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Yesterday in the Tennessean, there was not only a recipe for Rice Crispy treats, but 6 variations.  Jim was playing golf, but I texted him and  asked him if he liked rice crispy treats.  He does so he stopped at the store and bought the ingredients I needed to complete the adoption called Loaded Rice Crispy treats.

Ingredients:

3 T unsalted butter

10 oz. marsh-mallows

1/2 t vanilla extract

1/4 t salt

5 C crisped rice cereal

1 C pretzels, broken into 1/2” pieces

1/2 C salted dry-roasted peanuts

1/2 C semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 C toffee bits (we skipped)

Pam

Directions:

1. Make a foil sling for 8” square baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil so each is 8” wide.Lay a sheet of foil in pan perpendicular to one another, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan.  Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan.  Spray with vegetable oil spray.  
2. Mix in a bowl the rice cereal, pretzels, peanuts and chocolate chips.  
3. Melt butter in Dutch oven over low heat.  Add marsh-mallows, vanilla and salt and cook, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth, about 6 minutes.  (If using the toffee bits, melt with the marsh-mallows.
4. Off the heat, stir in cereal until incorporated.  
5. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and press into an even layer with a greased spatula.  
6. Let treats cool for 30 minutes.
7. Using foil over hang, remove treats from pan.  
8. Cut into 16 squares and serve.  

This meal was a chore.  It was delicious and Jim enjoyed it very much.  I really enjoyed the sauce with the beef.  I did some things out of order as the timing for the beef for perfection is short.  We tried the mixed vegetable steamed in a bag that were on sale this week.  i just dusted them with Costal Blend Seasoning that I bought in Annapolis this summer.  The potatoes were a little disappointing, but I blame me as I did them in my small convection oven and I think I got them overdone.  

Ingredients:

4 (2” thick) filets mignons, tied (10-12 oz)

2 T canola oil

1 1/2 T fleur de sel

2 t coarsely cracked black peppercorns

2 T unsalted butter

12 oz. cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced 1/4” thick

2 T dry sherry

Kosher salt and pepper

1 T EVOO

1/2 C minced shallots (2 large shallots)

3 T cognac

1 1/4 C heavy cream

1/4 C Dijon mustard

1/2 t whole grain mustard

2 T minced fresh parsley

Directions:

1. I had cut the large fillet that Jim bought for Christmas Eve into 3 pieces.  I froze two of them.  I took out the one that was about 1 1/2# and cut it into 3 (2”) pieces.  Yes, Jim ate 2.  I also had a problem with the order of steps in the cookbook.  Rather than waiting until the steaks were in the oven, I saluted the mushrooms first.  Then I could concentrate on the sauce.  I had everything measured out before starting to heat the oven or the pan.  
2. Preheat  the oven to 400 degrees.
3. Heat a large (10”) cast-iron skillet over high heat for 5-7 minutes.  Pat the filets dry with paper towels and brush all over with canola oil.  
4. Combine the salt and pepper on a small plate and roll the filets on the top, bottom, and sides in the seasoning pressing lightly to coat.  
5. When the skillet is very hot, add the filets and sear evenly all over (top, bottom, sides) for about 2 minutes per side.  
6. Transfer the steaks from the skillet to a sheet pan and place in the oven for 8-12 minutes, until the steaks register 120 degrees on a meat thermometer for medium rare.
7. Remove from the oven, cover the sheet pan tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.  
8. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a medium (10”) sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until they release their juices.  Stir in the sherry and cook for 10-12 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked through, Sprinkle with 1/2 t kosher salt and 1/4 t pepper and set aside.
9. A the same time, add the EVOO to the cast-iron skillet (don’t wipe it out), add the shallots, and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Add the Cognac, stirring to deglaze the skillet, and cook for 2 minutes, until the Cognac evaporates and the shallots are tender.  
10. Stir in the cream and simmer for 4-5 minutes, until thickened.  Stir in the two mustards and taste for seasonings.  
11. Remove the strings from the filets and place on 4 warm plates  Spoon the mustard sauce around the filets.  Spoon the mushrooms on top of the filets and sprinkle each plate with parsley.
12. Serve hot.  

I actually had these in the oven before I started the meat as they roast 50-60 minutes.  I was banking on the 50 minutes, but probably should have done less.  The recipe serves 6, so I cut it in half.

Ingredients:

2# Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled and 1” dice

8 large garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

2large or 4 small branches fresh rosemary

1/2 large lemon, cut in half through the stem and thinly sliced crosswise.  

