Smiths' French Bread

My cousins' cousins moved to Long Island in the 90s, making them our closest "relatives."  Their mother, my essentially Aunt Janeel, bowled us over with her strength of character, her productivity, and her amazing bread.  My mom adopted it quickly in our household.  I've never made it, but I have the recipe should I decide I ever need French Bread pronto.

3 3/8 C water
3 T sugar
3 T yeast
1 1/2 t salt
3 T oil
9 C flour

Beat in mixer with hook 5 times, rest 10 minutes in between each.  Shape into two loaves.  Grease cookie sheets.  Bake (at some unspecified temperature).

Krista's Bread Sticks

I am--and was particularly in college--terrible with yeast, but a friend from my freshman floor made what I thought were the most delicious breadsticks.  I couldn't persuade her to make them nearly as often as I wanted her to, but I did successfully get the recipe.  Here 'tis, for posterity.  Thank you, Krista.

2/3 C warm water
1 T yeast
1 T sugar

Mix.  Let sit 10 minutes.

1 t salt
approx. 2 C flour

Preheat oven to 375.

Knead dough.  Melt butter in 9 x 13 pan.  Roll out dough, cut into long, inch-wide, strips.  Put butter, garlic salt, and Parmesan cheese on top.  Let rise 20 minutes to 1 1/2 hour.  Bake 20 minutes.

Krugers' Taco Pie

I've never made this, but I've eaten it.  The Krugers were some of our best family friends when I was growing up on Long Island, and they would occasionally serve this at their house for dinner or at potluck events.  It was made of so many things we never had at my house.  It was the stuff my adolescent dreams were made of.

3 split chicken breasts
1 pint sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 green pepper
1/2 onion
1 can green chile sauce

Layer with grated cheese, taco chips, and Fritos.  Bake at 325 until done.

Yummy Chocolate Lava Cake

A good friend of mine in college brought this over to my house for a dinner party and baked it in the downstairs oven (not the one I typically used, since I lived on the upper floor) during dinner.  It spilled all over, and my friend the baker promised he'd clean it up.  But in the rush of the fun, he didn't, and that charred pool of chocolate stayed in the oven for the rest of the school year--maybe from August through April.  My downstairs roommates often jokingly complained about the hassle of that burnt chocolate pool cramping their baking style--dramatically ruing the day my baker friend came to dinner--but the truth is they didn't need that oven.  They didn't bake.  That wasn't the downstairs style.  Eventually someone cleaned up it, and I forgot all about it until I found this recipe.  Because the truth was, this cake was amazing.

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix in a 9 x 13 pan

2 C flour
1 1/2 C sugar
4 T baking cocoa
4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

Then add

1 C milk
4 T vegetable oil
2 T vanilla

Mix.

Sprinkle over top 2 C brown sugar
1/2 C baking cocoa
3 1/2 C hot water

Swirl water up and down.  Bake 40 minutes.  The bottom cake will rise to the top.  Beneath it will be a fudge sauce you can spoon over as you serve it.

Annie's Special K Bars

Annie was one of my three best friends during my college years.  We lived together sophomore year, and she delighted us perpetually with her charming eating habits (e.g., grapes in milk) and charming personality.  I found this recipe for her Special K bars, which I remember being much more decadent than our impoverished student life usually boasted.

To Annie, the first redhead* I ever loved.

Heat only until melted:

1 C white sugar
1 C white Karo Syrup

Add 1 1/2 C chunky peanut butter
6 C Special K cereal

Stir well and pat into greased 9 x 13 pan.

In a pot, melt
1 package chocolate chips
1 package butterscotch chips

Spread the melted chips over the cereal mixture.  Cool.

* Rebecca--you and Annie tied for first. 

Carrot Souffle

Velvety, sweet, and so delicious.

1 lb. carrots (approx. 6-8 medium-sized carrots), boiled until tender
3 eggs
1/3 C sugar
3 T flour
1 t vanilla
1 stick butter, melted
dash nutmeg
pinch salt

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Get out 1 1/2- or 2-quart casserole dish.  Spray casserole dish with Pam (note: this may not be necessary as the recipe does not call for it, but I do it precautionarily).
2. Boil carrots, drain, and puree in food processor or high-quality blender.
3. Add sugar, flour, vanilla, butter, nutmeg, and salt to processor/blender.  Blend.
4. Add eggs.  Blend.
5. Pour into casserole dish.  Bake 40 minutes or until firm on top but not dry looking.

