Over the Top Rice Krispie Treats

It is spring break here on the east coast, however, no week long break for me. Need the time to try to get caught up on a few projects waiting for my undivided, uninterrupted attention at work. With only one night meeting this week, I should be able to take the short mile and a half drive to the beach and watch the sun setting over the water. Something I have not done since the fall. If the weather is really nice on Friday and I am really, really productive, I might reward myself with a day off. Maybe. Taking in the sunset at the beach might be all the reward I need.

Why I ever took on the project of painting the rooms upstairs in the attic (of this rented farmhouse), I do not know. Well that's not true.  Of course I know. The upstairs would be a perfect space for summer guests. If I couldn't not bear to look at the dark red walls and light blue painted wood floor, I didn't think anyone should have to either.  In spite of not having x-ray vision from the first floor to the attic, just the thought of those clashing colors up there was making me anxious. Whether or not the room is happier now that it has white walls and a deep dark brown wood floor who knows, but at least I am.

As I was painting I remembered the last time I made what I call these ''over the top rice krispie treats" was Labor Day weekend. It was spent with neighbors having an early evening cookout out on the beach. With the kids next door on break from school I thought I would pull myself away from the painting and make a batch for them. I think I just needed an excuse to stop painting for awhile. The treats were a big hit in September, I was hoping they would be equally well-received today.

What makes these rice krispie treats so different is the quantity of ingredients and the resulting thickness of the bar. These are not your familiar rice krispie treats. They look more like something you might buy at a bakery or coffee house. 

You will need a really large, maybe a 10 to 12 quart, heavy bottom pan to make these rice krispie treats. The larger the better as ultimately everything is mixed in this pan.  It all begins with melting the unsalted butter. I can't remember where I found the recipe for these, but I do remember it called for 12 Tablespoons of butter. Depending on how the marshmallow melting process is going, I will sometimes add 1 or 2 additional tablespoons of the unsalted butter.

Yes this recipe takes three pounds of marshmallows.  The marshmallows are added to the melted butter.  Using a sturdy wooden spoon you will be stirring constantly as you do no want to burn the marshmallows.  I generally set the heat in the low to medium range.   

It will take seven to ten minutes for the marshmallows to melt and for the syrup to be created.  Stirring these marshmallows is definitely an upper arm workout.  Make certain you have a strong wooden spoon.

Once everything is melted, the pan is removed from the burner and the rice krispies are added.  I generally add half and make a few quick stirs before adding the rest of them.  The upper arm workout continues for a few minutes more. 

Once you get the rice krispies completed covered you scoop them into a parchment paper lined 13 by 9 inch pan.  You will need to work quickly getting the mixture into the pan.

Lightly butter your hands and press the mixture into the pan. It will completely fill the pan.  You want a nice smooth, flat top for a finished look.  The mixture cools for about 45 minutes to an hour before you can cut them with a serrated knife.  While they are cooling, loosely cover with aluminum foil.

Using parchment makes the removal of the rice krispie treats from the pan so easy.  Remember, use a serrated knife when cutting into squares or rectangles.

The good news when making these rice krispie treats is that you are only left with one pan and one wooden spoon to clean up. Considering the mess I was making with paint today, having only two things to clean up was a blessing.

I had covered half of the pan with multi-colored sprinkles, so that when I cut them up into rectangles and added lollipop sticks in them, they would be a little more 'over the top' for the kids next door.  I am a purist when it comes to eating rice krispie treats so I like mine without the sprinkles.  I would say I like them simple, but then there really isn't anything simple about these 'over the top' two-inch high rice krispie treats.

