Vinegar Taffy

Today, we had the special treat of my cute mom visiting, and pulling taffy with us. I remember doing this as a kid. I loved it. When I think of homemade taffy, I think of vinegar taffy. It has a very unique old fashioned flavor, unlike anything you find in stores today.

I learned how to make taffy from my mom. My mom learned from her mom, my grandma Pam, whom I miss dearly. My  grandma learned from her mom, Pearle. I miss my great grandma as well. 

I love using a recipe that has been passed down through the generations. I love that my mom taught my kids how to make and pull taffy today.

This is the recipe, in my mom's own handwriting. She wrote this out in her 20's.

Vinegar Taffy

2 cups sugar

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

2 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1 dash of salt

We doubled this recipe. Combine all ingredients in pan, and cook over med to med high heat. No need for much stirring. You don't want sugar crystals to form.

You will want to test it after it has cooked a while, and make sure it is at the hard ball stage. My cute mom had each of my kids try the taffy in every stage. My boy wasn't sure about the vinegar flavor at first. And, I have to add... my husband shaved his hair into a mohawk on Sunday. He gets to look like this for one week. He LOVES it. I am not sold.

Always a kiss from the baby.

This is what the taffy will look like in the hard ball stage.

After the taffy reaches the hard ball stage, you pour it into a greased pan to cool for about 20 minutes.

Once you are able to handle it,  you flip the corners in, and make it into a lump.

Start cutting out chunks, and pass them out to all the helpers!

It shouldn't burn your hands, but should still be hot.

Now it's time for a taffy pulling lesson. It's easy:

PULL AND TWIST!

That's it. 

The goal is to get as much air into the taffy as possible.

The taffy will lighten up as you pull.

It takes some serious muscle. Be sure and butter your hands!

You can even do it as a team if you like.

Lay it on a greased counter.

The taffy should be dull when it's time to lay it on the counter for scoring.

Lay on the counter and score with a knife. Notice how light the color has turned. It is now the right texture.

After you have scored it, let it sit for a few minutes, and hit the back of the taffy with the back of a knife. It will break apart.

Be sure and and wrap each piece in 6"x6" wax paper, and share this little charming treat with your friends and neighbors... if you have any left.

Have a Happy and Creative Day.

Thanks for stopping by!

Risa

SUMMER SALAD {Couscous and Feta salad}

In the summer, I LOVE having a different cold salad in the fridge every week. This week, I tried a couscous salad. My fabulous sister-in-law Angie, made a couscous salad for a 4th of July family party, so I thought I would give it a shot. I found this recipe on allrecipes.

Couscous brings me back to when I used to work at the middle eastern restaurant I mentioned in my FALAFEL post.

Here is the recipe:

COUSCOUS FETA SALAD

• 2 cups water
• 1 1/3 cups couscous
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
• 1 (4 ounce) container crumbled feta cheese
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Directions

1. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Remove from the heat, and stir in the couscous. Cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Scrape the couscous into a mixing bowl, fluff with a fork, and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
2. Once the couscous is cold, make the dressing by whisking together the salt, black pepper, red wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuing to whisk until the oil has thickened the dressing. Fold the cucumber, feta cheese, green onions, parsley, and pine nuts into the couscous. Pour the dressing overtop, and stir until evenly moistened. Chill 30 minutes before serving.

I did a few things different. I didn't add all the whites of the onions, as I didn't want it to be too oniony. I think I may have added extra feta. I didn't measure. I just spooned it out of my large container from Costco.

Also... you may be thinking pine nuts are too expensive. They are expensive. I buy a large bag from Costco for about $22. I keep it in my freezer, and pull out a tablespoon or so every week, to toast, and throw in a green or pasta salad. They add such great flavor to any dish. If you do it this way, it will take you a long time to run out. To toast, place nuts in a dry frying pan, and cook over low to med heat, until golden, turning constantly. You will be happy about spending the money on them once you see how far they go.

So, I was worried, that only adding 1 1/3 cups of couscous to 2 cups of water wouldn't make enough... I was SO WRONG! it makes a ton. Probably eight, one cup servings, maybe more. I should have measured.