Alternative: You can add a topping (1/2 C walnuts ground in food processor, 3 T brown sugar, 2 t butter at room temperature) after casserole has cooked 35ish minutes (or until it begins looking firm but is not fully set) and bake for 10 minutes.  But I haven't yet, since the dish is already (a) fairly sweet, (b) fairly decadent, and (c) awesome.  The nuts might add a nice crunch, however.

Coconut Persimmon Smoothie

A happy find for a night in which we had two overripe persimmons and about one cup of coconut milk waiting in the fridge.  With a lot of ice, very velvety and delicious.

Persimmon Smoothie Recipe

From http://cookeatshare.com/recipes/coconut-persimmon-smoothie-260798

Serves at least 2, maybe 3, small but appropriate glasses

Ingredients:

*2 very ripe Hachiya persimmons
*1 cup organic coconut milk
*pinch of ground ginger
*pinch of ground cardamom-optional

Directions:

Blend all ingredients, preferably in a highspeed blender (like a Blendtec), adding ice or additional water to produce desired consistency.
 

Anne Marie's Banana Bread

I rediscovered a binder of recipes I put together while in a college home ec class, and it turns out, I saved some really good recipes I'd long since thought I'd forgotten.  But I have them!  And I will now be transcribing them to my blog, for greater utility and longer use.  I start with the recipe for what I recall as some seriously amazing banana bread (at least as made by a former neighbor at Moon Apartments, 2000 - 2001, named Anne Marie, who was smiley and sweet and I cannot for the life of me remember her last name).  Here's to 2000 and to Anne Marie.

Anne Marie's Banana Bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 1/4 C sugar (or just less, maybe 1 C, of honey)
1/2 C butter, softened (or applesauce)

Mix.

Add 2 eggs.

Beat.

Add 4 mashed medium bananas (1 1/2 C banana mush).
1/2 C milk
1 t vanilla

Mix.

Add 2 1/2 C flour (can substitute in some, but probably not most, whole wheat flour)
1 t baking soda
1 t salt

Mix.

Mix in chocolate chips until batter is just moistened.

Pour batter into two loaf pans with bottoms greased.  Bake bread on low racks until it bounces back to touch.  (1 hour or so.)

Note: Today I used this recipe for the chocolate chips, because I made the bread on a day when I wasn't eating sugar (substituted honey for sweeteners in both the chips and the bread): http://www.traditional-foods.com/recipes/homemade-chocolate-chips/.

Note two: Yes, this was just as I remembered it--moist, silky, and delicious.

The Hurricane Sandy Report: News from My Mom in Valley Stream, NY (Long Island)

My parents, sister Beka, brother Nate, sister-in-law Brittyn, nephew Soren, and niece Coco live on Long Island, just ten minutes east of JFK.  My mom sent this email out today about their experience with Hurricane Sandy.  Amazing to think about what life is like for them and their neighbors right now--a strange mix of war torn barrenness and 21st century normalcy.  Long lines for gas, intermittent wi fi, candle light, cell phones, cold water, and Wal-mart.  I love Mom's account for sharing some of these details.  I thought the world should know her account too.   

 

Sunday, November 4, 2:30pm

I have a quiet minute and this computer is charged for the moment, so I thought I would write some about our experiences during Hurricane Sandy. It has been quite a week since her advent. Outside today it is sunny and very quiet---no planes are going overhead, although I know some are landing. I can hear sounds from the kitchen where JoAnn is working her kitchen magic on our gas stove and Nate and Brittyn are getting ready to take Brit to the airport to catch her plane to Houston. It has been fortunate for  us that she was able to be here to work the last two weeks.

Last Saturday was a lovely autumn day, Homecoming at South [High]. We made a 100 sweet rolls to sell at the Festival for the PTSA, there was a parade, floats and a football game. Jeffery was in Boston for a stake conference at Peter's stake. Things were peaceful and we were all getting ready for the incoming storm, though people weren't really sure of what the effects would be. We had shopped on Friday morning getting extra batteries and milk. We tried to buy a generator, but they sold out just as I got there.

