Cranberry Macadamia Nut Cookies

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/12/12.shtml

Delicious! These are a real treat with ginger tea in the late afternoon. I love cranberries, in cookies, breads, and anything to do with Christmas. When baking, I 'helped' these into a triangle shape, and placed them close together, in a pan with an edge to it, so they would turn out more like a scone. I have to say, the white chocolate, while not a favorite of mine, was a nice surprise in these. It place of the suggested orange extract, I opted for grated orange rind. I do like cranberry and orange together. If this recipe had called for any liquid, I would probably have replaced that with orange juice as well. It's one of those holiday combinations that I love. Next batch will be going to friends with nut allergies, so the macadamia nuts will be absent. But I highly recommend this. It is great at the end of the day...put the water on to boil, you'll want some tea with these.

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Hot Spiced Cranberry Cider

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/12/05.shtml


Wow! What perfect weather for this drink! Our temps have been it the 30s at night...at 8:30 this morning, it wass 23º, so something hot is great! This can take the place of hot tea, it makes a great morning beverage, or anytime you just want to sip on something delicious!

I especially liked the way the brown sugar balanced out the tartness of the cranberry juice, and it made the appleness of the cider a deeper component of the drink. I don't think the lemon came through for me, but during cold season, the vitamin C is a good addition.

I will post a photo later, when I get my camera back upstairs with the computer.

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Bacon Cornbread and My Apologies

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/11/27.shtml

Life got away from me in the month of November. I wasn't quite prepared for it all, and I let some things take a back seat, including this blog. Instead of trying to catch up with every recipe, considering the holiday baking that is staring at me, I decided to jump in to the current post of Mrs. Sundberg, and try to forge ahead. If anyone is reading this, I promise to try and do better from now on. :-)

That said, this was a GREAT recipe to jump back in with! Bacon. Bacon. I love bacon! I have made a lot of cornbread the cheater's way, by using a mix with the leavening agents already added....I think you know which one I mean....but this was the first time I had made it from scratch. My other cornbread adventures had red pepper and onion mixed in, and things like paprika or chipotle chili powder sprinkled on top. These flavors didn't need any addition like that, so when I took it out of the oven, it was pale compared to those. But that in NO way affected the flavor of this wonderful recipe. The bacon flavor was laid nicely in the background, but definitely there, slightly sweet, with a texture that was more dense than my previous experiments. 

It joined baked chicken thighs with onions and mushrooms, and roasted tri-color cauliflower on the plate for supper. Yum. After some discussion, the Mr. and I decided that we are going to slice the remaining cornbread in half, dip it in an egg/milk bath and fry it like french toast tonight. Maybe a scrambled egg on the side and some fried potatoes. The bacon is already in there, so syrup added to it will only make it better to my way of thinking.

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

BIG P.S.!!

I did slice, dip and fry this, just like french toast, and oh my, what a treat! Warm syrup, scrambled eggs and a turkey sausage patty on the side completed a wonderful meal, full of the delicious pairing of bacon/sausage and maple syrup. That was satisfying!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/10/10.shtml

Boy oh boy oh boy! What a great day for this dish! It was chilly outside, and the Mr. and I cleared the front yard of the first layer of leaves after Hurricane Sandy stripped a good bit of them off the trees behind the house. We came in and I put this together with an extra set of hands from him, which was necessary, because it all came together pretty fast.

My experience in the past with baked macaroni dishes end up with them being too dry, and not a creamy delicious mix of melted cheese. Not the case here, with a generous 4 cups of cheese, along with 3 cups of milk. It was everything a baked mac and cheese dish should be. The garlic was in the background, but there, and the bread crumb, parmesan topping was great. The shreds of parmesan browned but didn't disappear, and they added a nice texture of their own to the topping. Sort of like the crispy edges around a grilled cheese sandwich that gives a sort of smoky flavor. It was that good.

We had it with the rest of yesterday's meatloaf, to which I had added about a cup of dried, seasoned kale chips in the middle, before folding the mixture over, and placing in the pan to bake. It was so good, there was nearly no conversation at the table while we rested our weary muscles, and enjoyed a wonderful meal.

