I sure hope that Spring weather is on the way.  I sure hope that Spring weather gets here quickly.  I sure hope that I survive from now until Spring weather.  Can you tell that I am super tired of winter weather? I mean, seriously, this has got to stop.  I am over the snow and ice and cold. I want to open up the windows and see green grass and have cookouts.  Anyone else with me on this? Can I get an “Amen”?

Now, don’t get me wrong?  I do love the cozy fall and winter foods such as soups and chilis.  But, this time of year I want to head towards BBQ and fried fish. Yum!  We had been visiting a local Friday fish fry before the Pandemic made the world stop spinning.  Boy is that fried catfish good stuff. I do have a weakness for fried food – much to the dismay of my thighs and butt.  So when I was thinking of what to cook last weekend I totally dismissed the idea of a new homemade soup or even a nice meatloaf.  I wanted something that at least pointed in the direction of Spring and Summer and warmer weather. I decided to make some turkey burgers and onion strings.  Today’s post will deal with the onion strings. I promise to post the turkey burger recipe very soon.

Now, I really, really love French fries.  But, once in awhile I like to make up a batch of onion strings.  These crunchy and slightly sweet deep-fried bits of heaven are great as a side or can be added as a sandwich or salad topping.  They fry up crisp and flavorful and the thin strings make them so versatile as an addition to so many entrees and salads. Why have raw onions on your burger or in your salad when you can have fried onions?

The trick to these onion rings being so versatile is to slice them very thin.  That way they fry up quickly and are oh so crispy. They can be sprinkled over soup or salads or piled high on a burger.  I have made these with several types of breading and batter. I think that this version turns out best. You get the crunch of the breading without having quite so much grease.  I don’t know about you but if I try to eat too much grease-laden food I get a headache. I know that it doesn’t make sense but there it is.

Before I get into this recipe I am going to go ahead and put it out there that you might as well plan on making a mess with this.  There is no way around it. There will be oil splatters and drips of breading. There will be several dishes to wash. I am not fond of cleaning up a bunch of dishes either but in this case my advice is to embrace the mess.  This is a fun recipe so have a good time with it. You won’t be sorry. The dishes will get done and the spills wiped up and you will have the satisfaction of eating a delicious pile of onion strings as a reward for your efforts.

You do need to plan ahead a little bit for this one.  The sliced onions need to soak in buttermilk for at least an hour.  I don’t know what chemical reaction occurs during this time but it works.  So, give yourself some space for that to happen.

If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, don’t fret.  You can make fake buttermilk by adding a splash or two of white vinegar to whole or 2% milk (not sure if skim would work).  It’s all good. I happened to have some buttermilk in the fridge that needed to be used up but I have totally made the fake kind before.

For this recipe you should use sweet onions.  I love to get the big old Vidalia onions for this but my store only had the Mayan Sweets this time.  They are typically a lot smaller but are just as good. You just need to adjust your quantity accordingly.  The recipe normally calls for 1 or 2 large Vidalia onions. Since mine were quite small, I used 4 Mayan Sweet Onions.  I probably should have used 3 because I started to run low on the dry ingredients before I was finished. Never fear though, if this happens to you, you can just quickly mix up another half or whole batch of the flour and spice combo.  And, please remember that onions tend to expand outrageously when they are thinly sliced. I look at one Vidalia onion and think that it will never feed my entire family but in reality it probably would. I tend to overdo it on quantities of everything but especially onion strings.  They really go a long way. So, plan accordingly.

You will need onions, flour, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, buttermilk and cooking oil (I used canola).  That’s it! Cool, huh?! Hardly any ingredients and you get a fantastic dish.

About 2 hours (or at least 1 hour) before you want to eat these babies, start off by peeling your onions and slicing them very, very thinly.  I did this with a knife but you can use a mandoline if you would rather. I don’t happen to trust myself with a mandoline. I am pretty accident-prone but you do you.  Separate the slices into rings and place them in a shallow pan or a large bowl.  

Cover the rings with buttermilk.  The amount of buttermilk will depend on the size of your container.  You want for all of the onions to be somewhat submerged. I used a 9 X 13 pan and had to use a whole 1 quart carton of buttermilk.  Also, you should stir the rings around once or twice during the soaking process to make sure that all of the rings get down in that buttermilk.

During the soaking time, you can prepare the dry ingredients.  In a large, deep bowl, mix together the flour, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.  I used 1 teaspoon of cayenne this time but you can use as much as you like. You may want to start small and add more to the dry mixture after your first batch of strings comes out.  Give them a taste and determine if you want more spice at that time.

During the end of your soaking process, you can start heating the oil in a large cooking pot or deep skillet.  You can use a deep fryer for this but be aware that the oil will take on the flavor of the onions. You won’t want to use that same oil for cooking milder flavored foods and will need to clean out the oil later.  I saved the oil and stored it in a container marked for onion strings for later use. I had about 2 1/2 inches of oil in my pot. The onion strings will foam and bubble up when they hit the oil so make sure that your vessel is deep enough and your oil level is low enough to avoid overflow and the danger of a fire.  You may also want to use an oil thermometer to make sure that you have the heat needed. If the oil is not hot enough the strings will be soggy and will take longer to fry.

Once the strings have soaked and the oil is at 375 degrees you can start the coating process.  Using kitchen tongs grab some of the onion strings from the buttermilk and place them in the dry mixture.  Toss them around a bit to get them all nice and coated. I used a fork for tossing so that I didn’t get the flour mixture on the buttermilk coated tongs.  Grab a different set of tongs or whatever you have and remove the flour coated onion strings from the bowl. Tap them on the edge of the bowl to get rid of excess flour and carefully place them in the hot oil.  Stand back in case of splatters. Use the tongs or a heat-resistant long handled spoon to stir them around a bit. If you don’t, they might all stick together and you could end up with something that resembles an onion funnel cake.  It has happened to me and while it is not a bad thing it is a little difficult to eat. You will have to cook the strings in small batches. If you crowd them too much they won’t cook properly. Sorry that I don’t have pictures of every step in the frying process but you have to work quickly and there was no time to grab more shots. But, you get the idea anyway.

Watch the onion strings closely.  If your oil is at the correct temperature they will cook in no time…well, actually, in a couple of minutes.  Once they have reached a nice golden brown, remove them carefully with tongs or a slotted spoon, allowing the excess oil to drip off a bit before placing them on a platter or in a bowl that has been lined with paper towels.  Give them a taste to make sure that they are salty enough and then serve. Ta-Da! Crispy, crunchy, yummy deep-fried happiness!

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Crispy Onion Strings

These crunchy and slightly sweet deep-fried bits of heaven are great as a side or can be added as a sandwich or salad topping.  They fry up crisp and flavorful and the thin strings make them so versatile as an addition to so many entrees and salads.

