Ice Cream Cupcakes

A Twist to Thanksgiving

I hope everybody had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Mine was nice and peaceful - I did not have to cook, I just had to bring dessert.  I spent most of the day cleaning up around the house and read all of the Black Friday sales.  I had to work on Friday so no shopping for me.
On Thanksgiving, I jst spent some quality time with my famil and I wanted to do something with our friends.  But instead of having even more turkey we decided to host a "wing-off".  The rules went like this.....
There will be two categories:
1. Traditional
2. Exotic

RULES
1. Must be homemade
2. Everybody needs to enter both  *it was just myself and The Husband made both
3. A lb of each type
4. Judging will be voted by the majority (You can't vote for your own)

DailyBuzz Moms' Kids Friendly Thanksgiving Table 9x9

Once again, I'm participating in the monthly 9x9 by DailyBuzz Moms.  This month's theme is making a Thanksgiving Table Setting.  Thanksgiving is the time when the good china and silverware comes out but when you have little ones, it isn't always the best choice.  I wanted to create a kid friendly table.  That was friendly enough that my kids could feel comfortable sitting at without getting told how to behave or not to break anything. 

Kulinarya November

This is the time of the year where the weather becomes colder and flu season begins.  All you want is a large bowl of chicken noodle soup, especially the ones with the alphabets.  I choose to pick Arroz Caldo as this month's theme for our cooking club.  Arroz Caldo is the Filipino version of chicken noodle soup.  I had to put a little twist to my normal recipe.  How could I not? Instead of using chicken, I used short ribs.  Does that make this dish called Arroz Short Ribs?  I know that is just weird.  I came up with this just when The Husband decided to slow cook some shorts ribs but had no idea what to do with it.  It sat in my fridge for a couple of days until I decided to use it.  It was pretty good and I would totally make it again.

Arroz Short Ribs

1 Lb Shorts Ribs

4 Cups of Sweet Rice

5 Cloves of Garlic Minced

10 Cups of Water

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions

1. First cook the short ribs either in a slow boil for a couple of hours or in a slow cooker.  The meat should be falling off the bone.
2. Once the ribs are fully cooked, heat up a large dutch oven with a little oil.   
3. Add the garlic to start the cook and than the ribs including the bone (the bone provides so much flavor instead of adding powder flavoring. 
4. When the garlic starts to brown, add the rice and season.  Let it toast slightly.
5. Add the water and bring to a boil.  
6. Reduce the heat to a medium to a medium-low heat.  
7. Cook for 15-20.
8. Serve with green onions and toasted garlic (I love myself some toasted garlic).

Check out the other members posts.

My latest Obession

Like many of my posts, I have been meaning to write this for the past couple of weeks. 

One day......
I will not be as busy at work
I won't be called to attend to one child or another
I will have free time to myself without having to schedule it in

Probably when the kids are out of the house. 

Taking you blog to the next level

Have you guessed?
I'm at the foodbuzz blogger festival. Jealous, I know you are. I am sitting in a room listening to a bunch of great bloggers listening to their tips and advice. My big take on this, Be yourself I find that being the most valueable part of the whole discussion. The other part is connecting with your readers

Want to guess where I am

Here is a hint. 

Keep tune, I'll keep updated. 

HALLOWEEN with DailyBuzz Mom 9x9

From Daily Buzz moms halloween

No food Friday

Marx foods Mystery Box

Caramel Apple Cake

Tilapia Tacos

Ensaymada donuts.....Whaaaa?!?!

Daring Bakers - Croissants

Red, Yellow, Red, and Blue?

I’m know to procrastinate on multiple things in life like cleaning, deciding what to cook for dinner, and making decisions.  I try not to with any food challenge i participate.  The key word is “try” because i tend to brain storm for most of the month, debate when is a good time to get the ingredients, than loaf around until I’m motivated.  I actually got stuck with this challenge.  Ray of Work with Ray, Oggi of I Can do That, and Chef Theodore of Chef by Day, and Boyet of Reel and Grill picked a very unique twist.  A dish must contain blue, yellow, white, and red.  We had to use a natural food color which was not easy to figure out what to do.  I even made my own blue dye out of red cabbage.  I had no idea what to do with it and I don’t think anybody would appreciate a Puto (rice cake) with a hint of cabbage.   It took the the whole month to finally decide what to do.  Want to hear what i came up with?   Pianono filled with blueberries, strawberries, cool whip (sorry i had 3 tubs in the freezer and i was in need of using it) and mango.  I used my pianono recipe from a past post.  The Daughter has been bugging for a cake for a week now so why not kill two birds with one stone.  She did look for a birthday candle because she thinks every week is her birthday.  I have no idea why,  she is probably wanting stuff.

