November 12, 2016

Easy Potatoes

Mom made these for me on, I think, Wednesday night. They were the best things ever. I used to hate potatoes because they were bland, but Mom has a way of working magic in the kitchen, don't even ask me how she does it. If you asked me right now, I'd have to say I have no idea except for a few vague things because I didn't watch her make these potatoes, but I recreated them (or something similar...it might have just been a replica) and I think I did a lot better than I thought I would, but either way here they are in all their glory.

Ingredients
  • potatoes (as many as you think you can eat)
  • cheese
  • sour cream
  • green onions
  • salt
Directions
  1. poke lots of holes in the potatoes, wrap them in damp paper towels, stick them in a potato baker thing (you know those things). If you don't have one (or time), just stick them in the microwave. This worked for my dad who started making them and apparently worked for Mom, who finished the job (lucky for me, probably, because Dad's the only one I know who can burn water -- and I'm only mostly joking and I love Dad to pieces so I don't care what he does to my food). Microwave for 2 minutes.
  2. take them out, slice in half from top to bottom, but slice them along the longest side. I don't really know how to make myself clear, but cut it in half. Fish out all the insides, put them in a bowl for later. Scrape like you would scrape burned toast. Get everything out like cleaning a deer -- you don't want to leave anything in that might make it not-so-great later. 
  3. now stick just the "shells", potato skins, in the oven, turn on the broiler (on "HI"), and leave them there. Go back to your bowl full of potato guts.
  4. get the sour cream, cheese, onions, and salt. Put in the sour cream until it's creamy and looks like mashed potatoes. Throw in some cheese, mix up, then chop up a couple green onions, throw them in too, and mix up some salt. Taste it and see if it agrees with your taste buds. Adjust as needed.
  5. pull out the skins, put in the "filling" -- whatever you call that. Sprinkle lots and lots of cheese on the top, and try to avoid getting any on the pan (unless you've lined it with foil) because it will be a major pain to clean that pan off, trust me!
  6. stick back in the oven until cheese is melted and potatoes have that great look where it's browned on the tips of the potato...mmYUM!
  7. take out, eat!
  8. and enjoy ;)
have a great...winter! Only 12 days until Thanksgiving and 43 until Christmas!

October 6, 2016

Biscuits for One (Or Two!) + Monkey Bread

Google "monkey bread single serve from scratch" and all you get are pages and pages (and pages) of recipes with packaged, store-bought dough.

Huh?

How is that from scratch?

I was raised with a mom who just pulled stuff out of a hat. Or, her brain. She just knew what would go together, what tasted good, and how to make it.

The opposite of me.

So tonight the church had a 25th anniversary dinner and so she and Dad went with my two sisters went and I made apple crisp for people who stayed at home.

Well, one thing I don't like is apple crisp. It's "eh" for me.

So Mom said I could eat anything I wanted, so I decided to get a little crazy and go for something pretty ambitious (for me). Monkey bread.

We have never carried store-bought dough, ever, I don't think, because Mom doesn't like the taste (I've never had it, so I don't know what it tastes like).

But that meant I was sunk. Without store-bought stuff or bread, how could I make the recipe?

Simply put: make the dough. Google "biscuits for one" and there you go.

Here's what I did. It takes, like, twenty minutes. But it's supposed to take seventeen. Oh well, words can be deceiving.

For the biscuits:
followed the recipe. When she says it should resemble course sand, don't believe her. It resembles flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar with some butter chunks that aren't mixing in well. But keep at it until you can't tell what's butter. Or just play by ear. You'll be fine.

And then, if you're going to just make biscuits, do it now. And enjoy, because it goes really well with tea, which is why I added the "tea" label. Just because.

If you're not making biscuits, get a custard cup and put some dough in it (dough is a little too wet for monkey bread), and add two spoons of flour and mix until, when you rip open the dough, it isn't wet and sticky. It should be a little bit stickier than pizza dough.

Then melt 1 Tbsp butter and mix 2 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Then roll the pizza-dough-biscuit-dough (PDBD) in the melted butter, until it's covered, and then plop it in the cinnamon-sugar-mix until it's well-coated.

If you run out of PDBD, and you don't want to go through the whole dough-"thickening" process a-gain (it's a huge pain), just get some wet dough, roll in butter and cinnamon sugar and there you go. It will be more like a cinnamon-sugar-biscuit (with the deceiving appearance of a sugar cookie), and become flat because the extra flour will stabilize it and keep it upright and more monkey-bread-like. So. That's the monkey bread. Bake it with the biscuits, if you're doing both (like me), at the same temp (400 degrees F), for the same time (10-12m...I did 11m).

And that's it.

July 12, 2016

Decadent Hot Chocolate - Single Serve

You know that post I made, like, forever ago about the hot chocolate/cocoa? It makes about 5 servings and sometimes you just feel like one serving -- you know?

I always feel like just one serving. Of a drink. Not food.

Well, today I got home from the Y and felt like making myself some cocoa/chocolate while I enjoyed my great hair day (haha). Turns out we almost never have cocoa mix unless it's the dead of a snowy winter and we're going to be sledding all day, so I had (just had) to make myself some. I really like the decadent cocoa stuff, so I decided to make that except, um, one problem -- I can't make a single-serve mugful of that stuff.

Ohh WAIT.

I just did.

I cut the recipe in half, basically, and bingo, there you go -- Single-Serve Decadent Hot Chocolate.

Enjoy.

Ingredients
  • 3/4 c milk (I used 1%, but any kind will do)
  • 1/4 c heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 T cocoa powder, unsweetened
  • 1/2 T gran sugar
  • 2 T choc chips, semi-sweet (not important, but to get that not-quite-too-sweet flavor, semi is the best kind)
  • 1/4 t vanilla extract
Directions
  1. Mix milk, cream, cocoa powder, and sugar together. I used a measuring pitcher thing (Pyrex) because my whisk didn't fit in my cup and besides, it's easier when it's bigger. Much easier to whisk. So, whisk it all together or stir, it doesn't matter, but it's cooler to watch the cocoa powder mix in when you whisk it, so I'd suggest you whisk it. 
  2. Microwave for 1:30m or until steaming (I microwaved mine for 1:30m and it was perfect -- just warm. If I had done it for 2m, it would have been tongue-burning hot, but as it was it was right there on the spot. Perfect!)
  3. Add chocolate chips and vanilla extract, stir and then cover for 30s, to give the ch. chips enough time to melt a little bit. Whisk until smooth.
The chocolate stuck to the side of my measuring pitcher, so I'd say look at the edges to make sure it's all off. Unless your cup isn't glass and then bummer for you because once you reach the bottom, you'll notice streaks of chocolate on the side. Yich, it sounds really gross the way I put it.

But it's really delicious, and a little bit creamier than the original. If you don't like the taste of creamy in your drinks, I'd suggest you put in an 1/8 c and leave it at that. What I would do if I were you and didn't like creamy tastes in drinks, I'd try it first and see how I like it and then try it without so much cream. Or without cream at all. But that might fail -- I've never tried it without cream.

