Getting By, Dreaming Big

This is a blog for me to share my thoughts on my favorite things: books, traveling, food and entertainment!

Sunday Baking: Individual Key Lime Pies July 25, 2010

Filed under: Cooking,Sunday Baking — readerbean @ 7:47 pm
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As you know, if you’ve read Sunday Baking (there have only been two blog posts so far) my sister’s fiance, Josh and myself are having a year long baking challenge that I’m going to document here.  As that will only provide me with two blog posts per month on Sunday, I’ll also be blogging twice monthly about my own random baking exploits! 

As I said in my first post about our baking challenge, Josh and I usually fall back to our favorite regular desserts, namely incorporating chocolate.  My brother, is not a fan.  He love, love, loves his Key Lime Pie.  Recently at a gathering he asked if someone could make Key Lime Pie sometime soon to satisfy his craving.  I took his request to heart.  I had never made Key Lime Pie and I’ll admit I was intimidated!  After scouring the web for a good recipe I stumbled upon this great Key Lime Tart receipe that would give each person their own Key Lime Tart.  Sweet!  It was from a website called:  Our Best Bites.

Key Lime Tarts (via Our Best Bites)
 10 mini graham cracker crusts* (available near the regular graham cracker crusts in the baking aisle)
5 egg yolks
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
Around 1/2 c. fresh lime juice.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl combine egg yolks, sweeten condensed milk and lime juice.

According to Our Best Bites, using real lime juice is key, even if it’s not key lime juice.  I made the effort, bought the limes and a juicer.  I didn’t think it was going to be that difficult to get 1/2 cup of lime juice and I thought I had over bought – as I had purchased 6 limes.  However, it was really difficult and I used every bit of lime I had purchased.

After you mix well, distribute evenly in the 10 mini pre-made graham cracker crusts.  Place the tarts on a baking sheet and bake for 10-11 minutes at 350 degrees.  Once you remove them from the oven and they cool, refrigerate them until you are ready to serve.  I forgot to take a photo of the final product but I whipped up some homemade whip cream to top each tart – YUM!

These were a huge hit.  They were the perfect size (small), light and tasty!  Everyone loved them – they were a definite crowd pleaser!  I will certainly be making them again, not only because everyone liked them, but because they were so easy to make (the most difficult part was getting the lime juice!)  I will also be checking back with Our Best Bites for future recipe suggestions – it’s a great website – full of a ton of yummy looking recipes.

Post in Comments:

Do you like Key Lime Pies?

 

Entertainment Saturday: Train & Bon Jovi July 25, 2010

Filed under: Concerts,Entertainment Saturday,Music — readerbean @ 7:05 pm
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I may reside in New York City and I may root for the New England Patriots and the Boston Red Sox but I’m a Jersey girl at heart!  I have loved Bon Jovi forever and so when my friend Alison suggested going to see Bon Jovi I was super excited.  Granted this was my 4th time seeing them, but it had been at least 5 years :)   In addition, it was an opportunity for me to get together with two of my favorite Holy Cross girls (Kirsten and Alison) and to see the new Meadowlands Stadium.  Extra bonus:  Train was the opening act.  Their new CD (well, I guess it’s not that new anymore) Save Me, San Francisco is AMAZING!

Kirsten, me and Alison!

I have to say that getting to the new Stadium was super easy!  I met Alison & Kirsten at our seats because they got there early enough to “tail gate”.  I have to say the new Meadowlands Stadium did nothing for me.  From the outside it looks really cool but from the inside it’s just one big gray concrete stadium.  Blah!  At least everything was new and clean. 

Everyone was really there to see Bon Jovi so when Train came on the stadium was pretty empty.  Not that that mattered to me because I was super psyched to see them.  They were every bit as good as I had hoped they’d be and they played a lot of great songs.  I just felt bad that there wasn’t more energy coming from the crowd.  I will say, as this was my 3rd time seeing Train, if you like them and you ever have the opportunity to see them they put on a GREAT show!  (And there version of Ramblin’ Man rocks!)

