Super Summer Spaghetti Salad

I made the recipe last week when Bill and Jessica came over for dinner. And my mom made this a lot for pot lucks, etc... I'm posting this for you Jess.

Note: Modify as you wish. I change up the veggies based on what I have on hand.

1 lb spaghetti
1/2 bottle of Italian Salad Dressing
McCormacks Salad Supreme Seasoning (I haven't had great luck finding this in NYC and had my mom send me some. The ingredient label says: grated romano cheese, salt, sesame seed, poppy seed, paprika, celery seed, garlic, black pepper, and red pepper. I would use grated cheese - parm if you don't have romano, salt, garlic, paprika, and black and red pepper if you have to make your own)

Chopped Veggies:
Green Pepper
Red Pepper
Cucumber
Onion

Mix the veggies, dresssing, and seasoning with cooked spaghetti. Toss and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Enjoy!

Twinkie for the first time

So after I read the book "Twinkie Deconstructed" (see review below) there was quite a bit of discussion and debate about it in my office. I recall Twinkies fondly, with a bologna sandwich at my mom-moms house. Someone confirm this is a true memory and not something I imagined. But I was always a little more partial to the HoHo, or the Little Debbie version, the Swiss Cake Roll (aka Drake's Yodel). I never really differentiated the brands until this discussion about the Twinkie, but all the big bakers have essentially the same cakes, with slightly different names, and I am sure ingredients and recipes. But debate about processed foods aside (I think hey in moderation it won't kill me, I've gotten this far, others say you should avoid at all costs) I was astonished at the number of people in the office who had NEVER tasted a Twinkie. WHAT! Maureen is from Taiwan, Arava from Isreal, Robert from Germany, and a couple of deprived Americans. Apparently my love of junk food, and snack cakes like the Twinkie is an American convention. (Side note: Marla has never had a McDonald's hamburger!) So we discuss and debate the virture of processed foods, and how some of these things are in your kitchen, and yeah some are probably just plain bad for you. But then yesterday, arava brought in a box of Twinkies. Determined to understand what all the fuss was about. Robert hated it. Arava was taken aback by the sweetness (she also had a yodel and some other cake to try). And I closed my eyes and took a bite - and it was delicious. I realized I haven't actually eaten a Twinkie in at least 5 years, and althoguh it wasn't quite like I remembered it was so worth it. I still prefer the HoHo though. (Those I had last month, when I was really craving a treat, and Rob surprized me with a box)

What's your favorite snack cake? And how long has it been since you had one?
Leave me a comment, then go relive your childhood.

Book Review "Twinkie Deconstructed"

There is this book out "Twinkie Deconsructed." It is enlightening, although I did not find it life altering. Yes there are some crazy ingredients in industrial baked goods, and yes some of those ingredients are used in things, like rocket fuel, and explosives, and weed killer, but really they won't harm you. I mean anytime you sit and eat a box of something full of sugar it isn't good for you, and there are some things worse for you than others, but indulging in a Twinkie, or in my case a HoHo (they're my favorite), every so often won't kill you.

What I found most surprising in the book is the number of ingredients that are found in your kitchen. Sulferic acid is one of the main ingredients in Ferrous Sulfate, which is used to fortify white flour. I almost always have a five pound bag in my kitchen. They say the acids that make up the ingredients of the ingredients won't hurt you - I choose to not think about it too much. Yes, whole wheat unbleached flour (and yes white flour is bleached with that bleach) would be better, but I've gone this long, I'll take my chances for the time being.

Then there are the crazy sounding names, sodium bicarbonate, monocalcium phosphate, and sodium acid pyrophosphate. These rocks and chemicals combined are baking powder. And I find it better than the alternative - people used to use ashes. And we eat salt, that's a rock too.

The only ingredient that really makes me worry a little is the High Fructose Corn Syrup, and that is mostly due to the many articles out, and the heightened awareness made by the first lady. It's not good for you. But the process of actually making the HFCS, that isn't all that different from the numerous other corn and soy products. I do find it amusing though that there are, I think, nine ingredients made from corn on a Twinkie label. Why not just add corn?

So read the book if your interested in knowing what you eat. Don't take it too seriously, and really, sugar and baked goods aren't all that awesome for you, even though I wish they were. Fruits and veggies are the best.

Goddess of Cocoa and Chocolate

Aunt Mary has decided that I should be called the Goddess of Cocoa. Probably because every other sentence out of my mouth was "You know, chocolate / cocoa / sugar _______ would go really great with this. I made candy, pudding, hot cocoa, and cake. We had a bit of chocolate with almost every meal. This won't surprise anyone who knows me and my sweet tooth, but I kind of like the new moniker, Goddess of Cocoa - it suits me. In honor of this title here's my Mom-Mom's candy recipe, which is what started this whole thing. We used to have this always at Christmas - but I'm sure it's delicious anytime of year. This recipe takes patience, and doesn't always turn out right (it didn't set completely in New Mexico) but even the mistakes are delicious.

