When The Moon Is In The 7th House, and Jupiter Aligns With Mars; What Is The Average Weight Of A Marshmallow?

This might seem like a slightly odd thing for me to post about. I mean who doesn't know how to make Rice Krispie treats, right? But I discovered something interesting.... Surprisingly, there are conflicting recipes out there for even the basic form. I was flabbergasted. Especially since I thought the recipe I had was from the back of the Rice Krispie box... Or at least it use to be when I was a kid, I think. I am confused now.

OK, the whole thing started with the fact that I am not really a cereal eater, cause I don't drink milk.... BUT, I still had this huge amount of Rice Krispies left over from making the Crispy Almond Butter Balls. SO in an effort to reduce the amount of space being utilized in my pantry, I decided to throw some together. Which was all well and good until I realized, upon noticing the recipe on the back of the Rice Krispie box, that

A. It called for 10 oz of marshmallows... Well Kraft's Jet Puffed marshmallows are sold in a 16 oz package, both the large and miniature ones. Hmmmmmmmm Western Family brand's regular size come in a 10.5 oz bag and Campfire regular size are in a 10 oz bag, but the Miniatures are a 10.5 oz bag.

B. The box said that you can do this in a microwave... Huh? That seemed a little odd to me, cause marshmallows expand to an alarming size when nuked. That sure didn't seem safe to me. And it only takes about 5 minutes on the stove... Funny, according to the microwave directions, it takes 5 minutes too... Hmmmmmmm

C. They were only calling for 3 TB of butter. That seems like such a drop in the proverbial bucket. I use at least 4 TB and then more to butter the dish, as well as more for rubbing my hands down for pressing... :) (Mainly because I have tried using the waxed paper method, but it still sticks)

Another thing that puzzled me deeply was that it stated that 40 marshmallows was 10 oz. I am sure that someone in a test kitchen somewhere performed some brilliantly complex calculations, factoring in the gravitational effects when Mars is in perihelic opposition, to conclude the standard weight of a Marshmallow. I greatly salute their efforts. Now I wonder if they calculated the average air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow? European, of course. ;) A hem...

My findings however - cause you KNOW that I just HAD to check it out... ;) - are that Campfire Marshmallows weight slightly less... Or at least they did today. Maybe the moon is in Apogee and tidal forces are low or it could be a previously unknown effect of global warming. ;)

Either way, it takes about 44 normal sized Campfire Marshmallows to equal 10 oz. This means that if you used 40 Marshmallows, you would only have 9.09 oz. Oh, and the miniatures...? 4 cups is not 10 oz, it's 10.5 which is fine, cause that is how many I use.

The only thing that was consistent between the recipe on the cereal box, the recipe on the marshmallow package and the one that I have always used was the amount of Rice Krispies themselves.... 6 cups. YAY! I found something we all agree on.

This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius!!

Rice Krispie Treats

(The way I do it)

4 oz unsalted Butter - Plus 2 TB more; divided
10.5 oz (298 g) bag of Campfire Miniature Marshmallows (Basically the whole bag)
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
6 Cups (5.5 oz) (162 g) Rice Krispies or other crisped rice cereal

First, use 1 TB unsalted Butter to rub down a 12 x 7 inch baking dish.

Melt the 4 TB butter in a large saucepan over medium flame. (about 3 minutes unless at room temp)

Add the Mini-Marshmallows and stir constantly until melted. (about 2 minutes)

Stir in Kosher Salt.

Add Rice Krispies and fold until well coated.

Dump the mixture into the prepared baking dish and grease your hands up with the remaining TB of butter and press the mixture evenly into the dish.

Let sit at least 20 minutes to cool and harden.

Cut into 2 inch pieces. (with a pizza cutter)

Then just TRY to not sit and eat the whole pan by yourself. I have a hard time resisting the Sweet buttery salty crunch. Mmmmmmm Truly a comfort food for me, from my earliest childhood memories.....

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the mind's true liberation --- Aquarius...... Aquarius....

