Not a recipe, but...

If I were a good blogger, I'd save this for a slow day. But today is pretty slow, and I don't want to forget about it.

This isn't a recipe, but it's something we all should see:

Kevin Bacon, made out of Bacon.

2013

Another year is passing by, and this blog still isn't what I want it to be. However, I have renewed enthusiasm (and a new laptop) for 2013.

Therefore, here are my blogging resolutions for the upcoming year.
1. I will post at least one new recipe each week. That's right. EVERY week in 2013, I will make one new recipe and post it, along with a review (and hopefully some photos).
2. More photos in 2013.
3. More reviews of products to make our lives easier. Not everything has to be from scratch every time, and there are a lot of great products out there to make our lives simpler.

My challenge to you is to keep following this blog. Suggest recipes you'd like me to try. Try the recipes and product reviews I post and report your own feelings on them. Let's all broaden our culinary experiences in 2013.

Oh, and occasionally I may talk about wine, because I do that a lot when I eat. I hope that's OK.

Seasons Eatings, my friends!

Fall

I love fall. Fall is a really great time to cook and bake all those things you abandon during the summer, also known as "anything that requires an oven."

I've already made a huge pot of chili, and I'm getting ready to try out some new pie and bread recipes. One of my friends made what she called "the best shepherd's pie ever" last night. I'll probably track down some acorn squash next week to do my Italian stuffed squash recipe.

But what I have been craving lately is quiche. I would really love to have a good quiche. I have a seafood quiche recipe that's to-die-for that I always make during Lent when I can't eat meat on Friday. I do love Quiche Lorraine like I had in France, but I am thinking of something with lots of cheese, veggies and yummy goodness.

Does anyone have a good quiche recipe they can recommend?

Coming soon: trial runs on new Thanksgiving pies. Should be delicious, I hope!

First Lady bake-off

For years, I've been making Hillary Clinton's chocolate chip cookies. Since 1996, when I've attended a political gathering where a culinary contribution was required, they've been my go-to food. Everyone loves Hillary's cookies, and during the 1998 campaign season people actually requested them when I made the rounds at the county potlucks and cook-outs on behalf of former Ohio Governor and Congressman Ted Strickland.

So, when the Obama campaign asked me to host a Convention Party this week, I didn't think twice about stepping up to the plate. And I knew at least one of the foods that would be on the buffet table last night. However, I took it a step further and decided to have a First Lady Bake-off, pitting Hillary's cookies against Michelle Obama's most recent contribution to Family Circle's Presidential Cookie Bake-off.

Michelle's cookies have been dogged on the Internet because they don't contain oats, and apparently every winning cookie since 1992 has contained oats. These cookies don't need oats, friends. In fact, I'm not even sure where you'd put oats because they DO contain: white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, pieces of Andes mints and nuts.

And, they are, quite possibly, one of the most delicious things I've ever put in my mouth. I wish I had smell-o-vision so you could all smell what my kitchen smelled like baking them.

Needless to say, they won the bake-off. In fact, they were obliterated to crumbs. Hillary's cookies were abandoned in a pile, which I've never seen happen in almost 20 years.

Containing a cup of both butter and crisco plus all that chocolate, Mrs. Obama does caution us that they are a very special treat that should not be eaten with any frequency. Either that, or you will need to crank up your contributions to her "Let's Move" campaign...A LOT.

The recipe is below, or you can find it on Family Circle's website.

Mama Kaye's White and Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies*


Yield: 5 dozen cookies Prep: 15 mins

Bake: 12 mins 375°F

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 stick Crisco butter-flavored solid vegetable shortening

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup each white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips and mint chocolate chips (or Andes mint pieces)

2 cups chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter, vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract.

2. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, beat in flour mixture. By hand, stir in white and milk chocolate chips, mint chips and walnuts.

3. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
*I think in the article Michelle O explains that "Mama Kaye" is Malia and Sasha's godmother. Whoever she is, God bless her for these delicious cookies.

