Ides of March could be tasty!

I have said this before but I need to write more often.  How often is the key...lately I have been uninspired and lacking new recipes to try.  Yes, I could get my own recipes of various websites, but I really love it when my readers give me their recipes.  I like trying your recipes! I've gotten some crazy ones that have been awesome: like Sue's Crazy Cake.  So unconventional but yet so delicious.

I am also going to start going on more food/drink adventures here in North Carolina.  I have a wine trail day planned for the weekend of March 16th and I am looking forward to taking to that armed with a camera and ready to take notes on the different places I am going to visit.  I've also have made a list of restaurants and farmer type markets I want to visit. There is the creamery as well!

Since I have been living here in North Carolina, I have been purchasing my milk in glass bottles.  This is the best milk I have ever consumed in my life and have discovered the company, Maple View Farms, has an ice cream joint.   I look forward to this trip.

I will leave you awesome readers with a recipe I came up with out of boredom.  I know Sue has been looking forward to me posting it and I have been putting it off.   Just for the record I found it works with thick cut, homemade bread.  And the sauce! I make it in the microwave!

J.J.'s Salted Caramel French Toast

French Toast

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch salt
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• 6 slices day-old bread
• Powder sugar for dusting

Directions
In a shallow bowl, (I like to use a pie plate!) beat eggs; add half & half, honey, vanilla, allspice, and salt. Soak bread for 30 seconds on each side. Cook on a greased hot griddle until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Dust with powder sugar.

Salted Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

• ½ stick of butter (NOT margarine)
• ½ cup of brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla
• heavy cream, milk, half & half, or homemade coffee creamer
• Chopped Pecans for garnishing
• Sea Salt for garnishing

Directions

Place butter, vanilla, and sugar in a TALL microwave safe bowl.  Microwave in one minute intervals till butter is melted and everything is bubbly.  Stir well.  Drizzle in dairy product ( I found the coffee creamer works the best.) while stirring till you have a smooth sauce and have thick or thin you would like it.  Microwave another 30 seconds to a minute.  Drizzle on french toast, sprinkle with small amount of sea salt if desired.  Top with pecans if desired.  This also goes great in coffee, on ice cream, and to dip apple slices in.

February

 Just barely squeezing in February, I know.  I have spent a few days of the month visiting my lovely friends in Maryland for the Super Bowl.  Ravens! Woooo!  While I was there, I visited some yummy places I must write about.

Good Dogs Grill

I loved this place.  There are so few hot dog joints in this health conscious age. I still enjoy one here and there.  We ate there on two occasions...we both liked it that much.  I had the Chili Willi (Chili, onions, and mustard) and I added cheese. Very delicious.  The second trip I had their Bay Imprint Crab dog...Banging I say! It was covered in mac n cheese and crab meat.  Killer! I also got a neat crab mallet with my order.  All the stall we dealt with were very friendly and pleasant. I will be visiting again the next time I am in Maryland and telling my buddies up there to visit it.

Easton Diner

The other place we went to was the Easton Diner.  Very good as well.  I had a club sandwich the size of my head.  It was only $7 and some change.  It came with fries, pickle, slaw, and soup.  I got two meals out of it.  The breakfast I had was huge as well.  Eggs were cooked perfect.  Both waitresses were very friendly.

Till next time folks!



 PV3RDYFWY4G6

Super Bowl XLVII or Festivus Maximus 2013

Super Bowl weekend is upon us soon and it is an a great weekend for me.  My awesome/beloved Baltimore Ravens have made it and only you Maryland people will understand...Festivus Maximus!  (In 2000, the Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick would not allow his players to discuss the possibility of competing in the Super Bowl. Instead, he and the rest of the Ravens players and staff referred to the playoffs as Festivus, and the Super Bowl as Festivus Maximus.)

In my opinion and because I am too lazy to do the research, Super Bowl Sunday is most likely the biggest snacking “holiday” in the USA. Everybody wants to snack during the game and wait for the commercials. And be serious here, unless your team is in the big dance, you only watch for the food and commercials.

As for myself, I will be enjoying the game in Maryland with my Rosy and friends at Hooters.  This however does not effect my collection of recipes I have been gathering and testing for the big weekend.