Mom-Mom's Candy
3 cups sugar
3 heaping teaspoons cocoa
1/8 teaspooons salt
1 1/2 cups milk

Mix the dry ingredients in a medium pot
Stir in milk - heat on low and stir continuously
Let mixture boil (about 20 minutes)
When the mixture begins to thicken (approximately another 15 minutes) Add 1/2 stick a butter

Test every minute with the cold water test:
Use a spoon to drop a drop of the candy mixture into a cup of cold water
When the mixture forms a ball in the water take the mixture off of heat

Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 heaping tablespoon of peanut butter

Pour onto a buttered platter (13 - 18 inch oval or round) one with a vertical lip works best. Let platter sit until candy is hard. (several hours)

If the candy sets correctly it can be cut into squares of a hard sugar like consistency. If it does not set correctly it will be more like taffy and should be eaten with a spoon.

Enjoy!

On the fifth day of Advent

Let's make some cinnamon ornaments! Here is a picture of two I made last year and they still smell great. It's the recipe we always made with mom, I grew up smelling cinnamon.

To do it yourself, Mix and knead:
3/4 c cinnamon
1Tbs allspice
1Tbs nutmeg
2 Tbs cloves
1 c applesauce

Roll out to 1/4 inch thick and cut with you favorite cookie cutters. Bells and stars worked best for me. (I tried angels but the wings kept falling off) Poke a hole for string with a toothpick and lay out to dry on paper towels. Turn as needed, they take about three days to dry out.

"Haunted" Black Forrest Cake

My cousin Andrew got me this really awesome cookbook as a wedding gift. 100 Best Desserts. So for our Halloween party at work I made the Black Forrest Cake. It was delicious! Thanks Andrew.

Favor Recipes

I've had a couple of requests for the recipe of what was IN the favor jars from our wedding. So I'm going to post how to make the jar mixes here. I found all of the recipes on this website.

For our favors I chose two muffin mixes and two pancake mixes, which are posted below. The website has many more options for pancakes and muffins and a whole host of food items to choose from. They make really nice hostess or christmas gifts too.

Cappuccino Chocolate Chunk Muffin Mix

2 cups flour
1 cup BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup GENERAL FOODS INTERNATIONAL COFFEES, any flavor
2-1/2 tsp. CALUMET Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Grease or line muffin pan with papers. Beat 1 egg in large bowl; stir in 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted. Empty contents of bag into bowl. Stir just until moistened.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan, filling each cup 2/3 full.

Bake at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Makes 1 dozen.

Walnut Chocolate Chip Muffins
Because this mixture doesn't quite fill up the quart jar, it isn't necessary to pack the layers down as tightly as usual.

Layer in a clean 1 quart jar the following:
2 c. flour, mixed with 2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/3 c. granulated sugar
2/3 c. chocolate chips
1/3 c. coarsely chopped walnuts (OR macadamia, pecans)

ATTACH RECIPE TO JAR:
To make Walnut Chocolate Chip Muffins:

Spoon out walnuts & chocolate chips into small bowl. In a large bowl, empty remaining contents of jar and stir together until well blended. In a third bowl, stir together:

2/3 c. milk
1/2 c. butter, melted (allow to cool before mixing)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

Make a well in center of the dry ingredients. Add milk mixture and stir just to combine. Fold in chocolate chips & walnuts. Spoon batter into either greased or lined muffin cups (about 2/3 full).

Bake 15-20 minutes. Test for
doneness with toothpick. Cool 5 minutes before removing from muffin cups.

Makes 12 muffins.

Gingerbread Pancake Mix

1 C. cake flour
1 C. all purpose flour
7 T. buttermilk powder
4 T. sugar
2 t. ground ginger
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. ground cloves
1 C. white chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients. Transfer to a decorative jar.

Attach a recipe card with these directions to the Gingerbread Pancake Mix:

Place mix in a large bowl. Add:
1 3/4 C. water
6 T. melted butter
1/4 C. molasses
2 eggs

Blend until just combined. Pour batter 1/4 C. at a time, in a hot skillet, to make the pancakes. Cook pancakes, turning once, about 2 minutes.

Yield: 20 pancakes

Cinnamon-Brown Sugar Pancake Mix

3 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Sift all the ingredients together into a container and continue mixing until well blended. Pour into a jar.

Card:
Cinnamon-Brown Sugar Pancakes:
Beat one egg in a medium bowl and add 3/4 cup milk and 3 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add 1-1/4 cup of mix until moistened. The batter will still be lumpy -- do not over mix. Cook on a hot, lightly greased pancake griddle over medium heat.