Recipe: Homemade Goldfish Crackers

Fall, winter, and spring have been full of wonderful adventures in the kitchen for me... so why haven't there been copious blog posts detailing my most delectable creations? Well...there were several factors, but the biggest was my career change. I went from a 10+ year public library veteran to working for my mom's adult foster home as her cook. Besides less stress and heartache, the other bonus of this job is I get to spend the day doing what I love. The downside to the job is that I'm usually too tired to post pictures and recipes on this blog. But I'm back and aiming to improve my posting ratio, though I'll admit my adventures these days have usually been inspired by other bloggers who have made the recipes MUCH better than I have. Case in point: today's recipe. I discovered it on The Cupcake Project and this morning I needed a quick distraction from some worry that was on my mind. This recipe seemed simple enough, so I gave it a try. Thanks to my food processor, it was TRULY quick and easy...and entirely delicious. I don't think I'll bother buying store-bought goldfish crackers again!



Homemade Goldfish (or whatever shape you want!) Crackers

(note: the original recipe is here, should you want pictures of each step of the recipe.

1 C all-purpose flour
4 T cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
8 oz cheddar cheese
1/2 t salt
1/2 t fresh-ground pepper (I omitted this as I don't like pepper)
A fish cookie cutter, or any other tiny cookie cutter

1. Pulse the flour, butter, cheese, salt, and pepper together using a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. Pulse in 3 to 4 tablespoons of water, one tablespoon at a time, and only enough so that the dough forms a ball and rides the blade.
3. Remove, wrap in plastic, and chill for 20 minutes or up to 24 hours.
4. Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper (or a silicon baking sheet) and set aside.
5. Roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thickness. (Unlike most doughs, this one was a joy to work with -- I used my rolling pin rings and got perfect results each time.
6. Cut out as many crackers as possible.
7. Place them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking pans.
8. Bake at 350 F until golden and crisp - 15 to 20 minutes. (Mine took exactly 19 minutes to get to the desired crispness.)

Recipe: Sweet Potato Spice Cookies

I love Fall and Winter. I spend the entire summer wishing it was Fall again. I love the smell in the air of all the woodstoves burning (even though it makes my asthma act up); I love how when I drive back to my town after taking a trip to the next town over, I can see the tops of the trees changing color; I love flannel sheets and not needing to use the air conditioner. I suddenly develop a craving for oatmeal for breakfast and chili for dinner. So even though today temperatures reached 90+ degrees, my mind/body is telling me that Fall is just around the corner. This means I suddenly get the urge to bake cookies or bread or apple crisp (the ultimate Fall dessert). Today I woke up and knew that it was a cookie-baking day. So I spent the afternoon whipping up cookies and catching up on some of my favorite podcasts. One of the recipes didn't turn out so great, but I wanted to share the other recipe that will definitely be added to my favorites file. It's kind of like the Autumnal version of a ranger cookie and it combines quite a few of my favorite things -- oatmeal, coconut, and butterscotch chips (I love Oatmeal Scotchies more than any other cookie on the planet). So rather than mourn the end of bbq season, why not try, this year, to look forward to Fall and Winter and appreciate what this season has to give us. Whip up a batch of these cookies and remember that Fall is the time to be grateful for all that we have; a time to celebrate the Harvest season and enjoy all that Mother Earth has to share with us. When I think of Fall, I picture one of the feasts that Brian Jacques so creatively writes about in his charming Redwall series. Nothing is better than curling up with one of his books on a rainy, cold day, with one (or several) of these cookies and let yourself be drawn into the feasts at Redwall Abbey. So lift your proverbial glass of mead and toast to Fall, to Harvest, to slowing down and appreciating the good things in life.



Sweet Potato Spice Cookies

3/4 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
1/4 C packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 C finely shredded, uncooked sweet potato
3 T orange juice concentrate
2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/4 C quick oats
1 C butterscotch chips
1 C flaked coconut
1 C chopped pecans

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, sweet potato, and orange juice concentrate. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls (I used a cookie scoop) 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets (I used parchment paper instead). Bake at 350 deg. F. for 14-16 minutes or until firm and a little golden brown around the edges. Remove to wire racks to cool.

