Sitting with a cup of coffee. (coffee lovers)

[Peep_Show]

Morning dawned with a little kinder 38 degrees. Coffee hot and good this morning. Not quite ready yet to tackle the pecan leaves that all at once with the cold snap descended onto my driveway, but they need removing because 2" of leaves makes the house look abandoned.

There's a great recipe book "Biscotti" by Lou Seibert Pappas that has several dozen recipes divided up into the categories "Traditional" "Chocolate & Nuts" "Regional" and healthful chapters... the most prolific being, naturally, the chocolate one. Also included are biscotti baking tips. Anyway, new the book is $9.95, but I'm sure it could be found for less in the usual outlets (amazon, ebay, etc)

- - - -

Deb,
I don't know if you have a Costco near you, but they have big plastic tubs of Nonni's biscotti with the one-sided dark chocolate. IMHO, they could be a little more crunchy, but good nonetheless.

- - - -

Right now we're entering New Mexico holiday season where biscochitos (anise seeded shortbready cookies) and posole -- posole is a casserole of hominy corn baked with chiles and meats..very filling and very yummy -- and tamales abound. We're going to a ristras gathering this afternoon where cider and posole will be served. There's overtures of cloudy weather and maaaaybe snow flurries.... Perfect!

 

[chickwhispers]

Good morning chickwhispers - do you think you can get that biscotti recipe from your sister in law?

Sure! I'll call her this weekend!

Melt downs happen. My mom has always been a demanding high maintenance type of person. Having her here earlier this fall was difficult, but she has mellowed some. Mostly from dementia. But not enough to say "please". She still has her habit of saying "Get me" this or that. And assumed she should get it now. Sad really. She has many sleepless nights and it's not safe for her to wander being high risk for falls. Caring for someone who doesn't sleep is difficult when you can't get sleep yourself.

But now she's really bad in a nursing home for now and there's not much I can do to help being 2 hours away.

 

[chickwhispers]

Peep_Show Recipes Please! ! !

 

[Peep_Show]

So many to choose from:

Almond Crunch, Candied Orange Pecan, Pignole, Pistachio and Golden Raisin, Praline, di Prato, Toscani, Triple Ginger, White Chocolate Macadamia, Espresso, Gianduia, alle Mandorle, Caramel Walnut, Chocolate Ribbon, Nocciole-Ciocolano, Ciocolano Paradiso, Double-Chocolate Decadance, all' anice

Would I be breaking some copyright law by posting a recipe?

 

[chickwhispers]

biscochitos (anise seeded shortbready cookies) These please and your casserole. You can PM if you want. I love anise and your casserole sounds scrumptious so that too.

 

[Peep_Show]

BISCOCHITOS (adapted from New Mexico magazine)

2 C. Flour
1 tsp. baking powder
big pinch of salt
5 oz. Lard or Shortening
1/3 C. granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 to 1 tsp anise seeds (grind some for best flavor)
2 T. orange juice
2 tsp. whiskey

Oven @ 425

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt. In separate bowl beat lard and gradually add in sugar until extremely light and fluffy (estimated 8 minutes of beating). Add egg. Mix in dry ingredients. Add anise seeds, orange juice and whiskey. Dough will be stiff. Roll out dough 1/4" thick and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. (A flower shape is traditional, but my personal preference is moons). Bake 12-15 minutes. Cool on rack.

Great plain or, when cool, roll in a mixture of cinnamonized sugar.

- - -

POSOLE

The variations on this dish are endless...you can make it with chicken or pork, add chopped chiles or green peppers. It's really kind of a stew, so a mélange of whatever. Traditionalists from scratch cook the posole dried corn kernels from scratch, but I find canned white hominy is just as effective and saves A LOT of time.

6 C. white hominy
1/4 C. lard or vegetable oil
2.5 C. chopped onion
3 T. minced garlic
2-3 lbs. meat of choice cut into 1" pieces
2 tsp, pepper
3 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp. ground corriander
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 1/4 C. New Mexican red chile powder
6+ C. chicken broth
salt to taste

In a large pot heat lard/oil over med/high heat. Saute garlic and onions for 3 minutes. Add meat and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add spices, red chile powder, hominy and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for at least one hour. (I usually throw it into a dutch over and into the oven for a couple of hours...just have to check that it doesn't get too dry, although some folks prefer it that way). Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and flour tortillas on the side.




edited for spelling

 

[chickwhispers]

@Peep_Show Thank You!!!

 

[perchie.girl]

Morning dawned with a little kinder 38 degrees. Coffee hot and good this morning. Not quite ready yet to tackle the pecan leaves that all at once with the cold snap descended onto my driveway, but they need removing because 2" of leaves makes the house look abandoned.

There's a great recipe book "Biscotti" by Lou Seibert Pappas that has several dozen recipes divided up into the categories "Traditional" "Chocolate & Nuts" "Regional" and healthful chapters... the most prolific being, naturally, the chocolate one. Also included are biscotti baking tips. Anyway, new the book is $9.95, but I'm sure it could be found for less in the usual outlets (amazon, ebay, etc)

- - - -

Deb,
I don't know if you have a Costco near you, but they have big plastic tubs of Nonni's biscotti with the one-sided dark chocolate. IMHO, they could be a little more crunchy, but good nonetheless.

- - - -

Right now we're entering New Mexico holiday season where biscochitos (anise seeded shortbready cookies) and posole -- posole is a casserole of hominy corn baked with chiles and meats..very filling and very yummy -- and tamales abound. We're going to a ristras gathering this afternoon where cider and posole will be served. There's overtures of cloudy weather and maaaaybe snow flurries.... Perfect!

funny how regional differences are Posole here is a soup with Hominy Pork and Super good broth. Served with Pico degallo and Cabbage to be added as you go.

deb

 

[Highcotton]

Some folks can see tv with the prism glasses - takes peripheral vision and makes an image that looks more normal, maybe those could help.  My aunt also had some type of a reader which helped her see directions on pill bottles.  But never found anything that would allow her to read books or magazines.

It is a frustrating problem.

There are readers that magnify printed matter on a computer screen . It is amazing what they have available to help the sight impaired. We 4 sight impaired members of our LIONS Club. One is a lady in her late eighties that is completely blind. It is amazing what she can do with a computer. She was a taxi cab dispatcher in downtown Atlanta in the late sixties. If I eamt to know where a street is in Atlanta I ask her and she has never seen any of it.

 

[sunflour]

There are readers that magnify printed matter on a computer screen . It is amazing what they have available to help the sight impaired. We 4 sight impaired members of our LIONS Club. One is a lady in her late eighties that is completely blind. It is amazing what she can do with a computer. She was a taxi cab dispatcher in downtown Atlanta in the late sixties. If I eamt to know where a street is in Atlanta I ask her and she has never seen any of it.

My aunt is the only one in our family who had it. There were a lot of adjustments to be made when her spouse died, and she amazingly was able to live independently until other illnesses overcame her.

Interesting that Egg Yolks contain 2 things that are thought to help avoid macular degeneration. We should all eat eggs daily.