Homemade Marshmallows

I tried these once before and it was just a stuper sticky mess.  Good ole' Martha S. convinced me to try it again.  Much better experience.  Watch out, you may just get a few for a Christmas treat.

WARNING: This recipe is not for the old, decrepit Kitchen Aid.  It will probably kill it.  It's hard on the motor. If you start to smell that funny machine oil smell, cut your losses and save the mixer.

Ingredients
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 C ice cold water, divided
12 oz. granulated sugar (about 1 1/2 C)
1 C light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract OR 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
1 C powdered sugar

Method
Place gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 C ice cold water.  Have the whisk attachment ready to go.

Prepare your pan.  GENEROUSLY sprinkle powdered sugar on the bottom of  a 9x13 pan (for thick marshmallows) or a cookie sheet (for thinner marshmallows).  Coat the sides of the pan also.  (Good idea to use a silpat or parchment paper on the bottom of the pan.) Set aside.

In a saucepan combine 1/2 C water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt.  Place over medium high heat, using a candy thermometer, cook until the mixture reaches 240, approximately 7-8 minutes.  Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed, and while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture.  Once you have added all the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm (12-15 minutes.) Add flavoring during the last minute of whipping. 

Pour, or really scrape and gloop out the mixture.  Use clean, wet hands or a well oiled spatula to spread the mixture evenly in the pan.  Dust the top with enough remaining sugar to lightly cover and reduce the stickiness.  Allow marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours or overnight. 

Loosen sides of pan with a knife dipped in powdered sugar.  Turn out onto a GENEROUSLY powder sugar-coated surface.  Cut with a pizza roller covered in powdered sugar or a bench scraper covered in powder sugar. (Do you get the point that the stuff is super sticky and needs powdered sugar at every step?!?)

When cut into chunks, put in hot cocoa, dip in chocolate, or coat with toasted coconut.

Heavenly Chocolate Mousse

I can't remember where I got this recipe from originally, but it's been in my recipe box for a while.  It's a favorite!

Ingredients
8 oz. high quality chocolate (I prefer semi-sweet or dark, but you can use milk)
1/4 C. water
2 Tbsp. butter
3 egg yolks
2-3 Tbsp sugar (less sugar if using semi-sweet or milk chocolate)
1 1/2 C. whipping cream, whipped

Method
Melt chocolate in microwave or double boiler carefully.  Set aside.  Whisk egg yoks, sugar and water in double boiler.  Cook until mixture reaches 160 stirring constantly.  Set in ice until cooled.  Strain egg mixture through fine mesh strainer to make sure you don't get scrambled eggs in the mousse.  Add to chocolate and mix to stir.  Fold in whipped cream. Put in serving dishes and let chill at least 4 hours or overnight.  Really delicious with fresh raspberries.
Makes about 4 large servings or 6 smaller servings.

Quick Roasted Acorn Squash

This came from America's Test Kitchen.  It doesn't count as a vegetable, it is like candy.  And I like candy.

Ingredients
1 medium acorn squash
2 TBSP. butter, softened
2 TBSP. brown sugar (they suggest dark brown)
Kosher Salt

Method
1. Cut acorn squash in half pole to pole. (Be careful when you do this, it can be tricky.) Sprinkle cut sides with kosher salt. Place squash cut sides down in glass baking dish. (Whatever size will fit the squash, but also fit in the microwave.) Add 1/4 c. water. Cover with 2 sheets of saran wrap and poke 4 vent holes. Place in microwave and cook for 15-30 minutes or until tender.
2. While squash is cooking, mix together softened butter and brown sugar. Move oven rack up to 6" below the broiler.  Turn the broiler to high.
3. When squash is cooked use tongs to transfer to a lined baking sheet.  Crumble butter/sugar mixture equally over squash halves.
4. Place under broiler until sugar is carmelized.  You may need to take it out halfway and respoon the butter/sugar on the top of the squash since it will all melt into the middle.
5. Let cool a few minutes and then eat. 

Grilled Cheese with Bacon and Pear

I found this recipe on another blog (simplyrecipes.com.)  It sounded so delicious, I had to try it.  To some, it may sound really strange to put pears on a grilled cheese, but they were such a good counter to the bacon. Don't hate it until you try it. Note: I have found that buying thick cut bacon from the actual meat counter (yes you have to ask the butcher guy to get it out and how much and everything), is cheaper than buying the pre-packed thick cut bacon. I take it home and put a sheet of parchment paper between each slice so I can pull out one or two pieces at a time.  Who realistically uses a whole pound of bacon everything time. Don't answer.

Ingredients

French or Italian loaf bread, sliced
Bacon, cooked, use the good stuff, the thick cut delicious stuff
Bartlett pear
Sharp white cheddar cheese (high quality)
Butter, softened and spreadable

1. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium high heat. Layer your sandwich - bread slice, cheese, pear slices, bacon, bread slice. Spread butter over the top of the sandwich. Place the sandwich top side down (butter side down) on the hot pan. Butter the exposed side of the sandwich. Let cook for a minute and then use a metal spatula to turn the sandwich over to its other side.

2 While you are toasting the sandwich on the remaining side, press down on the sandwich with a spatula. Alternatively, you can mimic a panini press (albeit without the ridges) by heating a smaller cast iron pan on a separate burner. Use the weight of this pan to press down on the sandwich from above.

The sandwich is done when the sides are toasted and the cheese is melted. Cut in half and serve.

Pizza Sauce

Anybody rolling in the tomatoes right now?  This is a recipe for making and freezing pizza sauce from the fruits of your garden. Roma tomatoes work the best Also the more liquid you remove before you start cooking the tomatoes, the less time it will take to make it thick enough.

Usually makes about 4 cups or enough for 4 medium pizzas

2 tbsp. olive oil
8 tsp. minced fresh garlic (don't try to cheat, by using that pre-cut stuff from Costco, you know what I'm talking about)
4 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded and squeezed!
4 tsp. chopped fresh oregano or 2 tsp. dried oregano
4 tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 2 tsbp. dried basil
2-ish tsp. salt
1/2-ish tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp. tomato paste

Heat oil over medium heat in pan (the biggest diameter saute pan you have works best). Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.   Stir occasionally, be careful not to let the garlic burn. If it turns brown, just start over, it's not too late.

Add everything else. Let the sauce simmer uncovered until the tomatoes break down and the sauce become very thick (like, say, pizza sauce consistency.) Stir every so often.  Taste a little and add more salt and pepper if needed.

When it is thick and delicious, pour it into a bowl and put it in the fridge.  When it is cool, pour about a cup into a freezer bag and put it in the freezer. You should get about 4 cups depending on how much evaporated from the tomatoes.


Quick Pizza
My secret to quick and yummy pizza.  Buy scone dough from Dick's Market. Roll out into pizza shape, top with homemade thawed pizza sauce. Then cheese and whatever toppings desired. The pizza stone is the key to crispy crust.  Heat the oven to 500 with the pizza stone in the oven.  Then slide the pizza onto the pizza stone (a pizza peel makes this easier.) Bake until golden and crispy.

I did it

I am opposed to blogs. I think they are dumb. But, i do like to cook and when I make something good, I want to share it. So, I won't be giving you the details of my day, except if I cooked something that you need to know about.