Cake Mix Rice Crispies

One of my friends posted this recipe on facebook: http://gimmesomeoven.com/cake-batter-rice-crispy-treats/ , I've just adapted it slightly.

When I saw this recipe I was immediately exited to make it.  I love rice crispy bars, especially Rice Krispies Treats, you know, the ones that come in the blue shiny wrapper.  I've never been able to make rice crispy bars like Kellogg does until I made these.

1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup butter yellow cake mix
10 oz. regular marshmallows
6 cups rice crispies
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large microwaveable bowl add the butter, microwave on high for 45 seconds or until the butter is melted.  Stir in cake mix til no lumps remain.  Add the marshmallows, return to the microwave for 90 seconds or until all the marshmallows are puffed.  Add the rice crispies and vanilla.  Stir until all the rice crispies are coated and pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan.  Press flat with a spatula, let cool, cut into 12 squares and serve.

I've already made this recipe 3 times, once as written above, another time I used pumpkin spice marshmallows and added 1/4 teaspoon almond extract.  Today I made them with chocolate marshmallows and added 1/3 cup nutella to the butter in the beginning of the recipe.

All these variations have turned out well.  This is a seriously AMAZING recipe and it is very versatile.

Congratulations Pie

This weekend one of my good friends is visiting.  She recently got engaged, so I wanted make her and her fiance a special treat.  Her fiancee doesn't like chocolate or frosting.  When I come up with a dessert recipe my first inclination is to make something with both chocolate and frosting so I had to put my thinking cap on to come up with something they both would enjoy.  This is what I came up with:

Congratulations Pie

3 cups citrus pudding (recipe below)
2 small, ripe bananas, sliced
1 cup sliced strawberries, divided
12 individual graham cracker crusts ( just buy these, it will make your life easier)

Place 1 heaping tablespoon of pudding in the bottom of each crust.  Place a couple banana slices on top, then a few strawberry slices, making sure you save 12 slices.  Spoon remaining pudding on top until the fruit is completely covered.  Place 1 sliced strawberry on top of each pie.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap so the pudding doesn't form a skin.

If you happen to have sweetened whipped cream on hand spread some on top of the pudding before adding the last strawberry, then you don't have to worry about the skin forming.  That's what I would have done but, alas, I had no whipping cream.

Citrus Pudding

This recipe is adapted from "My Favorite Lemon Pudding" by Lori Longbotham on foodnetwork.com

1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups milk (the more fat in the milk the better it will taste)
3 egg yolks
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a 2 quart sauce pan whisk together the cornstarch and sugar.  Slowly pour in the milk while whisking then add the egg yolks and zests.  Whisk until smooth.  Heat on medium whisking constantly until pudding becomes thick (just slightly thinner than normal pudding, it will firm up more after refrigeration) about 10 minutes.  Whisk in the juices, butter, and vanilla.  Cool to room temperature. 

Green Curry Peanut Sauce

Last week one of my roommates and I made a peanut sauce.  It wasn't super amazing because we made it on a whim and didn't really have all the ingredients to make it fabulous.  I went to the grocery store today with the intention of getting the right ingredients so I could make one legit peanut sauce.

I bought Thai Kitchen Green Curry Paste, it  has the perfect balance of lemongrass and ginger.  I used chicken bullion powder because it adds a depth of flavor and salt without adding more liquid to the sauce

1, 14 oz. can coconut milk
1 Tablespoon green curry paste 
1/2 red onion diced
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder

Combine ingredients in a 1 quart sauce pan over medium heat.  Cook, stirring frequently, until onions have softened and sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

I poured this sauce over spaghetti and sauteed peas, shredded carrots, the other half of the red onion, and a green pepper.  It was insanely good, my roommates gave it two thumbs up as well.

Chippers

One of the Food Science professors left some chocolate covered potato chips in the Mackay storeroom where I work.  They were delicous.  I don't have enough patience to dip single chips into chocolate, so I decided to make some with crushed chips.  This recipe is super simple, quick, and has that perfect combination of sweet and salty.

Chippers
9 oz. wavy potato chips, crushed into small pieces, but not powder
20 oz. chocolate almond bark, melted
3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Stir crushed chips into almond bark.  Scoop mixture by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper.  Place white chocolate chips into a ziptop bag.  Microwave until melted, snip a corner of the bag and drizzle over the cookies.  Let sit until the chocolate firms up then store in an air tight container.

Asian Cabbage Salad

I've always been a coleslaw hater because of the mayo, so some how I assumed that I hated cabbage too, just by association. This summer I learned that is not the case.  At somepoint my host mom made an Asian coleslaw and I tried it to be polite.  After one bite I was hooked.  Cabbage has such crunchy texture, so it is perfect for a salad where it can sit and marinate, taking on flavors and softening slightly. 

14 oz. cabbage coleslaw mix
10 oz. shredded carrots ( I love carrots so I loaded this recipe with them, if you are not in love with carrots you might find half this amount more suitable)
1 small red pepper, diced
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white vineagar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tsp Mrs. Dash Onion and Herb seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

In a large bowl combinge all ingredients.  Toss until coated. Cover and refridgerate for for at least 2 hours before serving. 

*This recipe is also delicious using broccoli slaw instead of cabbage.

peanut butter banana chocolate chip cookies

Yesterday I set out to make NORMAL chocolate chip cookies.  Seriously I was like "I know you want to improvise--RESIST" in my head.   Well, you can see how that turned out...

1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1 medium ripe banana
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1.5 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1.5 cups flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
12 oz. chocolate chips

Cream butter, banana, peanut butter and brown sugar til fluffy.  Mix in the eggs and vanilla.  Add flours and soda, mix til combined.  Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

  I like to make tiny cookies so I can justify eating more of them, so they take 8 minutes at the most to bake, but if you make normal cookies 8-10 should be about right.

Making a change

For some time I have felt increasingly dissatisfied with my major being food science.  When many people hear "food science" they think of food processing and safety and quality assurance. That is not what I want to do with my degree.  I would like to work in a test kitchen developing recipes. 

During my time at ISU I've been involved in the Food Science Club and the Culinary Science Club and the more time I spent with the people in the clubs I've found kindred spirits in the Culinary Science Club.  My goals and dreams and interests are more in line with theirs than those people in the Food Science Club.  I still enjoy the Food Science Club and have some great friends there, but don't fit as well there.  The advisor of the Culinary Science Program and Club has talked with me multiple times about changing major.  I've just brushed off her comments because I thought food science would prepare me for the job I want as much as Culinary Science. 

Over the summer I got to work in a test kitchen, it was amazing and I would love to work in an enviroment like that again in the future.  While there one of the other interns had a couple of conversations with some professionals in product development and other food areas at General Mills and she said they would like to hire people who have a bachelor's or master's degree in a program that balanced food science and culinary skills.  That is pretty much Culinary Science. 

Even though I have been resistant to changing my major this really started to make me think.  I decided that Culinary Science is a better match for me and will help better market my skills and knowledge.  So after getting back to Ames this summer I met with the Culinary Science Program Coordinator and my advisor and formally changed my major to Culinary Science.  I should still be able to graduate on time, without taking summer classes, if things go according to plan.  I also dropped a journalism class because I don't need it for my new major.  It's nice to not have to take a class I don't need, but I felt bad telling the professor I was dropping it.  The professor didn't mind at all and happily signed my drop slip, wishing me well in my new major.  How kind.  Then I took my drop slip to Enrollment Services and they charged me $12.  How not-so-kind.  Oh well.

I've never been a big fan of change, but I feel like this is going to be a good one.