But that might be because I made it, for the first time, (and made it up, too) today.

Your thoughts?




P.S. I have a lot more recipes that I'm hoping to get around to posting so eek! Very excited but I'm technically still not blogging on here. I'm not coming back, but I'm posting occasionally. Just pretend I'm a guest poster...without a post host. Or whatever they're called.

July 9, 2016

June Wrap-Up

I labeled this as "review" because it's a review over the month.

Ummm...

Yeah, that's it.

Thanks!

May 9, 2016

Arrivaderci

Hello, all!

I have recently started a blog called Remodify and have been working on that for a long time. While I was working on it, I started thinking and realized that three blogs was too much to handle all at once -- and still post frequently. Since Remodify will need pictures, I need to aim my focus on that blog. And since I don't have any more recipes to post, I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to stop posting on Salt Water Taffy. I will leave it open for the general public (but mostly for me) so they can have access to recipes (so that I can have access to recipes, nobody else reads this but me) and if I get new recipes I will definitely post them (if I find time, that is).

Right now I'm working on Remodify and Stars on the Sea.

Since I won't be posting on here anymore and someone may come along and read this in six years, I might as well tell you all about me. Mostly about this blog, but about me, too.

I am, yes, thirteen (do I write like it?), and no, I do not have any sense of humor whatsoever (have you noticed?), I only pretend to (have you noticed?). I've read a couple of my posts in the past and it sounds like I'm living on my own. That's not the case. If you've forgotten, I'm still thirteen. If I say I called my mom, it means my mom was out and I called her. On the phone. If you were wondering how I fit everything in after school and why Mom doesn't just shop while I'm in it (school), answer is I'm homeschooled so she stays home. Her job is to teach, so she doesn't have time to go to the store or get her nails done or gab about with friends and do fun stuff. She likes hanging out with me too much (oh boy).

On last thing -- the other reason I wanted to stop blogging (I didn't list another reason, but there is one) is because, next to Remodify, this blog looks grey, dingy, UNAPPETIZING (get it because it's a food blog lolololololol there's my fake humor again), and unprofessional. My sister Skye is a graphic designer and I've seen websites she's in favor of. I can tell you right now that Salt Water Taffy's never been on there.

I was joking.

Of course it's never been on there (how in the world would she find it and why would she look at it for more than 2 seconds), it's just a way of saying SWT looks ugly. It's just not very good-looking. Yeah, I could totally fix it up, but I don't really want to because I don't have any more recipes and now I'm just repeating myself and now I'm just repeating myself.

Well so long, Screwy.

~Mairi, age 13 (14 on June 6th)

P.S. I thoroughly enjoyed my vacation, though!

April 21, 2016

Blog Hiatus

I'm going to take a few weeks off (this week and next week -- maybe longer, but I'll tell you when the time comes) for a break and a vacation. This week is going to be really busy getting ready for the vacation and next week will be the vacation. I might take a longer one because I'm getting a little tired of blogging and because I only have so many recipes I can post.

But I have a delicious recipe (obviously -- I'm not going to give you something gross) for pumpkin bread and another for... well, I'm calling it pasta soup (because there's pasta salad, so what about soup?) but my mom said it actually tastes pretty similar to Hamburger Helper and since I personally don't like Hamburger Helper, I'm not going to call it that and turn off potential eaters by giving it the wrong title. So.

I'll see you in two weeks! Until then,




(like, your break)

April 15, 2016

Decadent Hot Chocolate Rewrite

Updated the Decadent Hot Chocolate recipe, if you guys want better cocoa (if I do say so myself -- though the America's Test Kitchen one was pretty good too).

Check it out and tell me what you think!

April 2, 2016

Salted Caramel - My Way

You may remember my post on our favorite salted caramel recipe?

Well, that wasn't exactly the recipe we use. That's why I'm here. Like, that's why this post is here. That's why I wrote this post.

This is exactly the recipe we use.

More or less.

You'll Need
  • 1 stick butter, unsalted
  • 1/2 c light brown sugar
  • 1/2 c granulated (white) sugar
  • 1 c cream
  • 1 tsp salt
Directions
  1. Melt the butter
  2. Dump in sugars, stir, mix in
  3. Stir until sugar mix starts to get a little bit hard. You'll know when it gets "hard" because the mix will start sliding off of your spatula, leaving close to nothing behind when you pull it up out of the mix (tell me you do that too because if you don't, I have no idea how to explain what "hard" means here)
  4. Once it's "hard", add cream, stir until boiling. Keep stirring, even after it's started boiling, then after a little bit of stirring (30-60 seconds?), turn off heat.
  5. Add salt, stir until salt is well mixed in.
  6. Pour into quart jar, store in fridge until needed.
For Heating Directions
  1. Put jar in microwave
  2. Microwave for 30 min, no more
  3. If it's not runny and easy to use, put it in for 30 seconds more, but BE VERY CAREFUL -- you can overheat it and then it's "hard" and gloppy and gross
  4. Take out, serve and




Salted Caramel is great for...
  1. drinks
    1. (hot) coffee
    2. cold coffee
    3. hot chocolate/cocoa
    4. cappuccinos (frozen)
  2. frosting/topping (see #1 under #10)
  3. decor on cake
  4. candy
  5. desserts
    1. ice cream sundae
    2. mug cake
    3. cake
      1. or, decor on cake (see #5)
    4. pie (pecan pie - yum!)
    5. pizookies
  6. sweet dips
    1. cookie dough dip and the like
  7.  or your mouth!

April 1, 2016

March Wrap-Up

Think of all the wonderful stuff you've accomplished in March...

Now think of all the stuff I've accomplished in March!

Still nothing?

Just to get you started, here are a few things I've done to this blog -- all in March.

March 2 -
March 8 -
March 10 -
March 11 -
March 14 -
March 22 -
March 31 -
  • Made 2016 SPRING BANNER! (aw yaya!)
So, that's it. April Fool's, that's not it! ...but, that's it for March. ;)

March 22, 2016

Apple Spice Dump Cake

Hi guys! Long time, no see, right?

Yeaaah, don't get me started.

Anyway, I found this recipe from a long time ago when I went on an overnight hiking trip (which was really fun by the way -- it was very pretty). The food wasn't all that fantastic, but the best of it was the dump cakes we had. My favorite was this one -- apple spice dump cake. It's not terrific, but it'll get you by on a camping trip.

Me, I was starving, so it was great.

But it probably wouldn't be if I had it again. Besides, I was younger then and was willing to eat anything set before me. Now...not so much.

So, the cake.

DIRECTIONS FOR CAMPFIRE APPLE DUMP CAKE

You'll Need
  • 1 can apple slices
  • 1 bag/box spice cake mix 
  • 1 stick butter, unsalted
Directions
  1. dump apple slices into dutch oven
  2. dump in cake mix, dry. Smooth over apple slices
  3. cut butter into slices abt 1/2 inch thick, put them in dutch oven, checker-board style, starting in center and moving out
  4. put lid on dutch oven, put on fire for 30 min
  5. take off, serve, and
Enjoy!

