Last week I told you about my wife’s obsession with chocolate covered marshmallow.  I decided to make some from scratch.  It is definitely worth the effort.  The taste and texture does not compare to the ones in the sack.  Don’t get me wrong.  I have probably eaten my weight in the latter over my lifetime.

All of the ingredients are readily available in any grocery store.  If you do not have a candy thermometer…get one.  This really should not be left up to chance.  Besides, they are a good investment for many other recipes.

Take your marshmallows up a peg by covering in shredded coconut before the chocolate sets.  Alternatively, you could skip the chocolate all together and just roll the sticky marshmallow in coconut.  The sky is the limit with toppings.  However you decide to top it, you will find these a fresh, melt in your mouth approach to a familiar classic.

savour… soft and squishy.

Before you start:

You will need a cutting board, pizza wheel, and a wire cooling rack.

As with many recipes, it would be best to have all of the ingredients ready and measured ahead of time.

Mind the sugar closely.  Regardless of your thermometer reading, the sugar should not turn brown.  Be aware that there is a thin line between just right and overcooked.

I made mine thinner to be more like a candy bar.  Make yours thick as you like.  I have often seen these in 2-inch cubes.

The ingredients:

3 packs unflavored gelatin

1 cup ice cold water

1 ½ cups granulated sugar (12 oz)

1 cup light corn syrup

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

nonstick spray

For the chocolate:

12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon shortening

The method:

1. Place gelatin in stand mixer bowl with ½ cup of the water. 
2. Put other ½ cup of water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt in a pan and cover.
3. Cook on medium-high for 3 minutes.
4. Uncover and insert a candy thermometer.
5. Continue cooking on medium-high heat until ingredients reach 240 degrees F (should take around 10 minutes).
6. Immediately remove pan from heat at 240.
7. With mixer on low speed, slowly pour sugar mixture into the side of the mixer bowl containing the gelatin mixture.
8. Turn speed up to high.  Mix for 14 minutes.

During the 14 minutes of mixing prepare a sheet pan:

Sift confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch together.

Spray pan with cooking spray and “flour” it with the sugar/cornstarch mix. 

1. Add vanilla.
2. Mix on high for one more minute (mixture will be lukewarm and very thick).
3. Pour into pan. You may want to use an oiled rubber spatula here to even it out.  It will be sticky.
4. Lightly dust the top with sugar/cornstarch.  Reserve the rest of the sugar/cornstarch for later.
5. Let marshmallows rest uncovered for no less than 4 hours.
6. Turn out marshmallow on cutting board and cut into 1-2 inch squares.  Use a bench scraper or pizza wheel coated in the sugar/cornstarch mix.
7. After cutting, be sure to dust all sides of the marshmallow.
8. In a glass or metal bowl over a simmering pot of water, melt the chocolate pieces and shortening.
9. Dip the marshmallow in the chocolate and place on wire rack to set.  Alternatively, you could line the marshmallows up on the wire rack and slowly pour the chocolate over.  Either way, be sure the chocolate is not too hot.

I am sorry to say there is no project today… just information.  There was so much to share this week that I couldn’t fit it all.  I decided instead to give you a mixed basket of stuff to consider.

• I love Veruca Salt from the original Willie Wonka movie.  I cannot think of Easter without thinking of her and the egg room.  Oh, to have a golden goose egg!  Dust off your DVD or watch the clip.  It is most entertaining- every.single.time.
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• Pysanky – Romanian egg art.  This art form, which utilizes beeswax, a very cool tool, and several layers of dye, is simply amazing.  I found some great information here, here, and here.  You will be stunned.
• The magic of eggs.  This might require a separate post, but not this week.  I cannot say enough about this.  I am entranced by food science and I would argue that no other food item is as versatile as eggs.  Sugar is a close second.  As a nutrition source, the egg is a champion.  Learn more about that and other egg stuff here.
• Spring herbs – let’s start with parsley, dill, and basil.  In my area, these are available in abundance right now.  Chop them up and add them individually to pasta or salads with complementary flavors or chop them up together and toss with some pasta, olive oil, grated lemon zest, parmesan cheese, and some salt and pepper.  Easy and delicious.
• Chocolate.  There is no link here…just a chance to mention it.  This, again, will require another post… or six.  I am obsessed with chocolate.  You and chocolate and I will have many encounters.  Stay tuned.

There is still plenty to come before the end of the week.  I have a couple of treats planned and a quick fitness reminder.  Bathing suit weather is just around the corner. I hope you learn something new from the sources above.

savour…new knowledge.

  It’s less than a week until Easter.  I am kicking off the week with one of our Easter favorites… cascarones.  This Easter tradition comes to us from Mexico.  If you live in the southwestern United States you may have seen these before. We first saw cascarones while living in San Antonio several years ago.  They have been an Easter mainstay ever since.

   The idea is to take a confetti-filled eggshell and either crush it in your hand over someone’s head or (depending on your familiarity with the target) crush it directly on their head.  I will leave the method up to your judgment.  Either way, it can be great fun.

