tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28323251591446474082024-02-08T11:03:48.960-08:00I'm Just Wingin' It!A Place for Food, Friends and FunAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17031079125611217319noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832325159144647408.post-75144568236564919352014-06-04T15:22:00.000-07:002014-07-25T12:36:17.372-07:00Goodbye Starbucks Hello Home Brewed Iced Coffee!<br />
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Hello friends. It's Summer! Of course that means pool, fun, travel...wait...hmm gas prices are up over $4.00 gal again. For me that means less going out and more staying home by the pool. But what do I do when my 'bored' kids want a frappuccino, or I want a refreshing iced coffee? Considering the cost of those drinks and the cost of gas it's not very practical to drive to Starbucks, at least not very often. Many of you know I worked at Starbucks for a time so I can say, with certain confidence, that I can make a better drink at home!<br />
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If anyone has researched making coffee at all you will see there are more arguments on the correct way to brew the coffee than in a political debate! Some argue that cold brewed is the best while others say the Japanese method of brewing double strength over ice is best.<br />
The theory of cold brewed is that it allows the true flavor of the coffee to come through without leeching out all the acids and oils with hot water.<br />
Those that brew over ice say that when the hot coffee hits the ice it instantly cools it and locks in the flavors.<br />
I have not tried the Japanese method simply because I prefer to make a big container of coffee that will last me a few days. I can't afford some fancy machine and I have no idea if I could do it with my regular coffee maker or if that would shatter the carafe. So I use the cold brewed method.<br />
It's really a personal preference. Brewing the coffee one cup at a time just doesn't work for me at the moment. I know, that is not very 'connoisseur' of me!<br />
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Let's get started cold brewing our coffee!<br />
The ratio for cold brewing is 1 part coffee to 4 parts water.<br />
The size of the container you use depends on how much you want to make. I have been re-using a large iced tea bottle but have now moved up to a 1 gallon container. Make sure it has a top or have plastic wrap to cover it completely.<br />
You will need something like a wooden spoon, long enough to reach the bottom of the container so that you can mix the grounds. A second container to strain the coffee into. A fine mesh strainer and either white paper towels or cheesecloth.<br />
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I am using a 1 gallon container so adjust your measurements accordingly.<br />
Pour 2 cups medium grind coffee into the container. Add 8 cups cool, filtered water, gently stir to make sure all the grounds are wet. Wait about 10 minutes then give them another stir. Cover and let steep for a minimum of 8 hours up to 24 hours. YES that long but trust me its worth it! Honestly though I brewed one batch 8 hours and one 24 hours and really didn't notice a difference but I used a different type of coffee for each batch so that may be a factor. Also keep in mind that the longer you steep the stronger the brew.<br />
Ready to filter? OK. Take out that other container. Get your strainer and line it with your cheesecloth or paper towels (make sure you use double thickness of either) and start pouring. I won't lie this is time consuming. The coffee has to filter through all those grounds and sediment. After doing this you will understand why I brew a lot at one time. Pour your strained coffee into a pitcher or other container and store it in the fridge.<br />
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To use pour over ice and flavor as you like. Remember though that this is very strong so, depending on your personal tastes, you will probably want to dilute it a bit with water. I usually go somewhere around 60/40 coffee to water, but that is all up to you!<br />
My favorite way to fix my iced coffee is to fill my cup with ice, add a little bit of water, some *sugar free simple syrup, the coffee and a splash of half n half. <br />
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For a frappuccino you will need a blender, cold brewed coffee, ice, *flavored syrup (like caramel or hazelnut), milk, xantham gum and whatever other add ins, like choc chips or coffee beans. Put it all in the blender whip it into a wonderful frozen drink. For about a grande/venti size (give or take as I don't measure) you will want to use about 2 cups of ice, a cup of your coffee, 3/4 cup milk, 5-6 pumps of syrup and about 1/8 tsp of xantham gum. Just remember it's your drink and it should be as sweet and strong as YOU like. As for the xantham gum, Starbucks frappuccino is made from a powder mix. It is mixed with milk and stored in the fridge until ready to use. It uses xantham gum as a stabilizer to keep the frappuccino from separating. If you don't care about separation and stirring your drink then you can skip it. Xantham gum is natural and flavorless.<br />
You can get xantham gum from most any store, or in bulk from stores like Whole Foods or WinCo. Try Bob's Red Mill from the baking isle.<br />
