Category Archives: Mouth Watering Deeeelicious

How to cook a turkey FAST and painlessly (for you not the bird)

Celebrations & Events, DIY Tutorials, Food for thought, IDEA!, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, Really Good Recipes, , ,

It’s THAT time of year again for “Cooking with Judy”  Here’s my yearly Thanksgiving post — cuz it’s tooooo good not to be shared!  

img_00131 I have a reputation, among those who know me,  to have an “interesting” sense of humor.  Even though How to Cook A Turkey with 500 degree heat sounds like a joke IT IS NO JOKE.

The turkey comes out brown, beautiful and MOIST.   I’ve done this every year for over three decades and it’s never failed. 
All the people who have tried it do it again and again. . . except for the woman bought a ButterBall Turkey* . . . to see why, keep reading.
 
Ingredients:
10 – 18 pound turkey* and a sense of adventure
 
Directions:
  • Pre Heat oven 500 degrees (this is not a typo)
  • Clean the bird
  • Throw it into a covered container – put on lid or aluminum foil
  • Do not add ANYTHING to the pot and/or the bird.
  • Do NOT baste or look at until time is up  (you will hear burbling, don’t worry, by the time you hear burbling the turkey is dead)
  • Bake (and I do mean BAKE), 7 minutes per pound, unstuffed at 500 degrees FARENHEIT
  • 7 1/2 minutes per pound, stuffed
*WARNING: Do NOT buy any *turkey that has ANYTHING injected under the skin (especially butter!) or the fire department will join you for dinner after you scrub the black soot from your ceiling.
Q & A (I won’t bother you with the Q-part)
  • Yes, it comes out brown and beautiful.
  • No, it is moist and delicious
  • I always put the stuffing in a casserole rather than the turkey – others have stuffed the bird and said it was great.
  • Yes, it will smell like Thanksgiving not like a house-on-fire.
  • No, PETA would not endorse this because it is more humane . . . for the cook
  • Yes! 500 degrees.  It is not a typo
  • Yes, 7 minutes a pound
P.S.  A typical turkey will take a little over 1 hour to bake. The first year I made the turkey this way I had the critter sitting out raw and naked as a J-bird when the guests arrived.
When they found out nothing was in the oven everyone nervously inquired what time we were going to eat.
Made me smile.

 

Chocolate chip cookie – OREO – Brownie recipe!!

Celebrations & Events, DIY Tutorials, Food for thought, IDEA!, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, Really Good Recipes, , ,

I have been Oreo-deprived for years. I don’t buy them because they are potato chips to me – can’t stop with one.  When my good friend Linda sent this recipe I thought I’d die and go to heaven.  AND it seemed toooooo simple.

I have 4 potlucks to go to so I immediately went to the big box store and bought a TUB of cookie dough, enough for more than 80 cookies.

NO trans fat
Healthy, NO trans fat
10 packages, possible trans fats
10 packages, possible trans fats

a 10-package box of Oreo cookies

 

DSCN6366
Triple Chocolate, triple trans fat

and a Box of brownie mix that makes 8 batches of brownies.

First Pot luck:

  • I ate 2 packages of the Oreo cookies to make sure they were fresh. 
  • 1 layer of chocolate chip cookie dough on bottom of 13″ x 9″ pan
  • 1 layer of Oreos.
  • 1 package of brownie mix (per mix instructions) poured over top.  Didn’t seem like enough brownie mix for the 13 x 9 pan so I made 2 packages.
  • Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes it was soup.  After 55 minutes it was congealed enough to remove. (and I was afraid the chocolate chip cookie dough on the bottom would be burnt).  Soft and squishy and any trace of Oreo had been drowned in the brownie batter.  BUT verrrrrrrrrry tasty.

Second Pot luck:

I ate another package of Oreo’s to make sure they were still fresh and this time only made one batch of brownie mix.

SUCCESS!!!

DSCN6361

2 More Potlucks to go . . . Need to buy more Oreos

Thanks Linda B.  You ARE the best!

How to cook a turkey FAST and painlessly (for you not the bird)

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Celebrations & Events, Food for thought, IDEA!, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, Really Good Recipes, , ,
It’s that time of year again for “Cooking with Judy”  Here’s my yearly Thanksgiving post — cuz it’s tooooo good not to be shared!  

img_00131 I have a reputation, among those who know me,  to have an “interesting” sense of humor.  Even though How to Cook A Turkey with 500 degree heat sounds like a joke IT IS NO JOKE.

The turkey comes out brown, beautiful and MOIST.
 I’ve done this every year for over three decades and it’s never failed.  (One time I did a 20-plus pounder and parts were not completely cooked so I zapped the parts in the microwave)
 
I’ve shared this with many others and it has failed only once — the woman bought a ButterBall Turkey . . . and has never eaten turkey since. To see why, keep reading.
 
Ingredients:
10 – 18 pound turkey* and a sense of adventure
 
Directions:
  • Pre Heat oven 500 degrees (this is not a typo)
  • Clean the bird
  • Throw it into a covered container – put on lid or aluminum foil
  • Do not add ANYTHING to the pot and/or the bird.
  • Do NOT baste or look at until time is up  (you will hear burbling, don’t worry, by the time you hear burbling the turkey is dead)
  • Bake (and I do mean BAKE), 7 minutes per pound, unstuffed at 500 degrees FARENHEIT
  • 7 1/2 minutes per pound, stuffed
*WARNING: Do NOT buy any *turkey that has ANYTHING injected under the skin (especially butter!) or the fire department will join you for dinner after you scrub the black soot from your ceiling.
Q & A (I won’t bother you with the Q-part)
  • Yes, it comes out brown and beautiful.
  • No, it is moist and delicious
  • I always put the stuffing in a casserole rather than the turkey – others have stuffed the bird and said it was great.
  • Yes, it will smell like Thanksgiving not like a house-on-fire.
  • No, PETA would not endorse this because it is more humane . . . for the cook
  • Yes! 500 degrees.  It is not a typo
  • Yes, 7 minutes a pound
P.S.  A typical turkey will take a little over 1 hour to bake. The first year I made the turkey this way I had the critter sitting out raw and naked as a J-bird when the guests arrived.
When they found out nothing was in the oven everyone nervously inquired what time we were going to eat.
Made me smile.

 

Healthy OREO LASAGNA (parenthetically speaking)

DIY Tutorials, Food for thought, Health & Healing, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, Parenthetically Speaking, Really Good Recipes,

There are so many recipes for Oreo Lasagna on the internet I taste-tested them all to make sure you, my loyal subscribers, had the healthiest.  Note: If you are allergic to chocolate substitute ingredients that aren’t chocolate.

Healthy OREO LASAGNA

Ingredients
2 packages Oreo cookies (One package to eat – for energy – while you are making the lasagna and the other for the recipe)
4 tbsp. butter, melted
8 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened (This is good as not only is it reduced fat but it’s softened so it won’t be hard in your arteries)
1/4 cup sugar (An excellent source of energy)
2 tbsp. skim milk (This is good as it’s a major food group)
12 oz fat-free cool whip (This is good as it is low-fat like the cream cheese.) 
6 Snack Pack Fat Free Chocolate Pudding cups  (This is good as there are preservatives in the pudding cups which will help the Oreo Lasagna from going bad before it hits your stomach

2 bags of mini chocolate chips (One bag to eat while you’re waiting for the lasagna to set in the refrigerator)

chocolate-lasagna-4

Instructions

1.  Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with non-stick spray (Do NOT use butter and add fat to the recipe)
2.  In a zip closed bag, crush the Oreo Cookies (Taste the crushed topping as you go to determine the proper consistency.  Do NOT use a food processor to crush the Oreo’s so you benefit from the exercise of pounding the cookies into submission)
3.  Set aside 1 cup of crushed Oreos for topping
4.  Combine remaining crushed Oreo’s with melted butter
5.  Press Oreo-butter mixture into the bottom of the dish
6.  In a small bowl whip the softened cream cheese using a handheld mixer until light and fluffy (Make sure it’s fluffy as air is a life force)
7.  Mix in sugar, milk and 1 1/4 cups of cool whip
8.  Spread cream cheese layer over the Oreo crust
9.  Layer chocolate pudding in an even layer over the cream cheese (or just mush it all together since it will eventually end up that way)
10.  Spoon remaining cool whip over pudding and gently smooth (It’s important that you are gentle so as not to agitate any existing fat molecules)
11.  Sprinkle on mini chocolate chips
12.  Refrigerate to chill for 4 hours (Eat the remaining chocolate chips while Lasagna is chilling)


 Each serving is 8 WW+ points (I’m not sure if this is short-hand for Weight Watchers or 8 out of 10 points on the Wowza Wowza scale)

Nutritional Info
Calories 309 Calories from Fat 127 Total Fat 14.1g Saturated Fat 7.0g Cholesterol 20 mg Sodium 265 mg Potassium 46 mg Carbohydrates 42.9g Dietary Fiber 1.0g Sugars 28.4 g Protein 3.5 g (Obviously a good source of protein – almost 4 grams)
Vitamin A 6% – Vitamin C 0% – Calcium 7% – Iron 6%  (This is good as it’s better to get your vitamins through food than pills)

Nutrition Grade – D (“D” as in DEEEEEElicious . . . of course)

 

 

Pi Day – delectable anyway you compute it.

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Most of you read my blog for cultural awareness and fast breaking scientific events such as Pi Day on March 14 .  This year it’s even more special because it’s 3/14/15!!!!!

 The Greek letter “π” (pronounced pi) is the symbol used in mathematics to represent a constant — the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter — which is approximately 3.14159.  That’s why Pi Day is an annual international celebration.

Now pay attention.  To celebrate you eat pie on 3/14/15 at exactly 9:26 am and again at 9:26 pm because “a sequential time occurs on 3/14/15 at 9:26:53.58979… following the sequence of pi to all digits.” Now THAT is something to celebrate.

There are NUMBEROUS* ways (over a trillion) to celebrate this most auspicious mathematical concept which you can find here: How to Celebrate Pi Day .  The best, and only way as far as I’m concerned, is to eat a pie.

Since pi is a Greek letter if you are cutting down on sugar you could eat Spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) instead.

Pi Pie at Delft University
Pi Pie at Delft University

 *”Pi has been calculated to over one trillion digits beyond its decimal point. As an irrational and transcendental number, it will continue infinitely without repetition or pattern. While only a handful of digits are needed for typical calculations, Pi’s infinite nature makes it a fun challenge to memorize, and to computationally calculate more and more digits.”  SEE!!! Culture and science can be fun!

1-2-3 Cake in a mug – Indulge without the bulge

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I have little self-control.  When I like the taste of something – usually something sweet . . . or salty . . .  or savory – I go back for more until it’s all gone.  I look for quick, one-serving ways to indulge.  Been making single serving brownies for years so when I see this “lighter” version I have to try it.

