Brittany's PantrySnickers Salad
Brittany wrote this on 1 November 2013
apples, chocolate, marshmallows, peanuts
This dessert came to mind as I was thinking ahead to the candy that was about to invade our house. It falls solidly into the category of, Why don’t I make this more often? But also into the column of, Because I would eat it all in one sitting and have to lie to my children about why it was all gone.
This is in no way healthy. And yet it is so wonderfully nostalgic of neighborhood pot luck gatherings you can’t help but sneak it in around the holidays. Obviously it would be a hit with the kiddos, but the grown-up paring of tart apple and sweet caramel will have the adults smiling as well. Ultimately, it is quick, easy, and so so so fun. What better way to morph all that Halloween candy into something more interesting than brownies with chopped M&M’s, Snickers, Butterfingers, Raisinets, MilkyWays, Tootsie Rolls, and Starbursts stirred in?! So grab those last few apples from the crisper drawer and ask your kids to start unwrapping the candy. If you tell them it will be smothered in pudding and whipped cream they may be more cooperative in donating them for the family dessert.
Two Years Ago: Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding
Snickers Salad
Recipe from the MN State Fair 4-H Cafeteria archives.
I have seen this made before without the diced apple, but I have no idea why you would want to omit it. It makes this salad and the tartness cuts through the sweetness of the rest of the ingredients. Granny Smith are perfect for this because the green color looks great in the dish, and they are firm enough to stand up to mixing and serving. This recipe is easy to make in ANY quantity (I have personally made it for several hundred people at a time) and I try to stick to basic equal ratios between pudding, whipped cream, and marshmallows. For example, if you use 2 c of pudding, then use 2 c of whipped cream and 2 cups of marshmallows. You can always add the candy and apples by eye. I am not a huge fan of using ready made whipped cream, but it doesn’t break down as easily in this recipe as the real stuff does so here, it is warranted.
1 large tart/sour apple, cored and diced, such as granny smith
1 box (3-4 oz) instant vanilla pudding (you could also use french vanilla or cheesecake flavors)
1 1/2 c cold milk
1-8oz container whipped topping
2 regular sized classic Snickers candy bars or 6 fun sized from your kids Halloween bag, chilled
2 c mini marshmallows
Vigorously whisk together the instant pudding and milk in a large bowl until well combined, smooth, and starting to thicken. Chill for half an hour. Pudding should be extra thick! Meanwhile, cut the cold candy bars lengthwise down the middle, and then across into small, bit sized pieces. You should get 8 pieces out of a fun sized Snickers bar. They cut much easier when they are cold and they don’t stick together when you mix them in! Add the container of cool whip to the pudding and fold gently together. It is ok to leave some streaks in there since you are going to mix it more anyway. Add the apples, marshmallows, and candy and gently fold until combined. Chill or serve immediately. This dessert salad lasst for several hours and even overnight. Just note that the marshmallows may get a bit soft after a day and the more it is handled, the more they will break apart. The flavor doesn’t suffer though!
Simple Beef Stew
Brittany wrote this on 29 October 2013 beef, beef broth, carrots, gluten-free, onions, potatoes, rosemary, sweet potatoes, thyme
The weather here has finally turned a bit chilly (woohoo!) so comfort food is what I’m all about.
I am sitting on my couch as I type this and Eli, my four year old, is sitting at my feet and going through the ToysRUs catalog that came in the mail today. He is rotating between shrieking and pointing, having conversations with the characters on the pages, and repeating the phrase, “Mom. Mom. Okay, Mom. Look at this.” Nice and snuggly, we are. It is overcast, a bit breezy, and very quiet outside. Otherwise known as fuzzy sweatshirt-jean-scraf-chai tea-weather. I suppose you could add Beef Stew to that list as well.
What can I say. I’m predictable that way. The temp drops and I start to live on nothing but hot chocolate. I like to curl up in woven blankets and put together puzzles with a bowl of peanut M&M’s within reach. My menu lists for the coming weeks start to say things like Roast Chicken with Glazed Honey Squash, Gringo Chicken Soup, and Enchilada Pie.
The bummer about this time of year, and as we head into the holidays and subzero temps, is that the food can be kind of heavy. Casseroles loaded with pasta, fat, carbs and cheese might warm us to our toes (and taste really really good), but on a regular basis, is not so good for the body. So good news! Comfort food doesn’t have to be heavy and heart attack inducing!! Hooray!
While this stew isn’t exactly health/spa food, it isn’t all that bad either. Loaded with veggies and beef broth it has a simple ingredient list that keeps it on the lighter side while still reminding you of the classic stew you had as a kid! This makes me feel infinitely better when I serve it with crusty bread slathered with salty butter.