The breezes taste
Of apple peel.
The air is full
Of smells to feel-
Ripe fruit, old footballs,
Burning brush,
New books, erasers,
Chalk, and such.
The bee, his hive,
Well-honeyed hum,
And Mother cuts
Chrysanthemums.
Like plates washed clean
With suds, the days
Are polished with
A morning haze.

--John Updike, "September"

Recipe: Apple-Cinnamon Upside-Down Cake

Apple-Cinnamon Upside-Down Cake

10 T butter, room temperature
1/2 C packed light-brown sugar
3 apples (Empire or Gala), each peeled, cored, and sliced into 8 wedges
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 C sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 C whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Coat bottom and side of a 9-inch round cake pan (I used a springform pan) with 2 T butter. Sprinkle bottom with brown sugar. In a medium bowl, toss apples in lemon juice; arrange in prepared pan in two concentric circles (you might not use all of them).

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat remaining 8 T butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until incorporated. Alternately add the flour mixture in three parts and the milk in two, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Spoon batter over apples in pan; smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45-55 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack, at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours (if cake has risen above rim of pan, push back inside rim).

To serve, run a knife around the edge of pan and invert cake onto a rimmed platter.

Recipe: Mini Corn Cakes

As passionate as I am about cooking, I'm equally passionate about stand-up comedy. Not performing, but listening. So when I realized I had an empty afternoon and a brand new Patton Oswalt album to listen to, I knew that I needed to find a couple new recipes to try. Both this one and the next one I'll be posting came from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine. I giggled my way through both these recipes and would like to say that not only does the food get thumbs up, but so does Patton Oswalt's My Weakness is Strong. I especially recommend the track "Sky Cake".



Mini Corn Cakes

10 oz frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/3 C whole milk
1 large egg
1 T sugar
2 scallions, whites minced, greens thinly sliced for garnish
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp coarse salt (I found that this was slightly too much salt and would probably cut it down to 1/2 tsp, maybe slightly more.)
Note: the original recipe also calls for 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, but I chose to leave that out.
1/4 C yellow cornmeal
1/4 C all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 400 deg. F. Coat two 12-cup mini muffin pans with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine corn, milk, egg, sugar, scallion whites, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Stir in cornmeal and flour.

Drop by rounded tablespoons (a cookie scoop works perfectly) into prepared muffin pans. Bake until cakes are just set in the center, 8-10 minutes. Loosen with a table knife and remove from pans. Serve immediately, garnished with sour cream and scallion greens (I served mine with honey butter).

Recipe: Maple Oat Bread

Years ago, an online friend learned I liked to bake and passed on this recipe from a relative. I had never made bread before and was a little scared to try, but the friend told me the bread was amazing. If I am honest, this was probably my first step onto the path of a food adventurer and it's been a blast ever since. This is still my favorite bread recipe and I make it a lot throughout the fall and winter. It's also one of the most requested things from all my friends when I ask "What can I bring?" Last time I made it, I also made honey butter (really easy if you've never made it: soften a stick of butter and mix in honey until it tastes like you want it!) and it was amazingly good. So for those of you who have only made bread in a breadmaker (or never at all), cast aside your machines, roll up your sleeves, and come on an adventure with me!

Maple Oat Bread

1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup boiling water
1 package active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tsp. canola oil
1-1/2 tsp. salt
3-1/2 cups all purpose flour

For Topping:
1 egg white lightly beaten
2 T old fashioned oats

Put some water on to boil. Stir 1/4 tsp. sugar and the yeast into 1/3 cup warm (100 - 110 degrees) water in a small bowl or cup. While the yeast proofs, process the oats in a blender until coarsely ground. Transfer the oats to a bread bowl and stir in the cup of boiling water. Add the syrup, oil, and salt and a cup of flour to the oat mixture and stir until smooth, then allow it to cool to warm. Stir in the yeast, then add about 2 more cups of flour one cup at a time and stir well. Keep adding flour until the dough starts to pull away from the side of the bowl. Turn the dough on to a well floured bread board and knead lightly until it is smooth and elastic. Let it rest while you grease an 8 inch pie pan. Form the dough into a ball, put it into the pie pan and cover it with a damp cloth. Let rise until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the egg white with a teaspoon of cold water, brush the top of the bread and sprinkle with the rolled oats. Bake the loaf on a middle shelf for 30-35 minutes. Tip the loaf out of the pie plate and tap on the bottom. The bread should sound hollow when you tap on it. If it does not, put it back in the over for a few minutes. Let it cool well before you slice it.

