Food is Food

Does anyone else feel like they need to clone themselves right about now?  I need at least two more of me to get stuff done in these next two weeks.  Three would probably be best.  One to watch the kids, one to get the gift shopping done and one to bake all of the things I want to bake.  As for the real me?  I would just sleep for two entire weeks and wake up Christmas morning feeling all magical and refreshed.  I'm going to write this screenplay.  It's going to be called "Psycho Holiday Mom" and it's going to win an Oscar.  And this person will play me (for reals, click on that link and watch that video if you haven't already seen it... "we can't let people know WE SIT!").

Alas, there is just one of me and I'm trying my best to pop the stress when it starts to bubble, to keep things in perspective, to maintain the magic of the holidays (wine helps).  Lately, I've been looking up festive recipes online and while these aren't latkes, they are a fun variation of the crispy, veggie pancake.  I found this recipe and it's spaghetti squash mixed with all sorts of yummy spices, formed into a fritter of sorts.  Topped with greek yogurt and chives... I ate four for dinner.  

So tell me... how are you handling all of this hustle and bustle?  TIPS?!  

Oh hi!  Remember me?  My name is Siri and I'm the gal who (occasionally) chronicles my journey with food on this here blog.  I've been absent, but I can explain (or I can spew excuse after excuse at you... like we were in LA for 12 days, or I lost my camera battery charger, or I'm trying to prepare for the 8 houseguests staying with us for 2 weeks, or I'm feeling overwhelmed with gift shopping, or I've been abducted by aliens... I sorta wish).  What it really boils down to is that when we travel, I lose my desire to cook and I come home feeling like I'm in a rut.  But this weekend, I spent an hour online looking at my favorite blogs and they lit a fire under my tushy!  (I'm a mom, I say things like that and potty.)  This week and next week be prepared for seasonal treats and dishes as well as gift ideas!  Yay!  And by the way, even when I'm absent on here, I'm pretty active on my blog instagram and my new mommy instagram accounts.  

So let's talk about these bars.  I'm not really a pie person, but ever since I ate Pecan Pie this Thanksgiving from this glorious bakery in California I've been craving it.  So when I saw this recipe I put it on my to-do list right away.  Holy crap, these are insane.  SUPER rich but beyond delicious.  If you like buttery shortbread and rich, salted chocolate and caramely pecan pie... you will love this.  I topped mine with Vanilla Salt which I'll write about later on today.

They also refrigerate and/or freeze very well, and a little goes a long way, so these would be perfect edible holiday gifts this season.  The best kind of gift if you ask me.    

Yesterday I whipped up this Today Original Recipe with Willie and Natalie... Caramel Pumpkin Bread Pudding.  I made it over the weekend, too, and it's truly ridiculous.  Perfect Thanksgiving dessert turned into Black Friday Breakfast.  I mean, if you're going to participate in that madness, it's probably best you carb-load that morning, am I right?

If you missed the segment or want the recipe you can check it out here.  

Did you know Thanksgiving is 3 weeks from tomorrow?  NOBODY PANIC.  I say that as I panic, of course.  However, if you tune into the Today Show everyday this month, you'll become inspired with a new Turkey Day idea.  Today Carson and I made two side dishes: his mom's "Drunken Mashed Potatoes" and my version of the Midwest classic, Green Bean Casserole.

If you missed the segment or want to view the recipes, click here.

Photos by the lovely Samantha Okazaki.

I was at a friend's house for dinner last weekend, and she made a beef stew that she prepared IN A PUMPKIN!!  Yeah, my friend's name is Ina Martha Garten Stewart, by the way.  (Just kidding, her real name is Mo.  Ina Martha Garten Stewart is my imaginary friend.)  Anyways, I didn't get the exact recipe from her but if you're interested, I found a few recipes you could try here, here and here.  What a perfect dish to prepare for friends and family on Halloween night!  Do it!!

Remember how fireworks were both exciting and completely terrifying as a kid?  I was always convinced the droopy ones would fall from the sky and land on me.  We saw some from our neighborhood last night, and Etta went to bed biting her nails, poor thing, but I hope she fell asleep having awesome, magical dreams about them.  Here are some treat ideas for your happy weekends!

