Random Holiday Baking Notes

The Raspberry Dark Chocolate Marble cookie recipe from The Washington Post works just as well with cranberries and white chocolate (pulverize white chocolate chips). In hindsight, rolling the two doughs into a longer, skinnier log then twisting again would have given the cookies a more marbled appearance. They were a hit.

Placing a small juice glass in a plastic sandwich bags is an easy way to flatten cookie dough.

inspired by seasonal treats, family traditions and scratch-made food-is-love gifts  

Good News. Bad News.

Good news: This bag of 100 pieces of chocolate Halloween candy is 80% off!

Bad news: 49 of the pieces are malted milk balls (definitely not my picky family's favorite:p).

inspired by gluttony, bottom-barrel prices on clearance items at the grocery store and looking at the bag as 51% irresistible deal  

The Power of Suggestion

One of the cable shopping channels was selling two dozen scrumptious looking, large gourmet cinnamon buns for about $50. This is what my budget could support.

The directions on the box say to use one jar of cinnamon bun icing to mix into one cup of whipped heavy cream, but one brick of cream cheese and one stick of butter (both softened to room temp.) creamed together with one cup of powdered sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract makes a delightful substitution to blend with the whipped heavy cream.

For the cake mix (try a spice cake mix if cinnamon bun isn't available), these substitutions: milk and sour cream combo for the water, melted butter cooled to room temp. for the oil. Add one tsp of vanilla and 1/8 tsp each of nutmeg and ginger.

Bake at lowest oven temp. listed on the chart. Because making more than three layers bakes the batter very quickly, set the timer for 6 mins., then 3--4 minute intervals until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Election Eve Concerns

First: How long have America's iconic peppermint patties been manufactured in Mexico? Cuando esto paso? 

Second: If Trump becomes president of the U.S. will he allow York Peppermint Patties to breach the wall?

inspired by being oblivious to changes to important information on food packaging, our continental neighbors to the north, outsourcing and importing classic Americana treats

Happy Halloween! ed. of The Jet Set TV Show episode 31

http://thejetset.tv/

Obviously, Nikki Noya embodies an endorsement for the benefits of living a life dedicated to physical fitness, healthy nutrition, and consciously choosing moderation when indulging in sweet treats. For as gorgeous as Nikki's exterior is, it's her smart brain, dynamic wit, and generous, joyful spirit that make her so engaging. She's also a self-proclaimed chocoholic who forgave me for my pre-meditated crimes against nutrition before our segment started.

Hope the entire Jet Set TV Show team has been enjoying my "delish treats in food and fiction" themed tokens of appreciation for having me on their show. It was a very good time!

(The peanut butter cookies were scratch-made.)

Halloween Edition of The Jet Set TV Show, episode 31

Time flies while having fun with the hosts and crew of The Jet Set TV Show last Saturday morning, especially when the segment with Nikki Noya's a fast 4 minutes: 20 seconds! 

http://thejetset.tv/

Here are all of the tips that were omitted due to limited time and my inner hermit's brain freeze: 

[Upfront Disclaimer: For people with dietary restrictions, food sensitivities and allergies, I'm not your baker. Gluten free, non-dairy, vegan, low fat, low calories, low cholesterol... I'm not your baker either. Organic? Yes, most definitely when budget considerations allow.]

To produce a crumb texture and density that's more similar to scratch-made when using a boxed cake mix, substitute equal amounts of milk and/or sour cream for the water (ex. the instructions shown above say 1 &1/4 cup water, which can be subbed in a variety of ways: 1 & 1/4c. milk or 1c. milk & 1/4c. sour cream or 1/2c. water & 1/2c. milk & 1/4c. sour cream or any combination that totals 1 & 1/4c. liquid); melted butter cooled to room temp for the oil. Experiment to find the combination that's most satisfying. Just hide disappointing results by placing them in the bottom of a small dish, then cover with a scoop of ice cream, hot fudge or caramel sauce, whipped cream and a cherry and no one will care.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of real vanilla extract to deepen the flavor profile. 

These substitutions may impact cooking times, so set the oven timer for the lowest number of minutes on the chart of cooking times, then check periodically. Cupcakes are done when the center springs back from the gentle touch of a fingertip. 

The best quality kitchen tools are usually more budget-friendly over the long term because they're more effective and last longer. These 18-year-old Cutco super shears still cut through everything from chicken bones to copper pennies. They disassemble for easy cleaning. They're dishwasher safe, and totally ambidextrous. (Love for the lefties!) They're also made in the U.S.A. up in Olean, N.Y. 

https://www.cutco.com/search/searchResults.jsp#sm.0000rc01plbdydr5x722axnt0do99


Happy baking!

Chocolate Ripple Effect

Bring on the swirl!

inspired by having chocolate with vanilla cake without frosting, ice cream or hot fudge, metaphors for interracial dating and people (which is actually interethnic since we're all members of the human race) and National Hispanic Heritage Month

Surprisingly Satisfying

While there are no substitutes for premium chocolate, this combination of apples and vanilla cupcake flavored whipped Greek yogurt was a delicious alternative to satisfy my craving for pie a la mode.

inspired by attempts to make healthier treat choices while following the beginner's training schedule in The New Rules of Running 

Random Cooking Science 101

Placing a wooden spoon across the top of a pot of boiling water keeps it from overflowing.

This sounded odd to me, but it worked. Why?
http://lifehacker.com/5876442/use-a-wooden-spoon-to-stop-pots-from-boiling-over

inspired by strange, yet true cooking tips

Lead Me Not Into Temptation

One example of an impulse buy after the very generous people at the grocery store offered me a free sample.

inspired by carb addiction and the undermining of good nutrition intentions

Brown Sugar Hack

Brown sugar hard as a rock?

Just put a strip of orange (or apple) peel in the bag. It may take a few hours or a day, but the brown sugar becomes usable again. It's okay to keep the peel inside the package.


inspired by organic fixes and politically incorrect rock 'n' roll songs

Pop Culture

inspired by lollipops, cake on a stick, mobile treats, and sparkle

My Kind of Science

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2016/02/20/chocolate-makes-this-johns-hopkins-science-class-a-whole-lot-sweeter/

Where was this professor during my school years?

inspired by STEM, innovative educators, and enthusiastic students

Winter Storm Jonas Recap: Outside & In

Oh, the weather outside is frightful... 

(Sidewalks, roadway, curbs buried under 2 feet of snow.) 

But the baking is so delightful...

Let it snow. Let it snow. Let it snow.