Cookie Monster

During my break on Wednesday, I was eating lunch with a few other pharmacists, and we started talking about food. Now, for those of you that know me, you know I'm not much of a foodie. So when Linda asked me if I liked to cook, I said, "Well, yes, but I'm not that good... *But,* I loooove to bake!"

I have wonderful memories of spending time with my mom (and sometimes with my grandmothers) baking treats. Cookies, cakes, breads- you name it, I love to make (and eat) it. After talking about baking on Wednesday, I realized that I hadn't made anything in quite some time, and I decided I was due to make a batch of cookies. Flipping through my mental cookbook, the perfect recipe hit me- my mom's zuccini raisin cookies. Now I know these sound a little weird, but they are absolutely fabulous!

When I got home after work and running some errands, I looked into my refrigerator to make sure I had all of the ingredients. Unfortunatley, my zuccini that I had bought earlier this week didn't look so hot. I needed to go to the store to pick up some more, but I also wanted to make sure I had time to work out. So, what do you think I did? Just what anyone else would do-- I ran to the grocery store (and walked back) to buy a vegetable to make cookies. Seems a little counterintuitive, but it made sense at the time.

Here's the recipe....

Zuccini Raisin Cookies

-3/4 cup shortening
-1 1/2 cups white sugar
-1 egg
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 1/2 cups grated zuccini
-2 1/2 cups flour
-2 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 cup raisins
-small amount powdered sugar

Cream the shortening and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Mix in the zuccini. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add to zuccini mixture. Stir in raisins. Bake at 350 degrees on a greased cookie sheet for 15 minutes. Allow to cool, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

I recommend that you use a finer grater for the zuccini- it helps to give the cookies a better texture.

Speaking of baking, here are some pictures of my first days in the kitchen....

Cutting out sugar cookies. Would you believe that I still own (and still wear) the shirt I have on in this picture?

I just adored my play kitchen and my fake foods. I never had an Easy-Bake oven, but I didn't need one.

I think that hat is bigger than my head. My second favorite part of this picture is the bowl- my parents recieved it as a wedding present and still have it today.

Another one of my favorite baked good as a kid was lemon cake with lemon frosting. My Mom used to make it for Ryan's birthday every year. At some point, I decided that I liked the cake, too, so now I've had it for my last several birthdays. No secret recipe here--you'll have to call Duncan Hines for that one.

My Favorite Squeeze

Every once in a while, I get a craving to have breakfast for dinner. It wasn't a regular event at my house growing up because my Dad isn't a huge fan. Instead, when he would go out of town, we would feast on pancakes and bacon. Pancakes are by far my favorite breakfast food (when they are done right, of course), but I also enjoy French toast. I found the following recipe in Good Housekeeping magazine. (I am not a regular reader of this publication, but it was the only decent reading available at my doctor's office. And yes, I am that person that tears things out of the community magazines.)

French Toast

-2 large egg whites

-1 large egg

-3/4 cup low-fat milk

-1/4 tsp vanilla

-1/8 teaspoon salt

-butter or butter spray

-8 slices whole wheat bread

In a pie plate, use a whisk to beat the egg whites, egg, milk, vanilla, and salt until blended. Dip bread slices into egg mixture, and press the bread lightly to coat both sides well. Place 3-4 slices in a skillet, and cook 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides. Top with fresh berries and maple syrup.

Nutrition info (per 2 slices): 300 calories, 12 gm protein, 46 carbohydrates, 9 gm fat, 6 gm fiber, 56 mg cholesterol.

Now, I know that I'm no cooking genius, but how hard can this recipe be? This is the second time I've made this recipe, and both times I have ended up with bread that is too burnt on the outside and still soggy on the inside. The first time I blamed my pan/skillet (it does the job 95% of the time, but how good can a $5 pan from IKEA be? It serves my current purposes, but I would eventually like to upgrade.), but now I'm starting to think I don't have the heat set correctly. Any tips?

To go along with my breakfast for dinner, I made fresh orange juice- YUM!

FLASHBACK: (Since I did such a poor job of updating during the holidays, I am going to be using these "flashbacks" to bring everyone up to speed.)

