Rice Krispy Treats - Spoil your Inner Child

Sometimes, no matter how you try and repress childhood memories, well the bad ones at least, they still come back to haunt and intimidate you.  The good memories I have which are few and far between seem to mostly center around food.  One of these was the first time my mother made rice krispy treats for me.  They were so gooey, but crunchy and deliciously sweet; but she only made them once as she felt the "mess in the pan" wasn't worth the effort.   As I grew older, I was able to obtain these treats in stores, and eventually learned to make them myself once I adopted my son.  I don't understand why the big fuss over the "mess in the pan" as it easily cleans out with hot soapy water and a sponge.

Anyway, a little history about this childhood treat; it was invented in 1939 by Malitta Jensen and Mildred Day, and the Kelloggs Company of course, to help raise money for the Campfire Girls Foundation.  It was a simple recipe of melted butter and mini-marshmallows mixed into rice krispies, allowed to cool, cut up into squares and enjoyed.   Nowadays, this simple recipe can include any manner of mixture from different types of cereal, toasted oatmeal, crushed granola, nuts, dried fruit and mini-candy pieces.

Making treats nowadays might take a little more calculation too, depending on the density of the cereal used plus any other added ingredients, and the size of the pan used as well.  Normally it is 1 stick of butter (8 tablespoons), 1 (10 ounce) package of mini-marshmallows (they melt quicker) and 6 cups of rice krispy cereal.  It is all pressed into a greased (with butter) 2 quart rectangular baking dish; cooled for an hour and then cut into squares.  While the butter and marshmallows can be melted in a stovetop pan, nowadays a microwave is more convenient and makes it easier to control the melting process to avoid burning. 

I made peanut butter treats just yesterday and while you might think I made them too thin; as far as I'm concerned, that means I have a lot more to enjoy.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats

Ingredients:

7 cups rice krispy cereal
1 stick (8 Tbsp) salted butter plus 1/2 Tbsp for greasing dish
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 (10 oz) bag mini-marshmallows (make sure they are fresh!)


Preparation:

Into a large mixing bowl, measure out 7 cups of rice krispy cereal; lightly grease a 13" x 9" baking dish with butter.

Into a medium mixing bowl, melt the butter and peanut butter in the microwave for 45 seconds; add in the marshmallows and toss to coat. Microwave for 60 seconds, mix thoroughly; microwave another 30 seconds, mix and pour over cereal. Using a sturdy spoon, mix together so the cereal is thoroughly incorporated. Put the mixture into the baking dish and press out to the sides as evenly as possible; cover with plastic wrap and let cool on counter for one hour. Cut into squares and enjoy.

Do yourself a favor and spoil your inner child once in awhile; you deserve it.

Mary Cokenour

Wrapped and Deep Fried, Maybe.

Deciding to do a post on spring rolls, I did not anticipate the variety of such an item between, not just Asian countries, but Mexico and South America also. I mean sure, you get an appetizer in many places called Southwestern Spring or Egg Rolls, but are they really?

So what is the difference between a spring and an egg roll? Mainly the ingredients, size and texture of the wrappers; spring roll wrappers are paper thin, more pliable, smaller and made of rice flour, water and salt. Egg roll wrappers are thicker and made with all purpose flour, water, cornstarch and egg; they are very similiar to a cannoli shell. Spring rolls can be deep fried or not, egg rolls are normally deep fried; and the ingredients wrapped up in both of them can be endless combinations.

Spring rolls typically refer to the fresh, young vegetables available in spring time; cut or chopped into small pieces, perhaps mixed with marinated meat or poultry. The fillings might be mixed with a sauce, or the sauce served on the side for dipping. In Mexico, spring rolls are called Rollos Primavera and served with a dipping sauce of ketchup mixed with a spicy, hot mustard. Argentina and Brazil have their own versions of spring rolls, and the dipping sauce is typically sweet and hot. Of course there is the eggroll which usually has a spicy beef mixture with beans; maybe rice, corn or both included. Similiar to a taquito, but using a traditional Chinese eggroll wrapper and wrapping technique instead.

