Halloween Candy Hierarchy: Whats Your Favorite?

It's finally Halloween and even though I've dubbed that I'm too old to go trick or treating, I still eat my fair share of candy on this day. In the past I've been the pink power ranger, a tomagotchi (that was when they first came out and I went through a phase where I was obsessed), a fairy, and a clown (my mom made me the outfit). But for someone who has a serious sweet tooth, Halloween has never been much about the costumes, it was always about the candy. Knowing from experience, there are certain types of candies and chocolates that I desperatley wanted. But there were also those houses that handed out very UN-Halloween-like treats like raisins and apples, you know what I'm talking about. Halloween is but only 1 day per year, let the kids eat what they want to eat for goodness sakes!

But back to the topic, here are my Top 10 picks for Halloween Hierarchy Confections:

1. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups- These are my all time favorite Halloween treats. I always became ridiculously happy whenever a neighbor gave the full-size peanut butter cups. The mini peanut butter cups are never satisfying. Which genius thought of making those?


2. Almond Joys- There's just something about the combination of sticky sweet coconut mounds, almonds, and chocolate that that could satisfy any sweet tooth. Mounds bars would've made the list too, but missing the almonds are a big no-no

3. Twix Bars- I never really started liking Twix until my later days of trick or treating, but they are now one of my favorites. They're so addicting. The twix bars have a cripsy shortbread topped with thick caramel, encased in a thin layer of milk chocolate. Just saying it makes me want one.

4. 100 Grand Bars! - Chewy caramel covered with crispy milk chocolate. I loved these bars, but sadly I only received a few of these a year during Halloween. Apparently Snickers is always "the chocolate" to give on Halloween

5. Hershey Kisses (or Hugs)- These are some of the best treats to give. What the Kisses (or Hugs) don't make up for size definitely make up for in taste. Such a little deviant trick to get you want more because you have to admit, once you've had one, you want to eat another.


6. KitKat Bars- These crispy wafers that are covered and layered in chocolate is always the way to go when passing out candy. But again with the minis, they're never satisfying. Obviously, the person who came up with the "mini halloween candies" are dentists.


7. Snickers- In general I like Snickers bars. But I think I've builded an aversion to it because every other house on the block on Halloween passes out Snickers. It's a crowd pleaser if you don't want to be known as the neighborhood witch who gives out the worst treats and it's also the safest way to go, but to be honest, it's overkill!


8. Nerds/Sweet Tarts/Dum Dums- Sweet Tarts, Nerds, and Dum Dums were always the candies that were left in my trick or treating bag months and months after the actual holiday ended. These were the candies I used to trade with other kids for the better treats. Also, the Nerds were hard to eat because they spilled everywhere and they turned my fingers pink or purple.

9. Nestle's Crunch/Mr. Goodbars- Another overkill in Halloween treats. I would always go through my bag and find 23987 of these. I know some people that love these bars but I am curiously unattracted to them. They lack an actual chocolate taste in my opinion.


10. Apples and Raisins- Not even going to explain. Enough said.

There are so many more Halloween candies that I haven't explained so give me your hierarchy (best to worst) and tell me what you think!

desserts again

For everyone who can't bake, theres still hope that you can make new desserts. The no-bake butterscotch haystacks are a great way to make something for that special someone without having to bake! They are easy and quick to make.

No-Bake Butterscotch Haystacks Ingredients:

1 cup HERSHEY'S Butterscotch Chips
1/2 cup REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips
1 tablespoon shortening(do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil)
1-1/2 cups (3-oz. can) chow mein noodles, coarsely broken

Directions:1. Line tray with wax paper. Place butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips and shortening in medium microwave-safe bowl. 2. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. 3. Immediately add chow mein noodles; stir to coat. Drop mixture by heaping teaspoons onto prepared tray or into paper candy cups; let stand until firm. If necessary, cover and refrigerate until firm. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator. Yields about 2 dozen candies. VARIATION: CHOCOLATE HAYSTACKS: Substitute 1 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips, HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Chips for butterscotch chips. Proceed as directed above with peanut butter chips, shortening and chow mein noodles.


Now for those of you who can bake, here is some quick and easy Fudgy Brownies. They are sort of like normal brownies, but they are extra chocolaty for that sweet tooth.

Quick & Easy Fudgey Brownies Ingredients:

4 bars (1 oz. each) HERSHEY'S Unsweetened Baking Chocolate, broken into pieces
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped nuts(optional)
CREAMY QUICK CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe inside box), optional

Directions:1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan. 2. Place chocolate and butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Add sugar; stir with spoon until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add flour and nuts, if desired; stir until well blended. Spread in prepared pan. 3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Frost brownies, if desired. Cut into squares. About 24 brownies. BROWNIE VARIATIONS:CHIPPY CHEWY BROWNIES: Prepare brownies as directed, stirring in 1 cup REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips with flour. Bake as directed.CAKELIKE BROWNIES: Stir in 1/2 cup milk with eggs and vanilla. Increase flour to 1-1/2 cups. Bake as directed.CREAM CHEESE BROWNIES: Prepare brownies as directed, using 4 eggs. Spread in prepared pan. Beat 8-oz. pkg. softened cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 egg and 2 tablespoons flour. Soon mixture over brownie batter; swirl with knife to marble. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. ROCKY ROAD BROWNIES: Prepare brownies as directed; bake 30 minutes. Immediately sprinkle with 2 cups miniature marshmallows, 1 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and 1 cup chopped nuts over brownies. Bake another 3 minutes or until topping melts together.

They are delicious and a great dessert. With Halloween and Thanksgiving coming up, you will be everyone's favorite when it comes time for dessert.

Bravo!

I finally formally dined at the HTM Cafe today. For those of you unawares, Purdue's nutrition and food's program runs a student staffed cafe called "HTM" in Stone Hall. I have picked up a quick cinnamon roll (delicious and fresh) or a drink every now and then, but never had a whole meal. Since I had a free hour this morning I decided to try their breakfast fair.

I love omelets and went for their omelet special (served till 9:15 am). It was a two egg omelet with toast and a 10oz drink for only $2.50. I ended up getting a bottled Minutemaid Apple Juice and it only added 55c for a total of $3.05. You can't beat that.

Besides the great price the omelet was great. Talk about fresh ingredients the eggs were cracked in front of my very eyes and the vegetables were extremely fresh as well. The chef was very friendly and extremely easy going in taking and creating my order through out the whole ideal.

Without a doubt if you want a good meal for a great price and don't mind helping out some fellow Boilermakers than stop by the HTM Cafe in Stone Hall. You definitely won't be disappointed, as I haven't been.

A new twist on Taffy Apples

When you walk into Walmart, Target, or any of those types of stores, the first thing you will find is candy and along with candy comes the Taffy Apples. I love the original Taffy Apples with caramel, nuts, and a green apple inside, but these kind are better. Chocolate and peanut butter dipped apples sound even more delicious than the other kind. This is a HERSHEY'S kitchen recipe that is found on their web page. These home made candy apples can be fun to make and easy to enjoy. I like the red apples better than the green ones anyway.