On Christmas Eve, I got a call from Nick, who had just finished opening up some of his Christmas presents. When I asked him what he received, he immediately said, "My mom got me a juicer!" to which I replied, "Really?!" He was excited (by his standards) and went on about how he couldn't wait to use it. I would have been more excited for him, but I got him a juicer, too!!

During our Europe trip, Nick raved about the fresh juice we would have in the mornings at our breakfast spots, so I made a mental note (along with a note in my Blackberry) to get him one later. (Note to self: write blog posts about the trip to Europe in the near future.) We imposed a $20 spending limit on Christmas presents this year (a chance to save money and be creative), which was perfect- I had seen a Black and Decker juicer at Target for $19.99.

It turned out that Nick got a much fancier juicer-a Jack LaLanne juicer. (I'm sure you've seen his commercials on T.V.) His Mom got a good deal on one at a garage sale, so it couldn't be returned. However, I'm not sure Nick would have wanted my wimpy juicer. During my Christmas vacation, he made me several good juice combinations, including grapefruit, oranges, apples, and carrots. I liked the juice, but I have 3 qualms with the juicer:

1. It is *huge.* Unless you have a lot of storage space in the kitchen (or can hide it someplace else), it stays on the counter.

2. The parts can't be put into the dishwasher. I mean, I don't mind hand washing some dishes when it's absolutely necessary, but I can't see myself cleaning this thing by hand every morning (or see myself making juice every morning).

3. The pulp is separated from the juice- this can be both a pro and con. It allows you to put fruits and vegetables you might not otherwise consume (I don't know whether to say eat or drink here), and you can use the pulp in muffins and other recipes (but how many people really do this? Seriously, fresh juice and muffins every morning? Who is this person? Betty Crocker?). I personally love the orange juice with 'lots of pulp."

Here is where my juicer comes into play...

1. All of the parts (except the base with the power cord) can be put into the dishwasher!

2. It is small enough to fit under the kitchen counter.

3. You have the option of having high or low pulp juice.

But, at the same time, you can only use it for citrus fruits. I guess it depends on what qualities you are looking for in a juicer. :)

My new favorite kitchen appliance...

For those of you who are wondering, I ended up getting Nick a combination Christmas and anniversary gift (We were at Pat and Sarah's wedding on December 27 when I just started introducing myself as his girlfriend). I didn't stay under my $20 limit, but Nick got me a coral-colored cashmere scarf and glove set (love it! It's the very first things I've ever owned made of cashmere), so we were even in the end. At Details, one of my favorite gift stores in Indy, you can buy pictures of letters from around the state, including IU, PU, and Indy. I used pictures taken from downtown Indy to spell his last name.

Here is the full picture.

The first 3 letters- the "K" is from the construction of Lucas Oil Stadium. The "L" is from the top of the Indianapolis Museum of Art building. The "E" comes from the of Conseco Fieldhouse, where the Pacers schedule is posted.

The last 3 letters- The "M" is from the Indiana State Museum, which is just a short walk down the canal from Nick's apartment. The "E" is from part of a building downtown that houses Hard Rock Cafe. I think the "N" is from a random parking sign, but I'd have to look at the back of the picture to be sure.

As for this year, there might not be any holidays on the near horizon, but I'm going to call Julie soon to start planning birthday and Christmas presents.

One Game at a Time

I can't believe it is already the middle of November and that Thanksgiving is only two weeks away! Five months have passed, and there are still so many things I want to do. I've been fighting a cold/exhaustion/etc for the past week, but I still managed to fly home Friday to spend a long weekend in Indy.

On Saturday, my mom and I went to McNamara's in Carmel. They have gorgeous Christmas decorations every year, and even though we've gone almost every year, they still manage to come up with new ideas. My favorite tree this year was covered in silver, glittery ornaments (I love anything sparkly!). If you are ever looking for a good florist in the area, I highly recommend them.

Our favorite tree this year had a Sock Monkey theme!

My mom really liked the felt and knit poinsettas

How cute is this reindeer?