A large portion went next door to Julia's house, and she is always happy to help taste test for me. With two working parents and a 9 year old, she gets to add to the dinner table with what we share, and I like that.

My plate:

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Peanut Butter Pebbles

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/10/17.shtml

Wow. Where did the time go??? Family needs, husband away on missile work that added to my days, priming and painting walls and ceilings, along with Hurricane Sandy. She left me without power for 17 hours, and some serious cleanup in the basement and 3 weeks is gone before I know it. This recipe is out of order, but I promised the Mr. that he would get the mac and cheese when he came home from somewhere across the International Date Line, and my hurricane husband made landfall at Washington-Dulles International Airport three days ago, so the mac and cheese recipe will happen in the next few days, along with the pork chop recipe. Whew!

This recipe was made the weekend before Sandy showed up. I was able to share it around the neighborhood with several people, and it got rave reviews.

It was really a crazy recipe! I have never made anything like this, with the confectioner's sugar, and the big plastic bag to shake it up, but that big bag is key to incorporate the sugar and break the cereal pieces apart. I was impressed with how it went from the chocolatey, sticky bowl full, to a bag full of individual pieces that were coated with the sugar, and were not messy at all! I had a few clumps of ones that I didn't get broken apart, but they were fine, and delicious. Any time chocolate and peanut butter are mixed together is okay by me.

I would imagine that the Supremes would have loved this, but the other two were at sea on another mission, different from my Mr.'s, so the kids around the neighborhood got to enjoy this treat. I just bagged it up in zip bags, and handed it out. Oh, and it was gone in a day!

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg. :-)

Sweet Hubbard Squash Custard Pie

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/10/02.shtml


I am trusting that you will try this recipe, and hopefully post your experience here. The Mr. has a severe allergy to all squash, after exposure to the oil well fires in Desert Storm, and we don't have squash any more. He reacts to it by touching, as well as ingesting, so there is no wiggle room for experiments here. I am sure it is delicious, and we both miss squash, but cannot take the chance, even the residue of squash on the counter, a dish rag or a knife will cause the reaction that we avoid at all cost now. Halloween is a challenge, and there's no more pumpkin carving at our house. :-(

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-) 

Apple Pie Cake

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/09/26.shtml


This cake was wonderful! Sadly, my Mr. wasn't here to try it. He is away on work travel, having experienced an earthquake, and now a typhoon, which might send all ships out to the ocean to ride out the storm. This trip for him has been trying and he wants to be home. So telling him about this week's recipe didn't help much.

I had three Honey Crisp, and two Fuji, and that is what I used. Any baking apple would do for this, Granny Smith being the usual choice, but I encourage you to experiment with different kinds. Apple flavor comes through with many varieties, so try your favorite.

I did share some with my neighbor Julia and her family. She said I was spoiling her, but keeping it in the house would mean I would be tasting it every day. And I did anyway. It was great with coffee, and mid afternoon also was a good time to have a piece. Her family liked it, and wants the recipe.

I did sprinkle more cinnamon on top, because it's good for us, and we like the taste of it. I also made the trip to the Mr.'s office today to take his laptop for shipping back for a new logic board, and I took the two Supremes each a generous portion of this, because they are staying there, holding the line on missile defense work. They groaned in anticipation, and saying they would have it in the morning with coffee. I didn't get a photo of it after baking, and it's all gone now, so you will have to bake your own to see how wonderful it looks, and how wonderful it tastes.

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Seven Layer Bars

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/09/18.shtml

Something that strikes me is regional names for things. In Ohio I don't remember too many sweet, cookie-like recipes being called Bars. It's like the question I asked Mrs. Sundberg about the first recipe of hers I made, called Blueberry Raspberry Buckle. I had never heard that before, but it described exactly what the batter mixture did as it baked. I like the regional names that come with things like recipes. Especially recipes from years ago, that seem to reflect the literal about the dish. Seven Layer Bars makes perfect sense with this. It is layers of goodness, that, well, has a combination of things that taste good together. The Salted Caramel Chocolate Bars was one that I knew would be hard to beat, but this one is right up there with it. This one might have been good with some sea salt sprinkled across the chocolate and butterscotch chips before the coconut and sweetened condensed milk were added.

