Snowflakes

This is not so much a recipe, as an idea to try. We put a large decorating tip (star shaped) in a decorating bag, and filled it with our favorite yogurt. Then squeezed (not much squeezing needed) drops of yogurt on a cookie sheet, and place it in the freezer. In about 3-4 hours, you can just use a spatula to pop them right off the cookie sheet. Put the "snowflakes" in a tupperware in your freezer, and proceed to serve 2-3 of those as "dessert". Our resident 4-year old named these, and proudly served them to our dinner guests.

Also, you can use a zip-lock bag and just cut a hole in a bottom corner. Less snowflake-like, but with the savings in clean up time, I'm sure you can devise other names.

Chicken Pasta Carbonara

(adapted from http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/05/pasta-carbonara/)

The first time we had carbonara was in San Jose, and I. Loved. It. We tried to duplicate the recipe, and had something that worked for awhile, but it morphed in time (or I did. Don't judge.) and then I found it overly rich. And then I found this recipe, and fell in love with it all over again. Still rich (it's the cream, ya know). But not overpoweringly so. Also, for certain young ones in our lives, we've learned to mix in the chicken and peas and whatnot in after all the sauce, and serve them before that finally mixing. And then they get peas (frozen, because that's the only way to eat it when you are four) and chicken (cut tiny) separately. Thusly increasing odds for consumption. No guarantees, of course. We need to be kept on our toes.

And P.S. we found a local butcher that has bacon to die for. The ends are pretty cheap, too, which works nicely for this meal.

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces, weight Pasta, Any Variety
• 1 chicken breast, cut in strips
• 4 pieces Thick Cut Bacon (diced Small)
• 1/2 whole Medium Onion, Diced Small
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 3 whole Eggs
• 3/4 cups Finely Grated Parmesan
• 3/4 cups Heavy Cream
• Salt & Plenty Of Black Pepper
• 1/2 cup Peas

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, fry the bacon until just barely crisp. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Pour off all of the bacon grease, but don't clean the pan. Return the pan to the stove over medium-low heat and throw in the onions and garlic and chicken. Cook until golden brown. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix together eggs, Parmesan, cream, and salt and pepper until smooth.

When the pasta is done, reserve a cup or two of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and place it in a bowl. While the pasta is still really hot, slowly drizzle in the egg mixture, stirring the pasta the whole time. The sauce will become thick and should coat the pasta. Splash in a little hot pasta water if needed for consistency.

Halfway through After serving the children, add the peas, chicken, bacon, and sauteed onion/garlic. Finish adding the sauce, stirring until it's all combined.

Watermelon Granita

So, we need more fruit in our lives. And by "we", I mean a certain 3-year old. One by one, foods she used to love have been dropped from her list of approved foods. One has "dirt" in it (pepper), another has the cheese and meat mixed (how dare it), that one looks funny (even though we devoured it just last week). Basically, bread and cheese are okay. And anything else is highly suspect. I know, I know. We should not be surprised. But we can still try a few things, you know?

And so we tried Watermelon Granita. And we all fell for it. It was super easy, so we might try another fruit soon.

Ingredients
1/2 whole seedless watermelon, cut into chunks (about 8 cups)
4 TBSP lemon or lime juice (originally calls for fresh lime, but we aren't that coordinated and subbed lemon juice)
1/3 cup sugar (to taste)

Process
Put half the watermelon, half the juice, and half the sugar in a blender. Unless you have a super sized blender. Process until smooth, and pour into a pan or large flat tupperware.

Repeat with the other half of the ingredients. The pan/tupperware should only be half full (use a second if needed).

Freeze for a couple of hours, and lightly scrape the top/edges with a fork or spoon. Return to freezer, and continue scraping in another couple of hours. Repeat until the entire mixture is shaved. Cover the containers with lids or plastic wrap.

Tell 3-year old it is red "ice cream" or "slushy" and enjoy.

Nanaimo Bars

Super yummy...right up there with Becca's Oatmeal Caramel Delights.

1/2 C butter
1/4 C white sugar
5 T cocoa
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract
2 C crushed graham crackers
1 C shredded coconut
1/2 C chopped walnut
1/4 C butter
2 C powdered sugar
2 T vanilla pudding powder
3 T milk
4 oz semisweet chocolate
1 T butter

Mix 1/2 C butter, sugar, cocoa, egg, vanilla in a heavy sauce pan or double boiler. Stir over low heat until mix is of custard-like consistency. Combine graham crackers, coconut, walnuts and add to the melted mix. Mix well and pack into buttered 9" square pan. Beat 1/4 C butter, powdered sugar, vanilla custard powder, and milk until creamy and spread over melted base. Refrigerate until hardened. Melt chocolate with 1 T butter and drizzle over custard icing. Refrigerate.

Divinity

Combine:

2 C sugar

½ C dark corn syrup

½ C water

Boil until syrup spins an 8 inch thread (242 degrees)

Beat:

2 egg whites till very stiff

Pour syrup in very thin stream over whites

Add 1 tsp vanilla and beat until stiff, will stand in peaks. Fold in chopped nuts (optional). 

Drop from teaspoon onto wax covered cookie sheet. Let set till dry.

Oatmeal Caramel Delights

32 caramels

5 T half/half cream

¾ C brown sugar

1 C flour

¾ C melted margarine

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 C quick oats

1 bag chocolate chips

½ C pecans

Melt caramels into the half/half. Set aside. In bowl mix butter, brown sugar, then stir in flour, soda, salt, oatmeal. Press ½ mixture in bottom of pan. Sprinkle with chips and nuts. Drizzle with melted caramel. Sprinkle the rest of the oatmeal mixture on top. Bake at 350 for 15-20 min. Cool one hour before cutting into squares.

Becca's Breadsticks

1 T yeast

1 ½ C warm water

2 T sugar

3 ½ C flour

½ tsp salt

Mix together and knead for about 3 minutes. Let rise in bowl for ten min. Roll out about ¼ inch thick and cut in strips.  Melt ½ cube of butter in a pan. Twist strips and lay side by side and let rise 10 min. Can sprinkle garlic on top before cooking. 

Bake @ 350 for 20-25 min. Another variation would be to simply roll out dough like a pizza crust and spread enough (1-1 ½ C) cheese to cover dough, and cook.

Blueberry Crumb Cake Squares

1 10x15 inch jelly roll pan, buttered

Cake:

½ lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ C granulated sugar

3 eggs plus 3 egg yolks

2 tsp vanilla extract

¼ C milk or buttermilk

2 ½ C bleached all-purpose  flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 quart blueberries (any berry) picked over and dried

Crumb topping:

2 C bleached all-purpose flour

1/3 C granulated sugar

1/3 C brown sugar

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

12 T (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted

Set rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350.

For the cake batter, in a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until they’re soft and light. Add the 3 eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. In anther bowl, stir the yolks into the milk. Sift together the flour and baking powder and stir into batter in 3 additions, alternating with the yolks and milk, beginning and ending with the flour, spread the batter in the prepared pan. Scatter Berries in evenly over the batter, and press them in gently. 

To make the crumbs, mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter. Rub the mixture to coarse crumbs by hand. Scatter the crumbs over the berries as evenly as possible. 

Bake for 50-60 min till batter is firm and crumbs are well colored. Cool cake on rack.