Directions for 1-2-3 (or 3-2-1) Single Serve Cake

Take a box of any flavored cake mix and a box of angel food cake mix – shake ’em both up, all together, in a freezer bag  and store.

When you want a quick single-serving of cake:

  • Put into a mug 3 TBSP of mix 
  • Stir in 2 TBSP H2O
  • Microwave for 1 minute, let cool
  • Add any topping, or not

Lo and behold there’s a lemon cake mix in the cupboard.  I run (actually I drive) to the grocery store, buy a box of Angel Food.  

I don’t want to mix them together.  What if I don’t like it?  No need spoiling 2 boxes of mix.

Having passed middle school math I take 1 1/2 TBSPs of each mix, stir in the water, zap it and put it in refrigerator to cool.  I garnish with frozen fruit to make it look gourmet, give Freddie the frozen fruit, and eat the cake.  It has the taste and consistency of sponge cake.  Ok, but not my favorite.  However, Freddie thoroughly enjoys the fruit.DSCN6202

Being ever curious I try my old stand-by for single serving sweets – No-Fat Trader Joe’s Brownie mix – garnish with chocolate chips.  MUCH better than the lemon flavor . . . could be the chips.

DSCN6203

I still have an unmixed box (minus 3 TBSP) of Angel Food so I’ll try another flavor when I run out of lemon and chocolate cake mix. 

My Tasty Recipe – it’s JUST so easy!

Creative Expressions, Food for thought, Health & Healing, Hooked on Haiku, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, Prose & Poetry, Really Good Recipes, Spiritually Speaking, , , , ,

Compassion Compote,  3 steps

Take human beings

peel, discarding all ego

gently fold and mix

 

add justice and love.

Gorge yourself on compassion

easy to digest

Haiku Horizons - prompt JUST
Haiku Horizons – prompt JUST

“Let us pray for eyes to see and ears to hear, and for hearts that long for peace.” ‘Abdu’l-Baha- Paris Talks, Baha’i World Faith

 

 

Something to Relish – cranberries & HORSERADISH! and experimenting on guests

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I like to experiment on my guests.   I rarely cook (or have dinner parties) so when I do I want to try new recipes (except for my 500 degree 7 minute per pound turkey).   People who have been to my “experimental dinners” know that,  after tasting something I made and don’t like, I announce “This tastes terrible”.  First time guests always try to appease me saying, with a forced smile on their face: “It’s good”.  

Most (not all) friends and family know that I take NO offense if a dish doesn’t taste great and will offer their opinions too.  I also make sure to tell them if they like something  “Eat up cuz I will probably never make it again.”

It makes cooking an adventure and takes all pressure off of me worrying about whether others will enjoy the meal!

ALthough we aren’t having anyone over for Thanksgiving this year I just may try this recipe because it’s strange and interesting.  I’ll freeze it for my experimental dinner party next year . . .

image09-0fef71adf5df4b761507a1f685de6038cf342007-s800-c85

Mama Stamberg’s Cranberry Relish 

(complements of Susan Stamberg)

2 cups whole raw cranberries, washed

1 small onion

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons horseradish from a jar (“red is a bit milder than white”)

  • Grind the raw berries and onion together. (Use an old-fashioned meat grinder or  food processor that will give you a chunky grind — not a puree.)
  • Add everything else and mix.
  • Put in a plastic container and freeze.
  • Early Thanksgiving morning, move it from freezer to refrigerator compartment to thaw.

0030149003908_500X500The relish will be thick, creamy, and shocking pink. (“OK, Pepto Bismol pink. It has a tangy taste that cuts through and perks up the turkey and gravy. Its also good on next-day turkey sandwiches, and with roast beef.”)

Makes 1 1/2 pints.

 

How to Painlessly Cook a Turkey (painless for you, not the turkey)

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Celebrations & Events, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, Really Good Recipes

Curious to the MAX

It’s that time of year again for “Cooking with Judy”  Here’s a re-post of my yearly Thanksgiving post — cuz it’s tooooo good not to be shared!  
 
I have a reputation, among those who love me,  to have an “interesting” sense of humor.  Even though this sounds like a joke IT IS NO JOKE.
I read about this and tried it.  The turkey comes out brown, beautiful and MOIST.
 I’ve done this every year for almost two decades and it’s never failed.  (One time I did a 20-plus pounder and parts were not completely cooked so I zapped the parts in the appliance of choice – my microwave)
I’ve shared this with many others and it has failed only once — the woman bought a ButterBall Turkey . . . and has never eaten turkey since. To see why, keep reading.

Ingredients:
10 – 18 pound turkey* and a…

View original post 246 more words

NEWS! My Cherry Pie Scoop

Creative Expressions, Fun & Frivolity, Hooked on Haiku, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, Prose & Poetry,

When I’m tired I crave something sweet:  Frozen cherry pie, on sale, can’t be beat . . . unless I drop it on my feet . . . .

Drop it upside down

Fastest way to cool a pie

Would you like a scoop?

DSCN6135Unretouched photo of cherry pie scraped off the bottom of the oven.*

*Since this is a cherry pie I cannot tell a lie.  If it were apple I would have scraped it into a pan and called it cobbler.

A Sugar Shun to Snicker at

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Snickers is my favorite candy bar.  It’s very good frozen or fresh.  Since I’m THINKING ABOUT DECIDING to go back on my Sugar Shun I’m reading a lot about sugar in preparation.
I found  a  recipe that meets my criteria for 4 ingredients or less from http://www.food.com/recipe/snickers-dip-the-secret-is-out-481616
(I have slightly altered the directions to make it more practical and tastier. )1920px-Snickers-broken
Snickers Party Dip
  • 16 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar 
  • 8 ounces Cool Whip 
  • 10 regular sized Snickers candy bars, chop 6 of the bars into small chunks
  • 1 lb small pretzels, for dipping (or large slotted spoon)

Directions:

  1. soften cream cheese.
  2. (eat one of the snickers bars to make sure they are fresh)
  3. cream the cream cheese until fluffy.
  4. (eat one of the snickers bars to renew your energy from all the creaming)
  5. add brown sugar and cream cheese until well blended.
  6. (eat one of the snickers bars to renew your energy from all the blending)
  7. carefully stir in the cool whip and 6 chopped snickers bars until combined.
  8. (use a large spoon to stir, licking  it frequently to determine when all the ingredients are properly blended)
  9. Place in covered container overnight, so flavors blend.
  10. (eat one of the snickers bars the next morning to make sure they are still fresh)
  11. Garnish with chopped peanuts,(if  it is lacking in crunch) shaved chocolate, or a carmel drizzle (if it is not sweet enough)
  12. serve with mini pretzels or eat with a slotted spoon so the calories can leach out.
Hammy Hamster sez: "BYOP (Bring your own pretzel)
Hammy Hamster sez:
“BYOP”
(Bring your own pretzels)

Secrets to Permanent Weight Loss & chocolate cake recipe with sneaky ingredients

Health & Healing, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, Really Good Recipes, ,

I did REALLY well all September in cutting out refined sugar . . . then October happened and I starting practicing eating candy in preparation for Halloween . . .  Dr Joel Fuhrman, he don’t like sugar, no how.  Here’s some of his ways to stay away from sugar AND lose weight:

Dr. Fuhrman’s Secrets to Permanent Weight Loss

1. Eat a large green salad as your main dish at least once a day, with a healthy dressing. (I put spinach in my fruit smoothie, does that count?)

2. Eat two ounces of nuts and seeds a day. Include walnuts and flax seeds.  (I only eat brownies that have walnuts in them)

3. Eat some beans every day, in a soup, chili or burger. (I bought a can of beans)

4. Eat a large serving of cooked green vegetables every day.  (I put spinach in my fruit smoothies, see #1)

5. Eat one fresh fruit with each meal (I put spinach in my fruit smoothies, see #4)

Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Healthy Chocolate Cake

This recipe that has some sneaky healthy ingredients.

“This cake tastes so good, you’ll never believe that it’s packed with veggies.”  (This is a quote from Dr Fhurman.  Please make it and let me know – I only make recipes that have less than 4 ingredients, including the package mix)

Cake Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole-wheat flour
  • 2/3 cup chickpea flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3 tsp baking soda
  • 3 1/2 cups pitted dates, divided
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks, drained
  • 1 banana, peeled
  • 1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into pieces
  • 1 cup shredded beets
  • 3/4 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup shredded zucchini

Chocolate-nut Icing:

  • 4 tbsp natural nonalkalized cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup dried currants
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup raw macadamia nuts or raw cashews
  • 1 cup vanilla soy, hemp or almond milk
  • 1/2 cup dates, pitted
  • 1/3 cup Brazil nuts or hazelnuts
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla flavor

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flours, baking powder and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside. In blender or food processor, puree 3 cups dates with the pineapple, banana and apple.

Slice remaining 1/2 cup dates into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. In a large bowl, mix sliced dates, beets, carrots, zucchini, cocoa powder, currants, walnuts, water, vanilla and flour mixture.

Add the fruit puree and mix well. Spread mixture in a 9.5-x-13.5-inch nonstick baking pan. Bake for one hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Or to make individual servings, bake in muffin tins lined with paper liners. Reduce cooking time to 20-25 minutes.

For the chocolate-nut icing, combine the remaining ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth and creamy. Place a dollop over warm cake and serve or spread on cooled cake.

Spice up your memory

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I drink a concoction of spices which is quite good that I first saw on Dr Oz.  Dr Sanjay Gupta drinks this every evening for calming.  Now that there is more in the news about the cognitive benefits of turmeric on Alzheimer patients and the anti-inflamatory effects of ginger and cinnamon I thought I’d share.

1 cup almond milk – either vanilla or chocolate

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger

1 tsp honey to drizzle over top

Heat the almond milk in microwave. Stir in spices.  Drizzle honey on top. (You can add a packet of Stevia to the mix if you like your drinks sweet)  I like the dark chocolate almond milk and don’t add honey or stevia.

I buy bulk turmeric, cinnamon and ginger in the market and mix up a batch to have on hand.   I add  1-3/4 tsp of mixed spices to one cup of almond milk.

Thanks Ida for tuning me into  Michael Greger M.D. and NutritionFacts.org.  Great information!

If Antonio Banderas is a Burrito Paul Newman was a Hotdog

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When I was in college I slept with Paul Newman.  I shared a one bedroom apartment with two other “women” (I thought I was a W-O-M-A-N ala Helen Reddy).  We furnished the bedroom with $5 (it was in the 60’s) mattresses from Goodwill – no frames, no box springs, just sanitized -(I think) formerly-used mattresses on the floor.  Wall-to-wall mattresses – there was barely room to walk between them.  A gigantic floor to ceiling poster of Paul Newman informed our dreams and was our homage to decor.