 

Basic Spring Roll Recipe

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp canola oil
1 large carrot, shredded
1 cup Chinese (Napa) cabbage, shredded
2 green onions, diced
1 cup bean sprouts
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
12 spring roll wrappers
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp water
4-6 cups canola oil (dependent on use of Wok or deep skillet)

Optional ingredients: 1/2 lb of shredded pork, chicken or beef; or chopped shrimp. Mix with 1 Tbsp oyster sauce and 1/2 tsp baking soda; marinate for 1/2 hour.

Preparation:

On high heat in either Wok or deep skillet, stir fry carrot, cabbage, green onion and bean sprouts for one minute; add oyster sauce and sesame oil; toss and remove from heat. If using an optional meat, poultry or shrimp; add 2 more Tbsp of oil; when hot, stir fry until ingredients just begins to turn color; remove from heat and mix with vegetables.

Into Wok or skillet add, cups of oil to 1 1/2 inches; while oil is heating (to 375F), prepare rolls. Place wrappers in diamond shape position; combine cornstarch and water. Place a tablespoon of stir fried mixture in center; coat all edges of wrapper with water mixture. Fold top and bottom of "diamond" slightly over filling; begin rolling from left to right and seal with extra water mixture if needed. Fry rolls 3 at a time until golden brown; drain on paper towels.

Makes 12 spring rolls.

Of course spring rolls do not have to be deep fried, just roll them up, but only use water to seal the edges.   Make sure, when stir frying the meat, poultry or shrimp that they are cooked thoroughly before adding to the vegetable mixture.

Mary Cokenour

Tuna Sandwich that aims to Cheese.

Usually when having a sandwich, it might come accompanied by a side such as potato chips, french fries, cole slaw, etc. Then again, since I was a little child, I've always taken my potato chips and put them inside my tuna salad sandwich. The crunch factor was awesome and it just made the two separate items taste so good together. Oh sure, lots of folks add a crunch factor to their salads with chopped up bell peppers, onions or celery, but they can't beat good old fashioned potato chips.

Then there is the grilled cheese sandwich which can be just plain cheese or include any numbers of taste additives such as bacon, ham, or dare I say it....tuna salad. On a diner menu, you would see this item listed as a tuna melt, but who are we kidding, it's a grilled cheese sandwich with tuna salad added in. Simple comfort food goodness! Now a typical side for a grilled cheese is tomato soup, but macaroni and cheese is very welcomed.

Now the point to all this? How about if we took an old fashioned tuna melt and put the macaroni and cheese inside before grilling it? Have I gone nuts? Well I hope so, and so does my family, since they love this goody from the sandwich realm.

Now for the macaroni and cheese, here's a tip: after cooking it up, place it inside a buttered loaf pan and cool it in the refrigerator for a half hour. It will be easier to make slices that fit into the sandwich itself.

Simply put, have your tuna salad and macaroni and cheese made up before hand. My tuna salad is a mixture of albacore white plus chunk light; two (5 ounce) cans of white to one (5 ounce) light; two tablespoons of mayonnaise, 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper and one tablespoon of diced onion. If you're not in the mood to make a homemade macaroni and cheese, a packaged brand like Velveeta works best, since it has the liquid cheese sauce, not a powdered mix.

If you have a square flat top griddle for the stove top, heat it up on medium-high heat and melt a couple of tablespoons of butter on it. While that's heating up, take 4 slices of bread and generously butter one side of each slice. Place them butter side down on the griddle; place a slice of American or cheddar cheese on each slice.

Wait one minute before placing a slice (about one inch thick) of macaroni and cheese on one slice of bread, and a half cup of tuna salad spread out on the opposite slice. When you start to hear sizzling in the pan, time to put the sandwiches together.

With a wide spatula, quickly and gently lift up the macaroni and cheese side of the sandwich onto the tuna side. Use a spatula to press the sandwiches down lightly; you want to make a seal with the cheese, but not squeeze out the insides. Wait 30 seconds and flip the sandwiches over; wait another 30 seconds and remove to a plate. Cut and enjoy!

Mary Cokenour

Cafe in the Bluff.

Bluff City Cafe

281 East Main
Bluff, Utah, 84512

(435) 672-9956

Website: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bluff-City-Cafe/352932808118811

Reed Sampson of Fattboyz Grillin fame has once again been able to take over one of the many failed restaurants of his area, and turn it to his advantage. The former San Juan River Kitchens is now the site of the new Bluff City Cafe; featuring a scaled down version of the menu from Fattboyz, but new recipes are in the works to attract the tourists, and artists group known to frequent the Bluff area. The addition of a liquor license will allow the Cafe to serve beer and wine to its diners; a much asked for commodity in this rather "dry" area encompassing the strict "NO alcohol" policy of the City of Blanding; and its influence on the eateries of Monticello also.













