RECIPE: Rock Candy Shards

As a kid, I remember making red anise flavored candy in my mom's kitchen... her instructing me... me following her directions.

This is another one of those recipes she learned in her 7th grade "home ec" class... and she handed it off to me. But it's been over 20 years since she and I have made this together. So, in light of celebrating old traditions this time of year I figured I would try my hand at it again...

Here's where I started...



I chose to use anise flavoring (tastes like black licorice)... but you do any flavor you prefer. For instance, I colored this red... but if you chose to do mint you could color it green. See where I'm going with this?

But first things first.... let's prep the tray this is going on once it's done.





So, we're going to need the candy thermometer again... ready? Over medium-high heat bring the sugar mixture to a boil and allow it to keep boiling gently until it reaches the hard crack stage (300-310 degrees F). This takes 10-15 minutes... keep stirring.









Take the pan off the heat and add your flavoring...



Then the food coloring gets added... add about 8-15 drops. (I wish I would have used a bit more for this batch.)





Making quick work, pour the micture onto the jelly roll pan and allow to cool completely.







Once it has cooled completely (a few hours) you can turn the pan over onto a kitchen towel and break the shards apart with a kitchen knife.



As a kid, I remember THIS being my favorite part...

As an adult, enjoying the rock candy is my favorite part.

Rock Candy Shards
Recipe courtesy Janie Haraldsen

Ingredients
2 tablespoon butter, softened
¾ cup water
2/3 cup light corn syrup
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon flavoring extract (I used anise/black licorice)

Red food coloring

Instructions
With butter, lightly coat a jelly roll pan - set aside. In a heavy saucepan, with a candy thermometer inserted, combine water, corn syrup & sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat - stirring continually, dissolving all sugar crystals. Stir the whole time until the thermometer reaches the hard crack stage - 300 degrees F.

Remove from heat, stand back & carefully stir in anise extract & few drops of red food coloring (it WILL sizzle). Pour into prepared pan & let cool completely.

Lay out clean dish towel, turning out hardened candy on it. Wrap up gently and crack with the big end ofa butter knife. Store in a cool, dry container.

enjoy your time in the kitchen...

RECIPE: Crock Pot French Dips

My Mom mentioned to me that she was making french dip sandwiches the other day... and all of a sudden I knew that's what I wanted for my birthday dinner!

It can't get much easier than this... tri-tip roast, dried onion bits, garlic, pearl onions, crimini mushrooms, chicken stock and soy sauce. That's all you need.



It really is this quick... plop the un-trimmed roast into the crockpot. Toss in the dried onion bits and crushed garlic.



Peel the pearl onions and slice them in half... toss them in too...



Add a few splashes of chicken stock...



And some soy sauce and mushrooms...



Yes, that easy.



About 3 hours later it looks like this... but it's not ready yet. Turn it over, replace the lid and resist the urge to open it again for at least 2 more hours.



When it's ready, slice it against the grain in thin strips.



Then strain the au jus... you can toss the remains of the very cooked onions and mushrooms. They've reached their flavor destiny at this point...



But don't hesitate to squeeze out the last bits of juice ... press the juice out with the back of a spoon. You want as much au just as you can get.



Remove any excess fat... and place the meat into a pot with the drained au jus.





If you'd like, dip the toasted side of the hoagie roll in the au just to soak up some additional flavor. Top with meat slices and if you're like us, some provolone cheese.



Serve it up with whatever side dish you think goes well with french dip. Tonight we did Braised Yukon Golds... so yummy!




But don't take my word for it... do it yourself. Here's the important stuff...



Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches
Recipe courtesy Lori Tisdale

Ingredients
2-3 lbs tri tip roast
1 ½ tablespoons dried onion pieces
2 cloves garlic, smashed
8-10 small crimini mushrooms, quartered
1 cup pearl onions, halved and skins removed
1 tablespoon soy sauce
¼ cup chicken stock
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Hoagie rolls


Instructions
Without cutting off any fat, place tri tip roast into crock pot. Top with dried onion, crushed garlic and mushrooms. Add soy sauce and chicken stock to bottom of crock pot. Place lid on crock pot and go do something fun.

Once you can insert a fork and it comes back out of the meat easily, slice meat against the grain and set aside. Strain out any large pieces of fat, mushrooms and pearl onions out of au jus. Transfer au jus and sliced meat to large pot and set on medium low heat, cover and keep warm. Toast hoagie rolls, if desired. Quickly dip toasted side of bread into au jus and top with meat and additional toppings. We like provolone cheese.

Cooking time
High temp: 3-5 hours
Low temp: at least 8 hours



enjoy your time in the kitchen...

RECIPE: Mom's Banana Bread

Feeling homesick today. I woke up with a migraine, which makes me want to cry. (But it seems to be waning as the day goes on.) But I still want to cry. I miss my Gramma M. I miss my Gramma H. I miss my Mom and Dad. And my lil' bro.... 'nuf said.

(Where's the tissue...)

And the over-ripe bananas were telling me to make some bread, before it's too late.

My lil' bro comes into town in a few days and he likes this banana bread too! So maybe I can make him homesick too...

This is where I start... I sifted the dry ingredients. (Just like mom learned to do in her 7th grade Home Ec class.)



Move on to the bananas, mashed.







Next, cream together the wet ingredients.









And as Mom taught me, add in the dry ingredients in small batches. Otherwise all of the dry ingredients go flying all over the kitchen when you turn on the beaters. (I once tested fate... it wasn't pretty.)



Add another batch of the dry ingredients...



... until all is combined. Then you can pour it into a well-greased loaf pan, smooth out the top (so it cooks evenly) and slide it into the pre-heated oven.



About 45 - 50 minutes later... you have a beautifully golden crust on top. And the house starts to smell like Mom is here.



Allow it to cool completely on a rack for at least 30 minutes... but keep some butter and a knife close by. You'll want some of this very soon...




So here is Mom's Banana Bread recipe... thanks Mom. Good memories rush through my kitchen while this is baking.


Mom's Banana Bread
Recipe courtesy Janie Haraldsen, 7th grade Home Ec class

Ingredients
2 cups flour, sifted
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 egg
¼ cup shortening
2 ripe bananas, mashed

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Combine flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder; set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream together shortening, sugar and egg. Stir in mashed bananas. Add dry ingredients, ¾ cup at a time until batter is mixed well.

Add batter to a well greased loaf pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Remove to cooling rack. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes before removing loaf from pan to continue to cool.



OK - I'm serious. Where's the tissue?!







enjoy your time in the kitchen...