Poco-Cocoa – Page 199 – Things & Stuff

Pie Day
Today I brought a couple of pies to work for a coworker’s birthday. The bad thing about pies is that you can’t really taste them first to make sure they’re yummy, or everyone will see that you’ve taken a bite. Thankfully, both of these were delicious! I think everyone enjoyed them, and they’re definite repeaters. They’re much easier than they sound.

Chocolate Coconut Pecan Pie
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
- 1/3 cup light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup whole pecans
- 1 (9-inch) frozen deep-dish pie crust
Place a large baking sheet on oven rack and preheat to 350ËšF.

Whisk sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla extract and salt in a large bowl to blend. Whisk in eggs. Stir in coconut, chocolate chips and pecans. Pour filling into frozen pie crust. Place pie on baking sheet in oven; bake until crust is golden brown and filling is set in center, about 40 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool slightly. Serve warm.

Notes: I followed the directions on the frozen pie crust, letting it thaw for about 10 minutes, then baking it for about 10 minutes before adding the filling. I also covered the edges of the crust with foil before baking with the filling.

Makes 8 servings.

Source: old magazine clipping.

Caramel Apple Pie
- 1 (9-inch) deep dish frozen pie crust
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 8 cups sliced, peeled Granny Smith apples (about 2 1/2 pounds, or 4 large apples)
- 1/3 cup fat-free caramel sundae syrup
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 8 teaspoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons regular oats
Preheat oven to 375ËšF.

Combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a bowl; sprinkle over apples. Toss gently. Stir in caramel. Spoon apple mixture into crust.

Combine 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, flour, and brown sugar in a bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in oats. Sprinkle oat mixture evenly over apple mixture. Bake for 40 minutes or until crust is golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Notes: I followed the directions on the frozen pie crust, letting it thaw for about 10 minutes, then baking it for about 10 minutes before adding the filling. I also covered the edges of the crust with foil before baking with the filling.

Makes 8 servings.

Source: old magazine clipping.
December 6, 2006

Recipes
I’m still here
Hello internets! So sorry that I’ve been away from the computer for so long. I am so behind on reading all of your lovely blogs, and I’m obviously behind on updating my own. It seems there just aren’t enough hours in the day, and now with the holiday season upon us, our calendar keeps getting more and more full. That’s not a bad thing, necessarily, unless you’re waiting impatiently for my next blog update (as I know you all are). 😉

What can I tell you about? Well, this past weekend we had a wonderful time visiting with a couple of Justin’s brothers at Christmas in the Park in San Marcos. There were tons of Christmas lights, lots of Christmas songs, and food, food, food. I had to have a pink cotton candy and a freshly dipped corn dog, and we even brought our own thermos of Mexican hot chocolate to sip during the various Christmas shows. Afterward, we all headed to a little pub on the town square for some drinks and good conversation. It was a fabulous night.

On Saturday, we headed over to Chad and Lindsay’s for their housewarming party, which was loads of fun. We met some great people and re-connected with a few we hadn’t seen in a while, and enjoyed the warmth and coziness of my friends’ new home. Later that night, we stopped at Star Seeds Cafe for a late dinner with our friend Jerry, and though my meal was fine, it wasn’t great…we won’t be returning.

I was going to show you all my fabulous mail, but then I realized that I had already linked to the goodies I had ordered in a previous post. I received my prints from etsy and my obi from my friend Leya, and I’m totally in love with them! I just have to say that the obi is insanely gorgeous…the details are perfect, the stitching is sublime, and the colors…wonderful. If you need a lovely accessory to add to your wardrobe, you should seriously check these obis out. I did receive a nice letter from my friend Connie in Boston, and she included the cutest little Japanese notepad! I just drool over all things paper, so I loved it. Oh! And this weekend I found a Jill Bliss journal at Whole Earth Provision Company downtown, and I am just ga-ga over it. Just writing in it is a treat, as each page has her lovely illustrations and variations between blank pages and graph paper (my favorite!).

I’ll update again soon on a few things (I hope):
**Galaxy Cafe, or my favorite place ever
**My new food processor and the amazingly easy pizza dough I make with it
**Christmas cards in the works
**Knitting projects

For now, I’ll leave you with this wonderful recipe that we made on Sunday night. I forgot to take a picture of it, but it’s still worth blogging about…super-easy and deliciously comforting.

