Midlife Crises

Last week, I celebrated another birthday. It was a birthday that might mean I have officially hit middle age. It was also a birthday celebrated with multiple groups of friends and multiple dinners out, and some of the best blackened steaks, fettuccine, and bang bang shrimp I have had in some time. I also hit it big with home-canned pasta sauce, homemade wine, lots of silly cards, coffee, and purple hair.

Yep. I trudged into my first week of middle age with a midlife crisis that resulted in purple highlights framing my face.

As I have been busy catching up with canning tomatoes from the garden (and a large haul provided by friends), I have been wearing my hair up more often than not, and the purple isn't that visible. However, when I take the time to style and wear my hair down, I am often caught off guard when I pass a mirror and catch a glimpse. I. Have. Purple. Hair. It has to be a midlife crisis.

The drama hasn't been limited to just my brunette locks, I also had to mess with the recipe for a pan of Blondies. Friends were married the weekend before my birthday, and I helped with the wedding rehearsal supper. They had chosen a simple cookout menu and requested brownies and blondies for desserts.

Just like my hair, I couldn't leave those blondies alone. Chocolate chip bars were too simple. Butterscotch chips alone made them too sweet. And while white chocolate chips added some visual interest, they were also boring. Would it be a crisis to mix it up with ALL THE CHIPS? Well...maybe the crisis of middle aged spread after eating the entire pan.

Midlife Crisis Blondies

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 large eggs

3 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1-1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet, but if you prefer a sweeter bar, milk chocolate would be good.)

1-1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips

1-1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375F.
Line a 17x12 (half sheet) pan with parchment paper and coat any surface not covered by the paper (edges) with cooking spray.
Beat the softened butter with the sugars until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and extract and combine well.
Gradually, stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Add the chips to the batter.
Spread in the prepared pan. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown. DO NOT OVER BAKE.
Cool in pan completely before cutting. (4 dozen bars)

And...just in case you were curious about what a middle aged woman looks like with purple hair...

Oleo

I grew up with my mother sometimes referring to the sticks of Parkay and Blue Bonnet in our fridge as "oleo." An older lady we knew called it "oleomargarine," which a little online sleuthing tells me is the original name for a butter substitute developed in France using mostly beef fat and vegetable oils. Over time, it seems that the commercial recipe for margarine, as it came to be known, was altered several times due to availability of ingredients, but ultimately came to be made up of mostly oils.

As a kid, those sticks of oleo were whipped into cookies and baked into cakes. Tubs of the spread were slathered on toast and just plain old "bread and butter." It was what I knew and what, at the time, I liked. We didn't eat real butter in my childhood home; which now that I think about it seems a little odd since my mother also made weekly pilgrimages to an area dairy for fresh, whole milk for the her large family. But, that is probably a topic for another blog post.

Today, I came here to talk about oleo...and what it has come to mean to me. As an adult, my home has evolved into pretty much a butter only refuge. There are stray sticks of margarine that make their way into the house for a very select few recipes that benefit from the higher water content, but overall, 99.9% of our consumption is butter. I have come to prefer the flavor of real butter. Blame it on the marketing of the dairy council, but when I now hear the word "oleo," my mouth fills with the feel of grease. I don't want margarine. At all.

So, it was a little shocking (and honestly, as snobby as it may seem, a little revolting) when I saw a television commercial for a major drugstore brand of shampoo announcing its newest therapy for hair, Oleo Therapy. Umm...what?!? I know that beer, mayonnaise, eggs, avocados, olive oil, and recently, coconut oil have all been brought out of the kitchen as beneficial products for our follicles, but OLEO? I doubt that the product does actually contain margarine; who wants to smear I Can't Believe It's Not Butter on their head? But, seriously, is there nobody on the L'Oreal marketing team that remembers oleo as margarine? I don't get it. Oleo Therapy doesn't seem like a spa-quality product to me. It seems like a mouth full of grease. I won't be rushing out to treat my hair to Oleo Therapy.

I could possibly be rushing to treat myself to Graham Cracker Bars made with real butter. This is a slightly different take on the classic Saltine Toffee Bars. Graham Crackers are layered with toffee bits and almonds before being drenched with a syrup of melted REAL BUTTER and sugar. The bars are baked to a bubbly goodness and then topped with chocolate chips and flaked salt. Simple and delicious. Not a mouth full of grease. 