3 T EVOO

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fleur de sel

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place the potatoes on a sheet pan, add the garlic, rosemary, lemon, EVOO, 2 t salt and 1 t pepper, and toss until everything is coated with oil.  
3. Spread out in one layer.
4. Roast for 50-60 minutes, turning the potatoes with a metal spatula every 20 minutes, turning the potatoes every 20 minutes, until the potatoes are browned and crisp on the outside and tender inside.  
5. The garlic will be browned and sweet and lemon slices with be caramelized.  
6. Discard the rosemary branches, sprinkle with fleur de sel, and serve hot.  

Jim served his last bottle of Augusto from the Sonoma Valley.  It was very good.  

There is so much to do at this time of year.  Today all day I made Christmas goodies.  I always do a box of goodies for our postman and our UPS guy.  They both are allowed to tie bags with packages to the post box at the bottom of the drive.  My guess, we would never receive them.  They all come up the driveway and deliver to the door, great guys. 

The first item I made comes from Viansa winery.  It was the dessert for a menu in fall delivery.  I could not believe how easy it was.

Dark chocolate Bark with Lavender and Pistachio

Ingredients:

1 t fresh lavender buds or culinary grade dried lavender

1 1/3 C of 60% dark chocolate, chopped (hard to figure 1 1/3 C, but I estimated also I had 70% chocolate)

2 pinches of Himalayan Pink salt (Really?  I do have it, but have to grind from a lump.  I used Maldon salt)

1 T raw pistachios, chopped

Directions:

1.      Melt the chocolate and lavender blossoms in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 minute.  (Mine took 2 as It was not chopped.)

2.      Stir chocolate mixture, microwave for 1 more minute, and stir in the salt until it’s completely smooth. 

3.      On a sheet of parchment paper, spread out the glossy chocolate mixture with an offset spatula. 

4.      Before it cools, sprinkle with raw pistachios for color and crunch. 

5.      When it hardens, peel off the parchment paper, break into pieces, and savor slowly. 

The next two recipes come from watching the Trisha Yearwood show on FoodTV.  Another super easy recipe. 

No-Bake chocolate-Pretzel-Peanut Butter Squares

Ingredients:

1 ½ sticks of butter, melted

2 C pretzel rods, crushed into crumbs (I used regular pretzels that Jim always has in a container for nightly consumption)

1 ½ C confectioners’ sugar

1 C + ¼ C smooth peanut butter (We only use crunchy and that is what I used)

1 ½ C milk chocolate chips (I had the regular semi-sweet and that is what I used.  Not a fan of milk chocolate.)

Directions:

1.      In a medium glass bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. 

2.      Add the pretzel crumbs, confectioners’ sugar and 1 C of the peanut butter.  Stir together until well combined. 

3.      Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9”X 13” X 2” baking dish. 

4.      Combine the chocolate chips and remaining ¼ C peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate and peanut butter are melted and smooth.  Mix to blend.

5.      Spread over the peanut butter-pretzel layer. 

6.      Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares. 

The amount it serves will depend on the size of the squares you cut. 

I would recommend that you line the pan with parchment paper.  It was very hard to cut and get out of the pan looking good.  Trisha recommended that the pan be cut in 12 pieces, which worked, but a piece that size would kill you.  Jim was eating pieces that busted and announced that he was getting a sugar high.  

Finally the only thing that has actually been tasted today are the miniature muffins.  Jim says they are delicious.  Makes 36 mini-muffins

Blanche’s Miniature Cherry Muffins

Ingredients:

¼ C butter, room temperature

Pam to spray the tins

½ C brown sugar

½ C granulated sugar

2 egg yolks, well beaten

1 C all-purpose flour

¼ t baking powder

1- 10 oz. jar maraschino cherries, drained, juices reserved

3 T of the reserved juice

2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

½ C chopped pecans (I used about 1 C)

Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions:

1.      Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

2.      Grease the cups of mini-muffin tins and set aside  (My tins are 12 to a pan, I have 3)

3.      Cream the butter and brown and granulated sugars. 

4.      Add the beaten egg yolks, flour, baking powder and 3 T of cherry juice, blending well. 

5.      Fold in the egg whites. 

6.      Sprinkle ¼ t of chopped pecans in the bottom of each muffin cup. 

7.      Spoon in 2 t of batter (I use a very small ice cream scoop), then place ½ cherry in the center of the batter.  (Did not read the ½ and I used a whole.  She used a whole on TV.)

8.      Sprinkle a few pieces of chopped pecan on top of each muffin. 

9.      Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the tins and dust the muffins with powdered sugar while hot, so the sugar melts. 

Dinner was from Pizza Hut.  Update, Jim tasted them all and tended to be a little stingy when I was packing boxes for our UPS and USPS delivery men.