Chocolate Toffee Haystacks

In December, 2011, I offered a recipe for an old family favorite no-bake cookie: Toasted Coconut Haystacks.

But the recipe continues to evolve.

My friend Sassa told me, after seeing the initial recipe, that in her native Sweden they make a similar cookie, but it features a bit of coffee ... sigh. What a perfect notion! Okay, added that for future reference.

Then one evening, Craig and I wanted a little something sweet. Well, one of the perks of no-bake cookies is that they can be made very quickly; and since I actually had most of the ingredients on hand, it seemed only natural to make a batch of these treats. Except that I had no coconut. Uh oh.

But not to be deterred - a sweet tooth with a craving is NOT to be denied! - I looked through the pantry to see what I could substitute. And I just happened to have a half-bag of toffee chips - crisp and crunchy, so they would contribute some texture while also not melting into the boiled base for the cookies. And, there you have it!

Chocolate Toffee Haystacks, the best version of these cookies yet!

And if you'd like to make some holiday treats for your dog(s) - they shouldn't be left out, after all! - here's a very cute site with lots of ideas: Dog Vacay. Once my arm is functional again, I may just have to make some Dog Nog or Dog Bark for my own grandpuppy ... :)


Chocolate Toffee Haystacks

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup half-and-half
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 14-ounce package quick-cook oatmeal
2/3 cup milk chocolate toffee chips

Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner, waxed paper, or greased foil.

Bring sugar, butter, half-and-half, cocoa powder, coffee, and vanilla to a rolling boil in a 3-quart saucepan; without stirring, let boil for 2 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in oatmeal and toffee chips.

Scoop into golf ball-sized blobs and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until set.

Makes 30 cookies.

Butter Cake for Yom HaShoah

Today is Yom HaShoah [YOHM hah-shoh-AH], Holocaust Remembrance Day.  To say that this is a day of great solemnity within the Jewish community is an understatement, truly, of indescribable proportion.

While it might seem frivolous to tie food into an occasion of such seriousness and significance, please trust that I don't intend any disrespect.  This day is admittedly a commemoration of unfathomable loss; but it is also an acknowledgement of resistance, of strength, and of continuity.

A number of cookbooks have been produced by survivors and also, posthumously, by those who didn't live to see the publications.  They were written to remember how life once was and written with hopes that there would be future generations to pass traditions and family recipes on to.

In Memory's Kitchen comes from women who collected their treasured culinary heritage so that it would not be forgotten if they, themselves, were lost:

"The pages are filled with recipes. Each is a memory, a fantasy, a hope for the future. Written by undernourished and starving women in the Czechoslovakian ghetto/concentration camp of Terezín (also known as Theresienstadt), the recipes give instructions for making beloved dishes ....  (This book) is a beautiful memorial to the brave women who defied Hitler by preserving a part of their heritage and a part of themselves."

The manuscript had been entrusted by Mina Pachter - one of the authors, who died on Yom Kippur 1944 - to a friend, asking him to bring it to her daughter Anny in Palestine if he survived.  He did survive, but had no way of contacting Mina's daughter.  After 25 years, though, the book finally found its way to Anny, who had moved to New York: "When first I opened the copybook and saw the handwriting of my mother, I had to close it ....  I put it away and only much later did I have the courage to look.  My husband and I, we were afraid of it.  It was something holy.  After all those years, it was like her hand was reaching out to me from long ago ....  By sharing these recipes, I am honoring the thoughts of my mother and the others that somewhere and somehow, there must be a better world to live in."

Elizabeth Ehrlich's mother-in-law, featured in Miriam's Kitchen: A Memoir, is a Holocaust survivor who is "A keeper of rituals and recipes, and of stories, (who) cooks to recreate a lost world, and to prove that unimaginable loss is not the end of everything.  She is motivated by duty to ancestors and descendants, by memory and obligation ...."

Miriam passes along recipes, stories, and memories as she teaches Elizabeth - who was raised by secular Jewish parents - how to cook traditional family dishes and also about the faith.  And in addition to sharing cooking techniques, Miriam shares her history.