After Train it was time for the main act.  It is amazing that Bon Jovi is still rockin’ it!  They played all the great oldies you’re there for and a lot of new stuff too.  It was fun to see how some of there newer stuff (ie:  It’s My Life) has become almost as popular as Livin’ on a Prayer!  People went crazy when It’s My Life came on – love it!  I love Bon Jovi and so maybe I’m biased but I can promise you whether you can sing all of their songs or only know 1/3 of them their concerts are a guaranteed good time.  You will lose you voice from singing & screaming, you’ll be dancing and just enjoying yourself all night long.  They put on a great show – it’s definitely worth the splurge.  I would see them again!!!! 

Post in Comments:

Who is your favorite band/musician to see live?

 

Healthy Living Fridays: Whittle My Middle Challenge (via Oh She Glows) July 23, 2010

Filed under: Healthy Living Fridays — readerbean @ 5:32 pm
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Even though I have not posted on Healthy Living in awhile I’m happy to say that I’ve been working out with a trainer for a month now and while the pounds haven’t melted from my body quite as fast as I had hoped I do feel remarkably better (it’s amazing how good you feel once you lose that unhealthy bloat you’re caring around – right?) 

One of the things my trainer has me doing is planks, which I thought were easy, well excuse me, they are really really hard, especially for someone who has essentially been ignoring her core for um…31 years!  I’ve built up to 60 seconds every now and again but can accomplish 30 seconds on a fairly regular basis now.  (I even practiced on vacation in Europe, after 6-8 hours of hiking and walking, I’d get back to the hotel and have Jon time me doing my plank!)  I know I’m starting to find dedication – it’s amazing.

Well, I love how my “middle’ feels now, even with just a slight improvement, so I decided it was time to tackle Angela’s Whittle My Middle Challenge (she’s the Glow Bar queen over at Oh She Glows).  I went to her website where she outlined her Whittle My Middle Challenge that she did almost a year ago.  I watched the video and then proceeded to do my first session after my workout on the eliptical this afternoon.

Boy, was it harder than I thought it would be.  Here are my stats:

Plank – 35 seconds

Side Plank (Right & Left) – 35 seconds each

Plank on the Stability Ball – 30 seconds

Stability Ball Jack Knife – I had a really difficult time with this and may have to start just by holding the pose without moving.  Nevertheless I did 4 but I’m going to have to have Jon help me tomorrow until my core is strong enough to really stead the ball on it’s own.

Ab Roll Out – 15

Plank Rotation – I did 4 – this was also a lot harder than I thought.

I know those aren’t stellar results but the goal is that each week those numbers will get better and better!  Here’s to hoping anyway.  I’m starting out with a 33 1/2 inch waste (start photo above!)  Here’s to seeing where I’ll be at the end of the challenge!  Next week I’ll list my Whittle My Middle Challenge stats for the week.

Thanks to Angela for putting this together, even if I am 8 months late to the party.  Better late then never!

Post in Comments:

What is your favorite core exercise?

 

Entertainment Thursdays: Date Night July 22, 2010

Filed under: Entertainment Thursdays,Movie Reviews — readerbean @ 9:54 pm
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Date Night

BAHAHAHAHAHA!  That’s all I have to say.  This was the first movie that Jon and I watched when we got on the plane (before we went our separate movie ways…and I ventured into chick flicks watching The Bounty Hunter and Valentine’s Day).  I was laughing so hard (yes out loud) that he kept nudging me, becasue we were on a plane surrounded by people!