In my middle years George Clooney (Hooked on haiku & George Clooney) took Paul’s place.  But now George is off the market (You Mean I Could Have George Clooney’s Baby)  and I’m hard pressed to find anyone as tasty.

After I watched this short video “How to Live Passionately NO Matter Your Age” I realized I’d better get cook’n . . .  again!

 

Isabelle Allende 

You have to listen all the way to the end for the “burrito” recipe. 

 

 

Sugar Shun – No bags, no butter no oil!

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Rosemary Lee Seeking Equilibrium is my hero:  She is doing the “shuck the sugar” for a month with me – and gasp! – she threw away Oreo cookies that were next to her bed:
She sent me this:
“This works!!  I had some with some cumin and salt for a southwest popcorn.
For the popcorn lovers!!!  Microwave popcorn, no bags, no butter, no oil!!!!  It’s genius really. Simple, simple genius.
Glass bowl + ceramic plate + popcorn kernels = perfectly popped popcorn in the microwave.  No bag. No butter or oil. Nothing to throw away afterward. And even no un-popped kernels.
  • Take 1/4 cup of dry popcorn kernels and place in the bottom of a microwave-safe glass bowl (pyrex is a great choice).
  • Place a microwave-safe plate on top of the bowl. Plate should be wide enough to go beyond the rim of the bowl.
  • Microwave for 2 minutes 45 seconds. Watch in glory as your popcorn pops perfectly into little puffs of heaven.”
photo

 Corny Facts

  • Americans consume some 16 billion quarts of this whole grain, good-for-you treat. That’s 51 quarts per man, woman, and child.
  • Compared to most snack foods, popcorn is low in calories. Air-popped popcorn has only 31 calories per cup. Oil-popped is only 55 per cup.
  • Popcorn differs from other types of maize/corn in that is has a thicker pericarp/hull. The hull allows pressure from the heated water to build and eventually bursts open. The inside starch becomes gelatinous while being heated; when the hull bursts, the gelatinized starch spills out and cools, giving it its familiar popcorn shape.
  • Most popcorn comes in two basic shapes when it’s popped: snowflake and mushroom. Snowflake is used in movie theaters and ballparks because it looks and pops bigger. Mushroom is used for candy confections because it doesn’t crumble.
  • “Popability” is popcorn lingo that refers to the percentage of kernels that pop.
  • How high popcorn kernels can pop? Up to 3 feet in the air.
  • The world’s largest popcorn ball was created by volunteers in Sac City, Iowa in February, 2009.  It weighed 5,000 lbs., stood over 8 ft. tall, and measured 28.8 ft. in circumference.
  • If you made a trail of popcorn from New York City to Los Angeles, you would need more than 352,028,160 popped kernels!

P.S. Rosemary, there are only a few people (besides Laurie F.)  who would describe popped corn as “little puffs of heaven” and you are one of them! 

Healthy Chocolate Cake – 2 (or 3) ingredients!

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My motto: Never, ever give up on healthy eating when it comes to chocolate!

Brownie mix and pumpkin . . .  well you’ll have to read my first attempt 3 ingredients to Eat Healthier and lose cravings . . .  not so delectable.  So back to Google and trying cake mix instead of brownie mix.  I also used an ORGANIC brand of pumpkin but the “batter” was so stiff I couldn’t stir it.  So I plopped in an ORGANIC egg . . .  and of course, flax-seed to make it a COMPLETE health food.

judy, judy pumpkin eater

won’t let one failure beat  her

Duncan Hines, it’s on sale

this time she can’t fail.

ALL organic
ALL organic ingredients

Now she’s got a plan

one egg, organic pumpkin in a can

350 degrees, let it bake

Voila! a chocolate cake

Health Food Chocolate Cake
Health Food Chocolate Cake with organic garnish

 

3-Ingredients to eat healthier . . . . . and lose cravings

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I’m eating more vegetables!  Pumpkin is very healthy so I googled pumpkin recipes.  Two-ingredient chocolate & pumpkin brownies!  I added flax seeds to make it a bona fide health food.  Can’t go wrong, right?

DSCN6016

judy, judy pumpkin eater

mixed chocolate with a beater

added it to a pumpkin batter

tasted so bad it didn’t matter*

Pumpkin-Flax-Chocolate Thing with walnut garnish
Pumpkin-Flax-Chocolate THING with walnut garnish

Not a brownie, not a pie

a waste of chocolate, I could cry

rather tasteless what a mess

no cravings here,  I’m blessed

* Original nursery rhyme
Peter, Peter pumpkin eater,
Had a wife but couldn’t keep her;
He put her in a pumpkin shell
And there he kept her very well.

The Fruits of NO Labor

Health & Healing, IDEA!, Inspiring Inspiration, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , ,

I’m an accidental gardener.  It’s a very inexpensive and quite a suspenseful, way to garden.

Let me explain:

I used to have a ginormous composting bin that was too hard for me to maintain.  Now, I just dig a hole in the garden dirt, throw in the compost “stuff”, cover it with dried leaves and more dirt.

VIOLA!!! All sorts of interesting, unknown, plants germinate and grow from the “compost” seeds.  Some times the accidental plants are flowers whose seeds blows in.  Sometimes the accidental plants even produce a crop.  One year I got  huge crop of bad tasting cantaloupe.

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells, and cockle shells,
And kitchen refuse all in a row.

Here’s some pictures from my accidental garden for this year!

DSCN5952
Green pepper and accidental weeds
DSCN5947
Plopped a branch from a neighbors fig tree in a pot – baby fig tree!
DSCN5946
Accidental Flowers 
DSCN5940
Accidental Strawberry plant
DSCN5945
Cucumbers that never turn green?
DSCN5950
Accidental “Compost” Garden and a few plant that are still unknown

 

Slaker Milkshake, 7 Ice Cream Sandwiches!!

Fun & Frivolity, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, Really Good Recipes, , ,

Sandwiches-de-helado2I love ice cream sandwiches.  Vanilla ice cream sandwiches.  The taste of chocolate when meeting the creamy vanilla – nirvana.  I like to nuke them – one at a time, of course – to cream ’em up a tiny bit.

I rarely buy  a carton of ice cream sandwiches at the market because once I experience the taste and texture I can’t stop eating them.

NOW, thanks to the Today Show, no one will know how many I eat . . . at one time.

One blender
7 ice cream sandwiches
1 cup milk
Shake

Al Roker, known for his discriminating taste palate, couldn’t stop sipping and yumming – good enough endorsement for me!

What a Crock & Mulled Cider

Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, Personal Reflection, Really Good Recipes
Bob the Blobfish "Here she goes .. . again . ."
Bob the Blobfish
“Here she goes . . . again . . .”

After my last post lamenting that my readership had fallen off, I rarely got comments and I didn’t know if I should continue blogging I received 3 direct e-mails  telling me the comments box was missing from my post . . .

As is my professional bent to find meaning in life’s experiences I’ve been mulling, mulling over the meaning of my “comments” box disappearing.

My Mulling Conclusions:

  • Don’t lament what isn’t, be grateful for what is.

  • Do what I can, in the way I can, when I can.

  • It is what it is.

  • Everything’s an ingredient in the crock pot of life.  Let simmer before ingesting.

Mulled Cider Recipe

(Did you think I wouldn’t find some way to free associate?)

  • 1 gallon Apple Cider (preferably filtered, but as in life it’s not always possible to filter)
  • ½ cups Brown Sugar
  • 2 teaspoons whole Allspice
  • 3 teaspoons whole Cloves
  • 4 sticks Cinnamon
  • 2 dashes Nutmeg
  • 1 Orange, sliced in half
  1. Pour cider into crock pot. Stir in brown sugar.
  2. Put allspice, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg in a coffee filter or cheesecloth. Fold up the coffee filter or cheesecloth, making sure the spices can’t fall out. Tie up with butcher’s twine and place into the cider.
  3. Place sliced orange, sides down,  into the cider.
  4. Cover and heat on low for several hours with spice bag and orange halves in the cider the entire time.

Halve the recipe for 10 or less people.

Let me know how it tastes.  I don’t intend to make the recipe.  I don’t like cider, just the mulling.

always with love,

judyJudith

P.S. My SINCERE appreciation to all of you who follow CuriositytotheMax, for encouraging words & feedback (even when there’s no comment box)  for being curious enough to read my posts and knowing who you are even if I don’t.

Snow Jobs & SNICKER Bars

Comments & Replies, Creative Expressions, Friends & Family, Fun & Frivolity, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, Prose & Poetry, Really Good Recipes, ,

Homemade from
Homemade Snickers from Iheartnaptime

It snowed 2 inches ’round here,
leaving no time for pretzels and beer.
As we shoveled and shivered,
at you low-landers we snickered
who think raking is something to fear

by Rick Yerman in response to I’ll Take the Fall 

Rick, Can’t snicker at this . . . homemade bliss . . .

Homemade Snickers from Iheartnaptime **

Layer #1:  1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips and  1/4 cup peanut butter

Layer #2
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 7 oz jar marshmallow fluff
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup salted peanuts chopped, roughly chopped
Layer #3
1 14 oz bag of caramels
1/4 cup whipping cream
Layer #4
1 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter

For directions on layers 1, 2, 3 & 4 you will have to click on Homemade Snickers from Iheartnaptime so I don’t get in trouble posting the entire recipe!!!!!!

** Makes sense the blog is called “I Heart Nap Time”.  4 separate layers! – tires me out just writing it down . . . on my way to buy a package of Snickers, a BIG package.

P.S.  Another comment I just got.  It’s a bit more POETIC!

As to fall,
I leave all
the leaves to you.

By Vandi Clark

 

Katie’s Healthy “Haagen Dazs” Ice Cream

Health & Healing, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, Really Good Recipes, , , ,

Last night I ate a carton (only 16 oz.) of my new favorite HEALTHY chocolate ice cream from Trader Joe’s.  Ok, truth in advertising – “non-dairy frozen dessert”

Burn more calories if you scoop it into a bowl instead of eating from the carton.
Burn more calories if you scoop it into a bowl instead of eating from the carton.

Sooooooooo creamy* and sooooooooo healthy cuz it’s made with coconut milk – everyone knows how healthy coconut milk is. AND there are only 180 calories per serving and ONLY 4 servings in the 16 oz.  I figure I actually consumed even lower calories because I ate it for dinner (or instead of dinner, depending on your point of view).

However, there are 16  grams of sugar per serving.  So I went to my favorite blog Chocolate Covered Katie to see if she had a recipe that was even more delicious with less sugar.  This is what Katie made.

