cookiesinheaven

I took a couple of bread baking classes in Pasadena when King Arthur Flour was having a "traveling baking tour." It was terrific. I learned a great deal, although I have always been a tad hesitant when trying to bake bread. They eased my mind and made the day fun (and delicious, might I add...) But, you don't have to wait for them to come around to you...you can go to them. Online. Here.

To aid with two great cancer foundations, The Susan Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Lance Armstrong Foundation, they have a great "pink" baking pie dish from Emile Henry. Get yours HERE.

And, of course, they have great recipes in their books...and online.

Terri's Teacakes

Terri Bartlett recently won first place in our King Arthur Hallowe'en costume contest, dressed as a chef clothed in a giant bag of King Arthur Flour. Little did you realize that if you called us on the Friday before Hallowe'en, you could very well have talked to Big Bird, the Jolly Green Giant, Dracula, or Glinda, the Witch of the West. Luckily, we don't yet have "viewing" telephones! These cookies are very reminiscent of Mexican Wedding Cookies, if you've ever come across that recipe. So tender they truly melt in your mouth, they're another good candidate for some glitter decoration.

Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter 1/4 teaspoon salt* 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar or glazing sugar* 1 teaspoon vanilla OR 1 teaspoon almond-vanilla powder* 2 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Coating
1 cup glazing* or confectioners' sugar 3 to 4 tablespoons edible colored glitter* (to color cookies, optional)

*If you use salted butter, omit the added salt.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter and salt until soft and fluffy. Mix in the confectioners' or glazing sugar and flavoring. Add the flour and mix until well-combined, then knead in the chopped nuts.

Form the dough into 1-inch balls; a teaspoon cookie scoop is a real time-saver, and your cookies will be nice and uniform, as well. Place the balls on an ungreased baking sheet, and bake them in a preheated 350°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes. The cookies should be very light brown on the bottom and feel "set."

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before disturbing; they're very fragile when they first come out of the oven. Mix the confectioners' or glazing sugar with the edible glitter (if you're using it) and place it in a shallow pan. Roll the warm cookies in the sugar. Let them cool completely then re -roll in the sugar. When completely cool, store them in airtight containers for 1 week, or freeze for longer storage. Yield: approximately forty 1-inch cookies.

to eat "cookie!"

I didn't shop them during the strike. Somehow cutting people's hours and wages and slashing their benefits, while the executives' salaries and benefits escalated, just seemed wrong. And, what they apparently did during that strike to undermine their own workers, is, again, completely wrong.

Ralphs Grocery Co. will pay $70 million under a deal approved in federal court Monday to settle charges it illegally hired hundreds of workers under fake names during a 2003-2004 grocery strike and lockout.

In accepting the deal, U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson harangued the supermarket chain for its actions.

"Ralphs subverted a process designed to ensure labor disputes are resolved fairly and equitably," Anderson said. "The plea agreement imposes meaningful financial punishment on Ralphs." - OC Register and LATimes

I will continue to frequent my local farmer's markets and Trader Joe's, but for those infrequent trips to a commerical grocery store, I'll gladly say hello to Gelson's again.

Group Recipes.

Group Recipes was created by two nerdy Alton Brown wannabes who wanted a place where they could explore food with other foodies. To us, food is a whole lot more than just ingredients and directions. It's art. It's visual, emotional, personal, social, and so much more.

It's too cooooooool for schooooool!

Thinking of y'all today. Hope all is well.

• Big Island Grinds from Hilo, Hawaii
• The Free Range Gourmet
• Maona is Hawaiian for "satisifed after eating,"
• Nattokun from Mililani, Hawaii.
• The big cupcake of Hawaiian food blogs is 'Ono Kine Grindz, with 'onolicious eats from Hawaii and around the world
• HawaiiDiner.com
• The Tasty Island
• Sonia Tastes Hawaii
• Lindy's Ono Recipes
  

The so-called "Santa Barbara Festival of Art". Let's just call it the "Lincoln SUV show"

Be sure to stop by Lincoln's SAVOR THE DREAM experience where top local chefs chosen by Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines will be on hand to give demonstrations, provide samples and distribute recipes of signature dishes. While there, get a taste of Lincoln by test-driving the new 2007 Lincoln Navigator, the all-new 2007 Lincoln MKX and the new 2007 Lincoln MKZ.

"LOCAL CHEFS"? Local? Let's see...we're in Santa Barbara. The Chefs are from Los Angeles. Get a freaking clue.

Festive cuisine: The Festival's outdoor cafés will offer a wide range of excellent foods from around the world. Beer, wine and sodas and other beverages will be available along the stroll to quench the thirst of festival attendees. In support of festival cafés, no coolers please.

What outdoor cafes? There was about a smattering of a few food booths. 1 Coffee. 1 Roasted Corn. 1 Guacamole. 1 All-around "catering". 1 Kinda wine eventy thing. And you had to buy "tickets" instead of actually walking up and paying for the so-called food.

And, ART? The same sort of stuff I saw at the much more exciting Harbor Festival yesterday. Jewelry. Jewelry. Jewelry. Carved wood baskets. Jewelry. And lots of shiny gas guzzling Lincoln SUVs. Lots of bimbo's walking around with ugly looking aprons on.

I think I counted about 150 people yesterday afternoon. I'm heading downtown this afternoon. Think I might stop by to see if Chef Rocco shows up with Mamma. The only poster I saw advertising him demostrating cooking was on a hotel used by the homeless here in town.

Is Trump in town filming the lastest "Apprentice?" This is "event" is abysmal. The "team" throwing this piece o' crap should be fired.

Well...not really. But CookingLight is having a little "foodie get together" and I'm dragging my friends wife with me!