Ahhh…where to start.  Steve Carell and Tina Fey play The Fosters (Phil and Claire).  They are a boring middle age couple living in the suburbs of NJ with two kids.  Phil an accountant and Claire a real estate agent have a date night every Friday (let’s say) and every Friday they go to the same place, eat the same meal, see the same people, etc.  Essentially they are stuck in a rut.  When they hear their good friends are getting divorced they decide to spice things up and spend a night in the city!  (Being from NJ and currently living in NYC I could really appreciate what an effort it is to have a date night in NYC).  Needless to say things do not go their way and they get entangled in one big mistake after another, leading to hilarious mishaps.  I’m literally laughing out loud thinking of parts of this movie!

While this is an absolutely laugh out loud funny romantic comedy, at the meat of the movie was, I think, a real serious issue, that of couples not taking care of their relationship, waking up and realizing that maybe they want something different, followed by working together and communicating to make that happen together, and then realizing that what they have is an amazing relationship.  The movie was clever, well done, touching and oh so fun!

Do not miss this one, add it to your netflix queue, run to your nearest red box, or heck, just switch on your TV and go to on demand.  However, you watch your movies, make sure you watch this one. 

4 1/2 stars

Post in Comments:

Do you prefer Steve Carell in The Office or in movies, such as Date Night?  I prefer him in movies and I can’t wait for Dinner with Schmucks to come out, based on my favorite foreign comedy, The Dinner Game!

 

Entertainment Thursday: Valentine’s Day July 22, 2010

Filed under: Entertainment Thursdays,Movie Reviews — readerbean @ 8:54 pm
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Valentine’s Day

I never saw He’s Just Not That Into You, but I wanted to, and even though everyone says “they weren’t that into the movie” (bahahaha) I will still see it someday.  So obviously I wanted to see Valentine’s Day.  I knew it wasn’t going to be something Jon wanted to watch, so when I saw it as an option on my Luftansa flight, I secretly fist pumped “YES!”

The movie Valentine’s Day follows the stories of 9-11 couples and the upds and downs of love on Valentine’s Day.  People get engaged, break up, find out loved ones secrets, accept each other (flaws and all), fall in love and realize that perhaps friends are more than they think.  The couples runs the gamut of an elderly couple, young couples, parents/children, kid couples and friendships!

Even though there were a lot of story lines I thought the story weaved together perfectly.  It didn’t seem like too much at once.  There were definitely characters you were rooting for and characters you couldn’t stand, but all in all it came together well.

Again, chick flick, romantic comedy, emotional dramedy (is that even a category?) - well I thought it was an emotional dramedy because anything about love always tugs at my heart strings and makes me cry (even a cheesy chick flick!)  I personally really enjoyed this movie.  I put it up there with Sweet Home Alabama, 13 Going on 30 and 27 Dresses – when I see it on FX/USA/TNT/TBS etc - I probably won’t be able to stop myself from watching it – even if it is the 5th day in a row it’s on!

4 stars

Post in Comments: 

Which did you like better – Valentine’s Day or He’s Just Not That Into You?

 

Entertainment Thursdays: The Bounty Hunter July 22, 2010

Filed under: Entertainment Thursdays,Movie Reviews — readerbean @ 8:40 pm
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The Bounty Hunter

Wow, it’s been a long time since I wrote a movie review!  Well, let’s get to it.  On the plane ride to Zurich my TV did not work (*gasp).  I more than made up for it on the way home watching three movies back to back.  What can I saw Luftansa rocks (I won’t mention the other airline who doesn’t rock).

I’m a sucker for Jennifer Aniston (it has to do with my love of Friends) so I decided (against my better judgement) that I was going to watch The Bounty Hunter.  The premise was more than advertised.  Yes, yes, Gerard Butler plays Milo Boyd, a Bounty Hunter, who’s job is it to bring in his ex-wife, Nicole Hurley (Jennifer Aniston) because she jumped bail, for “assualting an officer”.  That’s what they show you in the commercials.  It runs a little deeper than that because Nicole is working on a story about a recent suicide that she doesn’t think was a suicide but rather a murder – and Milo just happens to be an ex-cop.  You see where this is going…as he’s hunting her, she’s tracking a murder investigation, perhaps she gets to close, and perhaps just perhaps his cop skills come in handy.  Ok, ok, I’m sorry if I gave to much away, but were you really going to see it?  Doubtful. 

