Gramma Estel's Holly Cookies

This is the most personal recipe I've posted so far.  Probably the ONLY personal one I've posted.  But, I can't hold this in any longer. I'm not even sure when Gramma started making these cookies.  I know she sent me some when I was in college and that was ages ago.  And typically, when we're lucky enough to be at her house for the Holidays, she has a stash for me.

This year, my son is the one that mentioned them.  I have been baking a lot more lately (my oven is so confused) so I thought I'd give them a try. So I facebooked my gramma (yup suckers...my grandmother is on facebook!!!) and asked her for the recipe.  She sent me her original copy :) :).  That deserves two smiley face emoticons.

Can you believe, they're actually called Holly Cookies?  I just assume she named them after me.  LOL..

It's a pretty easy recipe, butter cookies, powdered sugar glaze and raspberry jam.  But I think, the love that goes into decorating them is what makes them taste so delicious.

Cookies:
2/3 cup unsalted softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1teaspoon vanilla

1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon

raspberry jam (no seeds)

extra flour for rolling

icing:
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk
Red Hots or other cinnamon candies
Green food coloring
paintbrush :)

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat.
Cream butter and sugar until light, add egg and continue to beat until well incorporated.  Then add vanilla.
In separated bowl, sift the dry ingredients together.
Once butter mixture is well combined start adding dry ingredients slowly until completely incorporated.

Liberally flour your work surface as this is an extremely sticky dough. You can refrigerate it for a bit but since it's mostly butter, it will get too hard and you'll have to let it soften to roll out.
Roll your dough until its about 1/8 in. thick.  Cut into desired shapes.  Pull together scraps and repeat.
Bake for 6-8 min.  Cookies should not brown.

Sandwich the cookies together with raspberry jam. 

When making icing, slowly drizzle milk into sugar until you achieve a thick glaze.

Glaze cookies, while icing is still wet, press red hots into top.  Once icing has completely hardened, you can paint your Holly leaves on.

Store in airtight container until it's time to leave them out for Santa.  They will keep for 5-7 days and still taste delicious.

Candy Cane Marshmallows

SPOILER ALERT:  I made these delicate little treats for gifts this year.  And for those few people that are lucky enough to receive a festive bow wrapped gladware filled with these sweet minty beauties, I just want you all to know that I love you so much, I worked and slaved in the kitchen for 3 days to make these. ENJOY..

Ok, back to our conversation.  Marshmallows are so easy to make (hey friends...keep your eyes up there ^^^).  The beauty of it is, they're versatile as well.  You can add different extracts or cocoa powder.  Then what you do with them when they're done, umm i don't know, like dip in melted chocolate?, It's totally up to you :)

Do me a favor and try just once to make them. They're so pretty and the chemistry of it all, the way it changes right before your eyes, is thrilling.  Yeah, that's right, I called marshmallows thrilling. So what.

One thing though, please please please, don't dip your fingers in molten sugar.  I'm a notorious finger dipper and had to catch myself more than once.  When working with hot sugar, always keep a bowl of ice water ...at your fingertips.

This is a customized Martha Stewart recipe.  Yeah, we collaborated.  She just didn't know it.

4 envelopes unflavored gelatin (3 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons)
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups water 
red food coloring
Powdered sugar for dusting, about a cup.


Brush a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with oil or non stick spray. Line with parchment, allowing a 2-inch overhang on the long sides. Brush parchment with oil; set aside. I actually just spread a large sheet of parchment paper out on a large cookie sheet.  It allowed me to spread them a bit thinner and make more.  Trust me, they were plenty big enough.

Put granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 3/4 cup water into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cook, without stirring, until mixture registers 238 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 9 minutes.

Meanwhile, put 3/4 cup cold water into the bowl of an electric mixer; sprinkle with gelatin. Let soften 5 minutes.
Attach bowl with gelatin to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. With mixer on low speed, beat hot syrup into gelatin mixture. Gradually raise speed to high; beat until mixture is very stiff, about 12 minutes. Beat in peppermint extract.

Pour into prepared dish, and smooth with an offset spatula. Immediately start squeezing red food coloring directly onto the marshmallow.  Using a toothpick, swirl the food coloring around.  Add more as desired.

Let this dry on the counter for a few hours, depending on humidity.  To cut, spray a long knife with non stick spray and cut into strips, then cubes.  Reapplying spray as needed.  Dredge each cube in sifted powdered sugar making sure no sticky sides remain. Pat off excess sugar.  Store in airtight container until you're ready to
make your cocoa, or S'mores, or rice krispie treats, orrrr you just want one straight up :)

Shop Local Panama City

So I wanted to get a list together of some of our family's favorite local stores in Panama City/beach to help with the shop local cause.  These are some of the ones I can think of right now, but I'm certain this list will grow over the next few weeks.   I'm also looking for local toy stores and book stores.  Please share if you know of any.