Recipe: Easy Caramel Corn

I got this favorite recipe from an aunt years ago and I make it all the time! I don't even bother with old-fashioned caramel corn because this one's so easy!

Hint: if, like me, you don't usually have paper grocery bags on hand, usually the grocery store will sell you bags for 10 cents each, or occasionally just give them to you.

Easy Caramel Corn

3 qt popcorn (about 1/2 C unpopped corn)
1 stick butter
3/4 C brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C karo syrup
1 tsp baking soda

Place popcorn in a brown paper grocery bag. In a microwavable bowl, add butter, brown sugar, salt, and karo syrup. Microwave 1 1/2 minutes, stir, then 1 1/2 minutes more. Stir in baking soda and pour over popcorn. Stir gently, then fold down top of the bag and microwave for 45 seconds. Stir. Microwave for 45 seconds more, then stir popcorn one final time and pour into a bowl or onto a cookie sheet. You'll have to stir/break up the popcorn several times as it cools. Once cooled, one batch fits nicely in a gallon ziploc baggie.

Recipe: Best Waffles Ever

I usually make these waffles for dinner rather than breakfast. It's a super simple recipe that came with my belgian waffle maker, but I have yet to discover a better recipe. The best part? You can customize all you like. Add chocolate chips. Add crumbled, cooked bacon (my favorite). Add blueberries. All are equally delicious! The second best part of this recipe is how simple it is to assemble the dry ingredients and keep gallon baggies of the mix on hand. Throw it all together and you've got one of the world's simplest meals!

Crisp & Golden Waffles

1 egg
2 C flour
1/4 C vegetable oil
1 1/2 C milk
3 T sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Assemble dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix together wet ingredients in another bowl and combine with dry ingredients. Add any mix ins you wish. Cook on a waffle iron until golden brown and crisp.

Recipe: Midnight Bread Sticks

I make these bread sticks every time I make spaghetti. I usually double the recipe, especially if there's more than, say, two people eating. Because believe me, they disappear fast! They're easy and amazingly good!

Midnight Bread Sticks

1/4 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 lb frozen bread dough, thawed
1/4 C butter, melted

Combine first five ingredients in a bowl (I use a loaf pan for easy coating). Place melted butter in a separate bowl (or loaf pan). Cut bread dough into 16 pieces and roll into breadsticks. Dip in butter, then roll in coating. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 deg. F for 10-12 minutes.

The Sourdough Experiment

Last night I went to see the movie Julie & Julia. I found it delightful and funny and warm-fuzzy inducing. I also found that it made me want to run home and cook. But not necessarily cook Julia Child recipes. I'm not that big of a fan of French food. No, with the bite of fall in the air, I find myself yearning to knead bread all day. And having just watched an episode of Chef vs. City that took place in San Francisco, I have had a craving for Sourdough bread like you wouldn't believe. Thus was born the Sourdough Experiment.

I've never made Sourdough bread...nor have I ever even possessed a starter (though like everyone in the universe, my mom has been in possession of the Amish Friendship Cake starter). As we all know, however, Google is your friend. The first result that I pulled up when I googled Sourdough bread was this site that claims to be beginner-friendly AND has instructions for making a Sourdough starter without the help of commercial yeast. I wanted to try that method so as to be more "authentic". Will it work? Only time will tell.



There it is. A simple starter. Or rather, a thing that aspires to be a starter. Sitting beneath my kitchen sink (the place I've deemed to be the warmest in my house). One cup of warm water...one cup of flour...a jar covered with a towel and a warm, dark spot. Now we just have to wait. Ferment, little starter, ferment!