Moving on…this movie was light, fun, and while the character development wasn’t deep, in a small way you were rooting for them (to do what – I won’t say)!  It was perfect plane material:  distracting and entertaining.  Was it great?  Naaaawwww, mediocre at best.  Would I recommend it to you?  Nope – but if you find yourself on a plane above the Atlantic for 8 hours - well that’s another story.

2 1/2 stars

Post in Comments:

What is your favorite Jennifer Aniston movie?  Now, I haven’t seen them all, but of the one’s I have seen I’d pick The Break-Up.

 

Foodie Wednesday: Lemon Spaghetti & Swordfish Milanese July 21, 2010

Filed under: Foodie Wednesday,Giada — readerbean @ 7:34 am
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Ah…Foodie Wednesday & the Giada Challenge - two of my favorite things!  One of my favorite recipes in Giada’s Everyday Italian cookbook is her Lemon Spaghetti.  I’ve been cooking this way before I started the Giada – Everyday Italian Challenge.  It’s a light and refreshing pasta dish.  On this particular evening I paired the lemon spaghetti with Giada’s Swordfish Milanese from her cookbook Giada’s Family Dinners.  Another really great light dish!  All in all this was a great dinner…so let’s get to the recipes!

Lemon Spaghetti

Ingredients

  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 2/3 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil.

Swordfish Milanese

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 4 (5-ounce) swordfish steaks, each about 1/2-inch-thick
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 tablespoons light olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 cups lightly packed arugula
  • 1 bunch watercress, stemmed

Directions

Place the panko in a pie dish. In another pie dish, beat the eggs to blend. Line a large cutting board with plastic wrap. Place 2 swordfish steaks on plastic wrap, about 2 inches apart. Place another sheet of plastic wrap over the steaks. Using the flat side of a meat mallet or a heavy rolling pin, gently flatten the swordfish steaks to 1/4-inch thick. Remove top plastic wrap and sprinkle the swordfish with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside the swordfish steaks and flatten and season remaining 2 steaks, using the plastic wrap to help again. Dip each steak into the egg, then the panko, coating completely and patting to adhere.

Working in batches, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoon of light olive oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Place 2 coated swordfish steaks in pan and cook until brown and crisp and just cooked through in the middle, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to a cooling rack set on a baking sheet and lightly tent with foil to keep warm (do not seal with foil or the breading will become soggy). Repeat with the remaining butter, olive oil, and 2 swordfish steaks.

Whisk the lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil in a large bowl to blend. Add the arugula and watercress, and toss lightly to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper. Transfer the swordfish steaks to plates. Top with the salad and serve.

*Note – I did not use the watercress just the arugula!

Final product = a nice light healthy delicious meal!  Lemon Spaghetti could really go with anything.  I used to always be a red sauce pasta eater (always!)  This recipe was definitely one of the first that made me realize that pasta tastes great without red sauce. 

Post in Comments:

What’s your favorite pasta shape?  Mine is probably orichette, bowties or fusili!

 

Tuesday Travels: Zurich , Switzerland July 20, 2010

Filed under: Tuesday Travels,Vacation — readerbean @ 8:21 am
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My husband Jon and I recently returned from a 10 day trip to Switzerland & Austria (where we spent one day in Germany).  We visited this region last year (Germany & Austria) and loved it so much that we decided we should return.  Last year’s vacation was the most relaxed we had ever been on vacation, until this year!  I decided instead of doing a post for each day this year that I would do one post for each place we went:  Zurich, Switzerland, Innsbruck, Austria, Garmish-Partenkirchen, Germany, Luzern, Switzerland and Grindelwald, Switzerland – 5 posts.  You’ll still get all the highlights!  So let’s begin.

