Peanut Butter Sauce...

Most of you know that I cannot stand peanut butter. My sister-in-law, Brandi loves it, almost as much as I detest it.

One of Brandi’s most favorite ways to eat peanut butter is on her ice cream. This is a two-step process of melting the peanut butter and then pouring on her ice cream. We all know what happens when you pour hot on to cold. Most times Brandi is left with a soupy melted mess, but she loves the peanut butter taste.

I know you are saying why not buy ice cream with peanut butter already in it. I guess I should back up and tell you, it does not matter what variety of ice cream she eats. The ice cream will be covered in peanut butter.

When you can fruit, you make a simple syrup to go into the jar with the fruit. If you have ever bought fruit cocktail on the label, it will state in heavy or light syrup. I took this idea of syrup and started to figure out how to mix it with peanut butter.

I ended up not making the syrup from scratch, I could not get the portions right to make a heavy enough syrup without sending the sugar levels sky high.

I next thought about mixing water to honey and thinning it down, before adding the peanut butter. The peanut butter would pick up the taste of the honey. I also worried, that even though I would thin the honey, it would crystallize. The thought of chunky honey crystals, in a peanut sauce does not sound pleasing to me.

So almost two years later, I was getting ready to make candied popcorn, my hand lands on the clear Karo syrup. This was the “ah ha” moment, when the angels are singing.

Want to know how to make this? Click here!

Peanut Butter Granola From Fit-it and Forget-it...

I found this recipe in 2011 from Fit-it and Forget-it website. Since then we have made this recipe many times and even given it as gifts. The recipe takes a little bit of time and you have to stir a few times. The plus side is you get use your slow cooker, which means you can get the help from little hands.

The kids and I always have fun making this granola, and it makes a great rain or snow day activity.  The instructions states when the granola is cool break into chunks. We have never really gotten chunks, more like crumbles, so we like to use this as the base for trail mix.

The granola has a good peanut taste without being overwhelming, which is good since we you all know I don’t like peanut butter. I like to pour milk over the granola or stir into my yogurt for breakfast.

We have omitted the coconut and raisins, and added in our own favorites. One time we tried to add in chocolate chips after we poured the mix out to cool. Well that did not go so well, since the mix was still too hot for chocolate.  

You can personalize the add-ins to your own tastes, we have made with nothing but a variety of nuts. Most of the time, we just throwing in whatever I have in the pantry, it is great way to use up the leftovers from holiday baking.

I have meaning to omit the brown sugar and try using honey… maybe next time I make this.

Make sure you store the granola in an airtight container!

Ingredients:
6 cups dry oatmeal
½ cup wheat germ
½ cup toasted coconut
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup raisins

Click here for the entire recipe!

Those Special Treats…

What is about Christmas that makes us want to consume sweet treats, we would not normally eat? Is it because taking the time making the special foods is just as much a gift, as being able to unwrap one?

At Christmas, my mother would buy Pickled Watermelon Rind. I asked her once why she only bought it at Christmas, she said because it was too expensive, thus making it a special treat.  So why don’t we buy it for the Fourth of July, Memorial Day or Mother’s Day? I think we do this, because it helps build the jolliness of the season and the spirit of Christmas.

My grandmother would make candied citrus peels; my Mother-in-Law, Paddy makes fudge and the fruitcake cookies I gave you earlier. My mother would make Mexican Wedding cookies among other treats.

I have on the carried tradition of cookies and sweets. Every year the kids and I sit down and make out a list. Most of the time there are more on list than we can make. The favorites though, are always at the top; we make those first. Those include Snickerdoodles for my daughter, the candied citrus peels for my son and white chocolate macadamia cookies for my husband.

My family likes fudge, I have never made it even though Paddy gave me the recipe 17 years ago. I decided to try making it yesterday. I followed the directions and still was apprehensive about how it would turn out. Four hours after pouring the candy into the pan, it looked like under cooked brownies…

My first thought was "3 cups of sugar down the drain," until my husband said we should mix it into in ice cream, ooohhhh yummy! That thought rolled around in my head all through dinner.

After a quick run to the store for vanilla ice cream, we got ready to scoop out the fudge only to find it finally harden. We still had ice cream, but the thrill of having gooey chocolate with it was gone. Oh, don’t fear, I broke up pieces of the fudge in the ice cream. It was not gooey but still spectacular!

So just a note to all of you if you have not made fudge before, it might take four to six hours for it “set up.”

