Beevil the Evil Returns with More S'mores

During the course of creation of Peep Bunnies, sometimes something goes terribly wrong. The Noble Face Stamper shifts slightly out of alignment and the faces of those newly born peeps end up stamped on their neck, leaving them disfigured for life.

When this happens, young Peeps, just like children, can often be cruel. In sugar fluff school, the “perfect Peeps” tease those sad little sugar bunnies until they lose their self-esteem and drop out.

But sometimes, those misaligned peeps take revenge. This is where the second story of Beevil the Evil begins.

“I dream of humans devouring every perfect Peep on the planet!” Beevil’s shout echoed through Polka Dot Field as he danced over the dead body of Fluffy, the town marshmallow-ball star.

D. Bunny and Boyd, Beevil’s trusty goons stood silently behind their evil boss watching as Fluffy became flatter and flatter.

“Well Boss, at least he can’t tease you anymore. I never thought he’d shut up about your face. Not that there’s anything wrong with your face of course.” Backpedaled D. Bunny.

Boyd looked up with his goofy eyes, “The kids won’t be able to resist this one. I’m even considering eating Fluffy myself.”

“Its true Boyd, few humans will be able to keep from devouring my latest torture device. Chocolate death platforms, gooey Snickers Eggs and one newly hideous blown up Fluffy stuffed into the center. It’s my natural born genius!” Laughed Beevil evilly.

At that moment, Fleet the town mail-bunny happened to be racing by with the morning letters. Now, it’s a good thing Fleet is so fast, because he took one look at what Beevil was up to and recognized he’d better hightail it out of there! In fact, Fleet ran so quickly he only stopped when Sergeant Hollow waved his fragile white chocolate bunny arms for him to stop, before they both ended up as shattered bunnies.

“Whoa. Slow down there Fleet. What’s got you so hare panicked?

“It’s Beevil. I think they’ve got Fluffy! I think they’ve killed Fluffy!” gasped Fleet as he stumbled over his words.

“Dang rabbit!” said Sergeant Hollow. “Who’s going to be our marshmallow-ball star if Fluffy’s dead?”

“You’re worried about marshmallow-ball at a time like this?!” exclaimed Fleet. “Fluffy’s dead!”

“Oh right, that was pretty insensitive of me. We better gather the Peep Platoon and find Fluffy before the humans get to him.” Said Sergeant Hollow.

Meanwhile, Beevil was tying up Fluffy’s death platform. He needed to get Fluffy into position close to where the sugar addicted human child liked to play. Without warning, D. Bunny and Boyd began arguing about a noise coming over the hill.

“Quiet you morons!” said Beevil. “It’s time to dispose of the evidence. We must drag this monstrosity into place. Boyd, get the stretcher.”

“Uh, um Boss? Mr. Evil Sir? Shouldn’t we get out of here before that Peep Platoon across the field catches us? It looks like they’re pretty mad and there sure is a lot of them.” Stammered Boyd.

“What? Those brainless dweebs will never find…. Eeeek, Why didn’t you tell me they were coming? Run! Every handsome Peep for himself!” yelled Beevil. And Beevil and his two goons ran for their sugary lives.”

“Get them!” Shouted Sergeant Hollow. But the Peep Platoon became confused and ran the wrong way, allowing Beevil to escape.

The chocolate bunnies had all but forgotten Beevil as they hopped forward in shocked silence to get a good look at Fluffy. “He sure was a good marshmallow-ball player. Too bad he was such a jerk.” Said Flower sadly. “I suppose we should give him a proper burial out at Three Crosses.”

And so the Peeps and chocolate bunnies raised enough money to give Fluffy a nice burial. Although many thought he really did deserved to be eaten, and after a time life returned mostly to normal. Though Sergeant Hollow’s still looking for a marshmallow-ball star replacement.

As for Beevil, he’s lying low evilly dreaming up his next torture device recipe.

Beevil’s Torture Device 2
1 chocolate graham cracker death platform
1 Snickers Egg
1 Mean Peep Bunny named Fluffy

Break the death platform in half. Place it on a microwave plate. Put the Snickers Egg on the graham cracker and top with one defiant Peep Bunny.

Blow said peep bunny up in the microwave until you are happy. Laugh evilly. Top with second half of death platform. Dance around on death platform. Eat.

By Laura Flowers @ The Cooking Photographer. Written for friend Mari Lindsley, who requested Beevil come back for another story.

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Good Pie Dough and a Run in with a Pie Judge

Dishboy Scott and I worked for days on our ridiculously challenged pie dough skills to be able to enter a real pie in the fair. Friendly competition and a bit of jealousy ensued on both our parts as one would get a bit better as the other struggled to catch up.

You see, although I make a lot of pies, I am a miserable failure at pie crust. My mom, now she makes it look easy. I just usually make it look messy and strange. This time though, I powered through recipe after recipe until I finally put together something that worked.

Yes, I am that "challenged". That being said, this must be a hard one to fail, because I’ve made it several times since and have yet to screw up. I finally have a good recipe.

Sadly, after all our hard work our pies almost were not entered at all. Dishboy Scott and I showed up to drop them off this evening and were quickly rejected. “NO GLASS!” barked a cranky looking judge. I raised my eyebrows and stated we had no idea, as the rules just came out today. I kept thinking, “Who the heck doesn’t bake with Pyrex?”