This would be so fun for a kid's room

I spent a little bit more time at home... My mom was working on invitations for a wedding, so I try to help with a new perspective. After you look at one thing so many times, you start to run out of ideas. (Well, at least I do.) While we were looking at the invitations in the dining room, Izzie (our golden retriever) and Rocky (the ancient cat- he's 17) were standing at the door looking at something together (note: this is rare- they usually don't get along). Izzie was almost pawing at something, so I decided I had better take a look at what was going on. I saw something brown and skinny and then shouted, "Mom! I think there is a snake in the door!" She thought I was crazy, but when we went to look, there was a snake inside the door! Mom was going to save the snake to show Dad and Ryan by trapping it between the glass storm door and the real door, but I convinced her that might not be the best idea. The last thing we need at that house is a snake running loose in the halls... When Mom first tried to get it to move, we thought that the snake was injured. Just a second later, we learned it was playing dead when it moved so fast it startled us (well, me, for that matter- I screamed). Mom successfully got the snake outside just a minute later- whew! Izzie and Rocky were both very excited about their recent encounter with another creature.

On Saturday night, Nick made my *favorite* appetizer before we went out to dinner. Almost a year ago (December 1), Nick and I had our first official date. We made dinner together (read: Nick made me dinner and I attempted to help) and then went to a Jon McLaughlin concert at the Murat. He made his signature baked goat cheese appetizer for the first time that night, and I have been hooked ever since. It's very simple, but oh so good. I've tried to re-create it since I've moved out to Rhode Island, but it just isn't the same. Here's the basic recipe...

Baked Goat Cheese Appetizer

-1 log goat cheese

-minced garlic (the kind in a jar)

-diced pecans
-balsamic vinegar

Toast the pecan pieces until slightly brown. Roll the goat cheese in the minced garlic. Cover the cheese with a large amount of the garlic. Next, put the pecans over the garlic. Bake the goat cheese for approximately 15 minutes at 325 degrees. Remove the cheese from the oven and put on a plate. Pour balsamic vinegar over the baked goat cheese. Enjoy!

You can spread the cheese onto whatever you like, but we like to put in a loaf of half-baked bread and serve the cheese with warm bread. Be sure to use a high-quality balsamic vinegar- it will make a noticeable difference if you use something without flavor.

A view of the Soliders Monument on the circle downtown at night

On Sunday, Nick and I went to the Colts game against the Houston Texans. Last winter, I was working at a pharmacy with Joe, the pharmacy manager, when he told me that he had an extra pair of Colts tickets. He was going to call a friend to see if he knew anyone that would want the tickets, but before he could pick up the phone, I told him I would gladly take them off his hands! (*Note: At this point in the year, I did not know I was going to be moving to Rhode Island to be a pharmacy resident. My brother and I were originally planning on splitting the tickets- they are not cheap!- but he has been able to go to most of the games since I have moved here. The only other game I'll be able to make is in December against the Jets.) This was my first time in the new Lucas Oil Stadium. The weather was gorgeous on Sunday (I could have worn a skirt!), so the retractable roof was open. The Colts won 20-17 after the Texans missed a field goal in the last minute of the fourth quarter.

Here's a view of the city skyline from the stadium

Helicopters flew over the roof after the National Anthem but I didn't get my camera out in time to get them in the picture

Because Peyton Manning uses audibles (calls plays on the fly), the stadium is quiet when we're on offense and LOUD on defense- the differential is amazing

Manning always picks up his leg before the center hikes him the ball

I thought this was another decent action shot

I don't think Nick has had this many pictures taken of him in a long time

My favorite picture- see the story below

Like most guys I know, Nick isn't crazy about having his picture taken. Like most girlfriends, I want a picture of us for everything we ever do or go to together. We already had the first picture of our faces, and I was pretty happy with how it turned out. I wasn't going to make Nick wait for someone else to take our picture with the stadium in the background. After the game, we were walking out of our section when we saw a couple having their picture taken with the field in the background. I told Nick that we didn't have to get one this time, and we kept walking. When we got to the next level, he pulled me into the concourse and asked a security guard to take our picture just because he knew that's what I really wanted. Maybe no one else thinks this, but I thought it was very sweet of him.

Lisa just moved back to Indy from Dallas, so I visited with her on Sunday night, and she took me to the airport on Monday afternoon. She will be starting a new job in an emergency room next Monday and hopefully closing on a house soon after that- how exciting! I haven't seen a picture of the house, but it sounds like it fits her just right. Can't wait to take pictures of it and maybe help decorate!

*Happy Veteran's Day. A special thank you to all of the men and women who have served our country. I feel very blessed that we have people willing to sacrifice their lives to protect our country's freedom.