Smart and Final sells bottles of the Torani caramel sauce as well as chocolate so you can drizzle those inside your cup and on top, with or with out whipped cream, to make it a more 'authentic' frappuccino.<br />
I use both *Torani and *DaVinci syrups. I prefer the DaVinci because they have a non-flavored sugar free simple syrup. Both brands make a ton of flavored syrups both with and without sugar. Smart and Final carries Torani, as does World Market. I purchase my DaVinci syrups from their website. Or you can make your own.<br />
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*One thing I would like to mention, thanks to a friend for the reminder, I use the sugar free syrups in moderation and only in my cold drinks. Since they are liquid they mix well in cold beverages, unlike other sweeteners that may not dissolve. One thing I really hate are clumps of sweetener at the bottom of my drinks and having to stir so much melts the ice too fast and dilutes the drink. But they are, after all, made with Splenda and you by no means have to use them! I am showing you how to copy Starbucks. They use these syrups. So go ahead and use your favorite natural sweetener in your drinks. Also you can certainly use almond milk or coconut milk for your drinks as well. Go ahead and whip up some coconut cream for topping those frapps, yum!<br />
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I do believe my next kitchen experiment will be to make a natural simple syrup. Maybe even flavored ones. I will post that if it works out :)<br />
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Enjoy your coffee and your Summer!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17031079125611217319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832325159144647408.post-36316237429351218452014-01-14T15:46:00.000-08:002014-01-14T15:56:36.326-08:00Going Gluten Free, Sugar Free and Low CarbAs some of you may know by now I have made the decision to go gluten free, sugar free and low carb. I made this decision back in Sept. I started my journey in order to combat what I thought, and still do, is an overgrowth of Candida in my system. I had so many different ailments going on that I just shrugged off as hormonal changes. One of the big problems was the weight gain I have had the past couple of years and the fact that no matter what I tried I could not drop any weight. I knew stress was a factor (still is). I also knew that not being able to even lose a pound was making more stress and of course that got me on a nice roller coaster ride of pain, no energy, insomnia, bad moods...OK you get the point. A friend of mine, after hearing some of my complaints, said "you sound like you have candida". After much research I realized that she was probably right. I did a <a href="http://www.nationalcandidacenter.com/candida-self-exams/">spit test</a> (gross) and that was more than just positive. So I decided to start a Candida Diet. Since then I stopped eating sugar and flour (gluten) and I have lost 35 lbs without effort. I don't want to get into the full blown Candida thing right now but I encourage anyone who has a lot of ailments without any real cause to look it up. I feel better. I am not following the anti-candida diet quiet so severely now, mainly because the "die off" made me really sick and miserable. Yes please use Google :)<br />
So now I am following it modified. But really, when I look at the way I am eating now, it is really close to the diet anyway. I have also looked into eating Paleo. Paleo is really restrictive though and with kids and a husband who wont follow it its hard to do. But I really want my family to eat healthier. I want my kids off sugar or as much as I can get them off of it and I don't want them eating gluten as it also causes many of the ailments as candida. When you think about it, it makes sense, eating bread and gluten products causes an insulin response which converts those bad carbs to sugar which feeds the bad bacteria (candida). It goes on and on and wont stop unless you stop feeding the little buggers! OK enough of that. <br />
In my quest for better health I have been looking all over the web for recipes. There are a zillion! I have purchased a few cookbooks. All are good but not all of them will fit with my family. That's where I start winging it!<br />
The recipe that I am going to share is one that I played with and modified until I got an amazing result. I hope that you enjoy it.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mixed Berry Mini Cupcakes</span></div>
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Sugar Free, Gluten Free and Low Carb</div>
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1/2 cup almond flour</div>
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2 T coconut flour</div>
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4 T butter, melted</div>
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4 T granulated sugar substitute**</div>
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1 tsp granulated sugar substitute for the berries</div>
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2 eggs lightly beaten</div>
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1 tsp baking powder</div>
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1/2 tsp vanilla extract</div>
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1/2 tsp strawberry extract</div>
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1/8 tsp salt (kosher, sea salt or celtic sea salt)</div>
