A Few of My Favorite (Wisconsin) Things

Of course my favorite thing about spending last week in northern Wisconsin was getting to see my in-laws and getting to know more of Carl's side of the family.  At one point there were seven of us and four dogs staying in the cabin - it was one big slumber party!  So cozy and filled with family.  We stayed in, we went out, we ate, we drank, we had a good time.  And it snowed!  Beyond hanging out with family and watching the dogs run around in the snow while wearing orange hunting vests, I found some pretty good things.

Ciderboys - I love hard cider.  I'd rather have a hard cider over a beer almost any day.  Thankfully, Carl's aunt introduced us to this new brand out of Stevens Point, Wisconsin.  This article has some pretty good information about the brand, the brews, and the availability.  We tasted the First Press and Cranberry Road flavors (of which I preferred First Press.)  We'll be heading back to Wisconsin in early January, so I'm hoping to try the Mad Bark flavor then.

Cheese curds - Yep, I said it.  Cheese was most definitely not a staple in my diet until Carl came along.  I didn't even really like cheese for that matter.  And then I married a Packer-loving man from Wisconsin.  So yes, I had cheese curds at several restaurants while we were in the Northwoods area and I even purchased a small bag to bring home with me.  Garlic and dill flavored..who even knew that was possible - yum.

Green Bush Bakery in Madison - This was Carl's place of employment while he was attending classes (read: partying) at the University of Wisconsin.  On our way back to Indiana, we thought it'd be nice to stop in, snag some fresh doughnuts, and visit with some of the guys seeing as Carl hadn't seen them since our wedding.  Let me tell you, those doughnuts were delicious.  It's a kosher bakery, which I'd never had before so I wasn't sure what kind of taste I should expect.  Well, bakery perfection is what I got.  You have to try them if you're ever in the area.  Seriously.

Leinenkugel's Lemon Berry Shandy - I know I just said I wasn't a huge beer drinker.  But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a good beer every so often and I'm a fan of this one.  It's crisp, it's refreshing, and it's got just enough flavor.  As a side note, I'm putting 'take a Leinie brewery tour' on my Wisconsin to-do list.

Now I'm looking forward to find more favorite things in Wisconsin!

Candy Corn Cereal Bars

Almost a month after Halloween, I still had leftover candy corn hanging out in the cabinet...so here's how I used up the last of it!

Candy Corn Cereal Bars
(adapted from this recipe)

1 box of yellow cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup butter - room temperature
3 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup lite karo corn syrup
1/4 cup Splenda sugar blend
1/4 cup Splenda brown sugar blend
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (I used Peter Pan Whipped)
1 Tbs vanilla extract
2 cups crushed Honey Chex
1 cup pretzel pieces (broken into pieces, not crushed)
1 cup peanuts
1 1/2 cups candy corn

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine cake mix, egg, and butter and mix on a medium speed until a thick mixture develops.  Press this into the bottom of the pan.  Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.

During this 15 minutes, make the topping.  Over a medium heat, combine the karo syrup and both sugars.  Bring to a slight boil and remove from heat to add the vanilla and peanut butter.  Stir well.  Once mixed, place back on the burner at the lowest heat level.  You do not want to continue cooking it, but it needs to stay warm.

When the crust is done, sprinkle the marshmallows on top and put back in the oven for 2 minutes or until marshmallows begin to puff.  Remove from oven.

While the marshmallows are puffing, add the crushed Honey Chex, pretzel pieces, peanuts, and candy corn to the mixture waiting on the stove top.  Mix all of this in until it's evenly coated.  Immediately after the puffed marshmallows are removed from the oven, spread this coated mixture into the pan.

 
Let cool completely & cut into squares!

Road Trip Snack - Pumpkin Puppy Chow!

Carl and I (dogs in tow too) spent our Thanksgiving weekend in Wisconsin.  It's about a six and a half hour car ride from where I'm at in Indiana..more if Chicago traffic is not friendly.  Naturally, I made us a snack to munch on along the way.

Pumpkin Puppy Chow
(adapted from this recipe)

8 cups Chex cereal (I used Corn Chex, as Carl prefers that over Rice Chex, but either works.)
10 oz. white chocolate
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Place Chex cereal into a large bowl/dish and have a gallon size Ziploc bag ready. 

Melt the white chocolate.  After the chocolate melts, stir in the pumpkin while still over heat.  Pour this mixture over the Chex cereal and quickly make sure the pieces get as evenly coated as possible.  Transfer into the large bag, add the powdered sugar and spices, and shake it up!  Shake until you have an even coating & make sure to store in an air-tight container.

White Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

I made these muffins at least a month ago and have been meaning to post them every since!  And naturally, there's a story behind the recipe --

My mom was going to my dad's former cancer support group to see everyone.  He got a lot out of going and the people are absolutely amazing.  And amazingly strong at that.  I met everyone last year when I accompanied Dad for a December meeting; and furthermore they were there in April.  Since I have a spot in my heart for these group members, I wanted to make a treat for her to bring along.  I decided on muffins with a pumpkin flavoring because fall was in full force.

Now that it's the week of Thanksgiving, it's a perfect time to post this recipe - a sweet treat or a yummy breakfast!

White Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
(adapted from this recipe)

1/2 cup unsalted butter - melted
1 cup pumpkin
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup Splenda sugar blend
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.  I usually spritz the bottom of the liner with non-stick cooking spray so the muffin slides out of the liner easily.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla extract.  Mix well.  Add in the sugar and all the spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Mix until well combined.  Add the flour to the mixture in increments, making sure everything is thoroughly incorporated.  Finally, add the white chocolate chips and mix until just combined.

Pour batter into cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way full.  Bake for 20-22 minutes.  (I also do the toothepick test.)  This recipe only makes 12 muffins, so if you want a larger batch make sure to double the ingredients!!    

Irish Car Bomb Cake!

Let me start by saying I love Irish car bombs.  On my twenty-first birthday one of my sorority sisters bought one for me and I've loved them ever since.  In general, I'm a fan of most stout beers whether they are brewed over coffee, chocolate, vanilla beans, etc; I like the full-bodied taste.  Guinness is not one of my favorites, but whoever thought to combine it with a shot of Bailey's and a touch of Jameson is a genius.

As always, I'd been eying a few new cake recipes, so when my mom needed a birthday cake for her office I jumped at the chance.  We settled on a Guinness Chocolate Cake with Bailey's Buttercream frosting.  And oh my goodness, did it turn out deliciously.  Try this recipe!

Irish Car Bomb Cake

A True Classic

After my dad passed away, Carl & I happened to be the first ones to stumble upon the temporary marker at the cemetery.  We happened to be out and about and I wanted to stop by.  The flowers were gone and in their place was a small black stone with a peaceful dove and my dad's name printed on it.  It caught me off guard.  Setting something in stone makes it a reality (not that it wasn't already.)

A couple of weeks ago, my mom came home and informed us my dad's official marker had been placed.  And I didn't go.  I didn't go that day or that week.  Or even in the month of October for that matter.

I went today.  It was a crisp 35 degrees with a brisk wind, but it was a beautiful day.  I got a latte on the way since Dad always treated us to all kinds of coffee (Starbucks, Gloria Jean's, Intelligentsia, you name it.)  I sat on the bench and drank my coffee and thought about my dad.

His bench perfectly represents the man he was and the way everyone remembers him.  It's a strong, sharp looking bench.  The lettering is traditional and the black granite is classic.  There is willow tree to the left and it makes me think of sitting there, reading a good book on a warm, breezy day.  And that's exactly what my dad would've wanted.

Banana Bread Coconut Cookies

While reading the paper this morning I noticed we had three extremely ripe bananas that were begging to be baked.  Well, that or tossed out.  But with all the traveling over the past couple weeks - Carl visiting, Maggie's wedding in the northern Kentucky/Cincinnati area, and North Carolina for Carl's pre-op surgery appointments, I have not been baking as much as usual.  Because of that I was motivated to make these bananas into something delish.  I wanted the banana bread taste, but I have no clue where my loaf pan is, so these give a genuine banana bread taste.

Banana Bread Coconut Cookies

Easy Pumpkin Spice No-Bakes

Carl has been up in Indiana visiting, so we've been doing all the normal fall activities - pumpkin patch, apple orchard, haunted houses, etc.  As he was cooking the other day (a delish jalapeno chip crusted chicken dish) I decided to make a quick dessert.

Easy Pumpkin Spice No-Bakes
(adapted from this recipe)

3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup skim milk
2 cups Splenda sugar blend
1 (3.4 oz.) box of Jello pumpkin spice instant pudding mix
3 1/2 cup oats - quick cooking or old fashioned
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter, milk, and sugar together over medium heat.  Bring to a boil and let boil for 2 minutes.  Turn off heat, add pudding mix, and stir until everything is well blended.  Add oats and vanilla and stir again until the oats are well coated.  Let sit for 5 minutes.  Drop tablespoon sized balls onto wax paper.  Let cool completely and store in an air-tight container.

These definitely hit the spot!  Of course, by the ingredients you can see they pack in a sugary sweet taste.  But they're smaller, so it's the right amount.  Enjoy!