Recipe 
Over the Top Rice Krispie Treats
Updated January 2023

Ingredients
14 (198g) Tablespoons of salted butter (equals 1 stick and 6 Tablespoons), plus a few more tablespoons to prepare the parchment paper lined pan and to rub on a spatula and your hands when pressing into the pan
3 pounds (1,359g) marshmallows (mini marshmallows melt easier)
18 ounces (510g) crispy rice cereal (recommend Rice Krispies)

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
Optional:  Sprinkles, Melted Chocolate and/or 1 1/2 cups of M&Ms

Directions
1. Line a 13"x 9" non-stick pan with parchment paper.  Lightly butter parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In large heavy bottomed dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
3. Add marshmallows and Kosher salt. Cook, stirring constantly approximately for 7 to 10 minutes or until marshmallows have melted into the butter. 
4. Remove from heat and working quickly, add the cereal to the hot mixture, stirring constantly until the cereal is completely covered in the marshmallow butter mixture.
5. Butter a rubber spatula and scrape mixture into the prepared pan.  Butter your fingers and gently press the mixture into an even layer to fill the pan completely. Note: If mixing in M&Ms put half of the rice krispie mixture in the pan and light press down. Then sprinkle a generous half cup of M&Ms evenly that layer. Top with remaining rice krispie mixture and press to smooth the top. Press the remaining half cup or more of M&Ms into the top (if you don't press them in they will fall off when cutting).
6. Let cool.  Use a serrated knife to cut into squares.
7. Store in layers separated by wax or parchment paper in an airtight container. Alternately wrap individually in cellophane bags.

Ingredients to Make Over the Top Rice Krispies for a 9" x 9" pan

7 (99g) Tablespoons of salted butter (equals 1 stick and 6 Tablespoons), plus a few more tablespoons to prepare the parchment paper lined pan and to rub on a spatula and your hands when pressing into the pan
1 1/2 pounds (679g) marshmallows (mini marshmallows melt easier)
9 ounces (255g) crispy rice cereal (recommend Rice Krispies)

1/8teaspoon Kosher salt
Optional:  Sprinkles, Melted Chocolate and/or 1 1/2 cups of M&Ms

Notes: (1) For a festive look top of the rice krispie treats with sprinkles. To make them even more indulgent, dip in melted white/milk chocolate. (2) After cutting, I like to press the cut sides of the rice krispie treats into finely crushed rice krispies as it makes them easier to package. As well as a little less messy to eat.

It is amazing how paint can transform a room. And just how Mother Nature can transform the landscape. Maybe even more amazing is the impact color or colors can have on your senses. I have always loved walls painted in shades of white or cream in order for one's eye to be drawn to the art on the walls, the rugs on the floor, the collections on the shelves, or the furnishings. When planting or arranging flowers, my favorite garden landscape or bouquet is one dominated by shades of a single color. The effect is almost mesmerizing.

I learned what monochromatic meant from a friend who was a florist.  Whenever I ordered a bouquet for someone or just went into her shop to purchase some flowers for myself, I was drawn to arrangements dominated by shades of a single color. When ordering I would ask for a mixture of flowers in either all shades of white, shades of purple, shades of red or shades of orange. One day she said, 'you like monochromatic arrangements, so do I'.  I knew then this person was a kindred spirit and would become a friend. I learned much about flowers, about antiques, about setting a table, and about friendship from her.  But most importantly I learned that when I was with her I never needed to explain or apologize for liking the things I did or for having monochromatic tendencies. There are no greater gifts a friend can give you than accepting you for who you are and for enjoying all of the differences you bring to the world, to them.  Even if you can be a little 'over the top' sometimes.

Homemade Ricotta

For weeks I have been anxiously awaiting the release of Alex Guarnaschelli's cookbook "Old-School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook" as I was curious as to what recipes, stories and lessons she would be sharing. My wait ended early this week. Fortunately I had a meeting near the Barnes and Noble bookstore on Tuesday, the day the cookbook was released. As soon as my meeting ended, I drove over (raced over would be a more accurate description) to pick up a copy.  Uncharacteristically I showed some restraint and waited until I got home late that evening to sit down to open it up. As I began going through her book, I felt as if I could hear her talking about each recipe.  There is nothing pretentious or intimidating in any of her recipes. Considering it is a cookbook written by an "Iron Chef" and "Food Network" star, I have to say I like Alex even more than I did before I bought the book. On so many levels, this cookbook was more genuine, more authentic, more real, more accessible than what I hoped it would be.