Or you can do it at home.

DIRECTIONS FOR HOMEMADE DUMP CAKE
Note: this isn't homemade if you don't make the batter from scratch. Just so you know.

You'll Need
  • as many apple slices as fit in 6 oz. can (1-2 small apples, I'd guess)
  • 1 batch batter (I'd make my batter from scratch because that will boost the yummy but you do what works for you)
  • 1 stick butter, unsalted
Directions
  1. do steps 1-3 in the directions for campfire apple spice dump cake
  2. put lid on dutch oven, put on stove for 30 min on 6 or set oven to 350° and bake for 30 min, checking to see if it's done (I say check it because I've never made this at home, so I have to guess)
  3. Take out/off, serve, and
Scriptina Regular
For additional flavors, you might want to try these combinations below. You can switch out the fruit for any other fruit you like. You can also switch out the cake mix, but make sure it doesn't clash with the fruit!

The first ingredient is the fruit, the second is the kind of cake mix. For example, "apple and spice". "Apple" is the fruit, while "spice" is the kind of cake mix.
  1. peach and spice
  2. raspberry and chocolate
  3. blueberry and chocolate
  4. apple and lemon
  5. apple and white
  6. peach and white
  7. lemon and lemon
  8. raspberry and lemon
  9. pineapple and spice
  10. strawberry and spice
  11. raspberry and rhubarb
Mix and match, test the waters, and see what you like!

March 14, 2016

Key Lime Pie, Mom's Way

Happy Pi Day!

Because of it being Pi Day, I'm going to go back, delete my previous post on "Key Lime Pie, Mom's Way" and repost it here, because we're going to make it today, because it's easy and it's Pi Day, so why not?

And, I don't want to be repetitive, so to everyone who doesn't read this blog frequently (haha, I don't even read it frequently), it will just look like what everyone else is doing on Pi Day.

So, simplest pie ever for Pi Day.

Copied directly from Mom's recipe on paper to here. Enjoy!

You'll Need...

Graham Cracker Crust
  • 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 11 graham crackers)
  • 3 T white granulated sugar
  • 5 T unsalted butter, melted
Lime Filling
  • 4 tsp grated lime zest
  • 1/2 cup strained lime juice from 3-4 limes (if you use Key Limes, you need 11-12 limes)
  • 4 egg yolks (the yellow part... haha, ask how I know)
  • 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
Whipped Cream Topping
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream, chilled
  • 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Directions...

CRUST
Heat oven to 325. Mix crumbs and sugar in medium bowl. Add melted butter, stir with fork until well-blended. Scrape into a 9" pie pan; press crumbs evenly over bottom and up sides of pan to form even crust. Bake about 15 minutes, until just a shade darker. Cook to room temp, about 20 minutes. Leave oven on.

FILLING
whisk zest and yolks in medium until tinted green. (Isn't it pretty?) It'll take about 2 minutes. Don't skimp on time! Beat in milk, then juice; set aside for 10 min to thicken. Pour lime filling into cooled crust; bake until center is set, yet still wiggly when jiggled (look at all those "g"s! Onomotopoeia!) Cool to room temp and refigerate until cold, at least 3 hrs (at this point, you can cover with oiled plastic wrap directly on the filling and hold in the fridge for 24 hrs).

WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING
Up to 2 hrs before serving, whip cream to very soft (floppy) peaks. Add confectioners' sugar 1 Tbsp at a time while whipping to stiff peaks. Don't over-beat or it will be greasy. Spread over pie and serve.
Scriptina Regular

March 11, 2016

Kitchen Tip - How To Make Almost-Best Scrambled Eggs Ever

I know, it sounds a whole lot like a recipe but trust me it's just how to add a little zing to your already-probably-perfect scrambled eggs.

Me, I don't know how to make eggs because I had to teach myself.

Like, have you ever ever ever heard of a recipe for scrambled eggs?

No.

You haven't. You just have not. It's not really anywhere in one of those cookbooks anywhere that you've ever heard of.

Because the thing is, it's kind of something you're like almost born with -- something you have to teach yourself.

And I did that.

But I think I taught myself wrong.

(wrongly?)

Anyway, to add some zing...

March 10, 2016

Kitchen Tip - How to Evenly Melt Butter (Microwave-style)

We've all had this trouble, haven't we?

Too little patience, too many ideas, a tempting microwave sitting right there...

That's the smooth and paved way to doom and you've probably taken it countless amounts of times, have you not. Just kidding, you probably haven't. Let me guess you've done it 0-5 times.

Well, I've done it two times and counting but I found a way to do it the right way.

I stumbled upon this convenient "life"hack a few days ago when I was making a batch of cookie dough (ee-yum -- we have the best recipe ever...but everyone says that, so I won't). I put in two sticks of butter and they both need to be softened -- it takes, oh, two hours?

On a good day.

Just kidding, I have no idea how long it takes to soften because I always leave it there and forget about it and then come back like five hours lady and it's softened. Whoooops. Oh well.

So, on that particular day that I was making the cookie dough, I decided I didn't have enough patience to get sidetracked and then wait a whole long time to have the butter soften and then start the process of making the cookie dough so I decided to give the microwave a go.

Now remember, I try to stay away from microwaves when I'm messing with softened butter because I always end up with a butter puddle. That's the way I roll when I'm trying to soften something.

I melt it.

But this time I was feeling adventurous and pressed for time (sort of -- not really, but I was telling myself I was pressed for time to give myself a boost of confidence and shake off that foreboding sense of doom) and so I popped the butter in the microwave.

March 8, 2016

5 Min or Less - Frozen Cappuccinos

I'm surprised I haven't posted this yet. I was sure (so sure that I even searched this blog just to make sure) that I had already posted this recipe.

If not, then I'll go ahead and do it, because everyone should have this recipe.

It's really good -- especially on a hot, hot melting summer day. The ones that are creeping up on us. Today it was -- is -- like, 70 out. It was terrific! I love summer. Cannot wait!

