Buckeyes

It's really close to Christmas now. If you haven't thought of anything to bring to Grandma's house, here's an idea: BUCKEYES. Everyone loves them. (Pipe down, you in the back.) I mean, what's not to love? Chocolate and peanut butter.

If you already have your bring-along dish planned, you may just want to make these for yourself. Keep them for after Christmas so that you don't have chocolate withdrawals after the big day. Kinda ease yourself into the new year. Eat one a day, then half a day, then a quarter a day.... or just gobble them up and go cold turkey later. Whatever works for you.

Buckeyes
Ingredients:
12 oz. chocolate chips
1 block paraffin wax *(Use 1/3 of a block)
1 1/2 sticks margarine
1 pound powdered sugar (4 cups)
1-12 oz. jar peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Directions:
1. Melt the chocolate chips and the wax together in a double boiler, low
heat. I don't have a "double boiler" so I placed a pan inside another pan. Put
water in the big pan and the chocolate in the little pan. This keeps the
chocolate from scorching. You don't want to ever waste good chocolate!

2. Mix all the other ingredients (margarine, powdered sugar, peanut butter,
vanilla).
3. Roll it into nickel size balls.
4. Then place them on wax paper and refrigerate. I recommend 4 hours but
until they aren't smushy.
5. Insert toothpicks into each one.
6. Dip into chocolate leaving some peanut butter showing at the top then
place each back on the wax paper to set.
7. Store in can or airtight container.
8. Devour as desired.

*If you're wondering what paraffin wax is, you're not alone. Just ask at the grocery store but I think you can find it near the chocolate chips ... maybe. Yes. You should ask. On my recipe card which is compliments of my mother-in-law and Aunt Rita it looks like "paraffin way". Thankfully there was someone knowledgeable at the grocery that recognized the word paraffin and ignored my ignorant way then directed me to the proper aisle and handed me a one pound box of Gulf Wax (household paraffin wax). Inside the box are 4 bars. You only need 1/3 of one bar. (Don't worry, the wax will keep a long time.)

These also make great gifts because... chocolate and peanut butter.

Beans, Beans the Magical Fruit, Part 1: Ohio Farmhouse Sausage Chili

I know what you’re thinking.  It’s Christmas.  Where are the festive dishes?  Where are the visions of sugarplums?  Well, let me tell you a tale of the darker side of culinary Christmas.  The scrimping-and-saving side.  The side where meals are made BEFORE Ebenezer Scrooge comes to his (still questionable) senses.  It is the meal of penny pinching which makes the more festive dishes possible.  And penny pinching in our house means beans.  Lots of beans.

The bean is an amazing food.  Is it truly a fruit?  Well, that’s for another, more heated discussion certainly.  But I digress. 

The bean can be made into almost anything - and cheaply.

One of the favorite dishes I like to throw the little guys into is Ohio Farmhouse Sausage Chili, courtesy of Joy of Cooking.  I make this dish a lot (and have tweaked it here and there, but not enough to take any real credit).  My family and this dish are on quite familiar terms.  I buy ground sausage in the three-pound chubs at Costco (akin to Sam’s, for those that know not the greatness of Costco) and divide it up and freeze it – mostly just for this meal.  Kidney beans I keep on hand – sometimes dried, but mostly canned as I’ve found they are about the same cost as dried when bought at discount grocery stores.  I’ve made this chili the stove and even recently in the crockpot.  It’s just a rockin’ chili.  So without further adieu, I present, Jessica’s version of Ohio Farmhouse Sausage Chili:

Ohio Farmhouse Sausage Chili

     4 to 6 servings

Brown in a large skillet:

     1 pound pork sausage

     1 large onion, chopped

Toward the end of the browning, add:

     2 celery stalks, diced

When the celery is softened, add:

     One 28-ounce can (3 ½ cups) diced tomatoes

     2 cups tomato juice or chicken broth or a combo of the two (**I like to use V8)

     1 to 2 Tablespoons maple syrup or molasses (**I prefer maple syrup and always use 2 Tablespoons)

     2 teaspoons ground cumin

     1 ½ teaspoons powdered sage

     ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Simmer for 20 minutes.  Add:

     3 ½ to 4 cups cooked red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (**I use 4 cans, drained and rinsed)

Simmer for 15 minutes more.  Serve with:

     Sharp cheddar cheese, cubed (**this is excellent in the steaming chili)

     Corn bread (**see my cornbread post), or buttermilk biscuits

Ginger Tea

While my Ghanaian friend, Afi, was here I learned that ginger tea is great for sore throats. Are you ready for this elaborate recipe?

Ingredients:
Ginger
Water

Directions:
Heat the water.
Slice the peel/skin off the fresh ginger.
Grate ginger into the water until it tastes tea-like.
Drink.

No, you don't have to remove any of the ginger bits from the tea.

Yes, I was kidding about the elaborate part. It's so simple! Add a little honey and your throat will be feeling better quickly.