Katie’s Healthy “Haagen Dazs” Ice Cream Recipe

  • 1 cup raw cashew or macadamia halves (120g)
  • 1 1/3 cups milk of choice (320g)
  • 3 tbsp xylitol or sugar of choice (30g)
  • 1/8 tsp plus 1/16 tsp salt
  • 1/16 tsp pure stevia, or 2 extra tbsp sugar of choice
  • 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

You will have to click on her link to see HOW she made it cuz I got a rather scathing rebuke from another recipe blog (not my Katie) when I posted her entire recipe.  Even though I put up her link she didn’t like that.

When you make it let me know if it’s as delicious as Katie says.  In the meantime I have 2 more cartons of Trader Joe’s Chocolate Coconut frozen dessert in the freezer for dinner tonight and breakfast in the morning.

*Judy-tip: Zap it in the microwave for 10 seconds to make it creamy.

Apple Pie . . . sorta

Mouth Watering Deeeelicious,

Delighted Momma created this no-bake “concoction”.  Pretty tasty!   Can’t say how many Apple Pie Energy Snacks it makes since I had to eat them as I was forming the balls to give me enough energy to form the balls.

DSCN4260

I roasted the flax seeds 375 degree oven for 10 minutes on a cookie sheet. I threw all the ingredients  in a blender. Shared the 1/2 of the left-over apple with Freddie. Scooped out portions of energy-ball-pie-apple “goo” with a spoon and formed into sorta-shaped-balls. Delighted Momma‘s picture is better than mine, which is why I do not write a food blog. Put balls on waxed paper.  Put in refrigerator.  Ate some more periodically to test how different degrees of cold impact the taste.

  •  cup of pitted dates
  • 1/2 an apple (I used Pink Lady which is my very favorite – I didn’t peel it))
  • 1 tsp of cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup of whole roasted flax seeds
  • 1/2 tsp of vanilla
  • 1/2 cup of almonds
  • 1 TBS of melted coconut oil

I’m a bit exhausted now from all my taste testing.  So I’m going to eat a fudge bar now to regain some energy.

Thanks Delighted Momma!

(She’s got some other no-bake recipes I’ve not tried)

Mr Kool wants a Kooler Image

Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, Video, Weird Wonderful World, , ,

newkoolaid152way“Kraft Foods has decided that the pitcher pitchman needs a new look that plays up his “undeniably fun personality.”

And, of course, he has a Facebook page.

“It seems that formerly rather terse Kool-Aid Man (a guy in a costume) will now be a bit of a chatterbox in his ad spots. In one, for example, he’ll be seen thinking about which mix he should “wear” and saying that, “I put my pants on one leg at a time. Except my pants are 22 different flavors. I’ve got grape pants, I’ve got watermelon pants.”‘

SO MANY USES FOR KOOL-AID now then when I was a child.

My personal favorite:

Sour Gummy Worms

  • 4 packages of Gelatin
  • 1/2 cup cold Distilled water
  • 1/2 cup flavored beverage
  • 5-10 tablespoons Sugar
  • 1 full packet of unsweetened Kool-Aid (color and flavor of your choice)
    • If you want dual colored Gummy Worms use half of one flavor, half of another)
      • Heat up the gelatin and beverage of choice to a boil in a large saucepan. Remove from heat.
      • Stir in the sugar depending on your taste (sour or sweet) and then add the kool aid.
      • The liquid will start to gel after stirring about 100 beats.
      • Let sit for 5 minutes.
      • Store in the fridge or freezer overnight.
      • Wake up and eat delicious Gummy Worms for breakfast
      • http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Gummy-Worms
      • 251px-Gummy-Worms-6

(Low Calorie) Red Velvet-Oreo-Truffle-Brownie Bars

Fun & Frivolity, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , , , , ,

RED-VELVET-OREO-TRUFFLE-BROWNIE-BARSHow do I know when I’m seriously sick?  I lose my taste for coffee and sweets.  NOW THAT’S SICK.  But I am willing to sacrifice myself for all YOU, my loyal followers, and do a sweets for  Valentine’s Day post.

(Low Calorie) Red-Velvet-Oreo-Truffle-Brownie Bars 

(To get the REAL recipe, the full directions and list of ingredients click here: http://pizzazzerie.com/

 

Red Velvet cake mix
Melted butter
Egg
Cup water
Vanilla extract
Oreos (This is a labor-intensive recipe, buy 2 packages to keep up your energy making all the layers)
Cream cheese
Chocolate bark and/or mini chocolate chips.

Follow all MY instructions to make this a low-calorie treat.

  1. Combine cake mix, melted butter, egg, water, and vanilla extract and mix well (2-3 minutes on medium of electric mixer). (Burn calories by beating by hand for an hour or two till thoroughly mixed)
  2. Spray a pan with nonstick spray. Pour in red velvet brownie batter.
  3. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. (Stab vigorously with toothpick many times to burn extra calories)
  4. Crush package of Oreos – food processor (Think twice . . . no calorie burn) – or large plastic bag and rolling-pin. (It’s painful to participate in destroying Oreos in anything other than an intestinal track so this is where you start eating the second bag )
  5. Melt cream cheese in a microwave to soften. (or skip this step and go directly to #6 beating cream cheese and Oreos into submission, burning more calories)
  6. Stir together crushed Oreos and cream cheese until blended smooth. (DO NOT skip this step as cream cheese helps Oreos to heal from being crushed.  Stir VIGOROUSLY to burn calories)
  7. Carefully spread out Oreo truffle mixture on top of baked red velvet brownies. Use your hands (BOTH hands to burn double calories) to help press it down instead of spreading to avoid tearing the brownies (and further traumatizing the Oreos).
  8. Melt chocolate candy bark and pour over top Oreo truffle layer (Stand & march in place while doing this to burn calories).
  9. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips while still warm.

Let cool completely before cutting into squares. (Use a spoon to eat while still warm.  Spoons use more calories than knives)

Looking  Svelte!

Check out where I found this recipe: http://pizzazzerie.com/ There may be other low-calorie recipes you can try.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow cream

Hooked on Haiku, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , , ,

Haiku-Recipe for Snow Cream

Freshly fallen snow

Mix cream, sugar, vanilla

Stir until it’s soft

* * *

Alas, no CLEAN snow?

 Alas, No snow just sun shine?

 Eat Ben & Jerry’s 

HaikuBadge_Final-1
haiku-heights
prompt, SNOW

“Chloe Tuttle has a bed and breakfast in Williamston, North Carolina.  Cloe says, snow cream  ” . . . . tastes like homemade ice cream, but very special because you can only get it once a year.”  The trick, She says, is to use soft, freshly fallen snow. (TRICK!  Seems essential, but then I’ve never lived where it snows.)

Snow Cream Recipe

Directions: “Stir until it’s soft,” Chloe Tuttle says.

    • 1/2 to 3/4 cup cream
    • 4 tablespoons sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 egg (optional)
    • 1 bowl of light, clean snow (6-8 cups)

How to Painlessly Cook a Turkey (painless for you, not the turkey) 500 degrees, 7 minutes a pound!

Celebrations & Events, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , , ,
Browned to perfection!

It’s that time of year again for “Cooking with Judy”!  Here’s a re-post of my yearly Thanksgiving post — cuz it’s tooooo good not to be shared!

Even though this sounds like a joke IT IS NO JOKE.
I read about this and tried it.  The turkey comes out brown, beautiful and MOIST.

I’ve done this every year for almost two decades and it’s never failed.  (One time I did a 20-plus pounder and parts were not completely cooked so I zapped the parts in the appliance of choice – my microwave)

I’ve shared this with many others and it has failed only once — the woman bought a ButterBall Turkey . . . and has never eaten turkey since. To see why, keep reading.

Ingredients:
10 – 18 pound turkey* and a sense of adventure

Directions:

  • Pre Heat oven 500 degrees
  • Clean the bird, remove giblets
  • Throw turkey (minus giblets)  into a covered container – put on lid or aluminum foil
  • Do not add ANYTHING to the pot and/or the bird.
  • Do NOT baste or look at until time is up  (you will hear burbling, sputtering don’t worry, by the time you hear burbling the turkey is dead)
  • Bake (and I do mean BAKE), 7 minutes per pound, unstuffed at 500 degrees FARENHEIT
  • 7 1/2 minutes per pound, stuffed

*WARNING: Do NOT buy any *turkey that has ANYTHING injected under the skin (especially butter!) or the fire department will join you for dinner after you scrub the black soot from your ceiling.

Q & A (I won’t bother you with the Q-part)

  • Yes, it comes out brown and beautiful.
  • No, it is moist and delicious
  • I always put the stuffing in a casserole rather than the turkey – others have stuffed the bird and said it was great.
  • Yes, it will smell like Thanksgiving not like a house-on-fire.
  • No, PETA would not endorse this just because it is more humane for the cook
  • Yes, 500 degrees.  It is not a typo.
  • Yes, 7 minutes a pound

P.S.  The first year I made the turkey this way I had it sitting out raw and naked as a J-bird when the guests arrived.
When they found out nothing was in the oven everyone nervously inquired what time we were going to eat.
Made me smile.

Real Life Testimonial: “So the turkeys were a success!!. I put them in our barbeque oven at 500 degrees for an hour and a half. They turned out perfect!!! That was awesome!!!!! I will be doing it that way from now on.“

Chocolate-Chickpea-Peanut Butter-Cookie -Thingeys! (R-Rated)

Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , ,

In my NEW search to figure out how to eat healthier and not know it, I found this recipe.  Wahooooooooo, hidden protein.  

Please let me know if they are as good as they look because I have to buy all the ingredients except for the chocolate chips. . .  

Grain-free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

by Texanerin Baking

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups canned* chickpeas, well-rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (165 grams) natural peanut butter
1/4 cup (80 grams) honey (commenters have used agave with success!)
1 teaspoon baking powder**
a pinch of salt if your peanut butter doesn’t have salt in it
1/2 cup (90 grams) chocolate chips
* My can was a 400 gram can, 240 grams without the water, and I used all but a few tablespoons
** If you need grain-free baking powder, you can use 1 part cream of tartar + 1 part baking soda + 2 parts arrowroot.

Directions:

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C.
  • Combine all the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, in a food processor and process until very smooth.
  • Make sure to scrape the sides and the top to get the little chunks of chickpeas and process again until they’re combined.
  • Put in the chocolate chips and stir it if you can, or pulse it once or twice. The mixture will be very thick and sticky.
  • With wet hands, form into 1 1/2″ balls.
  • Place onto a Silpat or a piece of parchment paper. If you want them to look more like normal cookies, press down slightly on the balls.(Hmmm.  A simple hand-press to create Normal? – This could be a new therapeutic technique *. . . )  They don’t do much rising. (No kidding)
  • Bake for about 10 minutes.