I didn't have the pan that it called for, a 9x13x2, so I made it in a 9x9 pan. A little thicker, but I just cut the bars a little smaller. I got 16 out of that size pan, and it was an ample portion because of how rich they were.

I didn't have my Supremes to taste test for me this time. My Mr. is away on work travel, over the international date line, where right now at 9:30 on my Monday evening, it's already tomorrow where he is. My daughter-in-law commented one other time when he did that kind of travel, that he should be able to send me the winning lottery numbers, and that sounded like a good idea to me!

I know the other two ballistic missile men will be in withdrawal since they won't be tasting anything for a month, but there's work to be done and my man is out there doing what he does best. I promised him that I would remake this when he gets back home.

I did, however, have two neighbor boys, Michael, 12, and Gabe, 11, step in for the Supremes. They were more than happy to take six of these off my hands and they were gone, except for saving one for Gabe's mom. I love giving treats to them. They are great young men, and I'm glad to know them both.

The recipe ingredients called for almonds, the instructions said pecans, and when I went to the store to get the things I needed, I forgot my nuts! :-) So I had walnuts in the freezer, and used them, and they were fine. I asked Mrs. Sundberg about it, and she said any kind would work. I think even chopped peanuts would be good...and then there's always cashews.

You can't go wrong with these. Easy to mix up and bake, and they taste great. 

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Three-Berry Refrigerator Cake

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/09/11.shtml

Well, well, well. Not even bed time yet, and I have managed to get the last recipe done, and boy oh boy, is it looking good! The Supremes asked the Mr. if I had done anything for them to taste test lately. One won't be there tomorrow, but the other two will have no problem eating his share. I think they are getting used to a weekly treat, so when Mrs. Sundberg's recipe isn't a sweet one, I send one of my own along. Didn't take all that long to spoil them.

I did use a frozen pound cake, but whipped heavy whipping cream to mix in with the pudding and to top it with. I liked the idea of brushing the cake with orange juice. I think when it has had time to set, it will soften the cake a little and just add to the creamy, richness of it. It's sitting in the fridge now, and it won't be tasted until tomorrow, but it already looks good.

The loaf pan that I had was larger than the cake, but that just meant that the pudding/whipped cream/fruit mixture would have to be spread out to fill the gap. And there really was plenty of filling. Just more goodness to eat is my way of thinking. I had strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, but a lot of other fruits would do. Peach comes to mind as a possibility next time.

I will amend this post when I hear from the two taste testers tomorrow. The third one will be told in great detail about what he missed when he comes in on Monday.

They loved this and the salsa, and for a brief moment, discussed salsa on this cake. Men.

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Batter for Deep Fried Halibut

Recipe:http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/09/04.shtml

I have to say that I really am not much of a fish person. Mrs. Paul's fish sticks were fed to me when I was young, and as an adult, I was always concerned with trying to bake fish and get it done all the way through. I am not, I repeat NOT a fan of sushi, intentional or because I undercooked a filet. Texture, the idea of it, a bad experience a long time ago have conspired to have me place fish down toward the bottom of my list of foods I like.

Well, this was good. Very good. I used a porter in the batter and drank the rest, so maybe that is why I liked it. No....it really was a nice crisp coating for the fish. Not that grease soaked breading that comes from fast food fish places, but a light, almost tempura-like crispness. I think it would be great on shrimp, scallops and clams, too. I fried it in my old, trusty, seasoned iron skillet because I always use it for frying, on the occasion that we indulge in fried foods, which isn't often.

The Mr. had some on a plate, topped with the salsa in the previous recipe, then he made a sandwich with it, topped with more salsa, and a splash of hot sauce. When he goes back for seconds, it's good. The last few pieces are going into a wrap, along with more salsa for his lunch tomorrow. He's always good about taking the leftovers in his lunch, but I don't really think he minded at all. 