Ingredients:

• 10 to 12 medium apples, stems removed
• 10 to 12 wooden Popsicle sticks
• 1 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips, divided
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening, divided (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil)

Directions:
1. Line tray with wax paper. Wash apples; dry thoroughly. Insert wooden stick into stem end of each apple; place on prepared tray.

2. Place chocolate chips, 2/3 cup peanut butter chips and 1/4 cup shortening in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted when stirred. Dip bottom three-fourths of each apple into mixture. Twirl and gently shake to remove excess; return to prepared tray.

3. Place remaining 1 cup peanut butter chips and remaining 2 tablespoons shortening in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted when stirred. Spoon over top section of each apple, allowing to drip down sides. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 10 to 12 coated apples.

These don't take long to make and are a favorite at get togethers. Another way to make these chocolate and peanut better treats is also found on HERSHEY'S Kitchen recipe.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Coated Apples

Ingredients:

• 10 to 12 wooden popsicle sticks
• 10 to 12 medium apples, stems removed
• 1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• MOUNDS Sweetened Coconut Flakes or chopped REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips(optional)

Directions:
1. Insert wooden stick into each washed and dried apple. Cover tray with wax paper.

2. Stir together peanut butter chips and oil in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1-1/2 minutes or until chips are softened. Stir until melted. If necessary, microwave at HIGH an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted when stirred.

3.Stir together powdered sugar and cocoa; gradually add to melted chip mixture, stirring until smooth. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until very warm.

4. Dip apples in mixture; twirl to remove excess coating. (If coating becomes too thick, return to microwave for a few seconds or add additional oil 1 teaspoon at a time.) Roll lower half of coated apple in coconut or chopped chips, if desired. Allow to cool on prepared tray. Refrigerate, if desired. 10 to 12 apples.

These look like normal Taffy Apples, but instead of nuts there are peanut butter chips. Both of these ideas are cheap and tasty.

Coconut Chocolate Macaroons-what food blogs can do to you

One of the most tangible side effects of having discovered food blogs is the expansion of horizons it brings, along with an expanded waistline. I thought I had known everything there was to know about food while I read my cookbooks, watched cooking shows and made a few recipes. I lived in a little bubble, and now that it has burst, I feel that I have been introduced to a new world. There is so much more I know, whereas before, I felt that I was well-aquainted with the food and recipes I was cooking with already.

Obviously, new things were introduced to me through magazines and books, but it was a slow and gradual process. The day I discovered food blogs, it all changed. I sat for hours on end, going through food blog after food blog, amazed by how many recipes were online and how many people were passionate about food as much as I was. It was like I was going down the rabbit hole and waking up to discover that I still hadn't reached the bottom yet, even though I felt like I already had.

I had an immediate, graphic representation of what the food was like all around the world and how it was being bought, cooked, and eaten. So many new and innovative things were being done and it was all interconnected through food blogs. If you haven't been introduced to some of the best food blogs, here is a list some that have inspired me throughout my foodblogging journey.

Orangette - An elegant food blog with great photography and writing that reads like fiction.

David Lebovitz - Written by David Lebovitz who was named one of the "Top Five Pastry Chefs in the Bay Area" by the San Francisco Chronicle. His blog is witty and always a fun read with the most elegant and gastronomically delicious recipes.

Amateur Gourmet - Written by Adam Roberts, who wrote The Amateur Gourmet: How to Shop, Hop, and Table Hop Like a Pro (Almost). His food blog will always make you laugh.

Lastly, how could I end a post without a little something sweet? I am a firm believer that one should end their day with dessert. We have so little time on our hands that we sometimes forget to treat ourselves. So here is a recipe adapted from David Lebovitz for Coconut and Chocolate Macaroons.

Coconut and Chocolate Macaroons
30 Cookies

4 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
2 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut (can be purchased at Trader Joes)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon good vanilla extract (good quality extract is a bit on the expensive side, but trust me, it makes all the difference)
2 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate

1. In a large skillet, mix together the egg whites, sugar, salt, honey, unsweetened coconut, and flour. Heat it over low to medium heat on the stovetop, constantly scraping the bottom as you stir.

2. When the mixture begins to scorch in the bottom, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Tranfer everything to a bowl and let it cool to room temperature. ( At this point the mixture can be chilled for up to one week or frozen for up to 2 months... but why wait that long to make them anyway, there delicious!)

3. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper form the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls (or you can use an ice cream scooper to be more exact) with fingers and evenly line the baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes until deep, golden brown. Cool to room temperature.

4. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a clean dry bowl over simmering water. Dip the bottoms of each macaroon and set on baking sheet again. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes or until the chocolate is set.

National Oatmeal Day!

Hey, hey, hey, it's National Oatmeal Day! Come out or stay in and play, just eat some Oatmeal today! I love oatmeal. It wows me. Actually, it's more like "whoa-tmeal". It's "oatmeal-icious" and wonderfully "kick-ass"!

In the United States and Canada, any kind of crushed, rolled, or cut oats are known as oatmeal. However, outside of our own little continent, oatmeal means ground or cut groats. Groats can be peasemeal, cornmeal, or oatmeal. Oatmeal has the highest count of B-vitamins and calories of all the kinds of meal, though, and is used in alcoholic drinks, cosmetics, soaps, external medical treatments, and is used to flavor pet foods. (Wikipedia, mhmm)

I love oatmeal. I do not eat it all the time because the dining halls do not have it and instant is terribly unhealthy for you. It has many shapes and forms to take, such as pie, baked, or just plain mush in a bowl. The consistency of oatmeal is also incredibly pleasing. It just feels good to eat, and the starches let it stay hot even as it hits your stomach. Eating oatmeal when you're cold is an entirely blissful, wonderful experience. The baked oatmeal is an awesome breakfast food. I used to go to a breakfast place called Heineman's and they had a baked oatmeal dish that was just freaking sweet. It used the wonderful grain of the oatmeal to give it a strange but entirely welcome dining experience.

And with all the toppings and the ability to control thickness, anyone can create a great oatmeal experience for themselves. My favorite is thick oatmeal that has maple syrup, raisins, and brown sugar. Incredibly rich, filling, hot, and good. I also enjoy Irish steel-cut oats, but those are entirely different because they are not quick-made. You can't just microwave these mothers, you have to cook them on a stove. But it's worth it for a change every once in awhile. Quick-cook Quaker oats is the most popular of all oatmeals, as everyone in America probably has a jar in their pantry. These don't just find their way into bakes and bowls, though, and are used in some of the best cookie recipes on the earth. One of my favorite cookies involves oatmeal and a bit of coffee. This makes the best dough as well.

So go out, find a recipe with oatmeal and celebrate! It's National Oatmeal Day!

Tea for you and Tea for me.

I love tea. I know I already said a lot about tea on coffee day, but hey, it's cold, I just scored a coffee-maker for free and I am drinking some hot, caffeinated tea. I feel fantastic.

Tea is made by steeping different bits and pieces of dried plants in hot water to create a beverage that has millions of flavors, but is unique all its own. There is no beverage on earth like tea that isn't tea. Unless its bad, then it's just like tea, but if no one drinks it, then does it make a taste? (I lost myself on that one.) Tea has been around for thousands of years, easily being the most influential drink of all time. Influential on history, not Friday nights... heh, heh. Eh? Yea? Heh.

