocolate covered prunes stuffed with pecan" is too long and unappealing. We need a cute name, and then I can package them and sell them...maybe???? Hmmm...after writing this, I want to go eat one...but it is Fast Sunday...quick...run away from that thought!
OK...names...how about....Proofles????(Cross between "truffles" and "prune")

Scenes from Notting Hill

HI everyone..if you scro1l down to the Notting Hill Brownie post, you wil1 see the famous scenes in the movie that are the actual history of the famous "Notting HIll Brownies". I used my lttle camera and had to break it up into 3 segments...hope you can view them OK.

Someday this chocolate

Someday when I am very rich and can afford to buy this great chocolate..the bombalinas, the Black Pearl bar, the bacon/chocolate bar...if you are with me, I will share. I have just pictured here the bombalina. I have copied the descriptions of the other 2 products I think I wold love. Click onlink on side...How To Eat Chocolate ...It will take you tto the site that sells these chocolates, as well as tell you HOW to enjoy chocolate.

Naga Mango Bombalina 62% dark chocolate enrobed mangoes + sweet curry
$9.00
http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/category/bombalinas

Black Pearl Bar
Inhale warming ginger as menthol-nuanced wasabi cools. Sense the evolution of flavors in the mouth. Commence with ginger, followed by earthy cacao notes, mellow wasabi reminiscent of coriander, finishing with black sesame seeds, rich in nutty texture.

Black Pearl: ginger + wasabi + black sesame seeds + dark chocolate, 55% cacao
3oz.

Consume within 6 months
$7.50
http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/product/black_pearl_exotic_candy_bar/exotic_candy_bars

It was surely only a matter of time! Following the huge popularity of Mo's Bacon Bar in deep milk chocolate, we can present the newest member of the exotic candy bar family. With the same applewood smoked bacon and Alder wood smoked salt as its famous relative, the beautifully rich 62% dark chocolate encases these tantalizing flavors.

Mo's Dark Bacon Bar: applewood smoked bacon + Alder wood smoked salt + dark chocolate
62% cacao3oz.
$7.70

consume within 6 months
SKU: CB-EXO-DBA
"I began experimenting with bacon + chocolate at the tender age of 6, while eating chocolate chip pancakes drenched in Aunt Jemima® syrup, as children often do. Beside my chocolate-laden cakes laid three strips of sizzlin' bacon, just barely touching a sweet pool of maple syrup. And then, the magic—just a bite of the bacon was too salty and I yearned for the sweet kiss of chocolate and syrup, so I combined the two. In retrospect, perhaps this was a turning point; for on that plate something magical happened, the beginnings of a combination so ethereal and delicious that it would haunt my thoughts until I found the medium to express it—chocolate.

From there, it was just a matter of time…and what began as a love of salt and sweet quickly unraveled into an obsession. No sooner could I wait to unveil the royal coupling in solid bar form, a deep milk chocolate with bits and pieces of applewood smoked bacon and just a sprinkling of Alder salt. Really, what doesn't taste better with bacon?"
–Katrina
SKU: CB-EXO-DBA
BACON BAR-STUFFED DATES
15 medium-sized Medjool dates
3 chorizo sausages, casing removed
1 Mo's Bacon Bar (8 squares)
8 pieces Nueskes Bacon
1 batch of Spicy Oaxacan Red Sauce
cilantro, for serving

Cut a date on one side lengthwise, remove pit. Stuff with chorizo and place ¼ of a bacon bar square in the center of the chorizo. Fold chorizo around chocolate.

Wrap in half a piece of smoked Nueskes bacon. Sear bacon-wrapped dates in pan until crispy. Set aside. Pour red sauce half-way up the sides of a baking sheet with 1-inch side walls and transfer dates to the baking sheet. Space dates 1 inch apart. Bake in sauce for 25 minutes at 350ºF. Serve in sauce, garnish with cilantro and bacon bar shavings.
SKU3: CB-EXO-DBA