On Sunday it was overcast and things felt more serious. Nate felt impressed to leave church and on the way home he saw a man selling generators in the parking lot. He and Britt made a great executive decision and we were the lucky owners of a generator---which has been such a blessing!(It was also a blessing to the man who had bought six of them and made a lot of money in the American tradition.) Our neighbors gave Nate some pointers: caulk the garage door shut and learn how to open and close the sewer.Nate took Malinka's up and bagged up their sand pile to add to our sandbag pile. Some of the neighbor's displays were very impressive--three bags high along the entire front of the house. The wind started increasing and Jeffery was able to change his ticket for an early return which was great because his might have been the last flight in that night. We had a lovely open house at the church in spite of the storm using the public affairs program, Mormon's Next Door. It was great and a few brave souls came  inspite of the storm. We decided to park our car at the Mall on an incline higher than our neighborhood.

On Monday the winds were rising, but there was little rain and Jeffery and Nate had time to do some last minute planning. Jeffery felt directed to cover the garage door with plastic and staple it up and wedge the edges with sandbags. Nate and Jeffery were getting gas when the little car refused to start. The repairman came out and said he would work on it on Monday so they left if there and he was nice enough to bring them home.

 We settled in to wait. The wind was dramatic. High tide was coming in to peak at 8:30pm. We were ready with the pumps and kept checking. The lights began to flicker and we realized that the trees were going down and we could hear and see the transformers explode. Our lights flickered as the trees in the two yards in back of ours went down over the lines and people saw the transformer go. We were checking outside and I think it was about 9:00 that the water started in the gutters down the sides of our street. It surprised us that it was coming from the other side of the neighborhood on the west side instead of the stream that is by the houses across the street.

We all went outside and began working, some of us bailing in the driveway and some of us building a dam of branches with leaves across the driveway. (Who decided that having a driveway that goes down to a basement garage was a good idea in this neighborhood anyway?) Brittyn was the force behind the dam and it was working, keeping the flow from pooling in our driveway, but it didn't take long for us to realize this was a different scenario from last year's Irene. I have a clear image by the eerie light of the full moon somehow reflecting under the clouds of Brittyn up to her waist in water in the middle of the street as the water was rising.

When it was up to the sidewalk we knew the battle had to be different. Nate and Jeffery went inside with hand pumps and were pumping the water that was seeping around the edges of the garage door. We had several different barriers of sandbags at that point, by the new door and wall into the basement and across the door into the family room where the furnace and water heater were. This battle went on until 2AM. The garage door was bowing in precariously. Outside the water rose to the top of the bricks in our driveway and then above to the front steps. At that point the river was from our neighbor's front porch across the street to ours and as far down as we could see. At one point we worried that we might have to evacuate so we flipped the switch on the boiler, but soon realized that we would all stay, but the water heater wouldn't start again.

We could see dozens of car that were flooded up to their doorhandles and our neighbor's sandbags were all underwater. Miraculously for us, at about 2am the water started receding and we all came in and showered with what was left of the hot water and agreed to get up at 4am to bail and see what would happen as the tide came in again. It was a short night and we gingerly put on our wet clothes again to go out. We found about 3 feet of water still in the driveway, about one foot in the garage, about 3 inches in the hallway, and the great news was we only had an  inch or two in the family room. The furnace was saved since we had put in on blocks when it was installed, and the water heater too. We had spent the weekend taking all of Nate and Brittyn's boxes from the crawlspace upstairs, as well as the emergency equipment and the tools.

We were really spared the worst of the storm because the tide didn't rise again. We spent the early morning bailing the driveway just in case and to decrease the pressure on the door, but it had  held! We were without power, but were were so grateful. The gas range worked, we still had the water that was ok to use and the sewer system was still intact. This has been a great blessing and many people have had to spend the week in the increasing cold without these amenities. We got our generator going and we have been able to save what was in the frig. Our friend JoAnn Kovaly who lives in the apartments between us and the Mall brought down her things from her frig and you should be here to see the meals that she has prepared! She is quite a cook---we have had a lovely fish and rice soup, beef fried rice, burritos, lemon chicken and pasta and tonight there is chili simmering in the kitchen.
We have all enjoyed this as have many of our neighbors!