Mangia!!
~~

Tacos From A Can - Tacos De Una Lata

This is a comfort food recipe for me. Something my mom use to make when I was a kid. Raiding the pantry for canned goods on those occasions when we were either snowed or iced in. It never really had a name, so I call it "Tacos from a Can"

Granted I have changed it up a bit over the years. I now use Chicken instead of Beef, Black Beans instead of Kidney Beans, and since the Cream of Mushroom soup is really only a binder, I use the Low Fat/Low Sodium one... It gets lost in the Fajita/Taco seasoning anyway, so it doesn't effect the flavor.

I do like to add some fresh bell peppers and 1/2 of a medium onion to make it a little Fajita'ish instead of Taco'ish. So I guess this is really "Fajitas from a Can" instead of "Tacos from a Can" ;)

Fajitas De Una Lata

1 – 1.25 Lbs Ground Chicken or Turkey
Optional - If using Fajita Seasoning - add 1/2 chopped White Onion
Optional - If using Fajita Seasoning - add 1/2 chopped Bell Pepper
1 Can Black Beans; Drained & Rinsed
1 Envelope Chicken Taco Seasoning (or Fajita Seasoning -- see optional ingredients above)
1 Can Evaporated Milk
1 Can Low Fat Cream o’ Mushroom Soup
1 8oz.Tomato Sauce
1 Can Diced Green Chilies (either hot or mild, your choice)
6-8 Flour Tortillas (Soft Taco Size)
1 lb or 4 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese or Mexican Mix (or a mixture of both)
1 Can Sliced Black Olives (I use the larger can cause I love black olives)

In a large skillet over medium high heat, begin browning the meat and, if using, onion and bell peppers.

Sprinkle Fajita seasoning over meat and stir to coat.

Pour in the evaporated milk and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in Black beans

Mix tomato sauce and cream of mushroom soup in a separate bowl and add to the meat mixture.

Stir in the Diced green chilies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Layer the bottom of a 9x9 or 7 x11 1/2 Casserole dish with tortillas, tearing as needed.

Pour 1/3 of the meat mixture over the tortillas.

Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over that.

Lay down another layer of tortillas and repeat, until you have 3 layers... BUT, hold off on the last layer of cheese.
Once you have poured the last of the meat mixture, sprinkle the black olives before the last of the cheese. (the olives will rise to the surface as the cheese melts and this will keep them from drying out in the oven)


Add the last of the cheese then place the casserole dish on a baking sheet (just in case)

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes

Remove from oven & let cool for about 15 minutes.

Dig in and serve with a Corona and a Lime... Awesome!!

Mangia!!
~~

This Ain't Your Daddy's Almond Roca - Toffee Crunch Cookies

Spryte did it to me again... Her blog is very dangerous for my weight control, with all of her delicious recipes. Several days ago she made the phenomenal looking Peanut Brittle Bars. I was suddenly gripped with the overwhelming desire to lick my computer screen!! Luckily, I was still rational enough to notice the amount of dust on the monitor, which prevented the impending faceplant into the screen from occurring.

Her recipe reminded me, like her Meyer Lemon Squares did, of something (which I DO have the recipe for, unlike the Lemon Bars I tried to recreate) that my mother use to make when I was "but a youngin". I have been dreaming about them ever since I saw Spryte's post and cannot get them out of my head so I am now forced to make them for myself. (sigh) Bummer Huh?

What I always liked about these, is that they are kind of like eating Almond Roca in cookie form. I tend to make this with the Pecans or Hazelnuts, even though I DO like Almond Roca... A LOT.... (Which will be another post, thanks to Grandma)

Mom's Toffee Crunch Cookies

About 15 graham crackers
1/2 cup chopped Almonds (or Pecans or Hazelnuts)
1 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter plus more for the baking pan
1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Almond Extract (Omit if you are using pecans, use hazelnut extract for hazelnuts)
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Kosher Salt
1 1/2 cup of Milk or Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips, depending on your taste. You can use chopped high quality chocolate as well. i.e Scharffen Berger 62%

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Butter a 13x9 baking pan or dish (pan works better)

Roast Almonds or Hazelnuts or Pecans in a shallow skillet.

