Cooking

Chocolate-Dipped Valentine Rice Krispie Treats

February 13, 2012 By Shannon Leave a Comment

In honor of Valentine’s Day and a classroom full of sweet 4th graders, Madison and I made these:

For all the gourmet desserts that exist in this crazy world, why is it that Rice Krispie Treats hold such appeal? One of the great mysteries of the universe, I think.

Dressing them up a bit for Valentine’s Day was as easy as can be. Honestly, I think the greatest challenge to these simple treats comes before any embellishing takes place. It’s dealing with the sticky, marshmallowy mess that occurs when pressing them in the pan. I have finally conluded that rubbing a little bit of butter in the palms of my hands and just using my fingers is the best way. Utensils or wax paper? Pfft. No way. Just get your hands messy and tame the mess yourself.

I originally found the inspiration for this recipe on Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. I believe Mel found it on Pinterest. I modified the recipe ever so slightly and included it below in case you’d like to join the fun.

Chocolate Dipped Krispie Treats

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter, plus extra for buttering pans
1 (10-ounce) package regular marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups crisp rice cereal
12 ounces dark chocolate chips
Valentine’s sprinkles (I found mine at Hobby Lobby)

Directions:

Butter a large (11X17-inch) rimmed baking sheet. Set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the marshmallows. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Stir in the Rice Krispies. Press the mixture into the prepared pan (with your buttery hands!) and set aside to cool for about an hour.
Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, press the cutter into the cooled Rice Krispie treats. Stack hearts on wax paper for dipping. Depending on the size of your cookie cutter, you should be able to get between 18 and 24 treats. (Husbands and brothers are happy to help with the leftover pieces.)
In a double-broiler, melt the chocolate on medium heat until smooth. Once it is smooth, turn heat to low so that chocolate doesn’t get over cooked.
Holding one side of the Rice Krispie heart, dip the other half into the melted chocolate and then transfer to the wax paper. While the chocolate is still warm on the Rice Krispie heart, shake the happy Valentine sprinkles onto the chocolate. Let the treats cool completely and the chocolate harden before serving, about 1-2 hours.
Cover in an airtight container to store (they are best eaten within 24 hours).
For special delivery, put individual treats into baggies. Tie each baggie with red and pink ribbon and add an encouraging note.

Filed Under: Celebrations, Cooking, Creativity, Family, Randomness Tagged With: In the Kitchen, Recipes, Valentine Treats

Saturdays are Great for Baking

October 8, 2011 By Shannon Leave a Comment

Today in Ohio, the weather was crisp, the leaves were showing signs of color, and youth football games were in motion! A pretty perfect Saturday! Fall is a time for the senses, isn’t it? Colors, textures, scents, activities, flavors. I adore Fall in the Midwest. Especially some of the flavors!

Aren’t there just certain foods and drinks that speak Fall to you, too? Maybe apple cider or pumpkin pie or candy corn? I detest candy corn, but I know a lot people love it. I usually reserve my indulging for dark chocolate!

So, when I saw an advertisement for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies earlier this Fall, I was intrigued. Assuming, of course, that the chips are dark chocolate chips.

As is my habit, I decided I’d figure out how to make them. After perusing a few recipe sites I came up with these:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup canned pumpkin
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup applesauce
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups Hershey’s Special Dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Combine pumpkin, sugars, applesauce, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flours, baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt, and flax seed. (I add a couple of teaspoons of ground flax seed to many things that I bake, if the texture will support it.) Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir into pumpkin mixture.
Add vanilla and chocolate chips.
Drop by spoonful on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 12 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.

The family verdict: delish! They have a different texture than regular chocolate chip cookies – more spongy. And they are best kept in the ‘frig and served cold.

Unless, you eat them straight off the cookie sheet. That’s ALWAYS an good option, as far as I’m concerned!

Have you tried any new recipes this Fall? What are some of your favorites Fall flavors?

Filed Under: Cooking, Family, Homemaking, Randomness Tagged With: Baking, Cooking, fall recipe

Saturdays are Good for… Making Vanilla Extract

September 10, 2011 By Shannon 2 Comments

Don’t you just love it when the UPS man comes with a package that you’ve been watching for? One time he brought us an empty box – because someone stole the game system that was in said box. BUT, that’s another story for another time! THIS is what he brought me yesterday.