  'Wannabe' Jalapeno Popper Party Dip

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions

Mix cream cheese, sour cream, and Parmesan cheese together in a saucepan over low heat until evenly blended. Fold in bread crumbs, jalapeno peppers, and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir dip until Parmesan cheese is melted, 2 to 5 more minutes

Brown Sugar Smokies

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon
• 1 (16 ounce) package little smokie sausages
• 1 cup brown sugar, or to taste 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Cut bacon into thirds and wrap each strip around a little sausage. Place the wrapped sausages on wooden skewers, several to a skewer. Arrange the skewers on a baking sheet and sprinkle them liberally with brown sugar.

Bake until bacon is crisp and the brown sugar melted.


Grilled Bacon Jalapeno Wraps

Ingredients

• 6 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded 
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 12 slices bacon 

Directions

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.

Spread cream cheese to fill jalapeno halves. Wrap with bacon. Secure with a toothpick.

Place on the grill, and cook until bacon is crispy.

Candied Bacon Pigs

Ingredients

• 1 (14 ounce) package little smokies sausages
• 1 pound bacon slices, cut into thirds crosswise
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, divided 
• 1/2 (12 fluid ounce) can cola-flavored carbonated beverage
• 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste (optional) 

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Wrap each little sausage with 1/3 slice of bacon, and secure them with toothpicks.

Place the appetizers on a large baking sheet and sprinkle with 3/4 cup of brown sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven until the sugar is melted and bubbling, about 40 minutes; turn the appetizers after 20 minutes.

Remove the appetizers from the baking sheet with a slotted spoon, and place into a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup of brown sugar and the five-spice powder over the smokies, and drizzle with the cola. If desired, add hot sauce to taste.

Set the cooker to High, and cook 4 hours. Serve warm.

Triple-Layer Peanut Butter Brownies

Ingredients

• 1pkg.  (19 to 21 oz.) brownie mix (13x9-inch pan size)
• 1pkg.  (3.4 oz.)  Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
• 1cup  cold milk
• 1cup  Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1/2cup  powdered sugar
• 1-1/2cups  COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (Do not thaw.)
• 3oz.  BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
• 1/2cup Dry Roasted Peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions

PREPARE and bake brownies in 13x9-inch pan as directed on package; cool. Meanwhile, beat pudding mix and milk with whisk 2 min. Add peanut butter and sugar; mix well. Refrigerate until brownies are completely cooled.

SPREAD over brownies.

MICROWAVE COOL WHIP and chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min., stirring every 30 sec. Spread over pudding; top with nuts. Refrigerate 1 hour, serve.

And now for a drink...I have posted this before, but it can stand to be posted again since it fits! Happy Festivus Maximus!


The Baltimore Raven-tini

• 3 oz Vodka 
• 1 1/2 oz of cranberry juice 
• 1/2 oz blue curacao
•  1/2 oz sweet and sour mix
•  1/2 of lemon-lime soda 

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake gently.  Add more Blue Curacao if color isn't purple enough.  Serve in a chilled Martini glass. Rim with sugar if desired.

Spätzle, Bratwurst und Sauerkraut der American weg

I have always been fascinated with Germany. I remember when the Berlin wall came down. I'm always been interested in the history of Germany...but I digress...When I cooked for the sexy elf a couple weeks ago, I introduced her to Spaetzel or Spätzle. Delicious little pasta dumplings...they are so good.

Melissa first introduced me to the homemade ones a couple years ago. I have now started to make my own. The sexy elf approved. I also made for the roommate as a trial run for a dinner to make the roommates parents. Highly approved.

German Spaetzle

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch freshly ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 gallon hot water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

I don't have a spaetzel press so I used my cooling rack.

Directions:

1. Mix together flour, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Beat eggs well, and add alternately with the milk to the dry ingredients. Mix until smooth.
2. Press dough through spaetzle maker, or a large holed sieve or metal grater.
3. Drop a few at a time into simmering liquid. Cook 5 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
4. 
   Saute cooked spaetzle in butter or margarine. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top, and serve or toast some bread crumbs with butter. Also...a non german thing I do is sprinkle the top with some Parmesan cheese.

Spaetzel served with sauerkraut and bratwurst. 

So, my sexy elf aka Rosy...she made me this awesome, yet simple homemade coffee creamer. It is great money saver, especially if you drink a lot of coffee like we do in my house.

Creamer Recipe 

• 

  1 can Eagle Sweetened Condensed Milk

• 1 12oz can Carnation Evaporated Milk

Yep, that’s it. Dump, Shake, Pour! I like it. The roommate likes it. Good stuff. You can add your own flavors and save money. Amaretto, chocolate syrup,vanilla, or peppermint: Good times. If you care about fat and such they do make low fat versions of these items.