I needed, yes needed, to make something form this book over the weekend (more restraint) but knew that my attic painting project was going to consume much of my discretionary time.  So I had to choose a recipe that did not require a significant amount of my time or attention. The choice was simple, the homemade ricotta.  I have made ricotta before but her recipe looked a little simpler and from the photo much creamier.  If you have never had homemade ricotta spread on grilled bread with some really good honey drizzled over the top, you are missing something insanely, no actually, something wickedly delicious.  If you have only eaten ricotta bought at the grocery store, you might be thinking 'I don't think I missing much'.  Once you experience the taste of homemade ricotta, it's quite possible you will ever want to eat the store bought ricotta again and then you will know why it really is such a big deal.

This recipe has only three ingredients, yes three ingredient and there is not even any salt added. It's just heavy whipping cream, whole milk and buttermilk. It's hard to believe that these three ingredients can be transformed into something that tastes equally great all on its own or at breakfast served on toasted bread with jam or at a cocktail party served on a sliced, grilled baguette with a drizzle of honey or topped with some grilled vegetables.

When I buy heavy whipping cream, I always look to see how much saturated fat it contains.  For recipes where the cream is cooked, I look for at least a 17% saturated fat content.  When using heavy whipping cream to create frostings or whipped toppings, I look for at least an 18% saturated fat content.

Once all three ingredients are measured and put into the a heavy medium-sized saucepan you stir until combined.  That is the first and last time you will stir the mixture.  It is simmered on the stove for 30-35 minutes.  I simmered for 35 minutes.  With the milk solids rising to the top, you then turn off the heat and let sit on the stove for 10-15 minutes to let cool slightly.  I let sit for 15 minutes.

While the mixture is cooling on the stove, line a strainer with cheesecloth and put over a large bowl.  You want to be certain that your strainer does not touch the bottom of the bowl or it will not drain properly.

You use a spoon to remove the milk solids and place on top of the cheesecloth.  Any remaining liquid is then poured over the curds.

The ricotta drains for several hours or overnight, covered with cellophane in the refrigerator.  I waited six hours (some restraint). When making this recipe my solids were very small and at first I was a little concerned thinking that I somehow messed up. My concerns were alleviated once the mixture fully drained. Not only did the ricotta set up perfectly, it had a very creamy but spreadable texture. It was ricotta perfection.

After draining, the ricotta is removed from the cheesecloth and put into a jar.  It will keep, if covered, for up to a week.

As soon as it was set up, I grilled a french baguette, spread some the ricotta and then drizzled honey over the top.  The taste was literally 'over the top' good.  If there is such a place as homemade ricotta nirvana, I went there.  And after spending most of the afternoon painting over deep red and blue walls with white paint, this was all the reward I needed to not get overwhelmed with the amount of work it takes to cover darkly painted walls.

Recipe
Homemade Ricotta (recipe as is from Alex Guarnaschelli)

Ingredients
1 cup heavy whipping cream (organic recommended)
1/2 cup whole milk (organic recommended)
1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions
1. Add all three ingredients to a medium sized, heavy saucepan.
2. Simmer gently until the milk solids rise to the surface and form what looks like a raft.  This will take approximately 30 to 35 minutes.
3. Turn off heat and let cool for approximately 10-15 minutes.
4. Line a strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth and set over a bowl.
5. Scoop the solids from the surface of the milk mixture and place into the cheesecloth lined strainer.
6. Pour remaining liquid over the solids.
7. Refrigerate in the strainer for several hours (I waited 6 hours) or preferably overnight to allow all of the liquid to drain out and for the ricotta to firm up slightly.
8. Remove the cheesecloth from the ricotta and put in a dish or jar.  Cover and return to the refrigerator or serve.

