FLUFFY STUFF!!

Who doesn't love marshmallow fluff? In all its gooey, sticky, yummy, sugary goodness, it is just about the perfect piece of food ever. I feel bad. I didn't get photos of this one. But trust me, it looks like marshmallow fluff but tastes even better! We had to drive to my mom's this weekend, and since she's a fluff fanatic I was going to bring the stuff with me, but I forgot. *sigh*

So here I am writing about my favorite food ever without pics. Boo!

This was actually a lot simpler than I thought, but I did need a candy thermometer. So you need to get yourself one if you don't have it. I got mine at the local grocer store for 20$. Its digital, has an alarm to go off when it hits the right temp, and attaches to my fridge. Its kinda awesome. And I like cooking gadgets.

So here's a couple of tidbits before we get to the recipe: 1. Start the corn syrup mixture first THEN the meringue so that hopefully they finish at about the same time, 2. Once you mix the corn syrup mixture PUT THE LID ON THE POT!! this will create condensation on the sides of the pot that will move all the sugar crystals into the mix and prevent and crystallization of the mix which would ruin things, 3. SLOWLY add the mixes together so you don't cook the eggs (Ew!). Ok so thats three things, sue me. Remember them, they're important!

On to the recipe!!

Marshmallow Fluff!!!
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1/4 c. water

pinch of salt

2 large egg whites

2 overflowing capfuls of vanilla 

1. Mix sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir well and put lid on the pan until boiling. Once boiling remove lid and place in thermometer and stir occasionally until it hits 240'  (I didn't REALLY stir mine much, it was well mixed prior and the boiling was mixing it well enough I figured).

2. While the sugar boils,put the egg whites in your stand mixer with the whisk. Beat on medium speed until you get medium peaks. This is where your time management and multi tasking skills come in handy. Keep the mixer near the pot so you can move on to step three quickly. 

3. When the sugar stuff hits 240' take it 0ff the heat and SLOWLY add a few bits to the eggs on low, this will temper the eggs so they don't cook. Then continue to slowly add more of the sugar to the eggs until its all in there. Keep mixing the two together until the fluff actually starts to get kinda shiney and glossy. 

4. Continue mixing and add the vanilla. Once done put in an airtight container (or eat right away I wont judge) and refrigerator until you're ready to use it.  It should last about two weeks, but you'll probably use it faster than that.

So what do you do with it? Top ice cream, add to a peanut butter sammy, top on brownies (bonus put under a broiler and have roasted marshmallow topping!) eat right off the spoon if you want! Its awesome and endless so have fun!

Scones!

Scones, scones the magical treat, the more you make, the more you eat. Yum!!

Scones are one of my favorite treats. For anytime. We have a friend from across the pond who visits us fairly frequently. She likes to eat out. I like to eat in. I'm hoping someday I can convince her my food is as good as any restaurants. This recipe is just one weapon in my war against eating out.

Now the scone on the left is a lovely toffee scone, and the one on the right is a pecan/chocolate chip scone. After making these we considered other options. Bacon and maple, pumpkin spice, chocolate orange, white chocolate and cranberries. Basically the sky is the limit. 

So we have a base recipe. It makes 8 scones. You can mix and add as you wish. I made two batches because I have no self control, and they are currently being sealed in an air tight container. There is also a discussion about making clotted cream, but yeah..... you know, that whole diet thing is really cramping my feasting style. But stay tuned I might yet break down and do it. So lets move on to the recipe.

Scones!!!!

Makes 8

• 1  1/4 c flour
• 1/8 - 1/4 c sugar (depends on how sweet you like it. I went closer to 1/8)
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• **1/4 (or maybe a little more) mini chocolate chips
• **1/4 c pecan (next time I'm toasting them)
• 1/2 c sour cream (I know right?? Trust me)
• 2 1/2 tbsp butter or margarine (I had margarine on hand. Room temp please)

**For the toffee scones substitute these two ingredients for an over flowing 1/2 c of chocolate toffee bits)

1. This is super easy, so don't worry you cant mess it up. DONT BE AFRAID OF SCONES!!!

2.Dump the flour, sugar, and baking soda in a bowl. Give it a whirl with a spoon.

3.  Now add in your pecans and chips (or toffee bits) and stir to coat them with the flour mixture. 

4. Add the sour cream and margarine and mix until a nice and slightly sticky dough forms. 

5. Dump that dough out on a floured pan and shape it into a ball. Now flatten that ball until its a 1/2 -3/4 inch thick disk. 

6. Grab your pizza cutter (or a nice long, sharp knife) and cut that sucker into 8 triangles. Separate the triangles about 1inch apart to bake.

7. Little trick I learned from my mom. Dust those babies with some baking sugar. Makes them look shiney! 

8. Place those puppies in a preheated 450' oven for about 10-12 mins. Don't burn them. That would be sad.

9. When done place them on a cooling rack long enough that you don't burn your tongue when you try to eat them.

10. EAT IT!!! Eat as a snack, for tea time, as part of breakfast, or for dessert. Its scone, it's perfect anytime!

Check out my fiancé's site to learn the recipe for the quiche he served the scone up with for brunch. Enjoy!

What to do... what to do

So.... I figured what the heck. Why not post about some of the things I make. If nothing else it gives me something to refer to later on.

Needed something sweet tonight AND I wanted to try a gluten free recipe for future guests. Im a cake and pie kinda girl but that doesn't always work for everyone.  bummer.

So In the freezer I had some uber ripe bananas that I was going to make into banana bread, but that felt like a lot of work for a tuesday. After a glass of wine. And its hot and humid. And I have this ice cream maker. Sooooooo.......

Banana Ice Cream. OMG YUM TYVM!

It passed the boyfriend test with flying colors. Could be better with chocolate. Or nuts. But then again what isn't?

So the recipe? I kinda tweaked three or four recipes to make something semi edible since I didn't have enough cream and only two bananas. But it came out quite fine anyway. (eventually I will learn to add pics to this)

1. Take some nice and ripe (read black) bananas from  the freezer and let thaw for 45mins to an hour. You want them to be smooshable. I used two but you could use more if you want more of a banana-ery flavor.

2. Mix in about 1cup of sugar. I stuck it in  the stand mixer. I love that thing. I want flame decals for it someday. Mix it till the sugar is all smooshed up with the banana.

3. Add about 2 to 2.5 cups of milk. (I eyeball things sometimes. That's terrible I know. Im a terrible terrible person, but I can live with that). Anyway mix that in till the banana is all swirled in there. 

4. Then add about 2 cups of heavy cream, mix that in slowly, we don't want butter or whipped cream ice cream (I've done it by mistake, not as good as you might think) And while you're at it throw in about 1/2 to 1 tbsp of vanilla. I think it adds a nice flavor.

5. Once those are all mixed together throw it into your ice cream maker. (if you dont have one GET ONE. BEST. THING. EVER.) and let the machine do its thing until you have a nice soft serve style ice ceram on your hands. About 30-40 mins on mine (it was hot and humid today remember?)

6. Empty that bad boy into a container and put some plastic wrap against the cream (it will prevent ice crystals that will make it yucky) and stick that in the freezer until its firmed up.

7. EAT IT. Enjoy. Share. Make some more

Ingredients:
2-4 really ripe (and smooshable) bananas (mine were frozen and then thawed)
1c. sugar (can use splenda, let me know how that turns out!)
2- 2 1/2c. whole milk (could probably use low fat milk, I don't know. Try it, let me know)
2c. heavy cream
1tbsp vanilla