October Foodie Penpal

I am really not sure where the times goes.  It is already the first of November and I haven't written my October Foodie Penpal post.
 Last month I was paired up to send my penpal Dee a package.  She doesn't have a blog and I didn't think of taking a picture of it so will describe what I put in the package.  She is a wonderful person from Connecticut and told me  she is hosting an annual cookie swap and is obsessed with cookie recipes.  This gave me an idea of what to send her... cookies.  She did also tell me that she would liked baked goods, so it was perfect I could make some Maple Creme Cookies and send her some.. I also included in the package a Michigan Cookie cutter and some local maple syrup to make her own Maple Creme Cookies as I included the recipe.  With cookies you need coffee and seeing it was fall I sent her some Pumpkin Coffee.    She let me know that she received my package and that she" loved Everything in it, especially the maple cookies and the recipe".  Her and her son were going to make Michigan cookies with the cookie cutters.  Glad she liked her package as this was her first penpal swap.
Now, onto my package and as you can see by the picture... I hit the motherload again!  Emily from Indianapolis sent me this package and she did a wonderful job.  As I have no restrictions the only thing that I asked was something that was made in the area and something homemade if she had the time.  And I got both!  So happy.  She sent me me some Cocoa Kettle Indiana Popcorn, I have had Indiana Popcorn but not cocoa kettle and I am sold... YUM!  The homemade gift was raincoast crisps, something I never tried and I started eating them as soon as I opened the box... Another YUM!  I had to write her back to ask for the recipe and will be making some for myself.  The raincoast crisps were in a Halloween treat bag... So, yeah for me, I didn't have to go trick or treating to get a Halloween treat.  Also homemade was some apple butter.  This year I had decided to make my own but had never tasted it, so was nice to compare mine with someone else... Her apple butter was also very YUMMY!
Emily also sent me some tea.. ginger, peach black tea and it is so good.. I am sipping some as I write this post in the wee hours of the morning, or at least I think it is the wee hours. There was also some dark chocolate that I haven't opened and some Fig preserve.  My thoughts for the preserve is maybe making some thumbprint cookies for Christmas.  I will let you know how they turn out.

Thanks Emily for a wonderful package.. You are the best.    

my snack - popcorn and tea

Halloween treat - raincoat crisps!

Here is a the cookies that I sent to Dee
and I promise that I will post the
recipe soon!

Foodie Penpal is a wonderful and fun thing to do

Each month you are paired with someone 

to send a package to and some to receive one from.

The boxes are filled with fun foodie things ~

local food items or even homemade.

The spending limit is $15.

It is open to blog readers as well as bloggers.

contact  Lindsay from The Lean Green Bean 

if you would like to join or if you want more information.

You can click on the picture to get to The Lean Green Bean ~ Foodie Pen Pals..

Almond Bark Halloween Candy

I am not a Halloween person, but I love the candy and I do like watching the young children dressed up in their costume excited to get candy.
One of my favorite Halloween candies is candy corn... and I eat them until I am just about sick.  I found this recipe on the last Foodie Friends Friday recipe... It has everything that I like in candy ~ chocolate, candy corn and m&m's.  The recipe is from one of my favorite blogger's Cindy from Hun.. What's for Dinner.

Almond Bark Halloween Candy

adapted from Halloween Candy Bark

6 square Vanilla flavored Almond Bark

6 square Chocolate flavored Almond Bark

approx 1 - 1 1/2 cup of m&m's and candy corn (  I used candy corn flavored m&m's, fall m&m's and harvest mix candy corn)

Melt chocolate in separate bowls.  I melted mine in the microwave, check about every 30 seconds.  The vanilla flavored almond bark took about 2 minutes to melt and the chocolate almond bark took about 3 minutes to melt.

Place parchment paper on cookie sheet, pour almond bark on cookie sheet and using a knife swirl the two almond bark together.  I put my almond bark beside each other but you can also slowly pour the chocolate flavored almond bark on the parchment paper and then slowly pour the vanilla flavored almond bark.  Again using knife swirl together.