Now having lived in this small farmhouse for almost a year, I have experienced all four seasons. Summer was glorious here. Deep blue hydrangeas surrounded the front of the house, a large sage bush bordered one end of the patio and the herbs that I planted all thrived. The fall colors were spectacular and so were the skies.  Even thought we had a hurricane, the winds didn't do any damage to the trees or the vegetation.  The immense perfectly shaped holly tree in the backyard made the winter landscape even more beautiful, especially on a freshly fallen snow day. I could have done without the blizzard, but that experience tested my resiliency. Now that spring has arrived, there have been many surprises.  I did not know that there were hundreds of grape hyacinths on the east and north sides of the house. Nor did I know that there were hundreds of daffodils, all different varieties, planted against the stone walls. And in spite of the wicked winter, all of the herbs I had planted, including the rosemary and lavender, are all coming back to life, appearing to be stronger and healthier.

Growing up in the midwest and now living on the east coast, I have had a lifetime experiencing all four seasons.  While my two favorite seasons are summer and fall, I love the changes and the gifts each of them brings and inspires. As much as I like some level of predictability in my life, change continues to shape my view of life, of people, of friendships and relationships, and of course, food. Had I stayed in my ricotta recipe comfort zone, I would not have experienced the taste of the creamy, divinely delicious homemade ricotta shared by Alex. Yes, it could have not lived up to the recipe I was using and it would  have probably been safer to just settle with the recipe that I knew and grown comfortable with.  But sometimes, something or someone comes along and it changes you, your perspective, your life, almost always for the better.

Cannellini Bean and Pasta Soup

Did you ever make a new recipe and then wish before it was too late that you could remove some of the ingredients?  Well I had that almost disastrous experience today making the Pasta Fagioli recipe shared by Anne Burrell in her Cook Like a Rock Star cookbook. What is Pasta Fagioli?  It is a delicious tomato based soup made with pancetta, pureed tomatoes, onion, garlic, cannelloni beans, chick peas and the tiny ditalini pasta. It is what I would characterize as a rather filling soup, yet it is neither a rich nor heavy one. I might even go so far as to say it's a kind of healthy soup, although I am reluctant to tell you this as some of you might equate healthy with a 'not good to just okay' eating experience. This soup breaks that myth and will even make cannellini bean lovers out of everyone who eats it.

Okay back to the 'too much' of some ingredients dilemma.  I have wanted to make this soup for awhile now.  With the nights still being cold around here, soup for dinner was just the kind of comfort food I needed to home to after a long day at work. Having had great success with Anne Burrell's recipes in the past I thought it was her Pasta Fagioli recipe I would make.  The recipe was coming together perfectly, but as soon as I added the quantity of cannelloni beans and chick peas the recipe called for to the simmering tomato base I had a sinking feeling there were going to be too many beans and not enough of the tomato liquid base.  And I hadn't even added the pasta yet. But I didn't act on this feeling quick enough. Not sure why I didn't listen to myself.

I actually made the decision to remove the 'too many' cannellini beans and chick peas too late. Which translates into I couldn't go back and remove them. But I decided I would finish the recipe anyway and see how it tasted. Well here's the good news. It was so incredibly flavorful. The pinch of red pepper adds just the right amount of heat to compliment the tomatoes and onions, that I just wanted more of the liquid. 

When served in a bowl, you top it with a finish of olive oil and chopped chives.  These two ingredients take this Cannellini Bean and Pasta Soup to elevated taste heights.  In spite of there not being as much liquid as I think it should have had, I have decided I would definitely make this soup again, and again, and again. But next time I definitely only would use one can each of the cannellini beans and chick peas so that the tomato base liquid is not completed absorbed. Then I think the proportions would be perfect.  Why all of these musings about this recipe? Why even share this recipe if it didn't turn out perfect the first time? Well I suppose I want you to seriously think about making this soup.

With the possible exception of finding pancetta, all of the ingredients are readily available in the grocery store.  Sometimes you find the pancetta in the deli section of the store and sometimes in the section where the packaged bacons are.  My favorite grocery store had the packaged pancetta, so I went with it.

After coating the bottom of a large pan with olive oil, be generous here, you add the pancetta and cook until it is crisp.  This takes anywhere from 4 to 6 minutes depending on how hot your olive oil was.

After the pancetta is cooked you add the chopped Spanish onion and cook until the onion is tender and almost translucent. You add some salt and a pinch of the red pepper during this phase of the cooking process. This takes about 6 to 8 minutes.  

