St. Agatha Cookies, or Moob Cookies

The other day at Target, we were waiting in line and Brian starts singing, "It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween..." and pulls out this bag of Hershey's Halloween Pumpkin Spice Kisses:

The are white chocolate, with an orange-colored spiced white chocolate covering. Brian loves Halloween as much as the crazy neighbor I had growing up loved Christmas (she's start putting out decorations in mid-October, she had 2 trees, lights galore, and even played Christmas music from speakers in her trees. My mom couldn't sleep with the light coming in the windows.).

So I thought, I could make a blossom cookie - you know, like those peanut butter blossom cookies with the chocolate kiss in the center... The one's that look like this:
(which, incidentally first appeared in a Pillsbury Bake off in 1957).

I decided on a sugar cookie that said it didn't spread: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Soft-Sugar-Cookies-IV/Detail.aspx.

I followed the recipe, rolled them in a sugar and pumpkin spice mix, and popped a kiss on top. Then baked for 10 minutes. When they were in the oven, I took a peak and saw the kisses were not holding their shape. I told Brian, "They look like nipples." When I pulled them out of the oven, all I saw was nipples.

Brian said, "They look like Man Boobs! I'm calling them Moob Cookies." He wanted to do black dye squiggle lines on them for hair. He also said we could roll them in green sugar and call them "Witch's Tits." I tried putting the kisses in the freezer for the next batch, but that didn't work. In fact, I made it worse by overcooking the next batch. As the baking went on, I thought I should name them after a saint that was martyred by having her breasts ripped off. I found St. Agatha, who not only had her breasts ripped off and she is often depicted with them on a platter, but she is also the patron saint of bakers! So there you go... St. Agatha cookies (Brian is still calling them Moobs). Oh, they do taste pretty good though, but the cookie wasn't as soft as I hoped.

I know I'm super childish, but I couldn't resist this shot:

Mac 'n' Cheese

This past weekend, Brian wanted to grill some fish. We went to the store and decided on salmon, but we (make that I) wanted to do something different with it. After pacing the store for a while, I said that I had BBQ salmon at restaurants, but I've never tried it. Brian was up for it, so that's what we did. For sides, I threw out Mac 'n' cheese. Brian laughed at first, and then it was settled. BBQ Salmon and Mac 'n' Cheese.

I always claim to make the best Mac 'n' cheese (doesn't everyone?) although I don't make it very often. I was watching TV many years ago and flipped to the Isaac Mizrahi show. He was eating Mac 'n' Cheese and said, "It's the Muenster that makes it!" So I combed the internet looking for the recipe. Now, it's not too hard to find (google got better, or at least maybe my librarian skills got better). One click and here it is: http://www.recipezaar.com/72211.

I don't follow the recipe. I know - that's a shocker! I don't heat the milk and heavy cream together, in fact this time i didn't even use heavy cream this time, which gave it a drier texture than creamy, but it was still tasty. I also use shells instead macaroni, because I like how they clump together and hold the cheese better. I add a couple dashes of worchester sauce. I don't reserve cheese for the topping - I grate more! And I add grated Parmeseano-Reggiano to it which gives a little more crunch and browns up a little better. (oh yeah, I made about 1/3 of the recipe this time too.



Brian seems to like it! I know I do!

Taco Salad

I loved when my mother made taco salad when I was a kid. My mom's taco salad had to have been a southern church picnic recipe. In fact, she may have gotten the recipe from some spiral-bound church recipe book. Now, I may not eat beef anymore, but I am not against what I grew up on - in fact sometimes I wonder why I don't eat meat anymore. I am really just too scared to try it again after all these years. Since I'm not abandoning my roots, here is how my mother made taco salad:

My Mom's Taco Salad

1 lb. ground beef
1 package taco season mix
1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 green bell pepper (I think she put this in there, I can't remember since I didn't like bell pepper as a kid, so if it was in there I picked it out)
(you could add onion, but my mom never did)
2 cups cheddar cheese
French Dressing
2 cups Fritos corn chips
Sour Cream

Prepare beef per taco mix directions. Set aside. In a large bowl, arrange lettuce, top with taco meat. Add fritos around the sides. Arrange tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and cheese on top. Top with French Dressing and a dollop of sour cream.