JoAnn said that during the storm she heard a commotion at midnight. People were yelling to each other to move their cars because their parking lot was flooding. They drove their cars up over the grass between the buildings to get them out. One car on the road was engulfed in flames and the firefighters were there in the middle of the storm to fight it. When our power went out, Jeffery called LIPA and they were also there during the storm.

We had a chance in the next two days to survey the damage. All the homes along our street were flooded nearly to the school. The two trees that went down behind us were huge, but not as big as many in the neighborhood. Nearly every street was blocked by an uprooted tree, but I only saw one that was resting on a house, though several crushed cars. Whole parking strips and sidewalks were ripped up as these trees went over. It is so dramatic. In the entrance of our area many giant trees went down and more in the park across the street. The power people really have their work cut out for them.

The area south of us along the shore, all in our District is pretty devastated. The ocean went up over Long Beach and Far Rockaway to the bay on the other side. Joe S.'s father had water through his first floor and lost both his cars. That was the norm. Occasionally the water would spare some cars here or there and some neighborhoods even had power--Helene H. and the neighbors on her side kept theirs even though she has a live power line across her porch. We spent Tuesday carrying out all the things that were in the garage---the wood, food storage buckets and stuff. Even though we were really spared, there still was a ton of stuff to carry out, discard or disinfect so it could be put back. We had put out airconditioners on chairs and stacked the critical wood, but it was still a mess. President Bevington and Teresa came on Tuesday evening and helped us out. Most of the Island was out of power and many parts had been flooded. Entire sections had been washed away.  Several marinas were lost and even the boats in dry storage were had floated everywhere---even through houses. One man had five boats on his property.

Jeffery has been working tirelessly on the emergency planning with the stake and mission presidents since the storm was predicted. Since our internet was out and our phone service has been very spotty the planning and meetings has been tricky. We could charge up with our generator, but the issue has been getting gas. Jeffery waited on the standing line at one station for 2 1/2 hours just to fill the gas cans. The gas lines go for miles at any station that has electricity restored, and usually they run out before the line does. The supply lines are not working yet since the refineries were flooded or out of electricity.

Jeffery has been up early and late every day. The church has been very generous and truckloads of supplies are arriving to central points in the various states. This all has to be requested and arranged by the area 70's and the local leaders. The man from the church who helps coordinate in disasters arrived yesterday with a satellite phone for Jeffery and some other leaders and 125 gallons of gas for the workers. Yesterday Jeffery was awakened at 12:30am and got up and has many inspirations in these early morning hours.

People wanted to help right away. It took the first day to start to assess the damage and find what had happened to church members and neighborhoods. To get things started since the Mission President here was ready to let his missionaries get busy, Jeffery told them to come to our neighborhood since there were so many needs. It was a happy sight to see the dozens of elders and sisters getting out of their cars in front of our house. One elder who had been in our area and helped us with our home said he recognized the address and said, "Oh no, not again for the Olson's!" They went door to door asking to help, and it only took a little while until that nice army of missionaries were doing their great work! Some of Nate's pictures and the quotes from our neighbors are apparently on the Church website.

 

We had Sacrament meeting for an hour yesterday morning as a district and then the branch members were off to Far Rockaway which is on the shore line to the south west. They were met there with about 400 other members from Queens who came in by bus. They worked all day in hard hit neighborhoods where people lost their basements and first floors as well. Someone pulled out her college graduation diploma out of a wet bucket to show Soren and Beka. People were so grateful for the help. One man had owned an Italian restaurant and he found a way to cook all day and kept the pasta coming outside his house for the volunteers. He must have had a gas stove. We have had  members there who will have to move and have lost everything. The Branch President also sent crews directly south to the Long Beach, Island Park area to search out inactive members and get work orders in the neighborhoods. Jeffery hopes that there will be 2000 people there from the Church on Saturday and  Sunday. Tuesday is also a holiday and the church members will work tomorrow as well. Jeffery will take a group to the Ross Lipsky's father's dental office in Howard Beach and help clean that out. I hope we can gather a group of kids from South High to help a neighbor I met yesterday who is on Heatherfield right by Hook Creek that overflowed. He said his house was an island and the water rose in his basement up to the second step below his main floor. His house is really high so that is incredible. Jeffery said that the destruction on  Far Rockaway was intense and ours would have been just like it if the water had risen two more feet.