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1/2 cup pureed mixed berries plus 1T for frosting, optional</div>
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~*~This recipe is doubled in order to make 24 mini cupcakes.~*~</div>
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For mug cakes cut the recipe in half or just make 4 cakes :)</div>
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I use frozen mixed berries but you can use fresh as well. Place the frozen berries in a saucepan, sprinkle with 1 tsp of sweetener, heat on med/low until they thaw and start to release their juice. Let them cool a bit then puree them, set aside.</div>
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Mix your dry ingredients in a bowl, add melted butter, extracts and mix. Add the beaten eggs and mix again, then add the pureed berries and mix until well incorporated. </div>
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Now you have a choice of how to cook these. I made these in a 24 count mini cupcake pan but you can also make regular size cupcakes or for fun and if your in a hurry you can make this as mug cakes.</div>
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For cupcakes heat the oven to 375. Measure about 1 tsp of batter per cupcake and bake for 18-20 or when a toothpick comes out clean. Cool before frosting.</div>
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Cooking is similar for regular cupcakes but you might need to adjust the timing. Check with a toothpick after 20 min and use your best judgement. When I give these a go as regular cupcakes I will update this post.</div>
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For mug cakes, lightly spray each mug with your spray of choice, then divide the batter equally between the mugs. Microwave for 90 seconds then check for doneness. Add a few seconds at a time if needed. Don't over cook! You can either eat them right from the mug or use a small knife around the edge and release onto a plate.</div>
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You can eat them as is or top with </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Whipped Buttercream Cream Cheese Frosting</span></div>
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This will make enough for 24 mini cupcakes with a bit left over. </div>
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4 oz cream cheese softened</div>
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3 T butter softened</div>
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1/4 cup granulated sugar substitute**</div>
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1/2 cup heavy whipping cream</div>
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1 tsp strawberry extract</div>
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1 T berry puree, optional</div>
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Using your mixer cream the butter and cream cheese with the sweetener until fluffy, add the heavy cream, the extract and continue to beat on high until it starts to get thick and fluffy. At this point you can add the puree and then continue to whip until it holds its shape. Please note that if you use the pureed berries that the frosting will not be as thick but you can chill it for a few minutes before frosting the cakes.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A word on sugar substitutes</span><br />
There are many out there. Some are pure garbage and are unnatural, others are natural with added garbage that usually translates to sugar. YES some of these no calorie sweeteners contain SUGAR. You gotta read those labels! "In the Raw" is a prime example. I purchased a box of "Stevia in the Raw"only to realize the first ingredient is dextrose--SUGAR!<br />
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There are a couple of sugar alcohols that are good to use, erythritol and **xylitol. They can sometimes cause digestive issues in sensitive people but I have not had an issue with either. Most the reports I have read say similar that their are no digestive issues with them. Neither has caused the problems that <b>maltitol</b> causes and that is what you will find in a lot of commercial "sugar free" foods. <br />
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You can use pure Stevia but use sparingly as it is 300 times sweeter than sugar. The brand of sweetener I use in my baking is <a href="http://www.swervesweetener.com/">Swerve</a>. It is erythritol and oligosacharides. It is natural, non-glycemic, non-gmo. I purchase it from Amazon.com. You can find good granulated sweeteners at the better markets or health food stores but if you can't then the best option at the regular grocery store is Truvia. It is a mix of erythritol and stevia and natural flavours. The "natrual flavours" is questionable but this is a better choice than Splenda. Just stay away from the baking blend since it is mixed with sugar.<br />
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I really recommend that you Google these sweeteners to get a better understanding of them. It will really help if you do decide to go sugar free and want to convert recipes. Some say they can be swapped cup for cup with sugar but others cant so please Google them!<br />
