Posted on 09/21/2016 5:03:37 PM PDT by Jamestown1630
The Avon lady who visits my office building brought us the new catalogs this week; and I noticed that Avon is currently offering cookie cutters for making a cookie version of the sugar skulls, or ‘calaveras’ that are traditional for the Mexican holiday ‘The Day of the Dead’.
I didn’t know much about this holiday, and while doing a search on it I happened to find a really wonderful website/blog devoted to decorated cookies: Sweetsugarbelle.com.
Along with all the other fantastic cookies, one entry includes a tutorial on making the skulls; and anyone who likes decorating cookies will love this site in general:
http://www.sweetsugarbelle.com/2011/10/el-dia-de-los-muertos-day-of-the-dead-cookies/comment-page-1
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There are certain dishes and foods that are readily available to us the year around, now, but still somehow always remind us of certain seasons. For me, the Acorn Squash is one of those, and seems to speak of Autumn whenever I see it. This is my favorite way to cook it; the recipe originally came from the book 'Hollyhocks, Lambs and Other Passions' by Dee Hardie, who used to write for House Beautiful magazine:
Stuffed Acorn Squash (Serves 4, increase amounts for a larger crowd)
2 whole Acorn Squash
2 Cups dry bread cubes
3 T. grated Parmesan Cheese
3 T. chopped fresh Parsley
1 tsp. Poultry Seasoning
6 T. chopped Spring Onions
4 T. diced Celery
3 T. Butter
2 Eggs, beaten
4 T. Water, if needed
Salt and Pepper
Bake whole squash for 45 minutes in a 400-degree oven, or until soft.
While the squash is baking, combine bread cubes, Parmesan, parsley and seasonings.
Cook onions and celery in the butter until soft. Add the eggs to bread mixture and toss lightly. Combine with the vegetables, adding water for moistness, if needed.
Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Fill the squash halves with stuffing mixture. Bake stuffed squash for 20 minutes.
(I always salt and pepper the squash halves and put a sprinkle of olive oil in there, before stuffing; and I sprinkle more olive oil on top, before baking. And I probably use a lot more butter and Parmesan than this recipe calls for ;-)
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I like the Nordicware novelty cake pans, and found a little Acorn Cakelet pan at the thrift store; there are many ways to decorate these little cakes, and here is Nordicware’s own recipe:
https://www.nordicware.com/recipe/maple-acorn-cakelets#.V-MazvPR9OI
-JT
I love petit fours & thank you for this wonderful thread that I look forward to all week! It’s such a nice comforting place to be after all that’s going on.
I am calling tomorrow & ordering their catalog, it sounds wonderful!
I’ve always used the canned; but what is that dried stuff they sell in the Hispanic store - it looks like giant, puffed-up kernels of corn? They sell it beside the red corn that you make Chicha Morada from.
End of season sweet corn is good in pancakes with maple syrup.
Apples too
Twotone posted a ‘Death by Chocolate’ upthread; and yours looks like Death by Pumpkin!
Did you do those acorn goodies?? Those are AWESOME!!
No, but I found the pan in the thrift store, and went hunting for a recipe. Those are from the Nordicware site - recipe at the link.
Venison the way the cook it in Switzerland is a trip to HEAVEN. la Chasse, Wild... The restaurants get out their old Wild (pronounced Villd) menus and start making rehrucken (rack of venison). On the plate is the meat, done to perfection in little medallions or slices, spätzle (very homemade simple pasta, boiled then sautéed, marrons glacées (candied chestnuts), cooked peach or pear slices, lingonberries, Brussels spouts. Food does not get better than this.
Sigh.
I made this two days ago and everyone loved it. Had a real fall feel to it (even though it’s over 90 every day still). African Peanut Stew. Easy and different. We used chicken broth so ours wasn’t vegan.
http://www.budgetbytes.com/2014/08/african-peanut-stew-vegan/
Ok now, this sounds really delish. Would love to make it on bone in breasts for more flavor, I just love them. Probably a longer cook. (And of course we would be forced to use turkey bacon but still good!!)
Very Ethiopian
LOL!
Chicha Morada; I knew a man who was a missionary in Peru, and came back making this for every party:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/166133/peruvian-chicha-morada-drink/
I’ve heard people rave about this.
Never made it to machu picchu
Nice; but I’ll always like the original ;-)
G’Nite.
I don’t know why but I have trouble with the crust too....its an adventure....and to think my mother could throw a few things in a bowl, grab the dough together and roll out crusts for several pies in a row with hardly any effort...then again, she did most things like that...
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