Pour candies over the chocolate and press softly into chocolate. Put into refrigerator to harden.  Take out in about 45 minutes.  To break candy, grab both ends of the parchment paper and drop onto countertop, or you can break it with your hands.  

     

Attiéké with Smoked Salmon Stir fry

We bought Attiéké at an African Market this summer and I finally made it.   Attiéké is a low fat "couscous" make from fermented cassava root.  After some investigation I found that it was produced by Ivory Coast women by a traditional method requiring several hard steps. Although it looks like couscous, it has a distinct nutty flavour.  It can be used as a substitute for rice or pasta and served with stews, poultry, fish and vegetables.  I served it with a Smoked Salmon Stir-fry.

    Attiéké with Smoked Salmon Stirfry

Prepartion for  Attiéké

1 box Marguerite  Attiéké or 8.75 oz (250 g)

1 cup warm water

1 tbsp butter or oil

Place Attiéké in  sauce pan.  Add warm water and stir delicately.  Cover and let sit for 5 - 8 minutes.  Add 1 tbsp butter or oil and cook over very low heat for 4 -5 minutes fluffing with a fork to separate grains.  

Preparation for Smoked Salmon Stirfry

1 -2 tbsp oil

2 carrots, sliced thinly

1 celery stalk, sliced

1/2 cup red onion, sliced thinly

1/2 cup mushrooms

1/4 -1/2 cup Sun Dried Tomato Dressing - I used Kraft

1/3 pound smoked salmon cut in bite size pieces.

In frying pan or wok, heat oil and place carrots and celery, over medium heat cook until close to being soft, add red onions and mushrooms and continue to cook until vegetables are soft.  Pour in Sun Dried Tomato Dressing  (depending on how much liquid you will want, will depend on how much dressing to use - start with the small amount and add until it is how you would like it).  Continue to cook for a few minutes.  Add smoked salmon and cook for another couple of minutes, until salmon is warm.  At this point just before serving I will add a bit more onions to taste.  Serve over  Attiéké .

A picture of the  Attiéké box

What it looks like after it is cooked.

Crockpot Italian Pulled Beef Sandwiches..

I love my crockpot and use it often during the year.  The only problem about using a crockpot is that you have to think about your meal ahead of time... and that is one thing I don't always do.. I am a spur of the moment type of person, I run down to the freezer and look in and after I see what I have, I figure out what I am going to make.  But on rare occasions I will do this in the morning and take out something to put in my crockpot.
This crockpot meal you have to think about it a day before, because ideally it should cook for at least 18 hours.  Well, this is the real world and in my world that seldom if ever happens.  On occasion I will remember the night before to put it in... but then that causes another problem ~~~ How do you sleep with those wonderful smells waffling into the bedroom, making your stomach growl?  Not an easy task and when I do it, I am hungry all night...
The other reason I like my crockpot is that I love the taste of the meat when it comes out and you can use a cheaper cut and it still usually turns out wonderfully.
Last weekend I wanted to make this as I knew that our Foodie Friends Friday was have a Croctober party and I need some crock pot recipes.  Also, I was having company and as my husband isn't that keen on sandwiches there wouldn't be so much left over.  So, Friday evening I asked my brother when they would be leaving on Saturday and he thought shortly afternoon.  Horrors this takes a good 16 -18 hours on low and it is already 10 pm... so if we ate at noon that would only be 15 hours... What to do?  Did you know that if you cooked an hour on high, that is an two hours on low?  So I put the meat and everything else in and turned it on high for about an hour and half and then turned it on low..   The next day at shortly after one we sat down for Italian Pulled Beef Sandwiches and they got a good review.
This recipe I originally received from a friend and she got it from a Chicago paper, but I never did write it down so this is how I made it this time..

Crockpot Italian Pulled Beef Sandwiches

Ingredients:

5 lbs roast - you can use any kind and this time I only used a 2.5 lb and it worked good

1 envelope Italian dressing mix

1 can beef broth

1 jar Italian Mix Giardiniera

1 jar Golden Peperoncini - I used only 1/2 jar

buns - I used small Italian buns

cheese (optional) - I used tillamook garlic cheese white cheddar cheese.