Graham Cracker Bars

(adapted from Everyday Food)

13 graham crackers
1 bag (8 ounces) toffee bits
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Preheat oven to 350F. 
Line a baking sheet with foil. Arrange graham crackers in a single layer on sheet, edges touching. 
Sprinkle toffee bits and almonds over graham crackers.
Bring sugar and butter to a boil over medium-high. 
Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is syrupy, 2 minutes.
Immediately pour over graham crackers. 
Bake until sugar topping is bubbling, 12 minutes. 
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate and salt over graham crackers. 
With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into 2-inch squares.
Let cool completely. (Serves 24)

I Bet That Just Killed You

I have been doing a little holiday baking recently.

I know.

Every year, I tell you that I don't like to bake, but then I share a recipe for some delectably sweet baked good.

I am a conundrum.

But, here is the twist, one of the treats I find myself whipping up most every Christmas isn't actually baked. There is no oven involved in the recipe for Peanut Butter Bon Bons.  It came from my mother sometime in the early 80s, and I suppose you could call it semi-homemade because one of the ingredients is a tub of ready-to-spread vanilla frosting. When I recently shared that secret with a friend, she exclaimed, "I bet that just killed you."

Um...not.

I have no problem with taking a short cut here and there in the kitchen, as long as the end result is good. And believe me, Peanut Butter Bon Bons are good. So good that I can't imagine a Christmas without Peanut Butter Bon Bons On My Plate.

 

 Peanut Butter Bon Bons

1 can ready-to-spread vanilla frosting

1 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup butter (I use unsalted.)

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (If I am crushing my own, I assume 1 package is 1 cup and do 2 in my food processor.) 

Chocolate candy coating for dipping

Candy decorations, if desired

Cream together frosting, peanut butter and butter until well combined.
Gradually add in graham crackers until fully mixed.
Using a small cookie scoop, portion the peanut butter/graham cracker mixture into 1-inch balls.
Roll the portions into 1-inch balls.
Chill for at least 1 hour or up to a day or 2.
Dip in melted chocolate candy coating.
Allow to dry on waxed paper for a few hours.

Candy Bar. Skillet. Cookie.

Candy Bar.

 Skillet.

Cookie.

Candy Bar Skillet Cookie

(inspired by Picky Palate)

1 box (18.25 ounces) white cake mix

1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil

2 eggs

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

6 fun-size Snickers candy bars

7 mini (bite-size) Milky Way candy bars

4 fun-size packages M&Ms

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine cake mix, oil, and eggs to form a cookie batter. Stir in chocolate chips. Spray 10-inch cast iron skillet with cooking spray. Spread just over half of the cookie dough in the cast iron skillet. Arrange the candy bars and 2 packages of M&Ms over the cookie dough. Spread the rest of the cookie dough over the candy bars. Sprinkle the remaining 2 packages of M&Ms over the top. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until dough is baked through in the middle. Allow to cool completely before cutting into wedges to serve. (Serves 8.) 

WARNING: Do not be tempted to overload with additional candy bars; the cookie will take much longer to bake through in the middle and then be dry.

An Apple a Day

If you live in South Dakota and have a television, you have probably seen a Golden West Telecommunications commercial. The candid shots of real South Dakotans going about their daily business and waving with friendly smiles reinforces that, in our state, we really all are neighbors and friends. There have been a few series of these televised spots with "characters" from all across the state.

The creative forces behind these ads are from Message, a full-service marketing and communications firm based in Rapid City, SD. I have been asked a few times to participate in shoots for Golden West spots, but always, there were scheduling conflicts. This past month, the "Messengers" were in our area and once again, contacted me. Although my calendar was full and my allergies were raging, I agreed and a time was set for filming me in my kitchen.

The day the crew was to arrive, I gave the kitchen a lick and a promise at cleaning and prepped a new recipe for Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies. I *big puffy heart* oatmeal cookies. Raisin Oatmeal may be my most favoritest, but Hubs would rather eat worms than look at a raisin. An oatmeal cookie with chunks of melted caramel and dried apples was perfect for fall and seemed to be just the thing to appease both of our taste buds.

It may be false advertising that I allowed myself to be filmed mixing up cookies and baking them. I am not a baker. I never have claimed to be, and honestly, I think that baking cookies can be one of my worst nightmares. However, little did I know that my worst nightmare was yet to come...