Serves: 4 (if you're serving in small glasses -- but it really serves 1, in a coke glass)
Time: 5 min, max

Ingredients
  • ice cubes, a lot of 'em
  • 1 t inst coffee
  • 1/4 c white sugar
  • 1/4 c cream
  • 1/4 c milk
Directions
  1. fill the cup you'll be using to serve with ice cubes, up to the brim. Pour into the blender.
  2. pour in sugar, cream, milk in that order (saves cup measures and cream -- explanation later)
  3. dump in inst. coffee
  4. pulse on high till smooth, or until ice breaks down (about 5 pulses)
  5. pour into cup(s) and
Scriptina Regular 
You know how I told you to pour the sugar, cream, milk in that order into the blender because it saves cup measures and cream? And how I told you I'd explain it later? This is the later. One, it saves cup measures because you only need one cup measure to measure those three ingredients because once you've gotten the dry ingredients out of the way, you can measure lots of wet ingredients and reuse as you please. Second, it saves cream because you know how cream is thicker than milk? Well, that means cream's going to "stick" to your cup measure and leave a lot behind, unlike the milk (unless you're using 2% or whole, or anything other than skim -- I use skim. Can you tell?) which just slides right on out -- all of that white water that people slap a label on and call "milk". Or, more accurately, "skim". So if you use cream and then pour the milk in after you've used the measuring cup, it will act as a cleaner-outer and clean out all that cream and dump it in with the milk, cleaning the sides of the measuring cup, too. Simple, right? You betcha. Enjoy those dishes that aren't as much as you'd use if you had used two measuring cups -- one for the dry, one for the wet. You can thank me later. Like, this later, in the comments. winky face.

March 2, 2016

Two-Ingredient Cough Syrup

So sorry I haven't been active on here -- I've been wiped out by the flu for the past three days.

OK, raise your hand here if you've had the flu and nobody's seen you for a while.

Like, I haven't done anything except lie around the house which isn't a big help to some people, but at least I can just sleep. Nights are the worst though because my eyes are super watery and ache-y and who ever heard of falling asleep with your eyes open? No, really, it looks like either I'm crying or there is an onion nearby because my eyes will fill up with water when they're closed and then just leak. I'm turning into a fountain.

I wonder what the Wicked Witch of the West did when she got the flu?

Last night was horrible -- I went to bed around 10:30pm and didn't go to sleep until a little after midnight. Then I woke up at 3am, 4, 6:30, 8, and then 9:15.

That's the way I sleep when I have the flu.

What sucks is that I got sick two weeks ago, so to get sick again is not cool. It means I'll be stuck with a cough for four to five weeks because I always have a cough for a long time after I'm well.

Anyway, I'm still sick, so because of that, check it out...

Quick, Two-Ingredient Cough/Sore Throat Syrup.

Serves: depends on how much honey you put in, and I haven't made it in a while, but it's enough to last you for a couple of hours, depending on how fast you take it in
Time: 1-3 min

You'll Need
  • a spoon
  • a bowl, a little bigger than a ramekin
  • a strainer
  • a lemon squeezer or a juicer
Ingredients
  • honey
  • half a lemon
Directions
  1. Squeeze lemon
  2. Place strainer over bowl, pour squeezed lemon into bowl or pick out the seeds and pour the lemon in -- it's fine if there are lemon strings
  3. Pour in honey until it's a tangy sweet. Taste as much as you want throughout the whole process. Won't hurt your throat if you do.
You might be uneasy about how much honey to put in so I'll just tell you something I find handy: stop pouring the honey in after a little bit, get a spoon, and try some. If it tastes sweet (like, honey sweet) and that's all, then you've added a little too much honey. In that case, just squeeze the other half of the lemon. Then taste it again after you've strained the other half of the lemon (that you just squeezed). This batch of cough syrup will last you one day and will be sticky if you get it on your pillow. So keep it in the bathroom at night. In the day time just keep it in the kitchen and away from little kids. If the mixture tastes a little tangy, then it's perfect. You want it to taste a little tangy. But even if it's sweet and not tangy at all, you don't have to put in the other half of lemon. The honey helps your cough and if you have a sore throat lemon helps too.

When you take the syrup stuff you want to drip it down your throat. Put it as far back on your tongue as you can without gagging. Then let it slide down your throat and try not to swallow until you have to and you should be good.

The cough/sore throat should go away relatively soon.

February 25, 2016

5 Min or Less - Microwave Mug Cake No. 5

Good golly, I have FOUR OTHER RECIPES for mug cakes!

...though, not all of them are good.

Here's the best one yet -- I've never had molten lava ones, I don't think, but I hear they're really good. This one might be a molten lava one because it's really good!

I got the recipe from Pinterest, so if you're following me, then you've probably seen it in your feed.

It's really good. I had it ... two? days ago and I'm going to make it this Sunday for a snack because that's what I do on my weekdays. :P

Anyway, click here. I don't want to post the recipe on here because I feel bad about taking other people's pictures and this feels like the same thing only second degree.

But I do have to say it made me feel better to see that the Remodelaholic lady does the same thing.

However, it doesn't make me feel good when I see this lady do it.

But enjoy!

February 23, 2016

Kitchen Tip - Ripening Avocados Fast

This was a really helpful tip because sometimes you just can't find any ripe avocados! There are, like, none and you have to make guacamole tomorrow and that's not enough time to ripen the avocados enough, right?

So, how to ripen them really fast.

Well, we've all heard of one very successful tip -- to put the avocados in a bag and put it on the counter and they'll ripen -- but have you heard of this one...

February 20, 2016

5 Min or Less - The "Real Deal" Microwave Mug Cake No. II

This is, in fact, one of the best mug cakes I've tried. The original recipe was posted yesterday, and I've tried it before, but I didn't like it, so this is my changed version. 
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying mine's the best -- the way I had it (the way my sister made it), it was the best, but when I followed the recipe I just didn't like it, so I changed it a little bit to make it more moist and flavorful. 
Hopefully I changed it for the better, but give it a try, see how you like it.
Serves: 1
Time: 1 min, max
Ingredients
  • 1 T & 1/2 tsp dark brown sugar
  • 1 T flour
  • 1 T cocoa powder
  • ​1 T oil
  • ​1 T cream
  • ​1 T water
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 T semi-sweet chocolate chips
mix in that order, excluding the chocolate chips. 

First put in the dark brown sugar, flour, and cocoa powder. Stir. For an additional zing, I put in 2-4 tsp instant coffee which adds a nice background flavor, cutting the richness in half a little bit. Then put in oil and cream, stir. After that, water to act as a sort of cleaner by washing out the oil and cream. Dump it into the mug. 

You can add the salt any time you want since you're just going to use your fingers for the pinch, but you should definitely do a hefty, generous pinch because it's delicious with a little bit of salt to give it some bite -- I don't normally like salt in sweet things, but this takes the cake! 

The great thing about this recipe is that it only takes one tablespoon measure if you add the ingredients in that order, according to my directions. But you do what you want. No skin off my nose. 

Then onto the decor. The decor has nothing to do with the taste, really, so don't bother about how it might taste or how it might mess up the flavor. It's fine. But for looks, if you want, you can add one dash of cream on the top, then with the tip of your spoon, gently stir it in. Then sprinkle on some light brown sugar to give it a sort of crunchy top layer. If you want that top layer, you're going to need to add a lot of brown sugar. Don't give it a light touch, give it a heavy punch. Sprinkle it on so that you can see the mix underneath, but there's a lot on top. Don't worry about it, some of it will sink in, some with get hard, some will get soft, melty, and dark. Don't worry, it doesn't matter. Just do what you want, play by ear.
Now, if you don't like that decor procedure, or you don't want to do anything with cream, don't. Just put on the brown sugar (or don't, it doesn't matter), and then get some chocolate chips and dump them on. But dump gently so that they don't sink into the mix below. They're going to in the microwave but don't dump because then they're really going to. Or, that's my theory. It probably doesn't really matter so go ahead and dump hard. But do it like the brown sugar -- play by ear, yes, but also put on a lot. You want a lot of chocolate because mmm, chocolate! Yummy in my tummy!
Or, you can just leave off the decorations. It doesn't matter what it looks like because it's all going to end up in your stomach anyway.