Prep Time1 hr 15 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Author: Wench Sherry

Ingredients

• 1 – 4 sweet onions 1 if large or 3 or 4 if small
• 2 – 3 cups buttermilk
• 2 cups flour all-purpose
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 – 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 quarts oil for frying

Instructions

• Peel and thinly slice the onions. Separate the slices into rings and place them in a shallow pan or a large bowl.
• Cover the rings with buttermilk, taking care that as many are submerged as possible. Soak for at least one hour, stirring them occasionally.
• Meanwhile, add the flour, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to a large, deep bowl. Stir to combine.
• During the end of the soaking process, you can start heating the oil in a large cooking pot or deep skillet. The onion strings will foam and bubble up when they hit the oil so make sure that your vessel is deep enough and your oil level is low enough to avoid overflow and the danger of a fire.  You may also want to use an oil thermometer to make sure that you have the heat needed. Ideally, your oil should reach 375 degrees.
• Using kitchen tongs grab some of the onion strings from the buttermilk and place them in the dry mixture.  Toss the strings to coat. Tap the strings on the side of the bowl to remove any excess coating and carefully place them in the hot oil. You will have to do this in batches. Don't crowd the onion strings or they will not cook correctly.
• Stir the frying onion strings around a bit and allow to cook until golden brown. This should take only a few minutes depending on how hot your oil is.
• Remove the onion strings to a paper towel lined platter or bowl to drain. Serve hot or warm as a side or a topping.

Hey Everyone!  I hope that you are all surviving this craptastic winter weather.  In my neck of the woods, it has been sooooo sucky. You would know that as soon as I started a new job where I have to travel even farther every day, the weather would be ridiculous.  Well, that is what I get for living in central Illinois. I have to say that my nephew, Joe, has been my hero. We are carpooling into Springfield and he is doing the driving in his SUV.  There have already been a few days that I could not have made it in my small car, but Joe got me there and home safe and sound.

I have decided that I really don’t like winter very much anymore.  After Christmas and New Year’s are over I am pretty much done with the cold and snow.  But, Mother Nature gives not one dilly darn what I think. So, to console myself, I have been making cookies whenever I get the chance.  Baking cookies, to me, is the ultimate cozy activity. The kitchen gets all warmed up from the oven and you get to munch on cookie dough and then nice warm cookies.  Aaaahhh. I wish that I were doing that right now.

A couple of weeks ago I tried out a new combination of recipes.  I wanted to try a new butterscotch chip cookie recipe, but I also wanted chocolate.  And, awhile back I saw a recipe where someone had dipped chocolate chip cookies in melted chocolate.  I thought that the chocolate and butterscotch combination would be heavenly. I was right! Oh boy, these are good cookies.  These butterscotch chip cookies are buttery and flavorful. They are moist but still hold up when adding the chocolate and butterscotch base.  The combination is a chewy yet soft cookie on the top with a crisp and rich surprise burst of chocolate flavor underneath. These cookies have become a new favorite of mine and I hope that you will love them too.

So, this cookie starts out with a pretty basic recipe that can be used with any flavor of chips.  I have been on a quest for a while to find the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe and I have come to the conclusion that it does not exist.  I can find the pros and cons of all of the different recipe variations and methods. And, all of us seem to have different ideas about how a chocolate chip cookie should taste and what the consistency should be.  It is the same with any cookie that has flavored chips. I have a couple of different recipes for butterscotch chip cookies. This one works very well with the chocolate base. A cookie that is very soft would not hold up to that process.  And, I think that you really need a thicker cookie so that you have the proper cookie-to-base ratio. This one turned out perfectly. It is a nice standard recipe with one notable exception. It has a special ingredient. Drumroll please…instant coffee!  I know, amazing! Now, I am not a coffee lover, but I do occasionally use it in baking. Usually, it is paired with chocolate, but I think it works well with the butterscotch too. This recipe does require a slight amount of chilling but if you plan ahead you will have a great cookie that your friends and family will adore. 

For the cookies you will need 1 ½ cups softened butter, 2 cups packed brown sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks, 2 tablespoons vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons powdered instant espresso, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 4 teaspoons cornstarch, 4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3 – 4 cups butterscotch chips (depending on how chunky you like your cookies).  If you are not a coffee lover, don’t worry. You won’t really taste the espresso. It just adds a little oomph to the butterscotch flavor. For the base, you will need 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup butterscotch baking chips and 2 teaspoons of coconut oil.  

Add the butter and both sugars to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.  Cream together until well combined and slightly fluffy.

Add the eggs and egg yolks and vanilla.  Beat until well mixed. Gradually add the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, salt, and espresso powder.  Mix until all the dry ingredients are incorporated with no streaks of flour but don’t overmix. Stir in the butterscotch chips.

Cover the dough and chill for 2 – 3 hours.  You can also make the dough a day ahead if you are pressed for baking time.  Just be prepared for dough-tasting, sneaky fingers to abscond with a bit of it.  At least that is what happens at my house. Now, if you are in a huge hurry you can put the dough in the freezer for about an hour.  I have done this, and it works pretty well too.

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.   

Drop the dough by tall mounds.  Use about 2 tablespoons per cookie.  The tall mounds enable the cookie to stay thick and not spread too much.  This will help them hold together when you add the chocolate base.  

Bake for 9 – 11 minutes.  You want the bottom edges to be very slightly brown and the middles to be soft and puffy.   Don’t over bake or the cookies will be dry. Cool the cookies for a few minutes on the baking sheets and then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.  Once they have cooled sufficiently you can place them on parchment to await the chocolate bottom process.

Once all are cooled, place 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips and 1 cup butterscotch chips and 2 teaspoons of coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave on 50% power until melted. Stir at least every minute. Mine took about 5 minutes but watch closely so that you don’t burn it. Allow the chocolate to cool for a couple of minutes. 

Place clean parchment paper on baking sheets or on the counter. Drop 1 – 2 teaspoons of the chocolate mixture on the parchment. If your cookies are rather large you will need more chocolate but if the cookies stayed in more upright little mounds you may only need 1 teaspoon.  Use your chocolate intuition here. I did a test with 2 cookies on a small baking sheet and placed them in the freezer for a couple of minutes to make sure that my measurement and method was right before proceeding with the whole batch. Place a cookie on a mound of melted chocolate and gently press down turning the cookie counterclockwise (or clockwise) until the chocolate has been squished and spread to the cookie’s edge.   Once the cookies are all chocolate-bottomed, you will need to let them set up for an hour or so depending on how warm your kitchen is. Just plan ahead. If your chocolate-bottomed cookies are on a baking sheet you can place them in the freezer for just a few minutes to speed up the setting process.

Once the chocolate has set, carefully peel the cookies from the parchment paper. 

Get yourself a big old glass of cold milk and enjoy.  These cookies are so buttery and delicious with a satisfying chocolatey snap. I had rave reviews when I took them to work.  Love to you all!

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Butterscotch Surprise Cookies

These butterscotch chip cookies are buttery and flavorful.  They are moist but still hold up when adding the chocolate and butterscotch mixture base.  The combination is a chewy yet soft cookie on the top with a crisp and rich surprise burst of chocolate flavor underneath.