Anyway, I decided I could knock the old bat out cold and leave my pie behind with its wonderful crust as a memento. She complained of a bad back and I’m combat trained. So, this is the part where I tell you I kicked her teeth in right?

Well, no such thing happened. Instead we just stood at her table refusing to move until she accepted our pies. We might get last place, but at least we’re entered.

I guess I’ll have to learn to use a metal pie pan next year.

Good Pie Dough
Printer Version
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, cubed
10 ounces (by weight) unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces cold full fat cream cheese, diced
2 tablespoons cold heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Place butter in a sandwich bag. Freeze until solid; about 30 minutes. Place flour, baking powder and salt in a gallon size bag and freeze as well.

Pulse together flour mixture in a food processor. Add the cream cheese and pulse to combine, about 15 seconds. Add the frozen butter and pulse until very small crumbles form. Pulse in the heavy whipping cream and vinegar.

Divide dough crumbs in half adding a little more to one batch for bottom dough. Place into gallon size plastic bags. Label bags “bottom” and “top” if needed. Refrigerate crumbs 6 to 12 hours.

Remove the dough to the counter for 20 to 30 minutes or until the dough warms up enough to roll but is still cool. Open bags and press dough together through the outside of the plastic. Shape dough into a flat disc using the bag to help form the shape kneading a couple times as you form.

Place the dough between a lightly floured pie size piece of wax paper, lightly sprinkle dough with flour and top with another piece of wax paper. Roll 1/8” thick and 12” in diameter. *Roll dough forward only, rotating the dough an eighth a turn per couple of rolls* Near the end of rolling, gently peel off wax paper and lightly sprinkle dough with flour. Place wax paper back over the dough, flip dough over, peel off wax paper and lightly flour the bottom side to prevent sticking.

Note: If pie dough is too soft after rolling, slide a cookie sheet under the wax paper and freeze for 10 minutes.

Yield: 1 double crust for 9” pie.

Recipe & photographs by Laura Flowers

Penne Alla Vodka and I’m a Terrible Competitor

So here’s the deal. I learned today you could vote for all the cakes in a day. That means instead of $1 a day going to fight ovarian cancer, we can each make $5 per day go to this much needed cause. So instead of just asking you to vote for our team, “Fall for Me”, I’m hoping that you'll vote for all five teams.

I’ll probably be kicked out of the competitors club for this one. But this is cancer, these are my food blogging buddies, and I love all our cakes. So will you vote for all of us? Please? Only 2 ½ days left. Let's kick ovarian cancer in the butt!

Also, Buddy the Cake Boss is giving an internet live cake demo today at 4p.m Pacific Time. If you want to learn some rad new skills go RSVP. Again, money goes to the same worthy cause. I’ll be there of course.

This pasta is a staple in our house and my husband asks for it all the time. I finally grabbed a picture so I could pass it on to you. It's also great with some grilled chicken or shrimp. Play around with it and see what works for you.

Cook’s Illustrated Penne Alla Vodka
“If possible, use premium vodka; inexpensive brands will taste harsh in this sauce. Pepper vodka imparts a pleasant flavor and can be substituted for plain."

1 pound penne pasta
1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and liquid reserved
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup minced onion
1 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt
1/3 cup vodka
½ cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons minced fresh basil
Grated Pecorino Romano cheese, for serving

1. Start heating heavily salted water for pasta. Puree half of the tomatoes in a food processor until smooth. Chop the remaining tomatoes into ½ inch pieces, discarding the cores. Combined the pureed and diced tomatoes in a 2 cup liquid measuring cup. Add reserved liquid to make 2 cups.

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is light golden around the edges, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Stir in the tomatoes and ½ teaspoon salt. Remove pan from heat and add the vodka. Return the pan to medium high heat and simmer, stirring frequently for 10 minutes to cook off the vodka. (Lower heat to medium if simmering is too vigorous.) Stir in the cream and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until hot.

4. Right after you add the vodka cook the pasta according to package directions. Set aside ¼ cup of salted pasta water at the end of cooking time. (I save about a cup, often needing more than called for.) Drain the pasta, return it to the pot, add the sauce and cook over medium heat for 1 ½ minutes to make the sauce stick to the pasta a bit. Then turn off heat, add the pasta water, basil, a little salt and pepper and Pecorino Romano cheese as desired and serve.

Recipe from "The Best of America's Test Kitchen, Best Recipes and Reviews 2008". Picture by Laura Flowers.

Mom’s Chocolate Waffle Cookies

I had a dream about a month ago. Clear as day I had a vision of my mother in a hospital after surgery and I was taking care of her. I woke Jesse to tell him about my dream. Unlike normal dreams, this is one I refer to as a preparation dream. During the dream I felt strong and calm. As if I understood this is supposed to be, or planned rather.

A week later my mother called telling me about a mouse-sized growth in her throat, and that she was making an appointment to get it checked out. The biopsy was benign, and a five-hour surgery took place yesterday. Everything turned out well, but she has some recovery ahead of her.

As I sit in the hospital keeping vigil, these cookies remind me of her and of my own childhood. Every Christmas she would pull out the waffle iron as far back as I can remember, and make these magical cookies. Magical to me at least. To a little foodie, cookies in a waffle iron were something special, and much different than the Toll House Chocolate Chip ones she would make on other occasions.