Mix Butter and Brown Sugar together in a heavy saucepan, bring to a boil then boil for 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, cover the bottom of the baking pan with graham crackers.

Sprinkle chopped nuts. (I used Roasted hazelnuts this time)

Remove Brown sugar mixture from heat and add the extracts.

Pour the syrup over the graham crackers and nuts.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes

Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Once they begin to melt, spread evenly across the cookies with a spatula..

Let them cool on a rack.
Break cookie into smaller pieces (they will be very random sized) and store in an airtight container in the fridge because the Chocolate is not actually tempered properly and will melt very easily.

Mangia!!
~~

London Flavor - Ginger Scones

Back in March of '99 I was blessed with the chance to visit London for 10 days. I had the time of my life. It is extremely awe inspiring to wander amongst buildings that have been standing longer than the United States has been a country. We are SO young... I will stop right there, before I get on a philosophical tangent.

My favorite breakfast foods, while I was staying in Hammersmith, became the scone with a simple application of Clotted Cream... Sadly, I have yet to find its equal in the U.S. But with 2 jars of Meyer Lemon curd staring at me from my refrigerator, my need for a decent scone, with or without decent Clotted Cream, was becoming unbearable.

Luckily, I remembered that I had picked up a recipe awhile back from Kate at 4 obsessions. I had printed out the recipe and tossed it in my stack of "Must Tries"... It's a VERY large pile. It would take me 4 lifetimes to get through it... But I found it, somewhere towards the bottom third.
I decided that instead of dried fruit, since I was going to be slathering Meyer Lemon Curd on them, that Candied Ginger was in order.

Here is the Recipe in it's original from from Kate's Site.

English Scones

1 and 3/4 C flour

1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 C sugar
1/4 C unsalted butter
1 C dried fruit (see *note for good combos below)
1/3 C milk
1 t fresh lemon or orange zest (microplane zested is best)
1 egg

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
Cut in butter then use your fingers to flatten the little bits into flakes--don't over do it--it should not look as fine as cornmeal or your scones will be heavy.
Stir in dried fruit.
Combine milk and egg, add to flour mixture and fork stir.
Turn out onto floured surface and knead 5 or 6 times, just 'till you get it to hold together.
Pat into a circle about 1 to 1.5 inches thick and cut into 6 wedges (like a pie).
Place wedges on a parchment or silicone-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
The tops should be slightly golden.

*a note on dried fruit:
Currants are the traditional dried fruit to put in scones, but you can be as creative as you like.
Dice bigger stuff until it is about currant-sized.
Here are some of my favorite combos (all combine to 1 C total of dried fruit) :
diced dried pears with crystallized ginger
diced dried peaches and dried cranberries
chopped dried cherries (particularly good with orange zest)

I tried dried figs once and they were nasty...
This is what I did different....
I dropped the Zest, because I didn't have any more Meyer Lemons, only had Eureka lemons.
I added 1/2 cup Chopped Candied Ginger not 1 cup dried fruit.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. (DD would be proud of me, I actually sifted instead of whisking)
Slice butter thinly and add to the flour,
Work it in with your fingers, leaving it flattened pieces instead of Corn Meal like Pâte Brisée.
Chop 1/2 cup ginger. (chop it finely)
Toss with the Flour/Butter.
Whisk Egg and Milk together.
Add flour mixture
Stir into a soft dough with a fork.

Turn out onto floured surface and knead 5 or 6 times, just 'till you get it to hold together.
Pat into a circle about 1 to 1.5 inches thick
and 6 inches wide.
Cut into 6 wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the tops should be slightly golden.

Let cool slightly and Fork split and fill when you are ready to eat.
The Scones were absolutely delicious... I used my Meyer Lemon Curd and some Crème Fraîche, and while Crème Fraîche is not Clotted Cream, it was still pretty delicious.