One of those Days–Maybe week

I’m a food Geek

Some people are able to just put a recipe together.  Some are able to follow a recipe word by word and achieve the desired results.  I do research on an idea I may have.  Every time I try to leap into something it fails = misadventures.  Instead I do a lot of research.  I’m a geek in that way.  I look up multiple recipes, I read up on techniques, and I even go to different places to see how they do a similar recipe.  That is what I did when I did the Daring Baker’s Chocolate Challenge.  I “researched”, which really means I ate a lot of different types of chocolate.  The day before I actually made the chocolate, I had the opportunity to be a taste taker for a hot chocolate line that a local company called Chocolatine had.  I have seen multiple versions of a hot chocolate on a stick, even my friend Anna made me one, but this one was different.  It had a marshmallow in the middle and the chocolate surrounded it.

Dailybuzz Moms and Clorox

Some of you may not know this but I was actually featured on dailybuzz moms about a month ago.  It was a total surprised to me since I tailor this blog a little more food orientated.  They featured my vegetarian palabok recipe from my Kulinarya Cooking Club.  I thought it was pretty cool.  Dailybuzz moms has been my part of my daily readings as part of my morning ritual.  I love reading about all of the things that could be adapted when there is children in the house. 

Stupid Weather

For any of you who has ever lived in Chicago or visited here, you would know the weather changes its moods like a teenage girl.  Yes, I did just say that and I’m not look forward to The Daughter’s teenage years.  The weather here is so strange sometimes.  Last week it was almost 100F and than it dropped to 60F a couple of days later.  Every time this happens, I get sick.  So I have been battling a cold all week.  I don’t know about you but I crave soup when I’m sick, especially with noodles.  I figured it was time to me to overcome one of my misadventures - Homemade Pasta – and make some soup.  I decided to tackle The Mother’s recipe this time.  This has got to be the easiest noodle recipe ever.  It is pretty much at 1-2-3 ratio.

Back to Laziness

Chocolate, Chocolate, and More Chocolate

A lovely Gift

When I started blogging, I didn’t realize how big the community was.  In the past two years I got to know so many people all over the world.  Their stories inspired me in a way I couldn’t imagine.   I even made friends from people across the world.  One of these beautiful people I got to know is Maya from Foodiva.  I was admiring some molds she used in one of her posts.  I have been looking for something similar to use for my hopia recipe.  She was so sweet and asked if I wanted some.  I felt so touch that she would even consider sending me anything from so far away.  Load and behold I received a package of a set of molds.  Unfortunately when they arrived they sat for a while.  I was nearing the end of my pregnancy and I was so tired.  I never had a chance to properly thank her. 

Back to the Grind

I don’t believe it has been a couple of weeks since I posted.  There is multiple reasons for this, the main reason is that I went back to work.  Fun huh?  My summer vacation is now done and it will be missed.  No more day-time TV, after lunch naps, and walking back and forth from the fridge to realize there is still nothing to eat.  I was so productive (I hope you hear the hint of sarcasms).  My list of to-dos just got longer and longer as the days went on.  But instead of getting things done at home I took the kids out.  The Daughter had a blast while the Boy would have preferred to stay home. 

One Day When I’m a Baller

I’m sure you are wondering about my title.  Let me explain, during college The Best friend (Girl) and myself used to say that when we wanted something or go somewhere that was out of our reach financially.  I’m not exactly a Baller but I get to pretend I am once in a while.  This past weekend it was one of my good friend Anna’s Birthday.  I decided to take her out to Graham Elliot here in Chicago.  If you do not know who Graham Elliot is, you might recognize him from television shows like MasterChef Season 1 and MasterChef Season 2.  He is the guy with glasses. 

