Ridiculous Rice Krispie Treats

Wow... these Rice Krispie treats are ridiculously good! My husband follows the blog Ideas in Food*. They made Loaded Rice Krispie treats with Rolos so we had to give it a try. We decided to make ours with caramels and sea salt though. The basic recipe is easily adapted as long as you keep in mind the dry ingredient ratio to butter and marshmallows. Give it a try with your favorite brand of chips and candy!

Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
1 package marshmallows (10 oz)
4 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups regular potato chips (smashed to quarter size pieces)
1 cup caramels
Sea salt

Directions
In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Continue stirring and add caramels. Remove from heat.

Add Rice Krispies cereal and potato chips. Stir until well coated. Using spatula or wax paper press mixture into pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with sea salt. Let cool before cutting into squares or shapes. Best if served the same day.

* Ideas in Food is a cool blog! http://blog.ideasinfood.com/ideas_in_food/

What's the difference?

I will nod and smile even if I don't know exactly what the waiter or a co-worker is talking about when it comes to food terminology. Cooking with old recipes is challenging as well. I will then ask my husband or Google it for reference. Here is my list. Do you have any food words or phrases to add?

Sweet Potato vs. Yam
Americans use the two names interchangeably even in the grocery store, but technically they are two very different vegetables. I borrowed this picture from bonappetit.com. The sweet potato is on the left and the yam is on the right. Sweet potatoes with orange flesh are most common in the US, have a smooth skin, and sweet flavor. The real yam has a rough skin, white flesh, and bland taste.  

Stuffing vs. Dressing
Stuffing and dressing are the same food just applied in differently. Stuffing means to literally stuff the turkey while dressing refers to a side dish. References say US northerners commonly say stuffing while southerners say dressing. The regional aspect fits me having grown up in the northwest. When I hear the word dressing I think blue cheese, honey mustard, or vinaigrette.

Chicken Stock vs. Chicken Broth
According to the Food Network chicken stock is usually made from the bony parts and has richer flavor. Chicken broth is made from the meat. Stock vs. broth is an important difference if you're deglazing a saute pan because they have different gelatin ratios.

Hot Cakes vs. Pancakes
The most common answer  is that it's a regional dialect thing in the US. Other names include flapjacks and griddlecakes. You're most likely going to call this breakfast item whatever you heard growing up. Wikipedia has an extensive page that goes into the international varieties and history of pancakes. Did you know there are 5 countries that celebrate a form of "pancake day?"

Queso vs. Cheese

Queso in Spanish means cheese. In the US "queso" is used to describe a variety of cheese or dish. Queso blanco is a white cheese and queso fresco is a fresh cheese found at specialty markets. If you see queso on the menu, especially in Texas, you will be ordering a cheese dip.

Basting Oil vs. Olive Oil
Basting oil actually has olive oil in it. Other inquiring minds seem mystified by this term and believe it's a marketing invention for mixed oils with herbs. Basting oil is commonly used for searing pan-searing meat and seafood.

Devil's Food Cake & Important Life Lessons

My family visited this weekend and I had the pleasure of baking with my Mom. I was reminded of a few important life lessons too. Just like our cake... life is messy, it's not always pretty, and it's more fun and flavorful when shared with good company.

This recipe comes from The Joy of Cooking copyright 1946. I've copied the format and recipe word for word. I recommend reading the entire recipe a couple times before attempting!

Chocolate Devil's Food Cake I

This good cake, made with cocoa and white sugar, keeps moist for a long time.

Part I

Combine and beat until well blended:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup sour milk

Part II
Sift:
1 cup sugar

Beat until soft:
1/2 cup butter
Add the sugar gradually. Blend these ingredients until they are creamy.

Beat in one at a time:
2 eggs

Sift before measuring:
2 cups cake flour
Resift with:
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Add the flour in about 3 parts to the butter mixture alternately with thirds of:
1 cup sour milk
Beat the batter after each addition until it is smooth. Add:
1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat in cocoa mixture (part I). Bake the cake in a greased 9 inch tube pan in a moderate oven 350 degrees for about 60 minutes. It may be baked in two greased 9 inch layer pans in a 375 degree oven for about 35 minutes. Spread the cake with:
White or chocolate icing
Add to the icing if desired:
Nut meats

Pineapple Up-Side-Down Cake

One of my 2012 resolutions is to make antique cakes. My Mother-in-law gave me the 1920s cookbook Cakes Cookies and Confections which was compiled by the California Home Economics Association. I love the language used throughout the cookbook and can imagine generations of families enjoying the same recipes!

Angel Sponge Cake
1 c sugar
1/3 c water
3 eggs
1 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla or lemon extract
1/8 c cold water (orange juice may be substituted for the flavoring and cold water)

Boil sugar and water until it spins a thread (216) and add slowly to the stiffly beaten whites, beating until mixture is cool. Sift together three times the flour, salt, and baking powder. Beat egg yolks until thick and add alternately with the dry ingredients to the white of egg mixture. Add water and flavoring and mix lightly. Bake in an ungreased tin in a moderate oven for about one hour. Let cake hang in pan until cool.

Up-Side-Down Cake
This type of cake has many names and variations. It was perhaps first called Frying Pan or Skillet Cake. When made with pineapple it is also known as Sylvia Pineapple, Hawaiian Pie or Pineapple Wheel Cake. Make the Standard Proportion cake batter or a plain sponge as preferred.

Pour this over the following:
1/4 lb butter
1 c brown sugar

Fruit such as pitted, cooked prunes, pineapple, apricots, peaches, fresh Bartlett pears, or apple sauce.

Melt butter. Add sugar. Spread fruit over all, arranged in patterns, if desired. Cover with batter and bake in moderate oven till done; 30-45 minutes. if pineapple is used, seedless grapes in red syrup, or slices or red cherries, make an effective decoration. Invert cake when done. May flute with butter cream or whipped cream. Excellent baked in a fireless cooker with stones at 425 degrees for 45 minutes.