These cookies provide me with visual reminders of our kitchen in our split-level orange home in College Place, Washington. There was a chocolate brown refrigerator that I often yanked open to peer inside for snacks when I was bored or hungry. Attached to the kitchen was the main dining area where Mom kept a bookcase stuffed full of her many cookbooks. I would pull them down, rummaging through 1960s and 1970s Better Homes and Gardens looking at the pictures even before I could read. Maybe this is where my passion for food and photography began now that I think about it.

In college I realized that I wanted to someday be good enough to copy historical images. I needed to understand the concepts of art as well as master the technical side of photography before I could even think of trying. I also realized that I would have to work differently with light, composition, and Photoshop to come close to producing the same qualities that certain films created. I wasn’t sure I could do this, but I did try.

Somehow, the top shot has the qualities of a dying Andy Warholesque time; ridged, uncomfortable, structured. Too shiny, and not screaming out that this is food. More art than not, it needs a macramé plant holder to accompany it. Or maybe a few random figurines! The bottom shot is a more modern look; warm, casual, unstructured, and much like you wouldn’t disrupt the scene if you snatched a cookie for yourself.

I remember my mother always used canned frosting. She loves canned frosting. I myself am not so fond of the stuff, unless it’s on these cookies, as the canned version somehow magically stays soft, probably from all the chemicals in it. Although, I have been known to make my own chocolate frosting to smear over the top.

My mom will get better, and I realize there are moments where she will need me, as I needed her when I was younger and will likely need her again. It’s all part of this pretty darn wonderful life, and I feel strong, protective, and brave enough to face forward.

Mom’s Chocolate Waffle Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 ½ cups sugar

½ teaspoon salt

4 eggs

¾ cup cocoa powder

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1 to 2 containers of canned chocolate frosting

1. Preheat Belgian waffle maker.

2. In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream together butter, sugar and salt. Then beat in eggs until well incorporated. Mix in cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Then add the flour and mix until just combined.

3. With a standard (size 50) cookie scoop, scoop the dough and drop onto the hot waffle iron onto the sections. Cook 90 seconds per waffle. Carefully remove the hot waffle from the iron with a spatula to a cooling rack.

4. Once cooled, frost with chocolate frosting as desired. Or as I do, eat them sans frosting.

Recipe from Linda Komberec. Pictures by Laura Flowers.

A Food Photography Interview

As my work gains momentum sometimes it’s interesting enough to get an interview. So far all have been with bigger outlets; a work of mine was on the Martha Stewart Show last year, this year the Houston Chronicle picked up one of my creations, and then there is local media on rare occasions and other such showing of my works that I am grateful for.

The free boost of my photographs and recipes being passed around is nice, but something struck my heart cords in an interview I just had with a young woman for her college class. It swept me back in time to being a 19-year-old college student myself, working for my university newspaper. I was young, lost, and had no idea where my first camera and I were headed together. It would take another 10 years of grasping before I realized it was food photography which was closest to my heart, and that I wanted to share my work with as many new friends as I could. So, I answered her questions honestly, but in a way that I hope helps her as she comes across some of these bridges.

Here are my answers to her questions. If you are on the same path, I would love to know what your’s would be.

Interview:

1. How long did it take you to accomplish becoming a food photographer? (I mean in the terms of time and energy and time spent including school time to become one)

It took me 4 years of college and about 8 years after that figuring out that I really wanted to focus on food instead of people. Then it took another year of learning how to shoot food well by practicing almost daily, attending food photography conferences, studying food photography books, and learning from the work of pros.

2. What exactly inspired you to become a food photographer? (What was the idea that made you realize that you were meant to become a food photographer?

I wanted to first capture human emotion. A split second of time where a burst of energy was recorded through my subjective view, I worked for newspapers early on and started to shoot food there. When the newspaper work didn't pay the bills, I worked in kitchens and after a few years I realized I wanted to shoot my own food and share it with others.

3. What techniques harbor the most success for the majority of your target audiences?

Don't follow trends. Make trends. For me, if napkins are all the rage, and everything has to be shot on them, I will refuse. Instead I might focus on something different, like textured placemats, natural light, or low-key shots.

4. What do look for when taking a picture?

Food is difficult. I am constantly aware of composition, light, texture, what the food itself looks like, food design and styling, keeping it as real as possible, and then there is the magic quality. Magic is when everything comes together to make a beautiful shot, and more often than not cannot be forced. I will sometimes have to give up a shot and try it again in different light or with a new design. If it's not working close to right away, don't waste too much time forcing magic.

5. Where did you study photography?

At the University of Idaho. My degree is a B.S. in Visual Communication.

6. How much more did you improve your career after attending the school?

Without school, I would not have any of this skill base. School was just the start, but a very important one.

7. Do you alter any of the photos with Photoshop?

All my photos are edited with Photoshop. Much of my schooling was in digital editing as well, and those minor enhancements are very important. A good photo editor can tweak a good shot into one that is simply amazing.

8. How do you make the food look so delicious (mouthwatering) to your audience, making them want more?

I produce what I love, maybe that heart is what makes my images work. Then again, I've had years of practice. So maybe its practice and passion together.

9. Do you enjoy your work? Why?

Yes. I love my work. I still get excited over almost every shot just like I did 14 years ago when I started shooting (Ok truthfully, I hate photographing big round flat pizzas, but that's pretty much it). Maybe I even get more excited now because I know how to transfer the images and ideas in my brain into my photography exactly as I imagine them.

