Kathy's Potatoes

I went home for Thanksgiving this year. It was the 1st time I had been home for a holiday in 5 years and the first time in my entire life that I didn't have mashed potatoes. The reason was, Kathy had made these amazing roasted potatoes, and after tasting them there was no need to move on to another potatoes! They were that good!

Anyway, Mr. K wanted to cook our own turkey when we got home so we would have left overs to pick at. So, the Saturday after Thanksgiving we had our own mini version of the holiday, which included Kathy's roasted potatoes.

Here is the recipe. She uses red potatoes, but I made it with Yukon Gold.

1. Coat a glass baking dish with olive oil.

2. Chop potatoes into big chunks. If you are using smaller potatoes maybe just in half. Place them into the baking dish and coat with a little more olive oil.

3. Sprinkle potatoes with salt, pepper, rosemary, and garlic powder. Just to your tastes, but you should be able to see the seasonings on each one.

4. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or so on the bottom shelf, until browned and cooked throughout.

Trust me. I am THE potato connoisseur to end all potato connoisseurs. These potatoes are delicious and easy. Try them...you'll love them!!!

P.S. This recipe might be equally as awesome with yams or sweet potatoes too!

Mrs. K's Peppermint Bark

This recipe was born of the same frustration as my chocolate covered graham crackers. I bought a box of this as a gift for someone. This time it was from Williams Sonoma (my other favorite store). And, again it was $20 plus.

So, Mr. K and I reinvented the wheel.

I LOVE all things peppermint, and this bark is not exception. And, this recipe is even easier than the grahams!

INGREDIENTS:
a bag of dark chocolate chips
a bag of white chocolate chips
a box of candy canes
milk or cream
wax paper

DIRECTIONS:
1. Lay the wax paper out so it's ready for you.
2. Crush the candy canes. You can do this with a food processor or put them in a baggie and bang them with the back of a spoon. In either case, they should be pea sized or smaller, but not made into a powder.
3. In a double boiler, melt the dark chocolate until its smooth. Pour out onto the wax paper.
4. In a double boiler, melt the white chocolate. White chocolate doesn't melt as well as regular chocolate, so may need to add a splash of milk or cream to keep it smooth. You want to keep it the consistancy of the dark chocolate. Once it is, pour it out over the dark chocolate, and LEAVE IT ALONE! If you play with it, it won't be "layered" it will be "marbled".
5. Sprinkle candy cane crumbs over the melted white chocolate, and press them in GENTLY.
6. Allow the bark to cool completely. The refridgerator works well. Once cool, break it up into chunks.

Mrs. K's Chocolate Covered Graham Crackers

Those of you who know me well, know that I am a catalogue junkie. Especially at Christmas! I love it! You get some of the most unique gifts imaginable, and sometimes for cheap!

Anyway, my Aunt Irene always remembers us at Christmas. And now that we live far apart and almost never see one another...our exchanges at Christmas usually consist of some yummy treats!

I came across chocolate covered graham crackers one year in one of my catalogues and sent them off to her. They were from Crate & Barrel so I am sure they were good, since they are my favorite store! But, even though I knew they were good, I did say to myself "I just spent $25 on chocolate covered graham crackers"!

So, I decided to recreate their awesomeness for much much less. And, I did! Here is the recipe, and I really encourage you to try it. I made them a few weeks ago with my grandmother, and we put 2 in those little Christmas cellophane bags and tied them with pretty ribbons. She gave them as a gift for her friends at the senior center. And, 2 is plenty, since they are very rich!

Ingredients:
a box graham crackers, any kind
a bag of chocolate chips, any kind
1 cup of confectioner's sugar, divided
about 1/4 cup of milk or cream, divided
red & green food color
wax paper

Directions:
1. Break the graham crackers in half, so they are squares, not rectangles.

2. Divide the sugar into two parts. One for red and one for green. Add the milk a tiny bit at a time. You want it to be able to lift up a spoonful, and let it run off quickly, but NOT be watery. Once you get a good consistancy, add the food color for a red and green drizzle once the cookies are cool. Set aside.

3. Lay out sheets of wax paper to place the cookies on once you have dipped them, so they can cool.

4. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler. If you decide to do white chocolate or something other than a variation of regular chocolate, you may need to add milk or cream to get it smooth.

