Friday's Fave's***Handmade Gifts

During the Holidays this season I noticed an undercurrent of sobriety in the general attitude of the folks. (I work with the public) People that had money were not spending it as freely, including myself. Gifts were still purchased, but with greater meaning than in years past, and frivolity seemed absent. Many of us returned to the handmade gift, one of life's greatest pleasures! Both to give and to receive.

I was so grateful for my new countertop and dishwasher! It made the baking process so much easier for me, I actually had ROOM to work!

Thumbprint cookies before the jam

Putting it all together

I'm sure Martha Stewart has a recipe for those pirouette's
but at $5.43 for 32 of them, it's best for this busy mom to buy them!

Cut them in 1/2 with a very sharp knife, and you can do even more!

I used parchment paper cut to size for dividing the layers of goodies. Wax paper will work too.

Danish Wedding Cookies on the left, YUM!

Not Everyone appreciates a food gift. Sometimes a beverage gift is in order!

Mother's little helper!

This was gifted to me. It got me to thinking I should do some Peach Brandy next year, in the greatest of Georgia traditions.

Not everyone wants a food gift, so I also strung a few bracelets as well. I have plenty of beads on hand, as that is one of my hobbies (addictions) so all I really had to do was think of the people I wanted to gift, and their specific tastes. I do have my own style when it comes to mixing beads though. I like to mix the refined (pearls and crystals) with the organic (raw amethysts and fresh water pearls), and a hint of metal (silver) never hurts!

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I really enjoyed doing this. I had gotten away from it, as it became easier to purchase gifts and I had the means. But in retrospect, that had become so stressful. This was very rewarding to me. I plan to do more of it next year.

Friday's Fave Foods***Decorated Sugar Cookies

Here is the last of my cookie series. I use an easy recipe for this. Why complicate any more than is needed, and especially this time of year?

SUGAR COOKIES/ICING FOR COOKIES

1 stick butter

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1 tbsp. milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla all together. Add egg. Beat until light and fluffy. Stir in milk. Stir in sifted dry ingredients. Blend well. Divide dough in half. Chill 1 hour or more.

Roll dough on floured board to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut with a floured cookie cutter.
Bake on cookie sheet, in a 375 degree oven, for 8 minutes. Cool. Store in tightly covered container.
Makes 4 dozen cookies. Frost with icing.

ICING FOR COOKIES:
3 c. sifted confectioner's sugar

1/4 c. milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Dash of salt

Combine sugar, milk, vanilla and salt; mix well. Add food coloring. Frost cookies. Add candy sprinkles if desired. Will frost approximately 5 dozen cookies.

NOTES: Your sugar cookies do not have to be fancy at all to be fun (and tasty) although you can be extravagant if you want to! If I'm using lots of colors, and especially if kids are involved, I use small squirt bottles (the plastic ones that you see in delis that hold the oil and vinegar, or the mustard) and cut the tops to make a wider hole. This gives you greater control with your work and it also makes clean up so much easier! Those are available and very inexpensive, I get mine at the local restaurant supply store, which is open to the public. Also, don't forget, for intense color and better consistency, use food color paste as opposed to liquid food color. You can get that in cake decorating/candy supply hobby stores.

Enjoy your creativity!

Friday's Fave Foods***Thumb Print Cookies

Some moms do chocolate chip cookies, but this is what my mom baked when she made cookies. They are great spur of the moment cookies because even if the cupboard is bare, we usually have these ingredients around. Also, when you add the filling you get some great color. If I use jam, and it's Christmas, this is the area where I will splurge and buy "Knottsberry" or some other designer jam.

THUMB PRINT COOKIES

1/2 c. soft butter

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 egg yolk

1 c. sifted flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cream together butter, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla. Sift flour and salt; mix well. Roll into 1" balls. Dip in slightly beaten egg white. Roll in finely chopped nuts (3/4 cup). Place about 1" apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven, quickly press thumb gently on top of each cookie. Return to oven and bake 8 minutes longer; cool. Fill the thumb print with jelly, fruit or tinted sugar icing. Oven temperature, 375 degrees.
Makes 2 dozen.