(but I do have to add that it gives some richness and flavor to the mug cake, just saying)

Also, I find that the cream doesn't really do anything to the looks when you put the chocolate chips on (the chocolate chips melt on top of the cream, covering it and the brown sugar, both) so if you want the crunchiness of the brown sugar and the decor of the cream, put them on after you put the chocolate chips on.
What I find helps is to put the chocolate chips on, microwave for 15 seconds, take out, put cream and brown sugar on, pop it back in for the remaining 15 seconds. Unless you do yours for a minute, and then 30 seconds, take out, 30 seconds again.
Or you can put the cream on before you melt the chocolate chips, and then the brown sugar, you know. Whatever tickles your sister.
Or you can just skip both entirely.
But I'd advise you do add chocolate chips to your mug cake because that makes it all the better!

​Anyway, back to your mug cake.
Your mixture should -- by now -- be pretty smooth and liquid-y. If it's doughy, you might want to add more cream. But if you don't want cream, water. If not water, not oil either. Just leave it and move on.

Put the mug in the microwave, microwave on high (it really doesn't matter, but I think mine is automatically set to high. If you don't know, it doesn't matter. Really, if you're that worried, why do you cook at all? Cooking is basically playing a game you don't really understand. You have to take some chances sometimes because if you don't, it's not fun. Besides, it's just a dumb mug cake, it's not like it's important or it's a meal but if it is, take a lot of precaution because meals are very important! Haha, just kidding). Since you probably forgot what I was saying before the parenthesis, I will go ahead and say it again.
Microwave on high for 30 seconds.
It should have some liquid-y dough around the edges That's perfectly fine. It's more of a syrup and the drier dough will taste better (if there is any dry dough) with the syrup-y stuff, as long as you eat them both together.

But, whatever floats your boat or boats your float!
This time, you should find that the cake is a much wetter, moist cake than the one that I posted earlier.

February 19, 2016

5 Min or Less - The "Real Deal" Microwave Mug Cake

A while ago my sister made a delicious mug cake.

She's also made this pretty kitty, which I find better than the one I'm posting now, so check it out and see how you like it. Tomorrow I'll give you the REAL "Real Deal" Mug Cake. (that's totally 100% my own name for it, that's not what it's called... but you call it what you like, I don't mind -- especially because it's not really my mug cake haha)

But for now, here's the "Real Deal" mug cake, mug cake recipe no. #3. No. #4 coming tomorrow (the revised edition)!

Serves: 1
Time: 1 min, max

Ingredients
  • 1 T dark brown sugar
  • 1 T flour
  • 1 T cocoa powder
  • ​1 T oil
  • ​1 T water
  • 1 pinch salt
Directions
The directions are simple and straightforward. Follow them (or don't follow them) and you can't go wrong. Like, who could go wrong with a mug cake?

Ha. Ha.
  1.  Mix ingredients together in order of listing in a  7 oz. mug
  2. Microwave for 30 seconds
Scriptina Regular

February 11, 2016

Aussie Bite Comparison No. II

Yesterday we tried yet another recipe for Aussie Bites!

I'm going to just jump right into the comparison right before I start talking about anything else because I'm already starting to forget all that I liked and didn't like about just the recipe. Just the recipe, I've not yet started on the website.

Just wait.

It'll come later.

Sweep Tight's: 
let's see if I can remember everything.

Taste: it tasted almost exactly like Costco's - exception being the quinoa taste was a little bit too there. But you can hardly tell.

Look: it looked almost exactly like Costco's (not to be repetitive or anything), except that there was a lot more quinoa in the copycat ones, and they were darker.

Instead of canola oil, we used coconut oil for both the canola oil and the coconut oil. We didn't have any oat flour, so we ground up the oats in the food processor. Instead of coconut sugar (I don't even know what that is, but I'm sure Mom does), we just used plain ole light brown sugar, and we did use the sugar that was optional because we found that the other recipes weren't as sweet as Costco's and we wanted this recipe as close as Costco's as possible.

Result: it was almost identical to Costco's, but unfortunately, only in taste. These were much darker than Costco's, were much wetter and more crumbly, so next time I would grind my oats much more finely and I will also reduce the amount of quinoa, since the amount was noticeably much more than Costco's. Overall, they were very similar and I will definitely use this recipe next time I make Aussie Bites (which will probably be very soon).

And I know I didn't do pros and cons, because I feel like I end up repeating myself when I describe everything. But they were (con) wetter, and more crumbly. I could hardly get them out of the pan! It was not very nice.

Also, another thing is that the people who run the blog don't sound like very nice people.

You'll notice in the little "about me" paragraph at the bottom, Shelley talks about her accomplishments and her BS in science. Jennifer was married in a casino by a pirate pastor.

Just doesn't seem like the "Kate Middleton" sort of classy.

Seems more like -- I don't know -- Kim K?

Nothing against her, there's just not a whole lot of class going on.

Not to mention their blog's banner which spells "matress company" to me, not "food blog".

Is it just me, though? What do you think the banner looks like to you?

February 9, 2016

Major Changes Around the Corner!

So, after a very long while of thinking it over, I've decided to stick with this blog.

I know, revelation has occured!

Here are the few things I've been thinking about and what helped me change my mind -- maybe if there's someone out there who's considering doing the same thing I was going to do, maybe they'll read this over and come to a satisfactory conclusion.
  1. The Post Title Font
    the post title font was very important to me because I wanted the font to be Amatic SC (which is the font I have on this blog), as I was planning on it going with the header, which was going to look like this:
    The Baker's Apprentice blog header, with the Amatic SC font
    And yes, ladies and gentlemen, that was going to be the blog title. "The Baker's Apprentice" was going to be what the blog was called. Me, I think looking back, I prefer Salt Water Taffy, partially because the blog doesn't have anything to do with salt water taffy. I kind of like the randomness of it all.

    So, you're probably still wondering what the post title font has to do with my changing my mind. Sorry, I'm in the habit of wandering.

    I was thinking about using the Awesome Inc., Picture Window, Watermark, Ethereal templates, depending on what I could or could not change. Apparently, one of the things that you couldn't change (outside of Blogger, of course -- FIY, I used the Google Fonts website to change my post title to something not available on the list of Blogger fonts... I also used this handy dandy tutorial that really helped... I mean, helped on the Simple template. Coming to that!) as I was saying, one of the things you couldn't change was the font. I tried every. single. template. I tried the tutorial on every single template that I listed above and none of them worked. On some, it changed the date font to Amatic SC, on others it changed the content of the post to Amatic SC (content meaning not the title but the words in the post -- words, like, these words would be the content of the post), but not a single template changed the post title to Amatic SC. It was so frustrating! So apparently, the tutorial that I used that helped so well with this blog's template (the Simple template) doesn't help with any other template. Warning to those of you who want to change the post title and aren't using the Simple template.