 

The power crews have been in the neighborhood since the beginning. We hope they can get us into service soon. The temperatures are dropping at night and we hope we will have electricity before the pipes freeze. We have a water-baseboard heating system. If the power goes on our heat should just start up. Our neighbors who got their burners flooded will have trouble. They will have to wait to have their furnaces replaced. Last year after Irene we had to wait10 weeks before our gas burner could be put in and in many places it is not available yet. We haven't been too cold as of yet. We have the stove going all day cooking and at night we light the fireplace. We eat by candlelight and we have had some nice celebrations with our neighbors. We roast marshmallows for dessert, so you can see that our indoor camping has had some benefits. We bought some wool socks and a long johns today (Monday) and we still have the old trick of having the children sleep together to stay warm.

 

Our green car had some electrical problems coming back from the airport last night and Nate waited for two hours in the cold before AAA could get to him. The guy says his family owns 36 stations and only a few of them had gas and they were charged a huge surcharge so they sold it to customers at somewhere around $5.50 a gallon. The lines at the gas stations that I saw opened this morning (two) were about six blocks long, better than the weekend.
 

At BJ's I heard this woman yelling at her son---"Don't you dare ask for anything when you have just lost your house!" She did it in several different places and I'm sure she needed some validation and comfort. School should start for our kids on Wednesday just in time for the predicted Nor'easter. They are hoping that it won't bring flooding or more problems for the electrical work. The power company is set up at the Mall for a headquarters, they have poles, lots of trucks and equipment there with a fleet of cherry-pickers. Beka is scheduled to go into the City tonight with her friends to see Phantom of the Opera. They bought group tickets some time ago and it seems like a bit of welcome normalcy. The trains and getting back to business. They said they are crowded and sporadic. Sometimes so full that no one can get on and you just have to wait for another. Nate took the train this morning to work and Jeffery took the bus.

 

Our phone service has been very spotty, as has been our ability to charge the phones and computer. We borrowed a wifi connection so I can only use it to send for a moment. Thank you for your calls, your love and prayers. Dale offered to bring gas to us and we almost took him up on it but we are fine for the next few days. Thank you Dale and Kitty! I can't get to my account, but Coco had been using hers before the storm so I will send it to Anika to forward it to everyone she can. I will send pictures when I can get back to our computer, this one does not have a card reader.

 

I was reading the scriptures on Sunday morning and read in JST Luke 3:4-11 about the beautiful mission of the Savior as listed in Isaiah 61:1-4. For behold, and lo, he shall come, as it is written in the book of the prophets, to take away the sins of the world, and to bring salvation unto the heathen nations, to gather together those who are lost, who are the sheepfold of Israel, Yea, even the dispersed and afflicted;and also to prepare the way, and make possible the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles; And to be a light unto all who sit in darkness, unto the uttermost parts of the earth; to bring to pass the resurrection from the dead..."  I had to laugh because I was sitting in bed snuggled under the covers in the dark with a flashlight over my shoulder.

 

Any light on a very dark cold night is welcome. Our lamp in the kitchen is like a beacon both welcoming and tormenting to those who are sitting in the dark. The full moon on the night of  Sandy still lit up the night despite the clouds so we could see to work outside as the waters were rising. The candles on the dinner table and the flicker of the fireplace are comforting and warming. The light of someone's smile as they come to help and the person who smile's gratefully in return are beautiful and exemplify that when we hold up our candles we are the light of the world, and "others seeing our good works will glorify their Father in Heaven." But the sunlight keeps us alive and the Savior is literally and figuratively the light of the world. 3 Nephi 18:24 says "Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up,---that which ye have seen me do."

 

We are grateful for the Savior, for the gospel, for the preparations suggested by our leaders that have lessened our fears and discomforts, for the preparation and generosity of a Church full of people who make it possible for the resources to alleviate much suffering in difficult times, and the good neighbors and friends that we have here in New York---pray for them. We are bundled up--alive and well and we love you all! Take care, Love Julie

Pink Lemonade Cake (with Lemonade Frosting)

I haven't made this yet, but I want to.  (The frosting especially looks amazing.)

