anything with a british accent...

if i had watched love actually before getting married, i swear i would have found me a cute british boy to whisper sweet nothings in my ear...the english just get some things so right. rpatz, anyone??


this toffee is another one of those things that the english just got so right...
really simple ingredients that chemistry changes into something magical! the toffee is firm but not so tough that you would crack a filling. i had made this recipe for a dinner party on saturday but the hubby kept going back into the fridge that by the time the dinner party rolled around, i almost had to make another batch!!


english toffee

1 lb unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoon water
1 cup slivered almonds
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup lightly toasted pecans, finely chopped

1. melt three-fourths of the chocolate in a microwave oven at half power for 2-3 minutes. after melting, stir in the remaining chocolate and set aside. line a large jelly roll with heavy duty foil and butter the foil.
2. melt the butter with the salt in a heavy 3 QT saucepan over medium heat. slowly add the sugar, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. add the water about halfway through this process.
3. after all the sugar is added, begin testing the mixture to see if the sugar is dissolved. place a drop of the mixture on wax paper. allow it to cool before rubbing it between your fingers to make sure it doesn't feel grainy. continue to cook until all the sugar has dissolved, testing intermittently. (the mixture will most likely be boiling by this point.)
4. when the sugar has dissolved, add the almonds and increase the heat to medium high. cook to the hard crack stage (310 - 320 degrees) stirring constantly to prevent the candy from burning on the bottom. when it is done, the candy should be a medium-amber color.
5. remove from heat and pour into the prepared pan, spreading as evenly as possible with an offset spatula. set the pan on a cooling rack. after 2-3 minutes, pour reserved chocolate on top and spread evenly. sprinkle with chopped nuts and press them gently into the chocolate to set.
6. allow the toffee to harden 6-8 hours (but preferably overnight). break into pieces using a sharp knife. store in an airtight container in a cool place.

mommy...where does sushi come from?

...sometimes from a H U G E fish!


we had lunch today with a couple of our most favorite people in the world at one of the most delicious places in the tri-state area. life doesn't get much better than that!

they were holding a tuna cutting performance and i wasn't quite sure what to expect. apparently, a fish is worth 10x more if it is caught before it begins its migration. by the time the fish has migrated, it has lost much of its fatty goodness...and that would just be a sin!!


freakin' amazing...totally worth having to park at trader joe's and walk over!!

the holiday decorations are already up...

can you believe it?!

i happened to catch the martha stewart show one day while she was making these cookies and i was hooked. i had to make them.

i know nothing about martha's stock scandal nor do i have an opinion on it...but dayam, that woman knows cookies. i think i made these on at least *3* separate occassions last holiday season...and it takes a lot to remake a recipe when your stack of to-make recipes keeps spilling over onto the floor!

especially when these require quite a bit of work to make...the dough is incredibly sticky, uses an ingredient i use NO WHERE else and requires two hours to chill. i hate having to wait longer for goodness in my belly!!

but gawd, these are worth it!! (i also double the recipe to minize the pain...)

chewy chocolate gingerbread cookies

from martha stewart

7 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate*
1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup unsulfered molasses

1 teapoon baking soda

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1. chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks and set aside. in a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and cocoa.
2. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and grated ginger until whitened (about 4 minutes). add brown sugar and beat until combined. add molasses and beat until combined.
3. in a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 1/2 teaspoons of boiling water. beat half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. beat in baking soda mixture and then add the remaining flour mixture. mix in chocolate. turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. pat dough out to about 1 inch thick and seal with plastic wrap. refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
4. preheat oven to 325 degrees. line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats. roll dough into 2-inch balls. place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. refrigerate for 20 minutes. roll dough balls into granulated sugar and return to baking sheets. transfer to oven and bake for about 18 minutes until surfaces crack slightly. let cool 5 minutes and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

NOTE: if you have to get these into your belly quickly, you can use chocolate chips instead. they don't have the same texture and you won't get the small pieces that will just melt into the batter but they're still pretty darn good. =)

the only time i watch scary movies...

without a doubt when the leaves change color and the weather turns cooler, this is the hubby's favorite time of year. it also means that his favorite holiday is approaching...and he gets to pick one scary movie to watch and we make spooky halloween cookies.


sadly, i was out of town for the week leading up to halloween so we made them a day late but enjoyed them none the less! cutout sugar cookies are a challenge...too much butter or soft dough and the cookie ends up looking like a blob with no semblance of the cutter. but not enough butter or sugar and the cookie tastes like bland dough.


i came across this recipe last year and LOVE it. it's a bit of a pain to roll quickly and keep the dough chilled at the same time but the end result is worth it!

sugar cookies
by alton brown

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (my addition)

powdered sugar for rolling out dough

1. sift together flour, baking soda and salt. set aside.
   
2. place butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer and beat until light in color.
   
3. add egg, milk and vanilla extract and beat to combine. put mixer on low speed and gradually add the flour, beating until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl.
4. divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper (or plastic wrap) and refrigerate for 2 hours.
5. preheat oven to 375 degrees.
6. sprinkle powdered sugar on the surface where you will roll out the dough. remove 1 pack of dough and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. if dough has warmed during rolling, place a cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill.
7. cut into desired shape and place 1-inch apart on lined baking sheet.
8. bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges. (rotate cookie sheets halfway through baking time.)
9. let sit for 2 minutes after removing from oven and then move to wire rack to cool completely.

fake royal icing
(note: fake because the recipe does not contain egg whites.)

1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1. combine all the ingredients until smooth.
2. divide and color!