5. Once the chocolate is smooth, remove it from the heat, and start coating the squares. The chocolate will be EXTREMELY hot, so try not to use your fingers. Tongs, spoons, and skewers work well. Coat all sides, and lay on the wax paper to cool.

6. Allow to cool until chocolate is firm and matte. Drizzle with red and green frosting, and allow to set over night in the refridgerator.

Make Your Own...

Since I pride myself on being an honorary Christmas Elf, one of the things I love to do is make toys.

Just kidding.

Well, sort of...I do make many of the gifts I give to people. And, it isn't nearly as difficult, or time consuming, as you might be thinking. In fact, I think it is much faster than driving around to different stores, searching for that elusive perfect gift, not to mention a place to park!

I promise it's easy, and I promise you can do it!

I am not sure when exactly I started, but I do remember my grandmother baking little breads and cookies when I was growing up. She used to decorate them with ribbons and bows, and make me take them to all the neighbors. It was just a thoughtful thing she used to do.

My own version of this has evolved somewhat over the years, and yours can as well. To give you an example, the very first Christmas I spent with my in-laws, I made a gift basket for my mother-in-law. Since we were also meeting for the first time, I had absolutely no clue what her likes/dislikes were or what kind of taste she had. I suppose I could have deferred to my then boyfriend's advice, but to be honest I didn't really trust him all that much. And, even though now we are married, I still don't. In fact, I think I might trust him a little less now that I know him so well. I'M KIDDING!!!

But back to my story...

I decided I could at least make her gift a personal and thoughtful one. And, since I didn't know her, that would have to mean letting her know about me. I am from New England, and they live in Florida. So, the I got a cranberry colored basket and filled it with all things New England - Vermont maple syrup, Maine blueberry pancake mix, maple sugar candy, salt water taffy, apple butter, preserves, Boston baked beans (the candy kind), etc etc.

It turned out so well...that I started doing it every year for at least 1 person on my list. And, I think its especially good for "couples" gifts since you may not know one as well as the other, and its so much more personal than gift cards.

A breakfast basket is one of my favorites! You can fill it with lots regular and inexpensive things, like...pancake mix, syrup, English muffins, jams, a spatula, etc. Just arrange everything in a pretty mixing bowl, wrap it up with cellophane and ribbon, and Christmas morning it taken care of!

And, why stop at breakfast? Any cuisine can theme a "basket" check out a bargain book section for cookbooks and run with it! Last year I gave 2 people a "soup and sanwhich basket" with soup and sandwhich cookbooks, some cute Christmas soup bowls, and a couple of cans of Campbell's Soup. Perfect for a chilly day lunch!

Another thing to keep in mind is that is doesn't have to be limited to Christmas.

My grandmother's friend Beverly had a heart attack over the summer, and was down for several weeks. My grandmother mentioned to me that she was going to send flowers, which is always a nice gesture, but why not something a tad more useful? I gave my grandmother the idea of making up a basket with some teabags, crossword puzzle books, magazines, books, cookies. After all, they sell clear cellophane too! She decorated it up with bright colored ribbons and bows, added a get well card, and spent a whole lot less than some flowers would have cost!
And, I know it was appreciated while Bev was recouperateing!

So, get creative! And keep in mind that literally any theme can be made into a little basket!

Let me know if you need any help!

Just Believe...

Let me first say, I love Christmas.

While this isn't exactly so unusual, I do believe my passion for this time of year exceeds that of everyone I know. For example, my tree and lights must be up on Thanksgiving. And, my husband still makes jokes about me moving to Finland after he dies to become an elf (which is still a dream of mine). Ask if you really want to whole story- its short.

Speaking of Mr. K, he is one of those people who feels Christmas has lost it's true meaning and has become too commercial. It makes him really sad...which, in turn, makes me sad. But, I have to disagree with him. While some people might view this time of year solely as a commercial holiday, others open their hearts more than they do at any other time of year. Deep down in their hearts...they believe!

That is what I see at Christmas.

For me, that is Santa Claus! And, when Santa Claus comes to town...the world is a better place, if only for a little while! And, even though it might fade as we get caught up in the excitement of a New Year...Frosty promises us he'll be back next year! And, we have hope.