Tea is water. It has no carbs, sugar, fat, cholesterol, or dopamine. (Aww...) But it does have caffeine the natural way. It may be the healthiest thing you can drink, because its as pure as water but contains many healthy, natural supplements such as the amino acid theanine, methylxanthines such as theobromine, and anti-oxidants if you're drinking green. Or white, but a lot less. All kinds of tea in the world today, from all over the world, have evolved from plants that originate in two distinct locations. Both are in China. One is the Yunnan province. The other is east and southeast China. These early adopters of tea cultivated what was eventually bred all around the world to create the most popular beverage since... well, I guess water. However, tea is much more trendy.

"In one popular Chinese legend, Shennong, the legendary Emperor of China, inventor of agriculture and Chinese medicine, was drinking a bowl of boiling water, some time around 2737 BC. The wind blew and a few leaves from a nearby tree fell into his water and began to change its color. The ever inquisitive and curious monarch took a sip of the brew and was pleasantly surprised by its flavor and its restorative properties. A variant of the legend tells that the emperor tested the medical properties of various herbs on himself, some of them poisonous, and found tea to work as an antidote." (Wikipedia, beeyotch)

Yes, tea is good. Sent from the gods if you will. We can all come together in our love for tea. And how good it makes you feel on a cold, cloudy day (today). About that coffee-maker though. I scored a free one from a guy who moved out quite some time ago. Actually it was more I scored it from his former roommate who gave it to me because he found it left in the guy who moved out's closet. Anyway, I didn't coffee or filters. But I had tea. So I just stuck two bags in where the coffee usually goes, and minutes later I had a pot of strong white tea. Hit it!

A funny thing happened on the way out of Ford...

I was riding my bike down the sidewalk in front of Ford, and I saw a shiny red Motorola cellular telephone device face down on the cement. It was NOT a RAZR as shown above, but it was still red. Picking it up I exclaimed to my friend, "MONEY!" and then proceeded to send a text message to the owner's last called friend saying "tell whose phone this is that its at ford dining hall swipe table." I then proceeded to give it to the swipe lady just as she was locking up.

Anyone know someone who lost a phone outside Ford around 2 - 2:25 today? You can thank me later.

Just call me Mr. Good Samaritan.

The Journey

This past weekend I went to a new restaurant in Indianapolis called The Journey. It is a buffet consisting of seafood, prime rib, and sushi. Its located on 96th Street just before you get to Fishers.

I went there with my mom, my sister, myself and my son. The wait staff was very nice and the atmosphere was pretty cool. The restaurant seemed really big although with the ways the walls were set up you wouldn't notice it. The buffet had a little bit of everything on it. Some Chinese food, some American, some sushi, and a salad bar. The best part, however, had to be the chocolate fountain and the crepe station. They made the crepe fresh when you ordered it.

The price was pretty reasonable for a buffet, especially one including sushi and prime rib. For lunch on a Saturday, it was around $10 a person for all you can eat. For three people including hot tea to drink, our bill was just over $30. Not bad considering for a sushi meal alone would cost close to that per person.

I would probably go back and try this place again. However, the sushi is not labeled so if you don't know much about sushi rolls, you might want to take someone with you who does. But other than that, the experience was fun and tasty.

Warm and Cheesy

So it is freakin' cold here in Indiana today. I mean really really bone chilling cold. It was cold yesterday too. Since I was so cold today I wanted something warm to eat. To my delight I found that they were serving grilled cheese sandwiches today.

It was simply perfect, warm gooey melted cheese oozing out of the buttered and toasted bread. mmhhmm mmhhmmmmm. They also had tomato soup to accompany the sandwiches (I know many people enjoy dipping the sandwich into the soup, I prefer ketchup).

So Props to the food people at Purdue for picking a nice delicious warm treat for me today!

brrrrr I think I need to put a sweatshirt on....

Hmm... and I wonder.

My friend just made himself a massive burrito out of lunch meat. I mean, those tortillas are huge.

My friend also got some stir fry and couldn't finish it.

I said, get stir fry, wrap it up in a burrito, add some cheese and grill it.

Hmm... sounds good enough for him to want to try it. Thoughts? Ideas of your own?

Hit me up below.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Reese's is my favorite candy. The blend of chocolate and peanut butter is perfect and I crave them all the time. I had a whole pack here at school, and they were gone within a week. My next couple of blogs will be dedicated to different recipes with these peanut butter cups. One of my favorite recipes with them, along with many others, is Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cookies. The official Hershey's website recipe calls for:

• About 42 REESE'S Peanut Butter Cups Miniatures
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup REESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1-1/2 cups crushed corn flakes

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from peanut butter cups.

2. Beat butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy; blend in egg. Stir together flour and baking soda; add to butter mixture. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Stir together egg white and water; beat with fork until foamy. Roll balls in egg white mixture, then in crushed cereal. Place on ungreased cookie sheet; press with thumb or finger tips in center making an indentation.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are set. Remove from oven; immediately press peanut butter cup onto each cookie. Cool 1 minute; remove carefully from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 3-1/2 dozen cookies.

These cookies are inexpensive, and everything is usually found in the average household, except for maybe the Reese's. Remember not to back the Reese's with the cookie, as soon as the cookie comes out you press the Reese's into the middle of the soft inside. For chocolate lovers, some people have even made chocolate chip cookies and then put the Reese's in the middle, it adds more chocolate. The prep time is about 10 minutes and the cook time is the same, so these delicious cookies should be done in no time!

WAFFLE CONE BROWNIE SUNDAYS!!!!

I suggest you all put down what you are doing and go to Ford dining hall immediately!

Why you might ask? Because they have homemade waffle cones and brownies to which you can create your very own scrumptious sundae extravaganza!

I'm serious.......dead serious, superreal serious, so go, GO, GO NOW! and get make yourself a sundae. You will thank me.


Oh, one more thing: NO whining about it being cold outside and not in the "mood" for ice cream....your mind will change when you see the delicious spread of the desert dishes set up for you ice cream bonanza.

Why are you still reading this and not on your way to Ford?

Pizza Pizza Pie

Today I dined at the Purdue Memorial Union for lunch. I went to Villa Pizza and purchased a slice of their "neopolitan" which was pretty much a normal piece of pizza loaded with pepperoni. It was a big slice and very gooey and greasy, just the way I like it. I enjoyed every bit. The Union accepts cash, and boiler express. So it is another option for students besides the dining halls and small diners here on campus.

I have had Villa Pizza before when my floor went bowling. We ordered a bunch of pizzas and they were just as good as the fresh slice I had today. Besides pepperoni, we had sausage, cheese and pepper/onion/mushroom pizza. The pepper/onion/mushroom pizza was extremely good, all the vegetables were fresh and crunchy. DELICIOUS!

So if your looking for a quick slice of pizza, or another option besides standard dining fare, try Villa Pizza and other eateries under the Union.

Colored Popcorn

The first time I tried this snack, I was not too excited. My boyfriends friend had a bag full of popcorn that looked sticky, red, and all stuck together. I couldn't figure out what she was eating and then she offered me a piece. She wouldn't tell me what was on the popcorn and just made me try it anyway. When I put it in my mouth, it was really sweet and had a taste of strawberries. It was real sticky and had a familiar taste. She finally told me what it was, popcorn and Jello.