The Cafe includes diner type seating with a counter and stools; while tables allow for intimate two person seating to larger groups. Works from local artists decorate the walls; and the dining area itself is open and airy.



We started off our meals with BBQ Chicken Wings; fried crispy texture on the outside with tender meat inside; a delicious, tangy barbeque sauce coating the chicken, but not overwhelming it. Most meals come with a choice of soup or salad; and we chose the salad which is generous in portion for a side.



My husband stayed with a chicken theme for the evening by ordering the Fried Chicken dinner. Three pieces of single batter dipped chicken; the coating so light and crispy, it could be its own appetizer. The chicken pieces were large and meaty, perfectly cooked, juicy and let me stress this...NOT greasy! The side of mashed potatoes were Fattboyz own signature garlic red skinned potatoes.





I enjoyed the special for the evening, the Ribeye Steak dinner; a large, tender steak with a wonderful charcoal flavoring. I ended up taking half the steak home and my hubby got to enjoy a lovely steak and eggs breakfast the next morning. I too had those yummy mashed potatoes.


We treated ourselves to a slice of raspberry cheesecake and wonderful conversation with Juelz Sampson (Reed's sister) and her husband Yock.

Coming back from a trip to Monument Valley or Arizona; looking for a good meal, welcoming atmosphere and friendly people....don't look further than the Bluff City Cafe.

Mary Cokenour


UPDATE:  Owner announced that this restaurant is out of business as of August 23, 2013.

More to Corn than just the Cob.

Corn is that versatile vegetable that can be used to make a variety of food stuffs such as grits, polenta, tortillas, bread; nevermind side dishes such as corn pudding, succotash or an added ingredient to casseroles. Roasted or boiled on the corn is one of the most popular summer time favorites for a barbequed feast. Don't forget popped corn as a snack for movie watching, but what about as a batter dipped, deep fried goodie. No, I'm not talking about corndogs; I'm talking about corn nuggets.

Creamy, corny goodness encased in a deep fried coating similiar to that on a corndog, but without the meat. I've had them in a restaurant as an appetizer; they can just be a great snack food; or served as a side dish for a simple meal such as burgers, even at a barbeque. While you might be able to find them in the frozen food section of a supermarket, you're better off just making them fresh at home. Give them a try!

Corn Nuggets

Ingredients:

1 (14 ¼ oz) can creamed style corn
1 (14 ¼ oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
¾ cup cornmeal
¾ cup flour
2 egg whites
3 Tbsp milk
¼ tsp each salt
Canola oil for frying

Preparation:

In a small bowl, mix together both cans of corn; line a jelly roll pan with wax paper; spoon tablespoons of mixture onto wax paper and freeze until firm (about 3 hours).

Fill a deep fryer to fill line, or a deep skillet to one inch, with oil; bring temperature up to 350F. While oil is heating, in a medium bowl, mix together cornmeal, flour, egg whites and salt thoroughly. Dip frozen corn into the batter and then deep fry, 4-5 at a time, until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain; serve as is or with assortment of sauces.

Makes about 2 dozen.

Options: before freezing, add to corn mixture, ¼ cup of crisp, crumbled bacon; petite diced bell peppers, chile peppers or onions; or a combination of ingredients.

Mary Cokenour

The Versatile Chocolate Chip Cookie.

The birth of the recipe for chocolate chip cookies was in the 1930's by Ruth Graves Wakefield; owner of the Toll House Inn of Massachusetts.  The chocolate chip cookies became a tried and true recipe by which all other chip recipes stood by; including bar cookies.  This is truly an American icon!

Imagine it; just using one simple recipe, but adding a variety of different chips, dried fruits, nuts, even candy pieces; you can create a multitude of delicious cookies.  To the basic recipe I'll be giving you, just add one cup of one item, or a mixture of several; want to be a little more precise, so long as whatever you're putting in adds up to the extra cup; you are good to go bake and eat.