Nuts for Sugar Cookies

There are so many wonderful things about the holidays: being with family and friends, remembering all of life's blessings, festive decorations, kindness and good cheer, and one of everybody's favorites, baking.

I've never been much of a foodie, even when I was little. I think there are less foods that I like than things I won't eat. It's mostly a texture thing, but I also don't like the smell of meat. (I know, kind of crazy.) But there is one thing I've always loved: sweets... candy, cookies, cakes, pies, ice cream.

When I was growing up, one of my favorite things to do was decorating sugar cookies with my mom. We would make cookies for Halloween, Easter, and Christmas, along with events that called for treats to be shared with others. I remember being so jealous of how creative my mom was with decorating her cookies- they always looked so perfect!

When my mom came to visit me a few weeks ago, I thought it would be appropriate to have decorated sugar cookies with a fall theme (this was part of the theme of her gift basket, which I forget to take pictures of- go figure!). Below is the recipe my mom has used for over twenty years.

Sugar Cookies for Decorating

Ingredients

-1 cup soft butter

-1/2 cup sugar

-1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

-3 cups flour

-1 teaspoon baking powder

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

-1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Directions

Mix together sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla. Set aside. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add gradually to butter mixture, blending well. Add lemon juice and rind. Wrap in wax paper and chill. Roll out dough and cut into shapes. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 8 minutes. Decorate!

I think what makes this recipe stands out is the addition of the lemon juice and lemon rind. You don't need to use fresh juice or rind. I actually prefer using prepackaged lemon juice and dried lemon rind. This recipe makes about 4 dozen, depending on how think you like your cookies.

When decorating the sugar cookies, I recommend using Wilton's coloring dyes instead of the red, yellow, blue, and green liquid droppers you get at the grocery store. Although the liquid coloring does the job, the pastes create colors that are much more rich. For example, when decorating this batch of cookies, I was able to make several shades of orange, red, and brown to make the leaves look more realistic.

Other things needed for decorating:

-flat spreaders (a.k.a. butter knives)

-toothpicks

-wax paper

-plastic bags

-colored sugar, sprinkles, etc.

-other candies to put onto the cookies

I use the plastic bags to pipe frosting. You can put a small amount into the bag, cut a small hole in the corner of the bag (I emphasize SMALL- you can always cut the hole bigger if you need to, but you can't 'make a big hole smaller) , and gently squeeze the bag for piping. Toothpicks are another staple. I use them to marbleize two or more colors together. *Note: I forgot to buy toothpicks at the grocery store (not just once but several times), so I used plastic forks as a substitute. Toothpicks are better by far, but if you don't have anything else (and are too lazy to go to the store), plastic forks are okay, too.

The frosting is really simple: powdered sugar and water. Just add water (a little at a time) to a large amount of powdered sugar until you have the right consistency.

Look at all of the colors!

Below are instructions on how to marbleize the frosting:

Frost the sugar cookie with a regular coat of frosting (but slightly on the thin side)

Use a toothpick, bag, spreader, or fork to carefully place lines across the cookie horizontally or vertically.



Use a toothpick (the jank option: a plastic fork) to draw lines in the opposite direction that the second color is spread. (Note: Don't put too much pressure on the toothpick because you can end up with a line with no frosting down the cookie.) *Note: You can draw lines in just one direction, but alternating directions also looks good.

The finished product!

Here are some more pictures of the cookies I decorated....

I thought the acorns turned out to be really cute, but...

The squirrels were even better! The eyes are made of sugar- found them by accident at the grocery store.

I am a messy cook!

I got all of my cookie cutters at Home Goods, which is next to the Target where I shop here in Rhode Island. If you're reading this from Indy, there is a Home Goods in Castleton. Although things can be a little random, they have a pretty good selection of, you guessed it, things for your home. The kitchen/cooking section is fairly large, and they have some cute holiday decorations. The set I got had a squirrel, an acorn, a pumpkin, and several kinds of leaves. While I was there, I found a set of cookie cutters that look like Christmas ornaments- can't wait to use them in December!

Let me know what you think of the cookies if you make the recipe! I promise you won't be disappointed!

Here's a sneak preview of some of the other cookies I'll make in the coming year...