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Southern Kick Salsa

Recipe:http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/08/29.shtml 

This was a salsa adventure for me, because I have never made salsa of any kind. This recipe was very easy, and gives me all kinds of ideas for other salsas with lots of other ingredients. I know I said I wasn't going to substitute ingredients, but I lied. The Mr. can't handle raw jalapeño but likes the heat of it, so I added a small can of chopped green chiles. He loves peppers of any kind, but in their raw form, it's a no go. So to give it the little kick that he likes, I sprinkled some cayenne pepper on it, too. The whole idea of salsa is that kick at the end, so I was able to make it happen with those two additions.

Shoepeg corn was something I had heard of, but never bought, so after a little research, I found out that: The name 'shoepeg' comes from a shoemaking term used during the 19th century. The kernels resemble the wooden pegs used to attach soles to the upper part of shoes. I think anything with the word Peg in it is okay, but that's just me. :-) The only variety today is called Country Gentleman, and shoepeg corn has a long and delicious history in southern cooking. It is slightly sweet, and is a nice balance with the heat from the chilies and cayenne pepper that I added. If you like it hot, I would suggest the jalapeños in the recipe. I am not a huge fan of too much heat, but this has a long, slow burn that is just perfect. I don't recall ever eating black-eyed peas, either, also a southern ingredient, but the protein from the beans is good for us. If the beans you buy have sodium, you can reduce it by about 40% by rinsing them well under running water.

 That small dish in the first photo was quickly replaced by the larger bowl in the second photo. I forgot to give myself some mixing room. It makes a generous amount, and the Supremes are going to have some tomorrow. There's still plenty for us as well. I think this would really be good over a baked potato with some melted cheese, and I also think it would make a great spicy soup with some tomato sauce, juice and paste and probably some more seasonings.

The directions said to let the flavors incorporate overnight, but never having much patience, I tried it. And I like it! I bet I get 3 thumbs up from the ballistic missile boys tomorrow.

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Taste Test Update

I found out that ballistic missile men who are single don't usually get to enjoy homemade goods, so these were a hit on more than one level. The pan was empty, along with the coffee pot, and there were murmurs of satisfaction and then silence as they finished up. I have been drafted to send something along for the next meeting which means I will be sending something for EVERY meeting from now on. Unmarried folks tend to bring out the mother in me. :-)

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/08/22.shtml

I'll say right away that chocolate, caramel and a bit o' salt is a great combination of flavors. I have always enjoyed sweet and salty, but putting chocolate in the mix kicked this into delicious for me. I heard a long time ago, that if you want something sweet, find the very best, and enjoy a reasonable amount of it. I have tried eating a substitution for what I really wanted, and was not sated. So now if I want chocolate, I get exactly what I want...usually dark chocolate, about 60% cacao works. The recipe didn't specify dark or milk, so I used dark because I like it. Plus dark chocolate is good for our heart, brain, contains antioxidants, theobromine—which hardens tooth enamel, has vitamins and minerals, and helps control blood sugar. Like I needed a reason to eat dark chocolate.

This called for two delicious teaspoons of vanilla, and it won't be long before I have to make more. 3 vanilla beans, split, scraped, and everything put into some vodka has given me the best vanilla to add to recipes. I don't think I will ever buy commercial vanilla again. I am on the hunt for unusual vanilla beans to make the next batch.

I used crystalline sea salt because that's what I had, but I did a little looking around online, and even though salt is mostly salt, there crystalline, flaked, sea, rock, himalayan....and it goes on. Sea salt mostly comes from Portugal to Maine and California to the Pacific Rim. Having finished the baking of these, I would say that next time, and there WILL be a next time, I will use a little more salt. I like that little burst that comes mixed in with the sweetness of these, and there wasn't quite enough.

The Mr. is home for a dentist app't. so armed with a cup of coffee, he unwrapped the caramels for me. Ended up being 10.4 oz, but I think one or two for the part that stuck to the bowl was about right.

Dividing the dough, more specifically, spreading the second half on top of the melted caramel took a bit of patience. I am more of a drop and plop sort of cook, and I had to work a little with these to get the caramel covered. As you can see, the middle was a little thin. But the dough raised up over it and they turned out fine.

They sank a little in the middle as they cooled, and are a little soft in the center, but I think they will set up fine. Two pieces later, this recipe is going in the file, and will be made again and again. And yes, ice cream would be good with it, but it is fine just as it is, naked straight out of the pan.

