Petites Amourettes: 2011

31 December 2011

Slides at Museums

I finally made it to the New Museum to check out the Carsten Holler exhibit: Experience. It's an exhibit that plays with perception. Read about it here. Or here.

The carousel ride at glacial speed. It has mirrors overhead so you can watch yourself going at a very slow speed. The line for this wasn't too long but you can see the line of people behind for the slide.

In the same room, were the bird cages full of living, singing birds. It's disorienting because it doesn't belong in this setting.

And the slide. It's 100 feet long and travels from floor 4 to 2. I have pictures of the beginning, the middle and the end. The slidee emerges into a room with flashing lights which explains the very white pictures.

30 December 2011

Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe

As requested -

Peanut Butter Blossoms

1 3/4 c flour            1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp soda              1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp salt             1 egg
1/2 c sugar              2 T. milk
1/2 c brown sugar    1 tsp vanilla
48 chocolate kisses

Combine flour, soda & salt in sifter. In mixing bowl combine shortening, peanut butter & sugars. Add egg, then mix in flour mixture. Blend together and add milk gradually. Add vanilla.

Roll in balls and roll in sugar in a pan (I usually use a pie plate).

Place on un-greased cookie sheet.   Bake at 375 degrees 10-12 minutes. (Don't over bake.) Top each cookie immediately with a kiss. Press down firmly so cookie cracks around edge. Take off pan to cool.

I'm still working on the Salmon Quiche but I'll post that when/if it becomes available.

29 December 2011

My Family Knows/Makes Good Food

My mom is an incredible baker. Combine that with her skill at care package making and sending and my life is set. And if you've been around me when I open one of these care packages, lucky you. I know a few of you understand the value of this gift.

Thank goodness the family developed or married into cooking/baking skills. This just means that we don't stop eating really good food when we are together.

Some of you have a few favorites but not all of them are pictured here today (no caramel brownies this time). And if anyone wants any recipes, don't hesitate to ask.

Mom hand dipped four different types of chocolates - cherry (shown below), maple, mint and chocolate. My 1962 party inspired her to go through old recipes and she found this one that she hadn't made for probably 20 years. She dipped pretzels and apricots with the leftover chocolate. I could not stop eating all of them while I was home.

Mom has been baking Parker House Rolls since before I was born. These rolls are found in very fancy restaurants but to me they are just what we eat every Thanksgiving and Christmas. To top it off, Mom makes assorted jams through the year. The ones below are blackberry and apricot.

I ask for the peanut butter blossoms as a Christmas present because they are that good.

Mint chocolate brownies are the perfect combination between mint and bitter chocolate. And anything with frosting is automatically that much more delicious.

Christmas day started out with the best pastries.

Followed by a salmon quiche with dill sauce that my sister-in-law makes every year and I start craving in November.

And crabbies which she also makes for us.

Christmas dinner included beef and roasted potatoes. There was a lot more food that day but it was eaten before pictures were taken.

I hope all of you had a wonderful family filled holiday. I'm grateful for holidays as an excuse to be surrounded by those people I'm fortunate enough to call family.