Yields about fourteen 1 1/2″ cookie dough balls. (or 2  enlarged balls, 7″ x 10″)

Texanerin Baking writes:

“These aren’t the most beautiful cookie dough bites, but fresh out of the oven, with all that gooey chocolate, I bet you can’t tell that these are made with chickpeas. Or are grain-free. But cold? Yuck. These need to be warm! You can either freeze the balls and pop a few in the oven whenever it’s on, or simply put them in the microwave until they’re warm and gooey again.”
Warning:  All editorial comments (chocolate-colored print) are made in the heat of the moment without regard to anyone or anything.  Author is never to be taken seriously as she is not normal, never has been and alas, probably ever will be.  Directions should be followed as written by Texanerin.  Press at your own risk.

*Might cause a bit of pain as all good therapeutic techniques are meant to do.

I Want S’more!

Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , , , , , ,

“There was a gentleman by the name of Sylvester Graham, and he invented the graham cracker because he thought it would be a deterrent for people’s sex lives. He lived at a time where foods were becoming processed, and thought that part of processed food and rich foods led to what he called ‘venereal excess’ and led people to being a little too focused on their libido. And I can only imagine, as a guy who thought that processed foods and sugars were bad for you, what he would have thought about s’mores nowadays using his graham crackers.”

A former baseball player, Josh Chetwynd wrote How the Hot Dog Found Its Bun: Accidental Discoveries and Unexpected Inspirations That Shape What We Eat and Drink.  The above is an excerpt from one of the 75 short essays that trace the history of popular food and dispel common misconceptions.

Breakfast* Bars to make Sylvester Graham happy!

 Golden Graham S’more Bars
Source: CDKitchen.com

Ingredients:
1 10 oz. bag mini marshmallows (Approx. 6 cups)
1 12 oz. package semi sweet chocolate chips
5 tbsp. butter 
8 cups Golden Graham cereal (one 12 oz. box)
1 tsp. vanilla (optional)

Directions:

  • Place package of chocolate chips in the freezer to chill.
  • Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan, set aside.
  • Meanwhile, melt butter in a pot over medium heat.
  • Once butter is melted, add in 5 cups of marshmallows and stir until almost completely melted.
  • Stir in vanilla if desired.
  • Remove from heat and transfer butter mixture to a large mixing bowl and add cereal, stirring to coat.
  • Once cereal is coated, remove chocolate chips from freezer and add to cereal mixture.
  • Add in the remaining cup of marshmallows.  Stir until evenly distributed.
  • Press cereal mixture into prepared baking pan.
  • Cover and refrigerate until set. Turn out onto cutting board and cut into squares.
  • Keep stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

Makes approximately 20-24 bars depending on how big you cut them.

*Cereal is a breakfast food


I Want S’more

Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , ,

Therapeutic S’mores

Ingredients:
7 whole graham crackers (1 cup/250 mL finely crushed)
1/4 cup (50 mL) powdered sugar
6 tbsp (90 mL) butter, melted
4 bars (1.55 oz or 43 g each) milk chocolate candy, divided – 16 bars, whole
12 large marshmallows

Directions:

  1. Taste chocolate to release endorphins to feel good. 
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
  3. Place graham crackers into a large resealable plastic bag.
  4. Imagine a person you are angry at is in the bag with crackers.  Smash crackers with fist or finely crush into crumbs using a roller.
  5. Eat chocolate to feel good.
  6. Combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and butter in small bowl. Using Small Scoop, place scant scoop of crumb mixture in each cup of a mini-muffin pan.
  7. If you don’t have a mini muffin pan go to shopping mall.  When you can’t find a mini muffin pan at the mall buy a pair of shoes and purse if you are female.  Buy a big screen TV and leather recliner if you are male.
  8. Wearing your new shoes and/or sitting in leather recliner watching TV, press crumbs to form shallow cups in muffin pan with fingers or bottom of a  small glass.
  9. Eat chocolate for enough energy to continue pressing crumbs.
  10. Bake 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbling. Meanwhile, break two of the candy bars into rectangles and eat the rectangles to re-energize from all this work you’ve done so far.
  11. Break two more of the bars into rectangles
  12. Remove pan from oven; place one rectangle into each cup.
  13. Cut marshmallows in half crosswise using shears or scissors dipped in cold water (helps minimize sticking).
  14. Place one marshmallow half, cut-side down, into each cup.
  15. Return to oven 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows are just slightly softened.
  16. While waiting for marshmallows to softened eat more chocolate.
  17. Remove from oven to cooling rack; cool 15 minutes.
  18. While waiting for cups to cool eat some chocolate.
  19. Carefully remove cups from pan. Cool completely.
  20. Break remaining candy bars and place in (1-cup/250 mL) Prep Bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute-1 1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds. Dip the top of each marshmallow in melted chocolate. Turn top-side up and let stand 40 minutes-1 hour or until set.
    Yield: 24 cups

Taste test: Eat S’more cups

  • The first cup – focus on taste of graham cracker crust.  Make notes of how you might want to increase the butter, powdered sugar.
  • The second cup – Focus on the taste and consistency of the marshmallow.  Make notes of how you might want to add extra marshmallow.
  • The third cup – focus on the taste of the chocolate.  Make notes of how you might want to add extra chocolate.
  • The fourth cup – focus on taste of how all the ingredients blend together.
  • The fifth cup – focus on taste of how all the ingredients blend together again.

Nutrients per serving: (1 cup) Calories 100, Total Fat 6 g, Saturated Fat 3.5 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Carbohydrate 11 g, Protein 1 g, Sodium 60 mg, Fiber 0 g

Cook’s Tips:

  • The time it takes the chocolate to set varies depending on weather conditions and room temperature. You can refrigerate the cups briefly until the chocolate is set; store them at room temperature.
  • Store the cups in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Freezing is not recommended because there won’t be any left to freeze.
  • For a richer chocolate flavor, substitute dark chocolate candy bars for the milk chocolate.  Taste the dark chocolate before substituting to make sure it has a rich chocolate flavor.

http://www.pamperedchef.com/recipe_search/recipe.jsp?id=91599

OOEY GOOEY Chocolate Chip Cookies – Gluten Free!

Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, Really Good Recipes, , ,

OOEY GOOEY Chocolate Chip Cookies – Flourless (Almost better than eating batter)

Yield: 24 cookies. (One serving)
Prep Time: 25 min, Cook Time: 14 min (Eating time: 1 minute per 5 cookies, including chewing)

Ingredients:
3 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 to 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper (or silpat mats). If you use parchment paper, give it a light swoosh of nonstick spray.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together powdered sugar with cocoa powder and salt. Whisk in egg whites (start w/ just two) and vanilla extract and beat just until the batter is moistened. You’re looking for a brownie-like, thick and fudgy batter consistency. If it seems too thick, add another egg white– then a 4th one if it still seems too thick. Gently stir in chocolate chips (Sample the chips first to make sure they are really chocolate)

3. Spoon batter onto the prepared baking sheets in 12 evenly spaced mounds per cookie sheet. Bake about 14 minutes, until the tops are glossy and lightly cracked. Slide the parchment paper (with the cookies) onto wire racks. Let cookies cool completely (place in freezer to shorten cooling time), and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. (Your stomach is not airtight but if you eat them immediately you don’t have to worry about airtight . . . or 3 days)

Tips:
*If you’re baking this as a “gluten-free” recipe, just make sure that the brand of chocolate chips you are using is gluten free.
*Let the cookies cool completely before you attempt to remove them from the mat or the parchment. They’re delicate, (for delicate, ahem, tastes) so gently peeling the paper away from the cookie works best. (or simply lick them off the parchment to save time)

http://www.recipegirl.com/2007/11/24/chewy-gooey-flourless-chocolate-cookies/

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie! for Valentines Day

Hooked on Haiku, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , , ,

Bold and daring
this decadent treat to eat
is love at first sight

 by Ida!

Desire does me in

Carbs and sugar titillate

Cravings drive the lust

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell*
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 cup chopped pecans
Serve with ice cream (optional) OPTIONAL!  That must be a typo in the original recipe?

Pre-heat oven 325 degrees F.
Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high until foamy.
Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter.
Stir in morsels and nuts and spoon into pie shell.
Bake for 55-60 minutes. (This is probably the optional part)

Cool on wire rack. Serve warm.
Recipe from Nestle Classic Recipes, 2003
* If using frozen pie shell, use deep dish style and thaw completely.

Bake on baking sheet and increase baking time slightly.

http://haiku-heights.blogspot.com

Today! National “Chocolate-Covered Everything” Day!

Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , , , , , , ,

Let’s Celebrate!

Deep Dark FLOURLESS Chocolate Cookies

by divine-baking.com

1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces), divided

3 large egg whites, room temperature

2 to 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in glass bowl in microwave, stirring twice, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly.

Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1 (I halved the sugar here) cup sugar. Continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow creme. Whisk 1 cup sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. On low speed, beat dry ingredients into meringue. Stir in lukewarm chocolate and 1/2 cup chocolate chips (dough will become very stiff).

Place 1/2 cup sugar in bowl. Roll 1 rounded tablespoon dough into ball; roll in sugar, coating thickly. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10 minutes. Cool on sheets on rack 10 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool.

Yield: Makes about 18

CROCKPOT CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE
FOR THE CAKE:
  • 2 cups Brown Sugar
  • 2 cups All-purpose Flour
  • 6 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 4 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 4 Tablespoons Butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
FOR THE FUDGE TOPPING:
  • 1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 3 cups Boiling Water
Directions:   For the cake: Mix together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir in milk, melted butter and vanilla until combined. Spread the batter over the bottom of a large crockpot.
For the fudge topping:  Mix together the brown sugar and cocoa. Sprinkle mixture over the cake batter.
Pour the boiling water over the top. DO NOT STIR! Cover and cook on High for 2 – 2 1/2 hours.
Cake will be very hot! Turn off heat, and remove lid. Let sit 20-30 minutes before serving, so it’s still warm but wont burn your mouth


100 Calorie Chocolate Mug Cake,  

ANGIE MCGOWAN From blogs.babble.com

Ingredients

2 tablespoons self-rising flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons stevia for baking
2 tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce
2 tablespoons 35 calorie per serving unsweetened almond milk
1 egg white

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a large mug. Whisk well with a fork.

2. Microwave on high for 2 minutes.

Love Flour, No Crock Pot, No Cup?

50 calories!! 4-ingredient Ice Cream (vegan)

Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , ,

I’m thinking of adopting Katie.  Haven’t asked her yet but we’d really be happy together.  Here’s her latest!!!! for all of you who can’t eat chocolate. Katie ALWAYS comes through!

I’m quoting directly from Katie’s’ Blog – in her own words:

Katie

“Feel free to customize this basic recipe any way you want, to make it yours! Add cocoa powder for chocolate ice cream, berries for a sherbet, or even crushed candy canes and peppermint extract for a Christmas treat.”