What You'll Experience
Join us on a culinary exploration of exotic India through food and wine. With our chef as your guide, you will sample Indian curries, explore wine pairings, and learn simple techniques for using McCormick Gourmet Collection® herbs and spices in your own cooking. At the end of your journey, you’ll know how to prepare each dish at home, plus have expert tips on starting your own Supper Club so you can take your own culinary adventure with friends both old and new.

Looking over the menu, I'm already getting hungry!

To a King's Taste. New Orleans, National Society of Colonial Dames, 1952. (this copy 1971)

• Advertised as favorite recipes of Carnival kings and queens and with a brief Foreword by Harnett Kane, this book of recipes collected by elite women gives also history of Carnival, the words to "If Ever I Cease to Love," a listing of the kings and queens of Rex (1872-1971. The recipes are attributed to specific women, with a designation if they were queens and the year of their reign. In addition, the foreign recipes section is gathered from various consulates in the city. Social historians might enjoy this book for the twist on colonies and royalty in America. The recipes themselves are many and very traditional. Irish potato puffs, corn pancakes, and a number of artichoke recipes seem somewhat different from this New Orleans fare. The Daube Glace here is called Daube Glace Creole, and there is a ribs' dressing that relies on molasses something many New Orleanians take for granted since it was, for long years, made in the city and still is made in Louisiana.

The front cover is Green (for Friendship), Purple (for Royalty) and Gold (for Purity) with an embossed white crown. I can't find too much about the cookbook itself, but plenty on the Krewe of Rex. The cookbook itself is filled with the traditional Nawhlins fair...Turtle, Pecans, Oysters, Seafood, and various zesty recipes.

It is illustrated with delightful 1950ish black and white drawings with well known, and not so well known quotes from well known people, and not so well known.

The book was a great find, and for only $4.50 I thought it was a steal, although, inside it does reference "If unable to obtain to a King's Taste through your local dealer, send $3.50 to 7918 Freret Street, New Orleans. Please add $.30 for postage and shipping." Amazing the cost of things in 1971. But then again, the price of a home in 1971 was $28,300.00.

Orange Coated Pecans

2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 orange rind, grated
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 pound pecans

Bring sugar and milk to a boil; add vinegar, then boil until it forms a soft ball. Pour hot syrup over the nuts that have been mixed with rind and stir until the nuts are coated. Cool on platter and separate.

Submitted by Mrs. Reginald H. Carter, Sr.

(I always wonder who these ladies were and what their lives were like and how they came about the recipes they offered to local cookbooks.)

Television never tasted so good!

with a handsome British boyfriend and watching the Doobie Brothers. Wow...that was a "sweet Summer!"

Since May 21, 1986.... 1,000 sections 15,000 recipes

is OPEN!

A bit more than a year actually. The teal-colored grande dame of Garden District restaurants closed in August 2005 as Hurricane Katrina headed toward the city. After 13 months of repairs and a $5 million renovation, Commander's reopened to its adoring public Sunday morning. - The Times Picayune

BREAD PUDDING SOUFFLE WITH WHISKEY SAUCE
Yields 6

BREAD PUDDING

3/4 cups Sugar
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
Pinch of Nutmeg
3 Medium Eggs
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 tsp. Vanilla
5 cups New Orleans French Bread, 1" cubed (see note)
1/3 cup Raisins
(18: in length or approximately 1 1/3 G/ sliced thin)

WHISKEY SAUCE

1 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 Tbsp. Corn Starch
1 Tbsp. Water
3 Tbsp. Sugar
1/4 cup Bourbon

MERINGUE

9 Medium Egg Whites
3/4 cups Sugar
1/4 tsp. Cream of Tartar

To make the bread pudding, first preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8" square baking pan. Combine sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs until smooth, then work in the heavy cream. Add the vanilla, then the bread cubes. Allow bread to soak up custard.

Place the raisins in a greased pan. Top with the egg mixture, which prevents the raisins from burning. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until the pudding has a golden brown color and is firm to the touch. If a toothpick inserted in the pudding comes out clean, it is done. The mixture of pudding should be nice and moist, not runny or dry. Cool to room temperature.

To make the whiskey sauce, place the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Whisk corn starch and water together, and add to cream while whisking. Bring to a boil. Whisk and let simmer for a few seconds, taking care not to burn the mixture on the bottom. Remove from heat.

Stir in the sugar and the bourbon. Taste to make sure the sauce has a thick consistency, a sufficiently sweet taste, and a good bourbon flavor. Cool to room temperature.

To make the meringue, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter six 6 ounce ramekins. First, be certain that the bowl and whisk are clean. The egg whites should be completely free of yolk, and they will whip better if the chill is off them. This dish needs a good, stiff meringue. In a large bowl or mixer, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Add the sugar gradually, and continue whipping until shiny and thick. Test with a clean spoon. If the whites stand up stiff, like shaving cream, when you pull out the spoon, the meringue is ready. Do not overwhip, or the whites will break down and the soufflé will not work.

In a large bowl, break half the bread pudding into pieces using your hands or a spoon. Gently fold in one-quarter of the meringue, being careful not to lose the air in the whites. Add a portion of this base to each of the ramekins.

Place the remaining bread pudding in the bowl, break into pieces, and carefully fold in the rest of the meringue. Top off the soufflés with this lighter mixture, to about 1 1/2 inches. Smooth and shape tops with spoon into a dome over the ramekin rim. Bake immediately for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately. Using a spoon, poke a hole in the top of each soufflé, at the table, and pour the room temperature whiskey sauce inside the soufflé.

Note: New Orleans French bread is very light and tender. If substitute bread is used that is too dense, it will soak up all the custard and the recipe will not work.