My Kids Are A Crack Up!

I consider myself a very lucky mom.  I have fairly cooperative teenagers.  At Easter my cousin had these beautiful Wisteria flowers in her back yard.  I asked my daughter to stand in front of them for a picture.  She's a hambone.  Doesn't take much to get her to pose for a picture.  I like that about her.  The picture turned out so gorgeous that I wanted my son to pose as well.

"Really mom, really?  Do I have to smile?"  he says.  I said, "No you don't have to smile, but a pleasant look on your face would be nice."  I think he pulled it off.

 Then he got a little cranky.

I was on a roll... "Now I want both my kids in front of the flowers!"  They pretended to be cranky teenagers. 

"Now the poodle in front of the flowers!"  Hey, they were really pretty flowers!  I think the poodle is saying, "Really mom, really? Do I have to smile?"

Peanut Butter-Brittle Cookies

Found this recipe at "alt.cookie.yum.yum.yum" and thought it sounded like it would be really good.  Considering that I wouldn't have to hunt for Peanut Brittle this time of year, because I have best and easiest recipe ever.

I got the Microwave Nut Brittle recipe from my husband's Aunt Ruthie.  She was kind of out of the family loop due to a divorce and being the one that was married in.  She still tried to be family the best way she could.  She gave me a microwave cookbook for a wedding present.  She loved to cook with her microwave and encouraged me to do the same.  The one recipe she circled and wrote "VERY GOOD" next to was the Microwave Nut Brittle recipe.  I tried it right away and it has been one of my favorites ever since.  In about 12 minutes you can have Nut Brittle cooling.  With the invention of the Silpat, a non-stick baking mat, it's even easier as this recipe does SO well on a Silpat.  I must add that my microwave is an old grandpa and about 23 years old.  Still going strong, but has a power of 700 watts.  Today's microwaves are nearly double that.  So, make sure you keep that into account when doing this recipe.  I'm not really sure how it will affect your recipe as I haven't used the newer microwaves, but this link might help.

Microwave Nut Brittle

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup roasted nuts (peanuts, pecans, macadamia nuts are all very good)

1 teaspoon baking soda

Lightly grease a cookie sheet (or get out your Silpat). In a 2 quart ovenware with handle, combine corn syrup and sugar.  Stir well.  Cook on high for 4 minutes.  Do not cover.   (Yes, I microwave my wooden spoon. Then I don't have a sticky spoon to lay down between steps. Use a hot mitt though the spoon gets scalding hot.)
 

Add butter, vanilla and nuts, mixing well. Cook on high for 4 minutes.

Stir in baking soda. Quickly, (I DO MEAN FAST) pour mixture onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Allow to cool 1 hour. Break into bite sized pieces. Yields - 3/4 pound.

(To break up I pick it up by the edge and tap it gently on the Silpat.  Break into nice size pieces.)

With nut brittle made now we're ready for the cookie recipe.

Peanut Butter-Brittle Cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 ounces peanut brittle

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 cup unsalted butter -- at room temperature

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

Heat oven to 375º.

Beak apart peanut brittle into a food processor. Pulse until brittleis finely crushed (about 3/4 cup).

Add to flour in a bowl, along with baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add brown sugar and 1/2 cup sugar. Beat until light in color, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and eggs and beat until smooth. On low speed, beat in flour mixture.

Place remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl.

Roll 1/4 cup dough into a ball. Coat with sugar.

Transfer dough balls to ungreased baking sheets and flatten with a 3" round ramekin. Use fork to make cross marks on cookies.

Bake for 13-15 minutes or until edges are browned and cookies are set. Transfer baked cookies to wire racks to cool. Store cookies at room temperature in airtight container up to 2 weeks. Makes 22 cookies.

(I made my cookies with 2 tablespoons of dough and got 44 cookies.)

Win Some Really Cool Blog Candy!

My friend and fellow scrapper Marie-Claire (M-C) is giving away some really cool blog candy this month.  If you're interested in the latest cool paper crafting implements check out her blog M-C's Friendship Corner.