Please take into account that the proportions are different in my mom's salad than mine because she cooked for 4, I cook for 2. I take a similar concept, but make it all vegified (although adding chicken to it would probably be good if you are into that sort of thing). I would highly suggest adding avocado, but since Brian is allergic (gasp!) I don't.

Taco Salad

2 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
olive oil, divided use
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small can niblet corn, drained
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
4 tsp. taco seasoning, divided use
1 lime, divided use
2 cups lettuce (I used spinach, but honestly, this is when iceberg or romaine work great)
2 TBSP sour cream
2 TBSP French Dressing
3/4 cup cheddar cheese or colby jack cheese, grated


Heat oven to 300 degrees. Toss tortillas that have been cut into thin strips with olive oil until each piece is coated. Spread out on a baking sheet in one layer,with no overlapping. Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring several times and checking the doneness. They will be done when they are golden, not brown, and have a crisp to them. Remove from oven and salt as desired.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl mix together black beans, corn, green bell pepper, onion, and tomato with 2 tsp taco seasoning, 1/2 of lime's juice and 2 tsp olive oil. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together, 2 tsp taco seasoning, sour cream, French Dressing and juice of 1/2 lime. Toss with lettuce or spinach.

To plate, create a bed of lettuce on plate, top with black bean mixture. Sprinkle cheese and tortilla strips. Can garnish with extra dollop of sour cream.

NOTE: You can also just mix everything together and save a bowl and a few steps.

Brian Can Cook

I'm not mushy, but I am incredibly lucky to has a guy as great as Brian. I'm super-lucky that he can cook too. Here's a dinner he made:

Grilled Mahi Mahi and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes. I made the spinach - which was just spinach tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, nutmeg, honey, and thyme.

Here's another one he did: His Happy Office Day cake.


He wanted an over-the-top peanut butter and chocolate cake. I hope he doesn't mind me giving away his secrets, but it is a chocolate cake mix, mixed with peanut butter chips, topped with chocolate icing, and the crushed up nutter butters on top. Then he lined it with peanut butter cups, and decorated it with Reese's Pieces.

Hummus

toothpastefordinner.com

I haven't written much lately. I've still cooked, but nothing really original. I haven't been able to write much because I've had a little kitten demanding my attention (or just being so freakin' cute I have to pick him up and cuddle him).

Yesterday we had a staff potluck party. I'm lucky enough to work with quite a few people that can really cook, so you don't have to fake the "mmm that's good" through your teeth. I decided to make hummus, since there is always just way too many desserts. A couple people asked if I had the recipe on here, but I hadn't put it up because Brian usually makes it.

Hummus was one of the first things I made for Brian, little did I know he used to live on the stuff. So, he seemed to really like it, and eventually I taught him how to make it, and now he makes it better, which led to him becoming "The Dip Master." I came up with the recipe, because I had a few recipes in some vegetarian cookbooks. One actually required parsley chopped up in it, which that's how I made it first. Ick! One was too garlicky, one was too garbanzo-y. I was never happy with the taste. On a whim, I decided to add some toasted sesame oil, and voila! my hummus was born.

My hummus recipe has appeared in a fundraising cookbook, however, they left off the tahini. Um, it's not really hummus without it! So if you ever check out the book Come to the Table from my library, you will see my handwriting in it! I defaced a library book, but it was for the sake of hummus!

Hummus

2 cloves garlic
1 can garbanzo beans
1/4 cup tahini
1 TBSP water
2 TBSP lemon juice
1 tsp cumin
pinch red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
salt to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
toasted sesame seeds and olive oil for garnish

In a food processor, chop garlic. Scrape sides and add beans, tahini, water, lemon juice, cumin, red pepper flakes, sesame oil and process until fully chopped and blended. While processor is running, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Sometimes you will need more lemon juice, sometimes more water, sometimes more salt, and sometimes more sesame oil. When satisfied with the flavor, transfer to a bowl. Using the back of a spoon, make a swirl in the top. Drizzle olive oil in the swirl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with warm pita and/or carrot sticks.

Hummus was photographed on Too many syllables for me.