I thought that this was a weird combination but it was a really good idea. It only takes 25 minutes to make and 10 minutes for prep time. I didn't exactly know how to make it, because her mom had made the popcorn for us, so I looked it up online and found a recipe on how to do it. I tried it myself, and I would suggest spraying the foil or wax paper because it is a very sticky recipe. This recipe has peanuts in it, but I prefer to leave them out.

Ingredients

8 cups popped popcorn 1 cup PLANTERS COCKTAIL Peanuts 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine 3 Tbsp. light corn syrup 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar or granulated sugar 1 pkg. (4-serving size) Jello Brand Strawberry or Lime Flavor Gelatin

Preparation

LINE 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil or wax paper. Toss popcorn and peanuts in large bowl; set aside. PLACE butter and syrup in small saucepan; cook on low heat until butter is melted. Add sugar and gelatin; stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Bring to boil on medium heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes. Pour immediately over popcorn mixture; toss to coat well. Spread into prepared pan, using 2 forks to spread evenly. BAKE at 300°F for 10 minutes. Cool. Remove from pan. Break into small pieces. This is a fast, easy way to make a pretty healthy snack. To make it even more healthy, just leave out the sugar; it is just as good. Also you don't have to just use strawberry or Lime, you can use any kind you think your consumers will enjoy. You can even make two different batches and mix them together in the end. Overall, I love this snack and would consider it one of my favorites.

Whoo! It's Boston Cream Pie Day!

I can't freaking believe that this day has finally come. Of all national food days, this might be one of my top 50. Boston Cream Pie just screams Massachusetts, as in 1996 it was named their official state dessert. Everyone loves Boston Cream Pie, so pahk your cahs in teh Hahvahd Yahd and come on with me into the land of pie cakes!

A Boston Cream Pie, as many of you have experienced from Earhart or Ford dining halls, is actually a cake. A custard filled, chocolate sauce topped wonderful yellow cake. I mean, it's like a big, healthy(-er) doughnut! That's actually a pie! That's actually a cake! Invented at the Parker House Hotel in 1855, it was originally called a pie thanks to the ease of availability of pie tins over cake pans. The cake was baked in two thinner layers, then stacked with custard in between. The cream is typically either vanilla custard or crème pâtissière (pastry cream; probably whipped sugar and animal fat). The topping is a chocolate glaze of some sort, preferred as a chocolate ganache by most chefs. If you want to skip the pure chocolate, cream, sugar, and animal fat, you can make it very healthily, as my mom has for years.

Buy a low-fat yellow cake mix and make it in two pans.
Buy a sugar-free vanilla pudding mix and make it.
Buy Hershey's cocoa powder (naturally fat-free and sugar-free) and mix it with some milk until it reaches a glaze consistency.

Put one layer of cake down, cover top with pudding.
Put other layer of cake down, pour glaze over top.

Consume.

If pure deliciousness and healthiness is key, this recipe is truly a great way to make a low-fat Boston Cream Pie. If you want to go all out, HERE is a great recipe on about.com on a complex and luxurious Boston Cream Pie. Man, if they have some today at wherever I eat, I will not be able to contain my glee. Yes, glee.

Any fond memories you wish to share? Any national food days coming up? Hit me with a comment below and send your words spiraling out of control and into the blogosphere.

Cheers!

Yummy party food

My mom hosted a wine party this past weekend and I tried out this new recipe for pumpkin bars and baked brie. All of the guests loved them and they were gone in no time.

The baked brie was super simple to make and it didn't take a lot of time either. Plus it was super yummy. Here is the recipe:

Baked Brie
1 package of brie cheese
1/4 cup brown sugar
drizzle of honey
1 puff pastry

Cut the rind off of the brie cheese and cut in half so you have a top and a bottom half. Unfold the puff pastry and place the bottom half on the puff pastry. Place the brown sugar on top of the cheese and drizzle the honey on top of the brown sugar. Place the top half of the cheese on the brown sugar and honey. Wrap the sides of the puff pastry up and around the cheese and seal the edges. Place on a cookie sheet with seamed side down. Bake at 350 degrees until the puff pastry is cooked and golden brown. Serve with crackers.

The pumpkin bars were a hit at the party as well. These would also be good for around the holidays or to take to a party. They are pretty simple to make as well.

Pumpkin Bars
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1 small can pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Cream sugar and eggs together. Add the oil and pumpkin and mix well. Sift all of the dry ingredients together and gradually add to the pumpkin mixture. Pour into a greased jelly roll pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
4 cups powder sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Cream the sugar and cream cheese together. Add the vanilla. Gradually add the powder sugar until all is mixed in. When the pumpkin bars are cool, frost with frosting and enjoy!

Fruit Roll-up snacks

To follow up with my last Fruit Roll-Up blog, I found a website that had cute ideas to make with fruit roll ups. A sushi idea came up when I goggled fruit roll ups and I decided to try them. It was fun and a very cute way to make snacks. It sounds like a weird combination of snacks, but it was actually a good blended taste. Its an easy, cheap recipe that is fun to make without much mess. The website gives these directions:

3 Hostess Twinkies

Assorted dried fruits

Assorted fruity candies

2 green fruit roll ups

Dried mangoes (looks like pickled ginger)

DIRECTIONS: Slice Hostess Twinkies into pieces about an inch tall. Slice fruit roll ups in strips to be long enough and wide enough to wrap around the Hostess Twinkie pieces. Wrap the fruit roll ups around the Hostess Twinkie pieces. Place dried fruits and candies into the cream filling. Place Twinkie rolls on a plate or in a bento box. Garnish with strips of dried mango to resemble pickled ginger and serve with chopsticks. Wasabi is an option but most likely fairly disgusting with Twinkies.

The recipe was originally made at Planet Twinkie people say that it is a hip and tropical flavored recipe. But this is not a good snack for vegetarians, this sushi is also not good because Twinkies are made with beef fat.

I would recommend making these for parties with a lot of guests, they are fast and easy to make in large numbers. They are a good treat for a discussion piece and it really does look like sushi! Mine didn't turn out as good, so I used the picture from the website.

This Month's Daring Baker's Challenge-Cinnamon/Sticky Buns

This month's Daring Bakers challenge is cinnamon buns! The Daring Bakers was founded by Lis of La Mia Cucina and Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice. Each month, the growing group of active members are challenged to bake something. The recipes are standard so that everyone bakes the same thing. The purpose of this group is to continue to bake new things or give members a reason to bake something that they've never baked before.

This time, the one in charge of hosting this challenge is Pip in the City. The recipe used is by Peter Reinhart, author of the book The BreadBaker's Apprentice. Cinnamon/Sticky Buns were designated as this month's recipe because many bakers have trouble incorporating yeast into the list of things they wanted to bake due to the complications that can occur while using it. Although the recipe is standard for every Daring Bakers member, there is a chance to change the fillings, spices, and nuts/dried fruit according to preference. The members of The Daring Bakers have made some amazing buns so check them all out!.

I haven't posted a recipe in a while and it's about time I did. Here is the original Peter Reinhart Cinnamon/Sticky Buns recipe. have fun making these buns!