I should back up and explain that sinus issues have been my battle all year. Allergies flared up in the spring and never really loosened their grasp. I have been perpetually (chronically?) snotty, headache-y, whine-y for most of the year. Throw in a couple of subbing jobs at the school with exposure to kid germs, and a full on head and chest cold arrives that gobbles up boxes of tissues and makes my Hubs and the pups wince when I serenade them with a hacking cough. I have been, basically, a walking bucket of warm snot. And that is where my nightmare comes to life.

During the shoot in my kitchen, the crew chatted with me about others in the community that might be interested in participating, talked about my old house, and tried to make me laugh so that the shots of me smiling were real and warm and not as if I was constipated. At one point, I don't even know what the camera man said, but I snorted. Oh. Em. Gee. Yes. My nose wrinkled, my eyes squinted, and my allergy/cold congested head snorted. And...SNOT. CAME. OUT. OF. MY. NOSE.

I died.

I tossed aside the tray of cookies and dashed for the powder room and a tissue, but, it was too late. There is film of me with snot running out of my nose while snorting and laughing and holding a pan of Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies. It could become part of a Golden West commercial. This could very well be my worst nightmare.

Maybe I should have been eating an apple a day to keep the snot away, or at very least made Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies earlier. They do have apples; it might have helped.

Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups oatmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg

3/4 cup finely chopped dried apples (I used apples that I had dehydrated and were very dry. Therefore, I added a splash of water to the chopped pieces and let set for a bit before stirring into the dough. I think it made for a chewier cookie...my preference.)

3/4 cup caramel bits OR 16 small soft caramel candies, chopped (I opted to chop the caramels. The caramel bits were quite hard and I wanted softer, chewier cookies. I tossed my chopped caramel bits with just smidgen of flour to keep them from sticking together.)

Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine sugars and butter in mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
Add vanilla and egg, beat well. 
Mix in the flour, oatmeal, baking powder and soda, and salt just until combined.
Fold in the caramel bits and dried apples.
Drop by 2 teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment (or Silpat).
Flatten balls slightly. (I pressed with the bottom of a measuring cup.)
Bake at 350F for 9 minutes.
Cool on pans for about 2-3 minutes.
Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. (4 dozen cookies)

Merry Christmas to You and Yours!

I have told you over and over that I don't like to bake cookies, but I baked for you.

Triple Chocolate Ginger Crinkles.

Rich chocolate cookies with just a hint of spicy ginger and dusted with powdered sugar. Each unique like a snowflake. All delicious.

Merry Christmas to you and yours. May you find peace and love in this holiday season.

Triple Chocolate Ginger Crinkles

(adapted from Martha Stewart)

1/2 cup unsalted butter

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup candied ginger, finely chopped

1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips

1 cup powdered sugar

Melt the butter and unsweetened chocolate, stirring until smooth.
Let cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F; line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Beat the eggs and sugar together.
Whisk in the cooled butter and chocolate mixture.
Stir in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until incorporated.
Stir in mini chocolate chips and ginger.
Place powdered sugar in a wide bowl.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. (I found that using a cookie scoop to worked well.)
Roll each dough ball in powdered sugar to coat.
Place cookies about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
Bake 14-17 minutes, until cookies are puffed and cracked. (14 minutes made perfectly chewy cookies for me; 17 minutes yielded crisper cookies)
Allow to cool for a minute before transferring to racks to cool completely. (Yield: 3 dozen)

South Dakota Magazine

So...in case you didn't know, I have been contributing semimonthly at South Dakota Magazine for almost a year. However, in poor blogger form, I have neglected the updates here On My Plate.

Let's do a quick catch-up with a rundown of my columns from last summer and so far this fall...

In June, we had The War for the Strawberries with Ace and I trying in vain to protect my precious berries from the squirrels. We did manage to save enough for Strawberry Mousse.

I also waxed poetically about the beautiful corn crops that later were destroyed by the drought. Thankfully, there was still some sweet corn for Fresh Corn and Radish Salad.

July brought my dilemma regarding what to take to the Antiques Roadshow and a Strawberry Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake.

Later, I cried for cucumbers to be made into Refrigerator Pickles...which led to a friend gifting me with more cucumbers than I knew what to do with in August. I now have refrigerator pickles as well as several other versions canned on my food storage shelves.

Zucchini was loud and proud in August with a rich and creamy Zucchini Alfredo

...AND sweet and delicious Zucchini Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies making the pages of the South Dakota Magazine website.