Southwestern Tomato and Pinto Bean Soup
- 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans vegetable broth
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can Muir Glen Fire-Roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 (4 1/2-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro for garnish
- 2 limes, cut into wedges for garnish
- 2 chalupa shells or a handful of tortilla chips, broken
Mash 1 cup of beans in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add mashed and whole beans, broth, tomatoes, chiles, and cumin; bring just to a boil. Simmer uncovered over low heat for 10 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with broken chalupa shells and a squeeze of lime.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Adapted from Eating Well magazine.
December 5, 2006

Random Thoughts, Recipes
Making work more cozy

Little by little, I’m bringing in fun things to work to make it less cube-y and more home-y. Sandra, my supervisor, brought me a cute lucky bamboo on my first day, and so far I haven’t killed it. (The office plants haven’t been so lucky, though…me and my black thumb.) I brought in a couple of the super-fun patches that I bought from Fishcakes, and this snuggly little kitty (doesn’t he look just like Roux?) that my sister bought me last weekend at the craft fair.

This soft snow-guy keeps me company during the day, too…my mom bought him for me last weekend, too. (I’m spoiled.) I’d like to put up more doo-dads and whatnots, but I’m also very picky with what things I surround myself with, so it’s taking a while to find the perfect objects.

I made these little fingerless mittens to keep my hands warm while I type (sometimes offices can get so cold!) and answer phones and such. They’re super-simple (I still haven’t learned the whole increase/decrease/knit-yourself-a-sweater stuff…knitting novices unite!), and I used an inexpensive variegated yarn that resulted in these great stripes. I can give you the basic pattern, though these are pretty small to fit my teensy wrists…you can probably just cast on 4 or 8 more to make them a bit wider.

I used TLC Essentials yarn in “Surf & Turf” (it’s a basic worsted weight acrylic) and size 8 needles. For smaller wrists:

Cast on 30 stitches, leaving a tail to weave in later.
*Row 1: Purl.
Row 2: Knit.
Repeat from * until the piece is 7 inches long.
Bind off, and weave in the ends.
Sew the 7-inch sides together using a mattress stitch, matching yarn, and a tapestry needle, leaving a 1 to 1 1/2-inch gap about 1/3 of the way down. (I just sewed up a bit, slipped my hand through, and stopped when I thought it was a nice length from my thumb to my knuckles, then started up again after the gap). Weave in ends.

Does that make sense? It’s so easy to change it up, too…you could do a rib knit, or vary between stockinette and garter stitch, or change colors, or make them longer or shorter. I’m totally into the variegated yarn, though…I’m thinking of sewing on some cute blue buttons along each seam, but I’m not sure it needs it.

Next time: Super Fabulous Mail!!

November 29, 2006

Crafty, Random Thoughts
All words and no photos
Hello everyone! I hope your holiday was fabulous. Mine was great, though I’m a little run-down and don’t feel like sifting through photos at the moment. Maybe tomorrow. Edited to add: I’ve given a few links for some of our photos…the rest you can find through my regular photo link on the right. Here are a few details:

*We spent Thanksgiving day with friends, playing kickball and eating delicious food. I spent most of the game on the ground…I fell down so many times I lost count. I’m now sporting ridiculous scrapes and bruises all over my body. But hey, our team won! (Never mind that the winning team was named after a very intense bout of rock/paper/scissors.) For dinner, we ate stuffed acorn squash, sweet potatoes with black beans, sweet potatoes with cranberries, homemade rolls, apple-walnut stuffing, green bean casserole, fudge, and pumpkin cheesecake.

*On Friday, my parents and my sister and her family met us in Fredericksburg to wander through a huge craft show. I got three things at the craft show, though they were all gifts: my sister made me a gorgeous silver Christmas watch and bought me the cutest little stuffed kitty cat, and my mom bought me a snowman softie that is just too adorable for words. They’re sitting on my desk at work now, ready to bring me a smile during my day.

*On Saturday, we walked downtown and watched the parade, with huge balloons, live bands, and the cutest itty-bitty cheerleaders I’ve ever seen. Then we met my family for lunch and a waltz through Whole Foods, where everyone chose their dessert of choice (chocolate-dipped graham crackers for some, pecan pie for others).

