What’s In My Cup: Caramel Shortbread

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#whatsinmycup, cookies, sweets, tea, what's in my cup

Shortbread cookies may not be the most searched for Christmas cookie recipe in 2018, but I did my own research in a place known for amazing home cooks – a church potluck!

On Friday night, several trays of home baked goodies lined the kitchen pass, and let me tell you, the shortbread cookies disappeared faster than my family when I tell them it’s time to clean the guinea pig’s cage!

They haven’t lasted long in my house either. I have to bake more before Christmas, and I am worried I might outgrow my new plaid skirt.

Thankfully I treated myself to a single emergency sachet of David’s Caramel Shortbread tea. It’s an herbal tea blend composed of apples, raisins, elderberries, willow bark, almonds, hazelnuts, sour cherries, raspberries, and sweetened with stevia extract and brown sugar.

While it may not be as satisfying as the real thing, the melt-in-your-mouth buttery sweetness of this tea was still decadent, and I could easily enjoy it again.

No matter how bad your day is, when you start talking about cookies or cakes or pies, or you bring someone cookies, there’s just not bad news. The worst news is, ‘Hey, there’s sugar in that.’ Christina Tosi

p.s. This tea won’t cling to your wobbly bits! 😉

Happy Monday!

Hole-Some Foods

Tags

baking, family, food, sweets

I remember making doughnuts with my mother and grandparents. My job was to cut the holes or to watch the doughnuts frying in the oil and let Mom know when they were ready to be rolled. We called the tiny doughnut holes, doughnut buttons.

It was a tradition I wanted to share with my boys. This weekend,  my mother and I got to share it with Little Guy. First, we let him measure and mix the dough.

Next we rolled them out and he cut them with the same tools I had used as a kid – a drinking glass and a thimble.

Finally, we fried them in oil in a fryer. As a kid, we used an electric frying pan. This was a lot safer!

My Great-Grandmother’s recipe said “Salvation Doughtnuts”. Apparently, these doughnuts were first made by Salvation Army volunteers in World War I. They set up service huts in abandoned buildings near the front lines where they could serve the soldiers baked goods.

The best part is eating them warm. The next day I made Jelly Busters, a yeast-based doughnut that requires a lot of time to prove the dough. Otherwise the process is the same.

And once they’re cooled, we add apple jelly inside, and sprinkle icing sugar on top. Just like when I was a kid…

I miss my Grandparents, especially as the holidays get closer. So being able to share this family tradition with my boy was really special and I hope we created special memories for him.

Nobody can do for little children what Grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children. – Alex Haley

 

 

 

 

Tarts on Tour

Tags

fashion, food, humour, shoes, sweets

I recently made a last minute decision and attended a Tart Festival with a friend.

No, not that kind of tart, although based on some of my recent encounters, like the guy who called me at work and my cell number popularity, I can see why you might be raising your eyebrows. Then again, you also don’t know my friend!

This Tart Festival involved butter tarts. An entire outbuilding in the Fair Grounds lot lined with bakery kiosks displaying nothing but butter tarts. Each bakery had won trophies in their local Fairs, and they were duking it out for the title: Queen of Tarts.

 

Judges were blind tasting tarts from every bakery, looking for things like colour, thickness of pastry and ooziness.

 

 

 

 

There were some interesting flavours involving alcohol (Kahlua and Fire Whiskey), meat (bacon), and candy (marshmallow and skittles). But, like my Dad, I’m a traditionalist, so I brought home 6 butter tarts: plain, pecan, maple, maple walnut, raisin…and pecan again (because I like candied nuts)!

It only seemed appropriate (when you’re at a tart festival) to slink over to the Designer Shoe Sale next door. We weren’t willing to pay designer prices, even designer sale prices, but we had fun checking out the fashions. Rows and Rows of shoes.

My pick!

Sweet Tarts

Feathers and ruffles. Sunny golden suns and sweet tarts. Patent leather and satin. Chunky heels and super spikes. Buckles and straps. And things I couldn’t quite identify!

Now that’s a pair of killer heels!

We also amused ourselves by checking out the heavily-laden  baskets of some of the shoppers. “Lady Gaga” amused us the most. She was a tiny, heavy set middle aged lady with thin, greasy grey hair. But she was following my manifesto and who am I to judge?

 

Sweet tarts and sexy shoes… a perfect weekend tour for a couple of “tarts”, right?

If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun. – Katherine Hepburn

Happy Weekend!

WPC: Sweets

Tags

Photo Challenge, photography, sweets, Weekly Photo Challenge

Do you remember the Shire, Mr. Frodo? It’ll be spring soon. And the orchards will be in blossom. And the birds will be nesting in the hazel thicket. And they’ll be sowing the summer barley in the lower fields… and eating the first of the strawberries with cream. Do you remember the taste of strawberries?”
― Sam Gamgee, The Return of the King, Peter Jackson from J R R Tolkien

See more sweets here.

T is for…

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#atozchallenge, food, photography, sweets

I know…everyone who knows me is shocked right now because I didn’t write T is for Tea. They know I’m a huge “tea granny” – black, green, red, white, matcha, oolong, flavoured, herbal. It’s the first thing I consume in the morning, and often the last thing too. I have my own kettle and tea pot in my office. I even have a “supplier” who often offers to pick it up for me mid-day.  It’s not uncommon for my family to find cups of tea all over the house, and forgotten in the microwave. But writing about tea seemed too easy! This is suppposed to be a challenge!