Notes: The chopped nuts are an extra. They are also fine without that step!

Paperwhites and Amaryilis***Christmas Bulbs

This is something I like to do every Christmas. It's an inexpensive way to bring cheer and fresh blooms into the house. I'm sure most of you home-making pros know how to do this, but in case someone does not, I'll just run thru it quickly. The results are so worth it.

PAPERWHITES

First, you have to find them. They are not as common as other bulbs you will see in the fall such as daffodils and tulips, or even hyacinths, but they are around. I got mine at Wal-Mart this year, but I have also purchased at Lowe's, Sam's Club, and Cofer's, our specialty nursery here in town almost always has them.

Find a container.

This year I'm using a floral container/planter that I bought at a flea market. It is shallow, which is OK, but it does not have any drainage holes, so I put gravel in the bottom to create some drainage.

I decided to go for bold and plant 6 in one container for massive impact. I bought 2 packages (6) so I will plant the rest of them successively for continual bloom thru-out January. (Blooms last about a week) You can put as few as 1 in a clay pot it you want to, but I usually put in at least 3. I have had them not bloom very well in the past and that has to do with the quality of the bulb. Buying from Wally, I'm probably taking a chance, but these looked pretty healthy when I took them out of their bags. These are about the size of a golf ball, and they have healthy roots, and no mold on the bulbs.

There they are with some dirt covering them. They really don't need much. Be sure not to over water. Those green tips will straighten out soon now that they have seen the light of day.

In a few weeks I should have something resembling this. Those, I confess, are not mine. I did not do these last year, which I regretted. So I had to steal this good-looking picture to show you the ideal from the WWW. These flowers do have a very distinct scent, so be prepared for that.

AMARYILIS

The last couple of years, I have bought a kit for this. It works out great. For about $5.00 they give you the bulb, the plastic pot, and the planting medium, which is like Jiffy-Pop, except it's dirt. It's a dirt pellet that you add warm water to and it expands into the perfect environment for nurturing your bulb. I've gotten this at Lowe's 2 years in a row and had really good results.

This bulb is about the size of a softball. No kidding, it's large!

I've planted it in it's plastic pot with it's Jiffy-Pop dirt, then disguised the plastic pot with this planter. That green shoot will straighten up in a few days, and also get greener. In about 3 weeks, or in God's good time, I will have something that looks like this.

If you look closely you can see a second shoot coming out. I got about a months worth of bloom out of that plant. They say you can get these to rebloom (not so with paperwhites) but I have not had luck with that, I don't know the trick. The foliage will come back for me, but not the bloom. Not that I keep these things laying around. I throw them out in the bushes, and then I notice I have a plant growing out there, later in the year. But they never rebloom.

Sammy was watching me from the window. Worlds cutest kitten is growing up!

Friday's Fave Foods***Almond-Orange Biscotti

This is the most yummy cookie-with-coffee ever invented! They last a week after baking in an airtight container, or a month in the freezer.

Almond-Orange Biscotti

1 1/2 C. sugar

3 eggs

1/3 C. melted butter, cooled

1 C. lightly toasted, coarsely chopped almonds

2 T. Grand Marnier (or other orange-flavored liqueur)

1/8 C. chopped, candied orange peel or 3 tablespoons finely grated orange zest

3 1/2 C. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 t. baking powder

Beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar until light and sugar is dissolved. Stir in the melted butter, nuts, Grand Marnier and candied orange. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they just begin to form peeks and gradually beat in remaining 3/4 cup sugar until whites form stiff peaks. Sift flour and baking powder together and alternately fold 1/3 of flour and egg white mixtures into yolks until well combined. Dough will be firm and slightly sticky. If dough is too soft, add more flour. With floured hands, divide dough into two logs, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

Arrange logs on a buttered or parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 325°F. oven for 20-25 minutes or until logs are lightly brown and firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let logs cool on baking pan on a rack for 10 minutes. On a cutting board, cut logs crosswise on the diagonal into 1/2 -inch widths. Arrange biscotti cut side down on baking pan and bake for 5-7 minutes on each side or until biscotti are very lightly browned and crisp. Cool on racks and store air-tight.

Makes 36 biscotti.