24 Adirondack Pigment Pens
1 Bo Bunny MOM book
1 set of Tim Holtz Swivel Clamps
1 Tattered Rose Distress Ink Pad
1 Teresa Collins Clear Tear Drop (T Drop)
1 Set of MM Tags (Varsity Girl)

She has directions on how to qualify in the post.  Number one become a follower of her blog.  If she gets 25 or more followers she will add a bonus prize to April's Blog Candy giveaway.

So, don't forget to click on over to M-C's Friendship Corner and enter to win some great prizes.

Chuck the Chick

I saw this project on Ravelry and just had to make one.  You may have to join Ravelry to view, but it's free and I'm having a really good time with this group of very talented fiber artists all across America.

I love things that have an interesting twist.  The twist here is he is reversable.  It can sit like an egg or reverse to the chick.  He's quite a tubby chick, but that makes him just that much more adorable.  The pattern can be purchased on Ravelry for $4.00 and I feel like I got my money's worth with this adorable project.

What video to see how Chuck is born.

My Love Affair with Cranberry and Orange Continues

Not just my love for Cranberry and Orange continues with this recipe, but my love for bread machines also continues.

In November my bread machine of 19 years died.  Yes, indeedy I had it for 19 years.  It worked great up until... well... it didn't.  It just stopped kneading and mixing.  Big problem in bread machine world considering thats one of the big reasons for having it.  A lot of the time that is the only thing I want it to do is make dough.  I'll bake the dough in the oven using my shaped pans.

Christmas and my parents to the rescue.  I got a new machine for Christmas courtesy of my parents.  I really didn't know how much I used my bread machine until I didn't have one to use.  Especially, during November and December.  I am counted on to make homemade rolls.  I love doing it.  Everyone enjoys them so.  I learned over the years to get a batch started by hand and one in the bread machine.  This year I had to make 6 batchs all by hand.

With my new bread machine I've been trying new recipes.  I read about this Cranberry Orange Breakfast Bread and had to try it.  As you know I love love love orange and cranberry together in a recipe.  This turned out great!  Toasted with a little butter or pumpkin butter made for a great treat in the morning.

Cranberry Orange Breakfast Bread

Servings: 12
1 1/8 cups orange juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons honey
3 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon dry milk powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select cycle; press Start. If your machine has a Fruit setting, add the cranberries and nuts at the signal, or about 5 minutes before the kneading cycle has finished.

These ingredients are waiting for the beep to add them later in the mixing and kneading process, so they don't get too beat up.

Dough is mixing and starting to form a nice ball.

I've added the cranberries, nuts, and zest.  They are getting a last whirl to mix into bread dough.

Done mixing and ready to start rising.

Dough has risen nicely and ready to start baking.  I better close the lid as to not let all the heat out.

Bread fit for a King!  You'll really feel pampered when eating this.

Cranberry Orange Breakfast Barley

This is my favorite breakfast in the whole wide world.  I love barley.  I love cranberries.  AND I love cranberries with orange.  So, this recipe really fit the bill for something I'd love.  I found this recipe in the Raley's magazine  "Something Extra" a few years ago.  Fortunately, the recipe is online for all to enjoy.

This recipe says it will serve 3, but I'd say it will serve more like 5 or 6.  Since I'm the only person in my family who likes it I usually divide it into 4 serving and I eat a serving every day for 4 days.  Every time I do this I think, "I'm going to be sick of this in a day or 2."  Nope I love all for servings and on day 4 it is still delicious.  I probably make this about 3 or 4 times a year.  Once I eat it 4 days in a row I'm good for about 3 months.

Cranberry Orange Breakfast Barley

3 cups water
1 cup barley, rinsed and drained
2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3 tbsp. honey
1/4 tsp. Simply Organic Cinnamon

Prep time: 5 minutes, Cook time: 45 minutes

Place water and barley in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining ingredients and continue cooking over low heat, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the barley is thick and creamy. Makes 3 servings.