When she was 12, Miriam's family left their town in Poland which the Germans had bombed repeatedly, only to return awhile later to find everything they owned had been taken.  The family later lived in its restaurant, although Jews weren't permitted to own businesses; they gave it a Polish name and even started to cook pork, as a disguise.  Miriam's aunt was captured by the Germans when the ruse was discovered, and had to be ransomed.

After this, the family was sent to the ghetto and lived in one room.  At fifteen, Miriam was sent to work in potato fields; "in the beginning they paid, very little ... then (they) didn't pay.  They took people away to work and shot them."  Her cousins - ages 7, 15 and 19 - were shot.  Her grandparents were taken "to Sobibor, a death camp.  They gassed them and burnt them."  Miriam also lost two aunts, an uncle, and two cousins in this same horrific manner.

In the summer of 1944, Miriam's family was sent to Chestochowa, spending more than a week in the infamous boxcars to travel there.  "The door was unlocked but we didn't run away, because we were afraid to be shot in the woods."  She was beaten at the camp when she tried to hang on to her father to prevent his being taken away; eventually, though, he was sent to Buchenwald and died one day before U.S. soldiers came to liberate the prisoners.

Not only did Miriam survive; but she later travelled to Israel and then to the United States, after meeting her husband Jacob in Chestochowa, and she lived to see children and even grandchildren for whom she cooked her cherished recipes.

I first read Miriam's story when it was published in 1997; and after all these years, I still vividly remember - and emulate - a small gesture that had great significance.  When she cracked eggs, Miriam would use her thumb to wipe the shell fully clean, not wasting one tiny portion after experiencing so much deprivation and hunger in her youth.  Such a simple act of frugality and gratitude and remembrance.

And so, I offer Miriam's Butter Cake today in honor of those who survived and also to commemorate the millions who died during the Holocaust - Zichronam l'Vracha [zeek-roh-NAHM lay vrah-KAH] = May their memories be for a blessing.  As so many had hoped for under the most desperate circumstances, there are future generations to pass the recipes down to, future generations to pass the stories down to, future generations to remember and to never forget ....

(The picture shows a Shoah Yellow Candle, distributed by the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs.  These are lit on Yom HaShoah to remember those who were lost, just as yahrzeit [YAHRT-zeit] candles are lit on the anniversary of a loved one's death.)


Miriam's Butter Cake
(adapted from Elizabeth Ehrlich's Miriam's Kitchen: A Memoir)

Cake:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons sour cream
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Crumb Topping:
2 teaspoon flour
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease an 8"x8" baking pan.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.  Stir in the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and sour cream.  Add the flour, baking powder and salt; combine well.

Spread half the batter into the prepared pan; sprinkle the cocoa over the batter.  Place dollops of the remaining batter over the cocoa.

Combine the topping ingredients with a fork until crumbly; sprinkle over the top of the cake.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool completely.

Makes 9-12 servings.  Serve with whipped cream or with ice cream, if desired.

Krispy Kreme Chocolate Chip Cookies

I respect the spirit of the law at Passover, although I don't feel bound by the letter of the law.

I'll be going to a cherished friend's house for a Seder on the first night of the 8-day holiday, and bringing Chocolate Caramel Matzah made with my own handmade matzah.  I'll be going to another priceless friend's house for the second night's Seder, and respecting her Orthodox parents by masquerading as a normal person who doesn't take pictures of everything she eats (since photography is forbidden).

My traditions include eating far too many Manischewitz almond macaroons from a can, one of my favorite guilty pleasures; they're only available this time of year, so I have to get my quota in!  And I don't eat bread, a leavened product that is not permissible during Passover, but that's primarily because I don't eat much bread anyway - that part of the proceedings is easy for me.

But I don't rid my home of all the forbidden foods (pasta, cakes, cookies, flour, lentils, corn, and many more).  I use my regular ol' dishes and cookware, rather than having extra sets just for Passover that haven't been touched by the verboten items and thus are acceptable.  I don't prepare baked goods with matzah cake meal, which tends to make them heavy and dense; I generally just don't bake at all at this time.