A box full of vanilla beans. Aside from the fact that they are making my house smell amazing, I’m actually using them. To make homemade vanilla extract.

Why am I making vanilla extract? Three reasons…

Because I can. And it sounds fun. I got that whole “I can make this” thing from my mom. She’s very proud right now as she reads this.
Spoiler alert: These will be my Christmas gifts. I made a little promise to myself that I would never get my kids’ teachers another mug or apple decoration for Christmas. Ever. So, I try to do fun things that they can actually use. They, along with some of our other friends, will be getting my homemade vanilla for Christmas this year. I’m excited about this fun idea. Yes, I know it’s only September. Yes, the next three months will fly by. No, I will not be stressed when I’m trying to honor the birth of our Savior this year.
I’m tired of paying through the nose for good vanilla to bake with. And, call me a food snob, but I hate the imitation vanilla. (Another reason my mom is proud of me.) To borrow a phrase from my friend’s preschooler (aka The Happy Tornado), “I can do it myself.” And I will. Thank you very much.

You can to. Here’s how. You’ll need vanilla beans, some vodka, and a large, glass jar with a lid. Yes, sweet mommy friends. I said vodka. The kind that has alcohol in it.

Order some yummy vanilla beans. I got both Madagascar and Tahitian. I ordered from Vanilla Saffron Imports after reading a recommendation online. I was happy with the service and price. The jury is still out on the end product but the reviews were very favorable.
Buy some vodka. I did a fair amount of online research (aka puttering) and I’m pretty certain that it can be cheap vodka. It just needs to have a 40% alcohol content. (And, btw, let this be a lesson to you. Never judge the woman leaving the grocery store with two brown, paper, bottle-shaped bags in hand. You just never know what she might be up to… )
Take 3 vanilla beans for every one cup of vodka. Using kitchen scissors or a sharp paring knife, cut lengthwise down each vanilla bean, splitting them in half and leaving an inch at the end connected. Put the beans in a glass jar or bottle with a tight fitting lid. Cover completely with the vodka.
Give the bottle a good shake every once in a while. Maybe when you’re having a bad day or you want to yell at your kids. Just go shake your vanilla instead. Store in a dark, cool place for 2 months or longer.
When you’re ready, transfer to cute 2 oz bottles using your handy-dandy kitchen funnel. (Have I ever told you how much I love my kitchen funnels?) Next, tie on some rafia, and give it as a fun gift to someone you love! Don’t just think Christmas. These would make great hostess gifts when you have dinner at a friend’s, too. I think I might try to make some fun, little labels for mine. (This is the point in my post where Rick rolls his eyes because he knows that “fun, little labels” is code for more puttering online.)

There you have it. My Saturday project is well under way.

And, I still have plenty of time to get everyone ready to go watch the man-child’s rainy day football game. Go Riders!

Oh, and here’s a little bonus tip if you’d like to get more bang for your buck with the vanilla beans. You can also make vanilla sugar by putting a split vanilla bean into a jar of white, granulated sugar. It’s a great way to infuse the sugar with vanilla flavor for baking.

Filed Under: Cooking, Creativity, Homemaking, Hospitality, Randomness Tagged With: Baking, Cooking, DIY, Homemade Gifts, Homemaking, Vanilla Beans, Vanilla Extract Recipe

Brownies: A Cure for the Wintertime Yuck

February 13, 2011 By Shannon Leave a Comment

Sometimes it’s just good to break up the winter monotony with a Saturday afternoon of baking something yummy. Something yummy enough to stir the senses – long since dulled by the seemingly endless string of bleak winter days. Something so yummy that the aroma will bring the kids into the kitchen sniffing the air…

Today was just such a day. I had been trying to decide what dessert to bake for dinner with friends. And, I sort of wanted to try something new. So, I turned to my trusty standby, food.com (formerly known as receipzaar.com) and found this delightful recipe for Whatever Floats Your Boat Brownies. It had more than 1,000 rave reviews. I mean, who am I to argue with the masses?

Whatever Floats Your Boat Brownies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square pan.
In a medium bowl, combine melted butter and cocoa. Stir until the cocoa is dissolved. Add sugar and mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, and stir until well combined.
Stir in vanilla, flour and salt until you no longer see any flour (do not overmix). Next, fold in 1 to 2 cups of whatever floats your boat! Reviewers suggested everything from chopped nuts to Heath bar bits to marshmallows to various kinds of baking chips. This is the part where you can go a little crazy. *smile* I added one teaspoon of Kahlua and a cup of dark chocolate chips.
Spread the batter into your greased 8×8 pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes. By the end of the time, your whole house will smell like a chocolatey chunk of heaven! Cool completely before cutting into squares. Then, share them with friends over a glass of milk or a warm cup of tea.