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**XYLITOL is toxic to pets especially dogs. It affects the blood glucose level in pets to dangerous levels and can cause death. Do you chew sugarless gum? Most is made with xylitol. What I have read on the subject is that sugarless gum or mints are the #1 cause of emergency room visits for dogs. So even though it is beneficial for humans our pets cannot eat it so no goodies for the pets!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17031079125611217319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832325159144647408.post-38321691972760340562013-07-19T02:39:00.000-07:002013-07-19T02:45:46.346-07:00Ice Box Cake<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I made my first Icebox Cake. It not only looked and tasted amazing but it was really easy to make. Fresh strawberries are the star of this dessert but I think it will also work with a mix of other fresh berries as well. What's really great is there is no baking involved which makes this the perfect hot weather dessert. As the ingredients chill in the fridge they meld together into a creamy cake like texture that I thought reminded me a lot of a cream puff.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope you give it a try :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 lbs. fresh strawberries </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 1/4 Cups Whipping Cream, divided</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/3 Cup Confectioners sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp. Vanilla</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">approx. 4 packs of Graham Crackers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 oz. Dark Chocolate</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9x13 pan</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Directions:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wash and hull the strawberries and slice them thin. Leave a couple out for the top of the cake.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Start whipping 3 cups of the cream. As it thickens add the confectioners sugar and vanilla and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spread a thin layer of the whipped cream in the bottom CENTER of the pan. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Place 6 graham crackers on top of the cream, 4 side x side and 2 across the top, this is your foundation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spread a layer of whipped cream on top of the crackers, then a single layer of the berries. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Repeat until you have 4 layers of graham crackers excluding your foundation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spread the remaining cream on the last layer of graham crackers and dot the top with a few more berries.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make the Ganache:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heat 1/4 cup of whipping cream over med/low heat until bubbles start around the edge. Pour the heated cream over the Dark chocolate and let it sit for a minute the whisk until smooth and creamy. Drizzle the ganache over the cake, top with those extra berries you saved. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This recipe makes a decent size dessert as you can see in the picture. You can certainly adjust the ingredients and the layout of the graham crackers to make a larger cake if you want to. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can also use a smaller pan if you don't have the 9x13.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17031079125611217319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832325159144647408.post-32057596907690907952012-08-05T12:22:00.002-07:002012-08-05T13:49:17.956-07:00Fudge<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's been a while since I broke down and made something sweet and decadent so I made the family some fudge. This is San Francisco style adapted from a Ghirardelli recipe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fudge is easier to make than it looks. There are just a few rules you should always follow when working with chocolate. When using a double boiler for melting never ever let steam or water get in your chocolate or it will seize up and be ruined. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chocolate is oil base...water and oil don't mix. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are making something over direct heat like this fudge always use a heavy bottom pot so that your chocolate doesn't burn. Never try to rush the melting process and make sure to always stir. Chocolate, especially chips, will retain its shape even when melted so without stirring you may overheat the chocolate and ruin it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>For this fudge you will need:</b></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 1/2 cup Ghirardelli 60% Cocoa chips (or your favorite)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate chips (for an intense dark chocolate flavor use semi or bitter sweet chips)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 14oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk (I have not tried this with the fat free yet but that is something I plan to try)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I cup Mini Marshmallows or fluff if you prefer</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dash of salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 1/2 tsp