If you have any local stores you'd like to add, for Panama City or your local town, leave it in the comment section:


Food/Wine/Pantry Items:
The Wine Dog- Large selection of wine, beer and cigars
Liza's Kitchen -cafe, good selection of wines
Somethin's Cookin' - pantry, cafe, kitchen items, cooking classes
Coastal Market - Local produce, dairy, pantry items.
Seabreeze Winery- Locally grown/produced wines, gift shop

Recreation
Half Hitch Tackle - One of The Captains favorite places
Sunjammers - Watersports and accessories
C and G Sporting Goods - Panama City's answer to Outdoor World, only, local.

Jewelry
Shimmering Seas Jewelry

Other
One Hot Cupcake - Cupcakes, Coffee, Gift Cards
Chop Shop Hair Studio - Gift Cards
Pieces on the Beach - Shabby Chic and Antiques
Beau Tresor- Pier Park- Shabby Chic antiques and jewelry (one of my faves)
Beach Music- Corner of Thomas Drive and Front Beach, under the bridge.

Also, don't overlook local pawn shops.  They have recreational and hunting gear, electronics and jewelry.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pancakes

I have a love hate relationship with Sundays.  If I have my way, they're easy, breezy and relaxing.  I can cook all day and a little fairy will come behind me and clean up every step of the way.  I'll have a house full of people that are so impressed with the food, they're completely speechless after every bite. 
Not sure which part I like more, them enjoying my food, or being speechless.  As I write this I'm giving the six year old factors to type into the calculator.  "super duper hard numbers mom...no...bigger numbers".  Then she jumps to "look how long I can stare". That involves me actually looking her way. "wheres the phone mom, I wanna call dad" ,"wanna see the book I wrote?"  Oh, she also talks to me in her own language. I haven't quite caught on to it yet.  I'm blessed with a house full of talkers, movers and shakers.  So I digress, but wanted you to see why a moment of silence would be nice. 
Back to Sundays.  Love them, they're still part of the weekend, but guess what happens in a few hours from now?  Back to the weekly grind.

This morning, we wake up early, because The Captain has to go out to the property to start clearing it and laying down some food for the deer. That's the first thing he thinks about.  Me?  I think of breakfast, and the few precious moments of quiet I'll have before zombie kids come fumbling down the stairs.  Thinking pancakes, but something different.  How about cream cheese pancakes?  Yup..thats what I'm doing.

So on this last day of the weekend, I'll open the windows, feel the cool breeze come in and cook. Now...where's my cleaning fairy?

Thats what happens when you put the whipped cream on top of warm syrup

Ingredients:
2 cups self rising flour
3 Tbs powdered sugar
4 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese softened
1 egg
2 Tbs melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk

Whipped Cream
Strawberry Syrup.  I actually melt low sugar strawberry jelly and use that. 

Preparation:
In large bowl, whisk flour and sugar.  Create a well in the middle of the mixture
In smaller bowl mix cream cheese, egg, vanilla and melted better
Add that mixture to the flour mixture.  Slowly add milk and whisk until mixture is combined. It usually takes between 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 cups.
Heat skillet over medium low.  These pancakes tend to brown very easily so cook on low to medium low heat.
Top with strawberry syrup and whipped cream.  Grab coffee and grab loved ones, open windows and enjoy this day. 

Homemade Mayo on Turkey Avacado Bacon Sliders

I LOVE my grocery store (Publix).  We're all on a first name basis.  When those newbies ask me if I need help finding anything, I joke "no thank you, do YOU need help finding anything?"  The last suggestion I placed in the suggestion box was for my own parking spot.  I truly believe they're mulling it over.

ANYWAY...... the point is, no one around here carries pasteurized eggs and I really really super duper wanted to make some homemade mayonnaise.   So, I put in a request, it never came.  Finally I talked to the grocery manager. I told him I'd like to cash in some of my frequent flyer miles for this special request.  He replied "for you, Holly, anything"  OHH KAYY..he didn't say that.  But he did say, No problem, they'll be here by Friday.  And they were.  I feel so special (although they would do that for anyone, I pretend it's because I'm me)

Sooo, today, made mayo.  I first tried it in the food processor.  Epic failure.  Turned out super runny and grodie.  So put some elbow grease into it and whipped the S**T out of it.  I used Alton Brown's recipe. Click here for his recipe   Its so pretty and creamy and thick.  And my head is spinning with ideas of other flavored varieties I can whip up..literally.

Ingredients

• 1 egg yolk*
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 pinches sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 cup oil, safflower or corn

Directions

In a glass bowl, whisk together egg yolk and dry ingredients. Combine lemon juice and vinegar in a separate bowl then thoroughly whisk half into the yolk mixture. Start whisking briskly, then start adding the oil a few drops at a time until the liquid seems to thicken and lighten a bit, (which means you've got an emulsion on your hands). Once you reach that point you can relax your arm a little (but just a little) and increase the oil flow to a constant (albeit thin) stream. Once half of the oil is in add the rest of the lemon juice mixture.