Farmers Market, much needed Chocolate, Book Review, and even a Recipe

Halibut Sinigang

No Carb Fajita aka Lettuce Wrap

Where did the week go?

I could swear it was just Monday.  Don’t get me wrong I love Fridays but I thought I had so much time to get things done.  It is Friday and guess what I got done - nothing.  Oh well, maybe next week.  There was one main reason – I have been putting all of my efforts and time to losing weight.   I came to realized the older I get, the harder for me to lose the weight.  Ohh aging.  I have always been in a constant war with my love of food and my weight.  I made a promise to myself that I will lose weight.  So I came to realization that if I didn’t get help to drop the added baby and husband weight, I won’t be able to drop the weight.

I scream for Mochi Ice Cream

How do you Organize Your Recipes?

Do you ever feel that your to-do list becomes longer each day?  That is how I feel like lately.  I get one thing done and I have something else to do.  One of the main tasks I wanted to tackle is to  organize my recipes.  I have them in multiple places.  I first had a binder which soon got filled quickly, than I figured that if I put it in my Google docs I could access it quickly.  There are times I email recipes or ideas.  With so many places, recipes get forgotten quickly.  Some of the recipes I know are only know in my memory.  I know that method is going to bite me back one day. 

Alphabet Fishing

I have been slacking a little on The Daughter’s “class-time”.  I wanted to keep her on the same schedule as she did at school but I failed.  Especially since I tend to get up around 10 instead of 7 like she is used to.  I try to do activities with her but it always resulted into the same thing – coloring.  Thank goodness for Sesame Street and some other educational videos I have. 
I finally got motivated the other day and sat down with her to make a fish game.  I wanted do something educational and that she could play with again.  I got this idea from the Disney Website but I did alter the game just slightly.

Happy 4th

When is it Too Much

Last week I felt that I was continually going between one activity to another.  The Daughter had fun but I was exhausted.  There was four days in a row of going to one park district to another.  I started to question myself if it was too much for a 2 year old.  I knew she loved going but by the end of the week, she didn't participate as much as she did in the beginning of the week.

Kulinarya–White and Love

The last part of May and most of June has been a bit crazy around my house.  Other than the birth of The Son and The Mother’s birthday, my little cousin got married.  It was such a beautiful wedding and I have seen a few of us even shed a tear (including myself).  Which brings us to June’s Theme for the Kulinarya  
Adora from Adora’s Box and Diona from Tita Flips picked WHITE for the most popular time of the year for wedding.  I thought it was perfect since I was helping my cousin make her wedding flowers.  Actually The mother was the one that made them.  I just helped organized and tag them.  It took a couple of weeks to figure out what to make.  Since I was in the mist of planning multiple events, I figured I could use the very favors The Mother wanted to make for her party. 
SUMAN! 

Happy Birthday Mom!

Saturday was  The Mother’s Birthday.  She turned the big 6-0!  Initially, we were suppose to fly out to California but instead we threw a party here.  Instead of having the party at my house, we went with a restaurant.  I couldn’t have a party and not make something.  We (meaning The Mother) wanted something edible.  At first we were going to do mini sumans (sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves) but The Mother had other ideas.  We couldn’t decide on one kind but instead we made three different favors.  I even found mini steamers and I also had extra mini Chinese take-out containers from my wedding (and that was 3 years ago).  I made chocolate-mocha  and san rival flavor macarons.  The Mother made food of the gods.  For those that doesn’t know food of the gods, it is kinda like a fruit cake bar but with just dates and walnuts.  We also made cassava suman instead of the rice version.  I actually ran out of glutinous rice so we made do with the cassava I picked up. 

Home schooled?

Before The Boy was born, we already decided to take as much time off as possible.  Especially with two kids and one being a 2 year old, we decided to take 9 months off between both of us.  When we made that decision, I already planning on different activities to do with The Girl. 
I tried to create a mini classroom to stimulate her daycare.  She was used to a certain schedule and I really would like to continue that schedule.  So I stocked up on so much stuff, you would think she was going to be home schooled for years instead of the time we initially decided on.  I mainly tried to get as much arts and crafts supplies I could get my hands on.  I also signed her up with different activities including football.  Yes football, I figured the kids will run around and wear themselves out.   
My first attempt to school was a painting project.  I was excited to find markers type paints.  They are less messy than the traditional paints but still had the similar affect. 