Then there is the size of the cookie; petite one inchers to as large as a twelve inch pizza pie; take a little decorator's icing in a tube and write a message for a special occasion.  Press the dough out into a rectangular baking dish, score lightly with a knife and bake; while in the cooling process, complete the scores with a clean knife to create cookie bars. 

The basic recipe does contain white and brown sugars, but with baking products on the shelf made from Splenda or Truvia; even a diabetic can have a chocolate chip cookie treat.  What about the sugar in the chocolate you ask?  Hershey's has come out with sugar free chocolate baking chips; adding chopped nuts helps to keep blood sugar and pressure at a steady level.  Every little bit helps when you want a treat, but have to watch those carbs.

Well my freshly baked cookies are cooled and can go in sealable containers; of course a couple will accidently fall into my mouth.  So here's the basic recipe and have fun making your own chocolate chip cookies.  Enjoy!

 

The Original Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional or add another ingredient)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Pan Cookie Variation: Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack.

Makes 4 dozen bars.

Slice and Bake Cookie Variation:

Prepare dough as above. Divide in half; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.* Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

* May be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week or in freezer for up to 8 weeks.

FOR HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING (5,200 feet): Increase flour to 2 1/2 cups. Add 2 teaspoons water with flour and reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to 2/3 cup each. Bake drop cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and pan cookie for 17 to 19 minutes.

Mary Cokenour

Female Appendages aka Ladyfingers

An Italian dessert that is craved at many restaurants is Tiramisu. While it is an easy to make at home dessert also, it is not always an easy task to find the needed components of mascarpone and ladyfingers. Now when I posted my recipe for Tiramisu, I also posted instructions on creating a faux mascarpone; that's for when you cannot possibly find the authentic cheese at your local market.

Ladyfingers, on the other hand and no pun intended, are a whole other story. These crisp cookies, or sometimes called biscuits, are similiar in form to Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies. They are made from a sponge cake batter, but more flour is added to make the batter firm enough to hold its shape aftering being piped onto cookie sheets for baking.

The recipe for Ladyfingers that I'll be posting for you comes directly from one of the best sources of baking know-how, "The Joy of Baking".

Joy of Baking Tested Recipe for Ladyfingers

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (65 grams) cake flour, sifted
3 large egg yolks, room temperature
2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated white sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 large egg whites, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 tablespoons (36 grams) granulated white sugar
Powdered (icing or confectioners) sugar for dusting the tops of the cookies

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. To make the piping of the cookies easier, use a pencil and ruler to divide the parchment paper into three - 3 inch (7.5 cm) rows, with about 1 inch (2.54 cm) between rows. Have ready a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) round tip.

In your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons (25 grams) white sugar on high speed for about 5 minutes or until the mixture becomes thick and pale yellow. (When you raise the beaters the batter should fall back into the bowl in a slow ribbon.) Beat in the vanilla extract. Sift the cake flour over the batter but do not fold in.

In a clean bowl, with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add the 3 tablespoons (36 grams) white sugar and whip until stiff peaks form and the whites are glossy. Fold the whites into the egg yolk and flour mixture in three additions, mixing only until incorporated.
Transfer the batter to the pastry bag and, holding the bag at about a 45 degree angle to the baking sheet, pipe the batter into 3 inch (7.5 cm) long ladyfingers, using the lines drawn on the parchment paper as your guide. Pipe the batter leaving about a 1 inch (2.54 cm) space between the cookies.

When you have piped all the cookies, place the powdered sugar in a wire strainer, and lightly sift the sugar over the tops of the cookies. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the ladyfingers are firm but barely browned and are still spongy when pressed with a finger.

Remove the baking sheets from the oven and slide the parchment paper from the baking sheets onto a wire rack. Let the ladyfingers cool for a few minutes and release them from the parchment paper, with a flat spatula, while they are still warm. If you left them completely cool before removing them from the parchment they stick and hard to remove without breaking. Finish cooling the ladyfingers on the wire rack before using or storing. If you are not using the ladyfingers right away, freeze them. Ladyfingers stale very quickly unless they are soaked in a liquid. To store, place in a plastic bag between layers of wax or parchment paper and freeze up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen 3 inch (7.5 cm) Ladyfingers.

Have fun making these cookies and especially making Tiramisu.

Mary Cokenour