I haven't given props yet on my blog to someone who inspires me culinarily more than most.... Paula Deen. It's not that she uses extra-technical savviness or know-how....it's just that she is a warm, Southern, hospitable lady who loves to cook for others. Though her recipes are not exactly on the list of the American Heart Association's "top ten" (by far), I turn to her sometimes....after all, what's life if you can't have a treat every now and then? I watch her show with enthusiasm....I look at her outfitted kitchen with a bit of envy....and I want so badly to crash through the television screen and get a hug from her cheery, grandma-self. I'd love to spend a day with her and just listen to her wisecracks and funny old sayings. And then, there's the food itself that she creates..... In honor of her, I am whipping up a batch of sausage balls this afternoon to serve at home group's "brunch" tonight. I am not the only home group
For one of the hundreds of parties we are to attend this year during the holidays (or so it seems!), I wanted to find something rich, finger-food-style, and oh-so-chocolatey. Our electric power was restored by this time (we had an ice storm, in case you don't read my other blog), but our cable internet was still out. Thus, I had to resort to magazines and cookbooks to plan this week's menu (yes, the old-fashioned way!). I found this recipe from Baker's chocolate company, and I amended it to make it a little less sweet and a little more chocolatey. Pure yumminess. BAKER'S DEATH BY WHITE CHOCOLATE COOKIES 1 pkg. (8 squares) Baker's Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate 3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar 1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter, softened 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 c. flour 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1 pkg. (6 squares) Baker's Premium White Baking Chocolate, coarsely chopped, or 1 cup Bakers' White Chocolate Chunks (I used semisweet chocolate chunks instead) 2 c. chopped
On a recent trip to Earthfare, there was a sample station set up near the entrance with a man handing out ice cream. Peach ice cream, to be exact. What made me take a double take was that the ice cream was spilling out the front of a Champion juicer. I bought one of these juicers last summer, and I have to admit, I haven't used it as often as I should. Enter a new and novel way to use it: I'm hooked. I marked this thought down to pull up later when I came across some fresh peaches. Which is what I did yesterday. I exited our local produce stand with some ripened peaches, 1/2 peck to be exact (I always way overestimate). I came home and promptly set to work on this cold treat. Seven hours later, what you see here is what came out of my wonderful juicing machine. Pure delight. I never knew peaches could be captured so poetically within a slurry of milk and sugar. CHAMPION JUICER'S PEACH ICE CREAM (Makes 1 quart) 2 cups sliced peaches (peeled) 1-1/2 c. organic skim m
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