Many of my friends, however, are observant and keep kosher; they have been busy cleaning their homes and preparing for the holiday by removing all forbidden items.  Using up the chametz [HAH-mets] - leavened products and other items that, according to Jewish law, Jews may not possess during Passover - is a time-honored tradition.  Just as Catholics indulge before Lent by using up butter, sugar, eggs, and other goodies before a time of abstinence in preparation for Easter, Jews must get rid of the chametz.

And so, rather than just offering a recipe for bread pudding or French toast - not that there's anything wrong with them! - I thought I'd suggest a bit of novelty today.  I found myself with leftover Krispy Kreme doughnuts after making hedonistic sandwiches while participating in Project PB&J.  So I baked cookies that will help your household to finish off flour, baking soda, and even doughnuts if you have them.  (And if you don't happen to have any on hand, it might be worth buying a few just for this recipe!)

These are rich and decadent in addition to serving a higher purpose in helping to rid the household of soon-to-be-forbidden foods.  Who said you can't have fun while obeying the law?

Chocolate Chip Krispy Kreme Cookies

1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup shortening, at room temperature
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3 cups crumbled Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts (4 doughnuts)
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly grease a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, brown sugar, and vanilla.  Stir in the egg, salt, and baking soda.  Stir in the flour, cocoa powder, and the crumbled doughnuts.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop batter by generous tablespoonsful onto the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 12 minutes until cookies are slightly firm, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Makes 48 cookies.


Here are a few other recipes to help you, if you're still searching for ways to use up chametz:

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

Asparagus Bread Pudding

Strawberry Jam Muffins

Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Muffins

Ooey Gooey Peanut Butter Cream Pie

Peanut Butter Pancakes with Nutella Sauce


Peanut Butter No-Bake Treats

Frugal Floozie Friday - The Common Cup Coffeehouse

The Common Cup Coffeehouse - today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature - describes itself as "An eclectic escape located on the ground floor of University Lutheran Chapel ... serving the caffeine needs of the campus community."  And serving the community well, I might add!

The cafe is a welcoming space physically, with comfy chairs, tables to work at, wi-fi, and shelves of board games ready to provide hours of entertainment; whether you're working or socializing or relaxing, you are encouraged to stay awhile.  And the place is most inviting because of its friendly staff.

I stopped by on a recent afternoon in search of a bit of serenity and chocolate after a stressful day.  If I hadn't already known I needed cocoa, my brain would have experienced its usual "menu paralysis" when faced with too many enticing choices.  But hot chocolate was already on the agenda before I'd even walked through the door, and the cookie assortment placed so temptingly right in front of me on the counter made my decision-making process much easier.

For less than $5 - our mandatory Frugal Floozie Friday per-person budget - I was able to enjoy a huge mug of rich, frothy cocoa accompanied by a large, chewy vegan espresso chip cookie ... a perfect solace.  Stadium Market provides sandwiches, salads, stromboli, and other hearty food if you're seeking something more substantial than restorative treats.

Common Cup's beverage menu is fairly extensive, offering a wide variety of both hot and cold drinks.  Your coffee can be prepared with a French press or as a drip brew or a pour over, and the usual assortment of lattes, espresso, and chai is offered.  There are blended drinks and smoothies if you want something cool and refreshing, and Coke products as well as French and Italian sodas are available.  Virtually all of these cost less than $5, and the small sizes in some cases cost less than $2.

The cafe offers locally roasted coffees, as well as a home for area artists to showcase their talents whether they create pictures that are displayed on the walls or are musicians who perform in the evening.  It also thinks globally, and is a supporter of Union MicroFinanza (UMF); a display table offered bags of coffee beans grown in Honduras that were available for purchase at $10/bag.

Because the coffeehouse is located within a church, there are copies of the Bible and a copy of the Lutheran Service Book on the shelves; but there is nothing else particularly overtly religious, and even these books were tucked to the side of the doorway rather than displayed prominently.  Common Cup's purpose is to invite and welcome, rather than to proselytize.