Four-Ingredient Ice Cream  (Can be any flavor!)

  • 2 cups milk-of-choice or nondairy creamer or coconut milk (see note below)
  • 1/4 cup agave, maple syrup, or other sweetener
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • optional ingredients for whatever flavor you desire

“Mix all ingredients (except optional ingredients, if they are chunky) in a dish. Then simply transfer to your ice cream maker and watch the magic! (I have a Cuisinart, and it took 15 minutes to turn the liquid into ice cream. Warning: Make sure your base is completely frozen before use, or it will NOT work!!)”

AND HERE’S THE CHERRY ON TOP OF Katie’s SCOOP!

Ice Cream Calorie Info
” As a reference, I (Katie) looked on regular pints of ice cream and saw that the average serving size seems to be 70-80 grams. So the following info is based on 85-gram servings:

Made with just almond milk: 50 calories per serving
Made with 1/2 non-dairy creamer and 1/2 almond milk: 85 calories per serving
Made with all non-dairy creamer (or full-fat canned coconut milk): 120 calories per serving
For more information about the different kinds of milk you can use and how the texture is effected click on the link to see what Katie’s advice is (and for some of her other deeeelicious vegan recipes):

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/

Chocolate Bar Pie! 143 calories!

Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , ,

Now that Thanksgiving is past it’s time for more inspiration for the next round of gluttony!

(The black type is written by the author/baker Katie and the CHOCOLATE type is my recipe clarifications.)

Searching for a chocolate-chip replacement, I found: Whole Foods’ mini dark chocolate chunks, an 88% chocolate bar, Ghirardelli 100% chocolate discs, and a chocolate-raspberry bar. So I threw all of these into my pie. Here’s a modified recipe:

Chocolate Bar Pie

(It’s gluten-free!)

  • 1 (12.3-oz) package silken or firm tofu (Fie is firmer if you use firm tofu and more like mousse pie if you use silken.)
  • 1 tsp cocoa powder
  • 2 1/2 chocolate bars, in the flavor of your choice (3-oz bars) (or 1 and 1/3 C. chocolate chips)
  • 2 – 10 chocolate bars, in the flavor of your choice (12 oz bars and/or 2 bags of chocolate chips for stamina.
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 T non dairy milk
  • scant 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2-3 T agave or other sweetener (I omitted)

Break up the chocolate bars, and melt (on the stove or in the microwave). (Then throw everything except for the chocolate bars needed for stamina) into a food processor and blend until super-smooth. (while blending, put stamina chocolate bars into  your mouth processor).   Pour  chocolate from food processor into a pie crust, or ramekins. Chill out with more chocolate stamina candy bars until pie is chilled in the refrigerator.  The pie gets firmer and firmer, the longer it sits. (You, on the other hand, will not)

Chocolate Fudge Pie Nutrition Facts:

143 calories
6 grams fat
2.5 grams protein
0 mg cholesterol
A traditional slice of chocolate mousse pie has 454 calories, 33 grams of fat, and 141 mg cholesterol (Or, there’s always the 920-calorie chocolate mousse pie from Cheesecake Factory…)

Click here for Katie’s, vegan deeeeeeelicious recipes http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com

P.S. Katie, I think I love you.

How to Painlessly Cook a Turkey (painless for you, not the turkey)

Celebrations & Events, DIY Tutorials, IDEA!, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, Really Good Recipes, , ,
It’s that time of year again for “Cooking with Judy”  Here’s a re-post of my yearly Thanksgiving post — cuz it’s tooooo good not to be shared!  
 

I have a reputation, among those who love me,  to have an “interesting” sense of humor.  Even though this sounds like a joke IT IS NO JOKE.
I read about this and tried it.  The turkey comes out brown, beautiful and MOIST.
 I’ve done this every year for over two decades and it’s never failed.  (One time I did a 20-plus pounder and parts were not completely cooked so I zapped the parts in the appliance of choice – my microwave)
I’ve shared this with many others and it has failed only once — the woman bought a ButterBall Turkey . . . and has never eaten turkey since. To see why, keep reading.

Ingredients:
10 – 18 pound turkey* and a sense of adventure
 
Directions:
  • Pre Heat oven 500 degrees (this is not a typo)
  • Clean the bird
  • Throw it into a covered container – put on lid or aluminum foil
  • Do not add ANYTHING to the pot and/or the bird.
  • Do NOT baste or look at until time is up  (you will hear burbling, don’t worry, by the time you hear burbling the turkey is dead)
  • Bake (and I do mean BAKE), 7 minutes per pound, unstuffed at 500 degrees FARENHEIT
  • 7 1/2 minutes per pound, stuffed
*WARNING: Do NOT buy any *turkey that has ANYTHING injected under the skin (especially butter!) or the fire department will join you for dinner after you scrub the black soot from your ceiling.
Q & A (I won’t bother you with the Q-part)
  • Yes, it comes out brown and beautiful.
  • No, it is moist and delicious
  • I always put the stuffing in a casserole rather than the turkey – others have stuffed the bird and said it was great.
  • Yes, it will smell like Thanksgiving not like a house-on-fire.
  • No, PETA would not endorse this because it is more humane . . . for the cook
  • Yes! 500 degrees.  It is not a typo
  • Yes, 7 minutes a pound
P.S.  A typical turkey will take a little over 1 hour to bake. The first year I made the turkey this way I had the critter sitting out raw and naked as a J-bird when the guests arrived.
When they found out nothing was in the oven everyone nervously inquired what time we were going to eat.
Made me smile.

Recipe for Obsession: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Hooked on Haiku, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, Really Good Recipes, , , , , , ,
  1. Blame this recipe on RecipeGirl.com
  2. Blame Haiku Heights for the Haiku inspiration of “Obsession”

Obsessed with good stuff

ah, deep sweet taste of chocolate

Never get enough

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Yield: 32 brownies

Prep Time: 30 min + cooling time

Cook Time: 25 min

These brownies are a major treat for cookie dough lovers…
Ingredients:

BROWNIE:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour

COOKIE DOUGH (EGG FREE!):
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3 Tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chips + 1 teaspoon shortening for drizzle, optional

Directions:

1. Prepare the brownies: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch pan with nonstick spray. In a medium glass bowl, melt chocolate in the microwave in short bursts of 30 seconds; stir after each burst and remove from microwave when melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl, mix butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Mix in melted chocolate. Blend in flour and mix just until combined (don’t over-mix). Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake 25 to 35 minutes. Watch closely and remove from oven when toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.

2. Prepare the cookie dough: In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to combine butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Mix in milk and vanilla. Mix in flour just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

3. Spread cookie dough over the cooled brownies. Refrigerate until the dough is quite firm. It’s okay to speed up the process and place it in the freezer too. The firmer the dough, the easier it will be to cut into neat squares. Use a sharp knife to cut the brownies. You may need to wipe the knife off with a paper towel in between cuts since the fudgy brownies and cookie dough will tend to stick to the knife a bit. These brownies are best to serve placed inside cupcake papers and served with a fork.

4. If you’d like to add chocolate drizzle on top, melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of shortening in the microwave; stir until smooth. Scoop the melted chocolate into a zip baggie and snip off the corner. Squeeze the bag to drizzle the chocolate on top of each brownie. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top, if desired.

I am not to blame

You didn’t have to read this

and that is the TRUTH!

Recipe for Peanut Butter Cup Martini – For the Holidays All You’ll Have is Peanut Butter Breath!

Celebrations & Events, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , , , , , , ,
http://daydreamerdesserts.com/2011/10/reeses-peanut-butter-cup-martini.html/

I rarely imbibe in alcohol.   I get migraines from wine.  I get drunk from hard liquor.  I can get drunk THINKING about drinking.  When I do have a drink I like vodka martinis.  Actually I like the olives.

I like peanut butter cups better than olives.  If I were to drink regularly this just might be my nightcap of choice.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Martini

Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 2

Ingredients
2 1/2 ounces Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cup Infused Vodka, (recipe below)
4 ounces milk
1 teaspoon Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup
4 mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, for garnish

To prepare the martini, combine infused vodka and milk in a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice. Shake for 30-40 seconds and pour into two small (double the recipe and use BIG glasses OR drink it straight from the shaker) martini glasses.

*Garnish with Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Infused Vodka

Plan ahead — it takes 7 days for the Vodka to get addicted to Peanut Butter Cups
6 oz. vodka (Barely enough for taste test.  I wouldn’t mess around with ounces because vodka is much cheaper by the liter.)
1/4 cup Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (After the taste test you might just throw in the whole bag)


Instructions

  • Combine vodka and Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups in a clean mason jar. (If you skip the taste test quantity you’ll need something bigger like an empty keg)
  • Close jar tightly and store in a cool dry place for 7 days.
  • Give it a good shake once or twice per day. (Bit hard to shake a keg so you might need energy from left-over peanut butter cups)
  • Once vodka has been infused, strain into a clean mason jar (read keg) using a fine mesh sieve or cheese cloth.
  • Store in a cool place or in the freezer. (If the keg doesn’t fit in the freezer, drink enough until the remaining quantity can be put into a clean mason jar)

*Garnishing Directions:

  1. Unwrap all the Peanut Butter Cups (one or more bags)
  2. Eat one PNB cup, take a swig, eat one PNB cup, take a swig . . . continue until all the PNB cups and martini mixture have been consumed.
  3. If there are left-over Peanut Butter Cups keeping making and drinking martini’s until the Peanut Butter Cups are completely gone.
  4. If there is any martini left, keep unwrapping and eating (as described in step #2) until there is no martini mixture left to drink.
  5. Alternate between #3 & #4 until the peanut butter cups and martini mixture are both finished simultaneously.

WARNING!!!

While consuming Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Infused Vodka do not drive any motorized vehicle, post your picture on Facebook, sign anything or make a video of yourself taking off your clothes, running down the street screaming uncomplimentary things about your neighbors and post on YouTube.

The writer of this blog and her dog are not responsible for ANYTHING.  She got this from:

http://daydreamerdesserts.com/2011/10/reeses-peanut-butter-cup-martini.html/

No Bake Cake Truffles in ONE EASY STEP

Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , , ,

No Bake Vanilla Cake Batter Chocolate Truffles

1 c vanilla cake mix

1/4 c sweetened condensed milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp agave (optional and you can just use all sweetened condensed milk if you don’t have agave on hand)

1.5 to 2 c chocolate chips

Yields: 20 to 30 truffles depending on size preference.  Store in refrigerator or freezer.

For ONE STEP Recipe follow directions in red 

Step 1. Directions: In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients, except chocolate chips, and stir to combine.

This mixture should be quite solid and not runny, but not so dry that you can’t mold it into balls. If you find that your mixture is a little too runny, add a touch more cake mix. If it’s a little too dry, add more sweetened condensed milk/agave. I ended up using about 1.25 c of cake mix to get the perfect consistency.

