Missing Persons Alert!

If any one's following my blog, you're probably wondering where I've been. I haven't gone anywhere, but I've been going through some "stuff", for lack of a better word. But I'm here and working through things. I don't have a choice, right? Life doesn't stop because your plans don't work out .. or your heart breaks .....

Anyway, this blog isn't about my life, it's about food!

Another reason you haven't heard from me is because I've been dieting (yuck!). I'm very happy to say though, that I stepped on the scale this morning and voila! 21 pounds are gone!! Yay me! However, I've made the same mistakes everyone has made while dieting, starving myself. Hrm, that really doesn't work for me; I like to eat!

So my blog will probably be taking a turn folks. Bail out now if you aren't interested in the healthier alternatives!

I found a recipe for roasted chick peas I'm working on and I'm trying to turn squash into potato chips! All right, all right!! Stop laughing! The first batch was overcooked, but damn good!!
I'll post more with I've perfected the recipes.

Always in my thoughts,
Anna

A Monkey Bread Breakfast

It really doesn't matter how old they are, children can help in the kitchen. I love to cook, we've established that! I adore my granddaughter! I may not have established that (okay, maybe I have)! She's three, opinionated, and the light of my life!! And I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE cooking with her!

Emilee Mackenzie (Mack) can do anything I want her to do! From spreading out french fries in a single layer on a baking sheet, to helping me make Monkey Bread, she's willing and excited to help! No task is too small!

So get the kids in the kitchen! The experience is two-fold! You, and they, will get some amazing memories, and you just might teach them something!

Monkey Bread
One child, or two, or three! Whatever you have available! (I used one 3 year old)
3-10 ct tubes of ready to bake biscuits
1 c sugar
1/4 cinnamon
1-1/2 sticks melted unsalted butter, cooled
loaf baking pan

Icing
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c powdered (confectioner's) sugar
milk

Melon, your choice (I used a cantaloupe)
Bacon, if desired

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray your loaf pan with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the cinnamon and the sugar. Now make an assembly line, cutting board, cinnamon sugar, melted butter, then the loaf pan.

The adult opens the biscuit tubes and cuts each biscuit in half. You can roll each biscuit half into a ball or have the kids do it. Let little hands roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar and then dip them into the butter. It's important that the butter be cooled enough that they won't burn themselves! Place the ball into the loaf pan. Repeat this process until all the balls are in the loaf pan. If there's any leftover cinnamon sugar or butter just pour it over the top of the Monkey Bread. Don't worry about licked fingers! If the kids were sick, you wouldn't have them in the kitchen to begin with!

The adult puts the Monkey Bread in the oven and bakes it's for 25-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Next, I put the bacon on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake it with the Monkey Bread until it's my desired crispness. I don't allow the kids to do this because it involves working with raw meat.

Now, cut up the melon. I let little hands move the melon chunks from the cutting board to the bowl.

For the icing, in a large mixing bowl, cream the cheese and butter together. The kids can add the ingredients to the bowl. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Add the powdered sugar and incorporate thoroughly. The icing will be stiff at this point. Add milk by the spoonful, until it's your desired dipping consistency. On high speed, whip the icing until it's light and fluffy, about one minute. Pour the icing into a bowl for the table. Allow the kids to lick spoon and bowl!

Makes one loaf of Monkey Bread and icing for dipping.

Enjoy!

Where have I been hiding?!

I haven't posted in a while, I know. Here's what been going on in my world ..

First, I entered the 2009 Pillsbury Bake Off contest. I'm nervous as all get out about this. I did my research, created a recipe, COMPLETELY changed it, made it a million times which meant making everyone I live with and work with eat it, and then spent hours making sure the recipe was right before submitting it.

After that, my youngest had surgery on her shoulder two weeks ago. It turned out to be more significant than we thought, but she's healing well. The prognosis is good. The doctor's confident she'll play soccer again (now, if only she'd stay on her feet!).

Then, it was my turn. I had knee surgery last Monday! I'm doing good, walking a bit more each day! Trying not to push myself yet, but I am so bored sitting at home! I haven't been in the kitchen much. But it's looking up!

My oldest daughter, Sarah, and my darling granddaughter, Emilee, are flying in tomorrow night to "take care of Nana"! Hopefully, I'll have recipes, and stories, to share with you about our experiences in the kitchen!

Gift Baskets

If you're making cookies to give as Christmas presents, how many different cookies do you make? This is the question that, for the past week, has plagued my existence. The answer, by poll, is three to five. However, does that include variations on the theme? Take, for example, biscotti. I want to try making almond and chocolate hazelnut (yum-o!). Is that one, with a variation? Or is that two? I'm so perplexed with this my head is spinning at a rate that would make Reagan proud. Yes, I referenced The Exorcist. Next comes the what to make? As a rule I don't really like Christmas cookies. Those bland sugar coated masterpieces that others rave about just aren't my style. Besides, I don't have anywhere near the patience needed to sit down and create a work of art. And, as anyone that knows me knows, if it doesn't turn out perfect, it's going in the trash. My garbage can would have a full stomach! I do, however, want to make those adorable little lollipop cookies that I see being baked on television. But me, being me, though - I'm not satisfied with just the peppermint extract being added to the dough. Oh no! We can do better! But how? Etc, etc, etc ... Then. How to package?! Because, face it, presentation is everything! Without it, it's just cookies.

Now do you understand why my head spins?

In the end, I settled on a nice gift basket, filled with all the homemade goodies needed for a nice Italian dinner (including the aforementioned biscotti for dessert)!