As you rush up and down Washtenaw in your busy lives, be sure to stop in the serene Common Cup Coffeehouse for a bit of respite from all the bustling.  Enjoy a few moments of peace and serenity while satisfying your caffeine needs.

Common Cup Coffeehouse
1511 Washtenaw
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-327-6914
Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Saturday: 12 - 5 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.


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"Brownie in a Mug" - A Valentine Just for You

Today is Valentine's Day, as I'm sure most of us know.  (If you're the clueless guy who's missed all the ads, all the pink and red decorations in stores, and all the hints from your better half, you'd better run and try to save yourself!)

If you're in a relationship and can expect to receive roses or candy or jewelry or a mushy card - or all of the above - that's great.  But we've all been through Valentine's Days alone, and it's so hard when you feel left out, when there are no heart-shaped boxes of chocolates or bouquets of beautiful flowers for you.

And I think it's undoubtedly hardest for those who've been widowed, who won't ever see the love of their life again in this life.

I know a woman who lost her husband of nearly 50 years this past summer.  I visited with her recently, and her heart is utterly broken.  I can't imagine how difficult the past few weeks of build-up and onslaught have been for her, let alone how painful today will be as society pointedly reminds her, and others like her, of their aloneness.

While others may be offering romantic recipes for candlelit dinners, I want those who are alone on Valentine's Day - those who are wistful about being alone on Valentine's Day, I should clarify - to know that I offer my sympathy.  So much of a fuss is made about this "Hallmark holiday," with no thought to those who are taunted about not being part of the "in" crowd.

And so today I'm offering a recipe that serves one - one very special, one fabulous, one perfectly glorious person ... you!

There's no reason you should be denied your chocolate fix.  There's no reason you shouldn't get to enjoy something special.  This "Brownie in a Mug" recipe offers no expectation that there should be someone else to share it with.  And it also doesn't offer an entire pan of brownies to lure you into the temptation of eating too many.

Today is a day where you'll be thinking of the one you've lost, the one whose hand you wish you could be holding, the one whom you wish you could still say "good morning" and "goodnight" and - especially - "I love you" to.  You deserve your very own personal chocolate brownie, warm and rich, just to make you smile and feel special.


Brownie in a Mug

2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of kosher salt
1-1/2 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon flavoring (vanilla, coffee, rum, liqueur, etc.)
whipped cream, for serving

Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe mug; stir to combine well.  Microwave on "high" for 90 seconds, until the brownie is set and looks as though it was baked.  Let rest for 1 minute; it will sink a bit.  (This isn't a stellar specimen of aesthetic beauty, but it's luscious flavor makes up for that!)

Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Serves 1 exceptional person who deserves a treat today.

National Cocoa Day

Today is National Cocoa Day. And yes, you're looking at a picture of a warm drink made with white chocolate rather than with actual cocoa. Please don't write to chastize me!

"Cocoa" technically should be made with cocoa powder, but you know me - I always like to tweak things a bit. And I think that the word, in general usage, could include any form of hot chocolate drink even if that drink is made with white chocolate which actually isn't a form of chocolate at all. Don't think too hard, just suspend disbelief.

This white cocoa is the first recipe that ever won me a prize - $50 that thrilled me to such an extent that I became a veritable "contester," with membership in a cooking contest site and travelling to various competitions on a regular basis. I'm proud to say that I've won or placed in more than 60 contests, and it all started with this recipe. "I'm cooking and baking anyway, and someone might give me money for it??? Whee!"

Unfortunately, I don't have much opportunity for this endeavor anymore, as my jobs - both the full-time day job and the part-time writing gigs - take up the bulk of my waking hours (of which there are many, since sleep and I aren't usually very chummy). But every so often I still throw my proverbial spatula into the ring.

I'd entered this recipe into the AAA Michigan "Zero-Proof Mix-Off" in 1997 on a whim. They were seeking non-alcoholic beverages to support their campaign against drinking and driving at the holidays, and this was a perfect option. I was invited to demonstrate my recipe and serve it to judges at a live event, and was one of only five finalists.