MIA

I know I have been “missing in action” for the last couple of weeks.  There is a good reason for this.  I would like to introduce you to The Son.

2nd Annual Blogger Bake Sale

Kinda Working

Last week, I have been trying to get a ton of stuff completed before our second child comes and our world goes upside down for a couple of months again.  I am being very good and organizing the whole house, getting some of my homework done sooner, and as you know from last week planning meals.  As I was planning out what to eat, I didn’t realize how little we ate or I cook enough for 10 people.  Probably a little bit of both. 

As part of my meal planning, I actually just really cooked twice.  The first meal was on Sunday than on Wednesday.  It also helped that I was meeting up with friends twice that week for dinner. 

My first meal was a roasted chicken and baked sweet potatoes.  I never actually made a roasted chicken.  It was always so intimidating to me.  Too much of a risk in under and over cooking it.  It also takes a while to make.  This is why I deep fry our turkey each year.  I also prepped a 3-layer lasagna.

A Lazy Sunday–Wishful Thinking

Kulinarya – Sapin Sapin

Why I shouldn’t watch TLC

Possible Misadventure #12–Blackberry Kolachy

Sometimes you just have to Giggle

Canonigo–A deconstructive Braso de Mercedes

Calamansi Danishes

Cotton Soft Japanese Cheesecake and Another Wonderful Cause

Tea Party for a Cause

Lets takeover the top 9!  Foodbuzz and Kelly Ripa is challenge each of us to have a tea party for Ovarian awareness.  For each tea party posted, Foodbuzz will donate 50 dollars to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.  Come and visit Kelly’s Website to help support the cause. 
It took me a couple of days to figure out what I wanted to make.  I had so many ideas but I decided to do an Asian inspired tea party.  It was mainly because I had the ingredients and I had some of the dishes partially made.  I also took this opportunity to practice my croissant recipe. 

Kulinarya–Vegetarian Palabok

The lovely Erika from The Ivory Hut hosted this month’s theme.  Her choice was veggies.  I was so happy with this choice since that is all I have been craving.  My problem was trying to find something the family would eat.  Have I ever told you The Husband is extremely picky.  He loves to compare what I made to other places like Jewel (I know, it drives me crazy).  I went with dishes I knew he would eat and what I have been craving for a couple of weeks now: Fresh Lumpia and Vegetarian Palabok (yes vegetarian).  '

I’m surprised it Worked

I haven’t been good at all this last week - I have been eating out way too much.  Well let me explain first.  The Mother is in town and when any of my family is here to visit we eat, eat, and eat some more.  The Husband was whining that he gained all the weight he lost in a couple of days.  Even The Daughter looks more like her dad due to the increased size of her cheeks.  She is extra pinchy (where you want to pinch a child due to his or her chunky factor – The Husband totally made this up) lately.  I was actually hoping to hone in on my croissant process but ran out of time (I also didn’t get any of the homework done in time).  I should have know better, whenever The Mother is in town I do not get to the stuff I planned to get done but she drags me to do the stuff I should have done months ago.  So it works. 

Composition

One of the goals I set for myself was to improve my photographer skills.  Some days I am very good at it and other days, I just wonder what I was thinking.  I also have been battling my lighting in the house.  I have a light source but it is not  best one.  Any suggestions is welcome.  Most of my experience in photographer was actually in architecture and very abstract compositions but I had limited experience in product placing.  A couple of Sundays ago, I decided to practice on a stack of pancakes I made.  I made some pineapple pancakes for myself and The daughter.  Note to self….no more Mickey Mouse pancakes for her.  She refused to mess up the face and just ate mine. 

I Almost Got It

Daring Bakers–Coconut Panna Cotta with Mangos

Monkey Bread and some Recognition

Kulinarya February–Pineapple Upside Down Cake and Chocolate Pan de Sal

This month theme is Aphrodisiac Filipino Food in the celebration of Valentine’s Day.  Our lovely host is Pia.  I was difficult for me to figure out what to make.  I wanted to make something with seafood but a few people (The daughter) is allergic and another (The Husband) just won’t eat it.  I settled for making a dessert. 

