Thanksgiving

I can't believe that Thanksgiving is already over and Christmas is only a few weeks away. I still think it should be the middle of September. The restaurant was closed Thanksgiving day and I took Wednesday off too so I could go to see my family for more than just a few hours. Mama , of course, had a list of things she wanted me to make when I got there Wednesday. Most of it was the usual Thanksgiving fare but I did get to try a couple new desserts(both out of my Nigella Lawson cookbook).

Sticky-Toffee Pudding

for the cake:
scant 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour
1/2 cup whole milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped rolled dates

for the sauce:
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
approx. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in little blobs
2 1/4 cups boiling water

Preheat the oven to 375 and butter a 1 1/2 quarter capacity baking dish.
Combine the sugar with the flour in a large bowl. Pour the milk into the measuring cup, beat in egg, vanilla and melted butter and then pour this mixture over the sugar and flour, stirring-just with wooden spoon -to combine. Fold in the dates then scrape into the prepared baking dish.
Sprinkle over the sugar for the sauce and dot with the butter. Pour over the boiling water and transfer to the oven. Set the timer for 45 minutes, though the dessert might need 5 to 10 minutes more. The top of the dessert should be springy and spongy when it's cooked; underneath, the butter, dark brown sugar and boiling water will have turned into a rich, sticky sauce. Serve with vanilla ice cream, creme fraiche or heavy of light cream.
Serves 6-8

I only tasted a bite before I headed back home to Statesboro Thursday afternoon but I heard that all the brothers liked it so I guess it was pretty good.

One of our things to do at Thanksgiving is try and get an updated family photo...it's always a challenge with all of us. I think we got 1 or 2 decent ones out of 10.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

I made cookies today from the peanut butter chip I got yesterday from the discount food store. I took them to bible study but I still have a ton left. They're going with me tomorrow when I head to my parents house for Thanksgiving and will be fed to the brothers.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

2 cups of all-purpose flour
3/4 cups cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups butter softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 10 oz package peanut butter chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixer, beating well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Drop by round rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 9 minutes. Don't overbake. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Discount Food Store

So yesterday Brandy and I went the discount food store and it always amazes me how little I pay for what I find. It's great!! I got 2 boxes of cereal, 2 boxes of whole wheat past, 2 bags of baking chips, pancake mix, and diced peaches for $8.80. The cereal alone would have cost me more than that at Wal-mart. They're getting two more trucks in this week so we're planing another trip next Monday or Tuesday.
My favorite cereal is Oh's so the fact that they had them made the trip even better!!! Yay!

Another Cookbook

My list of cookbooks that I want is endless. Williams Sonoma has some great cookbooks and this one I would love to have. Oh the breakfast possibilities!!

Breakfast

I love breakfast when I actually have time to cook it. The days when you don't have to be at work and though there are chores to do around the house you actually have 30 minutes that you can enjoy a good breakfast. Growing up Saturdays were these days and my dad would always make pancake and waffle batter. All of us kids would find our way to the kitchen at different times and make ourselves a waffle or a pancake. Only the earliest of risers would actually be up in time for my dad to cook their breakfast. My dad was usually out working on one of the many projects for the day way before the rest of us wanted to be awake. Of course you didn't want to get up too late or the batter would be gone and you would have to either make more or eat cereal. Mondays are usually my days to eat sometime other than a quick yogurt or cereal for breakfast. I actually hate to admit that I made pancakes from a box for breakfast this morning. Making a whole batch of pancake batter for one person is kind of ridiculous considering I can't eat all of it.

They weren't as amazing as they could have been but they weren't to bad. I ate mine with honey because we didn't have any decent syrup here at the house and because I just love honey! I haven't found a really good whole wheat pancake recipe yet so if any of you have one please pass it on. Well...I better stop blogging about pancakes and get some chores done around the house. Unfortunately things don't clean themselves.

Soup

I love soup during the cooler months. What's really weird is that I never make soup. Growing up in a house full of men we didn't really eat a lot of soup (I'm finding most men aren't soup lovers). I found a recipe a couple weeks ago, in one of my books from school, for butternut squash soup. I made it this past weekend for Royal Flemings baptism party and it turned out really well. I purchased all of my ingredients from L&D produce. I was so glad they had everything that I needed so I didn't have to go to dreaded Wal-mart. Anyway...here is the recipe for the soup. It was a big hit at the party.

Butternut Squash Soup

2tbs Unsalted butter
1 cup Leeks, white and pale green parts only, sliced thin
1tsp Garlic, minced
3 cups Butternut squash, peeled, seeded, 1/4 inch diced
1 cup McIntosh or Gala apples, peeled, seeded 1/4 inch diced
1 tsp Curry powder
pinch Nutmeg
3 cups Chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup Heavy cream, hot
salt and pepper to taste

1. Melt butter over moderate heat until it turns nut brown; reduce heat to low
2. Add leeks; cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds.
4. Turn up heat to high.
5. Add squash and apples; cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to caramelize.
6. Stir in curry powder and nutmeg; cook 1 minute
7. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 30 minutes or until squash is tender.
8. Puree the soup through a food mill or blender (the soup should have a coarse texture)
9. Bring the soup back to a simmer; add hot cream and correct seasoning.

Yields 4 servings