Something to look forward to.

And, everyone needs that in their life.

Enjoy this season! Especially this year, when so many people are experiencing difficult circumstances...

No Turkey Eggs?

So...my friend Debbie asked "Do people eat turkey eggs? And, if not, why not?"

I had the answer!

1) Turkeys don't start laying eggs until they are much older than chickens, so raising them for eggs would take longer.

2) They are not cost effective 'cause they are so much bigger than chickens so you would raise less turkeys in the same area as many more chickens.

3) Turkeys are possessive of their eggs where chickens are not. So, collecting them up is more difficult and time consuming.

4) They lay less eggs than chickens so it makes more sense to just use the eggs for more turkeys.


There you go...now you know!

Taffy Apple Pizza

INGREDIENTS:
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon sugar
1-tablespoon all-purpose flour
1-tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons chopped pecans
6 (14 x 18-inch) sheets phyllo dough, thawed according to package directions
1-tablespoon butter, melted
3 tablespoons store-bought caramel sauce

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine the apples, the 3 tablespoons sugar, the flour, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a bowl; set aside.

2. Combine the pecans with the remaining 1teaspoon sugar and remaining 1/4-teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside.

3. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 12-inch pizza pan or a large baking sheet with nonstick spray. As you work, keep the large sheets of phyllo covered with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out. Lay one sheet of phyllo, across the pizza pan; lightly spray with nonstick spray. Repeat layering the remaining 5 sheets of phyllo, spraying each sheet lightly with nonstick spray. Roll the edges of the phyllo in to make a rimmed edge.

4. Arrange the apple mixture in concentric circles on the phyllo. Brush the apples with the melted butter, then sprinkle the pecan mixture. Bake until the edges of the phyllo are golden brown and apples are tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool on the pan on a rack 30 minutes, then drizzle with the caramel sauce.

Don't Forget To Vote

Actually, both Mr. K and I voted a week ago.
NV is one of thirty states with early voting!

And for those of you who told me you would only vote if the like wasn't too long...

Keep in mind, you live in a country where you can vote,
and that is reason enought as to why you should vote!

When the line looks too long,
think about someone in another country
who doesn't have the option of standing in a line like that!

Women weren't allowed to vote in the US until 1920.
Only a generation or two back. Think about all the women who fought for our suffrage.
Think about the women in your own family, who weren't allowed to vote,
and vote for them!

Squeeze The Cheese...

I can't remember why, but the other day Mr. K asked, "What's with you and cheese?".

Truthfully, I don't know, but I have always loved it. Maybe I get it from my grandfather because he ate cheese and crackers a lot when I was growing up. I like it on more than just crackers, though. It is a staple in my salads, a must on garlic bread, and even though Mr. K tells me not to, if I order the pizza it has to have extra cheese.

I don't consider myself a foodie, but cheese is one area where I like high quality and I will experiment a bit. And, its always been that way. Ever since I was very little my salad dressing of choice has been bleu cheese.

Cheese is also an area where I think organic is a must. Check out this site. It has a ton of information on why organic cheese is better tasting and better for you.

And, I am a huge advocate of doing a taste test. Make someone else set it up so they know which is which and you don't. Truly, this is the best way to prove to yourself that there is a difference and organic does taste better. I really haven't been let down yet. When I tried it with fresh pineapple, it changed my life.

I usually buy my cheese at Whole Foods. If you can pretty much find it at any grocery store these days.

Organic Candy

I know I am a day late on this one, but I have never been one to limited my candy consumption to Halloween.

Yesterday, someone who knows about my blog asked if I was giving out organic Halloween candy. Well, I wasn't, but that was only because it was for people I didn't know and I went the lazy route.

But, then they asked me if they make such a thing.

Of course they do!

I think it's important to remember that there is pretty much an organic version of everything.
Organic isn't a creating a whole new way of doing things that someone needs to invent. It is a choice to make things in the same way, using better ingredients and methods.

So...next year, GREEN YOUR HALLOWEEN!

Here are some links to organic candy sites. It might be too late this Halloween, but keep them in mind for gift giving anytime of the year!

YummyEarth

College Farm Organic Candy

Pamela's Raw Organic Candy

Pure Fun

Sugar Coated Organics