Recipe: Moravian Sugar Cake

This particular recipe came from this website after a failed attempt at a similar recipe I found in a cooking magazine. This version came out absolutely delicious!



Moravian Sugar Cake

2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup water (110 F)
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons non-fat powdered milk
1/4 cup instant mashed potatoes (I used Idahoan buttery mashed potatoes)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup melted cooled butter
2 eggs
3 cups flour
butter

For Topping:

1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup melted cooled butter

Sprinkle yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar into the 1/2 cup of warm water. Set aside until yeast bubbles, and mixture is foamy. Add the next 7 ingredients, and about 1 cup of flour. Beat with a wooden spoon. Add remaining flour or a little more if needed, until bread dough consistency. Place in a greased bowl and turn it to coat. Dot dough with butter, and let it rise until double in size, about 1 hour. Hint: if you keep your house cool like I do and find that bread takes forever to rise, try placing a heating pad in a bowl, then placing your bowl/pan with the bread on top of the heating pad -- it works like a charm. Alternately, you can also heat up your oven for about a minute, then turn it off and place your bowl or pan in the warm (but not too hot) oven.

Punch dough down, and place in a greased shallow baking pan (about 17 x 12 inches) Let rise 30 minutes, then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. As if you're playing the piano, punch your fingers into the dough making indentations. Pour on remaining 1/2 cup of butter, and let dough rise another 30 minutes. Bake in a preheated 375ºF for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.

Recipe: Blueberry Crumble

Blueberry Crumble

4 C fresh blueberries

3/4 C sugar

2 T cornstarch

1 heaping T flour

1 heaping tsp ground cinnamon

1 heaping tsp grated lemon peel

1 T lemon juice

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

Place blueberries in a large bowl. Combine the rest of the ingredients and toss with blueberries. Transfer to a buttered 8X8" square baking dish.

TOPPING:

25 vanilla wafers, crushed

2 T flour

2 T brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

4 T butter, melted

1/3 C quick oats

Combine dry ingredients for topping in a bowl and pour melted butter over them. Stir until blended and crumbly. Crumble over blueberry mixture. Bake at 350 deg. F for 40-50 minutes or until filling is bubbly an topping is golden brown. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Recipe: Zucchini Casserole

My apologies for being absent for so long. Between a blazing hot summer that has left me unable/unwilling to cook and a family emergency that blindsided all of us, this blog (as well as a lot of other things) got neglected. But I'm back and I come bearing new recipes!

Zucchini Casserole

1 C grated carrots

1/2 C chicken broth

1 C sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

Mix those together and add:

6 C thinly sliced zucchini, parboiled

Note: You can also add one chopped onion; I did the first time I made it and while it did taste wonderful, I think next time I'll cook the onions a bit before adding them to the casserole.

Mix together the dry ingredients from one package of Stovetop stuffing with 2/3 C melted butter. In a 9X13" pan, alternate layers of zucchini mixture with layers of dressing mixture, with the dressing mixture the final layer. Bake at 350 deg. F for 30 minutes. Tastes excellent when paired with your favorite version of meatloaf (in my case, my mother's).

Recipe: Wing-a-palooza!

So for the past month or so, I have had a hankering for wings. Sadly, I live in a small town, where one cannot get hot wings -- or anything resembling them. The closest we have to a wing place is Pizza Hut! Last night, I was watching Throwdown with Bobby Flay on Food Network...only to be confronted with a chicken wing throwdown! That was the last straw: today, I had to have wings. (Note: I found most of these recipes through the Taste of Home website, but made a few modifications.)



Sunshine Wings

24 oz orange marmalade
3 C ketchup
1 C dark brown sugar
1 lg sweet onion, chopped
1/2 C butter, cubed
3 T chili powder
3 T apple cider vinegar
1 T worcestershire sauce
chicken wings (up to 40 whole chicken wings), cut apart

Combine first 9 ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Simmer 15 minutes uncovered.

Dip each wingette into sauce and place in a foil lined 15X10" baking pan.