It was a Day of LOVE

Let me say that The Husband is not the most romantic person at all.  I had to listen to rant and raving on how Valentine’s Day is a scam and how girls get so much holidays and guys only have fathers day.  Blah blah blah.  My response was, “If you could give birth, you could have more holidays”.  As you could see, I’m totally looking forward toward child birth. 

It is Almost Valentine’s Day!

How is it almost the big V-Day.  After 5 years of being together, I have came into the realization that I need to tell The Husband exactly what I want for Christmas, my birthday, and especially Valentine’s Day.  I’m pretty creative for his gifts but for him, he needs a little guidance.  This year instead of keeping the celebration between the two of us The Daughter is our Valentine.  For her I was looking for some outside play equipment but I’m not sure what to get.  I am leaning toward a swingset from this site www.swingsetsandmore.com.  Personally, I am getting lazy taking The Daughter to the park. 

I’m also planning a dinner for The Husband.  I need ideas!  So far I have:
Baked French Onion Soup
Maybe a chocolate soufflé or a flourless cake.  I’m on the fence.  I have no idea what to do for an entrée.  I know I have to incorporate meat and knowing him preferably pork much to my resistance. 

Any Suggestions?  Help!

Nutella au Pain

Guess what was yesterday? World Nutella Day! This day is hosted by Sara and Michelle. As some of you know, I love nutella. How could I not participate. This time I wanted to attack croissants. I decided to make a Nutella au Pain. I also had a book club meeting with my friends and cousin so I figured I would use them as my guinea pigs. I was meaning to crack open my Modern Bakers book by Nick Malgieri. I have been meaning to try all the recipes in the book and I wanted to start with this one.  For the filling I used my homemade nutella recipe. 

FOOTBALL

Do you know what is next week?  THE SUPER BOWL!  I would be excited but the packers is in the game instead of the bears.  I know, I’m bitter but I did not see that coming.  The great thing about the Super bowl is the food.  I get to pig out on a bunch of junk food.  For the Packers and Bears game I made a bunch of food and we just vegged out in front of the TV and eating.  

Kulinarya Cooking Club–Tinola

I haven’t been able to post for a while.  Between 2 months of on and off of illnesses (flu, bronchitis, and the sniffles) and a few complications in with my pregnancy I  haven’t had the energy to cook or even eat.  You know what is the worse thing for a food blogger, not wanting to eat or cook.  I can’t wait until I get my appetite back.  It has been a fun winter.  On top of all of this, I also started the last set of classes for my masters program.  If it wasn’t for work, I wouldn’t have time or energy to look at a computer.  Unfortunately this means I need to slow down with my blogging. 

I was Scared, Very Very Scared

I’m pretty gutsy when it comes to food but for some reason, this one slightly scared me.  I have no idea why either. 

Here is some background:

Whenever The Husband and I watches TV, I totally hoard the controller and we watch anything food like food network, the cooking channel, TLC, and the travel network.  The Husband hates how much food stuff I watch.  Amazingly I actually don’t get hungry  but watch the different shows for ideas. 

One day we were watching Unique Eats on the Cooking Channel and one of the topics was Scottish Eggs.  For some reason, The Husband had to have it.  He gets like that when we watch any food stuff.  He curses me on a daily basis because he is hungry and he wants what ever food is on display.  It is a fun game for me.  So I told him, I’ll make him some for breakfast that weekend.  Well he remembered and reminded me to make some.  I was thinking…Dang It…I was hoping he would forget.  So I told him to start boiling the egg and I’ll cook it.  I love fried food like the next person but for some reason, this scared me.  It is a whole egg surrounded by beef and deep fried.  I know this is similar to Embudito (Filipino meatloaf) but I steam mine not deep fry it.  I went basic for recipe and since I had 1/2 a pack of Italian sausage in the fridge, I figured I will just use that. 

My Version of Scottish Eggs

2 Hard Boiled Eggs

1/2 Package of Italian Sausage (about 4-6 oz)

* If you used ground beef, I would season it with salt and pepper and add a little flour and egg to bind the mixture.

