Old Fashioned Cocoa

"I was 32 when I started cooking . Up until then, I just ate"
~~Julia Childs~~

Awhile ago I invited some young girls over to my home for an afternoon of crafts. Afterwards, since the weather had turned frosty,  I served mugs of old fashioned cocoa, made from scratch like my mom used to give me, with a little extra cream and a splash of vanilla extract. A couple of days later one of the girls mothers called me. "What kind of hot chocolate did you give my daughter? She keeps raving about it!" When I told her that I had made it from scratch she was amazed. "I didn't even know you could do that!" she said, "My mom never really made anything much in the kitchen". When the conversation was over I began to think about cooking as a legacy, as an actual generational blessing to my family.  When I stand in my kitchen each day, I try to sense the delight amid the duty for I truly believe that is what my own mother did for us.

Here is my tried and true recipe for hot cocoa to see you through the cold months ahead  Instead of reserving the beautiful dishes for those who seldom come though your doors, ladle this steaming cocoa into lovely mugs and serve it to those you hold dear. Embrace the beauty of this small and simple act and you will find that such things will be remembered fondly long after your children leave your arms. 

Old Fashioned Cocoa
Five 8-oz. servings.

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
Dash salt
1/3 cup hot water
**4 cups milk (not skim)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir together sugar, cocoa and salt in medium saucepan
Stir in water and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil.
Boil and stir for 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and add milk, stirring constantly (Do not boil at this point, simply heat to serving temperature)
Remove from heat; add vanilla.
Beat with a whisk until foamy.

Serve plain or top it with marshmallows or whipped cream and sprinkles, if desired.
** My mother used 3 1/2 cups milk and 1/2 cup of canned milk to add creaminess. I do this as well whenever I have canned milk in the house, but it is perfectly delicious even without this extra creamy addition 

VARIATIONS:
Add one of the following at the same time as the vanilla extract:


SPICED COCOA: 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
MINT COCOA: 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
SWISS MOCHA: 2 to 2-1/2 teaspoons powdered instant coffee.

Homemade Marshmallows

Last year, at my womens small group study, my friend Becka brought homemade marshmallows to share at coffee time. Up until that point I had only thought of these fluffy treats as things to melt in cocoa or toast on a stick. But one taste of the homemade variety had me thinking of marshmallows in a whole new way. More dense and flavorful that the bagged puffs I grew up eating, these confections make a nice addition to fudge and truffles on a hoiliday candy plate.
Eat them plain or try the varieties with nuts,coconut and chocolate (instructions to follow recipe).

**Keep in mind that these marshmallows need to set in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours so you will have to plan ahead.

**As with any candy, a thermometer will take the guess work out of wondering if it has reached the right stage. Barring that, you will need to check for the proper temperature by testing a few drops in a glass of cold water. In this case when you drop a little of this syrup in cold water, if  it forms a rather firm ball  (one that won’t flatten when you take it out of the water, but remains pliable and will flatten when squeezed)  then you may assume it has been boiled long enough. But a candy thermometer is a wise investment if you plan to make candy or fudge in the future.

Ingredients

3 packets (3/4 ounce) unflavored gelatin (like Knox)
1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon cold water

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teasonn salt
1/2 cup water

2 Tablespoons vanilla extract

Confectioners sugar (for dusting)

First spray an 8x12 inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray and then dust with confectioners sugar ("icing sugar" in Canada). Set aside.

Using a hand mixer, combine gelatin and 1/2 cup plus 1T cold water until blended. Let sit for 30 minutes

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/2 cup water and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high and cook the syrup until it registers 245 on a candy thermometer, start checking at 6 minutes boiling time but it may take up to 10 minutes or so. Remove from heat.

Take bowl with cooled gelatin mix (it will be very thick) and begin to beat it on low speed with hand mixer. Using your other hand, slowly pour the hot syrup mixture into the gelatine while mixing. Increase speed to high and beat until the mixture is very thick and white and has nearly tripled in volume (about 8 to 10 minutes) and then beat in vanilla.

Scrape the marshmallow mixture into the pan and smooth the top with a spoon that has been dipped in water to keep it from sticking. Sprinkle the surface lightly with confectioners sugar shaken through a sieve.

Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Turn out onto a cutting board and cut into 1 inch squares. (An easy way to do this is to dust a pizza cutter with confectioners sugar). Once cut , roll each marshmallow until it is lightly coated with confectioners sugar and store in a covered container at room temperature up to 3 weeks. 

**Once marshmallows have been in the fridge overnight and cut into 1 inch squares, you may drizzle them with melted chocolate or dip the tops in melted chocolate and then sprinkle them with chopped walnuts or almonds or coconut.Transfer to a plate and refrigerate until set.