The rest of them are going to a meeting tomorrow where the Supremes and 5 other ballistic missile people will be my unknowing taste testers. The missile stuff may be top secret, but any remarks on this deliciousness is coming straight back to the cook! 

Thank you Mrs. Sundberg. :-)

Still Behind

Trip to the dentist, and a baby quilt that had to be finished yesterday overruled the salted caramel chocolate chip bars. With a lot on my plate until next week with it being Labor Day weekend, the bars are going to have to wait, along with the next recipe. But I promise next week will catch me up. One of  the Supremes is not at work this week anyway, and they hate when they miss the weekly taste test. I will get back on track ASAP!

Berry Cobbler

The recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/08/13.shtml

Well, I am two recipes behind and sorry for the slip. It has been an interesting week with my Mr. having some back problems. I became his arms and legs, when something as simple as bending down to pick up his phone proved to be more than he could do for a couple of days.

But he's back at work today...yay! I have made the cobbler, and the salted caramel chocolate chip bars will be done tomorrow. The house smells wonderful and there's warm cobbler on the counter for dessert tonight. With 3 scoops of it reserved for the Supremes tomorrow. They have been so good to volunteer to be my taste testers.

This is a rich batter with the butter and sugar, but how can you have a good dessert without richness. It's all in the portion control. Something that I am pretty good at, but every so often, the spoon slips a little.

I knew when I read the recipe and saw almond extract that this was going to be cherry and not blueberry. The Mr. will eat blueberries when they are cooked in something, but this needed cherries. He was happy with that, and the pie filling that I get has a LOT of cherries in it. Not like some that is mostly the filling...what is that called anyway? Cherry goop, cherry sauce? Well, there is less of that and more of the cherries, and that's okay by me.

Letting the butter soften makes this first step much easier, but that is cooking 101 for most folks. Folding in the flour/baking powder mixture is easy after the addition of 4 eggs to the butter and sugar. (I told you it was rich.)

The directions said to spoon the pie filling on top of the cake mixture in 16 evenly spaced dollops. Well my puddles ran together a little, and there were so many cherries in that can, that I just let them run in to each other, figuring that the end product would be better for it. I was right.

I have no photos to judge the end product by, so what you see is what I got. However, there is a spoonful missing from the lower right corner, and although I wouldn't call it a cobbler so much because of the cake-y texture, I can call it delicious. The Supremes are eager to get their test containers tomorrow in between Ballistic Missile business.

Thank you Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Catching Up

I will be doing the cobbler AND the salted caramel chocolate chip bars in the next few days. The Mr. had back problems, and it has been an adventure. I think we've both had enough of that for a while. :-)

Buckeye Bars

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/08/06.shtml

That classic peanut butter and chocolate combination is loud and clear with these delicious bars. Of all the times I made what we called Buckeyes when I lived in Ohio, I never thought to make them as a bar instead of rolling them into balls and dipping each one in melted chocolate. Delicious, but time consuming. This recipe was all the goodness with a lot less work. Although, made that way reflected the fact that I lived in the Buckeye State, the Buckeye is the state tree, a football team, and the nut of the tree was called that because it resembled a buck's eye. So who am I to mess with tradition.

I know I said that I wasn't going to change these recipes, but in our house, there's just one peanut butter: CHUNKY. I can take it or leave it, but the Mr. must have it. I liked the addition of it to this recipe. A little texture was nice. I also used my well worn 9 x 9" pan so they were a little thicker, which meant that they were cut smaller...about 1" square. 

This went together quickly. It took about 6 minutes, and they were in the fridge to set up. Cleaning up took longer than mixing up.

They didn't last long either. One of the Supremes is off on a motorcycle adventure to Sturgis, South Dakota, so he missed out. The other two were more than happy to eat his share. The nice thing about these is that the richness makes a small piece satisfying. They had one with coffee early in the day, and another one after lunch. They had two days' worth, and they didn't eat them all at once, but a little goes a long way. Another note: sitting them on the counter for about 20 minutes or so made them easier to cut, and likewise for eating. They didn't melt, but softened up nicely. And tasted GOOD.