Mangia!!
~~

Layer Upon Layer of Big Lemon Flavor - Childhood Lemon Bars

About a week ago, my friend Spryte over at Spryte's Place, posted a recipe that took me back to my childhood before we moved to the country. She made Meyer Lemon Bars. Sadly, I used the last of my stashed Meyer Lemon juice to make Lemon curd and now they seem to have become elusive again. You see, way WAY back, when I was still knee high to a grasshopper, my mother would host Tupperware, Princess House and Home Interior parties. Yes, we lived in the little suburban town of Troutdale on a Cul-de-Sac. (being French for "Bottom of the Bag" or "Dead End Street"; Which is really funny, because the French use the term "impasse a la voltaire" instead)

Whenever my mother was hosting a party, or attending a fellow suburbanite’s shin-dig for that matter, she made Lemon Bars. Wanna know a secret? I use to snitch them when she wasn't looking. As an adult, I am ashamed of this behavior, well, at least kind of. However, at the time? It was worth any potential punishment that may have been doled out if I had gotten caught. (I know my mother is going to be reading this, so the jig is up... I'm in trouble now. Show of hands please... Can I still get sent to my room at 40? )

They were absolutely delicious. Their soft lemon custard layer, the crispy butter cookie bottom layer, YUM. I salivate even now. My mom has not made them since about 1976 maybe 77 and when I called looking for the recipe, neither she nor my dad had any idea which recipe it was, nor could any of us remember why my mom quit making them, because they rocked!

Now the funny part… Somewhere, deep within the mind of my inner child, I remember there being a third layer on these Lemon bars, Mom says “No” and Dad doesn’t know, but I swear it wasn’t just the thin crust that forms on the top, and it wasn’t the powdered sugar that is typically sprinkled over the top either. Then again, I was only in 2nd grade, so it could have been a neighbor’s recipe that I am remembering or I am mixing up the lemon glaze from the zucchini cookies with the Lemon Bars.

Who knows, but NOW I have to pursue this further cause it’s going to drive me crazy. Yes, my OCD has kicked in again. So here we go… Armed with a WHOLE LOTTA lemons, I am embarking upon the quest of the Childhood Lemon Bar (or at least the one I have invented in my mind).

Cookie Crust
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
3/4 cup Unsalted Butter (room temp)
1 TB Lemon Zest
2 cups AP Flour
Pinch of Kosher salt

Lemon Custard Filling
5 Large Eggs
1 Egg Yolk
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
5 TB Flour
1 cup Lemon Juice
2 tsp Lemon Zest
pinch salt

Lemon Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp Lemon zest

Preheat oven to 325.
In large bowl, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
Mix in the Lemon Zest.
Add Flour and Salt, mixing until crumbs form.

Press into the bottom and 1/2" up sides of a 9" x 13" pan.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crust is just set.

While crust is in oven; beat eggs and yolk with electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Gradually add sugar, beating until light yellow and thick.

Whisk Baking Soda and Flour together in a small bowl and add to the Egg/Sugar mixture.

Add the Zest to the Lemon juice to keep it moist. But WAIT.... Do not add the Lemon juice and zest until the crust has come out of the oven, or you will loose the leavening of the baking soda.

About 1 minute before the crust is done, beat in the Lemon Juice, Zest and a pinch of salt.

Pour the filling over as soon as it is beaten together.

Return to oven and bake for 25-35 minutes or until filling is set and light golden brown on top.

Let cool completely then mix up the glaze in a small bowl by combining confectioners’ sugar, melted butter, lemon zest and lemon juice; mixing until smooth.

Pour over cooled bars.

Refrigerate until cold before cutting into bars.

Verdict - Super tart, in fact, maybe I should have added another couple of TB to the custard mixture. WOW! Delicious though. At least for a sourpuss like me. But, these are not what I am thinking of, I am evidently confusing some other bar cookie that my mom use to make with Lemon Bars. So the Hunt continues as to what I am remembering versus the cookie bars that she use to make WAY back when in Troutdale.

Mangia!
~~