PS--While I was making my first batch of marshmallows I got distracted and over-boiled the syrup/sugar mixture. Before I could get too dismayed however , my son directed my attention to the sign over the entrance to our den...

Ah ha! High on the list of cooking rules is , when things go wrong, improvise. So I sprayed a cookie sheet with non-stick spray and continued to boil and stir the syrup to a hard crack stage, 300 degrees or until  it forms a brittle hair-like strand when dropped into cold water, that snaps rather than bends. At that point I removed it from the heat, added 2 T of rum flavoring and 1 T of butter and stirred.

Then I dropped it by the teaspoon onto the cookie sheet (even finding two left over lollypop sticks to make the boys each a sucker) and put it all in the fridge for 5 minutes. The result? A lovely batch of rum and butter drops!

So by all means, whenever possible when cooking or baking (or even in life) keep in mind "If you stumble make it part of the dance"

Perfect Butterscotch Pumpkin Pie

“Vegetables are a must on a diet.
I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.”

~Jim Davis quotes (American Actor. 1915-1981)~

"Perfect" is a subjective word so I know that there may be a few (very few) who might not agree with the name I have given to this pumpkin pie. But after trying out several recipes, all of which were good but not yet worthy of the title , I kept the best feature of each and combined them to make a designer pie that lives up to its name. "Perfect"

Heat oven to 425
Roll out pastry to fit a 9 inch pie plate (See Never Fail Pie Crust in October post archives)
Crimp edges with fingers into a wavy pattern, chill until ready to fill

Butterscotch Pumpkin Filling

1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup evaporated milk (not light) or heavy cream

1 (15 ounce) can of pure pumpkin (2 cups)
1 egg plus 1 yolk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a small saucepan combine butterscotch chips and canned milk (or cream) over medium low heat until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Cool slightly

Meanwhile, stir together the pumpkin, egg and yolk, brown sugar, spices and salt until smooth.

Add cooled butterscotch mixture and blend until mixed together.

Spoon into crust and smooth evenly

Roll out the second piece of pastry. Create a pretty pattern either by cutting leaf patterns free-hand (as I did in the photo) or using a mini cookie cutter, make you own design.

Place the top crust over the filled crust and pinch them together

Bake at 425 for 25 minutes.

**Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 35 minutes more.

Cool to room temperature on a wire rack

(A dollop of whipped cream at serving time is an optional, but wonderful, over-the-top addition)

**BECAUSE FRUIT PIES USUALY BAKE FOR OVER AN HOUR, THE EDGES OF THE PIE WILL ALMOST ALWAYS GET TOO BROWN. AT THE POINT IN THE BAKING TIME THAT YOU REDUCE THE TEMPERATURE, I RECOMMEND EITHER COVERING THE EDGES WITH FOIL OR USING A PIE SHIELD (IN PHOTO), AVAILABLE IN MANY DEPARTMENT OR GROCERY STORES

Never Fail Pie Crust

"A boy doesn't have to go to war to be a hero; he can say he doesn't like pie when he sees there isn't enough to go around"

I am not sure why the baking of a pie crust is considered a monumental acheivement. The ingredients are simple and the one absolute rule is uncomplicated...treat the dough gently.

To tell you the truth, I think it was those Crisco Shortening advertisements from the 1970's. A family was gathered at the dining room table while the hostess brought out a pie that looked magazine perfect. But as the guests began to eat it, the mood changed. The crust was tough, so tough infact that no one seemed able to cut through it. Such disappointment gripped the baker that she became dismayed beyond consolation. As she hid out in the kitchen the voice over said, "You should have used Crisco". And from that point on the possibility of a tough crust made women all over North America fearful of such results!

If you haven't tried to make your own before, the folowing recipe is a great basic crust that has been my standby for years.

No Fail Pie Crust


2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick ) butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine, chilled and cut into pieces
6 to 7 tablespoons water, very cold


Mix flour and salt in a large bowl.

With pastry cutter or fingertips (I use my fingers), rub the butter and margarine into flour mixture until it resembles coarse oatmeal.

Gradually add water, tossing with a fork lightly until the mixture begins to cling together.

Divide dough in half, shape and flatten into two discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured board or counter top begin to roll out the dough without too much preasure, into a round shape that will cover and overlap you pie plate. (if the dough begins to stick add a light dusting of flour...the less the better)

Gently lift the dough and transfer it to the pie plate. With a knife trim the edges evenly with the edge of pie plate.