 

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg. :-)

Potato Pancake PS

I did make and freeze the rest of potato pancakes, and they heated up wonderfully in the skillet, with a brush of olive oil, and a lid on the pan to hold in the moisture. We had them with scrambled eggs for breakfast today and they tasted great...the onion flavor came out a little more, which was fine with us!

Potato Pancakes

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/07/30.shtml

Well, I say Mrs. Sundberg hit a home run with these pancakes. It is her grandmother's recipe. Plain, simple, good food, like I imagine everyone eats in Minnesota. She did say that she sometimes grated onion to add to the mixture, so I took that as an ingredient, and added it as well. 

It made a lot. A LOT. So my plan is to fry the rest of them tomorrow, and see how they freeze for another meal or two. There's just me and my Mr. here, and we each had two with supper, and there are two for his lunch tomorrow. He usually takes a repeat of supper for lunch the next day. He's one of those people who will eat leftovers until they are gone. He's so handy when I have a refrigerator shelf full of odds and ends. He can make up a meal out of practically nothing. I'm keeping him.

The onion was a good addition. Every once in a while, I like an onion to say hello to me in a dish. Mr. says one can never have too much onion, and he would have been happy with more. I used a small yellow onion because I wanted to know it was in there. And it was. I let the mixture stand for about 15 minutes while I got another pan going on the stove. That thickened up the mixture a bit, and it was wet, but not too wet. Mrs. Sundberg said to drop by blobs into butter, but I did switch that out to olive oil. Since the Mr.'s bypass surgery, butter is a once in a rare while thing. But the oil worked great. It gave the pancakes a crispy, browned edge that was just delicious. I did also put two tablespoons of Hemp Hearts in it, because they are healthy and good for us, tasteless (even better for me), and impossible to detect in anything. We eat them in cereal, mashed potatoes, I put them on my pimento cheese sandwich today for lunch, so we use them all the time. They are a good-for-you thing.

Next would be my perception of 'pancake'. I know these are an accompaniment to a meal, but my idea of a pancake is about the size of a saucer. So I settled on using a 1/4 cup measure, and it was perfect. The onion really added another layer of flavor, and I could see taking this recipe and adding some other things. The good news is, that it tastes just great the way it is. Loved the crispy outside and tender inside. I make corn fritters, and this base will be my go-to recipe for any fritter or veggie pancake I make from now on. It is just that good. We had a dollop of sour cream on them, and enjoyed them with green beans, ham and corn, and a salad of cucumbers, red onion and little pickled beets. Next is having them at breakfast with scrambled eggs. I think these are going to be great when the holidays arrive and the kids come home for a visit. Easy and good. Can't ask more than that from a potato pancake.

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg. :-)

Caramel Rolls Using Frozen Bread Dough

Recipe:  http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/07/23.shtml

***Mrs. Sundberg found that somewhere along the way, 'cook & serve' pudding was replaced by 'instant' pudding in this recipe. I did do a second batch by adding 1/4 cup of milk to make the sauce pouring consistency, but by using the cook & serve pudding, the amount of 1/2 to 1 Tablespoon of milk is correct, and she has edited the recipe in the link above to reflect the change. Either way, I had success with the instant on the second batch, and they were delicious!


I have never baked anything that required making dough from scratch. It seems like a lot of time invested in something that may or may not turn out, considering I was the one deciding if the warm water for the yeast was warm enough/too warm. Fear would sum it up. It's an area in which I have no experience. Maybe I'm over-thinking it, but I'm just not sure I could make it happen. So with Mrs. Sundberg's recipe last week, the hard part of the equation for me has been taken away. Up until today, my only experience with yeast was making the pizza dough packet that came in the Appian Way pizza-in-a-box kit from the grocery.

The bread dough part worked great, but the caramel sauce gave me a problem. Mine was way too thick to pour, per the instructions, but I said I wasn't going to change things, and since everything else was a go, I made them anyway, spooning the caramel sauce over each roll. The flavor was great, but the caramel didn't melt as I was hoping it would. I was able to spread it around when they came out of the oven, and that worked okay, but it wasn't the pourable quality that I expected. 