I think the next time I make this I am going to experiment a bit, by adding peanut butter or marshmallows. I thought it might be fun to make both chocolate and peanut butter fudge, and then layer them. I can’t stand peanut butter, so I will have to have taste testers… does anyone want to volunteer?

Paddy’s Fudge

Ingredients:

3 cups of white sugar

¾ cup Hershey’s coco powder

1 ½ cups of milk (I used 1%)

½ cup of light Karo Syrup

1 stick of butter, halved

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 cup of pecans, chopped (or nuts of your choice)

Directions:

In a large saucepan mix sugar, milk, Karo, ½ cup of butter and coco powder. Do not get worried if the coco powder just sits on top of the liquids, it will eventually mix in.

Bring mixture to a rapid boil until you form a soft ball in cold water ***I would suggest using a candy thermometer; it will make it easier to determine if the candy is done***

Remove from heat and add the additional butter, vanilla and nuts.

Beat until nearly cool, pour into a buttered platter. Cut when cool into desired size.

I used a glass Pyrex 9”X13” pan, and then cut into one-inch square pieces.

Pumpkin, Gingered Soup

One more pumpkin soup recipe for you to try. This one I would suggest carving out cooking pumpkins and serving the soup in it. This would make a lovely dish for American Thanksgiving dinner. This is another super easy and filling soup that is also not going take up very much of your time. If you are making this for a dinner party, you can very easily make a few days ahead of time. Store in an airtight container then reheat on low medium when ready to use. The original recipe can be found in Country Living website. 
   

Ingredients:

2 15 ounce cans pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

5 1/3 cups of chicken bouillon or 43.5 ounces of chicken broth

1 1/3 cups of white grape juice

1/3 cup peanut butter, creamy

2 Tablespoons minced garlic

2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger, or ¼ teaspoon dried ground ginger

3 Tablespoons chopped green onions

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ tablespoon lime juice

Directions:

Combine pumpkin puree, chicken broth, and pear nectar, in a large soup pot.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes

Transfer one cup of pumpkin mixture to a food processor, add peanut butter and mix until smooth.

Return to pot and add remaining ingredients, simmer for 5 minutes before serving.

Garnish with either pumpkin seeds or chives.

To serve in a pumpkin:

Preheat oven to 375°F

Clean a cooking pumpkin, removing all pulp and seeds.

Place pumpkins on a baking sheet lined with foil

Bake for 45 minutes with top on. Allow to cool before adding soup

Are you in the Holiday 37%

With the holidays come high fat, high calorie foods. Weight gain between Thanksgiving and New Year’s on average is between one to ten pounds. According to survey, published in 2011, Consumer Reports asked what Americans dreaded the most about the holidays; at 37%, weight gain tied for second, along with going into debt.

The holiday spread does not need to happen, if you are careful about what you chose to eat. Instead of loading your plate with heaping portions of everything, try a small spoonful of your favorites. Drink water instead of wine or other spirits. Save the wine for the toast at dinner or midnight. Prefer soda; try a diet version or less sugar/calorie version like Pepsi One.

 Studies have shown if you drink a glass of water before your meal, you will consume less food. Did you know it takes 20 minutes for your brain to realize it is full? No wonder we all over eat! If you drink a glass of water before you hit the buffet line, this will give your brain time to realize you are not as hungry as you think. Slow down, chew slowly, and engage in the conversation around you, thus giving your brain and stomach time to chat with each other.  

Most importantly, listen to your body; you do not have to be a part of the clean plate club. It is ok to leave food on your plate, that is why everyone asks for doggie bags when they go out to a restaurant.

 Yes, you can have dessert, with small portions and smart choices. I know for me personally, I just want a taste of something sweet. Just a fork or spoonful, cures my sweets tooth.

The recipe I am giving you today, nobody will ever know it is low fat unless you tell. My friend Cheryl has had this recipe for over twenty years. I cannot stand peanut butter, but I love this. You can of course make it full fat, but you do not need too. So what does this taste like? Peanut butter mousse.

Peanut Butter Fluff

Ingredients:

Graham crackers (if you can find the low fat ones even better) enough to line a 9” X 13” pan (about six full crackers)

16 ounces Sugar Free Cool-Whip

2 cup low or nonfat milk

¾ cup peanut butter

1 6 ounce box sugar free Vanilla Jell-O brand pudding

Directions:

Line a 9” X 13” pan with graham crackers.

In a large bowl, mix milk and peanut butter until smooth.

Add pudding to the mix; beat for one minute.

Fold in ¾ of Cool Whip.

Spread mixture evenly on graham crackers.

Spread remaining Cool Whip on top and refrigerate one hour.