Jon and I at the top of the Grossmunster Church

The first and last stop on our trip was Zurich, because that’s where we flew in and out of.  People had told us that Zurich was a small sleepy town and that you didn’t need much time there.  We flew in on Thursday, July 8th and arrived at 8:40AM so we had plenty of time to explore Zurich.  After checking in to our hotel and getting settled for the day, we decided to warm up our legs with a run along the lake.  We walked the 10 minutes from our hotel to the beginning of the path at the mouth of the lake and did 15 minutes out and 15 minutes back along the path.  My legs were lethargic and I was moving slow but it felt good to be active and to take in all that was happening along the lake.  It’s a beautiful part of Zurich.

Afterwards we grabbed lunch at this little place right on the lake.  We both ordered sausages which came with a roll on the side and a beer.  It was a gorgeous setting for lunch and I have to say the sausages or wursts were delicious!  Then we headed back to our hotel room to nap and shower (napping the first day is a must for us!)

Feeling clean and refreshed it was time to really explore the town.  Jon’s co-worker had lent us his Rick Steve’s Switzerland book which had a self-guided walking tour of the city that we decided to do.  It highlighted all of the important sights and was organized and structured.  The highlights of the walking tour were:  the train station (don’t laugh it handles 2,000 trains a day!), Bahnhofstrasse (the big name shopping street), Pestalozzi Park, Lindenhof (now a park, but it’s where the fort stood back in the day), St. Peter’s Church, Grossmunster Church, Fraumunster Church and finally Lake Zurich.  It took us about 90 minutes to complete the tour, because we decided to climb the 200 steps of the tower for a view of the city (totally worth it!) and we spent some time inside each church really appreciating each location.  It was interesting to see how the reformation in the 1500′s affected the decor of the church’s in Zurich.  We also spent quite a bit of time, enjoy the Chagall stained glass windows at the Fraumunster Church.  They were just beatiful.  If we could have we would have taken photos of them, but if you click on the link above you can see them.

Content that we had seen the main sights of Zurich it was time for an afternoon beer break.  We found this great little beer garden right along the river (just before the lake).  We each got a beer and took some time to enjoy the sights of the city around us and just chat about our first day of vacation.

Then we walked over to Zeughauskeller for dinner.  The restaurant is a 500-year old armory filled with medieval battle gear so we obviously opted to sit inside.  It’s definitely a place that tourists go, I couldn’t tell really if it was a place where locals dined as well.  The food was pretty standard Swiss Cuisine.  Jon got Weinerschnitzel with Rosti and I got the Cordon Bleu with fries.  My meal definitely hit the spot and was delicious. 

Our last day of our trip we were back in Zurich.  We had less time to explore and I really need to learn that the last day should just be about chilling and relaxing instead of trying to plan things.  We were hoping to hike this local mountain in Zurich, but the chance of rain seemed really high, so we decided not to (so then, of course it didn’t rain)!  We thought about going to the museum just do something but at $50 for two people we just weren’t feeling it.  We went and had lunch down by the lake, then walked parts of the city we hadn’t originally seen, and then headed to Spungli for CHOCOLATES!!!!!

So funny story, in 1999 when I was studying abroad in Spain two girlfriends and I did this whirlwind 8 country in 4 weeks tour that was so much fun.  We spent 3 days in Geneva Switzerland and when we purchased chocolates there they were all filled with alcohol – blah!  Don’t get me wrong, I love chocolate and enjoy my wine and beer but I don’t like mixing the two.  We had a 3 hour layover in Zurich on our way from Geneva to Munich and so we walked the town quickly and found this marvelous chocolate shop where I had the best chocolate truffles I’ve ever had!  (No seriously – ever!)  I was determined to find it this trip.  I kept telling Jon that I remembered there being a clock face (pretty common in Switzerland) near the chocolate place.  We wandered and wandered and we finally found it – Sprungli!!!!!  I was so excited.  I bought myself 10 of those magical truffles and they are currently sitting in my fridge waiting for me to enjoy.  We also bought truffles to bring back for our families so they could partake!  Yum Yum Yum! 