Cinnamon and Sticky Buns
Recipe Quantity: 12 large rolls or 16 small rolls

Making the Dough

Ingredients:

6 1/2 tablespoons (3.25 ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 1/2 tablespoons (2.75 ounces) shortening or unsalted butter or margarine
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon lemon extract OR 1 teaspoon grated zest of 1 lemon
3 1/2 cups (16 ounces) unbleached bread or all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast*
1 1/8 to 1 1/4 cups whole milk or buttermilk, at room temperature OR 3 tablespoons powdered milk (DMS) and 1 cup water
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar (6 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar plus 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, or any other spices you want to use, cardamom, ginger, allspice, etc.)

Additions:
White fondant glaze-> cinnamon buns or caramel glaze-> sticky buns
Walnuts, pecans, or other nuts (for sticky buns.)
Raisins or other dried fruit, such as dried cranberries or dried cherries (for sticky buns, optional.)
*Instant yeast contains about 25% more living cells per spoonful than active dry yeast, regardless of the brand. Instant yeast is also called rapid-rise or fast-rising.

Step 1 - Making the Dough: Cream together the sugar, salt, and shortening or butter on medium-high speed in an electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a large metal spoon and mixing bowl and do it by hand).

Note: if you are using powdered milk, cream the milk with the sugar, and add the water with the flour and yeast.

Whip in the egg and lemon extract/zest until smooth. Then add the flour, yeast, and milk. Mix on low speed (or stir by hand) until the dough forms a ball. Switch to the dough hook and increase the speed to medium, mixing for approximately 10 minutes (or knead by hand for 12 to 15 minutes), or until the dough is silky and supple, tacky but not sticky. You may have to add a little flour or water while mixing to achieve this texture. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.


Step 2 - Fermentation: Ferment at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.


Step 3 - Form the Buns: Mist the counter with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter.

To shape the buns: (A) Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, lightly dusting the top with flour to keep it from sticking to the pin. Roll it into a rectangle about 2/3 inch thick and 14 inches wide by 12 inches long for larger buns, or 18 inches wide by 9 inches long for smaller buns. Don´t roll out the dough too thin, or the finished buns will be tough and chewy rather than soft and plump. (B)Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the surface of the dough and (C) roll the dough up into a cigar-shaped log, creating a cinnamon-sugar spiral as you roll. With the seam side down, cut the dough into 8 to 12 pieces each about 1 3/4 inches thick for larger buns, or 12 to 16 pieces each 1 1/4 inch thick for smaller buns.)

Step 4 - Prepare the Buns for Proofing:

For cinnamon buns: line 1 or more sheet pans with baking parchment. Place the buns approximately 1/2 inch apart so that they aren´t touching but are close to one another.
For sticky buns: coat the bottom of 1 or more baking dishes or baking pans with sides at least 1 1/2 inches high with a 1/4 inch layer of the caramel glaze. Sprinkle on the nuts and raisins (if you are using raisins or dried fruit.) You do not need a lot of nuts and raisins, only a sprinkling. Lay the pieces of dough on top of the caramel glaze, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart. Mist the dough with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a food-grade plastic bag.

Step 5 - Proof the Buns: Proof at room temperature for 75 to 90 minutes, or until the pieces have grown into one another and have nearly doubled in size. You may also retard the shaped buns in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, pulling the pans out of the refrigerator 3 to 4 hours before baking to allow the dough to proof.


Step 6 - Bake the Buns:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with the oven rack in the middle shelf for cinnamon buns but on the lowest shelf for sticky buns.
Bake the cinnamon buns for 20 to 30 minutes or the sticky buns 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. If you are baking sticky buns, remember that they are really upside down (regular cinnamon buns are baked right side up), so the heat has to penetrate through the pan and into the glaze to caramelize it. The tops will become the bottoms, so they may appear dark and done, but the real key is whether the underside is fully baked. It takes practice to know just when to pull the buns out of the oven.

Step 8 - Cool the buns:

For cinnamon buns, cool the buns in the pan for about 10 minutes and then streak white fondant glaze across the tops, while the buns are warm but not too hot. Remove the buns from the pans and place them on a cooling rack. Wait for at least 20 minutes before serving.
For the sticky buns, cool the buns in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes and then remove them by flipping them over into another pan. Carefully scoop any run-off glaze back over the buns with a spatula. Wait at least 20 minutes before serving.

Toppings for the Buns:

White fondant glaze for cinnamon buns
Cinnamon buns are usually topped with a thick white glaze called fondant. There are many ways to make fondant glaze, but here is a delicious and simple version, enlivened by the addition of citrus flavor (lemon/orange). You can also substitute vanilla extract for rum extract, or simply make the glaze without any flavorings.

1) Sift 4 cups of powdered sugar into a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon or orange extract and 6 tablespoons to 1/2 cup of warm milk, briskly whisking until all the sugar is dissolved. Add the milk slowly and only as much as is needed to make a thick, smooth paste.

2) When the buns have cooled but are still warm, streak the glaze over them by dipping the tins of a whisk into the glaze and waving it over the tops. Or, pour a small amount onto each bun and let it spill over the sides.


Caramel glaze for sticky buns
Caramel glaze is essentially some combination of sugar and fat, cooked until it caramelizes. The trick is catching it just when the sugar melts and lightly caramelizes to a golden amber. Then it will cool to a soft, creamy caramel. If you wait too long and the glaze turns dark brown, it will cool to a hard, crack-your-teeth consistency. Most sticky bun glazes contain other ingredients to influence flavor and texture, such as corn syrup to keep the sugar from crystallizing and flavor extracts or oils, such as vanilla or lemon. This version makes the best sticky bun glaze of any I´ve tried.
NOTE: you can substitute the corn syrup for any neutral flavor syrup, like cane syrup or gold syrup.

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature.

2. Cream together for 2 minutes on high speed with the paddle attachment. Add 1/2 cup corn syrup and 1 teaspoon lemon, orange or vanilla extract. Continue to cream for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

3. Use as much of this as you need to cover the bottom of the pan with a 1/4-inch layer. Refrigerate and save any excess for future use; it will keep for months in a sealed container.

Roasted Vegetables... mmmm

I really like roasted vegetables. A lot. I don't know what happens to vegetables as they are spiced, marinated, and cooked with extremely high heat, but it only makes for happiness. I mean, it's so easy, healthy, quick, and good to make vegetables this way that I can only give a general thank you to whoever started this and hope he gets the message. (Considering he has probably been dead for the last few millenia, I doubt it.)

Take your favorite vegetable. Take your favorite spices. Mix them. Take your favorite way of cooking and cook the vegetables that way. That's it and you simply cannot go wrong. Grilled, broiled, steamed, roasted, pan-fried, fired, charbroiled and sauteed vegetables all make the cut when it comes to good eats. You can grill corn on the cob, sautee spinach, or roast carrots. Fried zucchini or eggplant slices is also extremely good and makes for a great side dish.

I'd personally love to hear exactly what you like to do with your vegetables beyond smearing ranch on them raw. My favorites are grilled peppers and onions on bratwurst, sauteed spinach, and roasted green beans and carrots in brown sugar. Mmmm.... but honestly you cannot go wrong. Go out and have fun doing good stuff to good stuff!