After the onion is cooked, you add the chopped, minced garlic.  The moment the garlic hits the pan, the most incredible aroma fills your kitchen.  They sell minced garlic in jars these days.  As much as I love convenience, the jarred garlic is not the same as minced fresh garlic.  When given the choice, go for fresh.

The tomatoes are pureed and then added to pancetta, onion, garlic mixture.  In addition to the pureed tomatoes you also add one cup of water here and a pinch more of salt. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 15 minutes.

This soup has two kinds of beans, cannellini and chick peas.  The original recipe called for two 15 ounce cans of each.  Based on my experience making this soup, I would use only one 15 ounce can of each.  More can always can be added, but they can't always be removed.  This was my invaluable learning lesson of the day.

Ditalini pasta adds something to this soup, more so than any other type of pasta.  It is cooked until very al dente, drained and then added to the soup mixture.  The pasta will continue to cook in the soup.  Remember to reserve one cup of the pasta water and add to the soup mixture.  The pasta water helps to thicken the sauce ever so slightly.

Recipe
Cannellini Bean and Pasta Soup (more than a slight adaptation of Anne Burrell's Pasta Fagioli recipe)

Ingredients
1/4 pound pancetta, cut into a 1/4 inch dice
1 medium Spanish or yellow onion, cut into a 1/4 inch dice
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 28 ounce can of San Marzano diced tomatoes-pureed
1 cup water
1 15 ounce can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (I like the Goya brand)
1 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (I like the Goya brand)
1 pound ditalini pasta plus 1 cup of reserved pasta water
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt, crushed red pepper, freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh chives

Directions
1. Coat the bottom of a large saucepan with olive oil and add pancetta.  Turn heat to medium and cook pancetta until crisp, approximately 4 to 5 minutes of cooking time.
2. Add onion, season with salt and red pepper and cook until onion is soft, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Add garlic and continue cooking for approximately 2 minutes.
4. Add the pureed tomatoes along with one cup of water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Continue cooking for at least 15 minutes.
5. Add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans and chickpeas.  Cook for another 20 minutes.
6. While sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook until very al dente.
7. Reserving one cup of the pasta water, drain pasta and add to the saucepan with the sauce and beans.  Add the one cup of reserved pasta water.  Continue cooking another 5 minutes.
8. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, chopped chives and a generous finish of olive oil.

Today was one of those oops, no excuses kind of days.  Oops I didn't listen to my instincts and oops I hit the publish button on the blog posting today before I was finished.  And thankfully both of these oops were learning experiences and not ones that were irreparable.  All things considered it was still a pretty good day.

Curried Israeli Couscous Salad

As much of a gourmet and food adventurist as I sometimes like to think I am, my exposure to a wide variety of foods would better be characterized as a latent adult experience.  There are many things that I have only tasted and subsequently made within the last decade or two. So prior to discovering Ina Garten's Curried Couscous recipe years ago I had never eaten or made couscous. I was not even sure I knew which aisle in the grocery store I could find it. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised to learn how delicious it tasted, how simple it was to make, and oh yes, how easy it was to find in the grocery store. Then there was the Israeli Couscous Salad from Whole Foods.  Eating that salad gave me my first taste of another type of couscous. In just one bite, I discovered I absolutely loved the taste and texture of Israeli couscous. For some reason I had convinced myself it was probably more challenging to make than regular couscous. Not sure why I was a little intimidated by those beautiful little pearls, however, I have since learned that Israeli couscous is not all at difficult to make. I could kick myself for waiting so long to overcome this self-imposed irrational fear of Israeli couscous cooking failure.

It's a forty minute drive to the closest Whole Foods from where I am living.  Not really a long drive, but I reside in a state where any drive longer than an hour is considered one that requires you to pack a lunch before heading out on the road. Distance, I have learned, is all relative. Recently I had a taste for the Israeli Couscous salad from Whole Foods but with my schedule I wasn't sure I could justify making the ninety minute round trip and a lunch to satisfy a food craving.  With or without a lunch, a ninety minute drive to buy a new pair of shoes is a different story.

