Snow Day!

Imagine it's 70 degrees, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping.  A beautiful day in the neighborhood.  Yea right.  If you live in Oklahoma, this means that tomorrow you will wake up to the snowpocalypse.  People in Oklahoma are used to the weather changing in heartbeat.  Today 70, tomorrow 20.  You would think that since this is the norm around here, people wouldn't freak out.  Wrong again!  Grocery stores are packed with people, all the bottled water is out of stock, the news stations are exaggerating, the schools are cancelled.  It is madness.  For me, a snow day is welcomed.  My son loves playing in the snow, building snowmen, and making hot chocolate.  Me...I like to bake.  It is my favorite thing to do around the holidays.  What better gift then homemade candies and cookies.  When I worked at a bakery we made cake balls.  Leftover cake mixed with frosting scooped into balls and dipped in chocolate.  Heaven.  Last year at Christmas I made Hello Dollie bars.  Graham cracker crust topped with coconut, chocolate chips, pecans, then covered with sweetened condensed milk and baked.  My favorite!  So this year I decided to combine my two favorite things into one.  After a few tries....Success!!  So the next time you are having a snow day or want to surprise your friends with home made sweets, give these a try!

Hello Dollie Truffles

Makes 36 1 oz Truffles

2        14 oz Cans         Sweetened Condensed Milk

1        Cup                    Chopped Pecans

1        Cup                    Graham Cracker Crumbs

7        oz                       Pkg Coconut Flakes

12      oz                       Pkg of Chocolate Candy Melts (for testing purposes, I use Ghirardelli)

6        oz                       Pkg of White Chocolate Candy Melts (for testing purposes, I use Ghirardelli)

Assorted sprinkles or graham cracker crumbs for decoration

*You will also need parchment paper, a spoon, and a couple of tall sided tupperware containers

Make the filling:

In a heavy 3 quart saucepan over medium heat, cook the sweetened milk for 12 minutes, whisking constantly until thick and bubbly.  Remove from the heat, stir in the pecans, coconut, and graham crumbs.  Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread out to cool for 1 hour.  Use a melon baller or small scoop to form balls.  Wash your hands and dry them well, roll them in your hands to smooth them into perfect balls.  Lay out several sheets of parchment.  Put each chocolate in a tupperware with tall sides, microwave at 30 second increments until just melted, stir to smooth.  Using a spoon or toothpick, dip the truffles into the chocolate.  Scoot across the parchment so the chocolate doesn't pool at the bottom.  Using a spoon, drizzle the white chocolate over the top.  Sprinkle desired topping before the chocolate dries.

Once they are set, I line tins with Christmas tissue paper, fill them up and give them as gifts!  

Love as Always "Big K"

Hell-iday

Have you ever gone to the airport on the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend?  Well, DON'T!!  This Thanksgiving I booked a ticket to fly to Florida for a  holiday getaway with my boyfriend and his family.  I knew travelling with a 3 year old was going to be rough, but I didn't let it stand in my way.  With a bribery bag of gummy bears we set out on our way.  The flight to Florida went smoothly, and we only had one layover; so far, a great start to our trip.  The rest of our Thanksgiving was fantastic as well!  We had smoked a turkey on the "Big Green Egg", homemade stuffing,creamy mashed potatoes, and all the best comfort foods.  Everyone kept asking me how I got everything to taste so delicious.  My answer was simple....butter and cream.  In everything.  I got that "you-just-made-me-gain-5-pounds" look.  The next morning as I was making the breakfast casserole from my last blog, they walked in to see me pouring heavy cream into my egg mixture.  I tried to hide it, but failed.  Hey, what can I say...fat=flavor.
Our holiday ends up going by way to fast, and soon it is time to fly home. That's when the Hell-iday began.  My three-year-old and I boarded the first plane with no problems. He is behaving well and the little angel even takes a peaceful nap.  Unfortunately, I had to wake him up mid-coma; have you ever woken a sleeping monster?  Don't.  He begins to wail.  Everyone is staring at me. I'm "that mom."  Fantastic.  As I wrangle the little gremlin off the flight, I realize I have less than 30 mins to get from concourse B to concourse E. I have a half asleep 30 pound toddler and 3 carry on bags.  I start to run/hobble through the airport, knocking people out of the way. We barely make it as the plane is boarding.  Whew, all we have to do is make it through two more flights and we are home.  Well, so much for wishful thinking, because that's when the cranky toddler games begin.  He shrieks, kicks the guy's seat in front of him and is shouting, "I have to pee!" until the seat-belt sign came on.  This is my worst nightmare and I thought we would never land.  We finally do and it's the same song and dance, but this time I have even less time to run across the Chicago airport to make our final flight.  Some jerk pushes me on the escalator.  I breathed "asshole", and can't really blame Trenton as he starts shouting "ASSHOLE!" too.  Will this day ever end?  As we reach the gate the attendants are shutting the doors, and the Thanksgiving spirit must still be with them because they let us on, but not before taking my son's suitcase because the overhead bins are full.  We are on board, hungry, cranky, and just ready to land and be home.  Then, the dreaded beep from the captain.  There is a heavy fog of doom looming over Oklahoma City and we have to turn around and land in Wichita.  I want to cry.  Trenton has fallen asleep and when I look over I realize he has peed in his pants.  Are you KIDDING me!!  That's when I remember they gate checked his bag--the bag with dry clothes.  It can't get worse, right?  Wrong! The captain informs us we won't be able to get home until the next day.  As we de-plane I'm focused on finding our bags and getting Mr. Pee Pants in dry clothes, when I look up and see a huge line.  I wait, with my wet child, tears running down my face (and his).  Finally I get our bags, change my child, and wait.  I thought the next day would never get here, but we eventually make it home.  Hey, on the bright side, at least I ran around enough to burn off all that cream.  Of course, that was until I got home and ate my feelings in the form of chips, dip, and Reese's Peanut Butter Christmas bells.  So, in the spirit of comfort food here is the recipe for my cream filled mashed potatoes.  I once got a marriage proposal over these potatoes.  It's the cream....

Big K's Creamy Mashed Potatoes
2        Quarts        Cold Water
5        Each           Large Russet Potatoes, Peeled and Cut into Chunks
1        Tbsp           Salt
4        Tbsp           Butter, Softened
1        Cup            Heavy Whipping Cream, Warmed
1 1/2  Tsp             Salt
1/4     Tsp             Fresh Ground Pepper

Put the water, tbsp salt, and potatoes in a medium sauce pot. Bring to a boil.  Boil for 10-15 minutes until potatoes break apart easily with a fork.  Do not over cook or your potatoes can become gummy.  Drain the potatoes.  Place the potatoes in a mixing bowl.  Using an electric mixer break the potatoes up a little bit.  Add in the butter, salt, and pepper.  Mix again.  Slowly add in the cream while mixing until potatoes are nice and creamy.  If they don't need all the cream, don't add it.  You don't want potato soup.  If they are stiff add a little more.  Serve hot with turkey, smother with gravy, or whatever your cream filled heart desires.  Yum!!
Love as Always "Big K"