Cheers!

Personalized Fruit Roll-Ups

As a kid, we always had Fruit Roll-Ups in our lunches. We would compare and try have the newest kind. They had ones that were tattoos, tie-dyed, cartoons, and even some that changed colors. Luckily, now you can make them yourself. The fun loving gang at Fruit Roll-Ups has created a website that lets you customize your Fruit Roll-Up with images and messages. What could be better than that? How come they didn't think of this before?

I haven't tried to order the new Fruit Roll-Ups yet, but I am thinking about the different things I could put on my personalized Fruit Roll-Up. You can write sweet notes to friends or just customize them how you would like. I might make some for my friend and send it to her dorm, how fun is that?

Maybe I’ll just forget the sweet little notes and make holiday Fruit Roll-Ups for Christmas and give them to all my friends. Of course, the note will be the same on all 30 roll-ups (you get 30 in a box) so maybe I wont personalize them, and just put a picture. They give you ideas on the website, and they even show them as birthday invitations. I checked to see how much they were and they are 30$ a box. A dollar a piece isn't too bad, but I think you should be able to pick how many you would want.

I was excited to see this new type of Fruit Roll-Up. I wish I had my own snack that was personalized just for me. It will be a new way that kids can show off and compare them at lunch. These are obviously better than what we had to compare, but they had to think of something cooler than the tattoos on the tongue. Overall this is a good invention that a lot of people are going to have fun with. Now go and personalize your own Fruit Roll-Up.

Ford Dining Hall

Few weeks ago I put up a post saying how much I'm sick of dorm food. But recently I noticed that the Ford Dining Hall's been serving some decent food. Especially today for lunch, there was Nacho Bar at Potato, Potato section. It's kind of like the Quesadilla Bar at Hillenbrand but better.

Nacho Bar allowed you to create your own taco salad. They had lettuce, salsa, ground beef, chicken, blanco cheese, and etc. I personally went with chicken because ground beef looked just nasty. I put lettuce, cheese, salsa, and all sorts of things that looked good. When I was done with my taco salad, I was very proud of what I've created. It looked like something you would see in pictures of a restaurant menu. It was perfect. I actually hesitated a little before I dug my fork in it because it was too beautiful. As much as it looked good, it tasted even better. It was probably better than the taco salad from Taco Bell. I was pretty much the happiest man alive while I was eating my taco salad.

Besides the amazing taco salad. Even the drinks tasted good. I had apple juice, water, and fruit punch. The fruit punch I got is not the one from downstairs. I walked all the way upstairs for this fruit punch because it's hidden upstairs. Although I'm lazy and hate walking, this was well worth it.

I would love to keep ramble on about how good my lunch experience was at Ford today but I'm getting kind of hungry and I think I'm gonna hit up Cary Knight Spot.

Pizza, Out.

Red Robin

This past weekend, I had gone home for my old high school's homecoming game. I saw a lot of my old friends and talked to a lot of people I haven't seen in a long time. Back in high school, after the football games, the dance team and our friends would go out to Red Robin. The dance team no longer does it this year and we all thought it would be fun to go out like old times, considering the graduating seniors were all in town. So after the game, we hurried out to the parking lot to get on our way to Red Robin.

When we walk in, it's like they were expecting us. There was a table of 20, which is how many people we had, and enough waitresses for our crowd. Since we were sort of celebrating old times, I decided to not try anything new and get the usual, the Teriyaki Chicken Burger and a Hawaiian Heartthrob Smoothie.

When my dinner came, it was exactly as I was expecting. A tender, juicy chicken breast with sweet tariyaki sauce, grilled pineapple, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. The grilled pineapple was so juicy that you pick up the burger and the juice rolls down your hand. Everything is blended so well together that it is impossible to dislike. This particular dish is considered a Red Robin favorite, and mine too. It even comes with bottomless fries.

The smoothie was just as good and reminded me of the days when I used to go there just for that. The Hawaiian Heartthrob Smoothie is a blend of strawberries, bannanas, grenadine, cocconut cream, and pineapple juice. It really feels like a tropical drink, and it's one of those beverages that you try not to drink too fast because you want it to last.

The atmosphere was great and the huge rounded table helped everyone to socialize and catch up before the college students had to leave again. I really enjoyed getting to be with all of them and having a great meal. Red Robin is definatly a favortie of mine and if it wasn't as expensive, I would be there all the time. The expense isn't too bad, but without a job, a 12$ meal isn't exactly in my price range.

If you know someone who hasn't been to Red Robin, at least check it out once. We all love it and would suggest it to anyone that's hungry. You can check out the menu online, but the website warns you, "viewing gourmet burgurs while hungry may result in very loud stomach noises and lack of interest in the workplace vending machines."

Cary Knight Spot Grill

So I've decided that Cary Knight Spot Grill is the place to go whenever you are hungry at night. It's located on Southeast of Cary and it's open till 1 a.m. every night of the week and the food is delicious. They serve varieties of pizza, subs, burgers and many more. My personal favorite is Purdue Burger. Purdue Burger has 3 different kinds of cheese, lettuce, bacon, tomato, and a big, fat 'n juicy patty.

I've been having Purdue Burger with different sides for almost every night for the past 2 weeks. I just can't get enough of it! It's just so freaking delicious. And the best part is that it's free. Well, sort of, if you have a meal plan that is. You can pay for the meals with dining dollars, which is already paid for. So pretty much you can have free meals at night without spending money out of your pocket.

I'm actually getting hungry writing about Purdue Burger. I think I'll hit up Knight Spot Grill!

Pizza, out

World Food Day

Most of the food we talk about on here are recipes, restaurants, or just for fun. On the other hand, today is World Food Day, the annual day held to promote awareness of hunger and poverty around the globe. This day is observed each October 16th in recognition of the first founding of UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945.

World Food Day planning is done at the community level. Individual groups can hold a special event, but the most successful events happen when organizers work together with affiliates of national sponsors. These people share ideas that will involve schools, businesses, worship centers, government offices, service groups, and the media.

People may wonder why they should get involved. Each person who cares, and becomes involved, helps build a more food-secure world. A society where everyone has the necessities, food and water, is offering hope that one day they will have other blessings.

According to the World Food Day website, The World Food Day and TeleFood theme for 2007 is "The Right to Food".

They also state that the right to food is the inherent human right of every woman, man, girl and boy, wherever they live on this planet. The choice of The Right to Food as the theme for 2007 World Food Day and TeleFood demonstrates increasing recognition by the international community of the important role of human rights in eradicating hunger and poverty, and hastening and deepening the sustainable development process.

Enjoy a Hearty Laugh With Your Snack

If your looking for a good laugh, check out the movie Waiting. It is about a restaurant called Shenanigans and follows a day in the life of the employees. The hilarious antics of the cast show everything from training new workers, to handling promotions as well as reasons why to not piss of your server (especially don't return the food). I thoroughly enjoy the movie and recently watched it again, reminding me how good it is. It's as good as leftovers that you re-warm but all the juices have soaked in, making it even better than the first time you savored the sweet succulent sauces that saturated your steak, or whatever you had. So If you like food, and you enjoy a good laugh, then I encourage you to grab some popcorn or your favorite snack and watch Waiting. You won't regret it, trust me, you won't.