Vanilla</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup Walnuts, chopped </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8x8 pan or similar</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Line the pan with wax paper, leaving some to hang over the edges so you can grab and lift the fudge out when its set. You can spray the paper a bit with cooking spray but whether you do or not depends on a few things...if your impatient and want that fudge just when it sets then spray because the paper will stick to the fudge. If you are patient and really let it set up then it should peel off just fine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the heavy pan over medium heat melt the chocolate, marshmallow and milk stirring constantly. Once completely melted remove from heat and right away stir in the vanilla, salt and nuts. Immediately pour into the prepared pan spreading it out evenly. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or until firm. Enjoy! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Keep any extra, if there is any, in the fridge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17031079125611217319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832325159144647408.post-71373237126267875082012-07-28T14:49:00.000-07:002012-08-04T14:42:48.494-07:00Slider Cookies<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I get my inspirations from many different places. I watch Food Network and The Chew. I love shows like Chopped, Cupcake Wars and Sweet Genius. I subscribe to several food blogs. The reality is many of the ideas/recipes I see are re-posts. Like the Cookie balls I made at Christmas. The recipe came from Kraft but, when Googled, you could find it on dozens of sites. I try to give credit where credit is due but the sad fact is that by the time a recipe makes the rounds on the net you may never know who created it. So I take my inspirations and add my own personality to them. I want to share with you my creations and ideas. I hope I inspire you to play with them and make them your own.</span><br />
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I am going to share with you my Slider Cookies. I saw a picture online and thought they were adorable. But that recipe did not appeal to me. I will tell you the difference as I get into that part of the cookie. So what I will say is I had no recipe but I had an idea and that idea worked!</div>
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<img alt="Slider Cookies" border="0" height="271" mce_src="/rpath/D-7_NYwKHlBXMH4But2y-xqK3G68iSPzyHE5Z_EwavKYerOE9-1TFNqujjH4Xjb_X0MK1nC8GZwF6O-8uxPclDyCSUAbo1xpEraUc-5zxVbNUnxuzkUS94f4bffyJZNDSF9fd0oMUkZ6HcwbN1xS6Q/" r_height="271" r_width="480" src="https://publish.comcast.net/rpath/D-7_NYwKHlBXMH4But2y-xqK3G68iSPzyHE5Z_EwavKYerOE9-1TFNqujjH4Xjb_X0MK1nC8GZwF6O-8uxPclDyCSUAbo1xpEraUc-5zxVbNUnxuzkUS94f4bffyJZNDSF9fd0oMUkZ6HcwbN1xS6Q/" style="height: auto !important; width: auto !important;" title="Slider Cookies" width="480" xtar="http://home.comcast.net/~mariasdesigns//pwpimages/.__480_271_slidercookies2%20%28640x361%29.jpg" /> </div>
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<b>What you will need for these cookies:</b></div>
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Vanilla Wafers</div>
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Oreo Double Stuf Cookies</div>
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Unsweetened Cocoa Powder </div>
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Shredded Coconut</div>
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Red and Yellow decorator icing</div>
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Green food coloring</div>
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Karo Syrup and Sesame seeds (optional)</div>
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Before we get started I want to say that I don't include amounts because it really depends on how many cookies you want to make. For the cookies in the picture I used about half a box of wafers, a large package of Oreo's and around half a cup of coconut.</div>
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Start by preparing your 'burger patties'. The original recipe I saw used a mint cookie for the burger patty. This did not appeal to me at all. A cookie sandwiched between cookies...yuk. So the idea that popped into my head...double stuff! Lay out some wax paper and using a paring knife pry the double stuff off the Oreo's. Be careful its fragile. Set them all aside on the paper. Keep those plain Oreo's for later. Put a couple of Tbs of cocoa in a small bowl. Don't use a lot you can always add more. Carefully take a double stuff and roll it in the cocoa, coating all sides. Set them back on the wax paper to rest. As they do they will start to absorb some moisture and take on the appearance of a real patty. Oh don't stack them or they might stick together. Place coconut in a zip baggy add a drop of green food coloring close and work the color into the coconut.</div>
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Time to assemble...</div>
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Take a Vanilla Wafer and put a spot of icing on it, top it with a patty. Use the red icing for ketchup and go around the edge of the patty. Add the yellow icing for mustard then top with the coconut lettuce. Put a spot of icing on another Vanilla Wafer and top the lettuce. For the sesame seeds I used a small amount of Karo syrup and very lightly brushed the top of the Vanilla Wafer , just enough to get it a bit sticky, then sprinkled on a few seeds. And that's it!</div>