Here are some bonus tips that I picked up from other reviewers on the food.com website: DO NOT OVER-BAKE! If you bake them too long, they will come out more cake-like and dry instead of chewy. I made mine in a glass pan and watched them closely during the last five minutes. (I am not a fan of cake-like brownies.) The directions were right on the money. If you do the toothpick test, it should come out with moist crumbs as opposed to clean. (Oh, and, I was making mine for a dinner date with another family so I doubled the recipe. Instead of an 8×8 pan, I used a 9×13 pan and added 5 minutes to the baking time. Perfect.)

Can I just tell you that it gave me great pleasure to make these from scratch instead of dumping them out of a box and adding some water? It was just more fun. Like a little bit of me was going into dessert. And, it really didn’t take that much longer. Maybe five minutes to gather up the ingredients? It’s not like they were gourmet items that I had to run out to get.

The other thing I loved about these brownies was sharing them with friends. Over the dinner table. In their home. While our kids all played together. And Nerf darts flew by once in awhile. And their sweet baby girl cried to be held. And we squeezed in good conversation during the gaps.

I’m pretty sure that’s the way dessert was meant to be enjoyed. But, hey, whatever floats your boat!

Filed Under: Cooking, Hanging-Out, Randomness Tagged With: Baking, Brownies, Cooking, Friendship, Homemaking

The Parable of the Banana Bread

January 10, 2011 By Shannon Leave a Comment

I made four loaves of banana bread this weekend. I love homemade bread and the way the smell of it wafts through the house. What is about baking that is so warm and inviting? That draws us into a place?

My Madison came home from a friend’s to it and was drawn immediately into the kitchen – mesmerized. “Banana bread,” she mouthed. Her face was awash with delight as she breathed it in, peeking in the oven to see when it would be finished.

And hope did not disappoint as I sliced the still-steaming loaf and slathered on a bit of butter for her. As she savored the first bite, everything about her said “contentment.”

And that is precisely why we Mama’s do it. Why it’s worth it to take the time…

But the thing I love most about making banana bread is the way that it makes me like Jesus. Yes. Just like Him. (For a moment at least.)

You see, when I make banana bread, I get to take old, nobody-is-ever-going-to-eat-these bananas and turn them into something beautiful. The browner and less-appetizing the banana, the better the bread. When I’m smooshing them up and putting them into bowl, it’s down-right gross – especially if I had to freeze the bananas until I had a chance to bake. Ick.

But somehow, out of that mashed-up mess, I create a golden loaf of warm banana bread that delights the senses.

And isn’t that just like Jesus? He’s always taking the broken, dead places and turning them into something amazing. Strengthening the bruised reed. Creating beauty from ashes. I hear stories of it all the time. How He brings good stuff out of the junk and the bad decisions in our lives.

Certainly you know about the dead stuff. Maybe you’ve come face to face with the carnage that your own sin leaves behind. Maybe you have a dream that hides in a dead place in your heart because it was just easier that way. The hoping was too painful. Perhaps it’s a relationship that has grown cold. Or an injustice that you can’t forgive. Maybe your New Year’s resolve has already bit the dust and you’re just tired of the fight.

It’s a smooshed-up mess, isn’t it? But, wait. Maybe there’s another way.

Maybe, could we give it to Jesus and ask Him to make banana bread?

Filed Under: Cooking, Faith, Grace, Homemaking, Life, Randomness Tagged With: Baking, Cooking, Grace, Life, Year of Rest

Picture Perfect? Well, close enough!

February 12, 2010 By Shannon 1 Comment

Dinner is one of our favorite family times together. Living in typical American suburbia as we do, we have to work pretty hard to protect it from the busyness of life. Sometimes we say “no” to good activities so that we can keep this a special family time. And, even then, we don’t get to eat together EVERY night. Sometimes worthy exceptions need to be made. And, I know there will probably come a day (as they enter middle and high school) when the kids’ activities will make it hard for all of us to sit down together most nights. But, for now, it’s precious to us.