I whined about the difficulty of finding some ingredients here on the prairie and shared the recipe for the ever spicy Andouille Sausage and Shrimp Skewers in September.

Maintaining that level of heat with the kick of my Basic Salsa for Canning was easy.

I admitted to not really loving crock pot cooking, but making a concession for Chipotle Pork earlier this month. 

And, just this past week, I started looking ahead to the holidays and meal planning with Green Beans in Mushroom Sauce.




There you have it...a round-up of what I have been sharing through South Dakota Magazine. Hopefully, I can be a bit more faithful with updates in the future.

The Truth About Love

The truth is...

I love to eat cookies.

I don't love to bake them.

However, this classic Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe makes all the frustration worthwhile.

Don't forget your cookie scoop. It makes dropping the dough onto the baking sheet so easy. Also, if you get bored with baking, throw the dough into the fridge. It keeps well for about a week, and a few freshly baked cookies each day is always true love.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 cups shortening (Yes, shortening. Crisco. I think it is key to the chewy texture of the cookies versus more crispness when baked with butter.)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 tablespoons water

3 eggs

4 1/2 cups oatmeal

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2-3 cups chocolate chips (I like semisweet in this recipe, and lots of them.)

Preheat oven to 375F.
Cream sugars and shortening together.
Add water, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well.
Add dry ingredients and mix until well blended.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Using a cookie scoop, drop onto a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet. (Alternatively, grease the baking sheets.)
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
Allow to cool on baking sheet for a minute before moving to racks to fully cool. (Yields 6 dozen cookies, approximately.)

Caught in the Act

Oreos have traditionally represented happy childhood memories. However, I can't look at an Oreo without thinking about my husband...naked.

I am sorry. I know you didn't come here for *those* kinds of tales, but trust me. This is legend.

As a farmer, Hubs usually finds himself as busy as a one-man-band. Chores are a never-ending battle, as are repairs. A leisurely day is treasured, almost held sacred. Back when we were mere newlyweds, one mid-summer Sunday morning began just as that type of day.

Always an early riser, my husband had showered long before my tired soul had dreamt of venturing from under the covers. What took place next is a bit foggy in our memories. The tale varies slightly with each re-counting; however, the facts remain the same. After showering, Hubs, for a reason not yet disclosed, proceeded to saunter through the house naked, without a stitch of clothing, modesty unheeded.

Feeling a need for nourishment, he selected not cereal, not eggs, not toast or even fruit, but Oreos. Then, he settled himself, still naked, in front of the TV.

Sometime later, I emerged from my slumber. Pulling on my robe, I stumbled groggily to the living room, just in time to see my husband's childhood pal pull into the drive. Announcing our guest's arrival, I noticed my husband's attire, or lack thereof.

Not fully awake, I instructed Hubs to remain in the chair. Meanwhile, Sam, the friend, had bounded from his car and was rapidly approaching the door. Hubs shot me a look which confirmed the insanity of my request and grabbed the Oreos. He dashed to the bedroom, leaving behind a tell-tale trail of Oreo cookies all the way down the hallway.

When questioned as to motive, Hubs simply stated it was freedom of expression. He can eat Oreos in the nude on any Sunday morning he wished. After all, it is a free country. *eye roll*

Zucchini Oatmeal Sandwich cookies are more like Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies than Oreos, and you could eat them while sitting naked in your favorite chair watching TV, but you certainly don't have to. In fact, I even think I would prefer not to know if you do. OK? Unless it is a really great story of getting caught in the act...maybe.

Zucchini Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies

(adapted from Martha Stewart)

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup finely grated zucchini

1 cup old-fashioned oats

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350F.
Beat 1/2 cup of the butter (save remaining 1/4 cup for cream cheese filling) and sugars until pale and fluffy.
Beat in egg and vanilla.
Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Mix in grated zucchini and oats.
Refrigerate until firm, about an hour.
Using a medium cookie scoop (I might have used a small...I only have one.), drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets (I used Silpat and had problems with sticking. I think the parchment is essential.), spacing about 2 inches apart.
Bake until edges are golden, about 17 minutes.
Allow to cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes before placing on wire rack.
Cool on a wire rack. (The cookies are tender and crumbly when fresh from the oven. I let them cool on the rack overnight in order to dry out a bit and firm up for ease of spreading the filling.)
Beat together remaining 1/4 cup of butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until smooth.
Spread 1 heaping tablespoon filling onto the flat side of 1 cookie, and sandwich with another cookie.
Repeat with remaining cookies. 
Store loosely covered with waxed paper between layers of cookies. (Makes 2 dozen, approx.)