Frustrated? Me too.

I can remember when I was young how I used to try to make cake. The first time I tried, I made it out of a box and it turned out great, no surprise there. I just added eggs and oil to prepackaged powder and that was my first perception of how a cake should taste and how easy it was supposed to be to made. As I got a little older, I became more curious and decided to make one from scratch. I worked hard to make sure all the ingredients were there but my impatience got the better of me and I was disappointed in the outcome. All my attempts from there on became more disappointments and I didn't understand why it was so hard to make something.


I am sure that anyone that has ever attempted to bake has had failures, and yes, it is FRUSTRATING. Baking is a science and it is an exacting process which takes time to perfect. I've come to learn that the older and more mature that I've grown, the better my food has become. With maturity comes patience, which is a key ingredient in baking. When I was young, I was too impatient to wait for the butter to come to room temperature, too impatient for the cake to cool down, too impatient to premeasure all the ingredients, too impatient to think about what I was supposed to do. I was in such a hurry to see the end result that I would unconsciously skip steps. I would lunge toward the oven the moment the timer set off it's alarm and I would dig right into cake, only to find myself disappointed all over again.

Shuna Fish Lydon of eggbeater writes:

Learning about food and cooking is a continuous process. It's about developing, arguing about, stealing, rethinking and having opinions. Straight up, with no god damned ice opinions. It's reading, eating out, experimenting, taking notes, asking questions, using the same foods season after season, struggling, spending hours in the cookbook section of various bookstores, traveling, and inspiring others. Being a chef is a verb, As is love.

Now, we may not be as serious as she is about food and we are certainly not chefs, but I agree with her arguement when she says that learning about food and cooking is a continuous process that need's developing. If you are frustrated about baking, be patient and let you're trials be learning steps to help you develop into a better baker.

This is one of my secrets to good baking:

*mise en place-preparation done before starting the actual cooking (measuring, washing, and chopping ahead of time).

October!

Lately, a lot of us have been writing about October. I write about October because it is definitely a time of change. The change of weather and the change of foods are the two dominant ones. Everyone, including myself, starts to visualize the foods at the Thanksgiving table around October.

Along with Breast Cancer awareness Month, and Family History Month, October is also a month of foods. It is Vegetarian Awareness Month, National Dessert Month (my favorite), National Pasta Month, National Pork Month, National Seafood Month, National Pretzel Month, and National Apple Jack month. With all of these to choose from, there has got to be one that will suit everybody. Since there are so many I am only going to choose two; national dessert month and national seafood month are the intreguing choices to me.

For National Seafood Month, I found a recipe that my mom used to cook for us at home, Seafood Pasta. (which also goes along with the National Pasta Month too!)

Seafood Pasta
Make in under 30 minutes!
serves 6
1/3 pound crab meat
1/3 pound shrimp; shelled & deveined
1/3 pound rock shrimp, shelled
1/3 pound scallops
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup onions, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
4 cups crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup Triple sec
1 pound angel hair, cooked & kept hot

Melt butter and saut seafood quickly; remove and set aside. Add olive oil to pan. Add garlic and onions; cook 5 minutes but do not brown.Add remaining ingredients except seafood and pasta; bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer 20-30 minutes.Meanwhile, cook pasta al dente; drain well and keep warm. Turn off heat to sauce and stir in seafood.Toss together coating pasta.

I love this dish because it is very creamy and always satisfys my seafood craving without overdoing it. It is also good for either lunch or dinner and it tastes the best with dinner rolls.

For National Dessert Month, I chose something easy so that women, children, and men who can and can't cook can make them for Halloween parties!

Deep Fried Ice Cream
serves 44 scoops vanilla ice cream
coating:
1/2 cup crushed Cornflakes
1 egg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour powdered sugar
chocolate sauce

Freeze scoops of vanilla ice cream Beat egg. Combine bread crumbs and almond flour. Roll ice cream scoops in flour, then beaten egg, and finally in almond/breadcrumb mixture. Fry the ice cream in hot oil for 20 seconds. Put the fried ice cream in bowl. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with chocolate sauce.

Fried ice cream is a dessert that everyone loves. It's also easy to make and can make it for any Halloween parties! It doesn't sound easy, because you would think the ice cream would melt, but really it's an easy dessert that I have fun making. I would suggest at least trying it once.

Black Cat Cookies

Halloween is known for candy and treats. There are always new ways of making Halloween themed cookies and desserts. I am babysitting my cousins this weekend and I was searching for something that we could make together for Halloween. Allrecipes.com had a great idea for cookies, black cat cookies. Kathy Stock, from allrecipes.com says," "Our children look forward to helping me bake these cute cat cookies each year. They've become experts at making the faces with candy corn and red-hots."

According to the website, the prep time is 25 minutes, the cook time is 10 minutes, and they are ready in 35 minutes.

I did a test run on these cookies this weekend to make sure that I did it right next weekend with the kids. A mistake I almost made, like many other people, is to put the candy corn on before you bake the cookies. If you do that it will turn out disastrous. However, if these are done properly, they are cute little treats that kids love to make.

First, before anything, you are going to want to buy Halloween themed plastic cups. The cookies look adorable in these cups and it makes it even more fun or this great treat.

The ingredients allrecipes.com says you will need are:
8 ounces butter, soft
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a couple of cookie sheets with Release foil or parchment.

Cream butter and sugar with mixer. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir into butter mixture. Shape dough into 1 ½ inch balls and place 3 inches apart on cookie sheets. Insert sticks.

Press down with bottom of sugared glass (I used my hand) to make a circle. Use fork tines to make whiskers. Pinch tops to make ears. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately decorate as pictured with candy corn. Use red candy for nose. Cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 24.

My pictures from my test run didn't turn out so good, so I posted the picture from the original site.

Muchas Gracias Don Pablo's!

On the way back to campus from fall break I had the chance to eat at Don Pablo's. It is a mexican cantina on the main drag of 26 in Lafayette heading towards Purdue. It was excellent! The food was great, the service timely and the atmosphere very friendly.

The inside of the restaurant is designed like your in a small mexican street enjoying some good food from a local diner. It is very conversational and friendly. Our server was very festive and friendly, taking our orders quickly and serving us very well.

I love mexican food and the quality of this establishment was great. I had the San Angelo combo. It consisted of a crispy chicken taco, a pork tamale and a chile cheese relleno. I had mexican rice and refried beans as side dishes (I'm a sucker for refried beans). The food was extremely hot (temperature wise) and definitely fresh out of the oven as our waiter said. It went down well. All tables are given fresh hot chips and salsa to start with. I love fresh warm chips, which they were, but I wish they were salted. A plus though was having my own salsa dish. I am a salsa fanatic and make some at home with my father. We even grow all the ingredients in our garden. Having my own stash of salsa made my afternoon. It was a very good chunky salsa (but not to chunky), and of a medium to light hotness. I prefer hotter salsa, but for the ordinary person it was a good mix.

It definitely is a place I recommend and will enjoy dining at again. Its good food, atmosphere and price give it a nice place for college students to dine with out spending to much. Muchas Gracias Don Pablo's!

Can you can can?

