Tag Archives: Cooking

Foodie-Schmoodie

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I live in one of the Midwestern states so I get to experience four distinct seasons. Autumn is my favorite.

The weather in autumn agrees with my body. Autumn also stirs my soul. I have fond memories of school starting, playing in fallen leaves in the front yard of my childhood home, and cookouts over backyard fires. (Say, “marshmallows,” “hot dogs,” “S’mores.”)

Autumn brings a harvest of some delightful produce as well, and pumpkin tops the list for many of us.

Hewlett-Packard

Pumpkins grace porches this time of year–just as they’re picked or carved with a face. They provide a pantry item when we pack them up for the freezer. And in my opinion, eating pumpkin pies just make more sense during autumn.

Since I haven’t posted anything food related for awhile, here’s one of my favorite recipes using pumpkin. The cream cheese frosting makes it really special, but even without it, the bars are exceptionally moist.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
¾ c. oil
1 ½ c. sugar
1 16 oz. can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, cream together eggs, oil, sugar and pumpkin. In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and blend.
Spread mixture into a 13” x 9” pan and bake for 25 minutes.
While pumpkin bars are baking, make frosting.

Frosting
1 3 oz. pkg. cream cheese (room temperature)
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ c. butter or margarine, softened
2 c. confectioner’s sugar

Cream together the cheese and butter. Mix in the vanilla. Add the confectioner’s sugar and blend well. When bars are cooled, spread frosting on top.

If you want to use your own fresh or frozen pumpkin from your pantry, you probably can. I suggest using a food processor or blender to “whip” it into shape. Be sure all the stringy fibers are removed for the best texture.

Chocolate is Good for You!

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keep calm eat dk choc

Raise your hand if you think of chocolate as a food group.

I thought so.

Chocoholics make up a big section of the population, say…anywhere, I’m guessing. At one time, we felt guilty about our indulgences. But now, scientific studies say that a little bit of the delectable stuff is good for us. They say dark chocolate is the best.

That was good news to me. I like chocolate with muscle.

A Facebook friend of mine recently posted an invitation to the Traverse City Chocolate Festival later this month. I traveled on over to their page and the graphic for their cover photo made my mouth water.

We Michiganians first think of Traverse City as the Cherry Capital of the state. They even celebrate that food group with a cherry festival at harvest time. And if you like flavored coffee, you really should try the Traverse City cherry flavored brew. Mmmmm.

“You Never Know What You’ll Get”

If you hadn’t figured it out by now, today’s Feature For Friday is about food and more specifically, chocolate. Chocolate kisses, peanut butter cups, hot cocoa, fudge, hot fudge, German chocolate cake, and chocolate chip cookies. You can almost smell it, can’t you?

While planning this post, I went “shopping” for some recipes that include chocolate. One of the blogs I follow introduced me to Cocoa and Chai Spice Tea. When I clicked on the link, I thought I’d find a recipe for Chai with chocolate. No. It was a plug for Mr. Henry Landon’s product.

Since I make my own chai tea, I decided to adapt it and came up with a recipe that I’m sharing at the end of this post. I’m not averse to tweaking my own recipes if it means saving money and coming up with something new and improved.

Chocolate certainly improved it. Now it tastes like a chai tea cocoa. Mmmmm.

Included here are some of the chocolate goodies I found. One is a recipe I’ve had in my kitchen for years and wanted to share so I intentionally went in search of it.

Bustling Around the Kitchenchocolate-whisk

Try these No-Bake Chocolate Almond Bars for a healthy breakfast treat. I know the name sounds decadent, but they’re chock full of good stuff.

Fabulously Flawless Fudge is a tried and true recipe I’ve made for years, especially at Christmas. Way back when I made it on the stove top and it still can be made that way if you prefer. This one instructs you to melt the chocolate and milk in the microwave. It really is hard to ruin this one.

Another chocolate confection that would work for people who like a baked treat in the morning or with lunch are these Moist Chocolate Muffins.

Finally, I have to plug my own “famous” chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. I shared this recipe a while back. I have never had anyone say, “Well, these aren’t very good.” Not to my face anyway. In fact, I take them to the guys who change my oil and now I have a reputation as The Cookie Lady.

That can’t be all bad.