Author: Wench Sherry

Ingredients

For the Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups butter softened
• 2 cups brown sugar packed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs large
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp powdered instant espresso
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 4 tsp cornstarch
• 4 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 – 4 cups butterscotch baking chips

For the Base

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup butterscotch baking chips
• 2 tsp coconut oil

Instructions

• Add the butter and both sugars to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.  Cream together until well combined and slightly fluffy.
• Add the eggs and egg yolks and vanilla.  Beat until well mixed.
• Gradually add the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, salt and espresso powder.  Mix until all the dry ingredients are incorporated with no streaks of flour but don’t over mix.
• Stir in the butterscotch chips.
• Cover the dough and chill for 2 – 3 hours.
• When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Drop the dough by tall mounds.  Use about 2 tablespoons per cookie.
• Bake for 9 – 11 minutes.  You want the bottom edges to be very slightly brown and the middles to be soft and puffy.   Don’t over bake or the cookies will be dry. Cool the cookies for a few minutes on the baking sheets and then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.  Once they have cooled sufficiently you can place them on parchment to await the chocolate bottom process.
• Once all are cooled, place 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips and 1 cup butterscotch chips and 2 teaspoons of coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave on 50% power until melted. Stir at least every minute. Allow the chocolate to cool for a couple of minutes.
  
• Place clean parchment paper on baking sheets or on the counter.  Drop 1 – 2 teaspoons of the chocolate mixture on the parchment.
• Place a cookie on a mound of melted chocolate and gently press down turning the cookie counterclockwise (or clockwise) until the chocolate has been squished and spread to the cookie’s edge.
• Allow the chocolate to set up on the counter or place the cookies in the freezer for a few minutes to speed things up.
• Once the chocolate has set, carefully peel the cookies from the parchment paper.

Hey Everyone!  Well, here I am again, apologizing for being away and neglecting my kitchen visitors.  I do have a pretty good excuse, though. Well, it is an okay excuse. You see, I have not had the time to devote to writing posts because I have started a new job.  Yep! I finally made the extremely frightening leap to search for, apply, interview and accept a new position. All of those things happened within the last 3 months.  Let me tell you, I have been all sorts of messed up. I knew that I needed more income, so I started looking around and applied for a few positions. But I think that in the back of my mind I did not expect to get anywhere.  I have applied for positions kind of randomly before but did not even get an interview. So, when I was offered the position, I was caught off guard. It is an amazing opportunity and I was, of course, thrilled to get the offer but I was/am terrified to make such drastic changes.  I was/am also devastated to leave my old position. I had been at Illinois College for nearly 13 years. That school is my alma mater and I watched my sons graduate from there. I literally cried at my desk at IC for days while performing my duties. But I pulled on my big girl panties (figuratively) and I started at my new position right after New Year’s.  It has been good so far! It is a very different atmosphere and my duties are centered around budgets rather than the wide variety of tasks that I had at IC. I am learning and adjusting. One of the biggest adjustments is the travel time. I was already driving about 50 minutes each way to work and now I have added another 30 or so to that. Yeah, that’s right.  I am on the road for about 3 hours a day. Ugh. And, I am one of those irritating people who has trouble sitting still. Talk about misery. So, the point to this story is to explain that my time has been monopolized lately with preparing to leave my old job, preparing to start a new job, learning a new job, adjusting my morning and evening routines, and trying to fit in a daily workout somewhere.  I just have not taken the time to write up any recipes for you all. I am about to remedy that situation.

So, with all of this upheaval, I have been in serious need of comfort and stability and normalcy.  What I really needed was my mom but since she can’t be here with me, I turned to my big sisters and food of course. During the holidays we made all of the great old family recipes and traditional cookies and candies.  That helped immensely. Because it was something that had not changed – and hopefully never will. I needed that. When I started thinking of my next recipe to share with all of you my mind immediately went to the dishes that reminded me of a happy time in the past.  This is one of those recipes for sure.

Now, you all know how I love my chocolate.   It is my very favorite flavor of anything. But, especially pie.  I am not a fruit pie lover. I like it but I don’t love it. I do love any kind of chocolate pie.  My very favorite is just a nice plain old chocolate cream pie. Nothing fancy but very rich and creamy and dark and delicious.  My mom would occasionally make chocolate pies and her pies were good. I like mine to be a little darker chocolate than she made. She loved dark chocolate too, but my dad does not, so she made the lighter version.  This recipe is quite simple. I used a pre-made refrigerated pie crust this time, but you could totally use a frozen shell or a homemade. I want to try to make a pie crust with lard. I received a cookbook for Christmas that has a lard-based recipe and it intrigues me.  I know some of you are thinking “eeeewww” but let’s not judge it too hastily. Afterall, it is what my grandmothers used. I admit that there is something very unappetizing about the name…. lard. Yeah, not an appealing word. But I plan on giving it a whirl and I will let you know how it turns out.  So, enough about the crust. That is not the best thing about this pie. The best thing is the creamy, dreamy splendiferous filling. It is to die for…trust me. I made this pie this time for a family dinner. So, I am ashamed to admit, I do not have pictures of the pie after it was cut. It was a thing of beauty though.  I served it with some whipped topping and no other adornment. Mmmmmm.

For this glorious pie you will need a pie crust which can be refrigerated or frozen or homemade.  Whatever the type, it will need to be baked according to the directions and cooled completely.  You will also need 3 cups of whole milk, 4 large eggs (yolks only), 6 ½ ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 ½ cups sugar, ¼ cup cornstarch and ¼ teaspoon salt.

My recipe says to go by weight for the chocolate.  The bars that I used were measured in weight so I just estimated how much I would need.  I used 1 ½ bars and then ½ of another section of the remaining bar. Does that make sense?  Anyway, it won’t matter that much if you are over or under a little bit. Don’t bother with getting the kitchen scale or anything. And, you can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate if you would prefer. You do you.

You don’t need to bake this pie once it is filled so no need to preheat the oven after you have your crust ready.

In a medium saucepan whisk together the sugar, salt and cornstarch.  Pour in the egg yolks and milk and whisk again. Place this on medium heat and stir constantly until the mixture comes to a boil.  Keep stirring and watch it closely. You want for the mixture to become thick like a custard or pudding. In this picture you can see how it coats the spoon well.  This will happen all of the sudden so don’t walk away. It seems like it will never thicken and then, WHAMO, there it is.

As soon as it reaches that point and starts to boil remove it from the heat.  Add in the chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla. Stir until the chocolate and butter are melted completely.  This is a crappy picture, I know, but you get the idea.

Pour the pudding mixture into the pie crust.  My crust held all of the pudding but if your does not then just fill to the top and save the rest to eat plain.  Or, eat it all out the pan while still warm while no one is watching. I’m not saying that I have ever done that and there is no evidence otherwise.  Just saying… Chill for at least 4 hours or until it is set up. Don’t rush it. You want for you slices to stay intact. But, if they don’t so what. It will still be delicious. 

Serve slices of this magnificent, dreamy, smooth dark chocolate cream pie with whipped cream or maybe some caramel or butterscotch ice cream topping.  Raspberries or strawberries in a syrupy sauce would be great too. The possibilities are endless, and your loved ones will adore you. Enjoy!

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Perfect Chocolate Pie

Serve slices of this magnificent, dreamy, smooth dark chocolate cream pie with whipped cream or maybe some caramel or butterscotch ice cream topping.  Raspberries or strawberries in a syrupy sauce would be great too. The possibilities are endless, and your loved ones will adore you. Enjoy!