Bake at 350 deg. F. for 45 minutes.

Note: this makes a TON of sauce. If you don't use it all up with one batch, freeze the rest for later.



Barbecue Wings

Deep fry 2 1/2 lb chicken wings (cut up) in oil at 350 deg. F. for 9-10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

In a large bowl, combine 3/4 C. barbecue sauce and 1 1/2 T butter. Microwave one minute and stir. Toss wings with sauce.



Teriyaki Wings

3 lb chicken wings, cut up
1 C flour
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
oil (we used peanut oil for all the frying)
3/4 C soy sauce
3/4 C sugar

Combine flour and seasonings. Toss wings in flour mixture. Deep fry in oil at 350 deg. F. for 9-10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

In a saucepan, heat soy sauce and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a large bowl and toss in chicken wings until coated in sauce.

Serve all the above immediately.

Verdict: the teriyaki wings were the best! They were all pretty good, but I think next time I would bread and fry all of the wings in that manner and just try different sauces.

Recipe: Wedding Mints & Coconut Ice

I was recently honored to make mints for a friend's wedding. One thing I knew I wanted was I wanted the mints to be pink, as that's my friend's favorite color. I stumbled upon both these recipes in Cookbook for Girls, published by Dorling Kindersley (ISBN: 9780756645007) and after a few modifications, they turned out perfectly! The mints are a little time consuming, but they're easier than molded buttermints, which I've done in the past as well.

Peppermint Creams

5 C powdered sugar

1 can sweetened condensed milk

few drops creme de menthe flavoring oil (Wilton brand), to taste

few drops food coloring of choice

dark chocolate for dipping mints

Place powdered sugar in a large bowl and add condensed milk. Stir well. Add flavoring and food coloring. Knead until you have a smooth, firm mixture. Roll out on waxed paper approximately 1/4" thick. Cut into shapes (I used round and heart-shaped fondant cutters) with a small cutter. Leave to dry on baking parchment (I dried mine overnight). Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Dip each cream into chocolate and let dry on parchment paper.

Coconut Ice

5 C powdered sugar

1 can sweetened condensed milk

4 C shredded coconut

few drops pink food coloring

Line an 8" square cake pan with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine condensed milk with powdered sugar, then stir in coconut. Divide mixture in half and press white half into prepared pan. Knead the remaining mixture with a few drops pink food coloring. Press this over the white layer. Refrigerate until set, then cut into squares (I cut each batch into 48 squares).

Recipe: Cake in a Mug

I've recently been laid up with a bad back. Today was the first day I woke up feeling halfway human, so I've been puttering around the house, doing 15 minute tasks at a time and then sitting down for a rest. But after lunch, what really sounded good was something sweet and chocolatey... which I didn't have in the house. Oh noes! Luckily, a friend of mine had forwarded a recipe to me that morning for chocolate cake made in a coffee mug. I wasn't sure I believed that this would be good, but I decided to experiment. And here's the result of said experiment:

Cake in a Mug

Coffee Mug

4 T flour

5 T sugar

3 T baking cocoa

pinch salt

1 egg

3 T milk

3 T oil

3 T chocolate chips

splash vanilla

In a coffee mug, add the first four ingredients; mix well. Add egg; mix well. Add milk and oil; mix well. Add vanilla; mix well. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Microwave on high (I have a 1200 watt oven and this worked fine) for 3 minutes. Cake will rise over the top of the mug, but shouldn't spill over (but I put the mug on a plate, just in case). 3 minutes later: chocolate bliss.

Verdict: This was excellent! The only improvement would have been frosting... but then, I've always been a frosting kind of person.

Recipe: Midnight Bread Sticks

These are the best, easiest breadsticks ever. I found them in a Taste of Home cookbook somewhere and have made them multiple times to rave reviews. Pair them with spaghetti for a perfect meal!

Midnight Breadsticks

1/4 C cheddar cheese, finely grated
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 lb loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
1/4 C butter, melted

Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Cut bread dough into 16 portions. Shape into breadsticks. Dip in butter, then dip in topping. Place on cookie sheet. Bake in 400 deg. oven for 10-12 minutes. Watch them disappear in 10-12 seconds!