So celebrate the cocoa bean and everything it’s brought us. Indulge on April 26, in honor of the Chocolate Festival and don’t feel the least bit guilty. God gives us all good things to enjoy.

Besides, you know chocolate is good for you.heart dripping chocolate

 

Chocolatey Chai Spice Tea

1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Three teaspoons sugar (or to taste)
1/2 c. boiling water
1 1/2 c. more water
2 cinnamon sticks
12 whole cloves
8 cardamom pods
3/4 c. milk
4 teaspoons unperfumed loose black tea or 4 tea bags

Begin by dissolving in a sauce pan the cocoa powder and sugar in boiling water. Add rest of water to mixture. Add cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and cardamom pods and bring to a boil.

Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for ten minutes. Add milk and bring to a simmer again. Throw in loose tea or tea bags. Cover, and turn off heat. After a couple of minutes, strain the mixture and serve immediately.

Yields about two mugs of tea. May be scaled up for more. (If using loose tea, it helps to use a tea ball if you have one.)

I Can Hear It Now

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Today’s Feature For Friday is again about food. A snack food that has been compared to social media. I suppose it’s true; the more generous you are with it, the more people you attract.

Popcorn. Do you think of

a) Jiffy Pop
b) Microwaved
c) Theater-popped
d) Air-popped
e) All of the above

When popcorn pops, it creates not just a sound in the ear, but an aroma in the nose. The unique treat in your hand belies the soft crunch you’re about to feel between your teeth (and the nasty hulls stuck there later on). Popcorn is a sensual experience only the eater can describe.

I come from the era of Jiffy Pop, but my family could neither afford it nor would one package have fed our large family. We popped our kernels from a bag the old fashioned way.

f) In a pan on top of the stove

My earliest association of popcorn involves Mom serving up the surprise, usually on a Saturday night. The seven of us–Dad and we six kids–would be sitting in the living room watching TV when, all of a sudden, “It” would begin.

Pop! Pop! Pop! POP-POP-POP! POP-POP-POP-POPPITY-POP! An unmistakable sound, those kernels hitting the lid of a pan. Mom couldn’t hide now what she was up to. And inevitably, one of us would hurry to the kitchen to confirm and report back, “We’re having popcorn!”

By then, the aroma of those tiny popping kernels wafted through the house; we needed no one to tell us. Imagine six kids full of anticipation for a rare treat. Then Mom came first with a bowl for Dad and, in turns, a bowl for each of us children. She’d give the popping another go because one pan didn’t feed everyone.

popcorn time

I confess that I can eat popcorn until it’s coming out of my ears (pun intended). At a movie theater, I’ve actually had friends with whom I’m attending keep tabs on me. Or talk me down from the ledge of even getting in line to purchase a bushel basket of it.

Whew, I just walk in the door and I’m a theater popcorn junkie. How can those youngsters at the concession stand possibly feel good about trafficking refills for a paltry fifty cents (or whatever the going rate is now)? Dripping with butter, for me, it’s a cross between Mom’s love served in a bowl and Paula Dean’s favorite recipe.*

Now, just in time for my blog post–I’ve wanted to write about popcorn for a couple weeks–the New York Times publishes an article about scientists “discovering” the mechanics of popcorn popping. Is this really news? Did no one ever figure this out before?

As if the average kid about to get a bowl of air-popped, Jiffy Popped, microwaved, or theater popcorn cared. **

At heart, I’m a kid when it comes to popcorn. It reminds me of sitting with my sibs and the folks watching the boob tube. That truly felt like family time. I didn’t need bowl after bowl of it to enjoy it. I didn’t need the buttery-flavored junk on top or the special toppings they offer these days. It didn’t have to come quickly like microwaved popcorn.

The sound and the scent were enough. And Mom knowing just when it was a good night to treat us. That’s another sensual experience, I suppose. One that evokes pleasure in my heart.

Somewhere, kids must still be sitting in living rooms listening to the poppity-pop out in the kitchen while Mom prepares to serve up a little fun and love. I know this because I see that popcorn can still be found in kernel form on supermarket shelves; the kind you have to pop without a microwave.

Why not pick up some popcorn–your choice–this weekend and enjoy the treat with your family? Don’t forget the dental floss.