  The process for making them is simple.  It is easy for children to participate.  The materials are inexpensive… and all biodegradable.  This project is a slam-dunk. It will take some advance preparation in that you must have the eggshells to start.  We begin collecting the shells weeks ahead of time.

  To collect the eggs begin carefully cracking eggs very near the top whenever you use them.  Peel away a “circle” about 1 inch in diameter around the crown of the egg.  Utilized the contents as usual, but rinse out the egg and dry, hole side down, on a wire rack or paper towel.  When the egg is completely dry be sure to tear any membrane that may remain at the bottom of the shell inside.  This will help you later.

  You will find the instructions below for making the cascarones.  You can make them as plain or elaborate as you wish.  Let your imagination run wild.  I have even heard of birdseed- filled cascarones used at weddings.  I would love to see some photos of your results. 

  A word of caution:  You reap what you sow.  Be prepared to get your “do” full of confetti.  The fun is contagious.  Once you start smashing cascarones, it is difficult to stop.

savour… sneak attacks.

Before you start:

Our eggs are dyed with food color.  If you choose to go all natural, try this.

The key to saturated color is patience.  Get many small containers and let your eggs soak for hours if not overnight.

Tearing the membrane inside the egg will eliminate the air pocket it creates.  This will help to keep your eggshell submerged in the dye.

I used two tissue paper circles on each egg for added color.  Only one circle is necessary.

Save the egg carton.  It will make it far easier to work with the eggs for filling, etc.

Materials:

Eggshells

Egg dye

White vinegar

Cups or other containers for dyeing

Paper confetti

Scissors

White school glue

Drying rack

Process:

1. Collect and dry eggshells.
2. Dye with your preferred method.
3. Allow them to dry completely.
4. Fill with paper confetti.
5. Outline 2-inch circles on several colors of tissue paper and cut out.
6. With your finger or small brush apply glue to egg around the perimeter of the hole you created.
7. Apply tissue paper.
8. If you wish, apply a small amount of glue and another contrasting piece of tissue paper.
9. Allow drying completely before use.
10. Have fun.

We finish out the first week of spring with a nod to Easter.  We all have our favorite holiday candies.  For my wife, that is chocolate-coated marshmallow eggs.  Come to think of it, at Christmas time her favorite is chocolate-coated marshmallow Santa (I feel a marshmallow post coming up).  For me Robin Eggs and Easter are synonymous.  It is probably best for me that they are only available for a short time.

Today’ s Treat of the Week is a recipe that I use for Malted Milk Ball Cookies.  I like to use the appearance of Robin Eggs as an excuse to make these.  This is a great Easter cookie, but if you like the flavor you could certainly use Whoppers long after Easter is gone.  The malted milk flavor provides a unique flavor.  They are distinctive and delicious.

Malted Milk Robin Eggs Cookies

Yields about 4 dozen

Before you start:

This recipe could be altered to use regular malted milk balls without the candy shell.

Caution: burnt chocolate tastes bad.  Melting chocolate may seem daunting to some.  There are usually directions for melting it in the microwave.  I typically do it over a steamy pot.  Use the method that works best for you.

The candy shells will melt.  In some of the cookies it makes a lovely pattern.  In a few it makes the sides run, shape-shifting the cookie into an amoeba.  Either run with it or eat them before anyone sees them.

The ingredients:

1 cup softened butter

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup malted milk powder

1 ½ cups broken Robin Eggs candies

The method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place Robin Eggs in plastic zip bag and break into smaller pieces (I used the large ones and broke them into about 4 pieces each).
3. Sift flour and malted milk powder together.
4. Melt the chocolate.  Use the microwave if you feel confident or melt slowly in a glass or metal bowl over a pot of simmering water (make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl).  Allow it to cool slightly.
5. Beat butter 30 – 60 seconds.
6. Add the sugars and the soda.  Beat just until combined.
7. Beat in eggs, vanilla and chocolate.
8. Gradually add flour mixture with mixer on lowest speed.  Mix only until incorporated.
9. Mix in Robin Eggs pieces only until incorporated.
10. Scoop onto parchment lined baking sheets.
11. For softer, thicker cookies place filled tray in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before baking.
12. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges are starting to firm.
13. Cool on sheet for 1-2 minutes before transferring to wire cooling racks.
14. Store in an airtight container.

About twice a month we have roasted chicken for dinner.  Usually we roast it ourselves. Occasionally we purchase a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket.  It may seem a little like cheating, but it is quick and tasty and it can be used in many recipes.

No matter which we use, we almost always save the carcass for stock.  Making chicken stock is far easier than you might think.  The product of our efforts is thicker and more flavorful than any store bought version I have ever tasted.  Better yet, I control the ingredients and sodium content.

You could add just about any vegetable you want to the mix.  I caution against using things that are too strong (fennel seed might be a stretch) or too much of any one flavor (garlic and pepper jump to mind).  The overall concept is to have a base that can be utilized in many ways.  If, on the other hand, you intend to use the whole batch for a particular soup then punch it up with whatever is necessary. When making stock for tortilla soup, for example, I always add cilantro and peppers.

savour… multi-purposing.

