Celebrate with Pinwheels

Think of pinwheels and you'll probably think of fun and movement and energy. So, pinwheels seem like a natural for celebrations. The Chinese culture believes that pinwheels have the power to turn obstacles into opportunities.  Starting a new year would be a great time for thinking about making opportunities. 
These pinwheel cookies feel like a celebration. I made them for Christmas, but I want to try some different versions later. Maybe tinting one half of the dough with food coloring instead of chocolate? I see a purple and white pinwheel cookie in the plans for a tailgate next fall! This recipe is another from EatWheat.org

PINWHEEL COOKIES

DOUGH:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter, softened (do not substitute margarine)

⅔ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, beaten

1-2 tablespoons milk

1 (1-oz) square unsweetened baking chocolate, melted

DIRECTIONS:

1.   in a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2.     In mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

3.     Add egg and milk; beat until well mixed. Add the flour mixture and stir to form a dough. (If dough is dry, add 1-3 teaspoons additional milk.)

4.     Divide dough in half. Add the melted chocolate to one half of the dough and mix together. Gently knead chocolate dough by hand to thoroughly combine.

5.     Between sheets of wax paper, roll each piece of dough into a 12”x9” rectangle. Place the chocolate dough on top of the plain dough. Roll up, beginning with 12-inch side. Wrap in wax paper an chill 15 minutes.

6.     Preheat oven to 350°F. With a sharp knife, cut roll into ⅓” slice. Place each slice about 1 inch apart on ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet.

7.     Bake 10-12 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove from baking sheet; cool on rack.

Each cookie 68 calories

The dough is rolled up and has been refrigerated.

Sliced and ready to bake

Peanut Brittle Grahams

At a recent session at Kansas Wheat Commission we were introduced to a new website "EatWheat.org" - promoting, of course, wheat products. Although initiated by KWC, EatWheat is planned to bring together any and all groups interested in wheat products. There are four parts to the site: Stories, Recipes, Learn, and Get Inspired. Farm family stories from the field are featured in Stories, letting viewers learn more about who produces wheat. The Learn section discusses types of wheat/flour and gluten. There you'll find answers to questions from production to nutrition. Recipes will be a popular section of course. The recipe I'm including in this post is one of those. Get Inspired includes crafts like pasta angels, gingerbread houses, and fall wreaths. I hope you check this site out for more ideas.

This recipe for Peanut Brittle Grahams reminds me of Peanut Brittle but is not as brittle or hard and doesn't stick to your teeth! The added graham crackers will make it a little more healthy, but it is still wise to limit how much you eat, there is 100 calories in each square. I broke them into small pieces, about 4 pieces per square (8 pieces from each cracker) to try for portion control! They are  sweet but salty and chewy also.

PEANUT BRITTLE GRAHAMS

 Ingredients: 

12-14 whole graham crackers

¾ cup unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks)

1 cup light brown sugar

½  cup chopped roasted, salted peanuts

Making the Grahams

1.     Preheat oven to 350°. Line graham crackers in a single layer on an ungreased 15x10x1-inch jelly-roll pan

2.     In heavy saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

3.     Carefully pour hot mixture over graham crackers. Sprinkle on chopped peanuts and lightly press peanuts down with spatula. Bake for 7 minutes until bubbly.

4.     Let cool. Break or cut into pieces and store in airtight container in a cool place.

The original recipe calls for 13 graham crackers,
my pan held 12.
Also, I lined the pan with parchment paper,
didn't take a chance on a sticky pan!

Ready to go into the oven. 

Sweet as a Christmas Cookie

Christmas cookies and happy hearts,   This is how the Season starts.                  

Our UMW/church women's group believes the season starts, and continues with cookies. Each December meeting is Cookie Plate time, when each member brings a batch of cookies and plates of assorted cookies and candies, with fruit, are assembled and delivered to friends and church members in care homes. I think this is a wonderful tradition.

This year the cookies I gave were from a new favorite recipe, Red Velvet Cookies. Red Velvet is another seasonal flavor I like and these are made with a cake mix. So they are very quick and easy, (about 10 minutes to mix and 20 minutes to bake two pans) besides looking festive. I'm going to try this recipe with other flavored cake mixes. I've seen a Blue Suede cake mix. Maybe Red Velvet, Blue Suede, and White cake mixes for 4th of July?

Red Velvet Cookies                                                         

Ingredients:

1 box Red Velvet cake mix

2 eggs

⅓ cup vegetable oil

Powdered sugar (or frosting)

Instructions:

1.     Preheat the oven to 375°.

2.     Combine one box Red Velvet cake mix, two eggs, and one-third cup vegetable oil with mixer.

3.     Form teaspoon size balls and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet or baking pan about one-inch apart. Slightly pat down the top of each ball (use the back of an oiled spoon)

4.     Cook for 8-10 minutes (the tops of the cookies will crack slightly)

5.     While hot, lightly sprinkle the top of the cookie with powdered sugar. Or wait until cooled and frost with your favorite white frosting.

Makes about 24

Simple ingredients!

For my first batch I frosted the tops

Firecrackers for Christmas

Everyone loves fireworks! We usually save ours for the 4th of July or a trip to Disney World. But in Peru fireworks are very much a part of the culture for celebrating Christmas. Since we live in a rural area with no zoning, we've been known to save some July sparklers for New Year's Eve or a birthday celebration (only in years when we've had enough rainfall to be safe!)

These firecrackers are for your mouth, however. And they are just as popular as the ones you light with a punk. Each holiday season I made 2 or 3 batches and they will quickly disappear. Its a good thing they are so easy to make. 

Firecrackers

1 box saltine crackers

 1 ½ cup Canola oil

½ package Hidden Valley Dressing Mix

2 Tbs. red pepper flakes, dried parsley, dried chives, or any dried herb or mixture of

Put crackers into a container that will close tightly. Mix the other ingredients and pour over crackers. Close container and turn container often until the crackers have absorbed the oil.

I like to use the plastic cracker storage container,
a box of saltines just fits! Slip them out of each
tube to stack in the container.

Simple ingredients: saltine crackers, oil, ranch dressing,
parsley flakes and red pepper flakes.

Meatballs for the Covered Dish Dinner

Covered dish dinner, potluck meal, faith supper, bring-and-share, carry-in, bring-a-plate. What ever you call it, it is the season for shared meals with our community groups. It may be church, quilting club, or study group, but this month we celebrate food and friends in many ways.

Recently I've taken covered dish offerings to several events.This recipe for meatballs is a favorite. Because we have a freezer full of beef and lots of hamburger, I like to take a main dish. This is a different flavor that the usual barbecue and not too sweet. I think you'll like it, make extra meatballs and freeze them for a quick dinner for yourself or a gathering.

MINI MEATBALL APPETIZERS WITH APRICOT DIPPING SAUCE

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef

½ cup seasoned bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons water

½  teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Sauce:

¾ cup apricot preserves

¾ cup barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard

Directions:

1.     Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, water, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 1¼ -inch meatballs. Place on rack in broiler pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in 400 degree oven for 15-17 minutes. Be sure the internal temperature of the meatball reaches 160 degrees.

2.     Meanwhile, heat preserves, barbecue sauce and mustard in medium saucepan over medium heat Bring to a boil; reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 3 – 5 minutes, stirring occasionally or until sauce thickens slightly.

3.     Add cooked meatballs and continue to cook 2-3 minutes or until meatballs are heated through, stirring occasionally. (I did this in small batches) Serve or keep warm in slow cooker. (this worked well, I prepared the meatballs and put them in the slow cooker on low for 2 hours before the event. Stir occasionally)