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You can eat these right away or let them set up a bit but I recommend you eat them the same day you make them.</div>
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Brings these to your next BBQ and they will for sure make a huge hit. </div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17031079125611217319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832325159144647408.post-38593268094715540452012-07-28T14:24:00.000-07:002012-07-28T15:05:25.425-07:00It was like a Farmer's Market<br />
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I had a great visit yesterday from my Godparents Thespina and Costas. Not only did I enjoy hearing more family history and history of Greece but they brought me a Farmer's Market, freshly grown, from their ranch in Cotati CA. They brought figs from the tree that originally came from Greece, walnuts from their trees, fava beans, horta (greens), zucchini and a huge bunch of freshly dried oregano. </div>
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The only thing that would have made this better would have been fresh lamb straight from the ranch...maybe next time.</div>
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My Godmother also shared with me a favorite summer recipe from her Mother, my Great Aunt. I can't wait to give it a try! If its as good to eat as it looks on paper I will definitely share the recipe.<br />
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17031079125611217319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832325159144647408.post-35669539703213569082012-07-28T13:46:00.000-07:002013-07-19T02:54:29.181-07:00Lean and Green<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br />I'm a lifetime dieter. I gain weight super easy, especially from stress. Losing weight is another matter. I think the main problem is taste. It always seems that if anything tastes really good then it must be fattening. So I am constantly looking for low fat, low cal food that I can make that tastes good. There are many many delicious recipes out there that fit the bill. But many of them though just taste bad. No offense to the creators but I have tried some really awful recipes that looked good on paper but tasted horrible. <br />One thing that had eluded me for such a long time was salad dressing. I am not a huge fan of plain oil & vinegar. I much prefer creamier dressings like Caesar or ranch or blue cheese. So I started hunting for one that didn't taste like puke (sorry I had to say it). I found one that was palatable, barely. It was made with yogurt. It still had a funny taste to it though that really made eating salad more of a chore than something that should be enjoyed. Not to mention the cost...a rather small bottle is $3.99 or more. I decided to experiment and see what I could come up with. What I got is lean and green.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br />It's not fat free but the fats it has are good for you fats and should be eaten no matter what diet your on. <br />I started with a package of Hidden Valley Ranch. The directions tell you to use 1 cup of mayo and 1 cup of milk. You could use fat free mayo but OMG have you ever tasted it? Its horrible. Same goes for the low fat version. Mayo or Aioli should be eaten in all its full fat glory or not at all. So in order to make this dressing low fat I used a GOOD, fat free, Greek yogurt, like Fage, in place of MOST of the mayo. Or better yet make your own but that will be another post. <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Avocado Cilantro Ranch Dressing</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You will need:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup minus 2T 0% Greek yogurt</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup non-fat milk</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 T Mayo<br /> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/4 of an avocado</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp lime juice or to taste</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup more or less chopped cilantro</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/4 - 1/2 tsp Cumin or more to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br />Add all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and whip up a delicious dressing. <br /><br />If you would like to make a dip then add the milk a little at a time until you get your desired consistency.<br /><br />You can make this dressing completely fat free by omitting the mayo and avocado but for me they take some of the sourness out of the yogurt and give the dressing a creamier texture. <br /><br />Another thing you can do is make a faux guacamole dip. Just omit the milk and mayo, add another 1/4 avocado and blend. Place in a bowl, toss in diced tomato and diced red onion. <br /><br />This is the perfect dressing for Wingin It. It gives you a lot of room to play. You can add as much or as little of the lime, cilantro or cumin. Add black pepper or jalapeno for a kick. It's all about the taste. <br /><br /><br />Wing It and Enjoy!<br /><br />Maria<br /><br /><br /><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17031079125611217319noreply@blogger.com0