The Recipe for my Craving

I posted in my 23 week update that I had been craving "scotcharoos."  I had one comment saying that they hadn't heard of them, and to me they seem very Wisconsin-y, or at least very Midwestern.  (Like 7 layer salads and hot dishes, ha ha ha!)  Obviously, they're not a delicacy or anything (I would argue that they should be),. but I wanted I would share the awesomeness of scotcharoos with the world.  Please let me know if you've ever tried anything like this, and what you call them.  If you've read my blog much, you know I'm a big language nerd and colloquialisms like this are my favorite.  Yup, I'm that big of a dork. 


Also, I found this photo online (source) because by the time I got around to writing this, I (with M's help) had already polished off an entire pan (and a half if you count the leftovers from M's parent's party a couple of weeks ago), and I felt too bad about myself to make more....as much as I really wanted to...for the sake of my blog and all.  ;)

I think there's a lot of ways to make these, and I don't use a recipe, I just go from what I've always done.  So here's my version: 

1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
6(ish) cups of rice krispies
1 1/2(ish) cups of chocolate chips
1 1/2(ish) cups of butterscotch chips

Heat corn syrup, sugar and peanut butter on the stove until just melted together.  Careful not to overheat, or the bars will be hard as rocks.  Mix rice krispies with the peanut butter mixture.  Spread it in a 9X13 pan. 

Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips in the microwave.  Spread the mixture over the rice krispies and wait for it all to set.  I usually put them in the fridge/freezer (depending on how quickly I want them) to speed up the process. 

I don't really bother measuring the ingredients other than the first three.  I just eyeball what looks good.  I know, I'm so good at recipes, I should write a cookbook.  (<--sarcasm)  I've never made a pan of these that were inedible, even when I overheated the stuff and it was hard as rock, we found a way to eat them.  Even when they're bad, they're good. 

Have you ever tried these?  What do you call them?  Do you have a dessert or recipe that's specific to your state/region that you LOVE??  Please leave me a comment!!  I need more dessert recipes while I still feel not bad about eating whatever I want!!

Gingersnaps a la Grandma K

My Grandma K passed away in the summer of 2004.  She was bound to a wheelchair from the time she was about 60 years old until she passed away when she was 76.  Obviously this made it difficult for her to get around.  My grandpa was 10 years older than her, so it was difficult for him to get her around too.  Spending so much time at home, she devoted herself to baking some the best cookies to ever grace this earth.

When I was at college, she would bake some cookies and put them in the freezer for when I came home.  Using her great-depression era sensibility, nothing ever went to waste and some of her cookie concoctions were a little unorthodox.  (Ever heard of chocolate chip and hickory nut cookies?  Or peanut butter walnut cookies?)  If she had it in the kitchen, she could find a way to put it in a cookie.

She did stick to a recipe every once in a while, and this time of the year it was usually gingersnaps.  After she died, my aunt took her recipe cards, and made copies for anyone who was interested.  This is the only one I've ever attempted, and it usually turns out ok.  Of course, when I made them last weekend, I forgot to set a timer and I burned them.  Oh well, I'm sure my grandma would have eaten them anyway...or at least guilted my grandpa and all of us kids into eating them.  ;)

Here is the recipe and few pictures of yet ANOTHER (see here, here, and here) baking fiasco in my kitchen.

The recipe says to roll them out and cut into gingerbread men,
but I usually just roll them into balls and coat them with white sugar. 

¼ boiling water

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup molasses

½ cup shortening

3 cups of flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp nutmeg

Mix the dry ingredients and set aside.

Pour water over shortening.  (I usually just heat up the water in the microwave)  Add sugar and molasses to water and shortening.  Mix well.  Add dry ingredients.  Chill dough.   

Roll out thin and cut into gingerbread men.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes (I'd keep close eye on them after about 12 minutes though..unless you like them crispy)

Burnt gingersnaps.  I'm sure my grandma is just happy that I tried.  :)

Spinach Basil Pesto

I am not known for my cooking greatness (read here), but I do like to try to new things in the kitchen.  Since Evie has started eating what we eat, I feel compelled to make a wholesome, homemade meal each night.  I like to try out a new recipe every week or so. 

I decided that I would try to make fresh pesto.  Evie loves noodles, M like Italian, and I just want them both to eat what I cook!  This one actually worked out pretty well. 

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup almond slivers (you could also use pine nuts, almonds are cheaper)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cloves of garlic
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

 Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor.  Blend until almost smooth. 

I mixed the pesto with 16 oz of whole wheat rigatoni pasta.  It was enough for dinner for the three of us on Sunday, and leftovers for lunch for me on Monday and Tuesday!

M and I really liked it.  Evie wasn't so sure about it.

What is this green stuff, Mom??  I'd rather eat grapes!

She didn't eat a ton of it, but kids are finicky.  We'll just have to try it again sometime!