Place all ingredients into a crock pot and place on low and cook for 18 hours.  If you are short on time, you can put it on high for an hour or two and then turn down to low for the rest of the time. For best results cook for at least 16 hours, the longer the better.

Once cooked, shred the beef and vegetables.  I took out the peperoncini and put them on the side as I wasn't sure if the children would eat them...  Place in open faced buns, I used Italian buns that I melted butter and spread on the top and placed in the oven under the broiler for a few minutes.  They were nice and crisp.

Add meat, and cheese if wanted.  I also added a small amount of gravy.. direction for what I did are below in the *.

* because I only used a small roast, there was a lot of liquid left over.  I place this in a pot on medium heat until it came to a nice rolling boil.  Remove approximately 1/4 cup and add 1 -2 tbsp of flour and stir until mixed in.  Add to the rest of the sauce slowly, stirring as you are adding the flour mixture in.  Continue to boil until you get gravy at the thickness you want.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Add more flour if needed.  You can either have a thin gravy as an au jus or thicker gravy.  I opted for a thicker gravy and place a small amount over the beef in the bun.

Another way of eating this would be over mashed potatoes or with rice.

all ingredients in crockpot
Sorry picture isn't very good as I took with my phone.

shred beef and Italian Mix Giardiniera 

Enjoy!

Linked up Here:  Clever Chicks Blog Hop,Freedom Fridays, Hun what's for dinner, Superbowl and Chili Party Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday Tastings

Foodie Friends Friday - Crocktober Party...

This week on Foodie Friends Friday

We are having a CrockPot Party..

Bring your best Crock Pot Recipes.

But if you don't have a crockpot recipe that is ok, we will accept all recipes. 

Link up your favorite crockpot recipe

For a chance to win a Crockpot Carry Bag 

from Cotton Commotion

But first we need to look at last week's party

Voted Top 3

Feeding Big - Caramel Apple Cupcakes
The Better Baker - Peanut Butter Pumpkins
A Girls Gotta Nest - Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Most Clicks

My Recipe Roundup -Pumpkin Bundt Cake
The Better Baker - Peanut Butter Pumpkins
Adorned Well - Loaded Potato Soup

Sponsor Giveaway

Host Favorite

You can grab your button from here
or go to Foodie Friends Friday

This week's host favorite goes to Calculus to Cupcakes for her Salted Caramel latte

I haven't made this yet but I will... It sounds so good.

Now for what we are all waiting for...

This week's Party!

Members:

Each link will go to everyone of these great blogs....

Foodie Friends Friday http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com

Robyn's View http://www.robynsviewathome.blogspot.com

Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://wifeofthecolonel.blogspot.com/

Lindsey at Family Food Finds  http://www.familyfoodfinds.com

Cindy at Cindys Recipes and Writings  http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com

Michelle at  From Calculus to Cupcakes http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.com

Cynthia at Feeding Big  http://www.feedingbig.blogspot.com

Jodie at Binomial Baker http://www.binomialbaker.blogspot.com

R Dawn at Spatulas on Parade http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com

Angie at A lil Country Sugar http://www.alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com

Jutta at HungryLittleGirl http://www.hungrylittlegirl.com/

Ericka at Chef PickyKid and Me http://www.chefpickykid.com

Skye at A Virtual Essence http://www.avirtualessence.blogspot.com

Sponsor Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway

:

Rules to Link Up Your Recipes:

We would be extremely grateful if you would link back your recipe to 
Foodie Friends Friday and your host blog.
Also if you link up on my blog, please leave me a comment
So that I can personally thank you!

Pumpkin Spice Fudge

This past weekend, my brother and family came to visit and I was able to cook with my niece.  It was so much fun.  I was able to teach my niece how my mom taught me to make fudge and how she showed me  what a soft boil stage was and when the fudge was ready.  She did this by dropping a small amount of the candy into cold water and move it around with her finger, if it made a small ball then it was ready.  I still use this method, although I do have a candy thermometer.   As my mother passed away many years ago, and this was a way that my niece could learn something about her grandmother.  My niece also loves to cook, so hopefully in the near future I will be able to cook and bake with her more.