Prep Time15 mins

Chilling Time4 hrs

Author: Wench Sherry

Ingredients

• 1 regular or deep dish pie crust baked and cooled completely
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 3 cups whole milk
• 6 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons butter

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan whisk together the sugar, salt and cornstarch.
• Pour in the egg yolks and milk and whisk again.
• Place this on medium heat and stir constantly until the mixture come to a boil.  Keep stirring and watch it closely. You want for the mixture to become thick like a custard or pudding.
• As soon as it thickens and starts to boil remove it from the heat.  Add in the chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla. Stir until the chocolate and butter are melted completely.
• Pour the pudding mixture into the pie crust.
• Chill for at least 4 hours or until it is set up.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!  I trust that you are all prepared for the big turkey day.  I am getting there. I am trying very hard to stay calm. We are hosting my family’s Thanksgiving again this year.  We won’t have the entire clan but there will still be about 36 people. Of course, we split up the cooking, but it is a lot of work, regardless.  There is still a turkey to cook along with some sides and desserts. I am currently doing the obligatory house cleaning and furniture moving. I do have to move some items out of the living room to make way for extra tables and chairs.  It is a good thing that we all like each other because it is pretty cozy when we are all here. But it is fun, and we wouldn’t think of ending this tradition. When we get together there is so much laughter and story-telling that you can barely hear the football games on TV.  We are a loud bunch. Our menu is packed with all the standards. Turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, and mashed potatoes. In fact, we usually have two big old crockpots full of these very special mashed potatoes.

It is the mashed potatoes that I want to talk about today.  Anyone who has prepared a big holiday meal knows what a hassle it is to peel, cook, drain and mash a big old pile of taters right before your guests arrive.  And, in my family, using instant is not an option. So, a few years ago I ran across this recipe for mashed potatoes that could be made a day or two ahead of time and then reheated in the crockpot.  It was a little daring of me to try them out at a family gathering because some of the ingredients are not typical for this side dish. My mom and grandmothers and probably great-grandmothers all made their mashed potatoes with a minimum of ingredients.  Just taters, butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Now, that version is really good, and I have never been known to turn down a helping or two. But these are a dressier, fancier version and the extra ingredients help them keep well and reheat well.

You will need taters (duh), cream cheese, butter, salt and pepper, sour cream and milk.  I usually use russet potatoes for this. They seem to turn out fluffier. It is always difficult (for me anyway) to judge how many potatoes to use because some are huge, and some are not.  I am going to say that you need at least 8 pretty large potatoes for this. I typically cook 8 to 10. You can kind of guess how many your crockpot will hold. I use the larger 6-quart crockpot but if you have a smaller one you can adjust the measurements or just save some back in a container in the fridge and reheat them in the oven or microwave.

I have always placed the finished potatoes in a crockpot, but I do know that you can put them in a baking dish and reheat in the oven.  That would make them more like the filling in a twice-baked potato which would also be delicious. But, since oven space is usually at a premium on Thanksgiving Day, the crockpot is a better option for me.  Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes can be prepared a day or two ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until the day of your big event. This side dish is easy and delicious. The potatoes are so flavorful and stay creamy, buttery and moist.  You will be delighted to have the extra time to enjoy your guests and family.

Start off by washing and peeling the potatoes.  Cut them into chunks about 1-inch square or so. Put these in a large stockpot.  Add water so that the chunks are covered by about an inch of water. I like to add a couple of chicken bouillon cubes to my water when I boil potatoes but that isn’t necessary.  It does add some nice flavor, though. Bring this to a boil over high heat. If you are antsy about getting that water boiling you can put a lid on to speed up the process. Just keep watch so that you don’t get a boilover incident.  Once the water begins to boil remove the lid if you are using one. Cook the potatoes, stirring a couple of times, for about 10 to 15 minutes or until they are fork-tender.

Put a colander in your sink and pour the potatoes in being careful not to get burned by the hot water or steam.  Let the taters drain a bit but don’t rinse them or anything.

Once drained pretty well, add the potatoes to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.

Add ½ cup sour cream, 1 stick of softened butter and 8 oz. (1 brick) of softened cream cheese, ½ cup milk, 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.   Go slow though and only add a little milk at a time. You don’t want potato soup here. This time I only needed 1/4 cup milk. Mix all of this on low, scrape the sides and then turn up the speed of your mixer. Mix everything until well combined and smooth, scraping when necessary. You can add more milk at this point if needed to give you a nice smooth consistency.  You never can tell with mashed potatoes. Every batch is different. Give them a taste to see if you need more salt and/or pepper.

Once you are satisfied with the flavor spoon the mashed potatoes into your crockpot.  Cover tightly with foil and place in your fridge until about 4 hours before your meal.  Then, let the pot sit on the counter uncovered for about an hour to come closer to room temperature.  Put the lid on and turn the crockpot on low and heat the potatoes for about 2 hours. My current crockpot does not run really hot but my previous one did, so the heat time was very different.  You will have to judge the time for yourself. Just keep an eye on it and check the temperature in the middle once in a while and watch that the edges are not scorching. It doesn’t matter if the edges get a little browned.  Some of your guests may like that crusty baked edge. It is pretty delicious. Anyway, once the potatoes are warmed through melt ½ stick of butter and stir it into the delicious warm loveliness. Put the lid back on and turn your pot to warm until time to eat.  Serve to your loved ones and guests secure in the knowledge that these are some of the best mashed potatoes that they will ever eat. See how easy that is? And, you didn’t have to waste your precious holiday time preparing them. I wish that I had a picture to add of a big old scoop alongside the turkey but I wanted to get this post out today so you can make them up tonight.

I hope that you all have a great Thanksgiving.  Relax and enjoy the day. If you are going out to do any Black Friday shopping be careful and I hope you find some bargains!

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Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

This side dish is easy and delicious. The potatoes are so flavorful and stay creamy, buttery and moist.  You will be delighted to have the extra time to enjoy your guests and family.

Author: Wench Sherry

Ingredients

• 8 – 10 russet potatoes large
• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup milk 2% or whole
• 1/2 stick butter melted for the day of serving
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions

• Wash and peel the potatoes.  Cut them into chunks about 1-inch square or so.  Put them in a large stockpot. Add water so that the chunks are covered by about an inch of water. Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat. Boil for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• When the potatoes are cooked, drain them thoroughly and then put them into the bowl of your stand mixer or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer.
• Add ½ cup sour cream, 1 stick of softened butter and 8 oz. (1 brick) of softened cream cheese, ½ cup milk (a little at a time – you may not need the entire 1/2 cup), 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.   Mix all of this on low, scrape the sides and then turn up the speed of your mixer. Mix everything until well combined and smooth, scraping when necessary. You can add more milk at this point if needed to give you a nice smooth consistency. Give them a taste to see if you need more salt and/or pepper.
• Spoon the mashed potatoes into your crockpot.  Cover tightly with foil and place in your fridge until about 4 hours before your meal.
• A few hours before your meal you can start the heating process. Let the pot sit on the counter uncovered for about an hour to come closer to room temperature.  Put the lid on and turn the crockpot on low and heat the potatoes for about 2 hours. The time will depend on how hot your crockpot runs. Keep an eye on it and check the temperature in the middle once in a while and watch that the edges are not scorching.  It doesn’t matter if the edges get a little browned.
• Once the potatoes are warmed through melt ½ stick of butter and stir it in. Put the lid back on and turn your pot to warm until time to eat.

