T G I (almost) F F

Thank Goodness It's (almost) FRITO Friday!

What's Frito Friday? The designated day when my bloggy friend Heather in Lebanon and I are posting about our experiences with this Sweet, Salty Frito Candy recipe from Cookie Madness.

Background 411 is that sweet and salty is my very favorite pairing for snacks. Typical sweet and salty snacks for me are chocolate-covered pretzels or a mix of peanuts, raisins, and chocolate chunks (avoid store-bought trail mix with its pesky nutritional and calorie information on the packaging--if you make it at home, you can think to yourself, "Nuts and raisins and dark chocolate. A healthy snack, indeed"). Point is that I am a sucker for sweet and salty and thus could not help but be tempted by a recipe for Sweet, Salty Frito Candy (henceforth known as SSFC).

So you're going to check out the SSFC recipe. Then, check out what I have to say about it below. Then, check out my friend Heather's take on it.

I made the SSFC with Bub, one of my two regular sous chefs (the other was napping). I have to say that the first part of the recipe offers many ideal tasks for little helpers: unwrapping miniature Reese's cups, measuring out a cup of Fritos and two cups of pretzels, using a mallet to crush those Fritos and pretzels (opted to skip the recipe instructions about using a food processor for this step), and spreading the mixture into the pan. I should have also given Bub a butter knife and let him cut the Reese's cups into smaller chunks, but control freak mama did it herself.

From there, the recipe--adding brown sugar to melted butter and boiling, pouring that buttery/sugary goodness on top of the salty stuff, and melting/spreading chocolate chips on top--is a little less friendly for sous chefs under age five.

My sous chef did not seem to feel left out.

"Look, mom, it's my own recipe."

Kind of cute how the pretzels look like faces now, right? Too bad the "eyes" tend to fall out when you lift them.

Back to the SSFC though. I followed the instructions and waited patiently for the chocolate to harden (suspect I should have a more culinary word than "harden," especially after watching Top Chef: Just Desserts). Eventually, I broke the candy into pieces and dug in.

Initially, I was all, "Hmm, this is okay, but I wish it were a little saltier." Because, you know, there is not enough sodium in pretzels and Fritos. I felt like I was tasting too much chocolate and was bummed that a few of my pieces were kind of crumbly. However, the pieces where there was plenty of the buttery/brown sugary goodness holding the pretzels, Fritos, and peanut butter cups together . . . those pieces were quite exquisite.

Fast forward to yesterday evening when I realize that there is only one piece left and I still haven't gotten hubby's take on it. Mind you, no one but me ate the SSFC throughout the week (I guess no one knew to look in the Gladware container in the back of the middle shelf of the fridge). It takes all I have to hand hubby that last piece. I don't have a quote for you because he was focusing on a spreadsheet or something, but when I followed up later, he said he liked it but didn't love it since he is not as into "the sweet/salty thing" as I am. Fair enough.

As for me, I will make the SSFC again. I will try to distribute my butter/brown sugar mixture a little more evenly. I may use fewer chocolate chips (I used a teense more than what was called for) and might see how white chocolate chips or a combination of white and chocolate turn out. I also think I might sprinkle some sea salt over the salty layer before adding the chocolate.

For sure, I will only make SSFC again when I am planning to share it with others because even if something is good, you don't feel good about yourself when you eat it all.

But enough about me, what did Heather in Lebanon's crew think? She'll be posting her account on Friday (I published a little early on the Frito Friday's Eve to get "credit" for my 30 posts in 30 days).

Happy Frito Friday, everybody! May your day be the perfect blend of sweet and salty.

Flip-Flop Contessa

Hey, were you at "the lake" this past weekend? You know, "the lake" where every other facebook friend of yours was?* You were? Good for you. Oh wait, you didn't make it to "the lake" this year? Me neither, but we still had a lovely weekend at home, enjoying the weather and the kids and feeling grateful for our life . . . exactly as it is.

With hubby not working (or, at least, not at the office) for three whole days, I had a little extra time and was able to try a couple of new recipes. As loyal NTB readers know, I'm not a fancy schmancy cook or a hard core foodie, but I am a girl who enjoys eating, collecting recipes, and sometimes eating food resulting from collected recipes.

Here are this weekend's hits . . .