I will be back later this month with the annual Super Bowl Snacks entry!

R.I.P. Twinkie the Kid

I am saddened recently by corporate greed.  As many are well aware a childhood staple of kids everywhere is no more.  Hostess is gone.  This also means Wonder bread is gone.  Who didn't love a delicious pb&j or baloney sandwich on Wonder bread as a kid or as where I grew up we also had Butternut bread. (Always a favorite of mine because as a child the Peanuts were spokes persons for it.) This also means no more Drakes cakes...for East Coast people.  I discovered Drakes cakes about 14 years ago while living near Boston.  I am also thinking about Twinkies.  They are supposed to be the food that help us survive an apocalypse.  It is probably a good thing the Mayan's got it wrong today.

When you go to the Hostess website is says this:

Hostess Brands is Closed.
We are sorry to announce that Hostess Brands, Inc. has been forced by a Bakers Union strike to shut down all operations and sell all company assets. For more information, go to hostessbrands.info. Thank you for all of your loyalty and support over the years.

That upsets me.  The bakers had their reasons for being on strike.  Maybe if the greedy leaders of Hostess didn't pay themselves million of dollars of bonuses they wouldn't have had the financial issues that they had. The thing is...no mater who's side you are on the real looser is the consumer.

I think  am more upset that a piece of my childhood is dead  more than the actual products are gone.  If I ever have a child I won't have the joy of making him/her a pb&j/grilled cheese with tomato soup on Wonder Bread or sneaking a Ding Dong in their lunchbox as a surprise treat.  It is odd walking down those isles of the store and Not seeing Ho Ho's, Funny Bones, or Natures Pride bread.

I know something else will come along to replace said products or someone will undoubtedly buy the licensing to start producing them again, but I am a nostalgic creature and it won't be the same.  I know there are worse things going on in the world other than the lost of Twinkies and that it is kind of old news, but I have been meaning to put my two cents in on it and I need to keep my mind other wise occupied.  The horrible happenings last Friday in Connecticut...life needs to return to some normalcy.

Merry Christmas my dear readers; My love to you all.

Holiday Cheer 2012

Ho ho ho, from North Carolina! The holidays are upon us, in full swing, and I, J.J., have made a promise to make no cookies this years! So far, I have kept that promise...especially after the cookie making disasters of holidays past...I am so over making holiday cheer for people, unless it comes in the form of pouring them a glass of wine or popping a top on a beer.

This fat and jolly old soul, (no Santa jokes please, I work alone,) had a sexy holiday visitor this past weekend, that brought me all kinds of yummy, homemade, Christmas type goodies. I and the roommate were very grateful for these goodies...the roommate works most of the time and I have not made any goodies this holiday season, other than a peanut butter pie for Thanksgiving.

Also along with the yummy holiday goodies, the sexy elf and I checked out a local winery in, Mebane, NC and it was a great choice. There was a wonderful wine tasting...13 different wines at a sit down tasting for $5.00!!! (I mean where else can you get a $5.00 buzz?) Killer deal. I wish I could remember the name of the wonderful lady that held the tasting as she was very friendly, entertaining, and hilarious. The crowd for the tasting came in waves and she handled it beautifully. I quite enjoyed the SWEET N’ SASSY CHERRY and the holiday wine, IRON GATE BLESSINGS. I also enjoyed the ON GATE GREEN APPLE. I will definitely be returning back to the Iron Gate Winery.

Now onto the other holiday treats from the sexy Christmas elf...I had made a request for Buckeyes...a delicious peanut butter candy and I love peanut butter/candy. I got some delicious Buckeye Bark. Very yummy and still enjoying it. It gets a huge thumbs up.

Buckeye Bark

Ingredients

• 2 ½ pounds chocolate candy coating, divided

• 1 pound creamy peanut butter

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan, letting the parchment extend up two sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. (This will make it easy to remove the bark from the pan once set); set aside.

Melt 1 ½ pounds chocolate according to package directions and pour the chocolate into prepared pan, use an offset icing spatula to smooth the chocolate into an even layer. Transfer pan to the freezer for 5 minutes or until chocolate becomes slightly hardened.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the peanut butter, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Using your hands, press into an even layer onto the hardened chocolate layer. Transfer pan to the freezer for 5 minutes or until slightly hardened.

Melt the remaining 1 ½ pounds of chocolate and pour it over the peanut butter layer, use an offset icing spatula to smooth the chocolate into an even layer. Transfer pan to the freezer until set.