Hi All!  Cold enough for you?  In my neck of the woods, the mercury has certainly spent a lot of time below freezing lately.  I am not a huge fan of the cold weather. I mean, it is nice to have a snowfall once in a while (as long as I don’t have to drive in it) and a little nip in the air is great during the holidays.  And, I must admit that I do love the change in the seasons when it comes to cooking and baking. I adore making soups and casseroles and there is nothing quite like baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies on a cold day.  Lately, I have been on a chili kick which is kind of weird for me. I have never been a lover of plain old traditional chili, but it is growing on me. I do really enjoy making and trying different types of chili with funky ingredients.  I have a turkey chili recipe that I absolutely love but it is far from traditional. The Green Bean Chili recipe that I want to share with you today is actually a variation of the Weight Watchers Chili from back in the day.

This recipe first came to me from family members.  I used to work at my sister-in-law, Bev’s, flower shop part-time.  I had such a good time working there and I learned so much about flower arranging.  I also learned a lot about good cooking. You see, during especially busy times like Valentine’s Day, Christmas Open House, and when there were several funerals or weddings at the same time the entire group of ladies might have to pull late-night sessions.  It was exhausting and sometimes stressful, but we relied on each other to get through with lots of laughs and some crockpots full of home cooking. One year, during a late-night session some wonderful family members brought us a crockpot full of Weight Watchers Green Bean Chili.  I had never eaten it before and was skeptical, but I really loved it. I made it a couple of times at home but then put the recipe aside because my boys were not terribly fond of it during their teenage years. Lately, I was reminded of that delicious concoction and looked online for the recipe.  I made a big pot asap. It was just as good as I remembered although I am not positive that this recipe is the exact one that I had 15 years ago. This one has turkey and I can’t remember using that before. Anywho, I made some to take to work for my lunches for the week. I was talking about how good it was to my bosses and both of them asked for the recipe.  I willingly shared and they both love it too. They made it for their families with great success which made me extra happy. So, I couldn’t wait to share it with all of you too! This version of chili is chock full of chunks of turkey and veggies. It has a wonderful thick tomato base and is spiced just right.

Now, this is definitely not a traditional chili.  While it does have chili powder and a tomato base, there are no beans other than green beans and you do use turkey rather than beef.  I like to make mine very thick, but you can easily control the consistency by draining (or not draining) the canned green beans. I like to use French style green beans, but you can use any type that you like. If you want the chili to be truly weight-watchers worthy you need to use the extra lean ground turkey.  When I add up all the calories of the ingredients for this chili, the whole pot is around 1000 calories! That is crazy low, and the flavor is crazy good!

So, for this chili, you will need 3 pounds of ground turkey.  Use the leanest you can get. Mine was 93% but you can sometimes find 99% which would be great.  You will need about 1 cup of diced onion. I just diced up 2 medium Vidalia onions for mine. You can use whatever type floats your chili boat.  Also needed are a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes, a 29 oz can of tomato sauce and 5 of the 14.5 oz cans of green beans. I like to use French style but feel free to use regular cut if you want a bigger bean bite.  For the spices, you will need salt and pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder. I have given measurements for the spices, but you can adjust those to your own taste.

Sautee the ground turkey and onions in a large soup pot until the turkey is browned and completely done.  The onions should be softened and translucent by then. Season the turkey and onions while they are cooking with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.  Make sure to break the turkey up into small pieces while cooking.

Add the undrained crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, 3 or 4 Tablespoons of chili powder (depending on how spicy you like chili), 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper (this is the 2nd time that you add salt and pepper).  You can adjust the salt to your needs. Start with less and add more if you want.

Open all the cans of green beans.  I like to drain 4 cans and leave 1 undrained.  You can adjust this to your liking. I just happen to like thicker chili.  Add the beans and stir until everything is combined.

Cook over medium or medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.  If the chili thickens too much you can add water. If it is too thin you can cook it a bit longer.

Turn off the heat and prepare to enjoy a nice bowl of comfort…without the guilt.  I like this chili because it is thick and flavorful and so easy to prepare. The fact that it is a healthier option is a great bonus.

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Green Bean Chili

This version of chili is chock full of chunks of turkey and veggies.  It has a wonderful thick tomato base and is spiced just right.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Author: Wench Sherry

Ingredients

• 3 lbs lean ground turkey
• 1 cup onion diced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes
• 29 oz tomato sauce
• 5 cans green beans (french or regular cut) 14.5 oz each
• 2 – 4 Tbs chili powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions

• Sautee the ground turkey and onions in a large soup pot until the turkey is browned and completely done.  The onions should be softened and translucent by then. Season the turkey and onions while they are cooking with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.  Make sure to break the turkey up into small pieces while cooking.
• Add the undrained crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, 3 or 4 Tablespoons of chili powder (depending on how spicy you like chili), 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper (this is the 2nd time that you add salt and pepper).  You can adjust the salt to your needs. Start with less and add more if you want.
• Open all the cans of green beans.  I like to drain 4 cans and leave 1 undrained.  You can adjust this to your liking. I just happen to like thicker chili.  Add the beans and stir until everything is combined. Cook over medium or medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.  If the chili thickens too much you can add water. If it is too thin you can cook it a bit longer. Remove from the heat and enjoy.

Boo Everyone!  Happy Halloween!  I hope that you all have some spooky fun and plenty of your favorite treats today!  I can’t honestly say what my favorite Halloween candy would be. It would definitely be chocolate.  There would probably be some sort of peanut butter or caramel involved. I am not a huge nougat fan so I could rule that out.  Hmmm. This requires some deliberation and most likely some taste tests.

Anywho…..I wrote this post a couple of weeks ago and am just now finding the time to polish it up and smooth it out for sharing.  It seems pretty appropriate for today since it is all about Monster Cookie Energy Balls. Get it…monsters…Halloween…chuckle, chuckle?  Well, enough hilarity. On to the recipe.

So, a couple of weeks ago I was sitting in the back seat of a campus car on my way to Chicago for a conference.  I figured that I might as well get some writing in while I was sitting there on my tush. And, I happened to have a container of Monster Cookie Energy Balls right next to me.  They were hidden in a bag so that I was not tempted to pop them in my mouth one after another. Who am I kidding? I was tempted. I could seriously eat an entire batch. You see, I love the monster cookie flavor and texture.  The combination of peanut butter and oats and chocolate in a chewy cookie is a seriously delicious force of nature. When I am trolling Pinterest and I see a recipe that has anything to do with monster cookies, I click. And, to be honest, I don’t make many of them, but I want them all just in case.  I used to limit my monster cookie fix to the once a year Christmas baking but then I decided that there is no reason not to enjoy this obsession the whole year through. One of the best decisions ever! A few years ago, I found this energy ball recipe and thought I would give it a try. To tell the truth, I was not convinced that so few ingredients could give me the monster cookie flavor that I love.  Well, I soon realized that my doubts were unfounded. These little suckers are so, so good. Monster Cookie Energy Balls are power-packed and flavor-packed. The peanut butter and honey combine in a soft and sweet base for the slightly chewy oats and little chunks of chocolate and candy-coated heaven.