For us it is more than physical sustenance. Our dinner time is nourishment in every way: physical, relational, mental, and spiritual. It is full bellies – well-thought menus made with wholesome ingredients lovingly prepared by a momma’s hands.

It is caring about each other – a time to listen and share highlights from four different days. It is pause for the heart – a candle lit and soft music in the background to calm and speak “you’re home now”.

It is soul food – opening the Word together to talk of God’s eternal food and His living waters.

But lest you think that it’s always a picture-perfect sort of night, let me assure you that it’s not. The peaceful tone can be commandeered by the antics of the Pappa… and the children happily follow.

I roll my eyes at them all. But my heart rejoices. I suppose laughter is its own kind of nourishment.

But, the evening ends with this…

… and this. So, I’ll take it!!

Happy weekend, my friends. May you and yours find true nourishment together!

Filed Under: Cooking, Family, Homemaking, Randomness Tagged With: Dinner, Family

Winter Comforts

January 22, 2010 By Shannon Leave a Comment

During the winter months, my favorite dinner meal is a hearty soup with homemade bread. There is nothing better than coming in from a cold, busy day to a crockpot simmering with minestrone or chili. The aromas just draw you in, don’t they? Add a great loaf of bread and dinner is served!

Yesterday, I forgot to get a yeast dough rising early in the day so I began to hunt for a quick bread recipe that would fit the bill instead. My free tip for the day: use the internet for good recipe hunts. Often times you’ll find something already tried, true and even rated so that you don’t waste time on a recipe that everyone hates. My favorite site is Recipezaar. You can find recipes by ingredients or categories or titles. And, different filters can allow you to pare the list down to something manageable for your needs (I started with a list of 7,000 options yesterday – that is NOT manageable). Their five-star rating system makes it so that you can easily glance to see how many people have made and rated the recipe you’re considering.

So, what did I land on to go with our Beef Stew last night? Beer Bread! It was a great compliment to the stew AND I avoided the whole kneading and rising process. It was such a yummy lifesaver that I thought I’d share it with you. Maybe for your weekend culinary adventures?

Ingredients

3 cups flour, sifted
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
1 12-oz can of beer
¼ cup melted butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients and beer. Batter will be thick and gooey.
Spoon into a greased loaf pan.
Pour melted butter over mixture.
Bake 1 hour, remove from pan and cool for at least 15 minutes.

Now that I have made it successfully as is, I’ll probably experiment with making it a tad healthier by substituting some whole wheat pastry flour for a portion of the white flour and maybe adding some ground flax seed. I also read comments from a few users who added ½ cup of shredded cheddar and other items to the batter (like jalapenos or herbs). I always encourage getting a baseline before you experiment with additions or changes. But, that’s because I’m a very orderly, cautious sort of person. My mom would experiment right from the beginning – she’s fearless in the kitchen.

I don’t think you could experiment much with the sugar or the salt because of the chemistry of the bread rise. But, you can always give it a whirl. And, can I just say that the butter, while not the healthiest ingredient, made for a truly fabulous (I don’t use that word often) and crispy crust.

Have fun trying something new!!

Filed Under: Cooking, Homemaking, Hospitality, Randomness Tagged With: Cooking, Homemaking, Hospitality

Mac N' Cheese and Beyond

September 22, 2009 By Shannon Leave a Comment

“Momma,” she said as she sidled up next to me. “I love you.” Sweet pause as she thought for a minute. “And, not just because you make mac n’ cheese.”

I was cooking up Maddie’s favorite meal: mac n’ cheese.

From a box.

The kind with a packet of powdered cheese.

Good and processed.

THAT is Maddie’s idea of a feast. You see, we have a family policy that I don’t cook separate things for each person’s tastes. I make one great, well-thought-out meal and the family eats together. Maddie is polite about it (though she wasn’t always) but she mostly just “puts up” with those meals. I’m pretty sure that she’s holding out for that Kraft box night after night.

So, in order to value each person’s tastes, I make Maddie’s favorite meal sometimes. It goes against every fiber of my being…but I do it. To bless Maddie. And, she gets so stinkin’ excited about it that it makes it worth it.

Savoring... But, I think it’s really sort of a cruel joke. You see, I pride myself on meals made from scratch and secretly mock things like refrigerated cookie dough. (Sorry to you dear friends who use it. Now you know that I’m mocking you.) For goodness sake, I even whip my own cream most of the time. I like natural ingredients and make an attempt to avoid preservatives and boxed stuff. (Which, is not an easy task in modern-day America.)