To satisfy a food craving, I wondered what the outcome would be if I substituted Israeli couscous for the regular couscous in my version of Ina's Curried Couscous recipe. The result was actually better than I was expecting it to be. Not only was it better than the recipe I had been making over the years, it was even better than the Whole Foods Couscous Salad I would sometimes drive out of my way to buy.  It actually turned out to be so delicious, I think it is now going to be my new go to spring, summer, fall salad.  Even better, when I get an Israeli Couscous salad craving I no longer have to make a ninety minute drive. Now I just have to pick up a few ingredients at the local grocery store. In less thirty minutes of cooking and preparation time the Curried Israeli Couscous Salad is made.

This salad not only tastes terrific but it is beautiful and healthy for you too!  It's the trifecta of salad recipes, a win-win-win kind of food. It's the perfect accompaniment to grilled chicken, fish and even beef.  More importantly, it is a great alternative to the usual suspect salads served at a summer barbecue, potluck, or a dinner at home. And because it travels well, it is also a great salad to bring to the beach.

Regular plain couscous is made up of tiny little granules while the Israeli couscous is comprised of pearl shaped little balls of goodness. When making the Israeli couscous for this recipe I did not follow the directions on the package.  I used a ratio of 2 cups of water to 1 cup of the Israeli couscous and had great results.  After I brought the water to a boil I added the couscous, covered the pan, reduced the heat to a very low temperature and cooked for about 12 minutes.  Halfway through the cooking process I moved the pan partially off the burner.  When the couscous was just done, I removed it from the stove, placed it in a strainer and then transferred it to a large bowl.

The base of the dressing is plain Greek yogurt, wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil.  Ina's original recipe called for white wine vinegar but when I looked in the cabinet I realized I didn't have any, so I substituted champagne wine vinegar.  I think I like the subtleness of the champagne vinegar slightly better and think I will not go back to white wine vinegar.  Unless of course I don't have any champagne wine vinegar.

After measuring the yogurt, olive oil and vinegar, all of the spices are added and mixed together with a whisk until well blended.  The curry and turmeric are not only flavorful spices, they will give the salad a beautiful yellow finish.

There are two kinds of onions in this salad: green and red.  I prefer cutting my green onions on a slight diagonal. And of course, the red onions need to be minced.

The original recipe called for cutting the carrots into a small dice, but I like the look and texture of shredded carrots.  Because two carrots will yield a half a cup, I use a hand grater rather than a food processor.  Sometimes the less equipment I need to take out to make a recipe the better.

I consider curly parsley an herb used more as a garnish, while I think the flat Italian parsley delivers a more flavorful, less bitter taste and finish when cooking.  Now having said this, I am probably going to eat my words in the weeks and months ahead.

Once all of the vegetables are chopped, minced and shredded they are added to the couscous mixture and stirred in.

I prefer using dried cranberries in this salad, but you could use raisins or currants. The cranberries add great color to the salad, they add just the right about of sweetness.  But if I was using raisins, I would use the white ones. Blanched sliced almonds were added to this salad, but I think maybe the next time I make it I will use chopped pistachios.  Both of these nuts work well with the couscous and the spices. This is one salad where your palate has a perfect savory and sweet experience.

Recipe
Curried Israeli Couscous Salad (inspired by Ina Garten's Curried Couscous Salad)

Ingredients
2 cups Israeli Couscous
4 cups boiling water
1/4 cup plus 2 T. plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded carrots (about 2 medium)
1/2 cup minced fresh flat leaf parsley
3/4 cup dried cranberries (substitutions: raisins or currants)
1/4 cup blanched sliced almonds
2 green onions, sliced using both white and green parts
1/4 cup small diced red onion (about a half of a small red onion)

Directions
1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan.  Add couscous and reduce heat to low.  Cover pot and simmer for 10-14 minutes or until couscous is just tender. I pulled pan halfway off the heat.  Drain in colander and place in large bowl.
2. Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry, turmeric, salt, pepper.  Pour over the warm couscous and mix well.
3. Add carrots, parsley, cranberries, almonds, green onions and red onions.  Mix well.
4. Serve at room temperature.