I Heart NY - NYC, volume 3

On our last day in New York City, we spent the morning at the 9/11 Memorial. This tribute is extremely powerful and moving. There really are no words for the weight of the sadness that hits as one reads the names etched in bronze around the reflecting pools of each life lost. We all watched in horror a those planes struck and the towers fell. Walking on those grounds and gazing into the ponds and waterfalls, one feels a great responsibility to honor those fallen, to be a better person, and to never forget.

The rest of the day was spent wandering and eating. Eating and wandering. We walked blocks and blocks and stopped anywhere that looked appealing. A drink here. An appetizer there. A dessert in another place. A spinach pie from a deli. A warming cup of cappuccino. We nibbled through restaurants, and diners, and delis, and bakeries. We sampled anything that caught our fancy, and even though our bites were small, by the time our feet were tired and we were ready to head back to the hotel, my tummy was so full I thought I might burst. It was incredible. The best. I want to go back and do it again. Right now. Right.Now. I heart New York.

One of the places we stopped was Amy's Bread. After our slightly disappointing dinners, I was looking for one thing to really love. One outstanding food needed to stand out for this trip, and I found it at this bakery. Salted Butterscotch Cashew Bars rocked. Totally. Completely. We bought one and split it as we walked the few blocks to another stop. Immediately, I wanted more...even though I was rapidly reaching my full button. We dissected the flavors and debated the ingredients. When we got back to the hotel, I did an online search for the recipe. I was in love.

These sweet, salty, chewy, nutty bars of perfection would be an excellent treat for your Valentine (since that day is rapidly approaching). Or, if Cupid hasn't hit you, just make a pan for yourself. Don't eat them all in one sitting, though. Salted Butterscotch Cashew Bars are rich. Deliciously rich. Deliciously divine. I heart Salted Butterscotch Cashew Bars.

Salted Butterscotch Cashew Bars

(from Amy Sherber, The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread 

and the James Beard Foundation)

Crust:

2 2/3 cups flour

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, cold

1 1/8 cups light brown sugar, packed

Topping:

1 2/3 cups butterscotch chips (this is the rough measurement of a package of butterscotch chips)

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups cashew pieces, roasted and salted

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Line a 12 x 17-inch sheet pan with aluminum foil.
Grease lightly with softened butter.
To make the crust, cut the butter into the flour, alternating with the brown sugar, using a pastry blender to form a coarse meal. (Alternatively, use a food processor fitted with a metal blade.)
The dough will be a little crumbly but will almost form a ball.
Spread the crust evenly in the bottom of greased pan, patting in gently.
Be careful not to pack it down too much or the crust will become tough.
Bake it for 5 minutes then prick the dough lightly with a fork all over, and return the pan to the oven and bake for about 10 more minutes.
The crust should be slightly browned and soft to the touch.
Remove from the oven and allow the crust to cool for several minutes.(Cooling is important, as the hot topping will destroy a warm crust.) Do not turn off the oven.
To make the topping, melt the butterscotch chips, corn syrup, butter, water, and salt and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the chips have melted completely and the topping has just begun to simmer, about 5 minutes.
Stir the cashew pieces into the hot topping and spread it evenly over the baked crust.
Bake again for 11 to 15 minutes, or until the surface is brown and very bubbly.
Allow the bars to cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. (Yield: 25 bars)

Friends (and A Giveaway!)

***GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED***CONTEST WINNERS DRAWN***

Back when I was in high school, a friend and I used to have a ritual for escaping from study hall. Open campus allowed us to hop in her car and hit the nearby grocery store for Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tarts and chocolate milk. We would "flip U's" --for those of you not into our small town lingo, that means cruise the main highway, from one end to the other, making U-turns in parking lots to turn around and do it again and again and again--, solve the world's problems, and stuff ourselves with those sweet treats. As mundane as that may sound, I have very fond memories of those aimless hours of driving around.

These days, that friend lives across the state, keeps up with her three daughters, volunteers in her community and church, wrangles her husband, and has her own very successful business. We stay in touch through Facebook, but I can't remember the last time we saw each other, much less shared a sweet treat. If we could both escape for a moment, I would make a platter of Bite-Sized Winter Fruit Tarts and some coffee. This would be my grown-up replacement for Pop-Tarts. Sweet cherries and raisins are balanced with tart, dried cranberries and earthy walnuts to fill tiny little tarts baked in a mini muffin tin. Perfect for sharing with a treasured friend over a cup of coffee...and even portable, if we had the urge to flip U's again.