10. What determines the need to add gloss to a fruit or a plate of food?

I'm really careful about glossing food. I try to keep my food as real as possible, even with my Photoshop edits. I will only gloss when something has lost its luster from cooling down too much. I brush a small amount of olive oil onto items like vegetables or meats when they start to lose their luster from me taking too long.

11. If there are any pointers that you could give an aspiring food photographer what would they be?

Follow your heart, not trends. Go to the International Food Photography Convention in Boston that happens every two years. Practice, practice, practice, and shoot one meal a day if possible either at home or while eating out. Don't give up, I'm still learning like crazy and that's normal. Read food photography and food styling books. Shadow other food photographers and food stylists if possible. Read food blogs and food styling blogs. Start a food blog of your own and watch what makes people get excited, then go with it. Be real, never ever let ego get the best of you. Ego is the enemy to listening and learning. Cook yourself and get to know your subject inside and out. Treat everyone with kindness; it goes a long way in this field. Don't forget to thank everyone who has helped you, this has paid me back over and over.

12. Any additional information that you would like people to know please feel free to add below:

Most importantly, work to find your drive and passion. When you obtain that, most days will be creative and interesting because they are part of who you are.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chubbies

Martha Stewart and I regularly go to blows. I don’t know why, but I can’t make a cookie recipe of hers to save my life. This cookie began life as one of her peanut butter sandwich cookies. And as usual, my right eyeball began to pop out of its socket, and my eyebrows hit my hairline when I realized there was no way this recipe of hers was going to come together as planned. Again.

I barely restrained myself from beating this dough about the head and shoulders, once I realized something so crumbly didn’t have a prayer in hell of being rolled out as per the instructions. These were City Hall cookies, they had to be done, and I didn’t have time to make another batch. So I grabbed my mini cookie scoop and started packing in this crumbly mess of a “dough”, and turned it out onto parchment in half rounds. Not daring to disturb the mounds, I just baked them that way.

After the dough came out of the oven, I dipped the underside of a dry measuring cup into some sugar and flattened them slightly. What I was left with were the best darn little peanut butter oatmeal cookies I’ve ever tasted. Holy moly these little chubbies are tasty.

Martha Stewart got it half right. Or maybe I got it half right. Either way, I just want another cookie, or five.

Ingredients
2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
1 cup dark brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup Jiff peanut butter (I love Jiff in cookies)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
Granulated sugar for finishing

Instructions
1. In a large skillet melt 1 stick of butter over medium heat. Add the oatmeal and cook, stirring often until toasted. About 5 minutes. Pour oatmeal onto a baking sheet and cool completely.

2. After the oatmeal has cooled, line a of couple baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3. In a stand mixer add 2 sticks of butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar and beat on medium high speed until fluffy; about 2 minutes. Add the peanut butter and beat until fluffy again. Add the salt and baking soda and beat until combined. Add the oatmeal and beat until incorporated. Add the flour and mix until just combined.

4. With a size 60 mini cookie scoop, pack in the dough with your hands. Turn the dough out onto the cookie sheets about an 1 ½” apart. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, set aside a small bowl of sugar and a dry measuring cup bigger than the cookies. Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, dip the back of the measuring cup in sugar and flatten the cookies slightly. Re-dip into the sugar about every third cookie.

6. Let cool on the cookie sheets a couple more minutes, then move to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Martha Stewart recipe heavily adapted by Laura Flowers.

Wild Blackberry Jam & Adventure for the Soul

Sadly, I am home. Sometimes it feels good to be back, and other times I wish I could travel forever. It’s a fight not to pack up the motor home and head out again. Wanderlust has me by the throat it seems.

I took Otto the Travel Box (motor home), up Idaho Highway 12 on a fruit picking adventure. Along the road runs the most beautiful river, the Clearwater. Named so because you can see right through to the bottom where large trout swim around and tease you. This part of Idaho is my favorite. I adore going through stark desert mountains into lush green old forest growth as I head east. All along the roadside are fruit trees and bushes and I stop and pick and play all over the place.

My first campsite was at the Wild Goose US Forest Service Campground sandwiched between a beautiful white sandy beach along the river, and blackberry bushes on the highway. After a swim, I started up the road with my camera bag and a sack intending to pick all the blackberries I could handle. I was surprised to find not only blackberries, but apples, chokecherries, service berries, ripe wild plums the size of large cherries, wild carrot, thimbleberry bushes past their prime, and believe it or not, one amazing glorious sour cherry tree.

This cherry tree was a thing of beauty. The ripest, reddest cherries warmed by the sun and fed from the cool water made them burst with flavor. I was desperate to pick them and I reached and stretched, but alas it was not to be. Karma was punishing me for stealing cherries for those sour cherry financiers. I could barely grasp but a few perfect little cherries without risking my life. The rest were off a very steep embankment. Too big and steep to slide down, I knew I would just have to stare longingly at those beauties and continue the berry hunt without them.

I also ate a few sweet wild plums along the way before I figured out what they were, and of course picked every ripe blackberry I could find before nightfall. As I slowly trailed back I was stopped by a female road worker who offered me a ride. That’s Idaho. Amazing isn’t it, that someone will pull over and check on you. Of course there is no phone or cell service for many miles, and it’s a different way of life. A much more peaceful one in my mind.

