A Simple Chocolate Valentine Dessert

I know it looks Pretty and Fancy but Simple  becaue I was really, Really
busy this morning getting ready for my Mary Jane Farm girls to come for our monthly Meeting and well of course I had to come up with a choclate treat didn't I?
So simple and so easy and no sugar except in the redhots! Took me less than 15 minutes.
Shhh, Don't tell anyone... but all I did was take  out my Champagne glasses, mixed up 2 boxes of  Instant Sugarfee Jello Chocolate Pudding in 4 cups of cold lowfat milk.  I dropped a few spoonsful in each glass, Squeezed a bit Real Heavy whipped cream ( yes from my whip cream maker) and more pudding & topped more whip and sprinkled  red cinnamon candy on top..popped them in the refrig,  and there you have it..now I can make the coffee & tea and  wait for the "charming chicks"  to arrive...oh yeah,  I better make sure  I have batteries in my camera...
Bon Appetite

To Whip or Dazzle?

Wow! That is what I think your guests or family would say if you pulled out the iSi Whipped cream maker and topped off their gourmet coffee with a bit of creamy heaven! Don't think for a minute that it would be limited to just coffee though. Think Jell-O desserts, pies, smoothie drinks, ice cream...the list goes on and on!  Well, thats what I was thinking when I put it on my Christmas list.. and you know what? I now have two!  What a surprise!  My daughter Nancy  & her husband gave me this one pictured and while in Denver visiting my son I mentioned wanting one and my daughter in law said they had purchased one at a garage sale and had never used it and I could have it... So of course I said "I"ll take it thank you very much," Not knowing I was getting a new one for Christmas. Now tell me would you rather whip cream with a beater in bowl as shown in the picture (you never know if the cream will actually whip  or you may overwhip it & have butter)...Or get this handy guarantee to whip gadget?  They are a bit expensive and you must use iSi canisters which are under $8 for 10.  You can shop around & get a new one sometimes on line for under $40. 

Really, There is no comparison, iSi whipped cream makes the real deal, and you know as well as I do that you can taste and feel the difference of real whipped cream. Rich and creamy, smooth and heavy, yet it just melts in your mouth. If you bake, like wintery gourmet coffees, or summertime smoothies, don't even think about it, the iSi whipped cream maker is a must-have!
Simple to use,  pour in the cream * flavored or not, attach the iSi canister and push the handle, simple to clean, simply irresistible! Keep the cream maker in your refrigerator ready to use. (go ahead  put it on your wish list, you won't be sorry.) and remember You are worth it!
Bon Appetite!

Another Gadget I had to have.

I Love Crème brûlée, I have always wanted a torch to make it look like the pictures I see in cookbooks & on TV cooking shows.
Today I bought the torch, Thanks to my sister Judy, who gave me a gift certificate for Christmas, at my favorite cooking store.  A great kitchen gadget to add to my collection of Needs...
I had to take a picture of my amazing kitchen tool. Doesn't it look great?

Now, If you didn't already know a Crème brûlée is a French dessert that literally means “scorched cream.” The chilled custard dessert has a sugar topping that is caramelized using a culinary torch, which is a mini blowtorch. If you do not have a blowtorch handy to torch crème brûlée, you can place the crème brûlée under a broiler. However, the sugar topping may not caramelize as evenly, and the custard is more likely to heat up.   I am excited to try it out.  It looks pretty simple to use yet I am always a bit  nervous to try new gadgets. but you know that will not stop me,  so I searched my recipes and found this one of Tyler Florence's (so how can I go wrong?) 
Don't they look Yummy?  It takes a lot of eggs... and  luck will have it, I have plenty.  

Creme Brulle Recipe 

•9 egg yolks
•3/4 cup superfine white sugar plus 6 tablespoons
•1 quart heavy cream
•1 vanilla bean

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, cream together egg yolks and sugar with a whisk until the mixture is pale yellow and thick.

Pour cream into a medium saucepan over low heat. Using a paring knife, split the vanilla bean down the middle, scrape out the seeds and add them to saucepan. Bring cream to a brief simmer, do not boil or it will overflow. Remove from heat and temper the yolks by gradually whisking the hot vanilla cream into yolk and sugar mixture. Do not add hot cream too quickly or the eggs will cook.

Divide custard into 6 (6-ounce) ramekins, about 3/4 full. Place ramekins in a roasting pan and fill pan with enough water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until barely set around the edges, about 40 minutes. You may want to cover loosely with foil to prevent browning. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. Transfer the ramekins to the refrigerator and chill for 2 hours. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar on top of each chilled custard. Hold a kitchen torch 2 inches above surface to brown the sugar and form a crust. Garnish with cookies and fresh fruit. Serve at once.
Bon Appetite!

Valentine Cookies for my Sweeties

Yesterday I made cookies, Today, They are all carefully packaged, sealed and on their way to be delivered to my Valentine Grandsons. In  acouple days they will be eaten, I pray they will not be broken to tiny pieces when the arrive. but, I am sure the boys will not mind a few crumbly ones.  They are at the ages of 7 & 9 and  they love to get mail.
Sugar cookies are always a favorite and with messy Red icing how could I go wrong?

Fresh Salsa Ready to Can

This is the beginning of another blogging adventure. I will be posting what's cooking in my kitchen here.

For the record keeping...Today my "girls" laid 5 eggs.


Right now I have made some more salsa and it is ready to pour into the jars and process.  I have adjusted the recipe so its not too spicy hot and delicious with cornchips, or served with eggs.
The recipe gives me 10 pints.

SALSA RECIPE:
6 cups chopped tomatoes
3 cups chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
 1/4 cup celery chopped
 1 T salt ( optional)
 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
 1 T whole oregano
 2 cups diced assorted  mild peppers, green red, yellow orange banana (whatever  you have)
1/tsp black pepper
1-4 jalapeno peppers chopped (I used 2) for medium heat
3 (6 oz) cans tomatoe paste
1 T ground cumin.
1 (15 oz) can black beans drained & rinced
1 (20 oz) can pineapple tidbits
1 cup fresh, canned or frozen*thawed* whole kernal corn

Mix all together in cooking pot. Bring  to heat throughly no need to cook it, only hot enough to to ready for water bath processing to kill any bacteria and enzymes.

Fill steralized jars to within 1/4 in of the top. seat the lids, and hand tighten the rings.
Boil the jars in  the canner with enough water to cover the jars with at least 1 inch of water.
Keep the water boiling for 15 minutes for 8 oz pint jars & 20 minutes for quarts.
Lift the jars out carefully  cool without touching or bumping them in a draft free place. I leave mine over night.

Once the jars are cool check if they are sealed verfying that the lids have been sucked down . ( just press in the center gently with your finger.
If it pops up & down  (often making a popping sound) it is NOTsealed. If you  put the jar in the refrigerator you can still use right away.

Bon Appetite!!