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

Like tOATally satisfying.

One of my 2010 resolutions was to make an effort to eat more breakfast foods that do not pair well with Diet Coke. The trick is to achieve this goal while still eating breakfast foods that are satisfying and stick-with-you-ing. Eggs are satisfying, but I drink pop with eggs. Golden Grahams do not pair well with Diet Coke but leave me feeling hungry eighteen minutes later. I usually end up with more savory breakfast fare like ham/turkey sandwiches or Lean Cuisine pizzas, both of which require Diet Coke (for me).

One breakfast food I return to from time to time is good old oatmeal. When I am on an oatmeal kick, I am on an oatmeal kick. I'll eat it almost every morning for weeks or even months, usually paired with orange juice.

Sometime around 1999-2000, I ate oatmeal for months (coincided with a period of weight loss, NTB) and topped it with sliced strawberries and fat-free white chocolate jello pudding. I think I'm only sharing that fact so I can think about pudding for a couple minutes.

My obsession now is oatmeal topped with brown sugar (love how the sugar looks as it melts) and either raisins or frozen sliced peaches (they defrost as you cook the oatmeal).

I don't do stovetop oatmeal, just quick oats from the tall can (packets are okay too, but the oats seem bigger from the tall can) in the microwave. I used to always make oatmeal with milk but have determined that it still tastes good made with water.

A recent issue of Cooking Light included a spread on oats and a recipe for Overnight Honey-Almond Multigrain Cereal. The recipe suggests that you combine steel cut oats, pearled barley, and water in a large (these oats expand, baby!) bowl overnight. Then, you microwave it in the morning. I've always wanted to explore the world of steel-cut oats but knew I didn't have the time or patience to spend 30 or so minutes on the stovetop every morning. No way. Anyway, I was intrigued by the recipe and sort of gave it a try. By "sort of" I mean that I combined the 1/3 cup of steel-cut oats, 2 tablespoons of multi-grain cereal mix from Trader Joe's (which I already had but was not using and which included barley in it), salt, and the 1 1/4 cups water recommended by Cooking Light and put them in the fridge overnight. I microwaved the oats in the morning, added my own toppers, and enjoyed a very delicious and filling breakfast. I'm sure the Overnight Honey-Almond Multigrain Cereal made exactly according to Cooking Light is divine, but the recipe involves too many ingredients for me for the morning. I don't see myself toasting almonds for my breakfast . . . not that I don't deserve toasted almonds.

Anyway, I'm loving my oatmeal again and wanted to pass on the soaking overnight tip in case other readers are interested in steel-cut oats that are less time intensive.

What are you eating for breakfast? And drinking?

Have yourself a sweet and salty little holiday . . .

Bub wouldn't settle down to sleep on Thursday night until he secured a promise from me that we could "cover pretzels with icing and sprinkles" the next day after school. Understanding that he meant white chocolate (not icing) I agreed . . . not because I personally love chocolate covered pretzels, of course, but because I am such a hands-on, festive, fun holiday mom. NTB.

Let me walk you step by step through our holiday snack creation.

1. First, secure some pretzels. I used the Rold Gold Holiday Shapes pretzels (not quite the whole bag).


2. Next, spread the pretzels on a sheet of wax paper, like so . . .


3. Enjoy your child's excitement and anticipation.


4. Then, get everything else out. You will need a package of white almond bark (just white chocolate or something like it as far as I can tell--does not seem to include almonds so have no idea about the name). You will also need "extras" like red and green sprinkles and Heath brickle bits. You may need to tell your preschooler, "Honey, you can't sprinkle the pretzels until the chocolate is on them." Maybe even more than once.

5. Okay, melt half of your almond bark in the microwave. I used my small Pampered Chef steamer (without the lid) and it worked like a charm because it has a lip for pouring and a handle. This is the vessel of which I speak . . .


6. Pour melted almond bark on top of about half of the pretzels. Then, tell your child to go crazy with the sprinkles. Distribute the brickle bits generously. They are not attractive, but boy are they tasty.

7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 with remaining almond bark and pretzels.

8. Let the pretzel concoction cool and harden. Be prepared to say, "Just a few more minutes" for the next twenty minutes as your child asks when the pretzels will be ready.


9. Start cleaning up. There may be some (thousands of?) sprinkles on the floor and table.

10. Admire your final product. Attractive enough for gifting? Not really. Perfect for snacking? Absolutely. The perfect sweet and salty snack that pairs well with a variety of beverages, including water, Diet Coke, and cold milk. Break a piece off and indulge . . . in moderation, of course.


Is it just me or do many of the things I concoct look like vomit?

What are your recommendations for sweet and salty snacks? For kid-friendly cooking projects?

Hot Vomit on a Chip--Absolutely Delicious.

That title is a little much. I'm sorry, but I can't bring myself to delete it.

Earlier in this month of endless posts, I told you about my new food porn: a blog devoted to crock pot recipes. Ever since I started checking around in the archives (multiple times a day), I have not been able to stop thinking about one recipe in particular.

Cream Cheese, Sausage, and Rotel Dip.

The name doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, and it's certainly not ever going to feature as a subtitle under a styled-for-the-camera Top Chef entree, but still, I had to try this dip.

I have long been a fan of a similar dip involving Velveeta, something spicy and tomato-ey (salsa, I always guessed, but possibly is Rotel), and ground meat (always assumed it was ground beef, but could be sausage). When I taught high school, one of my teacher pals always brought this creation to parties and at-school food events. I never made the dip myself, but have fond memories of it that stretch back to the late nineties.

Anyway, I thought the Cream Cheese, Sausage, and Rotel Dip would be similar and possibly better, especially since Stephanie at Crock Pot 365 calls it "mommy crack." Talk about a name that rolls off the tongue.

When the boys and I went to the grocery on Monday, I purchased some 10/$10 blocks of lite cream cheese (can never have too much on hand, especially with the holidays approaching), a can of Rotel tomatoes with green chilies (chose the mild ones, as I am a spice wimp), and a tube of Bob Evans pork sausage (the smell of it reminds me of home).

Then, I said to myself, "If Mommy Crack is really such a hit at parties, you should plan to serve it sometime, MEP." Then, I reflected, "It would be really irresponsible to try it for the first time when you're having guests. A test run is advised. And, since hubby is out of town on Wednesday night, what an ideal time to try the dip. You can call it dinner."

Tuesdays are very busy for me so I told myself all day yesterday, "You will survive. Tomorrow's Wednesday. Once you get the boys settled tomorrow night, you've got a date with a bag of tortilla chips and a mini crock of dip."

Friends, I just indulged and the dip . . . the dip is delicious. My version turned out a bit watery, but I suspect I did not drain the can of Rotel as well as I could have. The overall appearance of the dip is a bit "hot vomit on a chip," but the flavor was divine.

And, let's face it, if your friends aren't the kind of people you can serve "hot vomit on a chip" to, then they are not really good friends.