Caramel apple pie

This is my caramel apple pie. It was delicious. I'd like to say I invented it, but let's be honest, do I invent anything? This was actually so delicious that I didn't even do anything to perfect it. It was from food.com.

You should try it.

A few notes before you get started: 1. If you use a disposable pie pan, don't move it too much before it cools. It was really wobbly when it was still hot. (I put a cookie sheet underneath it while it baked.) 2. I baked it for about 45 minutes (25 with foil, 20 without). 3. I only used 1/4 cup chopped pecans on top. 1/2 cup seemed like too much.

Regardless, this was proclaimed the best pie ever by both pie afficionados and people who don't like pie. I call that a win-win.

Caramel Apple Pie

For Pie


pastry for single-crust pie

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

6 cups thinly sliced peeled apples

Crumb Topping

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

1/2 cup butter

Final Topping

1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1Prepare pastry for single-crust pie, being careful not to stretch dough too much.
2Place in pie plate and trim and crimp the edge.
3In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt.
4Add apple slices and gently toss until they are coated well.
5Transfer mixture to pie.
6FOR CRUMB TOPPING: Stir together brown sugar, flour, and oats.
7Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until topping resembles coarse crumbs.
8Sprinkle over apple mixture in pie.
9To prevent over-browning while baking, cover edge of pie with foil.
10Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes.
11Remove foil and bake 25 to 30 minutes more, or until top is golden.
12Remove from oven.
13Drizzle top with caramel topping; sprinkle with pecans.
14Cool on wire rack and serve!

Hello, everyone. This blog really does end up being like my poor, neglected stepchild that lives in the basement, but that truly is not my intention.

I am cooking again, and I'm going to get back on the challenge. After all, we still have a half a year left, right?

I have been baking pies. In fact, I have a request for two for tomorrow's work cookout: caramel apple and chocolate pecan. I'm also going to make a strawberry pie for my roommate, because I've never done it and why not?

Actually, I am going to post the caramel apple pie recipe for youi. It's too good not to share!

Recipe challenge back on!

Well, I am settled into my new house. I have a stove, and all of my utensils, pots and pans are unpacked. I even bought a tortilla press with a housewarming gift card from Bed, Bath & Beyond.

The one-new-recipe-a-week challenge is back on.

I have no idea what this week's recipe will be. I guess I have a few days to figure it out.

Crockpot barbecue beef

You know how when you go to a funeral and everyone says "let's just remember Aunt Betty in her better days?"

That is how I feel about this recipe. It looked beautiful in the crockpot. I was excited about having supper waiting when I got home.

So imagine when I got home, set my bag down and smelled...burning. for the first time ever, the crock pot set on low burned up my meal.

Because the guinea pigs were counting on me, I tried to eat it, but it was way too smoky tasting to be appetizing. It looked pretty gross too.

Therefore, this is this week's recipe.
1. Pick up phone
2. Call pizza hut
3. Order stuffed crust pizza and wings.

I took a picture before I left the house. Or, as I like to call it, "Aunt Betty in her younger days."

2012 Recipe Challenge

If there's anyone still reading this blog, my apologies for sucking at maintaining it. However, you're in luck, because I have issued myself a challenge, and it's going to take place right here.

There are 51 weeks left in 2012. And for each of those 51 weeks, I am going to try at least one new recipe. It might be a drink, appetizer, entree, side dish or dessert, but it will be brand new, and it will be posted here, along with commentary and (I hope!) photos.

And, I am in the process of assembling a team of guinea pigs for the test kitchen. So, it won't just be my opinion on the dish, but the opinions of those I force to eat whatever it is. There might even be videos if I can get them to do that. Allegedly my new smart phone can capture all this stuff.

I'm hoping to expand my repertoire of Southern dishes, but my constant need for stretchy pants means there will be some waistline-friendly meals as well. If you have any special requests, feel free to drop me a line in the comments.

Tomorrow's dish is Crockpot barbecue beef, so stay tuned for an update later this week.