One Year Ago: Killer Fries & Dark Chocolate Cookies
Two Years Ago: Heather’s Dip & Fluffy Caramel Apple Dip & Ultimate Peanut Butter Cookies
Three Years Ago: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds & Fried Noodles & Sweet Potato Biscuits
Simple Beef Stew
I have made three batches of this in the last two weeks in an effort to get the spices and flavors juuuuuuuust right. In the pictures above, I used more tomato paste than is in the final version of the recipe. I decided I liked the ratio in a previous batch better but didn’t want to make a fourth stew just to rephotograph it. Sooooo… your stew will turn out less red. Either way it is fantastic. Also, don’t let the broth in the bowl above fool you. This thickens up wonderfully. What you can’t see in the picture is that it is SCREAMING hot!
2 lbs beef chuck roast, trimmed of large sections of fat and cut into 1 inch chunks
olive, canola, or vegetable oil
salt and pepper
1 large onion, diced
3 large carrots
3 large white potatoes
2 large sweet potatoes
1 tsp dried thyme or 1 large sprig fresh thyme
1 large sprig fresh rosemary (dried tends to be to tough in the stew so I don’t recommend it)
2 (14 oz) cans good quality beef broth, preferably low fat/low salt
1/2 of a 6 oz can of tomato paste, about 2 rounded T
2 bay leaves
In a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot that is OVEN SAFE WITH A LID, brown the beef in batches in a bit of oil over medium or medium/high heat. Season with salt and pepper and be careful not to crowd the pan or they will steam instead of sear. You just want them to get good color on them. Remove the beef to a plate and set aside. Meanwhile, peel and chunk the potatoes and carrots, cutting them into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Add the vegetables all at once to the pot after the beef is done, turning the heat down to medium. Give them a toss now and then, letting them pull all the good flavors up off the bottom of the pan. Season again with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 or 6 minutes, or until the onions are just starting to cook through. Add the broth and tomato paste, letting the liquid deglaze the bottom. Add the meat back in and then the herbs. Give it a slow stir to distribute the flavors then cover and slide into a 300 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove, stir carefully, and check to see if the largest potatoes and carrots are cooked through and if the meat is soft and tender. If not, return to the oven for another 15 minutes. Check for seasoning. Serve with crusty bread for dipping. Sourdough is especially fabulous. Once cool, you can freeze this stew. Just know that the potatoes might break down a bit when reheated. Tastes great, just a bit thicker.
In general and on the whole, I am not a huge coleslaw fan. I think it is the cabbage that gets me; the bitterness of it. We never ate it all that much when I was a kid and if I came across it at a social event (i.e. potluck, family reunion, or picnic) it always seemed to be dripping in dressing with limp, soggy vegetables. Cabbage in general has never been very high on my list of favorite vegetables, but in the last few years, I have been making an effort and have since learned to like the crunch! I don’t hesitate to add this version to my BBQ Chicken Sandwiches and coleslaw is so darn pretty on the plate, wether I eat it or not, I like to make it and serve it.
When apples are in season, this is the one I like to make. It is the very first coleslaw recipe I ever made waaaaaaaaaaaay back in my twenties and it is still my favorite. Apples and cabbage are paired up together all the time with pork chops and roasts and other applications where they are actually cooked together. I thought it was kind of genius-and painfully obvious-that they would be great together in a cabbages’ most famous role-coleslaw!! It just makes sense, ya know?!
And they do. Taste good together, I mean. Perfectly matched with a dressing that is just a smidge sweeter than your classic coleslaw and with more simple flavors to let the apple-i-ness shine through. Like its more classic cousin, this Sour Apple Coleslaw goes great with just about anything grilled or roasted, but brats are particularly fantastic. When we are surrounded by apple cake and apple pies and apple strudel and baked apples and have crazy apple overload from September through November, this is a refreshing and healthy way to vary autumns favorite fruit. I guess I can’t really say that I am not a coleslaw fan anymore, huh…?
One Year Ago: Caramelized Onion Crostini
Two Years Ago: Spice Muffins W/Pumpkin Chocolate & Streusel
Three Years Ago: Veggies W/Pasta
Sour Apple Coleslaw
Adapted from Wolfgang Puck
With just a few ingredients, this salad comes together fast. It is wonderful with roast chicken. Make sure that your apples are nice and firm and crunchy. Mushy apples make for a mushy coleslaw.
1 bag (14 oz) shredded cabbage and carrot mix or 1/2 small green cabbage shredded and 2 large carrots, scraped and shredded
2 large tart apples, such as fuji or granny smith
1/2 c mayo-I use canola
2 T apple cider vinegar
3 T honey
salt and pepper to taste
Whisk the last four ingredients together to make the dressing, starting with just a half teaspoon or so each of salt and pepper. You can always add more later. Set it aside and dump the cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Peel and core the apples and either shred them on the largest side of your box grater, or cut them into thin julienne strips. If you have a mandolin that will do this, that will be even better. Immediately toss the apples with a the cabbage and drizzle on a bit of the dressing, being careful not to squish the apples into applesauce! Taste for seasoning and dress until the slaw is just barely coated with dressing. Enjoy!
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