It is also easy to add stuff to it. You can add:
-sundried tomatoes
-olive pesto the swirl on top (that was Brian's idea, and it looked and tasted great!)
-roasted bell peppers

When you have leftover pita and hummus, you can make a sandwich with it - just spread the pita with hummus and add veggies.

You can eat it everyday! We do (or at least every 4 days).


toothpastefordinner.com

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake/Brownie/Fudge/Plop Thing

Brian was wanted to test a peanut butter cake (for an over the top peanut butter chocolate nutter butter and Reese's Pieces covered monster to take to work), so he found this Peanut Butter Sheet Cake Recipe. We halfed the recipe, and added about 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

We didn't use the icing either. He wanted chocolate icing, so I took about 1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips, 3 TBSPs or so of milk, and 2 TBSP of Peanut Butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Took it out and stirred it, and then put it back in for another 30 seconds. I repeated that process until it was a smooth consistency. Then I beat in powdered sugar until I got an icing (about 1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar).

Brian was not happy with the result. He wanted a true cake consistency, and it ended up being thick, dense, almost brownie or fudge like. While he didn't like it, I thought when it was cold in the fridge, it was awesome (He thought it was still too gooey).

It needs some work, but overall, I thought it was good basis for something that could end up super awesome!


toothpastefordinner.com

Blackberry Cobbler

This Independence Day, Brian and I joined the rest of my family for a supper-duper over-the-top American day: we went to a baseball game (the Grand Prairie Airhogs) and there were fireworks following the game (at Lone Star Park). I don't know if is because Independence Day was this week, or just because Brian and I were at Farmer's Market last Sunday and every single booth had buckets and buckets of blackberries, but I decided I wanted to make a blackberry cobbler. Blackberry Cobbler just seems so American to me. More so than apple pie. I've never made an apple pie, and to be honest, I'm not always a huge fan of them.

The librarian in me decided to do some research:

The blackberry is a trailing-to-erect bramble,
usually spiny, in the genus Rubus of the family Rosaceae (rose). Blackberries occur throughout the world, with the exception of dry desert regions, but the greatest number are in the Northern Hemisphere. Commercial production is largely limited to the United States, where the principal producers are Oregon, Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Important types are Thornless Evergreen, Marion, Boysen, Olallie, Cherokee, Comanche, Cheyenne, Humble, and Darrow. Loganberry is a trailing type with purplish fruit that is different in many respects from other blackberries; most taxonomists consider it a true and separate species.

copied from: Moore, J. N. "blackberry." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia.
Grolier Online http://gme.grolier.com/cgi-bin/article?assetid=0034920-0
(accessed June 30, 2008).

According the same online encyclopedia, Europe produces more apples than the U.S., however most of those apples go to making Cider and Brandy (those smart Europeans). Also, according to What's Cooking America, apple pies pre-date the U.S. by a couple hundred years.

A lot of people ask me if the Internet will make libraries and books obsolete. If anything, I think the Internet has helped libraries and books. It shows how overwhelming the volume of information is out there, and many people would prefer to have a professional sift through it for them (at least in my library). Also, according to the Association of American Publishers, the "U.S. publishers had net sales of $25 billion in 2007; a 3.2 percent increase from 2006 with a compound growth rate of 2.5 percent per year since 2002." So, no, we're not hurting. I will admit that I almost always turn to the Internet at the beginning of a reference interview, and often find all the info I need to pass on to them on either the Internet or an online database. However, I feel so dumb when someone asks a factual question, and I turn to the Internet first and spend way too much trying to find a legitamate site, instead of just pulling out the World Almanac and Book of Facts, where I can find the answer in seconds.

So here I am sitting at home, googling "blackberry cobbler" which pulls up over 83,000 hits. Now I'm sure there are some great recipes there. However, on my day off, I don't feel like sifting through them. On a whim, I get off my butt, walk over to my cookbook shelf, and pull out the big yellow Gourmet cookbook. And what do you know, right there in the index "cobbler, blackberry 815-816." It is the only cobbler in the big book, and it happens to be exactly the kind I want to make. If you can't trust Ruth Reichl when it comes to food, who can you trust?

I didn't make it in the cast iron skillet, but overall it was okay. I wanted more dough. I added some cinnamon to it. Some ginger would have been a nice addition to the blackberries.