It's getting colder outside now, finally, and that means its that time of year to start canning. Now, I must admit that I am a novice canner. This was my first year canning and it was quite fun. My first experience canning was canning tomatoes, specifically salsa.

If you recall, I bought all those tomatoes from a farm stand in Westfield this past weekend, so I thought I would go ahead and can them over Fall Break. I think I used about 8 large tomatoes and it made 2 quarts of salsa.

Its pretty simple, canning that is, if you have the time to do it. First, you have to flash boil the tomatoes for about a minute and then keep them in a bowl full of ice water. This loosens the skins of the tomatoes so that they are easy to pull off. After that step the process seems to go pretty quickly. You just chop the ingredients, add them to a pot and bring them up to a boil, then add them to the jars, and then finally boil the jars in a water bath for about 20 minutes. Voila, you have canned salsa. Let them cool on the counter top over night and you are all finished.

The website that I used to help me out you can find here and they also have many other recipes and tips about canning. I might try some jam or jelly next. Oh, you can find canning jars at several places and in different sizes. I got mine from Big Lots and for a dozen of quart sized jars it was $10. You can also get smaller jelly jars as well. I know that they do sell canning supplies at Payless Grocery stores around West Lafayette and Lafayette. Happy canning!

Nookies

Ah yes, October Break is over and it is time to go back to work. One thing that stood out to me during October Break was that I felt like I traveled back in time. I took a train down to Chicago and I visited old places, met old friends, and even stayed in my old room back at home. This break has also been the longest break that I've taken since college started and it almost felt like I was in highschool again.

After the miserable train ride back to downtown Chicago, I took a 2nd train to Armitage (another part of Chicago). I met up with my sister and the first thing I demanded to do was eat. We walked for about 15 minutes but we couldn't decide on where to eat. Then a random man came up to us and suggested that we try Nookies. We must've looked really hungry and confused for a random man to walk up to us to give us a suggestion on where to eat. But since he said that he lived in the area, we trusted him.

My first impression of Nookies was that it was comfy and welcoming. There were people eating outside as well as inside and the architecture of the place reminded me of a casual cafe. We walked inside and it was obvious that the place was very busy because the first thing the hostess handed us was a beeper.

After being seated, my sister and I ordered. Breakfast could be ordered any time of day and you could eat eggs with anything! I ordered the zuchini, mushroom, cheddar omlet while my sister ordered the marinated italian chicken sandwich. While we were waiting for the food, I noticed that there were alot of old pictures and paintings on the walls. In contrast, the furniture was very sleek and modern and the music that they played was old 70s rock. The whole vibe of the place was so comfy and the place smelled like pancakes and eggs, which added to the home-iness. Overall, the food was great, whenever I cut into my omlet, the cheddar oozed out and the zuchini and mushroom were both neutral flavors that balanced well with the sharpness of the cheese. I also tried some of my sister's dish (I couldn't help it, besides she offered so it's ok) and needless to say, it was better than mine. The thick cut chicken breast seemed to have been submerged in a marinara sauce in which it was cooked and it was served with a soft white sesame bun. The potatoes that came with the sandwich were hand-shaved very thin with a potato peeler and fried which gave it it's crispy authentic taste.

I left with a very happy stomach that day. Even the after mint/candy tasted great. It was a swedish hard-shell candy that had a chewy center and it came in several different flavors. All in all, my experience at Nookies was very filling. I'm glad that my sister and I listened to the man that came up to us because I know where I'll be eating the next time a go visit Chicago again. It is exactly this kind of experience that a restaurant should exhibit because that's why people come back for more.

Speghetti Warehouse

Once again, this weekend I went to Toledo to visit my boyfriend. On Friday nights, when I get there, we always go out to eat. His dad happened to be there too, so he took us out to a nice restaurant. It was called the Spaghetti Warehouse. On the outside it looked sort of like a barn and when you walked in it was dark. We got seated right away and we ordered the drinks first. I ordered the strawberry lemonade to drink.

When I got the drink, I couldn't help but to keep drinking it. I was trying to save it because it cost extra for another one, but I just had to have more. When the appetizers came I tried the calamari and the brochette. I liked the calamari better, but both were good. Soon after the appetizers got there, the soups and salad were already there. I had the Italian Wedding soup. I wasn't a big fan because it didn't have many noodles in it, just broth and vegetables. It was okay. I was more excited about my meal, the seafood palermo.

The description from the Spaghetti Warehouse's menu online of the seafood palermo says, that is it tender garlic shrimp and shell-roasted clams in an herbed garlic wine sauce. Served with spaghetti.

When the appetizers came, they had told me that they were out of the seafood palermo. They had said that they were sorry and that they could bring me something else. I was disappointed but I ordered the crab fetichinni instead. Then, the owner of the restaurant came out and told me that he would make the seafood palermo himself and he doesn't know why his team of cooks had said they couldn't. Needless to say, the service was awesome.

When I got my seafood palermo, it was delicious. It was probably especially good because the owner made it, but I loved it. It had clams and shrimp in it and very creamy sauce on it. I can't wait to go back there the next time I'm in Toledo and try something else.

I don't know what the overall price was because I didn't pay, but my meal was reasonable. The total for my meal was $9.45 and my drink was $2.75. The desserts looked amazing but I was too full to try any. If you come out of there hungry than you just didn't eat. They make sure that there is food on the table at all times. I would definitely suggest The Spaghetti Warehouse to anyone and would go back for more.

They have Spaghetti Warehouses in Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Hey, waitasecond. It's fall.

When did the fall equinox shoot on by and let us fall into a horribly hot October? Oh yeah, that was on the 23rd of September. That whole equinox thing... Well, hey! The leaves are changing and falling off the trees so no matter if its 70 degrees, its FALL!

And you know what that means: fall foods! Pies, turkeys, pies, pumpkin bread, pies, apples, apple pie, cranberries, pie, squash soup, pie, corn, pie, casseroles, and pie. There is nothing better than coming in from outside on a sunny October day to eat Thanksgiving food, and smell baking pie. I know that the national holiday is a whole 'nother month off, but give me a break I'm excited.

Every year we have four families, and of course our recent additions through marriages and births, come together at my house to celebrate and give thanks. And a lot of that takes place through the consumption of mass quantities of food aaand booze. And a good cigar afterwards...

This celebration is insane and we always have at least four kinds of pie. Pumpkin, French silk, apple, and either blueberry or blackberry. I make the French silk, the strongest, sweetest, richest pie I have ever had. Ever. After eating that dinner, it's hard to get a whole slice down without balancing it out with a lot of whipped cream.

But until then readers, it's fall. Break out the soups, stews, sausage, apples, squashes, and allspice. It's times to get rich and hearty! Screw the weather. Well, actually if its going to be 80 degrees don't bring a thermos of soup to class with you. Unless its gazpacho. Or just cold chicken noodle. Anyway, time to make some pie! It's actually really easy if you don't try to make your own pie dough and just stick to store-bought.

Here's a good fall tip: instead of throwing lemon wedges in your water, put a slice of a reddish-yellow apple instead. It makes for reallllly good tasting water and is still just as healthy as adding a slice of lemon. And the whole apple thing is much more fall-ish than lemons.

Cheers!