    So that helped me decide that either I had to use a different font for my post title (an un-cute font that I didn't want, that didn't match with the header!) or I had to use a different font for my header which meant that I would have to make the header all over again which is way too much work for a blog I probably won't be keeping for very long! It was very frustrating. 
  2. The Number of Posts
    this was also another deal-breaker because I didn't have many posts so if I wanted to link back to a post that I had make on this blog, I would have to link back to this blog and I couldn't say "remember that post I made on the cocoa I didn't like? today I made a better version blah blah blah" because people wouldn't have read this blog, they would be reading that blog and who would read two blogs just so that they would know what you were talking about if you happened to talk about a post you'd made on the other blog?

    I know, super confusing.

    But I'm not done yet.
  3. The Pages
    you know how I have a lot of pages on this blog? I have trimmed it, but I still have quite a few on there and thinking of aaaalll the pages I'd have to rewrite (this blog would still be public so if I copied it onto TBA -- The Baker's Apprentice -- then everyone who'd been a previous reader of SWT would know that I copied it and I could only keep my dignity if I told you straight up, I copied this and I didn't want to have to do that but I really didn't want to make a new About Me page! or any other page) and so thinking of all the pages I'd rewrite made my enthusiasm for TBA kind of ebb. 
  4. SWT's Background
    and I'm not saying the literal background, I'm saying the history of the blog.

    this blog has been around for 9 years, starting when Blogger was brand new to present. This blog has been around very long, and it was part of everyone's making blogs just to see what Blogger (and blogging) was like and that's really cool, don't you think?

    It's almost like a historical relic!

    Just kidding.

    But I have a really big soft spot for this blog, just the same.
  5. Etc.
    then think about the picture on the side of this blog that says "hello" and takes you to the About Me page. I'd have to get one like that, I'd have to get all the other gadgets and things I have on the sides, I'd have to get the "You Might Also Like" (see below for some news on that!), I'd have to change the posts to make them look like these, I'd have to change the backgrounds...

    There's so much I'd have to change, that all my enthusiasm totally went down the drain and now I'm just wondering what it was that eventually pulled the plug. Was it all the things I'd have to do? Probably. I'm like that. Minimal work and I'm way willing to dive in, but a lot of work and I'm like forget it.

    You can tell when you look at my room, the dishes, or after I just made something and the dishes are everywhere and the counter's super floury or super-something else, depending on what I just made.
So, those were only some of the deal-breakers, but I thought about those sorts of things and decided the tabs aren't that big of a deal, and the grey line around the blog isn't that big of a deal, either.

Conclusion: I'm back!

...and hopefully for good this time.


But about the "You Might Also Like" at the bottom of my posts. I know, you thought I was done.

Well, you were wrong.

I'm going to remove the "You Might Also Like"s. Why? Once you know, you'll agree that my decision was the smart way to go about it.

I saw a bad piece of *ahem* something that is called a blog and decided this might be what my blog comes across as?

Where none of the recipes are the author's own recipes, they're just something the author thinks look good/are good/might be fun to try/might be something someone else might want. And where the author takes the person's picture and slaps her own URL on top of it, which is basically a copyright infringement.

And that's what I've been doing.

Except most of the recipes from 2013 and on are my own, with the exception of a few. Only a few, but still.

So, I've decided to go back, take all the pictures off of the posts, and take away the "You Might Also Like"s because that's the only reason I was taking other people's pictures -- because the "You Might Also Like"s looked horrible with the black square where the picture was supposed to go. It looked horrible.

And I'm going to change the YRT again. I think I'm just going to take it off and not do it, but just go through my recipes every year, but not slap a name on it. Just because it gives me a little bit of freedom to do what I want.

It's going to take a lot of time to take away all the photos from the numerous recipes I've posted, but hopefully it will be pretty quick.

In the meantime, I'll keep posting!

Thanks for reading! Glad to be back. :)

February 8, 2016

Aussie Bites Recipe Comparison

Recently I've been yearning for Aussie Bites from Costco.

They've got a de-lish recipe that I absolutely adore!

So, to quench my "thirst", I went online to find a suitable recipe, one that was just as good as Costco's, but easy to make at the same time. Also, not such a hassle. We don't live too close to Costco, so going there just for the Aussie Bites seems a little extreme. So I also wanted one that was easy so that I could just make Aussie Bites -- no big! -- at home.

I found and tried both the Aussie Bites from Bad Girl's Kitchen and the Aussie Bites from Stay-at-Home Chef.

Note: I put some words in boldface so that you could skim and just read the words in boldface and not the extra, fluffy words. If it's hard to read with some words in boldface, please tell me for future reference! Thank you!

First, the Aussies from Bad Girl's Kitchen.

Taste: these didn't taste the same as Costco's, and they were drier.

Look: they didn't look very much like Costco's, but they looked like Aussies! They also had the same size and shape, being cooked in a mini muffin pan, just like Stay-at-Home Chef's and Costco's.

Pros: they tasted really good. The coconut was a bit strong, but once you got eating, like really eating, you didn't really notice that much. I really really liked them. I have to say, I think I liked them more than the ones from SHC (Stay-at-Home Chef). But I'm not sure. I also liked the fruit taste. It was very there.

Cons: they were dry, and the Costco ones stick together more -- they're not sticky, but they stick together. These, when I ate them, I found that I was automatically holding my hand under them as I ate them. That wasn't a great feeling, but they stuck together pretty well. Also, they had bigger chunks of fruit and oats, and Costco's don't. They also had a stong coconut taste in them that I didn't like at the beginning. At the beginning of eating one, I mean. At the end I had a craving for another one which isn't bad in itself, but it's horrible when you want them to last as long as they can! They also don't have the same things as Costco's do.

Now onto the Aussies from The Stay-at-Home Chef.

Taste: they did taste pretty much like Costco's, and I found them to be a bit wetter than Costco's, but not that much.

Look: they did look a lot like Costco's, with more seeds and less fruit showing, and in the size and shape.

Pros: they looked like Costco's, they felt like Costco's, they tasted a little bit like Costco's. Overall, they were pretty similar to Costco's. They were also really good, but I'm not sure if I like them better than BGK's (Bad Girl's Kitchen) or not. The ingredients were very similar to Costco's.

Cons: they were a bit wet, wetter than Costco's, but they stuck together really well. The seed flavor and quinoa flavor was a bit strong, but like the coconut in the BGK ones, you didn't notice it after just a little while.

Which do I like better?

I have to say, the SHC Aussies were very close to Costco's, both in taste, texture, appearance, and ingredients, unlike BGK Aussies which had things that Costco's don't have.