Directions

1. I was totally experimenting with this and I just took the Italian sausage and wrapped it around egg. 
2. I took a small sauce pan and filled it about 1/4 up on the pan with oil and fried. 
3. Turn it multiple times so it will cook evenly.
4. Serve

The Husband loved it.  He just had it with ketchup and rice.  I only had a little bit of it and it was good but it wasn’t my cup of tea.  He ate the whole batch. 

Happy New Years

I meant to post this yesterday and I would love to say I was busy cooking, drinking (non-alcoholic for me), or even partying but instead I have been reading this blog for two days.  It is called Hyperbole and a Half and it is quite hilarious.  I’m actually currently reading it right now ;D.  So instead of doing any thing productive, I was reading the blog but I did clean.  I have this thing about the house being clean on new years but I didn’t do the traditional superstition things that a few people does like hang grapes.  I did make sure The Daughter jumped at  midnight so she would grow (it is wishful thinking). 

I was planning on writing a self reflections of the last year but instead I wanted to with everybody a wonderful New Years Day and I hope everybody has a prosperous and an happy upcoming year. 

I did actually come up with a few goals that I would love to achieve this year. 

My cooking

* Make a soufflé

* Really hone in my bread skills

* Mastering a simple cookie

* Work on my decorating skills

My Blogging

* To work my grammar

* To be more humorous (I’m sorry if my sense of humor is kinda off the wall or that it is just funny to me)

Life

* Finish my graduate degree (so so close)

* Have a healthy and happy baby and not to abuse The Husband in the process (He received quite a bit of pain with The Daughter)

And ultimately, have a happy and healthy family. 

 

Thank you for reading my self discovery and supporting me.  Lets have a great year!

The Holidays are almost over

I know I totally slacked for my 12 days of Christmas.  I was doing so well until the Wednesday before Christmas.  Guess what happened, The Daughter got sick than I did.  Fun huh?  I’m technically still sick and I have been living off of salabat (ginger tea), Vicks Vapor rubs and a roll of toilet paper (we ran out of tissues in my house).  I tried to kept thinking I was going to get better….wrong.  So I dragged myself to finish the baskets and The Husband delivered them.  You know what is worse than being sick over the holidays?  Being pregnant, being sick, and not able to take any meds during the holidays.  Fun times, fun times.  By the way, Vicks on your feet during the night kinda helps relieve some of the congestions, who knew.  I am currently trying every possible home remedy I could think of.  Chicken soup, OJ, Vicks, ginger tea, and sleeping under a humidifier.  Any suggestions please send it my way. 

Sorry I didn’t mean to go one with my complaining.  So I did completely my 12 days of gifts.  I did have to remove some the things I intended to give just because I didn’t have room in the container (ok I really ran out of time…shhhh don’t tell).  I did remember one of the items I did prep a while ago for Christmas.  I stumbled on it as I was looking for my candy temp. (I tried to make caramel, totally failed).  So here is the line up of my gift for Christmas.  One is a two part gift actually.

For my 10th day of Christmas I made…..Lemon Extract. 

Ok I made it last summer but I meant for it to mature.  The actually recipe I posted here from last Spring. 

 

For my 11th day of Christmas giving, I was requested by one of my friends to make pimento cheese bread.  She kinda described it and it didn’t click until The Best Friend (Girl) reminded me of the ingredients.   I came to realized, ohhhh I had this before.  My grandmother used to make it.  This recipe is a little different in terms of I didn’t really measure.  I went by my taste and what I liked.  You might want to have more cheese than pimento peppers or instead of margarine use mayo.  Totally up to you but this is how I did this. 

Pimento Cheese

12 Oz of Sharp Cheddar (if you want a milder taste, I would go with the bola cheese or the mild cheddar)

4 Oz of Pimento Peppers diced

1 Stick of Margarine

Directions

Ok really, just put everything in a large bowl and mix until it is fully incorporated.  This should be chunky. 

You could easily jar it up and give it as gifts or use it in my next gift…….Pan de Sal stuffed with Pimento cheese. 

I know it is not the prettiest of images but I was trying to move fast so I could go back to my sedentary life on the couch. 