My next thought was trees. My oldest son has every little boy’s dream job – he climbs trees for a living.

 Great idea…no time! The day got away on me, and as supper bubbled on the stove, my eyes roamed around the kitchen looking for quick inspiration. And I found it!

Salt Water Taffy.

Years ago, my grandparents would travel to Florida every March, and they would return bearing gifts, sometimes including salt water taffy. I’d unwrap the white wax paper and bite into the soft, sticky taffy, while Grandpa grinned at me. I would tuck my handful of pastel-coloured treats in a safe place, and savour them for months.

Last year, my parents brought me a bag from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (their March haunt)…and I’ve been savouring them all year!

“It’s strange how memory gets twisted and pulled like taffy in its retelling, how a single event can mean something different to everyone present. – Lisa Unger

Weekly Photo Challenge: Names

Tags

candy, Photo Challenge, photography, sweets, Weekly Photo Challenge

 

A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men. – Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl

To see more “Name” photos, click here.

It’s Friday…

Tags

coffee, humour, sweets, tea

It’s Friday…

…and this one goes out to my one-eyed love!

Happy Weekend!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Edge

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food, Photo Challenge, photography, sweets, Weekly Photo Challenge

“Why does the forbidden always add that edge of sweetness?” – Robin Hobb, City of Dragons

To see more Edge photos, click here.

Happy Weekend!

Mmmm…Marshmallows

Tags

cooking, disasters, food, humour, sweets

Berry Blush. Toasted Coconut. Vanilla Bean. Maple Bacon. Pineapply Rosemary.

Just a handful of flavours gourmet marshmallow makers have dreamed up. “Mallow artists” are revisiting and heightening this long overlooked fluffy delicacy and waving “good-bye” to the spongy, store-bought variety so many of us savoured around the campfire as kids.

Those mass-produced chemically-induced blobs of goo on the grocery store shelves were put there in the 1940’s. Marshmallows date back to ancient Egypt, where marsh mallow root juice was used as a thickening agent for early cough drops. Centuries later French confectioners added egg whites and sugar to create meringues.

For most of us, marshmallows conjure up nostalgic images of families perched on metal lawn chairs around a campfire. I have some of those nostalgic memories too. Golden-brown on the outside with a hot, sticky melted centre, at the end of a stick we pulled from the bush. Mom made us wash our faces and hands, sticky with gooey guts and consequently caked in sand and pine needles too, before we were slid into our sleeping bags.

I also have memories of marshmallows bursting in flames before it turned black and fell into the flames. On one occasion, in a desperate attempt to save my treat, I waved my stick so hard that my flaming marshmallow became a flaming projectile. In slow motion, it flew to my right and hit my brother in my knee. I ran to get the medical kit while he screamed in agony, as the melted blob burned his skin.

I don’t think he’s ever forgiven me.

Marshmallows are a combination of corn syrup, sugar, water, salt and gelatin. When heated, mixed and whipped, it becomes a delightful treat! No baking required. Marshmallow makers say that they’re finicky at first, but easy once you’ve perfected the knack. I don’t know… I don’t exactly have a knack for baking, even the easy things……like rice krispie squares with the store-bought variety of marshmallows.

What a Mess: “If Stupidity got us into this mess, then why can’t it get us out?” – Will Rogers

I think I’d better leave this project for the “mallow artists”.

Source: From Cupcake Craze to Puffy Phase

Thank you, Enablers!

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birthday, cupcake, family, humour, sweets

“An enabler is a person who by their actions make it easier for an addict to continue their self-destructive behavior by criticizing or rescuing.” – Darlene Albury

Last week, many of my friends and family member were “enablers”…they enabled me to sample and savour many different types of birthday cake. And they were all good!

On Tuesday, my friend delivered a red velvet “tear-away” cake (with fluffy white icing) to one of my bosses, who stored it in the other boss’ office until they could “surprise me”. I shared the bounty.

On Tuesday night, I baked Betty Crocker Reese® cupcakes to celebrate my birthday. Ask my Dad – in his family, chocolate cake is a synonymous with “party”! They were really time-consuming, bur worth consuming!

On Thursday night, Hubby and I went on an impromptu “girls’ night” and I smacked down a supple slice of white chocolate triple-berry cake. I didn’t share…

My parents visited this weekend and we had a family orgy. They brought Henry (O Henry!) in cake-form. Alas! I fear that while I love my husband, my steamy affair with Henry (O Henry) is destined to continue!

And finally, on Sunday afternoon, Hubby brought home a decadent chocolate mousse cake, which resulted in a number of suggestive sounds emanating from my frosting-covered lips.

Add that up! That’s 6 cakes in 5 days.

Thank you to my family and friends for enabling me to enjoy my birthday with such memorable treats!

This Monday morning, I’m taking my car to the mechanic to get the snow tires removed, and I’m walking home…in the hopes of enabling my body to fit into my new jeans by the weekend!

Let’s call it rehab.

Happy Star Wars Day!