*I realize that’s not real butter, only some buttery-flavored concoction but still…
** Actually, my geeky grandson would probably love to study the principles of corn popping.

Here, Have a Cookie

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Cookies were a staple at our house just as much as bread and butter. I began dabbling in the kitchen with my older sister who, like me, enjoys cooking and baking. There were times Mom would let me help too.

To me, cookies are a basic food group (although I try not to eat as many cookies as I do fruits and veggies). They’re a finger food so they’re portable. And there are a gazillion ways to make them. How could one NOT like cookies?

A few years ago I learned a lesson in sharing from someone I thought was an unlikely person to learn the lesson from. The lesson came from my desire to share my cookies.

I made a batch of my ‘famous’ Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies and took them with me on Sunday to share with the rest of our choral worship team. It happened that day just like every other time I’d shared my cookies: people wanted the recipe.

“Oh, I don’t share my recipe,” I told them. “It has a secret ingredient.”

I thought that had put the question to rest. No one began begging for it, after all. Then our worship leader spoke.

“I remember a woman who used to come here named Jewel. Maybe some of you remember her.”

Of course I remembered her. She was one of the sweetest women I’d met since I began attending that church. I was so sad when she passed away. She had signature hugs and a smile that lit up the sanctuary.

“Jewel had a special recipe too,” our leader went on. “And whenever someone asked for it, she was quick to say yes.”

I think he said a couple more things, but by then I’d taken the hint.

Every good and perfect gift is from above. (James 1:17) Even cookies. The next Sunday I brought copies of the recipe in case there were still some who wanted it. That sure felt better than hoarding my ‘secret’ out of pride. Over the years, because of that Holy Spirit leading, I’ve shared other recipes and kitchen tips too.
Cookie Monster Our Planet

 

I certainly don’t want to give the name Cookie Monster a new meaning. So I’m sharing the recipe here for you as well.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 F

3/4 c. shortening or vegetable oil
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 c. milk (any kind)
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cinnamon
2 c. rolled oats, uncooked
1.c. wheat germ
1 pkg. semi-sweet chocolate morsels

In a large mixing bowl, cream together brown sugar and oil/shortening. Add eggs, vanilla, and milk and blend together thoroughly. In a small mixing bowl, blend together flour, salt, soda, cinnamon and rolled oats. Add dry mixture to the creamed mixture in the large bowl. Stir well. Add wheat germ and blend again. When adding chocolate morsels, begin with only half of package. Stir and add more if you need too. Sometimes a whole package is too many.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

Remember that ovens vary. Keep an eye on the cookies through the door. They should only become lightly browned on top. Baking too long makes for a crisp rather than chewy cookie.
(Another ‘secret ingredient’ for chewiness is the wheat germ!)

 

Something Completely Different

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Have you ever noticed how company and community meet well with food?

I don’t usually include in my profiles that I enjoy cooking, but cooking and baking are pastimes I do enjoy. I don’t often get a chance to cook for a group seeing as how I live alone. But I like to try new recipes and have many that are tried and true.

Below is a recipe shared with me years ago. It’s one that is tried and true. I have others, especially my chocolate chip oatmeal cookie that people always want a recipe for. When I said once that it was my “secret” recipe, a friend told me I should always pass on to others what I’ve been blessed with, including recipes. So here we go.

My blog isn’t dedicated to food or cooking. But I’m sharing this because pumpkin recipes are popular right now. I’d tell you that it’s not necessary to try it first before sharing, but you can try a batch first if you want. All I can say is these pumpkin bars are so moist they melt in your mouth.

Enjoy the bars. And enjoy the company with whom you choose to share them. God bless you.

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
¾ c. oil
1 ½ c. sugar
1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a large bowl, cream together eggs, oil, sugar and pumpkin. In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and blend.
Spread mixture into a 13” x 9” and bake for 25 minutes.
(Ovens vary, so time may vary as well. A glass pan works best if you have one)
While pumpkin bars are baking, make frosting.

Frosting
1 3 oz. pkg. cream cheese (room temperature)
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ c. butter or margarine, softened
2 c. confectioner’s sugar

Cream together the cheese and butter. Mix in vanilla. Add the confectioner’s sugar and blend well. When bars are cooled, spread frosting on top.