*Sunday morning we met my parents and my grandma at Las Manitas for breakfast, and it was delicious as always. My family headed home, and Justin and I spent the day flipping through magazines and going through various cleaning spurts.

I somehow forgot to take a picture of the fudge that I made, but it came out so perfectly! I remember trying to make fudge when I was little, and we ended up having to eat it with a spoon. This recipe tastes great and holds its shape; no spoon required. 🙂

Andi’s Fudge
- 32 large marshmallows
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 stick butter
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Melt together marshmallows and water in a double boiler or a heavy pot, stirring occasionally.

In a large pot, bring butter, sugar, and milk to a boil. Cook 8 minutes, stirring constantly.

Combine marshmallow mixture, sugar mixture, and chocolate chips. Pour into a 9×12-inch buttered pan (I used a pan lined with foil and coated with cooking spray so the fudge would lift out easily). Refrigerate overnight. Cut into small pieces and serve.

You can also stir in chopped nuts, toffee bits, or any other bit of goodness.

Makes a heckuva lot.

Source: My friend Andi McNeal.
November 27, 2006

Random Thoughts, Recipes
Eggs in Purgatory
Me and mashed potatoes, we go way back. Ever since forever, I’ve loved them…buttery, salty,starchy and comforting. I usually make mashed potato sandwiches with the leftovers (if there are any), but last week, I tried something new. Eggs in Purgatory.

I saw Giada make this dish on her show, and I immediately wanted to try it. Marinara sauce, mashed potatoes, and fried eggs…how could that be bad? And it wasn’t. In fact, it was delicious. Justin opted for scrambled eggs in purgatory…he’s not so into runny yolks. But let me just say, the smoothness of those runny yolks mixed with the potatoes and marinara was divine.

Work’s still going great. Thanks so much everyone, for your sweet comments! The schedule is getting a bit easier, I think, though this long weekend might mess me up again. Today we had a Thanksgiving potluck at work, and it was so fun! How often can you say that about work functions? It’s a small company, so all 16 of us gathered around a table and ate lunch together. Sandra, my supervisor, set up a gorgeous autumny table, and everyone brought delicious food. There was way too much of it, but I suppose Thanksgiving is about abundance, right?

Last weekend we watched a couple of movies…The Prestige, which we both really liked. It was a fun movie that had us thinking and discussing and figuring things out afterward. We also watched Fast Food Nation, which disappointed me. I had been anxiously awaiting the release of this film, and though it had some good insight and information (none of it new to me, though), it lacked oomph as a film. It seemed overambitious and a little drawn out, though the last five minutes of the movie seemed to say it all. I sat staring at the screen through the credits trying (and failing) to hold back tears.

I’ve also been knitting, and I should have something to post very soon. I started a small project that is too cute for words, and I’m hoping to finish it tonight. In other crafty news, I’ve ordered a few handmade items that I’ve been coveting for quite some time…I ordered this print from Emily, and this one from ashleyg. I can’t wait for them to get here! And I’ll also be getting my hands on this amazing obi made by my friend Leya…but I think it’s time to put the credit card away for a while. 🙂

Eggs In Purgatory
- 5 large eggs
- 2 cups mashed potatoes, chilled
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup marinara sauce, warmed (I used Mom’s, my favorite local brand)
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 200ËšF.

Stir 1 egg in a large bowl to blend. Mix in the potatoes, then the flour. Using a generous 1/2 cup of potato mixture for each, form the mixture into 4 (4 1/2-inch diameter) patties.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick fry pan over medium heat. Fry the patties until they are golden brown and heated through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the patties to paper towels to drain. Keep the patties warm on a baking sheet in the oven.

Heat the pan over medium-low heat. Crack the remaining 4 eggs in the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until the white is firm, about 2 minutes. Using a spatula, turn the eggs over and cook for 30 seconds longer.

Spoon the sauce onto 4 plates. Place a patty atop the sauce. Top each patty with a fried egg. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: foodtv.com.
November 21, 2006

Recipes

Pie Day

I’m still here

Making work more cozy

All words and no photos

Eggs in Purgatory