Once chocolate is set, use a butcher knife to break up the bark into small pieces. Store in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Reindeer Chow

Ingredients

• 1 pound white chocolate chips or almond bark coating

• 3 cups Rice Chex-brand cereal

• 3 cups Corn Chex-brand cereal

• 3 cups Lucky Charms-brand cereal

• 2 cups pretzel sticks
• 2 cups dry-roasted peanuts

• 12 ounces M&M-brand chocolate candies

Slowly melt chocolate in double broiler over water. Alternately, place almond bark or white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on high for 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until chocolate is melted.

Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl, then drizzle melted chocolate over top and mix well. Spread in a shallow layer on a cookie sheet or broiler pan.

Allow to cool completely, then package in single-serving bags or an air tight container.

Now for the cookies...When I was first told about these...I kind of wrinkled my nose. When they were presented to me I wrinkled my nose...when I tasted them...OMG. So good...I want to make these in lemon. I had the licorice or anise version. So yummy. I love most things German anyway...this has made it to my list.

Springerle is a type of German biscuit with an embossed design made by pressing a mold onto rolled dough and allowing the impression to dry before baking. This preserves the detail of the surface pattern. They are most commonly seen during the Christmas season.

The name springerle means "little jumper" or "little knight". Their origin can be traced back to at least the 14th century in southeastern Germany and surrounding areas.

Springerle

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon anise oil, lemon oil, or flavor of your choice

• 3 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour

• anise seed (optional)

Directions

1) Lightly grease two baking sheets, or line them with parchment.

2) In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, salt, confectioners' sugar and flavor for 5 to 6 minutes, until the mixture is very light and falls in thick ribbons from the beater.

3) Gradually beat in the flour to form a stiff dough.

Not my springerle, but a photo to depict what they look like. 

4) Transfer the dough to a well-floured work surface and knead with your hands for several minutes — it will seem dry at first, but will become smooth as you work with it. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes or so.

5) To shape cookies using a springerle pin: Dust your work surface lightly with flour. Divide the dough in half and work with one piece at a time, leaving the other piece covered. Use a regular rolling pin to roll the dough into a 1/4"-thick rectangle, roughly the same size as your springerle pin.

6) Use a pastry brush to brush a very light coating of flour onto the dough. Flour your springerle pin, then give it a couple of sharp raps to knock off excess. Slowly roll the springerle pin over the dough, pressing down hard enough to leave a good impression. Cut the cookies apart on the lines, with a pizza wheel or sharp knife.

7) To shape cookies using a springerle mold: Lightly dust your work surface. Dust the mold with flour, then tap it firmly to remove excess. Divide the dough in half and work with one piece of dough at a time, leaving the other covered. Roll the dough into a 1/4"-thick square or rectangle

8) Press the lightly floured mold firmly into the dough. Remove the mold and cut around the design with a knife. Repeat until all the dough is cut.

9) Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets. If you're using anise seed, sprinkle it on the cookie sheet or the parchment before laying down the cookies, giving them extra flavor. They'll also raise the cookies just a bit, allowing air to circulate around the bottom, drying them thoroughly.

10) Set the unbaked cookies aside to dry at room temperature, uncovered, for 24 hours. Turn them over once during the drying time to allow the bottoms to dry.

11) Preheat the oven to 275°F.

12) Bake the cookies for 25 to 30 minutes, until they're firm but not brown. (If the cookies are a bit puffy, and the design isn't as sharp as you'd like, bake the next batch at 250 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.) Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool completely.

13) Store the cookies in an airtight container. To keep them from becoming rock hard, we suggest placing a piece of soft bread, a slice of apple, or a cookie softener in the container with them.

Yield: 2 1/2 to 3 dozen cookies.

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Yule, Kwanza, or whatever you may believe in!

 

I need a drink...

So...I have moved from Maryland to North Carolina and boy do I need a drink! A huge shout out to my awesome friend T for the help and support!  I am still feeling overwhelmed with unpacking, unhappy cats, my various injuries, and the search to find a bar so I can watch my Ravens game.  So in honor of my Ravens here is a great drink recipe.

The Baltimore Raven-tini

• 3 oz Vodka 
• 1 1/2 oz of cranberry juice 
• 1/2 oz blue curacao
•  1/2 oz sweet and sour mix
•  1/2 of lemon-lime soda 

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake gently.  Add more Blue Curacao if color isn't purple enough.  Serve in a chilled Martini glass. Rim with sugar if desired. 

Horrible Photoshop, I know!!! 

Stay Tuned!