Continue whisking until all of the oil is incorporated. Leave at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours then refrigerate for up to 1 week.

* Raw Eggs

*RAW EGG WARNING
One Spicy Dish suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs due to the slight risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly refrigerated, clean grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.  Please use pasteurized eggs when a recipe calls for raw eggs.

So for dinner I had to use my mayo.  I quickly put together some turkey sliders.  I have a couple recipes on here you can use.  It's very similar to the  basic meatball recipe.  There is also an Asian turkey slider recipe floating around my blog. Click here for  asian turkey sliders. Either one will work :) 

I basically mixed a pound of ground turkey breast, grated onion, garlic, salt, sazon, egg, bread crumbs and cheese together and formed into patties.  Grilled them off, topped with avocado, bacon, tomato and the creamy goodness that is  homemade mayo.

NOM NOM

A Day at the "property"

My husband, aka "The Captain", finally got himself a piece of hunting land.  It's a bit of solitude in this otherwise tourist destination.  Just a few miles from the most beautiful beach in the country (you've seen the pics.. and if you didn't think it was beautiful, you can't read this because someone poked you in the eye at my request)

I can't wait to go out with him to set up feed plots and track deer and hogs, when the first chill hits the air and kills the flying, blood sucking teeth of course.  Hopefully my freezer full of fish will share space with venison and pork sausage in the next few wintery months.  Those will be some fun recipes to post :)

Going out to the "property" makes me wanna be back in the country. I miss the country. 

Now, I need to convince him to drop a well out there so I can have a little corner of the 1400 acres to grow some dadgum tomatoes..

Well, gotta go, last day of vacation and I have day full of nothing on my plate.  Gotta get crackin.

Sometimes a Girl Just Needs a Chilidog

I love watching Food Network, if you're reading this chances are you do too.  On the Next Food Network Star, they always preach.."figure out who you are as a cook".  I thought about that.  As much as I would love to say I'm a gourmet, deconstructionist type that dabbles in molecular gastronomy and is uber inventive, I can't.  Well, I can SAY that, but it wouldn't be true.  I'm that girl that takes the food we have always eaten.and just makes it a little bit better.
I grew up eating Dairy Queen Chili Dogs from the DQ in Eleanor WVa (holla!!).  And I don't care who or where you are, no other DQ can compete with this one.  I remember being able to buy a chili dog, french fry and a soda (sorry Wva. peeps...POP) for $2, i'm certain came from the couch cushions.
 When I visit my grandparents in Fairmont WV..it's a given that we visit Woody's for a hotdog.  Nothing gourmet about it...but it sure is good.
It's hard to find a good chilidog outside of WV in my opinion. A few years ago, we were having a potluck lunch in the office and a good friend of mine, Robbin,who is also a WV. native, brought in dogs in sauce..in the slowcooker!  I've never had it this way.  And I gotta tell you, cooking your dogs in a slowcooker turns them into another kind of meat.  As close to gourmet as you can get a hot dog. They're tender melt in your mouth delicious. Her hot dog sauce (chili) was as close to home as I remember.  I was so excited when she sent me her recipe the other day.  I modified a little bit so this recipe is based on her original.   But please, no matter what you do..don't forget the slaw.  It's almost as important as the chili :)

• Robbin's Hotdog Sauce
  
  1 C. finely chopped onion
  
  1 clove chopped garlic
  pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (i LOVE spicy chili, so this is to taste)
  1 pounds ground beef - you can add more beef or pork also. This recipe is for only 1lb so if you think you need more just increase the ingredients.
  1 T. black pepper
  1 T. salt
  Dash of Worcestershire sauce
  1 small can tomato paste - after you empty paste into meat, fill can with water and add to mixture.
  1/8 cup of brown sugar
  1 package of sloppy joe mix
  
  
  Instructions:
  In a large pot, saute the onion, garlic and red pepper in the olive oil until tender but not browned. Crumble the raw hamburger and add to the pot. Brown meat . Add the remaining Ingredients and cook, covered, over low heat, just simmering, for two more hours. (this is when I put my hotdog in a crock pot and add the sauce and let it cook for 2 hours on low..YUMMY
  PS..the longer you cook the dogs, the more tender they'll be.  I don't mind a 6-8 hour simmer.  It's gonna knock your socks off!!
  
  If you wish a thinner sauce, add more water half way through the final two hours. For thick sauce, cook down, uncovered for a while longer.
  
  

  

           How every good recipe starts: onion, garlic, red pepper flakes
  
  
  

  

                              And all chili sauces need a little sweetness
  
                                                Into the slowcooker
  
                                            Everyone into the POOL
  
                                            Sayyyyy Chilidog :)
  
               HOT DOG..HOT DOG..HOT DOG..MOMMY PLEEEEASE
  
  

<-- mustard and onions

                        add the slaw------>

Yes, hot dogs should be eaten off paper plates...