On our last night for dinner we headed over to Adler’s Swiss Chuchi.  It was recommended by my Fodor’s book and was on the main drag of the restaurants.  We were lucky and got a prime table for 2 without a reservation.  Jon ordered the fondue (YUM!).  There was ham and mushrooms mixed into the cheese.  I ordered the Raclette Rosti which was basically potatoes & onions cooked hashbrown style with cheese over it – it was outrageously delicious!  I need to learn to make Rosti – it’s so yummy!

All in all I liked Zurich – it’s a gorgeous city – it’s not overwhelming – and there is plenty to see and do.  While I don’t know that you need more than 2 days here, you could definitely spend a longer period of time, plan some amazing day trips and come back to the city to go out for dinner and enjoy  the happenings of a city.

Post in Comments:

What is your favorite chocolate place ever?

 

Monday Bookworms: The Help (17) July 20, 2010

Filed under: Book Reviews,Monday Bookworms,Uncategorized — readerbean @ 7:11 am
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The Help, by Kathryn Stockett

444 pages, @2009

Anyone who is a big reader and talks about books knows that there has been a lot of buzz about The Help, by Kathryn Stockett.  After numerous people read it and told me how good it was, my co-worker Rachelle loaned it to me so that I too could enjoy this “must-read” book.  It did not disappoint.

The Help takes place in the 1960′s in Jackson, Mississippi, as the Civil Rights Movement is gaining momentum.  Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan had just retunred from college at Ole Miss and unlike her counterparts, who are all married and popping out children, desires to be a writer.  She runs in high society and is in bridge club, plays tennis at the local country club, and is the newsletter writer for the Junior League.  She dreams of writing and has sent her resume to numerous outlets all over the country.  She lands a job at the local paper writing the “Miss Myrna column” which answers women’s cleaning questions.  Knowing nothing about cleaning herself she enlists the help of her friend Elizabeth’s maid, Aibileen.  While working with Aibileen she learns about Aibileen’s past and is dying to know the true story of what happened to the maid who raised her (her being Skeeter), Constantine.  Aibileen is hesitant to tell that story.

Then after Aibileen tells Skeeter about a book that her deceased son had started writing about what it was really like for black people to work for white people, Skeeter decides she wants to pick up where he left off.  She asks Aibileen is she can write her story and if Aibileen can get 10-12 additional maids to tell their story so that they can make it into a book.  She runs the idea by an editor in New York and is given a tight deadline.  The only problem is that no one wants to talk.

What makes this book so special is the cast of characters.  While the book is seen through three eyes, Aibileen, Skeeter and Aibileen’s friend Minny who is also a maid, there are many additional memorable characters.  Some that you’ll love and some that you will just hate!  It tells their everyday experiences during the time of writing this book.  From Aibileen and Minny the reader sees the life of a black woman working for a white family, raising their kids, cooking their meals, cleaning their houses, etc.  Even more the reader gets a glimpse into the black community in Jackson - the hardships and the hope.  Through Skeeter the reader sees the life of a wealthy white woman and how working on her book alienates Skeeter from those who have been her friends since the beginning.

This book was so good.  The characters and more importantly the voice of the characters was beautifully written.  You loved these women fiercely and wanted them to succeed.  There are some incredibly sweet moments that brought me to tears and some tense moments that made me so angry.  It’s a book rife with emotion and you will feel it right along with these women.  Stocket has crafted a true gem with The Help and in my opinion this book is not to be missed.

5 Stars

Post in Comments:

Have you read The Help?  What did you think?