Our lives are a compilation of all of our experiences.  I am a huge fan of simple pleasures and the impact they have on us.  I have many of them. We often dismiss them, but taking notice of them can completely change your mood.  It could be the sight of something, or a familiar smell, or the sound of your Nana’s laugh. 

    One of my favorite simple pleasures is the smell of line-dried clothes.  If you are not familiar with this fragrance I highly recommend that you try this.  You may even want to install a line.  If you are not sure how, stay tuned.  We will be covering laundry care very soon.

    Falling asleep on pillowcases that dried outside is heavenly.  The instructions below are for a fitted pillowcase.  These pillowcases are easy to make and look oh-so-tailored.  I have a hard and fast rule about linens.  They must always be white.  You may use whatever you wish, but I believe that nothing makes a bed look more inviting than crisp white bed linens.

    This is our first venture into sewing so I must preface it with this.  I am not a master tailor.  I mostly learned to sew so that I could do upholstery work.  I promise to never give any advice for a project that is too tricky.  Also, I almost always use ½ seam allowance because that makes the math easier for me.  Math is a critical part of the sewing process. 

    A sewing machine is a tool that pays for itself repeatedly.  I have saved an enormous amount of money by making or fixing for myself.  With very little instruction you can accomplish many things.  Having said that, I hope you will attempt the pillowcases here.  I would love to see what you produce.

savour… peaceful slumber.

You will need:

Fabric of your choice (cotton sheeting or similar fabric is a good choice)

Matching thread

Scissors

Rotary cutter and cutting board (optional)

Pins

Sewing machine

Iron

Measuring tape

Paper and pencil (for the math)

Before you start:

I generally like to remove selvage edges by tearing a grain line.  At times the cut from the fabric store can be off dramatically.

You will find this much easier to tackle with a rotary cutter, but scissors will do fine.

Everything gets a ½ inch seam allowance unless stated otherwise.

I cannot stress enough the importance of pre-washing/pre-shrinking and pressing.

The method:

1. Wash/shrink fabric.

2. Tear a grain line to use as your straight edge.

3. Measure your pillows length (mine was 37 inches).

4. Measure your pillows width (mine was 18.5 inches).

5. Determine overall measurements using diagram below.

For the example:

6. Measure and cut fabric to the right dimensions (measure twice; cut once).

7. Lay the fabric right side face down.

8. At one end double fold a 2-inch hem and pin it in place.

9. At the other end, double fold a half-inch hem and pin it in place.

10. Sew up both hems and press.

11. Lay the fabric back down right side up.

12. 6 inches from the ½ hem edge mark a line with pins.

13. Bring the 2-inch hem edge up to the marked line.

14. Remove the pin line.

15. Fold the 6-inch remainder with the ½ inch hem over the folded fabric.

16. Pin a seam line down both sides ½ in from the edge.

17. Sew both seams.  Be sure to backstitch at start and finish and over the points where the overlap occurs.

18. Zigzag stitch over the edges of seam line to control fraying.  I don’t have a serger so this is the method I use.

19. Turn the case inside out and press.

Spring is here!  I know what I said yesterday, but it’s true.  You know spring has arrived when you hear the tinkling of the ice cream truck on your street.  Last night as I was struggling over whether this would be a “winter” or “spring” post I heard that sound.  Our guy’s truck plays “Turkey in the Straw” and “Pop Goes the Weasel”.  I guess nobody ever thought to change the tunes. 

To me, nothing says ice cream truck like a dreamsicle.  They are the perfect combination of vanilla, cream, and citrus.  I put together a healthier version here suitable for breakfast on the run (recipe follows).  Mornings are always hectic at my house and getting the kids to eat something sensible is challenging, at best.

    Speaking of healthy eating, Jamie Oliver has a new show starting this week on ABC called Food Revolution.  It premieres on Friday, March 26 at 8|7c.  Anybody who knows me knows how strongly I feel about healthy, balanced eating.  From the promotional material I have seen so far, the program looks very interesting.  It is at least worth one view.

    Finally, this past Sunday we launched the Facebook page for Today’s Nest.  The response has been very positive so far.  I sincerely want to thank everyone who has become a fan already.  I will do my best to bring you relevant, entertaining information.  Please visit often and if you like what you see… tell a friend. Until next time…

savour… the faint tinkling of the ice cream truck.

Dreamsicle Smootie

    This smoothie is great for breakfast, but would be tasty anytime.  The following recipe should yield 3 good servings.  Each serving has 0 fat, 164 calories, 25g carbs, 11g protein, and 3g fiber.  The good stuff doesn’t stop there.  It is loaded with vitamin C and lots of other stuff.  Enjoy!

The ingredients:

1 cup non-fat greek yogurt

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

1 cup orange juice

½ cup skim milk

1 orange – juice and zest

2 clementines – segments only (these are readily available right now and add an intense citrus flavor)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups ice

The method:

1. Finely grate (zest) one large navel orange.
2. Add all ingredients to blender in the following order: liquid, soft, then solid.
3. Blend until smooth.
4. Serve chilled.
5. Store remainder in refrigerator.