Pink Lemonade Cake

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter

4 eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
red food coloring
1 1/3 cups milk
1/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 tsp lemon extract

 

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand until room temp.  Grease 2 9x2 in. round pans.  Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. 
2. In a medium bowl mix flour, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.

3. Preheat oven to 350.
4. In a large bowl beat butter, add sugar, 1/8 tsp of food coloring, 1 egg at a time, beating well.  In another bowl, stir together milk, lemonade concentrate, and extract; it will curdle, but that's okay.

5. Alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture to butter mixture beating on low.

6. Remove 1/2 (4 cups) of tinted batter and spread in 1 pan.  

7. Stir in 1/4 tsp of red food coloring in remaining batter and spread in other pan.

8. Bake about 35 minutes until toothpick is clean when inserted.

Pink Lemonade Buttercream Frosting

3 cup unsalted butter (6 sticks-at room temp)
2 -16 oz. jars of marshmallow cream
1/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate (thawed)
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp lemon extract

1. In a large bowl, beat butter about 30 seconds 
2. Add marshmallow and frozen concentrate.  Beat until smooth.
3. Add sugar, beat until light and fluffy.
4. Frost cake after it has cooled and the frosting is at room temp.

To make the different layers, slice the cakes in half with a serrated knife, sawing gently back and forth. Alternate the colors.
 
From Better Homes & Garden, via http://craftyc0rn3r.blogspot.com/2012/07/pink-lemonade-cakecupcakes.html.  

-------------------

And now I can throw away the issue of BHG that has been haunting my house since I took it (with permission) from the lactation store in July.  Success.

 

http://www.redheadcandecorate.com/uploads/1/0/7/3/10739775/6180973_orig.jpg

My son, right now.

Sunday Night Special

Some Sabbath day media I consumed today:

"Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread" by Elder D. Todd Christofferson
"His Grace Is Sufficient" by Brad Wilcox
http://sisterbrinton.blogspot.com/ My beautiful sister-in-law Abby's missionary blog.
http://sallyandgregbrinton.blogspot.com/ My aunt- and uncle-in-law's missionary blog.
Alma 61:19-20 and Alma 60:33 (although I read them in hard copy rather than in digital)

The internets, it turns out, can provide many beautiful godly words.  A good Sabbath.

P.S. For a bonus, and for your Monday-day viewing, an oddly satisfying commercial. 

Fall Centerpiece Brainstorming

I'm not big on centerpieces--I think tableware and food done right are so beautiful that they are all the decoration a table needs--but weddings present specific design difficulties often enhanced by something going on.  So, for a dear friend (the lovely Rebecca R), I'm investigating possible (a) lovely, (b) possibly functional/tasty, (c) simple, and (d) cost-efficient Autumnal centerpieces for her October wedding luncheon in Portland.  Below is mostly just for me and her as I/we brainstorm, but if you are reading this and you want to chime in with a link or idea, feel free.

Note: I don't love all of these, but I love some, and I think the rest are inspirational in some way or another.

To learn how to make the cool effect on left, click here.

Instructions here.

Not a huge fan of the mirror or the candle, but I like this as a reminder that even super simple is possible.

I think this is especially beautiful.

I don't love candles, but this is cool as far as candles go.

Maybe with real apples instead of candlapples.

 

Super easy instructions are here.  (Note: I plan to make these sometime.  I think they are rockstar, even without the banner.)

Three Recipes: Two for Posterity, One for the Recipe Box

Forever Desserts
Ultimate Coconut Cake
http://reviewofrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/09/peninsula-grills-ultimate-coconut-cake.html
(I made this for Jed for our one-year anniversary yesterday; we haven't yet even finished our original slices of cake, it was SO rich--and so, so decadently, ultimately delicious.  Note: I added a sprinkle more of kosher salt to every component, I forgot the sugar syrup, and I doubled the cream cheese in the frosting.  Good decisions, all.)

Ruggle's White Chocolate Bread Pudding with Raspberry Sauce
http://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/5473119/ruggles-white-chocolate-bread-pudding/ (I made this for a co-worker's birthday last year.  He'd lived in Houston, where Ruggle's is, and this dessert became basically the only one he likes.  I haven't stopped making it.)