There are only a few ingredients and you probably have most of them in your pantry right now.  I don’t always have the mini M&M’s and mini chocolate chips on hand which is probably a good thing.  I would be too tempted to make these more often and then eat them all. Seriously, if you make these you will love them.  If you share with others, be prepared to share the recipe too. I guarantee that you will be asked.

You will need peanut butter, old-fashioned oats, honey, vanilla extract, mini chocolate chips and mini M&M’s.  I use the mini baking M&M’s but you can also use the regular mini M&M’s.

You do not have to use a mixer for this, but I do just so that I know everything is mixed thoroughly – and I’m lazy sometimes.  This is a no-bake recipe, but you will need a baking sheet. I cover mine in parchment just to make sure that the balls don’t stick after chilling.

Combine the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla in your mixer bowl and mix until completely combined. Mix the oats in until everything is evenly distributed.

Mix in the chocolate chips and M&M’s.  You can do this with the mixer on low speed or by hand.  Once mixed thoroughly, use an ice cream or cookie scoop to measure out mounds that are about 2 or 3 tablespoons full.  Roll the mounds into balls with your hands and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill the energy balls for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.  Enjoy these chilled or at room temperature.

These keep very well.  Since none of the ingredients are perishable you can pack them in lunch boxes or take them to a party or practice.  The peanut butter, honey, and oats provide great energy and the little bursts of chocolate are a special treat. Enjoy!

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Monster Cookie Energy Balls

These little suckers are so, so good.  Monster Cookie Energy Balls are power-packed and flavor-packed.  The peanut butter and honey combine in a soft and sweet base for the slightly chewy oats and little chunks of chocolate and candy-coated heaven.

Prep Time15 mins

Chilling Time30 mins

Total Time45 mins

Author: Wench Sherry

Ingredients

• 5 cups old-fashioned oats
• 2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup honey
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 10 oz mini chocolate chips
• 10 oz mini M&M candies

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, honey and vanilla until evenly mixed. I use my mixer for this but it isn't necessary.
• Mix the oats in until everything is evenly distributed.
• Stir in the chocolate chips and M&M's. You can do this by hand or with the mixer on low speed.
• Use an ice cream or cookie scoop to measure out mounds that are about 2 or 3 tablespoons full.  Roll the mounds into balls with your hands and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Chill the energy balls for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.  Enjoy these chilled or at room temperature.

Hi Everyone!  Well, schools have been back in session for a month or so.  Boy, the summer whizzed by. I didn’t get half of my summer projects done and the students have returned.  Halloween decorations are in the stores and the evenings are getting cooler. I guess Autumn and all the pumpkin-spiced signs of it are right around the corner.

I think that I mentioned last year that I kind of miss the back-to-school hubbub and buying school supplies. I can’t resist walking down those aisles with the pencils and notebooks and lunchboxes.  I don’t miss packing school lunches. I could never quite get the hang of that. I wanted to send foods that the boys would eat (which are mostly considered junk food) but then I felt like a terrible mom for not sending carrot sticks and apple slices.  I just knew that those things would go in the trash can or come back home all dried out and wrinkly. Then I would have to throw the produce in our trash while lamenting the money I just wasted. I didn’t get to take my lunch very often when I was a kid because my mom was a cook at our school.  If I ate her food at home, I could certainly eat it at school, after all. But there was something kind of magical about opening that lunchbox to see what treasure you might find, so those days were special. Not to mention the thrill of picking out a new lunchbox with some favorite character’s picture emblazoned on the sides.

My boys took their lunches much more often.  By the time they were in school, my mom had retired, and they complained that the cafeteria food was not very good.  It was good, I assure you, but kids have pickier taste buds than I do. I did relent and send bags of chips and snack cakes along with the peanut butter or turkey sandwich.  I would try different types of cakes so that they would not get bored. It had nothing to do with the fact that I am an impulse shopper and cannot resist trying any new food item that has a clever marketing gimmick.  Nope, nothing at all to do with that.

Snack cakes are a real problem.  I mean they are tiny cakes with all kinds of delicious fillings and coatings and cool shapes.  I might still buy a box once in a while. I might have some in a fancy cake stand on my kitchen table right now.  It’s a weakness…one of many. And, both of my guys really like snack cakes, so I am drawn to the recipes that I see that are copycat versions of those wonderful little pieces of heaven.  Because, you know, I’m a great mom. It brings back wonderful memories of those days when Cody and Alex were little guys, but I feel that the homemade versions must be better for you. I mean I make sure to leave out the preservatives that make store-bought snack cakes last forever.  That’s gotta be better, right?

So, a couple of years ago, I saw a recipe for Oatmeal Cream Pie Bars.  I was immediately interested. After all, those cakes have always been a favorite of my guys.  And, these luscious little treats seem like a childhood favorite all grown up. These homemade Oatmeal Cream Pie bars have the great chewy oatmeal spice cake with a sweet creamy filling that you remember but are soooo much better.  The cake has just a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. The filling has a marshmallow fluff base that creates a wonderful gooey texture. These are wonderful to take to a potluck or to your office or to pack in your kid’s lunchbox. Or pack in your own lunchbox.  Or, eat right at home while standing at the kitchen counter as soon as you cut them because you need to taste test them…just saying.

This recipe does require that you bake each layer of oatmeal cake separately.  I use two 9 X 13 pans baked at the same time but if you don’t have two you could certainly bake ½ and then put the other batter in the refrigerator for the few minutes of baking time. I also line the pans with parchment paper and spray the paper very lightly with cooking spray so that the paper peels off of the cake very easily.  Don’t let the idea of moving these layers around scare you. It is not that difficult, and I will give you a couple of tips that help me.

For the bars, you will need 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, ¾ cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon regular salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt (optional), 1 ½ cups flour, and 3 cups quick oats (dry).

For the filling, you will need 2 jars marshmallow fluff (7.5 oz or 7 oz each), 3 cups powdered sugar, ¾ cup butter (unsalted or salted), 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare two 9 X 13 pans by spraying with cooking spray, then lining with parchment, then spray the parchment lightly with cooking spray.  Make sure to leave a little parchment hanging over the ends of the pan to use as handles. I know this seems like a lot of steps but believe me when I say that your baking life will be much easier if you do this.

In a medium bowl, mix together the regular salt, the coarse salt (if you are using), nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon, and flour. I like to run a whisk through my dry ingredients to fluff them up and make sure that everything is nicely mixed.

With your mixer, cream both sugars and the butter until fully mixed and fluffy.  Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix again until fully combined.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low, only until you do not see any streaks of flour.  You can do this by hand if you want but I just let the mixer do the work.

Add the oats and mix on low again just until combined.

Divide the dough as equally as possible between the two prepared pans and spread to completely cover the bottom.  I usually end up using my hands for this. It helps to dip your fingers in water or spray your hands with cooking spray because this dough is sticky. 

Put both pans in your oven side-by-side but not touching and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.  You want for the end result to be a light golden color with no raw spots in the middle. However, you don’t want to overbake the bars, or they will be crumbly.  I usually check them at 10 minutes and if the center seems set and not jiggly, I pull those babies out.