They both had some strong flavors, the BGK ones being mainly coconut and SHC's being quinoa, but SHC's was less apparent than BGK's, which was really nice.

Overall, I think SHC's was more accurate, but they were both just as tasty.

If I had to choose between which one to make, I would probably go with BGK's because they tasted delicious, even if they weren't like Costco's (which they were - to a certain extent).

Which one was easier? I think they were both the same level of simplicity. I'd have to make them again to make sure.

February 3, 2016

Came For a Purpose, Left For a Reason

So I've been doing some thinking.

Yes, I know, very unusual, but I have been.

I might even make it a habit, but I'll have to think about that.

Anyway, I was thinking about this blog. Which isn't unusual, I think about this blog a lot, but I was thinking about the tabs and how much I really dislike those ugly tabs (if you don't know why I dislike the tabs so much, I don't mind but I'm not going to take time to explain it -- I don't even know if I could explain it, I just don't like how they look on my blog) and how I can't get the grey border line to go away because it's just part of the template I use... so I was thinking about that and I was also thinking about how I used to think about (I know... a lot of thinking going on... I'll try to minimize my use of the word "think" here as much as possible) changing the name from Salt Water Taffy to something else.

So, I was thinking of different names I could use and I hit upon a pretty good one, I think. That's my opinion. I'm not going to mention it here, but it has to do with baking, I can tell you that. But that's all. That's just a sneak peak of the name coming soon.

But when I was thinking of that, I was also thinking about how when you change a template on Blogger it wipes away all of your progress/look on the blog (not the posts, just the looks--like the headers, the background, the titles, the fonts, etc.) and how I hated that because that meant I couldn't just get a template that had better-looking tabs and not that grey borderline around the interior of the blog and how if I got a different template that satisfied me, I would have to go back and redo all the gadgets/templates/things I put into/onto this blog and how that would be such the pain!

So that got me onto the track that this whole post is about.

I'm sorry, it required a little back-pedaling first, so, sorry bout that.

Anyway, I've come to the conclusion (after the overwhelming amount of thinking I've been doing, you'd think I'd come to it sooner!) that I'm going to make a new blog, stop posting on here, leave this blog open to the public, just post on it when I have a new post on the other blog, and post about that other post. Not so much about, just oh here new post on new blog etc. and I'm either going to make a new blog on Blogger, Wordpress, or Wix. I haven't decided yet, so give me some time and I'll get back to you guys on that.

Anyway, it's been such fun posting on here, and even though nobody reads this anyway, it's still a lot of fun.

I have a couple recipes I will probably post as a parting present sort of thing, just as a final, like, see ya sort of thing (not to be sentimental or sappy or anything but I can't help it because I'm listening to this -- at 19:40 -- and it sort of pulls your heart strings especially when you're writing a goodbye post!) that I may or may not post. I'll have to decide.

So, sooner or later I'll get back to you guys on this subject but not right now.

See ya and thanks for reading! I'll probably finish the YRT though just because I've only done it one year all the way through so I'll finish and probably do it next year, too, because I won't ever delete this blog but I still want to finish the YRT this year just so that I can feel like I've done my duty and I can RIP.

Not really rest, though, because I'll still have that new blog. Sigh.

And also just so that you guys don't think the title is weird, it's from one of my (many) favorite books, called "Seven Daughters and Seven Sons" and when Nasir leaves, he leaves a message for Mahmud saying "I came for a purpose, and I left for a reason" which is one of my favorite lines from the book! :) And it's a little bit of a spoiler but it's not like you're going to read it. So, little insight on my book, there, but that's ok. Anyway, I just used it because it seemed fitting and proper that I should do so since I did come for a purpose and I am leaving for a reason and I just kind of like the melodramatic-ness of the title. :P I just like drama, I guess. Who knew, right.

Anyway, I have no idea how to end this post, so I'll just say bye and leave it at that...





...so, bye!

February 1, 2016

Decor Redo Update!

Sorry, I totally forgot what I was going to be doing to this blog!

So I'll be working on it tomorrow, meaning today it will be public, but tomorrow it will be private again. I'll be working on it Tuesday to Wednesday, so hopefully it will be back (new and improved!) on Thursday, but don't hold me to it.

And I found a delicious mug cake recipe that actually tastes good! so I'll be posting that as soon as I get back on.

Thank you!

January 27, 2016

YRT - English Toffee Mocha

Just for a quick review, last time I checked out Mocha Coffee and liked it just as much as I did when I made the recipe.

This time I checked out English Toffee Caramel (link in title).

Well, not quite.

You see, I knew what it tasted like, and I don't have anymore of that Lisa's stuff -- it was just a gift from a friend. A one time thing.

So, I couldn't really make it again and I don't feel like buying something that would take a few days to get here just so that I could stay faithful to the YRT... I will, but only when I can -- like, when it's convenient for me.

See, most things in my life revolve around me.

Just kidding!

Anyway, it's delightful and I really do like it. So try it if you have the Lisa's stuff.

The picture will come soon. Let's hope.

I'm thinking about asking YellowBlissPhotography to take pictures of them so that I can post them on here because I hate the idea that I'm taking someone else's. It's so fake and ... well, really, I feel silly using someone else's pictures for my posts and putting my URL on top of it. It's just so lousy.

So that's what I'm thinking.

See you later, gotta run.

January 26, 2016

Decor Redo

Just so you guys know, this blog will undergo a bit of a big do-over this coming Friday, so be ready!

I will make the blog private, so you won't be able to stop by anymore, because I like having things a bit more private while I'm redecorating and renovating.

It will look pretty much the same, but I hate the tabs I have right now, so I'm hoping all of the blog's settings and looks will be pretty much the same (and easy to get onto the "new" blog) when I'm done. URL will be exactly the same, we're not going anywhere.

You should be able to get on either Sunday or Monday, I'm not sure yet.

I'll keep you posted, or you'll keep you posted, depending on how frequently anyone stops by, but just so's you know. :)

Also, you may find more changing than just the tabs but don't freak out, it'll look basically the same.

Just one last thing before I go -- I've been debating for a while whether I should change the name or stick with it, so comment below if you have any [good] idea(s) on some [good] names for my sort of blog. I'm sort of going with the looks of blogs that are basic, easy to find your way around, and I also want it to totally look like I'm not even using blogger. If you know what I mean.

Some examples would be
Buttered Side Up
The Bear Cave (not so much like that, but pretty simple like that)
Yellow Bliss Photography (don't tell her I sent you)
and then, since YellowBlissPhotography links back here and I like the style...
the wanderer awaits

...but, not quite that poetic.

Just sayin'. ;)

Thanks for stopping by!

YRT - Mocha Coffee

Just like last year, the link will be in the title and I'm not going to tell you from now on.