A little info about Cousous:

Couscous is a good source of protein, fiber, niacin, selenium, and B vitamins. For those looking for added health benefits, whole wheat couscous provides the additional fiber and protein of whole grain wheat. However you enjoy it, couscous is an all–natural source of several nutrients we require daily including protein, a perfect fit for today's health–conscious consumer. For additional information, see the Source.

Have a Happy Yummy Day!

Risa

FALAFEL The perfect dinner on a hot summer night!

For my summers between college, I worked at Cedars Of Lebanon. I always loved the food, and to this day, I wish I had paid attention to how it was made. I was craving falafel the other day, and came across this fabulous recipe from allrecipes.com.

It was an instant hit with my husband and kids. We had it again tonight, and the kids were so excited! It is perfect for a hot summer night. And, perfect when you don't love meat. The leftovers are great to put over lettuce for a lunch salad.


I also wanted a baked falafel, instead of deep fried.
This recipe is pan fried and then baked.
It is SO FANTASTIC!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions

1. Wrap onion in cheese cloth and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Set aside. Place garbanzo beans, parsley, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, and baking soda in a food processor. Process until the mixture is coarsely pureed. Mix garbanzo bean mixture and onion together in a bowl. Stir in the flour and egg. Shape mixture into four large patties and let stand for 15 minutes.
2. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Heat olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place the patties in the skillet; cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.
4. Transfer skillet to the preheated oven and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes.

After making the falafel, you serve over pita and lettuce, and top with sesame tahini sauce. I got my tahini at a local grocery store, and added water as the directions stated, and a little lemon juice and sea salt. It is alright. I am still on the lookout for something a little more fresh! If you have a great source or recipe you use for tahini sauce, I would love to see it!

Have a Happy and Delicious Day!

Risa


I am linking to:

Tatertots and Jello

SUGARED POPCORN

It's movie night tonight, and I decided to make SUGARED POPCORN! This is super easy. My mom used to always make it for us when I was growing up. So, I decided to make some for tonight. Isn't it PRETTY?!? The thing I LOVE about SUGARED POPCORN, is it's not sticky, and not very messy.

RECIPE:

1 stick butter (real butter)
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
Whatever food coloring and flavoring you want.
You can test the flavor as you go.

Bring all ingredients to a boil over medium to high heat, stirring constantly. Boil for two minutes. Remove from heat, and pour over two batches of popped popcorn. Stir to ensure all kernels are coated, and the sugar appears dry. Enjoy!

The flavors I made are:

Cinnamon (pink)
Almond (blue)
My mom always dyed the almond blue.
Orange (orange)

These are pretty much the only flavors I had on hand today.

You can tell I made the orange first? Lot's of it is already gone :)

Have a Yummy & Creative Day!

Risa

FISH TACO'S

So, I don't usually post recipes, but this is too delicious not to post! I came up with it by combining a few recipes (listed below), and now I will share with you. Seriously, this dish is so delicious and healthy. We had it Thursday night, and my husband asked for it again today. The secret is in the sauce! I have to say... I am not a big fan of seafood, but I am craving this! I prefer using talapia, as it is so mild, but you can use whatever fish you like.

Home Made Breaded Baked Fish Sticks:

One Cup buttermilk (Or, you can make your own, in a lower fat version which is what I do, by combining 1 to 1/2 Tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and enough skim milk to make one cup. I prefer lemon juice, as it is more tangy. Mix and let sit for 5 minutes before pouring on fish. Let it sit while you cut the fish.)
Fresh Talapia or whatever fish you prefer, cut into strips.
Seasoned Bread Crumbs

Directions:

Cut fish into strips, place in container, and pour buttermilk over the top. You can do this early in the day, so you have it ready, and it marinades. When you are ready to bake, pour the crumbs into a container, and then remove the fish piece by piece, and coat with crumbs. Place on a pan coated with non-stick cooking spray. Bake in a 500 degree over for ten minutes, or until crumbs are golden brown, and fish is cooked through. Before you bake the fish, you can sprinkle fish sticks with olive oil if you like, but you don't need to.