For a one crust pie, prick the bottom with a fork at two inch intervals, pinch the edges to make a wavey pattern and bake at 425 for 10 to 14 minutes until golden

For a two crust pie, roll out as above (without pricking the bottom) and dampen edges with a little water, add filling, roll out second pastry piece and lay over the top. Trim edges to fit pan and then use your fingers to make a wavy design, making sure to push the two crust together firmly with your fingers to seal them together. Cut vents in the top crust to allow steam to escape (you can do this randomly or in a pretty star or flower pattern) Bake according to pie recipe directions.

** Use left over pastry scraps to make "Pastry Kisses" (recipe in October's post archives)

Pastry Kisses

"Mothers are their daughters' role model, their biological and emotional road map, the arbiter of all their relationships"

~Victoria Secunda~

Oh how fondly I remember these pastry kisses. Whenever my mother would bake a pie and trim the crust, she would gather up the scraps of pastry and roll them out to make "kisses". The smell of cinnamon and brown sugar would fill the house as we all waited rather impatiently at her feet. Because the leftover pieces would make no more than 7 or 8 of these delicious treats I always vowed that when I grew up I would use an entire pastry recipe to make a whole tin full. And so I have ....often!

You have the choice of making these to use up the scrap edges of an unbaked pie crust or to make an entire batch to enjoy to your hearts content. Either way you will need a pie crust, and so I will give this no fail favorite of mine

No Fail Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick ) butter, chilled and cut into pieces

1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine, chilled and cut into pieces

6 to 7 tablespoons water, very cold

Mix flour and salt in a large bowl.

With pastry cutter or fingertips (I use my fingers), rub the butter and margarine into flour mixture until it resembles coarse oatmeal.

Gradually add water, tossing with a fork lightly until the mixture begins to cling together.

Divide dough in half, shape and flatten into two discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes

To make the kisses there are no formal measurements but it is not difficult to gauge the amounts as you go.

Pastry Kisses

Roll out whatever pie dough you have into a nice thin circle on a lightly floured surface

Spread the dough with soft butter, as you would bread

Generously sprinkle a layer of brown sugar over the whole surface

Shake cinnamon lightly over the sugar

Roll up like a jelly roll and slice into 1 inch rolls

Place the kisses in rows on an un-greased cookie sheet

Bake at 350 for about 10 to 12 minutes until just golden (if you overcook them the sugar may burn)

Best enjoyed warm from the oven but can be stored and then heated just a little in the microwave if desired

Whole Berry Orange Cranberry Sauce

From the movie "Pieces of April" (2003)

~Scene"Thanksgiving Dinner~

APRIL : "Well, the Cranberries were easy. I just had to open the can.

(sensing hesitation from her guests she adds)

"What? Oh, come on. Everyone likes it from the can".

EUGENE: "No one likes it from the can"

Perhaps canned cranberry sauce was the reason I never cared for this traditional relish. It was not until I found this simple yet delicious recipe to make my own, that I began to look forward to including it with my turkey dinners. Make sure to serve it in a pretty goblet so the beautiful cranberry color shows through.

Ingredients:

1 cup water and 1 cup sugar
1 12- ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
1 Tablespoon finely grated orange rind

Bring water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Add cranberries and orange rind and return to a boil

Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionaly (the berries will "pop")
Pour into a bowl, cover and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until serving time.

Leftovers can be kept in a covered jar for up to 4 weeks.

Saying Yes By Saying No

We fidget because we know that in order to say yes to our need for silence and rest, we are going to have to say no to some other stuff. And none of us much want to say no,and not many of us have folks around us who are encouraging us to say no in order to say yes to the very important stuff. If we want to begin to make some clear steps in the direction of the silence and the solitude and the rest in which we shall be saved, we ourselves need to make those first steps.” ~Robert Benson~

A couple of months ago I did something rather radical. Quietly after church one Sunday I walked up to the bulletin board and methodically erased my name from all the commitments that did not fit in with my specific giftings and purpose. All those things I signed up for because no one else had. All those things that people told me I was so good at, but ate up more time than I had to give. It was not a rash act. I had wrestled with guilt for weeks. But when it was over I understood that I had redeemed my time. And I made a solemn vow to myself to leave those spaces free so that I could develop my gift of writing.

It was not just a lack of commitments I wanted. It was silent places and meditative spaces. It was not selfishness that caused me to abandon so many things. It was self-awareness.

Since that time I have written every day. I have spent far more time with God, listening instead of talking. I have set aside time to dream again. I regained my focus.I found a new voice. I took deep breaths.

It was not, in the end, about saying no.

It was about saying yes.

Yes to the right things.

Learn to... be what you are, and learn to resign with a good grace all that you are not.

~Henri Frederic Amiel