Or I will the next YRT post. Haha. ;)

Anyway, I knew exactly how this coffee tasted because I'd made it so often I don't have to make it again. Besides, I don't have any SwissMiss (we finished it a week or two ago *tear* but that's OK, I have the Caffe D'Vita stuff which is simply de-vine! so I don't mind) so I wouldn't be sticking to the recipe.

Just so you know, you can, in fact, use unsweetened cocoa powder (I know, too much trouble and who would do that well I would). Just be sure and add brown sugar. Not dark brown, too molasses-y, and not white sugar because it's too...white-sugar-y. Use brown sugar because it's a different taste and it's more for cocoa than both dark brown and white sugar. Just a tip. Or, you can leave out the sugar and go rugged! and just drink it with that bitter taste of cocoa powder that isn't sweet or whatever tickles your sister.

So, I decided on Mocha Coffee from a recipe I happened to see while combing the internet for a nice (or close to nice) or artsy (artsy schmartsy) picture that I could use for my post, so that's my title.

And just so you know, I do not like using other people's photos, I really hate it because it's like oh wow look at this lady using other people's photos unashamedly and just slapping her own URL on it but I also hate -- and hate more than taking other people's pictures, apparently -- the "You Might Like" space for pictures being either black or grey. It's really not very pleasing to me.

So, that's the reason. And I have absolutely no clue why I'm telling you this, especially because it has nothing to do with recipes at all.

While you're pondering that, I'm going to go have some coffee.

Eat, drink, and be merry!

P.S. this recipe tastes in between coffee and cocoa. Like, if you put coffee and cocoa in the same cup, that's the taste you would get when you drank it. So, you'll probably like it. If not, let me know and I'll make sympathetic noises. Off-line, of course, but at least you'll know. Enjoy! ;)

January 21, 2016

Decadent Hot Chocolate | America's Test Kitchen

Okay, raise your hand if you don't like hot chocolate.

If you raised your hand, then why are you here.

And if you don't know that hot chocolate and cocoa are the same, join the club me neither. Wellll, ok, I wasn't that extreme.

I just never called it hot chocolate.

But since the recipe below (from America's Test Kitchen) called it hot chocolate, I will too. Besides, everyone where I live calls it hot chocolate, so why not blend in with the crowd? And really you have to admit that hot chocolate sounds much more richer than COCOA. Cocoa reminds me of this watery brown mixture that you manage to swallow in as little time as possible, burning your throat on the way down, that's so bland you don't even know why you like it so much. It's just because you don't want to add more and you don't want to pour it out after wasting about five spoons of the stuff that it's bland, though.

Yeah, that stuff.

Really, it was just because I was such a terrible penny-pincher and cocoa-mix-pincher. I just wanted to ration it properly so that the mix would last for weeks and weeks!

...and at the rate I was going, it would.

Anyway, last Sunday we made this and it was really really delicious.

Rich, creamy, sweet enough for me (I don't like bland, bitter, or not-sweet -- exception: black coffee -- so basically, in a few words: I don't like hot chocolate. Cocoa. Whichever it is that's not sweet normally), but not too sweet -- now there's a picture-perfect cup of hot chocolate!

Also, it has only a couple ingredients (win!), all of which you should be able to find in your house, even when the house is stripped bare of anything close to resembling edible-ness (double win!). Another thing, few ingredients means fewer dishes (triple win!).

Win win (or winwinwin) for all of us, emiright.

And all you need is a saucepan, lid, spatula, measuring stuff, ingredients, and a stove to make it. Easy!

So, to make this creamy, lucious, delightful, satisfying, fullfilling, refreshing, fills all your senses, delicious, mouth watering, you will fall in love, fruity tooty, tangy, tasteful, sweet, a pinch of lemon, tempting, dangerous drink *gasp of breath* follow the directions below. 

(sorry! I just saw this, and thought maybe it could be used to describe hot chocolate! Besides, "fruity tooty" is a fun word, especially when used to describe hot chocolate!)

Note: this is not America's Test Kitchen's exact recipe... I've changed it a little bit. I will probably not post the original, but you can probably find it online. 

Serves:  4
Time (start to finish):  10m, fast

Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 c milk (not precise)
  • 1/2 c heavy cream (not precise -- just throw some in)
  • 1 T cocoa powder (not sweet)
  • 1 T sugar
  • 1/4 c semisweet chocolate chips (I throw in a big handful)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
  1. Put in milk, cream, cocoa powder, and sugar in pan. Once hot, and looking puffy on the top, turn off the heat. Really, it doesn't need to look puffy, it just needs to be hot. Ask yourself if you would be comfortable drinking it the way it is...if you let it cool off a little bit? If so, you're ready for the next step. It DOES NOT need to boil -- just until it's steaming or a few degrees above what you're willing to pour down your throat. Just make sure it's not uncomfortably so. Your throat, though.
  2. Once you've turned off the heat, put in the chocolate chips and the vanilla. Cover immediately after that so that the chocolate doesn't stick to the bottom.
  3. Let chips melt about 1 min, then whisk smooth before serving.
  4. When done, top with whipped cream and plop a candy cane in, for looks, or serve plain and
Scriptina Regular

January 15, 2016

2016 YRT

Happy New Year!

I know, I'm really really late.

Everything is happening, all of a sudden.

So, I'll hopefully be doing some YRT stuff, but I'm not sure if I'll be totally on the ball this year... though, seeing how off the ball I was last year, you can probably see where I'm headed this year.

Anyway, first recipe I'll be trying is the Coffee Recipe #4, post on January 1st, 2015.

I've made some changes to the way I'm going to be doing the YRT. Instead of doing the stars thing (who needs those?), I'll just have a little intro about how much I like, how much you might like it, whether it's good or not, how fast it is, etc. etc. ... basically anything that pops into my head.

This oughtta be fun.

Aaaaalso, I'll be finding pictures on the internet to paste onto my recipes. I know, they're not my own. You'll find that I put the source (where the picture came from) as the caption, underneath the picture, so I'm not saying it's my picture! And I *do* ask permission when they want me to. Unless I can't find out how to comment (some of them are really confusing!) and then I just get a new picture. So don't worry.

And hey, this is one of those back-of-the-woods blogs that nobody knows about and nobody reads (about) (so they'll never know that I took their picture) except the blog author who thinks it's the best.

Which, I have to say, I do.

Just kidding, it's not the best.

But I have a soft spot for it, anyway.

Which is why I've posted on it so often this year *oops*.

And just so you know, I'll try to come up with more creative names for each of my coffee recipes. Yes, all 15+ of them. I only have 15 up at the moment, but I have tons and tons more, it's just that I haven't gotten around to them all and a lot of them are very boring. For example: "make inst. coffee. Put in white sugar. Put in cream. Put in cocoa. Stir. Enjoy."

Yum, yum.

Also I would love if you comment with some suggestions on the names of the coffee because I need them!

My originality is going to be below zero by the time I'm done with the 2016 YRT, no kidding.

(that's why most of the coffees are named "coffee recipe #3, 7, 10, 15, etc.)

Looking forward to it (not George Washington so I can say anything)!