Reflections started to fade in the water as the stars came out. A brilliant display of light sparkled in the sky on my way back to Otto and I began to think of love life man Steve Fugate, who I saw walking the highway earlier in the day. Although I don’t know him personally, I know of his story. His message is powerful, sad, and yet hopeful. Fugate walks American in honor of the son he lost to suicide, and the daughter he lost to an accidental drug overdose. His site tells more about his astounding journey.

The next morning I woke to motorcycle after motorcycle passing by on the highway. I quickly realized I had a front row seat to motorcycle gawker’s paradise. America’s big biker rally started the following weekend and the Westies were off to Sturgis South Dakota! I watched the big bikes, the little bikes, and a cluster of several beautiful Shelby Cobra cars pass my way. I supposed I should tell you now; I’m a voyeur. All crazy photographers are. I love to watch life go by and cheer it on.

After some tubing and playing on the river (and a bit of hitch hiking to get up the river so I could float down), I packed up and headed east to Jerry Johnson Hot Springs. Jerry Johnson is a mile hike in a mystical looking old growth cedar and fir forest into a beautiful warm river where the river rocks have black moss growing on them. Hot water pours out from a waterfall and at other places on the cold mountain fed river, making it the most picturesque place in the world. I didn’t bring my camera this time, as many go nude and I was alone and didn’t want to make any trouble.

I got lucky and had the upper pools to myself. I slipped off my clothes and sank into a beautiful, shallow gravel pool with water trickling over the rocks. Warm water surrounded me as I watched the river rush by and the moss on the old trees sway in the wind. Here I was at peace. I only wish I could have stayed forever in that water, but sadly the sun began to set and I left before I had to walk back through the forest in the dark.

Trusty old Otto and I headed back west a few miles to Wilderness Gateway National Park where I found a spot to camp for the night. I passed out in restful sleep for the first time in years.

Up Next: Scones, thimbleberries, and a territorial squirrel declares war.

Wild Blackberry Jam & Canning Instructions


Ingredients
8 cups ripe wild blackberries
1 (1.75 ounce) package fruit pectin
3 cups sugar (taste after each cup, add more to taste if needed up to 6 cups)

Instructions
1. Prepare your canning jars. I wash my jars and bands with hot water in the dishwasher just before using and place my lids in a bowl of near boiling water. Also, start boiling water in a canning pot with enough water to cover the jars by about two inches.

2. Mash the blackberries with a potato masher (don’t use a food processor), in a large pot. Sprinkle in the fruit pectin and bring to a boil over medium high heat while stirring constantly.

3. While boiling, stir in the sugar one cup at a time tasting after each addition until sweetened to taste.

4. Ladle the jam into jars stopping a little less than 1/2 inch from the top. Use the magnetic lifter to grab a lid, shake the water off gently, and top the jar being careful not to touch the underside of the lid. Screw on the bands finger tight, but not too tight.

5. Process the jars in the boiling canning pot for 10 minutes under 2000 feet elevation and 15 minutes over 2000 feet. Then turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the water for 5 minutes.

6. Remove the jars with canning tongs to a towel covered counter and let sit for 12 hours.

Notes: Full canning kits can be purchased with everything you need except jars. You can also skip the canning step by using freezer jam pectin, pour jam into freezer jam containers, and freeze.

Recipe & pictures by Laura Flowers

Sour Cherry Financiers Taste Better With Stolen Cherries

I have a few minutes to write as I sit on my porch, under the icicle Christmas lights I rebelliously refuse to take down, contemplating what else to do with all the cherries I swiped today from an ancient tree in someone’s front lawn. But I’m getting ahead of myself here.

On a food blog site yesterday I spotted some adorable little financiers. I wanted to reach in and pull them out of my screen by their little stems. They were so cute in fact; I just had to make them! Unfortunately, little sour cherries aren’t sold around here. You have to have a tree, or find some growing on a tree.

I don’t exactly know anyone with a sour cherry tree, but I knew where there was one. A very old large one left over from what was once an orchard. I grabbed a sack, my small daughter, the newly sheared overexcited Miniature Australian Shepherd, and ran out to see about collecting a “few”. We arrive and knock on the door. No one is home, just great. So, what to do? What would you do?

Um well, the cherries were perfect, better than perfect and wouldn’t last but a couple more days on that tree. So, I started to pick everything I could reach, which wasn’t a lot as I’m a shorty, and that old tree is the cherry equivalent of a great oak.

Now the key to stealing cherries is to look like you know what the hell you’re doing. Look like you are supposed to be there, as everyone across the street in the public park is eyeballing you like the crazy thief you are. Ok I am kind of an intruder and likely crazy, but those beautiful cherries would go to waste without me.

Here’s the best part though, these delicious financiers will be eaten tomorrow by City Hall. That usually means the mayor on down, as well as the police department. Do you think they would eat them if they knew I pilfered the cherries? I’m betting they would! These little goodies are super cute and delicious! Just please don't tell them...

Maybe, just maybe, these adorable treats taste even better because of the forbidden fruit!

Sour Cherry Financiers
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup powdered or caster sugar
1/2 cup almond meal
5 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
24 sour cherries, pitted from the bottom so the stem remains attached (Or sideways with a cherry pitter)

1. Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Grease a 24ct mini muffin pan with butter. Set aside

2. Spread the almond meal in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until slightly golden. Let cool.

3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the solids separate and turn lightly toasted. The butter will take on a fragrant, nutty aroma, and a golden, honey color.