NOTES: This is yet another great gift-giving idea. Just find a nice air-tight container to put it in and you are good to go!

Friday's Fave Foods***Danish Wedding Cookies

The season is officially upon us. If you are reading this, you may be one of those people (like me!) that likes to give festive food during the holidays. Giving cookies can be alot of fun, and nowdays, there are so many creative and inexpensive containers out there in which to present them. Generally I live to give a little variety of cookies. But if you are pressed for time, and cannot do that, these, all by themselves, will do very well. They are my favorite!

SERVES 24 , 2 dozen

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons

all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup

butter, softened

1/2 cup

pecans, finely chopped

1/2 cup

powdered sugar, sifted, divided

1/2 teaspoon

vanilla extract

powdered sugar

Directions

1. Combine flour and cinnamon in a large bowl.
2. Add butter, pecans, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and vanilla, stir well until blended. Batter will be stiff.

3. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
4. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes.
5. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool slightly.
6. Roll cookies in powdered sugar, and cool completely on wire rack.

Notes: You may also find these as "Mexican Wedding Cookies". Some recipes call for flattening them out, but I find their shape appealing and different, especially if you are presenting these as part of a variety of cookies. Also, you can substitute the powdered sugar for powdered cocoa, and do a contrast of white and dark.

WORD OF CAUTION: These things are ADDICTING!

Friday's Fave Foods***Roasted Turkey Breast with Cornbread Dressing

I have decided to cook a turkey breast this year instead of the whole bird. I am pretty traditional, so this is a biggie for me. But since it's only my son and I it's the best way to go. I'm adding my cornbread stuffing because I spent years looking for the best dressing (on the esoteric side of course) and this one beat them all, hands down. 15 years later, it's still my favorite. (Found the original recipe in the Contra Costa Times)

I would also like to write sometime about deep frying a turkey, as that is the ultimate tradition in the South. But I will save that for a few beers and another day!

Simple Roasted Turkey Breast

Pat dry with paper towel a 4 to 5 pound turkey breast; sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Spread it with 2 tablespoons softened butter. Roast the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan in a preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderately slow (325 degrees) and arrange a piece of cheesecloth soaked in 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, melted, over the turkey. Roast the turkey, basting it every 20 minutes for 1 to 1 1/2 hours more or until meat thermometer registers 160 degrees. Remove and discard the cheese cloth and transfer the turkey to a heated platter. Serves 8 to 10.

Cornbread Dressing With Sausage

1 medium onion, chopped

3-4 stalks of celery, chopped

3 carrots, chopped into cubes

1 TBSP of fresh parsley

Pork or Turkey sausage, your choice

1 bag of Pepperidge Farms Cornbread Dressing

2 cans of chicken broth

1 egg

salt

pepper

shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Brown sausage in large fry pan. If it produces alot of fat, drain.

Add onions in until soft, then carrots and celery, and cook about 10 more minutes.

In large mixing bowl, combine cornbread stuffing and parsley. Add finished and cooled sausage mixture, and mix with your hands. The cornbread will start to moisten. Add egg and about 1/2 cup of chicken broth and continue to mix evenly. Add broth in increments until you get the consistency you desire. The trick is not too dry and not too soggy. Salt and pepper to taste.

You can stuff the cavity of a whole turkey, or you can cook it in a side dish if you want to. I usually cook it on the side. It's hard to fry a stuffed turkey, so that's one reason!

If you cook it on the side, spray a casserole dish with non-stick, and place dressing mixture in dish. Top with 2 TBSP of grated parm cheese if desired. Cover, and bake for at least 45 minutes.

Notes: That's it! Don't make it harder than it has to be! Enjoy your family and your day with them!

Friday's Fave Foods***Sweet Potato Pie

This has become my absolute favorite pie to bake for the holidays, especially Thanksgiving. Not sure why, 'cause there are no shortcuts, but it looks pretty and tastes SO good!

Besides, don't ya just love the way those words sound together? Say it...'sweet potato pie'...