Fresh Corn Salad by Ina Garten (aka The Barefoot Contessa)

Corn on the cob was on sale for eighteen cents per ear at the Jewel so I bought a dozen (maximum purchase allowed) and went about searching out a corn salad recipe on the Food Network website. This one earned rave reviews and involved very few ingredients: corn, red onion, basil, cider vinegar, and olive oil. So, so easy to put together (most labor intensive part of preparation was boiling the corn for three minutes) and really flavorful. Hubby remarked, "It's good." High praise. He went back for seconds, as did I. I finished it up yesterday and am now jonesing to make some more. I'll tell you what, if you invite me to "the lake," I'll bring a triple batch. Tee hee.

Make this salad. It's simple and delicious. (Follow the link above or right here for the recipe.) The added bonus of this recipe was the opportunity to marvel at regional differences . . . What I call "corn-on-the-cob," my hubby calls "roasting ears." What term do you use?

Peanut Butter Cup and Pretzel Terrine Real Simple, June 2010

The moment I saw this recipe (part of a spread on things to do with vanilla ice cream), I was ready to make it. Pretzels, ice cream, peanut butter? Sounded like a perfect sweet and salty delicacy. Plus, it was a "terrine." I don't fully grasp the breadth of the "terrine" category, but "terrine" just sounds fancy. You know, as in, "Well, after I whip up some fresh corn salad, I'll get to work on the terrine. I hope it doesn't melt on the way to the lake." The terrine is sweet and salty heaven. My only complaint is that the texture of the ice cream is a bit chalky, but I think that might be due to the fact that (in a misguided attempt to save forty-nine cents) I did not buy my beloved Edy's Slow-Churned.

Despite the fancy name, this recipe could not be any easier. The toughest step will be locating parchment paper at the grocery store (by the ziplocs -- you're welcome). I think now I might start to become obsessed with terrines and may try this savory recipe for Yellow Pepper Pesto Terrine next.

Finally, I want to mention that this Flip-Flop Contessa is digging her Skechers Tone-ups flip flops. I don't know if my a** is any firmer for wearing them, but they are very, very comfortable and do not turn your feet black and grubby when you wear them.

How did you spend your holiday weekend? Cooking? At "the lake"? Do you have any terrine experience?

*Credit to my sister LAP for this keen observation

Wanted: Eggplant Eggheads

I used to live within walking distance of a P.F. Changs, a wonderful establishment that I affectionately refer to as "Changer." I love Changer. Love it. Love the food so much that I cannot even tell you if it is a Diet Coke/Diet Pepsi restaurant. Love it even though it is loud and crowded at dinnertime. Love it even though the hostesses dress as if they are in an metropolitan hotspot and not a nationwide chain.

Love Changer even though I have ordered the same entree every single time (of many times) I have eaten there or hoofed it with some carry out: spicy ground chicken and eggplant.

I let my companions pick the apps. I tolerate the special-sauce making tutorial. I choose brown rice. When my dish comes, I eat every single bite.

On a few unfortunate occasions, I have dined at Changer with persons who consider Changer a family-style restaurant (?!). I have ordered spicy ground chicken and eggplant even when the rest of my dining companions seems skeptical and disappointed. Don't like it? Fine. I'll keep my plate to myself and, by the way, I never asked to share yours.

Sometime around 2000, I took a notion that I could conjure up some spicy ground chicken and eggplant in my very own kitchen. I don't recall my motivation ... penny-saving? ego? delusion? I'm sure there are home cooks who can replicate restaurant dishes at home, but not MEP circa 2000. I remember eggplant, garlic, cooking spray, a skillet and the worst, bitterest pile of crap ever.

And, even though I love eggplant (with and without spicy ground chicken), I have never attempted to prepare it at home again.

On Sunday, I bought two eggplants.

On Monday, I did a google search and discovered that there are many Changer replica recipes to be found online. I also determined that I did not have the ingredients to make any of them and wouldn't be getting them before the eggplants rotted. I will save the "homage to Changer" meal for another week.

Today, I searched online for all kinds of eggplant recipes. I felt overwhelmed and could not find enough reviews of said recipes to feel comfortable going forward.

I'm turning to all of you. Tell me how to prepare my eggplants. I don't want to use my grill or grill pan. I don't want to bread or fry anything. I don't want to use a whole lot of cheese. I don't want to do a lot of work. Basically, please give me some foolproof directions for roasting some eggplant that will be delicious, if simple. You can assume some basic pantry staples like olive oil, various vinegars, and garlic.

Please, tell me how to prepare eggplant that will not end up tasting like a bitter pile of crap.

Thanks.



What are you cooking up these days? Have you ever successfully recreated a restaurant favorite? Have you tried a new veggie lately? Inspire me!




*I also used to live within walking distance of the World's Greatest Don Pablos, but that queso palace deserves its own post someday.