Cooking on TV!

I have been a very busy bee. My cutie pie son and partner, Rob suddenly started booking me on all these local television shows. I haven't cooked on TV for probably 16 years. The thing is, once you are on...you have to make something in 4 minutes. I decided on 2 different recipes. Because March is National Peanut Month I made the following:

This is from FOX 17 in Nashville.

 "Peanut Butter and Jelly Shortbread Wedges"

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup jam
box grater

Use a 7-8 inch tart pan with removable bottom. Spray well. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat peanut butter and butter until smooth - 2 min
Add sugar, salt and vanilla - beat until fluffy - 2min
add flour and mix until just blended. Take 1/3 of dough and shape into a disc and freeze. Spread remaining dough evenly over pan and up sides. Spread jam over dough leaving 1 inch border.  Refrigerate until disc is ready. When disc is hard, shred with box grater over jam. It makes beautiful fluffy little shards...almost looks like shredded cheese. Spread evenly over jam and bake until golden - 35 minutes

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten Free)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup chunky or creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
In mixing bowl mix all together. I like to add a handfull of salted peanuts and dark chocolate chips. drop by spoonfulls on sprayed cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cookies will be puffy but kind of sink down into a chewy, bumpy peanut butter heaven.

Mackenzie

Dancing with Roy Rogers!

I found this old photo of me and Roy Rogers. he was such a gentle soul and gentleman.

My Happy Trails Chocolates had just come out and we were doing a bit of publicity. Roy loved, loved, loved peanut butter. I also remember Clint Black was at the photoshoot. I will post a pic of us as well ( still looking and still learning how to scan and save).

For anyone who ever met or loved Roy...you know he was the original "good guy" white hat and all. Trustworthy and brave.

My grandsons have just discovered cowboys (2 and 4 years old). They love dressing up like them...shooting their play guns and riding their play horses.  

Wouldn't they have loved Roy Rogers who truly was "KING of the COWBOYS!"
 Happy Trails to you and "May the good Lord take a liking to you". This was how Roy always signed off on his Saturday morning television show.

Mackenzie

Finally...my first order!

I am finally, finally in Whole Foods Market. Ok...maybe I am in only 2 of the many, many stores. But it's a start. What if I could get my chocolates in every single Whole Foods store. What a big dream. Too big? 
For now, you can find my Bella Bark (pecan caramel and cherry almond) and my Smoked in the Green Hills store and the Franklin store...both in the great state of Tennessee. 
Today is Saturday and I think maybe I will mosey on over to these stores and see if there's any action. Maybe stand at the display and say really loud..."Oh I love this chocolate. Have you had this stuff? This is the best!"
Now for a reorder...

Mackenzie

Whole Foods...my dream come true!

Yesterday I had a brief but brilliant meeting with Whole Foods. We have 2 stores in Nashville and I am getting in both. YEA!!!

I have been working on this project for about 2 years, developing a product that meets their strict guidelines. Now, I have 3 chocolates that are perfect for Whole Foods. My Bella Bark Caramel Pecan, Bella Bark Cherry Almond and my new Smoked.(see photos) I for one am very glad Whole Foods puts the products they buy through such rigorous testing. This means that as a consumer, you can be sure you are buying and eating clean (a term they use for something that is all natural or organic).

And here's another cool thing...they love buying local. Well I am local and I am ready! Now I am just waiting on that 1st order.

Mackenzie

Homemade Butter

Happy New Year and all that!
We were closed for the holidays and I took this time off to play in the kitchen. I made...HOMEMADE BUTTER! Very easy. Then, I found some really cute glass dishes...round with little glass knobs on the lid...filled it with the homemade butter and gifted folks I knew would appreciate it. I also included a special loaf of homemade bread.

Here is what you do...

4 cups heavy cream
2 tsp grey sea salt (any coarse sea salt will do)

That's it!
Put in a standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Mix on med. speed for about 10 minutes or until the cream separates into little clumps.
Pour through a strainer and discard milky water. Dump the clumps into a bowl and pour ice water over pressing out more milky water with a spatula. Strain again and repeat twice. When milky water is clear...you have butter!
Smooth it into cute dishes of your choice. Now for some hot homeade biscuits. Yum.

Mackenzie