Let the bars cool in the pans for about 15 minutes and then use the parchment to lift them carefully from the pans and place them on a cooling rack.  Let them cool completely while still on the parchment paper.

While they cool, you can make the cream filling.  With your mixer, beat the butter until nice and fluffy.  Don’t beat it too long or it will begin to melt. Add the powdered sugar slowly until it is all incorporated and then turn the mixer up to medium or high and beat until the mixture is lighter in color and smooth.  I would start with 2 cups of powdered sugar and then add more after the rest of the ingredients have been added. Add both jars of marshmallow cream, the vanilla, and salt and beat again until smooth and fully combined.  If you need more powdered sugar at this point add more in ½ cup increments. The weather tends to affect how this filling turns out. Mine never turns out to be fluffy like cake frosting. It is smoother and more like a marshmallow filling that you would find in a snack cake from the store.  You just want to make sure that it is stiff enough to stay on the bottom layer of the bars and not run off the edge.

When the bars are completely cool, place a cutting board or cake board on top of one of the uncut slabs.  Flip the whole thing over as carefully as possible and peel the parchment away. Spread this slab with marshmallow filling as evenly and as close to the edges as possible.

Now, if you are super coordinated you may be able to move your other uncut cookie slab over onto the top of the marshmallow filling.  I am not that coordinated. So, I cut the remaining slab in half crosswise so that I have 2 smaller rectangles. Then, I move those over and place them on top of the filling (without flipping them) with the assistance of a couple of spatulas.  You are going to end up cutting the bars anyway, so it won’t matter if you have a seam in the middle. Just try to get the 2 pieces to fit together pretty tightly.   Don’t push down on the top layer or you may squish the filling out.

Cover the entire cutting board or cake board or whatever you used with plastic wrap or foil and place the large cookie into the freezer for about 2 hours.  Once the bars are very well chilled, you can cut them into squares easily.

These bars can be stored in the refrigerator or on the counter.  They will stay fresh a bit longer in the frig but they probably won’t last long enough to get stale anyway. Grab a glass of milk or cup of tea and enjoy!  And, don’t forget to stick one in your lunchbag. You won’t regret it.

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Oatmeal Cream Pie Bars

These homemade Oatmeal Cream Pie bars have the great chewy oatmeal spice cake with a sweet creamy filling that you remember but are soooo much better.

These homemade Oatmeal Cream Pie bars have the great chewy oatmeal spice cake with a sweet creamy filling that you remember but are soooo much better.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time12 mins

Chilling time2 hrs

Total Time2 hrs 32 mins

Author: Wench Sherry

Ingredients

For the Bars

• 1 1/4 cup butter unsalted
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs large
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp course sea salt optional
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 3 cups quick oats dry

For the Filling

• 2 jars marshmallow fluff 7.5 oz. or 7 oz. each
• 3 cups powdered sugar divided
• 3/4 cup butter unsalted or salted
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

To Make the Bars

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare two 9 X 13 pans by spraying with cooking spray, then lining with parchment, then spray the parchment lightly with cooking spray.  Make sure to leave a little parchment hanging over the ends of the pan to use as handles. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the regular salt, the coarse salt (if you are using), nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon, and flour.
• With your mixer, cream both sugars and the butter until fully mixed and smooth. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix again until fully combined.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low, only until you do not see any streaks of flour.
• Add the oats and mix on low again just until combined.
• Divide the dough as equally as possible between the two prepared pans and spread to completely cover the bottom. Use your hands or a spatula for this. It helps to dip your fingers in water or spray your hands with cooking spray because this dough is sticky.
• Put both pans in your oven side-by-side but not touching and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. You want for the end result to be a light golden color with no raw spots in the middle.
• Let the bars cool in the pans for about 15 minutes and then use the parchment to lift them carefully from the pans and place on a cooling rack. Let them cool completely while still on the parchment paper

To Make the Filling

• With your mixer beat the butter until nice and fluffy. Don’t beat it too long or it will begin to melt.
• Add the powdered sugar slowly until it is all incorporated and then turn the mixer up to medium or high and beat until the mixture is lighter in color and smooth. I start with 2 cups of powdered sugar and then add more after the rest of the ingredients have been added.
• Add both jars of marshmallow cream, the vanilla and salt and beat again until smooth and fully combined. If you need more powdered sugar at this point add more in ½ cup increments. You want the end result to be a smooth and slightly gooey consistency that will stay in place between the bars. It will not be fluffy like a cake icing.
• When the bars are completely cool, place a cutting board or cake board on top of one of the uncut slabs. Flip the whole thing over as carefully as possible and peel the parchment away.
• Spread this slab with marshmallow filling as evenly and as close to the edges as possible.
• Cut the remaining slab in half crosswise so that I have 2 smaller rectangles. Then, move those over and place them on top of the filling (without flipping them) with the assistance of a couple of spatulas.
• Try to get the 2 pieces to fit together pretty tightly and don’t push down on the top layer or you may squish the filling out.
• Cover the entire cutting board or cake board or whatever you used with plastic wrap or foil and place the large cookie into the freezer for about 2 hours.
• Once the bars are very well chilled, you can cut them into squares.

Hey Everyone!  I’m back! Summer has not been kind to me as far as getting time for myself.  It has been one thing after another at home. And, my job has just been…well…I cannot think of a word that accurately describes what we have been through these past few months.  I always say crazy busy but that doesn’t even begin to explain the insanity and pressure and tension that we have endured since April. A lot of our annual summer projects have gone untouched because of other duties that have been thrust upon us.  I know that we are all in need of a stress-busting distraction, but I don’t see that happening anytime soon. Oh well, Dad always says that we will take what they send us. Very true in this situation…actually in most situations. Dad is a very wise man.

A very, very bad situation on the home front has also been endured.  We were faced with a critical illness and the resulting loss of a loved one.  You never know how you will react to this type of crisis. My own immediate family held up well.  The husband lost his dad and my sons lost one of their Grandpas. I lost the man who had been my physician since I was about 6 years old and who became my father-in-law.  I had literally known him much longer than I have known my husband. We had a wonderful memorial service and reception. My sons gave beautiful eulogies and we gave each other the strength to endure.

During the weeks before Dr. Grandpa’s passing, I thought a lot about funeral services and memorials and all of the moving parts involved in planning these.  I also thought about how small communities show their support here in the Midwest. Much of the time we show our love, concern and caring with food. I have never lived anywhere except the Midwest so I don’t know if other areas differ greatly in this respect, but I have a feeling that the types of foods may be different, but the show of affection is the same all over the world.  Sure enough…friends and neighbors brought food to my stepmother-in-law’s home during the ordeal and donated a dinner after the burial. It was very much appreciated too!

