Pretzel Salad

So, Pretzel Salad isn't really anything like it sounds: it's not a salad made with pretzels. It's actually a dessert featuring gelatin and cream cheese. Yum! My co-worker, Diana, introduced me to this dessert recently and provided me with a copy of the recipe. This was something I knew my family would love! I was in Shop Rite a couple weeks later when everything I needed to make Pretzel Salad was coincidentally on sale, seriously, Cool Whip was 99cents, cream cheese 2/$3, fresh strawberries $1.99, gelatin 3/$2... So I quick Google'ed the recipe on my phone and made sure I had everything. I decided to make it for Easter dessert at my parents house, and although I tweaked the recipes a little (the one from Diana and Paula Dean's I found online were a little different), and didn't even follow directions at all at one point (not on purpose, oops!), my dessert got rave reviews. Hope you will have the same reaction. This seriously is an amazing dessert!



2 c crushed pretzels
3/4 c softened butter
3 T & 3/4 c sugar
8 oz (1 pkg) cream cheese
8 oz (1 pkg) whipped topping
6 oz (2 3 oz pkgs) strawberry gelatin
10 oz (1 pkg) fresh or frozen strawberries*
2 c boiling water
extra fresh strawberries and/or whipped topping for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

For the Pretzel Crust:
1. Mix the pretzels, butter, and 3 tablespoons of sugar.
2. Press this mixture into a 9 by 13-inch pan and bake for 7-10 minutes, until crisp.
3. Set aside and allow to cool completely.

For the "Salad:"
1. In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and 3/4 cup of sugar.
2. Fold in the whipped topping.
3. Spread over the cooled crust. Refrigerate until well chilled.
4. In another bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water. *If you're using fresh strawberries, add about 10 ice cubes to the mixture. Then allow to cool slightly (10-15min in the fridge).
5. Add the strawberries, and let set for approx. 5min. Mixture should be cool but not set, chunky when mixed is okay.
6. Pour gelatin over the cream cheese mixture. (At this time I had extra slices of strawberries cut, so I covered the top with them for garnish.) Refrigerate until serving time.

To serve, cut slices and serve with whipped topping.

Alex vs. Chicken

Last week Alex and I finally got around to breaking down a whole chicken. I'd learned how in cooking class, but hadn't gotten a chance to do it on my own. ...And actually I still haven't. Alex did it. =) I supervised. It went very well, Alex did an excellent job. We cooked up the chicken breasts and froze the rest for another day. Tula really wanted in on the action...



She nearly climbed up the cabinets for a mouthful of chicken. But all she got was a crinkle ball and a cat treat to go away. =)

Now I just need to find some recipes for different chicken pieces...

Banana Bread??

In the last couple weeks I've tried three different banana bread recipes. The first time the bananas weren't overly ripe so the bread was a little dry. I know banana bread still is bread and bread is dry, but it just wasn't the texture I was looking for. I had a little more luck the second and third times with super ripe bananas, but still not exactly what I was looking for. I undercooked one loaf by accident, it was more moist, but not really in a good way, more gummy than anything else. Either way, none of the loaves were bad, they just weren't exactly what I was looking for. None of them tasted like mom's.

And then I realized: I'm not remembering mom's banana bread. (Does she even make banana bread?) I'm thinking of ZUCCHINI BREAD! Well, that explains that. Banana bread does not equal zucchini bread.

Can't wait for zucchini season!

I'm Engaged!!

Okay, yes, this is completely unrelated to food in any way (okay maybe in a small way), but I wanted to share big personal news:

I'M ENGAGED!!!
This relates to food in a small way: updates on wedding/reception food, coming soon [but not too soon]!! =)



We celebrated at Rat's Restaurant (website). It was almost as fabulous as my ring. ;)

No More Hamburgers For Me

I read too much. The information in Fast Food Nation isn't new to me, but reading it again just drills home all the facts of the American meat industry. The sad life the animal lives in a factory farm, the inhumane killing at the slaughterhouse, the poor and unsanitary working conditions in the processing, the migrant workers, the corporate greed. It's so incredibly frustrating. I am absolutely not purchasing meat in the grocery store anymore. I don't order it out. I'm not going vegetarian completely because there are sustainable, humane options; but please, don't offer me a hamburger.

Potato Pancakes

A woman in my cooking class Emailed me last night asking about the potato pancake recipe I mentioned in class. I thought about it all day since I know how to make potato pancakes, I make them all the time, but I've never made them from a recipe. I just have a list of ingredients I mix together to make what I think is enough for the boyfriend and myself. So here's my attempt at a [large] four serving recipe:



4 large potatoes, washed, peeled & coarsely grated
1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped OR 1/4 t onion powder
1 egg
3 T flour OR corn starch (for gluten-free version)
salt & pepper
cooking oil (for frying)

1. Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl.
2. Heat cooking oil on a griddle or large non-stick pan on medium heat.
3. Spoon palm sized potato mixture onto griddle and flatten to about 1/4" pancakes. Cook until mostly white (2-3min), then flip pancake and cook another minute or so. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
4. Serve with sour cream and applesauce (and/or maple syrup).

The best way to grate the potatoes is with a food processor add-on. I don't have one of those, so I do it by hand. It's a little more hazardous- I typically lose a fingernail or two in the process (not in the potato mixture, just to be clear). =) I also use typically a little more than half quantity when I make this for two people (I like to make a little extra for lunch the next day). When I do this I crack the egg into a cup, scramble it with a fork and only pour half in the mixture. (Save the rest for scrambled eggs for breakfast!)



Let me know if you try this and how it came out so I can adjust ingredient quantities! Enjoy!

Irish Soda Bread

This St. Patrick's Day I hosted friends for dinner. I made the traditional corn beef, cabbage and potatoes. I meant to serve it with this amazing Dijon Mustard I purchased at Trader Joe's, but I completely forgot and only realized its absence the next morning when I saw the mustard in the fridge. Oops. I did however serve dinner with Irish Soda Bread, and instead of serving store bought bread, I decided to make it myself! I found a dozen recipes online and picked one I thought was closest to my favorite store bought brand: Katie Reilly's (sold ready-made at Shop Rites in the area, but you can also buy the mix online here). Or you could just use mine:

3 c Flour, sifted
3 t Baking Powder
1/4 t Salt
1/2 c Sugar
1 c Raisins
1 Egg
1 1/4 c Milk
2 t Unsalted Butter, softened

1. Preheat oven to 375* (350* for glass dish).
2. Mix (by hand) all dry ingredients together in one bowl.
3. Mix egg and milk in another bowl.
4. Mix wet and dry together, then add butter.
5. Pour into a greased 8" baking dish, sprinkle sugar on top.
6. Bake 40 – 60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

I used King Aruthor Whole Wheat Flour and sifting it was lots of fun since I don't actually have a sifter, just one of those little handheld strainer thingys- but I did notice the final product before baking was significantly smoother. I'm sure the whole wheat flour gave the bread the hearty taste and texture I was looking for. I also used organic raw sugar in and on top of the bread which makes a difference over processed granulated sugar. Overall, all my ingredients were organic except the Baking Soda, which cannot be organic as far as I know, and the "natural sea salt" I used. Here's a picture of my finished product:




The first time I baked this, it was perfect after 42min, the second time I didn't allow the butter to soften properly and baked it for 47min. I have an electric oven so it's quite inpercice. Both breads came out pretty amazing and not dissimilar. Enjoy!