After we had Caleb and he was such a good eater, I sort of applauded our parenting. See, I thought, if you just give them variety and don’t waffle on your standards, your kids will eat well. His favorite food: my grandma’s recipe for spinach soup.

Then, God gave me Maddie. The one who would happily exist on chicken nuggets and boxed mac n’ cheese for the rest of her days. (And, maybe a little bit of fruit thrown in here and there for good measure.) I even tried making “homemade” mac n’ cheese for her once. Again, she was polite. But, she really just PREFERS the blue box.

We stuck to our guns and continued to serve her a variety of foods but it just wasn’t as pleasurable with Maddie. She eats what the rest of us eat and has learned to tolerate my made-from-scratch meals. She knows they are good for her and she does appreciate my effort. But, when I whip out that blue box, it’s like I’m speaking LOVE to her soul.

I’ve learned a few lessons from the blue box. First, I’m reminded not to take myself too seriously. I think God must have been laughing when I was patting myself on the back for raising such a good eater in Caleb. He knew Maddie was coming…and that He would have to use the blue box to address my pride. I know it sounds sort of silly, but it’s true.

Second, I’ve learned that we can’t control our children. We can serve up the good stuff and do our best to develop their taste for it. But, in the end, they have to make their own decisions.

Sometimes it will be little stuff like preferences and styles. Sometimes it will be big stuff like issues of character and faith. We give our kids guidelines, we discipline when they cross boundaries, we teach them right from wrong and truth from error, we reward their outstanding choices…but ultimately we can’t control their every appetite.

Sort of like the boy in Caleb’s grade who knows his parents don’t allow candy and such at home. So he has a stash in his locker. And begs things from other kids’ lunches at school.

If we open our eyes, there are lessons to be learned all around us. Even from those horrible blue boxes…

Pure Joy

Filed Under: Children, Cooking, Family, Homemaking, Life, Parenting, Randomness Tagged With: Children, Family

A Breakfast Fit for A Family

August 29, 2009 By Shannon Leave a Comment

A peaceful morning unfolds.

Soft music winding its way through the house; a candle glowing on the kitchen counter.

Zinnia, last cherries A doily adorns the table. A single zinnia stands tall in its second-hand vase – the flower picked with delight from a neighbor’s garden and given to Mom with an eager heart. The last of summer’s cherries fill a bright yellow bowl. Some years ago I nicknamed them “nature’s candy.” It was so good of God to make cherries for us to enjoy!

whipping the cream I smile as I start on my scones. I borrowed the recipe from an Emilie Barnes book when I was a young wife, discovering the joys of tea. I have been making it my own ever since. The secret ingredient: tiny cinnamon chips from the Amish community an hour or so away. I smile because I know the kids will be so excited when they come to the table and find scones on the menu. I gently form the dough (remembering Emilie’s tip that one of the keys to good scones is minimal handling). The finishing touch is a brushing of egg to make the tops shiny.

While the scones bake and scent begins to waft through the house, I start on my fresh whipped cream. No cool whip or aerosol kind will suffice. This is a special breakfast for special people. Satisfaction comes as the cream stiffens and peaks form. A lick confirms my hope that it’s turning out just right.

finishing touches My heart is overflowing as I set the table and arrange the warm scones on a favorite plate. A feeling of satisfaction as the meal comes together and I set a tone for the day.

Who are my special guests? The most precious people in my life: Rick and the kids.

There was a time when I only made my scones for “company” – women’s get-togethers, special friends, or out-of-town guests. They were becoming my signature item.

But somewhere along the way I realized that my family only got them as left-overs. A few crumbs or broken pieces after everyone else had enjoyed them. How ironic that I would extend a spirit of hospitality to others but fail to make my signature breakfast treat for my own family. Why do we pull out our best for guests and give our leftovers to the one’s we love? Who are we trying to impress? Those simple questions brought needed conviction and change.

I still don’t make them everyday – I want them to remain a special treat. But I do make them for no reason. Just for my family. And, I always make them with freshly whipped cream. Just for my family.

I don’t make a big fuss. It’s really a very simple meal. But few things bring me greater joy than watching my family enjoy those scones.

the best compliment - an empty plate