4. Use a fine strainer lined with cheesecloth or (in a pinch) paper towel, to strain out the solids. Reserve the clear golden butter, and let cool to room temperature.

5. In the base of your electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the sugar, flour, salt, and almond meal until well combined. Add the egg whites, 1/3 at a time, until fully incorporated. Add the almond extract and the browned butter and beat until smooth and kind of gluey but silky. (Keep going it will get there)

6. Use a tablespoon to measure out a tablespoon of batter per muffin tin. (I used a size 60 mini cookie scoop) Gently place one pitted cherry in the center with the stem poking straight up.

7. Bake at 375ºF for 12-15 minutes each, or until slightly crisp and golden brown on the edges. Cool in the pan for ten minutes before gently pulling them out (don't hold them by the stems while they're still hot) and letting them cool on a wire rack.

Notes: The financiers are even better the next day. They're softer and the flavors mingle together in a sort of cherry almond heaven.

Recipe comes from Alejandra Ramos. Visit this great post and her beautiful blog, Always Order Dessert @ http://www.alwaysorderdessert.com/2009/07/sour-cherry-financier.html

Pictures by Laura Flowers

Picking Raspberries, Howling with Coyotes, and Pig, Pineapple & Jalapeno Pizza on Summer Beet Crust

First, it's time to announce the winner of the coconut marshmallow giveaway! Congratulations Patricia from Butteryum, your number was drawn by a very excited 7-year-old all hyped up on donuts and macaroni & cheese!

With the exception of Friday pizza night, I haven’t cooked at all lately. I’m a total kitchen slacker in the summer, which is ironic considering this is the only time of year we get local fruits and vegetables. I did have an amazing long weekend though. Not big amazing, just the little beautiful life moment kind.

Friday evening kicked off with one of my preferred pizza combinations. Canadian bacon with pineapple and paper thin fresh jalapenos are fantastic together. I know it looks a little weird (picture way down there), I was working on the beet crust recipe and that became my base. I finally have that crust perfected to my liking. It crisps up now like normal crust, and tastes pretty darn good!

Saturday evening was magical. We spent the day in Lewiston, Idaho and Clarkston, Washington playing around. We swam, shopped in the fresh market, found old cookbooks, grabbed a quick bite to eat, and headed out to a paved trail toward the southeast end of town. The path runs alongside fields of wheat to the North and a canyon to the South. We were surrounded by warm summer air just starting to cool, and the sweet carbohydrate smell of freshly cut wheat.

10-year-old Quinn, daughter of our friend (Dishboy) Scott, began to glean the leftover wheat on the side of the field. She ran up to me with handfuls and insisted I pull off the chaff and eat wheat berries with her. So I did. They were crunchy and warm from the day’s sun. A new experience for me.

The sun finished setting as we munched and crunched and walked. Suddenly, down the canyon coyotes began their nightly cries, I started to howl back and the kids joined in. For awhile we stood and howled with the coyotes. They would cry, and we would howl back. After awhile the coyotes grew tired of this and we headed back to the truck.

Sunday we relaxed, played in the hot sun, and anticipated the next day’s raspberry picking. Monday arrived and we woke up to rain. Lots and lots of rain. We knew if we didn’t get up to Knapp’s Farm the raspberries would be gone though. So we put on warm clothes and headed north anyway.

Attempting to stave off the cold, muddy, wet clothes we knew we’d have to deal with, we stopped for Vietnamese Pho. Then at last braved the wet fields. Or tried to rather! It was wet, and the early birds had taken much of the crop already. We still found a good selection, although I think half of my little box ended up in my belly. I just couldn’t help it; the raspberries were so fresh and sweet. I stood in the rain and picked and ate and picked and ate. We collected white raspberries and black raspberries along with perfect plump and juicy red raspberries.

Two hours is usually a long drive home when you’re completely soaking wet, but I was on such a happy raspberry picking high I hardly noticed. I look forward to the raspberry crème brulee I hope to make with them, but for now, I leave you with pizza.

I never want summer to end.

Pig Pineapple & Jalapeno Pizza on Beet Crust



Beet Crust
3/4 cup cooked and chopped beets, lightly packed in a liquid measuring cup (or see notes)
Enough almost warm water to make 1 cup when mixed with cooked beets, plus 1 Tablespoon.
1 package bread machine or active dry yeast
1 teaspoon honey
3 cups all-purpose flour (Use good quality all-purpose or bread flour)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the bowl

1. Scrub beets under warm water to clean. Stab a knife into it a few times for venting. Line a plate with paper towels, place the beet on the plate, and cover with a paper towel. Microwave the beet on high for several minutes until easily stabbed through with the knife. Cool completely.

2. Chop the beet into chunks. Place 3/4 of a cup of the chunks (lightly packed) into a liquid measuring cup. Top with enough water to make 1 cup. Puree the beet/water mixture in a blender until smooth. (A couple small chunks are ok, but you might end up picking them out as you roll the dough. You can also strain beet mixture through a fine mesh strainer if you have one.) Pour the mixture back into the liquid measuring cup and top with enough water to make 1 cup, then add 1 more Tablespoon.