I always find Father's Day hard to shop for.  Most of the cool, techy toys I know Carson would LOVE are like, stupid expensive (I'm talking to you, drones).  I've found homemade gifts are the most meaningful, whether that's a customized beer bottle label from this site, or a baked treat from MY site!  Here are some ideas!  Exclamation points!  (Or is it marks?)

Hello there, how were your weekends?  I was alone with my kids, so it felt approximately 17 days long.  Needless to say, I'm pretty excited to spot that big, yellow school bus this morning!  As I tend to do, I filled some of the time by making sweets.  There was a gingerbread house that turned into gingerbread wall cookies (our home could not stand the test of time).  And there were these Dark Chocolate Peppermint Truffles.  I found the recipe on the back of these Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips and you must, must, must try and find a bag or twelve...

They taste like creamy, white chocolate candy canes.  You could sprinkle them on top of cakes, bake them in cookies or just throw handfuls in your mouth.  OR, you could make these super easy and delicious truffles which make GREAT gifts.  Rich, minty dark chocolate inside a peppermint crunch coating is exactly what you need at the end of the day while you're wrapping presents, trust me.  

That, and a bottle of wine.  

(Makes 2 dozen)

1 cup whipping cream

8 oz. dark chocolate chips (at least 60% cocoa)

1 10 oz. pkg of Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips, reserve 1 cup for coating

Place dark chocolate chips and peppermint baking chips (reserving one cup) in a heatproof bowl.  In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil.  Turn off heat, and let sit for a minute.  Then pour half of the cream over the chocolate.  Let sit for 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth.  Pour remaining cream over chocolate and whisk again until smooth.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least an hour.  When ready to make truffles, remove bowl and let sit on counter for a few minutes.  Take a heaping teaspoon of the chocolate mixture, and roll between your palms (this will be messy), and then roll in reserved peppermint chips.  Let sit on parchment lined baking sheet in the fridge to set.  Place in airtight container to store.

To close out my week of sweets, this morning I woke up at the butt crack of dawn to put these Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies in the oven.  I didn't shower like I had planned on, or start addressing our holiday cards, but I baked cookies.  My priorities are all sorts of weird!  However, I think my morning was productive because these, are, DELICIOUS.  I highly recommend them.  I added one egg yolk to the wet ingredients for richness and to add to the chewiness and super crackly crust.  I recommend that as well, because I think the dough would have been crumbly without it.

More bad (but so good) stuff to come next week!  'Tis the season!       

The "soup can birthday cake" changed my life when I discovered it almost two years ago (and it was also when I found her blog, drool).  It can elevate any small celebration that otherwise might go unnoticed.  Your kid scores a soccer goal?  Mini cake!  Your husband finally fixes that thing he was supposed to fix for a couple of months?  Mini cake!  You get down to your goal weight?  Mini cake!  (Yeah, you can tell I have issues with dieting.)  The point is, it will take you 5 minutes to bake, and by adding different sweeteners and spices, it can transform to fit any occasion.  This particular cake has maple syrup, molasses and ground ginger, which makes it perfect for a winter-time celebration.  Then cream cheese vanilla bean frosting on top?  JOLLY.  

I'm all about making little trays of baked goods and treats for random people during the holidays.  Even if you have no idea what sort of likes and dislikes the person may have, it's a gesture that says, "Hey, Nice Lady At The Bagel Shop Where I Spend Way Too Much Money, you're nice, Happy Holidays!"  I tend to make things all December long, storing them in airtight containers in the fridge, so I can pull them out when someone like the Amazon delivery dude comes by (every, single, day).  Fudge is the perfect treat to make... it lasts for a long time and is very rich, therefore you can cut them in teeny, tiny pieces.  This Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge is sooooo good, and topped with sea salt?  I mean, the Amazon delivery dude might fall in love with you.  Which could be a problem, since he's at your house every, single, day.         

Recipe here.

And so it begins!  I plan on making something sinfully scrumptious every day this month.  Maybe.  Ok, I probably won't, but I'm going to try.  And I'm going to stand on street corners, handing treats out to all who pass by, but only if they're jolly.  And only if it's warm outside.  First up, Andes Mint Bark... easy to make (especially in bulk), easy to gift, easy to eat waaaay too much of.  

Recipe here.