Sauce:

8 ounces of reduced fat sour cream.
2 to 3 Tablespoons of fresh squeezed lime juice. (I prefer 3!)
2 teaspoons of lime zest.
1 teaspoon of your favorite fish seasoning. (I prefer Spade L Ranch seafood seasoning.)
1/4 to 1 teaspoon of cumin. (Start with 1/4, and see if you want more.)
1/4 to 1 teaspoon chili powder. (Start with 1/4 and see if you want more.)
Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together, and taste as you go, to see what you want more of. I like to make this in advance as well, so the flavors can settle.

Put it Together:

After baking the fish sticks, serve on a warm corn tortilla. (I prefer white corn.) Top with sauce, shredded leafy lettuce, and your favorite FRESH salsa. My husband put Tabasco on it, but I liked it just the way I made it. This dish is very healthy, not very expensive, and so easy!

The original recipes I used to come up with my version can be found here and here.

Have a Healthy and Delicious Day!

Risa

Cookie Dough Brownies and Linky Party!

Yesterday, I stumbled across this recipe for Cookie Dough Brownies, after being off sugar for 1 1/2 weeks, I wanted to make an extra special treat, and these were it!

I found a link to these brownies on The Stories of A to Z
Let me just say... my husband thought they were so good, that as he was eating them last night, he asked if I can make them again tomorrow. I just thought I would share.

Do you have any extra special treat recipes that you love?

Please share...

Here is how it works:

1) Enter your blog post below.

2) Visit at least 2 other blogs on the list, and leave heartfelt comments about their posts.

3) Mention you are linking to Restless Risa

4) Have fun trying new recipes!

April Fools ideas

April Fools Day is on Thursday, and I want to play a trick on my kids, and these are a few ideas I got from www.familyfun.com. They have a whole section of pranks listed on their website, and these are the ones I thought would be best for my family. What are you going to do? If you have any great ideas, please leave them in my comments section, or e-mail me: risabaker@gmail.com. Be sure to include blog links or photos. I will post them this weekend!



FAUX FISH STICKS AND PEAS

• Cornflakes
• Sugar wafer cookies
• Peanut butter

• Green taffy candy (we used green apple AirHeads)
• Seedless strawberry jam

1. For the fish sticks, place a couple of handfuls of cornflakes in a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Cover 2 sugar wafer cookies with peanut butter, then toss them in the cornflake crumbs to coat.

2. For the peas, tear off and roll small pieces of the taffy candy into balls. If the taffy is too stiff to work with, microwave it for about 6 seconds.

3. For the ketchup, use a fork to stir a few teaspoons of the jam until it's smooth.

FAUX BERRY PIE

• "CHOCOLATE" MEAT LOAF FILLING
• 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon dark, unsulfured molasses
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2/3 cup bread crumbs
• 1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• "STRAWBERRY" POTATO TOPPING
• 2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
• Salt
• 1/2 cup canned sliced beets (not pickled)
• 1/4 cup (or more) warm milk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1. Heat the oven to 350º. In a small saucepan, combine the barbecue sauce, milk, molasses, cocoa, and chili powder. Set the pan over medium heat and whisk the mixture until it is lukewarm and the cocoa is completely dissolved. Set it aside to cool.

2. Sauté the onions in the tablespoon of canola oil until they are transparent, about 7 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the salt, celery salt, pepper, and bread crumbs. Then add the beef, egg, sauce mixture, and onion. Thoroughly mix the ingredients using your hands or a wooden spoon.

4. Remove the pie shell from the freezer. (We placed ours in a Pyrex dish to help ensure that the pie would bake evenly.) Transfer the meat to the shell, spreading it evenly with a spoon. Bake it until the meat is cooked through, about 60 minutes.

5. While the pie is baking, prepare the mashed potato topping. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough water to completely submerge them. Salt the water lightly, cover the pot, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and cook the potatoes at a low boil until they are tender, about 12 minutes.

6. While the potatoes cook, puree the beets and 1/4 cup warm milk in a blender until only small bits of beet are left in the mixture. Set aside.

7. Drain the potatoes and transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and pureed beets and, using an electric mixer, whip the mixture until it's smooth and fluffy. Add more milk if needed and salt to taste.

8. Spread the whipped potatoes over the top of the cooked meat pie with a spatula, as you would whipped cream, mounding it slightly in the center. Slice and serve the pie while the potatoes are still hot. Makes 8 servings.