3. Add all the ingredients into a stand mixer bowl. Mix with the dough hook until well kneaded.

4. Remove from the bowl and knead by hand for 2 minutes on an unfloured surface. (If you have a counter that stains find another place). Then pat into a ball.

5. Grease a large bowl with olive oil and add the dough, flipping once to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled.

6. Roll out ¾ of dough on a floured surface, do the final stretches by hand by gently pulling the ends with your fingers. Place on a lightly oiled and coarse cornmeal covered pizza pan, and then add the toppings.

Pizza Assembly
1 (16 inch) stretched beet pizza dough on a pan (recipe above)
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup red pizza sauce (See notes below for recipe link or store bought)
1 jalapeno, sliced almost paper thin and removing the center if desired
1 cup canned pineapple tidbits, drained and patted dry
1 package Hormel Canadian bacon pizza slices
1 1/2 cups provolone
1 cup mozzarella
Sprinkle of dried parmesan
Salt and pepper

1. Make the Zesty Old School Pizza Sauce in the link below or use any favorite red sauce. Measure out 1 cup of the sauce. Set aside. The extra sauce freezes well, or will cover another medium pizza.

3. Heat up the grill to hot and close the lid.

4. Brush the pizza pan lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal. Stretch and roll ¾ of the dough and place on the pan. Brush with 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Spoon the pizza sauce around the dough.

5. Top pizza with the mozzarella, provolone, Canadian bacon, pineapple tidbits, jalapeño rings, dried parmesan, and a sprinkle of salt, pepper.

6. Set the pizza on the grill and close the lid. Turn grill to medium high and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until cooked through. Turn to medium for a thicker crust pizza and cook longer. Remove onto a cookie sheet with tongs.

7. Wait a couple of minutes then cut into wedges and serve.

Notes
1. Adding more beet flesh to the dough will make a deeper purple crust.

2. Sauce recipe can be found at http://www.thecookingphotographer.com/2009/05/zesty-old-school-style-pizza-sauce.html

3. Grilling information can be found at http://www.thecookingphotographer.com/2009/04/lets-talk-dough-pizza-dough.html

4. Knapps Farm is in Greenbluff just north of Spokane Washington. Visit their website @ http://www.knappsongreenbluff.com/ for fruit picking information.

Recipe & pictures by Laura Flowers

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Crispy Brownies aka Gooey Chocolate Overload

About a week ago my doorbell rang at 7 A.M. jolting me up out of a dead sleep. I rolled out of bed, groaned loudly in protest, and answered the door in my pajamas and wild hair. There I was greeted by a giant paperboy in a bicycle helmet, dress shirt, tie, big nervous eyes, and a newspaper being shoved into my hands. My first thought was, “Why the heck is the paperboy handing me the paper? Can’t he just leave it by the door like other paperboys?”

Then this crazy paperboy handed me a beautiful stack of handwritten recipe cards, and finally my brain cells started to kick in. “Oh, this isn’t the paper boy!” It was Eric, my husband’s co-worker. He and his wife Bethany had beautifully written down several of their favorite recipes to share with me, and he was dropping them off before bicycling to work. What a thoughtful surprise!

This brownie comes from one of those pretty little cards.

Ingredients
1 package fudge brownie mix
1 package mini marshmallows
1 ½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 Tablespoon butter
1 ½ cups Rice Krispies Cereal

Instructions
1. Line a 9x13 inch pan with foil and brush lightly with oil. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees or to brownie box directions.

2. Prepare brownie mix for chewy brownies. Bake according to box directions.

3. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the marshmallows. Bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely, or until marshmallows have solidified.

4. Melt chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a saucepan over medium low heat stirring frequently. Turn off the heat and stir in the cereal. Pour over the brownies and smooth out the mixture.

5. Refrigerate until the topping is set. Carefully remove the brownies from the pan by lifting the foil. If they are too soft to be removed, freeze for 30 minutes and try again. To cut, brush a chef’s knife with oil and cut into strips, then into squares. Repeat with the oil as needed.

Recipe via Eric and Bethany Newell. Pictures by Laura Flowers.

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Stupid Rolo Turtles, Now I Need Bigger Pants.

I hate these things. HATE! Super addictive delicious easy horrible stinking Rolo Turtles I curse the day you were created! I curse the creator of such easy deliciousness. Do you hear me?

Maybe one more turtle and I’ll be calm enough to start writing. Ok maybe two. (Munch munch..) Ahhh much better. OK, just one more, really. Anyway, you get the picture right? Just stay away from this crack. It’s bad. I already feel the panic inside me growing. I’ve been without Rolo Turtles for ten seconds now. Ten seconds of wasted life.

It all started after lunch earlier this week. I wanted something sweet and salty. I had seen these easy little turtles pass through the blogging world. I even had the “recipe” memorized. So I innocently put them together, and something horrible happened! I *gasp* ate the whole cookie sheet full. This is something I never do!

The next day about noon I started to get antsy. Wait, be right back.. (Munch chew chomp). OK, so about noon I started to get kind of shaky. I need Rolo Turtles! Five minutes later these dastardly little sweet chewy chocolaty crunchy salty nutty monstrosities were being automatically shoveled into my mouth. My hands were out of control! On their own accord they started shoving these atrocious evil delicious candies into my mouth. My mouth would then be forced to chew, and my throat to swallow.