I received an honorary prize simply for making it to the finals, while someone else won the $250 grand prize. But that was okay - I'd had success on my first try! I'd had a fabulous time. I'd learned a lot about presentation for future competitions. Everything about it was wonderful.

This is a ridiculously simple drink to make, and is a nice change from plain ol' hot chocolate (even though I do happen to love hot chocolate). Warm up with something a little different on our cold Michigan winter evenings, and be sure to celebrate National Cocoa Day somehow!

White Cocoa

1/2 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup Vanilla Caramel Coffee-Mate
whipped cream and sprinkles, for serving

Place the white chocolate chips into a small saucepan and melt them over low heat. Add the milk and the Coffee-Mate, whisking until smooth. Heat until there are small bubbles around the edges and steam is just starting to form.

Divide the drink among two mugs, then top with whipped cream and sprinkles if desired.

Serves 2, but is easily multiplied.

Cookie Week: Toasted Coconut Haystacks

This is one of those old-fashioned recipes that everyone in the Midwest seems to have some variation of. I had never seen them, though, until I moved to Michigan in 1978. Having grown up in New York City with a Canadian mother and a father whose own mother had emigrated from Ireland, my family didn't have this recipe.

But my ex-husband's did.

Stuart's Great-Aunt Ina created the cherished instructions for making Haystacks - a chocolatey coconut-oat no-bake cookie. She passed the recipe down, and now it is a favorite for a fourth generation. Jeremy could truly devour an entire batch of these when I make them.

Haystacks are ridiculously easy to make, as the most difficult step is merely waiting for them to cool and set. They're a great treat to give as holiday gifts, or to make when you're given last minute notice of bake sales. Butter, sugar, cocoa powder ... two minutes of stirring ... that's it!

Jeremy and Stuart are purists who never want to change anything; they want the same meals served at holidays, the same graham cracker crust at the base of their cheesecake, the same version of Haystacks that they've eaten all their lives.

I, however, like to tweak things a bit.

So I toasted the coconut rather than just stirring it in "as is." And I have to say that the boys loved them! This step offers just an extra bit of depth to the flavor.

Traditions are important at the holidays, and serving Haystacks has been a tradition in the Bilyeu family for decades.

Toasted Coconut Haystacks

1 cup coconut
3 cups quick-cook oats
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.

Place coconut into a large skillet; toast it over low heat just until it starts to turn golden. Place into a large mixing bowl and add the oats.

In a medium saucepan, bring the sugar, butter, milk, cocoa powder and vanilla to a boil; boil for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, then pour the chocolate mixture over the coconut and oats. Stir to combine well. (Add another 1-2 tablespoons of milk if the mixture seems a bit dry and isn't cohesive.)

Drop golf ball-sized dollops of the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, pressing lightly to help the cookies hold together as they set. Let cool on the counter or in the refrigerator until set.

Makes 2 dozen cookies, though you could make them smaller to make more.

By the way - don't forget these treats, too:

Oatmeal Shortbread

Blueberry Walnut Rugelach

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

There are a lot of ways to use up stale bread: turkey stuffing, Panzanella, feeding it to birds and squirrels (because, of course, if you feed it to the former you inevitably also share it with the latter!).

But truly, without exaggeration, I have to tell you that this pudding recipe I'm sharing with you today is probably the best re-purposing of stale bread that you will find.

It's sweet, but not too sugary. It's substantial, but not heavy. It's rich, but not obscenely so. And since the custard that the bread soaks in is flavored with instant cocoa, you can even vary the flavor of the pudding to suit your whims.

This is a perfect dessert to serve on a chilly Fall evening.



Raspberry Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

3 large eggs
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1-1/4 ounce packet Chocolate and Raspberry Instant Cocoa
1/8 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups half-and-half
6 cups of cubed challah (1" cubes)
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 10" round baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, confectioners' sugar, cocoa, sugar, and half-and-half. Stir in the bread cubes, and let soak in the custard for 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish, and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Bake for 45 minutes until pudding is puffed and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 10-12 servings, and is ideal with either ice cream or whipped cream.