Step 2. After you’ve made the dough, refrigerate or freeze for 15 minutes and then remove and roll into balls (To save energy don’t roll into balls.  Simple use a ladle to eat dough, simultaneously eating a handful of chocolate chips to get the full flavor)

 Step 3. If there is no more dough or chocolate left skip this step: After the balls have been made, refrigerate or freeze for 15 minutes or until well-chilled, ensuring the melted chocolate will adhere and set up properly.

Step 4. If there is any chocolate left eat it and skip this step too: Melt the chocolate chips, and dip the chilled cake batter balls into melted chocolate. Using parchment paper makes it easier when working with melted chocolate. (If you don’t have parchment paper go back to Step 2 and follow)  Place truffles in freezer or fridge to set up  (go and lie down to aid digestive process.)

Use GF cake mix to make this recipe Gluten Free.

For those avoiding traditional sweetened condensed milk, use homemade nut/seed milk such as cashew or hemp that you make very thick and sweeten with agave. Full fat coconut milk, sweetened with agave, may also work There are also recipes for vegan sweetened condensed milk floating around. Make sure that the “milk” you use is thick enough so the cake batter sticks/holds together and is sweet enough to replicate traditional sweetened condensed milk.

Single Serve Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough!

Really Good Recipes, , , ,

I’m so disappointed.  The electricity was out at my office building and I couldn’t hold the Tuesday night Therapeutic Jumbo Journal GroupShop tonight.

So I locked up the office and went home to eat vicariously by reading recipes.

How does Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough that won’t make you sick because there are no raw eggs in it sound?  

AND since it is only one serving you will burn up more calories making it than eating it.  Is this perfection, or what?

No Electricity Needed Single Serve Cookie Dough

 Vanilla Extract (to taste)

1 tbsp Water (or milk)

3 tbsp Flour

2 tbsp Granulated Sugar

as much Butter/ Margarine as it takes to get the consistency of your dreams

as many Chocolate Chips as you want to savor the flavor

1. Mash the butter. (50 calories burned if the butter is soft.  150 calories if the butter is hard   500 calories if the butter is frozen)

2. Add every thing except water and chocolate.  It will be tough but don’t give up! When complete, you should have a dry crummy mess. (150 calories burned for light, slow mixing,  5,000 calories if you beat it by hand)

3. Once you have incorporated the ingredients as best you can, add as much water or milk as you need untill you get desired cookie dough texture.  ( 100 calories burned for water.  467 calories burned for milk since it comes from cows)

If you haven’t eaten it already and want to use up even more calories, scoop dough into 4 balls. (400 calories burned, 100 per ball) Then eat them while you make another single serve batch.

Credit for the yummy goes to Katie at http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/

Let me know how much weight you lose!

Pecan Pie Truffles

Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , , , , , ,

The holidays are coming and it is my duty to help you prepare.  So here’s a treat you can freeze ahead of time.  Since I’ve not made these you’d better try them first and let me know if I should make them.

Pecan Pie Truffles

“Get ready for the most intense holiday goodie you’ve ever tried. These fabulous truffles, created by the VegNews food columnist Hannah Kaminsky, are outrageously flavorful and combine the best part of pecan pie (pecans, sugar and bourbon) in a thin layer of smooth chocolate. Like traditional rum balls, these offer a slightly alcoholic kick, so be sure to monitor any underage guests!”

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups pecans, toasted and finely chopped

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 cup bourbon

1 teaspoon vanilla

7 ounces dark chocolate

TEST BATCH Preparation
1. In a medium bowl, stir together pecans, graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and salt until well combined. Add maple syrup, bourbon and vanilla, stirring thoroughly. Use your hands to make sure the mixture becomes fully incorporated. (lick your fingers to make sure the mixture isn’t spoiled).

2. Form mixture into walnut-sized balls,(Lick fingers some more to make sure mixture hasn’t spoiled in the process) then place on a cookie sheet (Eat a few of the balls to make sure the texture is right) and freeze for 2 hours. (The best way to tell if the balls are frozen is to eat a ball every few minutes)

3. (Eat some chocolate first to make sure it’s not spoiled) In the top of a double boiler or in a medium stainless steel bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water, melt chocolate.  (Taste melted chocolate to make sure it’s the right consistency) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (Before dipping, eat a couple of frozen balls to make sure they are still frozen) Dip the frozen balls into the melted chocolate,  (Eat more balls to make sure that the chocolate and the other ingredients are compatible) then place onto prepared baking sheet. Let sit for 15 minutes or until firm. (The best way to tell if balls are firm is to eat a few balls every few minutes)

4.  If any Pecan Pie Truffles are left, eat them and finish off the bottle of bourbon.  You deserve to celebrate the fact you are prepared for the holidays way ahead of time.

Yield: 24 truffles.

Chocolate, pecan pie

Bourbon gives a tiny kick

Don’t truffle with me.

“Passionate Nights of Love”

Creative Expressions, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Passionate Nights of Love
Eating chocolate Dove
Pecan Pie, catches my eye
Ah, to be torn
tween cake and popcorn
just ravish them all
with a root beer float
then donuts pink
no need to think
no need to feel
it’s a feast, not a meal
 
Kisses from Hershey’s
brings me down to my knees
licking the bowl bottom
of cookie dough batter
spoonfuls of  flan
 right from the platter
nothing else matters
 
Night fades away
for PASSION by Day
It’s never too late
never too early
no need to wait
for the clock to chime
P.M. time
to make it all mine
and put on the weight
 
 
http://purpletreehouse.blogspot.com/2011/09/funny-bunny-fridays-week-2-sept-2-sept.html 

http://jinglepoetry.blogspot.com/2011/08/poetry-potluck-week-48-passionate.html
 
Now coming to Poetry Potluck theme of the week ““Passionate Nights of Love” Its about that time of our flowering in soul, where some times the passion takes hold and the thoughts in mind rage like wild fire. That one moment, when the soul takes over the body, to feel the lightness of its ‘being’ in the purity of sense, from the dark depths of its desires…. So friends, pen your words of passion, let your desires run loose and let your feelings drown the darkness of night, in your being ‘alive’ in passions of soul…. 

Sopapilla Cheesecake, EAYOR*

Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , , , , , , , ,

Every morning I tell myself “No more carbs today Judy.  You can do it.  NO MORE just for today”.

The rest is history. . . .

I’ve got a NEW plan.  I’ll feast with my eyes instead of my mouth.  Yea, right . . .

3 cans Pillsbury butter crescent rolls
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup butter (melted)
Cinnamon & sugar

Instructions:
Unrolled and spread 1 & 1/2 can crescent rolls on bottom of un-greased pan. Combine softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Spread mixture over crescent rolls. Unroll and spread remaining crescent rolls over mixture. Spread melted butter over the top and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

*EAYOR = eat at your own risk. 

The owner of this blog nor his Human are responsible for any and all

health issues, cravings or weight gain

that may result from this post.

Nutritional Information open nutritional information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 553 | Total Fat: 36.2g | Cholesterol: 82mg

“All of life is a prayer “–Baha’u’llah.

Sacrificed Myself and 2 Bananas

Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , ,

(Didn’t procrastinate on this one!)

OOOOOOOOOOOH, my gosh.  DEEEEEEEEEEEELICIOUS!

From now on I’m only buying ripe bananas.  Until then I’ve got a ripening banana almost ready to be led to slaughter.  This is how I threw my body on the tracks for all of you suffering in the sweltering heat:

Two Bananas, dash vanilla, stevia, half & half, water and gave it a blender whirl

Tried it with a straw, too slow

My NEXT sacrifices!

  • strawberries, vanilla
  • melted dark chocolate and walnuts
  • peanut butter
  • chocolate protein powder.
SPOON, just right!

Ice Cream that’s “Hot”!

Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , , , , , , , , , ,

Even though it’s rather pleasant in Southern California I will sacrifice myself for all of you who are sweltering in the heat and taste test these 2 recipes for you. 

#1 Go Gormand! (gluttony)

Banana Freeze from Spark People

Soft-Serve Banana Ice Cream

4 frozen bananas

The riper the bananas are that you use, the sweeter and creamier it will be.

Place frozen bananas in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse several times to break into smaller pieces, then turn on and run for about five minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The bananas will start to resemble soft serve in a few minutes.

Transfer to a bowl and place in freezer for about 15 minutes, if you’d like, or serve immediately.

Number of Servings: 4 (unless you are a monkey)

  • Try putting a tbsp of cocoa powder in with it and then it’s CHOCOLATE banana ice cream!
  • Top with tablespoon of pure maple syrup mixed with 2 t dark cocoa powder
  • Incredible!   Wow, amazing that this tastes SO MUCH like ice cream. I added a bit of skim milk and vanilla extract. YUMMY!
  • I froze bananas overnight and had a “soft serve banana ice cream” for breakfast…I just stuck some granola on top…
  • Incredible!     I love frozen mashed bananas! This tastes great topped with cinnamon as well.

More suggestions:  http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=694221&comment=all#comment192375

#2 Go Gourmet! (A connoisseur of good food; a person with a discerning palate)

Bing Cherry Ice Cream + Toasted Almond Bark

The Chubby Vegetarian

Cherry Ice Cream

3 cups whole milk
1/3 cup cream
1 teaspoon ground vanilla bean
pinch of Maldon sea salt

2 cups Bing cherries
juice of one lemon
2 tbsp. can sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Whisk together the first 4 ingredients and put the bowl in the fridge to chill. Pit the cherries (a recent should-have-been-obvious discovery: a cherry pitter is so much easier than using a knife) and using a muddler, mash them with the sugar, lemon, and vanilla. Set aside. Pour the milk mixture into an ice cream machine that’s already running and then pour in the cherry mixture. After it’s semi-frozen, put the ice cream in the freeze for at least an hour to set.

Toasted Almond Chocolate Bark

1 cup sliced almonds
2 ounces 70% bittersweet chocolate
pinch of Maldon sea salt

Toast sliced almonds in a skillet on medium heat or in a 350-degree oven. Once they’re fragrant, after about 3-5 minutes, spread them into a pie plate and add sea salt and the chopped chocolate. Stir until melted and coated, then stick the plate in the fridge. Use this to top the ice cream.

chubbyvegetarian.blogspot.com/2011/07/bing-cherry-ice-cream-toasted-almond.html

Stick to it!

Creative Expressions, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , , , , , , ,
Galaktoboureko

Having lived, loved and eaten my way thru Greece for almost 3 years in my 20’s and studying Baha’i in my 60’s Cloe’s poem caught my attention.  

It brought back memories and my favorite Greek pastry Galactoboureko.  Layers of filo dough that sandwich a most deeeeeeeeeeeeelicious custard and all of it infused with a honey syrup.  I’ve never been able to find a restaurant in the USA that makes it like I remember.