Day three is a repeat of day one and two. Except, I started putting more toppings on them. Peanuts, chocolate covered coffee beans, and almond, peanut, and plain M&M’s joined the original toasted pecans. I even have a special bag for toppings! There is no hope left for me. I’m doomed! I need bigger pants.

Don’t start down this road. Just say no to Rolo Turtles. Nancy Reagan will be proud of you.

Ingredients
Rolos, many
Pretzel Snaps (small square quilted pretzels)
Toasted pecans, M&M’s of any variety, chocolate covered coffee beans, peanuts, etcetera.

Preheat oven to 220 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil.

Place the pretzels on the cookie sheet and top with one Rolo each. Bake for three minutes. Remove from the oven and press on topping of choice.

First, eat as many as you can while burning your mouth. Then slide the foil onto the counter and let the chocolate re-solidify. For faster set up, you can move the pan with the candy to the freezer, and chill for about 20 minutes or until firm.

Notes: To toast pecans, spread them out on a plate and microwave for 30 seconds at a time. Stir the pecans around with your hand in between cooking times until toasted.

I have no idea where this recipe originates from, but if I ever get my hands on that person... Picture and write-up by Laura Flowers.

WWII Caramel Refrigerator Cookies

I fumble around for a light switch as I walk softly in my skull printed Vans into the dark, cool reception room of a VFW Lodge. I find one, and suddenly spots of light float about the still dark room. Was this place alive once? It must have been, as old pictures of numerous past commanders run along the walls.

These men were once young, and grow older in visual records as time races forward. Fewer new faces come, and most of the old ones are gone now, giving the wispy ghost-like darkness a haunted feeling. I trail down the wall to the 1940s, my favorite era in time.

Young men, and many just home from the war, but I want to slide back just a bit further than these old photographs. I want to visit the time when these men were off fighting in foreign countries, and their wives, girlfriends, mothers, grandmothers, sisters and neighbors were taking responsibility for daily living. They did all this, all the while worrying about how they were going to make it, and how and if their loved ones would return home. Between newly acquired production line jobs and food rationing, women had to simplify their baking. Everyone was united in this war effort, either begrudgingly or wholeheartedly, but united nonetheless.

During this time, “Betty Crocker” printed a recipe for Caramel Refrigerator Cookies, which soon became an American favorite. These cookies were easy enough, stored quite well in the refrigerator until you needed them, and used brown sugar instead of precious rationed granulated sugar. They were also straightforward and not too sweet. Just the way I like my cookies.

I am in awe of the women who made it through this difficult time. They truly lived, good and bad, for better and worse. And after, they coped, celebrated, and had children. They moved forward, promoted service and veterans organizations, and changed the world. What an amazing time to be alive.

Happy Mother’s Day.

Caramel Refrigerator Cookies
½ cup shortening. (part butter or shortening)
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 ¾ cups Gold Medal Flour
½ teaspoon soda
¼ teaspoon salt

Mix shortening, sugar, egg, and vanilla thoroughly. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Stir flour, soda, and salt together; stir in. Form in roll 2 ½” across. Wrap in wax paper. Chill until firm.

Heat oven to 400° (mod. hot). Cut in 1/8th” slices. Place slices a little apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 min., or until lightly browned. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.


My Notes
1. Lay a piece of wax paper on top of the cookies and place a piece of bread on the paper. This will keep the cookies fresh longer.

2. I doubled the recipe, and used half shortening and half unsalted butter.

3. I changed the vanilla to 1 Tablespoon for the double batch.

4. I froze the cookie logs for easier slicing.

5. I baked the cookies on parchment paper lined cookie sheets.

6. Soda in this recipe means baking soda.


Recipe in its original form from “Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book”. Write-up and pictures by Laura Flowers.

Lemon-Lavender Shortbread and a Giggle

This cookie was born from a special request. One day my husband came home from work and said that Randy, the city attorney, requested a cookie with lavender. After I giggled for awhile I got to work. As it turned out he was right. This cookie is so good I’ll never laugh at him again! Ok, maybe a little laugh.

This recipe uses a food processer to create these beautiful cookies with little fuss. They are so easy you might find yourself making them often to use up all that lavender you had to buy!

2/3 cups sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender
Zest of 2 lemons
Juice of ½ a lemon
½ teaspoon lemon extract
½ teaspoon real vanilla extract
2 cup all-purpose flour
Raw sugar for rolling

Directions:
Add the butter and sugar to the food processer bowl and mix until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add the salt, lavender, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon extract, and vanilla extract and pulse until combined and the lavender is chopped scraping down the bowl as needed, about 20 seconds. Add the flour and pulse until just combined.

Turn dough out onto a clean surface and knead a couple of times to combine. Cut dough in half and form into rectangle logs about an inch long and 3/4th inches wide. Cut two pieces of wax paper to form around logs, pour raw sugar onto the wax papers and press the logs into the sugar forming the dough into shape as you press. Roll the wax paper around the logs and freeze until solid.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cover two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Let the logs rest on the counter for about 15 minutes before cutting. Take a sharp knife and slice ¼ inch thick. Place an inch apart on baking sheet and bake for 17 to 20 minutes until golden around the edges. Let set one minute and transfer to a cooling rack.

Think ahead: Shortbread logs can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw slightly before slicing. Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

Recipe by Laura Flowers