Caramel Success

I woke at 3:15 this morning.  It happens.  Tried to go back to sleep but gave up at 4:06.  I was thinking of last night's 3rd attempt to make caramels and was curious to see if they had set up.  This time last Sunday morning I had come down to check batch #2.  They looked pretty good so I cut and wrapped a few in wax paper and went back up to shower.  When I came back down, they had all melted and run through the edges of the wax paper.  Boo.  I read a few blogs and realized I didn't cook them quite to the boiling temp that they needed to go.  Batch #1 was thick and hard but tasted like praline without the pecans.  I cooked that one too fast and didn't use a candy thermometer.

So we tried again...Batch #3.  My husband said he admired my persistence.  Hmmm.  Does he really think I'm stubborn?  Well, I know I am but I told him I was DETERMINED.  (I was thinking:  if this doesn't work I won't be trying again.)

4:10 a.m. report:  IT WORKED!!!  No I didn't wake my family to tell them the good news but they won't be waiting to read this blog to find out either.  We have caramel success.

Wow, it takes as long to cut and shape and wrap those little caramels as it does to stir and get them to the exact temperature.  Now what's next??  I am tempted to try a chocolate caramel recipe that I found.  Meagan is voting for red velvet whoopie pies with peppermint cream cheese icing.  I told her we could try those next year.  She said:  "Next year is only a few weeks away."  Smart girl.  They will make a nice Valentine treat.

In the meantime, these soft and chewy caramels will make great little gifts in a pretty bag or box.   It's all about the packaging for me.

Meat Day!!

What a joy it is to work with such a great group of people.  Yesterday was our annual staff Christmas lunch road trip to Fogo de Chao.  Pdan has treated our staff to this tribute to meat for the past few years.

Have you ever been??  It seems each year we have a newbie along and get to enjoy it through their "first-time" eyes again.  The seasoned ones in the group, we've got it down to a science.  We don't waste our time, space or chewing energies on just any 'ole piece of meat.  We make choices and turn away any offers of something that might not be a favorite or that's not wrapped in bacon.  Eat a little salad then one, two, three....go!  Flip that coaster card from red to green and the meat begins to descend upon and around the table carried on large skewers by friendly men dressed as gauchos.

Someone might ask - "why start with salad, why not go straight to the meat?"  Well, for one, we're not total barbarians and we have to prepare and begin slowly.  Besides a Brazilian salad bar has so many different things that you won't find on any other salad bar in town.  It's part of the experience as is the red/green coaster.  If you forget to turn it back over to red, they keep coming and making offers of meat.  Turn it to red, and they know you are taking a break.  It becomes somewhat of a game.

My favorite selection this year was the filet-mignon wrapped in bacon.  It's the only one I tried twice.

Other complimentary foods offered on the table are the cheese rolls (I've been gluten-free for the past 2 visits so I just remember them being light and airy and fairly good as dinner rolls go), mashed potatoes, flan and warm cinnamon-sprinkled plaintains.

We finished our meal with dessert and shared a slice of turtle cheesecake and a papaya cream.

Carol, we missed you even though you're not a meat fan.  You were in our thoughts.
Pdan thanks for the gift not only of a nice meal but fellowship and time spent.

2011

2009

2008

Crabby Cookies

When people come to visit Maryland we like to take them for steamed crabs or our favorite crab cakes (G&M in Linthicum).  That wouldn't work when the Messiah Falcons came to town, so I made crab cookies.

I was visiting the Inner Harbor in Baltimore last week with my Mom and Ms. Doris.  Found a crab cookie cutter in a souvenir shop.  I used the fabulous sugar cookie recipe and icing from a blog that I follow called Toad's Treasures .  She has wonderfully creative ideas for all things party, baking, crafting & sewing related.  COOKIE RECIPE & ICING RECIPE

So Meagan made the dough for me and then we refrigerated it.  When I cut out the cookies and baked them the claws and some legs got lost in the transfer from the pan.  I was a bit discouraged and left them out overnight to sit.  The next morning I made icing just to test them out and used black outline icing to trace some features.  My mom encouraged me to use them.  I made another batch of dough to make some more crabs that had both claws and set out to finish the project.

I took a few broken ones to a neighbor and she thought they were great with coffee.  : )  The sour cream in the cookie dough really makes a nice texture and taste.

I finished decorating and let them sit out overnight again to harden so that the plastic bags I had planned for them wouldn't stick to the icing.

I bagged them with a few red hots for added fun and added some printed labels with a "crabby" welcome and a scripture verse to share and took them to the game.

Kelsie texted me from the bus saying "Thanks and they loved the cookies."  I figured it was dark and they were college students appreciating any kind of home-baked gesture.  It was a fun project and I will attempt them again for holiday goodies.

The Game in the Big House

Recently we enjoyed attending a local game for Kelsie's basketball team.  Normal travel time for us is nearly 2 hours.  Twenty minutes in the car was a great gift.  We've known for nearly a year that her Division III team would get to play an exhibition game against the Maryland Terrapins.  They got a taste of what big school athletics are about in the Comcast Center.  Some students choose a small private school because it's just that, small and private.  Several at Messiah have transferred in from Division I schools.  Our girls are competitive and athletic and at the top of their conference.  They held their own and played well in this big "turtle" arena.  Afterwards, we were treated to a reception at Ledo's for families and friends to visit with the team before they returned to school.

Squash the turtle!!!

Silly Turtle -
Mason was heckling him so him came over to say "hi".

Though nervous, he did give a fist bump
after seeing the turtle cry a little.

Final score

At this moment, the final score doesn't matter.
Messiah team captains invite every opponent to pray with the team
at center-court at the end of the game.  Most accept.

Link to an online article about Kelsie's return to play against Maryland.

Link to  Patriot News article after the game.

Link to the cookies I made for the team.  : )

Happy Halloween!!

What a fun day for kids.  Mason has anticipated this day for a few weeks.

This little witchy lady surprised us on our doorstep one night last week.

We got "booed" by a neighbor and she was in the basket we found after the doorbell rang.

I expect today will be filled with fun, dress-up, treats and hopefully NO tricks.

  

Meagan has volleyball practice and Mason stated "On Halloween night??  That is just wrong!"

H - A - P - P - Y     H - A - L - L - O - W - E - E - N!!!!!!

Pumpkin Jack for Mason

After singing "Pumpkin Jack" at school this month, Mason was excited to carve a pumpkin for Halloween.  He recruited Dad to help him.

No, he doesn't have a black eye. 
Not sure what's going on there.

Michael said Mason almost got sick
when he pulled the seeds and pulp out of the
pumpkin and you can see he was wearing gloves.

Much happier that the dirty work is done.

Mason drew his face on with a marker.

Finished jack-o-latern.

Oh to Blog again

Hi little blog - I've missed you and have thought of things to write recently but no time to sit.
Today was flu shot day.  Yipee!  It was a crazy, fried-brain kinda day where nothing seemed to go just right.  I was at the gas station late this afternoon and saw a dump truck lose his brakes and go sailing through a red light with traffic crossing.  I had just come through that intersection and was thankful for the good timing and thankful that everyone was able to safely dodge the out-of-control dump truck.  It reminded me of how quickly life can change - it just takes a second.  It reminded me to stop and be thankful and look for a moment to slow down.  So here I am, pausing, and now I will go to sleep.  Good night.....sweet dreams.