For Me to Remember
Pan-Cooked Pork with Dried Cherry Sauce
http://www.food.com/recipe/pork-chops-w-dried-cherry-sauce-205368 (more for the pork than the sauce)

A really delicious casserole worth remembering.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Eggplant-Potato-and-Pepper-Casserole-347

I'd recommend George Foreman-ing the eggplant instead of frying it (less oil; delicious taste), but frying the onions, potatoes, and green peppers is a good idea.  I'm not sure if I have ever made this with actual thyme (maybe I used dried? maybe I used basil and/or oregano?), so feel free to season as you would.  It was surprisingly ridiculously delicious.

Oh, and we definitely layered in canned roast beef to make it an entree.  And we probably added cheese.  Awesome.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

The snow from last night is melting this morning, so the world outside is a mix of white snow, yellow and orange leaves, and a slick brown shininess to everything melting and being melted on.  Necessarily, I wanted pumpkin something for breakfast.

I'm a solid cook, but I am not a great baker.  These muffins, however, were fantastic and easy.  (Except--I put in more chocolate chips than was called for, maybe just 1/4 cup more, because why not?  And turns out, it was maybe too many chocolate chips.  I was eating the muffin wishing I could taste less chocolate and more pumpkin.  Weird, right?)

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cup(s) flour
• 1 cup(s) sugar
• 1 tablespoon(s) pumpkin-pie spice (OR some mix of ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon)
• 1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt (kosher is my preference, always)
• 1 cup(s) semisweet chocolate chips
• 2  large eggs
• 1 cup (do not use pumpkin-pie filling) canned solid-pack pumpkin (OR maybe 1 1/4 cup?)
• 1/2 cup(s) (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted (OR 1/2 cup applesauce and 1 tablespoon melted butter)

---

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray muffin tins.
2. In large bowl, mix first six ingredients; add chocolate chips, tossing to coat. 
3. In another small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients; add to flour mixture and stir just until combined (do not overmix). Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until muffins spring back when lightly touched (or, as I did, until they mostly look done and the edges look crispy but the top doesn't quite spring back but you have to leave to go practice a hymn for church the next day). Cool muffins on rack.

Adapted from http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/paula-muffins

Recipes I've been a-using

This is mostly for my records, but feel free to look in.  Both of these are delicious for breakfast.

Chilled Raspberry Soup
(adapted by Sarah from Betty Crocker)

2 bags (about 4 cups) frozen raspberries, thawed overnight in fridge
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cranberry juice or orange juice
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp cinnamon (or to taste)
1 tsp vanilla (or to taste)

1. 1 Place raspberries, sugar, and juice in blender. Cover and blend on high speed until smooth.
2. Strain raspberry mixture through sieve into bowl. Discard raspberry seeds.
3. Stir yogurt into raspberry mixture.  Add cinnamon and vanilla; stir.
4. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until cold.  Serve topped with fresh raspberries.

Pear Clafoutis

(adapted by Sarah from the Domestic Goddess)

4 large eggs

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/3 cup flour

1 cup milk

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

3 large pears, cored, thinly sliced

powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Generously butter 9-inch-diameter glass or ceramic pie plate.
2. Beat eggs, sugar, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk in flour. Add milk, butter, vanilla, and cinnamon - whisk until smooth.
3. Arrange pears in bottom of prepared plate (preferably in circular-fan pattern). Pour custard over pears.  Sprinkle additional cinnamon and/or sugar on top.
4. Bake until clafoutis is set in center and golden on top, about 40 minutes.
5. Sprinkle or serve with powdered sugar.

Homemade Caramel Recipe

The following is mostly for my own records, but you should feel free to use it too. It comes from this website.

CARAMEL:

3 c. sugar, divided
3/4 c. milk
1 egg, beaten
Pinch of salt
1/2 c. butter (cut up)

Sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar in heavy saucepan; place over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar melts and syrup is golden brown.

Combine remaining 2 1/2 cups sugar, milk, egg and salt in a bowl, stirring well; stir in butter. Stir butter mixture in caramelized sugar. (The mixture will lump, becoming smooth with further cooking.) Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until a candy thermometer registers 230 degrees (15-20 minutes). Cool 5 minutes. Beat with a wooden spoon to almost spreading consistency and spread between layers and on top of cake.