Of course I was in my 20’s when everything was new, delicious and I had a memory.

God Loves Baklava

by Chloë Filson, 26. Halifax, NS, Canada. Poet and generally silly person.

http://reallifeartist.wordpress.com/

Baha’i, This faith of ours is a little like:

Baklava—
Not dull, dour or dry.
Here’s why:
It’s not a dessert like your mom used to make
(It isn’t much like chocolate cake
or pie)
But you still might try….

A finger gets sticky, then a finger and a thumb,

Baklava

And to help these two, another must come.
And when you try to lick away the honey—
It’s funny—
Your lips just get sticky. Tricky!

You may never be able to touch anything again!
Everything will stickify.
You are the Midas of syrup and pistachio crumbs.
Here it comes!

So don’t just get your hands “dirty”,
Teaching,
Serving.
Get them sticky.

http://reallifeartist.wordpress.com/

Chloë Filson is a self described jill-of-all-arts with a cheery disposition. She is a writer and a poet, who occasionally does calligraphy and illustration work. She also likes to sing in choirs. Chloë spent almost two years doing research and volunteering at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa, Israel. She currently works as an editor for Edit Owl and lives in Halifax, Canada. Check out some of Chloë’s creative work.

            Baklava Ingredients

  • 1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
  • 1 pound chopped nuts
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup honey
 Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9×13 inch pan.
  2. Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 – 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 – 8 sheets deep.
  3. Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
  4. Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
  5. Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.

God Loves Baklava. He created Galactoboureko!

No Rx Needed! Mother Nature Knows What She’s Doing!

Health & Healing, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , , , , , ,

This came in an e-mail from Rosemary Lee at SEEKING EQUILIBRIUM –
Her timing was perfect as I am trying hard to eat healthier.  I knew most of this but having it in one chart made an impact.  

 I had to alter the original to have it fit in the blog.  I didn’t leave any info out,  just had to fit it into 4 columns.

 If you’d like me to forward the original 6 column chart e-mail me at JudithWesterfield@gmail.com

THANKS ROSE!

    Apples

Protects your heart

Improves lung capacity

Prevents constipation

Blocks diarrhea

Cushions joints

 



Apricots

Combats cancer

Shields against Alzheimer’s

Controls blood pressure

Saves your eyesight

Slows aging process



Artichokes

Aids digestionStabilizes blood sugar

Lowers cholesterol

Guards against liver disease

Protects your heart



Avocados

Battles diabetes

Controls blood pressure

Lowers cholesterol

Smoothes skin
Helps stops strokes



Bananas

Protects your heart

Controls blood pressure

Quiets a cough 

Blocks diarrhea

Strengthens bones



Beans

Prevents constipation

Stabilizes blood sugar

Helps hemorrhoids

Lowers cholesterol

Combats cancer



Beets

Controls blood pressure

Aids weight loss

Combats cancer

Protects your heart

Strengthens bones



Blueberries

Combats cancer

Protects your heart

Boosts memory

Prevents constipation
Stabilizes blood sugar



Broccoli

Strengthens bones

Controls blood pressure

Saves eyesight

Protects your heart

Combats cancer



Cabbage

Combats cancer Protects your heart

Prevents constipation 

Helps hemorrhoids

Promotes weight loss



Cantaloupe

Saves eyesight 

Supports immune system

Controls blood pressure

Lowers cholesterol

Combats cancer



Carrots

Saves eyesight

Protects your heart

Combats cancer

Prevents constipation

Promotes weight loss



Cauliflower

Protects against Prostate Cancer

Combats Breast Cancer

Guards against heart disease

Strengthens bones

Banishes bruises



Cherries

Protects your heart

Shields against Alzheimer’s

Combats Cancer

Slows aging process

Ends insomnia



Chestnuts

Promotes weight loss

Controls blood pressure

Protects your heart

Lowers cholesterol

Combats Cancer



Chili peppers

Aids digestion

Controls blood pressure

Soothes sore throat

Boosts immune system

Clears sinuses

Combats Cancer



Figs

Promotes weight loss

Helps stops strokes

Lowers cholesterol

Combats Cancer




Fish

Protects your heart

Supports immune system

Boosts memory

Protects your heart

Combats Cancer



Flax

Aids digestion

Improves mental health

Battles diabetes

Protects your heart

Boosts immune system



Garlic

Lowers cholesterol 

Kills bacteria

Controls blood pressure

Combats cancer

Fights fungus



Grapefruit

Protects against heart attacks

Promotes Weight loss

Combats Prostate Cancer

Helps stops strokes

Lowers cholesterol



Grapes

Saves eyesight

Protects your heart

Conquers kidney stones

Combats cancer

Enhances blood flow



Green tea

Combats cancer

Kills bacteria

Protects your heart

Promotes Weight loss

Helps stops strokes



Honey

Heals wounds

Fights allergies

Aids digestion

Guards against ulcers

Increases energy



Lemons

Combats cancer

Smoothes skin

Protects your heart

Controls blood pressure

Stops scurvy



Limes

Combats cancer

Smoothes skin

Protects your heart

Controls blood pressure

Stops scurvy



Mangoes

Combats cancer

Shields against Alzheimer’s

Boosts memory

Regulates thyroid

Aids digestion



Mushrooms

Controls blood pressureStrengthens bones

Lowers cholesterol

Kills bacteria

Combats cancer



Oats

Lowers cholesterol

Prevents constipation

Combats cancer

Battles diabetes

Smoothes skin




Olive oil

Protects your heart

Promotes Weight loss

Battles diabetes

Combats cancer

Smoothes skin



Onions

Reduce risk of heart attack

Lowers cholesterol

Combats cancer

Kills bacteria

Fights fungus



Oranges

Supports immune systems

Straightens respiration

Combats cancer

Protects your heart


Peaches

Prevents constipation

Helps hemorrhoids

Combats cancer

Aids digestion

Helps stops strokes



Peanuts

Protects against heart disease

Lowers cholesterol

Promotes Weight loss

Aggravates  
Diverticulitis

Combats Prostate Cancer



Pineapple

Strengthens bones

Relieves colds

Dissolves warts

Aids digestion

Blocks diarrhea



Prunes

Slows aging process

Protects against heart disease

Prevents constipation

Lowers cholesterol

Boosts memory



Rice

Protects your heart

Helps stops strokes

Battles diabetes

Combats cancer

Conquers kidney stones



Strawberries

Combats cancer

Calms stress

Protects your heart

Boosts memory


Sweet potatoes

Saves your eyesight

Strengthens bones

Lifts mood

Combats cancer


Tomatoes

Protects prostate

Combats cancer

Lowers cholesterol

Protects your heart


Walnuts

Lowers cholesterol

Protects against heart disease

Combats cancer

Boosts memory

Lifts mood



Water

Promotes Weight loss

Combats cancer

Smoothes skin

Conquers kidney stones


Watermelon

Protects prostate

Controls blood pressure

Promotes Weight loss

Lowers cholesterol

Helps stops strokes



Wheat germ

Combats Colon Cancer

Prevents constipation

Improves digestion

Lowers cholesterol

Helps stops strokes



Wheat bran

Combats Colon Cancer

Prevents constipation

Improves digestion

Lowers cholesterol

Helps stops strokes



Yogurt

Guards against ulcers

Supports immune systems

Strengthens bones

Lowers cholesterol

Aids digestion 



Too Pooped to Pop

Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , , ,

For those of you who know me you will have a hard time believing this:  I’ve not had any sugar for almost 3 weeks.  I’m still nosedropping, supplement sucking and sticky stuff coughing.  To add insult to injury I’ve been waking up at 6 am.  Help!  I think I’m morphing into ____________  (you fill in the blank).

In the continuing odyssey   to find out why my sinuses are sinusing at night one of my doctors said it could be related to food sensitivity.  In desperation I’ve not eaten any dairy, wheat OR SUGAR which have been the mainstays of my diet.  So far so good! Meaning nothing has changed.

In the meantime I read recipes so I’m prepared for the day when Sugar, wheat and dairy are exonerated.

Berries are in plentiful supply right now.  I’m much too pooped to make these even if I were eating the ingredients.  Let me know how they taste.

Blackberry-Lemon Frozen Cheesecake Pops

Blackberry Syrup

1 pint blackberries
juice of one lemon
1/3 cup cane sugar

Simmer berries along with lemon juice and sugar. Stir often to break them down. When they are broken and syrupy, let them cool. Run it all through a food mill or a fine mesh strainer to catch the seeds. Set aside.

Lemon-Cheesecake Base

1 4-ounce container of Greek yogurt
1 tbsp. neufchatel cheese
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp. whipping cream
1/4 cup honey
zest from one lemon
1/4 cup cane sugar
pinch of sea salt
small bamboo skewers (optional)

Whisk all ingredients together well. As soon as that’s completed, tilt the bowl and spoon in a couple of spoonfuls of blackberry syrup; pour it into the molds while helping it to marble by swirling your spoon around a little bit. (Mine set up in a $1 silicone mold found here. They’re honestly better for this kind of thing rather than for ice.) Freeze for 1-2 hours. You can eat the cheesecake bites like bon-bons or pierce them with bamboo skewers for pops.

Posted by Justin Fox Burks chubbyvegetarian.blogspot.com/2011/05/blackberry-lemon-frozen-cheesecake-pops.html

P is for PG-13 – Parents Strongly Cautioned – Some INGREDIENTS may be inappropriate for children under 13

Comments & Replies, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , , ,

“PG-13 – Parents Strongly Cautioned – Some ingredients may be inappropriate for children under 13. These cookies may contain sex references, up to four bites of explicit frosting, vanilla extract innuendo, strong crude/suggestive humor, mature themes, moderately long horror moments when entire cookie is digested and/or moderate action violence the day after realizing what was bitten into. There are usually no restrictions on non-sexual nudity.”

“My heart-shaped cookie cutter will never look the same.”

Thanks to Sharon O’ for sending me some healing SMILES! (Not to mention these “unmentionables”)

OH BABY! Does this taste as deeeeelicious as it looks?

DIY Tutorials, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, , ,

Now here’s a creative expression to sink your teeth into.  I am trying to keep from drrrrrrrrrooooooooling all over the computer.

This looks amazing.  Don’t ask me how I found this site because it found me!  The photography is so incredible (Justin Fox Burks is a photographer)  it makes me want to cook . . .  or at least be a vegetarian.

As I’m still trying to lose weight I am resisting making this because I’m afraid I’ll eat the whole thing.  So let me know if it is as delicious as it looks.

Dutch Baby + Strawberries & Sweetened Ricotta

posted by Justin Fox Burks at The Chubby Vegetarian. http://chubbyvegetarian.blogspot.com/2010/11/dutch-baby-strawberries-sweetened.html