Recipe: Best Thing Ever Homemade Bagels

No... seriously... you won't buy bagels ever again after you make this recipe. It is AMAZING. And this was even my test run and I forgot to add salt. It made for a slightly bland inside, but that was remedied by making the bagel into a ham, cheese, and cream cheese sandwich. Drool-worthy!

Homemade Bagels

(original recipe courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens Old-Fashioned Home Baking)

4 to 4 1/2 C bread flour

1 (2 1/2 tsp) package active dry yeast

1 1/2 C warm water (120-130 deg. F.)

2 T sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 T sugar

1 beaten egg

In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 C of the flour and the yeast. Add the warm water, 2 T sugar, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 secons, scraping the sides of the bowl. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can. (Note: my electric mixer couldn't handle this dough as it (the mixer) is cheap and old... so I just mixed everything together by hand.)

On a lightly floured surface, knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elasic (6-8 minutes total). Cover; let rest for 10 minutes. Grease 2 baking sheets. Working quickly, divide dough into 12 portions. Shape each portion into a smooth ball. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes. With a floured finger, punch a hole in the center of each ball. Make about a 2-inch hole, keeping a uniform shape. Place 2 inches apart on the prepare baking sheets. Reshape so the holes are 2 inches in diameter. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes (start timing after the first bagel is shaped).

Broil raised bagels about 5 inches from the heat for 3-4 minutes or till bagels look set, turning over once (tops should not brown). Meanwhile, in a 12 inch skillet or 4 1/2 quart Dutch oven, bring 6 C water and 1 T sugar to boiling (note: pick a pan that has lots of room -- I didn't, and some of my bagels ended up kind of misshapen because they stuck together). Reduce heat; simmer bagles, 4 at a time, for 7 minutes, turning once (a pair of chopsticks is good for turning the bagels, although a large, slotted spoon works well, too). Drain on paper towels. Let stand on towels only a few seconds or else they stick. Place drained bagels 2 inches apart on well-greased baking sheets. Brush with egg. Bake in a 375 deg. F. oven for 20-25 minutes or until tops are golden.

My variation: Besides the above, I also added 1/4 shredded parmesan cheese in with the flour and yeast at the beginning. Once I brushed bagels with egg, I dipped each top into a mixture comprised of:

1/2 C grated parmesan cheese

1/4 C finely grated cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp garlic power

1/2 tsp italian seasoning

1/4 tsp onion powder

1 tsp kosher salt (I added this to help make up for the fact that I left the salt out of the rest of the dough.)

My next experiment will be to dip the bagels in sesame seeds.

Recipe: Chocolate Pretzel Bites

These little bites are incredibly easy and incredibly addictive. I stumbled upon the idea in a Family Fun magazine and used it successfully during a children's program at the library where I work. Then I made some modifications and made them several times for get togethers with friends. Most everyone who ate them have started referring to them as "crack on a pretzel".

Chocolate Pretzel Bites

(This recipe can be made in any amount you choose, so adjust your amounts to your liking.)

Snyder's Buttersnap Pretzels (or any other variety of "waffle" shaped pretzels)

Hershey's Kisses (milk or dark chocolate) or Hugs
M&Ms (plain or dark chocolate) OR (my preference) Hershey's Kissables

On a foil lined cookie sheet, line up the buttersnap pretzels. Place an unwrapped Kiss or Hug on each pretzel. Place in a 170 deg. F. oven and bake for 5-7 minutes (the Hugs will take the least amount of time) until Kiss/Hug is soft, but not runny. Remove from oven and immediately place an M&M or Kissable in the middle of each Kiss/Hug, pressing down. Let cool completely.

Recipe: Chicken Wonton Rolls & Fried Rice

Gung Hay Fat Choy! Last year I started a tradition of cooking a Chinese New Year meal for the members of my teen library commission. This year I didn't have as much time to make an entirely homemade meal, so tonight's dinner will consist of a lot of pre-made egg rolls, pot stickers, etc. But I did make two homemade dishes -- one old favorite and one new-to-me recipe, both of which turned out quite delectable! So without further ado, here's a couple recipes to usher in the Year of the Ox. (And for those of you with children, might I suggest pairing a Chinese New Year dinner with one of my favorite stories, Tikki-Tikki-Tembo?)