At this stage I always think it's too watery and cook it a bit longer.  In the end as it cools off that's when the real thickening begins.  As it's stored in the fridge it really becomes thick and delicious.

Cake Pops for St. Patrick's Day

I got the idea to make cake pops from Bakerella.  I've been wanting to give the recipe a try ever since I discovered her blog.  What took me so long well... not to sound snobbish, but she used store bought frosting and I abhor store bought frosting.  Yeah I could have made frosting, but recently on her website she used homemade frosting and preferred the store bought.  So, I figured why mess with something that works for the first time trying it.  I bought store bought frosting.  *looking both ways making sure no one I know saw me do it*  As I peeled back the aluminum seal on the frosting an awful smell met my nose and upon a closer sniff.... yep it is the frosting.  Then I took my finger and swiped the edge deciding if it tasted like it smelled it was going right into the trash.  Well, it actually didn't taste half bad.  In fact it tasted a lot better than it smelled.  I was hoping the smell would be covered up with cake and chocolate before I got done.

Dear daughter came home from track practice and volunteered to crumble the cake and mix in the frosting.  After she was done I used a cookie scoop to portion out 60 fairly large balls of cake goo.  I'd say more like a half dollar than the quarter Bakerella suggested.  I then rolled each one of the balls by hand and stuck in a lollipop stick, which I later found out was a mistake.  You'll read below what I missed.  I stuck the tray of 60 cake pops in freezer to firm up.

I proceeded to melt the chocolates.  The white chocolate I did over a hot water on the stove and the green I put into a plastic bag and microwaved it.  I wanted to use the green to drizzle green over the white chocolate.  With it in a bag I can cut the corner and squeeze just a drizzle when I need it.

Cake Pops

1 box yellow cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
liquid green food coloring (enough to get your desired green color for the cake)
1 can Cream Cheese frosting (16 oz.)
Wax paper
White and Green candy melts (2 lbs. white 1 lb. green)
Lollipop sticks (at least 60 in my case)
After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.


Mix thoroughly with 1 can frosting. (I use the back of a large spoon, but it may be easier to use fingers to mix together. But, be warned, it will get messy. Also, you may not need the entire can of frosting, so start out by using almost the entire can and add more if you need to.)


Roll mixture into quarter size balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50)


Melt chocolate in the microwave per directions on package. (30 sec intervals, stirring in between.)


Dip the tip of your lollipop stick in a little of the melted candy coating and insert into the cake balls. (Insert a little less than halfway.)


Place them in the freezer for a little while to firm up.


Once firm, carefully insert the cake ball into the candy coating by holding the lollipop stick and rotating until covered. Once covered remove and softly tap and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off. Don’t tap too hard or the cake ball will fall off, too.


Place in a styrofoam block to dry.

Lynne's note:  I got 60 fairly large balls out of my cake mix and frosting.  I used all 16 ounces of cream cheese frosting and probably should have started with about 12 ounces.  Mine are really gooey though I don't think anyone will complain.  I didn't read the directions about dipping lollipop stick in candy melts THEN in cake ball and THEN into freezer.  This will probably prevent the problem I had with the cake balls not staying on the sticks.  With some wrangling all are on sticks and glued with candy melts.... now!  I didn't have any styrofoam and chose to stand them up on wax paper.  Again I really think everyone is going to be tickled to get a treat and won't complain.  When all was done and candy coating firmed up I took an ugly one to my daughter for a taste test.  She said, "If this is an ugly one the others must be adorable!  This is really good!"  Ahhh just what I needed to hear.

I'll send about 30 to school with daughter.  A few to college with son and probably the rest to work with hubby.

Cake pops were a success.  I heard from my hubby that the adults had some minor trouble in biting them and having the cake fall to the floor.  I asked my daughter if there was any trouble.  She said, "No why you ask."  I said, "Your father said a few of his coworkers lost theirs to the floor."  She said, "Well duh mom you're supposed to hold your hand under it when you bite it."