Grandma Hoggard

This past Tuesday morning, at approximately 12:30 am, my Grandma Hoggard died. Mom and Anika were there with her, in her hospice care facility, and I had seen her earlier that evening, earlier that day, and for many hours on the previous two days. We had been praying she would die on Monday because she was so uncomfortable. It was such a blessing to have it happen when and how and as peacefully as it did. Grandma considered her death a graduation, and she requested we play "Pomp and Circumstance" at her funeral, which the bishop thought was "resoundingly appropriate." So on Friday, at her funeral, as the cousins pall bearered her casket out of the chapel, Cousin Stephen played a version of the graduation anthem. I'm sure she was 100% delighted about that.

At Uncle Rick's request, I wrote a tribute to Grandma, which was included in the program for her funeral. For posterity's sake--and to update this long-neglected blog--I post it here.

Grandma Hoggard, we love you very much. I miss you already.

* * * * *

As Grandma Hoggard Would Say, “We Just Had to Laugh”

I once won $1100 for an essay I wrote about Grandma and Grandpa, in which I essentially just wrote down experiences I’d had with them. I wrestled with not submitting the essay in the first place—should I make money on Grandma’s idiosyncrasies? Could it really be okay to share her foibles with the world? In the essay, I describe watching Grandma give herself insulin shots, poking a sharp needle into her belly, sitting alone late at night at the kitchen counter. And of course, of course, I expose her fridge for all that it is—a tattooed appliance, covered by a collection of quotes, handwritten by Grandma in black permanent marker. “Pornography is the literature of the devil,” the freezer says. “If jealousy were a fever, all the world would be ill.”

I shouldn’t have worried about sharing these things. When I showed Grandma the essay, she laughed at every page. “You painted me perfectly!” she said. “You got me just right!”

The perfect, shocking thing about Grandma’s willingness to laugh is that she was also so serious about so many things. The gospel of Jesus Christ, for one. Her family. Genealogy. Graduations, events, holiday decorations. New clothes for the grandkids, new shoes for the grandkids. Pretty much anything for the grandkids. Fudge.

With seriousness, she decried sin. (She once told me: “Rick bought his kids a poker table. Someday he’s going to call me and say, ‘Woe is me,’ and I’ll say, ‘Woe IS you!’”) She advocated for achievement. (She counseled a soon-to-be-lawyer grandson to take all 50 state bars at the same time, “just to get it over with.”) She loved buying things. (One day, after hearing her emit a string of gasps and “That’s darling!”s in the BYU Bookstore, I asked her if she saw anything she didn’t think was cute. She stopped walking, turned entirely around, and said brightly, “Nope!”)

And she gave, gave, gave. Gave. Gave more. (For instance, a former roommate of my sister’s recently credited Grandma Hoggard with helping her avoid urinary tract infections, so plentiful was Grandma’s supply of cranberry juice to Anika’s college apartment.) Grandma never stopped giving—she was giving the rings off her fingers for weeks before she died—and she hasn’t yet. (Turn an object over in Grandma’s house, and you’re likely to find a “Stephen” or a “Coco,” written in Grandma’s own schoolgirl cursive. She long ago began preparing to divide her possessions among her family.) My guess is she’s already finding ways to keep giving, both to us here and to our family on the other side.

Grandma Hoggard is one of the finest, funniest, most passionate, most loving people ever to live on God’s earth. We who are lucky enough to be descended from her by birth or marriage have been trying since our very first days to live with as much meaning, good humor, and generosity as she showed everyday.

She’d like that, I think, because she loves us. And because she has always, always enjoyed a good laugh.

Salad Crazy?

Me too.

Which is why Manfriend has made this:

sarahssalads.wordpress.com

He says he'll update it every time I eat a salad, which, it turns out, is typically at least once a day. But already we're two salads behind--a pork salad and a salad I ordered as part of lunch today at The Prime Rib, during DC's restaurant week. But he has an iPhone, plenty of access to me (hooray), and the desire to document our crazy salad eating.

Here's hoping even more attention to me and my salads doesn't go to my head.

(Manfriend, that pun was for you.)

Stay tuned.