However, my awesome friend has an even better treat to share with YOU, my friendly blog readers. That very successful business that I mentioned? She is a Pampered Chef consultant. For the past 14 years, this home-based business has provided a steady income for her and her family while offering flexibility for their hectic schedules. She has earned amazing trips and had fun while she worked. It truly has been a dream job for her, and she loves to share the impressive and useful products of Pampered Chef.

She loves to share these great kitchen products so much that she has sponsored this FIRST EVER (wow!) BLOG GIVEAWAY for On My Plate. Rhonda has provided a $50 Pampered Chef Gift Certificate to share with one of my lucky readers. Awesome, right?!? But, wait! There is more!

That great act of friendship inspired me. I have been wanting to do a giveaway here On My Plate f.o.r.e.v.e.r., but haven't been organized enough to get it done. I have decided to add my own $50 Pampered Chef Gift Certificate. This one will be available to "friends" on Facebook.

Yep. You read that correctly. In the next week, you have 2 different options/chances to win $50 from Pampered Chef. What will you buy with your gift certificate? A mini muffin pan to bake Bite-Sized Winter Fruit Tarts? Those great stackable cooling racks from A Few of My Favorite Things? Stoneware or a batter bowl? What would you love to own? Tell me, and it could be yours.

Here are the two ways to win a $50 Pampered Chef Gift Certificate:

1. Comment here, on THIS blog post, and share with me which Pampered Chef product you dream of owning and what you would use it to make. BONUS: Name gets thrown in the hat an extra time if you plan to try a recipe from On My Plate.
2. Head over to Facebook and "like" On My Plate (https://www.facebook.com/OnMyPlate) AND comment on the post there for THIS blog post. Again, tell me which Pampered Chef product you can't wait to own and how you want to use it. And again, BONUS  entry for checking out a recipe shared On My Plate.

Each comment will be entered for drawings on January 10, 2012. One drawing will be held for the blog comments, and one drawing will be held for the Facebook comments. Awesome? Awesome.

BTW--because of a little spam/troll issue, I do moderate comments. Don't panic if it doesn't appear immediately, I will check frequently and authorize all entries for the gift certificates. ALSO--If you choose to comment anonymously (and not register with Blogger), please be sure to include your first name or nickname in the comment so that I can identify when you win. Thanks!

Disclaimer or whatever: This blog post is sponsored by my incredible friend, Rhonda. While Rhonda is a Pampered Chef consultant, Pampered Chef is not sponsoring this giveaway. It is a personal venture in the name of friendship from myself and my friend. Opinions stated are purely my own. 

***GIVEAWAY NOW ENDED***CONTEST WINNERS DRAWN***

 

Bite-Sized Winter Fruit Tarts

1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 pastry for double-crust pie (homemade or ready-made refrigerated)
2 tablespoons sugar

 
Combine cherry pie filling, cranberries, raisins and nuts in a medium bowl; set aside.
Roll pie crust on a lightly floured surface.
Cut 48 1 and 1/2 inch circles from pie crust with a biscuit cutter or glass.
Place tiny rounds of crust into mini-muffin pans.
Fill each crust with 1 teaspoon of filling mixture.
Cut 48 small stars (or other shape) from remaining pie crust (re-roll dough as necessary).
Place one small star on each tiny tart.
Sprinkle each tart with sugar.
Bake at 350F for 15 to 18 minutes.
Cool on wire rack.
Store loosely covered. (48 mini tarts)

Check back here On My Plate or on my Facebook page for the announcement of the winners on January 10, 2012. Good luck, and go love your friends! 

***GIVEAWAY NOW ENDED***CONTEST WINNERS DRAWN***

Vegetables Are a Must

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie. ~ Jim Davis

I suggest Pumpkin Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies. These slightly spiced, soft, cakey cookies have a nice texture from the oats and the perfect sweetness from the butterscotch chips. They have become one of my favorite autumn treats. 