Pumpkin Spice Fudge 

adapted from Pumpkin Bliss Fudge  Dawn's Divine Delight

2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

4 oz white chocolate ( I used Ghiradelli Vanilla Dream, approx 1 and 1/4 bar)

1 bag Hershey Pumpkin Spice Kisses

1 7 oz marshmallow creme (1 used 1 cup homemade marshmallow creme RECIPE)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract - (I forgot to put this in...but my white chocolate has vanilla)

Butter a 9x13 pan or place tin foil in it.  Unwrap kisses and chop up chocolate.
Place sugars, butter, milk, pumpkin puree in a saucepan cook over medium heat until sugars are dissolved. Then continue this until mixture begins to boil, stirring constantly.  Boil until the mixture is in a soft- ball stage, approximately 234 degrees on the candy thermometer.
Take off heat and add chocolate,and marshmallow creme and mix until well mixed and smooth. Stir in vanilla (if you are using) and mix well
Pour into your prepared 9x13 pan.  The fudge is already setting at this stage and place in refrigerator to set.

*I took mine out in an hour and was able to cut it and serve it. (my company was leaving and I wanted my helpers to be able to taste it).  The fudge was still a bit warm on the bottom but cut easily and stayed in pieces while we ate it.   So smooth and delicious.  I w it.   It is so smooth and a wonderful pumpkin flavor.  My brother told me we could come for Christmas as long as we brought this with us.  So glad that I bought many bags of pumpkin spice kisses!

the process in fudge making.... with the help of my nieces!
They were so much help.

and one last picture because it is oh so yummy!

                                                                                                         
               

Linked up here:  Mix it up Mondays, Sunday Sweet Confessions Link Party,Manic Mondays, Wednesday Extravaganza

Foodie Friend Friday - October 18,2012

Not sure where the time went this week, but it is already Thursday evening and I am just writing this post up.... But it is Thursday and that means...

Party Time

with

Foodie Friends Friday

This week we are having our

Foodie Friends Freaky Fright Day!

Great Bloggers!

Great Recipes!

Great Giveaway!

This week 12 Randomly Selected

winners will win a sponsored gift..

Yes, I said 12 isn't that great

But First let's look at last week's party

Sponsor Gift Winners

Voted Top 3

Who Needs A  Cape - cheapo-pumpkin spice latte
Who Needs A Cape - Easy Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Who Needs A Cape - Pumpkin Pancake Palooza

Most Clicks

Cozycakes Cottages - Chocolate Snack Cake with Biscoff Buttercream
Cozycakes Cottages - Apple Filled Pull-Apart Bread
Busy Vegetarian Mom - Hashbrown Crusted Quiche

Host Favorite

Dawn's Divine Delight for her Pumpkin Bliss Fudge

I love her fudge and my plans are to make it tomorrow so will show a picture then.

Please pick up your button here or
from Foodie Friends Friday

Before we go to the party

I want to put a plug in for our e-magazine

It has a little bit of everything.

Daily Dish With Foodie Friends Friday

Now this week's party... What we are waiting for

Members:

Remember each recipe link goes to each of the member's blog

Foodie Friends Friday http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com

Robyn's View http://www.robynsviewathome.blogspot.com

Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://wifeofthecolonel.blogspot.com/

Lindsey at Family Food Finds  http://www.familyfoodfinds.com

Cindy at Cindys Recipes and Writings  http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com

Michelle at  From Calculus to Cupcakes http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.com

Cynthia at Feeding Big  http://www.feedingbig.blogspot.com

Jodie at Binomial Baker http://www.binomialbaker.blogspot.com

R Dawn at Spatulas on Parade http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com

Angie at A lil Country Sugar http://www.alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com
HungryLittleGirl http://www.hungrylittlegirl.com/

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Rules:
We would sure like it if you would remember to link back your recipe to
Foodie Friends Friday
and
the host that you linked up with... 
If you link up with my blog, please leave me a message as I would like to be able to thank you! 

Now onto the Party: