Scattered

     It's been awhile since I've done a post so this one will be a little scattered so that I can get down everything I have going on in my brain.

This is the hell hole I have to clean up by 7 tonight... I'll be taking a flask to work. I also have to send a bunch of crap to a guy in Miami before he leaves to Columbia next week (I secretly think he's a Drug Lord. Why else would he be buying tons of kid clothes?)

This is a recipe I'm dying to make from my Rachael Ray magazine
(Red and Green Pesto with Pasta and Lemon Shrimp)

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 red chile peppers, preferably fresno
• 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 2 cups chopped flat-leaf parsley
• A couple of handfuls parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• 1/4 cup pistachio nuts, toasted
• About 1/3 cup EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil), plus more for drizzling
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound spaghetti or linguine pasta
• 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
• Splash white wine or white vermouth
• 2 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small skillet, char the chiles and garlic cloves over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Scrape off the charred skins and seed the chiles. Pop the garlic cloves from their skins. Using a food processor, pulse the chiles, garlic, parsley, cheese and pistachios with about 1/3 cup EVOO and half of the lemon juice; season with salt and pepper to taste. Place in a pasta bowl.
   
   Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Add a small ladleful of the pasta cooking water to the pesto, then drain the pasta and toss with the pesto for 2 minutes to coat.
   
   While the pasta is working, in a large nonstick skillet, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and cook until almost fully pink, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining lemon juice and the wine (or vermouth). Swirl in the butter to melt. Serve the pasta in shallow bowls and top with the shrimp.

I'm dying to make this rice crispy treat tree but with fruity pebbles... how cool is it?!
Too bad I don't have the Flinstone Figurines to go with it.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine (Do not use vegetable oil spread.) 1 pkg. (10-1/2 oz.) miniature marshmallows (6 cups) 1 pkg. (13 oz.) Fruity or Cocoa Pebbles Cereal (about 8-1/2 cups) 1 container (16 oz.) ready-to-spread vanilla frosting 5 star-shaped cookie cutters, in assorted sizes ranging from 2 to 5 inches

DIRECTIONS

LINE 15x10x1-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Lightly grease foil; set aside. Microwave butter in 4-qt. microwaveable bowl sprayed with cooking spray on HIGH 30 sec. or until butter is melted. Add marshmallows; stir with wooden spoon sprayed with cooking spray. Microwave 1-1/2 min.; stir. Microwave an additional 2 min., stirring after each min. Add cereal; mix well. Press firmly into prepared pan. Cool 15 min. LIFT cereal mixture from pan, using foil handles. Using cookie cutters, carefully cut two of each size star for a total of 10 stars; carefully peel off foil. Let stand until firm. SPREAD half of the frosting onto tray to resemble snow. Stack prepared stars on tray, placing the largest stars on the bottom and smallest stars on top, rotating points of each star to resemble a tree and using the remaining frosting to attach stars to each other. Decorate as desired.

I have so many recipes stores in my phone, or on my computer, even in a drawer. I need to find a scarpbook or something to put them all in and then I can easily find them. Maybe I should just make my own cookbook.

Vanilla Ice Cream Cone Fudge
I love the way this looks!

Vanilla Ice Cream Cone Fudge Recipe

2 Tbsp Butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
4oz marshmallows
1 bag of whatever flavor chips you want to use
1 cup of add-ins (nuts, sprinkles, etc.)

Combine butter, salt, sugar, and milk in heavy sauce pan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in remaining ingredients, stir vigorously until combined. Pout into foil-lined 8×8 baking dish. Sprinkle with topping if desired. Allow to cool and set in refrigerator.

For regular fudge, I love my mom's See's recipe that she has been making since I was a baby.

Pie pan - grease with butter

Put in a bowl:

  6 oz milk chocolate chips (I think this is about 1 cup)

  1 cube butter (cut into about 16 pieces - melts easier)

  1 cup walnuts (optional)

  1 tsp vanilla extract

Put into a large saucepan:

  2 cups sugar

  1 small can carnation milk (I think 2/3 cup???)

  10 large marshmallows

Over hot heat, bring the contents in sauce pan to a boil, stirring constantly.  When it comes to a boil, turn the heat down and keep at a low rolling boil for 5 minutes.  Stir the entire time or it will burn.

Pour heated mixture into the bowl and stir until all ingredients are melted.  No butter residue should be showing - the mixtures should be very smooth.

Pour into the greased pie pan and place in the refrigerator.  Cool for a couple of hours.  Cut and enjoy!

(I recommend licking the stirring spoon and bowl when you are done - don't want to waste any of this excellent product!

Or there's another recipe I found that has Jack Daniel's Whiskey in it (I'm a whiskey girl!)

• 5 cups  sugar(2 pounds)
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1   1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
• 25 large marshmallows, ripped in half
• 11.5 oz Ghiradelli 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate chips
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup Jack Daniels, or a whiskey you really like.  You will be able to really taste it!

1. Whisk whiskey with confectioner’s sugar, and set aside.

2.  Foil and butter a 9 x 13 (or larger) baking pan.

3. Put sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla in a large pot with a heavy bottom. Stirring steadily until mixture boils, continue stirring while letting it boil for 3 minutes (time it, this  is important).   Remove from heat.

4. Add the marshmallows and chocolate, stirring until all of it is melted and blended into the sugar mix.

5.  Give whiskey mixture a quick stir, and add it to the pot, stirring until fully incorporated.

6.  Pour into a greased pan, and chill.  Let mellow for a day before cutting.

Darn that Rachael Ray magazine for making me want to cook and bake everything!