My Mr. took most of them to work, and his email this morning read: The guys are busy stuffing themselves with rolls and coffee and making yummy noises. That is about it for conversation right now, and that would be a YES, they like them.  They have volunteered to continue to eat all of your evidence until your recipes are perfect. They are real Team Players. (Kind of like I am Diana Ross, and they are my Surpremes!) They are an incredible trio, working hard to help protect our country. They're tough, no-nonsense, ballistic missile men on the outside, but soft, tender-hearted sweeties on the inside.

 But back to the rolls. The bread dough came in a package of 3, (Why do they do that? Why not 4?) so I had one more loaf. Armed with another box of pudding, I tried to decide what to adjust to make it right. I thought maybe not using all the pudding, but instead, I upped the milk to 1/4 cup. Everything else stayed the same, but I didn't cook it for the minute per the directions, I just melted the butter, stirred the brown sugar in until it dissolved, then stir, stir, stirred in the pudding and milk to make sure everything was blended well. Bingo! Smooth, pourable caramel goodness. Since I only had one loaf of bread, I put the pieces of dough into a smaller pan, and didn't use all the caramel sauce, but I wanted to make sure the proportions were right for the recipe of using two loaves of bread dough. And I need to ask Mrs. Sundberg about this...because I know she's an expert in the kitchen.

I did use a blade to cut the dough, each loaf in half, then each half in thirds, and then I cut those sections in half as well, giving me 12 rolls per loaf. Reasonable portion control, unless you factor in wanting to eat 3 or 4 of them at a time. They are very tasty and the yeast component comes through loud and clear. My Supremes already know that (part) of the remade version will be on its way tomorrow, and looking in the oven door as they bake, I see caramel roll success. I don't imagine there will be much talking while they are eating them tomorrow, and by the time that caramel roll coma wears off, it'll be a whole new day. 

Thank you, Mrs, Sundberg. :-)

Fruit Dip

Get the recipe here: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/07/16.shtml 

Well! A lot has happened. We were off to Ohio, back to my hometown, for the gathering of our things that have been in storage for two and a half years. Not seeing the light of day is a long time for things that I felt were necessary when we packed them away. There were necessary things, just not as many as I thought.

Necessary things like my vintage button collection. Maybe 100 buttons, (update: a little over 300 buttons in that box...I had no idea I was such a button hoarder. But I make felted wool mittens from old sweaters, and I put vintage buttons on the cuffs, so they are a necessary indulgence) among them, about a dozen jet buttons, for which I have a hearty passion. Several pieces of art, my teddy bear made from the green corduroy shirt of my grandpa's, and fabric. Silks that I had plans for, but now I kind of forget what those plans were. It was like Christmas. Seeing them again has lit the fires for creative sewing, and for that, I'm excited.

The heat was oppressive, along with a huge thunderstorm on the second day. A steady, pelting rain that soaked us to the core. We must have lost 4-5 lbs. each sweating in the humidity. Five trips to Goodwill to donate the things we had outgrown. The college furniture of my older son, a toaster and lots of other kitchen things, and lots of clothing that still has some wear left.

It was a cleansing trip, soulful and a little bittersweet. I grew up in that town, and I miss the people with whom I spent time. We have remained close, but I miss being able to see them, sit down with them, and hug them. There was plenty of hugging going on in the short time we had to visit though. 

Mrs. Sundberg must have known that we were all hot and sweaty with our journey, because her recipe last week was for something cool, refreshing and delicious. Who doesn't like a fruit dip? Local fruit is so plentiful right now, and I even got 'buy one get one' strawberries. This dip is delicious with strawberries, apples or pears, but really even small berries could be topped with this dip in a bowl and eaten with a spoon. It's creamy, sweet and I like the bit of tang from the cream cheese. I used my electric mixer, and the fluff walked up the stem of the beaters, but after the cream cheese was incorporated, it leveled out. It has been a long time since I have had marshmallow fluff. I used to have it in hot cocoa, and boy, did that bring back memories. And yes, I ate a BIG spoonful just for fun! 

Mrs. Sundberg suggested serving it with fruit, cut and carved. If I were going to carve any fruit, it would be in the shape of a spoon, to scoop up more of this satiny, delicious dip. 

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg. :-)