As I was contemplating the idea of “funeral food”, casseroles instantly came to mind.  I think that some of the best casseroles in the world probably came into being when some lovely lady devised a way to feed a family-in-need with a one-dish meal.  One of the dishes that was shared with my family was chicken tetrazzini. Boy, was it good! That made me think of the tuna tetrazzini that I used to eat in the college cafeteria and that in turn reminded me of tuna casserole.  I love tuna casserole and my family does too! My sons always thought it odd when a friend would complain that their family had that dish for dinner. The boys were never disappointed when they would come home from school to find that we were having a delicious combination of tuna, creamy soup, noodles and cheese that is topped off with crunchy and salty potato chips all baked up together.  What a satisfying meal! Now, my mom made a really good tuna casserole. This is not her recipe but one that I found in a cookbook many, many years ago. In fact, when I pull that book off the shelf it opens automatically to the page with this wonderful contribution. I have made a few changes to the measurements, but the components are the same. It is so easy and quick. You can whip it together in minutes and then bake it up for a yummy and tummy-warming meal.  You probably already have the ingredients in your pantry.

You will need 6 cups (more or less) of cooked and drained noodles.  I like to use the broad egg noodles, but this also works well with any small shaped pasta. You will also need 1 10 ½ oz. can of cream of mushroom soup, 3 cans of tuna packed in water, 1 cup evaporated milk, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (Colby Jack or any yellow cheese that melts easily will do), 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion and 3 cups of crushed plain regular or ruffled potato chips.

Spray a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.  You will need one that holds about 8 cups or so. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees 

After you have cooked your noodles or pasta and drained them thoroughly, set them aside.  This time I used a combination of shaped pasta rather than the egg noodles. I happened to have some partial packages and thought this would be a great way to use them up. 

Drain the tuna and add to a large bowl.  My tuna cans were 5 oz. but 6 oz. would also work well.  Add the concentrated soup to the tuna. Add the evaporated milk and the onion flakes.  Mix all of this well. Add the shredded cheese and mix again.

Add as many of the noodles as you prefer.  I like lots of noodles in mine but if you want your casserole to turn out thinner and to be more tuna-centric just don’t add as many.  Gently mix until the noodles are all coated with the soup mixture. Add all of this to the casserole dish.

Cover with the crushed potato chips.  Try not to eat too many of the chips while you do this.  Aw, heck, go ahead and munch away. I always do. I am pretty sure that broken potato chips don’t have any calories.  That is the rule of all snack foods. Broken ones don’t count. Believe me. I am an expert on this subject.

Bake the casserole for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbling all the way through.  The chips will brown a little but that’s ok.

Remove the tuna casserole from the oven and scoop out nice big servings.  Make sure that everyone gets some of those tater chips. This hearty, creamy, cheesy casserole with the salty and crunchy chips on top is sure to please.  Serve it up on a chilly evening or any evening. You won’t be disappointed.

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Quick and Yummy Tuna Casserole

This hearty, creamy, cheesy casserole with the salty and crunchy chips on top is sure to please.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Course: Main Course

Author: Wench Sherry

Ingredients

• 6 cups eggs noodles or pasta cooked
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup 10 1/2 oz.
• 3 cans tuna packed in water 5 oz each
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or other yellow cheese
• 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
• 3 cups crushed potato chips regular or ruffled plain

Instructions

• Spray a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.  You will need a dish that holds about 8 cups or so. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Cook the noodles or pasta according to the package directions. drain thoroughly and set aside.
• Drain the tuna and add to a large bowl.
• Add the condensed soup, evaporated milk and the onion flakes.  Mix all of this well. Add the shredded cheese and mix again.
• Add as many of the noodles as you prefer and gently mix until the noodles are all coated with the soup mixture.
• Pour this mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
• Cover with the crushed potato chips.
• Bake the casserole for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbling all the way through.

Hi Everyone!  Happy July! Specifically, Happy 4th of July!  I hope that you all can enjoy some summer fun and perhaps some fireworks but most importantly, some great food!  I know, I know, I always equate holidays with eating. It’s a problem that I have learned to live with. I think that I mentioned to you all before that my family has a picnic at a local park and we watch the fireworks together.  It used to be a pretty big gathering and we would all bring party food such as fried chicken, hot wings, tacos, sliders, popcorn and tons of cookies and desserts. These days the group is much smaller. The nieces and nephews have families of their own and many don’t make it because of other commitments. One of my sisters has moved away and one doesn’t usually make it.  But, those of us that still attend try to make the best of it. Currently, we are only bringing snack foods and desserts because it is tough to make the great nieces and nephews wait so long to eat dinner. But, I’m ok with that. I can eat a little sumpin’ sumpin’ and then really chow down on sweets. That is a sacrifice that I am willing to make to celebrate the sacrifices that our ancestors made for our independence. 

So, for the last several years, I have been taking little mini fruit pies in mason jars.  They are a big hit so I will take them again this year. I am also taking some cookies, like always.  The cookies that I share vary from year to year. It depends on what my favorite is at the time. Now, a couple of weeks ago I made a new cookie and both of my boys looked at them and said that I should make them for the 4th of July.  And so, I decided that I would indeed do just that.

This is one of those oopsie recipes for me.  You know how it is, I start off with a recipe and discover that I don’t have the right ingredients or can’t find the stuff called for at the grocery store.  But I am no quitter when it comes to baking. I find substitutes or make a few little changes and, BAM, I’ve got a brand-new recipe. This one called for a raspberry muffin mix, but I couldn’t find that in my store.  At first, I thought about ditching the recipe but couldn’t let it go. I looked around for a substitute and found one. I think that the finished product is better than just the plain old raspberry.

Hi Everyone!  How are all my fellow foodies?  Staying dry, I hope. So, I have always heard that April showers bring May flowers.  But, here in Illinois, this year April showers brought May showers and May showers brought June showers.  It just keeps raining! It’s crazy. The farmers in the family are getting pretty anxious because some crops are not planted yet and others need to be replanted.  There are miniature swamps throughout the yard. And, there is flooding in many of our local communities. Fortunately, for us, we live in one of the highest spots in this county and our basement has never leaked.  Thank goodness!

But, anyway, May came and went quickly and now June is almost gone.  It seemed quicker than usual this year to me. I think because it was so very busy.  May is chockfull of celebrations for this family. We have several birthdays, including mine.  There are always graduations because we have such a large family. Mother’s Day, of course, is always celebrated in some way.  And, then there is Cinco De Mayo. Now, I have absolutely no Hispanic heritage but I do love Hispanic food. So, Cinco De Mayo seems like a perfect reason to enjoy some really good food and have some fun making it too.  I do love to make Mexican food. This year, we did a nacho bar with lots of toppings for blue and regular tortilla chips. I had shredded and seasoned chicken as well as taco-seasoned ground beef. Cody was home and we all loaded up our plates with chips and our favorite toppings and watched baseball while we munched.  Then, I made little churro bites by frying up some chunks of leftover pound cake and then coating them with cinnamon and sugar. It was a good, good meal.

I wanted to take something to work to celebrate a belated Cinco De Mayo so I whipped up some of my Mexican Brownies.  I really love this recipe because I use boxed brownie mix and add a few extra special ingredients and end up with a to-die-for spicy brownie.  It is super easy and quick and you probably already have the fixins in your pantry. Now, you could make a from-scratch brownie but my family really loves the boxed brownies that I use.  I do make them a little differently than it says on the box but I only change the pan size and the baking time. I always, always, always double the recipe so I use 2 boxes of the mix and then double up on the additional ingredients.  I bake them in a 9 X 13 pan for 40 – 45 minutes. The result is a thick and gooey brownie with a dense fudge-like center and a little crunch on the edges.