Last weekend was a fun, busy and hectic. With the exception of making some desserts for the Easter gatherings I was going to, I didn't have time to do too very much cooking. The weather was perfect for a walk on the Cliff Walk in Newport as well as for a day long excursion to Maine for some sightseeing, antiquing and a lobster roll lunch.  Not only were the skies glorious shades of blue, the cloud formations were mesmerizing.

It's amazing how energizing being outside and feeling the warmth of the sun can be so good for one's soul, one's spirit. Beyond being energized, I managed to also be motivated and inspired to experiment with a favorite recipe.  If the making of the Curried Israeli Couscous Salad is any indication of what deliciousness can happen when I spend time outside, I can hardly wait to see where my cooking goes in the weeks and months ahead as the weather warms and sunny blue skies return.

Coconut Balls aka Better than a Mounds Bar

Since moving out to the east coast I have been fortunate to have some very wonderful people come into my life.  Not knowing if I am headed back to visit family and friends for the holidays, someone is always extending to me an invitation to a holiday gathering.  It must have been the full moon this week or maybe its my lucky Easter as I have received two different invitations to celebrate the day. With one being in the late morning and the other in the early afternoon I thought I would go to both of them as it would make for a memorable day. When I asked if I could bring anything, one person immediately said 'bring the Key Lime Pie' and other said 'bring something if you would like'.  Not ever wanting to go any gathering without either a hostess gift or a contribution to the meal, I just had to decide what it was that I was bringing to the early morning brunch. Decisions, decisions. Then I remembered these incredible chocolate covered coconut balls I had usually made around the Christmas holidays. Coconut cream eggs for the morning Easter brunch, perfect.

When a friend had given me this recipe a few years ago she said they were a million times better than a Mounds bar. A million times? To be honest I was a little skeptical on this bold claim.  Was it possible one could actually make something as good as or a million times better than a Mounds bar?  Being a person who absolutely loves the taste and texture of coconut in anything, I had to take on the challenge and make them, just to see if she was right of course.  And, well, yes she was right.

These coconut balls were creamy, rich, delicious, beautiful, and I might add just a little addictive.  They would convert even a non-coconut eater, maybe. After just one bite I became convinced that I would never want to eat a Mounds bar or Almond Joy ever again, no matter how hungry I was or how much I was craving the taste of coconut and chocolate. They were that over the top great. Maybe even a zillion times better than a Mounds bar.

It all begins with the coconut, beautiful white coconut.  The confectionary sugar is mixed in with the coconut in a very large bowl.

Once the coconut and confectionary sugar are mixed together, you mix in the sweetened condensed milk and the melted butter.  This becomes a very, very thick mixture.  I use a wooden spoon in the beginning stages and then I lightly grease my hands in butter and continue mixing using my hands until all of the sugar and coconut are perfectly blended.

This recipe calls for chilling the mixture twice.  First after it is all mixed together and then again after the balls are formed.  I generally chill the mixture overnight although the first chilling can be as long as 3-4 hours.

As the mixture was chilling I was debating which ice cream scoop to use.  Thought about using the oval one so they looked like eggs, but then I thought the proportion to coconut to chocolate would be slightly off.  I have an unusual square ice cream scoop that my friend's husband brought me back from England (my request of this scoop sent him off on quite a quest through London) but I thought the coconut squares would be 'too' large.  My one inch ice cream scoop was the perfect size. You can you a 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch ice cream scoops, but you will be scooping and dipping for days, okay not days, but it will take a little longer.  But its really not about the time it takes, its about the size you want.

A double batch of the recipe takes between 2 1/2 and 3 pounds of chocolate. But a half batch (to coat the balls made in the recipe from below). So as to not overheat the chocolate and risk it drying with a white film, I melt the chocolate in several batches (about 10 ounces at a time).

Once the balls are formed they are covered in plastic wrap chilled for several hours or even overnight. The chilling helps to ensure they will not break apart in the melted chocolate.