 

Sunday Baking: The Coconut Challenge continued…. July 19, 2010

Filed under: Sunday Baking — readerbean @ 6:04 pm
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Hello everyone, whew, we just got back from an amazing 10 day vacation (recap coming soon) and given how busy my June always is (it’s a work thing) I’ve been remiss in my blogging.  Have no fear though I haven’t disappeared and I’m going to really challenge myself to blog everyday for 30 days (do something for 3 weeks and it becomes a habit right?)  When I’m blogging regularly I’ve got a decent following of interested readers and I do not want to disappoint and aside from that it’s actually something I really like doing!  So we’re gong to start off where we left off.  When I last blogged I was telling you about my baking challenge with my sister’s fiance, Josh.  If you recall – I made coconut bon bons!  Well, Josh tackled the girl scout cookie everyone loves – The Caramel Delight (or Samoa!)  Read his recap below detailing his baking experience.

Take it away Josh….

Hi all.  As you already know from last week’s post (or er…Beth’s post from 6 weeks ago), I am Beth’s future brother-in-law, and am the other party in the baking “challenge”.  As Beth said, the purpose of this challenge is that we both enjoy baking, but usually only make the same things over and over, so we thought this would be a good way to challenge ourselves into making new things.  I was a little hesitant about coconut, as I am not the biggest fan of its flavor, but I had already vetoed one of Beth’s ingredient choices(Pumpkin..eeewww), so I decided I would give it a shot.

I decided to go with something where I was familiar with the idea of… Samoas(or caramal de-lites as they are now called).  If you are not familiar with these, they are the girl scout cookies in the purple box.  Butter cookie with chocolate on the bottom and caramel and coconut on the top.  The recipe I decided on is from www.bakingbites.com.  If you do not know this blog, I stronly suggest you check it out, as it has some of the best baking recipes that I have made. 

Before I get to the recipe, I want to note some things that I did wrong/poorly that I think affected the outcome.  First, the recipe calls for a 1 1/2 inch cookie cutter.  I do not have any non-Xmas cookie cutters, so I used the top of a drinking glass that was probably closer to 3 inches.  This was a big mistake as it made the cookies to wide, and made it so I could not forcefully spread the topping on them or they would break.  Therefore the topping was more of a clump on top of the cookie instead of smoothly spread around the cookie.

I also do not have a rolling pin(yet).  So I had to improvise and used a wine bottle to roll out the dough.  This didn’t work to well either, and left me with inconsistent cookie sizes.

Lastly, the original baker of this recipe notes that this is a very time consuming recipe, and she is right.  You need to make the dough for the cookie base and then bake it, toast the coconut,  then make the caramel topping and spread it on each of the cookies, then melt the chocolate and dip each cookie in the chocolate, and finally melt more chocolate to drizzle/pipe over the top of the cookies.  You also have to make well enough in advance of serving so that the chocolate can re-harden.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
up to 2 tbsp milk

3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12-oz good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
8 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate

Cookie:
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt at a low speed, followed by the vanilla and milk, adding in the milk as needed to make the dough come together without being sticky (it’s possible you might not need to add milk at all). The dough should come together into a soft, not-too-sticky ball. Add in a bit of extra flour if your dough is very sticky.

Roll the dough (working in two or three batches) out between pieces of wax paper to about 1/4-inch thickness (or slightly less) and use a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter to make rounds. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and use a knife, or the end of a wide straw, to cut a smaller center hole. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until bottoms are lightly browned and cookies are set.
Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Toppings:
Preheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt.

When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.
Using the spatula or a small offset spatula, spread topping on cooled cookies, using about 2-3 tsp per cookie. Reheat caramel for a few seconds in the microwave if it gets too firm to work with.

While topping sets up, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each cookie into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle finished cookies with chocolate.

Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes about 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies.

This is Beth again…I have to say that Josh made a tasty treat.  I gobbled up his cookies and made sure to bring plenty home with me;)  The next ingredient is CHERRIES.  If you have a suggestion for a great non-pie recipe leave a comment!