Chicken Wonton Rolls (recipe from Taste of Home magazine)

3 oz. cream cheese, softened
6 T. butter, softened, divided
2 T. minced chives
1/2 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning
1 1/2 C. finely chopped, cooked chicken (I used grilled chicken breast strips from the deli meat section in the grocery store)
1 can (4 oz) mushroom stems and pieces, drained and chopped (here's where the recipe and I part ways -- I can't stand canned mushrooms, so I used fresh. I wasn't sure how many to use, so I ended up chopping up about 3 oz. of mushrooms, which may have been too much... stick with about 2 or 2 1/2 oz., depending on how much you like mushrooms, if you plan to use fresh as well.)
1 pkg. (12 oz.) wonton wrappers
2/3 C. crushed salad croutons

In a small bowl, beat together cream cheese and 2 oz. butter. Add chives, lemon-pepper seasoning, chicken, and mushrooms, and stir well. Place a rounded teaspoonful of the mixture in the center of a wonton wrapper (keep remaining wonton wrappers covered with a damp towel while you work). Fold bottom corner over filling; fold sides toward center. Moisten remaining corner with water and roll up tightly to seal. Repeat until all the filling is used. (I didn't like how the rolls looked folded like that, so I followed the directions on the wonton wrappers to fold them as though they were crab rangoon.)

Melt remaining butter; brush over wontons. Coat with crushed froutons. Place on a baking sheet; freeze. Transfer to a freezer bag; seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Yield: about 3 dozen.

To bake: place wontons on greased baking sheets. Bake at 425 deg. F. for 10 minutes. Turn; bake 5-10 minutes longer, or until lightly browned. Serve with sweet and sour sauce if desired.



Fried Rice

Please note: when I say "homemade", technically this probably doesn't count, but this is the way I make very easy fried rice. The beauty of it is, it can be completely -- and easily -- customized to your tastes, as well.

3 C. cooked jasmine rice (cook your rice the night before and refrigerate it overnight for best results)
2 T. dark sesame oil
3 green onions, chopped
1 can sliced water chestnuts, chopped finely
1 C. almond slivers, toasted
1 package fried rice seasoning of your choice (found in the Asian section of the grocery store -- I use Sun Luck brand seasoning)
2 tsp. soy sauce (I use the low sodium variety)
1 C. frozen peas & carrots, cooked

In a large skillet, heat your oil. Stir fry onions, water chestnuts, and rice for about a minute, or until they are mixed together evenly. Add almonds. Sprinkle seasoning packet over rice and add soy sauce; stir fry about a minute, or until everything is mixed evenly. Add peas and carrots, stir well, then transfer rice to a serving dish.

Variations: You can also add chicken or the meat of your choice, a couple of scrambled eggs, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, bean sprouts, etc., etc. Customize as much as you'd like!

Recipe: Stuffed Baby Red Potatoes

Stuffed Baby Red Potatoes
(Recipe from Taste of Home magazine.)
24 small red potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1/4 C butter, cubed
1/2 C shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 C crumbled, cooked bacon, divided
2/3 C sour cream
1 egg, beaten
paprika

Scrub potatoes and place in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain. When cool enough to handle, cut a thin slice off the top of each potato. Scoop out pulp (I used a melon baller), leaving a thin shell. Cut thin slices from potato bottoms to level, if necessary.

In a large bowl, mash the potato tops and pulp with butter. Set aside 2 T each of cheese and bacon for garnish; add remaining cheese and bacon to potoatoes. Stir in sour cream, egg, salt, and pepper. Spoon the mixture into potato shells. Top with remaining cheese and bacon; springle with paprika.

Place in an ungreased 15X10X1" baking pan. Bake at 375 deg. F. for 12-18 minutes, or until a thermometer reads 160 deg. F.