Pumpkin Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies
(recipe adapted from Food.com)

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 cups flour
1 cup oats (I use traditional oats because they are firmer than quick-cooking.)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon mace
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 

1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips

Cream butter and sugars.
Beat in egg and vanilla.
Add the pumpkin.
Combine flour, salt, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg in a separate, large mixing bowl. 
Slowly add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture.
Fold in chips.
Drop by tablespoon (I use a cookie scoop.) onto greased cookie sheets.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. (2 dozen cookies)

After School Treat

I am back to spending more time at the school these days. Last year, one situation after another caused me to be unable to accept the offers when the school was looking to fill substitute positions. So far this year, I have been able to work most of the days they have called, and I like it. I enjoy being back with the students and staff in the local halls of education. 

After a day with an elementary class, I almost always return home with amusing stories. The kids love to chat and are never afraid to share their thoughts. How a child's mind works and processes bits of information is amazing. Jr. High and High School students often prompt thoughtful discussion, digging deep in a direction that I hadn't considered taking a topic. We all learn and broaden our minds. 

We also all work up big appetites. I don't know what it is about studying all day that leaves me starving when I return home. I could eat anything that isn't nailed down, and often do. Thankfully, I have a batch of Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies waiting for me to tame my growling stomach. 

Shredding the last few zucchini from the garden (and freezing several portions for cakes, cookies, and bars this winter), I was happy to discover a cookie recipe to use some of the bounty. You may remember past posts when I have stated that I am not a baker and that I don't care to bake cookies, but those feelings were pushed aside as I attempted to find a way to use zucchini that wasn't baked into a cake with cream cheese frosting. Yes, I heart cream cheese frosting, but after awhile, enough is enough.

These cookies are soft and delicately spiced with cinnamon. Instead of regular chocolate chips, I chose large chocolate drops which seemed to intensify the chocolate flavor. I find the flecks of green zucchini skin (peel if you must, but I don't) to add visual interest and a bit of texture to balance the walnuts. Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies are the perfect after school treat On My Plate.

 

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups zucchini, grated
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2-2 cups walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350.
Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray or line with Parchment paper.
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into the butter mixture, gradually; mix well.
Stir in the zucchini.
Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the cookie sheets...since these are soft cake-like cookies, allow about 2 inches between cookies for spreading in the oven.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. (My oven only needed 15 minutes.)
Cool 2 to 3 minutes on the baking sheets, then remove and place on wire racks to allow to cook completely. (approx 8 dozen cookies)

Shot Through the Heart

I made cookies.

My husband really likes cookies.

I don't like to bake cookies...however, baking these (possibly heart-healthy with oatmeal, and absolutely YUMMY with tart dried cherries and rich chocolate) cookies wasn't so bad.

I am not sure why.

Maybe, I was shot through the heart by Cupid.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Chocolate-Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups old-fashions rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup dried cherries

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I eyeballed this, and probably poured about 3/4 cup out of my bag of chips.)

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine flours, oatmeal, baking soda, and salt in mixing bowl; stir.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
Remove from heat; add brown sugar, stirring until smooth.
Add sugar mixture to flour mixture, beating with mixer at medium speed until well blended.
Add cherries, vanilla, and egg.
Beat until combined.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Spray baking sheets with cooking spray or line with parchment. (I heart parchment; clean up is sooooooo easy...just toss.)
Using a small cookie scoop (REALLY. I am not a gadget person, but cookie scoops make a world of difference in the ease of baking cookies), drop 2 inches apart on baking sheet.
Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.
Cool on pan 3 minutes, or until almost firm.
Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks. (30 cookies)

Fridge Friday: Episode 9

I am cranky today. There is too much on my to-do list, and not enough hours in this day. The wind is a hot and blustery 20 mph pain in my backside with 30-40 mph gusts just to remind me that it can (and will) do whatever it wants. The dogs are barking at imaginary sounds, people are pestering me, and my bottle of Aleve is almost empty. It is one of those days, but here is my Fridge Friday fridge...

Is it just me and my grumpy mind, but does my fridge pretty much always look the same? Most likely, it does. Why wouldn't it? I tend to buy the same types of groceries over and over. On the top right, we have milk, OJ, and a few sodas; the top left holds assorted condiments and at this point, an impressive stack of blocks of cream cheese (I wanted cream cheese for the Candied Jalapenos, but forgot that I had already purchased some. *shrug*). The middle shelf always has the eggs, pickles, extra butter, and some veggies (cauliflower, broccoli, red & green cabbage this time), and today has a bowl of limes and a lemon. Bottom shelf is another mish-mash of fresh veggies (zucchini, green onions, spinach, celery, sweet corn, brussels sprouts), an icy cold beverage, and luscious blueberries and strawberries. There is also a Gladware container with a package of ground beef and some bacon perched on top of the beer. More odds and ends of produce in the bottom right drawer and some cheeses in the bottom left. I am a bit of a creature of habit, and pretty much always put things in the same places. I could probably be a hundred miles away and tell you were to find the jalapenos in my fridge (bottom right drawer, by the way).