After you finish dipping, use any the leftover chocolate to randomly decorate the tops. I like the somewhat rustic, homemade look to these coconut balls.  Place some melted chocolate in a baggie, make a small snip to one corner and then use like a pastry bag.  Alternately dip your fork into the melted chocolate and spread over the dipped coconut balls.

Recipe
Coconut Balls aka Better than a Mounds Bar (hardly any tinkering to a recipe shared by a friend)
Makes 63 - 1 1/4" balls

Recipe updated December 2020

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds (680g) confectionary sugar
14 ounces (396g) shredded coconut 
14 ounces (396g) sweetened condensed milk 
8 Tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds of good quality dark chocolate used in candy making (e.g., Ghiradelli Double Chocolate Candy Making Disks

Optional:  Whole almonds added to the top of each coconut ball (press into coconut ball before chilling the second time)

Directions
1. In a large bowl, mix the confectionary sugar and coconut until well blended. Alternately blend the confectionary sugar and coconut in a large standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
2. Add the sweetened condensed milk and melted butter to the coconut/sugar mixture.  Using a wooden spoon, mix all of the ingredients together until well blended.  
3. Cover with plastic wrap and chill several hours or overnight.
4. Use an ice cream scoop (1 to 1 1/4 inches) to make the balls. Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill several hours.
5. Melt chocolate over simmering water.  Remove from heat when dipping. Alternately melt your chocolate in the microwave.
6. Dip one coconut ball at a time.  Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
7. Place some melted chocolate in a small baggie.  Cut tip and use to decorate tops of dipped coconut balls.
8. Allow chocolate to set. 

9. Place cooled coconut balls in mini paper cups.

10. Store in a cool place.

Notes: (1) You can easily double this recipe. (2) Instead of forming them into balls you can press them into a pan and cut then into bars or squares. (3) I use either chocolate melting disks available from my local candy store or Ghiradelli Chocolate Candy Making Disks.

Often when I make the 'family' holiday dinners in the house in the midwest I more often than not include someone outside of the 'family' as I really don't like to see a friend spending a holiday alone.  I would characterize myself as somewhat of a traditionalist, so in our family we have made inviting friends to holiday gatherings a tradition.  This tradition comes from the influence and impact of two very different life experiences.  The first one was when I worked as a waitress during college. It was having to work a shift on the holidays that I dreaded the most. Not because I would be away from my family for awhile but that I would have to see someone eating without any companions.  There was always the possibility it was by choice they were alone, but I could not help but wonder 'did not anyone invite them over?'  These visions of people eating alone in a restaurant on a holiday have stayed with me. So I had decided that when I had the opportunity to host holiday gatherings I would extend invitations to friends, family and sometimes just newly met acquaintances. For me this is like paying forward all of the kindnesses ever extended to me.

The second and more powerful influence goes back even further in time. When I was ten years old, the family of my best friend always invited me to their dinner table and holiday gatherings, even though I had a family of my own. Most times, I felt like the adopted fifth child. It was at these dinners where I learned much about food, particularly Italian and Polish foods.  Being at this table gave me my 'first' tastes and smells of foods that were not served in the house I grew up in. Sometimes if the food was too unfamiliar to me, I needed to smell it first, which led me to be given the nickname 'sniffer' by my best friend's father. But more important than the food knowledge I acquired from them was that my concept of 'family' became broadened and deepened.  And if learning and being the recipient of that concept wasn't enough, it was in that household and at that dinner table where I learned the values of 'inclusiveness, generosity, and acceptance'.  And when you are ten years old, these are pretty impressionable values.

The parents of my best friend are no longer here but I believe what they taught me and their children are the lifelong lessons that keeps their legacy and memory alive.  I should only hope to have just some of the impact on others that they had on me.  So on this Easter holiday, I feel incredibly blessed to be in the company of those who, like Andy and Edna had, made me feel like a member of a family.  Bringing a key lime pie or coconut balls to their gatherings will seem like such a small, insignificant gesture of thankfulness in comparison to what I will be receiving.  Happy Spring, Happy Easter to you all.