This is a custard pie, and like all custards, needs to be baked at a relatively low temp so it does not curdle. However, that takes longer, so it can make the pie crust soggy. The best solution is to have the pie crust warm and the filling at room temperature. This solves the problem. The other issue is, that if the pie is over baked, the filling will have a coarse texture, and will be watery around the edges. To prevent this, remove the pie from the oven as soon as the center quivers (like jello)...the pie will continue to set up as it cools. Also, eat it within 24 hours for best results. The crust will get soggy otherwise, and it you leave it out, the filling will start to mold after a few days.

Sweet Potato Pie

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel deeply, including fibrous layer under the skin,

2 lbs. of sweet potatoes

Cut into 1" chunks and steam until tender, about 20 minutes. Puree in a food processor, or force thru a fine-mesh sieve. Measure 1 1/3 cups of puree.

Whisk together

4 large eggs

1/2 cup of sugar

add puree

Then add

1 cup of evaporated milk

half stick of unsalted butter

4 tsp of strained fresh lemon juice

1 & 1/2 tsp of vanilla

3/4 tsp of ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp of grated or ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

Warm the pie crust in the oven until it is hot. Pour in filling, and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 325 degrees and bake until the center quivers when nudged, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack, and then refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

NOTES: I put tin-foil strips around the pie crust edges to keep them from burning. Take them off for about the last 10 minutes of baking. A pain, but worth it!

Fabulous Fall

I was born and raised in Northern California, near the Lake Tahoe area. Seasons were very pronounced there. Summer was short. Winter was lo-o-o-o-ng. Spring was WELCOME! And fall was beautiful, but a time of hard work. Back to school. Bracing for the harsh reality of winter. That is it's own post for another post for another time. My point is, I really did not enjoy fall that much growing up. But now that I have lived here in North Georgia for nearly 14 years, I find that it is my favorite season. The irony being, summer is lo-o-o-ong (read:HOT!), and fall is WELCOME!

Here are the first signs of it, about 3 weeks ago.

When it starts coming on, it comes on fast. If spring only lasts around here for 15 minutes, fall lasts maybe 20!

And when it begins to fade, it does so relentlessly, without apology.

In about a month, we will be in a frozen brown wasteland. For now, I will enjoy this!

Friday's Fav Foods***Holiday Loaf Breads

As we head into the holiday season, many of us will be spending some extra time in the kitchen making big meals, desserts, and holiday treats. One thing that I like to make this time of year are dessert breads. They are also great as gifts. I like to buy the disposable mini-loaf pans and make up several batches. After the loaves are cooled, wrap in cellophane bunching the loose ends together at the top, and tie with a ribbon and add a gift tag. Easy, fast, inexpensive, and you can make ahead and freeze if you need to.

Here are two of my favorites:

CRANBERRY - ORANGE NUT BREAD

The early settlers learned to cook with cranberries from the Indians of the Cape Cod area, who added cranberries and nuts to their corn breads. Cakes of dried venison and cranberries, called pemmican, were a mainstay of the Indian diet.

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 c. butter, softened

Juice and grated peel of 1 orange

1 egg

1 c. cranberries, chopped

1/2 c. chopped nuts
Heat oven to 350°F.
Grease bottom of loaf pan, 9 x 5 x 3 inches. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Stir in butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in orange peel (about 1 tablespoon), the juice of 1 orange and 1 egg. Stir only until the flour is moistened. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in pan.
Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes.
Loosen edges of loaf with spatula; remove from pan. Let stand at least 8 hours before slicing.
If using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt. Reduce baking soda to 1/4 teaspoon.

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LEMON LOAF

6 tbsp. shortening

2 eggs, well beaten

1 c. white sugar

1 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. milk

Grated rind of 1 lemon
GLAZE:
1/3 c. sugar dissolved in juice of 1 lemon

Cream shortening, add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs and mix well. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and add alternating with milk. Stir in grated rind. Pour into greased loaf pan lined with foil and greased again. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Pour on glaze while loaf is still hot. Makes 1 loaf.

Friday's Fave Foods***Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin

I was drawing a blank for today's recipe, because I didn't do anything special for Halloween. Well, actually, at work we made cupcakes, but I forgot to get some pictures, and then I took a few days off, and there was no way I was going back in there to get those pictures. I really need a couple of days away.