Part of the agenda for the day includes Hubs smoking a pork butt at the farm for dinner with some family tonight. The cabbage will be made into coleslaw at some point, and I will fry up the bacon and ground beef to add to my big pot of Cowboy Beans to round out the side dishes for the meal. I don't have those things made yet (and if I don't get my butt moving and get this blog post done, we might just have to have pulled pork and no sides...like that would fly *eyeroll*). So, I am going to zero in on the bowl of limes. Last night, I zested and juiced a few of those tart jewels and whipped up a batch of White Chocolate Lime Cookies.

I am torn by these cookies. They are everything that I love in a cookie: sweet, but not too sweet; tart with real lime; soft and chewy; and EASY. I think that is what makes me feel so guilty. They are so completely, utterly, totally, easy because they start with a cake mix. (OK, serious bakers can click away now. Sorry.) Think what you want about my baking skills, but it has been a trying day and at this point, you might have to just shoot me before I would give up these White Chocolate Lime Cookies On My Plate.

White Chocolate Lime Cookies

1 box white cake mix

1/2 cup butter, softened at room temperature (melting it makes the cookies texture tough)

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon grated lime zest (don't skip this, it is worth it)

1 1/4 cups which chocolate chips

3 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons grated lime zest (again, do it; really)

5-6 tablespoons FRESH lime juice (don't open a bottle, squeeze a lime, please)

Preheat oven to 350°.
Cover cookie sheets with parchment.
With mixer, combine cake mix, softened butter, eggs and 1 tablespoon lime zest until blended and smooth.
Stir in remaining white chocolate chips with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets.
Bake 10-13 minutes or until set at edges and just barely set at center.
Cool 1 minute on sheets; transfer to wire racks and cool completely.
Combine powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons lime zest and enough FRESH lime juice make icing just thin enough to drizzle off fork.
Drizzle icing over cooled cookies. (4 dozen cookies)

Did you think I was going to let this post slip by without another voyeur slide show of other people's fridges? Of course not. I love it when you are willing to share your fridges here on the blog. 

Also, be sure to check out Jeanne at Jeanne Eats World and her fabulous Fridge Friday posts. Scallops on her plate tonight. Doesn't that sound good?

Berry Ironic

I don't think that I know anyone in our local area that actually serves Strawberry Shortcake with real shortcake. Instead of the sweet biscuit-like base for our strawberries and cream, we usually swap out angel food cake, pound cake, sponge cake, and even just plain white cake. In fact, I don't know that I have ever had a true Strawberry Shortcake. 

That is why it is berry (I know, bad pun. Sorry.) ironic that my first foray into the realm of combining biscuits and strawberries would be with a cookie, and not a cake at all. One of my father-in-law's favorite desserts is the cake version of Strawberry Shortcake. With just a few ripe, red berries floating around in my fridge, I decided to try a Martha Stewart recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Cookies as a treat for him. They are tender and flaky, just as a baking powder biscuit would be be, with dots of fresh strawberry strewn within. A dusting of sugar adds just the right sweetness for the cookies. I don't mind a little berry irony as long as I have Strawberry Shortcake Cookies On My Plate.

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

2 cups strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2/3 cup heavy cream

sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons sugar. 
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 7 tablespoons granulated sugar in a large bowl. 
Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, or rub in with your fingers, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 
Stir in cream until dough starts to come together (I needed a couple tablespoons more cream to form a dough.), then stir in strawberry mixture. 
Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment, spacing evenly apart. (I used fresh parchment for each batch, as the sugar caramelized a bit and wanted to burn around the cookies.)
Sprinkle with additional sugar, and bake until golden brown, 24 to 25 minutes. (Mine were done in 20-22 minutes...watch the bottoms the sugar burns easily.)
Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool. 
Cookies are best served immediately, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. (I KNOW! A cookie recipe that says you have to eat them all in one day! Awesome sauce!) (About 3 dozen cookies)