And Finally my 12th day of Christmas I present to you Pan de Sal stuffed with Pimento cheese

I used this filling with my Pan de Sal recipe.  I am still working on the looks of it.  For some reason, every time I stuff anything in my Pan de Sal my filling leaks when it is baked.  Why suggestions again, please pass it my way.  It is driving us (both myself and The Husband) crazy.  I did make a plain Pan de Sal instead of whole wheat so just sub the whole wheat flour for bread flour. 

This is how much dough I made.  The Daughter was just staring at it. 

 

And here is the final Product with everything I made.

 

I hope everybody has a Merry Christmas.  Happy Holidays!

My 9th day of Giving consist of Puppy Chow

For those that is wondering dog food, it has another name but I know it as puppy chow.  I believe Chex actually calls it muddy buddies or something like that.  I love the stuff and “supposedly” Chex actually packaged it but I have yet to find them.  I have only seen it once and it was at my friends house.  My cravings took the better of me and I caved.  I got all the ingredients needed for it with the exception I used Almond butter instead of peanut butter.  We were trying to use up our almond butter. 

Puppy Chow (Muddy Buddies)

(Adapted from Chex)

9 cups of Rice or Corn Chex

1 Cup of Semisweet Chocolate Chips (The Husband claims that dark chocolate is better)

1/2 Cup of Peanut Butter (Almond Butter for us)

1/3 Cup of Butter

1 Tsp of Vanilla

1 1/2 Cup of Powder Sugar (I normally go with enough to coat the mix)

Direction

1. First melt together the chocolate, peanut butter, and butter in the microwave.  it is about 1  - 1/2 minutes on high.  Make sure you mix 1/2 way through melting the mix. 
2. Add the vanilla and mix well.
3. Place the Chex in a large bowl and pour the mixture over the Chex pieces. 
4. Gently fold in the chocolate mixture to make sure all of the Chex is well coated.
5. Take the covered Chex and place in a large (probably 2 gallon) zip lock bag and add the powder sugar.
6. Shake well. 
7. Spread over wax paper to dry and than Serve

I actually the almond butter but it is sweeter than the peanut version.  I would strongly suggest to use dark chocolate.  I love making this for Christmas gifts.  But we did find out something interesting, The Daughter is not allergic to almonds.  We thought she was allergic to all nuts but I have been slowly exposing her to things she is allergic to.  We found out when she snuck a piece.  We were watching her like a hawk and I had the Benadryl ready just in case.  Maybe I could actually have nuts in the house more than a day. 

For the 8th Day of Christmas, I give to thee

Macarons

Nutella Macarons to be exact.  Since I made nutella, I had to use some of it for a filling.  How could I not?  I also made a chocolate macaron as the shell.  I wish I had hazelnut flour but unfortunately, I didn’t have any in the house.  I had to use almond flour instead. 

Nutella Macarons

(adapted the basic macaron recipe from From Ba to Paris)

188 g of Almond Flour

188 G of Confectionary Sugar

70 G of Egg Whites

10-15 G of Cocoa Powder *My add

Syrup

188 G of Sugar

57 G of Water

70 G of Egg Whites

Directions

1. Place the Sugar and water for the syrup into a large pot and bring to a boil.  Cook until it reaches a soft ball stage.
2. When you notice that the temp of the syrup is close to the soft ball stage, start whipping up one set of egg whites.  The egg whites need to be frothy when you add the syrup.
3. When the syrup reaches soft ball, slowly add it to the whipping egg whites.
4. Whip until it reaches soft peaks.
5. While the egg whites is whipping, , place the almond flour, confectionary sugar, and cocoa powder into a food process and mix well.
6. When the dry ingredients is well incorporated, fold in the second set of egg whites to create a paste. 
7. When the first set of egg whites reaches soft peaks, remove from the mixer and gently add in the almond paste.
8. Once it is fully incorporated, start to really mix it until it creates a ribbon like batter.
9. Place the batter into a piping bag. 
10. Pipe out quarter size disks on parchment paper.
11. Bake this at 310F for about 13-15 minutes
12. Allow it to cool than fill.

I used my nutella recipe and the filling.