So...I thought about my favorite thing to cook out of the freezer. Not counting those precooked Tyson Hot Wings (OMG I love those!) it's pork tenderloin. And I love to do it in my iron skillet. It's one of those items you can pick up for a reasonable price, on sale. Alot of times, they come as a package of 2, so they are great for the freezer. They defrost quickly. They cook easily. Taste wonderful. Look complicated, (but are not) and therefore you look like a genius!

*The Joy Of Cooking* says:

"Whole pork tenderloin is kept moist by being browned in a pan on top of the stove first, then simmered until done. If your tenderloin weighs more than 8 oz. adjust the cooking time accordingly. A savory fruit sauce makes a fine accompaniment"

1 pork tenderloin, 8-12 oz

Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.

In a large skillet over high heat

1 1/2 tsp. unsalted butter

1 1/2 tsp. olive oil

Brown well on all sides. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, turning once or twice until and instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat reads 150 to 155 degrees. Remove to a plate, cover loosely with aluminum foil, let it stand 5-10 minutes before slicing.

This is great with a blackberry-sage sauce or an apple-raisin chutney.

NOTES: Do not overcook the meat! That is the only mistake you can make.

Just For Fun

Recently, just for fun, I googled "Camp Osceola" to find out:

• How unoriginal am I?


• Fairly unoriginal
  
  


• How much of my life is on display on the web?


• Answer: Quite a bit, actually!

But there is also alot of other information out there about Osceola.

As previously stated, I named this place based on it's location, years ago. Without giving too much away let me just say that Osceola is already inherent. Truthfully, I had never even heard of Osceola until I moved here, which is sad because Chief Osceola had a substancial and honorable place in history. (The second time I heard it was in John Anderson's 'Seminole Wind') Also having spent quality time on Florida's gulf, let me say I have a real appreciation for that area and the Florida State Seminoles. (They also have really big misquitoes there!)



Because of his fame, the name is now spread through out the US. So when I googled 'Camp Osceola', here is what I got:



History of a famous Boy Scout Camp, in Missouri

http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/camposceola/

An old YMCA camp in California (no photo)
http://www.anaheimymca.org/service/camp.htm


An historic naval military camp in the 19th century , Florida

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9D03EFD91138E533A25755C1A9629C94699FD7CF

A fish camp in Florida!

http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Gorge/5715/index.html

Another youth camp, Florida

http://www.sosbighorn.com/camps/?view=9

As part of a US geological study in New Hampshire

http://water.usgs.gov/ogw/bgas/square/

A ghost town in Nevada, that started out as a mining camp

http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/nv/osceola.html

Last but not least, my VERY favorite...

The Osceola Hilton, courtesey of Boy Scouts 376 in Liberty, MO

http://www.troop376.com/2006/2006osceola.htm

Friday's Fave Foods***Irish Potato Soup

My mom used to make this for us all the time, but I did not know it had a name and was a famous recipe!

I'm on a 'stretch a dollar' theme right now, on this blog and in my life. Maybe you are too. That does not mean we don't have to eat well; we will just concentrate on eating well for less!

This was not my favorite thing as a child, admittedly. Mostly because I did not like milk or milk based products***I used to pour my milk down the sink when my mom wasn't looking. From what I can tell there are alot of kids like that, so don't forget you can go heavy on the stock in this recipe. (Yet one more thing to do with that cooked-down chicken!)

IRISH POTATO SOUP

6 Medium potatoes
2 medium onions
5 cups of stock, (or milk and water equal mixed)
1 cup heavy cream ( you may substitute 1 cup of stock to reduce calories)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp parsley or chives
salt and pepper (to taste)




Directions
Peel and dice the potatoes and finely chop the onions. Use a saucepan with a cover, melt the butter, and cook the onions and potatoes until soft, but not colored or browned. Add the liquid stock and cream. Stir continuously and bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to simmer, and cover for 30 minutes. Add seasoning to taste. Sprinkle parsley or chives on top of each bowl as served.

NOTES: Mom used to throw in bacon bits (real ones, not that crap you buy in a jar) to entice us kids. Also, you may substitute leeks for onions if you are feelin' fancy!